the kissing bridge [reddie+stenbrough]

23

They were at the ice cream shop. Eddie had bought him and Richie vanilla ice cream cones, and Bill and Stan had chocolate ice cream cones.

Eddie sat across from Richie so he could keep his eyes on him. Bill sat next to Eddie, and Stan sat next to Richie.

"Next time we go on a date, you can choose where we go, Eds.," Richie tells Eddie. "Maybe anywhere with dark lighting so no one can see us and I don't ruin another date.," Eddie jokes.

Richie and Eddie look at Stan and Bill, who were avoiding eye contact as they ate their ice cream. Richie shakes his head and says, "Stan, move, I have to piss."

Stan stands up so Richie can get out. "Come with me.," Richie quickly grabs Stan's wrist and pulls him to the other side of the shop.

"What now, Richie?," Stan asks.

"This is the most pitiful thing I have ever witnessed."

"What are you-"

"Oh, my sweet Stanley. You helped me so much with Eddie, so now I'm going to help you with Bill."

"Richie-"

Richie puts his index finger over Stan's lips. "Hush, Stan. You know he likes you, right?"

"Umm-"

"You see it. I see it, Eddie sees it. Even Beverly."

"Bev?"

"Yes. So why not bring it up?"

"I just don't want to, Rich. I already told you, I'm scared. Plus, if he likes me, why doesn't he bring it up?"

"You're scared? Are you kidding? Look at him!"

Stan turns around and Bill is staring at Stan. "Uh, Bill?," Eddie tries to get his attention. Stan smiles at Bill, and Bill drops chocolate ice cream on his white shirt. "Dammit...," Eddie hands Bill a napkin. Stan giggles a little, then looks back at Richie.

"Pathetic, right? The man can hardly talk as it is, you really think he'd make the first move?"

"Hey, don't talk about his stutter like that. But, yeah, I guess you're right-"

"I know I am. Grow a pair, Stanley! Or else you're going to try to hit on some other guy at the arcade and get bullied by Henry Bowers, and run to the clubhouse and cry about it."

"Okay, I'll try-"

"No, you will. Today."

"Today? What-"

"Let's go.," Richie grabs Stan's wrist and pulls him back to the table. They sit down. Richie kicks Stan's leg under the table, and Stan punches Richie's arm. Bill and Stan look at each other, confused, then they look back at Richie and Stan.

"How's your throat, Bill?," Stan asks.

"I-It's better. What about y-y-you?"

"Same."

Richie sighs loudly and puts his head on the table. "Pitiful, Stanley.," he whispers. "Fuck you.," Stan whispers, "I'm trying."

"W-What?," Bill asks.

Stan was getting nervous. He takes a deep breath. "You know what? Whatever. Fuck it, I'm going to do it.," Stanley says to himself quietly. Richie's head shoots up from the table.

"Bill..."

"Y-Yes, Stan?"

Stanley hesitates. Eddie goes back and forth between looking at Stan and Bill. Stan takes a deep breath and grabs Bill's hand. "Listen. you don't have to say anything now, but, uh..."

Bill looks at Eddie with a 'Do you know what's going on?' expression on his face. Eddie shrugs and Bill looks back at Stan.

Stan looks down and mumbles, "I really like being around you and holding your hand and cuddling with you."

Richie raises an eyebrow at Stan. "Dude, I'm right next to you and I couldn't even hear you."

"Richie, stop giving him a hard time.," Eddie says to Richie before looking at Stan, "It's okay, Stan. Don't listen to Richie. Take your time."

"I mean I've already made it this far. I might as well finish what I started.," Stan says before looking at Bill, "Basically, what I said was... was, um... that I-"

At this point, Bill was blushing, because he could tell what was going on.

"-I like you. A lot."

Bill softly smiles at Stan. "St-Stan, I-"

"Bill, you don't have to say anything, I just had to get it off my chest.," Stan quickly let's go of Bill's hand.

"Wow-," Richie starts, but Stan interrupts him. "Shut up, Richie. That was hard. I've never done that before."

"Yeah, it shows.," Richie says, "But, If you wouldn't have interrupted me, I was going to say, 'Wow, good job, Stan'. Because some people can't even do that, like Ben. Awe all know he has the hots for Beverly, but he's just so awkward."

"Yeah, whatever.," Stan rolls his eyes.

"Now, pay up, Eddie. Ten bucks."

Eddie pulls his wallet out of his pocket. "I only have seven dollars."

"Okay, then you owe me three dollars."

"No, I don't. You cheated by telling Stan to do it, plus I paid for your ice cream, bitch."

"That's fair.," Richie takes the seven dollars from Eddie and puts it in his wallet.

"Y-You guys made a b-b-bet?," Bill asks.

"Yeah.," Eddie answers, "I'm not going to lie to you, Bill, we both knew that Stan would say it first, but I was still rooting for you."

"Hey!," Bill slaps Eddie's arm.

"Hey, don't take it out on Eddie.," Stan laughs, "Richie's the one that called you pathetic because he knew you wouldn't bring it up."

"RICHIE!," Bill and Eddie yell at the same time. "Rude.,"'Eddie shakes his head at Richie.

"Well," Bill looks at Stan, "T-To be honest, I-I-I really wasn't." Bill and Stan laugh.