Solace & Taproots

2.9

To her credit, Sam wasn't one to disappear and not help after getting in a swipe like that. She took Rufus, his leash, the dog grooming implements, and a full bag of crunchy treats that claimed to have dental benefits, and walked Rufus down to the underpass via an exterior staircase built by the settlement populace, shooing Bex off to get whatever she needed for herself.

By the time Bex retrieved her toiletries and such and met them on a crude bench by the showers, Rufus was getting a belly rub and Sam had rustled up several additional, older and tattered but clean, towels. Bex looked down at Rufus, and openly accused him of treasonous betrayal. To Sam, she said, "I put in all the work to make friends with him... and I get him back here, and one Tupperware of leftovers later, this is what happens?"

Sam grinned up at her. "Oh, Sparky. He just has excellent tastes. He loves his Auntie Sam, yes he does!"

Bex conceded with a wry chuckle. "Okay, meathead. Come on."

Rufus trotted along between them happily enough until seeing the shower curtains, where he balked and started whining. Bex tried to tow him along, but she winced and let out a small cry when something in her wounded arm pulled tight. Sam sighed and shook her head. "Some people's dogs. It looks like this is going to be a two woman operation."

Bex was a little flustered, but since she already concluded she still felt funny about disrobing entirely in front of Rufus and was going to stay partially dressed — her clothes needed all the help they could get anyway — she concluded her mortification level would probably stay manageable. Sam either seemed of a similar mind or picked up on cues and followed Bex's example, because after hauling a reluctant Rufus into the stall, she kicked off her shoes and socks, shrugged out of her coveralls and hung them a nail, and left her black t-shirt and briefs on. Bex pretty much did the same thing as last time, sidearm and radio on the bench, boots under, fatigues on another hook. Those were going to need a real scrubbing later... or maybe she could find more and just burn this pair... so her bundle of shower supplies included a set of casual "street" clothes for later.

Rufus eventually accepted his fate, hanging his head morosely while he was thoroughly rinsed, lathered, scrubbed, and rinsed again. Bex decided she was grateful for the help, social awkwardness aside, because getting all fifty-plus pounds of him clean was much easier with three and a half hands. She also appreciated whatever led to the shower stalls being so large — maybe they are just the size of a forklift palette subfloor for easy carpentry? Regardless, it let them wedge him diagonally in the stall as they knelt and squatted on either side of him

She hoped he'd smell all minty fresh / like chamomile tea afterwards, as they'd already killed off a half-full bottle of the settlement's 'custom spa products'. Sam stood up and turned to get another from the corner, and... a water drop caught Bex's eye as wow it just ran all the way down the back of her thigh and knee and ohmygod look wasn't Rufus' fur filthy, how long had it taken to get like this she was so glad he was here now. She gulped and tried to focus her attention away from the distractingly callipygian view (bless the Greeks for their lexical contributions).

They were another third of a bottle in when Bex started to wonder what kind of sorry state her own hair must be in, and if there'd be enough left over to get her cleaned up. Sam must be judging her so hard right now, especially by comparison. The long side of her asymmetric cut really did look cute plastered to the side of her face, just between her ear and the dimple from her big grin as she sweet-talked Rufus, admonishing him that his bath wasn't nearly as bad as he was acting like it would be.

Bex blinked repeatedly and forced her eyes down to the back of Rufus' head. What the hell was wrong with her, between whatever that almost was in the boiler room with Seb, and her mind and eyes running away on her now? Was she just that lonely? Had it been long enough since Jaime she was starting to want to feel for someone else? How should that make her feel?