#because i Cannot Stop Coughing Or Sneezing

[eleu22]

just some random task force 141 headcanons

tw: drugs, dead baby jokes?

gaz

- has been approached by model scouts on nights out with the 141 and is so gassed by it but pretends not to be

- got holding onto his tactical vest straps from price because he thought it looked cool

- popular as fuck in school

- side eye king (canon)

- used to do ket when he was younger and is now paranoid price will find out somehow and be disappointed in him

- highlights during briefings and soap calls him a neek

- deleted tiktok because he got addicted to those ingrown hair removal videos

- borderline illegible handwriting

- type to laugh when hes really mad (its lowkey scary)

- has once described himself as a “thought daughter”

- paces when hes stressed

- terrys chocolate orange enjoyer

- tried to grow out a beard but it was weird and kind of patchy

soap

- will be looking at a nice view and will always say how a huge explosion would make it look so much cooler

- does that thing where he tells you to straighten your legs and then kicks the back of your knee

- cannot stay still in his sleep and has once woken up with half is body off the bed horizontally

- has a comic book collection and if you touch it he will kick you out

- goes to life drawing classes sometimes in his free time

- all of his exam papers had doodles on them

- the type of guy to draw a penis in ur notebook

- all of his socks have holes in them but refuses to buy new ones, some are literally the concept of a sock at this point

- smells his armpits unabashedly to see if he smells or not

- will ask to tell you a secret and burp in your ear

- when someone drops like a plate or a cup is the type to scream “wheey!!” and clap and he did that at a pub once and got them kicked out

- will make a fart noise and loudly blame it on you (especially in packed elevators)

-booger flicker

ghost

- makes zero noise when sneezing but still acts it out and he looks like hes bugging

- nose bridge pincher

- doesn’t clip off his fingernails he literally just bites them off and spits it into the bin

- type to say “well done.” sarcastically

- casual dead baby joke enjoyer

“how many babies does it take to paint a wall?”

“depends on how hard you throw them.”

(silence)

- really enjoys solitaire mobile is on level 177

- he once made a recruit run laps for microwaving tea

- off duty he has terrible posture

- chapped lips 24/7

- favourite takeout is chinese food and always get the vegetable spring rolls - he will buy takeout in bulk and then live off of leftovers instead of actually buying groceries

- has 3 forks one knife and one spoon

- has literally no sense of rhythm what so ever , cannot dance to save his life

- loves making social situations awkward in purpose but would never admit that so he just comes off as slightly off putting a lot of the time

price

- sneezes and coughs ridiculously loudly

- weirdly territorial about his hat (i find it so funny he has a waterproof version of it)

- has a weird mole on his back he refuses to get checked out - his reasoning is if he dies via mole it was natural selection

- has extensive knowledge on art history and hates conceptual art (has a tate membership card)

- licks his finger before turning a page

- casual moomin enjoyer

- cuts his cuticles - likes his maintenance has a beard grooming kit

- says he doesnt watch tiktoks but he watches tiktok dog video complications in youtube and they have the most npc ass audios

- is on the “cigar society” on facebook and gives reviews for them

- does the head tilt of disappointment (if its thrown at gaz he literally will not get over it for days)

- slaps his knee when laughing really hard

- also nose bridge pincher

- is the type of make those hiking comments to people who walk by

- really enjoyed the lego batman movie

- unabashedly itches himself

- takes fish oil supplements

- always puts his hand up to say thank you when cars stop for him

- flirts with baristas

- had a brief midlife crisis where he wanted to become a mystery novelist (still has the drafts hidden somewhere but you couldn’t waterboard that information out of him)

thank you

[mncxbe]

what do you think about enemies to lovers with akutagawa x ada fem!reader with a really big sexual tension between them?

Yes. Just yes🫡 that's all I have to say. Hope you like it♡

•☆○

Laced♡

𝑨𝒌𝒖𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒘𝒂 𝒙 𝒇𝒆𝒎! 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: smut♡/ one bed trope

Akutagawa didn't know how he ended up like this, sharing a bed with you in a crappy motel room in Shinjuku. He took a deep breath in, feeling the thin particles of dust tickle his nose and sneezed, mentally cursing his overly sensitive body.

From the other side of mattress you mumbled a half-hearted 'Bless you'

"Oh shut up" he hissed, his head snapping in your direction. You were laying on your side close to the edge of the ragged futon, a chiffon robe wrapped loosely around your frame. The neon lights that filtered through the windows illuminated your figure well enough for Akutagawa to make out the little bird drawings that adorned your nightgown.

"Your voice is pissing me off" he added, voice laced with venom as he took in your figure.

"Then stop sneezing and coughing every five minutes. I'm trying to sleep" you replied in a casual tone which only fueled Akutagawa's anger.

God, how he hated you and your composed demeanour; a futile attempt to prove that you were better than him. He vividly recalls your first encounter when his former mentor introduced you to him and the way your eyes scanned his figure with pure amusement. Oh, he resented the way you always looked down on him, thinking that you were superior only because you were working at the Agency.

The fact that you were constantly competing for Dazai's praise only made things worse. Each time the brunette would pair you up for a mission you'd go out of your way to ensure that you did just a tad bit better than him, whether it was stealing the target's phone, a classified file or simply taking extra credit.

And what was worse was that this wasn't even a fair competition: no matter how hard he tried to prove himself to his former mentor, you'd still get all the 'Good job Y/N'. All you had to do was breathe and Dazai would shower you with praise. It was so easy for you and it filled him with burning rage, a fire that grew hotter inside him by the minute; you were utterly insufferable and yet...

Laying beside you in this god forgotten room, Akutagawa couldn't bring himself to hurt you. He knew he could; you were both far away from home and the mission Dazai assigned you was dangerous. If you were to get injured it wouldn't come as a surprise. Plus, your ability was no match to his so he could easily kill you, destroying the source of all his anger and pent up frustration that plagued him day and night.

Still, something was holding him back; a force that he could not explain. He simply scoffed, gritting his teeth.

"I cannot fucking control it. Get your own room if you really can't stand my coughing."

You remained silent and the man cursed under his breath. After a while you rolled on your back and sighed.

"It's too hot in here."

"It's the middle of August, what did you expect?"

"Some air conditioning maybe?" you said in that condescending tone he so resented.

"You're so irritating." he stated, not daring to look at you. He knew that if he did he wouldn't be able to keep up this act and God knows what he'd do.

"Come on Ryuu. I know you don't actually hate me. You're just mad about Dazai liking me better"

Akutagawa's body tensed upon hearing your words. "Don't call me that."

"What, Ryuu? Why not?" you asked innocently.

"Because you know I can't stand it." he lied. He did in fact love the way his name rolled off your lips; it was so soothing but he couldn't bring himself to admit it. "And don't drag Dazai into this."

You let out a low chuckle "But he is part of this. He's actually the reason for all this. For us and-"

"There's no such thing as us" he spat, nails digging deep into the calloused skin of his palms.

He could feel you scoot closer to him, one of your hands gently brushing a strand of charcoal hair from his face.

"Isn't it?"

Your words lingered between the two of you, a heavy, unspoken truth. There was no you but both of you somehow wished there was. Despite all the resentment he bore towards you, Akutagawa knew there was something more to his feelings. He couldn't exactly pin-point what it was tho, but it seemed that you shared the same thought.

"What are we?" you asked eventually, fingertips sliding along his jawline as you moved even closer to him.

Your touch sent goosebumps all over his body, igniting his skin. Yet he didn't push you away. Instead, he turned to his side to face you.

"What do you think we are? We're rivals for fuck's sake" he stated and you would've believed him if it weren't for his arm which wrapped around your waist.

"Are enemies usually so desperate for each other?" you chuckled, cupping his face.

"I'm not desperate" he hummed as he began caressing the side of your body. His fingers traced the outline of your body over your robe, languidly sliding back and forth from your hip up your waist and along your ribs; causing you to shudder.

"You sure are desperate tho" he said, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips. His slender fingers hooked under the loosely tied knot of your robe, undoing it.

A light hum escaped your lips when he touched your bare skin.

"Hey Ryuu." you purred, threading your fingers through his hair "Do you think things would've been different if we weren't in different organizations?"

"Not at all. I'd still hate you" he said plainly. Akutagawa was completely entranced by you; his mouth voiced of abhorrence but his hands spoke another language, gently cupping one of your breasts as he kneaded your soft flesh.

He pulled you closer until your lips were mere mere inches apart. "You don't think you could ever like me, do you? It would be so ridiculous."

"Really?" With a mischevious smirk on your lips you took his hand from your breast and guided it between your legs; Akutagawa gasped as his fingers brushed against your wet panties. "I think I like you already."

"You little..." he cursed under his breath as he closed the distance between you, lips finding your own. He kissed you deeply, feverishly and pushed you onto your back, climbing on top of you.

When he eventually broke the kiss he looked down at you, trying to ignore his forming bulge that pressed against your thigh.

You only giggled, tracing your thumb over his lower lip. "How about you put that mouth of yours to good use, hm?" you teased but Akutagawa noted the hint of urgency in your voice.

With a sly smirk on his face he slowly moved lower onto you, tracing feathery kisses along your heated skin until the nestled himself between your thighs. Each touch elicited sweet sounds from you which echoed through his entire being.

Before he hooked his arms over your thighs to keep you close your gazes met for s brief moment and he nodded, grinning from ear to ear.

"As you wish, pretty girl"

[roundnroundseal]

You Are Loved

When Blane wakes up, he feels like he’s been hit with a truck. His eyes are stuffy, and he can’t stop sneezing. His throat is sore and a coughing fit attacks him out of nowhere. At least he doesn’t have work today.

He looks at his phone, and realizes Alice texted him earlier. Just reading her name gives him some temporary relief, and a small smile forms on his lips.

Alice: dropping by today around noon to return your book! i’ll probably be taking the sequel with me <3

Multiple thoughts began to race through his head. The first being how happy he is that he gets to see Alice. Immediately followed with that he cannot let her see him like this. And the last being the realization that he overslept and Blane only had so much time to look less like he just rolled out of bed.

Through the sneezes, he manages to look a bit more presentable than when he first woke. Not a moment too soon, he hears a knock.

“Blane!” Alice gives him a smile. She reaches for his hand and gives it a squeeze, “You were right, I did love this book. Thanks for recommending it.”

“Glad you liked it.” Blane attempts to hide his hoarse voice.

“Huh? Are you alright? You sound… off.” Alice looks at him with concern.

“I’m fine-“ A sneeze interrupts Blane’s sentence.

“You’re sick.”

“No. It’s just a sneeze.”

“You sound terrible.”

“It’s nothing.”

Alice sighs. Of course he won’t make this easy. She crosses her arms, and looks at him dead in the eye.

“Ok then… if you aren’t sick. Then give me a kiss.”

“What?”

“You never regret my request for a kiss.”

Alice closes the distance between them, and Blane immediately takes a step back.

“What? Worried that you could get me sick if I kissed you?”

Blane freezes, and Alice smirks at her victory.

“Alright. Knowing you, you haven’t eaten or drank enough water. Go take a nap. I’m not as good of a cook as Kai, but I got a great sick day soup recipe. And I’ll ask if someone can bring medicine.”

Before Blane could protest, Alice takes his hand and leads him towards his room.

“W-what are you-” Blane bites his lip, “Don’t you have plans with Arden today?” A last ditch effort. Blane knows it’s fruitless, but he can’t bring himself to accept Alice’s care so easily.

“The love of my life is in a losing battle at the moment, Arden wouldn’t mind rescheduling.” Alice pauses, thinking of how she could convince Blane that she genuinely wants to take care of him, “Blane, if it were the other way around and I was sick out of my mind, would you have just left me to take care of myself?”

“…No. I would stay until I knew you were better.”

————————————————————————

Blane would have never thought in a million years that he would be in a position where having five people over while he is feeling terrible would be a memory he would cherish forever. When Alice sent a text to their group chat, asking if anyone had the time to drop off medicine for Blane, it had become a job that had suddenly required four people.

“You knew they would all drop by once they heard I was sick.” Blane looks at Alice with an amused smile.

Alice laughs in response, “Of course I did.” The usual mischievous glint in her eyes disappear, and her eyes soften.

“Blane. We care about you, and want to be here for you if you ever needed anything. You’re important to all of us. Especially to me.”

Blane feels his cheeks heat up. Whether it be her lighthearted jokes, or intimate moments like these, Alice just radiates a natural warmth. Alice notices Blane blushing, and can’t help but smile knowing he took his words to heart. Blane curses his illness, because he wants nothing more than to pull her close and show her how much she means to him.

Their conversation gets interrupted with a knock on the door, signaling their friends’ arrival.

“Ok, Rekner. I have had to cancel my exciting plans of binge watching my favorite show with my best friend. And the only way you can make it up to me is if you hurry up and get better.” Arden places a small box on the counter, “Your favorite tea leaves. If this doesn’t help then nothing will.”

“I disagree, Arden!” Rylan holds up a small jar, “The true cure to all diseases! Vicks VapoRub! I swear Blane, when my parents used this on me I don’t think I even need the supernatural healing to get better quick.”

“You know, I was going to use magic to speed up your recovery, but I think Alice has almost nursed you back to health. I did prepare some food though. And a few books to read if you need to pass the time.” Kai puts the container in the fridge and the books on Blane’s table.

“Everyone got so caught up in what they wanted to bring you, that we almost forgot what Alice originally asked for.” Nikolas says with a laugh, “Here, medicine and some tissues.”

They don’t stay long, knowing Blane needs his rest. But they all give their wishes that he gets better soon. Alice also plans to head out with everyone, content that Blane has everything he needs.

“Alice, thank you.” Blane says as she is about to head out the door.

Thank you for taking care of me. Thank you for bringing everyone here. Thank you for being the warmth that I didn’t know I needed. Thank you for reminding me that I am loved.

He can’t find the confidence to say it all directly. But it doesn’t matter, because Alice heard it all.

“Anytime.” She smiles at him once more and his heart skips a beat, “But once you’re all better, remember you owe me a kiss.”

[aller-geez]

Oooo could we maybe get a(nother) follow up to the S7en fic with Elex catching S7en's sickness and hiding it so he doesn't get his bf all worked up and worried because his lungs are still a little sensitive?

Hey there Nonny!

Be careful what you wish for…. 😏 the fluff in this one makes me melt I cannot lie 😫

Asphyxia (pt 3)

(Oxygen, or part 1 can be found here, and Breathless, Again or part 2 can be found here)

written and illustrated by: allergeez ✨ @thekinkyleopard owns Elex 🖤

Summary: Elex wakes up knowing something is wrong. His body is sluggish with fever, his head pounding, but none of that matters—because S7en is finally home. Finally safe. After everything he’s been through, the last thing Elex wants is to burden him with something as insignificant as a cold. So he does what he does best: he pushes through it. He hides the exhaustion, swallows every cough, and forces himself to act normal. But sickness isn’t something you can just will away. As his condition worsens, it becomes harder to keep up the act—especially with someone as observant as S7en. The problem is, S7en has only just begun to recover, and if he gets sick again, Elex isn’t sure he could live with himself. What starts as a stubborn attempt to tough it out spirals into something heavier—fear, control, guilt—emotions Elex doesn’t want to acknowledge but can’t seem to escape. But S7en isn’t an idiot, and the more Elex pulls away, the more determined he becomes to figure out what’s wrong. And when he does? Well, Elex might not be the only one who’s pissed. 7.2k words

Content Warnings!:

Illness & fever (coughing, congestion, sneezing, general flu-like symptoms)

Mild medical anxiety & contamination fears (hand-washing, mild germophobia, references to past illness trauma)

Emotional suppression & avoidance (characters struggling to ask for/accept help)

Mild language (casual swearing)

Physical exhaustion & overexertion

Elex knew from the second he woke up that something was wrong.

His head throbbed in a slow, punishing rhythm, a heavy weight pressing behind his eyes like a vice tightening inch by inch. His limbs felt sluggish, his body leaden, overheated—but not in the comfortable, lazy way that came with sleeping too long. No, this was different. This was wrong.

Still, he forced himself upright, biting back a low groan as the dull ache in his throat flared into something sharp and raw. His skin prickled with fever, the air in their apartment thick and stifling, but there was no time for this. No room for it. Not now.

Not after everything S7en had just been through.

Elex scrubbed a hand down his face, exhaling slowly, forcing his expression into something neutral before glancing to the other side of the bed. S7en was still asleep, his teal and orange hair a mess against the pillow, his breathing shallow but steady. No more oxygen masks. No more hospital rooms. Just him, here, home, safe.

And there was no way in hell Elex was about to let him worry about this.

So he swallowed against the rawness in his throat, pushed past the fatigue clawing at his limbs, and carefully—carefully—slipped out of bed without a sound.

His body screamed at him the second his feet hit the floor. A fresh wave of dizziness crashed into him, nausea twisting in his gut, but he gritted his teeth and powered through. Mind over matter. He’d been through worse.

S7en stirred slightly but didn’t wake.

Good.

The last thing he needed was the cat noticing.

Because S7en, stubborn as he was, had barely recovered. His lungs were still weak, his body still too frail, and if he caught even a whiff of Elex being sick, there would be no stopping him. He’d hover, fuss, get in his own damn head about it, and the last thing Elex wanted was for him to stress over him when he should have been focusing on himself.

So Elex shoved it down. The ache in his chest, the burning tickle creeping into his sinuses, the sharp stutter of his breath—he ignored it. He was fine. He’d be fine.

He just had to make sure S7en never found out.

And if that meant hiding every cough behind a clenched jaw, stifling every sneeze into the fabric of his hoodie, and downing enough painkillers to pretend his fever wasn’t steadily climbing?

So be it.

The first real warning sign came when Elex went to make coffee.

He had barely poured water into the machine when a violent shiver ripped through him, sending ice-cold prickles down the length of his spine. The air in the kitchen suddenly felt too thin, the light from the window too sharp, slicing into his headache like a knife. He braced himself against the counter, swallowing hard as his stomach twisted, fever heat coiling tight in his chest.

No. No, no, no. Not now. Not today.

He sucked in a slow, measured breath, rolling his shoulders, willing himself back into control. He’d dealt with worse. This was nothing. Just a little exhaustion, a little lingering chill from sleeping without a blanket. He just needed coffee. Caffeine would fix this.

Except—

His nose twitched.

The tickle was sudden, sharp, rising out of nowhere like a spark catching dry grass, flaring hot and fast. His breath hitched—once, twice—his head snapping forward before he could fight it.

“H’UTSSCHHhiew!! Hh—h’UHDTschhiew! Hh’uhSSCHHIHHeewww!”

The force of them knocked him forward, rattling in his chest, leaving his vision swimming and his throat burning like he’d just swallowed glass. He barely had time to straighten before another overtook him, tearing from deep in his lungs—

“hdt’USSCHHIEWW!!!”

Shit.

The sound echoed through the apartment, too loud, too obvious. His stomach dropped as he held perfectly still, pulse thudding in his ears, waiting for movement from the bedroom.

Nothing.

No footsteps. No sleepy voice calling his name.

S7en was still asleep.

Elex exhaled slowly, pressing the heel of his hand to his forehead, feeling the fever radiating under his skin. He hated this. The congestion, the heat, the way his nose itched relentlessly, teasing him with another sneeze he refused to let out.

And worst of all? The knowledge that he was contaminated.

The very thought made his skin crawl. He could already feel it, the invisible filth clinging to his skin, coating his throat, tainting the air around him. He needed to shower. He needed to scrub his hands, burn his hoodie, fumigate the entire apartment—

But he couldn’t.

Because the second he acted too clean, too frantic about disinfecting everything in sight, S7en would know.

He was already walking a razor’s edge, trying to act normal while his body actively worked against him. If he so much as glanced at a bottle of disinfectant too long, S7en would sniff him out like the suspicious little feline bastard he was.

No. He had to play it cool. Hide this.

S7en had just barely clawed his way out of pneumonia, and his lungs were still weak. If Elex so much as breathed wrong around him, he could get sick again. And that? That wasn’t an option.

So Elex squared his shoulders, forcing the tension from his body, and grabbed a paper towel, swiping aggressively at his nose before moving to make breakfast.

He’d get through this.

He had to.

S7en had gotten used to waking up to Elex next to him. Even when they were both exhausted, even when life was kicking their asses, Elex was always there—half-awake, chewing on something plastic, grumbling about the sun being a “rude little bitch” before slumping into him for five extra minutes of warmth.

But today?

The bed was empty.

The sheets were cold.

S7en frowned, sitting up slowly, still groggy from sleep, his chest tightening with something uneasy.

Elex wasn’t in bed.

Elex was always in bed when S7en woke up.

He ran a hand through his hair, blinking away the haze in his vision before glancing toward the door. The apartment was quiet—too quiet. No sound of Elex shuffling through the fridge, no muttered cursing as he nearly tripped over their shoes by the door, no telltale sound of his knuckles tapping the counter absently like they always did in the mornings.

The silence felt... wrong.

Dragging himself up, S7en swung his legs over the edge of the bed, pushing to his feet with a slow exhale. His body was still weak—he hated it—but he was getting better. He was supposed to be better.

So why did it feel like something else was falling apart?

He found Elex in the kitchen, already dressed, already moving, wiping down the counter like he was trying to erase something only he could see.

S7en leaned against the doorway, watching for a moment before speaking.

"You left me alone," he muttered, voice still rough with sleep.

Elex stiffened.

It was quick, barely there, but S7en caught it.

The hesitation. The delay before answering.

"Yeah," Elex said, too casual, too quick. "Figured I’d let you sleep. You need rest, y’know, what with the dying and all."

S7en rolled his eyes, but the joke didn’t land the way it should have.

Because Elex still wasn’t looking at him.

And for the first time in a long time, S7en felt alone.

But he swallowed it back as much as he could, shuffling into the kitchen with his usual groggy irritation, hoodie sleeves hanging past his fingers, glasses sliding down his nose. His orange eyes were still hazy with sleep, his tail dragging lazily behind him as he blinked toward Elex with a tired squint. He was barefoot, which Elex immediately clocked as a problem.

The floor wasn’t clean enough.

Not for bare skin. Not for someone who had just gotten out of the hospital, lungs still too weak, body still too fragile.

Elex’s hands twitched toward the disinfectant spray, but he forced himself to grip his coffee mug instead, knuckles white.

Just act normal.

"Why the hell are you up first?" S7en muttered, voice rough with leftover congestion.

Elex smirked, masking the way his stomach clenched at the reminder of just how recently S7en had been this sick. "Had to make sure my dumbass boyfriend didn’t wake up and start licking the walls again."

S7en squinted at him.

"That happened once."

Elex huffed a laugh, lifting his coffee to his lips—

And that was his mistake.

The heat hit his throat, scalding against the rawness he’d been trying to ignore, and the tickle in his throat that had been lurking for hours suddenly flared up hard and fast.

His breath hitched.

His lungs clenched.

No, no, no—

Elex barely had time to turn his head, fist clenched against his mouth, before the cough tore out of him, rough and deep and impossible to hide.

The sound of it made his own skin crawl.

And worse?

S7en froze.

For a long, horrible second, the kitchen was silent.

Then—

"What the fuck was that?"

Elex gritted his teeth, forcing his face neutral, the heat of his fever making the air feel thick, suffocating.

"Swallowed wrong."

S7en’s ears flicked.

He was watching him now.

Fully aware, pupils narrowing in that calculating way Elex hated.

"You sure?"

Elex shrugged, already turning toward the sink to pretend to rinse his mug.

"Yep."

S7en didn’t move.

Didn’t blink.

Elex could feel the weight of his stare, feel the way his lungs wanted to wheeze, feel the next cough curling in his chest like a live wire.

Don’t let him see. Don’t let him hear.

He held his breath.

Held still.

And after an excruciating moment—

S7en grunted, finally moving toward the coffee pot.

Elex exhaled slowly, trying to ignore the way his hands had started shaking.

But the second S7en stepped closer, the air shifted.

It was subtle, just the smallest tilt of his nose, the faintest flick of his ears—barely noticeable to anyone else. But Elex knew. He knew.

S7en smelled it.

He always did.

Elex felt a fresh pulse of panic claw up his spine. If that damn cat caught so much as a whiff of this—

"Something smells weird."

Elex tensed.

"Like—" S7en sniffed the air again, his nose scrunching. "Not bad, just…off."

Fuck.

"Yeah?" Elex muttered, keeping his voice lazy, unconcerned. "Probably just your own breath. You were mouth-breathing like an asshat all night."

S7en scowled, flicking his tail at him in irritation, and Elex almost relaxed.

Then—

S7en tilted his head, squinting harder. His pupils dilated slightly. His ears twitched forward.

The exact fucking look he got whenever he was about to figure something out.

Elex’s entire body went on high alert.

Because if S7en knew? If he caught on?

Elex would be done.

So he did the only thing he could do—he faked a yawn, stretched dramatically, and turned away.

"Ugh, I need to piss," he announced, already heading toward the bathroom.

S7en made a vague noise of acknowledgment, clearly not fully awake yet, but Elex didn’t give him time to press further.

He was gone before S7en could dig his claws into the situation.

Elex shut the bathroom door behind him, locked it, and immediately braced his hands against the sink, breathing hard.

He had seconds before another sneeze hit.

His nose burned, his sinuses prickling unbearably, every breath quivering with the inevitable. He scrambled for a handful of tissues just as his chest hiked—

"Hh'UMFShhhiew!—h'Ushh'iew!—hh’ieXSHHHh!!"

The force of them wrecked him, leaving him gasping against the counter, fever heat pulsing under his skin. He grabbed the faucet, cranking the water to the highest heat, and scrubbed his hands raw, fingers digging into his palms like he could scrape away the sickness itself.

Not clean. Not clean. Not clean.

He squeezed his eyes shut, inhaling slow, steady.

No more. No more sneezing. No more anything.

He was fine. He had to be fine.

He couldn’t let S7en know.

Not now.

Not ever.

Elex leaned heavily against the counter, his breath coming in uneven gasps as he forced himself upright. The heat of the water scalded his hands, the sting grounding him, but it wasn’t enough. The sickness was still there, clawing at his throat, pressing against his skull, burning beneath his skin. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing the dizziness to pass, willing his body to just cooperate.

Minutes passed. Maybe more. He wasn’t sure.

Eventually, the tremors in his hands eased enough for him to shut off the faucet, but the unease lingered—coiled tight in his chest like a cable ready to snap. He needed to move, to shake the feeling of filth clinging to him, but when he pushed off the sink, his vision tilted. The world blurred at the edges, his knees threatening to give.

He caught himself just in time, fingers gripping the doorframe, heart hammering.

Breathe. Breathe.

By the time he stepped out of the bathroom, his body felt detached—like he was wearing it rather than existing inside it. He forced himself forward, each step calculated, careful, controlled. If he could just keep this up—if he could just last the day—he could make it through this without S7en catching on.

But as the hours crawled by, the fever pressed in harder, suffocating.

And S7en?

S7en was starting to notice.

S7en was used to Elex being a little twitchy. It was just how he was.

Always moving, always chewing on something, always restless in a way that made it hard to tell if he was anxious or just alive.

But this?

This was different.

They were sitting on the couch—or, at least, S7en was. Elex was perched on the other end, practically curling into the armrest, the furthest he could physically get without sitting on the floor.

It was weird.

Elex was always touching him. Always pressing up against him in some way—a foot shoved against his thigh, a hand absently tugging at his hoodie strings, a knee bumping into his as they sat too close for no reason.

But right now?

S7en may as well have been on a different planet.

He frowned, stretching his arms over his head before slumping further into the cushions.

"Y’know, it’s real fuckin’ weird when you’re not all over me," he muttered.

Elex huffed, a short, forced noise. "Wow. Clingy much?"

S7en kicked at his foot.

"You like it."

Elex snorted, but he didn’t move closer.

Didn’t shove at S7en like he usually would. Didn’t sink into him lazily, the way he always did after a long day.

Something about it made S7en’s stomach twist.

He let it go.

But the feeling stayed.

Elex had made it through the morning.

Barely.

Now, the afternoon loomed ahead, and his body was falling apart faster than he could keep up.

His limbs felt weak, heavy like they didn’t belong to him anymore. His fever had climbed, turning his skin too hot, then too cold, then hot again, like his body couldn’t decide what the hell it was supposed to be feeling.

But worse than the heat, worse than the exhaustion, worse than the pounding ache in his skull—

Was the fact that S7en wasn’t an idiot.

Elex had been dodging him all day.

Avoiding sitting too close. Keeping his back turned while cooking lunch. Drowning himself in cups of coffee and forcing a smirk any time S7en’s gaze lingered too long.

But the cat was watching him.

He could feel it.

The slow tilt of his head. The way his orange eyes narrowed, pupils slitting ever so slightly, tail flicking in that way it did when he was figuring something out.

It made Elex’s skin crawl.

And then—

The itch flared again.

A sudden, unbearable tickle climbing sharp and fast through his sinuses, making his breath hitch, eyes fluttering against his will.

Fuck. Not again.

He twisted away, forcing the urge down, down, down, clenching his teeth and balling up his hoodie’s fabric in his hands.

Don’t.

Don’t.

His shoulders tensed hard, muscles locking up so tight it made his head pound worse—

And somehow, somehow, the sneeze receded.

Barely.

His chest was still tight, his breath still uneven, but at least he hadn’t—

"You good?"

Elex’s entire body locked up.

S7en’s voice was casual, almost bored, but there was something off about it. Something too sharp, like he was waiting for the answer to confirm a suspicion.

Elex forced himself to exhale slowly through his nose.

"I'm fine," he said, voice rough, but steady enough.

S7en hummed.

"Sure."

He didn’t believe him.

Elex knew it.

Knew it the way S7en’s ears twitched forward. The way his tail lashed lazily against the arm of the couch. The way he tapped his mechanical pencil rhythmically against his sketchbook, eyes never leaving Elex’s face.

But he didn’t press.

Not yet.

Which meant Elex still had time.

He just had to hold it together a little longer.

Just—

A shiver rattled down his spine, making his breath stutter, and he barely bit back a curse.

S7en’s eyes narrowed.

Fuck.

Keep moving.

Elex turned toward the sink, gripping the edge with white-knuckled force, blinking hard against the dizziness creeping into his vision.

His palms were sweating.

His skin felt disgusting.

He needed to wash his hands again.

But if he did, if he reached for the soap one more time, S7en would—

“You’re acting weird.”

Elex stiffened.

Breathed in slow.

Out.

And forced a lazy smirk as he turned around.

"Am I?"

S7en’s gaze flicked over him, studying.

Too long. Too observant. Too much.

His pupils dilated, nose twitching—like he was smelling something.

Elex’s stomach dropped.

"I dunno," S7en mused, stretching his arms above his head, tail curling lazily. "You’re being... extra twitchy today."

"Maybe you’re just being extra nosy today," Elex shot back, gripping the counter behind him to ground himself.

S7en grinned, but his eyes stayed sharp.

“Maybe.”

Elex’s heartbeat pounded in his skull.

He had to get away.

Elex needed space.

S7en’s eyes were on him—too sharp, too focused, too knowing. He could feel it, the weight of that gaze pressing into his skin, reading into every twitch, every forced breath. It made his stomach turn, made his hands clench uselessly at his sides, made the sick heat crawling under his skin even worse.

He needed to get away.

Elex pushed off the counter, muscles stiff, nausea curling at the edges of his senses, but he forced himself to keep moving. His pulse hammered against his skull, drowning out the soft sounds of the apartment, making it hard to think past the heat pressing against his temples.

The fever was getting worse.

His own body was turning against him, pulling at the edges of his control, but he had to keep going. Had to stay ahead of it.

If he slowed down, even for a second—if he let himself feel the exhaustion sinking into his limbs—S7en would see it.

And if S7en saw it, it was over.

Elex swallowed hard, his throat raw and aching, and forced himself forward.

By the time he made it back to the kitchen, his hands were already reaching for the disinfectant wipes, fingers trembling as they closed around the familiar plastic container. The motion was automatic now—habitual, necessary.

Clean. Fix it. Clean.

But it wasn’t enough.

It was never enough.

His skin still crawled, his breath still felt wrong, his chest still ached with something he couldn’t scrub away.

And behind it all, the fever burned.

Rising. Tightening.

His head pulsed, sinuses clogging up, making every inhale a slow, labored pull through congestion that was only getting worse. He wiped his phone screen again, third time now, but the anxiety didn’t ease.

Nothing eased.

Because no matter how much he tried to erase the contamination, no matter how many surfaces he disinfected—

The sickness was still inside him.

And S7en?

S7en wasn’t letting this go.

Elex could feel it—the weight of his gaze, the way his energy had shifted from lazy amusement to something sharper, quieter, watchful. He didn’t need to turn around to know S7en was still tracking his every move, pupils just slightly too wide, ears just slightly too alert.

It was only a matter of time before he put it together.

Elex had to stay ahead of him.

So he moved. Kept moving. Forced himself into motion, into habit, into the kind of constant distraction that would keep him from thinking too hard about the fever pressing hot and heavy under his skin.

He had work to do.

He wiped down the counters. Again.

Ran a disinfectant wipe over the fridge handle. Again.

Checked his phone screen—again—and swiped a microfiber cloth over it until the glass shined.

Still, it wasn’t enough.

Because no matter how many times he scrubbed his hands, no matter how many surfaces he wiped down, no matter how much he cleaned and cleaned and cleaned—

The sickness was still there.

Thick congestion was already pressing hot and tight behind his eyes, his sinuses burning like someone had shoved a matchstick up his nose and let it smolder, each breath dragging through his throat like smoke, raw and unrelenting.

His hands were clammy, his breath coming in shallow pulls, but he kept moving.

He had disinfected the kitchen. Three times.

Cleaned his phone screen four times just in case.

Scrubbed his hands so many times the skin was turning red, peeling around his knuckles.

And yet, he still felt dirty.

Still felt contaminated.

He had made it this far, hidden it this long, but his body wasn’t listening to him anymore.

The warning signs had been too easy to ignore at first.

The slight chill at the back of his neck.
The dull ache in his limbs.
The tight, nagging itch in his nose that wouldn’t go away—

But now?

Now the weight pressing on his chest felt unbearable, his head ached so badly he could barely see straight, and his nose—

Fuck.

It twitched suddenly, sharply, the burning sensation flaring up out of nowhere, and his breath hitched hard.

No.

Not now. Not here. Not—

The first sneeze tore through him before he could stop it.

“H’USSHHhiew!—Hh’ehHTSCHHHh’iew!—h’UhtTSCHhhiew!!”

It wasn’t controlled.
It wasn’t covered.

It was violent, raw, messy—

And out in the fucking open.

Elex barely had time to process the horror before the next hit, dragging him forward, shoulders snapping down as his entire body shook with the force of it.

“Hehh’EhDTSHhiew!—hh'ieXSHHH!—hdt’USSCHHIEWW!!!”

The sound ripped through the apartment, wet and unrestrained, and the second the fit was over, the panic set in.

Elex froze.

His pulse pounded in his ears, cold dread settling deep in his stomach as his fingers twitched—

His body locked up, hands hovering in front of him like they weren’t his own. He could see the germs—feel them clinging to his skin, crawling up his arms, coating every surface.

His heart pounded against his ribs, his breathing coming fast and wrong as his hands shook violently, fingers twitching as he lunged for the sanitizer.

The bottle nearly slipped from his grasp, but he caught it, shaking it so hard the liquid inside sloshed. His brain was fuzzy, fever-haze clouding his thoughts, but he had to get rid of it. Had to clean. Had to—

He pumped the sanitizer into his palm and scrubbed.

Once. Twice. Again. Again. Again.

It wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t enough.

His breath came faster, too fast, his lungs tightening as he fought against the feeling, against the sickening reality that he couldn’t take back what had just happened.

And Elex gritted his teeth, his pulse hammering in his ears as he braced himself against the sink. His whole body trembled, every inch of him screaming for relief he refused to give it. The fever was pressing in hard now, wrapping around his skull like a vice, but he kept moving.

Scrubbing.

Disinfecting.

Fixing what he had done.

Not clean. Not clean. Not clean.

The whisper crawled up his spine, slithered under his skin. He could feel it—feel the contamination clinging to him like oil, seeping into the air, coating everything he had touched. He wiped down the sink. The door handle. The light switch. The air—

A violent shudder ripped through him, and he choked back a whimper, squeezing his eyes shut.

Breathe. Breathe.

He couldn’t.

His breath stuttered, caught on the thick, unrelenting burn in his lungs, but he forced himself to keep moving. He was fine. He’d be fine. He had to be fine.

Then—

A voice.

"Elex?"

His blood ran cold.

He froze, heart seizing up in his chest.

Footsteps. Slow. Careful.

Too close.

His fingers clenched into the counter, nails biting into the surface as he struggled to keep himself together.

"S’fine," he rasped, voice barely above a whisper. He cleared his throat, forcing something steadier. Stronger. "What? Need me to open a jar or somethin’?"

Silence.

Then, a quiet sigh.

"Cut the shit."

Elex’s jaw locked.

Shit. Shit.

His reflection in the mirror looked like hell. Damp hair clinging to his forehead, his face flushed with fever, red-rimmed eyes filled with exhaustion and something sharp—something desperate.

He turned the sink back on, pretended to be focused on washing his hands.

"I'm literally just—"

"You're sick."

Elex’s stomach dropped. A different kind of heat flushed through him this time—shame, dread, panic.

He forced a short, sharp laugh. "Wow, thanks for the update, doc."

A pause. A shift in the air.

Then—soft.

"You’re sick," S7en repeated, quieter this time. "And you’re hiding it from me."

His voice wasn’t amused anymore.

It wasn’t sharp with teasing or smug with victory.

It was hurt.

The sound of it made something deep in Elex’s chest twist painfully.

"You were gonna keep hiding it, weren’t you?" S7en asked. It wasn’t really a question. "Even after—" A breath. "After everything."

Fuck.

Elex squeezed his eyes shut. His throat burned. His hands curled into fists, nails biting into his palm.

"You think I don’t know what you’re doing?" S7en’s voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of frustration beneath it. "I know you, Elex. I know how you get when you’re freaking out."

"I'm not—"

"You are."

S7en stepped forward. Close enough that Elex could feel the warmth of him at his back. "You're scrubbing the air, El."

Elex flinched.

He hadn’t even realized.

His fingers were still clenched around a disinfectant wipe, moving in circles over the countertop.

Over. And over. And over.

He felt sick. Sicker. Not just from the fever. Not just from the way his whole body ached—

But because S7en was right.

Because he was contaminated. Because he had ruined everything. Because if S7en got sick again—if his lungs gave out again—if he was the reason—

His breath hitched sharply.

Not again. Not again. Not again.

He had to fix this.

He reached for another wipe, but before he could grab it, S7en caught his wrist.

Firm. Unyielding.

Elex jerked, but S7en didn’t let go.

"Stop."

His voice was gentle. Not commanding, not forceful—just there.

Elex swallowed, his hands still twitching, fingers clenching uselessly against the air.

"It's okay," S7en said softly.

Elex shook his head. His breath stuttered, uneven, wrong. "It’s not okay," he rasped. "I—I sneezed—I fucking—contaminated everything."

His voice broke.

S7en’s grip tightened.

"You didn’t contaminate anything," S7en said. "You got sick. That’s all."

Elex shook his head again, panic tightening like a noose in his chest. He tried to pull away, but S7en wouldn’t let him.

"Elex." His voice was steady. "You're okay. You're just sick."

Elex felt his legs tremble beneath him. He hated this. Hated the way his body felt—weak, out of control, vulnerable. Hated the way S7en was looking at him.

He wanted to run. To hide. To scrub his skin raw until he felt clean again.

But S7en didn’t let him.

"You're okay," he repeated, softer this time.

Elex clenched his jaw, his whole body trembling.

His breath came too fast, too uneven, each inhale catching in his throat, clogged and raw. His fingers still twitched where S7en held them, like his body couldn’t decide whether to pull away or clench tighter, hold on.

He felt filthy. Exposed. Wrong.

His skin burned under his hoodie, his fever too high, but none of it compared to the way his stomach twisted, the guilt gnawing at his ribs.

He wasn’t supposed to let this happen.

S7en had just gotten better. He had just started breathing normally again. Elex had watched him nearly cough his fucking lungs out, had sat there through every long, awful night where every breath had been a goddamn fight. He had been so sick. So weak.

And now?

Now, Elex had ruined everything.

Now, he was the threat.

He shook his head again, harder this time, but S7en still wouldn’t let go.

"You don’t get it," Elex croaked, voice wrecked. "I—I can’t—" He squeezed his eyes shut, shoulders shaking, panic twisting tighter in his chest. "I can’t—I can’t be the reason you get sick again."

S7en’s grip tightened.

His voice came soft, steady. Unshakable.

"Elex—"

"You almost fucking died, S7en," Elex snapped, voice cracking straight down the middle. His throat burned, his whole body shaking like it was coming apart, but he didn’t care. "You were in the hospital, you—you couldn’t fucking breathe, and now—now I’m just supposed to sit here and act like it’s fine if I make that happen again?!"

S7en stilled.

Elex could feel it. The way his breath caught, the way his hands tensed for just a fraction of a second, the way his pulse jumped beneath Elex’s trembling fingers.

Guilt crashed into S7en’s expression like a storm.

But before Elex could sink too deep into it, before he could pull away, S7en moved.

He shifted closer, stepping into his space like he was trying to anchor him, like he was afraid Elex was about to tear himself apart right in front of him.

"You didn’t do anything to me," he said, voice rough, thick with something Elex couldn’t name. "You didn’t contaminate anything. You didn’t ruin anything. You just got sick. That’s all."

Elex let out a harsh, shaking breath, his hands still twitching like they needed to be doing something, like he still had to fix this.

"I should have been more careful," he muttered, eyes dropping to the floor. "I—I should’ve—I should’ve stayed away from you, I should’ve—"

"Stayed away?"

S7en’s voice went sharp.

Elex flinched.

And fuck, he was too exhausted to hide it.

S7en exhaled hard, raking a hand through his hair, tail flicking behind him in agitated, frantic movements.

"Elex," he said, gritted out like it physically hurt to say, "you can’t—you can’t just keep me in a fucking bubble every time you get sick."

Elex’s jaw clenched, but before he could argue, S7en kept going.

"Do you even hear yourself?" S7en demanded, his voice raw, frustrated, but not at him. Never at him. "You—you’re not some fucking diseased animal, Elex! You’re a person! You get sick, I get sick, it happens! I can’t just—I can’t just live my whole life in fear of that, and you can’t either!"

Elex’s breath hitched.

Because he wasn’t just scared.

He was terrified.

Because what if?

What if this was the one time it went wrong again? What if S7en got sick and couldn’t bounce back this time? What if it was Elex’s fault?

"I—I can’t—" Elex’s voice cracked. His hands balled into fists, but S7en caught them.

S7en held him.

Didn’t let him pull away.

Didn’t let him run.

Instead, he squeezed, firm but gentle, grounding him.

"You were there for me," S7en said, softer this time, steadier. "I needed you, and you were there. You didn’t leave me when I was falling apart. So don’t ask me to leave you now."

Elex felt his chest tighten.

His eyes burned.

He wanted to fight it. Needed to fight it. But he was too tired. Too drained.

And S7en was too close, too warm, too real.

So instead of fighting—he let go.

A slow, shaky exhale.

His shoulders slumped, tension bleeding from his muscles like air from a punctured tire.

S7en didn’t move.

Didn’t push.

Just held on.

S7en could feel the second Elex gave in.

The fight bled out of his body all at once, his shoulders slumping, hands no longer twitching with the urge to clean, to fix, to escape.

But he was still shaking.

Still burning up.

Still fucking wrecked.

And S7en—who never knew what to do with his hands, who never hovered, who never worried the way Elex did—suddenly didn’t care if it made him clingy or annoying or anything else.

He wasn’t letting go.

Not now.

Not after Elex had spent days breaking himself apart trying to keep this from him.

So S7en did what Elex had done for him not so long ago.

He held on.

Gently, carefully, he guided Elex toward the bed. Not rushed. Not forcing. Just moving, just keeping him close, keeping him steady when his knees nearly buckled.

And Elex—Elex let him.

He didn’t protest.

Didn’t crack some awful joke just to deflect.

He just followed, leaning against S7en’s side, his whole body too hot, the fever finally winning.

S7en eased him down, pulling the blankets up, keeping his touch gentle, steady, careful—the way Elex had done for him a few days ago, when he had been the one fighting for breath, fighting against his own fragile fucking body.

And when Elex exhaled, slow, wrecked, exhausted, something in S7en’s chest ached.

Because he recognized that sound.

It was the same sound he had made when Elex had been taking care of him, when he had finally stopped trying to act like he wasn’t drowning in it.

"You okay?" S7en asked, voice softer than usual.

Elex huffed—a weak attempt at amusement.

"Would be bore okay if by dose wasd’t fugki’g closigg up od be," he muttered, sniffling thickly, his voice a wrecked mess of congestion and fever.

S7en snorted. "Yeah. No shit."

Elex groaned, dragging his hands over his face. "Fugk, by head..."

S7en didn’t even hesitate.

He shifted, fingers moving to Elex’s temple, rubbing slow, soothing circles, the way Elex had done for him when his fever had been the one stealing the air from his lungs.

Elex froze.

And S7en knew—knew he wasn’t used to this, wasn’t used to letting someone else do the caring, the fixing, the hovering.

But he didn’t pull away.

Didn’t flinch.

Didn’t try to brush it off.

Instead, he let out a slow, shaky exhale and sank further into the pillow.

S7en didn’t stop.

Didn’t tease him about it.

Didn’t say anything at all.

He just kept going.

Because he knew—knew what it felt like to finally let someone else take over, to let the weight of it lift, even just a little.

And if Elex could have that, even for just one goddamn night?

S7en would make sure he did.

No matter what.

Elex had gone quiet.

Not in the way he usually did—when his mind got too loud, when he was pulling back into himself, into the places S7en wasn’t allowed to reach.

No, this was different.

This was exhaustion, fever-heavy and all-consuming.

S7en could feel the heat rolling off him in waves, his body shaking despite the thick blankets S7en had pulled over him. His breath hitched with congestion, thick and shallow, and every few seconds, his nose twitched like he was fighting off a sneeze.

Elex never let himself lose control.

But now?

Now he was losing.

S7en frowned, shifting to grab more tissues before pressing them gently into Elex’s hand.

Elex made a weak noise of protest, half-asleep, barely there, but S7en wasn’t having it.

"Blow your goddamn nose," he muttered, voice softer than the words. "You sound like you’re drowning in it."

Elex groaned, cracking one tired, red-rimmed eye open.

"Bossy," he rasped, but took the tissues anyway.

S7en watched as he struggled to sit up, his movements sluggish, hands barely steady.

Before he could make it worse, S7en reached out, bracing him with one arm, guiding him up easily, gently, carefully.

Elex let him.

Didn’t even fight it.

That scared S7en more than anything else.

Elex wasn’t a fighter in the traditional sense, but when it came to himself—his health, his own well-being—he was a goddamn battleground.

And now?

Now he wasn’t even arguing.

S7en swallowed the tightness in his chest and let Elex slump into his side as he blew his nose, harsh and miserable, before immediately dropping back against the pillows like the effort had wiped him out.

"That bad?" S7en asked, trying to keep his voice light.

Elex just groaned.

"Everythigg hurts," he muttered, hoarse and wrecked. "I thidk by skid is bad at be."

S7en snorted. "What, like, personally?"

Elex huffed, half a laugh, half a cough.

"Yeah," he grumbled. "Betrayal. Treacherous little bitch."

S7en rolled his eyes but kept his hand on Elex’s back, rubbing slow, grounding circles like Elex had done for him when he was the one breaking apart.

Elex exhaled, deep and slow.

Then, quieter—

"You should stay away from me."

S7en stiffened.

For a second, he thought maybe he’d imagined it.

But no.

Elex’s voice was softer now, raw and strained, but dead serious.

"I’m serious," he murmured, not looking at him. "You just got better. I can’t—I can’t be the reason you relapse."

S7en exhaled hard, dragging a hand down his face.

"We’re really doing this again?" he muttered.

Elex didn’t answer.

Didn’t have to.

S7en could feel it, the way his body had tensed, the way his fingers had curled into the blanket, like if he just held on tight enough, he could stop this from happening.

S7en shifted, leaning in closer, pressing their foreheads together, letting Elex feel the solid weight of him, the warmth that was still there, still strong, still okay.

"Listen to me," he said, steady and sure. "You didn’t get me sick. And if I do get sick? It’s not your fucking fault."

Elex swallowed, eyes fluttering shut.

"It would be."

"No," S7en said, firm. "It wouldn’t."

Elex huffed, a tired, miserable noise.

S7en rolled his eyes.

"Seriously, what are you gonna do, Lex? Lock yourself away for the rest of your life? Walk around in a hazmat suit just in case?"

Elex made a weak, stubborn noise, burrowing further into the blankets.

S7en shook his head. "You don’t get to keep doing this. You don’t get to tear yourself apart over shit you can’t control."

Finally, finally, Elex cracked his eyes open.

"Yeah?" he muttered. "Like you didn’t do the same thing?"

S7en froze.

Because fuck.

He was right.

Elex had held him up when he was at his worst, had been right there through all of it. Had never let him fall alone.

And now?

Now S7en was supposed to just walk away?

Like hell.

S7en scoffed, shoving Elex’s hoodie-covered shoulder.

"That’s different," he muttered.

"How?"

S7en sighed, running a hand through his hair, thinking for a second before saying, "Because I don’t give a shit about me. But I do give a shit about you."

Elex went still.

Completely.

Like his brain had just blue-screened.

And before he could overthink it, before he could ruin it—

S7en reached for the thermometer, shoving it into Elex’s hands.

"Now shut up and put this under your tongue," he muttered, ears flicking back. "Before I shove it somewhere else."

Elex snorted.

Another weak laugh.

Another win.

And as he finally, finally relaxed against S7en, letting the weight of the fever take him under, S7en just sat there.

Holding him up.

The way he always would.

Elex had given in.

Not all the way, not completely—but enough.

Enough that he let himself sink into S7en’s warmth, let the weight of exhaustion pull him under, let his body finally stop fighting.

And S7en?

S7en wasn’t going anywhere.

Not after all the bullshit avoidance, not after watching Elex tear himself apart, not after hearing him whisper that he couldn’t be the reason S7en got sick again.

Like he hadn’t just spent the last week watching over him.

Like he wasn’t allowed the same thing.

Like S7en getting sick again was some earth-shattering, world-ending event instead of just...life.

S7en swallowed hard, shaking off the lingering weight of that thought, and pressed the back of his hand against Elex’s forehead again.

Still too hot.

Still burning up.

S7en’s ears flicked with frustration.

He didn’t know how to do this.

Didn’t know how to be gentle, how to be soft in a way that actually mattered. He only knew how to watch and wait and be there when shit hit the fan.

But Elex deserved more than that.

So S7en did what he could.

He tucked the blankets tighter around Elex’s shoulders, making sure he was warm enough but not too hot.

He grabbed the cool rag from the nightstand, folding it before pressing it lightly against his forehead.

Elex made a soft noise, somewhere between a sigh and a whimper, his eyelashes fluttering but not opening.

S7en’s chest tightened.

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, trying to keep his voice steady, casual. "I know. I’m a fucking saint."

Elex didn’t answer.

Just let out a slow, exhausted exhale, his body melting further into the blankets.

S7en watched him for a moment, fingers absently brushing the cooling strands of his hair back, his mind drifting.

He still remembered the way Elex had sat at his bedside just days ago, quietly rubbing circles into his back when he was struggling to breathe, wiping him down when his fever had spiked too high, watching him with the kind of focus that felt too much, too intense, too raw.

Now S7en was the one watching him.

Noticing every shallow breath.

Every twitch of discomfort.

Every exhausted tremor in his fingers.

It wasn’t fair.

Not that Elex was sick—that happened.

But that he had felt like he had to go through it alone.

Like he had to hide it.

Like he had to carry it on his own shoulders just to protect S7en from something he had no control over.

And S7en hated that.

Hated that Elex had been suffering in silence, scrubbing his hands raw, avoiding him, trapping himself in his own head just to keep from being a burden.

Like S7en wouldn’t drop everything for him in a heartbeat.

Like S7en didn’t already know what it felt like to be in this exact position.

His fingers curled tighter around the edge of the blanket, jaw clenching, tail flicking in agitated movements before he forced himself to breathe.

Not the time.

Elex had stopped shivering.

That was progress.

S7en exhaled slow, shifting so he could tuck the blanket higher over Elex’s shoulders.

That’s when he felt it—

The smallest, barest hint of movement.

Elex’s fingers, still curled into the fabric of S7en’s hoodie, tugged.

It wasn’t intentional—not really.

More of a half-conscious reaction, a barely-there plea for something S7en wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t been paying attention.

But he was.

So he didn’t hesitate.

Didn’t question it.

Just shifted closer, letting his weight settle against the mattress, letting Elex press against his side, forehead brushing S7en’s shoulder, his whole body giving in.

S7en just held him.

Didn’t make a big deal of it.

Didn’t say anything at all.

Just breathed.

Because Elex was finally letting himself be taken care of.

And S7en wasn’t about to ruin it.

The end ✨

[snzcaretaker]

𝕰𝖉𝖜𝖎𝖓'𝖘 𝕵𝖔𝖚𝖗𝖓𝖆𝖑

(Please excuse the random bit of blanket over his butt - covering that up for Tumblr's sake.)

Previous Fic | Below are Edwin’s journal entries between his encounter with Ambrose, and receiving his letter. He got sicker :( I also left some blanks instead of inventing names for minor characters and places - just seemed more convenient for now. CW: contagion

January 3rd - The New Year’s Ball was a disaster. If not for Ambrose, I hardly know what I would have done. He found me in a back room, already delirious and - But I can’t speak of it, even here…partly because of its disgusting nature, and partly because of the affection it brought out in me. Which is more mortifying? All I can say is how grateful I am to Ambrose. Things could have been much worse.

At any rate, I must be stronger. Will return to work tomorrow. I am wanted in L____, where there is a land sale to be arranged. I am quite well enough to go. Healthy exertion will put all these thoughts out of my mind. 

January 4th - Trip to L_____ brought nothing but misfortune. All the household there was sick with congestion, and Mr. ______, in addition to driving a terribly hard bargain, coughed every other word. But the real troubles began on the return journey. The left front wheel of the carriage sank into a concealed hollow under the snow. The sky was very bleak, and bitter cold seeped into the carriage interior until my nose ran in complaint. We were stuck in the snow for hours and did not reach home until after sundown. I’m afraid I cursed at everyone, and kicked the side of the carriage like a child in tantrum. My driver is a good man, but he will like me even less now than he already did. The devil take my temper…

But how could I help it, in the midst of panic and frustration? I was so close to being well again. Feel unusually tired now, but hopefully that will be mended by morning. I cannot afford to be ill again so soon.

January 5th - Awoke late, with a sore throat and a feeling of great dread. I did my best to overcome any weakness by persistent activity. I went for a short ride, and chopped wood until I came over faint. Nonetheless, I only found that the cold moved from my throat to my head and nose. Servants finally persuaded me to take supper lying down. They will talk. I refuse to call for Dr. _____, though. That will only confirm the gossip, and further damage my reputation. Half of E_____ County already thinks of me as fragile.

January 6th - Attempted to work from bed. At least correspondence can be attended to. However, I blotted the ink so many times due to ill-timed sneezes that I soon gave up the effort. Am now lying in bed alone. Everything is dull and I feel unconscionably sorry for myself. Fever has set in - I know myself well enough to say I will likely only worsen from here. Will sleep again. [Page has clearly been sneezed on.]

January 7th - Felt utterly pathetic and miserable all day. All I can think about are Ambrose’s arms around me. I physically ache with longing to be held. How can I return to my lonely existence after being shown such kindness? Such a happy memory…it torments me because it can never be repeated. He was a saint, but no one is saint enough to want to know me after I’ve spent a whole night sneezing myself silly into their hand, an absolute mess. And I said such needy, adoring things…I hope I am misremembering…what an embarrassment.

Must stop writing or I will go to pieces again. 

January 8th - Oh Ambrose, Ambrose, Ambrose. There is light in the world after all! How do these gifts fall into my lap? He feels as I do. That he could forgive me, even want me, after seeing me this way…I am overcome.

I wrote a few short lines to answer his request in the affirmative - everything else must be said in person. I’ll busy myself with making a guest room ready for him, and doing what I can about my appearance. Patient as he is, the last thing I want is to greet him with total dishevelment and a sneeze in the face. Though I might not have a choice. I feel so very weak even sitting up at my mirror, and my hair is not obeying me. Maybe I’ll just rest a little while longer…

[tsundereho]

batfam sick fic (proofread)

818 words: my base idea posted as well, oooh fun right? tw i guess for talks of incorrect medicine use. I swear in this, so yeah be warned

@coal-or-something helped me (watched me write and go insane, occasionally helped with grammar)

Bruce powers through anything like a fucking truck Dick can power through it but chooses to be a baby about it (for the bit) Jason is much like bruce but is more noticeable, will refuse to be taken care of Tim doesn’t have a spleen he gets sick like unable to leave bed sick, refuses treatment best he can and tries to keep working Steph is stubborn and confident, can and will make her own damn soup but due to being sick it doesn't go very well Damian doesn't get sick very often but when he does he will refuse to admit it to the point of making it worse for himself Duke Thomas probably knows what to do best (other then alfred) Cass was homeless for 9 years, so used to being sick and just ignoring it. So very used to being sick and just forcing herself not to be due to her dad then her time on the streets

Different scenarios of them being sick, all, same level of sick to start, same symptoms

Bruce cannot slow down or take a break ever, and it was becoming more and more apparent as he refused to pause his typing for a coughing fit. Despite Alfreds warnings about it will only get worse. The only compromise he made was not attending a brunch and instead using that time for a nap, mainly because he didn’t have the energy to mask at all.

Dick at the first sign of his cold immediately canceled his plans, sure he was still gonna go be Nightwing but he needed the days to rest! He was sick, he needed soup and tea with extra honey to help his sore throat.

Jason refuses to let anybody near him while he's sick, he knows they’ll do something, whether it's trying to hurt him in his vulnerable state or worse, take care of him. He didn’t need extra blankets or hot drinks, he needed to stop being weak and just get through this, any guidelines on the cold meds? Ignored. He's chugging the bottle in one go. He needs to feel better. Very often nightwing can find him accidentally high and loopy since he took ten times over the recommended dose, the only reason he isn’t dead is because he is a tank of man.

Tim is doing everything he can to ward off the sickness at the first sneeze, wearing a face mask, washing everything he owns as often as he can, when he gets sick he gets sick. One of the many cons of not having a spleen. 

It does help but not by much, he still gets sick and is immediately bed ridden for his own safety, he can and will seriously hurt himself trying to work like this.

Damian since i can’t write steph very well yet

Damian is the one who got sick first, not that he would admit it to even himself, yes he is drinking more tea, but only because he likes the way Alfred makes it, nothing more nothing less, he scoffs at the idea of taking a break, he did not need a break since he was not sick, no matter what father or any of his siblings said, they were all wrong. No matter how much he overslept for school he would show up anyways.

Cass is very nervous about getting sick, it makes her weak. After nearly a decade on the street she knows how bad it is to be out of commission, being sick meant working harder just to eat as your body screamed at you just to lay down. Being sick at the Wayne Manor was very different, actual medicine, warm food, not needing to force her body to keep moving when all she wanted was to collapse. Bed rest for once isn't forced, she wants a nap and a rest.

Okay i see her as stubborn but more understanding of when she needs to give in. sure when she first started getting sick, much like the others just ignored and medicated. Once she started getting more sick? Actually takes it easy instead of brute forcing her way through it. Is she going to go on bedrest? Hell the fuck no but shes gonna make herself a nice little treat.

Duke Thomas, the only one to actually take the recommended amount of medicine and not just the entire thing, he's keeping track of what times he ate and how much, making sure to wash his hands more often and all that shit

i was gonna write more but uh, no :3

[alevicke]

Killers getting sick x gn!reader

- Huntress, Ghostface, Spirit and Shape -

No TWs needed as long as I'm concerned, but Danny is a bitch

(I'm sorry for any mistakes! English isn't my native language and I'm not used to writing because I feel too embarrassed of my English. I hope you still like it and enjoy it 🙏)

**Anna ( The Huntress)**

At first, she tries to ignore it

It starts with her coughing and sneezing sometimes but like, it's the forest, it could be a bit of dust annoying her

But it just keeps increasing

And God is she stubborn, she doesn't want to pay attention to it. She is busy, she has things to do, killing survivors and practicing throwing hatches won't be done all on its own

You can see it's getting worse

She's probably getting fever

But it doesn't matter how much you insist she doesn't want to listen to you

That's until she can't even throw and axe due to how much she's coughing and sneezing. Her nose is stuffed so badly

That's when she stops being a wolf and becomes your puppy

She apologizes for not listening to you

Please don't be too hard on her

You know she's stubborn and she's used to showing she's strong and not showing weaknesses

She had to survive through so much after all

But now she's your whiny puppy and wants your attention

Please, be by her side

Even if she doesn't like taking off her mask, she trusts you enough to do it

I mean, she doesn't want to sneeze on the mask and ruin it

But she always keeps an eye on it

She wants your attention so much now

Your hugs, your kisses, your pets

She's not used to showing she's weak but she knows she can trust you

Although she'll still be careful that others do not know her codnition

Some people (Danny) might get annoyed and try to take advantage of the situation when they normally could not go against her

Once she gets better she'll still be clingy appreciating everything you did for her

Although you may be the one getting sick now after being around a sneezing Anna the whole time...

**Danny (Ghostface)**

You know? Danny is not really that mindful

He's kind of annoying and childish sometimes

The first time he sneezed in a cleenex he literally looked for you, paper in hand

"LOOK HOW GREEN AND GROSS IT IS"

The other times he sneezes he's being an annoying bitch and won't even cover his mouth

He might even directly point at you just to mess with you and laugh at you

That's until he realizes he was getting sick and it wasn't just normal sneezing

"Oh fuck"

Yeah, he finally realizes he was sneezing on you while being sick and could have gotten you sick as well

He's so goddamn dramatic as soon as he has a tiny bit of fever

"Oh god, oh Lord. OH ENTITY. I think I'm dying S/O. That's it. I'm done. I'm fucked up. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!"

He barely even has a fever. His nose is stuffed and that's about it

Every time he coughs he tries to make it sound even worse than the clown

He's so loud

And you just KNOW he wants your attention

If he doesn't get it that way he'll start calling you

"Baby... Sweetheart... Honey... Please... Sweetie... I need you... PLEASE..."

Please, go. The names will get even chessier

"My sweet baby... My cute angel... Light of my life..."

You actually wonder if he's just messing with you

"My sweet spicy Pumpking Starbuck's Coffee..."

Ok Danny fuck off

He finally grabs your attention and is a whiny baby the whole time about pain, sneezes and everything

When he finally recovers he'll be bragging around that he didn't even "notice" that he was sick

Nope, so brave, all on his own. Yeap

He'll still appreciate you and will thank you in private

But he thinks he has an status and appearance to maintain (no one actually gives a shit about him)

**Rin (The Spirit)**

It started as a few normal sneezes

Uhmm, weird. She doesn't usually sneeze

At least not more than once

She still decides to go to the trial like nothing

But it's easy to spot there is something wrong

She cannot keep up with the survivors as good as she usually can

They of course take advantage of that and rush the generators and throw some pallets on her

She takes even longer than usual to recover from the pallet and flashlights make her even more blind

She struggles and covers her face and head after the flashligh

She can feel her head starts to hurt and you can sense her behaviour is being off and weird

If you're in the trial you can offer yourself as the only sacrifice although she would rather not doing it

You can insist though, you don't want the entity punishing her when you can feel something is wrong

If she accepts she'll be gentle (I mean, as gently as you can be hooking someone like a dead pig meat)

Once you two are alone, you put your hand in her forehead to feel her temperature raised

She will complain that she's fine but she's smart, she knows she isn't

She just wants you to go away so she doesn't get you sick as well

If you keep insisting she will let you take care of her

But don't expect her to request nor call you if she needs something. She's too worried of annoying you

So please, visit her often to see how she is going

She will appreciate your help so much, really, a lot

And also your company. She feels so lonely

Still she will ask you not to get too close to avoid getting sick

She would feel awful if you do

No kisses nor hugs while she's sick! 100% forbidden

But as soon as she recovers she'll make up for all those hugs and kisses missed and will bath you in them 💖

**Michael Myers (The Shape)**

The unfeeling rock. Not a sound, not a noise, not a word

Wait, was that a sneeze?

Oh shit it was

You didn't ever hear a word from him, besides grunts and growls this is probably the first time you hear a different sound from him

Oh, he coughed

As exciting as it could be to hear new interactions and voices from your boyfriend, you know something's terrible wrong

This guy can easily tank any illness on his own, he's too proud and solitary

His health is also on spot, so he NEVER gets sick

But once he does... Shit's gonna get real

Out of all the killers, he gets the sickest of them all

Some of them could argue that he gets worse than even Plague sometimes

He will stay in bed and not request your help but he actually does need some help

His fever is high, he's trembling and his nose is stuffed

Getting is mask off will be the hardest job you'll ever have in your life, I promise

And still, you probably won't even manage to take it off completely, just enough to encoder his lips and nose

And good luck keeping this guy in bed. He will try to get up for absolutely everything

He hates standing in bed and standing still when it's not about stalking someone. The patience he has just disappears

He'll be an absolute mess in bed but you taking care of him truly helps him 💖

He won't say it, but once he's healed, you can notice he's following you around like a puppy a lot more

He becomes way more overprotective and expect to have his hand all the time in your shoulder or back

He cannot thank you vocally but you can feel his appreciation through these kinds of actions

And oh Entity have mercy in the poor soul who dares to mistreat you while he's with you

[ijumpbridges]

Scp x Child!Reader

This is platonic, dont get yourself confuse.

Looking at all of you proshitters

(Ft. 035, 049, 073, 076, 682, Deleted Bright it can be found on wattpad, Dr Celf, Kondraki, Glass)

Scp 035:

'They good with kids, but don't let them babysit them"~

He is good kids, but bad a babysitting them.

One time he left in the middle of breach thinking you were behind him.

He hella freak out when he turned around and didn't see you.

But a good think is that he is really protective of you and othe scp kids too.

When he expires from a host he worries and tries to hurry you up to get a host because he really is scared something happening to you and not being able to protect you.

He is also a bit of a bad influence, he does stuff like curse infront of you which some of the foundation members dont like even though some of them do the same thing + plus sometimes treat you really shitty.

They kinda have like mood swings too sometimes, so there will be times that he doesn't feel in the mood of you either being around them, or not wanting to play with you or just someone to listen to him.

This doesn't happen a lot cuz you guys don't see each other a lot, but it rarely happens.

But still he is okey.

Scp 049:

Now, he is great with kids, but his problem is that he cannot control himself around you or other scp kids.

If you are immortal or you can regenerate you are fine, but if you are not then you are not safe with him.

Don't get me wrong he is really good with kids, but also cannot take care of them.

He is like 035 they spend some time with you, but can't stay long or babysit you.

Let's remember he goes crazy the moment someone, sniff, cough, sneeze, etc... And even if fall down and you are still fine he chases after.

Because he thinks something is wrong, and he needs to fix it, to cure it and he won't stop himself on doing so.

He will do it, he will try to fix you, but when he realizes he cannot do it himself he breaks down.

He sits in a corner crying because he did something bad to you he hurted you and it was the first time he did it.

He knows it isn't good and he feels bad about it.

Even if he harms you he still apologizes about it.

He is good with kids, he is also protective in a breach he would never leave you alone, might even lock you in his cell with him and other scp kids so nothing bad happens.

Overall he is good with kids, but cannot babysits them cuz he harms them.

Scp 073:

He is good kids and a good babysitter.

If you dont like vegetables you can purposely go near him and say  that they got rotten.

He reads books to all of you.

Sometimes he lets all of you go out for a walk around the facility.

He keeps yall save too in case of a breach.

But his bad thing is that he cannot always be there for you.

You see even if Cain takes care of you, looks out for you, but he is never there, he is a busy man, cuz he does a lot of favors for the foundation to the point that your meetings end that you guys have.

If he doesn't know you at all he makes awkward conversations with you, but he slowly tries to make less awkward.

He tries his best on making a small connection with you.

But still isn't always there for you.

Scp 076:

No.

Just no.

Look, i cannot say he is good, but i cannot say he is bad with them i guess tries, but does not do a good job at it.

Let me remind y'all that he did hit scp 134 because of a fit of a rage, cuz she was too 'slow'. (Y’all don’t know how much i hate him for doing that)

So him with a kid is just no.

More cuz of his anger issues he causes a lot of breaches.

If he was with you, he wouldn't open up to you at all.

But he would definitely keep you and the other scp kids safe.

But if he is the one causing the breach he wont contain himself and might try to harm you himself.

And when he realizes this he will start avoiding all of you.

To the point that he sees you and he is like stray out leaving.

So yeah, not good at all.

Scp 682:

What kind of child are you to let this lizard just simoly leave you alone.

Cuz he is hostile to children, you must be someone hated like abby to be around him.

He would protect you and also causes breaches with you.

He isn't good, but he is patient i wouldn't say he is a good influence.

He doe and wilm manipulate to do some thing for him.

He tries to make a relationship with him and to make you go against the foundation.

Either way you don't get to see him a lot.

He also intimate you and more when he is mad.

You can ride his back and he lest you use him for playtime, like putting him a some nail polish on his... nose?

Overall this lizard will give you some trauma.

(Deleted Bright - it still can be found on my wattpad)

Dr. Clef:

He is in the middle.

He can be really good and really bad the same time.

Let me remind you that he killed 239.

So he has no mercy on you in case if he tries something.

Such as a cruel prank or simply kill you.

Babysitting is not his thing, he will try to carry you and will slip away from him.

And then he doesn't know what to do.

He will definitely leave you at a random corner.

Might not protect you.

Definitely do not trust this man.

He brings you a snack and levaes you in a safety zone.

Also bad influence.

Overall no, just no.

Dr. Kondraki:

He is okey with kids.

But babysitting them is a no-no.

You don't want an alcoholic taking care of you.

Even sober he cannot take care of you.

Although he would protect you from something happening to you.

When he is also drunk he asks you to buy him a tampon.

He does really dumb stuff when drunk.

He might even confuse you with anything that he grabs.

He could grab even air and think.

Had tried to give you alcohol.

"Last night at 10am i went to put on my shoes cuz i needed to go to the cafeteria to buy a sword, but them when i went in i remembered that they dont sell sheets so that's why the president is a robot"

Overall another no.

Dr. Glass:

He tries his best.

He is a good Caretaker.

Of course he is cuz he is a therapist and also a retired agent.

So, that mean he can keep you safe.

He will give you some activities to do.

He gives you some snacks.

He also tries to check on you too.

In a breach he is able to protect you.

He tries to engage with you.

But he will not tolerate an attitude.

So behave.

And i mean it.

He might seen sweet and kind, but he has a really bad side so behave.

Overall he really is good someone not to worry about in case of taking care of a child.

---

I feel kinda did this a little sad, while also listening to bimbo y2k music. Im living the best life.

[ii-evil-confessions]

ooc: [the yaouri allegations have literally taken over my brain i cannot goe ONE MINUTE without thinking "what if they kissed" im going to lose it im actually going to lose it. anyways heres more trivia because i love you guys]

because electrons usually hate their leg nubs, touching an electron's leg nub (and them letting you do so) is a sign of deep trust and affection!!!

electrons love to hoard things. especially shiny things that conduct electricity. electrical wire? gone. metal pipe? gone. your money in coins? gone.

speaking of money - atoms don't really have their own currency. sure, they DO have dollars and coins, but protons prefer to pay with favors and ious, neutrons don't care about how they have to pay, and electrons will mostly use money because paying with favors usually gets them into trouble.

electrons spark depending on their mood!!! happy? little zippy zaps! sad? barely any sparks! angry? you could power a small house for however long they stay angry! coughs in dont look at some of the very unethical power supplies some really nasty protons use

so yknow those thingies that those doctors rub together and they make electricity and they shock patients with it? yeah electrons can do that too

cats love boxesWHAT!!! WHO SAID THAT??

an electron's tail can pick up all sorts of stuff in the electromagnetic spectrum!!! they can send secret messages!!!! listen to music!!!! ECHOLOCATION!!!! i think (i am probably wrong)

an electron giving some one something from their hoard is like a big big sign of trust because its like "i trust you with this buddy pal this thingamabob is gonna be in good hands" *discreetly looks at ao3* cough cough umm i didnt do anything

electron tails are soooo bad at hiding emotions hahhah hahha haha hahahah hahahaaha

theyre FAST!!!!! ELECTRONS ARE FAST THEY ARE SPEEDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! VROOM VROOM OR SOMETHING

yknow that thing where in wall-e him and eva shared a spark and its like "omg they loooove each other" giggles. yeah electrons can do that too. do you see what im getting at

im losing it

haha omg dude once electron starts purring it will have so much trouble stopping dude. like its gonna be like "oh fuck fuck shit" and i will laugh at it

when electrons sneeze they give off a little burst of electricity. sneeze? kaboom.

they can flashbang people because i thought that was funny

when electron and positron meet expect more lore to be revealed

cats love boxe-gets shot omg was that a ghost omggg

electron would totally read fanfiction. it would never admit it. but zap would absolutely read fanfiction

[im literally dying im melting im dying im dead. waaah]

[somber-sapphic]

Prompt List!

Hi :) Here is a fancy new updated version of my prompt list! I switched out most of them, but you're sure to find a few repeats. The old ones are linked here and you can choose off of that list as well if you wish!

《 Requests! 》 ︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽︾︽

〘Sickie Dialogue〙

"I don't feel so great..."

"Could you pass me a tissue, please?"

"I think I might have a fever."

"I can't believe I caught this cold at the worst possible time."

"I'm trying to stay strong, but it's getting harder."

"My head is pounding."

"I wish this illness would just go away already."

"I'm so tired, even just talking feels like an effort."

"I don't want to be a bother, but I need help.”

"I can't taste anything. This is the worst."

"I'll be fine; it's just a minor bug."

"I'm sorry if I seem distant. It's just the fever taking a toll on me."

"I feel like I've been hit by a truck."

"I'm not sure how much longer I can tough it out."

"My throat is so sore; I can barely swallow."

"I keep shivering. Can you pass me a blanket?"

"I'm coughing so much, it's starting to hurt."

"I hate feeling so weak and helpless."

"I wish I could join everyone, but I don't want to get them sick."

"I don't want anyone to worry about me."

"I know I need to rest, but there's so much to do."

"It feels like I've been like this forever."

"I can't believe how much my body aches."

"I'm really grateful for your company. It helps distract me from feeling awful."

"I'm just going to close my eyes for a bit..."

"I think I need to lie down for a while."

"This headache is killing me..."

"I can't believe I let myself get this sick."

"I'm feeling really dizzy.”

"I don't have the energy to do anything right now."

"I'm trying to stay positive, but it's tough."

"I just want to feel better already."

"Could you hand me the thermometer? I want to check my temperature."

"I've never felt this awful before."

"I feel like I'm burning up."

"I can't stop sneezing."

"I should have taken better care of myself."

"I'm worried it might be more than just a simple cold."

"I wish I had someone to take care of me.

"I'm feeling really weak and achy."

"I hate that I'm missing out on all the fun because of this."

"I can't even focus on anything with this headache."

"I never appreciated being healthy until now."

"I'm trying to drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated."

"I just want to sleep and forget about everything for a while."

"I'm scared it might be something serious."

"I'm tired of coughing."

"I'm fine, really. It's just a little cold."

"I think I caught something. My head is pounding."

"I don't want to be a burden..."

"I'm so cold..."

"I can still go on the mission."

"I don't want anyone to see me like this."

"Sorry, I can't stop sneezing."

"Thanks for taking care of me."

"I don't want to spread this to anyone else."

"I hate feeling so helpless."

 "I don't need your pity."

"I don't remember the last time I felt this awful."

"I wish I could be out there, helping everyone."

"Why does it have to be so cold?"

“Can you just…hug me?”

 “Don’t leave, please.”

 “I swear I wasn’t this sick this morning.”

 “Yes, I took medicine.”

 “You’re sure I’m sick?  ‘Cause I feel fine.”

 “I really cannot be sick right now.”

 “Everyone gets colds.  I’ll live.”

 “I really hope this is just my allergies.”

 “Stop thinking so loud; my head hurts.”

"I'm scared."

"I can't even talk properly."

 "I feel like I'm letting everyone down."

"You're making a big deal out of nothing."

"I'm so tired..."

"I'm sorry for getting you involved in this mess."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you..."

"I hate being sick. It's so frustrating."

"I can't seem to get warm..."

"I feel terrible for canceling our plans."

"I just want this to be over..."

"Thanks for taking care of me."

"I don't want to burden anyone.”

"I feel useless like this."

"I sound terrible, don't I?"

"I'm sorry if I'm being difficult..."

“Can you just…hug me?”

 “Don’t leave, please.”

 “I swear I wasn’t this sick this morning.”

 “Yes, I took medicine.”

 “You’re sure I’m sick?  ‘Cause I feel fine.”

 “I really cannot be sick right now.”

 “Everyone gets colds.  I’ll live.”

 “I really hope this is just my allergies.”

 “Stop thinking so loud; my head hurts.”

〘Types of Sickie〙

99.9% Immunity - they never get sick, right? Wrong. 

Elephant in the Room - they’re sick, but for some reason, perhaps rank or personality, no one is talking about it. Until it gets bad.

Heroes Don’t Take Sick Days - there’s no time to rest when you have to save the world, so sickie has to push themselves even when miserable. 

Insult to Injury - as if being injured wasn’t enough, now they’re getting sick too. 

Ill Timed - it is the worst possible time for them to be sick, but their body didn’t get the memo. 

Irreplaceable - they are the leader or the boss and aren’t able to take personal time off, even when they’re sick.

It’s Nothing - they insist they’re fine, right up until they collapse. 

Medic Down - How do the other characters handle it when their usual caretaker is sick?

Milking It - if they’re sick, they’re at least going to get as much pampering out of it as they can. 

Not a Word - sickie said they don’t get sick and isn’t in the mood for anyone to remind them while they recover. 

Stepping Up - boss/leader is clearly miserable, so the others go out of their way to take as much of their workload as possible. 

Suffer in Silence - for whatever reason, they don’t want anyone to know they’re sick and do everything they can to hide it.

Team Mom/Dad - the typical team Mom/Dad gets sick, leaving the others to scramble to take care of them.

〘Sickie Scenarios〙

🥀Feeling so out of it, they need constant attention.

🌹Barefoot sleeping wanderings. 

🪷Being let back to bed with patient whispers. 

🌷Collapsing into someone’s waiting arms. 

🌻Forehead kisses

🌼Being picked up 

🌸Being called things like baby, sweetheart or honey

🌺Shaky hands

💐 Waking up either adorably confused or painfully scared

🌾Comfort after a nightmare

🪴Medicine

🍀Nap

☘️Hand holding 

🌿Lullaby

🌴Reaching out for someone 

🌳Bath

🐍Thermometer

🌵Fingers running through sweaty hair

〘Caretaker Dialogue〙

"No, you're not fine. You're burning up.”

"You need to rest. I'll stay here with you until you feel better."

“Just let me take care of you."

"Here, take my blanket.”

“I’ll make some tea”

“You're in no condition to go anywhere.”

“Just rest and let your body fight this off."

“Take this medicine, please."

"I'm here now”

"Right now, the only person you need to help is yourself.”

“Let me hold you.”

“Save your energy.”

“Let me fuss over you."

"You just focus on resting, I'll take care of everything else."

"Let me make you some soup, it'll help soothe your throat."

"Don't worry, I'll handle all your responsibilities while you recover."

"Is there anything specific you need? I'll go get it for you."

"Here's a warm blanket to keep you cozy."

"I brought your favorite book/movie to help pass the time."

"I'll stay by your side until you're feeling better."

"Would you like some tea or hot water with honey?"

"You need to take these medications at the specified times. I'll set up reminders for you."

"Don't push yourself too hard; your health is the top priority."

"I'll run errands for you so you can rest without worrying about anything."

"How about I read to you or play some soothing music?"

"If you need anything during the night, just call, and I'll be here."

"I made you a get-well card. It's silly, but I hope it makes you smile.”

"You're not alone,"

"I'll keep the room warm for you. You don't need to get up."

"Let's open the window for some fresh air, but I'll keep you wrapped up warmly."

"How about we watch your favorite TV show together?"

"Remember to drink plenty of water. I'll keep a glass on the side table."

"You don't have to thank me; it's what friends/family do for each other."

"I'll handle the phone calls and messages for you, so you can focus on resting."

"Tell me if you're feeling uncomfortable, and I'll do my best to fix it."

"I brought you some flowers to brighten up your room."

"I'll fluff up your pillows to make you more comfortable."

"Lean on me if you need to get up; I'll support you."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

"Let me make you something to eat. You need to keep up your strength."

"You should rest; I'll handle everything else.”

"Here, take this medicine. It'll help you feel better."

"I brought you some tea to soothe your throat."

"Lean on me; I'll support you as you walk."

"You're not alone; I'm here for you."

"I'll keep you warm with an extra blanket."

"How about I read you a story to help you relax?"

"Let's watch your favorite movie."

"You don't have to worry about a thing; I've got it all under control."

"You should try to sleep; I'll keep an eye on you."

"I'll keep track of your medication schedule so you don't forget."

"Tell me if you need anything, and I'll get it for you."

"I made some soup for you. It's supposed to be good for healing."

"You should stay in bed and let me handle everything else."

"I'll handle all the chores; you just focus on getting better."

"I brought a few books; let me know if you want to read any."

"I'm here if you want to talk or just need someone to listen."

"I'll keep you company so you won't feel alone."

"I'll make sure the room is quiet so you can rest."

"I'm here to take care of you, no matter what."

[phoenixfire-thewizardgoddess]

If anyone wants to write a character with double pneumonia, I can add some stuff from the godawful experience from a few years back.

Experience for others may differ, they can add in the comments/own reblogs, but it felt like a slow exhaustion and chesty cold that snuck up over a few weeks. you think you're just tired, but then you get headaches and can't sleep, and then the cough creeps in.

It's subtle to start, but eventually you hit a point where it feels like you did 100 sit ups out of nowhere and coughing Aches. And then it gets Wet in there.

The sore throat was bad, lasted way longer than you thought and the problem was that no water quenched it, but it also irritated your chest. A fun wet chesty cough could trigger at any time.

[I've had pharyngitis, which was a horrific sore throat and loss of voice for weeks. Trust me when I say, Pneumonia sore throat, one of the worst ever. You can lose your voice and its infuriating. I can safely say Covid was easier than double pneumonia.]

Your eyes and nose run, its so bad that at least for me, the entire ski around my eyes and nose were bruised. The constant damage of the liquid, the wiping, the raw skin that got worse, turned into bruising.

The weeping just never stopped, it was miserable. And the cough would trigger the weeping, the weeping/tickling runny nonsense would trigger the cough.

You were so FUCKING cold the whole time, you'd be in multiple layers and sweating through them.

And you think, this is a bad cold, right?

It's easy to dismiss as something you got from a kid that maybe sneezed on you. It happens.

[This is the part where the character can deny it until the next stage if you want, and the other/s become concerned]

The part you start to notice something's up is when sleep stops. Oh sleep disturbances are a thing, when you have a cold. Hard to breathe, achey bones and restless energy, etc. All normal.

But then you start to find it's hard to breathe.

It starts small. You might wake up disoriented more, often coughing harshly, feel phlegm deep in your throat, in your chest.

You can try sleeping propped up, but it only helps so much.

Food makes you want to either throw up or die, and then suddenly the hunger stops. Which is a whole Other problem. Because you lose energy fast.

Time gets a bit fucky around here. The body tries its best to heal by going 'just lay here for 8 hours' but it feels like 20 minutes, or vice versa. You're tired but the breathing issue impacts your ability to sleep even if you go full yoga master or twister champion to find The Position where you can get 5 mins sleep.

You get dizzy and vague and there is Brain Fog ++++.

Time has no meaning whatsoever for you then, it's like being locked into the moment, and it is suffering. Which seems dramatic until you're in it.

Sometimes the bruising around your eyes and nose is so profound the skin cracks, you end up with physical injuries. I think of it as the waterfall effect because it sounded better than snot saw, the constant liquid erodes your skin away until there are bloody furrows in some locations. That hurts like a bitch btw and nothing soothes it for long.

Words, thoughts, its all exhausting. And, at least for me when I get sick, there's a restless energy attached that makes you desperate to Do Something but unable to really settle or focus or think more than a few minutes at a time. I swear I wrote a fic or two in five minute bursts over random periods of time

You can get migraines, and the temperature seems to be playing Wheel of Fortune because you CANNOT cool off or warm up.

Then, my least favourite part... the iceburgs.

Whatever the hell is happening in your chest crescendos. Every single breath, your lungs creak and rumble and feel / sound like two huge icebergs rubbing up against one another on every inhale and exhale. It's honestly the most horrifying thing to experience, you start to question if others can hear it. And you can't do anything to blot it out because it's coming from inside the house.

It took 8 hours of not really breathing in a hospital emergency dept with like one other person there, to be seen. But they give you the nuclear warhead version of antibiotics, GPs could issue them too.

It can take weeks to have improvement, you also have to deal with side effects of antibiotics that strong (some people throw up, have diarrhoea, restlessness, inability to eat/nausea, etc). And despite your (or the character's) status as an independent person, having another person to help and bring food you can barely eat, was a game changer. To fight you for the eighth blanket you just snuck onto yourself because you're a degree away from cooking yourself alive... etc.

I was lucky enough that I called family like "I have double pneumonia" and had immediate support, but that was weeks into it. Thought it was a cold, right?

The fun thing about Pneumonia or its subsidiaries, is that once the symptoms finally fuck right off, you still feel OFF for up to like 6-12 months after. If you have a low immune system, or you're older, or it was a double-whammy with another illness/injury, it can take way longer.

And that's for people taking care of themselves, not pushing too hard, listening to their constraints. If perhaps they're in a hard job, or have commitments, or are punished for having time off unwell even though it was out of their control... the timeline for bouncing back is delayed.

--------

I see people use colds a lot for their fics, and yes it's certainly an illness, but they really have to stretch it to justify why A (or A and C if ot3) are still hovering over B when the symptoms are gone and they're well.

Here, have a fucking nightmare of an experience that will absolutely justify people intervening to help, fretting, hovering, and finding ways to assist and take the load later on. Keeping an eye to ensure no one overwhelms themselves and ends up sick again. The paranoia of hearing them cough or express coldlike symptoms again...

etc.

[hermesserpent-stuff]

Hermes, your Ace In A Cage chapter or small fic, which I'm calling Icarus, was so amazing. Mau I implore you to choose another song, a sequel to Icarus, and make more magic happen with the Ace In A Cage AU?

Perhaps Pompeii by Bastille as well, if that is on your list? Or another song of your choosing, if another fits better?

Thank you for making Icarus, Hermes. It was beautiful, and makes me feel nostalgic for when I first got into platonic yandere X-Men... You did amazing. Thank you 💛🦊

Heres some more

Tw: nonconsensual drug use. Past body trauma mentioned.

Remy’s head hurts. It hurts. Honestly, all of his veins hurt. Like they always did when he took medication that ate at his mutation and kept him asleep longer than it would keep anyone else asleep. He sneezes wetly and winces.

Then tenses.

His wrists are tied down. Tied down like when-!

Remy begins yanking on the cuffs, kicking his legs and finding that his legs are being held down too. He yells and screeches and tries to get away. He is not going to be hurt like that again!! His body aches and he is sure that whoever had tied him down already stole more of his body's safety away. His charm slips out from his control as tears cut across his cheeks and he scrunches his eyes tightly closed. He tries to activate his powers but no sparks come out.

This scares him more.

Sinister had tied him down like this before. Hooked an inhibitor collar around his neck and then ran so many experiments on him. But he would rather experiments to the other thing people do when his charm gets loose and he gets pinned.

The collars never seem to be able to contain that secondary mutation. But they contain all his defenses.

A beeping noise rings in his ears and

Breathing becomes impossible as his lungs begin to stutter. He gasps and shudders and tries to drag in more air. But panic has stolen away his regulation. Remy stops thrashing because he has no air.

“Hey! Hey. Breathe with me.”

Remy’s eyes fly open at the sound of Henri’s voice. Henri is right in front of him and Remy takes a sharp breath.

“Henri? Mon fere, j'ai peur.”

He whimpers out. Terror his thick in his stomach, tightening around his heart. His charm is unfurled, scrapping against the walls and laying thickly about.

Then he notices the facial scar that's wrong and he realizes that this a different worlds twisted version of his adopted brother. So he tries for his spark and it bubbles right under his skin and he throws his head back and starts struggling again. The spark bubbles but does not come out. He cannot save himself. The beeping starts screaming again.

“Hey, stop.”

Hand touches him and Remy sobs bitterly. A hand gently smooths his hair and he flinches away as far as he can go.

“Minou. Breathe.”

“Get OFF!! Dont Touch!!”

He screams and then his lungs rebel against an intake of breath. Hyperventilating. Right. That's what it's called. His chest heaves and struggles but not enough air is coming in. Tears cool his cheeks. He can feel his skin being rubbed raw under the cuffs.

Then something goes over his nose and mouth and sweet air hits him. He sucks in a breath and feels his body relaxing. He hiccups and sneezes and coughs and his head spins. He- it- his mind vanishes.

“Papa!!! Pere!!!”

He calls in his ragged voice, desperate for the pain and panic to just stop. If either of his father figures showed up, he knows things will be okay. He calls again and again, ignoring the other voice beside him.

Then…

Sniffing and a light purr.

“Hey, kitten, you've got to calm down.”

“S'il te plaît pere. I'm scared.”

He tries to reach for Creed but he is bound. Remy starts crying again and suddenly his arms are not tied down and he is being held by Creed. A sandpaper tongue is cleaning his hair and Remy relaxes a bit. He makes out the conversation around him but processes none of it.

“He smells right. That's almost impossible to do. And if he dies from a panic attack I just might kill everyone here.”

“We still need to run other tests and I need to check this book, pere.”

The voice sounds… sad. Wary. Hopeful??

“Then do it. I'll hold him. But we're not going to chain his hands again. None of us can handle it. You know that Renegade. I saw your face when he was crying.”

Remy whimpers and the sandpaper tongue smooths down more of his hair. Remy curls up into a tight ball and his pere gently rubs his back. He presses his face into Creed’s chest and starts to fall back asleep as the familiar warmth sinks into his bones.

--

Renegade flips through the journal as he sits beside the stranger's bed. Sabretooth stays curled around him, arms secure around the kid. An IV drips in drugs to keep him knocked out and to address the cold that has the kid sneezing in his sleep.

Stranger…

The kid had his brother's face. But so much younger.

When they had first started getting calls about a mutant moving through states with red and black eyes, he had been wary of the thought of seeing another mutant with his brother's eye coloration. They never were able to get there in time to catch the mutant who seemed forever slipping away from the people putting the reports in. Then the footage from the mansion gates had come in.

A tiny little face full of pain and fear that looked just like his brother had a long time ago. And the kid had run them too, blowing things up with powers that mirrored Gambit's one to one.

Had someone cloned Gambit and then abandoned the clone??

Gambit…

It hurts to think of his little brother. Back when he went by the name Henri and when Gambit was still alive they had always been getting each other in and out of trouble. Running around and stealing, sleeping in piles, counting stars and training. So much joy.

All snuffed out by a fearful angry mob and a vile organization. Gambit had spent his last moments alone with people who wanted to hurt him and in pain. Renegade will not allow that to happen to another mutant. Jean Luc had made a similar promise.

Renegade narrows his eyes at the symbols in the book that are mushed from fast wriging and dampened pages. Oh. He recognizes these! It's a code he and Gambit had come up with using symbols and music lyrics to obfuscate what is really being written.

He works through it, deciding and reading thoughts that echo his brothers writing patterns. A notebook of pain and fear, with notes upon notes about how everything in this world is wrong. Moved around and replaced with a world that looked twisted. Was… was this kid actually Gambit from another world? This 14 to 15 year old kid?

He finds his eyes wetting at the sheer hopelessness that is present in each secretly written word.

This is Gambit. A version of him. A version that is so very scared. Like his baby brother must have been when he died.

“Renegade. Tests are in.”

Wolverine's voice breaks him from the thoughts.

“And?”

Sabretooth growls.

“It's… it's Gambit. There's none of the typical markers for clones or shapeshifters. It's… it's the pup.”

Wolverines voice goes soft. His eyes are tracing the teen that is sleeping in Sabretooth's arms. Sabretooth tightens his hold, like death might snatch Gambit away again. Renegade swallows.

“Yeah. The journal matches that. This is a secret code me and Gambit made up ages ago. I… it seems to be that he's from another world. He refers to himself as Remy in this.”

Renegade holds up the journal. He reaches out and grabs Remy's hand. Despite being asleep, this copy of his brother tangles their fingers together like it is a well practiced motion. Remy murmurs in his sleep and Sabretooth chirps and nuzzles.

“We ain't losing him again.”

Sabretooth swears, pressing his nose to the kid's hair.

“We won't.”

Wolverine promises, crawling onto the bed, so careful of the heart monitor cord and the IV. He opens his arms and Renegade wriggles onto the bed. The kid whimpers in his sleep and Renegade gently runs his free hand over his shoulder.

“Shh Remy. It's gonna be fine fere. Just fine.”

The kid quiets and seems to fall into a deeper level of sleep.

[bejewelledgirl]

Because I Know You

Summary: You and Joshua had recently started dating. And as you know, blossoming a friendship into a relationship is a very delicate matter. You two decided to take it slow but an incident makes you two realise just how hard you two had fallen for each other.

Warnings: none other than slight angst and crying.

Though you had known Joshua since you were a freshman in college, it had only been two months since you and Joshua started dating. You two had met each through mutual friends. It can be quite nerve-wracking to blossom a friendship into something more and at the same time, risk losing the precious bond you've made over the years. Thus, it took you guys a long time to come to terms with your mutual feelings and just two months ago, decided to give it a try.

You and Joshua had decided to take it pretty slow and chill. You two had held hands but never kissed, used nicknames for one another but never called each other baby or babe. Your cynical nature was starting to interfere and it was starting to feel all too delicate and you were worried that one wrong move could ruin it all. You were worried that maybe you had fallen too hard for your new boyfriend but he was still yet to fall that hard.

It was the weekend and Joshua had asked you out on a date, and though you were trying to go out with him and escape the mundane life, you couldn't as you had been down with a bad flu. You couldn't stop sneezing and could barely breathe through all those frequent coughs. Joshua being a gentleman obviously understood it well but he couldn't help worrying. Over several years he had seen just how terrible your condition would be when you caught a flu. Joshua suggested coming over to your house but you couldn't risk him getting sick at all , especially more so now that he had an important presentation at work coming up. You convinced him that you could somehow survive the night but Joshua made you promise him to call if you had any trouble at all.

Later at around 9, he called you once again to make sure you would be fine alone but you did not answer. he rang you two more times, but still no response from your side. Now not be dramatic or anything, but Joshua felt like he was gonna die. He was beyond worried about you and several scenarios coming to his mind, certainly did not help his situation. What if you had fainted? What if someone had broken into your house? Joshua could not just sit still. He basically ran into his basement, got into his car, frantically turned it on and started driving to your house. It is safe to say that Joshua had jumped at least two red lights and honestly, he couldn't even bring himself to care. The only thing occupying his mind was his girlfriend, you...

Finally after what had felt like an eternity (but actually 25 minutes), Joshua was standing at your door. He rang the bell once but you didn't answer. He rang it twice and there was no answer. Just as Joshua felt like he was gonna lose it, and he was a second away from breaking down, you opened the door.

There you were, standing with your pale face and chapped lips, with messy and tangled hair and your comfortable sweatshirt and pjs. You were shocked to see your boyfriend standing right in front of your door. You greeted him with a frown, "Josh, is everything alright? Why are you here this late? Wait are you crying? What happened? ." At this, Joshua felt his eyes becoming more glassy and more tears started to run down his face. He thought to himself "Damn, I can't live without her. Ugh I cannot believe it took an incident like this to realise I have fallen this hard for her". The two minutes that he had spent ringing your doorbell with no response, he realised, what would he do without you?

Joshua could no longer hold himself back, he wrapped you in a tight hug and slowly caressed your hair. When you heard him sniffling softly, your heart broke unaware that it was because of you. You asked him "Shua, did something happen at work? Why aren't you saying anything?". Joshua chuckled softly and answered "Did you see that I had called you a few times? Why didn't you answer? I felt like I was gonna pass out if you wouldn't open the door." Perplexed , you replied "Wait I had no idea you called. I got a fever and I had taken few heavy pills which made me really sleepy. Aww were you worried about me?" you answered with a laugh. "You actually think this is funny? The tears that you see on my face is because I was forced to imagine my world without you for a while. I seriously thought I lost you." Joshua said with his voice cracking in between. You pulled back from the hug to look him in the eyes, "Shua, what could even happen to me in my own apartment? You know how good the security is here and you also know I tend to sleep a lot when I catch a flu." You said once again after a pause, "I actually had no idea you cared this much." At this Joshua felt as if he had failed at expressing just how special you were to him. He also knew that no amount of words could covey his feelings towards you nor did he actually have the ability to speak anymore after sobbing ,so he did something that he wanted to do all these years ever since college. He leaned in to give you a kiss.

Though the kiss was short, you felt as if you were floating in clouds and you were sure that it was not because of the pills you had taken earlier. His lips were so soft and he kissed you so softly as if you would break. You two had blush blooming on both of your cheeks. Joshua cleared his throat and said "Let's order some food. Knowing you, you probably didn't eat anything for dinner." You let out a gasp, "How the hell did you know that?" Joshua answered with his signature heart-winning smile, "Because I know you."

Note: This is my first fic I have ever written so it's not that good but I had fun writing it. Also, I have an account on Archive Of Our Own and I posted this there as well, so don't be alarmed if you see this there.

[dreamlandreader]

Sick Day

I have no idea if fae can catch colds/the flu but I’m currently stuck in bed sick so this is my comfort fic 🥲 It isn’t edited because I just wanted to get the idea out of my head, so apologies for any mistakes ❤️

Warnings: Flu, none graphic discussion of flu symptoms, and stubborn Illyrian babies

Feyre Archeron was feeling incredibly smug. She and her mate had somehow managed to survive their son’s first exposure to the flu unscathed. 

Poor Nyx had unfortunately become sick after a play date, so Feyre and Rhysand had spent the past week knee-deep in used tissues and providing endless hugs and kisses to their crying toddler, who didn’t quite understand why he couldn’t stop coughing.

For the first time in almost five days, Nyx had felt well enough to play with his toys on the living room carpet, and that’s where Feyre left him under the dutiful watch of his Auntie Elain while she wandered upstairs to join Rhys in their shared office. 

Her smile faltered, however, the second she stepped through the door to the office and came face to face with her mate. 

Rhys’s usually impeccable style was now far more dishevelled than she was used to seeing. His shirt was buttoned incorrectly, his hair was sticking up as though he had run his hands through it in frustration far too many times, and his perfect nose was looking rather red. 

It was then that a single sniffle signalled trouble.

“Love, are you okay?” Feyre asked tentatively, knowing her eldest Illyrian baby would likely be the most challenging to handle when sick. 

‘Yes darling, I’m absolutely-” Rhys broke off, falling into a fit of sneezes and released a slight groan before continuing. “Fine. I’m absolutely fine,” 

“No offence, but you look awful. Why don’t you take a break? Go back to bed. I can finish up whatever you’re doing.” 

“Okay, ouch! Plenty of offence taken. I’m fine. I’m the most powerful high lord. I don’t need to take a break because of the sniffles,” Rhys scoffed before he again began to sneeze uncontrollably. 

Deciding it was not worth an argument so early in the day, Feyre settled down at her own desk and began to tackle her looming pile of paperwork, desperately trying to block out her husband’s endless coughing. Feyre’s resolve to leave Rhys to it lasted precisely twenty-two minutes before his sniffling drove her so mad that she slammed her pen down and stormed over to his desk. 

“I love you so much, Rhysand, but if you sneeze one more time and refuse to go to bed, I will lose it!” 

“Feyre, I can’t!” 

“Why?” Feyre practically yelled, “Because of your paperwork? Do you think me so incapable as a High Lady that I cannot sign a few papers and get to grips with our court’s laws?” 

“No! It’s not that, and you very well know it,” he argued, incensed that his wife would assume he thought of her as anything less than the most competent of beings. 

Sighing, Rhys put his head in his hands and seemed to steady himself before making an important admission. 

“I cannot go to bed because he will never let it go.” 

“What? Who?” 

“Cassian!” 

Rhys finally looked up at his wife and met her confused gaze. His beautiful face was full of something Feyre had never seen take over her mate’s expression before. Embarrassment. Rhysand was- well, he was blushing. 

“Around my 400th birthday, I contracted a pretty bad case of the flu. My bones ached every time I moved, my head hurt, I couldn’t stop coughing and sneezing, and frankly, I felt dire. So, for the first time ever, I took the day off. I sent word to Cassian that I wouldn’t be at training that morning because I was under the weather, and him being the concerned idiot he is, he turned up thinking I was on my deathbed. When he ran into my bedroom and found me with two chunks of toilet paper stuffed up my nose and an eye mask on to block out the sunlight, well, I’ve never seen him laugh quite so hard. And he has never let it go.” Rhys said, rolling his eyes. 

“The great Rhysand,” he exclaimed, deepening his voice to match the grit of his brother’s vocal range. “The most powerful fae in Prythian’s history, taken down by a gnarly cold!”

Feyre’s frown disappeared, replaced by a look of sympathy and understanding. Sitting gently on his lap, Feyre took Rhys’s face in her hands and looked deep into his violet eyes. 

“He doesn’t mean anything by it, and it doesn’t upset me by a long shot,” Rhys laughed to himself, “but if I have to go another century listening to his sarcastic comments about it, I may commit murder.” 

“So you’re not going to take a break because your stupid, stubborn ass is too full of pride.” Feyre queried. 

“Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.” Rhys shrugged. 

“Rhys!” Feyre scolded, playfully tapping his shoulder. 

“Look, why don’t you just go to bed. Cass is busy the next few days anyway; he doesn’t need to find out where you are. It can be our little secret.” Slowly, Feyre could sense her mate coming around to the idea, and she had one more trick up her sleeve.

“I’ll even stay with you if that will convince you. We can have a day in bed together. Just relax, the two of us.” Feyre suggested, a sly glint in her eye as she ran her fingers up and down Rhysand’s tattooed arm. 

“Feyre, we’re already so far behind,” Rhys interrupted, shivering under his mate’s touch. 

“It will wait, Rhys. And anything in that pile that can’t, we can delegate to Mor and Amren. They’ll be happy to help,” 

“Fine. I’ll agree to one day in bed. On the condition that nobody ever finds out. Oh, and that you stay with me.” Rhys agrees, squeezing Feyre’s hip. 

Dragging Rhysand by the hand to their bedroom, Feyre sent a message to her sister informing her that she and Rhys were snowed under with work and asking if she would mind taking Nyx out for the rest of the day. After receiving a reply from Elain that she would happily take her nephew for the afternoon, Feyre settled in bed with Rhysand, pulling him into her chest and stroking his hair in a bid to help him fall asleep. She found success within ten minutes as her mate drifted into a secure slumber. 

A week later …

“Oh, by the way, I contacted Tarquin about renewing our trade agreement, and he said he is happy to sign the contract again under the same terms as last time if that is what you both wish, of course,” Mor stated, looking towards her High Lord and Lady. 

“I thought you were dealing with the trade agreements alone these days, Rhys?” Azriel questioned, unable to leave his inner spy at the door, even if it was family night. 

“I am. I just needed a little extra help this week after being so busy taking care of Nyxie the week before,” 

“That’s right, little buddy, you were sick, weren’t you,” Cassian said to the young Illyrian perched on his lap, ruffling his hair and making him giggle. 

“Yep. I was sneezy, and I threwed up.” 

“Lovely,” Amren cringed from the other end of the table. 

“Daddy was sneezy, too, but he didn’t throw up. He sleeped a lot. Mama pet him like a puppy, and he feeled better.” 

The table erupted with laughter at the image of the High Lord of the Night Court being stroked like a dog. Rhysand sank in his seat and gave Feyre a pointed stare that said, “I told you so!”

“Oops,” Nyx cried after seeing his father’s strange reaction, “I member now Mama said I was meant to keep that a secret.” Nyx covered his mouth in surprise and looked towards his mother with shame in his eyes. 

“It’s okay, baby, it was an accident,” Feyre replied and opened her arms for her son to crawl into. 

“Did you- did you check him for fleas before you let him into your bed, Feyre.” Cassian howled, wiping tears from his eyes while meeting Rhysand’s glare. 

“Ha ha, very funny. Have you had your fill now?” Rhys quipped.

Cassian opened his mouth again to fling another joke Rhysand’s way but was interrupted by his own inability to avoid letting out a very dramatic sneeze, swiftly followed by three more. 

Shock filled Cassian’s face, and his smirk dropped. He took one panicked look at Rhysand, who was holding in his laughter, before looking to Feyre who was wearing her own wicked smile as she handed him a tissue and calmly stated, “Good luck, Lord of Bloodshed.” 

[whump-or-whatever]

Hiii hey hi im Like Hella sick and i was wondering if you could make sick whump prompts? Thank you!

Oh no, I hope you feel better! Hope this helps :)

That feeling when you need to sneeze but it just doesn’t happen, so instead you sit there with eyes watering down your face

Whumpee is freezing and shivering and Caretaker just keeps piling blankets on top of them to no avail

Whumpee taking a steaming hot shower to help clear their sinuses

Puffy red eyes and a stuffy nose, with a nasally voice to match

Whumpee with a racking cough that just won’t stop, tearing their throat up in the process

Being so congested and unable to breathe that they cannot sleep and the frustration that goes with that

Aching in the ears and neck from strep throat

Aching in every part of the body

Sweating and shivering at the same time

The pounding headache of congestion

Whumpee just being really fucking irritable because being sick is Annoying

Chest congestion resulting in a wet cough and phlegm

A constant nausea that is mild enough that whumpee won’t be sick but bad enough that they just feel horrible

[chestcongestion]

Going feral over your poll reblog tags, just thought I'd let ya know. Care to expand on them a little? I need the DEETS.

D'awww, hell yeah, I'd be happy to expand.

Mo/xxie just doesn't seem to have the control to stop himself from sneezing once he gets started, especially with his allergies, but he finds himself going through these fits with colds too.

He has an initial double, "YiiHH-Kxhxtieww! Hyihh'KxhtIEW!" is followed by a sharp sniffle, and him fanning at his face as his sinuses still feel itchy, typically moisture from congestion or a lingering allergen are tickling his nose just right that no sneeze feels like enough.

"Baby, you alright?" Mi/ll/ie will ask, as her husband sniffles and hitches, his nose running in a watery stream and his face twitching.

"I uhbb...IIhh'Kxhhtiew! 'Kxhhshiew! -'Kxhhtiew! -'KxXHHTIEW! -'Kxhhtiew! 'TsSHIEW! 'XxhhtiEWW! 'Kxhhshew! I-IHHH'KXhhTIEW!," one after the other after the other, his eyes watering as he grows breathless, each sneeze punctuated by a wheezy half-gasp for air, the constant clenching and struggle beginning to give him a tension headache.

"KxXHtiew! Yiiih'Kxhhtiew! 'Kxhhitew! 'KssHHhuww!- snrkk!- 'KxhhTIEW!-" at this point, Mo/xx/ie feels faint, his throat stinging from the sneezes ripping their way through his sinus cavity and straining his voice.

Passersby start recording, children point and stare, Bl/it/zo- if present- snickers out of nervous concern, only for someone to finally swoop in, pinching Mo/xx's nostrils shut and letting him catch his breath.

A bit of hoarse coughing and a particularly damp noseblow later, Mo/xx/ie regains his composure and weakly returns to his feet, his eyelids puffy, hair frayed, looking pitiful enough that whether he's sick with a cold or suffering from allergies, he looks like he shouldn't be doing anything more than lying down for a nap.

The same can be said for Al/as/tor, but in his case the sneezes keep getting stuck, and he'll try and tease a new one out but that starts a NEW chain of sneezes until he gets fed up and just massages his nostrils to coax out the itch without sneezing because he cannot afford to constantly be going "Hh'nXxzht-shhew! 'Shhiew! Hnkxht'S-sshew!" for hours.