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stanley snuck back to richie's after dinner at his own house that night. 

"get-not that way-get in the fucking window," richie whispered, stanley climbing in in an unorthodox way. his limbs seemed to knot against the air, eventually landing softly on the ground.

"sorry, i'm not built for this," stanley replied, richie sighing softly. 

"i know, i--thank you." 

"anytime."

richie then sat by the window smoking once again, stanley's head on the windowsill resting. he was only there to be company, he knew that.

"you want to say something," richie said.

"hm?"

"i can tell you want to say something, what's up?" richie asked. everything richie or stanley said were in hushed tones, keeping his family from overhearing. stanley exhaled.

"oh, just that you probably shouldn't smoke so much," stanley reached out an arm to jab richie in the side. richie snickered.

"we shouldn't drink so much, either, and yet we do, don't we?" richie said, stanley groaning softly.

"god, the person i am drunk scares me," stanley replied, tapping his fingers on the windowsill and lifting his head. he leant into the back of the chair, richie furrowing his eyebrows.

"why?"

"he seems to have a lot more confidence than i do. especially when it comes to the things i maybe shouldn't be so confident about." stanley said. 

richie knew he was pushing it, but he had to try. "like what?"

"uh," 

c'mon stanley. you know i know. just say it.

"i don't know," stanley answered.

"mm," richie sighed through his nose, "isn't it always like that? too confident. not necessarily a bad thing."

thinking back on it, richie realized it might have been a bad thing when it resulted in making out with your best friend (who you maybe like more than normal) and then never discussing it with him.

"yeah. can i ask you a personal question?"

"probably, but ask and then i'll decide." richie replied.

"um, you don't have to say who, but how did you know that the guy you made out with back at that party was gay? like. i realized recently that i know way more gay people than i thought--i don't mean that in a bad way, i--i hope you know what i mean. um, but, uh, how...?" 

"oh." richie was fucking flabbergasted. did stanley remember or not? "if i'm totally honest, he didn't ever tell me he was gay. i kissed him, and he let me. it was really nice. i don't think it'll happen again, though," richie said, making direct eye contact with stanley, who appeared to be biting the inside of his lip.

"why not?" stanley asked.

well, richie thought, you asked

"like what you said. the person he is when he's drunk is too confident." richie couldn't keep the eye contact. 

"well, uh," stanley gulped. "forgive him. he's nervous, and a little confused. actually, a lot confused. but he likes you."

"oh," richie paused. he likes me? he knows? "have you remembered this whole time?"

stanley burned bright red. he rubbed his fingers together nervously. "um, long story short, kinda. i'm sorry, i didn't mean to bring this up today, because you've got bigger things to deal with, but i couldn't stop thinking about kissing you. uh..."

"i mean, stan, to be fair, even if i did have bigger things to think about, i'd rather think about this. i'd rather think about you." richie snickered a little, stanley's shoulders relaxing.

"how sweet," stanley said, watching richie's eyes flicker to his lips. richie leaned in slightly and placing his hand on stanley's shirt collar, pulling stanley closer.

"can i?"

"yeah"

and richie kissed him, stanley's hands once again finding their place on richie's neck like they belonged there. trying their best to stay quiet, the two kissed for a couple more seconds, richie laughing softly against stanley's lips.

stanley backed away, blinking several times to make sure it wasn't a dream.

stanley licked his lips. "i want you to be my boyfriend, rich. i know we haven't gone on any dates, but this is a very strange situation for me, so i just want to put it out there that i want to be with you. i don't know that i want to come out anytime soon either, though, because i don't know... what i am," he said.

"that's completely okay with me. i like you a lot. i have for a while, staniel," richie kissed him briefly, "fuck, my day's gotten a whole lot better."

stanley smiled and placed his head on richie's chest. 

"richie, are you awake?" his mother called from down the hall, richie immediately putting out his cigarette and flicking it into the grass, stanley scrambling to hide in richie's closet.

"yeah, ma, what's up?" richie replied, his mother opening the door as richie's closet door closed.

"sweetheart, you know i love you," she paused, sitting down on richie's bed. something in his closet rustled. "so, today i was picking up your father's painkillers and talking to mr. keene, and he mentioned something."

richie wanted to explode on the spot. he had to come out to his mom right now, stanley in the closet (he was aware of the irony) and all. 

"oh." richie tapped his foot on the floor.

"you might know where i'm going with this, but, richard i just want you to know, if you are gay, your father and i love you unconditionally and want you to be happy." she scratched her neck, and richie turned to her, his eyes watering.

richie spontaneously lunged towards her and gave her a hug, drying his eyes on her sweater. "thanks" he said, sitting back down and staring out the window.

"okay. i love you very much, dear." she got up and walked to the door. before closing the door, she inhaled sharply, "and i know your window is open, but please, if you're going to smoke, hide it better."

the door shut and richie put his head in his hands. after thirty seconds, the closet door squeaked open, and stanley emerged.

"are you okay?"

"yeah. i think i will be."

point proven : stozierOnde as histórias ganham vida. Descobre agora