Chapter Text
Driver had no choice but to move. If he hadn’t, it would’ve just put him in deeper shit. Each and every one of his stupid decisions would just keep coming back to bite him in the ass. At the very least, Irene and Benicio were left unharmed, he thought. But the damage was unsalvageable. He now has to stay as far away from them as possible so his own mess doesn’t taint either of them. Not like Irene would even find the guts to look at him the same again after what he did in that elevator in front of her.
He doesn’t know why he’s doing this, running away. He has people to run to, but he doesn’t go to them. Maybe it’s that creeping feeling of not wanting to disappoint them, or that he doesn’t want them to get involved with his mess if things ever went to shit.
Colt and Ryland don’t know of any about the shady business he’d been getting into. All they know is about his stuntman gig, and his mechanic job. He would never want them to find out how disgusting and vile he’s grown to be, while they’re out there, being actual good people for others to look up to. He doesn’t want to ruin one of the only good things he has left in his life.
He’s been on the road for about 30 hours on end now. He’ll be out of gas again soon at any point. The sting of the haphazard stitches that that back-alley doctor did on his stab wound never went away. It never stopped bleeding either. He feels himself getting colder and colder. Putting pressure isn’t helping anymore.
Well, he did figure, if he was gonna die, he’d rather it be while he’s doing what he loves to do.
He shuts his eyes to clear them, but they don’t. His vision’s fogged, he’s dizzy, and he’s soaked in blood that’s starting to stain his clothes a dark reddish-brown. That asshole, Bernie. If he had just… been faster…
For once, he actually stops. Clumsily, on the side of the road.
It’s getting… really, really cold. He doesn’t know if it’s because of his blood loss and fatigue, or that he’s really just somewhere… cold. He doesn’t know where he is, he never read any of the signs he passed. He sees more trees than he does light that indicates houses.
Slowly, his vision darkens. His head feels absolutely light. He’s shivering from the cold. Maybe, it’s for the better that he really just doesn’t fight it anymore…
—
Today’s weekly community potluck wasn’t too bad, Lars thought to himself. He wasn’t overwhelmed at any point, it wasn’t too loud, and no one tried to touch him for too long. It ended much later than they’d anticipated because the townspeople were gushing over baby Elinor and how much she’s grown already despite being only 3 months old. Lars also loved helping with the cleanup so it took Gus and Karin a while to pull him away and pack back into the car so they could go home.
The car ride was comfortable so far. Gus drove slowly and carefully for Karin and the baby. Lars sat next to the baby car seat, where Elinor slept soundly, probably tired from how active she’d been just minutes before. Lars interlaced his fingers and rested his hands on his lap as he looked out the window to occupy himself. Tree, tree, light post, tree, tree, car, tree… wait, car?
Lars shut his eyes tight for a moment, then blinked them open. He doesn’t recognize the car. It looked fancy, and it was parked way too far from the residences for it to look intentional.
“Um- Gus… Can you pull over?” He spoke up, hands getting fidgety.
“What’s wrong, Lars?” Karin asked gently, turning towards the backseat.
“I- um… There’s a car on the side of the road…” He replied.
“S’it look like trouble?” Gus looked at him from the rearview mirror.
“Maybe it… um, broke down or something. We have to check if they need help.”
Lars reasoned.
It was already rare for commuters and passers-through to drive by their little corner in Wisconsin, let alone around this time at night. Gus sighed.
They pull over a fair distance away from the seemingly stranded car. Karin agrees to stay inside with the baby. Gus brings a little torch, and lets Lars lead them both to the mysterious vehicle to see what’s up.
Lars peeks first. He sees the silhouette of a person leaned back in the driver seat. He blinks at it with concern.
“Maybe they’re just snoozing so they can drive in the morning, Lars, we should let them be.” Gus says before he shines the light through the window, illuminating an image that made both of them freeze.
Lars gasps, looks at Gus, then back at the… very injured gentleman in the car.
Gus coughs out a breath and hands Lars the torch.
“Stay there, try to wake him up, I’ll get my phone.”
Lars’ breath quickens in panic. He likes helping people… but he’s never been in a position where he’ll be saving someone’s life. He shuts his eyes tight for a brief moment and opens them again to compose himself. He gulps and reaches a hand up to knock on the half-open dark window.
—
“Hello? …Mister?”
Three knocks, and a faint voice. Driver was slipping in and out of consciousness, and now felt too weak to move or even open his eyes. Even if he could, he’d just see splotches of light, if there was any. He groans involuntarily at the returning feeling of the throbbing pain from his lower abdomen again.
“P-Please don’t move, we called for help… Hold on, okay?”
Driver couldn’t register the words but… the voice soothed him somehow. The voice sounded shaky, concerned… and very soft. Like a warm blanket on his cold body lulling him back to sleep. He wants whoever it is to keep talking…
He fades out again.
—
Dr. Dagmar said the man’s wound had gotten infected and would’ve killed him; he certainly was teetering on the edge of it when they found him. The sloppily-done stitches had also angered the wound even more. They’ve redone them and have given him antibiotics and a light anesthetic, so he would be waking up a little later.
Lars insisted Gus and Karin take the baby and go home, and he’d stay with the strange man for the night. So, here he was, sat quietly on the seat near the bed.
He blinks at the man’s sleeping figure. He wonders how someone would be put in that state. The stranger doesn’t seem to inflict fear in him. He doesn’t look like he’d hurt him. Matter of fact, he’s really pretty, doesn’t look like he’d hurt a fly. He understands Gus’ concern though.