37

As a few hours passed the group moved from the living room to the back yard enjoying the warm sun, everyone was sat on the grass some laid on the back eyes closed just enjoying the warmth that the sun provided. Richie was sat up looking over at Stanley seeing the small book in his hands a pen in his other, it had been a good year that Stan had been into bird watching Richie liked to tease him about it saying it made him look even more like a grandpa. "Grandpa Stan, find anything new?" he speaks up making him roll his eyes flipping him the middle finger "No asshole, probably because your loud mouth is here" 

the comment makes the group burst out laughing Eddie who was sat next to him laughing the loudest "Hey you're supposed to be on my side!" Richie gasp crossing his arm with a huff "I thought we went over this, you get no special treatment!" 

"You are so unfair" Richie sighs pouting out his bottom lip making the group let out another round of chuckles, Ben who was sat a few few in front of the two finally speaks up "Hey.. Sorry if this is weird to ask but.. Did something happen between you two? You guy's just seem like you want to kill each other less" he says with a nervous chuckle hoping he didn't just cross a boundary "Finally someone else notices it! I felt like I was going crazy" Stanley joins in laser focused on the two. Bev look's over at the two boys with a worried look in her eyes, she wanted to say something to shift the focus off of them but she couldn't think of anything so she was forced to watch the two share a look but her look of worry soon disincarnates when the two break out into small smile, Richie lean's over dropping his voice so only Eddie could hear him "You still don't mind them knowing? Because I can be a great liar" 

"First of all, do you really think you should be telling me out of all people that? And second, yes I still don't mind" Eddie whispers back, Richie gives him a small smile before sitting straight again looking around the group seeing all eyes were on them.. So much for this not being awkward..

"Well if you nosey people must know.. Me and Eddie have been together for a week now" Richie shrugs, his nerves starting to get the better of him making his eyes dart around focusing on anything but their faces while Eddie on the other hand had to sit on his hands to prevent him from picking at them like crazy his brown eyes scanning their faces.. Everyone but Bev looked shocked their jaws nearly hitting the ground eyes wide but no one spoke a word, well until Stanley cut's through the silence "Seriously Bev! This is what you couldn't tell me!? I thought something bad happened" he roll's his eyes until they land on Richie "How come you didn't tell me sooner dude?" 

"Wait what?" Richie look's at him confused, this what not the reaction he was expecting.. "Do you not trust me? Cause I swear I'm great at keeping secrets"

"Wow Stanley slow your roll, of course I trust you! It's just well Bev kinda forced it out of me, I swear she wasn't even supposed to know" 

"Okay rude, you make it sound like I held you a gun point" Bev roll's her eyes making the group chuckle, "Oh.. Okay" Stan sighs feeling a bit stupid for thinking his friend wouldn't trust him.. The loser's trusted each other with every thing, "Why is it always the guy's that talk about women the most that turn out gay?" Mike chuckles making Richie smirk "What can I say, I'm great at hiding things" 

"Dude again.. Not something you should say next to someone your with" Eddie roll's his eyes at Richie's stupidity, but from what he had seen so far the group really didn't care.. Nobody had started freaking out or yelling at them like his mother had so it was already doing ten times better, "So you guys don't care?" Richie looks around at the five of them seeing them all exchange a look before shrugging "W-why would we? Y-you're still the s-same" Bill says making a smile form on his face.. He really had worried for years over something that turned out to work out just fine "You are so unfair, I would have forced it out of him but I'm a nice person" Stanley mumbles his arms still crossed his eyes focused on the red head across from her "What is up your ass Stanley!" Bev gasp glaring at him.

"You are- Wow wait I take that back" 

"Nope too late Stanley! It has already been said" Beverly grins seeing the glare Stanley was giving her the teens around them laughing as they watching the two fight, for once it wasn't Eddie and Richie at each other's necks the two were still just sat next to each other staring at the two before turning their heads to look at one another Eddie rolling his eyes "They're taking our thing" Richie huffs teasingly Eddie giving a firm nod "I know right? Fighting is our thing" 

The fighting stops when the sound of the phone ringing could be heard from outside so Bill jumps to his feet and hurries into the house wanting to catch the phone before it hung up, once he was gone the group falls silent each of them going back to looking around or up at the bright blue sky clouds dotting it here and there. "Uh Eddie.. It's for you" Bill says without a stutter as he steps back onto the porch, Eddie looks at him confused seeing the other's giving him the same confused glance "Who is it?" he ask while standing up dusting the back of his shorts off as he starts walking towards the house "No clue, just asked if you were here.. Knew your full name" Bill shrugs watching Eddie pass him. Once inside the house he walks over to the phone that was sat on the kitchen counter who ever the person was waiting on the other side, Eddie couldn't help himself from feeling nervous.. Who would be calling at Bill's house asking for him by full name? 

"Hello?" He says hoping his voice didn't come off too shaky as he speaks into the phone, "Hey Kid.." a male voice speaks up from the other line.. Once the voice hit's his ears Eddie could remember it, he had heard the higher pitch but still scratchy voice before but for some reason his mind was going blank. 

"It's your uncle tom, probably the last person you expected huh?" That's where he knew the voice!  It had been a while since he had heard or seen him the last time being two Christmas's ago the last one that the whole family came together for it.. His mother never told Eddie why he couldn't talk or see him again but after that it was like he just vanished from the family, nobody speaking a word about him anymore.. But Eddie had over heard his mom talking on the phone one night he didn't know to who but he guessed it was just one of his aunts but the two were going on about how could he do this to the family and how he was normal for so many years and now that he lived in the city he changed.. 

"Yeah I guess It's just been a while.. How did you get this number though?" Eddie ask leaning back against the counter having the feeling that this was going to be a long conversation, "Forced it out of your mom" he answers Eddie being able to hear a small chuckle after the words "You talked to mom? I thought you guys didn't talk anymore?"

"Oh trust me we don't, it was an awful conversation but.. When I heard what happened I needed to find out what that women was planning on doing.." 

"You.. You heard?"

"You know what our family is like Eddie, gossip spreads quick.. Nothing stays a secret" 

"So what did she tell you.. My mom I mean.."

"Well she went on and on about how she just wanted to save you but once I actually got something out of her she said that you were moving out right after high school"

"She mention the part where she kicked me out?" Eddie roll's his eyes, at the moment it seemed very likely that his mother would lie to make herself seem less like a monster that wanted to send her son away to god knows where. "No, but I kinda put it together.. They sort of did the same thing to me"

"Wait what?" 

"They never told you what happened?" He ask sounded a bit more surprised, but Eddie had never truly had the full story "No, what happened?"

"Dating a guy happened" 

"What!? You.. You're.."

"Gay? Yeah it's a pretty new thing, at least you figured out early" 

"Holy shit.. So what the just kicked you out of the family?" 

"Basically, your mom didn't want me around you anymore said I was going to rub off on you.. Well I guess I still did huh" 

Eddie let's out a small laugh before peaking out the window seeing his friends still sat on the lawn seeming to be waiting for him, "Uncle Tom.. What's going on, why did you call?"

"Well because I don't want you to feel like I did Eddie, I want you to know that once you're out of high school you can come crash at my place until you can get onto your own two feet.. Plus if you still wanna god to that fancy college you talked about it's only an hour from me" 

"Really.. You'd let me live with you?" 

"Of course, you always have me even if the rest of the family forgets about you.. They suck anyway" 

"Holy shit.. Thank you so much you do not know how much this means to me!" Eddie says his eyes wide a large grin on his face god he just wanted to scream, finally something in his life was fucking working out for him after the universe just decided to give him the worst luck ever. "You write down my number and give me a call whenever you need anything okay? I'll keep in contact with you too" 

"Okay.. Thank you again Tom, I really appreciate it" 

"Of course, talk to you later kid" He says before hanging up leaving Eddie stood there the phone still pressed against his ear listening to the static on the other side, he slowly put's it back onto the wall before placing a hand over his mouth.. He had a place to stay, he didn't have to spend hours worrying about how he was going to live after high school.. He really had a place. 

"Ed's? You okay?" Richie says stepping inside the kitchen giving him a confused look seeing the way he was stood there seemingly frozen in shock, "I have a place to stay.." Eddie speaks up turning his head to look at Richie seeing him only turn even more confused "What?"

"Well apparently my uncle is gay too.. And well that was him, he said once high school was done I could move in with him" Eddie rants the words spilling out of him like a water fall, Richie stands there piecing the words together in his brain once Eddie starts rambling the two just stare at each other "Holy shit, really? Ed's that's great" Richie smiles once his words finally click Eddie smiling back at him rushing over throwing his arms up around his shoulder making Richie lean down an inch his smile growing as he wraps his arms around Eddie's waist. He enjoyed seeing Eddie finally so happy he knew that the whole thing with his mom was weighting on him but now seeing him basically jumping with joy it made him happy just seeing it, the stay wrapped up in each other's arms before Eddie pulls aways after a few minutes a bright happy smile still painted on his face..

"I love you" Richie blurts out his eyes going wide when he realizes what the fuck just slipped out of his mouth, where the hell did that even come from? Not once had he thought about the word love before and god of course he knew it was way to soon to even think about saying it to Eddie. Who was now just stood there staring at him with the same wide eyes his lips parted like he was about to say something but nothing come out.. "You don't have to say it back! Jesus I don't even know where that came from" He let's out a nervous chuckle of course trying to cover up the awkward situation with humor like he did with ever thing that made me uncomfortable or anxious, "Sorry I just- I really have no idea where that even came from, y'know what it might just be smart to forget that I even said that" he continues to ramble all well Eddie stares at him a small smile forming on his face but Richie was to being rambling and nervous playing with a strand of his hair to notice. 

"I love you too" 

"What...?" Richie stares at him now being the one in shock, "You don't need to freak out over a few words Rich" Eddie chuckles making Richie smile too.. "Since when were you the rational one huh?"

"I couldn't watch you ramble any more, it was sad"

"Oh aren't you sweet"