Lover - Reddie

twelve

i'm just now posting this but i got the idea at 3 in the morning so you know it's a good one ;) this will probably be posted a little late bc it's a little long. leave lots of comments bc i'm thirsty for opinions 👅

eddie swung his legs as he sat on the bathroom counter, watching richie move around it, gathering stuff to pack. "you almost ready? we might miss the bus," eddie warned, leaning forward and putting his weight on his hands.

for a second, rich look over and smiled at the boy. "we could just drive if that happened."

eddie sat back, content. he didn't mind the sound of six hours alone with the boy, screaming to songs and fast food. but he still felt the need to meet the bus.

their spanish class was taking a week-long trip for spring break down to mexico, where they'd be staying in a resort and 'feeling the culture in their bones' as Señora Lea said. lucky for the boys, it was a boy-boy sleeping arrangement for the hotel rooms, and both boys couldn't help but secretly laugh at the irony of it.

"you've got your swimsuit?" eddie asked, straining forward again as richie left the bathroom to throw those things into his main suitcase. richie turned around and nodded excitedly.

he strode over and set his hands on eddie's waist, surprising the boy, and lifted him off and onto the ground. there was only a split moment of it, but eddie's back hit the counter as he was confined between them and richie, who still had his hands gripping eddie's waist. he was sure to leave a bruise. richie shook a smile onto us lips and lead them away, grabbing his bag and hopping down the steps with his hand covering eddie's.

they climbed into richie's car and sped off toward the school.

...

eddie climbed into the bus after bev, walking down the long isle to sit in an empty booth in the back. he slid into the seat, assuming rich would sit next to him, but no. myra lowe.

[i fking hate her and also what was her maiden name?]

"hiya eddie-bear," she cooed. eddie shuddered at the all-too-familiar nickname and forced a kind smile onto his face. he met richie's eyes as the lanky boy walked over. his face went red and his eyes narrowed. eddie started to sweat- he looked weirdly good today.

richie cleared his throat. "excuse me, but you're sitting next to my best friend."

"i got here first. i called dibs on eddie a long time ago."

richie tensed up and his hand gripped the seat. was it hot in here? eddie thought it was getting very hot for it being winter.

"i'm sitting here."

"no, you're not. because is your skinny ass in the seat? no. mine is."

richie growled. "i want to sit next to the boy i love, myra."

but no. none of that happened. red-faced richie took a seat in front of them next to ben, who
was one of the three other losers to come, millie and bev being the others.

eddie let out a sigh of defeat. six hours next to the love-stricken bitch who always flipped like a coin. sometimes she made fun of him and called him a fruit, sometimes she tried to force kiss him and tell people they were dating.
but the bad thoughts went away when richie switched seats with ben and slipped his thin fingers through the crack next to the window and held eddie's hand.

...

the hotel was nice, richie would admit that with ease. it had a high ceiling and a fountain and a large pool and breakfast in the morning. he got his room with eds: a large one with two slim, faded maroon beds and long silk curtains that hung from the window.

the first thing eddie did was check the room for monsters and ghouls and stalkers. richie sat down on the bed, watching the boy in affectionate amusement.

finally, he stood up straight with relief and content, then set to unpacking.

"eddie," richie breathed as eddie scurried around the room, putting his stuff away. "hey, eds."

eddie froze and looked at richie. "hm?"

"relax."

eddie's posture did so, but he still put away the last few articles of clothing. then he laid down on his own bed, limbs spread out like a star and chest lowering and raising slowly.

"let's go for a swim," richie suggested, scaring the boy by breaking the silence.

eds propped himself up on an elbow and pursed his lips. "it's eleven at night, dude," he protested.

richie grinned. "exactly."

"the pool's closed."

he winked. "even better."

"stop doing that."

richie looked back over in alarm. "what?"

eddie went red and sat up, crossing his legs and setting his hands in his lap. "doing that flirty thing you do," he said quietly as he looked down.

"what does that mean?" richie watched eddie flinch and turn his head down even further as if to hide.

"the winking and nicknames and touching and i don't know. you act like you...," he trailed off and richie's stomach lit on fire. why was this happening; it wasn't supposed to happen like this. richie was supposed to love eddie secretly and from a distance... while still painfully close to him.

"i do that with everyone."

eddie's head jerked up and he stood up. "i know, and it isn't supposed to hurt."

"hurt?" richie echoed.

eddie nodded.

"it's a joke." richie got up too, his body aching at being a meter from eddie. so instead of emotionally hurting himself, he took two strides forward to stand in front of him. he looked satisfyingly down at the way eddie's breath hitched and his eyes traveled up the boy's body to his eyes. "you know that."

"it doesn't feel like it."

"no," richie sighed. "it doesn't."

eddie frowned up and him and then brushed past the taller boy, headed toward the door.

"where're you going, eds?" richie nearly cried, stumbling after him.

"bev," eddie sighed. "you're hurting my head too much." richie grabbed eddie's arm firmly and kneeled down in front of him. "woah, slow down rich!" eddie gasped. but richie shook his head and instead clasped his hands together in a prayer.

"oh dear my godly eddie spaghetti," he breathed in a raspy voice like he was going to cry. "please let you forgive me. i know i'm a hot-headed, bi-polar idiot but i care about you and i don't ever plan to hurt you again. i can't promise because it's true: i hurt the people around me, but i'm gonna try my best. and yeah, i know i'm confusing right now but i need time to work it out." suddenly, it was getting serious and richie stood up, pressing eddie against the door and leaning softly over him with one hand on his waist and the other bracing by the door so he wouldn't crush his best friend. "and i will work it out," richie now whispered, leaning his face into eddie's neck and drawing in his scent. his spine tingled at how eddie pressed against him and how warm the boy's neck was. "oh dear eddie," he breathed, gently pressing his lips experimentally against his neck. eddie gasped, his back arching slightly in a way that richie almost groaned. but he kissed higher again, then again. "could you-." kiss "please-." kiss. "forgive me?" he was now at eddie's cheek, his lips brushing it.

to richie's surprise, the boy shoved him, his face red and eyes wide. "that's what i mean! one second you're homophobic the next you're acting like you love me! i just don't-."

richie pulled the boy against him, molding their lips together. eddie jumped at first, pushing away. his eyes searched richie's pleading ones, and then he fell back into his embrace.

thoughts?