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softsnzstuff · 6 hours

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OF/MD College Rowing AU

Hi guys, this has been in the works for MONTHS and I finally finished it. It’s my new AU based on my own experience from college 😁 special shout-out to @peach-plumb-pear2 , @softersteve and @sniffles-and-tickles for letting me brainstorm with them! I really hope you like it. I have the whole AU fully flushed out and have more coming hopefully.

Summary: Ed gets sick but comes to practice anyways. Stede tries to usher him home and get him the rest and meds he needs. ((Originally for Sicktember prompt - the only place we’re going is the pharmacy))

OH! And also Stede has the kink 😈

Word Count: 1.85k

*~*~*~*~*

The annoying yet rhythmic quack of Apple’s “Duck” alarm tone pierced through the air, awaking 22 year old Stede Bonnet from his sleep. He didn’t need to look at the clock to know it was 5:15am - the same time his alarm went off every weekday.

He groaned, desperately wanting to close his eyes and go back to sleep, but the guilt of his teammates practicing without him won once again. He swung his legs over the edge of his bed and rubbed at his head before walking over to his dresser. He pulled out some basketball shorts and a tattered old tee shirt to put on under his jacket.

He opened his door a crack and called out, “Lucius?”

“Yes yes, I’m up…” came a grumbled reply from his roommate, who emerged from the bathroom, also wearing workout clothes and a jacket.

“Oh good! Thought I’d have to wake you again.” He smiled, bending down to lace up his athletic shoes.

“Tell me again why you got me to sign up for this.” Lucius quipped sarcastically.

The younger man liked to complain about the early morning wake up calls and physical labor, but he was actually quite good at the sport, teammates not letting him leave.

“You know you like it Lucius. Let’s go.” Stede grabbed their apartment key off the table and the two boys headed out the front door.

Lucius shivered as the cool autumn air hit his bare legs. The turning of the seasons meant a crisp chill in the mornings and evenings. It was still dark out, stars speckling the sky.

It was roughly 5:40 now. Practice started at 6am and they had a ten minute walk to get there. The college was nice enough to let the rowing team use the abandoned basketball stadium for practices (since the basketball and volleyball teams got a newly renovated one on the other side of campus). When they weren’t out on the water in the reservoir, they were doing land practice here at this ungodly hour.

The two walked in content silence, both still waking up. When they got inside the court, Lucius almost immediately split off from Stede to go and sit with Pete, who was fixing his shoes in the corner. Most other teammates were either talking or stretching, waiting for the clock to hit 6 for morning warm-ups.

Stede scanned the room before a voice came out behind him.

“If you’re looking for Ed, he’s on the bleachers. Pretending not to be under the weather.”

It was the team’s coxswain, Izzy, a 25 year old grad student and Ed’s good friend and roommate.

“Oh! Good morning, Izzy!” Stede chirped, “Under the weather??”

Izzy rolled his eyes and walked away, Stede growing more concerned as he spotted his friend sitting on the bleachers.

Ed was normally full of energy, bouncing around the room and giving people shit. But today, he was in sweatpants and a hoodie, leaning his head in one hand and scrubbing at his nose with the sleeve of the other.

Stede looked at his watch. 5:55. They had a few minutes before the co-captains had to start practice. The blonde walked over and plopped himself down next to Ed. Up close, he noticed the older man’s eyes were red and wet, in a similar condition to his nose.

“Ed have you been crying?” Stede asked.

“No, but I have been snFF! sneezing…” as if on cue, he brought the sleeves of both his hands up over his face. “T’sssSHIEW! Hh- h’tschIYUE!”

Stede’s heart fluttered. He always sneezed a bit dramatically like this - higher pitched at the end in a way that was very fitting for Ed. But these seemed more desperate than usual.

He pulled a tissue out of his hoodie pocket and blew his nose into it. When he noticed Stede eyeballing him, he paused, mumbling over the tissue. “Grown’d men can carry tissues Stede.”

“I know!” Stede felt bad for staring, “Are you under the weather?”

“N’do. Who told you that? Izzy??” Ed spotted the man across the court and flipped him off. “I’m okay Stede.”

Stede wasn’t quite buying it but knew Ed could be stubborn when he wanted to be, so he chose to let it be for now.

“Alright gang, it’s 6! Let’s hit our 3 laps and then warm ups!”

They all looked on, waiting for Ed to say something as co-captain.

“You heard the man! Fucking move it!” Ed added before hopping down and joining them in the laps around the court.

When they’d finished running, they formed lines. One behind Ed and one behind Stede. They took turns going back and forth across the court, doing high knees, crossovers, lunges, and other stretches.

By 6:10 they’d heard announcements from the coaches and were onto the meat and bones of the workout. Ed’s group was starting with body weight workouts on one half of the court and Stede’s group started off on the ergs. At 7am they would switch.

This was something they did every day - it wasn’t new by any means, but today Ed just felt bone tired. By the time 7 rolled around, he just wanted to lie down.

He grabbed his water bottle and took a sip before coughing into his elbow and patting his chest. Stede walked over, having just hopped off the erg. “Okay there?”

Ed cleared his throat, “M’okay. Probably just tired - eht’schYUE!”

“Bless you.” Stede choked out as casually as possible.

“Thanks mate.” Ed clapped a hand on Stede’s back as he made his way to the ergs as they switched.

When the second round of workouts ended, the team gathered together to do their 1 minute of jump squats before practice officially ended. Ed looked pale and sweaty, slowly making his way over to collect his things.

“Think you’re right Stede. I feel sick.” Ed rubbed at his temples and closed his eyes. “Might skip my classes today.”

“You’re missing the fundraiser tonight?”

“Pfff! No! When did I say that?” Ed chuckled, remembering the annual fundraiser dinner that the team had scheduled today.

“Ed, if you’re too sick for class you shouldn’t be at the fundraiser.” Stede said gently.

“Then I think I’m feeling better actually. Save me a seat in Economics yeah?”

Stede nodded, feeling bad for mentioning the fundraiser. Now Ed thought he had to power through the day if that meant he could make an appearance at the event.

---

Stede was thankful that he had time to go back to the apartment and shower before he had morning classes. He was also feeling thankful that Ed was able to do the same. Both of their first classes of the day was Economics 400.

As usual Stede was there early, having had time to pick up two teas at the campus cafe on his way there. He sat towards the back with his backpack in the seat next to him.

A chesty cough made Stede (and a few others) look up and towards the door. Ed walked in, showered and in a different hoodie and joggers. He waved to Stede as the younger man moved his backpack for Ed to sit.

Ed slumped into the seat, dropping his bag on the floor and resting his head in his arms. Stede frowned as he coughed again.

“How are you feeling, Ed?”

Ed groaned in response. “I feel… hih! N’xxTCH! T’schiew!” He turned his head slightly to muffle the sneezes into his hoodie. “Feel like shit mate.”

“Bless.” Stede held out the second paper cup to his buddy, “Brought you a tea with seven sugars. Might help your throat?”

Ed picked his head up slightly and smiled, “Thag’ks.”

As he was taking a sip, Stede noticed the haze to his eyes and slight flush spread across his cheeks. Before he even knew what he was doing, Stede had leaned over and pressed a gentle yet firm hand on Ed’s forehead.

“Ed. You have a fever! You should be at home resting.”

Ed shrugged, “No, I need to be here so I can go to the fundraiser tonight.”

“The only place you’re going is the pharmacy.” Stede stood up and swung his bag over his shoulder, “Come on. I’ll take you.”

The older man was skeptical at first, but eventually stood up, grabbing his own bag and his tea before following Stede out of the classroom.

They were lucky there was a small grocery store right across the street from campus, by the duplex Ed and Izzy were renting out. Stede grabbed a small basket as they strode through the pharmacy section.

Stede stopped in the cold and flu aisle, perusing the different options. Ed stood next to Stede, leaning his head on Stede’s shoulder.

The younger man glanced over, gently tapping his head against Ed’s. “I got you daytime and nighttime meds. Cough drops. You need anything else?”

“Eh’tszzsh!” Ed snapped forward with the first sneeze, instinctually curing into Stede with the second, “K’itssch!”

Stede jumped from the shock. “B- bless you.”

Ed’s sneezes we’re becoming more tired sounding and less dramatic in nature. A sure fire sign that he really wasn’t feeling well.

“I’m so sorry Stede.” Ed started apologizing for sneezing against Stede’s chest. What Stede couldn’t say in the moment was that he actually liked it. A lot.

“It’s okay Ed. Let’s maybe grab some tissues?” He suggested, “And then we can get you home.”

Ed nodded and swiped at the underside of his nose. As Stede checked out, he thanked god for Ed living so close. The older man was very quickly taking a turn for the worse.

“I’ll pay you back for that stuff.” Ed mumbled weakly on the walk back towards the duplex.

“Don’t worry about it, Ed. I just want you to get better.”

When they got to the apartment, Ed dropped his backpack on the floor by the dining room table. Izzy’s stuff was gone. He was probably in class still.

Stede set the bag on the counter and started taking all the different medications out. When he turned around, Ed was face down on the couch.

“Ed. I really think you should take this before you pass out.”

Stede had been to Ed’s enough times to know where he kept his water cups. He filled up a glass of water and brought it over along with the daytime medicine.

“Shits fucking disgusting…” Ed grumbled into the cushions before propping himself up on an elbow to knock back the medicine and take a sip of water.

“Good job, now you can get some rest. Don’t worry about the fundraiser okay? I’m telling Izzy you’re staying home.”

Ed groaned behind closed eyes, already letting sleep claim him for the day. Stede smiled and draped the thin throw blanket over his crush.

“Sweet dreams, Ed.”

#Reblogging because maybe it’ll encourage me to write more lmao

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