Richie didn't leave his house for weeks. Eddie checked up on him everyday, he seemed to be getting worse and worse by the day.
"Richie, you need to eat. Can you eat for me?" Eddie begged. Richie didn't respond. "Bev would have wanted you to Rich. Do it for Bev at least. You're so strong Richie you just have to eat, please." Richie thought for a moment and finally nodded. He slowly got out of his bed, his sweat pants slightly sliding off his abnormally slim hips.
"What do you want?" Eddie asked. Richie just shrugged, "Do you want some soup? Or a sandwich?" "Soup." Richie said in a quiet voice, "Okay, just sit down and I'll make you some, okay?" Richie nodded and sat down at his dining room table.
Eddie can't blame him for how he's acting, his parents are never home anymore, one of his best friends moved away, he's dealing with a second wave of tramua from Georgie's passing, and then another one of his best friends just gets up and leaves without telling anyone. He's had it rough, but he needs to be strong. Richie's always been strong but Eddie think years of hiding everything and ignoring all of these feelings have been catching up on him.
Eddie placed the bowl of soup in front of Richie, "Eat please." Richie nodded and slowly ate his soup, he got halfway through before he stopped, "You done?" Richie just shrugged, "Come on Chee, you gotta use your words for me." "Yeah... I'm done." His voice was frail, he hasn't spoken for days now. Eddie runs his hand through Richie's hair, there were knots and it was greasy, "Chee. Do you think you can shower?" Edie asked, "Maybe." Richie whispered, "Do it for Bev." Eddie held Richie's hand as he stood up from the chair.
They slowly made their way to the bathroom, "I'll be waiting for you, if anything happens just yell for me." Eddie says, Richie nods and walks into he bathroom, Eddie made sure Richie didn't lock the door. When Eddie said he'd be waiting for him he literally meant waiting, he sat in front if the bathriom door waiting for Richie to be done. He wanted to make sure nothing happened.
After 20 minutes Richie walks out the bathroom with a bath towel loosely tied around his waist, "Lets get you some clothes." Eddie got off the floor and led Richie into his room. Eddie knows Riichie doesn't need to be helped with anything, he just wanted to make sure nothing bad happened, Richie knows that. So he doesn't get angry when Eddie waits for him outside the door, or cooks him food, or stays the night with him every night and lies to his mom about staying at other friends houses. Richie honestly loves it, he's never had someone care for him as much as Eddie cares for him.
"Wanna lay down?" Eddie asked but Richie was already laying down. "Lay down with me." Richie asked. Eddie smiled, that's the most he's spoken in days. Eddie gets under the covers and snuggles up to Richie. They didn't speak, they felt like they didn't have to.
This whole Beverly thing is hitting Eddie just as hard, but he has coping mechanisms, and he handles things a lot better than Richie, which is okay. Richie is aloud to feel like this, and show more emotion. "I love you Richie, get some sleep." Richie sighed, "I love you too." Eddie stroked Richie's hair until he saw his eyes flutter close and his breathing relax. Eddie fell asleep soon after.
AN not crazy about this chapter. Filler pretty much.
-GROOVYLADY
