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six

TRIGGER WARNING: ALCOHOLISM, DOMESTIC ABUSE

july 1981

richie was biking home by himself later that morning after the party at stanleys. it was mid-morning and the air was fresh, the sun shone and beat down on richie. he breathed in the clean air and sighed contently as he sailed smoothly down a hill.

he remembered waking up with a strange cookie taste in his mouth, and how he and mike were sleeping alongside each other, their heads rested together. richie did not jolt, he did not shy away, he just sat there, staring at mike. he had no care in the world that he had slept on mike all night, and it was one of the greatest feelings he had felt in a long time. no voices. no stares. no sadness. no doubt. no disgust. just him and mike, mike and him.

richie flew to the side, dodging a small pebble from the street when a loud "hey! hey!" squealed from behind him. a figure came into view right alongside richie.

it was eddie on a shiny bike, and a baby blue helmet. richie cracked a large smile.

"hiya eddie, nice hat," he joked. eddie narrowed his eyes and richie felt his face go soft as he admired eddies features.

"shut up," he said to richie, but before eddie turned his face away richie saw a small smirk.

"so uh, eds. you're-"

"do not call me that." eddie flatly said as he whipped his head back to richie.

"okay eds," richie chuckled, "so are you following me or something? yesterday it was the corner and today it's on the street,"

eddie blushed, though richie couldn't see it.

"n-no i'm not! maybe you're trying to make me find you!" eddie huffed at richie.

"well where do you live?" richie asked as he glided down the street, his feet flying outward off the pedals.

"be careful! you're gonna get hurt if you do that," eddie lectured, "i live a few houses down from the park with the pink slide, like right around the corner," richie smiled to himself.

"i live by that park too, i'll ride home with you if you like," richie offered. the two boys cracked a smile as eddie nodded his head.

"what's your name, anyway?" eddie asked.

"richie," he said, "tozier,"

"short for richard?" eddie asked.

"yeah," richie replied. eddie laughed. "what's so funny?" he asked. eddie, giggling while explaining said,

"your name has a nickname dick!" richies face dropped.

they say you are what you eat, don't they fairy?

"what? no way," he said. eddie nodded while laughing. richie laughed out loud. "that's too good," he said.

eddie and richie flew down roads, never leaving the others side. richie made jokes, eddie rolled his eyes, or he laughed. sometimes he did both.

when richie looked at eddie, it felt like time slowed. the shadows from the trees left beautiful marks on his body, his feathery hair would fly under his blue helmet, and his smile could make a million people stop and stare. while richie was with eddie, it felt right. it felt that even if anything didn't make sense anymore, eddie would be there to help it all make sense again.

eddie turned to stop at a dark blue house on the corner from the park, just like he said. eddie got off his bike and took his helmet off. richie stared at eddie as he fixed his hair, and they made eye contact.