(A Dewey Finn x Male Reader fic)
(can also be interpreted as gender neutral)
Dewey unexpectedly catches an illness, and as his roommate, you do your best to help him feel better. However, your roommate has other plans in mind.
Hey there, people!! I might be a few years too late to joining the School of Rock fandom, but I come bearing a gift for all the guys out there that love them some Dewey Finn! Jack Black, Alex Brightman, Justin Collette, I don't care man. You can imagine whichever interation of the character you want, you're the one reading after all.
Also, when writing x Reader fics, I abstain from all mentions of (Y/N) or Reader, I find it to be a bit of a dealbreaker and takes away from immersion. I tend to keep details rather vague so that you, the reader, can truly imagine yourself within the story without any drawbacks. With that being said, enjoy! Maybe I'll turn this into a miniseries if I have the time.
Also posted on my ao3 with the same username as this account! :]
The sounds of a long-ignored alarm clock blared as one of the occupants of this apartment was far too deep in his slumber. It wasn't a weekday, and there were no gigs or rehearsals anytime soon, so he was free to sleep in and wake up around noon... ish. Except... something was off, with Dewey, that is. When he woke up, he checked his phone and saw that it was 10:37 in the morning. Rather early for his standards... he felt that his body was rather hot but didn't think much of it as he took off his shirt and tossed it rather carelessly and went back to sleep. Where it landed was none of his business.
[Approximately 45 minutes later...]
You were far better about waking up in the morning than your roommate, and you took advantage of this by putting the finishing touches on a steaming pot of bacon, cheddar, and broccoli soup. You remember that Dewey off-handedly mentioned craving some, and you didn't want to spend money to eat something you could make, have a higher quantity of, and for a fraction of the price. You turned off the stove and checked your phone. It was 11:22, a bit early for his standards, but you surmised that he would be okay with being woken up if food was involved. With a gentle hand, you poured the soup into two bowls, making sure that none of your hair got into either bowl. You knew that Dewey would still eat the soup even if there was a hair inside, but standards have to be maintained. The bowls were put on a tray, each with their own spoon and piece of bread as you made your way to his room.
No response, as you figured. You decided the next best option was to set the tray on the coffee table and knock on the door.
"Dewey, open up... I made you bacon, cheddar, and broccoli soup... 'cause you said you were craving it..."
Also to save money, but he didn't need to know that part. But again, no verbal response. What you did hear was faint groaning, followed by coughing. Clearly not a good sign, and you found it rather ironic that it was on today of all days.
Since landing and keeping his job as Horace Greene's music coach, Dewey's been taking initiative far more often. He even made a reservation at a go-karting place he frequents just so you two could hang out there. Unfortunately, some random influencer made a video about the place, spiking its popularity and making it extremely difficult to even get in, much less place a reservation. Still, for reasons that you still don't understand, your roommate was able to snag a decent time for the both of you, and now it's gonna go to waste. He clearly realized this as well as the door to his room practically flew open, and you were greeted by the smell of patchouli, sweaty socks, and... to no one's surprise, beer. Compared to him, you were a bit more of a homebody.
"You said soup, yeah? Where's it at, 'cause I'm starving!"
The concept of going out alone never stuck with you, and it was something you weren't quite keen on understanding anyway. But you couldn't ponder for too long as your attention was focused on your roommate and his current condition. His hair was rather unkempt, nothing new there. A thin line of a snot was drooping from his nose and he quickly noticed it, wiping it away rather quickly. Above all else, he was sweaty and his face kept a reddish-tint. He clearly wasn't okay, but you figured you could ask about it soon.
"It's on the coffee table, one for me, and one for you. I've got a few questions for you, too." You sighed, pointed to the bowls. He went to the living room and greedily snatched a bowl and began wolfing it down at an incredible speed. He did mention he was starving, but this was even faster than his usual eating speed, and that was pretty quick in itself.
"This isn't about me not washing my dishes, is it? Or is it that time that I was practicing while you were sleeping? Or was that that time I-"
Even when eating, his mouth still ran at a million miles an hour. As for how he didn't choke? You surmised that some higher being was blessing him with divine luck.
"Dewey, I'm gonna stop you right there. If I keep letting you ask questions, we're gonna be here all day. Now, I've noticed that you've been looking a bit... off. Are you gonna be alright for go-karting later today?"
His body tensed up when you mentioned his condition, and silence fell upon the both of you. But the wannabe rocker refused to give in and decided to turn the tables.
"Nah, you're seeing things. I'm feelin' good and ready to lap your ass on the track! You wanna know what I think? I think you're scared of losin', and you're just making up an excuse not to go! Ha! You know I'm right, just admit it! I got'cha all figured out- ACHOO!"
....That tactic was short-lived.
Due to the fact that you decided to sit across from him, his soup ended up splattering onto you. To add insult to injury, his hearty lungs ensured that a lot of it got onto you. Fortunately, it cooled down significantly since you poured it out so you weren't too upset with him. Besides, it's not like he messed up one of your good shirts.
"You got me all figured out, right? 'Cause from the looks of it, you're sick-"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up! I'm not the s-word!" He waved his hands rather frantically, in an attempt to stop his roommate from saying the word 'sick'.
"Are you fucking serious right now."
"Yeah! Ever heard of speaking things into existence? As long as neither of us say that word, I'll be fine!"
"First off, not how that saying works. Secondly, look at yourself. You're a sweaty mess, your face is all red, and there's more snot dripping from your nose."
"Nope, but the fact that you fell for it says more than enough. You're staying here until you recover."
Dewey mumbled a few complaints under his breath until he got an idea. Without even a moment's hesitation, he got off his couch and onto his knees, crawling over to you. His hands clasped together along with his signature puppy-dog eyes.
"Can't ya just look the other way? We can hang out for a bit and then come back here, I promise. Please man, I need this!"
"No chance, big guy. You're gonna get other people sick. And it's a densely populated area."
"What?! C'mon, I'll even wash my hands a bunch of times!"
"That's what you're supposed to do, genius."
"No dice, Dew. I'll give you credit for trying though."
He sighed and got up off his knees, slumping back into his seat on the sofa. His eyes flickered over to your bowl of soup, which was largely untouched.
"Just take the bowl, man."
He pumped his first and scooped up the plate, wasting no time digging in. "Score! I really do owe ya one for makin' this soup, it tastes like perfection in the form of food!"
You rolled your eyes and let out a soft chuckle. "That's what you say about everything I make."
"And it's true! It's like God personally created you and was all like 'My child... you will be destined to create wonderful works of food... especially for your talented and brilliant roommate who goes by the name of Dewey Finn...'."
"Well that's a rather specific reason for existence."
He sniffled and continued to gobble down the soup. "Makes 'nuff sense to me. So what's the plan? Since you've got me under house arrest and all."
"First things first, I need to change out of this shirt." You got up and went to your room to change your shirt. Shortly after, you came out with an oral thermometer, coconut and peppermint oil. "Before you ask what this is for, I need you to open so I can put the thermometer in."
"Alright man, do what you gotta do." He opened his mouth and closed it as soon as you inserted the thermometer. It read 101°F, so a low-grade fever. You took the medical tool and examined the result.
"Not too bad, actually. You've got a low-grade fever. It's nothing rest and liquids can't fix."
"Alright! I'll be back to normal in no time, woo!"
"...Assuming you don't try and get any late night snacks."
"Huh? How'd you know?" He seemed rather surprised, but subtlety was hardly one of Dewey's strengths. That much, you knew.
"Dewey. I know when people eat my stuff in the fridge. No matter how many times you rearrange my donut holes or my chicken, I'm gonna know you took at least a few pieces away."
He snapped his fingers in defeat. "Damn it, Occam's Razor got me yet again..." He then pointed to the oils. "What are those for?"
"The oils are for helping your body cool down. I'm supposed to rub them on your temples, the back of your neck, your inner wrists, and the soles of your feet."
He chuckled and began taking off his tank top, and you spotted the tiniest bit of his stomach peeking through, but you kept it together. Externally, at least.
"Leave your undershirt alone, man. Finish eating and rest for thirty minutes. When that time's up, then I can get to applying the oil. Lay on your stomach so I can start applying the oil on your back."
"So I get a free rubdown? This is already the best sick day of my life." He said with a sniffle.
You chose to ignore that statement and pulled out your phone to doomscroll to pass the time. The time passed by pretty quickly because you found Dewey staring at you, and the the oils. "So? You gonna rub me down or what?"
You sighed, both in exasperation and in hopelessness. The truth of the matter being, you've always found Dewey attractive. Despite his numerous, numerous flaws, you were willing to look past all of it to see a man who's willing to put in the effort to be better. Sure, he's still got a ways to go, and he can be a total jackass at times, but you're no pushover yourself. If he was truly too much to handle, you'd kick him out of your shared apartment, no questions asked.
"Just take off your undershirt, man. You're not getting any healthier."
He slowly took off his shirt, the fabric clinging onto his soaked skin. He was about to throw it somewhere, but you decided to take it off his hands... and as an excuse to subtly hold his hands. His palms were awfully clammy and his fingertips were rather calloused from the many years he's dedicated to the guitar, but the sensation was enough to truly make you feel alive. You both stared at one another in silence, and you could've sworn you saw his cheeks redden. Or maybe that was your mind tricking you into seeing things you wanted to.
"...Right. I'm gonna go put this away in the laundry room."
Unbeknownst to you, as soon as you let his hands go and left, a small frown appeared on Dewey's face.
You chuckled to yourself as you went to put the shirt away. To think... that was the first time you ever held his hands. Sure, it wasn't the first time you two made physical contact. The amount of hugs, high-fives, and fist bumps you shared would be more than enough to extend across ten lifetimes. Dewey always was a physical affection sorta guy anyway, it was a facet you just had to put up with. And now... it was something you grew to love.
The walk back to the living room was hardly long, but your thoughts were occupied by one shirtless Dewey Finn and his hands that you held. This felt embarrassing, crushing over your roommate like some schoolboy. Usually you're better about keeping it under wraps, you wondered what was so special about today....
No matter, you thought to yourself. Just properly mix the oils and rub them on his body. Think nothing of it, he's just your roommate and you're helping him feel better. You applied the cold oil mixture on his back first, causing him to shudder as it made contact with his warm skin. The mixture was spread across his back with gentle and caring hands. Even if he didn't seem aware of your underlying feelings, you can still show your love for him in other ways.
"Sorry, Dew. That cold feeling is probably gonna stay around for a bit. It's how the oils help your body to cool off." You reassured him as you finished spreading the mixture across his back.
"Nah, it's cool. Your hands are really soft anyway. It's like being touched by an angel." He said, followed by a soft chuckle and a cough.
You felt your cheeks heating up at the compliment. It meant more in this moment than ever before. It meant more to you than Dewey would never know. "....Thank you. Now if you don't mind, I'll be applying the mixture on your wrists next."
"Do what you gotta do, doc. My health is literally in your hands, man." He saluted, leaving his wrists exposed afterwards.
You nodded as you applied the solution with the same gentle touch as you did with his back. It went by much faster due to the smaller area. Without saying anything else, you moved onto his temples and you could've sworn you heard a noise coming from him as you applied it, but you heard nothing afterwards, so you didn't think much of it.
Lastly on the agenda are...
"You didn't go forgetting about my feet, did you?" He kicked his legs to and fro, staring at you with a smug grin as he kicked waggled his eyebrows at you. Even when sick, he could still worm his way into your heart. You adored and despised the way he could do that so effortlessly.
"I wish I did..." You playfully rolled your eyes, causing his grin to grow wider.
Upon further inspection, you noticed his legs are... rather hairy. It was endearing, and seemed perfectly in character for one who values his self-expression so much. You gently ran your hand up and up and down his soles. They were on the rougher side, meaning you'd need to apply more pressure. Your extended glances hadn't gone unnoticed as Dewey's face and neck donned a deeper shade of pink.
You rose your eyebrow and looked back to his feet. This was a golden opportunity you weren't gonna let go to waste. You gripped both of his legs with your arm, holding them tight as you began to slowly descended your fingers onto his soles, and his eyes widened like saucers. He knew exactly what was coming next.
"Hey... c'mon, we can talk this out, can't we? We're two chill dudes, aren't we?"
"We can, but I'd rather not..."
Your fingers danced across his soles, and he squirmed about like a fish out of water. He pressed his face into the cushion of the sofa, as to not give you the satisfaction of hearing him laugh. But you wouldn't be deterred so soon, or so easily.
"I'm not stopping 'til I get to hear you laugh, just so you know."
Dewey said something, but it was rather muffled.
"What a shame... I guess I'll just have to cancel that reservation you made for today... and never set up a replacement date..."
His head shot up from the cushions and stared at you dead in your eyes. "You wouldn't..."
"I would, you wanna test me on that?" Your gaze bore into his very essence.
Before Dewey could even open his mouth to answer, you ramped up your efforts, and since you got him to take his head out, there was nothing to cut off his bouts of raucous laughter.
"Okay- Okay! I won't- Aha! Ahahahahahaha!" He continues to laugh, and you let up, remembering that he's still under the weather.
"I'm not done just yet. Do you agree to help me out with wishing the dishes more often and not leaving your clothes everywhere?"
Dewey's eyes darted from your fingers to your face and he quickly nodded. You promptly let go of his legs and allowed them to fall flat.
"It's been a pleasure doing business with you. Now to more pressing matters, are you feeling any better?"
"I think so, the soup and that oil thing you did are helping me breathe easier."
"Cool, so I'll just put the oil away-"
"Wait! I still wanna foot massage, you still gotta get to that."
You sighed once more, putting the oil on his feet before massaging it into his skin. "You know, you never did tell me how you got sick in the first place. You were fine before you went to work."
"So you know how kids come into school sick sometimes?"
"Yeah, never made a kick of sense to me. Just keep the little ones at home."
"You're preachin' to the choir! Okay so- one of my kids came into class, right?"
"And the lil' guy was sniffling and sneezing all over the place. Nobody else wanted to be near him 'cause who wants to get sick?"
"So I sent him on his way to the nurse's office, but he came back ten minutes later."
"'Cause both of his parents were at work! I guess they couldn't find a babysitter or whatever."
"What about emergency contacts? Doesn't the kid have anyone else in case of something like this?"
"Apparently not, so he had to sent back to my class. I was really trying my best not to get sick 'cause we were supposed to hang out."
"Damn... I'm sorry your plans got foiled. But hey, you can always reschedule. Whenever that day comes up, I'm sure we'll have a great time."
"When don't we? We make a great pair, y'know."
"That's true, I didn't think we'd get along so well. But now that we have, I'm proud to say that meeting you was one of the best things to ever happen to me."
You both earnestly smiled at one another, and in that moment, you truly felt weightless. You wondered if Dewey felt the same. Probably not, you supposed. Otherwise wouldn't he had have said something? He never seemed like the type to let anything stop him from achieving his goals. The soup bowls were scooped up in your hands and you went to the kitchen, but before you could even set them down, you heard a cough followed by a series of words you never thought you'd hear.
You felt your heart freeze over in shock as you as both bowls slipped from your grasp and fell into the sink. You slowly turned your head to your roommate, who was uncharacteristically bashful about the confession.
"Excuse me? Did I hear that right?"
"C'mon man, don't make me say it a second time..."
"Right, right. I uh... I just didn't think you felt the same." You said, rubbing the back of your neck.
"You serious? Who wouldn't want a'piece of you?! You're perfect!"
"Psshh, tell that to all the failed dates I went on. I feel bad for getting my bestie to set me up with all those guys and ladies only for it to fall short." You sighed, walking back to the living room to take a seat next to Dewey, who's been sitting upright on the couch.
"You wanna know something?"
"Every single time you left here to go on a date, I got really jealous. And every single you came back crying after a botched date, I got pissed at the dumbasses who couldn't see what they had in front of them." His hands slowly reached to cup your face. The contrast of his softer palms to his rougher fingertips was never lost on you. If anything, you considered it a Dewey Finn special. "I always told myself, that if I had the chance? I'd treat you right. I'm never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you, never gonna-"
You chuckled at him, realizing what was going on. "Did you seriously just Rick Roll me?"
He playfully stuck out his tongue. "Guilty as charged, babe. I meant what I said though. I'll be the best boyfriend you've ever had, if you'll let me."
You gave him your widest grin, the widest you've ever give anyone. The widest he's ever seen. "Then here's your chance, Dewey. My heart's in your hands."
"You've made me the happiest man in the entire world. Y'know, this actually gave me an idea..."
You know that tone all too well, as it was usually followed by a mischievous idea of his.
"We should travel to New York City for New Year's Eve and go watch that ball drop!"
"That's.... surprisingly wholesome, but let's keep it real. You want us to make out when it happens so that we can end up on the news so middle-aged conservatives can lose their shit on live TV."
He laid a hand upon his chest and laughed. "You really are a man after my own heart 'cause that's exactly where I was going with that!"
He rested his forehead against yours, his eyes began to grow weary.... possibly due to the massages and the two bowls of soup he ate with bread. It was a cute look on him, and you found yourself captivated by him once more. You both chuckled as you found yourself lost in each other's eyes.
"We gonna make out or what?" Dewey waggled his eyebrows.
"Well when you put it like that..." You whispered breathily.
You leaned in at the same time as him, and your lips met for the first time. This wasn't your first kiss, nor was it his, but it felt like magic. Your hands slowly moved up to cup his face as well. With each passing second, you felt an indescribable warmth course through you. It was a comforting sensation, and it kept you engaged throughout your session.
You both remained perfectly contented and when you both broke away for away, you both let out amorous sighs. No words were said just yet, instead you took to staring into each other's eyes once more. Time seemed to slow down just for you... until Dewey grabbed a napkin from the table and sneezed into it. Ah. He's sick. Your boyfriend is sick and you kissed him. You got up from the couch, leaving him with a kiss to his cheek as you walked back to the kitchen area to grab some medicine.
Once it was obtained, you poured out the recommended amount and downed it quickly before rinsing the container and putting it away.
"Hey! Y'know, since we're datin' and all, you wanna cuddle with yours truly? Eh? Eh?"
"Get a blanket from your room, and I'm game."
Dewey quickly stood up and saluted you as he went to his room to retrieve a blanket. You on the other hand, went to your room to go take off your shirt. If Dewey's gonna be shirtless, you might as well join him.
By the time you returned, Dewey was already on the couch wrapped up in the blanket. "Ohohoho... this is a sight for sore eyes..."
You snickered and joined him under the blanket. "It won't be such a rare sight in the future. You can trust me on that."
"I'll hold you to your word, sweetcheeks."
You leaned against him and he rested his head beside yours. It wasn't long before the both of you locked hands with one another. Dewey had so graciously put on Terminator for the both of you to watch. You liked the movie, but knew that your partner was absolutely crazy for it. There wasn't a day that passed where he didn't mention it somehow.
"Hey, Dewdrop?" You turned your head to him, and he did the same, his attention caught by the new pet name you bestowed unto him.
"I never did outright say it when you confessed to me, but I love you, too."
The grin on his face was enough to make you feel like a winner, and you knew he felt the same as well. You both tried to stay awake for the entire movie, but ended up falling asleep next to one another in unmatched bliss.
It went without saying, but this easily went down as one of the best days in your entire life.