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Vi had meant to tell Steb. Really, she did. After all, walking around with what is probably a concussion sucks... Especially when she knows it puts her at higher risk for a seizure than she already is.
Oh, yeah, it's probably important to mention this: Vi has epilepsy. She's not exactly sure what from , but based on a vague mix of shitty genes and being clocked in the head as a kid a little too often, it's not that hard to narrow down the causes. She typically gets absence seizures or tonic-clonic seizures. The latter she finds to be the worst variety of seizures.
Shit, she forgot. That's okay though, nobody can see how her pupils are different sizes when she's wearing her gas mask. She doesn't like medical examinations anyways.
Oh, she forgot again? It's okay, Steb's been busy helping the people of Zaun get away from the Grey anyways. She shouldn't distract him.
Rinse and repeat for a few days until Vi gets a familiar fuzzy feeling in her head… Vi chalks it up to not having eaten since yesterday afternoon. She's been busy, afterall. Very few people in the team have actually had a real meal in the past twenty-four hours.
Well, to be fair, Vi knew it was going to be a Bad Day™ as soon as she got there. She’s pretty sure she had an absence seizure during the explanation of today's mission. Or at the very least, she zoned out so hard she missed bits and pieces of information. Steb started watching her closer after that first instance.
Then, during lunch, Vi had another . Apparently she had made a chewing motion without having anything in her mouth, because Maddie had teased her about being tired. Vi had laughed along. It must've looked stupid. Steb’s eyes basically burned holes into her back for the rest of the day.
And now, on her way back, Vi feels the tingling and aching in her muscles. She chalks it up to fatigue. That is, until she hears a groan in her own voice, and starts falling to the ground. God fucking dammit is her final thought as she crashes to the ground.
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Vi would've laughed at the way three out of four of her teammates are huddled together in the nearest corner… If she wasn't hurting so much!
She was rolled onto her side at some point, her mouth hanging open slightly as she wheezes and tries to not choke on her own spit (she's already embarrassed enough).
Vi doesn't really remember what happened, just knows that she Should Not™ be on the floor. But she is, and with how badly her limbs are aching, Vi can make a vague guess as to what happened.
Steb uses one hand to pull her upper eyelids up a little, and shine a light into them. Vi wonders where his other hand is until she notices that he used his hand as a cushion for her head. She's grateful for that. Vi hopes she didn't accidentally hurt him. Steb frowns and sighs, clearly not liking whatever he saw in Vi’s eyes, but doesn't say anything when he pulls the light away. Vi doesn't think she's ever really heard him talk before. Well, there's a first time for everything.
“Is… Is she alright ?” Maddie squeaks, poking her head out from behind Loris. Being the youngest on the team, Loris and Steb have taken to being a bit more gentle with her. It explains why she's hiding behind Loris, but Vi isn't so sure if she's cut out for a job like this.
“Lost whatever braincells she has left, but yes. Other than a concussion, she's not wounded.” Steb casually remarks, shifting to grab a handkerchief. Damn. Sharp tongue for such a chill guy.
Vi looks to Caitlyn. The woman is wearing an unreadable expression. Her outward expression is calm, yet Vi can see the subtle tremble in her fingers. As if sensing her eyes on it, Caitlyn clenched her hands to keep them from shaking. Vi internally winces. Caitlyn may have read through her prisoner files to get Vi out of Stillwater, but they never gave her the health section of Vi’s folder. They do that for every prisoner. It has to be specifically requested for it to be handed out, solely because otherwise, Stillwater would've been shut down for disorderly conduct.
Vi looks to Loris. His expression is genuinely calm. He had a daughter at some point, one who had seizures too. Loris helped her through a seizure once, so that must be why he seems so much calmer. He holds Maddie back from crowding Vi, and has a heavy hand on Caitlyn's shoulder. To remind her that Vi is okay , even if Caitlyn hadn't known Vi has seizures sometimes.
Steb looks more annoyed than anything. He sends her a scrutinizing glance, in which he determines that Vi knows she has seizures, and has known long before meeting him. His people reading skills are nearly scarily good. Despite his vague annoyance, Vi can feel the slight tremble of his hands as he dabs the spit away from her chin. Taking care of a civilian is different from your own. Vi would apologize if her voice would work. He must sense the tremble in Vi’s limbs, because he hushedly asks.
“Is this a post seizure thing, or an I’m about to have another seizure thing?”
“Fir… ‘ne.” Vi croaks, taking a moment to cough harshly. “First one. I'm good.” She reiterates afterwards. Steb watches her a moment longer, his eyes searching hers in a way that only a medical professional with ages of experience can do. Then he turns to pack up his stuff, nodding in approval when she moves to get up.
Vi slowly sits up, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck as she croaks once more. “Uh, I may have forgotten to mention that I have epilepsy…?”
Steb shoots her a mild glare. More of a mother's what the hell did you do look, rather than a true annoyed look. Loris strides over to help Vi onto her feet. “Anyone else have secret medical conditions they'd like to alert me of?” Steb remarks.
Damn. Sharp tongue.
Maddie pipes up. “I have an allergy to latex!”
Steb adds “ latex free everything ” to a shopping list of sorts with a long sigh.