Unititled Fic

[matilda3948]

Title: Unltitled so far...

Author: Matilda3948

Original Fic

Rating: PG for now...

Summary: Annabel comes down with a nasty cold while trying to have a nice evening with her man.

Author's Notes: This story could go about anywhere. It could be multi-chapters, a one shot, PG, 18+, who knows?

Annabel was so excited. Tonight was the night she would finally get to show off her domestic skills in front of Aaron. She let herself into his house and stacked the paper grocery bags up along the kitchen counter. She had a good hour before he would get home from work so she allowed herself time to find a good bottle of wine in the pantry and turn on some music. She’d been to his house so many times before but she’d never had the chance to cook him a good meal.

She pulled out pots and pans and unpacked her groceries. She unwrapped a package of chicken breasts and laid them out in the bottom of a baking pan. Annabel perused Aaron’s pantry until she found a good mix of herbs to season the chicken with. Once she was done, she slid the tray into the oven and set the timer. Since it was too early to start cooking the vegetables she decided to freshen up in anticipation of the night. She walked down the hall to Aaron’s bedroom and opened his closet. Several weeks ago the couple decided to store some necessities at each other’s apartments for just such an occasion. She pulled out a deep plum silk tank top (one of his favorites) and took it to the bathroom to change. She then combed out her hair, touched up her makeup, and made sure she looked generally fabulous.

As she walked back into the kitchen Annabel felt her nose start to itch. She gave it a quick rub with her index finger and sniffed. Still there. She sniffed again and this time felt the itch further up inside her nose. She stood in the middle of the hallway sniffing and rubbing her nose until, ahhhh…ahh…ahhhchooo! she sneezed into the open. Finally feeling relieved of the itch she went into the kitchen to finish getting the meal ready.

After washing everything off and arranging the vegetables and knives on her cutting board, Annabel set to work. She peeled and cubed all the potatoes and had just moved on to the carrots when she again felt her nose start to itch. She tried to ignore it. She tried to wriggle her nose and sniffle it away but finally she spun to the right, buried her face in the crook of her arm and sneezed haaapchooo! Heehh…hehhIHHCHOO! HaaapCHOOO!

“Uhhg,” she sniffed and grabbed a tissue from the box on the table. After blowing her nose she washed her hands and got back to work. A few minutes later she heard Aaron’s car in the driveway. She smoothed her shirt out, fluffed her hair and pretended not to hear him when he came through the door.

“What’s cooking?” he asked, walking into the kitchen.

“Aaron!” she said and walked over to meet him. He laid his suit coat over the back of the kitchen chair and held her head in his hands for a second before deeply kissing her.

“Mmmm. How was your day?” she asked.

“Much better now that I’m home with you. It smells amazing in here.”

“Just a little something I thought I’d throw together. So tell me about work while I finish getting the food together.”

Aaron slipped his loosened tie from around his neck and rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt before joining her at the cutting board. “Let me help you,” he said.

“Oh, don’t be silly. Sit. Have a glass of wine”

Aaron was secretly glad for the concession and sat down in one of the kitchen chairs with a sigh. He would have felt perfectly content to just watch he back as she stood there slicing and dicing, however, he felt it polite to contribute something to conversation so he told her some of the dull intricacies of a day in the life of a junior partner. She listened and occasionally commented but mostly she just loved to hear his voice; to just be in his presence. After a while, however, that familiar itch began to form in her nose once again. Annabel continued to work with an occasional quiet sniff here or there. Aaron didn’t seem to notice even when she stopped the rhythmic rock of the knife blade to silently stifle a sneeze. Although they were also silent, the next two caused her head to bob forward a bit and Aaron did notice that.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Hmm? Oh, absolutely. Would you grab me a frying pan, please?”

He pulled one out from a bottom cupboard, handed it her and then leaned up against the kitchen counter. Annabel heated up the skillet and poured a little oil in before scooping all of the vegetables in. They hissed and sizzled and Annabel completely missed her boyfriend’s compliment on how good everything smelled because she once again had to sneeze. She “dropped” a hand towel on the floor and when she bent over to pick it up stifled another two sneezes. Aaron watched her display and smiled in spite of himself. There she was trying to craft the perfect evening (she even wore the purple shirt, for goodness sakes) and she struggling not to sneeze and ruin the mood. He stayed leaned up against the counter with his arms crossed and felt overwhelmed by tenderness as she hid behind the open cabinet door, rifling through the spices just so she could hide her face and stifle, what he guessed was, another three sneezes. When she emerged from behind the cabinet door he said,

“Bless you, baby.”

“What?” She blushed.

“I said, ‘bless you’ for that last sneeze and the five or six before that.  Are you feeling okay tonight?”

“I’m fine.” Her blush deepened and she continued to flitter around him stirring pots, but more importantly avoiding his eyes. Aaron finally pushed off from his post on the counter, took her shoulders and gently turned her towards him.

“Look at me,” he said. When she finally held still for more than a few seconds he noticed the corners of her nose were a bit pink and her eyes a little dull. “Tell me the truth; how are you feeling tonight?”

She tried to look away but he just held her at arms length until she finally conceded.

“I may be coming down with a slight cold but it’s nothing, really. I just don’t want it to spoil our evening.”

“Why don’t you go sit on the couch and let me finish up and then we can eat in there and you can just fall asleep when you’re ready?” he asked.

“No.”

“What?”

“I said no,” she repeated. “This is our night and I planned it and I’m not going to let a few stupid sneezes get in the…ahh…get in the waaahhh…ahhhhchhoo! AhhhCHOOO! HeeehhhAAHHCHOO!! As if to completely prove him right, Annabel was hit with three strong sneezes mid-sentence. Aaron blessed her and reached over to the table where he took a couple tissues from the box and handed them to her. When she took them he saw she had tears coming to her eyes.

“Oh, Anna,” he said. “It’s okay, these things happen.”

“I’m mad,” she sniffed.

“I know you are and it’s ruined your perfect evening but there will be more—Annabel, there will be lots more. I promise. Please go sit down and let me finish things in here.”

“I want to sit in here.” She was pouting and he couldn’t have found it any more enchanting if he tried. Figuring this was the best concession he would get, Aaron agreed and Annabel sat down at the table while he continued to monitor her carefully prepared dinner.

Now that she’d been found out, Annabel felt no need to hold her sneezes back anymore. What had started an hour ago as an occasional itch was now growing into a nonstop tickle that seemed to be moving further and further inside her nose.  She pulled another two tissues from the box and held them in her lap waiting for the inevitable. Her breath began to grow shallow and her eyes lightly fluttered. She brought the tissues up to her nose and caught three sneezes one right after the other. AhhhChoo! Ahhhptchhoo! AHHCHOO! The force of the last one bent her in on herself. Aaron turned around looking concerned,

“Bless you Annab—”

HaaaptCHOOO! AhhhCHOO!CHOO! HaaptCHOOOOOO!

“Bless you!” Aaron said. She blew her nose and looked up at him with watery eyes.

“Thag you,” she said. There was no denying it; she was feeling worse by the minute. Each sneeze seemed to get stronger and more violent, taking a little more out of her each time. Suddenly, she couldn’t remember why she thought a silk tank top would be warm enough for tonight and she reached over to the chair that still had Aaron’s suit coat draped across it. She pulled it on and wrapped the excess fabric around her.

“There’s a handkerchief in the breast pocket if you need one,” he said. This seemed like an infinitely good idea as the next fit of sneezing was fast approaching. Annabel pulled out the soft white square and shook it out before bringing it up to her face. Even through her congestion she could pick up the slight scent of Aaron. Not cologne or aftershave, just a gentle scent that was uniquely him. She was only able to revel in this slight comfort for just a moment before the sneezes started again,

Ahhh…ahhhchoo! Ahhhptchoo! ahhhIHHCHOO! ahhh…ihhh…IhhCHOOOO!! HEPTCHOOOO!!!

She looked over the folds of the handkerchief to see Aaron standing there with two steaming plates of food one eyebrow raised in question. She shook her head no. She was definitely not done yet.

HaaaptCHOO! HaaaptCHOOO! HaaaptCHOOOOOO! AhhhYISHEEEW!  Annabel wearily blew her nose into the handkerchief and tentatively took a breath. When it didn’t set her off sneezing she said,

“Okay. I think I’b fidished.”

"Bless you! My poor girl," Aaron said as he put the food on the table and sat down accross from her. She was begining to really show how bad she felt. She was completely congested and forced to breath through her mouth. After the last round of sneezing her hair was falling down out of the loose knot it had been in. He knew she probably couldn't taste her food and it was a shame because it was delicious. "If it's any consolation, dinner is wonderful," he said.

"Thag you. I'll have to trust your opinion on that. Annabel managed to sit upright at the table long enough for them both to finish their meal. When Aaron got up to clear the table he asked her if she wanted coffee or tea in the living room.

"Tea would be ndice," she said.

"Okay. Now, will you please go sit on the couch while I put the plates in the dishwasher and fix us some tea?" She nodded and pushed her chair back from the table and wandered into the living room. Aaron put hot water on the stove to boil and began rinsing off the dishes. He could hear Annabel sigh as she settled in on the sofa. When the dishes were loaded and the tea was brewing he stuck his head into the the living room. Annabel was curled up on one side of the couch with her head resting on the cushion. She looked so small still in his suit jacket. He walked over, bent down and kissed her forehead.

"I'm going to go change out of my work clothes and then I'll come sit with you for a while. I'm bringing you tea and a sweatshirt when I come back."

"I don't wad a sweatshirt. I like your coat," she said.

"I know. And as much as I like you wandering around wearing my clothes, eventually, you are going to want to go to bed and you're not going to like sleeping in a jacket and you're really not going to like having to take it off when you're half asleep."

When Aaron came back downstairs Annabel was sitting upright waiting for him.

"You're verticle. That's good," he said.

"Yes, I ab deterbined do hab a good night," she said forcing a smile. He tossed her the sweatshirt and went into the kitchen to grab their tea. He also poured a glass of water and grabbed a few Advil for Annabel. He sat down next to her and she took the pills then slipped out of the jacket. She pulled her arms through the sleeves of the sweatshirt, one hand still clutching the handkerchief, and shuddered with chill. Aaron helped ease the sweatshirt down over her head and then rubbed her arms quickly to help warm her up again.

"I promise you'll be more comfortable in that," he said. He then handed her a steaming mug of tea, took his own, and leaned back next to her on the couch. "So how are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'b okay. Tired but okay. I just feel like I'b going to sdeeze all the tibe. When you were in the kitchid earlier I starded to sdeeze like seven tibes and then it just goes away." He gave her a sympathetic smile. "This tea is really good," she said. "I mbean, I can't taste buch bud it feels good." She wrapped her hands around the mug and brought it upto her face, letting the steam wash over her lips and nose which were getting more chapped by the minute.

"I'm glad. And I'm sorry your 'sdeezes' are stuck," he said.

She laughed a bit and gave her a quick wink. The steam from the tea, however, was starting to play tricks on her nose. Annabel could feel the congestion breaking up a little and her nose starting to itch yet again. She sniffed a couple of times and decided it would be best to set her cup back on the coffee table. She picked the handkerchief up off her lap and held it between her hands.

"Are you coming un-stuck?" Aaron asked her.

"Probably dot. It's probably just blaying around making mbe think Iahhh...I'bahhhh...ahh...sniff...making me think I'm gonnahhh...ahhh...AAAH!  See? I told you so."

She leaned forward to get her coffee mug when, suddenly, she took a sharp breath in and brought the handkerchief up to her face...and froze. Annabel stayed like that for a moment then sat back on the couch looking puzzled.

“Undecided?” Aaron asked.

“Yeah. The tickle is defiditely baahh...ahhh...ahhuhhuhhuhh...ahh...back...ahhh...HaaaahCHOO! HaaptCHOO! HaptCHOO HAPTCHOOOO HAAATCHOOO!!! Huhhh..huhh...huhh..oh god! MoreAAAHHCHOO! AAATCHOOO!! Ahhh....ahh...AhhhChooo! YISHEWWW!! Aarob, could yahhh...AhhhSNSHEEEW!! Could you get be anothahhhh...anothahhhh...AHHHSHEEEEW!!! another handkerchief?”

He hopped up and went to the laundry room, glad to be able to do something other than just watch Annabel sneeze over and over and over. He grabbed two from the basket waiting to be ironed and hurried back over to her. She was still sneezing and they kept growing louder, closer together and more desperate sounding.

“Thaaaahh...AhhhhCHEEEW!!AHHSHEEEW! AhhhCHOOahhCHOOahhCHOOOO!!! Huh, huh, hah, HaaaYISHEEEEW!!!”

Annibel swapped out handkerchiefs and sneezed anew into the fresh one,

“CHEEEW! AhhhCHEWW! HaaaPTSHEWWW! sniff...Uhg, I caaaah...ahh...AhhhCHOOO!! I can’t stop,” she managed.

“You will, just be patient,” Aaron said, even though he was starting to get worried about how hard and how fast she was sneezing. However, after three rapid

HHAAAAAYIHHHSHHHOOO’s!!!! Annibel was, at last, able to blow her nose and bring her sneezing under control. She caught the last weary sneezes in the handkerchief

“HeepChMMF!! HaaaptCHMpF!”

Aaron rubbed her back while she tried to catch her breath. He pulled the loose strands of hair away from her face, kissed her temple and whispered, “Bless you,” in her ear before pulling her up against him to rest.

[Guest Silver Pixie Dust]

Bless her indeed. owo;

Phew. Quite a read. XD <3

[count tiszula]

Triffic! Surely there must be more to come. So many elements all brilliantly handled; varied sneezes, lovely tickles and false starts, nce congestion, and a hankie or three. Oh, and a male caretaker for a change! So they do exist.

[And Beat Him When He Sneezes]

What a wonderful story! Fifty-seven sneezes! Keep 'em coming!

[honkmaster]

great story.

[crazy_cat_girl]

Even tho I am a big fan of male sneezers, I have to say that this story is hot.

*blush*

I wish my bf would take care of me like that

[Oolia]

OMG I have been wishing for a cold "man-taking-care-of-girlfriend" fiction for a while. I needed my fix !

And geez, this is one of the best I've read ! I hope you'll keep going

Good job !

[The Sneezster]

“Aaron!” she said and walked over to meet him. He laid his suit coat over the back of the kitchen chair and held her head in his hands for a second before deeply kissing her.

Aaron's going to catch her cold, right? I hope, I hope, I hope!

please!

[Jess]

That was awesome! Thanks for sharing! I cannot wait until the next one!

[elements]

Even tho I am a big fan of male sneezers, I have to say that this story is hot.

*blush*

I wish my bf would take care of me like that

AGREED!!! What a hot story!

although i'm sort of on the other end where I wish she sneezed less cause I was a bit overwhelmed...I like to be able to picture them and their were so many I was distracted hehehe....but really....the hottest part was the guy and how he took care of her!!! I WANT HIM

Keep up the good work