I just know that Richie Tozier was a WRECK on his and Eddie’s wedding day , I JUST KNOW THAT MAN WAS ABSOLUTELY LOSING IT AT THE ALTER LIKE TEARS STREAMING DOWN HIS FACE , because he was SO happy🫶🫶🫶🫶 !!! he defo woke up that day like “time to marry the loml how hard could it be?” And then absolutely sobs when he sees Eddie☹️☹️☹️☹️.
Inspiration: this prompt + BIRDS OF A FEATHER by Billie Eilish
Summary: Richie liked to play video games, and by some stroke of luck, it became his job. Being primarily known as Trashmouth on stream, he found his own little group of streamer friends and they became intertwined: The Losers Club. It never did feel quite complete, though. Well, until, he got his very own backseat gamer in chat.
TWs: innuendos, lots of talk of sex (it's Richie), cursing, brief mention of toxic relationships, and shameless flirting.
[[A/N: Fun fact, the songs I use in this fic are based on me shuffling my playlist and what comes up so. Enjoy :))]]
Richie was kinda sick of the road.
It was the fourth morning, and he thought he was in Oklahoma. Maybe.
The state sign was a few hours back, and Richie's mind was kinda melting. Just interstate, miles and miles of roads and cars, and luckily, changing trees and skies. Otherwise, his brain was definitely on low power mode: not tired, but in a mental capacity kinda way.
Eddie was doing something, or so he assumed. So currently, he was listening to music to try and keep him sane.
"Can I call you Rose?" Richie muttered along, switching lanes (his exit was coming up), "-'Cause your fragrance takes over the room."
🎵 Can I call you Rose?🎵
"Darling~" Richie got more into it, tapping along the steering wheel, "-I wanna-"
A chime echoed through the speakers, cutting off the music. Richie blinked, turning to his phone: e.kaspbrak is trying to videochat.
Quickly, Richie adjusted the angle to face him more, and answered.
"Hiya, Eds," he spoke, in a cliché New Yorker accent, "-What can I do for ya?"
He flicked his eyes to the camera and caught Eddie setting his phone up and stepping back -holding up two shirts. He looked like he was in a store, one where no one would mind if he took up a little space.
The traffic halted in place, and Richie would normally be pissed but he had Eddie now. So, he was completely fine with it. Grateful even.
"Which one's better?" Eddie asked, holding up one and then the other, "The blue or the pink?"
Richie's eyes lingered on the phone for maybe a second too long, because-
"Look at the road, fuckface," Eddie chastised.
"Traffic is completely stopped, Eddie baby," Richie soothed, nearly immediately, "-I am perfectly safe. Plus, how am I supposed to help if I can't look?"
Eddie's lips pressed into a thin frown.
Richie took the moment to skim over Eddie, he was dressed like he was on a run (he assumed he was). Wearing a red tanktop and running shorts, Richie couldn't decide if it was hot or cute. Eddie was a mixture of both in his mind, honestly. And then his eyes flicked to the shirts, simple ones, one tanktop with a graphic on it (Kirby, Richie thinks), and the other a simple baby blue t-shirt with a white collar and sleeve cuffs.
"Whichever you want, Eds," Richie spoke, passively, "-They're both good."
Eddie frowned again, pushing them forward further, "I asked you, dipshit. I want your opinion. Which one?"
Richie pursed his lips, eyes dashing to the road (still stagnant), before snapping back over to the phone. He really looked at the two of them, really fucking looking. Because that's what Eddie wanted, and Richie wanted to do what Eddie wanted for the rest of his life, probably. Taking a minute, he imagined Eddie in each one individually. He could picture Eddie pretty clearly now, honestly; he felt like he knew him like the back of his hand.
Blue with white collar, Richie's mind tsked, graphic pink tanktop.
"Blue," he answered succinctly (Eddie nodded and put the pink tanktop out of frame), and asked, curiously, "-and why exactly did you need my opinion, Eds?"
Eddie picked up his phone, as Richie looked forward and watched the cars begin to move -he shifted all of his focus. Eyeing the exit he needed to get off on, Richie waited patiently for Eddie's response.
"You're my boyfriend, dipshit," Eddie remarked, "-I want you to like how I fucking look."
"Eds, you could wear a neon jumpsuit that was so bright it burnt my fucking corneas," Richie laughed, pulling off onto the new road (GPS said something about turning left so he did), "-and I would still love the shit out of you."
"I didn't say you wouldn't love me," Eddie clarified, pointedly, "-I said that I wanted you to like how I look. I know you fucking love me, but that doesn't mean I can't like... fucking please your tastes or some shit."
"Awe," Richie cooed, "-Eds wants to please my tastes-"
"Shut the fuck up, asshole, you know what I mean-" Eddie huffed out, exasperated, "-Like I like your hair this length. If you cut it short, I'd fucking kill you."
"You like my hair?" Richie laughed, "-The monster that just fucking sits on my head? The shit I don't even try to take care of? The-"
"Yes," Eddie interrupted, "-I fucking love your curls. Even though you don't give a shit about them, I will. I'll figure that shit out, and take care of them. Because you're never getting fucking rid of them, ever."
I want you to be here to stop me, forever. God, I would do fucking anything-
"Salon Eds," Richie chimed, in an infomercial sort of way, "-where you don't give a fuck, but he does."
"That's not... Whatever, the point is-" Eddie continued, "-I want to hear your opinion, just like you want to hear mine."
"I don't even have a fucking opinion on myself, Eddie baby," Richie laughed out, winking exaggeratively, "-I am completely moldable. In more than one way too, if you know what I'm saying-"
"Shut up," Eddie laughed out, and Richie wished he could look. God, he fucking loved him, "-You're such an asshole."
The rest of the ride was a lot of the same, just bickering and Eddie stayed on the entire time. Or well, did his best to. Richie could tell when he was getting tired, he got really fucking giggly (at least with Richie) and couldn't properly focus. So, when he noticed it, he'd send Eddie off to bed, refusing to entertain shit ("Someone wise once told me that not sleeping fucks with your brain function, Eds.") until he heard Eddie's little tiny snores -so quiet you wouldn't even catch it in person, probably. Richie somehow hoped he could.
Eddie had just fallen asleep (he was only an hour ahead of him at this point), and Richie was picking at his fingernails. His phone laid along the mattress, somewhere near his left hand. He just fidgeted and stared at the ceiling -thinking.
This was a big fucking deal, and the last time Richie made a big fucking deal in a relationship, his heart ended up splattered on the fucking sidewalk. It wasn't that he didn't trust Eddie, he did but it's just... It's a different wheelhouse to be with Richie all the time, not just in the moderation Eddie had.
Steve would probably say the same thing about this shit, that it's how he's wired and they're trying to change it but it's okay if it still seeps out sometimes. Because yeah, Richie was working on it, but he still felt... like shit.
He believed that Eddie really fucking liked who he was (loved it actually, indirectly said but still). He really fucking did. But that doesn't mean he, himself, does. And Eddie was fucking helping, constantly reassuring him and saying the shit that Richie just needed to hear. He really didn't know how Eddie did it, but he did. But still, this shit in him was rooted deep. Probably as soon as his fucking sister was born-
Ding.
benny.boy.official ✔️
hope you're having fun rich !!!
send pictures with Eddie when you get there ☺️
Richie stared at the message for a second.
Ben. Sweet, grounding, kind, Ben. Ben who would do everything in his power to believe the good in somebody, even if everything they fucking did was bad. And it wasn't even like he was naive, he just... he just believed the shit out of it.
Richie clicked call before he second guess it.
"Hi, Richie!" He chimed, soft and warm (always was), "-How's the trip going? 2 more days, right?"
"Heya, Benny," he smiled back, naturally relaxing at the sound of him, "-and yeah, tomorrow is the start of the fifth day. Only one more after that, and then I finally fucking get Eds."
"I know!" Ben grinned, and Richie heard the murmur of maybe a movie in the background, "-I'm so happy for you two. It's amazing, really, Eddie's so excited, I can tell."
"Yeah?" Richie asked, genuinely.
"Oh yeah," Ben reassured, "-We went to get coffee this morning and I've never seen him smile so much, Rich."
Richie's heart flipped in his chest (he hoped it never stopped doing that), and he grinned so brightly that it hurt. If he was on his stomach he might've been kicking his feet. Fuck, he really loved him. He hoped with everything in him that Eddie wouldn't get sick of him physically, god, please-
"Ben," he spoke, "-can I ask you a question?"
"'Course, Richie," he answered, maybe a little concerned, "-what's up?"
"Is... Do you think-" Richie started before exhaling a breath, "-Do you think I should be worried?"
"About what?" Ben asked, curiously.
"Well, um, everything," Richie laughed a little, nervous, "-I don't... There's no hesitation in my body about Eddie, seriously, not a fucking shred. But... What if it's different for him?"
Ben questioned further, "What do you mean?"
"What if Eddie's... not sure? Or-" Richie scrambled, "-what if he meets me in person and I... I scare him away? It's one thing to text and call me but to constantly be around me? I don't-"
"Richie, breathe," Ben interrupted, calmly.
Richie obediently did so. A long breath echoed out of his lungs, and his heart slowed.
"Okay, now," Ben began, gently, "-has Eddie ever told you that he's not sure? Or that he's hesitant?"
Richie pressed his lips together, "Well, no, but-"
"Rich, Eddie would tell you stuff like that," Ben cut him off, "-He's very straightforward, you know that."
Richie sighed, "Okay, yeah, so he's not hesitating. But... whose to say it won't be too much for him? All my shit."
"Richie, he's dating you. He cares about you," Ben hummed, "-You guys know each other inside and out because you want to learn it all. Both of you do. I don't think Eddie's going to run."
"But what if he does?" Richie asked, pathetically, "-I can't... Ben, if he can't handle me, I'm fucked. I don't think I can-"
"If anyone can handle you, it's Eddie," Ben laughed a little, before adding, "-except for maybe Stan and Patty."
Richie laughed a little too.
"The point being, if-" Ben made sure to stress that word, "-and I really don't think this would happen, okay? But if Eddie couldn't handle you, you'll be okay. It'll hurt, but all of us Losers will be here for you. Worst case scenario, you have us."
He let a breath rattle out of his lungs, "Yeah, I do."
"But Richie, I really don't think you should even think like that," Ben spoke, carefully, "-Eddie really, really cares about you."
"I know," Richie sighed out.
"I don't think he'd even want to leave your side, honestly," Ben hummed, "-When you're finally united, I don't think that Eddie will want to leave you alone again. Ever."
Richie pressed his lips together, as tears burned the backs of his eyes.
"Eddie's not gonna run, Richie," Ben echoed again. His voice soft and warm, it made Richie's head clear and eyes grow heavy.
"Yeah," Richie exhaled a deep breath, "-he won't."
He could almost hear the smile through the line, Ben's little soft one. The one that if you saw would make your insides feel gooey, because it was just so fucking kind. God.
"I love you, Benny," Richie spoke, light and scratchy.
Richie woke up that morning lighter, Ben's words thrumming through his head. He was up, miraculously, at 7:30 (all these timezones were really fucking with his sleep schedule). And was currently debating getting ready and heading out early. Because he couldn't exactly wait, or sit still, it was fucking impossible for Richie Tozier. He was itching to fucking go, to shave down some of the hours to get to Eddie.
If he left early though, Eddie would probably freak out though (something about hours of sleep and blah, blah). So, he just decided to grab his phone and fidget with it for a while.
Richie liked to search himself up, he'll admit it. He liked to dive into his fandom like a super spy (like the boss working undercover in that one show). He did it for a lot of reasons, maybe to see what his fans wanted or what they were reacting well to. Sometimes just to see what shit they were up to. This usually spanned from a lot of different platforms: Instagram, YouTube (he loved watching edited compilations of himself), Reddit, and Tumblr primarily.
Today, his poison was Reddit.
r/trashmouthtozier
u/trashmeuptozy • 4d
What are our theories about Richie's disappearance?
2.4k upvotes • 1.7 comments
⬆️ ⬇️ 💬
toziers-texas-toast • 4 days ago
personally I think he's u-hauling
⬆️1.25k ⬇️89 💬
reddie-girlie • 3 days ago
all I know is that it probably involves 🍝
⬆️1.2k ⬇️27 💬
bouncing-baby-boy • 3 days ago
guys don't worry he's just on a side quest
⬆️1k ⬇️54 💬
not_on_my_crotch • 2 days ago
fucking ur mom
edit: ur dad sorry
⬆️967 ⬇️53 💬
Richie pursed his lips, letting out a sigh (a little of relief), he was actually kinda worried about the reception of him just up and leaving. But, they seemed to be handling it relatively well. They obviously had questions, as they should, but they weren't harassing him for answers, so it was good.
r/trashmouthtozier
u/tozier_babeyyyy • 2 hrs ago
Reddie Playing Minecraft (link)
my first ever reddie comp !!! Hope you guys enjoy :)
⬆️3.5k ⬇️22 💬
Richie stared at it for a second, before clicking the link. Maybe a little too quickly, they could have his IP address right now-
"Alright troops-"
And then it was off like a rocket, every single moment they spoke to each other -documented. He watched the village section more than once, of his own doing, just rewinding and watching it over and over. Watching Eddie shuffle behind him, like he'd known he'd protect him. God. What a stupid fucking way to feel about a game-
It carried on the same, all the moments he remembers (he doesn't think he can ever forget anything about Eddie to be fair) all the way up to the end of his stream. He watched himself do his outro, Eddie's Steve fidgeting with chests on his screen.
Laughing a little, he went to get out of the video, but-
BONUS ROUND: spaghetti talking about Richie to the other losers, flashed onto his screen -some very fast-paced royalty-free music following.
Richie paused for a second, what?
Now, he was looking at a clip from Bev's stream. Her camera up in the top right corner, Richie mindlessly noted that she had looked very pretty that day, good for her. Before focusing on her screen, where just a few steps in front of her Steve (Eddie) was watching Richie run around in circles with Bill. The iron golem, at that moment (it flicked between Bill and himself), was chasing him around the outskirts of the village.
"If he dies," Eddie suddenly spoke, and he watched Bev adjust her vision in the game to look at it, "-he doesn't like... Nothing bad happens, right?"
Richie smiled, gleaming a little bit.
"Nope," Bev smiled, bright, and popped the 'p', "-Worst-case scenario, he ends up back where we started and has to get back to us-"
Richie watched as Bill was suddenly launched into space and the chat snapped onto their screen.
big.bill was slain by an iron golem
He laughed a little at the memory.
"-Just like Bill will have to do now."
"Oh," Eddie responded, still watching Richie get chased around the village with a keen eye. Was he always looking at me?
"C'mon, Eddie," Bev interrupted, "-Let's steal some crops, and then we can tear down their houses for resources-"
"We sound like fucking colonizers," Eddie retorted, and both Bev and Richie started snort laughing in tandem.
And then, he was looking at Mike's screen, facing out onto the flower field. Eddie was stood right beside him, so he knew relatively when this was. Even heard himself a little distantly in the background.
"I'm staying here. I'm living here. My vote's for here-"
Mike was close to Eddie though, so now, he could hear Eddie laugh a little. A soft, sort of affectionate, of all things, laugh that made Richie's head spin a little. Okay, a lot. It made his head spin a lot.
Affectionate? For Richie Tozier? Praise fucking god-
"He's such an idiot," Eddie laughed out.
"In general? Definitely," Mike responded, laughing a little too, "-But for you? God help his brain cells."
"Yeah, well," Eddie spoke, soft, "-I'm an idiot for him to, so."
Ben interrupted the thought, "I agree, it's-"
And then, it cut again to Ben's stream, he was wandering over to where Eddie started building -assumedly from the direction of Bev's house. Unsurprisingly, Richie might add. He was half convinced they shared that house, actually-
"Do you think Richie will like it?" Eddie asked suddenly, Ben shuffling up to his side.
Richie grinned a little.
Ben grinned, big cheeks shot up with the warm motion, before adjusting his vision to see the frame that Eddie had built. It wasn't much, just the corners of each wall, but it was very meticulously done. Different blocks (which it should be said that Richie fetched him) all placed in their exact spot. It was pretty good for his second time playing, honestly. But, he might've been a little biased.
"It's really nice, Eddie," Ben chimed, cheerfully, "-but I do think you could build it out of dirt and Richie would still be stoked."
Very true, his mind agreed.
"I wanna actually put effort in," Eddie replied, flustered (Richie could see his cheeks all puffed up in his head), "-It's our house. Ya know? It's gotta be good."
"I think," Ben smiled, "-As long as you're in it Eddie, Richie will think it's good."
Eddie stayed quiet for a second, looking out at the house, staring. Richie waited with a breath.
"You're such a fucking sap, Ben," Eddie retorted, with no bite at all.
"Yeah, well, apparently," Ben turned to look at him, laughing, "-you are too."
And then, Eddie spoke softly, "Yeah, I am too."
Just like that, it cut to an end card. Subscribe button, next video and all.
Richie blinked, throwing himself back on the bed. Fuck, I love him. So much. Too much probably. Was he supposed to love somebody this much? Like with every fiber of his being? Every single cell? Every single fucking atom?
Taking a peek at the time, he quickly decided on sending a quick message.
trashmouth.tozier ✔️
good morninggggg eddie baby 💞✨️
hope you had dreams of fucking frolicking in meadows or some shit
Fuck it.
With a breath, he stood up and started packing. His tiny little bag, full of definitely too little outfits for a trip this long, but it would not be the first time he re-wore shit. So, he was okay with it. Until, ya know, he saw Eddie. He wanted to be wearing clean shit then (he saved his Marsh original that he liked so much for the occasion).
Humming along with a song that decidedly wasn't playing, grabbing all of his hygiene shit.
"Right now, he's probably dancing with a bleach-blonde tramp, and-" he murmured, before stressing out a word, "-and she's probably getting frisky."
Unzipping a pocket, he shoved his deodorant into it. And his cologne, fancy cologne, that he maybe only bought for meeting Eddie. But he did actually like it too. He wouldn't just buy it for Eddie (he totally did).
"Showing her how to shoot a combo," he sang louder, "-and he don't know-"
He heard his phone vibrate in his pocket. Felt rather.
e.kaspbrak is calling
Richie smiled a little, answering and putting it onto his shoulder (pushed up against the side of his head).
"Hey, Eds," he chimed, bright and smiley, and pulling his bag up off the floor. Day 5.
Eddie took a pause, and Richie heard maybe the scratch of a blanket. Had he just woken up?
And then, his voice came in quiet and sleep-slurred, "Hi, Rich."
Something warm shot through his toes, he'd never heard Eddie just woken up. This was new. And Richie wondered for a second if his hair was messy, or maybe his face had patches of red from where he'd slept. He'd get to see that soon, god.
"Awe, did my lil Spaghetti just wake up?" He cooed -half genuine and half teasing.
"The only thing that's right about that fucking sentence is that I'm yours."
Richie blinked. Mine, Eddie's mine. My Eds. 'I'm yours'. My Spaghetti. My boyfriend. My boyfriend, Eddie. Eddie's mine-
"Fuck yeah you are," Richie chimed -grinning bright and wide.
Eddie giggled a little (and Richie wondered if he was rubbing his eyes like a little toddler would), "Why are you up so early?"
"Dunno," Richie answered honestly, throwing his bag into the passenger seat (per usual), "-I just woke up this early, Eds. Aren't you normally up this early? Earlier, actually-"
"I don't have a job anymore, dipshit," Eddie explained, "-and I think I overdid it last run, so I slept in. Fuck you."
"Jeez," Richie laughed, connecting him to the radio, "-I was just asking a question. You wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?"
"No," Eddie replied, quickly, "-Speaking of, I sleep on the left-"
Richie furrowed his eyebrows, "O-kay, Eds. What's-"
"-So, if you do too, you have to just fucking deal with it."
Oh.
Richie blinked, before answering awkwardly, "No problem, Eddie baby, I kinda just sleep in the middle."
"What the fuck do you mean-" Eddie mocked his voice, and Richie smiled (what a shithead), "-'I sleep in the middle'?"
"I spread out like a starfish," Richie clarified, listing, "-on my stomach, and sleep in the middle."
He could almost hear Eddie's nose scrunch up, "What the fuck? You're such a freak."
"What?" Richie asked, a little genuinely, "-Is that problem? I can just move over to the right side so-"
"No, it's not a fucking problem," Eddie interrupted, "-We're boyfriends, we can cuddle, idiot."
Richie blinked, Oh.
Cuddling with Eddie? Richie nearly pressed the gas to go fucking faster.
"Unless," Eddie paused, quieter -uncertain, "-Unless, you don't want to, I guess-"
"No, what," Richie clarified, swinging his hand around, and focusing on the car in front of him, "-Eds, that sounds like fucking... heaven. I just... I haven't thought about that shit. Because we were so far apart, it'd just make me sad as fuck-"
"Oh," Eddie spoke, blankly. Maybe a little flustered.
Richie wanted to see his face so badly right now that it made his skin itch. God, seriously-
"Yeah, well," Eddie pushed through his thoughts, "-you're gonna fucking kiss me when you get here, so. You better get fucking used to it."
Something swirled in his stomach. Kissing Eddie? Jesus, he hadn't thought about this shit at all. I get to kiss Eddie, god. In like a day-
"Why don't you just kiss me?" Richie laughed a little, splotchy red blush crawling to his cheeks.
"Because," Eddie answered, plainly, "-I want you to kiss me, asshole."
And I'd do anything you wanted, Richie's mind added.
"Yeah, okay, Eddie baby," Richie spoke softly, before switching up, "-As your celebrity crush, I know you've been dreaming of this moment for a long time-"
"Oh, shut the fuck up, dickweed," Eddie snapped back, short laughter cutting into the tone.
"-Although, I should clarify, I won't be as good as dream Trashmouth," Richie commented, "-I may not hold up against the competition. But jokes on you, you can't leave me for me so."
"I haven't dreamed about you kissing me, moron," Eddie huffed out, "-and you need to get over that shit."
"No way," Richie laughed, turning slightly, "-That shit is sticking forever. Sorry, Eds."
"It's not that fucking important-"
"It is," Richie interrupted, "-It so is. I was your celebrity crush! That's so fucking sick."
"How?" Eddie asked, curiously.
"Well," Richie drummed his fingers along the wheel, "-you fucking watched my streams and thought, shit, he's handsome-"
"That wasn't-" Eddie paused, exhaling a breath, "-You're handsome, but it wasn't... How do I fucking-"
Richie furrowed his eyebrows, "Eds?"
"It was like-" he started, before decidedly restarting, "-It wasn't like a celebrity crush, where you just kinda think they're handsome and just like their voice or some shit-"
Richie listened.
"-It was like... It was like having a crush on my best friend. Because you're just-" Eddie paused, "-You're just so... you on your streams, so fucking... human. Celebrities are intangible as fuck, but you... You wore ugly fucking shirts, and you have the dumbest fucking jokes, and your hair is a mess on your head. You're a fucking person, and I just... I just wanted that. Wanted you."
Richie pressed his lips together, heart skipping a beat.
"So, it was like-" he continued, slow but deliberate, "-like we were, ya know, friends, and I just knew you. Saw all that shit firsthand. And I liked that. Liked you."
He blinked. Fuck, I love him so much.
"Well," Richie let out a breath, smiling too bright, "-that just makes it more important so. You've fucked yourself."
Eddie paused, "Shit."
Richie started snort laughing, eyes clear on the road despite the laugh wracking through him. He heard Eddie break into his own laughter, and it only made him smile brighter because, god, did he love the shit out of Eddie's laugh. Well, he loved the shit out of Eddie in general-
"Are you driving already?" Eddie asked, after a few seconds of comfortable silence.
"Yeah," Richie replied, turning off where he needed to, "-I woke up early and got fucking antsy. I'm not a patient man, Eds."
Eddie hummed a little, almost like he was still a little tired, "How long are you gonna drive today, then?"
"Well," he pursed his lips, trying to remember shit, "-I've got like 14 hours left, maybe less. You won't let me push shit but I have already driven 9 hours in a day before-"
"Richie," Eddie warned.
"-I know, Eds, I know. But it's either I do the long drive today or tomorrow, and I really don't want to be fucking passed out on my first day with you."
"I'm gonna make you rest either way, dipshit," Eddie countered, "-You've been through every fucking timezone in America, your brain must be totally fucking fried."
"C'mon, Eds," Richie chimed, going into a cliché New Yorker accent, "-ya gotta show me the city."
"The shitty city?" Eddie clarified, flatly, "-The one I hate?"
"It's New York," Richie laughed a little, "-There's gotta be something worthwhile."
"I know the shit you're trying to pull. You're not gonna change my mind, Richie," Eddie replied, pointedly, "-Even if you do all those hours today, when you get here, you're gonna fucking rest."
Richie paused, continuing hesitantly, "So, you're okay with me doing the long drive today?"
"You don't," Eddie paused, seeming a little too quiet and working himself up, "-You don't need my permission to do shit, I didn't mean to-"
"Eddie baby, stop," Richie soothed, immediately, "-It's not a permission thing. It's a 'for your well-being' thing. I don't want to do shit that will stress you out. I refuse to do shit that would make you feel scared when I can't 100% be there to fix it. Or at least fucking... help you through it."
"Really?" Eddie questioned, quietly.
"Of fucking course, Eds, I love the shit out of you," Richie laughed a little, "-and the idea of you being stressed the fuck out, alone, makes me want to bite my own fucking head off. So-"
Richie took a breath.
"-are you okay with me driving that long today?"
Eddie paused, before slowly saying, "You promise you'll stop driving if you need to?"
"Absolutely," Richie agreed, "-I'm not gonna push myself beyond my limits, Eddie baby. I promise."
There was a spare second of silence, and Richie started drumming his fingers along the wheel. It was the beat of 'Before He Cheats' (the song he was singing before). And his eyes remained squarely on the road -straightforward and focused.
"Okay," Eddie sighed out, "-Okay, yeah, you can drive 9 hours. That's... I'll be okay."
"Yeah?" Richie asked, genuinely.
"Yeah, Rich," Eddie laughed a little, "-Just make sure to eat and drink properly, and maybe hit the rest areas so you can stretch out your freakishly fucking long legs-"
"Can't call 'em freaks, if that's how ya like 'em," Richie interrupted with a Southern accent, "-Mr. 'my type is tall idiots'."
"I was hitting on you, moron," Eddie huffed out, "-You're my first boyfriend. I don't even know if I have a type."
"Yeah, I kinda figured," Richie laughed a little, "-That text drove me fucking crazy for weeks."
"Yeah, well," Eddie cleared his throat, "-fucking imagine what I felt when you told me your type."
Richie paused. ("But yeah, Spaghetti, teeny little brunettes who are mean to me.")
"Wait," Richie started, "-you... I, your celebrity crush, described you, a teeny little brunette who is mean to me, as my type. And you... what?"
Eddie didn't say anything for a second.
"Don't make fun of me. Or else I'll kick your ass."
"Roger that, Spaghetti," Richie echoed in a growly voice (like it was coming out of a walkie-talkie), "-please proceed."
"I... Ugh," Eddie exhaled like the words hurt to say, "-I threw my phone across the room. It cracked my whole fucking screen-"
"You what?" Richie interjected.
"It's just-" Eddie started to explain, increasingly flustered, "-You were... you. And I was, I was the exact description. And it hit me for a second that, you know, you were kinda tangible. That, with like... the right fucking circumstances, I could have you. Easy."
Richie blinked, before sputtering, "You could. You did. You do, you do have me now."
"Well," Eddie paused, smiling (Richie could hear the cheesy grin), "-I guess I got the right fucking circumstances."
"The best ones," Richie chimed, heart rattling in his ribs (Eddie, Eddie, Eddie), "-maybe."
"Yeah, shithead," Eddie replied, "-the best ones."
Give me Richie and Eddie being closer with each other than with any other Loser.
Give me Richie and Eddie who have sleepovers and late night hangouts without any of the other Losers knowing.
Give me Richie who climbs in through Eddie's window every second night, at exactly 11pm and give me Eddie who is always up and waiting with nervous and excited butterflies that he wishes would go away.
Give me Eddie who's snort can't be contained every time Richie falls on all fours when he climbs in bc he keeps forgetting about the part of the windowsill being too high so his foot get stuck.
Give me Richie who blushes and calls him an asshole for laughing and reminds him that he's going to wake his mum up.
Give me Eddie who excitedly goes through Richie's backpack to see what he brought to entertain them with that time.
Give me them just enjoying each other's company as they read comic books and listen to music. Or maybe they just talk while they lay shoulder to shoulder on Eddie's bed, trying to discreetly touch the other without making it too weird or too awkward bc boys aren't supposed to want to hold hands with other boys and they aren't supposed to be in bed with their best friend like that.
Give me Eddie who blushes from head to toe every time Richie bumps their shoulders or gets too much into his personal space to tell him something incredibly exciting that makes his blue eyes sparkle.
Give me Richie who stumbles through that same window at 1am every time after they exchange a hug that lasts a bit too long and a promise that Richie would be back with more fun stuff. Cheeks red, heart beating like crazy, face aching from smiling so much.
Give me Eddie who lays back in his bed that has the smell of his best friend still there and it's so comforting that he falls asleep faster than the nights when Richie doesn't come over. Content, happy, warm all over.
They never tell the other Losers. They never wanted to. It was an unspoken agreement. Their little secret. Too intimate to share. Too special for the town like Derry.
Richie stood behind Eddie, a wide grin spreading across his face as he held a comb in his hand. "I'm trying to fix your hair, so hold still," Richie playfully scolded, his voice laced with affection.
Eddie rolled his eyes but complied, turning slightly to face his husband. "My hair didn’t need fixing! It was yours that’s a trainwreck! And you better not make it worse, Trashmouth!" he teased, unable to hide the fondness in his voice.
Richie chuckled and ran the comb through Eddie's soft locks, his fingers occasionally brushing against his scalp. It was a simple act, but it held a deep intimacy that only they could understand. When Richie was a kid, his mother was not patient or gentle when it came to brushing his hair. The brush picked roughly at the knots, making his scalp ache for the rest of the day.
As Richie meticulously adjusted Eddie's hair, he couldn't help but recall the countless times he had teased his friend about his meticulous grooming habits back in Derry. He used to joke about Eddie's fanny packs and how his hair always had to be perfect. But now, as they stood together as adults, Richie realized how much he adored those quirks and how they had become an integral part of who Eddie was.
Eddie watched his boyfriend’s reflection in the mirror, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Despite the years that had passed since their terrifying encounter with Pennywise, Richie still had a way of making him feel safe and loved. It was a feeling he cherished every day.
Finished with his task, Richie placed the comb on the bathroom counter and turned to face Eddie, his eyes shimmering with affection. "There you go, Mr. Perfect," he said, his voice filled with a mix of playfulness and adoration.
Eddie blushed, his gaze meeting Richie's. "Thanks, Trashmouth. We should get going now. We don’t have a lot of time," he replied, his voice filled with sincerity.
Richie closed the distance between them, his arms encircling Eddie in a warm embrace. "Do you think Ben and Bev would hold their wedding for us?" he teased, his eyes lingering towards the bed.
Although Eddie couldn’t resist Richie’s affection, he shook his head to resist his intentions. Later, he said in his mind. “We just fixed your hair. You’re going to look like Big Foot’s brother.”
They stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, cherishing the love they had fought so hard to preserve, their own version of happily ever after. They were attending Ben and Beverly’s wedding today, another love story that had its falters due to Pennywise’s curse against Derry.
Richie nuzzled his face into the crook of Eddie's neck, his voice muffled but filled with mischief. "Come on, Eds. We've got time for a quick detour," he whispered, his warm breath sending shivers down Eddie's spine.
Eddie chuckled softly, his fingers gently tracing patterns on Richie's back. "You're insatiable, Richie. We have important things to attend to, remember?" he replied, a mix of playfulness and affection in his voice.
Richie pulled back slightly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, important things. But we deserve a little fun, don't we?" he countered, his lips curling into a playful grin.
Eddie couldn't help but smile, his heart swelling with love for the man who had brought so much joy and laughter into his life. Richie had a way of making even the most mundane moments feel like an adventure, and Eddie cherished every second of it.
As much as Eddie was tempted to give in to Richie's playful advances, he gently extricated himself from the embrace, a hint of reluctance in his eyes. "We really should get going, Richie. Ben and Bev have been waiting for us," he said, a touch of regret in his voice.
Richie pouted playfully, his eyes widening in mock disappointment. "Fine, Mr. Responsible. But you owe me a rain check," he replied, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Eddie rolled his eyes, but a soft chuckle escaped his lips. "Deal," he said, his voice filled with warmth.
Hand in hand, they made their way out of the room. As they stepped into the day, their hands intertwined, Richie and Eddie embraced the future that lay before them.
Eddie took a breath. That moment will come, he thought to himself. Just when to ask the love of his life to marry him was a tough question.
Something I may continue. Let me know what you think!
