Your Teeth In My Neck

Sick

Maggie set the nachos on the table in front of the boys without getting in the way of the TV. She returned moments later with fresh drinks. "Fuck Campbell, how'd you find a girl like that?" One of the jocks grunted, stuffing his face with chips.
"Early recruitment." Another joked.
Harry glanced nervously over at his friend but Campbell's mind was elsewhere, "The girls are having a meeting tonight." He commented, "Cassandra and Ali came by to talk to Maggie."
"Cassandra's the problem." Harry bit, keeping his eyes fixed on the screen, his virtual exploits getting more aggressive as he spoke, "She's the one putting ideas in their heads. Now they made her queen? Out of fear? And now we're the enemies, beggars in our own homes. That's Cassandra, it's always been Cassandra, stuck up cunt."
"She just needs a good fucking, that would loosen her up." One of the guys piped in and they laughed. The conversation devolved more. Harry seemed to be in a different world.
"At least she'd be dead. Then we'd finally get some quiet." Harry finished, taking another deep swig of his drink. 

Campbell's eyes flashed to the kitchen and he got up. Maggie was pretending to be cleaning up but he could tell from the way she was trembling slightly that she had been listening attentively. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her from behind, encasing her as he rested his chin on the top of her head.
"He's just blowing off steam. Means nothing." He said. She nodded and continued what she was doing. He tensed, "Whatever it is better say it now before I get angry."
"They just wanted to include me." She responded softly, "What was so wrong with that?" He released her before turning her around.
"Look at me." He growled when she wouldn't meet his eyes, grabbing her chin and tilting it up, "You're not like them."
"But—"
"Do you want to be a mindless little follower or do you want to be mine?"
"I'm yours Campbell." Even with the automatic avowal his eyes didn't soften, she knew she had to change tactics, "I just wanted to be useful, that's all." His grip on her chin tightened and his brow furrowed.
"Useful?"
"Now we don't know what they're saying." She went on, keeping her face completely innocent and unassuming, "There must have been a reason to have an only girls meeting? I thought you would want to know what it was." He stared at her face before a grin spread across his features. She blushed and looked away.
"I'm sorry." He said unexpectedly, "I don't give you enough credit sometimes do I Mags?" He pulled her in for a kiss and she reciprocated sweetly, "My little schemer." He whispered affectionately. She eagerly leaned into him, she had learned just how to appear desperate for his approval, "Finish cleaning up and wait for me upstairs. I'll get rid of these guys. I'm not quite done with you tonight."

She was having a nightmare. Twisting and turning made it impossible for Campbell to sleep so he gripped her arms and pulled her body to his, shushing her and effectively waking her up. Her eyes flew open unseeingly, trying to figure out where she was. Then they met his in the dark. "I'm sorry." She whispered.
"You've been having a lot of nightmares lately." He wiped a tear from her cheek. Relaxing a bit, he was tired, when she had spells like this it meant restlessness for both of them.
"Do you think we're dead?"
"Maggie." He hummed. Anxiety was written all over her face, the panic attacks, the nightmares, it had been getting consistently worse, "Here." He reached into the drawer of his side table and pulled out an unmarked pill bottle, popping the cap and handing her one of its contents, "I want you to start taking these. Once a day no exceptions."
"What is it?"
"A way for us to both get some fucking peace." He watched as she put it in her mouth and swallowed.

Maggie was fast asleep when he had to start the day. The doorbell rang downstairs and she stirred groggily. He was already basically dressed, "Shh baby." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple, "Just sleep in today I'll be back to check in on you later, you deserve it." She smiled, not opening her eyes. He kissed her one more time before heading downstairs to get the door. Elle was standing there waiting, holding a dish covered by tin foil, "Morning."
"Hi." She greeted nervously, "Is Maggie here? I um made muffins..." Campbell's smirk remained constant but his eyes revealed nothing.
"She's still in bed. Didn't get much sleep last night."
"Oh. Well I—"
"But ya know what? C'mon in, make yourself at home. What kind of muffins?"

Maggie stretched languidly and tiptoed out of bed. Whatever Campbell gave her had done the trick and she was feeling refreshed. The sound of laughter and voices crept up from downstairs. She vaguely remembered someone being at the door and pulled an oversized tee over her head with the pair of his boxers she liked sleeping in. They didn't hear her come down. Elle slapped Campbell on the arm teasingly, smiling at each other, deep in some kind of conversation. Maggie felt her stomach twist, her eyes dropped and she felt heavy again, like suddenly she hadn't slept at all. She went to leave the room.
"Hey!" Elle noticed her before she could fully disappear. The girl blushed and took a step back from Campbell, "Get some sleep in?"
"Mhmm." Maggie blinked a few times as if still groggy, "Sorry I didn't hear you come in, I was pretty out of it. Something I took maybe." Her eyes met Campbell's sharply.
"Elle brought muffins." He exclaimed, "They're really good, have one, it's almost noon you must be starved."
"Oh that's nice thank y—" Her stomach churned again and this time she ran to the washroom down the hall, emptying all its contents within seconds.
"Maggie?" Campbell called and she closed the door and locked it before he reached it, turning back to throw up more liquid, an acidic taste in her month. He knocked angrily, "Open the fucking door baby." But she ignored him, feeling exhausted and ready to dry heave at any moment, "Maggie, right now!"
She flushed the toilet and washed her hands, rinsing out her mouth with the mint flavoured mouthwash that only made her feel more nauseous. She wiped the sweat from her brow and opened the door, pushing past him without looking up. He grabbed her wrist and spun her around. He was furious but then he looked at her, she smiled weakly and he pressed the back of his hand to her forehead, "You're warm." Out of the corner of his eye he saw Elle watching them from the kitchen entrance but paid her no mind.
"I don't feel well." Maggie responded simply and he led her to the kitchen and sat her down at the counter.
"Grab the blanket from the living room couch." He instructed Elle, who noticed that all the intimacy from their morning interaction had evaporated as he looked at his girlfriend. She didn't know if it was concern on his face, he just seemed extremely intense, "I'll make you some toast, shouldn't hurt your stomach." He said and got to it.
"Here ya go." Elle wrapped the blanket around Maggie's shoulders and her friend thanked her, "Maybe it was that thing you took?" Campbell stiffened.
"No wouldn't cause that reaction." He said, "Maggie's had it before."
I have? She thought but said nothing, instead just nodding up at Elle reassuringly, "Probably just a bug, no big deal." Campbell set the toast in front of her and she picked it up obediently. Nibbling.
"Hey Elle, we don't want to get you sick..." He looked at her pointedly.
"Oh yea, I'll just let myself out. Text me and let me know how you're feeling later ok Maggie?" She answered, grabbing her purse, "Nice talking to you Campbell." Elle waved a little awkwardly and headed for the door. There was a long silence after it clicked behind her as Maggie chewed carefully on her plain breakfast. She was deeply flushed.
"I'll go to the store and pick up some cold meds and soup." He moved behind her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
"I don't feel that sick except the nausea."
"Just in case, it can't hurt."
Maggie nodded and then swallowed before asking, "How long was she here?"
"Who?"
"Elle." She lolled her head back against him chest.
"Barely at all, she wanted to see you."
He poured her a big glass of cold water and placed it in front of her. "Drink, fluids will help." He said. She nodded and gulped at the glass gratefully, "Slowly Mags." He watched her curiously, "I've been thinking about what you said about being useful, we do need more loyal eyes in this place. Cassandra won't have power forever. And when her and her council of merry men slip up..." Campbell smirked and ruffled her hair, not even bothering to finish his sentence.