Attack

[aggedy_ann]

Ethan snatched the box of tissues from the coffee table and collapsed on the couch with a sigh.  The onset of spring with its blossoming trees and rocketing pollen counts was the cause of his present agony.

 

Closing his eyes, he let out a long sigh and lay there, listening to the hum of the air purifier, a sound that frequently faded into the background for him, and one that Tim complained about at night.   Today, he had never been more grateful for its whir.   

 

He blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to alleviate the itching.  It seemed as though there were a thousand fine grains of sand penetrating his blue eyes.   He didn’t need a mirror to know how red they were; the copious amount of watering had him clued in.  ‘You’d think the watering would wash them out.’ He grumbled, fighting the irresistible urge to rub at them.   The scratch-itch cycle was one thing that had resonated with him from nursing school, and it was a phenomena he had experienced time and time again.   

 

The prickling in his nose intensified, itchy and tickly.   He felt it twitch involuntarily before he was curled forward as the sneeze burst from him.  He tried to pull his elbow up in time, but the sneeze escaped freely uncovered, and he could only watch the spray mist the sofa.

 

A loud sniffle, and he yanked a tissue from the box to blow his nose, filling the tissue with clear liquid, feeling the dampness as it soaked through.   Rubbing his hand on his dark blue scrubs, he groaned softly, depositing the tissue on the coffee table.  His nose still burned with sneezes yet to come.  

 

Desperate for a distraction, he switched on the TV.   Sports.  Tim must have been watching as he waited for Freddie to pick him up to go biking.  He moved to change the channel, dropping the remote, cursing as it slipped under the couch.  Sports it was.  The last thing he needed at this moment was a nose full of dust.   The tingling in his nose was nearly painful just thinking about it, leading his eyes to prick with tears.

 

A second forceful sneeze ripped through him, scraping his itching throat.  He flopped back down as his body relaxed, and wiped his nose with the back of his hand, grimacing at the sliminess.

 

“Bless you.”  He heard as he grabbed a tissue and mopped up his nose.  A wet blow that sounded as slimy as it felt, and he poked his head up.

 

“Hi.” His voice sounded thick with congestion.  

 

Tim stayed in the kitchen.  “You…damn, you look miserable.”  Tim took in Ethan’s bloodshot, watery eyes, raw, dripping nose.  “I’m gonna shower.” He cleared his throat.  “We went up into the hills.  You’re probably allergic to me right now.”

 

Ethan’s response was to press a handful of tissues to his nose, barely muffling a third violent sneeze that left his head spinning.

 

“Bless you.” Tim called, walking down the hall.

 

“Save it for the end.” Ethan called back, deep notes of congestion evident as he spoke.

 

He quickly rendered his wad of tissues useless with another blow, and prepped himself with another set in anticipation of the next sneeze.  They were coming quicker now; the attack he’d held at bay for the last hour had arrived with a vengeance.

 

He heard the stream shower running down the hall, letting out a wistful sigh.  A shower would feel amazing, relieve the toxic feeling in his eyes, wash off any pollen that had attached to him in his walks from car to building and building to car.  He didn’t dare at the moment, not with these sneezes; he’d be lucky to not maim himself, let alone maintain his balance.

 

Another sneeze.  They were moving closer together as the attack settled in.  He could feel it taking root; the burning urge was constant now, unrelieved by each sneeze and all he could do was wait for the next one.  He loathed his sneeze pattern at this moment; always so spaced out, even during the worst attacks, there was always an agonizing space between.

 

T.S. Eliot was right, he thought, bitterly.  April truly was the cruelest month.  May was an improvement, but he wouldn’t feel good until June came calling.  

 

Swiping at his eyes, he turned his focus to the television, blurred by allergic tears.  Sports couldn’t move his focus from his misery as he sneezed three times over five minutes, each one jerking him forward viciously.   He rubbed his neck with the tissue-less hand, trying to ease the aching from the dozens of sneezes he had already endured today, knowing it was not over.

 

The sneezes kept piling on, every minute or so.  He was vaguely aware of the shower shutting off and Tim’s singing as he got dressed between sneezes and moments of desperate, burning agony between sneezes as hot tears leaked onto his cheekbones.    He swiped at his eyes again and attempted another noseblow to quell the stinging tickle, only to be rewarded with another powerful, spasming sneeze.  His eyes itched relentlessly, hell, even his face itched; remembering itch-scratch, he willed his hands to stay at his sides unless he was tending to his nose.

 

He was unaware of time, how long it lasted before the sneezing slowed down again, the intensity if the itching lessened.  His nose no longer felt as if it were on fire, and blowing no longer fanned the flames.   He was vaguely aware of Tim joining him, mid fit, sitting silently in the chair, waiting.  

 

A final, sneeze, louder than the rest, erupted from him, folding him double on the couch.  Two, four, six, wet, crackly nose blows later and he righted himself, wiping his eyes with a fresh tissue.   He offered Tim a weak attempt at a smile.

 

“Bless you.”  Tim’s voice was gentle, as he slipped in next to him.   “That sounded miserable.  I could hear you in the shower.”

 

Ethan nodded, eyes and nose still dripping.   He accepted the new box of tissues from Tim, setting them on the table.  “Rough day.”  He looked over at Tim, hair still wet from his shower, red ringlets forming on his hairline.  “Next time you’re not covered in pollen, maybe I’ll join you.” Came his comment as he rested his head on Tim’s shoulder.

[Chanel_no5]

Okay, as you know I'm not into guys, but I saw this sentence in the "unread content" : 

Quote

The onset of spring with its blossoming trees and rocketing pollen counts was the cause of his present agony.

and I swear I went feral.  Same with your descriptions of the allergy symptoms. Awesome.   

[abigailwatson]

😍

[SterlingSilver]

This is so lovely!! Great descriptions and characterization ❤️ thank you for sharing!

[NotWho]

I love your descriptions