just a bet, part 9
30 days remaining
Richie woke up to his phone ringing with a start. It was Eddie calling him. He missed the answer button a few times since he wasn’t wearing his glasses. “Hello?”
“Richie! Good morning.” Eddie was talking cheerfully.
“What time is it?” Richie asked, rolling over on his bed to grab his glasses off his nightstand.
“11 A.M.” Eddie replied, then paused. “Did I wake you?”
Richie snickered a little. “Yes.”
“Well, good, you should be up anyway. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out today? My mom is visiting her sister.”
Richie paused for a moment, stretching out his arms and legs. “Well, toots, I’d be delighted.”
Eddie laughed a little. “Okay, well, get over here after you shower and all that. Please brush your teeth, Rich.”
Richie pouted, even though Eddie couldn’t see him. “Are you implying my breath stinks?”
Eddie laughed again. “Yes. See you soon.”
Richie heard the telltale beeps of an ended call and he put his phone down. He stretched again, finally standing up out of bed. He grabbed a new pair of boxers and headed into the bathroom to shower. Richie more than thoroughly washed his body, purely for the sake of Eddie, and brushed his teeth afterward. He threw on a shirt and some pants, not bothering to make his hair look presentable. He was out the door within the hour Eddie called him.
When Richie arrived, Eddie had already opened the door and was ushering him inside. Eddie seemed very upbeat and excited. “What’s going on with you, huh? Excited to see me or something?” Richie teased.
Eddie smiled. “You could say that. I was making lunch and I got a perfect idea and you get to taste test it!”
Richie raised his eyebrows. “Oh, really? You can’t taste it yourself?”
Eddie frowned a little. “I can! I just want another opinion, asshole.”
Richie smiled, nudging him with his shoulder and bringing him close to him. “I will try anything you make for me, Eds.” He paused, “even your.. bodily fluids…”
Eddie shoved Richie off of him. “You are disgusting and I hate you. I thought you were being sweet.”
Richie scoffed, feigning hurt. “I was Eddie Spaghetti. That was endearing.”
Eddie made a face. “Your definition of endearing is very wrong.” He turned back to the stove, grabbing a wooden spoon and stirring something in a metal pot. “Anyway, come here. I want you to try this.”
Richie leaned over Eddie to peer into the pot, a red sauce lightly simmering. Richie took the wooden spoon from him and sipped a little sauce off the utensil. It was a sweet and spicy tomato sauce. “That’s good, Eds! What is it for?”
Eddie smiled and took the lid and placed it back on the pot, turning the heat on the stovetop down. “Ironically, spaghetti. Unless you’d rather have a rotini or penne pasta, that’s an option too. I didn’t know what pasta shape you liked but thinking about it now, it probably would be something like a bowtie.”
Richie chuckled. “I appreciate the consideration you took into my pasta shape preference, but honestly, I’ll eat anything.”
Eddie rolled his eyes. “I know that Richie, you eat everything. I just want you to actually like it.” He put another pot on the stove with water in it, turning on the other stovetop to boil the water.
Richie smiled, feeling his heart swell with affection. “You’re going to be the death of me.” He paused for a few moments, before continuing. “Of food poisoning, of course.”
Eddie groaned as he put the box of spaghetti noodles on the counter to await the other pot to boil. “You can’t just compliment me normally, can you?” He turned, staring at Richie with a small grin on his lips. “You’re the worst.”
Richie smiled widely, reaching forward and pulling Eddie towards him by his hips. Their height difference was clearer this way and it was Richie’s favorite. Being able to look down on Eddie and see his innocent brown eyes stare back up at him - it was heavenly. “Eddie…” He started, wetting his strangely dry lips. “Can I kiss you?”
Eddie bit his bottom lip to cry and contain the smile that yeared to appear. “Depends, did you brush your teeth as I asked?”
Richie chuckled, already leaning down to meet Eddie halfway, mumbling out a yes that was muffled by their lips connecting. They fit together seamlessly. Both of them had wordlessly learned each other’s favorite ways to kiss and it never ceased to amaze Richie just how easily their lips fit together. Their first kiss was messy and off-kilter, but every one after that continued to get better and better.
Eddie pulled back after a moment, staring up into Richie’s eyes before taking his hand and sliding it up the back of his neck. Eddie’s hand tangled into Richie’s unruly curls and gently tugged, pulling him back down for a deeper kiss. Eddie had gotten increasingly more forward as time went on and as they both got more comfortable with each other. Richie loved it.
The two of them spent a good few minutes kissing before Eddie, lips a bit swollen, pulled back and detached himself from Richie. “I have to put the pasta in the water.”
Richie made a noise of dissatisfaction but let him go, watching as he dumped the entire box of noodles into the now boiling water. The meal itself was done not soon after, two bowls of perfectly sauced and portioned spaghetti sitting in front of the both of them. They ate in comfortable silence before Richie spoke up. “Hey, Eds, I have a game tomorrow. You’re coming, right?”
Eddie smiled softly, wiping off his mouth with his napkin and setting his fork in his empty bowl. “If you’d like me to.”
Richie nodded. “Of course, I love seeing you in the stands. I always play better knowing a hot guy is watching me.”
Eddie narrowed his eyes and stood, picking up his bowl and taking Richie’s as well.
“Hey! I wasn’t done.” Richie protested.
Eddie laughed a bit. “I know, dickhead. I’ll put the leftovers in a container but my Mom will be home soon, so…” He trailed off, letting Richie fill in the rest on his own. He watched as Eddie put the extra spaghetti in a Tupperware and closed the lid, handing it back when he was done.
Richie took it from him with a smile. “You’re practically my perfect housewife. House… husband?”
Eddie blinked at him, intentionally not playing into his joke. “Uh-huh... Okay, bye, Rich.” He ushered him to the front door and left him outside with a peck to his lips. Once Richie got home, he checked his phone for the first time since that morning and noticed he had multiple texts from Stan, as well as a missed call. He pushed Stan’s number and held it up to his ear. It only rang a few times before Stan picked up with a sigh. “Why didn’t you answer my texts?”
Richie shrugged, laying down on his back on his bed. “I was with Eddie. Why? What’s going on?”
Stan paused for a few seconds. “I wanted to talk about Eddie, actually.”
Richie sat up, looking at the ground in confusion. “Why?” He could hear Stan talking to someone in the background, as well as some shuffling before Stan spoke again.
“I think this has gone too far. The bet.”
Richie scoffed. “I did try to say that like, a month ago, Stan. Why are you bringing it up now?”
Stan sighed again. “You’re going to hurt him if you continue with this and you know it. It’s not fair to him, or you, for that matter.”
Richie took a moment to process what Stan was saying. “Stan, I don’t know if I haven’t made it clear enough, but I like him for real. Like, seriously, genuinely have feelings for him.” The line was uncomfortably silent. “Stan?”
“Okay. How are you going to tell him why you went after him in the first place?”
Richie frowned. “I don’t fuckin’ know! Unless you have an idea, I have no intention of telling him until it’s on my deathbed.”
Stan exhaled dejectedly. “You have to at some point.” He pointed out.
“I know,” Richie groaned. “I know and I will, so, just let me deal with it. Why did you call me anyway?”
Stan clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth. “No reason, I suppose. Is he going to be at the game tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Okay,” Stan said and took a few beats before continuing. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” Without another word, Stan hung up the phone, the line going to dead static on Richie’s end. He pulled the phone back from his ear and stared at the screen, frowning.
-
The night of Richie’s soccer game was uncharacteristically chilly, most patrons wearing hoodies or light jackets to cover themselves from the cold. It was nearing the end of Fall and the Fall soccer season, so Eddie came prepared. He stood among the rest of the audience in the stands, his hands balled up inside the sleeves of his hoodie and tucked into the front pocket to keep warm. He was rocking back and forth on his heels, watching the soccer game in front of him. Since he had started dating Richie, the rules of soccer started to make more sense. He could easily name the different positions and even knew some of the penalties and why they were called. Half-time had just been called when he felt someone tap him on his shoulder. Eddie turned, a bit startled. “Oh, sorry, hi, Bill. You scared me.”
Bill offered him a friendly smile. “H-Hey, Eddie, can we talk real quick?” He jutted his thumb over his shoulder to a grassy area beside the bleachers that was mostly empty, apart from a man and his dog.
Eddie glanced back at the game and nodded. “Yeah, sure, I just wanna get back before the game starts back up.”
Bill nodded in agreement, leading Eddie down to the area he had pointed to, the man and his dog moved on from the area, leaving the two of them alone. “So, um, what’s up?” Eddie asked, bouncing on his feet to keep himself warm.
Bill wrung his hands together anxiously and Eddie waited patiently with a confused smile on his face. “You okay?” He eventually asked.
Bill nodded. “Yeah, I juh-just don’t know how to p-phrase it.” He let out a long sigh before talking again. “I… I like you, E-Eddie.”
Eddie’s friendly smile dropped from his face, hating the way his stomach clenched uncomfortably. “Um…”
Bill continued before Eddie had the chance to talk. “I h-have for a good wh-while, too.”
Eddie managed to crack an uneasy grin. “Uh, Bill…” He laughed awkwardly. “You... Why are you telling me this?”
Bill frowned. “Because I wa-wanted you to know, a-and I think y-you deserve better than Richie.”
It was Eddie’s turn to frown now. “I don’t think you have a say in that.” He mumbled, taking a step back towards the stands. “If that’s all, I’m going to-”
“Wait!” Bill reached out, grabbing Eddie’s arm.
Eddie gently pulled back from his touch. “Sorry, Bill, I have to get back to wa-”
Bill grimaced. “No! There’s something you need to know.” When Eddie made no move to leave, Bill sighed and spoke. “Richie never liked you.”
Eddie laughed. “Okay, Bill, seriously? We have been together for a good few weeks, I would know if-”
“He’s dating you because of a bet, Eddie!” Bill exploded. “It was Beverly’s idea and Stan knows about it too - He hasn’t told you yet because you guys haven’t slept together and that was part of the deal.”
Eddie’s movements faltered, his body growing colder as Bill spoke. “What?” He asked, shaking his head. “No, you’re making that up. He told me the bet Beverly was talking about had to-”
“-do with Stan. He lied. She was talking about you, Eddie, she always was. Richie’s been lying.”
Eddie let out a shaky breath, turning his back to Bill and facing the field. He could see Richie jogging towards them and he felt like he couldn’t breathe. “No… You have to be lying.”
Richie approached them, smiling at Eddie. His smile faltered, though, when he saw the look on his face. “Eds? Bill? What’s going on?”
Eddie felt his tears prick with tears. “Tell me he’s lying, Richie. Tell me right now.”
Richie was alarmed. “Lying about what?” He turned to Bill. “What did you tell him?” He demanded.
Bill stood his ground. “The truth.”
Eddie was staring at Richie, his eyes burning from oncoming tears. “Did you date me… Are you dating me, for a fucking bet, Richie? You told me Beverly was talking about you and Stan.”
Richie’s face fell, his heart twisting painfully in his chest. “Eds-”
“Tell me!” Eddie cried, reaching out and grabbing a fistful of Richie’s jersey and shaking him a bit. “Tell me right now.”
Richie could feel his entire life fading in front of him. “You have to let me explain.”
Eddie abruptly dropped his hold on Richie’s jersey and took a step back, tears finally finding their way out of Eddie’s eyes and rolling down his cheeks. “You promised me, Richie.”
Richie tried to close the gap between them, but Eddie pushed him away. “Don’t!”
Richie couldn’t breathe, his world was spinning anxiously around him. He felt like he could get sick right here. “Eddie, please, let me explain. It will make sense, I promise, none of this was fake!”
Eddie scoffed, using his sleeve to wipe away the tears pilling under his eyelashes. “You’re so full of shit. I can’t believe I trusted you, you stupid fucking asshole.” Eddie’s voice was laced with malice and regret; It made Richie’s heart hurt more. Bill made a move towards Eddie, and he backed up from him as well. “I don’t want to fucking talk to you, either.” He threatened, sniffing and glaring at Richie. “If it wasn’t clear, do not ever fucking call me, text me, speak to me again.” With that, Eddie was gone, disappearing around the backside of the bleachers and into the poorly lit school parking lot.
Richie stood there, shocked and heartbroken, before turning to Bill. “What the fuck did you do?” He asked angrily, moving towards him.
“I-I told him the truth!” Bill said, backing up a bit. “He d-deserves better than you, R-Richie, and you know it!”
Richie pushed Bill harshly by his shoulders. It all clicked. “Oh, and you’re much better?” He pushed him again, Bill falling into the wired fence behind him. “You are a selfish fucking prick, Denbrough, and I’ll make sure everyone fucking knows.”
Bill stood there, leaning against the fence. “Everyone already thinks you are, Richie.” He said, pushing past him to leave, heading the same way Eddie had gone.
Richie stood alone in the grassy area, attempting to calm his rapid thoughts of anger. Bill told Eddie and Eddie believed him and now he was gone. Richie knew he needed to tell Eddie himself but he couldn’t find any time that would have gone better.
Someone approached Richie from behind, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Richie?” It was Stan.
Richie pulled away from his touch. “It was your idea, wasn’t it?”
Stan blinked in surprise. “What?”
“Bill telling Eddie! It was you, wasn’t it? You put the thought in Bill’s head so he would end this stupid bet!”
Stan frowned. “Bill did what? Eddie knows?”
“Yes!” Richie cried. “Eddie fucking knows! Do you see him here, Stan, huh?”
Stan grimaced at Richie’s yelling. “I didn’t tell Bill to do anything. He had a crush on Eddie-”
“Isn’t that fucking sweet,” Richie mumbled, moving past Stan to chase after Eddie. He was going to make things right, he was going to explain himself.
“What about the game?” Stan asked and Richie nearly exploded.
“I don’t give a fuck about anything but Eddie right now, Stan! Isn’t that obvious?”
Stan nodded his head. “Just tell the truth. Tell him how you’ve always felt, Richie, he needs words.”
Richie stared at him for a few beats, before turning to walk away without another word.
30 days remaining
Richie woke up to his phone ringing with a start. It was Eddie calling him. He missed the answer button a few times since he wasn’t wearing his glasses. “Hello?”
“Richie! Good morning.” Eddie was talking cheerfully.
“What time is it?” Richie asked, rolling over on his bed to grab his glasses off his nightstand.
“11 A.M.” Eddie replied, then paused. “Did I wake you?”
Richie snickered a little. “Yes.”
“Well, good, you should be up anyway. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out today? My mom is visiting her sister.”
Richie paused for a moment, stretching out his arms and legs. “Well, toots, I’d be delighted.”
Eddie laughed a little. “Okay, well, get over here after you shower and all that. Please brush your teeth, Rich.”
Richie pouted, even though Eddie couldn’t see him. “Are you implying my breath stinks?”
Eddie laughed again. “Yes. See you soon.”
Richie heard the telltale beeps of an ended call and he put his phone down. He stretched again, finally standing up out of bed. He grabbed a new pair of boxers and headed into the bathroom to shower. Richie more than thoroughly washed his body, purely for the sake of Eddie, and brushed his teeth afterwards. He threw on a shirt and some pants, not bothering to make his hair look presentable. He was out the door within the hour Eddie called him.
When Richie arrived, Eddie had already opened the door and was ushering him inside. Eddie seemed very up-beat and excited. “What’s going on with you, huh? Excited to see me or something?” Richie teased.
Eddie smiled. “You could say that. I was making lunch and I got the perfect idea and you get to taste test it!”
Richie raised his eyebrows. “Oh, really? You can’t taste it yourself?”
Eddie frowned a little. “I can! I just want another opinion, asshole.”
Richie smiled, nudging him with his shoulder and bringing him close to him. “I will try anything you make for me, Eds.” He paused, “even your.. bodily fluids…”
Eddie shoved Richie off of him. “You are disgusting and I hate you. I thought you were being sweet.”
Richie scoffed, feigning hurt. “I was Eddie Spaghetti. That was endearing.”
Eddie made a face. “Your definition of endearing is very wrong.” He turned back to the stove, grabbing a wooden spoon and stirring something in a metal pot. “Anyway, come here. I want you to try this.”
Richie leaned over Eddie to peer into the pot, a red sauce lightly simmering. Richie took the wooden spoon from him and sipped a little sauce off the utensil. It was a sweet and spicy tomato sauce. “That’s good, Eds! What is it for?”
Eddie smiled and took the lid and placed it back on the pot, turning the heat on the stovetop down. “Ironically, spaghetti. Unless you’d rather have a rotini or penne pasta, that’s an option too. I didn’t know what pasta shape you liked, but thinking about it now, it probably would be something like a bowtie.”
Richie chuckled. “I appreciate the consideration you took into my pasta shape preference, but honestly, I’ll eat anything.”
Eddie rolled his eyes. “I know that, Richie, you eat everything. I just want you to actually like it.” He put another pot on the stove with water in it, turning on the other stovetop to boil the water.
Richie smiled, feeling his heart swell with affection. “You’re going to be the death of me.” He paused for a few moments, before continuing. “Of food poisoning, of course.”
Eddie groaned as he put the box of spaghetti noodles on the counter to await the other pot to boil. “You can’t just compliment me normally, can you?” He turned, staring at Richie with a small grin on his lips. “You’re the worst.”
Richie smiled widely, reaching forward and pulling Eddie towards him by his hips. Their height difference was clearer this way and it was Richie’s favorite. Being able to look down on Eddie and see his innocent brown eyes stare back up at him - it was heavenly. “Eddie…” He started, wetting his strangely dry lips. “Can I kiss you?”
Eddie bit his bottom lip to cry and contain the smile that yeared to appear. “Depends, did you brush your teeth like I asked?”
Richie chuckled, already leaning down to meet Eddie halfway, mumbling out a yes that was muffled by their lips connecting. They fit together seamlessly. Both of them had wordlessly learned each other’s favorite ways to kiss and it never ceased to amaze Richie just how easily their lips fit together. Their first kiss was messy and off-kilter, but every one after that continued to get better and better.
Eddie pulled back after a moment, staring up into Richie’s eyes before taking his hand and sliding it up the back of his neck. Eddie’s hand tangled into Richie’s unruly curls and gently tugged, pulling him back down for a deeper kiss. Eddie had gotten increasingly more forward as time went on and as they both got more comfortable with each other. Richie loved it.
The two of them spent a good few minutes kissing before Eddie, lips a bit swollen, pulled back and detached himself from Richie. “I have to put the pasta in the water.”
Richie made a noise of dissatisfaction but let him go, watching as he dumped the entire box of noodles into the now boiling water. The meal itself was done not soon after, two bowls of perfectly sauced and portioned spaghetti sitting in front of the both of them. They ate in a comfortable silence, before Richie spoke up. “Hey, Eds, I have a game tomorrow. You’re coming, right?”
Eddie smiled softly, wiping off his mouth with his napkin and setting his fork in his empty bowl. “If you’d like me to.”
Richie nodded. “Of course, I love seeing you in the stands. I always play better knowing a hot guy is watching me.”
Eddie narrowed his eyes and stood, picking up his bowl and taking Richie’s as well.
“Hey! I wasn’t done.” Richie protested.
Eddie laughed a bit. “I know, dickhead. I’ll put the leftovers in a container but my Mom will be home soon, so…” He trailed off, letting Richie fill in the rest on his own. He watched as Eddie put the extra spaghetti in a Tupperware and closed the lid, handing it back when he was done.
Richie took it from him with a smile. “You’re practically my perfect housewife. House… husband?”
Eddie blinked at him, intentionally not playing into his joke. “Uh huh.. Okay, bye, Rich.” He ushered him to the front door and left him outside with a peck to his lips. Once Richie got home, he checked his phone for the first time since that morning and noticed he had multiple texts from Stan, as well as a missed call. He pushed Stan’s number and held it up to his ear. It only rang a few times before Stan picked up with a sigh. “Why didn’t you answer my texts?”
Richie shrugged, laying down on his back on his bed. “I was with Eddie. Why? What’s going on?”
Stan paused for a few seconds. “I wanted to talk about Eddie, actually.”
Richie sat up, looking at the ground in confusion. “Why?” He could hear Stan talking to someone in the background, as well as some shuffling, before Stan spoke again.
“I think this has gone too far. The bet.”
Richie scoffed. “I did try to say that like, a month ago, Stan. Why are you bringing it up now?”
Stan sighed again. “You’re going to hurt him if you continue with this and you know it. It’s not fair to him, or you, for that matter.”
Richie took a moment to process what Stan was saying. “Stan, I don’t know if I haven’t made it clear enough, but I like him for real. Like, seriously, genuinely have feelings for him.” The line was uncomfortably silent. “Stan?”
“Okay. How are you going to tell him why you went after him in the first place?”
Richie frowned. “I don’t fuckin’ know! Unless you have an idea, I have no intention of telling him until it’s on my deathbed.”
Stan exhaled dejectedly. “You have to at some point.” He pointed out.
“I know,” Richie groaned. “I know and I will, so, just let me deal with it. Why did you call me anyways?”
Stan clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth. “No reason, I suppose. Is he going to be at the game tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.” Stan said and took a few beats before continuing. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” Without another word, Stan hung up the phone, the line going to dead static on Richie’s end. He pulled the phone back from his ear and stared at the screen, frowning.
-
The night of Richie’s soccer game was uncharacteristically chilly, most patrons wearing hoodies or light jackets to cover themselves from the cold. It was nearing the end of Fall and the Fall soccer season, so Eddie came prepared. He stood among the rest of the audience in the stands, his hands balled up inside the sleeves of his hoodie and tucked into the front pocket to keep warm. He was rocking back and forth on his heels, watching the soccer game in front of him. Since he had started dating Richie, the rules of soccer started to make more sense. He could easily name the different positions and even knew some of the penalties and why they were called. Half-time had just been called when he felt someone tap him on his shoulder. Eddie turned, a bit startled. “Oh, sorry, hi, Bill. You scared me.”
Bill offered him a friendly smile. “H-Hey, Eddie, can we talk really quick?” He jutted his thumb over his shoulder to a grassy area beside the bleachers that was mostly empty, apart from a man and his dog.
Eddie glanced back at the game and nodded. “Yeah, sure, I just wanna get back before the game starts back up.”
Bill nodded in agreement, leading Eddie down to the area he had pointed to, the man and his dog moved on from the area, leaving the two of them alone. “So, um, what’s up?” Eddie asked, bouncing on his feet to keep himself warm.
Bill wrung his hands together anxiously and Eddie waited patiently with a confused smile on his face. “You okay?” He eventually asked.
Bill nodded. “Yeah, I juh-just don’t know how to p-phrase it.” He let out a long sigh before talking again. “I… I like you, E-Eddie.”
Eddie’s friendly smile dropped from his face, hating the way his stomach clenched uncomfortably. “Um…”
Bill continued before Eddie had the chance to talk. “I h-have for a good wh-while, too.”
Eddie managed to crack an uneasy grin. “Uh, Bill…” He laughed awkwardly. “You.. Why are you telling me this?”
Bill frowned. “Because I wa-wanted you to know, a-and I think y-you deserve better than Richie.”
It was Eddie’s turn to frown now. “I don’t think you have a say in that.” He mumbled, taking a step back towards the stands. “If that’s all, I’m going to-”
“Wait!” Bill reached out, grabbing Eddie’s arm.
Eddie gently pulled back from his touch. “Sorry, Bill, I have to get back to wa-”
Bill grimaced. “No! There’s something you need to know.” When Eddie made no move to leave, Bill sighed and spoke. “Richie never liked you.”
Eddie laughed. “Okay, Bill, seriously? We have been together for a good few weeks, I would know if-”
“He’s dating you because of a bet, Eddie!” Bill exploded. “It was Beverly’s idea and Stan knows about it too - He hasn’t told you yet because you guys haven’t slept together and that was part of the deal.”
Eddie’s movements faltered, his body growing colder as Bill spoke. “What?” He asked, shaking his head. “No, you’re making that up. He told me the bet Beverly was talking about had to-”
“-do with Stan. He lied. She was talking about you, Eddie, she always was. Richie’s been lying.”
Eddie let out a shaky breath, turning his back to Bill and facing the field. He could see Richie jogging towards them and he felt like he couldn’t breathe. “No… You have to be lying.”
Richie approached them, smiling at Eddie. His smile faltered, though, when he saw the look on his face. “Eds? Bill? What’s going on?”
Eddie felt his tears prick with tears. “Tell me he’s lying, Richie. Tell me right now.”
Richie was alarmed. “Lying about what?” He turned to Bill. “What did you tell him?” He demanded.
Bill stood his ground. “The truth.”
Eddie was staring at Richie, his eyes burning from oncoming tears. “Did you date me… Are you dating me, for a fucking bet, Richie? You told me Beverly was talking about you and Stan.”
Richie’s face fell, his heart twisting painfully in his chest. “Eds-”
“Tell me!” Eddie cried, reaching out and grabbing a fistful of Richie’s jersey and shaking him a bit. “Tell me right now.”
Richie could feel his entire life fading in front of him. “You have to let me explain.”
Eddie abruptly dropped his hold on Richie’s jersey and took a step back, tears finally finding their way out of Eddie’s eyes and rolling down his cheeks. “You promised me, Richie.”
Richie tried to close the gap between them, but Eddie pushed him away. “Don’t!”
Richie couldn’t breathe, his world was spinning anxiously around him. He felt like he could get sick right here. “Eddie, please, let me explain. It will make sense, I promise, none of this was fake!”
Eddie scoffed, using his sleeve to wipe away the tears pilling under his eyelashes. “You’re so full of shit. I can’t believe I trusted you, you stupid fucking asshole.” Eddie’s voice was laced with malice and regret; It made Richie’s heart hurt more. Bill made a move towards Eddie, and he backed up from him as well. “I don’t want to fucking talk to you, either.” He threatened, sniffing and glaring at Richie. “If it wasn’t clear, do not ever fucking call me, text me, speak to me again.” With that, Eddie was gone, disappearing around the backside of the bleachers and into the poorly lit school parking lot.
Richie stood there, shocked and heart-broken, before turning to Bill. “What the fuck did you do?” He asked angrily, moving towards him.
“I-I told him the truth!” Bill said, backing up a bit. “He d-deserves better than you, R-Richie, and you know it!”
Richie pushed Bill harshly by his shoulders. It all clicked. “Oh, and you’re much better?” He pushed him again, Bill falling into the wired fence behind him. “You are a selfish fucking prick, Denbrough, and I’ll make sure everyone fucking knows.”
Bill stood there, leaning against the fence. “Everyone already thinks you are, Richie.” He said, pushing past him to leave, heading the same way Eddie had gone.
Richie stood alone in the grassy area, attempting to calm his rapid thoughts of anger. Bill told Eddie and Eddie believed him and now he was gone. Richie knew he needed to tell Eddie himself but he couldn’t find any time that would have gone better.
Someone approached Richie from behind, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Richie?” It was Stan.
Richie pulled away from his touch. “It was your idea, wasn’t it?”
Stan blinked in surprise. “What?”
“Bill telling Eddie! It was you, wasn’t it? You put the thought in Bill’s head so he would end this stupid bet!”
Stan frowned. “Bill did what? Eddie knows?”
“Yes!” Richie cried. “Eddie fucking knows! Do you see him here, Stan, huh?”
Stan grimaced at Richie’s yelling. “I didn’t tell Bill to do anything. He had a crush on Eddie-”
“Isn’t that fucking sweet.” Richie mumbled, moving past Stan to chase after Eddie. He was going to make things right, he was going to explain himself.
“What about the game?” Stan asked and Richie nearly exploded.
“I don’t give a fuck about anything but Eddie right now, Stan! Isn’t that obvious?”
Stan nodded his head. “Just tell the truth. Tell him how you’ve always felt, Richie, he needs words.”
Richie stared at him for a few beats, before turning to walk away without another word.
-
hi all!
I'm not dead and i clearly have been rusty with writing reddie specifically, is it as obvious as it feels?
I do intend to finish this fic at some point in the near future. writing this chapter was not as bad as I imagined it would be. i was terribly afraid of how out of my element with these characters I was - but I went back and watched the movie and re-read some of the previous chapters and felt like I could give it a go. i hope to be able to wrap this monster up in one more chapter, so be on the lookout for that. for those of you who have stuck around and are reading this - I love you. thank you for your continued support. this fic was my baby and I intend to have a finished product that I'm at least happy with the last 20% of it. also, if any of you are into anime, I have a separate ao3 account under the name kenmqs so be sure to visit me there.
<3
