Work Text:
Soda was miserable. His throat hurt, his eyes burned and even thinking about it made his temples start to throb. He’d been sitting alone in bed. Pony had to go to school even though he wanted to stay with Sodapop, and Darry was forced to take the day off to care for him. He felt terrible making Darry do that, and he tried to protest, but he couldn’t even talk enough to convince his big brother. Still, they all knew they couldn’t afford more days off.
He felt his body convulse painfully, and he leaned over to vomit. He hated the thought of that. The thought of vomit itself made him want to curl up into a corner and sob. But him throwing up was even worse. He felt nothing, but he couldn’t breathe. He wanted to get it over with, but he wasn’t able to. Instead, he doubled over in pain and groaned, tears springing to his eyes. As he tried to get air in sharp gasps, he didn’t even notice the door open.
“Soda…?” Steve was standing at the door looking very pitiful. “Hey…” Soda groaned in response, turning over. Soda shifted uncomfortably and sat down on his bed. He noticed the tears in Soda’s eyes and looked worriedly down at him.
“Are you okay?” Soda nodded. “Yeah…just hurts a little…” Steve’s heart sank, and he handed him a box of tissues and a little box with a bow on it. Soda took both with much gratitude, and blew his nose. He then took his shaking hands and forced them to open the gift box. His heart melted as he saw a little crocheted copper colored horse.
“S-Steve did you…Did you make this?” Steve smiled a little, his voice strangely gentle.
“Yeah, it was going to be for your birthday, but I figured it might help you feel better. I’ll get you something else for your birthday. Do you…Do ya like it?” Soda smiled and nodded, feeling another puke coming on. He shuddered, hating the word. Tears filled his eyes and he choked again, curling into a little ball.
Urghhh…ack! ow…
Steve’s heart dropped into his stomach to hear the pained grunts from his best friend. He laid down on the bed and put a hand on Soda’s shoulder.
“Hey man, you’re fine, you’ll be fine. I gotcha, Soda.” He murmured in a low voice. Darry opened the door to the scene, and not wanting to overstimulate Sodapop, shot Steve a grateful look and left him with some medicine.
Soda gasped for air like a fish out of water, and Steve rubbed his back in an attempt to help. “Hey, take deeper breaths man, it’ll be fine.”
With that, Soda closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose.
“Thanks Steve. I owe you one, pal.” Steve grinned a toothy grin and nodded. “Anytime, man…you want somethin to eat?” Soda shook his head.
“I…I’m gonna get some water and ice for my throat…” He started to move but Steve quickly shut him up. “No. I’ll get it. Stay here. Dont. Move.” Soda tried to chuckle at his persistence, only managing a wheezing squeak, then bursting into a chorus of painful coughs.
“Thanks, man”
Steve rushed to the kitchen to see a very nervous Darry pacing around.
“Oh! Hey, did Soda need anything?” He immediately stopped pacing and frantically tried to fix his hair.
“Just water and maybe an ice pop…Hey, you good? You don’t look so hot…”
Darry nodded tiredly. “Yeah, I’m fine, just a little stressed is all. Mind if I stop into his room?” “Hey man, it’s your house.”
Steve got an orange popsicle and a glass of water and ice. He grabbed a pack of cough drops and tried to balance them all. When he walked in he spied Darrel sitting by Soda’s bedside, stroking his hair as he murmured. Steve quietly entered and handed Soda the water, holding onto the popsicle until he was done drinking. It took a long time, with a lot of coughing in between. Sodapop smiled as he accepted the popsicle. He ate it in between thanks, and soon after he fell asleep, sweating and shivering. He smiled a little in his sleep, and the boys were glad that their brother (yes, Soda counted as Steve’s brother) wasn’t experiencing the feverish pain in his sleep.
Just like that, Darry was out like a light in the soft chair he was sitting in. Steve snuggled into the covers on the other side, not caring that he might get sick, and fell asleep next to his best friend.