CONTENT WARNING: pure fluff, implied established relationship, reader has the flu, very self indulgent, dottore trying to be nonchalant, no pronouns used.
WORD COUNT: 774
NOTES: hi!! i wrote this lil drabble on a whim because i am sick and i am thinking about dottore >< enjoy!
You heard Dottore before you could see him, a click of his tongue and something muttered under his breath as footsteps drew closer and closer to the shared bed you lay on, buried beneath a thick crimson blanket. Inside was your trembling body—feverish and weak.
“You over exerted your body.” Another click of his tongue, then, the side of your bed dipped beneath his weight as he carefully sat down. A few metallic clinks here and there, and his bare palm was flat on your forehead—gloves taken off—you groaned at his icy touch, brows knitted together.
“Dottore? I thought you’d left for the laboratory already . .” You croaked, throat dry and scratchy from the lack of hydration. You looked up at him from past the blanket, he had his pointed mask on yet you could see disdain on his face from the way his lips formed a thin line.
“And leave you behind? That would be ridiculous.” At his words, you let out a humourless laugh, appreciating that he had decided to stay in with you today. You could only imagine the dilemma he was in, deciding whether to be in the laboratory or keep you company.
“And why are you laughing? You’re sick. That is no laughing matter.” “It’s only the flu.”
Dottore didn’t reply, instead, he picked up a steaming bowl from the wooden night stand, “Come, sit up and let me feed you.”
“I can do it myself, you know.” “It’s eleven o’clock in the morning, you haven’t moved an inch since I left early this morning.” Once more, he clicked his tongue and this time, you obliged without further tease. With Dottore’s help, you managed to sit up and lean against the plush headboard, albeit your head felt a little heavy.
Dottore gathered an appropriate amount of soup on the spoon, he blew on it a couple of times and you watched with slight haze as steam wafted away. “Here.” He muttered, bringing the cutlery close to your lips. You opened your lips and he gently fed you, warmth slowly embraced your mouth and flavour sat on your tongue. And that’s when you realised how hungry you actually were.
Dottore observed your tired face, how it lit up even just a tiny bit at the taste of food, “Hm. You shouldn’t neglect your appetite.” He lightly scolded but you knew he meant well, he always did especially when it came to you.
“You know, Doctor,” You started, a rather mischievous smile spreading upon your lips. “You can just admit you’re worried about me instead of insulting me.” Tease laced your tone and to rile him up even further, you feigned hurt by putting a hand over your chest, lips locked in a small pout.
“I am not insulting you. I was just . .” He trailed off, catching on to your playful banter. Dottore shook his head in disbelief but you saw the way the corner of his lips curled upwards ever so slightly.
“This soup won’t eat itself on its own.” The next few minutes consisted of silence and the repeated act of Dottore spoon feeding you. His eyes never left your face—he made sure you didn’t choke and that the broth was the perfect temperature before you happily ate it. With each spoonful, Dottore’s worries slowly faded away bit by bit, at least your appetite wasn’t gone or else it’d be a real worry to him.
Soon enough, the bowl was empty and put away; while Dottore cleaned up in the kitchen, you obliged his instructions before he left the room: ‘Drink your medicine.’
A few minutes later, he walked inside your shared bedroom, straight to your side of the bed, “How are you feeling?”
“All better now that my oh-so-capable Doctor is here to take care of me.” You smiled, Dottore met your tease with a humourless laugh. He may not have found it funny but the way his lips stretched into a subtle smile told you all you needed to know—that he liked what he heard.
“Is this Doctor also willing to keep me company and cuddle with me beneath the blanket?” You extended a hand. Silence remained for a second or two before he let out a defeated sigh,
“ . . . Yes, of course.” He planned to finish laboratory reports in his study after feeding you but he guessed spending a little more time with you wouldn’t be a hindrance. No, you’d never be a hindrance.
Dottore was a man capable of unspeakable atrocities but when it came to you, he was as gentle as the morning breeze.
And definitely succumbed to your words like the lovesick fool he was.
♡ : Pantalone loves bathtime. He loves picking you up and burying his face into your chest. You’re so soft, and you smell nice even without all of his fancy body washes and perfumes.
♡ : He prefers baths over showers. He’d much rather sit down with you and snuggle rather than stand the whole time. The bathtub in his personal bathroom has built-in heater jets, so the water will never cool down. His bathroom has all sorts of fancy stuff that regular citizens could only dream of having installed. It’s a shame that you hardly ever use most of them. Perhaps he’ll install something tailored to your simpler taste.
♡ : Oftentimes, when he’s combing conditioner through your hair, or rubbing body wash across your back, you’ll fall asleep on him. Your eyes will droop, blink slowly, and then you’ll rest your head on his shoulder, cuddling up to him unconsciously. It’s so cute :( he’ll let you rest for a while while he finishes preening himself. Afterwards he’ll pick you up and carry you off to bed.
♡ : Pantalone absolutely adores sleeping nude with you. He curls into a ball and squeezes you, enjoying the rise and fall of your back against his stomach. If you happen to wake up, you’ll flip over so you’re facing him, leaving tiny kisses all across his neck and on his hands. He always smiles at this. Well…smiles wider than he usually does, anyway. He just loves you so much :( you’re so precious to him. If only you could see yourself the way he sees you.
For several years, Viktor’s leg caught my eye—specifically, I was searching for an official diagnosis and struggling to find something that fit him. After years of speculating, I believe I've found his condition's proper diagnosis and name.
Viktor has a rare and severe case of femoral anteversion in his right leg.
What exactly is femoral anteversion? It is a condition in which the femur rotates, causing the knees and feet to face inward rather than forward. This can impact one or both legs. This condition usually resolves on its own, but more severe cases require medical intervention such as leg braces, therapy, and surgery in more extreme instances—however, this condition is treatable.
This condition impacts children, typically the result of trauma, fetal development, or genetics. Viktor was likely born with this, which would propose that he’s either genetically predisposed to it or the result of a tough pregnancy.
This small scene is an excellent example. It’s only several seconds long, but here we can see that his leg is rotated inward, and he corrects it to face forward—which pains him as he visibly winces—all while Jayce speaks.
It’s noticeable when he’s a kid. You can see how his leg twists and faces inward and how his foot catches on the heel of his other foot, which causes him to trip. In episode 8, while he runs on the dock, he almost trips from this issue again before catching himself and sprinting. Viktor also has an in-toe gait; his step curves as he walks, while his other leg does not.
His leg brace, which we see in Act 2, serves one primary purpose: to force the leg to rotate and face the proper direction. However, at this stage, his condition has been left untreated for so long that it is progressing and showing a drastic impact on his entire body that the leg brace will not fix. It also makes mobility even more challenging for him, with difficulty bending and extending his leg.
This condition can throw the entire body out of whack if left untreated. It can cause pelvic issues, osteoarthritis, spinal decompensation, labral and chondral damage, hamstring-originated tendinopathy, and even weakening of the abdominal muscles, as well as a wide range of spinal problems. The feet, hips, and back are significant body parts that work together; if one is bad, the rest will suffer.
Viktor would require a femoral derotation osteotomy; however, given the severity of his condition and how other parts of his body are now significantly impacted--such as his pelvis and spine, we now have more complications on our hands and that's not even touching on his unnamed lung disease.
There's still so much I could discuss here, and perhaps later, after work; I have a handful of notes I've taken about this and how it all just ties together for Viktor, and honestly, it has been really fun to look at and analyze.
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