Re: log: welcome home - adrian and dietre
The house was mostly original, refurbished by a previous owner who had moved on to something grander and larger. The molding was intact and unfinished, and while no one would call the staircase grand, it had its own charm, flecked with the occasional dot of color from hundred-year-old repainting schemes.
The dog opened Adrian up right away. He liked dogs, always had, and was actually kind of looking forward to having one around the house. "Hey sweetheart," he said, dropping to her level without thinking about it, letting himself be licked and nudged by cold nose and bright black eyes. "This is a hard job," he said, glancing up over the insistent pink tongue. "Your room is up the stairs, on the left. It's a little sparse, sorry to say. I think they planned on multiple tenants in this place, but I rented it out for myself, so it's got its own bed already set up and there's an en suite and everything. " It wasn't explicitly stated, but this was meant to reassure him. He could have all the privacy that his obvious shyness might want.
He hadn't forgotten why Misha had recommended Dietre to him, either. Adrian was putting on his best face for him, the most friendly and welcoming he could be to a complete stranger. These days, that version of himself was quieter than Sue would have been, but more forthright and warm than Adrian could have managed previously. "There's tons of room," he said, blowing off the thanks, but he doubled back. "You're welcome, it's no problem." It wasn't good manners to shrug off thanks, and he had to get out of that habit.
"You hungry?" he asked. He was vigorously rubbing Sieglinde's head, scratching behind her ears with both hands. "I was going to make dinner pretty soon anyway."