Work Text:
It was a cold winter morning when you were walking with King Boo. He glared at the ground, grumbling about his hangover. You chuckled and took one of his hands, which was shoved in his pocket, lacing your fingers together.
He squeezed your hand, watching his breath in the cold air. His pale cheeks had turned pink from the biting air and light snow. You kept glancing over at him, worried that if your eyes stayed on his face, they'd never leave it.
"I'm gonna get sick..” He grumbled, glaring at you, though there was no real anger in his gaze.
"No, you’re not." You laughed, grinning at him. He rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. "Yes, I am!!”
You rolled your eyes back at him. “You’re just hungover.”
King Boo grumbled something unintelligible back at you and glared at the gathering snow. He tried to step closer to you but ended up tripping and falling face-first into the snow. You laughed, listening to him grumble, “you okay?”
He sat up in the snow and opened his mouth to answer you. “I-“
He was cut off by a cough, which was followed by several more coughs. You frowned and kneeled down beside him. He gasped for air between coughs, his eyes widening.
“Boo?” You asked, wrapping an arm around him and rubbing his back. It was several more minutes of coughing until King Boo caught his breath. He gasped, pulling his jacket tighter around himself.
"Sorry,” he muttered, standing up. “The cold aggravates my lungs; the plague fucked them up.”
You got up along with him, wrapping your arm around his waist. “Oh, I’m sorry, baby.”
He brushed you away. “I’m fine”
“Come on, let’s just go back to the castle." You took his hand again, which was ice cold. He nodded, grumbling and coughing. King Boo leaned against you, "mmph.”
You helped him trudge back to the castle and up to his bedroom. He laid down on the bed, wrapping the blankets around himself. You poured him a glass of water, which he drank half of.
“You feel any better?” You asked as you took off your boots and put more wood on the dying fire.
“No..” He grumbled, pulling the blankets closer.
“Should I call for a doctor?”
King Boo shook his head, groaning as you sat down next to him. He cuddled up to you, trying to absorb your body heat.
“Are you gonna be okay?” You whispered, combing your fingers through his hair. The room grew dark, illuminated only by the fire. King Boo nodded, closing his eyes and laying his head in your lap.
“Mhm, happens every winter,” he rasped, coughing a bit. You frowned, tugging the blankets tighter around him. He muttered something incoherent and burrowed further into the blankets.
King Boo coughed violently, making you wince. He curled into himself, shaking as he choked and wheezed.
“Are you sure you don’t need a doctor?” You reached down to rub his back. “You don’t sound too good.”
He shook his head again, still wheezing, “Nothing they can do.”
You laid down next to him, and he cuddled up to you, clinging like a koala.
“You’re awfully affectionate tonight,” you teased, wrapping an arm around him.
“Shut up” King Boo snapped, not releasing you, “Don’t flatter yourself; it’s just ‘cause you’re warm."
“Suuure”
You grinned and leaned down to kiss him. He closed his eyes and rested his head against you. You watched as he fell into a fitful sleep, occasionally coughing or thrashing against you.
“Goodnight, Boo,” you whispered to his sleeping form. You kissed his forehead before closing your eyes and falling asleep.