𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒏 • 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒆

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟔

"Cuh-calm down, Eddie," Bill smiles. "I'm glad you came. And you're breaking up with Jake! Thuh-that's awesome."

Stan nods eagerly next to him. "Yeah. When do you plan on doing that, by the way?"

"I'm not sure," Eddie says with a frown. "Soon, hopefully."

Soon happens to be the very next day. Eddie wakes up to a note on his bedside table telling him Jake will be home sometime late this evening, which gives him time to pack all of his stuff up in bags and call the rest of the losers. He does the latter first.

"This is Richie Tozier speaking, and this better be fucking important because I was eating the best fucking waffle I've ever had."

"Hey, Rich," Eddie says with a small smile. He's kind of nervous, actually. This is the first time he's talked to Richie since his newfound discovery of his feelings, and his heart is beating out of his chest, so he can't imagine what it will be like when he sees him in person.

"Eds, is that you?" Richie asks, and Eddie can hear him grinning. Eddie hums in response. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"I'm breaking up with Jake today."

Richie chokes. "You're serious?"

"Serious," Eddie says, grinning.

Richie whoops in his ear. "That's fucking awesome, Eds!" He says, and Eddie can't help but giggle to himself. "What time should us losers be there?"

"Around two. Jake will be home late this afternoon."
"Well, Spaghetti, I'll be there."

"Actually, can you come over now?" Eddie blurts before he can back out. "I want to be ready to go when it happens, so I was thinking maybe you could help me pack?"

Richie is weirdly silent for a moment. "Yeah," he says eventually. "Um, yeah. I'll be there in ten?"

Eddie nods. Richie can't see him, but he does it anyway. "Okay."

"Okay," Richie says softly back. Eddie can hear him grinning again.

Eddie calls the rest of the losers while he waits for Richie.

"You barely have anything."

Eddie doesn't respond. He just nods, enjoying the warmth radiating from Richie's body from how close they're sitting. His suitcase is sitting in front of them on the floor, only halfway full with Eddie's possessions. "You sure there's nothing else?" Richie asks him, knocking their shoulders together. Eddie shakes his head. "You needed help with this?"
Eddie looks away and shrugs. "Not really," he admits quietly. I just wanted to be with you, he thinks. I just wanted to know if what I was feeling was real. "I didn't want to be alone."

Richie drapes an arm around his shoulders, and Eddie unintentionally leans into the touch. "Nothing wrong with that, Spaghetti Head."

"Don't call me that," Eddie says with giggle and a little shove and Richie.

The arm around him tightens. "But it fits you!" Richie exclaims, laughing as well. "Now that your hair is growing out, is looks like spaghetti. Don't you think?"
Eddie shakes his head, but he stills when he looks over at Richie. Their noses are almost touching, and Eddie is overcome with the sudden need to kiss Richie. He's never thought about it before, not once in their years of friendship, but now he feels like he's going to roll over and die f it doesn't happen this instant. "No," Eddie whispers, his breath blowing across one of Richie's curls. "Absolutely not."