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The fall. The breaking floorboards under Max Jägerman’s feet. The rush to grab onto him, to save him and bring him back. Richie had dreamed about it nearly every night for 3 months, tonight was no different. In his dreams he didn’t save Max, he failed and watched him fall through the floor of the Waylon Place. He knew what had really happened though, so the nightmares weren’t as bad as they could’ve been.
Richie woke up in a cold sweat, his heart pounding and his nerves shot again. He grabbed his phone and texted Max, his usual “you up” for when he needed him to be there while he dealt with the nightmares that had been torturing him. Max almost instantly responded, telling Richie he’d be there soon. Richie lay down on his bed again, half asleep once more. He glanced at the window, it was open for Max to come inside. The boy frowned before passing out again, unable to force his eyes open any longer.
Max reached Richie’s home not long after, climbing the tree outside before knocking once of the door. Richie didn’t respond, and Max was too impatient to knock again. The window was open partially, so Max slipped inside without a sound.
He entered to see Richie passed out. Deciding it wasn’t worth it to leave, he kneeled down by his bed and smiled. Watching him sleep was so peaceful, he seemed so calm unlike all the other times where he was anxious, worried about them getting caught, or his grades, or any other thing that was on his mind. For now he was at peace.
His peace was interrupted not long after Max sat down, Richie mumbling to himself. “No… don’t go,” he spoke quietly, his eyes shutting tighter. Max took his hand and frowned. Richie wasn’t a fan of being woken up, and he already seemed to not be having a great night, “Please don’t leave me.”
Max squeezed Richie’s hand tighter as he watched small tears form in his eyes. Deciding that he couldn’t watch this anymore he leaned over Richie and held him, before climbing over him and laying next to him, holding his body in his arms as Richie quietly sobbed in his sleep. Max felt his heart ache with the sounds of his cries, unable to stand his pain while trying to hold himself back from shaking Richie awake.
Richie slowly began to wake up through Max’s touch, sensing his presence, the walls Max had built around him. He was awake, but didn’t open his eyes and only spoke in a quiet, hushed voice, like even if it wasn't fully awake, “Hey, Max,” he shivered, Max squeezing him tighter.
“You ok?” Max asked, ignoring his welcome and skipping to what he would consider to be an important question.
Richie didn’t respond verbally, instead rolling over and putting his head up to Max’s shoulder, “You don’t mind staying over, right?”
“Not at all,” Max put a hand on the back of Richie’s head, “Do you wanna talk about the nightmares?” Richie didn’t move, “The ones of me? You never really went into them when you told me.”
Richie grabbed onto Max’s back which was covered by his signature varsity jacket and a navy blue t-shirt. He grabbed the back of the jacket, slowly pulling it off Max until the larger boy did it himself, allowing Richie to squeeze at his shirt for comfort, “You’re not gonna talk tonight?” Max asked again, Richie’s silence telling him everything he needed to know, “Have it your way then.”
They lay together in silence, Richie slowly falling asleep again, however this time there were no tears, no nightmares, no dark evils inside his mind tormenting him relentlessly. Only blank space and the warmth of Max’s chest as his heart beated against his chest.