#Y'all think I am done with using beef jerky as a writing device OH NO NOT AT ALL I AM NOT DONE AT ALL

[araiz-zaria]

The Fantastic Union Four™ — Road Trip AU

Back on the road again, Baby! 😏

This is going to be a short one, I think...

The fantastic union four™ is driving again after their prolonged stop! The overall mood is jolly all around, especially with the recovery of Grant’s health. Before the drive starts Thomas asked Grant to sit in the back this time if he isn’t driving (and whether he’d mind it). Grant accepts this new arrangement and now sits in the back seat whenever he’s not driving (which is quite the new occurrence). He is not used to see Sherman sitting in the front when he is not driving at first, but he doesn’t mind it and he muses that he might be Sheridan’s new bantering partner, a prospect that he welcomes and dreads in equal parts. Grant, having not completely recovered, starts dozing off not long after they get into the car and drive for a few miles...

Not a few miles going out of the motel and Sheridan already attempts to start bickering bantering again with Sherman, Sherman is about to respond until Thomas (driving) grabs his left knee and whispers “...remember what I told you” and Sherman snorts, mutters “...alright” and grits his teeth. He doesn’t respond to Sheridan’s attempt on bantering surprisingly this lasts almost as long as their whole drive on that day. This left Sheridan with almost nothing to do except munching on his beef jerky stockpile.

Sheridan tries to amuse himself on his own  — counting cars, counting cars driving in the opposite direction, staring at the clouds and counting them, staring at the scenery, munching beef jerky  — sure enough he runs out of methods of amusing himself rather quickly there is just nothing like bantering with your old friend! Sheridan wanted to have a chat for a bit with Grant but Grant dozed off so quickly once they get into the car, and with Sherman not responding to him he is left with no one to talk with. Sheridan, also bemused with how slow Thomas drives the car, is bored to death  — until a brilliant idea pops into his mind.

At a point of their drive Sherman asks Sheridan for a stick of beef jerky. Sheridan gives him a spicy one (”The spiciest one that I bought!” 😏😈🔥), thinking that it will give an interesting reaction out of him. Sheridan passes him the spicy beef jerky. Sherman thanks him and gladly eats it. A moment passes, one minute passes, two minutes... and nothing. Nothing that he expected happens. Sheridan is confused. He asked Sherman about the spicy beef jerky. 

Sheridan: “Billy, isn’t that beef jerky...giving you anything interesting?” 

Sherman: (befuddled with Sheridan’s question) “Erm, yeah? It is a delicious, richly seasoned jerky.” 

Sheridan: (stupefied) ”DID YOU NOT FIND IT SPICY AT ALL?” 

Sherman: (slightly puzzled by Sheridan’s reaction) “...yeah it’s spicy, but a nice kind of spicy. Why do you ask?” 

Poor Sheridan only figures out at that point that Sherman is not only a fire demon, he is also a spice demon. 😈🔥 

At a tank station they stop for a refuel, a toilet break and a driver change — this time it’s Sherman’s turn to drive. Thomas, eager for a nap break who knew that sleeping all night slumping on a chair is bad for you, goes on sitting in the back once they are back on the road again. Grant, waking up after sleeping for quite some time, now gets to sit in the front again. Now he truly feels more refreshed and back to being himself before the damned smoke if not already slightly weary from the ride. On the upside at least, he feels like he is ready to be the driver again. Sherman is glad to see that Grant is already well enough to be a driver again (to replace him or Thomas).

Sherman: “So, Ulyss, how about we drive full speed ahead?”

Grant: “Let’s go drive full speed ahead, Billy...” 😏

Thomas: (mutters from the back seat, almost inaudibly) “...don’t do anything crazy, Cump.”

Sherman: (half whispers) “Don’t you worry, old Tommy, just settle down back there and leave it to me and Ulyss this time  — it’s all going to be fine this time around...”

Thomas is bemused with Sherman’s speedy way of driving, but there is little he can do about it for Grant is actually quite the speed demon himself and together they’d definitely go for speed and it’s not long until he dozes off the way Grant did earlier in their ride, and off they go, further on their trip...