Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
***
richie tugged his dad's tools out of the toolbox, taking out the power drill with a delighted smile, looking for the right sized screw to fit in. he frowned, muttering profanities under his breath as he dug around. finally, his long fingers secured to the right size and richie exclaimed with glee.
he glanced back at the basement door and his grin faltered. eddie seemed in a shitty mood and he didn't want to barge in as if nothing had happened. but, it had been two days and richie really wanted to show eddie the book he got on plants and a new playlist he had made.
he started up the drill, licking his dry lips as he tried to push the new nail through the old nail on the old piece of wood, hopefully cracking the wood and granting him access.
it made a loud whirring sound and a clang that made richie grin, pushing harder as if the force would help him.
"what are you doing?" richie turned to see his dad staring quizzically in the kitchen doorway at the younger boy as if he had three heads. richie smiled brightly, turning off the power drill. it slowed to a stop.
"trying to get this basement door open," he said simply. his dad paused for a second, studying richie as if to see if he was joking before shrugging.
"okay, ju-just be careful. and don't be too loud, you're giving me a migraine."
richie beamed, turning the drill back on as his dad shuffled out, shaking his head in confusion.
after a few minutes, richie saw that his approach wasn't really working as well as he wanted it to. he frowned, turning off the drill and looking around for anything else that would seem of use in this situation. he could cut it off with a handsaw, but richie wasn't the most careful person alive. he decided against it, wanting to keep all ten of his fingers.
he was about to go in with a hammer and a positive mindset when he heard a familiar voice shout out, "richie! what the fuck are you doing?"
richie turned to see that eddie was standing there, both exasperation and worry falling off him in waves. he lowered the hammer.
"uh, trying to get you out?" he tried hopefully, pushing up his glasses.
eddie scowled, floating over to stand in front of the basement door. he sighed in relief when he saw that richie hadn't gotten in. he turned around, leaning in close to richie's curious face. "it's boarded up for a reason, dipshit," eddie's teeth caught his bottom lip and rolled his eyes as if trying to calm himself down. he finally sighed softly, rubbing his temples. "ju-just don't go in, okay?"
"is that like your, uh, place?" richie questioned, trying to peer around the ghost boy to see anything interesting. eddie scoffed, following his gaze before returning it harshly.
"no! it's just a bad place, don't go in there, it's dangerous. i shouldn't even of been in it."
richie made a buzzer and whooping sound while smirking, "we got a bad boy here, ladies!"
the boy blushed and looked around even though there was no one around the two. he shoved richie's face away and cussed him out under his breath. richie smirked, nudging him back with a laugh. he missed this. he missed eddie. more then he wanted to admit it.
it was like a gaping hole in his stomach; like hunger, but no matter what he ate, the feeling stuck to him like gum to the bottom of a shoe. he felt... alone.
"i'm sorry for yelling at you the other day," richie apologized softly after a few minutes of soaking in each other's presence. "i-i don't think you're obsessed with me, or whatever shit i said." eddie looked taken aback for a second before remembering what went down the other day. he fiddled with the hem of his pink shirt and shrugged.
"s'okay, rich," eddie returned and richie exhaled deeply in relief. "i know you're sorry." it was true, richie really was sorry. he pounded on the basement door for god knows how long, trying to coax the crying ghost boy out, but eddie wouldn't budge. richie's grin returned to his face and he clasped his hands together.
"great! well, c'mon! i have to show you the stuff i got you at the store!" eddie rolled his eyes, following the raven-haired boy up the stairs and into his bedroom that had gotten messy because eddie wasn't there to clean it.
richie dug around in his closet, looking for a pharmacy bag filled with goodies for the smaller boy. "i got you a couple books. one of them's a chapter book with a movie after you finish it. and there's a magazine about plants if you wanted to... read up on them? i don't know."
eddie's big brown eyes bulged, "no fucking way!"
eddie quickly took the two books into his arms and hugged them tightly to his chest. richie felt his heart melt like a popsicle on a hot day as eddie grinned up at him and launched his one arm around richie's shoulder.
richie gasped. it was almost as if richie could touch eddie. if he was alive. richie quickly embraced the boy back, feeling the small of eddie's back under his fingertips. if he really tried, he would perhaps find a heartbeat. but as soon as eddie pulled away, so did his solid form and he turned transparent again.
"thank you, richie," eddie smiled brightly at the taller boy and richie had to resist the urge to wrap his arms around eddie, or press his lips against his pale ones.
wait. what the fuck?
richie shook off the thought yet it stuck to the back of his mind, occasionally pushing its way to the front and making itself vivid in richie's subconscious as eddie chatted about his two, new books and how thoughtful richie was. the blush on richie's freckle covered cheeks didn't help as his glasses kept fogging up slightly.
and when the smaller boy leaned his head nonchalantly on his shoulder and he stayed there as he flipped through the glossy pages of the plant book, cooing at the little cacti, richie let the thought linger there in his head.
