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They were barely 12 years old the first time someone called Mike's brother a queer. It was in 6th grade, their first year of middle school. Both of the twins were far from what would be considered popular, but Richie seemed to be a walking target. Where Mike could avoid most confrontations, other than a few spats with some upperclassman, Richie practically yelled his arrival through the hallways every morning. Mike knew the day would come when his brother's flair for dramatics would draw the wrong kind of attention, and come it did.
They were walking to their second class of the day when it happened. The brothers both had separate friend groups and didn't usually talk a lot during school, but they did that day. Only because Richie wanted to bitch to him about some 8th grader he had a run in with.
"Mikey, I'm not even being dramatic when I say he looks like he's 20, this must be his tenth time repeating the 8th grade. Yet, this fucker had the audacity to make fun of my voice cracking."
Mike just sighed at his brother's antics. "What did you say to him?"
"I told him that his mom's voice cracked too when she was screaming for me last night." Richie answered with obvious pride.
One of Richie's friends, Eddie Kaspbrack, let out a poorly concealed snort of amusement. Mike turned to glare at him, his expression clearly saying "don't encourage him." Unfortunately, the damage had already been done. As expected, Richie's whole face lit up like a fucking Christmas tree. He quickly grabbed Eddie by his wrist and made him stand right next to him so he could wrap his arm around his shoulder.
"You like that joke? Huh, my adorable Eddie Spaghetti?" Richie bats his eyelashes in mock flirtation.
Eddie's face immediately scrunches up with annoyance. "Don't call me that, Trashmouth or I'll kick your fucking teeth in."
The insult only seems to spur Richie on, because of course it fucking does.
"Aww, Eddie you're blushing." Richie leaned in closer to poke Eddie's cheek with his free hand.
Mike quickly realizes that Eddie actually isn't blushing at all, at least, he wasn't before Richie said that he was.
Eddie's face turns bright red and he tries his hardest to wiggle out of Richie's hold. "Fuck you, you're such an asshole."
An expression of absolute delight crosses his brother's face. His eyes light up and his grin gets as wide as the Cheshire Cat's. To most people, even the ones who knew Richie best, it could be brushed off as excitement at finally getting a rise out of someone; but Mike knew better. Mike knew his twin inside and out. He knew every facial expression Richie had ever made and he knew exactly what they meant too. This particular expression was one that Mike wasn't sure he'd ever seen before, and yet he could mostly decipher what it meant. There was definitely excitement and Richie's own special brand of satisfaction, but there was more underneath. There was fondness, pride, adoration, and... nervousness? Why would Richie be nervous?
Before Mike could attempt to figure out the answer to that question, he was snapped back into the present by Richie. More specifically, Richie making a huge show of pinching Eddie's cheeks and yelling "cute, cute, cute." Mike could see Eddie's cheeks heat up even more but before he got the chance to curse Richie out like Mike was sure he wanted to, someone yelled in their direction.
"Is that your boyfriend? You fucking queer!" An upperclassman shouted as he passed them in the hall.
Mike felt his heart drop into his stomach and his ears turn hot. They got so hot in fact that it was almost like he couldn't hear anything, and yet somehow he still did? Almost distantly he heard people around them start to laugh.
A few moments later he finally found the strength to look at his brother and Eddie. Eddie's head was down but he could see that his face had quickly turned from blushing red to deathly pale. His hands were shaking where they gripped Richie's shirt but he quickly removed them to try and dig through his fanny pack, clearly looking for something. He honestly looked ready to collapse at any second.
Richie on the other hand, well, he just looked fucking pissed. His eyebrows were scrunched together as he stared after the upperclassman as he left the hallway. His hands had dropped from Eddie's cheeks to the sides of his neck, the hold seemed to comfort him. Mike could tell Richie was upset, but it was always easier for Richie to show his anger than his hurt.
Mike knew he had to calm Richie down before he go himself in even more trouble. "Richie, take a deep breath."
Richie turned to look at him with a look of pure rage on his face. "Are you fucking kidding me? Did you hear that shit? And you want me to take a breath!"
"I know you're upset but you're only gonna make it worse." Mike tried desperately to reason with him.
"I don't give a fuck! I'm not just gonna stand here and take that shit-"
"Rich-."
Richie snapped his attention down to Eddie who was wheezing badly and looked seconds away from hyperventilating.
"Fuck, Eddie." Richie cursed before springing into action.
He finally removed his hands from their place on Eddie's neck and began frantically looking for something in his back pack. After a few moments of scrambling he finally pulled out an inhaler and pressed it to Eddie's mouth.
"It's okay Eds, just breath." Riche said while rubbing his hand up and down Eddie's back.
Eddie obeyed and took lots of deep breath while leaning into Richie's touch.
"Thank you, and don't fucking call me Eds." Eddie eventually wheezed out.
The weird expression Richie had earlier returned. "No problem, Eddie Spaghetti."
"That's not any better than Eds." Eddie complained weakly.
"I know, they are both equally amazing. Which is why I have chosen to use both for all of eternity." Richie vowed with confidence.
Eddie groaned. "Lucky me."
And just like that, Richie had forgotten all about his anger. To say Mike was shocked was an understatement. Very few times in their lives had Mike seen his twin that angry and when he had, things had not ended well. Richie could never let it go until he felt that justice had been served. And yet, this time around, all it took was Eddie Kaspbrack wheezing a little to get Richie to let it go. It occurs to Mike that the thought of Eddie being hurt might have been what had really upset Richie in the first place. Nothing got his brother ready to fight someone like a person he loves getting hurt, especially Eddie.
Mike observed as Richie and Eddie bickered non stop until they finally got to class. He didn't quite understand their dynamic and was pretty sure he never would. It's none of his business anyway and at this point he honest to god doesn't care.
When he catches them kissing in the backyard about four years later, it's still none of his business and he still does not fucking care.