Tim hung up the phone and set about repacking his bag. After a quick shower and a stop at the pharmacy, he was at Ethan’s. Dustin, wrapped in a blanket, answered the door at his knock and ushered him in.
“Ethan decided there wasn’t enough food,” he explained. “So he’s at the grocery store.” He took the pharmacy bag from Tim and set it on the kitchen table. “I’m under orders to send you straight to bed.”
“Let me just stash this in the guest room.” He held up his bag.
Dustin shook his head. “He wants you in his room; he’s taking the couch.”
“I can’t take his bed.” Tim protested. “I’m fine on the couch.”
Dustin laughed. “You can try taking it up with him.” He paused, holding up his hand as he brought his arm up to his face. “HahKishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo…HahKishoo. Ugh…sorry. He figures if you’re in the bedroom, you can rest without being disturbed if someone’s in the kitchen or something.”
Tim sighed. It made sense; he just felt guilty about Ethan giving up his bed. “Do I have to lay down right away? I’m not exactly tired.”
Dustin laughed again. “I’m supposed to be in bed, too. But, I can’t sleep. The chair in the living room is off limits, but grab a blanket and join me on the couch.”
Tim grabbed a blanket out of the closet and wrapped up in it, sitting on the opposite end of the couch from Dustin. “What’re you watching?”
“Truthfully, I don’t even know.” Dustin admitted. “It was some game show, then I fell asleep.”
Tim laughed, then blocked two sneezes with the back of his hand. “EhhhChushhh…hehhrrChhudsshoo.” He sniffled and wiped his hand on his jeans.
“Bless you.” Dustin grabbed the tissues from the end table and placed them between them.
“Thank you.” Tim grabbed a tissue and gave his nose a loud, wet blow.
Dustin picked up the remote and found Jeopardy on TV. “This look good?”
“Yeah.” Tim shifted around on the couch and got comfortable. Too comfortable because by the time Ethan got home, he was asleep.
Ethan was home close to an hour later. Dustin, still awake, put away groceries as Ethan brought them in. “Got enough orange juice?” He teased, placing the third gallon in the fridge.
“I don’t want to run out.” Ethan said simply, coughing harshly. The three trips to the car had done him in. He grabbed a glass of water for a long drink. “How long has he been asleep?”
Dustin shrugged. “About an hour.”
“I’m waking him. See when he’s due for more cold medicine, if he started the Tamiflu.”
The next thing Tim was aware of was someone gently shaking his shoulder. He blearily opened his eyes, raising his fist to his face and coughing.
“Hey.” Ethan’s voice was soft.
“Hi.” Tim rubbed his nose.
“How ya feeling?”
“Achy.” Tim’s voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. “Achy,” he tried again. “Tired. Stuffed up. Keep coughing and sneezing. Little bit chilled. Like a bad cold hit hard and fast.”
Ethan chuckled. “Sounds about right. Did you start the Tamiflu?”
Tim shook his head as Ethan picked the thermometer up off the table. “Honestly, I forgot about it. I set the bag on the table and started talking.”
“Can you grab it?” Ethan called to Dustin, scanning Tim’s forehead. “99.1. The fun is just beginning for you.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call it fun.” Dustin commented, handing over the pharmacy bag so Tim could dig out the antiviral and setting a tall glass of water on the coffee table. He curled back up on the couch, wrapping his blanket around his shoulders.
“Still chilled?” Ethan asked, concerned, as Tim swallowed the capsule.
Dustin nodded as Ethan picked up the thermometer again. Dustin ducked away. “You took it before you left. It was 101.2 then; doesn’t feel like it’s changed.” His tone was sharp.
Ethan frowned, but backed away with the thermometer. “Drink all the water,” he urged Tim as Tim wrapped his blanket around himself.
“Need anything?” At Tim’s head shake, he frowned again. “You both should be in bed. Especially you.” He gave Dustin a pointed glance.
“Not tired.”
“No tv in the guest room.”
Ethan sighed, trying not to point out that Tim had been sleeping when he got home. A glance at Tim. “Did you eat lunch?”
“Sandwich.” Tim answered quickly, turning towards the couch. “Huhh’Ehhshoo, ehhxxshoo, ahhEhgschoo, ehhhdshoo.”
He turned back, sighing. Dustin kicked the tissues closer, and Tim engaged in equally powerful nose blows .
“Bless you.”
Tim let out a few rough coughs with Ethan nudging the water closer.
“Cold medicine?”
After a glance at his watch, “A couple hours ago. When I got home from work.”
“Still wish you’d lay down.”
“Let me finish the water.”
“Fair” Ethan glanced at the TV. “What are we watching?”
“Game show network.”
Ethan rolled his eyes. “Family Feud marathon.”
“You know it.” Dustin coughed.
“Hatshoo.” Ethan buried the sneeze into his forearm.
“Bless you. How are you holding up?”
“I’m alright. You heard the doc. If it weren’t for you, I’d be back at work tomorrow.”
“Sorry. Thanks for letting me stay here.”
“No sense in exposing…” He stopped as Dustin grabbed a tissue from the box next to him.
“HahKishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo…HahKishoo.”
“Bless. No sense in exposing Beth and Ada. Especially since I’m already exposed.”
“Hope you don’t get it.”
Ethan nodded. “The Tamiflu should prevent that.”
He shifted his gaze to Tim as the younger man started coughing. “That sounds rough.” He commented after Tim took another drink of water.
Tim nodded. “Yeah.”
“Breathing ok?”
“So far, so good.”
Ethan glanced back at Dustin. “Yours?”
“Pretty good. I mean, with the nebs and inhaler, but I’m ok.” He paused to cough. “Really, E. I’m ok.”
Ethan did not look reassured. “After this episode, you both are going to bed.” He put down the ultimatum.
Another burst of harsh, wheezy coughing from Tim, and Ethan looked over with concern.
“Okay?” He asked, voice starting to sound hoarse again.
Tim nodded, breathless. “I’ll be right back,” he managed. He got up and slipped from the room, the movement of him pulling his inhaler from his pocket not going unnoticed by Dustin.
Ethan cast a worried look over at Dustin.
“Inhaler.” Dustin mouthed.
Ethan frowned, remembering how Tim’s asthma had flared up with the cold he’d had two weeks ago. Was the influenza going to be too much for him? Should he be taken in and seen?
Dustin seemed to read his mind. “He’ll let you know what he needs, Ethan.” He rubbed fiercely at his nose, then grabbed a tissue for a strong blow. “Hopefully, that will hold off the next round of sneezes for a bit.” Came his comment.
“Hah’Ehshoo, Ehhshooo, uhhrehhshoo, rehhshoo, uhhrsushh, uhhhrushhoo, hurhhhshooo, huhhhRuhhshehh.”
Violent sneezing came from the hallway, and Ethan looked to see Tim bracing himself against the wall with one hand, other elbow blocking his face. He finished sneezing and ducked back into the bathroom.
Dustin and Ethan heard the faint sound of harsh, crackling blowing as Tim emptied his nose into tissue after tissue, followed by another set of sneezes. Tim emerged a minute later, red faced, red nosed and sniffling.
“Excuse me.” He apologized, stuffily.
“God bless you.” Ethan looked at him with concern. “You ok?”
Tim shrugged. “I don’t usually sneeze like that.” He was apologetic. “Not that…I don’t know. Those took a lot out of me.” He confessed.
Dustin nodded. “It’s been doing that to me, when I start and don’t stop at night. I’m just exhausted by the time it quits. Did that last time too. When Ethan had it a few years ago, he had a cough that wouldn’t quit and did the same thing. Influenza plain sucks.”
“I always have a sneezing fit before I get a cold, but it’s not that…intense.” He coughed. “I guess that’s why I didn’t pick up on this.”
Ethan nodded. “I really think you should lay down.” Concern creased his face. “You ever have this before?”
Tim shook his head. “Don’t think so.”
“You’re in for hell.” Dustin commented. “Get some rest.”
“You too.” Ethan ordered, weakening it by pulling a tissue from his pocket. “Hashshoo!” He blew his nose quickly. “I mean it.
Dustin stood up and slipped off to the guest room while Ethan escorted Tim the master bedroom.
Ethan pulled down the covers on his bed, giving Tim a look that indicated he should lay down. Tim hesitated.
“Sheets are clean, I promise.”
“It’s not that. It’s just…I can’t steal your bed. You’re doing enough already.”
“Yes, you can,” came Ethan’s firm response. “You’ll sleep better here than on the couch.”
He had to admit Ethan was right. He was too tall to properly fit on the couch.
“Trust me. I sleep in the chair all the time. This way, I won’t disturb you when I get up and sneeze my way through breakfast. Or if Dustin can’t sleep and wants to watch tv. I can keep a better eye on the two of you, especially at night…it mostly just gives you a quiet place to rest.”
Tim nodded. He couldn’t argue with Ethan on this. At least, he wasn’t gonna win if he did. He slipped into the bed and pulled the covers over him. “Thanks.”
“You’ve got tissues. Cough drops are in the drawer. Anything else you might need?”
Tim cleared his throat. “Can you get me another glass of water, please? I should have grabbed it when we were out there.”
“I’ll fill a bottle. Be right back.”
True to his word, Ethan return less than a minute later with a water bottle, setting it next to Tim.
“Thanks.” Tim smiled.
“I should let you rest now.” Ethan turned to leave.
“Can you stay for a little bit?”
“Just a little. Can’t let Dustin think I’m giving you special treatment.” He grinned. “Just because we’re dating.” He sat on the edge of the bed as Tim schooched over.
Tim felt his heart leap and swallowed hard. “Is that official now?” He kept his tone light. “It’s only been 4 dates…”
“And 4 days here. And I don’t know how many phone calls and text chats. And now, you’re here. I figured if you wanted to run screaming, you would have when I wanted you in the ER.”
“I didn’t.” Tim said, softly. “Truthfully, I was scared to death until I got there and as you were mostly ok.”
“I…” Ethan trailed off, then started again. “I don’t know why, but you were all I wanted that day.”
He looked to Tim for an answer to see Tim’s hazy eyes. Recognizing the look, he snatched a tissue from the box, pressing it into Tim’s hand. Tim rolled to the side, pressing the tissue to his nose. “HuhhRuhhshoo…Ruhhshoo! Ughh…excuse me. Bad timing for that.”
“Bless you.” Ethan laughed. “Anyway, I guess, if you want to be together…”
Tim rolled to the side again. “Chushoo…HahhhChushoo. Ughhh…goddammit! Sorry.” He took a quick second to blow his nose, then straightened up and deposited the tissues in the trash can Ethan held up for him.
“Bless you. You sure you didn’t leave out the fact that you’re allergic to relationships?” He teased.
Tim shook his head. “Nope. Just serious conversations.” He bantered back.
Ethan laughed, handing him another tissue. “Blow your nose again.” He paused and waited. “Dustin sneezed like crazy at the beginning, too. You just can’t tease him about it though. At least not when he’s sick.”
“Oh?”
“Answer the question first, then I’ll warn you about Dustin.”
“I mean, if you want to be together,” he scanned Ethan’s face for any sign of a tell, the noticed that the man appeared to be holding his breath. His heart leapt again. “Then I do.”
Ethan smiled. “I want that, too.” He squeezed Tim’s arm.
“Now, Dustin.” Tim reminded Ethan.
Ethan chuckled. “As you’ve seen, he can be an absolute moody, irritable bear when he’s sick…to put it lightly. So you can’t tease him. He self conscious about his asthma, too, since he got picked on for it as a kid. So like, right now, he’s not as much fun as usual; he doesn’t like being teased when he doesn’t feel well. You can pick on him for his allergies though. He’s used to them; they’re year round, and we all give him hell about them. Even his 3 year old has started.”
“Even his kid is picking on him? Ouch.”
“She can be a handful. She doesn’t know the difference between ‘sick’ and ‘allergies’ though, but he can’t get mad at her, so he just says ‘daddy’s sick, princess,’ and she’ll let him be. She’s probably missing him. She’s daddy’s girl.”
Tim grinned. “That was my sister. Of course, she was the only girl with six boys.”
Ethan laughed, then bent forward, directing a sneeze into his lap. “Ahtchoo!”
“Bless you.” Tim gave him a concerned glance. “Your sneezing’s picking up a bit.”
Ethan waved away his concerns. “I’m fine. The worry is about you and Dustin.”
“Just don’t relapse yourself taking care of us.”
“Really,” Ethan gave a reassuring smile. “They were ready to send me back to work tomorrow if it weren’t for all the exposure to Dustin. My ear feels fine and I’ve just got a cough.”
“And some lingering sneezes, apparently.”
A shrug. “Maybe a few more than normal. You’ll get used to my sneezing…won’t even notice after awhile…or at least that’s what my friends say.”
“Something that loud?” Tim gave a teasing grin, and Ethan blushed. “Sorry, I know I’m not much quieter.”
“I should be figuring out what I’m going to feed you two the next couple days. The soup you made will last for tonight.”
“Yeah…I wasn’t figuring on three when I made it. I can always make more.”
Ethan shook his head. “You wont want to after today. I bought a bunch of canned soup.”
Tim looked at him in mock horror. “Canned soup?! Just kill me now, Ethan O’Connor.” He managed before collapsing on the bed in laughter. Ethan followed suit.
A few seconds later, Dustin appeared in the doorway. “Shouldn’t you both be resting?”
Ethan straightened up, serious nurse face appearing once again. “Him, yes; me, no.”
“E, I can hear you sneezing. It’s picking up. Time to lay down for a bit.”
Ethan meant to argue, but Dustin wasn’t wrong. He ducked down into his elbow. “Ahtschoo!”
“Bless you.” Tim cleared his throat. “I think Dustin’s got a point. Go lay down for little bit.”
“Fine.” Ethan mock-huffed. “I’ll see you two in an hour.” He coughed.
Aggedy Ann 