Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.
Hogwarts Assignment - Defense, Task 1 - Someone with a bad cold.
Other Challenges listened at the bottom.
Word Count - 1689
Beta'd by the lovely Ace Panda :D
Like A Fat Kid Loves Cake
Seamus let himself into the flat, tossing his keys on the side table and stripping his outer robe, hanging it up. He was so ready for his night off, it had been extremely busy at the hospital lately. An outbreak of the flu had hit the wizarding world, and the healers were run off their feet.
"Hey," Dean greeted, his legs dangling over the arm of the chair as he lounged with his sketchbook in his lap. It was a normal sight to come home to.
Seamus grunted a greeting, flopping down onto the sofa. Dean looked up, raising his eyebrow. "You look rough."
"Tired," Seamus muttered. "Ready for bed, I just wanna sleep for a week."
Dean snorted. "Did you see George today?"
Seamus frowned. "No, why?"
"The shop was closed when I called down to the Alley at lunch. Just wondered if he was okay is all."
Seamus blinked. "Why was it closed?"
"I don't know, that's why I'm asking you."
Sighing, Seamus forced himself to sit up. "I guess I should go see, huh?"
"Seamus…" Dean shook his head. "I know that you two are close but… you look like you're coming down with something, and I'm sure George is fine. He doesn't need a babysitter."
"I know that," Seamus growled. "I just… I worry about him. He's been doing loads better lately, I just want to make sure that's… still a thing."
Dean shrugged. "I can't stop you from going. Just… try not to take too long. You need to sleep and relax for a little while."
"I'll be fine," Seamus murmured, pushing himself to his feet and moving back towards the door. He knew he probably shouldn't be Apparating while he was so tired, but he also had a deep protective need to check on George.
…
"You… look appalling," George commented when he opened the door. He stood aside so Seamus could stumble into the flat, his hand automatically moving to steady the younger man when he tilted dangerously to the left.
"Why wasn't the shop open?" Seamus asked, blinking blearily at George. The Apparition had sapped what little strength he had, and he just wanted to sleep.
George blinked. "I had a bit of an… incident with a potion in the backroom and it needed cleaning. I'll be open again in no time. It was just an… unexpected explosion."
"You okay?"
"Better than you," George muttered, leading Seamus to the couch and settling him down, fluffing a couple of cushions to prop him up. "What happened to you?"
Seamus shook his head. "Just tired. M'fine."
"Yeah, of course you are. Have you got that flu that's going around?"
"Nope. Just… maybe a little cold?"
"Uh huh," George replied doubtfully, covering Seamus with a crimson blanket. Seamus' cheeks were flushed a pale pink, but he was starting to shiver violently.
"I have… potions. Somewhere. Lemme check the medicine cupboard."
He left Seamus on the sofa, returning within minutes with a flu potion and a pain potion.
"Here, drink these," he said, helpfully tilting Seamus' head when he struggled to hold it up long enough to drink.
"What… what potion was that?" Seamus asked, pulling back with a frown, a bitter taste on his tongue.
"Standard flu potion," George replied with a shrug. "It's from the medical box you supplied me with."
"Uh…" Seamus groaned. "You should probably help me home. I don't always have a great reaction to that potion, and Dean knows how to not panic when I start hallucinating."
George snorted. "You think I'm gonna send you home while you're ill and hallucinating? You daft? Sounds like the best entertainment ever!"
Seamus frowned. "You're a little bit twisted, aren't you?"
"You love me for it," George replied with a cheeky grin. Seamus groaned again but didn't deny the words. Instead, he tried to curl up into an even tighter ball, clutching at the blanket and trying to hug one of the cushions in one movement.
"All you need is," George cut himself off, conjuring a teddy bear, which he replaced the cushion with. "Okay, you're officially the most adorable sight I've ever seen."
"I'm a mess," Seamus whispered, his eyes closing. "Not adorable."
George smiled slightly, leaning over to check Seamus' temperature. "We'll have to agree to disagree on that, my friend."
Seamus didn't answer. He was already asleep.
…
"You heard that, right?" Seamus asked, looking intently at the fireplace. George blinked. He hadn't even realised that Seamus had woken up.
After Seamus had fallen asleep, George had sent a Patronus off to Dean, explaining the situation and asking about the hallucinations. Dean's Patronus had come back, offering an explanation interspersed with chuckles, that Seamus would be harmless but clingy and that George probably shouldn't leave him alone.
"Heard what?" he asked, sitting up a bit further in the chair he'd been dozing in.
"There's a koala trying to get through the fireplace," Seamus whispered. "Can't you hear it?"
"Erm. No. I'm sure the koala is fine though," George replied after a long pause. He bit his lip when Seamus looked at him, a sweet, hopeful look on his face.
"Really?"
"Uh huh. I'm sure it's grand."
Seamus nodded, settling back down. He was blinking sleepily at George. "You have a chameleon sitting on your shoulder."
"It's called Bob," George replied seriously. "He's fine too."
"He's pretty," Seamus replied, his eyes falling shut once more.
George chuckled quietly.
…
The next time Seamus woke up, it was with tears streaming down his face. "The pizza didn't want me to eat it," he sobbed, reaching for George. "I didn't know, I swear."
George moved to the sofa, wrapping Seamus in a tight hug. "I'm sure it knew you didn't mean any harm," he comforted, inwardly howling with laughter. "Don't worry about it, baby."
Seamus snuggled against him. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"I really really love you," Seamus whispered, nuzzling against him. "I have for ages and ages, but I can't keep you."
"Why can't you keep me?" George asked.
"Cause you're only my friend. Like Dean. But I love you like… like… like fat kids love cake!"
George spluttered out a laugh. "You should go back to sleep, Shay, you need to rest."
"But…"
"We'll talk about the fat kids and their cake when you're better, okay?"
"Kay. Don't leave," Seamus murmured, leaning more of his weight against George.
George looked at the sofa and thought about the damage it would do to his back. He shook his head. Nope. That wasn't a thing.
Lifting Seamus in his arms, which was much easier than he expected, and he made a mental note to talk to Seamus about eating food regularly as he carried him into the bedroom.
"What..?"
"It's fine, Shay. I'm still here," George murmured as he gently settled Seamus on the bed. "Just moving locations for the health of my back, okay?"
"Hmm, kay."
George change rapidly into his pyjamas and climbed into bed. It didn't take long for Seamus to be splayed over him.
If George was asked, he would have denied how comfortable he was. He wasn't supposed to be taking pleasure out of Seamus being ill.
But… his thoughts ran over Seamus' words, and he hugged the other man tighter. Perhaps this wouldn't just be a one time thing.
"M'sorry, George," Seamus whispered. "You shouldn't have to deal with me like this."
"Hush," George chided gently. "You're not a burden, not ever. In any way."
"But -"
"Nope. Now, for the last time, go to sleep, Shay! You'll feel better in the morning."
…
"Bleh," Seamus complained as he woke up slowly.
George shifted underneath him, blinking his eyes open. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice rough with sleep.
"Like someone run me down with a truck. But also of sound mind, so there's that. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. You were very… sweet."
Seamus groaned, rolling over onto his back beside George. George sat up, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and stretched out his back. He got up, leaving the room, but returned quickly with a glass of water for Seamus and a coffee for himself.
"Why do you get coffee and I get water?" Seamus complained, glaring at the mug in George's hands.
"Would you give me coffee if I was sick?"
"Well no but -"
George stared at Seamus deadpan, and the younger man sighed. "Fine."
"Seems like the potion got rid of the worst of the symptoms," George said, sitting down on the bed.
"Uh huh. How's Bob?" Seamus asked, raising his eyebrow at George. He sipped the water, grinning when George looked confused. "Your chameleon."
"You remember everything you said?"
Seamus nodded, his lips tilting up. "Uh huh. And I still love you like a fat kid loves cake."
…
"I still don't understand how, since I last saw you two weeks ago, you two have gone from being best friends to being… Sickly in love," Ron complained.
They were in the Leaky Cauldron, a large group of them, as they did at least once a month. If the war had taught them anything, it was that friendships and bonds were important.
"It just happened," Seamus shrugged, leaning back against George in the booth.
"All it took was you almost dying from flu," George said cheerfully, nuzzling his face against Seamus' hair.
"I didn't have flu," Seamus argued, though he didn't try and move from George's arms. "It was just a bad cold!"
…
Seamus let himself into George's flat after a long day at the hospital. He found George lying prone on the sofa, hugging a pillow and dithering under a multitude of blankets.
"I've been waiting all day! What took you so long?" George moaned when he caught sight of Seamus, making grabby hands at him.
"What's wrong?" Seamus asked, hugging George and checking his temperature in one movement.
"I have a cold," George moaned.
"You have the flu," Seamus corrected, wincing at the heat coming off of George.
"Nuh uh!" George disagreed, burying his face against Seamus' chest. "S'just a bad cold."
Written for;
Character Appreciation - 7. Trio Era
Disney: D5. "Not, for the last time, go to sleep."
Trope; Sharing a bed; 4. "I've been waiting all day. What took you so long?"
Dark Lady's Diabolical Lair - 14. "You're a little bit twisted."
Book Club - Angela - Normal / Protective / Pizza
Showtime - 8. Denied
Buttons - O3. Teddy Bear / D1. "You heard that, right?"
Emy's Emporium - 7. Chameleon
Angel's Arcade - 4. Amy Rose - Pale pink / Sweet / Hugging
Lo's Lowdown - C9. Mai. Deadpan
Bex's Basement - 7. A potion doing something unexpected.
Sewing 101, Step 1 - Fabric - 6. Blanket / Pattern - 4. Pain / Colour - 6. Crimson.
Feline Fair - 18. Siamese - Someone being helpful
Slash September - GeorgeSeamus
Auction - Cushion.
