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fandomweekly2022-09-08 08:23 am
iluvroadrunner6) wrote in fandomweekly2022-09-08 08:23 am
Entry tags:
[#139] You Think You're on Your Way (Original)
Theme Prompt: #139–Getting Lost
Title: You Think You’re on Your Way
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: PG-13
Bonus: Yes.
Word Count: 840
Summary: Rudy and his sister get hopelessly lost.
Rudy’s forehead drops against the steering wheel with a groan.
“It’s not that bad.”
Cherie’s voice grates on his last nerve, just as it has for the past two hours that they’ve had to spend together. It’s not that he doesn’t love his sister. He does. But she’s almost impossible to spend huge amounts of time with. Especially when you’re the only thing she can spend her attention on.
“Not that bad?” He raises an eyebrow at her. “Cher, we are completely lost.”
“Yeah, kind of like an adventure, right?” She grins and her cheery optimism might be worse than her non-stop chatter. “Just think, we are venturing like someone would pre-the ages of smart phones and GPS tracking systems. We are off the grid, flying loose. No one could stop us.”
“No one could find us.”
“That’s the point.”
“No, that’s the problem.” His forehead returns to the steering wheel, gripping it tightly as he tries to breathe. “This is the most important day of my life…”
“The most important day of your life is getting to some crummy business meeting that the universe clearly doesn’t want you to attend?” She tips her head to the side, giving him a funny look.
“This is about my job, Cherie. My job. I know you are all free spirit and have a new job every three months, but I’ve been at mine for fifteen years. I like my job. And if I don’t get there soon, I will have no more job. You understand.”
“I do. But is this day bigger than your wedding?”
“…No.”
“Bigger than the birth of my lovely niece and nephew?”
“No.”
“Then it is clearly not the most important day of your life. And I understand you like your job, but you are a competent, savvy employee who has been killing it for them for almost two decades and if they don’t recognize that and fire you because you got lost one time in a land with no GPS service, then they are clearly idiots.” She pauses, giving that statement long enough to sink in and make sense, before reaching for his shoulder. “Now, take a deep breath.”
He gives her a look.
“I’m serious. In through your nose, out through your mouth.”
He does, and for a moment it’s oddly relaxing. It quiets the buzzing and anxieties in his head and he feels a little better.
“Again. This time, close your eyes and try to picture what you need to get out of this situation.”
He does, but his mind comes up empty. Unless they’re magically going to pull directions out of thin air, he’s not sure where to go from here.
“I don’t know what we can do if we have no service other than keep driving aimlessly.”
Cherie rolls her eyes. “What did people do in the days before GPS? You realize that it’s a fairly recent invention, right? And that people were navigating long before we had smartphones?”
“I don’t know!” He throws up his hands as he looks at her, the calm from earlier evaporating. “Carry maps, follow the stars? Neither of which I have or learned how to do.”
She rolls her eyes before gesturing to the road. “Ask for directions.”
“Do you see anyone around?”
“No. But I’m willing to bet you that somewhere along this road, there’s a gas station. We need to be heading west, right? So let’s keep heading west and stop when we see people.” She adjusts her sunglasses before leaning back in her seat. “Who knows? Maybe somewhere along the way, the GPS will start working again.”
Rudy stares at her for a moment, before shaking his head.
“What?” she frowns.
“That’s the most logical suggestion I’ve ever heard out of you.”
She rolls her eyes. “You want me to drive for the next stretch?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, I’ve got it. Just shout if you see a gas station.”
* * * * *
They do, eventually, find a gas station, about another ten miles down the road. The attendant there confirms that they are a bit out of their way, but not too far, and they make it to the resort, with minutes to spare before Rudy’s big speech.
“Look at us.” Cherie grins as they climb out of the car. “We’ve accomplished something!”
He snorts. “Getting lost?”
“No. Managing in the world, even when the world doesn’t want to be managed.” She waits for him to step around the other side of the car and drapes an arm over his shoulders. “I’m proud of you, big brother. I know that wasn’t easy for you.”
He nods, before turning back to her with a smile. “I’m just glad I had you as my copilot.”
Cherie smiles, before turning and nudging him towards the door. “Knock ‘em dead.”
He gives her a small salute before heading into the conference room with a smile. He can do this. And even if he doesn’t, Cherie’s right.
Maybe it’s not the end of the world.
Title: You Think You’re on Your Way
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: PG-13
Bonus: Yes.
Word Count: 840
Summary: Rudy and his sister get hopelessly lost.
Rudy’s forehead drops against the steering wheel with a groan.
“It’s not that bad.”
Cherie’s voice grates on his last nerve, just as it has for the past two hours that they’ve had to spend together. It’s not that he doesn’t love his sister. He does. But she’s almost impossible to spend huge amounts of time with. Especially when you’re the only thing she can spend her attention on.
“Not that bad?” He raises an eyebrow at her. “Cher, we are completely lost.”
“Yeah, kind of like an adventure, right?” She grins and her cheery optimism might be worse than her non-stop chatter. “Just think, we are venturing like someone would pre-the ages of smart phones and GPS tracking systems. We are off the grid, flying loose. No one could stop us.”
“No one could find us.”
“That’s the point.”
“No, that’s the problem.” His forehead returns to the steering wheel, gripping it tightly as he tries to breathe. “This is the most important day of my life…”
“The most important day of your life is getting to some crummy business meeting that the universe clearly doesn’t want you to attend?” She tips her head to the side, giving him a funny look.
“This is about my job, Cherie. My job. I know you are all free spirit and have a new job every three months, but I’ve been at mine for fifteen years. I like my job. And if I don’t get there soon, I will have no more job. You understand.”
“I do. But is this day bigger than your wedding?”
“…No.”
“Bigger than the birth of my lovely niece and nephew?”
“No.”
“Then it is clearly not the most important day of your life. And I understand you like your job, but you are a competent, savvy employee who has been killing it for them for almost two decades and if they don’t recognize that and fire you because you got lost one time in a land with no GPS service, then they are clearly idiots.” She pauses, giving that statement long enough to sink in and make sense, before reaching for his shoulder. “Now, take a deep breath.”
He gives her a look.
“I’m serious. In through your nose, out through your mouth.”
He does, and for a moment it’s oddly relaxing. It quiets the buzzing and anxieties in his head and he feels a little better.
“Again. This time, close your eyes and try to picture what you need to get out of this situation.”
He does, but his mind comes up empty. Unless they’re magically going to pull directions out of thin air, he’s not sure where to go from here.
“I don’t know what we can do if we have no service other than keep driving aimlessly.”
Cherie rolls her eyes. “What did people do in the days before GPS? You realize that it’s a fairly recent invention, right? And that people were navigating long before we had smartphones?”
“I don’t know!” He throws up his hands as he looks at her, the calm from earlier evaporating. “Carry maps, follow the stars? Neither of which I have or learned how to do.”
She rolls her eyes before gesturing to the road. “Ask for directions.”
“Do you see anyone around?”
“No. But I’m willing to bet you that somewhere along this road, there’s a gas station. We need to be heading west, right? So let’s keep heading west and stop when we see people.” She adjusts her sunglasses before leaning back in her seat. “Who knows? Maybe somewhere along the way, the GPS will start working again.”
Rudy stares at her for a moment, before shaking his head.
“What?” she frowns.
“That’s the most logical suggestion I’ve ever heard out of you.”
She rolls her eyes. “You want me to drive for the next stretch?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, I’ve got it. Just shout if you see a gas station.”
They do, eventually, find a gas station, about another ten miles down the road. The attendant there confirms that they are a bit out of their way, but not too far, and they make it to the resort, with minutes to spare before Rudy’s big speech.
“Look at us.” Cherie grins as they climb out of the car. “We’ve accomplished something!”
He snorts. “Getting lost?”
“No. Managing in the world, even when the world doesn’t want to be managed.” She waits for him to step around the other side of the car and drapes an arm over his shoulders. “I’m proud of you, big brother. I know that wasn’t easy for you.”
He nods, before turning back to her with a smile. “I’m just glad I had you as my copilot.”
Cherie smiles, before turning and nudging him towards the door. “Knock ‘em dead.”
He gives her a small salute before heading into the conference room with a smile. He can do this. And even if he doesn’t, Cherie’s right.
Maybe it’s not the end of the world.