Archive of Our Own

“Okay. Do it then,” Beverly challenged. Richie stopped with his beer two inches from his mouth.

“What?”

“Get a guy's number, if you’re so confident,” she continued with an amused smile.

“Look, Bev, that’s just not fair to the guy. Like, I’m very confident in my skills—“

“Oh, are you?”

“Yes, but I’m thinking about the poor heartbroken man who was led on by a straight guy,” Richie continued.

“Honestly, you’ll probably have better chances if you lead with the fact that you’re straight,” Beverly said.

“Isn’t that kinda sad though? I feel for my gay comrades. Must be hard growing up and having to come to terms with your sexuality through pictures of straight guys in underwear packaging,” Richie sighed.

“Sounds like you’re speaking from personal experience,” Beverly deadpanned and sipped her rum and coke.

“C’mon, Bev, we’ve talked about this! It’s like that John Mulaney skit about how I was meant to be a gay person, but like it just didn’t get officiated before I popped out,” he argued. She rolled her eyes and smiled.

“As long as you know I’m always here to love and support you no matter who’s sucking your dick,” she assured him.

“See, that’s not the problem. Anyone could offer me a blowjob and I’d take it with no arguments, but giving someone else a blowjob? Sounds hard, and that pun was intended by the way,” Richie assured her.

“Didn’t doubt it.”

“But it's just…I can’t imagine myself going down on a dude. I’d look so goofy doing it,” Richie went on.

“Is it because you don’t like dick or is it because you were raised in a heteronormative society that made you feel wrong for doing anything they deemed the ‘woman’s role’?” Bev questioned.

“Look, I know that one of us went to college and the other one pursued the entertainment industry, but you don’t have to rub it in,” he replied. She laughed and then scanned the bar. Richie sipped his beer as she waved her glass in a general direction across the bar.

“Right there. Pressed button up with the grey cardigan and wristwatch. Get his digits,” she told him.

“How do you even know he’s gay?” Richie questioned.

“We’re in New York, Richie. Plus he’s wearing a cardigan and drinking sangria. Just go over there so I can watch you embarrass yourself,” she said.

“But my morals, Bevvy,” he whined. She raised a brow at him and he sighed. “Okay, fair enough…”

     The guy was pretty cute from what Richie could see. He had fluffy brown hair and thick eyebrows and eyelashes. His shoes were expensive looking, and his trousers were as pressed as his shirt. He was sitting at one of the bars along the window, so he had an available seat next to him. His glass was a little over halfway empty, so Richie felt confident in that aspect. With one last drink of his beer, he headed over and easily slipped himself in the seat next to the stranger. He ignored Richie at first, but once he cleared his throat he successfully captured the stranger's attention.

     First of all, Richie was not prepared to be so blown away by a simple bat of another person's eyes. He looked at Richie with such wide brown saucers he was worried he might just fall in. Second, he looked absolutely adorable in his ensemble. Richie was hoping that he wasn’t on his first drink because typically the people who dress that nice typically wouldn’t spare him the time of day. Third, he had no idea what he was going to say. Thankfully, he didn’t have to say anything.

“If you’re going to try and get me to come home with you tonight, you’ll have better luck trying someone without any standards,” the stranger said. Richie blinked in shock, and then immediately started laughing in response.

“Wow, uh…okay. My name is Richie. Nice to meet you too,” Richie replied, grinning like an idiot. The man rolled his eyes.

“Oh please. Just skip the formalities and tell me what you want. It’s past ten o’clock on a Friday night and we’re spending our time drinking at a bar. I hope you’re not too stupid to think I can’t tell what your intentions are,” he snapped again. Richie ate it up, and sat on the edge of his seat to be closer.

“Does this mean you’re on the prowl too, sweetheart?” He asked. The man blushed and then glared at Richie.

“Absolutely not! I’m just trying to enjoy a nice drink. You’re just not the first asshole who’s interrupted me,” he replied defensively. Richie chuckled and then nodded.

“Alright, fair enough. Well, I’m pleased to inform you, baby cakes, that I am not here to try and get laid. I actually have a friend who dared me to get someone’s number, and she unfortunately singled you out,” Richie assured him. The man suddenly looked rather sheepish and stuck his nose into his glass.

“Oh…sorry. I’m not giving you my number though,” he said.

“Just scribble a few digits or something,” Richie said casually.

“If I do, will you leave me alone?” The man asked.

“Honestly, I would, but with an introduction like that I’m kinda craving some more scathing remarks,” Richie replied with a more flirtatious smirk. The man sighed.

“Unbelievable,” he grumbled.

“What’s your name?”

“Eddie,” he answered surprisingly easily.

“Eddie…I like it. Short, simple, and to the point. Just like you,” Richie teased. The man, Eddie, shot another glare at him and set his drink down.

“Fuck you, asshole. You don’t even know how tall I am,” he argued. Richie tilted his head to look him up and down and then leaned an elbow on the table to be closer again.

“Five nine?” He guessed. Eddie blushed and rolled his eyes.

“Five nine is average height, okay? Not everyone can be a freak show over six feet,” he said.

“Okay. Fair enough, Eds.”

“Don’t call me that. My name is Eddie, okay?” He grumbled.

“Let me buy you another drink. I don’t think that sangria is working,” Richie offered.

“No thank you. I can buy my own drinks,” he replied stubbornly.

“I know you can. I still would like to get you something. At least let me show my appreciation for the entertainment I’ve gotten out of this conversation,” Richie insisted. Eddie rolled his eyes and drank more of his wine.

“Nothing too strong,” he allowed. Richie grinned.

“Perfect.”

     Clearly they had different ideas of ‘strong’, and that was evident when Eddie was halfway through the vodka soda Richie brought him. When he asked, Richie told him exactly what was in it and he blinked up with wide eyes before going on about how he’s never drank hard liquor in his life. Luckily he was giggling about it instead of mad, so Richie briefly apologized before sipping on his own soda. Beverly was still observing him and shaking her head with a very amused smile every time he met her eyes. He still hadn’t gotten a number out of Eddie, but he was also distracted by how much he enjoyed the other man’s company. Turned out even when he was happy he was incredibly entertaining to listen to, and Richie found himself engrossed in every single word that left the other man’s mouth.

“This was a trick, wasn’t it?” Eddie giggled after he finished his wine and his soda.

“A trick? How am I tricking you, sweetheart?” Richie asked. Being as tall as he was he usually handled his alcohol a lot better then Eddie currently was, and he was about to get them another drink too.

“You said you didn’t wanna get laid, but I think you secretly do. That’s why you got me a sexy drink,” Eddie said, lifting his empty vodka soda. Richie laughed.

“Is vodka sexy? I just like the head rush when I drink it too fast,” Richie said.

“All the crime shows talk about liquor like it’s some aphrodisiac. I usually can’t get past the smell, but I’ve been warned about mixed drinks like this,” Eddie explained and then sipped the last little bit through his straw.

“Well, if you like that then you’ll love margaritas,” Richie told him. Eddie’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“I’ve had margaritas! I was seventeen so they were virgin, but I’ve had them,” he said.

“Then let’s have them dirty! You haven’t had a real margarita if you haven’t had tequila in it,” Richie said. 

     Eddie nodded and hopped off his stool to pull Richie to the service bar. They ended up next to Beverly as Richie ordered two margaritas with two extra shots of tequila on the side. He placed his money on the table for the bartender and then smiled at Beverly next to him. She smiled back.

“How’s it going?” She asked. 

“Honey, it’s going great,” Richie said with a pleased smile. “Eds, this is my friend, Beverly,” he introduced. Eddie smiled at Beverly and extended his hand. She accepted.

“Hi! I’m Eddie. Nice to meet you! I’m so sorry I’m drunk right now,” he said. She laughed and shook her head.

“No worries! We’re at a bar aren’t we?”

“Are you the friend that dared Richie to try and get my number?” He asked. The bartender placed the drinks in front of them as she nodded.

“That’s me,” she confirmed.

“Don’t worry. He’s not getting a digit out of me,” he giggled. Richie and Beverly laughed before Richie brought his attention back to the drinks.

“Okay, so what you’re gonna do here is take the shot and drop it in the margarita. Then we’re gonna chug,” Richie said.

“You’re gonna kill him,” Beverly said.

“I can do it!” Eddie insisted.

“Yeah! He can do it,” Richie chuckled and handed Eddie the glass and his shot. 

     He took his own, and they both dropped the shot and immediately started drinking. Eddie had to stop halfway and gasp for air, but continued on after he collected himself. Richie finished first, of course, and cheered Eddie on as he knocked back the last of his drink. Beverly clapped for them as Eddie set his glass down, and Richie had to help him stay up straight.

“Whoa, you okay there, Eddie spaghetti?” Richie asked.

“Don’t call me that…I want to eat spaghetti now,” he hiccuped.

“There’s an Italian place across the street,” Beverly said.

“I can’t go! I’m so drunk, they’ll arrest me!” Eddie gasped.

“We’ll order it to go then. C’mon, spaghetti man!” Richie urged.

     They made it across the street safely, thanks to Eddie’s insistence that they use the crosswalk, and then successfully ordered three plates of spaghetti and meatballs to go. The staff offered them a table, but Richie merely shook his head and handed them his credit card. Eddie was still loopy from chugging an alcoholic beverage, and Beverly did her best to keep him up right as they sat and waited for their food. He giggled as Richie sat with them, and then leaned on Richie’s shoulder instead.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe I let you get me so drunk. I don’t even know you,” he said.

“Richie happens to be a very persuasive person. He sometimes abuses it though,” Beverly said. Richie shrugged.

“Am I persuasive, or an enabler?” He replied.

“Both,” Bev said.

“I mean I did want to drink, so I’m leaning towards enabler right now,” Eddie pointed out.

“Exactly! I have no inhibitions of my own, so why should I give anyone their own. You wanna drink? Then let’s drink!” Richie replied. The alcohol was getting to him too, so he was a little loud saying that. Bev patted his knee and he apologized to the hostess quietly giggling at them.

“My ex wife never let me get this drunk. She’d lose her head if she saw me right now,” Eddie confessed, sounding giddy.

“Ex wife? How old are you?” Richie asked.

“Thirty six,” Eddie answered.

“Me too,” Beverly said. Eddie smiled at her and they laughed together.

“Damn, and you’re already divorced? Drink all the sangria you want, baby cakes, you deserve it,” Richie said, patting his shoulder. Eddie then squished his cheek against Richie’s shoulder and clung to his arm.

“I never even liked her anyways! I only married her because we went to church together and my mom didn’t like her,” he slurred.

“Well good thing she’s gone now. You’ll be much happier without her,” Bev encouraged. He nodded and smiled as he cuddled closer to Richie’s arm.

“Yeah. I think I will,” he agreed. Richie ruffled his hair, and before he could curse him out for it their food arrived.

“Oh thank god! It smells so good,” Eddie said. He let go of Richie’s arm in favor of accepting the bag of food. They all thanked the staff, and Bev made sure to leave a nice cash tip as they left.

“Where are we gonna eat though?” Richie asked.

“We can go to my place,” Bev offered.

“Fuck yeah, I love your apartment,” Richie said. He then turned to Eddie and smiled. “You wanna come with us? It’s fine if you’d rather go to your own place,” he offered. Eddie blinked slowly, and then eventually nodded.

“I…yeah. I probably shouldn’t be alone after so many drinks anyways,” he said. Richie and Beverly nodded in agreement.

“Probably not, spaghetti man,” Richie agreed.

“I’m just up the street too. We can walk there and sober up a little,” Beverly said.

“Okay. Sounds good,” Eddie agreed.

     They continued to chat as they walked up the street together and learned a little more about each other. Eddie talked about his job, and was a little shocked to hear that Richie worked as a writer for various shows on actual television. He was more interested in Beverly’s little boutique, but was equally impressed when Richie told her to cut the shit and told Eddie how successful her business was so far. They talked about their favorite foods, and then went into their childhood a little bit. When they finally got to Beverly’s building Eddie and Richie were arguing about what video game was the best from their middle school years. Eddie’s arguments eventually fell apart when he confessed he never actually finished the games, but he had good reasons why.

“My mom barely let us have a TV! I could only play video games at my friend's house, and we only played before we had dinner,” he defended as they got off the elevator to Beverly’s floor.

“Dude, what the hell? What was your mom on? She sounds fucking crazy,” Richie said. Beverly quietly shushed him and he nodded and pinched his lips together.

“I have no idea. She was convinced I had asthma until the day she fucking died,” Eddie said.

“I’m so sorry, oh my god,” Richie gasped.

“Don’t be. Like you said, she was fucking crazy,” Eddie assured him.

“Well then, good riddance,” Beverly said. She pulled out her keys and unlocked the door to open for her inebriated friends. Richie guided Eddie through the door, and Beverly flicked the lights on as she walked in after them. “The kitchen is a bit messy, so let’s just eat in the living room,” she said. Richie nodded and held Eddie’s shoulders from behind as he waddled them forward.

“To the couch! Sir Edward Spagedward, we have sought land after our treacherous journey,” Richie sang. Eddie giggled and shrugged off Richie’s hands so he could sit on the couch. The taller man plopped himself down next to Eddie, and then helped him unwrap the boxes of food from the bag. Beverly locked the door and pulled off her jacket before joining them.

“I don’t think I’ve been to another person's house since my ex dragged me to one of her co-workers' dinner parties,” Eddie mused out loud as Richie took the bag and handed him a box.

“Really? Do you not have a ton of friends, or do you just not care to visit?” Richie asked.

“That was kinda rude, Rich,” Beverly scolded.

“What? It’s a fair question. I wouldn’t care to make friends being a risk analyzer,” Richie defended.

“I’m a risk analyst , and to answer your question, both. I usually keep to myself. Honestly I would probably be at home by now if you didn’t come up to me,” Eddie said with a mouthful of noodles.

“So boring. Thank god you’re in a stranger's home eating take out Italian food instead,” Richie said. Eddie giggled and leaned on Richie’s shoulder again. His eyes had been drooping ever since they sat down, and Richie felt his heart melt. He was so cute as it was, but being sleepy and giggly on top of that was almost too much for him to bear. “Cute cute cute,” he hummed before taking a bite of his own food.

“The more time we spend together the less like strangers we are,” Beverly pointed out.

“Very true, Bevvy! Another example of a college degree being worth something,” Richie said.

“I didn’t need a degree for that, Rich,” she chuckled.

“Fair enough. Bev, sweetheart, do you happen to have any beer? I’m losing my buzz,” he requested.

“Oh my god, already? What are you made of? Pure beef?” Eddie scoffed. Richie laughed loudly as Beverly got up to grab some beers.

“You want one, Eds?” She offered. He nodded yes against his better judgement.

“Eds, I am six two and related to my father. I have never been able to keep a buzz for very long after I hit twenty two,” he said.

“Fuck. I’m waiting for the day that a sip of beer won’t make my brain fuzzy,” Eddie replied.

“You’ll get there one day! You just have to grow big and strong,” Richie teased. The other man snorted.

“Right, I’m in my mid thirties and still waiting for a growth spurt.”

“You’re taller than me,” Bev pointed out as she came back with the drinks. The two men accepted the bottles, and she finally got into her own box of food.

“You sure you wanna drink more?” Richie asked. Eddie nodded.

“God yes. Last time I let myself have fun was when I snuck an extra dose of painkillers behind my wife’s back when I had surgery on my arm a few years back,” Eddie said and started sipping. Thankfully he wasn’t chugging like earlier, and he took it slow as Richie and Bev realized he was admitting to abusing drugs.

“Damn. What did you do to your arm?” Richie asked, trying not to dwell on that confession.

“It was broken when I was a kid, but I was set by a fucking terrible nurse. It was just to fix some mobility issues I was having, but wow did they prescribe the good stuff,” he said.

“My dad got me into cigarettes when I was like twelve. He was always smoking, but he screamed at me if I tried to touch them. I just wanted to spite him, but like it felt good doing it too. Woke me up better than a cup of coffee,” Beverly said. Eddie nodded.

“Yeah, I’ve done tons of shit to spite my mother and my wife. Thankfully I never got fully addicted to my prescriptions, but I definitely craved them when they stopped prescribing it,” he said.

“I did cocaine in my twenties,” Richie said nonchalantly. Bev and Eddie looked at him as he shoveled more spaghetti into his mouth. He paused when he realized they seemed confused. “What?”

“Richie, how the fuck did you get ahold of cocaine? You can barely find a bottle of Advil,” Beverly said.

“Like actual cocaine? Like you snorted it?” Eddie asked.

“Bevvy, everyone in the entertainment industry does coke. The shitty little interns on the late night shows are no exception,” Richie told her and then looked at Eddie. “You bet your bottom dollar, baby cakes. Had a bloody nose one night and got yelled at by David Letterman for getting blood on set.”

“Fucking Christ, Rich. You didn’t think to share some?” Bev teased. Richie laughed.

“You were so deep in your undergrad you would’ve smacked me if I even mentioned it,” he said.

“Ugh. Okay, that’s fair.”

“What does it feel like?” Eddie asked curiously.

“Fucking wild, Eds. Makes Bev’s little cancer sticks look like pixie sticks. Coke made me feel fucking great. I wouldn’t survive it now though. I need my beautyrest,” he said.

“You’re so fucking stupid though. Why the hell would you do cocaine? Adderall would’ve been much better if you were trying to stay up later for work,” Eddie pointed out.

“Eds, baby, we weren’t snorting coke to do better at our jobs. We were snorting coke because all the rich as fuck producers and actors always did it and we wanted to feel cool. If I wanted to take drugs to be better at my job I would take shrooms,” Richie replied. Eddie took another sip and then focused more on his food.

“Okay, that’s fair. It’s still stupid, but it’s fair,” Eddie said. Richie chuckled and then yawned.

“Fuck, what time is it?” He asked.

“It’s almost midnight,” Bev told him.

“Shit. I’m getting old,” he sighed.

“Do you wanna go home?” Bev asked. He thought for a moment and then shrugged.

“I dunno. I probably should though,” he said. Then he turned towards Eddie. “Where are you at? I’ll call you an Uber or something,” he offered. Eddie frowned.

“Uh…I forgot,” he admitted. The room was quiet until Richie laughed.

“Wait, you forgot?” He asked.

“I just moved in last month! I’ve never been this drunk before, so I can’t think clearly. Plus, I have no idea where I am right now,” Eddie replied defensively. Richie sighed and set his beer down.

“Alrighty, Eddie. Do you work tomorrow?” He asked.

“No. It’s a Friday,” Eddie pointed out.

“Perfect. And tomorrow’s a Saturday. Anyway, if you’re not busy tomorrow then I would like to formally invite you to crash at my apartment until you can remember where you live,” Richie offered. Eddie nodded immediately.

“Yes. Let’s go to your place,” he said with a smile. That made Richie chuckle, and then close his to-go box.

“Alright, it’s settled then! We will leave Miss Marsh in peace, and then fall asleep on my couch!” He announced.

“Not so loud, Richie. My neighbors are trying to sleep,” Bev chided.

“Right. We’ll be going now,” Richie said. Eddie nodded.

“Thank you for lending us your living room, Beverly,” he said politely. She smiled at him and nodded.

“Any time, Eddie. It was nice meeting you and hanging out with you tonight,” she replied.

“It was nice meeting you too,” he hummed and let Richie gently pull him up to his feet after he put their boxes of food back into the bag.

“Lucky for you I live just up the street,” Richie said.

“Thank god. I’m so tired,” Eddie sighed.

“Goodnight, Bevvy! I’ll text you when we’re home safe,” Richie said as he walked Eddie to the door. She nodded and waved.

“Be safe!”

     While Richie did live close, he didn’t live close enough for two fully grown drunk men to walk to at midnight. So he called a car and rode the seven minute drive it took to get there with Eddie still leaning on his shoulder. It was another cute thing about him that Richie enjoyed a little too much, but it didn’t bother him enough to try and make him stop. It didn’t bother him at all actually, but for some reason the fact that it didn’t bother him kind of bothered him. Still, it was cute and Richie was too drunk to try and think too hard about it. They stumbled out of the car together and then made their way inside and up the elevator with little giggles. Richie was close to being sobered up enough to feel a little sick, but Eddie’s drunk smiles and little laughs seemed to prolong the buzz. He lead the man down the hall when the elevator stopped, and then pulled out his keys to unlock his apartment.

“Fair warning, I’m not the cleanest person,” Richie said before opening the door.

“Why does that not surprise me?” Eddie hummed as he stepped inside. Richie turned on the lights, and Eddie immediately wrinkled his nose at the left out cans on Richie’s end table and his disorderly shoes by the door. The expression was so sour it made Richie chuckle, and Eddie turned to face him.

“I told ya,” he said.

“Thank you,” Eddie blurted. Richie frowned and then finished locking the door.

“For what?” He asked. Eddie sighed.

“I dunno…I guess…for approaching me. I went out tonight hoping to like…maybe meet someone? Drown in my sorrows? I dunno, just get drunk I guess. I turned down like so many people, but…you actually tried to make me laugh and feel good tonight…so, thank you,” he said. Richie smiled and gently rubbed his arm.

“Any time, Eds. I feel a little selfish though. I only really kept talking to you because you’re just…so interesting. I’ve never met someone like you,” Richie said truthfully. Eddie looked up at him with wide eyes, and Richie felt a tug at his heart again. His eyes were magnetic, and Richie couldn’t stop looking at them. They both moved a little closer, and Richie didn’t register it at first until he felt Eddie’s hands on his chest.

“Probably the hardest part of my divorce was admitting to myself that…that I’m gay, and…” he took a stuttering breath, and let his hands trail down a little. “…I didn’t think someone like you would ever care to spare me even a second glance.”

“Someone like me? What do you mean, Eds? You’re perfect,” Richie cooed. Eddie smiled hearing that.

“I can’t tell if you were playing hard to get or not. Which sounds almost impossible considering the fact that you approached me, but…I couldn’t stop thinking about going home with you all night,” Eddie whispered. Richie pushed some of Eddie’s hair out of his face, and was surprised by how much closer they were.

“Eds…we’re both pretty drunk—“

“Just kiss me once. That’s all I need,” Eddie nearly begged. Richie hesitated and then sighed.

     In all his life Richie never once imagined himself with another man. It was always a hypothetical or a joke, but a part of him secretly wondered what it would feel like. A more envious part of him wanted to hate anyone who could confidently say that they were gay or straight or something else. Richie really just couldn’t pin it…until he leaned in and kissed Eddie on the mouth. His lips were so soft, and his hands on Richie’s chest made him feel something no woman ever made him feel. It was just meant to be one kiss, but Richie was easily persuaded into a second one as Eddie tilted his head to fit with him better. His hands moved without him thinking, and the way Eddie’s body seemed to fit so perfectly in them was almost magical. The hands on his chest moved up to cup his face, and Richie really felt like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. By the third kiss they were pressed as tightly against each other as they could, and Richie wanted nothing more than to drag Eddie to his bed and kiss him deeply against the sheets. Instead they ended up with Eddie against Richie’s door, and Richie’s hands under his cardigan. His shirt was tucked in, but Richie was on the verge of pulling it up to feel the dimples in his back and curve of his spine. Eddie whimpered as Richie touched over his shirt, and Richie was suddenly sobered up by his sound of pleasure. He pulled back, and they took a moment to catch their breath.

“Fuck…” Richie sighed.

“I can’t believe I ever married a woman,” Eddie murmured. Richie chuckled.

“Yeah?” He asked. Eddie nodded and then furrowed his brows.

“I think I’m gonna throw up,” he warned.

“Oh, shit,” Richie hissed and gently pulled Eddie off the door. 

     He guided him to his kitchen sink, and patted his back before looking for a bowl. Eddie did in fact throw up, and when Richie finally got him the bowl he didn’t need it anymore. He apologized, but Richie merely laughed and turned on the water to rinse it out. Thankfully it was empty, and he was grateful that he actually did the dishes for once that morning.

“No worries, Eddie spaghetti. Throwing up comes with drinking like that,” Richie assured him.

“I was fine until like…Y’know. You gave me butterflies,” Eddie confessed. Richie smiled at that.

“Cute cute cute,” he hummed before kissing the top of Eddie’s head. Eddie took a handful of water to rinse out his mouth, and then spit it out.

“This is so embarrassing though,” he huffed. Richie kissed his temple and rubbed his shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it, okay? Let’s get you to bed,” Richie said. Eddie nodded.

“Yeah…okay. Bed sounds nice.”

     Richie let Eddie use his bed that night. He insisted on brushing his teeth before passing out, and Richie was able to convince him to just use mouthwash when he told him he didn’t have any unused toothbrushes laying around. They cleaned up in Richie’s bathroom, and then Richie helped Eddie get tucked in once he was satisfied with his hygiene. He was half asleep once Richie got him into bed, but still managed a weak protest when the other man tried to leave. To appease him, and for no other reason whatsoever, Richie ran his fingers through Eddie’s hair and stayed next to him until he eventually fell fully asleep. It was too tempting not to linger, and even when his breathing evened out it was hard to say goodnight. Richie eventually managed to pry himself away, and decided to ditch his jacket and his pants in his room before heading out to sleep on the couch instead. He plugged in his phone, and then gave Eddie one last kiss on top of his head.

     Falling asleep wasn’t too difficult since Richie was still a little bit tipsy from the drinking, but his mind was still all over the place. His entire life he thought he was straight. Every waking moment he was convinced that he was only interested in women. Now that he was looking back at it he could clearly see how much of his attraction to women was purely talk. He never watched porn as much as his classmates said they did, and when he did watch it he couldn’t help but focus on the man the entire time. Every woman he’s ever dated felt like a sister to him, or even a cousin. He thought everyone viewed women that way, and that they only pursued women to show off. His entire perception of attraction was completely skewed now, and he was quickly realizing his strange infatuation with Eddie was probably the only time he’s ever been undeniably attracted to another person. Maybe there were more times before he learned how to suppress it so much, but he seriously couldn’t remember a time when he was so drawn to someone before.

     Thankfully Richie was able to fall asleep after he had a mini gay panic, and he was happy to shut off his brain for a while. When he woke up he was surprised to smell good cooking and coffee brewing in his kitchen. The last time he actually cooked the eggs in his fridge for breakfast and not on top of his instant ramen was so long ago he couldn’t properly remember it. He rubbed at his eyes before turning onto his back, and then groaned at the sore stiffness he had from sleeping on such uncomfortable furniture all night. He grabbed his glasses from the coffee table so he could properly see, and was surprised to notice his living room tidied up all around him. All of the cans and wrappers were taken care of, and the light layer of dust across his TV that had been bothering him for weeks was magically gone. If he didn’t know any better, Richie would’ve assumed Eddie was the light drinker last night and he was the one who got shit faced. He sat up properly, and then turned to look over the back of his couch. Sure enough, the same fluffy brown hair from last night was maneuvering through his kitchen and flipping pancakes. Richie didn’t even know he had pancake mix. He swore he ran out of that weeks ago.

“Oh, Christ!” Eddie gasped when he turned around. Richie blinked, but smiled at the startled man.

“Morning,” he greeted. Eddie shook his head while holding his hand over his heart.

“You fucking scared me, asshole,” he grumbled. Richie chuckled and then leaned his elbow on the couch.

“Aw, don’t be mad at me, sweetheart. I was just observing,” Richie said. Eddie blushed, rather noticeably, and then turned back to the pancakes he was making.

“Whatever…I hope you don’t mind, but I tidied up and cooked breakfast. I figured it was the least I could do after throwing up in your kitchen sink and crashing your bedroom,” he said. Richie continued to watch as the other man swayed his hips so effortlessly to transfer the pancakes to a plate. How did he never notice how much he liked men? Eddie was absolutely addicting.

“I mean I’m not complaining. I just didn’t think I had any pancake mix left,” Richie said. Eddie dressed the pancakes with butter and syrup as Richie talked, and then grabbed a fork before bringing the plate to Richie. 

“You didn’t, but you have flour and sugar and milk,” he said simply. Richie frowned, but accepted the plate anyway.

“Uh…are you trying to say that you made these pancakes from scratch?” He asked. Eddie nodded and then returned to the kitchen to plate his own breakfast. Richie looked down at his plate as Eddie did so, and blinked at the over easy eggs next to the apparently hand made pancakes.

“You say that like it’s hard to make pancakes from scratch,” Eddie replied. When Richie looked up the other man was much closer, and he moved to the side so Eddie could sit next to him on the couch. His naked legs were visible from the kitchen, but seeing his smooth skin up close was something else. He still wore his boxers and his undershirt, so he wasn’t completely naked. Still, Richie has never felt so much temptation to touch someone before.

“Are you okay? Did I…do something wrong?” Eddie asked. Richie snapped his eyes away from his legs and instead looked him in the eyes.

“No! Sorry, I was just…uh…I just woke up,” he said dumbly.

“Right. Sorry. I probably should’ve left before you did,” Eddie murmured. Richie shook his head.

“What? No way. I just wasn’t expecting breakfast and everything. In all honesty, I was expecting to help you through a pretty gnarly hangover,” Richie assured him. Eddie’s blush returned.

“Oh…yeah, I did drink a lot, huh? That’s…god, that’s so embarrassing. I’m so sorry. I swear I don’t act like such a crazy lunatic all the time,” Eddie said.

“Hey, it’s whatever. I liked you before, during, and after all your drinking. Alcohol really puts you through it, huh?”

“I guess. I just feel so embarrassed that I threw up right after we…y’know…”

“Eh, I’m a bit rusty, so it’s understandable,” Richie joked. Eddie shook his head, and Richie realized as he noticed it out of his peripherals that he was looking at the other man’s legs again.

“You are not rusty, okay? I’ve never been kissed that good before in my life,” he admitted. Richie chuckled and finally looked back to Eddie’s face. He was focused on his breakfast, and that reminded Richie to take a bite of his own food.

“I’m flattered. Either way, I promise I can do much better when I’m not tipsy,” Richie said before taking his first bite. The pancakes were a million times better than any box mix Richie had in the past. His egg was cooked to perfection, and it had just the right amount of salt and pepper.

“Really?”

“Absolutely. I’ll kiss your socks off, baby,” Richie said. They finally looked at each other, and Richie’s heart skipped a beat as the dumb smile on his face weakened from how beautiful Eddie’s eyes were.

“So…you’re actually interested in me? Like…even though you were dared to get my number…you still want it for real?” Eddie asked. Richie nodded without thinking or hesitating.

“Yeah. Of course I am. Eddie, you’re amazing,” he said. Eddie blushed again, and looked back at his food. He was silent for a moment, and then eventually sat forward on the edge of the couch to set his plate on the coffee table. He didn’t relax back into the cushions, and instead stayed stiff with his hands on his knees.

“Richie, I…I feel like I need to be honest with you about…about this,” Eddie said. Richie felt a little bit nervous, but nodded anyway.

“Yeah, sure! Absolutely. Makes sense,” he agreed. Eddie took a deep breath and looked down at his lap. He seemed almost ashamed of what he was about to say, and that didn’t help Richie’s nervousness.

“I…I’ve never actually been with a man before. I’ve kissed a guy or two in the past six months of this divorce, but…actually pursuing something with someone has felt impossible recently,” he confessed. Richie blinked. That was much better than anything he was imagining.

“That’s okay. Life is crazy, Eds. You don’t need to pursue anything right now. Divorce isn’t easy, and coming to terms with your sexuality on top of that is stressful too,” Richie assured him. Eddie looked at him again, and Richie was overwhelmed with how many times those beautiful brown eyes took his breath away.

“You’re not…put off by that?” Eddie asked. Richie frowned and shook his head.

“No? Why would I be?” He asked. Eddie blushed and his eyes darted to the side.

“Well…I wouldn’t exactly be comfortable doing anything…too extreme together until we’re more familiar with each other,” he explained. Richie furrowed his brows in confusion.

“Too extreme? What do you mean?” He asked. Eddie sighed and covered his face out of embarrassment.

“Like—sex! I’m talking about sex, Richie! I wouldn’t…the last time I was fooling around with someone, he was upset because I didn’t want to…put anything up there just yet,” Eddie reiterated more clearly. Richie blushed as well. He didn’t even begin to ponder the complicated relationship that gay men have with anal sex. He supposed he was probably going to hear about it more now that he understood that he was also incredibly gay.

“Oh…um…” Richie trailed off awkwardly and then cleared his throat. “I mean, that guy sounds like a total douche. If you’re not comfortable with something, then I only want to know so I can avoid it,” he said. Eddie uncovered his face and looked at him with wide eyes.

“You really don’t mind?” Eddie asked. Richie nodded and leaned forward to set his plate onto the coffee table as well.

“Why would I? I’m not entitled to your body, Eds. If you’re not ready then we can do other things…if you want to…that is,” Richie said awkwardly. He was probably blushing again, and when he looked over he was glad to see Eddie smiling again.

“That’s…thank you,” he said. Richie smiled back, and then shook his head.

“It’s nothing to thank me for. Those guys are just assholes,” he murmured. Eddie moved closer to Richie on the couch, and gently touched his knee.

“I mean it…it’s been absolutely crazy trying to find a guy that I like and that I trust, so…I appreciate you not being an asshole,” he spoke softly and sweetly. His voice was like butter, and Richie adored everything about the man in front of him.

“I…uh, I should probably be honest with you too…um…” he trailed off, feeling awkward about how different he felt now compared to when he first approached Eddie. The other man blinked, but nodded.

“Okay. I appreciate honesty,” he said.

“Right. I do too, so…if we’re laying everything out then…” he cleared his throat. “I’ve never really been with a man either…like at all actually. I’ve never even kissed a guy until last night, and…to be completely honest I didn’t even know I was gay…until we did kiss,” he confessed. Eddie blinked at him.

“You…approached me, bought me drinks, took me out to an Italian restaurant, paid for my food, let me hang off you all night, brought me to your home, and then kissed me…while truly believing that you were straight?” Eddie asked. Richie’s blush deepened and he pursed his lips awkwardly.

“Well, that all sounds dumb when you say it like that, but yeah. That’s…pretty much it,” he confirmed.

“But…kissing me is what made you realize that you’re gay?” Eddie reiterated. Richie nodded and looked down at his lap.

“Yeah. Funny how that works. I uh…wasn’t expecting that…and now I can’t stop thinking about how obvious it was my whole life,” he said. Eddie nodded.

“Isn’t it kind of stupid? I spent over thirty years trying to hide it from myself, but once I figured it out all these memories started popping up and I felt so stupid for not realizing it sooner,” Eddie told him. Richie nodded back.

“Amazing how memory works, huh?”

“Yeah…”

“Are you…upset with me?” Richie asked. Eddie shook his head.

“No. It’s actually really comforting to know that you understand how confusing it is to come to terms with this later in life. Like, we’re not old, but…most people figure this shit out when they’re sixteen.”

“Right. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. I mean, I could’ve told you I was straight at any time, but I liked talking to you and flirting with you too much to stop it,” Richie said. Eddie smiled at him and nodded.

“Yeah. Last night was…the most fun I’ve had in years,” he confessed. Richie felt his heart race seeing and hearing Eddie’s happiness. He was so cute, and everything about him pulled Richie in. No other person had ever made Richie feel so much emotion and desire before.

“I…yeah. Me too,” he murmured. 

     Eddie bit his lip, and then looked down at Richie’s before he leaned forward. His hand moved up Richie’s leg consequently, and Richie moved forward as well. He fit his hand perfectly against the side of Eddie’s face, and then gently let their lips meet. The kisses they shared last night were amazing and got heated quickly, but it felt just as good this time. It was definitely easier to be more reserved now that they weren’t filled with alcohol. Eddie reached up to cup Richie’s face as well, and his fingers felt so good against his jaw. He missed the heat on his leg, but having any of Eddie’s affection felt absolutely incredible. He kissed Eddie back, and they went for a second kiss without thinking about it. The second one was short lived though because Eddie was suddenly pulling back and touching Richie’s arm. He frowned.

“You need to brush your teeth,” he announced. Richie blinked, and then suddenly laughed at his request. His insistence for oral hygiene was reasonable, but also very adorable.

“Alright, fair. You finish your breakfast, and I’ll take care of these pearly whites,” Richie told him. Eddie smiled at that and nodded.

“Thank you,” he murmured before kissing Richie’s cheek.

“Anytime.”

     He got up and left Eddie alone in his living room while he pursued his bathroom. He decided to use mouthwash after he brushed for brownie points, and then took a moment to look at himself in the mirror. His eyes were a little bit tired behind his glasses, but he didn’t look dead like he usually did after he drank. Drinking never really gave him a hangover, but his body definitely didn’t appreciate him poisoning it nearly every night anyways. He splashed his face with some water and then dried off with a towel before returning to Eddie in the living room. The other man was exactly where he left him with a forkful of eggs leading to his mouth. He slipped it past his lips just as Richie came in, and Richie was enamored by his mouth in any context. Brown eyes shifted to him as he approached the couch, and Richie was eager to lean down and kiss him before sitting. Eddie blushed and covered his mouth as Richie settled, and it was impossible not to chuckle at the disgruntled look on his face.

“Richie, don’t kiss me when I have food in my mouth,” he scolded before setting his plate on the table again.

“Well then don’t have food in your mouth so I can kiss you,” Richie replied. Eddie rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“You’re ridiculous,” he sighed. Richie smiled at that and then kissed his cheek. Eddie turned his head, and their lips fit perfectly together when he let Richie lean closer.

     So far every kiss they’ve shared felt absolutely incredible. It was hard for Richie to believe he was ever interested in women when the affection he’s shared with them in the past felt like nothing compared to this. All the kisses, the one or two girlfriends he’s had, and the few hookups between all that felt like nothing. Kissing Eddie felt real. It felt like Richie was finally experiencing reality for the first time in his life. This time when their lips shifted for another kiss Eddie didn’t interrupt them, and Richie was happy to continue while running his fingers through Eddie’s hair. The brown locks were just as soft as they were last night, and he briefly relished in the memory of soothing Eddie to sleep. Their lips shifted again, and this time Eddie moved a little closer on the couch as well. He touched Richie’s chest, and his hand felt so warm on his body. Every time Eddie touched him Richie felt amazing, so he showed that by kissing Eddie deeper and moving closer as well. Eddie seemed to appreciate that, and made a cute shy little noise against Richie’s lips. 

     They parted briefly to breathe, and Richie was the first to get back to it by pressing sweet kisses down Eddie’s neck. The other man absolutely loved it, and trailed his hand up from Richie’s chest to his hair while he got carried away sucking on Eddie’s skin. After he pulled off the color he left behind was darker than he intended, but it was incredibly satisfying to see his mark left over on Eddie’s neck. He decided to continue despite already leaving a souvenir behind. Eddie didn’t seem to have any complaints, and instead only curled his fingers into Richie’s hair as he sucked another hickey below the first one. The tension felt nice on Richie’s skull, and he used that nice feeling to be bold and pull Eddie closer by his waist. He moved with Richie’s hand, and let out another quiet little noise as he accepted Richie’s lead. In a way Richie was just used to leading things considering he’s only been with women before, but he also enjoyed Eddie’s little reactions too much to try and think of it that way. He was leading because Eddie was following, and it was so satisfying to actually like what he was doing for once.

“Richie…mmh…” Eddie murmured. He polished off his second hickey as Eddie moaned, and then kissed up to his jaw and cheek before kissing him on the lips again. The other man accepted everything Richie gave him, but pulled back to look up at him. “That—this is nice,” he stammered. Richie nodded in agreement.

“Yeah. Yeah, it’s really nice. Much nicer than anything else I’ve ever done,” Richie confessed. Eddie blushed but nodded regardless.

“Me too. I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking that,” he said.

“You‘re very cute,” Richie told him. His hand was still on Eddie’s waist, and he rubbed his thumb over the fabric of his shirt. It was in that moment that Richie finally noticed that Eddie was actually wearing one of his shirts from his dresser.

“Please. You’re only saying that to embarrass me,” Eddie sighed. Richie shook his head and used both his hands to gently pull Eddie even closer to him. He was like putty in his hands, and touching his body was almost electrifying.

“Not a chance. I’m saying it because it’s true,” Richie replied. Eddie rolled his eyes, but that didn’t stop Richie from leaning in again and kissing under his jaw once more. Lithe hands came up over Richie’s shoulders, and he soon felt nails digging into the fabric of his shirt when he led his kisses around Eddie’s ear.

“Mm…” Eddie tried to hold back a moan, but his repression only seemed to have the opposite effect on Richie. He was enthralled by how adorable Eddie sounded when he censored himself. It was almost like a challenge to find what made him finally break and make all the noise he wanted.

“Is this okay?” Richie asked. Eddie nodded, and made a bold move to crawl into Richie’s lap and straddle him. Their lips met again when he settled on top of Richie’s thighs, and they sank into the affection easily.

“More than okay,” Eddie whispered between kisses. Richie happily accepted the next one, and carefully touched down his sides. His hands drifted down his hips and over his thighs, and when he actually touched his skin it was so much smoother than it looked. He automatically squeezed the supple flesh without thinking, and loved the shy moan Eddie released in response.

“Does that feel good?” Richie asked. Eddie managed to nod, and dug all of his fingers into the hair on Richie’s nape.

“Yeah…feels good,” he confirmed. Richie kissed his cheek and let his hands slide back to his hips. This time he slipped under the fabric of the shirt Eddie was wearing, and was met with soft gentle skin when he touched Eddie’s waist and sides again. He gasped a little at Richie’s touch, and then grabbed Richie's shirt over his chest.

“You okay, baby?” Richie rasped. His eyes were heavy from how good everything felt, and he barely intended to use that pet name.

“Y—yeah…ah…I just…haven’t even gotten this far before. I’ve always stopped it because I usually felt uncomfortable with how forward they were being,” Eddie explained.

“Are you nervous?” Richie asked. The other man’s lack of comfort unclouded his brain for a moment, and he returned his hands over his clothes instead of under. Eddie hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

“A little bit. I like you and all. It’s just…new,” he murmured. Richie nodded and rubbed his spine over his shirt.

“That’s okay. We don’t have to do anything you do want to, okay? It’s up to you,” Richie assured him. Eddie took a deep breath and touched Richie’s chest again.

“It’s funny…all I’ve been able to think about since I came out is experimenting and trying things I’ve always fantasied of when I was closeted. Now that I’m actually doing it I feel…almost worried. Like that feeling that you’re doing something you shouldn’t and your parents could walk in at any time,” he explained. Richie couldn’t help but relate to that feeling. He remembered all too well the drop in his stomach whenever he heard his parents footsteps next to his door whenever he was doing something private.

“Well…if it makes you feel any better, my door is locked and the only other person who has a key is the landlord. She’s not onsite either, so I’d say we’re good,” Richie joked. Eddie actually smiled at it and shook his head.

“You’re stupid. I dunno why, but I like that about you,” he said. Richie chuckled and shrugged.

“Eh, I’m technically a comedian, so it’s only natural that I’m not the smartest,” he said. Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Right. Whatever,” he dismissed.

“So you’ve never really gotten past first base? Is that where you’re at?” Richie asked. He meant to be open and nonjudgmental, but the confusion on Eddie’s face told him it didn’t come across.

“I never understood bases, Rich. Can you like actually spell it out?” He sassed. Richie bit back a laugh and nodded. It was a little bit cute that Eddie was as innocent as to not know what the different bases were.

“That’s fair. Sorry about that. First base is basically just making out. Second base is like feeling each other up and touching under clothes. Third base is foreplay, and a home run is pound town,” Richie explained. Eddie blushed at the descriptions and then reluctantly nodded.

“Right…uh, then yeah. I’ve only been to first base,” he confirmed.

“That’s okay. We can stay there if you want to,” Richie offered. The other man shook his head.

“No, I want to do more!” He blurted. His blush deepened at his outburst, and he hunched his shoulders out of embarrassment. Richie rubbed the small of his back to comfort him, and that helped him relax a little bit.

“We can do more. I’m okay with that. Do you wanna go slow?” Richie cooed. His voice was gentle, and he noticed how it made Eddie shut his eyes briefly. When he blinked at him again Richie was once again reminded of just how enamoring the chocolate color was.

“If you don’t mind…I’d like that,” he murmured. Richie nodded and then kissed him on the lips again.

“We’ll go as fast or as slow as you need, Eds,” he assured him. Eddie kissed him back, and sat up again to his previous posture.

     It felt good to have Eddie on top of him. Richie has had several women in the exact space before, but for some reason Eddie filled it so much better. When he touched his hips it felt more real, and when he slipped under his shirt again the skin felt like actual skin. His brain was so much more engaged, and he was just coming to terms with how much he wasn’t actually present in his past sexual interactions with women. It was like his body was there but his mind was checked out. With Eddie he was fully present and eager for every second that they touched. His body had actual weight to it, and his reactions actually made Richie feel something. He fit so well in Richie’s hands, and as he touched all across his waist and his hips it was clear that he was slowly becoming more and more comfortable with their progress.

“Mh…that feels nice,” Eddie whispered when Richie specifically rubbed his ribs and his waist. His verbal confirmation encouraged Richie to continue touching that area, and he rested his forehead against Richie’s as he allowed himself to be touched.

“Yeah? That’s good?” Richie hummed. Eddie nodded and curled his fingers into the fabric of Richie’s shirt over his shoulders.

“Really good,” he replied. Richie kissed his jaw and touched further up until his thumb brushed one of his nipples. He giggled at first, and Richie chuckled with him before repeating it. His second reaction was more of a nervous laugh, and when Richie did it a third time he watched as Eddie brows furrowed with interest.

“How’s that?” He asked. Eddie’s face turned bright red as Richie continued to carefully play with his nipple.

“It’s…it’s interesting. Definitely new,” he said. 

     Richie smirked and then pinched the hardened flesh between his thumb and his knuckle. Eddie bit his lip and automatically arched his back to make his chest more accessible. It was interesting that he reacted this way to nipple play. A couple of Richie’s past girlfriends had sensitive nipples, and he only explored that area on Eddie out of curiosity. Now that he was reacting positively Richie finally saw the appeal of if. Such a simple touch made his cheeks flushed and his body bend. It was entertaining, but also extremely arousing just to watch him.

“Is that good?” He asked. Eddie nodded and kissed Richie again. He moved closer, so Richie readjusted his hand to continue the stimulation. His other hand joined to play with Eddie’s other nipple, and when he slowly pinched them at the same time he was pleased to hear the other man moan in response.

“Mmh…Richie…” he breathed.

“You’re so cute…god, this is so hot,” Richie spilled. Eddie nodded in agreement and shifted his hips.

“It really is…I really like this…I like it when you touch me at all,” he confessed. Richie bit his lip and circled his thumbs around the sensitive flesh once more before touching down to his hips again.

“I like touching you too. So fucking cute,” he huffed. Eddie shook his head in protest, but couldn’t help but gasp when Richie reached down to grab his ass.

“Oh!“

“Is this okay?” Richie checked. Eddie nodded, and wrapped his arms around Richie’s neck.

“Yeah…it’s okay,” he allowed. Richie squeezed his butt again, and consequently pushed their hips together. He clenched his teeth when he felt the heat and firmness of Eddie’s boxers against his own. He barely even noticed his own hardness, but feeling the other man’s erection was thrilling. Eddie didn’t seem to notice Richie’s own arousal, and buried his face into his shoulder.

“Oh…s—sorry. That’s so embarrassing,” he murmured. Richie kissed the side of his head to reassure him, and then gently nudged his hips up against him to show that Eddie wasn’t the only one reacting that way. “Ah! Richie,” he gasped.

“Not embarrassing at all, sweetheart,” Richie cooed. Eddie nuzzled closer to his throat, and shyly rocked his hips closer. It was slow and experimental, but Richie encouraged it by squeezing his ass again and pushing him to do it a second time.

“Mmm…is…is this okay?” He asked. Richie nodded and tried not to move too fast with him.

“Absolutely. More than okay, Eds,” Richie assured him.

“It feels really good…I don’t think I’ve ever been so…turned on before,” Eddie confessed. Richie nodded in agreement and squeezed down his thighs briefly before returning to his ass again.

“Are you still comfortable with everything?” Richie checked again. Eddie nodded and his hips moved more confidently as Richie touched him.

“Yes…I…hmm…” he moaned in such a pitiful way that Richie immediately wanted to appease.

“Do you want more, baby?” He asked. Eddie took a moment to respond, but eventually nodded.

“I—yes. Yes, I want more. I want more, Richie,” he admitted. Richie nodded back and guided Eddie’s chin up so he could kiss him again. He kept his lips busy so he would be distracted before he pulled Eddie’s body against his own and rolled his hips up against him once more. Eddie broke the kiss with a gasp when Richie did so, and couldn’t stop panting and moaning when Richie did it again and again.

“Ah! Richie—fuck!” He gasped. Richie kissed his cheek and his jaw instead since his mouth was more preoccupied with expressing his pleasure, and continued fucking up against him.

“Mmh…Eddie,” he groaned as the friction started to get to him too. Eddie grabbed at Richie’s hair, and he moved with Richie’s faster pace.

“So good…that’s so good. It feels so good,” Eddie rambled. His voice was strained, and he sounded so desperate. He was as adorable as always, but it was extra gratifying in a sexual context.

“Yeah? Is that good enough for you?” Richie asked. Eddie shook his head.

“N—no. I still want more,” he said. 

     Richie nodded, and then grabbed his legs to keep Eddie close to him as he turned and nearly tackled him against the couch. The other man gasped at his sudden change in position, but moaned happily when Richie’s body covered his own. His chest heaved, and Richie instantly pushed up the fabric of his shirt. He ducked down to take one of Eddie’s nipples in his mouth, and his actions were rewarded with nails scraping over his scalp. He licked and sucked at the hardened nub, and reached between Eddie’s legs to rub directly against the hard shape in his boxers. Eddie moaned a lot louder than he did before, and his head fell back against the couch as he let Richie touch him as he pleased.

“Oh my god…oh my god,” he breathed.

“You’re so fucking cute,” Richie rasped as he switched to the other side of his chest. He used his free hand to roll the wet skin between his knuckles, and Eddie whimpered at all the ways Richie turned him on.

“Richie…Richie…” he moaned.

“I gotcha. You’re so sexy, baby,” Richie said. He fully squeezed him in his pants, and then eventually pulled him out of his boxers to stroke his naked length. Eddie covered his mouth with his hand, but moaned regardless. His body trembled as he got used to the other man’s touch, and his brows furrowed with intense gratification.

“Is that okay, babe?” Richie asked as he watched Eddie begin to writhe as he moved faster. He nodded and squeezed his eyes shut before removing his hand to talk.

“N—no one’s ever…not even my ex wife,” he confessed. Richie blinked at that, but continued to jack him off. He’s never been so invested in his partners pleasure before, and it was such a rush to watch someone enjoy themself so much.

“How is it?” He questioned. Eddie huffed, but nodded.

“‘T’s good…really good…better than touching myself,” he said. Richie smirked at that and then kissed him sweetly.

“You must be such a sight to see when you do it yourself though. You probably get all red and shy about it. Do you resist it? Let it build up and rub yourself against the sheets on accident? Hoping it’ll go away, but it only gets harder to ignore?” Richie cooed. Eddie bit his lip and eventually confirmed Richie’s theory with a nod.

“It’s…it’s been so different living alone. I still try not to do it all the time. It’s hard to remember that I don’t have to hold back anymore,” he said.

“Do you still feel like you’re holding back? Even now?” Richie asked. Eddie nodded again.

“Yes…I dunno how to not feel so…overwhelmed…” he murmured. Richie kissed him, and then squeezed around the head of his dick. Eddie gasped, and clutched Richie’s shoulders.

“Let me use my mouth on you. Please. I don’t want you to hold back a thing when I’m touching you,” Richie rumbled. Eddie blinked with wide eyes, but still nodded enthusiastically.

“O—okay. I won’t,” he obliged. Richie kissed him one last time on the mouth, and then trailed down his chest until he got to the base of his cock.

     As Richie kissed and caressed the man underneath him, he briefly remembered the conversation he had with Beverly before he approached Eddie last night. He remembered how he described how he couldn’t imagine sucking someone’s dick without feeling ridiculous, but now that he was actually about to do it he felt the exact opposite of ridiculous. The way Eddie’s body moved in tandem with his hands felt so perfect. His back arched off the couch as Richie touched his spine, and his thighs hooked over his shoulders as he squeezed them once again. He kissed the soft smooth skin over his knee, and trailed down between his legs again to tease him. His chest was falling rapidly as Richie got closer to his cock. It was swollen and flushed, and it was leaking close to his belly button. For a split second Richie felt intimidated by the fact that he’s never given a blow job before, but he was easily pulled out of his panic by the way Eddie shivered with anticipation. He rubbed his hips before pulling one arm out from under his leg to pull more of his boxers down.

“Your skin is so fucking soft,” Richie whispered against his belly. There were a few whispers of stubble where his snail trail would’ve been, but the skin was still soft and the hairs growing in weren’t nearly as thick as Richie’s own body hair.

“Ah…one of my friends talked me into waxing…mmh…I still don’t know what to think about it,” Eddie told him. His composure, or lack thereof, was satisfying for Richie to hear. He licked the silky skin, and Eddie yelped in response. He was about to cover his mouth, but held his fist to the couch before he let his moans be muffled.

“For what it’s worth, I really like it,” Richie hummed and then licked up the little puddle of precum next to the head of his dick.

“Fucking…Christ, are you going to do it or not?” Eddie groaned in frustration. 

     Richie chuckled and then gently licked the head. He was so hard that his member was nearly flushed to his stomach, and Richie couldn’t express how much he loved that. The taste of cum wasn’t pleasant, but he wasn’t expecting any bodily fluid to taste good. Still, he noted how hot it was against his tongue as he took the head past his lips and sucked on the angry skin. Eddie moaned in response, and Richie enjoyed the other man’s voice a little bit more than he expected. It was crazy how much Richie was discovering about himself during his first sexual interaction with a man, and he couldn’t help but feel like he was going to be a bit different once it was all over.

“Oh my god…Richie…it’s so warm…oh my god,” Eddie whined. That made Richie groan before taking more into his mouth. He got over halfway before he started to pull back and tease him, and he was happy to hear Eddie moan in response to the friction.

“Fuck…oh, fuck…” he gasped. Richie pulled off and kissed around the base again.

“So fucking hot,” Richie sighed while squeezing his ass.

“Richie, please. That felt so good. Again, please,” Eddie begged. Richie nodded and took him back in his mouth as requested, and paid attention to the little moans that escaped his throat as he proceeded. He kept his lips on his skin, but covered his teeth a little to make sure nothing scraped or caused discomfort. His hands unconsciously dug into Eddie’s skin while he languidly moved his head to slid his lips up and down his cock. 

     The familiar sensation of nails over his scalp came to him, and he couldn’t help but moan at the feeling of Eddie’s fingers in his hair. He gripped his waist and his ass harder, and moved the hand on his ass up to the small of his back. His hips tilted with Richie’s touch, and Richie took more of his length. He was close to taking the entire thing, but the only thing stopping him was the fact that he hadn’t gagged on it yet. With each up and down he got closer and closer until he paused for a moment with his nose buried against Eddie’s skin. The man under him was whimpering and shaking, and that made him push his hips even further into his mouth. Richie was aware that he didn’t really have a gag reflex for whatever reason, but for some reason he didn’t expect that to be so literal. It helped that Eddie wasn’t exactly huge. He wasn’t small, but he also wasn’t breaking any records. He was proportional.

“H—holy fuck, Richie,” Eddie gasped. Richie groaned around him, the subtle friction they kept must’ve felt good combined with the wet heat of Richie’s throat. It was gratifying to feel Eddie’s body nearly vibrate in his grip, and he only let up to lick at the head and take his entire length again.

“Fu—fuck! Fucking hell!” The other man cried. Richie continued pulling back all the way and taking him again until he felt Eddie pull on his hair. He pulled off completely and took a gasp of air while Eddie sat tight and tense in front of him.

“You okay?” Richie huffed.

“I thought you said you’ve never been with another man before! H—how can you suck dick like that?” Eddie blurted. Richie blinked and then laughed.

“Shit…uh…I mean I didn’t know I could either. I knew I have next to no gag reflex but like…I didn’t think it was that non-existent,” he said. Eddie nodded and clutched the fabric still covering his chest.

“Okay…right, that’s fair,” he murmured.

“Was that good? How are you feeling?” Richie asked. Eddie nodded again.

“Yeah…yeah, it was good. I was…I—I was close actually,” he admitted.

“Is that why you stopped me?” Richie asked.

“Yeah…just…I haven’t cum in front of another person in a while. I only had sex with my ex wife a couple times a year until we divorced. I could only cum if I closed my eyes and pretended I was masturbating,” he said. Richie nodded.

“Yeah, I can relate to that,” he said. Eddie extended a shaky hand, and Richie accepted it before leaning closer and letting Eddie cup his face.

“I’m not…I’m not ready for…a home run today. I probably won’t be for a while, but…I think if you’re interested in something a little more long term…I’d like to try that with you down the line,” Eddie told him. Richie stared at him with wide eyes. It was a little bit crazy to hear, but Richie was very pleased by it anyway. Ever since Eddie opened his mouth Richie was obsessed with him. If this stranger wanted to be something more, then he was ecstatic.

“I…probably should’ve mentioned this when we weren’t in the middle of…this,” Eddie murmured. Richie blinked and then shook his head.

“What? No! No, it’s okay. You’re totally fine, baby,” Richie assured him. Eddie looked away shyly.

“It’s okay if you need to think about it. This…this has been a really crazy past twelve hours,” he said. Richie chuckled and nodded.

“Yeah…I mean, yes it’s been crazy. I don’t really need to think about this one, Eds. I’d be so fucking happy if I could see you again,” he told him truthfully. Eddie’s eyes met him again, and Richie truly felt like he could drown in their rich dark color.

“You would?”

“Of course I would. I’ve already told you that you’re amazing,” Richie cooed. He moved even closer, and Eddie laid back to let Richie tower over him even more.

“My life is a total mess right now, Richie…” he was interrupted by a kiss. “I’ve been going crazy the past six months because of this divorce…mmh,” another kiss. “A—and my apartment is temporary and tiny right now…hm…work has been a total pain…mm…Richie, you’re not listening,” he struggled while Richie tried to shut him up.

“I’m waiting for you to stop talking so I can keep kissing you,” Richie replied before doing just that.

“Mmph…Richie, I’m serious. I want you to know I’m not easy to deal with right now,” Eddie warned.

“Who said you were something to deal with?” Richie asked. He still pursued his mission of complete lip locking, but Eddie interrupted once again.

“But we’re strangers,” he protested again.

“Well you’re a stranger who’s dick has been in my mouth, so I feel like that counts for something,” Richie said. Eddie rolled his eyes and cupped both of Richie’s cheek.

“I just want you to know, okay? I don’t…I don’t want you to realize a couple months in that I’m not kidding when I say that I’m a total mess,” Eddie clarified. Richie nodded.

“That’s okay. I’m a mess too. Granted, I’m not going through a divorce, but we all have something unconventional about us. I’m not turned off by it,” Richie assured him. Eddie sighed and then pulled him down for another kiss.

“Okay…as long as you know…”

     Their lips finally remained united as Richie wanted, and he leaned closer to kiss him better. He reached down to stroke Eddie’s length again, and was pleased to hear his moaning return. It was almost addicting. Actually being attracted to his sexual partner and being turned on by their reactions was so new to Richie, and he was almost shocked that he spent so much of his life thinking sex was only marginally better than masturbation. He was still nearly untouched and he had no complaints about it. He wouldn’t protest if he could keep doing this for hours with no breaks. Just feeling Eddie’s skin, the heat from his body, hearing his desperate pleas and moans, and watching him fall apart completely was enough for him. He kissed Eddie as his body wound up tighter and tighter in Richie’s grip, and he eventually snapped and came all over his fist. He couldn’t even properly warn Richie because he was so insistent on kissing Eddie as much as he physically could. It stained some of his shirt, but Richie wasn’t mad about it. Instead he was more obsessed with how good Eddie looked while recovering from an orgasm.

“Fuck…fuck…” Eddie huffed. Richie nodded and leaned down to clean up the mess that landed on Eddie’s stomach instead of Richie’s shirt.

“God, you look so hot when you’re cumming,” he murmured. He gently touched his waist, and Eddie pulled at his shirt to get him back to his lips. Richie followed and happily kissed him once he got to his destination. He interrupted with a gasp when he felt a hand around his cock through his boxers, and pressed his forehead against Eddie’s. “Oh fuck…”

“Oh my god you’re fucking huge,” Eddie said bluntly. Richie bit his lip to stop himself from laughing, but shook his head instead.

“Baby, I’m just over six feet tall,” Richie assured him.

“Bullshit! This is at least seven inches. Probably more,” he grumbled and then pulled Richie’s length out of his boxers. He couldn’t hold back his laughter this time, and chuckled into his neck.

“You sound offended by this,” Richie said. Eddie shook his head too, and resumed stroking him.

“I can’t fucking see it. Get up, asshole,” he ordered. Richie pushed himself up and let Eddie gaze between their bodies. It was only natural to be a little self conscious when someone was staring straight at your genitals, but he was more so aroused once Eddie started touching him again.

“Mmh…get the picture yet?” Richie asked.

“This is probably longer than eight inches actually. How the fuck do people put one of these inside them?” Eddie mused out loud. He circled his thumb around the head, and Richie’s arms trembled as he tried to keep himself up.

“Fuck—oh my god,” Richie sighed. Girls have used that move on him plenty of times before, but it wasn’t the same. Eddie was just so much better.

“I guess that’s why lube is a requirement…and fingers. Have you ever fingered someone before?” Eddie asked.

“Mm…only women, but I get the gist,” Richie answered while trying not to collapse on the man below him.

“Up. I want a closer look,” Eddie said. He released him, and then gently pushed on Richie’s shoulders. In a way Richie was relieved for a break, and he was extremely amused by Eddie’s ramblings while he attempted to get Richie off. He stood on his knees as Eddie arranged him, and watched with bated breath as Eddie sat in front of his fully erect penis.

“Is that close enough? Or did you want a magnifying glass?” Richie teased. Eddie glared up at him, and then wrapped his hand around him again.

“No. This is fine,” he murmured. He was blushing again as he touched him, and Richie let out a shaky sigh as he watched the other man stroke him. “It’s definitely more than eight.”

“Is that your final answer?” Richie asked. Eddie’s cheeks weren’t getting any paler the longer he stared at Richie’s dick. “You okay?” He looked up at Richie’s face and then nodded.

“Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about…what you did to me earlier,” he said shyly.

“Yeah? It felt good, right?” Richie double checked. Eddie nodded.

“It felt really good…I kinda want to do it to you,” he admitted. Richie’s hand moved on it’s own, but he was pleased by how sexy Eddie looked when he tilted his chin up and opened his mouth for him.

“Only take what you can, okay? I don’t want you hurting yourself,” Richie instructed. Eddie nodded and then stuck his tongue out. Richie let go of his chin, and he used that freedom to press the head of Richie’s cock against his waiting tongue. 

     The silky wet texture of his warm appendage was almost like a shock. Richie has had blowjobs before, but he never really cared for them until now. He licked up and down Richie’s length in such a cute way. His eyes remained locked on Richie’s the entire time, and he was more than happy to be the subject of such a lovely color’s attention. Once he made his way up again he actually took some of his length into his mouth, and Richie’s eyes fluttered from the heat. He bit his lip to hold back some of his moan, but it leaked regardless of his attempts to cover it. Just the view was enough for him. Seeing Eddie with his dick in his mouth was enough to set his skin on fire. He covered his mouth with his hand, and used his other hand to run his shaky fingers through Eddie’s hair. The other man pulled off his dick, and resumed stroking him as he caught his breath.

“I was thinking about something else,” he said. Richie uncovered his mouth, and then pulled off his shirt. He was getting much too hot from watching Eddie suck his dick.

“Yeah? Please tell,” he said while tossing the fabric to the side. Eddie’s eyes trailed down his body, but quickly returned to his eyes. His grip tightened.

“I was thinking about what it would feel like if you were inside me…when I first heard about anal sex it honestly terrified me, but…I mean, I’ve fingered myself a couple times and I still wasn’t sure how to feel about it. I’m just so nervous about it, but…” he sighed and let his eyes close briefly. He opened them again, and kissed the base of Richie’s cock. “…but I think I’d like it if you were the one fucking me,” he murmured. Richie huffed, and then groaned as he ran his tongue up his length  to take him in his mouth again.

“Yeah? You think you’d like that? You’d be okay with me fucking you?” Richie asked. Eddie nodded with his mouth still on him, and he took more of his length before beginning to move his head up and down to create that friction. “God, you look so fucking good with my cock in your mouth, baby.”

“Mmh…fuck, that’s so hot,” Eddie rasped when he pulled off again.

“Not as hot as you, sweetheart. Your mouth is so red. It’s so good,” Richie cooed.

“Yeah? You like this?” Eddie asked with eager eyes. 

     Richie nodded and then gently guided Eddie forward again by the back of his head. He did as instructed, and took Richie back into his mouth. His fist worked with his mouth around his length, and Richie began to shake as Eddie pushed down as harshly as he could on his cock. He eventually moved so fast that he had to stop using his mouth and let his hand take over completely. He jacked Richie off faster and faster, and Richie couldn’t even think to censor his moans. Instead they flowed freely from his lips, and with how tight and fast Eddie was fucking him he was groaning too. His knees grew weak, and he gripped the back of the couch to keep himself up while his other hand grabbed the hair at the nape of Eddie’s neck.

“Fuck…oh…Christ, Eddie…holy shit,” he moaned.

“I think I want it, Richie. I think I really do. I dunno why, but I think I really really want you inside of me. I want you to fuck me so good. I want you so bad,” Eddie confessed. The hand he wasn’t using to get Richie off was instead touching his body, and Richie was too high off of his little confession to care what or where he was touching. He nodded.

“I want you too, baby. I’ll do anything you want. I just wanna make you feel amazing,” Richie cooed. Eddie bit his lip and focused his energy on the top half of Richie’s length. With less length to cover he was able to move even faster, and Richie tightened his grip on the other man’s hair before he groaned and put out his warning. “Ahh…Eds, I’m going to cum.”

“Cum on my face,” Eddie demanded. Richie growled, and then shivered as his orgasm finally bursted. He did as he was asked, and watched as he came all over Eddie’s open and waiting mouth. A little got on his cheeks and his nose, but the majority of his cum landed in his mouth. He swallowed it, and then scooped the rest off his face to dispose of it in the same manner. He took a moment to catch his breath, and then sat back on his heels to rest. He felt kisses against his jaw and neck, and he realized he had closed his eyes sometime after settling down. He opened them again and was happy to see Eddie waiting in front of him.

“Was that good? Did you like it?” He asked. Richie nodded and cupped his cheek before leaning down to kiss him.

“I loved it,” he sighed. Eddie smiled at that and then looked down to tuck him back into his boxers.

“That’s good…uh…about everything we were talking about…you’re okay with that taking a while, right? Like…you agreed with that earlier?” He said shyly. Richie nodded.

“Yeah, absolutely. We’ll do whatever you want whenever you’re ready for it,” Richie assured him. Eddie nodded back. He then touched Richie’s bare skin again and got another eyeful of his physique.

“You could’ve taken your shirt off sooner,” he said simply. Richie laughed at that.

“You didn’t take yours off at all. Plus, I believe this is actually my shirt, huh?” He replied. Eddie blushed and shrugged.

“I thought it would be sexy. Girls always wear their boyfriend’s or hookup’s shirts in the movies,” he said. Richie nodded and kissed his forehead.

“Well, you were right about it being sexy,” he agreed. Eddie smiled at that and moved closer to kiss Richie’s cheek.

“I’m glad it worked.”

“Thanks for breakfast, by the way. Sorry if my amazing blowjob skills stole the show of our morning,” Richie said. Eddie rolled his eyes.

“Whatever. Can I use your shower? I feel like I still smell like alcohol from last night,” he requested. Richie nodded.

“Sure thing. Uh…did you want any company? I don’t want you getting lost in there,” Richie said with a lame joke. Eddie looked at his body again and then eventually nodded as he touched his shoulders.

“Please,” he sighed. Richie blushed.

“Sorry, but do I make you swoon, sweetheart? I didn’t realize I had such an affect on you,” this time he joked in a way that hopefully lured out Eddie’s reason for his attraction. It wasn’t like Richie felt like he had an ugly body, but he wasn’t exactly built or toned. In fact he was actually developing a gut from the lack of stress between his projects. The other man blushed again, and looked up at him as he touched down his chest.

“Are you being ironic or something right now? Because if you’re trying to imply that it’s funny that I find your body pleasing to look at then I’m going to yell at you,” Eddie said. Richie blinked in surprise, and then chuckled.

“Sorry. I just…uh…I’m not exactly the kind of guy who gets people with my looks,” he replied. Eddie raised a brow and then touched his arms.

“You almost got me at first. If you had been the first guy to approach me that night I would’ve gone home with you without a single word. Unfortunately you caught me after quite a few douchebags, so I wasn’t exactly the nicest,” Eddie said. Richie’s smile faded hearing that, and he actually felt bashful hearing that.

“No…you’re teasing me,” he decided. Eddie rolled his eyes and then leaned in to kiss him on the lips.

“Everyone has a type, Richie. You are exactly mine, and I think your body is really sexy. If you wanna argue with me about it you’ll have better luck talking to a wall,” he said. Richie was speechless, and nodded instead of saying anything in response. Eddie kissed him again. “Good. Now, let’s go wash off. I’m not a fan of the smell of tequila.”

Beverly: good morning Prince Charming

Beverly: how are you and the hubby this morning?

Richie: I’d say that we are well

Beverly: did you get his digits? That was the bet remember

Richie: I did actually. He just left a few minutes ago and we have plans for next Friday

Beverly: oh? Well isn’t that a bit much? I thought you didn’t want to break any gay hearts Mr. Straight as a pole Tozier :/

Richie: yeah that kinda went out the window when we had sex this morning

Richie: but I can now say that I’m officially not straight anymore.

Beverly: wait what?

Beverly: this is a joke, right?

Beverly: wait no did you actually have sex with the really nice guy going through a fucking divorce???

Richie: I believe that’s what I said in my previous texts yes

Beverly: what happened to OH I CANT IMAGINE GIVING SOMEONE A BLOWJOB LOL ????

Beverly: also we’re in our mid thirties and you’re just realizing this?

Richie: trust me I’m much more upset about it than you are lmao

Beverly: sorry I shouldn’t have said it like that

Beverly: it’s your journey and it’s never too late to come out and be yourself

Beverly: but holy shit you totally landed that guy

Beverly: I pointed him out because I thought he would’ve turned you away immediately that guy is way out of your league

Richie: you’re telling me. Apparently he’s really attracted to dad bods so that’s a fucking score for me B)

Beverly: you don’t have a dad bod yet, okay

Beverly: also dad bods are extremely attractive people are just cowards

Richie: thank you that warms my heart

Beverly: not as much as that guy does

Beverly: what’s his name again? Edward?

Richie: it’s Eddie

Richie: he’s really cute

Richie: we’re going out to dinner on Friday like actually going to a nice place and sitting down for our meal instead of taking it to go and getting shit faced

Richie: he also made me breakfast

Beverly: naturally the best way to repay breakfast is with sex

Richie: I was really proud of myself okay? I didn’t panic at all in front of him. I panicked a lot last night, but so far he has not experienced the total break down I’m having right now about the fact that all of my sexual experiences could’ve been so much better than it was

Richie: like I didn’t realize that you’re supposed to like actually like sex. I always thought everyone would rather be masturbating instead

Beverly: wow that sounds rough

Beverly: do you need any support? Like do you wanna talk about it?

Richie: maybe. what are you doing today?

Beverly: going through sketches and sizing numbers. I have can chat at the same time

Richie: I’ll be over in ten

Beverly: see you then! <3