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"JJ, I swear to God do not be sick in my dads truck." Kie said noticing JJ squirming in the passenger seat out the corner of her eye.
"Trying, trust me." He ground out. Kie glanced over again and almost felt sympathy for him. Then she watched him somehow turn even paler and she made the executive decision to swerve into the layby. The car behind them horn screeched at her but at least in drowned out the sound of JJ throwing up on the side of the road. Kie grimaced as the throwing up continued and felt a little awkward at what to do. They had nursed many hangovers together but both had developed a talent at not throwing up the morning after. This was unchartered territory for her.
"You okay?" She asked half heartedly. She got a middle finger held up as an answer and realised her tone must have conveyed her uncomfortableness. Out of guilt she patted him the back a few times.
It was another few minutes before JJ mumbled "Let's go again." Sighing heavily as he lent back in the truck pulling the door shut like it weighed a ton.
"You good? Just my dad will make me clean it with a toothbrush." Kie looked him over frowning at the way his hair was damp with sweat.
"I'll make it." He closed his eyes shut. Kie spent the rest of the drive to the chateau with one eye on the road and other on him. At one point she was tempted to pull over to check he was breathing. He was that unnaturally quiet. About half way through the trip she had reached a hand out half joking and half serious to feel the pulse at his neck but it was promptly tapped away with a grumbled reminder to keep two hands on the wheel. It did little to reassure her.
She wasn't quite sure how she had been saddled with the job of getting a sick JJ home from the Rixon cove but everyone else had sort of looked at her to do it. If she was completely honest if someone else had volunteered first she might have let them just do it because throwing up really freaked her out. They had spent most of the morning and afternoon surfing, all of pogues together in the windy mid winter. Kie knew from the moment JJ had pulled up with John B and Sarah in the twinkie that he wasn't well. Her worry was met with John B saying they had already had this fight this morning. JJ was determined to prove them wrong but the nausea beat him and he'd spent a good five minutes throwing up with Pope's assistance into a bush. Pope had dragged him back over to the group and JJ had quietly admitted that he should probably go home. There was pause and Kie felt as if everyone was starring at her. So she spoke and said to JJ a little sheepishly that she could drop him back off at the chateau and be back to catch the big waves. After all the truck was faster than the twinkie. JJ looked almost reluctant at the prospect but had taken her hand and let John B and her guide him to the truck. Kie had decided that JJ should never to be allowed to decided if he was sick or not again when he nearly threw up on John B's feet getting in the truck.
She pulled the hand break up and gave a weary look over to the chateau. JJ had already removed his seat belt and looked immensely grateful to no longer be moving.
"Thanks, man. Catch a big wave in my honour." JJ said he flashed a tired looking smile as he gently lowered himself out of the truck.
Kie waved as he shut the door. Her hand hesitated over turning the key in the ignition again. She chewed her lip and craned her neck to look past the chateau at the water filling the marsh around it. There was plenty of daylight left and the weather was choppy enough that the waves were great. There weren't many better surfing days in OBX than today. Her hand suddenly felt like it had weights tied to it and it fell away from the ignition. She watched JJ half stumble into the chateau and catch himself on the door frame. He was really sick. Probably as sick as she'd seen him. Flashes of JJ sick with only his dad watching him burned in her brain. Then suddenly the weight attached to her hand was gone and it was touching the truck door handle.
Then thought of JJ being angry at her and telling her to go surf and leave him alone had her moving back to the key again. Her palm hit the steering wheel out of frustration. She wanted to surf. She'd been looking forward to it all week since they saw the weather report. JJ was going to show her how to that weird 180 thing he could do. JJ. Suddenly surfing didn't sound so appealing if he wasn't going to be there. Sure the others were great company. In fact, she probably preferred Sarah's company to all of them. But she'd been looking forward to JJ all week. She shook her head. Surfing. She'd been looking forward to surfing all week. So then why had she pulled the key from the ignition? Indecisive wasn't one of her traits, at least not according to her star sign. This is silly, echoed in her head. The others would tease her, at least Sarah, would definitely comment on it. But then she could make them feel guilty by saying how sick he was while they enjoyed surfing. Yeah that's why she was opening the car door to lord how nice of person she was over the others. There would be other surfing weekends. That's one the selling points of the OBX. Hell, JJ could be dead right now choking on his own vomit, then they would all feel really bad then.
She was just being a good friend, she repeated as her hand knocked and opened the chateau door at the same time. The sound of gagging flooded her ears and she thought about leaving and telling John B it was him problem and to check up on JJ. But her feet were already moving before her squeamishness could fight them. She was planning on knocking on the bathroom door to not startle him but he'd clearly not had time or the desire to shut it. So she saw him there bare back still wet from the sea or maybe a less romantic side of her realised it was sweat, leaning over the toilet knees pressing into the tile floor.
"Just wanted to check you weren't, you know, choking to death." Kie said. Her voice must of startled him and she saw his back muscles tense slightly. He didn't bother to turn towards her for a minute.
"Nope. Just slowly dying instead." He lent back and a hand wiping his mouth. "Go surf weathers to good to miss."
Kie wasn't sure what hand to play in response. " I won't be able to focus I'll be worrying about you if I am honest." A concerned friend was what she was after all.
"You don't have to worry. I am just going to throw up everything I've eaten for the last year and sleep. Go, Kie, seriously I am probably contagious."
She folded her arms and lent against the door frame of the bathroom her eyes didn't leave his. She shrugged. "I've got a good immune system. I don't just eat processed factory farm crap."
"You can put that to test then. Can I get a glass of water?" The way he asked she wasn't sure what it was but he could have asked her for own leg and she would have given it to him. She rarely got to see the quite shy and sweet JJ unless she was clearly upset about something. Something about the unsure tone and the sheepish look her gave her just sent a shiver down her spine.
She returned with the glass of water just as he had finished throwing up again. Any frivolous thoughts about feelings and friendships left head. He was really sick she realised and maybe she was a little in over her head. Her hand reached to her shorts pocket and patted her phone for reassurance. A call to the urgent care on the island crossed her mind. It was racing ahead of her and she needed to slow it down.
"Here." She held the glass out as JJ lent back against the edge of John B's tub. She noticed the water shaking as he held it to his lips. He surprised her by sipping it slow rather than downing it as she had feared.
"How you feeling?" Kie asked easing herself down on the bathroom tiles.
"Fucking shit." JJ admitted.
"Look it to." Kie smiled. She crawled closer and rested a hand on his forehead. "Jesus your burning. How long have you felt ill?"
"Only this morning. Swear just bit tired thought had a cold. Only last hour or so felt like I was cooking in my own juices."
"Yeah we've got to get your temperature down, JJ." Kie pushed his damp hair back from his forehead. "Let's get you laying down I'll grab you a bucket instead. Pull out or your room?" Kie asked softly as she watched him lean into her touch.
JJ seemed to struggle to find his voice for a second and Kie noticed how little blue was left in his eyes as he looked at her. "Room I guess."
"I'll help you up. Then I'll grab some stuff. Sound like a plan?" Kie hands travelled down to his bare shoulder and she squeezed it gently.
"Yes ma'am." He gave a pitiful salute and swallowed hard when she stood up extending a hand out. He grasped it and maybe out of nervousness she pulled to hard and he stumbled forward into her. Both there hands fumbled to push away from each other. They ended with JJ holding her at the waist at arms length and her hands on his chest.
"You trying to dislocate my shoulder?" He teased despite the grimace on his face at the change of elevation. "Been working out or something?" He took her upper arm in his hand and squeezed it gently.
"Shut up before you throw up on me." Kie pulled away and instead put a hand on his back pointing towards his room adjacent to the bathroom.
"Don't mediate it." JJ grumbled as he walked away.
"Its manifest, you idiot." Kie laughed and heard him laughing to as walked into his room.
Kie returned to his sided burdened with a number of things. The first was an old crabbing bucket she had stuffed a bin liner in. JJ practically snatched that one out of her hand and put it firmly under his chin. He was sitting hunched on the side of his bed looking worse than earlier some how. Kie took the chance to glance around his room which was almost always uncharcteristcally tidy. It had always surprised her that JJ liked to keep a tidy room despite his obvious disregard of things in general. Her eyes spotted the note she wrote him the other week about leaving him left overs from the wreck in the fridge. She smiled to herself that he had kept it. She was snapped out of her musings when JJ starting throwing up again. He'd obviously gone past having anything left in his stomach and was just dry heaving bile.
Out of instinct Kie stood to leave the room but she heard JJ moan and his head rested on the edge of the bucket.
"Don't do anything by halves do you?" She moved to sit besides him one hand rubbing his back gently and other in his hair.
"Love attention." He whispered. He groaned and forced his head up again. They sat like that for a minute Kie offering the only comfort she could in affection as JJ faught to not throw up again.
"Want to lie down?" Kie matched his tone whispering softly.
"Yeah I think." He lent away from the bucket to face her. Kie couldn't recall the last time she was close enough to feel JJs breathe on her neck. Most likely when they were both drunk and got slightly handsy while dancing.
"God its hot." His breathe was warm against her neck. Kie almost went to say yes it was but they were most likely talking about very different things. If Kie was honest it was probably one of the colder days in the OBX and JJ's room was far from hot probably closer to cold.
"Yeah we need to get your temperature down or I'll be driving you to urgent care." Kie's mouth felt like it was full of cotton wool as she watched JJs eyes follow her lips as she spoke.
"Don't take this the wrong way Kie but I am going to take my shorts off." He smiled at her "Don't get excited I am going to put boxers on to save your modesty. But I think stripping might break patient confidentiality."
"That's a big word for you I'm impressed." Kie was half genuine.
"That's not the only big thing I could im-" Kie cut him off by covering her ears.
"God sake JJ! You literally just threw up in front of me." She shoved him away gently and stood up.
"You keep talking about how hot I am!" He smirked up at her.
"You smell of vomit and sweat. Get undressed while I dispose of your sick Casanova." Kie enjoyed the way his face fell as she took the bucket from his hands.
He was wearing black boxers Kie noted. He stretched himself out on the bed forgoing the old duvet which had been haphazardly pushed to the side. One leg lay oustretched the other bent at the knee. He was absent mindley starring at the ceiling a hand resting against his forehead holding his hair back. He didn't acknowledge Kie as she walked in so she may have dropped the bucket slightly louder than necessary. He turned his head lazily across the pillow and mumbled a thanks. Obviously winding her up earlier had killed the last of his energy. Kie couldn't tell if she was happy about that or not.
Kie hesitated she could just head off to the pull out put the radio on and JJ could just shout if needed her. But the old bed was bending under her weight as moved to sit cross legged by JJ's shoulder. She leaned across him and picked up the glass of water that had been left on the small chest next to his bed.
"Drink or your be dehydrated." Kie instructed holding the glass over him.
"Not sure it will stay down." JJ murmured but did as he was told sipping it slowly. Kie had to intervene when he nearly spilt it down himself. She pushed the glass back on the cabinet and used her jacket sleeve to wipe JJ's chest where his shaking hands had spilt the water.
"Embarrassing." She heard him mumble.
"Don't be embarrassed, J. You can't help being sick." Kie lent back and grabbed the cold cloths she made earlier and folded one up.
"Not used being taken care of if I am honest." JJ reached up and run a hand over his face.
"That's cause you don't let us." Kie eased the cloth over his forehead her hand worked to free any of his hair trapped under it. His fingers brushed hers as he felt what she'd placed.
"And the whole absentee parents thing." He smirked up at her.
"Do you ever miss your mum?" Kie wasn't sure why she even asked that. It was like her brain was fifty paces behind her mouth and couldn't tell her to shut it. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks.
"That wasn't appropriate. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I am not even sure why." Kie stumbled and sat away. She couldn't bring herself to look at JJ and out of fear so seeing him look hurt. JJ's mom was one of those topics they didn't touch very often or if ever if she was honest. Sore subject didn't quite describe it well enough.
"Relax." JJ's voice was horse and she couldn't tell if it was from illness or emotions. God she hoped it was the former. "Yeah but not her. You know I barely remember her and the stuff I do isn't great. But I miss having a mum or at least you know miss what a mum might do."
Kie was taken aback. She could count on her hand in their many years of friendship the amount of times JJ had opened up to her. What JJ said had made her feel a wave of grief towards her own mother who she often had a strained relationship with. Memories of her sitting up all night whilst Kie was ill made her shift on the bed.
"What I remember of her I think your right. " Kie leaned her elbow on the bed shifting to the side.
"You remember her?" Kie finally glanced down at him raising an eyebrow at her.
" Only that one time she picked you up from school." JJ sniggered at that and she watched him move like everything ached but he turned towards her.
"I know the time. Things are bad when you make Luke look like the parent of the year." Kie joined him in the slight laughter.
"Why do you want to talk about heavy shit when I am dry heaving every five minutes?" JJ asked she watched his hand trace lazily around the bed covers near her legs.
"I don't know if I am honest maybe I have a fever." Kie shook her head smiling.
"I'll check." JJ took his hand and reached up to feel her forehead. Kie thought about smacking his hand away but she just leaned towards him.
"What's the verdict?" She asked. Her eyes watched him curiously and he seemed impossible to read. He opened his mouth and shut it again. Then just as quick he shifted back to laying on his back and his hand returned to his hair.
"Nah you're all good." He blew a breathe out. The air suddenly felt heavier and harder to breathe for Kie to. She was a little lost with what to do. It was like something unspoken had nearly happened. It was the winter in the OBX and the heat in the room was probably making them a little delirious. The heat pouring off JJ meant he most likely was slightly delirious. Thankfully whatever tension was broken up when JJ turned to lean over the edge of the bed and none to gently dry heaved again. Kie winced and rubbed his back again feeling bad she was getting distracted by her own ramblings.
It didn't last as long this time and JJ leaned back his head against the pillow eyes shut. He didn't say anything when she grabbed one of the cloths and started to gently run it over JJ's frame in an attempt to cool him down. "Feels nice." JJ murmured eyes still shut tight.
"Would do you're hotter than the twinkies engine after that drive to Charleston last summer."
"I'm really going to have make this up to you. I mean missing surfing and giving me a sponge bath." He finally peeled one eye half open.
"Yeah about that. I would like it in the form of surfing lessons and dinner." Kie said she ran a hand through his hair.
"Surfing lessons? You can surf, Kie." JJ sounded genuinely confused.
"No shit. But want to be able to do that thing you did last weekend."
"The thing you said was going to drown me?" JJ opened both eyes this time.
"Yeah I was just bitter I couldn't do it. " Kie reluctantly admitted. JJ snorted.
"Yeah I can do that. Dinner?" He questioned.
"Dinner." Kie confirmed "On the Pogue in the ocean."
"You asking me on a date, Kie?"
"Come off it. We are also going to count the birds we see that night for the national survey so you need to be better by next Tuesday." Kie explained as if the bird watching would distract from obvious attempt to create an excuse to be alone. She wasn't sure why she was so desperate to spend time with him all of sudden from surfing this weekend and staying right now. Then she remembered the heat in the room earlier twice and her face winced in response. Maybe she'd re think the dinner or make sure JJ didn't bring a twelve pack with him before one them did something they would regret.
"Can I at least bring beer?" God dammit.
"Course." Dammit, Kie she begrudged her mouth.
"Yeah but you've got to keep up the sponge bath or deals off." Kie rolled her eyes but obliged the request. She wasn't sure how long had passed maybe an hour before she was sure JJ had managed to fall asleep. Glad he was finally resting and to her touch he did feel slightly cooler. She glanced up at the clock time seemed to have moved quickly and it was late evening. Probably okay for to her head off now John B would be back a few hours with Sarah in tow. She could leave a note again in case he woke up and wondered where she'd gone. Get him fresh water. So why was she laying her head down on the pillow? She'd been surfing all morning and afternoon that's why. She was tired and would have a quick nap and then would drive home. Sure she could sleep on the pull out but she might not hear if JJ was sick that far away. She couldn't justify quite why it was necessary for her to fall asleep with her head on JJ's shoulder but hey things happen all the time.
Kie awoke with her eye lids feeling heavy and no sense of what day or time it was.
"I didn't mean to wake you." That was JJ's voice whispering to her. Oh God, she actually had fallen asleep in bed with him. It happened before, obviously. Frequently in the hammocks outside but there other friends had always been there or near to them. Kie forced her eyes fully open and had stopped herself from jumping at the sight of JJ at the most thirty centimetres from her face. His hand was in her hair just resting there like a an elephant in the room. He hadn't moved it though even as it become clear she was awake.
"Were you sick again?" She asked voice deep with sleep still.
"Thought I was going to be but it passed. Drunk more water. Then you sort rolled on to me so I was just propping you back up didn't mean to wake you." JJ said voice barely above a whisper as if Kie was to delicate for loud noises.
"Good. Hopefully the worst is passed. You should sleep more." Kie glanced up it was just the beginning of the night really. She blamed her half asleep mind for stretching a hand out and holding JJs face her thumb tracing his cheek. "You're still really warm."
"What are you going to do?" He asked Kie picked up a hint of nerves in his voice.
"I should head home shouldn't I?" Kie posed it as a question on purpose.
"I think you know my answer to that." JJ's eyes twinkled. Without much warning he moved closer and Kie's hand fell from his face. His eyes were on her lips and Kie was about to stop this going further the phrase Pogue on pogue macking blared in her head along with the words JJ Maybank in neon red warning letters flashing in beat with her heart. It was misguided as soft as JJ could be he kissed her forehead only briefly and as lightly as possible. She'd seen him kiss John B and Pope with more passion but it still gave her butterflies.
"Thanks Kie. Seriously, really nice of you to stay with me." Kie was a little startled to talk. "Sweet dreams. Try to stay on your own side" JJ without warning turned himself away from her.
"This is my side isn't it?" Kie lent right across the bed head digging into his shoulder on purpose annoyed at his abrupt good night.
"Don't make me get out the pillow wall." JJ turned back slightly pointing a finger at her. She smacked it away.
"I can sleep were I want bossy."
"Really? This is your feminist fight of the day over bed space."
"Yeah its like man spreading. You guys just think you have the right to take up more-" Kie was cut off by shove to the shoulder.
"Sleep would you." JJ grumbled. Kie huffed and lent back against the pillows. She felt something land on her stomach and it was JJ's hand open.
"Truce?" He was practically mumbled.
"Truce." Kie agreed feeling a wave of tiredness she slipped her palm against his. Neither of them pulled away.
------
"JJ you alive man? We didn't hear anything from Kie?"
"Sarah! Sarah! Come look at this!"
Kie blinked in the darkness as she heard harsh whispers. Along with the voices she became aware of the arm currently wrapped around her middle and that her back pressed against someone's front. Fuck, was all she could think. She shimmed herself away and sat up peering in the dark towards the noise.
"Kie? What are you two doing?" That was definitely John B voice thick with glee.
"Knew it. I always said." That was Sarah and the sounds of someone being playfully smacked.
"He is really sick I didn't want to leave him alone." Kie explained voice slightly higher than normal.
"Yeah we can see that." They were both giggling.
"He was really sick. I swear I was going to call the urgent care. I couldn't just disappear on him."
"Did the Doctor say spooning would cure him or?" Sarah voice spoke with a clear smile even in the dark.
"His had a really high fever and its JJ." Kie downplayed her role in this whole saga.
"Yeah we all know now that spooning helps fevers." John B was enjoying this way to much.
"Doctor recommended or why else would Kie be doing it?" Sarah was loving every second of this.
"Fuck off, John B." That was JJ. "And Sarah politely fuck off. I am trying to sleep." He moved again and pulled Kie back in to there original position.
"I think that's our cue Sarah. Lets leave them to it." John B and Sarah's giggling could still be heard from the corridor.
"Look when I am not throwing up my guts I'll beat John B up into not winding you up. You'll have to deal with Sarah. Feminism and all."
"Yeah I got an idea to keep her quiet." Kie nodded.
Kie turned this time and kissed his forehead gently. The rest went unsaid.