"There's A Warm Wind Blowing, The Stars Are Out" (M, Allergies) One Prompt # Authors 2024

[SleepingPhlox]

With profound thanks to Reader for organising this, because it really got my creative juices flowing. The prompts this time were: Cashier, space station, allergies, and basket.  So naturally I took my nameless couple and sent them on a stargazing trip.  

In my little stories with this couple, I don't give them names or descriptions so that people can project their own fantasy people onto them.  The sneezer is male, and the narrator isn't given a gender but since they're a blatant self insert, is probably coded pretty female.

I think this is my favourite story with them, because this would be a top dream scenario for me.  Dear Universe, I would like to experience this exactly as I have written it, please and thank you.

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"There's A Warm Wind Blowing, The Stars Are Out"

“I'm not talkin 'bout the linen, and I don't wanna chaaange your miiiind...”

We are both fully aware those weren't the correct words. That was the point. We'd been talking about misheard lyrics before the trip, and ended up deciding that the most fun idea ever would be to put all those songs onto a playlist and sing along with the wrong words wherever possible, just one big Wrong Lyric Musical Extravaganza.

An hour into the journey and I have to say...it was in fact the most fun idea ever.

Also, not to brag but the innate sense of musicality and showmanship in this car is off the charts. We are awesome at this. If anyone was listening or watching, they'd be seriously impressed. Unfortunately for music aficionados everywhere, there wasn't a soul around to listen or watch. We'd left the city limits a long time ago, and were now on an empty stretch of road in the middle of nowhere.

“We've both played this game before...” I croon in a low voice as he pauses and waits for his moment to join back in, when we both give “Say I love you then say good bye!” as much gusto as we can manage. I follow it up with belting another heartfelt “I'm not talkin' 'bout the linen” and notice he hasn't joined in...

“HihhYEHHHtchhu!” is his contribution to the lyrics.

“That doesn't even rhyme,” I joke playfully. He rolls his eyes and shakes his head with a smile.

“Quiet, you,” he counters with a wink. “Or we won't be stopping at this gas station, and I'm pretty sure this is the last chance saloon before we get to where we're going.”

“No! I'll be good, I'll be good!” I protest playfully, folding my hands into my lap in a mock show of contriteness.

He pulls the car into the gas station, a tiny little oasis of light in an otherwise seemingly neverending expanse of darkness. In movies, this is always where all the crazy shit goes down, isn't it? Unless it's a zombie movie, then this is where people retreat to safety. So if there's a serial killer here, I'm screwed but in the event of a zombie outbreak, I'm golden. I like those odds.

“I'll be back in a second,” I assure him.

“Hopefully. I'm pretty sure I heard tell of a creepy hitchhiker with a hook for a hand round these pa ... pahhhh ... hihhhNGTCHHeehh!”

“Funny. You're a funny guy.” I punch his arms. “Do you need anything in there? Snacks? Tissues?”

“I was going to go inside and stretch my legs.”

“Oh, no you don't! You stay in here with the windows tightly rolled up. Then whatever it is that's setting you off can't get at you any more.”

“I think that would be too little, too late. It's already got me.”

See, the thing is, neither of us knew what “it” was. We just call it “one of those things”. There's the known allergies, and then there's the moments when his nose decides to take offense to something in the air. Sometimes it's easy to point to a likely culprit, and sometimes any guess seems like a good one. Our current working theory is the dust from the land. Every once in a while a breeze whips up a swirl of it. Could be that. But then again, it could be anything.

Just one of those things.

I unbuckle my seatbelt, and lean over to give him a quick peck on the lips.

“Brave of you to get that close to ground zero over here,” he quips, pointing at his nose. I am about to say that I don't mind, but his nose rushes to get the next word.

“Hihh...EHHHsshhhuh!” He sighs. “I'm sorry. I'm ruining our fun little trip.”

I reach over and run my fingers through his hair, gazing into his eyes lovingly.

“You're not ruining it,” I assure him. “I'm just happy to share this with you, even if your nose is on the warpath.”

He smiles at me gratefully, and I give him one more peck on the cheek before opening the car door, sliding out as quickly as possible and shutting the door behind me before any more of whatever it is that's setting him off can sneak into the car.

First thing I do is make a beeline for the restroom. I got a profound fondness for energy drinks, but the thing with those is, thirty minutes later it's time for a pitstop. Once I'm done in there, and my hands are washed and dried, I pop into the little store to pick up a couple snacks, and definitely some more tissues. The travel pack that started out as part of our steadfast team when we began our journey was nearing the end of it's life.

As I open the door, and pick up a wire-framed basket that looks like it's older than me, the cashier who looks like he's just stepped out of a 1990s slacker movie turns his head slowly and laconically to look at me. There may be a glimmer of interest in his eyes for a brief moment before he assesses that I'm not likely to rob him at gunpoint and/or shoplift, and he turns his attention back to the magazine he was reading.

I don't dawdle long in the store. The end destination is the fun part, and there is a certain time we need to get there...well, if we want to see the main attraction, that is! I grab some paprika coated peanuts for myself...and, yes, another energy drink. I can't help myself, okay? For him I pick up some candy and a Diet Coke. Oh, and some tissues, of course.

The cashier lazily rings up my stuff on a register that also looks straight out of nineteen ninety-something, and I make my way back to the car. With the car illuminated under a lamp (guess what decade it looks like its from) I can see him unleashing another hefty sneeze inside the car. It looks full bodied, and violent.

I quickly let myself back into the car, and open the bag to show him what I bought him. He looks into the bag, looks at me, and then shakes his head.

“You bought another energy drink?” he exclaims incredulously

“I know, I know. But, come on, it's past my bedtime!”

He shakes his head again, and we're back on the road.

And then, we are at our destination. The absolute middle of nowhere. Nothing around for miles...which means, very importantly, no light pollution. That's the whole reason we came out here.

Out here, we are definitely safe in the event of zombies, but in this darkness the threat of serial killers or hook-handed hitchhikers definitely seems like an imminent concern.

But whatever it is that's setting him off is the real threat. Whatever it is, this place has got a lot of it.

“HihhAHHHHtchhu! Sorry.” He rubs at his nose vigorously with the back of hand, so vigorously that it seems he's trying to remove the thing from his face through sheer force. Given how much annoyance it has caused him, I'm sure that if removing it was an option, he'd take it.

We lean on the car and tilt our heads upward, gazing at the dark expanse above us. There is so much more detail to the night sky out here, so many more stars than I'm used to seeing, that for a moment I can't make out the usual constellations. The moment the first one comes into view, everything starts to make sense.

“So judging by what time it is...we should look...over...there...” I shift my view to another part of the sky. “There. There it is. See?”

He follows my finger's trajectory, looking skyward. For a moment, I can see him struggling to figure out where I'm pointing. Then, he gasps.

“The really bright thing? Hihhh...EHHHtchhu! Sorry.”

“Yup, that's it. The International Space Station. Pretty cool, huh?”

“There's people on that dot,” he breathes incredulously. “That's a man-made thing floating up there,and there's people there, right now. They're just doing their own thing, and they have no idea that we're down here, watching them.”

His reverent speech makes my heart swell with love a hell of a lot, I have to admit. We introduce each other to our favourite things all the time, and we both spend time doing what the other loves, because that's just a decent thing to do when you love somebody. But looking at the night sky and all the cool things that can be found there is really special to me, and it means so much to hear him talk like this.

“If you think that's cool,” I tell him. “Just wait until the next meteor shower. Now that's gonna be some fun!”

He doesn't answer. Instead he pulls me close and holds me in his arms, all while his gaze is trained on the one slightly brighter object amongst all the bright objects in the sky. I lean in toward his chest. Here, in his arms, I feel a little less scared of serial killers, hook-handed hitchhikers, or wild animals. Although, if I'm being totally honest, neither of us could hold our own against any of those.

“HahhTCHHHU!”

“Aw man, really? Right in my hair?”

“Sorry.”

“You know what, it's cool. Hair can be washed. This moment with you, it's worth it. It's okay.” I sigh happily. “It's all okay.” And this time I mean all of it, everything with him and me and the whole world. It's all okay and always will be because we have each other, so no matter what happens, it will always all be okay.

I snuggle into his chest and stare up at the blanket of twinkling stars overhead.

It's all okay.

THE END

Edited January 22 by SleepingPhlox

[Chanel_no5]

Awww this is so sweet, and so funny at the same time.   Such an adorable couple, and I love their banter too. 

1 hour ago, SleepingPhlox said:

He pulls the car into the gas station, a tiny little oasis of light in an otherwise seemingly neverending expanse of darkness. In movies, this is always where all the crazy shit goes down, isn't it? Unless it's a zombie movie, then this is where people retreat to safety. So if there's a serial killer here, I'm screwed but in the event of a zombie outbreak, I'm golden. I like those odds.

 

Hahahaha! I love this!  I usually think exactly the thing!  

 

I'm ALMOST done with mine too, I'm aiming to get it posted on this side of midnight.  

 

[starpollen]

How does one get in on this gig? 😇 Itching for more inspiration! (Got a couple things in the works from lovely PMs but could always use more collaborative support from other authors!)

Edited January 22 by starpollen

[Reader]

The fetish talk in this story is my fav kind! It was sooo sooo good but also natural and innocent. The relentlessness and gradual force of his allergies was delicious! And I love how you write romance!!! It’s just so real and sweet and loving. 

[Guessagain]

The dialogue was so cute. I thought this was really well done!

[plantqueen]

This is so sweet :))