Stand by Us || Reddie [COMPLETED]

chapter 18

a few days later

Eddie had stayed in Richie's house for the following days, refusing to go back home even if it was to get some clothes. Richie lent him some t-shirts and some old pants that didn't fit him anymore, which gave Eddie an excuse to feel Richie all the time.

Richie's room was cleaner since Eddie stayed there too and they practically spent every second together, even though Richie's parents were back home.

"Guys! Dinner's ready!" Wentworth told them from the living room.

"Coming!" Richie answered from his bedroom.

Richie was laying on his bed reading a book while Eddie was resting his head on Richie's stomach listening to Richie's songs on his Walkman. Kaspbrak had his eyes closed and was feeling the sound of Prince's voice when Richie messed his hair.

"Hmm?" Eddie muttered, still with his eyes shut.

"We have to go down, Eds. My dad said dinner's ready."

"Now?" he said, looking up at him. "I'm in the middle of a really good song."

Richie chuclked and put his book back to the shell.

"There's no way there's a single good song there. I made that mixtape when I was thirteen."

"Well," Eddie talked, getting out of the bed. "you definitely had good taste back then."

"Yeah? Because it was the same age I started crushing on you."

Eddie smiled shyly and took his headphones off as he gave them back to Richie. The tall boy left the walkman on the nightstand and walked out of bed too.

"You're so lucky, you know?" Eddie told him, feeling kinda jealous. "You have this lovely parents who support you no matter what and let your boyfriend stay in your house for a week without even asking why."

Richie walked towards him and placed his hand on Eddie's cheek, which quickly gave Eddie a thrill.

"We can't choose our parents, baby. But you can choose your lover."

"My mom wouldn't-"

"Fuck your mom!" Richie said. "Seriously, fuck her and her stupid fucking conversion shit!"

Eddie giggled and bowed his head on Richie's hand.

"You don't need her, Eds. My parents love you and they will protect you like they would protect me."

"Then, do we really need to-"

"You already know the answer to that." he interrupted him. "It's the only way we can be happily ever after."

"But killing her-"

"What the fuck did I just say?!" Richie shouted.

Eddie, scared by his temper, stepped back and touched his face: Richie had slapped him.

Richie's face went back to reality and realized what he had just done.

"Eds, fuck I'm so sorry..."

"Do not fucking touch me!" he warned him with crying eyes. "Leave me alone..."

"I didn't mean to-" he said getting closer.

Eddie started sobbing and looked him in the eyes: he wasn't talking to the same Richie who had spent those years with. His eyes reddened and he couldn't stop crying. It wasn't the fact that Richie slapped him what hurt him: he was crying because he had been spending the last days with a stranger.

"No!" he ran away without saying anymore words.

Richie got down on his knees and heard his parents calling Eddie's name before the front door shut with a loud noise. He also started crying and cursed himself: