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── .✦ jinx; 

₊˚ෆ jinx didn’t know much about epilepsy before meeting you, admittedly. when you told her that you had it, she was a little dumbfounded. all she knows is that it’s a seizure disorder, not much else.

₊˚ෆ so jinx does one of the things she does best: throws herself into research. you weren’t even dating yet at this point, but she wants to know you better. all of you. she wants to be able to help where she can. it’s a sort of subconscious love language, and she does it unprompted. 

₊˚ෆ she thought at first that epilepsy would only be triggered by flashing lights- that’s what’s most prevalent in the media, anyways. jinx was a little taken aback when she learned that’s only a very specific type, photosensitive epilepsy, so she did further research into other triggers. stress, fatigue, even alcohol consumption. 

₊˚ෆ jinx is also a very much figure-it-out girl, she wants to know the ‘why’ behind absolutely everything. so after finding out what triggers your seizures, she wanted to know why- not out of invasiveness or frustration like some other people might have, just out of genuine curiosity. wanting to know you better.

₊˚ෆ whether for you it’s simply genetic or developmental, or a symptom of an infection, jinx puts in the work to learn how to make things easier. she knows that she can’t rid you of seizures, as much as she’d like to. but she can hold your hand while everything happens and make it more comfortable.

₊˚ෆ you were honestly taken aback that someone put this much care into getting to know you, inside and out.. when jinx first told you about her research, you said, “you don’t have to do all this, you know. most people just take my word for it.” she scoffed and responded, “okay, well, most people are lame.”

₊˚ෆ that being said, after getting over the initial shocks and learning curves, jinx doesn’t bring it up much anymore. she doesn’t want to make you feel like you’re reduced to your condition, instead she makes quiet changes. flickering lights have been a constant in her hideout for years, but she takes initiative to finally change the bulbs and make sure they’re stable. she’s a bit strict about making sure you get all the sleep you need, especially if you’re someone with a busy lifestyle. she’s constantly asking if you’re hydrated enough, and started keeping extra water bottles in her room for you.

₊˚ෆ if you’re on prescription meds, jinx sets alarms on her phone as well as your reminders. she’s got everything memorized by now, and if you’re even an hour late to taking your meds, she gets a little anxious. “baby, you gotta be careful,” she sighs. “i don’t want anything bad happening to you, so you need to stay on top of this, mkay?”

₊˚ෆ she also tries to limit your alcohol consumption. you getting drinks from her place isn’t really a concern, since she’s not much of a drinker herself, but if you go to any bars with her, she’ll tell you to stop after you’ve had two or three drinks. it might get a little annoying at some points, but you know your girlfriend is just trying to look out for you.

₊˚ෆ  “i’m a big girl, you know,” you chuckle, and jinx playfully elbows you before pressing a soft kiss to your cheek. 

₊˚ෆ “i know. never said you weren’t. is it a crime to worry, though?”

₊˚ෆ jinx is an overthinker by nature, though, and she’s always worried about you. she knows that you’re more than capable of handling yourself, but she still can’t help but worry about what’ll happen if you can’t.

₊˚ෆ when jinx was witness to your first episode, she was naturally a little panicked on the surface. inside, she was damn near paralyzed with anxiety, her own demons getting to her and whispering that this is all her fault and she’s going to lose you. her body is working on autopilot.

₊˚ෆ reading about supporting someone with epilepsy was one thing, actually putting it into practice is entirely another. the first thing she does is gently lower you to the ground and move you away from anything sharp or potentially dangerous in her hideout- it’s for this very reason jinx doesn’t let you around her workbench very often. 

₊˚ෆ she cradles your head as she fights back tears, trying not to make the situation any worse than it already is. she takes one of the blankets off her bed or her cloak to put under your head, then loosens any tight jewelry or clothing, before she gently rolls you onto your side once the seizure calms down a little. ₊˚ෆ jinx stays with you the whole time, she wouldn’t even consider leaving your side. “i’m here,” she whispers, over and over like a vice.

₊˚ෆ once you ease out of it, she hugs you tight- “thank fuck you’re okay,” she breathes out, pressing frantic kisses everywhere she can reach. your cheeks, your forehead, your nose, the top of your head, your lips. “don’t ever scare me like that again.”

₊˚ෆ of course, she knows rationally that this is something you can’t control and it’s more than likely going to happen again.

₊˚ෆ with every episode you have, though, jinx gets better and better at recognizing the signs. better at knowing your triggers, just like she knows you- she loves every single part of you and thing about you, health included. she wishes you didn’t have to suffer like this, but she’ll support you through it nonetheless.

₊˚ෆ it becomes routine, eventually. she’s able to stay relatively calm in these situations, although her mind is always running a mile a minute. that’s something she can’t really put a stop to. hurricanes like these are tough to get through, but she’s weathered storms before.

₊˚ෆ jinx does her best to support you after the fact, too, easing your transition into rest and recovery. she monitors your breathing, reassures you that you’re alright and safe. often you’ll get confused afterward, so she explains to you what happened with a steady tone. “you had a seizure. scary as shit, but you’re okay. it only lasted a few minutes, and i stayed with you the whole time.”

₊˚ෆ post-seizure exhaustion is basically a given, so jinx guides you over to her cot or one of her tattered couches to encourage you to get all the rest you need.

₊˚ෆ it’s not the most ideal situation, of course. neither of you want to deal with this, but you have to, and jinx does everything in her power to make it bearable for you.

── .✦ vi; 

₊˚ෆ vi knew a little about epilepsy before meeting you, mostly through chance encounters she’s had and her own research. that being said, it’s all pretty surface-level stuff. 

₊˚ෆ being the oldest in the household, though, and having to oversee the care of so many people, she naturally got pretty good at first-aid. she’s best at patching up wounds and administering medication, but she’s also become an effort at risk prevention and recovery.

₊˚ෆ so meeting you and learning about your epilepsy wasn’t a huge adjustment. she asked you several questions about your triggers, about if you have a seizure plan for critical moments, about what helps you most in those moments. it’s genuine curiosity out of her want to help you, not interrogation. “i just wanna make sure i’m prepared,” she explains, taking your hand in hers and gently squeezing. “tell me everything. even if you think it’s too much.”

₊˚ෆ she does research on her own time, of course. but she values hearing directly from you the most. in her mind, reading up on your condition is helpful, but actually putting it into practice is entirely another thing. she’s more of a hands-on learner.

₊˚ෆ vi made a point to remove risks from her apartment and to make little lifestyle changes. although she struggled with a bender and her own bouts of alcoholism, she didn’t let you get dragged into it. didn’t even consider bringing bottles home, not out of concern for herself, but out of concern for you. 

₊˚ෆ she loves going to music events at local bars and garages, but steers clear of bringing you to any concerts she knows will have flashing lights.

₊˚ෆ honestly.. vi is such a good girlfriend that she lessons the loads on your shoulders by a LOT. you don’t have much to stress over so long as you have her in your corner. it’s unavoidable, though, you have your own stressors in your own life. she talks you through them, though, and tries to help out wherever she can. because of this, stress-induced seizures aren’t as common as they used to be.

₊˚ෆ “i can’t really predict it,” you explain. “it just.. happens. but i’ve been through this so many times, i know what to do. i have a plan. you don’t need to worry so much.”

₊˚ෆ vi hears you say that, she does. but she still frowns and looks at you with those signature puppy eyes, squeezing your shoulder. “i know, i know. i trust you. you’ve lived with this your whole life, after all,” she sighs. “but i still wanna help. i care about you, you know?”

₊˚ෆ your first seizure since meeting vi happened pretty early in your relationship, and it was when you were in public. that was the scariest part for her. pretty quickly, vi cleared a spot for you and lowered you to the ground, cradling your head. she went into panic mode, but quickly had to shake herself out of that headspace. you need her.

₊˚ෆ she shrugs off her jacket and places it under your head, putting her ear up to your chest to make sure your breathing is steady and your airways are clear. she talks you through it, even though she knows you can’t truly hear her. “it’s okay, i’m here,” she breathes. “i’m not goin’ anywhere. you’re gonna be okay.”

₊˚ෆ by the time you come to, the woman finally lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. she holds you tight, tucks your head into the crook of your neck without smothering you. “are you okay? please, fuck, tell me you’re alright.”

₊˚ෆ “i’m fine,” you murmur, although a little dazed. “i had a seizure?”

₊˚ෆ vi chuckles. not at you, just at the situation and the absolute relief she feels. “yeah, baby. but i made sure you didn’t get hurt.”

₊˚ෆ once you’re back on your feet, vi guides you back to her place and immediately makes you get in bed, even if you protest that you’re okay. she climbs into bed beside you, pulling you close to her chest and peppering soft kisses across your face. it isn’t long before you drift off to sleep.

₊˚ෆ once that first episode has happened, vi becomes an expert at handling the next ones. rolling you onto your side, moving you away from walls and sharp edges, grabbing plenty of water to help you recover. she monitors you closely without suffocating you or making you feel like a child. 

₊˚ෆ always maintains a calm demeanor after you come to and speaks to you in a steady tone. confusion and fear are common, you staring up at her wide-eyed. you’re horrified. beside yourself in fear. vi eases your worries and lets you know that she’s got everything handled.

₊˚ෆ on the rare occasion that you do get injured, vi immediately switches into the headspace she rested in for so much of her adolescence and assesses your wounds. cleans them, bandages them, and knows exactly what to do to help you to recover. when you’re stable enough, she gives you painkillers to lessen the burden. 

₊˚ෆ it’s not something either of you look forward to, and she’s so glad to see space between seizures growing. more time passing with your brain giving you a break. but she’s always subconsciously prepared to help you. it’s a part of you, and while she doesn’t love this disorder, she does love you.

── .✦ mel; 

₊˚ෆ being a political figure and someone as influential as she is, mel has met thousands more people than the average person does in their lifetime. given this fact, she’s met a few people with epilepsy and even helped with a seizure or two up close.

₊˚ෆ that being said, she’s never known somebody with epilepsy this intimately. when you told her that you were epileptic, mel was calm and composed. she nodded, with a small “thank you for telling me. i appreciate your trust,” and left it at that. once she had a moment alone, though, she absolutely threw herself into research.

₊˚ෆ she already knows a good deal about epilepsy, she sort of has to. the woman oversees government regulations regarding healthcare, so she’s well-versed in several conditions, even the ‘uncommon’ ones. but again, she’s never known someone with epilepsy this closely. so she wants to understand the ins and outs more, she wants to understand what exactly it looks like in day-to-day life.

₊˚ෆ of course, mel did sit you down. you were a bit nervous at first, biting your lip and twiddling your thumbs, but her warm smile eased your nerves. “i just want to know what triggers your seizures, and how exactly i can help.”

₊˚ෆ no interrogation, and mel won’t push you for any more information than you’re comfortable given. when she finds out your triggers, whether it be flashing lights, stress, alcohol, missed medications, or something completely different, she makes adjustments. lights are steady. mel already makes your life easier by a landslide, but she’ll try even harder to lessen your stressors so you don’t face the risk of episodes as often.

₊˚ෆ mel includes you in every aspect of her life as much as she can. the only area she doesn’t want to get you involved in is her family and her job, given how messy and anxiety-inducing those can get. that being said, she does love having you at galas and charity events! mostly because she finds them boring and it’s nice to have a familiar face with her, lol. 

₊˚ෆ your girlfriend keeps you by her side the whole night, her fingers curling around your waist like they belong there. brushing a kiss to your cheek, leaving golden gloss in her wake, whispering “doing okay?” and you nod. you hate that you have to keep so much composure while in public, especially while mel looks this good. 

₊˚ෆ she makes sure that mocktails are available for you, she couldn’t live with herself if she was indirectly responsible for a seizure. you know your own limits better than anyone, so maybe a glass or two of champagne will fly, but she’ll stop you after that.

₊˚ෆ if you don’t already have an active seizure plan, she’ll help you make one. 

₊˚ෆ with mel’s status, she naturally has access to some of the best care piltover has to offer. she’ll get you in with a good neurology team if you don’t already have one, and she takes part in your care whenever she can. you don’t ever have to worry about how you’re going to find healthcare being with her.

₊˚ෆ she keeps all of your prescription medications in her home as well, that way you’re not constantly having to transport devices and pills from place to place. little things that make your life easier. 

₊˚ෆ the first time mel was witness to an episode, she panicked a bit at first but quickly got her bearings together. she’s done this before, she knows what to do. mel moves you away from any corners or walls, any glass, anything that could pose a danger to you. she clears room for you to lay down and grabs the nearest thing that’ll provide cushion- a pillow, a coat, a blanket, whatever’s most convenient.

₊˚ෆ she rolls you on your side and checks for breathing. she’s CPR-certified with paramedic knowledge, as is a requirement for her job. whatever else she was doing, it doesn’t matter now. the woman stays with you the entire time, dimming the lights and softly whispering to you. “you’re alright, you’re safe. i’m right here.”

₊˚ෆ when you come to, you’re often quite dazed and confused. frantically looking around, while mel places a gentle hand on your chest. “it’s monday night,” she explains. “you had a seizure, just for a few moments. we’re in my house, in my living room. you didn’t get hurt. you’re okay.”

₊˚ෆ once you regain your bearings, mel helps you wash up and helps you get into bed. yes, you’re a grown woman. but she knows you’re likely exhausted and shaken up by what’s happened, so she wants to lessen the burden for you. above all, mel wants you to know this: you’re not alone. you don’t have to be. 

₊˚ෆ replenishing your energy is your biggest priority. mel climbs into bed beside you, letting you rest your head on her chest and listen to her heartbeat as a soothing vice. she cards her fingers through your hair, lightly scraping at your scalp with her manicured fingernails. “thank you,” you whisper, and mel hums. “no need for thanks. i’m here regardless.”

₊˚ෆ after that first episode, mel becomes pretty adept at recognizing signs and harm reduction. that’s not to say she childproofs her home, but she does look out for you. it’s not something she necessarily likes doing, neither of you like this part of your life. but she loves you, and she’ll get through any trouble for you.

₊˚ෆ once mel is made aware of her arcane abilities, one of the first thing she does is hone any healing powers. there’s no fix to epilepsy, she knows that. but if she can make your pain a little more bearable, if she can make time between seizures longer, she’ll do it.

₊˚ෆ mel becomes an expert pretty quickly, you’re her priority first and foremost :) 

── .✦ sevika; 

₊˚ෆ sevika didn’t know much at all about epilepsy before meeting you, besides what’s usually in the media- very little to none, aside from the stereotypes about photosensitive epilepsy. she’s also not much of a social media person and hasn’t actively watched tv in several years, so all of those portrayals of epilepsy are quite outdated.

₊˚ෆ that being said, she’s absolutely willing to learn, and she’s willing to put in the work. when you first told her of your condition, the woman raised an eyebrow and cocked her head a little, asking, “how’s that?” and you laughed before saying, “not good.”

₊˚ෆ of course sevika knows that.. it’s kinda just her way of showing curiosity. she asks questions about your lived experience, how this began, what triggers your seizures and how you usually deal with it- but she doesn’t expect you to do all of the labor of educating her. you’re her girlfriend, not a care specialist.

₊˚ෆ she keeps all of this in mind. and when she goes home, she boots up her computer for the first time in years to start doing some research, slipping on her reading glasses and frowning at the brightness. never again, she tells herself. 

₊˚ෆ she took physical notes, too. mostly to refer back to later, partially so that she doesn’t have to dust off her computer again. she has a whole section for causes and factors that contribute to epileptic episodes, then a section for how to help support somebody with epilepsy, then treatment options (if they should apply).

₊˚ෆ after reading, sevika sits down to talk to you. it feels a bit intimidating, especially since it’s still early in your relationship and sevika as a whole can be quite scary.. leaned forward on the couch over her spread legs, her expression stern as ever, you know that this is her way of showing that she cares. it’s not often that she gets to do it.

₊˚ෆ “yeah, i read. but reading doesn’t get much done,” she sighs, and you nod along. “i wanna hear from you. what helps you, and such.”

₊˚ෆ you were honestly kinda taken aback by how thorough she is in her questions and explanations. you told sevika of your seizure plan and about the care team you have, even gave her the number of your neurologist. doctors are few and far between in zaun as it is, so she’s glad that you’ve found accessible and adequate care. this is something sevika also keeps a physical record, in case she ever were to need it.

₊˚ෆ overall, though, she tries not to smother you. you’re both adults who can handle yourselves. in her mind, you’ve been dealing with epilepsy for way longer than she’s even known you, and you know what to do. she’s there to support you, because she cares, but she also doesn’t want to make you feel like you’re being nagged.

₊˚ෆ she does keep a watchful eye, though. that’s one of her specialties, after all. once you tell her what triggers your seizures and what’ll usually signal an oncoming episode, sevika is ever-vigilant. constantly ready to step in if the situation calls for it. 

₊˚ෆ sevika was first witness to a seizure when you were at the last drop. sitting at the bar together, she ordered you a mocktail and herself a non-alcoholic beer (she didn’t want you to feel alone in not having alcohol, but won’t admit that out loud.) neither of you are sure what started it, given that the lights were steady and you were having a good time, free of anxiety. you just started seizing, and sevika slammed her drink down on the counter to jump into action.

₊˚ෆ her first order of business was getting you on the ground and shrugging off her jacket to lay under your head while she listened for your breathing, then staying with you until you were stable enough to be rolled onto your side. thankfully, crowds began to disperse as people got the hint.

₊˚ෆ the second you were back to consciousness and regaining your senses, the next order of business was to get you the hell out of the bar. sevika left you for just a second to grab a glass of water. then she led you with an arm around your shoulder outside, to a quiet and secluded area, before helping you sit down as you frantically asked questions- tripping over your words, gasping for breath.

₊˚ෆ “you’re okay,” she assured you, voice steady. “we were at the counter and you started seizing. only for a minute. i took care of you, and now we’re outside.” the woman handed you that glass of water she got, which you gratefully accepted. she figured you’d be too exhausted after a seizure to walk back to her place, so she called a cab for you. never mind how ridiculously overpriced they are in the undercity. 

₊˚ෆ once you were home with her, sevika guided you to the couch and laid a blanket over you so you could rest, if not sleep. she pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, and you reached for her flesh hand to softly squeeze it. “thank you,” you whispered. “i love you.”

₊˚ෆ honestly, after that first episode, sevika was set. any future ones usually follow the same route, with her ensuring your safety first and foremost then making sure recovery is easy as possible. maybe alerting your neurologist when things are particularly bad. she’s always worried about you, but again, your girlfriend doesn’t want to be overbearing.

₊˚ෆ it’s not something either of you like, she’d rather avoid the hospital visits if possible, the same as you. but if it has to happen, it has to happen, and she’ll stick by your side throughout it all. if you ever express any kind of guilt, sevika nips it in the bud, citing her love for you as a whole.

── .✦ caitlyn; 

₊˚ෆ caitlyn didn’t know much about epilepsy before meeting you, honestly. it wasn’t out of ignorance, just that she’s never really had any encounters with it and she deals with the more criminal side of the legal field. all she really knows about it is that it’s a seizure disorder that sometimes is photosensitive.

₊˚ෆ that being said, she’s a wonderful listener, and she wants to know more directly from you. caitlyn asks you things like, “how did it begin?” or “what triggers seizures for you?” and asks follow-ups like “do you have a safety plan?” and “do you have a medical team?”

₊˚ෆ on the off-chance you don’t have a care team, she knows people. she’ll pull every string possible to get you the best in piltover. not only does she make sure they’re more than qualified and experienced in treating epileptic patients, but she makes sure that they get along well with you and they’re a good fit personally. caitlyn does nottt play when it comes to the ones she loves. 

₊˚ෆ of course, she doesn’t expect you to do all of the educating yourself, though. that’s not your job. so she consults the kiramman archives (though they don’t have many texts about health), then the piltover libraries. hours are spent flipping through books, memorizing passages. about the causes of epilepsy, about the neurology behind it, what can be done in terms of treatment. the history that’s come with it and the years-long research efforts that have been done to understand it.

₊˚ෆ caitlyn does have conversations about what can be done on her part, though. she wants to be there to support you, first and foremost- but doesn’t want you to feel like she’s hovering. you’re an adult who’s lived with this far longer than she’s known about it, after all.

₊˚ෆ when you tell her about what triggers your seizures, whether it be stress, missed medications, alcohol, flashing lights and quick images- she makes subtle changes. nothing over-the-top, but you do notice.

₊˚ෆ alcohol already isn’t a problem, since caitlyn isn’t much of a drinker. she removes the decades-old wine bottles her mother liked to collect from your view, though. caitlyn is already a great girlfriend- sweet, spoils the living hell out of you, pays attention to all of your emotional and medical needs. that’s all to say that when with her, your stress levels are pretty low.

₊˚ෆ of course, you have your own stressors in day-to-day life that can’t be avoided. caitlyn tries to take the edge off, though, talking you through your problems and taking you on sweet dates out of her everlasting adoration <3

₊˚ෆ photosensitivity is something she handles by changing all of the lightbulbs in her house and checking any movies or tv shows she likes before sharing them with you. she isn’t much of a concert-goer, unless you count the ballet or opera- but those are pretty safe when it comes to flashing lights (usually).  she couldn’t live with herself if she knew she indirectly caused a seizure. 

₊˚ෆ caitlyn works mostly on a preventative philosophy, she wants to stop the damage before it’s even been done. she’s only one person, but it’s a standard she does hold herself to. 

₊˚ෆ of course, though, they’re not entirely avoidable. that’s sort of a given. the first time caitlyn is witness to one of your seizures was at home, while both of you had your guard down and it’s been a long while since your last episode. neither of you could’ve expected this.

₊˚ෆ she jumped right into action, though panicked on the inside- she knew that freaking out would only make the situation worse. luckily, you were already on her couch, so she grabbed a pillow to put behind your head and gently laid you down while she put her ear to your chest to listen to your breathing.

₊˚ෆ once she was sure that your airways were clear, she stayed with you, whispering gentle reassurances as she had to ride it out. “i’m not going anywhere,” she murmurs, voice shaky. “stay with me, okay?”

₊˚ෆ once you come to, you’re a bit frantic. you sit up, looking around the room and up at your girlfriend with blurry vision, gasping for air. “what- holy shit-”

₊˚ෆ she shushes you and gently guides you to lay back down, keeping her voice level and quiet. “you had a seizure,” she says, locking eyes with you. “just for a minute. you didn’t get hurt, you stayed on the couch, i made sure that you’re okay. but i’m going to let your neurologist know that this happened, alright?”

₊˚ෆ you nod, giving her a small smile as she brushes a kiss to your forehead. caitlyn makes sure after that you have a place to rest, content to lead you to her bed or keep you on the couch. she gives you blankets and lots of water to ensure your full recovery while she processes what’s just happened and tries to work things out with your care team.

₊˚ෆ caitlyn isn’t used to it until after two or three more, unfortunately. she hasn’t had much experience with first-aid, so it’s definitely a bit of a learning curve. one that she’s happy to overcome for you, though, don’t get me wrong!

₊˚ෆ missed prescriptions are not a thing when caitlyn is around. she has an insane memory and alarms on all of her devices, so she sees to your taking them personally.

₊˚ෆ you’ve taught caitlyn a lot just by being with her, and without knowing it you do inspire her to become a lot more well-read about health and connect with physicians across the city, not just about epilepsy! if she’s able to help people in need, she wants to do it :)