Junoesque ✿George Weasley✿

75.

Blair was back on her feet quicker than Fred and George expected. The day after Jasper's death, they closed the shop just to be sure that Fletcher didn't come back to finish the job. They then opened the day after to find that he had little interest in coming into the shop. Fred suggested that maybe he didn't want any witnesses and blatantly walking into one of the only populated shops in Diagon Alley to murder someone wasn't the best way to go. Never the less, George made Blair stay upstairs in the flat for a couple more days to be sure that she wouldn't be in danger when working. Verity had been worried and insisted to be let upstairs to talk to her. But George denied her access and said that she would come down when she's ready.

And she was ready by the end of the week. George had gotten ready into his work suit and was in the kitchen, 'making' breakfast for him and Fred. He poured cereal into two bowls and went to grab the milk from the fridge, only to freeze when Blair walked out of the hallway. She was dressed in her purple shirt with her orange badge that stated her name and the label 'employee' over the top. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail and it swayed behind her back as she moved into the kitchen, barely acknowledging her boyfriend who was continuously blinking at her.

"We're out of bread," Blair stated as she peered into the fridge that George was holding open unconsciously. Her normal and calm voice broke him out of his trance and he glanced at the shelf that usually held the bread in the fridge.

"Y-You're working today?" he stuttered and grabbed the carton of milk, letting the fridge door slam shut.

Blair hummed in reply and poured herself a bowl of cereal before waiting for George to get his ass into gear and start pouring the milk instead of standing there with it like a lemon. She leaned her hand against the kitchen counter and heard footsteps from the hallway, Fred soon appearing while fiddling with his bow-tie. He also froze when he saw Blair standing in the kitchen and exchanged a look with George. They didn't want to make Blair feel like they were walking on eggshells around her, but they couldn't help but refrain from mentioning her staying in the flat for another day. They didn't want her to cry for the duration of the work day instead, but they also didn't want her to be stressing out down in the shop when she still hasn't gotten over Jasper's death.

"You don't have to work today, Blair," Fred decided to say when the silence had gone on for over a minute. He saw that George wasn't going to speak, so he pulled the older brother card and took some initiative.

"I know. But I want to," she shrugged and took her bowl of cereal, eating it with the milk that George had been able to pour through his surprise. "He was just a cat. I need to get over it."

Fred and George simultaneously widened their eyes as if they were in a circus act. They hadn't expected Blair to come out so bluntly about the pet she had been crying over for days (although they assumed she had been crying all this time) so casually. She ate her cereal without changing expressions and flicked her wand for the bowl and spoon to wash and dry itself in the sink. The twins stared at her and ached to say something, but couldn't work out what to come out with. They had been so scared to see her burst into tears again, but she didn't seem to flinch when speaking.

"W-Well I'm going to go open up," Fred inched out the door and was relieved to be out the room. He wasn't the best at emotional situations and usually left that part of life up to George. Especially if it was to do with Blair.

"Blair. You don't have to... pretend-

"I'm not pretending," she cut George off and made sure to stare at him right in the eyes. "I realised that I was being an unnecessary mess. Life goes on and I know the shop's still busy. I want to work."

"But life doesn't have to go on all of the time," he fought back, feeling his heart ache at the Blair's words. "You can take time. I know you loved Jasper and its okay to be sad about it."