(no subject)

[red_lazarus]

She lives in the same building he'd been assigned.

Jason doesn't sleep there. And apart from the first time he'd entered his supposed apartment in the dead of night, Jason's not been back. So far no harm has befallen the people who have chosen to accept their home, but that's no reason to trust that will always be the case.

Parking her bike in the alley, Jason frowns.

She only lives on the second floor. Jason wonders if she likes that. Himself, he'd have chosen higher. The more removed from the streets she is, the safer she'll be, but then, she seems like the kind of girl to figure that out.

He doesn't need a batline to reach the fire escape outside her window, and Jason jumps neatly up, crouched in silence and peering into her empty living room. He knows he saw her go inside...

Hand raised, Jason knocks against the glass.

Comments

[red_lazarus]

It's strange to feel her settle behind him. Jason rides alone, he always has, but for a few short trips with Talia. The body at his back is unnerving, and for a moment, Jason wishes she'd left the ax.

The hum of the bike when he turns the ignition helps to steady him, the rumble of it soothing, and not nearly as loud as most. "Muffler's what took so long," he says, plucking the helmet that dangles from the handlebars and handing it to her. "I'll start slow. You want to lean into the turns, but not too much. Trust the bike. It wants to stay upright as much as you do."

[notliketherest]

The bike grumbles to life beneath us and I tense instinctively, gripping him a little tighter even if we're not going anywhere yet. I only let go to take the helmet he hands me, frowning at it for a second before putting it on. I'd ask if he needs one too, but I figure if we're going to crash, I rather it be his head that bursts like a melon than mine.

(I would feel bad, though. Might even miss him. A little.)

"Okay," I tell him, still more than a little unsure as I rest my hands on his sides again. It's an awkward position and I'm not entirely sure I like it, but it's better than him being behind me, at least. "Trust and lean. Got it."

[red_lazarus]

"It's only scary the first time," says Jason in a sudden burst of reassurance. "Promise. You, uh." He looks forward again, uncomfortable. "You probably want to hang on tighter, just for the first run. When you get used to it, you can ease up."

[notliketherest]

Somehow the uneasiness I can hear in his tone makes me feel a little better. Which is probably fucking stupid given that he's the one driving this damn thing, but I have the feeling it's not the bike that makes him nervous.

Doing as instructed, I lean in to wind my arms tighter around him, basically hugging him from behind. I can't remember the last time I hugged anyone much less someone who's basically a stranger.

"I'm not scared," I tell him and... well, it's mostly the truth.

[red_lazarus]

He feels better, too, for the squeeze of her arms around him. Now he can be certain that she won't fall off, and Jason waits for the engine to warm up and then wastes no more time, taking off in a tight arc to direct them out of the alley and into the open street.

"It can do eighty," he shouts over the wind, revving them close to forty, "but don't go that fast unless you're sure you know what the fuck you're doing."

[notliketherest]

There's nothing keeping me on but my hold around his waist and the clench of my thighs. It's terrifying but, as we start to go a little faster on the open road, it becomes exhilarating, too.

I still don't let go.

"And how will I know that?" I ask, shouting over the rush of the wind.

[red_lazarus]

"You'll know!" shouts Jason, throttling them even faster, taking a hairpin turn at a speed at which most would wipeout. For some reason, he wants to see if it makes her scream. "When the bike feels like a part of you, when it's just another bodypart, then you can do crazy things!"

[notliketherest]

He takes a turn and I feel my stomach nearly jump into my throat as I hold on tighter. I don't scream, but I kind of want to kick him in the kidneys for it.

But we haven't hit anything. And we're both still alive.

"Crazy things like what!" I ask, because... hell, I don't know. Because apparently this city makes me stupid.

[red_lazarus]

"Like wheelies," Jason yells back, and he's never been remotely moved to do one, but he pops one now, front wheel lifting high off the ground like a rearing horse. "And ramps!" Setting the bike back on a straight course, Jason grins over his shoulder. "Wanna do one?"

[notliketherest]

I'm about to ask what the hell a wheelie is when suddenly the front end of the bike is off the fucking ground and I'm clinging tighter.

And, okay, maybe I scream a little but it melts into a laugh when both wheels are safely on the ground again. "Fuck yes!" I yell, a familiar rush of adrenaline running through my veins.

[red_lazarus]

Jason laughs outloud, taking another corner so hard he has to put a boot down to keep them upright, and then they're off again, hurtling towards a street where Jason knows he saw construction.

He takes a turn and suddenly they're flying past orange cones and straight for an unfinished bit of road, a portion of it raised and arching to the sky. "Here we go," Jason murmurs, and it's the only warning he gives before pulling the throttle all the way down, volleying them up the makeshift ramp and right into the air.

[notliketherest]

I feel wild like this, wind roaring as Jason pushes the back faster. I've come close to dying more than a few times, but it's never felt like this.

With my head tucked over his shoulder, I can see where we're going, what he's headed for, and every muscle in my body goes tight with anticipation, a mix of fear and pure, unadulterated excitement making me clutch tighter as we soar through the air. We could die as soon as we hit the ground and I don't even care. This feels amazing.

[red_lazarus]

They hit the ground with the screech of tires and the crunch of metal, and Jason swiftly wrestles the bike back under control, zigzagging them through the last of the orange cones before he turns hard, swinging them to a stop.

"Crazy stuff like that," he exhales, breathless and grinning.

[notliketherest]

The landing is rough, loud and hard and I cling tight as the bike tilts and zigzags to a stop.

Leaning away from him, I pull the helmet off, my smile nearly breaking my face. "I'm going to end up killing myself on this thing," I tell him, laughing. "But it'll be worth it."

[red_lazarus]

"It feels like that sometimes," says Jason, tipping his face back to the sky, the wind on his cheeks gentle now. It's strange - he rides all the time, but he'd almost forgotten what it was like to let go like that, to stop worrying about what he's hurtling towards and ride simply for pleasure.

"Just start smaller than that," he says, twisting in the seat to look at her. "You ready to try?"

[notliketherest]

"Uh," I say when he twists back to look at me. The adrenaline is fading fast, but I pull in a quick breath and nod. "Yeah. I'm ready."

I'm not entirely sure what smaller really means, but I'm willing to bet it includes not jumping off any construction ramps for awhile. I tug the helmet back over my head and give him a quick shove from behind. "Switch?"

[red_lazarus]

"Can't," says Jason, and it's weird. A month ago, he'd have dropped off the owed bike and called it done, leaving her to figure out how to ride it, but he doesn't want to now. It's not an easy thing to learn, and she could wipe out, hurt herself pretty bad. It'd be like it was his fault or something.

Lifting his leg, Jason dismounts the bike. "You gotta learn to balance your own weight on it before we add mine. But I'll help."

[notliketherest]

I feel my stomach drop out when he slides off and I shift forward to grab the handlebars tight, feet firmly planted on the ground.

"How the hell are you going to help?" I ask, nearly choking on a suddenly nervous laugh. "You planning to run alongside me?"

[red_lazarus]

"Yep." Jason bends, adjusting something out of sight. "It'll start slower than most motorcycles, too. I'll change it when you get the hang of it. Now look."

Jason points at the right handlebar. "That's your front brake. Down here," he points beneath the where her right foot rests, "That's the rear brake. You'll use that most of the time. Don't try to front brake or you'll probably flip right over the handlebars."

[notliketherest]

Frowning, I watch him bend over for a second before he starts rattling off shit I should probably pay attention to. After taking a deep breath in, I force myself to pay attention, squeezing first the front break and tapping the rear one. Okay. Sure. I can do this. No problem.

"How do I make it go?" I ask, hating that I sound like an idiot. But I guess there's no way around that right now.

[red_lazarus]

"Right here," says Jason, wrapping her hand around the accelerator on the right handlebar, then does the same with her left on the other side. "As soon as you start releasing the clutch, the bike will roll. If you want it to go faster, twist here - " He touches the right side again. "The more you twist, the faster you'll go."

Jason steps back. "Keep your feet out at first, then pull them in when you feel balanced."

[notliketherest]

He reaches across me to grab one bar and then does the same with the other. I squeeze the one on the right and the bike growls beneath me and I can't suppress the shiver that runs through my spine.

When he steps back, I carefully try to do as he'd instructed, lifting my feet off the ground, but not too far. I gradually loosen my hold on the left bar and squeeze the one on the right and the bike lurches beneath me, sending my stomach hurtling into my stomach before I quickly grab the front break which sends me jerking forward.

"Shit!" I'm laughing even as I say it, though, feeling a brand new rush of adrenaline as I reposition on the seat. "Okay, let's try that again."

[red_lazarus]

"Back brake," Jason repeats, but he's laughing, moved now to reach and check the strap on her helmet to see that it's tight.

"Ease into it. It doesn't take much to get it going."

[notliketherest]

"Back break," I echo, half laughing and half scowling as I nudge it with my foot, reminding myself of where it is.

I try again, releasing the one on the left slowly as I ease into the one on the right. And this time I'm prepared for the jerk, one feet grazing the the ground when I lean a little too much to one side. "Okay," I say again when I get up a good, slow pace. "Okay, yeah. I got this."

[red_lazarus]

"Looks good," says Jason, jogging alongside her, just in case she overbalances. There's nothing like the weight of an entire bike falling on you to make a bad crash worse, even at these speeds. "Now try taking a corner."