Getting Closer

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

I’m really enjoying seeing the different parts of this! 

[2SHY222]

I can't wait to hear Tim's side 🥰

[riverevanss]

It's my favortie story here, I love it so much. Please continue.

[PantheraPardus]

18 hours ago, Bencutio said:

Please continue.

Correct me if I'm wrong, @aggedy_ann, but I believe this is currently being continued under "Looking after Dustin."

[aggedy_ann]

7 minutes ago, PantheraPardus said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, @aggedy_ann, but I believe this is currently being continued under "Looking after Dustin."

It’s not.   That’s an accompaniment piece, showing a little focus on Dustin getting fussed over that weekend.  This one focuses more on the Ethan/Tim dynamic.    I’m just stuck on this piece so that one is getting written more.

There will someday be more on this one, too.  😁

[PantheraPardus]

Thanks for the correction!

[aggedy_ann]

Here’s Tim’s awkward confession...because I am also awkward.  
 

Tim looked down, fiddling with his watch as he started to speak.  “Remember our first dinner together, where we ran into my friends…my friends who had only seen me with women…the women it never worked out with?  Who knew I hadn’t been on a date in close to three years?”

 

“Yeah.”  Ethan nodded, rubbing his nose.  “Wait…three years?”

 

“There were a couple scattered two, three dates with other guys, but, they couldn’t handle…it never worked…”

 

“Handle what?  A gay accountant?”  Ethan teased.

 

“Before Alex and Freddie found us on our date, I could count on one hand the number of people that knew I was gay.  I mean, I made the decision that, I’d at least introduce you to my friends eventually.  But…Ethan, only my mom and sister know outside of my friends.”

 

He shifted on the couch and looked up and Ethan.  “I want you to meet my friends though, and my mom and sister….if you want.”

 

Ethan understood.  His sister accepted him as he was, but his parents didn’t.  So, not telling, yeah, that was his world.  For years, he’d passed himself off as work-focused rather than have anyone question why he didn’t date, or at least not date openly.

 

“Why don’t your brothers know?”  Ethan was genuinely curious.  Tim had talked about being so close to his brothers, so…

 

“Like my dad was, they’re very religious.  They’ve made comments about homosexuality, so, I keep my mouth shut.  I almost told Steve, but never worked up the nerve.  Then he passed away.”  Tim sighed.  “So, I’m not open and out.  I know I brushed it off in the restaurant, but you need to know.”

 

He looked down, playing with his watch again.

 

Ethan slid over next to Tim.   “It’s different for me, sure.  But, I think it’s also something we can work on.  I mean, maybe not with your brothers, but with other people.  I hid it for a long time, too, because it didn’t go well with family when I first came out.  Some people will just never understand but plenty of others do.  And it sees like it went well when you told your friends at least….”

 

He started to lean into Tim, then stiffened and pulled away.  “Ahtshoo!”

 

“Bless you.”  Tim waited for Ethan to blow his nose, then pulled him against him.  “Yeah, it did.  I mean, maybe most of my family won’t really know or understand, but at least I have a friend family that does.  And I think I want you to be part of that.  I really think we can make this work.”  He told him, picking Ethan’s pillow up and placing it in his lap.  

 

Ethan snuggled into Tim’s lap, pulling the blanket over him.  “Hope so.”  Ethan said quietly, starting to doze off again.   Tim fell asleep shortly after Ethan.

 

When Tim woke up, it was dark in the apartment.  A quick glance at his watch confirmed his suspicions.  It was after 8.  They’d slept through Ethan’s normal supper time.  He shook Ethan.  “E, wake up.”

 

“Huh…wha?...Hatchoo!  What?”  Ethan sneezed and mumbled.

 

“It’s almost 8:30.  You should have had dinner…” Tim turned on the lamp.

 

“Two and a half hours ago.”  Ethan groaned, realizing he felt light headed.   

 

“I’ll go heat you up some soup.  Go check your blood sugar.  You’re pretty pale.”

 

Ethan ducked off to go check his sugar while Tim went to the kitchen to reheat the chicken noodle soup.  He was dishing up the soup when Ethan came back in.  “You ok?” 

 

“I will be.  I’m low.”  He took the bowl from Tim.  “Um, do you mind making me a sandwich, pleheease?  Ahchoo!”

 

“Peanut butter and jelly or turkey and cheese?”

 

“Turkey.”  Ethan opted, and Tim started assembling the sandwich, handing it to Ethan a minute later.  “Thanks.”  Ethan said, taking a bite.

 

Tim looked at Ethan, concerned as Ethan coughed and sneezed his way through supper.   “You sure you’re ok?” 

 

Ethan nodded.  “I think I overdid yesterday.  Maybe a bit this morning.”  He coughed again.  “I wonder why I haven’t heard from Dustin.”

 

Tim got up and brought him his phone.  “I think we were really asleep,” he commented, handing over the phone.   

 

Ethan looked at it. “Two missed calls; one voice mail.”  He clicked in to see who they were.  “Yup.  Dustin.”  He listened to the message.   “Just a really bad cold apparently.” He said to Tim. “I don’t think we’ll see him tomorrow either.”

 

“Let’s see how tonight goes, but, I can stay again.” Tim reassured him.

 

Ethan nodded, coughing.

 

“I think it’s bedtime soon.  That nap showed we’re both pretty tired.”

 

Ethan nodded.  “Just let me call Dustin.”  He finished eating and called Dustin while Tim checked his own phone.   

 

3 text messages from Alex.   “Haven’t heard from you…still with the new guy?”

 

“Seriously though, how are things going?”

 

“Seriously, call or text me.  I want details.”

 

Tim texted back.  “Gossip.  I’m spending the night IN THE GUEST ROOM.  His friend is sick and he still shouldn’t be alone.  I’ll be here tomorrow.  Will see you Monday.   How much will it take to get you to go check on Cashew tomorrow?”

 

“You’re asking me to check on your cat now?  A flobbity-billion dollars?”

 

“…”

 

“Fine.  Just happy you’re happy.  I want details over dinner on Monday.  Freddie does, too.”

 

“Fine and thanks.”

 

He set down his phone as Ethan finished his conversation.   “How is he?”

 

“Miserable.  Just a really, really bad cold they said at urgent care. He’s got a fever, cough, the works.   He was pretty drowsy.  Beth went and bought him NyQuil after I gave her the heads up on how he was feeling this afternoon.  They don’t use it with having a toddler but since he’s so sick, exception to the rule.”

 

“Ah, they both want to be able to listen for her?”

 

“Exactly.”  Ethan scrubbed at his nose.  “Do you, um, wanna watch tv or a movie in my room for a bit?”

 

“Sure.  Go do everything you need before bed and take the NyQuil.  I’ll clean up in here and then join you.”  Tim was in Ethan’s room ten minutes later, rapping softly on the door frame.  Ethan was laying on one side of the bed, flipping through the channels.  

 

“Come in. Lay down.”

 

Tim lay next to Ethan.  “Looking for anything in particular?”  Ethan shook his head, remote settling on a rerun of an old sitcom from their high school years.   “We can go with this…I loved this show in high school.”

 

Ethan nodded.  “Me, too.”  He reached out and squeezed Tim’s hand before directing a sudden, powerful sneeze into the opposite shoulder.  “HatChoo!”

 

“Bless you.”  Tim rubbed his arm.   “You’re really having a rough day.   Your voice has been completely wrecked, and the sneezing hasn’t given you much of a break today.”

 

“No,” Ethan blew his nose.  “I’ve been sneezing like crazy today.   And that phone call with mom wrecked my voice, for sure.”

 

Tim wanted to ask Ethan why his mom would keep him on the phone so long or why Ethan would stay on the phone so long knowing the shape his voice was in, but didn’t feel that it was his place at this time.  “Did you want some more tea?” 

 

Ethan hook his head.  “I’ll stick with water right now.  In the morning.” 

 

Tim and Ethan lay next to each other, occasionally talking, mostly about the TV show, but mostly just enjoying being together.   After an episode and a half, Tim was distracted from his thoughts by a very sleepy sounding sneeze from Ethan.   

 

“Ha’shoo.”

 

“Bless you.”  Tim looked over.  

 

“Thanks,” Ethan yawned, looking half asleep.  

 

“You look ready to fall asleep.” Tim commented.  “I’m gonna go to the guest room now, ok.”

 

Ethan blew his nose.  “Are you sure?  We can keep watching tv.”

 

“You’re gonna be asleep very soon if your nose lets you.  I don’t want to push this too fast.”

 

Ethan’s face fell.  “I like having you next to me.”

 

“Too fast.  While it may be true, overnight is the NyQuil talking.”   He bent forward and kissed Ethan’s forehead.  “Sleep.”

 

“A’shoo.”  Sneezing again, Ethan nodded, laying back down.   

 

Tim retired to the guest room where he heard a few more of what Ethan called his “sleepy sneezes,” then relative quiet, then he was asleep.

[aggedy_ann]

Ok, one more part here (I think) after this, then it will link up with the Dustin part of the story.  
 

Tim awoke to Ethan’s rap on the door the next morning.  “Hey,” he snuffled.

 

“Hey.” Tim sat up.  “What’s up?”

 

“Thought I’d see if you were awake.  Wanted breakfast…”

 

Tim yawned.  “Yeah, you need to eat, don’t you.  Give me five, and I’ll get breakfast, k.”

 

“I can…Hatchoo!”

 

“Bless you.  I got it.  I believe I promised you breakfast.”

 

“You said you made a great one.”  Ethan pulled a tissue from his pocket and blew his nose.  

 

“I do.  Give me five minutes.  You wanna start some coffee?”   

 

Ethan nodded, heading for the kitchen.  Tim pulled jeans and a t-shirt on, got his hair to lay down, then headed into the kitchen.   

 

“What do you like?  Waffles? Pancakes? Muffins? Omelets?” 

 

Ethan stared at him.  “Usually I just have oatmeal.  Sometimes scrambled eggs.   I don’t even know if I have the stuff to make any of that.”

 

Tim stared back.  “What do you have?”

 

Ethan hesitated before burying his head in his arm.  “Ahtshoo!  Um,” he sniffled, looking up.  “No pancake mix, for sure.   Beyond flour and sugar, I doubt you can make muffins.”   He crossed over to the fridge.   “I have eggs, cheese, and bacon.  And bread and oatmeal.”   

 

“Omelets it is.   Basic omelets, but omelets.   Do you have any vegetables?”   

 

Ethan pulled out a carton of grape tomatoes and a bag of baby carrots.   

 

“You like tomatoes in your omelets?”

 

Ethan wiped his nose gingerly.  “I’ll try it.  Sounds good.”

 

Tim started frying bacon.  “You have fruit?”

 

“Oranges, apples and bananas.”  He poured Tim a cup of coffee, turning to hand it to him, then abruptly setting it back down on the counter and turning away for another loud sneeze.  “HahAtchoo!”

 

“Bless you.”   Tim took the coffee from the counter and took a sip.   

 

“You don’t need to keep saying that. At least not over breakfast.” He gave a weak smile.  He knew what mornings were like; Tim was about to find out.

 

Tim shot him a confused look from where he was checking the bacon.  “Ok.  Any special reason?”

 

Ethan shifted from one foot to the other.  “I sneeze a lot in the morning.  Mostly the first hour I wake up.”

 

Tim laughed.   “From what I’ve seen, you sneeze a lot no matter when it is.”    

 

Ethan shook his head.  “Normally it’s like 5 to 10 times in the first hour.  When I’m sick…”. He trailed off and grabbed a napkin, pressing it hastily to his nose.  “Hahchoo!”  He blew his nose, nodded at Tim’s blessing and continued.  “It’s more like 15 to 20 times.  So really, once will suffice.”  He smiled.

 

Tim poured the egg mixture into the pan.  “Well, then, god bless you.”

 

Ethan laughed.  “Thanks.  You want an orange, apple or banana?”  

 

“Orange, please.  Toast?”  Tim flipped the omelet, sticking bread in the toaster.

 

A minute later, he dished up a plate for Ethan and set it in front of him, sitting across from him with his own plate.   

 

“L-l-Ahshoo!” Ethan hastily clasped his napkin to his nose.   “Looks good.”  He said, gently wiping his nose.   

 

“Thanks.  I usually make omelets on at least on of my days off.”  

 

Ethan nodded, coughing harshly for a long minute.

 

“You ok?”  Tim asked when he finished. “Need the inhaler?”

 

Ethan nodded.  “Not a bad idea.”   He slipped off to use the inhaler, and Tim could also hear him blowing his nose.   

 

Ethan came back and started eating.  “This is good.  At least from what I can taste of it.”

 

“Thanks.” The two at in occasional conversation; neither was much of a morning person.  Breakfast was broken up mainly by Ethan’s sneezing.   

 

4 more sneezes later, Tim looked sympathetically at Ethan.  “Do you want the tissues?  Those napkins can’t feel good on your nose.”

 

Ethan flushed.  “I should have grabbed some when I went to use the inhaler.”  He gave a thick wet sniffle.  “If you’ll excuse me, I need to blow my nose again,” he said softly.  “I’ll grab some then.”

 

“You don’t have to leave the room to blow your nose.” Tim told him. “Your food will get cold if you do.”

 

“It’s alright.”  Ethan sighed.  “I don’t want to ruin your appetite.”

 

“Just turn away.”  Tim shrugged.  “Two of my best friends have bad allergies.  It doesn’t bother me.”

 

Ethan looked wary.  “Hatshoo!”  He gently held the napkin to his nose and wiped again.   

 

Tim gave him a sad smile.   “Past relationship trauma again?” 

 

Ethan nodded.

 

Tim grasped the free hand that was resting on the table as Ethan coughed again.   “I’m not your ex.” He reminded softly.  

 

Ethan nodded.  “I just don’t want to…” he trailed off.

 

“I have 5 brothers.  Trust me.  It’s fine.  There’s probably nothing you could do that would gross me out.”

 

Ethan laughed, moving to stand up.  

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“To get the tissues.” 

 

“I’ll grab them; you eat.  Your food’s getting cold.”  Tim stood up before Ethan could.  “Let me take care of you.”    He grabbed tissues from the living room and set them on the table next to Ethan.   “There you are.”

 

“Thanks.”  Ethan pulled a couple tissues from the box, pressing them to his nose in time to direct a muffled “Hatchoo!” over his shoulder.  He turned away and tentatively blew his nose a few times before turning back to Tim.   “Thanks.” He said again, sounding clearer.   “I needed that.”   

 

“I can hear that.”  Tim smiled.  “More coffee?”

 

After 45 minutes awake, Ethan was at 14 sneezes.  “Think I’ll hit 20 in the next 15 minutes?” He asked, sighing.  

 

“That’s one an average of every 2 and a half minutes.  Does it taper off at all?”

 

Ethan coughed, then caught a sneeze against his wrist.  “It should.”   He sniffled, gathering up the dishes and filling the sink with water.

 

“I can do those.” Tim jumped up.  “You are supposed to be resting.” He said as Ethan wrapped his arms around himself, rubbing his arms.  “You ok.”

 

“Cold.” Ethan admitted.   “I’m gonna go grab a sweater.”  

 

“Thermometer still in your room?”  Ethan nodded.  “Grab that, please.”  Tim turned his attention back to the small amount of dishes, finishing them by the time Ethan retuned.  Ethan had an oversized cardigan wrapped around him and had stuffed a handful of tissues in one of the pockets.  He handed over the thermometer, and Tim stepped closer to scan his forehead.

 

Ethan stepped back, noticing the confused look on Tim’s face.  “Atchoo!”  He managed to turn to the side just in time, directing the sneeze down at the floor, starting to bring his hands up up to cover, but not making it in time.   “Sorry,” he apologized.  “I didn’t want to sneeze on you, and sometimes, they sneak up on me.”   He fished a tissue out of his sweater pocket. 

 

Tim waited for him to finish blowing his nose, then grabbed his temperature.  “100.6.  Back up again. Did you take the cold medicine?”

 

Ethan shook his head.  “Not yet.  I’m supposed to take the other pills with food, so thought I’d take them all at once.”

 

“Go take them, then get comfortable on the couch.  I’ll finish up in here.”

 

Ethan sighed, but took his pills and headed for the living room.  Tim could hear him coughing, followed a minute later by a loud “Hatshoo!”

 

“18.”  He called.  “You’ve got 4 minutes left to hit 20.”

 

“You really want me to hit 20, don’t you?” Ethan groaned.  “As if I’m not miserable enough here.”  He blew his nose loudly, coughing.

 

Tim came in and sat in the chair.   “I’ll settle for 18.” He teased.  He paused, not sure how Ethan would respond.  “Your cough is really bad this morning.” He commented.  

 

Ethan nodded, taking a sip of water.  “Yeah.”  He sighed.  “I should probably take the cough syrup.”

 

“Where is it?”

 

“I don’t want to be asleep half the day.”  He wrapped the blanket tighter around himself.  

 

“Went from being hot to being cold?” At Ethan’s nod, he continued.  “I think you’re still at the point where you need to be asleep.” He said gently.

 

“I don’t want to leave you with nothing to do.  Get bored and think I’m useless.”

 

Tim nodded.  “You don’t have to worry ahhhbout thahh-ahhHuhshoo, uhhshoo…that.  I’ve got p-plehhh-ehshoo, heyyehhchuhh…plenty of studying to do.  And if you’re ok be-beihhng…not agaihhihshoo, hihhShoo…being alone, I thought I’d run to the grocery store, then cook a little.”  He sniffled and took the tissue Ethan held out.  “Thanks.”  

 

Ethan smiled.   “You talk through your sneezes.  It’s cute.”

 

“Mom would call it stubborn,” Tim laughed.  And I’m certainly sneezy in front of you.  I think I’ve sneezed more in front of you in two weeks than in my last long term relationship.”

 

“I bring it out in people.”  Ethan joked.   “And I think my morning show ends for you at 18.”  Again he coughed roughly.   “I’ll be ok if you want to run to the store or go check on your cat or grab clean clothes.   I’ll be sleeping.  Might as well duck out for a couple hours.”   

 

“I’ve got everything through Monday.   Dustin asked me if I would.   Alex is gonna look in on Cashew.   So, I’ll just hit your nearest grocery store and be back.   Once you fall asleep.   Where’s the cough syrup?”

 

“It’s on my nightstand.  I woke around midnight, and couldn’t stop coughing.”

 

“Ok with me getting it?”

 

Ethan nodded, burying several deep coughs into the blanket.   Tim walked into Ethan’s room, once again taken by surprise at how neat it was.  If he were as sick as Ethan was, his room would be a disaster of dirty clothes and snotty tissues.  He grabbed the cough syrup and the dose cup, waiting for Ethan to press a tissue to his face and sneeze before handing them over.

 

“Hatshoo!”

 

“Am I allowed to start blessing you again?”

 

Ethan nodded.  “Thanks.”   He poured out the cough syrup and swallowed it, making a face.   “Can you grab me an extra blanket while you’re up?  Closet next to the bathroom.”

 

Tim grabbed a blanket from the closet and draped it over Ethan, then tucked the blankets around him.   “Let’s find a movie while you fall asleep.”

 

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

I love them both so much!

[ID2006]

I can't get enough of these two 

[aggedy_ann]

Tim was gone when Ethan woke up for his snack.   The note on the table reminded Ethan that he had run out for groceries and would be back soon.    Ethan was quickly back asleep.   When he awoke again, he was vaguely aware of the aroma of chicken floating around his apartment.   

 

“Hachoo!”  He buried a loud sneeze into his elbow and sniffled.   Well, he had been vaguely aware.

 

“Bless you,” called Tim from the kitchen.  “You woke up just in time for lunch.”

 

Ethan made his way into the kitchen to find Tim spooning soup into a plastic container.   A crock pot sat on the counter. 

 

“Hey,” Tim said brightly.  “Hungry?”

 

Ethan nodded.  “Yeah.   What is all this?” He gestured to the counter.  

 

Tim blushed.  “I probably went overboard, but I love to cook.  Especially if I have someone8 to cook for.   You have chicken dumpling soup, lemon pepper chicken with rice, and in the crockpot is beef stew.  Hopefully, you won’t have to cook anything until you feel better.”

 

“Except for breakfast.”

 

Tim shook his head as the oven timer dinged. “Bacon, egg and cheese breakfast muffins.” He said, setting them on the counter.  “I made a few of those recipes we found this morning, too.  For snacks.”

 

Ethan coughed.  And stared.   “You didn’t have to do all this.”

 

Tim shrugged.  “I like to cook.”

 

“At least let me pay you back for everything.”

 

“We’ll figure that out later.”  Tim reassured him.   “The beef stew won’t be ready until dinner, but do you want the soup or the chicken?”

 

“Soup.” Was Ethan’s hoarse response.  

 

“Thought so.  You were coughing in your sleep, so I imagine your throat is sore.”

 

Ethan nodded.  “I’ll be right back.”  He returned a few minutes later and sat down to the bowl of soup Tim had waiting for him.  “Looks good.” He sniffled.   

 

“I stayed away from spicy.  I figured you probably don’t enjoy that.”

 

Ethan shook his head.  “Not really.  I guess I’m just sensitive to that stuff.  I know it clears your sinuses out, but…”

 

“There’s the leftover chicken noodle if you decide you want to go that route.”

 

Ethan chuckled.  “We’ll see.”  He took a few bites of soup.  “This is good.”

 

“Thanks.” Tim said, shyly.

 

Ethan ducked into his arm to sneeze.  “Hatchoo!  How’d you get so good at this?”

 

“Bless you.  I told you, I had bad allergies when I was a kid.  Since I couldn’t hang out outside with my brothers, my mom taught me.   Then I dated a chef for awhile who fine tuned everything.”

 

Ethan nodded.  “They did a good job.”   He rubbed his nose.   

 

“Anyway, it’s another way for me to be creative.  And I love being in the kitchen.  You can ask my friends.  I’m always having them over for dinner.  And showing up with soup when they get sick.”

 

“I can barely handle the basics.” 

 

“I noticed your kitchen was rather sparse.”  Tim admitted.   “I stocked it for you.”

 

Ethan laughed.  “I probably won’t know what to do with half of it,”

 

“You’ll learn.”  Tim reassured him.

 

Tim watched as Ethan finished his soup and toast.   “Get enough to eat?”

 

“Yeah.  Not real hungry yet.”

 

“Ok.  Go rest while I clean up.”

 

Ethan shook his head.  “You cooked.  I can at least do the dishes.”

 

Tim shook his head.

 

“I’m helping with the dishes.”

 

“You’re sick.  You’re not getting your germs hands all over the dishes.” Tim said, teasingly.

 

Ethan laughed.  “Fair point.”  He refilled his water bottle and headed for the couch, sneezing loudly.   

 

Tim joined him a short bit later.  “I think that show we were watching last night is on Netflix.  Want to start binge watching?”

 

Ethan laughed.  “There’s 10 seasons.  Is that an indication you’ll be around for a awhile?”

 

“That’s up to you.”  Tim was serious.

 

Ethan nodded.  “Ahshoo!” He cupped his hands over his nose to block the sneeze.   “That’s not my answer.”  He said, nodding at Tim’s blessing and taking the tissues he offered.  “Thanks.”  He blew his nose and went for the hand sanitizer.  “I think I’d like it if you were.”

 

Tim wrapped an arm around Ethan pulling him in next to him, wrapping the blanket around him.  They spent the evening together, talking and laughing at their sitcom with Tim blessing Ethan’s increasingly more frequent sneezes.   

 

Dustin called around 8, leaving Ethan concerned after the call.  “The cold’s messing with his asthma. Hatchoo!” He told Tim, punctuating his statement with a loud sneeze.  

 

“Bless you.”  Tim told him, understanding that Dustin was in for a rough road.   “He ok alone?”

 

“He says he is.  Inhaler’s managing everything.”   

 

Tim nodded.  “I’m sure he’ll let you know if he need anything.”  He said as Ethan launched into his fourth harsh coughing fit of the last hour.

 

“I think it’s cough syrup and bed for you.”  Tim said firmly when Ethan was done and had caught his breath.   

 

“I’m…Ahshoo! I’m fine.” Ethan protested.  

 

“How about you at least lay down?”  A Ethan’s expression, he continued.  “We can keep watching tv in there.  I won’t push the cough syrup just yet.  But take your pills first, ok.”

 

Ethan’s expression hardened.  “Don’t tell me what to do.” He snapped

 

“I just don’t want you to fall asleep before you take them, and then have to wake up for them.”

 

Ethan relaxed.  “Sorry.  I just…”

 

“I know.  It’s a learning curve.  We’ll figure it out.”

 

Ethan nodded, coughing into his sleeve.

 

“At least use the inhaler, please.”

 

Ethan nodded.  “Probably not a bad idea.  But if I’m going to lay down, I need my snack first.”  He plucked a tissue from the box and blew his nose.

 

“Sorry.   I forgot.  I’ll get the snack ready.  You go do your thing.  Meet you in the kitchen.”

 

Tim sat there as Ethan coughed and sneezed his way through a peanut butter protein ball and a glass of milk.   After finishing, Ethan made a detour in the way to the bedroom, grabbing the cough syrup from the living room.

 

Ethan swallowed the cough syrup and lay down, switching on Netflix, picking up where they left off.  Ethan piled the blankets over him, propping himself up in the pillows.    

 

“Still cold?”  At Ethan’s nod, “how’s your fever?”  Ethan shrugged and Tim left to grasp the thermometer.

 

“100.5.  NyQuil on board?”  

 

Ethan nodded, grabbing a tissue.  “Atshoo!”

 

“Bless you.   You’ve got one stubborn fever.”

 

“Yeah.”  Ethan yawned.  “I think I good for maybe just two more episodes at most.”

 

Tim chuckled.  “I think so, too.  You look pretty tired.”

 

Ethan nodded, eyelids drooping.   True to his word, he was dozing before the end of the second episode.

 

“I’m gonna let you sleep.”  Tim told him, exiting out of the app.   “I’ll see you in the morning unless you need me, ok.”

 

Ethan nodded, hastily burying a sneeze in his right elbow.   “Goodnight.” He sniffled.

 

Tim was awake and fixing breakfast when Ethan got up.   

 

“Hey,” he grinned. “I can almost smell that.”   

 

He took the pancake and bacon from Tim and sat down.  “Don’t make too many,” he warned.  “I can only have one.”  He took the sugar free syrup from Tim.  “I haven’t had pancakes in forever.  Sometimes I buy toaster waffles.”  He said.  

 

“They’re hard to make for one.  And they get all rubbery when you reheat them.”   

 

“Yeah.  Hahshoo!”

 

“Starting up with the sneezes again?”

 

Ethan laughed.   “You missed the first two.”

 

Tim sat down with his own pile of pancakes and took the syrup.   “Well, bless you then.”

 

“Thanks.”  Ethan sniffled, taking a bite.  “Again, these are really good.”

 

“Thanks.”  Tim paused as Ethan started coughing.  “Cough’s started up again too?”

 

Ethan nodded, taking a sip of his milk.   “I took the inhaler and cough syrup.   I’ve been coughing off and on since six.  Surprised you didn’t hear me.”

 

“So you’ll be sleeping.”

 

“Yeah.  Hope thahhAhhshoo! That’s ok.”

 

“I think you still need it.  Still cold?”

 

Ethan shook his head.  “Hot today.”

 

They jumped into conversation as Ethan sneezed his way through breakfast and the next hour, Tim noticing how Ethan was totally unbothered by the sneezes.

 

“Hahshoo!”

 

“17.  This doesn’t bother you?”

 

“It gets annoying when it’s this many, but I’m used to.  Can’t remember not doing it.” He shrugged, blowing his nose.   “I should call Dustin.”

 

“Is he up?  Do you want to wake him?”

 

“He’s up early.  And I think I’m done sneezing.”   Ethan picked up the phone and dialed.    
 

 

That’s it for here.   The rest of the story can be found in Looking After Dustin.   

 

 

[2SHY222]

I'm in love with these two 💕. More more more...uh pwease 😁