𝘙𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴 // 𝙍𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙚 {Completed}

✨purple✨

A/N: I couldn't help but sneak a Heathers reference into this one so enjoy that :) also, what are yall's thoughts on the story so far? enjoying it? any improvements? Thanks a bunch lovelies x ~ Elliot

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Eddie concluded that Richie could absolutely not be straight. how he came to this conclusion? you may be wondering, well Eddie had been watching Richie. Not in a weird or creepy way, well maybe a little creepy, but that's not the point. 

Throughout the night Eddie had noticed how Richie's gaze would linger on people, this would seem normal at first but Richie seemed to stare longer than a normal functioning straight person would. Eddie would know. Anyway, as Eddie 'observed' he would notice how Richie would stare longer specifically on the men that walked into the bar. He would stare at the women too, but it just seemed different.

Eddie didn't want to assume Richie's sexuality straight away, it wasn't for him to decide. He didn't even know why he cared so much but Eddie always seemed to like knowing everything about the people around him. Just so he could plan exactly what he was going to say, popular talking points with that person, likes and dislikes. he didn't want to be hated or awkward, he just wanted a friend.

It wasn't like Eddie didn't have friends, Bill and Mike were great but there was nothing wrong with wanting to expand his friend list, Eddie thought. He kinda felt bad for wanting to find more friends, like Mike and Bill would think he was replacing them but he knew that was all just in his head. Maybe Richie could be his friend, he started to wonder if they already were,  The two had only known each-other for almost two days but Eddie found himself enthralled in the Curly haired man he once hated.

Eddie looked down at the watch on his arm, the old beeps for his medication still rung in his ears sometimes, it was now 12:15, closing time. Eddie propped his broom up on the wall beside him while rubbing the sweat off his palms onto his black denim jeans- they weren't his first choice but it was Bev's dress code-  He was nervous, he wasn't ready to go home yet, back into the black hole of cold loneliness.

Eddie knew that going home now would end in another panic attack, he could feel it in his chest, pressing against his rib cage. Beverly wiped down the last table before announcing to Eddie and Richie that she was locking up now and to politely 'get lost.' Richie chuckled before throwing his cloth onto the bar, saluting to Bev and Eddie before leaving the bar. Eddie panicked a little, he really didn't want to go home. He smiled over at Bev before muttering a bye and leaving through the same door Richie had.

As Eddie left the building, the smell of smoke immediately hit him, his lungs protesting to the toxic smoke as he reached for his inhaler. Eddie took a puff and was about to finally walk away when he heard a raspy chuckle from behind him. "Can't handle a little smoke Ed's?" Richie teased him as Eddie slowly turned towards him, expression blank "Don't call me that." Eddie mumbled out, now feeling quite exhausted, Panic attacks took all his energy, he had been groggy all day.

"you alright there Ed's?" Richie motioned towards the smaller man, ash falling off the end of his cigarette "you look like you're ab-outta pass out."

"Those will kill you." Eddie ignored him, focusing on the death stick grasped between Richie's fingers. Richie glanced down at the cigarette, bringing it into his line of sight, he made a slight humming sound before swiftly turning and putting the cigarette out on the wall he was recently leaning against. Maybe it was just because he was tired, that's what he would say if someone could somehow read his mind, but Eddie thought Richie was incredibly beautiful, the warm orange glow of the lamp post rested gracefully on his curls, accentuating the soft  frizziness of his hair. his lanky figure looking perfectly huggable. He looked cold but Eddie thought that maybe the warmth of the hug had to come from someone else.

As his observing went on Eddie began to blame his tired state even more as he stumbled forward slightly embracing the taller man in a hug. Eddie was right, Richie was cold but so was he, and together, they were warm. like red and blue, they were purple. 

Richie's breath hitched, this was the last thing he had expected, standing outside a bar at 12:25 embracing a man he had met just two days prior. He didn't expect it but he wasn't complaining. He couldn't explain his feelings towards the smaller man, at first he was kind of annoyed by him, no reason as to why, he just didn't vibe with him. When he was around Eddie he felt his chest tightening further, screaming at him, protesting against letting another person into his life. He may not have let Eddie into his life yet but he had let him into his arms. That was enough for now.

Eddie had his head buried in Richie's chest, an intimate act maybe but the two weren't thinking about that, just basking in each-other. Richie thought Eddie smelled like lavender and cough syrup while Eddie thought Richie smelled like smoke and fancy cologne. The scents didn't go together, a mix match of soft and rugged either way, they smelt like home. 

Eddie's mom would always make a fire in their backyard but would always make him stay inside because of the smoke from the fire. And when Eddie was thirteen he had snuck into his mother's room, finding all his fathers old cologne, the smell still lingered. 

When Richie's mother was still alive, they lived halfway normal, Maggie always used a lavender washing detergent, the house always smelled of it, that quickly changed and went away with her. Wentworth would also get sick quite alot, just stuff like some small colds, it always worried Richie though, him not wanting to lose both his parents. The house quickly started smelling of the cough syrup Richie would pick up on his way home from school.

Both men felt a little discomfort at the reminder of their childhood's settling into their minds, the smells of home seeping into the cracks of their vulnerabilities. Eddie was the first to pull away, Richie exhaled a quick relieved sigh, Now the two stood, a decent distance away from each other, Eddie was mentally numbering the amount of showers he would have to take to wash away the memories. The smell lingered on his clothes, sending his head in spirals, little did he know that the same exact thing was happening to Richie.

Richie cleared his throat, slightly swaying side to side, warming up to the November air, he kept his eyes on his feet, his raven curls falling into his face slightly, whipping his head back in an attempt to clear them out of his face, Richie's gaze settled upon Eddie who was timidly looking down at his black vans. He chuckled slightly before walking away towards his apartment, lightly bumping shoulders with Eddie as he went.

 Eddie still didn't look up, he furrowed his brows at Richie's action, watching a pebble he just kicked bounce across the ground. Usually he would explode a someone who merely looked at him in a dirty matter and someone pushing his shoulder purposely would be a death wish for the other person but as Eddie lifted his head looking back a Richie sauntering away, watching his curls bounce, he basked in the man's beauty once more, remembering his warm embrace and he couldn't bring himself to care about Richie's little shoulder bumping stunt.

He kind of missed Richie's warm touch, and as uncomfortable as the hug was it wasn't Richie's fault that Eddie's past ghosts don't know how to leave him alone.
Eddie felt like apologizing to Richie and on surface he may not have anything to apologize for but he can't help but feel an overwhelming urge to pour his heart out to Richie. He wouldn't since the two had just met and it would be weird 'as weird as literally nuzzling into his chest, huh Eddie?' Eddie thought out loud, breathing out the words slightly. "Fuckin' idiot." Eddie chastised himself before sighing, kicking the toe of his vans into the gravel beneath him and walking back towards his apartment.