The Virus (Brooklyn Nine Nine - Jake Peralta!) (8/?)

[Anonymouse]

Your dream sequences are da bomb. I feel delirious reading them! I laughed out loud at Jake's reaction after waking up but at the same time I feel kinda sad for him. I love his feverish struggle with the EMTs, and Holt finally soothing him with the hand-to-skin contact. The way you wrote it you can tell he's so worried but somehow remaining his stoic, professional self.

The next round of shaking is from fear, not fever. Holt squeezes his shoulder. “You’ve handed me paperwork that was completed in pencil. You’ve taken on Jeffords in the dojo. I believe I’ve even heard you call Rosa a chicken once before. Forgive me for saying this, Peralta, but I’d take the odds that you can make this IV your bitch.”

This was perfect. And it worked!

Jake feeling left out and wanting to be part of the conversation while the EMTs and Holt discuss his condition. And Diaz appointing herself as the guard dog!

Holt gives him one of his looks. Those penetrating ones, the ones that leave you feeling open and vulnerable, like all your secrets are written in ink all over your skin and you’re standing naked for him and him alone, to read like filthy Harry Potter fanfiction.

OH MY GOD Dude. You've really hit your stride with this story. This is one of those chapters I am struggling with reviewing because I want to quote every part I like, but if I did that I will have quoted the entire thing.

Oh my gosh, the end though... :/ Holt offering him privacy and Jake wanting him to stay there with him. And he is so concerned about everyone else getting sick because of him.

You are breaking my heart. As always, looking forward to the next part! I am so happy you are a fan of this show, this has been so fun to read.

[stephab13]

Link for the synopsis mentioned above, which I may have forgotten to post... got caught up in NYE celebrations! Sorry!

http://www.fox.com/content/clone-of-brooklyn-9-9-010516-900pm-0

[stephab13]

Your dream sequences are da bomb. I feel delirious reading them! I laughed out loud at Jake's reaction after waking up but at the same time I feel kinda sad for him. I love his feverish struggle with the EMTs, and Holt finally soothing him with the hand-to-skin contact. The way you wrote it you can tell he's so worried but somehow remaining his stoic, professional self.

The next round of shaking is from fear, not fever. Holt squeezes his shoulder. “You’ve handed me paperwork that was completed in pencil. You’ve taken on Jeffords in the dojo. I believe I’ve even heard you call Rosa a chicken once before. Forgive me for saying this, Peralta, but I’d take the odds that you can make this IV your bitch.”

This was perfect. And it worked!

Jake feeling left out and wanting to be part of the conversation while the EMTs and Holt discuss his condition. And Diaz appointing herself as the guard dog!

Holt gives him one of his looks. Those penetrating ones, the ones that leave you feeling open and vulnerable, like all your secrets are written in ink all over your skin and you’re standing naked for him and him alone, to read like filthy Harry Potter fanfiction.

OH MY GOD Dude. You've really hit your stride with this story. This is one of those chapters I am struggling with reviewing because I want to quote every part I like, but if I did that I will have quoted the entire thing.

Oh my gosh, the end though... :/ Holt offering him privacy and Jake wanting him to stay there with him. And he is so concerned about everyone else getting sick because of him.

You are breaking my heart. As always, looking forward to the next part! I am so happy you are a fan of this show, this has been so fun to read.

THANK YOU

So... you really helped with getting me into this. Like, it's a great show, but I wouldn't have become hooked so quickly, and wouldn't have written anything at all for it, if I hadn't had conversation with you. SO THANK YOU because it's just so wonderful and I'm so hooked and

[stephab13]

Hi guys! Me again! So I'm back... not overly happy with this chapter (Holt is WAY too verbose, and I apologise. I tried to tone down his grammar but... no promises!) but it needs to go in there so I can get Rosa with Jake alone - that'll be the next part. And Jake flip-flopping around will get covered in that, and pretty much anything else. I also apologise and I will say that I'm Australian. And Rosa swears. A fair amount. So I've tried to go back and Americanise everything, but a few things might have slipped through unintentionally. My US-immersion was at a summer camp in 2014, so while I did get exposed to a bit of language, nothing to let me know what you do and don't say.

Anyhoo. Thanks again to everyone for reading, and I hope you can get through this okay. There's a bit of nerdy humour (sorrynotsorry) and bits and pieces. More of a filler but, we'll get there. And there's more Rosa coming up next!

It’s almost like a movie. Pandemic, or some shit like that. Everyone is standing, cramped in the captain’s office other than the wide berth given to the couch. And all she can see is blue masks and glasses or goggles. Jake would be having the time of his life, if he weren’t currently dying.

No. Not dying. If he dies she’ll dive to the depths of the Styx and pull him back just so she can beat the shit out of him to send him there herself. And, he’s been sick for weeks – he’s just way overworked and spiralled himself out of control again.

But even if he isn’t dying, he’s not good. Even without the tube sticking out of his arm and the total absence of colour from his face, he’d still be pretty screwed. Seriously, she’s seen corpses look better than him. Weeks old manky corpses whose skin has melted against bone. She’d rather stare at those than at the dead behind Jake’s eyes.

At least he’s awake now. He seems to catch her stare, and gives one of his stupid faces. The one where his lips sort of purse together and one side quirks up towards his ear and his eyes flatten into rectangles. It took years for her to work out that was a smile. That narky little smile he gives when he gets reassurance for something – or, as the case may be, when trying to beguile the world into a sense of security.

She doesn’t like this. She just wants to sit next to him and punch his non-IV’d arm for being such a doofus and working while being sick as a dog. He’s constantly pulling stunts like this. But Holt just raised a finger and did his “uh-buh-bup” thing (and, yeah, she’s going to bring Jake back and kill him again for teaching him that damn trick) whenever she got within a foot. Santiago and Boyle both had the same treatment. No one is allowed close. And that’s the killer. They all want to touch him, to feel how warm or clammy he is, or maybe just to convince themselves that he is still there and breathing and all this is real and not some stupid drill. But they can’t.

And Jake, the asshole, is still trying to act like everything is okay.

She jumps as Holt clears his throat. He’s standing behind his desk, arms straight down by his side. It’s not that different from his usual stance, but this seems more stiff, more formal, more… militant. Like he’s regressing to old days and old training. This can’t be good.

“Thank you for gathering so quickly. I apologise for the disorganisation with which we are acting. I can assure you that we are collecting more information more rapidly than before. Communication is improving between myself and Fire Marshall Boone, and we hope to bring this situation to a resolution as quickly as possible.”

His English is weirder than normal. This must be worse than she thought.

“However, certain intelligence has arisen of which it is imperative you are made aware.”

It’s only because she’s known Jake so long that she catches his guilt. What he has to be guilty of, she doesn’t know. He probably hasn’t a clue either. It’s like that time at the academy… he’d been busy researching a heap of old cases (looking for cool ones to impress his teachers with, naturally) and somehow with that crazy brain of his began to build a pretty strong case for corruption in one of the leading officers. He’d been right, of course, but she’d watched that guilt eat away at him for weeks – like he was the one who had buried and ignored all those warning signs, and forced their commander to make the choices he did… He can’t have done anything this time though. The only thing he’s guilty of is not taking a damn sick day and letting himself get better. So why is he just getting red, eyes focusing on everything but the people in the room?

“We have recently discovered that the threat against the precinct, as you may have guessed, is not a bomb.”

She sees the flickering eye contact between the captain and Jake and her gut sinks.

“We have reason to instead believe that the threat is a biohazard. That’s not to say that it is, or that this person poses a threat at all.” Holt’s raising a hand in preparation to quieten the crowd – like conducting a choir through a decrescendo and a rall. She can almost feel the music – a panic concerto, the allegro agitato of the lockdown – pulsing through them all. “Further investigations are underway. However, as we do currently have a sick detective, the threat level to our precinct is deemed to be high, and several precautions must be put in place.”

There’s a tiny sound – either Jake sniffing or the whisper of Kleenex against cardboard. She’s not sure which – he’s trying to bury himself behind tissues again and not give anything away. It’s almost pitiful.

“The CDC and EMTs have provided us with face masks and other forms of PPE. They believe the threat is airborne or droplet-based, so it is imperative you wear the masks at all times until the lockdown is lifted or you are instructed otherwise. If you are in my office, or in otherwise close contact with Jake, you must also wear a pair of goggles or glasses. We have disposable gowns and gloves, if you so desire, but this is not currently considered a necessity unless dealing directly with blood or other bodily fluids. However, that being said – “

Jake takes in a shuddering breath and his eyes get that faraway look. (More dramatic than a prima ballerina.)

“ – I will remind you all that these are just precautions. Peralta may be ill – “

“Hehh’hhhh…”

“ – but that does not mean he is dying, or infected with an unknown and unseen virus. It may be something, it may be nothing. It would be unwise – “

“Ihh! IH! Iiik’KNXTSHH’uhhh! Ugh…”

“ – unwise to jump to any conclusions or act on any rash decisions.”

“Huh’heh’KNXT! Huk’ESHHH’uoh!”

Okay, so, maybe the “room for Jesus” rule has its merits. The Kleenex are no match for Jake’s unrestrained sneezes, but at the very least no one’s covered in “bodily fluids”. Just his hands. And the floor. And, they both seem to realise at the same time… Holt’s desk.

“So-.. sorreeee-huh’kiiiESH!”

“Peralta, it would be nice if you could let me have one sentence without you – “

“Hk’KNXTSHH!”

“… interrupting. Are you finished?” Holt waits for the tiny nod of acknowledgement, and Jake proceeds to disappear behind a fresh handful of tissues. “Bless you, detective.” Holt sighs, but he seems more his natural stick-up-the-butt self, instead of this drill commander thing he had going on before. “Now, the CDC are running gels and the bureau, I believe, are questioning a suspect. We are, however, going to be stuck here for a bit longer. Boone has very kindly agreed to organise for food and other necessary supplies for us while we wait. Jeffords, I’d like you to talk to the squad and organise a list to pass along.”

The Sarge nods. “Already on it, captain.”

“And if any of you feel ill, for any reason at all, with any symptoms, you must notify me immediately. As was said before, this may turn out to be nothing, but we cannot afford to take any chances…”

“Hht’KNXT! KNXT’TSHHHT!... Sorry…”

“Always with the timing, Jake.” Jeffords forces a smile, trying to make light of the situation.

“That’s what I’b kndowd for.” Jake sniffs thickly and rubs the underside of his nose. He does his narky smile again though, seeking out her eyes. Why her, she can’t imagine. “Look, guys, I feel finde. Or, well, you kdnow, ndot finde, but I’mb ndot dyigg. I’ve just got the flu.”

It’s enough to shatter the silence that Holt’s shock had given them. Jake, admitting weakness?

“Did he actually just say that?”

“Come again?”

“Jake? Did you just admit you’re sick?”

He coughs weakly into his good elbow. “Yeah, all the ndeedles add drugs add tubes add mbasks are just for show. I’mb the epitombe of health. Everyonde cand go hombe ndow.” He raises his hands to his face for a second, eyes glazing over… but no sneeze comes, and he lowers his arm with a grunt.

“Wait… I’m confused...” Boyle’s staring at Jake with his head slightly tilted, hands on his hips with one set of fingers drumming against his pocket. “Do you have the flu or some super-mega virus? Cos a super-mega virus would be a-ma-zing but – “ It’s either Jake’s bewilderment or Boyle’s brain catching up to his mouth that slaps sense into him. “Wait – never mind – forget I said anything…”

“It’s both, right? Until we get the tests back we don’t know if he has a superbug or the flu. So we act like he has both!” Amy must be in shock – she’s actually looking proud of herself. “Jake, you have Schrödinger’s virus!”

Jake just looks even more confused. And proper confused, not just pulling a face (cos yeah, he does have that confusion-smile face) or tormented by a sneeze. “Amby, are you sayigg I have sombe cat sickness? I mbeand – I’mb flattered, I kndow how mbuch you love cats but…”

“No, Jake. She’s saying you are the cat. Fits your metaphor much better.”

“Oh! So Schrödi’ger was the guy that trained cats, yeah? With the bell-ringing?”

“No… Jakey, you’re thinking of Pavlov… Schrödinger locked a cat in a box and claimed it was – “

“Alright, that’s enough.” Holt’s glaring at the four of them. It’s like being back in elementary school. Or studying under Mam’selle Durand. “I believe that is all that I need to disclose. Dismissed.”

She’s lucky enough that she (and Boyle and Santiago) are wedged in the corner, between the couch and the bookshelf, so she’s able to be the last to leave. She can hear the sergeant talking about fresh yoghurt and rubbing his hands. Boyle turns to Santiago and is already rattling off a list of ingredients for something which, knowing Boyle, probably won’t be edible without a century-old palette. Holt is holding the door open, eyes focused on the tops of people’s heads as they leave. And now she has her chance.

Rosa slides down onto the couch and slaps Jake across the face.

[Anonymouse]

Buckle your seatbelt, I'm going crazy with the selective quote feature.

No. Not dying. If he dies she’ll dive to the depths of the Styx and pull him back just so she can beat the shit out of him to send him there herself.

Rosa, I love you.

He seems to catch her stare, and gives one of his stupid faces. The one where his lips sort of purse together and one side quirks up towards his ear and his eyes flatten into rectangles. It took years for her to work out that was a smile. That narky little smile he gives when he gets reassurance for something – or, as the case may be, when trying to beguile the world into a sense of security.

Oh my god. You have such an amazing grasp of the characters and all of Jake's stupid little facial expressions. I can see it perfectly. I love that even with everything going on he is still being kind of silly, even if it's because he's afraid to accept how serious this really is.

Holt’s raising a hand in preparation to quieten the crowd – like conducting a choir through a decrescendo and a rall. She can almost feel the music – a panic concerto, the allegro agitato of the lockdown – pulsing through them all.

Lovely metaphor. I like being in Rosa's head.

I love how everyone digresses at the end and Holt is like ok enough dismissed. And his brief moment of annoyance at Jake for sneezing. Oh, and Jake's almost sneeze was cute too.

The ending! Like the rest of the squad I wanted one of them to defy Holt's "uhb-bub-bub" and go comfort Jake, but supposed the threat of an unknown virus was enough to prevent that. But not for Rosa. She would make that virus her bitch. And she cares about Jake too much... which is totally why she slapped him in the face, right? I like to think that's her way of showing affection - just swatting people like a cat.

[stephab13]

Buckle your seatbelt, I'm going crazy with the selective quote feature.

No. Not dying. If he dies she’ll dive to the depths of the Styx and pull him back just so she can beat the shit out of him to send him there herself.

Rosa, I love you.

He seems to catch her stare, and gives one of his stupid faces. The one where his lips sort of purse together and one side quirks up towards his ear and his eyes flatten into rectangles. It took years for her to work out that was a smile. That narky little smile he gives when he gets reassurance for something – or, as the case may be, when trying to beguile the world into a sense of security.

Oh my god. You have such an amazing grasp of the characters and all of Jake's stupid little facial expressions. I can see it perfectly. I love that even with everything going on he is still being kind of silly, even if it's because he's afraid to accept how serious this really is.

Holt’s raising a hand in preparation to quieten the crowd – like conducting a choir through a decrescendo and a rall. She can almost feel the music – a panic concerto, the allegro agitato of the lockdown – pulsing through them all.

Lovely metaphor. I like being in Rosa's head.

I love how everyone digresses at the end and Holt is like ok enough dismissed. And his brief moment of annoyance at Jake for sneezing. Oh, and Jake's almost sneeze was cute too.

The ending! Like the rest of the squad I wanted one of them to defy Holt's "uhb-bub-bub" and go comfort Jake, but supposed the threat of an unknown virus was enough to prevent that. But not for Rosa. She would make that virus her bitch. And she cares about Jake too much... which is totally why she slapped him in the face, right? I like to think that's her way of showing affection - just swatting people like a cat.

Awwwww, thanks! I like being in Rosa's head too. Might be a bit of a strategic move, putting her in Holt's office

... And I may have run with the cat metaphor. Hope that's okay? But that was how I pictured it. She's hitting him because he's being a bitch and the stoicism is pissing her off cos she just wants to know how sick he is

[stephab13]

Another chapter! And holy cow, it's long. I'm sorry. It's very dialogue-havy which I'm also a little sorry for. But it's giving me all the... Peraltaz? Do they have a name? Anyhoo, Rosa and Jake brotp feels. And AnonyMouse may have reminded me that canonically, at least as a kid, Jake had asthma. So that gets a mention. Hope you enjoy! :-)

“Detective Diaz! That’s enough!”

Rosa’s already spun away and perches herself on the armchair on the far wall.

“That sort of behaviour will not be accepted at any time! What gives you the right – “

“HeeeISHU! Hk’TSSSH’ttiiiISH!” Jake’s never been so grateful for a sneeze before, as he sniffs and Holt goes quiet. He’s still reeling from the swat, and catching his breath from the latest sneezing triple… but he can’t let Rosa get trampled for whatever it was he did that caused her to lash out. “It’s okay, captaind. I deserved it.”

Holt doesn’t believe it – he can see it in his eyes – but he has the sense to turn aside. “I will… I will go to the bathroom then. I’ll just leave you two alone.” The door shuts with a snap behind him.

Jake rubs his cheek gingerly – it wasn’t a hard slap, kind of like a cat batting without its claws – but it was still a shock, and even with his fever lowered, his nerves are still prickling over his face a bit. “Ow, Rosa. What the hell?”

“I should be saying the same thing.” She’s still angry – she’s speaking through gritted teeth and her hands are clenched in her lap. At least she’s pretty far away, but it’s obviously taking a lot of restraint to stop her lurching forward and hitting him again. “Seriously, Jake? You have to pull this shit again?”

“Hey, I will have you kndow that the last bomb threat was endtirely Boyle’s fault, thandk you very mbuch.”

“Not… the threat… Jake! Ugh!”

He spins his body around (to save his neck) to face her properly, rubbing his nose against his knee as he curls inwards and upwards. It’s not quite sitting, but he’s vaguely upright unsupported… which is a start. He rests his chin on his palm, frowning at her. “Thend… what?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

She’s turned into her own stone. Whatever it is should be blaringly obvious to him, but he’s oblivious to the effects of his actions on a good day… At least he can still read her, and more easily than most books. Whatever it is, it’ll come out eventually. Pushing it will just make her mad, and he really doesn’t want to be hit again.

“So, uh…” She looks uncomfortable, uncertain. This is concerned!Rosa. He’s only had the misfortune of encountering her a few times, thankfully. “Are you… I mean… how are you…”

“Okay, we’ll say it slowly. Repeat after mbe. Feeeeel-iiiiindg. Feel… indg Feelindg..”

Rosa rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “Why do you always do that?”

“Why Do You Always Do That, ndambe of Amby’s sex tape.” He looks over to the far right before realising he’s in Holt’s office and not as his desk. “Dambit, she’s ndot here!” He speaks a little too loudly and his throat protests, making him swallow with a wince and cough a couple of times into his good elbow. “Add I’mb ohkay, ind case you really did wandt to kndow. The EMbTs hooked mbe up with sombe of the good shit.”

“Yeah. You, uh… you look a little better…”

“Dond’t say that. Last timbe Holt said I was better, mby temperature jumped to 104, I threw up everywhere add thend passed out.”

Rosa snorts. “Jesus, Jake. Of course you did.”

“Oh, is Jesus still following you arou’d? I still cand’t see himb, by the way.”

She jumps up, swatting his arm gently before settling on the other end of the couch. “Thousand push-ups…”

His hearing is going – everything in his head still feels swollen – but he’s with it enough to hear her muttering. He snorts… which turns into laughter… which, of course, turns into coughing. And before he knows it, he’s sitting with his feet on the floor again, head ducked against his bad arm and tissues clamped up to his mouth. He can almost feel his lungs screaming for air, and he’s starting to get dizzy again as the barking finally starts to taper off.

“Jake…”

He leans right back, letting the cushions support his head as he wheezes, face burning. He swipes at his face with the Kleenex once more before balling them and dropping them onto his lap. Rosa’s holding out a cup of water, staring at it like it’s been magicked into her hand and she’s still uncertain of how it got there or how trustworthy it actually is. But he reaches out with trembling hand, whispering a thanks before the coolness rushes into his mouth.

“Do you need your inhaler? Do you still have it?”

He closes his eyes, not quite able to look at her. Concerned!Rosa has morphed into authoritarian!Rosa… meaning scared!Rosa. As much as he loves her, he can’t deal with this right now. Growing up with a single Jewish mother still hasn’t trained him for these moments. He swallows away a few more coughs, hoping his shoulders don’t bounce too much. “Rosa, combe ond. I’mb ndot asthmbatic – I dond’t ndeed it.”

“You’re not asthmatic until you get sick. I remember.” She takes another step back until she’s right up against the desk. She tugs at her hair, shoving ringlets over her shoulder. It’s a nervous habit of hers – one that he’s only seen her do three times before. The last asthma attack he had, then graduation day then… that day. “Holt made you keep one here. I remember you bitching about it. So where is it? Do not tell me it’s buried in your desk.”

“Well, you’re just ind luck, arend’t you, because it’s ndot in mby desk, it’s ind mby locker ind the top under mby spare hoodie and Deadpool collection.”

“Ha-ha-ha, you fell for it!” She moves to the door quickly, before he can even process the sneakiness. “Boyle, go break into Jake’s locker. I need an item from the top corner. Under Deadpool. You’ll know it when you see it.”

Jake wrinkles his nose (notgonnasneezenotgonnasneezenotgonnasneeze). “Charles? You sendt Charles to break indto mby locker? Holt’ll kick you out before he gets the first ndumber.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Rosa slams the door and crosses the room, resuming her perch on the couch. “But you’re embarrassed about it. Santiago would see the inhaler and worry her pretty little ass off. Boyle will get it. He won’t make a big deal of things.”

He’s known her for years, but Jake’s still blown away by how thoughtful his partner can be. Admittedly, these times are rarer than a moo-ing steak but… you know. It’s nice.

“And, you got through that entire ramble before without breathing. I’m still gonna make you take it – I’ll shove it so far into your mouth you can breathe it or eat it – but your puny little lungs should be fine for the next five minutes.”

“Heh’heh? Ht’TSHHHtt!”

“Even if your nose isn’t.” Diaz laughs, nudging the Kleenex box over to him with her foot. “I almost forgot how stupid your dumb little sneezes are until today.”

“Th-… tha’… hk’DJZSCH’oo! Ugh…” He’s uncertain if another is going to come – whatever set his allergies off earlier has gone, but with the histamines the predictability of his fits also disappeared. The tingling seems to settle – much like a ball settles at the top of a precipice – and he swipes at his nose, hiding the cringe. The tissues are already chafing.

“So you have the flu, huh?”

His lip feels suddenly warm, and he crumples the tissues under his nose, pinning them there with a fist. He can’t quite bring himself to blow his nose, but he’s not going to paint his face with the snot-tap either. “Well…” He clears his throat. “I hope so. It’s either the flu or sombe weapond that’s goigg to kill mbe add everyonde else here, so I’d mbuch rather call it the flu add hope that mbaybe I cand trick the damb virus indto thinkigg that’s what it is.”

“Trick it...?”

He scratches the side of his nose with a finger, trying to budge the itch. “What?”

“You said, trick the virus. Do you think it is a bioagent?”

Diaz has got him back into a corner, but her demeanour isn’t vindictive… or scared… or anything he can recognise from her usual countenance. And that ball that he’s been working so hard on shoving away – the hard slimy ball in the pit of his stomach, the one his intestines and heart keep wrapping themselves around over and over again – it bounces against his chest like his heart, but faster, forcing his breaths to quicken. It’s the ball of uncertainty, of unfamiliarity, of anxiety… and it finally causes him to crumple. “I don’t kndow,” he whispers. “I dond’t wandt it to be.”

“Hey. It’s okay to be scared.” Rosa isn’t one for touch normally, but she stretches, tracing the tendons on Jake’s feet with her toes. “I used to have this teacher – Miss Felicity. She used to say that nerves just meant we cared about our performance. She’d say, the important thing was to keep going. To take those nerves and use them for good, not to freeze. To become the beautiful swan, not hide in the back as an ugly duckling.”

“Awww. Did wittle Rosa get stage fright?”

“I was 16. And no, I did not get stage fright. Shut up!” She sighs, toes still ghosting over his. “That’s not the point. What I mean is, you can get scared. Everyone is scared. You’re allowed to be scared. You’re allowed to tell people you feel like shit, because we already know you do. You’re allowed to – “

Perfect timing. Jake pushes up against her foot, unballing his tissues and folding them. “Sorry, gonnda – ehGKTSH! TSHHH!”

“Bless you. Jake…” He can see the sigh over the tops of the Kleenex before he blows his nose. “Do you remember seeing anyone sick the last week? Or did you seriously piss anyone off in the last few months?”

He can’t think of anything though. That’s the thing. Whenever his head has been clear (and painless) enough to think, he’s been running over everything. And nothing stands out. No one coughing or sneezing. No crazy scientists he caught doing drugs. There is nothing. Nothing to help him.

“Nothing stands out to you?”

He can only shake his head and look away. He doesn’t want to – no, he just plain can’t – see the disappointment in her eyes.

But Rosa surprises him again. “That’s okay. You’ll be alright. Do you want me to stay?”

“There’s ndot mbuch you cand do for mbe here…”

“No, Jake. Not need. Want.”

He looks through the blinds into the bullpen (which is even more chaotic than he thought), then at Holt’s desk, before finally settling on Rosa. And slowly, ever so slowly – with fluid running into his elbow and tissues being held in place under his nose – he nods.

[Anonymouse]

Rosa swatting Jake and then quickly retreating to a corner... she's totally a cat. I love Jake making the sex tape joke and then immediately looking for Amy's reaction. Reminds me of when Pam kept looking at Jim's desk in the office after Ryan took it. And aww, papa Holt keeping Jake's inhaler at the precinct just in case.

“Even if your nose isn’t.” Diaz laughs, nudging the Kleenex box over to him with her foot. “I almost forgot how stupid your dumb little sneezes are until today.”

:wub: So cute. And Jake losing the predictability of the sneezes. I love that difference between colds and allergies. I think I prefer the chaos and lack of structure that a cold provides. I love Rosa playing footsie with him, too. I like to think that she's not really one for touch but Jake thrives on it, so it's cute that she sucks it up for a chance to comfort him.

Interested to see where this goes next!

[rmackie33]

Please update this story soon I'm obsessed! Also, in tonight's episode apparently jake and holt both have the mumps and add quarantined so I think it's safe to say you are psychic! Your writing and characterization is brilliant! Can't wait to read more.

[Zwee]

THAT JAKE AND ROSA DYNAMIC.

Gosh, this is amazing. You're so good at capturing their relationships and personalities. Wow.

Rosa is amazing, she's one of my favorites. <3

I haven't seen the mumps epi yet because of school and time, but I can't wait.

I'll be back with show recommendations after my midterm, promise. <3 This story is still perfect and I still love it so much. Can't wait for more.

[SpookyBoi]

I just started watching Brooklyn 99 and this is so facking cute.

It's so in character that I've been reading this entire fic imagining the characters voices.

I love it so much and I really hope it continues one day.

[Seeker]

I just started B99 recently and I love it and this! I hope you plan to continue