Pain Meds and Cold Meds Don’t Mix

[aggedy_ann]

So, I know I’ve got other projects I should be working on, but I really wanted some broken arm Tim.    
 

so here is part one.    
 

Ethan looked up towards the stove at the whispered curse word from Tim.  “You ok?”

 

Tim turned, gave a tight lipped smile.   “Yeah.” He mumbled.    

 

“Want me to finish lunch?”  He asked as Tim fumbled with spatula and his non dominant hand.   “How’s the arm?”   His gaze drifted over to Tim’s cast.   

 

“Less annoying than this cold…and you.”   Tim mumbled the last part, the instinctively reached for the frying pan with his left hand.   “Ow!” 

 

Ethan was up and at his side.   “What is it?  What’s wrong?”   

 

Tim pushed him away.  “Just forgot I can’t use my arm.”

 

“How bad’s the pain? Getting worse?”

 

“No worse than when I broke it.”  He sniffled.   “Just have to remember I can’t use it.”

 

“It’ll get better in a few days…” Ethan started to reassure him, stopping when he noticed Tim’s glare. “Do you want me to get you a pain pill?” He finished, hesitantly.

 

“There’s Tylenol in the cold medicine.   I took ibuprofen at 10.”  Tim answered.

 

“If you’re in pain…”

 

“I don’t like the way the pain meds make me feel.”  Tim was insistent.  He stepped away from the stove.  “AhhRahShahh! AhhRahhshh!”   This was followed by a wince he prayed Ethan didn’t notice.

 

Ethan, of course, did.   “Why don’t you rest and let me finish lunch?”

 

“Because you think I can’t do this with one hand?” Tim glared.

 

“Because I don’t want you handling my food with that cold.”

 

Tim glared but threw himself down in a kitchen chair.  Ethan took his spot at the stove, boiling up soup and flipping grilled cheese sandwiches.   

 

He set a plate and bowl in front of Tim as Tim sneezed again.   “Bless you.”

 

“Thanks.”  Tim was sullen as he reached for a spoon, and carefully began to eat.

 

Ethan joined him with his own plate and bowl.    “You wanna try ice on your arm after we eat?”

 

Tim shook his head.   “Can’t feel it through the cast.”

 

Ethan nodded, seeing he clearly wasn’t going to be able to do anything to make Tim happy today.  

 

“Take your bowl?”  He asked when Tim was done.

 

“I’ve got it,” Tim’s tone was sharp as he stacked his plate and bowl and stood up.   He managed to set everything down before the next set of sneezes struck him, but in turning away, he banged his broken arm against the sink.   “Hihhschoo! HihhhYuhhschoo! YuhhSchoo!  HuhhYuhhUschh!  Fuck.” He moaned.

 

Ethan placed a hand on his shoulder, “I’ll finish cleaning up.   Why don’t you rest?”

 

To his surprise, Tim didn’t bite his head off.   Just headed for the other room.

 

Ethan finished up the kitchen and dishes, then made his own way to the living room, where Tim lay on the couch.

 

He looked up, then immediately grabbed a tissue, smashing it over his nose.   “YahhShoo! YahhHahSchuhh! This sucks.”

 

“Bless you.   I don’t doubt that.”  

 

Tim moved his feet aside, making room for Ethan on the couch, then took another tissue from the box, blowing his nose with his non dominant hand, a move that was not as awkward as it had been a few days ago.  

 

“Rough day?”

 

Tim waved his hand to indicate it kinda was as Ethan sat down.    He placed the tissue box on his lap and sighed.    “Bad timing.”

 

“For the arm or for a cold?”

 

“Try for both.”  Tim grumbled.    

 

“Is this where I try to push pain meds on you again?

 

“I took half of one.”  Tim frowned.    “I didn’t know if I could wait until 4.”

 

Ethan nodded, bringing his arm up across his face.  “HatChoo!”

 

Tim gave him an odd look.

 

“Just a sneeze, Tim, probably from the cleaning spray.   Haven’t caught your cold.”

 

“Wasn’t worried.  Just…”

 

“Just what?”

 

Never mind.   It’s dumb.”

 

Given Tim’s attitude this morning, Ethan decided not to push it.   “Pill helping yet?”

 

Tim shrugged.  “I think I gotta give it more than 10 minutes.”  He rubbed his good wrist under his nose, the scrunched it a few times.    

 

“Nose is really getting to you today, huh?”

 

“Just itchy.”  Tim complained.   “I guess that’s better than constantly stuffy and runny.”

 

A nod from Ethan.   At least so far, Tim hadn’t had to deal with a lot of congestion or runny nose, both symptoms which kept him from sleeping; it had just been a mild cough and definitely more sneezing than Tim was used to.  “At least it’s not keeping you awake…” he tried to look on the positive side.

 

“No.  Just got my arm for that.”

 

Ethan frowned.   “I know you don’t like the pain pills, but maybe just a night for a day or two?”

 

“We’ll see.”  Came the final word.  “HuhhChussUhh! UhhhChuhhhsh!”

 

“Bless you.”  Ethan rubbed his knee as Tim yawned.   

 

“Pain pill taking over?”

 

“Starting to.”

 

Ethan reached for a tissue from the box on Tim’s chest, pausing for a second before pressing it to his nose. “AhtSchoo!”

 

Again, a strange look from Tim.

 

“Washed the counter, inhaled some of the cleaning spray.  Nose feels better after that last one.”  He explained, unnecessarily.

 

“Bless you.”  Tim looked like he was going to say more before Ethan sneezed again.

 

“HahShoo!  See, relax.  You know that cleaner does that to me if I’m not careful.   Only thing that gets me to sneeze that like that.”

 

“Bless you again.”  He paused.   “Why are sneezes?”

 

Ethan opened his mouth to respond, then gave Tim an odd look.  “What?”

 

“Why are sneezes?”

 

“Well, see, a sneeze happens to clear your nose of something irritating it, for the most part.   Like, just now, with the cleaning spray – inhaled too much and it got me sneezing like it does.    Or your cold – the virus is aggravating things in your nose, and you’re going to keep sneezing more than usual until you’re better.”   

 

“I know what a sneeze is,” he sighed, rolling his eyes.   “I meant, why are sneezes?”

 

“Ok.  Why are sneezes what?”

 

“Exactly.”  Tim answered, rubbing his nose with the back of his hand and yawning.

 

Ethan took a good look at Tim, noticing that his eyes were a bit more glazed over than they had been since he’d gotten sick.    “I think cold meds and pain meds are a combination we should avoid with you.”  He sighed.  

 

“Agreed.”  Tim nodded seriously.   “Now, my question.”

 

“I think you’ll have to elaborate.”

 

“Oh.”  Tim was silent for a minute.   “Why are they like they are if it’s the same thing for everyone?”

 

“Ummm.”

 

“Like why do I sneeze twice all the time?  Why don’t you?  Why do they all sound so different?”

 

“This is what being stoned on DayQuil and pain pills gets you babbling about?”

 

“I guess because I’ve been doing so much of it.”  Tim shrugged, smashing his wrist to his nose.  “HehhtChoo! YuhhEhhhtChuhhh!”

 

“Bless you.   It’s the way you’re wired, Tim.  Like, I guess genetics and stuff.   I guess I never really thought about it.”

 

A nod from Tim as Ethan continued.   “We’re all different.  What makes us sneeze is different, how we sneeze is different, how often and when we sneeze is different…we’re all unique in every way, this included.”

 

“I wish I sneezed like you.”  Tim yawned again.

 

“No, you don’t.”  Ethan laughed.    “I’ve gotten used to sneezing this often, but I don’t like it.   You hate how often you sneeze when you have a cold.   Imagine every day sneezing all the time.”

 

“Your sneezes sound better than mine.   And you don’t sneeze all the time.”

 

“I sneeze enough.”  He paused.  “What do you mean sound better?”

 

Tim pressed his tissue to his nose.   “Hold on…ok never mind.  Thought I was gonnahhh…AhhSchoo!  AhhHahhtChoo!   Mine are that.”   He sighed, blowing his nose.    “They’re the worst sneeze.   You have a neat sneeze.”

 

“A neat sneeze?”

 

“Quick and crisp and over with.”  He shrugged.   “Mine are…not that.  They’re loud and explosive and unpredictable.    And always the second worse that the first.”

 

“Oh.”  Ethan was silent for a minute.  “Are you telling me you hate sneezing?”

 

“Well, I hate it with my sneeze.   Maybe if I had yours, it’d be different.”  Tim reasoned.   

 

I think you need to sleep off these meds.”  Ethan looked serious.    “You want to sleep here, or you want help getting comfortable in bed?”

 

“Here.”  Tim pouted, annoyed at Ethan changing the subject.

 

Nodding, Ethan turned toward the end of the couch.   “HatChoo!”  He muffled into his shoulder, then looked back at Tim.   “That’s 4 times in 20 minutes.   You honestly think you’d like that?”

 

“No way of knowing.”  Tim sighed, pulling his blanket up.   “It’s stupid.   Forget I brought it up.”

 

“I’ll try.”  Ethan tried not to grin.  “Sleep.”

 

[2SHY222]

Oh my goodness high Tim is funny. Loved this 🥰

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

Aw! Poor—but adorable! 😄—Tim!

[Lady Blessington]

Love itttttttt 💓

[aggedy_ann]

Thanks y’all.  ❤️❤️❤️

 

There’s a part 2 to come as soon as I get it written.