𝑩𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑯𝑬 , reddie

5

chapter 5

warning: homophobia/slurs + fighting

richie tozier is too late

'what the hell were you thinking, tozier'

richie was behind the counter again, thinking over yesterday's events. he had danced with eddie until the song had ended, and they held each other for a lingering moment after. eddie had looked up at him softly, and richie cursed under his breath, eddie was beautiful, so beautiful.

he had freaked out, stepping back and apologizing. he bought the records swiftly and thanked eddie for coming before rushing home.

richie had stayed up all night due to anxiety.

what had he been thinking. surely eddie thought richie to be disgusting, just like eddies mom did. little did he know eddie was freaking out over the exact same thing. eddie thought his mom would kill him if she knew they had danced together, eddie came home smelling slightly like cigarettes, which richie smelled heavily of, he was interrogated until he lied and said "he just walked past a few smokers" eddies overbearing and obese mother had went on about how bad that is for eddies lungs and how he could've got cancer or a terrible cough or- no, richie didn't know any of that.

richie stocked shelves, endured gretas bullshit, all the while thought of eddie and yesterdays dance stayed in his head.

richie remembered how eddie smelt, clean and a bit like a hospital. his hair, which was soft and vanilla scented. eddie had freckles dotting over the bridge of his nose, and richie had noticed eddie had very light dimples. richie was whipped. and richie was scared. really, what did eddie think of him. nothing, probably. eddie had leaned so softly into richies chest, but richie thought nothing of it. eddie probably did it subconsciously.

"hey, trashmouth." there it was, richie felt as if he was expecting it. he felt his stomach churn, he didnt want to be a trashmouth anymore. he had danced with eddie, and eddie surely hated him now. richie almost threw up. "are you listenting?"

he turned to greta, who was speaking to him. his face was pale and drowsy.

"you look horrible," pop. "phones for you, someones freaking out. keeps asking for you, probably your drunkard parents." she handed richie the telephone used to answer calls about perscriptions. he took it from her with a shaky hand, putting the receiver up to his ear.

a frantic voice came from the other end of the line. "rich, i'm using the payphone, please hurry, please, rich." richies breath hitched. "eddie?" his voice cracked as he spoke, greta was busy and didnt notice, but richie still watched her hesitantly, thinking it must be a prank.

please god let this be a prank.

"richie, bowers is after me, hurry, richie please hurry." eddie was wheezing and gasping into the payphone. richie tried to remember where in town the payphone was. eddie must have been outside the capitol theater.

the theater.. "why are you looking at my cousin like that, you fairy. you little fucking fag, i will kill you." Henrys voice rang in richies head. he couldn't go, not there, not again.. but eddie needed him.

his lip quivered as he answered. "i'm coming, eds."

"hurry."