Four in a bucket. If you know that reference, you know my super-secret-melodramatic-alter-ego. Hurrah.

---

"Okay, wait-" Ren furrowed his brow as Doc rubbed his eyes. "Dude- you were supposed to drive today. Why- can't you drive?"

"I stayed up until 3AM."

"whY-"

Doc shrugged, hauling his backpack into the trunk of their van. "Well, I was at the firepit with Bdubs 'till, like- eleven. Then I walked him back to his tent. Then I couldn't sleep."

Ren just stared. Doc yawned and looked at him. "I had a lot to think about."

Ren sighed. He walked around their vehicle and stuck his head through Grian's rolled down window. "Iskall, Doc is too sleepy to drive. You okay to drive?"

Iskall froze. Ren watched in confusion as both Grian and Mumbo looked at him in concern. Mumbo shook his head. Grian whispered something to Iskall.

It was getting pretty awkward for Ren so the brunet started to walk back around the van when he heard the car door open.

"I can do it."

Ren turned around and grinned at the swede. "Awesome dude! Can I ride shotgun?"

"O-of course." Iskall looked at his feet, shuffling awkwardly. "Also I.. I'm a pretty tentative driver, so I'm sorry if I do a bad job."

Ren smiled at Iskall reassuringly, placing a hand on his shoulder and leading him to the drivers seat. "I doubt you'll do a bad job."

---

"Iskall, my dude, I don't mean to rush you or anything but-" Ren glanced over at Iskall, who was gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were turning white, "You think you could go a bit faster? We're kinda losing--"

"I-" The swede bit his lip, his eyes firmly on the road. "I c-can. I'm sorry."

Iskall pushed his foot slowly, gently applying the tinyest bit more of pressure onto the gas. Ren could barely recognize a difference in speed.

"Iskall.."

"R-Ren."

Ren wasn't quite sure what he was feeling. Worry? Frustration? Guilt? He just knew that he really wanted to protect Iskall from driving, which sounded kinda stupid in his head.

Ren gave the driver a soft look, though he knew Iskall wouldnt be looking away from the road to see it anytime soon. "Do you want me to drive, Iskall?"

Iskall swallowed, "N-no, Ren, I can handle it. Thank you."

There was an awkward silence that hung over the vehicle.

Ren was so caught up wondering what made Iskall so uncomfortable driving that he forgot there were other people in the car.

"Iskall, he's offering." Grian's voice startled Ren out of his thoughts. "You shouldn't stress yourself."

"But I want to, Grian." Iskall countered, "It doesn't even matter if we win this one, because we either win today or end up with a tiebreaker tomorrow. This is a good chance for me to get over what happened."

Ren frowned, "..What happe-"

"I've got to agree with Grian on this one, Iskall" Mumbo interjected, "I know you like to face things head-on most of the time--"

"Except when it comes to boys.." Grian muttered.

"--but I don't think you should try to face trauma by going right back to what caused the trauma in the first place."

"Okay, okay- wait.. " Ren raised his hand, "If you don'tmind me asking... traUMA???"

Iskall let out a strained laugh, "Car crash a while back. If you ever wondered about my eye."

Ren's mouth dropped. He had theorized that maybe Iskall disliked driving because he was new to it, or because of the nerve-shaking grip that came with driving for a competition, but a car crash? Now Ren absolutely had to protect Iskall from every car ever!

"I- I'm so- oh my god I-"

"Ren, it was months ago." For the first time since Iskall started driving, he looked away from the road. His eye flitted to meet Ren's for a split second. He smiled. "I'm okay now."

After a few moments of silence, Ren pushed. "Iskall, please let me drive. O-or.. at least let me help make you less stressed, more comfortable."

"No offence, but how do you intend to do that?" Grian asked from the back, a joking edge to his voice. It was obvious he wasn't sure about joking, with the raw, trusting honesty that this car ride had been so far. "Hold his hand? Sing him a calming lullaby?"

"I'd hold his hand." Ren offered, "But he's driving."

Iskall flushed. "Ye-yeah. Please don't t-take my hands away from this wheel."

The gears in Ren's mind spun, and a stupid idea began to form.

"Hey- Iskall?"

"Mmhm?"

"Can I-- put my hands on yours..?"

That even got Doc's attention, who had been asleep the whole ride so far.

"Han's on wha..?" He muttered, before falling back asleep.

If possible, Iskall seemed to grip the wheel even tighter. He coughed. "Wh-what do you--"

"I mean like this."

(A/N: Haha shit art but whatever, you get it)

Ren leaned over and gently placed his hands atop Iskall's on the steering wheel. The swede froze, though he did ease his hands up a bit after a few seconds.

"Is this okay dude? Am interfering with your ability to drive?"

"N-no. This is- uh- nice-"

"Does it help at all or am I just being annoying?"

"You-" Iskall swallowed, "Yep. Stress. Gone."

Ren grinned. "Cool! This way, we can share the scariness of driving!"

Grian leaned over Iskall's seat, "I'm still worried about you Iskall, but this is really wholesome."

"I-It is..!"

Ren turned around to smile at Grian, though it was difficult with the already awkward position he was leaning in. Grain met his eyes and mouthed, 'Thank you'

Ren didn't understand.

'For what?' He mouthed back.

'For making Iskall happy.' Grian smiled, 'also please don't crash the van.'

Ren snickered at Grian's joke, (confusing Iskall a bit), then the short blonds words fully registered in his mind.. 'Thank you for making Iskall happy.'

Ren beamed, subconsciously running his thumbs back and forth on the back of Iskall's hands. I make Iskall happy.

---

While driving back from the lake our car broke down lol.
We good now tho :D

REMEMBER TO HYDRATE AND STAY HEALTHY *PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVELY THROWS WATER BOTTLES AND LOVE <3*

Also I apologize for the general laziness of today's drawing-

Buh bye o/