𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 / 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞✔️

twenty-four// always

This will be the last official chapter minus the epilogue! I'll save the sappy thank you paragraph for the very end <3
—

     The next day at school was the same for anyone but Eddie and Richie.
It was complicated.
Complicated if you don't count the smiles they shared with bill and Bev, or the studying with Ben. Complicated other than that. Complicated with each other.
Eddie has started something he didn't know how to continue. He didn't know how he was supposed to carry on the romantic relations he'd implied with a simple brush of the arm. At least he hoped Richie thought of them as romantic.
     Eddie sat at the desk in his bedroom, his back arched over the lined paper waiting untouched in front of him. His pencil eraser tapped against his lower lip, unsure how to word his feelings for him.
     He looked up at the already forming pile of wrinkled paper balls overflowing the trash can, a sigh escaping his chapped lips. He hesitantly began to write, reluctantly placing a comma after his name.
     His hand seemed to work faster than his brain, jotting down how he felt in simple words he'd never be able to say out loud. He came down to the bottom of the paper within seconds, signing his name and folding it up.
     His backpack suddenly felt much heavier as he walked into the school, dread painting his face with its brush. He could feel his face go pale white as he approached what wasn't his own locker, but richies.
     He quickly slid the note in before anyone could care to notice, circling back around to his own locker. He decided to leave the letter at that and walk to class like a normal day, because it was, right?
     Richie's skilled fingers lifted the letter fragilely, unfolding it and admiring the neat print. He began to read.

Dear Richie,

If you're reading this, I love you.
I have for a very long time, and for a while, I thought you loved me back. But now I'm just unsure.
We've kissed a few times now, and held hands, and cuddled. We've done things normal best friends don't do. So what are we? Do I still introduce you as my best friend?
I want to know. I'm sick of the wondering.
Meet me behind the bleachers after school today, please. I need to know how you feel about me.

Lots of love,
Eds ♡

     To say that Richie was aghast was an understatement. He was sure his cheeks were painted pink.
    
-

     The walk to the bleachers was short, but not short enough. He could see the small outline of eddies body in the distance, and that thought alone intimidated him beyond belief. He reread the note again, the butterflies in his stomach returning as he stands beneath the bleachers across from eddies figure.
     The silence was too much to bare, so he reached out and tapped the back of eddies shoulder. He jumped, turning around quickly. His shocked expression faded just slightly as he realized it was only Richie standing before him.
     "Where do I even begin," Richie breathed, his heart pounding.
     Eddie reached out bravely, taking Richie's hand into his own.
     "Eddie," Richie takes eddies other hand into his own as well, looking down at him, but now, he doesn't see a weak, small, fragile boy. He sees something much bigger. Something stronger. Something he'd never seen in him before.
     He was small, sure, but not fragile. Not delicate, like a rose petal. He was as strong as anyone else, maybe not physically, but mentally. He's put up with so much shit. Richie felt so infatuated with the boy in front of him.
     "I love you too," he managed, his hands shaky. "Always have, I just- I was too scared."
     Eddie pulled Richie into a hug. His eyes filling with water. "Don't be scared."
      Eddie pulled away from the grip, looking up at Richie.
     Richie looked back down at him, leaning closer.
     And closer.
     And closer.
     And closer.
     And stopped.
     They're lips were moments apart, but he couldn't finish the gap.
     But Eddie could.
     They collided together in sync like they were born to do it, this kiss feeling so much more real than the rest. This kiss was passionate, where they didnt stand still and not move their lips at all.
     Richie tilted his head slightly as Eddie brought his hand up to cup richies cheek, smiling against the soft comfort of richies chapped lips against his own smooth ones. He felt Richie's hands wrap around his waist and slide beneath his shirt, rubbing circles along the dip of his back. Eddie opened his eyes just enough to look at Richie and take in his features, reaching up to pull his glasses off. He pulled away just a bit, sliding the glasses on himself, and turning to look back up at Richie.
     He smiled a bit, having to adjust them due to the fact they were sliding off the bridge of his nose. He eventually got them to stay put, wrapping his arms around richies neck and pulling him down again.
     "Now will you be mine?" Eddie asked impatiently, smiling ear-to-ear.
     "Always," Richie said softly, stroking eddies cheek with his thumb. "Always."