Reddie Oneshots

Richie's Guitar Pt.13

sorry for those of u who thought this fic what too long :/
on ao3 by intouchwithhumanity

-

The Losers were crowded into one room at Stan's house on a dark winter night. The television was on, but nobody was really watching. Blankets and cushions littered the sofas, chairs and the floor. There was food everywhere, discarded cards from a crumpled deck, comics and magazines.

Bev and Bill were curled up on one cushion of the sofa together, hands intertwined. Stan shamelessly occupied the other two cushions, stretching his legs out. Mike was in the armchair, his eyelids drooping as he got sleepier, and Ben was sat on the futon, cross-legged.

Richie and Eddie were sprawled together on the floor. They'd bickered over how to fairly divide up the available cushions and blankets, periodically attempting to snatch them out from underneath each other. Eddie complained at Richie for getting crumbs everywhere, and Richie teased him for the way he sat up straight whenever he ate to avoid indigestion.

Stretching out like a cat, Richie arched his back and groaned. 'Right, sorry to deprive you all of my presence, but I think I'm gonna head.'

'You sure?' Bev quizzed.

Richie nodded, 'Yeah, work tomorrow. Need to get some sleep.'

'I'll walk with you,' Eddie said casually, yawning.

The hairs on Richie's neck stood on end. 'Sure, okay.'

They said their goodbyes and wandered out into the street together. It was the first time they had been alone together since their chat at the quarry. Not that things hadn't been better; they'd been significantly better. They were able to be in the same room without wincing, able to look at each other without colouring, able to tease and joke with each other about little things. It wasn't much, but compared to what had been, it was a dramatic improvement.

'Hey,' Eddie said after a while, smiling.

'Hi,' Richie returned, hands stuffed in his pockets. 'Does your mom want you home early or something?'

'No,' Eddie said flippantly.

Richie eyed him. 'Got a lot of homework to do tomorrow?'

'No, I just,' Eddie licked his lower lip and then regretted it, the cold wind biting against the fragile skin, 'wanted to check in. We haven't really had the chance.'

Raising his eyebrows, surprised and oddly touched, Richie said, 'Oh. Yeah, I guess we haven't really been hanging out the two of us yet.'

'No, but it's been,' he fumbled for a more articulate word, but couldn't find one, 'good. Hanging out as a group, I mean.'

Nodding steadily, Richie hummed his agreement. 'I'm glad you think so.'

'Don't you think so too?' Eddie asked, too quickly.

Richie shrugged, 'No, I do. I just,' he coughed, not answering.

'What?'

'Don't get me wrong, it's been fucking great to hang out with the Losers, but it's not, I mean, we're not always,' he struggled, trailing off.

Eddie urged, 'Go on. What is it?'

'How we are when we're with them,' Richie said carefully, 'it's not the same as how we are when it's just us.'

With a sigh, Eddie said, 'Yeah. I know.'

'Do you think –' Richie started, then failed.

Eddie jostled against him, 'What?'