Smoke and mirrors

Ishir knocked on the door of the doctor's office. Once the sound had left his ears, he silently waited for someone to let him in. Doctors were something he had definitely not missed in the Lower Ring. He’d been experimented on enough to never want to see another one again. After he’d turned for the first time, his body had been a mess. He’d been unable to get out of bed for more than a week, spending most of that time unconscious, and had been weak for long after. The doctors had first been there to save him. When he’d finally pulled through, they stayed to cure him. Just thinking back on it made him scoff. No one had ever found a cure, there simply wasn’t one, and once his parents had figured that out he’d been left to his own devices, sent away so they never had to look at him again.

And yet, even with all his aversion to doctors, here he was. It was just that he needed something to help him through the transformations, to help him recover quicker so he wouldn’t blow his cover, and he remembered mercury as a solution the doctors had never gotten around to trying. And what better moment to test it out than the present? Impatiently, Ishir tapped his foot on the ground. He wasn’t made for waiting. Footsteps inside the house got louder and louder, someone was coming to the front of the house. Ishir quickly shook all the nervous energy out of him before the door opened, a pleasant smile on his face when the wood creaked open.

❝ You're going to make it, trust me. You're going to be okay ❞

Today had been busy so far and most of the patients that came in really... Just came for the regular. Although he did feel slight concern for the rising cases of coughing symptoms, as well as a sore throat. It really was the indications that the coldest season had begun. He knew that from here on out, it would only become worse. It... Didn't frighten him as much as it used to do. Back when he was a student and even an assistant he always feared death. Which, in a way, was funny. He was the doctor after all, he wasn't the one in a vulnerable situation. His patients were usually the one that had to fear for their demise as that was the whole reason of them even being there to begin with. But he slowly understood that it was more the feeling of failing someone that got to him. And when he realized that there was really so much a doctor could do, he slowly was able to let go of that anxiety. Although still lingering in the back of his mind, it was now way more docile and he actually... Appreciated that a lot more then if it were to be completely gone.

A woman had just left for a prescription of sleep medication. Clarence had a feeling that she was just using it to drug herself, but who was he to deny her a good nights rest... And perhaps something more. At the end of the day he was simply here to fix their issues and not be a therapist. For some occasions, he was... But if a person didn't want any advice from him, then he wouldn't rush it on them. His hand worked slowly over the paperwork as he started to classify each paper in the right folder, stepping back and forth between his desk and his book case filled with neatly stacked books and files. He was clearly somewhat lost in thought, a frown on his face as he arranged everything neatly, before the knock on the door finally dragged him back to reality. What...? Was he expecting another patient? The man tilted his head. No... Or wait... Yes he did. A slight panic overwhelmed him as he realized that he had almost completely forgotten about that?

He rushed to the door, trying to remain calm as he did, before stopping and adjusting his attire. One... Two... Three... Deep breathes. He was fine, no harm done, right? Right. He nodded once and opened the door with a shy, small smile on his face. "Mister Walker?" He asked, awaiting his answer before stepping aside for the other. "Please come in and take a seat," He bowed his head somewhat as he spoke, presenting his office in the process. He felt embarrassed that he was actually in his full 'free time' mindset before. He really should get a more proper schedule for these things.

He fixed his clothing and let his hand cart through his hair one last time before the door opened. This was the Upper Ring, he needed to look perfect if he wanted to fit in—not that he was making the movements because he was nervous, no, totally not.

On the other side of the threshold, a young man greeted him with a soft smile. The doctor seemed a bit startled, but for now Ishir wrote it off as unimportant. He nodded when the man checked his name and greeted him with a warm smile: “Good afternoon.” Ishir tried to swallow his nerves but he could feel his fingers wanting to move to release some of that energy. Keep calm, he told himself as he concentrated on keeping his hands still.

When the doctor stepped to the side, Ishir entered and took in the room. There wasn’t anything sinister about the office, but his insides felt like lava as he put a friendly expression on his face. He sat down and looked at the doctor, waiting for him to start the conversation.

❝ You're going to make it, trust me. You're going to be okay ❞

He smiled at the other when he greeted him and stepped aside so that his patient could come inside. As Clarence had one last look at the street, he closed the door. See, no harm done. He might have forgotten it, but that wasn't the end of the world. His patient was inside and he could resume with work as normal. His nerves settled down right away, a sneaky remark in the back of his mind that his brother would never let something like that happen. The other was way more organized then he would ever be. He didn't know how he did it, juggle the schedule of not one, but two people. And not any person at that, but the duchess herself. When he had the time he should ask him how he did it. That was... If they both had the time. They were both so busy most of the time, it was a shame really.

The man took a seat and Clarence walked back into his office, taking a seat behind his desk as the smile remained on his lips. He grabbed the glasses that were placed on top of some papers, putting it on when he moved closer. He took a pen in one hand and tilted his head a bit, going through some papers swiftly, before eventually grabbing a folder. As he opened it and flipped through it, he grabbed some and placed it in front of him. Finally, he looked back at his patient, showing a gentle expression on his face. "How could I help you today, mister Walker?" He asked with a nod, before looking back at the paper in front of him, already taking some notes on the matter. Just general things he had observed. He always liked to have some background on his patients, starting with general knowledge everyone knew. It just made his work a tad bit easier whenever he was organizing his papers.

The time between when the doctor sat down and started flipping through some papers, and when he asked Ishir what he could help him with seemed endless. Ishir’s nerves worsened and he couldn’t help clenching and unclenching his hands into fists under the desk. It took everything in him to keep the soft smile on his face. When the other finally asked the relieving question, Ishir grabbed the chance to start talking with both hands. “Well, I recently came to Odiria from overseas, but when unpacking I noticed I’d left behind a medicine my doctor had prescribed for me at home,” he explained. He’d practised the story at home and had all the details down

❝ You're going to make it, trust me. You're going to be okay ❞

This mister Walker was new to his documentation, so it wouldn't come as a surprise that he had taken an empty page. He would fill in the rest later once he had wrapped up everything for the day. For now, it was important to note the most important things, then see if they were risk factors for the issue this man had. But first, the problem the other had had to be brought to light. Once he knew the basics, he could pinpoint a more general treatment before looking more into it. The man started to speak, explaining that he wasn't from Ashmoor or Odiria, but from overseas. The doctor slowly nodded at the other as he started to write it down, his writing being incredible messy and barely readable, but he was able to decipher what he had put down, so that was all that mattered. It eventually came down to the fact that the man had forgotten his medication back home, something that a doctor from these lands had prescribed him. Clarence swiftly finished up his notes before lifting his gaze to the man. "I see," He said with a nod. "Would you perhaps know the name of your prescribed medication?" He said, tilting his head a bit. Once he knew the name of it, he could look into the details more, ask further about the reason why he had to take it and all that. It was the first step he had to take, as he had to take it into account when potentially looking for another treatment for the man.