Coco

[aggedy_ann]

I meant to have this posted around Christmas, but I was working overtime to cover for sick coworkers and then dealing with migraines.   So here is a Late Christmas fic.   New Years fic to come   Then back to the regularly scheduled WIPs   
 

Ethan paced the floor of their new apartment.  They had arranged everything to their liking earlier in the week, and Cashew, Tim’s cat, was strutting around like he’d lived here forever.

 

His phone beeped with a text from Tim.  “On my way back now.”

 

He checked again to make sure everything was ready for the new arrival.   

 

He went to the kitchen and fed Cashew, then started on dinner for him and Tim.  It was simmering on the stove to stay warm when he heard Tim’s key in the lock.   Ethan rushed to the living room to help his boyfriend.  

 

Tim stood there with a cat carrier and a bag containing extra food.  Ethan relieved him of the food as Tim set the carrier down, opening it.   “Here she is.”  He cooed as the kitten stuck her head out and sniffed curiously.

 

Ethan reached for her as she ducked back in the carrier.

 

“Easy.”  Tim cautioned.  “Let her get used to her surroundings first.”    He bent down and kissed the shorter man.   “Happy Christmas Eve.”  He whispered.  “I h-hope…” He pulled away.  “Heyuhshoo, kuhshoo.” He sneezed into his shirt collar, then sniffled once.

 

“Bless you.  You ok?”

 

“I feel ok.  Just been doing a bit of that today.  Maybe left over from cleaning my apartment yesterday.”  They had surrendered the keys to Tim’s apartment yesterday; Ethan’s lease had expired months ago; leading to this: their first apartment together.  “I hope you enjoy your present.”

 

Ethan’s response was a kiss for Tim.  “I think I will.  Thank you.” 

 

Tim helped Ethan get everything set up for his kitten, warning him to make sure Cashew didn’t eat the kitten food.  

 

They ate dinner, keeping an eye on the kitten in the entryway.  Cashew stopped by once to investigate; she had retreated a little further into the carrier, but he had merely sniffed her and seemed indifferent.  

 

After dinner, they settled on the couch.  Tim found a movie, but Ethan’s real focus was the kitten.   She was about to step her way out of the carrier to possibly explore her new surroundings when:

 

“Hatchoo!”

 

Ethan pitched forward with his typical loud sneeze, and the kitten retreated back in the carrier, poking her head out hesitantly after a few seconds.

 

“Bless you.”  Tim barely turned his focus from the movie; after two years, he was used to his boyfriend’s frequent loud explosions.  

 

“Is she always gonna do that when I sneeze?”

 

“Do what?”  Tim, engrossed in the movie, had not been paying attention.  

 

“Hide.”

 

Tim laughed.  “Initially.  Just wait until you sneeze with her on your lap, and she tries to get away.” He laughed again.   “But she’ll get used to them.  Look, she’s coming out again.”

 

Ethan watched as the kitten stepped out of the carrier and sat in the middle of the entryway, sniffing and looking around.

 

“She needs a name.”  Tim said.   “You can’t just call her she forever.”

 

Ethan looked at the brown kitten.  “I don’t know.”

 

Tim looked at Ethan and grinned.  “You’ve never had to name anything before, have you?”

 

“Not true.  When I was 7, I named Goldie, my fish.”

 

Tim rolled his eyes.  “You’ll want to do better here.”  He unconsciously rubbed his nose.  “Or you won’t be naming any future children.” He teased.

 

“Can I pick her up yet?  I want to hold her.”  Ethan whined, impatient, as the kitten inched ever so slightly closer to them.

 

“Approach her slowly,” Tim instructed.  Ethan nodded, slipping towards the kitten and dropping down to the floor.  “Let her sniff you. Hold out your hand.”  

 

Ethan extended his hand out, just a little too fast and the kitten darted back to the carrier.  

 

“Keep your hand out, E.  She’ll come back.  She’s just gotta get used to you.  To us.”  It took a minute, but she finally came out and sniffed at his hand.  Five minutes of sniffing and tentative nosing later, he was able to pet her.

 

But when he tried to pick her up a few minutes later, claws and meowing and hissing, and back in the crate when he set her down.   This time she didn’t come peeking out right away.   

 

“Come back to the couch, hon,” Tim said gently.  “You just moved too fast, that’s all.  She’s just left the only place she’s ever known, she’s gotta get used to the new home.  Give her tonight for that.   You and her can bond tomorrow.”   He rubbed his nose again and pulled Ethan against him.

 

“Ok.”  Ethan grumbled, pulling away.  “Ahshoo!”  He pulled a crumpled tissue from his pocket to blow his nose.  “Scuse me.  I’ve been doing more and more of that this evening.

 

“Bless you.”  Tim gave him a concerned look, casting a sideways glance at the cat carrier.

 

Ethan sighed.  “It’s not the cat.  Cashew hasn’t been a problem in the two years we’ve been together; this started before you got home, and anyway, you’ve seen me around a dog…”

 

Tim laughed.  “Point Tahh-hahhken…Ehnshoo, hehhrehhshoo..god, I don’t know where these are coming from.”

 

“Bless you.”  Ethan cast his own sideways glance at the cat carrier.

 

Tim gave him a look.  “ I’ve had cats forever.  It’s probably just still irritation from all the dust and cleaning supplies yesterday.”

 

Ethan laughed and handed him a tissue.  “Probably.”  

 

“Now, let her explore at her own pace tonight, think of a name, and spend Christmas Eve snuggled with me.”

 

Not taking his eyes off his kitten, Ethan leaned up against Tim.  “What movie?”  

 

Tim cleared his throat.  “The latest reincarnation of the Grinch.  Unless you want something else?”

 

“Grinch is fine. Watch all the versions tonight?”  Ethan grinned.

 

“We could.”  Tim wrapped a blanket over them. “We could certainly try.” He cleared his throat.   “5$ says you fall asleep at least once before we’re halfway through the Jim Carrey Grinch.”

 

“Will not.”  Ethan protested, already fighting back a yawn.   He got up much earlier than Tim, and although Tim joined him for breakfast, Tim went back to bed afterwards.

 

True to Tim’s word, Ethan made it through one Grinch movie, but had dozed off before the Grinch’s assault on Whoville.  He’d been sneezing at regular intervals during the movies, so, maybe, Tim figured, it was for the best.  

 

“Hhrushhoo, huhruhshhoo!”  The sneezes snuck up on him without warning, and he wasn’t able to muffle them.  Next to him, Ethan stirred and opened his eyes.

 

“Bless you.” He murmured, drowsily.

 

“Sorry,” Tim apologized.  “I managed to keep the other ones quiet enough not to wake you.”

 

“Other ones?”  Ethan looked concerned, and Tim could see him assessing him.  The joys of dating a nurse, he guessed.

 

“Just a couple.  Maybe something in the air?” He shrugged.  “You’ve been sneezing pretty good tonight, too.”

 

Ethan looked thoughtful and about to respond before he buried his nose in his shirt collar.  “Hahshoo!”

 

“Bless.  And my point.”

 

Ethan finished blowing his nose.  “Where’s the kitten?”  

 

“She headed into the kitchen about half an hour ago.  Guessing she got hungry.”

 

Ethan got up and poked his head in, and saw her tentatively exploring the kitchen.    

 

“I’ll put her carrier in there before bed.” Tim said, gently putting his arm around Ethan.  “And she needs a name.”

 

Ethan allowed himself to be led back over to the couch.  “I know. I know.  So where are we in this marathon?”

 

“Well, you fell asleep just before Jim Carrey stole Christmas, and now the animated Grinch having dinner with the Whos.”

 

Ethan blushed.  “Sorry.  I must be tired.  This getting up early to work out is throwing me for a loop.”

 

“Well, since the movie marathon is almost over, why don’t you have your snack and go to bed?”  He looked at his watch.  “Hell, I might actually go now too.”

 

Ethan looked at Tim.  “Early for you.” Came his comment. 

 

“I think the cleaning and moving wore me out.”  Tim shrugged.  “Anyway, the sooner we fall asleep, the sooner Santa will come.”  He teased.

 

Ethan sat down in a kitchen chair with his snack and Tim sat across from him with a glass of juice. 

 

Once in bed, Tim slept like a rock.  Ethan, however, was not so lucky.  He never did fall into a deep restful sleep and found himself waking up to sneeze a few times.   

 

The first time, he was able to just roll over and go back to sleep.   

 

The second time, he had to blow his nose before laying back down.  Laying back down, he noticed an ominous sign; his right ear ached.  A tell tale sign he had a cold.  “Great.” He muttered.  He hadn’t had a Christmas cold in years, and he hated to ruin their first Christmas in their apartment.   

 

The third time, he felt Tim stir next to him.  Not wanting to wake him, he glanced at his watch.  4:00.  Normally, he’d be getting up to work out soon, but the way he was starting to feel, not today.  Besides, it was Christmas.  He grabbed DayQuil out of the bathroom, figuring it was close enough to his normal wake up time to take it.  Coughing lightly into his sleeve, he decided to take his pillow and head for the couch.  Now that he was awakish, the sneezing was going to pick up.

 

He flipped on the TV and threw the blanket that lay across the back of the couch over him.  “Ahtschoo!”  He muffled a sneeze into the pillow and blanket.   It took several position changes to get comfortable and a few more sneezes, but he finally managed to doze off.   

 

He awoke hours later to Tim sitting in the recliner, watching him sleep.  “Hahtschoo!”  His nose remembering the reason why he had woken up.   

 

“Bless you.”  Tim said softly, eyeing the DayQuil box on the coffee table, but not saying anything.

 

“Why’re you sleeping out here?”

 

“Woke up early.  Couldn’t fall back to sleep.  Didn’t want to wake you.”

 

Tim chuckled.  “Well, you certainly fell back to sleep.  I haven’t heard you snore like that in a long time.”

 

Ethan blushed.  “I was going to make you breakfast,” he said, changing the subject off of him.  “Peanut butter stuffed French toast.”  He headed for the kitchen with Tim following.

 

“You’re cooking?” Tim asked.  “And more than just chicken and rice?” He teased.

 

“Merry Chrhiihh…” Ethan pressed his hand to his nose.  “Christmas.”  He had a brief second to grab a paper towel.  “Hatchoo!”

 

“Bless you.  Starting with the morning sneezes.” 

 

Ethan nodded in confirmation, heading to the sink to wash his hands.  He could feel his head starting to stuff up, and he had a feeling he’d be sneezing a lot more than usual this morning.  He was pretty sure by the end of breakfast, it’d be obvious to his boyfriend that he was ruining Christmas with a cold.

 

He threw some sausage in a pan and began preparing the French toast.   “Atchoo!”  He whirled away from the food, directing the sneeze into his shoulder, noticing his kitten stare at him curiously.   

 

Tim looked up from preparing coffee, noticing how close together the sneezes were.  Usually they were more spaced out unless there were going to be more of them as during allergy season or with colds.  “Bless you.”

 

“I think you can quit saying that.”  Ethan forced a grin, inwardly wincing at his stuffed up he sounded.  He noticed the kitten move a tiny bit closer to him, but chalked it up to the fact that he was around food.

 

Both Tim and Ethan inwardly groaned over the cold Ethan was hiding as Ethan continued to sneeze every three or four minutes.   After the sixth sneeze, Ethan turned Tim.  “Maybe you should take over.”  He sniffled.  “This is not gonna slow down.”  He blew his nose and went to wash his hands. 

 

“Bless you.  You ok?  You’re sneezing a lot this morning.  Still something in the air getting to you?”

 

Ethan shook his head and sighed as he and Tim switched spots.  “I have a cold.” He admitted, looking down. 

 

“Damn, that sucks.  Sure it’s not some random allergy?”

 

Ethan nodded.  “Sneezing, stuffy, headache, sore throat, cough, stiff, achy, chilled,” and he pulled out the guarantee.  “My right ear hurts.  Sorry.  I know that messes with our plans.”

 

Tim gave him a smile.  “It’s ok.  Pete and Amy will understand.  And I’m sure Beth and Dustin will too.  We’re not seeing anyone else until New Years, so you’ll likely feel better by then.”

 

“Hatchoo!”  Ethan doubled over, noticing the kitten at his feet before he straightened up.   “She’s getting closer to me.” He sniffled.

 

“She was watching you sleep.” Tim informed him,  “and she needs a name.”

 

Ethan looked at the kitten laying on the floor stretched out in front of him. He laughed.  “She kind of looks like a coconut,” he commented.  

 

“Two nutty kitties?” Tim asked.

 

“Cashew and Coconut?”  Ethan asked. “I don’t know. Sounds weird.”

 

“So shorten it,” Tim suggested.

 

Ethan gave him a blank look, and Tim opened his mouth to clarify, misreading the look.  “Ahchoo!”  Ethan cut in. “Coco?”  Ethan asked.  “I like that.  Cashew and Coco.”

 

Tim smiled, setting a plate in front of Ethan.  “Me, too.”

 

Ethan reached down and petted his kitten.  “Hi, Coco,” he purred, rubbing her back and head. “Can I hold you, he asked, placing a hand under her belly.  She didn’t fight back this time.  He scooped her up and placed her on his lap, noticing the glare from Tim.

 

“We don’t play with the cats at meals.” Tim told him, sternly.

 

Chastised, Ethan set the kitten down.  “But she let me pick her up.” He protested.

 

“She’ll let you pick her up after breakfast.”  

 

“It looks good.  Sorry I didn’t make it for you.”

 

“Thought counts.”  Tim said, working on his French toast.  

 

“Thanks.”  A napkin grab.  “Ahshoo!”  Ethan picked at his breakfast between sneezes.  

 

When Tim had finished and Ethan had eaten enough for Tim to find satisfactory, they washed the dishes and headed back to the living room.  Tim went to go get dressed while Ethan opted to stay in his pajamas for the time being.  With a sneeze, he curled up under the blanket with a glass of orange juice, taking his second dose of DayQuil.   Tissues within reach, he leaned against his pillow.

 

Tim returned a few minutes later.  “Comfy cozy?” He asked.

 

Ethan nodded, yawning.

 

“Christmas special marathon today?”  He asked as Coco jumped on the end of the couch opposite Ethan, staring at him.

 

“Sure.  I won’t stay awake, but sure.”

 

“Start with Rudolph or Frosty?”

 

“Rudolph.”

 

Tim reached for the remote, then froze.  “HuhhEhshoo, ehhshoo…ehhHehshoo, hehhshahh.”  He sneezed into the collar of his flannel shirt.  The sneezing didn’t stop there.  “AhhHashoo,ahhrshoo.”  12 more sneezes later, he looked over at Ethan with watery eyes and groaned.   This was the tell tale fit that indicated he had a cold.  Ethan handed him the tissue box, and he pulled out several.  Ethan sat up while Tim blew his nose noisily and Coco made her way over to him.   

 

“Blehh…Hahchoo!  Bless you.”

 

“And you.”

 

Ethan picked up Coco and put her in his lap while Tim grabbed his own glass of orange juice.  He moved the blanket aside so Tim could sit down and nudged the DayQuil over his way, then leaned up against his taller boyfriend.  They’d stay that way for the day.  Despite his cold, this Christmas was ok.

 

“Hatshoo!”  He pressed a tissue to his nose as he sneezed for what felt like the millionth time that morning.  Well, ok, except for that.

 

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

Awwww! So cute!

It’s funny: I was expecting them to be allergic to something (or more than one something; one each) related to the cat that wasn’t the cat. Like if she was covered in dog hair from the shelter, or had been washed in a certain kind of shampoo or something. Them being sick never even dawned on me until they went to bed early!

[aggedy_ann]

13 hours ago, MyOwnPrivateSFC said:

Awwww! So cute!

It’s funny: I was expecting them to be allergic to something (or more than one something; one each) related to the cat that wasn’t the cat. Like if she was covered in dog hair from the shelter, or had been washed in a certain kind of shampoo or something. Them being sick never even dawned on me until they went to bed early!

Hmmm...🤐

Edited January 16, 2021 by aggedy_ann