Title: Sick at a Party
Pairing: Parker/Jason (from my story "Their Give and Take")

Rating: PG-13

Author Notes: Sick Days Official on Tumblr is having a week-long party and I decided to join in.

Prompt: Sick at a Party. Suggestions: Getting dragged to a holiday party out of obligation despite feeling badly already, suddenly feeling very badly at a party, trying to hide that they’re sick but failing miserably, trying to hide that they’re sick and doing well until one little thing happens then suddenly the jig is up. The only stipulation is that everything has to take place at the event.

 

 

Sick at a Party

 

OCs from my story “Their Give and Take”

 

Jason wandered through the sea of employees in the museum lobby. Most were chatting as they sampled hors d’oeuvres and sipped champagne. The space room had been converted into a dance floor, which was always popular. And a few of the well-known introverts were content to linger in the early civilizations wing, reading on their own or pretending to be watching over some of the new displays they'd gotten in that couldn’t be disturbed. However they wanted to spend the company Holiday party was fine with him, as long as they had a good time in the end. After a year of massive budget cuts, a lost touring exhibit bid, and losing their associate director to her own nonprofit, his staff deserved to celebrate this year.

 

And Jason wanted to celebrate as well, but he couldn’t find Parker anywhere. He checked room after room, finding many people he was glad to see but not the one he truly wanted. Just as he was about to give up, he caught sight of some movement over by the Medieval armor room he hadn’t checked.  There, just inside the doorway, stood his man, looking handsome in his dark gray suit and festive holly berry tie. His eyes stared down at the glass in his hand through his black-rimmed glasses. And his salt and pepper hair flopped forward a little.

 

“Right where I wanted you,” Jason said upon approach, his grin far brighter than any of the spotlights on the armor and weapons throughout the room.

 

“Oh?” Parker replied, his fingers sliding against the glass in his hand, restlessly playing with it.

 

“Mmmhmm. Look up.” He reached Parker and pointed upward. A ball of mistletoe hung from almost every doorway in the museum tonight, and this one was no exception. He leaned in for a kiss, but Parker pulled away, stumbling back a few feet. The back of his leg made content with a ben in the middle of the room and he wobbled but didn’t fall.

 

Jason frowned.

 

“Wh-what if your employees saw us?”

 

With narrowed eyes, “They all know I’m married to you, Sir. Frankly, I think they’d be more shocked to see us here not kissing.” He swept forward to close the gap, wanting to take his husband in his arms at last.

 

But swiftly Parker maneuvered around the seating area, putting two benches between them.

 

And this was something Jason could not ignore or excuse. “All right, what’s going on here? Why are you avoiding me? All night you kept disappearing on me and now, when I’ve finally found you and we’re alone, you won’t even look me in the eye.” Careful not to spill the champagne in his flute, he crossed his arms over his chest. This was his museum, his turf, his party. Did Parker have a problem with this? Or did he have a problem with something else? Instantly, self-doubt set in. Jason lowered his voice and hung his head submissively. “Did I do something wrong, Sir? If so, please tell me so I can correct it.”

 

There was a soft sigh and the sound of footsteps coming closer, but Jason did not dare look up. He worried his lower lip between his teeth and closed his eyes, anticipating the worst.

 

“You’ve done nothing wrong, Jase,” came Parker’s voice, soft to match. “I was hoping I’d get through tonight without you finding out… I think I’m getting sick.”

 

Jason’s head snapped up. “What?”

 

“Sore throat. Congestion. Headache throbbing to beat the band. And I know you keep the museum cold to preserve artefacts and things, but it feels like twenty below in here to me. And…. I… hehp!” Hastily, he withdrew a white cloth handkerchief and pressed it to his face. “Hehhppptddshhhhhhhh!”  But he didn’t stop there at just the one. “Hehhhhpdjjjjshhh! Hihhddschhhhh! Heh hehh IHtppshhhhh! Hehppddshhhh! Hehhhdshhhhhhhh! Hehpptschhhhh!” He paused, hanky to his nose, making sure there were no more. There weren’t, at least, not at the moment. So he wiped the cloth back and forth under his nose and stuffed it back into his pocket.

 

“Bless you,” Jason said, taking Parker’s drink from him. He set it on the bench with his own. The janitors would take care of those later. Jason took out his phone. “I’ll text Amy and tell her I have to go. Then I’ll go get our coats.” He reached around to Parker’s back pocket, pulled out the man’s wallet, and snagged the two coat check tickets and a few singles for a tip from it before putting it back. “I’ll meet you at the door in three minutes.”

 

Parker smiled a little sheepishly. “We don’t have to go. I’m not dying. It’s probably just a cold. I dragged you to my office’s stuffy holiday party last week. Least I can do is wait this out. I don’t want to take you away from your staff or ruin your good time. Heh!” He got the hanky out again, very nearly missing it this time. “HehppTIHSchhhhhh! Sniff!  Oh… sniff! I just thought I could just hide myself away until it was over. Didn’t want to get anyone else sick.”

 

“I won’t be able to enjoy myself now that I know you’re sick. We’re going.” Taking his husband’s hands in his, he squeezed tightly, reassuringly. “I want to get you home right away so I can get you started with some cold medicine. Then I’ll help you into some warm pajamas and tuck you into bed.”

 

With a sniff and a rub at his nose, Parker finally nodded in agreement. “Since when did my sub get so bossy?”

 

“Since your sub saw his Dom sneeze seven times in a row. Now, go. I’ll meet you by the front door.”

 

 

 

PROMPT:

9: Sick at a Party
Suggestions: Getting dragged to a holiday party out of obligation despite feeling badly already, suddenly feeling very badly at a party, trying to hide that they’re sick but failing miserably, trying to hide that they’re sick and doing well until one little thing happens then suddenly the jig is up.
The only stipulation is that everything has to take place at the event.