Likesn's Drabble Thread

[Anonymace]

This was nice! Very good work :> I’m excited to see what you write next!

[jke1995]

My favorite kind of story. Love that the three are resigned to catching the cold rather than trying to avoid it or one another. Nicely done!

[Likesn]

On 11/8/2022 at 11:36 PM, Anonymace said:

This was nice! Very good work :> I’m excited to see what you write next!

Thank you!

 

On 11/10/2022 at 7:35 PM, jke1995 said:

My favorite kind of story. Love that the three are resigned to catching the cold rather than trying to avoid it or one another. Nicely done!

Thank you so much! I think you'll like this next story as well.

Maybe Next Time:

Megan put on her scarf, coat and gloves before she went to work. It was winter and the days were very cold. There were talks about snow, but so far nothing. Some people would've liked to have a word with the weatherman and that was something Megan could actually do, since she knew him. Eddie, the weatherman worked at SFX, the same news station where Megan worked. She was a young reporter, trying to make a name for herself. The problem was, she didn't get to do nearly enough stories as she would've liked. Still, she kept going to work every day, waiting for her big chance. That's just how life is for a young reporter with little experience.

*

"Did you hear the big news?" Chris, Megan's college, asked her when she got to the station.

"I've heard that joke like a million times before" said Megan. The term "big news" was the subject of so many jokes around the station, she had lost count.

"I'm serious" said Chris. "Didn't you say you're a fan of Travis Bird"?

"Yes and I know he has a show here in two days" said Megan. "It's been sold out months ago, thanks for reminding me" she sighed and sat by her desk.

"Bet you didn't know he has agreed to do an interview though" said Chris. "You'll never guess where".

"Shut up!" Megan called. "You're seriously telling me he chose SFX for an interview"?!

"That's right" said Chris. "I thought that might get you excited".

"Did they decide who's gonna interview him?" Megan asked.

"Not yet" Chris replied. "Georgia is in her office. I would go there right now if I were you".

Megan practically ran to her boss' office and barged in without knocking. Normally she wouldn't have done that, but she had a real chance to interview her favorite singer and she wasn't gonna let it slip.

"Ha Tshoo! Ever heard of kdockig?" Georgia asked when Megan entered the room.

Megan has never seen her boss like that: Georgia's high heels, the one she wore to work every day no matter the weather, were on the floor next to her chair, but she was sitting with her bare feet on the desk. Megan could detect a faint smell of feet in the office.

"What do you wadt Begad? Ha Ha Tshoo, Aaa Tshoo! Ugh! *sniffle* stupid allergies" Georgia tilted her head backwards and rubbed her nose and temples, as if she was suffering from serious sinus pressure.

Megan knew very well that there was no way those were allergies. It was the middle of winter and her boss was obviously sick. She wasn't going to say anything about it though, just like she wasn't going to comment on her boss' feet. This interview was just too important.

"Travis Bird" she said. "Did you decide who's gonna interview him"?

"Dot yet" Georgia said and blew her nose. "I assube you thidk I should let you idterview hib"?

"Yes. I really do" said Megan. "He's my favorite singer and because of that I'm gonna take this interview more seriously than anyone else in this station. You know I'm right".

"Ha Etsh Shoo, Ha Aaaa Tshoo! Fide" Georgia said and sniffled. "The idterview is yours od ode codditiod".

"Sure. I'll do anything" Megan said excitedly.

"Leave by office dow add tell everyode to stay away frob here" said Georgia. "I'b havig a bad allergy day add I dod't wadt to deal with adyode".

For a split second, Megan thought about telling her boss to admit that she's sick, go home and rest. That split second passed very quickly when Megan remembered what was at stake.

"No problem" she said.

"He Atshoo, Ha E Tshoo, Ha Ha Ha Tshoo!" Georgia went into a sneezing fit when Megan left her office.

"So?" Chris asked Megan when she returned to her desk.

"I got it! My first big interview!" Megan called.

*

When Megan returned home that afternoon she was so happy she was almost floating through the air. Normally Megan lived by herself, but her younger sister Rachel has been staying at her house for a couple of days. Rachel has been living with her boyfriend until recently, but they had an ugly breakup and she didn't want to live alone during the rough time she was having. Megan, being a good sister, has agreed to let Rachel stay with her for a few days. When Megan left for work that morning Rachel was still asleep, but when she got back home she found her sister in the living room. Rachel looked tired, her nose was red and she was a little pale. Megan wondered if her sister has spent the day crying. It was something she did often when she got there, but Megan thought she was done with that. After all, the previous night Rachel got all dressed up and went to a party.

"Are you OK Rach?" Megan asked her sister.

"Hi Ishoo! Ugh! *sniffle* I thidk I caught a cold frob sobeode at the party last dight" Rachel said and blew her nose into a tissue. Megan then noticed the pile of used tissues on the table.

"Oh" she said. "Well, that explains the tissues. At least you weren't crying your eyes out again".

"Dot cryig Hi Ish, Ish, Ishoo, Ishoo! just sdeezig by head off" said Rachel.

"I'm sorry you got sick" said Megan. "There must be some bug going around because my boss is sick too. She said it's allergies but it was definitely a cold".

"You told be she's this tough persod *sniffle* right? Do wodder she tried to hide her cold" said Rachel. "I hope she wasd't bead to you because she's sick or sobethig".

"On the contrary - she agreed to let me have this really big interview and all I had to do for it was leave her alone and tell everyone else to do the same" said Megan. "Can you believe I'm going to interview Travis Bird"?

"Really? That's huge! Ha Ishoo!" sneezed Rachel.

"You should be in bed Rach" said Megan. She then noticed Rachel was barefoot under the blanket she wrapped around herself to keep warm.

"Why are you barefoot? Put some socks on" she told Rachel. "You'll only feel worse with cold feet, plus they stink" Megan gave her sister an affectionate pat on her foot.

"Dod't bake fud of be whed I'b sick!" Rachel called. "I cad't sbell adythig adyway".

"No, of course you can't" said Megan. "Wait here".

Megan left the living room and returned a few moments later with a pair of fuzzy socks. She put the socks on her sister's feet while Rachel blew her nose.

"Doesn't that feel better? Megan asked.

"I Shoo!" was Rachel's reply.

"Bless you Rach" said Megan. "I hope that party was worth it".

"Hi Ishoo, Ha Ishoo, Hi Ish, Ishoo!" Rachel sneezed helplessly.

"Alright, off to bed with you" said Megan. "I'll get you tea and some medicine".

*

The next day was colder than the one before, but Megan felt warm inside. She spent the previous evening taking care of her sister and trying not to think too much about the interview. When she left her house that morning she saw Rachel sound asleep in her bed, snoring lightly through her stuffed up nose.

"We should do a test run to make sure everything's working" said Drake, the cameramen.

They were waiting for Travis outside the stadium where he was about to preform the next day. Megan had just finished getting her makeup done. She nodded and Drake rolled the camera.

"Haaa Choooooooo!" Megan suddenly let out a huge sneeze.

"Whoa! Careful there!" Drake called. "What was that"?

"Dothig *sniffle* I'b fide" said Megan.

"Yeah right" said Drake.

"Just roll the dabd cabera" said Megan. Drake shrugged and did as he was told.

"This is Begad He Choooo! Begad Ha Choooo! Begad Ha Haaa Haaaa Chooooooo!" Megan couldn't even say her full name without sneezing.

"You're sick" Drake said and turned the camera off. "Go home".

"I cad't be sick" said Megan. "Dot today. This is the Haaa Chooooooo! biggest idterview of by life".

"If you go through with this then this interview will definitely be your last" said Drake. "What will Travis Bird think if he sees you like this? You'll not only ruin your own reputation, but the station's as well".

"Ha Ha Haa Chooooo! *sniffle* Baybe you're right" said Megan.

*

"Oped wide" Rachel said as she brought a spoon full of medicine to Megan's mouth. It was the next evening and they were both in the living room, watching Travis Bird's concert.

"This stidks" said Megan. Her nose was red and there were used tissues all around her.

"Dot as bad as your feet" Rachel teased. They both placed their feet on the table, between the used tissues.

"I thought you could't sbell adythig" said Megan.

"By sedse of sbell is startig to cobe back" said Rachel. "Too bad I cad odly tell that by the Ishoo, Ishoo, Ish, Hi Ishoo! sbell of your feet".

"Dow who's bakig fud od a sick persod? Haaaa Chooooooooo!" sneezed Megan.

"I'b sick too, so I'b allowed" said Rachel. "Besides *sniffle* you're the ode who brought the whole feet thig up the other day, whed tou took care of be. Thadks for that by the way".

"The odly thadks I got is this Ha Ha Chooooooooo! stupid cold" Megan said and pointed at the screen. "I was supposed to idterview hib *sniffle* but dow I'b stuck at hobe sdeezig by head off".

"I kdow it's dot fair". said Rachel. "For what it's worth *sniffle* I'b sorry I got you sick".

"Baybe I caught this cold frob by boss" said Megan.

"That's dot very likely Begad" said Rachel. "You've spedt buch bore tibe with be add by gerbs".

"Ha Chooooooooooo! Ugh! *sniffle* Whed ab I goig to feel better?" Megan whined.

"You cad start by Ish, Hi Ish, Ha Ishoo! takig this bedicide" said Rachel. "It helped be feel better".

Megan gave her nose a gurgling blow.

"Stupid cold" she said. "Bade be biss ad idterview with by favorite sidger".

"There will be other idterviews" said Rachel. "Odce you get over this cold add get back to work I kdow you'll get your chadce to be a big reporter".

"I hope you're right" said Megan. "Right dow by odly tibe od cabera is bostly Haa Choooooo! sdeezig".

"Frob the test rud you did yesterday?" Rachel asked.

"Yes" Megan replied. "Drake threateded to publish it if I cobe back to work before I'b over this cold".

"That's ode video I would've liked to see" said Rachel. "Well Hi Ishoo! baybe you'll have better luck dext tibe".

"Ha Ha Chooooo, Ha Choooooo, Haaaa Choooooooooooooo! Yeah *sniffle* baybe dext tibe" said Megan.

The End

[jke1995]

This one was very lovely. Poor Megan, even though it was likely she’d miss the interview, you still feel bad for her. Maybe next time indeed. Great job!

[Likesn]

I know it's only the beginning of December, but I'm already in a mood for Christmas sickfics, so here we go:

The Gift:

Sarah Clark loved Christmas. Sure, lots of people love Christmas, but Sarah had her own secret reasons that most other people didn't share. Most people love Christmas because it's a time when they can get together with their families and celebrate in the warmth and comfort of their homes when it's cold outside. Sarah liked the fact that Christmas was the perfect opportunity to bring the cold inside, and she wasn't thinking about the temperature. Her fascination with the common cold started in her early teenage years. Since then, Sarah realized that she had a fetish for women sneezing from colds. Nothing in the world had Sarah excited like seeing a woman with a red nose succumbing to an uncontrollable urge to sneeze. During the holiday season, people were busy buying gifts and thus were exposed to many other people, increasing their chances of getting sick. Then, they would take their colds with them back home, where they cold share them with their families and friends. So many possibilities for contagion.

This year, at the age of 22, was the first year that Sarah lived somewhere that wasn't her parents' house. She was sharing an apartment with three other women: Tessa, Blake and Jade. Cold and flu season has already started, but so far it hasn't made it's way into the apartment. Sarah got along with her roommates and they were all very friendly towards each other. Yet, her inner fetishist had a deep desire to see them all with colds. Tessa had long light-brown hair, gray-green eyes and a nose that was a little wider and larger than the average one. Sarah kept finding herself wondering what that nose would be like with a cold inside it. Blake's nose was slender and beautiful, her eyes were blue and her hair was blonde. Sarah really wanted to know just how red Blake's nose might get if she caught a cold. As for Jade, her dark hair fell slightly above her shoulders, her eyes were dark as well and her nose was pretty average. Still, Sarah wanted to see that nose dealing with an unstoppable tickle.

As time went by and none of her roommates showed any signs of getting sick, Sarah realized she would have to be the one to bring a cold into the apartment. This wasn't her favorite option, but she was willing to deal with a cold herself if she could pass it to her roommates. Sarah usually caught at least one cold every year, sometimes even two or three. She didn't enjoy it as much as she enjoyed watching other women with colds, but being contagious was a big plus for her. Spending a few days in bed, sneezing and blowing her nose, wasn't so bad if she knew she got to share her cold. Sarah's own nose was rather large, supporting a big pair of glasses that she wore for her dark-brown eyes. When she had a cold, her large nose would turn very red, matching the color of her long hair.

Sarah's "mission" was somewhat complicated. Catching a cold wasn't very hard, but she had to do so without her roommates noticing and keep them oblivious long enough for her to be contagious. She started by weakening her immune system: Walking barefoot on the cold floor in her room, taking cold showers, going to sleep with her hair wet and the window open and getting as little sleep as she could. The next step was exposing herself to germs. She started her Christmas shopping early, traveling by public transport to crowded malls. Many people were sneezing and coughing and Sarah was certain that one of them will eventually get her sick.

A few days before Christmas, Sarah woke up feeling very tired and realized that she couldn't breath through her nose. She got out of bed, still not putting on socks or slippers, intending to grab a tissue.

"He E Tshoo!" the moment her feet hit the cold floor, the shiver triggered a sneeze. It was a strong and wet sneeze, that sprayed across half her bedroom and almost bent her double.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed. The sneeze felt good and it cleared her head, but it also left her nose runny. She grabbed a tissue and produced a gurgling blow. Her nose filled back up immediately. She had no doubt that she was sick. Now was the time for the last part of her plan - getting her roommates sick. This was tricky. If they knew she had a could they would keep their distance. She needed to think of a way to hide her cold long enough for them all to catch it.

"He Tshoo!" another sneeze. Hiding her cold was not gonna be easy. Then, she had an idea.

"Sdeeze od girls, sdeeze od girls, sdeeze od all of theb" Sarah sang stuffily to herself that afternoon. The music was that of "jingle bells" but the lyrics were her own. She was in the kitchen, waiting for her roommates to come back and see the surprise she had for them in the living room.

"Oh wow! Look at that tree!" Tessa called excitedly from the living room.

"It's gorgeous!" Blake was excited as well.

"Wait, if none of you bought it and I didn't buy it, then who did?" asked Jade.

"I did" Sarah called from the kitchen. "Do you like it"?

"Yes, very much" Jade replied.

"The tree is lovely" said Blake. "It's so nice of you".

"Come to the living room so we can thank you properly" said Tessa.

That was all Sarah needed to hear.

"Ha Etshoo, He Tshoo!" she sneezed as she entered the living room.

"I'b so glad you like it guys *sniffle* but I thidk I He Tshe Shoo! bight be He E Tshoo! allergic to it though. I've beed He Tshoo! sdeezig by head off all afterdood".

"Then why did you keep it here?" asked Blake.

"Because I wadted to He Etshoo! bake you all Ha Teshoo! happy" Sarah replied.

"And you did, but if it's making you sneeze so much then we can't keep it here" said Tessa.

"Are you sure you wo'dt bidd?" Sarah asked before blowing her nose.

"Don't be silly" said Tessa. "We can't keep the tree here if you're allergic to it".

"Just tell me where you bought it and I'll go return it" said Jade.

"Do do *sniffle* I'b the ode who bought it add I should be the ode to Ha E Tshoo! returd it" said Sarah.

"Can you drive like this?" Tessa asked.

"Yeah, it could be dangerous" said Blake.

"I'll just drive with the widdows oped like I did whed I brought it here" said Sarah. "If it did't bake be sdeeze thed thad I should be fide dow".

It took a few more minutes, but Sarah finally managed to convince her roommates to let her take the tree back. She couldn't afford to stay at the apartment without the tree, because then her roommates might realize that it wasn't the try that's been making her sneeze. After returning the tree, Sarah spent some time wandering around the city, either by car or by foot. She was cold, tired and sneezing constantly, but she didn't want to return to the apartment until late at night, not wanting her roommates to know that she was sick until it was too late for them. Sure, it would've been better if she could be around them, sneeze on them and make sure that they catch her cold, but she's been spending most of the day sneezing all over the apartment and spreading her germs. Later that night, when Sarah finally returned to the apartment, her roommates were all sound asleep. For the first time in days, she went to sleep with her hair dry and the window closed, wearing warm and comfortable pajamas.

"He Tshoo!" Sarah woke up the next morning with a sneeze. Her head was heavy with congestion, but her heart was pounding fast with anticipation. She put on some warm clothes and fuzzy socks and went down to the kitchen, wanting to see if her plan worked.

Blake was standing near the kettle, making tea. She looked sleepy.

"Hi Ishoo!" she sneezed into her hand just as Sarah entered the kitchen.

"Good bordig Sarah" said Blake. "Dod't get too close to be *sniffle* I thidk I'b cobig dowd with a cold".

"You're dot the odly ode He Eshoo, Eshoo, Esh, He Esh, He Eshoo!" Jade entered the kitchen as well, covering her face with cupped hands as she let out a fit of wet sneezes.

"Bless you both" Sarah said, struggling very hard not to show how pleased she was. "This cold you have *sniffle* I thidk I'b He Tshe Shoo, Ha E Tshoo! catchig it too".

"Or baybe we both caught it frob you" said Jade. "Baybe it wasd't the tree that bade you sdeeze".

"Hi Ishoo! Ugh, I hate havig a cold" Blake said and sniffled. "It bakes be feel so gross".

"Eshoo, Eshoo, He Eshoo! Tell be about it" said Jade. "I always get these addoyig sdeezig fits whed I'b sick" she grabbed a tissue and gave her nose a wet blow.

"I'b sorry if I got you sick" Sarah said, doing her best to sound sincere. "I really thought I was just He E Tshoo, He Tshoo, He Ei Tshoo! allergic to the tree".

"Hey *sniffle* where's Tessa?" Blake asked. "She's usually Ha Ishoo! the first ode up".

"Haaaaaa Chooooooooooo!" as if to answer Blake's question, the three of them turned around to the sound of Tessa's huge sneeze. She was standing at the entrance to the kitchen, still in her pajamas, her large feet bare, clutching a crumpled tissue in her hand.

"Hi guys" she said and sniffled. "Were you talkig about be? Sorry I'b up so late but I'b Haaa Chooooo! sick".

"We all are" said Jade. "Turds out Sarah's allergies were dot really Ha Eshoo, Eshoo, Esh, Esh, He Eshoo! allergies. Dow we all have a cold".

"Oh bad *sniffle* that's dot good Haaaa Choooooo!" sneezed Tessa. "How are you feelig Sarah"?

"How she's feelig?! She's the ode who Ai Shoo, Hi Ishoo! got us all sick" Blake said and blew her nose.

"I'b sure she did't Haaaaaa Choooooooo! do it od purpose" said Tessa. "Ugh *sniffle* I deed a dew tissue" she said when she realized that the tissue in her hand was useless. Entering the kitchen, she grabbed a new one from the box on the table and gave her nose a honking, gurgling blow into it.

"Thadks for stickig up for be Tessa" said Sarah. "You should probably He Teshoo! dress a little warber though. Baybe put sobe He Tshoo, Ha Tshe Shoo! socks od".

"If you ask be *sniffle* we should all just go back to bed He Eshoo, Esh, Eshoo, Ha Eshoo!" sneezed Jade.

"That soudds like a Haaaaa Chooooooo! good idea" said Tessa. "Let be just dridk sobe tea first".

They drank tea, had a light breakfast and then returned to their beds. By Christmas they were all over their colds, but Sarah didn't mind. For her, Christmas came early this year. The cold she caught was a gift that she got to give her roommates. In return, they gave her a gift of them all being sick for a few days. Noses as red as Rudolph's, used tissues everywhere and the sound of constant sneezes filling the house. It was like a dream coming true for Sarah. That cold was simply a gift that just kept on giving.

The End

Edited December 3, 2022 by Likesn

[jke1995]

I loved this one! Very glad Sarah got what she wanted for Christmas 

[Likesn]

Group Dynamics:

"This is hard" said Sasha.

"Super hard" said Erica.

"I don't even know where to begin" said Olivia.

Dakota hasn't said anything. In fact, she hasn't spoken in a very long time.

The four of them were taking a class together and they were all struggling to get through it. They thought studying together might help and it sometimes did, but the new assignment they got for the end of the semester was even more challenging than the previous ones. The professor who taught the class gave each of his students an assignment to make a research project about group dynamics.

"What about our dynamics as a group of students not wanting to fail this class?" Erica joked.

"Very funny" Sasha said, unamused.

"Is everything OK, Dakota?" Olivia asked, noticing her silent friend.

"Sorry *sniffle* it's just that Ha Tshoo!" Dakota suddenly sneezed.

"Whoa! Careful!" Sasha called. The sneeze took Dakota by surprise, so she didn't cover her nose.

"Gross" said Erica.

"Bless you" said Olivia.

"Thadks" said Dakota. "Sorry I did't cover, but I had do idea I was about to sdeeze".

"Are you getting sick?" Sasha asked.

"Yeah, I thidk so" Dakota replied. "I've beed feelig off all afterdood. That's why I haved't said adythig".

"Great, now we have to deal with your germs as well as this stupid assignment" said Erica.

"Wait, maybe that's it!" Olivia called.

"Ha Ha Tshoo! I dod't udderstadd" said Dakota.

"Our project can be about the dynamics in a group of sick people" said Olivia.

"Dakota is just one person" Sasha remarked.

"But what if we all catch what she's coming down with?" Olivia suggested.

"You can't be serious" said Erica.

"Think about it: We already have a certain group dynamics, but we don't know how it'll change if all get sick. This could be our study case".

"I don't know..." said Sasha.

"It sounds disgusting" said Erica. "I hate being sick".

"No one likes being sick, but half the people around campus are sick right now anyway" said Olivia. "It's likely that we're gonna get sick sooner or later, might as well make a project out of it so we don't fail this class".

"I'b dot sure it's Ha Atshoo! worth the risk" said Dakota. "Whatever I'b cobig dowd with *sniffle* it's bakig be feel awful already. I really dod't thidk it's sobethig you wadt to catch".

"We're gonna catch it anyway if you keep sneezing all over the place" said Erica.

"I hate to say this, but maybe Olivia has a point" said Sasha. "Besides, we don't have any other ideas, do we"?

After spending some more time debating, with Dakota sneezing every now and then, they finally decided that being sick as a group would be their project. The first thing they did was make Sasha's house their "base of operations". She had a large house and her family had gone away for a few days. Once they got there, they paired up. There were two bedrooms in the house and they decided that Olivia and Dakota would share a bed in one of them and Erica and Sasha would do the same in the other one. They all changed into comfortable clothes except for Dakota, who changed into her pajamas and got straight into bed. Olivia brought a thermometer and took her friend's temperature.

"Looks like you're getting a fever" she said after taking the thermometer out of Dakota's mouth. "I thought you were just catching a cold, but maybe it's the flu".

"Are you Ha Tshoo! havig secodd thoughts about catchig by gerbs?" Dakota asked.

"It's too late for that now, I'm afraid" Olivia replied. "If it's the flu then we'll just have to deal with it".

Sure enough, it was the flu. Dakota woke up the next morning sick as a dog. She had a fever, chills and her body ached. Her nose and chest were both congested and she was sneezing and coughing constantly.

"I hope I don't end up like that" Erica said as she watched Olivia taking Dakota's temperature again and getting her another blanket. The poor girl was unable to keep warm.

As the day went on, no one was really surprised when it became clear that Olivia was getting sick as well. Her throat was scratchy and she often had to clear it, which gradually turned into coughing. As for her nose, it was getting very runny and by the end of the day it was pink from all the times she had to wipe it with a tissue. Dakota's nose was bright red and they had to get her a new box of tissues every few hours. Eventually, Sasha found a handkerchief in one of her parents' drawers and they decided it would be better if Dakota used it instead of tissues.

They haven't forgotten about their project. The dynamics in their group was becoming clear, with each of them having a role to play. Olivia was clearly the more caring and nurturing one, Erica was the more level-headed one and Sasha had the best social skills, so she was the one keeping the balance between them. As for Dakota, she was the focal point of the group, since she needed the most attention because she was so sick.

"Could you do be a favor?" she asked Olivia as the two of them went to bed for the night.

"Sure" Olivia's reply was followed by a sniffle and a cough.

"Would you please cuddle be udtil I fall asleep? I'b so cold" said Dakota.

Since she was already getting sick, Olivia saw no reason not to indulge her friend. As a matter of fact, she was also feeling very cold. They fell asleep cuddled.

"Ha TshiShoooooo!" Olivia woke up the next morning with a big, wet sneeze.

"Dot so loud! By head is killig be" Dakota mumbled and turned over in bed.

Sasha's nose was streaming, but as she reached to grab a tissue from the box next to the bed she found out it was empty. She got up as quickly as she could, not even putting her sock on, and rushed to the bathroom to blow her nose. The floor felt very cold under her bare feet and it triggered her already sensitive nose.

"Hai Tshiiiiiii!" she sneezed all over the bathroom mirror.

"Good morning to you too" Erica said as she appeared at the entrance to the bathroom. She was wearing a tank-top, a pair of purple sweatpants and socks. Next to her, Sasha was in her pajamas and slippers.

"Good bordig" Olivia said and turned to Sasha. "Sorry about your birror".

"I'll clean it up later" said Sasha. "You should go back to bed now".

"But who's godda Hi ItShiooooo, Ha TshiShooooooo! take care of Dakota?' Olivia asked.

"You're two sick to worry about that" said Sasha. "Erica and I will take care of Dakota".

Erica looked like she was about to argue, but a fit of coughs from Olivia was the sign that the discussion was over. Sasha and Erica helped Olivia get back to bed, where Dakota was already up and blowing her red nose.

With the most caring and nurturing person in the group out sick, Erica and Sasha had a lot of work to do. They spent the day taking care of their sick friends, giving them tea and feeding them soup. Olivia also started using a handkerchief, since it felt better on her poor, irritated nose. Throughout the day, Erica was doing her best to keep her distance from her sick friends, even though she did a lot to help take care of them. Sasha, on the other hand, seemed to have accepted the fact that she was going to get sick.

"There's no use trying to fight it" she told Erica that afternoon when the two of them were cleaning up while their sick friends slept. "We're both gonna end up sick eventually".

Erica opened her mouth to argue, but a huge "Ha Eshoo!" came out instead.

"My point exactly" Sasha smiled. "Now, off to bed with you".

Erica sniffled wetly, but didn't protest. That wet sneeze seemed to have sealed her fate. She went to bed and when Sasha entered the bedroom that night she found her sleeping soundly, snoring through a congested nose.

"Where's Ha Atshoo! Erica?" Dakota sked Sasha the next morning, sneezing into her handkerchief.

"She's sick too I Tshoo!" sneezed Sasha. "Looks like I'b catchig it as well".

"Welcobe to the sdot club" Olivia said before giving her nose a wet blow.

"I hope I get better by the edd of the sebester *sniffle* so that I could go to ad actual club" said Sasha.

"If we dod't fail this class, I probise I'll fidd us the Hai Tshish! best party aroudd" said Olivia.

"Itshoo, Itshoo, Itsh, Itshoo! I should go see how Erica's feelig" Sasha said after a fit of cute sneezes.

"Hu Eshoo, He Eshoo!" they heard Erica's loud sneezes from the next room.

"Guess that adswers by questiod" said Sasha.

Unlike her friends, Erica refused to use a handkerchief. The house was soon littered with used tissues, which she filled with her gurgling nose blows. She was also sweating and coughing a lot.

By the end of that day they were all completely sick, so they could test how it affected their group dynamics. Erica wallowed in her misery, not doing very much to help her friends. Olivia, despite being very sick, did her best to take care of her friends. Dakota, who wasn't doing much better, helped Olivia as best as she could. Sasha, who was at the earliest stages of her sickness, did most of the hard work. She also had to keep them from fighting, so that they could work as a group. It wasn't easy, but she somehow managed it between sneezing and blowing her runny nose.

They all felt worse the next day, but they were doing a better job working together and taking care of each other. Each of them did her best to help the others and it was starting to show.

"This is really dice" Erica said later that day as Olivia was rubbing her feet. Her whole body ached so Olivia has agreed to give her a massage to help her with that.

"By last boyfriedd dever took care of be like that" Erica told Olivia. "Baybe that's why I dubped hib".

"Ha TshiShoo, Hi Tshii, Hai Tshooooo! Oh gosh *sniffle* by dose is out of codtrol" said Olivia.

"Here *sniffle* let be help you with that" said Erica. She grabbed the handkerchief Olivia was using and gently wiped Olivia's nose with it.

"Wow, you're really good at this" Olivia told her. "It's so ebbarrassig that I deed help wipig by owd dose".

"There's do deed to be ebbarrassed" said Sasha. "We're all I Tshoo, Itshoo, Ha Itsh, Hi IshTshoo! sick".

"Hua Eshoo! I'b sorry I have such He Eshoo! bessy sdeezes" said Erica.

"It's OK" said Olivia. "By sdeezes are dot Ha Hai TshiShooooo! buch better thad yours".

"Hey girls *sniffle* cobe to the Ha Tshoo! kitched" Dakota said as she entered the living room. "I bade soup for us all. How's that's for Ha Atshoo! group dydabics"?

"Thadk you so buch Dakota" said Sasha. "I just hope I cad Hi Itshoo, Itshoo, Itsh, Itshoo! stop sdeezig lodg edough to edjoy the soup you bade".

"Cad I fidish by bassage first?" Erica asked, looking at Olivia.

"Fide *sniffle* but baybe after didder you could returnd a favor? I'b Hai Tshooooo! feelig cold all over" Olivia said before blowing her nose with her handkerchief.

"Sure thig Ha Eshoo, He Eshoo!" sneezed Erica.

"Hai Tshi, Hi I Tshioo, Haa TshiShooooooooo! I dod't thidk I've ever sdeeze so buch id by edtire life" said Olivia. "We better get ad A plus after this".

They didn't. Their professor gave them all a C minus, but at least they all passed. He wasn't quite sure their project had a lot to do with the task he gave them, but he appreciated the effort. After grading their work, he suggested that they might consider studying something different, biology perhaps.

The End

[Likesn]

The Caring Sister:

Simone liked winter. Her allergies really bothered her during most parts of the other seasons, but the clean winter air was good for her. She also liked her family a lot. Being the eldest of three sisters, she was always very good at taking care of things. She treated it like her duty, to keep everything in order and everyone pleased. Since she and her sisters all moved to the city, far away from their parents, she felt like her responsibility became even bigger. Every once in a while, if they were all free, Simone liked to invite her sisters to stay with her for a couple of days. This year they were all very busy during the holiday season, so when she found out that they were all plans-free one January weekend she made her sisters promise to come visit.

Holly, Simone's youngest sister, was the busiest of them all lately. Not only did she start a new job, she also spent a lot of time with her boyfriend, David. Simone wondered if things were getting serious between Holly and David. Her last relationship did not end well and even though it's been almost three years since then she was still recovering. Thus, she felt even more protective towards her youngest sister than usual. Holly was 25 but Simone, who was seven years older than her, still sometimes thought of her as a little girl. The middle sister, Kate, was 28 and Simone did not think of her as a little girl. Kate was a pretty rough type, not the one spending too much time worrying about relationships. In fact, she kept her love life to herself, so even her sisters didn't really know much about that. Lately, Kate has been working a lot, so Simone didn't get a chance to speak with her about anything at all. That was another reason why she was excited that her sisters were coming for the weekend.

It was Friday afternoon and Simone made sure the house was clean and that there was plenty of food for the three of them. When she heard her doorbell ring, she was not surprised to find Holly standing at the doorway. Kate had a bad habit of being late for family meetings. Simone's wide smile faded when she saw Holly's face. It looked like her sister has been crying.

"Holly! Are you alright?" Simone asked, concerned.

"Dot really" Holly replied and sniffled. "David add I broke up two days ago. Cad I cobe id"?

"Of course! Silly me, letting you stand out here in the cold" Simone ushered her sister inside.

Holly took off her coat and her fluffy hat, which covered her long blonde hair. Unlike Simone, who had curly black hair, and Kate, who had dark brown hair, Holly was the only one who had the color of their mother's hair.

"Now now" Simone gently patted Holly's shoulder. "There will be other men. It's not worth crying your eyes out for two days just because you broke up".

"I'b dot cryig adybore" said Holly. "But I Hai Ishoo! thidk I'b cobig dowd with a cold though".

"Oh you poor thing!" Simone called. "It's a good thing you came here then. I'll take care of you".

Simone was not at all surprised that Holly got sick. She was always one of the first people to catch whatever bug was going around.

"Is Kate cobig too? I dod't wadt to gross her out" said Holly.

"Yes, she's coming, but you know Kate's not afraid of colds" said Simone.

"Right *sniffle* She always likes to act though, as if she cad't get sick" said Holly.

"Exactly" said Simone. "Now go change and get to bed. You will sleep in the guestroom and Kate can sleep on the couch in the living room. I'll go make you some tea".

While Simone was making tea in the kitchen, the doorbell rang again. Kate was at the door, wearing a light coat, jeans and a pair of black boots which she wore all the time.

"Come in" said Simone. "I just sent Holly to the guest room upstairs. She has a cold and she needs to rest in bed. I'm making tea for her and I can make you some as well if you want".

"Ha Reshoo! *sniffle* Just coffee please" Kate said and took off her coat, completely ignoring the fact that she had just let out a loud uncovered sneeze.

"Looks like you should drink tea as well" said Simone.

"Why? Tea is for sick people add I'b dot Hu Reshoo! sick" Kate bent double with another sneeze.

"Yeah... sure you aren't" said Simone. "Well, the good news is that you don't have to sleep on the couch. You can share a bed with Holly in the guestroom, now that I don't have to worry about her getting you sick".

"She cad't get be sick because I dod't Re Ashoo! get sick" said Kate.

"Just go change and get to bed" said Simone. "Your tea will be coming soon".

Kate sniffled and looked like she was about to argue, but Simone gave her a stern look which concluded the discussion. A few minutes later, Simone entered the guest room with a tray. She brought her sister tea and a light supper. Both her sister were in bed and Simone noticed there was a funky smell in the air.

"Don't you ever wear socks, Kate? No wonder you caught a cold" Simone said when she traced the source of the smell. Kate's bare feet were sticking out from under the covers, right next to Holly's.

"Good thig I'b sick Hi Ishoo!" sneezed Holly. "By dose is so stuffed up I cad't sbell a thig".

"You two bust thidk you're so Hu Rashoo! fuddy" said Kate.

"Not as funny as you, trying to act like you're not sick" said Simone.

"Baybe I have a little cold *sniffle* but that's it" said Kate.

"At least you adbit you have a cold Ha Ishoo! that's progress" said Holly.

"Sibode *sniffle* do you have ady tissues?" asked Kate. "By dose is all gross for sobe reasod".

"The reason is you're sick" said Simone. "And yes, I do have tissues, which I brought for you".

Simone placed a box of tissues on the bed. Kate took one and gave her nose a gurgling blow.

"For you, Holly, I brought this" Simone said and gave her sister a handkerchief.

"You're a lifesaver Sibode" said Holly. "This would feel so good od by poor dose".

"Isd't that like ode of those haddkerchiefs graddba used to have?" Kate teased Holly.

"Shut up, sbelly feet Hi Shoo!" Holly sneezed on Kate.

"Come on, you two are both too old and too sick to be fighting like that" said Simone.

Even though the hour wasn't late, both Kate and Holly fell asleep before too long. Simone was glad they did. She hoped a good night's sleep will help her sisters get over their colds, but the next morning they both seemed to be worse. Simone nursed her sisters throughout the day. The guestroom was soon filled with used tissues, half empty boxes of cough drops and empty mugs of tea. Holly did her best to cover her sneezes with her handkerchief, but Kate was carless and often sneezed without covering at all. By the end of the day, Simone had her fair share of sneezes to the face from both her sister. Thus, it was no surprise that she was tired and sniffly when she went to sleep.

"Ha Tshoooo!" Simone sneezed loudly the next morning as she went upstairs to the guest room.

"Oh god *sniffle* by dose is so ruddy today" she said to herself.

"Ha Reshoo!", "Hi Ishoo!" Kate and Holly both sneezed in bed when Simone entered the room.

"Haa Tshoooooooo!" Simone sneezed as well.

"That was a big sdeeze" said Kate. "Welcobe to the sick club".

"Sorry we got you sick" said Holly. "I guess bisery really does love cobpady".

"I'b sorry girls" Simone said and sniffled. "I dod't thidk I cad Ha Tshoo, Haa Tshoo, Haa Tshi Shoooo! take care of you today. This cold is wastig do tibe takig be out".

"You dod't deed to worry about Ha Ishoo! takig care of us" said Holly.

"Yeah *sniffle* I thidk I'b albost over by cold dow Ha Rashoo!" sneezed Kate.

"Do you're dot *sniffle* but we're both feelig buch better today" said Holly.

"That's good dews" said Simone. "If you wadt *sniffle* we cad all watch a bovie id the livig roob".

"Hu Reshoo! Baybe later" said Kate.

"Right dow, I thidk you should Hai Ishoo! get idto bed with us" said Holly.

"You're probably right Ha A Tshoo, Ha Tshi Shoo, Haa Tshoooo! Bake sobe roob, I'b cobig id" said Simone. She blew her nose wetly and joined her sisters in bed.

The End

[Likesn]

As someone who's been checking out the various clip sites over the years, there's this one scenario I see that keeps appearing in various stores. It's somewhere along the lines of "a girl has a cold but has to work on a boat in the rain". I have a strong feeling that it's the same guy asking this scenario over and over again. Just to be clear - I'm not judging anyone, let alone kink-shaming (not throwing stones since this is a glass house I live in 😅). Anyway, whoever that guy is, he might enjoy this next story. Just a heads up, this story will include a tad bit more foot stuff than usual.

Not the Deadliest Catch:

Working on a fishing boat isn't easy. Even when the weather is fine, there is no guarantee you'll catch anything, at least not fish. When the weather is poor it's even worse. Aubrey pulled the net up with a sigh. It was empty. She looked up at the grey sky above her, realizing it was not her lucky day. Not only did she not catch any fish for hours, she's been feeling cold and tired and her nose was running. Aubrey's large nose has always been somewhat sensitive, but while she was out at sea there was no pollen or dust to trouble it.

"Still nothing?" Clarice asked when she looked at the empty net.

Aubrey nodded and shrugged.

"I had no luck either" said Clarice.

"What about Stella and Paige?" asked Aubrey.

"Nothing" Stella said as she joined them. "Maybe we should head back and try another day".

"That's not gonna happen, at least not for the next few hours" said Paige. "I just checked the weather reports and there's a massive storm close to the port. The boat might not make it if we head back now".

"So we're just gonna sit here and wait? That's a bummer" said Clarice.

"Why don't we all go downstairs and rest for a while?" Stella suggested. "I have a deck of cards and we can play. It doesn't look like we're gonna catch anything here".

"Hep Chooooo!" Aubrey suddenly let out a wet sneeze.

"Spoke too soon I guess" said Stella. "Are you feeling alright"?

"*sniffle* Dot really" Aubrey replied. "By dose has beed botherig be for hours".

"Looks like you might be getting sick" said Paige. "Stella's right - we should rest downstairs for a while".

"But if she's getting sick than maybe we should stay out here, in the open air" said Clarice.

"Hup Choooo!" Aubrey sneezed again.

"We can't let poor Aubrey stay out here in the cold" said Stella. "She'll only get worse".

The four of them went down to the lower deck, where they had a room they could rest in. There were four benches in that room, two on each side sticking out from the walls, that served as makeshift beds. Before getting into the room, they took off the overalls they wore when they worked. Even though they didn't catch any fish that day, those overalls usually had a strong smell of fish coming from them and they didn't want that smell in the room. Aubrey sat down on one of the lower benches. She took a tissue out of her pocket and gave her nose a gurgling blow.

"It definitely sounds like you're getting sick" said Paige.

"Good thing I bought more tissues for the boat before we left" said Stella. "Looks like this was your last one".

"Yes" said Aubrey. "I've been wipig by dose with by sleeve because I did't wadt to waste by last tissue".

Clarice seemed grossed out by that confession.

"Well, now you can take as many as you want" said Stella.

"He Ep Chooooooo! Owww, by head is spiddig" said Aubrey.

They all knew that it had nothing to do with the fact that they were at sea.

"You might have a fever" said Paige.

"Do we have a therbobeter id here?" Aubrey asked.

"Not that I know of, sorry" Stella replied. "We also don't have a lot of medicine here, so I don't want to give you something for fever if we're not sure you have any".

Paige placed the back of her hand on Aubrey's forehead.

"I can't be sure" she said. "It doesn't feel very warm, but we've been standing outside in the cold for hours. You do feel a little sweaty, but that can also be because you worked".

"How can we tell if she's sweating from a fever or not?" asked Clarice.

"There's ode way I cad thidk of, but it's super gross" said Aubrey.

"What is it?" asked Paige.

"Dod't bake fud of be *sniffle* it's really ebbarrassig" said Aubrey.

"Just tell us" said Clarice.

"By feet always sbell really bad whed I start sweatig frob a fever" said Aubrey. "It's a really strog sbell *sniffle* buch strodger thad they get frob just workig".

"You were right - that is super gross" said Clarice.

"Stop it!" Stella scolded her. "Aubrey - take your shoes and socks off. We need to know if you have a fever or not".

Aubrey did as she was told, revealing her large feet.

"Fever" the other three said unanimously after a few short seconds. Clarice pinched her nose with one hand and waved the other in front of her face, as if trying to wave the smell away.

"Don't be like that" Paige told her. "We all work hard and it's nothing to be ashamed of if our feet sometimes smell. I'm sure yours do too".

"Hep Chooooo! Ugh! *sniffle* I ache all over" said Aubrey. "This is terrible".

"Here, let me help" said Stella. She sat down next to Aubrey, put her feet in her lap and started massaging them.

"Thadk you so buch" said Aubrey. "This feels so good".

"I can't believe you're doing that" said Clarice. "You'll never get that smell off your hands".

"It's not half as bad as the smell of the fish we work with" said Stella. "Stop being mean".

"Haap Chooooo! Oh god I'b so sorry" said Aubrey. She accidently sneezed openly on Stella.

"Don't worry" said Stella. "You couldn't help it".

"Look at the bright side - if she gets you sick maybe you won't be able to smell her feet" said Clarice.

"You're awful" Paige said and playfully punched Clarice's shoulder. "I found the fever medicine".

"Syrup? Ugh! I hate dridkig bedicide" Aubrey pouted.

"Don't be such a baby" said Paige. "Here, I'll help you drink it".

"Hu Ap Chooooooo!" Aubrey sneezed on Paige after she finished drinking the medicine.

"Great. Now you probably got Paige sick too" said Clarice.

"Would you stop being like that? Go make yourself useful and check the weather reports again. See if there's an update about that storm" Paige told Clarice.

"Fine" said Clarice.

"I have good news and bad news" she told her friends a few minutes later. "The good news is the storm mostly moved away from the shoreline, so we can probably start heading back now".

"And the bad news?" asked Stella.

"The bad news is the store is wreaking havoc on land" Clarice replied. "Some roads are closed due to floods. There are blackouts at some places. Even if we make it to land safely, there's no knowing when we'll be able to get home. I don't suppose any of you know a place near the port where we could stay until the storm dies down"?

"Actually, I do" said Paige. "There's a hostel close to the port. It's mostly for tourists, but since we don't get too many of those even without a storm I believe we'll be able to get rooms there".

"Thed cad we please head back dow? I cad really use a He Ep Chooooo! warb bed" said Aubrey.

Paige, Stella and Clarice started working on getting back to shore while Aubrey stayed in the bottom-deck room. She tried to rest, but ended up spending most of the time sneezing and blowing her nose. Her friends didn't have a great time either. The storm did move mostly to the land, but there was still heavy rain on the way back. By the time they finally docked, all three of them were wet and cold. To make matters worse, they found the hostel almost completely full. Lots of fishing boats found themselves in a similar state and their crews filled the small hostel. Eventually, the four of them had to share a small room with only two beds. Stella has agreed to sleep next to sick Aubrey while Clarice slept next to Paige. Things only got worse the next day. They found out that the roads will be closed for a few more days. On top of that, they all woke up sick.

"Haei Tshiooooooooo! This is all your fault, Aubrey" Clarice whined. She had a wet piece of cloth on her forehead, to help bring her fever down, but it flew off her forehead when she sneezed.

"I'b really sorry I Hu Ap Chooooooo! got you all sick" said Aubrey. She was not feeling better at all.

"You dod't have to apologize He Ishoo, Ha Ishoo!" sneezed Stella. "It's dot like you did it od purpose".

"Ha Etshooooooo! Whoa! Sorry about that huge sdeeze" said Paige. "I dod't kdow if what we have is a cold or the flu, but I dod't usually sdeeze like this whed I'b sick".

"We're all sick, so do ode cad Ha Ishoo, Ishoo, Hi Ishoo! judge you" said Stella.

"I cad Ha Hai Tshooooooooooo!" sneezed Clarice.

"Dot after that big sdeeze you cad't He Tshoooo, He Etshoooooo!" Paige said and sneezed as well.

"Ugh! Cad you at least put sobe socks od or Hai I Tshioooooooo! sobethig? I cad sbell your feet eved through by stuffed up dose" Clarice told Paige.

"What *sniffle* you bead these babies?" Paige put her feet on Clarice's face, her long toes covering Clarice's red nose, making it quiver.

"Ha Tshioooooooo! Stop that! You're Hi Hi Tshioooooooo! disgustig!" Clarice called.

"Says the ode who just sdeezed all over by feet" said Paige. "Besides *sniffle* it's dot like yours dod't sbell" she tapped Clarice's soft, wide soles.

"Yeah He Ishoo! I cad Ishoo, Ha Ishoo! sbell theb frob over here" said Stella.

"I'b sure yours sbell too" Clarice said and gave her nose a wet blow.

"Why dod't we check that?" with a surprising burst of energy, Stella got out of bed, jumped on the one Clarice and Paige were in and pushed her feet into Clarice's face.

"You're all so gross!" Clarice called. "Stop pushig your Ha I Tshioooooo! sbelly feet idto by face"!

"That's what you get for Hu Tshoooo, Ha Etshoooooo! bakig fud of us" said Paige.

"Hey Aubrey, wadda cobe over here add He Ishoo! pudish Clarice for bakig fud of you yesterday?" Stella suggested. "Paige add I cad hold her while you bake her Ha Ishoo, Hi Ishoo! sbell your feet".

"Actually *sniffle* I thidk I'll give her a foot bassage" said Aubrey.

"Really? Hai Tshiooooooooooooo!" sneezed Clarice.

"Why would you He Etshoooooo! do that?" asked Paige.

"Because I'b the ode who got her sick" Aubrey replied. "If she's feelig half as bad as I do Haa Pchooooo! this punishbedt is bad edough".

"That's so dice of you" said Clarice. "It would bake be feel so buch better. I'b sorry I bade fud of you Haei Tshoooooooo! Of all of you".

"I forgive you Hep Choooooo!" sneezed Aubrey.

"We cad all He Ishoo, Ishoo, Ha Ishoo! take turds givig each other foot bassages" Stella suggested.

"Soudds like a Hu Etshooooo! fud way to pass the tibe" said Paige.

"Let's hope dext tibe we go out to sea we'll Ha Ep Chooooooooo! catch sobethig better" said Aubrey.

The End

Edited December 31, 2022 by Likesn

[jke1995]

This one was super cute! Another lovely story 

[Likesn]

Here's a silly little something:

Beth's Bed and Beyond:

Marina and Beth have been best friends for as long as they could remember. They met at kindergarten and were pretty much inseparable since then. Over the years they have developed their own unique way of communicating with each other and even though they had lots of other friends through the years no friendship could compare to the one they shared. They had their own private jokes that no one else understood and all sorts of little "rituals" that were only meaningful to them. For example, every year at February 13th they had a tradition that unless they were both in relationships they would have a sleepover and watch a movie that was in no way romantic. Even if one of them was in a relationship she would support her single best friend by having a sleepover and watching some stupid non-romantic movie with her. They started this tradition when they were 15 and kept it throughout the relationship dramas of high-school and college. Now, in their mid 20's, they shared an apartment in the city. This meant that they could have a sleepover whenever they wanted. All they had to do was just spend the night in one of their bedrooms or in the living room if they felt like it. Marina was an intern in a law firm and Beth was a landscape architect. Even when they had busy days, they still did their best to spend some time with each other every evening back in the apartment.

One late January afternoon, Marina returned home from work and was happy that the day was over. It's not that work itself was very hard, but dealing with all the office politics was really tiresome. The firm was a very competitive place and everyone always had to be in their best if they wanted to survive. For Marina, this meant that she always had to look her best as well. She didn't like it and often complained to Beth about it, but everyone around her were always well dressed so she had to be as well. That was another reason Marina was glad to be home. She took off her black high-heels, unbuttoned her suit and let her red-brown hair out of the tight bun it was in. The apartment was dark and Marina assumed Beth hasn't come back home yet, but when she was about to go her bedroom she heard a cough coming from Beth's. As Marina approached the room she saw that the door was slightly open. She knocked on it.

"Cobe id" Beth said from inside.

Marina found her friend lying on top of her bed covers. She was wearing black sweatpants and a white tank-top over a pink bra, clothes that revealed the slightly curvy figure that Beth usually worked very hard to hide. Her short dirty-blond hair looked messy and her round nose had a reddish pink shade. A couple of used tissues were scattered on the bed in front of her bare feet.

"You're hobe early" she told Marina.

"Looks who's talking" said Marina. "Feeling a little under the weather are we"?

"Hu Pshoo!" Beth sneezed, wiped her nose with one of the used tissues and sniffled.

"I'll take that as a yes" said Marina.

"Ugh!" Beth groaned. "I thidk I bight be *sniffle* catcihg sobethig". Her voice sounded full of congestion.

"Might be? I'm pretty sure you already caught it" said Marina. "Let me go get changed and then I'll go to the kitchen and make you tea and soup".

"You dod't have to do that. I kdow you bust be tired frob work Haa Pshoo!" Beth sneezed again.

"Bleth you" said Marina. It was one of those private jokes they had since they were little. "We always take care of each other when we're sick and I intend to honor that tradition".

"Speakig of traditiod *sniffle* would you watch sobe stupid bovie with be?" Beth asked. "I kdow it's Jaduary, but I would really like it if we could do our pre-valedtide's day ritual todight".

"Sure we can" said Marina. "Whatever you want, sicko".

"Dod't call be that Hu Pshoo, Ha Ipshoo!" Beth let out a double sneeze, which she directed towards her pillow.

"Then don't be sick" Marina said and smiled. "Bleth you twice by the way".

"This joke is gettig a little old, dod't you thidk?" Beth took a fresh tissue and gave her nose a gurgling blow.

"I still find it funny" said Marina. "Do you know which movie you want to watch"?

"As lodg as it's dot sobe robadtic cobedy *sniffle* or robadtic draba *sniffle* or adythig with robadce id it *sniffle* I thidk we're good" said Beth.

"So... a horror movie then?" Marina asked.

"Do. I dod't feel like seeig sobeode get burdered" Beth replied.

"How about a documentary?" Marina suggested.

"Docubedtaries dod't coudt as 'feel-good' bovies" said Beth.

"That's true. I don't know what I was thinking" said Marina. Beth giggled.

"I'll go make tea and when I come back you better think of a movie you want to watch" Marina said and went to the kitchen. She came back after changing out of her work clothes with the tea she made for Beth.

"Cad we watch 'Alice id Wodderladd' todight?" Beth asked as Marina sat on the bed next to her.

"If that's the movie you want than sure" Marina replied.

They started watching the movie on Beth's laptop. Beth rested her stuffy head on Marina's shoulder, only moving from time to time when she needed to sneeze, cough or blow her nose. Marina was glad that she could comfort her sick friend and make her feel even a little better by watching a movie with her. She was very tired, so she didn't pay much attention to the movie. After a little while, she felt herself drifting off.

"Hi Pshoo!" Marina woke up to the sound of Beth's sneeze and the feeling of wet spray hitting her face.

"Hey! Don't sneeze your germs all over my... whoa!" Marina called when she realized that the spray she felt didn't come from Beth's sneeze. The bed they were on was in the middle of an ocean, except the ocean was green.

"Where the hell are we?!" she asked Beth with panic in her voice.

"I have do idea Barida" Beth replied, sounding much calmer than Marina thought she should be. "All I kdow is that I cad't get out of bed".

"We both can't, because we'll drown!" Marina's panic just kept growing.

"Hu Pshoo!" Beth sneezed and suddenly a flock of seagulls appeared above their heads. When she looked again, Marina saw that the seagulls looked like tissues flying in the air. They also made weird sounds, not the sounds seagulls usually made. It sounded like coughs and sneezes.

"Look, I don't know what the hell is going on here but we have to find a way to get back home" Marina told Beth.

"Baybe we cad fly away with theb" Beth said and pointed at the tissue-seagulls.

"Are you crazy?!" Marina almost screamed. "We can't fly"!

"Right *sniffle* we're too heavy" said Beth. "If we cad't get out of bed thed we deed to sail".

"How on earth are we gonna do that?" Marina was on the verge of tears.

"I have ad idea" said Beth. "Hold od'. She moved to the edge of the bed and looked up to the bright sun in the sky. Before too long, her nose started to wiggle and twitch.

"Hu Pshoo, Ha Pshoo, Hi Pshoo!" with each sneeze, the bed started moving in the water.

"That's great Beth!" Marina called. "Now we just have to find our way home".

"What are you talkig about Barida?" Beth turned to face her. "We're already hobe".

Marina wanted to say something but found herself unable to speak. She opened her mouth, but the words just wouldn't come out. Not knowing what to do, she just closed her mouth. Then, she had a strange feeling. She felt something inside her wanting to get out. Thinking it must be words, she opened her mouth again.

"Haaa Tshooooooooo!" Marina jerked forward with a big, wet sneeze. She opened her eyes and saw that they were back in Beth's bedroom. It was dark and Beth was sleeping next to her.

"Barida?" Beth opened her eyes. "Was that you"?

"Go back to sleep" Marina told her. "I just had the weirdest dreab I've ever had id by life".

"What did you dreab about?" Beth asked.

"It was about He Tshoooooooooo!" Marina sneezed again.

"You deed to get sobe sleep, sicko" Beth teased before turning over and falling back to sleep. Marina was so tired she fell asleep as well.

The next morning, they both woke up in Beth's bed. Marina felt terrible and her temperature check confirmed that she had the flu. It wasn't clear if she caught it from Beth or if Beth only had a cold and Marina caught her flu from someone else. What was clear is that Marina was sick and feverish.

"Haa Tshooooooo, He Tshooooooooo, Ha A Tshooooooooooo! Owww! By head is killig be" she groaned. Her long nose was getting redder by the minute and she gave it a wet blow.

"I'b sorry you're so sick Barida" said Beth. She was sick as well, but she didn't have a fever like Marina. Thus, she was the one who did most of the nursing.

"This is the sickest I've beed id years" Marina said and coughed. "I'b dot sure I'b godda bake it to work toborrow".

"If you thidk you're gettig out of bed adytibe for a week you bust be Haa I Pshoo! eved bore feverish thad I thought" Beth said and gave her nose a gurgling blow.

"All I wadt is to sleep *sniffle* but this stupid fever is givig be these crazy dreabs" Marina said between fits of coughing. Beth sat down on the bed and softly patted Marina's back.

"You dever told be what your dreab last dight was about" she said.

"Haa Tshooooooooo, Ha Tshooooooooooo!" Marina sneezed and started coughing again.

"Dever bidd" said Beth.

The End

[jke1995]

This one was super creative! The dream sequence was super cool. Great stuff

[Likesn]

Time Off:

"Man, I miss being a kid" Lisa said as she sipped her coffee in the kitchen.

"Tell me about it" Ally was already on her second cup that morning. "Things are so intense lately".

"Right? So much stress and it feels like there's no time to breath" said Lisa.

"I know it sucks sometimes, but that's just what being an adult is like" said Ally.

"That's why I said I miss being a kid" said Lisa. "Remember how things were way more relaxed when we were kids? Like, when we sometimes just had sleepovers when we went to someone's house and just spent a day or two there, watching TV without a care in the world. That's what I miss".

"Well, at least now we can have a sleepover without having to go to someone else's house" said Ally. She and Lisa were sharing a two-story apartment with another girl named April. The three of them have been friends since they were kids.

"Except we don't really have time for it. That's my point" said Lisa. She worked as a software engineer and Ally worked as a junior manager in an advertisement firm. April worked in customer service for a big TV company.

"That reminds me - I better head off to work" said Ally. "I have this important presentation today".

"At least things will probably slow down for you after the presentation" said Lisa. "I have so much work to do I won't be able to take any days off for months".

"Are you kidding me? The presentation is only the beginning" said Ally. "If you think I'm not gonna be super busy for months, you're dead wrong".

"April has been super busy as well" said Lisa. "Things have been pretty hectic where she works. That's why she's been taking such long shifts lately".

"Did she take a night shift yesterday?" Ally asked. "I assume she did, because I haven't seen her last night".

"No, she had a morning shift yesterday" said Lisa. "I saw her when I came home yesterday, but we didn't talk much. She said she was tired and went to bed early".

"And she's still asleep now? That's not like her" said Ally. "She might be late for work".

"Ha Ei Tshoo!" Lisa and Ally turned and saw April standing at the entrance to the kitchen. She was still in her pajamas and her long brown hair was messy.

"Mystery solved, I guess" said Ally.

"Yeah *sniffle* I dod't thidk I cad bake it to work today" said April. "There's this cold goig aroudd add it looks like I caught it. I'b godda Hei Tshoo! call id sick".

"Will they let you take a sick day?" Lisa asked. "I thought you said they need as many workers as they can right now. All hands on deck or something".

"Sure *sniffle* but if I go to work sick I'll get others sick add dobody wadts that" said April. She then had a pre-sneeze expression on her face, but when she brought her hand up to cover Lisa suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Ha Ei Tshoo!" the spray from April's uncovered sneeze was visible in the air.

"Are you crazy? What the hell did you do that for?" Ally shouted at Lisa.

"Think about it: Weren't we just talking about how much we want some time to rest and relax? This might be our only chance to get some time off for who knows how long" said Lisa.

"Does she look relaxed to you?" Ally asked and pointed at April.

"Ei Tshoo!" April managed to free her arm, but by the time she brought her hand to her face she only partially covered her sneeze.

"Ally's right, Lisa" she said and sniffled. "Do batter how buch you wadt to get sobe tibe off *sniffle* I dod't thidk catchig this cold would be worth it".

"Exactly" said Ally. "When I think about resting and relaxing on my time off, sneezing, sniffling and blowing my nose is not what I have in mind".

"Well, what's done is done" said Lisa.

"You're out of your mind" said Ally. "I'm going to work".

Ally got to the office wearing a black suit and red high-heels. This was an outfit meant to make an impression during her presentation, but it offered very little warmth. She shivered as she made the final preparations before going into the conference room. Fortunately, the presentation went quite well. The people in the room seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say and her suggestions were well received. She had just finished making her closing statement when she felt a sudden sharp tickle in her long, elegant nose.

"Ha Eshoo!" she tried to cover the sneeze, but ended up spraying half the conference room.

*sniffle* Excuse be" she said, her voice suddenly full of congestion. "Do you have ady questiods"?

No one spoke. The people that were so keen to hear what she had to say only a minute ago suddenly seemed like all they wanted to do was get out of that room. Once the meeting was over, Ally's bosses ordered her to go home immediately and not return until she's better. She didn't argue.

"Hey *sniffle* What are you doig hobe so early? How did your presedtatiod go?" a red-nosed April welcomed Ally when she returned to the apartment.

"He Eshoo!" was Ally's reply. She kicked off her high-heels, grabbed a tissue and blew her nose wetly.

"Oh do! I guess that adswers by questiod" said April. "I'b sorry you Haei Tshoo! caught by cold. It's dot a dice ode to have".

"Tell be about it" Ally said, sounding grumpy. "I dod't blabe you though *sniffle* I blabe Lisa".

"Cobe dridk a cup of tea with be" said April. "I was just about to bake sobe for byself".

"Sure *sniffle* that soudds dice" said Ally.

They went to the kitchen, where Ally sat down on a chair, placed her right foot on her left knee and started rubbing it. She let out tired sighs and moans.

"Ugh! I'b cold add I ache all over" she said.

"Dridk this" April said, handing her a cup of tea. "It'll help warb you up. If you wadt to *sniffle* I cad give you a foot-rub later".

"E Shoo! Really? You would *sniffle* do that for be? That's so dice of you" said Ally.

"After Hai Tshoo! givig you by cold? That's the least I cad do" said April.

"Why does it smell like feet in here?" Lisa asked when she entered the apartment that afternoon. She heard laughter coming from the living room and when she went there she found April and Ally on the couch, painting each other's toenails. Used tissues were scattered all over the floor, but only a handful of them were sued to clean toenails. Judging by the state of her friend's noses, Lisa could easily guess what the rest of the tissues have been used for.

"Looks like you two are having fun" said Lisa.

"I guess it's true what they say - bisery does Ai Tshoo! love cobpady" said April.

"It's your fault that I caught April's cold *sniffle* but at least we foudd fud ways to pass the tibe while we're sick" Ally told Lisa. "The good dews is that I wod't be goig to work ady tibe sood".

"Maybe you should thank me then" Lisa said with a smile.

"Cobe closer add I will" said Ally.

Lisa shrugged and sat down on the table, in front of Ally.

"He Eshoo!" Ally slammed a wet sneeze into Lisa's face.

"*sigh* I probably deserved that" Lisa said and wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"Ha Ashoo!" after spending the rest of the evening taking care of her sick friends, it was no surprise that Lisa woke up the next morning with a loud sneeze.

"Hey Sab *sniffle* it's be" she told her co-worker on the phone.

"What do you bead 'who'? It's Lisa! Adyway *sniffle* I'b dot godda be able to cobe to work today. I dod't feel so good add I thidk I'b Ha Ishoo! cobig dowd with sobethig. I'b godda take a few sick days udtil I'b feelig better Ha Ha Ha Ashoo!" Lisa sneezed and hung up the phone.

She went down to the kitchen wearing pajamas and flipflops, made herself tea and gave her wide nose a wet blow. It was already starting to get red. After she finished her tea she went to the living room and watched TV on the couch, with her feet on the table in front of her.

"Look who's bakig the livig roob sbell like feet dow" April said as she entered the living room, covered in a blanket. She was followed by Ally, who was blowing her nose into a tissue.

"How cad you tell?" Lisa asked. "By dose is so stuffed up I cad barely sbell adythig".

"We're just bessig with you" said Ally. That wasn't completely true, but they didn't want to hurt their friend's feelings. They sat down on the couch next to her and placed their feet on the table as well.

"At least dow we cad all have sobe Ha Ashoo! tibe off together" said Lisa.

"Still thidk it was Hei Tshoo! woth it?" asked April.

"We cad spedd the tibe restig add pabperig each other" said Lisa. "It would be like those Ha Ishoo! sleepovers we had whed we were kids".

"I agree" said Ally. "We bight be He Eshoo! sdeezig add sdifflig, but at least we cad just stay hobe for a few days add watch TV so I'b dot cobplaidig".

"As lodg as we dod't rud out of tissues we should Ha Ashoo! be fide" said Lisa.

The End

[Likesn]

The Winter Gala:

It was a clear and cold January evening. Stars were visible all over the sky and Carly felt like she had stars in her eyes as well. She was so excited for the gig she had that evening. The winter gala was a very luxurious event she always wanted to attend. Unfortunately, the 23 years old girl was far from being rich enough to get an invitation for such events. She saved money by sharing an apartment with her older sister, 28 years old Dana. The two of them were very close. One of the reasons for that was the fact that they both liked having colds. Whenever one of them had a cold she always shared it with her sister. They had very good memories of times when they both just stayed home, sneezing and bowing their noses. When they had a cold they had some much needed time to relax and take care of themselves, so they cherished every cold they caught. The passion for colds was one shared by many other people. That's why the winter gala was an annual event that many have been looking forward to. It was an event where models presented the most fashionable colds of the year. Anyone who wanted to be up to speed on the latest trends in colds just had to be there, but since it was such a luxurious event the participants were mostly very rich people. That's why Carly was so glad when she got a job at the event. This was practically her dream gig.

The gala was held in a mansion and Carly arrived early, as she was part of the staff. She dressed warmly and professionally. The models would be wearing fashionable dresses, but she was no model. Her job, as the organizers explained it to her, would be to wander around the mansion during the gala and see if any of the models need anything. Attending to the models was exactly what she wanted to do. Some of the rich guests were able to "buy" colds directly from the models, but Carly could never afford that. Thus, being around the models was her only chance to catch a fashionable cold and maybe take it home to share with Dana.

As the evening went on, Carly found herself slightly disappointed. She walked around the mansion, but it seemed that no one payed much attention to her. The rich guests were more interested in either the models or in the waiters that served fancy food and drinks. As for the models, they were more interested in the rich guests. Carly saw them, shivering in their dresses, presenting their symptoms and telling the guests all about them. When she asked the models if they needed anything, most of the didn't even look at her, let alone sneezed in her direction. It was getting late and she feared that she might not get to take care of any models.

"Hi Pchi!" Carly turned around towards the sound of a wet sneeze. She saw a blond model with a large nose who looked like she was a few years older than her. The model's nose was red and she was coughing and sniffling.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Carly asked her.

"Actually *sniffle* yes" the model replied. Carly noticed that she had a bit of an accent. "I thidk I deed to take a break add rest for a while".

"There are a few quiet rooms around the mansion" said Carly. "Why don't I take you to one of them? I'm Carly by the way".

"Thadk you Carly *sniffle* that would be dice" said the model. "By dabe is Lada".

"Nice to meet you Lana. Follow me" Carly said and led Lana to a quiet room.

"Do you have ady tissues?" Lana asked when they entered the room. "I deed to blow by dose".

"Of course I have tissues, but your nose looks like it could use something softer. Try this" Carly said and handed Lana a light blue handkerchief that matched the dress Lana was wearing.

"Oh by god this feels so good" Lana said after giving her nose a gurgling blow into the handkerchief.

"Yeah, that's what I thought" said Carly. "Now you just sit here and relax".

"There's do way to really relax with this cold Ha Pchi, Hi Pchi, Ha I Pchi!" Lana sneezed into the handkerchief. "By dose is just so full of sdot *sniffle* it's givig be a headache".

"Well why didn't you say so? I can take care of that" said Carly. She helped Lana sit down on the bed in the room, sat down next to her and started massaging Lana's aching temples.

"You really kdow how to bake a sick persod feel better" Lana said.

"That's what I'm here for tonight" said Carly.

"If it's dot too buch trouble *sniffle* cad you Hi Pchi, He Pchi! rub by feet as well?" Lana asked. "I've beed walkig aroudd all dight add they kidda hurt".

"Say no more" Carly helped Lana take her shoes off.

Like many models that evening, Lana was wearing open-toed high-heels. Carly removed them, revealing a pair of wide white soles. She brought them up to the bed and started rubbing them.

"Carly *sniffle* you are ad adgel sedt frob heaved" Lana said as Carly rubbed her feet.

"I'm just doing my job" said Carly.

A few minutes later, the door suddenly opened and a model in a silver dress walked in. She seemed to be in her mid or late 30's with dark skin, short curly hair and a wide nose that was red.

"Oh excuse be" said said when she saw Carly and Lana. "I had do idea this roob is occupied".

"Let be guess *sniffle* you cabe here because you Ha E Pchi! deed a break" said Lana.

"How did you kdow?" the older model asked.

"That's exactly what I cabe here for" Lana replied. "Carly has beed helpig be with that".

"Hi Carly *sniffle* I'b Bikayla. Is there ady chadce you could help be as well? Hu Ish Tshoo!" Mikayla sneezed.

"Sure, as long as Lana doesn't mind" said Carly.

"I dod't" Lana said before giving her nose another series of gurgling blows. "You helped be so buch already. I feel a lot better dow".

"Is that a foot bassage? Cad I get ode too?" Mikayla asked.

"Just sit down and take your shoes off" Carly replied. "I'll take care of you".

Mikayla did as Carly instructed.

"By feet probably sbell frob walkig aroudd so buch. I'b sorry about that" she told Carly.

"Bide too. I should've told you I'b sorry as well Ha Ei Pchi!" sneezed Lana.

"It's alright. No need to apologize" said Carly.

"Hu Tshoo, He Itshoo, Hesh Tshoo, Hui Tshoo!" Mikayla had a sneezing fit a little while later.

"Bless you" Carly told her.

"Ugh! *sniffle* By dose is so ruddy" Mikayla complained.

"I have an idea" said Carly. She grabbed a tissue, tore it in two and stuck each half inside one of Mikayla's nostrils. Mikayla looked a bit silly, but it stopped her nose from running all over her face.

"Thadks. This helps a lot" she told Carly. "Do you thidk it will hold though"?

"If it doesn't I'll just give you new ones" said Carly.

"Hua Tshoo, Hu I Tshoo, He Ish Tshoo, Tshoo, Hu Tshoo!" another fit of big sneezes sent the tissues flying out of Mikayla's nose. True to her word, Carly replaced them with new ones.

"Lada, Bikayla, where have you beed?" a third model barged into the room. She wore a beautiful red dress, matching the color of her long nose. Her brown hair was also long.

"It's albost biddight. What if sobeode wadts to buy your colds? They cad't do that if you're dot out there" she told Lana and Mikayla, who were sitting on the bed and blowing their noses while Carly rubbed their feet.

"We're sorry Adabelle" said Mikayla and Lana. They put their shoes back on and returned to the gala.

"This roob sbells like feet" Anabelle told Carly after they left.

"How can you tell?" Carly asked.

"With these two? I cad tell whed they take their shoes off eved whed I have a cold" said Anabelle.

"I guess I better get back to the gala as well" said Carly.

"You stay right here Haaaa Tshooooooo!" Anabelle let out a wet sneeze.

"But you just said that"

"Aaa Tshooooo, Haaaaa Tshoooooooooo!" Anabelle cut Carly's sentence off with two more sneezes.

"I'b sick add tired *sniffle* dod't argue with be" she told Carly. "I've beed workig hard all evedidg *sniffle* I deserve to be taked care of just like Lada add Bikayla".

"I take it that no one has offered to buy your cold yet?" said Carly.

"Dod't be ridiculous" said Anabelle. "There's a biddig war goig od as we speak. All I have to do is wait add see who pays the bost. While I wait *sniffle* I wadt you to take care of be. If you be a good girl I just bight share by cold with you for free. How does that soudd"?

"Like a very good deal" Carly replied.

"Dow *sniffle* I wadt you to rub by beet" said Anabelle.

"It's becoming a very popular request this evening" said Carly.

"Ha Aaaaa Tshooooo! Cobe od, get to it" said Anabelle. "By feet are cold".

Carly started rubbing Anabelle's feet. They had a pretty strong scent.

"Oh give be a break!" Anabelle called when she noticed Carly's nose twitching from the smell. "It's dot as bad as the sbell of Bikayla or Lada's feet, is it"?

Carly didn't reply.

"Fide. I'b godda bake sure you wod't be able to sbell adythig for a while" said Anabelle.

"Haa Tshooo, Ha Ha Tshooooo, Haaa Haaaa Ha Aaaaa Tshooooooooooo!" she sneezed all over Carly.

Two days later, Carly and Dana were sitting in their living room, painting each other's toenails. They chose to paint them red, matching the color of their noses. Used tissues were scattered all around the house, as well as empty bottles of nasal-spray and empty boxes of cough drops.

"Hold still Dada" Carly told her sister.

"He Eshoo! It's hard to hold still whed I have to Ha Eshoo! sdeeze all the tibe" said Dana.

"I kdow. The cold I caught frob Adabelle is a really sdeezy ode Ha Ishoo, Hi Ishoo!" sneezed Carly.

"We're so lucky you got to go to the widter gala" said Dana. "That Adabelle was wrodg though".

"What do you bead?" asked Carly.

"She said you would't be able to sbell adythig Ha Eshoo, Eshoo, He Eshoo!" sneezed Dana. "By dose is really stuffed up but I cad still tell this roob sbells like feet".

"I guess eved the bost fashiodable cold has its libits I Shoo, Ha I Shoo, Hi Ishoo, Ha Ishoo!" Carly said before she had a fit of sneezes.

The End

[jke1995]

Interesting concept. Very glad Carly and her sister got what they wanted. Thanks for sharing 

[MystiqueRules]

Nice drabble.

[Likesn]

Romantic:

Emily lit up the candles and poured red wine into two glasses. This was her first Valentine's day with her girlfriend, Sloan, and she wanted it to be perfect. Normally, Emily would've worn a dress on an evening such as this, but she and Sloan have been dating long enough that she knew they were both past the need to dress up all fancy for each other. Sloan was perfectly happy just wearing comfortable clothes at home, especially after a long day at work. Emily didn't mind wearing fancy dresses, but she wanted her girlfriend to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Besides, if everything goes well clothes would be the least of their concerns.

With that pleasant thought in mind, Emily heard keys in the door. A few seconds later, Sloan entered the house from the clear and cold February evening outside. Emily was about to say hi to her girlfriend, but Sloan spoke first.

"Ha Eshooooo, Hu Rashoooooo!" or rather sneezed.

"Bless you" said Emily.

"Thadks" Sloan said with a thick sniffle. "Everyode add their bother have beed sick lately add it seebs I fidally caught whatever bug that's beed goig aroudd".

"Are you serious?" Emily asked.

"Does it look like I'b jokig? Ha Eshoooooo, He Rashooooooo, Hurrr Shoooooooooo!" three more sneezes shot out of Sloan's long nose. Her sneezes have always been very strong, almost masculine.

"Sorry" said Emily. "It just seems almost unreal".

"Because I albost dever get sick?" Sloan asked.

"That too, sure" Emily replied. "But also, I've been working so hard to make tonight perfect for you, for us".

"Add dow you're worried that I brought a gift that bight chadge all of our Valedtide's day plads? Dod't worry *sniffle* all your hard work would fit perfectly with by cold".

"Do you feel up to having a big dinner with wine?" Emily asked.

"Sure *sniffle* it's odly a cold add I'b really hudgry" Sloan replied. "We cad have a dice didder with wide add after that you cad take care of be. Id returd, I'll give you by cold".

Sloan's last sentence might've sounded weird if she and Emily didn't both have a fetish for sneezing from colds. When Sloan realized that she was getting sick she couldn't wait to get back home and share it with Emily.

"That does sound like a great plan" Emily said and led Sloan to the kitchen.

The two of them had dinner and then they moved to the living room.

"Ebily *sniffle* could you rub sobe lotiod od by dose?" Sloan asked. She was sitting on the couch under a blanket with a box of tissues by her side. The floor was already littered with a few used ones.

"Of course I can baby" Emily replied. "I've got just the thing".

Emily brought vapor-rub and gently rubbed some on Sloan's reddening nose. As she expected, this caused Sloan to launch into a fit of messy sneezes.

"Hu Reshooooo, Ha Eshooooooo, He Rashoooooooo, Hurrrr Shoooooo, Ha Reshooooooo!" Emily just sat there patiently and let Sloan sneeze all over her. She spent the rest of the evening taking care of Sloan: Making her tea, rubbing her large feet and occasionally helping her blow her nose.

Next morning they were both in bed. Sloan emptied her nose into a handful of tissues, producing a gurgling honk. Emily was too far away from the tissue box, so she brought the blanket up to her face.

"It Shoo, He Itsh, Ai Tshoo! Sload *sniffle* I deed sobe tissue too" said said.

Sloan passed her the box and she blew her nose.

"Our first Valedtide's day together add we're both id bed with a cold" said Sloan. "What do you thidk of that"?

"I thidk it's Itsh, Hi Tshoo! very A Tshioo, Ei Tshoo, Hi Itshoo! robadtic" said Emily. Her sneezes weren't as big as Sloan's but they were more frequent and she always sneezed more than once.

"He Reshooooooo, Hu Rashoooooooooo! I could't agree bore" said Sloan.

The End

[Likesn]

Changing Plans:

"Wow! Look at you!" Katy exclaimed when Alexa came out of her bedroom. Alexa wore a stunning red dress and a pair of open-toed high-heels. Katy wore a black dress and a pair of red high-heels. The two of them were about to go to a party and Katy decided to make a final attempt to convince their third roommate, Rose, to come along.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us Rose?" she asked. "One night out can't hurt".

"Sorry, but I'm not going out until I'm finished with this test" said Rose.

"But your test is next week" said Katy. "Surely you can have some fun and still study enough".

"I want to stay focused" said Rose. "No distractions".

"Fine. Have it your way" Katy said and turned to Alexa. "Aren't you gonna be a little cold"?

"Don't worry, I'll be fine" Alexa replied. "With any luck, I'll find a cute guy to keep me warm".

"That is the plan alright" said Katy. "I, however, am taking my coat. It's the middle of March after all".

Alexa and Katy then went to the party. It was Katy who got them the invitations. She was always good at getting them into the best parties. When they got there, Alexa immediately started scouring the place, searching for a cute guy to spend the party with. Katy, on the other hand, was more busy mingling with people in an attempt to get invitations for future parties. By the end of the night, both young women have accomplished their goals. Katy got herself invited to a really cool party the following week while Alex got the phone number of a guy name Cameron and they scheduled to go out on a date in a few days.

"Maybe you could both come to the party I'm going to next week" Katy suggested as they were on the way back to the apartment they shared with Rose.

"Yeah, maybe" said Alexa. "Right now I just want to get home though. I'm really tired and cold".

"I told you to bring a coat didn't I? Guess it's too late for that now" said Katy.

The two of them were very excited about the plans they've made. However, that excitement was replaced by dread the following morning, when one of them woke up with an almost comically bad head-cold.

"I hope that party was worth it" Rose said as she entered her sick roommate's bedroom, carrying a tray with tea, some pills and a few slices of orange.

"Hu Ishoo!" the force of the sneeze made Katy sit up in bed. She grabbed a tissue from the box on her nightstand, blew her nose and then threw the tissue on her bed, adding it to the growing pile of used ones.

"Doesn't look like it was worth it" said Rose. "Glad I didn't join you".

"Gosh, I feel terrible" Katy said and flopped back down on her pillow with a tired sigh. "I bust've caught a cold frob sobeode at the party *sniffle* but I have do idea who it was that got be sick".

"Well, it doesn't matter now, does it? You need to focus on getting better" said Rose.

"Yeah Ishoo, Ha Ishoo, Ha I Shoo! You're right" said Katy. "I got byself idvited to a party id a few days add I'b dot pladdig od bissig it".

"You're not going anywhere until you get over this cold" said Rose. "We can't have you running around getting other people sick. That's how you ended up like this".

"It's irodic that Alexa did't dress warb edough add I'b the ode who edded up with a cold" said Katy.

"Catching a cold is about being exposed to germs, not about what you wear" said Rose.

"How is she?" Alexa asked when Rose came out of Katy's bedroom.

"Sick as a dog" Rose replied. "She won't be getting out of bed anytime soon".

"I better stay away from her then" said Alexa. "Can't risk my date with Cameron".

And so, Alexa spent the rest of the day doing her best to stay away from Katy. It wasn't very hard, since Katy spent most of the day in her bed, sneezing and sulking. Even though Alexa wore warm and comfortable clothes that day she still felt cold and was very tired. She hoped she wasn't coming down with Katy's cold. Despite the fact that Katy did her best to keep her cold to herself, there were two sick girls in the house the following day.

"Ha Eshoo! Serves be right for beig dice to by sick roobbate" Rose said and gave her nose a gurgling blow. She woke up that morning with a runny nose that soon became congested and red from constant blowing.

"I'b He Ishoo! so sorry you caught by Ishoo, Ishoo, Hu Ishoo! cold" said Katy.

"Listed *sniffle* I kdow you did your best to be careful" said Rose. "I just get really grubpy whed I'b sick".

"You have every right to be grubpy" said Katy. "I just hope you get better id tibe for your big test".

"So do I Hu Esha, Ha Reshoo!" sneezed Rose. "Oh bad *sniffle* by cold sdeezes cad be so weird".

"I still cad't believe Alexa isd't sick" said Katy. "She's beed udable to get warb sidce we cabe back frob that party where I caught this cold".

"Just be glad that she's still healthy add cad take care of us" said Rose.

"Are you kiddig be? There is do way she's godda take care of us add risk her date with that guy Caberod" Katy said before giving her nose a wet blow.

"Do He Eshoo! I guess dot" said Rose.

Sure enough, Alexa kept her distance from her roommates that day. While they were in the living room sneezing and finishing a box of tissues every two hours, she was in her room wearing warm clothes. Still feeling cold and tired, she decided to go to bed early. She was texting with Cameron throughout the day and they were supposed to talk on the phone the next day, so she wanted to make sure she's well rested for that.

Alexa did not feel cold at all the following day. In fact, she felt very hot. Instead of wearing warm clothes, she walked around the house barefoot and wearing shorts and a tank-top. When Rose and Katy saw her they told her that she looked flushed and insisted that she takes her temperature. The thermometer confirmed that she had a fever and before too long she started having fits of sneezes.

"Hi Tshi, Tish, Tshi, A Tshui, Ha Tshiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! I bust be cobidg dowd with the sabe cold you have" she told her roommates after spraying the room with her uncovered sneezes.

"Cobig dowd with? You're Hu Ishoo, Ishoo! as sick as Ishoo, Ishoo, Ha Ishoo, Ha I Shoo! ode cad be" Katy said as Alexa gave her reddening nose a gurgling blow.

"You should Ha Eshoo, Hu Resha! call Caberod add reschedule your date" said Rose.

"Oh by god you're right Ha Tsh, Tsh, Tshi, Tshoo, Ha Tshi, A Tshooooooo! Alexa's sneezing fits often ended with a sneeze that sounded like a shout.

"Hello *sniffle* Caberod? It's be *sniffle* Alexa" Katy and Rose watched their roommate struggling to talk on the phone through her stuffy, runny nose.

"Listed *sniffle* I'b feelig a little udder the weather add I bight dot be well edough id tibe for our date Ha Tshi, I Tsh, Tshoo, A Tshui, Tshi, Ha A Tshiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Alexa moved the phone away from her face when she sneezed.

"Excuse be" she gave a thick sniffle. "Is there ady chadce we cad reschedule our date to whed I'b feelig better? What? I dod't udderstadd. What do you bead you just dod't have tibe for datig right dow? We've beed talkig about this date sidce the party? I'll be over this cold id a few days add..... hello? Caberod? He hudg up od be" she told her roommates and the three of them blew their noses.

"What a jerk Ha Rusha! He's probably dot He Eshoo! worth your tibe adyway" said Rose.

"I'b with Rose Hu Ishoo, Ishoo, Ha Ishoo!" sneezed Katy. "You deserves sobeode who treats you right *sniffle* especially whed you're sick".

"Speakig of that *sniffle* I'b sorry I haved't beed takig care of you both lately" said Alexa. "I guess dow that I'b dot goig od ady dates sood I cad bake up for that Ha Tsh, A Tsh, Tsh, Tshi, He Tshi, A Tshui! Od secodd thought *sniffle* baybe we should all take care of ode adother Ha E Tshi, I Tsh, A Tshi, Tshoo, Ha Tshiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" she almost fell over from the force of the last sneeze and her roommates helped her sit down on the couch next to them. They all had to change their plans because of their cold, but at least they had each other.

The End

Edited March 18, 2023 by Likesn

[jke1995]

Great stuff as usual.

[Likesn]

Out of Season:

The early days of summer are an exciting time at the university. Most of the students are at least a little nervous about the upcoming exams, but many of them are also looking forward to the summer parties, celebrating the end of another schoolyear. Theresa knew it was important to maintain balance between studying and partying. She was finishing her second year of studying sociology and even though her exams were not easy she wasn't feeling as stressed out as she was at the end of her first year. She kept a strict schedule that allowed her to have some fun while still getting all the time she needed to study.

Not all students knew how to maintain that delicate balance like Theresa did. Janet, for one, was all about the parties. She went out practically every evening to party with her friends from business school and wouldn't come back to her room until very late at night. Theresa knew it since she and Janet were sharing that room. The dorm apartment they lived in had two bedrooms, each with two girls in it. Amy, finishing her second year as an English major, and Kate, finishing her first year studying physics, lived in the other bedroom. Though each of them was majoring in a different subject and they had different personalities, the girls formed a pretty stable friendship with each other. When it came to the balance between studying and partying, Kate was the exact opposite of Janet. Maybe it had something to do with her being in freshman year, unlike her roommates, but Kate was focused on passing all of her exams with flying colors. Amy was more balanced, but it wasn't because she planned it like Theresa did. She was this "free spirit" type of person and she liked spending her free time sitting on the lawns with her friends rather than going to parties like Janet.

"That's a new look for you" Theresa said when she walked into her room one afternoon and found Janet there, sitting on her bed and reading a book.

"What? My last exam is tomorrow so I thought I'd study a bit" said Janet. "Isn't that what you've been doing"?

"Yes, except I've been doing it for the last month or so" said Theresa. "You? Not so much".

"Are you going to lecture me? Because I have professors for that" said Janet.

"Do they know what you look like?" Theresa teased.

"Very funny" said Janet. "You have your way of going through university and I have mine".

"Relax, I was only joking" said Theresa. "Why is it so cold in here"?

"I can't focus if I'm all hot and sweaty, so I turned on the AC" Janet replied.

"Judging by the smell in this room, I'd say you're still sweaty" Theresa said looking at Janet's sandaled feet.

"Hey! You're forgetting our rule" said Janet. Since the two of them had pretty smelly feet, they agreed not to make fun of each other about that.

"Sorry" said Theresa. "Seriously though, it's colder than the north pole in here. Can't you just open a window"?

"Not with all the pollen outside" said Janet. "My allergies would go crazy".

"Right" said Theresa. "So I guess you won't be going to any parties tonight for a change"?

"Are you kidding me? A girl needs to have some fun after a day of studying" said Janet.

Later that afternoon, Theresa went to the kitchen and was surprised to find Kate there.

"I thought you'd still be in the library" she told her.

"Too noisy" said Kate. "Couldn't concentrate".

"But they're not allowed to talk" said Theresa. "That's why I've been studying there a lot myself".

"You can tell people not to talk but you can't stop them from sneezing loudly" said Kate. "Every two minutes or so someone would either sneeze or blow their nose loudly".

"Well... allergy season is pretty bad these days" said Theresa. "Janet won't even open the window in our room".

"There's no pollen in the library" said Kate. "Unless all the people studying there are super allergic to dust or something, I see no reason why they should sneeze so much".

"If you came here to study, why aren't you in your room?" Theresa asked.

"It's... a little embarrassing" Kate blushed. "Can you keep a secret"?

"I promise" said Theresa.

"Our room smells" said Kate. "It's because of Amy. Her feet have this really strong smell that stays in the room even when she's not there. I didn't want to say anything because it's not her fault, but I have a sensitive nose and it's hard for me to concentrate with that smell in the room".

"Wouldn't opening the window help?" Theresa asked.

"Allergies, remember?" Kate pointed at her nose. "They're almost as bad as Janet's. If I open the window I'll be sneezing more than the people in the library".

"Gotcha" said Theresa. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me".

"What are you two talking about?" Janet asked when she came out of her room, all dressed up to party.

"Just school stuff" Theresa replied quickly.

"Nerds" said Janet. "See you tomorrow".

That night, Theresa went to bed early. She had an important exam the following morning and she needed plenty of rest. Janet wasn't in the room when she woke up the next day, but that was not unusual. Theresa assumed that Janet just crashed on one of her friends' couch and went straight to her exam in the morning. Since she had an exam of her own to worry about, Theresa got dressed and went to class. During the exam, Theresa noticed that many people in the class were sneezing and blowing their noses. She remembered her conversation with Kate the previous day. Was allergy season really that bad that it affected people even in closed spaces?

When Theresa walked into her room that afternoon the AC was blasting air with full force again, but it was hot air. Janet was in bed and the hot air from the AC made the smell so intense that Theresa felt like she walked right into Janet's sandals. Even though the window was closed, Janet was sneezing helplessly.

"Hu Esh Tshoo, Ha TsheShoo, Hesh Tshoo!" her sneezes were directed into her blanket.

"It's like a sauna in here" said Theresa. "What's going on"?

"By allergies" Janet said and sniffled. "They just wod't Hu Ash Tshoo, He TsheShoo! give be a break".

"Why is the heating on then? I don't think it's your allergies" said Theresa.

Janet let out a congested moan.

"What do you bead?" she asked and gave her pierced nose a wet blow. Said nose was about as red as her hair.

"You're obviously sick" said Theresa. "It's no surprising. You pushed yourself too far with all those parties. Plus, I think there's a bug going around. Lots of people are sneezing even indoors".

"That's stupid" said Janet. "You kdow I dod't He Ash Tshoo, Ha E Tshoo! get sick".

"Right... like when you 'didn't have the flu' last year? Give me a break" said Theresa.

"It's the biddle of He TsheShoo, Haa Ash Tshoo! allergy seasod *sniffle* of course I'b Esh Tshoo, He TshaShoo, Hu Hua TshooAsh! sdeezig" said Janet.

"You're being ridiculous" said Theresa.

"Whatever *sniffle* I'b goig to get sobethig to eat" Janet got out of bed. "Whoa! Dizzy".

"Get back into bed before you pass out" said Theresa. "I'll get you something to eat".

"I'b dot a *sniffle* baby" said Janet.

"Really? Because you sure are acting like one" said Theresa.

Janet ignored her and went to the kitchen, where Kate was studying.

"Ha TsheShoo, Hesh Tshoo, Hu Ash Tshoo! Sorry Kate *sniffle* By allergies are really bad today" she said after unleashing three wet sneezes all over poor Kate.

"That was so rude!" Kate called. "I also have allergies, but I don't go around sneezing on people".

"I said I was Hash Tshoo, Hue Tshoo! sorry *sniffle* did't I?" Janet wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Kate gave her a look of pure disgust.

"You should be sorry, since you probably just got Kate sick" Theresa told Janet.

"She's sick?! I can't get sick right now. I have a major exam in three days" Kate said, horrified.

"Relax *sniffle* It's just by allergies *sniffle* I'b dot codtagious or sobethig" said Janet.

"You better be right because if you get me sick I'll kill you" said Kate.

"Dod't be so drabatic" said Janet.

"Whatever bug Janet has might kill her first" Theresa thought but said nothing.

The next morning, Theresa had bigger problems. She woke up with her head ponding and her nose blocked solid. Across the room, Janet was snoring lightly in her bed. Her blanket was pulled over her head, so her bare feet could be seen on the edge of the bed.

"At least maybe now I won't notice the smell of feet in the room" Theresa thought.

"Haa TshiYay, Hi Yashi, YayTshoo, Hai TshiShi!" she jerked forward with a fit of sneezes.

"Dot so loud" Janet mumbled in her bed. "Sobe of us are tryig to sleep".

"Good bordig Jadet" Theresa said as she got out of her bed. "Thadks for gettig be sick *sniffle* Here's a gift to show you how grateful I ab" she said sarcastically before walking over to Janet's bed, pulling her covers away and waving her foot in front of her face.

"That was so udfair" Janet said immediately feeling a tickle brewing in her nose.

"Deither was gettig be sick" said Theresa.

"Hu TsheShoo, He A Tshash, Hu Etshoo, He TsheShoo, Ha Ash Tshoo! Theresa turned away from the sneezing Janet and went to the kitchen to get herself a glass of orange juice. Amy was there.

"Hey Theresa *sniffle* dod't get too close to be" said Amy. "I thidk I bight be cobig dowd with sobethig".

"Hei Tshi, Ha TshYay! I would't worry about that" said Theresa. "Stupid Jadet got be sick".

"Oh I'b sorry" said Amy, her large nose slightly red. "Sobe of by friedds have beed sdeezig a lot lately. I thought they just had *sniffle* allergies, but I guess they were sick add I caught it frob theb".

"I dod't kdow how I'll get through the rest of by exabs like this" said Theresa.

"Good thig I'b already fidished with by exams thed Haap Chooooo!" Amy let out a big sneeze.

"Lucky you Ha Ha Ha Ishi, TshiYay, HaatshYay, Hi TshiShooo!" sneezed Theresa.

"Ha Ashoo!" Kate walked into the kitchen, a tissue pressed against her nose.

"I better get over this Ha Ashoo! bug id the dext two days or else Ashoo, Ha Ashoo! Jadet is goid dowd" she said before blowing her nose.

"She's already dowd for the coudt with this bug" said Theresa. "Udfortudately *sniffle* she gave it to be as well. I'b so stuffed up I cad't breath through by dose".

"Ha Haaa Pchooooooo! Tell be about it" said Amy.

"Jadet got you sick too Ha Ashoo! Aby?" Kate asked.

"Do *sniffle* I caught it frob by Ha Haap Chooooooo! friedds" Amy replied.

"Sobe friedds Ha Ashoo!" sneezed Kate.

"There's dot buch I cad do about it dow" said Amy.

"Aby's right" said Theresa. "All we cad do dow is just get pledty of rest".

"Gettig back to bed soudds like a good idea" said Amy. "I ache all over add by feet are Haap Choooo! killig be".

"Would you like be to rub theb for you?" Theresa suggested. "I give really good foot bassages".

"That would be Ha Haaaap Chooooooooo! abazig" said Amy. "Thadk you so buch".

"Ha Ashoo!" Kate sneezed again while Theresa and Amy both gave their noses gurgling blows.

"Bless you Kate" said Amy. "Hey *sniffle* baybe after Theresa id dode rubbig by feet I cad rub yours".

"I'd like that very buch" Kate said and blew her nose. "It's so dice of you to offer Aby".

"Ha TsheShoo! So *sniffle* whed ab I gettig a Hu E Tshoo, He Ash Tshoo! foot bassage?" Janet asked when she joined her roommates in the kitchen.

"You should be the ode givig theb, Jadet" said Kate. "After all *sniffle* Aby is the odly ode who did't get Ha Ashoo! sick frob you".

"That's a good poidt" said Theresa. "After Tshai Shooo! gettig two of us sick you Ha TshiYay, Ya Tshi! at least owe us Hei TshooIsh, Hi TshYay, Ha Haaa I TshiYay! that buch".

The End

Edited June 3, 2023 by Likesn

[Likesn]

Contagious Observations:

Hi there sneeze forum. My name is Maureen and I'm pretty new around here. I've been a pretty silent lurker for quite some time and now I finally have something worth writing about. In fact, you might not believe all the things that have happened to me these past few days.

It all started a few days ago. I got to work early, like I usually do. There weren't many people in when I arrived but a girl named Alexa, who works in the cubicle next to mine, was already there. My fetish sense was tingling and I could immediately tell that there was something off with Alexa. Her bright hair looked messy, her face was pale, there was some slight redness in her blue eyes and a whole lot more redness in her large nose. Even though the hour was early, a couple of used tissues were clearly visible on Alexa's desk. I simply had to talk to her.

"Hi there Alexa" I greeted her. "How have you been doing"?

"Oh hi Baureed" she looked up and sniffled. "Dot too good I'b afraid".

"Allergy season hitting you hard this year?" I asked.

"Do" Alexa replied. "I... I..." her eyelids fluttered and she brought a tissue to her nose "Hu Ishoo, Hu Ishoo, I Yeshoo! I have a cold. Excuse be" she said before destroying the tissue in her hand with a gurgling blow.

"Aww, that's too bad" I said, faking sympathy. "You seemed just fine yesterday. That cold must've hit you hard".

"You have do idea" said Alexa. "This is all Carbed's fault. She has this Hu Eshoo, Hi Yeshoo! bodster of a cold but she refuses to go hobe because she's our badager. I had a beetig with her yesterday that lasted about half ad hour. Every two bidutes she had ad Hu Ushoo, Hu Yeshoo! earth shatterig sdeeze add she did't always cover. Dow I'b sick with her Hu Ishoo, Hu Ushoo, Hi Yeshoo! cold".

Watching Alexa sneezing was fascinating. She always covered her mouth and nose with a tissue, but her sneezes were so powerful she had to get a new tissue after every two or three sneezes.

"I'm so sorry you're sick" I said. "Why didn't you stay home though"?

"Because I have do sick days left" Alexa replied and blew her nose again. "Trust be *sniffle* there is dothig that I would've like bore thad stayig hobe id bed today".

I told Alexa that I hope she feels better soon and went to my own cubicle to get started on work. It was pretty hard to concentrate with Alexa constantly sneezing and blowing her nose in the cubicle next to me, but I did my best. At around 11:30 I received an email informing me that I have a meeting with Carmen.

"This is perfect" I thought. "A chance to see my sick manager in all of her sneezy glory".

You might wonder if I wasn't even a little worried about meeting with someone who was so obviously contagious, especially after seeing what happened to Alexa. The truth is I rarely get sick, so I was just glad I'd have something to tell you guys about. When I entered Carmen's office I could see right away just how sick she was. Her short dark hair was still well kept, but her pale face and her bright red nose left no room for doubt. A sharp look from her dark eyes let me know I've been staring for too long.

"Cobe id Baureed add shut the door" she said. "Your due to your sebi-addual perforbadce evaluatiod".

I sat down in front of her, a little nervous.

"There is do deed to worry" she assured me before letting out a thick sniffle. "It wod't take lodg".

"Have I been doing that bad?" I asked jokingly.

"Dot at all Hu TsheSha! As a batter of fact *sniffle* you've He TshooAsh! beed doig He TshiYesha! very well" Carmen replied, harsh sneezes interrupting her sentence.

Alexa didn't exaggerate: Carmen's sneezes truly were earth shattering.

"Bless you" I told her.

"Thadk you" she said. "By roob is a little dusty today".

There was no way I was going to confront my manager about her obvious cold, especially when she was just telling me that I've been doing a good job.

"Adyway *sniffle* I expect you to Hu Esh Tsha! show the sabe devotiod to your work goig He TshooSha! forward. You bay get back to work dow" said Carmen.

As I was leaving Carmen's office, I saw her take out handkerchief from a drawer in her desk and give her large nose several honking blows into it.

"No wonder Carmen got Alexa sick" I thought, still not too worried that I might get sick as well.

The rest of my work day have been pretty uneventful, apart from Alexa's continuous sneeze. However, my observations for the day were far from over.

When I finished working that afternoon I took the train back to my apartment. The seat facing me was empty for most of the ride, but about 10 minutes before my stop a young woman entered the car and sat down in front of me. My fetish sense was tingling again and I looked at her. She was pretty, with long dark hair, dark eyes and a long nose. It was the nose that caught my attention, clear signs of redness on its edges emphasized by the paleness of the young woman's face. I forced myself not to look at her and focus on the book I was reading, because I didn't want to stare. A couple of minutes later I started hearing sniffles coming from the seat facing me. Not able to resist, I looked up just in time. Eyes half closed, the young woman cupped her hands to her face.

"He Tshoo, E Tshoo, Tshoo, He Atshoo, Ha Etshoo!" she let out a fit of sneezes.

"*sniffle* Sorry about that" she said when she saw me looking at her. "I thidk I bight be cobig dowd with sobethig. This is so gross. I did't get you with by sdeezes *sniffle* did I"?

"No, not at all" I replied. Fortunately, she really didn't. "And bless you".

"Thadks" she said and sniffled. "I hate gettig sick".

"I don't think anyone likes being sick" I said.

"That's a good poidt He Atshoo, Tshoo, Tshoo, Ha Tshoo, He Tshoo, Ha Etshoo! Oh by gosh I ab so sorry" she called. Her fit caught her by surprise and she failed to cover about half of it.

I got front raw tickets to an amazing observation. Watching the woman struggling in vain to regain some sort of control as her nose simply couldn't handle all the tickly sneezes inside of it was mesmerizing.

"This is so ebbarrassig" she said before wiping her hands and face with a tissue and using another one to blow her nose. "I really hope I did't get you sick just dow".

"Don't worry about it" I told her, thinking that between her, Alexa and Carmen my immune system would have to work overtime to keep me from getting sick. Little did I know what was waiting for me back home.

I share an apartment with two roommates, Carly and Laurel, both seniors at the local university. It's very common for me to be the last one to get back home, so I was not surprised when I found my roommates there that afternoon. Once again, I could immediately tell that something was off. Carly, who was a very perky person, was usually quick to welcome me when I got back home. That day Carly was nowhere to be seen and instead I met Laurel, who looked worried. She was looking at something she was holding, but I couldn't see what it was.

"Is everything ok? Where's Carly?" I asked.

"Ha Ashoo! Id her roob" Laurel replied. "She picked up a cold at the udiversity add broght it hobe. I had to spedd the day takig care of her add dow I'b Ha Ashoo, Ha Ashoo! cobig dowd with it too".

"There must be something going around" I said. "Two women at my work are sick and on the train here I saw another woman who had a cold".

"You better dot get too close to be or Carly if you dod't wadt to edd up sick as well" said Laurel. "I just took by tebperature add the therbobeter says I dod't have a fever *sniffle* but I feel like crap".

"A cold would do that to you" I said.

"Ha Ashoo! I was just about to brig Carly a cup of tea add thed bake sobe soup" said Laurel.

"How about you go to bed and I'll make tea and soup for both of you?" I suggested.

"That would be really dice *sniffle* but ared't you afraid of gettig sick?" Laurel asked.

"My immune system is pretty solid. I'll be fine" I replied.

"Well Ha Ashoo! I hope your ibbude systeb cobes through Ha Ashoo! because you really dod't wadt to Ha Ashoo! catch this Ha Ashoo! cold" said Laurel.

"Just go to bed before you sneeze your head off" I said.

Laurel gave her long nose a wet blow and went to her room. I went to the kitchen to make soup. While the soup was cooking, I made a cup of tea and brought it to Carly's room. Carly was in bed, her face pale and her red nose creating an interesting combination with her blue hair. Her bed was littered with used tissues.

"Hi Baureed" she said and sniffled. "I'b sorry I did't cobe to say hello to you but I'b Hi Tshi, Tshi! sick".

"Yeah, Laurel told me" I said. "She also caught your cold".

"I was I Tshi, Ei Tshi! afraid she bight" said Carly. "She has beed so dice *sniffle* takig care of be all day add all she got id returd was by Tshi, Tshi, Tshi, Tshi, E Tshi, Hi Tshi! cold".

"These things can happen" I said. "It's not your fault".

"With be sdeezig all over the place *sniffle* it kidda is" said Carly.

"Don't beat yourself up about it, there's no use" I said. "Here, drink your tea".

"Thadk you so buch" said Carly.

She finished drinking her tea and I saw her nose twitching, singling impending sneezes. I quickly grabbed a tissue and brought it to her nose just in time.

"Hi Tshi, Tshi, Tshi, A Tshi, Hi Yatshi!" she sneezed into the tissue in my hand.

"Gosh *sniffle* I'b so sdeezy with this cold id by dose" said Carly.

I couldn't believe she really said that. It was like something out of a story one might read in this forum.

"Bless you" was all I could say.

"Catchig by sdeezes was dot a very sbart thig to do" said Carly. "You bight catch by cold".

"Naaaa I'll be fine" I reassured her. "You just rest now. Soup will be ready soon".

I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening taking care of my sick roommates. They were constantly sneezing, sniffling and blowing their noses, looking so cute and sick in their beds. I went to sleep shortly after they did, too tired to log into the forum and tell you guys about the day I had. The last thought I had before falling asleep was about all the great observations I wanted to share with you all. When I woke up the next morning I had different thoughts in mind though. My head felt stuffy and I couldn't breath through my nose. There was no doubt that I got sick, which was no big surprise. I went to the bathroom and checked myself in the mirror, thinking about how the cold I caught was about to make me look. My long dark hair was still messy from sleep and I knew it was going to stay messy for a while. My brown eyes were a little red from being tired and that was not about to change much as well. As for my wide nose, it showed no signs of the cold inside it just yet, but I knew it would get very red before too long.

"Hu Pchoo, Ha Pchoo!" I sprayed the bathroom mirror. I'm not a particularly sneezy person, but when I get sick my sneezes can be very wet and messy.

I went to the kitchen to get myself a glass of orange juice. Laurel was there. Her long brown hair was a mess, like mine, her eyes were a little red and her nose was much redder.

"Bordig Baureed Ha Ashoo!" she sneezed into a tissue.

"Good bordig Ha Ha Pchoo!" I sneezed as well.

"Bless you" said Laurel. "I guess it's dot very surprisig that you're sick as well".

"Do *sniffle* I guess dot" I said.

"Surely you're Ha Ashoo, Ha Ashoo! stayig hobe frob work today" Laurel said and blew her nose.

"Of course I ab" I said. "Tibe to cash id all those sick days I have".

"Good idea" Laurel said and sniffled. "At least dow we cad take it easy for a few days. It could be dice to bidge watch sobe TV shows add read a book or two betweed sdeezes. Is that what you have id bidd"?

"Sobethig like that" I replied before feeling the tickle in my nose again.

"Hu Apchoo, Haaa Pchoo, Ha Ha Ha Ha Pchoooo!" the force of the sneezes bent me double.

After I drank some orange juice and had a light breakfast, I called my work to let them know I was sick and wouldn't be coming in for a few days. The sound of my sneezes over the phone was enough to convince them I was serious. I then went straight to bed, where I've been spending most of my time since. Just as I expected, my nose has gotten very red and it won't stop running. There are used tissues all over my room, mostly in the trash and on my bed. I do my best to rest and get better, reading and watching TV. Obviously I spend a lot of time browsing the forum. It's nice to read about other people sneezing when I'm sick. I'm glad I finally got to contribute something to this forum, but honestly I can't wait to get over this cold. Hope you guys liked my observations.

Hold od *sniffle* I have to *sniffle* sdeeze agaid Ha Ha Pchoo, Ha Pchooo! Do you like by live codgested report? There's bore where that cabe frob *sniffle* but I'll save it for by dext post. This is Baureed *sniffle* reportig frob by bed. Hu Pchoo, Ha Pchoo, Ha Ha Ha Apchoooooo! *sniffle* I'b godda blow by dose. By for dow.

The End

[Likesn]

Reciprocity:

Some people can make everyone around them smile just by doing so themselves. Mackenzie was exactly that type of person. The 25 year old was going through her final year in nursing school with flying colors. Not only did she have a sharp medical mind, her bedside manners were exceptional. Despite all of that, the other students didn't feel like she was patronizing them or anything. On the contrary, they nearly admired her. Those traits also made Mackenzie a very good friend, one that many people liked being around. Her apartment was always open for any friend who wanted to come to chat, ask for advice or just enjoy a cup of coffee and her cheerful presence.

One afternoon, Mackenzie had a visit from her friend Maggie. A few minutes into the visit, Mackenzie could tell that something was off. Maggie wasn't her usual peppy self. She worked for a cosmetics company and often got free samples for her friends, but that day it seemed like no makeup could hide how tired she looked.

"Is everything alright?" Mackenzie asked her.

"Actually Hai Tshoo! *sniffle* I've beed feelig a little off all day" Maggie replied.

"You're coming down with a cold" Mackenzie diagnosed. "I should've noticed that right away".

"I thidk you bight be right" said Maggie. "Baybe I should go hobe. I dod't wadt to He I Tshoo! get you sick".

"Don't be silly" said Mackenzie. "You should stay here and let me take care of you".

"Are you sure?" Maggie asked. "I bust be really Hi Hi Tshoo! codtagious".

"Most likely, but I can't worry about being around sick and contagious people if I'm going to be a nurse" said Mackenzie. "Let's start by making you a nice cup of tea".

"Durse Backedzie to the rescue" said Maggie. "Are you sure it's dot too buch of a bother though"?

"Of course not" Mackenzie replied. "Taking care of sick people is what I intend to do for a living".

Mackenzie boiled water for tea and while Maggie was drinking it she checked the cabins in her house to see if she had enough essential supplies for taking care of someone with a cold.

"That's odd" she said when she didn't find many of the things she was looking for. "My house is usually very well equipped with sick-day supplies. Oh that's right! I gave a lot of my supplies to a friend from nursing school when she had to nurse a terrible cold of her own last month. Poor dear, she was so sick. I guess I could go to the store and buy some more supplies".

"Ha Hai Tshoo, Hi I Tshoo! Please dod't leave be" said Maggie. Mackenzie remembered that her friend had a tendency to be really clingy when sick.

"Fine. I'll call Jordan and ask her to pick up some supplies and come here" she said.

Jordan was a friend of them who worked as a reporter for a music magazine. She wasn't usually the type of person to do such favors, but when Mackenzie was asking for a favor it was almost impossible to refuse.

Two hours later, Maggie was blowing her nose on Mackenzie's couch while Mackenzie was giving her a foot massage. Mackenzie always had sets of spare clothes in various sizes in her house and Maggie changed into one.

"Your hadds are so warb Backedzie" she said, her voice muffled by a tissue.

"Maybe it just feels that way because your feet are cold" said Mackenzie.

"Do *sniffle* it feels like heaved add you are add adgel" said Maggie. "You'll be a great durse sobe day".

"That's the plan" said Mackenzie.

Just then, Joran entered the apartment with all the supplies she got. She brought medicine, tissues, tea, oranges and ingredients to make chicken and vegetable soup.

"Great job Jordan. Thank you so much" Mackenzie said. "I see you even brought tissues with lotion".

"Oh by poor dose is goig to deed those" said Maggie. "It's gettig red already".

"Anything to help my favorite nurse to be and her apparently favorite patient" said Jordan.

"Who said she's my favorite patient?" Mackenzie asked. "I must treat all patients equally".

"For some reason, I doubt all of your future patients will be getting a foot massage" Jordan teased.

"That's not because she's a patient, but because she's a friend" said Mackenzie. "You know I'll be treating you just as well if you ever need me to".

"Id Jordad's case *sniffle* it'll probably be a boot bassage though" said Maggie. "I've dever seed her take her boots off, eved id the biddle of subber".

"One more word and you'll be blowing your nose with rough paper towels from the kitchen" said Jordan.

"I'b sorry Jordad *sniffle* I was just teasig you" said Maggie. "Cad I please have ode of those tissues with lotiod dow? I really deed to blow by dose agaid".

"You're lucky I can't stay mad at you because you're so sick and helpless" said Jordan. She opened one of the tissue boxes and went to the couch to hand it to Maggie.

"Thadk you so buch Hai Tshoo!" the sneeze caught Maggie by surprise and she couldn't avoid spraying Jordan. Tissue box still in hand, Jordan just stood there, frozen in shock.

"Oh by gosh Jordad I'b so sorry!" Maggie called. "I hope I dod't get you sick".

 

"I'b goig to kill you Baggie" Jordan said the following morning.

"This cold bight kill be first Hei Tshoo!" sneezed Maggie.

"Dod't sdeeze so loud" Jordan groaned. "I dod't wadt by head to kill be before I get the chadce to kill you".

"Stop it you two" Mackenzie demanded. "No one is killing anyone. It's just a cold".

Jordan wanted to go home the previous night, but when her nose started leaking it was clear that she caught Maggie's cold. Mackenzie put her two sick friends in her bed and went to sleep on the couch. When her two patients woke up even sicker, Mackenzie knew that she would have to nurse them full time. She made tea and orange juice to soothe the pain in Maggie's throat. For Jordan, she rolled up two pieces of a regular tissue and shoved them up her friend's reddening nostrils in an attempt to stop them from running. She also brought an ice pack and placed it on Jordan's aching head.

"Ha Eshoo!" Jordan sneezed the tissues out of her nostrils and the ice pack off her forehead.

"This stidks" she complained. "It's beed albost dide years sidce the last tibe I had a cold".

"I rebebber that" said Maggie. "It was a little after your eighteedth birthday add you got so sick you had to biss prob dight. You bust've felt terrible bissidg it".

"Who cares about stupid prob dight? I felt terrible because I hate beig Ha Eshoo! sick" said Jordan.

"I'b really sorry I gave you by cold Jordad" said Maggie. "Hey *sniffle* baybe I cad bake it up to you" she playfully tapped Jordan's bare feet sticking out from the covers. "I have sobe free dail polish sabples id by purse. Dow that you've fidally taked your boots off *sniffle* why dod't I paidt our toedails? Purple for you add red for be Ha I TshuHoo! it could be a fud sick day activity".

"You kdow what? Let's do it" said Jordan. "It's dot like I have Ha Eshoo! sobethig better to do".

"That's the spirit" said Mackenzie. "It's great that you're taking care of each other, but don't forget that I'm the nurse here, or at least the nurse to be. I'm going to make you both feel better".

"I'd be bore worried about dot gettig sick byself if I were you Backedzie" said Jordan. "This is defiditely Ha Eshoo! dot sobethig you'd wadt to catch".

"As a nurse to be, that's just a risk I'll have to take" said Jordan. "Don't worry, I'll be careful".

 

"Well Backedzie *sniffle* the good dews is you dod't have a fever" Jordan said after taking the thermometer out of her friend's mouth two days later. "The bad dews is that you're id do shape to durse adyode adytibe sood".

"But I have to, Jordad *sniffle*. I'b goig to be a Ha Ishoo! full tibe durse dext year" said Mackenzie. "It'd bad edough that you add Baggie are still sick *sniffle* but I should've beed bore Ishoo, Hi Ishoo! careful".

"It's dot your fault you got sick Backedzie" said Maggie. "Hodestly, with be add Jordad sdeezig all over the place *sniffle* it would've beed Hi Tshoo! a biracle if you did't get sick".

"Baggie's right" said Jordan. "Also *sniffle* we bight still be sick Ha Eshoo! but we both feel buch better thadks to you add I thidks we cad take care of ourselves. You should be bore worried about dursig your owd cold".

"I have a better idea Jordad" said Maggie. "You add I should both Hai Tshoo! durse Backedzie dow".

"You're right odce agaid Ha Eshoo!" sneezed Jordan. "Backedzie *sniffle* you're id for a treat".

"Ha Ishoo, Ishoo, Hi Ishoo! Oh gosh *sniffle* by dose tickles so buch" said Mackenzie. "I guess eved the best durses cad take it easy every dow add thed. Lucky be to have such good friedds to durse be whed I'b sick byself" she allowed herself to relax in bed while her two friends, one on each side, started massaging her tired feet.

The End

Edited June 3, 2023 by Likesn

[Likesn]

No Matter What:

"This cad't be happedig" said Taylor. It was the morning of her 29th birthday, she was hosting a big party that evening and she had what appeared to be a terrible head cold.

"It's not really that surprising when you think about it" said her friend Elliot. "After all, you must be pretty run down from all the preparations you've been making for the party these past few days".

"Oh yeah that's right" Chelsea, another friend, chimed in. "It's far more likely to get sick if you're stressed out".

"Whed did you two becobe doctors? Ha Eshoo!" Chelsea and Elliot stepped out of the fire line when Taylor sprayed the mirror she was checking herself in.

"Bless you" said Chelsea. "Maybe you should reschedule the party".

"That's a good idea" Elliot agreed. "You're obviously way too sick".

"Are you kiddig be? There is do way id hell I'b Hei Eshoo! reschedulig the Ha Pchoo! party" Taylor insisted. Her sneezes were getting progressively wetter.

"What's the big deal? People will understand that you're sick and happily come to party another time. It's not the end of the world" said Elliot.

"You dod't understand" Taylor said and sniffled. "Dabod said he'll cobe to the party todight".

"So that's why you're acting crazy? You've been obsessing about that guy for three years now" said Chelsea. "He has dated almost every other woman besides you. It's time to move on".

"But he's so dreaby Hai PcheShoo!" Taylor almost fell over from the force of her sneeze.

"In the sense that you must be dreaming if you think he'll ever date you" said Elliot.

"That's a bit harsh, but Elliot isn't wrong" said Chelsea. "You need to stay in bed, rest and get better".

"Add biss by chadce of getting Dabod idto by bed? I Told you *sniffle* do way id hell" Taylor wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"She's so stubborn sometimes it makes me mad" Elliot told Chelsea.

"Yeah, I hate it when she's like that" Chelsea said.

"Stop talkig about be like I'b dot staddig right here!" Taylor called. "Look *sniffle* I'b havig by party todight do batter what. It's by twedty didth birthday *sniffle* the last birthday party of by twedties. Cold or do cold, there's do way I'b bissig that, especially sidce Dabod is cobig. So *sniffle* are you goig to help be or dot"?

"No matter what? Are you sure?" Elliot asked.

"Ha A Pchoo, Eshoo, He Hei Pchoo! Positive" Taylor replied.

"In that case, we have a lot of work to do" said Chelsea.

 

The two healthy friends divided the chores between them: Chelsea was in charge of making sure everything is ready for the party and Taylor will look stunning when she hosts it. Elliot's job was finding a way to ease the symptoms of Taylor's cold so that she'll be physically able to host the party. It would've been simpler if she could use meds to do so, but Taylor insisted that she would be drinking at the party and mixing alcohol and meds was a terrible idea. Thus, Elliot decided to use more natural remedies, such as chicken soup and orange juice. She also had Taylor use a nasal decongestant and a neti pot to clear hear nose, as well as tissues with lotion to blow it so it won't get too red. Taylor was very sensitive when it came to her nose. It was not at all ugly, just wide. She wanted to get a nose job, but she couldn't afford it and her rich parents wouldn't pay for it. Luckily, they did agree to leave their mansion for a few days so Taylor could host the party there, which is why she and her friends didn't have to worry about supplies of any kind. Both Elliot and Chelsea did admirably. Chelsea took care of choosing Taylor's dress and getting her nails and hair done. She also made sure all the preparations to the party were done and that the guests will be arriving on time. As for Elliot, she did so well that by the time the party was about to begin Taylor looked and acted as if she was completely healthy.

 

"We did it, we actually did it" Elliot told Chelsea later that evening as they watched Taylor entertaining her guests and enjoying her party. "This is actually going really well".

"Don't jinx it!" Chelsea called. "Besides, I don't see Damon anywhere".

"He's probably just 'fashionably' late" said Elliot. "That's so like him".

"Are you talking about Damon? Yeah, he's not coming" said a guy who overheard them. "He told me he's got a date tonight with this girl he's been waiting for ages to date".

"That is also very like him" said Chelsea.

"Not a word about this to Taylor, do you hear?" Elliot said as she grabbed the guy's shoulder. He just shrugged her off and moved on.

"Great" Chelsea sighed. "Now we need to make sure Taylor doesn't find out about this".

 

Taylor kept enjoying her party while her friends did all they could to prevent her from finding out that her crush wasn't coming. It wasn't easy, but Elliot and Chelsea seemed to have it under control. The problem was that with Taylor constantly mingling with her guests it was hard to keep track of where she was. Later that night, as some of the guests started to leave, Chelsea and Elliot realized that they couldn't find Taylor anywhere. They started to worry and got even more worried when they finally found her in one of the rooms, tissue in her hand and tears in her eyes.

"Taylor! Don't cry!" Chelsea called. "You still had a great party, even if"

"Wait a minute" Elliot interrupted her. She noticed the expression on Taylor's face.

"Ha Ha Ha E Pchoo, Ha Eshoo, Ei Shoo, Hai Pchoo!" Taylor brought the tissue to her face and ruined it with a fit of sneezes. "Oh thadk god you guys are here!" she called. "By cold is startig to cobe back add I cad't let by guests see be like this".

"No problem. Most of them already left and we'll just tell the others that you crashed because you were too drunk and tired" said Elliot.

"Yeah, we've got you covered" said Chelsea.

 

"Ha Eshoo, Eshoo, Hie Pchoo, Ha PchiShoo, Ha A Pchoo!" Taylor sneezed helplessly the following day. She was in the giant bed in her parents' bedroom, her cold ten times worse than it was the previous day. Her two friends spent the night at the mansion after they helped her get into bed, the same bed they were currently sharing with her, Elliot to her left and Chelsea to her right. It wasn't really surprising that both of them woke up that morning and realized that they caught Taylor's cold. The bed was full of used tissues left by the three red-nosed girls.

"He Tshoo, He Tshoo, He Tshoo, He Tshoo, He Tshoo!" Elliot sneezed into the blanket. Every couple of minutes she would have a fit of sneezes, each sneeze ending with an extremely wet "Tshoo".

"Could you baybe dot sdeeze idto the bladket like that? It's He Ishoo, Hi Ishoo! gross" said Chelsea.

"Dot as gross as Taylor's dose blows though" said Elliot.

"Oh like your dose blows ared't disgustig" said Taylor. "Besides *sniffle* I told you to stop bakig fud of by dose".

"You cad't say adythig about by dose sidce it's full of your cold He Tshoo, He Tshoo, He Tshoo, He Tshoo, He Tshoo!" Elliot didn't sneeze into the blanket that time, but she did so into Taylor's face instead.

"Dod't be bead Elliot" said Chelsea. "She did't do it od Ha Ishoo, Hi Ishoo, I Shoo! purpose".

"But it's by fault all the sabe" said Taylor. "You two were abazig yesterday *sniffle* bakig sure I'll have by birthday party. I had a great tibe last dight add all you got id returd is Ha PchiEshoo, Eshoo, Hia Pchoo! by cold".

"We would have dode it agaid Ha Ishoo, He Ishoo!" sneezed Chelsea. "That's what friedds are for *sniffle* they help each other do batter what".

"Eved if their friedd has the bost terrible cold of her life?" Taylor asked.

"Like Chelsea said *sniffle* do batter what He Tshoo, He Tshoo, He Tshoo, He Tshoo, He Tshoo!" Elliot replied, finally covering her sneezes with a tissue.

The three of them then turned to wetly blow their noses. They were in for a rough couple of days dealing with their cold, but at least they knew they'll have their good friends by their side.

The End

[jke1995]

These last few have been so great. Keep it up!

[Likesn]

On 6/8/2023 at 2:38 AM, jke1995 said:

These last few have been so great. Keep it up!

Thank you 🙂 I'm glad you liked them and I have a feeling you'll like the next one too:

Upsides:

"Cad you explaid this to be ode bore tibe?" April asked.

Valery knew it was now or never. April was close to being convinced and all it took was just one final nudge. The two of them have been in a similar state lately. Valery's girlfriend, Portia, went away for work and has been gone for over a week. She would be coming back in two days and Valery was looking forward to it. As for April, her boyfriend, Jake, also went away on a business trip, but he has only been away for two days and won't be coming back for about two weeks. The two friends were missing their partners very much, so they scheduled to meet up in Valery's house and spend some time with each other. Valery couldn't believe it when she got the following text message from April that morning:

"Maybe we shouldn't meet up today 😔 I think I'm coming down with something 🤒🤧".

April had no idea that Valery was, in fact, Very much into catching colds. It was a passion she and Portia shared, but neither of them has had a good cold for a long time. Valery knew that a fresh cold would be the perfect way to welcome Portia when she comes back. The tricky part was catching the cold from April. In order to do that, she needed the two of them to spend a considerable amount of time together. The first step was convincing April to come and meet Valery as the two of them had previously planned to do.

"Don't worry, I'm not afraid of your little germs 😉" Valery texted April back. "Besides, with Jake out of town I bet you could use some company if you're not feeling well".

That did the trick. April arrived about two hours later. Her face was pale, with taints of red in her blue eyes and around her nose. Valery softly removed April's long brown hair from her face and placed the back of her hand on her friend's forehead, turning her face to the side so April won't see her smiling.

"I don't think you have a fever, but you need to be watched closely in case your fever spikes" said Valery.

"Hai Yeshoo!" April turned away from Valery and sneezed. "The probleb is I dod't have adyode to watch over be right dow" she said.

"Of course you do" said Valery. "That's what friends are for, right"?

"I'b dot sure you should be aroudd be right dow" said April. "By cold is at it's early stages *sniffle* but I'b pretty sure I'b codtagious already. I would't eved let Jake be aroudd be whed I'b like this. He doesd't like colds".

"Most people don't" said Valery. "But not me" she thought.

"Which is probably why I better just go back hobe" April said and sniffled. "I should be id bed Ha Yeshoo!" Valery was a little surprised by the force of April's sneezes.

"A few hours close to that sneezy nose and I will definitely get sick" she thought.

"You shouldn't be driving back right now" she told April. "It's dangerous to drive when you're sneezing your head off. I think you should stay here and let me nurse you back to health".

"But I dod't wadt to get you sick" said April. "Portia is cobig back id two days add you should be healthy whed she gets back, dot bedridded with a red dose id a house that's full of by gerbs".

"Portia wouldn't mind" said Valery. "She doesn't mind taking care of me when I'm sick and she's not afraid of my germs. We love each other in sickness and in health".

"Baybe you two could teach by boyfriedd dot to worry so buch about catchig a cold frob be Ha Ei Shoo!" sneezed April. "Whedever I get sick he acts like it's the plague or sobethig".

"All the more reason for you to stay here" said Valery. "You'll see that a cold between lovers is no big deal. If you're lucky, you'll get to see Portia taking care of me. That would be a perfect example of TLC. Maybe she'll catch my cold and I'll have to take care of her, another example of TLC".

"It albost soudds like you're lookig forward to catchig by cold add giving it to Portia" said April. Even with a cold, Valery knew she won't be able to fool her friend for long. She decided to risk some honesty.

"Actually, Portia and I had some of our best quality time together when we had colds" she said. "Think about it: It's not a serious illness, just some sniffles and sneezes and mostly spending a lot of time together in bed, resting and relaxing. Isn't it nice to share that with someone you love"?

"Whed you put it like that it soudds albost robadtic" said April.

"Sometimes it can be just that" said Valery.

"Ha Yishoo! I still fidd it hard to thidk of robadce whed by dose is all sdotty" said April. "That beig said *sniffle* this cold is really startig to kick by ass add havig sobeode takig care of be add dursig be soudds dice right dow. Cad you explaid this to be ode bore tibe"?

Valery decided to go for honesty once again.

"Simple: You'll just stay here and let me take care of you until you're all better" she said. "Plus, you won't have to worry about getting me or Portia sick. In fact, we might appreciate some time in bed together after she's been away. The way I see it, there are no downsides to you, only upsides".

"I guess you're right Ha Yeshoo!" this time April didn't turn away or made any attempt to cover her sneeze. A cloud of spray surrounded Valery, who stood still.

"Wow *sniffle* you did't eved flidch" said April. "Guess you really dod't bidd catchig by cold".

"Told you" said Valery.

 

Later that day, April was lying in the bed in Valery and Portia's guest room. The covers were littered with used tissues and April was wetly blowing her now red nose into another one when Valery walked in. She was carrying a tray with pills, tea and a few orange slices.

"Look at you all sick in bed" she cooed and placed the tray on the nightstand next to the bed.

"Dod't edjoy it so buch" said April. "The cold id by dose will bost likely be id your dose sood. You'll be sdeezig *sniffle* sdifflig add all sick id bed just like be".

"Yeah, probably" said Valery. She sat down on the bed and picked up one of the used tissues.

"I had no idea you get so snotty when you're sick" she said. "You must have one serious cold in that cute nose of yours. Look at it, so red" she playfully tapped April's nose with her finger.

"Hai Eshoo! It's also very sedsitive right dow" said April. "You should be careful dot to touch it".

"Maybe this will change your mind" said Valery. She took a fresh tissue and gave April's nose the most soft and gentle blow with it.

"Oh by god that was abazig" said April.

"Felt good, didn't it? Told you I can be a good nurse" Valery smiled.

"*sniffle* I feel cold add by whole body aches" April whined. "Is there adythig you cad do about that, durse"?

Instead of replying, Valery lifted the covers and started rubbing April's cold feet.

"A foot bassage? Oh this is albost too buch" said April. "Wow you're really good at this. It's like by whole body feels warber dow. What's your secret"?

"I used to date this girl who was a reflexologist" Valery replied. "She taught me some neat tricks. Check out this one" she gave one of April toes a strong and quick squeeze.

"Hai IYeshoo! Did you just bake be sdeeze by squeezig by toe?" April asked.

"That's not all I can make a girl do by squeezing certain pressure points on her foot, but I'm saving those particular tricks for when Portia returns" Valery laughed. "I might be a good nurse, but I'm also a faithful girlfriend".

 

It turned out that April has made a very smart decision letting Valery take care of her. April found her cold to be a really bad one, the kind that lasts for days. With a cold that bad, it was good to have a friend like Valery taking care of her. Valery did her best to take care of April, not minding her friend's sneezes, coughs and snotty tissues. In fact, Valery was quite happy being surrounded by April's germs and couldn't wait for Portia to come back.

 

"Hi sweetie! Gosh, it's so good to be back home" Portia told Valery when she returned. "Wait 'till you hear what happened to me on the plane back here. You wouldn't believe it. There was this girl sitting across the aisle and two rows up from where I was sitting. She clearly had the most ridiculously horrible cold. Every two minutes she would either sneeze or blow her nose into a napkin. She kept calling the flight attendant asking for more napkins and one time she even sneezed right on the flight attendant. I kept turning my head back to see her sneeze and blow her nose, I was worried I'd get a neck cramp. She kept apologizing to the woman sitting next to her, who kept blessing her when she sneezed. By the time we got off the plane that woman was sniffling constantly and even sneezed once. She definitely caught that girl's cold. It was so amazing, I just wish I was able to catch that cold and bring it back home to you".

Valery walked over to Portia and hugged her.

"It's so good to have you back hobe hodey Ha E Tshoo!" she let out a wet sneeze all over Portia. "I also have a story for you *sniffle*. April cabe here a few days ago add she was He TsheShoo! cobig dowd with this bodster of a cold. With her boyfriedd out of towd *sniffle* she agreed to stay here add let be take care of her. She's still id our Ha Etshoo! guest roob. Obviously I caught her He Tshoo! cold add dow I'b goig to He Etshoo! give it to you as a gift. Welcobe back hobe Ha Etshoo, He Tshoo, He E Tshoo"!

Portia simply smiled and hugged Valery back.

 

Two days later, April woke up and realized that the worst part of her cold was behind her. She was still sick, with a nose that was red, congested and tickly, but her throat wasn't sore, her body didn't ache and her cough was all but gone. This made her happy. The only upside to having a cold was that she felt great once she was finally over it. Even though she wasn't there yet, she knew she would be completely back to health in a day or two. Knowing that filled her with a burst of energy, as well as a sudden sense of playfulness. She got out of bed for the first time in days, enjoying the feeling of the fluffy rug under her bare feet. After going to the kitchen and making herself a light breakfast, she put two plates on a tray, each of them with a slice of toast and jelly in it. She carried the tray to Valery and Portia's bedroom and knocked on the door.

"Cobe id" she heard Portia's voice from inside.

Smiling, April opened the door and walked in. Just as she expected, Portia and Valery were both in bed. Valery was sitting cross-legged on top of the covers, facing Portia. She was pale, her long brown hair was messy and her nose was very red. Portia's shoulder-length dirty blond hair was also slightly messy and her nose was red as well. She was sitting with her feet in Valery's lap, getting her wide soles rubbed by her loving girlfriend. After spending about a day and a half taking care of Valery, it was no surprise that Portia caught the cold as well. The two girlfriends finally got to where they wanted - the stage of nursing each other in bed.

"How are by two favorite sick girls feelig this bordig?" April asked as she placed the tray on the nightstand.

Portia replied by blowing her nose loudly into a white handkerchief.

"Guess that adswers by questiod" said April.

"I'b glad you're fidally feelig well edough to get out of bed, April" said Portia.

"Yeah *sniffle* I'b feelig buch better today He Yishoo!" sneezed April. "As you cad tell *sniffle* I'b still sick, but I'b sure I'll get over the rest of this cold id do tibe".

"Ha E Tshoo, He Tshoo, Ha TsheShoo! It's goig to take us a little bore tibe to get over this cold" Valery said before taking a tissue and giving her nose a snotty blow.

"We wod't be gettig out of bed adytibe sood Ha Ishoo, Ishoo, Hi Ishoo!" Portia let out three girly sneezes.

"That's exactly where you wadted to be though, isd't it? Bove over" April jumped on the bed and positioned herself between Portia and Valery.

"Hey! I was id the biddle of gettig by feet bassaged!" Portia called.

"Valery's really good at that, isd't she? You're a Hai Eshoo! lucky girl" said April.

"Dod't worry hodey *sniffle* I saved all by special tricks for you" Valery told Portia.

"I kdow you did Hei Shoo, E Tshioo!" sneezed Portia. "I ab a lucky girl though, *sniffle* like April said".

"Look at you two *sniffle* all cute add sick with by cold id your doses" April teased her friends, remembering how Valery did something similar to her a few days earlier. She reached out and simultaneously pinched both girls' noses, causing them to sneeze at the same time.

"He Tshoo, E Tshoo, Ha Etshoo!" went Valery.

"Hi Ishoo, I Shoo, Ha Ishoo!" went Portia.

"Ha! I kdew it!" April cheered. "Your doses are so sedsitive right dow, just like bide was whed I started cobig dowd with this cold. I wodder if I cad bake you sdeeze by squeezig your toes *sniffle* like Valery did to be".

She squeezed her friends' toes, but nothing happened. Both girls just blew their noses.

"It takes tibe add practice to leard how to do that" said Valery.

"Baybe you could teach be how to do it" said Portia.

"Later *sniffle* whed we're alode" said Valery.

"Oh dod't worry you guys, I'll be out of your house sood Ha Yashoo! whed I'b all better" said April. "Id the beadtibe, why dod't we all just relax id bed" she leaned back and crossed one leg over the other.

"You should't Ha Itshioo, Hi Ishoo, Ha Ashioo! get too cobfortable id our bed" said Portia.

"With us Ha Etshoo, He Tshoo, Ha Atshoo, He TsheShoo! sdeezig all over the place your cold bight get worse agaid" Valery said, making sure to sneeze all over April.

"Cobe od you guys *sniffle* I was odly Jokig" said April. "Look, I eved brought you breakfast id bed. I cad be a good durse too. That would be the upside of havig be here".

The End