Opposites Attract - Espresseleine

Part 4 - Bluebell

Nervousness gnawed at my stomach like a wildly starving hyena as I stepped inside Espresso's work room at the research building. He didn't look up to greet me, only kept working with his back turned as if I wasn't there at all. By now, I think he didn't know I was there. It had been a couple of days since I'd been sitting in the library talking to Latte and Raspberry, and I decided I couldn't let myself avoid him forever. Eventually, I had to talk to him, even if not about what I had discussed with the two girls.

I hung in the doorway, waiting for him to take notice to me. When he didn't after a few long seconds, I shifted, trying to make small amounts of noise for him to hear. He still didn't turn, but he reached up to a shelf in front of him after standing in front of it, motionlessly staring at it. He took down a small vial of light brown liquid with a label I couldn't read from where I stood, and set it down on the table beside him.

For a moment I didn't make any more attempts to get his attention. Only watched him. Thinking of how I could possibly get through this. How could I possibly?

Then, he did a very unusual thing. While still staring at the large shelf, he slowly lowered himself to the floor and sat down, crossing his legs over each other tailor style. He made no noise, and from where I stood I only stared at the back of his head, but something was clearly off.

He wouldn't normally let himself seem so nonchalant like that, even alone, and the floor was dirty enough that he would wipe something off with a disinfecting wipe if it had dropped. He was always a very clean person. Even now, he uses hand sanitizer after shaking hands with anyone, including me.

Finally, he let out a sigh, and reached in front of himself to take another vial off of the shelf and set it on the table beside him. He stood shakily, briefly brushing himself off, and turned with both vials in hand. His expression looked forced surprised as he stared back at me.

"How long have you been there?" His hair looked uncared for, and dark bags sat under his eyes. It looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. He put both vials down on the same table they had been on before and walked over to me, closing his eyes midway to open them again painfully forcefully.

I looked down at him worriedly as he approached. "Are you ok? You look..."

Espresso opened his mouth to finish the sentence for me, but stopped himself to think. "Ex... Tired." He finished. I couldn't help but smile. He turned to face the same way as me, leaning against the wall beside me. "I can't sleep." He sighed, keeping his explanation as brief as possible. "Too much to do."

"You can't do anything if you can't even create a thought." I said pointedly, nudging him slightly. He flinched awake. "And how long have you spent in this room? It smells like a coffee shop in here."

He shook his head drowsily, letting himself fall to lean against me. He was very light. He stood there for a moment, not saying anything, not moving, just staring forward, before he weakly pushed off of the wall and went to sit at his desk. He looked at his desk with confusion for a second too long, then at the table at the side of the room that had the two vials on it. "Could you.?" He motioned towards them.

I took them and handed them to him. Espresso's hand shook, so much that if they hadn't had lids on them all the liquid would have spilled out. I know I'm exaggerating.

I watched him struggle to make a clear thought as he slowly closed his eyes, snapping them open again. Unable to watch the poor man suffer any longer, I pulled his chair back and picked him up with ease. He was very light. I held him as someone might hold a dog. To my surprise, even though he seemed like he could fall asleep any second, he started to complain, although only once. "Madeleine I have work." He stated briefly.