How did you meet the Derp Crew? I saw you hung out with them at PAX? (i think!)
ah shit im on mobile i needed a picture for this story wait hold up
OK THIS http://cymbalknight.tumblr.com/post/76920743995/its-done-its-finally-done-after-all-this-time-i
i made this a really long heckinâ time ago like 2014??? and anthony saw it and he made it his desktop background and i saw it and freaked my shit
then eventually he followed me and hired me for awhile to do thumbnail art for him (im working on a project to redraw all of it for fun!) i met galm next, then aphex, then smarty, then tom! (ze and i havent ever really interracted all too much but heâs super nice!) i had a fan attack so hard when they all started talking to small 14-yr old me
and almost 4 years later here i sit in aphex and smartyâs hotel room while smarty blasted screamo music from 2008; 14 yr old me would be dying
This is just a little holiday gift for @reddie-fangirl24 who is a very rad individual whoâs writing I always enjoy.
Ao3Â Â Word Count: 1015
Richie dramatically pulls the door open, stepping aside to make a show of letting Eddie be the first to walk in. They were just getting back from their first annual losers holiday party, hosted at Billâs this year.
Eddie rolled his eyes as he walked in. âThanks Rich, how chivalrous of you.â
âWell if you put it like that.â Eddie hid his playful smile as he made an even more over the top show of taking the gift bags out of his arms and setting them down on the table for him. âDoes that live up to your standards?â he said, hands resting on his hips.
âYouâre ridiculous and I love you.â Richie would never get tired of the way Eddieâs face melted into one of pure joy when he said things like that. Honestly he was just amazed and constantly thankful that he could, they had been through so much to get to this point where they could love one another without conflict.
âI love you too, now get over here you overgrown puppy.â He didnât have to ask twice, Richie gladly walked right into his open arms. âMerry Christmas.â
âMerry Christmas, Eddie. May we have many more days like this in our future.â
He felt Eddie freeze for a moment. âOh, I almost forgot. Todayâs not quite over yet.â
âOh?â
âYeah, why do you think you woke up late this morning? I set back your alarm so Iâd have time to set up your present before we left.â Eddie had the audacity to grin up at him.
âAre you kidding me!? I had to scramble for the shower and I barely got the chance to eat breakfast, and youâre telling me you planned this? I had a bet with Stan that Mike would be the last one there. Seriously, Eddie, you owe me fifty bucks.â He tried to give him a serious glare.
Eddie stifled a snort. âStan may have helped me pick out the present, that may be why he bet on us being last.â
âBabe, babe, babe, are you kidding me? You plotted against me⊠with Stan!?â
âOnly a little bit of plotting, and besides, it was for a present.â
âOh well, by all means, make it up to me and show me this present thatâs worth losing a bet to Stan for. Seriously I was winning, we were like twenty-eight to twenty-nine.â
Eddie rolled his eyes and freed himself from Richieâs arms, pulling him towards the back door.
âOutside? Did you finally get me that giant middle finger statue I was wanting? The neighbors are horrible and they need to know it.â
He gave a tug, causing Richie to stumble slightly. âNo, I did not. And shut up, Bill and Janice are nice; youâre just mad they donât like your jokes.â
âAnyone who doesnât like my jokes are horrible in my book.â
âI suppose that works. Okay, cover your eyes,â he said, as he slid open the back door.
âFine, theyâre covered.â
âGood, now donât fall, the steps are right in front of you.â
Richie carefully maneuvered his way down the steps. âWell now I feel like youâre trying to hurt me. Is my present a trip to the ER?â
âShut up and stay right there,â he said, letting go of Richieâs arm.
Richie did as he was told. He heard Eddie shuffle across the lawn and a small click before their arms were looped once again.
âOkay, now open.â
He opened his eyes. Lights were strung throughout the backyard, making it seem almost magical despite the lack of snow. The various trails of lights all led to one place though, the two trees in the back of the yard. Between the two trees there was a bright red hammock that hadnât been there the day before.
He could feel the tears beginning to pool at the corner of his eyes. âEds, this is literally the sweetest thing anyone has ever done in the history of ever,â he said, looking at Eddie who was beaming back at him.
âI know, now come on, I made sure to get one that would hold the two of us.â Once again Richie was being led.
âYou hoping for some late night Christmas cuddling?â
âThatâs exactly what I was hoping for, now get in. I donât trust you not to elbow me in the face.
Richie gladly let Eddie push his towards the hammock. âCome on Eds, that was one time.â He swung himself in and got comfortable.
âOne time and a black eye was more than enough for me, scoot over.â
He didnât even have to scoot, the hammock was certainly big enough for two people and he was more than happy to let Eddie move him to where he wanted. He ended up curled into Richieâs chest, his arm providing a convenient pillow. Richie used his free hand to cup both of Eddieâs and bring them to his lips. He placed a few small kisses and smiled at the way Eddieâs eyes seemed to light up.
âHey, Eds.â
âHey, Richie.â
âThanks for this.â
There were a few stray tears in Eddieâs eyes, Richie carefully wiped them away. âI was just thinking of how lucky we were to have this, have us. It made me think back to when we were kids, how one of the things that was ours was the hammock. We all may have said it was for all us losers, but it was really ours. I thought it would be nice to get you that.â It was Eddieâs turn to wipe Richie's eyes.
âItâs perfect. Iâm so lucky I got the chance to have you again. Youâve done nothing but make my life better since you came back into it.â
Eddie smiled. âI can say the same thing about you.â
He pulled him closer. âMerry Christmas, Eddie.â
Richie had no fucking clue how he ended up in this scenario. Eddie had mentioned how the only time he ever ate out was at one of the losers houses. So like an idiot Richie had offered to take him out to get dinner at the local diner, on a fucking Friday night like he was some sort of football jock with a cheerleader girlfriend, but for some reason God had smiled upon him and Eddie had agreed. After that he had walked him home and his last words before Eddie walked into his house may or may not have been âlooking forward to our dateâ. When he had shut the door Richie laughed to himself at the joke, it was a joke right?
Now standing outside Eddie's front door he wasnât so sure that was the case. After a full day of playing off the joke while at school, Richie had driven his beaten truck over to Eddieâs house to pick him up at 5:55 exactly, five minutes early. When the door had opened Eddie stood there smiling for a moment looking like a dream. His hair was neat and tidy like always, but he wore a baby blue button down and wrinkle-free jeans. He was gorgeous. Richie on the other hand was wearing a faded band t he had chucked on over a pair of ripped jeans, not to mention his curls were all over the place.
âYouâre actually early for once, ready to go?â Eddie asked as he stepped out onto the porch, shutting the door behind him.
Richie quickly shut his dropped jaw and gulped. âYea Eds, got the truck all nice and warmed up for ya.â Richie turned and began making his way to the truck, not able to look at Eddie for another second for fear he might die on the spot. He quickly got into the truck and slammed his door shut, trying to use the few seconds before Eddie got in to breathe and sort out his thoughts.Â
Even after Eddie got in the vehicle remained silent all the way to the diner, Richie couldnât tell whether the silence was awkward or comfortable, but either way it stayed until he parked the truck and went around to open the door for Eddie.
âAfter you my liege,â Richie said, bowing down and moving out of the way to let him get out.
âWhy thank you my good sir, shall thou escort me into this⊠fine establishment?â Eddie joked before holding out his elbow for Richie to take, and he would take what he could get.
The diner itself wasnât anything impressive. It was one of those tacky 50âs and 60âs style diners with linoleum checkered floors, big booths, those spinning stools lining the bar, and a jukebox in the corner. But nonetheless being in there with Eddie felt special as he led him elbow in elbow to a large booth in the back corner, away from the other customers scattered throughout the rest of the diner. When they sat down opposite from one another Richie couldnât help but think how close this was to a real date.
Richie reached to the end of the table and grabbed two menus from the stack, handing one to Eddie before he popped his open. âGet whatever youâd like Eds, this ones on me,â he said as casually as possible.
âThanks Rich,â he responded before turning his face down to scour the menu. After a few minutes a waitress walked over, a little pad of paper in one hand and a pen in the other.
âHi, can I get you two anything to drink tonight?â she asked in a painfully obvious customer service voice, Richie almost had to stop himself from wincing.
âMilady, iâll have one of your finest root beers, Eds?â he responded before turning to Eddie.
âUmmm I think iâll just have water, thanks.â
âOne rootbeer, and one water coming right up,â she repeated back before walking towards the kitchen.
Richie stared at Eddie until he looked up from the menu. âWhat?â he asked.
âWater Eds, really? Iâm paying so you could get anything you wanted, and you picked plain olâ water?â Richie teased.
âSoda has a lot of sugar, and cavities are no joke dipshit. Your dadâs a fucking dentist for crying out loud, youâd think heâs forbid you from soda and all the candy you stuff down your face hole,â he ranted. All Richie could do was smile and rest his face in his hand as Eddie went off. Would a real date be like this?
âWell Eds, you see, some people like to live a little and actually have a drink that tastes good,â he responded, a dopey grin still plastered on his face.
âWater tastes good!â People started to glance over at them.
âWhat the fuck? Water doesnât have a fucking taste!âÂ
âYes it fucking does!â he responded.
âOh yea, then what does it taste like?â Check fucking mate.
Eddie stopped his rant and looked at Richie, clearly trying to think of what to say next. âI donât fucking know, water tastes like fucking water!âÂ
âThatâs because water doesnât taste like anything, itâs like if your momâs bland kinks were a drink,â he said with a smirk.
âBeep fucking beep dickhead, god iâm never going to be able to drink water again with out thinking of that, what the hell!â he practically yelled.
Of course this is when the waitress decided to come back with their drinks. âIâm going to need you two to keep it down a little bit, thereâs a family here with the little kids, and if you canât keep it quiet iâll have to ask you to leave,â she said as she set down their drinks.Â
âSorry,â Eddie said in a quiet voice as he tried to sink back into the seat, a blush rising on his face.
âItâs alright. Have you two decided on what youâre getting?â she asked, pad ready.
âYeah, can I just get a plain cheeseburger with a side of fries? Please,â he asked. The waitress nodded a quick response before turning to face Richie.
âIâll have your bacon burger with everything on it, and a side of fries.â She quickly scribbled down his order and left once again towards the kitchen.
This time it was Eddie's turn to stare at Richie. âYes?â Richie asked.
âWhen you die of a heart attack from cholesterol build up I wonât mourn you,â he deadpanned
âOuch Eds, tell me how you really feel, and besides the burgers here are best with everything on it.â
âKeep telling yourself that.â
As the two boys passed the time they spent waiting for their food by teasing one another, heavily. When the food did arrive Richie waited for Eddie to take the first bite.
âOkay, I will admit this is pretty good,â he said after he finished his mouthful.
âKnew you would.â Richie smiled as he ate.
They spent the rest of their meal in a comfortable silence, listening to the music flowing from the jukebox near the front, and Richie couldnât help but observe how nicely Eddie was dressed, and how he seemed just a little bit on edge, like he was nervous. Richie thought of how happy he was when Richie had shown up to his house early, and the way they had sat in silence the whole way there. Looking forward to our date. Was this a date?Â
âYou good Rich?â Eddie asked snapping Richie out of his thoughts.
âYea, itâs just-â he looked around before turning back to Eddie and lowering his voice. â-is this a date?â he asked, slapping himself mentally for even entertaining the possibility of Eddie agreeing to a date with him.
Eddie swallowed the fry he was chewing and responded in an equally quiet voice. âDo you want it to be?â
Richie didnât know how to respond. All he could do was search Eddie's face. He looked more nervous now, but also a little bit hopeful. Richie looked down at his hand before answering. âYesâŠâ he was impossibly quiet.
âThen it is one,â Eddie said back. This caused Richie's head to snap up and look at Eddie, whose head was cast towards the plate in front of him, a blush rising on his face.
âOkay,â was all Richie could say.
Eddie looked backed up meeting his eyes and smiled, warm and full. âOkay.â