AT ANOTHER PLACE IN TIME (YOU WERE INFINITELY MINE) ~ r e d d i e

chapter eight • VIII

chapter eight

they sat on the floor between bill and eddies bed eating salads richie ordered.

eddies hair was still damp and his cheeks flushed pink from the hot water. he was wearing richies hoodie again and clean shorts. richie tried not to look for too long.

the door opened suddenly and bill and bev walked in. they smile upon seeing eddie and each gave him a hug.

"how are y-you feeling?" bill asked caressing eddies face and looking into his eyes seriously. they had always been like this. not afraid to touch each other and show how much they care about the other.

"i'm okay" eddie shrugged. beverly sat behind eddie on his bed and played with his hair. it made eddie feel loved. "wheres everyone else?"

"we didn't th-think it was a good idea to have everyone come in at once. t-too loud." bill sat next to eddie, holding his hand and rubbing his knuckles. he pressed a kiss to eddies cheek.

richie watched the action feeling a knot in his stomach. he missed holding eddies hand. he just continued eating his salad and stayed quiet.

"how'd the team do?" eddie asked around a cucumber slice.

bill shrugged sadly, "we lost"

eddie frowned and looked down at his salad. "i should of been there."

"it's not your fault eddie" beverly instantly shut that shit down. eddie had no control over what happened.

"i shouldn't of been in the way" eddie said rubbing his forehead. he felt stupid. and weak. he hated it. he shouldn't be so fragile.

"hey," richie finally reached out and put his hand on eddies knee, "it's not your fault."

eddie looked up at richie but didn't respond. bill cut in instead.

"stan is actually i-in trouble.." bill started but beverly kicked his thigh hard giving him a look.

richie frowned, "what? why?"

beverly sighed, "we weren't gonna say anything because we didn't want anyone to worry." she shot bill a glare. "but stan confronted the guy that hit eddie and the guy picked a fight. stan didn't make the first hit though so he's trying to call self defense. but.. let's just say the dude won't be walking for a few days.."

eddies stomach dropped. what if stan got kicked off the team because of eddie? stan loves baseball! eddie would feel so bad..

he didn't even notice he was crying until richie was next to him, wiping away a flood of tears.

"it's my fault" eddie cried, burying his face in richies shoulder.

"no it's not angel," richie reassures, carding his fingers in eddies hair soothingly, "stan will be fine" he was sure about that. stan was smart.

bev looked at bill who was already looking at her with a smug look. looks like she owed him ten dollars.

"we're gonna g-go make sure stans okay" bill said standing up, "you gonna be okay eddie?"

eddie wiped his tears and nodded weakly against richies shoulder.

"he'll be okay, i'll stay" richie said catching the look beverly was giving him.

the two left the room and richie was alone with a weeping eddie on his shoulder. he heard a sniffle from eddie and his heart sunk.

"come on eds.. your breaking my heart.." he leaned his head against eddies and played with eddies curling blonde hair. he had an arm around eddies waist holding him close.