Ludwig falls sick during the holiday ceasefire and Klein is too worried to leave him alone while he goes to visit his hometown, so he asks Johann for a house call instead.

—————

“You’re sure you’ll be alright? You’ve already been sick for four days.” Medic waved off his assistant’s concern. “I’m fine! Go on, you have a plane to catch,” the doctor insisted, brushing the blonde off dismissively. He cleared his throat, trying to discourage the cough that scratched at his chest. He’d make himself some tea later. Klein hesitated, a twinge of concern in his eyes. “You’ll be late if you keep standing there. Ms. Pauling is waiting for you,” Medic insisted, nudging his partner towards the door. “Raus!” Klein huffed and shook his head.

“Fine, fine, I’m going. But please…” Klein turned back to him. “Take care of yourself. I can’t look after you from Berlin,” he half joked. Medic coughed lightly and nodded, glancing away. “Ja, alright. I promise,” he relented, giving a small smile. He tried to ignore the slight ache between his ears as Klein reluctantly turned to leave. The doctor shifted his attention back to the tools he had been sorting.

“See you in the new year, Ludwig,” Klein offered cheerfully as he left the medical bay. Medic smiled softly at the sound of his name and bid the man farewell as a few flurries of rare snow began to tap against the windows.

————

“Something on your mind, Klein?” Ms. Pauling’s voice shook the blonde out of his trance as set his bags in the car. He sighed and shook his head. “Nein, I’m fine,” he insisted. He hesitated for a moment, before turning back to her. “Actually, would you mind if I borrowed your phone? I’d like to make a call.”

The woman shot him a confused glance, but simply shrugged and handed him the phone she always carried. “Better make it quick though, you have a flight to catch,” she reminded him. He nodded. “Danke, Ms. Pauling. I only need a moment,” he assured her, stepping away momentarily.

————

Medic coughed harshly as he sorted through the bottles in his cabinets. His headache had worsened, despite the ibuprofen he’d swallowed earlier. He ignored the aches as he worked, occasionally brushing Archimedes or Sappho aside when the doves distracted him. Sappho seemed especially insistent on staying perched on his shoulder. The dove always got rather clingy when Klein was on leave. Medic reached a hand up to stroke the bird’s feathers, smiling gently. “Well, he can’t bring you onto a plane, Sappho,” he said lightly when the dove ruffled her feathers. She chirped indignantly and fluttered off to the rafters with the other doves, Archimedes trailing behind. Medic rolled his eyes and turned back to his project.

He rolled his sleeves up as he reached to sort through another box of supplies. He coughed tiredly and stretched his aching back. A wave of dizziness passed over him and he shut his eyes against it, leaning against the table. Medic cursed under his breath and reluctantly set the box aside, his body forcing him into submission. Archimedes fluttered down and settled onto his head, tugging lightly at his master’s hair in an attempt to guide the doctor to rest. Medic grimaced and nudged the bird off. “I’m going, I’m going. You’re learning too much from Sappho and Klein, you know,” he scolded the dove halfheartedly.

He abandoned his task for now and slowly made his way to his room, suddenly noticing just how much his body ached as well as his head. He felt hot, yet he occasionally shook with chills. For a brief moment, he felt a bit guilty for not keeping his promise to Klein. He chuckled softly as he threw a pair of pajamas on; if his assistant were here, he’d probably be getting an earful. Medic grit his teeth as his head spun, forcing him to kneel. If he stood any longer, he felt as though he might black out. The doctor let himself lean against the wall of his room, coughing harshly.

He groaned tiredly and ran a hand through his hair. He sighed and closed his eyes, resting his head on his knees in hopes it would stop spinning. Even crossing the short distance to his bed felt like a monumental task at this point. In his foggy state of mind, he didn’t register the sound of footsteps out in the medical bay. The doctor drifted into an unsteady sleep, slumped against the wall and shivering.

—————

The rustle of sheets and far off sound of a voice stirred him to a half awake state. His body protested consciousness and threatened to pull him back to sleep, but he blinked and tried to focus. “You should be resting. Go on, back to sleep with you.” The voice, gentle and quiet, seemed insistent. The doctor felt a hand on his forehead, refreshingly cool compared to his own body; he leaned into the touch, sighing and closing his eyes again. “Klein…?” Medic rasped tiredly, his voice ragged from sickness and sleep. He vaguely registered the person speaking again as they settled his blankets around him, but was too exhausted to try to make out what was being said. He drifted off shortly, back to his fevered dreams.

—————

Something soft touched his cheek, and the doctor grimaced, annoyed at the disturbance. A soft chirp brought him back to the world of the living to find Archimedes perched on his pillow beside him. The dove was preening his feathers, occasionally fluffing them and ruffling himself to his liking. Medic groaned tiredly and rolled over to sit up, suddenly noticing that he wasn’t on the floor. Had he dragged himself into bed at some point? He frowned and coughed harshly, startling Archimedes. The dove fluttered across the room to land on a coat rack. The doctor cleared his throat and stretched, grimacing at the aches in his limbs. The sound of approaching footsteps suddenly caused alarm to flare in his mind.

The rest of the team had left for the holiday. The only living things left on base were himself and the various pets the team left in his care if they couldn’t travel with them. He clumsily scrambled for something to use as a weapon, stumbling out of bed and snatching a small decorative statue off his dresser. He tried to steady his ragged breathing, the effort of moving almost too much. The door to his room opened and he promptly threw the statue at the intruder with all the strength he could muster.

The other man yelped and ducked his head, narrowly avoiding the flying object. Medic stumbled slightly and leaned back against the wall, his head spinning again. His vision blurred, but he could make out a familiar blue vest. “What the hell are you doing here?” he growled, though he wasn’t sure if it came out that way because he was angry or because he was sick. “Get out of my medical bay, Johann!” He ignored the shaking in his legs in favor of glaring at the BLU doctor.

Johann held up his hands in an offer of surrender. “Relax! I’m here to heal, not harm. Eheh, this time at least,” he insisted. The feverish doctor watched him like a hawk as he picked up the little statue and the bottle of pills he’d dropped when he’d ducked out of the way. “Your assistant made a housecall, Ludwig,” Johann explained, upon noticing the man’s confused expression. Ludwig rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly; typical of the blonde to get overly concerned about a cold. “Well it’s not needed. Go back to your base. I’m fine on my own,” he insisted, staggering back to sit on the edge of his bed. Johann seemed far from convinced and crossed his arms, grinning smugly. “I’m sorry, but do you normally sleep on the floor? Is that what you mean by ‘fine on your own’?” Ludwig’s annoyance wavered, replaced by a sheepish avoidance of the other doctor’s gaze.

“You have the flu, not some simple cold, Ludwig,” Johann pointed out, setting the statue back in its place. “You were so delirious with fever when I arrived that you mistook me for Klein.” He fixed his glasses on his nose and gestured to the bed. “Get back into bed. You’re in no condition to be up and about. I’m certain Klein would insist the same, wouldn’t he?” Johann asked, a light tone in his voice. Ludwig coughed and ran a hand through his hair, but didn’t protest; he felt too miserable to be in a fighting mood for long. And, as much as he hated to admit it, the other doctor was right. He reluctantly shuffled himself back onto his bed. Johann gave him a pleased smile and set the bottle of pills on his bedside table.

“I trust you won’t throw anything at me this time?” he joked lightly. The glare he received quickly shut down the teasing. “I’ll be back in a moment,” he continued, meekly stepping out of the room. Ludwig glared after him for a moment more before sighing and letting himself collapse onto his pillow. The aches in his limbs had made themselves very well known and his head swam with fever. Everything was too hot and yet too cold. He weakly curled up on his side, trying to will away the misery of illness. Or at least, will it to go terrorize his rival instead. He didn’t notice he’d nodded off again until Johann’s voice dragged him back to consciousness.

A gentle hand touched his forehead and he groaned softly when the doctor carefully rubbed his back. “You can sleep after you’ve gotten some medicine in you. It’ll help with the fever,” Johann said firmly. Ludwig grunted irritably and forced himself to sit up. “You don’t need to treat me like a child, Johann,” he grumbled as he took the offered water and pills. The BLU doctor chuckled warmly and shrugged. “Well you certainly act like one,” he insisted. Ludwig scoffed and shook his head, downing the medicine quickly and setting the rest of the water aside. He flinched at the aches in his arms as he did so.

“He worries about me too much, don’t you think?” The question caught Johann off guard and he gave the other doctor a quizzical look. “Who does?” he asked, tilting his head slightly as Ludwig shifted himself into a more comfortable position. “My assistant. He cares so much, to a fault sometimes,” he replied with a weak laugh that gave way to a coughing fit. “Even his dove won’t let me be when he’s not around,” he added, pointing to where Sappho sat perched beside Archimedes. He cleared his throat to stop another cough. Johann simply smiled. “He’s certainly still stuck to the Hippocratic Oath then, isn’t he?” he said, chuckling softly. “More so than you, doctor,” Ludwig shot back, emphasizing the last word with dripping sarcasm. Johann stifled a laugh and shrugged. “Guilty as charged!”

He looked back at his patient for a moment, finally observing him in the morning light that now dappled the room. Ludwig looked far worse in daylight than in the dimming twilight from the night before. The doctor’s face was flushed, his hair slightly damp with sweat and far from its usual neat appearance. He shivered slightly on occasion and Johann could see him tensing up in an attempt to contain them. His breathing was audibly ragged and harsh, broken by coughing every so often. Johann frowned and furrowed his brow, a look of concern on his features.

“Are you done staring at me?” Ludwig asked, startling the doctor out of his trance. Johann stammered an apology. “Es tut mir leid,” he apologized, stopping to tuck his patient’s blanket back into place. “You just look much worse in daylight.” Ludwig started to protest at being insulted but the doctor cut him off. “What I meant is, I couldn’t properly assess your condition last night. It was dark and you were barely conscious, so beyond making sure you weren’t dead, I couldn’t do much,” he explained. “Should have led with that, then,” Ludwig jabbed, though his exhaustion drained the comment of any real anger. He settled down and rolled over, curling up slightly under his blankets. Everything hurt and his throat felt as dry and raw as the desert they fought in, but at least the medicine was slowly beginning to dull the aches. He could feel himself growing drowsy and Johann noticed it too. The doctor simply settled himself into the armchair in the corner, with a book he’d picked out from Ludwig’s office, to keep an eye on his patient as the feverish doctor nodded off into unsteady rest.

——————

Johann set his empty mug down with the softest clatter, watching as Ludwig’s chest slowly rose and fell while he slept. The sleeping man groaned softly when Johann pulled his blanket back over him. The doctor smiled softly and ran his hand through Ludwig’s hair. The latter seemed to relax into the touch, weakly leaning into it as Johann brushed stray locks back into place. He stopped for a moment to press his hand against the doctor’s forehead, satisfied to find that the medication was doing its job. Ludwig grumbled sleepily and slowly blinked awake as Johann withdrew his hand.

“Was ist los…?” the exhausted doctor rasped, reaching up to rub sleep from his eyes. “Oh, I didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep if you like,” Johann insisted, a hand on his companion’s shoulder. The RED doctor shrugged it off and stretched, cracking a few stiff joints. “I’m fine. I have the whole ceasefire to sleep if I want. Though right now all I want is a shower and some tea,” he complained, stifling a cough. Johann glanced at his watch. “And you need to eat something too. It’s nearly noon and I’m assuming you haven’t eaten since dinner yesterday,” he pointed out. Ludwig waved a hand dismissively as he set his glasses back in place. “Later, maybe,” he muttered. He shuffled himself out of bed and grabbed a fresh change of clothes from his dresser before ambling off to the bathroom. Thankfully, Johann knew better than to try and follow him, despite the look of concern on the man’s face as he passed. The sick man closed the door behind him and flipped the water on.

Johann huffed and shook his head. “Stubborn arsch.” He rounded up the empty mug and headed for the base’s kitchen. He had figured out the building’s layout quickly; the rare occasions he’d visited during other ceasefires certainly helped. The doctor noticed one of the doves following him through the halls and made a face. “You’re not very sneaky, you know,” he said to the ball of feathers as he and his apparent companion crossed the threshold into the rec room. The dove simply followed him in and settled on a dining chair; he could see now that it was the small one Ludwig had called Sappho, Klein’s dove. She preened her feathers as Johann washed and dried the mug. He glanced around the kitchen, unimpressed.

“Well, it’s not my kitchen, but I can adapt,” he muttered, more to himself than anything. He dug around in the cabinets and fridge until he managed to scrounge up everything he had been searching for. Chicken, broth, rice, and some veggies, along with a pot to cook everything in. Sure, it was a fairly simple recipe, but Ludwig needed to eat something and soup would probably be the best bet. He set to work, chopping veggies and stirring a few spices into the broth. Sappho seemed particularly interested in the carrots and even dared to flutter a little closer. Johann gently waved her away. “The recipe does not include feathers!” he said sternly. The dove scampered back, but still watched him intently as he worked.

Soon enough, he was happy with the soup he’d made and portioned some out into a bowl. He grabbed the fresh cup of honeyed tea he had prepared for his patient in his free hand and headed off towards the medical bay once again. Sappho followed him, eventually fluttering down to land on his shoulder. The bird’s sudden presence startled him slightly, but she seemed content where she was and remained there as he returned to Ludwig’s room. He placed the tea and soup down on the bedside table as the other doctor emerged from the bathroom, trying to clear the steam from his glasses. He glanced up as he caught the scent of the soup.

“You need to eat something. Soup seemed like an easy choice,” Johann offered as the man sat on the edge of the bed. Ludwig gave him a look. “You didn’t need to-would you rather I have just left it to you? Would you even have the energy to make yourself a meal?” Johann interrupted, and suddenly Ludwig felt like a child in trouble. He looked at the ground sheepishly, rubbing his neck. “Er, well… Danke, Johann. I do appreciate it, really,” he said softly. He coughed and reached for the tea, which Johann handed to him. The doctor smiled gently as his sick companion sighed tiredly. “See? It isn’t so bad being cared for after all, is it?” he teased, chuckling softly. Ludwig rolled his eyes but otherwise ignored the comment.

He cautiously tasted the soup, noting the steam still rising from its surface. He found himself pleasantly surprised. He expected the familiar artificial flavors of the condensed soups MannCo favored for rations, but this tasted so much better! The ill doctor only then realized just how hungry he actually was and quickly ate a few more bites before a stifled giggle from Johann stalled his actions. “I guess that means it’s good, ja?” the doctor asked, smiling. “At least this means your appetite is fine.” Ludwig swallowed his mouthful of soup and cleared his throat, composing himself. “Ach, ja, I suppose you were right after all. Did you make this?” he asked, gesturing to the half empty bowl. Johann made a face and nodded. “Of course I did! How you all can eat that disgusting canned slop is beyond me!” he hissed, grimacing at the thought. Ludwig actually laughed, then promptly wound up in a coughing fit. Johann looked worried for a moment and put a hand on the man’s back. “You’re worse than the Spies,” Ludwig smirked and Johann huffed irritably. “If you weren’t my patient, I’d slap you,” the BLU doctor grumbled, crossing his arms. His patient struggled to keep from smiling as he ate the remainder of his food.

“Well, now you’ve at least eaten something, so hopefully that will help. You should still take it easy though. Stay away from work for at least another day,” Johann insisted, tapping his fingers against his arm. “And yes, that includes paperwork,” he added when Ludwig started to ask. The doctor reluctantly agreed to Johann’s terms, nodding slowly. He dragged himself to his feet, pulling one of the blankets with him, and started for the door. “Hold on, where are you going? I just told you not to overdo it!” Johann protested, a hand against the other’s chest. “I’m going to check the weather reports. That snow is only supposed to get worse,” Ludwig explained. He smiled fondly and added, “Maybe there’ll be a white Smissmas after all.” Johann hesitated for a second, but relented and let him go. “Fine, but I’m staying with you, to keep an eye on your condition,” he insisted, following the man back towards the rec room.

Ludwig plopped himself down on the ragged couch and switched on the tv, flipping through channels until he found the weather forecast amidst all the Smissmas films and parade coverage. He coughed and frowned slightly. “In an unprecedented weather event, Teufort has received a whopping foot of snow and more is expected in the overnight hours!” The news anchor’s voice boomed as they gestured to a brightly colored weather map behind them. Johann watched from the kitchen as he cleaned up. He glanced up to one of the high windows in the base and noticed large flakes sticking to the glass. “Johann?” Ludwig glanced over to him and the doctor blinked in confusion. “Ja? Are you alright?” Ludwig nodded and waved his hand dismissively. “I’m fine. Can you do me a favor and go look outside?” Johann cocked an eyebrow but reluctantly nodded and left the room.

He returned not a few moments later, a bit of ice in his hair and around his coat. He shivered a bit as he brushed it away. “We… appear to be snowed in. I can’t get the door open very far and even if I could, it’d be asking for frostbite or hypothermia going out in that.” He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself. “And the wind is terrible!” Ludwig sighed and coughed a bit, sipping what remained of his tea to soothe his throat. “It can’t be helped then. Even you’re not crazy enough to go out in a blizzard,” he joked, smirking when Johann pouted and hopped onto the other side of the couch. The BLU doctor shivered slightly as the chill remained and Ludwig simply threw part of the blanket over the man’s legs. Johann thanked him and smiled softly.

Ludwig turned his attention back to the tv, which now showed one of the country’s many Smissmas parades. He always thought it was a bit over the top, with all the lights and glitter and tinsel, but he enjoyed hearing the bands play. Johann inched closer to him, trying to claim more of the blanket for himself; Ludwig let him. The doctor was content to watch the parade for now. It did well to distract from the gradually returning ache in his limbs and scratching in his throat.

He reached for his tea again, only to notice Johann shifting closer to him and curling up beside him under the blanket. The man looked exhausted and half asleep by this point. It seemed like he could barely keep his eyes open and he really couldn’t. The warmth of the blanket lulled him into a sense of security against the chill of winter in the base. Ludwig shook his companion lightly. “Johann, are you feeling alright?” he asked, a twinge of concern in his voice. Johann gave a half nod. “Just tired. I was up all last night. I was worried about you,” the doctor admitted, sighing tiredly. “You… You stayed awake all night for my sake?” Ludwig asked, turning to look at the doctor. Johann simply nodded and Ludwig let out a laugh. “No wonder you’re falling asleep,” he teased. Johann managed a noise of protest, barely. He let his head fall to Ludwig’s shoulder; Ludwig didn’t shove him away.

The RED doctor smiled softly and shuffled slightly to let the man lay down, his head resting in his lap instead. Johann blushed slightly at the position but was too exhausted to protest further. Ludwig covered himself and his companion with the blanket, letting his arm rest against Johann’s chest. The tired doctor quickly drifted off to sleep as the snow came down outside. Ludwig smiled to himself and simply returned to watching tv.

———————

It was some time before Johann stirred, but some rest had done him good and he certainly felt much better. He rubbed sleep from his eyes and glanced up to see Ludwig had fallen fast asleep and was snoring softly. The sleeping man hardly moved when Johann cautiously sat up, stretching a bit. Ludwig grumbled something in his sleep and shifted slightly. The tv still droned on in the background, now playing some old Smissmas movie that everyone’s seen a hundred times before. Johann watched, smiling warmly. The movies were cheesy and mediocre at best, but it was the tradition of it he liked. He suddenly stifled a yelp of surprise when arms pulled him back. A hand on his head stalled any protest before he could say anything.

“You’re warm, stay here.” Ludwig’s voice was raspy and low; the man was clearly still half asleep. Johann tried to protest, but gave up quickly as Ludwig settled his head against the doctor’s shoulder. He chuckled softly. “Were you always this touchy, or is this Klein’s doing?” He felt Ludwig tense slightly and he reached up to playfully ruffle his companion’s hair. “Relax! I won’t tell anyone. He is rather adorable, isn’t he?” Johann grinned, chuckling at the slight blush that dusted Ludwig’s face. “He’s… fine,” the doctor said slowly. “But I would appreciate it if you would stop flirting with him every ceasefire.” Johann sensed thinly veiled irritance behind the statement and smirked; Ludwig was rather telling after all, whether he knew or not. “Ach, you’re no fun at all! You never let me do anyone,” he pouted. Ludwig cocked an eyebrow. “I think you mean ‘anything’. Your English isn’t that bad,” he pointed out. Johann smiled innocently. “Oh no, I know what I said and meant it,” he replied lightly, smirking at the face his colleague made. “I bet he’d be fun in bed!”

Ludwig shoved the doctor off of him and back to his own side of the couch. “And just like that, you’ve ruined the moment. You could at least pretend to have a sense of decency,” he grumbled with a cough. Johann put a hand to his chest in mock offense. “I have decency!” he protested with a flourish. Ludwig scoffed and reached for the mug of tea he’d forgotten about. “You’re discussing my assistant’s… personal characteristics and how you’d like to sleep with him,” he said monotonously. “And with his ill mentor, at that.” He frowned slightly upon noticing the lack of tea in the mug and moved to get up, but Johann stopped him and took the mug. “All I’m saying is, it’s your loss if you don’t-ow!” A swift slap with a pillow was enough to dissuade the doctor’s fantasy. “Alright, alright! Kidding, I’m kidding!” he grumbled, though he couldn’t keep the smile off his face.

He hummed softly as he made another mug of tea for his patient. Ludwig shuffled off the couch after him. “I’m going back to the medical bay to feed the doves,” he offered when the doctor started to ask. Johann nodded as he brewed a second cup of tea for himself. The ill doctor ambled away, still wrapped in his blanket against the chill of the base. Johann spared a glance to the windows again, which were now thoroughly encased in ice and snow. He could just make out the grey sky beyond and saw the flakes whipping around in the gale. “So much for a break in the weather,” he mumbled to himself. He gathered up the two mugs and made his way back to the medical bay.

He found Ludwig back in his office, leaning over a table with a hand on his head. The man’s face was contorted into a pained expression. “Ludwig!” Johann scrambled over to him, abandoning the tea in favor of trying to find out the problem. “What happened? What’s wrong?” Johann asked, putting a hand on the man’s shoulder. Ludwig groaned softly and shook his head. “Just a dizzy spell. I’m fine,” he replied through gritted teeth. “I’m fine,” he insisted again when Johann gently guided him back towards his room, though the ache in his head caused him to grimace.

“You’re not fine. You’re in pain and you need to rest,” Johann insisted as Ludwig sat back in his bed. He pressed a hand against the man’s head, despite his patient’s disapproval. “Well, at least it feels like your fever is getting a bit better. Wait here, and don’t move. I’ll be back.” Ludwig waved him off dismissively, but complied and remained in bed. Johann returned a moment later, setting the cup of tea down beside his patient. He held a thermometer out to the doctor. “Here,” he insisted. Ludwig made a face. “I’m fine, I don’t need to-ach!” He glared at Johann, but kept the thermometer between his teeth until it chimed. Johann seemed to relax slightly as he set the device aside. “Your fever’s broken. With any luck, and if you actually listen to my advice, you’ll be better in a short time,” he assured his patient. Ludwig scoffed, but didn’t protest further; the ache in his head still had yet to pass.

“Did you still want your tea?” Johann offered, holding one of the mugs out to him. Ludwig stifled a cough and nodded, taking the offered mug. “Danke,” he mumbled, sipping the still warm tea. Johann settled into the armchair with his own tea. “Take some more ibuprofen for that headache,” he said plainly, nodding to the bottle of pills that stood on the small table. “I will be alright. It’s fading now, slowly,” Ludwig replied, waving the man’s concern off. He shifted and shuffled under his blankets, trying to keep warm as his body tried to readjust. He sighed and slumped back against his pillow. “Try to get some rest if you’re tired, Ludwig,” Johann coaxed. Ludwig ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not that. I’m just bored. I would read something, but focusing too closely on things is what caused my head to start aching in the first place,” he explained, watching as Archimedes fluttered about the room. He took off his glasses and set them on the table.

“I could tell you some stories,” Johann spoke softly, but enough to break the quiet that had settled over the room. Ludwig tilted his head to regard the man with a puzzled expression. “Was?” Johann huffed and continued. “If reading exacerbates your headaches, then listening shouldn’t be as problematic, ja?” he pointed out, leaning forward slightly. Ludwig hesitated and shrugged tiredly. “We can also just talk. I’m sure you’d love to brag about whatever you’ve implanted in your Scout this week,” Ludwig said with a smirk. Johann scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Ach, I couldn’t talk him into any new surgeries before he left for Smissmas! I think he’s still mad about the kangaroo pancreas,” he pouted, tapping his foot. Ludwig chuckled and stifled a cough. “Well, then tell me about that. Klein is less than enthusiastic about our shared hobbies,” he admitted, fondly recalling a particular interaction. Johann immediately brightened up and promptly launched into a lecture that might have rivaled the stuffiest of scientists. Ludwig smiled, answering questions when asked or occasionally contributing his own ideas on a particular topic as the afternoon passed quickly.

——————

“And the next time he died, his bones fell out! Right on the battlefield!” Johann giggled, trying his best to contain the fit. He fixed his glasses from where they had fallen slightly, still smiling. Ludwig gave him a smile in return. “He was fine after Respawn, at least. I am not sure a boneless Scout would do much good,” he pointed out, chuckling at the thought. Johann nodded and started to tell another story when his stomach suddenly growled loudly. He stammered an apology and laughed nervously. “Ach, I suppose you’d like dinner as well?” he asked, a slight blush on his face. Ludwig nodded in agreement and crawled out of bed. “Ja, bitte,” he agreed. He thought for a moment. “Especially if it’s more of that soup,” he added, smiling gently. Johann grinned and nodded. “Of course! I’ll have to leave the recipe with you. I’m sure Klein would be glad to try out a new dish as well!”

The two doctors chatted lightly as they walked, Ludwig trying to stifle coughs here and there. “Go on, I’ll get dinner sorted,” Johann insisted, gesturing towards the couch. “I can help if you like. Really, I’m feeling a lot better and- ah, ah! Doctor’s orders. Raus!” Ludwig started to protest, but the doctor cut him off. He huffed and frowned, reluctantly dragging himself over to the couch. Johann smiled proudly as he set a bowl of homemade soup in his patient’s hands. The man nodded his thanks as they both dug into their meals.

“If you’d rather not sleep in the office, you’re welcome to have Klein’s room for now. Hm, if you don’t mind Sappho’s nest in the corner,” Ludwig offered, chuckling softly. “A bed would certainly be better for your back.” Johann blinked and glanced up at him, a bit surprised at the offer. “I… I appreciate the offer. Danke, and you’re right,” he admitted, stretching his back a bit. He certainly preferred a bed over the stuffy couch in the office anyways. A shower sounded rather nice as well; it crossed his mind that he hadn’t had a chance to take one since before his arrival the previous night. “You can borrow a change of clothes if you want to have a shower as well,” Ludwig said calmly, stirring his soup a bit. Johann stuttered something and blushed slightly, prompting a confused expression from the other. “Was?” Ludwig asked, tilting his head slightly. “Ah… well,” Johann stumbled over his words and trailed off. “Danke,” he said softly, failing to hide a small smile. He looked away, though Ludwig could still see a slight blush on the man’s face.

“You’re easily flustered for someone usually so forward, Johann,” the doctor observed. He stifled a cough and cleared his throat. Johann scoffed and crossed his arms. “Oh, shut up!” Ludwig smirked and Johann nudged him in retaliation. “If you’d rather sleep in your vest and slacks, then be my guest. But at least sleep where you’ll be more comfortable,” Ludwig insisted, trying to stifle a yawn. Johann’s expression softened and he smiled gently. “You’re exhausted, you should get some rest,” he instructed, gesturing back towards the medical bay. Ludwig wanted to brush him off, but he had to admit the man was right. It was barely past seven, but a full stomach and aching limbs were very convincing in the argument for sleep. At the very least, curling up underneath the blankets sounded more than appealing. He simply nodded in agreement and followed the doctor back to his room.

——————

Johann shut the water off and dried his hair, roughly brushing it into place with his hands. He sighed softly, having been relaxed by the warm water. He pulled the slightly too large shirt over his head, smiling to himself. It reached past his waist, nearly covering his shorts completely. The red color certainly looked strange on him, in his opinion at least, but at least it was more comfortable to sleep in than his usual attire. He stepped out quietly, shivering slightly in the chill of the bedroom, and glanced at his colleague.

Ludwig had quickly fallen fast asleep, his back turned to the doctor. He was happily burrowed into his blankets and snoring softly. Johann smiled and shook his head slightly as he started for the door. A thought occurred to him, and he hesitated, considering it. “You did say to sleep wherever I’d be comfortable,” he purred, grinning to himself as he turned on his heel. He carefully slipped into bed beside the sleeping doctor, who seemed not to notice anything amiss. He tentatively wrapped an arm around Ludwig’s chest and drew him closer, the warmth of contact slowly lulling him to sleep. The doctor sighed contently and drifted off soon after, curled protectively around his companion.

——————

Johann awoke to the sounds of the doves fluttering about, impatiently demanding breakfast. He made a small noise of discontent; were those birds always so annoying? At least his plants didn’t complain. He shifted slightly, suddenly aware of a weight on his shoulder. He glanced down to find Ludwig’s head there, resting comfortably against him. The doctor was still fast asleep, loosely holding onto him. Johann decided to let him stay, smiling softly as he ran a hand through the man’s hair. Ludwig sighed contently in return and relaxed into the other’s touch.

When he wasn’t working, when he didn’t have that constant grumpy expression, he was actually sort of cute. Johann chuckled softly; if he ever actually said that to the man’s face, he would certainly get a bonesaw to the ribs for it. Ludwig never had taken to his flirting before, to his disappointment, but he’d quickly moved on to other pursuits instead. Still, he’d be lying if he said he minded the closeness they shared now. The battlefields were not the most open of places, certainly not open to the idea of two men sharing a bed in any sort of way. He huffed in what could be taken as a laugh. Ludwig stirred slowly and blinked awake, withdrawing his hand from its place on Johann’s chest.

They were silent for a moment before Ludwig broke it. “You… slept here,” he said slowly, his voice still a bit hoarse from sleep. “You didn’t seem to mind,” Johann pointed out, his hand still tracing mindless paths through the man’s hair. “I was cold sleeping alone. Your base isn’t as warm as mine,” he lied. Ludwig laughed softly and sat up, stretching. “You could have asked. I wouldn’t have minded. Klein sometimes does the same- er, ja, the base is colder some nights,” he cut himself off, blushing slightly. Johann smirked childishly. “And I’m sure that’s all that happens when he’s in your bed, Ludwig,” he teased, his voice laced with sarcasm. Ludwig glared daggers at him and he stifled a laugh. “Oh lighten up, you two are cute together!” Johann beamed. He crawled out of bed and stretched, pleased that his back didn’t bother him at all. Ludwig stammered something and avoided the man’s gaze.

“You’re quite lucky, I wish I could find someone in our line of work. The men at the bar and the women in town are, eh, less than interested,” Johann said with a nervous laugh. Ludwig gave him a confused glance. “Was? Oh! You didn’t know?” The half asleep doctor shook his head. “Nein, but I’d be lying if I said the possibility hadn’t crossed my mind. It would certainly explain you flirting with anything that moves,” Ludwig smirked as he clambered out of bed to get dressed. Johann crossed his arms and shot him a glare. “Rude,” he hissed, though there was little more than slight annoyance behind it. Ludwig simply laughed as he adjusted the collar of his shirt.

“You’re feeling much better now, ja? You certainly seem more energetic,” Johann observed. Ludwig nodded and set his pajamas to the side. “Ja, danke. I… appreciate the help, even if I didn’t want to accept it in the first place,” he admitted, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. “Would you like some breakfast? My treat this time, as thanks,” he offered, gesturing towards the door. Johann nodded enthusiastically, ignoring the slight ache in his head, and gladly followed his companion to the kitchen.

By the time Ludwig had set a plate of pancakes before him, his headache had worsened and there was a persistent scratching in his throat. He poked at the food, eating only a few bites here and there. “Johann?” Ludwig’s voice startled him out of his daze and he turned to see the doctor watching him, a look of concern in his eyes. “Are you alright?” Johann hesitated, trying to settle on an answer before ultimately giving up. Ludwig was as good a doctor as he was, and would doubtlessly see through any lie about his condition. “I… I don’t feel well,” he muttered, his voice small. He shrugged slightly and gave a nervous laugh. “I think you got me sick too,” Johann said softly. Ludwig sighed and shook his head.

“Well, let’s get you back to bed then. We certainly don’t need it getting any worse,” he insisted. Johann nodded meekly as the doctor guided him back to the medical bay. Ludwig placed a hand against his forehead and made a displeased sound. “You’re feverish as well. Wait here, I’ll be right back,” he instructed, gesturing to one of the beds that lined the wall of the medical bay. Johann nodded and tried to make himself comfortable under the thin sheets until the medic returned. Ludwig returned quickly with some water, a bottle of medication, and a few extra blankets which he offered to the shorter man. “These should help, since you get cold easily,” he offered, settling the blankets over his patient. Johann smiled and thanked him, his voice a bit hoarser than before. He took the medicine offered to him and downed it with a few sips of water.

Johann settled in amongst the blankets, grateful for the protection they offered from the chill. He sighed tiredly, inwardly chastising himself for falling sick when he was supposed to be the doctor, not the patient. “That medicine will make you drowsy, but it helps to take it when symptoms first appear. That way you don’t end up like me, sick for nearly a week and with an assistant who makes unauthorized house calls to the rival Medic,” Ludwig chuckled, setting Johann’s glasses on the bedside table.

Johann gave a weak laugh. “Ja, you’re not a very good patient,” he smirked as drowsiness pulled at him. “Oh, shut up! You’re hardly a professional doctor either. What sort of doctor sleeps with their ill patient?” Ludwig asked, crossing his arms. The sudden look of realization on his face made Johann giggle and Ludwig cursed under his breath. “That’s not what I meant and you know it!” Johann grinned halfheartedly. “Ja, but it’s still funny to see you get all flustered. And besides, I find it comforting to be close to someone. I imagine Klein feels the same way, does he not?” he asked, smirking when Ludwig cleared his throat and stared at the floor.

“Humans are simple; to be comforted is a common thing to want.” Ludwig hummed and nodded his head. “Ja, well, you’re under the influence of heavy medication, so forgive me if I take your ramblings with a grain of salt.” He placed a gentle hand on Johann’s shoulder. “Get some rest, will you? You look like you’re ready to fall asleep,” he teased lightly. Johann gave a small nod in return. Ludwig was certainly right in that regard and sleep sounded so, so nice. “Stay?” he asked softly, weakly reaching out to the doctor. The man nodded, smiling gently.

“Whatever helps, Johann,” Ludwig promised, drawing a hand through the exhausted doctor’s hair. Johann sighed contently and soon let himself fall into the warm embrace of sleep.