New Year's Eve (Secret Santa for Kiwifruit)

[Dusty15]

Happy Holidays, Kiwifruit! You were my Secret Santa this year! It was a pleasure writing for you and I got this idea based off a prompt on Tumblr so some credit goes to collegeanon-sickfics there for the plot idea! I hope that you enjoy this and I hope that you have a great New Year! xoxo

 

New Year's Eve
A Secret Santa Fic for @Kiwifruit
______

How they ended up in Kayleigh's family cottage on New Year's Eve alone was a long story. But the gist of it was that they'd intended to make a weekend of it with several other old friends from their college days but things got mixed up and life got in the way and in the end, only Kayleigh and Ben could go. And there was no use in cancelling now that Kayleigh had already paid the winter groundskeeper to shovel the driveway and stockpile logs for the wood burning stove.

 

The two had been good friends since high school and had ended up at the same university and now lived in the same city, so a weekend together was nothing out of the ordinary. With the car packed with a case of beer and a bottle of champagne for midnight, several DVDs and boardgames, and enough food to feed a small army, they headed off on the drive north to Vermont.

 

Many miles and radio stations later, they pulled into the driveway of the small vacation house and trudged through the snow, unloading their things and going about lighting the wood stove to warm up the cabin.

 

“I think that should do it,” Kayleigh said, shutting the cast iron door on the stove as flames leapt to life. She was petite brunette with a round face and freckles and a laugh that was always the loudest in the room.

 

“Time for round one?” Ben asked, holding up the case of beer he was about to empty into the refrigerator.

 

“Actually, I think I might start with tea,” Kayleigh replied. Though she hadn't said anything yet, she was sure that the start of a cold was coming on. The whole car ride had been a silent battle against a growing sinus pressure and that vague, itchy feeling in her throat. The dry and cold cabin wasn't helping her feel any more comfortable.

 

“Tea?” Ben said, raising an eyebrow. “Alright. It's freezing in here, I'll give you that much.”

 

He dug in the cabinets until he found the kettle and set it on the stove to boil. He was much taller than Kayleigh, thin and slightly gangly with a mop of sandy blonde hair and almost always a few days worth of stubble.

 

“How long has this stuff been here?” he asked, holding up a tin of tea from the pantry.

 

“Just last summer,” Kayleigh replied, flopping down on the couch in front of the fire. “It should be fine.”

 

“Looks like longer than the summer,” he said, blowing a thin layer of dust from the top with a laugh.

 

“Just the summer, I promise” she said, joining in the laugher. “Now hurry up. I want to watch Anchorman before we play a game.”

 

He poured a mug of tea and grabbed an IPA for himself before settling on the couch beside Kayleigh.

 

“I can't believe it's almost 2018,” he said as the opening DVD credits began.

 

“I know. It feels like just last week we were at Michelle's and we were already pretty drunk, about to ring in 2017.”

 

“Do you remember out pact?” Ben asked.

 

Kayleigh laughed. “Oh my god. I was just thinking about that. The still single in 2018 thing?”

 

“Yeah, that if we were still single at midnight on 2018, we'd kiss.”

 

“Because I've clearly always wanted to know how it'd feel basically kissing my brother,” she teased.

 

“We don't have to do it,” he said, taking a swig of beer.

 

“We made a pact. You know I keep my promises, Ben,” she said.

 

“Same,” he said, grinning. “Now shut up and let Ron Burgundy talk.”

 

They cozied down under throw blankets, sipping their drinks and bantering along with the movie. Sometime about a half hour in, Kayleigh slid her legs out from under her blanket and stood up.

 

“Want me to pause it?” Ben asked.

 

“No, leave it,” she said, heading towards the bathroom. “I'll be right back.”

 

She went in and shut the door behind her, sitting on the closed lid of the toilet seat and circling a loop of toilet paper around her fingers.

 

Wrapping it around her nose, she gave a brief, honking blow. Her sinus congestion pounded and seemed to have increased single their arrival. She blew again, harder, trying to clear it out. It was to no avail. She scrunched a wad of tissue into her pocket for future use and headed back to the couch.

 

Ben gave her a smile but said nothing as she tucked back into her blanket. A few moments later, she interrupted the film again. Her breath hitched slightly, loud enough to catch Ben's attention. He watched as she fumbled under the blankets for the tissue in her pocket and she got it to her nose just in time to catch series of sneezes that she stifled.

 

Ngh-GHXHT! Tsh-GHXT! NGHXHT!

 

“Bless you,” he said. “You okay?”

 

“Yeah,” she replied hastily, wiping her nose. “Just this dusty place. Should've hired someone to clean it before we came.”

 

She put the tissue back into her pocket and snuggled down under the blanket, covering her nose with the edge. The last thing she wanted Ben to know was how terrible she was beginning to feel. She felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment at the small fit.

 

They continued watching the movie and Kayleigh felt her eyes drooping already as her cold settled in with a vengeance. She sipped at her tea compulsively, desperate to ward off the tickling in her throat that threatened to become a cough at any moment.

 

The film ended and Ben sang along loudly with the credits song. Kayleigh smiled and joined in quietly, secretly hoping he'd choose to stop soon, as her head was also beginning to pound.

 

Even the simple act of quiet singing was too much. She stopped, suddenly overwhelmed by her ticklish throat. She coughed harshly, eyes beginning to water. Ben stopped and looked at her, concerned.

 

She grabbed her tea and gulped the last bit to quash the tickle.

 

“Sorry,” she sputtered. “Got a tickle.”

 

“You look kinda pale,” Ben commented. “Are you sure you're okay?”

 

“I'm fine,” she insisted. “It's only six. Should we play a round of something?”

 

“Scrabble?” he offered.

 

“If you want your ass kicked, sure,” she countered. “I'm going to put on another cup of tea if you want to set it up.”

 

“Sure,” he agreed grabbing the game from the stack they'd brought along and heading to the dining table to set it up.

 

Kayleigh refilled the kettle and put it back on the stove, leaning against the counter with her arms wrapped around herself, trying not to visibly shiver. Out of her nest of blankets, the cottage still felt frigid.

 

The kettle whistled and she poured out the cup until it was filled to the brim, clutching it with both hands and walking slowly towards the table.

 

When she was almost there, she stopped suddenly, utterly overwhelmed by a prickling feeling in her nose. Unable to help it, she whined audibly and scrunched up her face.

 

“What is it?” Ben asked, hurrying to her side.

 

“I have to-tehh---” she began, voice wavering with the anticipation of the sneeze. She gripped her tea tightly, unsure of what to do to avoid spilling it in the inevitable outburst.

 

Before she knew what was happening, her head was jerking forward into the gentle cup of one of Ben's hands while the other steadied her mug to keep it from spilling.

 

Tehh-TSGHHHHT!

 

She could feel the spray from her nose hit Ben's palm and bounce back against her nose skin. Her cheeks instantly blossomed bright pink and she stammered an apology.

 

“Oh my god, I, I'm sorry I--”

 

He laughed a little and wiped his hand on the thigh of his jeans.

 

“That was....not my favourite feeling in the world. But the tea had to be spared,” he said. “Bless you.”

 

She set her mug down on the table and retrieved one of her toilet tissue wads.

 

“You sound like you're coming down with something,” Ben continued. “And you're all flushed.”

 

“I think it's just a little cold,” she said, feeling her cheeks burn hotter at the admission of it.

 

“Do you really want to play Scrabble or is another movie a better idea?” he asked.

 

She hesitated, looking back at the couch.

 

“I think you've answered that,” he said, shutting the Scrabble board and packing the tiles back up. “Go pick something out and get cozy. I'll get some snacks together and join you.”

 

She smiled at him gratefully and went back to the living room while he started banging around in the kitchen.

 

He appeared in the living room a short while later with popcorn, a tray of Bagel Bites hot from the over, and a bowl of M&Ms. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was on the television and Kayleigh was sound asleep on the sofa.

 

Ben shook his head and leaned over to pull up the blankets over her. With a sigh, he sat down on the other end and dug into the snack alone.

 

It was sometime around 11:40pm when Kayleigh woke herself up coughing. Ben, who had been dozing slightly on the other end of the couch, looked over and sat up quickly.

 

“Here,” he said, handing over a glass of water. She sipped it gratefully.

 

“Thanks,” she said. Her voice was raspy and muddled by congestion. She sniffled thickly and pushed up the tip of her nose in an effort to breathe. “Ugh.”

 

“You sound awful,” he said.

 

“I feel awful,” she admitted, feeling herself flush again. She watched him carefully for a reaction but he only smiled at her in sympathy.

“Did I miss Indiana?” she asked.

 

“Slept through the whole thing,” he said. “Just ended.”

 

“So much for a fun weekend,” she croaked.

 

“Eh, parties are overrated,” he replied. “I'd rather watch movies in front of the fire, if I'm being honest.”

 

“Me too,” she said, smiling back at him.

 

“Can I get you some more tea?” he asked. “I'd offer some Nyquil but it's almost midnight and I don't think there's any in this place. I didn't pack any.”

 

“Neither did I,” she said. “I'm okay for tea. Can you stoke the fire though? It feels cold in here.”

 

He stood, shrugging off his own blankets and going over to the stove.

 

“It's still going strong,” he said, opening the grate to reveal leaping flames. “It's actually pretty cozy in here.”

 

He stepped back close to her and reached out to feel her forehead. She blushed but let him rest his hand there.

 

“No fever,” he said. “But I always get cold when I'm sick too. You can share my blankets.”

 

He sat back down, patting the spot next to him.

 

“Come here,” he offered.

 

Slowly, Kayleigh shifted and slid over until she was nestled against him, her head on his shoulder. He tucked up his blankets over them both.

 

“Better?” he asked, putting his arm around her so she was close against his warm chest.

 

She nodded wearily, her eyes closing. In what seemed like only a few seconds later, she felt him raise his arm to look at his watch and there was a low rumble in his chest as he softly counted down the seconds to midnight.

 

“3....2....1....Happy New Year,” he said. She felt his hand gently rub her back.

 

Raising her head up, she looked at him and repeated it back.

 

“Happy New Year.”

 

She leaned forward sleepily, lips brushing his in a gentle kiss as they'd promised. He didn't shy away from it despite her chapped nose and flushed cheeks. His hand cupped the back of her head as the kiss deepened.

 

As they broke the kiss, she turned suddenly into his shoulder, a sneeze exploding out with hot breath across the exposed bit of skin where the neck of his sweater met his collarbone.

 

Nhh-TSCHHHH!

 

“Oh my god,” she moaned, still buried against his shoulder. “I'm so sorry.”

 

She raised her head and wiped her hand against the damp spot on his sweater.

 

“It's okay,” he assured her. “Let's get you to bed. I think we should probably just call it quits and I'll drive home tomorrow. You need somewhere with medicine and better heating.”

 

She nodded wearily. “Probably. I'm sorry; this turned out to be a bit of a disaster.”

 

“You kept your promise though,” he said, laughing. “I wasn't expecting that. I'll be calling you if I wake up sick next week.”

 

And after a long car trip home with Kayleigh asleep in the backseat and a few days not speaking, Kayleigh's phone rang while she was at work. It was Ben on the line and when she answered, she was greeted with an offer to come over and watch a movie, only if she could tolerate him coughing through the whole thing.

 

“I'll bring the tea,” she said. “And Ben?”

 

“Yes?” he croaked.

 

“I'm sorry for keeping my promise. I didn't mean to get you sick.”

 

He barked a laugh that crackled through the phone.

 

“It was worth it.”

 

 

[beau34]

Wait, I’m confused. Are they actually brother/sister or did they have a brother/sister relationship that turned into something more?

 

[beau34]

1 minute ago, sneezelover32 said:

Wait, I’m confused. Are they actually brother/sister or did they have a brother/sister relationship that turned into something more?

It was a really good story, just curious, lol. 

[Kiwifruit]

 

EEEEEEE thank you thank you thank you!!!! This is such a sweet story, with some nice juicy contagion and this, one of my fetish favourites:

18 hours ago, Dusty15 said:

Before she knew what was happening, her head was jerking forward into the gentle cup of one of Ben's hands while the other steadied her mug to keep it from spilling.

I really enjoyed reading this! You rock!!

@sneezelover32 - I interpreted that as 'very close friend she's known for many years', so similar to a brother in that sense - with obvious key differences

[Alyssa1146]

Love the caretaking and the girl/boy next door potentially becoming something more scenarios!   Very nice!

[Dusty15]

5 hours ago, Kiwifruit said:

'very close friend she's known for many years', so similar to a brother in that sense - with obvious key differences

Yes, exactly that @sneezelover32.

I'm glad you enjoyed, Kiwi, and thanks to the rest of you as well  

[beau34]

Regardless, this was an amazing story! Please continue!