#congestion

[pratchettquotes]

Vetinari waved a languid hand. "Full carts congesting the street, Vimes, is a sign of progress," he declared. "Only in the figurative sense, sir," said Vimes.

Terry Pratchett, Thud!

[asiaphotostudio]

Taiwan, 1999 Taipei, Taiwan. 台湾 台北市 Photography by Michitaka Kurata

[sneezarify]

Person A: *sneezes and lets out a congested sniffle*

Person B: “Bless you, you should blow🥺”

Person A: *blows and rubs at their nose with the tissue… their eyes go hazy as they sneeze again , followed by another congested sniffle*

Person B: *chuckles* “Well there’s no point blowing if you’re just going to sneeze again straight after”

Person A: *blushes*

[snezus-christ-risen]

When someone is so jacked up with congestion it starts to impact their hearing. So now, on top of having a hard time communicating verbally because they sound so stuffed up, they can barely hear anything outside of their own head.

[brandnewcouch]

congested voices are so so so so so so so so so so so so fucking hot

[not-a-matopoeia]

I know it’s a slight departure from my normal posts but I have to say something. In s6 ep.11 at the very beginning Bobby says that Buck has an allergy to naproxen.

Naproxen is an anti-inflammatory non-steroidal (not a steroid) drug used to treat fevers and pain, it’s similar to other medications such as Ibuprofen.

Meaning canonically Buck cannot have the following: Aleve, Anaprox DS, Mediproxen or anything else that has naproxen in it.

So if you’re writing a fic or something similar and you’re like hmm this character needs to take some sort of pain medication you should probably stick to acetaminophen’s such as Tylenol.

I would stay away from other NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) as they can have crossovers (like you’re allergic to some protein or something else in one that might be in the other)- but that’s doesn’t necessarily mean you will be allergic to both. Some people are just allergic to ibuprofen and not naproxen and visa versa.

NSAIDs:

Aspirin

Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil)

Naproxen sodium(Aleve)

All in all do what you want, I just find this interesting- especially as a person who has a penicillin allergy with crossovers (meaning I cannot take anything that has similar properties to penicillin whereas other people might be able to)

[roguelov]

I’m not getting sick you are 🫵

[fluffyllamas-23]

Omg omg omg hi I’ve read your fics omg I can’t believe you’re writing again!!!

If it’s not too much, could I request a sick and sneezy Bucky and any Steve of your choosing??

Thank you so much for the prompt!! It's definitely not too much to ask (and if you ever have any more ideas for Bucky I am happy to take them! I don't give Bucky nearly enough love, which is honestly a travesty) <3 <3 <3

Bookshop/Cafe AU where Bucky works in the bookshop part of the store and (post-serum) Steve works in the cafe part, and they’re cute boyfriends.

Steve was supposed to be off today, but he had all but jumped at the opportunity to cover for a coworker for no reason other than wanting to keep an eye on Bucky. They don’t work immediately together, but Steve works at the coffee shop within the bookstore that Bucky works at, which was how they met in the first place. 

Anyways, he knows how it sounds, picking up a shift solely so he can make sure Bucky is okay, but hear him out. He promises it’s not for anything nefarious. 

Bucky has been coming down with what’s shaping up to be an awful cold for the last day and a half or so. He’s still in that annoying phase of illness, where his body can’t quite figure out what it wants to do and is freaking out. He’s feeling way more rough than he usually does at this point of a cold, but he doesn’t really have many specific symptoms. 

His head is throbbing, and his throat feels really scratchy and raw (and it sounds like it, too), but other than that he’s just dragging. He wants nothing more than to crawl back into bed and sleep for a year.

Steve had tried talking him into calling out since he’s not feeling well, but Bucky is nothing if not stubborn. He doesn’t want to take time off for this. It would feel ridiculous calling out for feeling vaguely unwell and not actively sick.  

So, Steve feels like it’s his duty to keep an eye on things. And honestly, picking up a shift to make sure everything is okay is far less weird than browsing the aisles of the bookstore for hours until his shift finishes.

*

Bucky can feel Steve’s eyes on him. He does his best to ignore it, but can’t stop himself from glancing over in his direction.  They make eye contact and Steve’s eyes widen slightly, and then his head immediately drops down. He goes back to wiping down the counter by the register. 

Bucky rolls his eyes and shakes his head, laughing lightly.  What a ridiculous man. 

He turns his attention back to stocking the shelves.  His boss had taken pity on him and wasn’t making him work in any customer-facing role (unless absolutely necessary) when she heard how gravelly and rough Bucky’s voice was when he got to work that morning. If they were less busy, his boss probably would have sent him home. She’s not in the business of torturing her employees. However, she’d already had three callouts, and she really does need Bucky there.  

She promises that Bucky can have all the time off he needs soon, though. 

Bucky clears his throat with a grimace. He really does need to track his boss down and see if he can go grab some tea at some point. That might help. 

As if she can sense his question, he spots her walking over to him from across the room.

“How’re you holding up?” She asks with a frown. “I’m sorry you have to be here.”

He waves her off, “it’s fine, promise.” He winces when he hears his own voice. It’s shot to hell, and he knows he’s close to losing it.

“Do you need anything?”

He nods his head towards the coffee shop, “would you mind if I go grab some tea? I’ll be quick.”

“Not at all. Why don’t you go ahead and take your fifteen now.”

He furrows his brows, “but I already took that earlier.”

“Oh, did you? I don’t remember,” she says, shooting him a look. “It’s fine, James. Go take another.”

He looks around the store, there are people everywhere. A line is forming at the front of the store, and he can’t help the pang of guilt in his chest. “Peggy, we’re so busy.”

“I know,” she says, “but I just feel bad I’m keeping you here when you’re not feeling well and you being here at all is helpful. Go get some tea, sit down, come back in fifteen.”

“Okay, okay, fine,” he relents, but it’s more so he doesn’t have to keep talking.  

He puts the last book back on the shelf and heads over to the coffee shop.

“Steve,” he croaks when he reaches the register. 

Steve winces, “God, you sound bad, honey.”

“I sound worse than I feel. Peggy told me to take another fifteen.”

“I would have sent you home,” Steve grumbles, casting an annoyed glance in the bookstore’s general direction. 

Bucky rolls his eyes, “stop. You know she can’t, and you know you’d still be here if it were you.”

“Fair enough,” he sighs, shifting his focus back to fussing over his boyfriend. “How do you feel other than your throat?”

He scratches at his nose, making a face at the prickle in his sinuses. “Eh…not great. Not awful. Hih…hih’tschiew! Snff! Snff! Sorry. Somewhere in the middle. I’m just so fucking tired. Could I get some tea? I don’t care what kind, surprise me.”

“Language,” Steve teases. He hands Bucky a napkin and then grabs a hot cup from the stack next to him. “Bless you. Want something with caffeine, then?”

Bucky turns away to blow his nose, and then he rubs at his chest with a sigh, “dunno…heart’s kind of racing. I’m not sure caffeine would be the best idea.”

Steve frowns. Bucky’s heart always races when he’s not feeling well, and even though he knows this is normal for him, he can’t help but worry. 

“Go sit down, I’ll bring you something.” 

*

Bucky makes it exactly two and a half more days before he has to admit defeat and whatever plague he’s caught decides it’s time to kick his ass. 

Peggy sends him home after his lunch break. She tells him not to worry and to take as much time off as he needs. 

He’s currently curled up in the blanket den on the couch that Steve insisted on building him, sniffling miserably into a tissue. This cold from hell has decided to take up residence in his head, and he’s less than thrilled. 

His head is throbbing with an intensity he hasn’t felt in a while. It’s in his skull, and sinuses, and his head feels like it’s packed with cement. He’s been sneezing pretty much nonstop since he woke up, which is definitely not helping with how hazy he’s feeling. The only bonus of feeling this bad is that he doesn’t feel as disgusting as he probably should. His throat is killing him too, it feels like someone’s shoved a white-hot branding iron down it, and his voice is nearly gone at this point. 

“hhh…hihh’isschh! isshh! Isschhh! Snff! Guh…this is so anndoyi’gg,” he sniffles, scrubbing at his nose with the tissue before blowing his nose into it. He balls it up and adds it to the growing pile next to him. He plucks another from the box, sniffling into it as his sinuses itched and burned again. “How is ihhh….it t-twendty twendty th-three a-and-heh…hhih’schhieww! Snff! Snff! And we h-havend’t combe up wihh…with a cure for the c-commbond cold yet-ihtschiew! Snff! Snff!” 

“Bless you, sweetheart,” Steve frowns, rubbing his back. “Man, this cold is really kicking your ass, huh?”

Bucky groans, sniffling again. His breath catches, and then he’s coughing miserably into the blankets.  A shiver runs down his spine, and he’s hit with a really woozy, disorienting feeling. He looks up at Steve with the biggest, most tragic eyes possible.

“Do I feel warmb? I thi’ggk I have a fever. Hih…hih’ihtschiew! Eh’tschuh! Snff! Snff! Hih-hih…Hih! Hih’ITSHHOO! Snff!” He blows his nose again, giving a couple more stuffy coughs before slumping back into the couch.

“Bless you. That last one sounded like it hurt,” Steve murmurs, pressing his fingers against Bucky’s cheek and stroking it. He grimaces, “ah...yeah, I think you’re right. You’re hot.”

Bucky blinks heavily, and then gives him a strange look, “Stevend, this is a weird timbe for a combplimbendt…you’re…hot…too?”

Steve smothers a laugh, “fever, honey. You have a fever.”

Bucky is quiet for a few moments while he processes what Steve just said. Then, he groans and buries his face in the blankets. “Oh mby god I’mb and idiot.”

“You aren’t an idiot…but…that does make me want to get a reading on your temp.”

“Hih’ihtschiew!”

“Bless-”

“Nng’xxcht!”

“-You. Don’t stifle, you’ll give yourself a headache.”

“I already have a headache,” Bucky grumbles, breath hitching again. “Ih’tschieww! Tsch! Iht’schieww!”

Steve kisses his cheek, leaving Bucky to go find him something for the congestion, as well as the thermometer. 

“I’m going to make you more tea while I’m up,” Steve calls over his shoulder. 

“Okay,” Bucky sniffles, groaning in annoyance when the sneezing just doesn’t let up. “hihh’itsschh! itsshh! Itsschhh! hhih’tschhieww! Ihtschiew! Snff! Snff!” He’s lightheaded at the end of it, head swimming as he tries to re-orient himself. 

“How do you feel about taking NyQuill now?” Steve asks when he returns with everything. “I know it’s a bit early, but you’re miserable.”

“How about you just kill mbe indstead?”

“Mmm,” Steve says, handing him the tea and crouching down in front of him so he can stick the thermometer in his ear. “I think that sounds like a permanent solution to a very temporary problem.”

“Mbaybe this cold will kill mbe.”

“I don’t think it’s going to kill you…but I’m not entirely sure it’s a cold,” Steve frowns, looking down at the thermometer once it beeps. 101.9. He sticks it in Bucky’s other ear, hoping maybe the reading is off. 102. “You don’t usually get fevers…or feel this awful with colds.”

Bucky shrugs. Whatever this is definitely doesn’t feel like your normal, run-of-the-mill cold, but he doesn’t have the energy to do anything about it. He lifts the tea to his lips, but practically shoves it back into Steve’s hands as the steam makes the congestion shift, and then he can’t stop sneezing. After what feels like a dozen or so, the itch finally dissipates, and he’s left sniffling and coughing and so exhausted. All he wants to do is curl up and sleep for the rest of the day while Steve rubs his back and plays with his hair.

“Bless you. God, that sounded miserable, poor thing.” Steve fusses. 

“Yeah,” Bucky croaks, eyes closing. 

Steve hands him the meds, and then stands up and flops next to him on the couch, “take the NyQuil. Can’t sneeze if you’re unconscious.”

Bucky chuckles, which just launches him into another coughing fit. Steve grimaces and rubs his back.  “Bei’gg undcondscious sou’dds ambazi’gg.”

“Wanna pick a show to watch while you’re waiting for them to kick in?”

Bucky sniffles, nodding as he slumps against Steve. 

“Sorry for probably sndeezi’gg ond you a mbilliond timbes,” Bucky mumbles, voice muffled by the blankets.

“Hazards of being in a relationship,” Steve smiles, wrapping his arm around Bucky and adjusting so that he’s laying with his head on Steve’s chest. “If I get it, I get it. It’s fine.”

“Sorry.”

“James, look at me,” Steve says gently. Bucky looks up at him, and Steve cups his cheek. “It’s fine. You’re sick, and I care way more about you than I do about avoiding this. Stop worrying.”

“Okay. I love you.” Bucky sniffles, sounding very tired and far away. He can feel himself drifting off to sleep.

“I love you too, sweetheart.” Steve says softly, kissing the top of his head. 

And then, Bucky sleeps.

[yojfull]

Can you currently breathe freely through both nostrils?

Take a moment to appreciate it.

Inhale, enjoying the lack of barrier to air entering your lungs

Exhale, and feel no compulsion to grab a tissue

Inhale, noting the balance created by both sides working together

Exhale, without random stopping and starting from snot-induced one way valves

[queenrizzardnthelizardscissored]

whenever im congested i make torture ramen which is ordinary instant ramen but with white pepper and cayenne and a bunch of red pepper flakes and hot sauce added and then force it down while tears are streaming down my face in agony and then when im done its fixed and my nose is empty again!

[ceevee5]

[asiaphotostudio]

Tokyo, 1990 Shinjuku station, Tokyo, Japan. 日本 東京 新宿駅 Photography by Michitaka Kurata

[i-believe-in-u]

Rushing water sound and tinnitus in my ears save me.

Room spinning around me like a dance, keep me alive.

I’m begging, unearthly feelings of discomfort and disconnection from myself due to prolonged illness, do what you can.

[brandnewcouch]

something that has no business being as hot as it is: characters that do a lot of public speaking catching a cold

they don’t even necessarily have to be fully sick. they could literally just have the sniffles, but if their voice is somewhat congested or hoarse? it impacts them so much.

they would easily be able to hide the fact that they’re under the weather if they didn’t have to talk, but now EVERYONE knows.

and nobody really knows what to do??? like the character seems fine, but they sound sick. should they acknowledge it?? would that be awkward?? should they just let it be?? but what if the character needs help??

and then of course you have the people that are closer to the character that can read them like a book. they know exactly how the character is feeling and they make them tea afterwards and tell them to rest their voice.

it’s just so simple and so good

[tobbogan-13]

i miss being able to breathe out of my nose

[perplexingluciddreams]

I always cough (sometimes a LOT) when I eat or drink anything, especially with drinking my juice.

I can't remember if this is whole life, but it has happened for quite a while, it is not new.

It is very irritating and often it hurts or feels uncomfortable. I just want to eat and drink without have to cough and cough afterwards to try "clear" throat. It never fully clears.

I also have a lot of congestion (mucus) most of the time, I wonder if it is connected. I get much more mucus in my throat and sometimes nose during and after I eat or drink.

Sometimes I also get "sick" with juice, if I drink big mouthful some will come back up and have to re-swallow down. Not nice :/.

I don't know why 🤷🏻‍♂️ but I don't like it ☹️