"New Discoveries" Org. (m) Theresa/Erik 1/-2/2

[tma]

Author's notes- this takes right after "Revelations"

I'm not sure where this will go- so...

Erik's mind was whirling. Theresa's "revelation" to him had come out of the blue, and with a mind already feeling fuzzy from a combination of cold and jet lag, the whole thing was taking a bit to process.

It was lovely to know that unlike his previous girlfriend, Susan, there would not be any disgust or feeling the need to hide during hayfever season.

It was interesting, he mused, that though it had come as a complete shock, that looking back, it explained certain things- the way that she would seem to flush occasionally, and certain looks that she would give him. Erik understood that this was something Theresa felt very self-conscious about, and it made sense that she had been so nervous. Looking back, it made sense and was very endearing. However, he admitted to himself, previously to her finally telling him, she had half driven him out of his mind. Erik had hated being away for so long, and if it hadn't been for the fact that she was still in her Master's program, he would have taken her in a heartbeat- even on a small town professor's salary. The semester had been a great experience academically, and a brilliant break from the small college town, and had reinvigorated him. Nonetheless, if he'd had to do it again, he wasn't so sure that he would have made the same choice. He hated to admit it, because he trusted Theresa implicitly, but he sometimes worried that she'd wake up to the fact that he was a stodgy old (well 11 years older than her), dull history professor, and take up with one of the handsome co-eds that he had seen looking at her. Coming down with a cold had always embarrassed him to no end. He hated feeling slow or feeling like a disgusting spectacle. So to have been coming home to see his beloved in a state that he considered to be a horrid mess had only served to increase his agitation. The hesitancy that Theresa had shown before her confession had made him feel certain that his worst fears had come to pass.

He smiled to himself. Now that he had processed the fact that she still was amazingly in love with him, he was starting to think about what she had said. This could work out quite nicely. Erik decided that after napping, he was going to try to run some tests.

When Erik woke up, he noticed Theresa sitting in the corner reading. A stay lock of hair swept into her eyes, and she brushed it to one side. There was a pen dangling out of her mouth, slightly chewed from habit when she concentrated. She was so beautiful. He laughed to himself over his besottedness.

He was feeling rather better, and longed to have a more proper reunion. While Theresa was still engrossed in her studies, he came over and started to massage her shoulders. At first she flinched in surprise, but then she leaned back into it, and started almost purring. He gently started kissing at the nape of her neck, as he continued to massage. After a little while, he felt his breathing start to hitch, and he nearly turned to walk away. Then he thought that he'd try something slightly different.

Theresa felt Erik's hands stiffen slightly, and his breathing start to falter. She thought that he'd take his hand completely off of her and move away. To her surprise and delight he stayed. She could feel his ragged breath against her ear. Then, "Huh.. HeiTchuch… EiTchuh… Chmpt." He had sneezed the first two into his shoulder, and she could feel his body bending forward and how his body shuddered slightly each time. On the third sneeze, he had let go entirely with one hand and stifled into his elbow.

Erik looked at Theresa through slightly misty eyes as he apologized. Yes, there was a slightly glow to her cheeks, and now that he leaned into her he could feel her pulse starting to race.

"Are… are you feeling any better?" Theresa inquired. She still felt self-conscious about the chills that had run down her spine.

Erik nodded.

She grinned, "Hmmm… nap must have helped?"

He rolled his eyes, "Perhaps. Just don't say those four little words, young lady."

She regarded him with an innocent smile, "What? You mean 'I love you dearly.'?"

He chuckled, and kissed her on the forehead. He was still a little nervous about getting her sick. "No. That you may say. In fact, you may even say that repeatedly."

"I cannot imagine what the other four words might be."

"Hmmmm"

"I suppose that I could be persuaded to let the subject be, so long as you concede the point of those words." She said and kissed him thoroughly.

He nodded again. "I've missed you. I don't want to interrupt your work, but…" he looked down.

Theresa started to grin, feeling more comfortable. "Yes you do." She teased. "I suppose that you may Drag me away from my reading."

Erik smiled as he pulled her over to the couch, "Good. There are some luxuries that my trip didn't afford."

She gasped, "But I would have thought that for the new department head that the sky was the limit. Five star hotels, stretch limos, exotic dancing girls…"

He chuckled, "Yes, yes but there simply weren't enough dancing girls."

She elbowed him.

"That, and they couldn't hold a candle to you." He held her tightly. "No one could," he breathed huskily, and kissed behind her left ear.

She arched her back into his chest. "I love you."

It amazed him the way that those three short words said in such an open and matter-of-fact fashion could nearly take his breath away.

He held her tightly, and then sniffed. "There are so many things that I've missed," he said gently cupping the underside of her breasts with his hands.

Theresa nearly went lightheaded- the heat of his hands, the warmth of his breath, his voice, deep and slightly raspy with cold. She trembled and turned to face him. She kissed his cheeks, his neck, and then started to loosen his tie and unbutton the buttons of his starched white shirt.

He groaned slightly as his hands caressed her. His breathing started to catch; the slight pricking sensation was back. "Heeeh.. Ehhh…" he momentarily took his hands off her, out of habit. A couple more shaky inhales and then he sighed, and scrubbed his nose.

"Are you all right?" Theresa stopped mid way through the shirt to look at the slightly dazed look on Erik's face.

He nodded.

She resumed, but stopped again as Erik repeated the process.

"What?" she knew what the problem was, but there was something about the idea of having him say it, especially because he was flustered.

"Nah.. *sigh* nothing."

She raised an eyebrow.

He squirmed slightly. "It's silly. I juuh.. huh.." his eyes started to glisten.

He was so adorable. Theresa debated having him try the light, but instead decided to try something that she never thought that she'd have the nerve to attempt. She reached her hand out and slowly stroked his nose with her nail.

This caught Erik off guard, "Stah.. huh.. op. It tick..heh.. eiTchuh… HehTchuh… huh.. ReTchuh" They threw him forward and he sneezed into his hands, grabbing quickly for the tissues to catch the last one that was harsher than the previous two.

Theresa smiled innocently. "Bless you. What did you say?"

He flushed, and then recovered. "Did you miss anything?" he said, purposefully adding a slight sniff to the end.

He had caught her off guard; he enjoyed watching her beautiful mouth fumble around half formed words. He felt a tickle beginning to grow and his mouth began to drop. "Diii.. heh…did you miss me.. tah..EiTchuh… Chuh… ehh.. hehEiTchch- excuse me" These were heavier, and he'd had to push his glasses back up.

She nodded and whispered into his ear, "Very much." Then her hazel eyes began to sparkle and she said, "In fact… I could show you just how much." Then suddenly she put her hand up to her mouth and faltered. "I mean… that is… if you're feeling up to it."

"I don't know. Not yet, maybe later."

She nodded, feeling slightly disappointed, until she caught the wicked glint in his eyes. She flushed as his blue eyes darkened and his eyes traveled the length of her body.

[sneezelove]

aww this is totally adorable!

I can't wait to read more!

[TheCakeIsAlive]

Gosh, that is really quite an amazing fic, tma. Erik is really quite evil.

Wait.. part 1? Does that mean there might be more? *fangirls lots and decided to stare at the screen until there is*

[SomethingClever]

oh.my.gosh.

I love them.

[tma]

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

1) I edited part one- I added a little bit of diaglogue- it doesn't really change anyone sf-wise...just it felt right, so...

2) Part of this second part was really "on the line" with the 18+ - so to be safe- I "edited" a little for here and am putting full into Adult Story Section

New Discoveries

Erik’s mind was whirling. Theresa’s “revelation” to him had come out of the blue, and with a mind already feeling fuzzy from a combination of cold and jet lag, the whole thing was taking a bit to process.

It was lovely to know that unlike his previous girlfriend, Susan, there would not be any disgust or feeling the need to hide during hay fever season.

It was interesting, he mused, that though it had come as a complete shock, that looking back, it explained certain things- the way that she would seem to flush occasionally, and certain looks that she would give him. Erik understood that this was something Theresa felt very self-conscious about, and it made sense that she had been so nervous. Looking back, it made sense and was very endearing. However, he admitted to himself, previously to her finally telling him, she had half driven him out of his mind. Erik had hated being away for so long, and if it hadn’t been for the fact that she was still in her Master’s program, he would have taken her in a heartbeat- even on a small town professor’s salary. The semester had been a great experience academically, and a brilliant break from the small college town, and had reinvigorated him. Nonetheless, if he’d had to do it again, he wasn’t so sure that he would have made the same choice. He hated to admit it, because he trusted Theresa implicitly, but he sometimes worried that she’d wake up to the fact that he was a stodgy old (well 11 years older than her), dull history professor, and take up with one of the handsome co-eds that he had seen looking at her. Coming down with a cold had always embarrassed him to no end. He hated feeling slow or feeling like a disgusting spectacle. So to have been coming home to see his beloved in a state that he considered to be a horrid mess had only served to increase his agitation. The hesitancy that Theresa had shown before her confession had made him feel certain that his worst fears had come to pass.

He smiled to himself. Now that he had processed the fact that she still was amazingly in love with him, he was starting to think about what she had said. This could work out quite nicely. Erik decided that after napping, he was going to try to run some tests.

When Erik woke up, he noticed Theresa sitting in the corner reading. A stay lock of hair swept into her eyes, and she brushed it to one side. There was a pen dangling out of her mouth, slightly chewed from habit when she concentrated. She was so beautiful. He laughed to himself over his besottedness.

He was feeling rather better, and longed to have a more proper reunion. While Theresa was still engrossed in her studies, he came over and started to massage her shoulders. At first she flinched in surprise, but then she leaned back into it, and started almost purring. He gently started kissing at the nape of her neck, as he continued to massage. After a little while, he felt his breathing start to hitch, and he nearly turned to walk away. Then he thought that he’d try something slightly different.

Theresa felt Erik’s hands stiffen slightly, and his breathing start to falter. She thought that he’d take his hand completely off of her and move away. To her surprise and delight he stayed. She could feel his ragged breath against her ear. Then, “Huh.. HeiTchuch… EiTchuh… Chmpt.” He had sneezed the first two into his shoulder, and she could feel his body bending forward and how his body shuddered slightly each time. On the third sneeze, he had let go entirely with one hand and stifled into his elbow.

Erik looked at Theresa through slightly misty eyes as he apologized. Yes, there was a slightly glow to her cheeks, and now that he leaned into her he could feel her pulse starting to race.

“Are… are you feeling any better?” Theresa inquired. She still felt self-conscious about the chills that had run down her spine.

Erik nodded.

She grinned, “Hmmm… nap must have helped?”

He rolled his eyes, “Perhaps. Just don’t say those four little words, young lady.”

She regarded him with an innocent smile, “What? You mean ‘I love you dearly.’?”

He chuckled, and kissed her on the forehead. He was still a little nervous about getting her sick. “No. That you may say. In fact, you may even say that repeatedly.”

“I cannot imagine what the other four words might be.”

“Hmmmm”

“I suppose that I could be persuaded to let the subject be, so long as you concede the point of those words.” She said and kissed him thoroughly.

He nodded again. “I’ve missed you. I don’t want to interrupt your work, but…” he looked down.

Theresa started to grin, feeling more comfortable. “Yes you do.” She teased. “I suppose that you may Drag me away from my reading.”

Erik smiled as he pulled her over to the couch, “Good. There are some luxuries that my trip didn’t afford.”

She gasped, “But I would have thought that for the new department head that the sky was the limit. Five star hotels, stretch limos, exotic dancing girls…”

He chuckled, “Yes, yes but there simply weren’t enough dancing girls.”

She elbowed him.

“That, and they couldn’t hold a candle to you.” He held her tightly. “No one could,” he breathed huskily, and kissed behind her left ear.

She arched her back into his chest. “I love you.”

It amazed him the way that those three short words said in such an open and matter-of-fact fashion could nearly take his breath away.

He held her tightly, and then sniffed. “And I adore you. There are so many things that I’ve missed,” he said gently cupping the underside of her breasts with his hands.

Theresa nearly went lightheaded- the heat of his hands, the warmth of his breath, his voice, deep and slightly raspy with cold. She trembled and turned to face him. She kissed his cheeks, his neck, and then started to loosen his tie and unbutton the buttons of his starched white shirt.

He groaned slightly as his hands caressed her. His breathing started to catch; the slight pricking sensation was back. “Heeeh.. Ehhh…” he momentarily took his hands off her, out of habit. A couple more shaky inhales and then he sighed, and scrubbed his nose.

“Are you all right?” Theresa stopped mid way through the shirt to look at the slightly dazed look on Erik’s face.

He nodded.

She resumed, but stopped again as Erik repeated the process.

“What?” she knew what the problem was, but there was something about the idea of having him say it, especially because he was flustered.

“Nah.. *sigh* nothing.”

She raised an eyebrow.

He squirmed slightly. “It’s silly. I juuh.. huh..” his eyes started to glisten.

He was so adorable. Theresa debated having him try the light, but instead decided to try something that she never thought that she’d have the nerve to attempt. She reached her hand out and slowly stroked his nose with her nail.

This caught Erik off guard, “Stah.. huh.. op. It tick..heh.. eiTchuh… HehTchuh… huh.. ReTchuh” They threw him forward and he sneezed into his hands, grabbing quickly for the tissues to catch the last one that was harsher than the previous two.

Theresa smiled innocently. “Bless you. What did you say?”

He flushed, and then recovered. “Did you miss anything?” he said, purposefully adding a slight sniff to the end.

He had caught her off guard; he enjoyed watching her beautiful mouth fumble around half formed words. He felt a tickle beginning to grow and his mouth began to drop. “Diii.. heh…did you miss me.. tah..EiTchuh… Chuh… ehh.. hehEiTchch- excuse me” These were heavier, and he’d had to push his glasses back up.

She nodded and whispered into his ear, “Very much.” Then her hazel eyes began to sparkle and she said, “In fact… I could show you just how much.” Then suddenly she put her hand up to her mouth and faltered. “I mean… that is… if you’re feeling up to it.”

“I don’t know. Not yet, maybe later.”

She nodded, feeling slightly disappointed, until she caught the wicked glint in his eyes. She flushed as his blue eyes darkened and his eyes traveled the length of her body.

They went in to the bedroom, holding hands. Erik noticed that as they neared the door, that Theresa had started biting her lower lip. She was starting to have second thoughts. How would this work? Was she selfish to indulge, especially if he was sick?

He noticed her biting on her lip, and knew the direction of her thoughts. He didn’t want her to feel any guilt at all. “I am all right. Honestly. Well, other then a bit congested. If it makes you feel better, I’ll promise that you can take care of me, after I uhhmm… t-take KehhTchuh… EitChuh… sorry… umm… after I take care of you? Does that sound fair?”

She blushed and nodded, and hugged him tightly. “Thank you. I love you. Have I told you lately how amazing you are?”

He chuckled and kissed her cheek, “I’m not sure. I think that you may have to show me.”

She grinned up at him.

Erik squeezed her hand and then his face fell. He put the heel of his hand to his head. “I can’t believe that I forgot! This is what happens when you try to scare me half to death,” he said with a chuckle.

Theresa looked puzzled. “Forgot what?”

He ran his hand through his hair, “I brought you back something.”

“Other than what you’ve already brought me?” she teased, but looked down, still a bit self-conscious.

He grinned, “Yes. This required a bit of forethought. Close your eyes.”

“Yes sir.”

He went into his bag and pulled out a small box. He opened it and coming behind her he carefully unclasped and put it around her neck.

Theresa’s hands automatically flew to her neck, feeling what she could already sense was there. “M..may I?”

“MmmHmm.”

Her eyes flew open, and widened as she took the golden pendent that curved gently (in a pattern reminiscent of a capital cursive E) around an absolutely stunning emerald, on a thin, beautifully crafted chain, and started to get teary.

“It’s….it’s…”

“If you don’t like it, I can return it, especially if it is threatening to make you cry.”

She sniffed, and quickly rubbed at her eyes as she said, “Oh no you don’t! No returning it. It is absolutely perfect.”

“It reminded me of you.”

His ears started to turn red.

“What?”

“Well… I confess that I… I might have been wondering about the wearer of the necklace.”

She raised an eyebrow “Oh? Well now you’ve seen it on me. Guess we can go in the kitchen?” she said with a wink.

He grabbed her around the waist, “Not so fah… fast missy. I… huh… had a more speh… ciii.. fiii HeiTchuh… heh…heeeh…EiTchuh…. heiTShuh … *sniff* excuse me… *sniff* more specific plan in mind” He hadn’t failed to notice the way that the teasing grin had faded away, and her lips rounded slightly and eyes widened as his words wavered. He pressed on as long as he could, turning and sneezing into the crook of his arm as he kept his other arm around her waist. Erik could feel heat starting in his cheeks and flowing through him.

Theresa made an incoherent murmur and ran her hands through his hair. “What was the plan?” she whispered into his ear.

It had been far too long, and the feel of her breath light and warm against him was enough to make him momentarily lose his train of thought. “Umm…” he coughed slightly, “Sorry… I…ah…”

She chuckled and gently nibbled on his ear. “You what, sir?” she purred, sounding like the cat who ate the canary.

He swallowed hard, “I was thinking…”

Theresa put a finger to his lips and took one step closer and put her arms around him. “Let me guess, you wanted to see how it look up close. Get the personal touch?” She leaned in close with he lips nearly toching his.

Erik ducked his head a bit and nodded slowly.

Suddenly Theresa stopped, moved away slightly, and put a hand to her mouth. “But wait, are you certain that I’m not ‘putting words in your mouth’?” she asked innocently, but with a wicked glint in her eyes. “I would never want… to… oh!”

After her first statement, Erik had let out a deep groan of frustration. He didn’t even wait for her to finish her second statement before he had captured her mouth with his own and was kissing her passionately.

Then Erik stopped, started to move and said, “Well, I’ve seen it now.” And he turned, but not before he was stopped by Theresa, who had pulled him back to her, a determined look in her hazel eyes, dark with desire . “Oh, did you want something?” he emphasized the word “want” with a gleam in his eyes.

As he willingly descended back towards her, his jaw slackened and his eyes started to glaze over slightly. He noticed with a mixed of satisfaction, desire, and amusement that as his breathing grew ragged, that Theresa’s seemed to mirror his. There was an indescribable feeling deep within him at this discovery. It was something not to be used flippantly, nor to manipulate. But at times like this, well… it was rather nice to feel something other than self-conscious. Very nice.

The tickle intensified to where coherent thought wasn’t possible. Erik turned and sneezed into his elbow. “heh… EiTchuh… heh… EiShuh… heh…ehh…” he thought that he had lost it, but then it came back with a second, barely allowing him time to turn, and doubling him over. “EiTchuh… hehTchoo”

He sniffed and automatically opened his mouth to apologize. Theresa stopped him by kissing him gently on the lips. He tried to protest again, it was a natural protectiveness. She shook her head, “Bless” she murmured warmly, and then kissed him again.

As she moved her lips over his, the last coherent thought that entered Erik’s mind was that this had been a marvelous new discovery and he wondered what other surprises and delights would lie in store for them.

[obsessed]

Ohhh tma.

What a lovely couple!

[TheCakeIsAlive]

Gosh, bless him indeed. Erik is such a darling and apparently quite evil as well! Absolutely adore your writing. Very wonderful story, as is every bit of writing of yours. Thank you so much for sharing (both versions).

[Me4ever]

Omg I LOVED this. I love your stories that use these characters and when Erik has a cold. Just perfect love your sneeze spellings too. Amazing.