Kev Flynn / Clu 2 (if that's acceptable because it's angsty af) and 7
send me a pairing and a number and i’ll write you a drabble
The Grid is a fun place, to unexpected extremes, which is probably why Flynn loves it so much. Good company - if a bit sour for his tastes - but most importantly, a big ol’ physics sandbox.
Flynn’s been experimenting with lightcycles lately, and he can’t wait to take to the streets - or data buses, circuits… He’s still not used to having to translate everything into computer lingo - with his latest experiment.
It’s only a prototype, of course, but what kind of devil-may-care would he be if he didn’t take it out for a spin? And what kind of friend-slash-creator if he didn’t invite Clu along?
The program has barely seen the outside of Tron City since he was created, always in training with Dyson, or learning the ropes with Tron. Flynn had sort of given the other programs freedom - as much freedom as you can give a program, anyway - to teach Clu whatever they thought he may need, but he realises how to have fun is not something neither Tron nor Dyson can teach anyone. Nope, he will have to take on that task himself.
So he approaches Clu when he seems less busy, and smiles amicably at his program, seeing his own smile reflected in Clu’s face, if a little more awkward.
“Hey, buddy. How ‘bout a race?”
Clu frowns, questions him about the rules of said race, and the stakes, and Flynn just rolls his eyes at everything and realizes the task of teaching Clu how to have fun might be heavier than he initially thought.
But eventually Clu acquiesces, and they sneak out together, activating their cycles and riding almost in parallel until the edge of the city. At that point Flynn smirks, simply pings a 'Go!’ to Clu, and steps on it.
As he expected, his new lightcycle beats the speed of anything he’s ever ridden in the Grid. He feels like shouting euphorically, Tron’s worries about roaming the Outlands be damned.
He doesn’t realize Clu isn’t following until he’s been riding at high speed for a while, and he comes to a stop nearby a ridge, cursing under his breath. He pings Clu a couple of times, but he guesses the Outlands have bad reception, because he gets nothing in return. He’s about to double back when he sees the light of Clu’s cycle making its way towards him.
Clu stops next to him, and looks at him expectantly. “Everything okay, Flynn?”
Flynn shrugs, feeling kind of silly. “I almost lost you,” he replies, “I thought I had, anyways. How did you find me?”
Clu frowns at him. “You’re my User,” he says, as if that makes everything clear.
Flynn’s eyebrows raise slightly. “Well, don’t get too sappy on me, yeah?”
“Sappy?”
Flynn lets out a chuckle, shaking his head. “Never mind. Now, have you ever heard of hide-and-seek?”
Clu shakes his head no, and Flynn’s eyes twinkle with barely repressed joy.
“Well, then, let’s test how far your Flynn-radar goes.”