Chapter Text
Ever since he'd learned to drive, Jeonghan was addicted to the road. When he was happy, he drove. When he was upset, he drove. When he was stressed, he drove. When he was depressed, he drove. Driving was very therapeutic; and he could go anywhere with his car and some money for gas. He could escape his troubles; he could drive to another county, another damn country if he so pleased. Driving was a getaway.
Now, Jeonghan never really got away. Often time, he wasn't even alone when he was driving. Someone would spot him picking up his keys, and they would ask to tag along. Jeonghan never had an idea to reject them-- no urge to say leave me the hell alone. He was happy for some company on a drive-- someone to put on some music and roll down the windows. He was focused on the road; he liked that someone else was there to control the less important things.
Mingyu was often the one to go on these drives with Jeonghan-- especially at night. Anyone who knew Mingyu would know that he loved to drive just as much as Jeonghan did-- for a different reason. He wasn't addicted to driving; he simply enjoyed the act. He didn't drive when he was upset, when he was stressed, when he was depressed; he didn't trust himself behind the wheel when he was emotional. But he did like to sit behind the wheel and act like an adult; he liked to drive around a view the beauty. He didn't pay as much attention to the road as he should, but he was safe about driving despite.
So, Mingyu and Jeonghan drove around a lot. They drove around together a lot. Jeonghan dragged Mingyu out at midnight-- no words spoken, no questions asked. Mingyu threw on his shoes while Jeonghan searched for his keys. Mingyu was silent when they hopped in the car. Jeonghan was quiet. His expression was blank and he didn't look in the mood to talk. Jeonghan started the car; Mingyu reached to turn the radio down, switch the station to some music they would know. Jeonghan began to drive; Mingyu rolled the window down. Spring air flooded into the car, brushing through Mingyu's hair and Jeonghan's battered mood. It took twenty minutes driving around before Jeonghan said anything.
"Thank you for coming with me."
Mingyu just hummed at him, a nod in his response. Silence followed for a long time-- another twenty minutes, closing in on half an hour. Jeonghan took a sudden turn into a fast food place-- some place Mingyu had never even heard of. Jeonghan reached into his pocket for his wallet as they pulled up to the menu, and he looked at Mingyu, "You want something?" and Mingyu shook his head. Jeonghan leaned forward and ordered something small-- something he shared with Mingyu on their next streak of driving-- an hour of eating and driving around, with only music playing to fill the silence. Mingyu studied Jeonghan closely in that hour. Jeonghan's mood seemed to lift with every bite he took and every beat that played-- every mile that passed and every street lamp they drove under. What he'd been upset about in the first place, Mingyu had no idea; but it must have been pretty serious if Jeonghan was still driving around at half past one o'clock, yawning every couple minutes, leaning his head back against his seat at every red light.
"Hyung," Mingyu said gently, catching Jeonghan's sleepy attention. The two were pretty far from the dorm. Mingyu could tell that Jeonghan wasn't ready to go back, but he was exhausted, so-- "Pull over. Let me drive for a while."
Jeonghan did as Mingyu said. They switched spots-- with Mingyu gently bumping Jeonghan's hand as they passed each other in front of the car. He squeezed Jeonghan's fingers-- any form of comfort he could give-- and they separated again half a second later; and Mingyu climbed into the driver's seat, and Jeonghan climbed into the passenger seat.
"Do you want anything else?" Mingyu asked, eyeing the fast food places around. Jeonghan shook his tired head, leaned against the window and closed his eyes. Mingyu looked at him for a moment-- just a moment with his expression blank, feeling nothing; and then he smiled, and he took note of Jeonghan's tousled hair and baggy eyes and he thought perhaps Jeonghan wasn't really upset, just really stressed out.
That made Mingyu want to drive a little more.
2 a.m., Jeonghan fell asleep, and Mingyu continued to drive around. He rolled up the window and turned up the heat. He tucked his jacket around Jeonghan's shoulders and drove and drove and drove; and Jeonghan woke up and hour later with a cramp in his neck but a smile in his expression. He slipped his arms through Mingyu's jacket and asked, "Still driving?" and Mingyu shrugged, "You were still sleeping," and Jeonghan gave a little laugh, "You could have woken me," but Mingyu shook his head, "I wanted to drive."