47Chapter 4: Drive Away
o-o-o-o-o
"I can't believe we're leaving," mumbled Tucker, staring out at the ocean as it gently lapped the sides of the boat. Dallas grunted in acknowledgement, tightening his hold on the smaller man. The days passed by quickly and unforgetably. They had decided to let everyone meet each other, despite Dallas was a bit reluctant because of his whole "I'm not gay!" routine he had to put up for the press. Everyone got along just fine; Tobias particularly liked all of Tucker's galfriends. He had taken a liking to Loraleet, despite his first reaction to seeing her was, "What happened to your face?"
He was promptly duffed up by all the girls, Tuck, and Dallas before apologizing profusely and saying he was just curious and that she was still really beautiful. Loraleet and Tobias got along after that.
The days were fun in the sun and the nights were pleasured hazes that melted into a brilliant Miami morning. Now they sat on the boat Dallas' friend owned, snuggling and watching the last sunrise of their vacation. The night before was exhausting, both of them didn't want to say it, but both of them wanted to make the night the most memorable thing from Miami.
Now Tucker said it. And Dallas said the next thing on their mind, "We'll never see each other again...I guess."
"Unless I turn on NASCAR," the incognito cowboy murmured with a smile. The racer chuckled, resting his cheek against the other's as he rested his chin on Tucker's shoulder. "Watch you drive around in a big oval. All those left turns..."
"If I ever make a right turn, it'll be just for you Tuck," he said quietly, nuzzling his hickey covered neck.
"I don't want you to get into a crash..." his voice wandered off before Tucker suddenly straightened and started to rummage through his pockets. Dallas shifted to see what the other was doing before a red bandana was dangling in front of his face. Along with the hay smell was Tucker's own unique musk. Gingerly taking it, he raised an eyebrow at the brunette.
"Um...thanks?"
"It's my lucky bandana!" he said with a grin, taking it and folding it into a triangle. He then pushed back the racer's hair and tied it around his head. Pushing the bandana out of his eyes so that it just covered his eyebrows, Dallas chuckled, "How why would it be lucky?"
"Oh lots of reasons. The most dominant one is that when I was fourteen, I was walking around my grandfather's property and fell into a half-dug well. I fell unconscious and for two days I was stuck in that hole until my grandpa saw the red bandana stuck on a stick hanging above the well. It damn near saved my life."
Touching it fondly before dropping his hand back into his lap, Tucker smiled, "Just wear it somewhere on your person the next time you race, okay?"
Instead of answering, Dallas ran a hand through the smaller man's hair before bringing their lips together in a tender kiss that lingered instead of deepened. They broke apart, staring at each other with half-lidded, tired eyes sparked alive by the dawn's light that threaded through the fog.
"I'm sorry I don't have anything to give you," muttered the racer, rubbing the back of his neck. Tucker was about to dismiss it before the other suddenly straightened and looked around quickly. Grabbing his jacket, which was discarded near the side of the boat, he pulled out a few different colored sharpies. To answer Tucker's inquisitive stare, he said, "I get a lot of people asking for autographs so I always keep some sharpies in my jacket...here, give me your arm."
Pulling back his long sleeve to expose his sun-kissed forearm, Dallas uncapped the blue marker and held Tucker's wrist gently. With a loopy drawl, he wrote down a phone number with an area code. He then signed it underneath the name "Speed Racer"; the nickname Tucker's girls had given him on sight and that he had loved.
"There. That's my cell phone. If your ever...you know...want to call..." Dallas started to mumble incoherently as he fumbled with recapping the marker while Tucker stared at the blue writing scrawled across his tanned arm. A slow smile crept onto his lips before he looked back up at the now sheepish NASCAR racer.
In one swift movement, Tucker tackled him and passionately kissed him breathless.
o-o-o-o-o
The sight was a sad one. Dallas was standing on the corner with Tobias, waving farewell as Tucker waved back from the back window of the caddy. His face was faintly smiling, just for Dallas' sake, but when they rounded the corner, he turned around with a frown and let out a long sigh. Reaching under the passenger seat, he plopped his cowboy hat back on.
Mel patted the hat into snugness before pinching his cheek. He swatted her hand away, crossing his arms and slumping in his seat.
"Ah, sweetie, you okay?" cooed one of the twins, which he wasn't sure because his hat fell into his eyes as he sank lower into his seat, feet propped up onto the back of Tiff's seat.
"Yeah...just...gonna miss him, y'know?"
"Hey, at least you got his number, buckaroo!" crowed Trixie, swatting his knee.
"But I never told him I was a buckaroo, either."
"I thought you were going to tell him last night!" screeched Tiff.
"So did I...but I was rather occupied..."
"Then why didn't you tell him this morning?" asked Loraleet calmly, snatching a glance of him through the rearview mirror. Sighing again, he chewed his nails uncomfortably. "Didn't want to ruin it...I did give him my bandana though."
The whole car came to a screeching stop...but it was at an abrupt stop sign so not all of it from Loraleet's (and the rest of the passenger's) imminent surprise.
"You did what?" asked Tiff flatly, looking behind her with a look of disbelief.
"I gave him my bandana...for luck."
"Luck that you need for yourself! You are the most unluckiest person without that red scrap of cloth, and it isn't just all in your head, boy."
"Well, maybe I'm raking up good karma points with Lady Luck by giving it to him?"
"Lady Luck's a slut," muttered Loraleet as she pulled onto the freeway.
o-o-o-o-o
A/N: Short, I know, but at least I updated. This was all for Eithne, who has bugged me night and day for one full year (I updated on the same day I last updated, y'all!) to get me to do this. Be happy!
FeionPhylar: Jump-off? Never heard that expression.
Dante: Like I remember you were suppose to call...
ola: Nope, they'll move out of Miami. And into Indy-land! Weee!
dyers-eve: There. Updated. Bwah!
Rachelmorph: Yay! Officially loved!
Desdemona-Snape: Good, cause that was the first citrus I ever written...and yay Bill.