“Aw, relax, will you?” Reiner groaned, waving a hand toward his brunet friend dismissively. But his derisive scowl soon melted into an affection smile. Bertholdt was an anxious wreck, but he was also the blond’s dearest friend. He couldn’t give him too hard of a time, after all. But it was always entertaining to push the lanky boy to his limits.
Amber eyes narrowed mischievously. “Aloe vera, eh?” he teased in a surreptitious voice. “Are you offering me a rub-down, Bertholdt? Because I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested…” Reiner threw his head back and barked in laughter at his companion’s expression. Priceless, as always. Large hands patted the hot expanse of metal beside Reiner, offering a spot on the hood of his car. It was an old, tan Chevrolet Suburban, an oversized car that matched the driver’s sense of self-importance. It comfortably seated seven people (nine if you squeezed two into the trunk), and it was affectionately referred to by his friends as “the Tank,” mainly because Reiner would plow through traffic with maniacal zeal whenever he was behind the wheel. Sure, the cost of gas alone could feed Reiner for a month, but it was worth it. He loved that car, as well as the memories he had managed to forge within it.
“Guess we’ve got a period to kill,” he mused, squinting into the sun. It really was pretty relentless, the way it beat down upon the asphalt. For a moment, he contemplated changing out of his shirt and into his jersey – at least the fabric would breathe more effectively. But this particular garment – along with his pads and helmet – were all thrown indiscriminately somewhere in his back seat, and he deemed himself too lazy to slide off of the hood, amble around the side of the car, and go digging for the damn thing. Nah, he would just endure the heat. If Bertholdt kept his little promise, it would be worth it in the end, huh? Reiner grinned wryly.
“You wanna just hang around here and wait for the guys?” the blond suggested with languid disinterest. “Or we could drive somewhere. Get a bite to eat? Or stop by my place?”