Let's Play!

Marina nodded, sneezing and looking to ephriam. Oh dear.



" Has Jethro had a bird in here recently?"



she asked, sneezing again. Really, it wasn't a big deal.... If she'd brought her allergy medication, but since she hadn't thought about it, she was currently without... and she didn't fancy sneezing all night long.

((*steals her bag of random happenings back from you* This is a very dangerous tool! ))



Ephriam looked down at her and then around thoughtfully.



"Well, I can never quite be sure what sorts of mischief he entertains." His eyes drifted to the side of the room and her pulled away from her.



"However, I suppose that would be a reasonable assumption." He squatted down, picking a feather apologetically. And it was a peacock feather to boot!

Marina sneaked again, rubbing her eyes ever so slightly, looking him over, looking ready for more sneezes as she moved from it a bit more, glancing to the stiarway. She liked the place, but time to get out of the feather attack.

Ephriam put the feather back down and stood up, following her. He had no sooner cleared the room than his arm was grabbed. Ephriam looked down at the hand belonging to Jethro.



"Can I help you?"



"Stop poking around the house and come down to the party." He shuffled over to Marina, laying a hand on either shoulder. "I'm going crazy. There is this girl that won't shut up."

Marina stared at him a second before sneezing in his face, smiling slightly as she nodded slwoly.



" I think I can handle that, once I stop sneezing."



she purred, sneezing upon him again. That was it, without a second thought, she walked off and down the stairs.

Jethro was blinking a few times as he wiped the spewed saliva and mucus off of his face. He glanced at Ephriam.



"Did I do something wrong?" Ephriam just smiled at him and whisked off after the woman. He whispered in her ear.



"I have to wonder if the music can get any louder." They passed into a room with music so loud that the building itself seemed to be throbbing, nonetheless the throng of gyrating people holding plastic red cups full of beer.

" don't tempt them, I know it's possible to do."



Marina replied simply, seemign to be calming from her sneezing attack, considering all the people, and sighing inwardly. she hated the smell of beer.



" The party, perhaps is a bit dangerous?"

Jethro wrapped his arms around the two of them.



"The most anyone has ever done is break a chair. If that's what you consider dangerous, then I would like to point to your favorite company." He moved into the food room.



"Come on, grab a bite." He picked up a plate and tossed two to Ephriam, who in turn handed one to Marina.

Marina smiled and moved to kiss Ephriam.



" It's perhaps my second favorite thing. I have another favorite."

Ephriam walked over and looked at the spread before going about picking out what he wanted. By this point, Jethro had piled his plate high and had turned his attention to Sarah and a girl beside her that looked overly bubbly. Ephriam turned to face Marina, biting into a roll.



"Now there is a thought."

Marina made a little face as she watched jethro, and couldn't resist the urge to lodge a grape inbetween his collar and neck as she then returned to eating, pretending she'd done nothing... and semi-pulling it off, considering she had none of the offending fruit upon her plate.

Sarah's eyes turned to Jethro. She spoke in that soft voice that was very seldom heard.



"You got something... here let me help." She leaned forward and pressed her face to where the grape was, stealing it with her mouth. It looked quite like something else, and you had to remember that she knew the secret. As she pulled away Jethro flashed her a sparkling grin as he wrapped an arm around her.



Ick.

Marina rolled her eyes and made a small vomitting motion into ehr foo,d but quickly recomposed herself as she returned to eating, wanting to toss alot more then grapes at the two now.

Ephriam looked down at the salsa he had been eating, and then he walked over to Marina, glancing at the same salsa on her plate though untouched. The man then did something quite odd. He snatched her plate. And then he dropped both hers and his.



Jethro looked up as the paper plates hit the floor. He raised a brow.



"If you didn't like... Eph?" Little beads of sweat had worked up along the man's brow and his expression was rather pinched. He leaned over and gripped the table, looking at Marina.



"Let him take you home." His voice was rather terse.

Marina stopped, looking concerned all of a sudden... if couldn't have been feeding, because he'd done that from her, less then a day ago..... Confused, she turned to look at Jethro, other issues forgotten.



" Jethro?"



she looked back to Ephriam, completely concerned, not sure what to do.



" Ephriam?"

Jethro seemed concerned, but in an almost different manner. And then good ol' Eph bit it. The ground, that is. He was awake, but apparently his legs weren't wanting to work correctly. Jethro pushed Sarah and the woman rushed off. It was only a few seconds before the music cut and the muffled female voice was heard. Suddenly, there was the sound of many voices and many footsteps. The party was over. Jethro glanced at Marina and squatted down beside Ephriam.



"Eph just saved your life again."

Marina was looking at her lover, eyes looking over every inch of him, the crushed look, not to mention confusion clear on her face as she swallowed slowly.



" No one knows me here... this doesn't make sense."



she said softly, very confused, and concerned, and looking like a little lost kitten who's mother just got hit by a car.

Jethro looked her over.



"When people do stupid things like this, you can never tell who it was intended for. Don't feel bad." He moved to help Ephriam stand, but the man dug his nails into Jethro's arm. Jethro stood up with a sigh, turning to Marina.



"Would you like a lift?"

" I don't wanna leave him here."



she replied softly, looking very concerned, setting beside Ephriam still, looking like she might shatter into a million tears and tiny pieces if the wind blew too hard.

Jethro sighed as Ephriam tried to give her a stern look and failed miserably.



"You know, he can still understand you. He's not dead or something. He just can't talk. His respiratory system is arrested." Jethro slapped the man in the stomach, to which Ephriam managed a glare.



"This is a pretty good one, huh?" Sarah knelt down, placing a bucket on the floor. Her soft voice drifted to Marina.



"Try not to stress. I saw this happen to Jethro before, and he's obviously still walking." She smiled gently. "And if you don't want to go, then why don't we find you a room?"

Marina didn't really acknowledge people for a while, staring at Ephriam, and feeling half an inch tall, and utterly worthless as she wanted to help him, and she couldn't. Lucky for her, her lover was supernatural.



As she slowly looked to sarah, she then looked down at her toes. she didn't want to stay and endure Jethro's attempt at humor, either, she didn't want to impose, and she didn't want to leave Ephriam for a moment. she knew he could understand her, she was just very concerned about him.



" I think I'm staying with him.'



He'd stayed with her when she was sick, and watched over her nightly while she slept, it was the least she could do.

Ephriam's eyes drifted to her and he slowly shook his head. And then he did it. He leaned over and vomited into the bucket.



Jethro laughed lightly.



"I was wondering how long you would last. Now, come on and give in to everything else, you proud mule." Jethro helped him to his feet... well, more like picked him up in a way that looked like he was standing. Sarah smiled and offered a hand to Marina.



"Then you can share a room with him." Wonder whose side she was on?

Marina stood slowly, looking over Ephriam, and merely shadows Jethro as he lead off with her man, worrying the edge of her skirt as she thought about things, watching him entirely over closely.

Sarah gently placed a hand on the other woman's, pulling them free of the skirt.



"Really, don't worry about it. He'll be fine." She smiled warmly and lowered her soft voice to a whisper as she tried to joke. "Jethro will probably be the most hurt. He's going to have to throw out all the food."



Jethro put Ephriam down on a huge bed.



"There you go." Ephriam's eyes drifted to the blonde woman.

Marina gave a very faint smile to sarah before moving to climb up beside Ephriam without a thought, looking over him, very concerned, petting his hair lightly.



Shoes forgotten on teh floor as she'd slipped up onto the sheets, she wasn't paying any mind as her fingers danced in her man's hair, concern written all over her little face as she tended and fussed over him silently. It was a bit odd, she'd been attached, and very possessive before, but she seemed deeply bothered by him going through something else for her sake. She was currently being torn between guilt and concern.

Ephriam just stared at Marina for a minute. It looked like he really wanted to say something, but as it was he was still unable to speak. Instead, the man simply let his eyes close and head rest on the pillow.



Jethro looked up, eyes drifting between the two before he came to terms with what to say.



"So... feel free to chill out here. Thanks for coming to the party and I'm sorry about all of this." He glanced to Sarah as she brought in a pitcher of water and two glasses, setting them on the nightstand. His eyes then turned to Marina.



"This sort of thing never happens. But... I wouldn't worry about it. Vomiting, sweating, fever, chills, blanching, trembling, not breathing, numbness..." He ticked off a few more things on his fingers, each one getting a bit stranger. "...and even sweating blood are possible but completely normal symptoms of a poisoning. Do not be alarmed unless he is no longer conscious or looks like he is going to eat the bedding."

Marina looked to him after a while, then looked back to Ephriam, kissing Ephriam's forehead, hands never stopping in their tender caresses, loving little look on her face as she looked like she might break down any moment, speaking softly.



" I should have expected something when we found that peacock feather... Thank you.. I'm sorry."



she said gently, somehow feeling as if this were her fault, looking down to ephriam, unable to bring herself to apologize to him, though it was clear both upon her face and in her eyes.

Jethro shrugged.



"Eh, I'm much happier that he ate it and not me. Poison is a b.itch." Right at this point, Sarah kicked him in the ankle and then ushered him promptly out.

Marina looked up as the two left, and looked back to Ephriam, moving to kiss his forehead, whispering softly.



" I'm sorry."



She said lightly, feeling just plain horrid for all of this. She'd be happy with being alone in the castle after this. This is what having people around brought. she felt the highest level of guilt possible right now. her little heart was starting to implode.

Ephriam opened one eye and then the other. One brow raised and then they both scrunched together. His lips parted just slightly and then with a hand that shook in a way he couldn't control, he reached out and took her hand, letting them both fall to rest on his chest.



Plip.

Marina nestled to him slowly, barely holding back tears of pain at how she felt, watching him, letting that small little feeling against her hand be the only thing to break the silence as she watched over him.

Ephriam closed his eyes back, his very cold hand just resting there. From here it would only get better. When his breathing returned, he let a soft phrase out like a huge sigh of relief.



"I love you."

" I'm not worth the love, but I love you too."



she replied softly, moving to kiss him softly upon the cheek, watching him closely, not tired at all as she considered the lightening upon the curtains.

Ephriam let out a long breath, his hand squeezing hers lightly. Not that he normally was combative, but he just didn't have an argument in him right now. His right leg suddenly slipped off the side of the bed.

Marina moved slowly, and slipped from the bed, helping his leg back in the bed, not liking his foot off the bed, before returning to take his hand, snuggling back to him.

Ephriam watched her, staring as her hand slipped into his rather limp and lifeless one.



"I am... sorry..." His tongue seemed slow and he looked like he was going to throw up again.

Marina moved, getting a bucket, just incase, and shook her head, eyes soft, the tears she refused to shed, clear as she looked him over once more.



" Don't be. I love you. I'm worried about you."

"I will survi..." He shook his head during the statement - horrible idea. The man lurched for the bucket, falling off of the bed in the process. As he purged his stomach again. He coughed, wiping his mouth on that same sleeve.



"It is not as bad as it seems." Ephriam looked down at the other hand laying on his lap with a deep frown.

Moving to make sure he was alright, she sighed, and merely left him in the floor, as attempting to lift him, would require some help she currently didn't have.



" It's bad enough."

Ephriam turned in a very odd manner, reaching his left arm across his body and grabbing the bedpost.



"Given the choices, I tend to be rather fond of it. You being dead or me having a stomachache for a while." Have you ever seen someone climb a cliff with one arm, one leg, and teeth? Well, that was pretty much what happened as Ephriam tried to get back up there. The man ended up with his face plastered to the floor, gasping for breath, and his right arm flopped quite oddly on his back. He scrunched his eyes shut, spitting out some batting he had inadvertently torn from the blanket.