The Night it Started (The Office, Jim)

[ToastedBagel]

There are still not nearly enough Office fics on here so I needed to fix that. I do live myself a sneezy Jim. Now, I'm not sure if I want to continue this story or if I want to turn it into a oneshot. I think I might go the oneshot route so if you guys have any suggestions, let me know!

Jim stared in the mirror as he tucked his shirt into his pants. Him and Pam had dinner reservations at one of the fanciest restaurants in Scranton and he wanted to make sure he looked his absolute best. When he was done with his clothing he reached around the corner and grabbed some hair gel that was sitting on the bathroom counter, next to Pam’s makeup. He was so blessed to be able to share a home with his girlfriend. They had been dating for a few months and finally decided to take their relationship to the next level and move in with each other.

Jim squeezed a good amount of hair gel into his hand and started fixing the tips of his hair. He was too focused to notice that Pam had walked in behind him and only noticed when she wrapped his arms around his waist, gently giving it a squeeze. His heart fluttered. It was good to know that he still got giddy over just the mere touch of Pam, even after months. He turned around to greet her but was awestruck by her beauty. The last time he had seen her in a formal gown was at casino night and he couldn’t forget what had happened that night. But this night was different. She was his. Nothing was off limits for them. He let a smirk slip as he caught her eye.

“You look.. absolutely gorgeous.”

He noticed Pam’s cheeks getting flushed as she moved in closer to him.

“You don’t look too bad yourself.”

He mirrored her energy and placed his hand on her cheek, gently leaning in to kiss her. Her lips were soft and her chapstick gave off a very subtle taste of vanilla. He rested his forehead to hers, but her expression changed slightly as she pulled away. She rested the back of her hand back onto his forehead.

“Are you sure you’re feeling okay? You feel really warm,” she said in a soft voice.

“I mean, my throat has been a tad scratchy today, but that’s all.”

“Honey, we can cancel plans tonight if you’re not feeling well, I don’t mind.”

Jim had been feeling slightly under the weather today, but he just chalked it up to nerves. He was so excited for this day, he couldn’t cancel. He had to push through how he was feeling.

“I’m okay,” he said resting his hand on her bare shoulder, “I’ll be out in a minute, I just have to put my shoes on.”

Pam smiled and left the room, leaving Jim by himself. He grabbed his shoes from the closet and sat on the edge of the bed to put them on. As he was tying the first shoe, he was taken aback by a very strong tickle in the back of his sinuses. It was so overwhelming that he had to stop what he was doing and focus. Hands on his knees, his head tilted back, his nostrils flared and his breath wavered in desperation. Finally he had lost the battle and he pitched forward and let out a very quiet sneeze into a clenched fist. Hssccschehww!

He was trying to be as silent as possible as not to alert Pam. If she heard him sneeze she would know something was up. He didn’t want to ruin their date. As Jim finished tying both of his shoes he was caught off guard with another sneeze, he was able to fully stifle this one by pinching his nose. Hscxsxt! He let out a small groan. He was then distracted by a soft knock on the bedroom door.

“Jim, are you coming?”

“Yes,” he said, quickly wiping his nose with a tissue before leaving the bedroom.

 

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Pam looked out the window at the street signs, Jim’s free hand on her thigh. She couldn’t look at him, otherwise she would melt into a puddle of emotions. She suddenly felt the warmth of his hand disappear, and only when she heard his uneven breathing did she turn and face him. As she turned she could see just how miserable her brown eyes boyfriend looked. Something was definitely going on but she didn’t want to pry. Surely if he felt that bad, they would have stayed in tonight, right? She watched as his eyes started to water and his voice whimper slightly. In desperation, his breath began to hitch as he raised his fist. He—hehschehww!

“Okay, Jim,” Pam said with a playful tone, “please don’t run us into oncoming traffic.”

Jim chuckled lightly.

“Bless you, by the way.”

“Thabks,” the congestion in his voice emerging for the first time tonight.

Pam reached her hand over and interlocked her fingers with Jim’s, making her stomach flip, but was interrupted when she felt his body tremble.

“Jim, are you shaking?” Pam said, more worried now.

“I’b a little cold,” he said, rubbing his nose with his finger gently.

“It’s the middle of July, Jim, it’s 70 degrees out. Just admit you don’t feel well.” she demanded.

“I promise I’b okay,” he said. He had glanced over at her.

Pam gave him the look. She could always get him to speak. She used it as a tool in their relationship because Jim knew that when he was presented with the look he had lost. She watched as his confidence crumbled and somehow he started to look worse than he did when they had left. She had finally broken his stubborness.

“Alright, fide,” he finally broke, clearing his throat, “but we have these reservations and I didn’t wadt to miss this date, we got all dressed up ad everythindg.”

“Do you really want to show up at this fancy restaurant all sneezy and spreading your germs everywhere?”

Jim sighed, “I’b really good at holding them in.”

“Jim, you know that’s so bad for you. Did you know there was a man who tried to do that and he perforated his pharynx?”

“H- how do you eve- heh even know that?”

“I do more than just play solitare at work, you know.”

Her demeanor switched from playful to sympathetic after realizing that he was holding back another sneeze. What Pam thought was a single sneeze turned into a series of wet, desperate and breathless sneezes. She was thankful they were at a red light and not doing 60 down the freeway like they were just a few minutes ago.

Heescsxxxt.. Hhsesxxst.. Heh—Heshxxstschheww! Hehshschheww!!

Jim had tried to stifle into a closed fist but they were just too strong and he couldn’t help but let them out, each one getting louder than the next.

HEHSHCSSCHHEWWW!!

Pam rubbed small circles on his back as he tried to regain his composure. The light had just turned green and there was no way he was going to continue driving if the tickle persisted. He pulled over into a nearby parking lot. Just as he had made it into a parking space he turned away from Pam, waiting to be consumed by another fit of sneezes but it went away. For now.

“I am driving us home, there is not a chance I’m letting you even attempt to.”

Jim slumped down in his seat, groaning. He shot Pam a defeated look and in that moment he knew he had lost. He pulled himself out of the car and only then realized just how much his body ached. Pam was right, he had no business spreading his germs to everyone at the restaurant. He braced himself on the car door as Pam made her way over to him. He felt weak and dizzy and he didn’t know if it was from the fever he was running or the breathless sneezing fit he had just endured. Either way he knew he wanted to get out of these clothes and lie down in his own bed. He was caught off guard and nearly fell over when that intense feeling crept its way into the back of his nose again. He barely had time to clutch Pam’s arm, and thank goodness she was there, otherwise he worried he would fall straight onto his face. That’s how out of it he was.

Heheschchewww.. Hshch—schhew! Jim coughed, his head spinning and his throat burning.

Pam ran her fingers through his now disheveled hair. “Let’s get you home and resting.”

[Freshair]

Thank you for this! We always need more Office fanfic with a sick Jim.