serendipity {sequel to pop} || reddie

dix

Notes: I don't like this chapter :/ Photo from Kinky Boots is attached so you can see the boots because tHe bOOTS I lOve tHeM

It was messy at first. But that was how they both were, anyway.

Richie moved to New York a week or two after he'd told Eddie about it, and they'd reunited happily, with much hugging and kissing (and fucking, a little later on). Their relationship was technically official, but it still took a while for them to catch up with each other's lives and emotions.

Eddie proved to be very good at handling the conflicts that rose up, namely lack of communication. He insisted that talking was important, and Richie went along with it willingly, answering any questions Eddie asked until he finally began telling Eddie things unprompted, open and transparent, and Eddie would always listen happily.

Richie's life settled down a little after his tour, and Eddie moved in with him after a few months (he'd practically lived at Richie's apartment, anyway). Richie got back into the musical theatre scene, and he was good. Eddie always supported him, obviously, coming to all of his shows and helping him run lines.

For the first time since Derry, they were really happy. It was glorious. They couldn't keep themselves away from one another, and Eddie's friends quickly grew sick of it (though most of them got on with Richie really well, actually; some of them had been long-time fans, and this was a dream for them).

Ally used to use Eddie's window to sneak into the dorm at night, but after her second time stumbling in upon Richie on top of him, she opted to use Dean's room instead, despite the more difficult route it required. It was worth not getting absolutely stared-down by a fuming Eddie in class the next day. Pissing Eddie Kaspbrak off was truly one of the scariest things you could do.

After that, Ally would not stop joking about how they would always "go at it it like rabbits," which annoyed Eddie to no end and amused Richie to no end (both responses were because it was correct).

Eddie dealt with his anxiety a lot better, and Richie dealt with his depression a lot better. They were both a lot softer, less tense, and Eddie began the slow process of accepting himself all over again.

After years of being apart, they were permanently stuck in a dreamy, new-relationship state, even when the relationship grew far from new. They said "I love you" at least thrice every day, and it was still exciting and meaningful every time. It was all too easy for Eddie's friends to tease them about their lovey-dovey habits, especially the eye-contact, which annoyed everyone. Richie and Eddie would just... stare at each other, with the most lovesick and contented expressions ever, and whenever Dean saw it he would make gagging noises and interrupt them.

It took approximately four years for Richie to propose, and it was in the best way Eddie could've imagined, something he would retell with new enthusiasm each time.

First of all, it was on closing night of fucking Kinky Boots. Richie had landed the lead role of Charlie in a medium-sized place not too far from Broadway. Eddie had come for the last performance, and Richie had done exceptionally well (plus, Eddie couldn't help swooning on Ally- who had attended with him- over those damn boots he'd been wearing).

Bows went like normal, with a standing ovation, and then the actor of Lola- a guy named AJ- stepped forward with a microphone. Eddie would never forget that moment, with the cast and crew standing in a semicircle, Richie in the center smiling down into the audience, directly at Eddie. And then AJ spoke.

"Will Eddie Kaspbrak come onstage?"

"What the fuck?" Eddie turned to Ally, only to see her filming him with a huge grin on her face.

He scoffed at her before being led away by one of the crew members, up the stairs to the stage. The cast cheered a bit as he arrived, Richie taking his hands with a nervous smile.

"Look, I'll make it quick." Richie laughed lightly. He carefully got down on one knee in his fucking thigh-high red boots, and Eddie reeled back in disbelief, covering his face with his hands and peeking out from between his fingers.

"Oh my god." Eddie squeaked.

Richie pulled a small box out, and the audience cheered as Eddie felt tears pricking his eyes.

"Wanna go get married in Vegas?" Richie joked as he presented the ring, throwing Eddie way the fuck off. The ring itself was simple, a silvery white band with a flower of the same color on top, a little golden jewel in the center of the petals.

He'd pictured this a million times, the question always being, "will you marry me?" and he'd always cry and say yes. It was so like Richie to switch the script up on him, and looking back, he was surprised that he hadn't expected it.

AJ held the microphone up to Eddie's mouth as he lowered his hands, eyes darting around the room before coming to focus on a very nervous Richie.

"Not in Vegas, wh-?" Eddie shook his head in bewilderment, and a quiet ripple of laughter moved through the room. Richie was still grinning up at him.

"Eddie." He said, bringing Eddie back down to reality. "I'm asking you to marry me. Anywhere."

Tears were falling freely from Eddie's eyes now, and he let out a choked laugh, which echoed around the quiet room. You could hear a pin drop as everyone waited for Eddie's response.

"Fucking yes, dumbass." Eddie sobbed, throwing himself to the floor and wrapping his arms tightly around Richie, burying his face in Richie's shoulder, not giving a shit about how sweaty he was from performing.

Richie laughed, hugging him back just as tight as the audience roared. Eddie pulled away to let Richie slide the ring onto his finger, and it was perfect. Everything about it was perfect. Because it hadn't gone the way Eddie had envisioned it.

That was the last thing he ever wanted from Richie: consistent, boring predictability. And it was probably something he would never get.