Richie + Eddie (Completed)

1 year.

(Song for the chapter is Count Me In by Early Winters)

IT. It's been a year exactly since the losers defeated IT. IT has taken a mental toll on all of them, but especially Eddie Kaspbrak, but the others don't exactly know that.

The losers sat at the Derry Pizzeria. No one was talking, no one wanted to talk. This was better then being alone though. The silence is finally broken by Richie.

"So, my parents aren't gonna be around tonight... you guys should come sleepover." He said softly, a rare tone of voice for Richie. They all knew the reason he asked was because he did not want to be alone tonight, no one did.

"We'll be there." Said Beverly, talking about her and Bill because they are now that couple that refers to themselves as "we".

Ben rolled his eyes at Bev and Bill but agreed. Stanley and Mike agreed too.

"I'm sorry, I...I can't." Eddie spitted out as he looked sadly at hid half eaten pepperoni pizza.

"What?" Richie asked. "No. Eds, you have to come. We have to be together."

"I just can't tonight. My mom probably won't let me anyway so..."

"Eddie, it won't be the same without you."

Eddies face blushed red at those words.
But he couldn't. "I just can't okay!" Eddie said as he stood up and walked out the door.

"What's wrong with him?" Bev asked biting into her pineapple pizza. Which was delicious. And anyone who thought otherwise was wrong.

"Someone s-should go afte-er him" Bill stuttered.

"Well... I wanna finish my pizza" Ben said.

No one in the gang wanted to run after the flushed boy. No one was in the mood to deal with emotions.

"Fine I gotta be the grown man with the balls again I guess." Richie said as he got up.

Richie walked out the door and got on his bike. He could see the small boy on a bike in the distance and watched him turn onto Barrens Road. The losers were terrified of the Barrens, after what happened, but it also felt like home. Richie peddled fast and eventually catches up to Eddie.

"How did you catch up to me I had like two minutes on you." Eddie says looking flustered.

"My legs are a lot bigger then yours Eddie Spaghetti."

"Don't call me that."

They tossed their bikes down and sat on the rocks. "What's wrong Eds? Why can't you come? Don't you...don't you think we should all be together tonight?" Richie said staring into the boys big brown eyes.

Eddie has no problem telling just Richie what was wrong. Richie was his best friend. He loved all the gang but with Richie it was different. He felt one hundred percent himself around Richie.

"It's just that I...I..." he started.

"Come on Eddie who are you Bill? Spit it out."

Eddie took a deep breath but then began to cry. Tears were streaming down his face. "So I get these nightmares. And IT is in them." He said in between muffled sobs.

"Oh Eddie..." Richie said feeling awful for him.

"Yeah. ITs torturing us. One of us dies. Every night. I wake up screaming. My mom even put me in therapy because of it. But what am I suppose to do? Tell the therapist a clown tried to kill me and my friends last summer? I would be put into an asylum. My moms so tired of it. She use to come in and help me fall back to sleep but...now she just sleeps with ear buds in."

"Eddie...I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was so bad for you." Richie rubs Eddies back as Eddie lays his head on Richie's shoulder.

"It's been so hard" Eddie sobs.

"Hey. Hey." Richie cups Eddies chin and lifts his head. Their faces are inches apart. "Don't cry." Richie wipes Eddies tears with his thumb. "Be honest. Do you really wanna be alone tonight?" Eddie looks towards the ground and shakes his head no. "Okay. I was planning on having everyone sleep in the living room but me and you can sleep in my room. So I will be the only one who will hear you go batshit of whatever." They break apart laughing. "I will help you. With whatever you need"

"Thank you Richie. Your the best friend a guy can have." Richie jumped off the rock and gave his hand to Eddie. They rode back to their houses in silence. Richie was unsure of what just happened. Their faces were so close. He feels so protective of Eddie. He hated seeing him cry. He would do anything to make him happy.

Eddie was finally feeling okay. Richie always knew what to say to make him feel better. He loved being in Richie's arms even if that was weird for best friends.

The boys stopped their bikes at Richie's house and Richie got off. "Okay I will see you tonight right Eddie Spaghetti?"

"Yes you will. AND DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Eddie screamed as he rode off. Richie watched the small boy go until it was impossible to see him anymore. Then happily and sadly walked into his house and prepared for the sleepover.