𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐀 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 - 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞

Seriously, Can Henry Stop Ruining Things?

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Eddie giggled as Richie tried to get through the window. "It's a valiant effort, really, Rich, but I don't think-"

And then Richie was making his way across the branch next to Eddie's window. Upside-down.

"Richie!" Eddie gasped, instinctively moving to grab Richie, but the boy made it down somewhat smoothly, and Eddie was left to gape at him from his window.

Richie winked at him with a sly grin, and Eddie scoffed behind his hand. "You're fucking insane!" he whisper-yelled down at his best friend, who just snickered and held out his arms.

"Wanna let this psycho catch you again?" Richie teased, and it kind of infuriated Eddie, so to make a point, he clambered through his window. He was small enough to sit on the sill and eye Richie from above.

"If you don't fucking catch me, I'll give you an asthma attack," Eddie threatened, and then he was falling, and by some miracle, he landed on Richie. Notice the word "on," as in Richie didn't fucking catch him. Instead, he ended up slamming into Richie's chest and then landing on his chest. He wasn't kidding when he said he'd give Richie an asthma attack if he didn't catch him. "Shit, 'Chee! Are you okay?" He cupped Richie's face in his hands, scanning over him with worry.

"Ye-yes? You-" Richie coughed heavily, and Eddie winced, sliding off him and giving him room to breathe. "You took mm-my- my breath away."

Eddie rolled his eyes with a tiny smile. "You want my inhaler?"

Richie wiggled his eyebrows. "If worst comes to worst, dahlin'," he mumbled, sitting up.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Eddie asked in his precious way of being worried about Richie. It was twisted, and he knew it, but Eddie's concern made Richie feel important, like he deserved to be worried about.

"Course!" he chirped, ruffling Eddie's hair and making him whine angrily. "I'm tough, Eds, I can take it." And of course he finished that sentence with a wink, because he was Richie Tozier.

Eddie's bike, which had been mostly protected from rain where he'd left it under the tree, was the bike the two decided to ride double on (Eddie claimed Richie's bike was disgusting and needed to be cleaned, and he refused to let him sit on it, and Richie hadn't minded). Eddie narrowly avoided puddles, but it was difficult to focus on puddles and direction when Richie wasn't holding on to him.

"You're going to fucking die, Rich!" Eddie bit. "Just put your arms around my waist."

"I'm a gentleman, Edward!" Richie exclaimed in a posh Voice, as if he was offended the Eddie thought even for a second that Richie would touch him.

Eddie groaned. "You're about to be a dead man. Please, fucking hold on!"

They were on their way to Mike's farm. Bill had called, and Sonia couldn't say no to him, so she agreed to let Eddie go. She was becoming more lenient, and Eddie was terrified she was going to stop caring altogether; it wasn't that he didn't want her care, it was that she cared too much, so much that she was hurting him in the process.

Richie only gave in when they started down the dirt path leading to the Bowers and Hanlon farms. The two fell silent, and Eddie gave up on avoiding puddles—he was too afraid of what he might see around each bend to be worried about a little dirty water.

When they finally made it to the Bower's farm, Richie held Eddie closer. They both eyed the house suspiciously; something about it felt... off. Maybe it was just the fact that Henry lived there, but Richie couldn't help seeing the way Henry's eyes lit up with fear when he was dragged away by his father.