Perfectly imperfect

even

The time they got home was late into 6:30 or 7:00, the sunset getting more apparent in the distance. Richie was walking home regularly and he heard Eddie from behind him.

"Hey! Where you going? West ridge is over here!" Eddie giggled. Richie's face burnt up. The hands in his jean pockets turned sweaty. He didn't turn around as he answered.

"Sorry, I have to Uh.. go to the grocery store for my old man."

Eddie nodded and then realized richie couldn't see him so he answered a shakey late 'okay'.

"Bye Richie. See yah tomorrow!" Eddie called out to him. Richie replied with a wave behind him. It would've looked like he was flipping Eddie off if he had been just a little farther up.

Eddie jerked his head and walked home. He only had to walk about .2 miles to his neighbor hood while Richie had to walk 2. It was worth it though. Beats staying at home and crying all night.

When richie did get home, his feet ached. Not to sound like a wimp but richie was not built for walking long distances. He was built for running, definitely running. And tackling, and laughing with friends he deserved, meant for things that made him happy. If there was anyone in the world that didn't deserve depression, it was richie Tozier.

His mom was awake and at the counter eating a sandwich, a smoke in the other hand and a magazine in front of her. Richie, for a second, smiled. She looked lovely there in front of him, like a flower in bloom. Something so live about her right now.

"Hey ma" Richie greeted. She acknowledged him with a nod and that was so minute not everyone would be able to catch it. Oh but Richie's been searching for the smallest moment from his mother since he was 5. He knew all gestures so matter how small.

He raced up to his room and jumped into bed. His head heavy and heart finally filling itself up. He'd say about a month ago it was empty. Today it's at least at 10% (as cheesy as it sounds).

For a weird minute, just a minute, he buries his face into his pillow and pretended it was Eddies neck, his soft shirt brushing onto his fa—

Snap out of it Tozier! God what's wrong with you?! Your fantasizing about your only friend! And he's not gay either! He's straight and probably thinks you're disgusting! The teachers probably paying him to be your friend you idiot.

Richie's face pulled into a frown, his eyebrows furrowing and lips curving down. Ugh, why couldn't he just let himself be gay for gods sake!

Richie chuckled at the thought, his own mind being homophobic to himself, a homosexual.

-
At eddies house, he was sitting at the wooden desk with a pairing wooden chair, pencil in hand and journal in front of him. His journal.

Now, Eddie was only a big writer on memorable accessions and he can problem verify that this was definitely a memorable accession.

He wrote about how richie touched his shoulder, how Richie's lips looked curving into a smile. How his hair flew wildly, curly at the ends. His freckles that carefully dotted his cheeks. The cheeks Eddie wanted to kiss. Yes Eddie was a descriptive person. He wrote more about the bowling alley, his tics, evergreens.

He checked the clock beside him on the wall. 8:30, he better get ready for bed, which was at 9. So, he got out of his chair and was careful to push it in. Okay so he needed to brush hi—

"Ow! Shit."

He muttered the last word because if he didn't the raging bitch of a mother he had would stomp on up here and-

He stubbed his toe. The throbbing pain pounded slightly in his head at he gritted his teeth. A bead of sweat formed on his nose. Oh no, this has happened before with his hand on the car door, he was wondering if the same feeling would come back. It did, like an unbearable itch, he couldn't help it, the pain, it had to be even.

He absentmindedly kicked his other foots pinky toe onto the table, and holy shit by all of God's glory it was hard. Too hard, Eddie had overestimated the pain in his first toe because he was pretty sure this wasn't it, this pain seared through his entire foot and all the way up to his calf

Of course he screamed.

Now, the small sounds that Eddie made when he was asleep were enough for Sonia to come running up in a worryful fit to check on him so you could imagine how fast his loving mother ran her fanny up here to cater to the boy on the floor.

Turns out, he broke his goddamn toe.