the kissing bridge [reddie+stenbrough]

9

Everyone else had gone home, and Richie and Eddie were on their way to Eddie's house.

"Hey, Richie? Can we talk?" Eddie asks. They stop at the kissing bridge and Eddie sits down in that spot in front of the carving. Richie nervously sits down next to him. "What's wrong?"

"Can we just go to your house instead?," Eddie looks down at his lap, "I mean, I really want to hang out with you but I just... don't want my mom to see you after what she said. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, that's okay. You know I'm not sick or anything, right?"

"Of course I do, my mom's just a bitch sometimes."

"No shit. Um, is there anything else you wanted to talk about, Eds?"

"Well, besides you calling me Eds again, I... I don't think Stan really likes me that much."

Richie takes a deep breath before wrapping his arm around Eddie. "What makes you think that?"

Eddie looks at Richie. "I don't know, I think he... never mind."

"Don't worry about Stan. He loves you, we all do," Richie and Eddie smile at each other. They get up and leave for Richie's house.

///

"Is he m-moving?"

"No."

"Is he d-dying?"

"No."

"I-I give up."

"I can't tell you if you don't guess it," Stan shrugs. "W-Wait, I think I h-h-have an idea," Bill says, looking at Stan.

"Th-The bridge. The k-kissing bridge." Stan looks at Bill, confused. "What about it?" "W-When we were o-o-on our way here, and y-yesterday at the quarry, I-I heard Eddie and B-Bev talking ab-bout it. It s-said something, b-b-but I forgot what."

"It says something?"

"Y-Yeah, d-do you want t-to go look with m-m-me?"

///

On their way to the bridge, Bill and Stan saw Beverly sitting on the ground outside, smoking. "B-Bev, why aren't you at h-h-home?," Bill asks. "I was on my way there, but then I realized I didn't feel like going home. So, after I'm done with this, I'm going to Ben's. What are you guys doing out?"

"He's taking me to see the kissing bridge so he can meddle in mine an Richie's private conversations," Stan answers. "W-Well, not exactly," Bill says under his breath.

"Oh, Eddie was telling me about that yesterday. Someone carved-"

"I-I remember, Stan! It said 'R plus E'!"

"Wait a minute," Beverly stands up, "'R plus E'... Richie plus Eddie? No way."

"S-Stan, was that i-it?"

Stan looks at Bill and nods. "He didn't tell me he carved that on the kissing bridge, though." "Does Eddie know?," Beverly asks.

"Is th-that the r-r-real reason Eddie was m-mad at R-Richie this m-morning?," Bill asks.

///

"What do you want to do, Eds?"

Richie jumps onto his bed. "I don't know. We just got here and it's 11:00 and i didn't sleep at all last night.," Eddie says

"Okay, let's go to sleep then.," Richie scoots over and Eddie lays down next to him. Richie pulls his blanket over him and Eddie.

"Richie, can I ask you something?" Eddie yawns. "What is it?" Richie looks at him.

"Are you mad at me for kissing Stan earlier?"

"No, it was part of the game. Why would I be?"

"Just wondering. Good night," Eddie turns, his back facing Richie. "Good night, Eds."

"Wait, Richie?"

Richie scoots closer to Eddie. "What is it?"

Eddie was going to tell Richie something, but hesitated. "Never mind. Good night." He quickly fell asleep.
Richie wraps his arms around Eddie's waist.

"Good night, Eds." Richie softly kisses Eddie's neck and falls asleep.