Breathe ⭐️ Reddie

20

Every single teenager that was friends with Richie and Eddie and had seen the events of the day was confused. Confused as to how they made up so quickly and why they were cuddling so close during the movie.

"Anyone gonna clue us into what happened?" Mike whispered to Ben, who had no clue what was happening.

"Apparently not," Ben murmured back, turning back to the screen.

The room they hid in, which Stan referred to as "The Analysis Room" so people didn't get suspicious, had only ever been used by them. Zack and Sharon Denbrough showed Bill where it was when he was seven, after Henry Bowers mocked him for his stutter, so he could have a safe place to hide. Now, it was a safe haven for all of them to curl up and talk or watch movies.

They had managed to drag an old screen for movies, a couch, and bookcase for all of their snacks, blankets, and pillows. Eddie and Richie were cuddled up on one side of the couch, with Bev stretched out on the other. Mike sat next to Ben in front of Bev, while Stan and Bill were sprawled out on their stomachs in front of the screen.

They had been there for a few hours, so it was just past midnight when Bev complained she had seen enough movies and that they should do something else.

"What can we do at midnight in the Hive, Bev?" Eddie asked, sitting up, blinking the sleep from his eyes.

Bev's eyes sparkled and she smiled mischievously, making Stan and Bill exchange a nervous look.

"W-what stupid sh-shit are you th-thinking?" Bill asked.

"Well, Richie's never been to the quarry..." Bev said, smiling innocently at the rest of the group.

"No way! We'd get in so much trouble!" Stan hissed. "You need to ask weeks in advance if you can leave, and even then they're skeptical!"

"The thing is, you're only in trouble if you get caught," Bev said, looking to Eddie for help. He was always one to take part in risking leaving for the night.

"What's the quarry?" Richie asked.

Eddie smiled at him, then turned to the rest of the group. "Come on, we can't not let him know. It's... initiation!" he said with a smirk.

"We haven't gone for a while," Mike added.

Stan and Bill looked at each other, and everyone sat in silence, waiting for their answer.

"W-we stay silent a-and don't sp-spend more th-than two hours th-there," Bill said with a glare, standing up and pulling Stan up with him.

Eddie grinned and grabbed Richie's hand, pulling him up. "Go grab a coat from your room. It'll be cold on the way back."

Richie obeyed and ran to his room for a coat, meeting up with Eddie outside their rooms. He led him down a hallway, where the walls seemed to get older and it was much cooler. The others were already waiting at the end of the hall, where a set of wooden stairs stood.

"Where're we going?" Richie whispered.

"You'll see," Eddie responded, grabbing the handrail and leading the group up the stairs.

Richie was shocked when Eddie opened the door at the top of the stairs, seeing that they had been under what looked like an old pump house the whole time. Eddie smiled at his shock, whispered for him to get down and opened the door.

•••
Richie couldn't recall the last time he had felt nervous with excitement, yet that was all that coursed through his stomach. Outside the old pump house that the Hive headquarters was located under was a large field of tall grass.