soulmates? - reddie

9

A/N: Guess who got Grammarly? This could either improve or ruin my writing style. Anyways,

CW: Mentions of hate crimes towards a gay character

Richie was laying in a hospital bed. He'd been asked a thousand questions in the ER, given X-rays, physical exams and he was not enjoying his stay. Luckily he wouldn't be there longer than a few days for 'observation'. His group of friends stayed with him a while, waiting to hear all that was going on. He even got Bev to sneak him a beer, he had begged her for a joint,  but she refused, claiming that it won't help him. But, in Richie's mind, he knows he'd rather be high than all the way here.

The doctor eventually comes back and gives a rundown. The Losers all giggle, hiding their alcohol and station snacks in backpacks and behind their backs. He starts telling them all of the broken ribs, bruised tailbone, sprained ankle, and a minor concussion. None surprise the tall boy, and all his friends look at him like he's dying in front of them. He tries to think of a joke, something to lighten the mood. Instead, he just sighs, gives thanks to the doctor, and lets the tall man take care of him. They'd already cleaned out and covered his cuts. He starts to wonder if Bowers had rings on, though it isn't as if he remembers. 

The doctor leaves after putting wraps around Richie's skinny midsection and telling the group that he can't let them all stay due to a two visitor rule. They all ask if Rich wants any of them to stay until he gets the painkillers, but he shakes his head. Sending them out. They all discussed after leaving the building how pale and scared he looked in that bed.

Once he's alone, he lets it all go. Sobbing, ugly crying, he can't stop until he moves to soft sniffles. He picks up his phone and plays a song he never knew he'd need until now. Pink Guy's Help. He plays the song on repeat for half an hour. Even as the nurse comes and gives him an IV version of his soon-to-be-prescribed pain killers, the song plays. She explains to him they're working on getting punishment for Henry in motion, and he just nods along, asking her to let him go to bed. 

After another round of tears, Richie had had a couple of cans of the beer snuck to him. He looked at his phone, a text from Eddie.

"Hey babe, I am having fun! I'll send you pictures tomorrow. It's late here, and there, so please get to bed! Ily, goodnight"

He looked at the text and pouted with teary eyes. He typed a goodnight message, trying to make it 'normal-sounding'. He stared at his phone and got a message back. A playlist of all Eddie's favorite songs. It was perfect. He got two songs in before calling Eddie. It wasn't a face-time, or anything similar. He started talking, loving the sound of the drowsy voice. Richie took a deep breath before interrupting his boyfriend's complaints of being woken up. 

"Are you alone?"

"Yes? Why the fuck would you ask me that, do you think I'd cheat on you" You could hear the pouting of Eddie's lips, giving Rich a huge smile and allowing him to get a chuckle out. 

"No! No, I just wanted to know if some phone stuff is available?" He asks it and hopes both this idea and the drowsiness of his partner will allow them both to ignore the sounds of the hospital.

"Why not" Richie smiles, and you could hear Eddie's smile on the other line.

...

Once Richie had sufficiently cleaned up and hidden the evidence in the small trashcan, he let Eddie go to bed, sighing as he stared up at the white ceiling. 

"Take that Bowers" He laughed quietly and looked back over at the now empty chairs "You beat the shit out of me and I'm still gay." He mutters the last few words in the sentence when a familiar curly-haired boy is peeking into his door frame. The last person that he wanted to see after the events that just occurred.

"Visiting hours are over Connor." The boy steps in regardless and rolls his eyes, shrugging.

"I know, but hear me out, I brought a special brownie as a peace offering" Richie holds out his hand and lets his ex-hook-up partner sit in what was Bill's chair. "Look, I'm so sorry Rich. I never asked him to do that-"

Richie cuts him off "I didn't think you did, but it happened because of us. And it doesn't matter, I just felt numb when it happened." He shrugs it off as Connor jumps back in.

"But you didn't deserve it, and I didn't want it, and it was my cousin. It's my fault he's here and he knows..." The ramble ends when he starts to cry "I'm so so sorry Richie." Rich looks to his phone, buzzing with texts from Eddie. Goodnight texts no doubt. He ignores them.

"It wasn't your fault, don't say that. He's- he's just so close-minded Connor. So, so close-minded." He repeats himself a few times before falling into tears. They both cry, and it evolves into sad laughing, Connor moves closer to the bedside and very gently hugs Richie. Richie hits play on Eddie's playlist.

"What's this playlist?"

"Oh it's nothing, I just like it."

As Butterfly's Repose starts to play, Richie listens to the lyrics and remembers who sent them to him, who they're really from. Not Zabawa, but his boyfriend. He lightly sniffles and falls asleep, telling Connor to just stay and sleep, he can leave in the morning. They wake up to a nurse bringing a public school reminiscent breakfast and administering more of the pain killers. She asks where to send the prescription, explains the dangers of painkiller addictions, and overdoses, and ends by telling Richie he can check out tomorrow morning. They both thank her and get into just chatting. The Losers say they can't come today, and he goes with it. He and Connor talk and fuck around all day, splitting the brownie, playing tick-tack-toe and finger football, even watching reality TV. 

Eddie's texts stay ignored.

...

1:26 am

Eds Spagheds 🍝🍝❤️

Richie, I'm not deaf.

I heard the beeping

You're in a hospital!

Shit, you're alone, are you okay?

Babe, what happened?

Richie?

I'm getting tickets to come home tomorrow, that's it.

I'll be there at 10 pm. Hold on for me.

Rich?

           Delivered

Word count: 1088

A/N should I make a playlist for inspiration?