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George was exhausted. He was done with pretty much everything by this point. He’d been happy when Dream had first given him the station of King. He’d enjoyed it. He’d liked the crown and the cape and the throne. He’d liked the attention and the knights and the castle. He liked all of it.
But none of his knights mattered as much to him as Dream. His best protector. His lover, his husband. The man who was by his side for everything.
Everything except paperwork apparently.
The day had been long. L’Manberg was annoying to deal with. It always had been. He’d really only run in the election as a joke but he was kind of glad that he lost. He didn’t have to deal with the rest of them on a day to day basis. And the nation he had with the people he had it with were significantly better than the little walled nation anyway.
He was finally done though. The mountain of paperwork was gone through and the hours of meetings were complete. Not without Tommy’s shouting giving him a headache. He’d said goodnight to Callahan when he left the throne room. Punz later when he left his office for his chambers.
Dream had been gone in the morning when he woke up and he doubted that his husband was going to be there when he got back. Dream would have stopped in the throne room. He would have sat himself on the arm of the throne and dotted over George while he worked. He would have knocked the crown askew and teased him for it.
He would have been annoyingly and stupidly perfect.
Netherite armor scratched and rough and not at all like a King’s should be. Blades strapped to his back and mask in place over his face. A green cloak instead of a royal cape. Straps of leather instead of golden cords.
But then again. Rugged peace was something Dream did amazingly well. He may have the power of the world in his hand but he was still a simple man. He could have given them a large and lavish wedding. Instead they waded into a stream in the middle of the woods while doing a challenge. Holding hands all the way until the water was swarming around their knees. Dream had knelt to him first. Looked up at him with so much love and affection that his eyes shone with it and the light of the sun they reflected. He’d pulled George into the water with him. Both of them soaked to the bone but they’d sword vows to each other with the straps from their armor. Dream had laced them together around their hands with the promise of protection and eternal love. They’d sworn to be there for each other. For sickness or health. For love and death. The only thing that would ever part them would be the claws of the void and even then they would wait.
They’d kissed with the taste of dried sweet berries and rabbit. Salt water and love.
So even though George was a little irritated that his husband had left the work to him through the entire day he knew there was a reason. He still wanted to see him. He wanted to be wrapped in Dream’s arms and fall asleep with his heart beating in his ear. He wanted the safety that Dream provided. The love and the care.
He sighed heavily as he opened the door. Shrugging off his cape and closing the door before turning and nearly jumping right out of his skin. Dream was sitting on the bed with a book in his hand watching him lovingly. His hair was windswept. Cheeks flushed and eyes shifting with the flicker of the candles sitting at their bedside tables. His armor and mask were gone. Sitting instead in simple clothes with his shoes discarded by the dresser on the wall.
He looked beautiful.
But it seemed that Dream was taking him in while he’d stood there awestruck by his husband. Eyes roaming over his body and taking in the details of his work ruffled love.
“You look perfect.”
The illusion felt like it cracked. Dream didn’t sound right. His voice sounded scratchy and tired. Like he was even more exhausted than George felt. It had him crossing the room towards his husband faster. Dream went to speak to him again but ended up lurching to the side to cough. His lungs rattled and wheezed as he choked around his throat until he calmed down and relaxed back towards the pillows. Book long forgotten on his lap. This close he could see that the flush on his cheeks wasn’t from wind like he’d thought but rather from sickness. That the brightness in his eyes was from fever instead of just candlelight.
“You’re sick.”
He put his hand against Dream’s forehead and fought off the fond feeling as his husband leaned into the touch. Dream’s eyes fluttered closed and he shifted closer.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to worry you.”
A frown pulled on his lips as he listened to the words. Dream had been gone all day. Was he hiding? George would have taken care of him. He would have helped him and cared for him through the day. He didn’t deserve to deal with his sickness alone. Almost as if reading his thoughts Dream continued.
“Tried to find a cure. Potion or something, I don’t know. I didn’t wanna leave you with all the work.”
He didn’t want to even though that was exactly what he’d done. The idiot had tried to heal himself because he didn’t know how to care about himself. Anyone else he would. His own well being would never cross his mind unless he was of use to another.
“You’re an idiot.”
Dream smiled a bit relaxing back into the pillows while George carded his fingers through his slightly sweaty hair.
“Yeah, but I’m your idiot.”
George pulled the book away from him. Slipping away from the bed and ignoring the pang in his heart when Dream whined at the loss of his presence. He changed swiftly and grabbed a set of sleep clothes for Dream before heading back and laying a hand over his forehead again. Green eyes peaked back up at him again.
“I’m sorry.”
The words broke his heart. Dream had no reason to be sorry for being sick. George didn’t blame him. He could never blame him.
“Sickness and health, right? Let me take care of you?”
Dream nodded slowly. Affection flooding both of their expressions as he made himself sit up. A stifled groan slipping past his lips at the change of direction and George kept his hand on Dream’s cheek as he rocked slightly where he sat.
“Let’s get you ready for bed. Come on.”
Slowly, bit by bit, he got Dream changed. They did the shirt first. It was the easiest thing to get off and back on. Pants were harder. Dream was losing energy faster by the second and with the slow soft atmosphere of their bedroom he was falling asleep standing up. He was always a gentle giant but when he was sick it was like watching a sleepy kitten in the body of a lion. Dream leaned on him for support as George whispered quiet encouragement in his ears. Dream giggled at the jokes George told him. As he filled him in on how the day went and how boring the paperwork was without his husband’s attention.
He finished pulling the pants onto Dream’s body just in time for his husband to grab him and pull them both down into the bed in a heap. George laying atop of him chest to chest as Dream chuckled lowly before having to turn his head sharply as another round of coughing struck him. George rolled away to fill a bowl with water from the cauldron and soak a cloth in it. Bringing it back to the bed as Dream curled himself into his previous position. He walked around the room again. Making sure the doors were locked and the windows were secure before he blew out most of the candles and went back to the bed.
He watched Dream for a moment. Strong body riddled with fever as he shivered lightly on the sheets. His hair spread around the pillow like a sort of halo. His eyes closed and his cheeks the color of a pink rose.
Even ill he managed to look like an angel.
George blew out the last candle before crawling into the bed again. Curling around Dream’s side and settling himself in. Dream shifted towards him immediately. Seeking out his warmth like a moth to a flame. He reached across to the table for one of the cloths. Wringing it out quickly before brushing Dream’s bangs back and placing it over his forehead.
A content sigh escaped and Dream rolled his head towards his chest. George kept his fingers evenly running through his hair knowing full well how much Dream loved it. He bent down again. Waiting for Dream to open his eyes to look at him before he completed the move and kissed him.
It tasted like golden apples and kale. A home remedy that Dream had used time and time again when he got sick growing up. The kiss was short. Small and sweet. Just pure love and care and nothing else. Dream chased his lips as he pulled away but still frowned at him when his eyes opened again.
“You shouldn’t kiss me. You’ll get sick.”
George just smiled as he settled back into the bed. His arms wrapped around his husband as he traced shapes into his shoulder with his fingers.
“In sickness and in health, my love. In sickness and in health.”