Welcome to Gaia! ::

Lorcan answered the door shortly after the knock, having been ready for the appointed time. On time as always, something that he found rare from his cousin and René. At least Aloysius and Kioshi showed up on time, sometimes a bit early but it worked in his favor. What he wasn’t expecting was the change in attire. It was different than he’d seen and he found his eyes focusing on a gleam he saw which came from the metal chain that seemed to descend behind the shirt they had.

They didn’t look really well though, it seemed that fasting didn’t go off without a hitch for them and he made a mental note to watch for signs of fainting. “Come in, we can get this done so you can get some fluids and then eat.” Motioning them inside before locking the door again, he made his way to the small clinic room where he already had everything set and ready to go.

As he walked, the chain made him think back to the ones that had come up during that temporary piercing session he’d witnessed. Why did that keep coming up? It always came with that odd feeling in his stomach and he knew it wasn’t because of something he ate. It was worrisome because it meant he was distracted and that wasn’t good when he was trying to run tests or take care of a patient, especially someone who trusted them to keep things under wraps in more than the usual way that was required of him for patients.

“You can have a seat and if you could roll up your sleeves and lean back.” The table wasn’t fully flat this time, it had an angle to help promote blood flow for when he got a line in to take samples. It wouldn’t take him long, he knew it wouldn’t but it was worrying that his focus felt off. It was almost enough that it started to peek out in his posture if not his face.

“That I can do, with a bit of sugar or honey this time to help since you’ve fasted. I got more of your usual, my cousin found it a bit surprising that it’s been disappearing so quickly.” Not that he brought up his other patients to them, other than René since usually they came together.

Cleaning his hands and donning gloves, he went to work with careful hands and sought a decent vein in the crook of their arm. It was hard, to be expected though, because of the fasting but he still managed it. It would hurt more than the other times but he got the vials ready once their blood started to flow. “It was quiet, though I find myself a bit unfocused and I can’t quite figure out why.” It was a mystery to him but he shook it off again and started working on the vials, watching each one fill with blood slowly.

A full set of tubes to cover all the bases on tests that needed to be run while fasting, one after another he got them filled and set back on the rack behind him on the counter. It took more time than it would have if they had been more hydrated but he hadn’t wanted the results to be skewed. “Are you feeling alright? Anything odd happen during your fast other than the fact you do look like you may faint.” He’d seen them stuck like a porcupine and not break a sweat but now it was very obvious they weren’t up to their normal level of energy.

His brow furrowed as he considered things, still keeping the vials coming, there were only two left so he shook his head. “Not exactly though I can’t get an image out of my head. But I’ll be fine, I need to pay attention if you are feeling like that. I’m about done with this but don’t get up, you will more likely than not hit the ground after if you’re feeling like that.” The last two vials filled, he set the tray in the container he had ready to cart it over to the lab at his clinic later. He’d get it run under the same pseudonym by his lab clinician and have it added to the file.

Applying gauze and tape to hold it in place after pulling the needle out, he watched them for a moment before moving out of the room and down the hall. Preparing the tea, he also grabbed a small package of cookies from the cabinet for them to snack on. It wasn’t a meal but it would help a bit. Once the tea was ready and the honey and everything stirred in, he left the spoon in the drying rack after rinsing it and made his way back into the clinic room.

After putting a sanitation mat down on the small wheelable tray he had, he set the tea and cookie package down on it and moved it near the table. “Don’t rush to sit up but try this after, go slow and you should be alright. Where were you intending to go after this, just in case you still feel faint I would like to make sure you don’t pass out while driving.” It wouldn’t end well and potentially not just for them.

The worry was there, maybe a bit more than he normally did about patients but it was hard to tell. Something about how drained they looked didn’t sit right with him, that knot forming in his stomach as he pressed a palm to his temple for a moment. He had no headache this time but he was trying to work through options of what he could do to help avoid them fainting here. Not that he hadn’t had a patient stay the night here once or twice but it was usually because of a more drastic event. Much as when he had a burn victim or someone who had gotten slashed by an improvised and rusty weapon.

“Between the fasting and dehydration you seem to be taking it less than ideal, I should have considered things a bit more when I mentioned this round of bloodwork.”

It was good that that had sense, more than most and the fact they listened worked well too. Sitting on his stool, he leaned with his elbows on his knees for a moment as he listened. “Take your time, I have some other small snacks as well. I keep them around for when I have patients or the odd one-off involving one of my younger relatives.” As much as he didn’t like sweets, he kept all manner of cookies and things for when Aberdeen came over. It was his method of bribing her into good behaviour and peaceful quiet.

“Ah, I believe I know where that is. There is a shop I stop at sometimes in that district for some stationery for the secretary. Something about certain fountain pens or staplers being more stylish or reliable if they have certain characters on them. I’m not sure exactly but I will say some of the notebooks have good organizational set ups in them.” Perfect for his notes and most of them laid flat so he didn’t have to worry about losing his place or things shifting while he worked.

The offer was there and he considered it, weighing how it would be odd for him as their doctor to bring them out for food. It was a grey area as well because they were also co-workers in a sense. “Alright, I can do that once you gain a bit more color back. You look as if you were suffering from consumption right now.”

“I see, that would explain the variety I saw then.” It had taken him awhile to find things when he’d gone and each time he needed to get more supplies, everything was all moved around again. Passing trends or short limited time items, it was all rather frustrating but his secretary did good work and if it helped her to keep doing the good work he’d go there.

Standing and holding out a hand to help steady them, it hovered just slightly away if needed. “True, I have seen you patrol after what I assume was an all-nighter and you still looked much better off than now.”

At least their shop had common decency unlike some of the others he’d seen around the city. Ones that tattooed drunks or people who were there on dares or things like that, the people who shouldn’t have been allowed to consent to something permanent while being far from ideal conditionto actual listen and heal up after a tattoo from what he’d gathered. It wasn’t like a sunburn where you could leave it mostly after applying aloe, it had stricter rules and procedures which he found refreshing now that he knew about it.

“That will work, I need to switch out of my work coat.” Because even if he was home he still wore something similar to the labcoat he wore at his clinic, it helped add an additional layer between him and what fluids might come up during a blood draw or examination.

Again, the touch didn’t bother him and he found his eyes wandering down the path of the chain as they’d leaned into him to steady themself. Turning his head to cough slightly, he nodded and grabbed the empty cup to bring with him back towards the kitchen before he would step into his bedroom to change. “I’ll be back shortly, if you feel dizzy feel free to sit back down for a moment.”

Washing the cup and setting it aside to dry, he washed his hands again and pressed a bit of water to his face to try and combat the odd way he was feeling. Perhaps he would set an appointment with his own doctor to see if he was having some sort of stress related response to something. Maybe he was worrying too much about things because this was an interesting case and he was getting to deep into it again.

Closing the door to his room after stepping inside, he hung his coat on the hook behind the door and went to changing into something a bit more casual, though if most people looked at him they could tell he was a doctor still. There was always that level of clean professionalism in his attire even if he was out of the office. Running a comb through his hair took only a second to tame the few flyaways before he headed back down the hall to where they were waiting.

“Okay we can head out and get you something to eat. I’m not sure if there is anything I might eat there, but it would be interesting to see the choices.” He was used to going out to nicer places, ones with steaks or other protein dense meals. Whatever was healthy alongside greens and other veggies to keep his meals balanced.

“Mostly healthy food, a higher protein diet in a way but that’s mostly due to the fact I have to assist and move patients from time to time and I need to maintain what I’ve sort of built up because of my job. Though I would guess you eat sushi, at least partially considering that’s where these directions lead.” Some sort of moving sushi bar, not something he’d really seen but had heard of through patients socializing in the waiting room.

“Given your state, I am driving and I would prefer my car due to that. It’s easier that way and then if after eating you are feeling more like yourself you can drive yourself home from here when we get back.” It was a bit of extra driving but it was a lot safer than the other getting in a wreck because they passed out.

“Fish should be fine, I’ll see what they have but if nothing strikes me then that’s fine as well. I was planning on cooking something this evening for when one of my colleagues comes over this evening to do some maintenance on one of the machines in my clinic.” It wouldn’t be hard for him to let Katya know he would be late, and if that odd feeling in his stomach persisted, then he might bring it up to the mauvian as a passing curiosity.

Stepping out of the house, he waited for them to follow along and held an arm out if they needed it for balance to get down all the stairs from his front door to the street. Once there and in his car, he had them connect their phone to his car via the cable in the center console so the gps would show on the onboard screen. He rarely looked at it but seeing the map out of the corner of his eye did come in handy.