Cranky

[aggedy_ann]

I felt like writing some more broken arm Tim, only this time Ethan is the one who’s down with the cold.

 

“HahHahShoo!”  Ethan’s sneeze was exceptionally loud that morning and startled Cashew, who immediately leapt from his side to Tim’s casted arm.

“Yeow!” Yelped Tim, shoving the larger of the two cats away, glaring at Ethan.   “Do you have to scare the cat?  And, cover!”

Ethan rolled his eyes; he hadn’t known Tim was awake when he’d just let the sneeze go.    “Can’t reinfect you.   How’s your arm?”

“Hurts.”  Tim pouted.   He’d broken his arm a little over a week ago and immediately come down with a mild cold.   He’d recovered quickly, and they thought Ethan had escaped it.   But just as Tim’s symptoms were down to a few stray sneezes and a lingering cough, Ethan started with a sore throat and an upward trend in his sneezing.   By bedtime last night, he’d had his tell tale earache and despite NyQuil, had spent the night waking up to sneeze.

Ethan pulled a tissue from the box to blow his nose.   “Sorry.”  He sighed.  “I have no control over the volume.  Or how your cat will react.”

Tim grumbled under his breath, getting out of bed.   Ethan chose to ignore it, not feeling up to engaging Tim in a fight this early in the day.   Besides, he had to sneeze again.   He pressed his damp tissue to his nose.   “AtChoo!”

“Bless you.”  Tim muttered, pulling his jeans on and walking towards the bathroom.   Ethan pulled the covers up over his head and tried to go back to sleep, a feat made more difficult by the fact that his nose was already awake and started on his morning sneezes.

Tim was back in the bedroom 10 minutes later.  “Breakfast.”

Ethan sighed.  “Wannahh AhShoo! Try to sleep.” He mumbled around his tissue.

“You need to eat.”

“It’s Saturday.  I’m sick.  I’m allowed to try to sleep in a little.”

“I already made oatmeal.  It’s getting cold.”  Tim’s tone was steely. 

“Don’t want oatmeal.”  Ethan sniffled.

“It’ll feel good on your throat.  Get up; it’s time for cold medicine anyway.”  He turned and headed back to the kitchen.

Ethan dragged himself out of bed and into the bathroom.  Insulin and cold medicine on board, he glanced in the mirror to see if he looked as bad as he felt before turning away to direct another powerful sneeze at the floor.  “HatChoo!”

Blowing his nose, he plopped in a kitchen chair in front of the oatmeal and fruit Tim had out for him.   “I wanted an omelet.”  He complained.  “I’m sick.  I need protein.”

“Oatmeal’s about all I can make with one hand.”  Tim was short.  “We’re out of Raisin Bran, and you can’t eat Fruity Pebbles.”

“I could have made it.”

“If you ever decided to get out of bed.”

Ignoring Tim’s tone, Ethan ducked down into the crook of his arm and sneezed.  “AtChoo!”  Straightening up, he picked up his spoon and began slowly eating, timing bites between sneezes.    

“I thought we’d start cleaning once you’re washed up and dressed.”  Tim said as Ethan put their bowls in the sink.  Only, it didn’t sound like something Tim was just thinking about.

Ethan sighed, almost inaudible.  “Tim, I’m going back to bed.”

“Let’s just get the cleaning out of the way.”  Tim persisted.

A deep breath from Ethan, followed by a quick inhale as he lifted his t-shirt over his nose.  “HahChoo!  I want to go back to bed.”  He repeated, patiently.  “I didn’t sleep well.”

“I know.”  Tim grumbled.  “You’re not the only one who kept waking up.”

“Sorry.  The cleaning can wait.”

“I want to get it done.”  Tim was irritated.  “Not save it for Sunday.”

“Then do it without me.”

Tim glared.   “You know all I can do is dust.   And maybe laundry.  Slowly.”

“And I’ll do the rest when I get up.”

Tim looked petulant.  “This is the plan for the weekend.”  He said, shortly, unconsciously rubbing his casted arm.

“Plans change.”  Ethan sighed, picking up a napkin to blow his nose.

“We’ve got to go grocery shopping, too.”

“Tomorrow.”  Ethan was firm on that as he brought his napkin up.  “AhShoo!”  He turned to head towards the bedroom when he caught Tim grimacing and rubbing his arm again.  “Arm hurts?”

“Can tell you graduated nursing school.” He snapped.  “20 pounds of cat jumping on it felt wonderful.”

“Take anything for the pain?”

“I’m not taking a pain pill.” Tim snapped again.

“Tylenol?  Ice pack?  Both?  Maybe rest it?”

Tim glared.  “It’s your fault.”  The irritable tone was back in his voice.

“And it’s yours if you do nothing about it.   I’m sorry I sneezed. I’m sorry I scared the cat.   I’m sorry he jumped on you.  I’m done apologizing.  I’m going back to bed.”  This time he turned and walked to the bedroom.

He sat there on the bed, rubbing his temples for a few minutes before directing another sneeze over his shoulder towards the headboard.  “AtChoo!”

“Cover!”  Tim snapped, walking into the room.   “Jeez, is this how you act when you’re alone?  You’re a nurse; you should know better.” 

Ethan sighed, blowing his nose, then crawled under the blankets.  “What do you want?”  He sighed.  “Other than for me to get up and clean?”

Tim grabbed a t-shirt, slipped it on, then replaced his sling.   Coughing, he cleared his throat.   “We’re cleaning after lunch,” he informed Ethan.

Ethan shrugged, wrapping the blankets around him and snuggling in.  “Sure.  I mean, I’m already sneezing like no end.  What’s a little more?”  He pulled his tissue box off the nightstand and nestled it in next to him.  Looking at Tim, he sighed.  “I forgot water.  Can you please get me some?”

With an disgruntled sigh and no small amount of just audible grumbling, Tim fetched the water, plopping it on Ethan’s nightstand.

“Thank you.”  Ethan bit his lip before speaking.  “Given anymore thought to resting your arm?”  He yawned.

“I took some Tylenol.”

“Get an ice pack, lay down and elevate it.  If you didn’t sleep well either, then the nap will be good.”

“So you can keep waking me up sneezing? And get the cat to jump on me again.   Please make it Coco this time.”

Ethan sighed.  “Lay on the couch?”

“Not comfortable with my arm.”

“Suit yourself.   I’m going to try to sleep.”

“Fine.”

“HatShoo!”

A grumpy blessing.

“Thank you.”  Ethan rolled on his side.

“Cover. Don’t sneeze on my pillows.”

“Can’t reinfect you.” Ethan sighed again.  He shut his eyes as Tim left the room,  and had to admit, he was grateful for the other man’s absence.

He had just nodded off when he sensed someone in the room.   Opening his eyes, he saw Tim next to the bed, holding an ice pack.  “AtShoo!”  He clasped a hand over his nose.

“Bless you.”  Tim’s tone was slightly gentler this time as he carefully got into bed, elevating his arm.  He struggled placing the ice pack.

“May I?”  Tim nodded, and Ethan adjusted the ice pack over Tim’s cast.   “How’s that?”

“Pretty good.”

“Well, I did go to nursing school.”  Ethan remarked in reference to Tim’s earlier snarky comment.  

Tim looked away.  “Sorry.”

“Arm is pretty sore, huh?”

“Yeah.”

Ethan coughed.  “I don’t think I’m going to be as lucky with this cold as you were.”

“I’m sorry I got you sick.”

Ethan shrugged.  “Happens.”

“I’m sorry I can’t really take care of you.   That you’ll probably still have to do almost everything around here.”

Ethan looked at him, realization spreading across his face, then quickly jerked his head away into his shoulder.  “HahShoo!”  Looking back to Tim, “is this why you’re in such a bad mood?”

Tim shrugged.  “I unno.   I mean, my arm hurts.   I can’t do anything.  And then, I get you sick.   Pretty much sucks.” He bit his lip, looking away.

Ethan put a hand on his upper arm, above the cast.   “Hey,” he smiled.  “We’ll make it work.  But for now, can we catch up on sleep?”
 

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

Aw! I was wondering why Tim was being such a dick, but now I understand.

[brownsasha11]

Aww poor Tim feeling useless and not knowing how to cope. Glad he got there in the end by communicating his feelings 

[aggedy_ann]

It took awhile (this last course is kicking my ass), but there’s a part 2

 

Ethan was lucky enough to sleep until lunch.   He didn’t even notice Tim slip out of the bed midway through the morning.   There were a few brief awakenings for sneezes, but he was awake no more than a few seconds before falling back to sleep, barely even aware that he had woken up.

He was aware of Tim’s hand on his shoulder, talking to him.    He opened his eyes and looked up at him.   

“Lunch.”

Ethan started to protest.

“I know, I know.   Not hungry, but.”

“I know.  Gotta eat.”  He swung his legs over the side of the bed and sat up.   “Hatshoo!”  He smothered a sneeze with his forearm.

“Bless you.  Go get ready.  Get dressed, finally.”

Ethan was in the kitchen a few minutes later, taking a seat at the table with his tissues.   Tim set a sandwich in front of him, setting chips and pickles on the table.   “Thanks.”  Ethan sniffled, noticing Tim rub his arm again.   Ethan was about to comment, but something made him think better of it.

Tim sat down with his own sandwich.   “Ready to get to work?”  He asked, taking a bite.

Ethan closed his eyes briefly, a resigned look on his face.   “No,” he sighed, “but, let’s just get it done.”   He continued eating his sandwich.   

“I made a grocery list.”

“Thanks.  I’ll take it to the store tomorrow.” 

“We’re out of orange juice.”  Tim said, flatly.  “You need it.”

Ethan coughed into his fist.  “I’m sure I’ll be fine without it for one morning.”

“You’re sick.  You need the vitamin C.”

Ethan glanced at the counter.  “We still have oranges.  I’ll eat one of those.”

“But-“

Ethan cut him off.   “I’m sick.  I’m tired.  I don’t feel like driving to the grocery store and fighting my way through a crowd to get orange juice.   If we’re out of NyQuil, I’ll go, but otherwise, tomorrow.”  He fixed Tim with a steely gaze for about a second before he ducked down into his t-shirt.  “HahShoo!”

“Bless you.”  Was it his imagination or did Tim sound like he was pouting?

He finished his sandwich and stood up to put the dishes in the sink.  “I know it’s sheet week, but I’m sick on these sheets.   No sense in changing them until I’m better.   I’ll get the laundry if you want to start the dishwasher.”

Tim began unloading and loading the dishwasher while he started the first load of laundry.   They met in the living room.   Ethan sprayed a dust cloth down with enddust for Tim and took once for himself, then began wiping down surfaces; Tim followed, much more slowly.    

“AtShoo!”  Ethan was sneezing after making his way through less than half the living room.

“Bless you.  Already?” 

“You know being sick like this makes me more sensitive.”  Ethan reminded him, in a less than friendly tone.  He rubbed his nose on his sleeve and kept working.   

“Ugh.  We shouldn’t have skipped last week.”  Tim was rubbing his nose to stall off his sneezes.   

“Yeah, well, I took pity on you.”

Tim looked like he was going to offer something in retort, but instead moved to the bedroom where Ethan heard him sneezing.   ‘At least,’ he thought, ‘the dust was going to take both of them down.’

With a powerful “HatChoo!” he moved to the spare room and got to work.   Tim would get to relax after this part.   He still had to deal with the dust with sweeping and vacuuming.    Eyes watering, he made his way over every surface in the room, then headed to the kitchen to pick up the broom.

He made a quick detour into the living room for his tissues.  Tim was on the couch, tissue in hand.   “UhhHesshoo! HessSchoo!”  He watched as Tim snapped forward into his tissue, the blew his nose with one hand, a skill he’d become well practiced at over the last week.

“Bless you.”  Ethan sniffled, blowing his own nose and turning to look at Tim.   “HatShoo!”  He hastily brought the tissue back up, feeling the congestion roll right back in.

“Bless you.”  Tim paused for Ethan to blow his nose again.   “I’m gonna be doing this all day now.” He sighed.

“Yeah, well, it was already on my agenda.”  Ethan said tersely.   “Why not amplify it?” He muttered as he made his way to the kitchen and the broom.  2 sneezes sweeping up the kitchen.  3 sneezes in each bedroom, vacuuming, and then it was time to vacuum the living room.    

Taking a quick break to switch the laundry (one sneeze), he returned to the living room to find Tim sprawled on the couch.   Rubbing his itchy eyes, he coughed, plugging in the vacuum.    “AhShoo!”  

“Bless you.”

Ethan didn’t respond, just kicked the vacuum on, sneezing again, 2 minutes later.  “HahShoo!”  And 2 minutes later came an “AtChoo!” so quickly, he didn’t quite make it into his shoulder before he erupted.

“Cover!”  He heard Tim snap.

He shut the vacuum off.  “I was trying.  It was too fast for me.”  Ethan snapped back, grabbing a tissue from his box on the coffee table.  “Just cut me a break.  I can’t reinfect you, for crying out loud.”   

Tim glared, but said nothing as Ethan, more forcefully this time, kicked the vacuum back on and continued cleaning…and sneezing.   2 sneezes later he was done, had stalked from the room, and Tim heard him putting the vacuum away, then in the bathroom, running water, presumably trying to wash the itchiness from his face.

He came back and dropped in Tim’s recliner, grabbing his tissue box as Tim let out another double.

“Yyehhshoo! HehhYehhschoo!”

“HahShoo!”  Came Ethan’s response.  

“What if we run out of tissues?”

“I’m not going to the store.”

“But-“

Ethan cut him off.  “There’s a full box in the closet.  We should be fine.”

“I still think we should…”

“I’ll use toilet paper.”  Ethan’s tone was low, daring Tim to challenge him.   “HatChoo!”

“Stop sneezing.”  Tim rubbed his nose.

“I would if I could.   This isn’t my fault.”

“Your allergy.”

“Your cold. You insisted on cleaning.”  He leaned back, sighing and pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes.

“HahTahSchoo! AhhSchoo!”

Ethan looked over to see Tim grimace slightly.  “You ok?”

“Fine.”  Tim blew off the question with a clipped tone.   

“AhChoo!”  Grabbing another tissue, he groaned and headed off to check the laundry.   Thanks to Tim’s stubbornness, he was going to spend the next hour with an allergy attack he really didn’t want.   He switched the laundry to the dryer and started the second load. 

Coughing, he walked into the kitchen for some water.  Tim was hunched into a handful of paper towels, sneezing, when he stepped in.  

“HuhhSchoo! YuhhHuhSchoo! YuhhhSchoo! YuhhShuhSchoo!”  Tim finished.  

“Bless you.”  He noticed Tim rubbing his arm as he concluded his fit.   “Arm still hurting?”

“Sneezing doesn’t help.”  Tim muttered.  “Kinda jars it around.”

Ethan took a drink of water.   “Pain pill?”he suggested again.

“No.” Tim snapped.

“HatShoo!”  Ethan sighed, blowing his nose again, resisting the temptation to just scrub at his eyes.   He coughed again, and sat down.  “Think you can handle the laundry one handed?

Tim gave an irritated frown.  “My arm hurts.” He reminded Ethan in a tone that implied it was all Ethan’s fault.

Ethan resisted the urge to sigh.   “I’d like to-to-AhShoo…to just lay down and have my allergy attack in peace.”

“Go take a Benadryl.”

“Can’t on cold medicine.” Ethan shot back.  Blowing his nose again, he got up and went to the fridge, pulling out soup ingredients.

“What are you doing?”

“I want soup.   If I’ve got to wait for the laundry to finish, might as well make it now.” He pulled the soup pot out, then ducked away.  “AtChoo!”

“You can’t cook sneezing like this.” Tim protested.  

“You can’t do it one handed.” Ethan pointed out, not very gently, ignoring the hurt look on Tim’s face.   “And I can’t reinfect you anyway.”   He began melting butter in the pot.

“HuhhRuhhShoo! RruhhShehh!”

Ethan looked over to see Tim wince.  “Just remember, dusting was your idea.”

“And the cat jumping on my arm was apparently yours.”

“That was an accident!”

Tim glared.  

“HatShoo!”

“Bless you.” Tim grumbled, grimacing as his arm spasmed.   

Ethan caught that too as he poured in the liquid ingredients for the soup to bring to a boil.   He gave a deep sigh.   “Take. A. Pain. Pill.”  He said through gritted teeth.

“No.”

“You’ve taken, what, 4 in the last week?  Take one.” 

“Don’t wanna.” Tim glared.

“Why not?” Ethan snapped.

Tim sighed.  “I really don’t like the way they make me feel.” He finally admitted.

Ethan briefly looked concerned before a sneeze interrupted.  “HatChoo!  How…how do they make you feel?”

“Groggy, spacey, loopy.  They knock me out pretty good.”

Ethan stirred the soup.  “Is that such a bad thing today? You’re in pain, you’re cranky.”  

Tim started to protest.

Ethan wasn’t having it.  “And all I wanted was to spend the day in bed too.   Go take one.” He ordered. 

“Are you coming?”

“When I finish here.”  Ethan’s tone warmed.   He stirred the soup again.

“The laundry?”

“Can just take longer.”

Tim headed off to take the hated pain pill, the crawled into bed with an ice pack, waiting for it work…and for Ethan.   He could hear Ethan sneezing away in the kitchen as he finished the soup, and he felt a twinge of guilt for making him dust, knowing how his cold would impact his allergy.    

Ethan came in a bit later, pulling fresh tissues from his box.   “HahShoo!  Sneezing’s starting to slow down.”  He gave a weak smile.  “How’s the pain?”

“Starting to get better.”  Tim admitted, yawning.  

“Think maybe we can go to sleep and wake up with both of us in a better mood?”

Tim looked way as Ethan sat down.   “Yeah,” he said softly.

Ethan lay down.  “Gonna take me awhile to fall asleep.” He pointed out.   “Still sneezing from the dust.”

“Sorry.    And I’m not gonna have that problem.” He yawned again, pulling the blanket up around him.

“AhtShoo!”  Ethan curled around his tissue box and closed his eyes.

“Bless you.” Came Tim’s last drowsy comments before he started snoring.

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

Aw! I feel so bad for both of them!