Reddie Oneshots

🌈💚

on ao3 by iamleavingthisfandom

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He was moving in with just his suitcase, while boxes with a lot more stuff made their way across the country in trucks. Expected in 7-14 days.

He didn't really mind; he had started packing even before his divorce went through, and as soon as it was finalized, he booked a flight for the next day, damn the expenses. He and Richie had talked about it extensively, trying to figure out what to do with Eddie's job and their living arrangements, all kind of practical stuff like that, so he knew Richie was fine with him moving in whenever. He had freed up space in his closet even before Eddie came to visit the weekend before last, making his heart do a little swoop as he kissed Richie gently on the lips in gratitude. Richie was left blushing in a way he only did when Eddie confessed to him when they were washing sewer water off at the Quarry. It was kind of precious.

He shot Richie a text warning him anyway, right as he was pouring himself a glass of Merlot.

Eddie, 20:31
Got the d
*divorce
I'm going to urs tomorrow
Plane lands at 3:30pm

Richie, 20:33
8==D
ur gonna get the D when u get here
I'll meet you at the airport

Eddie, 20:34
R u going to use that dumbass sign again?

Richie, 20:34
you love it

Eddie, 20:35
No, I love you
Also you're wrong
More like 8====D
Or it better be

Richie, 20:36
<3 aww love u 2 eds
so flattered, btw
is that the only reason ur moving in?

Eddie, 20:36
No
But it's a big factor
*excuse me, huge factor

He grinned at his phone, sipping the wine. If it weren't for Richie, he would have been really anxious about changing his life in such a big way. After what happened in Derry, he probably would have done so anyway; he definitely would have gotten a divorce, he might have even moved. Richie wasn't the one he was doing all this for — even moving states was something he was doing for himself. He needed drastic changes; he needed a change of pace and a new start. Richie just... made it all easier. He made it easier by making dumb jokes that left Eddie snickering every time, by answering his phone at 4 a.m. by LA time when Eddie was freaking out about leaving his job, by helping him through anything he needed help with and never asking for anything in return.

And Eddie was grateful for all those things, he really was. And sure, as Richie had recently informed him, leaving him surprised and confused, that was how a healthy loving relationship worked: supporting one's partner was an important part of it, and it wasn't about getting anything back, but rather about seeing them lead a life that made them happy.

Wow, had Eddie missed out big over the years.

He wasn't lying when he said he was grateful. He was profoundly grateful for everything Richie had done and everything he was still doing. Which just made him a bit frustrated, because he didn't quite know how he could thank Richie. Not repay, really, because that wasn't the right word, and he didn't feel like he owed him anything (which, too, was thanks to Richie). But he wanted to make Richie feel as happy and supported as he made Eddie.

The thing was, Richie never seemed to ask him for much or want him to do anything out of the ordinary. Sure, he asked for stuff like phone sex while they were all the way across the country, or to jack off together while Skyping, but Eddie wanted all that, too, pretty desperately. And he readily admitted that he asked Richie for both of those as much as Richie asked him.

So it just didn't add up.

Of course, he knew that he was in a more vulnerable position at that point, uprooting his entire life, while Richie stayed put and the biggest changes for him were starting to work on his own material and Eddie moving in. And, of course, coming out publicly to everyone, but from what he had told Eddie that didn't really affect him in a huge way. Which might have been bullshit that he said so that they didn't have to talk about it on the phone, but Eddie wasn't going to pry if Richie didn't want to talk about it.