Doesn't Know

1.4

Edited/rewritten

The morning sun filtered through the streaky windshield of Rodrick's van, casting golden highlights over the messy dashboard. Rodrick squinted against the glare, lazily adjusting the rearview mirror. He seemed barely aware of the road, his attention half-focused on an old rock playlist blaring through the speakers. Y/N shifted in her seat, yawning as she rubbed her tired, red eyes.

"I want... In-N-Out," she murmured, her voice still thick with sleep.

"But I want... Chick-fil-A," Rodrick whined, throwing a quick glance at her before lazily turning the steering wheel.

"Mmm, but burgers sound better than chicken," she replied confidently, picking at the chipped polish on her fingernails.

Rodrick tilted his head as if considering her logic. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, the click of his jaw audible in the quiet moment between tracks.

"Hey... yeah, you're right," he admitted with a laugh, turning into the suicide lane to prepare for a left-hand turn.

The line at In-N-Out was mercifully short, though the overly enthusiastic worker on the speaker nearly made Y/N flinch.

"Hi! Welcome to In-N-Out, what can I get you today?"

Rodrick leaned dramatically toward the window and whispered obnoxiously, "What do you want?"

"A cheeseburger with lettuce only," Y/N said, her eyes fixed on the small chip in her fingernail as she absently rubbed it.

"Freak," Rodrick muttered with a smirk before turning back to the speaker and repeating her order.

She rolled her eyes, too hungry to respond. The smell of sizzling beef and fries wafted through the air as they edged closer to the pickup window.

The moment the bag of food entered Rodrick's hands, Y/N snatched it away, stuffing a fry into her mouth before he could say a word.

"Hey! Those are mine!" Rodrick mock-whined, pulling into an uneven parking spot.

"Possession is nine-tenths of the law," Y/N said through a mouthful of fries, smirking as she unwrapped her burger.

Rodrick leaned back in his seat, lazily shoving a fry into his mouth and glancing toward the sky. "Mom would absolutely kill us if she found out about this. Oh, and, y'know, if she figures out we smoked weed."

Y/N took a massive bite of her burger, chewing slowly before responding. "That's why she'll never find out. Simple."

Rodrick laughed lightly, shaking his head.

The weed-induced haze of relaxation had worn off entirely by the time they finished their meal. Y/N leaned back in her seat, sighing as Rodrick started the van again.

"So, here's the plan," he began, resting one hand lazily on the steering wheel while placing the other on her knee. "When we get home, I'll shower first. You stay away from Mom so she doesn't smell the weed on you. Once I'm done, I'll distract her, and then you can shower. Capeesh?"

"Capeesh," Y/N replied, nodding seriously despite the ridiculousness of their covert operation.

Rodrick parked the van with an exaggerated jerk near the curb outside his house. "Okay," he declared dramatically, "Mission Avoid Mom is a go."

As they stepped out, Susan's cheerful voice caught them off guard. "Hey, kids!"

Y/N froze, quickly looking down at the ground to avoid eye contact.

"She okay?" Susan asked, her gaze shifting between the two.

Rodrick's eyes widened for a split second before his natural talent for improvisation kicked in. "She's, uh... having cramps," he blurted, rubbing the tip of his nose with his finger awkwardly.

"Oh! Poor thing. Rodrick, go take care of her!" Susan said, her maternal instincts immediately kicking in.

Rodrick nodded, placing a hand on Y/N's back as he ushered her upstairs. As soon as they were out of earshot, she burst out laughing.

"Cramps? Really?"

"Hey, it's a good excuse!" Rodrick said defensively, though the smirk tugging at his lips betrayed his amusement.

Once they reached his room, Rodrick grabbed a towel and some clothes. "I'll shower first. Just... chill here or something. And stay quiet."

Y/N flopped onto his bed, inhaling the faint scent of his cologne clinging to the pillows. It was hard to pinpoint the smell—sandalwood and something musky—but it was oddly comforting.

The sound of the shower running filled the house as she lay there, staring at the ceiling. By the time the water shut off, she had nearly dozed off. Rodrick emerged a few minutes later, his hair damp and messy, wearing gray sweatpants with the waistband of his boxers visible.

"You're up," he mumbled, a toothbrush dangling from his mouth.

Y/N stretched and sat up. "Uh, yeah. Can I borrow a shirt or something?"

Rodrick rifled through his closet, eventually tossing her an old Zombies T-shirt. "There you go, princess."

She rolled her eyes at the nickname and headed to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

The steam from the shower filled the small room, curling around the edges of the mirror as she stepped under the warm spray. The water pressure was perfect, thanks to Susan's short-lived obsession with luxury showerheads.

After reluctantly turning off the water, Y/N dried herself off and slipped into the oversized T-shirt. It hung just above her knees, the soft fabric brushing against her skin.

Back in Rodrick's room, she handed him her hairbrush and flopped onto the bed with a yawn.

He chuckled, shaking his head as he pulled her into his lap. "You're so needy," he teased, but his touch was gentle as he began brushing her hair.

Y/N leaned into him, her eyes fluttering shut as his fingers massaged her temples. For all his teasing, Rodrick could be surprisingly sweet when he wanted to be.

Her last coherent thought before drifting off to sleep was how easy it was to feel safe with him—like the chaos of the day couldn't touch her when he was there.