Fablehaven Fevered Love

**This struck me as I was updating for Jumping at Shadows. There may be a few mistakes I just managed this through exams. Tell me if there's any mistakes. I really, really adore Brackendra, by the way.**

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><p><strong>Fevered Love<strong>

"We've been over this, Kendra," sighs Bracken, exhausted by her constant whining. "You know exactly why I can't heal you."

Kendra sticks out her pouty lip, releasing the force of her glare onto the unicorn. She shoves the knot of a sloppy braid from her face, blowing away stray hairs. PJs clothe her, their fuzzy fabric welcomed by the strength of her illness. Sweat beads over her forehead. Sandpaper lines her throat and fatigue drags at her fevered limbs. The hefty blanket yanked up beneath her arms assists the fever's rage. A mountain of soggy tissues climbs to the sky beside her, swaying with the slightest vibration. Bracken leans on the armrest to Kendra's sick-sofa, slowly turning the pages of some ancient novel.

"No," Kendra snaps, "I don't. Please explain it to me."

Though weariness had sent her into rest and sickness claims her coherency, Kendra finds her sarcasm level growing higher and higher with each tissue that's added to the pile. Part of her is aware that it's not fair for Bracken, the only one willing to be within a fifteen foot radius of her, but Kendra also knows it's the stubborn unicorn that's refusing to snap his fingers and heal her, so she doesn't feel awful.

"Because" – exasperation claims Bracken's voice as he snaps shut the leather-bound book to glare at Kendra in annoyance – "you're immortal now. If I healed you every time you got the sniffles, then your immunity to common viruses would plummet."

"These aren't the sniffles!" moans Kendra. She toys with throwing a soggy tissue at him. "This is _the flu!_"

Bracken crosses his arms over his chest, the unicorn's glare filled with royal agitation. "Your point is?"

"You're never going to be away from me anyway!" Kendra burrows back into her fluffy blanket, still deploying her pouty gaze. "You're my _protector_, remember? You signed up for it!"

"I did." Brackens eyes roll subtly, flying up to the ceiling. "And you are going to be fine by tomorrow."

Kendra growls under her breath. Her eyes fly to the blazing fireplace. "Just this once, Bracken?" she pleads, attempting at getting him from a different angle. A shiver that isn't fully involuntary shakes her body beneath the blanket. "I promise, you can neglect me all you want next time I get a cold. But could you please heal me? I feel awful."

"Your change in tactics is glaring," Bracken scolds, but Kendra knows him well enough to see the walls in his eyes breaking and resolve crumbling. So, she waits it out with wide eyes, frizzy hair falling in her face.

Bracken sighs abruptly after a moment of silence, looking away and raking a hand through his silvery hair. "You know one day you're just going to keel over because you're so unimmunized," he scolds, risking a quick glance at Kendra.

"I won't keel over," she points out logically. "I'm an Eternal. We don't die from illness."

"No," he agrees, taking a new fortification in the argument. "However, while you're rolling on the ground with a massive fever and a nose running rivers of snot, anyone could come up and stab you."

"That's assuming someone would even be able to get past your swordsman skills," chastises Kendra. "And my nose is already running rivers."

Bracken rolls his eyes, not even hinting at subtly this time. He sets the book down on the coffee table next to Kendra's mugs of empty tea. "Flattery won't work either, Kendra. Trust me, this is for the greater good."

Kendra's face reddens. "I am your wife!" she yells at him. "I am the greatest good you are eeeeevvver gonna get!"

Bracken face-palms harder than Kendra's ever seen anyone face-palm before, accompanying it with a groan. He doesn't emerge from his hand for a while, cradling his head in one palm and crossing his other arm over his chest. Kendra worries that she might've broken her unicorn after a minute of silence.

At long last, he lifts his head marginally from his hand. "You saw the chance and you took it," he whispers with a voice a hair away from laughter.

Kendra sticks out her lower lip again, gazing up at Bracken with wide, doe-like eyes. "Am I not your wife?" she cries melodramatically. "Am I not the good in your life? Am I not your fairy, which needs to be tenderly healed and held whenever she feels down in the dumps?"

Bracken sighs, but this time, he sounds rather pleased. The unicorn's silvery blue eyes gleam. He spans the scant distance between his perch on the armrest and the couch. Kendra shuffles out of the way as Bracken clambers over her, careful not to set any of his weight on her aching body. He eases himself onto the cushions beside her, his own body brushing the back of the sofa. Though initially she tries to roll in order to face the Fairy Prince, his hands stop her, keeping Kendra facing the rest of the room. His arm drapes over her ribs, his fingers lain atop her own. His warmth only heats sweltering Kendra up more, but the unicorn's embrace is not solely unwelcomed.

"You're going to get sick as me," Kendra warns as his temple rests at her cheek.

"Unicorns don't get sick," scoffs Bracken, his voice soft in Kendra's ear. The motion of his lips against her skin sends Kendra's heart pounding.

"Well, fairies do," Kendra points out, determined to come out on top. "And I'm really, really sick. If you want me to kiss you without leaking snot all over our lips, I suggest you heal me, sir."

"You are quite explicit with your theories," notes Bracken. He clutches Kendra a bit closer against him. Her body seems to fit in the crook of his. "You might just scare a unicorn off, you know that?"

"If you think this is scary," threatens Kendra seriously, "you do not want to meet my dark side."

"Considering you single-handedly destroyed the Demon King with that dark side, I think I'm happy going my entire life without seeing its wrath." He chuckles, the vibration in his chest rocking Kendra. "Although I'm not entirely sure why you just don't focus that rage onto the flu. It would get rid of it quick enough."

"You're teasing me." Kendra pouts. "A woman's heart is a fragile thing. Keep taunting me and I'll never get better."

"Hmm," whispers Bracken, pondering over that. He's silent for a moment. "Well, I suppose we can't have that."

Kendra feels the muscles in the arm wrapped around her tighten before Bracken acts out his part. Gently but with undeniable passion, Bracken flips Kendra onto her back, ever mindful of her aching muscles. He himself stands up on his elbows, hovering over Kendra, a mere inch separating them. Choppy silver locks hang in her face, framing his beautiful features. Bluish eyes blaze with emotions that send Kendra's stomach squirming. His lips part. Oh, god, those lips…

Bracken leans forward and kisses Kendra gently, his lips harmonic against hers. Kendra's heart flutters like a bird, trapped by her ribcage. Slowly, all fatigue and weariness fades underneath the power of Bracken's kiss, as does the mucus and the scratchy throat. Kendra links her arms around his neck, relishing the rejuvenated feel of her muscles, and kisses him back. The heat does not fade, though, only becoming even warmer that it had before.

At long last, they break apart, both breathing heavily. Bracken's pants harmonize with Kendra's gasps.

Kendra smiles wickedly at him, hands still around Bracken's neck. "I won."

An even more wicked smile plays over Bracken's bruised lips. His head bobs back down to meet hers again. Voice as soft as silk and as rough as velvet in the same tone, Bracken whispers, "Keep believing that."

And then Bracken kisses Kendra again.

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><p><strong>Just a bunch of fluffy Brackendra, basically. Tell me what you thought!<strong>

**Ciao,**

**~wolfluvermh**


End file.

Fablehaven, Friendship, Romance