Taylor was fast asleep, her breathing steady as she snuggled closer to the warmth beside her. The morning light crept into the room, softly illuminating the edges of the curtains. Suddenly, the quiet was broken by a loud, explosive sound.
“Hh’RRSSHHH! Huh’RASSHH!”
Taylor stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she registered the noise. She groggily turned to see Travis beside her, his hand hovering near his nose, nostrils flaring as his breath hitched once more.
“Huh… hh-HASSHHH!”
“Good morning,” Taylor mumbled sleepily, rolling over to cuddle into his side, her head resting on his chest. "Still not better?” she asked, her voice soft with concern.
Travis grimaced, sniffing hard as he tried to answer. “Sorry Tay, I d-did't mbean.. hh.. hh’TSHHHH!” Before he could finish, another sneeze tore through him, making his body jerk. "Ughh... snfff! I did't mbead to wake you"
Taylor could feel the vibrations in his chest and cooed at him, pressing a gentle kiss to his bare skin. “Bless you,” she murmured, her lips brushing against his chest. “You’re pretty sick, aren’t you? Does your throat hurt, too?”
Travis sighed and nodded, his voice rough as he cleared his throat. “Yeah, id does,” he rasped, sniffing thickly afterward. “And by chest feels all congested.”
She tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes filled with sympathy. “Oh, baby,” she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. “You sound miserable.”
They spent the next while just lying in bed, Taylor cuddled into Travis’s side, her hand gently rubbing his chest while they talked. Travis sniffled almost constantly, and every so often, his breath would hitch, his face contorting with the inevitable sneeze that followed.
“Hh-hhh… damn it… hh-RRSSHHOO!” Travis cursed, his voice thick with congestion as he sneezed again. “Ugh, snnf! I’b sorry, Tay…”
Taylor kissed his chest again, not minding at all. “Bless you,” she said sweetly. “Maybe a shower will help make you feel better?”
Travis sniffed and nodded, reluctantly pulling himself out of bed. “Yeah, maybe,” he agreed, though his voice sounded doubtful. He sniffed again, rubbing his nose on the back of his wrist as he headed to the bathroom.
Taylor got up as well, heading downstairs to make him breakfast. She knew he was feeling awful, and she wanted to take care of him as best as she could. She busied herself in the kitchen, frying eggs and toasting bread, but her thoughts were on Travis.
Meanwhile, in the bathroom, the shower was too warm, making Travis feel dizzy and even more tired than before. The heat made him sweat, and when he stepped out of the shower, the sudden contrast in temperature made him shiver. He dried off quickly, wrapping a towel around his waist, got dressed and headed downstairs, sniffling as he went.
“Hh’RASSHHOO! Huh’RRSHHHOO!” Taylor heard the sneezes echoing down the hallway and turned to see Travis entering the kitchen, sniffling miserably. “Bless you,” she said again, her tone soft as she watched him grab a tissue and blow his nose. “You sound worse,” she observed, her eyes filled with concern.
“I feel worse,” Travis admitted, his voice stuffy as he sat down at the table. “The shower was too warm... snff, sniff! and dow I’b chilly and dizzy…” He trailed off, sniffling as he tried to get control of his dripping nose.
Taylor walked over and handed him a cup of tea. “Here, this should help,” she said, brushing a hand through his hair. Travis took the cup gratefully, but before he could take a sip, his breath hitched again.
“Hh… hh… Hh’TSHHHOO!” He barely had time to turn away before sneezing violently, nearly spilling the tea in the process. "Ughh, fuck... snff! I dod't thidk I've... snff! ever sdeezed this mbuch id mby whole life, snff!"
“Are you sure you should go like this?” Taylor asked gently, rubbing his back as he recovered from the sneeze. Travis sniffled and waved her off.
“I’b fide, Tay… hh-TSHHOO! I just have to—hh-RRSSHH! Hh... snff, Snff! Hhh...” He was cut off by his breath hitching again, but the sneeze got stuck, leaving him blinking and sniffling with frustration.
“Trav, you’re really sick,” Taylor insisted, her hand still on his back, trying to soothe him. “Maybe you should just stay home today?” He started to protest, but a sudden fit of coughing interrupted him. Taylor immediately rubbed his back, helping him catch his breath as he leaned forward, his face flushed from the effort.
“See?” Taylor said softly, offering him a glass of water. “You’re not okay, baby. You should stay home.”
Travis shook his head stubbornly, his voice hoarse. “I really cad’t, Tay, please jusd drop it, okay?” he rasped, sniffling wetly. “Id’s... snff! It's an important gambe—hh… hh-HASSHHOO! Ugh…”
Taylor frowned, her eyes filled with worry as she handed him more tissues. “You’re not going to be any use to the team if you’re this sick,” she pointed out gently.
Travis looked up at her, his eyes a little red and watery. “Taylor I’b fide, okay? Just stop dagging be,” he snapped, his frustration getting the better of him.
Taylor flinched at his tone, her eyes widening in surprise. “O-okay…” she whispered, shaking her head as she turned away, gathering the dishes from the table.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Travis regretted them. He could see the hurt in Taylor’s eyes, and it made his heart sink. He got up quickly and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind.
“I’b sorry, babe,” he murmured into her hair, his voice thick with guilt. “I’b just really dot feeling great add I’b add asshole today. I dod’t bead to be rude. I’b so glad you’re here takig care of be… but I really cad’t stay hobe today, Tay. I’b so sorry.” He pressed a few kisses to her cheek, but he was so sniffly that he had to lean back and wipe his nose on his wrist. “Sorry, snff! I dod’t wadt to kiss you too buch whed I’b like this, sniff, snffff!” he said sheepishly, still rubbing his leaky nose.
Taylor turned in his arms, a small smile on her lips. She kissed his cheek softly, her hand cupping his face. “I know, baby,” she whispered. “I just don’t want you to push yourself too hard.”
"S-sorry..." Travis’s breath hitched again, and he quickly turned to the side, sneezing harshly. “Huh’RRSSHHOO! Huh’RASSHHOO!” He sniffled wetly, accepting the tissues Taylor handed him with a grateful look.
Just then, the doorbell rang, and Travis went to greet whoever was there. As he opened the door, he saw his mom standing on the doorstep, a gentle look on her face. “Hi, Mom,” Travis greeted her, his voice still thick with congestion. “Cub id…” He stepped back to let her in.
"Hi, sweetheart! I just wanted to come say good luck before your game," She told him as she stepped inside. But before she could even respond, Travis turned to the side and sneezed loudly.
“Hh’RRSHHH! Huh’RASSHHHOO!” His mom frowned, watching him carefully.
“Bless you, sweetie,” she said, her voice tinged with worry. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I'mb... snff! It’s just a cold, Mob,” Travis sniffled, trying to brush it off, but his breath hitched again. “Hh… hh’TSHHHOO!”
His mom gave him a pointed look. “Travis, you shouldn’t be going anywhere with those sneezes,” she said sternly, her eyes narrowing.
Travis sighed and sniffled, rubbing his nose on the back of his wrist. “It’s just a cold,” he repeated, though he sounded less certain now.
His mom shook her head. “It’s a really bad cold, honey. You need to be wrapped up in bed!”
Taylor, who had been listening from the kitchen, nodded in agreement. “I’ve been telling him that all morning,” she said, her voice filled with concern. She hugged her mother in law.
Travis rolled his eyes, but before he could say anything, a sudden fit of coughing overtook him. Taylor immediately handed him a cup of water, which he gratefully accepted, sipping slowly to calm his throat.
“Travis, I really think you should stay home,” his mom insisted, her voice firm.
Travis groaned, rubbing his temples. “I cad’t just call id sick, Mob, you dow that” he muttered, his voice strained.
“Nonsense!” his mom replied, her tone brooking no argument. “What you can’t do is go play a game while you’re sneezing your head off. Call Andy.”
Travis sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. He knew they were right, but his stubbornness made him want to argue. He finally nodded, though, accepting that he couldn’t push himself too hard.
Donna stayed for a little while longer, fussing over Travis and making sure he had everything he needed before she left. But before she did, she gave him one more stern look asking him to take it easy.
As soon as Donna left, Travis started getting ready to leave. Taylor, worried but not wanting to argue, helped him gather his things. Travis, still sniffling, asked her,
"Do we have ady bore tissues? snff! I thidk I deed to take sobe mbore with be."
Taylor quickly got a fresh pack and handed it to him, but he was already rummaging through a drawer.
"And what about snff! cough drops? Add you still have that, snff! that decongestadt spray, righd?" His voice was stuffy and nasal.
"Yeah, I'll put them here," Taylor said, dropping a few into his bag.
Finally, as Travis was about to zip up his bag, she stepped closer, cupping his face with both hands. "Baby, come here," she whispered, pressing her palms against his cheeks, checking for a fever.
"You’ve got a fever, honey" she sighed, her voice full of concern. She hugged him tightly, resting her head on his chest. "Please don’t get mad at me, but I really, really think you should stay home today and get better."
Travis opened his mouth to argue, but a loud sneeze interrupted him. "Hhh’TSCHOO!" Taylor immediately handed him a tissue, and he blew his nose with a groan. "I’b feelig awful," he admitted, his voice hoarse.
"I know," Taylor said softly, stroking his back. He kissed the top of her head, then nodded reluctantly.
"Alright, I’ll call Andy," he said, pulling out his phone.
The rest of the evening was spent on the couch, watching the game together, surrounded by tissues and cough drops. Taylor stayed close to him, her hand never leaving his as they watched the game in comfortable silence, both grateful that he was taking the time to rest and recover.
Taylor was fast asleep, her breathing steady as she snuggled closer to the warmth beside her. The morning light crept into the room, softly illuminating the edges of the curtains. Suddenly, the quiet was broken by a loud, explosive sound.
“Hh’RRSSHHH! Huh’RASSHH!”
Taylor stirred, her eyes fluttering open as she registered the noise. She groggily turned to see Travis beside her, his hand hovering near his nose, nostrils flaring as his breath hitched once more.
“Huh… hh-HASSHHH!”
“Good morning,” Taylor mumbled sleepily, rolling over to cuddle into his side, her head resting on his chest. "Still not better?” she asked, her voice soft with concern.
Travis grimaced, sniffing hard as he tried to answer. “Sorry Tay, I d-did't mbean.. hh.. hh’TSHHHH!” Before he could finish, another sneeze tore through him, making his body jerk. "Ughh... snfff! I did't mbead to wake you"
Taylor could feel the vibrations in his chest and cooed at him, pressing a gentle kiss to his bare skin. “Bless you,” she murmured, her lips brushing against his chest. “You’re pretty sick, aren’t you? Does your throat hurt, too?”
Travis sighed and nodded, his voice rough as he cleared his throat. “Yeah, id does,” he rasped, sniffing thickly afterward. “And by chest feels all congested.”
She tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes filled with sympathy. “Oh, baby,” she whispered, running her fingers through his hair. “You sound miserable.”
They spent the next while just lying in bed, Taylor cuddled into Travis’s side, her hand gently rubbing his chest while they talked. Travis sniffled almost constantly, and every so often, his breath would hitch, his face contorting with the inevitable sneeze that followed.
“Hh-hhh… damn it… hh-RRSSHHOO!” Travis cursed, his voice thick with congestion as he sneezed again. “Ugh, snnf! I’b sorry, Tay…”
Taylor kissed his chest again, not minding at all. “Bless you,” she said sweetly. “Maybe a shower will help make you feel better?”
Travis sniffed and nodded, reluctantly pulling himself out of bed. “Yeah, maybe,” he agreed, though his voice sounded doubtful. He sniffed again, rubbing his nose on the back of his wrist as he headed to the bathroom.
Taylor got up as well, heading downstairs to make him breakfast. She knew he was feeling awful, and she wanted to take care of him as best as she could. She busied herself in the kitchen, frying eggs and toasting bread, but her thoughts were on Travis.
Meanwhile, in the bathroom, the shower was too warm, making Travis feel dizzy and even more tired than before. The heat made him sweat, and when he stepped out of the shower, the sudden contrast in temperature made him shiver. He dried off quickly, wrapping a towel around his waist, got dressed and headed downstairs, sniffling as he went.
“Hh’RASSHHOO! Huh’RRSHHHOO!” Taylor heard the sneezes echoing down the hallway and turned to see Travis entering the kitchen, sniffling miserably. “Bless you,” she said again, her tone soft as she watched him grab a tissue and blow his nose. “You sound worse,” she observed, her eyes filled with concern.
“I feel worse,” Travis admitted, his voice stuffy as he sat down at the table. “The shower was too warm... snff, sniff! and dow I’b chilly and dizzy…” He trailed off, sniffling as he tried to get control of his dripping nose.
Taylor walked over and handed him a cup of tea. “Here, this should help,” she said, brushing a hand through his hair. Travis took the cup gratefully, but before he could take a sip, his breath hitched again.
“Hh… hh… Hh’TSHHHOO!” He barely had time to turn away before sneezing violently, nearly spilling the tea in the process. "Ughh, fuck... snff! I dod't thidk I've... snff! ever sdeezed this mbuch id mby whole life, snff!"
“Are you sure you should go like this?” Taylor asked gently, rubbing his back as he recovered from the sneeze. Travis sniffled and waved her off.
“I’b fide, Tay… hh-TSHHOO! I just have to—hh-RRSSHH! Hh... snff, Snff! Hhh...” He was cut off by his breath hitching again, but the sneeze got stuck, leaving him blinking and sniffling with frustration.
“Trav, you’re really sick,” Taylor insisted, her hand still on his back, trying to soothe him. “Maybe you should just stay home today?” He started to protest, but a sudden fit of coughing interrupted him. Taylor immediately rubbed his back, helping him catch his breath as he leaned forward, his face flushed from the effort.
“See?” Taylor said softly, offering him a glass of water. “You’re not okay, baby. You should stay home.”
Travis shook his head stubbornly, his voice hoarse. “I really cad’t, Tay, please jusd drop it, okay?” he rasped, sniffling wetly. “Id’s... snff! It's an important gambe—hh… hh-HASSHHOO! Ugh…”
Taylor frowned, her eyes filled with worry as she handed him more tissues. “You’re not going to be any use to the team if you’re this sick,” she pointed out gently.
Travis looked up at her, his eyes a little red and watery. “Taylor I’b fide, okay? Just stop dagging be,” he snapped, his frustration getting the better of him.
Taylor flinched at his tone, her eyes widening in surprise. “O-okay…” she whispered, shaking her head as she turned away, gathering the dishes from the table.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Travis regretted them. He could see the hurt in Taylor’s eyes, and it made his heart sink. He got up quickly and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her from behind.
“I’b sorry, babe,” he murmured into her hair, his voice thick with guilt. “I’b just really dot feeling great add I’b add asshole today. I dod’t bead to be rude. I’b so glad you’re here takig care of be… but I really cad’t stay hobe today, Tay. I’b so sorry.” He pressed a few kisses to her cheek, but he was so sniffly that he had to lean back and wipe his nose on his wrist. “Sorry, snff! I dod’t wadt to kiss you too buch whed I’b like this, sniff, snffff!” he said sheepishly, still rubbing his leaky nose.
Taylor turned in his arms, a small smile on her lips. She kissed his cheek softly, her hand cupping his face. “I know, baby,” she whispered. “I just don’t want you to push yourself too hard.”
"S-sorry..." Travis’s breath hitched again, and he quickly turned to the side, sneezing harshly. “Huh’RRSSHHOO! Huh’RASSHHOO!” He sniffled wetly, accepting the tissues Taylor handed him with a grateful look.
Just then, the doorbell rang, and Travis went to greet whoever was there. As he opened the door, he saw his mom standing on the doorstep, a gentle look on her face. “Hi, Mom,” Travis greeted her, his voice still thick with congestion. “Cub id…” He stepped back to let her in.
"Hi, sweetheart! I just wanted to come say good luck before your game," She told him as she stepped inside. But before she could even respond, Travis turned to the side and sneezed loudly.
“Hh’RRSHHH! Huh’RASSHHHOO!” His mom frowned, watching him carefully.
“Bless you, sweetie,” she said, her voice tinged with worry. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I'mb... snff! It’s just a cold, Mob,” Travis sniffled, trying to brush it off, but his breath hitched again. “Hh… hh’TSHHHOO!”
His mom gave him a pointed look. “Travis, you shouldn’t be going anywhere with those sneezes,” she said sternly, her eyes narrowing.
Travis sighed and sniffled, rubbing his nose on the back of his wrist. “It’s just a cold,” he repeated, though he sounded less certain now.
His mom shook her head. “It’s a really bad cold, honey. You need to be wrapped up in bed!”
Taylor, who had been listening from the kitchen, nodded in agreement. “I’ve been telling him that all morning,” she said, her voice filled with concern. She hugged her mother in law.
Travis rolled his eyes, but before he could say anything, a sudden fit of coughing overtook him. Taylor immediately handed him a cup of water, which he gratefully accepted, sipping slowly to calm his throat.
“Travis, I really think you should stay home,” his mom insisted, her voice firm.
Travis groaned, rubbing his temples. “I cad’t just call id sick, Mob, you dow that” he muttered, his voice strained.
“Nonsense!” his mom replied, her tone brooking no argument. “What you can’t do is go play a game while you’re sneezing your head off. Call Andy.”
Travis sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. He knew they were right, but his stubbornness made him want to argue. He finally nodded, though, accepting that he couldn’t push himself too hard.
Donna stayed for a little while longer, fussing over Travis and making sure he had everything he needed before she left. But before she did, she gave him one more stern look asking him to take it easy.
As soon as Donna left, Travis started getting ready to leave. Taylor, worried but not wanting to argue, helped him gather his things. Travis, still sniffling, asked her,
"Do we have ady bore tissues? snff! I thidk I deed to take sobe mbore with be."
Taylor quickly got a fresh pack and handed it to him, but he was already rummaging through a drawer.
"And what about snff! cough drops? Add you still have that, snff! that decongestadt spray, righd?" His voice was stuffy and nasal.
"Yeah, I'll put them here," Taylor said, dropping a few into his bag.
Finally, as Travis was about to zip up his bag, she stepped closer, cupping his face with both hands. "Baby, come here," she whispered, pressing her palms against his cheeks, checking for a fever.
"You’ve got a fever, honey" she sighed, her voice full of concern. She hugged him tightly, resting her head on his chest. "Please don’t get mad at me, but I really, really think you should stay home today and get better."
Travis opened his mouth to argue, but a loud sneeze interrupted him. "Hhh’TSCHOO!" Taylor immediately handed him a tissue, and he blew his nose with a groan. "I’b feelig awful," he admitted, his voice hoarse.
"I know," Taylor said softly, stroking his back. He kissed the top of her head, then nodded reluctantly.
"Alright, I’ll call Andy," he said, pulling out his phone.
The rest of the evening was spent on the couch, watching the game together, surrounded by tissues and cough drops. Taylor stayed close to him, her hand never leaving his as they watched the game in comfortable silence, both grateful that he was taking the time to rest and recover.
Travis trudged up to the front door of his home, exhaustion evident in every step. His head throbbed, his throat felt raw, and his nose was a congested mess. The effects of a grueling game combined with a fast-spreading team cold had him feeling utterly drained. As he approached the door, it swung open, revealing Taylor's bright smile.
“Welcome home, baby!” Taylor exclaimed, throwing her arms around him in a warm hug. Travis managed a weak smile, bending down to kiss the top of her head.
"Hey, babe," he murmured, his voice thick and nasal. As she leaned in to kiss him on the lips, he quickly pushed her away.
“Wait, Tay,” he said, backing up a step. “I... snff! I´ve got a cold.”
Taylor looked up at him, her smile turning into a concerned frown. “Oh, baby. Are you okay?” She asked worried, lifting a hand to his cheek.
“Yeah,” he sniffled and leaned away from her touch, “but you really don´t wanna kiss mbe right now”
Taylor smiled softly, placing a hand on his chest. “Baby it´s okay, I don´t mind.” She leaned in, aiming for a kiss, but Travis quickly dodged her, causing her to giggle. “Travis!” she exclaimed, feigning frustration.
“Ndo, really, I don’t wadt to give it to you,” he insisted, his words coming out in a nasal tone that made Taylor’s heart melt a little.
Taylor laughed at his determination. "Aw, babe, that's sweet, but we've been sleeping together and kissing each other all week. If I'm going to catch it, it's probably too late to avoid it." She leaned in, trying to kiss him again, but Travis shook his head, taking a step back.
He held her back, shaking his head. “Tay, I really don’t wadt you to catch it. You’ve got a flight tomborrow, ahd you have a ton of shows over the ndext few days. Snff! You need to stay healthy.” He sighed, wiping his nose with the back of his hand with a deep, liquid sniffle.
Taylor pouted playfully. "Trav, it's just a cold. I'll be fine." She reached out to him again, but Travis held up a hand, his eyes watering as his breath hitched.
"Hah... hah’NGSHhh!" He barely had time to turn his head before sneezing into his elbow, the sound echoing through the entryway. “Sorry… snff!” He sniffled again, louder this time, and fished a crumpled tissue from his pocket, wiping his nose messily.
“Bless you,” Taylor said, leaning in again, this time kissing his cheek before he could stop her, and started tugging him inside the house. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”
Travis let her lead him to the couch, feeling too drained to argue anymore. He collapsed onto the cushions, his head falling back as he closed his eyes.
Taylor disappeared into the bathroom to get him some tissues, leaving Travis on the couch, his nose twitching as he fought off a sneeze. He pressed his knuckles roughly under his nose, scrunching up his face, and sniffling harshly and managed to kill the tickle in her head. At least for the moment.
"Here you go, for your sniffles." Taylor returned with a box of tissues, sitting down and handing some to him with a smile.
“Thadk you” He took a few, blowing his nose noisily, the sound harsh and congested. The effort made his throat hurt, and he turned away, coughing into his elbow. "This cold is kicking mby ass." He groaned, wiping his wet nose on the back of his wrist with another stuffy sniffle.
"Here, let me make you some tea," she said, placing the tissue box next to him and getting up. Travis nodded gratefully, still sniffling as he tried to catch his breath.
When she returned, Travis was surrounded by a small mountain of used tissues. He looked up at her with a sheepish smile, accepting the steaming mug. "Thags, babe," he muttered, his voice barely audible through his stuffiness. Taylor sat down beside him, gently caressing his neck.
"You're welcome," she said softly while stroking his hair. But Travis leaned away, shaking his head.
"Tay, really, snfl! you shouldn'd ged too close," he warned, his voice a nasal drawl. He sniffled and grabbed another tissue, wiping at his nose.
Taylor rolled her eyes and scooted closer, smiling playfully at him and wrapping her arms around his chest. "Stop being so paranoid. It´s just a cold”
Before Travis could protest, his breath hitched, and he barely turned away to avoid sneezing on his girlfriend as he snapped forward, unable to cover his mouth in time. "Huh'ISSHH! huh'ESSHH!"
"Bless you," Taylor murmured, still holding onto him. Travis wiped his nose on his wrist, looking sheepish.
“Ugh, snfff, I´b so sorry” he whimpered, pulling a tissue from the box on the coffee table and blowing vigorously into it. "See? Snff! This is why you should be staying a thousad miles away frob be." He mumbled from behind his tissue.
She rolled her eyes again and scooted closer, hugging him tight. “You’re being ridiculous. It's just a few sneezes, babe. I´m sure I'll survive.” She refused to let go, playfully tightening her grip around him when he tried to move away from her.
Travis sighed, his congestion making him sound even more miserable. "Snff! Id's dot just a f-few..." He barely got the words out before two more sneezes escaped him. "Hah'CHOO! huh'ISSHH!"
Taylor laughed, shaking her head. "Well, still. I´m not going anywhere”
She leaned in, pressing a kiss to his cheek. He turned away, sniffling again. "I really dod't wadt you to get sick right dow."
Taylor couldn't help smiling at him, despite how miserable she knew her boyfriend was feeling, he looked awfully cute right now, with his voice all stuffy and his pink, twitchy nose. She could feel her heart swelling at her boyfriend´s fierce protectiveness over her even when he was so sick.
"Tay, I—"
"Baby, stop it," she interrupted, a sweet smile on her lips. "Are we really going to spend our last day together arguing about this?"
Travis shook his head, feeling defeated. "I just – snff, I jusd really dod't wadt you to catch this baby."
“Well, I really want to take care of you” Taylor leaned in closer, her eyes softening as she pressed a hand to his cheek and looked into his glassy eyes. "And I would really like to kiss my boyfriend before I leave for three weeks."
He hesitated but finally gave in, leaning closer and planting a kiss on her cheek. Taylor raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
"Oh wow. How romantic," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
Travis chuckled at her disappointment, cupping his tissues back to his face when it turned into a round of raspy coughs.
“Here baby, have some water,” Taylor murmured, reaching for the half-empty glass of water she had been drinking before he got home. She rubbed his back up and down as the coughing subsided and he was able to take the drink, and pressed a kiss to his shoulder before taking the empty glass from her boyfriend's hand and replacing it with a tissue as he started sniffling again. He didn't have time to say thank you as he drew the fresh tissue to his runny nose, pinching his wet nostrils in the fabric as his lower lip quivered helplessly, breath hitching softly in his chest
"Huh'ESSHH!" He sniffled and wiped his nose with the soggy tissue he was holding before dropping it on his lap with a groan. Grabbing a few more tissues from the box, he blew his nose heartily, the sound loud and congested. He sighed, looking around at the mess of used tissues surrounding them. “I’b sorry, I just… hih… huh'ISSHH!! Ugh, I’b sorry, snff! This is disgustig” he apologized, wiping his nose with another tissue. "Do we have a trash cad?" he asked, cringing at the sight.
Taylor smiled and kissed his head before getting up to fetch a trash can. When she returned, she found Travis in the middle of a sneezing fit. "Huh'ESSHH! hah'CHOO! huh'ISSHH!" Each sneeze seemed to sap his energy, and he ended up coughing harshly. Taylor quickly set the trash can down and rubbed his back, murmuring soothing words. She looked at him with concern, brushing his hair out of his face.
"I can't believe you played a game like this," she said, shaking her head.
Travis looked up at her as he gave his nose a last wipe. "Half the teab is dowd with this cold, snff," he explained, sniffling. "We were all od the bedches, passig tissues ad blowig our doses."
Taylor laughed, imagining the tough football players reduced to a sniffling, sneezing mess. "Strong football men, huh?" she teased, making him smile.
"It's ad awful cold," Travis admitted miserably, gathering his used tissues and throwing them into the trash bin with another soft, wet sniffle. "It spread so fast. I really dod't wadt you gettig it. I should sleep id the guest roob todight."
Taylor raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin on her face. "Oh, really? You think you can get rid of me that easily?" She leaned in, hugging him tightly and pulling him closer to her. "You're stuck with me, mister."
Travis felt a familiar tickle in his nose and tried to pull away, but it was too late. "Huh'ESSHH!" He barely managed to turn his head to the side before the sneeze burst out of him, spraying the air in front of them. Taylor giggled, her grip on him tightening. "Bless you," while Travis groaned embarrassed, waving his hands in front of him as if to disperse the germs.
"You should go spray yourself with disinfectadt," he muttered, sniffling congestedly.
Taylor rolled her eyes at his paranoia and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "You're being ridiculous. I'll be okay” And then playfully kissed his nose. The light touch made his nose scrunch up and he sniffled sharply. Taylor giggled at his ticklish expression “You´re cute” She simply said, and gave his nose a little boop with her finger.
Trav chuckled softly, weirdly charmed by the notion that his girlfriend still thought he was cute when he was half-drowning in snot. “Oh, yeah, of c-couhh… Huhh… Huh'ESSHH!” Travis buried his face in his elbow with a damp sneeze, turning away from Taylor as his shoulders bobbed forward helplessly. “Hhuh... snfl... hhut'CHSHX!!” He sneezed again, and immediately gave his runny nose another swipe on his sleeve, sniffling softly.
“Bless you!” Taylor reached over to the coffee table and grabbed the tissue box, handing it to him. "Here, blow your nose," she said softly, watching as he took a tissue and blew his nose wetly.
“Uhh, snfl! Tay I… snff! I know I soud like a broked record by dow but-”
“Oh my God, Trav!” Taylor sighed, clearly amused. "Baby, it's just a cold. You're my boyfriend, and you're sick. I'm going to take care of you. If I get it, so be it. I've played shows with colds before. It's not the end of the world."
Travis finally sighed in resignation, realizing he couldn't win this battle. "Fide," he muttered, leaning back against the couch. "But if you get sick-”
“I´ll totally blame you” She smiled at him and leaned in pressing a small kiss on his lips, finally getting the kiss she'd been waiting for. Travis kissed her back, his lips warm and soft against hers. When they pulled away, he smiled at her, his eyes full of affection.
"You're crazy," he muttered, shaking his head and sniffing wetly. "You dow that?"
Taylor grinned stealing him another kiss. "I love you, you know that?" she said, her voice full of affection.
"I do know that. Mbakes me very happy" He mumbled into her forehead, pressing a long kiss there and rubbing circles with his thumb on her shoulder.
"Me too"
Stepping off the plane, Taylor felt a rush of happiness as she breathed in the warm, humid air of Kansas City. After spending a month in the UK, this summer warmth was a welcome change. She rubbed her nose absentmindedly as she walked down the stairs of the plane, stretching her legs, savoring the feeling of movement after the long flight.
She was reaching the bottom of the stairs but stopped in her tracks pressing her hand against the underside of her nose, pinching roughly as her breath caught in her chest “Hhih'tchiiew!! Snfl..” she sniffled sharply and rubbed her nose on her knuckles again as she finally made her way down the stairs.
Taylor made her way inside the airport, she kept sniffling and rubbing her nose and she could feel the beginning of congestion settling in. Ugh, why did it still tickle so much? She sighed, scrunching up her nose and rubbing a little harder. "Snff... sniff..." She noticed her eyes were starting to itch too, and she sighed, a bit annoyed, realizing her allergies must be acting up.
As she waited for immigration paperwork to be done, her nose continued to run, and she had to rummage through her bag for a tissue. She blew her nose, noticing how congested she sounded. "Ugh, great," she muttered to herself. "Hh...hhih...hehhtchiew!!! Snf.. sniff!” The sound echoed in the spacious terminal, blending with the distant hum of conversations and announcements.
"Bless you," her security guard said, his voice calm and professional.
"Thadks," Taylor replied, her voice thick with congestion. She handed over her papers, the official barely glancing at her before stamping them. She finally moved towards the exit, where the humid air hit her once more.
"Ugh," Taylor whimpered, pulling her crumpled tissue from her pocket and blowing vigorously into it. When she was done, she didn't throw the tissue away; but instead continued rubbing intensely at her nostrils, scrunching up her face in an expression of cranky annoyance. "Fuck, I'm all itchy," she whined, before her hand stilled, pinching her pink nose in the tissue, and her bloodshot eyes closed to slits. "Huhh...hht chshh! Ah...ahh...tchhiew! Snfl...”
The ride to Travis's house was uncomfortable. Taylor sat in the backseat of the car, her head resting against the cool glass of the window. Her nose was stuffed up, her voice nasal and congested. She couldn't stop sniffling. "Sngff, snff..." The city streets blurred past, but she could only focus on the persistent itch in her nose and the tingling in her eyes.
“Hey guys,” She looked up to her driver and her security guard. "Cad we stob at a pharmacy? I ndeed sobe allergy bedicine."
"Of course, Miss Taylor," he replied, directing the driver to the nearest pharmacy.
---
Finally arriving at Travis's house, she stepped out of the car, feeling the familiar warmth of home. Travis was waiting at the door, his broad smile lighting up the moment he saw her. The sight of him made her heart flutter, momentarily distracting her from her discomfort.
"Hey, you!" he exclaimed as she got closer “come here, girl” pulling her into a warm embrace. She felt the strength and warmth of his body against hers. This is what coming home feels like. Their kiss was soft, but she had to break apart to sniffle, she looked up at him, a big smile on her face while rubbing her itchy nose with her knuckles. "Snff... I missed you," she said, giving him a peck on the lips and leaning back to look at him once more.
"I missed you too," Travis replied, his eyes sparkling. “So fucking much” He then attacked her neck and cheek with kisses, making her squeal as his lips tickled her skin. His breath was warm, and the sensation of his stubble against her neck made her giggle.
"Stop, it tickles!" she laughed, giving a liquid sniffle and coughing a few times to catch her breath as he finally let her go. Travis grabbed her luggage, and as he was closing the door, he heard her sneeze again. “Hhuh...'chhishew!! Snfl,”
"Bless you," he said, coming closer to hug her again. His embrace was tight and comforting, his scent familiar and soothing. "I have something to show you that my mom brought over the other day."
He led her to the couch, holding her hand. The living room was cozy, filled with the soft glow of evening light filtering through the windows. As they entered, Taylor dropped his hand and turned away pinching her pink nose as her eyes fell helplessly shut. “Aahh...aahishhhew!! Hhut'chheww!!! Ugh... snfl..” She sighed stuffily and mumbled, "Egxcuse mbe... snff," while rubbing her nose, feeling the rawness from constant irritation.
Travis came closer, one hand rubbing her shoulder and the other fixing her hair behind her ear. "You getting a cold, baby?" he asked, his voice gentle.
She shook her head, still rubbing her nose. "Doe, this is just how Kansas City decided to welcobe be back."
Travis chuckled, his laugh a soft rumble. "I can't believe you're allergic to my hometown," he joked. "Maybe your nose is just too snobbish for the Chiefs´ land."
Taylor rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Ha ha, very fuddy," while swallowing back a smirk. Despite the discomfort, she felt a warmth spreading through her chest. Being with her boyfriend made everything better.
They smiled at each other and leaned into another kiss. As they kissed, Taylor had to back up to sniffle and rub her nose. "Sngff... snff..." She leaned into him again, only to back away two seconds later as she sucked in an involuntarily deep breath. “Aah'tchxshh!!! Sniff!”
Travis laughed a little and said, "Bless you," leaning in to kiss her again. He heard her stuffy sniffles and asked, "You good, babe?" whispering close to her, his breath warm against her cheek.
Taylor sniffled once more and mumbled a sweet "Huh huh," while leaning into his lips again. Things got heated, their kisses deepening as they moved upstairs to the bedroom. Taylor stopped a few times to sneeze, but they continued, eager to be together.
In the bedroom, the atmosphere shifted, becoming more charged. The room was dimly lit, shadows playing on the walls. Travis pulled her close, whispering, "You're so beautiful, Tay." His hands were warm and firm on her back, pulling her into his embrace.
Taylor sniffled, wiping her nose in the back of her hand. "I've mbissed you so buch,"
"Come here," he said, pulling her closer, his hands exploring her back and waist. Taylor kept sniffling and wiping her nose, but she didn't want to stop. "Sndff... snnff..."
“Uhhh...hh...hhet'tchshh!!” She sneezed again, her breath hitching as he kissed her neck.
"It´s been too fucking long," Travis murmured against her lips, kissing her deeply. Taylor felt a rush of desire and they continued to kiss, their hands moving over each other with increasing urgency.
--
They lay in bed, the soft sheets cool against their skin. Taylor's nose was red and irritated, "Sngff... snff..." She lay her head on Travis's chest, rubbing her itchy nose in circular motions with the palm of her hand, trying to scratch the persistent itch. "Uh, huhh...uht'chiiew!! Hehh...heISHshiih!!!" She let out two congested sneezes, the sound echoing in the quiet room.
Travis chuckled softly, his chest vibrating under her head. "Bless you, baby," he said, leaning down to press a soft kiss into her irritated nose. "Poor nose," he murmured, making her scrunch up and wriggle her pink nose immediately in response to the feather-light touch. Travis smiled at her girlfriend´s kittenish behavior and then leaned down pressing more kisses on her face.
Taylor gave a liquid sniffle and mumbled a breathy, "Wait..." as she pushed him back, turning her face away and lifting her other hand to cover a third sneeze. "Hh...hhih...hehhtchiew!!!”
"Bless you, bless you, bless you," Travis said pressing his lips onto her hair.
"Sorry," she mumbled quietly, her hand still covering her nose. She sniffled back congestedly. "Sngff..."
"Do you need a tissue?" Travis asked, his voice full of concern.
Embarrassed, Taylor nodded. "Yes, please."
He brought a box of tissues from the bathroom and handed her a couple. She blew her nose congestedly, the sound harsh in the quiet room. She then wiped her nose, sniffling once more. "Snnnrff..."
Travis sat next to her and pulled her close once more. "You okay?"
Taylor was still rubbing her nose behind her tissues, “I´b fide, snff” wiping the crumpled tissues roughly back and forth against the underside of her damp pink nose, “by dose is just so, snnf… snnfff.. itchy."
"Do you want me to go buy you some meds?" Travis asked, his hand gentle on her back.
"I already had sobe before getting here," she replied, sneezing again. “EhhISH'sheww!!”
"I've never seen you so bothered by your allergies," he said, his concern deepening.
"I doe," Taylor sniffled. "I usually dod't get like this. It bust be all the traveling," she paused, feeling her breath hitch again. "Or the changing temperatures, or the... Hheh...hhheh...hht'CHSHsht!!! Ohhh... snfl…” The blonde girl sneezed breathlessly into the damp tissue she held to her runny nose, groaning and making a whiny sound while burying her face in Travis's chest as he rubbed her back lovingly.
“I´m sure the meds will start working in a bit” he looked down at his girlfriend, hating to see her so miserable. “Maybe you should take a hot shower, that´ll make you feel better”
“Yeah, I´ll go id a bit” Taylor paused to blow her nose again, and Travis waited patiently while the wet sound slowly cleared from his girlfriend’s stuffy head. “Huh, that’s better,” Taylor sighed cuddling up to Travis’ side. “When do we habe to leave?”
“We have to be there at nine, I think” he said, raising his wrist to look at his clock. He felt Taylor tense up, sucking in a sharp, quavering gasp of air, clearly gearing up for another congested sneeze. She hitched and huffed over another sneeze still swirling around helplessly in the back of her head, blinking blearily as her pink nose glistened with allergic snot. She looked, somehow, completely adorable and completely pathetic at the same time.
But the sneeze that had welled up suddenly inside her died away again just as her lungs filled with air, a desperately uncomfortable look settling onto her face in its place. "Oh..." Taylor groaned, pressing a finger under her running nose and rubbing hard while she laid back in his chest “Snfl... sorry, I thought I w-was goig… huhh… t-tohh... snfl...hh-hhuhh...” Allergic tears ran down her cheeks as she sniffled and wiped her nose, pinching it firmly between her fingers and massaging it lightly up and down as the ticklish feeling came back full force, making her squeezed helplessly shut in submission to her itchy nose. “Hhuh...hh... Uhh'ehhtchOOoo!!! snfl..”
"God bless you!" he exclaimed, smiling at her.
"Thagks," she sniffled, wiping her nose on a fresh tissue. "So, who's godda be at there tonight?"
Travis started explaining, "Well, it's at Jeff's place, so definitely him and his girlfriend, maybe a few other..."
"Hehhh…hetchshh! Sniff" Taylor interrupted with a sneeze.
Travis laughed and jokingly asked, "Do you really want to know?"
Taylor sniffled and wiped her nose, blushing a little. "Sorry, I thidk I´b done dow, snnff" She grabbed a fresh tissue and blew her nose vigorously, until the wet sound finally subsided, if only for a moment.
Travis chuckled, kissing her head. "I´m just teasing, love. Anyway, I think it´ll just be Jeff and Katie, Pat and Britt and the rest of the team with their partners”
“Souds great!” Taylor sniffled stuffily. "Maybe I should go take a shower. Sngff..."
She slipped out from under her boyfriend and spent a long time soaking in a hot, steamy shower, breathing deeply and trying to clear her sinuses. And it did make her feel more like herself.
She got out of the bathroom and crouched down in front of her suitcase, rolling her eyes as she felt her nose starting to run and tickle again. She kept rubbing it, trying to stave off the sneezes. She stood up to start getting ready, but her breath began to hitch.
Travis walked back into the room and watched her standing in the middle of the bedroom, one hand raised in front of her face, her nose red and her expression one of anticipation. “Uhh...snnfl...hh-hhuhh...” The tickle danced lightly behind her nose and eyes, making her head fall back in anticipation. She dropped her hands for a moment, still holding the tissue, briefly revealing her glistening pink nostrils on the brink of another allergic sneeze. They widened irritably in time with her hitching breath, leaking twin trails of watery snot down the channel of her upper lip as her teary eyes fought to stay open just a crack. But suddenly her shoulders dropped and she opened her eyes, breathing woozily with a cranky expression on her face and she let out a disappointed huff. “Ugh… snnf… it wedt away” She mumbled, furiously attacking her cute nose with the heel of her palm. “Ehhh...hehhh...huhhIHSHOOoo!!! Hht'ghSHIuuh!!”
"There it is!" Travis said, smiling. "Bless you, baby."
“Trav… sniff!… cad we close the…huhhhh…the wihdow? Huh-tchhh! Ahh, ahhh…achhiiew! Sniff..” Taylor’s shoulders snapped like a whip, doubling her over with one ferocious, shuddering sneeze after another. “Oh, shit, of course” Travis jumped up and closed the window while Taylor pulled a few more tissues from the box, rubbing and blowing her irritated little nose as hard as she could. He hadn't realized they were open and probably making her allergies worse. “Thadks,” Taylor sighed, sounding exhausted though they still had a long night ahead of them. She sat down at the little desk in his bedroom and blew her nose for the millionth time, as she prepared to get ready.
She looked at herself in the mirror, her face pale and her eyes slightly red from the constant rubbing. She began applying foundation, but her nose tickled, making her stop suddenly. “UhhTCHshiiew!!” The sneeze made her drop the bottle, the colored cream dripping onto her desk. She sighed and tried to clean it up a bit before continuing.
She moved on to her blush, but now her nose was running again, and she tried to sniffle, but it was no use. Her eyes watered as a deep itch welled up in the back of her head. She grabbed a tissue, and tried to wipe her nose as softly as she could, to avoid smearing off the foundation she had just applied, but it was a fruitless effort between her drippy nose and the allergic tears. She sighed and went to fix it. As she looked back up at herself in the mirror, she realized she felt awful. Her nose was all stuffed up and constantly runny. Despite all the foundation she was putting on, her nose was still pink, and she looked sick. She couldn't stop sneezing and blowing her nose. She felt gross. And truly did not to be at a party sneezing her head off in front of everybody. On top of that, between the jetlag and the allergy pills she was starting to feel drowsy.
She sighed defeatedly. She didn´t want to disappoint Travis, but she truly couldn´t find it in herself to go to this party. So she went to the closet room where he was getting dressed. As she crossed the doorway, she sneezed two more times. "Uhhh...uhtchOOoo!!! Hiih'hishhiew!!" She groaned tiredly, leaning against the doorframe.
"Bless you," Travis said, looking at her with concern. "You okay?"
"By allergies are killing mbe, baby” She looked at him with a guilt filled expression “I jusd.. snnf.. I dod't feel great... Is it… snnf! Is id okay if I jusd stay here todight?" she asked, looking up at him with tired, watery eyes.
"Of course, baby," Travis said, getting up and wrapping her in a hug. His arms were strong and comforting, his chest warm against her cheek. "We don´t need to go"
"I´b so sorry… I jusd-"
"You don’t need to apologize about anything, T. I don´t want you to go anywhere if you are not feeling great. The whole point of this was to just have some fun" Travis smiled sweetly while he rubbed his arms down her shoulders.
“You doe you.. snff… you dod´t have to stay right? I´ll jusd take sobe bore meds ahd jusd go t-to.. huhh” Travis chuckled wryly and handed his woozy girlfriend a fresh tissue, which the blonde-haired girl grabbed hastily, raising it to her stuffy pink nose, already flaring wide as a fresh trickle of clear snot dribbled lazily from their depths. “Ishhxk!! Ishhiew!! Iiih, iishhew!!! Snfl…” Taylor sighed miserably as she wiped her nose.
“Bless you, baby. And I'm not going anywhere, so just forget it.” He told her while guiding her back into the bedroom “I´ve missed you so much these past weeks it´s going to take a whole lot more than a few sneezes to keep me away from you” he told her sweetly, with his big, charming smile as he helped her climb back under the covers and then tug them back up again so she was tucked snugly into bed.
“There, you stay here and pick a movie, I´ll go get us some take out and we can just stay here” Trav told her gently, threading her fingers through her girlfriend’s soft blonde hair.
“Thadk you, baby” Taylor smiled gratefully at him. She looked into his eyes, a gentle smile on her lips and the little twinkle in her eyes that he loved so much. Her small hand moving to his chest, pulling him closer “It´s so nice to be back home”
Stepping off the plane, Taylor felt a rush of happiness as she breathed in the warm, humid air of Kansas City. After spending a month in the UK, this summer warmth was a welcome change. She rubbed her nose absentmindedly as she walked down the stairs of the plane, stretching her legs, savoring the feeling of movement after the long flight.
She was reaching the bottom of the stairs but stopped in her tracks pressing her hand against the underside of her nose, pinching roughly as her breath caught in her chest “Hhih'tchiiew!! Snfl..” she sniffled sharply and rubbed her nose on her knuckles again as she finally made her way down the stairs.
Taylor made her way inside the airport, she kept sniffling and rubbing her nose and she could feel the beginning of congestion settling in. Ugh, why did it still tickle so much? She sighed, scrunching up her nose and rubbing a little harder. "Snff... sniff..." She noticed her eyes were starting to itch too, and she sighed, a bit annoyed, realizing her allergies must be acting up.
As she waited for immigration paperwork to be done, her nose continued to run, and she had to rummage through her bag for a tissue. She blew her nose, noticing how congested she sounded. "Ugh, great," she muttered to herself. "Hh...hhih...hehhtchiew!!! Snf.. sniff!” The sound echoed in the spacious terminal, blending with the distant hum of conversations and announcements.
"Bless you," her security guard said, his voice calm and professional.
"Thadks," Taylor replied, her voice thick with congestion. She handed over her papers, the official barely glancing at her before stamping them. She finally moved towards the exit, where the humid air hit her once more.
"Ugh," Taylor whimpered, pulling her crumpled tissue from her pocket and blowing vigorously into it. When she was done, she didn't throw the tissue away; but instead continued rubbing intensely at her nostrils, scrunching up her face in an expression of cranky annoyance. "Fuck, I'm all itchy," she whined, before her hand stilled, pinching her pink nose in the tissue, and her bloodshot eyes closed to slits. "Huhh...hht chshh! Ah...ahh...tchhiew! Snfl...”
The ride to Travis's house was uncomfortable. Taylor sat in the backseat of the car, her head resting against the cool glass of the window. Her nose was stuffed up, her voice nasal and congested. She couldn't stop sniffling. "Sngff, snff..." The city streets blurred past, but she could only focus on the persistent itch in her nose and the tingling in her eyes.
“Hey guys,” She looked up to her driver and her security guard. "Cad we stob at a pharmacy? I ndeed sobe allergy bedicine."
"Of course, Miss Taylor," he replied, directing the driver to the nearest pharmacy.
---
Finally arriving at Travis's house, she stepped out of the car, feeling the familiar warmth of home. Travis was waiting at the door, his broad smile lighting up the moment he saw her. The sight of him made her heart flutter, momentarily distracting her from her discomfort.
"Hey, you!" he exclaimed as she got closer “come here, girl” pulling her into a warm embrace. She felt the strength and warmth of his body against hers. This is what coming home feels like. Their kiss was soft, but she had to break apart to sniffle, she looked up at him, a big smile on her face while rubbing her itchy nose with her knuckles. "Snff... I missed you," she said, giving him a peck on the lips and leaning back to look at him once more.
"I missed you too," Travis replied, his eyes sparkling. “So fucking much” He then attacked her neck and cheek with kisses, making her squeal as his lips tickled her skin. His breath was warm, and the sensation of his stubble against her neck made her giggle.
"Stop, it tickles!" she laughed, giving a liquid sniffle and coughing a few times to catch her breath as he finally let her go. Travis grabbed her luggage, and as he was closing the door, he heard her sneeze again. “Hhuh...'chhishew!! Snfl,”
"Bless you," he said, coming closer to hug her again. His embrace was tight and comforting, his scent familiar and soothing. "I have something to show you that my mom brought over the other day."
He led her to the couch, holding her hand. The living room was cozy, filled with the soft glow of evening light filtering through the windows. As they entered, Taylor dropped his hand and turned away pinching her pink nose as her eyes fell helplessly shut. “Aahh...aahishhhew!! Hhut'chheww!!! Ugh... snfl..” She sighed stuffily and mumbled, "Egxcuse mbe... snff," while rubbing her nose, feeling the rawness from constant irritation.
Travis came closer, one hand rubbing her shoulder and the other fixing her hair behind her ear. "You getting a cold, baby?" he asked, his voice gentle.
She shook her head, still rubbing her nose. "Doe, this is just how Kansas City decided to welcobe be back."
Travis chuckled, his laugh a soft rumble. "I can't believe you're allergic to my hometown," he joked. "Maybe your nose is just too snobbish for the Chiefs´ land."
Taylor rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Ha ha, very fuddy," while swallowing back a smirk. Despite the discomfort, she felt a warmth spreading through her chest. Being with her boyfriend made everything better.
They smiled at each other and leaned into another kiss. As they kissed, Taylor had to back up to sniffle and rub her nose. "Sngff... snff..." She leaned into him again, only to back away two seconds later as she sucked in an involuntarily deep breath. “Aah'tchxshh!!! Sniff!”
Travis laughed a little and said, "Bless you," leaning in to kiss her again. He heard her stuffy sniffles and asked, "You good, babe?" whispering close to her, his breath warm against her cheek.
Taylor sniffled once more and mumbled a sweet "Huh huh," while leaning into his lips again. Things got heated, their kisses deepening as they moved upstairs to the bedroom. Taylor stopped a few times to sneeze, but they continued, eager to be together.
In the bedroom, the atmosphere shifted, becoming more charged. The room was dimly lit, shadows playing on the walls. Travis pulled her close, whispering, "You're so beautiful, Tay." His hands were warm and firm on her back, pulling her into his embrace.
Taylor sniffled, wiping her nose in the back of her hand. "I've mbissed you so buch,"
"Come here," he said, pulling her closer, his hands exploring her back and waist. Taylor kept sniffling and wiping her nose, but she didn't want to stop. "Sndff... snnff..."
“Uhhh...hh...hhet'tchshh!!” She sneezed again, her breath hitching as he kissed her neck.
"It´s been too fucking long," Travis murmured against her lips, kissing her deeply. Taylor felt a rush of desire and they continued to kiss, their hands moving over each other with increasing urgency.
--
They lay in bed, the soft sheets cool against their skin. Taylor's nose was red and irritated, "Sngff... snff..." She lay her head on Travis's chest, rubbing her itchy nose in circular motions with the palm of her hand, trying to scratch the persistent itch. "Uh, huhh...uht'chiiew!! Hehh...heISHshiih!!!" She let out two congested sneezes, the sound echoing in the quiet room.
Travis chuckled softly, his chest vibrating under her head. "Bless you, baby," he said, leaning down to press a soft kiss into her irritated nose. "Poor nose," he murmured, making her scrunch up and wriggle her pink nose immediately in response to the feather-light touch. Travis smiled at her girlfriend´s kittenish behavior and then leaned down pressing more kisses on her face.
Taylor gave a liquid sniffle and mumbled a breathy, "Wait..." as she pushed him back, turning her face away and lifting her other hand to cover a third sneeze. "Hh...hhih...hehhtchiew!!!”
"Bless you, bless you, bless you," Travis said pressing his lips onto her hair.
"Sorry," she mumbled quietly, her hand still covering her nose. She sniffled back congestedly. "Sngff..."
"Do you need a tissue?" Travis asked, his voice full of concern.
Embarrassed, Taylor nodded. "Yes, please."
He brought a box of tissues from the bathroom and handed her a couple. She blew her nose congestedly, the sound harsh in the quiet room. She then wiped her nose, sniffling once more. "Snnnrff..."
Travis sat next to her and pulled her close once more. "You okay?"
Taylor was still rubbing her nose behind her tissues, “I´b fide, snff” wiping the crumpled tissues roughly back and forth against the underside of her damp pink nose, “by dose is just so, snnf… snnfff.. itchy."
"Do you want me to go buy you some meds?" Travis asked, his hand gentle on her back.
"I already had sobe before getting here," she replied, sneezing again. “EhhISH'sheww!!”
"I've never seen you so bothered by your allergies," he said, his concern deepening.
"I doe," Taylor sniffled. "I usually dod't get like this. It bust be all the traveling," she paused, feeling her breath hitch again. "Or the changing temperatures, or the... Hheh...hhheh...hht'CHSHsht!!! Ohhh... snfl…” The blonde girl sneezed breathlessly into the damp tissue she held to her runny nose, groaning and making a whiny sound while burying her face in Travis's chest as he rubbed her back lovingly.
“I´m sure the meds will start working in a bit” he looked down at his girlfriend, hating to see her so miserable. “Maybe you should take a hot shower, that´ll make you feel better”
“Yeah, I´ll go id a bit” Taylor paused to blow her nose again, and Travis waited patiently while the wet sound slowly cleared from his girlfriend’s stuffy head. “Huh, that’s better,” Taylor sighed cuddling up to Travis’ side. “When do we habe to leave?”
“We have to be there at nine, I think” he said, raising his wrist to look at his clock. He felt Taylor tense up, sucking in a sharp, quavering gasp of air, clearly gearing up for another congested sneeze. She hitched and huffed over another sneeze still swirling around helplessly in the back of her head, blinking blearily as her pink nose glistened with allergic snot. She looked, somehow, completely adorable and completely pathetic at the same time.
But the sneeze that had welled up suddenly inside her died away again just as her lungs filled with air, a desperately uncomfortable look settling onto her face in its place. "Oh..." Taylor groaned, pressing a finger under her running nose and rubbing hard while she laid back in his chest “Snfl... sorry, I thought I w-was goig… huhh… t-tohh... snfl...hh-hhuhh...” Allergic tears ran down her cheeks as she sniffled and wiped her nose, pinching it firmly between her fingers and massaging it lightly up and down as the ticklish feeling came back full force, making her squeezed helplessly shut in submission to her itchy nose. “Hhuh...hh... Uhh'ehhtchOOoo!!! snfl..”
"God bless you!" he exclaimed, smiling at her.
"Thagks," she sniffled, wiping her nose on a fresh tissue. "So, who's godda be at there tonight?"
Travis started explaining, "Well, it's at Jeff's place, so definitely him and his girlfriend, maybe a few other..."
"Hehhh…hetchshh! Sniff" Taylor interrupted with a sneeze.
Travis laughed and jokingly asked, "Do you really want to know?"
Taylor sniffled and wiped her nose, blushing a little. "Sorry, I thidk I´b done dow, snnff" She grabbed a fresh tissue and blew her nose vigorously, until the wet sound finally subsided, if only for a moment.
Travis chuckled, kissing her head. "I´m just teasing, love. Anyway, I think it´ll just be Jeff and Katie, Pat and Britt and the rest of the team with their partners”
“Souds great!” Taylor sniffled stuffily. "Maybe I should go take a shower. Sngff..."
She slipped out from under her boyfriend and spent a long time soaking in a hot, steamy shower, breathing deeply and trying to clear her sinuses. And it did make her feel more like herself.
She got out of the bathroom and crouched down in front of her suitcase, rolling her eyes as she felt her nose starting to run and tickle again. She kept rubbing it, trying to stave off the sneezes. She stood up to start getting ready, but her breath began to hitch.
Travis walked back into the room and watched her standing in the middle of the bedroom, one hand raised in front of her face, her nose red and her expression one of anticipation. “Uhh...snnfl...hh-hhuhh...” The tickle danced lightly behind her nose and eyes, making her head fall back in anticipation. She dropped her hands for a moment, still holding the tissue, briefly revealing her glistening pink nostrils on the brink of another allergic sneeze. They widened irritably in time with her hitching breath, leaking twin trails of watery snot down the channel of her upper lip as her teary eyes fought to stay open just a crack. But suddenly her shoulders dropped and she opened her eyes, breathing woozily with a cranky expression on her face and she let out a disappointed huff. “Ugh… snnf… it wedt away” She mumbled, furiously attacking her cute nose with the heel of her palm. “Ehhh...hehhh...huhhIHSHOOoo!!! Hht'ghSHIuuh!!”
"There it is!" Travis said, smiling. "Bless you, baby."
“Trav… sniff!… cad we close the…huhhhh…the wihdow? Huh-tchhh! Ahh, ahhh…achhiiew! Sniff..” Taylor’s shoulders snapped like a whip, doubling her over with one ferocious, shuddering sneeze after another. “Oh, shit, of course” Travis jumped up and closed the window while Taylor pulled a few more tissues from the box, rubbing and blowing her irritated little nose as hard as she could. He hadn't realized they were open and probably making her allergies worse. “Thadks,” Taylor sighed, sounding exhausted though they still had a long night ahead of them. She sat down at the little desk in his bedroom and blew her nose for the millionth time, as she prepared to get ready.
She looked at herself in the mirror, her face pale and her eyes slightly red from the constant rubbing. She began applying foundation, but her nose tickled, making her stop suddenly. “UhhTCHshiiew!!” The sneeze made her drop the bottle, the colored cream dripping onto her desk. She sighed and tried to clean it up a bit before continuing.
She moved on to her blush, but now her nose was running again, and she tried to sniffle, but it was no use. Her eyes watered as a deep itch welled up in the back of her head. She grabbed a tissue, and tried to wipe her nose as softly as she could, to avoid smearing off the foundation she had just applied, but it was a fruitless effort between her drippy nose and the allergic tears. She sighed and went to fix it. As she looked back up at herself in the mirror, she realized she felt awful. Her nose was all stuffed up and constantly runny. Despite all the foundation she was putting on, her nose was still pink, and she looked sick. She couldn't stop sneezing and blowing her nose. She felt gross. And truly did not to be at a party sneezing her head off in front of everybody. On top of that, between the jetlag and the allergy pills she was starting to feel drowsy.
She sighed defeatedly. She didn´t want to disappoint Travis, but she truly couldn´t find it in herself to go to this party. So she went to the closet room where he was getting dressed. As she crossed the doorway, she sneezed two more times. "Uhhh...uhtchOOoo!!! Hiih'hishhiew!!" She groaned tiredly, leaning against the doorframe.
"Bless you," Travis said, looking at her with concern. "You okay?"
"By allergies are killing mbe, baby” She looked at him with a guilt filled expression “I jusd.. snnf.. I dod't feel great... Is it… snnf! Is id okay if I jusd stay here todight?" she asked, looking up at him with tired, watery eyes.
"Of course, baby," Travis said, getting up and wrapping her in a hug. His arms were strong and comforting, his chest warm against her cheek. "We don´t need to go"
"I´b so sorry… I jusd-"
"You don’t need to apologize about anything, T. I don´t want you to go anywhere if you are not feeling great. The whole point of this was to just have some fun" Travis smiled sweetly while he rubbed his arms down her shoulders.
“You doe you.. snff… you dod´t have to stay right? I´ll jusd take sobe bore meds ahd jusd go t-to.. huhh” Travis chuckled wryly and handed his woozy girlfriend a fresh tissue, which the blonde-haired girl grabbed hastily, raising it to her stuffy pink nose, already flaring wide as a fresh trickle of clear snot dribbled lazily from their depths. “Ishhxk!! Ishhiew!! Iiih, iishhew!!! Snfl…” Taylor sighed miserably as she wiped her nose.
“Bless you, baby. And I'm not going anywhere, so just forget it.” He told her while guiding her back into the bedroom “I´ve missed you so much these past weeks it´s going to take a whole lot more than a few sneezes to keep me away from you” he told her sweetly, with his big, charming smile as he helped her climb back under the covers and then tug them back up again so she was tucked snugly into bed.
“There, you stay here and pick a movie, I´ll go get us some take out and we can just stay here” Trav told her gently, threading her fingers through her girlfriend’s soft blonde hair.
“Thadk you, baby” Taylor smiled gratefully at him. She looked into his eyes, a gentle smile on her lips and the little twinkle in her eyes that he loved so much. Her small hand moving to his chest, pulling him closer “It´s so nice to be back home”
Hi! I decided to make some changes into this story. Please let me know what you think! If you have any comments or requests, feel free to send them to me!
Hope you enojy this!
Travis and Taylor arrived in Las Vegas with a sense of excitement and anticipation. The bright lights of the city welcomed them, casting a glamorous glow over their weekend plans. Travis had been invited to a prestigious golf game by a prominent business brand, making this trip more than just a getaway—it was a crucial networking opportunity. Taylor was thrilled to join him, eager to see him shine in his element.
As they pulled up to the golf course, they could see a small group of people waiting for them. Everyone got closer to greet them, shaking hands with his partners, Travis looked at Taylor with a hand on her back "Guys, this is Taylor, my partner" he said, smiling warmly.
Taylor shook hands with each person, flashing her bright smile. "It's great to meet you all," she said, her eyes sparkling with warmth and friendliness.
--
The morning on the golf course was beautiful. The sun shone brightly, casting a golden hue over the green expanse. Taylor watched Travis play, her heart swelling with pride as he skillfully maneuvered his way through the game, making impressive shots and charming his companions with his easy-going nature. She walked beside him, chatting with his colleagues and enjoying the fresh air.
However, as the day wore on, the weather took a turn. The once warm breeze turned chilly, and Taylor, dressed in a summer dress, felt the cold biting through her clothes. She rubbed her arms briskly but kept her smile intact, not wanting to dampen Travis's spirits or distract him from the game. She hadn´t thought of bringing a sweater, and was quickly regretting it as she felt another shiver run down her spine.
By the afternoon, the wind had picked up, sending a persistent chill through the air. Taylor’s nose had begun to run, and she felt stuffy. She instinctively reached for her purse, hoping to find a tissue, but she sighed defeatedly when she couldn´t find any. She had no choice but to keep sniffling and wiping her nose on her wrist. Despite her discomfort, she kept a smile on her face, cheering Travis on and engaging in conversation with his colleagues.
During a short break, Taylor moved closer to Travis, seeking warmth from his embrace. "Hey," she said, hugging him tightly.
Travis hugged her back, feeling her shivering. He heard her sniffles and looked at her with concern. "Are you okay, babe?" he asked, rubbing her back gently.
"Snff... Yeah! Snff... just chilly," Taylor replied, trying to sound upbeat as she wiped her nose with her fingers.
"Do you want to go wait for me in the clubhouse?" Travis asked, his brow furrowed with worry. “It´ll be warmer in there” He rubbed her back gently.
Taylor shook her head. "No, I want to watch you play. You’re doing great," she said, giving him a reassuring smile.
Travis kissed the top of her head, rubbing her arms for a few more seconds before he had to return to the game.
The wind picked up, making her shiver. She tried to stay cheerful, but it was becoming harder to ignore the cold and her increasingly stuffy nose.
“Hhh...hhih...hhetxchew!! Snfl,” she sneezed, catching the attention of some of the others.
“Bless you,” said one of Travis’s partners, a friendly woman named Janet.
“Thanks,” Taylor replied, sniffling embarrassed and pinching her nose with her fingers, trying to stop her tickly nose for good.
--
The game finally ended, and they said their goodbyes to everyone, making their way back to the hotel to change for dinner. As they walked to the car, Taylor’s nose was all pink and stuffy, and she was sniffling continuously. They got into the car, and Taylor immediately turned on the heat, sighing with relief as the warmth enveloped her.
"Ughh…I can’t wait to get to the hotel and take a hot shower," Taylor said, her voice congested, as she rubbed her hands trying to warm them up a little bit.
Travis looked at her with a guilty expression. "You should’ve gone to the clubhouse instead of standing in the cold. I hadn’t realized you were freezing," he said, regret evident in his tone.
"I just wanted to see you play," Taylor replied, but a sneeze interrupted her. "Huhhh... hehhh... heht’SHOO! Snff..."
"Bless you," Travis said, reaching over to the glove box. "There should be some tissues in here."
Taylor took the tissues gratefully and blew her stuffy nose. "Snff... Ugh, that’s better," she sighed, feeling some relief. She had been needing to blow her nose for hours now.
Travis looked at her again, rubbing her shoulder. "Are you getting sick?" he asked gently.
"No, I’m fine," Taylor assured him, giving her nose one last wipe. "My nose is just runny from being out in the cold."
They continued talking on the way back to the hotel, discussing the people they had met and the conversations they had. Travis had a knack for making connections, and Taylor loved listening to him recount his interactions.
--
As they reached their hotel room, Travis opened the door, letting Taylor in first. As soon as she stepped inside, she sneezed again. “Huhhh... hehhh... heht’SHOO! Hheh... hehh... hheh’CHSHOO!!” She sneezed into the ball of used tissues she held in her hand.
"Bless you," Travis said, kissing her head and rubbing her back. "Go take a warm shower. It’ll help."
Taylor nodded and headed to the bathroom. The hot shower did wonders for her, the steam clearing her runny nose and providing much-needed relief. The warm water felt heavenly, and she stayed in the shower for a long time, letting the heat seep into her cold bones and clear her runny nose. When she finally emerged, wrapped in a towel, she felt much better. She entered the bedroom, where Travis was waiting for her.
"Feeling better?" he asked, hugging her as she leaned into his embrace.
"Yeah, much better," Taylor replied, breathing deeply and feeling content wrapped up in his strong arms. "What time do we have to go out?"
"In about an hour," Travis said, watching her with a tender smile. "We should start getting ready."
He came out from the bathroom and sat on the bed to put on his shoes, but stopped watching her as she got ready. Taylor was sitting on the desk table at the end of the room and he could watch her reflection in the mirror as she put on her make up. He watched lovingly how she carefully applied her eyeliner, her hand steady and precise. He loved watching her get ready, the way she concentrated so intently, the small furrow in her brow as she focused. Every detail of her face was etched in his memory, and he never got tired of looking at her.
He noticed how she paused, her eyes closing and her breath hitching before she sneezed again. “Aaah...snfl...ahhit'chhew!!!”
"Bless you," Travis said, walking over to her. "Are you sure you want to go out tonight?"
"Yeah, of course!" Taylor replied, though her voice was slightly congested. “It´ll be fun!”
Travis came closer, a playful smile on his lips. "You know? I can think of better things we could be doing tonight if we stayed here," he said, wrapping his arms around her.
"Oh, really?" Taylor replied with a teasing smile. "What kind of things?"
"Something like this," Travis murmured, kissing her shoulder. "Or this," he added, leaving a trail of small kisses all over her neck, face, and lips. "And this," he whispered, kissing the perfect spot behind her ear that he knew made her weak.
Taylor sighed contentedly, running her fingers through his hair. "This is nice," she said softly.
Their kisses deepened, and they got lost in each other. "There's no way we’re going out tonight," Travis murmured between kisses.
Taylor giggled, "We’re gonna be late," she said, though she didn’t really make any attempts to stop him.
“Don´t care” He mumbled into her neck.
They continued making out for a few more minutes, but when Taylor felt they were getting more heated, she finally leaned back, giving him one last kiss. "Baby... we have to go."
They finished changing, and Travis asked Taylor for help with his tie. She came closer to help him, but a now familiar tickle sparked in her nose. She sniffled as she tried to keep tying his tie, but the tickle grew stronger. "Excuse mbe... hehh... heht’CHOO! Snff!" She turned around to sneeze into her elbow.
"Bless you, baby," Travis said, watching her with concern.
"Sorry," Taylor mumbled, finishing with his tie. “There… snff” She said rubbing her nose, “You look great, babe”. She stepped back a little bit to look at him, smiling as she watched her boyfriend´s final look.
"Thank you, baby. You look beautiful," Travis said, complimenting her. Taylor came closer once again, standing in her tiptoes to plant a small kiss into his lips.
“You ready?” He asked her and they grabbed all their stuff and headed off to the car.
--
They arrived to the fancy restaurant where Travis’s business manager and some other brand partners were waiting for them for dinner. As they arrived, Travis introduced Taylor to everyone, and they settled in for dinner.
"Taylor, this is Mike, my business manager," Travis said, gesturing to a tall man with a friendly smile. "And this is Sarah, from the brand team."
"It’s nice to meet you both," Taylor said, shaking their hands.
Dinner went well. Travis was his usual charming self, engaging in interesting conversations and making everyone laugh. Taylor, however, was quieter than usual, her constant sniffles making her feel self-conscious. She laughed at Travis’s jokes and made small comments, but she wasn’t her usual bubbly self. She could feel her nose running non-stop, and she discreetly sniffled and wiped it, not wanting to blow her nose in front of everyone.
"Taylor, how are you finding Vegas?" one of the partners, Blake, asked.
"It’s amazing," Taylor replied with a smile. "I´m so glad we came."
"It really is," Sarah agreed. "Have you two had a chance to explore much?"
"Not yet," Taylor said. "But we’re hoping to see more tomorrow."
As dinner wrapped up, Mike suggested they all go to a bar for drinks. "What do you say, Travis? Want to join us?"
Travis glanced at Taylor, noticing her glassy eyes and pink nose. "I think we’ll pass tonight. It’s been a long day," he said, giving a polite smile.
Taylor looked up at him, surprised but secretly relieved. She felt stuffy, her nose hadn’t stopped running all day, and she was dying for a minute to blow her nose.
"Alright, maybe next time," Mike said, giving them a friendly nod.
They said their goodbyes and stepped outside, the cool night air hitting them. Taylor shivered, stopping in her tracks as a dazed look came over her. "Hhut'chshh!! Snfl....Hhehishh!!!" She sneezed into her hands.
"Bless you," Travis said, taking off his jacket and putting it around her shoulders.
"Thandk you," Taylor said, smiling up at him.
"Why didn’t you want to go to the bar?" she asked, curious. "It seemed like fun."
"I thought we could use the early night," Travis said, kissing her cheek. "You seem tired."
Taylor looked at him, surprised. He was never one to decline a night out, especially in Las Vegas. "Oh, are you sure? Snff.. I'mb finde if you wadt to go out for a bit, babe."
Travis kissed her cheek again. "We can go out another night. Let’s just go to bed early tonight."
They continued walking, but as they reached the car, Taylor sneezed again. “Aaah...snfl...ahhit'chhew!!!”
"Bless you, baby," Travis said, rubbing her back.
"Snfff.. ugh.. snff!.. I thidk I'mb gettidg sick… snff!" Taylor said defeatedly.
Travis kissed her forehead, caressing her cheek. "Yeah, I think you are, love. Let’s just go to the hotel and order some tea and tissues for you, okay?"
Taylor smiled happily. "Okay."
They finally got into the car and drove back to the hotel, the warmth of the car soothing Taylor’s chills.
--
Back in their room, Travis had ordered tea and extra tissues while Taylor changed into her pajamas. She blew her nose loudly, finally able to relieve some of the congestion. Travis handed her a steaming cup of tea and sat beside her on the bed.
"Here you go, love," he said, rubbing her back.
"Thadks, snff," she said, taking a sip. "This is good."
Travis smiled, pulling her close. "I'm sorry you got sick baby."
"It's ndot your fault," Taylor said, snuggling into his chest. "I had fun today."
"Thank you for coming, I really appreciate it," he replied, kissing the top of her head. "I love you."
"I love you too," she murmured, her eyes closing as she finally relaxed into his arms.
--
Taylor woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the faint hum of traffic outside their hotel room. She lay in bed, savoring the warmth of the blankets and the comforting presence of Travis beside her. His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close. She wanted to go back to sleep; but now that she was awake, she couldn't ignore the dull pounding in her temples or the raw ache in the back of her throat. She shifted a little and felt a wave of congestion hit her, her nose was completely stuffed up. She tried to breathe through her nose, but it was no use. A deep, throaty cough escaped her lips, and she winced at the sound.
Travis stirred beside her, he tightened his grip around her and kissed the top of her head. "Good morning, beautiful," Travis mumbled into her hair, his voice thick with sleep.
"Good bordig," Taylor replied, her voice thick with congestion. She sniffled quietly, snuggling closer to his chest.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, his fingers gently tracing patterns on her arm.
"I'b feelig better," Taylor lied, forcing a smile. She felt him pressing a kiss into her forehead while mumbling a quiet “That´s nice” into her hair, with his eyes still closed, not ready to wake up yet. “Did you sleeb okay?” She asked, nose pressed again his chest.
"Like a rock," Travis chuckled lightly. He stretched his arms and yawned, then asked, "What time is it?"
"Just after eight, snff" Taylor said, glancing at the clock on the bedside table. "Should we start gettidg ready?"
Travis looked at her with a mixture of concern and affection. "Are you sure you want to go out today? You don’t sound too good."
"I'b just stuffy, sniff.." Taylor insisted. "It's fide."
Travis propped himself up on one elbow to look at her. He gently kissed her forehead and asked again, "Are you sure?" He then pushed her onto her back, leaning down on top of her and dropping kisses all over her neck. "We could spend all day here in bed," he murmured between kisses “We don´t have to get up”
Taylor enjoyed the sensation, humming softly at how nice it felt. She could feel his light kisses along her neck, causing her to shiver pleasantly. She opened her eyes, one hand instantly going to the back of his head. "Hmm, snff… I really wadt to go out ahd see the city." As she spoke, Travis continued to kiss her repeatedly, his lips trailing from her neck to her collarbone. Taylor felt her nose start to run and a light tickle spark in her nose. She sighed contently as he pressed another kiss behind her ear, and then her eyes fluttered slightly as a faint, teasing tickle ghosted across the back of her nose and eyes. She sniffled softly, feeling the niggling itch of wet, drippy discharge beginning to trickle from deep inside her head down through her nostrils “Snff… Snrff” She sniffled once more and tried to push him back a little, but he kept on kissing her neck. “Trav, I… hh..” Her breath started to hitch, and she mumbled his name as she felt the inevitable sneezes coming on. “I... hh... hehh... Hih’CHOO! Hhh’tchiew!" She tried to turn away and cover, but wasn't entirely successful.
Travis laughed softly, his tone teasing. "Oh yeah, you definitely sound better," he said sarcastically.
"Sorry," Taylor mumbled embarrassed, rubbing her leaky nose firmly against the back of her wrist with a deep, long sniffle.
Travis leaned over to the bedside table and grabbed a few tissues. "Here," he said, handing them to her. "Are you sure you're okay, baby?" Travis brushed a strand of hair from her face, his eyes filled with concern as he watched her rubbing her nose against her tissues. "We don't have to go out if you're not feeling well."
"Id's just a cold, snff" Taylor assured him, blowing her nose loudly and then sniffling. "I'b fide, just a stuffy nose."
Travis watched her for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, then" he said, planting one more kiss against her bangs and getting up. "Let's go”
--
As they got ready, Taylor did her best to hide how miserable she felt. She showered quickly, hoping the steam would clear her sinuses, but it barely made a difference. Every time she blew her nose, it seemed to fill right back up again. She cursed her body for betraying her on what was supposed to be a fun weekend. She put on some make up to make herself look a little bit more presentable, she dabbed concealer under her eyes to hide the dark circles and applied a bit of blush to bring some color to her pale cheeks.
Travis, having now finished his shower, stepped out of the bathroom just in time to watch his girlfriend freeze in front of the mirror. The blonde girl had an unfocused, spacey expression on her face, one hand hovering a few inches in front of her mouth. “Hh-hhih...” Taylor huffed softly, pushing the tip of her finger up against the bottom of her nose as it quivered and flexed open a few times, eyes closing helplessly in submission. “Hhh...hheh'chhhx!! Snfl...” Taylor sneezed breathlessly; two fingers squished against the underside of her nostrils as she doubled over in the middle of the bedroom.
"Bless you!" he called out warmly from the bathroom door.
Taylor chuckled softly, rubbing her nose into a fresh tissue. "Thadks, babe."
Travis watched her closely. He could see the signs of her sickness—her red, chapped nose, the way she kept sniffling, the tired look in her eyes—but he didn't want to push her. He knew how stubborn she could be and didn´t wanna argue with her, he figured they could visit some museums and art galleries, just walking around for a bit wouldn´t make any harm. "You look beautiful, babe" he said, leaning in to kiss her forehead.
"Thangks!" Taylor replied, a small blush tinting her cheeks. She cleared her throat and forced another smile. "You ready?" He nodded while grabbing his wallet and his cellphone.
"Do you want to grab some breakfast before we head out?" Travis asked, as Taylor finished doing her hair.
"Yeah, that souds great," Taylor replied, trying to sound enthusiastic despite her stuffy nose. "Snff! Let's go."
They left their hotel room and stepped into the elevator, making small talk as they descended. The elevator door opened on another floor, and a couple stepped in. Taylor could feel their eyes on her and Travis, they kept staring at them not so discreetly, clearly recognizing them but saying nothing.
As the elevator descended further, Taylor felt a tickle inside her nose. She tried to rub it away discreetly, not wanting to sneeze in the small, crowded space. She sniffled congestedly, trying to hold back, but the tickle persisted. Finally, unable to suppress it any longer, she turned to the side and pinched her nose in between two fingers.
"Hhh...hih’Ngxt! Snfl…" Taylor stifled the sneeze as best as she could, but the force of it made her sniffle again immediately after.
Travis rubbed Taylor’s back soothingly. "Bless you, love," he said softly.
Taylor’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she noticed the other woman in the elevator give her a disapproving side-eye and roll her eyes exaggeratedly, clearly annoyed by the perceived germs.
"Thank you," Taylor murmured, feeling awkward under the woman's gaze.
Travis gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and leaned in closer to her as the elevator doors opened with a ding, and Travis grabbed her hand pulling her out and leading her into the lobby.
They headed to a nearby café, the morning sun shining brightly, the heat hit them immediately, making Taylor feel slightly better as the warmth soothed her chills.
The café was cozy, with a quaint, inviting atmosphere. They found a quiet table at the back and sat down. Taylor immediately felt a blast of cold air from the air conditioner vent above her, sending a shiver down her spine. She sniffled, trying to ignore it and grabbed the menu sitting in front of her.
After a few minutes, she slowly raised her free hand back to her face, hovering an inch or so in front of her nose and mouth as her breath huffed softly in her chest. "Hh...hih...hhet'CHOO! Hhh...hihh...hhet'CHSHOO!" She sneezed into her elbow, then quickly grabbed a tissue to blow her nose, the sound congested and wet. "Ugh... snnf... sorry."
"Bless you” Travis said, glancing up from his menu. He looked up and noticed the air conditioner blowing directly into her back “Baby, you´re sitting right under the vent. Do you want to switch places?"
Taylor shook her head. "I'mb finde here."
"I don't mind switching," Travis insisted. "It can´t be good for you to sit there with the cold air blowing on your neck."
"I'mb really okay," Taylor said, trying to reassure him. "Snff... So, what are our plans for today?" Taylor asked, but then her eyes snapped shut again and she turned away from the table with another stuffy sneeze "Huhhh... hehh... heht'SHOO! Sniff...” Travis gave her a pointed look, and Taylor laughed, despite her discomfort. "Okay, okay... Can we switch? I'mb freezig over here."
Travis smiled and got up, switching places with her. "There, that's better."
"Thadk you," Taylor said, feeling a bit more comfortable now.
"I was thinking we could check out some of the art galleries you wanted to see and maybe do a bit of shopping," Travis suggested. "How does that sound?"
"That´s perfect," Taylor replied, smiling at her boyfriend. She rubbed the side of her hand against the wet underside of her nose, feeling her breath catch and her eyes snap shut. “Huhh-tchhh! Ahhhh…ahhchiiew!” Taylor buried her face in her elbow with two damp sneezes, turning away from Travis as her shoulders bobbed forward helplessly. "Snff... Excuse be," she muttered, sniffling stuffily as she grabbed her purse to look for a new tissue.
"Bless you," Travis said gently. "Are you sure you’re okay?"
“Trav, I´mb fide” the blonde girl groaned, rolling her eyes for good measure as she gave her nose another wipe “It´s just a cold, I´ve told you”
“Okay, okay. I´m sorry” He raised his hands in apology, smiling sheepishly at his girlfriend, making her shake her head and smile back at him.
They ordered their food, and soon, plates of breakfast delights were set before them. Taylor had ordered a fruit parfait, but as she ate, she realized she wasn't enjoying it as much as she thought she would. Her congestion made everything taste bland.
Travis noticed her picking at her food. "Not hungry?" he asked.
"I just... dod't really like this, snnnf" Taylor admitted. "I should've ordered what you got."
Travis smiled and pushed his plate of scrambled eggs towards her. "Here, have some of mine. We can share."
Taylor hesitated but then took a bite. "This is really good. Thadk you."
"You're welcome," Travis said warmly.
They finished their food and had already decided all their plans for the day, so they headed out to explore the city. As they walked along the Strip, Taylor marveled at the vibrant energy of the city. Neon signs flashed, music played from every direction, and the streets were bustling with people.
The first gallery they visited was quiet and serene, with soft classical music playing in the background. The quietness of the gallery made Taylor feel even more self-conscious of her constant sniffles. The quiet atmosphere made her feel like every sound she made was amplified, and she didn´t want her sneezes echoing through the whole place, disturbing everyone´s peace.
"Hnn’CHoo! Hih’gnxt!" She pinched her nose into her tissues as her shoulders bobbed forward helplessly. She immediately gave her runny nose another swipe on her soggy tissues, sniffling softly.
"Bless you," Travis whispered, rubbing her shoulder.
"Thagks, snff... sorry," Taylor mumbled, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"Don’t worry about it," Travis said, giving her a reassuring smile and putting his hand on her back, guiding her to the next room.
“Snff..snrff!” She sighed, dabbing at her nose with the crumpled tissue she had in her hand. She reached into her purse for a new one to blow her nose into, only to find that she just had a few more left. She cursed herself, they had been out for a bit more than an hour and she was already almost out of tissues. She wiped her nose and saved the soggy paper in her pocket, knowing she was going to need it again soon.
After they left the gallery, they walked around the city, visiting various shops and sights. The constant temperature changes—from the scorching heat outside to the freezing air conditioning inside—were taking a toll on Taylor. She felt her symptoms worsening, her nose constantly running and her head throbbing, and she felt a constant tickle in her throat that made her want to cough.
“Oh, there´s the Mob Museum” Travis pointed out exited as they walked out of a store hand in hand “Sarah was talking about it last night”
Taylor nodded, squeezing his hand. "Oh yeah, I remember. Let´s go in!"
As they walked, Taylor tried to keep up with Travis’s enthusiastic pace, but the sun had made her feel dizzy, and her nose was constantly running. She kept dabbing at it with the tissues she had brought from the hotel, but they had quickly become soggy and unusable. She clearly should´ve brought more.
They wandered through the museum, admiring the art. Taylor tried to focus on the exhibits, but her head was throbbing and she truly didn´t feel great. The air conditioning blasting in the museum wasn´t helping either. She was freezing even with her sweater on.
"Snff... snff..." Taylor tried to discreetly sniffle. She was all stuffed up. Her nose was running non-stop, and she had to keep dabbing at it with her soggy tissues, sniffling and rubbing her nose on her wrist to hold back the congested tickle that kept welling up.
"Are you cold?" Travis asked, noticing her shiver.
"Yeah, it's the AC," Taylor replied, wrapping her arms around her chest. "Itd's freezidg id here."
“Come here” Travis mumbled, pulling her closer and rubbing his hand up and down her arm to try and warm her up.
"Oh my God, Tay look at this," Travis said, pointing to the other side of the room, walking excitedly. "This is Al Capone's cell. It's so small."
Taylor tried to smile, though it was getting harder to remember why she was hiding her current state from her boyfriend, following him around Vegas all day when she could be snuggled in bed with a fresh box of tissues next to her. She was woozy and exhausted and shivering with chills, her head was still pounding, her throat ached; and she was too embarrassed to blow her runny nose in the middle of the museum, leaving her sniffling and wiping away wet trickles of snot with her last, crumpled tissue every few minutes.
"Can you imagine living in a space like that?" Travis mused, shaking his head.
Taylor peered at the exhibit, her eyes watering slightly from the effort of holding back a sneeze. "Yeah, it's really tihh... snff... Hhh'hichiew! Snfl." Taylor shivered a little when she sneezed, her blonde hair splaying across her face as her shoulders jerked and her body bent double. "God bless you," Travis cooed sweetly, rubbing Taylor´s back as a round of raspy coughing followed after her helplessly wet sneeze.
“You good, baby?” He rubbed her back gently as she caught her breath with one more sniffle.
“Yeah… snfffl.. sorry” Taylor sighed miserably and gave her nose one more wipe.
They moved from exhibit to exhibit, but Taylor was barely paying attention to the museum. She was feeling gross and was exhausted, but couldn´t bare to ask him to leave when he seemed so happy to be there.
"Look at this," Travis said, pointing to a picture as he took out his iPhone to take a photo. "Isn't it amazing?"
“Uhh...snfl...uh-huh,” Taylor nodded, still staring off into space as her eyes narrowed involuntarily, and her delicate pink nostrils began to quiver and flare. “Hh... snfl... hhuh'tchxiew!!! Heh'iishew!!” Taylor sneezed desperately into the soggy remains of her tissue, cringing with embarrassment at the feeling of snot hitting the palms of her hands and quickly turning away from Travis and getting another crumpled tissue from her pocket. It wasn´t much, but at least she could clean herself up.
A grown man turned around and offered her a kind smile. "Bless you," he said gently.
"Thandks," Taylor murmured quietly, her face burning with embarrassment as she wiped her nose again and avoided lifting her eyes and making eye contact. She felt Travis wrap his arm around her shoulder pulling her closer and kissing the side of her head. She leaned into his body as they walked together into the next room.
They finally left the museum a few minutes later, the warmth of the sun felt good against Taylor’s cold skin, but it did little to alleviate her symptoms. They headed to a nearby restaurant for a quick lunch. The waitress led them to a table and Taylor excused herself to the restroom.
In the privacy of the bathroom, she could finally allow herself to blow her nose properly, the sound loud and wet. "Snff... Ugh," she groaned, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her nose was red and irritated, her cheeks were flushed and she looked exhausted. She leaned against the bathroom wall and closed her eyes for a few seconds. She felt utterly miserable.
When she returned to the table, Travis had already ordered some drinks. "Got us some water," he said, smiling gently. "Do you want to share a sandwich?" Travis asked, looking through the menu. "Or maybe a soup would be better for you?"
"Thank you," Taylor said, grateful for his thoughtfulness. She took a sip, the cold drink soothing her irritated throat. “I thidk I´mb in the mood for sombe pasta… Snff” Taylor sniffled, her nose feeling congested once again and she sighed, she took one napkin from the table and pinched it around her nose. "Snff... Baby, I’mb sorry, but could we... snff… stob for mbore tissues after this? I’mb runnidg out."
Travis reached across the table, taking her hand. "Of course, Tay. Don’t be sorry. We’ll get you whatever you need. Do you want us to go back?" He asked her, watching her as she dabbed her damp nose in the napkin.
“No, no. I´mb fine. I just need sombe more tissues ahd I´ll be all right”. She looked at him with a smile.
They ordered their lunch, with Taylor struggling to eat much. Her throat was scratchy, and she could barely taste anything. They chatted about everything they had seen today, watching the pictures they had taken and taking notes on their favorite spots.
Travis watched concerned as she picked around her food- He could tell she wasn´t feeling great at all, and he couldn´t understand why she didn´t just tell him, he had already offered to go back to the hotel multiple times through the day and she had insisted she was fine. But looking at his girlfriend sitting in front of him; shivering with her red nose; glassy eyes and flushed cheeks, he knew she was clearly not okay.
"I was thinking we could check out the High Roller after this," he suggested, showing her a photo of the giant ferris wheel, "And maybe hit the casino later tonight? There´s also that circus Mike mentioned yesterday, that seemed awesome" Travis continued, his tone teasing.
"Yeah... that souhds good," Taylor said, forcing a smile. Though just the thought of going into a ferris wheel right now made her head spin.
Travis chuckled softly, noticing her forced enthusiasm. "Really? Because there’s also that zip-lining place we talked about, or we could go see a show. Maybe even hit up a few more bars."
Taylor's eyes widened slightly at the long list, too tired to even notice Travis was playing with her "Umb, sure, that all souds good, snff."
Travis leaned back in his chair, laughing at his stubborn girlfriend. "Tay, come on!"
“What?” She looked up at him surprised by his reaction “We can do whatever you wadt, baby… snff… It all souds fun”
"Whatever I want? Really?" Travis asked, "Because what I really want is for my girlfriend to tell me honestly when she's feeling sick, so I won't make it worse by dragging her around town all day."
"Trav, I...uhh..." Taylor´s expression slid slightly out of focus, and a little crinkle appeared between her eyes. Travis instantly recognized her girlfriend's woozy, gonna-sneeze expression (the last time he'd seen it had been maybe ten minutes ago). Eyes narrowed, Taylor slowly raised her free hand back to her face, hovering an inch or so in front of her nose and mouth as her breath huffed softly in her chest. "Hht'chhihew!!! Snfl," The blonde girl shivered visibly as she pitched forward and caught the wet sneeze in her hands in midair. "Ughh. Excuse mbe," she sighed, sniffling wetly as she wiped the glistening underside of her nose on the back of her hand.
“Bless you, baby” He sighed, passing her a few more napkins as she sniffled “How about we go back to the hotel, put on some pajamas, get in bed, put on a movie and order some room service?" He smiled gently as she wiped her nose.
“That actually does soud abazidg” Taylor sighed, a tiny, unwilling smile tugging on the corner of her mouth. “I´mb sorry, baby. I didn´t wadt to ruidn our trip”
Travis reached out, taking her hands in his. "You're not ruining anything, love. I just want you to feel better.” He kissed the back of her hand. “Come on, let’s head back now”
--
The elevator doors closed behind her and Travis just smiled at the woman standing right in front of him as he guided her with his hands on her shoulders. He opened the suite with a magnetic key card, letting Taylor enter their hotel suite first. He closed the door behind them, and watched as Taylor made her way to the little night stand in the bedroom and to grab a tissue from the box that had been sitting there since last night, pinching her nose snugly in the fresh tissue with a deep breath like she was going to sneeze—but then it passed, and she sighed again, rubbing her damp nose through the fabric.
Before attempting to take off his shoes, he picked up the phone next to the tv remote, pressing a button. Taylor looked up at him confused, still trying to find the pack of advil that she had gotten last night. She poured herself a glass of water and swallowed two pills, hoping they could help her throbbing head.
“Hi, I’m calling from room 412. I would like to order some room service.”
She heard him say into the phone as she changed into some more comfortable clothes, and looked up smiling thankfully at him. Of course he would make sure she got everything she could possibly need in this moment. She looked up at him with a grateful smile, while rubbing the snot-slicked underside of her pink nose in little circles through the tissue, in a vain attempt to scratch the tickle in her nose.
“Hh—hhih—ehhihtchiuh!! Iih'iishhew!!! Snfl...” Taylor shivered and sneezed into her tissue, pressing it firmly to the wet underside of her nose in an attempt to quell the itch there before in bloomed into another sneeze; but the woozy expression plastered to her face when she raised her head suggested otherwise. Travis talked to the man on the phone while he watched as Taylor crawled into bed, feeling utterly exhausted. He couldn’t help thinking how adorable she looked with her red nose and tousled hair, all snuggled up in the big hotel room bed.
“Okay baby, tea and tissues coming right up” He told her as he hung up the phone.
“Thadk you so buch, baby. Snff. You´re the best” She smiled at him, her knuckles rubbing her nose once more.
"Of course I am," Travis joked, climbing into bed beside her. He leaned over, showering her face with gentle kisses. "And you, my love, are not leaving this bed until you've run out of sneezes and sniffles."
Taylor giggled softly, feeling a surge of warmth and love despite her misery. "We mbight need to be here for a while, thed."
"That's perfectly fine with me," Travis said, kissing her forehead. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
Joe rubbed his nose for what felt like the umpteenth time that morning. He turned the key in the lock and stepped into the quiet house, the soft creak of the door echoing slightly in the hallway. The living room was dimly lit, a single lamp casting a warm glow over the room and he could hear her soft, raspy coughs as he entered, a sound that had become all too familiar over the past two days.
Taylor was exactly where he had left her that morning, wrapped up in a thick blanket on the couch, a box of tissues perched precariously on the armrest beside her. Even from the doorway, Joe could hear the wet sniffling that accompanied her every breath. She looked up at him with a weak smile, her eyes watery but brighter than they had been before.
"Hey there," he said with a gentle smile as he walked into the living room.
"Hey," she replied, her voice congested and thick. She sniffled and pulled the blanket tighter around her. Joe sat down beside her and leaned in to kiss her forehead, feeling the warmth of her skin against his lips.
"Feeling any better?" he asked, his hand now stroking her hair. Taylor closed her eyes, leaning into his soft touch.
"Yeah, a little bit” She nodded, though immediately had to bring a tissue to her nose and blew it wetly. “How was the mbeeti´g?” She asked from behind her tissue, sniffling as she rested her head against his shoulder.
"Long," he sighed, “Reeeeally, really long,” as he leaned back into the couch pulling her close. "Missed you, though." She looked up at him with a soft smile, giving him a kiss on the cheek. He glanced at the TV, noticing the movie playing but not really focusing on it. “What are you watching?”. He could feel his nose starting to run again and tried to be subtle as he wiped it with the back of his hand, sniffling softly. “Snff... snffl...” He tried to be quiet about it, not wanting Taylor to notice.
"Some rombadtic combedy.. snnf," Taylor said, shrugging. "I jusd snff.. hehh.. Hhehh...snfl...ehh'chiiihew!!! Snnfl.. Ughh, sorry.. snff.. I just needed sombething light." She coughed softly into her fist.
"Bless you, love” He said, rubbing her back gently as she continued to cough “I'll make you some tea," he offered, standing up and heading towards the kitchen, eager for an excuse to blow his nose in the other room. He could feel his nose was starting to run and he didn't want Taylor to worry about him, especially since she was still feeling so miserable. It would just make her feel guilty.
As soon as he was out of earshot, he grabbed a paper towel and blew his nose as quietly as he could manage. The sound was wet and congested, and he could feel his nose starting to tickle as his breath hitched “Hhehh...snfl...Hd'kgssssh!!” He pinched his nose forcefully as he tried to stifle the sneeze, the sudden expulsion making his head throb. Damn. He sighed defeated and blew his nose again, more forcefully this time, trying to finally clear the congestion. They were already spending the weekend in, so he would just drink lots of tea and pop some of Taylor´s cold pills when she wasn't looking, and then they'd both be getting better while lazing around the apartment together, and the blonde-haired girl could be spared the inevitable guilt of feeling like it was somehow her fault that he was getting sick too.
When he returned with her tea, Taylor was watching him closely. “You okay? You look... snff... really tired,” she observed, her voice gentle but concerned. Joe sniffled softly and wiped his nose on the back of his hand, forcing a smile.
“Yeah, I’m fine. ´t was just a long morning. Here’s your tea.” He handed her the cup, trying to ignore the way his nose was starting to run again.
Taylor coughed softly into her elbow and when she sat back took a long sip “Thadk you, love… Snfl.. Snff.. This is so good” She breathed in the steam with a stuffy sniffle, both hands wrapped around the warm mug.
They settled back into the couch, Taylor leaning against him as they watched the movie. Joe’s nose was becoming an increasing distraction, the constant need to sniffle growing more urgent. He wiped at it again, hoping she wouldn’t notice. He could feel the tickle in his nose growing stronger, and despite his efforts to hold it back, he finally succumbed.
“Huhh… hheh… heht’CHOO!!” He sneezed suddenly, he barely had time to turn away from Taylor before it erupted.
Taylor looked at him startled, but soon her eyes turned wide with sympathy. “Oh, baby, you are catchidg mby cold,” she said, her voice tinged with guilt.
“Nah, I’m fine,” Joe said, sniffling as he tried to downplay it. “It was just one sneeze.”
“You´re sdifflidg a lot” She commented, looking at him with her brow furrowed.
He chuckled lightly, leaning in to kiss her forehead “I´m fine, baby. Really”. But a few minutes later, he turned around and sneezed again, another wet, congested sound. “Huhh… hheh… heht’CHOO!!” Taylor sighed and gave him an apologetic look.
“I’mb so sorry, baby… snff… I kdew this would habben…Snfl” she said, her voice full of guilt. She reached up to feel his forehead, relieved to find it wasn’t feverish.
“It’s okay,” Joe reassured her, grabbing her hand and giving it a soft kiss. “Really, it’s just a few sneezes.” Taylor sighed and snuggled closer to him, the constant sniffling a background symphony for their shared misery. They watched the movie in relative silence, their sniffles and occasional coughs the only interruptions. He could feel Taylor wiping her nose on her wrist every few minutes, her sniffles sounding more and more stuffy with every breath, so he wasn’t at all surprised when he felt her taking a sharp breath, immediately cupping both hands to her face.
“Hhehh...snfl...ehh'chiiihew!!! Huh… hhhehtSHOO! Snfl, Huhh... huhh... HUH’ISHHOO! Snfl...” She snapped forward and sneezed into her hands, then wiped them on her pajama bottoms and reached for the box of tissues on the coffee table, taking a couple and bringing them to her nose for a deep, congested and necessary blow, but before she could finish, her body snapped forward twice more. “Huhh… hheh… heht’CHOO!! Huh… hhhehtSHOO!” She barely had time to catch her breath before sneezing again.
“God bless you, baby!” Joe exclaimed sympathetically, handing her a few more tissues, concern etched on his face.
"Tha...thadks...uhhETCHOOoo!! Eh, eihhISHHOOoo!! Snrf..." Taylor snapped forward with the tissues clamped firmly to her streaming nose, blowing wetly into the folds and rubbing the damp bundle against the sore, pink-tinged skin around the rims of her nostrils. "Ughh, this sucks," Taylor groaned softly, closing her eyes and settling back against the pillows a little as the intense, chilly tickle began to recede from behind her nose and eyes.
Joe handed her a few more tissues. “This one got you bad, huh?” He cooed at her, pulling her close and kissing her forehead again.
Taylor sniffled and nodded; her eyes red-rimmed. " “Uh-huh… Snff... Ahd dow you're catchidg it, too."
Joe shook his head, trying to downplay his symptoms, “I´m fine baby, honestly. We´ll be okay” he promised.
As the movie continued, the constant sniffling and wiping at his nose became too much to bear. Joe finally reached for a tissue and blew his nose, the sound was loud and wet, and Taylor reached over to caress his hair, cooing softly.
“You really dod´t soudd good, baby… Sniff!..sniffle..” she said gently, getting up to go to the kitchen “You ndeed sobe tea to warb up add feel better.”
Joe shook his head, pulling her back down onto the couch. “Combe back here. Snff… I don’t need tea; I just need to stay here with you. Snff.” He kissed her neck a couple of times, then brought the blanket up around her shoulders again. “You need to rest. You´re still sick.”
Taylor looked at him, her eyes soft “Ahd so are you” she pouted sadly.
Joe chuckled softly, his voice a little congested “Maybe a little. But you´re worse off.. snff.. So I amb still in charge”
They continued to watch the movie, though Joe could barely keep his eyes open. He could feel the exhaustion from the day settling into his bones, his head felt heavy and he could feel the congestion settling deeper in his chest. He leaned back against the couch, closing his eyes for a moment. He could feel the warmth of Taylor's body next to his as she drifted in and out of sleep, and it was comforting. The room was filled with the soft sounds of their congested breathing, punctuated by the occasional sniffle or cough. After a few minutes, he looked down his shoulder to find Taylor was now sound asleep, looking every bit as sick as he felt, all bundled up in blankets in her pajamas, flushed cheeks, the fine sheen of sweat shining on her forehead, pink-rimmed nostrils glistening slightly from her sniffles.
He could feel his own nose running too, so he sniffled softly, pinching his runny nose tightly between his fingers as it twitched and flared with teasing tickles. He went still, eyes closing, head tilting back as her pink nostrils quivered with congested irritation. He didn't want to wake Taylor up, but... "Huhh... hheh... HHEHT'CHOO!.. Snfl..." he just couldn't help it. He sneezed breathlessly into his lap, finger pressed to his nose as a trickle of snot ran down his lip, immediately followed by another raspy coughing jag.
Taylor stirred and opened her eyes, looking at him with concern. "Bless you, love.” She watched as he pressed his wrist back to his trembling nostrils, rubbing them hard as his breath began to hitch again “Hhuh...” Joe sniffled; Taylor pressed two clean tissues into his hand, with a soft kiss on his shoulder “snfl.. Snghf...ughh, dambit... Huhh... HUH’ISHHOO! Snfl...”
“Aw, baby, you’re feelidg really awful, huh?” Taylor cooed, snuggling down beside her boyfriend, and slipping a hand out to play with his hair. “Yeah,” Joe groaned, his attention still focused on the stuffy tickle in his nose as he pinched it roughly in a fresh tissue. Taylor’s heart thumped painfully at the misery in her boyfriend’s voice. “Dod’t you feel awful, too?”
“Yeah, I do snff” Taylor sighed, pulling a fresh tissue from the box and blowing her pink stuffy nose once again. "I'mb so sorry you caught this... snff... you were so dice for taking care of mbe."
“It's okay, T. I told you before, I don't...snf! ...dod't care aboud that,” Joe sighed, brushing a hand absently through Taylor's sleep-rumpled blonde hair. “We cad take care of each other snf! Right?” he said, his voice thick with congestion. He truly didn't mind catching Taylor's cold; and knew it was bound to happen, but he hadn't thought it would make him feel so run down and out of sorts, either.
"Right. Snff” She smiled, snuggling closer to him. “You should try to get sobe sleep, baby” she sighed dazedly, massaging the bottom of her nose through the soggy tissues with a soft, congested sniffle. “You´ll feel bedder toborrow… snghf… I´b sure” she said and then pressed the crumpled tissues back to her wet nostrils as a fresh, ticklish twitch began to well up in the back of her head. “Hhhuh... snfl... Hhet'chshiew!!! Snfl.” She sneezed woozily against her boyfriend's shoulder, cupping the tissue harder over her nose and mouth as she shivered and jerked. “Bless you, baby,” Joe whispered, kissing the top of Taylor's head as she blew her nose. “Let´s go to bed” he said, getting up and giving her a hand to get up, picking up the blanket from the couch and wrapping it around his girlfriend´s shoulders as they made their way upstairs.
-----
Taylor leaned heavily against Joe as they made their way up the stairs. Her legs felt like jelly, and every step seemed to take a monumental effort. Joe, despite his own growing exhaustion, kept his arm securely around her waist, offering steady support. Each of their breaths came out in wet sniffles, creating a symphony of shared misery as they reached the top of the stairs.
Joe guided Taylor into their bedroom, the soft, familiar space immediately wrapping them in a comforting embrace. He helped her settle into the bed, propping up pillows to make her more comfortable. Taylor’s eyes were half-closed, her body sinking into the mattress with a sigh of relief. Joe tucked the blanket around her snugly, ensuring she was warm and comfortable. Taylor sighed in relief, her body sinking into the mattress. Joe sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at her with concern. "Thag you," Taylor murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she snuggled deeper into the blankets.
Joe smiled, despite his own weariness, and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Led´s get sombe rest, love." He whispered, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. He could feel the weight of the day pressing down on him, and was ready to crash into bed beside his girlfriend, but just wanted to make sure they had everything they needed for the night. He turned to head back downstairs to grab some more supplies when Taylor's hand shot out, grabbing his wrist weakly. "Ndoo, dod´t go" she pleaded, her eyes opening just a sliver as she lay limply on her side, hugging her pillow.
“I´ll be righ.. snghhf.. bagck snghrf I just wandt to get us sombe drinks” Joe´s head tilted back helplessly, unable to fend off the deep, unquenchable tickle his runny nose had built up. He pressed a finger up hard under his nostrils, not to hold in the sneeze- he desperately wanted to release it- but just because it was impossible not to respond to the furious tickle with some kind of relieving pressure on his moist, pulsing nostrils. "Hehh-- ehh--" A wrenching shiver ran up the his body as his back arched sharply, forcing in a deep, wheezy breath as his eyes squeezed shut and his reddened nostrils strained to open even wider. "HASHOOoo! Ah-AHSHHOO!! Sniffle...uhh, fuck mbe..."
"God bless you," Taylor murmured faintly from under the covers without opening her eyes.
"Thag you," Joe sighed miserably, his voice thick with congestion again as fresh rivulets of glistening snot trickled from his damp nose down his face “Ugh, snghf, fugcki´g disgustidg snghff” He groaned miserable, wiping his streaming nose roughly on the cuff of his sweatshirt with deep, liquid sniffles as he ventured downstairs for some very needed tissues for both of them.
He returned to the bedroom with two boxes of tissues and water bottles, finding Taylor already half-asleep, her eyes fluttering closed. He placed the stuff on her bedside table, sniffling softly to hold back the trickle of snot running from his irritated nostrils, but despite his efforts, the tickle in his damp nose blossomed, making his head tilt back as his eyes snapped tightly shut again and his lungs expanded involuntarily. "Hehh snff.. Snff! Hehh.. HehhEHCHOOoo!!.. snff.. HuhhAHCHOOoo!! -Cough, cough-..." Joe snapped forward with another breathless, stuffy sneeze against his wrist.
Taylor stirred and opened her eyes slightly, looking at him with concern. “Bless you, baby snff.. snff Cobe to bed” she whispered, her voice barely audible, reaching out to rub his back as he blew his nose forcefully. He dropped the tissue and finally got in bed, cuddling beside his girlfriend. Joe could feel the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed, each breath accompanied by a soft, congested sniffle. He closed his eyes again, allowing the steady rhythm of her soft snores to lull him into a light doze.
The night passed in a blur of half-waking moments and fitful sleep. Joe woke several times to Taylor’s sneezing or coughing. His own nose was constantly running, and he found himself reaching for tissues more and more frequently.
At some point in the early morning hours, Taylor woke up coughing. Joe sat up, rubbing her back gently as she struggled to catch her breath. "Hey, hey, it's okay," he soothed, his voice still thick with sleep. "Just breathe, T."
Taylor nodded, her breaths coming in short, shallow gasps as she fought to control the coughing fit. Joe reached over to the nightstand and grabbed a glass of water, holding it to her lips. She took a few sips, the cool liquid soothing her irritated throat.
"Th-thadk you," Taylor managed to say, her voice hoarse. She sniffled and wiped her nose with a tissue, then leaned back against the pillows, her eyes closed in exhaustion.
"You're welcome, love," Joe replied, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Try to get sombe bore rest."
"Okay," Taylor whispered, her voice barely audible. She snuggled closer to Joe, seeking comfort in his warmth.
Joe wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He could feel the feverish heat radiating from her body as she drifted back to sleep. After a while, Joe's own exhaustion finally caught up with him, and he felt his eyelids growing heavy. By the time morning came, he felt as though he hadn’t slept at all.
----
Joe woke up the next morning to the sound of Taylor's soft, congested breathing beside him. He blinked groggily, feeling the weight of his cold pressing down on him. His throat was sore, and his nose was completely blocked.
"Hhhuh... snfl... Hhet'chshiew!!!" Taylor sneezed beside him, startling him awake fully. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand, looking miserable.
"Bless you," Joe said, his voice rough rubbing her eyes with a soft yawn, but making no attempt to sit up.
"Thadks," Taylor replied, sniffling. "I´mb sorry I woke you ub snff" she sniffled again and rubbed her arm against the snot-slicked channel of her upper lip.
“´s okay snff, I was already awake” Joe mumbled, reaching over for a fresh tissue and blowing vigorously into it, until the wet, gurgling sound in his head subsided. "Ughh, I haved't felt this bad id a lodg tibe... snnf..." Joe dropped his head back against the pillows, his eyes falling shut as a trickle of snot ran gently from his congested little nose, making his breath hitch and his irritated nose quiver helplessly "Huhh... hheh... HHEHT'CHOO!... Snfl..."
"Bless you, baby. Snff.." Taylor whispered, her voice filled with sympathy. She reached out to stroke his hair, her touch gentle despite her own exhaustion. She pressed her hand to his forehead, luckily he didn´t feel warm. "Do you wadt mbe to get you sobe bedicinde?” She asked him softly, still feeling extremely guilty as she watched his boyfriend rubbing his congested nose.
Joe nodded, though the thought of getting out of bed seemed almost impossible. "Yeah... but id a mbinute.. snff.. I just wand to stay id bed a little longer with you."
Taylor nodded in agreement, snuggling closer to him. "´kay... Snff." She rested her head on his shoulder, her breaths coming in soft, congested sniffles.
----
Taylor blew her nose for what felt like the umpteenth time that day. The living room was dimly lit, the soft glow of the lamp casting a warm light over the room. Joe and Taylor were sprawled on the couch, a mishmash of blankets and tissues surrounding them as they tried to make the best of their shared cold. They were finally feeling a bit better after taking their medication, but still both were pretty wiped out. A Monopoly board was spread out on the coffee table in front of them, hoping to provide a bit of distraction from their misery. A box of tissues sat on the coffee table within easy reach, already half-empty from their constant use.
"Snff... okay, it's your turd," Joe said, his voice thick and congested. He wiped his nose on the back of his hand, sniffing wetly as he handed Taylor the dice.
Taylor took the dice and shook them in her hand, but then felt the tickle of an impending sneeze blossomed teasingly in the back of her nose and her breath hitching softly "Hhehh...snfl... Hhehh'tchiihew!" She turned around sneezing wetly into her elbow, the sound echoing softly in the room. She sniffled and wiped her nose with the crumpled tissues she was holding before throwing the dice onto the board.
"Bless you, love," Joe said, reaching out to stroke her hair. Taylor gave him a weak smile, sniffling again.
"Thadk you," she said, her voice nasal and stuffy. She moved her piece on the board, then leaned back against the couch, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders. "Your turd."
Joe picked up the dice and rolled them, moving his piece several spaces. "Yes! Park Place!" he exclaimed, sniffing as he adjusted his game money. "Snff, thidgs are lookig up for me." He grinned at Taylor, who couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"It's dot fair," she grumbled, her voice congested. "I keep.. snghf… landig on your properties. Snff." She looked down at the board, realizing she had very little money left. "Okay, mby turd," she said with a determined sniffle.
Taylor rolled the dice, and her heart sank as she landed on one of Joe's properties again. "Oh, combe on! Snff..." She handed over her remaining money to Joe, who accepted it with a smug smile.
"Looks like I'm winnidg," Joe said, his voice teasing. "Snff. Your bad luck is mby good luck, babe."
Taylor pouted, crossing her arms. "I hate losidg," she mumbled, her voice filled with frustration. "This is ndot goihg well for mbe at all."
Joe picked up the dice and rolled them, but before he could move his piece, he felt a tickle in his nose. He tried to ignore it, but it quickly grew stronger, his breath hitching. " “Hehh...ehhhhh...ehhESHOOooo!!!” He sneezed openly into his lap, not having time to cover his mouth, the damp spray lightly misting the board game.
Taylor giggled softly, reaching for a tissue and handing it to him. "Bless you, baby," she said, still smiling.
Joe blushed, taking the tissue and wiping his nose. "Sorry 'bout that," he mumbled, giving his nose a wet, gruggly blow that did little to clear his congestion. Joe moved his game piece, his eyes narrowing suspiciously as Taylor rolled the dice and made her move. "Wait a sec...snff...are you cheadig?" he asked, his voice playfully accusing he noticed the suspicious move.
Taylor's eyes widened innocently. "Mbe? Of course dot! Snfff," she protested, but the hint of a smile betrayed her.
Joe raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh, sure. I saw you moving your piece."
Taylor giggled, leaning in closer to him giving his cheek a sweet little kiss "Okay, maybe I did... snff... just a little," she admitted. She gave him a pouty face, her lower lip jutting out slightly as she whined, "I just hate losidg so buch! Snff. I don't have ady mbore mboney left." She pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. "Cad you forgibe mbe ad give mbe a free pass? Pleeease?" She kissed him again, this time on the lips, her breath coming in soft, congested puffs against his mouth.
Joe couldn't help but laugh, dropping his arms around her neck. “Okay, okay” he said, pressing a kiss to her lips. “You’re too cute to say ndo to.”
Taylor continued to pout, pressing sweet kisses happily into his face. "Thadk you, thadk you, thadk you."
As they kissed, he could feel her nose was dripping slightly. Pulling back with a tender smile, he reached for a tissue from the box on the coffee table “Combe here, love” He gently cupped her face in his hand, his thumb brushing against her cheek. and gently wiped the glistening pink underside of his girlfriend's runny nose "There, all better" he said, his voice full of affection as he gave the tip of her nose a soft kiss, smiling at her.
“Ughhh, sorry, snff…snnf!” Taylor´s cheeks turned bright red as she leaned back, away from his touch. “This is sooo ndot sexy, snghrff” she mumbled, hiding her face behind her hands in embarrassment, sniffling congestedly.
Joe shook his head, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “I love you baby, snff, I dod't mind wipidg your dose for you,” he said, kissing her forehead, chuckling as he watched her hiding behind her hands "You're adorable."
“Well I… snghhf… I dod´t feel very cute right.. hHhh” Joe could feel the tremble that ran through Taylor's body when she sucked in another deep breath, pinching her wadded tissue firmly to wet nose again. “Hhuh...hhahESHoo!!! Snfl.” She sniffled and wiped her wet nose on the soggy remains of the tissue, which was far too soaked now to hold up to another blow. “Bless you,” Joe murmured again, leaning in and kissing his girlfriend's warm temple. “Ughhh. I'mb so gross,” Taylor sighed, dropping her forehead down on Joe´s shoulder as her head spun with dizziness.
Joe shook his head, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “You're ndot gross, baby,” he said softly. “You're jusd sick. Add you dod't need to be embarrassed, especially sindce I'mb in the sambe boat.” He kissed her forehead reassuringly.
She smiled back at her boyfriend, pressing a small kiss on his shoulder "Do you wandt more tea? Snff”
Joe nodded, squeezing her hand. "I'll get it. You stay here. Snff. Besides, I need to stadd up for a minute." As he made his way to the kitchen, he could feel his nose starting to run again. "Huhh...HAAH-CHOO!" he sneezed loudly, the sound echoing through the house.
"Bless you!" Taylor called from the couch, her voice filled with warmth.
Joe chuckled, sniffling as he reached the kitchen. He put the kettle on and prepared two mugs with tea bags, feeling the tickle in his nose intensify. "Huhh... snfl... HHEHT'CHOO! HHEHT'CHOO!" He turned around and sneezed again, quickly grabbing a tissue to wipe his nose. "Ugh, snghf... damdit..." he muttered, his voice heavy with congestion.
When the tea was ready, Joe carefully placed the mugs on a tray and made his way back to the living room. A few feet away from the couch, he felt his nose start to run, causing a tickle to spark and make his breath hitch. “Huhh... snff... Huhh...” He tried to sniffle, but a trickle of snot was already dripping down his nose, making it itch. He stopped in his tracks, breath hitching, nose scrunched up and running, eyes closed. ""Hehh snff.. Snff! Hehh.. HehhEHCHOOoo!!.. snff.. HuhhAHCHOOoo!!” He sneezed all over the tray.
Taylor looked up and giggled softly. "Bless you, love," she said, getting up to help him with the tray. "Here, let mbe take that."
Joe handed her the tray, sniffling loudly. "Thadks...snff...sorry for... Heh...hehh...hehhESHshoo!!! Snrfl..." he sneezed again, not having time to cover.
Taylor handed him a couple of tissues, pressing them into his hand. "God bless you” she said, rubbing his back soothingly. “ Combe here baby, sngff…You must be gettihg a chill,” she said, rubbing her hands up and down his back to warm him up as he kept blowing his nose.
Joe blew his nose vigorously, the sound wet and gurgly. “Sorry for sneezing all over your tea,” he said, his voice still thick with congestion.
Taylor shook her head, a soft smile on her lips. “Well, I’mb sorry for sdeezidg all over you and gettidg you sick id the first place,” she replied.
“I´mb dot” He said, smiling sympathetically and reaching out to stroke Taylor´s hair. “I'mb spendig a few days in bed with mby girlfriend-- that's, like, all we ever talk about, baby. Snfff. Just a few days for us, ndot workig, ndot travelig, just, snff, stayig id bed cuddling together.” Joe rubbed and wiped at his nose with the side of his wrist, sniffling several times in rapid succession in an attempt to quell the blossoming itch inside his head.
“I love you, baby” Taylor leaned in to kiss him, then leaning back into his arms and sighing contently. After all, he was right. They had been working non-stop for the last couple of months, always on the go, squeezing rushing days to see each other in between work commitments. So if this meant they get to slow down for a little bit, she was glad they could be together.
Hi! I decided to make some changes into this story. Please let me know what you think! If you have any comments or requests, feel free to send them to me!
Hope you enojy this!
Travis and Taylor arrived in Las Vegas with a sense of excitement and anticipation. The bright lights of the city welcomed them, casting a glamorous glow over their weekend plans. Travis had been invited to a prestigious golf game by a prominent business brand, making this trip more than just a getaway—it was a crucial networking opportunity. Taylor was thrilled to join him, eager to see him shine in his element.
As they pulled up to the golf course, they could see a small group of people waiting for them. Everyone got closer to greet them, shaking hands with his partners, Travis looked at Taylor with a hand on her back "Guys, this is Taylor, my partner" he said, smiling warmly.
Taylor shook hands with each person, flashing her bright smile. "It's great to meet you all," she said, her eyes sparkling with warmth and friendliness.
--
The morning on the golf course was beautiful. The sun shone brightly, casting a golden hue over the green expanse. Taylor watched Travis play, her heart swelling with pride as he skillfully maneuvered his way through the game, making impressive shots and charming his companions with his easy-going nature. She walked beside him, chatting with his colleagues and enjoying the fresh air.
However, as the day wore on, the weather took a turn. The once warm breeze turned chilly, and Taylor, dressed in a summer dress, felt the cold biting through her clothes. She rubbed her arms briskly but kept her smile intact, not wanting to dampen Travis's spirits or distract him from the game. She hadn´t thought of bringing a sweater, and was quickly regretting it as she felt another shiver run down her spine.
By the afternoon, the wind had picked up, sending a persistent chill through the air. Taylor’s nose had begun to run, and she felt stuffy. She instinctively reached for her purse, hoping to find a tissue, but she sighed defeatedly when she couldn´t find any. She had no choice but to keep sniffling and wiping her nose on her wrist. Despite her discomfort, she kept a smile on her face, cheering Travis on and engaging in conversation with his colleagues.
During a short break, Taylor moved closer to Travis, seeking warmth from his embrace. "Hey," she said, hugging him tightly.
Travis hugged her back, feeling her shivering. He heard her sniffles and looked at her with concern. "Are you okay, babe?" he asked, rubbing her back gently.
"Snff... Yeah! Snff... just chilly," Taylor replied, trying to sound upbeat as she wiped her nose with her fingers.
"Do you want to go wait for me in the clubhouse?" Travis asked, his brow furrowed with worry. “It´ll be warmer in there” He rubbed her back gently.
Taylor shook her head. "No, I want to watch you play. You’re doing great," she said, giving him a reassuring smile.
Travis kissed the top of her head, rubbing her arms for a few more seconds before he had to return to the game.
The wind picked up, making her shiver. She tried to stay cheerful, but it was becoming harder to ignore the cold and her increasingly stuffy nose.
“Hhh...hhih...hhetxchew!! Snfl,” she sneezed, catching the attention of some of the others.
“Bless you,” said one of Travis’s partners, a friendly woman named Janet.
“Thanks,” Taylor replied, sniffling embarrassed and pinching her nose with her fingers, trying to stop her tickly nose for good.
--
The game finally ended, and they said their goodbyes to everyone, making their way back to the hotel to change for dinner. As they walked to the car, Taylor’s nose was all pink and stuffy, and she was sniffling continuously. They got into the car, and Taylor immediately turned on the heat, sighing with relief as the warmth enveloped her.
"Ughh…I can’t wait to get to the hotel and take a hot shower," Taylor said, her voice congested, as she rubbed her hands trying to warm them up a little bit.
Travis looked at her with a guilty expression. "You should’ve gone to the clubhouse instead of standing in the cold. I hadn’t realized you were freezing," he said, regret evident in his tone.
"I just wanted to see you play," Taylor replied, but a sneeze interrupted her. "Huhhh... hehhh... heht’SHOO! Snff..."
"Bless you," Travis said, reaching over to the glove box. "There should be some tissues in here."
Taylor took the tissues gratefully and blew her stuffy nose. "Snff... Ugh, that’s better," she sighed, feeling some relief. She had been needing to blow her nose for hours now.
Travis looked at her again, rubbing her shoulder. "Are you getting sick?" he asked gently.
"No, I’m fine," Taylor assured him, giving her nose one last wipe. "My nose is just runny from being out in the cold."
They continued talking on the way back to the hotel, discussing the people they had met and the conversations they had. Travis had a knack for making connections, and Taylor loved listening to him recount his interactions.
--
As they reached their hotel room, Travis opened the door, letting Taylor in first. As soon as she stepped inside, she sneezed again. “Huhhh... hehhh... heht’SHOO! Hheh... hehh... hheh’CHSHOO!!” She sneezed into the ball of used tissues she held in her hand.
"Bless you," Travis said, kissing her head and rubbing her back. "Go take a warm shower. It’ll help."
Taylor nodded and headed to the bathroom. The hot shower did wonders for her, the steam clearing her runny nose and providing much-needed relief. The warm water felt heavenly, and she stayed in the shower for a long time, letting the heat seep into her cold bones and clear her runny nose. When she finally emerged, wrapped in a towel, she felt much better. She entered the bedroom, where Travis was waiting for her.
"Feeling better?" he asked, hugging her as she leaned into his embrace.
"Yeah, much better," Taylor replied, breathing deeply and feeling content wrapped up in his strong arms. "What time do we have to go out?"
"In about an hour," Travis said, watching her with a tender smile. "We should start getting ready."
He came out from the bathroom and sat on the bed to put on his shoes, but stopped watching her as she got ready. Taylor was sitting on the desk table at the end of the room and he could watch her reflection in the mirror as she put on her make up. He watched lovingly how she carefully applied her eyeliner, her hand steady and precise. He loved watching her get ready, the way she concentrated so intently, the small furrow in her brow as she focused. Every detail of her face was etched in his memory, and he never got tired of looking at her.
He noticed how she paused, her eyes closing and her breath hitching before she sneezed again. “Aaah...snfl...ahhit'chhew!!!”
"Bless you," Travis said, walking over to her. "Are you sure you want to go out tonight?"
"Yeah, of course!" Taylor replied, though her voice was slightly congested. “It´ll be fun!”
Travis came closer, a playful smile on his lips. "You know? I can think of better things we could be doing tonight if we stayed here," he said, wrapping his arms around her.
"Oh, really?" Taylor replied with a teasing smile. "What kind of things?"
"Something like this," Travis murmured, kissing her shoulder. "Or this," he added, leaving a trail of small kisses all over her neck, face, and lips. "And this," he whispered, kissing the perfect spot behind her ear that he knew made her weak.
Taylor sighed contentedly, running her fingers through his hair. "This is nice," she said softly.
Their kisses deepened, and they got lost in each other. "There's no way we’re going out tonight," Travis murmured between kisses.
Taylor giggled, "We’re gonna be late," she said, though she didn’t really make any attempts to stop him.
“Don´t care” He mumbled into her neck.
They continued making out for a few more minutes, but when Taylor felt they were getting more heated, she finally leaned back, giving him one last kiss. "Baby... we have to go."
They finished changing, and Travis asked Taylor for help with his tie. She came closer to help him, but a now familiar tickle sparked in her nose. She sniffled as she tried to keep tying his tie, but the tickle grew stronger. "Excuse mbe... hehh... heht’CHOO! Snff!" She turned around to sneeze into her elbow.
"Bless you, baby," Travis said, watching her with concern.
"Sorry," Taylor mumbled, finishing with his tie. “There… snff” She said rubbing her nose, “You look great, babe”. She stepped back a little bit to look at him, smiling as she watched her boyfriend´s final look.
"Thank you, baby. You look beautiful," Travis said, complimenting her. Taylor came closer once again, standing in her tiptoes to plant a small kiss into his lips.
“You ready?” He asked her and they grabbed all their stuff and headed off to the car.
--
They arrived to the fancy restaurant where Travis’s business manager and some other brand partners were waiting for them for dinner. As they arrived, Travis introduced Taylor to everyone, and they settled in for dinner.
"Taylor, this is Mike, my business manager," Travis said, gesturing to a tall man with a friendly smile. "And this is Sarah, from the brand team."
"It’s nice to meet you both," Taylor said, shaking their hands.
Dinner went well. Travis was his usual charming self, engaging in interesting conversations and making everyone laugh. Taylor, however, was quieter than usual, her constant sniffles making her feel self-conscious. She laughed at Travis’s jokes and made small comments, but she wasn’t her usual bubbly self. She could feel her nose running non-stop, and she discreetly sniffled and wiped it, not wanting to blow her nose in front of everyone.
"Taylor, how are you finding Vegas?" one of the partners, Blake, asked.
"It’s amazing," Taylor replied with a smile. "I´m so glad we came."
"It really is," Sarah agreed. "Have you two had a chance to explore much?"
"Not yet," Taylor said. "But we’re hoping to see more tomorrow."
As dinner wrapped up, Mike suggested they all go to a bar for drinks. "What do you say, Travis? Want to join us?"
Travis glanced at Taylor, noticing her glassy eyes and pink nose. "I think we’ll pass tonight. It’s been a long day," he said, giving a polite smile.
Taylor looked up at him, surprised but secretly relieved. She felt stuffy, her nose hadn’t stopped running all day, and she was dying for a minute to blow her nose.
"Alright, maybe next time," Mike said, giving them a friendly nod.
They said their goodbyes and stepped outside, the cool night air hitting them. Taylor shivered, stopping in her tracks as a dazed look came over her. "Hhut'chshh!! Snfl....Hhehishh!!!" She sneezed into her hands.
"Bless you," Travis said, taking off his jacket and putting it around her shoulders.
"Thandk you," Taylor said, smiling up at him.
"Why didn’t you want to go to the bar?" she asked, curious. "It seemed like fun."
"I thought we could use the early night," Travis said, kissing her cheek. "You seem tired."
Taylor looked at him, surprised. He was never one to decline a night out, especially in Las Vegas. "Oh, are you sure? Snff.. I'mb finde if you wadt to go out for a bit, babe."
Travis kissed her cheek again. "We can go out another night. Let’s just go to bed early tonight."
They continued walking, but as they reached the car, Taylor sneezed again. “Aaah...snfl...ahhit'chhew!!!”
"Bless you, baby," Travis said, rubbing her back.
"Snfff.. ugh.. snff!.. I thidk I'mb gettidg sick… snff!" Taylor said defeatedly.
Travis kissed her forehead, caressing her cheek. "Yeah, I think you are, love. Let’s just go to the hotel and order some tea and tissues for you, okay?"
Taylor smiled happily. "Okay."
They finally got into the car and drove back to the hotel, the warmth of the car soothing Taylor’s chills.
--
Back in their room, Travis had ordered tea and extra tissues while Taylor changed into her pajamas. She blew her nose loudly, finally able to relieve some of the congestion. Travis handed her a steaming cup of tea and sat beside her on the bed.
"Here you go, love," he said, rubbing her back.
"Thadks, snff," she said, taking a sip. "This is good."
Travis smiled, pulling her close. "I'm sorry you got sick baby."
"It's ndot your fault," Taylor said, snuggling into his chest. "I had fun today."
"Thank you for coming, I really appreciate it," he replied, kissing the top of her head. "I love you."
"I love you too," she murmured, her eyes closing as she finally relaxed into his arms.
--
Taylor woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the faint hum of traffic outside their hotel room. She lay in bed, savoring the warmth of the blankets and the comforting presence of Travis beside her. His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her close. She wanted to go back to sleep; but now that she was awake, she couldn't ignore the dull pounding in her temples or the raw ache in the back of her throat. She shifted a little and felt a wave of congestion hit her, her nose was completely stuffed up. She tried to breathe through her nose, but it was no use. A deep, throaty cough escaped her lips, and she winced at the sound.
Travis stirred beside her, he tightened his grip around her and kissed the top of her head. "Good morning, beautiful," Travis mumbled into her hair, his voice thick with sleep.
"Good bordig," Taylor replied, her voice thick with congestion. She sniffled quietly, snuggling closer to his chest.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, his fingers gently tracing patterns on her arm.
"I'b feelig better," Taylor lied, forcing a smile. She felt him pressing a kiss into her forehead while mumbling a quiet “That´s nice” into her hair, with his eyes still closed, not ready to wake up yet. “Did you sleeb okay?” She asked, nose pressed again his chest.
"Like a rock," Travis chuckled lightly. He stretched his arms and yawned, then asked, "What time is it?"
"Just after eight, snff" Taylor said, glancing at the clock on the bedside table. "Should we start gettidg ready?"
Travis looked at her with a mixture of concern and affection. "Are you sure you want to go out today? You don’t sound too good."
"I'b just stuffy, sniff.." Taylor insisted. "It's fide."
Travis propped himself up on one elbow to look at her. He gently kissed her forehead and asked again, "Are you sure?" He then pushed her onto her back, leaning down on top of her and dropping kisses all over her neck. "We could spend all day here in bed," he murmured between kisses “We don´t have to get up”
Taylor enjoyed the sensation, humming softly at how nice it felt. She could feel his light kisses along her neck, causing her to shiver pleasantly. She opened her eyes, one hand instantly going to the back of his head. "Hmm, snff… I really wadt to go out ahd see the city." As she spoke, Travis continued to kiss her repeatedly, his lips trailing from her neck to her collarbone. Taylor felt her nose start to run and a light tickle spark in her nose. She sighed contently as he pressed another kiss behind her ear, and then her eyes fluttered slightly as a faint, teasing tickle ghosted across the back of her nose and eyes. She sniffled softly, feeling the niggling itch of wet, drippy discharge beginning to trickle from deep inside her head down through her nostrils “Snff… Snrff” She sniffled once more and tried to push him back a little, but he kept on kissing her neck. “Trav, I… hh..” Her breath started to hitch, and she mumbled his name as she felt the inevitable sneezes coming on. “I... hh... hehh... Hih’CHOO! Hhh’tchiew!" She tried to turn away and cover, but wasn't entirely successful.
Travis laughed softly, his tone teasing. "Oh yeah, you definitely sound better," he said sarcastically.
"Sorry," Taylor mumbled embarrassed, rubbing her leaky nose firmly against the back of her wrist with a deep, long sniffle.
Travis leaned over to the bedside table and grabbed a few tissues. "Here," he said, handing them to her. "Are you sure you're okay, baby?" Travis brushed a strand of hair from her face, his eyes filled with concern as he watched her rubbing her nose against her tissues. "We don't have to go out if you're not feeling well."
"Id's just a cold, snff" Taylor assured him, blowing her nose loudly and then sniffling. "I'b fide, just a stuffy nose."
Travis watched her for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, then" he said, planting one more kiss against her bangs and getting up. "Let's go”
--
As they got ready, Taylor did her best to hide how miserable she felt. She showered quickly, hoping the steam would clear her sinuses, but it barely made a difference. Every time she blew her nose, it seemed to fill right back up again. She cursed her body for betraying her on what was supposed to be a fun weekend. She put on some make up to make herself look a little bit more presentable, she dabbed concealer under her eyes to hide the dark circles and applied a bit of blush to bring some color to her pale cheeks.
Travis, having now finished his shower, stepped out of the bathroom just in time to watch his girlfriend freeze in front of the mirror. The blonde girl had an unfocused, spacey expression on her face, one hand hovering a few inches in front of her mouth. “Hh-hhih...” Taylor huffed softly, pushing the tip of her finger up against the bottom of her nose as it quivered and flexed open a few times, eyes closing helplessly in submission. “Hhh...hheh'chhhx!! Snfl...” Taylor sneezed breathlessly; two fingers squished against the underside of her nostrils as she doubled over in the middle of the bedroom.
"Bless you!" he called out warmly from the bathroom door.
Taylor chuckled softly, rubbing her nose into a fresh tissue. "Thadks, babe."
Travis watched her closely. He could see the signs of her sickness—her red, chapped nose, the way she kept sniffling, the tired look in her eyes—but he didn't want to push her. He knew how stubborn she could be and didn´t wanna argue with her, he figured they could visit some museums and art galleries, just walking around for a bit wouldn´t make any harm. "You look beautiful, babe" he said, leaning in to kiss her forehead.
"Thangks!" Taylor replied, a small blush tinting her cheeks. She cleared her throat and forced another smile. "You ready?" He nodded while grabbing his wallet and his cellphone.
"Do you want to grab some breakfast before we head out?" Travis asked, as Taylor finished doing her hair.
"Yeah, that souds great," Taylor replied, trying to sound enthusiastic despite her stuffy nose. "Snff! Let's go."
They left their hotel room and stepped into the elevator, making small talk as they descended. The elevator door opened on another floor, and a couple stepped in. Taylor could feel their eyes on her and Travis, they kept staring at them not so discreetly, clearly recognizing them but saying nothing.
As the elevator descended further, Taylor felt a tickle inside her nose. She tried to rub it away discreetly, not wanting to sneeze in the small, crowded space. She sniffled congestedly, trying to hold back, but the tickle persisted. Finally, unable to suppress it any longer, she turned to the side and pinched her nose in between two fingers.
"Hhh...hih’Ngxt! Snfl…" Taylor stifled the sneeze as best as she could, but the force of it made her sniffle again immediately after.
Travis rubbed Taylor’s back soothingly. "Bless you, love," he said softly.
Taylor’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she noticed the other woman in the elevator give her a disapproving side-eye and roll her eyes exaggeratedly, clearly annoyed by the perceived germs.
"Thank you," Taylor murmured, feeling awkward under the woman's gaze.
Travis gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and leaned in closer to her as the elevator doors opened with a ding, and Travis grabbed her hand pulling her out and leading her into the lobby.
They headed to a nearby café, the morning sun shining brightly, the heat hit them immediately, making Taylor feel slightly better as the warmth soothed her chills.
The café was cozy, with a quaint, inviting atmosphere. They found a quiet table at the back and sat down. Taylor immediately felt a blast of cold air from the air conditioner vent above her, sending a shiver down her spine. She sniffled, trying to ignore it and grabbed the menu sitting in front of her.
After a few minutes, she slowly raised her free hand back to her face, hovering an inch or so in front of her nose and mouth as her breath huffed softly in her chest. "Hh...hih...hhet'CHOO! Hhh...hihh...hhet'CHSHOO!" She sneezed into her elbow, then quickly grabbed a tissue to blow her nose, the sound congested and wet. "Ugh... snnf... sorry."
"Bless you” Travis said, glancing up from his menu. He looked up and noticed the air conditioner blowing directly into her back “Baby, you´re sitting right under the vent. Do you want to switch places?"
Taylor shook her head. "I'mb finde here."
"I don't mind switching," Travis insisted. "It can´t be good for you to sit there with the cold air blowing on your neck."
"I'mb really okay," Taylor said, trying to reassure him. "Snff... So, what are our plans for today?" Taylor asked, but then her eyes snapped shut again and she turned away from the table with another stuffy sneeze "Huhhh... hehh... heht'SHOO! Sniff...” Travis gave her a pointed look, and Taylor laughed, despite her discomfort. "Okay, okay... Can we switch? I'mb freezig over here."
Travis smiled and got up, switching places with her. "There, that's better."
"Thadk you," Taylor said, feeling a bit more comfortable now.
"I was thinking we could check out some of the art galleries you wanted to see and maybe do a bit of shopping," Travis suggested. "How does that sound?"
"That´s perfect," Taylor replied, smiling at her boyfriend. She rubbed the side of her hand against the wet underside of her nose, feeling her breath catch and her eyes snap shut. “Huhh-tchhh! Ahhhh…ahhchiiew!” Taylor buried her face in her elbow with two damp sneezes, turning away from Travis as her shoulders bobbed forward helplessly. "Snff... Excuse be," she muttered, sniffling stuffily as she grabbed her purse to look for a new tissue.
"Bless you," Travis said gently. "Are you sure you’re okay?"
“Trav, I´mb fide” the blonde girl groaned, rolling her eyes for good measure as she gave her nose another wipe “It´s just a cold, I´ve told you”
“Okay, okay. I´m sorry” He raised his hands in apology, smiling sheepishly at his girlfriend, making her shake her head and smile back at him.
They ordered their food, and soon, plates of breakfast delights were set before them. Taylor had ordered a fruit parfait, but as she ate, she realized she wasn't enjoying it as much as she thought she would. Her congestion made everything taste bland.
Travis noticed her picking at her food. "Not hungry?" he asked.
"I just... dod't really like this, snnnf" Taylor admitted. "I should've ordered what you got."
Travis smiled and pushed his plate of scrambled eggs towards her. "Here, have some of mine. We can share."
Taylor hesitated but then took a bite. "This is really good. Thadk you."
"You're welcome," Travis said warmly.
They finished their food and had already decided all their plans for the day, so they headed out to explore the city. As they walked along the Strip, Taylor marveled at the vibrant energy of the city. Neon signs flashed, music played from every direction, and the streets were bustling with people.
The first gallery they visited was quiet and serene, with soft classical music playing in the background. The quietness of the gallery made Taylor feel even more self-conscious of her constant sniffles. The quiet atmosphere made her feel like every sound she made was amplified, and she didn´t want her sneezes echoing through the whole place, disturbing everyone´s peace.
"Hnn’CHoo! Hih’gnxt!" She pinched her nose into her tissues as her shoulders bobbed forward helplessly. She immediately gave her runny nose another swipe on her soggy tissues, sniffling softly.
"Bless you," Travis whispered, rubbing her shoulder.
"Thagks, snff... sorry," Taylor mumbled, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
"Don’t worry about it," Travis said, giving her a reassuring smile and putting his hand on her back, guiding her to the next room.
“Snff..snrff!” She sighed, dabbing at her nose with the crumpled tissue she had in her hand. She reached into her purse for a new one to blow her nose into, only to find that she just had a few more left. She cursed herself, they had been out for a bit more than an hour and she was already almost out of tissues. She wiped her nose and saved the soggy paper in her pocket, knowing she was going to need it again soon.
After they left the gallery, they walked around the city, visiting various shops and sights. The constant temperature changes—from the scorching heat outside to the freezing air conditioning inside—were taking a toll on Taylor. She felt her symptoms worsening, her nose constantly running and her head throbbing, and she felt a constant tickle in her throat that made her want to cough.
“Oh, there´s the Mob Museum” Travis pointed out exited as they walked out of a store hand in hand “Sarah was talking about it last night”
Taylor nodded, squeezing his hand. "Oh yeah, I remember. Let´s go in!"
As they walked, Taylor tried to keep up with Travis’s enthusiastic pace, but the sun had made her feel dizzy, and her nose was constantly running. She kept dabbing at it with the tissues she had brought from the hotel, but they had quickly become soggy and unusable. She clearly should´ve brought more.
They wandered through the museum, admiring the art. Taylor tried to focus on the exhibits, but her head was throbbing and she truly didn´t feel great. The air conditioning blasting in the museum wasn´t helping either. She was freezing even with her sweater on.
"Snff... snff..." Taylor tried to discreetly sniffle. She was all stuffed up. Her nose was running non-stop, and she had to keep dabbing at it with her soggy tissues, sniffling and rubbing her nose on her wrist to hold back the congested tickle that kept welling up.
"Are you cold?" Travis asked, noticing her shiver.
"Yeah, it's the AC," Taylor replied, wrapping her arms around her chest. "Itd's freezidg id here."
“Come here” Travis mumbled, pulling her closer and rubbing his hand up and down her arm to try and warm her up.
"Oh my God, Tay look at this," Travis said, pointing to the other side of the room, walking excitedly. "This is Al Capone's cell. It's so small."
Taylor tried to smile, though it was getting harder to remember why she was hiding her current state from her boyfriend, following him around Vegas all day when she could be snuggled in bed with a fresh box of tissues next to her. She was woozy and exhausted and shivering with chills, her head was still pounding, her throat ached; and she was too embarrassed to blow her runny nose in the middle of the museum, leaving her sniffling and wiping away wet trickles of snot with her last, crumpled tissue every few minutes.
"Can you imagine living in a space like that?" Travis mused, shaking his head.
Taylor peered at the exhibit, her eyes watering slightly from the effort of holding back a sneeze. "Yeah, it's really tihh... snff... Hhh'hichiew! Snfl." Taylor shivered a little when she sneezed, her blonde hair splaying across her face as her shoulders jerked and her body bent double. "God bless you," Travis cooed sweetly, rubbing Taylor´s back as a round of raspy coughing followed after her helplessly wet sneeze.
“You good, baby?” He rubbed her back gently as she caught her breath with one more sniffle.
“Yeah… snfffl.. sorry” Taylor sighed miserably and gave her nose one more wipe.
They moved from exhibit to exhibit, but Taylor was barely paying attention to the museum. She was feeling gross and was exhausted, but couldn´t bare to ask him to leave when he seemed so happy to be there.
"Look at this," Travis said, pointing to a picture as he took out his iPhone to take a photo. "Isn't it amazing?"
“Uhh...snfl...uh-huh,” Taylor nodded, still staring off into space as her eyes narrowed involuntarily, and her delicate pink nostrils began to quiver and flare. “Hh... snfl... hhuh'tchxiew!!! Heh'iishew!!” Taylor sneezed desperately into the soggy remains of her tissue, cringing with embarrassment at the feeling of snot hitting the palms of her hands and quickly turning away from Travis and getting another crumpled tissue from her pocket. It wasn´t much, but at least she could clean herself up.
A grown man turned around and offered her a kind smile. "Bless you," he said gently.
"Thandks," Taylor murmured quietly, her face burning with embarrassment as she wiped her nose again and avoided lifting her eyes and making eye contact. She felt Travis wrap his arm around her shoulder pulling her closer and kissing the side of her head. She leaned into his body as they walked together into the next room.
They finally left the museum a few minutes later, the warmth of the sun felt good against Taylor’s cold skin, but it did little to alleviate her symptoms. They headed to a nearby restaurant for a quick lunch. The waitress led them to a table and Taylor excused herself to the restroom.
In the privacy of the bathroom, she could finally allow herself to blow her nose properly, the sound loud and wet. "Snff... Ugh," she groaned, looking at her reflection in the mirror. Her nose was red and irritated, her cheeks were flushed and she looked exhausted. She leaned against the bathroom wall and closed her eyes for a few seconds. She felt utterly miserable.
When she returned to the table, Travis had already ordered some drinks. "Got us some water," he said, smiling gently. "Do you want to share a sandwich?" Travis asked, looking through the menu. "Or maybe a soup would be better for you?"
"Thank you," Taylor said, grateful for his thoughtfulness. She took a sip, the cold drink soothing her irritated throat. “I thidk I´mb in the mood for sombe pasta… Snff” Taylor sniffled, her nose feeling congested once again and she sighed, she took one napkin from the table and pinched it around her nose. "Snff... Baby, I’mb sorry, but could we... snff… stob for mbore tissues after this? I’mb runnidg out."
Travis reached across the table, taking her hand. "Of course, Tay. Don’t be sorry. We’ll get you whatever you need. Do you want us to go back?" He asked her, watching her as she dabbed her damp nose in the napkin.
“No, no. I´mb fine. I just need sombe more tissues ahd I´ll be all right”. She looked at him with a smile.
They ordered their lunch, with Taylor struggling to eat much. Her throat was scratchy, and she could barely taste anything. They chatted about everything they had seen today, watching the pictures they had taken and taking notes on their favorite spots.
Travis watched concerned as she picked around her food- He could tell she wasn´t feeling great at all, and he couldn´t understand why she didn´t just tell him, he had already offered to go back to the hotel multiple times through the day and she had insisted she was fine. But looking at his girlfriend sitting in front of him; shivering with her red nose; glassy eyes and flushed cheeks, he knew she was clearly not okay.
"I was thinking we could check out the High Roller after this," he suggested, showing her a photo of the giant ferris wheel, "And maybe hit the casino later tonight? There´s also that circus Mike mentioned yesterday, that seemed awesome" Travis continued, his tone teasing.
"Yeah... that souhds good," Taylor said, forcing a smile. Though just the thought of going into a ferris wheel right now made her head spin.
Travis chuckled softly, noticing her forced enthusiasm. "Really? Because there’s also that zip-lining place we talked about, or we could go see a show. Maybe even hit up a few more bars."
Taylor's eyes widened slightly at the long list, too tired to even notice Travis was playing with her "Umb, sure, that all souds good, snff."
Travis leaned back in his chair, laughing at his stubborn girlfriend. "Tay, come on!"
“What?” She looked up at him surprised by his reaction “We can do whatever you wadt, baby… snff… It all souds fun”
"Whatever I want? Really?" Travis asked, "Because what I really want is for my girlfriend to tell me honestly when she's feeling sick, so I won't make it worse by dragging her around town all day."
"Trav, I...uhh..." Taylor´s expression slid slightly out of focus, and a little crinkle appeared between her eyes. Travis instantly recognized her girlfriend's woozy, gonna-sneeze expression (the last time he'd seen it had been maybe ten minutes ago). Eyes narrowed, Taylor slowly raised her free hand back to her face, hovering an inch or so in front of her nose and mouth as her breath huffed softly in her chest. "Hht'chhihew!!! Snfl," The blonde girl shivered visibly as she pitched forward and caught the wet sneeze in her hands in midair. "Ughh. Excuse mbe," she sighed, sniffling wetly as she wiped the glistening underside of her nose on the back of her hand.
“Bless you, baby” He sighed, passing her a few more napkins as she sniffled “How about we go back to the hotel, put on some pajamas, get in bed, put on a movie and order some room service?" He smiled gently as she wiped her nose.
“That actually does soud abazidg” Taylor sighed, a tiny, unwilling smile tugging on the corner of her mouth. “I´mb sorry, baby. I didn´t wadt to ruidn our trip”
Travis reached out, taking her hands in his. "You're not ruining anything, love. I just want you to feel better.” He kissed the back of her hand. “Come on, let’s head back now”
--
The elevator doors closed behind her and Travis just smiled at the woman standing right in front of him as he guided her with his hands on her shoulders. He opened the suite with a magnetic key card, letting Taylor enter their hotel suite first. He closed the door behind them, and watched as Taylor made her way to the little night stand in the bedroom and to grab a tissue from the box that had been sitting there since last night, pinching her nose snugly in the fresh tissue with a deep breath like she was going to sneeze—but then it passed, and she sighed again, rubbing her damp nose through the fabric.
Before attempting to take off his shoes, he picked up the phone next to the tv remote, pressing a button. Taylor looked up at him confused, still trying to find the pack of advil that she had gotten last night. She poured herself a glass of water and swallowed two pills, hoping they could help her throbbing head.
“Hi, I’m calling from room 412. I would like to order some room service.”
She heard him say into the phone as she changed into some more comfortable clothes, and looked up smiling thankfully at him. Of course he would make sure she got everything she could possibly need in this moment. She looked up at him with a grateful smile, while rubbing the snot-slicked underside of her pink nose in little circles through the tissue, in a vain attempt to scratch the tickle in her nose.
“Hh—hhih—ehhihtchiuh!! Iih'iishhew!!! Snfl...” Taylor shivered and sneezed into her tissue, pressing it firmly to the wet underside of her nose in an attempt to quell the itch there before in bloomed into another sneeze; but the woozy expression plastered to her face when she raised her head suggested otherwise. Travis talked to the man on the phone while he watched as Taylor crawled into bed, feeling utterly exhausted. He couldn’t help thinking how adorable she looked with her red nose and tousled hair, all snuggled up in the big hotel room bed.
“Okay baby, tea and tissues coming right up” He told her as he hung up the phone.
“Thadk you so buch, baby. Snff. You´re the best” She smiled at him, her knuckles rubbing her nose once more.
"Of course I am," Travis joked, climbing into bed beside her. He leaned over, showering her face with gentle kisses. "And you, my love, are not leaving this bed until you've run out of sneezes and sniffles."
Taylor giggled softly, feeling a surge of warmth and love despite her misery. "We mbight need to be here for a while, thed."
"That's perfectly fine with me," Travis said, kissing her forehead. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
Joe knocked on the hardwood door and could immediately hear the soft shuffle of feet on the other side. The door creaked open, revealing Taylor bundled in a cozy sweater, her nose red and her eyes slightly watery.
"Hey, you," Joe greeted, leaning in for a hug. He kissed her forehead softly, noting the warmth of her skin.
Taylor hugged him back tightly but soon pulled away, coughing into her elbow and then sniffling, rubbing her nose with her wrist. "Sorry, I’mb a little under the weather… snff… I thidk I’mb catchidg a cold or sobethidg… snff... snff..."
Joe rubbed her back gently, concern in his eyes. "Are you sure you want to go out? We could just stay in and watch a movie or something."
Taylor shook her head, giving him a reassuring smile despite her congested voice. "Id’s jusd sobe sdiffles... Sniffle... I’ll be fide."
She grabbed her coat, and they stepped out into the chilly air, the cool air hitting them full force as they started walking. As they walked around the park, Taylor kept sniffling stuffily between words, and wiping her nose with the back of her hand "So, how´s the movie?" she asked, her voice thick with congestion.
Joe glanced at her, smiling softly. "It was good. Busy, but good. We're wrapping up some scenes now, and it's coming together nicely. What about you?"
"Hhh...hhih...hhetxchew!! Snfl...ughh, I’ve beed doihg this the whole day... snffl." Taylor sneezed suddenly, pulling a travel pack of tissues from her purse. She dabbed at her nose, sniffling again.
Joe rubbed her arm comfortingly. "Bless you! Are you sure you don´t wanna go back? This chill can't be good for you right now."
Taylor shook her head, her voice determined despite her stuffed-up nose. "Yeah, I´mb fide.. snffl.. I wadt to get sombe coffee firshh... huhh...first... heehh...hhehiishOOoo!!! Snfl..." Another shiver ran down her spine as she pitched forward with another desperate sneeze, her hands cupped to her face. "Aahh...snfl...ahht'CHSHXT!!! ...Ughh."
“Woah.. God bless you!” Joe said rubbing his hand up and down her back as she sniffled and collected herself, as gently steered them toward a nearby coffee shop. “Let's go in and warm up a bit."
He pushed the door open and let her in first. They chose a small table in the corner, and a moment later, an old waitress came to take their order. Taylor started to speak, but a stuffy and sickly-sounding sneeze interrupted her. "Can I get a skinny carmell latte with sombe aldmond mbilk with... huhh..." Her voice turned into a breathless, hitching whisper as she squeezed the pink rims of her nostrils through the soggy tissue, eyes halfway closed. "Hhehh...snfl...ehh'chiiihew!!!"
She sneezed, and in an effort to keep from coughing, she didn’t blow her nose, which would have required a semi-deep breath. Instead, she just sniffled and massaged her nose in the damp tissue. The waitress, standing there with sympathy in her eyes, told her, "Oh my! Bless you sweetheart. That's quite the head cold you've got there! You should be tucked into bed right now."
Taylor nodded gratefully, "Exgcuse mbe.. Snffl” Taylor thanked her and finished her order, then Joe made his. Before the waitress could leave, Taylor sniffled congestedly and asked, “Cad we get sombe mbore napkings, please? snfl..." as she wiped her nose with the now very overused soggy tissue. The waitress nodded promissing she would be right back.
As they waited for their drinks, Taylor and Joe caught up on their days apart. He began to tell her stories from the movie he was filming. "So, we had this one scene where everything was supposed to go smoothly, but the props kept malfunctioning. It was hilarious. One of the guys tripped over a cable and almost took down the entire set!"
Taylor giggled, which quickly turned into a series of coughs. She sniffled wetly, reaching for her crumpled tissues. "I cad just picture that. Snff... sounds like a crazy day...snfl."
“Yeah, it was! It´s this one scene where the director wanted this dramatic rain effect. They had these huge hoses and it was just—” Joe paused, watching Taylor's eyes flutter closed again.
“Huhh… hheh… heht’CHOO! Huh… hhhehtSHOO!” Taylor sneezed into her tissue, then sniffled wetly. “Sorry, Joe. Snff. Go od...”
He smiled sympathetically. "Bless you. Anyway, the rain was more like a waterfall. The whole cast was soaked, and the director was furious because the scene wasn’t supposed to be that wet."
Taylor giggled, but it turned into a cough. She quickly covered her mouth with her tissue, then wiped her nose again. "Oh mby god! Add could you mbake it right?."
Joe chuckled. "Yeah, it was a mess. But it’ll make a great blooper reel."
Their drinks arrived, along with extra napkins. "Thagk you," she said to the waitress, who smiled kindly and walked away. Taylor grabbed a handful and blew her nose vigorously, her face scrunching up in discomfort.
“You really are having a tough time with that cold. Aren´t you?” he said gently.
Taylor wiped her nose one more time and nodded. "Yeah, I don´t kdow where id cambe fromb… snff… I was fide yesterday… Snff… I'b just glad I'b dot workidg this week."
They sat for a while longer, Taylor sneezing and sniffling, Joe talking softly about his work and making her laugh. Despite her cold, Taylor felt glad they had gone on this little date after not seeing each other for a few weeks. As she took her last sip, Joe looked at her with a gentle smile. "Ready to head home?"
Taylor nodded, sniffling again. He signaled for the waitress to bring them the bill. She walked over with a warm smile.
"Here's your bill, dears," she said, placing it on the table.
As Joe pulled out his wallet, Taylor's breath hitched again. "Huhh... huhh... HUH’ISHHOO! Snfl..." She quickly grabbed a napkin, blowing her nose with a grugly and stuffy sound. The waitress looked at her with sympathy.
"Bless you, sweetheart," she said, shaking her head slightly. "You really should be in bed right now, nursing that cold. And you," she turned to Joe with a mock stern look, "you better take good care of this poor thing. What were you thinking, taking her out while she's this sick?"
Joe smiled sheepishly, nodding in agreement as he handed her his card. "I know, we’re heading straight home after this.”
The waitress nodded approvingly. “Good. You make sure she’s warm and has plenty of fluids. And maybe some soup if you can manage it.” She winked at Taylor, who managed a weak smile.
“Thagk you,” Taylor said, her voice barely a whisper through her congestion.
Joe quickly paid the bill, leaving a generous tip as a token of gratitude for the waitress’s kindness. They both thanked her again and stood up to leave. Taylor making sure she grabbed a few napkins for the way home. Joe helped her with her coat, and they made their way to the door.
As Joe pushed the door open, a gust of cold air hit them, causing Taylor to shiver. Her breath hitched once more, and she sneezed violently, doubling over. “Huhhh... hehhh... heht’SHOO! Hheh... hehh... hheh’CHSHOO!!”
Joe rubbed her back soothingly as she sniffled and wiped her nose with a fresh napkin. “Bless you, Tay. Let’s get you home.”
Taylor nodded, leaning into Joe for support. They walked slowly, Joe’s arm around her shoulders, providing warmth and comfort as they made their way back to her house. "I'b really sorry for ruiding our date... snff." She told him as they walked wrapped around each other.
"Hey, you're not ruining anything," Joe reassured her, kissing the top of her head. "I just want you to feel better."
“I kdow.. I just.. Snffl.. We habe beed so busy lately ahd I wandted to.. snffl.. Uhhh...hh...hhet'tchshh!! ...Ugh, 'scuse be...hhh...hhtxchsht!!.. Snfl..”” Taylor doubled over and sneezed desperately into one hand; eyes squeezed shut. Before she'd even opened them again, she felt her boyfriend´s arm around her shoulders, and a warm kiss on her forehead. “Bless you love,” Joe murmured low in her ear, with another kiss for good measure. “Don´t worry about any of that. I´m just happy to spend time with you, I don’t care where. Come on, let's get you home.” He rubbed her back as she wiped her stuffy nose “'Kay,” Taylor agreed woozily, a weak smile spreading across her pale face as she allowed her boyfriend to steer her towards the warmth of the house.
------
Once they got home, Joe helped her out of her coat and guided her to the couch, spreading a warm blanket around her shoulders, as she reached for some tissues in the coffee table.
"How about I make you some tea?" Joe offered, heading to the kitchen.
Taylor sniffled, her voice muffled from under the tissues. "Thadk you. That sounds really good right dow."
Joe busied himself in the kitchen, soon returning with a steaming cup of tea. He handed it to Taylor, who accepted it with a grateful smile. She took a small sip, savoring the warmth.
"You really are the best," she said, her voice still thick with congestion.
Joe sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Am I?" He said playfully, leaning into her
Taylor nodded, pressing a small peck on his lips, which he eagerly returned, multiple times, making her giggle.
The living room was dimly lit, the only light coming from the TV screen as a movie played. Taylor nestled comfortably against Joe's side. She had been sniffling constantly, her nose clearly congested and runny. Every so often, she wiped her nose on her sleeve, the wet sniffling sounds becoming more frequent as the movie progressed.
The warmth and comfort of their position made it hard for her to move. "Hh...snff...Snffl..." She sniffled wetly, trying to keep her nose from dripping. Joe glanced down at her and saw her wiping her nose on her sleeve once more. He gently reached over to the table, grabbing the box of tissues. He placed it in her lap and pulled out a few tissues, handing them to her.
"Here you go, Tay" he said softly, a gentle smile on his face.
Taylor let out a small, embarrassed laugh and took the tissues. "Thadk you... sorry... snff," she mumbled, blowing her nose with a gurgling sound. She snuggled back into Joe, holding the tissues close.
They continued watching the movie, occasionally talking about the plot. Taylor couldn't help but sneeze a few more times, her nose seemingly relentless.
"Huh... HAH'tchoo! Snfl..." She sneezed into a tissue, sniffling afterward.
"Bless you, T" Joe said as the blonde girl sniffled and hitched again, raising her head woozily..
“Th-thadks,” Taylor sniffled, eyes barely open as she pressed the clean tissue firmly to her glistening nostrils, already trembling wide open again in helpless anticipation. “Uhh'tcheww!! *Snfl*...Hh—hhh—hhehiiishu!!! *Snfl,*” The blonde girl sneezed desperately, sniffled, and sneezed again, bobbing forward on the couch in helpless submission. “Ughh, snffl.. this sucks” She groaned softly, opening her bleary eyes and sniffling wetly behind the tissue, giving her nose a firm rub.
“I know baby, I´m sorry you feel bad” He tells her rubbing her back. She gives him a small smile and cuddles herself into his side again.
As the movie went on, Taylor's eyes grew heavy. She leaned more into Joe, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder. After a while, she drifted off to sleep, her breathing soft and even. He gently shifted to make her more comfortable, letting her rest peacefully against him as he watched the rest of the movie quietly, careful not to disturb her. When the credits rolled, he looked down at Taylor, who was still sound asleep.
“Tay, hey, wake up,” he whispered softly, brushing her hair back.
Taylor stirred, blinking sleepily. “Huh? Whad’s... Snff... What´s going on?”
“You fell asleep baby,” Joe said gently. “Come on, let´s go to bed.”
Taylor sleepily protested, “We cad stay here... Snff... It’s fide.” she mumbled; her voice thick with sleep.
Joe shook his head, helping her sit up. “Come on, baby, you´ll sleep better in our bed. I promise”
Taylor nodded groggily, too tired to argue and allowed Joe to help her up, and they made their way to the stairs. As they walked towards the stairs, the chilly temperature change made her nose tickle again. “Wait.. I.. huhh” She paused, her breath hitching, and she turned to sneeze into her elbow. “Huhh... hhehh... hehh’CHOO! Hhehh... hheh’TSHOO! Snff, snff...”
Joe kept a steadying hand on her back. “Bless you, Tay.”
They made their way up the stairs, Taylor sneezing a few more times as they went. Finally, they reached her bedroom. Joe helped her into bed, tucking the blankets around her snugly. He took a tissue box from the bathroom and placed it on her nightstand, handing her a couple, which she gratefully used to blow her nose again.
“Thagk you, Joe,” she said, her voice a soft murmur as she settled into her pillow.
Joe smiled, brushing a stray hair from her forehead. "You're welcome, Taylor. Now get some rest and feel better soon."
Taylor smiled up at him, her eyes already closing. “Goodnight,” she whispered.
“Goodnight,” Joe responded, walking into the other side of the bed and watching her drift off to sleep.
------
Taylor woke up feeling like she'd been hit by a truck. Every muscle in her body ached, her ears were blocked up and pounding, her throat burned, her nose was completely stuffed up, and her head felt like it was full of wet cement. Blinking groggily, she realized Joe was not beside her, and a wave of loneliness and self-pity washed over her. She rubbed her eyes and sat up slowly, feeling her nose begin to drip almost immediately.
“Snff, snff...” she sniffled congestedly, the sound liquid and deep. The tickle in her nose sparked again, and she rubbed it against the end of her sweatshirt, hoping to alleviate the itch. She got out of bed and shivered as a chill ran down her spine. Feeling cold and miserable, she sniffled again, her nose leaking once more.
“Hheh...snfl...” The tickle blossomed intensely at the back of her head, stopping her in her tracks. Standing in front of the bed, her eyes narrowed as her head fell back, and she cupped her hands in anticipation. “Aaah...snfl...ahhit'chhew!!!” She sneezed, her nose running. “Ughhh,” she sighed softly behind her cupped hands, blinking woozily as she sniffled again. The tickle persisted, less intense but building up quickly as fresh trails of discharge dribbled slowly down her lip. She sniffled again and reached for the box of tissues on her nightstand, snatching one and wiping it across her glistening nostrils just as they started tingling helplessly.
“Hhut'chshh!! Snfl....Hhehishh!!!” She wiped her nose on the soggy tissue, already reaching for another one as she sniffled miserably. She blew her nose once more and decided to go look for her boyfriend.
She trailed downstairs sleepily. She hadn’t thought to bring any tissues with her, so she just kept wiping her tender nose on the rough, increasingly damp cuff of her sweatshirt, and turning her face into her elbow whenever she sneezed. It wasn’t ideal, but she was just too sleepy to care.
As she neared the kitchen, she felt her breath hitch again, stopping her in her tracks. “Huhh... hehh... hheh’TSHOO!” she sneezed loudly into her elbow. Joe’s back was to her as he was making breakfast. He turned around, smiling sympathetically.
“Hey! Look who’s up!” he greeted her warmly, making his way over to her. He kissed the side of her head. “What are you doing out of bed, love? I was about to bring you breakfast.”
Taylor leaned against Joe, “I woke up all by mbyself,” she croaked miserably.
Joe cooed at her whiny but sweet comment and hugged her more tightly, kissing her cheek. “Aw, good morning, baby. How are you feeling today? Any better?” he mumbled into her neck.
She sniffled stuffily and shook her head. “Mby head is all fuzzy. I feel like I’mb stoned.” She wiped her wet nose on the end of her sweatshirt again.
Joe gave her a sympathetic look and noticed her face contorting as she was about to sneeze. He quickly grabbed some napkins from the counter and handed them to her just in time.
“Huhh... hehh... hheh’TSHOO! Hhehh... heh’CHOO!!”
“God bless you,” Joe said, holding her steady. “You should go back to bed, babe. I’ll bring you some breakfast in a minute.”
Taylor shook her head, her voice a congested murmur. “I don’t wadda be alone right now.”
Joe laughed kindly and kissed her hair a few times, noticing how she was shivering. “I don’t want you to get cold standing in the kitchen. Come on, let’s get you settled on the couch where it’s warm.”
Taylor nodded, her breath catching sharply in her chest. She sniffled and brought the crumpled napkins in her hand back to her face. “Aahh...aahishhhew!! Hhut'chheww!!! Ugh...snfl.” She groaned miserably, nuzzling her cold-stuffed nose through the damp paper and blinking dizzily.
“Come on, my love, let’s get you warm on the couch. Then we can get some medicine into you,” Joe sighed, stroking a few locks of blond hair back behind her ear.
A few feet in front of the couch, Taylor stopped abruptly with a quavering breath. Joe glanced over, seeing a trickle of snot leaking from her flaring nostrils as she brought both hands to her mouth in anticipation, her expression utterly tortured as her eyebrows knit together.
"HuhhESHOOoo!! Sniffle." Taylor’s thin shoulders snapped forward with a violent, sickly sneeze that she barely contained behind her cupped hands.
“Here baby,” Joe said gently, passing Taylor the tissues from the coffee table. “Thadk you,” she grumbled, grudgingly accepting the Kleenex and blowing her cold filled nose thoroughly, too sick and exhausted to be embarrassed anymore about how loud and disgusting it sounded.
As they sat on the couch, Joe wrapped a blanket around Taylor, noticing her shivering again. He pressed his palm gently against her forehead, feeling the heat radiating from her skin.
“I think you might have a fever, Tay,” he said, concern evident in his voice. “Let me go get the thermometer.”
While Joe went to find the thermometer, Taylor snuggled deeper into the blanket, sniffling and trying to get comfortable. When he returned holding the thermometer Taylor gave him a playful look.
“You kdow... snffl... I thidk I like id whed you play doctor,” she teased, her voice congested and raspy.
Joe chuckled, sitting back down next to her. “Well, lucky for you, you are my favorite patient.” He leaned in and kissed the tip of her red nose, making her sniffle and wrinkle it.
“I would hope so,” she smiled. Joe leaned in again, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. She sniffled as they kissed, and when they broke apart, she wiped her nose with a crumpled tissue.
“I dond’t wadt you to get sigck... snnfl,” she murmured.
“I don’t care about that,” Joe replied, his tone soft and reassuring.
“You should,” Taylor insisted, “id’s ndot fud, believe mbe.”
The thermometer beeped, and Joe checked the reading. “Yep, you’ve got a fever,” he said, caressing her cheek. “You must be feeling awful.”
“I’mb finde...” Taylor started to say, but a sneeze interrupted her. “Hehh... hhet'tchshh!! Snfl... hht'chxeww!! ... Cough, cough, cough...” she hastily turned her face into her elbow so as not to sneeze directly into Joe´s lap
Joe chuckled softly. “You surely sound fine,” he teased, handing her more tissues. “Bless you, baby.” He told her, placing a kiss on top of her bangs.
Taylor blew her nose loudly until the wet sound finally cleared a little. Joe rubbed her shoulders comfortingly as she drunk her tea. She sneezed constantly, unable to go five seconds without needing to sniffle, her nose perpetually running. They finally finished breakfast, and Taylor was blinking tiredly.
“You look exhausted babe” Joe told her gently “Why don´t you lie down for a while,” He got up and got another blanket for her.
“Would you lay dowd with mbe?” Taylor looked up at him with tired eyes.
“Of course,” Joe replied. He lay down beside her, stroking her hair. Taylor sniffled and tried not to sneeze on him, but eventually, a congested sneeze escaped.
“Hehh... hhht'shoo! Snfl...ughh.. snffl” she turned her head to the side and pinched her twitching nose lightly between her thumb and forefinger, shivering with the powerful force of one raspy, congested sneeze.
“Bless you,” Joe said, yawning and bringing the tissues closer to her.
“Thadks... sorry,” she mumbled, embarrassed.
“It´s okay, sweetheart,” Joe replied, hugging her gently.
Taylor wiped her nose again and, finally, exhausted, fell asleep in Joe’s arms.
------
When she woke up from her nap, she felt a little better. Her fever had gone down, but her voice was still thick with congestion, and she was still sneezing and sniffling constantly. They decided to play some card games, despite Taylor’s frequent need to pause for sneezing fits and nose blows.
They were both competitive, getting really into the game even though Taylor had to stop often. “Sorry, it’s mby turn... hehh... hehh’tshoo! Snfl... just a sec...” she said, blowing her nose before continuing to play.
Joe watched her with a mix of amusement and concern. “That cough is sounding bad,” he said after another fit of coughing interrupted their game. “We should get you more medicine.”
“I’mb okay, baby. Id’s just a cold,” Taylor reassured him, though her voice was hoarse and congested.
“You sound awful, Tay. I don’t want you to get any worse,” Joe insisted.
Taylor smiled weakly. “You don’t need to worry so mbuch,” she said.
“That’s not possible,” Joe replied, his eyes filled with affection.
------
As the evening wore on, Taylor’s cold began to worsen. They continued playing their board game, but Joe noticed Taylor getting increasingly distracted. Her competitive spirit had waned, and she looked puzzled and a little disoriented when he told her it was her turn.
“Hey, Tay, it’s your turn,” Joe said, watching her with concern.
“What?” Taylor sniffled and looked up, startled. “Oh, sorry... snff... I didn’t realize,” she mumbled, her voice thick with congestion.
Joe observed her closely. Her eyes were getting smaller, her cheeks flushed, and she seemed unfocused. He could tell she wasn’t feeling well.
“Are you okay?” he asked gently.
“Yeah.. I’mb just tired,” Taylor replied, but Joe wasn’t convinced. She sniffled harshly a couple of times, trying to get some air through her nose. “Snfff... SNFF... snffff... uhh. I’mb so stuffed up… snff.”
Joe reached over and rubbed her back soothingly. “How about I get you some more tea? It might help.”
Taylor nodded weakly, and Joe went to the kitchen. When he returned with a steaming cup, he saw just how flushed and uncomfortable she looked.
“I think you’ve got a fever again, baby,” Joe frowned, moving one hand to Taylor’s forehead and pressing his palm flat against her clammy skin. It felt relieving, easing some of the pressure of her pounding headache, and Taylor sighed inadvertently.
“I dod’t have a fever,” she argued weakly, with another sharp sniffle.
“Yes, you do. And you need a tissue,” Joe said gently, reaching for a tissue as Taylor’s delicate nostrils began to quiver and flare, irritated by the clear, watery snot trickling sluggishly from her nasal passages down the divot in her upper lip.
“I’mb fuhh...fide...sniff!...” Taylor grabbed the tissue clumsily from Joe’s outstretched hand, pressing it firmly to her flaring nostrils as they fought to release the wet tickle lodged inside her head, making her breath hitch and her eyes flutter shut. “Uhhh...huh...uh'tchooo!! ... Snff... ehhISHOOoo!!”
The blonde girl snapped forward sharply at the waist, surrendering to two miserably congested sneezes, the damp tissues clamped over her nose and mouth to shield her boyfriend from the spray.
“Ughh, excuse be,” she sighed softly. She reached for the tissue box for a fresh tissue, finding it almost empty. “Oh, do we habe ady mbore tissues?.. Snff.”
“I’ll go find some more, but you need to take more medicine first,” Joe said, concern etched on his face. He quickly got up to find another box of tissues and a wet cloth for her fever. She protested weakly, saying she was already feeling cold, but Joe’s concern made her cave in. She let him place the cloth on her forehead, immediately shivering from the cold.
“Ughh... Id’s so cold... Snff... Snfff,” she muttered, her nose running. She sneezed congestedly into her soggy tissues. “Hhuh...uhtchOOoo!!! Ishhxiew!! Snfl...ah...snfl...ahhh...aht'chhhew!!!” Each congested sneeze brought a weak shiver.
Joe noticed her over-used tissues and opened the new box, snatching a few and giving them to her. “I’mb so sorry I’mb so gross,” Taylor said, grabbing the tissues and blowing her nose again, the gurgling sound just as wet as before, if not more so.
“Hehh...ISHHuhh!! Hih'HHTchuh!!! Snnfl...ughh, 'scuse be,” she chuckled weakly, unfolding the tissues once and blowing again.
“God bless you, baby! And stop saying that, you are not gross. You are just sick,” Joe told her gently, reaching for the tea cup he had brought a few minutes ago and she had yet to drink. “Here, drink this. It’ll make you feel better.”
“Thadk you, love,” Taylor said, taking a sip. The warm tea felt wonderful on her sore throat and shivering body. “This is so good...”
“I’m glad you like it,” Joe said, smiling.
“I’mb sorry I’mb being such a baby... snff,” Taylor wiped her nose on her sweatshirt, feeling a bit embarrassed about being so whiny with Joe, who was being incredibly sweet and patient.
Joe leaned in and kissed her forehead. “You’re allowed to feel bad, Tay. It’s okay.”
Taylor smiled weakly, sniffling again as she leaned into Joe’s comforting embrace. They continued talking about friends, work, and upcoming events, with Joe’s gentle reassurances making her feel a little better despite her worsening cold.
------
“I’mb dot really hungry,”
“How about some homemade soup? Nice and easy on your stomach.” Joe tried again, determined to take care of her.
Taylor looked at him amused and laughed softly. “You’re godda cook for mbe? Real food?”
Joe grinned. “Yes, real food. You just sit tight on the couch, and I’ll take care of everything.”
“There’s ndo way, snfff,” Taylor said, shaking her head. “I wadda see it happendig or else I wod’t believe it.”
Together, they went into the kitchen, where it became clear Joe didn’t know where to start. Taylor, ever the controller, started gathering ingredients. Joe, seeing what she was doing, playfully grabbed her by the waist and forced her to sit down on the kitchen island.
“No, no, no, no,” he laughed, holding her firmly. “You’re not lifting a finger. You are sick, remember?”
She joked, “I dod’t wadt to get food poisodig od top of by cold.”
Joe grinned. “You can help me by just giving instructions, okay?”
“Fide,” Taylor agreed, her voice thick with congestion. And started telling him where he could find everything.
As they started cooking, Taylor sniffled and sneezed every few minutes. “All right,” she said, “first you ndeed to grab the... heh... uhhh... Hhuh...hhtchhxiew!! ...Snff... the cuttihg board.”
Joe followed her directions, occasionally glancing over to make sure she was okay. “Now you habe to be carefull, first put sobe of the.. hehh..” Taylor´s voice trailed off for a moment, eyes narrowing as she raised a hand halfway to her face, looking like she was maybe going to sneeze;
“The what?” Joe asked, oblivious of her girlfriend´s current dilemma
“Th.. theh.. hHehh..” she nodded woozily, too distracted by the unbearable tickly feeling in her head to continue with the recipe. She pressed a finger under her running nose and rubbed hard. “Sniff.. snfff” "Just odehhh...huhh..." Her brows knit together as if she were trying to remember something important “Heeh...hh-Hh Hh-hiiishOOoo!!! Snfl... snff.. excuse mbe”
“God bless you!” Joe says cheerfully, chuckling as he passes her girlfriend some tissues “You good there?” He watches as she blows her nose
“Yeah.. snff.. sorry” She mumbles kind of embarrassed, face behind her tissues.
“Okay.. now, where were we?” He asks as he turns to the pot again to resume his cooking.
Finally, after a while the soup was ready. Joe poured some into a bowl and handed it to Taylor.
“Thank you for being an excellent sous chef,” Joe said with a smile. Taylor laughed softly, “Thadk you, baby” She smiles lovingly at him.
He leaned in to give her a kiss, but felt Taylor's soft, hitching intake of breath against his lips as they kissed. Soon their lips parted, and Taylor gave in to another sick, stuffy sneeze.
“Aah'chshht!! Snfl,” Taylor shivered with the force of the desperate sneeze, tissue pressed firmly to her cold-stuffed nose to protect Joe, who pulled back just enough to avoid getting head-banged.
“Uhhh...snfl...sorry, baby,” Taylor sighed woozily. “I tried to hold id, but I...snfl!...I just coulded't help it.”
“It's okay, T. I like your sneezes.” Joe winked, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.
“Oh mby God, dod’t say that,” Taylor giggled, blushing.
“It’s the truth,” he said charmingly, stealing another kiss from her lips and planting one on the tip of her red nose.
“You wod’t like theb so mbuch whed they stard combig fromb your own nose,” she teased, sniffling softly.
Joe just stood there looking at her with heart eyes and a smile. He couldn’t resist stealing another kiss from her cheek, making a soft “mwah” sound. Charmed by the notion that his boyfriend still thought she was cute when she was half-drowning in snot, Taylor joked weakly,
“I guess you really do love mbe, huh?”
Joe agreed, dropping one final kiss on his girlfriend's warm forehead. “I guess I really do.”
