Homesick (a That's Not My Neighbour fic)

Clocked Out

//tw: there is some blood, injuries and trauma//

"Alright, have a good day, Mr Cappucin! You take care now" Henry called out happily, watching as the elderly lawyer made his way out of the door to start the work day.
Once the man was out of sight, Henry leaned back in his chair, a smile on his face as he took a long sip of his strong black coffee.

Aah, mornings were not always the easiest, but those brief interactions with the neighbours after the paperwork stuff was out of the way made the doorman feel human again.
Placing the red empty cup aside to refill later, Henry rifled through some papers to neaten them up just a little; it wasn't too much of a task, but it gave him something to do while there was a little bit of a lull. Henry wasn't usually one to wait around for a long period of time, so it was nice just to have something in his hand or to occupy his mind while he waited.

Thankfully, due to some perfect timing from the universe, he didn't have to wait long as he heard footsteps stumble up the stairs into the main lobby where his booth was. Hearing the tell-tale "thump" of someone walking into the desk, Henry glanced up to see the oh so familiar exhausted, sullen face of the milkman gazing back at him.

Although this time, the stare was more spacey, as if the brunette man had seen something truly terrible.

"Francis?" Henry spoke up in a concerned tone, a light frown on his face.

Francis said nothing and just continued to gaze right through the glass.
This just strengthened the doorman's resolve. He knew that Francis sometimes had long shifts which made him tired, but this particular thousand yard stare was on a whole other level.

"Francis, are you alright? You look like you're about to fall over" Henry pressed; on one hand he wasn't sure if this was a dopple's tricks, but on the other hand the poor fella could really be in trouble of some kind!

"I......" Francis started, before his throat tightened, as if someone had him in a noose.

Henry looked at him carefully, as Francis almost robotically slid his entry request and ID over to him.
Was.....was Francis Mosses shaking?

"Francis?" Henry asked softly, tilting his head a little. But Francis said nothing.
The hardworking milkman couldn't bring himself to say anything. The memories kept swirling, swirling, blinding him and clouding his mind until his vision in both reality and fantasy was nothing but a storm.
He couldn't show it though, he mustn't!
He just had to put up with it. But he couldn't!

It was all too much.

Francis Mosses could only take this moment to wish that he had stayed home today, job be damned.

He dug his nails into his palms, clenching his jaw and looking down, until the metallic scent of blood forced him back into reality.

Even Henry winced as the milkman raised his hands, revealing blood dripping down his skin in crimson lines, the half-moon shaped cuts on his palms already beginning to redden around the edges.
Whether it was shock or the trauma still dwelling in his mind, Francis' hands shook and the corners of his mouth began to twitch and turn downwards.

Henry, now worried for this resident, stood up from behind the glass and swiping the entry and request towards him so they'd be safe.

"Hold on, fella. Tell you what, I got some first aid do-hickeys back here. Let's get that blood off you and see if we can get to the bottom of this, huh?" he offered.
"Don't worry, most folks are at work around this time, so it'll be alright" he added reassuringly, putting up a sign.

"BACK IN 20 MINUTES" the sign blared in black ink.

Francis gave a soft sigh, and nodded.

"Mm...alright. But I don't wanna be a bother" he told the sympathetic doorman, who shook his head fondly in response.

"Oh, hush!" Henry responded.
"You're no bother, not at all. Come on to the red door, I'll open it for you ok? Don't you worry, I'm here to help" he said, as he opened the door.

He could hear Francis walking unsteadily towards the door, and his heart sank in sympathetic sadness.

Poor guy.
What on God's green Earth had shaken him up so bad?

Henry was going to help out the sleepy brunette, no questions asked.

After all, he had to make sure the residents were safe, as per protocol.

And, to be perfectly honest, being covered in blood and half-asleep, half traumatized, was not his idea of 'safe'.