Yellow Ledbetter

Kneel before you

She's finally silent two hours into the ride from the airport after waking up an hour in. The Gemini lived in Portland Oregon, away from civilisation, it's going to be a long journey. Thankfully though, there are no more thumps coming from the boot, as she stops thrashing, and no more muffled yelling. And quite frankly, even if there were, he's not going to respond. He's still severely pissed off. But he's only entitled to half an hour of peace and quiet before her syrupy voice pipes up again- syrupy because the sound of it always trickles down his ear.

'Can you at least tell me how long we're going to be Kai? I need to pee.' She slurs, after effects of morphine warping her speech. Liar.

He made sure she had no liquids before knocking her out with the painkillers to avoid this very thing. She would have stayed asleep until they reached the house if it wasn't for her supernatural metabolism.

'Maaaaalachaaaiiiiiiiiii...' he nearly slams the break on when the sound of his name falls from her lips. '....Malaaaaaachaaiii...' She slurs again. She's becoming sickeningly cute and he's worried it'll compromise what he has to do. He's allowed to be angry at her right now and he's going to take full advantage. For a beat he thinks he's scared her into silence again but then, in the softest voice she asks.

'Are you still mad at me?' Like a child, being told off. His heart drops to his stomach for a moment, then he wills it to rise.

The urge to reply and say something becomes unbearable so he distracts himself by turning on the static radio. There's a cassette player but one only one tape. A mix tape stuck looping a single song over and over again. He loves this song. But instead of drowning her out it makes her talk louder to compete.

'I'm not sorry.' She says. 'I'd do it all over again. All. Over. Again.'

His teeth grind, he purposely aims for a pothole.

'Ow! Careful!'

He ignores her hiss.

'If you're going to be that bad of a driver pull over and I'll take the wheel.'

The tyres squeak as he zigzags across the road, listening to the sound of her body bumping against the sides.

'Al-Alright already!'

Back on the right side of the tarmac. Just them, the sound of the car humming and his fingers tapping to the rhythm of the song.

# One, two, princes kneel before you

That's what I said, now

Princes, Princes who adore you

Just go ahead, now #

'You're tapping all wrong.'

His knuckles turn pale as he grips the steering wheel and he wishes she'd just go back to sleep. At least when she's sober she remembers to hate him and he knows how to navigate that terrain. This is just cruel, taunting him with a version of her he can never have. But then again it is kind of his fault, he was the one who injected her with painkillers. Who knew she'd have such a high tolerance for someone so short? Bonnie would floor him in a drinking match and of this he becomes sure

'Do you even like this song? We've been listening to it for hours.' Her voice is coming through clearer. It's only been half an hour, but it's not like she would know.

He thinks she's finally come into her senses because she's quiet again. This time there's ten whole minutes of sweet silence. And then it starts. So low that he thinks he's imagining the sound. But then right after the yeeeaahhhhhh he hears her scatting loud and clear. It's not even accurate scatting. She's doobie-dooing when it's supposed to be schdooby doop.