#and a uhhhh (looks at smudged notes) tank top for the other one
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summer vibes
#furry#fursona#oc art#digital art#thus begins the era of me being like âhuh.. I can just put my fursona in whatever clothes I wantâ#which means no clothes apparently#and a uhhhh (looks at smudged notes) tank top for the other one#we in 2021 art now tho baybeee#sangdae#digby
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*knocks on the drive through window* hii, can i get uhhhh, elderburn "My car broke down and there's this biker who fixed it and now we're having dinner tomorrow" au? Oh! Can i also get a side of shameless flirting and trying not to stare at each other's physique? *slides a 30* thank you~
Heh, well, Iâd much rather a cup of coffee, perhaps we could- oh, wait, you meant shameless flirting in the fic, my bad, I got this, no worries. (Iâm sorry; I couldnât resist the joke.)
Winter cursed under her breath, pulling off to the side of the road as lights flashed on her console. Sheâd thought a nice drive through the countryside would reduce her stress, but now she found herself broken down at least five miles from the nearest service station.Â
Shutting off the engine, she took a moment to calm herself. According to the message that flashed across just before the engine began to whine and sputter, sheâd somehow forgotten to get her oil changed, leading to the stuff drying up within her engine block. From her limited mechanical knowledge, she understood that to be a very bad sign.
Before reaching for her scroll, she got out, popping open the hood and lifting it up, as if by simply looking she could will more oil into manifestation. The gentle breeze whipped at her coattail, making her wish sheâd taken the time to change out of her dress uniform before leaving the court-martial, or at least taken off the outer coat. But sheâd been in a hurry to distance herself from the higher ranks, not wanting to push her luck and get yet another mark against her. General Ironwood couldnât keep sticking his neck out for her and she well knew that.
âNow what?â She grumbled, glaring down at the interior of the compartment. Despite the many assurances that she should learn, she never bothered delving into the minutia of operating her vehicle beyond driving it; she hadnât the faintest idea where the oil stick would be, though she understood that should be the first thing she checked.
The roar of an engine coming up the road caught her attention but she didnât bother trying to flag the person down; given her streak of luck, it would just be some greasy jerk with a gleam to his eyes she didnât like, and sheâd be back to square one.
As it approached, she registered it likely belonged to a motorcycle- obnoxiously loud- and rolled her eyes, finally figuring out that the yellow leaver with an oil can painted on it was probably what she needed. As she reached for it, the vehicle passed- a yellow and orange blur in her periphery- and a furrow came to her brows as she tugged on the handle to no avail.
Then the screech of tires on asphalt had her straightening up, looking around for the source of the noise and finding the motorcycle had skid to a stop, sideways across the lane, the rider kicking out one leg to stabilize herself.Â
She didnât know much about bikes, though she could acknowledge this one looked fast and sleek, but she knew a thing or two about people. The brown leather jacket, leather chaps, and brown boots looked like standard fare for a biker, and the yellow helmet seemed to indicate an inclination towards safety. The unruly blonde locks flowing from beneath the helmet and what looked to be a tattoo encircling her right forearm, however, spoke to a certain amount of wildness, freedom, rebellion.
Revving the engine, the biker drove onto the shoulder, heading towards Winter, and she subconsciously smoothed out her jacket and prepared herself. While dealing with a woman typically meant she didnât have to be as on guard, she wasnât in the habit of taking chances or giving others the benefit of the doubtâŚ
⌠incidentally, that mightâve been how sheâd gotten courts-martialed so many times in the first place.
Popping out the kickstand and shutting off the engine, the biker reached up and took off her helmet, shaking out her long hair and running a hand through it with a friendly little smile on her lips.
âHaving some car trouble there, Maâam?â
Two things occurred to her then. One was the standard biting nature of her demeanor, the urge to say âwhat was your first clueâ and take an aggressive posture. The other, quite simply, was that the biker was actually rather attractive.
âI believe so,â she replied, stumbling slightly for a proper response. âIâm not mechanically inclined, however.â
âYa mind if I take a look?â She gestured towards the open hood. âI know a thing or two about cars.â
âBe my guest.â Stepping aside, she waved an arm towards the engine block.Â
She watched as the biker dismounted, the shift and creak of leather- a rather form fitting outfit, and what a form it fit indeed. âNameâs Yang, by the way.â
âWinter,â she replied, quickly meeting the womanâs eyes so she wouldnât be caught ogling the sway to her hips as the biker sauntered over.
âYou, uh, heading anywhere specific?â Yang stopped setting both hands on the frame before leaning over the engine. âThis could take a minute.â
âNo, I was just⌠driving for the sake of driving.â She watched the way the blonde moved, how the dragon tattooed on her arm seemed to come alive with every flex of the muscles beneath, the way her biceps seemed to straight against the jacketâs cuff. âI find the scenery out this way pleasant.â
âHey, me too!â The woman looked at her then with shimmering lilac eyes and she quite nearly fainted as her heart stopped. âI was out riding to clear my mind. Guess that makes us quite the pair, huh?â
âI suppose so,â she replied, discreetly shaking herself, and mentally slapping herself when her gaze drifted towards Yangâs backside while she reached into the compartment to wrestle with the oil stick. âOh, do be careful. Iâm afraid itâs stuck-â
Pop!
With hardly any visible effort, the biker pulled the stick free, though a frown touched her lips. âThatâs not a good sign. When was your last oil change?â
âIâm⌠afraid Iâm not sure.â She coughed into one hand. âItâs⌠been a busy few months.â
âI hear ya.â With a hum, she pulled the stick completely free and wiped off the end, not terribly minding the bit of oil now smudged across black gloves before replacing the stick. âUnfortunately, missing out on little maintenance details like that can be bad news for your vehicle.â She pulled the stick out again and shook her head. âLooks like youâre bone dry on oil.â Lilac eyes flashed her way for a moment. âYou know thatâs no good for the motor, right?â
âIâll admit I had my suspicions.â Leaning against her vehicle, she shrugged. âWhat, uh, exactly does that mean? Not having oil?â
âWell, you see, motors are⌠hardy but precise.â Her tongue darted out to wet her lips as she leaned over the engine block again, one hand reaching up to keep her hair back and putting the column of her neck on display- muscled and tanned with a light sheen of sweat. âThe oil lubricates them, keeps all the parts moving smoothly, makes it so the friction doesnât wear the parts down. I mean, donât get me wrong, a little friction is good from time to time.â A smirk was shot her way and Winter suddenly realized they might not be discussing the actual, physical engine in front of them at all. âBut the oilâs important for other reasons, too. Stops the oxidation process. Wouldnât want to get all rusty, right?â
Scrounging for something to say for a moment, Winter mentally slapped herself a second time. She wasnât about to be shown up by some blonde biker with a pretty smile; she was still a Schnee, damnit, and word games came part and parcel with the upbringing.
âOf course not, although Iâll admit Iâve been a touch too lax recently in that regard. Itâs entirely possible thereâs rust in the motor, but Iâm sure thereâs some method of⌠taking care of that problem, correct?â
âThereâs a few that I can think of, yeah.â A fire burned in the womanâs eyes and she suddenly got the feeling that her willingness to play this little game had just made up for her lack of proper maintenance. Yang stood up straight, reaching up to start unzipping her jacket. âWeâll need some oil before we really get your motor going, though.â
âAnd Iâm sure you know exactly how to provide that.â Winter leaned forward, just a bit. She didnât want to come off as too forward of course; a pretty face did not a stable relationship make.
âLucky for you, I do.â Pulling the jacket from her shoulders, the blonde smirked⌠and then gently shoved the leather into Winterâs chest. âHold this for me? Iâm going to pop under real quick.â She winked. âPouring in new oil does us no good if youâve sprung a leak.â
Belatedly coming up to hold onto the jacket, Winter blinked even as the biker got down on her knees. Either Yang had truly meant the engine the whole time or sheâd just been very slyly informed to slow down.
âPlease, be careful down there.â Glancing down, her attempt at recovering smoothly became effectively derailed as she noted the womanâs white tank top, giving her even more evidence that Yang worked out her upper body religiously. Those shoulders- it should be some manner of illegal to look that good. âI⌠wouldnât⌠want you to hurt yourself on account of me.â
âNot to worry, Winter.â Another wink. âIâve had frostbite before.â And then she began shuffling under the car. âIâm pretty sure nothing here can hurt as bad as that did. Anyone ever tell you that Atlas is too damn cold?â
Back to flirting.
Perhaps she couldnât figure out Yangâs pace or ultimate end game- if she was teasing, just being friendly, or genuinely flirting- but sheâd been on the defensive long enough. Time for her to launch a proper counter offensive.
âPeople have said that our winterâs are too cold, yes, but I think thatâs just because some people have no idea how to handle them,â she said, watching the womanâs legs kick out to help her move, and noting that it wasnât just the position; the fabric of her chaps and jeans were tight against her skin thanks to muscle. âAs long as you know how to properly warm up, winterâs are rather enjoyable.â
âIs that right?â A bit more shuffling around. âI suppose you know all about keeping warm, huh?â
âOf course.â With a sly smirk coming to her lips, she knelt down. âItâs all about proper considerations, knowing when friction is needed and when itâs not, how hot breath can feel so good but might undo you, when itâs better to take your jacket off rather than to keep it on, that sort of thing. Oh, and hydration is important. Wouldnât want your tongue dry.â
She waited, watching how the woman went still before beginning to shuffle back out.
âThose, uh, sound like pretty good tips. Might have to try a few myself, next time winter comes.â Out from under the car, Yang offered her a smirk. ââCourse, I might not be around when that happens, but Iâd like to be.â
âPlans on going somewhere?â She extended a hand, helping the woman to her feet, and considered her strategy carefully. Sheâd left the question just vague enough; if the biker wanted to make a move, now would be the time to do it.
For a moment, it looked like Yang just might take the bait⌠but then she differed at the last second. âIâm, uh, actually not from around here, so I was thinking of heading back home this year for a visit.â She shrugged, brushing off the back of her arms in a rather flashy fashion. âIâm still not sure if Iâm Atlas material.â
Reading between the lines, she thought she might see where the woman actually intended to take that last line, and opted to respond in kind. âHave you considered youâre just too good for this kingdom?â Sweeping a hand towards the countryside around them. âIt might look beautiful, but it can be cold and unforgiving at times. Sometimes, I find myself wondering why anyone would want to live here.â
It stood as truth in a multitude of ways. Atlas, in the colder months, was nigh uninhabitable without the advances in heating technology, and it reflected in just how much of the kingdom remained uninhabited just north of where they were. However, in reference to herself⌠it wasnât untrue; she could be just as harsh as her namesake and sheâd made enough mistakes over the years to recognize that now with the benefit of hindsight.
âYeah, well⌠nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?â Yang nodded towards her bike. âHow about I give you a ride? We can grab a few quarts of oil for ya, see if we can get this beauty up and running.â She nodded towards the door. âI just need to check the info panel inside your door.â
âThat sounds reasonable.â Winter reached up, undoing the knot on her outer coat. âAnd I think I could do without this.â
âI thought you were cold,â the biker said, opening the door and looking for the information she needed.
As she peeled the coat off, she chuckled. âNo, itâs actually a rather nice day. Iâm afraid I just had to be in full uniform.â
âFull uniform, huh? What are you- whoa.â Lilac eyes glanced her way and then returned, widening a bit as she threw the coat onto the passenger seat. âUh⌠military, huh?â
âYes.â Her brow twitched. âFor a while longer, at any rate.â
âSore spot?â Yang frowned while putting her own jacket back on. âWanna talk about it?â
She quite nearly shot back a quip about discussing her personal life with strangers but⌠well, it wasnât like she had many sympathetic ears, and she could only yell inside her own head for so long before she hated the sound of her own voice rebounding off her skull.
âThree months ago, I got into a bar fight,â she said, smoothing out her collar and sighing. âPerhaps it would be more accurate to say I started the bar fight. I didnât appreciate the way I was being addressed and the words âleave me aloneâ didnât seem to be in his vocabulary, so I attempted to leave. When my path was blocked, I attempted to remove said barrier by breaking a pool cue on his jaw.â She paused. âAnd then a chair against his ribs and maybe a table over his back. After the third punch from a stellar, upstanding good Samaritan, Iâll admit my recollection gets fuzzy.â
âSounds like self defense to me.â Yang shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest. âI mean, when words fail, physical means tend to be the next step, right?â
âNot by regulation.â Winter shook her head. âToday, the court dismissed the charges, but only because my superior officer made the case that I was protecting Atlesian military property by defending myself, and Iâm not sure which irks me worse: the idea that I shouldâve allowed myself to remain trapped in the situation or the concept that my personhood has more rights when viewed through the lens of military equipment rather than as a person at all.â
âIâm guessing this isnât the first time youâve gotten into a scuffle like that.â A little grin came to her lips, tilting her head and cocking her hip out. âBit of a hothead, huh?â
âItâs one of my many flaws, yes, thank you for noticing,â she replied dryly, waving a hand in front of her. âAt any rate, itâs not getting us any closer to fixing my car.â
âRight. Come on.â As they approached the bike, Yang hurried ahead and grabbed her helmet, turning around and holding it out. âSorry, but Iâve only got the one.â
âI- are you sure I should be the one wearing it?â
âHey, I have a policy.â Her voice turned seriously, bereft of the cheery quality it had while they bantered by the car. âIf youâre going to trust me to get you safely to the gas station and back, then the onus is on me to do it safely, and that means I do everything in my power to protect you. That includes not speeding, driving like a maniac, and letting you use my helmet.â
âHard to argue with that.â Winter took the helmet into her hands, noting the bright yellow color and the little dragon decal painted above the brow.
âUh, just one thing.â Yang winced, though something about the expression seemed⌠slightly insincere. âIâm afraid itâs not going to fit over that bun of yours.â
She raised a brow but acknowledged the truth in the words. âVery well. Iâll not be a burden on your conscience.â
Reaching up, she pulled out a few bobby pins, years of military service providing her with not only an expedient method of getting her hair within regulations but also one to get it out. And, seeing as she wasnât due to be standing before anyone else in her chain of command again today, she went ahead and pulled out the tie as well, allowing alabaster locks to flow freely over her shoulders.
She didnât miss the low whistle that Yang let out nor the way she quickly averted her gaze and pretended to check over her bike. âThatâs some long hair.â
âThank you. Yours is rather long as well, and it looks smooth to the touch.â She reached out, almost touching but not quite, and found her wrist caught in a steel grip.
âSorry, Winter.â Yang gave her a smile that didnât quite reach her eyes. âBut thatâs gonna have to wait until after you buy me dinner.â
âSore spot?â At the bikerâs nod, she shrugged. âNoted. I wouldnât want to make you uncomfortable.â
âThanks.â Rolling her neck, the woman shook herself before mounting her bike, kicking on the engine and throwing a look over her shoulder. âHop on. You ever ridden before.â
âNo,â she replied, trying to make the motion look as smooth as Yang had while fastening the helmet into place. âAny tips?â
âWhen you see me lean, lean with me, just a little.â Over the roar of the engine, she called out the instructions with a smile. âAnd hang on if you feel scared.â
âWhy would I-â at the first lurch, the motion unexpected and entirely out of her control, she quickly reached forward and grabbed the womanâs hips, mentally chastising herself. âYou did that intentionally.â
âWell, we wouldnât get too far just sitting here!â Turning the bike up the road, she started laying on the throttle, putting her feet up on the rests as they began to pick up speed. âItâs almost a straight shot! Just relax!â
Now there was a novel idea if sheâd ever heard one. Winter didnât relax very often, always expecting her next step to be fraught with some manner of peril, some test to pass. Yet, as she mustered the nerve to look around, she could admit being the passenger for a change⌠well, it was actually rather nice.
The roar of the engine, the wind in her face, catching in her hair, and now that she had plenty of reason to be so close, she could catch the other womanâs lavender perfume on the wind.Â
This wasnât so bad, really, and when they pulled into the gas station, she almost lamented it being over so quick.
âOkay, letâs go grab that oil,â Yang said as she shut off the bike and kicked out the stand for it, waiting until sheâd dismounted before doing so herself. They walked into the store, finding the small automotive section off to the side, and the biker went through explaining the different types of oils, what each weight meant, and helped her pick out one for her car. ââCourse, this wonât be a permanent fix. You still need to go to a shop and get a change, probably a flush to be on the safe side. And get everything else looked over, too; you might be running low on coolant.â
âHow do you know all this?â Winter gestured towards the isle. âIâd say this is a bit more than the average personâs knowledge about automobiles.â
âWell, Iâm a mechanic.â She shrugged. âLearned it from my Dad. I work at a garage just a few miles up the road.â
âI havenât made you late for work, have I?â
âNah, itâs my off day.â Lilac eyes flicked over her form. âNot that Iâd object to being late even if I was, of course.â
They started towards the check out. âAh, so youâre the type to get fired over a pair of pretty eyes, is that it?â
âOkay, one, they wouldnât fire me for being late one time.â She reached up, tapping a finger against her chin. âTwo, youâre not exactly wrong but Iâd like to think I have a little more self control than that.â
âI do hope your partner isnât the jealous type,â she said offhandedly, producing a few lien to pay for the oil. âIâd hate to get you in trouble for your assistance.â
She waved off the comment with a chuckle. âOh, Iâm single. I donât really do relationships anymore.â
âThereâs a story there.â Winter glanced at the line of her shoulders, noting the smooth and relaxed slope; no trace of the tension that appeared when sheâd tried touching the womanâs golden strands. âAny chance I might hear it?â
âIâll, uh, give you the cliff notes version: canât find anyone whoâs willing to put in the time.â Her gaze went over to the bike as the receipt printed off. âIâm like Bumblebee over there. Clutch is kinda funny, takes a while to really get me, know when to shift, but most people just⌠want to grind my gears and hope they donât burn me out.â She shrugged. âI got tired of it.â
âThatâs understandable.â While she didnât have quite the same grasp of vehicles, she had enough to make a suitable analogy. âFor me, thereâs always a disconnect. People take one look and think of me like a Bugatti or Ashton Martin- expensive, high class, only the finest, a symbol of status. Thatâs how I was raised, so I suppose I canât fault them for the presumption.â
��But youâre obviously a Jeep,â Yang said with pinched brows and a frown. âYouâre tough, you take on anything, you can turn right around in the blink of an eye, and Iâm willing to bet you can handle a lot of stuff that would break other people. Who would think youâre a Bugatti?â
âPeople who donât take the time to get to know me,â she replied, offering a smile and picking up the bag with the motor oil. âShall we?â
As they rode back to her car, a plan solidified in her mind. She simply couldnât let this chance meeting end and never see the woman again; Yang possessed one to many traits she found desirable to let that happen. But, she had to tread carefully. The last thing she wanted to do was push too far, too face, and run the risk of rejection. But another thought occurred to her, one that made her hesitate only briefly.
âOkay, Iâll pour this into your car, and weâll try turning her over.â Yang lead the way back to her car, unscrewing the cap on one bottle.
âI donât suppose you get any sort of incentive for referring customers to your shop, do you?â
The biker winced, glancing over at her. âWell, we do, about fifty bucks a pop, but⌠uh, I wasnât going to refer you.â
She raised a brow. âAny particular reason?â
âWell, since you spoiled the surprise,â she said, chuckling slightly. âI was gonna suggest that, since I helped you out with the ride and all, maybe you could pay me back with dinner tomorrow night? Not- not actually pay for the meal, of course, I donât mean that kinda pay back, just, um.â Yang shook her head. âDang, I was gonna be real smooth about this and now Iâm thrown off, heh.â
Ah, a sign that she had read the entire encounter correctly from the start. The biker mightâve pulled over out of friendliness and not abandoning her to her own problems, but sheâd been flirting with Winter just as Winter had been flirting with her.
âMay I propose an alternative?â She leaned against her car again, not missing the way lilac eyes flicked over her- apparently, someone rather liked her uniform. âHow about you do refer me to your garage, and that pays you back for your assistance here. Then we have dinner tomorrow on equal footing.â
The corners of her mouth twitched up into a smile. âYa know, if someone told me this morning that a pretty lady was going to ask me out on a date, Iâd think they were crazy.â
âIf someone told me this morning that a beautiful woman was going to accept my offer for a date, Iâd think the same.â She made a motion to the engine. âYet here we are.â
âOh, someone is confident, huh?â Yang laughed, emptying one bottle and grabbing the second. âYouâre lucky I think thatâs hot.â
âI agree,â she replied, tilting her head slightly. âBut youâre right; you havenât accepted yet.â
âOh, Iâm accepting, Iâm accepting as hard as I can, trust me.â The biker smiled wider. âAnd, uh, as good as you look in that uniform- and, believe me, you look good- think you could dress a bit more casual? Thereâs a place over on seventh Iâve been dying to try- itâs a little Mistrali restaurant.â
âYou havenât been there yet?â Surprised, she shifted. âItâs one of my favorites.â
âWell, then, I really hope I like it, too.â
âI think you will.â She hummed. âAnd you could get away with wearing leather there, though I wouldnât mind if youâd rather I pick you up.â
âOh, come now, you really want to see me in a different outfit?â
âI think youâd look rather fetching in a tank top and gym shorts, frankly.â
âIâll wear that if you wear a bikini.â
âI do know of an indoor pool.â At the way Yang ducked her head, she opted to give the woman a break. âBut I think we should both aim for âcasualâ attire. Weâd probably be a little less out-of-place that way.â
âSounds like a plan.â Finished with the second bottle, she nodded towards the driverâs seat while screwing the cap back on the tank. âNow try turning her over. Letâs see what happens.â
Winter walked around, sliding into her driverâs seat and doing as requested, relieved when not only did the vehicle start, but all the warning lights on the dashboard disappeared. âThankfully, that worked.â
âYeah, youâre telling me.â Yang chuckled, appearing by the door. âNot sure if Iâd look as smooth if it hadnât.â
âIâd be willing to forgive you,â she said, smirking. âThough I think I would demand a second date on principle alone.â
âOh, I take it back, I wish Iâd been wrong.â The biker winked. âHow about you follow me down to the garage and we can keep talking while they do your oil change? I can call ahead, so you donât have to wait as long.â
âHow about we do those first two but skip the third.â She lifted her shoulder. âIâm in no rush if you arenât.â
âIâm not.â Yang took a step away. âOh, and try to watch the road instead of my ass.â
âYouâre lucky I prize such straightforwardness.â
âOh, Iâm definitely forward, but not so much straight.â Another wink. âCâmon, letâs get going. We can play twenty questions when we get to the shop.â As she started walking away, she smiled. âAnd Iâm letting you know that now so you can come up with some good ones, alright? Donât disappoint!â
âIâll do my best.â She smiled, watching as Yang turned around and sauntered back to her bike, and in the privacy of her own mind she could admit that the bikerâs warning was warranted. It would be rather difficult to watch the road when she had something much more enticing in front of her, but the mental exercise of coming up with questions would likely keep her busy.
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