(Author's note: This is obviously set in the world of Off Balance, because the requested wanted to have it. It actually could be a scene from the actual fic. Maybe I even include it, who knows? For now, take this one-shot for sicktember.
Prompt 20. Doctor's Visit/Check-Up. Requested by an anon on tumblr.)
"Do you want to come in with me, Hollow?"
Pendy was standing outside Thorn's infirmary room, waiting for Hollow to make their decision. Their first meeting had been less than ideal and even after that, every time Hollow had entered their room, Thorn had reacted with rejection.
Hollow pondered Pendry's question for a short while before they replied: "I will wait outside."
"It's probably for the better.", Pendry sighed. He hoped that after Thorn was completely healed up they could work on bettering their relationship with Hollow. It hurt him seeing his child so heartbroken about the rejection of one of their few siblings.
Isma already was present and read a storybook to Thorn. They had some trouble with learning to read. Pendry did suspect that their head injury impaired their sight partially, certainly something that he needed to check.
"Ah, your majesty.", Isma said upon him entering, laying the storybook down. "Is it time for the check-up?"
"Yes, it is.", Pendry said. "How are they doing?"
"It's fine enough when they rest in bed. They can sit up, they can eat and drink. It's more difficult if they get up. They can walk a few steps without problem, but then they start to stumble and fall. I assume it is a balance problem similar to H-, similar to the Pale Heir."
Pendry noticed right away that Isma corrected herself to Hollow's title. Thorn was known to become incredibly agitated upon even mentioning Hollow's name. It had been the right move for them to wait outside.
"Balance troubles can be fixed.", Pendry said. "But first we need to look after their injury." He stepped closer to the bed where Thorn looked at him. Their eye holes were a lot larger than Hollow's, giving them a much more childlike appearance. They cocked their head a tiny little bit, the right side covered in thick bandages.
"We have to remove the bandages to check upon the state of the wound.", Pendry said. "Isma, would you please calm them down and support them if they express pain or distress?"
"Of course your majesty.", Isma said and started a little conversation with Thorn, well, it was more of a narration, because Thorn wasn't able to reply. Pendry didn't listen very intently, it was some tale about the knight's training or something. He put his attention completely away from Isma's narration and unwrapped the bandage around Thorn's head.
"That is looking rather well.", he said. "The bandages are mostly clean, there is only a little stain of void inside of them. No traces of infection anymore. The donated void did fuse with their body nicely." His gaze wandered to the broken mask. While the edges were not at all inflamed, it was clear that the broken part wouldn't grow back on its own. "However, the mask will remain broken… Until we find a solution, we can't remove the bandages for good."
Pendry prepared some fresh bandages and wrapped them around Thorn's head, rather satisfied that they didn't show any signs of distress or pain. The main problem was the hole in their head. It was too large and risked their void leaking out. He wrapped the bandages around their head and fixed them.
"For their head I might have a solution.", Isma said. "I still have to test it though. I am developing it with your wife, your majesty. We just need some more time, because we never had a case like Thorn before."
"Anything that might help them is welcome, Isma.", Pendry said. "Thorn, would you look at me for a moment please?"
Thorn stopped looking at Isma and looked at Pendry instead. He covered their left eye and held up two of his claws in front of them. "Can you see how many claws I am holding up?"
It took a long time before Thorn reacted, but ultimately, they raised both of their arms in the air. Which confirmed Pendry's suspicion that their right eye was visually impaired.
"Alright, thank you.", he said, letting go of them and stepping away from the bed. "I will borrow Isma for just a second, then she will be there for you again."
The both of them stepped in a corner of the room and started a hushed conversation. "It's like we thought, they appear to have been blinded in their right eye. We assume that you don't have a herbal solution for this?"
Isma shook her head. "I am afraid I don't, your majesty. They will have to live with their visual impairment. However, I have trained quite a few sentries with impairments before, they might need a bit more care, but they can become as deadly as a sentry with all their wings intact."
Pendry nodded to her words. He fully trusted that Isma would be able to train Thorn right, regardless of how much their injuries had affected them. "We leave their training and recovery into your trusty hands, Isma."
"I won't disappoint, your majesty.", Isma bowed and then took her seat next to Thorn's bed, continuing with the storybook. Pendry said his goodbyes to both of them and then exited the room.
"How is Thorn feeling?", Hollow asked once he had closed the door.
"They are a lot better.", Pendry said, starting to walk, Hollow following him. "However, I fear that their right eye has been blinded as a result of their injury, probably because of the infection. I am sure that Isma will still be able to train them into a fine knight though."
"I would like to train with them when they are better.", Hollow signed.
Pendry couldn't help but smile. Hollow would never give up trying to get back on Thorn's good side.
"If they are up to it, I am sure we can arrange a sparring session."
(Author's note: That Thorn would become blind in their right eye was a spontaneous idea. I think it makes sense for them to not get out of a head trauma completely unscathed. It was bad enough to blast their mask off, it surely affected them underneath too.
This was the eight fill of the sicktember prompts! Next fill will have a larger break again. I hope you continue to enjoy the fics ^^)