A Reddie Fanfic: More than Friends

Part 20 Richie

"WHY ARE YOU MAKING THAT FACE!! I FINALLY DI—" Eddie was cut off by what Richie thought was the most horrible sound in the world as Pennywise stabbed Eddie right through the gut with his large spider claws and flung him around.

Richie thought he was gonna pass out right there and then. He had lost his best friend once and he was about to let that happen again.

But he was trapped. He couldn't force himself to move at all as he saw the lifeless body of Eddie on the ground. It was thanks to Beverly that he moved at all as she yanked his arm over to the body. Most of it went by in flash as Richie was just totally zoned out. In his head so many thoughts were running through his head. His friend could not be dead. He had already decided that. 

"Rich, do you wanna say anything to him?" He heard someone say.

Yes. Richie didn't say that though because he was still paralyzed.

"Richie I need to tell you something important..." Eddie croaked out.

This snapped Richie awake and he answered, "Ya what is it?"

Eddie was smiling as he told him, "I'm not afraid Rich, and I'm so not afraid that I realize I—"

He didn't get to finish his eyes closed and he breathed in heavily one last time. 

"EDDIE WHAT IS IT!! COME ON TELL ME!!" Richie screamed crying.

Once again he went into that paralyzed state as the rest of the fight went on. Before he knew it Richie was being yanked out of the house on Neibolt Street by his remaining friends. 

"EDDIES STILL IN THERE!!!" Richie screamed trying to run back into the crumbling house. 

His friends were all looking at him with sorrow and pity which made the emotional mess Richie was in even worse. 

"Guys.. He's still in there.." He whispered again hugging his friends tightly. 

The group walked away still holding the weeping Richie. He kept wondering why his friends weren't as upset as he was? One of their best friends had just... No Eddie wasn't gone. He wasn't dead. Richie wasn't gonna believe it. 

Riche ended up going into so much denial that he didn't even go to Eddie's funeral which was held back in Derry. Instead Richie just went back home and spent most days sleeping and drinking away his sorrows.  Not even a month later Richie had completely forgotten what was making him so upset. Everyday he still did a few shows and sometimes he hooked up with random girls... And random guys. 

After Richie had came home from Derry he came out as bisexual. Well he didn't exactly come out because be had no friends or family to come out to but he figured it out for himself. 

On the day of Eddie's funeral though Richie didn't realize it was he was in a deeper darker hole of feelings than ever. To try and cope he got really drunk and really high. This made him extremely tired and soon he fell into a long sleep. 

"Rich! It's me!" A young boy Richie recognized as Eddie was walking toward him.

Richie looked down at himself and saw he was the twelve year old version of himself as well.

"I'm okay Rich but I don't understand why you're not with the Losers today?" The small Eddie asked. 

Young Richie was overwhelmed with embarrassment and sorrow as he told the boy, "I'm so sorry Eds! I-I just couldn't!!"

Eddie frowned and came closer to hug Richie who was now crying, tears falling down underneath his glasses. 

"Don't worry Richie it's not too late. Also before I left I had tried to tell you something."

Richie then remembered his dear friend trying to croak something out just as he died.

"I wanted to tell you I loved you," Eddie whispered into his ear still embraced in the warm hug.

Richie hadn't even expected his response as he leaned closer for a kiss admitting back that he too loved the boy.  

Richie suddenly woke up surrounded by paramedics and he spit up on himself. 

"He's awake!!" A female nurse happily announced to the group. 

Richie stated around the room recognizing only one red headed lady who was sobbing in the corner. Who was it? Something that started with a B he decided. He vaguely remembered the strange dream of the young him and boy. All he really took away from it was that he NEEDED to go back to Derry.

"Richie it's me Bev!"

Thats what the name was!!

"I came hear cause you weren't at Eddie's funeral was you were choking and then you went unconscious. I called 911 and I was so worried I was gonna lose you too!!" The girl cried.

"Bev I need to go to Derry. I need to say goodbye!" Richie shouted trying to get away from the doctors that were surrounding him.

Beverly looked sorrily at him and then back to the doctors who were shaking their heads.

"He needs to be looked after for a while. If he can drink himself into this much despair then he can't be left alone," A man explained

"I WASNT IN DESPAIR!! I WAS HAPPY! I WAS WITH EDS!"" Richie cried into his hands, "I never got to say goodbye to him.."

The doctor muttered something under his breath about Richie being delusional as he took another blood test.

Richie for the first time in a while was scared. He was absolutely terrified that if he didn't go to Derry something horrible would happen. He turned towards Beverly who was still shaking. Had he really been that close to death? None of it was fair. He was so close to getting his happy ending but the world didn't want him to get it. The world just wanted him to suffer. 

"I NEED to get to Derry," Richie repeated more calmly this time. 

"There are doctors in Derry, I'll him the entire time. I promise! Just let him go please," Bev begged, even offering the paramedics money to bribe them. 

Richie thought this was quite unprofessional but the male doctor did take the money and then began speaking quietly to Beverly. What he saying Bev looked happy and then made her way closer to Richie and whispered close.

"We're gonna get you to Derry."