video @frankenstein

[jolting]

[It's weird doing this in his pajamas but here it is. And he'd rather be broadcasting from his office, but he's in his bedroom]

My fever broke early this morning, and now I'm wondering if I ever had a fever at all. When I first contracted this virus I was exhibiting symptoms of disorientation and the sensation of intense heat on my skin, along with profuse sweating. But last night I had a very vivid dream and when I woke up, I didn't feel hot anymore.

The symptoms of conflicting sensory perception still persist. And this morning when I tried to eat breakfast, I couldn't taste anything. I'm not sure if this is a new symptom or part of the sensory perception now affecting my taste buds. I'm going to do some experimenting by wearing my glasses. I've also taken a blood sample that I'm hoping to do some work on.

Let's see... [He pauses to scratch his neck] What else? Oh, for those experiencing conflicting sensory perception, I've discovered that distraction works for me. So I read books out loud or draw things, listen to some music... Heavy metal works really well. [He scratches again, now at his elbow] I've walked around my room a few times without getting disoriented. And... um... [He scratches between his shoulder blades]

Uh, sorry. I'm really itchy all of a sudden. Feels a little like that time I got poison ivy. So that's new.

Comments

literally standing by the door, watching him

[winscenario]

You really should be resting, not running experiments.

[ Somehow he doesn't manage to sound as upset as he wanted to, just resigned. Doctors, go figure. ]

Are you sure your fever broke? [ He steps inside the room so he can go check. For all he knows, it could be Victor's imagination playing tricks on him again. ]

[jolting]

You're the one who suggested I catalog my symptoms.

[He scratches his arm] There's a thermometer in my med kit if you want to check, but I feel fine. Except for the itching. Not sure it'll help, but we can try ointment to see how I feel.

[winscenario]

Okay— yes I did, that's true.

[ Jim nods as he makes his way to the med kit, digging out the thermometer. ]

Or a quick shower, if your fever really is down. And stop scratching yourself, or you're gonna get a rash.

[jolting]

I'll keep the water lukewarm so it won't throw off the thermometer's reading. [He scratches his wrist and pauses, rolling his eyes]

You and Lucy are both gearing for careers in medicine.

[winscenario]

I'm getting your temperature first. [ He takes a seat by the edge of the bed, reaching for Victor's shirt. Guiding him to lift his arm, he slides the thermometer into his armpit, then lowers the arm again and waits. ]

Yeah? What did she do? [ He's smiling a little because it really doesn't cross his mind at all that Victor would've let her come anywhere near him, even while completely delusional. ]

[jolting]

She asked if I wanted any water, and she read me the story of her mother's friend Tiana. She gets the stubbornness from both her grandmothers. At least on her father's side.

[He takes out the thermometer himself when it's ready] It's a little high but within normal range.

[winscenario]

Really? That's pretty impressive. She must be learning from you.

[ Victor does have some pretty nice bedside manner. Or he did with Jim, at the very least. He peers into the thermometer, humming. ]

Good. Come on, then. Let's get you in the shower.

[jolting]

Must be. [He couldn’t be prouder] She was a great assistant when you were hurt, too.

Yeah, I’m still going for lukewarm water.

[winscenario]

That's true, she was. But I didn't have some weird nanite virus, so we need to be careful.

[ Jim helps Victor into the bathroom, opening the tap to let the water warm up while he helps Victor out of his clothes. ]

Obviously. We don't want you getting worse again.

[jolting]

According to Stark, it’s a combination of magic and science. So I feel like I can figure it out.

[He sighs, letting James help without protest] Quick shower, right, geliebte?

[winscenario]

Maybe when you feel better, yes.

[ But he's not going to let Victor overdo it, even if he thinks cataloguing his symptoms might help at least distract him. ]

Yes, and I'm not joining you. Just helping out. Not that kind of party.

[jolting]

James... [He catches the man's hands, gently pushing them away] I say this with all the love for you I have: please stop helping like this. It's a little too much, not being able to... turn this into that kind of party.

[He gives James a quick kiss, getting in the shower before he can get more turned on. What? His boyfriend is super hot]

[winscenario]

[ Jim's brow raises, his lips curling into a faint smile. Maybe just a hint smug, too. Not that it's much of a surprise to him how easily he can turn him on, but still. ]

Alright, sorry. I'll wait here.

[ He takes a seat on the stool next to the shower, a dry towel on his lap while he waits for Victor to be finished. ]

[jolting]

[He matches the smile. He doesn't mind being obvious about what James makes him feel]

Hm. This was just an excuse to stare at my wet, naked body, wasn't it?

[Yes, he knows James is there to make sure he doesn't get disoriented or dizzy, but that doesn't mean he won't tease a little]

[winscenario]

[ Jim chuckles, tilting his head slightly and watching Victor through the glass partition between them. ]

Well, I'm not gonna lie to you. It's a pretty great perk.

[ Plus, he misses touching Victor like that. But he's been really good so far, taking care of him. He thinks so, anyway.

Still, no harm if he snaps a quick picture with his phone now, is there? Too late, he did it already. ]

You look good.

[jolting]

[He laughs. He would love to show off a little and shower seductively, but he'll save it for later. Now he just wants to wash the sweat off and stop itching everywhere. Itching usually means the skin is healing, so he's taking it as a good sign]

You know, you've been pretty amazing lately. I couldn't ask for a better doctor, and you're so good with Lucy. I really... I don't know what I'd do without you. Not just with this but with... everything.

Ruby kept me from no dying, but you... [He pauses to turn off the water. This is too important for the shower to drown it out] You brought me back to life.

[winscenario]

[ The conversation takes a somewhat unexpected turn, but it's a rather nice change. Jim sets his phone down on the counter next to him, looking up at Victor, a warm smile spreading across his lips as he hears what Victor has to say.

By the end of it he's gotten to his feet, walked around the partition and stepped into the shower area. If he ends up getting a little wet, he doesn't seem to care. He also doesn't seem to care about any consequences when he cups Victor's neck and pulls him in for a kiss. ]

[jolting]

[Again, it feels like when James was injured and they were missing each other even as they spent every night lying next to each other. But that was Victor being overly cautious. This virus made Victor feel too hot and uncomfortable to be touched in any intimate way.

So yeah, he missed James. When he pulls back from the kiss his eyes are shining. He smirks a bit at the wet places where his body had pressed against James]

I love you, babe. I don't think I could ever say that enough.

[Since James is already wet, Victor will just hold onto him for a while]

Are you sure we're not in space? I feel like I'm floating.

[winscenario]

[ There are a number of reasons why Jim hasn't pushed, this time around. Never mind the fact that he could get infected through a more intimate touch, Victor is definitely not in top shape. Even if he is feeling better now, Jim wouldn't risk his well-being like that.

They can wait. Jim hopes this sickness won't last much longer anyway, and that the fever being gone means Victor has made it through the worst part already. ]

I'm glad, because I could never hear it enough.

[ He smiles, brushing his fingers through Victor's hair, leaning in to kiss his cheek, then his lips again. ]

Mm... floating in the most peculiar way? Do the stars look very different today?

[jolting]

[That gets him to laugh. But all this is a little too much and makes him want to push for more, and he feels physically better but knows he's still not. He breaks away, stepping out to towel dry]

Okay, that settles it. I'm getting back in bed and you're singing to me.

[winscenario]

[ He grins but lets Victor step out of the shower, following after him promptly. His clothes are a little wet now, though, so he just starts taking them off so he can change into something else. ]

That sounds nice, actually. [ He kisses Victor's cheek on his way out of the bathroom. ] And I'm getting the guitar!

[jolting]

Mkay. I'll get settled in bed while you do that.

[See, he can be a good patient when the reward is sexy captain serenading him with a guitar. So he dresses in his pjs again and gets comfy]

[winscenario]

[ Jim quickly changes into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, since he's not planning on going out anymore today. Then he goes to the living room and comes back with his guitar, climbing onto bed and sitting crosslegged next to Victor.

He pulls a few strings and plays a couple chords, then nods at the doctor. ]

So what do you wanna hear first?

[jolting]

[At some point during James's search for the guitar, Victor has slumped over with his eyes closed. Even when the virus was making him exhausted, he'd been stubborn enough to wait until James was at least in the same room before closing his eyes.

Apparently not this time, despite him seeming alert and not tired just a few moments ago]

[winscenario]

[ Well, that's unexpected. Jim brushes his fingers down Victor's face, head tilting. ]

Talk about Sleeping Beauty, huh. [ He figures Victor was just exhausted, so he gets to his feet and walks around the bed, making sure to tuck him into bed comfortably and letting him sleep. Raincheck on the serenading. ]

[jolting]

[With about as much chance of waking up in the near future. Sorry, Jim]

[winscenario]

[ Yes well HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT. It'll probably be until the morning before he realizes something's horribly wrong and he carries Victor back to the hospital to get him admitted.

This has not been a very good month. ]