#i have lemon ginger tea but i can’t even taste it because i’m so congested

[ducktracy]

i am literally so mad that i have waited years to write this review of Daffy’s Southern Exposure and when i finally do i get the worst cold i have had at least within the past 5 years and am too sick to write a substantial amount. like come on. COME ON! i would almost rather it be COVID because that’s at least a valid excuse!!!!! sorry this post nasal drip made me nauseous and then i got mad that i was nauseous because i also had a bad stomach bug two weeks ago that also prevented me from writing. needless to say i hope you all enjoy the review when it’s out because my goodness it is giving me a hard time. thank you for your patience again 😤🙏

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

saw you talking about tea the other day and now i'm intrigued 👀 any flavors you're particularly fond of? asking for a friend also. please do ramble about it bc it's delightful :D

Jay! Hi! Fellow tea lover?

Hm… I love lots of teas, but really I prefer simple teas to anything super decadent or elaborate. I don’t ever add anything to my teas unless I’m sick (then I’ll add a bit of honey).

My go-to is just a simple green or peppermint tea, though I’m also a huge fan of spiced chai and earl grey. I adore jasmine tea - jasmine is probably my favourite, but it has to be a good jasmine, so I don’t have it all the time (again, it gets expensive). I always have some green or peppermint tea on hand though - a quality cup is always nice but I don’t as much mind if these are the cheaper kind.

I’m not a huge fruit tea person, though I did have a peach white tea once - that one was lovely cold - and of course a good lemon ginger is always nice. If I’m having bubble tea though, I always go for a mango or lychee green tea if they have it!

I have to say that I can’t remember what pu’erh tea was like - I know it was interesting and I liked it, but I’d need to try it again I think to recall it properly. I haven’t found a rooibos tea I’ve been particularly crazy about, but it’s nice too, just not what I’d gravitate towards.

If you want a sweet or dessert type tea, then any oolong is great, but I think I’m spoiled for that wuyi oolong now hahaha. I’ve had a vanilla black tea - it’s really good. I’d highly recommend that one. I also have this sweet apple-cinnamon tea with nuts. I don’t have it super often, as I’m not a fan of sugary teas but this one is a nice dessert on its own. It’s very nutty which makes it pretty unique.

When I’m sick, I’ve had a couple good teas. One I have for colds is a eucalyptus-mint. I recommend having this one only when you are very congested because boy is it strong. Tastes amazing though. Also my mom had several Korean friends when I was little, so I have fond memories of her making yujacha at their urging when I wasn’t feeling well as a young kid, and boricha for us to put in the fridge and drink cold. I love both.

I don’t usually have chamomile at home, but this is largely because on days when I’m really incredibly stressed (like, shaking with anxiety, actively spiralling, kind of stressed), I like to go for a walk in the evening and pick up a chamomile from a nearby café to take back with me. It’s an indulgence that way.

Other cool teas I have tried:

Butterfly pea flower tea: More of a novelty than anything but this tea is bright blue and changes to red when you add citric acid. It’s a natural pH indicator!

Lavender black tea: Incredibly good. This was another gift from my mom a few years back. Very nice in the evening.

Mushroom tea: These tend to be incredibly overpriced due to purported health benefits so I’ve only ever had samples but honestly? The ones I’ve had are very nice, a smooth, rich flavour. Not convinced they’re worth that price though.

Dandelion tea: People say this can be used as a coffee substitute. I’m not entirely sure I agree with that but it does have a dark roasted flavour that is similar to black coffee. It’s a little sweet though. I like this one a lot, but I only have this with food because if I don’t have anything in my stomach it makes me cramp a bit (as I found out the hard way) :/

Matcha green tea with roasted rice: Okay a friend of mine got me some of this as a gift when she went back to visit family for a bit and. Um. This tea is so incredibly good. We had some together and it was fantastic. I’ve been saving it and only having it at times I know I can really savour it because I want it to last. If you can find some good quality stuff I highly recommend it.

Aaaand sometimes, admittedly, I will enjoy an orange pekoe. It’s nice on occasion. I make it pretty strong hehe

I hope this was fun for you your friend! 😆

What are your favourite teas, Jay?

[mylittleotomecorner]

Could you write drabble where Soryu cheers up a sad MC? I'm having a bit of a rough day... Thanks

Rainy Day BluesSoryu Oh x MCRating: Aww

I’ve been hit with a bad week. Extra shifts at hotel, at least two guests filing false complaints because they didn’t get what they wanted (including me in their beds), almost getting kidnapped by a guest to accompany them to the auction when I wasn’t supposed to be there and, to top it all off, getting splashed by a passing car in the pouring rain. I’ve come home worse than the most soaked rag imaginable. I guess this is how it feels to be an unlucky dog. I’m in the pits and even my best friends and coworkers couldn’t help me. I’ve showered and planned to do nothing but binge watch my shows and trash eat. I thank my lucky stars Eisuke and the others had my back, but I didn’t want to be anymore of a burden to them so I requested the weekend off because I just couldn’t take it anymore. I was afraid I would snap and make things worse for them when all they did was look after me.

I’m feeling a little chill run through me, but thinking I’m just really tired, I go and fix myself some tea and hunker down for the weekend. I’m about to start my show when I get a call. “Oh…” It’s my boyfriend, Soryu. I wonder what it could be about. “Hello.”

“Hey.” That gruff voice of his could settle all my worries and I sink into my couch in relief. “You okay?”

I start to cough but recover quickly. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

“Ota and Baba kept talking about one of the auction guests trying to get you to be their date.” I could see it now: stern look, mind quick to go for that gun he always carries. Wonder what else they told him… oh boy…

“It’s okay, nothing happened,” I said, hands he couldn’t see waving him off. “It’s just been a really busy week at the hotel, that’s all.”

That heavy sigh. Come on, let it go. I was the one that almost got dragged off to some stranger’s room a couple times. “No one better have laid a hand on you.” Stupid brain! Why are you so loud! My prolonged silence earned me an earful of “why didn’t you call me as soon as possible” and “who was it so I could talk with them.”

“Please, Soryu. I just need-“ I couldn’t stop the coughing this time. Nor did I realize how hot it suddenly got after seeing I didn’t drink my tea yet.

“What’s wrong?” Now the genuine worry has set in and all I’ve done was cause trouble again.

“N-nothing, really! I’ll be fine,” I say between coughs. “I just need rest. I’ll be back at work in no time.” The rain wasn’t letting up so I was definitely not going anywhere. Taking a deep breath, after the coughs finally subsided, I said to the mobster, “It’s raining really hard so I don’t plan to go anywhere. I just need tea and my blankets and I’ll be fine.”

“It’s Summer and you need blankets?” Crap, this isn’t going to go well. “I’ll be over as soon as I can.” And he hung up.

Heaving a sigh, all I could feel is that of a burden. Soryu was a member of the Ice Dragons mafia and always working hard to see his group succeed in their plans. The last thing I wanted was for him to take off and take care of me. Now that my tea was cold, I decided to go and heat it up. But, a sudden dizzy spell takes over me and I did my best to save the mug, but not myself as I collapse onto the floor. The room goes dark as it spins all around me.

**********

Ugh… I wake up, head pounding, throat raw and chest and nose congested so bad, I almost choked on air. Wait… something is covering me… Rubbing my eyes, I see I’m on my couch with a blanket over me. The sounds of movement in the kitchen gets me awake but my body is in too much pain to move much.

Soryu comes with fresh mugs of tea and sets them on the coffee table. “Good to see you’re awake,” he said as he looked me over. Worry set that strong visage of his in a mood that rips at my heartstrings.

“You didn’t have to come,” I say in a raspy voice. I try my best to sit up but he comes over and helps me, fixing pillows at my back.

“You were passed out on the floor with a high fever,” he said to me as he hands me the mug. The aroma of ginger and lemon strong. “Drink this. Did you get caught in the rain?”

Sees right through me before I could even think it. Mug in both hands, I have no strength to fight him. “And splashed by a passing car.” Avoiding his gaze, I feel helpless and guilty he’s dropped whatever he’s been doing to come and take care of me. I’m waiting to be scolded when all I got was a pat on the head. Looking up, I saw gentle eyes and a soft smile. “You’re not mad at me?”

He sighed and tousled my hair. “I am, but I can’t stay mad when all you did was go to work.” Brushing his hand through his hair, Soryu looked to the side and said “You have to speak up when something feels off before it gets that way. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

I sip the tea and it fills me with warmth, feeling better with each sip. “I know. I just-“

“If you say that you don’t want to be a burden, asking for help is not being a burden. Saving your butt might be, according to the Book of Mamoru, but you’re one of us now. And we look after each other.” I’m expecting that stern look on his to beam down on me, but all I get is the look of the man that I love loving me back in return. “Drink your tea,” he tells me and I nod in compliance as he stands up brings over a bag. “Here.”

“Hmm?” Setting the mug down, the bag placed on my lap, he walks off back to the kitchen. Inside were books and movies. “What’s all this?”

“Inui wouldn’t shut up when I said something happened to you. Almost broke the door down when we arrived. Samejima picked the lock so we’ll have to replace the lock. They wanted to stay but I told them no.” Hearing that made me smile. It’s never a dull moment when it involves them. Bless their hearts. I can barely smell anything but is that more ginger? Soryu emerges again with a tray that had a bowl on it. “When was the last time you ate?”

Now that I thought about it, it must have been during my break at work that was the last time I ate. I didn’t even think about what to have for dinner other than popcorn and other snack items. Hearing my stomach growl was the last straw and I sheepishly smile as I move the bag from my lap for the tray. “What’s this?”

“Chicken congee.” A simple bowl of rice gruel with chicken meat, ginger and scallions. It looked like heaven.

“Did you make this?” I tasted a bit and it’s simplicity gave me life.

“One of the chefs at the hotel did after I asked them to. There’s two more containers in the fridge and another serving on the stove when you’re ready.” Soryu picked up his mug and finally drank his tea as he sat at the other end of the couch.

“Surely you’re busy as it is. I could manage on my own.” I really didn’t want him to take time from his work just because I was sick.

“It’s fine. The others have their orders and will call if they have to. Eisuke gave you a week off. Said you’re no good to him dead so might as well take the time to get better.”

I smile, enjoying this delicious porridge. “I’ll have to make sure to thank him when I return to work.”

“You can thank him by not getting sick again is what he said for me to tell you.” We both chuckled at that. “So, what were you going to watch?”

“I’ve been recording the Bachelor for weeks because I couldn’t get to watch it…” I looked at my boyfriend and saw the look of disgust. “Hey, you bought me from a black market auction. How is my show any different?”

“I had to save your life to learn about love, not be bothered with a series of other women that were trying too hard.” Well, when you put it like that, it’s not as exciting to watch anymore. “I bought a bunch of movies but I can always call Inui and Samejima to bring more,” he said with a groan, knowing full they (more like Inui) would just worry about me more when they get here.

“Well, lets just watch what you brought then,” I said as I finish the porridge. “What about the book?”

“For when you sleep. I don’t want the tv on disturbing you.” Did he really think of everything? What planet is he from? “Stop looking at me like I’m an alien.”

I couldn’t help laughing, which led to the coughing. He took the tray from me and headed to the kitchen. “Pick a movie and you’re eating this other portion before you pass out again.”

I’m in no position to argue. A mix of genres from what he likes and what I like. And he really intends to stay with me the whole week? I better not ask and start thinking of that to tell the others when I get back to work. I’m feeling so much better now. I have hot food and movies and all the time in the world to spend with the man that I love. The rain can’t take that away from me. Nothing can.

[mypoorfaves]

Feeling Unwell

So this is a somewhat follow-up to Semi-conscious Sonder where Yuuri comes down with a cold. (Can also be read as a stand-alone.) Takes place in St. Petersburg post-canon.

~2000 words

～～～

Yuuri awakes from his nap with a sore throat and a gentle hand on his shoulder. He feels the hand move as he stirs and looks up to meet Victor’s ocean-blue eyes. They light up with fondness as Yuuri blinks sleepily at him.

“Hey there, sleepyhead,” Victor says. “It’s not like you to be in bed this early.”

Yuuri covers his mouth as he stifles a yawn. “‘s your fault,” he slurs tiredly and rubs his eyes. “Training was exhausting. I took a nap.”

“Naps will ruin your sleep schedule, lapochka,” Victor chides and playfully tousles his dark locks.

“I have one of those?”

Victor laughs. “Not for much longer, if you keep taking naps.”

Yuuri closes his eyes again and burrows under the covers with a sigh. “But it’s so cozy…”

“It’s not time for bed yet,” Victor points out. “We have yet to even make supper!” Yuuri’s only response is to burrow further with a quiet whine of protest. “Yuuri～,” Victor pouts, drawing out each of the three syllables as he tries to shake him awake.

“Victoru,” Yuuri complains weakly, saying his fiance’s name in a similar way. “We can eat later.” Victor stops shaking him for a peaceful moment and Yuuri wills for sleep to take him. Instead, Victor’s hand finds Yuuri’s wrist and manages to haul him into a sitting position.

Yuuri slumps over like a ragdoll, blanket pooling at his waist, and stares blearily ahead. His black hair is disheveled with bed-head and the longer strands fall into his eyes. Through the mess of hair, he can see Victor beaming brilliantly and expectantly at him, and though he’s still exhausted, Yuuri feels his own lips turn upwards in a smile of his own at the sight.

“Finally awake now, my love?”

“If I have to be,” he complies then yawns again, this time wincing as his throat protests the dry air. Victor doesn’t miss it.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Sore throat,” Yuuri responds as he rubs it, though it obviously does nothing to help as the discomfort is internal. What is not internal, however, is the sudden blast of cold air that hits Yuuri causing him to shiver. He longs for the comfort of the blanket again as he turns towards the source and sees the open window. He forgot to close it before falling asleep. That’s probably why his throat feels so sore and dry. And that would also explain his chills. Just the wind.

“You’re not catching a cold, are you?” Victor asks suddenly. His hand finds Yuuri’s forehead and Yuuri doesn’t stop him. He feels fine, after all. No headache or congestion or runny nose. Victor hums and Yuuri can’t tell if it’s in thought or displeasure. “You don’t feel too warm,” he notes, but his voice holds uncertainty like he thinks Yuuri is trying to hide his illness. Which he’s not, because he’s not sick, Yuuri thinks to himself firmly.

“You still have your training clothes on. And you slept with the window open,” Victor continues. His hand moves down to Yuuri’s cheek, then his neck. “Didn’t you once tell me that all of your colds start with a sore throat?”

“Yes, usually, but I’m fine,” Yuuri insists and lightly swats Victor’s hand away. Although Victor does have a point, he brushes it off as coincidence. He refuses to succumb to a cold at this point in the season. He closes the window, gets up from the bed and stands. Victor follows suit.

“You would tell me if you weren’t, right?” Victor asks with sincere concern in both his voice and features.

“Of course I would, Vitya,” he smiles. “Now come on, let’s go make supper.”

～

Come the next morning, Yuuri isn’t feeling much better. If anything, he feels worse. His throat is still sore, his head now contains a dull ache, and all he wants to do is sleep. But alas, their alarm clock insists otherwise. With a groan, he silences it and forces himself out of bed. Victor does the same, but with much more ease and energy than Yuuri could ever hope to muster even on a good day.

Today is by no means a good day for Yuuri. His symptoms (though he refuses to call them that) are very present and very annoying. In the end, though, they’re mild and could be worse. It’s not bad enough to justify taking a day off. With that thought in mind, he heads to shower.

The hot water and steam help wake him up. It also causes his nose to run, but at least it soothes his throat a bit. When Yuuri emerges after getting dressed, Victor has a cup of tea waiting for him, and one for himself as well.

“I know you said you’re feeling fine, but here,” Victor smiles as he hands the cup to Yuuri. He accepts it gratefully and inhales the aroma: ginger and lemon, with added honey. “Just in case,” Victor adds with a kiss on the cheek.

Yuuri hums in delight at the affection and at the taste of the tea as he takes a sip. He can feel the creamy consistency of the honey, and the sweetness complements the mild spice of the ginger nicely. He downs it quickly, finishes getting ready and the two head off for another day of training.

～

They don’t skate today. Instead, Victor has taken on the roll of Yuuri’s personal trainer as he tests his ever-impressive stamina through cardio-vascular training. They’re at an outdoor track, and nobody else is around. The weather is nice; it’s another warm and sunny spring day with mostly-clear skies and a cool breeze. Per Victor’s instruction, Yuuri has been doing sprinting drills, long distance runs and everything in between. Victor insists it’s vital for any healthy body and therefore contributes to skating as well, so who is Yuuri to argue?

He’s lost track of how far he’s run now, and how far he’s supposed to run. His nose is dripping profusely and his head is throbbing, but he pushes through it all. It’s not a big deal. Just a cold at the worstーand Yuuri is reluctant to admit even that. So he forges ahead, feet pounding hard on the solid ground.

His legs don’t burn like they did in yesterday’s training but instead feel like jello; he’s not even sure how he’s still moving. His lungs are the ones on fire today, matched by his throat with each laboured inhale. The windーwhile refreshingーis hitting him head on as he runs and is only making his task more difficult. It stings his eyes and throws his hair in his face so he has to squint to see in front of him.

Far off in the distance, he sees Victor standing with a stopwatch in hand as Yuuri gradually makes his way over. His breaths are deep and heavy, but it’s just a little further until the end. He can make it.

Miraculously, he does and Victor clicks the stopwatch and announces his time which Yuuri barely pays attention to. Finally done, or so he desperately hopes, Yuuri’s feet decide now is a good time to stop cooperating as he trips and sprawls on the ground.

His head is pounding in sync with his accelerated heart rate, and the impact of the fall has turned his heaving breaths into fierce coughs that refuse to let up. Victor is at his side in an instant, a hand rubbing his back to try and ease the fit. He’s concerned and calling Yuuri’s name, but Yuuri can’t get the words out to convince Victor he’s alright. He has yet to stop coughing, his body desperate for oxygen, but throat and lungs burning when he receives it.

Yuuri knows he shouldn’t just stop after running like this; he needs to get up and walk and cool down so he doesn’t pass out, but his body isn’t cooperating. He can’t find the strength to move. All of his energy is spent from the exercise, and he’s left further weakened from the coughs that continue to wrack his body. He’s not sure if he has too much air at this point or doesn’t have enough, but there’s a dangerous dizziness pulling at the edge of Yuuri’s senses. It only intensifies as Victor hauls him upright to a sitting position, and that’s all it takes for Yuuri’s body to go limp as he collapses unconscious onto Victor.

When Yuuri later opens his eyes, there is a blurred face with silver hair above him. Their expression is visibly distressed as it comes into focus, then it shifts to slightly more relieved upon seeing him awake. It’s Victor, Yuuri realizes, and he’s trying to tell him something. His lips are moving, and Yuuri thinks he catches his name, but he can’t actually make out what’s being said. There’s a persistent ringing in his ears and his hearing is muffled as if underwater, but the sound of Victor’s voice is almost too loud despite the fact. It takes a moment, but eventually it returns to normal. The rest of his brain catches up with him and Yuuri realizes he’s on the ground with his head cradled in Victor’s arms. When did that happen?

“What happened?” Yuuri decides to ask. His voice sounds as weak as his body feels. He doesn’t try to move just yet.

“You passed out,” Victor explains. “You reached the end of your run and just collapsed. Are you alright, Yuuri?” Victor gazes at him with serious worry, as if ready to spring into action and call an ambulance if need be it. Or even carry Yuuri in his arms all the way to the nearest hospital if the situation is dire. Yuuri blushes at the intensity.

“My legs just gave out,” he mumbles as he struggles to recall the memory. “I started coughing, and I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t get up. I couldn’t breathe.” Yuuri clenches a hand over his chest as he remembers the swirling pain and panic, the former of which still lingers.

“Are you okay now?” Victor asks, eyes overflowing with concern. Yuuri nods. His chest is still sore, and he’s a bit shaken up, but he’s not in any kind of danger.

Victor offers him a hand. “Can you stand?”

“I think so,” Yuuri answers, and accepts it. He’s grateful for the support; his whole body feels shaky, especially his legs, but they still manage to hold his weight with Victor’s help. Once upright, his headache makes itself known again and he closes his eyes against the pain and accompanying dizziness. He sways a bit, unsteady but not unconscious, and Victor is there to catch him.

“I thought you said you would tell me if you were feeling unwell,” Victor scolds, but with no malice, and it takes Yuuri a moment to register Victor’s hand is on his forehead. Yuuri doesn’t see the point in the action since his whole body should be warm from his workout. And yet he finds himself shivering.

“I didn’t think it would be this bad. I’m sorry,” Yuuri whispers, then turns away to cough weakly into his shoulder.

“No need to be sorry, love. I’m not mad, just worried,” Victor says, and Yuuri believes him. “I know you must be feeling terrible. Let’s go home and I’ll make you some more tea, okay?”

“Okay,” Yuuri agrees, feeling utterly drained. He lets Victor bring his arm over his shoulder and the two head back home for a day full of cuddles, naps and tea.

～～～

(End)

Quick translation note: lapochka is a Russian term of endearment meaning sweetheart