Hey! This oneshot was requested by DaydreamingPotatoes! Thankyou so much for your request!
Alrighty, onward!
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The Red Plague.
It was a disastrous and devastating illness that swept across Vesuvia, killing many. Those who suffered from it saw the scleras of their eyes turn scarlet. The loss of appetite sickened them further, resulting in weight loss and malnutrition. The fits of coughing and the high fevers let patients fatigued.
There had yet to be any recoveries, any cures.
During the outbreak, doctors were working frantically to find a cure to help the sick. In the city-state of Vesuvia, the teams of doctors were lead by Quaesator Valdemar, who had been appointed by Count Lucio to find the cure to save him, along with countless others.
Working in the medical dungeon under the palace was none too pleasant. The atmosphere of the room itself was vile and depressing. The "offices" the doctors were assigned were cramped and dingy, with little space for just one person. The "rooms" for ill patients were even smaller.
The doctors who laboured tirelessly day in and day out were usually exhausted from the hours, anxious about catching the disease themselves, and emotionally distraught from all of the pain and suffering that was going around.
Despite this, however, there was one doctor's apprentice who remained positive. Dr in training, MC. They came to work every day with a positive and optimistic outlook in spite of the dreary conditions and the harsh reality of the plague.
MC got on well with everyone. Well, almost anyone.
While all of the doctors and patients were fond of MC's uplifting presence and bubbly personality, the Quaestor themselves was put off by MC's cheerful disposition.
The Quaestor was peculiar. They had a strange fascination with the plague, more specifically, the death that ensued. They were amused by the corpses and "specimen" that filled their dungeon. They weren't *really* interested in finding a cure. They wanted to study the death that followed.
Naturally, seeing someone come into the dungeon with a smile on their face and a spring in their step everyday was equally unsettling and fascinating to the Quaestor. Since they weren't sure how to respond to the constant positivity and cheer, they became hostile and mildly threatening in an attempt to elicit the "normal" responses and behaviours of other doctors.
However, when this cause MC to become even more persistent in spreading positivity, Valdemar quickly learned to simply put up with it.
MC and their kindness quickly grew on Valdemar who became strangely fond of them and their presence. Perhaps MC was looking for a cure, but Valdemar wasn't concerned with the contrast in motivation. No, they began to look forward to seeing MC every day, regardless of their differences.
It wasn't long before Valdemar found themselves purposely finding ways to spend more time around MC, from setting up work next to MC to outright asking for their assistance, even with tasks that shouldn't have required a second set of hands to begin with.
Meanwhile, MC was becoming close with their colleagues, particularly with their supervising doctor, Julain Devorak. As his apprentice, MC naturally spent the most time with him, sharing an office and research notes and of course, learning nearly everything directly from him.
While their relationship remained purely professional, MC and Julian did often chat idly about matters other than work. The similarity in age made it easy to exchange stories and soon, they were even going out for late-night drinks as colleagues and friends.
MC looked up to Julian as a doctor and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him. Similarly, Julian was fond of MC's progress and quick learning, as well as their likeness in positivity to his own younger sister. Because of this, Julian began to see MC as a second younger sibling, and MC too saw Julian as an older brother.
As the resident optimist, MC spent a good chunk of time trying to bring some positivity towards Valdemar. Sure, they thought that Valdemar's obsession with all things dead was a bit peculiar, but they didn't think much of it. Everyone has their hobbies, right?
Before long, MC had grown fairy close to Valdemar, and one evening after work, they invited Valdemar out for a bite to eat. They never saw the Quaestor eat during work hours or take a break, so it was safe to say that MC was concerned for their health.
When MC asked, Valdemar was taken aback by the sudden proposal but ended up agreeing just so that they could spend more time around MC.
The night was a success (although a tad awkward in the beginning) and from then on, the two had an unofficial official relationship.
Their relationship was casual enough and (mostly) professional in the workplace (asides from the times when Valdemar couldn't help but be a *little* too close or "accidentally" bump into MC just for physical contact).
As MC's unofficial older brother, Julian couldn't say he was terribly fond of MC and Valdemar's relationship, but, he did see how happy the two were together, and it made Valdemar a nicer person in general, so he couldn't complain too much (although he was constantly warning MC to be careful of Valdemar and threatening to hurt them if they ever hurt MC).
However, from Valdemar's perspective, Julian was a threat. MC was his apprentice and they spent so much time together. They shared a tiny office, they laughed and talked and went out together. They were practically inseparable and although they wouldn't admit it, Valdemar was jealous.
It was late one night when all of the other doctors had left and there weren't any patients left to take care of when Valdemar lost it.
MC and Julian were, of course, working away in their shared office, but the hour was late and they had lost all real focus. They were chatting away and laughing and Valdemar could hear it all. They were furious.
The office door opened and Julian and MC stepped out, Julian putting on is overcoat and talking with MC.
"I'm going to go the Rowdy Raven for a well-deserved drink. Whaddya say, MC? Care to join me?" Julian asked, looking down at the apprentice.
MC shook their head. "No, sorry Ilya, I'm going to stay here and finish up what I was doing before we got distracted. If you're still there when I'm finished, I'll come by, though," MC politely declined.
Julian nodded and scooped MC up for an all-encompassing hug before he strode out the door.
You could practically see the steam rise from Valdemar's head.
It was abundantly clear to them that MC was more interested in spending time with "Ilya" than with them. If that's how it was going to be, then fine.
When MC left for the night and bade Valdemar goodnight, they receive no reply but silence. Thinking that perhaps they were just tired or stressed out, MC left to give Valdemar their space.
In the morning, when MC came in for work and said their hellos, Valdemar was again silent. This continued throughout the day. The Quaestor ignored MC's positivity, never asked for help, stayed as far away as possible, and if they had to speak at all, they were hostile and vaguely threatening.
MC was hurt. What happened? Why was Valdemar suddenly so cold and distant like before?
Upset, MC confided in Julian, who was ready to kick down the office door and throw hands with the jerk who hurt his sibling. MC, of course, didn't want to incite violence or get anyone hurt and thus forbid Julian from even glaring at the Quaestor.
Since MC was getting nowhere with questions or discussions, they decided to simply live and let live. If Valdemar was going to give them the cold shoulder, then two could play at that game.
MC continued to spend their time with Julian, working and occasionally goofing off. It was when the two were messing around after hours one evening that MC noticed Valdemar's glares.
Then it dawned on them.
Was Valdemar... Jealous?
Curious, MC watched for their reaction whenever they were around other doctors versus when they spent time with Julian,
Sure enough, Valdemar was hostile and angry whenever MC and Julian were having a conversation or saying goodnight at the end of the day.
One night, Julian left alone, knowing that MC was going to talk to Valdemar.
MC shut and locked the door to their shared office and looked around for Valdemar. Not seeing them anywhere, they knocked on their office door.
It was a moment before the door swung open to reveal a very sour-looking Valdemar. If it had been anyone else, their stare would have shaken them to their very core.
MC, unfazed, walked into the slightly larger office without a word and sat on a clear part of the desk.
"So, are you going to talk to me at all, or...?" MC began, looking up at the Quaestor.
Nothing.
MC sighed and hopped off the desk, taking a few steps towards Valdemar.
"What's your deal, Valdemar? Why are you being so distant from me?"
Valdemar just looked down at MC, not saying a word.
"Is it Ilya?"
Their cheeks reddened and their eyes narrowed.
MC smirked, stepping even closer, their bodies nearly touching.
"Are you.... Jealous, Valdemar?" MC teased.
The redness in their cheeks said it all, despite the violent shaking of their head.
"I have no reason to be jealous of Doctor 69," they replied.
"Are you suuure?" MC taunted a little. "You're not jealous that he and I share an office or that he teaches me, or that we spend time together outside of work?"
Valdemar grimaced.
"You don't get jealous when Ilya gives me a hug and walks me home, or when we sit around talking after hours?"
They snapped.
"You care about "Ilya" more than you do about me." They spat. "You're just as cuddly with him, so you can have him," Valdemar looked away from MC.
MC frowned and put their hands lightly on Valdemar's chest and shoulder.
"Valdemar," they began softly. "It's not like that between Ilya and I,"
"Then what is it like, MC?"
"Ilya is like the older brother I never had. He's said it himself. He sees me as a younger sibling. We're just friends, Valdemar, nothing more," MC said.
Valdemar looked back to MC's face, their expression unusually soft. "Promise?"
"Promise," MC said.
"You don't have feelings for him?"
"Never. I only have feelings for you," MC said as they kissed Valdemar on the cheek, making their cheeks flush once again. "Come on," they said. "Let's go somewhere, just you and me, okay? I'm all yours".
And with that, MC lead Valdemar out of the dungeon by the hand to have a night that was completely theirs and no one else's.
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This was such a fun one to write! Thanks again for the request, DaydreamingPotatoes! I hope this was what you were looking for.
Stay safe out there, guys, wash your hands and keep 6 feet apart!
- Fandoms <3