Eldin went silent as the man wrapped his hand, the man's words causing his mind to freeze up momentarily. Fate was an unfriendly foe, which made his mother's desire to test it all the more stressful. The man wasn't saying anything he hadn't thought himself, but hearing it aloud still stung nonetheless.

"It's fine," he said quietly, patting his wrapped hand to ensure the bandage was wrapped firmly enough. "There's just - there's been so much fear-mongering. It's easy to brush it all aside until advertisements and printed articles feel like they're directed towards you."

---

  

---

Brendan nodded, a small smile appreciating the way he patted his bandaged hand. He was clearly a smart kid, would likely make a good healer if he chose to follow in his mother's footsteps. He knew they were upper class though so he may not even work if he didn't have to.

"It's understandable but what good does it do to make ones self sick with worry?" he asked in an easy tone, not trying to patronize the boy in the slightest, "How do you think your mother would react if she knew how you were worrying?"

---

  

Eldin offered a nod in response to the man's logical reply, a smile slipping onto his lips as well.

"I know, I know. She'd tell me not to worry," he chuckled, his gaze falling to his lap as he thought back to other instances where his mother had brought her "worried healer habits", as he called them, back home. "I can't not worry, though—she's my mother. I will admit that having something to do would make me less restless, though; the fog has me confined to the house, and I'm not the sort who likes that."

---

  

---

Brendan's grin widened some as the boy admitted that his mother would have told him to stop worrying. He had suspected as much. But he did also understand his next statement. It was hard not to worry about someone a person cared about. Even more so when there was little that could be done.

"Have you thought much as to what you'd like to do once you finish your school?" he questioned before reclining some in his chair to get comfortable, taking another sip of his coffee. While his office was immaculate, he imagined he could find a way of putting the boy to work. Unofficially, of course, but he wanted to see if there was even any interest there for the boy or not.

---

  

Ah, the future. There was so much he wanted to do and so many plans he had—none of which he'd ever given much realistic thought, and all of which he just assumed his money would buy him. He had career planning to think about as an incoming sixth year, but even that had been put on hold during this whole ordeal.

"I would like to do everything—all at once, preferably," he answered with a little chuckle signifying that he was just teasing. "But a little birdie told me that's probably not the most realistic dream I've ever concocted, so now I have to choose." And decision-making wasn't his forte.

---

  

---

Brendan chuckled at the boy's answer. Ambitious it seemed. But at least he was realistic as well. While it would be nice to do it all, it wasn't likely something that could be done. Not without a time turner and those weren't exactly a common commodity.

"Well what if I said I needed some files sorted through and boxed up," he said in a questioning sort of tone, "Not exactly anything fancy but it could keep you busy." And it would save him from the trouble of it. Not that it was a hard job, it was just tedious. And he needed to make room for the new files that had been coming in thanks to the fog.

---

  

A student in a wealthy household, doing actual work—administrative sort of work—was something he'd never done and never really considered as an option for the future, but it sure seemed better as a temporary thing while he tried to pass the time. Anyways, it wasn't as if Rommy or Vesta needed him around right now.

"I'm sure I could be of use somehow," he agreed with a smile. What his mother would think about him doing this (or even being here) was another story, but he'd be able to tell her when she got home.

---

  

---

Brendan nodded, knowing full well what he was offering to the boy wasn't exactly a job a man of his status would often have to deal with but if keeping busy was what he wanted, it would be the perfect thing to do. Not glorious in the slightest, it was simple busy work and Brendan didn't really want to do it.

Standing up, he moved over to a cabinet that housed the monthly reports he was in charge of seeing to. "These are all of last month's reports," he said as he pointed to the top drawer, "They need put into boxes and the reports in the bottom two drawers need moved up to the top drawers. Everything is alphabetical and should stay that way." It was evident he was an organized man and he was very strict about seeing to it that things remained that way.

---

  

Eldin wasn't sure if all of this—checking through files, reports, and things that were probably classified to some degree—was legal, but he wasn't about to discourage the man's offer to help cure him of boredom. Perhaps he might find an 'in' with the people of the hospital, even if his OWL grades made pursuing a healing career impossible.

"Yes, sir," he responded with a salute and a good-natured grin. "Anything I should beware of? No boggarts hiding in your drawers?" he teased as he rose from his seat and moved towards the healer-in-charge.

---

  

---

Brendan chuckled at the boy's salute to him. At least he was a good natured enough kid. It would certainly help to lighten the mood around the hospital for a time.

"Nothing of the sort," he said with a smile, "And everything should be in folders so as to protect privacy. So just move them as such. Can't be giving away any secrets of the residents here." That could likely end his career, after all, and what else would a workaholic of a man do without his work?

---

  

Eldin nodded. He wouldn't want to cause anyone trouble, especially his mother. What would Mr. Keene think if she had her sun running around ruining the careers of his healers-in-charge?

"Understood, sir," he said, experimentally picking up one of the files to see how much was in them. Some had more papers than others, which led him to assume some of them, at least, were medical records. "How long do you suppose I have to do this? Need to be anywhere at a specific time?"

---

  

---

Mr. Bones seemed to be a smart lad, considerate as well. Brendan found he quite like him. Not many of his status were all that likable in Brendan's opinion. Most were arrogant and a bit too stuffy for his liking. Clearly there was an exception to every rule.

"As long as you'd like," he said with a slight shrug, "I've been working nonstop for sometime now. I was going to get settled for a little break myself so as long as I'm not called off, you can take your time." Clearly the boy couldn't be left alone in his office but so long as Brendan stayed there, he could work as long as he wanted.

---

  

Eldin cast a smile towards the healer-in-charge before diverting his attention back tot he daunting pile of files. He could do this, he was sure - and it was definitely better than mindlessly wandering the hospital's hall.

"You've got it," he said under his breath, mostly to himself, before he began rummaging through them.

---

  

---