The Doctor stared at the schedule for the missions he had assigned for multiple operators. If there was a reason for the lack of activity, it was because he had assigned Suzuran and Shamare to a mission together.
Almost like clockwork, the three children would come into his office to kindly interrupt his day and distribute a time slot of around thirty minutes for him to take a breather. However, Popukar was still available. She was already past their usual time to visit his office, causing the Doctor to be afraid of the outcome.
The Doctor continued with his work, unwilling to think any further about circumstances he couldn't control. He was behind on paperwork and inundated by the reliance on physical signatures to fill them.
Suddenly, the announcement of the door being opened sounded throughout his office. The Doctor focused on the operator as operations at his desk paused.
Popukar stood at the doorway, her upbeat attitude shining a light in the once-gloomy office. "Doctor, I'm finally here to relieve you from your arch-nemesis; paperwork!"
She held a steaming cup of tea in one hand and a plate of alluring cookies in the other. As she tried to balance the cup and plate, Popukar almost spilled both provisions. If it weren't for her reflexes, the floor would have told a different story.
"I was afraid you wouldn't visit because of your prolonged absence. I thought maybe it was because Suzuran and Shamare were assigned to a mission, but glad to see you're here."
"Hehe, well... It would be nice if they were here, but Orchid sent me after we finished baking these cookies to bother you for a break! And I made this cup of tea for you!" Popukar scrunched her brow, mustering the courage to properly convey her next sentence. "Um... Orchid told me to tell you the flavors for the tea are chamomile and lavender."
Despite her best efforts to articulate the diction for the name of the herbs, it came out with unintentional breaks and coerced repetitions, especially for the word chamomile.
When she neared the Doctor's desk and placed the refreshments down, the Doctor patted her on the head in reaction to her adorable attempt at enunciating the names of the herbs. Popukar let out a laugh, relishing his warmth on her head.
"That sounds about right. Just a few less stutters and you'll be pronouncing the words correctly in no time." The Doctor teased her, eliciting another giggle from her.
"I want to be like you one day, Doctor!"
"Er... The good qualities of me, right?"
"Right! As smart, funny, and kind as you!"
Silence snuck into their conversation, leaving the Doctor with a moment of respite that beckoned more awkwardness than anything else. Popukar was waiting beside him with a twinkle in her eye.
"Since you're here, what do you want to do? Any game you would like to play in particular?"
"Um, I'm not sure... It would be nice to play Pass the Watermelon game if we had more people..." Popukar trailed off.
Her eye focused on the cookies Orchid had baked for the Doctor. It wasn't difficult to tell Popukar wanted a few, and there was no point in denying her unspoken request.
The Doctor chuckled, clamping his fingers on the edge of the plate to push it in her general direction. Popukar reached out and cheerfully helped herself to a cookie after vocalizing a few words of gratitude. The Doctor patted her on the head again.
If memory served him right, Orchid imparted instructions on how to take care of Reserve Op Team A6, and Popukar was the one he had to pat on the head. A lot. The requirement to appease Popukar wasn't demanding. Supplying head pats to the children of Rhodes Island was his specialty, after all.
Once again, he heard the door to his office open. His assistant Astgenne, who had gone missing a while ago, returned. Forced by a mandatory decree from Astesia, Astgenne had disappeared to tend to herself. Astesia had also doled out a reminder to the Doctor to heed her advice and take one, but once she stepped out of his office, the Doctor ignored it and returned to work.
"Welcome back, and you too, Astesia." The Doctor greeted.
Astgenne waved her fingers at the Doctor and then directed them toward Popukar. Because of the wide array of operators and patients on Rhodes Island, it was easy to lose track of who was who. At the moment, Popukar was clueless as to who the Urbica twins were.
"They're nice people, Popukar. Say hello to them." The Doctor gently coaxed.
With trust in his judgment, Popukar waved her hand at the two of them. On the receiving end, Astgenne's heart melted from Popukar's adorableness while Astesia smiled at her.
Astgenne made a beeline for Popukar, abandoning Astesia to be on her own. An exasperated sigh escaped Astesia, realizing she had to assist the Doctor for the time being while her sister was distracted. Astgenne led Popukar to the sofa, where she hoisted the child to her lap and displayed her Originium Arts to entertain her.
Meanwhile, Astesia pitched a helping hand to the Doctor. However, her disdain was palpable from how she glanced at her sister. It was Astgenne's job to assist the Doctor, not Astesia. Yet there she was.
"That sister of mine... Sometimes what she does is so infuriating. I'm not even supposed to be here..." Astesia expressed.
The Doctor listened to her complaints while answering emails. With every tap of his keyboard, it drowned Astesia's words more and more until her voice rang loud and clear like a bell.
"Doctor, did you regard my advice to take a break?" Astesia asked.
"I tried... But I got caught up in emails, paperwork called my name, and then Popukar wandered over to my office... It was a valiant effort, but all for naught since there's always something to do."
Astesia glanced at Popukar. "It still seemed like you made time for her."
The Doctor removed his hands from the keyboard and focused on Popukar. The child was admiring the elegant creations from Astgenne's Originium Arts. It was like an artist masterfully drawing, except in the air. Each stroke implanted life into the stellar designs of the birds. They swirled around Popukar, who kept her eye trained on the enchanting birds in astonishment.
"Well, you know... I try to keep the children of Rhodes Island entertained and make it seem like everything is fine for them. I want them to be happy that the person they trust the most is happy, which is me. It's difficult to say no to them... Nothing wrong with that, right?"
"No, it isn't. It's commendable of you, Doctor." Astesia praised.
Simultaneously, Astgenne stopped showcasing her arts to converse with Popukar in a sisterly manner. "Hey, what's this big sister's name? We met a few months ago, so you should remember, right?"
Popukar brought a hand up to her chin and flipped through her book of memories. With a determined expression and a moment to dig around her mind for an answer, Popukar started but paused. Popukar tried her best to say it correctly, but memory didn't serve her adequately.
"Uh... Is... Is it Ass?" Popukar asked, hoping to confirm it with Astgenne as she locked her eye on her temporary caretaker.
The Doctor and Astesia overheard the conversation between the two of them. Any attempt to restrain his mirth became an impossible task. The Doctor chuckled at Popukar's innocent, but genuine mishap. He cleared his throat to conceal it behind a facade of common noise.
As for Astesia, she looked away and coughed to mask her laughter with a different source of sound.
"Wait, what? No! T-That's not my name! Uh..." Astgenne trailed off, looking at the two people she trusted the most.
The lucid meaning behind her frown coerced the Doctor to dial his emotions to a zero. He raised his hand and zipped his finger across his lips. Astesia had also composed herself as quickly as the Doctor. But the way her lips tugged just a little upward was unmistakable.
Popukar smiled at Astgenne, proud of the cheerful atmosphere emanating from the Doctor and Astesia. Popukar wasn't entirely oblivious to what she caused, but if the Doctor was happy, she had done something correctly.
Astgenne huffed and blew a strand of hair away with her mouth. "It's Astgenne, Popukar. Come on, say it with me. Astgenne. As-t-genne. Like that! Big sister, As-t-genne!"
Popukar repeated after her. "Astgenne. Big sister Astgenne."
Whenever Popukar made a mistake with the pronunciation of Astgenne's name, the Liberi amended her blunders with the utmost urgency. It was like a picture-perfect frame of a big sister, doting on their younger sister with affection. It was a heartwarming scene to witness, but the Doctor had a mischievous plan.
"Yes, yes! That's my name! And don't forget it next time!" Astgenne exclaimed, doling out a head pat for the precious Cautus.
Popukar snuggled against her hand with delight, giggling at the warmth of Astgenne's hand on her head. Astgenne smiled and continued patting the child before she looked at the Doctor and her sister. Astgenne's eyes widened and pointed at herself as if to ask if she had done anything wrong.
The Doctor only stared back at her and repeated one word.
"Ass."
Author's note: That's it, folks. An elaborate ass joke.
With cheeky (Haha, get it? Okay, I'll stop now) love from your favorite writer, Out4Lunch!