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Richie and Eddie layed side by side atop richie's house, having climbed out through his bedroom window. It took a little lot of convincing to get Eddie to go out there with him, but he managed nevertheless. They sat out there together with a bottle of caramel whisky and a pack of cigarettes, probably stolen from Richie's parents. Ever since Pennywise, Eddie had been a lot more lenient on the things he was willing to try, especially if there were going to, as he called it, "Alter his state of mind", which in normal English means get him high or drunk. Being the asthmatic twink he is, he still didn't like smoking. Which, in fairness, wasn’t a great idea without an inhaler on hand. So he stuck to drinking. The caramel whisky was both sweet and bitter. It tasted like maple syrup with an after burn. The two boys talked and shared stories for what felt like hours. Eddie's fingers were slightly sticky from the bottle and Richie's a little brown from the cigarettes. Up on that roof, they told each other things they never would have even though of saying out loud before now in their slightly drunken state. Eddie told Richie how he felt about his relationship with his mother.
"It just feels like she's suffocating me, y'know? Like she thinks im some precious little boy who needs to be protected twenty-four seven. Like ill shatter into a million pieces if someone even breathes on me too hard. But im not fragile. Im not sensitive. I grew up faster than most kids because of her. I had to learn how to parent myself after...after..." Richie knew what Eddie was about to say. "After your dad passed." Richie finished the sentence for him. He knew Eddie couldn't say it. Not yet. Before Eddie knew it, he felt hot tears on his cheeks. Not out of sadness. No, this was something else entirely. The tears were the product of pure frustration. He felt stuck. Stuck in his mother's overprotective arms. It was like a hug he couldn't escape. "Yeah. After...that." Eddie whispered without turning to look at Richie.
Together, they sat in comfortable silence on the roof, watching the sun slowly start to set. As the sky began to tint orange and the sun cast it's fading light onto the trees, Richie rested his pinky finger over Eddie's, intertwining them. It was a small gesture to any normal person, but who said these two were normal? It was something they used to do when they were smaller. Back before everything turned upside-down. Before Pennywise, before Bowers, before Eddie's dad got sick, and before they even knew what getting drunk was. As Eddie felt Richie's finger curl around his, it brought him back to happier times. Childhood memories flashed through his head. Things like sleepovers, bike rides, camp outs, and so many more innocent things he wished he could go back to.
He turned to Richie as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "You remembered." he beamed towards his best friend. Richie took in how amazing Eddie looked in the moment. A little tipsy, wearing his favorite red hoodie and shorts, all while the sun cast a golden glow across his features. "Course I remembered, Eds." he told him. "Ill never forget." Richie assured. He couldn't take his eyes off of Eddie. The way the sunlight made all of the many colors of his eyes more prominent than ever. They weren't just brown. No, they were far from just brown. His eyes were a light brown hazel. Well, at first glance, at least. But if you took the time to pay attention, you'd see the the specks of gold that scattered around his irises and the small ring of green that circled his pupils. His eyes were beautiful, according to Richie. When the sun hit them just right, they turned a beautiful, rich honey yellow. They were breathtaking. Just like every other part of Eddie.
Richie moved to lace their hands together fully, his thumb slowly stroking the top of Eddie's. Both boys craved affection from one another, but were too scared to admit it. Sure, they'd grown up in entirely different households, Eddie being way too closely monitored to enjoy what little affection he was given, and Richie being denied both emotional and physical love and attention his whole life, but they both longed for a bit of love. Growing up queer in Maine, especially in the 80's, wasn't safe. Most gay relationships of any kind were limited to sneaking out to see each other, kissing in secret, and hushed sleepovers as to not notify the parents. Richie knew he liked boys, not girls. He never really understood how his friends, or anyone for that matter, found women attractive. Not that he didn't find a girl pretty every now and then, he was gay, not blind. But he couldn't imagine himself being in a relationship with a girl.
Eddie held onto Richie's hand like it was their last day together. He scooted just a little bit closer to him, their knees brushing slightly as well as their elbows bumping against one another. The two shared a look. One thay didn't take a trained eye to decipher. Richie's eyes flicked to Eddie's lips, a gesture that wasn't missed by Eddie. Richie's other hand gently cupped the side of Eddie's face and he looked deel into those sun-cast golden eyes of his. "Eddie?" Richie asked softly. Eddie whispered back, "yeah?" Richie took a measured breath. "Could I...?" He trailed off, hoping Eddie would understand him. "Just this once?" He added. Eddie knew exactly what Richie meant. He nodded slowly. "Yes please." His face was mere inches away from the other boy's.
Richie leaned forward most of the way, his lips stopping just short of Eddie's. He hesitated for just a minute before finally-finally- closing the gap. The kiss was hesitant at first, their lips barely brushing, before something finally clicked and they melted into a soft, sweet, tender kiss. Eddie's lips had a subtle taste of whiskey and something purely Eddie. Richie's mouth had the lingering flavor of tobacco, but Eddie didn't mind. When the two of them pulled away for air, their forehead rested against one another. Eddie let out a breathy laugh. "Never thought that would happen." He whispered. Richie smiled softly and kissed all over Eddie's face. All the way from his forehead, to the tip of his nose, all the way to the bottom of chin.
They held onto eachother like they'd waiting years for it (which they had). Richie made a promise to Eddie right then and there. One that he'd keep forever. He placed his mouth about 2 or 3 inches away from Eddie's ear and told him in a soft voice, "I love you, Eddie. And I always will."
And with that, followed the start of a beautiful teenage romance that would eventually blossom into one of adolescents and adulthood. But through everything, they were together.