"i don't think we should be doing this." eddie looked over to richie, who's hand was slowly trailing up and down eddie's arm.
"what?" richie stopped and sat up in the bed. eddie sighed, knowing the conversation that was about to ensue.
"bev was on the phone with stan yesterday. i think they're starting to put the pieces together." richies nose scrunched and his eyebrows almost met. he looked to his lap as eddie sat up next to him.
"so? what do we do?" eddie had no clue. he wasn't sure what richie wanted, he wasn't sure where they'd even start.
"i don't know." richie hadn't exactly been open to the idea of a relationship, it made eddie feel dirty.
no matter how much he showered, eddie couldn't get rid of the feeling of being dirty. he hated sneaking around. he hated being secretive. he felt like he was doing something bad.
"well if you don't know, how am i supposed to?" eddie braced himself for an arguement. richie was different. he was colder than he used to be. eddie couldn't tell what had happened in the few years that they'd been estranged, but something turned richie sour.
"i don't want to fight." eddie's voice was barely a whisper. something about richies presence made him feel small and timid. he never felt this way before.
"we aren't fighting." richie stood up from the bed and walked to the dresser, bending down to open a drawer and pull out his work clothes. eddie watched as he did so, and his brain ran a hundred miles per second as he tried to come up with a response that wouldn't further the tension.
"okay." was all eddie could muster. richie turned to face him, his arms going limp at his sides as his eyes burned holes into eddie's skin. eddie darted his eyes upwards to meet richies, and he noticed as a look of irritation spread across richies face.
"don't be like that." eddie rolled his eyes.
"don't be like what?" eddie thought. "don't be upset that you're not the same person you used to be? don't be irritated by how you behave towards me?"
but eddie would never say that aloud. it wouldn't do anyone any good. it wouldn't solve the problem.
"sorry." was all he could get out.
richie shook his head and shrugged before shaking off his sweatpants and pulling his work shirt over his head. eddie watched him fix his hair in the mirror in silence before he stood up and gathered his things.
"do you want me to walk you back to your place?" richie finally spoke as they were almost out of the door.
"no, i'm alright. you're already almost late anyways." eddie's smile left his face almost as quickly as it appeared.
"it's not too far out of the way, eds. i don't mind." eddie shook his head.
"it's in the complete opposite direction. i'm fine, honest." richie wanted to protest, eddie could see it in his eyes. but he didn't. he just nodded.
when the pair made it outside, eddie turned towards his route home.
"hey." richie said just as eddie began to walk away.
eddie stopped in his tracks and turned to face the other.
"huh?" richie put his hands in his jacket pocket as he drummed up a reply.
"there's a party tonight, i need a plus one. care to join me?" eddie hated to say yes to this. he hated allowing it to go further. he was scared to get hurt.
but he knew that he couldn't say no to richie tozier.
"what time?"
