No One But You ✔️ Reddie

Ten

Eddie climbed down into the old hideout. He scanned around. The familiar beams which Ben had reinforced. The comic books left here by Mike. A few discarded cigarette butts from Bev. The tin of shower caps that Stan had suggested to keep the spiders out of their hair. Eddie wanted to wear one so badly, but he wanted Richie's approval more, so he took it off. He smiled at the thought, how young and naïve he had once been.

'Hey,' Richie greeted, climbing down into the hole. 'Wow, what a dump.'

'Yeah, it's been a while, hasn't it?' Eddie chuckled. He wandered over to the hammock, still tied. He tugged at the rope. It seemed strong. If only there wasn't so much dust.

Richie swanned over. Without questioning, he flipped the hammock to its underside. A great cloud of dirt misted onto the floor. Then he scrambled inside.

'That is so fucking unsanitary,' Eddie said.

Richie patted the space beside him. 'Come on, Eds, you know you want to.'

Eddie hesitated, then got in. He lay with his head on Richie's chest. The ropes creaked. 'Do you think it'll hold?' he asked.

'Who cares?' Richie dismissed, starting to play with Eddie's hair.

Eddie thought about the last time the Losers club had been here. A year ago, when Bill had gathered Eddie, Richie, Mike and Stan to announce his imminent departure. It seemed now like Bill had been gone for an eternity, fallen off the face of the Earth without another word.

'Richie?' Eddie began, his heart thudding, 'Why did you want to meet here?' In his heart, he heard the answer before Richie gave it.

'I'm moving.' Richie said matter-of-factly.

Eddie swallowed. 'When?'

'Once school ends. After prom and graduation.' He tried to maintain the steady rate of his breathing, but each word stabbed.

There was a silence. 'Okay,' Eddie said quietly, scrunching the soft cotton of Richie's shirt in his hands as though his very body might dematerialise any moment.

'How do you feel about it?'

'Nowhere can be fucking worse than Derry,' Richie spluttered. Then he sighed, 'But fuck, I don't want to leave you.'

Eddie elbowed him, 'Then don't, asshole.'

'No, that's not what I meant!' Richie cried. 'Ow, by the way. I meant literally leave. Leave the town, leave the state.'

Eddie flinched, 'You're leaving the state?'

Richie bit his lip. 'Yeah. Still east coast, but not Maine.'

They both knew that even if they did try and stay together, it would be nigh on impossible to talk regularly, let alone visit. Worse still, they knew that people had a funny habit of cutting all contact with Derry as soon as they left the town borders.

'Don't forget me.' Eddie whispered.

'Eds, there's no fucking way.' Richie refuted.

'But there is. Bev. Ben. Bill.' Eddie listed.

'It's you and me, Eddie Spaghetti.' He squeezed him.

'Humour me.' Eddie requested softly. 'What happens if you do forget?'

Richie thought. He stared upwards, imagining he could look through the earth and the grass and the trees above, up to an ever changing and yet ever constant night sky. 'Then we'll find each other.'

'How do you know?' Eddie asked cynically.

Richie shifted down in the hammock so that they were eye to eye. 'Because we have to. There's no-one but you, Eds. Never has been and never will be.' He kissed him.

'I love you, Richie,' Eddie said, sniffling.

'You know, I never get tired of hearing that.' Richie smiled.

'Say it back, asshole.' Eddie demanded.

'I love you too, Eds.' Richie conceded, then kissed him again and again.

They lay there for a while and talked of other things. They laughed, they teased one another. They kissed and held one another. They didn't want to talk anymore about the future, because there was nothing much more to say. They only had now, and really, that was all they had ever had.

Stolen moments, life in secrets, conversations in unspoken words. But they had love, a real and beautiful love. Even if it was only for a few more months, that had to be enough. Enough to remember.