reddie oneshots || fluff

24

⚠️WARNINGS: SUICIDE ATTEMPT, HOMOPHOBIA, SELF HARM, ANGST⚠️

note: there is some fluff at the end but mostly angst

3rd person POV

Eddie was worried. Really worried. And not about some disease or health issue, but the only other thing he cared about. Richie. None of the other Losers have said anything, and why would they? It's not exactly obvious. But Eddie notices, he always does.

It started about 4 months ago. Eddie had gone round to Richie's house, and when they arrived his parents were nowhere to be seen.
"They've probably just gone out of town for a few days again," Richie had said glumly, it's not the first time they had just left without a word. But they always came back again, so Eddie had just brushed it off.

But, now he's is really thinking about it, when was the last time Eddie actually saw Richie's parents? Whenever he'd come round they'd always been 'out shopping' or 'asleep upstairs'.

Then there was the fact that the Trashmouth had become less and less his usual self, with his shitty jokes and terrible style. He'd begun to wear baggy black hoodies instead of vibrant Hawaiian button ups, and he never wore shorts. Just loose jeans or sweatpants.

He wasn't smiling as much either. More than once Eddie had caught him drifting off into his own world whilst everyone else was talking, and that absent look on Richie's face hurt Eddie more than anything. The dirty jokes he was famous for had become more and more rare, and the few that were told sounded half-hearted and dull.

Worst of all, Richie had stopped paying attention to Eddie. He no longer ruffled his hair or pinched his cheeks or pulled him onto his lap. It's like Eddie didn't even exist to him, and he had no idea why.

So yes. There is definitely something wrong with Richie, and Eddie thinks he might be the only one able to see it. Eddie's heart breaks at the thought of his best friend so unhappy, and he finds himself reliving all the moments Richie was there for him. Right from the start, when they had first met, and Eddie had fallen off his bike. Richie happened to be on the other side of the road and had crossed immediately, helping the shorter boy up and bringing him back to his house. Even 10-year-old Eddie had found him beautiful that day - as his hair fell into his eyes and he bit his lip in concentration - whilst he carefully stuck two plasters on Eddie's skinned knees.

Eddie is remembering more and more: when Richie helped him come out as gay to his mom, when Richie hugged him as he cried on the kissing bridge, when Richie beat up Bowers after he had given Eddie a black eye, and Eddie made a plan. Tomorrow the Losers had planned to meet up at the quarry, and he would try to get Richie alone so he could speak to him. It was his turn to be there for Richie, and he goddamn will be.

With that, Eddie reaches across his bed and switches the light off, before settling down under the covers and slowly drifting into an uneasy sleep.

*time skip*

"Hey guys!" Eddie calls as he nears the quarry, quickly scanning the faces.
Ben, Bev, Stan, Mike, Bill... where's Richie?
"Hey Eddie!" Beverly replies, happy as ever. A chorus of 'hey!'s sound from around the group as Eddie comes closer.
"Richie not coming?" He asks.
"H-he said he w-would," Bill stutters.
"I'm sure he's just late, again," Mike says, noticing Eddie's unease and doing his best to comfort him. "Don't worry."

Eddie nods, and soon they're all chatting away, having a very heated argument about some new horror movie and wether or not it should be an eighteen. Eddie keeps checking his watch, and soon fifteen minutes have passed. Still no Richie.

"Hey guys?" He says uneasily.
Where is he?
"Mhm?" Stan hums.
"I think i'm gonna go find Richie, ya know, make sure he's ok and all," Eddie says, trying his best to sound calm.
"Okay, see you later Eddie," Ben says, and they all wave as Eddie turns around and begins to make his way back to the road.