Tight-Knit Family| Richie Tozier

16-

September 1992 (tw- slurs. Homophobia (actually keep this warning for the two chapters after this too))

Eddie was nervous to go home. He looked at lot different than when he left and he was most likely going to be screamed at. The place where he lived didn't feel like a home. He considered the Tozier's house home. The 16 year old sighs and puts his key into the door, letting himself in.

"Eddie bear! Oh Eddie bear I never thought you'd come back!" Sonia says, walking over to him but stopping when she sees his hair and clothes." What did you do?"

"I'm trying to find my style." Eddie replies with a shrug. Sonia then grips his hair to get a closer look, causing him to wince slightly. Then she notices the scar on his eyebrow from the fight he had with Tony.

"Who did that to you?" She asks, concern growing and Eddie know he's never going to be allowed to see Richie ever again from the tone of voice she's using.

"Tony Green. I started the fight, though. He was being awful to Richie." Eddie explains.

"Yeah, well, Richie probably deserved it. Don't get involved in things which don't concern you, Eddie bear, I've said this." Sonia says and Eddie can feel that familiar anger bubble in the pit of his stomach." Now, you better go and wash that ridiculous colour out of your hair or I'm shaving it off."

"Mom." Eddie sighs. But he feels powerless under her glare so he walks off upstairs to try and wash the colour out.

It doesn't work. It'll need a few more washes but Sonia Kaspbrak is a very impatient woman and that's how Eddie finds himself with a shaved head a few days before he starts his junior year. He hates it. He thinks he looks stupid and any confidence he had previously was gone. He feels like crying but he doesn't want to cry infront of her. Doesn't want to give her that satisfaction.

"That fight I had with Tony. That did concern me. It had to do with me." Eddie says as he stands up. Sonia glares at him." He was going to call Richie a faggot."

"So? It's probably true which is why I hate you spending so much time with him. He'll probably infect you with his illness." Sonia spits and Eddie frowns, trying to keep his temper under control." How does that affect you if he called Richie that?"

"Because he was talking about both of us. He may have said it to Richie but I was still mentioned within the conversation." Eddie explains and Sonia looks at him.

"Why?" Sonia asks. Eddie remains silent. He can't bring himself to admit it." Eddie bear, why would it involve you?"

"He saw Richie and I kissing." Eddie admits and Sonia looks as if she's going to faint." We thought we'd played it off but it's obvious he saw and-

"I knew that boy was a bad influence. I just knew it!" Sonia says and she's breathing heavily." You aren't gay. You can't be. I-I-It's wrong. So wrong-

"Mom...I am gay. Okay. I know you don't want to hear that but I am and I always have been." Eddie says and Sonia glares at him with so much hate in her eyes. It hurts him to see her look at him like that. All he wants is a mom that loves him and he'd just lost that.

"You're not going to that house again. You're not seeing Richie again. That boy has plagued you, manipulated you somehow into thinking that you like boys." Sonia starts to rant and Eddie swallows back tears." Tell me it was only the one kiss."

Eddie remains silent and Sonia gasps and looks like she's going to be sick. Eddie manages to hold back his tears but it's difficult.

"So what have you done with him? Sex? Is that it? Underaged, probably unprotected, sex?"

"No we haven't had sex. We've...been intimate but never the full way." Eddie snaps, starting to become frustrated with the situation." But we aren't just...fooling around. Mom, I love him."

"No. No you don't. I won't allow it!" Sonia sighs angrily." You're 16. You don't know what love is or what it feels like! And if this boy has warped-

"He hasn't! Mom I've been in love with him since I was a small toddler! Was it not obvious?" Eddie snaps." I love Richie and he loves me and there's nothing you can do about that!"

"I'll take you to a church or something. Get you sorted out! Make you my normal boy again." Sonia snaps and those words cut into Eddie like a knife and he can't hold back any more.

"Fuck you!" He cries." FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! YOU'RE MY MOM. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO LOVE AND SUPPORT ME NO MATTER WHAT!"

"How can I when you're broken?" Sonia says. Eddie's crying so hard that he's struggling to breathe. He takes a sharp inhale and walks to the front door." Where are you going?"

"Anywhere away from you!" Eddie states.

He can hear Sonia calling for him, but he just starts running. She won't follow if he runs. She can't run after him. His chest is heavy and his mind is racing and there's tears uncontrollably falling down his face and his head is cold. He gets to the Toziers and knocks on the door. Richie's home alone as his mom is out with her sister and his dads at work.

"Oh my god, Eddie, what happened?" Richie asks as Eddie closes the front door behind him. He just cries harder and Richie hugs him tightly." What happened, talk to me."

"I don't have a mom anymore." Eddie cries and Richie sits him down in the living room." I told her I was gay and...she said she'd take me to a church to make me normal again."

"Baby, I'm sorry." Richie apologises and Eddie looks up at him from where he's resting his head in Richie's lap. His eyes are glistening with tears and Richie hates seeing him upset." Did she shave your head?"

"She didn't like the blonde." Eddie explains." I look stupid now. I hate it!"

"It feels soft." Richie says as he runs a hand over it. Eddie swats it away. Richie then leans down and kisses all over the top of Eddie's head, making him laugh and sit up." I still think you're a cutie."

Eddie smiles and Richie kisses him gently, making him smile. The two then watch TV and wait for either Wentworth or Maggie to come back. When they do, Eddie explains the situation (leaving that he came out out of it) and Maggie and Wentworth agree to go to court and get custody of Eddie.

It takes just under a year, and Eddie's hair is fully grown back and brown, by the time they become his legal guardians. Wentworth offers Eddie the spare room but he decides he wants to continue sharing with Richie.