Chapter Text
For nearly two hours, the Rolls-Royce is quiet, the radio playing soft classical music as the tires move smoothly from country roads to paved city streets. I’m exhausted from this morning’s early start and the spanking, and my nap is nice and peaceful. I only stir once we hit the busy heart of London, car horns and emergency sirens slowly piercing through my veil of sleep. My freckled little face scrunches up first, and I yawn widely with a soft whine, nuzzling into the padded headrest of my booster seat. Then I scrub a fist in my closed eyes, pushing my glasses up for a second.
I finally blink open my grey doe eyes just as Sebastian is pulling into a spot reserved for ‘visitors of The London Clinic’, looking up disdainfully at the old white and brown stone facade. It’s a Victorian-style private hospital, the inside filled with various medical offices, from chiropractors to physiotherapists. We’re in the wealthy part of London, and this building discreetly houses all the premier medical professionals of their fields, with clientele like A-list celebrities and even the royal family. I feel terribly out of place, but Sebastian had declared ‘only the best’ would do for his lady.
‘’We’re here, my lady.’’ The demon butler announces unnecessarily, getting out of the car and moving over to my side of the car, opening the door and leaning over to unbuckle me. ‘’I imagine it goes without saying that I expect you on your very best behaviour?’’ There’s a quiet warning in Sebastian’s stern whisper, and I nod meekly, taking his hand and getting out of the car as gracefully as I can while stiff and sore. I immediately look at my feet demurely, well aware of how this looks; I’m the height of your average 10-year-old schoolgirl and dressed much the same – anyone looking will assumed I’m a spoiled (if shy) rich child, being minded by her butler.
I keep a firm hold of Sebastian’s hand as we move to the gilded doors, short legs struggling to keep up with the demon’s long strides. The guards nod at us severely, one of them holding open the door for us with an incline of his head. We move inside, the tiny block heels of my tan mary-janes clicking softly on the marble floors with each step, a contrast to Sebastian’s silent strides. There’s an elevator at the end of the hall, and we take it up to the 3rd floor to the office of doctor L. Simmons, D.D.S. of 17 years; a kind-faced blonde woman I’ve seen exactly once before.
Just as we step out into the waiting room, Big Ben strikes ten o’clock, and a dental assistant in teal scrubs looks up from behind the desk she’s sitting at, a friendly smile on her face. Sebastian returns it charmingly, but I keep my gaze on my feet, nose crinkled at the sharp scent of disinfectant and nitrile, lower lip curled out into a pout.
‘’Mr. Michaelis, little Emmaline, what a pleasure! Punctual as ever, I see. Dr. Simmons is all ready for you in room 4 if you’d like to follow me!’’ The young woman gets to her feet, shaking Sebastian’s free hand firmly before gesturing for us to follow her down the hallway. My eyes stay down, but my steps start to falter the deeper we go into the building, my stomach beginning to churn nervously. Sebastian notices immediately, giving a subtly sharper warning tug on my hand, silently coaxing me into picking up the pace. The assistant stops in front of a frosted glass door, knocking once before holding it open for us to enter, announcing us happily to the woman inside as she does.
I step inside reluctantly, looking at the room through my bangs with the same nervous pout I’ve been sporting for most of the day already. I feel Sebastian at my side as the door falls shut behind me; a meagre comfort of familiarity, and I subconsciously press closer to the demon’s side, my hand squeezing his subtly.
The room is, for all intents and purposes, like any other dental exam room. The floors are an easy-to-clean but still high-end type of tile; the walls tastefully decorated with expensive art and painted a ‘calming’ shade of beige. Of course, the main focus of the room is the dental chair; big, made of a slightly dull light blue vinyl, with an attached overhead light and swingarm holding various stainless steel dental tools. Cabinets line the back wall, and there’s a 5’8’’ woman in a white lab coat standing at the sink, washing her hands. Her kind brown eyes are turned to us, and a gentle smile curls her lips.
‘’Ah, Mr. Michaelis!’’ The dentist chirps with carefully moderated cheery professionalism. She finishes washing her hands, wiping them dry on a paper towel before moving over to us and warmly shaking Sebastian’s hand. ‘’Lovely to see you again!’’ Then, her keen gaze moves to me, noting the way I’m practically clinging to the butler’s leg by this point, anxiety clear in the way I nibble at my plush lower lip, and she softens her tone.
‘’Hello again, miss Emmaline. How are we feeling today? Is Mr. Michaelis taking good care of you?’’ She keeps her voice soft and friendly, hoping to coax a response from my lips.
It’s not very forthcoming at first, my grey doe eyes flicking to the tall blonde before dropping back to the floor, but a gentle squeeze and cleared throat from Sebastian make me straighten up. I reluctantly lift my head to look the dentist in the eye, my voice soft, words tense.
‘’Hello ma’am… Yes, he is, ma’am…’’ It’s not exactly a warm response, by any means, but Dr. Simmons doesn’t seem to mind, just nodding knowingly at me. She clearly decides it’s the best she’s going to get right now, turning away from us and moving over to a nitrile gloves dispenser on the wall. I cringe at the snap of rubber against flesh, a quiet whine catching in my throat as I try to push even closer to Sebastian’s side. The noise is mostly drowned out by the blonde woman starting to speak again, though I can feel Sebastian’s crimson gaze staring down at me inscrutably.
‘’Well now, miss Emmaline, why don’t you have a seat up here for me, and I can take a look at those pearly whites of yours!’’ She coaxes with that same carefully cheery softness, smiling at me before putting on a paper face mask. I make no move to step forward, my feet rooted to the spot, and there’s a moment of tension before Sebastian sighs beside me.
His hands find my armpits, lifting me up effortlessly into the air and marching me over to the dental chair, setting me down firmly. A loud yelp slips from my lips, the ache from this morning’s spanking having settled deep in my flesh. The dentist looks at me in surprise for a moment before her kind brown eyes crinkle in amused realisation, but she doesn’t bring any attention to the flustered blush staining my chubby cheeks, just rolling closer on her little stool and pressing the pedal to recline the chair properly. At the same time, she grabs something from the tray beside her, though I can’t make out what.
‘’Now then, while the chair reclines, why don’t you open your mouth for me, little miss? Let’s see what we’re working with!’’ I’m tempted to refuse, but Sebastian still has a firm hold of my hand, looming at my side like a dark omen of discipline. So, I let the dentist strap a paper bib around my neck (‘To protect that darling outfit, dear!’) and exchange my round-framed silver glasses for the special shades that will dim the overhead exam light, and then I slowly and reluctantly part my lips.
I’m expecting to feel the cool touch of metal tools on my teeth immediately, but instead I get the taste and feel of rubber pressing against my cheeks, making my jaws spread wider. A small frisson of panic races down my spine, and I instinctively try to close my mouth at this unfamiliar sensation, only to realise I can’t. Despite my lack of vision, I turn to ‘face’ Sebastian, a nervous, questioning noise escaping the back of my throat. But the answer comes from Dr. Simmons on the other side anyway.
‘’Shh, easy, little one. That’s just a dental dam; it’ll make sure you keep your mouth open and minimise the chance of any biting accidents. You’re okay…’’ This time, I do feel the cool metal starting to pick and probe at my teeth, and I flinch back instinctively, pressing my head into the headrest, lips twitching. The dental dam does its job, preventing me from biting down like I want to, and Dr. Simmons shushes me again, continuing her meticulous exam while I squeeze Sebastian’s hand tightly. While she works, she starts up a casual conversation with the butler about my oral hygiene routine.
‘’There’s significant improval since the last time I saw miss Emmaline; it is clear to see her oral hygiene has increased tremendously. Your interference, I would assume?’’ Sebastian nods affirmingly, his hand still holding on tightly to mine, absentmindedly rubbing circles on it with his thumb. The two converse back and forth about my flossing schedule and what kind of toothpaste Sebastian uses for me, all the while the dentist continues to scale my teeth. But then her brow furrows, kind brown eyes sharpening in focus as she starts to scrape a bit more intently at one specific spot. I twitch on the chair, legs tensing like I’m holding back from kicking reflexively.
‘’Hmm, a small cavity on the second molar here. We have time to fill that today, if you want?’’ The dentist murmurs from behind her facemask, her eyes flicking up to meet Sebastian’s questioningly. I groan in the back of my throat, trying my best to shake my head no, but get ignored by both of them; Sebastian’s word is final when it comes to my health. The demon contemplates the schedule for today for a moment, looking down at my anxiously tensed little body, then nods again.
‘’We have until eleven before her next appointment, which is just one floor up. Please fix whatever issues you find; money is no object.’’ His deep voice is steady and determined, his hand squeezing mine warningly to stop me from whining in protest; his lady will be as healthy as he can make her, whatever it takes. Dr. Simmons nods in agreement at his words, putting down her tools and instead rolling over to a nearby wall phone.
‘’X-rays will tell me more about her oral health; let me just call a colleague…’’ The dentist’s voice is honeyed now, a glint in her eyes that she keeps well-hidden behind her professional façade. I whimper softly to myself in resignation, getting the distinct feeling that I won’t be leaving this chair any time soon. I squirm, the idea of running for it briefly flitting through my mind, but I settle down as I realise I wouldn’t make it three steps.
Over the duration of the next hour, I endure many, many unpleasantries, all focussed on my mouth. We start out with X-rays, several hard, sharp pieces of plastic forced between my teeth as Dr. Simmons takes a plethora of pictures from every angle. While those are sent off to develop, the dentist continues the dental exam, finding one more cavity on the top left canine.
After that, I’m submitted to a full clean and polish, a small dremel ridding my teeth of plaque and tartar build-up, before Dr. Simmons switches to an electric polisher, buffing my teeth with a gritty, salty fluoride paste, a dental vacuum placed at the corner of my mouth to suck away any blood and saliva. By the time she’s finished that, the X-rays have developed, showing off a third cavity, as well as my wisdom teeth growing in crooked.
I’m emotionally exhausted once more by the time the first of 8 injections of lidocaine pierces my gums, quiet tears dripping down my face from beneath the protective shades at the sharp burn, shoulders shuddering as I sniffle weak sobs. Within minutes, my entire mouth is numb, top and bottom, and I hear the horrible whine of the dental drill whirring to life. I feebly twitch my arms, desperate to clap my hands over my ears, but Sebastian still has a firm hold of me, discreetly soothing me by rubbing his thumb over my hand. This is a necessary evil in his eyes, and while he sympathises with my misery, he makes no move to stop it.
Eventually, the cavities are filled, the wisdom teeth pulled (and that had not been fun, bone and enamel grinding together, vibrating through my skull before letting go with a wet ‘plop’ in my ears and the taste of copper on my tongue), and I lie, pale and exhausted, on the dental chair, dental dam finally removed. Dr. Simmons is covered in a light sheen of sweat, but her expression is grimly satisfied as she takes off her mask and gloves, once again heading to the sink to wash up.
‘’There we are… That was quite the operation for a little girl, Mr. Michaelis. The anaesthesia should wear off in an hour or so, and I’ll give you some antibiotics and painkillers to take home before you leave. She should be back to normal food within a few days at most, but for now, stick to soft things like yoghurt and soup. Don’t use straws until the stitches have dissolved to prevent dry socket, and rinse with a mild mouthwash to get rid of any scabs. She’s allowed mild exercise, but no heavy lifting or excessive running around. A mild fever is normal in the first 24 hours, but if it persists after that, please don’t hesitate to call.’’
The dentist rattles off her aftercare instructions professionally, walking back over to my side and slowly setting the chair back upright, careful not to go to fast and make me any woozier than I already am. She gently takes off the special shades, slipping my own glasses back on my freckled button-nose with a pitying smile. My grey doe eyes struggle to focus on her, my mouth stuffed with cotton and lips slightly parted.
‘’Hello, lovely… are you with me?’’ She asks in a quiet, cajoling voice, waiting for me to slowly nod before continuing. ‘’You did very well, sweetie; such a good, brave little girl. I know that was a lot, but just imagine how pretty your smile will be now, hmm? Let’s get you to your feet, okay?’’
With slow, carefully guided moves, I inch my way off the dental chair, knees shaking as I lean heavily against Sebastian’s side for support, blinking heavily. I look like a newborn fawn, legs trembling like they’ll give out any second, long lashes fanning wetly over the apple of my red cheeks with every slow blink. I can’t feel my mouth, my mind fuzzy and far away, and it only takes a single wobbly step for Sebastian to sigh and pick me up, settling me on his hip instead. While I’d normally be mortified to be carried like a baby, right now I just gratefully rest my head on his shoulder, a tiny bit of pink drool dribbling down my cheek.
The demon carries me out of the room, gently scratching up and down my spine as he does, and moves to the reception desk. He settles payment, swiping a nondescript black card I've never seen before through the machine, and sets up a new appointment for three months from now. Afterwards, he starts for the elevator, ready to ascend one floor to reach the office of Dr. Miller, GP. Today is far from over for his little lady...