"Hey Scout, what's the matter with ya?" The Sniper hollered from his nest, meters away from where the Scout was doubled over, his vision blurring around the edges and a dull ache teasing his muscles.
The Scout shook his head fiercely trying to shake away the blurring.
"Nothing! Keep your eyes on the point, dumbass!" He yelled back before cracking open a can of Bonk Atomic Punch and chugging it down. The Scout shivered in delight as the ache faded away and his vision seemed magnified as the BONK coursed through his veins.
With a wild woop, the Scout drew his bat and pelted straight into the throng of battle, unaware of a figure lurking nearby who had also noticed something was wrong with the RED Scout.
The RED team were victorious and that evening the whole team were in high spirits. Even Soldier, who for a change was not lashing out at individuals for not making enough effort in battle but was playing cards with Demoman, Engineer and Sniper, laughing loudly as the Engineer cracked jokes.
The Heavy and Pyro were sat on the squidgy worn couch watching a black and white movie that was in Russian on a small battered television. The Heavy translating what the actors were saying to Pyro, who nodded enthusiastically and gave muffled signs of approval when he liked something that happened.
The Spy, as per usual, had slunk off straight after dinner, probably to visit the BLU Scout's mother who had recently moved to the neighbouring town in order to stay close to her son. The Medic had excused himself, explaining that there were papers that required his attention, much to Heavy's disappointment.
The Scout was outside, running laps around the RED base. The energy from the BONK still strumming through his veins. The Scout loved the way he felt when he ran. His legs thumping against the ground, kicking up sand as he propelled himself forward, his speed causing the chilly evening wind to whistle through his hair.
Mostly he was silent when he ran; though sometimes he'd woop excitedly as he sped across the sand, leaving tracks in his wake. Today however he just revelled in the feel of the wind blowing against his skin.
However an hour after he had began running, the Scout began to feel the tell-tale signs of rain beginning to fall. He turned on his heels and headed back round to his base entrance not before the heavens opened and rain splashed down, drenching the Scout as he pelted inside the RED base.
The Scout doubled over as he entered the base, breathing heavily as he felt the lingering effect of the BONK finally leave his system so that the hazy vision and muscle ache came back in full force accompanied by a burning pain in his chest and hot flushes. The Scout groaned as the symptoms hit him and began to trudge his way to his room before Soldier came to yell at him about tracking clumped sand inside.
The Scout began to sway slightly as his vision continued to deteriorate and his door came into view. Almost there. The Scout thought, before he heard the sound of heavy boots thumping against the wooden flooring of the corridor and a firm hand grip his shoulder.
"There you are, Herr Scout," the Medic sighed using the hand holding the Scout's shoulder to turn him around so that he could inspect him. "Now, you wouldn't happen to be sick now, would you?" The Medic asked pressing the back of his ungloved hand to the Scout's clammy forehead and tutting in vague annoyance as he felt the Scout's temperature.
"Get off man, I ain't sick," the Scout grumbled, attempting to pull away from the Medic only for his vision to worsen and his leg to suddenly give out without warning. The Medic gave another sigh as he scooped the irritable Scout up in his arms and walked down the corridor and opened the door near the end on the left.
"Where we going?" The Scout asked groggily as he tried to blink away the blurriness of his vision.
The Medic stepped into the room and closed the door behind him before he answered. "We are in mien room. It's closer than the infirmary, so you'll be treated quickly," the Medic explained as he pulled the sheets back on his bed with one hand and settled the Scout in the bed after removing the young man's dirty shoes and replaced his wet clothes with one of his own shirts.
"Leave my tags!" The Scout exclaimed when the Medic attempted to remove them. The Medic looked at the Scout for a moment before deciding that it wasn't worth it.
"Right Scout, I'm just checking you temperature," the Medic explain as he opened a draw and pulled out a long glass thermometer.
"Open wide, Scout," the Medic requested as he pressed the thermometer against the Scout's lips. The Scout complied without question and the Medic set it beneath his tongue.
"Keep that there for a minute while I look for mien stethoscope," the Medic informed the Scout as he began to search the cabinet he kept his spare medical supplies in.
After the minute was up, the Medic took the thermometer from the Scout's mouth and inspected it.
"I knew it, a fever. You'll have to stay here under mien care for a while, Herr Scout," the Medic fussed as he picked up the stethoscope and placed it round his neck.
The Medic pulled back the sheets and attempted to open the Scout's shirt only for the Scout to push the Medic's hands away with a groan and try to pull the cover back over himself. The Medic pulled the covers away again placing himself beside the Scout on the bed and tried again to open the shirt only for Scout to resist once more.
"Scout, I need to listen to your heart and lungs. Just let me open your shirt!" The Medic exclaimed as the Scout continued to fight him.
"I don't want you prodding and poking me. I wanna sleep," the Scout whined groping around for the covers. The Medic paused for a moment before grinning menacingly.
"Now, Scout. You'd best let me do this or I'll resort to injecting you with some serum to get you to comply," the Medic commented sweetly, picking up a small needle and a bottle of liquid. The Medic hid a laugh as the Scout's eyes widened as they focused on the needle.
"Nah doc, come on. Keep that thing away from me!" The Scout gasped as the Medic dipped the sharp tip into the liquid and drew some of it into the needle.
"So, will you let me use the stethoscope, or shall I jab you with the needle, mmh?" The Medic asked letting the needle drift towards the Scout.
"Alright! Alright! Use that stetho-thingy! Just get that thing away from me!" The Scout yelped, wincing away from the needle.
The Medic chuckled as he set the needle down and opened the Scout's shirt to place the stethoscope against his chest. He listened to the Scout's erratic heartbeat and made a mental note to attempt to lessen his BONK intake, "Your heartbeat is a little fast for someone your age and stature. Probably due to your taste in beverages, no doubt," he commented as he shifted the stethoscope to the left.
"Breath in for me Scout," the Medic asked and listen to the runners lungs as the Scout breathed it.
"Now breath out," He instructed, listening closely to the left lung. The Medic moved the stethoscope to the right, "and again please," he requested and listened again as the Scout breathed in and out.
"Thank you, Herr Scout. It wasn't so bad now, was it?" Medic chuckled lightly as he placed the stethoscope on the bedside table. The Scout only grumbled in response and glared at the Medic.
"Well, your chest sounds fine except for your slightly fast heartbeat. So I feel that I should keep you from battle for the next week at least and prescribe bed rest and antibiotics," the Medic explained pulling a small box from his cabinet.
"Come on doc, can't you just sap me with that medi-gun of yours and fix me up?" The Scout huffed, displeased at the idea of being stuck in bed for the next week.
"Nein. The medi-gun is for external injuries, not for attacking viruses," the Medic retorted sharply, leaving the room for a few moments and returning with a glass of water.
"Now sit up, you need to take these antibiotics as soon as possible," the Medic instructed the Scout, who grumbled yet complied with the Medic's request. The Medic snapped two capsules from the packet and placed them in Scout's hand and passed him the glass of water.
The Scout grimaced but threw the little white and red capsules into his mouth and gulped down the water before handing the empty glass back to the Medic.
"Now can I sleep? Or are you going to prod me some more?" The Scout muttered grumpily as the Medic set the glass on the bedside table.
"Ja, you can sleep now, Scout. I'll wake you when it's time for your next dosage." The Medic said as he got up and pulled the cover back over the Scout and turned his back to put away his equipment. The Scout snuggled into the pillow and smelt the faint smell of aftershave and antiseptic that lingered on it.
A smile curled up the corner of Scout's lips as he let his eyes droop and fell asleep almost instantly.
The Medic turned around to check on his patient after he had cleaned up, and felt himself smile at the sight of the usually loud, obnoxious Scout, sleeping silently. The Medic walked over and sat in the chair beside the bed and sighed as he brushed the errant strands of hair from the Scout's forehead.
"Always kicking up a fuss over the littlest things, aren't you Scout?" He asked softly letting his fingers linger against the Scout's burning forehead for a moment before retracting them. He picked up the book that sat upon the bedside table and opened it, letting himself be occupied till the Scout needed to be woken.