A Manager's Duty...

Perhaps her tone was a bit sharp, and maybe she could have put it a different way that was a bit easier to digest, but Rhein needed Cicilia to understand the situation both of them were in. Rhein was only a manager, and though she could put up a variety of roadblocks that would impede the nurse’s progress, Juno was free to do what she wanted when she was off the clock, no matter what Rhein had to say. It would be incredibly foolish for Rhein to make promises she knew she couldn’t keep, no matter how much she wanted to put Cicilia at ease. Rhein knew that if she just told Cicilia what she wanted to hear, then it would only be easier for Juno to pull her stunts in the future, and all the work that went into today would be a waste.

So, Rhein explained what she really could do for the boxer. No smoke and mirrors, no hero falling from the sky to save her. Just an overworked manager in a green suit who wanted to help the fellow German get away from the freak that was chasing her. While it may not be much, it was clear Rhein was just as invested in taking Juno’s attention off Cicilia as the boxer was, and she would do what she could.

Still, the table seemed to grow silent. Rhein’s jade eyes finally dipped down towards the table, pulling her food over and beginning to eat silently. It hurt not being able to help Cicilia the way she wanted, to see her go through what Rhein had gone through before so needlessly…but there was little she could do at that point other than plan and hope that she could get Juno to back off or find someone else to take interest in, though hopefully in a friendlier manner.

Cicilia finally agreed to the deal, but Rhein said nothing further. The manager just grazed mechanically. Chewing, swallowing, then eating another bite over and over until the salad was practically gone, much like the boxer’s smile. Both women seemed to be thinking things over, each remaining silent throughout their meal. Soon, Rhein had finished both her salad and rice, piling up the dishes without saying a word.

Surprisingly, Cicilia was the one to reach out and speak. Rhein had thought it best to let her sit and think quietly, keep from irritating or disappointing her further. Rhein didn’t expect Cicilia to reach out in such a manner, much less with such a warm response. Rhein clearly was not expecting praise after giving her a deal that may have seemed useless or raw to others. The boxer would let Rhein help…but it felt so odd to be complimented afterwards…

It did make her smile though…

“Of course…And I know I said I was pretty busy but if you ever need help with anything…just give me a ring.” Rhein withdrew a card from her suit pocket, and quickly scribbled her personal phone number next to her business number before setting it on top of the dessert box. “I’ll see what I can do to help you or your girl~. We’ll call it a favor, just for you two.”

--

Rhein would wait for her comrade to finish her lunch before getting up to pay the bill. A generous tip was left under the stacked plates for the waiter as she walked out towards the car, her phone going off dozens of times since she stepped out into the outside world and her phone received a connection. She paid the phones vibrations little heed as she leaned up against her car, a gentle breeze blowing across her hair as she waited for the boxer to climb in with her snacks and leftovers.

“Any place in particular I can drop you off, Cici?”

The nickname was just spur of the moment, more so to tease the boxer then anything. Rhein seemed to become far more jovial the moment they stepped out of the restaurant, falling back into her usual self. Their partnership was still so young, but it was a benefit to both of them, and neither seemed to mind the others company.

“We should probably avoid any place your girl could see us…unless you want to explain to her about the lunch date you went on with another woman~“

"...Really, thank you..." Cicilia said again as her fellow German took out a card and scribbled down her information for her. "...I hope to god this works..." Most of the time, the Juggernaut had this air of strength about her, this feeling of invulnerability that made her such a bastion of power. No matter how much damage she took or if she was "defeated", she would never be beaten. She always tried to make herself look and feel invincible to everyone around, to ward off those that would aim to hurt someone as wounded as her... Not many people really knew how much she was hurting on a daily basis, how much anxiety and fear coursed through her veins after that one day with Margaux... Death had a way of reaffirming one's belief in their own mortality... especially when someone was actually starting to believe they were rising above it.

...She had thought having to worry about a gang-boss who wanted her dead as much as on her side was bad enough... but now she had a crazy nurse who was as much of a psychological threat as she was a physical one! Those videos alone STILL haunted the Juggernaut's nightmares, tainting one of the last bastions of relaxation in this world into something warped and hostile...

...Cicilia was never really afraid for herself as much as she was afraid for her girlfriend... someone who was always dragged kicking and screaming between her and the monster that sought the German pain. As soon as they realize they can't just beat her into submission, they attack the abstract, the things not so easily defended, laying down threats like mines in the hope that one of them would do what they wanted...

...And she was so tired... The fight with Juno proved it. She was off her damn game, exhausted... She had found herself wanting to sleep every day all day up until that fight and found it so hard to even get off the couch to go work out... It was hard to do anything really, even flash Sayumi a smile!

...She was so tired...

...So damn tired...

"Look... I don't know anyone who'd just.... do things like this... Offering to take care of me... of my girlfriend... You really don't know how much this means to me, Rhein..."

-

With lunch eaten, Cicilia had felt more relaxed and content than... well... since she first spent the night with her girlfriend, the two of them hopped back in the car with the box of sweets in the German's lap... She had made an ally today... maybe even a friend... It seemed... that someone really was looking out for her, doing what they could....

"...Just.... Home." She sighed, relaying the address. "If she sees us, I'll explain... She's not the jealous type... I don't think." She reassured her, the juggernaut resting her head against the interior window of the car-door.

The drive was a quiet one. Each woman was left alone with their thoughts as the gentle vibrations and hum of the engine caused a relaxing white noise to lull the passenger into a relaxing stasis while the driver made her way to the destination. The warmth of the air conditioning made the perfect blanket, and it would be no surprise if the tired, hurting boxer’s body shut down into slumber to repair itself when in a spot she thought was safe. Rhein was too busy watching the road and chewing the address over…she knew exactly where it was, an odd familiarity about it…but she didn’t know why. It was a bit out of her way, definitely more efficient ways to get to her job then to go through the apartment area but nothing too bad. The only reason she would go out here would be to…

A dark feeling of dread washed over Rhein as she recalled why the address seemed so familiar, and she hoped she was wrong.

When they arrived, Rhein forced a smile as she saw Cicilia off, wishing her the best and praising their partnership…but only after teasing Cicilia that she fell asleep in her car even if she just had her eyes closed. Rhein made sure to wait for Cicilia to enter into her building and then a few minutes more before pulling back out onto the road. She had a hunch that she needed to confirm before heading back to work. The odds were one million to one, there was no way it was as she thought, Rhein must have misremembered the address somehow!

It did not take long for Rhein to find the address she was looking for. It didn’t take very long, as it was practically just down the road from Cicilia’s building. The address belonged to yet another apartment complex, though this one appeared to be a bit more upscale than most. It had a modern design, subtle enough to be accessible to a broad audience, but with hidden details in architecture that gave it a sense of class few others could claim.

Rhein pulled over, getting out of her car with a stern look. She hoped she wasn’t right, that her near perfect memory was wrong just this once…but sadly it was all too true. The view from the café window confirmed it.

The only reason Rhein would come out here would be to visit a client. She made a point to memorize the more troublesome client’s addresses so she could find them anytime she needed to.

Sitting by the café window was a woman passively reading while sipping on some sweet looking drink. She wore an incredibly heavy looking hoodie which her face was all but buried in as she flipped the pages of her novel. The bandages and bruises on her face hat were visible looked better then they had been previously, but still plentiful and clear on her pale face. The thing that stood out most, to the point Rhein could see it out the window was her eyes. Blue as a frozen ocean and just as cold.

Juno Sawyer, the Post Mortem Mangler, was sitting in her building’s café reading…only a few blocks away from the Juggernauts home building. The two women were practically neighbors, and neither of them seemed to know it.

“Well…that’s just great.” Was all the manager could manage to mutter before leaning against her car, and planned her next move.

The End.