Random OneShots

Shiver

By: Wolfcry22 on Ao3

Reddie

~~~~~

The bed slightly shook and that caused Eddie to wake up. He blinked his eyes in surprise when he saw the man beside him trembling so much that he was shaking the bed as much as if they were doing something else. If Eddie didn't know any better, he would think that the man beside him was having a seizure.

Eddie sat upright and reached his hand over in the darkness. He felt the shoulder of the man beside him, trailing his hand up his neck and finally to his forehead. He rested his hand on the man's forehead before feeling his cheeks afterwards with the back of his hand. "Damn, Rich. You're a little warm."

Richie didn't stir even when Eddie tried to talk to him. He just continued to chatter madly in his sleep, which told Eddie that the fever was higher than Eddie would've liked. There was no way that Eddie could just leave him there and do nothing.

He stifled a sigh as he turned so that he was facing the edge of the bed. He threw the covers off of himself and sat up straight. He stretched his arms over his head and felt his back strain in discomfort. He shook his head to clear it before stepping onto the ground. The cool tile pulsed through his feet, but he would go through any degree of discomfort if it meant helping Richie.

Eddie tried his best to tiptoe out of the darkness of the room and into the hallway. He made his way into the bathroom and switched on the light. He opened the medicine cabinet that was behind the sink mirror and quickly found a thermometer. He also took the liberty of wetting a washcloth with cool water so that he could try to lower Richie's temperature without having to solely rely on medication if it came to that.

Eddie headed back into the hallway and tried his best to avoid the tiles that he knew creaked in their small apartment that they shared. He made his way back to the bedroom to see that Richie was still laying there, muttering in his sleep as he shivered and slightly shook. Beads of sweat wet the hair on Richie's bangs and made it cling to his forehead. More sweat settled on his upper lip while his breathing seemed to be raspy and wheezing as it struggled from Richie's lungs.

A sickening feeling of dread rose up inside of Eddie. Millions of thoughts rushed through his mind of what could be wrong. Could it be pneumonia? Bronchitis? Meningitis? Strep? Mono? So many illnesses presented with fever besides the flu and every one of them could be dangerous if not treated. He was well aware of Richie's aversion to doctors and medicine in general, but he doubted that Richie was in any state to refuse Eddie's suggestions at that given time.

Eddie had thought that Richie was fine the night before when he went to bed. Sure, he had gone to sleep a little earlier than usual and hadn't been nearly as talkative at dinner or during their subsequent TV watching time afterwards. Eddie just thought that Richie was tired from one of his shows and he now knew that that hadn't been the case. Eddie mentally cursed himself for not realizing that something was off with Richie sooner and maybe being able to avoid all of this.

He pushed those thoughts away as he lowered down in front of the still sleeping Richie. He took the cool wash cloth and gingerly wiped Richie's forehead and moved his sweaty bangs from his forehead with the gentlest of strokes. "Oh, Richie. What am I going to do for you?"

Richie slightly shifted in his sleep before slowly opening his eyes. Shock showed on his face as he saw Eddie standing kneeled in front of him. "E-Eds," Richie questioned with his teeth chattering.

"Hey, Trashmouth," Eddie murmured as he moved the washcloth to the back of Richie's neck, right under where his curly hair fell.

Richie's mind seemed to move sluggishly as he tried to figure out what Eddie was doing kneeling in front of him with a washcloth clutched tightly in his hands. He swallowed thickly and felt as if he had swallowed glass. "Did I wake you," Richie rasped.