real; reddie

e l e v e n

"i'll just get a coffee, please."

eddie is sitting in a booth at their local cafe, his button up shirt collared, his hair brushed back, and he offers the waitress a smile. she looks a tad bit confused, because the small boy had been told to order anything he wanted off the menu and had simply chosen a coffee, but nonetheless she nods and scurries off.

"ah, so you'll talk to her, yet ignore your date?"

eddie glares across the table at will, who wears the most annoying smug smirk on his face. "i'm not ignoring you. and we are not on a date."

"alright, sweetheart," will mumbles under his breath, and eddie wants to throw up at how the pet name sounds rolling off of his kind of exes tongue. "whatever you say."

"it's not. you know i'm only doing this because you're blackmailing us."

will feigns shock, a hand to his heart, and shakes his head. "i would never do that to richie, my best friend, and eddie, my one that got away."

"fuck you."

"if the date goes well."

"i'd rather fall off a cliff."

"fall into my arms instead."

"i'd rather die."

will raises his eyebrows. "harsh."

eddie crosses his arms over his chest. "what are you looking to get out of this, byers, huh? because you know i'm still in love with richie, and i'm still dating richie. you don't have a chance with me, so why are you so intent on this?"

will doesn't seem offended in the least by the blunt words. he just chuckles a bit, leaning back in his seat. "eds, my dear eds, i just wanted another opportunity to get to know you. since richie cut it short the last time around."

before eddie can protest that richie wasn't the one, in fact, that cut it short, the waitress returns with the drinks, and a plate of fries for will. "fine."

will pauses, a french fry between his fingertips. "fine?"

"fine. but no funny business, byers. we can hang out, platonically, but if you make one wrong move i can assure you you'll be leaving with more than a broken nose," eddie repeats his boyfriends words from the other night.

"threatening me already?" will laughs. he's amused. "kinda hot, getting you all riled up."

"will..."

"i know, i know. i'm done."

eddie glares, waiting, but will actually has no more to say, and pops a fry in his mouth.

"what have you," eddie steps over his words carefully, awkwardly, because he doesn't really want to make smalltalk but also he'd rather do so than sit in silence. "what have you been up to since last time i saw you?"

"well, after your boyfriend broke my nose," will explained, and his voice is accusatory but in a playful manner. "i went through a lot of doctors to fix it. and it really got me to thinking how much work and effort it would take to be one. so i went into science instead."

eddie cracks a smile, narrowing his eyes slightly, trying to hide the fact that will had succeeded in amusing him.

will notices, still. it's sort of an encouragement.

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surprise