Toby was a medium. This meant he could see, touch, and communicate with ghosts. He’s had this ability since birth, and has always used the ability to care for and make friends with the “other worldly.”
Today, he was cautiously exploring an abandoned house, having felt a presence there.
Wandering around the old building, they finally discover the source.
a ghost, around the same age as Toby, was idling around the corner. He was wearing a collared white shirt, with a thick brown sweater overtop. He had dark curly hair and white eyes. He floated just off the ground, and his nose and cheeks appeared to be flushed a bright pink, as if he’d just been sneezing.
Sure enough, he suddenly curled into himself and sneezed wetly into his sweater sleeves,
“hh…hHtchEW!”
The ghost coughed weakly.
Toby’s eyes softened. He always had a soft spot for sick things, and this ghost clearly wasn’t feeling well. He decided to make his presence known to the other entity.
“Bless you” he called softly.
The ghost startled, letting out a squeak, and looking around wildly. Finally his eyes landed on Toby. He seemed scared and uncertain, and began to edge away.
“Hey, it’s alright, I won’t hurt you!” Toby reassured. “I’m a medium,I help ghosts.”
The ghost sniffled before slowly approaching Toby.
As he got closer, Toby realized he was shivering violently.
“Goodness, you look freezing.” He murmured.
He reached out to touch the ghost in a comforting manner, but frowned when his hand phased through his shoulder. He could still feel the energy of the ghost wrapped around his hand. It was cold and slightly wet, like sticking your hand into a cloud.
But that wasn’t what made him falter. No, usually, he could outright touch ghosts, as if they were physical people. It was a special ability he had that separated him from any other medium. The only time he couldn’t touch a ghost was if they were a very weak presence.
For them, he had to focus more.
“Sorry, dear.” he apologized softly, before pulling out his hand. He then properly focused his ability and placed his hand back on the ghost’s shoulder, squeezing it gently. The ghost leaned into the touch, quietly swallowing back a whine. it had been a very long time since he’d felt physical touch, and he eagerly accepted it.
“Do you speak?” Toby asked softly.
The ghost sniffled-a miserable, stuffed up sound-before nodding slowly.
Toby smiled when the ghost didn’t say anything, “Just shy then?”
The ghost ducked his head, embarrassed.
Toby took that as a yes, giggling. “Well, I’m Toby,” he introduced himself, “Do you have anything I can call you by?”
The ghost hesitated for a minute before replying.
“…Cooper.” His voice sounded raspy and terribly congested.
Toby felt a pang of sympathy. “Poor thing, you sound awful.”
“oh…yes I…you must…exc..excubse me..I…hh…have a…ah..hih..hh…hHTCHU!!” He sneezed, and quickly covered his face with his hands. “Snf…a cold.” he finished.
He talked very slowly Toby noticed, it must’ve hurt his throat to speak too quickly.
Toby watched as the ghost wiped off his hands, covered in a thin layer of ectoplasm, on his pants.
“Well, bless you. How long has it been going on for?”
The ghost snuffled thickly, “id’s…perpetual I’b afraid…I died with a cold s-so now I’m stuck w-with…wih…Hh..HtXCH! mng…with it…”
“Poor thing.” Toby reached out, intent on brushing the loose strands of hair out of Cooper’s face.
But once again, he wasn’t paying attention to focusing his ability, and his hand phased right through Cooper’s nose.
It felt different here than the rest of his body. heavy and more wet.
“Huh.” he wiggled his fingers experimentally.
Suddenly Cooper’s nose flushed a deeper red, and his breath hitched desperately “hHh…w-wait that…hh….oooh…that…t-ttickles….” he gasped.
Toby, realized with dismay that his fingers must be in Cooper’s general sinus area.
“Oh no, I’m sorry!” He quickly started to remove his fingers, but the sudden movement inside the ghost’s nose caused even more tickling, and Cooper fell into a sneezing fit.
“hhHETCHEW!! hh..heh..…HHTCHX!” He groaned, “h…oh dear…hhESHKg! EShEW! Eeh…EtchU! hheh….hhHeh…hEhTch’w!”
Finally, the sneezing stopped, and he sniffled, tickling his throat and causing him to cough.
Toby’s hand was now covered with a thick coat of dripping ectoplasm. He tried to wipe it off on his pants, though it seemed to great a bigger mess. He shrugged, deciding to worry about that later.
“Bless you.”
Cooper, however was mortified, “I’m- I’m so sorry I didn’t…oh my goodness… I didn’t mean to-“
“-Hey, hey! It’s okay!” Toby rushed to reassure him. “It was my fault anyway for sticking my hand in your face…I’m really sorry about that, are you alright?”
Cooper sniffled, “N-no it’s okay, I think it helped a bit actually…I’ve never been able to clear my nose to that extent.” He rubbed his nose with his sleeve, sniffling again.
Toby frowned, noticing that Cooper hadn’t used a single tissue since he got there. “How come you haven’t been using tissues?” He asked.
Cooper suddenly stopped and looked at the ground. this seemed to be a sore spot for him. “I can’t….I can’t touch objects…at all.” he admitted softly.
“Because you’re a weaker apparition right?” Poor thing.
Cooper nodded, looking a bit dejected.
Toby thought for a minute “I think I know how to help!”
Cooper perked up, “you do? How?”
The medium nodded. “I’ll show you! I think I have some right here….” He muttered the last part more to himself.
Cooper watched him with intent curiosity as he rummaged through his bag.
“Ah, here we go!” Toby said triumphantly. In his hands he had a package of tissues and a strange bottle of….something.
Cooper wasn’t really sure what it was.
Toby wasted no time in explaining however, and shook the bottle excitedly, “This is a very special potion I’ve made myself,” he explained.
He unscrewed the cap and poured some into his hands. It was thick, kind of like shampoo.
“I’m working on a name for it, but it’s purpose is to help ghosts come into contact with the physical world if they can’t already. I came up with the idea when I met an apparition that kept falling through the floor, poor guy.”
Cooper suddenly seemed nervous, “wait….you…potion? I thought you were a medium?”
“Yes I am a medium ,but I’m also a witch.” Toby informed. He smiled reassuringly when he saw Cooper’s expression.
“Don’t worry, I’m not as harmful as I may sound. All I know how to do is help ghosts and make potions, I’m not exactly all powerful.”
Cooper seemed to relax. “So…?” He eyed the substance in Toby’s hands.
Toby gently grabbed the ghost’s arm and began applying the potion along his arm.
Cooper shivered involuntarily. It felt strange.
Toby slowly began to rub the potion along his neck, and then around to his other arm in slow smooth strokes.
Cooper bit back a rather embarrassing noise. It felt good, he’d never had this much physical contact before, and certainly not like this.
Toby noticed how Cooper seemed to stiffen and relax, and how his cheeks were flushed, not from sneezing but from…something else. He didn’t comment on it, but he did go even slower, smoother. A little bit firmer.
Cooper tried not to squirm, and ‘subtly’ crossed his legs, hoping Toby wouldn’t notice.
He noticed alright, and bit back a mischievous grin. He resisted the urge to tease the ghost even farther, and chided himself internally.
‘Shame on you Toby, for even indulging in the fantasy.’
Finally, he was finished.
Cooper hid his disappointment when Toby took his hands away.
“That should do it, I only need to apply it to the arms for it to work.” Toby announced. He suddenly got a playful gleam in his eye. “Unless you want me to keep going…?”
Cooper stiffened. Had he really been that obvious? His face flushed in embarrassment. He turned to face Toby, in an attempt to say something, but his mouth just open and shut.
Toby snorted, giggling. “Sorry, I don’t mean to tease you. You’re not the first touch starved ghost I’ve encountered though, so don’t worry. I don’t mind.”
Cooper nodded slowly, though his cheeks were still flushed. After a beat of silence, he spoke. “Erm… would you….ah…like me to…show you around?” He offered tentatively.
Toby’s eyes lit up. He loved it when ghosts showed him their resting places, they always knew so much about it, and the history always fascinated him. “Oh, would you?”
Cooper grinned shyly. He started to move down the hall way, gesturing for Toby to follow.
Toby didn’t need to be told twice
They spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the old place. Though he talked slowly, Cooper answered any questions Toby had (which was a lot) with delight. In turn, Toby would describe in great detail the modern world and current events. There were several times when Cooper would interrupt with a sneezing or coughing fit.Toby was quick to dismiss any apologies and supply him with more tissues. So the day went on, exploring, talking, flirting.
Neither Cooper or Toby could recall the last time either of them had had so much fun. But eventually, the sun began to set, casting the house in a warm golden glow.
“O-oh…it’s getting rather late…you um…you should get going…” Cooper said. He couldn’t hide the disappointment in his face this time. He didn’t want Toby to leave, it had been so long since he’d had company.
Toby didn’t exactly want to leave his new friend either. “Well, you’re right, it is late.”
Toby paused, watching as Cooper stared at the ground.
Suddenly Toby’s face widened with a grin, “Too late for me to walk home all by myself, that is. Why don’t I stay the night?”
I’m still iffy about showing bits of my face online in relation to this community but I’m trying to be brave and provide content that at least one person asked for, so here it is :
up close stifles (and sniffling and lots of nose scrubbing to ease the itch of the chhinkni)
just a little treat for the new year (not sure how long this will stay up) from me to yall. had a real sensitive spot in my nose i just kept poking at making these really really intense
Drastic change of plans: I got the feeling I wasn't gonna find the guy I was looking for so I'm settling for a regular post.
If anyone still wants to voice this though, feel free- I guess at this point its a free for all, do it or don't do it. You have my explicit permission to do so
Allow me to briefly rise from the dead to offer this outrageous ludicrous (and hot nsft) scenario.
Something something something, somehow two characters (A and B) are squished together in a dark cramped spot. Neither know where actually they are in space relative to the other Acquaintances as best, they definitely don't know each other very well.
Character A is in a sitting/crouched position, and starts to feel a tickle in their nose. Breathes begin to hitch and it's quiet enough and close enough that B can hear/feel it. Are they hiding from something and need to be quiet? Or just the power of horny plot forcing them to be stuck there for a bit? (You can pick~) But A is hitching and saying "S-sorry, pretty dusty in here. Think it's making me have to sneeze."
Well, unbeknownst to A, those were magical words to B. Whether B is stoic in nature or simply too stunned with desire, says nothing, a neutral hum or grunt at most. Maybe if they stay completely still, A won't figure out how much this is affecting them. Except B is standing, and A's face is all too close to B's crotch, not that A is aware of this.
Except A is just gearing up, the hitches are becoming more frequent, borderline obscene with the moans and comments of "o-oh god, it tickles so bad", "I can feel it coming", "I need to sneeze so bad".
Really, no one can blame B for what happens next. Their pants never stood a chance as their dick suddenly springs free, unable to be contained any longer. And it just so happens, that its now resting just below A's nose, much like one would position a finger in attempt to hold back a sneeze. That's certainly what A assumes is going on at least. Too sniffly to realize that perhaps a finger or hand shouldn't smell quite like that, nor know B well enough to know a single finger probably shouldn't be that big and thick.
"Oh, thank you, but it's ok. I d-don't....heh....I don't think that'll stop it," A says, surprised by the offered gesture.
B definitely is too afraid to move or say anything now. They can feel how A's nose quivers, hitching breaths puffing across the under shaft of their dick, moisture catching on the top despite attempts to sniffle it back.
Before B can even think of a way to get out of this situation, A's nose officially breaks lose. The first sneeze is messy and wet, leading to so many more as poor A succumbs to their allergic fit. It's all B can do to remain still and muffle their own unintentional sounds when they're forced to cum hands free.
And, if there's some extra unexplained mess mixed in with all the spray from A's sneezes? ...Well, it's certainly something A never even realizes~
hey so this is really gross and messy and wet but yeah. (and horn/y)
do you ever just want to see a pathetic sneezy guy with the nastiest, drippiest, itchiest cold of all time with his giant red nose buried deep in a pair of tits and sneezing his head off? I know I do
if so then boy howdy do I have something for you!
cw:MESS!! Seriously, lots of snot, people. m/f cuddling, NSFW (breasts&booty) no visible nipples, not explicit
enjoy the food!
Nose poke version because I can’t resist squishing that thang
Anyways yeah going to go perish in a dark corner somewhere now!!##
You're one of the lucky fans who gets to join a tour of the newest hero agency on the block, where the infamous Class 1A from UA High works after their incredible victory over villainy! After separating from the group near the end of the tour you hop onto an elevator to beat the crowds to the merch sale downstairs. But fate has a different plan for you, involving your favorite hero, and a lowkey cursed elevator ride...
CW; Sick! b/akugou, pro hero au, b/aku being an asshole and spreading his germs, snzfucker! listener, d/ynamight fangirl! listener, sneezing, sniffling, mentions of mess, stifles, nose blowing, snz talk in general, contagion in a small space aka elevator, elevator noises, crowds, b/aku learning about listeners kink and using it against them.
OK so I owe you guys an apology for making this a week late, but fuck all this overtime is killing me x-x BUT it's here, and I was NOT expecting this to be almost 20 minutes so...yeah, I hope it isnt total doo doo cuz someone paid for this and Id hate for it to not meet expectations :P Enjoy guys!
CW: Sneezing, lots of sniffles, few build ups, sneezes caused by a quirk, attempted/failed holdbacks, sneezing into shirt, slightly wet sneezing, S/higaraki cameo, nose/sensitivity talk, grunt/lacky villain listener, simping listener, kink! listener, d/abi figures out listeners kink pretty quickly and indulges them a little, teasing, D/abi doing D/abi things
S/higaraki is getting a bit impatient when D/abi reports back from a job late, but you'll soon discover what caused his delay and maybe receive the best seat in the house to watch his suffering.
aha I tricked you, its actually out TODAY >:D I hope the mic quality is good, this is my first time using the new Yeti mic and I need a little bit of time to get used to it, I feel like some bits sound a little bit quieter than others, maybe a little different, lemme know what you guys think and I'll adjust the settings accordingly for the next one! I just hope this wav lives up to expectations and has enough horni to spare, and if not there's always more opportunities to do more D/abi stuff in the future.
Feeling the urge to create make a wav. I have a couple scenarios queued up that I will get to, but also want some feedback from the community. What are you most looking forward to hearing in a wav? If you select “other,” hit me up and let me know!
The people have sneezed spoken! I wake up from a sick slumber to find my partner is at my place ready to take care of most of my needs. I am touched by their sweetness towards me, at least in the moments between the sneezes that are wrecking my body.
I'm not personally in the cold/caretaking camp (team allergies, baby!), but I hope I'm hitting the right notes for y'all. Let me know how I'm doing, and as always, hit me up for any ideas/requests. I love you all!
Been on that Ven.ture Br.os. brainrot for a good while and decided to doodle this while recovering from my cold. Needed an excuse to make snz content for the show, something gay n' goofy and also an excuse to do a micro/macro kink doodle, too, hehehehe--
Full doodles below the read more! Feat. my self-insert with the same name as yours truly (he/him) and Pe.te Whi.te <:3c
Bit of fun with being shrunken down with the shrink ray, getting under the covers n' do a bit of grinding... only to find out not only does Pe.te have a sensitive nose, but Rose has made the wrong stop on his man! Whoopsies!
God, I’m gonna regret this SO BAD in the morning, but my nose puts on such a great show that I can’t help but show it off, even for a little bit. I’m also nervous about showing my eyes, but they add so much to the expressiveness of my sneezes! (Also, I just move too much to effectively crop them out)
The quality is really crappy though, sorry about that
This started a idea of Tel/emachus trying to battle while sick, and then I just ran with it. And 6.5k words later here we are!
this is a snz fic read at your own discretion
this is 5 chapter so it is broken up! enjoy!!
(also if you do not know theo/clymenus (Theo) is a seer in the odyssey so a lot of people have hc that he is in a relationship with Telemachus)
(Do NOT reblog to non-kink blogs, THANKS!!!!)
Chapter 1
Telemachus’ only thoughts during this moment were why? He stood in line with the other competitors waiting to get prepped for the arena.
‘This was part of the tradition of the games’ Telemachus thought to himself as he saw his spot in line get closer to the changing rooms. He could smell the oil from outside the room.
‘The scent is pleasant enough. A combination of floral scents and there was something else, maybe pine or fir.’ He thinks as he takes another step closer to the curtain.
Telemachus heard a voice call from behind the curtain. He stepped forward a lump in his throat as he pulled the curtain back. The small room was lit by the open windows. There were multiple vases on a table, covered in a fine red tablecloth, but more importantly, he saw the barrel of dust.
He looked for the sound of the voice but could see no one. It was at this moment he felt her by her side.
“Athena.” He whispered.
Athena smiled. Just like his father Telemachus could always sense her presence. She smiled and spoke her voice, melodious and comforting.
“It is finally time. All the training we have been doing is for you. For you to be my champion; to win my games! They will sing your names for years to come. Telemachus prove yourself here and now surrounded by enemies and foes that you are my champion.”
He blushed. She had always been righteous, so focused on his perfection that sometimes she forgot his humanity. As she gathered the oil, she noticed the frown and concern on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
Telemachus, not wanting to tell her the truth, lied.
“I don’t want to let you down. You spent so much time and energy training me to be this champion and what if I let you down; what if I lose?”
Athena moved to his side placing a hand on his shoulder. He always had these kinds of thoughts before any big challenge but eventually would pull through.
She spoke. “You’ll be fine. I’ve seen you practicing day and night. You are strong. You’re healthy.”
It was at this moment that Telemachus's body decided to betray him as he felt an itch in the back of his nose. Athena continued to sing his praises he silently hitched trying not to ruin this moment. The sawdust in the air made him feel like he was choking. Every breath he took was igniting the tickle in his nose. As Athena finished her speech and looked down to see her champion, he bent at the waist and sneezed loudly enough to even startle her.
“Ahh’TTSChh’hIIEWW!!”
“Bless you.” She spoke. She had become accustomed to this. Telemachus was not weak in any sense of the word, but he did have a fragile humanity about himself. After a while, Athena had to start carrying tissues and handkerchiefs to target practice with the number of times he sneezed from the hay.
And if he was sick, she had to take him home multiple times over the years. So sneezing wasn’t anything new but as she looked around the room, she didn’t see anything that would cause this. She held him near her, placing her hand on his forehead testing to see if it was warm.
“You’re not getting sick? Because you know how I feel about you working when you were sick?” Her voice took on a stern but parental nature.
“No.” He said as he slowly rose his nose dripping. He pointed over to the barrel. “I think it’s the sawdust that must’ve gotten in my nose.”
She sighed. “Telemachus, I haven’t even begun to cover you yet if you’re reacting like this, just from being near it, how are you going to-”
He put a hand up to stop her. “I am your champion. I can handle a little dust.”
She rolled her eyes and thought in her head. ‘Well, these games certainly got more interesting.’
He recovered sniffing wetly as he approached the table with the oil. He grabbed the oil and slowly started applying it carefully trying not to stain his armor. It felt nice, but he had always questioned this part of the games.
“Why do we do this? I mean wouldn’t it be more effective if we just were wearing armor or helmets while,” he pauses, and his breath began to hitch. “Why do we do this?” He sneezed, harshly again.
“Ahh’TSCHhh’HIHh’uh!”
“Bless you. We do this to protect yourself. While your armor protects your most vital organs. The sun can damage you.” She continued. “It also protects against rashes and burns.”
He rubbed his nose on his wrist before continuing.
“I don’t think covering oneself in oil-” he paused as he hitched, but soon his breath went back to normal, and he sniffed. “And using brick dust and sawdust is a good measure to combat the sun.”
“Well, when you come up with a better idea, be sure to bring it to the god's attention. I’m sure Helios would love to have a chat with you.”
He sniffed urgently and his gaze started to become unfocused. She had seen this look on him multiple times throughout their years of training and fighting together. She walked over, grabbing the discarded handkerchief, that he had just thrown on the ground, quickly covering his nose as his breath came to a crescendo.
“Hut’SCHH’ihh! n’TSHCHH’hihehh! TScHHZHHHtT!!”
She caught the sneezes in the handkerchief and instructed him to blow his nose. She found that that seemed to be the only thing to calm his fits. Otherwise, he’ll be sneezing for hours.
He always blushed every time Athena took care of him like a little kid. He wanted to prove himself to her. Not be treated like a small child. Hell, he was old enough to go to war and fight in these games. He was old enough to blow his damn nose. Even so, a small part of him enjoyed that she was always there to take care of him.
He smiled. “Thank you, Athena. We should probably get this going, the sooner it’s over the better.”
She nodded. “I’ll try not to get your face.” She grabbed the bucket sawdust spilling over the sides onto the ground, creating a small plume of dust that sifted into the air.
Telemachus took a deep breath and held it waiting for this to be over. She slowly applied the dust covering to his arms, then his chest, and lastly his back. She thought to herself ‘he’s doing a pretty good job holding his breath. He might survive this.’
Reassurance failed when he exhaled and took a deep breath. Immediately she knew this wasn’t going to end well. His body became rigid, tears sprung to his eyes and his nose twitched. He brought a hand up to rub at it, but she smacked it away.
“Don’t think about it. Your hand is covered in dust. You need to wait for it to dry before you can touch your face.”
He nodded, unable to form words for fear, and once he opened his mouth he would start sneezing. His nose began to run, as well as his eyes, tears streaming down his face. He opened one eye cautiously before immediately sucking in a deep breath and bending forward at the waist, harshly sneezing.
“Huh… TZSCHHH’ihh!”
Athena was going to bless him, but another deep inhale made her wait. He sneezed harshly again his whole body being thrown forward. He took a few steps and caught himself on the table in the room. He leaned on it, panting, his nose dripping, causing small droplets to fall on the oak table.
She went to the other side of the table, lifting his chin with her hand and surveying the damage. His nose was an absolute mess, dripping onto his upper lip. His eyes streaming. The worst part was he didn’t look like he was done. His face contorted and he scrunched up his nose, trying to scratch, at the itch that wouldn’t go away.
She pressed the handkerchief to his nose and waited. Not before long his breath became erratic, and he sneezed wetly, destroying the handkerchief within three sneezes.
She wiped his nose gently for him as he slowly began to regain his breath. She waited a moment before speaking.
“Is it safe now to bless you?” she asked.
He replied, his voice was thick with congestion. “I think so. I don’t know if my nose could take anymore.”
“I’m surprised you’re still standing after that display. I would’ve wanted to sit down.” He looks at her. His eyes were red around the edges and his mouth parted, indicating he couldn’t breathe through his nose. “I don’t have time to sit if you have forgotten I must prepare for combat.”
Suddenly images crossed her mind. The arena field, sounds of metal clashing, splitting of wood, and a scream. Red flashed in her mind. She felt her heart quicken, and she looked down at Telemachus.
“Are you sure you don’t want to withdraw? There is always next year. No one would be mad if you did... I can’t see you get hurt.” She stammered.
Telemachus straightened and sniffed deeply. “I can prove myself here and now Athena. I will prove to everyone I am not weak. I am strong. I can be your champion.” Before she could say another word. He threw his cape around his shoulders and turned and fled through the curtains.
Athena could only pray that he would survive.
Chapter 2
Telemachus heart pounded in his chest, matching the beating of the drums. He held his sword in his hand and his shield strapped to his other arm. He slowly approached the entry to the arena. The wooden door that separated the hallway to the outside world was all that stood between him and his destiny. The horns blared and Telemachus swung the door open and stepped out into the arena.
As his eyes adjusted to the sun he surveyed the landscape around him. A simple baren patch of earth with various obstacles in the way. A few barrels, one overturned cart.
‘A good place to get a height advantage’ he thought to himself. Then Telemachus saw something that made his heart sink. Bales of hay neatly stacked. Now being in a farming village, he was no stranger to hay. It was a wildly used material. Both as food and for building.
However, Telemachus was not a fan of it. From a young age when he interacted with hay he found himself with itchy eyes and his nose would run. As he matured he made a point of avoiding the substance all together. But since it was wildly used in construction that was not always possible.
He stepped into the stadium with his footsteps silenced by the roar of the crowd. His eyes locked on the other side. His opponent was tall and muscular. His hair was black and slicked back into a ponytail. He branded a sword and shield and moved to his place in the center.
One shared look. That was all it took to know he was wildly outmatched. The crowd chanted around them. ‘Nikoloas’. The name of his opponent. Telemachus shut out the distraction of the crowd, and the world contracted to one twenty-five-foot circle and one cloakless man with a sword two sword-lengths away from him.
He dropped into a light crouch and stood motionless, just waiting. His sword was still. Every movement, every breath and shift and toss of wind about Nikolaos became a thing to watch, an indication of where the next attack would come, where his next attack should strike. Where his target was going be in the next instant of battle.
Only the tiny part of the world they inhabited at this moment mattered.
Nikolaos was pacing, his sword already in restless motion, in stark contrast to him as he traced roving loops with the point and entirely ignored the noise and people around them in order to focus solely upon him.
They had already agreed there would be no rituals, no salutes or gestures before they started--battle began when one of them chose to attack, which allowed for the unpredictability of combat. It could begin now, or after five minutes of feints, or in the middle of conversation, if one of them decided to start talking at some point. Which would have been an enticing option, if it weren't for the fact that Telemachus nose was threatening to run.
Nikolaos stepped forward, blade swinging in a mock offense, an experimental probe into motion. Telemachus launched straight into the attack. Left, right--he twisted away, jumped back, closed in for the attack again and then reversed once more. Simply avoiding Nikolaos's quick parry, he slipped in on his other side for a feint, and as he dodged the attack and responded he took his downswing on his angled blade, sending it skidding away. Amidst wild shouting from the onlookers, they both backed off, breathless and scowling grimly at each other.
First engagement, first flurry of blows, and both had played it relatively safe. This fight would go on until one of them scored a disabling blow--at this rate, it would last until sundown. Someone yelled a comment to this effect, and neither of them acknowledged it, although Telemachus grimaced fully at Nikolaos. He intended to win this fight if it took him until sundown. Nikolaos swung his sword in a small flourish opposite him.
Nikolaos prowled sideways and attacked, pounding at his guards. Telemachus warded him off with tight defenses, went on the counter-offensive the moment he had an opening, then disengaged and backed off. He was shifting around him, forwards and backwards and sideways, always in motion, his sword weaving in a near-random pattern and his shifting gaze scanning for openings as he turned in place to match his orbit.
The moving sword was a distraction and a deflection tactic nearly useless in pitched battle, but excellent for masking intentions in single-combat. It could even be slightly hypnotizing on occasion. The reverse tactic, of course, was simply to wait, poised, sword angled in a basic defense position, and remain as motionless and ready as possible, and that was what Telemachus had chosen to do.
It was more difficult; the energy and adrenaline generated during battle ensured that standing still was the last thing anyone wanted to do, but it could also be subtle, confusing, and frankly vicious when one did finally explode into action. The attack could come from anywhere, and there could be a lethal amount of backed-up energy in play. Enough energy, actually, to make anyone careless...no doubt Nikolaos, who knew that as well as he did, was already expecting him to overexert himself in the next attack.
Telemachus transitioned into a spring as he swung his sword back around for a waist-level attack, and now they were so close together they were beyond effective sword-blade range. His weapon caught Nikolaos's on the hilt as they closed to within arm's reach.
And clearly they both wanted the other down more than they were worried about going down themselves.
Nikolaos slid his sword down from his hilt, aiming at Telemachus legs. He lunged sideways to avoid it. He drove forward. In the resulting tangle, Nikolaos's sword drove into his left leg, and he trapped his sword hand between his side and his arm, wrenching it in sideways and hacking at his neck. He ducked and rolled into him before he could land a good blow, sending them both to the ground into the hay.
Telemachus rose quickly from the ground trying to brush off the hay that was stuck to him. As he did so Nikolaos attacked. Telemachus barely had time to bring his shield arm up to defend. The blow was strong, and Telemachus bent at the knees. His eyes had become a watery mess and soon he knew he would not be able to see at all. But in the moments before blindness, he did see an opportunity. He gathered all the strength his legs would allow and stood up. Knocking Nikolaos out of the way and swinging his sword around he felt the impact hit and the cry of his opponent. Horned blared and Telemachus sighed before inhaling and bending at the waist.
He dropped the sword and blindly fumbled with the straps of the shield before he felt arms around him. His adrenaline spiked and he resisted. A familiar voice catches his ear over the sound of his own heartbeat and crowd.
“Relax its just me!”
Theoclymenus. Theo was here! Telemachus strained his neck to try to see him, but the effort was futile. The combat had left him drained. He barely had any energy at all. Which is why he wasn’t surprised when he sneezed harshly and didn’t cover.
He felt his partner laugh, a comforting sound before he was set down on a hard surface. He ran his hands over the material. It appeared to be wooden. He tried to rub his eyes, but it just made them water more. He whined as his breath began to hitch again. Could this day get any worse he thought to himself.
A moment later he found out it could. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a bucket of ice-cold water poured over his head. The shock is instantaneous. Telemachus body tenses up, and a gasp escapes his lips as the freezing water hits his skin. It's a jolt to his body—like an electrifying wake-up call that sent shivers down his spine. His heart races, and for a moment, it's all he could think about.
He sat there shivering but managed to open his eyes. It took a minute for the surrounding area not to be blurry, but he saw he was in some kind of alcove. There were all types of supplies and weapons. He decided this was a chamber for extra supplies for the games. He went to speak but was immediately hit with another bucket of water pouring over himself. He coughed and spat out some water. Shivering as the cold seeped into his bones.
“Theo what in the five rivers of hell are you doing!”
“Trying to not have my boyfriend asphyxiate because he touched a single stalk of hay!”
Telemachus tried to retort back but the exhaustion from the fight and everything caught up to him in a moment and he put his head in his hands and within moments darkness overtook him.
Chapter 3
The first thing Telemachus feels when he regains his consciousness is pain. Everything hurt. Telemachus winced as he felt a sharp pain shoot through his side. His body ached with the memory of the battle fought just hours before. Every muscle protested as he tried to sit up, the bruises and cuts a cruel reminder of the fierce clash.
He took a deep breath, feeling the sting of his injuries with every inhale. The scent of blood and sweat still lingered in the air, mingling with the faint aroma of the herbs used to dress his wounds. Telemachus hand instinctively went to his side, fingers brushing against the rough bandages that bound his ribs. He could still hear the echoes of clashing swords and the roar of the crowd in his mind.
With a groan, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his feet meeting the cold, unforgiving floor. The room was silent now, a stark contrast to the chaos of the arena. He glanced around, taking in the sight of his armor, dented and bloodstained, lying in a heap in the corner.
Telemachus knew he couldn't afford to rest for long. He pushed himself to his feet, gritting his teeth against the pain. As he moved towards the window, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the cracked mirror. The face staring back at him was a sight to behold. His hair was caked in sweat and dirt. His eyes were bloodshot. As he stood in front of the mirror he heard sounds of pottery being moved. He turned quickly to see Theo existing from a small archway. As their eyes met Theo face lit up in a bright smile and he rushed forward wrapping his arms around Telemachus in an embracing hug.
“You scared me! Do not ever do that again!”
Telemachus could hear the pain and longing in Theo's voice. He wanted more than anything to promise him he would be safe. But he was unsure. The creeping suspicion that danger was still coming for him clouded his mind.
Telemachus spoke his voice cracking “My prophet, I wish more than anything I could promise you, but my life is a little bit dangerous!”
Theo hugged him tighter, and Telemachus winced. “Darling you are crushing my lung here!”
Theo realized his grip and he looked up into Telemachus eyes. Telemachus smiled down at him. Theo was the shorter one in their relationship, so it was common for Theo to stand on his toes to see or kiss his face. Telemachus went to speak but his breathing hitched, and he found himself bending forward and sneezing into Theo shoulder.
“Ahh’TTSChh’hIIEWW!!”
Theo jolted at the sudden harsh sneeze in surprise and stammered out. “Bless you.”
Telemachus recovered, sniffling, wetly before responding, his voice thick with congestion.
“Thanks, must be the hay.”
He said he thought it was a convincing lie, but judging from the raised eyebrow from Theo, he didn’t believe it to be such.
Theo spoke in a soft but concerned tone. “I think you might be catching a cold. If you haven’t already. I know how hard you’ve been working for this tournament….for these games but you are human. You are immortal you know that right?”
Telemachus nodded. Slowly there was a nagging thought in the back of his mind that repeated the word mortal mortal mortal repeatedly. Wiping his nose on his arm, leaving a trail of mess behind he started to respond.
“Theo. I have to win these games she is counting on me.”
“I’m sure she would understand. I don’t think she wants you to die.”
Telemachus rolled his eyes. “I’m not going to die from a cold. How weak do you think I..” he pauses as his breath begins to hitch.
Theo, knowing what’s about to happen reaches up and covers his nose with his hand, catching the sneezes as they rock his body forward.
He felt each damp blast spray the inside of his palm, his expression shifting from a grimace to sympathy as Telemachus pulled back with a miserable sounding sniffle.
“Bless you I don’t think you’re weak, but I do think you’re sick. And this” he says, wiping his hands discreetly on his pants. “Shows that. Plus, you said it yourself. Please don’t compete. You won the first challenge that's enough for her.”
Telemachus tried to believe him, but after everything he had put forth for this, there was no way he was backing out now.
He coughed, wincing as his torso twined in pain. He took a deep breath through his mouth, unable to through his nose, and replied. “I’ll see you at the beach. I’m going to win.”
Without saying another word, he turned, grabbed his helmet and discarded armor in the corner, and left the recovery area stepping out into the sun. He shivered, sending a quick prayer to Athena. Praying for his strength in the upcoming race and started the walk down to the local beach to compete in the swim relay.
The sun hung low over the Ionian Sea, casting a golden hue over the landscape. Telemachus wrapped his arms around his body and made his way slowly down the path towards the beach. His steps were unsteady, each one a battle against the fever that burned within him. The air was filled with the scent of salt and the distant cries of seabirds.
As he reached the edge of the beach, Telemachus paused as his breath began to hitch.
Telemachus wobbled with the force of the sneezes and put his arms out to steady himself. As he took a step he felt her next to him.
“I know what you are going to say” he whispered to the salt air.
Athena smiled. “Telemachus you do not need to do this; you can still win if you don’t compete there are multiple tiers of this-”
He interrupts her. “Athena you never back down from a fight why- ihh…hehH…o-ohh c-come ohh–n “HhNgktsCHH’IHHWw! HhdtsHHIHww!!-iSSCHHhihhww!!…HH! IH!…IIh--'tsschHHiEHHww!”
“Bless, you do not sound well.”
“I am fine Athena I could do this in my sleep,” he said sniffingly before continuing onto the beach.
The sand was warm beneath his feet, and he could feel the energy of the earth seeping into his bones. He walked slowly towards the water's edge, each step a triumph over the weakness that threatened to overwhelm him.
The sea was calm, its surface glittering like a million tiny diamonds. Telemachus knelt and cupped his hands, scooping up the cool, clear water to splash onto his fevered face. The sensation was like a kiss from the gods, a brief respite from his suffering. He sat down on the sand, allowing the waves to lap gently at his feet.
In the distance, he could see the silhouette of a small boat, its sails catching the last rays of the sun. He just had to make it there and back before anyone else. He looked around at the competition. Most were drinking or stretching a few were in silent prayer. As he returned his look to the ocean his nose started burning with the need to sneeze. He ducked his head between his legs and sneezed, a wet and sickly sound, that seemed to echo off the cliffs surrounding the beach. He soon heard a few whispers of health, and he kept his face lowered, embarrassment heating his checks.
Then lined up at the starting line.
Chapter 4 (switching pov to theo)
'Wait Telemachus don’t go' the words barley left his mouth before Telemachus was gone. Theoclymenus stood in both amazement and frustration, still in the recovery chamber. Why couldn’t he just listen to him!
Telemachus was always known for pushing himself. The hypothesis was that he got it from his father. Both men didn’t know when to quit, admirable in some and stubborn in others.
Theoclymenus grabbed a few supplies, packing them in a satchel before heading outside into the bright sun. The path down to the water wasn’t exactly a hard terrain, but Theoclymenus‘s mind wandered, making him walk slower.
What if he got hurt? There was no way he could swim; he could barely stand without wincing! How is he going to accomplish this? Theoclymenus had always been a bit of a worrier. He believed it was due to his ability to be a seer. His father is Polypheides and he comes from a family of seers and prophets.
He continued his trek down the mountain to the beach. He paused when he saw the curly hair of Telemachus at the junction of the beach and the walkway. He was standing looking out into the sea the wind whipping his hair. It was almost peaceful until the lanky brunette sneezed. The sound rebounded off the caves and rocks that surround the small beach. Theoclymenus whispered a small blessing and then two more as he doubled over again.
His heart yearned as he saw the brunette stumble and he protectively reached out a hand to him. But Telemachus shook his head and kept walking leaving sandy footprints in his wake.
Theoclymenus watched as Telemachus joined the others at the starting line. He wasn’t seriously going to consider racing!!
The boat, which was a halfway point was 50 yards and then another 50 yards to get back there was no way he could swim that. He sat with the other spectators, his eyes focused on Telemachus. His heartbeat quickened as he saw Telemachus's body convulse.
At the sound of the horns, he saw him dive into the water, and he felt his heart sink to his stomach. Watching the other swim out was going slower than the others. His movements dragged against the waves that lapped against him. He saw a couple of times he would flip onto his back, probably as a retrieve to let his muscles relax. When he got to the boat, he saw the others hall him up. He was afraid his heart was going to burst watching the scene unfold.
Theoclymenus had not realized he had started to move closer to the water edge until a hand from a guard stopped him. He looked in horror as Telemachus continued and jumped back into the water. Theoclymenus couldn’t help it he calls out to him in a desperate plea.
“Please let me help him. He’s going to die.” He yelled into the wind. The wind took his words, twisting and turning and let it fall upon deaf ears. Others had already finished and were celebrating their victory, but all the noise was drowned out for Theoclymenus.
His eyes focused, his breath coming in short breaths, and then the movement from Telemachus stopped. Without thinking he pushed back past the guard, ignoring how he was gripped from behind, ripping his shawl and wadding into the water. The water was ice cold. The freezing temperature sent shockwaves into his body. He didn’t care; he had to get him he had to save him. As he approached the man who was treading water weakly, he grabbed his arm. He was not a trained athlete and was struggling but he felt so much power in his stroke. And hauled him onto the shore.
Telemachus clung to him, his body trembling with exhaustion and illness. As they reached the beach, Theoclymenus gently laid his head down on the soft sand, his eyes filled with worry.
“Are you okay, love?” he asked, brushing wet strands of hair from his face.
Telemachus nodded weakly, his breath coming in ragged gasps. “I’m...I’m sorry, Theoclymenus. I thought I could handle it.”
“It’s okay,” he said softly, his voice soothing. “You’re safe now. Let’s get you home and take care of you.”
Telemachus nodded and his eyes shut.
Chapter 5
Theo stirs from his slumber, nestled beside his beloved, Telemachus. The warmth of their entwined bodies creates a cocoon of comfort beneath the linen sheets. The cool morning breeze slips through the open window, carrying the fragrance of blooming jasmine and the distant murmur of the Ionian Sea.
Theo's eyelashes flutter open, revealing the soft blue of his eyes as he transitions from dreams to the waking world. He stretches his limbs carefully, mindful, not to disturb Telemachus’ sleep.
With a tender touch, Theo brushes a strand of hair from Telemachus’ face, feeling the warmth of his skin against his fingers. He thinks to himself. ‘He does have a fever.’
His breath is short and seems labored. Theo slowly rises from the bed, careful not to disturb the prince. He makes his way out of the room. He goes to the mason to fill a few pots with water. He dips the pot into the water watching the ripples and his reflection. A sudden scream jolts him. He looks around for the source, but the sound is coming from…the prince's room. The pottery is forgotten as Theo sprints up the stairs his heart pounding. He runs into the room.
Telemachus is sitting straight upright in bed looking around the room franticly. His eyes are stained with tears and choking sobs escape him.
Their eyes meet and Telemachus clutches his chest. “You left me…you left me alone.”
Theo crosses the room in a few strides. Wrapping Telemachus in a protective hug. “No love I did not leave, I will not leave you. You have a fever, you do not know what you are saying.”
Telemachus continued to cry, his broken sobs echoed in the room. Theo rubbed his back whispering small comforts. Eventually, Telemachus’ exhaustion caught up to him and he slumped against Theo. Theo positioned him to lie on his chest. Telemachus' cries lessened and he turned his face into Theo’s chest and mumbled a few words, he did not catch before closing his eyes and going back to sleep.
Telemachus felt a hand running over his back before the pain hit him like a wave from Poseidon. All the soreness from the day prior invaded his senses in an instant and he took a sharp inhale. The hand rubbing his back stopped and a quiet voice spoke. “Just relax, you are okay, you're safe.”
Telemachus opened one eye. It took a few moments for his vision to unblur, and he saw his room. The open window with light shining through. He took a breath in through his mouth, feeling how dry his lips and throat were. The rubbing on his back stopped and he turned his head and found himself looking into the concerned eyes of Theo.
“Hi,” he managed to say. His voice was soft and strained. He tried clearing his throat, but it just made him cough. He felt Theo move from his side and return with a cup. Telemachus grabbed the cup and slowly instructed Telemachus to drink the water. It felt good on his throat, he swallowed and winced slightly before speaking again.
“Theo?”
Theo held his hand and replied, “Yes my love.”
Telemachus looked up at him with a face of acceptance and announced, “I think I have a cold.”
Theo could not help but laugh. He leaned his head so just their forehead was touching. “I know… Athena knows… I am sure the whole town of Ithaca knows.”
Telemachus smiles for a moment before his face and takes on a look of desperation. His eyes dart around before settling on the blanker he is wrapped in. He grabs the corner of it and desperately sneezes into it, causing the corner to become discolored.
“Bless you!”
“You are going to get sick of saying that.” Replied the prince, sniffling wetly.
Theo shook his head and answered. “I haven’t yet, have I?….no I haven’t.”
“Good because” his breath hitches. “I- hehh! I-I hih-HhaHh! I-I am guh- g-gonna-huhhAH—!”
A grin spreads across Theo, and he holds Telemachus closer to his chest. “Hmm? You are gonna…?”
The struggling prince tried to talk. “Sneh-hehheeze!”
“I know love, come on, you can do it,” Theo said encouragingly. Telemachus sometimes needed to be reminded he was human and to let his body do what it needed to.
His chest expands as his lungs draw deep.
“Heh! HEH! HEHHT’CHIEW!”
“Bless you after all these years you still can't cover your mouth can you?” he said eyeing the mess left on his face.
He sniffled. “S-Snf, sorry.”
Theo smiled he pulled a soft handkerchief; cupped Telemachus chin gently and tilted his face up. "Hold still."
Telemachus blinked, surprised but obedient, his lashes fluttering as Theo dabbed carefully at his nose. "Y-you don’t have to do that," he murmured, his cheeks flushing.
"Someone has to," he replied. "You’re like a water hose, and my clothes are in the line of fire." He gave a satisfied hum and placed the very used item on the bed. “And besides this way, I get to look at your cute face.”
Telemachus let out a watery chuckle, only to cut it off with a sharp gasp. Theo barely had time to reach up to cup his hand in front of his face before Telemachus snapped forward with another sneezing fit.
“Goodness bless you, wow that water did a number on you?”
Telemachus sighed before speaking. “…to be honest I was sick even before then.” He said sheepishly.
Theo sighed. “I won't yell at you, but I am sure she will.”
“Oh, I am looking forward to it.. oh fuh- hh-! huHd’ESSCHHIEWWw!!!”
Theo waited before saying bless you as he saw Telemachus’ nose still twitching.
hiHH-!hihh’ihH-! HAAASSCHHIUHh-!! Sorry, I- AAAASSCHHIEW!! -…. s’hH’ESSCHHIEWWw!! He collapsed against Theo's chest exhausted.
“Bless you, that feel better?”
“No,” he replied stuffy.
Theo grabbed a new cloth and held it over his nose. “Come on, blow you need to get that stuff out of your head.”
He blew his nose with a loud, gurgling sound, sighing heavily as he crumpled the cloth in his fist.
“We are going to run out of handkerchiefs at this rate,” Theo commented before continuing. “It is okay, I know you are sick, I was probably already doomed at his point anyway to catch this.”
Telemachus rolled his eyes before adjusting his position. “I am not going to sneeze on you.”
“You have in the past.”
Telemachus blushed every shade of red you could imagine before hiding his face on Theo's chest.
“Aww someone speechless?”
Telemachus head snaps forward with messy sneezes, soaking, his chest “ehHTSCHHUH! hiiH- hiih- hiiHGTzsHHuuh! hiiHH'tTSSCHHIEEW! HAHH'ASSCHHHUE!
“Bless you, you done?”
Telemachus shakes his head no before ducking down again with a wet triple.
“Bless you! Wow this is a bad cold isn’t it?” Theo said wiping his partner's nose which was already so red and irritated.
Telemachus nods and nuzzles into his chest.
“You need some tea. Will you be okay by yourself for a bit?”
Theo crosses his arms. “I am not going to drown in my fluids.”
Theo sliding off the bed had doubts about that but ruffled his hair before heading down to the kitchens.
He returned in a few minutes to a pathetic display. Telemachus sat upright in bed, hunched over, sniffling.
Theo held out the mug in his hands, tilting it slightly toward Telemachus. “It’s tea,” he explained.
Telemachus huffed weakly, a sound that might have been a laugh if he had the energy for it. With trembling hands, he reached for the mug, his fingers brushing against Theo’s briefly as he took it. He sniffled wetly, his red and swollen nose twitching faintly, but the motion only irritated his sinuses further. His breath hitched once—twice—
Theo knowing he was going to burn himself held onto the cup.
The sneezes erupted from him in rapid succession, bending him forward until his head nearly rested on his knees. The motion jolted Theo and some of the tea slipped over the sides and burned his hand.
“Spill it. Bless you! Those sound bad.”
Theo sets the cup on the side and climbs back into bed with him. “My love, I am so sorry you feel so awful.”
After a few minutes, Telemachus breaks the silence. “Want to know what the worst part is?.... I cannot kiss you.”
Theo bursts out laughing. “Says who!” and leans down and kisses him on the forehead. “What am I going to do with you!”
“Maybe see our future together,” he smirked.
He laughs “Fever got your brain, just close your eyes love. I will be here.”
Hey look another Greek Snzology fic! this time with everyone favorite O/dy himself. I needed to make this man suffer (more) I mean 20 years on the sea is going to wreak your immune system right?
hahaha so enjoy this fic
(Do NOT reblog to non-kink blogs, THANKS!!!!)
Rays of light shined through the window on Odysseus’s face. The aging man stirred, and slowly his eyes opened. As soon as he did he wished he had not. The air was still cool, and reluctantly Odysseus rose from the simple, wool-filled mattress, stretching to shake off the remnants of sleep. The scent of olive oil and bread from the previous night's meal lingers faintly in the air. If only Odysseus could smell it. As he inhaled he heard the rasp of his lungs, a crackling and sickly sound and coughed harshly and loudly. The sound alerted his wife who was still entangled in the sheets.
“My darling love, are you alright?” She rose from the bed and wrapped the shawl tightly around her. She quickly rushed to his side, holding his face in her hands and studying his face.
“My king are you ill?” Her eyes sparked with the morning light, filled with concern and empathy. She continued as his eyes glazed over. “Should I fetch a healer, after all this time I cannot lose you again.” A sadness washed over her face, and she kissed his cheek feeling the heat radiating from him. Odysseus smiled, a foreign expression, it had been many months since he felt this at home. As he spoke his voice was hoarse and raspy.
“My eternal love, how could I be anything but at peace? After all these years I have you by my side. My quest is complete. It is time for a new adventure, and I want it to be with you.” His face unwashed and stained with age took on a dazed expression. Penelope furrowed her brow at the look.
“Odysseus what’s wrong, please tell me.” She pleads with him. He shakes his head, his hair falling in front of his eyes. He tries to speak but no sound escapes his lips. Before Penelope can plead again Odysseus lurches forward, rocking his body against hers.
“Hut’SCHH’ihh! n’TSHCHH’hihehh!”
“Bless you, my king!” She blushed. Ever since their courting days, he had hidden his aliments from her. Even now after all these years, he was still trying to avoid conflict. She smiled her eyes softening.
“Odysseus after twenty years, you are still the same man, I fell in love with.” Grabbing his arm, she leads him to the bed. “You deserve to rest, you have had a long journey, and I can wait a little longer.”
He resists and pushes her away. “Penelope I am okay, I do not have time to- Snf- to get- sick…”
He hitches and holds up a hand between them. As a precaution or a warning, Penelope is not sure. She stands back as he continues to hitch. She is amazed about how he seems to fight the urge with every fiber of his being until he is left gasping for air as if it will run out, before being thrown forward harshly.
“Hut’SCHH’ihh! n’TSHCHH’hihehh!”
She starts but is cut off by another sharp inhale.
“Ahh’TTSChh’hIIEWW!!”
“And again, okay love I am sure the servants can hear you from downstairs, let’s get you back into bed.” She leads the sniffling man back to the bed and wraps another cloth around him. She takes in his depleted form. The large circles under his eyes. The way his breath comes in short shallow gasps, indicating he cannot breathe through his nose. And speaking of his nose, it was already turning slightly pink and running. She wished more than anything that this would be over quickly. After all she had just gotten him back and there was a lot to catch up on and run a kingdom at the same time. Even queens and kings do not take sick days. As she thought to herself she heard steps approaching. Her hearing over the last few years has increased in case of any unforeseeable incidents. She recognized the pace of the footsteps and stood as their son entered the room, without knocking, a bad habit he had picked up.
“I have you told time and time again to knock Telemachus.”
“I know but I heard a loud sound, and I got worried are you alright mom?” He quickly crossed the room looking around the chamber for any signs of danger. Penelope had to laugh.
“Oh, my sweet boy, no there is no danger.” She smiled and placed a hand on the shoulder, a comforting sentiment.
“Then what was-” his thought was interrupted by a sharp inhale.
“Ahh’TTSChh’hIIEWW!!”
“That Telemachus is your father sneezing, much like you it can shake the castle. Your father has come down with a bad cold. Not surprising after the trials he went through but still, he needs rest. And the last thing you need is to catch a chill.”
Telemachus blushed but nodded and spoke softly. “I will see if the servants can make any of the herbal salve and bring it up, I hope you feel better-” he paused and took a shaky inhale. “Dad.” Before quickly turning on his heel and leaving, closing the door as he goes.
Odysseus who had been watching this exchange, sighed. It didn’t feel right. He felt like a spectator in his own home. As Penelope turned back she saw the man’s furrowed brow.
Odysseus spoke his voice raspy. “He still isn’t comfortable with me is he?” He said his voice was thick with congestion.
“It will take time, he loves you, I know he does just like I, it is just going to take some time. You are a stranger to him, but he will warm up to you” She assured him. Odysseus half smiled before coughing harshly into his hands. Penelope placed her hand on his back and more but for a moment he seemed to shudder away from the touch but still allowed her to rub his back.
“I love you, I have then, and I love you now.” She kissed him on the cheek and brushed the hair out of his face from where it was plastered with sweat. “Tell me please how you feel?”
Odysseus’ eyes, soft and warm, met Penelope’s, the distance between them filled with an unspoken connection. As she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, he couldn't help but smile at how her eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky.
"My love” he began, his voice gravelly, "I've... caught a bad cold," he admitted, his eyes never leaving hers, searching for reassurance in those loving depths. She shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "You silly man," she said affectionately. "You know I'd rather be here, taking care of you, than anywhere else."
Odysseus heart swelled with gratitude and love. He leaned in, their foreheads touching, and closed his eyes. "Thank you, love," he murmured. "For always being here."
“Thank you for returning.” Soon after he fell asleep, and she stayed next to him the whole time.
A few hours later, after she had returned from the well to fill a bucket with cool water, Odysseus woke up again.
Odysseus whined, sniffling hopelessly as his blocked-up nose whistled with congestion. He was more stuffed up than he’d have liked, and he couldn’t exactly sniffle it away.
“You sound congested,” she told him, a hint of worry coating her voice. She took note of his desperate, hitching breaths, quick to pull his face into her chest so they didn’t have to break position to find a handkerchief.
“I… ihh… huhhngh…” As Odysseus’s breath evened out through a deep, irritated sigh and wet sniffle, Penelope almost pulled away. But just as he finished considering it, suddenly- “Hut’SCHH’ihh! n’TSHCHH’hihehh! TScHHZHHHtT!!”
“Bless you,” Penelope offered, shifting so Odysseus looked up at her as she gently cupped his cheek. She managed to just reach far enough to grab a couple of spare cloths and press it to Odysseus’s face. “Blow.”
Odysseus quietly blew his nose, coughing quietly. He whimpered, the sound resembling a sick puppy, as he geared up for more congested sneezes. “Huh… TZSCHHH’ihh! Ahht’sCHH’hehhh!! hn’GCKSHHHH’ehh!!”
“Elch,” he sniffled hopelessly, the desperate, miserable action doing nothing but make his nose hurt. “I know love, just rest. Your body is fighting,” She chuckled “Just like you were.”
He replied with his gravelly voice. “Well let’s hope I don’t have this for ten…oh fuck.”
She barely had time to move let alone protect herself from the spray before he was rocking forward.
“Ahh’TTSChh’hIIEWW!!”
He tried desperately to sniffle up the liquid seeping down onto his lip, to no avail. He wiped his nose on his wrist, sniffling again, which only caused a fit of miserably wet and chesty coughs.
“Ulchh… Ah’TschhHHH’uh! Hh’ahtSchHHuh! ‘TscHHHuhHh!!” He groaned, coughed and sniffled miserably.
“My love, you certainly have caught a bad cold. I mean the only other time I have seen you sneeze this much-.” She was interrupted by him.
“Shhh my love doesn’t give my nose any ideas.”
She smiled and held him in a protective way cradling his head. He lay in repose his breath shallow and quiet. Penelope brushed the hair out of his face. A face she had missed for twenty years. It did not matter that he was sick, she loved him. More than anything, and after being apart so long, her heart ached with worry.
“Feel better?” She said after a few moments; the only sound was Odysseus sniffling.
Odysseus nodded, still trying to sniffle up the mess on his face. “It still itches.. it did’t… didhh.. he..hehhlp-TTschhHH’ihHEWW! Hah’Tschh’UHhew! Tsch’HUHEWW! Hah’TCHH’uiew!”
“Aw my love,” She muttered, biting her lip to stop herself from laughing at the wet and sticky mess on Odysseus’s face. “You look like you need some tissues,” she told him with a fond, yet worried smile.
Odysseus sniffled his thank you’s as she pressed a couple tissues to his uncomfortably wet face. He groaned after miserably blowing his nose, the sound almost as gross as it felt.
“Elchh…” Odysseus sniffled miserably as he geared up for another sneeze, squinting in anticipation.
“Odysseus?” Penelope frowned. “Are you gonna-”
“Tschh’HIEWW!! HAh’TSCHHiuh! Ahh’TSCHHuoo!”
Luckily, Penelope had his back, quickly throwing her hand in front of Odysseus’s face to cover his face with tissues after the first sneeze.
“Ugh,” he groaned, sniffling even after he miserably blew his nose again. “I hate this.”
“I know,” Penelope sighed. “But I’m here to help get you through it.
He smiled sheepishly for a moment. After all these years she was just as kind. Even if he was a completely different person then the one she knew. She still cared for him. He wiped his nose on his sleeve and went to speak but Penelope stopped him.
“Sneeze first then talk.” She warned. He raised his eyebrows in confusion before his breath hitched his throat.
"Hh'Ah'tSchh'hiHHEW! Ahh'TscHhh'iEWW!! 'Hh'TSCHHEWWww!! TtscHh'HOO!!" Odysseus sneezed into cupped hands, miserably trying to sniffle up the mess this made.
"Bless you..." she sighed, wrapping an arm around the shaking man.
"Ahh'TSCHhh'h!" He turned to her side with a wet sneeze that had her audibly and visibly shuddering.
“Bless you again love.”
He sniffed back congestion and sighed before laying down on the pillow. She hummed softly and before long he was snoring a sound she would never tire off.
so ummm I love all the ideas in @dr-ground-zero epic snz sever. So I had to contribute in some way. So I made a Her/mes and C/irce fic!
CW: contagion, small description of mess and seduction mention
This is my first fic in a while I hope y'all enjoy
(Do NOT reblog to non-kink blogs, THANKS!!!!)
Hermes could do this; it was just a simple delivery, right? It doesn’t matter that his throat burned, and his eyes were running. He was a god. As he approached Circe’s Island he felt the familiar tickle and sighed deeply. Hermes, among many things, was known for his fast delivery skills. But his sneezes were the opposite. They tended to take a while leaving him in a vulnerable and weakened state. As he hovered in the air near the cliffs, he could hear the crashing waves below and the ocean breeze on his face. The salt air was not doing him any favors and after what felt like an eternity his breath hitched, and he bent forward sneezing into the open air.
“-hHIH-! -eh’IDSSHH’HOO!!”
The package almost slipped from his hands, but he quickly regained his composure and sniffed a wet and sickly sound before pressing onward. Circe's island was always so beautiful, the trees that allowed sunlight to cascade through, the jungle vines that entangled the forest floor. On any other day, Hermes would have stopped to figuratively smell the flowers but right now all he wanted to do was get back home and nurse the cold he had caught.
As he approached the castle and sniffed he vowed he would not show Circe any weakness. The goddess was known for playing with her food and the two of them had a complicated relationship. He was not up to playing any of her games today. As he crossed the threshold of the palace, the white marble floors and columns loomed over him. He marveled at them before trying to discreetly wipe his nose with his hand.
“Well looks like a little birdie got lost, I wasn’t expecting you for another week. Aw did someone miss me already?” A voice filled the room and Hermes quickly spun around before having to grab onto a column to steady himself.
The voice continued. “Falling for me so soon?” Circe stepped out from the shadows. Even by Goddess standards she was beautiful with long, golden flowing hair, which seemed to shimmer with an almost magical light. Hermes recovered quickly.
“Fall for you, ha sorry your Majesty” he bowed mockingly “Not today love just a delivery” he sniffed as the shift of his head made his nose run.
She studied him, her eyes piercing and powerful. “Darling is something the matter?” Hermes could not tell if the tone was concern or just wanted something to play with.
“I’m fine,” he said with a huff and sniff. His heart sank when she stepped closer to him. Her elegant robes flowed behind her. He turned and put the package down quickly trying to leave before the situation escalated since his nose was starting to itch.
“Well, I will just mar-" his breath caught in his throat, and he quickly cleared it. “Mark it as delivered and be-”. He paused as the tickle increased and his nose flared.
Circe, who was always so observant, took notice of his erratic breathing and smiled. Her voice was soft but hiding a hit of playfulness “Did someone catch a cold”? Hermes, who was actively hitching shook his head, his hair falling over his eyes.
“Hehh-huhh! Ah… hiiih—! -Snf-no I’m fine”.
“Darling you do not look nor sound fine.” She slowly walks over to the struggling God. “Come here like me take all your pain away” she whispered in his ear. The seduction in her voice caused Hermes to shudder and his breath caught for another reason.
She slowly wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head on his shoulder. He would be flustered if he didn’t need to sneeze so bad.
“W-wait, give me a sehhh- I really need to… hih! Hah-! Ugh, snff”. He was left in limbo; The tickle was so overpowering, but his nose refused to let him sneeze. His eyes watered and his nose threatened to run.
She sighed and traced a finger down his nose and the effect was immediate. He bent forward spraying the marble floor and the sound echoed off the chamber they were in.
He wished Zeus would strike him now dead instead. He activated his sandals and started to hover. “Do not bring my father into this, just let me go.” He hovered a few more inches but soon found a hand gripping his ankle holding him in the sky.
“Oh no, you are not going to fly away this time. Where would you go? Back to that drafty home of yours and catch your death. I don't think so darling. When you could stay here, and I can keep you warm.”
She pulled him down and gripped his waist pulling him closer to her. He was surprised at how easy it was for her to do so. While he wasn’t the strongest god he still was relatively built. The thought of am ‘I this weak’ crossed his mind before another issue plagued him. He needed to sneeze again.
He tried pushing her away, but the effort was futile. The goddess had wrapped herself around him holding him to her chest. “Oh, come now don’t struggle it will be more fun this way,” she said with a small laugh. Hermes really didn’t have a choice. He felt too weak to fight and his nose was flaring.
“h-HH-!.. eh’DJZZSSH’YOO!!”
He sneezed openly, freely, powerfully, all over Circe's neck and chest. He flushed so violently, he feared he might faint. He sucked in another shaky breath and let another go with the same trajectory as the first.
“hhHH!..’DZZSSH’-!!”
Circe holds him close. “.. Bl–”
“-hHIH-!” Hermes rocked against her with another, completely unprecedented, “eh’IDSSHH’HOO!”. His next gasp was deep, and he ducked his head down to sneeze wetly on her breasts.
“HEH’JZZSSSSHOOO!!”
“Bless you, didn’t Zeus teach you to cover your nose when you sneeze?”
“No,” he said sniffling weakly trying to not look at the mess he had left on her chest and dress. “He was more of a hand-off kind of parent style.”
“Well don’t worry I have lots of practice with complainers who do not know how to look after themselves you'll be safe here.”
“Why does that not make me feel better.” He said with a sheepish smile.
She kisses him softly on the nose and he recoils and sneezes harshly to the side.
“HEH’JZZSSSSHOOO! Eh…heh…. HEH’JZZSSSSHOOO!..... h-HH-!.. eh’DJZZSSH’YOO ugh don’t do that again temptress!!”
“Very well” she smiled and carried him off to bed.
Some E/pi/c: The M/us/ic/al Snz Headcanons for At/he/na, Her/mes, and Te/le/mach/us~
(Disclaimer: I’m new as fuck to the fandom—I’ve been here for just under one week lmao—so do forgive me/feel free to share other takes if anything seems out of character)
At/he/na:
Sneezes very rarely catch her by surprise and she recovers quite quickly in their aftermath. She usually sneezes once or twice at a time, but if she’s sick/allergic/etc., threes are most common.
She always covers, usually into her shoulder, elbow, or (particularly if she’s sick) a handkerchief
Her sneezes aren’t super loud, but they are a little on the louder side and more so just harsh and intense, sort of a little of that rasp/growl she has in songs when she’s pissed off (e.g. “Are/s” in Go/d Games and “this day, you sever your own head” in M/y Goodbye). Her voice gets much raspier when sick/etc in general
Sneezes might sound like “hah’ESHHh!” “EIHhtshhh’uh!” “Ah-hEHKTSH!” “EHDTSH’ah!” “EHktsh!”
Really good at stifling and she probably tends to in most company? “Hah’kKT! —eHKXT!”
Excuses herself after sneezing and immediately resumes the conversation, e.g. “Excuse me. You really should rethink this ‘plan’ of yours.” “Pardon. Continue.”
She’s frustrated by illnesses/allergies because she’s trying SO hard to pursue her goals and be a warrior for change and this little bit of weaknesses makes her seem less strong
Straightforward with others as always, making statements rather than questions, e.g. “You’re feverish.” “Your fever has risen.” “You’re ill.” “You seem unwell.” “Ah, you’re allergic to this.”
I could see her being allergic to certain types of mortal flowers maybe—smth delicate and frail in contrast to the badass in the arena lol
SO fucking frustrated if her mind is at all foggy from illness like she HATES that so fucking deeply
If we take the line from We’ll Be Fine about not being able to sleep at night quite literally (idk if gods need to sleep in this world okay 😭) then maybe she has particularly bad insomnia due to Regrets if she’s sick
Smth smth associated with owls, smth smth feathers accidentally making her or someone else sneeze or intentionally inducing with a feather from her owls
If she ever sneezes around Te/le/mach/us, he’s kinda surprised and concerned like, “Oh, gods bless you, At/he/na!” And she just raises an eyebrow, giving him an unimpressed, prompting look for him to realize that she IS a goddess. So, he’s like, “Oh, right, you, uh, kinda are—sorry! But… are you okay? Is—is that supposed to happen? To gods?” And he would continue to ask questions and be worried for the duration of whatever’s up lmao
She had little to no interest in caretaking back when she mentored O/dy, and was more so just frustrated at the setback when he got sick
HOWEVER. When she’s mentoring Te/le/mach/us, she’s softened up a lot and is very glad to have him as a friend. It’s hard not to be a little protective of him bc he’s so sweet and young and, like, O/dy wasn’t necessarily looking for a mentor, but Te/l IS, e.g. in Legendary, he has all those lines about wanting someone to help him. So. I think. Given their dynamic and her character arc, she WOULD try to take care of him, or at least make sure he doesn’t push himself too hard bc he definitely does try to. Maybe she ensures he stays hydrated, recommends/gets him a cloth soaked in cool water to fight his fever, recommends/gives him some medicinal herbs, etc.
She finds it difficult to admit, even to herself, how much taking care of him actually means to her. Because 1) she IS changing the world for the better a little, even if it’s just helping this one kid (20yo for those unfamiliar lmao) 2) he IS such a good kid 🥺 he’s innocent and so kind and she wants him to be happy and healthy 3) it also means a lot bc they… really ARE friends huh? She’s not… very used to that. But she’s realized by now how much friendship means to her
I could see two takes: 1) she’s not very familiar w human colds and how they feel to have and what these mortals need to feel better 2) goddess of wisdom has actually more knowledge than T/el does even though he’s an actual human with actual human experience LMAOO
I could also see gods being immune to human illnesses, buuuuuut it’d be really cute if they aren’t and she gets Tel’s cold and he’s just like, “Are… you okay…?” “Fine. I just seem to have caught your cold.” “……. wAIT, YOU CAN DO THAT??” “Yes, clearly.” “WH—? I DIDN’T KNOW YOU COULD, I-I-I would’ve been WAY more careful, I’m SO sorry—” “Relax, please. It’s a very mild inconvenience. There’s no need to worry yourself.” He’s so fucking embarrassed and guilty to have given a literal goddess his pitiful mortal cold yk?
If the REVERSE happened, she would be SO concerned about him because no no no he’s SO much frailer than her, he’s not that strong yet, she’s supposed to keep THIS one SAFE even though she failed to do so with O/dy, and he’s trying to hide it and failing so poorly and oh no. I could rly see whatever she’s come down with being much worse for him. And she just insists on taking care of him and him resting as much as possible because she’s not as familiar with how mortals handle illnesses more common among deities. The image of her watching him with big, sad, owlish eyes while he struggles to catch his breath after a coughing fit or sleeps fitfully with fever
Her/mes:
Dramatic, hitchy buildups and equally as dramatic and hitchy fits
Sneezes are a little effeminate, for lack of a better word, and definitely on the airier side—they sound ticklish—if they get more intense then they get more vocal
If at all possible, covers into a handkerchief held by one or both hands. It’s probably like fancy white silk with the caduceus (that staff w two intertwined snakes crowned with a pair of wings that’s associated with him) embroidered into it with real gold, which the handkerchief is edged with too
I kinda don’t inherently hc him w allergies (but I’m biased as a cold girlie whose thing isn’t rly most allergies), but I will pitch some vibes regardless: 1) allergic to some mortal’s unique perfume and it does NOT stop him from flirting with them, gods forbid if that human happened to have the kink 2) allergic to some obscure af animal/monster or rare flower/tree/plant and it’s just like… welp ig if you traverse the whole of every plane, you’ll run into SOMETHING that gets to you at SOME point 3) oh god it would be so disastrous if wine made him sneeze 4) funny if he was sensitive/allergic to feathers bc he’s associated with them in some ways
Post-snz might be like, “Whoo! So sorry about that, dawling. You were saying about the wine?”
Would be the type to bless himself if we allow the probably inaccurate vibe of blessing people lol (that sign can’t stop me as I, as it turns out, cannot read)
Tries to hide any potentially unattractive signs of illness, whether visual or auditory etc. He’s so vain that he HAS to keep up his appearance and is mortified if he fails to do so
Tries to play off anything potentially embarrassing or vulnerable with humor and charm. He Can Still Be Fun, He’s Totally Not Exhausted, Dawling!!
“Hm? Oh, no, no—hahaha—there’s no need for you to worry your pretty little head about me, dawling. I’m feeling great! Wonderful, actually!” (I’m leaning into the “dawling” thing as every single fucking video I’ve seen w this actor has him say it like once per sentence fr LMAOO)
Eventually, though, he stops playing it off, and instead starts playing it up, acting like he’s dying tragically, bitching and moaning about how it feels like a ship’s been driven into his skull, still looking for attention and pity
He gets bored while sick though if he has to be alone the whole time resting. Like he needs entertainment so badly
As a messenger, if he’s sick, he tends to spread more than just messages to their recipients,,, especially since he’s stubbornly trying to save his pride by pretending he’s fine! So, yeah, accidentally gets several other gods and/or mortals sick when he comes down w something lmao.
Would be SO upset if anything fucked with his voice. He LOVES to hear himself talk, and for others to hear him talk. His voice DOES get even more raspy and nasal than usual though, gets very hoarse. Like even just the image of his throat being too illness-ridden to NOT give out midway through that dolphin laugh of his is so pitiful. His whimsy is being unfairly dampened by this fucking ailment. Poor baby
Probably keeps his distance when others are sick bc ew he does not want whatever THAT is. But, if he DOES caretake, probably for someone he feels some closeness/fondness/pity for, he 1) deliver them some medicinal herbs or divine healing roots etc. 2) in theory use that caduceus to help them get a good night’s sleep since that’s a power associated with that staff (if skimming Wikipedia is reliable 😅 forgive me if not) 3) if they thank him for anything, he tells them not to like he does both times he’s thanked by O/dy in the musical 4) unfortunately very charming and has rizz while caretaking if he wants to have it
Smth smth associated with trickery and lies as a god, smth smth denial and lying about illness/allergies but also maybe Pretending to be sick to get out of an event in O/lymp/us he doesn’t wanna go to etc. lol. Bonus points for boy who cried wolf situation where he lied because some other god was sick w smth but then he actually caught it too. Extra bonus points if he ONLY catches it BECAUSE he was out partying with a sick god/mortal rather than attending the meeting
Te/le/mach/us:
Shudders when he sneezes, it’s a full-body affair
His sneezes tend to be vocal and harsh, all-consuming. Not super loud but a little on the louder side
Sneezes most commonly in twos or threes
CANNOT stifle well/successfully at all and only tries to if he’s trying to hide how badly he feels and avoid Showing Weakness, if he’s in extremely polite company like a diplomatic mission, or if he’s feeling insecure
Sneezes might sound like “aHDTSHhh’uh!” “Hehh-ehh—! EHKDTSCHHh! AHTZSCHh’huhh!… Nguhh, sorryyy... What were you were saying?” The beginnings tend to be harsher and they get softer towards the end, especially in those that end with an “‘uh!” or “shuhhh!” or similar—THOSE last syllables tend to sound a little higher in pitch, airier, vulnerable, and,,, slower if that makes sense?
Gets rly sniffly and congested when sick, especially because he just gets too caught up in what he’s doing to realize that if he just blew his nose, he’d be less sniffly for a minute. Coughing sounds tired and/or harsh and he often groans after sneezing or coughing because it’s so consuming and he doesn’t feel well. Or, if they scrape against his throat, which is kinda common, he’ll wince and/or just be like “oww…” quite pitifully
At/he/na sees how congested and uncomfortable he is and recommends some steam/etc. like the towel over head with a steaming bowl of hot water method. It helps a LOT, but now his nose is running SO much and the steam is agitating his already irritated nose and making him sneeze
The type to not remember to avoid touching his face while his hands are covered in allergens. Will still rub at his nose and eyes (At/he/na’s just like… that seems Unwise LMAO /hj)
Rubs the heel of his palm up against his nose sometimes, especially if it’s running
Is caught off guard by sneezes sometimes and haphazardly tries to turn away from others and cover last second. When he succeeds in covering, he usually does so into literally any part of his sleeve or, if it’s a less brief affair and he has one on hand, into a handkerchief
If he’s NOT caught off guard and is, for example, training with At/he/na, it’s like, “W-wait, sorry, give me a sehhh-ec…” “… Did I strike you a bit too hard?” “No, no, I just… kinda really need to… hih! Hah-EHKZT’shuhhh! HEDTSHHhh! Ugh, snff, sorry, I’m good now, let’s go!” “You don’t seem ‘good now,’ Prince.” “No, I—ahh… never mihhhnd, I think you’re r-right—AHKDTSh’huh! Huh’EHDZSCH’hiew!”
I’m going to pull directly from hcs about the OTHER prince char I rly like (see like half of my fic masterlist lmaoo) and pitch the idea that he could be allergic/sensitive to dust especially bc he’s spent so much time at his palace with servants keeping things pristine. He’s fr made to go outside and adventure
Alternatively, there’s smth a little funny/cute about the idea of Mr. Wow I Wanna Go Adventure being very allergic to pollen that’s EVERYWHERE he could adventure (except ig probably less at sea?). Like he’d be kind of a disaster if he was, and At/he/na’s just like. Deeply unimpressed but a little concerned as training gets interrupted by a sneezing fit for the 12th time bc it’s spring and they’re training in a forest and “… Are you sure you don’t wish to take this indoors?” “Ndo, ndo, I’mb finde! I j-just, uh… EIHHDT’shuhh! Ah’gtshhiew! IHKTSCHHh’uhh! Nguhh, fuck...” “What a convincing argument. We’ll train inside today or not at all, understand?” “But I—hIH’eHDTSCHHh! Ughhh… okayyy…”
Impatient enough to try to talk through hitches/sneezes as much as possible till it overwhelms him lmao
Insecure about being too weak for his aspirations and O/dy’s shoes to fill, never felt strong until At/he/na showed up, suitors always called him small, so intent on reaching his ambitions even when they’re outside of his capabilities for now? Yeah, guess who probably pushes himself too hard when sick and doesn’t want to rest because he SHOULD be making progress rn and Doing Things and he JUST started feeling strong, he doesn’t wanna feel so weak and helpless again
Insecure and frustrated with illness/allergies because, given his aspirations and heritage, he CANNOT be stopped by such mild obstacles bc he’ll have to persevere through INFINITELY worse ones. Will try to keep training/etc while obviously unwell and stubbornly work himself into getting sicker until either he physically cannot continue or he’s pushed to stop and rest by At/he/na or one of his parents
Denies illness to himself and to others. Denies allergies if they’d be a problem e.g. causal conversation about some specific type of flower that bothers him is fine and chill, but if a diplomatic mission is running into trouble bc he’s allergic to the other person’s cat (which would also suck bc he loves animals like his childhood doggo) or smth then nope nope nope he’s fine it’s not a problem he’s never felt better totally
Tries to bounce back ASAP and keep that high spirit and optimism up and running again, even if he feels utterly awful
Apologizes to At/he/na for being sick/allergic/etc. even though it’s not his fault, feeling a bit guilty for Not Being Good Enough and wasting time because her training is SO valuable. He’s kind of embarrassed to be so weak to such a mortal affliction in front of this goddess of warfare
Once, Te/le/mach/us is sick with a high fever and gets really emotional, crying over a) not being able to help his mom more b) not being sure if his father is even alive c) just being so glad to have her as a mentor AND friend d) feeling like he isn’t making enough progress fast enough e) a mixture of the above. At/he/na freezes for a moment, unsure how best to help because she’s not USED to being a friend, especially not to a mortal.
But, then, she sits next to him (on the bed or ground, depending on if he’s home or not), places a hand on his shoulder gently, and tries to reassure him. To her surprise, he pulls her into a tight hug and sobs into her shoulder even though it’s covered in hard, metallic armor plates—at least it’s cool to the touch, which is extra nice for the fever—but it’s still comforting to him regardless because of being close to his friend. After a second of hesitation, a small smile spreads across her face and she hugs him back.
Alternatively (or additionally), him sick with a bad fever and having awful nightmares, waking up crying and feeling so scared and small. They talk about it, she sits on the side of his bed, and she stays with him until he’s calmed down on falls back asleep.
Actually, wait, I’m kind of obsessed with the image of him mumbling her name in his sleep during a nightmare or even calling out for her as he wakes up because he/his loved ones were in danger in the dream and he needs her help. There’s something about a 20yo kid calling out to his mentor and friend, a literal goddess, and she is at his side in an instant if she wasn’t already and she’s a goddess of WAR but he feels so so safe with her around ughhh 🥺🥺🥺
Anyways. At/he/na feeling his forehead for fever and him leaning into her touch.
If we’re going even cornier, him being bored and/or upset while sick, and she tells him stories of her battles and in between coughs he’s just like “oHH THAT’S—*harsh, wet coughs*—that’s sOOO COOOL!!” And she just smiles with fond amusement and is like “I’m glad you think so. We are of one mind, then, since I actually agree with you. I find that event particularly fascinating.” “Well, yeah, it’s sihhh-hihh! Hehh… e-EHDTSCHhhh’hiew! Sndff, it’s sICK!!” “Frankly, you seem far sicker. (/j) Perhaps you should lay back down for now.”
