affection || reddie 💫

Chapter 20

*the next day*

"What even happened??" Mike asked as they all walked up Richies stairs, "shhh Mike..!" Eddie spat, trying not to disturb Richie incase he was asleep, "Eddie it's midday he won't be sleeping," Stanley sighed.

Eddie glared at Stanley, beginning to speak fast, "yeah but you guys are loud as fuck anyways and I don't want you annoying him because he's really upset right now so could you guys just keep it down for one minute, I mean just ONE MINUTE, you guys do know loud noises can stress people out even more right? I mean just look at—" "Okay okay Eddie we get it..! If anyone's gonna annoy him it might just be you," Stanley cut him off.

"Okay so now you're targeting me? I mean I was the one who was there for him but sure, I mean while you guys were doing what? Swimming in dirty lake wate—" Eddie stopped himself from saying anymore as the door to Richies room suddenly opened.

"Uhhh, why are you all here..?" Richie asked, scanning his eyes over all the losers, Eddie jumped back a little as it caught him off guard at first, but quickly relaxed when he saw Richie standing there, "we've come to cheer you up, Rich."

Richie raised an eyebrow before slowly opening the door to let them all in, walking back over to sit on his bed. Eddie walked in first, followed by the other losers, he immediately went and sat down on the bed next to Richie, "you okay Chee..?" he asked, intertwining their hands.

"Yeah.. I am now that you're here.." he smiled, his eyes still looking dark and tired, he then wrapped his arms around Eddie and hugged into his chest, meanwhile the other losers just tried to find somewhere to sit, except for Stanley who was watching the couple hug, he now knew what Eddie was talking about when he said the dream destroyed Richie, he noticed how tired his eyes were, and the fact that he hadn't made a single annoying joke yet, he was also clinging to Eddie non-stop.

Eddie sighed and ran his fingers through Richies hair, looking down at him as he stayed clinging to his body, "so.. Rich.. what exactly happened..?" Beverly asked, finally breaking the silence throughout the room.

When Beverly asked that, Eddie could feel Richies body tense up next to him, he continued to run his hands through Richies hair, which always seemed to calm him down. Richie took a deep breath in before replying, "I- I had a dream.. where we were all back in the cistern.. and we were older—" "l-like what Beverly saw t-that s-s-summer..?" Bill cut him off.

"Y-yeah.. but something else happened.. Eddie he.. I saw him die right infront of my eyes, a-and I couldn't save him, I felt so helpless.. I- I cant.. It felt so real I.." Richie trailed off, tears starting to form in his eyes as he buried his face against Eddies chest. "It's okay Rich.. It was just a bad dream that's all.." Eddie hummed, rubbing Richies arm.

Stanley stared at them with his eyes widened, he had never seen Richie like this, sure he had seen him cry once or twice but he had never seen him so broken, "I've had the dream before, the past few nights actually.. but it would always end before Eddie- you know.. b-but last night I saw the whole thing and I.." Richie trailed off again, not even wanting to talk about it anymore.

"Do you think it means anything?" Beverly asked, a concerned look on her face, Eddie glanced up and frowned, "it probably doesn't.. it was just a bad dream.."

After changing the subject, all the losers began talking and planning what they would do for the day, "there's no way i'm going stumbling through the woods looking for a tree to climb, you know how dangerous that is..?!" Eddie spat, glaring at Bill, "i-it's not dangerous it's f-fun," Bill sighed, listening to Eddie as he rambled on about the dangers of tree climbing.

Richie leaned against the wall, watching the two as they talked, suddenly Stanley walked over to him and folded his arms, "oh hey Stan the man.. what's up with you? Bill bite your dick or somethi—" Richie was cut off when Stanley pulled him into a tight hug out of no where, "oh-" he blurted out, widening his eyes.