Reddie Oneshots

Richie's Guitar Pt. 10

'Rich?' Eddie started, lying in bed with Richie curled on top of him.

'Yeah?' he yawned, spreading his arms across Eddie's chest, cat-like.

'Do you ever think that there might be more of us in Derry?'

'What do you mean, "more of us"?' Richie queried.

Eddie shrugged his shoulders up to his ears. 'You know, more people who are like us. Gay people.'

There was something which Richie had been meaning to address for a while, and though it wasn't Eddie's question, he knew that he should take the opportunity presented. With a deep huff, Richie said, 'I'm not gay.'

'Very funny,' Eddie sniggered, then when he felt Richie tense beside him, his brow furrowed. 'Wait, what?'

Richie squirmed, not looking at him. 'I like girls, Eddie.'

Still unsure whether this was a weird joke, Eddie said with a tentative laugh, 'You know I'm a boy, right?'

'Yeah, Eds,' Richie said steadily, 'I know.'

Eddie's eyebrows twitched, 'You said you thought you were different?'

Richie smacked his lips together, 'And I am, because as you so shrewdly observed, you are a boy.'

'But you said it wasn't just me that made you think so,' Eddie reminded.

'It's not,' Richie confirmed.

Eddie's eyes flicked. 'I'm confused.'

'Yeah, me too, dickhead.'

'You like boys,' Eddie stated.

'Yes,' Richie nodded once.

'And girls?'

'Yeah,' he nodded again.

Eddie shuffled to sit up, forcing Richie to move. He wanted to look at him, to know this was a serious conversation and not Richie messing with him. 'Really?'

'I think so,' Richie gulped, unsmiling.

Hardly able to conceive of it, Eddie spluttered, 'Is that a thing? Can you do that?'

Richie frowned, 'Don't see why not.'

Eddie blinked hard and rubbed his eyes. 'Wow. Sorry. I never thought that,' he babbled. 'I just assumed that, you know, you were,' he gestured frenetically. 'Well, if you've liked me since you were,' he shook his head. 'How do you know?'

Awkward, uncomfortable, Richie rubbed his neck. 'How would anyone know? It just, sort of, is what it is. It makes sense to me. It feels right.'

'Huh,' Eddie said.

'It doesn't matter, does it?' Richie asked, worried.

Eddie said slowly, 'No. It doesn't. I'm just trying to wrap my head around the idea.'

'In my experience, wrapping your head around the idea can take about half a decade.' He sighed, 'Maybe even longer.'

Strangely jealous, Eddie asked, 'Have you ever felt about a girl the way you feel about me?'

Making a face, Richie said, 'Depends what you mean.'

'Does it?' Eddie asked.

'Well, yeah,' Richie said emphatically, as though it should be obvious.

Eddie didn't understand. 'Why?'

Richie's eyes ran over his body, 'Because I like you in so many different ways.'