To all my Beloved fans!!! Or uhm… people who happen upon this fanfiction!!!
This is my very first Rugrats fanfiction but hopefully not my last (I already have a sequel in mind, plus a whole other idea, as well)
This is a Tommy/Chuckie slash fic, so if you don't approve, please leave at once (actually go ahead and stay for awhile cuz it's just a friendship fic for right now!) Anyways, I didn't think there was enough of this around and I just luff them so much!!! Uhm… the first chappie is pretty short and is just an intro to catch your attention.. heh, I'll stop talking now.
Love you all!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my ideas!
Charles Randall Finster was struggling to stay awake as he drove the 500 miles to his hometown. Halfway there, and 4 hours since he'd gotten the call from Kimi about their father being in the hospital. His cell phone sat on his thigh, set at its highest volume and on vibrate. The radio was on an R&B station and set so low he could barely hear it over the 'hum' of the engine. He periodically grabbed the phone with his right hand and held it up the rearview light to make sure he hadn't missed a call. He never had. Kimi had left a single message on his phone and he hadn't been able to contact her after that. He wasn't sure whether it was even necessary for him to drive these 500 miles at all. And so he was, and with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company.
He hadn't been in town since his 22nd birthday, and his last year of college. He had moved to Washington, D.C. when he got a job offer as a computer analyst for the government. Of course, it was supposed to be a temporary position, a sort of apprenticeship, but he'd been there for 2 years. At first he called everyone periodically but soon it was his father that called every week just to catch up and Kimi maybe once or twice a month. And sometimes Tommy even called to talk, but that was once every two months at most.
At the moment he was trying to get his thoughts in order for what he would say when he saw Kimi, who should have called back by now, whatever the situation. He jerked as the tires hit the turtles on the freeway and he jumped back into his lane. He'd never been much of a night driver, why couldn't emergencies come up in the middle of the day, not when you were just leaving work? Why'd it always have to be so damned inconvenient? He'd forgotten to call his supervisor before 5 and so he wouldn't be able to call in until 5 the next morning and he wasn't in the mood to hear her piss and moan about his irresponsible behavior. She'd have to understand, whether she wanted to or not. Too many people in the office liked him and knew he was reliable. He jumped again as the annoying 'thud-thud-thud' hit him and he jerked back into his lane, ignoring the angry horn of someone who'd gotten scared.
He caught a glimpse of the signs for the next off ramp and saw both a Starbucks and a Shell. He needed gas anyway, hopefully the Starbucks was 24 hours, otherwise he'd have to get one of those bitter double shots that didn't work was a well as a combination of sugar and coffee. He made the off ramp and spent a good ten minutes looking for the supposed convenient gas station and coffee shop. He found them with much second-guessing, discovered the Starbucks was closed, and muttered a bit before grabbing a double shot and getting his gas. He downed the drink while he waited for the pump and did a bit of stretching until it popped out. He hated Kimi right now, but for some reason it didn't surprise him, maybe he'd always hated her and her irresponsible behavior and disregard for others. Maybe he just needed some sleep. With a heavy sigh, he continued on his drive and blindly made his way back home and wondered what was waiting for him.
He arrived at 2 in the morning. He didn't even know he was there until he found himself in front of his old home. All the lights were off, as he'd expected and he put his Honda accord in park before climbing out, limbs creaking at the sudden movement, and he gave a yawn more akin to a grunt as he stretched. He went up the walk and looked at his key ring, then sighed as he realized he'd left his old home key in D.C. He tried the knob, found it locked, and then decidedly, pounded on the door. If Dad was here, then he'd answer; if Kimi was here, well then, he'd enjoy waking her up. Mom was in Japan visiting some family so he wouldn't be bothering her. There was no noise or movement from behind the door as he waited. He pulled his cell from his pocket and called the house, no one answered. With a grunt, he walked back to his car. He could sleep in the accord.
He got in, but instead of reclining the seat and closing his eyes, he put the key in the ignition and started the car. He drove, aimlessly, he thought, until he saw Tommy's new house. One that he'd bought after the accident. He and Dil had lived there until the younger brother was accepted at the University of California in Berkeley. Now Dil visited every time he had the chance, which Tommy had said wasn't often. Chuckie found Tommy's beat up Corolla in the driveway, where else would it be at 2 am on a Thursday, but then again, this was Tommy he was talking about. He put the car in park and climbed out once again, walking up to the front door. He tapped lightly, the old Tommy might have been up just watching TV or jotting down ideas for screenplays. Now, he didn't know.
He tapped again on the door, and then checked the doorknob. It was locked, as it was to be expected and he thought about returning to his car and sleeping there. Then almost thoughtlessly, he slid a key into the lock. Tommy had given it to him their last year of school, after the accident. The younger teen had had a habit of locking himself out of the house. Why the key was on his key ring and not back in D.C. with the others, he didn't know. He found the house dark, except the faint glow from the stove light in the kitchen. He crept in silently, sliding his shoes off at the entrance and then making his way to the couch, not needing any light to tell him where anything was. He'd spent enough of his senior and college years here. He wasn't much of a partier but Tommy never hesitated to call a bunch of people over to just hang out. Tommy always stated how the insurance had paid for the house and the state gave him and Dil a substantial amount of money. The younger teen often called him over to spend the night, especially when Dil was gone, at a friends house or some school event. Neither of the two friends ever said anything, but Chuckie was certain that Tommy hated spending time alone.
Chuckie sighed as he sat on the couch, before he changed his mind and stood, walking down the hall and to the linen closet where he pulled out a blanket. He returned to the sofa and pulled his belt out of his pants, removing his shirt before he laid down, pulling the quilt over him. It was one Didi had made during one of her Dr. Lipshitz kicks, about homemade items being more comfortable for children. He never understood her devotion to a man who didn't have kids or any type of degree. Neither did Tommy. They used to make fun of her sometimes when they were still in school and life was fun and easy, but now it wasn't something they talked about. They hadn't talked about anything for too long actually. Way too long. Chuckie closed his eyes and was asleep before he could even question the insomnia that usually came.