A Christmas fic (M)

[Aljana]

Amazing! I actually finished a story! I was struck by the muse Christmas Eve. I was inspired at church. Hmm. It does seem sort of sacreligious but what the hey, I am a pastor's daughter. If he only knew...Anyway, if you don't think religion and sneezing should mix, You have been forewarned.

Lynn had been dating Jesse for almost a year. This was to be their first Christmas together and she could hardly wait. She just knew it was going to be magical. At the moment she was putting the last pin in her hair which she had done up in loose sort of French twist. Just as she pushed it into place her doorbell rang. She hurried to get it and smiled to see Jesse in khakis and a blue sweater that made his eyes stand out even more than usual. “Lynn, you look stunning,” he exclaimed as he took in her simple but classy green velvet dress and strappy black velvet heels. “I happen to have just the thing to compliment the ensemble,” he said, pulling a small box from his pocket. Lynn took it and opened it. “You shouldn’t have!” she exclaimed, staring at the diamond pendant inside. “None of that nonsense. Now, here.” He took the necklace from the box and gently fastened it around her neck. “Perfect. You are so beautiful.” Lynn blushed at the compliment and stretched up to kiss him. This lasted a few minutes before she broke away saying, “We’d better go or we’ll be late. It’s such a lovely night, why don’t we walk over? It’s only a couple blocks.” Jesse offered her his arm and they set off for the church.

Jesse had been raised Methodist but wasn’t really a practicing anything these days. When Lynn had invited him to the Christmas Eve service at the Episcopal Church she attended just down from her house he had eagerly agreed. It had been a long time since he had been to any church and going with Lynn on Christmas Eve seemed like the perfect way to get back into it. As they entered the churchyard Jesse thought the old church looked as if it had been plucked right out of old England with all its stonework and stained glass. They walked up the steps and into the church. They left their coats on the rack in the hallway and greeted a few familiar faces. As they received their bulletins and took their seats near the middle of the nave the acolytes were just lighting the candles along the center aisle.

Then the organist struck the first notes of the entrance hymn and everyone stood. The congregation sang ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ as the Thurifer swinging the basket of holy incense led the procession, followed by the Crucifer and the Book Bearer, who in turn led the Deacon and the Rector. The group made their way to the front of the church and took their places.

As they passed Lynn felt Jesse tense next to her. She looked over to see him blinking furiously. Then he brought a hand up to his face and stifled a sneeze. “Hchmmphh!” He hurriedly searched his pockets and pulled out a clean, white handkerchief just in time to stifle another sneeze. “Hhmmphh!” Lynn looked at him with concern as he scrubbed at his nose with the cloth. That didn’t seem to help though as his breath hitched and he was overcome yet again. “Heh eh Hechmmphh!” Lynn put an arm around his back and gave him a worried look. The sneezes seemed to have subsided, however, and Jesse wiped at his nose and eyes with the handkerchief and put it back in his pocket. He gave Lynn a reassuring smile and focused his attention back to the service.

They sang more hymns and the first and second lessons were read. They stood and sat at the appropriate times. Lynn always thought that the Christmas Eve service had a special magic to it. This year was even better as she had the love of her life next to her sharing it all. Jesse was relaxing into the old familiar routine of the service. He was surprised to find that it was comfortable, despite the differences from the church of his youth. Perhaps that was because Lynn was next to him.

They finished the last strains of ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ and there was a brief moment of activity at the front of the church before the Thurifer led the processional down the central aisle to the middle of the nave where they stopped. The Thurifer waved the incense over the Holy Book before the Deacon proceeded to read the evening’s Gospel lesson from the Book.

The Deacon had just begun her recitation of Luke 2:1-20 when Lynn felt Jesse scramble in his pocket and she turned just in time to see him muffle a sneeze into his handkerchief. “Hechhmpph!” His eyes were watering and he held the cloth to his face pinching his nose in an obvious effort to hold back further explosions. Unfortunately, this tactic did little to help. Lynn watched with concern as he stifled another sneeze into the handkerchief. “Chhmpph!”

The Deacon was just reaching the part about the Angel appearing to the shepherds when Jesse realized he was about to have a full-blown allergy attack and he wasn’t going to be able to hold it back. Eyes streaming he slid out of the pew. His breath hitched and he stifled the sneezes that assaulted him as best he could as he hurried down the side aisle making apologetic gestures as he fled the nave. “Heh eh HeChmmphh! Chhmpph! Heh Hechssh!”

Lynn watched him go anxiously then tried to turn her attention back to the Deacon. As soon as the reading was over and the group had turned to make their way back to the front Lynn slipped out of the pew and made her way to the back hallway. She was surprised not to find Jesse there until she noticed his coat was missing from beside her own on the rack. She grabbed it and shrugging into it she stepped outside. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness but then she saw him. He was leaning against a tree in the churchyard, his body bent double by the fit that had claimed him. As she made her way down the church steps towards him a streetlight caught the shimmer of the spray from his sneezes as it crystallized in the cold air. Her heart went out to him, her poor darling. Yet she was also quite turned on by the display, watching her stoic, restrained lover so totally lose control.

Lynn walked over and placed a hand on Jesse’s shoulder. He started to say something but it was lost in another barrage of allergic sneezes. “I Heh..Hetxchhhhhaaaah! Hatschhhhhhhhaaah! Tisscccchhhh! Haaaaahetchhhh! Hatschhhhhhhh! Ugghh.” As the fit passed Jesse brought a decidedly damp handkerchief up to wipe at his eyes and nose and then closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the tree trunk to catch his breath.

“Oh, honey,” Lynn brushed his floppy bangs out of his eyes tenderly.

“I’m sorry.” they both said at once and then laughed.

“I didn’t mean to ruin your Christmas Eve service, Heh iisshh! I know how much it means to you. Ehhhh...Etschoo! Eschoooo! Hetschooo! Huhhhh....Tcschooo!”

“Oh Jesse, don’t be silly. I’m just glad to be with you. I wish I’d known about your allergy though, I hate to see you suffer.”

“Well, we know now. Hetxchhhhhaaaah!” The powerful sneeze bent him double again. Straightening, he laughed weakly. Seeing her worried look, however, he drew her close. “It’s not so bad, just a little sneezing. We should get back to your place though before we both catch cold and there’s some real suffering.”

Lynn grinned up at him and snuggled closer as they started out of the churchyard. Now that she was reassured that he was alright her insides did little flips each time he paused to sneeze.

“Hatschhhhhhhh! Hetschooo! What will people say about us running out in the middle of the service? Whatever will you say? Huh..Tisscccchhaaa!” Jesse’s teasing was made even more humorous caught as it was between sneezes.

Lynn blushed as she laughed. “I don’t expect it will be too much of an issue. Your problem was rather obvious as you vacated the premises in such a rush,” she answered in a teasing tone of her own. “And if they do ask I’ll just tell them we had an irresistible urge to make wild, passionate love to each other inspired by the spirit of the season.” She cocked an eyebrow at him, “Because that is exactly what I plan to do.”

Jesse gave her a somewhat startled, but hardly disagreeable look before sneezing violently as Lynn unlocked her front door.

[Geist]

HEHEHEHEEEEEEEE! That was too cute!! You know, for some WEIRD reason, EVERY single Xmas I get the urge to write something deep and romantic and stirring . . .and just DRIPPING with sneezes! *snicker snicker*

Makes you wonder why the muses aren't this active all the time, eh?

~Frack

[Kitty]

Very very nicely done!

Kitty

[Umeko]

was that all O.O ended so sudden! I want more

[CarolinaGirl]

I love it! You should definitely write more

CG

[Aljana]

Thanx!!! I may write more. I'm toying with the idea. Really I'm in the middle of a Harry Potter fic about Snape but it's sort of stuck at the moment....so perhaps this story will free my creative soul??

Anyway, such nice comments are much appreciated and will be taken into consideration.

Aljana

[Geist]

Mmmmmm....Snape doing what....exactly? Or should I say....who?

[Lady Tori]

Ohh... That was wonderful. Can barely type now. Allergies...mmm.

Very realistic too, as I had to go to church with my family and I was wondering if incense could/would have that effect on anyone

Please write more often!

[tma]

Oooo! Very nice!

Drat- I Knew that I had gone to the wrong Christmas Eve service.

[Empathic Mystery]

Mmm, that was lovely! Your descriptions are wonderful, and Jesse sounds so cute and irresistible! Please do write more, if you feel like it. I know I'd love to read more.

~Me~

[Ciuty80]

yummmmm pleeeeaaassseee moreeeeeeee

[Zane]

I've read this story so many times but forgot to comment..... ...haha... anyway..... I loved it and I so hope you continue! the sneezes were absolutley TASTIC!!!! haha yes drooltastic is a word. jk.

[starpollen]

Wow - this is an oldie... but DEFINITELY a goodie! So cute! And - yeah - hot!

[Mf1611]

this story was very good i love all the sneezes to it keep up the good work

[SapphiraNN]

Love it! Great obs, just what I need right now.