desiderium
By:giraffingallday
On some level, Eddie always knew. But he started to really figure it out when they were sixteen and all the losers had piled into Richie’s house for a sleepover while his parents were away, just as they did most weekends. Eddie, along with Bill and Mike, had decided to forgo saying up too late with everyone else, and retired to their pillows and blankets in Richie’s room to sleep; Eddie was easily the most enthusiastic about this decision, if only because he had been cramming for a chem test all week and was really looking forward to a full night’s sleep. Despite this, once they had settled down and turned off the lights, Eddie was wide awake all over again.
He tossed and turned for what felt like hours before he started to hear Richie’s voice travel more clearly down the hall, the increase in volume always meant he had become intoxicated in some form or another. Eddie flung his blankets off himself, the two others too deep in sleep to notice his movements, and stomped out of the room, intending to ask Richie to kindly shut his fucking mouth so he could get some sleep.
He stepped into the smoky living room and took in the scene, Richie sprawled alone on a couch while the others sat around and listened to the story he was telling, a joint between his fingers as he waved his hand around dramatically. He stopped midsentence to take a hit, looked up, and smiled at Eddie, “Come listen, Eddie Spaghetti! I was just starting.”
“Don’t call me that.” Eddie replied in a grumble, but somehow, the anger in him melted away, all he could feel was the sleep heaviness of his bones so he dragged his feet over and collapsed on top of Richie. He pushed his nose into the soft skin under his jaw, soft prickles itching his face and smoke mixed with a distant smell of plain white soap filling his nose. Richie placed his joint free hand on the middle of Eddie’s back, just resting there as a heavy solid pressure, and started his story from the top. They weren’t, like, together, but this had always been a bit of a thing for them, the closeness.
Eddie was asleep in seconds.
_
Waking up the next morning tucked securely between the couch and Richie’s lanky body met Eddie with a horrifying realization: Richie Tozier was his fucking soulmate. Like, romance and love and being together forever soulmate.
“What the fuck?” He half whispered to himself, wanting both to run to the other side of the country and also never ever leave this spot and moment, he forgot that years of less-than-good parents left Richie a light sleeper.
“Good morning to you too.” Richie’s smoke hoarse voice made a shiver run down his spine – it always did, at sixteen years old he knew his heart, but this time he knew why. And dear god did it send panic through every ounce of his being. Richie noticed and finally blinked his eyes open, “What’s wrong? First time getting morning wood? I know I’m hot but a cold shower should help you out.” He was teasing already and Eddie couldn’t get off the couch unless Richie moved first so he settled on a scowl.
“Shut up Trashmouth. It’s not that.” It’s just that me being in love with you is more dangerous than I thought. “I uh, I forgot about some homework I have to get done, let me up.” Eddie wiggled around, pushing Richie enough for him to sway but not fall. Richie groaned, head heavy from smoking the night before, and wrapped his arms tightly around Eddie to make him stop moving. As much as he wanted to resist, Eddie couldn’t help but melt a little when his senses were filled with Richie.
“Stay today, you can do it tomorrow.” It was a very Richie thing to say, but it was not a very Eddie thing to do. Regardless, the shorter of the two let out a long melodramatic sigh and settled for lying around even just a bit longer. He was still tired anyway, and Richie was always so warm that it was impossible to feel uncomfortable with the way his lanky body dug boney knees and elbows into Eddie’s skin. “Go back to sleep Eds, the other’s won’t be up for a while.” Richie sounded half asleep himself, and he smelled so good that Eddie decided to just listen to him; he still had more test-week rest to catch up on anyway.
