It was well and truly dumping snow by the time Shion had been stuffed in a truck and told "Don't break a fuckin thing, you got that? Watch out for your trailer, take turns wide, and make sure your brakes don't fuck out on ya. Okay. That's about it. The dog'll bark and you'll know to go." Inukashi left a dog behind, a golden flop-eared thing which curled up on the passenger's seat and blinked at Shion with its tongue out.
Shion stared at the truck. It was an old one, and the fact that it smelled like dog suggested it was Inukashi's. Nezumi had vanished into the white to get his own truck, so Shion looked at the key he'd been given.
It was attached to a battered, chewed-on rubber dog bone the size of Shion's index finger.
He felt around for the keyhole and winced when the truck growled to life. "Shhh!" he hissed automatically, wishing there was a volume button he could turn down. The dog beside him yawned.
Shion tested the brakes and windshield wipers and headlights, wondering if he really wanted to be an ice road trucker. His first instinct was NO WAY, but then he remembered his mom, covered in flour and dead tired, working longer hours to try and keep two people alive now that he was back from school. And Shion was sitting alone in his room, re-reading yet another textbook on the Burren and the botanical wonders that awaited…
Shion tapped the gas and listened to the truck howl. It didn't sound any less terrifying, but this time Shion gritted his teeth. He'd just do his best. He was a good driver, he was cautious, he would be fine.
The dog beside him suddenly swung its head to look out the windshield. It barked once, tail flopping slightly. Inukashi must have blown a whistle or something. Shion shifted out of park and eased his foot onto the gas.
There was an immense roar from Shion's right that made him squeak. Nezumi blasted past him, spattering Shion's windshield with snow. Shion yelped again as the truck fishtailed its way out of the parking lot of Snow Dogs Trucking and set off down the race route. Shion pressed the gas a little harder and twisted the wheel, listening hard to hear if anything was tipping over in the trailer. Nothing sounded like it was in danger of shattering, so he kept going.
Every turn he made, Shion held his breath. Every time he heard only silence behind him, he breathed out. Nezumi's taillights came in and out of view as the man fought for control on turns, then blasted away on the rare straight stretches of road. Shion followed quietly, trying to catch up whenever Nezumi's lights started weaving all over the place.
Shion still lost, but at least it was only by a minute or so. He took his time parking the truck, quashing his disappointment. Another job opportunity down the drain. It had been a weird interview, though. The company would have been interesting…
Shion found himself remembering the way Nezumi's eyes narrowed and widened and he shook his head quickly. The dog beside him took the opportunity to try licking the inside of his ear.
"Augh!" Shion giggled and fought to open the door to the cab. He almost fell out into the snow, and did collapse when the dog barreled into him on its way out. He came up half-blind with his face freezing to hear the sounds of generalized fighting.
"You bashed it all to hell again, you fuckin idiot!"
"Oh, shut up, I won fair and square. He was in my rearview the whole time."
"Yeah, and his shit barely shifted! Whereas you, you have— Goddammit, Nezumi, you traumatized my uncle!"
"It's a dog, Inukashi, it's fine."
"Oh sure, my dog's fine but your rats, and may I point out that you live with rats, are going to keel over if you don't recite Macbeth to them every single evening! You're fucked in the head!"
"Quit your bitching, I still won."
Shion peered around the truck he'd driven. Inukashi was inches from Nezumi's face, hands in fists but not touching him. Nezumi was just standing there, slightly slouched, and he looked dangerous. Shion edged a little closer.
Nezumi's head snapped up and Shion saw him squint through the driving snow. "There's last place right there."
Inukashi looked around. "Hey, Sean! C'mere!"
"It's Shion," Shion murmured, crossing his arms and tucking his cold fingers into his armpits.
"Yeah, right. So you lost, but that was some of the sweetest driving I've seen. Seriously. I can't remember the last time cargo survived intact." Nezumi snorted. Inukashi ignored him, the beginnings of a smirk creeping across the thin face. "As far as I'm concerned, Shion, you're fuckin hired."
"What?" Nezumi and Shion spoke at the same time. Nezumi glared over at him, but Shion was busy staring at Inukashi.
"You're serious?" Shion gasped. "Really? Oh gosh, thanks! Thank you!"
"Yeah," Inukashi said, still smiling evilly. "You're gonna be Nezumi's partner."
"What?" The boys spoke in unison again.
"No," Nezumi said, taking over now. "I'm not working with a partner."
"We're gonna give it a test run," Inukashi said, ignoring Nezumi again. "Tonight, I need you to haul some shit to Valdez. I need you back by tomorrow afternoon, I got some things going to Fairbanks, but you guys should get to know each other and see if this works. It would be ideal. Nezumi, you are ballsy, I'll give you that, but Shion here's likely to make sure the cargo gets there in once piece. You see the logic? Two driving styles are better than one." Inukashi nodded at their own wisdom.
"Fuck that," Nezumi spat, furious. "He's sixteen, he's a virgin at this—" Shion blushed hard at that "—and there's no way we're making it to Valdez and back tonight!"
"That's why I gave you till afternoon," Inukashi said magnanimously. "And yeah, if you wanna keep your job at all, you're takin the kid. You are over eighteen though, right?" Inukashi added, glancing at Shion.
"Oh, uh yeah," Shion said. "I'm twenty-one."
"No kidding? Same age as this asshole then. All right you two crazy kids, get outta here."
"I have to tell my mom," Shion said quickly. Both Inukashi and Nezumi stared at him, blank-faced.
Nezumi spoke first. "You live with your mom?"
"Um, yes?"
"Yeah," Inukashi said unexpectedly, "you should tell your ma." There was a quiet sadness to Inukashi for a moment, which faded when they looked up and caught Nezumi and Shion both staring. "Get your ass moving, Sean!"
"O-okay," Shion said, digging in his pocket for the keys to the car. "I'll, um, I'll be right back." He fled to the bakery van, trying not to look back. He didn't fully succeed. He felt eyes on him when he was fumbling to unlock the car (why he bothered locking it when he knew no one in town would steal Karan's van was a mystery even to himself) and he glanced behind him. A gust of wind smeared snow across his vision, but he was still sure he'd seen steel eyes before the flurry got in the way.