just_1_word | 2.9 Sickness
2.9 Sickness
[Follows THIS]
Luke held the phone right away from him as he puked spectacularly into the toilet. Again. He gripped hold of the rim, trying to catch his breath, but it was pointless when he was just sick all over again. “Jesus,” he mumbled, feeling the sweat trickle down the back of his neck. He put the phone back to his ear. “A little over twenty four hours,” he finally answered. “It’s okay. Just a bug that’s going around. But there was silver lining because Tab saidsheneedsme-” he threw out before another retch was aimed over the bowl.
“Did you just say she fleas you?!” Kara asked, wincing as she listened to her baby brother try and throw up his liver on the other end of the phone line. Fucking hell, she would’ve given anything to be there to help him.
Luke tore a messy handful of toilet paper from the roll, sending even more of it dropping to the ground. “No. Needs me,” he clarified hoarsely, staying safely hunched over the toilet. “She said she needs me.”
“She didn’t need you before?” Kara asked suspiciously.
Luke frowned. “She did, she just didn’t realise… fuck. Stop confusing me. Throwing up breaks my brain,” he moaned and rested his head on the rim.
“It sounds like you need her too, poss. Where is she? I’m not ending the call until I know you aren’t alone. How do I know you aren’t going to pass out cold at any minute?” Kara fretted.
“What could you really do if I did?” Luke pointed out. He rubbed the back of his hand across his sweaty forehead. “She’ll be back soon. I asked her to get me some Gatorade so I don’t dehydrate. The shop is only a couple of blocks away.”
“Are you happy, hon? I mean, really happy?” Kara asked softly. “Don’t get shitty and defensive. I have to ask these things.”
Luke closed his eyes, the toilet paper still wrapped in his other hand. “Yeah, I am, sis. I promise you, okay? Happier than I have been in… well, maybe ever. I’ve never been with anyone like Tab before. I want her to be The One.”
Kara pressed her lips together. “I can’t hear any telltale changes in your tone to read you. You sound too crook. I’m going to ask you this again when you aren’t distracted and vomiting. Speaking of vomiting, try drinking some flat ginger ale. It might soothe your stomach. Make sure you keep drinking.”
Luke sighed. “I know, I know. You don’t have to worry, sis. I have doctors coming out of my ears over here. I told you Tab’s brother is a doc- fuck!” Yet more goddamn throwing up. He wanted this to stop now. He’d had enough. The first day he managed to tolerate it, but this was just becoming a joke.
“Listen, poss, I’m going to let you go but I’ve got a surprise for you. I’m going to be in New York for the weekend. Have a conference first thing Monday and I fly in Thursday night. Don’t think I’m not going to haunt you. I want to meet this girl of yours that needs you. Mum is about beside herself worrying you aren’t taking care of yourself and thinking some other girl is trying to take you for a ride. I need to reassure her before she decides a trip of her own is in order… complete with Dad in toe,” Kara added pointedly. Their parents were wonderful, but she knew Luke liked his adulthood and independence.
Luke stared at the wall of the bathroom with his mouth hanging open. “What?!” he shrieked. “You’re coming here this weekend? To meet Tab?! No… wait. I mean, yes, of course I want to see you, but… but…”
“No ‘buts’, baby brother. I need to see for myself that you’re okay. I miss you.”
Luke made a small whimpering sound, stifled to her by his hand over the receiver. He felt too sick to think about this and too sick to think about telling Tab. “Email me your flight details. I’ll pick you up,” he finally relented.
Things were about to get interesting.
Tabitha Browne [asinthecity] & Riley Browne [pullmysteth] referenced with permission.
Word Count | 692
[Follows THIS]
Luke held the phone right away from him as he puked spectacularly into the toilet. Again. He gripped hold of the rim, trying to catch his breath, but it was pointless when he was just sick all over again. “Jesus,” he mumbled, feeling the sweat trickle down the back of his neck. He put the phone back to his ear. “A little over twenty four hours,” he finally answered. “It’s okay. Just a bug that’s going around. But there was silver lining because Tab saidsheneedsme-” he threw out before another retch was aimed over the bowl.
“Did you just say she fleas you?!” Kara asked, wincing as she listened to her baby brother try and throw up his liver on the other end of the phone line. Fucking hell, she would’ve given anything to be there to help him.
Luke tore a messy handful of toilet paper from the roll, sending even more of it dropping to the ground. “No. Needs me,” he clarified hoarsely, staying safely hunched over the toilet. “She said she needs me.”
“She didn’t need you before?” Kara asked suspiciously.
Luke frowned. “She did, she just didn’t realise… fuck. Stop confusing me. Throwing up breaks my brain,” he moaned and rested his head on the rim.
“It sounds like you need her too, poss. Where is she? I’m not ending the call until I know you aren’t alone. How do I know you aren’t going to pass out cold at any minute?” Kara fretted.
“What could you really do if I did?” Luke pointed out. He rubbed the back of his hand across his sweaty forehead. “She’ll be back soon. I asked her to get me some Gatorade so I don’t dehydrate. The shop is only a couple of blocks away.”
“Are you happy, hon? I mean, really happy?” Kara asked softly. “Don’t get shitty and defensive. I have to ask these things.”
Luke closed his eyes, the toilet paper still wrapped in his other hand. “Yeah, I am, sis. I promise you, okay? Happier than I have been in… well, maybe ever. I’ve never been with anyone like Tab before. I want her to be The One.”
Kara pressed her lips together. “I can’t hear any telltale changes in your tone to read you. You sound too crook. I’m going to ask you this again when you aren’t distracted and vomiting. Speaking of vomiting, try drinking some flat ginger ale. It might soothe your stomach. Make sure you keep drinking.”
Luke sighed. “I know, I know. You don’t have to worry, sis. I have doctors coming out of my ears over here. I told you Tab’s brother is a doc- fuck!” Yet more goddamn throwing up. He wanted this to stop now. He’d had enough. The first day he managed to tolerate it, but this was just becoming a joke.
“Listen, poss, I’m going to let you go but I’ve got a surprise for you. I’m going to be in New York for the weekend. Have a conference first thing Monday and I fly in Thursday night. Don’t think I’m not going to haunt you. I want to meet this girl of yours that needs you. Mum is about beside herself worrying you aren’t taking care of yourself and thinking some other girl is trying to take you for a ride. I need to reassure her before she decides a trip of her own is in order… complete with Dad in toe,” Kara added pointedly. Their parents were wonderful, but she knew Luke liked his adulthood and independence.
Luke stared at the wall of the bathroom with his mouth hanging open. “What?!” he shrieked. “You’re coming here this weekend? To meet Tab?! No… wait. I mean, yes, of course I want to see you, but… but…”
“No ‘buts’, baby brother. I need to see for myself that you’re okay. I miss you.”
Luke made a small whimpering sound, stifled to her by his hand over the receiver. He felt too sick to think about this and too sick to think about telling Tab. “Email me your flight details. I’ll pick you up,” he finally relented.
Things were about to get interesting.
Tabitha Browne [asinthecity] & Riley Browne [pullmysteth] referenced with permission.
Word Count | 692