Fluff. Fluff fluff fluff and more fluff… I officially have diabetes from how sweet this one is. I give up. Enjoy!

Info:

Fandom: Riverdale
Pairing: Sweet Pea/OC
Rating: T
Word count: 2193 + 129 bonus
Chapter count: 11/15

Delirium

Sweet Pea woke up to the buzzing of his phone. He groggily rolled over, grabbing it from the other side of the bed and struggling to unlock the cracked screen for a moment. Then, he managed to focus his vision with a few blinks and read the text.

I'll be over in a few.

"Shit." Sweet Pea cursed, realizing what day it was. Saturday and it was well after noon when Ruby had told him she'd call to arrange their study date. And, she had called. Fifteen times, in fact. Not to mention that she'd sent him quite a few texts, ranging from 'are you still asleep?' to 'are you alive?'. Sweet Pea groaned and texted her back, telling her that he was awake now and to come over and bring some food.

He struggled to get up, his limbs a bit heavy and head pounding. But, he figured that it was all because of last night's Toni's bright idea to try and climb one of the trees by the quarry in her semi-drunken state for the perfect position for her picture. That, in turn, had resulted in Sweet Pea having to go up halfway in his slightly inebriated state and help her get down once she'd taken her photos. He felt the scrapes on his hands as he washed his face and brushed his teeth before Ruby came over. One glance in the mirror told him that he looked like hell. Drinking was bad, Sweet Pea repeated to himself, as he usually did after a night out with the Serpents.

But, it wasn't just the usual grogginess of drinking that was slowing him down. As he went around the living room of his trailer, collecting some of his discarded worn clothes, he felt a heat on his face and a tightness in his throat that weren't common after drinking a lot. But, he would make do with a cup of hot coffee and he would bounce right back, the biker was certain. He hadn't managed to collect all of his dirty laundry before there was a knock on his door. His head pounded.

"Coming," Sweet Pea wobbled over to the door, opening it and leaning on the metal doorway, enjoying the feeling of the cool surface against his forehead. "Hey." He greeted the petite girl on his porch. Ruby's eyebrows were furrowed.

"Hey," she greeted back and stepped inside when he moved. "You don't look so good. Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine. You got some breakfast?" Sweet Pea replied, going to the living area and plopping down on the couch. He immediately felt better when he was off his feet. Ruby came over, giving him a bag from Pop's and looking at him intently as he opened it. "What?" Sweet Pea asked.

"You really don't look good." She told him with a worried look.

"That's what every guy wants to hear from a hot girl, cupcake." Sweet Pea tried to brush her off with a comment that he knew would spike her temper, but Ruby was a woman on a mission. As he dug into his cheeseburger, she placed her hand on his forehead.

"You're a little hot. Where's your thermometer?" Sweet Pea's head was pounding, despite her soft tone.

"Haven't got one. And, I thought I was a lot hot?" He gave her a cheeky grin.

"Crappy flirting won't get you out of me taking your temperature." Ruby gave him a stern look which made him groan. The cheeseburger tasted like carton in his mouth, but he still swallowed.

"Please, I'm fine. It's just a little hangover," Ruby's glare intensified. "A little one. Besides, you came over to study." The girl dug out her cell phone and moved away without saying anything, her fingers typing away on the keyboard. Sweet Pea focused on eating as quickly as possible, both to get through the tasteless food and to hide his lack of appetite from the girl. If she noticed that, she would definitely go all Dr. House on him, diagnosing a zebra instead of looking for the horse. She was a worrywart and tended to assume the worst first.

"I'll be right back," Ruby told him and left the trailer. Sweet Pea sighed while she was out, wrapping the rest of his burger up and rising to place it in the fridge. He would get to it later. Before he could return to his spot on the couch, Ruby was back. "Here, Toni lent me hers. Take your temperature or I will." She sternly told him.

"You're cute when you're bossy, you know?" Sweet Pea tried to distract the girl again, his arms coming to her shoulders, but Ruby's hand rose in between them, the thermometer stopping his attempt to kiss her and successfully distract her.

"Do you really want to go down this road with me, Sweet Pea?" She asked in a warning tone. "I will dropkick you into bed and tie you up, if necessary." Obviously, flirting wasn't getting him anywhere, so he abandoned the tactic. He took the thermometer.

"I thought that we were going to study?" He asked, placing the tip in his ear and pressing the button. It took a few moments for the automatic thermometer to beep and he took it out. He was running a slight fever. Ruby pointedly looked at him. "Fine, here." Sweet Pea gave her the thermometer. The girl read the number and her frown deepened.

"Bed. Now." She instructed him.

"Oh, come on, Ruby, I'm fine." He tried to protest. However, her small hands grasped his shirt and she pushed him back, guiding him backwards into his room. Sweet Pea's knees hit the edge of his bed and he allowed the girl to push him down and cover him with his blanket.

"You're not going to be doing anything in this state." She adamantly told him.

"So, let me get this straight," Sweet Pea grumbled from his pillow as she made sure that he was tucked in well. "You can bulldoze through finals with a fever and a cough, but I can't study with a cold?" Ruby immediately stopped tucking in the sides of his blanket around him and he honestly thought that she would hit him. But, her expression was soft in the dim sunlight which poured through his bedroom blinds.

"These aren't the finals, Sweet Pea," she told him, brushing his hair back from his forehead gently. "Now, will you let me take care of you without protesting or do I have to bring back-up?" Sweet Pea paled at the thought of back-up. She could only mean Toni and Fangs. Or, worse, she could call FP. Neither option appealed to him in his groggy state.

"I'm going to be good, I promise." He told her cheekily. With a slight smile, Ruby bent down, kissing his forehead gently.

"Then, get some sleep while I go grab you some medicine and head to the store." Sweet Pea wanted to ask what she was going to buy, but the warmth of his blanket being wrapped up around his body so snugly and the soft smile Ruby was giving him were too much. He drifted off.

Sweet Pea remembered waking up at odd times, fairly vaguely. His fever had spiked, even more, making him more than a little delirious. He could recall Ruby propping him up and giving him some pills and water. He could also remember opening his eyes and smelling something nice cooking. He could definitely recollect spying Ruby going around his room in the dark, collecting things from here and there. He wasn't sure if it was a dream or not, but when she noticed him watching, she dropped her task and came over, talking to him in a soft voice about something he couldn't remember, holding his hand and kissing his forehead gently.

The first thing that Sweet Pea could recall well with certainty was Ruby waking him up with a bowl of hot soup. She'd arranged his pillows so that he could sit up and eat, before tucking him back into his blankets. And, the next thing he remembered very well was waking up and calling for her, only to have her rush into the doorway of his bedroom and smile at him brightly. Then, she'd sat behind him, letting him lay his head down on her stomach as she played with his hair and talked to him in soft tones.

Sweet Pea couldn't remember a better time in his life. Sure, he was sick. But, for once, someone was taking care of him and not the other way around. His mother hadn't been the caring kind. In fact, she'd been the whiskey bottle and cigarettes kind. And, his father had been overseas serving most of the time. When he was sick, Sweet Pea had been left to figure it out on his own. He would go to the pharmacy alone, get his medicine and hope that it worked quickly. He hadn't counted on Toni or Fangs to help, even when they'd offered. His friends had other things to do other than to take care of a boy with a cold or the flu. He didn't want to be a bother. Besides, Sweet Pea could take care of himself. He was always fine.

But, not to Ruby. She wouldn't take no for an answer. She took care of him on her own time, with surprising gentleness. All in all, a small part of Sweet Pea was happy that he was sick, for once in his life. He didn't have to worry about his mother drinking herself unconscious and dropping her cigarette. Instead, he had a girl making him chicken soup in the kitchen. He didn't have to lie to Toni and Fangs and tell them that he had plans for the evening, while he was shivering in his bed. Instead, he had a girl who wouldn't go away even when he'd asked her and said that he would be fine after sleeping it off.

That was the moment Sweet Pea was absolutely certain, one hundred percent, that he was completely and utterly in love with Ruby Wolfe. And, in his groggy mind, the realization didn't scare him one bit. In fact, he welcomed it like an old friend, happy to finally see them. The panic set in the next morning, when his head cleared.

Sweet Pea got up, feeling his forehead. It was covered in a layer of dried sweat, but a normal temperature. He was surprised to be able to walk through his bedroom without any trouble, no clothes were strewn about messily on the floor. Next, he headed for the living room of his trailer, seeking out his caretaker. On his way, he noted that every surface of his home had been cleaned and tidied up meticulously. Curiously, he peeked into the kitchen, seeing it sparkling. Giving in, Sweet Pea opened the fridge, finding it full, for once. Fruits, vegetables and a number of Tupperware containers sat on the shelves, replacing cold pizza, wrapped up burgers and beer bottles. Ruby had obviously made herself at home.

He found the girl in question in his living room, sitting on the couch and folding his freshly washed clothing on the coffee table neatly.

"Hey," she got up as soon as she saw him, abandoning her task. "How's your head? Do you feel hot? Groggy?" She was instantly in front of him, hand rising to touch his forehead gently. Sweet Pea didn't reply, instead ducking down and kissing her lips, hard.

"I love you, Ruby." He told her when they parted, making her cheeks redden.

"Uh-um-w-wait, what?" She stammered, so Sweet Pea kissed her again, his arms wrapping around her petite form. For a moment, she was too shell-shocked to accept his affection, but she quickly recovered, her hands coming to grip the back of his shirt gently and her lips moving against his in soft motions.

"I said that I love you." Sweet Pea told her in a soft whisper when he was done thoroughly kissing her.

"Oh," Ruby said, breathless, a dazed expression on her face. "I guess… I love you, too?" She returned.

"Why is it 'I guess'?" Sweet Pea groaned. "And, why is it a question?" He laughed, making her dissolve into giggles.

"I don't know! You didn't exactly give me any thinking time here!" She protested, making him groan again.

"You need to think about it?" He sounded exasperated. There was a coy smile on her lips then and Sweet Pea groaned again. She was teasing him, as always.

"Oh, I knew I pretty much loved you from the moment I told you that I'd get that tea with you." Ruby said with conviction. "I just liked watching you squirm and try and figure out your own feelings."

"Jesus, don't you know that it's not nice to tease a sick man? Some might even consider it cruel, in fact." Sweet Pea chuckled.

"Sick people should stay in bed." Ruby's eyes connected with his, telling him that it wasn't a request at all. Sweet Pea groaned again, but obediently headed back for his room, Ruby in tow.

Oh, gosh… That's all for now… I wanted to something a bit more Sweet Pea, from the last chapter, which was very Ruby-centric :D

Thank you for all the support, Valerie and When I Make It Shine :D Your reviews are the high point of my day :D

When I Make It Shine: That's hilarious about the jeep! hahahaha I'm glad that you're enjoying Ruby and Sweet Pea's relationship so far :D

valerie: Bother me with reviews? Honey, I liiiiveeee for reviews! hahahaha Whenever I get one I get so pumped to write more :D I was wondering how to go about the last chapter, to be honest, and I decided to be brave and go without much dialogue in the end xD I'm glad that it wasn't boring for you :D
Sweet Pea is definitely an interesting one to write xD I haven't given him too much time, regarding how he sees her... I do have a chapter in my main story which is dedicated mostly to his thoughts on the matter xD I'm not sure how much the next few prompts will allow me to explore that topic, but I will do my best to do so :D
My doggo gets pats whenever he is greeted hahahaha He's super happy about it and says hi right back :D
Cheers!

Let me know how you liked it :D

Bonus

Ruby: Do you have any of the cold medicine left over?

Sweet Pea: What for?

Ruby: Your idiotic ass kissed me while you were sick and now I'm sick and dad's out for a week on a job.

Sweet Pea: I'll be over in a few.

Ruby: Thanks.

Sweet Pea hopped up from his seat at the Whyte Wyrm booth, grabbing his keys from the table and tossing a few bills in the middle of their drinks.

"Where are you going?" Fangs asked, looking between Sweet Pea and his unfinished drink.

"Gotta return a favor." The tall biker told his friends and headed out with a small smile on his face. He didn't know how to prepare chicken soup, but he knew where he could get some to go.

Now, I'm actually done :D