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Eddie Kaspbrak (ekaspbrak) wrote in snapthread,
@ 2019-12-09 10:20:00

Entry tags:

eddie kaspbrak, richie tozier

Who: Reddie
What: Cuddles
Where: Loser House
When: Now
Rating: TBD but low. Richie is sick.

Keeping his distance from his sick boyfriend had lasted as long as it could. He’d told Stan that he would end up slipping into the room on his own after a while, but he had sort of assumed there’d be a little more time between the initial freak out over Richie’s cold and the desire to be around him. He’d still spent a night moping in Stan’s room while curled up next to their friend, but he did miss Richie’s snoring. He did miss having the comedian wrapped around him or wrapping himself around the comedian. Despite being shorter Eddie was occasionally the big spoon. Everyone needed to be held now and then.

He knocked on the door and poked his head in, just to make sure he wasn’t interrupting anything. Beverly had taken it upon herself to care for Richie. Eddie was glad. His own trauma and upbringing meant he had to work up the nerve to willingly go anywhere near a sick person, but he couldn’t help feeling like absolute shit for that deeply ingrained fear. Once he left the room, he’d probably go shower in hand sanitizer or something. For now, however, he just wanted to be near Richie and that drive was overpowering any instinct to run away and any thought about the high probability of him getting sick from this visit.

Finding Richie asleep and no Beverly around, Eddie let himself in. He carefully climbed up onto the bed, dragging the extra blanket he’d found along with him, and curled as much as he could into the other man. Fingers slid through tangled, messy dark hair and he couldn’t help but smile. He could’ve never done this as a boy. He would’ve been too scared or… maybe he wouldn’t have. Maybe he would’ve been there right from the start. He’d always happily shared ice cream and popsicles with Richie even if the other had warned him about germs. He was crazy for this idiot, germs and all. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to the other’s head before settling back and relaxing, humming some old song softly as his fingers continued to pet through Richie’s hair.

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ekaspbrak
2019-12-17 03:57 am UTC (link)

"Yes, exactly. You're blessed with my company." He laughed, playfully pushing at Richie as he attempted to bat his eyelashes. It didn't work. The other man just looked tired. He really should be getting some more sleep and Eddie wanted him to try but he also knew that Richie was stubborn. He was stubborn and, physically, could not stand sitting still even at the best of times. Being forced to stay in bed was torture for him no matter how terrible he felt. Eddie just hoped that lying in bed with him for awhile helped. Maybe he'd still hate being stuck there but with any luck he wouldn't be so focused on those insecurities that had him asking Eddie not to leave him for Stan. "I like spending time with you though. Even when you're sick."

Maybe Richie wasn't going to cuddle up closer to him but Eddie was feeling brave enough to do just that. He wouldn't get under the covers but he did move until he could tuck himself against Richie's side and toss an arm over him. It just felt better to be close to him. It felt warmer and safer even if he was risking his own health by being that close and breathing in the same air. Look, Eddie knew a lot about this stuff. He knew there was a high probability that he was going to catch whatever Richie had but, for a moment, he didn't care. It didn't matter. It wouldn't matter when he decided he might just sleep in the room later or when he decided that he wanted to cling to Richie while he slept. It would all matter later, of course, but that was a problem for future Eddie.

"Of course you will." He murmured, smiling at Richie's words. "But first you'll send Stan in and let me get him sick. If I'm catching this then we're all catching it."

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trashmouthloser
2019-12-18 09:22 pm UTC (link)

"Oh," Richie said, which was not the best response he might have come up with, but he thought he could be given a pass in cleverness considering his brain was half filled with snot and the other side had always been a bit stupid anyway. "Good. Because I am -- so into you."

Maybe even more so when Eddie decided to bite the germ laden bullet and snuggle with him which was -- great. And not just because Richie was shivery. Mostly just because it definitely added on some feelings of safety and maybe got him to settle in a way he wasn't really good at, particularly not on his own.

He shifted slightly, curling in closer until he could press his forehead up against Eddie's shoulder. "Deal. I'll be the downfall of us all," he murmured, not even bothering with a huge reaction about how Eddie was maybe treating this like the black plague or chicken pox or something equally daunting. Which, maybe fair. Because Richie was dramatic, too. "Tired now," he admitted, like it hadn't already been obvious. "Stay for a while."

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ekaspbrak
2019-12-19 06:34 pm UTC (link)

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret, Rich." He chuckled before leaning closer to the other. He wasn't going to whisper just in case Richie was the special sort of stuffy where even his hearing suffered a little for it. "I kind of already knew that." While Eddie had been sure, at one point, that he was just imagining things or reading too much into certain interactions it was impossible to deny any of that now. Richie had always returned the affection that Eddie had tried so desperately to hide.

He allowed Richie to move until his forehead was pressed against his shoulder and smiled a little. "At least we're all going down together." This time. All of the Losers would be sick. They'd all fall victim to whatever it was Richie had managed to bring in out of the cold. He let out a sigh and moved to nuzzle against that messy mop of dark curls.

"Just for a little while?" He asked teasingly. "I was pretty sure you and I agreed I was staying forever." Look, he knew it wasn't what Richie meant. He knew the other was just asking him to lie around with him in bed while he slept or whatever but there was a little more meaning behind it. Eddie loved him. If that meant he found a way to work up his courage and be around even when Richie was sick then he'd do it.

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trashmouthloser
2019-12-19 07:34 pm UTC (link)

Yeah, it wasn't really a secret -- Richie was a sap if the carving on the door and his endless dreamy expressions had any say in the matter at all. But years of pining sort of just made him want to say so all the time, because he hadn't for so long, because he'd nearly missed his chance at all. So he just. Made sure Eddie knew. Even if sometimes I love you came out more like Hey, asshole, your face is pretty alright today. It was the meaning behind it that mattered.

"Oh good," he said, muffled by Eddie's shoulder but not exactly quiet so much as more nasally than he normally was. "That's a big fucking relief for when I propose." The knowing and the staying forever bits both, in fact. Of course, that was a topic for some other day. Maybe after he fretted in both Stan and Beverly's general directions for a bit, trying to figure out a proper plan or whatever. Today was just for sleeping while his brain oozed out of his ears.

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ekaspbrak
2019-12-19 08:30 pm UTC (link)

He was a sap. A total and complete sap. One day, when Eddie wasn't unreasonably charmed by it, he'd tease Richie about the entire thing. That day was probably a long time off. He'd liked Richie since they were little idiot children. Maybe he'd covered it up and denied it at every opportunity but the feelings had always been there. Then again, they were Richie and Eddie. There was a chance he'd tease the other about his sappiness as soon as he was feeling better.

"Yeah. I might even say yes when that happens." He teased. Look, it wasn't really a question of whether or not he would say yes. This was probably something that was just a fact as far as Eddie was concerned. The sky was blue. Water was wet. Richie was going to propose. Eddie was going to say yes. It was a universal truth or some shit. That didn't mean he couldn't have a little fun. He couldn't tease and pretend there was some far off distant possibility that he'd entertain any other answer.

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trashmouthloser
2019-12-25 09:24 pm UTC (link)

Richie wouldn't mind the teasing. Eddie's wit was biting and Richie liked him that way -- when he was too kind for any given period of time, Richie started worrying that something weird was going to happen. Maybe someone was going to die, or worse, Eddie was going to let him down easy. Something like that. It was hard to know exactly because most of the time that was just Richie's imagination and anxiety running away with him instead of Eddie actually doing anything.

"You'll say yes," Richie said, feeling warmer than he had all day, certainly calmer. Eddie could tease all he wanted, but Richie wasn't going to believe it. They'd had conversations. Names had been picked. Richie had worn a tie for the sake of romance and carved their initials onto so many surfaces at this point, it was ridiculous. "It's gonna be great. I can't wait. Mr. Fuckface the Dapper will be the officiant."

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