fandomhigh | Driver's Education, Thursday, Period 1

Before starting this job, it had not entirely occurred to Brian that for most people, driving a car was not second nature, although to be fair it wasn't like he'd gotten a lot of time to think about it ahead of time. (Also, he'd learned by stealing one when he was fourteen, but that was so not the point.) And he was a lot better rested this week, having ~~picked the lock~~ gained access to the storage room McIntosh had told the landlord to put the contents of his allegedly-furnished apartment in, since Hale was on the other side of the country and couldn't give him the key.

The setup in the Danger Shop was the same as it had been last week: city street, night, four sleek little sports cars. Except this time Brian said, "Okay, so. Steering and braking, you'll get those, it just takes practice. Better to get that in here than out in the real world where you might get hurt. Some of you really need to work on shifting gears, though." Like, really. If these were real cars and not hard light holograms he wouldn't let some of you back in them. "So let's go over that." Brian patiently walked the class through how to know when to change gears before declaring, "And now? We race. Same deal as last time, give it a shot and then if you want some more practice, just wait until everybody else is through.

"Oh, and if you have any questions or anything, I'm here for you. If you'd rather talk to someone else, Ronan here will be my assistant for this class." Although Brian was probably the more approachable option.

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"And I am the dwarf for the job," Thorin replied dryly.

Speaking of trauma with animals...

"I've been told there is game to be found in the forests on this island. Is that true?"

"I think so," Anders nodded. "Deer, at least. Some of them are the color of an August ram. And things like foxes and squirrels and rabbits. And something called alots, but I've never seen them. Why, do you hunt?"

He didn't -- unless flinging ice at a rabbit until it fell over a few times when he was a very hungry runaway counted -- but far be it form him to hold it against someone else who did.

"I have hunted before," Thorin replied. "I watched a television program with these people who insisted on not eating animals. So now I want some game."

He was just so contrary.

"Of course," Anders said, as if it made perfect sense -- which it more or less did. "They're funny about what they eat here. Some of them won't eat bread. I haven't met any who won't eat bread or meat yet, but I'm sure they exist."

"And they don't allow a glass of wine or ale at a strange age here either."

It was a strange land indeed.

"Twenty-one," Anders said, making a face. "I'm 16, not a child. It's absurd."

"...twenty-one? I've lived that many years."

Thorin, no.

"You have?" Anders eyed him hopefully. "And how would you feel about buying a friend a drink? I know a place..."

He was going to take Thorin to the Tackiest Irish Pub in the World. It had worked with Edward!

"Will they serve food as well?" Real food. The kind filled with meat and starches.

"They have fried things!" Anders said brightly. "And nachos. Have you had nachos yet? They're chips with cheese and other things on them,and I swear they're almost a reason to stay in this world all on their own."

"I will try your nachos," Thorin replied solemnly. They better be amazing.

Or maybe there better be a large amount of beer.

Anders clapped a hand on Thorin's shoulder, managing not to stoop to do it too obviously. "Good man," he said. "I promise it'll be worth it."

Because of the beer.

Driver's Education, Thursday, Period 1

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