Bichie

Blue Lips

"Are you done yet?" Richie whined. He couldn't help but shift around slightly in Bill's blue bean-bag chair. 

"Sh-Shut up. I started a m-minute ago," Bill couldn't help but chuckle at his friends impatience. He looked up at Richie and studied his hair for a second before looking back down at his sketch book. He didn't have a lot drawn yet, just the basic outline of his friends face. 

"Why did you wanna do this again?" Richie asked as his eyes scanned Bill's room absentmindedly. He couldn't help but hold his gaze on Bill's drawings. They seemed so perfect to him. While Richie knew he didn't really understand the arts, there was no way this much talent was normal. 

"Because. I need practice," Bill said absentmindedly. It was far from the truth.  He squinted and quickly erased whatever he had drawn. He quickly dusted the paper off with the back of his hand before beginning again. He quickly glanced back up at Richie and began to work on drawing his eyes.  

"Well can I see what you have so far?"

"A-Absolutely not,"

"Why not-" Richie groaned dramatically.

"Because. I'm not done"

"What the actual fu-" Richie was abruptly cut off by Bill shoving his hand over his mouth. 

"Shhh! If Juh-Georgie hears you my m-mom will kill me," Bill whispered. Richie just rolled his eyes and licked the hand that was covering his mouth. Bill yelped and quickly pulled his hand back.

"What the actual fuh-fuh-funk..." His stutter thankfully left room for him to censor himself. He wiped his hand on his flannel t-shirt and ignored Richie's shit eating grin. 

It was only a few seconds before there was a quiet knock on the door.

"Billy? Are you okay?" A tiny voice squeaked from behind the door. Bill glared at Richie. 

"Of course. You wanna come in?" Bill asked as he gently set the sketchbook face down. The door slowly opened, and Bill's younger brother Georgie walked in. He quickly rushed over to Richie and hugged him.

"Richie" He yelped happily as he fastened his much smaller arms around Richie's neck. Richie only smiled softly and hugged the kid back. 

"Hiya Georgie? How's it hanging?" He asked as he released him and moved him back slightly to get a better look at the kid. Richie had become very close with Bill's family in the short time they were friends. One of the many benefits of Bill's house was getting to hang out with Georgie, who had taken a quick liking to him. 

"Good!" Georgie smiled and sat himself down next to Bill. Bill picked up the sketchbook and pencil and began to draw again. 

"You're using blue! That's my favorite color!" Georgie chirped as he peered onto the paper. Bill hummed quietly in response, he was trying to focus. He looked back up to Richie's face for reference.

 He took mental note of how soft Richie's face looked, and how stupid but adorable his glasses were, and how soft and curly his hair looked.  He took a quick second to remind himself that he was only noticing this because it was one hundred percent necessary for the drawing. 

The three boys stayed in the room, for quite a long time. 

Bill was drawing, Richie was asking who would win in a fight, and Georgie was answering said stupid questions. 

"The Kool Aid Man or Ronald McDonald?" Richie prompted.

"Kool Aid Man!" Georgie chirped. 

"No way! Ronald is way more terrifying-" Richie was cut off by Bill snapping. 

"Stay still! You're making thi-this so much ha-ha-harder." 

"Sorry-" Richie whined. 

"I should go. I'm gonna go hang out with Brady-" Georgie said happily as he stood up and launched himself out of the room. "Bye Bill! Bye Richie!" 

After Georgie left, the room quickly turned quiet, minus Richie's quiet humming. Bill groaned and erased something angrily. He really wanted this drawing to be special, after all, this was his first time drawing someone who wasn't his brother. 

After only a little longer, Bill sighed and dropped his pencil. 

"Well, I th-think I'm d-done. I wish it'd tuh-turn out better," Bill handed the paper to Richie and turned away, trying to keep himself from blushing from the embarrassment. 

Richie fixed his glasses before examining the drawing slowly. 

It was perfect.Not only did it look like Richie, it seemed to capture Richie's entire essence. It felt almost as though he was looking through a glorified mirror. The blue was smudged slightly from all the erasing, yet to Richie it still seemed so perfect.

Richie couldn't help but smile and look Bill in the eye. 

"Thank you. I love it"

"N-N-No problem," 

"It captures just how attractive I am,"

And the moment was ruined. 

Bill couldn't help but laugh along with Richie. His jokes were stupid, but he sure did know how to lighten a moment.

"Anywho- I gotta motor. It's spaghetti night at home, and if I skip one more time my mom will have my-" Richie cut himself off, "Uh- Y'know," he stood up and stretched, still holding the drawing. 

"Yuh-You can k-keep that," Bill said as he stood up. 

Richie smiled. "Thanks," he began to head to the door. "We should uh- do this again sometime," he called before heading out. 

As Richie quickly mounted his bike and road home, he couldn't help but think of what an idiot he was. Leaving so quickly wasn't exactly his smoothest move. 

When Richie arrived home he set the drawing on his bed before heading to dinner with his family. But afterwards when he lied down in bed he held it up to the ceiling as he lay in his bed. His eyes scanned it one more time, a soft smile forming on his lips. He tucked it under his pillow before going to bed.