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coughdontfeelwellcough · 2 years

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So I haven’t been able to get this prompt by @perfectpaperbluebirds out of my head since they posted it and so this ridiculous thing was born. I hope you like it!

Fandom: Any, I didn’t use any names so imagine whoever!

Words: 3006... I got a little carried away.

I was running late, the last band was just finishing up as I took my seat. I’d been looking forward to seeing my favourite band for months and was so happy to see they’d been added to the line up of a nearby show. It wasn’t long before the lights went off and the crowd screamed. I got to my feet ready to dance but as the band entered the stage I noticed something wrong, the lead singer wasn’t as excited or energetic as he usually was. He waved at the crowd and as he started to sing I realised what the problem was, his voice sounded a little hoarse and he had to turn away to cough more than once through the song, he was sick. When the song was over the lead guitarist greeted the crowd instead of the singer.

“You’ll have to forgive our frontman, he’s feeling a bit under the weather today.”

There was an awh from the crowd and I felt bad for him, even from my seat I could see he looked pale and tired.

“I’ll still play better than you,” the front man tried to tease but it only made him cough again.

“Just don’t die, I’m way too lazy to find a new lead singer,” the guitarist joked and the crowd laughed but I couldn’t take my eyes off the front man. He was sweaty and pale, and though he was playing his guitar just fine I could see he was struggling.

They continued the set but with every song the back up singers were doing more and more work as the front man failed to keep up. He couldn’t seem to go long without coughing and at one point he had to get a tissue out of his pocket to blow his nose. After the fourth song he disappeared off stage for a few minutes and came back looking worse for wear.

“Sorry guys, I think that’s going to be it for me tonight,” his voice was congested and almost gone. I felt really sorry for him, he sounded so sad not to be able to continue when he was so obviously ill.

“Don’t worry,” the guitarist piped up. “We can play just fine without him, isn’t that right?”

The crowd cheered and so the next song started as the singer departed the stage with a little wave and a cough.

I decided to take the moment to go to the bathroom, I’d been in such a rush to get to my seat I hadn’t had a chance to go beforehand. It was quiet in the corridor and I just went through the first door I found until I got to the toilet. I could still hear the music playing in the background but I couldn’t help wondering how the poor front man was doing, he did look miserable. I must have been thinking about him more than I realised as I left the bathroom as I walked straight into someone going the opposite way down the corridor.

“Oh shit, I’m sorry,”

I imidendly recognised that voice, even as hoarse it was, it was the front man!

“No, I’m sorry I’m the one that wasn’t looking where I was going,” I said.

He looked like he was going to say something else but was cut off by two harsh sneezes into his elbow.

“Bless you, that’s some cold you’ve got there,” I said.

He nodded, running a hand under his nose. “I don’t remember the last time I felt this ill.”

“Poor you, it sucks you couldn’t finish the show but your guitarist is right, can’t have you dying.” He chuckled, coughing a little.

“I just hate letting people down, they’ve come out to see us and I don’t want to be the one to mess that up.”

“No, no, it’s not your fault. Everyone gets sick sometimes, even the front man in an awesome band.”

“Than…” He was cut off by a harsh cough that quickly turned into a fit. By the time he could breathe again he was shaking and I could hear the slight wheeze to his breathing.

“No offence, but you sound like you should be in bed and as far away from people as possible,” I said.

“That’s the plan, I was just going to order an uber back to the hotel and sleep,” he said, rubbing his chest. I could see that just being stood up was exhausting for him. I don't know how he managed to even get on stage. He was still wearing the clothes he’d been wearing on stage though he’d pulled a beanie over his messy hair, a few bits sticking out the front, clinging to his forehead.

“Me too, are you in Carlton?” I asked.

He looked at me like I was crazy. “Sorry, sorry, I must sound like some insane stalker. I promise you I’m not. It’s just the only hotel around here so it kind of slipped out.”

He tried to laugh but his voice cracked and he coughed instead.

“That cough sounds nasty and I know this sounds creepy so I promise I’m not trying to kidnap you, but would you like a lift to the hotel? I promise my car is nicer than some random uber and I’ll have you there in half the time.”

I don’t know what made me offer, he was a famous musician and I was just a fan who’d walked through the wrong door but I cared about him and the poor guy was so ill I wanted to do something.

He looked unsure and I would have totally understood if he’d said no, he didn’t even know me but then he sneezed again which quickly became a fit and each one sounded like it was scraping at his throat.

“Ow,” he moaned, leaning back heavily against the wall.

“Bless you, they sounded like they hurt.”

He groaned, running a hand over his face. He looked worse than he had on stage and judging by the fact he was shivering he was probably feeling it too.

“I think I’ll take that ride,” he said, his voice thick with congestion.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

He nodded, coughing lightly into his fist. “Thank you,”

The poor thing sounded so pathetic I just wanted to give him a hug.

He led me out of a back entrance to avoid any people milling around and I took us to my car. I was suddenly embarrassed about the state of my car, there was mud splattered up the side and the footwell had all sorts of rubbish that I hadn’t had time to clean.

“Sorry, it’s probably not up to your usual standards,” I said.

He laughed. “I spend three hundred days of the year in a bus with six dudes, I don’t think a few cans can scare me.”

As we got in I noticed he was still shivering so I whacked up the heat.

The rest of the band aren’t going to be looking for you, are they? I don’t want them to think I’ve kidnapped you or something.”

“No..” He coughed into his fist. “No, they told me to go to bed and stay as far away from them as possible.”

I couldn’t help laughing a little. “Nice friends you’ve got,”

He smiled weakly and I felt my heart flutter a little. I'd had a crush on this man for years and now he was sitting in my car.

“Can’t risk anyone else getting sick or we’ll have to cancel shows and we never want to do that.”

“Makes sense but leaves you to suffer all alone,” I replied.

It wasn’t a long drive to the hotel and I was already sad at the thought of leaving him, especially all alone.

“It’s okay,” he sniffed, “I’m used to it.”

My heart sank, he shouldn’t have to suffer all by himself even if it was to keep everyone else safe. He deserved comfort and love too.

He instructed me to the back entrance of the hotel and I parked my car as close to the door as I could get. I watched him get out, stumbling a bit as he stood and resisted the temptation to help him. I didn’t want to over step.

“You okay?” I asked.

He nodded, coughing again. I hoped he wasn’t going to end up with some kind of chest infection, he sounded awful.

“Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

I led him through the back door and straight up the stairs, avoiding the front desk and no doubt the fans that had gathered there hoping for a glimpse of the band.

“What floor?” I asked.

“Thirteen,” he replied.

“Funny, me too.”

“Are you sure you’re not stalking me?” he asked. For a moment I was actually scared he thought I was stalking him but his slight smile told me otherwise.

“Hand on my heart, I swear I didn’t know I was sleeping on the same floor as a famous rock star.”

He laughed and started coughing again, leaning against the wall as he fought to catch his breath. “You’ve got to stop making me laugh.”

“Sorry, I’m just naturally hilarious.”

“We’ll see about that,” he said.

My poor heart was hammering in my chest again, was he trying to say he wanted to see me again?

I reached the top of the stairs, he was a few steps behind me and I could hear the wheezing in his breathing as he climbed. I knew he’d performed while ill before, it was eventable for all performers but whatever bug he’d picked up seemed to have really taken it out of him.

“Which way?” I asked, pointing to the list of room numbers on the wall.

“15,” he replied.

“No way, that’s just freaky. I’m in room 14.”

He looked at me then like I was some witch and for a moment I really thought he’d accuse me of being some creepy fan who's obviously planned the whole thing.

“That is freaky,” he said, clearing his throat. “You’re not going to murder me in my sleep are you?”

“No, god no. Then where would I get some great music?”

He smiled as we reached our doors. I didn’t want to go in and say goodbye, it was like I’d stepped into one of my teenage dreams and I wasn’t ready to wake up.

“Thank you, you’ve been really kind to me and I really appreciate it. If I’m still alive in the morning then I’ll speak to the guys about getting you a lifetime pass to our shows or something.”

“You don’t have to do that, I was doing what any decent person would,” I said.

“It’d be my pleasure, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

He gave me one last smile, a real one like it’d seen so many times on magazine covers and on stage but this one was all for me.

I replayed the night in my head over and over again until I must have fallen asleep, I couldn’t believe the whole thing hadn’t been a dream. The next thing I knew I was being woken up by screaming, I jumped up thinking the worst only to realise the tv was still on and had turned into some horror film. I flicked it off and got out of bed, feeling a little shaken. I decided to make a hot chocolate before trying to go back to sleep. That’s when I heard him, the sound of coughing coming from the other side of the wall, followed by a sneeze and a groan. He sounded miserable and I hated the thought of him being all alone when he was so ill, just because he said he was used to it didn’t mean he wanted it. I stared at the hot chocolate I was making and wondered if he’d like some or itf that was totally over stepping. I didn’t know him and he certainly didn’t know me, was I really going to knock on his door at four in the morning and over him hot chocolate?

It took me a few minutes to convince myself it was a half decent idea but I figured the worst that could happen is he said no.

I put the drinks on a tray and go knock on his door. For a few moments I think maybe he’s fallen asleep but then I hear more coughing and snuffling as he comes to the door.

He looked worse, even in the low light his complexion looks ghostly pale and even wearing an oversized sweatshirt with the band's logo on it he was shaking.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” His voice was so thick with congestion it was barely audible.

“No.. Well yes but I was making myself a hot chocolate and I thought you might need one?” as I said it I was aware just how ridiculous I sounded. If I were him I’d want to be left alone, what was I thinking?

He sighed, running his hand through his messed up hair. He was probably trying to think of a nice way to ask me to leave, I was already kicking myself for bothering him.

“That would be nice actually, come in.”

I was so surprised I nearly dropped the try as he moved aside to let me in.

“Sorry about the mess,” he said.

It looked like he’d just thrown down all his things and gone straight to bed, the clothes he’d worn at the show were piled in the corner along with his trusty beanie.

“So this is what a rockstars hotel room looks like,” I said, putting the tray on the dressing table.

“I’m actually quite tidy norm…” he snapped forward with a sneeze.

“Bless…”

He sneezed again and again, each one harsher than the last and leaving him dizzy.

“Sit down before you fall down.”

He stumbled over to the bed and grabbed a handful of tissues to blow his nose.

“Sorry, I’m so gross right now,” he apologised.

“Stop apologising for being ill, you can’t help it,” I said, passing him the hot chocolate.

“I am sorry about waking you up though, I tried not to,” he said.

I took my drink and sat down in the chair next to the bed, my arm resting dangerously close to his.

“It wasn’t just you actually, I’d fallen asleep with the tv on and it started playing some horror flick. I got woken up by the token blonde girl screaming,”

“Oh..” He started coughing again, barking coughs that really sounded like they were grating against his chest. I finally broke and reached to pat his back, I could feel how hot his fever was even through his thick sweatshirt.

“Oh honey, you sound terrible.”

He groaned, leaning back against the pillows. “I feel awful, I can’t breathe through my nose and I’m freezing..”

“Do you mind?” I asked, holding my hand out. He shook his head and I put my wrist against his forehead.

“I knew you had a fever but you’re burning up, do you have medicine?”

He nodded, coughing lightly. “On the table, I fell asleep before I could take any.”

I grabbed the bottles off the table along with a cup of water.

“Here you go, though I have to tell you what I pictured rock stars doing drugs in their hotel rooms I never pictured it being Theraflu.”

He laughed which quickly turned to coughing again, it sounded like he was trying to drag up all the gunk in lungs and failing.

“Here drink,” I said, pushing the cup of water into his hands. He was shaking but managed to take a sip and calm down enough to breathe, though he was still trembling.

“Ugh… I hate this,”

“I’m sorry you don’t feel well,” I said, I wanted to run my hand through his hair and take care of him probably.

“Why are you sorry? You didn’t get me sick… did you?” he said, a little tease in his voice.

“No, I mean being sick sucks, especially when you’re so far from home and have no one to keep you company,” I said.

“You’re keeping me company,” he replied, sniffling thickly.

“Only because you woke me up,” I teased but I could see something in his eyes, a little honesty behind the fever.

“I’m thankful though, you’re right about being alone when you’re sick, it sucks.”

I reached out and took his hand, feeling relieved when he didn’t pull away. I don’t know what made me feel so brave, maybe it was the fact it was the middle of the night or all the sugar I’d drunk.

“Can I ask you something?” I asked.

He nodded, sniffing into a tissue.

“Why are you letting me help you? I don’t imagine you normally let fans into your hotel room.”

He tried to clear his throat but it caught in his chest and he coughed.

“I don’t know, maybe it’s the fever or maybe it’s because you’re nice and treat me like a normal person. That can be rare in the line of work…”

He trailed off and I felt bad for him. We’d all read about their relationships in magazines, how when things go wrong it’s everybody's business.

“Well I hope you’re at least feeling a bit better,” I said.

“I am, thank you,” he smiled, one of his genuine happy smiles and my heart melted.

He took my hand and pulled me toward the bed. I ended up lying beside him with his head against my chest and my arm around him.

“Sorry if I get you sick though,” he said, sniffling.

“It’s okay, I know a good rockstar who can take care of me if that happens.”

He chuckled, coughing against my shoulder.

“I guess we’ll have to see,”

I kept waiting for the moment I’d wake up and it would all turn out to be a dream but as he squeezed my hand I knew it was all real.

#this was so self indulgent #I couldn't help myself #I did write this with someone in mind #can you guess?#sickfic #snez #snezblr #coughing #fever

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