It has been a long day.
Even though Volk has been at this for years, returning to the station from the surface never gets easier. The transition from the open sky and sprawling ruin of Moscow to the tight containment below in Polis Station is always so sudden. It's almost as much of a shock as cold fresh air after being cooped in stale warmth.
The morning is spent coming back from the Library to be decontaminated, checked by medics, goods checked in that can be used by the whole, and sent ahead to drop her haul with the Brahmins. The entire process takes almost half the day and by the time she's reunited with Jaeger, showered, and eaten something, she is exhausted.
It's a surprise to find her apartment empty, devoid of seven-week-drunk hucksters, angry barkeeps, or snarky best friends. And most of all, it is devoid of a warm body that isn't covered in fur. Not that Jaeger isn't the best to snuggle into, but there is something missing that one can only get with their own species as bedfellows.
She can only guess the Rangers are changing out rotations again, though whether Reiner just left or has been on his for a while is unknown. She didn't think to ask when she retrieved her dog from Melnik. With a huff, she flops across her armchair to try and read the latest acquisition the Brahmin didn't want, a half-crinkled jumbled mess of some fantasy series or another from the fiction section she could actually reach. She's pretty sure it's in the middle of the series too, but it is something to read to pass the time.
Right when she is sure she'll fall asleep in the chair, splayed ungracefully sideways over the arms with the book falling steadily forward, Jaeger starts to wiggle. The Shepherdish hears something she doesn't, his ridiculously large ears perked all the way forward and his tail starting to thud like a jackhammer on the side of the chair.
It takes a moment through the threatening drowse and the rhythmic thudding of the dog's tail to hear the sound of heavily-booted footsteps on the concrete platform outside, headed toward her door. If her apartment was facing the main thoroughfare, she would not question the approach, taking it as a visitor or tenant of one around her. But her door is off the main and the apartment next to her was vacated recently.
Though she is sedated from tiredness, she is still alert on some level. She is aware of Jaeger's not-so-subtle excitement, the mutt practically vibrating into another dimension next to her. She is aware of the shoddy door being jiggled and then opened, she is aware of the familiar stocky frame of one Reiner as he passes the threshold, the flutter of her heart at the sight of him being safe as he greets the overly-excited Shepherdish who has gotten up and is now bouncing around the crowded space.
Once the dog is riled, he pays her mind, steel blue eyes meeting hers. "Ah, you're back! Safe and sound?"
He knows the answer, as she's clearly sitting here without anything medically noticeable. But it is still a sign that nothing is wrong, so she humors him like she always does. A shift in the chair to face him properly as he leans forward to put his hands on its arms, stabilizing. "Ja. Safe and sound, like always."
He leans in a little more for a greeting kiss … and she has to stop him momentarily, her nose scrunching. "No offense, you smell like you've been stomping in sewage for a month."
He makes a noise at this, something uncertain. "To be honest, some of those tunnels probably are old sewer pipes…"
Her face has followed her nose's example, twisting into something grotesque. "I wouldn't put it passed them. Please tell me you intend on showering it off?"
He pouts lightly at this, but it doesn't stay long before he sighs, delivering a wry smirk. "Yeah, yeah. I'll make sure to wash all the musk off."
"I don't mind the musk, but that isn't it." she snarks back. The smile wending its way across her face tells him that she's only poking.
Her hands are placed on his, a lean forward to give him a grateful kiss regardless, 'for the road'. She can feel the dust of his lips barely against hers … when something large and black comes up from below, cracking into her bottom jaw hard enough to make her teeth rattle and hitting her in the face with such force, it sends her flat against the chair again with watering eyes. Her hands fly up to make sure her nose isn't broken, though she's sure it isn't and she'll be unable to smell for a while. Not entirely a bad thing at the moment, really…
Once her eyes stop watering, she notices the mass was none other than her dog, Jaeger excitedly bathing Reiner's face and whapping his tail against everything in range. Given his close proximity to everyone and everything in the room, that leaves little out.
Once the dog is under control enough to push him aside, she allows Reiner to pull her hands down and inspect her carefully. "No blood?"
"I don't taste it. Worse comes to worse, I don't smell anything for a bit." she assures as he stands.
"Well, that's … good, at least." One hand pats one of her reassuringly, and she squeezes his briefly in return. "I should get that shower out of the way."
She nods, looking toward the Shepherdish looking pleased with himself on the floor. His tail wags at her attentions, even so small. "Take the mutt with you. The walk will wind him down some."
Reiner gives her a small laugh, gathering a few necessities and snapping his fingers for Jaeger to follow him. The dog does as told without hesitation. "I'll see you in a few, then."
She offers a wave as they leave, leaning back in her chair with a small sniff. "Dumbass dog…"
A/N: For a Kiss Meme on the Tumblr blog.
Reiner belongs to my friend, 'Ulman'.
