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It wasn’t unlike Viktor to awaken with a pulsing in his skull and a knot in his stomach. The unpleasant sensation was kin to his body, buried deep beneath his skin and welded to his bones.
Pain was no stranger to Viktor, nor was its friend nausea, that followed in its footsteps.
But today they seemed far more present, the dizzy feeling encircling him even as he lay in bed, arms around his lover.
He sighed. It was a bad pain day, then. He could still head into work if he really wished to, with the plethora of pills, medicine and pain relievers in his bathroom cabinet. Perhaps they could numb the feeling into something more manageable. But fuck, the thought of leaving this cozy sanctuary of blankets made his stomach turn. Maybe Jayce could…?
The man in question was still fast asleep, lightly snoring. Reasonable, given the time, which a small bedside clock stated was 4AM. His back was pressed against Viktor’s chest, a thin line of drool dripping from his lips. Even through his nausea, Viktor smiled at the sight. It would be cruel to wake him up at this hour.
Viktor could handle his own problems. He’d be fine; he just had to take his meds and sneak back into bed.
He forego wearing his braces, figuring he wouldn’t be up for too long anyways, and grabbed his crutch from where it leaned against the bedside. He then slipped out of bed.
His head felt…fuzzier. He paid it no mind. He was just tired.
He just had to get...something. He couldn't quite remember why he was getting up.
When his foot touched the floor, everything went dark.
—
A loud thump awoke Jayce from his slumber. He rubbed at his eyes wearily. An absence of warmth against his back told him his partner was gone.
He called out. “Vik?”
His only response was a choked cry.
Jayce rushed to flick on the bedside lamp, illuminating the room in a soft yellow glow that did not reveal his partner’s location.
“Viktor?!”
A choking sound came from the floor of the bedside. When Jayce looked, he found his partner splayed on the floor, limbs stiff and back arched, eyelids fluttering.
“Vik!” Jayce immediately dropped to his knees by his partner’s stiff body, heart beginning to race in his chest. He scanned over past memories trying to remember what he was supposed to do in case this ever happened. He’d done research on seizures years ago after Viktor opened up about his experience with them; he was hoping he’d never have to use that knowledge.
“Shit, V.”
Jayce steadied his breathing as best as he could; his partner needed him.
Grabbing a pillow from the bed, he stuffed it under Viktor’s head. The man was now convulsing, saliva frothing from his maw. A thin line of blood joined the fray, and fuck he’d bit his tongue. Every instinct told Jayce he should put something in his mouth to stop the biting, but he reminded himself that it would only cause more harm in the end.
He felt worthless, only able to watch and whisper words of comfort as his partner suffered. A snowstorm was billowing around them, and his mother's body was going cold.
“You’ll be okay, V, you’re gonna be okay…” While the frantic mumbles were meant for his partner, Jayce was mostly trying to convince himself.
After what felt like hours, but couldn’t have been longer than a minute, the convulsing stopped.
“That’s it V, you’re okay…” He rolled the man onto his side.
With the back of his head now exposed, Jayce took a moment to check for any leaking blood or forming bumps acquired from his fall, letting out a breath of relief when he found nothing.
“It’s over now Vik, you’re going to be alright…”
He cradled the other man’s head. “You’re so strong, I love you.” As Jayce continued whispering words of support, Viktor’s golden eyes flickered open.
“...Jayce?”
“It’s me, V."
“What…what happ…” His words trailed off into an exhausted murmuring.
“You had a seizure, sweetheart. Two minutes. It’s over now.”
“...I’m sorr-”
“Don’t apologize. Do you know where you are?”
Hazy eyes darted around. “...Bedroom?”
“Good, good. Do you know your name? Age?”
Viktor huffed. “I haven’t lost my memory, Jayce.”
“Hey, I’m just asking what the textbooks told me too! Snarky ass."
As Viktor’s senses came back to him, he noticed a wetness on his lips. He went to wipe at them, but his limbs had gone slack.
“It’s okay, I gotcha.” Jayce wiped his partner’s mouth with a handkerchief, brows furrowing when blood continued to slowly leak from his mouth. “You bit your tongue.” He stood up. “I’m going to get you some water. I’ll be right back, okay?”
“...Okay…”
Jayce filled two glasses with water, sprinkling salt into one of them and stirring. He shoved a bottle of pain relief medication in his pocket. When he returned with the glasses in his hands, Viktor was trying to sit up.
Jayce placed the glasses on the bedside table and gathered his partner in his arms.
“It’s best you don’t move on your own now, V.” His words were met with a frustrated grumble from the Zaunite.
“I know you hate being coddled, but you just had a seizure, Viktor. We gotta follow safety precautions, alright?”
Viktor glared at him with tired eyes that held no real malice behind them. Jayce couldn’t imagine how frustrated he must be, even in this state of exhaustion. Viktor hated not being in control of his body. He hated the pitying glances topsiders sent his way, hated being seen as incapable, weak, fragile.
But in Jayce’s eyes he did not find that familiar look of pity. There was only love and caring in the man’s eyes.
Viktor’s gaze softened as he was laid onto the bed.
“...I’m tired, Jayce.”
“You can go to sleep in a minute, alright? I just need you to swish this around your mouth real quick. It’ll help your tongue.” He handed Viktor the glass of warm saltwater.
The man took a swig, grimacing at the salty taste before spitting it back into the glass. By now the blood had stopped leaking from his wound, and it came out of his mouth alongside the water.
“Eugh…”
“I know right? Tastes like shit.” He took the glass. “There’s normal water in the other glass. I also brought pain relief medicine.”
“...The strong kind?”
“The strong kind.”
Viktor swallowed a tablet. “Thank you, Jayce.”
“You don’t need to thank me.”
“Thank you anyhow.”
Jayce left the room to pour out the saltwater into the sink. Now that the adrenaline was fading, he was fucking exhausted.
The thought of going to the lab in the morning tired him, Viktor wouldn’t be able to show up either due to the exhaustion that typically followed a seizure.
Jayce decided he might as well cash in one of their many vacation days, tiredly scribbling down a message to Heimerdinger and sending it off.
When Jayce stumbled back to bed, Viktor had already passed out. He looked calm, relaxed, a sharp contrast to how he looked while in the midst of his seizure. But the heavy bags under his eyes betrayed his otherwise peaceful appearance.
As much as it pained him to admit so, Jayce knew he couldn't take away Viktor's pain. It was a part of him, woven into his bones and engrained in fibers of flesh. But the least he could do was be by his partner's side on nights like these. Be someone for him to talk to, a shoulder to cry on if he wanted to.
With decades of experience dealing with pain, Viktor did not often request comfort. But when he did, Jayce would be right there to provide.
Jayce's hand traced over his partner's cheekbone, thumb brushing the mole above his lips. Viktor leaned into the touch.
Jayce pressed a light kiss to the other man’s forehead and snuggled up against his chest, the steady beating of his heart lulling him to sleep.