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It was peaceful, the sleep that Richie was sound in. That is until a foot kicks at his face and knocks his glasses off his face; he almost loses his balance and falls out of the hammock he’s sharing with his boyfriend.
Richie scowls at Eddie and picks his glasses up from the floor. “One day I’m gonna really get you back.”
“Is that a promise?”
Richie adjusts the frames back onto his face. “No, it’s a threat.”
“Ominous.” Eddie pushes himself up on the hammock and leans over to steal the glasses from Richie’s face.
“Hey!”
“Maybe I was removing them for a reason, dumbass.” There’s a glint in Eddie’s eyes as he angles his head and bends down to kiss Richie. And that.. That’s just something neither of them will ever get used to. How can anyone go this long without kissing the love of their life? Their fucking soulmate? God, Eddie would never tell Richie that- it’d go straight to his head. Eddie clutches the frames in his hand, and uses the other to slide it up Richie’s neck, his thumb resting underneath of his jaw. Eddie opens his mouth slowly, taking the lead, and feels the warmth of Richie’s tongue dip in, and he thinks this must be what paradise is.
The second that Richie turns his head to kiss Eddie deeper is when he hears the door to the clubhouse open, and there’s two of their friends jumping down. Richie tosses his boyfriend off of his lap out of reflex and immediately apologizes when Eddie starts groaning.
“Shit, sorry Eds-”
“What are you losers up to, huh?” Richie can hear Bev’s smirk.
“Oh, fuck off.”
“You know,” Stan starts, “You guys don’t have to hide the fact that you’re kissing- we all know that you fuck.”
“We do not,” Eddie corrects, and it makes Richie’s face drop slightly. It’s true- they haven’t slept together. They’ve only been dating for a whole three weeks. He guesses that some people are comfortable with doing it early in a relationship- and not that he wouldn’t have an issue fucking Eddie; it’s Eddie and sex. Richie knows that he’ll be head-empty-no-thoughts once they start getting sexual. It’s just he doesn’t know if Eddie would be up to it, based on his reaction just there. Hell, even his reactions previously. The other losers tease them for not having sex. They’re all surprised because: ‘Really? You guys haven’t slept together? Shit, Rich. Shocked you haven’t jumped his bones yet!’ And- that’s not really fair. Richie’s been wanting to fuck Eddie since his voice dropped.
Richie reaches down to help lift Eddie to his feet. “Leave it, you guys. Eddie doesn’t like talking about our sex life. It’s because he’s shy.” He presses multiple quick kisses to Eddie’s hand.
“No,” Eddie flicks Richie’s nose, “It’s because we don’t have one.” The ‘yet’ lingers in the air.
“No,” Richie mocks, “It’s because you don’t wanna let everyone know that all those things I’ve said about my dick is true.” He pulls Eddie closer, playfully yet suggestively.
“You’re fuckin’ disgusting.”
Bev laughs at them, “Has anything even changed for you guys? You still bicker like an old married couple.”
Richie and Eddie look at each other and shrug, saying simultaneously, “We kiss.” Richie adds on, “and a lot.” He thinks it’s nice being in a relationship with his best friend. Because nothing really had to change at all, just like Bev said. And it shouldn’t have to, honestly. They just added to it- kissing.
“Okay, yeah, spare me the details,” Stan pretends to gag.
“You're just jealous that you don’t have your own Spaghetti.”
“No, I’m good, actually, thanks.”
“And what is wrong with my Spaghetti, huh?”
Stan leans over the bean bag he’s sitting on to grab a stray pillow on the floor and chucks it at Richie.
“Hey!” Richie squawks. “You know what? I’m taking a nap. Wake me up when Eddie’s mom realizes she wants to hit it and quit it with me.” He turns over in the hammock, rustling Eddie.
“I thought you would quit those,” Eddie says, but there’s no serious tone to his voice. He knows that’s just Richie’s humor.
“Fine. I’ll change it up a bit: Wake me up when your dad wants to hit it and-”
“-My dad’s fucking dead, you asshole.” Eddie barks out a laugh.
“Can we stay down here and get drunk tonight?”
“No, I have to be in a good present state tomorrow for school. Handing in the last few slips of shit for graduation.”
“Hm. Seems a good enough reason to get drunk.” Richie huffs. He and Eddie have talked about this multiple times, he knows. It’s just he can’t shake the thought away. Sometimes it just sticks too long in his mind and he needs reassurance, which Eddie is more than happy to give.
Eddie slots himself against Richie like he was before their friends made an appearance.
“Hey,” he whispers, “are you good? I know what you’re thinking.”
“You do? That’s kinda hot.”
Eddie taps at Richie’s chest. “It’s okay to be worried, you know. It’s healthy to be worried. I just want to make sure that your head is in a good place, though.”
“M’fine. Don’t worry that pretty little head of yours,” Richie rakes back Eddie’s hair, stopping at the base of his neck to pull him up in an open mouthed kiss. Eddie grasps Richie’s chin to get a better angle and tilts his head.
“If y’all are gonna fuck can I please record it?” Bev asks, not looking up from her phone.
Eddie rolls his eyes. “Stop interrupting us.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t be making out in a public place.”
“This is literally our private clubhouse, Stan.” Eddie says.
“Seven people use it and come and go as we please.”
“Maybe that’s exactly what I’m trying to do but you’re here.” Richie says. Nobody can tell if he’s joking or not.
“If I ever fucking find out y’all end up banging in that hammock, so help me God.”
“I thought jewish people don’t have a God.”
Richie braces himself and Eddie, who’s still laying on top of him, from another incoming pillow that Stan throws.
“You’re so stupid.”
A few days later, Eddie’s in Richie’s room, laying on the bed that’s shoved in the corner, unmade. His head hangs off the edge as he impatiently waits for Richie to come back into the room. They got their graduation caps and gowns and Eddie insisted on having Richie try it on for him.
“If you don’t hurry up we’ll miss graduation at this rate. Come on, Rich.”
There’s ruffling from the bathroom and Richie pokes his head out. “I feel weird.”
“Why do you feel weird?”
“Because graduation. It’s like a bittersweet taste in my mouth.” Richie steps out and trudges back to where Eddie is. “Feel like I gotta brush my teeth every time I talk about it.”
Eddie flips his body and sits upright, reaching out to clutch the gown between his fingers, pulling Richie closer to him. “You look cute.”
“No, you.”
“You can’t use the Uno reverse card in verbal conversations.”
“Says who?” Richie challenges.
“Me,” Eddie smooths out the deep red robe. He plays with the Honor cords around Richie’s neck. “You’re gonna nail your speech, you know.”
Richie slumps, “I’m scared shitless.”
“Why don’t you practice it and read it to me?”
“No can do, Spaghettio.” Richie shakes his head. “It’s a surprise.”
“Am I in it?”
Richie shrugs, smirking, and unzips the robe, hanging it back up in his closet. “You’ll have to wait and see.”
“That’s not fair.” Eddie pouts and flings himself backwards to lay on the bed, toying with the sheets.
Richie jumps up next to Eddie and cozies into his side, draping an arm around his torso. “It’s totally fair, you’re just impatient.”
“Maybe so,” Eddie hums. He looks down at Richie, who’s already looking up at him. They meet in the middle to kiss slowly. “Hmm.”
“What?” Richie asks, lips dragging over Eddie’s as he speaks. “You good?”
“Very,” Eddie responds and pushes the hair out of Richie’s face.
And it’s moments like this where Richie wants to tell Eddie that he loves him. He supposes that Eddie might have a strong inkling about it, or maybe already knows, but Richie’s never actually said it outloud. Yet, he says a lot of things that sound a lot like i love you, like, when Richie drives away from Eddie’s house after dropping him off, ‘i’ll text you when i’m home,’ or when Eddie does something funny and Richie says, ‘you’re so stupid,’ with a huge ass grin. It’s in the little things, as cheesy as it sounds.
“Tell me.” Richie says after a minute.
“Mm?”
Richie watches Eddie, sees how his eyes are closed and smiles. “Would you be mad if I just stole you away for the whole summer? Just you and me? Like as much as I love our friends.. I kinda rather just be with you.”
Eddie peaks an eye open, “I wouldn’t be opposed to it with that logic,” and looks down at his lips, nudging Richie with his nose. Richie gets the hint and begins to push himself up from the mattress. Before they can kiss again, the door is opening and Maggie Tozier’s voice fills the air.
“Hey, Eddie you should call your mom and- oh.”
“Shit,” Richie curses and pushes himself away from Eddie, but there’s not much room for him to work with seeing as they’re on his bed.
That’s another thing- only their friends know, well, until now. Maggie totally knows.
“Could you..” Richie chokes on his words, “knock next time? Please?”
Maggie gives him a look that definitely says ‘ we have to talk about this later’, but she nods, “Yeah, I- sorry.. I was just gonna say that Eddie should call his mom if he wants to stay for dinner..” She pauses and looks between the two. Maggie doesn’t know who’s more red: them or her. “I’ll just..” She points behind her and slowly backs out of Richie’s room, closing the door.
“Holy fuck.” Eddie turns to Richie. “Is she gonna tell my mom? Because I-”
“-No, Eds. She’s cool.. She won’t tell your mom.”
“Jesus- and- what is she gonna say to you? Is she gonna yell?”
“Eddie.. She knows I’m gay. She just.. didn’t know that I’m with you.” Richie shrugs, “I don’t think she’s gonna care, but she, uh, might not let us keep the door closed anymore..” He trails off.
“Why would she not-” Richie sees the moment Eddie gets it. “But we’re not.. We’re not having sex.”
“She doesn’t know that. She just walked in on us with me practically on top of you, looking like we were kissing. Which was actually accurate, so.”
“Can’t you tell her that we aren’t?”
Richie laughs, “You think she’s gonna believe that her son and boyfriend aren’t fucking? I mean.. It’s gonna happen eventually, so I mean-” He stops himself. “I-I mean it doesn’t have to, of course..”
Eddie relaxes and reaches for Richie’s hand. “Yes, it will. I just don’t want either of us to feel pressured just because others think we should or already think that we are. I want it to be natural. That’s for us to know- nobody else.”
“Like a secret?”
Eddie barks out a laugh, “Sure. But I’m sure our friends will catch wind of it eventually.”
“So,” Richie changes the subject, “Are you staying for dinner? Maybe even the night?”
“I’ll stay for dinner, but not the night. I don’t want your mother to have a heart attack. Plus I don’t think I’d be able to handle it if she made me sleep on the couch or something. I’ve been sleeping next to you years even before this, don’t think I could without you anymore.”
“Alright then,” Richie decides, “Then I’ll sneak over to your house tonight.”
“My mom would not let you in.”
“You have a window,” Richie tells him. “That I’ve used plenty of times.”
“Okay smartass.” Eddie rolls his eyes, grinning.
Richie kisses his temple and noses along his face. “Once we’re in California we could get our own apartment and then I won’t have to worry about sneaking over.”
“You’d want that?”
“Eds, I’ve wanted everything with you for a long time now.”
Eddie turns his head and slots his lips against Richie’s, kissing him hard, knocking them both over. “You’re amazing.”
Richie thinks that kind of sounds like ‘i love you.’
“Mom, I want to talk to you, um, about what you saw earlier..”
It’s been two hours since Eddie left, and Maggie’s getting ready for bed. She looks at him with an amused expression. “I’m not mad, Rich. I’m not upset or angry either. I’m proud of you.”
Richie’s a little taken back by her statement, because that’s a lot to take in. “You’re.. You’re proud of me? For what? You walked in on me and Eddie seconds away from kissing and you’re proud?”
Maggie shakes her head, “No, Richie. I’m proud of you for finding someone who makes you happy. And you deserve that, honey. I know that living here hasn’t always been the most accepting, even in this day-and-age.” Richie looks like he’s going to cry. “Don’t get soft on me, now.”
“I’m not.” Richie wipes a tear away and embraces his mom. She strokes his hair.
“How long have you been together?” Maggie asks him.
“Only three weeks.”
“You’ve liked him for a long time.” Richie gives her a look and she nudges him back, “Okay I know you are not dumb, Richie. I notice things. I’m your mother. Of course I know that the way you’ve always looked at him was different from the way you look at the rest of your friends.”
“Since the eighth grade,” Richie admits. Maggie hums. “So, are you gonna like.. make us keep the door open now?”
“We’ll see. But if I knock and there’s no answer within seven seconds, I’m opening that door.”
“Don’t even worry about it- we’re not..”
Maggie looks surprised, “You guys aren’t boning?”
“Mom!”
“What? I just finished what you were gonna say! Don’t be a pussy, I raised you better than that.” Maggie bumps Richie’s shoulder with hers, giggling. “But that’s surprising, actually.”
“I am not talking about my sex l- nonexistent sex life with you right now. Nope, not happening. This is a conversation for another night. Another year.”
Maggie laughs, “Alright, alright, understood.”
Richie pauses though, suddenly nervous to speak. “I love him, ma.”
“I know.”
Richie stumbles into Eddie’s window around midnight. He thinks Eddie is still asleep and climbs in the bed, carefully, snuggling up next to him. Richie presses soft kisses to the back of Eddie’s neck. He sighs contently and smiles against Eddie’s skin. Most people would probably think they’re moving too fast, despite them not actually moving fast at all. They’re in that weird position where they’ve just liked each other for so long, that the amount of time they’ve been official, doesn’t matter. Everything just feels so right.
Which is why Richie runs a hand through Eddie’s hair and mutters against his neck, “I love you, Eddie,” because he felt like it was the perfect time to say it. He freezes though, when Eddie stirs, turning to look at him. Richie starts to internally panic, but then:
“I love you too, Rich.”
Richie’s eyes are wide, his emotions are a mix of shock and happiness. Eddie smiles and reaches up to caress his cheek.
“I love you, too.” Eddie repeats. He wipes away a tear that rolls down Richie’s face and then suddenly a mouth is covering his own.
Honestly, fuck what others think. It’s their relationship, their pace, and they can do whatever they want.
And if that includes kissing Eddie forever, Richie definitely wouldn’t mind.