Blah!? Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Please forgive what may be the worst title I've ever had in a story to date. Also, this might get a little weird... I've been struggling to write much of anything for a while now, and I think I've finally managed to get back on track. In some ways this story is a return to form for me, but in others it's not like anything I've written before. I can't guarantee that anyone will really like it since it does get rather strange, but I feel like I should share it anyway. It ended up getting really long so I've decided to split it in half for posting, but it's all finished already and I'll put the second half up in a week or so. Now, without further delay... ----- After a long day at work, Sarah was ready to go home and do absolutely nothing. Luckily she didn’t have far to drive, and before long she arrived at her apartment complex’s snowy parking lot. Pulling into the closest space she could find, Sarah stepped out of her car and yawned. The outside air was frigid, but by now Sarah was more than used to it. She placed a hand over her mouth and yawned again as she trudged toward her apartment, but something caught her eye and gave her pause. A fluffy siamese cat was curled up against the foot of Sarah’s front door. Placing her hands in her pockets, she stared down at the small animal for a moment. It was still breathing, but Sarah was sure it couldn’t have been comfortable. Letting out a sigh, Sarah turned around and approached the apartment across from hers. She knocked on the door and waited, and when no response came after a few seconds, she knocked again. “Hey,” said Sarah, not shouting, but raising her voice enough that hopefully the residents would hear her. Still no reply. “Hey, is this your cat out here?” Silence. Turning back to her own front door, Sarah placed her hands back in her pockets pursed her lips. She had never been terribly fond of cats, but she wasn’t about to step over it to get inside and leave it out in the cold. Rolling her eyes, Sarah knelt down and scooped the cat up in her arms. It remained asleep, but it radiated a reassuring warmth. Sarah let out a sigh of relief, and then she wrinkled her long, protruding nose with a sniff. Tucking the curled-up cat into the crook of her left elbow, Sarah unlocked her front door and finally entered her apartment. “Okay, uh…” Sarah mumbled, not sure what to do next. The radiator by the living room window was probably the warmest place, so Sarah stepped over to it and set the cat down on the soft carpet. She nearly jumped as the animal finally stirred, but it simply curled up in a ball again and remained on the floor. “Now, uh… Stay… Or something,” Sarah commanded weakly, holding her palms out at the cat as if she expected it to leap up at any second. She slowly backed away from the creature, and as her jittering faded, she became increasingly aware of a tickle in her nose. Rising to her feet, Sarah simultaneously lifted a hand up to her face. She held her fingers flat and gently rubbed them back and forth underneath her long, thin nostrils, squishing the base of her nose from side to side. This served to dull the irritation for a moment, but before long Sarah’s eyelids began to flutter and her breathing became labored. “Hih!” Sarah gasped, her eyes squeezing shut. She removed her fingers from under her nose and lightly fanned her face for a second, but as the tickling surged she quickly pressed her hand against her nostrils again. “He’Tshh!” Sarah’s head bobbed with a soft sneeze. Her facial expression remained numb for a moment afterward, her eyes opened halfway and her nose squished up on top of her fingers. Breathing through her mouth, Sarah slowly slid her fingers across her nostrils and dragged herself to the kitchen. She came to a stop in front of her refrigerator, and she managed to shove her fingers back under her nostrils just in time to catch another quiet “Ah-Tschhh!” Letting out a groan, Sarah rubbed her nose and opened the fridge with her free hand. She pressed her nostrils upward with her middle and index fingers, sniffing twice afterward, and then she reached into the fridge and grabbed what remained of a six pack of beer cans, holding them by the plastic rings. Sarah pulled a can loose and deftly popped it open with one hand as she lumbered over to the couch in front of her TV, taking a sip before sitting down. After placing the remaining cans on the coffee table, Sarah picked up her remote and began to scroll through Netflix. An hour and a half later, Sarah had already gone through another three cans of beer. The climax of her movie was doing little to hold her attention, and she found herself dozing off. Her head dipped and she quickly jolted back up with a snort. Wrinkling her nose, Sarah frowned and rubbed back and forth under her nostrils. She snorted again when she finished, and then she suddenly sneezed a high-pitched “Ha-TshHOOhh!” that took her by surprise. Sarah’s eyes widened for a second, but they quickly began to droop again. Placing a hand on her forehead, the young woman groaned and slouched. She started to slip sideways across her couch, and she was asleep before her head hit the arm rest. ----- A loud sound finally managed to rouse Aimi from her slumber, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was. She knew she was someplace warm though, so she wasn’t overly concerned. Continuing to lay on the floor proved fruitless: she’d slept far too much to be tired anymore. After stretching out her legs, Aimi finally stood up and took a look around. A house, or at least an apartment. Aimi couldn’t remember how long it had been since she last saw the inside of one of those. Feeling excited, she turned around in place, hoping to catch sight of whoever had brought her in. There was nobody to be found, at least not in the immediate area, but the telltale sound of snoring caught Aimi’s attention. She softly padded toward the source of the noise, and when she saw the back of a sofa, she knew exactly what she was about to find. Approaching the couch from behind, Aimi began to concentrate her thoughts and energy, willing her body to take on its other form. She rose up onto her hind legs, and then she quickly took on a much less animalistic appearance. Aimi grew until she stood just over five feet tall, most of her fur simultaneously disappearing. Once her transformation was complete, she looked just like a young human woman, save for a tail and a pair of feline ears that indicated her true identity. As the tip of her tail began to slowly flick back and forth in the air, Aimi peered over the back of the couch and gazed down at her sleeping host. “Hi,” Aimi whispered, leaning against her folded arms. She smiled and let out a soft giggle, cocking her head to the side. The young woman on the couch was out cold, and she snored every few breaths. Feeling a bit playful, Aimi reached a hand toward the woman’s face and gently poked her cheek. The woman twitched and gave a snort, prompting Aimi to laugh and pull back. She then walked around to the front of the couch and knelt in front of the woman, holding in a giggle. Smiling mischievously, Aimi turned to the side and carefully reached her tail toward the woman’s face. Placing a hand over her mouth to contain her laughter, she flicked the underside of the woman’s nose with the tip of her tail. The woman snorted, scrunching up her face, and she sleepily rubbed her fingers under her nostrils as Aimi trembled with silent laughter. Too amused to stop herself, Aimi reached out her tail again and this time tickled the woman’s nose more vigorously. Aimi emitted an amused squeak as her host began to twitch, and then she darted to the other end of the sofa, crouching next to the woman’s feet. “Ehh… Haah… Hhhh-! AH-SCHhoooh!” Sarah loudly sneezed herself awake, her upper body bending away from the couch before falling back down again. Keeping her eyes clenched shut, she firmly rubbed her fingers back and forth under her nose as she felt another sneeze coming on. Sarah gasped for breath, and then… “Heh-TSHH! Hihh… Ih’tSHOOH!” “Bless you!” “Thanks…” Sarah opened her eyes just enough to spot the tissue box being held out to her, and she gratefully accepted. She swiped one of the soft paper squares and quickly brought it up to her nose. Gently cradling her nostrils, Sarah took a deep breath and then blew, her head and shoulders thrusting forward with the unrestrained force. Afterward, she sniffed quietly and wiped the tissue back and forth under her nose, and then her eyes shot wide open. Unable to even blink, Sarah stared at the figure perched on the far arm rest of her couch. Her fingers loosened unconsciously and her used tissue fell to the floor, exposing the rest of her shocked face. Noticing what appeared to be a pair of cat ears protruding from the top of her uninvited guest’s head, Sarah slowly turned her eyes to the empty beer cans on her table and then back to the intruder. Holding up one hand, the strange girl cocked her head to the side and smiled. “Hi!” Sarah screamed. Raggedly pulling herself over the side of the couch, she shot up to her feet and made a mad dash for the kitchen. Barely able to orient herself, Sarah reflexively grabbed the rolling pin from her counter top and held it above her head, panting irregularly as she stared back at the young woman on her couch. “Hey!” said the strange girl, holding her hands up apologetically. “I didn’t mean to scare you!” “Who are you!? What are you!?” Sarah demanded, gesturing wildly with her improvised weapon. Aimi opened her mouth to respond, but she stopped as she noticed her intoxicated host droop slightly and start to sway. “Where is it? When is it? Does it match my dress?” Sarah slurred incoherently, leaning against the wall to steady herself. The intruder hummed and poked a finger into her cheek, but that all passed as a blur until Sarah noticed the tail wagging behind her. Adrenaline surging anew, Sarah held up the rolling pin again. “Are you some kind of cat demon, come to punish me for not doing anything with my life!?” “Huh?” Aimi gasped, her arms and shoulders drooping. “No! I’m the cat you rescued from the cold! My name’s Aimi!” “Oh,” grunted Sarah, her addled mind accepting the explanation. “M’Sarah.” “Nice to meet you, Sarah! Thanks for helping me!” “No prob, Bob.” Sarah set her rolling pin back down on the counter, and then she and Aimi simply stared at each other in silence. Aimi closed her eyes and smiled brightly, starting to rock back and forth on her feet. She began to hum to herself, but she stopped when Sarah’s breath began to stutter. “Heh… Huh… Egehh… Eh-Tishh!” Placing her fingers under her nostrils, Sarah dipped forward with a quiet sneeze. She blinked rapidly afterward, earning a chuckle from Aimi. “Bless you!” “Uh, thanks,” Sarah mumbled, haphazardly rubbing her nostrils against her forearm. “You sure are sneezy, Sarah!” “I guess.” The awkward silence returned, but after a moment the TV’s speakers began to emit a repeating, high-pitched siren. Sarah’s eyes went wide, and then she darted back to the couch, leaping over the back and earning a yelp from Aimi. “Ah! You scared me!” the feline girl whined, holding up her hands. “Shh! This is the best part!” scolded Sarah, leaning forward against her knees. The TV screen was mostly empty as the siren continued, and then a glowing red sword illuminated the scene, revealing an imposing character dressed in black. Aimi winced as the dark figure slaughtered a host of nameless soldiers. “This is the best part? He looks like a scary bad guy!” Sarah nodded viciously, pumping her arms up and down in excitement. “He is a bad guy but it’s awesome!” Aimi smiled cluelessly. “Yay! Awesome!” Sarah collapsed in the middle of her couch once the scene was over, and by the time Aimi approached to check on her, she had already fallen asleep again. The next morning, Aimi awoke long before Sarah did. She decided not to disturb her host this time, so she simply wandered around the apartment. It was a fairly small space, but it was cozy. More than anything Aimi could have hoped for, not that she ever expected to be let in in the first place. After thoroughly exploring the kitchen and living room, Aimi returned to the couch to check on Sarah. The young woman was still fast asleep, and despite her earlier resolution, Aimi could no longer help herself. Exhibiting a bit more self-control than last time, Aimi lifted her tail and gently slid it across the underside of Sarah’s nose. “Ahh… Haah… Ah’Tschh!” Sneezing herself awake for a second time, Sarah immediately placed a hand on her forehead and groaned pitifully. She sniffed and wrinkled her nose, but her headache demanded more attention than her tickly nostrils as she gave another quiet moan. “Morning, Sarah!” greeted Aimi, her tail waving happily. “Uh, hey,” Sarah replied, finally starting to rub her nose. “Wh… What time is it?” “Ummm,” Aimi began, glancing at the TV and then leaning around the back of the couch to look at the microwave clock in the kitchen. “It’s, uh… Nine five two?” “Huh?” Sarah began, but she soon came to realize what that meant. Her eyes slowly opened wide, and then she suddenly shot up from the couch. Aimi screamed in surprise and fell over, rubbing her bottom as Sarah scrambled around by the apartment’s front door. Quickly pulling on her coat and grabbing her backpack, Sarah flung the door open and reached one foot outside into the cold. “I’msolate! Food’sinthebathroom, toilet’sinthekitchen! I’llbebackatsixbye!” The door slammed, leaving Aimi confused and alone. Cocking her head to the side, she poked a finger into her cheek and raised an eyebrow. “Nya?” ----- Sarah stared mindlessly at her computer screen as she typed, fulfilling a laundry list of monotonous tasks. At times like this, her mind teetered on the edge of existential crisis. She was always on autopilot at work, and she was always either drunk or asleep at home. Sarah only went out once in a blue moon, not to mention the fact that her circle of friends was starting to dwindle as they all got married and had kids. Today, however, Sarah was already feeling rather distracted by something else entirely. Was bringing that cat in really such a good idea? Sometimes she felt like she could barely take care of herself. On top of that, Sarah vaguely recalled something strange about the cat, but it slipped her mind every time she tried to focus on it. She hung her head and sighed heavily, but a sudden tickle in her nostrils got her attention and pulled her back to reality. “Hih-Tshh!” Placing her fingers under her nose, Sarah bobbed forward with a soft sneeze. She slid her fingers slowly across her nostrils, and then she suddenly gasped as a second sneeze crept up on her. “Ah-Tishhh!” “Gesundheit,” said Mae, Sarah’s coworker and desk neighbor. Sarah weakly glanced at her through narrow, watery eyes. “Thuh… Thaah… HA’tshooh! Uh… Thanks.” “Coming down with something?” Sarah shook her head and rubbed her nose again. “Nah, just a… Just a… Ah’TSH! Just a sneeze.” Mae gave a half-teasing “mhmm” and returned to her work. Pressing the tip of her nose up with her fingers, Sarah rolled her eyes and sighed again. She looked back at her computer for a moment, and then she turned to the left to gaze out the window. There wasn’t anything in particular to look at: nowadays even the sky was dull and gray, but sometimes doing absolutely nothing felt like a better use of her time than doing her job. After staring out the window for a minute, Sarah noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She had left her coat draped over the back of her chair, and a few strands of beige hair were sticking out from the left sleeve, catching the light just enough to get Sarah’s attention. Pursing her lips, Sarah lifted her coat and examined it. That cat she brought in must have been shedding. Or maybe not, maybe this was normal. Before Sarah could draw any other conclusions, she felt another sneeze coming on. She removed her right hand from her coat’s sleeve and waved it up and down in front of her face, and then she placed her fingers under her nose just as she bobbed forward with a restrained “Heh’tshh!” Keeping her fingers pressed against her nostrils, Sarah forced her eyes open and peered at her coat. She felt like there was more to these hairs, but trying to remember it only gave her a headache. Rolling her eyes again, Sarah grunted and dropped the sleeve of her coat. She took a moment to gently rub her nose, and then she returned to her daily grind. Once work was over, Sarah drove home the same as usual. She could barely keep from rubbing her fingers under her nose the whole time, making her think back to when Mae asked if she was getting sick. That still didn’t make any sense. Sarah felt perfectly fine aside from a tickly nose. At least she hadn’t sneezed again since leaving the office. Before long she arrived at home again, and the cold outside air quickly cleared her head. Feeling simultaneously tired and excited to be done with work, Sarah dragged herself to her apartment and unlocked the front door. “Hi!” Sarah’s eyes widened as she stared at the happy face of a young woman who appeared to have cat ears. After a moment of silence, the girl lifted a hand and waved. “Welcome ba-” “Ahhhhokay!” Shutting her apartment as quickly as she had opened it, Sarah turned around and leaned back against the door to keep it closed. The girl inside began to pound on it, though it was more pathetic than threatening. “Hey! Sarah!? Hey! It’s me, Aimi!” Sarah felt a sudden rush of dizziness as she remembered what had happened the night before, or at least most of it. She placed a palm on her forehead, and then she cautiously turned around and opened her front door again. “What’s the matter, Sarah?” Aimi asked, holding her hands behind her back. “Yeah, uh, sorry,” Sarah mumbled, absently flicking her cheek with the tip of a finger. “I remember last night, but uh… I didn’t think you were actually real?” “Huh!?” Aimi gasped, too confused to say anything else. She took a step back to allow Sarah through the door, and then she perched herself on the arm rest of the couch. “What’s for dinner?” she asked, not terribly bothered by Sarah’s lapse in memory. Sarah said nothing as she set her backpack down against the wall and began to remove her coat. She stopped after removing her right arm from its sleeve, quickly bringing her hand up to fan her face as her breathing stuttered. “Ihh… Hih’TSH!” “Bless you! What’s for dinner?” Continuing to ignore Aimi, Sarah finished removing her coat. She rubbed her nose slowly but firmly, frustratedly breathing through her mouth as she slunk over to her kitchen. Aimi followed, taking that as a sign that they were about to eat, but she shrank in disappointment when Sarah simply removed a can of beer from the fridge. Placing her hands behind her back again, Aimi pouted sheepishly as Sarah took a long gulp. “Okay, so,” Sarah began, wiping her mouth on her forearm and then sliding a finger back and forth under her nostrils. “I know I can’t just throw you back out in the snow, so I guess you can stay here.” Aimi tilted her head, under the impression that that had already been established. “But if that’s going to happen, I need to set some ground rules. First… Uh… Can you, like… Uh. Okay, can you use, like, a people toilet? Or do you need a litter box or something?” Aimi gave a jolt of surprise. “Th-that’s private!” she exclaimed, clutching the sides of her head. Sarah groaned quietly and sipped her beer. She opened her mouth to talk again, but she ground to a halt as her nostrils flared in anticipation of a sneeze. “I… Heh… Heh-TSHooh! My apartment, answer my toilet question.” “The people bathroom is fine!” Aimi whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut and shaking her head. Sarah took another swig and then immediately sprayed the beverage back out when she realized she’d been ignoring something obvious. “Second, you’re naked!” “No, I’m Aimi.” “Put some clothes on!” Sarah set her beer down on the kitchen counter and ran to her bedroom. After slamming the door shut behind herself, she stepped into her closet and began to gather up some of her old clothes. She didn’t have much that would fit Aimi, but it would have to do for now. “Sarah?” came Aimi’s voice, muffled by the walls and closed door. She sounded a bit concerned, but Sarah gave no response aside from a loud “Hae’tSHOOH!” as she perused her closet. Eventually she returned to the living room with some old t-shirts and pajama bottoms, closing the door behind her again. Without a word, Sarah lifted Aimi’s arms and then pulled a shirt down over her. “Okay, great, you can wear these. Third, please don’t go in my bedroom.” “Aww!” Aimi moaned, drooping over and letting her arms dangle toward the floor. “But I wanna sleep next to you!” “No way,” said Sarah, giving her head a definitive shake. “My bedroom is my… Private place. And sometimes I just… Like to be alone.” “Aw, but being together is so much more fun!” Aimi objected, skipping forward. Before Sarah could begin to back up, she felt the feline girl’s arms wrap around her body and hug her tight. Sarah recoiled slightly, but another tickle took hold of her nose before she could push Aimi away. “Aihh… Haa… HA’tshhh!” “Mmm, bless you.” Sarah obliged her guest and gently patted Aimi on the head, but she didn’t last long before she felt another sneeze coming on. She alternated between fanning her face with her fingers and rubbing them under her nose, but none of it helped to stave off the urge. Aimi’s hug persisted, and she emitted what Sarah could only describe as a purr as she continued her one-sided snuggling. Unable to hold it in any longer, Sarah gasped for breath and… “Ahh-TSHHoooh!” “Bless you!” “He-Tishh! Hihh! Ih’tschhh! Ha-Haa-Haaa’tshh!” “Bless you!” “Uhhh…” Sarah moaned, weakly opening her eyes. She tried to sniff, but she was unable to draw any breath through her tickly nose. Frowning to herself, Sarah placed her outstretched index finger across her nostrils and hobbled over to the coffee table by the TV. She sat down on the couch and reached for the tissue box on the table, but she stopped when she noticed it was empty. Sarah gave a defeated sigh, and then her brow knitted in frustration when she saw a pile of tattered but uncrumpled tissues on the floor. “Uh, what happened to my tissue box?” Sarah asked firmly, her voice thick with congestion. Aimi peeked over the top of the couch, glancing back and forth between her host and the mess on the floor. “I wanted to see how they fit so many of those things into that little box, so I… Kind of pulled them all out.” Sarah slouched, placing a palm on her forehead. “There were a lot!” Aimi observed, smiling obliviously. After taking a breath through her mouth, Sarah let out a long groan of despair, sinking further into the couch cushions. She haphazardly wiped her nose by dragging her nostrils across her forearm, and then she dejectedly leaned forward and grabbed a handful of tissues from the floor. Aimi watched inquisitively as Sarah held two tissues together and placed them over her nose, and then she jumped as Sarah blew loudly, making even more noise than when she sneezed. “Hey, they still work!” “Ugh…” “So, what’s for dinner?” “Ughhh....” ----- And that's all for part one. Even if this wasn't really your thing, thanks for taking the time to read it this far, and I hope you'll come back again for part 2. Link to comment
mysterysneeze Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I love the set up of the situation in this story. Having someone help a cat like that is adorable to see but to do that even with her weakness to cats is even more of a sweet thing to see. Aimi is a fun character to see in this story. She is full of energy and uses it for little purposes like a cat would. It is like she wants attention in a cute way. I loved her little sounds you wrote for her! The main character is very likeable too in a different way. She is not energetic but likes to mess around in her down time and gets wasted. I smile when I read her swaying emotion swings during her first interaction with Aimi. Great part of this fun idea! It is strange but it is the kind of strange that makes me enjoy the read ^^ I liked this story a lot. Link to comment
AlexSneezeFetish Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 "Felis" is written with "z" at the end in Spanish, I understand that perfectly because that language is quite difficult (although it is my native language but anyway) and I LOVE the story, a very interesting idea and very cute characters, I hope you can continue! PS: Aimi reminds me Ahri of League of Legends (? Link to comment
SexyGodlikeHair Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 I really like this! I look forward to more-the dynamic is p interesting to me; can't wait to see where it goes ! Link to comment
poiub Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 On 07/12/2017 at 4:51 AM, AlexSneezeFetish said: "Felis" is written with "z" at the end in Spanish, I understand that perfectly because that language is quite difficult (although it is my native language but anyway) and I LOVE the story, a very interesting idea and very cute characters, I hope you can continue! PS: Aimi reminds me Ahri of League of Legends (? Felis is the Latin word for cat; if I'm not mistaken, Blah was making a bilingual pun! Link to comment
AlexSneezeFetish Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 13 hours ago, poiub said: Felis is the Latin word for cat; if I'm not mistaken, Blah was making a bilingual pun! I really did not know that, thanks for the correction (sorry blah) Link to comment
zneeze Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 BLAHHHHHHHHH this is so well done I'm jealous! I love the mixture of humor, seriousness and sneezing - the right balance. I look forward to part 2. Link to comment
I love Alan Rickman Posted December 9, 2017 Share Posted December 9, 2017 17 hours ago, zneeze said: BLAHHHHHHHHH this is so well done I'm jealous! I love the mixture of humor, seriousness and sneezing - the right balance. I look forward to part 2. Exactly my thoughts! However, I'd like to add that even though I'm not a big fan of female fictions, your story is one of the few exceptions, so I am still looking forward to part two!! Link to comment
Blah!? Posted December 12, 2017 Author Share Posted December 12, 2017 @mysterysneeze I'm glad you like it so far. The characters were interesting to write, they're sort of familiar but also sort of different from what I've typically done in the past. @AlexSneezeFetish, @poiub is right, it's a cat pun. Still, I don't really think this is a particularly great title anyway. I just couldn't come up with anything else I liked. Still, I'm glad you're enjoying it. I haven't played League of Legends though, or any other moba, but Aimi is pretty much a shout-out to the idea of catgirls in general, so she could relate to many of them in a way. @SexyGodlikeHair The character dynamic is going to change a bit in part 2, so I hope it's still to your liking @zneeze @I love Alan Rickman That balance is the main thing I was trying to go for, but I should warn you it starts to lean more heavily to one side than the other in the second half. Hopefully it's not too much for a fetish story, but I just let it take me where it wanted to go. As I've noted a bit above, the second half of the story does change things up a bit. I hope it isn't too jarring, but I just felt like this was where it needed to go. I don't think it's anything too serious so I don't think there's much to worry about, but I am kind of paranoid that it's kind of serious at times for a fetish story. Still, if you've stuck with me this far, I bet you can handle it. ----- The next few days passed in largely the same manner. Sarah continued to go to work and care for Aimi, and with the end of the year fast approaching, she’d finally be able to take some time off, or at least a day or two. Still, Aimi was the main problem that lingered on Sarah’s mind. She was very sweet and loving, but she was undeniably a handful. All she ever seemed to do was sit on top of things and ask about her next meal, but at the same time Sarah had to admit she’d been feeling less lonely as of late. Unfortunately, on top of all that, Sarah had come to accept that she was allergic to cats. She’d never been consciously aware of it in the past, but the truth was inescapable. Being around Aimi always gave Sarah a tickly nose, and she’d used up more tissues in the past week than in the entire rest of the year combined. She wouldn’t feel right throwing Aimi back out in the cold, but every now and then she considered asking the strange girl to find a new home. Maybe that would be best for both of them. That train of thought never survived Sarah’s first beer of the evening. Once she started drinking, she promptly abandoned her problems as she became a excitable, nerdy drunk. Sooner or later, however, Sarah always circled back around to being a silent, mopey drunk. After finishing her nightly six-pack, she simply sat on the couch and stared blankly at the dark TV. Oblivious to Sarah’s disconnect from reality, Aimi climbed onto the couch and crawled across her host’s lap. She gave Sarah a smile, and then she rolled onto her belly and stretched out her arms and legs. Aimi’s tail waved back and forth beside Sarah’s head. She rubbed her nose as she eyed the fluffy appendage, but she raised no complaint. “Hi, Sarah,” said Aimi, cheerful as ever. Sarah briefly glanced down at her guest before looking back at the TV. “Hi.” “How are you?” Sarah rubbed her nose again and sniffed. “M’sleepy.” Giggling to herself, Aimi began to reach her tail toward Sarah’s face. Perhaps in an attempt to help her wake up, or just in an attempt to have fun, the feline girl gently tickled Sarah’s nostrils with the tip of her tail. Sarah gave a small gasp and almost immediately let out a soft “Hih’tschh!” “Bless you!” Aimi chirped with a laugh. “You’re tickling my nose,” Sarah complained blandly, pressing her fingers against her nostrils. “Aww!” cooed Aimi, rolling over onto her back. Staring up at Sarah, she smiled as the young woman sniffed and wrinkled her nose. “Sarah, tell me about yourself,” Aimi continued. Sarah slowly closed her eyes and let out a neutral hum. “How old are you?” Sarah hesitated, genuinely struggling to remember for a few seconds. “Twenty-seven.” Aimi scooted off of Sarah’s lap and sat up next to her. Smirking mischievously, she clasped her hands together and began to rock her shoulders back and forth. “Are you married?” she asked, as if she expected the answer to be some kind of secret. Sarah closed her eyes again and exhaled through her nose. “No.” “Do you have a boyfriend?” “No.” “Do you have a girlfriend?” “Nuh… Hhh-! Eh’tshh! No.” “Bless you! Have you… Been on a date?” “...Yes.” Smiling contently, Aimi began to rock her shoulders again. Absently glancing around the room for a moment, she hummed to herself before finally turning back to Sarah again. The young lady looked like she was about to pass out. Holding a hand in front of her gaping mouth, Sarah gave an enormous yawn. Too tired to even walk to her actual bed, she slowly lowered herself down onto her side. “Goodnight, Aimi,” she said, her voice heady as she yawned again. Aimi scampered off of her end of the couch and sat on the floor next to Sarah’s head. “Sarah, can we get a Christmas tree?” she asked energetically. Sarah moaned and tried to face the other way, but Aimi laid her arms on top of her. “Aww, it’ll be fun!” Sarah took a deep breath, and then she let out a defeated groan into the couch cushions. “Fiiine.” “Yay!” ----- One evening when she was almost home from work, Sarah turned around and drove to a nearby shopping plaza to pick up something for Aimi. She thought long and hard about what she was getting it for, and even by the time she arrived at home, she still hadn’t decided if it would be a Christmas present or a parting gift. “Hih’tschh!” Sarah sneezed softly as she entered her apartment, pressing the underside of her nose onto her outstretched fingers. She had almost gotten used to the constant barrage of dander, but today it only highlighted her dilemma. “Bless you, Sarah! Welcome back!” greeted Aimi. Sarah turned toward the sound of Aimi’s voice to find her crouching on all fours on top of the coffee table. Aimi was fixated on an empty can of beer, and she was slowly nudging it closer and closer to the edge of the table. “Don’t sit on the table, Aimi,” Sarah instructed, sniffing and rubbing her nose. “Okay!” chirped Aimi, standing up and hopping onto the couch’s closest arm rest. Sarah rolled her eyes as she took off her backpack and coat, and then she turned back to her guest and managed a slightly strained smile. “Hey, I brought you something.” Aimi gasped and beamed with excitement. “Is it dinner!?” “No, it’s… Come over here.” Aimi stepped down from the couch and approached Sarah, pausing for her to sneeze again. “Ha-Tishh! Hehh! H-here, check this out.” Sarah took a few seconds to rub her nose, and once she finally managed to stop herself, she held out her left hand. A new coat was draped over her arm, and after stopping to sniff and rub her nostrils one last time, Sarah held it out to Aimi. Aimi immediately grabbed the coat with both arms and buried her face in it. “It’s so warm!” she cooed, snuggling the garment. “Are you gonna try it on?” “Oh! Right!” After a moment of struggling, Aimi managed to wriggle into her new coat. It wasn’t a perfect fit, but it was close enough not to look odd, and Aimi didn’t seem to care anyway. The feline girl twirled around in a circle and giggled, and Sarah couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle of her own. She was about to head to the fridge to grab her first beer of the night, but Aimi suddenly grabbed her and pulled her back to the living room. “Hey!” Sarah objected as she felt Aimi reaching into her pocket. “Let’s take a picture, Sarah!” said Aimi, holding up Sarah’s phone. Sarah pulled her lips tight and stared at her guest. “How do you even know about this stuff?” “Internet.” “Huh.” Despite her initial misgivings, Sarah relented and allowed Aimi to try taking a picture. Aimi put one arm around Sarah’s waist and then held the camera out as best she could. Sarah had never been any good at smiling for pictures, so she had no idea what kind of face she was making. It didn’t matter for long, however, as her proximity to Aimi started to bring on a sneeze. Sarah scrunched up her nose and weakly waved a hand up and down in front of her face, but she could already tell it was too late. “H-hang on, Aimi. I’m gonna…” “Say ‘cheese’!” “He’TSHooh!” Aimi laughed heartily and gave Sarah’s shoulder a gentle push. “Hey! I didn’t say ‘sneeze’!” “Oh, ha ha,” groaned Sarah, dejectedly holding her fingers against the underside of her nose. She snatched her phone back from Aimi and stuffed it into her pocket. Aimi didn’t seem to mind, and she soon skipped off to sit in the empty Christmas ornament box in the corner of the living room. Meanwhile, Sarah blew her nose, washed her hands, and started cooking dinner. Once she finished, she set two plates down on the kitchen counter and retrieved a fresh beer from the fridge. By then Aimi had left the box and relocated herself to the base of the Christmas tree, where she was curiously poking at several of the low-hanging ornaments. “Stop that, you’ll break them,” said Sarah, simultaneously beckoning Aimi over to the counter. The feline girl didn’t need any more persuading now that dinner was ready, and she eagerly leapt up onto the barstool beside her host and dug in. After eating, Aimi returned to the ornament box and Sarah engaged in her usual practice of drinking until she fell asleep on the couch. She slept soundly, but when she awoke the next morning, she felt something heavy on top of her. Groggily opening her eyes, Sarah discovered that Aimi had crawled on top of her at some point during the night, and for once she was actually still asleep. Not wanting to disturb her guest, Sarah tried to find a way to wriggle out from underneath Aimi without waking her. Suddenly, Aimi’s feline ears twitched, causing the tip of her left ear to flick across the underside of Sarah’s nose. Sarah scrunched up her face and wiggled her nostrils, trying to combat the tingling sensation that had blossomed in her nasal passages. To Sarah’s dismay, Aimi twitched again and her soft ear teasingly stroked Sarah’s septum. “Hihh!” Sarah gasped, her long nostrils flaring helplessly. Carefully maneuvering her right hand up to her face, Sarah squeezed the base of her nose just in time to stifle a sneeze. “Ah-Hhnnt!” The sound was almost nonexistent, but the sneeze jolted Sarah’s body enough to rouse Aimi anyway. Sarah let out a disappointed sigh as she felt Aimi start to stir. The feline girl gave a high-pitched yawn, and then she smiled down at her companion. With no regard for personal space, Aimi rested her chin on Sarah’s. “Morning, Sarah,” mumbled Aimi, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Sarah could only sniff and wrinkle her nose. “Aimi, I’m… I’m gonna… M’gonnasneeze!” Sarah tried to warn, her voice becoming more desperate and whispery with each syllable. Aimi simply giggled, watching Sarah’s face contort as she struggled to hold herself back. “Ih’tSHOOH!” Aimi yelped as Sarah sneezed in her face and she recoiled away, but she began to giggle happily as she fell backwards onto the other half of the couch. Meanwhile, Sarah clenched her eyes shut, wrinkled her nose, and desperately felt around on the coffee table until she found her tissue box. After grabbing two tissues, Sarah cradled her nostrils and loudly blew her nose. She folded the tissues over and blew a second time, this time rapidly shaking her head to alternate nostrils. Standing up from the couch, Sarah wrapped the tissues around her index fingers and unceremoniously dragged them through her nostrils, mopping up any remaining congestion. Sarah crumpled her thoroughly used tissues and began to head toward the kitchen. As she passed by her Christmas tree, however, she felt something crunch under her foot. Still being half-asleep delayed her reaction slightly, but after half a second Sarah yelped and jumped back. Fully opening her eyes, she looked down at the carpeted floor and saw a mess of tangled Christmas lights and broken ornaments. Kneeling next to the mess, Sarah began to gather up some of the debris before lifting her head and looking around for Aimi. She spotted the feline girl sitting back in the ornament box in the corner, looking far less cheerful than she had just a minute ago. Her ears drooped, and her tail was hanging over the side of the box, dangling limply toward the floor. “Aimi?” Sarah began, her voice low and serious. “Did you do this?” Aimi made eye contact for an instant before immediately looking away and staring at the floor. Keeping quiet, she nodded weakly. Sarah took a deep breath, but she simply didn’t have anything to say. Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the mess and resumed gathering it into a pile. Aimi remained in the box, but she eventually stirred, lifting her tail. “Are you mad?” she asked in a tiny voice. Sarah exhaled heavily through her nose. “Yes, Aimi. I’m mad.” Aimi shrank again. “Sorry.” Sarah closed her eyes and knitted her forehead. She made a fist and raised it slightly, but she resisted the urge to punch the carpet. “You know, you could have cleaned this up. Or you could have woken me up when it happened. But I can see you just knew I’d get up in the morning and do it, because I do everything,” said Sarah, pausing to rub her nose. “I go to work, I cook, I clean, I give you a place to sleep. You-” Closing her eyes again, Sarah took a deep breath to calm herself. After letting out a long sigh, she rose to her feet and began to massage the sides of her nose. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this. Maybe… Maybe it’s time for you to find a new place to live.” Aimi gasped quietly and began to whimper. “How come?” “Because I’m allergic to you!” Sarah snapped, causing Aimi to shy away from her. “I’m allergic to cats! Even when you’re like this, you still get dander everywhere! I’m not even an animal person anyway. I… I don’t know how to take care of you! I don’t even know how to take care of myself!” Feeling like she’d said too much, Sarah forced herself to keep quiet. She scrunched up her face and clenched her hands into fists, and then she took in a long, slow sniff and lightly wiped the corners of her eyes. Without giving Aimi another glance, Sarah put on her coat and grabbed her backpack. “I’m going to be late for work. Don’t go near the broken stuff, I’ll vacuum it up when I get home,” she explained in a defeated, monotone voice. Aimi remained silent, sinking into the ornament box until only her ears and tail protruded above the edges. After pulling on her boots, Sarah silently departed, leaving Aimi alone. ----- At work, Sarah could hardly concentrate on anything. She knew she would have to make a decision about Aimi once she got home, and on top of that, her nose wouldn’t stop tickling. Sarah hadn’t sneezed since arriving at the office, but she felt like her nostrils were full of cat hair. After spending a few minutes sniffing and rubbing her nose, she realized Aimi sleeping on top of her probably hadn’t done her allergies any favors. Sarah tried as hard as she could to ignore the tickle and get back to her work, but she just couldn’t help it. Scrunching up her face, Sarah sniffed hard and furiously rubbed her outstretched fingers back and forth under her nostrils. The base of her nose squished from side to side, causing her nostrils to make a squelching sound as she continued to sniff simultaneously. She failed to notice the sound of footsteps approaching from behind, though she finally realized she wasn’t alone once her visitor stepped around to the front of her desk. “Whoa, Sarah,” came Mae’s familiar voice. “You okay?” “Yeah, it’s just…” Sarah stammered, pausing for another harsh sniff. “Itchy nose.” “You sure? You look like you’re about to do a big…” “Ah-tSHOOH!” “...Sneeze.” “Ugh, be quiet,” Sarah groaned, glaring at Mae through watery eyes. She weakly reached for a tissue and loudly blew her nose. The moment she finished, Sarah immediately grabbed a second tissue and blew again, alternating her nostrils this time. “Gesundheit,” said Mae once Sarah was finally done. “Anyway, I brought you some coffee. You look tired.” “Thanks,” Sarah replied in a neutral tone, but she felt a bit annoyed as she accepted the drink. She took a sip, and the steam rising into her nostrils made them tickle lightly again. Sniffing quietly, Sarah extended her left index finger and slid it across the underside of her nose. “So, you coming tonight?” asked Mae, sitting back at her own desk. Sarah raised an eyebrow as she reached for yet another tissue. “Uhhh…” she droned, giving her long nostrils a gentle, upward wipe with the soft paper. Mae rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee. “To the Christmas party?” “Oh, uh…” Sarah mumbled, using both hands to massage her septum through the tissue. She hesitated, leaving her nose unflatteringly squashed upward for a second. “Nah, I need to get home tonight,” Sarah finally answered, wiping her nose with a quiet sniff. Mae smirked, sipping her coffee again. “Ooh, expecting company?” Sarah turned back to her computer, finally feeling motivated to work again. She left Mae without an answer, and miraculously managed to go the rest of the workday without saying another word. ----- Sarah still hadn’t made up her mind about Aimi when she arrived back at her apartment. Her mind wandered as she walked from her car to her front door, and her heart leapt into her throat when she realized it was unlocked. Sarah flung the door open and quickly stepped inside. She already knew what she was about to find, but she was still dismayed when Aimi was nowhere in sight. Sarah set her backpack down against the wall, but she left her coat and boots on as she combed her apartment. “Aimi?” Sarah called, oblivious to the wet footprints she was leaving in the carpet. She checked the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom, and even her bedroom and closet, but the feline girl had disappeared. Sarah jogged back outside and did a lap around the snowy apartment complex, still not finding a trace of Aimi. Hanging her head, Sarah trudged back to her apartment and finally shed her coat and boots. Too exhausted to even grab a beer, she slunk into her bedroom and collapsed on her bed. The next few minutes passed in silence. Sarah lay on her belly, with her face planted in a pillow and her feet hanging off the end of the bed. Eventually she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, prompting her to finally move. Sarah lethargically pulled out her phone and stared at it for a moment before even checking to see what had happened. Upon further inspection, she realized she had gotten a text message from her mother, wishing her a merry Christmas. Sarah blinked wordlessly, and just as she was about to send an obligatory reply… “Ih’tshh!” Sneezing softly, Sarah accidentally hit the attachment button beside the text area. A list of pictures taken on her phone appeared, and just from the thumbnail, Sarah could tell what the first was going to be. She sat motionless for what felt like an eternity, but when the phone’s screen dimmed after a period of inactivity, Sarah finally tapped the small image to enlarge it. Sarah and Aimi stood beside each other in the selfie the feline girl had taken the evening before. Aimi was smiling bright as ever, dressed in her new coat. Sarah’s lips nearly twitched into a smile when she looked over at herself and remembered what happened. She was milliseconds away from a sneeze, with her head tipped back and her long nostrils flared rather enormously. Sarah stared at the picture, and then perhaps through the power of suggestion, she felt another sneeze coming on. “Hih… Heh-Tschhh!” Wrinkling her nose, Sarah removed one hand from her phone and slid a finger back and forth under her tickly nostrils. She sniffed and gave the tip of her nose two firm upward flicks, and then she finally forced herself out of bed. Stretching her arms above her head, Sarah yawned heavily and then gave her nose another rub. Departing her bedroom, Sarah paused in the doorway, half expecting to see Aimi back in the living room. Maybe this was for the best. Sarah hadn’t intended to throw Aimi back out in the cold, but if she decided to leave on her own, Sarah was sure she could find someplace else where she’d be happier. Still, for the time being Sarah didn’t know whether to feel relieved or distraught. Eventually she resolved to finally do something about the mess by the Christmas tree. After gathering most of the large pieces of debris into a dustpan, Sarah threw them away and retrieved her vacuum cleaner. She was tempted to stop after simply vacuuming around the tree, but somehow she managed to keep herself going. Sarah already felt better by the time she finished cleaning her apartment. She supposed part of it probably had to do with vacuuming up a lot of Aimi’s dander. There was probably still plenty of it left, but the insides of Sarah’s nose felt just a little less tickly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nostrils, but this still managed to draw out a sudden “Eh’tshooh!” After putting the vacuum away, Sarah returned to her room and sat down on the foot of her bed. She retrieved her phone from her pocket, intending to finally reply to her mother’s text, but when she opened the messenger app, it was still focused on the picture from earlier. Sarah smiled subtly at Aimi’s selfie, and then she hit the back button. Instead of backing out all the way, however, Sarah paused on the list of thumbnails again. Even the small images were enough to jog her memory. Pictures of her car, her apartment, her clothes. None of them were pictures with her friends. The selfie with Aimi was the only image on Sarah’s phone with another person in months. Feeling suddenly overwhelmed, Sarah scrunched up her face and let her head fall into her free hand. She sniffed deeply and wiped her nose with her fingers, and finally she managed to send “Merry Christmas” to her mother. Sarah fell back onto her bed, taking deep breaths to calm herself. She only lasted for a moment before rolling over and reaching for the tissue box on her bedside table. Grabbing a tissue with one hand, Sarah thoroughly wiped her nose and massaged her septum. Her mother sent her a stupid emoji which she ignored, but receiving it did inspire her to do something. Smiling faintly, Sarah sent a brief “Happy Holidays” text to each of her friends, even some she hadn’t spoken to in a long time. A few replies came in over the next several minutes. More than a few of Sarah’s friends reminded her that there were still two days to go until Christmas, but she didn’t care. Hearing from them again made her tear up a bit, and she plucked a fresh tissue from her bedside box to continue sniffling into. Once she realized how late it was, Sarah decided it was time for bed. Retrieving yet another tissue, she allowed herself a long, loud blow to clear her head, and after taking a moment to freshen up, she managed to get a good night’s sleep in her bed rather than on the couch. ----- The next day was Christmas Eve, but Sarah still had to go to work. Partly because she was a corporate slave, but also partly to make up for all the times when she’d come in late. Mae was gone, along with most of Sarah’s coworkers, but contrary to Sarah’s moment of self-discovery from the night before, that only made the workday more pleasant. On the other hand, part of her wished there were a few more people for her to show off to: she’d only woken up a little late that morning, giving her time to take a full shower, style her hair and put on makeup. Even without many people around to see it, Sarah felt good. Rather than cook dinner, Sarah decided to pick up Chinese food on the way home after work. She probably overindulged a bit, but given that it was Christmas Eve, she didn’t mind too much. When she arrived at home, Sarah hoped that Aimi might be there again, but she quickly banished the thought and settled in for another night alone. Sarah set out her food on the coffee table and turned on the TV. After starting the Netflix app, Sarah stood up from the couch and headed over to the kitchen to grab a drink. Just as she was about to pick up a can of beer, however, a knock came at the front door. Not sure what to expect, Sarah closed her refrigerator and went to check the entryway. She unceremoniously pulled the door open and found herself face to face with Aimi. The feline girl had her coat’s hood pulled up to hide her ears, but her face was unmistakable. Sarah let out a tiny but sharp scream, startling Aimi enough to make her scream in return. Feeling too shocked to steady herself, Sarah simply crumpled on the floor. “Hi Sarah,” greeted Aimi, her voice small and soft. “A… Ah…” Sarah stammered, putting her hands on the floor to either side of her body. “I didn’t mean to disappear for so long,” Aimi continued, taking a step toward the doorway. “I just wanted to go out for a bit, but then I got lost…” Aimi stuck out her tongue and giggled at herself. Sarah simply gasped for breath and then sneezed. “Ah’tshooh!” “Bless you. Can I come in?” “Uh… Uh-huh,” Sarah croaked, nodding her head. Aimi walked through the door and shut it, and then she held up a bundle she had been holding behind her back. “I got you that stuff you like to drink so much.” Sarah stared in shock as Aimi offered up a six pack of diet soda cans. Her lips twitched once, then a second time, and then Sarah spluttered with laughter. It wasn’t long before she felt herself tearing up again, and when she did, she pulled her legs close to her body and let her forehead fall against her knees. Sarah’s breathing stuttered as she wrestled with her near-silent sobbing, and Aimi knelt down beside her. “Sarah? What’s wrong?” she asked, placing a hand on Sarah’s back. To Aimi’s surprise, Sarah suddenly reached out her arms and grabbed her, pulling her into a hug. Aimi let out a yelp, but she quickly put her arms around Sarah as well. “I… I know this isn’t a great home for you, but… I didn’t want to make you run away,” whimpered Sarah, sniffling every other word. “When you didn’t come back, I thought you’d be happy somewhere else.” Aimi pulled back from the embrace, prompting Sarah to finally lift her head. Her lip was trembling, and her previously nice makeup was running down her cheeks. Aimi smiled as Sarah snuffled and wiped her nose on her wrist, and then… “Heh… He-TSHOOH!” Sarah let out an unrestrained sneeze right in Aimi’s face. The young woman wrinkled her nose and dragged her nostrils across her forearm again, and when she opened her eyes she saw Aimi skipping back over from the coffee table, tissue box in tow. She held it out, and Sarah gratefully plucked out a pair of tissues and loudly blew her nose. When they made eye contact again, Aimi’s ears drooped but she still managed to smile. “It’s not your fault, Sarah. I’ve been a bad pet.” Finally managing a proper smile, Sarah gave a snort of laughter and pulled Aimi into another hug. “You’re not my pet,” she said, pausing to rub her nose into her wrist after getting her nostrils too close to Aimi’s hair. “You’re my friend.” ----- And so ends the story. I still feel like this may have been a bit too weird, but again, if you managed to stick it out this far, thanks so much for your time and attention. I don't really plan on doing more with these characters, but hopefully I'll manage to write something new before too long. Link to comment
I love Alan Rickman Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 It's weird, but not too weird that I didn't want to continue reading. I like to say that everyone and everything is weird in some way or another. This story is still excellent, and I've taken a great liking to it, despite not generally being a female sneezefic fan. It's just written so nicely that I can still enjoy it even though I prefer male. I love how it progressed. I'd love if you make a sequel, but do whatever you prefer and have the time for. Sarah and Aimi are great, for sure! Thanks for this wonderful story!! Link to comment
zneeze Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Blah, you're the best. That's all I can think to say right now lol. It was great Link to comment
Usagi Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 I normally don't read female fics as often either, but I love Blah's stuff! This was good and cute, I enjoyed it! Good stuff from Blah as always! Link to comment
Blah!? Posted December 19, 2017 Author Share Posted December 19, 2017 @I love Alan Rickman @zneeze @TsundereKushami Thanks for sticking with me on this one, it's nice to know other people enjoyed it too. I've given a bit more thought to a sequel, and while I suppose I'm open to the idea, I don't think I have anything that would really work for it yet. I wouldn't want to write more of these characters just for the heck of it, if that makes any sense. I'd need another solid story for them if I want to touch this again. I'll be sure to share it if I ever do come up with something. Link to comment
Usagi Posted December 19, 2017 Share Posted December 19, 2017 16 hours ago, Blah!? said: @I love Alan Rickman @zneeze @TsundereKushami Thanks for sticking with me on this one, it's nice to know other people enjoyed it too. I've given a bit more thought to a sequel, and while I suppose I'm open to the idea, I don't think I have anything that would really work for it yet. I wouldn't want to write more of these characters just for the heck of it, if that makes any sense. I'd need another solid story for them if I want to touch this again. I'll be sure to share it if I ever do come up with something. Fair! I'd love to see more of your stuff whenever you do it! Even if it isn't these characters! Also remind me, didn't you do one with the same title last Christmas? I feel like someone did my memory fails me sometimes. So do correct me if I'm wrong! Link to comment
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