Just a Stupid Nightmare

Richie blinked his eyes, confused as to how he'd ended up on his back.

"Rich, hey!"

Richie blinked again and saw Eddie leaning over him, a wide smile on his face.

"Yeah! There he is! Richie, I did it! I-"

Warm blood splattered across Richie's face and he gasped.

A long claw was sticking through Eddie's chest.

"Eddie," he whispered.

"Richie… Rich…"

Pennywise lifted Eddie into the air.

"EDDIE!"

"Richie!"

Richie shot up in bed, breathing heavily and sweat pouring off him.

"Rich, it's okay."

Richie turned wide eyes to the left, looking at the man on the other side of the bed.

"Eds, you're okay?"

Eddie was propping himself up with his left elbow, his right hand resting on Richie's back. His face softened at the question.

"Yeah, Rich, I'm okay," Eddie said softly. "I'm okay, you're okay. We're both okay Richie."

"I… I thought…" Richie was still fighting to catch his breath.

"It was just a nightmare," Eddie assured him, "Just a stupid nightmare. Come here." He laid back, tugging on Richie's arm. The taller man went easily, laying his head on Eddie's chest and listening to the soothing thump of his heart.

"Want to tell me what it was about?" Eddie asked, one hand in Richie's hair as the other ran up and down his back.

"Pennydick," Richie rasped, "He… he killed you… I couldn't stop it. I couldn't-"

"Shhh, okay," Richie soothed as sobs racked Richie's body, the images from his nightmare flashing repeatedly through his head.

"It was just a nightmare," Eddie said again, "It felt real, it was scary, but it was just a nightmare. You did save me, Richie. You got me out of that house, kept me alive, and we're okay."

"I can't lose you," Richie murmured, pressing his face into Eddie's neck, "All those years without you I didn't remember what I was missing. But now? Jesus Eddie, I couldn't do it."

"And you never have to Rich," Eddie promised, tightening his hold. "You never have to."

I will forever ignore canon and have accepted that Eddie lived and him and Richie lived happily ever after together. Yup, that's exactly what happened.

Thanks for reading!