Chapter Text
The first time the word "Baby" came up was when Richie was being mean.
It was grade 3, Bill, Stan, Richie, and Eddie had just started to be friends and they were wanting to make mud pies and throw them at each other on a Saturday afternoon in the park. Bill and Stan were on a team which left Richie with the delicate Eddie.
Eddie was the worst.
He refused to touch the dirt let alone throw it and was only good at dodging because he refused to get hit by it either. Soon, the boys would be covered in dirt, mud, and bits of grass but Eddie would be standing there looking like he just stepped out of a Clorox commercial.
As both teams went back to their bases to collect ammo, Richie started making another pie but couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Quit being a baby and help me!”
“Do you know that earthworms can have-”
“I don’t give a shit! Your utterly useless and I’m gonna get creamed out there cause you are too much of a powder puff do play with dirt! God, why are we even friends with you? You’re the worst!” as soon as Richie said it he felt off as though something in his chest got heavy. A stone of disappointment in himself settled in his heart for snapping at Eddie- which was ridiculous! He talked to Bill and Stan like this all the time and it never bothered him. Why did yelling at Eddie cause him to feel this… Richie could only guess it was guilt. But maybe it was the way Eddie’s Bambi eyes widened in surprise or how the smaller boys hands subconsciously reached for his fanny pack at the words.
Eddie frowned. His eyes glanced at the dirt and back to Richie. Swallowing, the germaphobe got down on the grass gingerly. Carefully, with actual sweat gathering on his brow, Eddie put his hands in the mud and started to pat it into a cake. It looked like it was killing him though, his breathing became labored.
Richie watched in amazement.
Eddie looked like he was shaking slightly but his eyes were burning, he wanted to prove his worth. Wanted to show Richie that he wasn’t useless and that he could be part of their group.
But with every passing second, Eddie looked like he was in more pain; as if he was handling acid instead of mud. It actually hurt Richie to see his friend like this, hurt way more than Richie would have imagined.
“Eddie,” Richie tried.
Eddie didn’t look up, trembling but determined.
“Eddie Spaghetti,” Richie scooched closer.
Still, Eddie just gasped and panted through making what was his third mud pie.
“Eds,” Richie said reaching out his hand but paused opting to refrain from contact, his hands were filthy and would probably cause more panic.
“Don’t call me that.” Eddie wheezed out.
That was a good sign at least.
“Eddie I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said. You can stop-”
“No, I should be able to-”
“Eddie you look like you’re in pain. ”
“It’s just dirt.” Eddie gulped, tears of frustration in his brown eyes caused Richie’s heart to flip.
“It’s fine Eddie Spaghetti, don’t give yourself an asthma attack now, I’m way too awesome at everything to get creamed by those dorks. I’m a tank, you just… you just breath, okay?” Careful to not get any more dirt on the shaking boy, Richie fished out a wet wipe and the inhaler out of Eddie’s fanny pack. “Here.”
Eddie snapped the objects up without a fight, scrubbing his hands with the wet wipe till his skin was a raw pink and it took a solid two minutes of repeated puffs from the inhaler to get his labored breathing under control.
From across the park, Stan’s voice rang out, “Times up! Warriors come out to the battlefield!”
Richie stood up with an armful of the mud clusters that had dried in the sun.
“Will you be okay?”
“Yeah like I said, I’m the best. I can handle those losers. You just sit back, relax, and cheer me on as I go beat Stan and Bill’s sorry asses.”
On the battlefield, Richie totally got whooped, much to his later denial. And Richie would never admit that he may or may not have been distracted by a pretty pair of brown eyes and a warm smile that were cheering just for him.