Brushstrokes (Reddie AU)

Pancakes

After spending the day at Stan's, Eddie comes to me outside right as I take out a cigarette. "Don't smoke, I have asthma," he mumbles and looks to the ground. I put the cigarette back. "Rich, I was just going to ask you to drive me home. And walk me in. Because she wouldn't hurt me in front of a friend." He smiles the tiniest little smile and I swear my heart melts right there. All over again.

In the car ride over, he discusses the assignment we have for the art class, but honestly I couldn't pay attention if I try my hardest. He is so fucking adorable. He goes on and on until we pull into the driveway. He looks at me in horror. "I can't go in there," he begs me, but I know it'll be good for him to go in there. So I just park the car and get out. He eventually follows me, and I enter the home before he does. His mother sees my face and looks away with disgust. "Eddie, where's Eddie?" The small boy appears behind me and her eyes are fuelled with anger and distrust. She makes her way over but I don't move.

"Mama, I'm fine. I'm not a little boy anymore. And I'm going to hang out with friends when I want to. Richie's good. He's annoying and tells bad jokes but he's good."

I smirk back at him and then look at his mother. "I tell very good jokes, like saying you're hot," i explain. But she doesn't find it funny.

"Get out of my house, Tozier!" She screams, and I feel conflicted. If I stay, I put myself in danger and anger her more. But if I leave? She could hurt Eddie. That's when I know I'm going to stay. No one could ever hurt Eddie, not now.

"You bitch!" I chuckle. "I'm not getting out of here that fast. I'm not leaving without Eds. Eddie Spaghetti. Mr. Eduardo Spaghettini, my dear sweet pal the Kaspbrak Kid. I'm not scared of an unemployed bitch who sits on her ass all day watching daytime TV." I stand firmly in place. Show no fear. Now if only I could always be like this. Eddie gets annoyed at my nicknames for him, but he stays firmly beside me. It's like a tiny revolution.

"Eddie dear, don't listen to him. He's a bad influence," she says and makes her way closer to Eddie. He pushes her away gently. It makes me so proud.

"I'll listen to him. He cares about how I feel," Eddie mumbles. He grabs his school bag from the kitchen and then walks back to where I am standing. "Until you can apologise, and know what you're apologising for, I'll be staying at Richie's."

I grin and lead him out of there. We don't stay to hear an argument we don't need to hear.

Once we start driving we drive for what seems like forever. I don't mind it, it clears my head. He definitely notices my silence, probably because I'm never really quiet. I always have some snarky comment about everything. "Well fuck me," I say after a while. "Where to now, Spaghetti?"

He grins. "I don't know. I've always lived according to her. But I don't have to." He takes my hand, as I'm driving, that kinky little shit with his need for contact. But it's nice, I mean, I don't mind.

"I know a place," I decide. "I'm not going to give you a BJ, so don't get your hopes up for something like that. Ricardo Tozier is going to surprise you."

It's a diner, you see. On the outskirts of our town, bordering a farm town that everyone says is full of witches and shit. I love that diner, it's cute and the fries are delicious. On Sundays, they serve their meals half off for all students. I love going there. Maybe it would be a date.

Dumbass.

Well no, not a date. That's not what I meant, it just came out wrong. Not a date. Just us two getting together and eating food and maybe holding hands under the table.

"Stan is gay," Eddie says. It completely catches me off guard and I nearly ram the car into a nearby tree. "I know you don't know, but he is. He's got a crush on this boy named Bill."

I shake my head. "Nah, he likes pussy."

Eddie snickers. "Shut up! I know it, I can tell. I know when someone likes another person." I wish I had that. It would be lots of fun to mess around with.

"That's a pretty pathetic superpower," I hum. From the corner of my eye I can see him stick his tongue out.

Before too long, we arrive.

I swear, there is something so incredible about watching him smile and laugh. He is just incredible, every bit of him, and I was so proud of who he had become. We find a little table right beside the windows, where you can look out and see a distant line of trees. He is so smiley,  I had to keep that in mind. Maybe he likes diners just as much as I do. Or maybe I am just the fool who decided it was a good idea to sit next to this kid in art class that day. I don't know the reason he means so much to me, but in the end, I don't think it matters. All that matters is that he does.
   
"Richie," he grins and takes my hand from across the table. "They have pancakes!"
   
I snicker. It is hard to believe that someone as smart and talented as him can be such a dork all the time. It must take all the energy out of him, alright. "Oh," I say in my news anchor voice, "Is that so? Well, it has just been confirmed that here, with me, my friend, Eddie, found that there are pancakes present! What a revelation! What great news! It's brilliant!" He laughs loudly, and I can see a blush start to grow when he realizes just how loudly he had laughed.
   
"Shut up, we have serious things to talk about!" He replies and runs a hand through his hair. "I walked out on my mom. I walked out on my mom! What if I have a seizure, and I need help, and you don't know what the fuck you're doing, and maybe I die? Because she's the only one who would know how to help in that situation."
   
I sigh. "When was your last seizure?"
   
He shakes his head, frowning. "You know I've never had a seizure, but this is not the time for your jokes."
   
"Do you have epilepsy? Meningitis? A motherfucking brain tumor? No, you don't, and I'm fairly certain you know you don't. I know you're scared, but if something happens to you, you know that I'll be there for you. And I'll protect you. And things will be better, I promise. She won't be able to hurt you. Not when I'm around."

Do you realize how you sound? And in public...

    I want to take it back. I want to take it back so that no one knows. No one deserves to know, they can't know... they won't be able to see me the same way if they do. And no matter how much I care about him, I'm not going to let people know. Bad things could happen, and I could be hurt. He could be hurt. He could be taken away from me. I'm letting my fucking feelings get in the way of logic.
   
    "I can't wait until you can be proud of who you are. Because I am already so proud." He says this and it makes me see him a little differently. He's so proud of who he is, isn't he? Despite his hardships, despite his struggles...
   
"Well, time for some good ol' pancakes!"