Chapter Text
Storming up the stairs to his studio apartment, rain pouring down and making a deafening noise on his umbrella, he heard footsteps splash behind him.
"Eddie, come on, wait!"
He rolled his eyes and rounded on the taller man, water whipping off his umbrella as he turned.
"I'm sorry, okay? I'm an idiot, but please don't leave, I-I need you." The scruffy brunette's eyes were soft and sincere behind his glasses and Eddie couldn't take it.
"Maybe I don't," Eddie scoffed. "Need you. Ever think of that?" His hands gripped the umbrella staff to keep him from reaching out.
"I know you don't." Pushing the sopping wet hair off his forehead, he looked down at Eddie. "But, shit, look at me. I'm standing here, freezing, in the pouring rain. For you!" He gestured wildly, water spraying from his fingertips. "And I'll keep standing here. Forever. Because I can't do this without you."
"Richie…" Eddie sighed.
"Please, Eddie." Richie looked like it might be tears, and not just rain, streaming down his face if Eddie didn't forgive him.
"No." Eddie could feel his heart pounding in his chest. "You're ridiculous! You're insufferable, and you know it. You never think before you speak, your jokes aren't funny, and you-you're too tall!"
Richie shook his head, chuckling and stepping closer, so they were nearly chest to chest, "I know." He put his hand tentatively on Eddie's arm. "I love you, too." His other hand moved to Eddie's cheek as Eddie looked at him, trying to find a reason to pull away. "I love you, I love you, I love you, I lo-"
"Oh, shut up," Eddie whispered as he reached up, threading his fingers through Richie's hair, standing on his tiptoes to kiss him. He felt Richie sigh against him and wrap an arm around his waist to hold him up. The umbrella was caught between them and he could feel it pressing into his sternum, but he just pulled Richie closer.
...
"Cut" The director's voice cut in and Eddie Kaspbrack stepped back from his costar, comedian Richie Tozier. How they'd gotten cast in this indie film together, Eddie couldn't fathom, but he'd loved the script, so here he was, clutching an umbrella with cold fingers, his face and shirt-front wet from kissing the tall, rain soaked man who was trying to wipe the steam from his glasses with his soaked shirt. "Alright, we're gonna reset. Can we dry off Eddie, get his makeup fixed, go again in ten?" He loved working with Bev, she was a great director and her vision for this story was perfect, but if she made him keep kissing Richie for much longer he was going to snap.
The crew buzzed around the set, moving things around and checking lights and rain machines as Richie and Eddie stood awkwardly next to each other. They hadn't exactly talked much outside of filming their scenes.
Eddie loved this project, besides finding it odd that the characters shared the actors' names, and Richie seemed to treat it like a joke half the time, goofing off while Eddie studied lines, teasing Eddie when he got too worked up about his character and the storyline. He had been dying to finally do a gay romance onscreen after coming out last year, and this was the first one that came across his desk that wasn't stereotyped and no one got fridged, so he was excited, dammit. And Richie, who had also come out right on the heels of announcing his turn to film after a string of vastly successful stand-ups, was ruining it for him. Bev had said they had amazing chemistry, but Eddie just couldn't see it. He was a good actor, so he could see how people were fooled. But Richie? The man was ridiculous.
Richie finally gave up on his glasses and pushed them back on his face before turning to Eddie with his hands shoved in his pockets. "So, uh, it's nice working with you, Eds. I really liked the script when my agent gave it to me. Um," he stopped for a second and chuckled to himself. "Sorry about all the, uh, all the tongue."
Eddie glanced sideways at him. "Don't call me that."
Richie got quiet for a few moments, but nothing shut him up for long. "Hey, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to, uh, go get some, uh, go out and grab din-"
"No, thanks." Eddie interrupted him. "Mm-mm." He looked away, wiping some of the artificial rain's moisture from his cheeks where Richie had touched him before. "Nope," he said, popping the 'p' for emphasis.
"Yeah, no, me neither." Richie stared off into the rafters of the soundstage. "I was just testing you."
"Okay, well. Cool, because, I don't." Eddie twirled the umbrella in his fingers, shooting water off in a spray.
Richie scratched at the bridge of his nose. "Glad we're on the same page, I, uh, I fucking hate food."
Eddie wrinkled his nose at him like he was an idiot.