"Earth to Richie, hello," Audra was waving a hand in front of his face. Richie blinked, pulled out of his memories.

"Don't wave that hand in front of me unless it's holding a joint or a beer." He answered more gruffly than he intended. He tried to recover. "What did you ask me love-of-my-love's wife?" .

Luckily, Audra smiled and let his first remark go. "Who was your first love?" Richie flushed. The losers knew not to ask that but Audra hadn't been there, she knew Richie carried a torch for Eddie but didn't know about their past.

"Someone I didn't deserve." He said, not looking at Eddie.

Bev sensed the embarrassment and stood. "I'm going in the water, who's coming?" She took off her covering and jumped in. Ben, Stan and Mike followed her.

"Come on in! It's fucking amazing in here!" She called.

Eddie didn't move, he was looking at RIchie. "Come on buddy, you're next." Richie said, standing up and walking over to him.

"No, I'm okay, I'll stay with Bill and Audra." The two were already lost in each other and didn't seem to hear Eddie.

"Uh-huh,I think they want some alone time. Come on." Richie held out his hand to help Eddie up but Eddie shook his head.

"You give me no choice then." Richie leaned over and picked Eddie up. Eddie tried to squirm out but Richie had thrown him over before he could escape.

"Fuck you Tozier!" Eddie said, sputtering from the water.

If only Richie thought, standing on the edge of the boat. He crouched to jump in and felt someone grab his ankle, causing him to fall in.

The next thing Richie knew he was lying in the pontoon, faces hovering above him. "Richie! Thank God, how many fingers am I holding up?" Eddie waved three fingers in front of Richie's face.

"Fuck off," Richie pushed Eddie's hand away and tried to sit up. His head hurt. He brought his hand to it and saw blood.

"See, he's already back to his charming self." Richie heard Stan say.

"Don't sit up." Eddie gently pushed Richie back down.

Richie shoved Eddie's hands off him. "What the fuck happened?" He felt like he was hit with a brick.

Eddie looked nervously at the group. "I grabbed your ankle when you jumped in and you hit your head on the boat. I'm sorry Richie!"

"Can't get rid of me that easily Eds. I'm Richie fucking Tozier." Richie said, closing his eyes again.

"No!" Eddie shook him gently. "You gotta stay awake so we can be sure you aren't deteriorating."

Richie opened his eyes again, annoyed. "First, you try to kill me and now you won't let me sleep? Fuck off." He closed his eyes again. This time he felt people pulling him into a sitting position. He opened his eyes and saw Stan and Mike pulling his arms. "Fuck you guys too. Why would I be deteriorating? I'm not an… an old shirt." Ha, good one.

"Richie, we're nearly back. Just stay awake for a little while until we know you're okay. You might have a concussion." Eddie looked so worried that Richie nodded his assent.

The was a mistake, Richie's head screamed from the small movement. He cradled his head in his hands until he felt someone poke him. "Here, take this." Eddie was handing him some pills and water.

"What is it?" Richie asked, swallowing the pills and some water.

"Just advil. It should help. You'll need to avoid anything strenuous for the next few days."

"Nurse Eddie, back in action. Can I get you to wear one of those little uniforms?"

"Well you can't feel too bad if you're cracking jokes." Eddie sat next to Richie. "I'm so sorry, I was trying to be funny."

"First mistake Eds, leave the funny you me. You've already got the market cornered on adorable." Richie smiled at Eddie to let him know he wasn't upset. It was just a mistake.

"Still, I'm sorry." Eddie looked so sad that Richie leaned over and put his head on the smaller man's shoulder. The movement hurt but it was worth it.

"Really, it's okay. I'll be fine, especially with nurse Eddie here."

Eddie put an arm around Richie and started to stroke his hair. "Why do I have to be a nurse and not a doctor?"

"I told you Eds, better uniform. That tiny skirt will look great on you."

"That's a candy striper uniform Richie, not a nurse."

"Even better, candy and the skirt." He could feel Eddie lightly shaking his head.

"Sure Richie, whatever you say."

The two stayed like that until they docked. Richie insisted on walking up to the house so Bill and Mike went on either side of him and helped him up. They lead Richie right to a couch and made him sit. Eddie got the first aid kit and sat next to him.

"I need to bandage your head." He said, taking out hydrogen peroxide and gauze.

"Just make sure I look sexy and dangerous." Richie flinched as Eddie cleaned out his wound.

"I don't have those kinds of skills." Eddie said as he applied a bandage to Richie's head then lightly wrapped it in gauze so it would stay. Eddie's small, sure fingers felt good and Richie leaned into the contact. When he wasn't around the losers Richie wasn't touched much. He wouldn't admit it but he was actually a very cuddly person. He wanted to hug his friends and spoon his lovers. Unfortunately, one night stands rarely wanted to stay and snuggle after. He tried to save up all the small touches from the losers for when he was back in LA, to ration them until he was with his friends again.

Eddie finished the bandage and put his fingers under Richie's chin, moving his face towards him. Eddie's eyes scanned Richie's face and his work. "Am I going to make it Doc?"

"Oh, now I'm a doctor?" Eddie joked. Richie smiled. "You'll be back to your old insufferable self in no time." Eddie didn't move his fingers, still looking at Richie.

Again, Richie wanted to kiss Eddie but knew it still wasn't the time. While the head wound was a good excuse to act irrationally he knew Eddie would regret it. He needed to be free from Myra first. "Richie.." Eddie started after a minute.

"Yes Eds?"

"What did you mean when you said you didn't deserve your first love?" Eddie nearly whispered. The other losers were all in the dining room, talking and eating pizza. The two of them were alone.

"I didn't deserve you then." Richie answered honestly, there was no point in lying. And I've worked for years to make sure I could deserve you now.

"Did you love me?" Eddie said hesitantly as his hand moved to cup Richie's cheek.

Richie leaned into Eddie's hand. "You know I did. I was 17 and stupid. Then I waited too long and you moved on. I fucked up Eddie."

"Oh." Eddie looked like he wanted to say more and so did Richie. He wanted to apologize for messing everything up, for making Eddie think he didn't love him then, for ever hurting him. But he didn't. He wasn't ready to say all of that.

After another moment Eddie shook his head, seeming to come out of a stupor. "Do you want to go eat?"

Richie nodded- mistake, his head screamed and he had to close his eyes for a minute. "Yes, let's grab some food before those pigs finish it all."

Eddie helped Richie up and then put an arm around his waist, bringing him to the table. The rest of the night was spent laughing and playing some other games. Eddie refused to let RIchie drink so they stuck to party games like pictionary and catchphrase. No one wanted to be on Richie's pictionary team because he added a penis and balls to every drawing he did, even though he insisted it was hilarious. "I'm an artist unappreciated in my time!"

A few hours later, Richie was starting to nod off. "Nurse Eddie, am I allowed to sleep now?"

Eddie turned Richie's face to him. "No drainage, you haven't vomited and the lights aren't bugging you. I think you're in the clear."

"Thanks." Richie got up and hit his head on the light. "Fuck" he said, grabbing his head.

"Still a total klutz though. I'll help you." Eddie got up, putting his arm around Richie again and didn't let him go until they reached the room.

"Thanks Nurse." Richie fell to the bed, still in his swimsuit.

"Richie, you can't sleep in your suit. Really, you should shower after being in the ocean." Eddie chastised him.

"Unless you're helping me shower that's not happening." Richie said into the pillow.

"I can't...that's not what I meant." Eddie sputtered.

"I'm joking, you wouldn't be very helpful anyway. You can't even reach my head. You could really only clean my dick down. Which would be fine with me. Why am I complaining again?"

Eddie ignored Richie's monologue. "You should still put on clean boxers, at least."

"Fine. Throw me a pair." Richie wiggled out of his swimsuit, exposing his butt to Eddie. If he wanted him to change he can deal with the nudity. Richie felt a pair of boxers hit his back.

"You could wait until I left." Eddie's voice sounded thick.

"You could have let me sleep in my swimsuit." Richie was having trouble putting on his boxers and not exposing himself to Eddie. He stood up, pulled the boxers on, and flopped back on the bed, face up. All of Eddie was flushed a delightful pink and his lips were parted.

"Well, I'll go to bed too- after I shower." Eddie grabbed clean boxers and his pajama bottoms and ran into the bathroom. Richie was asleep by the time he came out.