Sleep Dear Brother Pt. 2
Morning finally broke over the snow-swathed mountains and bright sunlight illuminated Norway's room and while it promised no warmth for the coming day it signified that Iceland managed to make it through the rest of the night.
His baby brother had rolled off of him in his sleep and lay curled up and warm next to him sucking his thumb. Norway laid his hand across Iceland's brow gingerly so as to not wake his sleeping brother, he still had a fever but it wasn't as hot as it had been the night before.
"Noregur, big brother," Iceland mumbled sleepily and rolled over to face him.
Norway pushed the hair back from Iceland's face and watched his face crumple from peaceful sleep to pain. Norway laid his hand across Iceland's brow again and pulled it back quickly.
Iceland's eyes flew open and he panted painfully, his little hands grasping at Norway's shirt and hands. "Norway, it's back, please make it stop this time, I hurt all over," Iceland cried out.
Norway couldn't think of what he could do, all he did was wrap his arms around Iceland and hold him, Iceland's hands fluttered against him weakly.
"I-I don't know what I can do Iceland," Norway whispered.
"Do something, anything," Iceland rasped against his neck.
Norway laid Iceland back in bed and left the room, he returned several minutes later with a bucket and a rag. The cool water sloshed in the bucket when Norway set it beside his bed.
Carefully he rolled Iceland onto his back, he received a pained whimper as a response, and dipped the rag into the cold water. He wrung it out and placed it across Iceland's forehead.
Iceland winced and pushed Norway's hand away from him, "That hurts too…"
Norway sighed wearily and dropped the rag back into the bucket trying to think of what else he could do. He just couldn't think of any way to help his sickly brother, with great caution he picked Iceland up and rocked him, which seemed to calm him the most.
Iceland lay still in Norway's arms after so many minutes; too still, he gently put Iceland back into his bed and was relieved to see his chest rise and fall.
He probably fainted from the sickness, Norway reasoned, and sat back on his heels. Iceland's fever still raged and if Norway didn't do something to bring it down, he knew his baby brother could die.
He ignored Iceland's earlier complaints at the cold cloth and pulled it out of the water. He ran the cloth along Iceland's brow slowly, then on his cheeks, and on his neck. Norway repeated this until Iceland regained consciousness. The small nation's eyes were dull and purple shadows appeared under them.
Norway looked into Iceland's eyes briefly, and started his regimen over again, this time, his brother didn't complain. He breathed deeply, occasionally shuddering when the pain would overtake him.
"Brother," Iceland said quietly, "Thank you for taking care of me."
Norway dropped the cloth into the water again and dried his hands on his shirt before getting up to sit by Iceland in the bed. He pushed Iceland's bangs back and kissed his forehead, "I told you, when I took you in, I'd never leave you or let anything hurt you."
Iceland smiled weakly and rolled over onto his side putting his thumb back into his mouth.
Norway watched him, fearing another wave of pain might come over his brother. For now, though, he'd let him sleep.
A/N: I'm so sorry for the ending place, I'm really bad with chapter endings. ._. Anyway, there will be one more chapter so don't think I'm being a meany and leaving all of you with just this.
I love the positive feedback this fic has received and I do hope I keep getting that positive feedback. ^^
Sincerely, until next time,
S-A-A
