A Pain in the Neck

Posted on Sat Jul 8th, 2023 @ 3:29pm by Lieutenant JG Sol & Lieutenant Magnus Volsung

1,385 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The devil wears tripolymer
Location: Sickbay

[ON]

With his neck feeling no better now than it did the day before, Lieutenant Magnus Volsung had decided to go to sickbay. It wasn't something he wished to make a habit, but seeing as it was quiet he had made the choice to go. It wasn't really embarrassing, sometimes people just woke up with a stiff neck. And he knew it was a sign of aging. Or too much exercise, but he wouldn't admit to that.

The lights were bright in sickbay as he walked in, something that Magnus still wasn't used to. Artificial lights could affect his eyes, but it was only due to growing up without anything except a flame to illuminate the night. He stopped a doctor, studying him for a moment. Vulcan, by the looks of it. The eyebrows, the ears. The stubble was unusual, so maybe not fully Vulcan. Even so, reminded him of the stories of his childhood. Even after these years, he was still awed about the life the universe had. "Doctor?" he asked, raising a hand in greeting. "It's nothing serious, so if you are busy I will book an appointment."

"No," Doctor Sol stopped, running his gaze over him for a long moment. "It is literally my job, if that helps to put you at ease?" he added drily, quirking an eyebrow.

Magnus chuckled at that, nodding as he walked towards him. "It's a stiff neck. Can't seem to shift it and it's...annoying," he admitted, meeting his eyes.

"And can also be a symptom of many things, you were right to come," he motioned for the man to follow him to a biobed, taking a tricorder out ready. "If only other crew members were so diligent."

"I work in Security..." he said as he followed Sol, moving onto the biobed. Out of habit he undid his uniform jacket. "And I am old to know I don't sleep off things like this anymore." He studied the other man, his eyes drifting to his ears.

Sol caught the direction of his gaze before lifting the hand scanner to move across the back of his neck and shoulders, looking to the tricorder in his other hand. "They are from Vulcan..."

He chuckled, ducking his head slightly at the words. "Yes, I...am aware of that," he admitted, feeling heat rush to his cheeks. "It just reminds me of...tales from my childhood, that is all. I am always in awe of meeting different species."

Sol's hand paused at the words and he lowered the instruments, logging the readings even as he watched him. "Are you going to say elves?" he asked bluntly.

Magnus cleared his throat, a small smile coming to him. "Ljósálfar..." he said, using the Norse word for Light Elf. "I am going to guess you've heard it so often that if it was a recommendation, you'd be a Rear-Admiral by now."

"Not how I would have put it," he reached for a hypospray, slotting the vial in. "But the comparison works," he pressed it to his neck, to offer some pain relief. "Now, what have you been doing to aggravate your neck?"

"I slept," Magnus said with a small chuckle. "I slept awkwardly and woke up with a stiff neck. Luckily, I know you won't snigger at that."

"Vulcans do not 'snigger'," Sol agreed lightly as he set the hypospray down. He reached to touch his neck, his fingers pressing down the back of it to where it became his shoulder blade, working his fingers with a careful judgement of strength. "How long do you train?" he asked, not bothering to ask the Chief *if* he trained.

Magnus closed his eyes, exhaling as he bowed his head. "Two hours before shift, one hour after," he said quietly. "If I have the day off, I tend to do more, but on the holodeck. And it depends on what I want to do as to what training I do. It can be hand to hand, or obstacles, or fighting, or strength and agility training. I..." he paused, unsure if the doctor, the Vulcan, was interested. "At times, I just do simulations on the holodeck with manual labour, fishing, hunting or fighting. Or all."

Sol stilled, watching the back of his head with a bemused expression. "Manual labour?" he asked, holding his hand in place on the back of his neck. "I *know* I did not mishear you. I cannot recall any patient that has listed that in their training regime."

"Chopping wood, fishing, plowing the land...building a house? All of these are good for the body to build strength," Magnus smiled as he closed his eyes. "I grew up doing it. It...helps when I need to put something out of my mind to examine later."

Sol quirked an eyebrow with something close to surprise, but he started to work the muscle and tendon with his fingers and thumb again. "Pain is the body's way of telling you that something is wrong."

"At my age, I hardly need a reason to ache," Magnus joked before he let out a breath. "Maybe I need to do more stretches." It felt nice with the hands on his neck though, that line between discomfort and it just feeling...good.

"What you need is not to do hours of manual labour," Sol said firmly, with the world weariness of a doctor who knew that what he was saying was instantly going to be ignored by the human.

"Not even one?" Magnus asked as he turned his head to look at him, smiling. "You should try chopping wood. My experience with Vulcans lends me to believe you'd be handy with an axe."

"Why should I want to chop wood?" Sol asked him, clearly perplexed with the suggestion. "Warmth and food are provided by much less primitive and more efficient means. The last time I checked, a starship is not made of wood either."

Magnus chuckled at that, giving a weak shrug. "A new experience?" he suggested, before he nodded. "New experiences can enrich a life. Or make you decide that you prefer what you were doing before as a hobby."

"Your shoulder disagrees," Sol replied shortly as his agile and strong fingers worked on the muscle around the base of his neck and top of his shoulder. "If you use regular anti-inflammatories, it may be more cooperative."

Magnus considered it, before he smiled weakly. "I drink rosemary tea, but for some reason I don't think that you were thinking of that. I'll...do something a bit heavier if you can prescribe it to me."

"And I shall," Sol assured him, firmly, carefully lowering his hands, slowly. "How does that feel now?"

He moved his head, slowly, feeling it with a critical look. He finally smiled and turned to look at Sol. "As if the gods worked through your touch," he said smoothly, but the grin was playful.

Sol nodded in a slow, low bow, that managed to say 'of course' and 'you're welcome' at the same time. "If you must self-medicate with hot infusions, I would suggest green tea or rosehip tea."

"Rosehip is nice. Works well with rosemary too, I will not give that up," Magnus said before he nodded to Sol. "My neck feels a lot better, doctor. And it is much appreciated."

"Take an anti-inflammatory once a day, come back here for physiotherapy every two days and then we shall see in two weeks how it is. I shall know if you do not heed my instructions," Sol replied, quiet seriously, although he watched him with the very faintest raise of an eyebrow.

Magnus nodded, getting off the biobed as he met his eyes. "And what is the punishment for not following the instructions?" he asked, but it was playful. He'd follow the advice, he wasn't stupid. Doctors were far more educated on the body than he'd ever hope to be.

"Time off," Sol replied without hesitation, knowing full well that most chiefs were workaholics who were allergic to any extended period of time not working.

Magnus laughed, unable to stop it before he nodded, grinning as he watched him. "Wow, okay, straight for the killing blow. Understood, I will follow the instructions to the letter."

OFF:

Lieutenant Magnus Volsung
Chief Security

&

Dr Sol
Medical

 

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