#roger externally: ah. i see. i think i might also be bisexual

[sabrina-central]

You know what? I like you! *shows you my Sabrina Summer Job AU*

Every summer since she was 10, Sabrina and her dad would spend a lot of time during her vacation watching Nascar together (and other such car racing shows and events, that's just the one I'm familiar with through my American centric lense of pop culture).

Her dad liked the high speed racing, the action and adrenaline of it all, and while she could certainly see the appeal, it never drew her attention nearly as much as the pit crew.

Those six people working together diligently to make sure their racer's car has everything it needs to keep going, have only about 10 seconds to do so!

That's insane! It's impossible!! And damnit, she wants to learn how to do that so goddamn bad it hurts.

She studies everything she can on her own but whenever she hits a roadblock, she asks her dad if he knows the answer. He helps as much as he can but he admits she's already far more advanced in her understanding of it all than he's ever been.

Perhaps it would benefit her to talk to a professional and, with proper supervision and without letting her do anything too dangerous, she might be able to gain further knowledge through personal experience, using what she's learned in theory and applying it in practice.

And with that idea in mind, when she was 12 years old Roger took his daughter with him to his trusted car mechanic of 15 years, one of the best there was. Sure, he wasn't part of any pit crew, but he knew his stuff and like Sabrina he had started fairly young.

The little girl had a million questions to ask him and she did so in rapid fire succession, her words forming so fast he thought for a moment he would no longer be able to perceive them as they would break the speed of sound.

Although overwhelmed, he found her curiosity and enthusiasm endearing and decided to take her energy as a challenge and do his best to match it.

The trips to the mechanic became a monthly thing. Everytime he'd answer the five to ten questions he didn't get to last time she'd have about 20 more, just ready and waiting to be asked, and thus the cycle continued.

He never got tired or bored of answering her, clearly this was as much her lifeblood as it was his.

Which is why it was no surprise that when that summer rolled around, he had an offer to make Sabrina, making sure to run it by Roger first, of course.

"A summer job? She's barely 13!"

"Don't think of it as a summer job, Rog, it's not like I'll be having her fix up the cars or even talking to the clients! It'll mostly be more of what she's been doing already in between playing 2000 questions where the only topic is cars. It's more of an apprenticeship. If and when she's old enough to decide she wants to start working here, than we can discuss that."

"Still, I don't know. The only reason I was ok with doing this was because I was able to be here for it. If she's here all summer... what if something happens and I'm not here to protect her?"

"Roger, you know I would never let anything hurt her. I know she's not my kid but she's my student, and I consider myself responsible for her. She's very important to me, nothing bad will happen to her on my watch. You have my word."

"It's not you I don't trust, Hector." He answers, so much pain and fear unspoken. He doesn't need to say it, Hector's always known the things that weigh heavy on Roger's mind.

"You won't lose her. Not to this. If anything, I think having this in her life will only do her good, it can help her." Hector reassures him.

Roger knows he isn't saying this just to get an affirmative. Hector is many thing, but a liar isn't one of them. That man had never said something he didn't belive in, and he was often proven right. Not always, but enough for Roger to trust his judgment.

He takes a deep breath. "You do realize I'll be swinging by here every chance I get, right?"

"Oh no, I have to see more of you? What a nightmare!" He jokes with a dramatic hand over his forehead, pretending to faint before chuckling. "Come on, Rog, you know you're always welcome at my shop!" He says with a wink.

Roger smiles. He can trust Hector, and his daughter is stronger than his anxiety gave her credit for. It might not be a bumpless road, but those don't make for a very entertaining race anyhow. The important thing is she'll end up in one piece.

So, with the arrangement settled between the two, they both break the news to Sabrina, of course making it clear that if it's not something she wants she's not at all required to do it or anyth-

"ARE YOU KIDDING?! YES YES YES, A HUNDRED THOUSAND TIMES YES! WHEN DO WE START CAN WE START NOW PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE?!"

Hector and Roger both laugh fondly at Sabrina, running and jumping around the shop like she's on a sugar high after a finishing her entire Halloween haul.

"Actually, I've seen that happen and I think this is somehow worse." Roger says with biggest smile on his face.

"She's a good kid, and a real natural at this too. It's always a thrill to find out the thing you want to do is the thing you were meant to do." Hector replies, a matching grin as they watch her look around the room and take it all in, realizing that she'll get to spend her summer vacations here, learning to do what she's always dreamed of!

By the time shes 14, she starts actively helping out at the shop. She still doesn't talk to clients or fix cars, as per the agreement, but she helps take inventory, lets Hector know what tools need fixing and she even troubleshoots particularly difficult issues his clients have with him and helps him do his job without having to break said agreement.

Thank you, technicality!

And so, the summer before going back to school, she asks to be allowed to work on the cars.

"I'll start with one car a month. You can even give me one of the old cars that you got from the junkyard. that way you don't have to worry about me dealing with an angry customer after I messed up his car!"

"Yes, but I'd still be breaking the promise I made your dad - "

"You promised to keep me safe, right?"

"How do you know that part?"

"I know my dad, he's always worried about me. And though it's sweet, it seems a bit more excessive the older I get. Look, you can renegotiate the agreement, I can help if that's what it takes, but... I'm past the point where disassembling and assembling an engine is sufficient enough training for me. I wanna get a head start and gain some real experience! Especially since Im only here two months a year, anway. And since dad and I agree I shouldn't skip high school to go to a trade school and pursue a mechanic career at 16 - "

"And what's wrong with that?" Hector asks, jokingly defensive.

"Oh nothing, whatever works for every individual but, it's just not for me I'm afraid. Anyways, don't change the subject!" Sabrina replied, barely even getting distracted by the turn in the conversation before steering it right back on track.

"Well, can't blame a guy for trying to save himself from the wrath of his favorite person."

"My dad's your favorite person? Hmm, idk if I should be jealous or intrigued..."

"Suddenly the conversation about you wanting to repair cars is a lot more appealing, lets go back to that please!"

"Hmmm... okay fine. But this isn't over."

"Oh boy."

"Anyway, I can talk to my dad, give him the ol' puppy eyes, tear down his anxiety walls with some sound logic. Should take me a few days, maybe a week if he's feeling particularly stubbron, but just. Promise me you'll think about it? Please?"

"I..." He has about a million protests he can think of off the top of his head.

They all die in his throat at the sight of her dreaded puppy eyes.

"I swear, you Raincomprixes are gonna be the death of me one of these days." He mutters before letting out a deep exasperated sigh.

"Alright, I'll see what cars are safest for you to work on and I will consider allowing you to maybe repair one of them."

She squeals and jumps him, giving him the biggest hug. For a girl so petite, she gave surprisingly crushing hugs.

"Thank you thank you thank you! You're the best mentor ever! This is gonna be the best summer ever!"

Well, Hector didn't know about that, but one thing's for sure.

This summer was definitely gonna be an interesting one.