Glass Soldier REWRITTEN

Chapter 6

         "Delayed deterioration," He hummed, looking over the notes he had taken for the check-up. The checkup that was supposed to be only for my eyes. Yet somehow, thankfully after a healing session, I had ended up going through the annoying process of a full check-up.

        "I hadn't noticed," I rolled my eyes, leaning on my left arm wholeheartedly, the scarred right in my lap.

        "Don't get snarky, has anything other than your vision worsened?" He asked, handing off the necessary note for what would be my monocle. My other eye perfectly fine. "Don't look at me like that, the sooner you tell me the less you'll regret it in the future,"

          "... My arm," I clicked my tongue looking away from him, "It's stiff and it hurts if I raise it all the way up,"

          "Where does it hurt?" He smiled making me glare at him.

         "My shoulder, on the back, makes me feel like my skin's tearing,"

          "No issue with your elbow or wrist?" He asked setting down his journal to approach.

          "Elbows fine, wrist is tight but doesn't hurt, just gets uncomfortable." He offered his hands gently, making my tongue click but I still dropped the desired arm into his hands nonetheless. He was right about one thing. I'd regret not getting it fixed if I had to follow already people that only bowed before monarchs.

          "I see, what about your fingers?" He asked, gently moving my fingers as he did. Watching as he bent them and rolled my wrist I glanced from his dark hands to the pale and pink skin that belong to me. Skin that stuck out against my almond complexion.

         "... They work fine," I looked away staring out the window while he inspected it anyway. Moving each individual joint carefully and attentively.

         "Do you still feel any sensations?" He asked, my back stilling at the question.

          "Ah," I accidentally let slip, his hands pausing as he looked at my face for that, a sheepish grin already in place as I scratched my cheek with my other hand.

         "Do you still feel any sensations?" He asked again, his voice colder, eyes practically pulsing at the information my reaction alone had given him.

         "... Yes?" I offered, hesitantly meeting that furious gaze.

         "How long haven't you been able to feel your hand?" He narrowed his eyes at me while all I could offer was a shrug and a roll of the eyes. "Could you feel it when I had healed you after the incident?"

          "Not really?" I laughed lightly, leaning back on the opposite arm, his gaze spiraling and grip tightening at the information.

          "You don't even understand how important it is to be able to feel things with your hands?! Why didn't you say anything? Cause it works? You can't just brush off something so important!" He snapped, flicking at my palm. My brow twitched as he went to grab a needle from the counter to my left.

         "I can feel it!" I snapped, "I know when I grab things! It just feels different!" I glared, he just flicked it harder. The flick wasn't painful but I didn't really think he was trying to make it as such. "It just feels like a big callus! It's not that big a deal!" I hissed, ripping my hand from his as he went for the needle again.

         "Lilith, you can not feel your hand," He said, forcefully taking my hand again, his voice icy and eyes serious. "I've already said it but I had to manually cut into your flesh to ensure maximum mobility before healing. This is not a taught task. I could have damaged something. This is not a matter for you to hide,"

       "... Hah?" The venom dripping from my lips was not one I had intended but for him to say that to me? Him, who kicks me out the moment he can? Him, who hates me enough to only allow my presence near him for a few hours? "I didn't hide anything, you're the one that-" Biting my tongue I settled for glaring at my hands as words played at the back of my head.

        "Fine, you shall get what you want, you'll be our apprentice, you'll be a Perfect- but you'll have to act the part. We've heard plenty of attitude complaints from more than just your professors. Enough acting like a rabid dog, at every complaint we get of your inappropriate behavior, you'll be punished."

        Rats. All of them. Expecting me to take whatever abuse they decide to give without even being able to open my mouth as I please. "Fine, I'll notify you of every concern from here on out," I pressed, a tight smile finding my lips as he looked over my face hesitantly before sighing.

        "For now, I'll teach you how to wrap your arm, okay? Compression has been shown to improve scars, considering it hasn't matured yet, you may be able to lessen them. I'll have your monocle delivered to your room, personally handing it off only. I'll trust you to tell me if your hand becomes any more problematic and I'll look into how to solve the stress your shoulder is causing you,"