how it started || losers club

ch 15

{lowercase intended}

eddie shuffled in bed, staring at the ceiling as he tried to sleep. he hated his early bed time. he was never able to fall asleep at that time.

a faint tap was heard at his window, which he believed was just rain. it stopped. eddie sighed. it sounded again, this time harder and followed by a quiet 'eds.'

eddie knew who it was. he smiled and slipped out of his bed, lifting up his window.

"hey," eddie greeted. richie nodded, not showing his face as he slipped in. eddie's smile slowly faded and he closed his window. he turned to richie, who was staring at the wall in front of him as he slid down the one behind him. he brought his knees to his chest and curled into himself, maintaining eye contact with the wall.

eddie jumped onto his bed, rolling over to richie and smiling as he looked at him. "what? you here to fuck my mom?" he asked, waiting for a funny joke. richie didn't answer. he slammed his head into his arms which were wrapped around his knees, and eddie's smile faded again. "you okay?"

"hmmhm."

"okay, well i'm calling bullshit on that," eddie grumbled. he shifted. "what's up?"

richie shrugged. "nothin'," he barely mumbled. eddie sighed and fell into richie.

"pleaseeee talk to me," eddie begged, tapping on his head.

"eddie stop," richie said, no emotion in his voice. eddie couldn't smile. richie seemed so dull. it scared him.

"is this about earlier? because if so, we're sorry for making you stay in the fun house of the fair," eddie said. richie huffed.

"it's not about the fucking clowns. you don't get it," richie sighed. eddie's frown was deep and he readjusted so that he was staring down at richie from his bed, arms folded as he rested his chin on them, lying on his stomach.

"what happened? your dad?" eddie pushed. when richie didn't answer, eddie put a hand of support down and rested it on richie's shoulder. "you know you can talk to me, right? i'm right here."

richie looked up, glaring up at eddie. eddie looked at him, confused as to why he was being given the death stare. he didn't understand. richie hoped he never would.

"i didn't come to lay my problems on you. i just needed company," richie barely said. eddie squirmed.

"okay.. w-what happened to you?" he asked, trying not to sound rude. richie cocked an eyebrow. "your hair's a hot mess, your glasses are positioned weirdly, there's like- grass stains all over you?"

richie sighed. he proceeded to stare ahead to the wall in front of him, ignoring the question. eddie smacked richie's shoulder, who flinched lightly, but kept his gaze on the wall.

"rich- you're like- scaring me," eddie admitted. "please talk to me. you seem so.. paralyzed?" eddie stumbled for words as he watched richie.

richie made a face of shame, turned to eddie without looking at him, and motioned for a hug. eddie smiled pitifully and rolled off the bed onto the floor with richie. he gave the boy a massive hug, which richie literally melted into.

"don't let go," richie whispered strictly.

"what happened..?" eddie asked.

"don't let go," richie repeated, tugging eddie closer and holding him tighter.

eddie sighed, running his fingers through richie's hair. he implored to know what was going on and why richie was acting the way he was acting.

"i won't."