Livia couldn't remember the last time she took care of someone who was sick.

Her siblings had only been struck by mild fevers and colds that thankfully, her aunt Genna helped with and when she got sick, it was never extreme. The worse that had happened to her was a flu that lasted a day.

 Not that she was taking care of someone sick but he definitely acted like a child.

"No!" Robert grumbled when she tried to force him to drink water.

The stupid man had drunk himself sick and instead of calling servants to take care of him, Livia had decided to take care of him herself. 

Better to keep this event under the wraps. Only the Kingsguard and herself saw him fall off his horse, vomit his guts out, and faint ungracefully.

The king of the seven kingdoms in all his glory. Livia had crinkled her nose at the sight but she saw Jaime break into a small frown. They had carried him to his chambers, where she was now trying to get him to drink water.

She had already spoken with Lord Arryn and the small council meeting was moved to the next day. With a word of thanks and a wish for luck, she was left alone with Robert.

After Robert's mumbles and murmurs, he fell back asleep. 

Livia proceeded to use a small cloth to clean his face as he snored softly. She wiped his face clean of sweat and grime, making her wonder.

Where had he been?

She made sure to leave a small bucket at his bedside, just in case he decided he wanted to spill his guts once more.

Livia was about to stand, to head outside and leave Robert for the night when he heard him start to mumble.

"Robert?" She questioned, about to move from the door and back to his bedside but she stopped herself. 

She shouldn't. Should she?

When he didn't reply, Livia's eyes widened as she realized. He was having a nightmare. Just as she had these past few days.

She had two choices. She could go to her own chambers and go about with everything as if nothing had happened. The gods know that he deserves it. Or she could stay and take care of Robert to make sure he doesn't get worse.

Right before she could come to a decision, she heard Robert call out. "He's gone! Dead! What's wrong with me?"

At that, her heart ached at his broken voice. Many times she had asked herself the same question. What was wrong with her, that she couldn't protect the people she wanted to protect, that she made decisions that hurt people?

What was wrong with them?

Livia sighed, cursing herself internally. 

Seven hells, I better not regret this.

Very well, she will stay, at least just until his nightmare passes.

She pulled a chair towards his bedside and when she was seated, she pushed his hair back from his face.

His nightmares still persisted as he squirmed and thrashed, mumbling nonsense.

Livia reached for his hand, which had previously been in a fist but immediately went slack at her grip.

For a moment, she thought that his nightmares had ceased when he called out in anguish. "Livia, please!"

Her heart lurched at his words, at the sound of him calling out her name but she forced herself to think anything else but that. "Robert, shh. It'll be alright."

She found herself moving to cradle his face, stroking softly when Robert's eyes fluttered open. But something in his gaze stopped her from pulling away.

"She left. She never cared, she never-" He whispered before his eyes flickered shut as he fell back into his slumber.

He mumbled for a few more seconds before going dead silent. She liked to think that he had been able to sleep soundly afterward that she finally resumed holding his hand.

She rubbed circles in his palm, hoping that it was enough to keep him from his nightmares.

Maybe then, he wouldn't need to drink so much, to the point of illness. Maybe all he needed was someone to hold his hand.

Maybe that was all they needed.

Someone to hold their hand and help them brave the storm.

Someone.

°•°•°•°•°•°

Robert had been having his first dreamless sleep in a while when he started to get conscious of the sunlight streaming and the sounds of the city, he willed himself back to sleep.

He was almost successful in going back to sleep when he suddenly felt the urge to hurl. His eyes blinked awake as he got sick and threw up, disgusting. 

Luckily, there had been a bucket. Otherwise, it would have been plain nasty.

When he finally got his wits about himself, he was wide awake and looking around. He was in his chambers, in the Red Keep.

When had he gotten back? How had he gotten back?

Robert tried to recall the events during the day prior but as he looked around, he saw her.

Livia, clearly still asleep, her mouth opening to release small breaths. She had fallen asleep sitting down, still in her day gown.

It couldn't have been comfortable for her. Just as he thought that, the events of the past day rushed in as he remembered how he snapped at her when she had come to pick him up.

Shame flooded his being, after all, maybe he did deserve to be slapped. He had left her after their wedding night and gotten angry when she had come to bring him home.

Robert was just about to wake Livia up when she released a series of short breaths, almost panting. Yet she was still asleep.

She was dreaming, he realized. 

Was she having these sorts of dreams while he was away? Had he been so caught up in his own thoughts that he failed to notice Livia's troubles?

"Livia." He called out, making himself sit straight as he reached for her hand.

The moment he touched her hand, she blinked wide awake at him, grabbing his wrist in a tight grip and making him feel like he was caught doing a crime. 

"Good morning." Robert smiled sheepishly, hoping she still wasn't angry at him.

Livia immediately let go of his wrist, her warmth leaving him as she stared at him, almost in shock. "You're awake!"

"Yes, and starving." He said, to break the tension growing between the stares they exchanged. He stood from the bed, slipping out of his clothes and changing into a white tunic and breeches.

After he emerged from his screen, she was still changing that he had enough time to ring for breakfast.

The least he could do was share a meal with her so they could finally talk about everything.

Livia emerged from her screen, dressed in a new gown, her hair pulled up in a simple style, just as a knock sounded on the door.

Robert opened the door to let the servants in, carrying trays of cakes, pastries, pies, cheeses, tea, and of course, wine.

They set it down at the solar as Livia sat down on one of the plush red chairs.

He decided to sit across from her, plucking a honey cake and placing a slice of cheese on top, chewing it heartily.

She still hadn't spoken to him, she hadn't even started eating, only watching him with a glare on her face.

He knew just how to make her speak to him.

Robert reached for the wine, knowing how she will react and he was right. She intercepted him and grabbed the wine just before he could.

"After vomiting and fainting, do you really want to drink anymore?" She asked, holding the wine in her hand before going to the balcony and spilling all of it over the ledge.

Alright, he did not expect her to do that.

"Hey!" He protested. "That was perfectly good wine, just because I shouldn't drink, doesn't mean you shouldn't either."

Livia returned to her seat before pouring two cups of tea, and handing him one. He took it hesitantly as she answered. "I don't drink wine."

"Why? Is it banned?" Robert asked, teasing before taking a small sip. It was quite good. Needs a bit more honey though.

She wrinkled her nose at him, plucking a piece of honey cake and chewing carefully. "I find it distasteful, and judging by your reaction to wine, maybe you should stop as well."

He swallowed, clearing his throat. "Look, I apologize for what I did, I was drunk and I couldn't have possibly-"

"Don't." She interrupted him with a hard, pained look in her eyes.

Confused, he started again. "Livia, I am trying to apologize for my drunken state."

"I know." She sighed, eyes determined. "But the actions you did, even before that. Leaving without saying anything and getting drunk in itself. The least you could do is own up to your actions. You owe me that, at least."

Robert was quiet for a moment, meeting her eyes, ensuing a battle of wills until he spoke. "You're right. I apologize for my actions, all of them. I won't attempt to hide them under the pretense of intoxication. You deserve better than that."

'You deserve better than me,' he thought unexpectedly before pushing the thought away.

"Good." Livia answered, concise and direct as she has always been. One of the things he liked about her.

He swallowed, before continuing. "Also I didn't-I wasn't unfaithful. I merely drank too much but I want you to know that I do respect you and our marriage. I would never do that, not to you."

She looked at him with wide eyes, surprise filling those green depths. "I-Thank you for telling me that."

Her surprise at that made him feel such sadness. Did everyone really see him like that? Even Livia? He shouldn't care but for some reason, she made him care. 

Pushing all thoughts aside, he plastered a mischievous grin on his face.

"Now that we have that out of the way. Vomiting, you said?" He said, seeing a small wisp of a smirk on her lips. Turns out, he amused her with his playful ways.

"And fainting. Right at the entrance of the Red keep. I think I saw Ser Barristan frown at your smell too."

Robert played along with her little game. "No, he did not."

Livia smiled at last, though it was small, it was still a smile. "He did."

"Really? I don't think I smell that bad, do I?" He leaned forward, sniffing his shirt.

She leaned forward, breathing him in so close that he was almost tempted to bend down and kiss her but he stopped at the last minute, knowing she would probably slap him.

"You smell like sweat and lack of sleep." She said, sounding seriously disgusted before breaking into a laugh.

He tried to look mad but he couldn't help the small smile threatening to break his face. "Don't you mean natural musk and confidence?"

At that, they both laughed, meeting each other's gazes and laughing freely. Robert felt a sense of relief because he didn't just get her to laugh.

Without her saying, he knew she had forgiven him. Maybe not fully, but enough that she could speak to him and laugh with him and joke with him.

It may not be enough, but for him it was. He did not deserve her full forgiveness yet but he would not demand it from her. Instead, he was determined to earn it.

The fact that he had been thoughtless when she had been nothing but good to him. It made him want to do something for her.

She had looked for him and she had found him. Even if it was in the most unexpected of places.

Also, she did take care of him, it was only right that he do the same.

Maybe some part of him had started to care for her.

Oddly enough.

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