by: chattrekisses
on
tumblr
♥ reddie
♥ 4,275 words
♥ fluffy and vv cute
♡
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
"Hello?" Eddie said, the echo of his voice grainy in the receiver. "Who is this?"
"My name's Richie and I just wanted to ask if you were as flexible as this graffiti suggests," A voice said, thick with mirth.
"Excuse me?" Eddie asked, confusion evident in his tone.
"I've been in Derry for about two hours and I've just stumbled upon some colorful graffiti about how flexible you are. And if what it says it true, then I'm fucking glad I moved to this ass-crack of a town." Richie said.
Eddie swore softly, picturing what the graffiti might say. His anxiety rolled upon him in waves. "Fucking hell, must have been the Bowers gang. Do me a favor, Richie?"
"I'd love to do you a favor, babe," Richie crooned comically.
Eddie snorted. "Yeah, okay. Cover the graffiti, and then delete my number."
"But I don't even know the name that matches your sexy, sexy voice!" Richie protested.
"Eddie. My name's Eddie," Eddie's anxiety spiked at the admission, but it wasn't as if he had told the guy his address. There wasn't much one could do with a first name.
"Well, Eddie Spaghetti-"
"Don't call me that."
"Eds-"
"No, that's worse."
"Well, Eds," Richie emphasized the unwanted nickname. "I'll cover the graffiti for you, but I can't promise to lose this number. After all, it's practically a hotline to your mother. And I just can't wait until you get off the line so I can make sweet, sweet love to her over the phone."
"Good luck with that, Trashmouth," Eddie scoffed.
Richie chuckled. "Gosh golly, you're a sassy one, aren't you Eds? I hope I get to meet you face to face soon. Maybe I'll even get to find out if you're as flexible as this says."
"Unlikely, shithead," Eddie said smoothly. "Bye, Richie."
"Come on, stay a while, Eds. I promise the water's warm."
"Goodbye, Richie," Eddie drawled, smiling.
"Alright, I know when I'm unwanted. Say hi to your mom for me Eddie Spaghetti!"
"I won't," Eddie said, hanging up.
He lingered by the phone for a moment longer, his blood thrumming in his veins. He was oddly intrigued by this boy, whoever he was. Eddie hoped desperately that he wasn't old or creepy or something. Before Eddie could contemplate the fizzy feeling brewing in his stomach, his mother called him to take his medicine, so he took one last glance at the receiver before going to take his daily dose of placebos.
There was someone new. The whole school was whispering about the new boy's appearance. Apparently, he was going to be in Eddie's homeroom. Eddie was the only one of the Losers in his homeroom, and he turned to look behind him, where the only empty chair in the room rested. He hoped that the new boy wasn't a dick. Or at least didn't smell.
Ms. Martin clapped for attention at the front of the room, and the noise in the room transformed from a roar to a buzz.
"Alright class, calm down," Ms. Martin chirped. "As I'm sure you've heard, a new student is joining us today! He should be arriving-"
Ms. Martin was cut off by the door being slammed open and a tall, lean boy with coke-bottle glasses and a mane of curly dark hair breezing into the room, his hawaiian shirt flapping with his motions. The boy popped his bubble gum and surveyed the room with dark eyes. When his gaze landed on Eddie, he quirked an eyebrow with obvious interest. Eddie tried to repress the unbearable attraction that tugged at him. Fuck. He was too gay for this shit.
"Oh, hello. Why don't you introduce yourself to the class?" Ms. Martin smiled excitedly. It was her first year teaching, so the hope had not yet been drained from her.
"I'm Richie Tozier," The boy said, and Eddie felt his blood freeze in his veins. He knew that voice. He knew that name."I'm from California," He popped his gum and turned to Ms. Martin. "Can I go now?"
"Why don't you tell us something about yourself that no one else knows, Mr. Tozier?" Ms. Martin said.
"Okay," Richie turned to face the class, seemingly unaffected by the harsh and unamused crowd. "I've gotten more pussy than all of you combined."
"Mr. Tozier!" Ms. Martin exclaimed, scandalized.
"Sorry, I forgot. Small town sensibilities," He said. "I've gotten more vagina that any of you combined," He turned to face Ms. Martin again. "Can I go now?"
Ms. Martin, who looked completely shell-shocked at the outburst, nodded quickly with wide eyes. Richie slung his backpack over one shoulder and made his way toward Eddie, smirking softly. Eddie's heart leapt into his throat as Richie approached him. For some reason, he was petrified at the thought of Richie finding out that he and the boy on the phone were one in the same.
"Is this seat taken?" Richie's voice was low and crackly, and it was grounding to realize that this boy was human. And he obviously was, he was all right angles and sharp edges, awkward limbs and collarbones. He had bandages on both his knees, scabs poking out from underneath them. He was striking, not beautiful. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and they protested, sliding back down, obviously too thick to be comfortable.
Eddie shook his head, and Richie strode past him, collapsing into a heap on the desk behind him. Eddie sat ramrod straight in his chair, forcing himself not to turn around. Eddie could smell Richie from this close, an intoxicating blend of cigarettes and candy and boy. He could hear Richie breathing, a smudgy sound. Eddie hated how drawn he was to this boy he barely knew.
He tried to focus on Ms. Martin saying announcements at the front of the room, but he found that he couldn't. His heart was beating too fast, so he reached into his fanny pack and pulled out his inhaler, taking a suck and feeling the medicine go to work in his lungs.
"What else do those lips do, besides suck on that thing?" A voice whispered into Eddie's ear.
Eddie let out a loud squeak, disrupting the entire discussion. Ms. Martin turned to look at him with concern. "Are you alright, Mr. Kaspbrak?"
Eddie nodded, blushing with embarrassment. "I just... stubbed my toe." Eddie finished lamely. Snickers were scattered about the room, especially focused directly behind him.
The class returned to Ms. Martin and her announcements, and Richie leaned forward to whisper into Eddie's ear again. His breath was hot against the shell of Eddie's ear, and Eddie shivered despite himself.
"So, what is there to do for fun around here? I hope your lips are a part of the list," Richie said. Eddie could practically feel his smirk, but he didn't dare turn around.
"Another fun option: sewing your lips shut," Eddie hissed back.
Richie chuckled quietly. "Well, that's good. I like 'em fiery."
Eddie wrinkled his nose. "I thought you liked vaginas."
"Easier to say that than say I'm bisexual to a group of small-town homophobes," Richie said.
"And how do you know that I'm not homophobic?" Eddie asked.
"You're wearing a fanny pack, darlin'," Richie deadpanned. "What's your sexuality, señor?"
"None of your damn business," Eddie grumbled. As if he'd come out to a stranger when he hadn't even come out to his own friends yet.
"What's your name then?" Richie asked.
"You already heard," Eddie said. "I'm Kaspbrak."
"Your first name, dipshit," Richie snorted.
"I don't think we're on a first name basis yet."
"Oooo, but we'll get there, won't we Kaspbrak?"
"Fuck off, Tozier."
When there was no reply, Eddie's skin itched. Slowly, he gave into the temptation and turned around to see Richie reclining in the chair, his hands behind his head. He threw a wink to Eddie and puckered his lips at him lewdly, and Eddie whipped back around in a flash, his cheeks and the back of his neck burning.
Fingertips traced the edge of the blush on the back of his neck, and Eddie shrugged them off quickly. Hot breath on the back of Eddie's ear again, he whispered, "You're are too gosh-darn cute to exist, Kaspbrak."
"Mr. Tozier!" Ms. Martin interrupted the moment. "Please, keep your hands to yourself!"
"I don't know if I can do that, ma'am," Richie said.
"Mr. Tozier, if you don't stop sassing me, I'll have no choice but to send you to the principal's office!"
Richie reclined again, movements lazy and lethargic. "I don't know ma'am, I think the choice is yours."
"Mr. Tozier, I'm going to have to send you to the principal's office immediately!"
"Alrighty-o," Richie said. He seemed so unconcerned about it. "I get to go twice in one day, lucky me."
He shouldered his backpack and walked to the front of the room, stopping to ruffle Eddie's hair first. At the door, he turned to ask, "Do you think I have enough time to fit in a smoke before I go?"
"Mr. Tozier!"
"Yeah, yeah, principals. I got it."
And he was gone as abruptly as he had arrived, leaving whirlpools of conflicted feelings to gather at Eddie feet.
What. The. Fuck.
When the phone rang, Eddie hesitated to answer it. Eventually, the temptation won over and he lifted to phone to his ear, chewing on his lower lip.
"Hello?"
"Eds, my man!" Richie shouted into the receiver. "Boy, do I have a story for you!"
"What do you want, Richie?" Eddie asked, trying to adopt an unaffected tone.
"You remembered my name! I'm flattered," Richie said, and Eddie could just picture the grin on his face. "I need to gush to someone, because I just encountered the most beautiful boy in all of existence."
Eddie froze, heart dropping in his chest. Obviously, Richie had already found someone to like. He was attractive and charmingly obnoxious, Eddie shouldn't be surprised. But still, his heart sank at the thought. "Oh, really?"
"Yeah, but don't worry Eddie Spaghetti, your mother is still my one true love," Richie said. "But I just need to talk to someone about how fucking cute this boy is. Could you spare some time form your busy Spaghetti schedule to talk to lil' old Richie?"
"I get the feeling you're going to talk regardless," Eddie said, smiling despite himself.
"Well, you aren't wrong there, Eddie o' boy o' chum," Richie said. "Because I met the love of my young life and I'm not gonna keep quiet about it. Eds, my man, I'm shoutin' it to the hills and all the shit."
"Are you going to tell me about him or what?" Eddie asked. God, Eddie must be some kind of masochist, because this was torture.
"Yeah, yeah, okay," Richie said, excitement bubbling in his voice. "So, he's really small, yeah? With like, cute little hands and ridiculous clean fingernails and shit. And he's got really curly dark hair and these pretty eyes and the most adorable frown. And he's so sassy, like I love me a boy with a mouth and god damn, he's got a good mouth. And, holy fuck, Eds, he had a fucking fanny pack on!"
Wait, what?
"A fanny pack?"
"I know! And he still looked good! God, he just butters my egg roll."
"Richie."
"Yeah?"
"That's not a fucking thing, you shithead."
"You have a point, babe."
"Richie, are you going to tell me his name?"
Richie cleared his throat. "Uh... this is kind of embarrassing, but I don't actually know."
"What?"
"I mean, I know his last name, but he won't actually tell me his first name," Richie admitted. "But his last name is Kaspbrak."
Oh, Jesus fuck, that's me.
Eddie panicked. "That's a stupid last name."
"Don't shit on my dream boy, Eds."
"Don't call me Eds, Trashmouth."
"Aw, I wish Kaspbrak was as salty as you, my love."
"Shut up, stupid."
Richie laughed. "Don't be jealous, Eddie baby, I still love you with all my heart and soul."
"You don't know me, dickhead."
"That doesn't mean I don't want to... I got to find out if you're as flexible as the rumors say," Richie said.
"Nope," Eddie said. "Not going to happen."
"Not going to happen yet," Richie corrected. "Okay, I got to go Eddie spaghetti. Give your mom a kiss goodnight for me."
"Don't be gross," Eddie scoffed. "Night, Richie."
"Night hot stuff." And then he hung up.
What the fuck?
When Richie walked into Ms. Martin's classroom, late of course, Eddie couldn't meet his eye. He also couldn't stop blushing.
"Mr. Tozier, you're late," Ms. Martin said sternly.
"An accurate observation, ma'am," Richie replied. He bypassed Ms. Martin's frown easily, heading straight towards Eddie.
"Morning, sunshine," said Richie smoothly, sending him a wink that for some obnoxious reason made Eddie's stomach flutter. "It's good to see your pretty little face again."
"Wish I could say the same for you," Eddie quipped back. He wished he was capable of flirtation, but everything came out with more bite than he wanted it too.
Richie winced dramatically, than began tsk-ing, "Oi, Kaspbrak. Keep it up and my feelings will get hurt."
"That's the point, Richie." Eddie said.
"See, this is unfair, because I don't know your first name so I'm at a disadvantage when it comes to sassy comeback," Richie pouted. "Cut me a break, sweetheart, and enlighten me with your name. I feel like fuckin'... Rumplestiltskin or some shit."
"Fine. You can have three chances to guess my name, and if you fail, then... fuck, I don't know. You'll have to leave me alone. Forever." Eddie said. His words flowed with his brain connecting to them. Obviously, he didn't want Richie to leave him alone. But the boy just seemed to push all his buttons.
"Mmmm, those are high stakes, milady. But there's more in it for you than me. How about, if I win, I get a kiss," Richie said with a smug grin.
Eddie pretended to consider it, his heart beating fast in his chest. " Fine, it's a deal," He said, holding his hand out for Richie to shake. When Richie's palm pressed warmly against Eddie's, his skin prickled with electricity.
"It's a deal," Richie confirmed.
"Mr. Tozier!" Ms. Martin shouted. "Sit down!"
Richie saluted Ms. Martin, who frowned deeply, and then sat down behind Eddie.
Eddie felt Richie's breath on the back of his neck before he heard his low voice. "So, first guess... is your name Kaspbrak, by any chance?"
"My first name, dipshit," Eddie hissed. "And that counts as a guess!"
Richie let out a small noise of mock shock. "Kaspbrak, you're much crueler than I expected! Doesn't match your cute face at all."
"And your obnoxiously vulgar personality doesn't match your cute face, but you don't see me complaining," Eddie shot back. Immediately, his face burned as he realized what he had said.
"Was that a compliment?" Richie actually sounded delighted. "Oh my god!" The last part came out as a squeal.
"Don't let it go to your head," Eddie muttered.
"You mean my beautiful, beautiful head?" Richie said, grinning brightly.
"You are insufferable, do you know that?"
"You know, using big words only makes you cuter."
"I'm ignoring you now," Eddie said, frowning, cheeks turning pink.
"Aw, babe," Richie whined. When Eddie didn't respond, Richie continued. "Okay, fine. But I'll guess again tomorrow, yeah?"
Eddie didn't turn around, he only mulled in his own feelings. Richie Tozier would be the death of him. Fuck him, and his pretty eyes and perfect smile and stupid jokes and nicknames.
Honestly, Eddie was really hoping that Richie would win.
Because he wanted to kiss Richie desperately.
"Eds, my man, how for art thou?" Richie crooned over the receiver.
"I'm feeling good, Richie, how're you?" Eddie said, smiling softly at the sound of Richie's voice.
"Eddie spaghetti, I am soaring," Richie said, voice getting progressively more excited. "The boy of my dreams-"
"What kind of dreams are these, Richie?" Eddie interrupted, smirking slightly.
"Wouldn't you like to know, Eds?" Richie asked. "If you must know, they're 'rumors-about-how-flexible-you-are' level dreams."
Eddie blushed red, grateful Richie couldn't see him. "Some pretty good dreams then."
"Oh yes," Richie said. "Anyway, the boy of my dreams made a deal with me; if I guess his name then I get a kiss!"
"A kiss, huh?"
"Eds, you have no idea how fantastic this news is for me. This boy... damn. He's so cute, he makes my heart hurt. He has the cutest little freckles and the prettiest eyes and his lips... holy shit. Eds, I want to kiss him so badly I actually might explode."
Eddie heart was racing wildly, hearing Richie talk about him like that. He was so fucking whipped.
"I guess you'll have to guess his name, then," Eddie said, trying to stabilize his wavering vocal cords.
"I have two more guesses," Richie said. "And I promise you, Eds, I'm going to guess it right."
"That's a hefty promise, Richie," Eddie teased. "Considering how many names there are in the world."
"I think I've got it though, Eds," Richie said smugly.
"You can't look at the class roster though," Eddie said. "Because that's cheating."
"Don't worry a little hair on your little head, I'm going to get my kiss fair and square," Richie promised.
"Eddie-bear!" Sonia Kaspbrak shouted from downstairs, and Eddie cringed at her gravelly voice. "Come down, time for your medication!"
"Coming!" Eddie shouted.
"Eddie-bear?" Richie snorted.
"You're the one who calls me Eddie spaghetti," Eddie pointed out.
Richie laughed for a second more, before quieting down and turning serious. "Can I ask what you're taking medication for?"
Eddie made a soft sound. "Honestly Richie, the list is so long. None of it's really though, except for the asthma."
They both were quiet for a moment, registering what Eddie had said.
"Asthma?" Richie asked, voice quiet.
"Oh, um, yeah. Asthma. Inhaler and stuff. Yep," Eddie rambled.
"Eddie, are you-"
Eddie cut Richie off. "RichieIgottagomymom'scallingmeokaybye!" He rushed out, then slammed the phone onto the receiver, ending the call.
Eddie stared at the phone for a moment, the conversation playing over in his head before he turned on his heel and fled from room to take his placebos.
Richie bounced into class early, heading straight for Eddie even though there were many other chairs open. Eddie ducked his head and busied himself with sorting through his backpack, running his mistaken admission over and over again in his head.
"Hiya, hot stuff," Richie said with a grin, sliding into the chair behind Eddie.
Though Eddie tried not to, he felt himself turning around to face Richie. "Hey, Richie, how're you?"
"Fantastic!" Richie proclaimed. If he suspected anything, he wasn't showing it. "And I'm ready to guess again."
Eddie felt his heart constrict. "Okay, what's your guess?"
"Is your name Michael?" Richie asked.
Eddie felt like he could breath again, though he was a little disappointed at the wrong guess. Richie hadn't connected the asthma bit. "Nope."
"Shucks," Richie said. "Guess I'll have to guess again tomorrow."
"Guess so," Eddie said.
Richie couldn't guess again tomorrow, because that night Eddie made the mistake of coughing in front of his mother, who automatically assumed he must have some horrible terminal disease and confined him to his home for the next three days. Eddie could still take calls from Richie, but they mainly composed of Richie complaining about how much he missed Eddie. Eddie's heart ached. Maybe he should just tell Richie who he was? Or maybe that was completely insane and a terrible idea.
Liking someone sucked ass. The only sickness Eddie felt like he had was heartsickness.
His mom finally let him out of the house on the fourth day of his absence from school, but only to go to the pharmacy.
That's where he finally saw Richie again.
Eddie could definitely confirm that absence makes the heart go stronger, because as soon as he entered the pharmacy with a list of the medications his mother had sent him to get and saw Richie slipping a packet of Marlboros into his pocket without paying for it, Eddie's heart nearly exploded. Richie was so perfect in every way, from his ridiculous glasses to his freckles to his unruly hair. Every his fingers were perfect, lean and long and nimble like a piano player's.
Richie turned, a victorious smile on his face from his successful shoplifting, to see Eddie. "Kaspbrak! I've missed you, cutie! Where've you been?" He asked, approaching Eddie.
"Sick," Eddie said. "Well, sort of," He amended. "My mom's kind of crazy about sickness and shit so honestly, I'm fine."
Richie nodded in acknowledgement before pointing at the list in Eddie's hand. "What's that?"
"Prescriptions my mom needs me to get," Eddie said.
"How important is it?" Richie asked. "Because I need to tell you my last guess, and I want to have a celebratory smoke first."
Eddie considered his mother, his asthma, the inhaler in his pocket, and the shoplifted cigarettes in Richie's. He shrugged. "Guess I can spare some time."
Richie grinned and threw an arm around Eddie's shoulder, dragging him out of the pharmacy. "That's the spirit!"
Richie lead Eddie to the alley behind the pharmacy before releasing him and pulling his smokes out of his pocket, thumbing one out and lighting it quickly. Richie leaned casually against the alley wall, Eddie standing in front of him awkwardly. Richie eyed Eddie quickly. "You probably don't want one, right? Asthma and all?"
"Probably not the best idea," Eddie confirmed. For some reason, he was ridiculously nervous and jumpy. He felt like if Richie didn't get his name right, he might just pretend so he could kiss him.
"Okay, so my guess," Richie said, soft and slow like he had all the time in the world. "I'm pretty sure it's right."
"We'll see, won't we?" Eddie said, his hands figdeting anxiously with the zipper of his fanny pack.
"Yeah, we will," Richie said. He took a drag slowly and luxuriously, then blew the smoke up to the sky. "Okay, cutie, my guess is..."
Eddie felt his blood thrum in his veins, his pulse racing in his ears.
"Is..."
"Oh, stop being dramatic and just guess already," Eddie snapped.
Richie laughed, then put out his cigarette on the wall behind him before dropping it and crushing it with the toe of his shoe. He licked his teeth expectantly.
"Richie, come on, just say it."
"Eddie?" He said it so hesitantly.
Richie looked so hopeful, his eyes wide beneath his glasses and his lips parted like he had an invisible cigarette there- missing his comfort for Eddie sake. So, Eddie didn't even think about the fact that Richie would taste like an ashtray or how many germs kissing transferred, he just rushed forward and kissed him.
Richie let out a soft noise of surprise before his eyes fluttered shut and he kissed Eddie back, his hands finding Eddie's jaw, his fingertips dancing across his cheekbones. It wasn't a perfect first kiss, their teeth clacked together and Richie's glasses were pressed uncomfortably against Eddie's nose, but it was close. Eddie found that Richie's lips were soft and slightly chapped, as perfect as the rest of Richie. Richie's smell was overwhelming from so close, the cigarettes and candy and boy scent that Eddie loved so dearly.
When they pulled back to breath, Richie wouldn't stop staring at Eddie smiling lips.
"I'm happy you guessed,' Eddie admitted softly.
"I'm happy I got it right," Richie grinned. "I hoped it was you."
He leaned into kiss Eddie again, this time more passionately. Richie drew his tongue across the seal of Eddie's lips, begging permission, and Eddie gladly granted it, allowing Richie to lick into the warm heat of Eddie's mouth. Richie tasted like his Marlboros and like sugary gum.
Richie groaned into Eddie mouth, grasping his hips and turning him around swiftly, pressing him against the alley wall. Eddie threaded his arms around Richie's neck, drawing him in closer and kissing him harder, deeper, just trying to solidify the moment. Richie's fingers were pressed hard into Eddie's hip bones, but the touch was grounding in a way. Eddie lost himself in the moment, Richie's tongue against his own, his chest and his fingers and his ash-tray sweet taste. Nicotine and Richie, both addictive in Eddie's mouth.
Richie broke away to press hot, open-mouthed kisses on to Eddie's cheeks, his chin, his neck, his jaw. It was messy and lovely and Eddie felt complete.
Some time later, Richie and Eddie's fingers laced together like they belonged, Eddie asked the question that was burning in his mind.
"How did you know it was me?" He asked.
Richie laughed. "Babe, it wasn't exactly hard."
"What?"
"I knew for sure when you made that comment about your asthma, but I'm going to be completely honest and say that you don't sound any different on the phone, Eds," Richie grinned at Eddie, tauntingly yet somehow completely at peace.
"Oh, shut up," Eddie said, smacking Richie on the arm with his free hand.
"C'mere Eds," Richie said, voice low and gravelly again.
"Don't call me that," Eddie protested, but he drew nearer anyway.
Richie hooked a finger under Eddie's chin, encouraging him to come closer. "Eds," He teased. "I want to find out if you're as flexible as the rumors say."
"Shut up, Richie," Eddie said. But he leaned and kissed Richie, melting into him.
♥ chris ♥