The Plan| Reddie

Graduation

Six days until Graduation-

Richie was not coping well with the fact that River was graduating this week. He barely got any sleep, often kicking Eddie in the back when he tries to adjust him sleeping position, therefore meaning that Eddie was also struggling to sleep too. Richie was just like his parents...a worrier. He was worrying about her going to college, about her being bullied there and not having him for comfort, about her forgetting to visit at the weekends.

"Rich, go to sleep." Eddie yawns after Richie's woken up, Eddie having been woken up from being kicked in the back.

"W-what if Isla turns up?" Richie asks and the tone he's using alerts Eddie. The older man sits up and looks at his boyfriend, who's on the verge of a panic attack." Oh no what if she spends time with her and likes her more than me?"

"Richie, Isla isn't allowed anywhere near River." Eddie says, rubbing small circles into Richie's back." River is old enough now to make her own choices and her own decisions. She can look after herself. Plus, she has Quinn with her. Quinn won't let her do anything stupid."

"I...I don't want her to go!" Richie says, his voice cracking and he starts loudly sobbing, loud enough to probably wake up the girls. Eddie pulls him into a hug and just holds him, playing with his hair.

"Tell me a story." Eddie says, planting a gentle kiss on Richie's temple." Tell me a story of River from when she was younger."

Richie composes himself, wiping his eyes and whimpering a little, remaining in Eddie's arms, but resting his head on Eddie's lap and looking up at him. Eddie takes Richie's glasses off and wipes his eyes for him, before sliding them back on. Richie smiles and Eddie pecks him on the lips gently.

"Okay...umm there was this one time when she was a kid when we went to a festival. She was about six. It was just us two and the Uris's and her and Wren had an amazing time together. She would not let go of my hand the whole day, even on the rides. She was a tiny little thing, which is odd, because when I was six I looked like I could be a ten year old. I've always been tall. Her small hand was just gripped around mine and she seemed scared but she had the biggest grin on her face." Richie tells with a sniff, Eddie wiping his eyes for him again under his glasses." Anyway, it was one of those festivals that run late into the night and she fell asleep in the car on the way home. I carried her in and I could feel her little heart beating against my shoulder and...and I was just so overcome with love. Like...that's my daughter. Mine. I'd been so scared to raise her by myself...I used to get anxiety attacks in the middle of the night and have to have her sleep in my bed with me because I was so scared of something happening to her whilst I slept. But, in that moment, all of my fears went away. Carrying her in from the car and feeling her little heart beating just...stopped my fears and insecurities. Weird, I know."

"It's not weird. I had something similar." Eddie states and Richie looks up at him, intrigued." I was so scared of turning out to be like my mom that I vowed to never have children. I was going to have a vasectomy, but then Myra told me she was pregnant. It was a drunken night, I don't remember much. I don't even remember drinking so much. I'm pretty sure Myra got me drunk but I don't care because that night gave me Quinn. The minute she was born, Myra wouldn't let me near her. I wasn't allowed to name her. I wanted to name her Frankie after my father but Myra wanted Quinn and so we settled with what she wanted. I just wanted an easy life. The entire pregnancy I was a nervous wreck, but when Quinn was a few weeks old I hid in the nursery whilst Myra was out and I just held her. Tiny tiny thing she was. Just like me. She was adorable and...and just being able to hold her put me at ease. There isn't a handbook on how to be a good dad but we have both done brilliant jobs."

"When we first met you said you held Quinn in the hospital." Richie states and Eddie gulps.

"I lied." He responds.