#poor taylor

Richie chuckled under his breath, trying to keep his eyes on the screen but they drifted towards Eddie. He was screaming at the TV, sitting cross legged on the couch and leaning forward with an angry, focused expression on his face. He would tilt to the left and to the right along with his remote as if that would make Yoshi move too and he kept letting out small puffs of air trying to blow away the hair that had fallen to his face without messing up the game. It was incredibly cute. Richie didn’t realize he was so focused staring at him, a small smile tugging at his lips, until he heard the tell tale sound of Waluigi falling off the edge of Rainbow Road.

“Fuck.” He muttered, his attention returning to the screen. He tried to catch up with Eddie who was currently in third place. 

Eddie let out a bark of laughter. “You’re going down Tozier!”

“In your dreams Kaspbrak!”

But he was too far behind and not even the Bullet Bill was enough to help him overtake Eddie, who finished the race in second place. It wasn’t first place, sure but it was better than Richie’s ninth place. 

“Ha!” Eddie said, scrambling to stand on the couch, pointing at Richie with a grin plastered on his face. “In your face!”

Richie felt a smile tugging at his lips watching Eddie’s childish yet adorable act but he fought it off to glare at him like the sore loser he was. “No fucking way, let’s go one more time. Best two out of three.”

Eddie’s eyes lit up. “Loser pays for dinner?” 

Richie opened his mouth to say yes when he remembered something. “Fuck, I can’t.”

Eddie rolled his eyes playfully. “You just say that because you know you’re going to lose.”

“No. I⎯ uh. I have to go.” Richie said, glancing down at his watch with a frown. He looked up again just in time to watch Eddie’s face fall.

“Oh. Where?”

“I have a date.”

Eddie flopped back down on the couch, facing Richie. “A date?” He asked in a soft voice. 

“Uh yeah. I’m⎯ I’m going out with Taylor, the girl from the radio station. We’re grabbing dinner.”

“Oh.” Eddie said again, shoulders slumping, a tiny crease appearing on his forehead. 

Richie wanted to reach over and smooth it down. He didn’t like seeing Eddie upset. “But hey⎯” He said, knocking his knee against Eddie’s with a smile. “We can still have that rematch when I get back.”

“I’ll probably be asleep by then. I’m tired.” Eddie said, moving on the couch to face the screen, hugging his legs against his chest.

“Oh. Okay.” Richie said, deflating slightly. Eddie was staring at the TV, flipping through the channels and ignoring Richie. “I guess I’ll go change.” He said, getting a nod from Eddie before sneaking away to his room.  

When he emerged wearing mostly clean clothes and dangling his car keys, Eddie was still sitting on the couch, still frowning. Richie sighed, wishing he didn’t have to go, that he could climb back to the couch with Eddie and have their rematch, make him laugh so hard that his stomach hurt and his eyes crinkled. Richie loved seeing him like that, Richie loved⎯ he shook his head, this was not the time to be having these thoughts.

“Uh, I’m gonna head out now.”

“Okay.” Eddie said then he opened his mouth to say something else, closed it, frowned a little bit harder, shook his head and settled on, “Have fun.”

Richie offered a tight lipped smile that Eddie returned until he blurted out in an attempt to lighten the mood, “Don’t wait up.”

That made Eddie cast his eyes down with a frown, before turning his attention back to the TV. 

“Fuck.” Richie muttered under his breath and without another word he slipped out of their apartment. 

He had been driving for five minutes when his phone started ringing. He knew he shouldn’t pick it up while he was driving but he did it anyway. At least he did it without taking his eyes off the road. 

“Hey Taylor. I’m already on my way.” Richie said, assuming it would be her calling.

“It’s not Taylor.”

Richie frowned, recognizing the voice. “Eds? What’s up?”

“Uh⎯” Eddie started but he didn’t seem to know what to say. “I⎯ uh. You need to come back.”

Richie raised his eyebrows. “What? Why? Did I forget something? Are you okay?”

Eddie groaned and Richie could picture him rolling his eyes. “Just⎯ come back okay?”

“Eds I can’t, I⎯”

“Richie please.”

Richie pursed his lips, checking the clock. There was still time, Taylor’s apartment wasn’t really that far. He had left with time to spare, hoping to smoke a cigarette before his date to calm his nerves. He could still drive back to their apartment, deal with Eddie and make it there on time. He sighed, “Tozier you’re so fucking pathetic.” He muttered under his breath, all it took was a call from Eddie and he would drop everything for him. 

“What?” Eddie asked, still on the line. 

“Nothing Eds. I'll⎯” He sighed. “I’ll be there in five.” He said, heard the phone click and set the lights to make a U turn. 

When he arrived at his apartment he expected Eddie to be hurt or the place to be on fire but he found him in the exact same position he was when Richie left. 

He startled when Richie flung the door open, blinking up at him. 

“Okay I’m here. What is it?”

“Uh.” Once again Eddie didn’t seem to know what to say and he gaped at Richie. “There was a- uh. A cockroach!“ He said, pointing vaguely at the floor. “There was a huge cockroach and you know how much I hate them and⎯ I needed you to kill it.”

Richie blinked at Eddie. “Really? You made me drive all the way back here just to kill a fucking bug?”

“Yes?”

“Eddie!”

"I’m sorry but you know how much I hate them and that I’m incapable of killing them and that I wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing it was here, you know that!”

Richie sighed, he did know all of that but he couldn’t help but find it slightly ridiculous. “Eds I’m going to be late for my⎯”

“Yeah your date, I know.” Eddie said, rolling his eyes. “You know what? Fine! Go! Even if I won’t be able to sleep and⎯ and I’m gonna have nightmares about cockroaches infesting our apartment but that’s fine because you clearly care more about some stupid girl than you care about your best friend!”

Eddie crossed his arms, huffing in anger. Richie stared at him, shocked. He looked way too angry for it to have anything to do with a stupid bug. 

“Eddie.” He said, narrowing his eyes at his friend who was now pouting like a child. Like a jealous child. “Oh my god. Are you jealous?" 

"What?” Eddie snapped, shaking his head. “I’m not fucking jealous.” He said, wrapping his arms tighter around himself, not meeting Richie’s eyes. 

“Oh my god, you are! I can’t believe it⎯ that’s cute.”

“Fuck off Richie, why would I be jealous?”

Richie shrugged. “I don’t know, you tell me. We were fine until I told you I was going on a date and then you got all prissy and hurt and then you called me and told me to come back just because of some bug⎯ is there even a cockroach?" 

Eddie’s jaw clenched and he let out a huff. "There could be, with how many half-eaten sandwiches you have in your room.”

“Eddie.” Richie said softly, ignoring Eddie’s comment and his attempt to change the subject. He gave him a pointed look and watched as Eddie burrowed his face in his hands.

“There’s no cockroach.” He muttered into his hands. 

“What?” Richie asked, moving to sit next to him on the couch. 

Eddie dropped his hands, letting out a frustrated groan. “I lied. I didn’t see a cockroach. I just⎯ I didn’t want you to go on that date.”

Richie bit on his bottom lip, suddenly anxious. He nudged Eddie’s leg with his. “Why not? You don’t like Taylor?" 

"It’s not her, I don't⎯ I don’t want you to go out with anyone.” He said, voice quiet and nervous. He took a deep breath, lifting his head to look at Richie. “Unless⎯ uh. Unless it’s with me." 

Richie’s eyes widened and he stared at Eddie in surprise, words refusing to come to his mouth. 

Eddie sighed. "Fuck I’m sorry, that’s incredibly selfish. You should go, you can still make it there on time and if you’re late, you can tell her it was my fault.” He said, playing with a loose thread from the couch. Richie didn’t move, staring at Eddie in disbelief, he couldn’t believe this was happening. “Richie, go! It’s not everyday someone agrees to go on a date with you. Don’t blow it.” He said, trying to sound lighthearted but it came out strained. 

“She asked me out.” Richie said and he didn’t know why he thought that was relevant but he felt like he needed to clear it up. Eddie frowned at him, cocking his head to the side. “I didn’t ask her, she asked me. And I said yes because well, she’s nice and cool but I mostly said yes because⎯ because I thought I had zero chance with you Eds.”

“What?”

“I’ve wanted to go out with you since we were thirteen.”

“What?”

Richie shrugged. “I just thought you would never like me!”

Eddie hit Richie’s shoulder. “You idiot!” He said but he was smiling and Richie couldn’t help but lean forward and kiss that smile like he had always wanted to do. Eddie let out a squeal before melting into the kiss, cradling Richie’s face in his hands. They pulled back, the two of them smiling. 

“I can’t believe⎯” Richie said. “That you were fucking jealous Eds!" 

"Oh fuck off!” Eddie said grabbing a pillow and hitting Richie with it.

“That’s so fucking cute. Cute cute cute.” Richie continued even though he was being smothered with a  pillow. To fight back, he grabbed Eddie’s waist and pushed him into the couch, grabbing his own pillow and hitting him with it. There were a few stolen kisses between their pillow fighting. They didn’t break it off until they heard the clock chime at seven o'clock.

“Oh shit!” Richie said, pausing with his pillow held above him. Eddie poked his belly where his shirt had ridden up in the struggle. “I have to call Taylor and cancel.”

Eddie’s face scrunched up, looking embarrassed. “I feel bad, it’s my fault.”

Richie shrugged. “It is yeah, but hey better now than when we’re old and married and with 2.5 children.”

Eddie let out a snort but Richie could tell it was still bothering him. He leaned down and kissed him, quick and sweet. “Hey I’m gonna go make the call. Why don’t you set that match I owe you. Loser buys dinner?”

Eddie smiled and nodded, surging up to kiss Richie one more time before he removed himself from his position on top of Eddie. He picked up the Wii remote and started to pick the settings. “You’re going down Tozier.” Eddie said, echoing his own words from before.

This time though Richie’s response was different. “Down on you? Man I hope!”

He ducked just in time to dodge the remote that a very flustered Eddie tossed at him.