the s word

a snz kink blog | mid-20s | she/her | aka moon

[spookysnz]

Hello

i like sneezes (and sickness, allergies, h/c).

I love fanfics of TV shows and I've been trying to read more books lately. hmu if you have goodreads.

primary interests as of May 2026: Mistborn, Fourth Wing, ACOTAR, Crescent City, PHM. #myfic for stuff I've written.

I've been on and off the forum/tumblr since the 2010s.

I used to write hella fics. if you want some mediocre writing, just send me a prompt and i’ll do my best!

about me: i work in STEM. i like to nap, bake, and rock climb. I have ADHD (and many other acronyms) if anyone wants to chat. currently trying to get a diagnosis that’s not ME/CFS.

[peachsnz]

M/istborn commission !! Please DM me if you are looking for a commission!

MINORS DNI DO NOT REBLOG TO NONKINK BLOGS

[spookysnz]

Rest (Mistborn, m)

A hurt/comfort M/F fic where you don't need to be familiar with the fandom. No spoilers. Elend gets sick and inadvertently makes it worse (in all the best ways). ~2.4k words.

Vin paused on the balcony outside Elend’s bedroom, returning from her night scouting in the mists. She lingered outside, watching Elend’s silhouette through the thin curtain over the balcony doors. He was leaning back in his chair, not hunched over his desk with his pen to the paper. She listened, but didn’t hear any indication that he had dozed off. 

She would slip back inside in a moment. She just enjoyed watching him sometimes. He had become someone she could rely on. Ever since he had run looking for her among the Inquisitors… The memory brought a familiar stab of pain. She brushed it aside. 

Elend rubbed his forehead, trying to get rid of the headache pulsing behind his eyes. He knew it was late and that he should probably sleep, but he had not made as much progress reviewing the ledgers as he’d hoped. The mild soreness in his throat abruptly turned to scratchiness, and he sat up suddenly to cough, turning his head away from the desk. He cleared his throat, but it did little good. 

He sniffed and paused, his face slackening as he waited impatiently for the tickle to build with a raised arm. “HEH’RSHHuhh! Huh… h-hi’ZCHHOO!” Elend caught the sneezes in the crook of his elbow, holding it against his nose for a moment and sniffling. 

He pressed his hands to his face, as if he could wipe the sleep away from his eyes. He blinked a couple of times, allowing the papers to come back into focus. He couldn’t remember where he’d left off a minute ago and began skimming the document again. 

Elend didn’t even notice Vin had entered the room until she came up behind him. 

Vin wrapped her arms around him. “You know, anybody could have snuck in to attack you, and you wouldn’t have even noticed until you were dead.” 

He smiled at her, angling his head upwards to press a kiss to her cheek. “That’s why I have you to protect me,” he responded. He sighed and slouched in his chair.

“What’s wrong?” Vin asked, stepping back to take off her mistcloak. It dropped to the floor. 

Elend yawned. “Nothing new.” It was true. There were plenty of problems among the people, risk of famine, attack from their neighbors, conflict between the nobles… and he couldn’t do anything about it. He looked up and saw concern on her face. 

“No, what’s wrong with you?” 

He laughed, then stifled a cough against the back of his hand. “What do you mean?” 

She pressed a hand to his cheek, which could be taken as a sign of affection, but he knew she was assessing him from the way her eyes searched his. “You’re warm,” she said.  

“Am I?” Elend hadn’t noticed. He thought it was chilly in the room, if anything. The slight breeze through the balcony felt colder than usual. 

“You’re running a fever,” she concluded, unhappy with her findings. 

That explained the aches, at least. He'd assumed his headache was from spending too many hours staring at reports. He attributed the soreness all over his body to Ham's training session yesterday. His nose and throat were itchy, but that could be from the cool, dry air. 

“I’m sure it will resolve itself soon.” Elend actually wasn’t sure that was true, but he did his best to sound certain. 

“You need sleep,” Vin insisted. 

That was amusing coming from Vin, who seemed to never rest when he voiced his concerns. His mouth twitched into a smirk. “I’ll rest if you do.” 

To his surprise, Vin headed towards the closet and pulled out a clean shirt and trousers: Her equivalent to changing into pajamas. She was serious about getting him to bed. 

Elend couldn’t help but watch as she undressed. Vin moved through the room with the same confidence and grace she displayed while stalking through the night. 

At least if he got into bed now, she would be beside him as he fell asleep. Usually, she was still out by the time he fell asleep. Sometimes she didn’t even sleep in their bed, instead curling up in the armchair or a forgotten corner of the keep. 

An itch that lingered in the back of his nose began to creep forward, like the mists themselves were sneaking their way in. He rubbed it hard with his finger to fight the urge to sneeze, the cartilage clicking under the force. His head tilted back, his long lashes fluttering as his nostrils flared. 

“hNGtch! Hihh-N’SCHh!” Elend pressed his arm against his face, doing his best to suppress the sneezes as each one forced him to bend further at the waist. The force caused his head to swim. He squeezed his eyes shut briefly, then opened them to see Vin giving him a pointed look. 

“Alright, I’m going.” He shuffled the papers on his desk back in order, then hefted himself up and headed towards the bed. Elend knew better than to argue with her. He hadn’t intended to stay up this late, but he just got so absorbed in his work that he lost track of time. Which was not uncommon. 

He suppressed a shiver as he tossed back the covers and burrowed beneath. 

Vin blew out the candle on the desk. True to her word, she closed the balcony door and climbed into her side of the bed.

Elend reached over and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. “If I had known a fever was all it took to get you in bed with me, I would have arranged for one sooner.” 

Vin scoffed. She reached a hand to his head, gently running her fingers through his hair. She had memories of Reen doing this for her, from what seemed like a lifetime ago, when she wasn’t feeling well. 

Elend was snoring heavily not even a minute later. 

He slept fitfully. Each nightmare ended with him waking in a cold sweat. The third time he woke, dawn was just starting to seep through the windows. Unlike the other times, Vin wasn’t beside him. He was too groggy to think much about it before slipping back into a restless sleep. 

The sun was fully up by the time he woke again. Elend didn’t even want to know the time; the brightness streaming through the curtains suggested he had slept long past any chance of getting an early start to the day. The spot in bed next to him was cold. 

When he rolled over, however, he saw Vin, perched on the armchair with her knees hugged to her chest, staring at him. Her shoulders relaxed. 

“I was wondering where you were,” Elend mumbled. His voice was hoarse. It took effort for him to speak, like there were weights resting on his chest. He wasn’t even sure if Vin understood him through the thick congestion lacing his words.  “Where did you disappear to?” 

The movement shifted something in his sinuses. There was no warning. “H’dZCHh!” He buried his mouth into his shoulder, and the force of it made him cough. 

Vin walked over and stood before the bed, lifting a glass off the nightstand and stirring it with a spoon. There were dried leaves swirling in the tea. “Drink this,” she instructed. “It’s probably cold now, but it should help.” 

Elend peeled the blanket back from his warm body and pushed himself up in bed. “Should I ask what’s floating in there?” 

Vin shrugged. “I went to an apothecary this morning, and this is what she recommended.” She didn’t know the exact herbs, but Vin made sure the apothecary understood the consequences if the remedy caused Elend any harm. She was at least confident in its safety. 

Elend took the cup from Vin. She had gone into the city to search for treatment, and then returned to keep watch over him. He found himself smiling. 

He didn’t know the last time anyone did either of those things for him. He remembered once falling ill before an important meeting with the other Houses. Straff told him sick people were useless. Either Elend could make himself presentable and attend, or he could stay away until he recovered. It was not truly a choice. Elend had gone to the meeting. 

He almost made a face as he took a sip of the lukewarm tea. With Vin watching, he schooled his expression and took another sip. It was bitter, but he couldn’t taste much with his blocked nose. He could feel the lump in his throat bob as he did his best to swallow. “Thank you.” 

Vin shifted on her feet. “You look awful. How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve been run over by a wagon,” Elend said, the congestion in his voice warping his pronunciation of the “n” sound. He pulled the blankets back up to his shoulders, his sweat suddenly feeling too cool against his skin. “My throat feels like I’ve swallowed gravel. My head is so slow. Every thought takes longer than it should to piece together.” 

“Are you still chilled?” 

Elend didn’t remember mentioning that to her, but he nodded. “Freezing.” 

Vin pulled open the curtains. More sunlight should warm the room. “Is this okay?” 

“Yes.” He squinted, letting his eyes adjust to the light. Elend rested his head back against the headboard, his jaw gaping slightly. 

“Hh’EMPHshh!” He snapped his head forward into the covers, muffling the sneeze and the moan that followed. “And my face feels like it’s stuffed with wool.”  

“The apothecary had something for congestion, too.” Vin reached over to a bag resting on the armchair and produced a small sachet. From how his voice sounded the previous night, she’d predicted that he needed something for his nose as well. 

Even from a distance, Elend could smell something sharp and herbal as soon as she pulled it out. “Is that another tea?”

“No, you sniff it.”

Elend blinked. “Sniff it?” 

“That’s what she said.” Vin confirmed and held it out in front of him. 

Elend wasn’t sure if he was understanding correctly. “Those were her exact words?” 

Vin paused. “Essentially.” 

The answer didn’t inspire confidence, but Elend took the sachet anyway. He pulled it open, careful not to spill. He raised it slowly to his nose. The smell grew much stronger. Mint, maybe, mixed with something unfamiliar. Then he took as deep of an inhale as he could manage. 

And instantly regretted it. The strong smell should have been a warning that this would happen. His eyes widened and he held the sachet as far away from himself as he could. He pressed a finger against his nose and rubbed hard, as if that could remove the irritation. 

“C-can you taahh-take it?” He struggled to get out the words as his breath hitched. He recognized that dropping the sachet would be disastrous. 

Vin took it back from him immediately, pulling the drawstrings tight and tying a knot. She furrowed her brows. 

Elend’s nose felt like it was on fire. His eyes watered as he squeezed them shut. He gasped, then cupped his hands over his mouth. “EEYIESHHHOOO!– hHEH’djiSHUH’ihh-pCHh!” 

He didn’t dare remove his hands, keeping them clamped to his face as he reared his head back for more, panting. He sneezed again. There was no opportunity to take a breath between each outburst.

A handkerchief appeared in front of him. Vin must have retrieved one while he was too busy fighting with his nose. Elend snatched it from her, pressing the soft cloth to his nose and blowing. He didn’t even care if she was watching; he was desperate to do anything to get rid of the tickle. But that turned into another sneeze. “Heh’dZCHHhh! Hah-hh…” He lost it, even though the tickle persisted. He let his hands fall from his face and groaned with frustration, which turned into coughing. 

“Lord Ruler,” he groaned. “EH’ksSHHIEW!” 

Vin rubbed her hand in gentle circles over his hunched back. “Are you okay?” 

Elend raised the now-soaked fabric to his nose and blew again. “No,” he managed, choking back a cough. Then shook his head, not wanting to worry her by being dramatic. “Yes, I’mb f-fine, I’ve just nd-neverr… huh… heh’GKSHh! HHhn’ESHiew! Never sneezed so much at once before.” 

“The apothecary said this would help,” Vin frowned. 

Elend sighed. “We may have different definitions of the word ‘help.’ Though, I do feel like my nose has been emptied.” Before the sneezing fit, he’d felt too congested to even try to breathe through his nose. This was progress. “Heh’ISCHhh!” 

The powder definitely got things moving. He just wished it would stop now. He could feel his throat getting sorer with each sneeze. “Uh, could you get me another handkerchief?” Elend felt his cheeks grow pink. This one had been rendered useless. 

Vin went to the dresser and returned with two more. She set one on the nightstand and unfolded the other, pressing it gently under his nose. 

He couldn’t help but moan and lean into her soft touch, and his face flushed even darker.

But the relief suddenly turned to panic, and he froze, lifting a hand to push away hers. He gripped her wrist, but it didn’t budge. “Vin, I’m going t–EH’NGch! HNX’shhhh!”

Elend had no chance of stopping those sneezes. Mortification swept over him. “I’m so sorry,” he stammered. His eyes widened in horror. 

“It’s okay,” she said. “You warned me, and it was a calculated risk.” 

Elend didn’t find a hint of annoyance on her face. If anything, she was probably more concerned with his discomfort rather than her own. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve her. 

He took the handkerchief from her and blew. He paused, then sniffed warily. The fit had left him exhausted, but for the first time since last night, his nasal passages were a little more open. “I can’t believe it. I think that cursed powder worked. I can breathe again.”

The stuffiness in his voice had indeed softened, and Vin relaxed. When Elend started sneezing so desperately, she worried she’d made a terrible mistake trusting the apothecary. 

“Are you hungry?” she asked. “I’ll find us some food.” 

“Yes, I could use a break from the herbal remedies,” he said with a smile. He reached for the tea, hoping to make progress on his other ailments as Vin headed for the door with purpose.

[spookysnz]

someone a few desks away sneezed, like “heh-HIEEESHHHH!”

and my coworker next to me called out to say “that is the wettest sneeze i’ve ever heard.”

his friend defended him jokingly: “yeah? you got a problem with that?”

and they proceeded to discuss.

idk if i’ve ever heard a vanilla call a sneeze wet.

[snzsuckers]

A little Ry/land Gr/ace snz art :3

[heleniumx]

the snzfucker’s guide to the snziest plants

for when you need to put your OCs/favs in a Situation™ or if you're simply curious about the science behind why plants make us sneeze

please do not reblog to non-snz blogs // Minors DNI (18+ blog)

Hi! I'm Leni and I'm a plant ecologist and snzfucker (obviously). If you like to include accurate details in your snz fics but don't know where to start when it comes to all things hay fever and plant allergies (or if you're just curious for...reasons) then you've come to the right place! I've put together this mini guide to get you started. If you ever have any questions on any of the following, please feel free to reply to this post (or send me an ask if you prefer to be anonymous).

View/download this post in a Google Doc format (don't worry - viewing is 100% anonymous. You can see my username but I (and others who view the doc) can't see yours.

IN THIS GUIDE:

Mini crash course on plants, pollen + pollination

A selected list of the sneeziest plants, categorized by: 🌻 wildflowers + weeds 🌾 grasses 🌳 shrubs 🌲 trees 💐 cultivated flowers 💥 sternutatory plants 🏅special mentions

The Chhinkni Corner™ - how/why does it work? a deeper dive into plant snience (snz science...hehe)

Some fun plant + snz facts sprinkled throughout

Tools, references, and resources at the end

Feel free to skip directly to the parts that interest you. I won't be offended if you don't read it all!

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS BEFORE WE GET STARTED:

In an attempt to keep this as accessible as possible I am simplifying some concepts and skipping over some entirely. Otherwise there's just too much to get into!

This is by no means a complete list of species rather a selected assortment

I am not an immunologist, allergist, or palynologist (pollen scientist). I’m coming at this through the lens of a plant ecologist and snzfcker

While I did create one of the figures/images in this chart, the others I have 'borrowed' from elsewhere on the internet - normally I would include proper credits/citations but, uh, I don't really think we want the authors to accidentally end up here.

Many plants, including some referenced in this document and the included resources can be extremely toxic, dangerous – or even deadly – if used, consumed, or prepared incorrectly. Do not be silly in your pursuit of snz.

Let's dive in! (don't worry, there won't be a pop quiz)

Mini Crash Course on Plants + Pollen

What's the deal with plants? Like, where do I start if I know...nothing? You can start right here!! Okay, so there are a lot (and I do mean a lot) of different ways we classify plants. For the purposes of this post, I'm going to to break down a few of the key ones in a way that (hopefully) isn't too overwhelming.

The Linnaean Classification system: This is the standard method of classifying all living organisms, using taxonomic binomial nomenclature (a formal, 2-part naming system in Latinized forms).

🌱 FUN FACT: Common names of plants often vary from region to region, culture to culture, and era to era. You can learn a lot from a plant's common name, and often a lot more from its binomial nomenclature. For example, the plant known as Common Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica) derives its binomial species name (ptarmica) from the Greek word ptairo ("sneeze") which means "causes sneezing!" -- Thus, the plant's full scientific name translates to "Yarrow that causes sneezing." Pretty on[in?]-the-nose if you ask me.

Do all plants produce pollen? Nope! Not all plants produce pollen. I've put together the following chart which helps break down how we further classify plants --specifically in the context of what plants produce pollen and how they are pollinated, which all leads us to understanding what makes them more/less allergenic and why...we'll get into shortly.

Why do plants produce pollen, and what exactly is pollination? It's how plants get it on, bay-bee! 🐝 Pollination is how the male parts of a plant transfer genetic material to the female parts of the plant, allowing plants to produce seed and fruit, and ensure the genetic diversity of its species is maintained. Let's talk about it!

Reproductive Categories: Both Angiosperms (flowering) and Gymnosperms (non-flowering) have male structures which produce pollen and female structures which develop seeds and fruit.

In Angiosperms, the part of a flower containing the male reproductive organs is called the stamen. At the tip of the stamen is the anther, which is where pollen is produced! The part of a flower containing the female reproductive organ is called the pistil, which contains the ovary. Once fertilized by pollen, this part develops into the mature fruit/seed.

Flowers (and cones) can be male, female, or bisexual -- and there are even more categories I'm not going to get into but...Nature is queer, y'all! And it's awesome.

Monoecious plants have both male and female unisexual flowers on the same plant, which means they are self-pollinating. Examples include: Birch, Oak, Spruce, and Pine trees; and vegetables like pumpkins, cucumbers, corn and tomatoes. Dioecious plants have unisexual male and female parts on separate plants, and need to be cross pollinated in order to produce seed. Examples include: Juniper, Poplar, Maple, and Willow trees; and vegetables like asparagus and spinach.

🌱 FUN FACT: On monoecious conifer trees, female cones grow on the upper branches of the tree, where they can be fertilized by the pollen of male cones blown upwards from the wind.

Okay, so exactly how are plants pollinated? Biotic Pollination (by animals - primarily insects, but also birds and small mammals). In exchange for pollination services, these plants provide animals with food (pollen is very high in protein and nutrients).

Abiotic Pollination (by natural phenomenons - like wind, rain, or water). These are strong, independent self-pollinating plants who don’t need no bugs.

What makes some plants more allergenic than others? It all has to do with how they're pollinated!

Insect-pollinated plants generally tend to be the least allergenic, as the pollen grains are generally larger and stickier, allowing them to easily stick to insect bodies. I mean, just look at these guys. They’re absolutely lost in the sauce:

Wind-pollinated plants, on the other hand, tend to be the most allergenic as their pollen grains are smaller and lighter. They also tend to produce a lot more of it in quantity, since their distribution method is a lot less targeted (they rely on the variable forces of wind and water vs relying on, say, a bee that is reliably going to fly from flower to flower).

Depending on the anatomical structure of a species’ flowers, it may be both animal and wind-pollinated. Privet, for example, is primarily insect-pollinated, but because it has anthers that protrude considerably from its flower (hubba hubba), its pollen can be distributed by the wind, as this article explains.

🌱 FUN FACT: Some bees have special structures known as pollen baskets (or corbiculae) to help them efficiently store and carry pollen!

How is allergy season defined? The peak flowering/pollen times for plants varies by region, even if the same plant species grows across a wide geographical range. This is influenced largely by climate, and may vary slightly year-by-year. Ragweed, for example is abundant throughout all of central-eastern continental US, but pollen levels may peak at different times, depending on what state you're in (the state of allergic misery perhaps). For example, someone who usually prepares accordingly for ragweed season to hit them in mid-September where they live might be in for a bit of a surprise if they travel to another part of the country in mid-late August...!

What is hay fever, exactly? Is it the same as seasonal allergies? Essentially, yes. Hay fever is actually bit of a misnomer, as it was originally believed that the scent of freshly-cut grass (later dried to be used as hay*) was triggering allergic symptoms. Grass pollen of course can be a major trigger for allergies, nowadays the term is used almost interchangeably with the more-accurately described allergic rhinitis. *Consider also, if you really want to put your character in a Situation, the fact that dried hay often contains not only pollen, but mold spores and dust/dried plant particles...

Why does pollen make people sneeze? In simple terms: pollen allergies are an immunological response to the proteins found in different types of pollen. This article, titled 'Allergies: The Radical Theory of Sneezing' goes into much further detail. Also, um, hello?!!? That name???

🌱 FUN FACT: This paper is the first recorded medical description of 'hay fever.' In case you want to read it. For science, obviously.

A Selected List of the Sneeziest Plants

🌻 wildflowers + weeds

Asters, Daisies, Sunflowers (Members of the Asteraceae family) in general  Ragweed (members of the Ambrosia genus): specifically Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) and Great Ragweed (Ambrosia trifida) Mugworts (members of the Artemisia genus) - particularly Common Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) Pigweed (members of the Amaranthus genus) Goosefoot (Chenopodium album)

💐 cultivated or cut flowers

Baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata) and its relatives in the same genus Chrysanthemums or 'Mums' (members of the Chrysanthemum genus) Asters, Daisies, Sunflowers (Members of the Asteraceae family), including: Dahlias (members of the Dahlia genus) Gerberas (members of the Gerbera genus) 

🌾 grasses

Timothy grasses (members of the Phleum genus) Sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum) Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) Ryegrass (members of the Lolium genus) Orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum)

🌳 shrubs/small trees

Common Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) Hazels (members of the Corylus genus) Juniper (members of the Juniperus genus) Cypress (members of the Cupressaceae family) Privet (members of the Ligustrum genus)

🌲 trees

Alder (members of the Alnus genus) Ash (members of the Fraxinus genus) Beech (members of the Fagus genus) Birch (members of the Betula genus) Cedar (members of the Cedrus genus) Elm (members of the Ulmus genus) Hickory (members of the Carya genus) Maple (members of the Acer genus) Mulberry (members of the Morus genus) Oak (members of the Quercus genus) Olive (members of the Olea genus) Sycamore (members of the Platanus genus) Poplar (members of the Populus genus)

🌱 FUN FACT: People who are allergic to the pollen of one plant species are more likely to also be allergic to species in the same plant family. For example, those who are Ash tree pollen may also be allergic to the pollen of Olives and Lilacs, as all three are members of the Oleaceae family.

🏅special mentions (plants that may or may not necessarily be allergenic but still deserve to be mentioned)

Highly fragrant plants (known to or most likely to trigger scent reactions) Lilies – particularly Asiatic hybrids such as Lilium orientalis (aka the Stargazer lily) Hyacinths (members of the Hyacinthus genus) Lilacs (members of the Syringa genus) Wisteria (members of the Wisteria genus) Lavender (members of the Lavandula genus) Jasmine (members of the Jasminum genus) Freesias (specifically the highly fragrant Antique White Freesia aka Freesia alba) Viburnums (Specifically the Burkwood Viburnum aka Viburnum × burkwoodii) Roses (members of the Rosa genus)* *There are certain types of hybrid Roses that have been bred specifically for traits like fragrance (eg. the variety known as “Mme Isaac Pereire”) but honestly...most of my knowledge pertains to wild rose species and I'm not researching this topic any further because people who grow cultivated/hybrid roses can be Extremely Serious about it and I’m genuinely a little scared of them. Small, fluffy seed heads (wind-distributed seeds that are very tiny and light and easy to breathe in...Do you see where i'm going with this? You see the vision?!) Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale): Willowherbs (members of the Epilobium genus) Cottongrasses (members of the Eriophorum genus) Asters (members of the Aster genus) Goldenrods (members of the Solidago genus) Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) Hypoallergenic plants (these species tend to have thick/sticky pollen that does not become airborne, or needs to be intentionally disturbed by specialist polinators in order to disperse). A pollen allergy to any of the following plants would extremely unlikely, but an objectively hilarious affliction to give to a character. Orchids (members of the Orchidaceae family) Cactus (members of the Cactaceae family) Irises, Crocuses, and Freesias (members of the Iridaceae family) Columbines (members of the Aquilegia family)

🌱 FUN FACT: Many flowers have been cultivated (intentionally bred or hybridized to for specific traits) to produce less pollen. We call these varieties "cultivars." For allergy sufferers, hypoallergenic cultivars are great to grow in their garden (or to purchase at a florist). For pollinators who expend energy to search for a food source, it's not so great. It's even less great if these cultivars are native species which are subsequently planted or introduced into the wild, as it can compromise the genetic integrity of that species' wild populations, and negatively impact native pollinators.

💥 Sternutatory or Errhine plants Sternutatory (adjective): Also sternutative. causing or tending to cause sneezing Errhine (noun): a medicine to be snuffed up the nostrils to promote sneezing and increased discharges.

Important Disclaimer ⚠️ DO NOT TRY THESE AT HOME ( I cannot stress this enough). This is for information purposes only and should not be used as a how-to guide. Many plants, including some on this list and the resources at the end of this guide can be extremely toxic, dangerous – or even deadly – if used, consumed, or prepared incorrectly. Misidentification of plant species can also be deadly. Seriously, do not be silly in your pursuit of snz. Stick with chhinkni, folks.

Wait, so…plants can make you sneeze even without pollen? Heck yeah, friends! We've all heard about pepper as a snz trigger, of course...Well, Black Pepper is just the common name for the plant also known as Piper nigrum. Peppercorns are its dried fruit, and it's what we grind up to get black pepper seasoning! And chhinkni? It's all plant parts! We'll get into that later, too.

Indigenous peoples around the world have been using plants medicinally for millennia. Traditionally, sternutatory (yes, that is the fancy scientific word for ‘sneeze-inducing’) plants were used to treat or cure the common cold, headaches, or in some cases as a stimulant. Are you writing a fic with a character who is an herbalist, traditional medicine practitioner, healer, witch/wizard, etc? Perhaps they would be familiar with some of the following plants:

Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) - [crushed dried leaves and flower heads] Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica)  - [dried powdered roots; possibly leaves?] Sneezewood (Ptaeroxylon obliquum) - [powder from wood, bark] Spreading Sneezeweed (Centipeda minima) - [squeezed flower heads] Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) - [dried crushed roots; dried crushed pods] Spanish chamomile (Anacyclus pyrethrum) - [powdered roots] Leopard’s Bane (Arnica montana) - [freshly crushed flowers; whole plant; dried/powdered] Scarlet Creeper (Ipomoea hederifolia) - [roots] Redberry (Deeringia amaranthoides) [powdered roots] Cypress vine (Quamoclit pennata) - [powdered roots] Ipecacuanha (Cephaelis ipecacuanh) - [dried roots and rhizomes] Southern Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) - [powdered root bark] and its relatives Box Myrtle (Myrica Esculenta) and Swamp Bayberry (Myrica caroliniensis) Yopo (Anadenanthera peregrina) - [dried pulverized seeds] Mouse-ear hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum) - [leaves] Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) - [powdered] Betony (Betonica officinalis) - [powdered herb/dried leaves] Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) - [dried powdered leaves often added to snuff powders] Bee Balm aka Wild Bergamont (Monarda fistulosa) - [dried tops of the plants] Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) [dried roots] Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) - [powder of the dried nuts] Sage, Marjoram, and Tobacco [referenced here as a “gentle” sternutative]

🌱 FUN FACT: Mugwort is considered one of the most important herbs ("the mother of herbs") in traditional medicine (and witchcraft, allegedly). It is both a sternutatory plant and a highly-allergenic plant. It sure would be a shame if your herbalist/healer/witchy character had to both grow/harvest it and prepare/pulverize it...

Okay, but how and why exactly do these plants make us sneeze? Excellent question, so let's get into it! Come on over to...

The Chhinkni Corner

Ever wondered why Chhinkni works? Why it's so effective? What the ingredients are? Exactly how/why these ingredients make us sneeze? Let's dive into some plant + snz science (Snience)!

First, let's break down the ingredients of Chhinkni:

Skimmia laureola [leaf, powdered] Box Myrtle (Myrica Esculenta) [bark, powdered] Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) [wood, powdered] Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphor) [extract] Peppermint (Mentha piperita) [extract] Southern Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) [oil]

Well, we know from the list of (some of the known) sternutatory plants above that the root bark of Myrica species is sternutatory, so that makes sense! But what about the others on this list? Let's get back to that important question:

What about these specific plants/plant parts make us sneeze? It all has to do with Transient receptor potential channels (TRP channels). TRP channels are primarily located on the plasma membrane of our cells. They detect environmental stimuli and translate this exposure into sensations of chemesthesis (irritation, burning, cooling, tingling) pressure, taste, and smell. There are six main categories of specialized TRP channels, which play different roles throughout our body. Here's a chart that helps visualize each category:

Woah, this is getting a little overwhelming. What the heck does this have to do with snz? Or plants?! Everything, my friend! Everything! Many TRP channels are heavily expressed in the epithelial cells of nasal mucosa. Each TRP channel is activated by different things (with some overlaps) including different chemicals found in specific plant families. Let's look at some of these TRP channels (and what activates them) and things will start to make a lot more sense:

TRPV is activated by: --- Capsaicin (found in Chili Pepper), Piperine (found in Black Pepper), Carvacrol (found in Bee Balm), Camphor (primarily found the Camphor tree, but also found in plants like Rosemary), Menthol, Cannabis, Incense, Ginger, Menthol (mint). TRPA is activated by: --- Mustards (mustard, radish, horseradish, wasabi), Cinnamaldehyde (cinnamon), Tobacco, Cannabis, Wintergreen oil (aka what gives mint candies/gum its flavor), Shogaols (found in Ginger and Sichuan peppers) TRPM is activated by: --- Eucalyptol (oils from Eucalyptus plants), Menthol (mints),  --- Cold temperatures

Hmm...does anything on this list sound familiar in a snz context??!?!?!?!

Wait, is this why things like pepper, cold temperatures, mint, spices, and strong smells make people sneeze? It sure is! When certain TRP channels are activated, they send signals to your body that trigger protective reflexes (eg. sneezing and coughing) to get rid of the irritant. Everyone's cellular make-up is as unique as they are, and we all react and respond to external stimuli in different ways. Some people might only get a runny nose when exposed to cold temperatures, while for others it might trigger sneezing.

🌱 FUN FACT: There have been studies examining TRP channels in the nasal cavity and the role they might play in allergic rhinitis. There have also been studies on specific TRP receptors in the nasal mucosa comparing patients with and without allergenic rhinitis. There is even this study on the nasal effects of camphor, eucalyptus, and menthol!

Learning Tools and More Resources

See where plants grow on a map: Want to know where specific plants grow? Input the plant species (or the genus or family -- now that you know what that is!) into the search bar, and it will show you its global distribution range based on user-submitted data. You can also narrow results down to a specific area. Note: This data is compiled through user-submitted data and may be erroneous. For best results, filter search results using the “Research Grade Observation” option. While the results don’t provide insight on historical range, native vs. introduced species, it’s a great tool to get you started! Pollen Allergen Tool: An interactive chart that shows common allergenic proteins and which plants produce pollens containing them. Repeated Disclaimer ⚠️ The following resources are shared for information purposes only. Many plants, including some on these lists are extremely toxic, dangerous – or even deadly – if used, consumed, or prepared incorrectly. Sternutatory Plants: A list of sternutatory plant species compiled by the USDA Sternutatory Plants: A second list, compiled using various data sources. This paper published in 2021 on the use of sternutatory plants in herbal medicine, TRP activity. and this banger of a quote: "Sneezing had great significance and value throughout history; it exerted a strange fascination on humans" I protest the use of past-tense, but alas. Folks, this paper is Snience (Snz Science) in action. If the following excerpt is any indication:

The End!!

THANK YOU for reading if you got this far, and congrats on making it to the end of this post! I hope you learned as much as you horned (if not more) and I hope this little guide can come in handy one way or another.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, if you ever have questions on any of these topics, please feel free to reply to this post (or send me an ask if you prefer to be anonymous) and I'll do my best to answer! 💚🌿

xoxo, Leni 🌼

[spookysnz]

Experiment in Zero G (Project Hail Mary, m)

All you need to know is that scientist Ryan Gosling is on his spaceship and decides to investigate an alien material from his little alien buddy. Disclaimer, I have read the book and not seen the movie. Contains mild mention of mess and cheesy snz tropes. 1.2k words.

I woke up with a jolt. For a second, I felt like I’d recalled something important in my dreams, like a memory of my missing years on Earth. Back home, I would wake up from vivid dreams and briefly wonder if they’d really happened. Now, if I remember my dreams, I have no clue whether they were events that occurred in the past or if they were tales that my brain created to fill in the gaps. 

I couldn’t recall any details, but I still felt anxious. Maybe some more research in the lab would help burn it off.  

“You’re awake,” Rocky hummed. He was sitting in almost the exact same place in his tunnel from when I fell asleep. 

I greeted him back. “Sort of,” I said, rubbing the grogginess from my eyes. It still weirded me out to have him there when I slept and woke. But we’d accepted each others’ culture. “Culture” was like playing a trump card for determining our living arrangements. 

I rolled out of bed and floated towards the dorms. “Coffee,” I said to the open air. The robotic arm appeared and handed me a pouch of liquid. It was nice to have a routine, even if there was no morning out in space. 

Once I got ready for the “day,” I headed up towards the lab, Rocky scuttling through the tunnels and pulling himself along with the rails. I had grabbed a chunk of xenonite from Rocky’s supply surplus downstairs. He assured me there was plenty to spare and that the materials cluttered in the bottom of my ship were only a fraction of his supply remaining on the Blip A. 

I’d messed with the xenonite when Rocky first came over, but I wanted to do some more testing. Maybe some other tools could make a dent in it, or I could gauge its influence on the stuff I did have. I gently pulled open a drawer, careful not to send any of the instruments floating in the cabin. They were always a pain to chase down and reorganize. I learned my lesson from the last time we left gravity. 

“What is Grace doing, question?” Rocky asked. 

“Well, I hit this stuff with a chisel last time and it didn’t make a dent. But I wanted to see if there was anything else I could do with Earth materials to affect the xenonite.” 

Rocky paced side to side, pondering. “Fire damage xenonite. Earth has fire.” 

I knew he was just trying to be helpful, but the suggestion was frustrating. I already figured that from the torches he used in assembling his rooms. The fact that the impossible material withstood anything I threw at it puzzled me. 

“Why sad face, question?”

“No, I’m not sad,” I shook my head. “I’m thinking. If I think really hard, sometimes it looks like I’m frowning.” For an alien, he was very observant of human emotions. 

Rocky clicked his claws together, his carapace lowering slightly as he relaxed. “Understand.” 

Xenonite was completely inert, but I could at least see how other materials interacted with this foreign one from a physical standpoint. I pulled out a pack of chalk and opened it, retrieving a stick. Simple calcium carbonate, a very familiar material. 

I rubbed it across the surface. Xenonite was so smooth, it didn’t cause any chunks to break off, instead leaving an incredibly fine layer across the material. When I rubbed my thumb across it, it left the surface completely unmarred, no trace of chalk remaining. With this xenonite stuff, chalkboards could make a comeback. 

I rubbed my fingers together, trying to get rid of the chalk. And then I immediately remembered why that was a terrible idea in zero gravity. When I inhaled, the chalk dust floated up my nostrils. I coughed, waving a hand in front of my face to clear the powder away, but it was too late. 

After months of breathing in ultra-purified ship air, the tiny particles from the chalk felt like an assault on my nostrils. On Earth, I was used to the air pollution, and a bit of chalk would have been unnoticeable. I didn’t realize how sensitive my nose had become in space. 

The itch to sneeze was unbearable, but I didn’t want to deal with the… mess that might float around as a result. I gasped, fighting the urge. 

“What is wrong, question?” Rocky asked, moving between his bars a bit frantically. 

I shook my head slightly, unable to speak. I held up one finger to Rocky while keeping the other pressed against the underside of my nose. 

Rocky remembered exactly what that one raised finger meant and slowed his pacing, still tilting forward in anticipation and puzzlement. 

Unfortunately for me, it seemed like I might not have a choice in the sneezing matter. I pinched my nose, but if anything, the forceful touch antagonized it. I doubt being gentler would have made a difference, though. “Hihh-! H-HEH’nNGHXX-guh!” 

Rocky hummed a follow-up question, still concerned. 

I blinked back tears. I guess the little guy had never heard me sneeze before. It certainly wasn’t something an Eridian would need to do, with their bodies designed to be completely self-contained. 

“It’s called a sneeze,” I answered. And it was the least satisfying sneeze I’d ever experienced in my entire life. Now my nose was itchy and leaky and stuffy. “Nothing’s wrong, humans do it automatically to get irritants out of their nose.” 

“Chalk is irritant!” He put it together now. “But you hold nose closed, question?” 

He had a good point. It defeated the purpose, and I probably wouldn’t get anywhere like this. 

“B-because,” I stammered. My breath caught as the urge to sneeze started to overpower me. I glanced around the room, looking for a cloth or tissues, but everything was stowed away. Curse my foresight to be tidy. I couldn’t even remember where the Kimwipes were kept. “Noses have… ha–EH’hNGCH! Heh’mpch!” I wasn’t giving up yet. 

“Noses have mucus inside to protect it. And I don’t want it to g-gehh.. get all over my lab.” 

Darn, this was getting really annoying. I could feel another one building. There would probably be something useful in the storage bins, or I could start tearing apart drawers, but I could barely focus through the hitching.

Rocky pondered the information. “Nose hold isn’t working,” he observed. Again, helpful. 

“Hehh’mNGXt!’ The itch in my nose was starting to go from mildly irritating to almost burning, which was even more uncomfortable. It seems like I might not have a choice at this point. I dropped my hand and quickly raised the neckline of my jumpsuit, pressing it tightly over my nose. “Oh god…heh Hyihh’CSHhuh! Hh’EHCHhmph! Heh…ngGCHOO!” 

Ugh. I kept the collar against my face, sniffling thickly. Not very dignified, but it did a pretty good job at containment. 

“Noses are strange. They smell and make humans explode. Weird.” 

I rolled my eyes, then blinked. “HYEH’ZCHHioo!” I might have to keep the makeshift mask over my nose until the ship cycled out the air. 

“You know, on Earth, the polite thing to say when someone sneezes is ‘bless you.’” Another bit of human culture for him to analyze and question. I pushed off the lab bench in search of some Kleenex. 

(cute pic i found of book Rocky)

[sneezydreamgirl]

In Which a Witch Makes a Wizard Sneeze

are you guys ready for ANOTHER H/owl's M/oving C/astle fic? I hope so. this is just me being a freak

other instalments: In Which a Royal Wizard Catches (Another) Cold In Which a Witch Catches a Wizard’s Cold my fic master list

In the Wizard Pendragon’s moving castle, a fire flickered peacefully in its hearth, and a young witch gathered herbs together at her desk for a spell. It was a quiet, gentle morning.

But it was soon to be disrupted by none other than the—

“ahh—hIZzSCHHhyihEW!”

… none other than the—

“HhyiiisSCHhyhhuew!”

… none other than the—

 “Hh—hhih—iiihh…! hhThhSCHhhyiiiuhhhh!”

NONE OTHER THAN THE cold-ridden wizard Howl Pendragon, sneezing outside the castle door.

Sophie looked up from her work. By the sound alone, she knew it was her husband sneezing outside (no one else could possibly sneeze as loudly and dramatically as him). She prepared herself for a world of theatrics as Howl swung the door open and a billowing, cold wind rattled in with him.

“I ab never — SNDFFf! Go’igg bagck to the High Norland agaid,” declared Howl. “I dod’t care if it starts adother bloody war. Ndothi’gg is worth mbe.. hehhh.. catch.. hhih!… catchiGSCHHHhz’iHh!… catch’igg adother… adotherrhhYiiiSCHhzzhUE! —yYZCHhhHi’ue! Miserable cold… SNDFFgk! — such as this ode.”

Sophie winced. More for herself than for Howl, really, because he was insufferable with a cold, and it would fall on her to take care of him.

“Heaven’s sake, Howl. Bless you,” she said.

With a groan, he flopped down at the breakfast table, where he suddenly looked very sorry for himself. This was followed by some moaning, and groaning, before he whined for his wife to please bring him the quilt from their bedroom, and could she also bring him some tea, and perhaps start digging his grave near her favourite flowers outside?

“… And while you’re up, write a letter to the ki’gg to tell hib I wod’t idvolve byself id adother war.” He buried his nose into a handkerchief and blew loudly. The windows of castle rattled in chorus. “My codstitutiod is far too delicate for it.”

Sophie found it difficult to muster up any sympathy and was not at all amused with him. Her husband was normally very skilled at weaselling his way out of any conflict, especially when it came to being told what to do by the king, but this one took the cake!

She tsked her tongue and asked, “You’ll let innocent people die in a senseless war all so you don’t have to have a stuffy nose again?”

“Yes,” was Howl’s curt, congested reply. Then he sneezed again, in a dejected and echoing manner. The beams of the castle shook.

She rolled her eyes and decided it best to leave him. But as soon as she turned away, he whined for her again. 

“Sophie,” he moaned pleadingly, his forehead pressed to the table, “feel mby nose. It is hotter thad coals. My edtire face feels like it bay melt off!"

“I’m not touching your nose, Howl.”

“You must,” Howl cried. He turned to face her. “A wife ought to listed to her husba’d. She ought to care. A good wife — one who loved me — would do adythi’gg I asked of her, especially whed I’b as close to death as I ab.”

Sophie fought back a laugh. A good wife! She wished to slap him, and would have, but Howl prattled on.

“At some poidt in this union, you’ll have to show a shred of concern and care for me. What were our vows? In sigg’ness and id health?”

He continued on and on, spinning a ridiculous tale about what how cruel Sophie was — how she didn’t truly love him, not really, and he should’ve never fallen for her and her rotten ways — but oh, how he loved cruel women anyway, probably something to do with the way he was raised or a spell put on him — and she’d finally had enough. 

“Calcifer!” Sophie called to the fire. “Don’t bother heating the bathwater for him later. He’ll need an icy cold bath. I think the fever has all but ruined whatever brains he had left.”

“I agree,” muttered Calcifer. 

“Curse you and your hard-heart!” Howl wailed to her. “You are a wretched, fiendish woman.” With a cough, he conjured another tissue and buried his nose into it, then sneezed sadly and dramatically, his chest expanding with each intake of air, like a balloon being puffed up. “—Hhah—ahh—hhaahh…! hhaH'yZSHhhHH-ahh! SndffFF! I ndeed to lay down. Perhaps with a hot drink and a compress.”

And then he looked expectantly at his wife, doe-eyed, before very nearly shrinking under her venomous gaze.

Sophie put her hands on her hips and set her mouth in a thin line. It was impossible to tolerate her husband when he was so childishly sulky. She had zero intention of making him a hot drink, of cooing over him as though he were some broken baby bird, when he was in the throes of a tantrum. 

The moments stretched on, and as the silence became too much for Howl to withstand and it became clear she would not indulge his petulance with a response, he looked up at her again from behind the tissue. His marble-green eyes were wet and piteous. In an instant, Howl magicked her to him, sliding her across the floor as if she were a manican. She dug her heels into the floor but it was no use.

When he was satisfied, he locked his arms around her, crumpled forward, and laid his cheek on her abdomen, prostrating himself.

“Sophie,” croaked the wizard pleadingly, “please tagke care of me. I feel positively ill. You mbake me feel better.” 

“And how it possible for a wretched, hard-hearted woman to make you feel better?” Sophie snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. Though he irritated her to no end, her wizard had a desperately sad look to him that tugged on her heartstrings ever so slightly. 

“I overstepped,” admitted Howl. “You are ndot wretched. You are lovely. You are… you… are… hh—…”

His features fell, then, his soft bottom lip gently dropping open as his reddened nostrils twitched furiously. Yet he hardly looked silly or strange. In fact, he looked as pretty as ever. It enraged her to realise that, even mid-sneeze, he was still devilishly handsome. 

He pressed his large nose to her ribcage and she felt each sneezy release as they came, the warm spray misting against the baby blue fabric of her dress. The sneezes were wet and certainly promised a damp spot whenever he finished sneezing on her for attention.

“hIH-rZSHhhHYUEWhh! hhh… — hhh’HMPHhSCHh’Oo! hheiieSCHHu! Hh.. hyehh…!”

When it was clear his third sneeze wouldn’t come, he extricated himself from Sophie and flicked his gaze up at her, still caught in that itchy, desperate, pre-sneeze look. If she didn’t know any better, she’d mistake his expression for near-erotic.

Especially when considering the sight of his damp, teary eyes that beaded with wetness in the corners, his wrinkled eyebrows and quivering shiny lips and gasping breaths — well, it was difficult to ignore the swell of heat that bloomed in the very base of her belly.

“Ihht’s s-stuhh.. HEH—! hhaahh.” His exhale was borderline sexual. “Stuck… cad you help me?”

She bit her lip. 

“Soph—hhih—hihhh—hiee…hh!”

Listening to him hitch her name in breathless little pants — the same way he did during sex — that was simply enough. She needed to put an end to it immediately.

The witch leaned forward and, focusing all her power on Howl’s twitching, red nose, said with a heavy dose of enchantment laced in every word, “Your nose is so itchy that you will sneeze until you simply can’t anymore. Until I say so.”

Howl gasped. His nose twitched, his eyes screwed shut, and he his fingers around his nose in a vice-like grip. The cold-ridden wizard now looked very much like he was no longer trying to sneeze, but rather fighting it off to curse her one last time. 

“You terrible woman,” he sputtered, “why would you say—yhh sayyyihhh— hihhHh! Sayitlikethat— hhyiESHhHhyhiew! ... hh ... hih—zSCHhyh—ieZSCHhh—hhSCHhyIEWhh!” 

He sneezed again and again and again, every breath promising a sneeze to follow after, or two, or three or sometimes even four in one go. 

Occasionally he’d even try to stifle, “hgIXxt’uHh! hnGKT’uh! ... ih’xdt’hdXTk’uh!!! … ihgktSh—ZzscHHyiew!!” Until he realised that just made the sneezes stronger and wetter, as if they were simply building up behind his nose, demanding to be released. 

When he finally decided to give up on stifling, especially after one in particular seemed to promise him quite the headache, “hhH—ihHDXTtssh’UHh! Ow!”, he pulled Sophie to him again, and buried his nose between her breasts. He used her dress as a newfound handkerchief and sneezed into it like it was all he had left in this world.

“Hhy’bzSCHCHhHue..! Hhh… nghh.. H’igCHU! hhdyzSChhhhyuew! Oh mby godjSCH’UH!— HhH’izSHhu! hhiehh.. yh’bzSCHHzshh! hh!HUH! … hh—H’BbYZSCHhhhhYyIEWwh! HhiHHZYySCHHhh’YIEW!”

Sophie was utterly transfixed. He sneezed against her so strongly, so wetly, and though she should be irritated, she couldn’t find it in her to be upset. There was something in the way he was sneezing in between her breasts, holding her so tightly, hitching and hitching and hitching before each release, that was oddly interesting to her. 

She eventually lost track of how many times he sneezed, though when the castle started to croak and groan as the fit continued, she thought perhaps it was time to end the spell. It would be a very bad day indeed if Howl sneezed the castle to rubble.

It wasn’t until the thirty-something sneeze (this was around the time she stopped counting) that Howl finally begged to her. “… hAHtchu! Please — ahHZschu! — Sophie—" He looked very pathetic, like the most miserable creature in the world, and sneezed openly in the space between them. “— hyZSCHh’iew! Mbake it.. mbake ittSCHh!’iuu! stop — hhih.. hh’bZChHhu… ‘hzschhh-ih…”

His sneezes barely had any force behind them now. Poor thing! He’d had enough. Even if he had asked for it in the first place, perhaps she’d been a bit heavy handed in her method. And maybe he’d learned his lesson about calling her a wretched, hard hearted woman, and slithering his way out of his duties. And, maybe, she could use this to her advantage.

After a moment of thought, and about three more sneezes, she picked up his feverish face in both her hands. He pressed his nose to her palm for comfort and sneezed — sadly, pathetically, wetly — against it, “ihSHhyiew…” before she spoke the magic words.

“You are done sneezing, Howl—" His eyes lit up. "—if you agree to meet with the king again to discuss the war.” And then they quickly darkened again. But Sophie was extremely pleased with herself. Even if she couldn’t get him to change his mind on his involvement, maybe Howl could at least convince the king to not start another war.

Though he looked a bit irritated at having his hands essentially tied, Howl finally nodded, and kissed her palm. “You are the only ode who cad wrangle mbe… idto… into— ihhySCHh’iu… submissiod— ... huh! Hh’bschhyiew! Sndf! — ... ... h’AHschu! Hell, I wadt to stop sndeezi’gg. Very well, wife. I … I … agreehYSCHhiu! I agree to your terms,” he said.

The spell came undone. As the magic lost its grip on him, his nose finally stopped twitching, and he took a breath without sneezing. Howl pressed two fingers to his pink, warm nose with a sigh of relief before he collapsed into his wife.

“Oh, stars above, I thought I’d sndeeze forever," Howl mumbled into her abdomen. "Thagk you, mby love.” He seemed to have completely forgotten she was the one that made him sneeze so much in the first place. She hummed and patted his head. 

“You are very welcome. I suppose the king can wait till you’re well again to meet you." It was hard not to smile at her cunning mind. She certainly could get her husband to do just about anything, if she used a bit of trickery! "Until then, perhaps we can sweet talk Calcifer into a warm bath.”

“That,” Howl purred, “would be lovely. I told you, you kndow how to mbake mbe feel better.”

Calcifer flickered in his hearth bitterly. “Except it’s me doing all the work to get the water hot, not her,” he muttered. 

But all the same, the pipes started to groan as the hot water flowed in. Sophie led her husband to the bathroom. And of course, all the way there, and even when he was submerged in the bath, he sniffled and sneezed and coughed and whined about how terrible he felt, then sniffled and sneezed and coughed, and then sniffled and sneezed, and then eventually just sniffled — until he was so relaxed in the tub that he fell asleep.

[heleniumx]

hey so chhinkni should come with a warning about stifling because what the everloving fuck did I just do to myself

Visit Original Link

contains: rapid stifles / many failed stifles / heavy breathing / gasping / false start(s) / at least one curse word

Minors DO NOT interact. Ageless/empty blogs will be blocked.

[spookysnz]

someone transferred to my department and has a desk near me. he's kind and very smart… two traits that automatically make a sneeze sound hotter.

the air quality's been bad lately and it's still allergy season, so everyone's especially sniffly/sneezy.

there are some conversations, but overall the office is pretty calm. then i hear him sneeze. it's a standard "heh'SCHhoo!" but muffled into his arm, so it's not very vocal. a couple of people bless him.

then he sneezes again. not soon enough to be considered a double, but close. "Hah'EHCHOO!" still with the slight muffled sound.

how am i supposed to get work done!

[spookysnz]

Dusty Dresses (Mistborn drabble, f)

No Mistborn knowledge is needed! I’m taking the people and ignoring any major plot/timelines in their world (in this fic they're mid-20s). This is a tiny drabble where I try to figure out the characters. Snz start halfway down. Pic of characters at the bottom. ~900 words.

Background: Vin grew up on the streets in thieving crews. She has many abilities (like enhancing her senses) that can be activated using small amounts of metal. Elend is from an esteemed noble family, though he's not a fan of the nobility. Vin attends a ball undercover and meets Elend while he's reading in a corner, and he eventually falls in love. He is generally accepted into her crew. 

_

Vin held Elend’s arm as they walked through the market. The contact felt strange sometimes, like she was too vulnerable, but she was learning to enjoy the moments with him. 

In order to restore a sense of normalcy to Luthadel, the nobility had started to throw balls again. Of course, Elend’s attendance would be expected, and that meant Vin needed a dress. When Elend heard she would be trying on gowns, he mysteriously cleared his morning schedule. Vin knew he loved to see her dressed up, and she didn’t mind him coming along.

As they walked, Elend rambled on about the frivolity Vin would have to endure. 

“You’re enjoying this far too much,” she muttered as they approached the small shop.

Elend gave her an innocent look. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m just being a supportive partner.”

Vin snorted. She didn’t want to admit it, not even to herself, but she might actually like wearing those dresses. They drew attention to herself, but she liked how they made Elend’s face light up and how smoothly the fabric flowed around her on the dance floor. 

The bell above the door jingled as they entered the shop. It was empty, and the middle-aged tailor dropped his work to hurry forward. 

“Lady Vin! What an honor.” He bowed. “How can I help you today?”

She blushed but kept her composure. “I need a dress,” Vin said, then felt silly for stating the obvious. “For the ball next week. Something… practical.”

The tailor blinked, clearly trying to reconcile “practical” and “ball gown,” but he nodded politely. “Of course. Let me bring a few options.”

The first dress he retrieved was a fluffy, bright pink, and covered in ruffles. Vin stepped out of the changing room with a flat expression. She looked at Elend, almost daring him to comment. 

His lips twitched. “You look like a cake. It will fit in perfectly with the noblewomen.” This was unfortunately true. 

“I feel like a cake,” she grumbled, tugging at the skirts. She turned to the tailor. “Do you have anything… smaller? Less ridiculous?”

Elend couldn’t help but smile as the tailor frowned. Vin had a straightforward way of speaking, and it was entertaining to watch people learn she was nowhere near as charming as Kelsier. 

The tailor disappeared into the back again and returned with a dark purple gown. It was elegant, but the silhouette was narrower and the layers more manageable.

When Vin emerged from the changing room this time, Elend’s eyes widened. He stepped towards her, humming a waltz, and lifted her hand. With a gentle tug, he spun her once. The skirt flared beautifully. 

“What do you think?” he asked, watching her in the mirror. He thought the color complemented her dark hair and pale skin, but wanted to let Vin come to her own conclusions.  

She studied her reflection. It was certainly easier to move around in. “It’ll do,” she said with a shrug.

Elend smiled. That was as enthusiastic of a confirmation as he could expect from her. “We’ll take it.”

The dress was boxed and paid for, luckily discounted as it was old stock, and the two exited the shop.  _

They had only walked a short ways away before Vin felt the mild irritation in the back of her sinuses creep deeper. It had started when she tried on the dresses. She hoped that some distance from the shop would alleviate the feeling, but it seemed unlikely at this point.

Her pace nearly skipped a step. Vin's head suddenly snapped downwards and she pressed her lips together, suppressing her sneeze into silence. It didn’t help the itch growing in her nose. Her shoulders shook slightly as her breath hitched. She lifted a finger against her nostrils to completely stifle another sneeze. 

Elend glanced over, snapping out of his thoughts. “What was that?”

Vin rubbed her nose with the back of her wrist, her cheeks warming. She knew Elend probably didn't mind, but she just felt so… improper sneezing around him. “The dress,” she muttered. “It’s dusty.” The sensation flared again and she stopped walking despite her best efforts. “Heh’NGT!” 

This one was sharper, her upper body jerking forward with it. She kept her hand up, breathing carefully through her mouth. Burning small amounts of tin all the time kept her senses sharp. It was useful for staying alert and identifying threats, but it came at a cost of sometimes unwanted sensitivity. 

Elend’s expression shifted from surprise to amusement, then to concern. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you sneeze before. At least, not like that.” Come to think of it, it was probably true. She was always so in control, he didn't even know she could sneeze.

Before Vin could say more, her breath caught. She turned her face away from him, shoulders curling inward. “Hh—heh’ngxt! Ih-NGCHhh!” She allowed the last two sneezes to escape with less restraint, and the tickle subsided. She breathed a sigh of relief.

“Because I don’t usually do it where people can see,” she grumbled, rubbing her nose again. It was embarrassing, and she hated drawing attention to herself. 

He rested a gentle hand on her lower back in reassurance. Vin hated people fretting over her, so he decided it would be best to keep his concerns to himself this time rather than voicing them. “We’ll have the dress properly cleaned before the ball.”

Vin nodded, still scrubbing at her nose. “Good. Because I’m not spending a whole night fighting with my nose.”

Elend chuckled. “Noted. Though I have to say… even sneezing, you would look absolutely stunning in that dress.”

(Official art, for reference. Though I think she's a little shorter than this)

[sneezedood]

Delayed double sneeze

[spookysnz]

my friend has been complaining about how terrible their allergies have been lately (congestion, nose running, sneezing)… to the point where they showed us the pollen forecast and went out to buy new allergy medications.

turns out they're probably just sick

[spookysnz]

audio of my partner sneezing from the passenger seat over a holiday day trip.

the laugh at the end is because i made a dumb face. because i like sneezes (sue me).

[xghostlightx]

Necktie + swollen glands, send tweet

[spookysnz]

the tags were good too

[impossiblepluto]

This or That: Sickfic edition

"Are you okay?" or "You're burning up." // temperature check with a hand to forehead or with a thermometer // feverish nightmares or feverish confessions // stoic or emotionally labile // Caught in the rain or Caught in a blizzard // field medicine or hospital // thermometer: oral or axillary (armpit) // thermometer: temporal (forehead) or tympanic (ear) // delirium or passing out // assisted to bed or carried to bed // slurred speech or staggering steps // pallid face or fever flushed cheeks // sleeping in bed or sleeping on the couch // multiple sick characters or multiple caregiving characters // deep sleep or can't rest // persistent cough or lost voice // spoon feeding or helping sick character to clean up // "I'm not sick" or "I don't feel so well" // intentional temperature taking or accidental fever reveal // wrapped in blankets or dunked in a cool bath // giving soup or giving meds // surprised by illness or feels it coming on // sick at home or sick at an important event

[spookysnz]

"Are you okay?" or "You're burning up." // temperature check with a hand to forehead or with a thermometer // feverish nightmares or feverish confessions // stoic or emotionally labile // Caught in the rain or Caught in a blizzard // both field medicine or hospital // thermometer: oral or axillary (armpit) // thermometer: temporal (forehead) or tympanic (ear) // delirium or passing out // assisted to bed or carried to bed // slurred speech or staggering steps // pallid face or fever flushed cheeks // sleeping in bed or sleeping on the couch // multiple sick characters or multiple caregiving characters // deep sleep or can't rest // persistent cough or lost voice // spoon feeding or helping sick character to clean up // "I'm not sick" or "I don't feel so well" // intentional temperature taking or accidental fever reveal // wrapped in blankets or dunked in a cool bath // giving soup or giving meds // surprised by illness or feels it coming on // sick at home or sick at an important event

[cr0wfeather]

snottiest fit I've ever had

Visit Original Link

(no but actually don't listen unless you're a snotfucker because there is audible mess + desperation. inducing hit hard today lol)

male (ftm) sneezes, minors and cis men dni