Amnesia ~reddie~

found

Warning: homophobic slurs

Richie biked through the path, finding himself glancing at the trees too often. The dark scared him more than he let on. He pretended like he didn't care, joking most of the time. But he was afraid of darkness and what might be in it. He also hated horror movies even though he went to see them whenever he could scrape up some money. Richie let out a puff of air, pissed at Stan for suggesting the alternate way home. Pissed at himself for following Stans advice.

This was definitely not a shortcut. He had been biking for almost twenty minutes. It usually takes Richie only fifteen to get home. Maybe he had made a wrong turn...

Crash.

Richies bike tipped over as it fell into a ditch he hadn't seen before. "Fuck!"

Richie sat up, brushing the dirt off his arms and inspecting the scratch on his knee.

Well shit.

"Are you okay?"

Richie jumped at the voice, glancing around the forest until he saw a boy a few feet away from him sitting against a tree trunk. He was wearing a pink polo and red shorts with a fanny pack around his waist. Who even wears Fanny packs?

"Who the fuck are you?" Richie asked, confused at how he didn't see the boy there earlier.

"I'm Eddie, who are you?"

"I'm Richie."

Eddie pulled his knees into his chest, trying to avoid Richies eyes.

Richie stretched his legs out, wincing at the pain in his knee. "Why are you out here this late?"

Eddies eyes flickered to his then back to the ground. "Idontknow."

Richie laughed awkwardly, not understanding what the shorter boy meant. "What do you mean you don't know? How can you not know?"

Eddies doe brown eyes met his and he shrugged. "I said I don't know, dipshit."

Richie smiled. "Whoa there, Eds! I didn't take you for someone who swears."

Eddie rolled his eyes and smiled a half smile. "Don't call me that and I cuss all the time."

"Really." He laughed, not believing the beautiful boy.

"Yeah, I think I do." Eddies smile vanished and confusion filled his features.

Richie sensed the shorter boys change in attitude and he gestured at his knee. "Well, do you have any bandages in your fanny pack?"

Eddie nodded, hesitantly walked over to Richie and unzipped his fanny pack. He grabbed a large pink band-aid and started unwrapping it.

"Thank you, Eds." Richie said as the boy carefully placed the band-aid over the wound.
Eddie blushed and looked away. "Don't call me that."

Richie smiled at Eddies embarrassment, not understanding the feeling growing in his chest. Maybe it was hunger. He hadn't eaten since breakfast and it was almost eight.

"What are you doing out here?" Eddie asked.

"My dear old friend Stan the man gave me the wrong directions." Richie said, trying his best British accent.

Eddie smiled faintly, shadows growing on his face. That's when Richie noticed his black eye. "Oh my god, Eds! What happened to you?"

Eddie frowned, looking confused. "What're you talking about?"

"You have a fucking black eye!!" Richie exclaimed, moving closer and taking Eddies face in his hands to examine it.

Eddie blushed and tried to pull away. "Rich, I'm fine. Honestly, I didn't even know it was there."

Richie put his hands back in his lap, smiling at the nickname he received. He furrowed his eyebrows. "How the fuck did you not know it was there?"

Eddie shrugged, looking as lost as Richie was.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not really."

Richie sighed, worrying for the small boy and not understanding why he knew so little about himself. "Come on, Eds. I'll walk you home."

Eddie stood up and helped Richie to stand. Once he was sure Richie was okay, he brought over the taller boys bike and leaned it towards Richie who took it.

The boys started walking out of the forest. The whole time Richie wanted to make smart remarks and joke around with the small boy but something held him back. He felt as though Eddie had something important on his mind as he was fidgeting with his shirt a lot.

Finally, the smaller boy spoke up. "Richie?"

He looked at his newfound friend with a comforting smile. "What's up, Eds?"

Eddie looked at the ground then up at Richie, his face conflicted. "I-"

Before he could say anything, the voice of Henry Bowers rang through the chilling night.
"Does Richie Tozier have a boyfriend?"

Richie turned around and gently pulled Eddie behind him. "Leave us alone, Bowers."

Hockstetter appeared behind Henry, carrying a knife and sneering. "Look! It's the girly boy." He eyed Eddie up and down.

A feeling of rage stirred in Richies chest. He didn't like the way they were looking at Eddie. Like he was a piece of meat. He didn't like the way Richie felt as if he couldn't protect his newfound friend. He was afraid something bad would happen. "Don't touch him."

Henry laughed and took a step closer. Richie felt Eddie grab his arm as if to pull him away from the bullies. "Richie," he whispered, his voice full of fear.

Patrick launched at Richie, pulling him away from the smaller boy and holding the knife to his throat.

"Richie!" Eddie screamed, his brown eyes wide with fear.

Henry grabbed Eddie by his shirt collar, slamming him into a tree. "Aw, is Richies girly boyfriend scared?"

Richies face hardened in anger. "Let us go!"
He tried to get out of Patrick's grip but the older boy was much stronger. Maybe if Richie hadn't spent his summer inside of an arcade playing street fighter, he would have enough strength to save himself and Eddie.

Patrick put his mouth close to Richies ear. "We're gonna make you watch as we cut up your f*ggot boyfriend until he's unrecognizable."

Richie shuddered as he felt the disgusting boys' breath on his ear. "I saw what you and Henry did in the junkyard," Richie spat, enjoying the look on Patrick's face as he felt his grip on the knife loosen. "I'd say that was pretty gay."

Patricks eyes narrowed and he shoved Richie to the ground. "You're just a fucking fairy. You're trying to save that girly boy by distracting me. Well, it won't work." He lifted up Richies shirt and pressed the knife against his skin.

Richies face filled with fear. "No, Patrick don't! I was just joking around! I don't even go to the fucking junkyard! No! Stop!"