Richie could barely keep his eyes open as it grew later and the rest of the Losers joined the "party" around the TV, watching the New Years Eve Special on TV.

Mike, Ben and Went were out in the back, starting a fire in the fire pit they had installed a few years ago, so the teens would stop burning leaves in the middle of the backyard.

Everyone else watched the TV or just talked about school starting back soon, and their assignments that had yet to be done.

"I haven't done a damn thing." Richie snorted.

"I'm sure your teachers will understand." Maggie told him, fingers running through his hair- the main reason he could barely keep his eyes open. He snorted again.

"As if, ma. They would just be like well Richard you had plenty of time before you got your ass rightfully kicked."

"First of all-" Eddie started.

"I'm not saying it was right, they are." Richie interrupted. Eddie huffed.

"They are really like that, Mrs. Tozier." Stan told her. "They don't care about any excuse."

"Yet most of it they don't even grade." Bev rolled her eyes.

"How do you think I get good grades on homework? I just write a bunch of bullshit in them in Homeroom and then turn it in. Especially math. Cockles don't give a damn."

"Oh fuck all the way off, how do you think I get good grades? Cause you're smart?" Stan mocked.

"Shut." Richie replied.

"Richie, you look like you're gonna pass out any second." Bill snickered.

"Who asked you, Billiam?"

"You know you're sleepy, baby." Maggie cooed at him, using her free hand to poke his left cheek. He glared up at her playfully. "But everyone knows you've gotta stay up for fireworks or you'll have a hissy fit."

"Will not."

"Will too. Age five, he had the biggest temper tantrum known to man because he missed the first firework of the night." Went said as he walked into the living room.

"I almost died and you people betray me. How rude."

"Oh shut up, ass. You big baby." Eddie rolled his eyes.

"Eddie, my love-" Richie reached a hand out to him and Eddie smacked it, but then grabbed it, blushing. "So mean."

"The fire is ready and waiting, we have the chairs and all set up too." Went told them. "We've got about fifteen minutes until midnight so we can go ahead and get warmed up."

"Everyone grab your blankets!" Eddie said as they began to stand. He helped Maggie up, and the two helped Richie up, who huffed a little but didn't argue. Bev helped him with his jacket and tossed a beanie at him and he put it on sloppily.

The group made their way outside, the couples sitting together- including Richie and Eddie, who have yet to talk about their feelings anymore. Once they were settled, Went sat up and looked at his son.

"I'm sorry we didn't get fireworks this year, son." he apologized. "Just with everything that happened, by the time I thought about them, they were already gone." Richie just waved him off.

"It's no fun unless I can set them off myself too." he said. "They're cool and all but fucking with eveyone is funner."

"Funner isn't a word." Stan quipped.

"Shush."

Ben, of course, had the countdown on his phone so that everyone was prepared for the fireworks to start.

"What? I don't want anyone to get spooked!" he exclaimed.

"You're adorable." Bev kissed his cheek and his cheeks turned an even darker shade of red.

"So, Went and I have decided on whether or not we're gonna find out the gender." Maggie said. Richie perked up a little at that.

"Are you?" Bev asked, excitement clear in her voice.

"We are, however," Maggie looked at Went.

"We're gonna ask the doctor to write it down and put it in an envelope, and we want to ask if Mike and Ben would figure out some way of surprising us with it."

"Us? Why?"

"Well for one, we feel like you two would keep the secret." Maggie chuckled. "Obviously we wouldn't let Richie or Bev, cause it's their little brother or sister, you know?"

"God I love hearing that." Bev said, grinning.

"I love saying it." Maggie beamed at her.

"We'd love to, right Ben?" Mike said, and Ben nodded.

"I hate to say, but Bill, Stan and Eddie crack under the pressure of secret keeping." Went said, laughing at the offended looks sent his way.

"Okay I c-can't say anything, I know." Bill snorted.

"Me?" Stan asked, as if his feelings were hurt.

"You know damn well you can't keep a secret."

"Bullshit I can't keep a secret." he huffed.

"Staniel, you are very good at keeping secrets. Like those real serious ones." Richie said. "But when it comes to surprises you get too excited."

"Says you!"

"Yet every one of you guys have gotten surprises from me and didn't have a clue! Beat that, bitch."

"Christ." Stan covered his face with his hands.

"You're Jewish."

"You have no idea how many threats are going through my mind right now." Stan deadpanned.

"You love me." Stan sighed.

"Sadly, yes."

"Ha! Ow, shit." Richie grimaced a little, feeling the staples pull a little when he laughed. "Fucking staples man."

"Do you need anything?" Maggie asked. "You haven't taken any pain medicine since two, if you need any it wouldn't hurt."

"Nah, I'm alright, ma. I don't wanna take any unless I need it." he mumbled, rubbing at his cheek.

"Well let one of us know." she told him. He nodded.

Eddie wanted to ask him why he wouldn't take his medicine like it was scheduled, but knew he wouldn't tell him. At least, not with everyone around.

"I just realized school starts back on Tuesday." Bev whined.

"Ew." Richie made a noise. "Have fun with that."

"You know you're gonna miss us being around all day every day." she said.

"Duh. As if I wouldn't. But I do not wanna deal with everyone staring at me just yet." he scoffed. "And I can only imagine the rumors Bowers goons are gonna be spreading." he rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry about them, we'll handle them." Eddie said confidently. Richie smiled at him, reaching a hand underneath their shared blanket, and Eddie didn't hesitate to hold it.

"Well, on the brightside, you get to run errands with me for two weeks!" Maggie said, clapping her hands, grinning at her son.

"Walmart?" he asked.

"Walmart. And you can ride the scooter without getting yelled at."

"Hell yeah!" he grinned at her.

"One minute guys!" Ben said. It felt like forever to them before he began counting down from ten. When he started, Eddie let go of Richie's hand- who frowned- but then stood up. Everyone watched him for a second, but as soon as the fireworks went off, they were kissing their respective partners, Mike standing up and cheering. Eddie leaned down, using one of his hands to tilt Richie's chin up, and kissed him. Richie eagerly kissed back, his hands reaching up to rest on Eddie's arms.

"Happy New Year!" Everyone cheered, but Richie and Eddie were in their own little world, ignoring everyone around them. Bill and Mike whistled at them and Bev cheered when they saw them, bringing everyone else's attention to them. Richie flipped them off, but had to pull away after a few more seconds, chest almost heaving.

"Sorry." he told Eddie, literally breathless. "Can't hold my breath that long." Eddie couldn't help but laugh as he sat back down, scooting his chair impossibly closer to Richie's. They held hands again, as everyone settled in for the neighborhood firework show.

Richie was out cold not long after one in the morning, Eddie joined him, lying closest to the wall in case Richie had to get up during the night. Richie faced him, face squished against his pillow, his hands clasped together close to his chest. The only way he could lay on his side was with a bunch of pillows, which he didn't mind all that much. Eddie just played with his hair for what felt like hours, staring at him. He looked peaceful, rested, almost. It was quiet in the room, fireworks having died down now, and everyone else still down stairs with Maggie and Went. Everyone was staying the night, once more before school starts back, and spending the day together tomorrow.

"Is he asleep?" Maggie whispered, slowly walking into the room.

"Yeah, knocked out." Eddie chuckled quietly.

"Good." she smiled upon reaching them, able to see her son now. She held a glass of water and a medicine cup with a pill in it. "I brought this in case he wakes up needing it."

"Is there a… reason, he won't take his medicine like he's supposed to? Or is he just that stubborn?" Maggie sighed, placing the items on the table next to his bed.

"He is stubborn, you know that… but, some stuff happened, years ago with his uncle that involved medicine."

"He never told us about that. Was that in two thousand eight?" he asked. She nodded, biting her lip. "He said it had to do with his uncle, we know how shitty he is, but he never told us what happened.

"I guess there's a reason he hasn't actually told you, so… I'm not gonna say anything else but, it's not something I'm worried about. Not when it comes to him and this." she held the medicine cup up for him to see. He nodded. "He'll talk about it when he's ready." he nodded again, kissing his forehead. Richie let out a quiet sigh, but didn't react otherwise. She smiled. "I'm gonna let you get to sleep, everyone is gonna come up soon."

"Alright, goodnight." he held out a fist and she chuckled, fist bumping him.

"Night, Sweetie." she left the room, closing the door about halfway.


Everyone slept until around noon- and would have slept longer if they hadn't been woken up. It wasn't necessarily a rude wake up call, though.

Eddie hadn't moved much in his sleep, and neither had Richie, so normally when Eddie didn't move a lot he woke up sore as all hell, which was the case this time, but what woke him up wasn't that.

Richie was lying on his back now, using one arm to hold a pillow to his stomach, the other covering his face. He was crying, trying not to make any noise.

"Chee? What's wrong?" Eddie asked instantly, sitting up on his arm. He hadn't meant to be so loud, and cringed a little when the others started moving around on the floor. Bev sat up, her hair sticking out in every direction. When she saw that Richie was crying, she crawled over to the bed quickly.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I don't know, I just woke up to this." Eddie told her.

"Richie, honey, what's wrong?" she asked him. She eyed the pain medicine that was still on the bedside table. "Are you in pain?"

"No." he shook his head a little.

"Then what is it?" she asked softly. The others were awake and sitting up now, watching worriedly.

"I don't fucking know." he cried. "I don't know."

Bev and Eddie looked at each other as he began sobbing, not caring if he woke anyone up now. Eddie moved so that he was flat on the bed, wiggling his arm under the pillow Richie's head was on, placing his forehead on Richie's shoulder and holding the hand that was on the pillow.

"We're here, Chee." Eddie told him softly, as Bev did a similar move, resting her head on her hands, making sure she was touching him so he knew she was there.

She could feel someone's footsteps behind her, and looked up to see Stan holding tissue paper out to her. She mouthed a thank you to him and sat all the way up on her knees.

"Richie, can you move your hand for me?" she asked gently. It took him a second, but he moved his hand, keeping his eyes closed as his breath stuttered. She gently used the tissue to wipe the tears off his face.

"I'm sorry." he whimpered.

"Sorry for what? You haven't done anything, Chee. It's okay to be upset." Eddie told him.

"The doctors said there would be times that you just cry and are upset and it's normal." Bev said. "So if you feel like you need to cry, just cry."

Richie nodded and hiccupped, letting out a low moan. "Fuck." he muttered.

"Yeah, that hurt didn't it?" Bev asked him. He nodded, and she grabbed the pain medicine and water, holding it out to him. He huffed and Eddie helped him sit up enough to take it.

"I hate this shit." he grumbled, taking the medicine. He let Bev take the glass of water back and he managed to get up on his own, wiping at his eyes as he left the room.

"I would love to personally murder Bowers." Stan said, matter-of-factly.

"We all would, Stan." Mike replied. Bev hopped on the bed with Eddie, waiting on Richie to come back, but he never did, so the six remaining teens finally got out of their old sleeping bags, and made their way downstairs to see where their friend was.

He was seated next to his mom on the couch, both with their feet resting on the coffee table, bowls of ice cream in their laps.

"Hey, why'd you leave us up there? So you could hog all the ice cream?" Bev joked, crossing her arms and pouting.

"Yes." Richie said, sticking his tongue out at her. He looked to be in a bit better mood now. "Sorry about that. I don't know what my deal is."

"Like Bev said, if you need to cry, cry." Ben shrugged as they sat around the living room.

"Wait, you were upset?" Maggie asked, looking at her son. He shrugged a little.

"Yeah." he said. "I woke up and just started crying like a baby."

"Did you have a bad dream or something?" she asked. He shook his head and put a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth.

"I want real food." he changed the subject. "This liquid shit is for the birds. Literally."

"Good Lord." Stan covered his eyes with his hands.

"I'm sorry you can't eat solids yet, baby." Maggie told him, resting her head on his shoulder. "At your doctor's appointment next week they're gonna do a few tests and see how your stomach is holding up, and if you get the okay to eat regular food we'll go wherever you want." he wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Yes, anything." she rolled her eyes.

"You're the best."