Everything was great until July 4th.
The losers decided to go to the fair to have fun, they all rode the rides and played the fair games. Eddie didn't really like many rides so when the losers went again he sat out and Stan happily joined him.
"So have you told rich yet?" Stan mentioned.
"No I haven't told fucking Richie" Eddie snapped, "I think I would be at home right now if he knew"
"Hey look its a hummingbird!" Stanley points out, then they just sat there taking about birds until the rest of the losers arrived back, one was missing though,
"R-R-Richie w-wanted to ride a-a-again" bill stuttered, then there was a loud crashing noise. Everyone around them started panicking and screaming, some were even running.
Then they heard sirens and they were all scared, they were worried, why wasn't Richie back yet?
"RICHIE!!!" Eddie screams running towards the ride he was on.
Eddie stopped to see the ride hanging half off the track, he saw people getting pulled off by firemen.
Then, he saw Richie... he started crying and panicking more, the rest of the losers ran up behind Eddie to see Richie being carried away by medics. They didn't know if he was ok, they didn't know anything that happened.
After a few moments of confusion and panicking Eddie falls to the ground.
He woke up to the losers watching over him, he was still scared, "r-r-richie! Is he ok!?!" He cried.
The losers all looked at each other not knowing what to say, none of them knew the answer. They just had to wait.
A few hours later when they all calmed down, well all but Eddie, they decided to go to the hospital to check in on Richie. When they arrived they saw him in a hospital bed, laying on his back with heart monitor wires and a drip connected to him, he had an nasal cannula to make sure he breathes properly, Eddie can't breath properly himself just looking into the room.
Richie was awake and smiling whilst his mom sits at his side telling him a story. Beverly knocked on the door and Richie immediately turned his head to see who was there. His smile grew wider as the losers entered. Eddie stood by the door, nervousness took over his body and he couldn't breath, His fanny pack failing him as he searched for his inhaler, he finally got it out and sharply inhaled.
"Hey guys" Richie weakly moaned, it obviously hurt to speak.
"Hey rich... you gonna be ok?" Mike asked, you could hear the concerned tone in his voice.
"Yeah I'll be alright, just a few broken bones that's all" he laughed painfully, and with that Eddie entered the room, he was shaking but he knew Richie would be ok, "hey spaghetti man!"
"H-hey rich..." Eddie stuttered
His mom left the room to do something, probably went to find some medication for him.
Eddie looked around, he looked the ECG and saw Richies heartbeat regulate.
"Kinda funny what happened, huh?" Richie laughed.
"FUNNY?!? You call almost dying funny?!!" Eddie shouted.
Richie looked at him teasingly, "I was just joking Ed's"
"Your not supposed to joke whilst you lie in a hospital bed covered in wires!" He shouted, you could hear the worrying and upset tone in his voice as he spoke.
Richie just stared at him, shocked that Eddie was actually that worried about him. Thats when Richie started actually falling in love with Eddie. At first it was just a small crush but now it was more, he just smiled at Eddie and said, "at least I'm ok, I mean it could be worse." All the other losers agreed, "I heard that some of the people lost their arms and stuff." Richie added
"Exactly Rich! What if you were one of them people! You wouldn't be able to hang out with me properly!" Everyone just stared at Eddie after that comment... Eddie looked around shocked at himself for saying that, "I- uh... I mean you probably wouldn't be able to go to the arcade, or come swimming in the quarry... or even go to the clubhouse!" He added to spare his embarrassment.
"That is true" Ben murmured.
Everyone started to chatter amongst themselves whilst Eddie just sat in the corner trying to keep his mouth closed, and Richie just stared at him not knowing what to say.
After a few days Richie was at home again, he had a broken leg and rib, the doctors said he should stay in bed but you know Richie, he was going all around the house and outside, he even went and sat at the quarry whilst his friends swam around. Eddie felt guilty for what happened to Richie, he felt that if Eddie went on the ride with them again then he would've convinced Richie not to go again and to do something else, so he missed out on the fun as well so if Richie had to suffer he did too. It was fine though cause he and Richie got to spend more time together without the losers.
After a few weeks of sitting out with Richie, Eddie decided it was time to tell Richie the truth, that he liked him, and the thought to himself 'it's not like he can run away from me'
'Right?'
Eddie felt scared when he and Richie were walking along the path, Eddie kept glancing at Richie and he was hopping on his crutches, 'alrighty Ed's, you can do this" he thought to himself, they turned down an alleyway and halfway down he stopped, Richie looked at him confused.
"H-h-hey Rich?" Eddie finally said
"What's up bud?" Richie replied hopping back towards Eddie.
"I uh- I've got to tell you something... something important..."
"Of course, you can tell me anything" Richie replied concerned.
"I uh- I like one of the losers- you know... in a uh- more than friends way" he finally spat out.
"Oh uh- t-that's fine... you wanna say who or is it a secret?" Richie added in, he hurt inside, he was convinced Eddie didn't like him at this point.
"T-that's the thing..." he laughed, "if I say anything now then I'm scared he will hear me..."
"But Ed's, were alone-" Richie replied.
"Sometimes I'm concerned about how oblivious you are!" Eddie laughed.
"Oh- oh. OH!" Richie realised, "E-Ed's? You like me?"
Eddie looks up at Richie and nods.
"W-well I guess this is a good time to tell you a secret myself" Richie added, Eddie looked surprised Richie could keep a secret, "Eddie spaghetti, I myself do not like girls either, I have discovered that I like: short, brown haired, brown eyed, double fanny pack wearing, inhaler carrying boys!" He said proudly.
It took Eddie a moment for what Richie said to sink in, he then looked back up at Richie and wrapped his arms around his neck, "I guess you won't mind me doing this then" and immediately kissed Richie on the lips.
They stood like that for a short while before they both pulled away.
"So spaghetti man, you have a think for broken legged people I see!" And laughed, Eddie laughed too.
Now what do they tell the losers? Do they tell them the truth or try to hide their relationship?
Richie then leans in for another kiss, and at the same time Stan and bill walk around the corner. They see Richie and Eddie kissing in the alleyway, "get a room!" Stan shouts as they get closer and to that Richie and Eddie look at them. Stan and Bill didn't know who they were until they were all face to face.