𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡.

𝐮𝐩 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 | 𝐞 & 𝐫

E and R

    The two boys sat in the dim apartment, basking in the emotional silence for a while. They didn't say anything, they just sat there. Eddie inhaled deeply and exhaled to take the tension off. The silence was loud, and it almost felt like there was a pressure on their ears. "Richie, I'm not gonna blame, or judge you for any of the shit you did in the past, and that's really hard-" Eddie said, pausing for a second. Richie felt a 'but' coming on. "But I can't just sit here and let you do this to yourself. I-" Eddie tried to say the words to him, but he couldn't. Not yet, at least. It was hard too, especially after everything that had happened.

"Yeah. I get it." Richie muttered. He put his hood on, shifting directions slightly so he wasn't facing the other boy anymore. Eddie reached out and softly touched the boy's hand. "We all have things we aren't proud of." Eddie said, more quietly than before. Richie turned his head back a little. "How could you have anything wrong you've done, ever?" Richie asked. "You're perfect." He said, looking into his eyes. Richie genuinely meant it. "That's not true, and you know it." Eddie said to Richie with a straight face, not laughing at his "joke". "Yeah, sure." Richie said, fidgeting nervously with the bottom of his hoodie.

E

Eddie was still distraught after the story Richie had told him. Richie could sense it, too. A tear rolled down Eddie's face. "I don't want to think about it anymore, okay?" Richie started, "And I don't want you to think about it either." He finished. "I'm sorry. It's just..." Eddie's gaze shifted. "Being here. Being with you this past day is just making me feel really fucking vulnerable." Eddie said, clearly frustrated with him himself just for feeling. "You don't need to apologize for being human." Richie said, wiping the tear off Eddie's face with a gentle swipe. "It's just so stupid, you know?" Eddie said. "All of these years I've been trying to hide myself, and once I finally come around you..." He stopped, not knowing what to say. "I can't pretend anymore." He said. "That's stupid, sorry." He muttered.  "That's not stupid at all. I've been kind of feeling the same way." Richie replied. Eddie wasn't expecting that. Or any of this. "You know, I'd never told anyone about my overdose before." Richie said. "I honestly didn't think anyone would care." He said, muttering the last part. "But like, seeing you. And you opening up to me like this, even though I was such an asshole to you that night..." He trailed off. Eddie felt relieved.

"Honestly, when I saw you yesterday for the first time in a while, I was terrified." Eddie scoffed. "Terrified? Of me? Like I'd believe that." He said, laughing a little bit. Richie's face was still serious. "Are you for real?" Eddie said, trying to find some sense of joking nature in his words. Richie nodded. "You still kind of scare me now. You don't even act like a person." Richie admitted with a nervous tone. Eddie looked at him, confused. "Sorry I 'scared you'?" Eddie said, confused, with air quotes, still not sure if he believed what Richie was saying. "I just wanted to tell you, just in case we, y'know, become friends again." Suddenly, it hit Eddie. It wasn't like "old times". They hadn't talked in so long. Hell, he barely had Richie's phone number. "Are we... not friends?" Eddie said, stammering a bit. He saw Richie thinking.  "Oh. Well, I guess we are." Richie said with a small smile at the corners of his lips.

R

Eddie thought for a moment. "Rich, can I show you something?" Eddie asked him nervously. "Sure, what up?" Richie said with anticipation. He saw Eddie stand up and walk over to his bag that he'd brought. He saw the boy pull out a worn, old looking jacket. It took Richie's brain a minute to process what it was. "Holy shit." He said, standing up and walking over to it. It was his old jacket - the one he'd left with Eddie that night. "You still have this, Eds?" He turned, asking the boy. Eddie nodded. "You probably think I'm sort of a dork now." Eddie said, sighing. "No." He said, turning to the boy. "I think you're a huge dork now." Eddie rolled his eyes as Richie laughed. Richie looked at Eddie's eyes for a moment, just admiring him. Richie laughed a little.

E

Eddie looked around, kind of confused. "What?" He asked, wondering why Richie was laughing. "Nothing. Just you." He said, still looking at him. Eddie blushed again. God, Richie had to stop doing that to him. "Sorry," Richie said as Eddie watched him snap back to reality. Eddie did a small laugh. Richie was still smiling. "Your laugh is adorable." Richie said, running his hands through Eddie's soft hair. "Oh my god," Eddie said sarcastically. "Who knew you could be so flirty?" He said, rolling his eyes and walking away. Richie giggled a little. "Whaaaat? Pfft... I'm totally not flirting, I'm just telling you the truth." Richie lied. "Don't make me start to like you," Eddie said, accidently letting it slip out. Shit. "Aren't you straight?" Richie said, mocking what Eddie said earlier. "Uh... You never know." Eddie shrugged, cryptically.

R

Richie had a grin on his face until he realized. "Wait. Don't you have to go back soon?' Eddie had an 'oh shit' look on his face. "Damn it. You're right. I guess I do." He said, looking slightly disappointed. "I mean... " Richie walked up to him. "I had fun." He said, looking into the boy's eyes. "You know, besides all of the tears and fighting." He joked.  They stared into each other's eyes for a while. He saw Eddie tearing up. Richie looked concerningly at the shorter boy. "Come on. I told you not to think about that." He said. "No," Eddie said, drying his eyes. "I'm just... happy, Rich." Richie smiled.

E

Eddie grabbed his bag and walked to the door. Richie sighed, opening the door for him. "I'm gonna miss you." Richie said to him, the cold breeze hitting his face with the swinging open of the door. Eddie's hair was blowing slightly. "Yeah." Eddie was smiling too. Genuinely. "I'll see you around." Eddie said reluctantly, walking down the steps. "I love you." He saw Richie mouth to him. Eddie was shocked. He continued smiling, and walked off.

R

Richie plopped himself on the couch with a huge grin after he shut the door and let Eddie out. He felt like a piece of his "puzzle" was put into its correct place. However, there was still one piece missing. He wanted Eddie so badly now. He sighed and stared at the ceiling for a while. He knew he had to change, but hell, he didn't want to. Would he be willing to for Eddie, though?

He got up, walking to the cabinet and putting the glasses away after cleaning them with some warm water. As he closed the cabinet, he heard loud knocking on his door. What the hell? He rushed over, thinking maybe there was a fire in the apartment complex or some emergency outside. When he opened it, he saw Eddie standing there. "What the f-?" Before he could finish the sentence Eddie rushed into a passionate kiss, grabbing Richie's hair. Richie kissed back, confused but going with it. Richie turned and slammed the door, roughly pushing the boy against the wall and kissing him.

E

Eddie felt Richie grab his waist and push him against the wall as he kissed his neck. It was simply euphoric. He felt happier than he'd felt in a while. They rushed into the bedroom and shut the door.