The Sound of Sneezes Part 3

Octavia straightened her cuffs and wiggled out any kinks in her neck.  She sniffled and dabbed her delicate nose with her engraved hanky.  Some time had passed since the morning, and she had taken some cold medicine for her big meet with Music Stream and the other musicians.  She waited by the stage backdoor.  The door finally opened and Music Stream offered his hoof to Octavia's.

“Please come in.”  He said courtesly.

Octavia blushed and took his hoof as they entered.

“I would like you to meet the music gang.”  Music Stream began to name out each and everyone of their names.  Octavia greeted each musician with a nod and small bow.  A few offered a hoof shake.  Being sick, Octavia was wary about shaking their hooves.

“Octavia is a musical artist and I am sure she will have a lot to share with us.  I also would be honored to have her come on stage with us and jam in front of tonight's audience.”  Music Stream nodded confidentally as his bandmates clapped in approval.  Octavia could still only blush.  She wanted to say something, but was nervous and shy.  She also didn't want to sound sick in front of them.

Sounding sick and looking sick were two different things entirely, as the urge to sneeze began to rear it's ugly head inside Octavia's nose.  She shook her head ever so slightly and sniffed, but her nose was plugged.  The tickle kept teasing her as Music Stream walked her over to show her some of their instruments.

A small hitch escaped from Octavia's mouth, “Hehhh.”

“You say something?”  Music Stream looked at Octavia.

Octavia's eyes began to close shut as she shook her head no.  Her nostrils flared as she fanned her nose, then turned away in the nick of time.  “Heeeeesshhhhhhhttchhh!  Hehhh . . . Hheeeeettttshhhhhh! Ehhh . . . Heh . . . Heh, Heh, Heeeaattssshhhhhhhh!”  Each sneeze desperate, each one wet.  Though late, Octavia brought the hanky to her nose and dabbed as more sneezes sprayed onto the cloth.

“Hheeeeaaaaah  Atttsshhhhoooo!  Hhhaaasssscchhhhooo!  Heeeeaaasscchhhhhhhhoooo!”  The sneezes now were gaining strength as Octavia's whole frame shook with each oncoming sneeze.  She was locked in a sneezing fit.  “Hhaaaaa-heeehhhhh.”  False alarm.  “Hhaaaaaa Atttssshhhhooooooooowww!  Haaatttsscchhoooo!  Heh, heh, ehhhh,  HAAATTTTSSCHHHIIEEE!”  She bent forward with the last sneeze, her rump bumping up against the wall.

“You alright, Octavia?”  Music Stream reached out and put his hoof on Octavia's shoulder.  Octavia was lost in her sneezes, her eyes glossed over in tears.

“I-I-I am f-f-fine  eehhhhhAAASSSHHOOOOO!”

“You know, I totally understand if you can't play tonight.  You do seem quite ill.”

Octavia blew her nose.  “But I will let you all down.  I came her to play . . . heh . . . ehhh . . . “ Octavia's nostrils shifted into varying shapes and sizes as she lifted her hanky to her nose and titled her head back, but the sneeze never came.  “Whew.”

Music Stream rolled his eyes, “I already told you, if you can't play that is fine.  I like just spending time with you.”  Music Stream put his hoof around Octavia's free hoof and squeezed it.

Octavia's shuttered as the warmth of his grasp got to her.  She looked down at their hooves, then up at him.  He smiled at her.  Octavia tried to hold back a smile, but it quickly took over her face as she blushed beat red, and turned away.

“You can watch us play tonight, I will pay for you to stay a few more days here in Seaddle, and you can play when you are good and ready.”

“You don't need to pay. . . “  Octavia started, but was cut off.

“This will give us more time to spend together.  That way I can show you all the cool sites around town.”

Octavia liked the sound of that, and knew that Vinyl wouldn't mind that either.  Octavia nodded to Music Stream, “I'd like that very much.”

“So would I.”  Music Stream said with a chuckle.

Suddenly, Octavia's nose broke the mood as she sneezed a nasty wet sneeze towards the floor.  “Hheeeeesshhhhheeeww!”

Octavia's hanky fell to the floor.  She looked at it, while holding her wet, dripping nose with one hoof.  Music Stream quickly picked it up and handed it to her.

She smiled, “Thanks.”

“Don't mention it.”

Both of them blushed.

“What do you say, you go to the hotel and rest, then after the show tonight, I stop by with some take out for a date in?”

Octavia simply nodded with a big grin on her face.  She was eager to spend time with, Music Stream.  Her original reason to come to Seaddle to play in the band seemed to become sidelined as her new reason to be there, to spend time with, Music Stream and get to know him, seemed to grow in importance.

* * *

The rest of the trip was like blur to Octavia.  She got to spend a couple extra days in Seaddle.  On the last day of her trip, she got to play with the band on stage.  It was truly a wonderful experience and Octavia made many friends, some closer then others.  Music Stream and Octavia shared many great moments together and built a friendship that is sure to last.  Despite Octavia's cold, she managed to get well quite fast, and enjoy the rest of her stay.

Vinyl Scratch on the other hand got attacked by seagulls.

The End.