As they left Arnold's for the empty parking lot, carrying what had once been a birdhouse, Richie said "I appreciate it, you know."
Fonzie glanced at him. "Care to be more specific?"
"That you waited for me. Like you - you care what I think or something. You didn't have to do that and I appreciate it, is all."
Fonzie looked at him blankly. The next thing Richie knew, Fonzie had grabbed him by the front of his shirt.
"You think I would have been building birdhouses if I didn't care what you thought?"
For a split second, Richie thought he saw something - vulnerable in Fonzie. It was gone as soon as he noticed it, and he thought he might have imagined it, or misinterpreted it.
Fonzie let go and walked towards his motorcycle, and Richie followed him.
"Fonz, look at me," Richie said quietly.
When Fonzie didn't respond, Richie asked, slightly more loudly, "Fonz, would you look at me? Please?"
It was the please that did it. Fonzie turned to look Richie in the eye, and Richie suddenly forgot what he was going to say.
So instead, he reached out and took Fonzie by the hand that wasn't holding the demolished birdhouse.
Fonzie raised an eyebrow in surprise, but he didn't stop Richie as he lightly brushed against a callus, or as he laced their fingers together until they were undeniably holding hands.
Fonzie looked at Richie, a little amused and a little expectant - Richie just wasn't sure what he was expecting. If he was a girl, this was probably the part where Richie would kiss her. Without entirely thinking it through, Richie leaned over and did just that.
Fonzie didn't push Richie away, like Richie half-expected him to, or pull back; if anything, his grip on Richie's hand tightened and he pulled Richie in, until Richie was leaning against Fonzie and Fonzie was leaning against his bike. Richie let himself relax and sigh against Fonzie, his mouth opening a little, and Fonzie slid his tongue against Richie's upper lip.
Richie audibly gasped, and Fonzie pulled away. For a moment, Richie was terrified that he'd done something wrong, but Fonzie kept a tight, comforting grip on his hand.
"You want to take this somewhere more private?"
Richie smiled so widely it almost hurt, and Fonzie kissed him lightly before pulling him towards his bike.
