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Aegon’s giggles and hiccups echoed through the keep’s corridors, as much as he tried to keep silent. He tried to open his room door as silently as possible, but its creaky nature betrayed him. He prayed it didn’t wake up Aemond while he closed it behind him, only for him to turn around and find Aemond sitting up in his bed, already awake.
Aegon groaned and rubbed his eyes. Their room was too dark to make out his expression, a dim candle in the corner being their only source of light. Aemond said nothing.
“What? Thinking of what you’ll tell mother?” Aegon asked. “You’ll–” A hiccup. “You’ll cry to her about how I was out all night? Anything for a few moments of approval,” Aegon continued, stopping as he got closer to Aemond’s bed, there was a faint shine across Aemond’s cheeks, the glisten of tears streaming down his face.
“What’s wrong?” Aegon asked, in a far more gentle tone than before. He stumbled towards his little brother’s bed, grateful for the stability while he sat down. Aemond shook his head and hugged himself tightly.
“What’s happened, Aemond?”
“I… I had a nightmare.” Aemond replied quietly.
Aegon covered his mouth and stifled his laughs, short snorts coming out instead. Aemond frowned, his eyebrows raising, giving the expression of a puppy that had just been kicked. He fell back and laid on his side, pulling his covers over himself.
“Go away.” Aemond said.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to laugh.” Aegon tapped Aemond’s leg to get his attention, but he didn’t budge.
“Aemond…” Aegon sighed. “What did you dream of? A monster? Monsters aren’t real, you know, unless you count our grandsire.”
“It wasn’t a monster.” Aemond muttered.
“What was it then?”
“I won’t tell you. You’ll laugh.”
“I won’t.” Aegon replied. “I promise.”
Aemond clutched his sheets to his chest, he didn’t turn towards Aegon, he continued to lay down and stared off in the distance. “You all left me. I was in… a hole and you all looked over me.” His voice cracked, and his words became less coherent. “You kept throwing dirt at me. They all stared while you buried me. Mother, father, Helena, they did nothing. I kept screaming for…” He trailed off, blubbering and breaking into tears.
Aegon would’ve thought this hilarious had it not been for how torn up Aemond was about it. Aemond continued to cry, and Aegon ran his hand against Aemond’s arm in a soothing motion.
“Shh…” Aegon said. “Boys shouldn’t…”
‘Boys shouldn’t cry.’ He thought to say. Though, those felt more like the words of his grandsire than his own. “That would never happen.” Aegon said instead. “You are the family’s favorite son, after all. They would never leave you, brother. Nor would I.”
“I am not the favorite son.” Aemond said, wiping his tears.
A laugh escaped Aegon’s lips and Aemond turned his head to glare at Aegon, a fire starting in his eyes.
“I am not laughing at you.” Aegon assured. “It’s only amusing that you haven’t yet realized that everyone wishes you were born first. Mother and father, the hand and the council.” Aegon sighed. “You are the perfect son, disciplined and studious, the epitome of a true Targaryen. And I am… well… me.”
“If I were a true Targaryen, then I’d have a dragon. Even Rhaenyra’s bastards have their own.”
“If riding a dragon makes you a Targaryen, then what does that make father?”
Aemond did not have a response for this.
“Besides, in time, you’ll have a dragon of your own.”
“Really?” Aemond smiled, turning on his back and staring up at Aegon. “What kind of dragon?”
“Hmm… The mightiest of dragons, I’m sure. That or the tiniest.”
Aemond crossed his arms, a disappointed expression, it reminded Aegon of their father. Although he was small, Aegon worried about his baby brother. He imagined it would be very difficult for him to court ladies in his future. Aegon sighed, the copious amounts of alcohol in his system taking its toll, he patted his legs and prepared to retreat to his own bed. “Go back to sleep now, Aemond.”
Aemond uncrossed his arms, grabbing at Aegon’s sleeve, his eyes glossed over with worry. “Wait! What if I have a nightmare again?” He fidgeted with his hands and bit his lip. “Maybe… you could…” He stopped, unable to ask.
“Do you still need bedtime stories to help you sleep?”
“No.” Aemond pouted. “And your stories suck.”
“You lack taste.” Aegon sucked his teeth, unsure of what Aemond was asking for, “You can have some of my wine, if you’d like. I doubt you’d have any dreams at all then.”
“Noooo…” Aemond whined. “It makes me feel dizzy and weird.”
“Yes, well. That’s the point.” Aegon reached over, tucking Aemond’s loose strands behind his ears and out of his face. “What do you want?”
Aemond’s lips trembled, he pulled and dug the skin surrounding his nail. “Could you… sleep with me? At least, until I fall asleep.”
The silence that followed was suffocating, a faint wind blowing through being the only sound in the room. Instinctively, Aegon thought to make fun of Aemond for requesting such a thing. Perhaps it was to avenge himself, for all the times he asked their parents to carry him or to hold his hand. ‘You’re too old for that now.’ His father would say, if he said anything at all. His mother would normally just pass the task off to one of her servants. He must’ve gotten stuck in his thoughts for longer than he thought because Aemond shook his head, his eyes glossing over.
“Forget it.” Aemond replied dryly, settling back in his bed.
Aegon’s chest grew heavy, he hated being vulnerable, he hated being weak. But they were alone here. No one to see, not his friends, not the lords of the council, not his bastard nephews.
“Move.” Aegon said, pushing Aemond’s back. Aemond quickly moved to the other side of the bed and turned to face Aegon, he smiled brightly.
“Stop. That’s weird.” Aegon told him.
Aemond pouted, but peacefully closed his eyes after. Aegon yawned, settling into bed. It was warm where Aemond slept, and admittedly a lot more comfortable than his own bed. It didn’t stink of alcohol, and there were no crumbs that would stab at Aegon’s back. Aegon felt himself begin to drift away when Aemond speaks up, breaking Aegon out of it.
“Aegon.” Aemond whispered.
“What.” Aegon replied dryly, his eyes too heavy to fully open, Aemond a blur of silver through Aegon’s squinted eyes.
“I still can’t sleep.” Aemond said.
“How is that my problem?”
Aemond exhaled. “Mother… She would sing me to sleep as a child…”
“You are still a child.”
He groaned, and although he could not see, he could tell Aemond rolled his eyes. “Would you sing to me?”
Aegon yawned, opening his eyes at last and blinking away his tired tears. Aemond had a sad, expectant expression. This wasn’t the first time that Aegon had sung to Aemond, although Aegon had only ever drunkenly sung to annoy and disturb Aemond, perhaps Aegon had the opposite effect he had wanted.
“Perhaps. I will, but only if you tell mother that I slept here all night.”
“But… I can’t lie to her…”
“I didn’t think so. Sleep well, then.”
Aemond made disgruntled, conflicted grumbles. “Okay.” He said at last.
“You’ll do it?” Aegon asked.
“...yes.” Aemond said quietly, his eyes downcast, clearly torn up about the grievous sin he’d soon commit.
“Very well.” Aegon said, content that he would not have to deal with their mother’s scoldings.
Aegon sang the only lullaby he remembered, he could count the few times his mother sang it to him on one hand, he imagined she had sung the same one to Aemond. “Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, go to sleepy little baby.” Aegon’s voice was strained and muffled, not giving it much effort. But Aemond seemed to calm, his eyes tightly shut and with a faint smile. “When you wake, you shall have, all the pretty little horses.” Aegon’s voice became steady, finding the right tune.
Aemond exhaled, his body completely relaxing, his head falling on Aegon’s chest. Aegon couldn’t help but smile. He leaned forward, holding Aemond and kissing the top of his head.
“Have sweet dreams, brother.” Aegon whispered.