Work Text:
“Hey Rich?” Eddie had no clue what he was doing. He’d had about five drinks, a litre’s worth of baby carrots and a couple chocolate chip muffins that he’s pretty sure had something in them. He was trying to blame the muffins for what he was about to say. But he knew it was a question that lingered in the back of his mind. It loitered like a greasy creep who stood in an alley and stared at passersby. It sat on the throne of thoughts that won’t fuck off.
It was something you shouldn’t ask the dude you just met a week ago, but Eddie couldn’t help but wonder. And the question wasn’t about Eddie, at least not when Richie would hear it, but to Eddie, it was only about him. “Have you ever been in love?”
“What?”
“Have you ever felt something for one person that you’ve never felt for anyone else? Have you ever spent hours staring at someone and then hear the bell ring and realize instead of studying psychology, you’ve been studying the lighter streaks in someone’s hair?” Eddie was staring aimlessly into the night sky.
Richie wanted to lie. He didn’t want Eddie to ask a followup question. A question that would very likely expose him. He also wondered why they just spent an hour talking about baseball (which neither of them knew about) and then Eddie just decided to ask if Richie’s ever been in love. “Yeah. I have.”
Richie stared into his cup. It was almost empty. He could see the faint white bottom of the cup peaking through the dark brown liquid, which Richie was only 30% sure was beer.
Eddie realized he didn’t know what to say next. He knew the last question was purely from his curiosity, but this next one was very clearly the muffins talking. “When?”
“It’s complicated.” Richie drank the last drops of his drink like it was a shot. “A week ago….” he looked up into the dark, polluted sky. “Now.”
“A week ago and separately now, or a week ago and still now?”
“I dunno.”
Eddie couldn’t help but allow his gaze to drift straight into Richie’s bright eyes. “With who?” The five drinks and multiple drugged muffins are really taking over. Or maybe not.
“Someone really great.” Richie noticed Eddie’s eyes on his. He met them firmly. “Someone smart… he’s kind too.” Richie laughed. “And he’s the last kind of person I thought I’d fall in love with.” His eyes wandered down. Nowhere in particular, but not Eddie’s eyes. “He’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met. He’s at the top of all his classes, he’s on time for everything, he’s handsome. And he knows how to make someone feel like they exist.”
“Sounds like a nice guy.” Eddie was glad it was dark enough to hide his tomato red face.
“He is.” Richie made eye contact again. “And what’s funny is that…. Well, I only met him a week ago. In the library. He looked like he worked there and I asked him where to find the world history books. But I only said that to start conversation. I’ve only seen him a couple times after that.”
Eddie was speechless. He didn’t expect Richie to say all that. “I also met a guy at the library a week ago. He asked me where the world history books were and we were standing right in front of the sign that said ‘history’.” Eddie saw Richie’s smile grow, and he felt his mouth do the same.
“I guess I didn’t see the sign.”
“I guess you didn’t”
Eddie didn’t go back to his place that night. And Richie went back to his with one more person than he left with.