The full seasonal event can be read here! Below are the main seasonal items for quick reference:
1. A thread reacting to the season's weather in some ways.
2. A thread in the part of the city your character doesn't live in!
3. A thread relating to your vocation.
Of The Season
Quote
"Tell Dr. Nate that Gale sent you, and he still owes me for the mushrooms. Except that it takes you a while to reach the clinic, and by the time you do your fever is spiking, and so instead of the requisite message you instead tell the poor soul who greets you that 'A gale'a m'shrooms sent me cus'a my hands.'" - Zephyr in Oh help me, please doctor, I'm damaged
my head feels too loud sometimes like a monsoon in the summertime
Nate nods, his lips staying sealed a few moments longer after his patient falls quiet, giving her the space to pick up the thought again if she needs to. “I can make up a new one. It might not be exact,” his face pinches as he thinks, running through his knowledge before he continues, “but I should be able to put something together to help your motion and pain.”
It’s as straightforward as he can be, Nate staying conversational and trying to keep Mallorie involved. Generally folk were more open to working with him when they felt involved, and his job is leaps and bounds easier when people work with him.
“If you want I can offer some painkillers too, at least until the exercises improve it.” A hollow clack follows the words, his clipboard set on the slip of counter space he has as he pushes himself up. It’s not an offer he makes to everyone who comes through, but he has enough faith in Mallory even from this short appointment.
you can’t drag me down like a beast underwater with no soul
This is surprisingly painless, Mallorie thinks, aside from y’know, the pain.
A new routine would be…difficult to get into, but a start. She nods as Nate makes his suggestions, and mentally starts sorting her current routine around the idea of time for…self-care. A little snarl of derision tickles at the back of her mind at the concept, but if the man in front of her is willing to be a professional about something that’s her own fault, then so is she.
“If it only makes it hurt slightly less that’d be enough,” she says, “I won’t demand miracles on the cheap.”
A…weak attempt at good humour; she’s aware she isn’t, historically the best patient, and, look. This is meant to be a new start, a new leaf, so she could probably do with being a little less stony with Nate as he tries to help her.
Mallorie is surprised when he offers painkillers. She hadn’t ever really considered her injury justified them, in what is, she suspects, probably a slightly (stupidly) masochistic assessment of her own suffering as “just sort of one of those things you live with”. Until it was too much to do so. Painkillers would likely help, that wasn’t her concern, but she had heard stories about the potential risks. Outright adverse reactions aside, she felt a little…afraid of the needing associated with such substances. That and she had come to consider the ache in its gentler stages as a companion - unwanted, unliked, but important as a reminder nonetheless.
She, probably foolishly, shook her head.
“I want to try the exercises first. Anything else…later, as a last resort.”
“Its not going to be miracles.” It’s clear from the huff of laughter that accompanies the words that it’s not something Nate’s taken personally, though it’s something he could have. “It shouldn’t get worse, and your motion might even improve.” He makes it sound like it won’t be work, like it won’t be painful, turning again to dig through his cupboard again, this time pulling out a thick, unkempt looking file.
Workplace injuries, whether from repetition or failure, are painfully common in the Drench, a fact of life depending on the industry. These stretches are just as common, though generally not something he’s had to adapt this way. “You know, usually when uh…” he manages to stop before saying Enforcers, remembering how she hasn’t actually said it yet, and opening his mouth a few times before picking the thread back up again. “When… folk make appointments, it’s not for things like this.”
It’s clear he’s taken the wind out of his own sails, a ragged pamphlet held out towards Mallorie silently. “Let me know if all that makes sense.”
She’s relieved he seems unbothered by her comments. And relieved more still when he explains the process, something that sounds infinitely less of a mither than she suspected it might be. Doable, even. Mallorie nods once - the efficiency of an enforcer still ingrained in her motions - and takes the pamphlet. It’s old but, she assumes, still relevant.
It all seems…so simple. Nowhere near the arduous task she found herself imagining it to be (that it had been, up top), and she supposes that’s thanks to Nate’s easy acceptance. Or at least a demeanour that hides any ill-feeling. The pamphlet is worn but a cursory glance looks reasonable, something she can slot into her routine. She can’t imagine the doctors on the Plate would have made this exchange quite so painless.
“Thank you. You’ve made it all quite clear for me.” Mallorie folds the pamphlet away into her pocket, and moves to stand again, still feeling a little…silly in the middle of the consultation room.
Nate’s pause makes her pause. She looks at him askance, unsure of how to broach the subject without further imposing on his patience.
“I suppose you treat all manner of…folks here?”
Mallorie stands fully, hands driven into her pockets, and raises her chin, sets her jaw. Awkward, but a little more assured than she was when she came in.
“I hope I didn’t waste your time, an...acquaintance told me this was the best place to come for this sort of thing.”
"Clearer I do it now the less likely I see you back here worse." Nate rationalizes with an easy shrug, having picked up on what seems to be the best way to soothe Mallorie. It's his job, and her responsibility. No part of the procedure is silly, or unimportant.
The mask slips up just a little as bright eyes drop away from her, a hand coming up to rub at his jaw as he leans back just enough for it to border on worrying. When his gaze returns after a handful of breaths that feel much longer than they should, there is a crooked grin tugging his lips just barely up. "Anyone with the lasti for it." He confirms. "And I'm known for my discretion]."
Straightening up again Nate nods, and holds a friendly hand out towards Mallorie. "Not a waste of time at all. Except uh, maybe the appointment. Unless it's flooding I'm usually not busy." Laughing and lingering in the moment, he leaves it to Mallorie to decide to linger longer, only proving his point about the current slowness of the clinic.
“Discretion’s…good.” Mallorie settles on, still not entirely sure how she feels about belonging to such a patient group. Weird? Maybe a little unsettled. A dawning sensation comes over her that she’s maybe made a misunderstanding about the nature of this clinic, though she finds that she can’t imagine Nate as anything other than well intentioned.
Dubious but not malevolent, then.
She takes his hand and shakes it, casting a quick glance over his features for any insincerity. Seeing none, she decides that if nothing else, she can trust Nate with anything medical. Which is strangely soothing in a place where she’s not sure who she can trust with pretty much anything at the moment.
His laughter seems good-natured at least, and Mallorie feels only marginally sheepish now. The quietness of the clinic is apparent, and she nods.
“So more of a drop-in situation, I see,” Mallorie allows a small smile and straightens her coat around her, “I’ll keep that in mind for future, then.”
my head feels too loud sometimes like a monsoon in the summertime
“It tends to be appreciated.” Nate chirps somewhat proudly, shaking her hand until she decides to break the gesture and grinning the whole time. It’s a gesture offered more for her comfort, and as soon as it started Nate had quickly realized he had no idea about the actual politeness surrounding it. It just seemed like a Plate thing.
“Its seasonal.” He warns again. “You might not be so lucky in Drenak.”
But that was then and this was now and for the moment Mallorie was taken care of, bright eyes looking her up and down in case there was something obvious he’d missed.
Accompanying the once enforcer towards the door, Nate found himself once again lingering, for reasons he’s not quite sure of himself. Perhaps Mallorie’s initial reluctance, perhaps something else. “I guess I’ll see you around, huh?”
you can’t drag me down like a beast underwater with no soul
Awkwardness at least somewhat abated, Mallorie appreciates Nate’s willingness to humour her - as well as his candour. She gives Nate a fraction of a smile and curled her fingers around the leaflet folded into her jacket pocket.
“I see,” she nodded, “if I have any issues I’ll let you know, I suppose?”
It’ll probably at least be a little less like pulling teeth in future, now she knows what to expect. And that’s an improvement on…several levels. A weight lifted from her shoulders. A strange new thing to experience, living in the underneath. Mallorie hesitates when Nate lingers on the way out, unsure if he’s got anything to add.
When it’s apparent he doesn’t, she nods at him. A little flash of a thought hits her - his discretion much discussed - and she decides to take the opportunity.
“Yes. I’m still settling in but -” Mallorie pushes past the way it feels unnatural to attempt insinuation, “I’m doing odd jobs at the minute; if you ever need a hand with anything that…ah, that you think someone with my history could help with, I’m happy to pay you back for today.”
It’s maybe not a good idea to be indebted to someone so soon, but Mallorie figured it was worth offering. At the very least, polite. She turned towards the door with one last, slightly less awkward, nod.
my head feels too loud sometimes like a monsoon in the summertime
Truth be told, this is one of the more comfortable times Nate's had with a patient in a while. No arguing, no unpleasant emotions mucking up the process. It's simple. Inexplicably, he feels a quiet fondness spark into existence, his jaw working as he swallows against it and settles more casually against the wall, grinning placidly at Mallorie.
That could... actually be a handy favour to call in, depending what he needs. This is why its worth it to not be an asshole to someone. Not that he'd ever been the type, but there were some in the Drench who wouldn't look past the boots. "I'll keep it in mind. Might not be up your alley, but I always need more hands in Drenak." Nate's shoulders roll in an easy shrug as he watches her leave, returning the nod without another word.
They'll cross paths again.
Done~
you can’t drag me down like a beast underwater with no soul
