happilyeverbeginning | he's down on his luck / he's down on his knees (scrooge x poe)

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he's down on his luck / he's down on his knees (scrooge x poe)

This hadn't been the best plan, but for Poe De Spell, it was the only plan he had. He'd lost track of how long it'd been since that fateful day he ran away in the middle of the night, in a desperate escape to get away from his parent's clutches. The arranged marriage had been the straw that broke the camel's back.

What a sight he must be now, he mused. The high-class fashion he was once so proud of was basically in tatters. He had long since run out of the money he could use - he didn't bring his credit cards, that would have made for easy tracking. Anything he had managed to take had now been sold just so he could eat and maybe find a roof to sleep under, but even that wasn't made to be forever.

Where did one find work when your grades were bribed to As? Who did you trust, when his parents had a bounty on his head?

He did keep his phone, but it was off. If he turned it on, his parents would find him. But it was a last chance deal - if truly all else failed, he'd use it. He prayed it never came to that. Even if it meant selling the last thing he had - himself.

He sat on the side of the road, ignoring his stomach growling for the umpteenth time, eyes distant and not really staring at anything.

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"There's enough space in the seat if we sit up. Besides, you can nap against the window tomorrow while we drive," Scrooge stated bluntly. "No reason to make you sleep in the truck bed."

"... What?" Was Scrooge suggesting what it sounded like? "Won't it be... Uncomfortable?" To put it mildly.

"A bit, but it's more comfortable than in the truck bed."

He pointed through the back window to the view of the truck bed. The ridges would make for one very, very uncomfortable night.

"I've got a much higher tolerance for pain, but even I wouldn't want to do that."

Yes, Scrooge was serious. Poe was baffled - Scrooge was either a saint or had some marbles missing. Still... again, best not to argue the point.

"... I should warn you. I'm a cuddler." Said without a lick of shame. "So if we wake up in a weird position, I promise you it means nothing."

"Fine. Besides, it'll be warmer."

He was used to being cold while sleeping even on mild nights.

He motioned for Poe to get out of the truck so he could lower the seat back to get at the storage there. There wasn't much. Just some old granola bars, a few water bottles, and the blanket. Enough to manage for a few nights between towns.

Though depending on how long Poe decided to tag along, he might have to rethink these supplies.

He pulled out two bottled waters and two of the granola bars along with the blanket. Then he put the seat back up again.

Poe took one of the bottles of water. "Dinner, I'm supposing?" Ugh, it wasn't even imported! The awful things he'd have to get used to...

... Though if Scrooge wasn't joking, having free permission to snuggle up with a guy who'd only gotten more physically attractive was a plus.

"Aye. Breakfast, too, unless I get started driving soon enough we can stop through a fast food place when we reach town," Scrooge said as opened his bottle of water.

"Noted." Fast food, the world of the plebeians. But then, he was one of them now, wasn't he?

He unscrewed the cap and took a sip. "I might be stating the obvious, but I don't have any money."

"I figured as much. In the morning I'm going to double-check my cash box to see what I've got that we can work with. Assuming you don't decide to head off once you get to town."

"Where would I even go?" Poe lightly scoffed. "Sad as it is, right now you're the only one I can trust."

"I didn't say that you going would be smart, just that the option was there," Scrooge stated bluntly.

Poe couldn't tell if he was being insulted or praised. "Fact of the matter is, I'm sticking with you until you get tired of me." Which would probably be sooner rather than later, as Poe's atrocious self-confidence was telling him.

"Fine," Scrooge said.

He finished his granola bar and took another sip of his water before tilting his head back to rest it against the top of the seat.

Poe ate as well, taking slow bites in an effort to convince his stomach there was more than there really was. Another hard gup of water, before setting it down and leaning back with his eyes closed.

He'd at least make an effort not to have all his limbs all over Scrooge. Who knew, maybe in the morning they'd be in this same position.

Scrooge was used to sleeping by the side of the road in the truck. So long as no one pulled over to ask if he was all right (or decide to try and rob him), it wasn't hard to fall asleep to the sounds of the periodic traffic of late-night drivers.

Poe wasn't comfortable, but he was exhausted, and eventually sleep overcame his doubts and frustration.

Come the morning, it was easy for Poe to forget he'd fallen asleep in a truck. Given by the warm, comfortable thing he was spooning, surely he was in some sort of luxury hotel with a great body-pillow.

Scrooge mumbled incoherently for a moment or two, shifting beneath the heavy blanket he didn't remember purchasing. It felt nice and warm except for that hard thing...

He opened his eyes.

Oh. Right.

"Morning, Poe," Scrooge greeted, his voice rough from just waking up.

Reality slammed its unwelcome way home - as did hormones. Gods, that was a nice voice to wake up to. Too bad the truck didn't come with a cold shower.

"I did warn you." Poe grumbled quietly, his cheeks a touch pink as he tried to untangle himself from Scrooge.

"It's fine. That's the warmest sleep I've had for a long time." Scrooge stretched his arms in front of himself. "Though you might want to switch your cellphone to a different pocket."

Poe was very swiftly crossed one leg over the other to hide his "phone."

"I'll, uh, try to remember that." But given how that happened on night one? It was doubtful he could stop it from happening again. Unlike his sister, Poe could at least admit he was attracted to Scrooge physically... just not to Scrooge himself.

Scrooge buckled his seatbelt and muttered a prayer before turning the key in the ignition. It took two tries, but the engine turned over and the truck started. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"We drive for another day."

Popping the truck in gear, he pulled out onto the highway. The sun was only just starting to rise, and the road was still mostly empty.

"We've got another two hours at least to go."

"Well, I'm already up." So napping was out of the question, and he was still squeezing his legs together in an effort to kill the morning fun.

"But I can't imagine someone like you and someone like me having anything to talk about."

"Well, you wanted my help with trying to get a job and earn money. We've got plenty of time to go over some possibilities."

He glanced at Poe.

"No offense, but I don't think construction work or moving inventory is going to work. Temp work might be best."

"I'll take whatever I can get." Poe replied, clearly not offended. He was well aware he was a limp noodle.

"... What is 'temp' work?" Baby steps, Scrooge.

"Basically you go to the local agency and they keep your information on hand for temporary jobs. Largely clerical work or other relatively simple office tasks that a business might need a few more workers for but don't intend to keep on permanently. Still, it's a way to build up a resume or at least get your foot in the door with a company."

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