*** A little after noon, a quiet knock sounded at the door.

You looked up to find your wife in the open doorway, a small bowl in her hands, steam curling upward.

“Do you have time for a break?” she asked.

You nodded, offering her a grateful smile as you closed your laptop and set it aside to make room on the desk.

She smiled back, though her gaze lingered on you a moment longer than usual, taking in your tired eyes and drawn expression.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, carefully setting the bowl of soup down in front of you.

“I’ve definitely felt better,” you said, sniffling lightly. “It hasn’t been the most productive day.”

She hummed knowingly. “I can imagine...” You clocked her tone and gave her a look, prompting her to lift her hands playfully in surrender.

You picked up the spoon and took a small mouthful of the soup she prepared for you. The warmth was comforting, but the spice you typically love hit sharper than you expected.

“…h’hihh-”

Your breath caught again. You turned your head quickly, tucking your face into your shoulder as two small sneezes slipped out.

“…’tchiew! …’tSCHiew!”

“Bless you,” she said sweetly, a smile beginning to form.

You sniffled and cleared your throat, quietly thanking her and letting out an embarrassed laugh as you gestured to the bowl. “I think the spice got me.”

You tried another spoonful, intending to swallow more slowly this time, but the reaction came almost immediately. Your breath hitched again with less warning this time.

“eihtchiew!…h’heh-Heh’tshiew-’tSHiew!!”

You heard her bless you after the first sneeze, but the second caught you before you could respond, the quick triple leaving you blinking, heat rising to your face as you finally recovered.

When you finally looked up, she was watching you.

Her mouth twitched.

“That… was very cute,” she admitted, trying not to laugh.

You felt yourself blush deeply. “I guess I’m overly sensitive today.”

The two of you talked for a few minutes, catching up while you finished your lunch. She lingered for a bit longer before finally standing.

“I should get back to it,” she said, taking a couple of steps toward the door.

“I should too,” you replied, clearing your throat. You masked a shiver by twisting to crack your back, earning a small wince from her.

“Do you think you’ll be able to wrap up early today?” she asked, hopeful. “I’d rather you not spend the entire day holed up in here sneezing by yourself.”

“Would you rather I spend the whole day sneezing out there with you?” you asked, amused, gesturing down the hall.

“Yes, actually, I would,” she quipped back.

You laughed and nodded, offering a reassuring smile. “I should be done in a few hours.”

She studied you for a second longer before returning your smile and slipping out of the room. ***

You tried to pick up where you’d left off, but a steady pressure was building in your head. You rubbed your eyes and let out a heavy sigh, trying to refocus when you realized you’d been staring at the same paragraph for several minutes.

When you next checked the time, you were surprised to find a little over an hour had passed since your wife left, and you’d made little progress on your work. Frustrated, you opened your messenger app and sent a note to your team, explaining the situation and apologizing for the delayed reports. The flood of “hope you feel better quickly!” messages helped ease your guilt somewhat, but it was enough to encourage you to close your computer and call it quits.

When you rose from your chair, the room tilted uncomfortably. You stood still for a moment, your hand flat on the desk, keeping you steady while you waited for the dizziness to pass. As soon as you felt more stable, you left your office.

Your skin felt overly sensitive, every brush of fabric setting your nerves on edge as you slowly walked down the hall. A few moments later, you felt the pressure in your face suddenly shift, making you pause and reach for the wall to maintain balance.

“Oh… hhih-” Your breath hitched once, twice, before a quick, breathy pair of sneezes broke free. “…’tchiew!-’tschiew!”

“Bless you!”

You startled and looked up. Your wife stood at the end of the hallway, her expression shifting instantly as she took you in.

She quickly walked toward you, concerned. “Are you alright?”

You exhaled slowly, shaking your head. “I think I need to lie down.”

Her hand was on your arm immediately, steadying you, her expression tightening as she felt the heat through your shirt.

“You’re… okay. Come on,” she murmured, more focused now.

She didn’t hesitate, guiding you away from the wall, her arm sliding around your waist as she walked you back toward the bedroom.

She eased you down onto the bed and immediately pressed her palm to your forehead.

“You’re really burning up,” she said softly, flipping her hand and pressing the back of it to your cheek.

You swallowed hard against the growing soreness in your throat. “I can’t remember the last time I had a fever.”

“I don’t think you’ve had one since we’ve been together,” she said, frowning now, really looking at you. “This seems like more than just a cold, love.”

Her hand moved to cup your cheek, your jaw, steadying your face as she tilted your head up.

You nodded, agreeing with her, when your nose began to twitch again. Your eyes fluttered briefly.

“I have to-” Your breath hitched sharply before the words could land, the sensation breaking through in a weak, uneven pair of sneezes. “…tschiew…eh’heh..h’tschiew…” Your head dipped forward as you sneezed openly down toward your lap.

She hummed softly, staying close. Her hands followed without hesitation, slipping into your hair as her fingers moved lightly at your scalp while you sniffled, waiting to see if you were done.

“Bless y…” Her voice trailed off as you interrupted her blessing.

“e‘tSHiew!… h‘TCHiuuew!…” You sneezed weakly down toward your lap again, only just realizing you weren’t covering at all. You felt a blush form as you hitched your way to the next set of sneezes, all the while your wife continued holding you close, her hands tangled in your hair.

You quickly pulled your collar up over your nose. “Hhh–! eiTSCHieu!..hh…‘tsCHiew!” The burst of air and light spray landing against your chest made you shiver, sending a rippling wave of discomfort through your aching body.

She waited a moment to make sure you were finished, and took your dropping your shirt from your face as her cue. She moved her hands to cup your face once more, tilting your head up to kiss your forehead.

When you stepped into the kitchen, you immediately felt her eyes on you. She had most likely heard you sneezing.

You ignored her stare and drifted toward the espresso machine, tapping in your usual selection before turning to the window while it worked. You let your gaze wander, trying to shake the fog in your head, but the familiar prickle returned, building at the back of your nose just as the grinder wound down.

Your breath hitched… You quickly tugged your shirt up over your nose and bent forward, two sneezes snapping out one after the other. “e‘tSHiew…TSCHiuuueh!” The faint mist against your overheated skin made you shiver.

“Bless you.”

You jumped, startled by how close your wife’s voice was, and turned to meet her sympathetic gaze for a brief moment.

“Thank you, excuse me,” you murmured, clearing your throat as you stepped past her to grab your cup. “Do you have another call coming up?” you added, aiming for casual while carefully avoiding her eyes.

“I do,” she said evenly, still watching you as you moved about the kitchen preparing your coffee, adding cream and a dash of cinnamon to your cup. “Do you have any calls today?”

You nodded. “But not until… e-eleven…” Your voice faltered as the tickle crept back. You quickly set your cup down, eyes rolling in frustration.

Turning slightly away, you pulled your collar up over your nose again, a soft double sneeze escaping into the fabric. “…‘tschiew!…’tchiew!”

“Bless you…” she said gently, likely being mindful not to be overly affectionate in this moment, knowing how quickly her sympathy could overwhelm you.

You shook your head and raised a finger in warning- only to snap forward with another sharp sneeze into your shirt, bending at the waist with it. “…h‘TCHiuuew!”

She winced. “Oh, honey…” That was enough for her. She stepped closer, resting a hand on your back. “You sound like you’re coming down with something.”

You nodded, sniffling, your breath catching as the sensation built, eyes watering under the strain of the relentless tickle in your sinuses. “Heh’Tschiew!–‘tsCHiew!”

“Bless you, bless you,” she murmured, rubbing your back as you continued to hitch toward your next set of sneezes.

“Hhh–! eiTSCHieu!..” Your breath hitched in your chest, the tickle holding you right on the edge, making you cough lightly. The sneeze lingered, frustratingly out of reach, so you turned slightly toward your wife, looking past her to the window in hopes the light might finally tip you over. “…Hih’TSCH-ihhh!...hiuhhh...”

“Bless you, my goodness,” she said softly, her hand sliding from your back to tuck a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

You let your shirt fall, sniffling quietly, and lifted a finger to your nose, rubbing lightly to ease the lingering tickle.

“Thank you, sorry…” You flushed as she shot you a pointed look. “I know, I know… no apologizing.”

“That’s right,” she said, brushing the back of her fingers gently against your cheek. “No apologizing. You’re allowed to not feel well.”

You cleared your throat and nodded, still working through the discomfort of letting yourself be so openly vulnerable. “I must have picked something up on the trip.”

She nodded, then glanced at her watch. “I have to get ready for this call,” she said, a hint of reluctance in her voice. “Will you try to take it easy today?”

“I’ll try, I promise,” you replied, offering a small smile. “And before you say anything - yes, I’ll let you know if I need anything.”

She laughed softly and leaned in to kiss your cheek. “Good girl.” With a quick wink, she picked up your coffee and pressed it back into your hands. “I’ll bring you lunch later.”

She leaned in once more, brushing a gentle kiss to the tip of your nose before heading out of the kitchen…

1. When you hear me say "fuck", that's the moment I realize:

✨ I was turning myself on big time

✨ I was either getting sick or I had unlocked a new level of allergy-ridden "misery"

1) @closetsnzbian and I have been reflecting on the first one recently because it’s one even *I* find cute (and while the act of snzing gets me 🥵, listening to myself snz is a no-go). that was actually recorded during a work call I was taking from home. I was on camera for the first 4-5 snzes (muted) before getting up and walking away when I realized I wasn’t going to stop. I came back to bless yous and my gorgeous power-woman of a boss asking me if I was alright in the most sweetly concerned tone of voice that just ☠️☠️☠️