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“Let’s get you into a bed and get a local anesthesia going,” the doctor says, giving Simon a soft look. I’m jealous. I’m jealous of that soft smile. I want the doctor to look at me like that. I want his full attention.

Fuck, I wish it was me that was hurt.

Nope. Too far. Too fucking far. What the hell is going on inside of me?

The doctor looks over his laptop, punching in the information from Simon’s ID before handing it back over. Then his eyes dart over to me, taking me in.

“Mister…?” his voice trails off, waiting for me to fill in the blanks.

“Attous. Thane Attous.”

The doctor nods his head, turning to Simon. “Would you like Mister Attous to join you? He can wait out here, if that’s easier.”

“Whatever you want,” I tell Simon.

“You can wait out here.” He bites his bottom lip before adding. “Please wait for me?”

“I’ll wait.”

“Thanks, Thane.”

I sit down in the waiting area, pulling out my phone. I quickly send a message to my sister, letting her know that the doctor just took Simon into the back room to fix his wing joint. I have no idea what that entails and my stomach twists unpleasantly if I think about it for too long.

Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve wanted to do something to help other people. At first, Tess tried to talk me into nursing school. It’s one of the best ways to help people, she argued. She stopped suggesting that after I passed out in high school because someone on the football team got a bloody nose in front of me.

Sure, I’m a big scary orc by most people’s standards but blood still freaks me out! Plus, I can’t handle the thought of seeing people in pain. I just can’t stomach it.

Tess lets me know that she’s delivered the truck to the appropriate place and is walking back to the dorms. Knowing that she’s okay and has everything taken care of takes a little weight off my shoulders. I sink down in my seat, pulling up the group chat me and my siblings share.

I tell Blaire and Bax that we’ve arrived safely and moved all our stuff into our dorms. I also tell them that my roommate has somehow already hurt himself and landed himself in the medical center. Then I ask them how they’re doing.

I don’t have to wait long. Bax texts we’re fine, Thane. Stop worrying so much. You’ve only been gone a few hours.

Yeah, I should have seen that coming. I really don’t mean to be but I find myself helicoptering the twins. In a lot of ways, all the ways that matter, I’m like their dad more than their brother. I’m the one who raised them since they were born. I’m the one who’s always looked out for them. I’m the one who went to parents' day at their schools.

It feels wrong to be so far away from them. It feels downright selfish. Why should I be going to school so far away when I could be back home, making sure they’re okay? Why should I get away when they’re still stuck there?

I tug on the tail of my ponytail, sighing in frustration. It’s the same argument I always have with myself and with them. This is supposed to be a good thing.

I can’t stop wondering if I’m making the right decision.

At the same time, I know this is the right plan. I need to be on my own. I need to give them their space now that they’re teenagers. I need to learn what it means to be Thane outside of taking care of my siblings. I need to get an education so I can make a difference to other people.

It all sounds so fucking exhausting. I’m too young to be this fucking tired.

I’m not sure how much time passes but eventually, Simon and the doctor come back into the main lobby area. Simon leans against the counter, smiling. I’m glad to see the grimace off his face.

His wing is tied in a sling, held tight against his back. It doesn’t look very comfortable but it would be the same if it was his shoulder rather than his wing joint. He’ll have to deal with it until it’s healed.

“Thanks again, Doctor Lee. Feels so much better now.”

“Happy to help, Simon. Here’s all your discharge papers and make sure you head over to WraithMart so you can pick up your prescription, okay?”

Simon turns towards me. Now that he’s not in pain, his face is smoothed out and relaxed. His rainbow eyes practically sparkle as he looks at me. My roommate is incredibly handsome when he stops talking or throwing himself into door frames.

“Doctor Lee totally had to Boo-gle how to fix my wing,” he says with a giggle.

I stand up from my seat and walk over to him, raising my brow. “I’m positive that’s not true. Most establishments like this have a database which is probably filled with pictures and information. That online library is probably even bigger now that there are different species to keep track of. They’ve always had things like that to help diagnose and treat patients. It wasn’t just looking it up online.”