Tegan drifted into wakefulness and immediately looked at the clock. Hell! 9.30. Still, there was nothing like a good sleep. The room was as dark as midnight in a mineshaft from the combination of roller shutters and the heavy curtains, but Tegan didn't need to see as she easily sensed a presence lying beside her.

Sue was fast asleep, her breathing barely audible. Tegan smiled inwardly as she recalled the sneezy delights of yesterday and Sue's revelation about what had happened to her on the stage, causing her to play like she was getting $50,000 for the show instead of $250.

Despite her sometimes savage hay fever, Tegan didn't mind sneezing in the slightest, especially if it made Sue happy. They had both agreed that they loved the feel of release through a sneeze. Similar to orgasm, Tegan pointed out.

Being careful not to disturb Sue, she slid from the bed and padded silently across the room, moving assuredly in the darkness. Opening and closing the bedroom door, she was met with daylight, a sad contrast, she thought, to the bedroom.

She used the toilet briefly, then wandered nude into the living room. The only evidence of the night before was some used tissues and the roach butts in the ashtray. The last thing she remembered was the two of them lying in each other's arms after yet another round of exceptional lovemaking. She must have gone straight to sleep.

With a sage nod, she walked out, returning to the comforting darkness of the bedroom. Little while yet before the day needed to begin, thank you very much.

Sue didn't appear to have moved. Tegan slid back into bed with the grace of a cat and cuddled her girlfriend. Immediately, and not surprisingly, there was a pervasive tickle in her nose. She had felt it a thousand times before. Tegan rubbed her nose hard and sniffed quietly, pushing the tickle back. She knew it was just the beginning, but if she had to sneeze, at least she could have the good manners to wait until Sue woke up and share.

If that happened, there was only one place that would lead. Orgasmville again! Christ, how may times had they been there over the years? Sue moved a little and flung an arm across Tegan who wondered if she was playing possum, waiting for an opportunity. That had been known to happen before.

The tickle pervaded again and Tegan knew it wouldn't be denied indefinitely. She pushed a finger against her nose and held it there. Slowly the tickle subsided, but now her nose was starting to run, the left nostril clogged and wet. Oh the hell with it! Time Sue woke up anyway. Tegan relaxed and took several breaths through her nose. If she didn't sneeze soon, she reasoned, she would have to blow the thing anyway.

The tickle returned promptly. She took another two hitching breaths and let loose.

"HATISSSH!...IISSSHHOO!!....IISSHH!! ISSHH!!...HARIISSSHHHOOO!!"

Most of the copious spray hit Sue in the neck as Tegan made no attempt to cover. Immediately, she got a reaction.

"Mmmm...bless you,” said Sue, and not sleepily either.

"Good mornig, honeydrop,” whispered Tegan, her nose distinctly stuffy now. "How log have you beed listenig to be?"

"Ever since you woke up, and before that, I was listening to you sleep. I've been awake for a while and it sounds like the first course of action is a good blow.”

 "True. Cad you help?"

For answer, Sue found the tissue box in the darkness and pulled out several, turned and found Tegan's nose easily. Neither of them needed light. They knew each other and the room only too well. Sue put the wad of tissues to her lover's nose, encasing each side carefully with her fingers. With a long, wet blow, Tegan cleared her nose of the muck and congestion that had filled it whilst she had been asleep.

Drying the tips of the other girl's nose, she removed the tissues, surreptitiously touching the fresh mucus as she did so, and tossed them on the bedside table.

Then, rolling over, to snuggle hard against Tegan, she slipped a hand against the girl's pubic mound. Tegan knew she was looking for a quickie before breakfast as usual and was not averse to that idea herself.

"What are you after?" she teased.

"You,” replied Sue promptly and kissed her. Tegan kissed back, what small resolve she'd had, melting. Her own hand reciprocated on Sue's lower lips. They'd done this a thousand times and there was only ever one way it ended.

Abruptly Tegan sneezed again.

"HATISSHISSSHOO!!....ISSHHOO!!"

It caught them both by surprise, the spray going mostly over Sue's exposed shoulder. As she felt her lover's body convulse, Sue's arousal grew.

"Errghh,” Tegan sniffled. "We have to go play again this arvo. I've got a feeling this hay fever is gonna be worse than yesterday.”

Sue knew when to stop making light of a subject. Tegan definitely did not feel well and she needed some consideration.

"Take your tablets just as we leave like you did yesterday," she ordered. "You made it through one gig. You'll make it through another."

Tegan nodded in the darkness and gave a watery sniff, but didn't ask for her nose to be looked after again. She had other plans.

"Were we engaged in foreplay a minute ago?" she enquired.

"Well, we were working on each other's pussies, then you sneezed on me. I suppose both count as foreplay,” Sue answered blithely. "What will we do with this knowledge?"

"I'll tell ya,” Tegan answered, snuggling harder. "Something we haven't done for ages.”

She put her sneeze-silvered lips to Sue's ear and whispered several sentences. Sue giggled, a little embarrassed, but interested nonetheless.

"You naughty thing,” she said solemnly. "I've created a monster.”

"All for your very own, Miss Professor,” Tegan beamed.

This time they both giggled. Then Sue sat up and manoeuvred herself into position over the willing Tegan. Within a minute, it was good. Then it was better. Then it was very good indeed.

*

After a "rest period" which generally consisted of lying in each other's arms having a nuzzle, they finally got up and began the day, Sue noting out loud that they should shoot off to the Bridgeway about 12.30.

She put their sweaty clothes from yesterday in the washing machine while Tegan made bacon and eggs for them both. Wearing her pyjama top and a skimpy pair of "Love Kylie" satin underpants, she sniffled and rubbed her nose repeatedly as she cooked. Sue stood in the kitchen doorway and watched, her presence momentarily unannounced as Tegan's back was to her.

Another sniffle. Another rub.. That nose needed blowing. Despite their workout less than an hour before, Sue felt her pussy already tingling again as she observed the actions she had seen countless times before. Silently, she withdrew to the laundry again and closed the door loudly before returning to the kitchen giving the impression she had not been standing there playing voyeur.

Tegan turned from her position at the kitchen counter. She held an egg slide in one hand and a tissue in the other, the latter she had been dabbing her watering eyes with.

"Sue...I can't.....HAIISSHH!!.....HAIISSHH!!....ISHISH.....HAAIISSHHOO!!!"

The solitary tissue would have been no defence against the large, messy explosions and they both knew it. Tegan didn't try to cover, merely leaning forward, taking care not to spray her pyjama top. Five in quick succession was unusual for her, even with hay fever. she straightened up, her lips shining wetly and mucus visible in and out of both nostrils.

"Oh Susie,” she gasped. "Help.”

Sue was at her side in a blink, pulling more tissues from the box on the counter. She wiped Tegan's lips, then, for the second time that morning, helped her blow her nose. Tegan smiled weakly and wiped at her watery eyes.

"Thanks hon,” she said. "I tried to wait until you got here so you could be my human hanky, but I just couldn't hold them back any longer.”

"There'll be other times,” Sue predicted, wishing the feeling between her legs would subside. Just for a moment, she had a mental flash of humour in the mind's eye that had served her so well that weekend; the tall, steely-eyed woman who kicked arse, had a vocabulary that would shock a sailor and played the drums like Mick Fleetwood, rendered helpless with allergies and sneezing. Then it was gone again and she told herself not to be so silly. Tegan was a human being and needed compassion and love if she was unwell.

She put the coffee on and they sat down to breakfast. As happened regularly, music didn't cross their minds, let alone leave their lips.

"Babes, why don't you take a sickie tomorrow and get some rest?" Sue said, already knowing the answer to that.

"Place would fall down without me, is why,” Tegan told her. "And rest doesn't cure allergies.”

Tegan was 2IC of her section and would rather go to work in an ambulance than take a sickie.

"I'll just take a bunch of hankies like I always do when the pollen count's this high.”

Sue shrugged inwardly. She'd suggested it anyway.

Talk turned to matters at work. When they'd emptied the coffeepot and done the dishes, Sue hung out the washing while Tegan rang Mike in regard to some minor matters over that afternoon's gig.

When Sue returned from the backyard, Tegan was in the bedroom selecting clothes for them both. Sue kept a number of outfits for herself in the large walk-in robe.

"It's all set,” Tegan called from the bedroom. She came out carrying tight jeans and black T-shirts, their usual gear for an afternoon on stage.

"We're playing in the function room too, not one of the bars. He didn't tell me that last Monday.”

She laid the clothes across the armchair.

"Let's muck around in the shower, get dressed and go,” she enthused, obviously anxious to be behind her drum kit again.

"Remember to take your tablets before we go,” Sue admonished.

"Yes mum!" Tegan pulled a face, then stuck out her tongue for good measure.

"Careful with that tongue,” Sue deadpanned. "You don't know where it's been.”

"I know where it was a couple of hours ago......up your...."

"Thank you! We'll move right along!" Sue almost shouted. They both burst into helpless laughter.

The house phone abruptly came to life.

"Ahhrr shit,” said Tegan. "Piss off, we're busy.”

She strode across to it irritably and grabbed the receiver.

"Yeahhlo.”.......Hi Tors.....owyagoin babe"

She listened as Sue watched. Her face went through a number of expressions. Finally, she raised her eyebrows at Sue in classic exasperation.

"Alright babes, I've got it here, but I'd be hedging bets as to whether it works properly.”

She listened some more.

"Alright, we'll bring it and see what happens.”

She said goodbye to the caller who was obviously Tori and turned to Sue.

"We need to take the old Bose amplifier in the spare room,” she said. "Greg blew up his tuning his guitar a little while ago.”

"That thing was ancient anyway," Sue opined. "The Bose will kick it's arse around the room.”

Tegan nodded, was about to reply when a very familiar look came over her face and she began to raise both hands.

Ironically, Sue found herself frozen in sudden expectation. Tegan cupped both hands around her mouth and nose, unconsciously remembering that Sue loved that gesture in a sneeze.

"HARIISSHH!!...ISSHHIISSHHOO!!.."

Sue found her feet and took six steps in about half a second. This time she would definitely be a human hanky. She raised her hand to Tegan's face, the intimate knowledge of her lover telling her the fit wasn't finished.

"IIISSSHH....IISSHHOO!!.....ISSHHOOISSHOO!!.....HA..HA...HAAIISSHHOO!!..."

Sue's palm was soaked and her pussy was well and truly alive. She plunged her other hand into the pocket of the daggy track pants she had put back on earlier. Yes! Tissues! Albeit crumpled and used at least once. There was a tissue box on the other side of the room and Sue's adrenalin was pumping at the point where she could have flown there, but she didn't want to lose the moment.

"Blow,” she commanded. Tegan obeyed at once, all but destroying the wad of tissues with the flow of mucus.

Sue used her fingers to wipe the other girl's lips.

"Shit me,” said Tegan and sniffed experimentally. "That came out of nowhere.”

Sue pressed the damp tissues against her own mouth and regarded her lover. She was very aroused. Something had to be done.

"Hon,” she said softly. "I need some help. Will you help me please?"

For a moment, Tegan was tempted to ask if Sue could quickly do it herself. Then she nodded brusquely.

"Get nude,” she said.

Sue obeyed and sat down on the sofa where they had played last night. Where they had played a hundred times before. Tegan sat very close to her. Sue parted her legs to allow access to Tegan's expert fingers which immediately went to work. This wouldn't  take long at all!

Almost at once, she could feel the pre-orgasmic tingles. Oh yes......lovely wet saliva......beautiful big sneezes........hankies........soft white tissues..........firm round breasts.........gorgeous little buttocks.

Their lips sealed as Tegan leaned over to kiss her, sensing she was close. Then, Sue was over the top, coming in long waves that made her gasp and moan. She opened her eyes.

"Better?" asked Tegan, an evil grin on her face.

"Thank you,” said Sue, almost shyly. "Do you want.....?"

Tegan shook her head.

"Interesting thought, sweetie, but I came like a rocket this morning as you know. I'll be okay. Let's hit the shower.” She stood and reached out her hand to Sue.

In the shower, Tegan again let hot water work on her nose. She blew one nostril, then the other, again and again. By the time they were towelling themselves dry, she felt considerably better. They got dressed and Sue went into the spare room, returning with the big, old amplifier.

"Jesus girl, you'll do yourself a damage carrying that.”

Sue set it down by the front door.

"Fuckin' hell,” she gasped. "Will it fit in the car?"

"Yep,” said Tegan. "I'd just bought that car when I brang the thing here. It goes in the back seat....just.”

She went to the kitchen, got her allergy pills and swallowed two with water. Feeling playful, she returned, grabbed Sue's hand and almost skipped into the bedroom, her lover in tow.

Sue thought Tegan had changed her mind about a "quickie" and was about to point out that they should get going. Tegan let go her hand and opened her hanky drawer.

One half of the drawer was piled with handkerchiefs. Tegan took out three, gave one to Sue and put two in the front pockets of her jeans.

"You've got the backup if I need it,” she winked. "Come on, we've got music to make, babes"

Vainly, she checked her hair in the dresser mirror.

"Do you think that sneezy female will show up to help you this arvo?" she asked.

Sue considered carefully.

"I reckon there's every chance,” she said. "She was very helpful yesterday. Sort of like having an allergic, grooving angel.”

"An allergy in the groove,” mused Tegan. "I like it.”

She turned from the mirror and headed for the doorway. Suddenly, she stopped and spun round, the sweetest smile on her face that Sue had seen in a long time.

"Just be happy.”..." she sang softly.

Sue caught on at once and grinned back. They sang the next line in a perfect duet.

"Let the sunshine in!"

Laughing like a couple of schoolgirls, they grabbed hands and scampered out of the room.