Bit was struggling to punch down his growing anxiety. He hadn’t been more thankful for his collar since it was first given to him. If Dren or Taloch could feel even a fraction of his emotions they’d barricade him in the apartment and never let him leave. As it was, Bit had become rather tired of hiding. He wanted to understand himself, and the city he’d been surviving in for so long. When they arrived, Bit found his eyes wandering around the expansive hospital. Smooth white walls and stale air made the place feel so detached from the living. Illuminated signs pointed the way to the hybrid specialty clinic deep in the bowels of the building. 

Taloch kept a strong hand against Bit’s back as they walked down the hallways. Dren led the charge, his hand wrapped around one of Bit’s as he tugged them along. The footsteps of the trio echoed off the sterile environs. Making a shiver run up Bit’s spine. The waiting room wasn’t much better. Completely empty save for the three of them. Bit sat sandwiched between his escorts. Taloch’s blunt nails clacked against the arm of the chair. Dren’s leg wouldn’t stop bouncing. Bit had a strange feeling that their anxieties were nearly matched by his own. Taloch handled the check in, and filled out the paperwork with input from Bit, but some of it was so fuzzy. Bit surprised himself when he was called back. He told them he wanted to go alone. 

“Are you sure Bit?” Dren asked anxiously. Taloch looked concerned, but decided to keep silent. Bit, shaking slightly, simply nodded. He gave them the best smile he could muster up, and followed the nurse back. It had been such a long time since he’d stepped foot in a doctor’s office. He simply drifted along, allowing the nurse to do their tests and take down information. He was somewhat startled when They spoke directly to him. 

“So, Mr. Bit. Do you have a last name that you know of?” They asked. Bit finally took a moment to look at them. A human, with bright green hair and slightly glowing eyes. They gave him a kind smile. Bit cleared his throat before speaking, knowing that after this his throat would be sore. 

“Not that I know of.” He said, feeling unsure. They nodded, jotting down information on their clipboard. 

“Alright, and here it seems we only have a speculatory age, of roughly twenty-five. Does that sound right?” They asked. Bit thought for a moment, going back over his time on the streets, his time with the Tyger Claws, his time in the orphanage. He shook his head slightly before looking to the floor. 

“I think I might be a little older than that.” He muttered, “It gets a little fuzzy after a while, but I left the orphanage at sixteen.” He glanced up to see the nurse looking at him with such pity. His eyes darted back to the floor, unwilling to see it. 

“Alright, do you think you can give me a summary of your symptoms and any possible abilities that have manifested?” They asked. Bit allowed himself to breathe for a moment, grounding himself in the moment before listing off his pains and aches one by one. His days where he couldn’t move. Where his eyes refused to open. Where his bones felt like they were alight with cold fire. Then he moved on to his oddities. His projections and the strange heat he seemed to make. 

“Ok, that should be plenty. If you’ll wait here for a little while, the doctor will be right with you.” The nurse said, raising from their seat and leaving the room. Bit sat in the clinical room, feeling unnerved. It reminded him too much of the facility. Cold, barren, lonely, and with the only sound being distant footsteps and the buzzing of the lights. An eternity seemed to pass before a light knock at the door startled him from his memories. The door opened a moment later to reveal a tall, plump, man with round glasses and a slightly strained smile. 

“Hello, I’m Dr. Ruzvine. Lovely to meet you.” He said, his voice somewhat dispassionate. Without looking at Bit, he sat down and looked over the papers on his clipboard. “Well let’s see. No prior medical history. A rough age estimate of late twenties. Signs of bodily stress and burgeoning magic.” His gaze snapped to Bit, causing him to flinch. “Now you mentioned you left an orphanage at the age of sixteen. I also have information that you were located in an alley by the Mr. Minos-Warwicks. Now would you care to fill in some of the blanks between those two instances?” He asked. Bit struggled to find his voice, but eventually managed to choke out a few sentences. 

“I… I was taken in by a sect of Tyger Claws. For trafficking.” Bit said, his voice heavy. “I was there for five or six years I think. I got away. Been on the streets since.” Bit concluded, forcing his eyes down again. The question made him feel disgusting. Memories of what those people did to him, tried to do to him. He struggled to force those memories down. He could hear the scribbling of Dr. Rizvine’s pen on paper. Taking down the information with the grace of a computer. The doctor launched into long winded explanations that Bit only half-listened to. The various tests he wanted to do, including a full blood screening for potentially transmitted ailments. A small skin sample, blood samples, saliva samples, hair samples, and other specimens that made Bit wrinkle his nose in distaste. It didn’t quite hit him how frightened he would be until the nurse returned with a cart full of vials and syringes. 

“Wait!” Bit found himself shouting, his voice already becoming gravelly from so much use. The nurse (Nurse Lucant they informed him) paused mid stride, staring at him with wide eyes. “Sorry, but can you please get Dren and Taloch?” He asked nervously. His stomach was no longer butterflies, but raging wasps. Ice filled his veins and static invaded his thoughts. Nurse Lucant gave Bit a small smile and nodded, calling into the hall to someone else before stepping fully into the room again. 

“They’ll be right here.” They said, “Would you mind if I get some things set up? I’ll explain what exactly I’m doing if it will help.” They asked, their faintly glowing eyes shifting in hue ever so slightly. Bit couldn’t quite tell if it was an implant or natural. Bit nodded, picking at the soft fabric of his oversized shirt. He felt so remarkably embarrassed about having to call his… roommates? Protectors? Friends? Dren and Taloch. The gentle voice of Nurse Lucant helped somewhat. It distracted him enough for the moment. They would get the worst of it over with first. A few vials of blood and a small sample of his skin. Then they’d swap his mouth. 

It was during the explanation that Dren and Taloch arrived. Dren nearly crashed into the door as he rounded the corner, followed shortly by Taloch. They were welcomed into the room by Nurse Lucant before they continued with their explanations. They offered Bit a cup of water as Dren settled down in the chair closest to the bed. Taloch made himself comfortable leaning against the wall nearby. Bit was instantly soothed by their presence. The thought of the tests not seeming quite as bad. After the skin sample, they’d ask him to go pee in a cup, then swab his mouth and take him to another part of the hospital for scans. He wasn’t sure what an MRI or an X-Ray were exactly, but they were quickly explained to him by Taloch with a patient cadence. 

The thought of all of those strange machines, and dark spaces gave him a deep feeling of dread, but if it would help him. Dren’s rough hand cupped Bit’s, his thumb rubbing gentle circles on his palm. It was nearly five hours of  discomfort and prodding. Loud whirring of machines right by his ears and listening to doctors and nurses talk about him as if he couldn’t hear a word. Eventually, Bit found himself sandwiched between Dren and Taloch in the same room they’d taken his vitals at the beginning of this. He was nibbling on crackers that the nurse had given him. The tests were over, and thanks to technology that Bit really didn’t quite understand, the results would be back any minute. 

“It’s alright Bit, after this we have a great dinner planned and you can relax.” Taloch rumbled, his hand closing around Bit’s. Bit nodded, still embarrassed about having to ask for their company. Supposedly, someone his age should be able to see a doctor alone. A light knock at the door drew the trio’s attention. In came Dr. Ruzvine, seeming just as detached as he had before. He sat down heavily, glancing over the results of the tests. He made quiet grunts and hmms of thought long enough for the trio to begin exchanging confused glances. Bit surprised himself again by clearing his throat. 

“Ah, yes.” Dr. Ruzvine said, turning slightly to face them. Bit noticed him eyeing where Dren and Taloch’s hands were clasped around either one of his. “Well, it seems that according to our tests, Mr. Bit, you are at least part dragon.” He said dispassionately. His words hung heavily in the air, weighing down Bit’s shoulders with a force he didn’t before know could exist. Taloch’s grip tightened on his hand and Dren stared slack jawed down at Bit. Bit chanced a look at the orc to see wonder dancing in his golden eyes. Bit felt his face heat up and he quickly directed his gaze back to the bored looking doctor across from them. 

“Several parts of your skin have nearly imperceivable scales that seem to be slightly tougher than human skin. Your hair is naturally opalescent, similar to eastern dragon scales. In addition, it seems that you are intersex, with a form of genetic variant that is commonly seen in dragons.” As he continued to drone on, Taloch and Dren moved their arms to support Bit’s shoulders. Bit was shaking, though he wasn’t certain when he’d started. Dr. Ruzvine produced a pamphlet and held it out for Bit to take. He was far too shaken to move, and was relieved when Taloch reached out to take it.  He didn’t give the trio time to breathe before continuing. 

“Now, dragons possess a great deal of magic, or they did in the old days. Modern dragons rarely possess magic anymore. It has become a lost art.” He said “However, hybrids have a knack for unlocking previously closed genetic branches.” Dr. Ruzvine scribbled some notes down and for the first time in the entire visit looked Bit in the eyes. He seemed to startle a moment before clearing his throat. 

“Based on some of the blood work, we measured a great deal of magical energy built up inside of you. Your body is mostly human, but you are putting out energy equivalent to what our oldest records of dragons could.” Dr. Ruzvine directed his gaze to Taloch and Dren, and Bit couldn’t help but feel like the doctor had decided he was no longer a part of the conversation. “Now, I posit that the draconic energy stored in a mostly human body is overwhelming it. Causing the majority of the pain. In addition a lack of control and clear signs of trauma.” He concluded. 

Bit could feel his bones aching as it was described. His pain boiled down to too much power, energy his body simply couldn’t handle. It was almost comical. So much power at his fingertips, power that could have saved him so much earlier than he had been. Power that only caused him pain. Tears stung the corners of Bit’s eyes at the unfairness of it. Years in a hellish orphanage. Years more used as a plaything by horrible people. Then years on top running and hiding, stealing scraps from garbage bins to eat. All that time suffering day in and out from pain that wracked his body. Pounding in his head and daggers in his eyes. All because he had draconic power that could have been used to protect himself. It wasn’t fair. Dren pulled him into his bulky side, not flinching when Bit turned his face to hide it in his shoulder. Taloch’s other hand rubbed soothing circles in Bit’s back, as he continued to hold his hand in a firm grip. 

“Now, I would recommend a psyche screening to treat general anxiety disorder as well as signs of post traumatic stress disorder. More tests will need to be conducted over time to determine what is the result of genetic disorders, his hybrid physiology, or physical trauma.” Dr. Ruzvine said. “Now, there is a general treatment plan for hybrids experiencing excess energy reserves. In addition we will be putting in referrals for a neurologist, psychologist, and possibly a few more specialists.” He looked at the trio without an ounce of pity as he finished with a final remark. “Many would find such a treatment plan overwhelming, in terms of financial strain…” He was cut off mid-sentence by Taloch’s aggravated voice.

“You don’t need to worry about that, in the slightest.” Taloch growled. Bit was startled at his tone, but one look at the stormy expression on Dr. Ruzvine’s face chased away his doubts. 

“Well, Mr. Minos-Warwick, with all due respect. Caring for the medical needs of a hybrid human can be extremely taxing. The price of some of the general treatment methods can cost several thousand eddies.” Ruzvine snarked in response. Bit’s mind boggled at the number, thousands of eurodollars for a single treatment. He wasn’t worth that, he was certain. Dren seemed to notice his tense demeanor. The Orc suddenly rose from where he’d been sitting, staring daggers at the doctor. 

“What the fuck is wrong with you asshole?” Dren demanded, startling everyone in the room. “You drop a huge info bomb on us, ignore your fucking patient, then try to scare us with high pricetags?” Rizvine tried to interrupt but was cut off by a booming curse in orcish and two frightening glares from Dren and Taloch. 

“Know what? Thanks so much for your shitty ass help, for freaking out our … Bit. But we’re gonna find a doctor who doesn’t get his rocks off at fear mongering his patients!” Dren yelled, his thunderous voice seeming to make the room shake with his rage. Taloch helped Bit to rise and escorted him from the room. Bit caught both of them flipping the doctor off as they left. Taloch paid for the visit, and the pair stormed out with their arms protectively encircling Bit. When they left it was pouring rain. Bit was quickly ushered into the waiting car, finding himself wrapped in Dren’s hoodie in the back seat. 

He was in a daze the entire way home. When exactly had he started thinking of it as home? He wasn’t sure. But it was, well more accurately they were home. Dren and Taloch were home, or so he’d thought. The thought of them spending so much time, money, effort, all for him. On top of everything they had already done. He didn’t want to think about how expensive that appointment had been. With all the tests, poking, prodding, machines. Then there were the gifts. The hearts. The roses. The kisses. He knew about those too, and relished the memories of the gentle touches and kind words. He couldn’t do this to them.