Reddie oneshots | smut, fluff and angst |

It will be fun trust me |ig fluff|

Eddie was 17, laying in bed reading one of the numerous books his mom had bought him for Christmas. It's all he ever got. Books, socks, and maybe a new type of health drink. At least it's all he got from his mother. But there was another Christmas tradition his mom didn't know about, and that's the tradition that he kept his bedroom window unlocked.

There was a knock on the window before it was slid open swiftly. Eddie didn't even bother looking up. He knew who it was.

"Spaghetti man!" an excited whisper came from the window before a rustling sound signaled that the speaker had clambered into the room. Every year on Christmas night, Richie Tozier climbs into Eddie Kaspbrak's unlocked window and they exchange presents. This became a tradition the Christmas when the two of them were 14. Richie's family members were all out of town on work trips, leaving him alone to celebrate. Eddie was sent to bed at his normal bed time of 8:30 despite it being a holiday, and he decided to call Richie on a whim. When he found out that Richie was alone, he didn't hesitate to invite him over to sit in his room and read comics together. That first year, they only exchanged some candy for Christmas presents, but since then, their presents have gotten better and better.

"I saved you some cake, but it's pretty gross," Eddie said, finally putting down the book and reaching into his drawer and pulling out a fruitcake wrapped in a napkin.

"Ah, the wonderful Mrs. K! She can find a way to ruin everything!" Richie laughed, throwing himself backwards onto Eddie's bed. "What's wrong with it this year? Gluten free?"

"Gluten free AND sugar free," Eddie explained. "Plus all of the fruits were pre-dried."

"Fruit cake isn't even good in the first place," Richie snorted. "Mrs. K needs to step up her game and ruin something that's actually tasty." Eddie couldn't help but crack a grin as he slid the fruit cake into the trashcan next to his bed.

"Here's your real present," Eddie said, reaching back into his drawer and pulling out two small wrapped presents.

"Oh! Two this year, Eds?" Richie smiled. "You spoil me!"

"Oh shut up," Eddie rolled his eyes. "And you know-"

"Yeah, yeah! I know, Eddie," Richie laughed. This was normally the part where Richie would pull a small present out of his pocket to hand to Eddie, but he didn't. Instead he took the two packages and started opening them. Eddie raised an eyebrow but didn't mention his confusion.

Inside the first package was a mixtape, one Eddie had made full of songs that he knew Richie would like along with one that he knew he would absolutely hate. They'd been best friends for so long, Eddie could listen to a song once and know whether or not Richie would like it. He decided to make a game out of it and see if he was right, hoping that he had picked the right song to annoy Richie any time he listened to the tape. It was funny to annoy him, but only barely. He didn't want to chase his best friend away.

The second package contained something most people wouldn't think to give Richie. Eddie wasn't most people. Eddie knew that Richie would love to get this Beanie Baby, Valentino the bear. It was white with a little red heart stitched onto it's chest. Richie had a small collection of Beanie Babies because the first year he had climbed into Eddie's window on Christmas night, Eddie didn't have a present for Richie so he just gave him one of his Beanie Babies his mom had given him when he was younger. It became another tradition.

"Ah yes! My own little Eddie bear," Richie grinned, poking the bear's heart gently and laughing. Eddie was worried about buying a Beanie Baby bear for a 17 year old, but the smile on Richie's face told him that he was right to stick to tradition.

"I don't even let my mom call me that anymore," is all Eddie said in reply, but he couldn't help but let the small smile show on his face. Richie didn't say anything in response, although usually he would have the perfect snippy reply to that. Eddie glanced up at him, wondering what could be holding his tongue. "Richie, are you ok?"