The artist and his handkerchiefs.

[gingerberry]

Hi 👋 this is my first post but I've been reading for a while. Hope you like the story. More parts to come if you do!

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The artist was mixing his paints in preparation for his next appointment when three knock came at his studio door. 

"Will you get that please Marcus?"

"Of course sir."

Marcus opened the door to a young couple, smartly dressed, come for their first portrait sitting. They had already discussed their desires with the artist at a meeting at their home, and had now come to have their portrait painted. 

The artist invited them in enthusiastically, as Marcus stood politely back, taking their coats and showing them to the space where they would be posing. As was the fashion for the time, there was a chair where the young women would sit, while her husband would stand behind her, hand on her shoulder. 

The young couple introduced themselves to Marcus, who they had not yet met, as Penelope and William. The artist's name was Matthew. 

As the artist began to work, Marcus busied himself with his jobs, fetching supplies such as new brushes or different colours, and cleaning the palettes that piled up around the artists workspace. 

Penelope, who was a keen amateur artist herself, surveyed the scene with excitement, asking questions about Matthew's work as he painted 

"And why", she asked after a few minutes, "do you have such a tall pile of clean white handkerchiefs? Surely you don't use those to clear up paint, they look like fine quality material."

"Ah." Matthew responded as he mixed a new tone, "I meant to mention exactly that. The thing is that I have recently discovered these wonderful new paints. Trouble is I am rather allergic to them, it appears, and they do often make me sneeze while I work! When this happens I don't want to interrupt my work when I am in the right mindset, and I would only make it worse to bring my painted hands to my poor, itchy nose anyway, so one of Marcus's jobs is that, should I sneeze, he hold one of the cleanliness handkerchiefs to my nose, allowing me to continue working and protecting the portrait from my sneezes. So don't be alarmed if this happens my dears, it is just a little allergy!"

"Surely you could use a different paint?" William responded, "One which isn't so harsh on your allergies?"

"Indeed I could" responded William, "were the results from these paints not far too wonderful to give up. I can assure you, when you see the finished portrait, you will see why it is worth it!"

For a few minutes the four individuals carried our their work in companiable silence, until they were interrupted by a sound from Matthew.

"Heh... oh.... heh... Marcus quickly..."

Marcus quickly dropped what he was doing and, wiping his hands on a damp towel, ran towards his employer.

"Quickly Marcus... the hah.. hah... HAH... HAHndkerchief..."

Marcus grabbed a clean white handkerchief from the pile and held it firmly and dutifully to the artists large, twitching nose."

"Hah... hah... HAH... HAAARCHOOOOOO! HAAAEEESHEEWW! HAAAARRRCHEEEOOOWWW! Oh. Thank you Marcus."

Marcus dropped the handkerchief into the basket next to the artist's workstation, and went back to his work with the brushes. Matthew himself, with a quick sniffle, continued his painting undeterred.

"Goodness!" exclaimed Peneplope, "That is quite the sneeze you have! I am sorry our portrait is causing you such discomfort."

"Not at all!" Insisted the artist. "I have such a passion for creating beautiful things, it is more than worth a few sneezes!"

There were, however, more than a few sneezes to come.

After barely a minute of quiet, Matthew began to hitch again.

"Hehh, hehhh, hehhhh, marcuuhhh"

Marcus again moved with great speed towards his employer.

"Haaaaaaarrrrrrr..."

The handkerchief was again dutifully bought to the artists face, this time only just in time for an almighty...

"CHOOOOOOOOO! HEEEEEEESSCHIIIEEEEWWWW! HARRRCHOOOOOO! HAAAAARRRRRRSCHEEEEEEWW!"

William and Penelope could see the handkerchief being soaked through by Matthew's enormous sneezes.

"Quickly Marcus HEHHH I'm not doneHEHHHH... I need another!"

As instructed, Marcus dropped the used handkerchief into the basket and grabbed another from the pile. The artist moved his brush far from his canvas in preparation for the biggest sneezes yet.

"HeeehhhhhhhhSCHIIEEEWWW! HAAAARRRRSCHOOOO! RAAAAAAAARRRCHOOOOOO! RAAAAASCHEWWWWW! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAA....SCHIEEEEOOOOO!! 

Leaning forward with the sheer force of the sneezes, Matthew buried his red, quivering nose deep into the handkerchief that Marcus diligently held for him.

"Good God!" Exclaimed William. "Are you both sure Mr Jennings is up for this today?"

"Of course." replied Marcus kindly, as he used a third handkerchief to gently wipe his friend's throbbing nose, "Matthew is used to his allergies but, as he said, the finished product will be worth it.

But even Matthew had to admit, as the session went on, that for some reason he did seem to be sneezing more than ever on this particular day. As Penelope and William held their poses, the artist's sneezes continued to work through the entire pile of fresh handkerchiefs. Each new sneeze amazed the young couple with its power, yet Marcus caught the spray from each one in a clean, soft handkerchief, holding fast even as Matthew through all his weight forward into his friend's hands with each almighty HAAAAAARRRCHOOOOOOOO!

Realising suddenly that they were out of hankies, Marcus grabbed the basket of used ones and ran to begin the process of washing them for reuse. Unfortunately, he had barely begun to prepare warm water when Matthew began to hitch again.

"Haaaaah, HAAAAAAH, HAAAAAAAH."

"Hold on Sir!" Marcus called out, "Just one minute and I will have clean handkerchiefs for you."

"I caaa... caaaaa... caaan't hold it Marcus! Bring suuu, suuuu, ANYTHING!"

Marcus began to look swiftly through the piles of materials around him, but all were covered with the offending paint. Matthew began trying to free himself from under piles of paint pallettes, brushes and sponges (he kept a very messy workstation) so that he might move and sneeze somewhere away from his precious portrait. 

"Heeeehhh, HEEEEHHHH, I'm definitely going to sneeeeee.... heeeesh! Heeeeesh! Heeeesh!"

Matthew began to sneeze, desperately attempting to stifle into his shoulder what were naturally huge, loud, wet sneezes.

Thinking fast, penelope lept from her seat and offered her own hanky, holding it firmly in front of the expelling nose. 

Gratefully, Matthew allowed his sneezes to explode again...

HAAAAAARRRRRSCHOOOOO! HAAAARRRAAAAASHHOOOOO! HAAAAAAAYYASHOOOOOOO! RASCHEWWWWW! RAAAA.... AAAAACHOOOOO! ACHOO! ACHOOOO! ACHOO! ACHOOOOOO! 

Among the sneezes which were now coming rapidly, Matthew begged Marcus to relieve the poor lady. Besides, he knew that his sneezes would soon be soaking through the thin hankie and covering his clients hands.

Marcus came and, as Penelope pulled away, she saw that Marcus had removed his own overshirt and was thrusting it in front of Matthews face. Desperately, Matthew grabbed the shirt with both hands and sneezed freely into the material.

ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO! ACHOO! AAAAA.....AAAAARRRRRCHOOOOOO! HAAAAAAARSCHIEWWWWWW! RAAAAAAAASHOOOOOO! RASHOOOOOOOO!  HEEEEHHHH! HAAAAAAH! RAAAAAAAA!! RAAAAAAAATTTCCCCHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Even the shirt was useless against the power of these sneezes. As Matthew discarded is into the basket his dedicated assistant, panicking and unsure what to do, grabbed the nearest rag and thrust it in front of his master's appendage. Although he immediately realised that he had just presented material covered with the very paint that was causing this unparalleled attack of sneezing, it was already too late to undo the act.

AAAAAAHHH! AHHHHH MY! MYYY! MYYYY NOOOSSE! ITTTTT! ITTTTT HAAAAACHOOOOOOO! HAAAAAACHOOOOOOOOO! HAAAAAAACHOOOOOOO! AAAAAAACOOOOACHOOOACHOOACHOOACHOOACHOOACHOOACHOOACHOOOACHOOOASCHIEEWWWWWWWW!

Desperately and with all rational thought gone from him, Matthew pushed away the painty rag, and the others watched helplessly as he sneezed uncovered.

HAAAAARRRRRRSCHEWWWWW! RAAAAAAAZCHEWWWWWW! RRRRAAAAAASCHIIIIWWWWWW! RAAAAAAARRRRRRSCHEEEEWWWWW! RAAAAAARRRRRSCHIIIIIIEWWWWWW!!! REEEEEEEEEEESCHIEWWWWWWW! EEEEEEEEHHHHHHSCHIEWWWWWWW! EEEEEERRRRRRRSHOOOOOOOO! EEESSSSEEERRRSCHIEWWWWW! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSCCHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

With each wet, uncovered sneeze, great clouds of spray exploded from the poor artist's mouth and nose, landing sorrowfully on the portrait which he has worked on through his suffering all morning. The others in the room looked on in silence as he, finally freed from his sneeze attack, surveyed the damage with a great sigh.

"I think" said Matthew, wiping his brow on the back of his paint covered sleeve, "that perhaps you should come back tomorrow."

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Thanks for reading! Let me know if you'd like to read about what happens tomorrow!

[Catsgotyourtounge]

Omg please keep going! Maybe he is also allergic to Penelopes perfume or they bring thier dog with them?

[AntheaHolmes]

This was so good. Poor Matthew, his sneezes are so intense. I totally agree with @Catsgotyourtounge about they ideas with the dog or perfume from Penelope. Would be amazing to see those hot sneezes. Please continue. 

[launderedlace]

Great writing - thank you! I wonder what Penelope did with her sneezed into handkerchief? ... she seems like a generous person, so may perhaps return with a number of her largest ones which, given the era, might well be decorated with beautiful embroidery and lace. Will William have any misgivings about this ... perhaps he's uneasy about anyone, other than himself, using his wife's handkerchiefs??!!

[funbusej]

Oh yes, please continue with the next day!

[Glatissant]

Very hot, love the concept!

[TheCakeIsAlive]

Welcome to the forum!   Thank you so much for sharing your story with us! Allergic artist is definitely a concept I have a soft spot for.  

[JustReading]

Oh my god.

I usually go for women stories only but I am so glad I picked it. The running around for a handkerchief to put on someone's nose is my favourite!

[Cedar]

Omg I’m obsessed with the idea of a painter allergic to their paint. This is great :]

[jc475]

Great concept. Love the harshness of his allergy.