blank open eyes | reiner braun x reader

chapter 14 (18+ content)

The week came and went, and before you realized it, Reiner was out of your apartment and back in his usual quarters.

One peaceful, beautiful week of bliss before everything went back to normal, and it was like nothing had ever changed at all.

You didn't see him for days after that. It was a rapid turnaround; everyone suddenly needed him for something. Reiner was overworking himself with hardly a moment to rest, and you were working just as hard.

It felt like the stars were actively working against you to misalign, doing their best to give you grief.

And things would've felt the same as before, had it not been for the aching in your chest that made itself known each morning you woke up without his warm embrace; if the subtle smell of the coffee he loved hadn't begun to disappear.

Already, you missed him, and he'd hardly been gone at all.

You passed each other at headquarters with the same sort of curt nods, polite smiles, and good mornings. Passersby didn't bat an eye, even while your longing grew every time you brushed your shoulder against him, felt him glance back at you one last time before turning the corner.

It was getting miserable, was what it was. You had trouble focusing on meetings when Reiner was in your line of sight, his jaw pressed tightly as he listened intently to the others. It made you feel like a fool—only children got so distracted by their sentimental emotions.

Yet, Reiner's insignificant smile at you from across a room, indulging you only for a moment, was enough to set your soul on fire, reminding you exactly why you couldn't keep your mind off of him.

Ten days after he'd left your home and barely spoken to you since, you got some reprieve.

He was in the hallway, making the rounds back to his office when you rounded the corner. Your attention was on him immediately; the two of you were drawn together like magnets across the room. It was nearly evening. He must have been wrapping up for the day.

You muttered a silent greeting, sparing him only a brief glance as you past him. His eyes, on the other hand, weren't subtle as they remained on you, watching you get further and further away from him.

You waited for the moment when your plan to keep conversation minimal was thwarted by Reiner's own.

Half a second passed before his footsteps were catching up to you, and he reached out, grasping your wrist loosely. You didn't make it far.

"Reiner, what are you..." you let your words drop off as you heard footsteps heading in your direction.

He peered over your shoulder and dropped your wrist, noticing the men as well. "You on your way home, lieutenant?" he asked conversationally, tucking his hands back into his pockets. His posture was stiff. He crossed his arms over his chest, revealing the tension that held in his shoulders and jaw.

Reiner hadn't shaved in a while, and his skin was paler than usual. Despite his exhaustion, he was still as picturesque as ever, the sight of him always like a breath of air you'd been deprived of.

"Not yet." You swallowed, trying to clear your mind. Your thoughts were quickly getting out of hand, and you needed to quell them before they took over, rendering you useless against him. "I've got to stay late tonight. Zeke couldn't meet with me any earlier. We've got to go over strategies."

Reiner's eyes flashed. The soldiers walked by, sparing you no concern. "Do you have a second to talk then?" He pushed the door to his office wider, welcoming you inside.

You glanced between him and the open room, quickly darting your eyes around the otherwise empty hall. "Sure. My meeting's not for a while," you said, adding a quick, "Vice-Captain" to the end of your sentence.