reddie oneshots

sick

richie was in bed on a lonely saturday evening when there was a knock at the door. he waited a minute, expecting his mom to be home and let whoever it was in, but it never happened. instead, there was a louder knock, a pause, then "richie!"

the sick boy immediately jumped out of bed and ran for the front door. there was no mistaking that voice.

"hey- oh god, i know we're like, best friends, but please put some clothes on!" eddie took a step back, screwing his eyes shut. how did richie not notice he was only wearing boxers?

"f-f-" he tried to spit out a curse, but his throat failed him. he sighed and held up a finger as if to say, 'one minute!' and ran back to his room. confused, eddie closed the door and stepped inside. richie's parents didn't seem to be home. they never did, but richie didn't seem to care. maybe he was used to it.

he sat himself down at the kitchen table, setting the plastic bag down beside him. the older boy emerged a few minutes later, fully clothed this time.

"there he is!" eddie smiled, getting up. "uh, i knew you were sick," he paused. "sooo i decided to bring you some stuff!" he held the bundle of goods in front of his face.

richie's expression lit up at this, but his wide grin quickly morphed into a loud cough.

"okay okay okay, i know that you aren't well but please do NOT cough on me, mister! i don't wanna get your AIDS!" he took a step back with a playful look of disgust on his face. richie stared him down and reached for the bag. inside there was an assortment of different things, ranging from medicine and tissues to a few VHS tapes.

"i was only kidding, you know." eddie continued. richie tilted his head at him curiously. "i know i'm a total neat-freak and everything, but i wouldn't mind you infecting me if i got to cheer you up."

the sick boy grinned. it wasn't just a normal richie grin he would pull after making a 'funny' joke about mrs k, but it was genuine.

"well, you wanna watch something?"

he nodded enthusiastically, grabbing the bag and running over to his tv with the other right on his tail. the two of them crashed on the couch as richie rummaged through the vhs tapes that eddie had brought over. they were mostly disney movies that would've been kinda cute if he liked that sort of stuff, until he found-

"fuck, i didn't mean to bring that!"

richie laughed silently, holding up dirty dancing. eddie's eyes widened and he lunged over the older boy, trying to snatch it back from him, seemingly not caring that he had leapt completely on top of him in the process.

"i swear if you don't give that back to me i will fucking leave you here to suffer alone, right now!" he whined, reaching over, smothering his best friend's face in his armpit.

all of a sudden, eddie was softly pushed aside and the tape was in his lap. he looked up. "wait, that actually worked?" he smirked.

richie rolled his eyes. "c-c-" he croaked.

"dude, you sound like bill! spit it out!"

"c-can we watch it?"

"what?"

they sat on opposite ends of the couch for a few moments in complete silence, until richie coughed awkwardly. "dirt-y dancing, dumbass!" he whispered.

"oh... uh... i mean... okay? i didn't really think you'd be into that kinda movie but... okay." eddie said slowly. richie got up and put the tape into his television before returning to sit right next to the other boy.

-

just over an hour into the movie, eddie began to feel tired and leaned against richie, who was still propped up despite his ill condition. the smaller boy rubbed his eyes. "'m tired." he said, resting his head on his companion's shoulder. "aren't you?"

richie shook his head gently in response and watched as the boy beside him yawned.

"i know i usually would go nowhere near someone who's sick," he began, eyes closed. "but you're different, y'know." he got a sideways glance, but continued speaking. "i feel safe with you, rich. and happy. even when you're sick. and i hope that you feel the same with me too."

it was short, barely even a speech, but richie was moved by it. he knew eddie well and how much of a hypochondriac he was, and the fact that he would willingly spend time with him even when sick just to make him feel better made him all warm on the inside. richie sat there in silence for a while, watching the film, not knowing how to respond.

"eds?" he whispered.

he noticed that the boy's breathing was even, so he assumed he had fallen asleep on his shoulder. moving slowly, he turned so that the two of them lay spooning on his couch. he sniffled, studying eddie's face as best as he could from behind him. he didn't move.

"i love you eds, goodnight." richie said gently, in a clear voice for the first time in a few days. he cuddled up to the little spoon, praying that he wouldn't care when they woke up the following morning. he didn't bother taking his glasses off or turning off the film, he loved everything the way it was in that moment.

from in front of him, eddie secretly smiled at the comment. the two of them fell asleep together with the same thing on their minds.