b l a c k e y e d s u s a n s • reddie

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* TROIS *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

TW: homophobic slurs, reference to abuse

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Richie awoke after a slam downstairs sounded
through the house, he rubbed his eyes roughly with his palms hard enough to see spots and sat up. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood slowly. He was wearing the same pants as yesterday but stripped off his shirt, pulling a random shirt off the ground and pulling it over his head. A low groan ripped out of his throat as he stretched a bit. He slipped on some olive green adidas' and grabbed his backpack which weighed close to nothing.

After a run in with his dad that was longer than he would've liked, he nursed his one eye with an ice pack and started his walk to school, before he heard a sound that made his skin crawl. The loud scuff of cheap leather combat boots on the sidewalk. As soon as Richie heard it, he broke into a run, the icepack being forgotten on the sidewalk as he feared for his life too much. He could hear four distinct footfalls behind him as he made a break for it.

"Hey faggot!" Henry Bowers grabbed Richie's shoulder hard and pushed him over as he caught up to him. Richie grunted as he made contact with the ground and his ears were ringing. Vic, Belch, Patrick, and Henry's conversation as they stood over him was muffled.

"You listening to me, fairy?" Henry kicked Richie hard in the stomach.
Richie grabbed his stomach and groaned quietly, not giving Henry the satisfaction he wanted. Henry gritted his teeth and pulled out his switchblade, which Vic and Belch visibly flinched at.

Vic started "Henry.. I don't think-"

"Did I ask what you fucking thought?" Henry grabbed Vic by the collar of his shirt and held the switchblade near him before dropping him on the ground. Where Vic fell on his ass and scrambled up quickly.

"Don't be a pussy Vic, he's just a fucking fag." Patrick piped up, watching in morbid fantasy of what Henry would do to him.

Henry smiled evilly and lifted Richie's shirt to expose his back. Pressing his knee into the curve of Richie's spine and causing Richie to cry out, some dirt being sucked into Richie's mouth on accident as Patrick shoved his face into the grass to silence his cries.

Henry started his carving into Richie's back, and Richie tried to ignore the hot burning pain, focusing on the smell of the grass, the birds chirping in the trees, anything to distract him from this.

One sound out of the ordinary made Richie perk up in hopefulness. He heard Take My Breath Away by Berlin blasting from a car as it turned onto the street. A small huff passed his lips, Top Gun.

The same '70 Chevy Chevelle that always drove past him speeding around the corner and starting down the street. He knew the car belonged to Eddie Kaspbrack, his parents had given it to him for his sixteenth birthday and Eddie had practically gone ballistic, he drove the thing everyday and blasted hits on his radio as he did, no courtesy for the suburbia that was still sleeping.

A small desperate whimper bubbled out of his throat and a few tears sprung up as he was hopeful that Eddie would have a heart for once.

Eddie glanced over and saw the Bowers gang harassing someone, he sighed a bit, and began to pretend he didn't see anything. Until he noticed the messy black curls coming from the persons head, long legs sprouting out of a lean torso. Richie Tozier was the one being forced to eat grass while Henry did whatever Henry was doing on his back.

Eddie quickly pulled over and stopped the car, hopping out and tugging the sleeves on his sweater down a slight bit to protect himself from the fall chill. His short jean covered legs carrying him over to the Bower's gang. He didn't even know why he was doing this, where this burst of confidence had come from.

Henry looked up at Eddie as he blew into his hands after Vic elbowed him in the ribs. Eddie squared his shoulders and crossed his arms as Henry stood and Patrick placed his boot onto Richie's fresh wound which read FA so far to stop him from getting away. Richie squirming and making a small sound at this. Eddie looked pitifully down at him.

"What do you want Eds?" Henry said with a small playful smirk spreading across his face. Despite being one of the most homophobic assholes in the school, he thought Eddie was an absolute crown jewel and would snatch him up in a second if he wasn't so self conscious of his own homosexual thoughts.

"Eddie, and I want you to leave him alone." Eddie pointed at Richie with a painted fingernail and stared into Henry's eyes intimidatingly.

Henry stared back for a few moments before laughing loudly, Patrick joining in easily before Vic and Belch did with an uncomfortable look on their faces.

"Oh thats cute, thats really funny Eds." Henry continued to laugh as Eddie kept a serious expression, not even cracking a smile. Henry eventually finished and looked back at him, "So what are you really here for sweet cheeks?"

"I already told you, i'm here to tell you to leave him alone." Eddie stood his ground as Henry's playful smile turned into a frown.

"Well, sorry to break it to you baby, but this fag here has an appointment with my switchblade right now, so sorry, can't do anything about it." Eddie visibly cringed at the slur and looked at the letters on Richie's back. He sympathized even more.

"Well sorry to break it to you Henry, but i'm not your baby and i'll actually be taking Rich here to school if you dont mind." Eddie moved over to Richie and leaned down, pushing Patrick's boot off and throwing him a dirty look  as he pulled Richie's shirt back down. "Here loop your arm around my neck." Eddie whispered quietly, Richie did as he was told quickly and Eddie counted down to three before picking him up off the ground.

"Eds, Baby, you can't-"

"What can't I do Henry? How do you think the football team would feel to hear about how you made me unhappy? Hm?" Eddie tightened his grip around Richie's torso. The size difference was almost comical, with Eddies much shorter self holding Richie up.

Henry searched for words and Eddie nodded, "Thats what I thought." He helped Richie into the passenger side and walked over to the driver's side of his car. Before getting in, Eddie looked up, "And Henry? For the last time, my name is Eddie." He emphasized before getting in and shutting his door quickly.

Eddie started towards the school quickly and in silence. "Thank you." broke the uncomfortable quiet in the car. Eddie peered over at Richie for a moment. Richie looked at him with a truly indebted look. His soft mahogany eyes shining a bit in the early sunlight as sunbeams passed through his dark locks and illuminated the golden sheen of some of them, his rosy, slightly chapped lips parted a bit and his cheeks and nose being covered in a blush from the cold outside. The image took his breath away and he focused back on the road before he stared too long and crashed.

"You're welcome." he whispered after he managed to gain air back into his lungs.

Watching every motion
In my foolish lover game
On this endless ocean
Finally lovers know no shame
Turning and returning
To some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion
As you turn around and say
Take my breath away
Take my breath away

Richie looked out the window and smiled a bit as he hummed along. Eddie focused on the road and trying to ignore the small pink tint his cheeks had gained despite the heater in the car being on.