Reiner – Can’t Sleep

“You better get some sleep. Call Laura if you need anything,” Reiner said before turning to leave again.

“What about you?” I asked, clearly confused.

We’re finally back home, doesn’t he want to spend more time with me or anything? I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long time and it wasn’t playing out the way that I had expected.

“I’m going to my room. I have work to do. You rest up and I’ll see you tomorrow,” Reiner said, sounding extremely strict.

He was out the door before I could protest or say anything more.

Great. He’s gone.

I wondered what work he had to do that was so urgent…

…

It was late at night and the mansion was dead quiet. Unsurprisingly, I couldn’t go to sleep. I lay there in my bed wide-eyed, and I didn’t even bother to count sheep, knowing that it would be useless. After tossing and turning for what felt like an eternity, I sat up on the bed. Without thinking, I swung my legs off the bed and before I knew what I was doing, my feet were already taking me out of the door.

**Knock Knock Knock**

I knocked on the door and waited for the owner of the room to open the door for me. Holding my breath, I counted down from three and just when I was about to count one, the closed door in front of me opened.

“Why are you here, My Lady?” Reiner asked, sounding very suspicious of me.

Good question. Why am I here?

“I can’t sleep…” I replied, honestly.

“And?” Reiner asked for me to go on.

“And…my feet just brought me here…” I replied, still very honest.

Reiner sighed loudly before looking down the empty hallway. I felt like we had a conversation like this before way back and it made me want to laugh.

“Aren’t you going to let me in?” I asked, putting a hand on my waist, and tapping my foot.

“No…” Reiner replied flatly.

The door in front of me began closing.

“Wait!” I cried out as I grabbed the doorknob and started pulling.

“What do you want, Natalia?” Reiner asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

“Let me in…” I demanded.

“Why?” he asked bluntly.

“Why are you being so mean? It’s so cold out here in the hallway and I’m not wearing much. I’m still recovering you know…I could get sick…” I said in a small voice before faking a few small coughs.

I peered at him from under my eyelashes as I kept up my sweet and sick girl act.

Reiner just rolled his eyes at me. However, he did step aside so that I could go into his room, so I guess that that was a win for me, right?

I smiled happily at him once I was inside his room. Surprisingly, the lights were still on and there were paper scatted all over his worktable. I guess he really was still working.

“What are you working on?” I asked as I started looking at the paper scattered on the table.

“Go to sleep,” Reiner replied as he pointed to the bed.

“I just told you that I can’t…” I began protesting.

“Then you should at least try,” Reiner cut in boldly.

“Is it ok if I sleep here?” I asked sweetly.

“Isn’t that what you came here for?” Reiner replied as he sat down in his chair and began organizing the papers.

“I guess…” I mumbled.

I walked to his bed and sat on it, my eyes on his back as he sat down at his table and continued working. I wondered what he was working on. He never replied to my question when I asked. Slowly, I lay down and covered my body with the blanket.

“What are you working on?” I tried asking again.

“You’ll find out tomorrow…” Reine replied flatly.

It was clear that his attention wasn’t on me at all. Reiner got up and turned off the lights before switching on a small lamp on his table. I could tell that he wanted to help me go to sleep.

“R…” I called him softly.

“Hmm?” he replied with a questioning sound.

“Can you come here for a second?” I asked.

Reiner walked over to the side of the bed and looked down at me. I looked up at his face and could tell that he was quite tired. I wondered what he needed to work on so late into the night, but I guess I’ll find out tomorrow like he had said.

“What is it?” Reiner asked, arching an eyebrow at me.

“Can you give me a goodnight kiss?” I asked before smiling sweetly up at him.

“If you promise to go to sleep right after,” Reiner replied with a small sigh.

“Deal…” I quickly agreed and puckered my lips up for a kiss.

Reiner bent down and I offered my lips for a kiss. His lips brushed mine as he kissed me softly. It was a very chaste kiss, but it left me feeling so warm and fuzzy inside. I wished that he would kiss me goodnight like this every day.

“Goodnight, R,” I whispered.

“Goodnight, Natalia,” Reiner replied softly.

I remembered smiling a little to myself as I closed my eyes. The warmth of his kiss seemed to have spread to every corner of my body and soul and I went to sleep with a smile on my face.

…

The next morning, when I woke up, Reiner was no longer in the room. There was a note placed conveniently by the side of my pillow which read: ‘Go back to your room’

I let out small laugh as I stared at the small note in my hand. Something like ‘I love you’ or ‘good morning, sweetheart’ would have been much better.

Just as I was instructed by the write of the note, I headed back to my bedroom. Thankfully, I didn’t run into anyone on my way back there. When I got to my bedroom, to my surprise, Reiner was already there.

“Good morning, Natalia,” Reiner greeted me with a smile.

“Oh…good morning, R,” I replied, smiling back.

“Shower and get dressed quicky, I don’t want you skipping out on breakfast,” Reiner instructed as he began pushing me towards my bathroom.

“Aha…” I said, still feeling confused with what was going on.

--To be continued…