eddie
"no rich! don't touch that!"
i whisper shouted, scurrying over to where richie was playing with the clay teacup we'd made together in third grade. i shook my head fondly as he gently placed it back on its pot plate.
"sorry spaget head."
he slurred, causing me to giggle.
"spaghet head?"
i questioned with a raised eyebrow. richie nodded affirmatively, pointing his finger at my face as he spoke.
"it's short for, uh...eddie."
before i could question him any further, he took a step towards me and leaned in close, his nose touching mine. the close proximity was unexpected and sudden, causing me to blush furiously and choke a little.
"what are you-?"
"shh,"
he placed a finger over my lips, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again and smiling goofily. his glasses were digging into my forehead, but i daren't complain.
"you have a very pretty face ed's. like a fairy princess."
i couldn't help but smile at the softness of his words, ignoring my own internal torment as i gently pushed him away by his shoulders.
"thankyou richie but i don't think that's true."
i sighed, smiling sadly as i tried to accept the fact that i'd never hear these words if richie was sober. he frowned, pushing up his glasses with his middle finger.
"it is true. you're the prettiest princess i've ever seen!"
he spread out his arms to emphasise his sincerity, and i didn't have the heart to disagree with him again.
"well thankyou, you're very pretty too. let me find you something to wear."
i quickly tried to change the subject, but to no avail. richie's eyes lit up and his hand came to cover his mouth as he gasped dramatically.
"do you...do you really think that? you think i'm pretty?"
he asked, as if he was afraid to hear the answer. i coughed awkwardly, rummaging through my drawers.
"well uh, yeah. i do. you're very pretty rich, prettier than anyone i've ever seen."
i decided i would take advantage of the fact that there was a chance richie may not remember this conversation come tomorrow, letting everything i wanted to say to him slip down the slope of my tongue and safely fall onto the carpet beneath.
he didn't respond for a few moments, but instead stared at the wall with his mouth in a small 'o' shape. when he finally did take in what i'd said, a large grin smothered his features and refused to let them go.
"woah...that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside ed's."
i stopped still for a second, pondering his words.
did richie feel the same as i did towards him?
"what do you mean by that?"
i questioned nonchalantly, taking my time to pick out a decent shirt for him to wear to bed. richie tapped his chin with his finger as if he were deep in thought.
"you make my tummy feel nice, all nice and warm."
i swallowed down any nerves as i delved deeper into the connotations of his words.
"what about when i do this, what does this make you feel?"
i asked cautiously, gently placing my hand on the side of his face as i looked him in the eye. he blinked a few times, lifting his own hand and trailing his fingers lightly against the back of mine. i felt his cheek grow warm beneath my palm.
"it makes me feel...happy. warm, ed's."
i inhaled deeply as i moved closer, tilting my head as i questioned him further.
"what about when i do this?"
i moved my hand towards the centre of his face and gently began stroking his bottom lip, which was now hanging open, with the pad of my small thumb. i touched the chapped skin with care and fragility, licking my own lips at the thought of his.
"i..."
he didn't say anything for a moment, and instead just stared at me in awe as i used my other hand to cup the side of his face and brush messy strands of dark curls away from his auburn eyes. everything was unsettlingly quiet, and if it wasn't for the soft glow of the moonlight reflecting off richie's glasses through the window, i probably wouldn't have done what i did next.
"what about..."
i leaned in close.
"when i do this?"
richie didn't move a muscle as i pressed my lips up against his own, standing on my tippy toes in order to reach a comfortable angle. his arms remained limp by his sides, and his breathing stopped as i stayed close for a few seconds.
once i pulled away, he shook his head, blinking confusedly. i immediately began to panic, terrified that i'd ruined everything and that richie would leave again. i awaited any sort of reaction nervously, internally hyperventilating.
but instead of leaving, he smiled.
"it makes me want to do it again."
he said softly, swaying his head from side to side to the melody in his head that always seemed to blur out the rest of the world. i bit my lip to stop myself from smiling, looking down at my feet.
"richie?"
i asked quietly.
"yes?"
i looked up and gazed directly into his eyes, wanting to catch every flicker of sincerity as i took a deep breath in.
"do you like me? as in...do you like me the way a boy might like another girl? in the way that makes you want to hold someone, and...kiss them. do you like me like that?"
richie stared blankly at me for a second, his eyes switching between the ceiling and my own.
"is it bad if i do?"
i shook my head gently.
"no, it isn't."
i reassured him, stroking his cheekbone all the while. he shrugged slightly, sighing.
"if you're sure...then yes, i really like you ed's. you're my favourite person in the whole wide world, i want to marry you!"
i chuckled lightly at his words, a lonely tear trailing down my left cheek.
"maybe when we're older."
richie beamed at my suggestion, nodding eagerly.
"that's okay, we can wait till we're older. i'd wait more than a hundred years to be with you eddie, even a million!"
he giggled at his own words, which caused me to do the same. i sniffled as i wiped at my cheeks. richie's face dropped at this, and his bottom lip began to tremble.
"why are you crying ed's? do you not want to get married?"
his voice cracked, and i almost laughed at the irony of it all.
"no no, of course i do richie."
richie nodded understandingly, sniffling to himself.
"then why are you crying?"
i sighed sadly, smiling up at him as he tilted his head in the same way a small child would when asking about soulmates.
"i've loved you for a very long time rich, you know that?"
he shook his head innocently with big brown eyes.
"well i have. a very long time. i didn't think you'd ever feel the same for me, so it makes me very happy that you do. happy enough to cry."
he blinked once.
"woah."
watching richie respond to this type of situation whilst beyond intoxicated was slightly amusing, but it also made me uncomfortable. i didn't like the thought of taking advantage of him whilst he was like this. for all i knew, drunken words could be just that.
"we should go to sleep now richie."
i smiled at him as i tucked his overgrown curls behind his ear. we were both due a haircut. he sighed defeatedly and nodded, looking down at the floor.
"okay eddie, i'll go now."
i was quick to stop him.
"uh, i don't think so buddy. you are not going home like this, no way. your mom will kill you. you're staying here with me."
his face lit up immediately and he began jumping up and down on the spot.
"really? we're having a sleepover?"
"shhhh!"
i giggled a little at his childish behaviour, holding him still by his shoulders.
"yes, we're having a sleepover, but only if you're quiet."
he nodded vigorously, pressing a finger to his lips and standing up straight. i rolled my eyes.
"now take these and put them on, you can come sleep in my bed with me."
i passed him the clothes items i'd chosen for him and pointed towards my bathroom. he followed my finger with hazy eyes and i assumed he understood.
that was until he started stripping infront of me.
"richie!"
i scolded, blushing madly at the sight of his bare chest. i'd seen him like this before, but never up so close, and never alone. he seemed to ignore my protests and continued undressing before me, so i decided i would have the decency to turn away. i pulled away the duvet of my bed and crawled ontop of it, turning off my lamp. i slid underneath the covers and closed my eyes, sighing deeply as i cleared my mind of any troubling thoughts that may come about.
"eddie?"
a small, scared voice spoke up from beside the bed. i turned to see richie stood, biting his thumb nail, looking lost.
"get in."
i whispered, pulling the cover up for him to climb inside. he laid down next to me and stared at the ceiling with wide eyes. i frowned.
"richie, are you okay?"
i asked softly, turning to face him.
"i'm scared ed's."
he whispered back. i licked my lips, confused.
"scared of what?"
monsters under the bed? the dark? richie couldn't possibly be scared of the dark, it just wasn't true. he never had been. it was always him who would wonder downstairs in the dead of night when i wanted a glass of water, just so i wouldn't have to. he exhaled, turning on his side so we were now facing eachother.
"i'm scared this is just a dream, and that when i wake up, you won't be here."
he whimpered brokenly. i felt my heart begin to throb at his words, the breath leaving my lungs.
"go to sleep bubba, it's okay, i'm right here. there's nothing to be scared of, i'll be right here when you wake up."
richie closed his eyes.
"do you promise?"
he asked hopefully, eyelids flickering open as dark eyes stared trustingly into mine. i smiled, nodding.
"i promise."
he breathed a sigh of relief, edging closer towards me.
"thankyou."
a yawn parted his lips as he rubbed at his sore eyes, signalling how exhausted he really was. i wrapped my arms around his waist, and he automatically copied my actions.
"goodnight eddie, i love you."
i smiled blindly through the darkness, rays of light filtering through the tips of my fingers.
"i love you too."
and as we both slipped away into a gentle sleep,
nothing was left unsaid.
-
i think i kinda know how i'm gonna end this,,, s'gonna be good kiddos
tell me two things about yourself! i wanna know! i'll go first,,,
i'm turkish and i have blue hair