Winter's Cold (Jon Snow, Game of Thrones)

[Dusty15]

No spoilers for the TV show, but it's better if you've seen at least the first episode and know who the people are!

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“Why won’t the bastard shoot?” Theon Greyjoy taunted.

“Yeah, c’mon Snow, shoot,” Robb Stark chimed in. “We’ve all had a go.”

“I don’t want to,” Jon Snow replied. “Go ahead.”

“He’s afraid ‘cause you’re better than he is,” Bran said.

“I’m not afraid,” Jon snapped. “It’s too cold for archery anyhow. Let’s go in and play stones instead. There’s surely a good fire in the hall now and supper’s soon.”

“It is a little cold,” Robb agreed, eying his half brother suspiciously. “Perhaps Snow is right. We don’t want to lose our fingers to the frost just practicing.”

Ehh’tsht!

Snow sneezed roughly into his gloved hand.

“Gods blessings on you,” Robb said.

“You’re sick, Snow,” Greyjoy said. “Poor bastard is sick.”

“I’m not sick,” Jon sniffled. “A man can sneeze, can’t he?”

“And he can also sound stuffed up and look pale,” Greyjoy said. “And you are both.”

“Jon, go to your rooms. I’ll ask mother to send round some soup.”

“Your mother has no care whether I’m well or not,” Jon said. “I’ll sit in the hall with the lot of you. Now let’s go.”

They packed up their bows and went into the main chamber of the castle where a fire roared in the hearth. Robb ducked his head into the kitchens and spoke quietly to a servant before joining the other men at the table.

“They’re getting us some hot spiced mead,” Robb said. “How about a game of stones, then?”

He spread the counting stones out on the table in the triangle pattern, per the rules of the game. Theon took the first turn, flipping two of the stones and capturing one of Jon’s pieces.

“Your turn, Jon.”

Jon wasn’t paying attention. Instead, he was looking off in the distance, a glazed look on his face. His mouth hung open and his breathing was shallow. Suddenly, he snapped forward in a sneeze.

Hehh’tchht! T’scchtt!

“Blessings,” Robb offered.

The cook emerged with three steaming mugs of mead and set them on the table.

“My lords,” he said, bowing. “Anything else I can provide?”

“No, thank you,” Robb said. “That’ll be all.”

Jon reached for his mug and held it to his lips, breathing in the steam. He sniffled wetly as his nose began to drip.

“Do either of you have a handkerchief?” he asked.

“I might but I won’t be having you get your snot all over it,” Greyjoy said.

“Sorry, Jon,” Robb added. “I don’t. But I could fetch one?”

“No, it’s okay,” Jon said before taking a sip of his mead. “I’ll manage.”

The continued their game, with Jon’s sniffling echoing in the vast room. After a few turns, he succumbed to a coughing fit, bent at the waist, shuddering. Robb put a steady hand on his half-brother’s back.

“You should be a-bed,” he said to Jon. “I’ll take you. Theon, put the game away.”

Theon scowled.

“I was winning.”

“Then we’ll declare it your game,” Robb said. “Tell the cook to send a bowl of broth to Master Snow’s chambers at supper.”

Robb helped Jon to his feet and led the way down the hall and up the narrow stairs to Jon’s room. Inside, it was cold and dark, the fire unlit.

Pulling back the heavy fur blankets, Robb went about preparing the bed as Jon removed his cloak and boots, undressing to his undershirt and britches.

Shivering, he climbed under the wolf and bear pelts, nestling against the goose down pillows. Robb struck a flint and arranged a small fire in the hearth.

Ehh’txtt! Hehh…ehh’tschtt!

Jon curled up under the blankets, head snapping forward into his pillow as he sneezed wetly.

“Here,” Robb said, finding a handkerchief in Jon’s trunk and handing it over. Jon tucked the worn bit of cloth around his nose and blew noisily.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Robb asked. “You’re obviously feeling quite poorly. You didn’t have to come out this morning.”

“I’m not weak,” Snow grumbled.

“No one said you were.”

“Theon would have. And your mother. It’s just a cold.”

“And a cold can turn to bad humors of the chest if it isn’t tended to,” Robb said. “If you’re too phlegmatic, it can be deadly.”

“It’s not deadly,” Jon said with a loud sniffle. “I just need to rest.”

“That’s it, exactly.”

A soft whine sounded from behind Jon’s door.

“It’s Ghost,” Jon said. “Let him in.”

Robb opened the door and the white Direwolf trotted into the room and sprung up on the bed, settling himself across Jon’s feet.

“That’s a good boy,” Robb said, patting the wolf. “Keep your master warm. Do shout if you need anything, Jon.”

“Yes, Robb.”

“And Jon? Feel better.”

Jon didn’t respond. He was already dozing off, hand twined into the fur of his beloved wolf. Robb shut the door quietly behind him and went back to the great hall. Excuses would have to be made for Jon’s absence, and he didn’t want Theon blabbing about the ‘poor bastard’ to everyone he saw. Jon deserved better than that, even if he wasn’t a Stark.

[blackrose]

i love this! it's absolutely adorable!

[obsessed]

I actually don't know anything about this fandom but I enjoy your writing!

[sprinkles287]

AH! This made my day I recently started reading the Fire and Ice series and I absolutely love Jon. This was so very in character for everybody. I don't get hbo, but I might have to start just for this series! Wonderful writing, thanks so much for sharing.

[Dusty15]

Thanks, all! Sprinkles, I definitely recommend the show...and Jon Snow is really easy on the eyes

[queenie]

Whew... I don't usually put pictures to the people except vaguely but having seen the show DEFINITELY made this hotter (especially since show!Jon is an adult, versus book!Jon). Wow.

[Dusty15]

Queenie, I agree. I started reading the first book and I was like why is Jon like 14?! Haha the show is much more attractive

[Winged]

Aaahh, I really really loved this! I haven't seen the TV series, but I'm in the middle of the second book and Jon is one of my absolute favorites (: You nailed the dynamic with him and Robb and Theon, and I loved Ghost poking his head in (: faaabulous! hope you write more Game of Thrones.

[Lexi]

Oh! I really loved it!!! Jon is just so cute and Robb was so brotherly, you got all the characters perfectly!

I was so happy to read this I'd been looking for a Game of Thrones fic.

and not to be self-promoting but the I posted the beginning of the Game of Thrones fic I said I'd write

[doggo]

Oh dear, I just watched this show and instantly thought there MUST be a Snow sickfic somewhere as he's just absolutely made for that. THANK YOU for writing this, I enjoyed it very much. Poor man.

[PaperThings]

LOVE Game of Thrones! I haven't seen the TV show, but I'm in the process of reading the first book. Jon Snow is my favorite! Thank you so so much for writing this!

[Vetinari]

Nice use of the word phlegmatic there!

Poor Jon, doomed to eternal sneeziness!

[Watercolor Daydreams]

Bump

This is amazing... I don't know how I didn't see this before. You captured the characters' personalities beautifully.

[CharliesGirl]

Oh, Jon Snow....*sigh* Sneezy and adorable.

[TouchOfGrey]

Love it!!! But such a tease damn it! Someone please write more GoT fics

[Luisa39]

I love this fic!!