//------------------------------//
// A Dragoness on her Illness 
// Story: My Son, My Soldier, My Hero 
// by That_Random_Pony 
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Ember coughed hoarsely and sneezed out flickers of a flame, groaning in pain. Draco had put several shirts and a sweater on her during her sleep, and he covered her legs with her blankets. Now that she was on her second Illness, and she didn't have the symptom medications, he could see just how much she was suffering. She was moaning in pain and at one point clawing her head from the splitting migraine her coughing and sneezing was causing. The most he could do… was feed her and try to keep her some company.

If only she would talk to him.

Her boiling state had passed the first week, and it let her Illness take its toll. Even though she wasn't enraged anymore, she still didn't speak to him. He would try… boy, would he try. But she never talked back, or even looked at him. When he went to sleep against the side of the bed, he could've sworn she was whimpering and sniffling much more than usual. He tried asking what was wrong, in case it wasn't her Illness. She just growled and threatened him with a flick of her tail. The fact that she didn't want to talk, especially since he was caring for her, stung him. 

Silence was all that lingered, even now. She was groaning again, and her shudder fit signalled her body temperature lowering. Ember kept trying to breathe just the slightest bit of fire, but all she spat out was weak candle worthy flames and some smoke. She needed something, anything, to warm her. Draco offered to give his shirt, but she never answered and still shuddered. Ember clenched her eyes shut and did her best to fall asleep, but the pains in her body prevented it and she whimpered in pain. 

Draco was torn. He wanted to help her, to just be there for her in her time of need. But she didn't want anything to do with him. And frankly…

…he was tired of her stubborness.

Draco went over to her and forced her to sit up, pinning her tail down before she could slash him. "Draco-!"

"What are you mad about?!" Draco shouted, grunting as she tried moving her tail again. "I'm watching you suffer when I could be helping you, but you won't let me! Why?!"

"Leave. Me. Alone!" Ember shouted, clutching the side of her head.

"Aren't we friends?" Draco asked less loud. "We're supposed to help each other but you're acting so damn stubborn!"

She growled, wanting badly to claw his face… but at the same time she didn't. "Then leave," Ember said. "I'm just… fine by myself."

"No you're not," Draco stated. "When you went through your first Illness, you and me laughed and messed around even though you were sick. Tartarus, you're wearing the same clothes I gave you the day… the day I got this."

Draco showed her the mark on his hand.

"I don't know what it is, but I got it when I was taking care of you," he said, a small blush forming as he remembered. "More care than I could ever give you. Please, it's bad enough you can't remember… I don't want you to hate me."

Ember's glare softened, but she still crossed her arms. "I don't hate you," she murmured. 

"Then what's the matter?" Draco asked, holding her claw. She did her best to keep her blush hidden, but it was even more painful to try. "Ember… just tell me."

She wanted to claw his eyes out, to just set him on fire and never deal with him again. But at the same time… she wanted to tell him. Tell him how she felt, how much she loved him and wanted him to help her through this. It was worse than anything she had ever felt… but just knowing he was there eased it that much. But she was after someone who already had a mate, and she frowned as she recalled Draco ready to buck Twilight's brains out. She sighed and laid back down, turning away from him.

"I can't," Ember whispered. 

"Why not?" Draco asked softly. She didn't answer, hoping it would work again and he would leave. 

But Draco wasn't giving up on her.

He sat down beside her on the bed, looking at her for a moment before turning back to the wall. A laugh escaped him, gaining Ember's curiosity.

"What?"

Draco smiled at her and showed a mark on his chest. "This was what I got because I was screwing with you when you were practicing your archery," he chuckled. "You told me if I didn't stop messing up your shot, you'd shoot me. I pushed you again, and you shot me."

Ember's eye crests rose. "I-I… I did?" Ember questioned.

"Moon could tell you too," Draco laughed. "It wasn't deep, but it hurt like hell. You were laughing when you pulled the arrow out, then told me to stop being a baby. I got you back though. See that?"

Ember glanced to the wall, where a painting of Canterlot was hung up. Draco removed it and revealed a cavity in the wall shaped like her head and torso. 

"I set up all these little ropes that tossed you around the room, and you hit that wall over there," Draco laughed, remembering Ember's face after it all went down. "You were so mad! You set my back on fire!"

Ember laughed weakly as Draco laughed louder, knowing she would have probably done so. "At least you… got what you deserved," she coughed, shivering. Draco's laugh died down, and he watched her shiver for a moment before standing up.

"Ember, I'm not gonna watch this happen to you," Draco said. "Tell me now… should I leave… or can I help?"

Though she didn't know, King Draco wasn't allowing him to leave until she got better. And even if he could, he would have stayed. If she was going to die… he was going to be there to do whatever he could to-

"S-Stay," she quivered, the pain and cold slowly slipping her into a coma. "P-P-Please… h-help…"

Draco sat beside her and pulled her close, forcing her arms to stay down even though they tried to clench towards her. "Just relax, Ember," he whispered. "I'm right here."

She grunted loudly, the pain in her body increasing rapidly. Her tail curled up tightly, threatening to snap one of the crests out of place. Draco removed his shirt and wrapped it around her claws, pulling her against him. She noticed the unusual warmth, and her clenched eyes barely cracked open, gazing at his muscled core. Even with her bright scarlet cheeks, she leaned into him and sighed as he began massaging parts of her body. His hand went under her shirt and rubbed her stomach and back, avoiding her breast area. 

Ember's blush brightened as she felt her leg involuntarily lie on top of his, and to her surprise he placed his on hers. Draco recalled this same exact position in which he had laid with Ember five years ago. The only difference now was that he was easing the pain that she had. She sighed contently, scooting her exposed belly closer against his abdomen. Be it the feel of her stomach against his, Draco blushed powerfully, his hands slowing down as he reached her thighs. She had been trying to ease it herself the past few days, and it seemed like the best of places to go. But her tail swaying eagerly was a bit awkward. The dragoness did her best to keep it still, but her warmth and released stress was allowing it to freely swing. 

In the end, she pinned it underneath their entwined legs, allowing him to continue massaging her. The pain was long gone, but she didn't tell him to stop. His soft but strong hands going up and down her body sent a sort of thrill that made her heart race. His body against hers comforted her, kept her warm, and just made her feel… 

…loved.

Even if the feeling wasn't mutual, she could savor the delicate attention he was giving her. It soothed her so, and sleep washed over her weary mind. She fought in vain to stay awake, so that he would be by her side for just a bit longer. Yet her Illness claimed her, and her vision faded to black. Draco moved his hands away from her curved body and brushed the spines atop her head. They always reminded him of spiked hair, and it was something he always liked about her. But today, her stubborness had been bested by his own. And… her claws were draped under his arms and holding him, refusing to let him leave.

Not like he wanted to. 

Seeing her sleep peacefully for the first time in a week and several days, because of him, let him know that she was still the same dragoness he grew up with. She didn't need her memory to be his very best friend. And yet… best friend wasn't what he wanted to describe her as. But she would never return that emotion. And so, he rested his nose against her snout, feeling her hot breath blow against his lips. He brushed his hand over her face, holding her with old emotions that surfaced like lava rushing out of a volcano.

He planted a kiss on her forehead, and drifted off to sleep.