Chapter Text
Eddie is fucking angry.
He drops his lunch on the picnic table with a loud thump and sits down with an irritated huff. Stan lifts his head and mildly raises his eyebrows as if to ask what is wrong. The losers’ club had gotten used to Eddie’s easily irritated nature a long time ago.
It’s just the three of them today; Bill, Stan and Eddie.
Mike of course being home schooled and all. Ben and Bev supposedly 'studying' but more likely making out on the bleachers at the football field. And Richie being conveniently absent.
And that when he'd wanted to ask demand an explanation.
"What got you so upset?"
"Richie", he answers with another sigh.
"W-w-what did he do now? He isn't even here to-today."
"That's the problem! We had a fight yesterday and in the middle of it he just walked away without explaining anything. Fucking asshole."
Whereas Stan didn't seem too interested before, he now looks intrigued. "That's weird. Richie loves to bicker, and especially with you. There's no way he would give up on a chance to annoy the fuck out of someone, let alone you. Besides, he always thinks he's right. "
"W-what did you guys fight about?"
"Well we were walking home and I was talking about a fight I had with my mom and he just couldn't resist making a stupid your mom joke. So I told him to take something seriously for once in his fucking life. And do you know what he fucking said?"
Completely out of breath, Eddie doesn't even give his friends a chance to respond. "He said that he takes his love for my mom real serious! That fucking moron! So I gave him a piece of my mind."
"Maybe he was just t-t-trying to cheer you up?"
"He fucking knows I hate those jokes!"
"Yeah, but you also pretend to hate his nicknames and we all know you secretly love those. "
Eddie shoots Stan a wounded look. He does not. Okay maybe he does, but he for sure thought he hid it well.
Around him, Stan and Bill continue their conversation, but he tunes it out.
Eddie can slowly feel his anger leave him. And isn't that typical ? He knows he's not a calm person. People describe him as hot headed, feisty (shudder), a tiny gay ball of rage (thanks Bev), short fused or simply angry a lot. And no one makes him more easily annoyed than Richie.
But he can never stay mad at Richie for long. Especially because he knows the other boy's heart is in the right place. And the jokes function mostly as a sort of shield (besides the fact that Richie genuinely believes he is funny as hell).
Shit.
"- like I love the guy but he needs to grow up."
"Guys", Eddie says horrified, "I think I really fucked up."
Stan and Bill turn back towards him with twin questioning looks.
"... I'm lost. I thought Richie was the one who fucked up?"
"Well", Eddie takes a deep breath and looks over Stan's shoulder, "remember when I said I gave Richie a piece of my mind?"
From the corner of his eyes he sees his friends nod.
"Well if he really was trying to cheer me up-"
He breaks off and drags a shuddering hand over his face. Taking a deep breath, he continues.
"Please" he scoffed, "you wouldn't recognize a serious relationship if it punched you in the face. And how could you? Nothing you ever say has any real meaning. Have you ever even fucking said anything you really meant? You think you're so fucking funny but nothing you do has any meaning. You're a fucking child, Richie. Leave me alone."
He expected the other boy to put up a fight. To deny it. To cuss up a storm. But Richie just looked at him, pale as a ghost, and abruptly turned around.
"Yeah, walking away, that's really mature!"
"Damn, Eddie you really said that?" Stan asks him, sounding shocked.
"I don't know what I was thinking. I know the jokes are a way to say what he feels without repercussion. I just really want him to do without sometimes."
"W-what do you mean w-without repercussion?"
"You know, telling Ben that he's the kindest person he's ever met, then quickly tacking on a warning to Bev about keeping her man away from his charms. That way no one can call him out on the sappy compliment."
Stan looks sceptical. "You mean to tell me that every time he says he missed me almost as much as he misses my mom, he's really just trying to say he missed me?"
Eddie nods. "I think so yeah."
Bill looks deep in thought.
"It-it does sound like that could be it.”
Eddie stands up abruptly. "I gotta go make this right. I'll tell the nurse I have a headache or something."
As he's walking away, Stan grabs his sleeve.
"Eddie, before you go. What does Richie joke about the most?"
"I don't fucking know Stan, my mom?"
Stan laughs quietly and shakes his head. "No Eddie. About how much he loves his Eddie spaghetti."