Hedgehog Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 (edited) Oh dear! Poor Elias! Someone must find him and help him. Edit to add an important detail - you know that my palms were hurting while reading some passages? Like the one when Elias became aware, Zach felt cold against him? Or when he took his own temperature? Gosh! You did a fantastic job, can't wait for more. Spoiler (Oh god, how I love the stronger one getting sick... really sick... so goddamn sick) Also - the sick doctor!!!! Edited February 6, 2017 by hedgehog Link to comment
SneezyHolmes Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Aww..poor Elias! Poor bab needs some TLC! Link to comment
kushamisukii Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Omg now I'm in so much suspense. I love Elias ugh. His refusal to be sick and get proper care is so perf. Poor bby. Link to comment
Arty Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Everyone is so sick!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment
Juto Posted February 9, 2017 Author Share Posted February 9, 2017 On 6/2/2017 at 5:49 PM, hedgehog said: Oh dear! Poor Elias! Someone must find him and help him. Edit to add an important detail - you know that my palms were hurting while reading some passages? Like the one when Elias became aware, Zach felt cold against him? Or when he took his own temperature? Gosh! You did a fantastic job, can't wait for more. Reveal hidden contents (Oh god, how I love the stronger one getting sick... really sick... so goddamn sick) Also - the sick doctor!!!! Haha thanks, dear, I'm glad (??) that I made your palms hurt I hope they will again (probably not with this one, but hopefully the next-???) Honestly, I'm kinda warming to the idea of having the stronger one becoming sick more often, but it's still strange for me to write him sick my ever strong guardian He was never meant to be this fragile poor birdling. On 6/2/2017 at 6:17 PM, SneezyHolmes said: Aww..poor Elias! Poor bab needs some TLC! Knowing Zachariah, its on its way (with a little edge). On 6/2/2017 at 7:05 PM, kushamisukii said: Omg now I'm in so much suspense. I love Elias ugh. His refusal to be sick and get proper care is so perf. Poor bby. That's pretty much him in a nutshell yeah I'm glad you like it. 11 hours ago, Arty said: Everyone is so sick!!!!!!!!!!! hahahaha YYYYYAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!! Thanks to darling my commenters on FB and tumblr. You guys are awesome!!!! Thanks again to @SpamKey for letting me torture use her OC's. TLC on the way, though not before Nick has sworn by Darian's ponytail. (Side note, I accidentally swore by Darian's ponytail yesterday after I had beta'd this piece and the phrase was fresh in my mind. My sister was very confused. whoops.) Part 82- Panic It was his own tight breathing and the urge to rid his lungs of the thick, choking fluid that caused Zachariah to wake up and start coughing harshly into his duvet. His tight chest still burned and each cough felt like his throat was being dragged across asphalt. He whimpered slightly upon finishing and turned to his other side, expecting to be pulled into the arms of his guardian whose soothing voice and delicate nursing would make everything better. He waited, rubbing his nose as it had started to itch slightly after the cough. He sniffled wetly but regretted it as the itch only grew in force. He pressed the duvet against his face once more. “H’atsschew! Aschoo!-uhh!” Ow! Even sneezing made his throat scream in soreness and made his head pound. But where was the customary blessing and following caring nuzzle that Zachariah had come to expect, and more importantly, adore? He reached a hand out, searching the air until he found the bed side table and switched on the light. He blinked rapidly as light flooded into his vision but even through the black spots now clouding his vision, he could tell the angel’s side of their bed was empty. Odd. The room was dark, except for the small light next to the bed, the curtains were still drawn and there were no sounds of life from the street outside. It had to be the middle of the night still. He sat up too fast, swaying as his body was forced out of its horizontal comfort zone. “Elias?” Zach choked on the word, his mouth and throat feeling torn and dry. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and blindly reached for the glass of water Elias always kept by his bed. But it wasn't there. Curious. “Elias?” Zach croaked again still clutching his throat in discomfort. He searched the bed for notes. The few times (since Elias had come into his life) that he'd woken up without his loyal angel by his side there had always been a note with a penned apology and explanation, but the bed was completely empty. Zach coughed to clear his throat and winced uncomfortably, muttering a slight oath, before he slowly swung his legs out of the bed to go search for his angel. “Elias?” He took a sip of water in the kitchen. His throat still burned, the cool liquid only aggravating the flames, but it was worth it. “Elias?” He turned to lean against the kitchen counter and that’s when he noticed the door to the bathroom was ajar and the lights were on. He called again, but there was no response. With his heart nervously thumbing in his throat he moved closer. He reached the door and timidly pushed it fully open. A small gasp of shock escaped him before he threw himself on the floor next to his seemingly unconscious angel. Elias’s eyes opened briefly and fluttered closed again as Zachariah first cupped his face in his hands and next shook his shoulders forcefully. “Nonononono…” Zach delicately clapped Elias’s cheeks again as the angel’s eyes threatened to close completely. “Open your eyes for me, angel. I need them. I need to see those sapphire gems. Please, Elias. Please. Please!” Zach froze as he heard Elias mumble something incoherent before falling silent again, letting his head roll limply on the side. Zach felt his eyes fill with tears as he sat immobile, body frozen in panic and worry while his mind played him a hundred different scenarios that all had the same outcome; he’d never see those brilliant sapphire blues ever again or hear the deep, rich voice of his angel caress his name. Tears trickled down his cheeks as his shaking hands found a tight grip on Elias’s shirt. One tear hit the tiled floor with a soft-sounding thump which jolted Zach from his panicked state. He had to do something. He looked around, frantically. What would Elias do? Darian! Zach quickly padded his own hips before he recalled being in his pocket-less pyjama pants. Muttering an oath under his breath that sounded more like a sob than an actual oath, he padded Elias’s pocket, but found them empty. Frantic, on the verge of outright panic he looked around, voicing a relieved sob as he saw the Elias’s phone on the floor. Unlocking the device, he quickly scrolled through the small list of contacts. Darian. Darian. Darian. Here. Dr. Verago. Twitching with impatience, he held the phone to his ear and hoped to God and all his angels that Darian would pick up sooner rather than- “DIDN’T I TELL YOU TO STOP! CALLING! IT’S THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, GOD DAMMIT!” Zach almost jumped a foot in the air and quickly pulled the phone away from his ear before the angry voice of someone who most certainly wasn’t Darian could give him tinnitus. “B-But I-“ “NO! NO ‘BUT’S! NO MORE PLEADING OR ASKING OR INQUERING, NO MORE QUERYING OR DEMANDING ANSWERS. LEAVE. US. ALONE.” Stunned to silence, Zach just gaped at the phone he still held at arms-length. But the angry voice wasn’t done. “DON’T TEXT US, EMAIL US, CALL US, SMOKE SIGNAL US! AND DON’T YOU DARE COME KNOCKING OR I SWEAR BY DARIAN’S PONYTAIL I’LL…” Zach didn’t catch whatever threat was being shouted in some other language - Spanish perhaps? - but he did catch that this person, whoever he was, knew Darian intimately enough to swear by his ponytail. “GOOD DAY!” Zach expected the call to end here but he caught the sound of a rattling cough in the background and curiously – but very slowly - put the phone closer to his ear again. He heard a strained and hoarse voice mumble something and the angry voice responded with a heavy sigh before speaking again. Zach immediately removed the phone to spare his ear, but the voice was at normal volume this time, and much more concerned, albeit still with an edge of pure annoyance. “Darian says to remind you that unless Zach’s fever spikes again, you shouldn’t give him more than half the adult’s dose as indicated on the pill bottle.” The voice left the phone again and the hoarse voice spoke, though too low for Zach to hear it. The angry-gone-calm(er) voice sighed heavily again and mumbled apologetically. “Just give it a little more time okay? He’s responding well.” A small pause. Then another sigh. “Elias, I know you’re worried, but I promise you that Zach is going to be-“ “Elias is unconscious.” “-okay. Wait what?” The sound of his angel’s name had brought back Zach’s fear and with it, his voice… and a few more tears. “Elias is unconscious on the floor of the bathroom.” Zach couldn’t keep his voice from trembling. “I can’t call an ambulance, please don’t ask me why. Just help me. I… I don’t know what to do.” Zach let his tears flow freely as he heard a scramble of noise at the other end giving the impression the phone was passed over. “Take a deep breath Zach.” An extremely hoarse and low version of Darian’s calm voice spoke to him. Zach tried to remain composed while the doctor talked him through checking Elias’s pupils, pulse and responsiveness. When Darian’s voice gave out, Nick took over and translated the hoarse whispers into instructions. (Nick, Zach guessed, was Darian’s partner, when the hoarse doctor called him “darling”; A term of endearment that immediately made new tears spring from Zach’s eyes. “You’re doing good, Zach, check his temperature next?” The request was gentle enough and yet, it made Zach straighten up with worry and confusion. “I… uhh.” “What?” “I don’t know where Elias keeps the thermometer.” And that’s when it occurred to Zach; He didn’t know anything. Elias knew everything about him, everything! But Zach had no idea how to care properly for his obviously sick angel. Fighting to keep his guilt in check, he opted for telling Darian that Elias’s skin was burning but that he responded with a soft murmur when Zach tried to dab him with a cool cloth. He further explained that despite feeling hot, Elias was shivering. Zach listened intently to Darian’s instructions, mentally crossing out the list of possible cold meds as the doctor mentioned them. His eyes didn’t stray from the angelical face, all flushed and lined with a frown that Zach couldn’t loosen even running his hand gently through Elias’s damp hair as his angel has done to him so many times Zach had lost count. “Make sure he stays warm, Zach, and hydrated.” Darian ended the phone consultation with a note of concern after Zach excused himself to cough and crush a few sneezes into his wrist. “I know you’re only just recovering yourself. Make sure you both get plenty of rest. The last time I saw him he looked exhausted and worn out. He cares about you, so deeply. I don’t think the poor guy has slept in days.” Elias stirred slightly under Zach’s hand and his eyes fluttered slowly open. Zach almost squealed with relief. “He’s waking up.” Zach didn’t hear the doctor’s response. He had dropped the phone to have both his hands cup Elias’s face, stroking his cheeks with his thumbs. “Oh! Angel. Thank god. You scared the crap out of me. Please stay with me. Please.” TBC... Link to comment
Hedgehog Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 3 hours ago, Juto said: Honestly, I'm kinda warming to the idea of having the stronger one becoming sick more often, but it's still strange for me to write him sick my ever strong guardian He was never meant to be this fragile poor birdling. Well, it shouldn't happen too often because then, he wouldn't be the "strong one" anymore. I'm always ready to wait for the precious diamonds. It's so sweet how Zach tries to help his Elias. I also love sick Darian and angry Nick here once again. (I'm sure, @SpamKey won't mind you using them. ) Link to comment
kushamisukii Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 (edited) This part was so cute that I'm going to probably die. Edited February 10, 2017 by kushamisukii Link to comment
Coffee Chicken Barista Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 My heart is hurting...and happy...and hfdf,dbmslbdslndbsncbed!!!!!! THIS IS SO DAMN CUTE!!!! Link to comment
Arty Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 Holy batman.....protective angry nick. Yay!!! My heart no longer in my chest...Yay!!! Link to comment
Subtly Clashing Wishes Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 ❤❤❤❤❤ I'm on my phone so I can't quote but I wanted to say something. 1. Love Elias's constant pestering of Darian and his germophobia. The line about doctors making poor guardians totally made me laugh. If only he had any idea how much doctors practically bathe in germs and don't become ill he would reassess his stance. 2. Angry, protective Nick is an awesome sight to behold. Your description of Zach's reaction is equally awesome. Welcome Back!!! Link to comment
KD02 Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 Finally caught up! This is sooooo good!! Poor Elias trying to tough it out for Zach Link to comment
CherryGirl Posted March 11, 2017 Share Posted March 11, 2017 This is so CUTE!!!!!! Please continue when you get the chance!!! Link to comment
Juto Posted April 19, 2017 Author Share Posted April 19, 2017 Hiiiiiii~ all you wonderful people who read and follow this (22 followers OMG HOW??!!!) No drabble just yet, only a quick update. First of all, I'm so sorry. I keep saying I'm returning to finish this and then I leave planet SFF for months... sighs. I still plan on finishing (eventually) but I've run into complications... which brings me to... second of all, I've been pretty uncomfortable with the whole peadophile discussion on here (I DONT want to rekindle anything so please shush!) mainly because when I started this story Zachariah was 16 and therefor a minor. Please be aware that I chose his age based on the story's plot and not for personal fetishy preferences. Regardless, this being a fetish site I should have been more considerate. I deeply apologise if I've made anyone feel uncomfortable about this. So moving on to... Third of all, before I upload another chapter I'm determined to go back and change their ages in the thread, making Zachariah 18-19 and in uni, and Elias 22-23. There will be some editing (possibly rewriting) and it may take a while before I can set aside time to actually do it, but it needs to be done before I can make myself finish it. Yeah I guess that was it?! Except... Fourth of all, welcome to @CherryGirl and @KD02 I hope this little interlude due to recent discussions wont put you off. Lastly, I'm not on the forum that much at the moment, but if you wanna come yell at me (or just say hi or scream about stuff to me or prompt me for cute little YOI fluff) my tumblr is DuchessJuto. Link to comment
Elyze Posted August 16, 2017 Share Posted August 16, 2017 Hello Being new here and enjoying the many amazing stories that I've found in the forum so far I have still made myself not comment on too many dormant threads (probably not appreciated on the forum...?). But as this story still promises to continue at some point, and is thus only taking a break, I'll just go ahead OMG @Juto! This is so good! I've ploughed through the entire story in one go in the last few days and it's been a pleasure to read! It just keeps getting better and better, I can't even understand how that is even possible... The characters are wonderful. The love... ahhh... the love... there's just so much of it! And I really love the crossover with the lovely Dr. Verago by @SpamKey, both here and in the beautiful stories by @Kaze wo Hiku. (Yups, read those too and it brought me here) I really enjoy your writing Juto and next on my list is your Marie Antoinette, will start it right away! I hope you are doing ok with whatever life has thrown at you. Keep strong! And whenever you get back here it's obvious that you have a loyal group of friends and fans waiting (now +1 ) Btw, fellow Scandinavian here. Don't be fooled by the flag attached to my profile, proud Swede living abroad Link to comment
Juto Posted September 7, 2017 Author Share Posted September 7, 2017 Greetings all you wonderful people. I have finally managed to do what I wanted and go back through the thread and changed Zach’s and Elias’s ages. Zachariah is now 20 (he was 19 at the beginning of the story) and attends university studying English literature (and biology because that was the only way to make some of the drabbles fit with his allergies – oops :P). Elias died at age 22 in 1940, and is still pretty dead, but is now technically 98 years old. Yikes. Anyway, that’s done. A have to send a huge thank you to @helyzelle for being the Gandalf to my Bilbo and give me the nudge I needed to come back and finish this. I am missing a few drabbles to reach 100 and I also have a long-ish epilogue in the making. So I am BACK and things are MOVING. Thank you. Right. Small recap since it’s been a while: Elias has been graceless since getting Zachariah out of his parents’ house and into the safehouse he bought for him. He has (sadly – pfffft) succumbed to the illness himself and now they’re both on the mend (with a little help from @SpamKey's Dr. Verago.). So it’s just recovery, guilt and fluff, really. The angst will be back later. Enjoy, and thanks again for your patience Part 83 – Little Tiger Prompted by a voice and a plead Elias couldn't possibly resist, he forced his exhausted lids open, and used an equal amount of will trying to focus on the swimming face in front of him. Amidst the blurry colours of brown and chestnut was a little piece of a clouded sky. He tried to blink the burning sensation from his eyes but even the tears he felt pool in his eyes couldn’t put out the fire. He brought a hand up to rub at them, groaning as his sore muscles ached. “He sounds like he’s in pain.” Elias heard Zach say. He slowly opened his eyes again. His Zachariah was crouching over him, sounding panicky, clutching his shoulder so tight like it was the only thing keeping him sane. Who was he talking to? Wait. Was that his phone in Zach’s hand? “Could you possibly come over and check on him? Please?” Darian was coming over? But… that’s… bad… for some reason. Right? Elias’s befuddled mind tried to remind him of something important floating just beyond the extent of his awareness. Something with Darian. He was a kind man, Zach’s doctor. Only, Elias wouldn’t let him come now that he was sick. His eyes flew open as he suddenly remembered. He jolted upright and grabbed the phone from his stunned-to-silence ward. “I feel fine, don’t come over.” He said hoarsely into the receiver before ending the call. “Wha-…?” Zach was the picture of distressed confusion, eyes darting back and forth between Elias’s face and the phone in his hand. Elias sighed, rubbing his hand against his forehead as he leaned back against the cool tiles, but instead of allowing him to rest his heavy head against the floor, Zach guided it into his lap and started dabbing at his burning forehead with a cool cloth. It felt heavenly. “The good doctor is currently a walking germ infestation.” He explained, voice sounding distant and fatigued. “I don’t want him anywhere near you.” His hand reached up to lovingly cup Zach’s face when the angel remembered his own condition. Curses. “I shouldn’t even be near you.” Elias had once read a medical rule that stated that patients couldn’t catch their own illness back once recovering, but it gave him little conviction now. For all he knew, he could potentially be infecting Zachariah with whatever cocktail the doctor’s impatient and disrespectful partner had brought to their door. And even if that rule held true, surely surely Zachariah Wentworth Benedict was the exception that proved it. Why wouldn’t he be? Tapping into whatever energy was left in him, he made to move away but failed and started to sway as a wave of dizziness washed over him. Zach grabbed a tight hold of his shoulders and held on, tutting softly at him. “You shouldn’t have hung up on Darian.” He ran his hand over his angel’s face, shaking his head in sadness at its burning heat before moving his hand down to feel Elias’s arm. It was chilled from the contact with the tiles and started to shiver as soon as it came into contact with Zach’s warm skin. “You’ve a fever, you’re sounding hoarse and you’re shivering, not to mention you’ve been unconscious on the bathroom floor for God knows how long while I’ve just been-“ He paused, face anguished and pained but he recovered, sending Elias a mild scold. “Angel, you’re sick, you need medi-“ Zach cut himself off and looked guiltily at Elias as a warm blush spread in his cheeks. Despite feeling like utter crap, Elias smiled at his endearingly forgetful ward. “You were about to say medical attention, weren’t you?” Albeit amused, Elias’s voice still sounded hoarse. Zach’s blush deepened and he discreetly avoided answering by moving his hands to Elias’s abdomen to help him up. With joined effort (and too many dizzy spells – though Zachariah was holding him close in his arms until they passed, so Elias couldn’t complain, really) Elias made it back to the bedroom and allowed Zach to help ease him down on the bed. As soon as Elias’s body relaxed into the warm and soft pillows he sighed and let his exhausted lids close, feeling Zach’s hands gently pull the duvet up around him. With the covers tucking him firmly in and keeping the chills at bay, Elias let himself steal a moment of pure indulgence as Zach started running his hands through his hair, pausing every few seconds to whisper soothing words against his forehead. His lips were so close as they alternated between moving to form words and gently grazing over his hairline with a soft exhale. He really didn’t deserve this. He was putting Zach’s fragile health at risk. He ought to move, but he couldn’t muster the energy so he stayed in place, smiling as he felt Zach’s hand creep under the duvet to entwine with his fingers. Elias’s dead heart grew wings deep in his chest. “H-how did you allow yourself to become this ill? H-ho-how…” Elias’s eyes flew open at the sound of Zach’s pained voice, breaking and stuttering. Zach’s fingers tightened around his own and he noticed they were trembling. “H-How long, angel?” Elias adopted his most innocent and angelical face, it was no doubt a pitiful look, judging by how his angelical features had looked waxy and pale last time he saw them, but it was all he could do to remove the blame from Zach. “Zachariah, I don’t-“ “How Long?” Zach’s hard, blue-grey eyes bore into Elias’s fever glazed. A steely gaze that left no room for any manoeuvres of avoidance. “Just a few days?” He shrugged at his own which sounded more like a question than an actual answer. To be fair, it had come rather suddenly to him. He squeezed Zach’s hand lovingly under the covers and smiled reassuringly. “I’m sure I’ll feel better in the morning.” “But that’s the thing.” The sight of tears in his ward’s eyes made Elias’s dead heart shed its wings and turn to coal in his chest. He couldn’t handle his Zachariah being upset. He looked on in anguish as Zach sniffled once before continuing, his voice growing feeble, his cloudy eyes downcast. “I… I don’t know how to make you feel better. You do everything for me, you're there for me every single day, nursing me through every single illness, and I-“, Zach paused, fidgeting with a loose thread in the stitching on the duvet. Elias angled his head to catch his eyes, but Zach refused to look up “I-I don't even know what calms you.” You, only you. Elias had no idea how to convey the strongest of emotions and the solid depth of his devotion while keeping his professionalism intact, but he had to reassure his distressed ward. At least he could be truthful. “Anything you do calms me, Zachariah, just you being here is enou-“ “Don't!” Zach was pointing a scolding finger at him, Elias couldn't help but smile at his little tiger. “Elias Luca Fitzwilliam, you will not spare me this guilt.” Elias noticed the look of stubborn determination in Zach’s face and decided that the best way to please his Zachariah was to let him fuss… a little. Guardian’s didn’t do role reversal. It wasn’t right. But he was feeling a little chilly still, after having spent several hours on the cold bathroom floor. He’d admit to that much. “Alright then,” Zach nodded determinately upon hearing the confession. He tucked Elias’s covers more firmly around his shoulders and gave him a once over. “Scarf.” He said decisively with another small nod and left to go find the item. “Scarf?” Elias starred after him. Wouldn’t he look rather weak tucked up in bed with a scarf around his neck? Not really the picture of a dedicated guardian. “Honestly Zachariah, that’s hardly nece-“ “Careful what you say, angel, or I’ll bring the hat and gloves too.” Zach’s anything but amused voice rang from the small hall. Elias found it best to keep his mouth shut. Once back on the bed, Zach took his time, carefully wrapping the thick woolly scarf around Elias’s neck. Elias noticed how the younger man blushed when his finger accidentally brushed his lower lip as he was tying the knot under his chin. He finished quickly, cleared his throat and tucked his hands under his arms. Probably for the best. Elias’s skin around his mouth had gone strangely electric, almost buzzing with an unusual current. “Better?” Zach inquired, eyes downcast, cheeks flushed. “Much. Thanks.” Both looked awkwardly away from each other. Zach recovered his composure first and returned to facing Elias with a small smile. “Good.” The buzzing current had faded but it had left the angel’s nose feeling ticklish and runny. He sniffled a few times against the itch, hoping to quench it before anything came of it. Looking concerned, Zach placed the palm of his hand against the tip of Elias’s nose. The angel scrunched up his face as a tickle began forming at the touch. Zach brooded. “Hmm. Your nose is feeling cold.” He removed his hand again and Elias’s nose started twitching dangerously. “I’m making you some honeybrew to warm you up.” Elias thought he caught a smile on Zach’s lips but his sight was blurred with moisture as the relentless tickle wreaked havoc in his nose despite him keeping a finger pressed firmly under it in attempt to contain it as long as Zach was in the room. He wasn’t about to let his ward witness such a pathetic display of human- He startled as a box of tissues was tossed into his lap. Zach was by the door, grinning. “I’m almost out of the room. You can allow yourself to sneeze now.” -urges. Never mind. What an Impertinent, audacious- “Hh… Hh’ehhtschoo! T’sschoo!... Hheh… Ehh’tschhew!” “Bless you, angel.” Zach said sweetly (smirk lurking just at the edges of the smile) as he stuck his head back into the room. His look changed from endearing to parental and he pointed a wooden spoon, that had clearly been used for stirring seconds earlier, at Elias who was climbing out of bed to put the used tissues in the trash. “If you move.” He emphasised his words with a reprimanding look that would have made the archangel Raphael proud. “I’m gonna unleash Ragnarok on your graceless behind and that little sniffle of yours is gonna be the least of your problems.” He walked swiftly up to the bed and placed a small basket next to it. Elias eyed it perplexed. Zach caught his eyes and pointed to the basket with his spoon before turning his fingers up to point at his eyes and next Elias, signalling that he’d be watching him closely. Clearly, the little tiger with the wooden spoon was not to be trifled with. With a frown and a sniffle, Elias reluctantly climbed back into bed, tossing the used tissues into the basket and pulled the covers back up to his stomach. That little ‘sniffle’ of his, Elias repeated Zachariah’s words in his head with a scoff but was thankful he didn’t voice the words out loud as he had to bring a new fistful of tissues back up to his treacherous nose. With a back-tilted head and a waving hand he ushered his now giggling ward out of his contamination zone before pitching forward into the waiting tissues. “T’sschoo! T’sscheww!... Ehhih’tsscheww!” “Bless you, angel.” Zach’s whispering voice sounded too close for Elias’s liking, but he couldn’t resist the way Zach’s tenor voice caressed his pet name, nor could he resist the hand that once again twirled around in his hair. Elias hummed in delight as the pounding ache created by the small fit was being banished from his head under Zach’s gentle ministrations. He should draw the line at the proximity though, he really really should, but before he could open his mouth, let alone construct any kind of argument, Zach had already climbed into bed next to him, letting him lean against him as he pressed a mug of warm brew into his hands. A few mouthfuls (and a short nap) later, Elias’s lids fluttered open as Zach gently removed the half empty mug from his grasp. “Back to sleep, angel, I’ll guard you.” The promise was sealed with a kiss to his temple. “Fine,” Elias caved unreasonably quick, too exhausted to argue and too congested to sound serious should he attempt to disagree. “But in the morning, I’m back to guarding you.” He didn’t hear whatever cheeky retort Zach chuckled beside him, all he caught were the last whispered words in his ear and the brush of warm lips in his hair that followed. Sleep draped its heavy, black cloak over his senses and mind before he could decipher what Zachariah had meant by “Eye, dove, shoe.” TBC Link to comment
Elyze Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Juto! You've done a great job updating the age of these two in the earlier chapters AND you continued the story at the same time too! Back and moving indeed! Wanna know something funny? That (odd?) combination that Zach studies now - English and biology - is exactly what I studied when I was at university Oh, Zach... I'm so proud of you! Follow your heart even when people question your choices! Also, love this new bossy Zach! Where did that come from? Haha, Elias you'd better listen to him 2 hours ago, Juto said: “If you move.” He emphasised his words with a reprimanding look that would have made the archangel Raphael proud. “I’m gonna unleash Ragnarok on your graceless behind and that little sniffle of yours is gonna be the least of your problems.” I'm so happy you're back Juto! I'm also happy to have helped give a little nudge in that direction and to have made a new friend in the process! Link to comment
Subtly Clashing Wishes Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Welcome back @Juto ! It's so nice to *see* you again. Lovely update. I agree bossy!Zach is a treat. I look forward to reading more of Zach's and Elias's adventures and how you are going to solve their central problem. (Thank you @helyzelle for giving her a nudge. ) Link to comment
Juto Posted September 8, 2017 Author Share Posted September 8, 2017 (edited) 19 hours ago, helyzelle said: Wanna know something funny? That (odd?) combination that Zach studies now - English and biology - is exactly what I studied when I was at university HAHAHA!! this made me so happy!! I was like *argh!! that's never gonna be even remotely believable" - and then i remembered I was writing a story with an angel and I managed to shut myself up 19 hours ago, helyzelle said: Also, love this new bossy Zach! Where did that come from? Haha, Elias you'd better listen to him Haha. Bossy!Zach makes a rare appearance. He's realised by this point that no matter what he does or says, Elias won't leave him and so he's taking a few liberties when his stubborn angel is being... well... stubborn. I think no matter when it happens or in what context it's always going to take Elias completely by surprise. He'll never see it coming. He's a tad dense on that account But when it does happen, or Zach manages to play the role of damsel-in-distress with a little too much sass, Elias has no trouble proclaiming him an insolent pup don't mess with the senior citizen, Zachariah! 19 hours ago, helyzelle said: I'm so happy you're back Juto! I'm also happy to have helped give a little nudge in that direction and to have made a new friend in the process Thank YOU it was definitely the nudge i needed. 13 hours ago, Sanguine Cheerful Worrier said: Welcome back @Juto ! It's so nice to *see* you again. Thanks SCW you wonderful sweetheart *bows semi gracefully* it's good to be back As for their Central Problem you know me, always a happy ending no matter the journey to get there. K, onward! I have a lot to get out of my system before i can start up a new drabble thread Just some more plotless fluff... really. Enjoy. Part 84 - Being human ”No no no...” Elias sighed his distress at their proximity when Zach had cuddled closer to him on the sofa where they were presently curled up watching Blackadder reruns. Elias’s cold had acted up, making the already sniffling angel cough and sneeze every few minutes. Zach had dutifully – despite whiny complaints from Elias– kept his flat mate warm with a heating pad and a woolly jumper, and supplied him with endless amounts of tissues and honeybrew. Still, every time he attempted cuddling as a remedy, guilt overtook Elias’s features and Zach found his ministrations denied with great effort. Zach accepted it gracefully and, with a smile in acceptance, moved further away and made good use of the sanitiser on the coffee table, strongly prompted by Elias’s scolding glare. “I’m sorry, Zachariah,” He apologised for the 17th time that morning after having, once again banished Zach and his own impressive collection of bronchitis and flu meds – curtesy of the good Dr. Verago - to the opposite end of the couch. “Truly, it’s just that-“ “You’re sick and you would never forgive yourself if I caught my own cold back again now that I’m finally on the mend?” Zach guessed with a playful smile, though his hoarse voice reminded Elias that ‘on the mend’ for Zachariah was probably still one hell of a cold for ‘normal’ people. “Right.” The congestion in Elias’s voice was lowering his already deep baritone voice to a raspy bass. “And it’s not that I don’t appreciate everything you do for me, but-“ “You honestly can’t accept that fact that you’re now human, or well, undead, kinda, and have succumbed to the lowest state of being human: illness, and that accepting my care would be mean a consent to your own defeat?” “Riiiight.” This time Elias dragged his response a little, rubbing the back of his head and looking slightly sheepish. “And you can’t handle the fact that you are not able to guard me 24/7, because that’s what you’re contractually designed to do?” Looking more than a little displeased, Elias, apparently, didn’t think the insinuation was worthy of a reply. He merely sniffled, looking away. Unfortunately, Zach didn’t seem to be done assaulting his pride. “And you’re too thick headed to consider that taking care of you while you’re sick could actually make me happy?” Zach knew he was being unfair, challenging his angel when he clearly wasn’t even feeling well enough to put his jumper on right. Zach had noticed the visible label under Elias’s chin – the angel had managed to both wear it inside-out and the wrong way around – but he hadn’t told him. It was too adorable. “Well, I… uhm…” Elias looked too lost for Zach to continue. “I’m just teasing you, angel.” He was, really. Though with an ounce of painful truth to his words. But he would lighten the mood for Elias. Those cheeks couldn’t possibly get any redder or his face might explode. “More brew?” Before Elias could hand over his half-empty mug of now lukewarm honeybrew, Zach had already snatched the cup from his hands and pressed his lips to the sick angel’s temple before he could argue. Heating more golden, sweet smelling brew in a small pot on the stove, Zach ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head. He didn’t like seeing his angel feeling so horribly defeated, so miserable, so human. He poured the hot liquid into a cup and went back to the living room, but stopped abruptly in the doorway, hiding a fond smile behind his hand. Elias had moved himself to the spot on the sofa where Zach had been sitting and had fallen asleep sometime during the five minutes it had taken Zach to heat up more brew. The ward checked his watch, it was past nine, a decent bedtime for any sick guardian, he decided. It only took a few nuzzles and gentle shakes to wake Elias and help him into bed. “Please stay with me?” the request hung deep and hoarse in the air, but it was clear enough for Zach. He truly did hate seeing his angel so utterly exhausted and wretched, but what Zach did love was the way his angel – his specifically bestowed guardian, bound by contract to ensure his happiness and well-being – would beg for his touch come night when his fever spiked. The way he would curl into his arms under the covers when he needed the comfort and security and the way he would utter a string of comfortable sounding sighs when Zach’s hand wove a hand through his black locks to soothe him. It made all the small rejections during the day seem a tiny bit more tolerable. At night, Zach felt needed. Something he’d never dared hope for himself, certainly not when it came to Elias. In bed, refilling in for the part of comforting guardian, Zach carefully, he let his finger stroke the angel’s fever warm cheek, smiling at the way he would almost shiver at the cool touch and how his nose would twitch adorably as if on the verge of another solid proof of his current state. Zach had been sick enough times to despise every aspect of feeling poorly, and yet, the way his angel – the heavenly, divine creature that he was – with all his voo-doo magic and caregiving skills, was not able to prevent himself from catching Zach’s illness was oddly fascinating. Zach secretly relished every exhausted whine and savoured every defeated gesture as much as he openly soothed every cough and blessed every sneeze. In his mind, Zach always pictured his graceful angel with a responsible mind, a loving heart and a worried scold, the true picture of a guardian that could bring warm colour in Zach’s cheeks and sent his heart fluttering, yet now, in his graceless and human form, Zach’s eyes drank in the features of the patient in his arms, so unlike his guardian in every way, but always his angel and the person he loved most in this world, in any world. Elias’s features were slack and defeated. His warm, smooth skin was rubbed raw around his eyes and nose, shining painfully red in contrast to his much paler chin and forehead. His flushed cheeks reflected the fever in his body, blooming bright red and puffy. His breathing sounded heavy and congested through his open mouth despite the mountain of pillows practically keeping them sitting up in bed. Zach indulged himself another nuzzle of Elias’s flushed cheek, relishing the way his patient squirmed even closer as if invited by the touch. Another nuzzle, another squirm and Elias’s damp and sniffly nose was resting against Zach’s collarbone, his burning forehead heating his throat. Zach adjusted his position, snaking an arm under and around Elias’s upper body to come to rest on his back where his fingers didn’t hesitate to initiate more nuzzles. The soft, warm sigh breathed against his chest carried the gratitude towards his gesture. I’ll hold you forever, my angel. Zach pressed his lips to the soft skin between Elias’s eyebrows, trailing a string of butterfly kisses down his nose towards the tip. The reddened organ twitched under his lips and Zach pulled back to find a precious crease had formed on its bridge. Elias’s breath was coming in shorter gasps now, his face less relaxed than it had been a moment ago. Whoops. Sheepishly, Zach looked around for the box of tissues but found them out of reach. Feeling incredibly guilty and afraid that the forthcoming sneeze would wake his sick guardian Zach tried to halt the impending sneeze by pressing two fingers under Elias’s twitching nostrils, sadly to no effect. “Whhhhha-?” Elias’s eyes fluttered drunkenly open, but he was still to feverishly out of it to comprehend what was happening. Zach could easily imagine the guilt and self-hatred that would follow in the wake of a messy, uncovered sneeze. Zach would go grey and wither away before he’d hear the end of it. He had to come up with a way to muffle it. “Shh, it’s okay angel, c’mere.” Adding slight pressure to the side of Elias’s face with the hand that was wound around him, while keeping the other hand in place to stave off the sneeze, Zach managed to manoeuvre Elias’s head further into his neck, pressing his sensitive and now scrunched up nose against his collarbone. He swiftly removed his fingers from under his guardian’s twitching nose and hugged him tight as he felt his angel’s entire body shudder with the smothered sneeze against his skin. “Ehh’tsschew!... T’ssschiew!” Even muffled, they broke the silent atmosphere in the room. Zach offered a quiet blessing and felt a twinge of adorableness when Elias whined a vulnerable little sound against him as his nose geared up for another ticklish expulsion. Zach gently shushed and held his angel whose body had gone tense and whose hands were pulling Zach tighter against him. In his embrace Zach felt Elias’s lungs expand with a soft wheeze as he gasped in his final breath before tensing up again. Zach’s body shook with Elias’s as the sneeze forced its way out, once more muffled against Zach’s skin. “Ehh’mptffs’scheww!! Mnn!” “Bless you, angel.” Zach was conflicted about what to feel for the feeble and vulnerable being in his arms, the only emotions that truly consumed him was love for his sick angel mixed with guilt for making him so sneezy, regardless of how adorable it may be. He lightly traced a lock of pitch black hair with his finger and tucked it behind Elias’s ear as another, softer and more exhausted sounding sneeze made his patient go rigid. The softly whispered “I love you, Elias, please get better, angel” into Elias’s hair was drowned by yet another muffled sneeze but it held more heartfelt emotion than any blessing ever could. TBC... Edited September 8, 2017 by Juto Link to comment
Elyze Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Another part already? You're on fire! 1 hour ago, Juto said: HAHAHA!! this made me so happy!! I was like *argh!! that's never gonna be even remotely believable" Well, at least one non-fictional person did this to. Of course being a non-native English speaker the content of the education probably differed. And I did it as a part of teacher training. I can't even count how many times I was asked how useful the combination would actually be later but I just wanted to study what I was interested in. Made sense to me. And I still have no idea if it was a useful combination of subjects as I packed up and left the country a month after my graduation and have never looked for a job in that field. But I have no regrets 2 hours ago, Juto said: "You honestly can’t accept that fact that you’re now human, or well, undead, kinda, and have succumbed to the lowest state of being human: illness, and that accepting my care would be mean a consent to your own defeat?” Dear Elias, you chose to fall from grace knowing the consequences. You're so stubborn! 2 hours ago, Juto said: "And you’re too thick headed to consider that taking care of you while you’re sick could actually make me happy?” Yes, he truly is. Caring for Zach is the only thing Elias wants and it makes him happy, but to understand that it's mutual? No... 2 hours ago, Juto said: "Please stay with me?” the request hung deep and hoarse in the air, but it was clear enough for Zach. See? When you're not fighting it with all you've got you want it Stubborn angel! 2 hours ago, Juto said: Zach secretly relished every exhausted whine and savoured every defeated gesture Me too Zach, me too Nothing wrong with plotless fluff. Fluff is good for the soul. Link to comment
Arty Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 *Dies......dies a thousand deaths from what she just read.* Link to comment
Juto Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 On 9/8/2017 at 7:26 PM, helyzelle said: Another part already? You're on fire! On 9/8/2017 at 4:58 PM, Juto said: HAHAHA!! this made me so happy!! I was like *argh!! that's never gonna be even remotely believable" Well, at least one non-fictional person did this to. Of course being a non-native English speaker the content of the education probably differed. And I did it as a part of teacher training. I can't even count how many times I was asked how useful the combination would actually be later but I just wanted to study what I was interested in. Made sense to me. And I still have no idea if it was a useful combination of subjects as I packed up and left the country a month after my graduation and have never looked for a job in that field. But I have no regrets On 9/8/2017 at 4:58 PM, Juto said: "You honestly can’t accept that fact that you’re now human, or well, undead, kinda, and have succumbed to the lowest state of being human: illness, and that accepting my care would be mean a consent to your own defeat?” Dear Elias, you chose to fall from grace knowing the consequences. You're so stubborn! On 9/8/2017 at 4:58 PM, Juto said: "And you’re too thick headed to consider that taking care of you while you’re sick could actually make me happy?” Yes, he truly is. Caring for Zach is the only thing Elias wants and it makes him happy, but to understand that it's mutual? No... On 9/8/2017 at 4:58 PM, Juto said: "Please stay with me?” the request hung deep and hoarse in the air, but it was clear enough for Zach. See? When you're not fighting it with all you've got you want it Stubborn angel! On 9/8/2017 at 4:58 PM, Juto said: Zach secretly relished every exhausted whine and savoured every defeated gesture Me too Zach, me too Nothing wrong with plotless fluff. Fluff is good for the soul. Your comments make me exceedingly happy. I hope you know I have the next double part ready for you On 9/8/2017 at 11:49 PM, Arty said: *Dies......dies a thousand deaths from what she just read.* Aaaaaaaannnnd Arty's back to dying on my dash welcome back oh ye undead This little double was originally planned to have been posted around Christmas... well obviously, I'm a tad late but yeah... A shout-out to the ever amazing and medically creative @Sanguine Cheerful Worrier who initially suggested Elias should be allergic to the Christmas tree. I loved the idea and here we are thanks sweetie you're a rock Part 85 – Christmas Zach awoke slowly to the vague sound of carols being sung on the street below the bedroom window which had been left slightly ajar after Elias had gotten out of bed only a few hours ago, grumbling his way to the bathroom, muttering something about angelical in-body global warming before plucking tissue after tissue to try and rid his nose of the thick congestion that had been lodged up there during his sleep. Zach had winced in sympathy as each blow was followed by a hacking cough that left his graceless angel gasping for air. Zach knew better than to venture into the bathroom to offer Elias what little comfort could by nuzzling his back during fits and pluck doomed tissue paper. It took every ounce of self-control to remain in the bed but he knew, he knew, Elias would only hate himself if Zach let his guard down and let the guilt and pain he felt in his chest paint his face. He contended himself to offer a “that sounded painful, angel. Want me to heat up some honeybrew?” only to be met by a hoarse, whiny decline before Elias plonked back down to become one with the jumble of blankets on his side of the bed, feebly swatting the hand away that wanted to caress his sweaty forehead. Zach couldn’t sleep after that. He stayed in bed, laying on his side, watching his angel rest in what looked to be one of the most uncomfortable ways known to man, with sweat trickling down his temples, mouth ajar and dry judging by his light, hoarse snoring, nose flushed and so stuffy Zach could practically see it swell and with such a deep and achy-looking frown on his face Zach feared it would be permanently chiseled into his features. He dared to nudge an inch closer, and then another when Elias didn’t react. The poor, sick angel’s appearance and the little moan of discomfort that occasionally accompanied his raspy breath practically screamed a dramatic medley of “hold me-cuddle me-comfort me-just love me” and Zach found himself wondering if Elias felt the same magnetic pull when the tables were turned? The same reluctance to remove himself despite the necessity. A part of him hoped Elias felt exactly that, regardless of the heart wrenching pain that came with that particular desire and longing. A screaming agony that was only soothed with physical contact. Except, Zach reminded himself, when that was the case, he was more than happy to receive all the care Elias wanted to bestow on him. That wasn’t exactly the case now. He cursed Elias’s angelical contract, which, through a perception of pride and self-worth prevented its holder from achieving the necessary care and affectionate treatment he deserved. Another round of early morning carols reached his ear from the street and soothed his anger. No good being angry at Christmas, he told himself. This was their first Christmas together (they’d decided that last year didn’t count since Zach had been practically unconscious with fever and Elias had spent the holiday curled up into a tiny anxious ball – nope. Didn’t count), so Zach wanted this year to be special. He got up slowly, dragging himself away from his guardian (after a last, lingering gaze and a tender kiss to his fevered brow), scribbled a quick note on the kitchen counter which he then placed on his pillow for Elias to read if he should wake, and headed out. *** His breath hung frozen in the air, warm and filtered by the thick woolly scarf that covered the lower part of his face. The cold air stung his eyes and made his nose run. Maybe venturing outside hadn’t been the best idea seeing that he was only just recovering from his bout of illness himself. Elias probably wouldn’t approve, but today was the absolute last chance to get a Christmas tree and Zach was determined to celebrate their first Christmas together. An hour later, Zach still hadn’t had any luck. How could all the trees be sold out? Tonight was Christmas Eve. Sighing, he turned around to head back home, stowing away all thoughts of illuminating their evening with a beautiful, decorated tree. “Can I be of service?” a kind-looking sales woman enquired from the doorway to her tiny shop of trinkets. “I kinda just need a Christmas tree, so I guess not, but thanks.” Zach said with a shrug, waving as he passed. “I just stowed mine out back, we’re closing soon. You can have it if you want.” Zach beamed, nodding. *** He was flushed and undeniably dizzy, partly from dragging the heavy Christmas tree behind him on the pavement home, partly in excitement for having secured not only the tree but also a small bag of baubles and ornaments for decoration, including – Zach’s heart had skipped a beat when he saw it – a glass figurine of a dark haired angel that he had immediately decided would grace the top. He couldn’t wait to show Elias. He paused to cough and wipe the sweat from his brow. There was still a good distance to walk and he was already tired. His energy levels were still running on low reserves. He shook his head, determined to make it. *** He paused to catch his breath after having dragged – with great difficulty – the heavy tree up the few flights of stairs to their front door. He coughed again, noticing how the exercise had left him wheezing. Good thing he was home now. He’d just sneak in and use his inhaler before Elias found out, or there’d be hell to pay. With a hand on his chest to calm his panting breaths he slowly turned the key. He startled and jumped back as the lock was suddenly turned from inside, the door flying open before Zach could straighten and an arm reaching out to yank him inside and crush him into an embrace that punched the air from his already struggling lungs. “Do not ever. EVER. Scare me like that again.” The voice was a raspy whisper with the unmistakable coat of stifled panic followed by a muffled sob. “I tried calling, but you left your phone in the kitchen.” Zach felt horrible for scaring his angel as he hugged back, flushed and dizzy from having dealt with the heavy tree. “Elias don’t worry, I’m fine. I only left to go find-“ “You’ve been gone for hours.” The strain it caused him to add a scolding tone to his voice threw him into a couching fit, barking out choking cough after choking cough until his face was a deep red and his chest was heaving, fighting to get enough air back into his lungs. Zach held on, trying to offer as much support as he could. The fit finally let up and Elias straightened, offering a small nod of gratitude for Zach’s support even as he tried to slowly squirm out of his arms with a semi-embarrassed clear of this throat. “I left you a note? Didn’t you see?” Zach said silently as he let Elias twist away from him. Still wanting to show some kind of tenderness towards Elias – despite Elias’s less than subtle refusal to let him - he tried to stroke Elias’s damp bangs away from his face but was firmly shoved out of the embrace with a scoff as Elias turned to wobble back to the bedroom, reading Zach’s note aloud in his hoarse voice as he returned to the hall. “Angel. Gone out to fetch something. It’s a surprise. Winky smiley face. BRB. X Z.” Elias lowered the note to shoot Zach a frustratingly disappointed glare and that’s when Zach first took note of Elias’s attire. He was still in his pajamas, but he was wearing a boot on his left foot, a scarf that was yet to be wrapped around his neck but merely draped over his one shoulder while the other was supporting the coat that looked as if it had been flung on in a haste. Elias must have been beside himself with worry when he had woken up in the empty apartment and had been on his way out to find him, dressing in a state of panic judging by the looks of it. Zach’s heart felt heavy in his chest. He hung his head. “I’m sorry.” He choked as he did his best to fight off the wave of dizziness that seemed to worsen in the warm hall. “I didn’t realize I’d be gone for this long.” He tried to clear his head with a small shake, praying the action would go unnoticed. “I can’t believe you would just get up and leave after what happened only last week?” Elias was now looking at him accusingly, sapphire eyes bright and shiny with fever. His cheeks were deeply flushed, but from anger or illness Zach couldn’t tell. “Not to mention the fact that you’re still recovering yourself and you’re still way too weak to venture outside in the bitter cold.” Zach tried to apologize again, but his lungs wouldn’t have it and he ended up trembling with a wheezing cough that left him swaying in place. Heat rose from his many layers of clothes that were too warm indoors. The light dizziness quickly turned to a sickeningly thick fog and his head started to swim and his eyes watered. He tried blinking away the tears and dizziness to find Elias still scowling at him, but with a hand outstretched, offering him his inhaler which Zach accepted with embarrassed gratitude. “Zachariah, you’re making my job extremely difficult, not to mention heart-wrenchingly unhealthy. I almost had a heart attack when I realized you were gone. Not that my heart is technically beating but you get the point.” Zach only looked down. Heat and waves of exhaustion inhibited his full involvement in the conversation, but he deserved a good one-sided scolding anyway, and Elias didn’t seem to notice his lack of visual acknowledgement. He felt guilty, of course. No, not just that. Despicable, for having worried his angel because of some stupid quest for a Christmas tree. A warm hand cupped his chin and tilted it upwards while another appeared around his waist. It would have felt wonderful hadn’t he already been burning with heat to the point where steam would probably rise out of his ears soon. “Elias… I…” “Zachariah, you know I worry too much to just wait, so I was on my way out to find you which would have taken forever without my wings.” His face turned angry, his eyes glanced upwards. “Ugh! I can’t believe that an emergency!...” The word was shouted angrily at the ceiling. Zach could easily guess to whom the blame was addressed. “… Like this didn’t automatically re-instigate my grace so I could find you and make sure you… Zachariah? Zach hadn’t realized how much he was counting on Elias’s arms to hold him upright. The rising heat both from the exercise of dragging the heavy tree and for standing in a warm apartment in full winter dress, made him dizzy and disorientated. Zach was only partly aware that Elias was still talking to him. His eyes fluttered shut and he felt his knees give way under him before he could beg Elias not to let him go. TBC… Part 86 - Spruce Zach’s eyes fluttered open as a cool cloth was placed on his forehead, cool water dripping down through his hair. He blinked a few times to clear his blurry vision, but there was no mistaking the deeply concerned frown heightened by a pair of fever bright and worried blue eyes that took up all the space in his vision. “M’okay, Elias. I just overheated.” Zach managed while trying to sit up. A hand was placed on his chest, pushing him gently back down on the bed. The voice that spoke was barely more than a hoarse whisper. “Zachariah, you fainted in the hall. You’re staying right there until I am absolutely certain that you’re okay.” Zach whined a stream of muttered protests that was only met by a stern expression and unyielding blue eyes. He sniffed offensively, pouting, and crossed him arms on his chest, then insisting one last time that he was fine, merely tired. As if his body was determined to betray him, the sniffing had awoken the itch that had alternated between ticklish slumber and explosive presence for weeks. He tried twisting his nose this way and that, giving it a firm rub with tense fingers. Nothing helped. A black eyebrow arched knowingly – annoyingly so - before Zach groaned a small sound of surrender and turned away, cupping his nose in his hands. “Ahh’tsschju! H’atschju! *sniff*… hh… Ahh’tsschuu!” Customary blessing provided and blushingly accepted, Zach opened his mouth to continue his stream of protests but was silenced by a hot finger on his lips. “And I will be the judge of when you’re well enough to leave the bed, thank you very mu-“ Elias’ strained breath caught on the last word and he was forced into a fit of spluttering coughs that left his body trembling. He winced in pain as he pressed a hand flat against his chest. Zach had carefully placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him and was glad when Elias made no attempt to remove it. Zach grew bolder and placed a hand on Elias damp forehead. Tutting slowly at the heat burning through his angel’s skin he moved it to his neck, finding the same lingering heat. Even though Zach’s finger’s weren’t cold, the angel shivered at the touch, sniffled a few times and gave a little noise of deep settling agony as he rubbed at his eyes in turn. Zach noticed they looked redder and more irritated than they had this morning. As he wondered what he could do for his ailing friend, Elias suddenly turned away from him with a small groan and stifled a fit of sneezes into the collar of his pajamas. “Hn’gktch! Hh’nxxt! Hh…hih’gkt!” “Bless you.” Zach offered, dragging the words a little as he watched Elias rub viciously at his nose and eyes which had begun to water slightly. His fever must be causing this. Zach internally cursed Elias’s inability to take actual medication to ease his suffering. The defeated moan and the deep sniffled that followed the fit was the tipping point for Zach. He knew he was currently the strongest and more alert of the two and decided to use that to his advantage as he gently seized Elias’s shoulders and nudged, pushed and pulled until Elias was laying on the bed and Zach was the one sitting on the edge. He’d even removed the cool piece of linen from his own forehead to drape it over Elias’s burning skin, eliciting a small moan from his sick angel. “You! Stay in bed. That’s an order.” Surprisingly, he was met with very little resistance from the exhausted – and already drooping – sapphire gems that hadn’t left his eyes. Zach broke the connection to lean down and place a soft kiss on Elias’s forehead, tasting the sweat of the fever on his lips. *** He had slowly – controlling his own body all the time to avoid another dizzy spell – but securely managed to drag the tree into the living room (Elias had managed to pull it into the hall and close their front door while Zach was coming to on their bed) and hang most of the ornaments while Elias’s was napping. The fresh and woody smell of spruce quickly filled the apartment and Zach sniffed delightedly. He couldn’t recall a Christmas he’d actually looked forward to. Not since childhood. He’d only just hung the last of the baubles on the tree when a stifled fit of sneezes caught his attention. Elias was standing in the doorway between the living room and bedroom, looking better than he had a couple of hours ago from what Zach could tell, though the bottom half of Elias’s face was hidden from view by a cluster of tissues. Zach’s eyes lit up. “Feeling better, angel?” His eyes narrowed in concern as Elias squeezed his eyes shut and scrunched up his face as he attempted a quick nod before drawing a squeaky breath and crushing the tissues to his nose again. “hh’xngt! h’gkt!” “Bless you. Zach had moved to stand in front of him, feeling first his forehead and then his cheek. “I think your fever’s gone down a little.” He smiled, then noticed how the skin around Elias’s eyes had taken a reddish shine and how moisture clung to his eyelashes despite the fall in temperature. “You look better though, but… uhm… itchy… or something. You feeling okay?” “I’m absolutely fine, Zachariah, please don’t worry about me I… hh I’m… hhh…” Zachariah allowed himself to be nudged out of the way by Elias’s trembling hand which quickly went back up to secure the tissues to his nose as he bend forward at the waist, no longer able to stifle his sneezes. “Hh’ittsscheww!!-uh!... hh-h’htsscheww!” He disappeared back into the bedroom to blow his nose and returned a moment later smelling of ethanol and with a fresh handful of tissues clutched in his hand. He’d found his smile again and Zach melted a little when Elias pressed a kiss into his hair in response to Zach’s blessing. “So… a tree huh?” Elias sniffed, rubbed his nose with the tissues and appraised the majestic spruce before him. “I should have thought about that when I made the arrangements to move in here.” Zach noticed a flicker of something in his eyes but it was gone before he could name it. “Well, we did kind of leave in a hurry and I’m guessing you’ve had enough on your plate this past week to give it much thought. Its fine, angel.” Zach responded with a reassuring smile, dragging - a somewhat reluctant – Elias into the living room and watched as he sat down in what he’d christened ‘the contaminated end of the couch’, where a nest of blankets was bundled up, waiting for him. “To be honest I did consider it, but well…” He shrugged, swiping at his nose with the tissues. “I didn’t want to leave your side.” He didn’t say anymore, but Zach’s mind added another blameful sentence, aimed to strike his own guilt a nudge further: “But you didn’t have the desire to stay by my side, so now we have a tree.” If Zach had felt despicable before he felt absolutely loathsome now. “Elias I’m sorry, I just needed something to make our first Christmas here a little special.“ He hunched his shoulders inwards, feeling incredibly shameful. “I know you did, and I should have provided it. Forgive me.” Elias slowly moved out of his nest of blankets to cuddle Zach in his arms, pressing warm kisses to his head and temple between thick sniffles. “I just got so worried. You’ve never been gone like this before and I feared the worst.” Zach was about to start a new round of apologies when Elias abruptly turned away from him, pushing himself further away and curled his chin down to his chest as he brought an arm up to shield his face. “hhih’tsschheww! *sniff* huhh… hh’ettsschhheww!!” Concern overtook guilt as Zach witnessed his sick angel suffer more due to his treacherous nose than he had during the entire graceless period. He scooted closer to Elias who was still snuffling into the crook of his elbow and offered him the box of tissues. “Hmm… You’re usually not this sneezy, not even when graceless and sick. You sure there’s nothing else bothering you?” Elias gave a liquid sniffle but shook his head ‘no’ before forcing a squelchy blow into a new handful of tissues. “I’m fine, Zachariah.” Zach would have dropped the subject had it not been for the look of barely hidden contempt Elias shot the neatly decorated tree that stood majestically in center of the living room, filling the apartment with its sweet, musky aroma. The penny dropped for Zach as Elias rolled his eyes with a small groan and dug his head into his handful of tissues again, succumbing to an itchy-sounding triple. “hh’tsscheww!-uh! Hhh… hheh’etssscheww!! *sniff* hh’tsschew!!” “Bless you, angel. It’s the tree that’s making you sneeze, isn’t it? You… you’re allergic to spruce?” “Zachariah please. I am not allergic to spruce. The mere thought is preposterous.” “As preposterous as the idea of you, a guardian angel, getting sick while being without grace?” Zach challenged. Elias righted himself with a look of pride, which was greatly degraded by his flushed nose and cheeks and watery, puffy eyes. He didn’t respond, but another liquid sniffle and a firm nose rub was enough to make Zach certain he was right. He stood to pluck a small handful of needles from the spruce and went to sit by Elias who immediately tensed. He held his palm out, showing him the needles as he raised his eyebrows in challenge. “So this doesn’t bother you?” “Not in the slightest.” Despite a slight twitch in his nose, Elias managed to keep his poise. “So we can keep the tree, then?” Zach asked in faux innocence, using his free hand to grind a few needles in his palm. He noticed Elias’s eyes turning more glistening with liquid and his breath growing shallow as if he exerted immense self-control. “If having the tree makes you happy, of course we’ll keep it.” The liquid sniffle that followed was accompanied by a small sound of congested distress. The single tear that escaped was quickly wiped away and not acknowledged further. “Elias…” Zach dragged the name with a small whine in the hope that Elias would see sense and admit to his obvious state of allergic misery. But there was no need to. Elias’s face was already betraying his words. He kept an icy glare on, not the tree as Zach had previously assumed, but the little glass angel gracing its top. “Oh spare me this un- hhh undignified…. hheh’tsscheww! Ugh!... Display o-of hhh-ehh’tsscheww!! *sniff* … we-weakness-hhh… T’tsscheww!!” *** “Is that better?” Zach asked from far corner of the room where he had banished the spruce before bringing himself and Elias a warm sweater each and opening the windows to rid the room of as much of the musky scent as he could. “I promise I’ll get rid of it in the morning.” Elias held his arms out for him, enveloping him in blankets when Zach joined him on the couch. Warm lips brushed his ear as a congested voice croaked: “Its fine. I’ll gladly endure it for your sake. You were right, we needed something to celebrate out first Christmas here, together. Only…” The voice trailed off and Zach tensed, expecting to be shoved away if Elias had to sneeze again. When nothing happened, Zach turned under the blankets to see Elias frown at the tree top, his nose bright pink from the battle against the pollen. “Only what, angel?” but he only got a sigh in response until he cupped Elias’s face in his hands and locked their eyes, fever glazed sapphires on questioning clouds, before repeating the question. He followed Elias’s sour glare and his eyes found the tiny angel gloating the tree top. What was it about that- “Just look at her,” Elias said, vexed. “All boasting and gloating, still with her wings. Looking down upon this pitiful vessel.” He gestured at himself, sniffling, looking disgusted at his own appearance. “She’s no doubt judging me, questioning my ability to be a guardian in my-my hhh current st-sta-hhh-te. Hheh’tsscheww! Ts’scheww!!” Zach glanced back up at the glass angel and pursed his lips while Elias snuffled into his tissues. “You’re right.” He nodded. “What?” Through his thick congestion and airy voice, Elias sounded hurt by Zach’s accord. Zach turned to press a kiss to his forehead before he stood and walked back to the tree. Standing on tip toes, he managed to take the angel down from her heavenly pedestal. He took one last look at the little glass figurine before taking a few steps towards the window, then opened it and chucked the figurine out. He heard it shatter on the pavement below. “What did you do that for?” Elias looked perplexed. “I only have room for one angel in my life,” Zach announced with a shrug as he walked back to the couch, curling himself into Elias’s waiting arms. He smiled at him. “And he’s perfect, even without his grace or his wings.” A teasing gleam played in his eyes as he nudged Elias playfully with his shoulder. “Even all sniffly and flushed and fussing, when he should clearly be resting.” Elias sniffled, looking childishly offended, but quickly surrendered to a smile and leaned his forehead against Zach’s who figured he was allowing himself a moment of pure indulgence. Zach savored it, cataloguing the way his heartbeat pressed strongly against his rib cage when Elias pressed his fever warm lips to the tender spot between his eyebrows. “Thank you, darling.” TBC… ((only 14 and an epilogue to go now... most of it is already written and just awaiting a proof-read and edit. I think i only need to pen 2-3 of them from my massive amount of bulletpoints and broken dialogue there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Fluff and happiness awaits - after an awful lot of trouble and angst though...)) Thanks for sticking with me this far you're all darlings. Link to comment
Arty Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 *Floating as a ghost* Dawwwwwwwww Link to comment
Elyze Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 A double! Dear Juto, you do know how to shine a light on an otherwise dark weekend! I read it yesterday but couldn't give it the comment it deserved at the time Zach is so sweet to go through all that trouble to get a tree. Of course, if you've never had an enjoyable Christmas you have to do it right when you get the chance. 21 hours ago, Juto said: "To be honest I did consider it, but well…” He shrugged, swiping at his nose with the tissues. “I didn’t want to leave your side.” He didn’t say anymore, but Zach’s mind added another blameful sentence, aimed to strike his own guilt a nudge further: “But you didn’t have the desire to stay by my side, so now we have a tree.” If Zach had felt despicable before he felt absolutely loathsome now. Awww, Zach. I'm sure Elias didn't mean it that way. You did something nice for the both of you, or intended it to be something nice anyway. How very (un)fortunate that Elias happens to be allergic. The only thing better than a sneezy cold may just be sneezy allergies... and a hint of denial... 22 hours ago, Juto said: "hh’tsscheww!-uh! Hhh… hheh’etssscheww!! *sniff* hh’tsschew!!” “Bless you, angel. It’s the tree that’s making you sneeze, isn’t it? You… you’re allergic to spruce?” “Zachariah please. I am not allergic to spruce. The mere thought is preposterous." 21 hours ago, Juto said: "I only have room for one angel in my life,” Zach announced with a shrug as he walked back to the couch, curling himself into Elias’s waiting arms. He smiled at him. “And he’s perfect, even without his grace or his wings.” YES! So sweet Link to comment
Juto Posted September 16, 2017 Author Share Posted September 16, 2017 On 9/10/2017 at 9:20 PM, Arty said: *Floating as a ghost* Dawwwwwwwww Glad you liked my Christmas fluff here in the last days of summer On 9/11/2017 at 10:51 AM, helyzelle said: A double! Dear Juto, you do know how to shine a light on an otherwise dark weekend! I read it yesterday but couldn't give it the comment it deserved at the time Zach is so sweet to go through all that trouble to get a tree. Of course, if you've never had an enjoyable Christmas you have to do it right when you get the chance. Awww, Zach. I'm sure Elias didn't mean it that way. You did something nice for the both of you, or intended it to be something nice anyway. How very (un)fortunate that Elias happens to be allergic. The only thing better than a sneezy cold may just be sneezy allergies... and a hint of denial... YES! So sweet I think at this point, Zachariah just really wants to experience generic life and he will go a long way to ensure that little bit of extra that he's never really experienced as a child. He's willing to fight for normalcy and for not being dismissed when he wants to do something cozy or just plain normal. I'm not sure Elias fully understands this yet. He's still willing to carry him around on his hands and feet, and service the the crap out of him, when really, Zach just wants to do generic stuff to feel more normal. Haha! Elias is ready to blatantly deny any form of weakness - ESPECIALLY the human kind that he (sadly) succumbs to without his grace. Stubborn and foolish angel Another short little sick misery for you. Have a great weekend. Part 87 Midnight misery Elias awoke, groaning and sniffling congested for what he deduced was probably the 50th time since he and Zachariah had called it a night a couple of hours ago. At least, he thought it had only been a few hours. He’s brain was honestly too fuzzy to be trusted. Sighing – whining, really - he punched his pillow into a more comfortable shape and turned on his side, closing his eyes again. Sadly, they weren’t allowed to remain closed for long. His pillow was quickly starting to reflect the heat that raged Elias’s sick body and turn his already damp hair into a sweaty, thick, warm mass. He used the thin shirt Zachariah had helped him shrug into before bed to wipe his brow, bangs and face before using the now damp fabric as a makeshift fanning device, trying in vain to add a bit of cool to his burning skin. The sensation of air against his fiery hot abdomen felt heavenly, but Elias didn’t have the strength to keep himself cool for long. His exhausted arm fell heavy down beside him again and the wet fabric stuck to him in the most uncomfortable manner. He swallowed a groan casting a glimpse at his sleeping ward beside him. Against Elias’s better judgement – though completely in line with his egotistical cravings – Zachariah had gone above and beyond, caring for him the past few days since the ward had found him passed out on the bathroom floor. Every time Elias had needed something, Zach had provided it without a thought for his own health. At night, Elias had fallen asleep to Zach’s hands gently running through his hair, massaging his aching head. Whenever a fever dream had disturbed his sleep or a rise in his fever had turned his body into a shivering mess, Zach had been there to hold him, nuzzle him and coo in hushed tones, shooing away disturbances and lulling him into sleep. In the morning, Zach’s worried frown was the first thing he saw and that’s when guilt flooded him. He ought to be able to take care of himself and not rely on Zachariah for every little thing. After all, Zachariah was still recovering from his own bought of illness and needed his rest to recuperate. It was a miracle the angel’s persistent sniffling and restlessness hadn’t already woken his ward and with what little sleep Elias knew Zach had gotten the past few nights, the worried angel was not about to let something as pathetically human as feeling feverish – again – make him wake his sleeping darling. Not tonight. Zach had tried his best to hide a headache all evening and it had taken the guardian longer than usual to recognize the signs and make a deduction – something he still quietly scolded himself for. Anxious thoughts of the probability of a relapse had occurred to Elias and he was determined to do everything in his power to prevent that from happening. He would suffer in silence so Zachariah could get some much needed rest. Letting a huffed whine escape he then yawned before sniffling deeply again, rubbing fiercely at his already flaming red and chapped nose, wishing to curb the tickle he felt forming. Ugh! If the constant pounding in his stuffed sinuses wasn’t bad enough, his nose constantly presented him with relentless tickles that – no matter how long he tried pawing, scratching, rubbing at his nose in attempt to postpone the inevitable – made his exhausted body bend in half with the force of the explosions they caused. Such a display of poor self-control was sure to wake Zachariah. Elias wouldn’t let that happen. Pinching his nostrils shut between his fingers made the ticklish sensation go away for the time being, but Elias knew it would eventually return quite possibly with a vengeance too. He sighed a small relief as he released the tight grip on his sore nose. One less nuisance to worry about. For now. He flipped his pillow over, relishing in the coolness of the fabric that had faced the mattress. Already feeling dizzy from the small efforts, he sank into it, groaning slightly as it already felt a bit warmer than it had a moment ago. With his last energy reserves he tossed it aside, silently cursing its inability to temperate. He shook his head at his own idiocy. Without a pillow to keep his stuffy head lifted, his congestion shifted slightly, making his head feel a ton heavier and pounding even worse than before. Too dizzy and exhausted to retrieve the pillow from its banishment, Elias opted for using his arms to elevate his head. After going through what felt like a million different positions, not finding any of them even remote comfortable, he gave up and rolled onto his side, burying his flushed face in the mattress. He sniffled deeply as the face-down position made his stuffy nose run. Grumbling, he repositioned himself again. And again. And again, finding each new position making his fuzzy and painful head feel even more stuffed and more heavily pounding. Gods, he was exhausted. He kept almost falling asleep but startled awake in the last possible second. He’d kept moving his head – a little to the side, a little further, a little down – until it had somehow encountered a fairly soft and reasonably comfortable surface that was elevated enough to lessen some of the congested pounding in his head. He exhaled with a deep hum, finally satisfied. Had he been more alert he would have noticed the systematic elevating and deflating movements of his new pillow and he would have heard the slow, rhythmic sound of a deep thumping. The truth was, even through his engulfing cloud of feverish exhaustion, the vengeful itch deep in his nose was back to haunt his new-found comfort. Whimpering softly, he buried his head in his new pillow and itched his nose by moving it from side to side against the soft fabric. His head-support squirmed slightly under him and Elias’s half-conscious mind tried to make him believe he heard a small giggle too. Odd. The itch was relentless and soon Elias had to crunch a stifled fit into his pillow, keeping it covering as much of his face as possible by hugging it tighter to him. “Hh’mpfftsssch!!-uu!!... Mm’pftssscho-o!!... Tt’Ssschhiu-u!!” Smothered into small puffs of air, though with a slightly more audible and desperately exhausted ending, Elias hoped it was enough to keep Zachariah resting undisturbed beside him. Finally avenged, the tickle abated and left Elias to groan and press a fist against his aching brow as he burrowed deeper into his pillow, sniffling helplessly. Softness met his flushed and chapped skin around his nose and lips as Elias - finally comfortable and giving into the exhaustion -drifted off to sleep. --¤-- Zach balled up the tissues he had used to wipe Elias’s nose with and tossed them to the side before carefully shifting into a more comfortable position, cradling Elias’s fever warm head on his abdomen. Zach had laid sleepless for hours, listening to his angel’s discomfort, knowing any soothing ministrations he wanted to offer would be refused. After having banished his pillow, Elias had – unconsciously, Zach assumed - inched closer and closer until finally his head had found some much needed comfort on Zach’s belly. The ward hadn’t been able to quench the giggle that bubbled in him as Elias had tickled his side with his itchy nose, but his angel hadn’t seemed to notice and there was no way in all the heavens Zach wanted to wake him. TBC… Link to comment
Elyze Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 How do you do it? They are just too cute! (No, not too much, please keep up the cuteness!) Each putting the comfort, needs and wants of the other over their own needs and desires. I love how Elias isn't comfortable until he accidentally lays his head on Zach, and he doesn't even realize it. And Zach finally gets what he wanted all along, to cuddle his sick angel! Awww! I love these two!! Link to comment
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