𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 | ͏reddie

20

Thank you for the love on my face reveal, ya'll are beautiful and I appreciate each and every one of you sm🥺 I have a bit of a writers block rn but I'm trying my best :((
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"Where did Richie go?"

Eddie reads the words from Beverly's painted red lips and shrugs lightly. His face is streaked with two lines of blue paint on each cheekbone, a matching blue baseball hat on top of his soft brown curls, which still manage to flick out from underneath the material. The small boy never realised that a baseball game could be so fun. Adrenaline pulses through his veins from the match that just finished, a sense of euphoria still racing through his heart from the moment their team won.

"I'm here." Richie suddenly approaches, blue streaks also across his face and an arm draping over the shoulder of his twin brother. "Big Mike, everyone." He introduces the tall boy, who's still dressed in muddy baseball uniform and holding his helmet lazily.

"Hey! You were amazing out there!" Beverly grins at the boy, who smiles back in return.

"Thanks, it was so nice of you guys to come and watch it!" Mike chuckles, eyeing each member of the Losers club with a genuine smile. His eyes eventually meet Eddie, and he gasps happily at the boy. "Hey, I know you!"

"Hi, bubby." Eddie giggles, re-enacting their first time meeting in the grocers before. The tall boy reaches forward and they exchange a fist-bump, both laughing afterwards.

"Wheeler!"

The sharp call from the distance causes Mike to quickly turn his head, nodding over at his coach who beckons him away, before turning back to the group of teens. "Well, it was nice to meet you guys. Take care of my bro alright? Especially you, little guy." He points towards Eddie with a wink, making him blush. The teens all mumble and chuckle in response, then watch Mike jog away into the distance. A comfortable silence falling upon them momentarily as they watch.

"Wow, he's so nice." Stanley speaks up and eyes Richie up and down. "Why can't you be more like him?"

"Hey!" Richie gasps.

"Are you aware that Mike just flirted hardcore with your boyfriend?" Ben frowns, pointing towards the space that Mike just left.

Richie laughs obnoxiously, wrapping his arms around Eddie's waist from behind and resting his chin on the smaller's head. "Mike has a girlfriend, Ben. Plus, the whole 'bubby' thing is just a joke. You had to be there to understand it."

"Oh right." Ben nods.

"Who's his girlfriend?" Beverly changes the subject, leaning her elbow on Bill's shoulder with an interested smirk.

"Her names El, she's not from around here though." Richie shrugs before frowning. "Why're you asking? Benny boy here looks pretty good to me."

"I was only asking." Beverly snaps suddenly.

"O-Okay, I think p-people are g-getting tired now. W-Who is coming h-home with us?" Bill asks, pointing between himself and Stanley. The group of teenagers eventually break into three groups and descend into opposite directions. Stanley, Bill, Bev and Ben all take a ride home on the bus. Hanlon decides to stay for a while at the stadium after meeting some cute girls by the merch-bar. This leaves Eddie and Richie together, walking hand in hand to Richie's truck and driving back to his house.