A Sniffle in Time

[chui]

so....this is a short little fiction i penned as part of an art trade, and it was suggested that i post it, in case anyone else likes the fandom. So, just a brief introduction: This is Hiro, one of the characters from Heroes, and i just thought i'd give it a try and see what happens if he should catch a cold....h

~hope you enjoy~

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Hiro woke with a pounding headache, congestion leaving his throat sore and scratchy. A brush of his hand revealed a fever burning through his forehead. He rolled over to gaze at the clock with bleary eyes.

10:15am

He sat up abruptly with the realization of how late is was, but the flaring pressure forced him to lay back with a heavy sigh. This cold had been building for a few days without showing signs of easing.

A fierce burning sensation edged along the tip of his nose. Hoping to relieve his discomfort, he curled a finger and rubbed gently just below the worst of the burn. Unfortunately this only succeeded in spreading the tingle. He rubbed slightly harder, but was unable to subdue the feeling. His eyes watered slightly as his breath hitched softly. First once, then twice before he tilted forward with the escaping sneeze. “Egk’tshi!” He captured the sound in his still curled fingers. Sighing and moving to lower his hand, he felt the burning rise with an urgency and quickly covered his face with a cupped hand, barely catching his release. “Ngk’tch! Eh...Hngk’tchu! Ek’tshu! Ek’tshi!” The force behind his sneezes and the general ache of his body left Hiro rolled onto his side, one hand pressed over his nose and mouth. He sniffed deeply and wiped at his nose before noticing a mist of spray glistening along his palm. Making a face, he reached for a tissue from the box beside his bed with which to dry his hand and attempt to clear his sinuses.

Cupping the tissue around his nose, he blew gently, managing to ease the pressure a bit. As he leaned over to throw away the tissue, he glanced once more at the clock.

10:15am

Confusion passed across his face. Surely a few minutes had passed, but the clock read the same. As he sat up to check it, he noticed a familiar silence resting over the room. He slowly got out of bed and padded to the window. Gazing out, a strange sight met his eyes. Everywhere he looked, people and cars were frozen, birds hung in midair, even the wind ceased to move the trees.

It was as if time had stopped. For anyone else, this might have terrified them, or at least made them question the content of their cold medication. But Hiro was different; he was gifted, one of the heroes. He could control time. He could stop or slow the sands of the hourglass, could even move through the years in ways science hadn’t begun to fathom. And so he stood, merely wondering how this had happened. He had not done it himself, at least to his knowledge. As he lingered at the window, he felt the tingle begin to inflame his nostrils once more. Raising a curled finger, he deftly stifled the sound to a soft “Egk’tshi!”

As he glanced out on the still world, he saw everything had suddenly resumed its motion. People continued on their way, birds flew off, branches fluttered in the wind. All was apparently well. Hiro was bewildered by the sudden randomness of his abilities.

What had frozen time? What had started it again?

He stood at the window a few more minutes before his sniffles urged him towards the tissues. Just as his fingers touched the soft, white square, another sneeze began to signal an impending arrival. “Mph’chu!” He smothered the sound and pressed the tissue close for a quiet blow. He made his way to the bathroom, hoping to get some relief from his medicine. He turned the tap to fill a glass so he could take the pills, and nothing happened. No water flowed, not even a trickle. He stumbled quickly back to the window, only to find that once again, all was still.

He stood there some minutes in quiet contemplation, quiet but for the regular

sniffles that escaped him. An idea began to prickle along the edges of his mind, forming just as his nostrils began to tingle.

What if......his cold?

“I’ve got ih-ih’tsngh!.....it” His interrupted ecxlamation was followed by a heavy sigh.

As he suspected, when he looked outside, everything moved as normal. Certain that his cold was somehow severe enough to alter time, he began to pace around the room,

seeking a solution. After all, he could not let this continue.

Hiro’s first thought was to travel back to before he became ill, and prevent this

dastardly cold. But he didn’t quite trust his abilities. If a simple sneeze could so this

much damage, imagine what a cough or a sniffle during the shift would do. There was

no telling where in time he would end up. Tucking the box of tissues under his blue and

white striped flannel covered arm, just in case, he continued to pace before the window.

After what seemed like hours, the achy, exhausted man gave up his search and sank down onto the soft bed. He lay back, the cold medicine beginning to take a strong effect and with one last sniffle, closed his eyes. His hands relaxed, the tissues falling to the floor, and outside, the world carried on, for even a hero cannot sniffle in his sleep.

~the end~

[VoOs]

EEEEEEE! Hiro!

Ok, THAT was almost too much cuteness for me to handle! I absolutely love Hiro! Thanks for making my day!

[KawaiiKitty]

Okay, how much I LOVE this increases the more I keep reading it. Not only did I carry a print of this around clutched in my grubby little mitts all day yesterday, I DREAMT about it last night.

You'd think I'd have used up all my compliments by now but NO, I can easily think of more.

The entire last paragraph is just made of adorableness. It's just the cutest little visual, especially the box of tissues falling to the floor. I really fixated on that bit for some reason. I just want to crawl into the bed with his cute little self. *slaps inner fangirl and tells her to shut up* Er...okay...

Also I thought this line was very funny and clever:

For anyone else, this might have terrified them, or at least made them question the content of their cold medication.

Best line ever!

Except for maybe this:

Certain that his cold was somehow severe enough to alter time

Bet you're the first person ever to use THAT line in a sneezefic...or ever.

The more I read this, the more I'm convinced that the whole premise of this fic is awesome and I wish it really happened in an episode. Ah well, I can satisfy myself by going off to read THIS 576 more times! I don't know how I can ever say thank you so much for doing this enough times to do it justice.

Oh, almost forgot to say: I adore the sneeze spellings so very much. I think that's exactly how he would sneeze and all. And no, I haven't been picturing it in my head over and over...no, I haven't. Ah, I'm not fooling anyone am I?

[Guest]

EEEEEEEEP!! I love Hiro!! He's just mega-cute!! Also, I love Heroes the series, it's just too exciting (but here in Britland we're only partway through series 1, and I hear that America has had more than me ) And Hiro is my FAVE character - and you got him just PERFECTLY. Thank you!!! *goes back to reread*

[Gallatea]

EEEEEEEEP!! I love Hiro!! He's just mega-cute!! Also, I love Heroes the series, it's just too exciting (but here in Britland we're only partway through series 1, and I hear that America has had more than me ) And Hiro is my FAVE character - and you got him just PERFECTLY. Thank you!!! *goes back to reread*

If you go to www.nbc.com, you can watch ALL of the episodes whenever you want.

And to chui:

EEEE!!!! I just loved this sneezefic. Best part is that I read it last night for the first time as I was watching the latest episode of Heroes on NBC.com--the second to last part w/Hiro in it!! I can't tell you how much I loved the coincidence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[count tiszula]

Excellent; you are brilliant at these slightly quirky themes; I definitely feel you should pursue this one; who knows what effect on the space-time continuum a severe cold could have?

I recall once seeing a book called "Timesneeze"; I've googled it and it seems to be a play for yoof; but I can't find much else about it. I don't suppose anyone else knows it?

[chui]

oh wow..... im seriously stunned by this.....you guys.... but im so happy that you all enjoyed it! thank you so very much for the kind commentary....and im glad that this could bring a smile to each of you.

oh....and count....i guess its cuz im slightly quirky myself! (who am i kidding....im WAY quirky!)

[Guest No More Lies]

Oh! The utter adorableness of Hiro paired with your obvious kickassery for writing has made me one very happy lady. I wish I had your skill for words, dear chui. I would quote you my favorite parts, but I'd end up quoting the entire piece. You rule!

[chui]

*SQUEAK*

NML... eeeep...you just made my day! thank you so very much!

[Vetinari]

Oh Chui, how did I miss this. It's so original and fascinating.

Excellent! I'm so glad it came back up to the top of the board!