Bad Habit

twenty seven

"Must you be so fucking weird all the time?"

Finny let out a howl and threw his head back into the air deviously. "Only around you, Moss."

"Seriously, I should beat the shit out of you for whatever you were trying to do with the yogurt, like—"

"Did you like it?"

"Do you think I liked it?"

"I know you liked it."

Moss fidgeted uncomfortably in the passenger seat of Finny's car, shaking his head in disapproval and awe. He wasn't sure how it ended up being noon by the time they left Moss' house, but he knew they were driving towards another mystery location. He made sure it wasn't yet another gay club and Finny assured him that he would never do anything so stupid ever again. He told Moss that they were headed somewhere Moss would thoroughly enjoy, but that didn't ease Moss' anxiety. He had very real trust issues with Phineas and feared they'd end up in some weird, uncomfortable setting. This scenario was not that far out of reach considering how up front and sexual Finny was being that morning.

Moss didn't even want to think about the way Finny was acting. He would've liked it normally, but for some reason it just felt weird and fake. After their phone argument and their two week break, Finny diving right in and making innuendos every two seconds was just. . . Weird. He was never really like that before the boys took their friendship break. Sure, he'd made a questionable comment here and there, but it was never truly directed at Moss. But that morning, it was only directed at Moss. And frankly, that gave him the creeps.

And there was no way Moss could be open about the subject. He wasn't going to bring it up in a serious manner, no way. He didn't want to have that kind of conversation with Finny and he didn't even want to consider how it would go. He knew Finny would shut down and go into defensive mode and deny all desire for any kind of relationship. Moss just knew Finny, and knew that was how he'd act.

"I feel like you're taking me somewhere to kill me," Moss muttered after taking a glance at his surroundings. It looked like they were in Santa Monica, but actually just outside of it. The land around the highway was barren and for some reason, barely any cars were near them. Finny let out a huff and shook his head as he looked at Moss through the rear view mirror.

"I find it cruel and hurtful that you think I would do that, Mossy," Finny replied with a pouty lip. He leaned over and outstretched his arm so that he could grip Moss' chin and give it a quick shake. "There is reasoning for how far I'm taking you from our run of the mill town, reasoning you will soon understand." Moss sat back far in his seat and decided that, okay, I'm just going to have to let things be and hope for the best.

Because, really, that was just about all he could ever do when it came to Finny.

And so they kept driving with light music playing in the background, getting farther and farther away from their homes. Moss was growing more and more anxious with each mile, but he tried to suppress his feelings and relax a bit. He even tried closing his eyes momentarily, but Finny slamming on the breaks and screaming profanity at the top of his lungs kind of interrupted that attempt at peace. "Jesus, sorry, Teddy. That fucking fuck-face just cut me off, nearly killed us both. Good God. Does he not know how to drive? Get off the fucking road if you can't—"

"Finny!" Moss exclaimed, throwing his face in his hands. "Relax, okay? It's fine, we're not dead."

"Oh, sorry for getting fired up about almost fucking dying," Finny screamed, this time his anger directed at Moss. "And, almost dying because of some dude's idiocy. Jesus, Moss, shut up."