Misery Line Part 4

[snuffle-bunny]

Misery Line

Part Four

At first he couldn’t believe he’d heard her clearly; his ears felt almost as bunged up as his nose did. But when she continued to cuddle him and stroke his hot forehead, showing no sign of wanting to let him go, he realised it wasn’t a mistake.

“You want to stay here? I don’t think I’ll be very good company…”

“No, sweetie, I’m not here for company. You can hardly breathe, there should be someone to keep you in bed and make you feel better, and it breaks my heart to think of you on your own when you’re this sick.”

“But, Ruth,” Alan said, sniffing, “don’t take offence but why would you care?”

She didn’t answer immediately.

“Alan, I…I like you. I see you every morning, but you don’t always realise I’m there. I’ve wanted to speak to you for a long time and the other day, you looked…well, you looked so helpless and you so badly needed to blow your nose…I was worried enough to follow you. When I heard you sneeze, and you staggered, I grabbed you because I really thought you might faint.”

“I looked that bad?”

“Alan, you were grey. And when you looked up at me and snuffled…I’d meant to ask if you wanted a tissue, but I had that hanky around your nose before I’d thought about it.” She blushed again. “Alan, that was the first time I’ve blown anyone’s nose but my own. I didn’t intend to, you just seemed to need it.”

“I did, Ruth, you were right,” Alan said, snuggling up to her. “And you did it so well, too, it cleared my head then and there.”

“I meant it, though, Alan, I do like you. I like you a lot, and right now you need caring for.” She gave him a hug. “May I stay with you?”

He nodded. “I’d like that. Thank you Ruth…and I like you too.”

Alan lay with his head against Ruth’s breasts and finally began to accept how she felt about him. He felt ill, his emotions were in turmoil and he’d been crying hard, so it really wasn’t surprising what happened next.

He fell suddenly and deeply asleep in Ruth’s arms. In a few minutes Ruth realised he’d done so; his breathing, although snuffly, had become more even and he lay still against her breasts. She stroked his hair and then very carefully laid him down on the pillows and tucked him in warmly. He sighed and sniffed a little, but he didn’t wake, even when she used a tissue to wipe his runny nose. When she knew he was settled, she crept from the room and went to hunt in the bathroom. It didn’t take her long to find some aspirin and a well-used pot of decongestant rub.

Alan slept for an hour and a half, deeply and dreamlessly. Having had such a broken night the night before, he’d been far more tired than he realised. When he awoke, it was to find Ruth sitting beside his bed in a small chair she had fetched from a corner of the room. As soon as she saw his eyes blink open, she smiled at him reassuringly.

“Oh my god…I’m sorry, I must have dropped off!”

“Alan, you needed it, I can tell you’re exhausted. Now, sit up a bit and take these, they’ll help your headache.”

“How did you know I’ve still got a headache?” he asked, beginning to struggle into a sitting position.

“Just a guess. Come on now, take these aspirin.”

As soon as he was upright however, Alan was almost overcome by a fresh wave of dizziness and sinus pain, and his nose, as blocked as it was, began to run terribly. He flopped back against the pillows helplessly, sniffing and coughing, his head pounding…and suddenly he felt Ruth slip her arm around his shoulders to support him, and she held another tissue to his nose for him.

“There sweetie, now blow.”

“Tshtshtsh!” He obeyed her instantly, but gave a rather hesitant blow followed by a harsh cough he tried to stifle. It took him a minute or two before he could raise his head and take a careful deep breath.

Ruth looked at him in surprise. “What’s wrong? Oh dear, is it hurting you to blow?”

“Yeah…” he admitted. “By sinuses...er...”

“What is it, Alan? Tell me.”

“Ruth…could you get be a hadkerchief please? There are sub id the top drawer over there. Id fact, I bight deed bore thad one…by head feels full.”

“Oh sweetie, of course!” Ruth moved across and opened the top drawer, to find a stack of clean, ironed, white handkerchiefs. She fetched several, and putting her arm around Alan again for support she held one tenderly to his nose.

“There, now you have a big blow.”

Alan’s response was immediate and gratifying.

“Tsshtsshtsshphhphhsnffsnfftssh!” He blew his nose wetly, leaning forwards, hunching his shoulders up and filling the hanky instantly. It went on for longer than the first time but Ruth could tell that although he wasn’t holding back, he still wasn’t getting his head properly clear. When he’d finished and she wiped his nose for him, he laid his head back on her breasts and groaned stuffily.

“Goodness, Alan. You’re even blocked up after that! You poor thing!”

“Oh, this is what I’b always like whed I’ve got a cold,” he snuffled. “Takes ages for it to go away. I’b sorry, you bust thidk I’b ridiculous.”

“No, of course not! Alan, you’re ill, for heaven’s sake. And your poor nose must be hurting, it’s very red. Do you think you can blow again?”

As she spoke, she shook open another hanky, this one with a thin blue stripe, and held it to his nose. He tried to blow, but this time he couldn’t, and he sank back onto the pillows almost crying in frustration.

“Can’t you blow, sweetie? I think I can help, though. Here, you take these.”

Ruth popped two aspirin into Alan’s mouth and held a glass of water to his lips while he drank. He was thirsty, which didn’t surprise her, and he drained the glass. When he’d finished, she made sure his chest was covered, told him she’d be back in a moment, and hurried down to the kitchen.

Alan closed his eyes wearily. His sinuses were full and his head was throbbing, and Ruth had been right, his nose was very sore. He dropped off for a minute, and woke when he heard Ruth come back. She carried a bowl of hot water on a tray and some towels; carefully she put the tray on his lap.

“Come on now, lean over…that’s it. This’ll get your head really clear.” She draped a towel over his head as he leaned over the bowl, enclosing him in a tent of steam.

“Deep breaths through your nose,” she encouraged, rubbing his back soothingly. “If it starts to run, let it. Don’t sniff. And if you have to sneeze, then just sneeze.”

He didn’t answer, he just breathed as deeply as he could, letting the steam do its work. Soon Ruth began to hear loud sniffing noises from under the towel as the pressure in his head loosened

“Just let it come out,” she told him, “it’s alright.”

“Uuh…it’s running…” Alan choked.

Ruth pushed the towel back and looked at Alan. As he looked up at her the cooler air hitting his face made him gasp and cough. His eyes were all watery, his face dripping with sweat and his nose was absolutely streaming. His breathing sounded different too; very wet and snuffly and not nearly as blocked up as he had been.

“Oh yes, it’s working isn’t it,” she murmured. She removed the bowl then quickly she took a clean towel and wiped Alan’s face. He was almost panting with the effect of the steam, and now his snuffles were an attempt to stop his nose running rather than trying to breathe through it. When his face was dry, Ruth cradled Alan in her arm and tenderly held a clean hanky to his nose.

“Don’t sniff in like that, lovey,” she murmured, holding him tight, “just blow out hard and don’t worry.”

He didn’t need telling twice. Wrinkling his nose, he blew mightily into the hanky with a thunderous snort. It was much easier for him after the steam; his nose emptied with a rush and then with a small popping sound, his ears cleared themselves.

“Oh my goodness, you needed that, sweetie!” Ruth exclaimed, feeling the wet rush fill the palm of her hand through the thin cotton. When Alan stopped to take a breath, she wiped his nose and replaced the sodden hanky with another clean one. Now she realised just why he had such a drawerful of them!

“And again,” she encouraged softly. He gave a series of smaller blows this time, much softer but still productive. The pressure in his sinuses decreased and when he’d finished he nuzzled into Ruth’s hand as she wiped his nose for him.

“Oh…I can breathe through it!” he said in surprise as he raised his head. “Thank you, Ruth…I can even hear better after that.”

As he raised his head, their faces were only a few inches apart and he was struck again, even through his discomfort, by her beauty. But after the barest moment, Alan lowered his head as if shy.

“Alan? Are you going to sneeze, sweetie?”

He shook his head, chin on his chest.

“No, but I don’t want you to get sick, Ruth. Maybe you shouldn’t get too close.”

And then her hand was beneath his chin, raising his face to hers as before.

“Sssh, now. Don’t worry about that.” She leaned closer. “You’d take care of me if I was sick, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes, of course I would, but…”

“Ssh.” Closer. “Hush, you sweet man…”And then she touched her lips to his; softly at first, and more firmly as she felt him begin to respond. He opened his mouth tentatively and she slid her hands under the shelf of his jaw and cradled his head lovingly, her fingers twining into his hair as she kissed him.

[count tiszula]

This is absolutely wonderful! I don't often go for general Hurt/comfort stuff, or even for coldy things in general, but this is just so well drawn with all the divine details of his coldiness and blowing! And a steam scene; is this a first?

I suppose it would be ignoble of me to wonder if she is going to catch the cold.....no, she'd try to hide it in an irritating mannner....well, perhaps not; she's showed commendable common sense so far.

[reggie1]

Such a well written, nurturing story!