sorry it took so long, but here's a new chapter! Enjoy
Disclaimer: I don't own IT.
3rd Person P.O.V.
"Eds, psst, Eds, wake up!" Richie whispered, shaking the younger boy awake. Eddie groaned, squinting at the curly-haired boy.
"Huh? What?"
"We're here," Richie informed. "We made it to York."
"We did?" He sat up, looking out the window to see a bus terminal. The other bus riders were grabbing their stuff, preparing to get off. "Oh. That was fast."
"Not for me it wasn't. You slept basically the whole ride!" Richie whined.
"Let's just get off the bus," Eddie mumbled, pressing his palm to his head. He let out a soft groan, squeezing his eyes shut. Richie cocked an eyebrow, watching the smaller boy with suspicion, but not bothering to comment.
The two of them grabbed their backpacks, hopping off the bus. Richie was eyeing Eddie with concern, the brunette's odd behavior glaringly obvious.
"Uhh... Eds? Are you ok?" He questioned tentatively. Eddie turned to face Richie, the older boy responding with a gasp. Under the bus station lights, Eddie's face was sickly pale, his eyes droopy and dull. He looked absolutely miserable, and Richie was nearly speechless. "Eddie..."
"Can we just sit down?" The pale boy requested. The curly-haired boy nodded quickly, ushering Eddie onto a nearby bench.
"What's going on?" Richie worried.
"Dunno..." Eddie croaked, closing his eyes. "Hurts."
"Maybe we should get you to a doctor, you don't look so good." Richie placed his hand on the younger boy's forehead, pulling it away quickly. "You're burning up!" The taller boy bit his lip nervously, staring at Eddie.
"We don't have enough money," the smaller boy groaned. Richie frowned, pausing to think for a moment.
"Alright... how about a place to stay? I'm sure there's a motel around here somewhere," he suggested. Eddie nodded slowly. Richie looked around, asking a stranger for directions.
"There's a motel a few blocks that way." The man pointed down the street. "If you're planning on staying there, I suggest paying extra for the king sized bed. It's worth it, trust me." The man winked, glancing at Eddie on the bench with a smirk on his face. "Have fun, kid." Richie stared, gaping at the man. How had he known? Were they really that obvious?
The older boy shook his head. It wasn't important. The man seemed to encourage the relationship between Eddie and Richie anyway. The curly-haired boy grabbed Eddie's hand, pulling the sick boy to his feet.
"C'mon Eds, I'll get you somewhere safe." Eddie stumbled alongside Richie, leaning heavily on the older boy. They walked to the motel, Richie sitting Eddie down on a bench before heading inside the office.
"Hello, how may I help you?" The woman at the desk asked kindly.
"I need a room," he stated simply.
"Ok, and how long will you be staying?"
"Uhhh..." Richie hesitated. "I'm not sure yet. A day or two, probably." The woman clicked the mouse, eyes focused on the old computer screen in front of her.
"Alright, and would you like to upgrade to a king sized bed for an extra $20 a night?" She questioned. Richie bit his lip, trying to think.
"Um, no thanks, a queen is fine, thank you."
"Here's your key, room 5. Office hours are 6 a.m. to midnight. Payment is due at checkout." The curly-haired boy nodded, taking the key and running back to Eddie. He was laying down on the bench, an arm draped over his eyes.
"Hey, hey, Eds, I got us a room, ok?" Richie worried, pulling the sick boy to his feet. He dragged him over to their room, unlocking the door quickly to help Eddie into bed. Richie tucked the shivering boy in, grabbing a washcloth from the bathroom. He soaked it with cold water, the faucet creaking as the knob turned.
Richie frowned, placing the wet washcloth over Eddie's forehead. The smaller boy groaned, whimpering softly at the cold feeling.
"I know, but it's there to help you," the older boy assured, more himself than Eddie. The brunette was half awake, the fogginess in his brain pushing him towards unconsciousness. Richie yawned, suddenly noticing his exhaustion. He got into bed with Eddie, snuggling under the covers sleepily. He glanced at the sick boy at his side, a relieved smile forming at the sound of Eddie's soft snoring besides him. Richie relaxed, falling asleep quickly.
Richie woke with a start, panic surging through the lanky teen as he noticed the empty spot next to him. He jumped out of bed, searching for Eddie. The smaller boy appeared in the bathroom doorway, looking less sickly than he had earlier.
"Hi Rich," he croaked, startling the other boy. Richie's expression softened at the sight of the sick boy, relief washing over him in waves.
"Eds! Feeling better?" He asked quizzically, an eyebrow raised. Eddie blushed, an awkward chuckle escaping his lips.
"Yeah... sorry. I get sick a lot. My mother..." He trailed off, Richie nodding knowingly.
"It's ok, Eds, I don't mind." And that was the truth. Richie would do anything for the asthmatic boy standing in front of him. He smiled fondly at the younger boy. "I love you." Eddie grinned, running into Richie's arms and hugging him tightly.
"I love you too, Richie," he mumbled, voice muffled by the fabric of Richie's shirt. It was at that moment the older boy noticed Eddie's bare chest, shirt discarded earlier. Richie smirked, running his long fingers over the exposed skin.
"Ah! Richie!" Eddie jumped. The curly-haired boy immediately stopped, frowning.
"I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking-"
"No- uh, it just surprised me, that's all." Eddie's cheeks were hot with embarrassment. "Your, um, your hands are cold." Richie blinked in confusion, staring at Eddie.
"So is this ok?" He wondered, pressing a finger to Eddie's exposed collarbone, tracing along the bone. The smaller boy shivered at the touch, a small noise escaping his lips. Richie raised an eyebrow, continuing to trace his fingers over Eddie's chest with a smug smirk on his face.
"You like that?" Richie questioned, pressing his fingers into the bare skin. Eddie nodded, leaning into the touch. "Huh," he mumbled.
"What?"
"Just making a note, that's all," Richie grinned. "You like to be touched, you want me to put my hands on you." Eddie's face turned bright red, his embarrassment obvious. Richie noticed this with a frown. "It's ok, you know. You're just a little touch starved, that's all."
"Thanks, Rich," Eddie whispered. He pushed his head into Richie's chest, loving the closeness they shared. The curly-haired boy smiled at him fondly, replying:
"Anytime, Eds, anytime."
I have no idea what I just wrote but they're cute anyway
And just for the record being touch starved isn't necessarily sexual! I'm touch starved and all I want is to be close to other people, just for the sake of human contact
Y'all should go read my Reddie one shots if you like this so far!