Closed Arcade | KINICH

Chapter 9- Passenger Seat

The low rumble of the engine hummed through the car, a steady vibration that reverberated up from the pedal into Kinich's foot. His fingers drummed lazily on the steering wheel as he cruised down the wide, open stretch of road. 

The sun was beginning to dip behind the horizon, casting a warm, golden hue over everything it touched. Shadows stretched long across the asphalt, the trees lining the road like silent sentinels.

His windows were down, letting in the cool evening air. It whipped through the car, ruffling his hair and tugging at the collar of his coal black hoodie. The radio played softly—recounting the events and the news of the fading day.

The engine purred as he pressed lightly on the gas, picking up speed as the city faded in his rearview mirror. The road opened up again, straight as an arrow with nothing but open fields stretching on either side. 

It was the kind of landscape that made you feel small, but in a comforting way, like the world was vast and your problems couldn't quite reach you out here.

Kinich reached into the cup holder for the can of soda he had grabbed earlier. It was warm now, but he cracked it open anyway, taking a sip as he settled back into the seat. 

The cool night was slowly replacing the heat of the day, and he could feel the change in the air—thick with the scent of grass and something earthy, like the world exhaling after a long day.

"Hmph... You planning on letting me out of this stupid cage anytime soon?" 

"No, not necessarily."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?! HOW DARE YOU TREAT ME, THE ALMIGHTY DRAGONLORD, KHU'HUL AJAW AS YOUR PET PARROT?!! WHY DO I NEED TO BE CONFINED IN THIS PETTY CAGE?!"

"You know I won't let you out until we get back home."

"WHY NOT?! AND WHY DO I HAVE TO SIT IN THE BACKSEAT LIKE SOME SORT OF PEASANT?! I WANT THE PASSENGER SEAT!!"

"Quit yapping, will you?" Kinich sighed, turning the steering wheel to take a right turn, "And can't you see that the passenger seat is obviously occupied?"

"You mean that sleeping lass?"

Kinich ear suddenly perked at Ajaw's words, "Sleeping..?"

He took a quick glance at her and found out that she was indeed sleeping. He thought that she was still looking out the window and hadn't noticed that she had fallen asleep at all.

The street was quiet as he rolled up slowly, his black sedan blending into the night. He turned his head back to face the front, keeping his eyes focused on the road ahead, and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, gaze steady as he approached a familiar glow in the distance. 

It was the arcade he'd been to countless times, tucked between a convenience store and a small coffee shop that always seemed to be open. He could see the faint neon lights spilling through the arcade windows, flashing against the sidewalk like it was reminding him of all the fun times he spent in there.

Kinich sighed slightly, driving past the arcade, which caused Ajaw to start screaming, "C'MON!! WHY ARE YOU DRIVING BY?! I WANNA GO HOME ALREADY!! YOU PASSED THE APARTMENT BUILDING, KINICH, TURN BACK!!"

"What about her?"

"OH COME ON! WHO CARES?!"

"I do" Kinich stated bluntly.

Instead of pulling over like Ajaw so agonizingly demanded, he kept driving, leaving the glow of the arcade behind him and steering down a stretch of road that led to the outskirts of town. 

The sound of his car was the only noise as he coasted down the empty streets, passing quiet storefronts and darkened houses, his hands loose on the wheel.

Finally, he pulled into an empty parking lot on the edge of a fast food restuarant, the lot stretching out wide and desolate under a faint streetlight. 

He turned off the engine, and silence settled in around him. Leaning back in his seat, he took a deep breath, letting the stillness wash over him. The sky above was a dark, deep blue, speckled with stars. 

With one hand still on the wheel, he stared out through the windshield, his mind drifting somewhere far beyond the empty lot, feeling both the weight of the quiet and a strange, unexpected peace.

"Hmph... I want a mushroom'n'swiss burger. And large fries. And a large lemonade." 

"Get it yourself" The sunkissed boy tossed the mini pixeliated dragon his wallet, fully knowing Ajaw won't step out of the car by himself due to his appearance, "Buy the whole menu if you want"

"Kinichhhhhhhhhhhh-!!!" Ajaw groaned then huffed, crossing his arms and curling up in a corner to scheme his revenge on his companion.

Kinich glanced around the empty lot one last time, then reached down to pull the seat lever, reclining the back until it was nearly flat, doing the same for the sleeping girl beside him.

The seat clicked into place, and he adjusted himself, shifting slightly to find the most comfortable position. His hoodie bunched up behind him as he leaned back, and he crossed his arms over his chest, providing himself some heat to stay warm in the cool night air. 

With the seat now lowered, the ceiling of the car felt like a makeshift shelter, and the dim glow from a distant streetlight cast a soft, calming light across the dashboard. 

He closed his eyes, listening to the faint hum of the cooling engine, letting himself sink into the quietness, feeling the tension of the day fade as he settled in for the night.

"Sleep well, Y/n... Everything about you screams that you need it.."