𝐈 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐊

𝓯 𝓸 𝓾 𝓻 𝓽 𝓮 𝓮 𝓷

Thursday October 8th, 2018 - 8: 15 P.M -- Dorm Building 2F, Second Floor, Room 934

"You cleaned!" Eddie says excitedly when he enters Richie's room. Last time, only one side of the room was tidy-Mike's. Richie's was a total disaster. But now, his side of the room was also very neat. The bed was actually made properly, with the blanket tucked in. The trash that was once scattered around the floor was nowhere to be seen. And was that... a duster hung up on the wall? Eddie could almost hear angels singing above him.

Richie rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, well. Mike told me how disgusted you were when you saw my side last time. I just thought I'd be good host and, you know, clean up. It's not a big deal." Richie shrugged, but Eddie noticed how his cheeks were a little red.

Eddie beamed at him. He remembered Mike saying how he'd been trying to get Richie to clean but failing every time, and here Richie was-cleaning it just because Eddie didn't like it last time. It made Eddie happier than it should.

It was becoming darker outside, the dim light from the lamp posts outside the large window being the only light in the room. The room was cozy and warm, for some reason feeling a lot more of a home than Eddie's own room. Or maybe it was just the fact that Richie was there. Whatever it was--Eddie didn't want to be anywhere else. He walked to Richie's desk, noticing some music sheets with pencil markings scrawled all over stacked neatly at the top.

"You make music?" he asked, carefully taking one sheet and observing the messy scrawls and marks on each note.

Richie sat down at his bed, taking off his shoes. "Yeah, kind of--I use the base notes of old tunes and kind of mix it in with my own. I only recently learned how to play the guitar, but it's already sort of become a habit for me."

Eddie's eyes scan over the music sheet, putting it back neatly. He looks at Richie. "Can you play for me sometime? I've never known someone who could do it."

Richie smiles. "For you, Eddie Kaspbrak, I would do anything. Even if it means you realizing that I actually suck at playing the guitar and I'm only acting like a musical wonder."

Eddie smiles, biting his lip. But his mind is still stuck on when Richie said his full name. It was a sound that Eddie wouldn't mind listening to for hours. Eddie takes off his backpack and places it on the floor next to the desk. He slowly walks to where Richie's sitting on the edge of the bed.

He can feel his nerves flutter around in anticipation. He knows why he really came here, and why Richie invited him here. They both needed finish what happened on Sunday night. But Eddie didn't really know what exactly that was. All he knows is that for some reason, there is this sudden desire to feel how he felt on Sunday. To feel close with Richie.

Eddie walks until his thigh hits Richie's knee. He looks at him.

"Hi." His voice sounds quieter, almost shy.

Richie gives a soft smile. "Hi, baby." Eddie's heart lurches.

Richie reaches over and holds Eddie's hand, his thumb stroking his hand. Eddie bites his lip, his eyes following the movement. Richie looks up at him.

"Tell me what you want," he says quietly, a firm look in his eye. Eddie holds his breath.

"I don't really know what I want." You. I want you.

Richie hums. "That's okay," he pauses for a little bit. "But you do want me to-"

Eddie nods. "Yes. I do. I want-I want you to do what you did last time. No-I want you to do more," Eddie admits. "But only if you want to. I'm not like, forcing you or anything."