demon under the bed || reddie

First sight

(02/08/20)

February 8th, 1986

Eddie Kaspbrak was a normal boy for the most part. Aside from his mother's overbearing protectiveness, he had friends, good grades, and a pretty decent life for an eight year old. Until he turned 10. He had started to see things, hear things. Feel things. They were never there, per say, but he knew they were. He didn't know what was going on.

"Goodnight, momma!" he called out as Sonia Kaspbrak left his room, the boy now comfortably tucked in and nice and warm in the harsh New England winter.

He couldn't fall asleep as easily that night as he usually could. Something was bound to happen. The later he stayed awake, the more things he seemed to experience.

He'd told his best friend Ben about it, but Ben has just laughed, thinking he was messing around, and told him everyone sees things when they stay up too late.

"Hey!"

Eddie heard a voice whisper, causing him to jump and yelp. Who would that be? No one but his mom was home, but she was down in her bedroom.

"Under here!" the voice was a little louder now.

"H-Hello?" Eddie squeaked out, terrified.

"Under here, Eds," Eddie hesitantly shifted and peered over the edge of his bed, eyes wide as he saw reddish eyes peering back at him.

"Who are you? Why are you under my bed?" Eddie stammered, looking scared out of his mind.

"The names Richie Tozier.. I'm uh, your assigned UTB demon," the boy smiled.

Richie seemed to be a year or two older than Eddie, around twelve at most, but he seemed nice.

"UTB?" Eddie's eyebrows furrow in confusion and curiosity.

"Under-the-Bed," Richie grins. "Don't be so nervous, Eds. I'm only here to keep you company, not to hurt you."

Eddie visibly relaxed a little at the words, believing Richie easily. He still wasn't sure about this.

"So.. why don't you come out from under my bed..? It's kind of creepy.." Eddie asks, eying Richie cautiously.

"You want me to?" Eddie nods and Richie begins to crawl out.

Large, brown wings sprout from behind him, stretching. Richie was tall for his age, around 5'4", intimidating to Eddie, who was only 4'11". Richie let out a small groan the the stretch, arms lifting into the air.

"Sorry- it gets cramped under there," he smiled.

"Then why don't you come out more often? How long have you you been under there?" Eddie asks curiously, tilting his head. Richie just smiled, ignoring the question.

"So what'dya wanna do, Eds?" Richie asks.

"Teach you my actual name." he rolled his eyes.
"It's Eddie, by the way."

Richie laughed, wings swaying gently as he watched the younger boy in front of him. It wasn't very bright in the room, the only light coming from a small nightlight on the nearby nightstand. In this dingy lighting, Richie could still make out the soft features of Eddie Kaspbrak. His flat, brown hair that appeared soft without Richie having laid a hand on it. His sepia doe-eyes, still slightly wide with fear. The scattered freckles were visible, but nearly too hazy to see at all- Richie definitely wanted to see this kid in the light.

"You should get some rest, Eddie, but I'll see you tomorrow night?" Richie replied with a small giggle.

"Tomorrow night? What, is this going to become a nightly routine?" Eddies eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Eddie-bear? Who is it you're speaking with? You never asked to have Bill over and it's late on a school night!" Sonia Kaspbrak called up the stairs, causing her son to jump.

"No one, mommy! Just thinking out loud!" he responded nervously, eyes wide as he glared at Richie.

"You're going to get me in trouble you butthead! No coming back." Eddie hissed.

"Come back tomorrow? Will do, momma's boy," Richie have a grin, slipping off the bed and back under it.

And with that, the demon under Eddie's bed had vanished.

It was 24 hours later that Richie came around again. He still startled Eddie to the near point of yelping, but he didn't actually make a sound. Eddie held his small hand over his heart, panting gently.

"Richie!! What the heck! I told you no!" he exclaimed, sounding rather excited for how angry he tried to appear. The brunette boy just giggled.

"Couldn't help but come back and see such a beautiful boy," Richie teases playfully, crawling out and hopping up onto Eddie's bed once again.

Eddie's eyes shifted to gaze at Richie's wings. They looked soft and rather nice to touch. As if hearing Eddie's thoughts, Richie smiles and offers to let Eddie touch them.

"Really? It won't hurt you or anything will it?"

Richie laughs softly, "You're too precious, Eds. Of course it won't hurt me, here," the brunette shifted his wing for Eddie to touch.

The smaller boy reached out, fingers gently grazing the dark brown feathers. A small gasp escaping from his lips as his eyes widened.

"Whoa... they're so soft.." he smiles, gasping again as the wings wrap around him and pull him in for a hug.

"Are you alright, Eds?" he cooed gently, having felt the strange energy in the room. It had felt off since he appeared. Eddie was silent for a while, hesitating with his reply.

"What do you mean..?" Eddie responded softly, arms moving to wrap around Richie.

"As soon as I came things felt.. off? You seemed kind of upset.." he hummed out. Eddie pursed his lips, looking down at his blanket.

"It's just my mom.. it doesn't
matter." Eddie said quietly, sighing.

Eddie's dad had bit the dust of cancer when Eddie around four years old. Ever since then, Sonia had been overprotective and overbearing, constantly towering and watching over Eddie's every move. Everything he did was monitored closely by the woman. By doing this, she had caused him to grow sneaky and good at hiding anything he wished to hide.

"Of course that matters, Eddie.. what did she do..?" Richie cooed gently, a hand on Eddie's leg in an attempt to calm him down a bit, which seemed to work.

"She's just.. so protective, over protective. All the time. Since.. since my dad died and I almost died.. She never lets me do anything! I can't ever hang out with the few friends I have, I can't eat normal snacks, I can't just live a normal 10 year old life!" he sniffled, wiping harshly at his eyes and trying to stop himself from crying.

Richie pulled him in for a hug, rubbing his back, frowning. Eddie shouldn't have to deal with such parenting at this age. His heart broke as he heard Eddie let out a sob.

"Shh.. it's okay, Eddie.. It'll be okay.." Richie cooed, voice coming out gentle and warm.

And yeah, maybe, just maybe, it would turn out okay.