Title: All Men are Babies

Author: tarotgal
Fandom: Anastasia (cartoon movie)

Parings: Anastasia/Dimitri
Rating: G
Spoilers: uh I guess you'd probably have needed to see the movie to follow this
Disclaimer: I certainly do not own any of these characters... especially not the real Anastasia. But the movie rights belong to FOX, and I don't get paid for this.
Summary: A short ficlette, set directly after the movie. Dimitri comes down with a bit of a cold while they are on their honeymoon

Comments: Sure!

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All men are Babies

     Anastasia opened the door to their cabin to see a lump beneath the covers. As she closed the door softly behind, she heard the lump cough and saw it shake. With a soft smile, she sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled the blankets down just a little. She caught a glimpse of a familiar forehead and a disheveled mess of brown hair. The blankets were pulled down a little more to reveal his whole head.

     Dimitri winced and shivered, opening his eyes. "Cold," he complained, reaching to pull the covers back up over himself.

     "I know," she whispered sympathetically, reaching down and rubbing her hand through his thick hair. She held the blankets down so she could continue to see him. "They didn't have a thermometer on board, but I'm pretty sure you have a fever." She placed the back of her hand against his forehead, looking thoughtful as she felt the degree of heat.

     He pushed her hand away with a cough. "No need, I'm sure you're right, Anya." She had found her past, her identity, her name. She was the Grand Duchess Anastasia...but to him, she would always be Anya, the fiery, idealistic, beautiful, young woman he had fallen in love with.

     Absentmindedly, she ran her fingers through his hair, which flopped against the side of his head and into his face. He had changed as well, no longer greedy or selfish head-strong Dimitri. A change of heart had been what he'd called it, but whatever it was, it was enough for her to fall deeply in love with him. "I did find some tea, however. Sit up and you can have some." He seemed hesitant to do so, nestled beneath the warm blankets. "I'm sure it's good," she tried to convince him. "Of course I don't like tea, myself, but I've been assured it's some of the best." Gently, she stroked his cheek. "Come, Dimitri. Just have a sip."

     Her soft touch was all he needed to sway his reluctance. He sat, brining the blankets with him, drawing them tightly around his shoulders and body. He shuddered again with cold, and sniffled wetly from a runny nose. But he accepted the tea with a grateful smile and gave it a sip. His face brightened considerably with a smile. "This is Russian!" She nodded and held her hand out with a single sugar cube on her palm, and his smile became a grin. He put it in his mouth at once, sucking it as he drank slowly as was the style in Russia when sugar was scarce, which was really any time since the revolution. They could make a single sugar cube last through six or seven cups of tea if they had to. But before he could finish this cup, he shoved it back at her with urgency.

     Taking offense, "Well what's wrong with--"

     But she soon understood as he desperately pulled out his handkerchief and cupped it over his nose and mouth. "ehh-Chufff! Ehh-hek-Cheff!" His dark hair fell into his face, but he made no move to push it back, only rubbed at his nose through the handkerchief. His eyes rolled and closed again with a deep breath, "ehhh... ehh-Chufff!" Dimitri was thrown forward where he sat, blankets falling from his shoulders.

     "Budte zdorovy!" she blessed him kindly, taking up his blankets and draping them over his shoulders again.

     "Spasibo," he whispered back to thank her, leaning against her, putting his head on her shoulder. She put a comforting arm around him and squeezed tightly. "I know, I know," he sighed, "All men are babies."

     She giggled. "Not all men, just you apparently. Twice in two days this makes it, doesn't it?" Her voice was chipper, almost light and song-like, when she teased him.

     Dimitri rolled his eyes. "I shouldn't have... have bothered... to save... to..." Quickly he raised the handkerchief again, pulling back, "ihhh-heh-eck-CHUFF!"

     "Budte zdorovy," she smiled, running a finger gently down his nose. "You'd do it again, I know you would."

     He sniffled, twitching his nose at the itches her touch had caused. "What, take on a crazed undead madman and his giant demonic horse statue?" He coughed harshly and took back the cup of tea, taking a good, soothing sip. "For you?" He gave a weak and feverish but blissful and loving smile. "In a heartbeat, Anya." He finished the rest of the unsweetened tea and fell back against the bed with more coughs.

     She followed suit, taking the empty teacup from him and going to kiss him.

     He pulled away just as her lips touched his cheek, drawing a sharp breath. "heh-Tchuff! Ahh-Chefff!" He relaxed back against the bed and curled up against Anastasia for comfort and warmth. Naturally, she put her arm around him again. He looked up at her, snuffling, "This isd't exagly how I bigtured our hodeybood." Last night had been lovely, the marriage, the celebrating. They had stayed out all night on the deck of the ship talking and kissing and dancing. Long after the music had died down, they danced to their own music. Anya hummed and tried not to lead, and Dimitri held her close and tried not to step on her feet. It had been magical, every moment of it, even with Dimitri's little bits of sniffling which had turned into a full-blown head cold overnight.

     "I don't mind," she said, taking a clean handkerchief from the stack by the bed to wipe his nose for him.

     Snuffling slowly, "Doe, you dod't have to." He tried to pull away, but she held him close, and after a moment of struggling, he gave in and let her tend to him. "Thags. Sniff! Add I ab sorry, you dow."

     "I know. And I said I don't mind... so long as I'm with you." Her bright blue Romanov eyes danced and she cuddled him close. "And don't you think about throwing me an insult about being too mushy," she said, before he had time to say anything at all to her. "It was my idea to elope, after-all."

     He nodded, sniffling, and closed his eyes. "I would't dreab of it, Bridcess." He rubbed hard at his nose and opened his eyes again to look at her. "Besides, I soud add loog bretty idsultable ride dow, I'b sure." He did look pretty sick and tired, that was true. Pale except for his deep brown eyes, flushed cheeks, and red nose.

     "No not you," she giggled and poked his nose again.

"Uhg!" He pulled back with the groan and rolled over, his back to her. "Why'd you do... hehh... that..." His body seized up tightly and his fist found his nose. "heh-KET-Chuff! Chehff! Chumff!" Anastasia rubbed his shoulder warmly in comfort. Sniffling, Dimitri pulled out the handkerchief again and closed it over his nose. "Hold od... godda... blow by dose..." His already flushed cheeks were joined with a reddening of his ears in embarrassment as he gave a hard, slow, wet blow. He sniffled and retreated into his pillow and blankets. "I'm sorry, Anya." He closed his eyes. "I didn't mean to catch a cold."

     She laughed again, lying down beside him, covering him with her body, her warmth. A warm, loving hug. "I know. Course you didn't." They had been traveling so long without rest, under great stress. The night had been cold already, but with Rasputin turning the bridge to slick ice, and then the rains starting... well, it was no wonder that he'd come down with something.

     The boat rocked, rolling them together towards the wall, tossing Dimitri into her arms and against her front as she was thrown onto her back. He groaned in pain at the movement, which hurt the injuries he had sustained in the battle the day before. She hugged and snuggled him affectionately, and it was his turn to laugh. "If I'd known this was the way to keep away from your teasing, sniff, sniff, I would have caught cold back in St. Petersburg and had someone beat me up."

     "Oh!" she hit his arm, giggling. And he pretended to wince at the pain, which awarded him a sweet kiss.

     "Pookah," he said softly, plainly.

     "Excuse me?" she looked around, then noticed the scratching sounds coming from their cabin door. She pulled herself free from beneath Dimitri and headed to the door. The little dog barked in thank you and dashed in, leaping onto the bed and curling up beside Dimitri with a few sympathetic whimpers.

     Dimitri smiled and reached over to pat his head. "Thanks, Mutt." He drew a sharp breath, dark eyes closing, back of his hand against his face. "heh-CUFF! Hih-EhhhhChuff!"

"Budte zdorovy!" Anastasia joined him, slipping beneath the covers, feeling his warm body react to her touch. "Well, this is cozy, isn't it?"

     He nodded, shivering as she slid her cold hands up beneath his shirt. "Too cozy," he said, fighting to keep his eyes open. "I feel like falling right to sleep." He could sleep through anything, just as Vlad at said. But the rocking of the boat was soothing indeed, and even the sounds of his snifflings were sweet, soft and familiar. And it made her want to sleep as well.

     "Then maybe you should," she giggled, kissing the back of his neck. Her red-brown hair fell onto the pillow beside his head and she hugged him tightly. Soon, she warmed to him and he to her, and they drifted off to sleep together to the gentle rocking of the ship.