The Aftermath (Reddie)

Richie's POV

"I think I'll be okay Eddie," I interrupted his long rant of medical 'stuff.'

Eddie huffed in annoyance, we were standing on my doorstep squished under his one umbrella.

"Are you sure? How many fingers am I holding up?" he shoved four fingers in my face.

"Twelve," I deadpanned.

He just rolled his eyes but stayed on the doorstep, like he was expecting more.

I looked down at him, he was biting his lip.

"You okay Eds?"

Eddie looked up at my face. He was searching for something.

"Yeah...I just wish I didn't have to go home," he sighed, "she makes me feel so fragile."

"So what if you are?"

Eddie seemed to pale, he looked wounded.

"Okay-kinda a dick thing to say," he muttered and looked down at his feet.

"No," I grabbed his face up to look at me, "it's okay to be fragile or even...to feel vulnerable," I sighed, I hated feeling vulnerable and Eddie was constantly feeling like that. He was so much stronger than I was.

"No," he argued, "everyone thinks I'm weak."

"I don't," I looked at him earnestly, he was furrowing his brow, "I think you're stronger than I could ever be."

That got a small smile out of him. He looked so innocent.

I wanted to kiss him so badly.

And I would've, but then I remembered what Stan told me.

He told me to drop it.

Eddie had a girlfriend, and regardless, he was straight. I had absolutely no chance with him.

I dropped my hands to my sides, I had forgotten their placement under his chin.

"Well, thanks for the doctors checkup," I smirked and turned to open my door.

Eddie was still standing on my doorstep, I was avoiding looking at his face but I could see his shoes pointed towards me.

"See you later," I shut my door before he could say anything.

****

3rd Person POV

Richie was lounged on a chair in his room. A math book was open in front of him with a notebook, a pencil, and calculator at hand.

He puffed smoke from a cigarette, a window was open in his room so he wouldn't get caught.

Richie ran a hand through his hair and adjusted the huge glasses that sat on his nose.

"Richie!" his mom yelled and he jumped in his seat, "phone's for you!"

Richie cursed flicked his cigarette butt out the window.

"Coming!" he called and lazily made his way downstairs.

"You smell like smoke," his mom was scrunching up her nose at the boy's habit.

"Don't tell dad," Richie just muttered.

His mom rolled her eyes and handed the wall phone over to her son who smiled and scrunched his nose and took it.

"What's up?" he asked into the phone.

"Happy seventeenth birthday!"

Richie winced at the volume and held the phone away from his ear as his friends started to sing happy birthday.

"Thanks guys," he muttered.

Everyone said various phrases that Richie couldn't pick out individually.

"Hey man," now it was just Stan, "drive your ass over to Bill's house, we are having a party for you."

Richie chuckled, "it's a school night Stan, I have a trig test tomorrow."

"Really? It's been over four years and you still are reluctant to hang out with Eddie?" Stan sounded irritated. He missed hanging out with his friend, even if he could be hella annoying all the time.

"It's not about Eddie I act-"

"When is anything ever not about Eddie?"

Richie sighed. Stan was right.

"Will there be alcohol?"

"He's in!" Stan shrieked, presumably to his friends listening in who all broke out into cheers.

"I'll be there in five," Richie groaned.

-----

Woah, in case that was rlly confusing I time skipped to like four years later because I realized that they were like twelve years old.

I felt that I wanted to write about them really liking each other and not just some crushes. I'm sorry if this offends anyone but I don't think that twelve year olds have more complex feelings than crushes. Not in a bad way, I love the innocent twelve year old crushes.

I just wanted a more complex version for this story so I skipped ahead. Sue me (not rlly tho cause I'm broke).

Sorry that's confusing and probably sounded offensive and rude and I am so sorry you are free to post any mean comments