- 𝗋𝗎𝗂𝗇𝗌 -

29

"I didn't expect your house to be so...clean."

"Eddie, why do i get the feeling that you're looking down on me."

"How can i when you're the tall one?"

"Fair enough."

None of his parents were home. His mom was probably out getting groceries and his dad was most likely working the late shift. "Your parents aren't home, Richie." Eddie deadpanned, glancing hungrily at the large dish of Lasagna that sat tantalisingly, just a few feet away.

"Yeah, sometimes it's like that. Quiet. Oh hey, Lasagna! Come on Eddie, let's go eat some spaghetti." Eddie flicked Richies arm before quickly grabbing two plates from the drying rack and cutlery. The two boys ate in silence, thinking and occupied in their own little worlds.

"After we eat, we can go up to my room and...talk like you wanted to." Richie broke the silence awkwardly. Eddie nodded, but didn't say a word. "Are you still mad at me?" Eddie nodded, this time making eye contact with Richie.

"Oh come on, Spaghetti!"

"Beep beep, Richie."

"Ah, Beverly taught you that, huh."

"I fucking hate you."

"And i freaking love you too, Eds."

________

Richies room was just as clean as downstairs too. Eddie almost couldn't believe it. This was the same boy that would wear a bright red hoodie with bright orange sweatpants to school. He was chaotic, messy and totally whacky.

Yet his room was a representation of responsibility. Responsibility, Eddie was sure, that Richie neither possessed nor would ever possess.

"Want to sit down?" Eddie blushed and quickly settled into the plush bean bag on the floor.

"So where do we start?" Richie asked. His eyes trained on his star-studded glow in the dark ceiling.

"At the beginning."

"Okay. Well, i was going to meet you with the gang and surprise you, but Stanley said he forgot to get flowers for his date, so we went back to his house. When we did get to school, you weren't in the gym so i thought that you were probably in the bathroom. On the way to the bathroom, i ran into Patrick," Eddie shivered, "-Who decided to bring up the past and mess with shit that wasn't his to mess with. I got scared then, panicking about...about losing you to his words. So i fainted and the next thing i knew, i woke up and Bill was grilling me like no tomorrow. The End."

"W-what about...Micheal?"

"Whoever the fuck he is, he's gone now right? I mean, he found you, and i'll always be grateful to him for that, but he's gone." Eddie perked up at this.

"Wait, how do you know he's gone, Tozier." Eddie narrowed his coffee brown eyes at the nervous boy who was now playing with his fingers. "Well, Mike does a paper route from 7 AM to 8 AM, so i asked if he knew anyone named Micheal around. Since he practically knows everyone here, Mike didn't have a clue who he was, until the Yule that is."

Eddie ran a hand through his short hair, messing up the perfectly combed parting. And here he thought that Micheal was someone who he could get to know. Great. A ghost boy comforted him and then practically vanished into thin air the next day.

"But, Bev said that he was moving away anyways."

"Really?"

"That's what she said."

"Well i trust Bev, so fuck Micheal. Let's forget about him. Jesus, at least he didn't do any shit."

Eddie couldn't forget him. This was just too weird. How do you disappear like that into thin air? This reminded him of the comics he used to sneak from the library to read after school. There was always a portal, a secret tunnel or vortex, that could lead you to different dimensions and places. Like a rabbit hole to Wonderland in a sense.

But Derry wasn't some dimension. It was a real town with real people that sure as hell were not aliens.

Giving up, he laid back down in the comfortable bean bag.

"Eds?" Eddie felt someone poke his knee, making him jolt.

"Jesus! don't do that! i think you hit a nerve."

"Well sorry Mr Jumpy." Richie laughed.

Eddie grumbled when Richie scooped him up like a baby and plopped him into his lap, sitting in the bean bag that was once occupied by Eddie. "God, you're so small, Eds. You could fit in my pocket!" Richie remarked, cuddling him closer. "Fuck you."

"Eds! Do you kiss your mothers cheek with that mouth?"

"Yes. So fuck you." He grumbled again. It was getting harder to stay mad at Richie and his pouted freckled little face. And with all the nicknames and cuddling, Eddie Kaspbrak felt like they were in a relationship (which was weird considering no relationship started out with finding out the boy you really liked was in fact, gay and not "coming out").

"Eds, i'm sorry that i didn't tell you the truth. I should have been honest with you from the start when i first took you to that diner weeks ago. I really really liked you, so much, and i knew that you were just starting to come out so i wanted to make it special for you by saying that i was too. That way, you wouldn't feel weird that i already liked boys before." Richie said softly, holding the small brunette closer to him and pressing his nose into his hair. He smelled like hospitals and chocolate. But most importantly, he smelled just like Eddie. His Eds.

"I know. And i forgive you." Eddie whispered, tucking his head under Richies chin and snuggling deeper into his warmth. "I know that you were trying to make good memories between you and me, but you never had to lie to me and say that you weren't gay before. All the memories between us, good or bad, are the best memories i have ever had in my entire life."

"So in a way, i'm kind of like your hero, huh?"

"Richie."

"I know, don't push it."

Both couldn't stop smiling. Their arms intertwined just as they were before. In the beginning.

________
note!
the next chapter will be the last chapter, guys. and i feel like it is time to complete this book, mostly because they've patched up, there's the fluffiness fulfilled, and we have a happy ending where reddie is together and safe from pennywise. thank you all for being apart of this journey with me, from the bloody not-so-cute meetcute in a science lab, to uncovering the truths behind lies and how love truly does conquer all. hope you all loved this book, thank you for the support and constant love you give me here on wattpad and in the comments. ❤️