Sickness, Ailments, and Injuries - Oh My!

The West - Tic Attack

Author's Note: In this chapter Washington has a tic attack. (essentially a bunch of different tics all happening at once for a period of time). I personally headcanon both Wash and NJ to have Tourette. And I headcanon California as having epilepsy, which also makes a brief appearance at the beginning.

The author has Tourette Syndrome and all tics mentioned are ones she actually has.

Warnings: Alaska is handed a beer at the end, but he doesn't drink it on screen. Some tics are described, but not too much detail. Still be careful if you're somebody who picks up new tics easily.

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Alaska did not like the situation he was put into. He had just been hanging out in his room, waiting for Hawai'i to wake up so they could gossip some more. But then Bear, California's Newfoundland service dog, came and got his attention. And Alaska was brought to a seizing California. What happened next is actually still a blur to him. Alaska remembered going to grab Massachusetts to help.

Massachusetts stayed long enough for the seizures to die down, but then he left Alaska alone with California with orders to "keep an eye on him". Which would be fine, if Alaska knew what exactly that entailed. He preferred his isolation, and as a result was not educated on basic first aid for seizures and tics and diabetes and whatever other issues the lower 48 lived with.

And that's how he found himself lounging on the couch in the sitting room babysitting a now sleeping California (and his giant Newfoundland dog). The dog actually wasn't too bad, though Alaska was worried that his weight would crush California at first when he saw the dog lay across his chest. California tried to assure him that he would be fine, that Bear was trained specifically for tasks like this, but it didn't exactly ease Alaska's concerns.

Not that he should be concerned. Who cares what the lower 48 did? Not him. He preferred his isolation and forests. If they wanted chaos and bothering people that was on them.

Alaska checked his phone again. There were messages from the group chat but he ignored those. Massachusetts asked for an update on California's condition. (Fine. Why couldn't he be sitting here watching him?). Nothing from Hawai'i. It was still too early for her to be up. Damn time zones.

"Hoagies. Taylor Ham." A voice came from the basement staircase. Alaska figured it was that one northeastern state. The tiny angry one. Rhode Island or Delaware or Connecticut or something. They were all tiny and angry to Alaska. Texas was tiny and angry compared to him. (Though Alaska mostly just said that because he knew it would annoy the cowboy).

"Hey Alaska. Hoagies." This time Alaska looked over. To his surprise, it wasn't that northeastern state (New York? No. It was New something), but Washington. He was gripping onto the stair banister like his life depended on it. "Could you, cows and hoagies, move that chair closer please?"

Washington pointed to one of the loose chairs they had in the sitting room. Usually Alaska would just tell him to do it himself, but he didn't like how shaky Washington was. Alarm bells were ringing in Alaska's head. Was this guy about to have a seizure too?

Alaska set the chair closer to the stairs, but still far enough that a seizure wouldn't send it flying down. Washington sat in it with a sigh. His right arm smacked his right thigh. And his neck did a weird twisty thing. Although he didn't personally believe in the supernatural that strongly, Alaska eyed the bottle of Holy Water that was sitting on one of the bookshelves. He was not about to mess with demonic possession today.

"Hoagies. Ghoul Boys. Let's go." Washington mumbled. He also took a few very weird and very deep breaths, almost like he was about to choke on something. It returned to normal after a few seconds though.