#contagion

like oh you cant scratch your poor itchy nose? you can't stifle or cover your sneeze? poor baby better hold it back as long as possible. you need a tissue? maybe if you're good for me.

or

Data, you really have to find a better way to save your friends... That looks like it hurts.

Data's friend: *is in danger*

Someone in the group has been sick for a few days now. They've been keeping it well under wraps, excusing themselves from rooms, volunteering for the tasks that can be done alone, getting up and going to bed earlier. And god they're so exhausted. But sickness is weakness, they know this.

By day 5, it's getting pretty rough. Their sneezes are getting so thick and heavy that stifling takes everything in them. Their chest is starting to ache from the congested pressure and their bones are growing cold from days of running feverish.

But then, someone else in the group comes down with the cold. Not knowing that it's really original character's cold. This second character has no qualms about admitting when they're sick. The group bands around them, making sure they rest and are well looked after.

This of course means additional chores for original character. They trudge their feet along the ground, feeling their fever growing higher and higher as day slips to night.

As they lug something heavy, nose dripping, head swimming, they look over at the crackling fire. Second sickie, whose cold is mild, is bundled in blankets, sipping something warm. The others are bunched around them, laughing, passing handkerchiefs, faces golden by the blaze.

Thinking about a person filming a commercial for cold medicine or tissues…

The makeup artist is getting up close, applying blush to the nose, deepening the bags under the persons eyes, and spraying on beads of ‘sweat’ to the forehead. The hair stylist is making sure their hair is appropriately disheveled, the costumer has set them in come comfy pajamas, all getting up close to the actor to prep them.

The crew starts by purposefully placing crumbled but unused tissues on the set. They want the commercial to look real so they induce the actor, triggering an onslaught of sneezes that last throughout the day. As the actor sneezes more and more some used tissues accidentally make their way around the set.

The actor is sniffling and wiping their nose absentmindedly with their hands as different props are being passed between them and the prop master. The camera crew is getting up close to that red nose, often stepping in front of the camera to help the actor achieve the perfect pose for the scene or promo shots.

The “sick” actor is the star, before the day finishes it seems that every cast member has interacted with them in one way or another. They’re sneezing, coughing, burying their nose into props, doing whatever needs to be done for the camera.

taste sampler from your sick girlfriend

A and B are hiding from someone. (maybe they were gathering evidence or secret intel, or maybe they're trespassing somewhere just for the hell of it, or maybe they're sneaking into some locked building past its opening hours.) in any case, they're not supposed to be there, and they'e going to be in big trouble if they get found out.

so when they hear footsteps approaching, they immediately duck into a nearby closet/side storage room. they just have to keep quiet until the person outside (the host, a security guard, an employee, etc. makes their rounds)...

except A is beginning to come down with an awful cold. the dustiness of the closet certainly isn't helping. the first time their breath hitches, B tenses—if A sneezes, they'll certainly be found. so B stops the sneeze in its tracks by pressing their index finger under A's nose.

Like, sometimes I wanna get off to ppl sharing a cold or sneezing on the bus or dmth, but I either need to go lurk on a specific blog, or risk seeing posts about an old movie or real-life scary stuff.

We already have great tags like #messfucker and #coldfucker but #contagionfucker is too long maybe?