The Whole Thing

The Part With The Broke Down Little Car

He was driving on the road that stretched on forever. He struggled just to keep his eyelids from falling. His grip was tight, firm, like he was trying not to lose his grip on reality. He usually focused on the scenery to keep him awake but there was none. It was like a desert where he was. Only Noel would manage to end up somewhere along the forever road with nothing but hills of dirt and sand to surround him.

Julian had conflicting thoughts about the drive. He was agitated that after Noel's big speech about leaving, which he wasn't suppose to have heard, he called up the next day to ask for help. Yet on the other hand, he was thankful he called. As Julian got ready for work that morning, beads of sweat formed across his brow line and he had to retie his shoelaces five times. He kept getting distracted by the ticking of the clock on the wall. It was loud and frustrating and he even yelled at it a few times.

Usually he could stroll through his life without being bothered by the noise of the clock. He had that ticking clock for years. It was a vintage piece and he adored it, really. That morning, he had never loathed anything more. The ticking made his blood run cold and his temper rise in temperature.  It rung through his sensitive ears. It only agitated him so much because the ticks were no longer just ticks. The ticks that happened every second on queue held far greater meaning now. The ticks represented every second Noel was away, every second without him. They represented one more second of the absence of his breath and one more second they weren't touching. There was a second that, for all Julian Barratt knew, Noel Fielding could have been caught. There was a second he could've been strapped into handcuffs. There was a second he could've been strapped to an electric chair or a second he could've had a noose tightened around his pale neck. Second by second the fears grew. Second by second his feelings for the criminal grew and he couldn't take it anymore.

So when the phone called, he did not hesitate to answer it. The ticking ceased when he heard Noel's desperate and panicked voice. He didn't think twice before ditching work and heading straight to his location.

He had completely dismissed the idea that it could be a set-up. He knew Noel was with the friends he escaped with. They could kill him, steal his car and take off into the sunset. Julian had this weird, overbearing trust in Noel though.

Eventually he spotted the broke down little car and three men crowding around it. Well, Noel was sitting on the hood and chewing on a stick of red liquorice with that nauseating grin. He almost loathed the fact that the grin was not purely reserved for him. However, when they heard the hum of Julian's car and Noel saw Julian pull over, his grin was even bigger and better. He dropped his lolly and raced over.

Julian got out of the car and was almost crash-tackled. The impact of Noel's hug left him staggering but he soon grounded himself and held the boy by the small of the back. His other hand crept into his raven hair and he took a deep breath in to enjoy his scent. He thought he'd never see or smell him again.

"You're really my knight in shining armour"

Noel bounced off the man and beamed at him. The other two had now ambled over.

"Can we trust him?" Dave, the one Noel had pretended to fight, asked.

"He's a bloody security guard, head of the fucking prison we just got out of! He never even liked me,
I don't know-"

"And you're bloody criminals!" Julian laughed, "We don't have to trust or like each-other. In fact, I don't want to and you sure don't want to either. I'm here to help Noel, so let me"

Rich Fulcher, Noel's previous cellmate, gave a sour pout but eventually walked to the other side of the road to light a cigarette.  Dave shared a glance with Noel that Julian couldn't understand and nodded at Julian before having a cigarette with Rich.

Julian sighed and made his way over to the hood of the car. Noel followed him, with his body and puppy dog eyes. He raised the hood and started snooping around.

"Won't you need tools?"

"I'm going to assess the damage first and then if I can use them, I'll grab them"

Julian looked to Noel who was hovering right behind him. He couldn't tell if he was impatient about the car or impatient as to when.. when...

"Are you going to kiss me?"

When they would kiss.

"Your friends are here" Julian grumbled, returning his attention to the engine.

"So? They don't care. They know I'm bent"

Julian laughed, "Bent for someone they hate though?"

"Please" Noel rolled his eyes, "I'm bent for every boy"

Julian ignored his comment and continued to work.

"But yeah, they know"

Julian continued to ignore him so Noel felt it was best to stay quiet until he had made his assessment.

After a while, Julian leant back and groaned.

"What?"

"Have you been over-revving?"

"I mean I guess. The boys and I were having a laugh"

"Listen, this engine is basically a fossil, I have no idea how you managed to steal such an old car..."

"I ain't stolen nothing. It was my brother's and it was the only spare one he had and we couldn't go driving around the stolen prison van could we?"

Julian just rolled his eyes at the criminal.

"The engine is diseased with metal fatigue and the piston went right through the engine block and outside the bloody car!"

"I didn't understand a lick of that"

"Do you not see the hole in the engine and in the front fender of the car?! The damage is irreparable. You can no longer drive this car. Get it now?"

Noel did vaguely remember a knocking sound when they were driving but hoped it was no big deal. He now wished they had paid more attention to their little car. Yet that was the least of his worries now.

"Aight, calm down" Noel shied away at Julian's aggression, "What's got your panties in a twist?"

"If you don't have a car, you can't get out of here and I need you safe. Fuck!"

Julian slammed the lid down and walked away to catch his breath. He gulped down the urge to cry.

"Is everything alright over there?"

Dave had called out, looking as though he would walk over but Noel was quick to dismiss him. He ambled over to Julian and put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I'll give you a lift"

"We're skipping countries"

"So? I'll take you. Let's go"

Julian turned around and stroked Noel's hair out of his eyes but the wind had picked up and put it right back. It didn't stop him from repeating the move, however. Noel was so giddy, he almost forgot what they were arguing about.

"Don't be ridiculous"

"I love you"

"You won't just be taking me. You'll be taking the others"

"I don't care"

"They could rob you, kill you. You can't trust them"

"But you do"

"I guess"

Noel shrugged but Julian's faith did not rest.

"Please, let's go"

There was no way to convince him out of it. Julian set up his car as the criminals set the other one to flames. No evidence could be left behind. They all piled into Julian's car and watched the fire burn bright in the review mirrors.

After hours of driving, at the peak of twilight, Julian decided to pull into a little motel for the night. The two complained that there was no way they could stop now but Noel defended Julian. He said without him they never could have started again and that they could all use rest, especially the driver. Julian checked them in to avoid the desk clerk seeing their faces. Rich and Dave got a room and well, Julian and Noel got their own.