Brand New Life

Chapter 16: Sport Nights

Reiner and Bertholdt

Reiner's POV

"U-Uh... R-Reiner... I don't think I'm gonna be okay..." Looking up from my football dummy, I see Bertholdt wearing very short shorts and a red bandanna around his forehead. Upon seeing that, well... my cheeks were burning red with how cute Bert looks...

Smirking, I tossed a football at him, trying to aim at him, but the wind blew and it fell into the goal. "Come on, Bertholdt. You look kinda cute."

His face were blushing with embarrassment. "S-Seriously R-Reiner?"

"Hey, if someone's making you feel uncomfortable, talk to me, and I will make them pay, you got it?"

A smile starts to perk up from his quiet nature. Man, it's been a long time since I seen him actually smile like that. "This is why you're my best friend, Reiner." Why can't I be more than that?

"Y-Yeah..."

"Reiner!" I turned to see my baby cousin, Gabi. Her happy eyes and the way her hair bounced up and down as she ran- oh man, I forgot! I was supposed to watch her today!

Smiling, I knelt to the ground, "If it isn't my baby cousin!"

She giggles, punching me playfully in the shoulder. "I'm your only cousin, Reiner..."

"That's right..." Standing up, I held her hand, walking towards my, hopefully, future boyfriend. "Remember him?"

Gabi looks at him weirdly, "Uh... no... is he your boyfriend?"

Bertholdt nervously laughs, blushing a bit. "No, but I remember you, Gabi. You kicked me in my private parts... when I wouldn't give you my ice cream,  remember that?"

Right... that time... it was a 2 years ago, and that when we were walking around the park, as friends... with Annie and Gabi. The ice cream truck came by, playing it's music to lure us to get ice cream. I remember what everyone got... I got a chocolate popsicle, Bertholdt had a vanilla ice cream cone, and Annie had a push-pop... well, Gabi wasn't there until after the ice cream truck left.

"Wait!" Gabi called out as the ice cream truck pulled away. I was almost done with my ice cream, and so was Annie. Man, she ate it so quickly... Gabi looked at me with her big puppy eyes. "Rei-Rei... please..."

"Gabi-"

She turns to Bertholdt, who didn't start eating his ice cream. "Um... please! Can I have some?!"

He shook his head, "S-Sorry... but I- oof!" He collapses to the ground, the ice cream still intact. 

It was so quick that I didn't see what happened, but Gabi smirked and took his ice cream. Annie was the only one who was laughing, covering her mouth from spitting her ice cream treat. I remember we had to grab an ice pack and sit down at a table in the park...

On that day... everyone remembered the fear, of Gabi Braun.

Gabi smiles, "Oh! I remember! Sorry about that... but I was very hungry!"

"For ice cream?! My ice cream?!"

She giggles, "Whoops... I'm sorry..."

"No worries..." He shrugs it off, then, he looks up. "Reiner... are you sure it's okay for her to be here?"

"Of course. She can actually help me with the football section while you take care of your section. Got it?"

"Yeah..."

"Yahoo!!!" Gabi shouts as she starts to tackle to dummies, laughing as she fell to the ground.

Since she was busy tackling her dummy, demonstrating to the other kids, I stood next to Bertholdt. No one came to his basketball thing, so I stayed with him, hoping to make him feel wanted- well, I have to. Now or never... I will ask him to the dance, and possibly flirting along.

"So... not too busy this evening?" I asked, holding in my laughter.

"Yeah... I'm glad though... I hate people."

"Eh... wanna go with me to the dance?"

I felt him staring at me, but I had no chance to stare into his beautiful eyes. My eyes were too busy watching Gabi, ensuring that nothing bad happens to her. "W-What?!"

"Yeah. If we're not that busy, we should go to the dance, just you and I."

"Ugh... sure... why not?"

Yes!!! Oh, my heart beats fast for him! My gay heart beating fast for the amazing Bertholdt. Soon, we were planning to move out of my mom's place and move into an apartment. Which sounded awesome! Since Annie started hanging out with Armin and his trio, Bertholdt and I were able to hang out more often. Man... I just need to flirt with him more!

But still, I get to have Bertholdt to myself for the whole night at the dance... free from baby-sitting Gabi, and that Annie wouldn't be here to mess with Bertholdt's head. I'm just glad I was able to talk to Armin and realized that they had a crush on each other... man, seeing Annie as happy as she is with Armin brings joy to my eyes.

Now that Annie's safely away from Bertholdt, it's time. One tiny little flirt wouldn't be that bad...

"How well can you dance, Bert?"

"N-Not really..."

"Maybe we can tango-"

"Reiner, please... it... feels weird going to the dance with a guy, don't make it worse, okay?" He shivers as he said those words. Maybe... maybe I am going way too fast for him.

Sighing in disappointment, he thought he was straight before... and now, he's not... "Can you... accept my apologies? I'm sorry that I acted that way... I wasn't considering your feelings... can you-"

"Forgive you? Thankfully you're my only friend here... I forgive you."

"Thank you... Bert..."

"What are friends for?" Soon, you won't be my friend... you will be my boyfriend! I can make this promise, I will flirt! For you...