(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

[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."

[notliketherest]

I'm tempted to squeeze my right hand a little tighter, just to see how fast he can run, but the potential of running myself into a building stops me.

Instead, I focus on the intersection only a dozen or so yards away and hunch forward. It's harder than I would've thought, my balance going shaky as I try to slow down, leaning a little too far to the left. "Whoa whoa whoa. Shit."

[red_lazarus]

Jason grabs the handle before it can tip, holding her upright a few more feet before he lets go again. “Try and relax,” he says. “I won't let you fall over, so just concentrate on finding your balance. Once you get it right, you won't forget.”

[notliketherest]

"Yeah, whatever you say," I tell him, but I don't fight it when he holds the bike upright and I squeeze the accelerator again.

I pull in a breathe and release it slow, thinking back to those stupid exercises my head doctor in District 13 tried to hammer into me. It actually works though, making it easier to focus on the way the bike rocks and sways as I figure out how to balance it out with my own body weight.

"I think- I think I've got it," I tell him. "Maybe."

[red_lazarus]

"Let's find out," Jason grins, because he thinks she does, too, already sitting straighter and more confident in the seat. Jerking his head at the next alley, he says, "Take a corner again."

[notliketherest]

"Just so you're aware, this will be the only time I ever let you tell me what to do." I'm grinning as I say it, but I mean it too, and I take another breath when he lets go, riding forward a few yards, focusing. The turn is definitely better this time, the bike wobbling only a little before I manage to find that balance again and I let out a whoop of victory when I reach the other side, punching my fist in the air as I slow the bike to a stop.

[red_lazarus]

"Looks good," Jason grins, more elated than he should be by one successful ride, but he can't help but smile as she punches the air.

"You'll be ramping shit in no time."

[notliketherest]

"Damn straight," I tell him, his smile only making mine grow wider. It feels a little weird, actually, to feel this happy. But, hell, I'll take it while it lasts.

"Give me a week or two and you'll be struggling to keep up. Promise you."