27 years| Reddie

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

Awkward tension didn't leave Eddie and Richie until early March, when Richie turned 18. They returned comfortably back to normal mid-April and were completely fine by May.

They'd decided to have a sleepover the night before graduation at Richie's house, just the two of them. Sonia was becoming too much for Eddie to handle, so he lied and said he'd stay with Bill, who'd cover for him.

Richie looks at Eddie, who's lying beside him on his bed, reading a Captain America comic. Eddie's favourite superhero is Captain America whilst Richie's is Spider-Man. Richie loves the way Eddie's face is when he reads. His eyes droop tiredly and he always has a small smile on his face.

"You look really interested in that comic." Richie states, placing his Spider-Man one down and sitting up, clicking his back. Eddie grimaces, he hates it when Richie does that.

"I'm a little bored if I'm being honest." Eddie states, placing his down aswell. Richie chuckles and just glances at Eddie, who runs a hand through his fluffy brunette waves. Richie focusses his eyes on Eddie's hands and feels his stomach twist with warmth.

"BOYS, DINNER!" Maggie calls up the stairs, making Richie jump and the two laugh. They get off of Richie's bed and head off downstairs, talking nonsense and joking around.

The two sit down beside one another and Wentworth smiles at them. He's sat opposite Richie and Maggie passes them all their food before sitting down next to her husband. They watch as Richie winds Eddie up and the shorter boy chuckles a little whilst swearing at him.

"So, you two, are you excited for graduation?" Wentworth asks and Richie feels dread build in his stomach. Eddie is moving next week. Away. To New York as he got into NYU.

"A little." Eddie replies." I'm scared of moving away. Everyone I know is here and we're all going to different colleges."

"Yeah." Richie says sadly and Maggie gently taps his foot under the table. He looks up, playing with his food gently. He places his fork down and shifts in his seat.

"Are you okay?" Maggie asks, drawing Eddie and Wentworth's attention onto Richie. He nods and picks his fork back up." Richard, don't lie."

"I just...I'm going to miss you all." Richie says. He's going to Harvard and is moving in a few weeks." But, you and Stanley the most."

"I'm gonna miss you too, Rich." Eddie says, his eyes kind and warm and Richie smiles slightly." It's going to be weird."

"What course are you taking at NYU, Eddie?" Wentworth asks as they all go back to eating their food.

"Finance. I'm quite good at math so I thought, why not? My mom also wants me to do it." Eddie replies. Richie rolls his eyes. Eddie hates math. Eddie hates Sonia.

"I'm taking English Literature at Harvard." Richie says and Eddie nods with a grin. Wentworth and Maggie smile proudly. Richie isn't even sure he wants to go to college but he's going to make his parents proud.

The four continue to talk school over dinner and then Richie and Eddie head off upstairs. Eddie goes to get changed in the bathroom, and Richie gets changed into his bedroom. All he does is throw off his jeans and keep his T-shirt on. Eddie re-emerges in matching blue pyjamas with white cats all over them. Richie looks at him, eyes wide.

"What?" Eddie asks, grabbing his toothbrush from his bag.

"Nothing. Nothing." Richie replies and the two head off to the bathroom to do their teeth. Richie grabs his own toothbrush and puts toothpaste on his and Eddie's brushes and then they brush their teeth.

Eddie smiles at Richie in the mirror and Richie grins back. He finishes brushing his teeth first as Eddie likes to brush his for three minutes. He wipes his mouth clean from toothpaste and licks his hand, playing with Eddie's hair.