XXXX

“ihGKsch’uhEW!”

“Bless y-“

“hihNGKSH’uhew!…h’eKSH’uh! sngf! Jesus Christ..”

Eddie wipes at his nose with his wrist and pushes back frizzy curls from his face before leaning against his boyfriend again, resisting the urge to scrub at his face. This is a repeat performance, his fourth time in an hour, and while the tattoo artist knows Steve’s no where near bothered, it’s still annoying.

“You okay?”

Steve’s looking at him with his eyebrows dipped in concern, but the slight sparkle in his blue eyes tell Eddie all he needs to know. Definitely not bothered. Holding out a hand, the coffee shop owner tugs him closer and presses a kiss to his hair.

“You’ve been a little more sensitive than usual today.”

“Yeah…not sure what’s going on, I’m not sick. Usually summer is your speciality…” he shrugs, wracking his brain.

Chrissy hasn’t been over in the past twenty four hours, so no way any Holiday hair could be around. He keeps his apartment fairly clean and there are air filters in the living room and his bedroom. He thinks about when this all started, realizing quickly that it has to have something to do with his boyfriend- that’s when it started, three hours prior when he’d arrived from work.

“Are you wearing a new cologne or anything?”

“Nope, I know you like the one I have.” Steve’s kind face makes him want to melt.

“Well, hate to tell you this doll face; or maybe not, but it’s definitely something to do w-with…snff! with you.”

Steve cocks his head as if he’s a puppy while he thinks, chewing on his lip. Eddie links their fingers together and uses his thumb nail to rub against the other man’s palm, an absentminded habit. His boyfriend looks ready to give up when he suddenly starts laughing.

“What’s so funny, Harrington?”

“I think you’re allergic to my new deodorant,” his soft hair swishes as he shakes his head.

Eddie rolls his eyes- that’s a dumb idea because deodorants aren’t strong enough to bother him, but just for show, the lanky man moves and smushes his face against Steve’s side, close enough he can smell the slightly spicy, aquatic scent of whatever new product Steve is using. And fuck.

“eiHHGktSH! hehIKSHhuhew! hihItCHH’uhEW!”

“Ding ding ding ding, we haaaave a winner.”

“Don’t look so smug,” Eddie huffs, rubbing his nose not against his wrist this time, but against Steve’s shoulder.

Set November 2023 / 1 year 2 months

“Babe, seriously, lay down,” Eddie frowns, sniffling and wiping his nose with a tissue.

Steve’s been sick longer than he has, but he’s worse, not better. Yet, somehow in his head cold ridden state, he’s decided taking care of Eddie is a better idea then resting. And does he appreciate the fussing? Maybe a little, but Eddie needs Steve to lay down right the fuck now or he’s going to lose it.

“But you need tea, your voice is-“

“My voice isn’t half as bad as yours, Steve. I know you suck at relaxing but please lay down. Lay down with me, your poor sick boyfriend. That’s all I want,” the long haired man snuffles and gives a cough to really play it up. “Please?”

Steve sighs, the low grade fever he’s started running making him exhausted. “Fine, but you’re not playing fair.”

“Who said I was playing at all? You suck at taking care of yourself Steve.”

Steve sniffles and crawls back into bed, turning into Eddie just in time for-

“huh-EISHhhuh! huhTSCHHOoOo! SNGF!”

Week's been okay. Few days of headaches, but mine's gone now. E's is still going strong though, he's pretty miserable.

Week's been okay. Few days of headaches, but mine's gone now. E's is still going strong though, he's pretty miserable.