real; reddie

t w e n t y f i v e

"i'm really not a fan of this movie."

eddie is uncomfortably curled up on the couch in will's living room, snacking on flavourless popcorn while his friend searches the horror-thriller section to find a movie for the two to watch. it's storming outside, dark and dreary, and when eddie had suggested they watch something, will had immediately opted for a scare.

and, while eddie is fine with certain horror movies, the other boy had just happened to choose the one that he and richie had watched before they'd truly started dating. eddie feels sick to his stomach as his eyes scan the familiar movie cover and he recalls the 'date' the two of them had shared, at the beginning of everything.

"relax, eds, it'll be fun," will pleads, but it sounds less like he's asking and more like he's telling him to get on board as he clicks play. he shoots eddie a cheeky wink before saying, "don't worry. if you get scared, i'll protect you."

eddie offers a halfhearted smile as will leans back, throwing a casual arm over the couch back and around eddie's shoulders. the movie begins, and although he tries to focus on the plot, he finds himself drifting in and out of the present, only half registering the familiar movie.

what he's really focused on is richie, their breakup. he's been worrying himself sick for days, unable to eat until this morning when will had made him some plain toast and scrambled eggs. now, he mindlessly picks at the popcorn bowl, inattentive. he can only think about the love of his life, who he'd somehow lost because of will of all people, just because richie had believed that will had less-than-good intentions.

still, eddie can't see it. will has been nothing but kind to him since he'd come to stay at his place, offering a comfortable couch to sleep on and access to a clean bathroom and any food in the fridge. he'd held him when he cried, and comforted him. they're all things that a good friend would do, and the small boy racks his brain, trying to understand what richie had seen.

especially if it had supposedly been obvious enough that it was the leading factor in their break up.

distraught, the movie soundtrack acts as background music to eddie's thoughts as he mulls this all over. he's unable to come to a sound conclusion, and before he can even attempt to conjure one up, his thoughts are interrupted.

"eddie, you good?"

eddie tries to snap out of it, which only partially works as he shifts his glazed eyes to his friend and quirks up his lips in a small grin of acknowledgment. "oh, yeah, i'm fine. sorry."

an intentional smile appears on will's face and he shakes his head. "don't tell me you're getting scared?"

"uh, no," eddie furrows his eyebrows a bit, releasing a short laugh as his friend squeezes his shoulder tightly.

"it's okay to be scared," will murmurs, his voice dropped much lower now. eddie is taken aback, and a bit confused, and he tries to laugh it off as will continues, "i told you i'd protect you."

eddie realizes too late just how close will is to him, his head a mere few inches away, and everything clicks into place in his mind as will leans in to kiss eddie.