#man flu

[kstripling]

[memories-of-ancients]

I'm really tough. Well sort of. If its being chocked, put in an armlock, smashed in the jaw, knee on belly, leg locks, ankle cranks, body cranks, being punched, kicked etc. I'm tough

If its a cold, headache, or tummy ache I turn into a baby.

[faofinn]

30. Patient 0

They’d booked an Airbnb, the whole family. Fao, Finn, Hars, Ely, Jess and Tai, as well as all the kids. They’d found this place in the Cotswolds, away from the hustle and bustle of London, and it was perfect. Loads of room, a cosy fireplace, all the essentials. They’d not been a able to get their Christmas work patterns sorted to spend it together, so they’d agreed on a week off together now the kids had broken up to enjoy being with the family. 

But Christmas time meant coughs and colds were rife, especially with young kids, and they’d quickly spread through the group, decimating their plans and soon reducing them to the Sick and the Well. Luckily the house they’d booked was big enough, and they were able to claim a part of it as a spot for those who had gotten sick to stay and be miserable whilst the others stayed busy trying to enjoy themselves. 

Of course Harrison was the first to succumb to it, far from surprising as a grizzly Levi had refused to be anywhere but his hip. With his immunosuppressants, any illness was so much worse, but it was also Harrison - a cold would be the end of the world, but pneumonia was just another day to work. 

Keeping a close eye on everything (and in contact with his consultant), he was happy enough to curl on the sofa with snacks and Disney films. 

Fao was next to join him, bringing Kieran along, just proof that Levi definitely was not sneaking into his brothers' room. Harrison felt beyond miserable, and couldn't help but grin as Fao joined him. The two curled up on the sofa together, the kids squished up with them. Harrison had his head in Fao's lap, pestering the other man to play with his hair - Fao couldn't lie down with his chest, so Harrison was simply making the best of a bad situation, was his excuse. He also drew the short straw with Harrison being the first one to fall and now in charge of the remote. 

Aristocats was the first film, of course it was, every song earning a rendition from Harrison, much to the kids' delight. It wasn't that unusual to hear Hars sing now, happy and content and stable for the first in a long while. It had been his favourite film as a child, the VHS one of his only possessions, and one he still had. Things were easily lost and stolen during all the moves and upheaval, but by sheer determination, he managed to keep it safe. 

Once he'd moved in with Steve, its place on the top of the list had only become more solidified, Steve coincidentally buying him a small stuffed cat. Of course with Harrison's history, Steve quickly joked he was O'Malley the Alley Cat, scrappy and street smart, willing to do whatever he needed to get what he wanted. And Fao ran with it, taking Hars to get his O'Malley tattoo on his 18th birthday. Somehow it had survived all the injuries and operations and scars, and he absently rubbed his hand across the ink. 

It was easy to forget where he'd come from, especially when he was feeling so rough and miserable, but he wouldn't change it for the world. Kieran had dozed off on top of him, and Harrison carefully stretched out for his phone and swiped his arm. 8.7. He knew he didn't need to check, not really, but since he'd been so unwell, he just couldn't help himself; he needed to make sure they were okay. 

Levi was curled into Fao, his hand curled around the loose fabric of his hoodie and snoring through a snotty nose. He sighed, settling back into Fao, happy both his kids were fine. 

"I'm sorry you got sick." He murmured to Fao. 

Fao hummed, his hand returning to Harrison’s hair. “Mm, it’s okay. Was bound to happen.” He said softly. “Doubt we’ll be the last, either.”

"We definitely won't be." He said softly, making a content noise at Fao's fingers in his hair. "God, that's nice."

Fao laughed, though it threatened to turn into a cough. “Careful, you’re married now.” He teased. “Kieran’s sugars okay?”

"Tai can have Ely." He brushed it off. "Yeah, he's doing well with them."

“Mm, good.”

"I feel fucking rotten." He admitted, voice a whisper. 

“I bet.” He murmured. “Can I get you anything?”

"You're meant to be sick too, not looking after me."

“I’m sick but I’m not dead, and I’m not immunocompromised either.”

He hummed. "I'm happy enough here, you’re helping."

“Mm, okay.” Fao murmured. “Who do you think is gonna be next? Finn?”

"Alfie. The three keep swapping beds. Finns been kicked out of yours so he should be safe." He joked. "Or maybe Jess, just for five minutes peace from him."

Fao laughed, setting off a cough. When he recovered, he sniffed. “So the germs came from your house, eh? I think it’ll be Finn or one of my kids, and if it’s Arthur then Ely won’t be long behind.”

"Levi was fine when we left." He protested weakly, though there was a flicker of mischief. "And I'm immunocompromised. I'm always gonna get ill. How can you be so mean to me?"

“I was gonna say it’s not my fault you’re immunocompromised, but it actually is.” Fao said lightly. 

Harrison stretched out. "Oh, yeah. All your fault."

“So rude of me.”

"How dare you save my life."

“Shocking behaviour. You’re just as much to blame for my chest sounding as shit as it does, though.”

"Sure, sure -" Harrison broke off coughing, finally stopping with a groan. He took a few moments to breath, his chest heaving. "Fuck's sake. I can't do this."

Fao frowned, reaching out for Hars. “Hey. You alright?”

Harrison nodded slowly, pushing himself more upright. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just need to not be ill."

Fao rested a hand on his shoulder. “Careful.”

"I love the kids, I do, but they can keep their germs." He tried to joke.

“I know, as if it wasn’t bad enough working in a hospital.”

"Yeah, that's true." His frown faded as Levi stirred, his heart melting at his sleepy yawn. "Hey, Leaf. You okay?"

He rubbed his eyes with a closed fist and then his face on Fao's hoodie. "'m tired."

"I bet. Did daddy wake you up?"

He nodded, shuffling about again. "All the coughing."

"Oh, I'm sorry, kid. I didn't mean to."

Fao stroked a hand over his godson’s hair. “Go on, back to sleep, kid. We’ll try not to wake you up again, hmm?”

"Is daddy okay?" He stretched out, worry on his face.

“Your Daddy’s fine. He just had a bit of a cough.”

"We've all got coughs. And snotty noses." He nodded. "And sleepy."

“Cos we’re all poorly.” Fao said. “You have a snooze again.”

He settled back down. "Okay. Love you." 

Harrison grinned. "Love you too, Leaf."

“Sweet dreams, little one.”

"Oh, bless him." Harrison murmured. "I hate when they're ill, but he's so cute when he's snuggly."

“I know, until they won’t leave me alone. Beth would live in my pocket when she’s ill.”

"She might end up joining us by the end of the week."

“She probably will.”

"It does make me laugh."

“What does?”

"We come away on holiday, finally all have the time off together, and now we've been split up with patient zero over here." He shook his head. "So much for a big family gathering."

“God, I know. It’s sod’s law.”

"Not to sound like a stroppy kid, but it's not fair."

“You always sound like a stroppy kid, and then complain when yours are.” Fao teased. 

"Don't be rude to me, I'm sick."

“So am I.”

Harrison moved to settle against Fao again. "So be nice to me."

“Mm, no.”

"Ouch!"

“You love it really.”

He grinned up at him. "Yeah."

“Can’t complain.”

"Watch me."

Fao snorted. “Makes a change, not.”

"Don't laugh at me!" He protested with a laugh.

“Nope.”

There was a knock on the door, drawing both men's attention. Finn stood in the doorway, wrapped in an oversized hoodie and a blanket, and looking particularly miserable. 

"Shove over, let me join yous."

Fao grinned. “Welcome to quarantine.” He joked. “It’s got you too. Must be man flu, the girls are immune. Come join, Hars put Disney on, just don’t wake Levi or he’ll get mad.”

"It's not man flu, I'm dying." Finn said dramatically. "There's no room for me on the sofa." 

"Snooze you lose." Harrison laughed. "It's definitely man flu. Even the kids are boys."

[photowalkmyworld]

5 Jan 24

And it begins.. the nose, the throat..

[pointless-letters]

“…and can you see your friend in the room with you right now, Mrs Franklin?”

[geeoharee]

oh, love that feeling of going to bed with a slight sore throat that presages Days Of Complete Misery

sure enough today's mood is 'someone has filled my sinuses with rocks'

[books-in-a-storm]

Romance A Day🌹

Man Flu, S.J. Ryan

[fredthedemonpartner]

Who cares if you would still love me if I was a worm, I wanna know if you would still love me if I was incredibly dramatic about being sick with a head cold or cough. Would you still love me if I was a Victorian child bedridden with tuberculosis?

[thebeardedcaptain1]

So the Champions League is back

Hello, good evening, sports fans. I hope you’re well, looking after yourselves, and are in good health. It’s been too long. I have been shaking off, or shall I say trying to shake off, the man flu. My God, it’s the most draining thing known to man. One sneeze almost takes away one day’s energy, it feels. I exaggerate, but it is fair to say that getting back to full form and fitness, as I call…

[shrawfrog]

Illness with Bells and Whistles

I haven’t visited anywhere particularly envirnmentally hazardous of late regards catching some sort of bastard cold, but like the goldfish found on someone’s lawn in the North east last week I have absolutely no idea why I have found myself in this fog off illness. Sort throat leading to a feeling of discomfort in and around the ears, threatening to pop at any time, tearing into the harshness of…

[psych0ruinz]

currently rocking it man flu style. absolutely snot filled, sinuses so gunked my teeth and jaw hurt crazy style.

[pleasedontanalyzeme]

bro why am i feeling sick again this sucks

[depravedsafehaven]

Are there any other non-men that suffer from man flu?? I am the most dramatic bitch whenever I get sick.

It makes no sense either. I'm chronically ill and I take those symptoms pretty well. But as soon as I get a cold? I'm on my deathbed. Leave flowers at the doorstep of my room and pay respects please

[passionate-yelling]

The wives weren't kidding that man can flu

[asterashley]

love it when family is like "wow, you got man flu or what" as if i'm using sickness as an excuse to be lazy or something. no no no they don't get it, "man flu" is an optimal sickness response. i WILL spend 3-5 days in bed with my soups, my comfort sweets and my blankets and i WILL feel better in that time, i did not spend my entire life learning the best response to sickness only to abandon it because they don't understand it. if i run about with this like would normally it will be 3+ weeks before i'm better rather than 3-5 days so i'm off to be "pathetic and lazy" now, tyvm.