Hidden Truths||Reddie||

•Nine•

"Hiya Eds." Richie grinned as he walked over to Eddie, who was getting his backpack out of his locker, ready to leave school.

"H-hi.." Eddie responded, blushing.

"Is it safe to kiss you here...in front of everyone? Or are we not confirmed yet?" Richie whispered into Eddie's ear, still grinning. The kiss they'd shared in Richie Tozier's messy room, had been only a few days ago.

Eddie's cheeks went redder. The boy was always blushing, well that is whenever he was around Richie.

"Uhm.." Eddie fiddled with his fingers and looked at the ground.

"I'll take that as a yes." Richie softly kissed Eddie on the lips.

When they parted, Eddie was smiling, but his smile soon turned into a frown once he realized people were staring.

"Fag." Someone mumbled as they walked by.

Eddie sighed.

"Hey, don't worry about em, their assholes." Richie lifted Eddie's chin and smiled at him. "Plus, who needs everyone else when we got each other?"

That made Eddie's smile return to his freckled face.

"Atta boy, now come on, I can't stand a second of this hell zone anymore." Richie took Eddie's hand and walked out the doors of hell.

"So Eddie spaghetti, what do you wanna do on this lovely afternoon?"

Eddie shrugged. "I dunno."

"Do you wanna meet up with the losers?"

"Sure."

"Alright." Richie took out his phone and started texting Bill.

A few minutes later he looked up and smiled at Eddie, putting his phone back in his pocket.

"Bill told me there all at the quarry."

"Cool, let's go."

"Want a ride?" Richie asked, grinning.

"Of course." Eddie smiled and hopped onto Richie's back, who started running as fast as he could.

"Slow down!" Eddie squealed, giggling.

Richie came to a stop once they reached the Quarry, the losers were all sitting around laughing.

Eddie hopped off of Richie's back.

Richie intertwined their hands and walked towards the losers.

Beverly eyed them suspiciously, she whispered something to Ben, who looked up at the two boys.

"Hey assholes, meet my boyfriend, Eddie spaghetti." Richie grinned, making everyone look at them. Eddie's cheeks flushed.

"Wait, for real?" Beverly asked, getting up.

Richie grinned and nodded.

"Finally." Stan mumbled, a small smile on his face.

"Congrats." Ben clapped.

"Thanks." Richie and Eddie sat down.

After a while of talking and splashing each other in the water, the losers went back to the cliff, where they dried off.

Richie's phone dinged with a text. His smile faded as he saw who it was from, his father.

"Everything alright Rich?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah, I have to go.." Richie pecked Eddie's cheek and rushed away, running home as fast as he could.

Where the hell are you Richard?

Get your ass home right now! School ended an hour ago!

Richie burst into his house, out of breath, praying that his father wouldn't beat him to death.

"Where were you?" He asked, sitting on the couch, beer bottle in hand.

"Just with my friends.." Richie replied.

"Were you with that Kaspbrak freak?"

"No sir.." Richie replied, looking at the ground.

"You sure? Cause I can tell when your lying."

"I wasn't, I swear."

"Should of told me you were with friends.." Wentworth stood up, bottle still in hand. He took a long swig of it before giving Richie a hard cold look.

"I didn't have to before..."

"What? Did you talk back to me?"

"No sir.."

Wentworth nodded, before throwing the glass beer bottle at Richie. A piece of it cut his cheek, then shattered onto the ground.

"Pick that shit up. Next time tell me or your mother if your going to be out with friends. And if I catch you with that faggot, you better pray that you survive." Wentworth gave Richie one more glare before stumbling upstairs.

Richie let a tear slip from his eye, he sniffed and got a broom, cleaning the glass shards. He walked to his room, burying his head in his knees like he always did after a beating.

Ah, the poor boy, he was so happy before, that he forgot happiness can be drained right out of you.

• • •

After hanging out with the losers, Eddie went home, where he snuck out of his room and went to Richie's.

Eddie climbed into Richie's room, Richie had started leaving the window open for Eddie.

The boy's heart sank as he saw Richie on the ground, head in knees, shoulders shaking.

"Rich?" He sat next to him, reaching for his hand.

Richie sniffed and looked up at Eddie, the blood from his cut had dropped onto his white shirt and stained it.

"I hate it here Eds.." His voice broke.

"I know...it's okay, I'm here." Eddie opened his arms and Richie fell into them, sobbing.

Eddie remembered all the times Richie had been there for him, holding him whenever he felt sad, holding him whenever he needed someone. Now, Eddie was the one holding Richie. Poor, broken Richie.

He kissed Richie's head, rubbing his back as he cried.

"I-I hate when you see me c-cry..." Richie sniffed, wiping away his tears.

"It's okay, everyone cries. But, hey, at least it's me seeing you cry and not some random stranger."

"I feel so weak.."

"But your not. Your the strongest person I know." Eddie whispered.

"I used to be..."

"You still are to me."

Richie smiled a bit.

"Your my happiness Eds, you know that?" He sniffed, kissing Eddie's cheek.

"And your mine as well." Eddie smiled.

"Now let's get your cut cleaned." Eddie released Richie.

"What would I do without you?" Richie asked, smiling.

Without Eddie Kaspbrak? Richie would be broken more than he were now. Eddie Kaspbrak was the only one keeping him whole those days.
• • •

End Of Chapter Nine

(A/n: Oof I felt like the dialogue betweens Richie and Eddie towards the end was a little cringey and too cheesy, I'm sorry if it was. Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter though <3 )