"Myra- I'm not having this conversation with you again."
Eddie was angrily talking to Myra about their pending divorce through the phone while standing in Richie Toziers apartment kitchen, wearing sweatpants and one of Richies shirts. It was 8 AM on a Saturday.
Richie came up behind Eddie and hugged him tightly, but not tight enough to hurt his healing back. Eddie was doing good. It had been a month since the incident. Once Eddie was healed enough, Richie traveled with Eddie back to New York. They packed all of Eddies belongings and stayed in a hotel for a couple of weeks. Eventually, Eddie was ready to leave. They brought all of his moving boxes to Richies apartment in Chicago. Eddie had been there for a week now.
"Okay. Bye, Myra." Eddie sighed and hung up after another 3 minutes of talking. Richie kissed Eddies cheek softly. Eddie smiled and melted into the touch.
In the month since Eddies accident with pennywise, followed by their confession of love to each other in the hospital, the two had been doing amazing. It was strange for Eddie to be doing things on impulse, staying in a hotel near his New York house, then moving in with Richie all the way in Chicago just 3 weeks later. But he felt safe with Richie, he didn't care as much about the future because he realized Richie was in the future. Why not live with him if they were never going to be separated again? What would be the point of being all on his own in New York? Who cares that his and Myras divorce wasn't finalized yet? Eddie had never had a 'who cares' attitude, but who cares? he thought.
"Still being a bitch, I see?" Richie rolled his eyes and let go of Eddie, grabbing the coffee he had prepared for him from the counter and handing it to him.
"Always. Thank you, Rich." Eddie smiled happily at his boyfriend while taking the coffee. His boyfriend. 14 year old Eddie would've had a heart attack.
"Sit down, my love." Richie grabbed Eddies hand and led him to the couch in the living room. Richie always wanted Eddie resting. Even though Eddies healing was going amazingly. Eddie thought it was the sweetest thing ever. Richie took care of Eddies every need. He didn't think it mattered that he was injured, he thought Richie would do it anyways. And he was correct. Richie would do anything for Eddie. Hurt or not. And its always been that way.
Eddie put his head on Richies shoulder. His head was always on Richies shoulder. Richie wrapped his arm around him and rubbed his side gently.
"Soon, you won't have to talk to her ever again." Richie reassured.
"Unless she breaks into your apartment and tries to steal me back."
"She's too fat to do that."
Eddies laughing. He's always laughing with Richie. Before the reunion of everyone, Eddie felt like he hadn't laughed in 27 years. Eddies laughing turns into Richies laughing.
"Are you up for spaghetti tonight? No pun intended. I make really good spaghetti." Richie grinned. Eddie rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.
"Yeah, that sounds good."
~~~
After Richie and Eddie got ready for the day, they went to the grocery store to get some ingredients for dinner as well as snacks. The rest of the day they chilled out and watched TV. They kissed. They took a nap. They kissed. They took a walk to get Eddie moving. They kissed some more.
Now, Richie was setting out plates for the two of them. After a few minutes of eating, Richie spoke up.
"Eds? Can I talk to you about something?" He asked.
"Yeah, what?" Eddie asked, surprised by Richies nervous voice.
Richie let out a breath, "Do you wanna get a house? Together?"
Eddie looked at him, surprised. He wasn't expecting that question.
When he didn't respond right away, Richie continued, "I just thought that- you're already living here. I know it's only been a week, and I'm not saying we move tomorrow- just. I want a life with you, and I know this is a new start for you, being in Chicago and all, but it could be a new start for me too, if we got a house. I mean, we've already established we wanna be together for the rest of- forever- right?" Richies skin felt hot. He was nervous, even though he knew Eddie would say yes. He had all the confidence in this relationship. But becoming vulnerable was still uncomfortable for him, Eddie knew this.
"Are you kidding? Yes, of course, obviously, yes." Eddie couldn't hold back his smile. A new start for both of them.
"Really? Okay, yeah! I was looking at some around here, but we can go anywhere you want. I'd move anywhere you want."
Eddie blushed a bit, still smiling, "I wanna stay here. I like it here."
Richie smiled, "Okay, I'll show you what I've been looking at. I'm rich and successful, so we have good options."
Eddie rolled his eyes, "Okay cocky."
Richie laughed a bit and life couldn't get better.
~~~
"No." Eddie said firmly.
"Yes." Richie replied smugly.
"No."
"Yes."
Here they were, a month later, arguing over what couch to get for their new house together.
"It's ugly, Richie."
"You're ugly."
Eddie slapped his arm. The two of them acted like idiots. Even at 40.
"Fine, this one?" Richie pointed to another couch.
"Okay. Sure."
"Really? Nothing to judge?"
"Nope. It's fine. I'm chill."
Richie chuckled, "Okay, Mr. Chill, I'll remind you of that the next time you're yelling at me for not flushing the toilet."
"That's different, that's gross! I shouldn't have to be chill about that!"
Richie smiled and shook his head. He still loved making Eddie mad.
"I hate you." Eddie shot.
"You love me."
"Mm, do I?"
"You do. And if you didn't Id put a spell on you." Richie joked.
They bickered for another few minutes before purchasing the couch and having it sent to their new house.
~~~
"It's all set, eds! What do you think?" Richie looked around the living room of their new house. That was the last room they needed to set up. They could finally live here, together. A house together. Representing both of them.
Eddie looked at Richie, holding back happy tears. He just walked up to Richie and hugged him, melting into him. Richie smiled softly and held him. He took this as a sign of Eddie liking the house.
"Thank you." Eddie mumbled after a few moments of silence.
"Thank you." Richie replied.
Then, there was a knock.
"Wow! The fans have already found the new house, hide eds! They'll take you away!" Richie joked while heading for the door.
"Smart ass." Eddie followed him. Richie opened, and there was all of the losers. Bev in the middle, holding a welcoming gift. A fruit basket. Richie and Eddie were genuinely shocked, they had no idea everyone would be here. Everyone in their group chat had said that they would try to make a trip to the new place as soon as they could, but they had planned this surprise. The other 5 couldn't have been happier for Richie and Eddie.
"What the fuck?" Eddie said.
"Hello to you too." Stan said, letting himself in and hugging Eddie first. "How're you feeling?"
"Good, barely feel it anymore." Eddie smiled. Stan and Eddie had gotten close, maybe closer than they ever were as kids. It was all because Eddie appreciated everything Stan did for him and Richie back at the Neibolt and hospital a few months prior. Stan moved on to hug Richie and eventually everyone was exchanging hugs.
The group laughed and drank and played games like they were in college the whole night. It was 1 AM when they decided to crash. Bill and Mike got the couches. Stan got one guest bedroom, and Bev and Ben got the second guest bedroom.
Richie and Eddie changed into their pajamas and got into bed. Eddie loved their room. It was decorated with yellows and grays, with a big TV on the wall facing their bed, so they could watch TV and cuddle at night and in the morning. Richie took his glasses off and set them on his night stand, smiling at the framed picture of Richie and Eddie as kids that they had found in Eddies moving boxes all the way back when he was moving out of his and Myras home.
Richie held Eddie in his arms and played with his hair as they started falling asleep.
"I wish we didn't lose all those years, Rich. I wish we could've done this sooner." Eddie whispered into the silence. Richie didn't even know he was still awake.
"I know eds, but we have from now until forever." Richie replied and pressed a kiss onto his forehead. Eddie said things like that a lot. He often got anxious about the fact that he was 40 and lost so many years to a life he was pretending to enjoy. Richie always reassured him that it was okay, because they had this now. And for forever. Richie had never cared much about death, he didn't have an opinion or theory on it. But he always knew he would still be with Eddie. They will be together when they are old and sick, and when they pass, their souls will always be connected together. They will never lose each other. Alive or dead. Particles or ghosts. Every lifetime. Every universe, They were each others, for eternity.