Salute (Supernatural, Sam)

[sierraplaid]

The prompt has the word "fireworks" so I'm stretching it and calling this fic topical for the 4th of July. *shrug*

I also did a Dean fill for this same prompt, here.

 

Title: Salute
Fandom: Supernatural
Characters: Sam, Dean (gen)
Summary: Sam has a cold and sneezes a lot.
Warnings: None
AN: Prompt by tarotgal on the 2017 meme: "A character's cold (or allergy fit) follows the same pattern as a fireworks show. It starts out with a few sneezes here or there and then there's a steady amount of sneezing. But it always ends with a spectacular finale of sneezes. Other characters know this and every time he sneezes, they watch/wait to see if it's the beginning of the finale yet or not. His cold (or allergic reaction) just isn't over until that impressive fit of sneezing strikes."
AN 2: Re: the title, "salute" is a kind of firework, and also Italian for bless you, if I'm not mistaken.

 

Salute

Dean’s in a good mood as he pushes open their motel room door and flicks on the lights. “Man, why can’t they all be that easy?”

Sam’s two steps behind him, tissues held to his nose.

“The monster gets the gank, the good guys get pie for dinner…. If that’s all there were to hunting we’d be living the life of Riley.”

Dean drops their duffel bags on the floor and heads straight for the mini-fridge. Two beers clink together as he corrals them in his fingers. “That was a good day’s work, I think,” he says, offering one to Sam, but Sam waves him off and drops down heavily on the end of his bed. “Especially considering that cold’s got you feeling like crap.”

Sam brings the tissues to his face. “hRRXSHHoo! Yeah, I’m not denying that.”

“Well, it’s bedtime for Bonzo,” Dean says, sticking one beer back in the fridge. “Why don’t you take the first shower and then hit the sack?”

Sam nods, stares blankly at the floor, then grabs the tissues again. “haRXSHh!”

“Come on, Sam. Bed.”

***

Sam summons the energy to get up and climb into the shower, and Dean spreads some work rags out on his bed and settles in surrounded by knives and disassembled guns for cleaning.

“hehKHXSHhoo!”

Dean can hear Sam in there, sneezing.

“hRRRXSH!”

***

When Sam finally emerges, warm and steamy with his sweatpants and gray sleep shirt on, he tears off a length of toilet paper and blows his nose. Then he tears off more, and blows his nose again.

“hIHSHHhuh, h..hIHXSHH!”

Dean appears at his elbow with a mug of decaf tea.

“You’re such a pansy,” Sam says, sniffling as he takes it from him.

“Thank me later.”

Sam crosses the room and sets the mug on the nightstand, sits down on the edge of the bed, and turns sideways into his elbow.

“hehEXSHHHoo! hahRXHSHHoo! Uerrgh, man.”

“You sound like you’ve got it coming to you,” Dean remarks.

Sam sniffs miserably and clears his throat. “Yeah.” He turns down the top of the blankets. “hnEXSSHhhoo!” Then he slides his legs between the sheets. “huhEXSHHoo!”

Dean nudges the box of tissues closer with a ramrod and Sam sniffs and takes a handful to blow his nose. No sooner is he done than he pitches forward into the tissues again.

“hRXHSHH!”

“The night is young,” Dean says.

Sam sniffles and takes a sip of the tea.

***

“hehTCHH!”

Dean looks up from the pistol he’s putting back together. That’s Sam’s I-really-have-to-sneeze-but-I-really-don’t-want-to-anymore sneeze. Sam has the heel of his hand pressed between his watery eyes and is breathing slowly through his mouth.

“Hey, Sam,” Dean says, and Sam drops his hand and picks up a tissue from his lap.

“hehTCHH!”

“I don’t want to tell you how to run your life, but….”

Sam doesn’t need any more persuading. “hih-hih…heh-khXHSHhoo!”

“This was always gonna happen, you know. Just accept your fate.”

“heh-hhHRUHSHHoo! Ughh, bite me.”

“Free will is an illusion.”

“Shu—heh ..hhUHXRSHHoo! Shut up, Dean. …hih…hERRXHSHoo!”

Dean sets the gun aside as Sam heaves a sigh and blows his nose yet again.

“You okay?” Dean asks.

Sam nods, keeps blowing his nose.

“You may as well get it over with.”

Sam nods again, leaves the tissues where they are, and curls forward unenthusiastically. “hehTCHH! uh..h..hehTXCHHh!” He drops the tissues on the bed and grabs another bunch. “hehTCHH! huhEXSHHoo! h..ht-EHRRSHoo!” He slumps back against the pillows. “hRXHSHh… hRXSHhh… hUXXRSHH!”

“Sam,” Dean says, but Sam’s not through. He sniffs once, twice, then twists aside into his elbow.

“hEXCHSHoo!” He pauses, sniffs again. “hhh-EHXSHH!” He grabs up more tissues. “h-h..hrEHXSHHew!... hhhEHRXSHH! h! ..hrERXXSHHEW!” One more pause, his breath catches again, and he brings his arm to his face with one final wrenching sneeze. “hehRRXXSHHEW!”

For a few seconds, Sam waits without moving, panting out shallow breaths muffled into his sleeve. Then he sniffles meekly and huffs out a sigh. He blows his nose and, without saying anything, burrows down under the covers, exhausted, taking the tissues with him.

Dean watches as he hugs the blankets around him, melds into the pillow, his eyes fallen shut, his nose and cheeks bright pink.

“Sam,” Dean says again, and he’s answered by a single, tired sniff. “You’ll feel better tomorrow.”

***

End

 

 

Edited July 4, 2017 by sierraplaid

[lilysneeze]

Now I'm can't decide which one I like better OMG! this one or the Dean one? hmmm.... such a hard choice! Sam telling Dean to shut up mid sneezing fit... the melding with the pillow. I really can't decide

[iluvemojis]

Oh my goodness, Sam is so sneezy!! And the spellings, hnnnngh. This is great! 

[Desperatelysneezi]

Wow great job, I agree I love the spelling you used it was unique but I felt quite accurate!! 

[Luisa39]

Good story! 

And you're right -- "Salute" is, basically, "bless you"; It means "health" in Italian.

[sierraplaid]

On 7/4/2017 at 0:52 PM, lilysneeze said:

Now I'm can't decide which one I like better OMG! this one or the Dean one? hmmm.... such a hard choice! Sam telling Dean to shut up mid sneezing fit... the melding with the pillow. I really can't decide

I know I couldn't choose between sick!Dean or sick!Sam for this amazing prompt -- I mean, that's why I caved and had to write them both. I'm glad you liked them!

On 7/5/2017 at 1:09 PM, iluvemojis said:

Oh my goodness, Sam is so sneezy!!

Yup, as per!

23 hours ago, Desperatelysneezi said:

Wow great job, I agree I love the spelling you used it was unique but I felt quite accurate!! 

Thanks!

22 hours ago, Luisa39 said:

Good story! 

And you're right -- "Salute" is, basically, "bless you"; It means "health" in Italian.

Thanks!