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Richie was running so fast that he nearly slid the rest of the way down the slope of the Barrens. He looked around wildly for any sign of the rest of the Losers club, zeroing on the tracks in the snow leading further into the trees. Towards the clubhouse.
He skidded to a stop at the door, wrenching it open and practically throwing himself down the ladder. A pile of snow came with him, earning a yelp from Stan who’d been sitting too close to the entrance. He quickly scrambled backwards, wrapping his scarf tight around himself as he went.
“What the hell, Richie?”
Richie looked around the room, taking in the faces staring back. Ben and Bev were curled in a corner together, Bev’s lips were curled with amusement and Ben looked startled. Stan scowled up at him and in the hammock …
“Eddie Spaghetti! Just the man I was looking for!”
Eddie finally looked up from the comic he was reading, a frown tugging at his mouth. “What do you want, Richie?” He tried to sound annoyed, but Richie had spent years studying every part of Eddie, and he didn’t miss the way those chocolate eyes seemed to glow a little brighter.
“It snowed.”
Eddie’s brow furrowed in that cute way of his and he looked at Stan in confusion, Stan just shook his head and returned to the book he was reading, inching further from the still open door and the cold air that had started to fill the clubhouse.
“If you’re staying close the door,” Ben said with a huff, although he didn’t look too annoyed either. Bev had curled closer to him to hide from the chill and he had one of his arms wrapped around her shoulders, his cheeks turning pink with his blush.
“I won’t be long,” he promised, turning his attention back to Eddie. “Just came to grab something.”
That something was Eddie.
He wrapped a hand around Eddie’s wrist and tugged until Eddie came spilling out of the hammock. He tried to leap to his feet, but he’d wrapped himself into a burrito and the blanket tangled between his leg and instead of angrily facing off against Richie he ended up falling face first into his chest.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Eddie’s voice cracked and Richie grinned, wanting so badly to close the distance between them and give him a kiss.
He’d thought that as they got older his crush would be easier to manage, but somehow Eddie just got cuter as he grew.
“ We’re going sledding.”
Eddie’s angry scowl was replaced by shock, clearly not expecting that answer.
“What?”
“C’mon.”
Richie tugged him to the ladder and pushed him up, pulling the blanket away from his legs as he went. Eddie complained the entire way up, but he went, which was a pleasant surprise. Richie had been prepared to fight more, he’d even pre-thought up his arguments.
“Close the door behind you!” Ben called after them, and Richie chuckled as he did just that.
Eddie was standing a few feet away from the clubhouse, his arms wrapped tight around his sides, and Richie took a moment to just look at him. His hair had grown out since the last time he’d gotten it cut and it was beginning to curl around his ears, his cheeks were flushed from the cold, and he’d wrapped a squishy purple scarf around his mouth.
He glanced at Richie and arched a brow. “Are we going sledding or what?”
Richie shook his head and bounded forward a few steps, throwing an arm around Eddie’s shoulders. “Of course we are, Eds. I was just surprised you agreed so quickly.”
Eddie shrugged under Richie’s arm, but he didn’t try to move away. “I was bored,” he muttered, pulling the scarf higher up his face.
Richie laughed and lead Eddie through the trees and back to the road where he’d left his sled parked. He kept one arm around Eddie, using his free hand to tug the sled behind them.
When they made it to the top of the hill Richie finally let go of Eddie, settling himself onto the sled and patting the spot in front of him.
“No way.” Eddie shook his head, taking a small step back. “I’ll wait.”
“Nuh-uh, Eddie Spaghetti. We go together.” He patted the sled again, making his smile as bright and inviting as he could.
Eddie stared for a moment before huffing and settling in front. Richie’s smile dimmed and he slid his arms tight around his waist.
“We’re too old for this,” Eddie grumbled, but he snuggled back in Richie’s arms. And Richie did his best to not notice the warmth pressing against his front, or the way Eddie fit so nicely in his arms.
“We’re never too old for fun!”
Whatever Eddie might have said in response was lost to the wind as Richie pushed off the ground. Eddie shrieked and Richie laughed, the sounds ripped from their throats as the sled picked up speed. This was the best hill for sledding, no cars dared to drive it in the snow, meaning they had a clear stretch all the way to the bottom.
Eddie’s hands closed around Richie’s wrists squeezing so tight that he felt his bones creak. Richie laughed into Eddie’s neck, and too soon the sled came to a slow stop. Eddie squirmed in his arms and Richie had to scoot his butt back before he realized just what that squirming did to him.
“See, fun.”
Eddie was breathing a tad too fast, but he was smiling bright. Richie loved that smile. He would do anything to keep it on his face.
“Okay, yeah that was fun.”
He looked over his shoulder, his eyes glittering.
“Wanna go again?”
Richie laughed, hopping off the sled and offering a hand to Eddie. Together they sprinted up the hill, just to speed right back down it a moment later. They did it three more times before they both collapsed to the snow, exhausted and laughing.
Richie reached across the distance between them to grab Eddie’s hand, bringing the gloved hand to his mouth for a small kiss.
“I love you, Eddie Spaghetti,” he said with a laugh, and he could pretend that Eddie’s cheeks looked a little flushed from the words and not just the cold.
“Beep beep, Trashmouth,” Eddie said, but he was laughing too.
They stayed there in the snow, hands clasped together, until the cold got to be unbearable. Then they returned to the clubhouse. The hammock was too small for both of them, but they made it work.
Richie smiled into Eddie’s hair as they cuddled in the blanket burrito, Eddie’s body once again flush against his.
“Today was a good day,” he said to no one in particular, earning a quiet hum from the sleepy body beside him.
“It was fun,” Eddie agreed, biting back a yawn and snuggling closer. “But cold.”
“Don’t worry, Eddie my love, I’ll keep you warm.” He laughed when Stan made a gagging noise from his corner, lifting his head just enough to peer at his friend in the darkness. “There’s plenty of room for a third in here, Stan my boy!”
Stan stuck his tongue out and Richie chuckled, resting his cheek against the top of Eddie’s head. Eddie’s breathing had evened out with sleep, and in the dark of the clubhouse Richie found himself unable to stop from brushing a quick kiss over his temple.
It had been a perfect day.