Work Text:
12TH AUGUST 1994
In the years following the events concerning ‘pennywise’ the losers club had evolved significantly fully accepting Ben, Bev and Mike.. Bev had escaped her abusive father moving in with richie whose mother (Maggie) welcomed her with open arms. Eddie was legally emancipated from his mother and no longer dependant on medication he doesn’t need. Bill while still mourning his brother is doing way better and his parents seem more involved. As for the rest, they’re doing well and henry was arrested for the murder of his father when he was found after the events of the sewers.
They rarely talked about the summer of 89’ however the pact they made remained.
The soft remaining light from the setting august sun shone through the trees as Richie pedalled through the familiar derry streets. The losers club had agreed to spend the night camping down by the quarry as a final swim before the cool autumn breeze stops them from doing so. Its not a long ride and normally he’d have Bev riding on the back making the ride harder however her and Bill had went to the local diner earlier and were arriving together. The streets were oddly empty leaving a eerie silence for Richie to overthink. Since the fight with pennywise and horrors of that summer Richie struggled not to overanalyse every small sound or detail something he never done before. He supposes it affected all the losers in some way, others taking it harder like Stan who grew more and more distant from the group as time went on. Especially Bill. Bill and Stan used to be inseparable so Bill took Stans Distance alot harder than say him or Eddie. Although Mike, Ben and Bev weren’t as close to him and never got to know him properly as they only really joined after pennywise (the same time Stan distanced). Richie zoned out thinking about the losers and the unspoken trauma that bonded them until he’s snapped out of it by a car honking.
He had just about went directly into a car not watching where he was going. “Watch where your going shithead!” He looked over and made eye contact with the figure in the car. It was one of henrys old goons. Unsure if the guy had recognised him Richie chooses not to find out and bumps up onto the curb taking his bike faster.
Bill, Bev and Eddie were old enough to get licenses and Bill had done so as soon as he could receiving a car for his birthday same as Bev.. Eddie however, refused saying “do you know how many germs are in cars!? Too many and I’m not dying in some stupid car accident. No way.”
Richie was now approaching the quarry. He knew the route well having travelled it by bike too many times to count. The familiar smell of the woodlands, the uneven path paved by walking and mud that would coat his old beat up converse passing under the wheels of his bike.
The losers club had invested in walkie-talkies the year prior to keep in touch considering most of them were rarely in their houses making keeping in touch by phone hard. He spoke into the device while keeping as much an eye on the path he could. “Hey guys is anyone actually at the quarry yet, over” the over system had been put in place after they seen it in a movie and the countless arguments ensued over their sucky communication. “Yeah me, ben and mike are here.” Eddies comforting voice came through somehow even his voice always comforted Richie through their constant banter many would perceive as hatred there was a mutual understanding that they loved one another well Richie loved eddie anyway and perhaps in a different way from the rest of his friends. “Hey your meant to say over dickhead! Over!” Bev's voice came through you could make out bills laugh in the background. Richie turned a corner to see his friends. Well, most of them. “Hey losers! Sup.” Richie said. “Hey richie!” Ben replied in his normal cheery voice. Mike smiled at him. Eddie was busy arguing with Bev over the walkie eventually just telling her to “piss off”.
After nearly an hour of his bad impressions and Eddie telling him off for calling him Eddie spaghetti “BEEP BEEP RICH” while mike and ben talked in the background Bill and Bev finally showed up.
“Nice of ya to show up beaverly! Took ya long enough mate” Richie put on his british accent (that didn’t sound very british) to welcome the couple or well technically just bev. “Jesus enough with the accent!” Eddie strung in having put up with this for the past 20 minutes (and alot of the time they’ve been friends). “S-sorry guys we ended u-up stopping by the arcade” Bill explained. His stutter had improved certainly over the years but never fully left. “YOU WENT TO THE ARCADE WITHOUT ME!?” Richie yelled. He stood up throwing his hands up dramatically. He had grown significantly now towering over everyone else in the group. Still sporting his ridiculously bright Hawaiian shirts that Eddie claimed to hate and khaki shorts. Bev had grown her hair now wearing it around her shoulders. “S-sorry rich! I wasn’t exactly gonna invite y-you to third wheel man.” Bill says. Richie dramatically huffs and sits down. In the moment of silence before bev speaks a twig snaps from the area behind the singular tent they had set up. Bev jumps having got a fright and Richie bounces up to investigate. He faintly hears a song as he approaches the area he had heard the twig from. Theres is little to no noise other than the faint hum and slight wind rattling the trees. Richie continues to approach leaving the sight of the other losers. “Richie come back!” He hears eddie say yet continues. He hears footsteps following but doesnt bother turning around his attention fixed on a white piece of string laid on the ground he follows it to find… a red balloon.
Richie stumbles back falling only to feel a hand on his shoulder. “SHIT!” He turns around so fast he might’ve got whiplash to see Bill. He looks back and its gone. “D-did you see that!? Bill did you see the-“ richie says stumbling over his words eyes still wide from the utter shock. “What what r-richie?” Bill asks calmly but richie can tell he’s worried. “Did you not see that- stupid balloon-“ richie looks between bill and the spot he’d seen it the other losers following in pursuit. Eddie looked down at richie pushing bill out the way and crouching down to richie. “Hey its okay rich we’re here. Its okay i promise.” Eddie leans down and puts his hand over Richie’s comfortingly making Richie’s heart skip a beat. “What- what if he’s back?” Richie mutters. “He cant be he only comes back every 27 years.” ben reassures him. “What if- what if he’s back early or something I don’t know i mean… the other day w-when it was raining, i s-seen a paper boat f-floating down the street- there was no one t-there…” bill says. “It cant be i mean why?” Mike says. “Maybe hes back early or something i mean we did beat him before he was done- you know kidnapping and killing.” Eddie says growing paler by the second. “Hey guys!” They all snap their heads around to see the origin of the voice. “Oh Stan thank god its just you.” Mike says relieved. What? What’d i miss?” Stan inquires. Bill offers richie a hand up and he takes it as they head back to their prior spot and explain the events that just happened to stan.
“So you think pennywise is back early because you saw a balloon? Nope no way. Im not getting involved with this crap again!” Stan says matter of factly. “We made a pact!” Bev says. “Stan y-your not s-seriously just- just gonna bail a-are you!? Come o-on you hardly hang out with us anymore as it is!” Bill yells (which he doesn’t do alot) breaking into a sob confronting his former best friend. “You really don’t get it huh?” Stan storms off leaving the group in a confusion. “What was that about?” Richie whispers to eddie. “Not the time dude” eddie snaps.
*********
Richie wakes up that night to a crunch outside the tent. Startled he tries to wake eddie to no success. “Eddie pst come one wake up!” He whisper shouts. He gives up leaving their shared tent to investigate. As soon as he steps outside he regrets it seeing a shadowy figure and the outline of a balloon. “Oh shit-.” Richie mutters to himself. He turns around planning to wake someone, anyone up only to see the tents gone. What the hell? “No no! What the hell!?” Richie yells. “Hello richie.” The unsettling familiar voice sends shivers down Richie’s spine. He slowly turns and freezes at the sight. Its pennywise and he has eddie in that weird trance he had beverly in back in the sewers. “NO YOU CANT-“ richie starts. “Oh but i can richie. I see everything you think i dont know? Your biggest fear isnt clowns. Its everyone knowing your secret! I know you secret your dirty little secret!” Pennywise breaks into a manic laugh and grabs eddies chin almost mockingly. “NO DONT TOUCH HIM!” Richie screams with all his might as if the clown cares.
*****
Bev woke up to a subtle orange light flooding the campground. Checking her watch and realising it definitely was not a sunrise she wakes bill to investigate. “Pst bill wake up!” “Huh what why its-“ he looks at the watch in bevs hand “its 3am why are you up?” Bill asks. “Look theres a light i don’t know what it is but its not the sun” Bev explains. Bill snaps up scrambling out the tent only to see richie floating a foot or so of the ground upon unzipping the tent. He was in a trance his eyes white and mouth gaping. “SHIT!” Bill said scrambling out the tent faster than before Bev following. They rush over to the boy. “Rich! Come on man wake up richie!!” Bill shouts voice cracking. The source of light is no where to be found a soft orange hue just coating the area. “Guys whats- holy shit…” ben says as he exits the tent. Everyone is surrounding the Richie now having woken up from the commotion. Eddie in particular who moved Bill out the way and started shaking the boy and trying to pull him down- to no avail. When- richie started coughing manically as he fell to the ground glasses falling and shattering. He was immediately bombarded by all the losers asking if he was okay and what happened to no response as richie just looked around hazily tears falling from his glazed eyes. “Hey richie its okay what happened?” Eddie asks softly switching to his comforting manner like earlier which calms richie who was gasping for breaths down at once. It was- i-it got you eddie, the clown it got you.” He sobbed and hugged eddie crying into his shoulder.
The losers eventually all huddled in one tent for the night squashed, but comfortable not wanting to leave richie after the events of the night.
******
Eddie awoke for the second time that night to find richie leaning into his chest asleep with his arms wrapped around the small boy. Eddie just wrapped his arms around richie back. They didnt get much further explanation of what richie seen but eddie could tell it really shook him up as much as hed deny it. He lay awake in thought with richie cuddling into him for longer than hed admit just enjoying the boys presence until he heard shuffling. “Richie?” Eddie whispered. As a reply the boy looked up at eddie, eyes wide in awe. Eddie just admired him pulling him closer and wrapping his hand in richies hair stroking his head comfortingly. To this richie just nuzzled his head further under eddies armpit making eddie blush and grateful that richie wasnt looking at him anymore. It cant mean anything… right? Richies a very touchy person eddies sure its nothing even if he wishes it was. Eventially eddie drifts off to sleep still intertwined wirh richie.
They wake up to bill and bev giggling watching them as richie drooled all over eddie. “Richie do you know how bacterial saliva is!?” Eddie snapped upom feeling the wetness on his top. Bev just laughed and said “morning lovebirds.” Richie woke up properly glad that the losers dynamic wasnt affected by the events of the previous night as to which he still hadnt explained and probably wouldnt. Richie hadnt been aware he was in a trance until he awoke so the events were alit more horrifying believing they were real. Pennywise had taunted him about his ‘secret’ and bloodily killed eddie infront of him. Unable to move richie just stood and watched. The trashmouth had just stood and watched not even said anything while the boy he loved was murdered by an evil clown. After pennywise killed eddie he just dropped him letting him fall limp on the ground before turning to richie and approaching the frozen boy. “You think your silly little friends would still like you if they knew? Your helpless you cant even protect the boy you like!” Pennywise taunted lauging manically. Tears were streaming down richies face and suddenly his legs gave out and he fell sobbing into his hands when he awoke from the trance of the deadlights.
******
14TH AUGUST 1994
The losers club had agreed to meet up to discuss that night at the quarry and richie was biking there alone again. He passed by the regular shops before pedalling by the car wash eyes locking on a radio. He heard the hum of a familiar song and recognised the notes only to find it was the same song from that night in the forrest.
“This is it boys, this is war!
The president is on the line.
99 red balloons go by”
He stops as soon as he hears the words. Red balloons? It cant just be a coincidence he stop believing in those years prior.
He pulls up-to the local diner they agreed to meet at on autopilot. They order and bev starts. “So.. what exactly happened?” Richie doesn’t hear still in a day dream well.. its not exactly ‘dreamy’. “Richie?” Bill taps his shoulder. He jumps at the touch. “Huh what?” “Richie i asked about that night at the quarry?” Bev asks again. He doesn’t know how to explain pennywise was probably right… if he tells them they’ll hate him. Especially eddie. “Uhh i don’t remember” richie replies (very convincing). “Bull! You said something about me dying after!” Eddie snaps. “Eddie! Hes clearly shaken up calm down.” Mike says. “Im right here you know.” Richie replies finally looking up only to find all eyes are on him. “Look just dont worry about it okay? Its- its nothing.” Richie replies. “I think we will worry considering a killer clown is after you?” Bev replies seeming sarcastic but he can see shes really worried. Richie looks away and says “look i don’t know what you want me to say its nothing okay. What i seen isn’t relevant lets just kill this stupid clown properly this time.” Richie snaps. Bev looks at bill and he nods. “O-okay richie.” Bill replies taking the lead. Having dealt with it before they’re abit more prepared now and plan out an attack not waiting for another kid to go ‘missing’ before they do so.
******
The losers spent hours discussing every possible outcome learning from every past mistake. It was dark by the time eddie returned home. His nights were always quite contrasting the nights a year prior that were spent with his mother yelling at him constantly. He had a small flat on the outskirts of town. By the time he got home the night sky had replaced the bright summer sun. He lay on his bed thinking. Thinking about it and what could’ve happened that rattled richie THAT much. He thought about the way he would blush at any contact from the boy. Which was a-lot considering it was richie. He also thought about pennywise. What could he possibly want that warranted a early return? He twisted and turned before drifting to sleep waking to a banging on the door.
Confused eddie sat up and glanced at the clock to see it was still early morning well if that it was 4am. He got up sleepily and looked through the peephole to see none other than richie. He swung the door open. “Richie? What are you doing here do you know what time it is?” He asked. The question remained unanswered as richie opened his mouth to speak but just hugged the boy. “Hey whats up? Are you okay?” Eddie said pulling back to make sure he wasn’t injured. The bike from Richie’s to eddies was at-least an hour making eddie worry even more as he pulled richie inside.
In the moment eddie had taken to close the door richie had started crying. the boy lifted his hands to his eyes as if he could hide his tears. “Hey whats wrong? You know you can talk to me, im here for you Richie.” Eddie said reassuringly. Richie looked up. “You mean it?” His voice cracked as the words left his mouth. Eddie nodded as he leas richie to the couch. “Ofcourse i do your my best friend richie nothing will ever change that.”Eddie said pulling richie into a hug in an awkward attempt to comfort him although the word friend felt wrong. Eddie was used to Richie being his loud mouthed self so the contrast made it clear something was wrong. The boys sat side by side in a comfortable silence while richie composed himself. “Remember that night? By the quarry? I never actually told you guys what happened.” Richie started. “Yeah of course i remember. What happened then?” Eddie replied urging richie to carry on. “Well… pennywise he- he showed me things, things no one knows about me.” He sniffled. “Like what richie? You know you don’t need to hide anything from us.” Eddie replied, upset at the thought richie felt the need to hide.
“It- it knows I’m a queer eddie and he showed me that none of you guys would ever accept me-“ richie paused sobbing harder then continued. “He showed me- you dying eddie. He sees everything i think he knows eddie-“ “hey richie no stop we would never judge you. I love you no matter what, i don’t care.” Eddie said holding the richie closer at his confession. “You- you love me?” Richie asked looking up as if to ask for sanction that he had heard right when a loud knock interrupted them.
They whipped their heads around to find the origin of the sound concluding it was the door. Another bang confirmed this accompanied by bevs unmistakable voice. “EDS OPEN UP NOW!” Eddie shot up heading for the door followed by richie. “What are you doing here? Is everything okay-“ eddie started only to be pushed aside by bev followed by bill carrying stan?
Bill followed bev and set stan down.
“What the hell is going on why are you here?” Eddie asked again. “Right ill answer but lets address the elephant in the room. Richie why are you here?” Bev countered. “No im sorry stan is unconscious and you have just barged in my house at 4am? Richie is irrelevant.” Eddie said raising his voice as he went on. “Rude- but yeah what the hell is stan alive? Holy shit dude hes bleeding!” Richie yelled practically diving to stans side when he seen the blood. “He-hes okay just dont touch him.” Bill said lifting stans shirt to reveal a gaping wound. “THATS WHAT YOU CONSIDER OKAY!?” Richie yelled turning only to see eddie was walking away. “And where are you going!?” Richie questioned obvious concern in his voice. “Beep beep rich shut up. Im going to get medical supplies.” Eddie said heading to his overkill supply of first aid and other medical supplies.
A few hours after bev had shown up at their door stan was conscious again and Eddie and Richie decided to ask for an explanation again. Bill had explained how he went to Stans house to talk being unable to stand the rift in their friendship. He threw rocks at Stans window to no response and so he climbed up anyway. He opened the window and climbed in only to find stan in the state they brought him to eddies. Stans parents were away on business and bill knew this so he called bev and they ended up at eddies. “So this still leaves a big question… how the hell was stan almost bleeding to death?” Richie asked. They turned to stan. “The clown… it showed up in my room. Normally it doesn’t actually hurt you in the visions you know- so i started yelling at it and it just… attacked me.” Stan explained, voice weak and dry.
After the explanation they called the remaining losers to inform them and they agreed to meet at eddies since he was the only one that actually lived alone and decided to go ahead and fight pennywise to stop anymore kids going missing atleast for now.
*****
Later that night the losers geared up and set off for the sewers, surprisingly joined by stan squashed in bevs 5 seater in a unusual silence normally filled with richies crude jokes, stans snarky comments, bill and bevs sickening flirting or mikes comforting words to whoever needs them. As they approached the sewers a realisation set in to richie. As much as fighting a killer clown isn’t anyones dream, hed rather be here doing that with the losers than anywhere else with others.
They set off down the sewers Richie was immediately hit by the utterly foul smell. “Jesus this smells worse than eddies mom last night.” Richie joked. “B-beep beep r-rich we are fighting a k-killer clown not the time.” Bill said stutter worsening as he became more nervous. They followed the same path as the previous fight only to come to… an opening? Instead of the almost lair they were met with last time it was a forrest? An unfamiliar one at that “where the hell are we?” Bev asked. “I have no clue…” mike replied. As Bev continued walking ahead of the group, a sudden rumble alerted them all as the ground shook. “What the-“ richie started only to be interrupted by Bevs screaming as she fell. “Bev!” Bill yelled diving forward only to see a hole in the ground where she was standing previously. “What the hell? Where did the ground go?” Ben questioned. They circled the hole looking down to see the girl sat gripping her leg at the bottom of the pit where the ground gave way. “Are you okay?” Stan asked. “Yeah but i think ive botched my leg.” Bev replied stating the obvious as they could all see the inhumane angle her leg was sat at. “Holy shit thats like full on bent.” Richie commented (unhelpfully as eddie pointed out). “Beep beep rich.”
You guys go on im not letting this clown take more kids as im stuck in some pit. Okay?” Bev said. “N-no w-we arent leaving you god kno-knows whats lurking.” Bill replied stutter even more prominent than before. “Im not l-leaving.” Bill reiterated standing his ground. “Im not stopping this fight okay.” Bev tried again. “W-well everyone else g-go okay? I-ill s-stay. Bill replied his voice wavering slightly. The losers exchanged glances and walked on.
***
As they walked into the woods nothing seemed to change it was just identical trees. “Guys nothings happening maybe we should go back.” Stan pointed out. “Yeah this isn’t going anywhere.” Richie agreed followed by eddie ,ben and mike. They returned to the pit where Bev had been earlier only to find it empty? The only thing left was her key necklace she had worn everywhere as long as the boys had known her. “Where did they go?” Ben asked voice panicked. they looked in the surrounding area only to find nothing. Richie was looking behind a tree when he heard stan. “RICHIE LOOK!” Stan yelled. Richie looked up only to be thrown at least a meter back. “Shit!” He yelled as he was thrown. “Hello again richie. Didn’t think you’d get away that easily did you?” Pennywise laughing manically through his words. Stepping towards richie only to be hit with a bat. Pennywise’s neck twisted fully around sickeningly. “GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HIM YOU JERK.” Eddie yelled louder than anyone had ever heard him a true hatred in his voice. Pennywise just unlocked his jaw and revealed the deadlights immediately possesing him and lifting him in the air. Richie just stared as the boy he loved was lifted and his eyes began glowing. The losers stared having no clue what to do when they heard a yell. It was bev limping on her leg the other drifting as she struggled to walk Bill behind her. “OVER HERE ASSHOLE!” She yelled and lobbed a stick at the clown. He turned causing eddie to drop immediately atleast 5ft and fall. Richie bolted to his side, pennywise still distracted. “Eddie! Are you okay?” Richie stumbled over his words as he hugged the boy. “Wha- yeah im okay.” Eddie replied melting into his arms. “I thought i lost you for real that time eddie i cant lose you.” Richie said tears rolling down his cheeks getting over the initial shock but soon interrupted by another scream its bev again. Shes on the ground. “Holy shit.” Richie said as him and eddie approach the rest of the losers who are all actively throwing anything they can get their hands on at the creature. Although he just stands face morphing into anything and everything eventually stopping on bevs dad. She stands still stopping for the first time in minutes and just stares as the creature approaches her and picks her up by the neck.
“N-NO GET OFF H-HER!” Bill yells grabbing at its arms only to be thrown to the side. The rest of the losers keep throwing but nothing seems to do anything as pennywise grips bevs neck harder she gasps for air. “Oh you were so cute thinking you could beat me beaverly.” As he morphs into one of the girls who bullied her. Beverly grabs at him to no success as he just grabs her face harder. Too hard she looks as if shes about to- pop. Pennywise just crushes her head in his fist as if it was nothing blood splattering everywhere the losers just stare in horror. Richie hears a thud only to see bill has quite literally fainted at the same time bevs body falls from his hands and eddie is gasping for air practically clinging to his inhaler. Richie just snaps
“YOU ASSHOLE WHAT THE FUCK!?” He picks up a kitchen knife one of the losers had packed thats laying to his side and runs at the creature practically pouncing on the thing and with all his might he stabs it. The creatures head shatters like a plate as he withers away… coating the boy in a weird substance over Bevs blood staining his shirt. His disappearance leaving nothing but black dust and a red balloon.
*****
The following days were filled with grief and sadness for the losers especially bill who no one had been able to get in contact with until stan quite literally showed up at his window. What made it all worse was that they had to pretend bev had just ‘ran away’ as thats what her disappearance was labelled as because her past issues with her dad meaning they couldnt mourn her properly. The losers had met up a few times but ended up sitting in a tense silence so much unsaid. Eddie tried to speak to Richie but to no avail as the boy was insistent he was ‘fine’ (which was fooling no one). Richie was never good at dealing with things he tended to just cover it up with his signature jokes or shutdown entirely which was what he was doing now.
****
As the holidays came to an end forcing the losers to return to some sort of normalcy and go to school however someones missing. “Hey wheres richie?” Eddie asked trying to mask the extreme worry he was feeling. The two hadnt spoken in weeks and eddie understood he needed space but it was killing him and no school? Hes never pulled this for more than a couple classes to smoke with Bev but he hadnt even shown up to registration this morning. He always came to registration. “Uh i-i-im n-not sure i h-hav-havent seen him to-today.” Bill replied. His stutter had became alot worse since Bev. He was alot quieter and never took the lead as he used too. Alarms were going off in eddies head now. Somethings wrong everything was shouting at him to do something. Fuck it. Classes be damned if he was gonna risk richie for algebra or edgar allen poe. He stormed off. “Where are you going?!” Stan yelled. “Richies.” Eddie replied and without another word hopped on Bens bike. Eddie was very against biking stating the statistics of a biking accident constantly. The rest of the losers let him go, ben specifically being himself had no issue with the boy borrowing his bike and they dragged themselves to classes. Mike, ben and stan had returned to a semi normal dynamic in the weeks following, Bill just dragging along, richie not even showing up and eddie just worrying about richie.
Eddie biked as fast as he could not caring about statistics or the fact he probably shouldnt bike on the path for once in his life the only thing he cared about was richie.
****
Richie was a mess, his room filled with dishes, hair greasy and day old loungewear on. Mixed in his duvet the boy was doing nothing but thinking, David bowies voice playing in the backround when he heard a knock at his bedroom door. “Mom ill eat when im ready okay?” He yelled. “Its me rich.” Eddie said. “Oh- Eds.” Richie said sitting up now. Uh- can i come in?” Eddie asked seemingly nervous which was unusual richie thought. Hes normally very sure of himself (which richie loved ofcourse i mean he loved everything about him) which was why he could not let eddie see him like this. “Wait a minute!” He replied to late and spoke to fast springing up as eddie entered. Shit richie thought covering his boxers with his stained duvet. “Wha-what are you doing here eds?” Richie asked as eddie barged in “What do you think dipshit? You havent responded in a week and you werent at school i was worried about you! You cant just do that richie! I worry about you.” Eddie practically yelled waving his arms dramatically. “Well shit eds you coulda just said.” He responded trying to put on an accent but it wasnt working with the sadness in his voice. “how!? How could i have said!? I couldnt get in touch with you for gods sake! I missed you rich and you really scared me this morning.” Eddie said breaking into a sob near the end. Richie just stared unsure what to do he let Eddie walk towards him and pull him into a hug, eventually melting into it. “Im sorry eds.” he responded holding the boy close and eddie squeezed him as if hed never let go again. “I love you, you idiot.” Eddie said through sobs. “Wait we never talked about this youve said this twice now. What do you mean by i love you, eds? Because i love you so much you cant even know your so special to me- but i need to know your not pissing about with some ‘friendship love’ shit to comfort me right now?” Richie said pulling back and holding eddies face. “I need to know eds!” He practically yelled eyes welling up at the thought of eddie not feeling the same when his thoughts were interupted… by a kiss? Richie blinked and looked to see eddie kissing him? But before it could register eddie pulled back. “Sorry no you didnt mean- im sorry.” Eddie said heading to the door. “Wait! No what eddie-“ richie started. Eddie turned. “I love you Ed’s, i love you romantically i love you like i love fucking your mom- i love you in every way everything about you, just tell me you want this.” Richie said voice scarily serious. “Yes richie ofcourse i want this!? Are you blind?” Eddie yelled and richie practically pounced clinging to the boy with a hug them pulling him in for another kiss, more desperate this time. Like they had both been waiting their whole lifes for this, richies glasses collided with eddies nose it was messy and uncoordinated but beautiful, desperate. As they moved back and forth sinking into the kiss as it deepened. They moved back without breaking contact sitting on richies bed tear stained cheeks brushing against eatchothers. Richie reached up tangling his hand in eddies hair wondering how he got here? How could eddie still want him like this? He felt like his life ended with Bevs but maybe he had another chance with Eddie. He felt Nothing but admiration for the smaller boy beside him. As eddie climbed onto the bed leaning further into the kiss mouth slipping open allowing richies tongue to collide with his, a soft gasp escaping his throat. The pair kissed until satisfied them eddie rolled off him, lying by his side as they turned to face eatchother, holding eatchother through eye contact. “I love you.” Eddie said. “I love you too.” Richie replied. Nothing else mattered in this moment only them everything dissapeared for a moment, the grief, the complications of a relationship, everything wrong with their lives was irrelevant. This moment mattered. Thats all.