that night. | reddie

Coming Out

After that night, Eddie asked Richie out. Of course Richie said yes. Who wouldn't? Richie and Eddie came out to the losers, they were all so supportive. Of course Stan said, "We been knew." otherwise, everyone else loved "Reddie."

At Eddie's house, Richie was doing his summer homework on Eddie's window seat and Ed's was reading a book. Richie zoned out from his worksheet, and felt something in his gut hit him. It was guilt. Richie felt guilty he hasn't told his parents about him and Eddie. He can not keep secrets bottled up like this, and it overwhelmed him. Richie looked up from his worksheet, "Ed's?"

"Yeah?" Richie took a deep breath, "I'm gonna tell my parents." Eddie got off his bed and sat next to Richie. "You know how they will react, Richie. Are you sure?"
He put his arm around Richie and pulled him close.

"I feel so bad for not telling them, I know I shouldn't feel bad, but...I just do. But i'm scared my parents will do something to hurt you, Ed's, I care about you so so so much, I don't want anything to happen to you." Eddie blushed, a tear rolled down Richie's rosy cheek.

"Chee, I know you do. And you know I love you so so much, but it's 1984, people aren't supportive like the losers are. Everyone thinks It's a sin."
"I know...But the guilt it's so overwhelming.." Richie was now sobbing and laying in Eddie's chest. Eddie was rubbing his back. Eddie knew Richie had a soft side, but Richie barely showed it, it was all toughie and jokes and messing around. Which he still loved, just as much. But Eddie LOVED Richie's, soft, caring side. Richie's heart is bigger than his loud mouth. Eddie wasn't as worried about his sexuality, unlike Richie. Eddie told his friends, and he's with the love of his life, he didn't need anymore. Unlike Richie, he told the losers, but he felt incomplete, him and his parents were close sometimes, and he likes telling them things. Richie can not stay bottled up for too long.

"Are you going to tell them Rich?"
"I..think so." Richie said in muffled cries in Eddie's shirt. "I'm just worried they are going to do something to you."
"Richie, they aren't going to do anything to me, i'm scared they are going to hurt you, not me."
"Ed's! I don't care if I get hurt! I don't want you to get hurt.."
"I'm not....i'm not....I love you."
"I love you too."

Eddie didn't understand why Richie was scared for him, his parents weren't going to do anything to him. He sat thinking of every scenario that could happen to his baby boy. With Rich sleeping on his chest. Richie ended up crying himself to sleep at 6 PM. All Eddie knew was, Richie was going to fight, there was going to be yelling, and beer bottles. He felt so bad for Richie's home life. Eddie didn't have much of a home life, his mom was always gone. His dad died when he was younger.

Richie spent the entire next day, planning how he was going to come out. He told Eddie to lock everything and have something near him to fight with. Was he joking? Yes. Was he kinda serious? Yes.

All Richie was worried about was Eddie, what's gonna happen to Eddie? Is Eddie going to be ok? Is Eddie still going to love me? He was giving himself a panic attack. "Fuck you Richie, you're scaring yourself." he whispered to himself. He called Eddie.

Eddie ran downstairs to answer the call. He had butterflies when he saw Richie's name.

"Hello?" Said Eddie,
"Ed's"
"Hey, baby boy."
"Hey baby, I'm going to do it. They are downstairs."
"Are they drunk?"
"I fucking hope not." Richie laughed a scared laugh.
"Rich, before you do...I love you so much. You are so strong you can do this. Be brave. You are so beautiful please be careful." Richie was already tearing up.
"Ed's, thank you, that means a lot. I love you. Please don't let anything happen to you. Please I love you so much I don't want anything to happen...you mean the world to me I couldn't even imagine anything. i'm so scared I don't know what's happening." Richie was speaking really fast, everything came out as gibberish. He was really also just saying random words to try and calm himself.

"Richie you're not making any sense, just breathe." Richie took a deep breath. He felt better. Eddie wanted to be there with Richie. He wanted to kiss Richie and tell him it was okay.

"Okay..I feel a little better. Can I come over after?"
"Of course. Chee, you don't need to worry about me right now.. I'll be fine."
"I know! I just can't help it. I love you too much."
Eddie blushed, hearing that gets butterflies in his stomach every time.
"I love you too."
"Okay....I'm going to do it. If this is the last time I talk to you...I love you, you brought so much happiness to my life, i'm doing this for us..I love you." Richie was sobbing. Eddie was crying.
"Richie don't say that this is you're last time talking to me. Don't worry about me. I love you. Go do this tiger."
"I can do this."
"You can!"
"I'm going to marry you!"
"Yup!! I'm going to be there!" Eddie was trying to warm the situation,
"Go do this baby boy.."
"See you."

Richie hung up the phone, talking to Eddie made him feel better. He walked to the top of the stairs. His heart was racing, he stepped down every step, every footstep making his anxiety get worse. He walked down the hallway to where his parents were sitting, drinking at the counter. He saw the same kind of bottle he got hit with 3 months ago. If it wasn't for that..him and Eddie wouldn't be together. He was a little grateful for that, but still wasn't, he hated his dad. Richie stood where he was hit, getting flashbacks.

He finally took a deep breath and said softly, "Mom? Dad?"

a/n reddie literally owns my heart i am breaking white writing this story holy shit. also this story isn't all sad there's a bunch of happy moments coming up. but like they always say, with sad moments come happy moments. and yes in the end reddie is endgame