𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡.

𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧 | 𝐞 & 𝐫

R

As Richie opened the old door for the two of them, a cool rush of air brisked over the two of them, and Richie watched as it blew back Eddie's curly brown hair back. Outside the cabin and in front of the glistening lake was a faded, wooden bench, probably used for sitting while fishing. While Richie and Eddie didn't bring any fishing supplies (for obvious reasons), the two sat down on the bench to view the picturesque scenery. Surrounding the lake was tall pampas grass, cattails, and green and yellow discolored grass, perhaps from being over watered due to the lake. The sun was almost completely set, casting an amber and saffron stream across the lake. Richie picked up a wet rock from the soggy grass and skipped it across the lake, watching as the ripples dispersed and grew, and settled after a while.

E

"What was that for?" Eddie asked the boy curiously after he skipped the stone across the water. He saw Richie shrug. "I don't know. I just felt like it." Eddie picked up a rock and tried to do the same, but it didn't go very far, simply sinking into the surprisingly crystalline waters. Richie laughed his comforting laugh again. "That's not how you do it." He said with a smile. "Then how do you-" Eddie said, turning to him. Before he could finish his sentence, Richie grabbed under his hand. "You hold it above your hand, not under." He said, affectionately positioned the smooth rock into the palm of Eddie's small hands.

Eddie felt a rush of unrequited attraction to Richie, trying not to let Richie notice how sweaty his hands were getting from his nervousness. "Try now." Richie said, releasing the intimate touch from Eddie's fingers. Eddie felt his hands colder without Richie's tender touch. With a flick of his wrist, he watched as the stone skipped across the lake. "Good." Richie said, with a content smile. Eddie smiled a bit too, feeling happier more so from Richie holding his hand then him skipping the stone across the water.

R

Richie noticed how tense Eddie's energy was when they touched. It partially amused Richie - it was endearing to him to see Eddie in a frantic state. It reminded him of old times. He held back his laughter, replacing it with a smile instead. Richie leaned back onto the beach, no longer sitting on the edge of the seat. Eddie seemed to be more at ease now as well, as he unexpectedly rested his head on Richie's shoulders. Richie felt a rush of ecstasy run over him in chills, and this time, not the drug. He ran his long, slender fingers through Eddie's soft hair, reminded of earlier today when Eddie was asleep. "Cinnamon..." Richie said quietly.

E

"Hm?" Eddie said, looking up a bit at the boy. Eddie felt Richie's cooling hands cascade down his arms, soon interlacing with Eddie's. "That's the other thing you smell like. Vanilla and cinnamon." Richie finished. "Yeah, I guess." Eddie said nervously, not realizing he had been paying attention to something as trivial as that. That was something he liked about Richie - every time you thought he wasn't paying attention to something or didn't care, he'd show later on that he'd been watching the whole time. It was an unknowing exchange of affection. He was unlike Eddie in this sense, where as with Eddie, people could tell he was in reflection about certain things.

Richie gave Eddie a gentle kiss. When the sensation was gone, Richie slowly got up. Eddie sighed after, feeling almost numb again. It was at that moment when he was left alone outside when he realized how truly alone he'd felt before. It was the most isolating feeling.