Two ducks in a pond

[NotWho]

I’ve been working on this story for a little while now, but I figured why not jump right in and share it with you lovely people? Feedback is always welcome and much appreciated! And as a quick disclaimer: this story does not feature actual ducks, this was the best title my five brain cells decided upon…

Part 1

      I’m halfway pulled from my dream as I feel an itch deep in my sinuses. I try to shove it away, desperately trying to cling to the shattered fragments of serenity. But the itch prevails, consuming my nasal passages in a tingle, pulling me further and further from my dream. Still I try to fight the lucidity, but I helplessly succumb to the realization that I’m waking up. I open my eyes, despite knowing they’ll be shut in a matter of seconds.

       Sleepily, I rub my tickly nose, realizing how much of a mistake it was as soon as I feel my breath hitch. Please don’t wake up Azzy, I think as I bury my nose into my sleeve. “h’nktch’hu! h’nktch’hu! h’nktch’hu!” I sneeze softly, rubbing my nose again. The tickle returns, seeming to be stronger than before. Cursing under my breath, I sit up, blowing my nose as quietly as I can into a tissue. The itch disappears and I’m about to lay down again when it returns with a vengeance. It teases me for a few seconds, leaving me on the brink of a sneeze before fading away. I play cat and mouse with this sneeze for several agonizing minutes before it decides to stay.

     “h’nxtch! h’nxtch! h’NXTCH!” I realize my mistake instantly, helplessly at the mercy of an itch that seems to enjoy torturing me. “h’esshh’hiew! h’esshh’hiew! h’ESSHH’hiew!” I exhale shakily, massaging the bridge of my nose. “Bless you,” Azzy mumbles sleepily, drifting back to sleep. I whisper my thanks, rubbing my itchy, watering eyes. I sniffle, groaning almost inaudibly as my nose tickles again. “What thhe…hihhh…hihh…fuhh-fuhh-h’esshh’hiew! h’esshh’hiew! HEPTCH’HIEW!” I almost fall off the edge of the bed as I lean with the force of the sneeze. I frantically reach for the tissue box on the nightstand next to me as I try to hold the next set of itchy sneezes back. The softness of the tissues pushes my nose over the edge, catching me off guard with how strong they made my sneezes.

     “h’EPTCH’HIEW! h’EPTCH’HIEW! h’ESSHH’HIEW!” I feel a reassuring hand on my back as I catch my breath. “Bless you Bentley,” Azzy’s soft voice says before a gentle kiss is placed on my shoulder. “Thanks,” I groan, trying to blow out whatever irritant is bugging my nose this time. “Allergies bugging you?” She asks, knowing the answer already. 

     All that’s left is a congestion deep in my sinuses and an irritating tickle in the back of my nose and throat. “Can I get you anything?” Azzy asks, rubbing my back gently. I shake my head as I snuggle under the covers, wanting to hide from sheer embarrassment. “Let me know if I can.” She whispers, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze before getting out of bed. 

     “Where are you going?” I ask, looking up. “It’s three in the morning.”

     “I’ve got a few cases I could work on,” she replies, offering a kind smile. 

     My face must’ve fallen, as she gets this somber look in her eyes. “Did you want me to stay?” She asks, approaching my side of the bed.

     “It’s okay,” I reply, flustered, “you don’t have to if you’ve got things to do.”

     “I can do them here,” she replies, sitting next to me, “Bentley, it’s not a big deal.” I sigh, nodding. Azzy smiles, kissing my forehead and my nose, ruffling my hair before heading down the steps. She’s always been an early riser, a get-up-and-go kind of person if you will, for as long as I can remember. Oh to have that kind of energy, I think with slight envy as she returns with what looks like several archive boxes. I watch tiny particles of dust billowing in the light of dawn as she sets them on the desk, the tiny particles of doom no doubt on its way to wreak havoc on my immune system. “What are—h’ngxtch! h’ngxtch! h’ngxtch!—those?” I ask, feeling my face turn red. “Bless,” she says, slight amusement in her eyes, “I talked to the Captain and was able to get access to the case,” she explains, “but there’s a catch.”
     “Wait, you mean Abbie’s case?” I ask, a pit growing in my belly. She nods, her expression  deadpan. “Oh god, what did you get us into this time?” I mumble as I sit up.

     “We’ll have to start from level zero,” I feel my stomach drop, “restart the entire investigation from the moment it started until whenever.” I rest my head in my hands, exhaling shakily. “I didn’t commit to anything because I need to talk to you about it,” she says, “if you don’t want to reopen this door, I completely understand…but the option is available and it’s your call.”
     I sigh, looking up at her, surprised to find empathy in her eyes. “Let’s do it.” I replied, hoping I’ve made the right choice.

[Nella]

Have to admit the title threw me off a bit but the sneezing is uuuuh very nice so far.

This line really got me for some reason 😳

1 hour ago, NotWho said:

The softness of the tissues pushes my nose over the edge, catching me off guard with how strong they made my sneezes.

 

[NotWho]

1 hour ago, Nella said:

Have to admit the title threw me off a bit but the sneezing is uuuuh very nice so far.

Yeah, titles are not my strong suit…but thank you!

[NotWho]

Also I realized I forgot to put a back story…oops.

So the first few parts will be told through the eyes of 22 year-old Bentley Ramos, who is an amateur “sleuth” with his partner and girlfriend Azalea Wintergreen. They’ve been best friends since they were 9, united after Bentley’s older sister Abbie disappeared. They’re not actually police or anything, but they do try to solve unsolved mysteries. Part 2 will contain a bit more detail into the backstory, I know it’s kind of confusing, I’m sorry.

[Kolen]

No it is very interesting 😍

[EveP]

I like it! If you reveal too much at once it gets boring, so you're doing great.

[prismaticpollen]

Great sneezes and interesting premise!

[NotWho]

On 9/28/2021 at 6:54 PM, Kolen said:

No it is very interesting 😍

11 hours ago, EveP said:

I like it! If you reveal too much at once it gets boring, so you're doing great.

42 minutes ago, queerkinkarchive said:

Great sneezes and interesting premise!

Thank you so much guys! I really appreciate it! I’ve got part 2 coming up (hopefully) soon!

[emi]

I loved the way you spelled the sneezes they are so realistic

[NotWho]

This update was a little later than I’d liked to have submitted it, my apologies. Thank you for all of the kind comments, it means a lot to me and you lot are truly the best!

Part 2
     “So where should we start?” Azzy asks, turning to face me.

     “We should start with the stuff from home…wherever it is.” I reply, pacing.

     “That would be somewhere in the basement,” she says, looking at me with soft eyes. I freeze, nervously playing with my bottom lip as I feel anxiety crawl its way through my belly. I feel my skin crawl with goose flesh as I remember the discomfort I felt last time we went down there.

     I didn't even realize she said anything else until I caught her looking at me curiously. “S-sorry, could you r-r-repeat that?” I stammer, feeling my face heat up as I look down in embarrassment.

     “I asked if you wanted me to get it,” she replies, giving my cheek a gentle stroke, “I know how you feel about everything dark, dusty and musty.” I shake my head, forcing myself to meet her eyes.

     “Can we go together?” I ask and she nods with a smile.

     My skin crawls as the air gets ten degrees cooler. The musty smell of old memories makes my nose prickle. “Okay, do you want to divide and conquer?” Azzy asks, motioning to the several boxes. I nod, holding my arms as goosebumps race across my skin. I start with the boxes tucked neatly into the corner, a dust cloud billowing as I take the top one off of the stack. I cough, fanning the air in front of my face before opening the box, wiping off the thin layer of dust on my hands on my jeans. I rummage through old files and pictures before moving onto the next box. After several hours of digging through old boxes, my nose has had enough.         

  “h’ePTCH’hiew! heh…h’ePTCH’hiew!…hehhh…hehh…hept’hiew!” I rub my itchy nose with the back of my sleeve, sniffling heavily.

     “Bless you Bentley,” Azzy says, not looking up from her box. I thank her as I spot a familiar rotted box resting on the top shelf near a workspace. Bingo! I think as I hop up onto the counter, pulling it down. I’m met with a rather large cloud of dust stirred by the box moving.
     “Azzy, I got hhh…h’nxtch’uhh…h’ngxtch’hu…h’EGSHH’hiew!” I sniffle, wiping my streaming eyes and nose as I try to climb off the counter. “I gohh…gohhh…h’ePTCH’hiew! h’ePTCH’hiew! H’EPTCH’HU!…it,” I groan in exasperation as the tickle is unrelenting.

“h’ePTCH’hiew!…h’ePTCH’hiew!…h’ixtch’hu!…heh’eptch’hiew!…EPTCH’hiew!” I’m caught off guard with the strength of the last one, which leaves me dizzy. I blink back tears from my itchy eyes, trying to fight the tickle. I grumble as the tickle returns with a vengeance, burning in the very back of my sinuses and in my throat. I hold a dusty sleeve to my streaming nose as I let her help me off. The pressure in my sinuses is unbearable, it feels like my head is going to burst. I close my eyes, leaning against Azzy as I try to catch my breath.

     “Babe, are you—” Azzy begins before I slowly pat her shoulder, feeling my sinuses burn.

     “—I deed to sdeehh…sdeeehhh…h’ePTCH’hiew! h’ePTCH’hiew! h’ePTCH’hiew!…hn’ktch’hu! hngsh’hiew! hn’ktch’hu! h’nktch’HIEW! HEPTCH’HU!” I crunch over with the last one, groaning as a gentle hand rests on my back. My sinuses are throbbing, the pressure increasing drastically. I wipe my sleeve across my nose, wincing at how sore it is.

     “Bless you,” Azzy says softly, “let’s get you taken care of and we’ll return to this later, okay?” I start to object, but the look in her eyes—is that…concern?—stops me. Reluctantly, I let her lead me up the stairs, a sense of embarrassment growing stronger with each step up.

[ID2006]

Love this, and the spellings, and the caring interaction between them.

[Kolen]

OwO so cute. Pleas continue I love the connection between them!

[NotWho]

hey lovely people! Sorry this update was pretty late, I haven’t really been feeling like myself lately. Thank you again for all of the support and encouragement in continuing this! Without further ado, I present to you part three…

part 3: Azalea’s POV
     I head back to the basement, hauling the rotted box up the stairs. I start dusting off the contents of the box, frowning when I hear Bentley let out three quick sneezes.

     “Poor baby,” I murmur to myself as I grab the last few items in the box: three aged notebooks. Curious, I opened up the top one, surprised to find Bentley’s name written on the inside of the cover, a date written beside it: January ’05. The last date logged in this book is sometime in late November. This covers a decent timeline before Abbie. As I skim through the pages, I can’t help noticing the changing penmanship, some entries are written neatly, orderly, while others are scratched onto the page in a dark chicken-scratch. I set it aside, not wanting to pry when I opened the next two books, learning they were chronologically written after Abbie’s disappearance. I make note of this discovery in my notepad before changing out of my dusty clothes and sitting on our bed.

      The water shuts off twenty minutes later with Bentley shuffling about the bathroom like a half-alive zombie with the sniffles. He’s combing through his hair when I come up behind him and wrap my arms around his torso, resting my chin on his shoulder after giving his bare skin a quick little kiss. He finishes his task before turning to face me, his arm wrapping around my waist as he rests his forehead on my shoulder with a sigh.

      His skin feels warm to the touch, part of me wants him to stay in my arms forever, but the goosebumps slowly creeping on his skin tells me otherwise. “You should get dressed, my dear,” I suggest, rubbing his back gently. He nods, looking up at me when he gets a spacey look on his face.

      “h’nxtch! h’nxtch! h’nxtch!” Bentley sneezes, turning away from me. “Bless you Bentley,” I say as I gently kiss his pink nose. “Thadks,” he whispers as he blushes, pulling away to change. He emerges from the closet several minutes later, wearing a sweatshirt that highlights his sturdy frame.

      He approaches me, letting me wrap my arms around him and hold him close. I lean closer to his face, my nose grazing the side of his before resting our foreheads together. “You look like you’re still itchy,” I murmur, gently grazing my fingertips on the back of his neck. He closes his eyes as he nods, his gaze pointed upward towards the light. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as his eyes get squinty; I know he’s on the brink of a sneeze when his breath hitches. He focuses really hard on trying to get it out but it’s content on toying with him. “Fuck, it’s gone.” He pouts with a whiny voice, lowering his head. His hair flops in front of his eyes, so I brush it to the side for him. “What can I do to help you feel better?” I ask, kissing his cheek. “Nothing,” he mumbles almost inaudibly into my shoulder.

     My heart melts as I hear his answer; I want to do something, anything, to make his discomfort go away. “Are you sure?” I ask, chewing the inside of my lip. He shakes his head slowly as he inhales deeply through his congested nose. He forces out a shaky exhale as he buries his nose into his shoulder, taking in a decent sized breath. “h’ixtch’hiew! heh’eptch’nxghh!” His eyebrows furrow slightly as his head tilts up. “One more?” I ask, giving him a sympathetic smile as I gently rub his shoulder. He nods, trying to speak, but his breath hitches too much. “Ihh-ihh-it-it’s st-stuhh…hehhh…stuhhckhh…” he whines, fanning the air in front of his face as he looks into the light. “Need help?” I ask and he nods desperately, his eyes watering. I gently caress his slender nose, watching his nostrils flare as his breath hitches much quicker. “Albost thhhh…thehh…thehh…heh-heh-hehh…” his poor nose won’t let up.

   Irritated, he rubs his twitching nose, the fabric of his sweatshirt can’t feel good. “Here, come down to my level, I can’t reach you up there,” I say as I sit him down on the edge of the bathtub. He sighs, burying his face in his hands as he wipes the tears from his eyes with a deep sniffle. I wrap my arms around him, petting the back of his head as he rests his forehead against my stomach, his arms wrapped around my waist. “It’s so itchy,” he whines as he looks up at the light. His eyes close, his breath hitches, but the sneeze won’t come out.

    Resting my hand under his chin, I gently kiss the tip of his nose. His breath hitches before he pulls away. “H’eptch’hu! h’EPTCH’hu! HETTCHIEW!” He nearly doubles over with the strength of the last sneeze, probably would’ve had one arm not been wrapped around my waist still. He lets out a quiet groan as he rests his forehead against my stomach again. “Bless you, Bents,” I say as I guide his chin upwards, placing a kiss on the bridge of his pink nose.

[Nella]

Oooh that was a great chapter. So well written and such great sneezes ❤️ I don't usually like male OR allergy sneezes but here I am so kudos to you!

[NotWho]

6 hours ago, Nella said:

Oooh that was a great chapter. So well written and such great sneezes ❤️ I don't usually like male OR allergy sneezes but here I am so kudos to you!

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

sorry for the little amount of sneezing in this chapter. I’ll make up for it in the next part! -NotWho

Part 4: Bentley’s POV
       Azzy led me into our bed, making sure I was comfortable before hopping into the shower. In all honesty, I won’t be comfortable for a while, not until the antihistamines kick in…well, if they kick in that is. There’s a stubborn tickle deep within my sinuses that tortures my entire nasal passageway. My eyes water as the itch flares up again, my watering eyes makes my nose run, which only makes the tickle stronger and the cycle all the more uncomfortable. I grumble softly as I wipe my eyes and rub my itchy nose.

     I look over at Azzy, wanting to feel her fingers comb through my hair, to feel her arm around me, to hear her heart beating in her chest as I lay against her.

      Without giving it so much as a thought, I move closer to her, wrapping her arm around me. I lean against her shoulder, my other hand resting across her abdomen. You shouldn’t have done that. You should’ve asked…You’re lucky she’s still here with you, it won’t be much longer until she leaves. I think to myself, recognizing the voice that belongs to my anxiety. There’s no way she can still love you, not after what you did to Tony. She only keeps you around because—

     The voice stops as I feel her gently rub my shoulder. “Yeah?” She asks, setting down her book. I say nothing, my eyebrows furrowing as I scrunch my nose to relieve the itchy feeling. “Is my sweet still miserable or is he pouting?” She asks playfully, kissing the top of my head.

     “He’s itchy,” I replied, “and—h’nxgsh’hu! h’nktch’hiew!…hhh…damn I lost it—and sneezy I guess.” I mumble, burying my burning face into her shoulder with a sniffle and a grumble.

      “Bless you,” she murmurs, “are you sure I can’t get you anything?”

       I nod, looking at her. “I’m fine, Azzy.” I reply, reaching to kiss her collarbone. She smiles, teasing my lips with the idea of a kiss for several seconds before we settle on it. “I love you, Bug.” She whispers before kissing me again.    

      I don’t remember falling asleep. I don’t remember much after her kisses, oh how sweet they are. She had called me Bug, the name she gave me back when I was four inches shorter than her…god that was so long ago.

      She’s stroking my hair, feeling her fingers brush through my shaggy bangs is comforting. I stretch with a yawn before settling back into her, feeling sleep wash over me.     

     I sit up with a start, heart thudding in my chest, a cold sweat broken out all over my body. It takes me a second to realize where I am. “Did I wake you?” Azzy asks from the bathroom, brushing her hair. “No, you didn’t,” I sigh, running a shaky hand through my hair. Just breathe Bentley, just breathe. I brush off my shakiness as I get out of bed.

      “What are you up to this morning, beautiful?” I ask as I wrap my arm around Azzy’s waist, turning her towards me as I pull her closer. 

     “Wouldn’t you like to know,” she teases, dabbing my nose with her makeup brush.

      “That’s cruel,” I joke, rubbing my nose, “going right for my weakness.”

      She grins, wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me with a fiery passion. “Mine too, babe, mine too,” she says, kissing the tip of my nose.

—tbc

 

[Dgrayman]

I also don't normally do males sneezes or allergy stuff. And here I am at the bottom of the page. So that's a testament to how incredibly convincing you are as a writer. Please, keep this going at your own speed. 

[dominchoo]

ahh i love this! story-centric fics are my favorite 

[Kolen]

-screams in unholy happiness- this is so BEAUTIFUL

[NotWho]

Thank you for patiently waiting!  Slight gore warning and mention of panic attacks.
Part 5: Bentley’s POV

      “Do you want to go with me to Ty’s?” She asks, looking up from her assigned journal. I know why she’s asking. Ty was Abigail’s fiancée…he moved into my old house with his son, my nephew, Matt, a few years ago.

       “Not really,” I reply slowly, sighing, “but I don’t want you to go alone…”

      “We don’t have to do it today,” she replies, “I just figured it was the first place we should start.” I nod, reluctantly agreeing with her.

      “Hey, we don’t have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with,” she says softly as she grabs my hand with a reassuring squeeze. I nod, exhaling slowly, weighing my options. “Fuck it, let’s do it before I change my mind.” I say firmly, surprised by the strength in my voice.

      We talk to Ty for a few hours, learning everything we can. He tells us about the old cabin in the woods, advising us to investigate there with extreme caution. My muscles tense as I remember the last time I was there…

      I’m running, winded, and can't breathe. Twigs snap and leaves rustle behind me as I’m being chased. I can’t see it, it’s too dark, but I can hear it…I can hear it panting behind me, gaining on me…

      Azzy’s touch brings me back to reality. We part with Ty, heading to the car. I find myself staring into the forest, uneasiness creeping along my spine. There’s something about it that makes me feel unsettled, something buried deep within me, just out of reach.

      “Bentley, what are you seeing?” Azalea asks me softly. I blink, tearing my eyes from the forest. “N-nothing,” I stammer, “just trying to remember the way.” 

        “You really want to head out there now?” She asks, looking at me weirdly as she motions to the dreary weather. I nod, drumming my fingers on the dash. “Okay,” she says, “you took your antihistamines, yes?” I nod, giving her a quick smile. She exhales, shaking her head as she gets out. My heart flutters as I realize she’s agreed.

       “Bentley, wait up,” Azzy says, stumbling on a rock on an incline. I caught her wrist, stopping her fall, but it couldn’t have felt good on her ankle. She thanked me with a kiss before we headed back to the trail.

       We reached the cabin after a few minutes. My stomach drops when I see the place again. There’s something about this place, something awful, that sends chills down my spine. I shiver, goosebumps creep across my skin. Azzy grips her switchblade tightly, leading the way towards the front porch with almost no audible footstep. I follow suit, my heart thudding in my chest.

       We enter the old cabin, and I am hit with a sense of deja vu…

      I open my eyes to find my surroundings have changed. Instead of being in my bed, I’m laying on cold, hard concrete. I’m soaking wet, freezing…my teeth chatter and my body trembles as violent shivers wrack my body. My head is spinning, throbbing in the back. Slowly I sit up, realizing I’m not in my room anymore. I’m in a dimly lit room with dull, empty walls. Fear jolts through my body and I jump to my feet, looking around frantically in search of an exit, but there are none.

       I shiver violently, a searing pain shoots through my chest. Looking down, I see my shirt is red and wet…slowly realizing it’s wet with blood…wet with my blood…

      I gasp as I’m jerked out of my thoughts. My heart is pounding in my chest and I’m pretty much hyperventilating. I’m on my hands and knees on the dusty floor, trembling violently.

      “Hey, I’m here honey,” Azzy murmurs, holding me, “you’re safe now.” I slowly sit up, everything in my body telling me to run. “Tell me what you see around you,” she guides me gently, “tell me what you hear.”

      She grounds me, her voice filling my ears and my head, washing over me, soothing me. I wish I could stay in her arms forever, but I remembered where we were and collected my composure. “You were remembering, weren’t you?” She asks and I nod, swallowing hard. “Basement,” is all I can croak out, my voice hoarse. I cough, clearing my throat before repeating it, knowing it’s from all of the dust.

      Azzy frowns, keeping an observant eye on me as she heads to the door, opening it. I cough as I sense the dampness of the basement. Following her down the steps, I can’t help but notice the overwhelming feeling of dread lingering over me. The light flickers on and I jump, holding onto Her. “You’re okay, it’s just us.” She says with a firm edge to her voice. She’s unnerved as well, her statement directed more to herself than to me.

      I freeze on the last step, my nose and throat itching like crazy, most likely from mold. “HEH’ESHIEW!” I violently sneeze, finding it more difficult to get a full breath of air into my lungs. I cough a harsh cough, clearing my throat. “Go back up, I’ll look around,” Azzy says, and I begin to protest, but end up coughing instead. I obey, sneezing two strong sneezes when I reach the top.

       By the time Azzy comes back up, my breathing is better, although it’s still uncomfortable. I’m still coughing, but it sounds better than it did five minutes ago. “Find anything?” I ask, my voice sounding nasally before I clear my throat again. She shakes her head, although her face says otherwise.

       “What?” I ask with a sniffle, following her out the door. “I don’t want to talk about it,” she says gently, her eyes pleading, “not here at least.” I nod, following her through the trail, noting how she looks over her shoulder every so often.

       “HEH’ESHIEW!” I sneeze, startling her. I apologize shyly, my face burning with embarrassment as I knuckle my itchy nose. “Bless you,” she says sweetly as we hop in the car. The A/C blows in my face, making the tickle stronger. “HETCHIEW! HETTCHIEW! HETTCHIEW!” I sneeze harshly, wincing as it hurts my throat. “Bless you,” Azzy murmurs, tapping her center console. I opened it up, relieved to find a new box of tissues. “Aww babe, you shouldn’t have!” I tease gently before blowing my nose, a final sneeze escaping before leaving me itchy and sniffly. She smiles, but I can tell it’s forced. Whatever she saw in the basement had to have been really bad to break her spirit…

[Kolen]

Cliffhangers. Gotta love 'em.

Wonderful addition, fingers crossed for an update soon! ^^

[Mems]

What an amazing storyline 😍

[sneezyfeather338]

I’m in love with this story. I’m excited to see what happens next time. 😍🥰😘

[Catsgotyourtounge]

Still holding out this story will continue!