she couldn’t resist the maniacal laughter leaving her lips as they sped through the red light — so close, and she made it ! ❝ saints, matthias ! we’re alive, and totally fine. nothing’s going to happen. ❞ shoulders were shaking with stifled laugher, the engine of the vehicle grinding steadily. ❝ but if you keep stressing yourself out like that, you might pull something. like, a muscle. or worse. ❞ she had no clue what else, but she hoped the message was emphasized enough. lips pursed in thought as she debated her answer, ❝ uhhhh. ❞ a pitched hum as she stalled, ❝ what’s done is done, not to worry, there are no street cams on this route. i think. ❞ and then she slammed on the breaks after realizing a group of pedestrians were about to cross the street, the force of her abrupt stop sending their bodies forward. ❝ phew, okay. can you check the GPS to make sure we’re on the right track ? ❞
❝ djel save us, ❞ the prayer fumbles across his tongue as he’s sent crumpling toward the dash despite his seatbelt and excess bracing. matthias glares across the small space of the car as the pedestrians finally deem it safe enough to cross. ❝ i think there might be a language barrier, ❞ he mutters, righting himself and reaching for his phone, ❝ i would not categorise the way my heart is racing as totally fine, ❞ a pause, ❝ nor the whiplash. ❞ fingers stretch, released from their death grip, as he taps the screen to pull up the map — not that he needs one. these are, after all, his stomping grounds. but with the way he is... distracted... by nina at the wheel, it’s better safe than sorry, isn’t it?
eyes narrow as the map takes its time to update – shitty cell service be damned. ❝ we need to take the third exit on the upcoming roundabout. ❞ the i think dampens the air, though it remains unspoken, ❝ and then it looks like it’s about another thirty minutes — we have plenty of time, if you feel at all inclined to slow down to a number closer to the speed limit. ❞