Heh. A better remedy than Jesse's finest. From Limo One is Missing.
"You ain't," and it takes two of Luke's fingers to make this line of reasoning clear, index and pinky jutting out of his right hand and pointing straight to Bo's chest. "Staying in here if you're going to hiccup all night." Like it's somehow a burden that Luke's been bearing all day. Bo couldn't get two mouthfuls of Daisy's fried chicken dinner swallowed, what with the way it wanted to come right back up before it even got halfway to his stomach.
"Luke!" That's Jesse, shouting through their bedroom door in warning. And there's that sour look Luke's face gets every time their uncle points out what an ass he's being. Jesse's been better about that, ever since he and Luke almost squabbled their way back into prison while an ice cream truck full of artillery sat next to Black Hollow Lake.
Luke sighs about all the years he's had to tolerate his fool of a kid cousin. "Just keep it down," he warns.
And this might just be the most annoying part of these hiccups. He'd answer Luke back, tell him exactly how it's not precisely his fault that he has them, he doesn't want them and Luke hasn't been particularly helpful with the stupid remedies he comes up with (including that one that resulted in Bo pouring water up his own nose – oh Luke claimed it was because Bo did it all wrong, but it amused his cousin way too much to have been accidental), but if he did, it'd come out with that annoying squeak in the middle that would only make Luke glower at him all the more.
"Put your dang head under your pillow," is all he actually dares to say, and manages it just in time. Another annoying hic, and he's off to the bathroom. One last trip, one last attempt at curing himself, one last refuge from Luke. Gulps what feels like a gallon of water straight from the tap, and that's just about as useless as the sugar on the back of his tongue was, bringing him just as close to choking to death (which would solve both his and Luke's problems, come to think of it). Has to give up and go back to his room just as afflicted as he left, and finds himself presented with Luke's seemingly sleeping back. Bo's not convinced; he knows full well that his cousin's just done putting up with his nonsense for the night.
So he gets naked and lies down. It's hot, Daisy's not allowed in their room, and as far as Luke's concerned he doesn't exist anyway. He might as well be as comfortable as a man whose body convulses twice a minute can be.
Counting time by his own misery, Bo reckons it's a half hour of flipping from side to side later that he hears Luke stirring.
"I can't help it," he complains into the corner he's facing before Luke can get all the way over to his side of the room to kill him. "I ain't doing it on purpose."
The mattress dips down behind him. He wonders if Luke will pretend to find his murdered body in the morning, or whether he'll drag it out the window and bury it tonight, then claim Bo ran away.
"I know," Luke says, and it's the friendliest sound his cousin's voice has had in hours. "I got a new remedy. Only one we ain't tried yet."
"Dang, it Luke," funny timing on that particular hiccup, right in the middle of his cousin's name. "I ain't drinking no swamp water or eating no worms." And those weren't even the worst suggestions of the day.
"Nothing like that," Luke promises. "Come on, turn over on your back."
"That'll only make them worse." But he pulls the sheet up over his waist and does it anyway, if only to prove just how wrong his cousin is.
Luke snorts. "You naked?"
"Yeah, so what?" He's had about enough of Luke making fun of him today.
Luke's hands go up in surrender from where he's sitting on the edge of Bo's bed in his shorts. It's not like Luke's exactly got a tux on. "All right." Though it's clearly something Luke is biting his tongue about right now, considering the way his lips are twisting. "Close your eyes."
Bo's objection gets hiccupped out. A stuttered sort of no way.
"I ain't gonna hurt you. Promise," Luke offers. "Look, you want to get some sleep or not?"
Sleep almost doesn't seem to matter anymore. He just wants to stop bouncing around every thirty seconds. So he sighs and closes his eyes. Feels Luke's wide hands on his shoulders, light touch, almost tickling.
"What, you gonna massage them out of me?" Seems like an interesting idea, actually.
"Hush," Luke tells him. "Keep your eyes and mouth closed, or I ain't gonna help you."
The twittery feel to Luke's hands on his shoulders leaves him wondering whether Luke has any intentions of helping him at all. Maybe it's a prelude to a good throttling.
The mattress complains; Luke must have shifted his weight the wrong way. In fact, there's greater pressure on Bo's shoulders now than there was only seconds ago, and he's wondering if he should start hollering for Uncle Jesse.
"Mouth closed, Bo," Luke warns, so close that it's almost more of a feeling than a sound, and then there's warmth on his lips. Seems like a variation on the scare-them-out remedy.
Then again, Bo's been kissed enough to recognize that his cousin's above average at this little skill. So he relaxes and lets Luke have at it, even kisses back, eyes staying closed until his body betrays him with another hiccup.
"Dang it," Luke whispers, backing off. "Beth Ellen Winthrop made mine go away that way. You're impossible."
Bo grabs his arm to prevent Luke from leaving, in case that's what his intentions are.
"Maybe," he suggests, "we just need to give it a little more time." That last hiccup seemed weaker, less wracking than most of the others have been. "Come on, Luke," he adds, sliding his hand up to grab the back of his cousin's neck. "I think they were getting better."
Luke's head shakes, moonlight shining through the ends of his hair. Bo figures there's a smirk on his face and is grateful that it's too dark to know for sure. "Close your eyes," Luke instructs again. Bo is quick to obey so he doesn't get admonished again. Waits for it, knows when it's coming because his hand is still holding onto Luke. Licks his lips right before the kiss gets there.
Bo behaves himself as best he can. Keeps his eyes closed, but not his mouth. Luke doesn't seem to mind, and neither of them bothers to notice the moment when, somewhere after Luke's fingers weave their way into Bo's hair and before Bo slides over to make enough room in the bed for two, Bo's hiccups subside.