Glad You Came

The Wellerman

There Once Was a Ship That Went To Sea
An' the Name of the Ship Was the Billy O' Tea
The Winds Blew Up, Her Bow Dipped Down
Blow, My Bully Boys, Blow

Was the dreariness something that always followed them? Tim was sure it was, at this point. The sky was a bleak overcast as they drove along the wooded backroads, only seeing the occasional house or animal every few miles. Otherwise, the area was completely barren aside from hoards of trees lining the road only ever broken by large, lonely fields bordered by decaying fences. It didn't help that droplets of rain occasionally pelted the windshield as they went along; indicating it would only get heavier soon.

Something played with a steady rhythm from the small bluetooth speaker Brian had set on the dashboard -- the music on the radio was usually sucky; but then again, so were the pirate shanties Brian insisted on playing, but Tim wouldn't complain -- that echoed throughout the car. Had he not been driving, it might have lulled Tim to sleep along with the steady chugging of the car as it drove along the graveled back roads. But even then, he doubted that sleep would take him -- especially with the slightly shivering form in the back seat.

Toby never really liked cars. Tim and Brian knew why -- knew Toby would walk the entirety of Europe before ever wanting to set foot into a car. But that was unconventional, and certainly not something they could afford living without when their job needed them to be quick about getting in and out. So cars were needed heavily. Toby put up with it greatly, they knew, but still --

Soon, May the Wellerman Come
T' Bring Us Sugar and Tea and Rum
One Day, When Our Toungin' Is Done
We'll Take Our Leave an' Go!

"Everything alright back there?" Brian was asking, a laugh in his voice. Had he been talking? Tim hoped not; he hadn't been paying attention, so lost in thought, and knew Brian would be annoyed he wasn't as focused on the road as he should be.

Toby jolsted slightly, having been staring out the window as the scenery whipped past them with each passing moment. He seemed to have to think for a long moment, hands twisting up the belt over his chest, before he could speak.

"Yeah," came the cracked response as he went back to staring out the window. "J-jus-st t-tired."

She'd Not Been Two Weeks From Shore
When Down On Her, a Right Whale Bore
The Captain Called All Hands and Swore,
He'd Take That Whale In Tow!

"Should be someplace we can rest here soon," Brian assured, giving him a knowing look. "Maybe even a hotel. Bet they have continental breakfast, too."

"You mean you bet they have waffles, too," Tim snickered as he slowed to round a wide bend in the road. The rain had slowly started to trickle down harder than before, though not enough to fully begin to puddle along the barren, broken road.

There came a soft sound from the back seat -- a giggle that made Tim's smirk widen slightly. God , why were he and Brian so adorable?

Soon, May the Wellerman Come
To Bring Us Sugar and Tea and Rum
One Day, When the Tonguing Is Done,
We'll Take Our Leave and Go

" Deer !"

The term wasn't of endearment, Tim knew; he could tell by the way Brian tensed suddenly beside him as he spoke, hand flying to the side of Tim's seat as if to either brace himself, or Toby in the backseat. Tim's brain acted reflexively even before his eyes hit the windshield; the car jerking slightly to the left as animal in front of the car -- with some level of intelligence, at least -- turned and darted off the road and back onto the right side of the road from where it came, disappearing into the foliage right before they could hit it. The car came to a sudden, screeching halt a few paces ahead, Tim's hands gripping the steering wheel hard enough he was sure he was going to break it.