IT Oneshots and Preferences

Eddie? P2

word count: 678
ship: reddie (Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrak) (40)
summary: Eddie isn't dead. He divorced Myra and marries Richie. It's the proper ending to Chapter Two.

"Eddie?"

It was Eddie? How could it be Eddie? I had seen him die. The body I before me hadn't been stabbed. There were some cuts and bruises, but other than that, no visible injuries. But how?

I hurried over to Eddie and pulled him to shore.

"Eddie?"

I checked his pulse on his neck. He was alive. He was alive! I didn't even care how it could be at that moment. All that mattered was that he was alive. I could tell him what I've wanted to tell him since we were kids.

I shook his shoulders lightly.

"Eddie."

Nothing.

"Eddie."

Nothing.

I shook his shoulders a bit harder and eventually, his eyes slowly opened.

"Eddie!"

I pulled him close to me, tightly wrapping my arms around him. He coughed a little and I released him, worried I'd hurt him.

"Sorry, sorry. Did I hurt you?" I asked.

"No, I'm fine. What's going on? Dude, are you crying?" Eddie asked.

"Y-Yeah," I replied. "I guess I am, yeah."

"Why? What happened?"

"You..." I started. "I saw you... I saw you die..."

"What?"

"Yeah, I-... How are you-?"

"What, alive? I never died, Richie," Eddie replied, confused.

"B-But I saw it and you-" I squeezed my eyes shut as I recalled the sight of Eddie dying.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm okay."

"But I- Wait. It wasn't real. The fucking clown made me see it, didn't It?"

It wasn't even real. Eddie never even died. All that pain for nothing. How could something inflict this kind of pain on someone? Fake kill the person you care about most right in front of you.

"Are you hurt at all? Do you need to go to the hospital or anything?" I asked Eddie.

"No, I'm fine," Eddie replied.

I hugged him again. I felt him gently return the action. I buried my face in his shoulder. I thought about telling him how I felt about him. What if he was disgusted? What if he hated me? What if he would want nothing to do with me?

It didn't matter. I didn't take the chance before. When I thought he died, I realized how much I wished I would have. I had to. It didn't matter how he responded. I had to. And I would.

"Eds. There's something I need to show you," I said, releasing him from my embrace.

"Okay," Eddie replied.

I stood up and held my hand out for Eddie. He took it and I pulled him off the ground. I started walking and he walked next to me.

~<• time skip to when they're at the Kissing Bridge •>~

"The Kissing Bridge? What are we doing here?" Eddie asked me. I walked over to a spot on the wood where I had carved our initials into it. Eddie followed me. I took a breath and pointed to our initials.

Eddie was shocked for a moment.

"Wait. You're R and I'm..."

"Yeah..." I replied nervously. "I... I love you. I have since we were kids. I always wanted to tell you but... I didn't. I-It's fine if you don't- I jus-"

"I love you, too, Richie."

I was silent for a moment. I was processing what he just said. Eddie Kaspbrak in love with me? I mean, I guess it sort of made some sense, but it was still a bit surprising, especially to hear him say it.

Then, Eddie pointed to an R inside a heart (see bottom left corner of picture above). I smiled. First, I found out Eddie was alive, but then that he was in love with me? It was a lot. I looked at Eddie and he looked at me.

"C-can I-?" I started.

"Yes," Eddie said, already knowing the question.

I stepped closer to him and leaned in. I kissed him. I'd waited so long to do that. I knew I should have confessed a long time ago. I was too worried about messing up our friendship and other people's opinions. I didn't care anymore. I loved Eddie and I didn't care who knew it anymore.

I felt much more free.

el end.