The clinic buzzed with the usual chaos of a busy day—whirring fans barely keeping up with the heat, muffled conversations of concern, and the ever-present scent of antiseptic. At the center of it all sat Renata, perched on the edge of her desk, balancing a worn leather notebook in one hand and a pen that clicked rhythmically in the other. Her mismatched earrings—a tiny stethoscope on one ear, a dangling crescent moon on the other—caught the sunlight streaming through the window. She tilted her head, deep in thought, eyes scanning her patient's chart like she was piecing together a puzzle.
“Tell me again about the dreams,” she said, her voice soft but precise, addressing a young man with shadows under his eyes. “Every detail matters. Even the ones you think don’t.”
Her questions often seemed strange to patients, but Renata had a way of seeing connections where others saw chaos. Her diagnostic style was unconventional, perhaps even unnerving to some, but her results? Undeniable.
“Doctor... I mean, uh, Miss Renata,” stammered another patient waiting in the corner, clutching their arm. “Why did you ask me about my cat? What does that have to do with my rash?”
Renata flashed them a quick, enigmatic smile before returning to her notebook, jotting something down. “You’ll see,” she replied, and then she muttered to herself, “An allergy to fur oils… it fits. Maybe.”
For those who watched her work, she was a puzzle in her own right—quick-witted, sharp-eyed, and always just a step ahead of what people expected. Patients and colleagues alike couldn’t decide if she was brilliant, bizarre, or a mix of both. But when she handed the young man a prescription with exact instructions, he nodded, a glimmer of relief replacing his doubt.
“Next!” Renata called out, and her gaze swept the waiting room.
“Tell me again about the dreams,” she said, her voice soft but precise, addressing a young man with shadows under his eyes. “Every detail matters. Even the ones you think don’t.”
Her questions often seemed strange to patients, but Renata had a way of seeing connections where others saw chaos. Her diagnostic style was unconventional, perhaps even unnerving to some, but her results? Undeniable.
“Doctor... I mean, uh, Miss Renata,” stammered another patient waiting in the corner, clutching their arm. “Why did you ask me about my cat? What does that have to do with my rash?”
Renata flashed them a quick, enigmatic smile before returning to her notebook, jotting something down. “You’ll see,” she replied, and then she muttered to herself, “An allergy to fur oils… it fits. Maybe.”
For those who watched her work, she was a puzzle in her own right—quick-witted, sharp-eyed, and always just a step ahead of what people expected. Patients and colleagues alike couldn’t decide if she was brilliant, bizarre, or a mix of both. But when she handed the young man a prescription with exact instructions, he nodded, a glimmer of relief replacing his doubt.
“Next!” Renata called out, and her gaze swept the waiting room.
A family of three were sat to one side of the waiting room, a rather curious trio. The eldest, Pluto, was perhaps in his 40s, a little weather-beaten. His blond hair was pulled back in a small bun, neat and regimented. He had an arm slung around the back of the chair of the second eldest, Lucien: a teenager, fifteen or thereabouts, although with their small frame they could have been younger, dark hair brushing their shoulders, ice-blue eyes flicking over the room and its other occupants warily, like a cat noticing every tiny movement. There was a coat spread across their chair, which they were sat upon, and a black cane rested beside them, by Pluto's knee. Beside them was the youngest of the family - scowling and reluctantly present, Æsc was swinging his legs under his chair. It might be immediately apparent that he was the reason for the family's visit to the clinic: his lip was split open, his eye was black, his cheek grazed, and one of his wrists was resting in his lap, not doing a whole lot of anything. The knuckles of his other hand were raw red.
"I don't need to be here," he grumbled. "I've had worse."
"All the more reason to have it checked, darling. If it really is nothing, we'll be in and out in minutes, and we'll go for ice-cream," Lucien said. "Don't think I'm any more enthusiastic to be here than you." They shifted a little uncomfortably, all too aware of the many unwell people who had surely sat in this very seat.
"You don't go get your injuries checked." Æsc's foot collided with the leg of the chair; it was hard to tell if it was an unintentional catch, or a kick.
"Well, maybe they'll start taking their own advice," Pluto sighed. He looked up as next! was called, rising to his feet and raising a hand. "That's us - Æsculapius Grey."
"I don't need to be here," he grumbled. "I've had worse."
"All the more reason to have it checked, darling. If it really is nothing, we'll be in and out in minutes, and we'll go for ice-cream," Lucien said. "Don't think I'm any more enthusiastic to be here than you." They shifted a little uncomfortably, all too aware of the many unwell people who had surely sat in this very seat.
"You don't go get your injuries checked." Æsc's foot collided with the leg of the chair; it was hard to tell if it was an unintentional catch, or a kick.
"Well, maybe they'll start taking their own advice," Pluto sighed. He looked up as next! was called, rising to his feet and raising a hand. "That's us - Æsculapius Grey."
Renata’s eyes flicked up at the name, and for a brief moment, her pen stopped clicking. "Æsculapius Grey," she repeated under her breath, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “Sounds like someone destined for greatness—or trouble,” she mused aloud, motioning for the family to come in.
Her gaze darted to Æsc first, taking in his injuries with a sharp yet gentle focus. “Well, well. You look like you’ve had a busy day,” she said, gesturing toward the examination chair. “Take a seat. And yes, I will be asking about your hand, your face, and—” she glanced briefly at his wrist, “how much you’re underestimating the pain.”
She leaned back on her desk as the trio entered, observing them as though they were characters in an unfolding mystery. “Pluto, Lucien, you’re welcome to sit or stand, but don’t hover too much. It messes with my process,” she teased lightly, though her tone suggested she meant it.
Focusing back on Æsc, Renata crouched slightly to meet his eye level, her own gaze a curious mix of mischief and precision. “So, you don’t need to be here, hmm? You’ve had worse? Care to share the highlight reel of your greatest hits? I might even clap if it’s impressive enough.”
She gestured to the cane resting by Lucien’s chair. “And speaking of injuries, Lucien, I’d wager there’s a story there. Let me guess—rescue mission gone awry? Or are we all in the habit of underestimating our need for care?” Her smile was warm but challenging, her words a light prod to gauge their reaction.
Finally, she turned back to Pluto. “You, though—you strike me as the steady one. The one keeping all the pieces together.” Her voice softened slightly. “And I imagine that can be tiring. Maybe after we patch this one up,” she nodded at Æsc, “we can talk about you for a moment. Even unbreakable rocks can chip, you know.”
She straightened, tapping her pen lightly against her notebook. “So, Æsc. Let’s start simple. Tell me what happened—your version, no interruptions.”
Her gaze darted to Æsc first, taking in his injuries with a sharp yet gentle focus. “Well, well. You look like you’ve had a busy day,” she said, gesturing toward the examination chair. “Take a seat. And yes, I will be asking about your hand, your face, and—” she glanced briefly at his wrist, “how much you’re underestimating the pain.”
She leaned back on her desk as the trio entered, observing them as though they were characters in an unfolding mystery. “Pluto, Lucien, you’re welcome to sit or stand, but don’t hover too much. It messes with my process,” she teased lightly, though her tone suggested she meant it.
Focusing back on Æsc, Renata crouched slightly to meet his eye level, her own gaze a curious mix of mischief and precision. “So, you don’t need to be here, hmm? You’ve had worse? Care to share the highlight reel of your greatest hits? I might even clap if it’s impressive enough.”
She gestured to the cane resting by Lucien’s chair. “And speaking of injuries, Lucien, I’d wager there’s a story there. Let me guess—rescue mission gone awry? Or are we all in the habit of underestimating our need for care?” Her smile was warm but challenging, her words a light prod to gauge their reaction.
Finally, she turned back to Pluto. “You, though—you strike me as the steady one. The one keeping all the pieces together.” Her voice softened slightly. “And I imagine that can be tiring. Maybe after we patch this one up,” she nodded at Æsc, “we can talk about you for a moment. Even unbreakable rocks can chip, you know.”
She straightened, tapping her pen lightly against her notebook. “So, Æsc. Let’s start simple. Tell me what happened—your version, no interruptions.”
"Greatness," Lucien murmured to Æsc. They knew he had far more potential than he realised.
"Trouble," Æsc muttered back with a grin.
Pluto led the way, picking up his coat from the seat Lu had been sat in, and now laid it out for them in a seat beside the examination chair. Like a well-practised dance, Lu sat down upon it, cane resting to one side, Pluto standing to the other. He might not have been hovering over Æsc and Renata, but one did rather get the impression that his stance was protective over the both of them.
Æsc, meanwhile, hopped into the examination chair, perfectly casual, as if to demonstrate how very uninjured he was - although that one wrist remained conspicuously unused to settle himself.
"This is nothin'," he shrugged to Renata. "You should've seen the other guy."
His sharp eyes followed her as she crouched in front of him, narrowing a little suspiciously, but as she asked for his highlight real, he brightened up a bit with a grin.
"Aye, I've had much worse! I once broke all the bones in this leg an' the doctor said it was really impressive to break that many all at once 'cause some of them are extra hard to break an' that they were good breaks too. And I didn't cry at all even though it hurt loads." There were some exaggerations in there - it hadn't, technically, been all of the bones in his leg. "I was tryin' to do a flip off the roof but I landed weird but as soon as it was healed I went right back up there an' tried again and this time I did it." He raised his chin proudly.
Lu had been watching Æsc fondly; their expression gave away little, but there was just the smallest hint of a smile. As Renata addressed them, their expression did not shift very much, but their smile became just a tiny bit tighter, as if it was a somewhat sensitive subject.
"An old injury, long since healed as best it ever will, I'm afraid," they said, mild and polite. A price paid for cowardice, and one they were not eager to discuss.
Pluto was less skilled at hiding his surprise to be addressed. He was listening to both Æsc and Lu with fondness, and some worry, and his stoic mask could not sufficiently hide either of those well enough to escape notice from someone watching closely.
"Alright. Although I imagine there is no shortage of fathers around here doing just the same as I am." There seemed no way to avoid the conversation without raising suspicion, no way out but through. He did an excellent impression, though, of a father rather wearied by teenagers who insisted on performing backflips off rooves.
It was perhaps interesting to note that every member of the family all had distinct, different accents to one another: Lucien sounded as if they could converse with dukes and kings without ever appearing out of place; Æsc, conversely, probably could have found himself a role in Oliver Twist without making much of a change, rougher around the edges; Pluto was somewhere in between, at neither extreme. Not one of them sounded as if they were from the nearby area, though. Even an ear not all that accustomed to identifying accents could probably place them as British.
Lu and Pluto both were rather relieved when the attention fell back on Æsc, and he seemed pleased to be centre stage again. What was even the point of coming, if not so he could be applauded for his bravery in battle? He drew himself up, clearing his throat dramatically. Lu stifled an affectionate laugh behind their gloved hand.
"Well," Æsc began grandly. "There I was, just minding my own business - y'know, playin' marbles on the street an' all that - and then this huge fella comes along, taller even than Dad, biggest guy I ever seen. An' muscular, too. His - y'know the arm muscles here?" He gestured to his bicep. "That was bigger than my head. Maybe even bigger than me!" Probably an exaggeration, but more likely than one might like to think; like Lucien, and perhaps even more so than them, Æsc was definitely on the small side for his age, worryingly so.
"Aye, well, this guy, he takes an issue with me, jus' 'cause I'm sat there, happily rollin' them marbles around, and he decides, well, he'll take matters into his own hands, won't he? So he hauls me up - scatterin' my marbles everywhere and all too, mind, proper nice ones too, they ain't no cheap marbles I got - and he starts proper yellin', right in my face. So I reckon he had a real bad day, an' just wanted to displace that anger on an easy target-" His voice became very posh on that last part, as if doing an impression of something Lucien had said to him.
"But I ain't havin' that. I ain't done anything to this guy. What's he got that lets him treat me like that, just 'cause he's had a bad day? He should go chuck some rocks aroun' like the rest of us normal folk. So's I says to him, 'My dear fellow, this is no way to treat your fellow citizen! How about you unhand me and we can discuss your grievance like gentlemen?' an', well, he don't like that. His face is so close to me right now, mind, that I can smell his breath. Real foul, too. Like something's crawled up on in there and died in his mouth. Probably his manners, aye? Well, then he tries to take a swing at me! He's got me by my shirt, right. And I block! I raise my arm like this an' I'm like not today mate!"
He was clearly getting very into his story.
"And then I jab him in the eyes, whilst he's staggerin', see, and he drops me, right onto my wrist, an' I could flee but I ain't givin' up that easy, am I, 'cause I ain't no coward, and anyway, he's scattered my marbles and I want to get 'em back! So I smack the back of his knees and he lets out this shout, an' - well, it was all a bit of a blur from there. But he took a swing at me here," he pointed to his face, indicating his eye and lip. "An' I got a good lot of punches and kicks in, and I taught him a real good lesson 'bout politeness. An' - and the real ironic bit is, he was comin' towards me at one point, and I was tryin' to get away, but he'd got me up against a wall, an' I can climb walls but it was real tall and he was comin' fast, and then-"
He mimed with his hand someone walking along and then suddenly falling backwards, as if they'd slipped. "My marbles! He'd slipped on them. Dunno if he lost consciousness but I took that opportunity to get outta there. He weren't there when we passed by on our way here, anyway, so he's probably fine. An' that's what happened!"
He finished his story so grandly and so convincingly that Lu was almost tempted to believe him. Certainly, they imagined a fair amount of the story was true, if a little exaggerated in the retelling, except for the fact that they were quite certain Æsc had never owned a single marble in his life.
"Trouble," Æsc muttered back with a grin.
Pluto led the way, picking up his coat from the seat Lu had been sat in, and now laid it out for them in a seat beside the examination chair. Like a well-practised dance, Lu sat down upon it, cane resting to one side, Pluto standing to the other. He might not have been hovering over Æsc and Renata, but one did rather get the impression that his stance was protective over the both of them.
Æsc, meanwhile, hopped into the examination chair, perfectly casual, as if to demonstrate how very uninjured he was - although that one wrist remained conspicuously unused to settle himself.
"This is nothin'," he shrugged to Renata. "You should've seen the other guy."
His sharp eyes followed her as she crouched in front of him, narrowing a little suspiciously, but as she asked for his highlight real, he brightened up a bit with a grin.
"Aye, I've had much worse! I once broke all the bones in this leg an' the doctor said it was really impressive to break that many all at once 'cause some of them are extra hard to break an' that they were good breaks too. And I didn't cry at all even though it hurt loads." There were some exaggerations in there - it hadn't, technically, been all of the bones in his leg. "I was tryin' to do a flip off the roof but I landed weird but as soon as it was healed I went right back up there an' tried again and this time I did it." He raised his chin proudly.
Lu had been watching Æsc fondly; their expression gave away little, but there was just the smallest hint of a smile. As Renata addressed them, their expression did not shift very much, but their smile became just a tiny bit tighter, as if it was a somewhat sensitive subject.
"An old injury, long since healed as best it ever will, I'm afraid," they said, mild and polite. A price paid for cowardice, and one they were not eager to discuss.
Pluto was less skilled at hiding his surprise to be addressed. He was listening to both Æsc and Lu with fondness, and some worry, and his stoic mask could not sufficiently hide either of those well enough to escape notice from someone watching closely.
"Alright. Although I imagine there is no shortage of fathers around here doing just the same as I am." There seemed no way to avoid the conversation without raising suspicion, no way out but through. He did an excellent impression, though, of a father rather wearied by teenagers who insisted on performing backflips off rooves.
It was perhaps interesting to note that every member of the family all had distinct, different accents to one another: Lucien sounded as if they could converse with dukes and kings without ever appearing out of place; Æsc, conversely, probably could have found himself a role in Oliver Twist without making much of a change, rougher around the edges; Pluto was somewhere in between, at neither extreme. Not one of them sounded as if they were from the nearby area, though. Even an ear not all that accustomed to identifying accents could probably place them as British.
Lu and Pluto both were rather relieved when the attention fell back on Æsc, and he seemed pleased to be centre stage again. What was even the point of coming, if not so he could be applauded for his bravery in battle? He drew himself up, clearing his throat dramatically. Lu stifled an affectionate laugh behind their gloved hand.
"Well," Æsc began grandly. "There I was, just minding my own business - y'know, playin' marbles on the street an' all that - and then this huge fella comes along, taller even than Dad, biggest guy I ever seen. An' muscular, too. His - y'know the arm muscles here?" He gestured to his bicep. "That was bigger than my head. Maybe even bigger than me!" Probably an exaggeration, but more likely than one might like to think; like Lucien, and perhaps even more so than them, Æsc was definitely on the small side for his age, worryingly so.
"Aye, well, this guy, he takes an issue with me, jus' 'cause I'm sat there, happily rollin' them marbles around, and he decides, well, he'll take matters into his own hands, won't he? So he hauls me up - scatterin' my marbles everywhere and all too, mind, proper nice ones too, they ain't no cheap marbles I got - and he starts proper yellin', right in my face. So I reckon he had a real bad day, an' just wanted to displace that anger on an easy target-" His voice became very posh on that last part, as if doing an impression of something Lucien had said to him.
"But I ain't havin' that. I ain't done anything to this guy. What's he got that lets him treat me like that, just 'cause he's had a bad day? He should go chuck some rocks aroun' like the rest of us normal folk. So's I says to him, 'My dear fellow, this is no way to treat your fellow citizen! How about you unhand me and we can discuss your grievance like gentlemen?' an', well, he don't like that. His face is so close to me right now, mind, that I can smell his breath. Real foul, too. Like something's crawled up on in there and died in his mouth. Probably his manners, aye? Well, then he tries to take a swing at me! He's got me by my shirt, right. And I block! I raise my arm like this an' I'm like not today mate!"
He was clearly getting very into his story.
"And then I jab him in the eyes, whilst he's staggerin', see, and he drops me, right onto my wrist, an' I could flee but I ain't givin' up that easy, am I, 'cause I ain't no coward, and anyway, he's scattered my marbles and I want to get 'em back! So I smack the back of his knees and he lets out this shout, an' - well, it was all a bit of a blur from there. But he took a swing at me here," he pointed to his face, indicating his eye and lip. "An' I got a good lot of punches and kicks in, and I taught him a real good lesson 'bout politeness. An' - and the real ironic bit is, he was comin' towards me at one point, and I was tryin' to get away, but he'd got me up against a wall, an' I can climb walls but it was real tall and he was comin' fast, and then-"
He mimed with his hand someone walking along and then suddenly falling backwards, as if they'd slipped. "My marbles! He'd slipped on them. Dunno if he lost consciousness but I took that opportunity to get outta there. He weren't there when we passed by on our way here, anyway, so he's probably fine. An' that's what happened!"
He finished his story so grandly and so convincingly that Lu was almost tempted to believe him. Certainly, they imagined a fair amount of the story was true, if a little exaggerated in the retelling, except for the fact that they were quite certain Æsc had never owned a single marble in his life.
Renata listened intently, her expression a captivating mix of amused skepticism and genuine engagement. She remained crouched at eye level with Æsc, her head tilted slightly, the corners of her mouth twitching as though she were restraining a smile. When he reached the grand conclusion of his tale, she held up a finger, signaling for a dramatic pause.
“Wait,” she began, eyes narrowing in mock seriousness, “are you telling me that not only did you defend your honor *and* your marbles against a man built like a Greek statue, but you also managed to deliver a moral lesson on politeness? And, as a final flourish, you weaponized the very marbles he dared to scatter against you?” Her voice rose with every point, as if building to a crescendo. “Æsc, you’re not just injured—you’re a hero.”
She straightened up, tapping her pen lightly against her chin. “Now, obviously, I’ll need to take some notes. What was the gentleman’s name? Zeus? Hercules? No, wait—Thor! That would explain the biceps.” She glanced over her shoulder at Pluto and Lucien, as if seeking confirmation of this outlandish tale.
Renata winked at Lucien, before looking back at Æsc. “Alright, my brave warrior, let’s get down to business.”
“Wait,” she began, eyes narrowing in mock seriousness, “are you telling me that not only did you defend your honor *and* your marbles against a man built like a Greek statue, but you also managed to deliver a moral lesson on politeness? And, as a final flourish, you weaponized the very marbles he dared to scatter against you?” Her voice rose with every point, as if building to a crescendo. “Æsc, you’re not just injured—you’re a hero.”
She straightened up, tapping her pen lightly against her chin. “Now, obviously, I’ll need to take some notes. What was the gentleman’s name? Zeus? Hercules? No, wait—Thor! That would explain the biceps.” She glanced over her shoulder at Pluto and Lucien, as if seeking confirmation of this outlandish tale.
Renata winked at Lucien, before looking back at Æsc. “Alright, my brave warrior, let’s get down to business.”
Æsc was clearly very much enjoying the engaged audience Renata was providing, making eye contact with her regularly to make sure she was still listening. He nodded, enthusiastic and firm, to her summary.
"A hero," he echoed, beaming and proud. "That's exactly what happened!"
He hid a bit of a giggle behind his hand, in an almost perfect imitation of Lucien, at her speculation, piping up with his own offer: "Goliath! You should see me with a slingshot, too, I'd have got him right in the eye."
Pluto just raised his eyebrows back at Renata, signalling that there was some exaggeration, but the story was, at its core, true: the injuries had been sustained in a fight, and Æsc had emerged the victor over a considerably larger opponent. As far as Pluto was concerned, that was all the important information for a medical professional to know to treat him. The other embellishments were Æsc's to invent as he wished.
Lucien's lips were wavering with a little amused grin that was fighting to break free after Æsc's story, as if they were restraining themself from laughing.
When Renata turned back to Æsc, he nodded, sitting up a little straighter; the nickname alone was working wonders on his willingness to go along with the visit.
"Okay. D'you want to look at my wrist first?"
He held it up to her, the question an admission that that hurt most of all, and enough that he didn't want to wait for her to examine his eye or lip first - hardly surprising, given the swelling and mottled bruised already forming around his wrist. Likely a sprain, rather than a broken bone, but not a pleasant one, as sprains went.
"A hero," he echoed, beaming and proud. "That's exactly what happened!"
He hid a bit of a giggle behind his hand, in an almost perfect imitation of Lucien, at her speculation, piping up with his own offer: "Goliath! You should see me with a slingshot, too, I'd have got him right in the eye."
Pluto just raised his eyebrows back at Renata, signalling that there was some exaggeration, but the story was, at its core, true: the injuries had been sustained in a fight, and Æsc had emerged the victor over a considerably larger opponent. As far as Pluto was concerned, that was all the important information for a medical professional to know to treat him. The other embellishments were Æsc's to invent as he wished.
Lucien's lips were wavering with a little amused grin that was fighting to break free after Æsc's story, as if they were restraining themself from laughing.
When Renata turned back to Æsc, he nodded, sitting up a little straighter; the nickname alone was working wonders on his willingness to go along with the visit.
"Okay. D'you want to look at my wrist first?"
He held it up to her, the question an admission that that hurt most of all, and enough that he didn't want to wait for her to examine his eye or lip first - hardly surprising, given the swelling and mottled bruised already forming around his wrist. Likely a sprain, rather than a broken bone, but not a pleasant one, as sprains went.
Renata crouched at Æsc's level, her expression softening as she inspected the offered wrist with a steady, practiced gaze.
"Alright, Æsc the Goliath-slayer, let’s see what we’re dealing with here." She kept her tone light, her words just playful enough to keep his spirits up, but there was a professional focus in the way her fingers moved, gently probing the tender area with care. “You’ve done a proper number on this wrist, haven’t you? I’ll need to check if it’s just a sprain or if our mighty hero’s bones need a bit of reinforcement. Can you tell me if this hurts?” She pressed lightly along the side of the wrist, careful to gauge his reaction.
As she worked, she glanced up briefly at Pluto and Lucien, their contrasting expressions catching her attention. “Pluto, I’m going to take an X-ray of this wrist just to be safe. But for now, it’s looking more sprain than snap.” She turned her gaze to Lucien, offering a small conspiratorial smile. “Though I imagine you’re the real expert in patching up these heroic escapades?”
She returned her focus to Æsc, her tone dropping to a friendly seriousness. “Once I’m done with this wrist, I’ll patch up your eye and lip next. You’ll be looking heroic *and* battle-ready in no time. Sound good?” She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice just a touch. “And maybe, just maybe, I’ll have a secret weapon to make the whole thing less of a bother. Something tells me you’ve had enough of bothers for today.”
Her tone and posture were inviting, open to questions or jokes. She seemed as comfortable fielding banter as she was stitching up wounds. "So, Æsc, got any more legendary tales to share while we sort this out? Maybe something about that slingshot of yours?"
"Alright, Æsc the Goliath-slayer, let’s see what we’re dealing with here." She kept her tone light, her words just playful enough to keep his spirits up, but there was a professional focus in the way her fingers moved, gently probing the tender area with care. “You’ve done a proper number on this wrist, haven’t you? I’ll need to check if it’s just a sprain or if our mighty hero’s bones need a bit of reinforcement. Can you tell me if this hurts?” She pressed lightly along the side of the wrist, careful to gauge his reaction.
As she worked, she glanced up briefly at Pluto and Lucien, their contrasting expressions catching her attention. “Pluto, I’m going to take an X-ray of this wrist just to be safe. But for now, it’s looking more sprain than snap.” She turned her gaze to Lucien, offering a small conspiratorial smile. “Though I imagine you’re the real expert in patching up these heroic escapades?”
She returned her focus to Æsc, her tone dropping to a friendly seriousness. “Once I’m done with this wrist, I’ll patch up your eye and lip next. You’ll be looking heroic *and* battle-ready in no time. Sound good?” She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice just a touch. “And maybe, just maybe, I’ll have a secret weapon to make the whole thing less of a bother. Something tells me you’ve had enough of bothers for today.”
Her tone and posture were inviting, open to questions or jokes. She seemed as comfortable fielding banter as she was stitching up wounds. "So, Æsc, got any more legendary tales to share while we sort this out? Maybe something about that slingshot of yours?"
Æsc grinned at the new nickname; he clearly suppressed a wince as she touched his arm, although it was more anticipatory than out of any genuine pain. When she gently pressed, though, his jaw twitched, as if holding back a whimper or another wince - and then he offered the tiniest nod, so small that surely even Lu and Pluto would struggle to see it from where they were sat, but at least Renata probably would.
"Not badly," he added hastily. "It's not really bad. I've had worse."
Pluto's expression was serious, but he nodded his consent to the X-ray. "Alright." He was hopeful she was right, and it wasn't broken, but he trusted her to find out. He might be competent at first aid, but treating a broken bone beyond splinting it quickly in the field was beyond his expertise.
Lu hummed in agreement. "When he'll allow me."
"I don't need fussin' over," Æsc shrugged. "I ain't a kid. I can look after my own scrapes."
He looked back to Renata, nodding in agreement, both that he'd be battle ready, and that he'd had plenty of bothers already today. He couldn't hide the way his eyes widened just a little, as he whispered back, "A secret weapon? Is it a knife?"
Renata's relaxed demeanour was working well on Æsc; he didn't seem about to jump out of the chair in protest of being fussed over, which was as close to a miracle as Lu had ever seen performed.
"Aye, I got lots of stories! There was this one time when I was walkin' home and I saw these four kids, all bigger than me - I was only a kid then - all botherin' this cat. An' I said to myself, I ain't got much of a chance fightin' all of them, do I, 'cause I'm good at fightin' but I weren't very big, and they were, and there's four of them. So I found a spot behind a dustbin and I crouched down low and found some little rocks, and I loaded my slingshot and fired at the first one, facing away from me. They all turned 'round to see where it came from but they couldn't see, so when they ignored it I fired another at a different one. The cat took the chance to flee and I kept firing at 'em, but they couldn't see me so eventually they ran off, and then I found the cat an' took her to the address on her collar and got her home safe and the old lady who owned her gave me ten quid as a reward for being so brave and saving her!"
"Not badly," he added hastily. "It's not really bad. I've had worse."
Pluto's expression was serious, but he nodded his consent to the X-ray. "Alright." He was hopeful she was right, and it wasn't broken, but he trusted her to find out. He might be competent at first aid, but treating a broken bone beyond splinting it quickly in the field was beyond his expertise.
Lu hummed in agreement. "When he'll allow me."
"I don't need fussin' over," Æsc shrugged. "I ain't a kid. I can look after my own scrapes."
He looked back to Renata, nodding in agreement, both that he'd be battle ready, and that he'd had plenty of bothers already today. He couldn't hide the way his eyes widened just a little, as he whispered back, "A secret weapon? Is it a knife?"
Renata's relaxed demeanour was working well on Æsc; he didn't seem about to jump out of the chair in protest of being fussed over, which was as close to a miracle as Lu had ever seen performed.
"Aye, I got lots of stories! There was this one time when I was walkin' home and I saw these four kids, all bigger than me - I was only a kid then - all botherin' this cat. An' I said to myself, I ain't got much of a chance fightin' all of them, do I, 'cause I'm good at fightin' but I weren't very big, and they were, and there's four of them. So I found a spot behind a dustbin and I crouched down low and found some little rocks, and I loaded my slingshot and fired at the first one, facing away from me. They all turned 'round to see where it came from but they couldn't see, so when they ignored it I fired another at a different one. The cat took the chance to flee and I kept firing at 'em, but they couldn't see me so eventually they ran off, and then I found the cat an' took her to the address on her collar and got her home safe and the old lady who owned her gave me ten quid as a reward for being so brave and saving her!"
Renata’s smile deepened as she caught the subtle nod Æsc gave her, so slight it could’ve gone unnoticed if she weren’t paying close attention. “Not bad at all, huh?” she echoed softly, her tone gently teasing but threaded with encouragement. “Well, if this is you handling something ‘not bad,’ I can’t imagine what worse would look like.” Her fingers adjusted slightly, ensuring the pressure was as minimal as possible as she continued her examination.
She raised her head to Pluto and Lu, her expression steady but warm. “He’s lucky to have both of you around—sounds like you’re good at keeping him out of trouble. Or at least… trying.” Her last words came with a quick, knowing glance at Æsc, just enough to draw him back into the fold.
At Æsc’s question about the secret weapon, Renata’s grin grew conspiratorial. She leaned in, lowering her voice as if sharing a precious secret. “Not a knife. Better. You’ll see soon enough—if you’re brave enough to trust me.” Her tone held the perfect balance of mystery and playfulness, ensuring he stayed intrigued rather than wary.
Then, as Æsc launched into his story, Renata listened with rapt attention, her hands momentarily pausing as she let him pull her into the tale. Her expression shifted with the narrative: a mock gasp at the kids bothering the cat, a furrowed brow at the odds stacked against him, and a triumphant smile as he described outsmarting them all.
“No way,” she said, shaking her head in mock disbelief. “So not only are you a hero, but you’re also a *strategist*. I mean, you were like a tiny Robin Hood out there, righting wrongs and saving the day.” She met his gaze, her tone playful but clearly impressed. “That cat was lucky you were walking by. Did you name her? Because if not, I vote for something like... Goliatha. Seems only fitting.”
Glancing at Pluto and Lu again, Renata feigned a dramatic whisper. “He’s making the rest of us look bad, isn’t he? Brave *and* resourceful? I’m starting to think I’m the one who needs the secret weapon here.”
With her easy humor and attentive focus, Renata managed to keep the air light while ensuring Æsc’s comfort, turning what could have been a tedious examination into a shared adventure. “Alright, Mr. Goliath-slayer, let’s finish patching you up so you can get back to your epic heroics. Sound like a plan?”
She raised her head to Pluto and Lu, her expression steady but warm. “He’s lucky to have both of you around—sounds like you’re good at keeping him out of trouble. Or at least… trying.” Her last words came with a quick, knowing glance at Æsc, just enough to draw him back into the fold.
At Æsc’s question about the secret weapon, Renata’s grin grew conspiratorial. She leaned in, lowering her voice as if sharing a precious secret. “Not a knife. Better. You’ll see soon enough—if you’re brave enough to trust me.” Her tone held the perfect balance of mystery and playfulness, ensuring he stayed intrigued rather than wary.
Then, as Æsc launched into his story, Renata listened with rapt attention, her hands momentarily pausing as she let him pull her into the tale. Her expression shifted with the narrative: a mock gasp at the kids bothering the cat, a furrowed brow at the odds stacked against him, and a triumphant smile as he described outsmarting them all.
“No way,” she said, shaking her head in mock disbelief. “So not only are you a hero, but you’re also a *strategist*. I mean, you were like a tiny Robin Hood out there, righting wrongs and saving the day.” She met his gaze, her tone playful but clearly impressed. “That cat was lucky you were walking by. Did you name her? Because if not, I vote for something like... Goliatha. Seems only fitting.”
Glancing at Pluto and Lu again, Renata feigned a dramatic whisper. “He’s making the rest of us look bad, isn’t he? Brave *and* resourceful? I’m starting to think I’m the one who needs the secret weapon here.”
With her easy humor and attentive focus, Renata managed to keep the air light while ensuring Æsc’s comfort, turning what could have been a tedious examination into a shared adventure. “Alright, Mr. Goliath-slayer, let’s finish patching you up so you can get back to your epic heroics. Sound like a plan?”
Tears rarely came easily to Æsc; he'd cried when he broke his leg, but only briefly, and he'd remained almost entirely stoic by the time they'd reached the hospital. Admitting pain to strangers was rarely helpful, in his experience; it revealed a weakness, nothing more. Even Lu and Pluto got that information on a 'need to know' basis only.
Pluto let out a quick exhale through his nose, an almost-laugh. It was a wonder he wasn't even more run ragged, between his two wards; whilst he had an eye on one, it seemed the other would be off doing something to put their lives in danger. Lu's mouth twitched into an amused smile. "I try to keep our antics to a minimum, before we give our father a premature heart attack," they lied.
Æsc mimicked Renata's leaning in closer, his dark eyes sparkling with interest for the secret she was sharing. "I'm brave enough!" he promised instantly, drawing himself up. "I'm not afraid of you or anyone here, or any secret weapon!"
He looked even more proud at her additional compliments, eyes wide as he though abou himself as a Robin Hood. He liked that a lot! Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor - that included him, so it was true. "Yeah! That's just what I was like! A real Robin Hood. A strategist." He had to enunciate it carefully. "She already had a name, 'cause she belonged to that old lady, see, but her name was Tulip, which is alright but Goliatha is better. I'm gonna start tellin' people that that was her name."
Lu and Pluto both seemed quite pleased by the compliments she whispered. Lu leant forwards to whisper back, matching her theatricality, "Don't let him fool you - he's also clever, and very kind. But if he hears you saying it, he'll deny it all. He has a reputation to uphold. Street credibility, I believe they call it."
Æsc ignored Lu, besides a quick scowl; he was quickly distracted again by Renata. "Aye, sounds like a plan! I got heroisms to go do! And you got other patients to see with worse problems. I bet none of them have such good stories, though." He swung his legs a little. "D'you see loads of cool stuff here? Like proper gross things?"
Pluto let out a quick exhale through his nose, an almost-laugh. It was a wonder he wasn't even more run ragged, between his two wards; whilst he had an eye on one, it seemed the other would be off doing something to put their lives in danger. Lu's mouth twitched into an amused smile. "I try to keep our antics to a minimum, before we give our father a premature heart attack," they lied.
Æsc mimicked Renata's leaning in closer, his dark eyes sparkling with interest for the secret she was sharing. "I'm brave enough!" he promised instantly, drawing himself up. "I'm not afraid of you or anyone here, or any secret weapon!"
He looked even more proud at her additional compliments, eyes wide as he though abou himself as a Robin Hood. He liked that a lot! Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor - that included him, so it was true. "Yeah! That's just what I was like! A real Robin Hood. A strategist." He had to enunciate it carefully. "She already had a name, 'cause she belonged to that old lady, see, but her name was Tulip, which is alright but Goliatha is better. I'm gonna start tellin' people that that was her name."
Lu and Pluto both seemed quite pleased by the compliments she whispered. Lu leant forwards to whisper back, matching her theatricality, "Don't let him fool you - he's also clever, and very kind. But if he hears you saying it, he'll deny it all. He has a reputation to uphold. Street credibility, I believe they call it."
Æsc ignored Lu, besides a quick scowl; he was quickly distracted again by Renata. "Aye, sounds like a plan! I got heroisms to go do! And you got other patients to see with worse problems. I bet none of them have such good stories, though." He swung his legs a little. "D'you see loads of cool stuff here? Like proper gross things?"
Renata’s smile deepened as she caught the subtle nod Æsc gave her, so slight it could’ve gone unnoticed if she weren’t paying close attention. “Not bad at all, huh?” she echoed softly, her tone gently teasing but threaded with encouragement. “Well, if this is you handling something ‘not bad,’ I can’t imagine what worse would look like.” Her fingers adjusted slightly, ensuring the pressure was as minimal as possible as she continued her examination.
She raised her head to Pluto and Lu, her expression steady but warm. “He’s lucky to have both of you around—sounds like you’re good at keeping him out of trouble. Or at least… trying.” Her last words came with a quick, knowing glance at Æsc, just enough to draw him back into the fold.
At Æsc’s question about the secret weapon, Renata’s grin grew conspiratorial. She leaned in, lowering her voice as if sharing a precious secret. “Not a knife. Better. You’ll see soon enough—if you’re brave enough to trust me.” Her tone held the perfect balance of mystery and playfulness, ensuring he stayed intrigued rather than wary.
Then, as Æsc launched into his story, Renata listened with rapt attention, her hands momentarily pausing as she let him pull her into the tale. Her expression shifted with the narrative: a mock gasp at the kids bothering the cat, a furrowed brow at the odds stacked against him, and a triumphant smile as he described outsmarting them all.
“No way,” she said, shaking her head in mock disbelief. “So not only are you a hero, but you’re also a *strategist*. I mean, you were like a tiny Robin Hood out there, righting wrongs and saving the day.” She met his gaze, her tone playful but clearly impressed. “That cat was lucky you were walking by. Did you name her? Because if not, I vote for something like... Goliatha. Seems only fitting.”
Glancing at Pluto and Lu again, Renata feigned a dramatic whisper. “He’s making the rest of us look bad, isn’t he? Brave *and* resourceful? I’m starting to think I’m the one who needs the secret weapon here.”
With her easy humor and attentive focus, Renata managed to keep the air light while ensuring Æsc’s comfort, turning what could have been a tedious examination into a shared adventure. “Alright, Mr. Goliath-slayer, let’s finish patching you up so you can get back to your epic heroics. Sound like a plan?”
She raised her head to Pluto and Lu, her expression steady but warm. “He’s lucky to have both of you around—sounds like you’re good at keeping him out of trouble. Or at least… trying.” Her last words came with a quick, knowing glance at Æsc, just enough to draw him back into the fold.
At Æsc’s question about the secret weapon, Renata’s grin grew conspiratorial. She leaned in, lowering her voice as if sharing a precious secret. “Not a knife. Better. You’ll see soon enough—if you’re brave enough to trust me.” Her tone held the perfect balance of mystery and playfulness, ensuring he stayed intrigued rather than wary.
Then, as Æsc launched into his story, Renata listened with rapt attention, her hands momentarily pausing as she let him pull her into the tale. Her expression shifted with the narrative: a mock gasp at the kids bothering the cat, a furrowed brow at the odds stacked against him, and a triumphant smile as he described outsmarting them all.
“No way,” she said, shaking her head in mock disbelief. “So not only are you a hero, but you’re also a *strategist*. I mean, you were like a tiny Robin Hood out there, righting wrongs and saving the day.” She met his gaze, her tone playful but clearly impressed. “That cat was lucky you were walking by. Did you name her? Because if not, I vote for something like... Goliatha. Seems only fitting.”
Glancing at Pluto and Lu again, Renata feigned a dramatic whisper. “He’s making the rest of us look bad, isn’t he? Brave *and* resourceful? I’m starting to think I’m the one who needs the secret weapon here.”
With her easy humor and attentive focus, Renata managed to keep the air light while ensuring Æsc’s comfort, turning what could have been a tedious examination into a shared adventure. “Alright, Mr. Goliath-slayer, let’s finish patching you up so you can get back to your epic heroics. Sound like a plan?”
((I think that last post is a duplicate of the one before!))
((Rewrote it))
Renata’s eyes softened at Æsc’s declaration of bravery, and she gave him an approving nod, as if he’d passed some unseen test. “I believe you,” she said simply, her tone carrying both respect and a playful challenge. “I don’t think there’s a secret weapon in the world you couldn’t handle.”
She grinned wider at his decision to rename the cat retroactively. “Tulip was a sweet name,” she agreed thoughtfully. “But Goliatha? Now that’s a name for a warrior’s cat. Next time someone asks about your heroics, you can tell them it was *Goliatha* you saved. Adds a touch of myth, don’t you think?”
At Lu’s whisper, Renata leaned slightly toward them with mock seriousness, her hand shielding her mouth as she replied in kind, “Clever, kind, and humble? Oh, no, we can’t let that get out. His street cred would *never* survive.”
She glanced back at Æsc just in time to catch his quick scowl at Lu, which only made her chuckle softly. “Alright, Robin Hood, let’s wrap this up so you can get back to saving the world one Goliatha at a time,” she said, her voice light but steady as she resumed her careful examination of his wrist. She made a mental note to keep her movements slow and deliberate, ensuring he stayed engaged enough to forget the discomfort.
At his question, her eyebrows shot up slightly, and she tilted her head as if considering. “Oh, *loads* of cool stuff,” she replied, her tone slightly conspiratorial to match his excitement. “Once, I saw a guy who had a fishhook stuck in his thumb *and* his eyebrow. Don’t ask me how it happened—I’m still trying to figure it out. And there was this other time someone came in with their arm stuck in a vending machine. I guess they were trying to rescue a snack, but snacks can be wily little things.”
She paused dramatically, leaning in just a little closer. “But you’re right—none of them had stories quite as good as yours. Maybe you’ll have to visit me again someday with a new adventure to tell. Something really gross, just to keep it fair.”
Renata stepped back slightly, her tone returning to its usual calm professionalism as she added, “Let’s get that X-ray sorted. If anyone asks, you can tell them it’s just part of being a hero—battle scars and all.”
Renata’s eyes softened at Æsc’s declaration of bravery, and she gave him an approving nod, as if he’d passed some unseen test. “I believe you,” she said simply, her tone carrying both respect and a playful challenge. “I don’t think there’s a secret weapon in the world you couldn’t handle.”
She grinned wider at his decision to rename the cat retroactively. “Tulip was a sweet name,” she agreed thoughtfully. “But Goliatha? Now that’s a name for a warrior’s cat. Next time someone asks about your heroics, you can tell them it was *Goliatha* you saved. Adds a touch of myth, don’t you think?”
At Lu’s whisper, Renata leaned slightly toward them with mock seriousness, her hand shielding her mouth as she replied in kind, “Clever, kind, and humble? Oh, no, we can’t let that get out. His street cred would *never* survive.”
She glanced back at Æsc just in time to catch his quick scowl at Lu, which only made her chuckle softly. “Alright, Robin Hood, let’s wrap this up so you can get back to saving the world one Goliatha at a time,” she said, her voice light but steady as she resumed her careful examination of his wrist. She made a mental note to keep her movements slow and deliberate, ensuring he stayed engaged enough to forget the discomfort.
At his question, her eyebrows shot up slightly, and she tilted her head as if considering. “Oh, *loads* of cool stuff,” she replied, her tone slightly conspiratorial to match his excitement. “Once, I saw a guy who had a fishhook stuck in his thumb *and* his eyebrow. Don’t ask me how it happened—I’m still trying to figure it out. And there was this other time someone came in with their arm stuck in a vending machine. I guess they were trying to rescue a snack, but snacks can be wily little things.”
She paused dramatically, leaning in just a little closer. “But you’re right—none of them had stories quite as good as yours. Maybe you’ll have to visit me again someday with a new adventure to tell. Something really gross, just to keep it fair.”
Renata stepped back slightly, her tone returning to its usual calm professionalism as she added, “Let’s get that X-ray sorted. If anyone asks, you can tell them it’s just part of being a hero—battle scars and all.”
"There isn't!" Æsc agreed, nodding firmly. He could handle anything that anyone threw at him - any secret weapon. "I'll be able to handle it, whatever it is."
He definitely agreed that Goliatha was a better name for a cat. Cats were pretty cool, really - they practically had knives in their feet, and Æsc would love to have that. He'd always liked hanging out with the stray cats that wandered nearby, wherever he lived, and he'd seen them fight back viciously when need be. They all deserved proper warrior names. "Yeah! Aye, I'm gonna do that. Maybe Goliatha was her secret warrior name. Like a spy. She had to keep her secret identity secret, aye? So she went by Tulip."
Lu laughed at her comment on his street cred, sitting upright once more. Their posture really was perfect, ramrod straight, even whilst they'd been leaning forwards. "I'm not certain humble is the word I'd use," they said, lightly teasing; Æsc stuck his tongue out at them.
Letting her continue examining his wrist, Æsc managed to keep back any other signs of discomfort. He was watching her work, with a mixture of curiosity and wariness, like a half-feral dog tense in anticipation of being helped or hurt. She was managing to distract him from worrying too much, though, especially as she dropped into a slightly conspiratorial tone. His expression lit up with interest, grinning in anticipation.
He screwed up his face in delighted disgust at the fish-hook story, and laughed at the one about the vending machine. "Did they bring in the whole vendin' machine with them?" He was imagining someone lugging a massive machine across the clinic, the remaining drinks rattling around inside it. "I'll bring back a really good story someday! Somethin' really really gross. Somethin' you ain't never seen before, so's it's proper exciting to hear!"
Nodding, he pushed forwards on the chair, ready to hop off it, figuring he needed to go somewhere in particular to have the X-ray done. "Okay! Am I gonna get superpowers from the radiation? 'Cause then I'd be an even better hero! And I'd go get into even more fierce battles and I'd shoot lasers an' turn into a massive wolf an' I'd be unstoppable! Even though I'm not very stoppable now."
He definitely agreed that Goliatha was a better name for a cat. Cats were pretty cool, really - they practically had knives in their feet, and Æsc would love to have that. He'd always liked hanging out with the stray cats that wandered nearby, wherever he lived, and he'd seen them fight back viciously when need be. They all deserved proper warrior names. "Yeah! Aye, I'm gonna do that. Maybe Goliatha was her secret warrior name. Like a spy. She had to keep her secret identity secret, aye? So she went by Tulip."
Lu laughed at her comment on his street cred, sitting upright once more. Their posture really was perfect, ramrod straight, even whilst they'd been leaning forwards. "I'm not certain humble is the word I'd use," they said, lightly teasing; Æsc stuck his tongue out at them.
Letting her continue examining his wrist, Æsc managed to keep back any other signs of discomfort. He was watching her work, with a mixture of curiosity and wariness, like a half-feral dog tense in anticipation of being helped or hurt. She was managing to distract him from worrying too much, though, especially as she dropped into a slightly conspiratorial tone. His expression lit up with interest, grinning in anticipation.
He screwed up his face in delighted disgust at the fish-hook story, and laughed at the one about the vending machine. "Did they bring in the whole vendin' machine with them?" He was imagining someone lugging a massive machine across the clinic, the remaining drinks rattling around inside it. "I'll bring back a really good story someday! Somethin' really really gross. Somethin' you ain't never seen before, so's it's proper exciting to hear!"
Nodding, he pushed forwards on the chair, ready to hop off it, figuring he needed to go somewhere in particular to have the X-ray done. "Okay! Am I gonna get superpowers from the radiation? 'Cause then I'd be an even better hero! And I'd go get into even more fierce battles and I'd shoot lasers an' turn into a massive wolf an' I'd be unstoppable! Even though I'm not very stoppable now."
Renata chuckled at Æsc's enthusiasm, her smile warm and genuine as she set her hands on her hips in a mock stance of authority. “Oh, absolutely,” she said, nodding with mock seriousness. “Goliatha was definitely a spy cat, double life and all. Tulip by day, fierce warrior by night. You’re onto something there.”
Her head tilted slightly as she cast a thoughtful glance at Æsc, as though weighing Lu's light teasing about his humility. “Hmm, I think we’ll call it selective humility. Humble when it suits, legendary the rest of the time,” she teased lightly, before flicking her attention back to his wrist. Despite his barely-contained curiosity, she noted the wariness in his eyes and made her movements slower and gentler, her tone staying soft and conversational.
When he reacted to the vending machine story, she laughed, leaning in as though sharing another secret. “Not quite the whole machine—but the poor guy *did* walk in here with the snack still in his hand. Turned out the prize wasn’t worth the fight. I hope if you ever get into a vending machine duel, it’s over something better. Like chocolate.”
She stepped back as he leaned forward, ready to hop off the chair, and folded her arms as if considering his question about superpowers. “Hmm, well, X-rays don’t usually hand out superpowers. But,” she added, her voice dropping theatrically, “you’re already half a hero, so who’s to say? If anyone could turn a plain old X-ray into laser vision or wolf transformations, it’d be you.”
Renata took a step to guide him in the right direction, her smile turning wry. “Although, if you do end up with superpowers, you owe me a first look at them. Deal? No sneaking off to fight Goliaths without showing me your new tricks.” She held out a pinky in an exaggeratedly serious offer of a pinky swear. “That’s just basic hero etiquette.”
Her head tilted slightly as she cast a thoughtful glance at Æsc, as though weighing Lu's light teasing about his humility. “Hmm, I think we’ll call it selective humility. Humble when it suits, legendary the rest of the time,” she teased lightly, before flicking her attention back to his wrist. Despite his barely-contained curiosity, she noted the wariness in his eyes and made her movements slower and gentler, her tone staying soft and conversational.
When he reacted to the vending machine story, she laughed, leaning in as though sharing another secret. “Not quite the whole machine—but the poor guy *did* walk in here with the snack still in his hand. Turned out the prize wasn’t worth the fight. I hope if you ever get into a vending machine duel, it’s over something better. Like chocolate.”
She stepped back as he leaned forward, ready to hop off the chair, and folded her arms as if considering his question about superpowers. “Hmm, well, X-rays don’t usually hand out superpowers. But,” she added, her voice dropping theatrically, “you’re already half a hero, so who’s to say? If anyone could turn a plain old X-ray into laser vision or wolf transformations, it’d be you.”
Renata took a step to guide him in the right direction, her smile turning wry. “Although, if you do end up with superpowers, you owe me a first look at them. Deal? No sneaking off to fight Goliaths without showing me your new tricks.” She held out a pinky in an exaggeratedly serious offer of a pinky swear. “That’s just basic hero etiquette.”
Renata's confirmation of his spy-cat theory had Æsc grinning proudly. "I knew it!"
He laughed, and then stuck his nose in the air, self-satisfied. "I'm legendary always," he declared. "But I can be modest when I gotta be. Anyway, Lu can't talk about not being humble. You should see how long they spend doin' their makeup everyday."
He didn't consciously notice the way her movements became more gentle - he certainly would have taken offence at being treated with any kind of gentleness - but he reacted well to it, his wariness not decreasing much, but at least it seemed to remain cautionary, with nothing actually raising his hackles.
"That makes it even worse!" Æsc laughed. "He didn't even get chocolate after all of that? I bet it was something really bad, like a bag of lame crisps or something. Cheese and onion crisps or - or vegetable crisps!" He made a gagging face; that particular cheerful jab might have been directed at Lu, given how slightly offended they looked.
He leapt off the chair, managing to jump a not unremarkable distance from it, especially with only one hand in action. "Aye! I bet I'll end up with some real cool powers."
"Dear Lord," Lu sighed dramatically, at the idea of Æsc with superpowers. He wreaked quite enough havoc without additional fire power. Pluto looked slightly faint at the idea. The pair of them rose to their feet to accompany Renata and Æsc, with Pluto plucking up his coat once more after Lu was steady on their feet.
Meanwhile, Æsc was giggling, but he nodded, wide-eyed and sincere. He wrapped his pinky around Renata's and shook it very solemnly. "I promise," he said, with the appropriate gravitas deserved by a pinky promise. "I can't break basic hero etiquette righ' when I first start being a hero! If I get powers you'll be the very first to know! An' then if you want you can become my sidekick! Or I'll just come to you when I need patchin' up from my hero adventures."
He laughed, and then stuck his nose in the air, self-satisfied. "I'm legendary always," he declared. "But I can be modest when I gotta be. Anyway, Lu can't talk about not being humble. You should see how long they spend doin' their makeup everyday."
He didn't consciously notice the way her movements became more gentle - he certainly would have taken offence at being treated with any kind of gentleness - but he reacted well to it, his wariness not decreasing much, but at least it seemed to remain cautionary, with nothing actually raising his hackles.
"That makes it even worse!" Æsc laughed. "He didn't even get chocolate after all of that? I bet it was something really bad, like a bag of lame crisps or something. Cheese and onion crisps or - or vegetable crisps!" He made a gagging face; that particular cheerful jab might have been directed at Lu, given how slightly offended they looked.
He leapt off the chair, managing to jump a not unremarkable distance from it, especially with only one hand in action. "Aye! I bet I'll end up with some real cool powers."
"Dear Lord," Lu sighed dramatically, at the idea of Æsc with superpowers. He wreaked quite enough havoc without additional fire power. Pluto looked slightly faint at the idea. The pair of them rose to their feet to accompany Renata and Æsc, with Pluto plucking up his coat once more after Lu was steady on their feet.
Meanwhile, Æsc was giggling, but he nodded, wide-eyed and sincere. He wrapped his pinky around Renata's and shook it very solemnly. "I promise," he said, with the appropriate gravitas deserved by a pinky promise. "I can't break basic hero etiquette righ' when I first start being a hero! If I get powers you'll be the very first to know! An' then if you want you can become my sidekick! Or I'll just come to you when I need patchin' up from my hero adventures."
Renata grinned back at Æsc, meeting his proud declaration with an approving nod. "Legendary and modest when required—sounds like a winning combo. And hey, don’t knock Lu too much for the makeup,” she added with a wink. “Every hero needs a glamorous strategist, right? Keeps the team looking good while you’re out fighting villains."
She walked beside Æsc as they made their way down the hall, occasionally glancing over to ensure he wasn’t straining his wrist as he bounded ahead. Her chuckle echoed his theatrical gagging at the crisps discussion. “Vegetable crisps are an absolute betrayal of the snack world,” she agreed, mock conspiratorial. “If you’re going to risk life and limb against a vending machine, it better be for chocolate—or maybe one of those fancy biscuits with caramel and chocolate layers. Proper treasure.”
Renata returned Æsc’s pinky promise with the same solemnity, as if they were sealing the fate of the world. “Deal,” she said firmly. “But don’t think you’re getting off too easy. Sidekicks come with responsibilities—like calling out your one-liners during battles and making sure your cape doesn’t get caught in doors. It’s a full-time job.”
Lu’s dramatic sigh earned a laugh from Renata. “Don’t worry, Lu, if Æsc does get powers, I’ll make sure his first heroic act is pulling off a flawless makeup tutorial to rival yours. Can’t let the villains have better contouring.”
As they arrived at the X-ray room, Renata turned to Æsc and gestured with a flourish. “Alright, Hero Æsc, the first step to ensuring you’re ready for your next great adventure: science! Let’s figure out exactly what’s going on with that wrist, and then you can start planning your next story to tell.” She opened the door, ushering him inside with a grin. “No capes required for this part of the hero journey—but don’t worry, it’s still very official.”
She walked beside Æsc as they made their way down the hall, occasionally glancing over to ensure he wasn’t straining his wrist as he bounded ahead. Her chuckle echoed his theatrical gagging at the crisps discussion. “Vegetable crisps are an absolute betrayal of the snack world,” she agreed, mock conspiratorial. “If you’re going to risk life and limb against a vending machine, it better be for chocolate—or maybe one of those fancy biscuits with caramel and chocolate layers. Proper treasure.”
Renata returned Æsc’s pinky promise with the same solemnity, as if they were sealing the fate of the world. “Deal,” she said firmly. “But don’t think you’re getting off too easy. Sidekicks come with responsibilities—like calling out your one-liners during battles and making sure your cape doesn’t get caught in doors. It’s a full-time job.”
Lu’s dramatic sigh earned a laugh from Renata. “Don’t worry, Lu, if Æsc does get powers, I’ll make sure his first heroic act is pulling off a flawless makeup tutorial to rival yours. Can’t let the villains have better contouring.”
As they arrived at the X-ray room, Renata turned to Æsc and gestured with a flourish. “Alright, Hero Æsc, the first step to ensuring you’re ready for your next great adventure: science! Let’s figure out exactly what’s going on with that wrist, and then you can start planning your next story to tell.” She opened the door, ushering him inside with a grin. “No capes required for this part of the hero journey—but don’t worry, it’s still very official.”
Æsc considered that for a moment, before relenting. "Alrigh', I guess it's kind of important to look good - but I'm still sayin', they don't gotta spend, like, four hours on it every day. An' it seems like a lot of effort."
He was exuberant in his bounding down the corridor, but he did, to his credit, keep his wrist close to himself, not jarring it with his movements; he occasionally steadied it with the other hand. "Yeah! Proper treasure. Those biscuits with the caramel and chocolate are so good. Like millionaire's shortbread. If I were a millionaire, I'd eat that all the time, and tons of chocolate, an' pizza with all the toppings. And I wouldn't have to fight a vending machine for it, neither - I'd have a vending machine in my house all to myself."
He beamed at her agreement to become his sidekick. "Deal! Those are very important duties," he nodded seriously. "I hope you're prepared to take them on, 'cause we got a lot of tough battles to face together."
Lu laughed lightly, shaking their head a little. "I would be ever so impressed if you managed to get Æsc to sit still long enough to do any contouring," they joked. "I'm afraid he and I are alike in our impatience."
With a firm, heroic nod, Æsc strode into the room, looking as proud and official as can be, even without a cape - but then he paused. His mouth was open with wonder as he looked around, taking it all in. "It's like being in a spaceship," he said, awed. "D'you really get to use all this always? D'you know how it all works?"
He was exuberant in his bounding down the corridor, but he did, to his credit, keep his wrist close to himself, not jarring it with his movements; he occasionally steadied it with the other hand. "Yeah! Proper treasure. Those biscuits with the caramel and chocolate are so good. Like millionaire's shortbread. If I were a millionaire, I'd eat that all the time, and tons of chocolate, an' pizza with all the toppings. And I wouldn't have to fight a vending machine for it, neither - I'd have a vending machine in my house all to myself."
He beamed at her agreement to become his sidekick. "Deal! Those are very important duties," he nodded seriously. "I hope you're prepared to take them on, 'cause we got a lot of tough battles to face together."
Lu laughed lightly, shaking their head a little. "I would be ever so impressed if you managed to get Æsc to sit still long enough to do any contouring," they joked. "I'm afraid he and I are alike in our impatience."
With a firm, heroic nod, Æsc strode into the room, looking as proud and official as can be, even without a cape - but then he paused. His mouth was open with wonder as he looked around, taking it all in. "It's like being in a spaceship," he said, awed. "D'you really get to use all this always? D'you know how it all works?"
Renata grinned as she followed Æsc into the X-ray room, his boundless energy lighting up the otherwise sterile environment. She gave a theatrical sigh, as though steeling herself for a great responsibility. "Alright, Hero Æsc, I think I’m ready for the sidekick duties. I’ve got the heroic one-liners ready, the cape management skills in training, and snacks on standby. Just make sure you don’t run me ragged, yeah?"
She glanced at Lu, smirking. "Getting Æsc to sit still for contouring? That’d be my greatest hero feat yet. Maybe I’ll bribe him with millionaire’s shortbread—seems like the only thing powerful enough to make him pause."
Turning her attention back to Æsc, Renata couldn’t help but chuckle at his wide-eyed awe. "Yup, it’s like a spaceship, isn’t it? All sorts of buttons and beeping lights—and trust me, it’s just as cool as it looks. I do get to use it a lot, but knowing how it works? That’s the real superpower. I had to learn it all during training, though I’m pretty sure the machine’s smarter than me most days."
She crouched slightly to his level, meeting his awe with a conspiratorial grin. "Wanna know a secret? The X-ray machine might look all high-tech and fancy, but really, it’s just like a camera—only instead of taking pictures of your face, it takes pictures of your bones. So no lasers or wolf transformations just yet, but I promise, if you’re really lucky, you’ll get a cool picture of your wrist to show off."
She straightened and gestured toward the X-ray table. "Alright, legend-in-the-making, have a seat and let’s get this hero exam started. We’ve got adventures to plan, and you’ve got a sidekick who needs chocolate and pizza recommendations ASAP."
She glanced at Lu, smirking. "Getting Æsc to sit still for contouring? That’d be my greatest hero feat yet. Maybe I’ll bribe him with millionaire’s shortbread—seems like the only thing powerful enough to make him pause."
Turning her attention back to Æsc, Renata couldn’t help but chuckle at his wide-eyed awe. "Yup, it’s like a spaceship, isn’t it? All sorts of buttons and beeping lights—and trust me, it’s just as cool as it looks. I do get to use it a lot, but knowing how it works? That’s the real superpower. I had to learn it all during training, though I’m pretty sure the machine’s smarter than me most days."
She crouched slightly to his level, meeting his awe with a conspiratorial grin. "Wanna know a secret? The X-ray machine might look all high-tech and fancy, but really, it’s just like a camera—only instead of taking pictures of your face, it takes pictures of your bones. So no lasers or wolf transformations just yet, but I promise, if you’re really lucky, you’ll get a cool picture of your wrist to show off."
She straightened and gestured toward the X-ray table. "Alright, legend-in-the-making, have a seat and let’s get this hero exam started. We’ve got adventures to plan, and you’ve got a sidekick who needs chocolate and pizza recommendations ASAP."