Kisses | Reddie

eighteen ☆ truth or dare

by: scumfuck (i love your username, i cackled)

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Eddie hated truth or dare. He hated it! He hated every single party or sleepover game, and one of the top three least favorite was truth or dare. He couldn't stand it. Granted, he thought it was better than spin the bottle, but he still hated it and he would continue to hate it forever, all because of one night.

Every instance before this particular one, Eddie had no problem with. Before that, truth or dare was lighthearted, fun, and he had nothing to worry about.

But Richie Tozier ruined it for him.

---

They were at a sleepover at Ben's one night, the summer before senior year. It was almost a party, almost night, more like a get together, if you will. Bev was strewn across Ben's couch, her legs propped up on his thighs, and was happily conversing with Mike while she strained her neck back to see him. Stan sat in the recliner and Bill on the armrest, and Eddie was seated alone on the carpet, staring at his hands. It was a comfortable time, really. There was an old 70's music station playing on Ben's transistor radio, but the vibe immediately changed when Richie busted into the room.

"Friends! Long time no see, old chaps!" He threw his long arms up in the air, clambering in. He received a small cheering from Beverly and Ben, but Eddie simply waved.

Richie plopped down on the floor of the room, across from Eddie, his back up against the couch. He grinned.

"What's on the agenda today, lads?" he asked, peering at his friends' faces.

Bill shrugged. "We could play a game?"

Beverly sprung up. She lived for games. Eddie used to think it was because she's a girl, and it was hard to be with a lot of boys without playing 'fun' sleepover games, but soon came to realize that it was really because she was competitive. In more ways than one.

"Ooo!" She clapped her hands together. "Truth or dare, please?" She turned to Stan, who in fact, also hated party games. "Please, Stanny?" she drawled.

He nodded reluctantly, and she fisted the air at his defeat.

"Al-right, alright, alright!" Richie impressioned Matthew McConaughey, albeit terribly, and the rest of the boys situated themselves in a circle.

As they did so, Stan moved next to Eddie, keeping a safe distance between the two of them. For an odd reason Eddie couldn't pin out, it's always been that way between him and Stan - distanced. He didn't know if it was because the two of them were both close with Richie, or if Stan simply didn't like him, but they never revealed so much about themselves. Nonetheless, Eddie still loved him, but he wish he knew if Stan loved him back.

"Bill, you go first," Bev suggested, grinning broadly. Eddie's eyes flickered over to quite possibly his handsomest friend, who sat tall as opposed to slumped over (like Richie tended to do), and let a smile ghost over his lips. Bill has always been his best friend, even after he punched Richie, after he said nothing when Eddie came out to him in sophomore year, even after everything the two had been through together. Bill's survived countless nights of his friends' bickering, and has continued to love them like a mother to her child. Bill's cheeks rised when he smiled, and Eddie noticed he brushed his auburn hair out of his face quite often when he did so.

"Ok-kay..." That was another thing - Eddie loved Bill's stutter. He had no idea why, because he remembered a lot of people complaining about the anticipation, but Eddie was a patient person. "Um... Richie."