Raining emotions
"I really hate it when I am on cleaning duty!" Cherry whined.
"That's not what a wife would say." Leonte rolled his eyes.
"What do you mean? Leon, you can't be serious! I hate touching wet rags and scrubbing floors, that's for.. other people.." Cherry explained. "How can you expect someone like me to get down on her knees to clean? That's low!" She rolled her eyes as she grabbed onto Leon.
"See, that's what I hate in women!" Leonte said as he pushed Cherry away from him. "They are always so quick to get on their knees for a man, but will never consider getting on their knees for themselves." He sighed. "My mom was never scared of getting dirty, that's what keeps a household together! A hardworking wife doing her job without complaints."
"Leon! Please don't talk like that about me!" Cherry grabbed him again. She clung to his clothes like there was no tomorrow. "Leon.. At least don't leave without me, please!"
"Pretty woman, I would never degrade you! You know that you mean a lot to me, but I have some principles. I'm glad that you want to respect your duties in the end, but I can't wait for you, babes. I am quite busy, you know." Leonte said, taking a hold of her wrists, trying to pry her off of him.
"Leon, that upsets me!" Cherry whined again.
"I can take your place today." Blair interrupted their dispute.
"You would do that for us?" Cherry now jumped on Blair, grabbing her hands in her own.
"S-Sure.. By the time you would finish cleaning it would be pretty late. It wouldn't be okay for you to go home on your own, so it's better to go home with Leonte." Blair answered the already excited woman. Cherry was shorter than Blair, even though she was the older one. For a 31 year old woman she still had the energy of a child.
"Bello, you don't have to trouble yourself." Leonte chimed in. At 25, he seemed to be more mature than his partner. Though, he never declared what his relationship with Cherry was, she was always making sure everyone knew they were a thing. With the rotten mindset of his, Cherry could sleep safe and sound that no other woman would want him. At least that's what Blair thought.
"It's okay with me, don't worry." Blair smiled.
"Alright then." Leonte said, approaching Blair. "If something happenes, know that you can call me. Okay, cara mia?" He ruffled her hair.
"You call us and we will be here." Cherry said, snaking her hands around Leonte's neck, making him pull his hand away from Blair. "Thank you, doll, you are a saviour!" She giggled.
Blair just gave them a nod. They were an odd pair and she couldn't get her head around them. As the couple was getting ready to leave, Blair was finishing some papers she needed signed at the end of the day by Doctor Juniper. Blair was not in a clear headspace right now, she was still trying to cope with the pain induced by the actions of David. So far nobody at the hospital seemed to notice a change in her behaviour. She was happy with not burdening those around her.
After Leonte and Cherry left, Blair was done with her papers and prepared the cleaning supplies.
"Oh, Blair." It was Junpei. Him calling her name out so suddenly made the girl jump. "My apologies, I didn't mean to scare you!" He hurried to her side.
"It's okay!" She said, her chest pounding.
"Why are you still here?" Junpei asked as he looked around. "I thought Cherry was on cleaning duty today."
"I took her place so she and Leonte can spend time together. They seemed to have some small issues to solve." Blair answered, putting everything she gathered for cleaning into a bucket.
"Personal life should be separated from work life." Junpei stated. "That woman has no sense of responsability."
"She is just in love, it's fine." Blair chuckled.
"If you say so. Though, I would like to make up for colleague's lack of professionalism." Junpei said as he took the bucket from Blair's arms. "I will help you out."
"I'm sorry, you don't have to do that! It's okay with me, Doctor Takeda." Blair said.
"Blair, I'm 28, you don't have to act so formal around me." Junpei said. "Even if I am the least talkative among the bunch, you don't have to be formal with me, after all I call you by your first name. If it's okay with you as well, I'd preffer it if you would use my first name." Blair was a bit shocked. It was true that she and Junpei never spoke that much, especially if the others were around. He was always so busy with his work, she never had a chance to have a proper conversation with him. She respected him for his devotion when it came to the work he put in the hospital, that's why she was always so formal around him.
"Of course." Blair replied, gaining a nod from him.
"Now, let us start the cleaning process." Junpei said.
They started cleaning, Junpei taking care of cleaning the floors and walls, while letting Blair handle the utensils. Blair wanted to work the floors, but Junpei considered that he should take the hard part and leaving the easy part on her hands. Blair was supposed to put the utensils in a sterilization machine after soaking them in cleaning solution.
While taking the utensils out of the cleaning solution, Blair made sure to wipe them before putting them in the machine. Taking them one by one, she worked carefully not to hurt herself, but somehow she still ended in cutting herself with a scalpel. As she did that she let out a shriek.
"Blair!" Junpei ran inside the sterile room. Noticing the blood gushing out of her finger, he hurried to her aid. "It's alright, it's just a small cut." Junpei gave her a small smile and pulled out a bandage roll to fix her wound.
"Sorry, didn't mean to be clumsy today." She muttered.
"For the past month you seemed a bit down, so I assume you are now reaching your limits." He said, bluntly.
Blair looked into his eyes, her own being wide open. She didn't know what he meant exactly, maybe he was just trying his luck or maybe he could really tell that she was in distress.
"I see you." Junpei said softly. "I see all of my colleagues and I can tell when someone is having a rough time. Now you are my colleague as well, so after some time I came to learn your antics and kinda understand what's going on with you."
"I'm fine." Blair averted her gaze.
"Blair," He started. "I was your age too, I can tell that you are trying to work whatever happened on your own. I just want you to know that I'm here if you need anything." Junpei tried to assure her.
"Thank you." Blair said quietly.
"My heart breaks to see someone so young be so dim." Junpei said as he finished bandaging her finger. "I am not a therapist, but I am human. You are not alone."
Blair frowned. She didn't quite understood what Junpei meant by that, but still gave a nod. She looked up at him to thank him but someone knocked on the door.
"Even though it's open, you guys seemed to have a deep discussion or something so I didn't want to barge in on you." Patrick stood in the doorway.
"Thank you for your consideration, Patrick." Junpei said as he walked towards Patrick.
"Whatever, sure." He rolled his eyes. "What the fuck are you guys doing here? Why are you cleaning and not Cherry?"
"Leon." Junpei sighed.
"That guy, ugh." Patrick scrunched up his nose in disgust. "Well, are you done? I was looking around for the kid and got pissed thinking she left without having her papers signed."
"I am here, sorry!" Blair apologized.
"It's fine." Patrick sighed.
"Blair, I will finish here. You go ahead and do what you must do." Junpei ushered her to Patrick.
"I will feel bad, I took responsability over Cherry's duty so I should finish it." Blair started.
"No, go ahead." Junpei said, starting cleaning the rest of the utensils.
"Come on, kid, let's finish this quickly." Patrick started to walk away.
Blair thanked Junpei and hurried behind Patrick. She was confused, but didn't muster the courage to ask why he came to look for her. Maybe Abra sent him in order to be more efficient.
"Alright, where are those papers at?" Patrick asked when they finally arrived back in the office. The whole way there he didn't say a word.
"Right here." Blair grabbed them from a desk near the door.
"Alright, gimme, gimme!" Patrick said in a hurry.
She handed him the papers. "But why are you signing them?" Blair questioned.
"Abra is busy doing some God knows what thing. She called me and told me to solve the situation cos she didn't want to waste more time tomorrow signing and stamp two sets of papers." Patrick cleared the situation up. "Don't worry, I'm authorized to do this. It won't affect anything about your course here, I did the same for your friend a few hours ago." He added, growing frustrated.
"I didn't mean it like that." Blair looked at the floor. She felt awkward and just wanted to be done for the day already.
"It's pouring outside, do you live far from here?" After some minutes of awkward silence, Patrick finally spoke.
"Not very far. I will be fine." Blair said in a hushed tone.
"I didn't hear it. Gosh, I'm old! Speak louder!" Patrick raised his voice as he started to stamp the papers. Every time he would press the stamp to the paper he would do it with force, making it seem as if he was punching the table. This caused Blair to panic a bit.
"I don't live far!" Blair answered in a higher tone, almost yelling.
Patrik looked up at her. He stopped and stared her in the eyes for a minute then finished stamping the papers. "I'll drive you home."
"Y-You don't have to! I will be just fine on my own!" Blair protested.
"I don't have time for this. I said I'll drive you and that's final." Patrick got up and handed her the papers. "Pack your stuff and let's go, it's already late."