𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 | 𝕣𝕖𝕕𝕕𝕚𝕖

chapter seventeen: at last

Eddie couldn't believe his eyes. Richie Tozier was dancing with him to the song 'At Last' (a very romantic song if he did say so himself).

They swayed in time to the savoury sounds filling the room as they began to wish that they could do it all the time.

Why hadn't they done this earlier? Denial, probably.

Richie arms lied snug around Eddie's slim waist and Eddie's frail arms were wrapped around Richie's neck.

They didn't want to discuss how they felt about each other. It wasn't even love! It must've been lust, that's right. Just sin and temptation, although maybe it could've been more.

It was all just temptation. Surely.

The people dancing around them were becoming iffy and suspicious of the two boys slow dancing together.

"They're all staring at us, Rich." Eddie worried, shifting his body a bit.

"They must think you're the most beautiful specimen in the world." Richie spoke and stared into Eddie's doe-like eyes.

"Stop it." Eddie whispered.

"Stop what?" Richie was very confused.

"Stop complimenting me. It's like you're mocking me."

"It's the truth, I think you're beautiful. Why would I lie to you?" Richie's emotions flowed into the conversation easier than they ever had. "Do you not believe that you're beautiful?"

Eddie released his arms from their loose grip around Richie's neck and spoke, "you can't say these things to me."

"I can and I will."

"Fucking hell, Rich! Please, I swear to God!" Eddie pulled Richie aside now, not wanting a commotion. "You've put all these feelings inside of me and I don't know what to do with them! I feel like a freak of nature and it makes me just want to go hide in a ditch!" Eddie's face was red and furious, full of passion. "Whenever you touch me it just makes me want to be with you all the time and I feel like my throat is closing up and I just wish that I could be normal. But I'm not, and I don't think you are either."

"Eds, I-"

"Jesus Christ! That fucking nickname is the worst thing of all! Every time you say it I get this awful feeling in my chest and it tickles and I just can't deal with it! My mother's convinced me that Edward is what I should go by and now you're confusing me."

"Eddie, I know exactly how feel."

"R-really?" Eddie's confidence sunk into curiosity.

"Yeah-"

What the two teenage runaways heard next shocked them to the core. It was a crucial moment in their journey, and must be accounted for.

"They're the runaways!" An adult man pointed at Richie and Eddie with a poisonous scowl on his face.

There were collective gasps, murmurs, and angry shouts of bewilderment.

Richie grasped Eddie's hand and ran as fast as he could up the stairs, away from the crowd.

★

"What are we going to do?" Eddie whispered, tears threatening to fall on his rosy cheeks.

"I have no idea, Eds,"

Eddie didn't have the power to go on another rant about nicknames and how they made him feel, so he just sat silently, hiding next to a bed with Richie.