Chance Meeting

[aggedy_ann]

How Tim and Ethan met

 

Prelude

 

“HatChoo!”  Ethan’s head dipped forward into his elbow, and he fumbled in his pocket for the tissue he knew would not be there.   An allergist appointment preceding his endocrinology appointment meant he’d run through them pretty quickly today.

 

He looked up at Adam, his coworker…and his assigned educator.  “Bless you.”  Adam sighed, grabbing the tissue box from next to the computer and sliding it over.  

 

“Thanks.  I took my allergy pill as soon as I finished upstairs.”  Ethan tried to sound encouraging. 

 

“So I still gotta listen to you for the next half hour.”  Adam complained.  “Just like the past week.  They gonna finally give you shots or what?”  

 

“I think the proper question is, Ethan, how did your allergy testing go?”  Ethan pointed out, rubbing his arm, trying in vain not to scratch at it.    “It was delightful, by the way.   Enjoyable experience.  And no, they said three weeks of misery in spring while my body adjusts is not enough for shots, nor are my allergies bad enough after that.”

 

“They obviously don’t work with you.” Adam smirked.

 

Ethan pulled his glucose meter out of his backpack and slid it across the desk, then muffled another sneeze in his arm.  “HahShoo!  Just do your job.” He grinned.   

 

“Fine.  Fine.  Fine, fine, fine.”  Adam mock-grumbled, plugging Ethan’s meter into the computer and waiting for it to bring up the readings.   “I’ll start with you have bad allergies.”

 

Ethan sighed; after a week with his allergies unmedicated for the testing, he was sure his coworkers never wanted to hear another sneeze out of him.  His allergist had picked the tail-end of fall to pull him off his meds, but it had been an unusual fall…. “I’ll bring breakfast for the team on Monday.  Thank you guys for not holding tissues over my face until I stopped breathing.”

 

Adam laughed.  “Your numbers are good, but you knew that.  I’ve never worked with anyone so consistent.”

 

“Ahchoo!”

 

“Or sneezy.  Go over your diet for me.”

 

Ethan began recounting his weekly diet until Adam stopped him.   “E, you need more variety in there.”

 

“You know I can’t cook…”. Ethan protested.

 

“Take a class?  YouTube it?  Cook with friends?”

 

Ethan shrugged “I’ve been eating this way forever.”

 

“I’ll ease up…but consider it.  Try a social life?”

 

“Out with friends a few times a month.”

 

“That’s not what I meant.”

 

“Atchoo!”  A sneeze covered up Ethan’s hesitation.  

 

“Bless you.  You remember this isn’t just us talking.  Everything you say in here is confidential.”

 

Ethan bought some more time blowing his nose.   “I’m still single.”  He admitted.  “No one since Matt.   And I’m not looking either.” He added the last part almost petulantly.  

 

Adam smiled.  “Ok.  Well, you’re getting out with people.  Finding it easy to make good food choices?”

 

Ethan nodded.  “After 34 years, yeah.  You can always figure something out.”

 

“Questions for me?  I mean, I know you can answer most of them, but…”

 

Ethan shook his head.   “I’m.” He paused a second, rubbing his nose briskly.  “Gonnasneezeagain.  AhtChoo!  Ughhh.”

 

“Bless you.”  Adam slid the tissues closer to him.  “Go home.  Get some Benadryl in ya.   You still meeting everyone tomorrow to work on CEUs at that café on State?”

 

“2:00, right?  I’ll be there.  I’m also stealing your tissues.”

 

“Don’t you have some at your desk?”

 

“Took ‘em with me yesterday when I left.  After I ran out in the car.”

 

Adam laughed.  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”  His voice turned serious.  “And in 6 months.  Don’t forget to make the appointment.”

 

“Atshoo!”  

 

As Ethan doubled over with another sneeze, he added, “maybe schedule it on Monday.”

 

 

Meeting 

 

Tim walked into the coffee shop, noticing the seats by the windows, the ones with outlets were taken.   The outlet against the wall was in use as well.  He noticed the man sitting there was not one of the usual patrons.  He was slim with dark brown hair, and Tim noticed, definitely cute.

 

He placed his order, then set up his laptop against the wall, facing him.  Hopefully, if, needed, the man would share his outlet if Tim needed.

 

“Hatchoo!”   The brunette ducked forward, attempting to muffle a sneeze into a couple napkins.   

 

Tim gave him a surreptitious glance as he finished pulling out his things, then slipped his earbuds in and got to work.

 

5 minutes later.  “AhChoo!”  

 

Tim kept studying, despite wanting to look up, noticing the desperation in the sneeze.  He heard the man softly blow his nose, then set the napkin on a pile next to his computer and go back to taking notes of his computer.

 

Tim was finding focus hard.  He hadn’t planned to come here and study taxes today nor did he feel like writing jokes.  Pollen and air quality were bad today, leading Alex to cancel on him out of sheer misery.   Even Tim, who typically didn’t have allergies had woken up experiencing symptoms.   Itchy, watery eyes, he decided, made reading and writing a chore.  

 

“Hatshoo!”

 

Tim looked up this time; the man’s sneeze had taken him by surprise.   Their eyes met as the slim man blew his nose gently.   

 

“Sorry.”  He said softly.  

 

“Bless you.”  Was Tim’s response as he ducked down back to his work.   Well, he had at least spoken to the cute guy…sort of…  But, was he the sort of guy that would be interested in Tim?

 

 

Ethan placed the tissue in his pile of used tissue.   Had the hot red head sitting across from him really spoken to him?  And blessed him?  Even more, he didn’t seem all that bothered by his sneezing; it looked more like he had work he didn’t want to do.  But, did he dare approach him?

 

Sighing, he turned back to his laptop, tissue at the ready and began working on his CEUs.

 

 

Tim listened to the cute guy sneeze for another half hour before sneaking a peek at him again.   His pen was dying, so it was the perfect time to take a break.  The brunette looked miserable.   Eyes were pink,  and nose was beginning to turn red and raw.   He watched as he blew his nose with another rough coffee shop napkin, and Tim winced for him, knowing that couldn’t feel good.

 

Deciding it was too lame to ask him if he had an extra pen, especially when who comes to do work with only one pen…he dug through his bag for another, stumbling on the stash of tissues he kept in there.   He pulled out 2 unopened travel packs.   He had his opening line.   He just had to wait for an opening.   

 

He didn’t have to wait long.  As if on cue came the sneeze.

 

“HahShoo!”

 

Tim slid out of his chair, palming the tissues and approached the other man.  He waited for him to finish bowing his nose.

 

“Bless you.  Thought maybe you could use these.  Those napkins can’t feel good on your nose.”  He slid the tissues onto the table.

 

The man looked over and gave Tim a look that was a mixture of gratitude, embarrassment, relief.  “Thank you. And no, they don’t.” He gave a small smile.

 

“I’m Tim, by the way.  In case I need to share your outlet or something.”

 

“I’m Ethan.”  He held out his hand, then withdrew it.  “Oh…um, I swear this is allergies, but, still.”

 

“Bad day for that.  I have slight allergies, and I woke up with itchy eyes and a stuffy nose.  I can only imagine that for anyone else, it’s gotta be awful.”

 

Ethan laughed. “Trust me.  It is.”  He sniffed.  “I supposed to be working on this stuff in a group at Manny’s down the street, but they only had outdoor seating.   After about 45 minutes, I was sneezing too much for anyone to concentrate, so I came here.”  He chuckled.  “I’m sure I’m driving everyone here crazy too.”  He held up a finger and turned away from Tim.   “HahChoo!  Excuse me.”

 

“Bless you.”  Tim slid the tissues closer to him, and Ethan opened a package and blew his nose.  “And I’m sure you’re not.  At least you weren’t bothering me.”

 

“You weren’t getting much work done.”  Ethan pointed out. 

 

“I was supposed to have a video game marathon with a friend.  His allergies kicked in so he canceled.  And I ended up working.  Not in the mood.”

 

“I was.” Ethan grumbled, “but it’s difficult to focus now.”  He rubbed his eyes, then his temples.   “Getting a headache from all this sneezing.”

 

“Tylenol, I don’t have.”

 

“Ah, this time you fail to be my knight in shining armor.”  Ethan’s tone was light.

 

Tim’s heart skipped a beat.  Was Ethan flirting with him?  “Are you my damsel in distress?

 

Ethan laughed.  “Sure seems like it.  At least my nose is.”

 

“Happy to be of service.”  Tim grinned.  “I should really let you go back to your work though.”

 

Ethan hesitated.  He wasn’t getting much done, and Tim was engaging.  “Or you could join me with your coffee.  I’m gonna make much progress right now.”

 

This time, Tim hesitated.  He didn’t want to seem overeager.   “That sounds great.  As I’m sure you can attest to, it’s hard to work with itchy watery eyes.”   

 

“Most definitely.”   

 

Tim grabbed his coffee and his laptop, joining Ethan.

 

“And, now, you have free access to my outlet…Ahtshoo!”  Ethan’s grin was ruined by a sneeze.

 

“Bless you.  Working on anything important?”

 

“Continuing education.  You?”

 

“Just some writing for work.”

 

They fell into the getting to know you conversation, two new acquaintances learning each other, the biggest question left unasked.   After a half hour of conversation, and six more sneezes from Ethan, Ethan sneezed and sighed.

 

“HahAhshoo!  I’m sorry, but this is not letting up.  I’m really enjoying your company, and I swear this is not a ploy to end it, but I’d really like to go home and take some Benadryl.”

 

Tim nodded.  “No, I get it.  You do look miserable.”

 

“Thanks…I think.”

 

Tim laughed, giving Ethan to work up his courage.

 

“Would you like to continue talking over dinner sometime?”

 

Tim stared at him for a second.  “Ethan O’Conner, are you asking me out on a date?”

 

“Only if you want it to be.”

 

Tim reached for Ethan’s notebook and scrawled his number down.  He slid his over to Ethan for the same.   

 

“I work until 6 Monday through Thursday.  Is 7 too late?”

 

Ethan shook his head.   “Got a favorite place?”

 

They discussed logistics and settled on a date and a place between Ethan’s apartment and the studio. 

 

“I’ll see you Tuesday.”  Tim said, as Ethan packed up his things. 

 

Ethan nodded.  “Atchoo!”  He buried the sneeze in his arm.  “I can’t wait.”

 

“Bless .  Are you ok to drive?”  He asked as Ethan prepared to go.

 

Ethan nodded.  “I’m used to this.”  His tone was weary.   

 

“Well, do me a favor.  Call me when you get home so I know you made it.”

 

Ethan laughed.  “Will do.  We can talk until the Benadryl hits.”  

 

Tim finished packing up and walked him to the door where they headed to their cars.    

 

There would be a sneezy, sleepy phone call later, and a date to look forward to.

 

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

❤️

[Kolen]

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