my favorite color • reddie

l a y b i n - s i y a m

"Eddie,"

Eddie looked down at the box in his hands tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He didn't want to be there anymore, all the excitement to meet Richie's friends disappeared, the butterflies in his stomach when he heard Richies voice weren't there anymore.

He quickly turned around and started walking back toward his bike, trying to control his unsteady breathing and swallow away the lump in his throat.

All he wanted right now was to be home, alone.

"Eddie," Richie started walking toward him. Every step Eddie took, was two of Richie's. He eventually caught up to Eddie, standing in front of him.

"Eddie, hey, you know I didn't mean that, right?" Richie grabbed Eddie's arms, trying to keep him from going anywhere.

Eddie was too embarrassed and heartbroken to say anything.

"You know how much I care about you, right baby? I—"

"Richie, s-stop." Eddie pushed him away, looking up at him.

Richie had only ever made truly Eddie cry one other time, and it was of laughter.

He hated knowing it was his fault Eddie was on the verge of actual tears and not the ones filled with joy. Looking down at his tear stained cheeks made him feel like the biggest asshole alive. Eddie had done nothing but be understanding, affectionate and caring. He was truly the purest thing Richie had ever come into contact with. Richie had heard Eddie go on for countless hours about how much he love volunteering at animal shelters to help feed puppies and kittens.

Eddie spent a lot of his time selflessly back in San Francisco. He'd volunteer anywhere he could because he wanted to. And Richie loved this about him. He loved listening to Eddie talk about these things because he always got excited while he talked. He never got tired of seeing Eddie's face light up when he saw babies, dogs, fanny packs on sale and pictures of monkeys.

Eddie was truly something sent from above, he gave Richie nothing but love and support.

This was what Richie gave him return.

"No, baby, please don't cry." Richie reached to wipe away a tear from Eddie's face, Eddie gently pushed his hand away and took a step back.

"You t-told me you weren't embarrassed of m-me." Eddie sniffed.

"And I'm not, I already told you—"

Eddie nodded, opposing to what Richie had said.

"Yes you are."

"Don't say that, you know I'm not, you know how much I care about you." Richie insisted.

"Then why did you tell them I was nobody? You're embarrassed of me, just say it."

Richie didn't know what to say. He wasn't embarrassed of Eddie in the slightest, he absolutely adored him, but at the same time he didn't want people to know about him just yet.

"No I'm-I just-I think we just need to talk about this." Richie looked down at Eddie. He'd never seen him look this tired and distant, even when he was sick. This wasn't the same boy he spent the last month with who he talked to for hours on end, never saw him without a smile on his face.

"So, all those times you kissed me, you just felt bad?" Eddie sniffed.

Richie looked back toward his friends, making sure they didn't hear what he had just said. Eddie scoffed.