soft ✃ reddie

3:10 pm

(warning; some harsh language, and physical violence ! )

school lets out around 3, and richie has been walking eddie home everyday.
richie insists it's because eddies mom would be disappointed if he didn't, but they both know it's because richie is worried about him.

"are you sure you can go home alone today? i can cancel hanging out with bill, it's no big, i see him everyday!" richie looked worried, "what if you run into bowers ! i don't want you getting hurt eds.."

eddie blushes,  "i'll be f-fine rich. promise. and if anything happens, i'll never walk home alone again." he says.

"damn right you won't!" he ruffles eddies hair and smiles. "okay.. just be safe. you know i worry."

eddie just rolls his eyes and blushes, "im not a baby yknow.." he mumbles, "you sound like my mom.."

richie sighs and hugs him. "well, i get why your mom is so careful with you now.. you've been in this town.. what, 3? 4 days? you've already got me worried sick about you!" richie pinches his cheek, eddie just laughs.

"bye rich.." he begins the 20 minute walk home, pulling out his walk man and playing his favorite tape. the first song comes on, one of his personal favorites, i wanna dance with somebody by whitney houston.

he hums and nods his head to the rhythm as he walks.

"clock strikes upon the hour,
and the sun begins to fade" he mumbles along to the song smiling, "still enough time to figure out how to chase my blues away.."

he lets a few more seconds of the song play, leading up to the chorus. at this point, eddies singing at the top of his lungs, "oh i wanna dance with somebody ! i wanna feel the heat with somebody ! yeah, i wanna dance with somebody !"

he giggles and continues walking.

unfortunately for poor eddie, his music was turned up to full volume.
because of this, eddie didn't hear henry bowers and his goons snickering, or them running up to him, or them calling him names that would've broken the fragile boy.

however, eddie did feel a hand grabbing his arm and ripping the headphones off his head. and he did see them stomp on his only walkman and his favorite tape. his prized possession.

fear, to say the least, filled his body. the small boy froze in terror as he realized he had no one to save him.
no curly haired, deep voice having, dark clothes wearing richie toizer to save him.

"you wanna dance, huh girly boy?" one of henry's friends spoke, making the other two laugh. he felt tears sting his eyes, and his head swirled with thoughts, but his most prominent thought being:

R U N.

and so he did.

though his legs were short, and skinny, engulfed in his old red (almost pink) shorts, boy could eddie run.

he felt warm tears streaming down his face, and his lungs began to burn. his mind was screaming, and his ears were ringing,

why didn't i just listen to richie?

eddie made it a few blocks before he once again felt a tug on his arm. he was thrown to the ground, and kicked around by the three boys. "piece of shit, making us run all that way for your scrawny ass!" henry yelled, kicking eddies ribs and leaning down, almost whispering in his ear, "your little boyfriend isn't here to save you now, is he?" he laughed and tugged at the boys hair.

the small boy on the ground stared at the sky, eyes spilling, overflowing with tears. he kept hoping and praying richie might show up;
praying that richie would come to his rescue and make them all leave.

but he never did.

!

eddie managed to limp home, certain at least one bone was broken.
he could practically feel the bruises forming on his figure.

as he walked in the door he saw his mother asleep on the couch. a weight was lifted off his chest, if she saw one scratch on the boy she would've taken him straight to the emergency room.

he got upstairs and cleaned himself up, taking a shower and changing into clean clothes. when he got out of the shower, eddie looked in the mirror only to see a purple-green ring around his eye.

he sighed and slumped into his bed and closed his eyes, his bruised body finally able to rest.

but eddie didn't dream of richie that night.
he dreamed of nothing.

ahhh this was a bit long, so do you all like longer chapters like this or do you prefer shorter ones? let me know.!  also thank you so much for all the reads and votes ! it means so much that people like my crappy story..

anyways i hope you're all happy and warm, be safe !