SunSprite's 100 Drabble Challenge

[Guest SunSprite3]

Welcome to my drabble thread! I originally started this challenge just to get myself writing again, but I have been noticing a lack of my favorite fandoms around the forum lately and felt like I wanted to share. These drabbles and one-shots are all a result of a list of 100 prompts. A couple of these were also posted to Tumblr and AO3. I hope you enjoy! 

Fandoms will include: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D./Marvel, Harry Potter, Outlander, Gilmore Girls, The Office. Maybe a few more down the line. 

I have quite a backlog to share, but I'll start with just a few and post more as I finish them! 

 

 

Prompt: Excuses

Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Fitz, M)

 

“Will you just admit it, already?”

“Admit what?”

“That I noticed something you completely missed!”

Fitz signed irritably, crossed his arms, and turned away from Jemma to stare at the large screen in front of them.

“I’m a bit—hh!—distracted right now—H’ngsh! In case you couldn’t tell.”

“Excuses, excuses. Will you just admit that this is one secret I worked out all on my own?” Jemma gestured at the intel on the screen, intel May was now rerouting them to investigate and Skye was frantically researching nearby on her laptop.  

“I would have spotted it just as easily if I could—hh!—keep my—huh!—eyes open for more than two minutes—H’nnzzssh!”

“I think you’re just jealous that I’m the one who discovered it.”

Fitz raised his eyebrows over the handkerchief he was using to rub his nose. He was too tired to argue.

“Alright, fine, I admit it. You win. I completely missed it.”

“Yes!”

“H’ttzsh!”

Jemma’s victorious smile softened into sympathy.

“And I’ll admit something, too. As far as excuses go, you’ve got a pretty good one.”

~

Prompt: Change in the Weather

Fandom: Gilmore Girls (Luke, M)

 

At first, Luke wasn’t quite sure what had woken him. Then he felt the chilly draft of cold air playing across his face. He rubbed his eyes, pushed himself up on his elbows, and peered blearily toward the far side of the bedroom. Lorelei was kneeling with her head out the open window, breathing slowly and deeply. Only one thing could make her do that.

“Snowing?”

Lorelei brought her head back inside and smiled blissfully at Luke.

“Not yet, but it will.”

“Well, until it does, would you mind closing the window? H’Rrsshhuh!”

“I can feel it. Smell it. It will be here soon.”

“Yeah, that’s great, but Lorelei—H’ehtcchsh!”

“We’ll wake up tomorrow, and the whole world will be blanketed in sparkling white.”

“I get the whole thing, the white, the sparkles, but Lorelei, can you just—H’nnggcch!”

Lorelei glanced from Luke, rubbing a fist under his nose, to the open window. With a small “Oop!” of apology, she shut the window and came to sit next to him on the bed.

“Sorry, forgot about that thing with you and the cold air,” she said guiltily, tapping a finger playfully on his nose. “Guess you’ve got your own way of sensing a change in the weather.”

~

Prompt: Mist

Fandom: Outlander (Jamie, M)

 

The view of the mist rolling over the mountains of the Highlands would never cease to fill him with awe, Jamie thought. Just now, though, he couldn’t help but wish it would dry up.

He shivered, wrapping his arms around himself, and settled his back against the mouth of the cave wall. There was just enough light now that he should be able to read. Not that he really needed light, he thought with an unamused snort. He’d read these same books so many times by now that he nearly had them memorized.

“H’Aarrggtchhsh!” Jamie sniffed and tossed aside the book in his hand. It wouldn’t be able to distract him today.

Sometimes it was easy to forget. No, not forget, he corrected himself. Numb the pain, just briefly. On the rare opportunities he could risk going down to the house for supper and a shave, or when someone would hike up the hill to bring him food and news.

But the ache was always with him. Always there in his bones. Claire. The bairn. His family. All out of reach.

And the days he felt himself longing most for his wife were the days like today, when the cold chilled him from the inside, when his head ached and his skin burned and—

“H’AATzzsh!”

And that.

Jamie closed his eyes and imagined Claire’s soothing hands caressing him, rubbing his shoulders, easing him onto her lap. He could almost smell the overpowering camphorated bear grease he knew she would rub on his chest to ease his breathing, could almost taste the concoction of herbs and roots she would surely make him drink. He could feel her arms embracing his tired body. He sighed, and it made him cough.

“I do miss ye, Sassenach.”

~

Prompt: Making History

Fandom: Harry Potter (Harry, M)

 

If he never tasted another mushroom in his life, Harry thought, it would be too soon. Not that he could really taste the rubbery brown ones he was currently pushing around his plate. But just the texture was enough to make him lose his appetite.

Harry put his fork down and reached for the handkerchief in his pocket, his constant companion over the past few days.

“H’eeettcchush!”

“Bless you,” said Hermione without looking up from her book. Hogwarts, A History.

“Thadks.” Harry stood and carried his plate to the small basin, meaning to clean it, when he noticed Hermione eyeing him with an odd expression. At first, he thought she was just upset because he hadn’t eaten the mushrooms.

“You know, they’re going to write books about you.”

Harry raised his eyebrows.

“They’ve already written books about be,” he said.

“They’ve written about what happened to you when you were a baby. But someday they’re going to write about you, Harry. The person. The man. We’re making history, right now.”

“Heehttsshh! Well, I certaidly hope they dod’t write about this,” Harry sniffled. “I’m not feeling very historic right now, to be honest.”

~

Prompt: Lesson

Fandom: Harry Potter (Harry, M)

 

“I defeated Voldemort, Gin, how hard could this possibly be?” Harry called cheerfully over his shoulder.

He’d been working long hours at the Auror Office recently. With all of the conveniences magic afforded, somehow no one had yet invented a spell that would automatically fill out his paperwork. And with the numbers of captured Death Eaters rising by the day, the paperwork was in a constant stream.

As a result of his late hours, Ginny had been minding the house on her own lately, and Harry had made up his mind to give the place a good cleaning to show his appreciation.

Harry rolled up his sleeves and glanced around the room. He’d start with the dusting. He’d never really mastered many of the household spells, but knew the incantation he needed. Really, it couldn’t be so difficult.  

“Purgo!”

At first, nothing at all happened. Harry frowned and stared at his wand as if it were broken.

Then, what appeared to be every speck of dust in the room seemed to slowly rise from all surfaces. It was coming together, forming grayish clouds that hovered about four feet off the ground. Harry’s eyes widened, but before he could utter another spell, the clouds burst.

That wasn’t supposed to happen.

“Heh..huh..H’uuhtchsh! Eshhuuh! Heh..heh..h’ehtcshh!”

The tickling in his nose was uncontrollable as dust swirled around him.

“Uh…huh…eh…Etchoo! Utchuushh!”

“Everything okay, Love?” Ginny’s voice came from around the corner.

Harry quickly tried to think of a spell that would fix his mess, but even if he had been able to come up with one, the sneezing made it impossible for him to speak.

“Oh, Harry!” Ginny laughed. With one sweep of her wand, the swirling dust gathered itself into one neat stream and gathered in the dustbin in the corner.

“H’uhtchoo!”

“Hope you’ve learned your lesson,” Ginny grinned. “Lord Voldemort is nothing compared to this house when we’ve left the cleaning too long.”

~

Prompt: 33%

Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Simmons, F)

 

“Simmons!”

Jemma’s head jerked up from where she had been resting it on her hand, and she looked around at Fitz. 

“I said, how’s that DNA analysis coming?”

“Oh, it’s, er, thirty-three percent complete. Just another few…min…uhtshiih!”

“Another few minutes is right,” said Fitz. “Another few minutes before you fall asleep at your desk.” He was by her side with his hand on her forehead so fast she didn’t even have time to protest. “You’ve got a fever, Jemma. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I need to finish this analysis. Huh…H’EHTchiih!”

“The results will still be there in the morning. If it will make you feel better, I’ll babysit the computer. Look, it’s already at thirty-five percent. But first—" Fitz put an arm around Simmons’s shoulders and lifted her gently from her chair. “Let’s get you to bed.”

~

Prompt: Forgotten

Fandom: Outlander (Roger, M)

 

Roger had never forgotten what life was like in the twentieth century, but his brain had blocked out a few things.

“Heh...H’rrsshh!”

For example, he seemed to have forgotten just how terrible his spring hayfever could be. When he had been living in the 1700s, spring had come and gone year after year without giving him so much as an itchy nose, but now—

“H’eehdjzssh!”

Now, it was as though his body was punishing him for all those years without symptoms by making him suffer worse than ever. His eyes were constantly streaming with allergic tears, and his voice, already hoarse and broken half the time because of his damaged throat, was almost inaudible. Even the array of modern, fast-acting pills Bree brought him from the drugstore did little to ease his suffering.

“Huh…eh…oh, God…huh…h’eesshoo!”                                                 

If there was one thing Roger could be thankful for, it was that his father-in-law would never see him in such a state. He didn’t know what he would have done if his allergies had translated to the eighteenth century and Jamie Fraser had witnessed one of these attacks.

“H’urrrdchhsh!”

Thank God neither of his children had inherited this nonsense. At this point, thought Roger, it was almost worth the harrowing trip through the stones just to get some relief.

~

Prompt: Gunshot

Fandom: Outlander (Brianna, F)

 

On a normal day, she could beat him without even trying.

Brianna was a born marksman. Markswoman? Either way, she was a natural shot.

Which made the present situation even more frustrating.

“Heehh..huh….ehhh…” Brianna exhaled in frustration. If she looked anywhere near as ridiculous as she felt, well, she was glad she couldn’t see herself. Her eyes and nose were streaming. She was sure her mother would have been able to offer some sort of remedy—if she had swallowed her pride long enough to ask for one.  

“That’s two for me. You’re off your game, Mrs. MacKenzie,” Roger said smugly. He hoisted the bag of birds higher on his shoulders. “Sure you’re feeling alright?”

“I’m perfectly…hehh…fine.” She sniffed, then paused. There was a rustling to her left. She raised the gun and waited.

There. She spotted the creature just above in the trees, and well within range. This would be an easy one.

If it wasn’t for her damned nose.

“Huh…heh…H’ETTCHHSHOO!”

The bird took off, startled, into the sky. Brianna swiped at her tickling nose as Roger tried to conceal his smile. She was so strong, so sure of herself. Just this once, it was fun to see her vulnerable. 

~

Prompt: Burning

Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Fitz, M)

 

She never should have let him out in such a state.

He’d said he felt fine. And it’s not as though there was anyone else on the team who could have done his job.

But now Ward was supporting a barely conscious Fitz into the medical bay, and Jemma was scrambling to put on her lab coat and gloves. She didn’t take her eyes off him as Ward deposited him onto the bed. He was so pale. She took a steadying breath.

“Fitz? Can you hear me?”

She could easily have checked his temperature with one of the numerous devices at her disposal. Instead, she laid a hand tenderly on his forehead. He was burning up.

“Jemma.”

She smiled and signed in relief as his eyes focused on her face.

 “I’m going to start an IV, you’re completely dehydrated. And I’m going to give you something to help bring your fever down. Don’t worry—you’re going to be okay.”

Fitz watched her bustle around the small medical bay, gathering supplies. He smiled weakly.

“I know I am.”

~

 

Prompt: Running Away

Fandom: Gilmore Girls (Jess, M)

He wasn’t running away. At least that’s what he kept telling himself. He was simply moving on, getting out of a place that was no good for him, a place where he was nothing but a disappointment.

Jess shifted into a more comfortable position on the two bus seats, using his duffel bag as a makeshift pillow. He had received some dirty looks for taking up two seats, but he couldn’t bring himself to care right now.

“H’nnkk!”

He stifled the sneeze as quietly as he could, then discreetly rubbed his nose. The last thing he wanted was to be that guy on the bus. 

“H’nnngggtsh!”

Unfortunately, the more he held them back, the more insistent the sneezes became. Jess shivered a little and pulled up the hood of his sweatshirt. What he wouldn’t do for a hot bowl of Luke’s homemade—

No. He couldn’t think about Luke. Wouldn’t.

He thought about reading to distract himself, but his head felt like it was stuffed with cotton balls and he was too tired to sit up at the moment. He remembered the time he had been exhausted after a long day at the diner, and Rory had read to him—

No. He definitely couldn’t think about her.

“H’aatchuurh!”

Damn, that one snuck up on him.

“Bless you, dear,” said the older woman sitting to his left. She smiled sympathetically. He nodded, then pulled his hood lower over his eyes and leaned back against the duffel bag, hoping earnestly that he wouldn’t revisit Stars Hollow in his dreams.

~

 

Prompt: Pretense

Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Coulson, M)

 

“Everyone understand the plan? Okay, let’s get to work.”

The team began filing out of his office, and Coulson sighed quietly in relief.

“Huhh…H’uhRsshh!”

 A few moments alone before the mission, that’s what he needed. Just a couple minutes to loosen his tie, close his eyes, and ease his pounding head.

Only he wasn’t alone.

“May?” He sniffed and straightened up.  

“Phil.” She stood with her arms crossed, head cocked to one side, looking at him as if she had just caught him in a lie.

He tried to look back with his patented steady gaze, but his watering eyes and streaming nose were making it difficult.

“Give up the pretense,” said May as she walked toward him.

“Pretense?”

“We’ll have enough feet on the ground for this mission without you. I’ll tell the team you had other matters to deal with. Which you do,” she added, raising her eyebrows as his breathing faltered briefly. Coulson fumbled in his pocket and pulled out the handkerchief he kept there—a habit, he had been delighted to learn, he shared with Steve Rogers.

“H’eRttchh!”

May laid a hand on his shoulder, and her firm stare softened to sympathy.

“You’re no good to us unless you’re healthy. Go get some rest.”

He smiled weakly and nodded. Satisfied, May turned to go get ready with the others. Melinda May was the only person in the world who could talk Coulson into sitting out a mission.

[darkness-is-the-light]

I was searching through Ao3 the other day and I saw the Agents of SHIELD drabbles. I knew they had to belong to someone here. The interactions between Fitz and Simmons are absolutely in character, and I can hear their voices as I read it. I'm not very familiar with the other fandoms but those drabbles are also well written.  

[silversnake]

These are so well-written and in character, I love them!

[Guest SunSprite3]

Thank you to those who have read so far! Drabbles and one-shots are so much fun. Here's another batch! 

 

Prompt: Slow Down

Fandom: Outlander (Jamie, M) [possible spoilers if you haven't read the books] 

Claire hummed softly as she ground herbs with her mortar and pestle, her kettle simmering gently on the fire.

“H’Aarrggtchhsh!”

The explosive sound came from the bedroom, and she grinned despite herself. She really shouldn’t be taking pleasure in the situation, but she couldn’t help it. For once, Jamie was being forced to slow down, to take a reprieve from the constant demands of work on the Ridge.

“UUUrrttchhoo!”   

He’d caught colds before, of course. But usually it happened while they were traveling, sleeping rough, when it was impossible to focus simply on getting better.  Now, however—

“H’AAHTZZZssh!”

Claire finished adding her ground herbs to the hot water, poured the liquid into a cup, and went to check on her patient.

Jamie was sitting up in bed with a handkerchief pressed to his nose, sniffling endearingly. Her heart melted at the sight. She placed the steaming cup on the bedside table, sat on the edge of the bed and pushed his auburn hair away from his face as he finished blowing his long, straight nose.

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine, Sassenach. Just fine. Apart from the fact that I’m being held prisoner in my own house, of course.” His eyes twinkled as he gave her a look of mock irritation.

“Roger and Arch can handle things for a day or two.”

“I ken that fine. But there are affairs to be settled that can be done from here, aye? If ye’d just bring my large ledger book from the study, I could—“

“Absolutely not. Your work will still be there when you’re better. For now, all I want you to worry about is drinking this.”

She handed him the concoction and he sighed slightly as he took a sip. At first he seemed to just be humoring her, but as the honey she’d added soothed his sore throat he became much more enthusiastic about finishing the cup. Until—

“S-Sassenach…I need to…to snehh—hehh…” She hastily took the cup from his hands; Jamie’s sneezes tended to wrack his entire body. “H’EHTchhzh!”

“Gesundheit. Is there anything that would make you more comfortable? Another blanket?”

“The only thing wrong with this bed, Sassesnach, is that you’re not sharing it with me.”  

 

~

 

Prompt: Patience

Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Fitz, M)

Mack wasn’t surprised to see Fitz working in the garage when he entered that morning. Fitz had been spending a lot of his time in the garage, avoiding the lab. Mack was surprised to see that the engineer was right where he’d left him the night before, wearing the same clothes.

“Hey Mack, can you hand me the, ehm…can you hand me the…” Fitz snapped his fingers as he searched urgently for the word.

Mack glanced over at the prototype in Fitz’s hands.

“The pliers? Sure, Turbo.”

Fitz reached for the tool and nodded his thanks with a congested sniffle. Mack took in the pallor of his friend’s face, the droop of his shoulders, and the dark circles under his eyes.

“How’s it going over there?” he asked casually. “New decoys coming along?”

“It’s going fine, I’ve got it all worked out, it’s just taking a bit longer because of the, eh...” He raised his left hand briefly.  “I just need to finish the, ehm…the...just need to finish the…” he was gesturing at one of the objects on the workbench in front of him.

“Ah, the detonator,” Mack supplied.

“Detonator! Yes. Thank you.”

Fitz sniffled and returned to his task, pliers in hand. Not a moment later—“Heeh...H’nnxxk!” Fitz stifled a sneeze into the crook of his arm.

“Alright, that’s enough. Let’s get you to bed.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Come on, Fitz, you’re clearly exhausted. Did you sleep at all last night?”

“A bit,” said Fitz, averting his eyes.

“And by the sounds of it, you’re coming down with a pretty nasty cold.”

“I’m fine, Mack. I h—hehh…H’edNNK! It’s just a runny nose. I’ve got to finish these.”  

Mack came over and laid a hand on Fitz’s shoulder.

“Listen, man. I know you’d like to be back at your old pace. And you will be. Every day you’re getting better. But you’ve gotta be patient. And you’re not doing yourself any favors by working until you’re too tired to think. Come on,” he added, putting pressure on the arm around Fitz’s shoulder until the smaller man stood up.

“You know, this doesn’t make me…I’m not…”

“I know you’re not weak, Turbo.”

No, Fitz wasn’t weak. He was one of the strongest people Mack knew.

 

~

Prompt: Everyday Magic

Fandom: Harry Potter (Hermione, F)

Sometimes Hermione marveled at how much easier it was to be sick when you were a witch. Even with Ron away at work, Hermione could perform a warming spell on her blankets, summon Pepperup potion from the kitchen, and replenish her tea whenever it ran low.

“Hiiih…haaah…Aht’chhooh!” She sneezed forcefully into a handkerchief, then wordlessly summoned a clean one from the stack on her dresser.

She was still miserable, but slightly less miserable than she would have been in the Muggle world.

Just as she was settling further under her blankets with a book, she heard the front door open.

“Hermione?”

Ron’s voice drifted through the house and then Ron himself appeared around the doorframe.

“What are you doing here?” she asked in surprise.

“I couldn’t stand to be at work knowing that you were home alone sick,” he said, rubbing a hand behind his head. “Couldn’t concentrate. So I’ve come to take care of you!” He grinned and held up the bag in his hand.

“Oh, Ron, that’s so sweet. But you know I can take care of m-my…mysehh…hiih…H’aahhtchoo!”

“I know. But there is one thing you can’t get on your own.”

She sniffled. “What’s that?”

“Mum’s homemade chicken soup. Better than Pepperup for curing a cold. It’s almost magic.”

 

~

Prompt: Umbrella

Fandom: Gilmore Girls (Luke, M)

“Luke! Hey, Luke, wait up!”

Lorelei sloshed through puddles as she ran to catch up with Luke, who she had just passed walking quickly in the opposite direction.

“Luke, where are you going? I was just heading to the diner and I need you to make me coffee.”

Normally, when it was raining buckets like this, Lorelei would have taken her Jeep. But she had just bought the cutest rain boots and matching umbrella, and when else could she show them off?

“Caesar can make you coffee,” Luke answered through clenched teeth. His arms were crossed tight against his chest, and his clothes were drenched. No raincoat, no umbrella. 

“Whoa, whoa, no he can’t. He doesn’t make coffee like you, Luke, no one makes coffee like you. Where are you going, anyway?”

“Truck broke down about a mile from town. I went to Gypsy’s, got the part I needed, and now I’m headed back to the truck to fix it.”

“You mean you walked to Gypsy’s.”

“Yes.”

“In the rain.”

“Yeah.”

“For a mile.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And now you’re going to walk another mile back to your truck and repair it?”

“Yes—is there something you didn’t understand about my answer?”

“But it’s raining.”

“So?”

“So, you’ll catch your death!”

“What do you mean?”

“That’s what worrying wives always say in old movies: ‘You’ll catch your death out there!’” 

“I will not catch my death. I’m fine. It’s not much further…H’uuhhddjjshoo!”

“Aha!”

“Don’t you mean bless you?”

“You are getting sick. Luke, why on earth don’t you have an umbrella?”

“I don’t own one.”

“How can you not own an umbrella?”

“They’re unnecessary. And I’m not getting sick. That was a coincidental sneeze.”

“Was it?”

“Of c-course…H’nnnddssh!”

“Okay, come on.”

“What? Where? Lorelei, I have to get my truck.”

“Exactly, I’m giving you a ride.”

“No, really, you don’t have to—“

“No arguing. My house is right around the corner.”

Lorelei started walking towards home.

“Okay fine, if you’re sure it’s not an inconvenience.”

“Please. The sooner you fix your truck, the sooner I get coffee, and—I—what are you doing?”   

“I thought I was walking to your house.”

“Seriously? Get under here.”

She motioned him under the umbrella’s protection.

 

~

Prompt: Shattered

Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Fitz, M)

Jemma crouched so that she was eye-level with the capsules, then slowly and painstakingly filled each one with the bright blue liquid in her syringe.

“Now remember, these are the last rounds we’ll be able to produce before our next stock-up, so we’ve got to be—“

“Careful, I know. You’d think I’d never done this before, I only helped invent the bloody things.” Fitz rolled his eyes as he finished loading a magazine with bullets for the Night-Night Gun and reached for another.

“Sorry. It’s just that the dendrotoxin takes a lot of resources to make, and I hate seeing any of it go to waste.”

“Apology accepted.”

Fitz picked up a compartmentalized box of loaded mags and started heading for the armory.

“I’m an engineer, Simmons. I work with delicate and sensitive equipment every day of my life. You don’t have to tell me to be…H’AhdChussshh!”

Jemma cringed at the loud clang and sound of shattering glass behind her.

“…Er, careful.”

“Oh, Fitz.”

 

~

Prompt: Dangerous Territory

Fandom: Gilmore Girls (Marty, M)

With a paper cup of coffee in each hand, Marty gently kicked the door to Rory’s suite and waited.

He wasn’t even sure the extra-large coffee would be able to put a dent in his exhaustion today. They’d made plans to study, but just getting out of bed had been a chore this morning. With the end of midterms came parties that lasted into the morning, and Marty had bartended the last three nights in a row. Add to that the fact that his own exams wouldn’t be over for two more days, and he was surprised he was even standing.

He’d thought about cancelling, but…

“Hey, Marty! Oh, coffee, thank god!”

Rory beamed as she swung the door wide so Marty could enter. He handed over her triple espresso, set his bag down and sat on the couch. He tried to focus as she recounted a fight she’d had with Paris, but the itch that had been plaguing his nose all morning was suddenly fierce.

“Huuh…H’mmpshhh!” he muffled the sneeze in the crook of his arm, then looked up, sniffling. “Sorry, go on.”

Rory frowned at him.

“Hey, you look pale. And tired. And…sniffly. Are you sick?”

Marty hesitated. “No, just been a long few days, that’s all. I worked late again and…and I…H’nnncchh!”

Rory’s frown deepened and she came and sat next to him on the couch. She put a hand to his forehead.

 “Rory...”

“Shh!”

“Really, you don’t have to—“

“Shush! I’m trying to concentrate.”

Marty closed his mouth and waited.

“So…?”

“I don’t know what this is supposed to feel like.”

He laughed. “So then why are you doing it?”

“It’s what you do when someone’s sick, feel their forehead to see if they have a fever. And no studying for you this morning. You need to rest.”

“I’ll fail my tests.”

“You’ll fail them anyway if you fall asleep in the middle of them. Now come on, lay here and I’ll bring you a blanket. I think we even have some tea!”

He could feel his mind going wild and hoped it wasn’t showing on his face. The thought of spending the day in Rory’s suite, with her taking care of him, sitting close and stroking his hair and bringing him tea, was too much.

“Uh, Rory, I really don’t think—“

“Come on, sick boy, no arguing.”

“I—I think you’re right, I think I do have a fever. It’s better if I go back to my own room. I don’t want to get you sick during midterms and—“

“Marty, it’s fine, stay. I don’t want you to go back to your room all by yourself just to be miserable.”

He’d already snatched up his bag and was backing out of the room. He turned and left the suite quickly so she wouldn’t hear him muffling another sneeze, but also so he wouldn’t see the look of mingled hurt and confusion that crossed her face.

 

~ 

Prompt: Separation

Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  (Fitz, M)

He knew what people said behind his back. Losing his grip. Grasping at straws. Clinging to nothing. But he was getting closer. He could feel it.

“A’dchssh!”

Fitz sighed tiredly and turned the page in the enormous dusty volume spread on his desk. It was late, and he was exhausted, but he had to keep going. The next piece of the puzzle of the Monolith had to be somewhere in this pile of books.

Ironically, Fitz really could have used Simmons’ help right about now. She had always been much better at research than he had, much more patient when meticulously combing through data and information. He, on the other hand, would rather be out there doing something.

Frustrated, Fitz slammed the book shut, releasing a cloud of dust into the air around him.

“A’tchzzh!”

He sniffed and rubbed his eyes with a thumb and forefinger. Whatever people said, he knew this wasn’t forever. It was just a temporary separation. And he needed to figure out how to make it end.

He just wished Simmons was around to help him.

 

~

 

Prompt: Midnight

Fandom: Harry Potter (Harry, M)

Lately, Kingsley had taken to strolling the halls of the Ministry late at night. He wasn’t quite sure what brought on this desire—maybe it was a pull of memories or a sense of duty. He nodded when he passed by the security wizards every few floors, and smiled as he glimpsed the bored-looking witch on duty in the Improper Use of Magic Office slowly twirling her wand so that snow fell around her desk.  

When he reached the Auror Office, Kingsley wasn’t surprised to see a light still on amid the rows of cubicles. These days, the Aurors worked relatively normal hours, and most had gone home. But Kingsley thought he had a good idea who was still here.

“H’aahhtchooh!”

“Bless you, Potter.”

The young man jumped and spun in his chair, hastily Vanishing the used tissues that had been spread over his desk.

“Minister! What are you doing here? I mean, er—”

“I might ask you the same question. It’s after midnight, Potter. Won’t Ginny be worried about you?” His desk was a mess, with sheets of parchment and food wrappers spread in an uneven layer over the top. It looked like he hadn’t left for days.

Harry shook his head.                                                                      

“She’s in Kenmare with the Harpies.”

“I see. But I thought you handed in your paperwork on Rowle yesterday.”

He sniffed and ran a hand through his hair. Kingsley noticed how pale the young man’s face was, the dark stubble on his chin matching the circles under his eyes.

“Yes, sir. I did. But we got a tip on the possible whereabouts of Gibbon that I wanted to look into, and—Ah’tcchh! Excuse me, sir.” A flush of pink crept into Harry’s cheeks as he reached for another tissue. Kingsley sighed.

“Potter.” His voice was soft, deep and slow.

“Sir?”

“Go home.”

“But, Gibbon—”

“Hasn’t shown his face in months, and I doubt he will tonight. Go. Get some rest. There’s nothing more for you to do now.”

Harry gazed dazedly at his desk, then slowly nodded. He began gathering his things, and Kingsley turned to go.

“Thank you, sir.”

Kingsley closed his eyes against a sudden rush of emotion.

“Goodnight, Potter.”

He couldn’t fathom the burden that Harry Potter must still feel, the burning need to eradicate every last Dark wizard. But Kingsley hoped that, even for one night, he could lift some of the weight.

 

 

 

 

[queenie]

So many gifts!!

[silversnake]

More??!! I LOVE the Harry Potter and Gilmore Girls ones! Can't wait for the next batch!

[Guest SunSprite3]

A couple more. Enjoy!

 

Prompt: Reflection

Fandom: Harry Potter (Draco, M)

It had almost become more restful to stay awake than to sleep. Whenever Draco closed his eyes, he couldn’t escape the visions of the pale, snakelike face, dark shapes moving in the shadows, and memories of the punishing burn on his forearm where the Dark Mark had been seared into his skin.

Staying awake was much easier. At least when he was awake he had something to occupy his mind. But it didn’t make him any less anxious.

Months had passed, and the Cabinet still wasn’t ready. His one chance at bringing his plan to fruition, at fulfilling his duty, and it was slipping through his fingers. Draco knelt in front of the Vanishing Cabinet, his head in his hands. There must be something he hadn’t thought of. Something he was missing.

“H’utchuuhh!”

It was just terribly difficult to concentrate at the moment. His head felt foggy and full of lead, and every bone in his body seemed to ache. He stood slowly, resigned. He wouldn’t get any more work done tonight.

Draco trudged down the towering aisles of peoples’ discarded contraband, feeling the tickle that had plagued his nose all day suddenly make itself known again.

“Ah’tchuuh!”

He thought of how nice it would be to have a handkerchief, when he suddenly spotted one, neatly folded, sitting on a dresser. As he examined it, Draco spotted his reflection in the dresser’s mirror.

He hardly recognized himself. His skin, always pale, was a ghostly grayish white. There were dark purple smudges under his red-rimmed eyes, and the bones of his face seemed to stand out more sharply.

Suddenly, more than anything, Draco wished he didn’t have to go back to his bed in the Slytherin dungeon. He wished he could stay here, safe in the Room of Hidden Things that no one knew existed.

As he sighed and headed toward the exit, something caught the corner of Draco’s eye—a small alcove he must not have noticed before. There stood a bed, piled with comfortable blankets and pillows, as well as a nightstand with a washbasin and a stack of fresh, clean handkerchiefs.

He hesitated only an instant; after all, who but he had cracked the Room’s secrets?

For the first time in months, Draco Malfoy slept through the night.    

~

Prompt: Advantage

Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  (May, F)

Daisy could hardly believe her luck. For the first time, she seemed to have the advantage over May during their sparring session. May was taking frequent time-outs to catch her breath, and Daisy was easily dodging her attacks.

“Mercy,” muttered May again as Daisy pinned her. Daisy immediately leapt up and reached out a hand to help her teammate stand. May ignored it and got to her feet.

“Off day?” asked Daisy, unscrewing her water bottle.

“Something like that,” said May as she patted her face with a towel. Daisy watched as May turned to the side and squeezed her eyes shut. Her face tightened, her head bobbed once, and she sighed slightly, then acted as if nothing had happened.

“Alright, let’s go again,” said May, throwing the towel aside.

“Wait, what was that?” asked Daisy.

“What?” May replied, as cool and composed as ever.

“It almost looked like you— “

“It’s nothing, now drop it. Back to the mat.”

“I can’t believe it!” Daisy said, ignoring the command and reaching for her phone. “The one time I think I’m beating you, and it turns out you’re sick.”

“Excuse me?” She sounded dangerous.

“This explains so much,” said Daisy, shaking her head as she typed away at her phone.

“We have a practice to finish. What are you doing?”

“I’m letting Simmons know to have someone come down and escort you to medical. You need to get checked out. And I’m asking Bobbi if she’ll come spar with me. If I’m going to improve, I need to practice with someone in peak condition.”

May looked like she would have strangled Daisy right there on the training mat, but her features faltered and her head bobbed silently once again. When she opened her eyes, Daisy was grinning at her. May pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes.

“I’m fine.”

“We’ll let Simmons decide that. After she takes a look at you, I’ll come check in. Maybe you can teach me to do that silent sneeze thing; I bet it comes in really handy on missions.”

Despite herself, May smiled slightly.

“It’s definitely an advantage.”    

 

~

Prompt: Light

Fandom: Gilmore Girls (Logan, M)

Logan paid the coffee cart attendant for their drinks, and he and Rory strolled away. Then, just as he was about to take a sip—

“H’nnch!”

“Bless you,” said Rory. “Hey, I just realized something.”

“Yeah?”

“Every time you’re about to sneeze, you look at the light.”

Logan cocked an eyebrow. “Not every time.”

“No, it is, it’s every time. When we’re outside it’s the sun, and when we’re inside you look at lamps or whatever.”

“Do I?”

“Yeah, and you get this really cute, dopey look on your face. And weirdly enough, your left eye usually closes a second before your right.”

“Okay, now that’s a Sherlock Holmes level of observation. I don’t think I’m comfortable with this. How can I ever sneeze around you again without feeling self-conscious?”

“Just look at the light.”

 

~

Prompt: Knowing How

Fandom: Silicon Valley (Richard, M)

Gilfoyle didn’t make it a point to wander the house at night. He preferred to stay in his room where he could perform his Satanic rituals in peace. And sleep. Mostly sleep. Being a brilliant engineer all day was draining.

But tonight he decided to make a quick trip to the kitchen before turning in for the night, partly to grab a glass of water and partly to switch around the toppings on Erlich’s yogurts. If he was fast, he was pretty sure he wouldn’t run into any of the other roommates.

“IHH’shhh!”

Gilfoyle turned at the sound and saw the unmistakable glow of a computer monitor illuminating the living room. No need to guess who was still working at two o’clock in the morning. He rolled his eyes. Started walking back to his room. Stopped. Fuck. Against his better judgement, Gilfoyle went into the living room.

“What the fuck, Richard?”

The other man barely glanced up from his keyboard.

“Whatever you’re doing, Gilfoyle, could you do it somewhere else? I’m trying to focus here.”

“Not that I care, but you said you were going to bed, like, four hours ago.”

“Well, I didn’t. IH’sshh!”

Gilfoyle sighed.

“Look, not that I’m not looking forward to rewriting whatever shitty code you blow out your nose tonight, but it would be a lot easier on all of us if you just get some rest and pick back up on this tomorrow.”

“You’re kidding me, right? Tech Crunch Disrupt is less than a week away and you’re telling me to sleep? First of all, I’m the only one who knows how to do this, so you won’t be rewriting anything. And second of all, I’m fine. So just let it go.”

“You’re right, Richard,” said Gilfoyle. “You’re the only one who knows how. See you in a few hours,” he added over his shoulder as he left the room. At the last second he grabbed a box of tissues from the counter and tossed them in the other man’s direction. He smiled slightly to himself as he heard a quiet “fuck,” followed by the sound of Richard making liberal use of his gift.

 

~

Prompt: Party

Fandom: The Office (Michael, M)

Pam sits at her desk, punching holes in pieces of colored office paper printed with large letters. The phone rings.

PAM: Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam. No, I’m sorry, he’s out sick today. Can I take a message? Okay, I’ll let him know when he’s back. Thanks.

Cut to Talking Head interview.

PAM: Once a quarter, all of the salespeople and Michael have to stay late to do expense report consolidation. It’s just as boring as it sounds. This time, Michael decided to turn the whole thing into a party—

She glances off to the right. The camera pans to the banner she was working on earlier, now strung on the wall. It reads EXPENSE REPORT EXTRAVAGANZA.

PAM: --which means we all have to stay late, too. Only now, Michael’s out sick. I mean, it’s not fun to sit around and watch Sales do their paperwork, but…

The camera focuses on Jim, sitting at his desk over Pam’s shoulder.

PAM: There are good reasons to stay. It’s…good for team building.   

General shots of the employees working around the office. Dwight gets up from his desk.

DWIGHT: Excuse me, can I have everyone’s attention. There has been some talk from several of you about leaving at five o’clock tonight and skipping the Expense Report Extravaganza. Michael isn’t here today, which means that I am in charge as Assistant Regional Manager—

JIM: Assistant to the Regional Manager, and since the Regional Manager isn’t here, you’re actually the assistant to no one.

DWIGHT: I am in charge of all party preparations while Michael is out, and as such I feel the need to remind everyone that attendance at this event is mandatory, alright, so unless you want to get written up, I will see every one of you there.

Jim glances over at Pam. She rolls her eyes and shakes her head slightly. The phone rings again.

PAM: Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam.

*Loud, drawn-out nose-blowing sounds from the other end of the phone*

PAM: Uh…hello? Who’s calling?

MICHAEL (sounding stuffed up on the phone): Pam, it’s me.

PAM: Oh, Michael. Uh, hi. Were you, um, blowing your nose?

MICHAEL: Ugh, yes, it was driving me crazy.

PAM: Why didn’t you do that before you got on the phone?

MICHAEL:  Well I’m sorry, Pam, excuse me for having the bubbleonic plague. Sorry it’s such an inconvenience for you to have to wait a few extra seconds on the phone.

PAM: It was just a little gross—

MICHAEL: Well that’s—it—[Sigh. Pause.] Listen, I just called to say, tell everyone I’m sorry about the party, and we’ll do it next quarter instead—

PAM: Oh, uh, Michael, actually we’re still going ahead with the party. I mean we didn’t really see any reason to cancel it, and we’re all ready and everything…

MICHAEL: Are you ser…are you kidding me, Pam? Does no one over there even care that I’m sick? I’m sitting here blowing piles of snot out of my orifices—

PAM: Oh, god.

MICHAEL: --and everyone there thinks it’s fine to just go ahead with the party, my party, that I thought of? Well that’s just great. You know what? Screw this stupid cold. I’m coming down there. This party shouldn’t have to go on without me. (Sharp inhale) HAH’Tcchzzhoo!

As Michael sneezes loudly, Pam holds the phone slightly away from her ear.        

PAM: Bless you. Michael, you don’t sound good. You should just stay home and rest.

MICHAEL: No, Pam. Clearly if no one is worried enough about me to cancel the Expense Report Extravaganza, then they must not think I’m that sick. Well I’ll show them. Huh…HUTCHhaahh! See you in twenty.

The phone clicks. Pam hangs up and looks at the camera, her face a mixture of worry and disgust. Cut to Talking Head interview.

PAM: It’s going to be a long day.

 

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

Oh, my goodness! I've just come back from a bit of a hiatus, only to find these absolute gems! The Gilmore Girls (or boys, as the case may be ) ones were my favorites--I can't believe how perfect they all were, from Luke's sneezes to Jess's memories to Logan's habits--but they were all fantastic! I really liked the HP one with Hermione taking care of herself, and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ones with May and Coulson and May and Daisy. I hope to see more of these soon. (Especially the Gilmore Girls ones: I know I'm being greedy, but I just binge-watched the new eps, and boy, has it given me a craving! )

[Guest SunSprite3]

How has it been almost two years since I posted in this thread!? I have some more bits and pieces to share with you this evening. Fandoms in this batch include Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Gilmore Girls, Captain America, The Office, and Parks and Rec. 

Prompt: Picking Up the Pieces
Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Daisy, F)

“What happened here?” 

Jemma took in the scene before her: Daisy on her hands and knees in the kitchen, using a hand brush to sweep bits of broken dishware out from under the counters.  

“It’s nothing. I just, um…I sneezed.” 

“You—”

“Apparently, it’s really hard for me to keep control of my powers when I sneeze. As I just discovered.” She indicated the mess around her. “I accidentally Quaked half the dishes off the shelves.” 

“Fascinating!” said Jemma as she knelt beside Daisy and held the dustpan for her. “That’s actually quite extraordinary. Accidental release of your powers due to an involuntary bodily function. I’d love to learn more about this.” 

“Well, you might not have to wait…long…AH’tchoo!” 

Jemma braced herself by gripping the counter ledge as the kitchen shuttered around them. She and Daisy covered their heads with their arms at the sounds of shattering plates.

“Incredible!” Jemma beamed. “Let’s get you into a containment pod. You and I have some tests to run.”  

 

Prompt: A Place to Belong
Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Simmons, F)

Honestly, she felt fine. It wasn’t about needing rest or relaxation. But Jemma Simmons was nothing if not practical, and she couldn’t have all of the other members of her team getting sick simply because of one careless cough or stray sneeze from her burgeoning cold. So she’d excused herself from the lab for the day and holed up in her room with her laptop, intending to venture out as little as possible to avoid spreading her germs.

At first, Fitz had checked on her so often that she threatened to purposely contaminate her door handle in an effort to keep him away. Finally, he’d delivered a last cup of tea and promised to leave her to rest. Then came the knock on her door.  

“Urgh, Fitz, I told you, I’m perfectly fine! Now go away or I will make certain you catch this.”

“Not Fitz,” said Daisy, grinning as she opened the door and stuck her head in. “And my Scottish accent is abysmal, so I don’t think I can pretend to be him, either. I just wanted to bring you a little something.” 

“You didn’t have to do that,” said Jemma, but she smiled despite herself. Then she felt the tickle that had been teasing her off and on all morning. She pulled a tissue out of the box beside her and brought it to her face. “Heh… H’EHTchiih!”

“Bless you. And I know I didn’t have to. But it sucks to be sick, I know it more than anyone. At the orphanages and foster homes, you’d get locked in your room if you got sick at all. Trying to avoid all the other kids getting it, I guess, although they always did anyway. But there was one movie that always made me feel better.” 

Daisy held up a DVD. The Princess Bride.

“I know it’s cheesy,” Daisy said as she set the DVD down next to Jemma’s laptop. “But it’s a classic, and it works like a charm.”

“That’s sweet, Daisy, thank you.” 

“Sure thing. Now get some rest!” 

As Jemma settled in to do just that, there was another knock on her door. Then, a few minutes later, another one. And another. In the course of twenty minutes, it seemed every one of her teammates came to bring her something they thought she’d need. Coulson brought her a soft flannel blanket (“Because the standard-issue ones on these beds, to put it crudely, suck.”); Bobbi brought her a few trashy magazines (“You gotta give your brain a break, too, not just your body.); May brought her a bowl of some spicy chicken soup (“Old family recipe. It’ll clear you right out.”); Mack brought her some honey-lemon cough drops, his personal favorite that he tended to hoard. (“But for you, I’ll sacrifice some of my stash.”); and Hunter brought her a few packets of Lemsip (“You can’t get it in the states, and I thought you might like a taste of home.”)

When the door had been quiet for a while and Jemma finally started drifting off to sleep, she couldn’t help but marvel at how lucky she was. True, sometimes she had second thoughts about S.H.I.E.L.D. But just now, she felt she’d truly found a place to belong.
 

Prompt: Only Human
Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Coulson, M)

“Huhh…H’uhtsshh!”

Coulson turned to the side and buried his face in his handkerchief for what must have been the tenth time since his meeting with Mack had begun. He sighed and turned back to his colleague, not even wanting to think about what a mess he must look like. 

“Sorry about this,” he said. “It’s allergies. The lab is working on producing some more meds for me, but until then…H’rrhhtch!”

“Hey, no problem,” said Mack. “You’re only human.” 

“Well…” Coulson held up his artificial hand. “Almost.” 

 

Prompt: Troubling Thoughts
Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Bobbi, F)

“Heeh…Huh’ittchoo!” Bobbi sneezed forcefully off to the side, slightly restrained by the safety belt of her seat on the quinjet. Then she noticed Hunter staring at her. 

“What, you don’t say bless you?” she asked, rolling her eyes at his expectant expression. 

“Oh, I will. Just waiting for the second one.” 

“What are you talking about? I don’t have to—heh—heh’tchooh! Ugh!” She sniffed.  “How did you know there’d be two?”

“What are you talking about?” Hunter laughed. “You always sneeze in twos. Unless you’re ill. Then it’s a bloody free-for-all. Bless you, by the way.” 

“Thanks. I guess I hadn’t ever really thought about it before.”

“Well Bob, s’pose I just know you better than you know yourself.”

“Now there’s a troubling thought.” 

 

Prompt: Memories
Fandom: Captain America (Steve Rogers, M)

“Hh'ISHOO!”

It was more powerful, with more breath behind it, but Bucky would know that sneeze anywhere—who it belonged to, and what it meant. 

He poked his head into Steve’s bedroom.

“Was that what I think it was?” 

Steve glanced up and raised an eyebrow. “What did you think it was?” 

“It sounded like a sneeze. But it couldn’t have been. Because you only used to sneeze like that when you were getting sick.” 

Steve’s expression softened, and he smiled. 
“You remember.” 

“How could I forget? I heard it constantly when we were growing up. Sounds…different now.”

“Feels different.” 

They looked at each other for a moment, then Steve cleared his throat slightly and broke his gaze. 

“But you’re not, right? Getting sick? I mean, you can’t,” said Bucky. Steve could hear the concern in his friend’s voice.

“It’s not that I can’t. My body just usually fights off anything that might be trying to attack it too quickly for it to amount to anything. But sometimes…Hh’UhSHOO!” He turned and sneezed into the crook of his arm. “Excuse me.” 

Bucky looked bemused for a moment. Then his face broke out into a grin. 

“Should I see if I can remember that soup recipe?”

“You mean opening the can of Campbell’s and heating it up on the stove? Sure, Buck. That’d be great.”  

 

Prompt: Acceptance
Fandom: Gilmore Girls (Lorelei, F)

Lorelei coughed as she came down the stairs. The hot, steamy shower hadn’t helped at all, and her head felt heavy and cloudy at the same time. She sighed, resigned to staying in for the day. 

Sniffling, she reached for the phone. Luke picked up on the second ring. 

“Luke’s.” 

“Hey, it’s me.” 

“Who?” 

“Lorelei,” she scoffed. 

“Oh, sorry, you sound different.”

“Yeah, well, we got a new…phone cord. Anyway, I need you to do me a favor.” 

“What is it?”

“I need you to go over to Gypsy’s and tell her I won’t be able to pick up my car today.”

“What, why?” Can’t you just call her?”

“No, it’s 11:30, she’s out back taking her Rollo break. And if I don’t let her know now she’ll charge me extra for ‘parking fees’. Please, Luke?” 

“Alright, fine, I’ll do it. I mean, it’s not like I have a diner full of customers here who need to be served, or anything.” 

“Thank you! Hehh…huh…’Chooo!”

“Bless you. May I ask why, exactly, you can’t pick up your car?”

“I’m just not…feeling up to it, that’s all.” 

“Oh, wait, I know what this is about. You were sniffling all of yesterday. You’re sick, aren’t you?” 

“No!”

“I’m bringing you soup.”

“But—the diner, the customers—” 

“Caesar can take care of things for a bit. You’re sick. I’m coming over. I’m bringing soup. Accept it.” 

“Alright, fine. But bring some donuts, too!” 

 

Prompt: Unbreakable
Fandom: The Office (Jim, M)

Jim sits at his desk. His eyes are drooping, his mouth is open slightly, and his breath is hitching. It looks like he’s about to sneeze—but he lets out a sigh and smiles, looking over at Pam’s desk. The camera pans to Pam, who is watching Jim with her eyes wide, shaking her head slightly and smiling. 

Cut to Talking Head interview. 

PAM: Whenever Jim has a cold, he sneezes, like, twenty times an hour. So today, when he came in sick, I bet him that he couldn’t go an hour without sneezing. It’s been…[she checks her watch] forty-seven minutes. [Amazed] He might actually do it. 

Back to Jim. As he takes a tissue from the box on his desk and blows his nose quietly, Pam gets up from her desk and comes over. 

PAM: How’s it going? 

JIM [congested and a little hoarse]: It’s going great, how are you doing? 

PAM: Nose bothering you at all?

JIM: Actually, it’s been fih…heh…fine. I don’t even need to sneeze. 

PAM: You don’t? 

JIM: Nope. 

PAM: Not at all? 

JIM: That’s right. I’ve been going for almost an hour now and my streak is unbreakable. 

PAM:  Oh, really? So if I were to light the lavender candle from the men’s bathroom, that wouldn’t bother you at all?

Jim’s expression changes from smug to worried as Pam raises her arm to show a purple jarred candle and a lighter. She looks Jim in the eye as she ignites the lighter and places it to the wick. 

JIM: Wait, that’s not fair. 

PAM: Hey, you said you didn’t need to sneeze. 

JIM: Pam, come on, you know that candle makes…m-makes me—huh…heh…

Jim’s breath hitches desperately, and he places a fist under his nose to try and stop the impending sneezes, but suddenly he grabs another tissue from the box and—

JIM: H’djjchoo! Ah’tcchh! H’IHHtcchh! Hah…H’ADCCHH!”

PAM: [after blowing out the candle] Bless you. 

JIM: That was low, Beesley. 

 

Prompt: Heart Song
Fandom: Parks and Rec (Andy, M)

“Happy anniversary, babe!” 

Whatever April had been expecting when she got home, it certainly wasn’t this. It seemed that every surface in their apartment was covered in flowers. In the middle of it all stood her husband, completely naked except for a strategically placed guitar. 

“Andy! What are you doing?” 

“I wanted to surprise you! I wrote you a song. Sit right here.” Andy lead April to the couch. She brushed a few rose petals off the cushion before sitting, trying not to crack up. 

Andy started playing. 

“When we met the stars aligned and I—eh—EH’shh! Sorry, let me start over.” He cleared his throat. “Okay. When we met the stars aligned an—huh—Hah’tshh! EH’shoo! Man! Let me try again—”

“Andy! Stop.” April got up. “The flowers were really nice, but I think we need to get them out of here.” 

“Aw man! Are you s---sure—He’shhoo!”

“Yes. Come on, you can finish the song later. Let’s go see if a funeral home will take these.” April’s eyes lit up at the thought of visiting a building full of dead people. 

“Alright, fine. Let’s go.” Andy headed for the door. 

“Uh, Andy? Put some clothes on first.” 
 

 

[Guest SunSprite3]

Fandoms/characters in this update: Parks and Rec (Ben), Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Mack, Hunter, Lincoln, Daisy), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Jake, Amy) 

Prompt: Enthusiasm

Fandom: Parks and Rec (Ben, M)

Leslie found Ben exactly where she’d left him the night before: in the living room, surrounded by binders and papers. He’d been working on the campaign speech she was scheduled to deliver this afternoon, and as much as she’d wanted to stay up and work with him, she couldn’t argue with his protest that she needed to be well-rested for today. So, Leslie had begrudgingly gone to bed and left Ben to finish up on his own.

She didn’t expect to see him slumped over on the couch, snoring lightly, an open binder covering his lap. She gently shook him awake, saying his name softly.

“Huh? Wh—what time is it? Did we miss the speech?”

Ben sat up quickly, but that appeared to be a mistake. He winced and put a hand to his head, then released a barely covered “Ah’tchoo!” into his arm.

“It’s fine, sweetie, the speech isn’t for hours,” said Leslie, frowning as she felt his forehead. “But you certainly won’t be going.”

“What are you talking about, I’m your campaign manager, of course I’m going to—”

“Ben, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but you’re sick. You need to stay home and rest. I can handle it on my own, okay? Promise.”

Ben smiled around a few sniffles. “I know you can.”

 

Prompt: Game

Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Mack, M)

“It doesn’t count, Mack.”

“Come on, Turbo, you beat me fair and square.”

Fitz lowered the controller. “Right. Never mind the fact that the only times I got a shot in were when you were sneezing and had to shut your eyes.”

“Hey man, you were just taking advantage of the circumstances. Very tactical…Heeh..H’ARrcshh!”

“Alright. But we’re finding you some antihistamines before the next game.”

 

Prompt: Breaking Away

Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Hunter, M)

It was a rare night of downtime at the Playground. For a few blissful hours, no evil was attacking Earth, no one needed saving, and no aliens were demanding the team’s attention. Everyone was in the lounge off the kitchen, drinking and joking and pretending, for now, that this was normal.

It was exactly the sort of atmosphere that Hunter would normally thrive on. But tonight, even copious amounts of English ale couldn’t make him feel better.

Hunter drained the contents of his bottle, set it on the nearest surface, and gave a final fond glance at his team before slipping into the hall.

“H’ttchssh!”    

He sniffled and rubbed his temples, giving in to the pressure that had been building in his head all day. Yes, he’d decided he liked having a team. But tonight, it would be better if he was on his own.  

 

Prompt: Dark

Fandom: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Lincoln, M)

They heard the sound, and a second later the lights in the common room flickered and went out.

“Lincoln, was that you?” Daisy asked, feeling for her phone so she could use it as a flashlight. She shined it in the direction the sound had come from, and saw Lincoln with his nose buried in a tissue.

“Ah, yeah, sorry everyone,” he said sheepishly. “When I sneeze, my powers act up and I—I think I have ahhh…Eh’tchhuh!”

Sparks of blue lightening crackled around Lincoln’s free hand.

“…a cold,” he finished with a sniffle. “I’ll just go and reset the breakers—”

“I’ll take care of that,” said Fitz kindly, getting up from his spot next to Simmons on the couch. “You should head to bed.”

“I’ll bring you something to help you sleep,” added Simmons. “Then maybe we can keep the lights on for a few hours.”

 

Prompt: Innocence

Fandom: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Jake, M)

“That’s it, we got it.”

Amy made to leave the cramped closet, gun drawn, but Jake put a hand out.

“We have enough to prove our man’s innocence,” he whispered. “But let’s wait and see what else they give us before we go storming in there.”

Amy nodded and melted back against the brooms and buckets, waiting for the right moment.

She heard a sharp intake of breath from Jake.

“HIH’tshoo!”

His eyes widened. Amy glared.

“Who’s there?” They heard the frantic sounds of chairs scraping and guns being cocked.

Jake sighed. Amy rolled her eyes. They nodded at each other, then burst through the closet door.

“NYPD, hands in the air!”

 

Prompt: Judgement

Fandom: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Jake, M)

Amy couldn’t concentrate. Next to her on the couch, Jake had been sniffling since the movie began. In fact, he’d been sniffling all day. Even as she glanced over, he brought a fist to his nose and rubbed it roughly.

She couldn’t stand when people sniffled over and over without blowing their nose.

“Hey, babe? You okay?”

Jake sniffled. “Yeah, yeah, totally. My nose has been ih…itchy…IH’ssshh! All day.”

Amy grimaced. “I noticed. Let me grab you some tissues. Where do you keep them?”

“Tissues, seriously? I already have to buy toilet paper and paper towels, they’re not scamming me with yet another paper product that gets used once and then thrown away. Just bring me a roll from the bathroom.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine, but you sound like you’re coming down with something. I’ll bring you some cold medicine to hopefully help you sleep.”

“Ames, I’m fine, I do not need any medicine. Besides, I don’t have any.”

Her eyes widened. “Do you know how to take care of yourself at all?”

Jake pouted. “Hey, enough of the judgement. The only thing I need to help me feel better is you finishing this movie with me, right here." He put his arm around her and she snuggled closer, smiling despite herself.

Then he sniffled again.

“That’s it,” she said, throwing his arm off her and getting up suddenly. “Where are my shoes? I’m getting you some supplies.”  

 

Prompt: Obsession

Fandom: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Amy, F)

Amy’s breath fluttered, and she quickly pulled a fresh tissue from the box to catch a pair of sneezes. Once she had recovered, she grabbed a small notebook and made a few marks.

Watching this behavior, Jake cocked an eyebrow.

“Uh, Ames? Whatcha doing with the notebook there? You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I’m tracking my symptoms. Gathering data, you know, so I can be better prepared the next time I get sick. I’ve been doing it for years, see?”

She handed Jake the notebook, and he flipped through it.

She wasn’t lying. There were graphs of fever temperatures, a scale showing throat soreness, and one column called “Mucus Level” that Jake chose not to look too closely at. And, sure enough, there was also a record of number of sneezes by hour.

“You do this every time you get sick? This is bordering on obsession.”

“Of course! Because of my records, I know exactly how my body reacts to illness. I know almost to the hour when I’ll start to feel each symptom and exactly how much medicine I should take to feel better.”

“Well that’s crazy. But I’m still going to use this to take care of you. It won’t be all up to you this time.”