SUE: So how does your bed feel? (Marnes)

[Lucas Blacke]

Eyes wide, stomach rumbling and pretty much every tendon aching, but somehow still able to pick up his phone and start some semblance of a text message, Lucas denied his.. whatever he had the joy of keeping him from activities. Even if they were reduced to mere moves of the thumb.

He pressed the screen of his phone on and was greeted by his wallpaper of the one haunting his mind, and the target of his next text.

''Hey girl! You remember that time where we shared our food?''
''With the ground''

[Marnie Sullivan]

It took Marnie a few moments to respond to her phone chirping by rolling over lethargically and reaching out to grab it. She'd been in bed all day, shivering under blankets and surrounded by a heap of pillows. A bucket sat next to her bed, thankfully empty - so far today she'd succeeded in reaching the bathroom whenever she needed to hurl. The bucket was an emergency backup.

A text from Lucas - ugh. Normally it would've excited her, but their last encounter had been the humiliating spectacle to whih his message referred.

Don't remind me, she tapped out. I don't know what we caught but I blame you for going it to me

[Lucas Blacke]

Yeah sure, blame me.

Even a simple task like moving his eyes around was straining, so he couldn't roll his eyes properly.

But I gave it to you good, didn't I?

Confined to his bed with regular bouts of dryheaving and he still managed to joke about the situation. Maybe that was for the best, take the edge off.

[Marnie Sullivan]

Reading his response, Marnie's chuckle turned into a coughing fit that took her a minute or two to get under control.

Gross, you're gonna trigger my gag reflex

Marnie wrapped her blanket tighter around her shoulders; it was too late in the year to be this chilly, she knew. Just another uncomfortable symptom; she thought about wishing for chicken soup, but the thought of food made her stomach churn.

[Lucas Blacke]

Returning from the bathroom lighter than when he entered he took to reading the message from Marnes he knew he had gotten. The sudden loud noise from the incoming message nearly made him bump his head against the toilet bowl.

He flipped on his phone and navigated to the message as he crawled into bed.
He cracked a smile and felt the insides of his mouth cooling off slightly.

At least we're in bed together.
..I'll stop now

[Marnie Sullivan]

Marnie rolled her eyes, but couldn't help cracking a smile. "I'll stop now"? Please. If she'd learned anything, it was that he'd keep throwing in innuendos as long as he could manage.

At least we're NOT, she wrote back. I'm a mess and feel like crap. Not a good look

Marnie sent the message off, knowing full well Lucas would most likely respond with some line about how she looked good no matter what. Which would be nice, even though she knew she did in fact look like a mess.

[Lucas Blacke]

Lucas made a guh sound as something resurfaced, and it weren't decent thoughts.
Quite possibly Marnie was just fishing for compliments right now, but Luke didn't mind at all. Even if it was just a girl searching for compliments in whatever way possible the girl was still Marnie, and one Lucas would gladly compliment no matter what. But not without some sort of joke.

You seem glad we're not in bed together. Am I this repulsive?
THE SITUATION DEMANDS JOKES!

As he hit send his stomach threw some leftovers at him and forced him to calm his shit to try and keep it down.

You just love punishing me, don't you?
Fine, I'm sure you look radiant.

Speaking of, send me a pic so I can see what I'm talking about.

[Marnie Sullivan]

Ugh no

A photo? Now? The boy was crazy. Marnie looked terrible - bags under her eyes, hair needing a wash, barely enough energy to smile. Nope, not happening.

You could blackmail me with it, that's how bad I look right now

[Lucas Blacke]

So I just want you for your looks? Is that how shallow I am?

He reread it as he pressed send. The 'wanting you' part could definitely be interpreted as new territory. But Luke shook his head and brushed it off to being delusional and fired off another text.

I can blackmail you with a lot of things. Like me never taking my shirt off in your presence ever again

[Marnie Sullivan]

Marnie stared at the screen, rereading the first message, trying to force her plague-addled brain to puzzle it out. Was he admitting to wanting her - whether or not it was for looks alone - or was he just playing around again? If pressed, he'd probably claim the latter, she figured with a sigh. Still, the idea left a certain pleasant tightness in her chest. It was nice to feel wanted.

That's not blackmail, that's torture, she responded, and pressed send before she could stop herself.

[Lucas Blacke]

It almost made Luke forget he was sick. Almost. But a cough and an acute headache righted that wrong.

He forced a smile, even though no one was around to see it and reread the message from the girl. After rereading it five times and rigorous rubbing of his temple his forced smile became an actual one.

Nope. Torture would be you telling me to do a chippendales routine

Oh god why did he press send on that? Why did he remind Marnes of that time..?
He put down his phone and slapped his forehead in confusion.

[Marnie Sullivan]

The reference was lost on Marnie - not only was her brain hazy from the illness, but the boy was referencing a trick he'd never explicitly wanted to perform. Although the gymnastic routine he'd done instead had been plenty.

It probably would be. I can barely walk rn, if you're as sick as I am dancing would be killer

All the same, Marnie filed the idea away for later, her silly grin hidden beneath her blanket.

[Lucas Blacke]

Barely walk?
Luke shot off with a twisted grin.
But I'm all the way over here ;0

He laughed at his own joke [no matter how bad] and immediately became aware of the fact his food resented that. He took a moment to calm himself down and keep his food in line, which was harder than before.

Man, being sick sucks
I'm a guy and thinking of something else involving the word suck. Apparently I'm not that sick ^^

He grinned as he hit send, wondering what would be thrown back.

[Marnie Sullivan]

Marnie groaned. Subtlety had never been one of the boy's strong suits, but that last text was especially lowbrow. Maybe his brain was as fried as hers was, and his filter was even more absent than usually.

Speaking of gag reflex, excuse me while I go toss my cookies

[Lucas Blacke]

So, that could be interpreted as bad, or as Lucas-bad. He had half a mind to point out that the mention of a gag reflex while Luke was thinking what he thought came at the price of a chuckle, but he decided not to due to the added tossing of cookies.

Toss some cookies this way!