𝘙𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴 // 𝙍𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙚 {Completed}

✨Staring contest✨

When Stan got home that night the last thing he had expected to walk in on was Eddie and Richie sitting at the kitchen counter. When he had gotten home, the apartment was quiet and Stan had assumed Richie was sleeping or out, but what he didn't expect was to see Richie and Eddie locked in some sort of staring contest.

Stan's thoughts had been confirmed when Richie shouted out at him "Hey Stan the man! i would as you how your day was but i really need to concentrate on winning this staring contest!" Eddie's face was locked in concentration, stern and merciless, however, Richie's face held a smirk as the two locked eyes.

Stan chose not to question it, instead letting out an exasperated sigh as he took off his trench coat, setting it on the back of Richie's chair. a sudden outburst from Eddie startled him as he leaned against the kitchen counter, watching the two with an amused smile. 

"HA! you blinked! i win, i win!" Eddie had thrown his hands up in the air in victory and Stan chuckled to himself as Richie shook his head, laughing too. 

"Well darn it, don't worry Ed's, i'll beat cha' next time." Richie winked at Eddie and Stan noticed how Eddie's face grew an extra shade pinker, he smiled to himself before deciding to make himself a coffee. 

"How was class Staniel?" 

Stanley rolled his eyes.

"They were fine, Richard. What did you do while i was gone?" 

Stan always asked Richie what he had done during Stan's classes since when left alone his mind seemed to always catch up to him. Stan had almost dropped out after Richie's incident just so he wasn't alone. sure the two bickered alot but that was all fun and games, the two loved each other, it was platonic but as passionate as ever, they were family.

"weeelll," Richie dragged out the word. "I had a party Stanley." 

Stan looked up from stirring his coffee, confusion written over his features.

"But, the house is clean, it smells nice and it's only seven pm, how the hell...?"

Richie laughed shortly before getting up and standing next to Eddie, hooking his arm around the small man's shoulders. 

"Me and Ed's had our own party."

"Ed's and I." Stan corrected, turning round to face the two, coffee in hand, Richie scoffed and smiled. 

"Want a drink Eddie?" 

Eddie looked over towards Stan as he caught himself yet again staring at Richie. 

"Oh...no thank you, i actually should probably get going now." Eddie didn't want to intrude, the moment Stan had asked him if he wanted a drink he felt like he had stayed long enough. His chest tightened, he didn't want to go home, back to the loneliness that calls his name but he also really didn't want to overstep his boundaries. 

"Hey Ed's, wait don't leave yet!" Richie surged forwards, gripping on to the sleeve of Eddie's bubblegum pink sweater. "Let's just have one drink, i have the best! Jim Beam!" 

Wow, Jim Beam, Eddie had to give it to him, Richie did have good taste buds when it came to alcohol, it was an offer he couldn't refuse.

"Well if you insist...on one condition though!" Eddie walked back towards the kitchen, no longer vying to escape. "You stop calling me Ed's."

Richie pouted, pathetically jutting his bottom lip and wobbling it for effect. 

"oh you love it Eddie, it's what makes you so...chuckalicious!" Richie pulled Eddie towards him-using the grip he had on his sweater- pulling him into a headlock and rubbing his knuckle against his head in a noogie. Eddie squirmed, trying to get away from Richie's grip, kicking at the tall man's shins as noises of Richie's laughter and Eddie's whining filled the kitchen. 

Stan watched the two, an amused smirk pulling at his lips before he cleared his throat slightly, taking a long sip of his coffee, making a slurping noise he knew Richie hated. and it worked, Richie released his grip on Eddie, ruffling his hair more afterwards then turned towards Stan, a death glare set across his features, a hint of a smirk still remained however. 

"Mind cuttin' it out Stan the man." 

"nope" Stan smirked and took another slurp of his coffee as Eddie giggled quietly behind his hand. Richie seemed to soften up at the sound of Eddie's giggle and Stan smiled, noticing Richie's features drop, a small smile playing at his lips, He knew Stan would notice, he always did. 

Richie turned back towards Eddie, glancing at the rosy cheeked man before walking over to a cupboard, pulling out a bottle of Jim beam as Stan grabbed two whiskey glasses from the cupboard above him, one for Eddie and one for Richie. 

"You're not drinking Stan?" 

Richie chuckled, grabbing whiskey stones from the fridge, the fancy kind, Eddie noticed. Stan rolled his eyes at Richie, answering Eddie,

"I don't drink, plus i don't think whiskey washes down good with coffee."

"Stan's a pussy!" Richie exclaimed while pouring Eddie and himself some of the whiskey, plopping two whiskey stones in each glass, them making a dunking sound. Richie held a glass out to Eddie and smirked. 

"Congratulations on winning the mighty contest of staring, spaghetti-boy!" Eddie smiled lightly, amused by Richie's antics, he took the glass from Richie, their hands brushing causing Eddie's ears to heat up, a blush settling on the top of his ears. Richie noticed but chose not to say anything since he too was blushing slightly. 

Eddie took a gulp, his face grimacing at the familiar flavour as the whiskey burnt his throat, it was smooth and didn't make him gag so that was a good sign. He took sip, his mouth getting used to the flavour as he kitten licked his lips, them going slightly red from the burning sensation of the whiskey. His lips tingled and he wondered if they would do the same if he kissed Richie, he didn't know why he thought that he just couldn't help it, he was always thinking about the man.

"You called me that at the bar yesterday morning."

"Huh?"

"Spaghetti-boy."

Richie swallowed down another drink of his whiskey, scrunching his nose slightly before remembering when he had blurted the nickname out after seeing Eddie enter the bar, he hoped Eddie wouldn't ask. 

"oh yeah, well it's a nickname Ed's.

"Ed's is a nickname already."

"would you rather i call you Ed's then." Richie smirked, eyes sparkling in mischief. 

"what? no! Just call me Eddie, jackass." Eddie went red, slightly from anger and slightly from the fact that Eddie loved it when Richie called him 'Ed's', every time it made his stomach flip. 

"Sure thing Ed's."

Eddie huffed, turning towards Stan who was laughing while rolling his eyes, he seemed to do that alot, Eddie noticed. 

"How do you deal with this shit?" Eddie pointed towards Richie who was now gulping down his whiskey as Eddie grimaced, feeling the headache Richie was going to get from that. 

"years of practice Eddie, years of practice." Eddie thought Stan was cool, he seemed like a nice, well-put-together man, Perfect for Bill, Eddie smiled at Stan and downed the rest of his whiskey just like Richie had.

_____

By the time the clock hit midnight Eddie and Richie were passed out on the living room couch, various glasses that once contained alcohol scattered on the coffee table in front of the couch. Stan, who didn't drink anything, smiled at the sight of the two on the couch, Eddie sprawled on top of Richie as Richie had an arm wrapped around Eddie's torso tightly. 

Stan sighed, feeling lonely, Eddie and Richie weren't even together and they still had a better relationship than any of Stan's. He sighed again, throwing a blanket over Richie and Eddie as he gathered up the glasses, putting them in the kitchen. He walked around the apartment aimlessly for a while before deciding to go to bed, he would've gone out on the balcony but it was raining.

Stan switched off all the lights before going into his room, feeling the loneliness eat away at him as he curled himself into a ball in his blankets and cried himself to sleep.