The Pack and Sidemen Oneshots

Minilan- Arthritis

Lachlan's P.O.V.

I booked a doctors appointment on a complete whim, because I had this gut feeling that something was wrong, a little more wrong than I was telling myself. I had been convincing myself for months, maybe even years that nothing was wrong, I was just imagining these pain and aches and stiffness and swelling and it didn't need attention.

It started with stiffness in my joints, specifically in my knees and ankles to the point where I was finding it difficult to walk after a long time sitting down recording or when I got up in the morning. My brother pointed out, while trying to stifle his laughter, that I walked like an older man, hobbling from side to side and occasionally limping but I brushed it off.

Surely it couldn't be anything, could it? It was surely just a side effect of sitting down too long or lying awkwardly.

Over a period of a few months it started to get worse though. The stiffness evolved into swelling and pain and it spread from my knees and ankles all the way up to my wrists, elbows, shoulders and neck. There was visible swelling in my neck in one of my videos and that was all the comments could talk about, and what caused it.

The other thing I noticed was my difficulty in using my mouse and keyboard. There was quite a bit of pain in my wrist and fingers and I found I couldn't type or use the keyboard fast enough, half the time I couldn't even click the mouse properly. It was so frustrating.

But still, I ignored it. I went down from one video a day to a video every two days, started eating healthier and exercising more and although it certainly helped my mental health, it didn't help the pain. Going on daily walks temporarily stopped the pain, but the second I stopped moving the pain started and occasionally it was so bad that I cried from the pain.

The doctors appointment I had booked was during the visit of Vikk and the rest of the Sidemen, and the day before I brought it up around Vikk while Simon was in the room.

"I'm going to the doctors tomorrow morning, think you can man the fort while I'm gone?" He nodded and didn't say anything more, but then Simon piped up from around a hot mug of coffee.

"What for? Is it just a check up?" The tips of my ear went red and Simon went red too when I saw my embarrassment, but I still answered his question.

"I've been having trouble with joint pain and swelling for what... like a year now? I figured it was time to work out what was going on, so I booked an appointment." I shrugged, trying to make it appear like I really didn't care but inside I was screaming with embarrassment.

"Oh. Alright." Simon was still red, and he didn't say anything more.

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Simon came to my room later that night, knocking gently on my door before coming in. I was lying on my bed, wincing every few seconds because of the joint swelling and pain that was so severe that I could hardly even turn my head. I waved my hand in acknowledgement, the only body part I could move.

"Hey Simon." I mumbled. "Sorry, bit sore right now."

He came and sat down on my bed, rubbing my arm gently and comfortingly.

"Hey I'm just... I'm sorry for asking why you were going to the doctors, it was insensitive I know. I just... didn't really think about what I was saying." I winced but tried to give a smile, sighing because I couldn't hold up the mask any longer.

"It's alright Simon, you didn't kn-" I groaned, wrinkling my nose. "You didn't know."

"Have you taken some painkillers?" I nodded.