R+E - Reddie Oneshots

The Last of the Losers - Weeks Away

Note: The Losers (or those who survived) are around 20s. It's inspired by The Last of Us.

"It's been weeks since we've left.

Left the nightmare.

I don't know if I am doing this right, honestly I am out of hope, most of the time I think myself as a coward. The only reason I'm writing this is because I wanted to let it all out, and I can't do this by speaking.

As I write this letter, I feel myself uncertain. Indecisive. Anxious.

Did I make the right choice? Did WE make the right choice?

I wanted to protect my friends, but I ended up by screwing everything by doing this. That thing is still there haunting everyone who dares to defy it.

I know you're worried about the way I'm behaving recently. I'm sorry, Richie, I really am.

These weeks have been difficult for me, as much as for you too and I really wanted to talk about that, but I didn't know where to start.

It's not about you, or even me. I made a promise... we made a promise, an oath. I NEED to finish this.

I never wanted things to end like this, but this situations leave me no other choice, I'm sorry, Richie, but I "

- Ed?... - Richie said as he slowly finished descending the stairs. He had his arms crossed, in an attempt to warm up from the serene cold of dawn.

- R-Richie? - Eddie seemed startled, he quickly folded the paper and got up from the chair, wiping out the single tear from his eye.

- What are you doing down here? Couldn't manage to sleep? - Richie says as he walked next to a window and closes it.

- Yeah... I... uh... kind of. - Eddie said, getting closer to Richie and hugging him.

- Is everything okay, dear?

Eddie takes a while to answer the question, he took a deep breath and just held Richie tighter.

- Eddie?

- Yeah, I'm... I'm fine.

- Eddie, listen I... - Richie held Eddie's hand and led him to the couch in the living room. - I've been noticing that you've been different, you're not that talkative boy I met in... I met before. What is going on? Is it about the... about... about It?

Eddie kept quiet and rested his head on Richie's shoulder, while stroking his hand.

- I'm sorry. - Kaspbrak mumbled.

- For what, honey? That's the point, you've done nothing wrong. What is it?

- I... - Eddie's voice was shaky, weak. - I wanted to... - He took a deep breath. - Yes. It's about Derry.

- Oh, Eddie... - Richie said. - You know why we left, don't you?

- Of course I know, but running away like that? Doesn't make us cowards?

- We're not running away, we are trying to survive.

Eddie gets up and looks at Richie.

- Survive? How am I able to survive knowing that my friends are in danger? Knowing they need help and I can save them?

- That's not the point, Eddie-

- That is EXACTLY the point, Richie. In case you didn't notice, Derry doesn't exist anymore, our friends are in somewhere I don't even know, some of them may be... they may be...-

Eddie's breath got heavier, he started gasping for air. Richie knew what was happening, he quickly grabbed an inhaler, put on Eddie's mouth and pressed the button.

Eddie inhaled, and everything was back to normal... "normal".

- they may be... dead, Richie. - He said, with his breath getting back to a normal level..- our friends may be dead.

Richie just kept looking at Eddie, quiet.

- And we didn't do anything to save them...

- Eddie... It's not your fault.

- I know, I know it's not. But there's this thing inside me, this instinct, I want to help them, save them. I don't want to lose more of them, not like it happened to... to Stan. That thing destroyed us, tore us apart.

- You're talking like you always loved that town.

- I don't, you're right, I never did, but I'm from there, what can I do, Richie?

Richie took a deep breath.

- So you wanna go back? - He said.

Eddie nodded.

- Are you sure, honey? It's dangerous.

- We can look for each other... Like we always did.

Richie smiled and kissed Eddie's forehead.

- Alright. - Richie said, getting up. - Let's get some rest, we leave in the morning, okay?

- Okay, dear... - Eddie said.

TO BE CONTINUED