//------------------------------//
// Sickness and Love 
// Story: My Son, My Soldier, My Hero 
// by That_Random_Pony 
//------------------------------//


"Ah…ah… AH-CHOO!"

Draco ducked under the flames, his hair getting seared at the tips. "Geez, Ember," he chuckled.

She sniffled and sat up in her bed. "I don't need a babysitter," she said funny. Her nose was running again, and the poor dragoness was stuffed.

"Hey, without me you'd be talking to yourself for who knows how long," he sarcastically scolded. "Just take the medicine and get it over with."

"No-" She switched to a violent cough fit, prompting Draco to lower her back down. "I'd sooner break my arm than drink thah… ah… AH-"

Draco stuffed the stone spoon in her mouth and triumphantly whooped. "Sorry," he chuckled.

Ember swallowed it reluctantly, shivering as the vile taste lingered on her tongue. "You're a flankhole," Ember laughed with a glare. Her tail shot out from under her covers and pulled his legs forward.

He shouted in surprise, grunting as soon as he hit the floor. "Yeah, yeah," he groaned. "Take a nap, already."

Ember turned in her bed with a victorious smirk. He sighed as he plopped down against her bed, as there were no other places to sit. It was a while before she finally starting snoring softly, and Draco chanced to take a glance at her. Just like the past few days she was facing him and sleeping. She tossed and turned a lot when she slept, but he could have sworn she was looking at him. But why?

He shrugged with a sigh and thought back to his dreams. Every night he'd wake up in a cold sweat because of the… monsters. Whenever he saw them, whenever heard them, they were always coming for him. The same figures always came to protect him, but they still fled. And his mother's voice spoke a strange dialect… but…

…he understood it.  

He'd try to repeat the words, but they'd come out garbled. It was the same language he'd spoken when he… when It, took over. Maybe… maybe It was just messing with him? Mixing up words only he could understand? It was starting to bother him greatly, but he couldn't make them reoccur. His mother always told him that dreams can be whatever he wanted them to be. So why couldn't he just replay it?

The thought of his mother made a small anger rise… and sadness… and a slight pang. She gave him up… just so Equestria could win a war. She just hoofed him over like something in the market. Of course Ember and King Draco lied. He wanted nothing more than to go to Celestia and tell her off about sending him away just because of a damn tantrum and-

…

…and…

…

…he missed her.

His eyes welled as his memory vividly replayed all of her loving acts. Every birthday, she was there for him. She'd come to their shared room tired and want nothing more than to fall asleep. But he'd keep her up, and they would play before she read him a story, sang him a song, and laid beside him with her wing over him. She always told him she loved him, that she would never let anypony hurt her. That he was the most important thing in the world to her.

Draco gasped as a small tear fell from his nose. Wiping away the trail it left, he got onto his stomach and planted his hands beside him. This was the only thing that got his mind off anything. It was starting to become a bad habit, because even though he lifted and toned his body, it didn't grow out. He felt weak, even when he lifted the 550 pounds. Well… weak wasn't the right word. He just… didn't feel much stronger. 

87, 88, 89, 90

His mind wandered again, just like always. Ember watched him go at it again. She'd fake her nap and just watch him work out beside her bed. It wasn't always like that though. Sometimes he'd wander around her room or sit around and think. It wasn't hard to see him thinking about something. She learned to pick up the signs. Lowered gaze, small frown, arms crossed, and silent breaths. 

Now though, she just watched him go. At least, until her body temperature started lowering again. Her teeth chattered loudly, and she sneezed another stream of flames. The loss of heat made her shudder loudly. Draco jumped up to check on her.

"You alright?" he asked. She shuddered vigorously, trying to nod. "Here… put this on."

He pulled off his shirt and sweater and handed it to her. She put on the clothes, but it did little to help her warm up. Draco kept worrying, seeing her cough and tremble from the cold. 

All dragoness' go through this?

It looked like she'd freeze to death if she didn't warm up soon. He'd given her his clothes, but his pants weren't really as warm, and he didn't like going without them. He gave her his socks, which she tore holes in with her claws. Her violent shaking was getting to him, but there wasn't anything else he could do. King Draco said he couldn't leave the room, so he couldn't get more of his clothes or even his covers to help. 

But… there was one thing he could do. 

Ember didn't register the shift in the bed, but she did feel two arms wrap around her. Blushing madly, she looked up to Draco, who did his best to smile, chuckle weakly, and pray to whoever that he could just get through this without that awkward feeling. Ember, on the other claw, kept staring at him out of shock and pure embarrasment. 

Thisisn'thappeningthisisn'thappeningthisisn'thappeningthisisn'thappening

Draco restricted his gaze to the wall and nothing more. He could see Ember staring up at him, with her sharp cyan eyes that just engulfed him with a warm…

…

…wat…

He's just trying to help, nothing more. He's just helping.

She could feel his abnormally high body temperature through his own clothes. Her claws bumped against his large triceps as she placed them on his back. He inhaled sharply, out of both surprise and from the fact of her temperature.

"Ember, you're freezing!" he said. She nodded, her shivers having left. 

"It's not that bad," she managed to whisper.

STUPID! YOU'RE-

Draco moved his arms, making her tense up instantly. He was trying to warm her entire body, his legs intertwining with hers to help. His fingers passed over the healed bump she'd gotten a long time ago. A frown crossed his lips as he remembered that day.

Ember took notice of his bothered mood. "W-What's wrong?" she stammered, doing her best to keep her tail from swaying.

He looked at her sadly, then leaned his head into hers. Her tail flicked up suddenly, but she used her leg to pin it down. "I'm sorry."

Ember's mood changed as he closed his eyes. "I could have ended up a lot worse, Draco," she assured him. "Don't blame this on yourself."

He sighed, her lips trembling at the warm breath. "Do you… not like me?"

She raised an eye crest. "Why do you ask that?" she questioned.

"I offered to get help, and you say no," he said. "I told you about me being here, and you got mad. Am I still your friend?"

"Of course," she quickly said, more eager than she intended. "I was a bit annoyed-"

"Why?" he asked, a hint of venom in it. "Does me watching out for you piss you off?"

Her eyes narrowed and she glared harshly. "I never said that," she growled. "You just… I…"

She fumbled for words, unwilling to tell him. "I what?" he asked. "Ember, tell me right now if I'm we're even friends or-"

"I CAN'T DEPEND ON YOU!" she exclaimed. "When we first met, I thought I'd be dragging you around, helping you, teaching you. But then you changed in one day. You comforted me, you protected me from the griffons, and now this. It just…"

Draco was still confused. "I just want to be a good friend," he said softly. "What's wrong with that?"

She sighed, unconsciously leaning into him. Draco blushed bright red at the movement, but kept himself composed. "I hate being called a princess. It makes me sound weak. Fragile. And the way you've treated me… I appreciate it, but please, don't always fret about me."

"I lost Dasher because I was so carefree," he whispered. "We're going to fight griffons through eight major cities before we even get to the emperor. I want to make sure you and Moon are ready when that time comes."

His grip tightened on her, pulling her closer than either would have been comfortable with, had they realized it. "We'll be with you, Draco," she smiled. "Every step of the way. Moon, me, and anyone my father sends."

She completed the embrace; resting her head on his shoulder. It was a friendly gesture, but the longer they held it, the more nervous they were. He'd hugged Ember a number of times, but never with his shirt off. Her scales were actually very smooth, soft even. She didn't smell like smoke or something burning, like he expected dragons to smell. She had a slightly sweet smell, which confused him to high Tartarus since she never wore perfume. 

Draco's earlier exercising left his musky aroma to tease her nostrils. Her tail wriggled under her leg, and her wings twitched every few seconds. Her chest pressed against his muscular body, but it was soft instead of rough. She cleared her throat, pulling her head back and smiling weakly at him. He did the same, but gulped audibly. Ember noticed the blush in his cheeks, her tail beginning to sway out from under her leg. 

He… he couldn't… no… Could he?

She can't be… no way… I mean… maybe?

Taking the initiative, Draco slowly leaned forward, closer than she would have expected. His lips parted just slightly, making her eyes widen, her face redden, and her tail freely swung out from under the covers. She wasn't aware of her own advance, slowly closing the distance. He could feel her breath blowing over his lips, and vice versa. So close… she was ready to-

"Ngh."

Draco's eyes shot open; his arm felt like it was burning. Ember kept moving forward, but when his arm started heating up she stopped. They moved back, and Draco clutched his arm in slight pain. 

"What's wrong?!" Ember asked.

He pulled his arm out, then gasped. The mark on his hand was glowing. Glowing. Four bright lines parted at his wrist and ran halfway up and around his forearm. The four lines were each an equal distance away from each other, on the top, bottom, and sides. The light died down, leaving the normally tan skin with black markings. He glanced to Ember, who was watching in shock. 

"What. Was. That?" 

Draco stared at the mark, his eyes dialing down to the size of pinheads.

He'd seen that mark before. 

…

…the dreams…

…the figures…

…the plant creature…