r e d d i e ~ eddie, my love.

~ O N E ~

Eddie picked up the receiving end. "Hello?" He spoke into the phone. He heard the deep voice. "Hey, Eds! Wanna hang out today? My parents are out of town!" Eddie heard someone pick up the other line. "Hey Richie, I've got to go. I'm pretty sure my mom just picked up the phone, but yeah, I'll be there," He put the landline back onto it's holder, just as he heard his mother yell. "EDDIE-BEAR, ARE YOU TALKING TO THAT TOZIER KID AGAIN?" from the living room. Eddie ran downstairs. "No, mommy, I'm just going to the park, bye!" He replied as he gave her a kiss on the cheek and grabbed his fanny-pack. Running out the door, he grabbed his bike.

Not soon after, the wind hit Eddie like a freezing dagger, it's cold grip penetrating his flesh. He soon pulled up to the Tozier resident, feeling a burst of excitement. It wasn't new, he felt since that day Bill introduced him to Richie, almost as if they were destined to be. Best friends, of course, because that's how best friends feel about eachother, right? Eddie was lost in his own thoughts as the taller boy opened the door and pulled him in. "I have to show you something," Richie had his face covered, his other hand over his face. Eddie was worried, Richie seemed serious for once, which was a first. His fun-loving attitude was nowhere to be seen, as if it migrated with the birds as the cold winter hit, making the tip of everyone's noses red. He rushed into the house, still holding Richie's hand. "What's wrong, Rich?" Eddie said, pulling Richie's hand from his face. He gasped. "Holy shit, are you okay?" He gaped at the taller boy's purple and all bloodied eye, which was shut closed. Richie just shook his head sadly "No, I'm not okay, Eds, they're still beating the fuck out of me," He whimpered. Eddie grabbed his hand and held it tight. "You're not the only one, Rich. My mom still makes me take those pills," He shivered at the thought of his mom. Richie gave him a weak smile and let go of his hand. "Let's just watch a movie," Richie smiled, it was a real one, the first real one in a long time.

They turned on some shit movie Richie had found in the disk collection his parents had. Eddie went into the kitchen to get food. He grabbed everything his arms could hold, which wasn't a lot. Richie and Eddie sat down on the couch and unpaused whatever movie was on. After awhile, Eddie was leaning onto Richie's shoulder. Richie had performed his little, well, ritual. Whenever Eddie was asleep, Richie would run his hands through Eddie's hair and hum "Eddie, my love," a nickname that Richie had always called the smaller boy, who usually brushed it off as a joke. But, oh, Richie wanted so much to shout out his feelings and hold Eddie as not a brother, but as lovers. He wanted someone to laugh with, to cherish their precious time, to be their first time, whether it was a boy, a girl, anything. He just wanted to feel it so desperately, he wanted to feel love. Eddie, on the other hand, didn't know how to feel. He wanted love too, but, it was different. He didn't want a random person, he wanted to feel comfortable around them. And he didn't want a girl; he found loving girls difficult, confusing, even. He didn't know what he wanted, love took so much capacity and he didn't know. He wanted only one person, only one specific person was on his mind. He was Richie Tozier, oh my god, he wanted so badly for Richie to feel the same. He has never really felt love for anyone this way. Sometimes, he would just pretend to be asleep, just to feel Richie's hands close to him, just to hear that melodic song.

Eddie, my love

Richie would whisper

How I've waited for you, you'll never know.

Eddie would shiver at Richie's soothing voice

Please Eddie, don't make me wait too long.

Oh, how badly, Eddie just wanted Richie to know how he felt.