Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Slow deep breaths in. Pause. Slow deep breaths out, a cycle repeated while he read. His mind blank and the only thing for background noise to be heard was the soft ‘pit pat’ of rain drops hitting his bedroom window.

His eyes were focused on the ‘Batman’ comic in front of him perched on his stomach held by his hands. Eddie could look to his right side to see Richie, feet faced towards him and layed back on the mattress on the opposite side of him.

Just like how they always sat in that hammock. Within the smooth pastel brown painted walls with movie posters scattered and the dark blue blankets on the bed, they were in content with their own activities.

The foul-mouthed teen had his eyes and hands working on a rubix cube, switching and sliding in all kinds of patterns to solve it. Eyes focused yet zoned out behind glasses.

Eddie finished the page he was on then disgraced the comic on the ground, sitting up to look down at the other.

”Doubt you finished the comic that quick.” Richie finally spoke, breaking the silence in between them. Eddie scoffed slightly at the comment.

”oh, so you’re accusing me of not being a fast reader now?” He asked back.

He took a moment to peel his eyes away from the cube, laughing quietly. “Eddie, you’re the slowest fucking reader I know”

He rolled his eyes at that. Eddie reached down and took the cube away from him, solving it himself and scoffing.  “Oh yeah? And you’re the fastest reader I know. I a hundred percent doubt you finished 10 comics in under five minutes.”

”I can’t control it! I just wanna get through as much as I can!” Richie retorted.

”just like how you finished Macbeth in one day for that English assignment? We were supposed to take two weeks to read it, Rich. Two weeks.”

”guess the teacher outta take more knowledge in her students reading abilities then” he sat up, pulling his legs to his chest with his arms around them.

Eddie smiled softly, looking back at Richie and setting the rubix cube aside. “Just admit you totally cheated that assignment.” And for that comment cued the old New York gangster accent Richie spoke in.

”Awh, babes, c’mon- ya can’t cheat an easy one-hundred. How dare ya accuse such a fine man of a crime!” He spoke with his hands. Eddie let out a laugh. “Speak normally, idiot!”

”oh you love it when I talk like this and you know it.”

”do I though?” Eddie questioned playfully. Richie thought to himself for a moment. Tilted  his head slightly at the other. A small moment of silence before both broke out in playful laughter. They caught their breathes from laughing and looked back at eachother.

”oh I so do…truly.” Eddie softly said moving himself closer to Richie. He reached his hands over and gently removed his glasses that framed his pale face. Richie squinted his eyes at that.

”I’d love to say I love you back, darling, really do, but it’s hard to say that to a blurry face” Richie retorted sarcastically at the name

Eddie shook his head, holding back a smile and attempting to sound annoyed. “You had dirt smudges on your lenses, you need to take better care of them.” Doing so, he used the bottom of his shirt to carefully wipe clean the glasses lenses. Richie watching him in content.

Eddie finished with his small task, reaching over and placing his glasses back on the others face. He pushed them up the bridge of his nose with his finger and smirked slightly. “All right, say you love me back now that you can see me.”

Richie smiled. Not a smile he’d crack after joking around with the losers, a smile he always had when he was around with him. Content and happiness romantically, something he didn’t think could be real. Something he only thought was of fairy tale books and happy ever afters with princes and princesses.

He didn’t think the feeling was real but it felt real during any moment with him. Only for this case, instead of some happy ending with a beautiful princess, he met another prince and they hid from what everyone would view as to be wrong. Hide from the world but love each other endlessly.

Richie was quickly pulled from his thoughts at the snap of the others fingers.

”earth to Trashmouth, still there?” Eddie asked him. Still remained in his love sick thoughts and the feeling of mentally kicking his legs at the idea of the love of his life in front of him.

”Eddie, I love you more than life itself and I intend to love you as much as physically and emotionally possible.” He said. Eddie pulled his hand back. Taken back at the comment, expecting it to be a joke but not hinting any humour.

He blushed and turned his eye contact away from the other boy. “Right..” he mumbled. All Richie could do is fall in love all over again, head over heels.

And like any other alone time with the two, Richie hesitantly extended his arms out to the other. Eddie would always didn’t himself trapped in his arms and they would hold each other not ever wanting to let go. Richie lays back against the soft mattress, arms entangled around his torso. Eddie with his head pushed in the crook of his neck by his side, arms around Richie’s waist.

The rain outside would continue to tap against the bedroom window, and the room would continue to feel a bit chilly from the muggy October weather.

But so long as Eddie had his eyes shut and his nose pressed against the side of Richie’s neck, feel the fabric of the boys jumper against him and the smell of cigarettes and fresh deodorant he felt at content and warm when it was cold.

Richie wouldn’t crack a joke and Eddie wouldn’t annoy him or get handsy and poke at him or touch his glasses. Just them, holding each other like this.

Well, silent until Eddie spoke quietly. He mumbled against his neck, eyes remaining closed. “Spend the night, please?”

Richie slowly nodded at this, mumbling back. “Sure..I’d need clothes though”

”I’ve got your stuff here from last time you spent the night”

”mm, alright…gotta check with mom later”

”alright..” Eddie responded before sighing and falling silent again.

it was perfect.

Chapter Text

“Also for reminders, we have an upcoming test so we’ll be doing a bit of review in class and I advise you all review at home. Write that down.”

The teacher pointed at the board behind him, written in chalk was ‘Science test Friday, review p. 50-60’ which to Richie at the time, seemed ridiculous to review that much for a test.

Well, ridiculous from what he heard, not what he saw. He was too busy looking out the window as the brown and red leaves scattered across the ground due to the wind or tapping his leg or pencil.

He took a second to look at the board and write the reminder in his planner before quickly looking at the clock on the wall. ’1:29’ they got dismissed at 30 so everyone in class started packing up. Eventually the bell ring for next period which happened to be lunch.

Richie shoved his stuff in his bag and made his  way into the hall crowded with other kids walking or running, opening and closing lockers and going in and out the bathrooms.

”Hey slow down!” Said a voice. Richie turned his head to see Bev run up to him, patting his back and smiling.

He returned a smile. “Where are my manners, how do you do Miss Ringwald?”

She rolled her eyes. “Drop the name, can you believe he wants to make us read that much for a test? Gotta be serious, yeah?”

He nodded in agreement as they made their way down the stairs to the next floor where the cafeteria was, where they’d meet with the others for lunch. “You won’t catch me reading that much, I’ll just put in a doctors note so I don’t gotta take the test.”

”pulling a Ferris Bueller?” She asked.

”Dear Mr. Callahan, sorry I couldn’t make it to school for the test. I’ve been coughing and vomiting blood and other fluids, the doctor says I might die. Signed, Richie Tozier”

She laughed as they entered the cafeteria. “Dude that’s so gross.”

“it could work though!”

After standing in line for what felt a long time, the two made their way with their lunch trays through the double doors and outside to the table the losers always sat for lunch. Richie set his bag on the ground and sat beside Eddie and Stan.

”oh hey Rich, we were j-just discussing who’d win in a f-fight, Deadpool or Wo-Wolverine” Bill stuttered out, motioning to Eddie, finishing his carton of milk before looking back at him.

“Wolverine, end of discussion, just read the comics” he said. This is when Richie chimed in, talking between chewing his sandwich. “Now hold on now, Deadpool has got a pretty good chance.”

”you only think that because he’s your favourite Marvel character.” Stan said.

“Fair, but during their first clash the only reason he fell short that one time is because Wolverine got help from Sabretooth. You wanna kill Deadpool, you gotta decapitate him or some shit” he explained.

“fantastic, he’s a hard genius in comics but can barely keep a B in Algebra” Stan said, laughing slightly.

Richie pushed his glasses up and smirked. “Oh a hard genius you say?” Stan gave him a disgusted face, looking at Eddie again. “Why does he have to be this way?” Eddie glanced between them and looked back at his food. “No idea.”

Placing his elbow on the table and resting his chin in his hand, Richie tilted his head slightly and gave a smile to Eddie.

“You know, I’ve got a hunch that test isn’t gonna go so well so maybe you could get me with the books and crap?”

He glared at Richie. “Mr. Callahan’s class? Take notes, read the books, do it yourself.”

“Shame, guess you can forget that vintage 1960 Oliver land Express train set you’ve been talking about, would’ve been a nice Christmas gift.”

His attention shot back up again. “You’re kidding? Jesus, okay fine I’ll help.” Richie nodded and pat his back. “Glad I could get through to you.”

Bev shook her head. “You’ll help him study but not us? I sense favouritism.”

Eddie shrugged, adding in sarcastically. “He’s left me no choice.”

The time came around where the last bell of the day rang and everyone would be dismissed from school, meaning Richie and Eddie could ride their bikes back to Richie’s house to help him study. They pulled into the Tozier’s front lawn and left ther bikes knocked over on the grass, stepping up the porch and walking through the front door.

They were both greeted with the sound of the television switched on some random channel that was on at the hour and the smell of fresh laundry where Maggie was in the living room folding clothes. Wentworth at the kitchen island looking at the paper and sipping a cup of coffee.

”Hey mom, Eddie’s over again.” Richie greeted his mom, kicking off his shoes and walking to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. Maggie nodded. “How was school for the both of you?”

Eddie took off his shoes at the door. “It was good, thank you, Mrs. Tozier.”

”I’ve told you before you don’t need to be all formal like that, just Maggie’s fine.” Eddie nodded again, taking a mental note. She finished folding the rest of the laundry, kissing the side of Richie’s head on her way walking to the kitchen. “Anything exciting happen?”

Richie shook his head and threw another water bottle he grabbed from the fridge at Eddie, which he quickly caught. “Nah just the same boring stuff.”

Went glanced up from his paper. ”Nothing? Surprising to hear coming from you, kiddo.” Eddie chimed in on the conversation. “He made a comment about the substitute in English and that cracked some laughs.”

Went nodded and smiled, looking back at the paper. “Classic Richie.”

Richie shook his head. “We’re gonna be up in my room studying, we got a test on Friday and I asked him for help.”

Maggie nodded at this. “Ah I see, well, dinner will be ready in 10, if Eddie wants to, he can stay and eat.”

Eddie looked over, feelings a bit lifted and warm by the kind invitation. “Oh uh, I wouldn’t want to be a bother Mrs- uh Maggie.”

Maggie smiled and laughed slightly. “Oh no, no! It’s not a bother at all! you’re always welcome. Besides, it’s always best to get to know more about the boy seeing my kid.” Eddie blushed at that.

Went shook his head. “Hun, you’ve known the kid since they were both in kindergarten, no need scaring him into thinking we have high expectations.”

Richie felt his face begin to heat up, embarrassed about the conversation. “Yeah okay- He can stay if we want but enough talking, we’re gonna go study.” With that said, he threw away his empty water bottle into the small recycling bin by the oven and walked down the hall to his room. Eddie turned to Went and Maggie, nodding. “Thanks for having me again.”

He began quickly following after Richie down the hall and into his bedroom. The door shut behind them both and Eddie was greeted with the smell of autumn, mostly from his bedroom window being cracked open. His walls painted white and the floor and his desk messy with clothes, crumbled paper or candy wrappers. Eddie slightly cringed, Richie’s always been a mess.

”god you’re a slob, do you ever clean?” He asked, sitting on the carpeted floor and resting his bag next to him as he began to take out his notes and textbook.

Richie rolled his eyes and sat across from him, doing the same. “Oh sorry, not everyone can be as tidy as you, mr. germaphobe.”

”just be quiet. Look, let’s start here.” Eddie flipped open a page to the textbook, reading it. “‘The best evidence of Earth’s rotation is provided by what?’” He asked.

Richie stared at him, thinking before talking. His eyes drifted to his lips. Eddie took notice and added more tone to his voice. “Richie.”

He quickly looked back. “Hm? Oh uh, the uh, Foucault Pendulum? Yeah, that thing.”

Eddie sighed. “If you don’t focus, you’re going to fail and I can’t help you with that.”

”well then, maybe I shouldn’t have a pretty boy tutoring me on this.” Richie said back with sarcasm in his voice, taking notes in his notebook.

Eddie rolled his eyes. Using his hand, he reached forward and lifted his jaw up slightly. Richie looking up confused.

”may I remind you that you’re the one who wanted me to help you study don’t get attitude.” He said.

Richie slowly smiled, looking up at him through his stupidly long eyelashes. “Oh wow, seriously?” Eddie’s face turned madly red and he pulled his hand back.

”holy fuck, beep beep!” He said. Richie lost it and started laughing wildly, clapping his hands together. Eddie just sat there, covering his face and groaning in annoyance.

”jesus! You’re look like a fucking apple. I didn’t even do anything.” He laughs out. Eddie looked back at the textbook, choosing to ignore his comment. Sure, words didn’t need to be said by him but looks could kill.

“Shut up. let’s just focus on the work, I don’t want another word out of you.”

”demanding…yeah sure.” Richie commented slyly. “God, shut up!” Eddie lightly shoved him. Richie took initiative and copied so, shoving his back by the shoulder.

”I don’t shut up, I grow up. And when I look at you I throw up.” Richie then proceeded to stick his hand towards his mouth, gagging in a manner like he was vomiting. Eddie shook his head. “You need to stop doing re-runs of Stand By Me.”

Richie smiled at him, fixing his glasses. ”the 7th rewatch was the best of them all, I could totally do a costume of Teddy for Halloween.” 

Eddie scoffed, flipping through his textbook. “Yeah sure, throw on a green shirt, and make stupid decisions. Guess it’ll be easy to do since you already apply to one of those.”

”oh trash the Trashmouth, right?” He tilted his head slightly. The other pushed his textbook aside, making eye contact again.

”putting the Trashmouth in his place.” He commented.

Soon before Richie could scoff and ask what he meant by that, he’d be pushed with his back flat against the carpeted floor. Eddie holding him down by the arms and legs straddling his hips in a wrestling position. Like any other time they both found themselves fooling around, Eddie always won having stronger arm strength between them both.

Richie laughed and tilted his head back, throat facing the ceiling and eyes on his lover. “Yeah okay I get it, if you went pro you could kick ass.”

He tried to slither his arms out of Eddie’s grip but it only tightened.

He tilted his head in a shrug manner. “if it gets you to be quiet then yes. You’re so easy to distract.” Richie’s lips curled in between a  playful smirk and a smile, pale face tinted red.

”All this because I got distracted by you? Whatever happened to studying?” Richie asked. “I’ll let it pass this one time, we can do that later.”

Richie turned his head to the side, attempting at hiding his smile, can’t helping ”later? Got any plans?”

He had no idea where all this confidence surged up and came from, it was good though he wouldn’t complain. Something he always wanted permanently but more like a feeling that came around every once in a while. Confidence he wanted to stand up for himself to bullies like how Bill could tell them to shut up or piss off. Confidence he wanted to set boundaries and get through to his mom more. Maybe spending so much time around Richie rubbed off on him.

And speaking of.

”yeah, actually, mind looking back at me?” He spoke again. Richie turned his head back to him. Eddie leaned down, connecting their lips and slowly kissing him. Richie almost quickly returning the gesture and kissing him back.

After a few seconds of this, they both pulled away, just staring at each other. Just small moments like this they could appreciate with each other. Suddenly, the silence and the moment was broken between the two by the door opening. They both looked over to see Richie’s older sister, Rachel, standing in the doorway with a cocked eyebrow.

”oh shit. Sorry about- whatever was happening Uh- mom says dinner is ready.” Rachel said before slowly exiting.

Richie shook his head. “Holy fuck.” Eddie’s face burned. He quickly got up and cleared his throat, Richie following lead.

”sorry- I forgot the door was, ya know- sorry.” Eddie apologises.

Richie laughed at that and pats his back. “We’re having chicken and rice, last one to the table is a rotten egg.” So he ran out of his room.

Eddie sighed and looked around at papers and notes and open textbooks scattered across the carpeted floor. Maybe they’ll get some work done later.

Chapter Text

As the bells rang and the kids flooded out of school walking or taking buses home, the losers all walked out and met in-front, grabbing their bikes from the racks.

Walking there, Eddie and Richie were talking about several comic book characters and their favourite ones.

“Took you guys long enough, d-didn’t it?” Bill commented.

Richie grabbed his bike from the rack. “You have no patience, Billy, you don’t get the importance of pop culture.” Bill couldn’t argue on his interests in conversation. Eddie reading over to the rack and picking up his bike as well.

“Right then, we were ta-talking and we were going to go by the quarry if you guys wanna t-tag along.” Bill said as they all started walking their bikes by their side away from the building.

“The quarry? It’s October, so you know how sick you could get being down by the water in this weather?” Eddie said, scrunching his face in a judgmental way.

Bev commented. “We’re grabbing some blankets and other things from home to bring there so we won’t freeze, plus we got Mike and Ben to help out together a fire.”

”a fire while we’re unattended?” Eddie questioned again.

”E-Eddie you don’t have to g-go if you don’t want too.” Bill commented again. Richie chimed in, fixing his glasses. “Sounds fun, I don’t think my mom will mind me going.”

Eddie glances over at Richie and turned back to the group, sighing to himself. “Cool then, guess I’m in.”

Bill nods at this. “C-Cool then, we’ll all meet up down there around three, see you guys then?”

Richie nods, straddling his bike and starting to pedal. “See you good chaps there then, tallyoh!” Speaking in a toodles the butler impression. Everyone started bike riding away in their own directions.

By the time it was three, everyone was down at the island edge by the quarry. The sun coming down and everyone sat in a circle with blankets or sweaters talking while a fire was being assembled.

“So what do you guys say, s-scary stories?” Bill asked. Everyone else ended up nodding in agreement.

”sure love a good scary story by a campfire.” Mike added with a smile. Everyone gathered closer. “Who goes first?”

“I’ve been reading some folktale lately” Ben said quietly. Bill nods. “Go a-ahead”

“The tale of Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga is a terrifying deformed woman who walks on chicken legs and kidnaps kids…then eats them.” Ben said putting more time at the last part for dramatic effect.

”chicken legs? Slavic folks sure come up with strange folklore.” Richie said warming his hands by the fire.

Eddie looked at him. “Right, as if we didn’t come up with the idea of Bigfoot.”

Richie squinted his eyes. “At least there’s a chance a giant human like ape is running around in the woods, what are the odds of running into a deformed chicken leg having lady??”

Suddenly the bushes and twigs started to rustle and snap. Richie shut him mouth and the others looked around. Eddie jumped slightly and looked around. “What the fuck was that??”

”awe, scared, Ed’s? I’ll protect you don’t worry” he remarked. Eddie shot him a look. “Don’t call me that.”

Ben turned his attention to the two close to each other. “Perhaps that’s Bigfoot right now, or maybe even…Baba Yaga, looking for her next victims!” Mike and Bill started laughing.

Eddie groaned. “Okay that’s not funny at all!”

”Real comical of you guys I must say, but it’s probably just a small animal. A chipmunk or-“ Richie was cut off by the twigs snapping in the trees close behind him. He jumped at that, clinging to Eddie. Eddie furrowed his eyebrows in a questioning way.

“‘I’ll protect you Ed’s, don’t worry’ he says.”Richie shook his head. “Okay screw you, this is me making sure you don’t get snatched. Yeah, that’s what’s happening, totally.” Eddie just sighed at his boyfriend chickening out.

Suddenly, almost as if on cue, everyone around the fire smiled or started trying to cover their laughters. Richie and Eddie looked confused. They both felt the feeling of hands on their shoulders grip them and they both jumped, screaming. Turns out that when they both got the courage to look around, it was Bev with her hands on their shoulders, laughing wildly.

She clapped her hands and stepped back, sitting down between Bill and Ben. “God, you guys should’ve seen your face! Can’t believe Baba Yaga got you all scared.”

Ben laughed slightly. “I didn’t even finish the story.”

They both groaned, shaking their heads or complaining. Eddie reached for his inhaler in his pocket, putting it to his mouth and pressing the trigger twice before putting it back. “God you’re an ass.” Richie lightly pat his back then eyeballed Bev. “Real nice joke you pulled there, Miss Ringwald.”

The night went on as the group had planned. Exchanging scary campfire stories, laughing and joking, s’mores, and being cuddled against eachother in blankets for warmth by the fire. Though as the fire came to an end and died out, there was a cold sky full of stars above them and they all had to head home for the night. They exchanged hugs and said their goodbyes as they all headed home for the night.

As Richie picked up his bike from the ground he looked at Eddie who was doing the same gesture. “Want me to bike you home? It’s dark.”

Eddie looked at him, tossing a playful glare. “Worried about me, Trashmouth?” Richie moved his hand up to adjust his glasses, a bit flustered.

Before Richie could say anything, Eddie laughed and pushed his bike, sitting up on the seat and beginning to peddle. “Yeah sure, think you can beat me home?”

Richie sat up on his bike and peddled next to him. “Oh yeah, for sure.” He was about to continue on with another smart remark but before he could actually get words out, Eddie peddled quickly past him.

He sputtered, picking up the supper and peddling after him. “Hey come on, you got a head start!”

Eddie laughed and saw him as he eventually caught up and they were peddling next to each other. “Guess you gotta stop running your mouth and start paying attention!”

”oh you looovvee when I talk, don’t deny!”

”piss off, Richard!” He said with a laugh.

They continued this typical playful banter of exchanging names with each other, their laughs echoed as they peddled through the streets of their town under the street lights. Something about it was nice. Just another piece of proof Eddie was always at his best with him.

They soon made another few turns at street corners before coming to a hault in front of a two story red house. Eddie glanced over at the house, looking back at Richie.

”my stop here, see you tomorrow?” He said quiet. They didn’t know who could have been up at this hour but it was still for the better.

Richie nodded. “See ya tomorrow.”

Eddie smiled slightly to himself as he pushed his bike up to the front lawn of his house and dropping it in the grass, stepping up his porch. Richie watched him before pushing his bike down the street. Before he could get any further, Eddie stopped and ran down the porch steps and down the road. “Hey wait!”

Richie immediately turned back to him. Eddie stood in front of him, eyes focused on his lips and ears red. Either a result from the cold weather or embarrassment, either way he ignored it. Eddie studied the area around them carefully, hesitating. There was nobody in sight and it was just them, a dark sky and some street lights. Could be a risk but he could take it. ‘Nobody would be awake to see’ he told himself.

”forgot to say goodnight.” Eddie said finally speaking again. Richie squinted his eyes slightly in a curious manner. “Alright?”

Eddie pushed all bad thoughts aside and just went with it. Gently holding Richie’s face in his hands, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against the others. Richie paused abruptly. After a few seconds he eventually leaned into the kiss and shut his eyes, kissing him back. They stayed like that for a few seconds with their lips sliding against each other and the feeling of butterflies before pulling back.

Richie’s eyes immediately traveled to the others lips. Up to his eyes and back to his lips. “Oh..”

Eddie nodded slightly, lightly stroking his thumb over the light freckles dabbled across his pale cheeks. “Sorry, god that was stupid- out here too, I’m sorry..”

Richie glanced down. “Not like anyone’s out here to see, it’s fine really, I’m glad you uhm…that’s a nice way to say goodnight.”

Eddie smiled, blush rising to his cheeks as he pulled his hands away from Richie’s face. “Guess I should do that more often.”

“You should probably get home now for real, the Mrs. ain’t gonna be so happy to see you out late kissing boys.” Richie said in a smug mocking manner.

Eddie blushed and rolled his eyes. “Amazing how you just looked so…whatever, two seconds ago now you’re acting like this.”

He closed his mouth. “Elaborate?”

”you’ve uh…you have a look to your eyes..I don’t know- now you’re making me sounds stupid, fuck you, Rich.” He said, starting to walk back to his house.

Richie laughed, fixing his glasses. “Goodnight to you too!”

And as much as Eddie wanted to act annoyed, he couldn’t help but smile back at the other, stepping onto his porch and stepping inside. Richie sat there under the street light for a few seconds. He sighed happily and got on his bike again, biking down the street to his house.

Chapter Text

With the smell and breezes of brown and orange leaves fallen everywhere and scattering all around, it seemed that Halloween was approaching around the corner quickly than anyone had guessed.

The Tozier’s were ones who were fond of the holiday. Well, mostly their son who ecstatic every time spooky season had rolled around. He was always enthusiastic about many slasher and horror films since he was 10 years old and begging his dad to do chores around the house to get some extra cash to go to the Aladdin downtown and see the newest one that was out at the time, even if his mom had warned him about having nightmares afterwards.

He had stacks of movies in a basket next to his bed of his favourites he’d take with him if the losers ever gathered in Bill’s garage or living room for a movie night, he’d read all about them in magazines, even make little doodles of slasher villains in his notebooks in class.

Since early in the month, his mom put out cinnamon or pumpkin scented candles around the house, had all the kitchen hand towels replaced to be checkered with oranges and blacks or with small ghosts on them and the small welcome mat at the front door with a carved pumpkin with a smiley face. Of course there were still the other traditions of fall that Richie was accustomed to, but he enjoyed Halloween night itself. One night a year to dress in a costume and run around to get free candy.

The only difference this year is that Richie and the other losers had been invited a Halloween party so he wouldn’t be out truck or treating, rathe he’d be at a party. Not something he thought that he’d live to hear. To be honest, they all thought it was a joke when the invitation got out.

He was just sat at his desk like normal taking notes while the teacher talked. Well until he was interrupted by the girl sat next to him tapped his ankle with her foot. Richie turned his attention away from his notes to look at her.

“Four-eyes, yeah?” She asked. What a nice way to ask for someone’s attention.

He ignored it and looked at her. “oh uh, yeah who’s asking.”

“Jenny.”

”Right.” He pretend to know that name.

She glanced to see the teacher with his head turned away, spoke again. “Friends with Greta. She’s throwing a Halloween party on Friday and the whole school’s gonna be there. Im just spreading the word cause, whatever.”

He nods slightly and looks back at his notes. “Thanks I guess.”

She shrugged and looked back at the front of the class. He furrowed his eyebrows in a questioning matter, shaking his head slightly to himself.

”s-so that’s it? No laughter n-no names after?” Bill asked, chewing through his sandwich. Richie shrugged and drank his milk.

“Called me four-eyes before introduction but hey, I’m just as suspicious of this invitation as you are, Billy.”

”Greta doesn’t like us though, why would she willingly invite us to her party? I don’t like the feeling of this.” Eddie added on, glancing at Bill.

Bev looked between the group and spoke. “It’s an invitation for everyone, yeah? I mean if she’s inviting the whole school I guess that means the whole school whether she wants us there or not.”

”the whole-whole school? Shit, what if bowers and his goons are there?” Eddie said again quickly. 

“It’s a costume party, Eddie, you think bowers and his buddies are gonna waste their time to dress up and go to a party just to find a chance at cornering one of us?” Richie reassured in a half joking manner. Eddie set his empty lunch tray aside. “You never know what you get from them.”

”Richie d-d-does have a point, it’s seems useless for them to go to a party ju-just at the opportunity to get one or even a-all of us when he could do it any other day.” Bill said.

Eddie nodded. “Right, yeah sorry.”

Stam looked at Richie looking for another word out of him. “Was this girl being serious? I mean what if it’s a set up? We’re losers, it seems weird that we of all people get invited to something.”

”like I said, I’m just as suspicious of this as the rest of you are.”

”s-so..so what do we do?” Bill asked, looking around the table for answers. Eddie spoke up again.

“Look my moms already worried enough letting go trick or treating every year on my own, says I could get kidnapped by a guy in a mask or if I get any snickers bar they might have needles in them.”

”I guess she’s not totally wrong about that last part.” Mike added.

“This invitation c-could be sincere though.” Bill cleared his throat. “I mean what I-if this is a good direction f-for us somewhere?” Everyone looked way each other.

“it could be a fun experience.” He added before looking at Beverly. “I-I get you and Greta aren’t exactly..c-cool with each other, you don’t have to g-go- none of us if you don’t want too.”

Eddie quickly nodded. “Yeah.” The others nodded too. Bev softly smiled at this.

”I appreciate that guys really.” She said before looking at bill. “But again, like you said, maybe it’s a good direction for us somewhere. And it’s gonna be a bunch of people so the odds of me running into her can’t be that high.”

”well..what’s this mean for us?” Mike asked curiously.

”I’m open for new opportunities, if you guys are going I’m going. Gotta do everything together, right?” She asked.

Ben nodded in agreement. “Guess we’re all going to the party then?”

Stan hesitates before nodding. “I don’t have any plans.”

Richie shrugs. “Guess I’ll say bye bye to my plans of eating candy till I throw up.”

Eddie gagged. “You’re disgusting.” He looked at him. “Your mom gonna let you go?”

”maybe, it might take convincing. I’ll make sure I’m there.”

”g-great, operation go to our f-first Halloween party is set.” Bill said. They all agreed and cheered, continuing on their conversations outside of school parties.

That was four days ago. Today, Richie is sat at his desk. One of his mixtapes playing on the radio of Michael Jackson’s best hits, mindlessly flipping through a Halloween magazine special while his eyes scanned over the costumes the models were posing in. Everything from the classics like Dracula and Frankenstein to superheroes like Batman and Superman. Nothing clicked, and he was getting bored and extremely impatient.

It’s a high school party, there would be costumes of all kind and maybe some kids there might not even be dressed up. He should’ve been able to find something by now. If he couldn’t come up  with a costume idea by the end of the month, he might as well not go. He groaned and tilted his head back against his chair, watching the ceiling fan spin around as the music continued filling the room.

He stayed like that for a while longer, trying to think to himself before he heard a yell downstairs from his mom. “Richie! Eddie’s here!” 

He slightly perked up, sitting up in his chair yelling back to his mom. “Okay thanks!”

Soon there was a knock at his door. Richie quickly got up to open it and was greeted with a head of curly brown hair and a smile. Eddie stepped in, closing the door behind him.

”hello there.” Richie smiled, stepping closer and taking Eddie’s hands in his. Eddie blushed at the gesture and followed suit, stepping closer and squeezing his hands lightly. “Pfft- hello there?”

They stayed like that, awkwardly smiling at each other and holding hands before they laughed and stepped in each others arms, embracing in a tight hug.

When they pulled away to face each other again, Eddie kept his arms wrapped around the others waist. “We need more classes together, school gets boring without you guys.”

Richie smiled, teeth on display and cheeks tinted red slightly. “Without you guys?”

Eddie hesitates on his words before rolling his eyes and pressing a kiss to the Trashmouth’s cheek. “Without you. I missed you.” He pulled his arms away.

”glad to know I’m appreciated.” he smiled and fixed his glasses, sitting at his desk again. Eddie looked around his room before sitting on his bed, before taking notice of the radio. “Nice music taste.” He smiled as he commented before tilting his head. “Whatcha got over there?”

Richie mood immediately switched as he groaned. “A headache, that’s what. I mean this is bullshit!” He grabbed the magazine and sat next to Eddie, showing him the pages. Eddie tilts his head as he looks down.

”they’ve got all these costume ideas I could go with for this year but nothing clicks, nothings cool.” He flips through the page. “And of course everything’s fucking expensive too, I mean who the fuck is getting a XL Batman costume for 50 bucks?? Nobody has that type of cash laying around.”

Eddie shakes his head. “Those magazines usually got a lot of options though, you haven’t found anything?”

”nothing.” He threw the magazines aside and turned sideways as he fell back dramatically, head landing in Eddie’s lap as he groaned. “Screw that party, you guys go without me since I can’t find anything.”

Eddie shook his head, letting him talk with his hands folded on his stomach before deciding to comb his fingers through the mess of dark curls in front of him. “Don’t be a big baby, you’ll find something, promise.”

And that always got Richie, anytime Eddie ended up having his hands in Richie’s hair. From something as simple as an arm around the shoulder that would occasionally brush the hairs on the back of his neck when he pulled away or something intentional like when he would reach his hand out and tuck a loose curl behind his hair. He’d just melt into a puddle when he had his hair played with.

He moved his eyes from looking at the ceiling to Eddie, feeling his face become pink again, but ultimately deciding to try and ignore the feeling. “Well what about you, you have a costume yet? And what about the others?”

Eddie continued combing his bangs back. “I have something, yeah.”

”and??”

”spider-man” Eddie said.

”oh shit, really?? That’s awesome.”

He smiles, combing the others hair aside. “Yeah? I’m glad you think. As for the others I guess they’re keeping their costumes a secret.”

Richie nodded. “As for me, I’ve seriously gotta come up with something.” He sighs and closes his eyes, relaxing into the feeling of Eddie’s fingers through his hair.

As he lays there relaxed, soft breathing and his eyes closed, Eddie moved his hands to the frames of his glasses. He slowly removes them and sets them on the bed next to him before returning back to combing his hair out of his face. Glasses out of the way, Eddie could more easily examine all of his sharp features like how his nose curved down or his jawline. The softer features like small light freckles spread across nose and cheeks or his long eyelashes. Shit, how did he get someone like that?

Richie eventually opened his eyes again, looking back up at Eddie, soft dark pools of brown. “You’re staring.”

Eddie cleared his throat. “Am I?”

”you’re making it obvious, and can I have my glasses back too?” He asked.

He took a breath, feeling his eyes travel to his lips then back. “Hm-? Yeah, yeah uhm…” Richie caught onto this and smiled slightly. “Oh shit, you’re totally checking me out. Wow, Kaspbrak.”

”do you ever stop talking?” He asked, trying to sound annoyed through embarrassment from the confrontation. Though he was failing overall.

Richie smiled and sat up, deciding to press a kiss to his cheek as a response. Well, more like the lower jaw from the blurry vision without glasses. Eddie grabbed his glasses and unfolded the ear pieces, sliding them back on his face and shaking his own head. “If you’re gonna kiss me, at least do it the right way?”

”yeah, right, sorry.” He leaned in to kiss him again this time properly on the cheek now having better eyesight. When he looked back at Eddie he just looked confused.

”no I mean actually.”

Richie takes the moment to glance at his lips. Look back up. “Hm? Oh…yeah..” 

He finally leans in, sliding their lips together and kissing him softly. Eddie immediately kisses back, closing his eyes and moving one of his hands to the back of his head, curls between his fingers. After a few seconds the pulled back. Eddie using one of his fingers to push up Richie’s glasses that had slid down in the process.

”you know, there’s always the option of making your own costume. Cheaper that way.” He suggested.

Richie laughed. “I’m sorry but that’s the first thing you’re gonna say after a kiss?”

Eddie shook his head and scoffed with a soft smile. “You can’t expect everything to be a romantic sentence afterwards.” He held his hands in his lap. “But seriously, it’s a cheaper option and maybe you can decide what you wanna go as.”

Richie hummed and nodded. “That could probably work.”

Eddie thought for a minute before looking at him. “Oh you know what, a skeleton. You could get some black clothes and paint the the bones on and shit and paint your face after.”

Richie smiled and clapped his hands together. “Oh you’re good! What a genius we got.” He sat back and looked back at him. “I don’t have black clothes…or paint.”

”Bev’s been taking sewing and design classes, plus her aunts got a whole room with stuff for that. Maybe she can do something.” Eddie suggested.

Richie nodded. “Not too bad, not too bad my good sir. Guess I can get Bev to make my costume if I can get the supplies. Maybe I got some old clothes somewhere I can use.”

”see? You found something.”

Richie shrugged. “Skeleton and Spider-Man? What a costume date idea.”

Eddie blushed. “Maybe the skeleton is one of the dead bad guys or something.”

”could be.” He kissed Eddie’s cheek again. “You willing to Spider-Man kiss me at that party?”

”absolutely not.” Eddie immediately rejected.

”oh come one please!”

”you expect me to hang upside down somewhere just for a kiss? What if the blood rushes to my head and I pass out and go unresponsive, you know people die from that shit right? And it’s a falling hazard, I don’t even think I’ve ever hung upside down anywhere before-” He quickly spoke defending his response in his usual fast talking manner.

He put his hands up. “Alright alright! It’s out the window, just a suggestion.”

Eddie groaned, bringing his knees up to his chest and resting his chin on them. “This whole party situation has me stressed out, what if we look like idiots? I don’t want that.”

Richie looked at him with sincerity. “We won’t, it’ll be a good experience. It’s a party, I mean the worst that could happen is someone brought alcohol and everyone gets spiked or some shit but that’s more common than you think-“

Eddie quickly looked at him. “Alcohol?? Oh holy fuck my mom is gonna kill me if she finds out I went somewhere with alcohol. You don’t really think-“

Richie quickly jumped in. ”no! No come on it was just a joke. Sort of. Look even if there is just don’t drink any, simple.” He pat Eddie’s back. “It’s gonna be fine, swear on it. And if it ends up shitty then whatever, we just leave.”

He looked back at him, sighing. “You think so?”

”Eddie, when have I ever been wrong about something?”

“All the time, you make idiotic choices.” Richie rolled his eyes. “Wow, trash the Trashmouth.”

Eddie laughed softly. “Thanks, Rich.”

”yeah of course.”

Chapter Text

Sitting down at a free table in the cafeteria for study hall, Eddie opened his backpack and started doing some of his homework. Easier to get it down now than later.

He was silently working to himself when the seat across from him creaked. He looked up to see Bill, wearing a baseball tee and a brown sherpa jacket overtop. He smiles at Eddie, placing his backpack on the ground.

“h-homework?” He asks, crossing his arms on the table.

”yeah, figured if I get it done now I won’t have to do it at home.” Eddie replies.

”smart.” Bill says. He watches him work for a few more seconds before speaking again.

”h-hear about the b-base-baseball game tonight?”

Eddie nods. “Yeah I mean everyone’s talking about it.” Almost like a mind reader, he says, “Im sure I’ll be able to make it tonight to see you play if the others can’t.”

Bill smiles softly at this. “Y-Yeah?”

“Don’t I always come? You’re the teams best batter, I don’t wanna miss that.” Eddie says looking back up at bill, adding a smile at the last few words.

”c-cool…I mean do you know for sure if the others would make it or?” He trails off for the question.

”they’re our friends so I’m sure they will. We could go out for ice cream if they don’t though as a little after game snack, I’ll pay.” He offers.

“a skeleton? And here I thought you would be more creative.” Bev teases.

”and I am! A man with creative thinking only thinks of going as something basic like that.” Richie fixes his glasses. “Everyone else is gonna have these cool costumes and this I simple and saves me money.”

Bev raises her eyebrow. “Free? Don’t tell me that-“

”Richie, shouldn’t you be in your own class?” Asked the teacher from her desk strictly yet also nicely.

Richie had left his lunch period to see Bev in her design and sewing class to talk to her about his costume.

”oh of course, in a bit though, ma’am. If that’s alright hit with you.” he smiles simply. The teacher shakes her head and turns back to her laptop, typing.

Richie turns his attention back to Bev, smirking. “Oh so you’re flattering the teachers now?” He shrugs. “It works..now as you were saying.”

”don’t tell me you expect me to make your costume for free as if I’m not already working on my own costume.” She looks at him, leaning against the back of her work table in her barstool.

“Kinda? See, im more of a joke telling and stage guy than an arts and crafts guy.”

”is that what you think I’m doing? Dedicating all my time and highschool courses to ‘arts and crafts’? Who was in the top of her classes freshman year, Tozier?” She laughs.

”touché, may I remind you who was in the top of his English class freshman year though.”

”mhm”

He sighs and puts his hands together, pleading. “Come on, Bev, you’re a creative and intelligent young woman. You’d be saving my ass if you did this favour.”

She crosses her arms as the barstool creaks underneath her. “Well..” she softly sighs to herself. “I’ve definitely got some stuff left over I could use.” 

Richie’s attention shoots up. “You mean it?? Awesome!”

Bev nods, slowly smirking next. “Though.”

“though??” He asks.

”I don’t have any spare black clothes and if I did they’re in girls sizes so they wouldn’t fit.” She points between her and Richie. “You are going shopping with me this weekend so we can find you plain black clothes.”

“hm..if it gets the job done then okay.” There was some silence before he furrowed his eyebrows in a questioning matter. “So what are you getting out of this.” 

“you’re gonna help me with my English homework since you’re such a genius.”

he nods. “Yeah sure, you got a deal.”

Stan shuts the door to his car, looking over at Richie who was waiting. “Dude come on! We gotta find the others before the game starts!”

”right I know!” Stan locks the car and shoves the keys in his pocket, walking over to Richie as they make their way up to the baseball field.

As they approached the front and turned in their admission tickets, they were overcome with the strong smell of popcorn and other concession stand foods. Wrappers and paper crunched in the dirt, people talking, music playing all under a sunset sky.

“over here, losers!” A girl yelled. Which was Bev. They smile as they make their way over to the top of the bleachers where the others sit. They sit down with them as they all talk.

”took you guys long enough.” Mike says playfully.

”yeah well Stan the man is a slow driver” Richie says. He leans back against the fencing behind the bleachers. “Never driving with this guy ever again.”

”okay don’t lie, for your information there was traffic and I was being careful. Besides if you think I’d trust you as a driver you’re crazy.”

“I can’t believe you don’t trust me!” Richie sighs dramatically, leaning against Eddie’s shoulder. Eddie blushes. “He does have a point.”

”yeah, you’d be the worst out of all of us to be a driver.” Ben adds.

”you’re all so quick to judge me, how rude” Richie says sighing and laughing afterwards.

Stan points to the field. “hey there’s Bill, they’re starting the game”

Everyone in the crowd starts to cheer and clap as the teams walk out to the field. Bill with a bat in hand and in his uniform making his way to his position. He spits the group and takes a second, smiling and waving.

”woo! Yeah bill!” Eddie yells clapping his hands.

”let’s go billy!” Richie adds.

”you’ve got this man!” Ben says.

He put up a small thumbs up before looking at his team. Everyone eventually settles down. The normal routine of any game starts. They announced over the speakers the name of the team members and then the national anthem everyone stood for before sitting down.

Richie takes a second to glance away from the game to turn his eyes to Eddie. He smiled widely watching the field. It was those small simple moments that were nice to watch, seeing someone usual not in a good mood to have his mood lifted up by something simple like watching his friend play at his game.

He smile and looks back at the game, lightly tapping his knee against Eddie’s, a subtle way to grab his attention. Eddie looks at him, a questioning look on his face.

“Enjoying your time?”

“Oh uh- yeah..yeah, definitely.” Eddie says blushing. “Im happy for him, probably sounds stupid but” he trails off.

“Not stupid at all, it’s good you’re close to Bill.” He says softly. “Bills a good guy, and you guys were the first ones who became friend before the rest of us so I get why you guys are closest.” Richie adds.

Eddie nods. “Yeah.”

Bill sighs, high fiving his teammates before walking off, adjusting the strap of his duffel bag. As he makes his way to exit the field, he sees Eddie, glancing at his watch leaning against the fencing outside the front gate. Bill walks over.

”h-hey Eddie.” He says.

Eddie looks up and smiles. “Bill! Oh dude you were awesome out there, truly.” Bill laughs, mouth turning up in a smile. They walk side by side as the exit the field.

“Y-yeah? Hope it wasn’t too bo-boring or if you guys weren’t entertained.”

”oh no I liked it, you played well out there I’m serious.” Eddie says smiling. “If you weren’t the batter of the team, you guys wouldn’t have the winning score.”

”glad to know someone’s so supportive of what I d-do.” Bill says.

”yeah I mean friends support each other, yeah?” Eddie asks. Bill takes the keys out of his pocket and unlocks the door to his car. “So are you thinking a cone or a cup? Maybe a sundae?” Eddie asks.

Bill smiles and sits in the drivers seat of the car, shutting the door and buckling his seatbelt. “I’m okay with a c-cone”

Eddie buckles his seatbelt as Bill starts the car. “Figured, you’ve always been a simple guy.” Bill pulls out of the parking lot and drives out onto the road.

”hey d-don’t act like you aren’t too. When was the last time you ordered anything other than a scoop of vanilla or strawberry?”

”hey in my defense those flavours are good!”

”b-but there’s other flavours to try, yeah? I dunno, chocolate?”

Eddie shakes his head, glancing a bill. “Eh, I’m not a big chocolate person.”

”f-fair, do this one thing for me and order something other than the regular?” Bill half jokes, chuckling.

“Hey I don’t ever tell you to order anything other than mint chocolate chip that’s no fair”

”it’s a g-good flavour!”

”At that point just squeeze some toothpaste on a waffle cone and eat it! I mean Jesus.” Eddie laughs to himself at the last part and bill is losing it at Eddie’s retorts.

Eventually they pull off to the side of the road and park there. They step out of the car and cross the street to walk over to the ice cream place, still talking about ice cream flavours. Bill holds the door open for Eddie.

“c-come on, Ed’s, you try a different flavour and I’ll do the same.”

Eddie groans and looks up at the menu, scanning it. “God I dunno”

”pfft, you’ve gotta be th-the most picky person ever.” Bill laughs. A girl behind the counter leans over and crosses her arms onto it. “You guys ready to order?” Eddie is still looking, eyes squinted.

Bill shook his head. “I’ll have a scoop of bl-black raspberry in a waffle cone, please.”

Eddie looks at the girl. “Okay I’m ready- yeah can I have a scoop of cookie dough on a waffle cone please?”

The girl nods. “Coming right up.” She grabs some cones and begins to scoop their orders. They both look at eachother before reaching over and grabbing their orders when she finished them.

She rung them up and once Eddie payed, they said their thanks and exited the store. Sure it was sort of a silly idea to get ice cream when it’s cold and dark out but it was fun, and there was nobody to tell them what to do.

”th-thanks again, Eddie, this was nice. Glad to know you actually for once wanted t-to try a different flavour.”

Eddie rolls his eyes and ignores that comment. “Yeah okay..and you’re welcome.” He says licking his cone.

”we should hang out more often like this.” Bill says to him.

He nods. “Yeah, the weather is nice, it’s just us hanging out..I like it.” He looks at bill. “You got a costume idea yet?”

”oh uh y-yeah, I was thinking maybe a c-cowboy.”

Eddie smiles. “Ah yeah? Never would’ve expected that from you. Got a horse to go with your costume?”

”pfft- n-no, I think the costume is enough though.”

They both chuckle to themselves, eating their ice cream in content- enjoying themselves as they were. A nice hangout between two friends. 

Chapter Text

“‘We’re just going to get you some stuff for the costume’ she says, ‘this will be quick’ she says” Richie remarks dramatically.

“come on that dress was cute! I had to get it, alright?” Bev said back quickly. “As if you weren’t complaining the whole time about having to get black clothes for you.”

”it’s dark and bland! I need colour, it represents me.” He says.

“You mean having the style of Gonzo? Yeah, sure does.” Bev says with a laugh.

Richie couldn’t reply back to that since she wasn’t wrong. And he couldn’t really snap back at her for her choice of clothing since, let’s face it, Bev has great style.

the door opens and shuts to the house when they both step inside with the bag filled with clothes. From kicking off their shoes at the front door, They were greeted by her aunt. Smiling over at them from the kitchen, two mugs  she was stirring with spoons.

”back already?” She asks.

“Yep! Got everything we needed.” Bev replied back. Richie took the time to glance around and examine the neat house. “That apple cider over there?” Bev asks.

She nods, walking over and handing the mugs gently to the both of them. “With some cinnamon in it, it’s chilly out so I thought you two could warm up a bit with a drink.”

richie took his mug and nods. “thank you.”

Bev smiles and kisses her aunts cheek. “Thanks a lot. We’re gonna be up in my room for a bit.” She nods back. “Don’t be causing trouble.” they both laugh slightly and walk upstairs to Bev’s room.

When they enter, it’s similar to how it was setup in her old apartment with her dad. She has the same posters of the banshees and the psychedelic furs. Her keyboard on a small stand by her window and a neat bed with some stuffed animals and books on her dresser.

Bev drops the bag on her bed, setting her mug of hot cider on her nightstand. “Alright tour is over, sit over there for me?”

”yeah alright.” He sits on the bed, looking around as she grabs some stuff from a small drawer in her closet, setting everything on her desk as she maps out what she’s going to do.

soon, Bev is on the floor, sketching bone designs on the clothing and preparing the white paint for it. Richie kicking his drinking his cider and looking around the room.

“You n Benjamin, how are you both doing?” He asks. She smiles. 

“Good. You n Edward, how are you both doing?” She remarks back.

”pfft- fine too.” He finishes his cider and puts the empty mug aside. He criss-crosses his legs  and looks at her. “You ever find out what the others are going as?”

”uhm yeah, actually, Bill said he was going as a cowboy, Mike is gonna go as ghostface, Stan said he’s gonna be a vampire, and Ben was planning on going as james dean.” She responds, finishing the pencil ketch on the front and back of the shirt and moving onto the pants.

“Ooh sick, well, can’t wait to see them, ringwald.”

”tell you what, Trashmouth, you can make your own costume.”

”oh but Beverly you know I’m not a diy type of guy.”

”right, you’re a chatterbox with no filter type of guy.” She sits back. “How does Eddie put up with you? I pray for him everyday”

he smiles and rolls his eyes. “He likes the humour.”

”right, whatever you tell yourself.”

He picks up one of her stuffed animals and throws it at her. She laughs and picks it up from the floor after it bounced off her face and landed on the ground. “Alright then, why do you think Ben likes you?”

she holds the stuffed animal in her lap. “He likes a lot of things about me, it’s not just one small thing in general, like how there’s a lot of things I like about him”

Richie rests his elbows on his knees, still cross-crossed. chin in hands. “Sure, sure”

“It’s cool he takes pride in all kinds of history and he’ll go into detail of anything if I ask him about it.” She slowly smiles to herself. “He gets really in depth about it then he slowly drifts off and gets embarrassed after. It’s cute.” 

“aweee, someone’s in lovvvve” he teaches, fixing his glasses.

”alright, alright, hit me now.”

”hmm…how I can’t have dirty glasses around Eddie because he gets upset about it and goes on a whole rant about it.” Richie starts to talk with his hands, sitting up.

“He’ll take them off my face and clean off dirt smudges or other shit that got on there and lecture me on how I’m gonna ruin them and stuff.” He leans closer to her, whispering. “between you and me, I think he only does that so it’s an excuse to see my face without the glasses on.”

she nods. “Awe how cute, he likes your face….sure it resembles a frog but I won’t question his taste in guys.”

”oh piss off, here I thought that I was the one with the smart mouth.”

“Wrong, you got the Trashmouth, I got the smart mouth- not the same, honey” she tosses the stuffed animal back to him. He catches it and sets it down again. “Got that right.”

They talk in that room surrounded by laughing and the smell of paint.

Chapter Text

“God- stay still.”

“I’m trying it tickles! You almost done?” 

“yeah yeah”

Richie rolled his eyes. He was sat on his bed in the finished Skelton costume next to Eddie, who was dressed in his Spider-Man suit. Eddie had taken charge at offering to do his face makeup only as the excuse to touch his face but he wasn’t about to admit that.

with a final touch to some black paint around the eyes, Eddie pulled his hands away. “Done.” He says, and he puts everything on the desk. Richie takes a handheld mirror and looks at the face paint. He turns his head a bit at different angles and smiles.

“Not bad for paint that came from 99 cent city.” He says. Eddie sits back down.

”right, hold still for me again.” Eddie asks as he cups Richie’s face again in his hands, lightly blowing against his face. Richie squints his eyes slightly.

”the hell?”

”just helping it dry faster, we gotta meet up with everyone soon.” He says before blowing against his face again before stopping and pulling away.

Richie shakes his head. “It’s cheap tacky paint I think it would have already dried already.”

Eddie shakes his head and grabs the mask to put it on, zipping it from the back. “You mind zipping the back of the costume?”

Richie nods. he turns around towards him and he pulls the zipper up before stepping back and nodding. “Right..alright nice, cool, we’re ready I think.”

“Yeah, you look cute as Spider-Man” he remarks.

Eddie rolls his eyes, not being seen from under the mask and reaches his hand out, pushing a few curls out of the others face. “Mhm, and you make a cute skeleton.” Richie softly smiles and blushes at this.

When they pull up to where the party was, Richie glances around the area to observe it. There were cars parked in the driveway and all down the street and there was loud music beaming from the two story house. Decorations and props everywhere, a few kids to be seen from the windows or on the front lawn.

”lots of kids here..” Eddie says. “She said pretty much the whole school but shit I didn’t think that much.”

”yeah no kidding, where the hell am I gonna find parking??” Richie remarks, moving around a few cars and driving closer to the house.

”there some space by those trees over there, we can just go there.”

”that’s like..near the woods.”

”okay well I mean there’s already a few cars already parked over there so it’s not like it’s a keep out zone. It’ll just be a minute walk over.” 

“yeah alright.” Richie nods, pulling the car onto the grass, slowly pulling close by another car and by some trees.

Once the headlights turn off and it’s parked, they both take off their seatbelts. Richie taking a last minute look at the face paint in the rear view mirror. Eddie examines at him with his head against the seat, waiting for him to finish what he was doing.

”ready now, pretty boy?” He asks in a playful joking way. Richie wipes his hands on the knees of his pants and scoffs.

he looks at him. “Matter of fact I am, you gonna swing us over there on a web, bug boy?” He smile and leans his head forward, tilting it slightly.

Eddie shrugs. “Maybe if you give me a kiss.”

Richies lips curl into a small smirk. “Oh gee Spider-Man I’m flattered, but I have a boyfriend.”

He catches onto the joke and goes along with it. He softly shrugs and rests his hand on his knee. “Just a quick one on the lips?”

Richie looks around. He looks behind his seat. He looks back at eddie. “He’ll be awfully upset if he ever knew I did such a thing.”

”he doesn’t have to know.”

He shakes his head and lifts up the others mask, holding his face. “Okay okay, only cause I wanna get into the party and meet up with the others- dorm and over with.”

He leans forward finally after he stopped talking with the kiss instantly returned. They stayed for a few seconds before pulling away. Richie examines his lips before laughing and pulling away.

”what?”

”dude you’ve got black paint all over your mouth- looks like you’re wearing your moms lipstick.”

Eddie pulls his mask back over his face, opening the car door and stepping out. “Anything for a kiss.”

”you’re so touchy, it’s adorable.” Richie says quickly after, getting out of the car and closing the door. 


The front door opens when they walk in and the pair is instantly engulfed by the smell of pizza mixed with all other assorted food from the kitchen. The radio blares with all kinds of Halloween music and there’s kids in costumes all over. Soda cups in hands talking or doing something else, spread out everywhere.

Their first instinct is to walk towards the kitchen to look at their options for food and drinks, which they do, Eddie staying close by Richie’s side. They both say an audible ‘wow’ at the spread of snacks in orange and black plastic bowls. Coolers open with different drinks. Pizza open for display on the kitchen island, deserts and candy out for grabs on the counter.

Richie is about to grab a slice of pizza before he feels two hands grip on his shoulders from behind. 

“what’s your favourite scary movie?” Asks a girl.

he jumps at first then laughs when he turns around. Eddie joins in and shakes his head. “Jesus- where did you come from??”

”yeah don’t scare a guy like that- not on Halloween either.”

It’s Bev, laughing and clapping her hands together dressed up as a witch. “God, you should have seen your face- hey guys, lovely costumes.”

Bev looks at eddie and pokes his shoulder. “And you are-?”

“Wh- it’s me, Eddie.”

“pfft- yeah I know, just teasing.” From next to her, Ben steps up and smiles. “Hey Ed’s, Hey rich.”

”James Dean!” Richie exclaims. He steps to Ben and wraps an arm around his shoulder, pulling him aside to let some kids step outside of the kitchen. “My good man, you have taste and I can confirm this.”

Ben blushes and laughs. “Thanks man, I like the skeleton look.”

”Ah what can I say? I’m a man of many bones!” He smiles.

“Keep expressing your face wildly like that and that paints gonna come off.” Eddie comments.

”ugh, love of my life, why do you choose to be so mean to me? I’ve never once made a bad comment about your costume!”

Eddie crosses his arms and leans back against the fridge. “Shut up.”

”alright, alright ladies stop fighting.” Bev says.

Eddie sighs. “Hey where are the others anyway?”

”Bill Mike and Stan are in the backyard talking with some other kids if you all wanna go talk to them and meet up.” Ben says.

Eddie nods. “Ooh yeah, I wanna see their costumes first.”

”Yonward and Onward!” Richie says before shaking his head no. “Scratch that, reverse.” He begins making his way past some kids and towards the backyard door. Bev shakes his head. “Should’ve made this guy a Willy Wonka costume.”

”only Richie would be able to pull off a Willy Wonka costume.” Eddie remarks, earning a laugh from Ben and following the others outside.

They make it outside to meet with Mike bill and stan, laughing and talking in their costumes by the fire pit. Eddie is the first to walk over to Bill to start the conversation.

”nice cowboy costume, Bill.” He says happily.

Bill smiles and nods. “W-Woah, didn’t know Spider-Man was taking a trip from New York.” He jokes.

Eddie blushes behind the mask and lets out a laugh. “Yeah- happy Halloween.”

”happy hallow- oh w-wow, nice skeleton R-Richie” he pauses between the stutter. Stan nods between Bill and Eddie. Richie smiles at them both, quickly turning his attention over to Stan.

“Wow. Stanley you might actually be the hottest vampire ever holy shit dude.” He laughs out. Stan takes the moment to shoot a small smile. “Right- nice skeleton look.”

”You guys too- witch and James Dean..Spider-Man.” 

“what’s your favourite scary movie?” Mike says in his best impersonation as Ghostface, which is not the best and ends up a bit scratchy. Richie laughs and comments first.

”might need some more practice with the voices, Michael.” He say pulling mikes mask up to look at his face. Mike pushes his hand away, smiling. “Leave the ridiculous voices to Richard.”

”hey hey enough picking on him, that’s my job.” Bev adds on.

Richie sighs dramatically, leaning against mikes shoulder. “Rattle me bones, m’lady”. In his best voice impression of professor mcgonagall.

The group bursts out in small various laughters. Eddie pulls him away from leaning against Mike, keeping him to his side. Richie keeps smiling and blushes at the small gesture.

”let’s have some fun guys, it’s Halloween, we can do whatever we want.” Bev says, attempting to hype up the group even more. They all cheer in. “Woo! Party time!” Richie yells.

Mike tilts his head back slightly with the red solo cup pressed to his lips, pulling away and throwing the empty cup away. “Man, this punch really hits good.” Eddie leans over to glance into the punch bowl with the green liquid, he makes a face.

”I thought punch was supposed to be red..” he says with suspicion.

”pfft- it’s only like that because it’s themed to be like Slimer.” Bev says, attempting to fix his suspicion. She drinks her cup leaned back against the wall. “Oh…still seems weird to me.” He says pushing some sweat away from his brow.

”Something weird in the neighbourhood?” Stan says simply.

”who ya gonna call!?” Richie blurts. Bev and Mike laugh at the same time. Eddie groans. “Okay okay I’ll try some just to shut you up.”

He grabs a cup and fills it barely half way, hesitating. He takes a sip and pauses, glancing at the others.

”so?” Mike asks.

he holds back on his words. “Yeah I guess that actually is pretty good.” Eddie says. Mike claps his hands together. “Woo! Told ya man!”

“Are we seriously about to stand ar-around and watch Eddie debate on whether the stuff here is edible or not?” Bill chimes in.

”you might have too. Besides, you know the chances of something here being spiked? What if I eat a cupcake and it has weed in it?? My mom would kill me, dude.” He says all very quickly.

”oh yeah like Greta’s dad is letting her cook up weed cupcakes in her little meth lab in the basement.” Richie adds sarcastically.

”shut up, Richie, you don’t know a thing about weed.”

”and you make this assumption why?”

Eddie stares at him, slightly annoyed and questioning. Richie finally cracks a smile. “Oh fuck, dude, I’m joking!”

He furrows his brows. “Right I forgot you’re still a nerd who thinks it’s okay to smoke like Bev over here.”

she gasps. “Oh excuse you.” He shakes his head. “Okay fine, you can do you Beverly- but Richie over here..”

”hey hey, buster you watch it-“ He crosses his arms.

“Guys c’mon, they got a karaoke machine upstairs, quit fighting.” Mike finally pitches in to stop the bickering. Bev gasps in relief he cut off the conversation.

Stan hums. “Karaoke is actually something you guys would enjoy?” He asks.

”obviously!” Bev exclaims, she pats his shoulder and grabs Bens hand, pulling his towards the stairs to the second level. The others laugh and follow suit. Mike turns over. “You guys gonna join us?”

Eddie looks over, adjusting his mask back over his face. “Ah yeah, in a bit.” Mike nods simply and quickly runs upstairs to follow the others.

Yet another hour into the party. The music is still going on and food and drinks are still out yet kids are slowly beginning to leave. Richie in this scenario is sitting back on the couch beside some other kid who was talking with her friend.

He sits there mindlessly eating another slice of pepperoni pizza he grabbed form the box, looking around and observing the declarations in the house, a copy of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ playing on the TV. A while ago the group had went in different areas of the party and said to meet up at the end of the party before they went home for the night.

Subconsciously he was glancing around the living  room and by the doorway wondering where Eddie must’ve drifted off too since they were together. He finishes his pizza and keeps drifting his eyes around.

His attention is caught on the half empty bowl of lollipops and assorted chocolate wrapped candies in a bowl on the couch end table before he sees out of the corner of his eye a red and blue suit approach him. he quickly looks up, adjusting his glasses.

Almost as if on cue, it’s Eddie, standing beside him, who then eventually sits next to him. 

Richie perks up. “Enjoying it here, but boy?”

”you and those stupid nicknames” he slightly groans under his breath half annoyed.

”so??”

”yes..this is probably the most fun I’ve had in a while to be honest with you.” He speaks with sincerity in his tone. Richie nods a few times, attention drifting around.

Eddie catches a hold of this and turns his head to wherever Richie might be looking towards. He looks back. “

“You getting bored?” He asks. “We can tell the others goodbye if you want to leave early” Eddie suggests, quickly shooting a solution.

Richie shoots back. “No- well we don’t have too right now..soon maybe? Lot of kids started walking out and there’s not much to..do I guess?”

Eddie nods. “Yeah I get that.”

Theres some silence between them before Eddie speaks again, slightly hitting Richie’s knee with his hand. “Follow me.” And immediately stands up.

”where’s- what??” Richie questions and quickly stands up, following him down the hall.

Soon the door to the basement is being opened and they’re walking down the carpeted stairs where some more party activity is happening. A pool table and some couches with a tv, a good group of kids down there listening to the blared music from the speakers. Richie doesn’t question and keeps following.

They sneak into the bathroom downstairs, the door shutting behind them and the door being locked when they both step in. It’s a neat bathroom. Grey painted walls with wood flooring and fairly good lighting.

Richie continues questioning and looks at him again. “What was this for again?” Eddie’s lifting the mask off his face, a few loose strands of hair fall in front of his face.

He walks closer and soon finds himself being gently pulled in closer by the collar of his sweater. His hands instantly fall to the others waist, smiling softly.

“You we’re talking about that ‘Spider-Man kiss’ when we were talking about other costumes for the party- and I mean, y’know..not gonna do that in front of other people.” He mumbled the last bit nervously.

Richie teases at this. “Awe, you were thinking of me?”

”shut up.”

”but you totally were, god you’re adorable, seriously.” He laughs. “Oh holy shit are you actually gonna hang upside on something?? Wait, stick to the wall.”

”no- no I’m not-! And what’s..Ugh..” he pushes his back against the wall behind them.

“You’re talking too much, I just want to kiss you like- super- so bad, alright?” He blurts out quickly.

Richie blushes, eyes rushing back and forth from his lips to his eyes. “Nobody’s stopping you.”

Eddie blushes and pauses. Looking away. Richie watches him trip over his own words, freaking out silently. Eddie looks back at him. “You are driving me insane, Richard. Insane.”

Richie smiles and traces a finger over the others cheek bone. “Well we can’t have that now, can we?” He slips into a British voice, putting his hands back down. “Oh I’m so terribly sorry for the inconvenience of my behaviour, guvnor!”

Eddie is stuck staring, ignoring the ridiculous voice and blushing madly. Eyebrows furrowing into an almost annoyed look. “No I mean- fuck, you’re seriously driving me crazy.”

Richie stops the British voice and is back to his normal speaking voice when he shrugs and pulls Eddie closer to himself. “Guess you better do something about it then, shouldn’t you, Ed’s?”

”asshole.” The last word he mumbled under his breath before he leans in and kisses him.

Richie returns the kiss easily and effortlessly. Leaned against the wall holding Eddie by the waist as they kiss the way they do, just a normal moderate pace. Intoxicated by the smell of popcorn and other junk food coming from the other side of the door that snuck into the bathroom.

His hands move from the collar of his sweater to hold his face him his hands as he kept mumbling words against his lips, muffled slightly. They finally pull away after a few seconds and Richie automatically starts laughing when he gets a look at Eddie’s face.

Eddie instantly turns red, feeling embarrassed incase he might’ve down something wrong. “Oh fuck- wait did I not have chapstick on?? No I definitely had that on- what’s is it? What-??”

Richie fixes his glasses and points to the mirror behind them. Eddie turns around and immediately realised what he was laughing at. His mouth was smeared with the white and black face paint Richie was wearing. Richie’s skin exposed from where the paint was removed.

Eddie blushes and turns back o face him, smiling slightly. “Oops?”

”yeah, ‘oops’, you look ridiculous.” He laughs.

”you look ridiculous all the time.” Eddie remarks.

He smiles and pulls him closer again, wrapping his arms around him for a tight hug. Eddie returns the gesture and sighs, still slightly smiling to himself.

Chapter Text

Eddie rolls over in his mattress on his stomach. Hair messy from bed head and groggy. Mostly tired but still slightly feeling the after effects of the Halloween party from two days prior. 

He sits up in bed and quickly gets up. A quick arm stretch and a yawn before he grabs some clothes from his closet and heads across the hall to start a shower. When Eddie shuts the door and locks it, he starts the water to let it warm up.

The water is warm enough to touch and he takes off his pajamas, throwing them in the laundry bin and stepping in the shower to wet his hair. He lets out a sigh of content, closing his eyes and tilting his head to the floor.

After a shower and getting dressed, he walks downstairs and into the kitchen, hearing the tv from the living room as he looks through the cabinet and grabbing a box of cereal.

”Morning, Eddie, you sleep well?” Sonia calls from the living room. Eddie pours the cereal in a bowl with some milk and grabs a spoon, quickly replying.

”Oh, uh, yeah it was alright” he begins eating his breakfast, walking into the living room and hesitating before sitting on the couch next to his mom. The tv was just playing advertisements on hair products, nothing to his interest so he just looked down at his lap and kept chewing his breakfast.

”uh” Eddie interrupts the silence between him and his mom. “I won’t be home till later on, Richie told me he had some plans for my birthday.” Sonia glared from the corner of her eyes to her son at the last sentence.

Her expressionless face stays the same as she turns her head slightly towards him. “It’s your birthday though, sweetie, wouldn’t you want to spend it here?”

”no it’s not that I don’t want to-“ He’s cut off.

”you’ve always spent every birthday at home.” She turns to the tv when her program turned back on after the ads were finished. “Besides, he’s a bad influence, I don’t like you around him.”

”ma-“

”I mean it, I don’t know why you bother spending time around him or any of those kids.”

”ma can we- not? I don’t want to talk about this right now.” He attempts to finish his cereal but Sonia keeps talking.

”you know I’m right. And you already spend enough time around him as it is.” Silence again. Eddie bites the inside of his cheek.

”sometimes I wonder if there’s something you’re not telling me.” She looks at him. “You shouldn’t be making me worry about you like this, you know.”

He knows. He knows from just those words what was going to happen next just like what always happens whenever Sonia had something to say about him or the others. He swiftly cuts her off and scoffs down the rest of the cereal, getting up and putting his bowl in the sink.

”look I’m gonna spend my plans with Richie I don’t need to hear any of this right now.” He quickly puts on his shoes and begins to tie them.

”just think, Eddie, please. Think of what you’re doing spending time around someone like him.”

He rolls his eyes with his head faces away from her. He grabs his bag and head out the door.

”Eddie? Ed’s? Earth to Edward.”

”hm-! Shit- sh- oh” Eddie quickly sits his head up from where it was layed on his desk with his arms crossed.

He’s met with Richie sat infront of him, sat in a chair backwards with his eyes furrowed and a smile on his face. “Jesus finally!” He crosses his arms. “Thought you were dead, not like you to fall asleep in class.”

Eddie slowly nods. “Yeah, sorry.” He rubs his eyes and sits up. “And quit it with the nicknames.”

”yeah yeah, are we finishing this class work or what?” He taps the papers. “Not to complain but I’m not exactly the history nerd of the group.”

Eddie scoffs and smiles. “Yeah, if only Mike and Ben were here.” He looks around to see their other classmates grouped up with kids and talking.

”so what’s with the napping?”

”what? nothing.” Eddie looks over Richie’s face as he’s back with his attention to the papers. “Thinking.”

Richie’s gaze softly draws back up to him. “About?”

He pauses back on his words then lets out a sigh. “Just my mom, I don’t wanna talk about it right now.”

Richie quickly nods in an understanding matter. “That’s fine, wouldn’t want that woman ruining the mood during your day now would we?” He reaches forward and pinches one of Eddie’s cheeks and laughs.

Eddie blushes and pushes his hand away. “Ugh, I hate when you do that.” 

“So what were these amazing plans you had for today?” Eddie says in a half sarcastic tone as they walk approaching the diner they had driven to. Richie talks with his hands as he smiles.

”just some fun activities, obviously” he cuts himself off as he opens the door, letting Eddie walk in first then walking in after him. “Thought this would be a good idea for dinner and you can order whatever dessert you want, then I’ve got Star Trek rented out for the night so we can watch that with some snacks.”

Eddie smiles. “Wow, you weren’t joking when you said you had this all planned out.”

He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Oh absolutely.”

They both look to the waitress who grabs two menus and walks them over to a booth. They thank her and sit down across from each other. Eddie looks around the diner, people sitting and eating their meals while some rock music softly played after someone had put in some coins at their table jukebox. He ran his fingers through his brown curls and looks back at the boy with glasses across from him.

“It sucks I can’t sit next to you.” Richie says, glancing around then back at him.

”your poor thing, I think you’ll survive.” He says, fixing the silverware wrapped in paper so it’s symmetrical.

”I actually think I’ll actively die and drop dead.” He says dramatically, glancing down at the menu.

Eddie let’s out a small laugh and does the same, scanning over the drink options. Silence falls between the pair for a few seconds before Richie speaks again. “You said you didn’t wanna talk about your mom in school.”

Eddie looks up through his eyelids upon hearing him. He takes back what he said and cleared his throat. “You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want, just like, I dunno..”

”it’s fine, I just didn’t.” Eddie cuts himself off and sighs. “It’s Sonia Kaspbrak, you know how she is.”

He nods. “Well sure.”

The pair is cut off with a waiter who walks over to them, a smile on his face. “Hi there! Hope you guys are having a good evening so far, I’m Josh, and I can get you started with drinks if you’re ready?”

”oh uhm- yeah, think I’ll get a coke.” Richie says.

”just a water.”

The waiter writes it down on his notepad and nods. “Right away. Do you guys know what you’d like to eat or do you need more time?”

Eddie looks up then to Richie. “I think I’m ready if you’re okay.”

”chicken tenders and fries?” He watches as he writes it on the notepad.

”just a cheeseburger with fries.”

”alright! I’ll be back with your drinks and the food will be out as soon as possible.” He smiles and walks off.

By the time their drinks had made their way to their table and they were waiting for their food, they were left in content. Eddie crosses his arms and rests them on the table, barely holding eye contact with the other.

“I just wish she didn’t care about everything with what happens in my personal life, I’m sick of it.” He looks up at Richie, sighing. “Yeah I- god- sure she’s my mother but why does she care so much about the people I’m with in my life, there’s nothing wrong with my friends.”

Richie finishes a sip from his glass of coke and softly nods. “Like it’s worse? She’s always been nosy about everything that goes on in your life, maybe highschool just has made her more paranoid.”

“And that’s what I hate. I hate everything that comes out of her mouth.” He scoffs.

“She doesn’t have any right saying all this bullshit about the things at school I’m involved with or the friends in my life. Fuck, I had to do so much convincing just to go to that Halloween party and she interrogated me for a full 5 minutes when I got home.”

”you didn’t have to go to that party if you didn’t want to.” Richie pitches in.

“It’s not about the party, Rich.” He says softly.

“I know.” He glances down.

Eddie uncrosses his arms and rubs his face, setting his arms down and opening his eyes again.

”I don’t get how she could hate you.”

Richie felt his stomach drop. He didn’t even need a further explanation because he already knew well enough. He sits back slightly in the booth.

”I just wish I could get a signal, even just a hint knowing that she would be okay at the idea that her son can’t bring home a girlfriend like she’s always wanted.” 

With their situation, neither of them muttered a word about their relationship under Eddie’s roof. The Tozier’s? Their safest place to be if anything, Maggie and Went have always been open and loving to their son so why wouldn’t they be the same if their son had brought home someone who wasn’t a girl? With Sonia it was always a risky situation which always mostly ended up in sneaking in a window or coming over when she was out.

With Sonia, she’s been always judgmental of everything especially when it came to certain aspects of people who didn’t fit the traditional roles of what she grew up with. For an adult, you’d think she would be more mature about rumours flying around town discussed in hair salons or among parents picking up their children from school at a young age,

Then again she refuses to let Beverly be welcome in her house with her son considering she’s the “dirty girl” of the town with those rumours around, no matter how many times Eddie would have to yell and pry how she didn’t even attempt to get to know Beverly better so she has no right believing lies.

When it comes to Richie, the boy who he would have never grew up with if Bill never introduced him in kindergarten, Sonia always has a disgusted look around him, refused to talk to the boy.

Eddie looks at Richie and it’s that hyper foul mouthed who’s been his best friend for forever who’s always been by his side through good and bad and with Sonia she just sees a dirty kid who always ends up getting beat up because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut or the bowers gang wanted to really let him have it just for the existence of liking boys.

”I hate it so much, Rich..I just want to feel- just normal for once, wish I didn’t have to hide this- this thing about me that she’d hate me forever if she found out or for fucks sake put me on more fake meds.”

He gets it. The gut feeling of wanting to lead a normal life but knowing you couldn’t change that specific important part of you. Something you would hate in the beginning but over time you get used to.

He hesitates. He’s about to reach his hand forward, then pulls it back. He extends his leg from under the table, lightly tapping the other boys foot. Eddie is pulled out of his thoughts and looks at Richie.

”it sucks…it’s gonna suck, everyone around you treating you differently.” He takes the initiative to reach his hand under the table. Eddie sees this and hesitates. He barely touches the others hand, slowly locking their fingers together.

”but you stick to the people that matter and all those assholes around you get blurred out, ya know?”

Eddie nods. “Right..”

”besides, we have a whole group revolving around not being normal so I guess it’s not something to hate, yeah?”

Eddie lightly squeezes his hand, making a glance down then up. Because how could someone like him get so lucky with someone like him. Those stupid glasses and sense of humour. So cute though.

He interrupts the comfortable silence between them. 

“Seeing this side of Richie Tozier was not on my bingo card.”

His pale skin stains pink behind glasses, glancing down at the table. “Shut up, I’m just trying to help.”

”I appreciate it.” He squeezes his hand once more before letting go for the waiter to set their food down when he comes over.

”sooo would you prefer pretzels or popcorn?” Richie asks loudly from the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinets. With his parents and sister out for the night, they had the whole house to themselves.

Eddie sits at the couch in front of the tv with the movie set up waiting to play, an empty white box with pink frosting staining the sides lays on the end table from the slice of cake he ordered back at the restaurant for dessert. “I’m fine with popcorn.” He half yells back.

Richie ends up grabbing a bag of popcorn and tossing it in the microwave to cook. He walks over to the couch and sits next to Eddie again, eyeballing the empty box.

”ugh, knew I should’ve gotten something for myself too.”

”hey, you were the one insisting the day is about me.”

”because it is! A man who lives of sixteen years should never play it down, y’know.” He exaggerates in an obnoxious british accent while he speaks with his hands.

”a man who’s lived fifteen years should never act as immature as you do, Tozier.” He says back, smirking slightly and poking his arm.

”if you’re about to make this whole argument about how you’re older and wiser than me I’m gonna stop you right there because you still need to grow a bit.”

Eddie furrows his brows. “Fuck off, Atleast I’ve actually grown a bit since middle school.” He turns his attention away from the movie and to him. “Atleast now I don’t have to stand on my toes to kiss your tall ass.”

”a bit forward but if you insist-“

”you know what I mean!” 

Richie laughs. “Okay fine, you win this time.” Just in time, the microwave beeps and he quickly gets up to get the popcorn, dumping it out the bag into a bowl and walking back over. Eddie takes the bowl and puts it between them as they both sit and look at the movie.

“I’ve gotta say, I think for one Spock and Kurt are in love, especially with their chemistry.”

”I dunno, you think?” Eddie asks, slightly intrigued.

”yeah I mean do you see how deeply they care for eachother?”

”they could be just friends.”

Richie looks at him. “I care for you deeply, are we friends?”

“You’re my best friend before anything else so I think yes?” He answers, slightly blushing from the closeness of their faces. He grabs some popcorn and puts it in the others mouth. “Stop talking and watch the movie.”

And it was comfortable with the blue light admitting from the tv and the small light from the kitchen aside from darkness. The warmth of the house and the smell of salt and butter from the popcorn that was almost gone halfway through the movie.

At the middle point, Richie had gotten up from the couch and paused the movie from the TV. Eddie groaned. “Come on! Unpause it, it was getting good.”

”Exact reason I waited to pause it at that point.” Richie snickers and walks back to the couch, now sitting cross cross in-front of Eddie. Eddie sighs and pushes the blanket off his lap. “Alright, what’s this about?”

”birthday gifts, duh.”

Eddie raised an eyebrow, seeing Richie had a box he picked up from beside the couch. He looked at him. “Wouldn’t that be a birthday gift if it’s just one though?”

”I actually have two but I wanna give you this one first.” Richie says giving Eddie the box. He hesitates when taking it. Just an average sized black box that could fit in his hands. He takes off the top of it and takes out what’s inside.

He gasps and pulls out what seems to be a book and smiles. “Holy shit- it’s an entire collected edition of Batman comics? Dude how did you get this??”

Richie smiles at his reaction and shrugs. “Been saving up chore and allowance money.”

And Eddie is geeking out over the book, laughing slightly as he flips through the pages. “Dude this- Rich, this is amazing.” He closes the book and looks at him. “Thanks for this, really.”

”yup, so now you won’t have to worry about running to the pharmacy to grab the newest comics because it’s all in there.”

Eddie puts the book on the coffee table, leaning forward and pulling him quickly into a hug, arms wrapped around the others neck. Richie returns the gesture and wraps his arms around his back, head rested on his shoulder.

”you’re the best- ever, I swear.” He pulls back. He’s settled down from the reaction of the first gift when he’s looking around the living room of any sign of a second gift that Richie said he had.

He grabs signal if this and fixes his glasses. “Think you could close your eyes and put your hands out for this one?”

He pauses. “You are not putting a fucking turtle in my hands like at the quarry- I swear if you put something gross-“

”it’s not gross!” He groans. “Come on, don’t be a baby.” Eddie scans his face again before sighing to himself and closing his eyes, extending his hands out. “If this is a sick joke, I’m going to kill you.”

Richie sits there as he reaches his hands out and shut his eyes. Glancing at his lips and feeling the tips of his ears begin to feel hot. “It’s not a joke just..alright.”

He scoots close enough to where their knees are touching eachother. He takes his hands in his own, leaning forward and locking their lips together. Eddie flinches slightly and the unexpected feeling of lips against his own but slowly relaxes. His own hands escaping Richie’s and sliding up the others arms, holding onto the sleeves of his shirt as they  kiss like that while Richie’s hands fall and rest in his lap. It’s nothing quick like a kiss goodbye or a peck, it’s soft and slow, butterflies in the stomach and in the heart.

Richie’s the first to pull back, watching as the others eyes fall open, glancing down and up and softly breathing. Shit, those butterflies made his heart feel like stopping.

He quickly clears his throat, looking down to see Eddie’s hands still holding onto the sides of his shirt sleeves, eventually pulling away.

”that uh- yeah..second birthday gift.”

Eddie paused and touched his mouth before inspecting Richie’s own lips better, more shiny than usual. He laughs softly. “Were you wearing lipgloss??”

“Was not!”

Eddie’s voice cracked slightly as he laughed a bit harder, holding the others face in his hands. “Ohhh my god this is definitely the best birthday gift ever- holy shit no wonder that kiss was so good, I mean Jesus.”

The other just felt more flustered by the minute, keeping eye contact unlocked the whole time. “God shut up, it said it was a good flavour I could find any chapstick- I was trying something different.”

He covers his mouth and smiles. “No- no this is honestly the best thing ever, I love you so much for this, Richie, serious.”

Richie rolls his eyes and pulls the collar of his shirt up, wiping it off his mouth, Eddie quickly stops him, holding onto his hands. “Wait wait wait- no wait- come on, it was nice- oh it was birthday cake flavoured too- you have really planned the whole day out, haven’t you?”

Richie shrugs, blushing a little still. “This isn’t going to be a daily thing.”

”special occasion, got it. Just one more kiss, come on.” 

“yeah yeah, your day after all.”

Eddie holds the side of Richie’s neck, gently pulling him into another kiss as his hands moved to the back of his head, tangling in dark curls. While the others hands were left holding his face. Gentle slow kissing between the both of them before Eddie pulls away this time, smiling.

”best birthday gifts ever.”

Chapter Text

Since the last day of November ended the first days of December rolled in, the air only became more cool and the ground below became crisp to the step.

Snow began to fall, and that meant the change of scenery. Everything covered in white, children making snow angels, shovelling driveways.

The bells ring as kids exit in floods to the busses and to walk off. Stan walks down the front steps and glances around, carefully walking to the side to not slip and get in the way of the other kids walking. 

He looks up to the sky with his eyes squinted to see the snow fall so delicately, as it forms on tree branches and on the shoulders and tops of people heads and as it melts when it hits the pavement. Every breath he takes, the fog from his mouth easily visible as he pushes his hands into his coat pockets.

“Stan!” A voice yells. He turns his head over his shoulder, then his full body to see him. Bill who quickly runs down the steps and over towards him, adjusting his Sherpa jacket over himself and his backpack straps. Stan who steadily watched him to make sure he didn’t trip.

Stan smiles and greets him as they begin their walk away from school. “You should be more careful, you could fall on ice.”

”s-sorry.” He nods in agreement. “Just wanted to get over here faster to you.

”I understand that.” Stan observed around him once again. “How do you feel about some  coffee, we could head downtown.“

”you don’t l-like coffee though?” Bill asks, quickly wiping a fallen snowflake off his cheek.

”but you do, I’ll get myself something else.” Stan smiles.

it’s hard to register the rather warm feeling on his cheeks and the tips of his ears, whether it’s from the cold weather and the lack of a hat and scarf or from the kind offer and the smile from Stan.

The pair quickly crosses the crosswalk. “If y-you say so..is there a time you want me to p-p-“ Stan knows where the question is going but he still listens, giving Bill time to finish his sentence.

”-p-pay you back?” He finishes, letting out a sigh, a puff of air coming from his mouth.

He quickly shakes his head. “No need, it’s my treat.” Stan looks ahead to see where they are, just another crosswalk ahead and they’ll be in town. “Call this a free pass.”

Bill nods and smiles. Stan glances down at their shoes, how the salt on the road crunches underneath their soles.

Bill wearing those dirty white converse that have somehow been able to stay together since the 8th grade and Stan with his white slip ins that he always keeps neat and clean. Who just so happens to be on the sidewalk with Bill taking precautions to make sure they don’t get tainted with mud or dirty snow.

Shoes out of the picture, every pair of friends have their similarities and differences. Before the losers club there was the four of them.

Playing cops and robbers during recess or spending time at the Tozier’s or the Denbrough’s house to lay down on the carpeted living room floor and play some parcheesi or monopoly. Or maybe there were good cartoons on at the hour they wanted to watch together. Just four boys whose stuck together all throughout elementary and half of middle. 

Even before the four of them, Just Bill and Eddie who had become friends in kindergarten over their shared interests in superhero’s. Eventually, Bill who met Richie and introduced him to Eddie. Then, along comes 1st grade and they’re introduced to a kid they haven’t seen around a lot.  

He was always quiet. He rarely raised his hand in class and whenever he did he always had the right answer to a question. His hair with in neat curls and he spent his own time alone at lunchtime or recess, that kid now being the groups one and only Stan Uris.

The pair arrive into town and step into the small shop. It’s neatly painted and smells of rich coffee beans and all assortments of pastries, a wave of heat immediately overpowering the cold wind that blows from the outside. Very few customers and about three workers behind the counter.

Bill takes the choice to unbutton his coat and rub his hands together to warm up a bit. Stan seems to adjust to the heat in the same way, letting out a sigh and glancing at the menu as he steps in line.

Stan looks at him. “do you know what you want?” Bill looks above his shoulder. “Just the macchiato.” The other nods, blushing lightly at the close cheek to cheek contact, which, eventually stops as Bill steps to the side next to him.

”hey there! What can I get you guys?” One of the girls behind the counter asks with a smile.

Bill clears his throat, bracing himself mentally before speaking. “Just a macchiato, p-please.” She nods and writes it down.

”can I have a green tea.” he pauses briefly as his eyes scan over the assortment of pastries on display in the window, looking at the worker again. “And a raspberry danish as well, please.”

She finished writing the orders down. “Yeesh, lot of snow coming down out there, good choice ordering hot items.” She lets put a small laugh. “Is that all for you both, gentlemen?”

They both nod in content. She looks at the orders before putting it in the cash register. “Alright that’s going to bring you to 5.28 today.”

Stan pulls out his wallet from his left pocket jean, taking out the amount owed and handing it to the worker as she puts it in the cash register. As she was doing her part, there was already another worker handling the drinks and the food who had put the orders out for them. Talk about quick service.

”hope you two have a wonderful day.” She says, handing the drinks and pastry in a bag to them.

They thank and return a smile back to the kind worker, walking towards the door and out into the cold Maine weather once again. Bill takes a sip of his coffee and tunes to Stan.

”what’s th-the pastry for?”

Stan holds it up slightly. “I thought it would be nice if we split it.”

”you’re too nice, really.”

he smiles to himself and bill let’s out a small laugh as they starts to walk their way towards Stan’s house.

Being friends with Stanley Uris, you have to expect at least one thing from him. He always likes to be clean, seeing as he’s a very tidy person. Which is why to some it would be a bit strange to see a teenage boys room so put together with everything in order.

Nothing that Bill was surprised by though as he’s been over many times. His bed always made, a candle always lit in there and all his books on the shelf with his desk clean.

The snow falls silently outside the only window in his room as they both are sat down in opposite ways doing homework. Stan is sat at his desk while Bill lays back on the carpeted floor, flipping through a textbook of a class he wish he didn’t have to take.

He sighs and closes his eyes as he lets his head rest against the ground, textbook open and layed on his chest. Stan hears the small sound and turns his body slightly to look down at him.

”wouldn’t you be more comfortable doing your work in a..I dunno, more stable and upright position?” He suggests.”

”this is how I usually d-do it, you should too it’s more comfortable.” Bill offers.

”no thanks, you can have fun having any back issues you’ll face in your 20s though.” He remarks smartly, to which he eventually snickers at his own comment.

Bill laughs and shakes his head. “R-Richie’s the math genius of the group, I should’ve had him help me with my homework.”

”hey come on, I’m right here to help.” Stan says, looking down at him. Bill nods slowly and eventually sits upright then stands up. “Yeah I know.”

He sets the textbook on the bed and sits next to it, still remaining eye contact with the curly haired boy. “You’re the b-boy scout though, you’re perfect at everything, I’d feel bad asking help from you all the time.”

“I get that part with the asking.” He sets down his pencil and puts the assignment aside to fully face the other in his chair. “Nobody’s perfect at everything though.”

”you a-are.” He starts. “If pe-perfect had a person behind the word it would be you. E-Everything, from your hair, to the way you act and talk, to the way I’ve never seen a spec of dirt touch your shoes.”

”oh I..” Stan pauses to fully absorb the comment, glancing down before back at him. “I’m flattered I guess, but seriously, Bill, you should meet yourself.”

He has now a questioning look on his face with hints of hesitation and curiosity. Stan huns to himself quietly. “The prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen, but also the way you dress, the things you write..such stuff.” He says somewhat confident.

The other blushes and smiles slowly, watching as the embodiment of who he thinks is the most perfect person in the world just get done calling him perfect. They’re stuck, smiling at eachother.

”I would re-respond- sorry, uhm…when did you become so good with flirting?” He asks with a genuine tone, studying as the other keeps eye contact with occasional moving or tilts of the head.

“When I started going out with a very pretty boy.” Stan starts. “Who I think is adorable when he’s touchy.”

”I just like hugging you, that’s all.” He tries to insist.

”I believe that, yeah, but it’s more common with me.”

”…you have me stuck here, Stanley.” He says with hesitation in the beginning from the attempt to deny the accusation. Stan only moves from his chair and sits next to Bill on the bed. Knees softly knocking and hips touching.

Bill slowly leans more into the other. Sides pressed together with his head rested against the crook of his neck. “You’re warm, its nice..”

Stan blushes and wraps an arm around the other. “I wish it was summer again.”

”yeah, but not that summer ever again..” Bill trails off. Stan only blinks to himself, brief thoughts of that summer that always haunted him in nightmares and the scars that were left on his face from the aftermath. Something he would be taught that made him even all the more stunning.

He quickly moves away from the thoughts and looks at the other, who makes eye contact when he lifts his head and they’re caught in the others gaze.

”hey.”

”hi..”

The pair stay there with their gaze, before Bill reaches one of his hands up, holding onto the sweater sleeve of the other as he leans in and kisses him. Stan is surprisingly quick to shut his eyes and kiss him back softly. A few short seconds shared between the two before Bill moves his head back slightly.

“Sorry we..” Bill clears his throat. “I don’t want to h-hold you back from your homework, plus I’ve got mine too.”

Stan nods and looks at his desk. He is right, he wants to get his homework done and over. To put it away in his backpack and have no worries the rest of the night. Then again the love of his life sits there infront of him. He will most likely regret his decision later but who cares. He pushes the thought away and looks back at bill.

”we can do the homework…later?” He softly and kindly suggests. Bill shrugs slightly. “You sure?”

Stan nods, pressing a light kiss to the others lips again before looking at him. “I want to spend time with you at the moment.” Bill blushes from this and smiles. “I-I’m fine with that.”

When the final decision was thought through. Stan comfortable adjusted the position he was in to lay against his bed with his arms out. Bill took the signal and layed beside him, arms wrapped around the others waist and head on the shoulder while Stan’s arms locked around his torso.

Soft breathing and content sighs the only thing being admitted from the pair as they laid in content.

Chapter Text

Another week of school rolls on by and the days count down during winter break. The only thing on the mind of many? The holidays. About a a few more days until Christmas.

Sound’s of feet being scraped against salt and concrete softly echoed in the air from the empty street where Bill stood, stepping up his porch and opening the door to enter. Cool air rather quickly transitioned to warmth as it engulfed him, taking over. He kicks off his shoes and placed them at the mat, hanging his coat on the rack next to the door as well.

As expected, no greeting or voices filling the large house. Not a sound in sight of ‘how was school?’ or any questions one would ask to their child. There wasn’t a car in the driveway walking his way from school so the first thought is they were both out busy with something. A not so important thought to push away seeing as he still has to set up for the movie night he planned out. Though technically speaking, it was Richie’s idea that he agreed and went along with.

”I could go for a film night, y’know, make it like a mini movie theater and everything.”

”You’ve got the biggest living room out of the best of us, Bill, what do you say?”

typical Richie Tozier behaviour.

Backpack tossed beside his bed and a quick walk back downstairs and Bill is back to his task at hand to set everything up. Readjusting the pillows and adding some spare blankets out, stepping back and nodding silently.

He walks to the kitchen with the floorboards softly creaking under his steps on his way over to look through the cabinets to make some popcorn and grab other stuff he could. Upon spinning open the lazy susan was some packets of hot chocolate in a box. He takes them out and grabs 7 mugs.

The bag of popcorn finishes cooking and is placed in a bowl out in the living room as well as the 7 cups of hot chocolate all made in their own ways as the others enjoy their drinks, placed on the counter still warm. Soon enough, a few more minutes pass and Bev and Ben are the first to arrive, Ben with a few movies in hand and a smile.

”H-Hey guys.” Bill greets them, letting them inside to kick off their shoes and jackets and make themselves comfortable. Bev is the first to eye the mugs while Ben is setting the movies on the TV stand in the living room.

”oh you shouldn’t have.” She says grabbing the mug with a sticky note and her name on it. “It’s with milk, right?”

“Yeah, all of them are, except f-for Richie I guess.” He answers, pausing between words. He won’t even begin to question who in their right mind likes hot chocolate made out of water.

Almost as if on cue, someone loudly knocked at his door. “Dude open up! I’m shivering out here!” He shakes his head and opens the door. Richie and Eddie smiling. Well, Richie mainly. Eddie looked slightly annoyed from Richie loudly knocking and shouting. They were both let in to take off their jackets and shoes.

”oh billy seriously? Making us the good shit are we?” Richie asks, one of his shoes barely off before he’s walking over and grabbing his mug. “Got the extra marshmallows and everything.”

“And made from w-water like a psychopath.” Bill comments, snickering.

”I’m a man of intolerance for lactose you must understand.” He waves his hand, taking a sip.

”yeah well you’re clearly not intolerant of sugar.” Eddie comments, taking his mug and joining the others in the living room. Richie smiles and follows after, sitting on the couch.

”what? I want it to taste good.”

”does your mom know you eat all that crap? You’re gonna get sick.” Bev points out, smirking.

Richie shrugs and takes another sip. “Nevermind what my mom knows and doesn’t know. You said we were watching Home Alone and It’s a Wonderful life so let’s get it started.”

Ben joined in. “We still have to wait on Mike and Stan, it’s be rude to start without.” Richie nods and leans back against the couch. Eventually the two did arrive and grabbed their mugs of hot chocolate, joining everyone else in the living room. 

The lights are shut off, and Ben is sliding in a copy of Home Alone into the VHS player. Sitting back on one of the couches next to Bev as the movie started to play. A few minutes into the opening scene and Richie was the first to make movement, looking down into the bottom of his mug and shake it slightly. The watery chocolate stuck at the bottom barely moving around. He slightly hummed under his breath.

”man I’m out of hot chocolate.” He said.

“Guess you shouldn’t have drank it so fast,” Bev said, pausing and eating a handful of popcorn. “that’s on you, Tozier.” 

He rolls his eyes and looks over to Bill. “You got anymore, dude?”

Bill looks away from the screen to him. “L-Look in the lazy suzan.” He clears his throat and looks to the tv screen again. Richie kicks the blanket off his lap and pushes himself off the couch, heading towards the kitchen. Eddie gave an annoyed look at the fallen blanket on the floor, reaching over to pick it up and set it in Richie’s spot to lean back against the couch. 

Eddie quickly takes a glance around the room, seeing everyone comfortably in place. He gets up and wipes his hands on his pants. “Gonna go to the bathroom.” He says. Bill nods without turning from the TV and Eddie gets up and steps out of the living room. He takes a quick look back around to see if anyone’s watching, then heads to the kitchen. So of course the bathroom was a lie, and he just wanted to see Richie.

Bill glances out of the corner of his eye and silently shook his head to himself.

”seriously, where- oh, there we go.” He says to himself, quickly grabbing one of the packets from the box and shutting the cabinet. Opening the packet and tossing it in the mug and filling it up with water then putting it in the microwave to warm up.

”I still don’t understand how you can drink that shit with water.” Eddie says walking into the kitchen, leaning against the island to look at him. Richie turns his gaze over. “Not like I got any other option, you should try before you deny.”

”it’s gross, you’re insane.” He says scrunching his eyebrows. He glances at the microwave then back. “Not like you need anymore sugar anyways.”

“Not like you need to make up excuses to see me.” He says back, smiling slightly.

Eddie pauses, pressing his lips together as his cheeks turned red. “Shut up.”

The other puts his hands up in defense, grabbing his mug from the microwave when it started beeping. He leans back against the counter and stares down at his mug, slightly swishing the drink around and blowing at it.

“Wasn’t- and I mean it wasn’t technically an excuse either so.” Eddie said trailing off, making occasional glances towards Richie before pushing himself off the island and leaning back against the wall across from him.

”and we’re still here talking, excuses, excuses.” Richie says, taking a sip of his drink, looking at him again. Eddie furrows his eyes and walks over, leaning against the counter next to him. Close enough where their legs knocked into each other.

”I just..like being around you?” Eddie says, his voice undertones with some slight playful humour. Richie hums at this softly, nodding as he takes another sip of his drink. “I can see that.”

”excuse or no excuse- whatever- oh and hey don’t act like you wouldn’t get lonely if I left you alone.”

”well- yeah, but I would’ve been back in a minute tops. I walked out for three seconds.” Richie laughs slightly. “Dude you’re such a big baby.”

“Shut up.”

”I don’t shut up, I-“ before Richie would finish his stupid quote from Stand By Me, Eddie had himself leaned over with his lips pressed against his.

The other couldn’t exactly turn it away. Not like he wanted to either, he just leaned in as well, kissing him back with a hand on his cheek and one of Eddie’s hands on the side of his knee. Eventually they pulled away after a few seconds. Richie, feeling his ears and cheeks burn up, didn’t attempt anyway of stopping himself from smiling. Feeling more butterflies when Eddie reached his hand up to push his glasses up the bridge of the others nose.

He softly smiles pulling his hand back as they look at eachother. Until he clears his throat and his expression quickly turns to embarrassment.

”uh- we should-“

”yeah I was thinking-“

”yeah- the movie-“

”the movie! Movie-“

”mhm, yup.”

”yep. Movie.” Richie says moving away from the counter with his mug and walking back to the living room with Eddie trailing behind. He sits down on the couch with him and they adjust the blanket over their laps, sitting close to each other.

Stan makes a glance to them. “No offence, but you both are missing the best parts of the movie.” He points out matter of factly.

Richie smirks and shrugs. “And I apologise, Stan the Man! A movie indeed.” Stan shakes his head and exchanges a glance with Bev. They both make a brief conversation with their eyes before looking back at the movie.

Chapter Text

Days pass and upon one of those days, it’s rather snowy out for this one. Christmas Eve. An exciting day before the big day everyone has been waiting on all year for presents, sugary treats for breakfast, and everything else that came along with the holidays. Spending time with your family? Not as much for the Losers case.

The wind is lightly blowing in Eddie’s curls as the snow landed on the shoulders on his sweater and the pages of his book he was flipping through about trains. He flips the page and looks up from the bench under the tree where he’s sitting. Eyes squinted from how blinding the white sky is. How blinding the whole view of the park is.

The only few things standing out was the green from the trees and the grass that peaked out from under the snow and Richie, making snowballs and kicking his shoe on the ground to draw on the snow. He looks over at him, snow fell perfectly on his head with his glasses foggy from the cold air. The red tinted on his cheeks and ears really stood out from his pale skin.

”so what did you say you were reading again?” He asks, tossing a snowball at one of the swing sets. Surprisingly it stuck well to one of the poles. Eddie lifted the book off his lap to show the hard cover, white with a black train on the front with the title ‘The Definitive Guide to Railroads’ one that he had bought over a month ago but never got around to reading it.

“Trains, didn’t I already tell you?” He asks, flicking some snow off his nose and propping it back in his lap. 

“Mmm, probably, I forgot though.” He responds, throwing another snowball at a tree but missing this time. “Your ass is gonna get cold and wet if you sit there.”

”it’s a problem for later.” He waved his hand, not looking up from his book. Richie shrugs at this and clicks his tongue, throwing another snowball carelessly else where. He takes a few steps over and tilts his head down as he stands infront of the other, looking at the pages that appear upside down form his view.

”ya know, when you offer we come to the park I imagined you meant ‘hey rich, let’s actually participate in snow activities. Get in the spirit for Christmas!’ It’s the eve, Kaspbrak, come on.” He said, talking his hands expressively.

Eddie looks up from the book. “Well I offered you to come with me because I would be lonely.”

”it’s a book! You’re leaving me here by myself with nothing!” He exclaims before stepping back and dropping to his knees, the snow staining his jeans. “Come on dude I’m bored! The day needs to get over with so I can get presents and eat pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.” 

Eddie closes his book with a bookmark shoved in the spine of the page he was on. “Get up you idiot, your jeans’ll get ruined.”

”oh now we’re being a hypocrite?” He asks, standing up and shaking his legs.

Eddie puts his book in the bag he brought. Looking at Richie and shrugging. A playful smile on his face. ”Face it, four-eyes, you’re younger. I’m afraid you haven’t lived long enough to understand that my decisions apply to me” he says pointing a finger to himself. “And anything you do” he pokes Richie’s shoulder. “Doesn’t apply the same.”

Richie lightly rubs his shoulder and rolls his eyes. “That is such bullshit and you know it.”

”is not! I’ll get to everything before you in life so things like snow stained jeans don’t matter.” He says, patting Richie’s back and walking over to the playground.

”now we’re applying age to everything? Hey now, you were the one who got annoyed when I made the joke we’d had to part ways when you turn 18.” He mentioned, following beside him. Eddie turns to him.

”because that is annoying! Other than that, everything else that you do 100% technically doesn’t apply to me.” He says rather expressively.

”Eddie it’s wrong to date someone under age and you know it!” He adjusts his glasses and sighs dramatically. “And I’d really hate for your reputation before you leave for college to be known as the guy who dates underage people.”

”Richie I’m a year older than you!” He groans and lightly shoved him. Richie laughs, shoving him back. “Oh come on, Eddie, you need to laugh more.”

He tries his best to fight the smile that’s forming on his lips but fails, covering his mouth and ducking his head. Quickly leaning back up and shaking his head. “Yeah yeah, I’d laugh more if you actually told funny jokes.”

”hmm..okay then, how do you feel about kissing under the mistletoe? I can bring some over tomorrow after I give you your gift?” He asks with a smile. Eddie blushes and shoved his hands into his sweater pockets. “Well that’s not a joke, try again.”

”Come on!”

”im not kissing you under a parasitic plant! It’s weird- people need to find a new tradition- I don’t know, maybe under a better plant??” He says quickly and matter of factly.

Richie sighs. “Man you suck the fun out of everything.”

”oh yeah super big fun sucker.” He responds sarcastically agreeing, rolling his eyes.

”you 100% are.” Richie says, kicking some snow under his shoe. The rest of the walk past the playground and around the park is calming silence between them and their warm breath being let out into the cold air.

Richie reaches up, fixing his glasses again before looking at the other. “So..what are your holiday plans?” Eddie glances at him and Richie quickly looks back around. “Sorry.”

”no that’s mi- it’s fine, sorry.” He’s quick to apologise, shaking his head as he keeps looking ahead.

What were the Kaspbrak’s holiday plans? None, that’s what. No decorations, no lights. No movies, no songs, no Christmas tree. Nothing in that house. Things were a lot different ever since the passing of his father back in winter, since his bad case of pneumonia. 

Richie noticed his soft stare at the snow on the ground ahead of him, silently tilting his head at it before looking down. 

“and this is just a hypothetical-“ he cuts himself off when Eddie gives him a questioning look. “Totally hypothetical!” Richie quickly says, putting his hands up and around almost comically, before setting them back in his pockets.

“If you wanted to spend Christmas at my house?” He slowly trails off between words. “If you wanted- I just, it’s not right for a kid to spend his Christmas in a depressing house like that. Plus with your mom and everything..I know my parents don’t care obviously so” he trails off again.

“You’re sure?” Eddie cuts off his trailed off rambling, still in questioning state.

”yeah of course- I know it’s not usually something that comes to mind with ‘family holiday’ it’s just an offer.” He says, pausing to let Eddie think on it before adjusting to a joking tone voice. “I mean unless you’re into spending Christmas with that grinch of a woman.” He smiles and shrugs slightly.

Eddie laughs and shrugs slightly. “Yeah okay, I’m in.” Richie smiles and wraps an arm around his shoulder, pulling him in closely. “That’s the spirit, my good sir!” He exclaims in a poor British guy accent. Eddie blushes and stifles his laughter, leaning into him. “You’re the biggest idiot ever.”

”The biggest coolest idiot you’ll ever know.” He says, rather chipper.

”whatever helps you sleep at night.” He says, smiling to himself.

“It’s the Holidays, son.” Wentworth says, sat down on the couch in the living room, a cup of hot coffee in his hand while some advertisements of Christmas gift shopping and other holiday related things play on the TV. He has an eyebrow cocked in a somewhat questioning and suspicious way.

Richie has his hands up again, doing circles around eachother or picking at his nail. “And I know that, but he.” He rests his hands in his pockets. “I mean it’s not right he gets the spend the holidays every year in that house. Not once have they ever had any festive decorations or lights on the porch, dad.” He puts up a finger and exclaims. “Not once!”

Wentworth shrugs slightly, nodding silently. He takes a drink of his coffee before looking at his son again. “So this is about festive activities, yeah? Maybe they have different beliefs.”

”you’re thinking of Stan’s family, Dad, they’re Jewish remember?” He asks, leaning against the wall beside the couch.

”no of course I remember.” He says, looking back at his regular scheduled program after the advertisements ended. Richie rests his head gently on the wall, tapping at the floor with his foot.

”I just think it’s not fair he has to spend his Christmas every year miserable.” He says, under his breath but loud enough for his dad to hear.

Went looks up. “Right.” Richie nods. “I just hate seeing him like that.”

Maggie turns her head over from the kitchen, looking back and grabbing the oven mitts from the side drawer and putting them on her hands to take the tray of cookies out of the oven. Setting them on a cooling rack on top of the stove.

She takes off the oven mitts and holds them under her armpit, walking into the living room and crossing her arms over her chest. “I think it’s a nice thought.” Richie and Went both look over to her.

”he’s looking out for him. And it’s Eddie, I get where he’s coming from. He’s a good kid, and it’s nice he’s spending the holidays with us.” She smiles.  Richie lightens up, turning to his dad again. “Yeah, exactly.”

Went smiles and shakes his head, another sip of his coffee. “Alright. The kids in love, I get it.” Richie blushes and rolls his eyes. “Oh god, don’t start there dad…but, thanks- thank you.”

Eddie walks out of the hall and pauses upon seeing Richie and his parents together, who all collectively turns their heads to him.

”my stuff is set up in Richie’s room. Thank you again for having me.” Eddie says, nodding his head at Went and Maggie. Maggie smiles. “Of course, sweetie, you’re welcome anytime just remember.”

”well now I think that’s enough of that.” Richie says, patting Eddie’s back and nodding at his parents. “I’ve got some comics we can flip through.” Eddie nods as they walk down the hall to Richie’s bedroom.

“Dinner will be ready in 5!” Maggie yells down the hall.

Eddie sits on the carpeted floor, criss cross as he puts his hands out in a forward motion to Richie, sitting on his bed with a Batman comic in one hand and a cookie his mom named that he was busy chewing on in the other, crumbs falling on the blanket below. He looks down, an eyebrow raised. “What’s this?”

”just sit down here with me and I’ll explain?” Eddie asks. Richie nods and leaves the comic opened face up on the bed, rolling off to adjust and sit across from the other. He makes an effort to finish the cookie and wipes his mouth on the end of his sleeve before speaking.

”now can you explain??” Richie asked in a questioning tone, hands rested on his own knees. Eddie glances around and nods.

”I..uh wanted to give you your Christmas gift tonight rather than tomorrow.” He explains, paused between words as he was occupied fidgeting with his fingers. Richie nods and tilts his head slightly. “Ohhh, okay. Seriously?” He moves his gaze around Eddie, attempting to find any sign of a present.

”so where is it?”

”you are the most impatient person I know.”

”sorry! Sorry- man, can a guy not ask anything anymore?” He asks half dramatically.

Eddie shakes his head, turning behind slightly and almost out of nowhere, is seen holding a square wrapped gift with a white bow on the corner. Richie examines it, looks up and notices Eddie holding it out to him with his own gaze away. “Merry Christmas.”

Richie hums and takes it from his hands, turning it upside down and around to observe it. “Looks pretty flat I must say.” He says, to the other.

”are you serious?? Hey if you’re gonna be a baby and complain, give it back.” Eddie says slightly annoyed yet a given undertone of playfulness. Richie scrunches his eyebrows and Eddie cuts himself off with a hand out.

“No seriously, come on give it back.” Richie shakes his head and puts his hands up defensively. “No, no- no I’m sorry, okay- sorry.” He looks at him again. “I’m sorry. This..this is great, thank you…thanks.” Richie repeats himself. Eddie nods and pulls his hand back. Watching as he adjusts his glasses up his face and gently tears the wrapping paper apart, discarded on the floor to be picked up after.

There isn’t any verbal response as Eddie turns back to fidgeting with his fingers nervously. Occasionally looking up. Richie is observing the gift again, turning it about and around. A CD of the best of Buddy Holly and The Crickets. Richie smiles and holds it up. 

“Dude, seriously?” He looks at the other, still fidgeting with his fingers. “My favo- Eddie this is great, holy shit.” He exclaims, lightly hitting his knee with his hand. Eddie makes contact of this and smiles to himself slightly.

”well, y’know you gave me that Mixtape from last year so…musical exchange almost?” He cuts himself off and sighs. “That sounds so weird, I’m sorry- plus I noticed you were eyeing it in the store so..” he trails off. Richie nods a few times, popping open the case to look at the shiny CD and the paper inside.

“You have no idea, this is amazing I’m so serious.” he says, shutting the case and putting it on the ground next to himself. Eddie blushes and smiles. “Yeah?”

”yeah.” He says back, pausing at the silence between them before seething in his breath. “I didn’t get you anything, fuck.”

Eddie laughs. “I don’t need a gift from you, it’s fine, really.”

”well that’s not fair! Come on you got me something so it’s only right you get something in return.” Richie says. He lifts an eyebrow jokingly and switches to an impression of jolly old Santa. Patting his knee.

”Why you should come sit on my lap and tell me what you want for Christmas, Ho Ho Ho.”

Eddie blushes and shakes his head, crossing his arms. “I’m not doing that, you’re ridiculous.”

“Oh come on now, we need to know if you’ve been naughty or nice this year.” He says, leaning forward slightly.

”I’m about to get on the naughty list if you don’t start talking normally again.” Eddie says, lightly pushing Richie’s face away from him, messing up his glasses slightly but causing the other to laugh in the process. He moves back to sitting normally, as well as talking normally.

”okay you win…but I swear, I will get you something!” Richie insists, waving his finger. Eddie keeps his eyes between glancing at the others lips and the finger pointed and waving towards him.

”well..”

”well?”

Eddie blushes and shrugs slightly. “You could kiss me.” He said quickly to get it out. Richie chuckles, stifling it slightly. “Awh, really? And why get embarrassed all over that?”

”you know what, you’re stupid.” He says turning away. “Wh- come onnn, Eddie!” He exclaims. “No!” He fully turns his back but  quickly feels arms around his shoulders and pressure from behind. “Awe come onnn, Eddie Spaghetti!”

Eddie blushes and groans, attempting to squirm out of Richie’s arms grasped around his shoulders and his torso cling to his back. Laughing and holding on tightly. Eddie coughs out a laugh and falls onto the floor, turning around and shoving at Richie’s shoulders.

”ugh! You are such an idiot, Richie!” He laughs out, finally getting a look at him once he’s done squinting his eyes. Richie lightens his grip of his arms around the other as he smile’s brightly.

”Yeah an idiot that you want to kiss you.” He states matter of factly. Eddie opens his mouth to protests but stops, closes his mouth and furrows his eyebrows. He lays his head back against the floor, glancing at the boy lazily rested ontop of him, arms propped up on his chest.

”fine, I give.” He sighs out. “Exactly.” Richie says.

He leans down, tilting his head in the process and kisses him softly. Eddie automatically returns said kiss, leaning up into it as his hands held the others face. It lasted a few seconds before they both had to move back, softly breathing. Richie chuckled softly and used his fingers to move a loose strand of hair off Eddie’s face.

”still wanna tell Santa what you want?” 

“fuck off!” He laughs out.

Chapter Text

Come around a new semester into the first week of January after an eventful celebration of a new year with friends. Laughter and cheering as fireworks from the new years event in the town park spark off in the air. Teenagers at joy with the company of each other and themselves.

New year, same town. Same kids, same atmosphere and same friends.

Thin fingers brushed through dark curls from behind, falling back against skin. Head turned in different directions with the sound of humming. Stepping back, he looks in the full length mirror with arms crossed against his chest. “You think it’s been getting longer?” Richie asks.

Not attempting to turn his head, he glances in the view of the mirror. Bev, layed stomach down flipping through a fashion magazine recently picked up from the rack by the front door at the pharmacy. She shrugs. “I’m sure it has.”

Bill, who was at her shelf, looking through her collected CD’s of artists, looked over. A copy of “juju” from ‘Siouxsie and the Banshees’ in his hand.

“I-It has been a while.” He points out matter of factly. Richie nods, silently agreeing and humming to himself. Not that he had a problem with it. He always had thick hair that grew faster than he could keep track of. The typical almost straight swept bang and above the ear cut he’s had since grade school grown out shaggier, the tips of his ears covered and a mullet that reached halfway to his neck.

He shrugs and lands a spot next to Bev, slightly bumping into her arm as he moves his hands in circular motions. “Well it’s a new year, only reasonable for a new person.”

Bev looks up, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah but you’re still an idiot.” She says, poking his side to which he squirms away from, adjusting his glasses and smiling.

He smirks and looks between her and Bill. “I’m afraid such comments are no longer necessary. From now on, I’m going to be about ten times cooler as I progress and grow as a teenager.” He states, in a speaking tone and impression close to that of Ferris Bueller.

“You could try but you’ll never be a-as cool as Ferris Bueller.” Bill laughs, smiling to himself as he opens the CD case and puts the disc in the player. Pressing the play button. Richie turns back and lays back against Bevs bed, sighing out dramatically.

“Such wise men should never hang around such negative fools. It’s not the right form of influence.” He states with a hand waved around before he tucks both his hands behind his head, eyes closed.

Bev is busy chuckling at his impression that she discards the fashion magazine and tosses it aside on her desk after shutting it closed. “Oh is that so?” She asks, sitting up. He opens up one of his eyes. “You saying we’re all negative fools then, is that right, Tozier?”

Richie scoffs with a smile and sits up, legs crossed. “Why of course, crushing down a wise man’s dreams only encourages said wise man to bounce back to drive and work for his dreams, per se.” He says. 

Bev snorts, turning to Bill with her fingers curled and thumb stuck out, pointing to the boy behind her. “Get a load of this guy.” Richie smirks an laughs out loud, breaking out of character and shaking his hands. “Oh hey, hey, hey that’s my line!”

“You can not become anymore of a nerd than you already are, Richard.” She says, patting his shoulder.

Bill joins the other two, sitting a spot leaned back against her wall between the two faced to eachother. The CD music filling the room with their laughter. Eventually the trio had caught hold of their laughters, coming to a slow stop. Richie was the first, putting his hands up. 

“Hey I give, I give.” He says with a smile. Bill shakes his head, looking at Richie with his hands folded in his lap. “I’ve known you more than 10 years and still don’t know how you keep up.”

Richie pushed his eyebrows down in a questioning but curious look. “You mean by?” He drags on.

“Being yourself all the time I guess.” Bill responds, pausing between words to not stutter as best he could. Bev chimes in, nodding. “Yeah, it’s nice though seeing it.” She says.

Richie nods, smiling and quickly shrugging. “I mean you know me, gotta keep everybody having a good time.”

”well you’re definitely going great with that.” Bev says again. 

Chapter Text

Stepping up the porch steps of the nicely painted house and a note in mind of the car parked in the driveway, Ben finds himself adjusting the bottom of his jacket to pull down, fiddling slightly before taking a breath. Knocking at the front door right after.

He stands a few inches away with his hands in his pockets, gently swaying his head around. Upon the door opening he’s met with Bev’s aunt in some jeans and a knit sweater, a smile on her face.

”Ben! Hi, can I help you, sweetie?” She asks.

He smiles back, nodding gently. “Hi, is Beverly here?”

”Ah” she nods. “She’s about finished getting ready.” Ben hums slightly in acknowledgement. The woman crosses her arms tightly, hugging her sweater sleeves to herself. “It’s always so cold around winter here, would you like to step inside, dear?”

“Oh I’d hate to intrude, really.” He says fiddling with his fingers inside of his jacket pockets.

”It’s nothing, really, you are taking my niece out so it’s only right you should come warm up a bit. Shouldn’t be left out in the cold.” She says, making way out of the door. The tips of his ears turn pink. From the weather or from the embarrassment of the date fact she had pointed out? Perhaps up for determination.

he hesitates before ultimately walking inside as the door shuts behind them, immediately being engulfed from warmth and the weight of his jacket seeming too hot. He nods at her. “Thank you, ma’am.”

”of course, anything to drink?” She says, motioning around the kitchen as she opens up the top cabinet shelf to show arrays of boxes of teabags. Ben puts up his hands and shakes  his head. “No thank you, I’m okay.” He responds, looking around the house.

Eventually the small moment of silence was cut from footsteps creaking downstairs that stopped when a pair of feet hit the floor. Beverly, a chipper smile and a comfortable weather appropriate outfit sported as she approaches Ben. “Hey! Sorry about the wait.”

He only smiles, his cheeks tinted rose. “No don’t worry. Uhm…you look pretty.” He manages to say out, bashfully.

”alright you two have fun and be safe out there.” Her aunt says as they are about to walk out once Bev had stomped on her converse, messily knotting the laces. Ben holds the door open for her when he’s stopped by a snap of fingers as he’s about to join her outside. “I want her back no later than 7, understand young man?”

Ben quickly nods, sputtering out some words. “Of course, thank you ma’am.” He says before shutting the door and greeting her aunt a goodbye. He turns to face Beverly, both already on their way off the porch steps and towards the sidewalk.

”so what’s the plan, new kid?” She asks.

”I was thinking the vinyl store.” He responds.

”music date?”

”kind of, yes.” The tips of his ears turn pink as he faces her with eagerness.

Only a smile comes from her lips, a light bump to the shoulder. “Always coming up with the best ideas.” He laughs, shaking his head. “It’s nothing, just thought it’s something you would be up to.” She raises an eyebrow slightly to in response he puts his hands up. “Something that we would both be up to.”

She giggles. “Awh hey, I’m only messing around.”

When the pair both arrived in town to the small music shop wedged between two other buildings, it was quite cozy. It was warm inside and there were a few other people flipping through vinyls or examining CD’s. The busted up fan up in the corner of the ceiling seemed to never quiet down blaring noise and cool air no matter what season it was and for the choice of background music was Kenny Loggins.

Beverly was on the opposite side of the CD rack near the back where Kenny Loggins seemed more clear to hear, leaned with her hips aside the rack as she held a few cases in hand, humming.

Ben, who seemed to be doing the same had his finger caught sliding between the ‘N’ and ‘T’ labelled section, seeming on a task to find something in particular. His task was caught off hand and pushed aside as his gaze averted up. To just normal view, Bev was some girl in the store who must really have a knack for music. To Ben, she was just about everything. From her red curls to her freckles. To the dirt on her shoes to the crook in her smile.

Perhaps he had been caught into a trance, staring in admiration too long since a pair of green eyes met his. This quickly caused him to look back to where he had been originally looking.

He quickly musters up some words. “U-Uh, you’re a fan of ‘The Kinks’, right?” He says, holding up a case that showed the group on the front. She smiles slightly.

”yeah, I mentioned it only I think once.” She recalls, glancing back down and flipping through her own cases she was holding.

”the Halloween party,” he says, taking a look at the case before returning his gaze to her again. “I was mentioning some songs on the list we were making to show to the music guy to play.” She lifts her head.

”that was a while ago though, I didn’t think you’d remember.” 

He blushes, making a small shrug gesture. “I remember a lot of stuff.”

”you mean remembering the ‘right stuff’” she smirks playfully. Ben quickly sees the case Bev was holding. ‘New Kids on the Block’. The first band they both got along to that started everything.

He nods along. “You got it.”

Beverly laughs slightly, walking around and joining him on the other side. “Still trying to find something?”

”I am…’step by step’, of course.” He smiles. “Can’t try to rush finding good songs.” She nods, crouching on her knees to look at the lower shelf. “Guess you do have a point there.”

“Sorry, was that..” he trails off, embarrassed slightly.

”cute? Per usual, yeah.” She agrees back, glancing up before standing at her feet again, waving a CD of ‘Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ to him. He nods slowly. “That’s…thank you?” He responds back, clearing his throat. She nods back, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.

“Honest to god! Mr. Greene doesn’t do the job he’s supposed to.” She exclaims.

”I dunno, I never really saw a problem with how he taught our History class.”

”well he likes you cause you’re smart.” She puts a hand up. “I have good grades just- he makes grading so unfair.”

Ben nods in agreement, kicking some snow away from the sidewalk. “I guess I see where you’re coming from.” They both walk up the steps of Bev’s front porch. He faces her. “Maybe talk to him about it?”

”could work.” She agrees, sighing and taking a glance at the door. Her eyes are met back with his.

”oh uhm…I had fun on our date, we should do something like that again sometime.” She smiles.

“I had a lot of fun too. Maybe same time next weekend?” He hesitates slightly with the offer as he pauses between sentences.

”I’d be up for that.”

Theres a moment of silence between them. Ben slightly fiddling at a loose string at the end of his jacket.

Till two feet moved closer to him and he was met with soft red lips to his. Almost instantly freezing up he keeps his hands at his side, kissing back. Only lasting a few seconds before Beverly moved back, blush painted on her pale skin.

“I…ha-have a good night, Beverly, sleep well.”

She snorts slightly, beginning to open the door before looking at him. “Good night, Ben, see you tomorrow.”

He smiles and steps back as the door is gently shut and he’s left on the porch. A few more seconds of standing where he was before walking down and back to the sidewalk, hands in jacket. The weather was cold but he felt warm

Chapter Text

“Come on, Stanley, I promise this will be all worth your while.” Richie says. He has an arm holding the door open behind him with one of his feet inside the arcade. Stan only gives him a look as he steps inside with the other.

”oh sure, worth my time for you to drag me somewhere that’s of your interest.” He states as they walk in. Sounds of buttons clicking and other kids talking and the smell of popcorn mostly intoxicates the place aside.

”we’re kids, you’ve gotta get your hands on a video game atleast once in your life before you’re put in a home with all the grandmas.” Richie says with his hands extended infront of him as the approach one of the machines.

”my grandma is in a home.” Stan says, an eyebrow raised slightly.

”oh…well then.” Richie says slowly, backtracking on his words. “Granny Uris is a wonderful woman and I’m sure you’ll be just as much a wonderful elderly man once you get there.” He says with a smile, patting the others shoulder.

“You can stop rambling now.” Stan says again. He takes a moment to eye the machine they stand infront. “What did you want me to see anyway.”

It was a big blue machine with the words ‘champion edition’ at the top. A new game, Street Fighter ll.

Richie had been practically tapping his feet and doing whatever he could to pass time throughout the days in school and through the weekends when he saw the papers by the entrance of the Aladdin the last time he left, said there’s a new machine that would be replacing the broken down space invader game everyone had been complaining about.

He’d mention it one or two times at the dinner table to his dad or to his friends, checking if it had been installed yet any day. But the day had finally come, and boy was he ready to play.

”it’s really here…right here before my eyes.” He states, heavily eyeing up and down the machine. The eight hit music that came from it and the bright colours.

Stan chuckles at his friends reactions. “Hey, nothings stopping you from playing.”

And Richie is already digging in his pocket, grabbing a crumpled dollar and putting it in the machine, getting a token in return. “Stan the Man is actually staying to watch?” Richie asks, looking at Stan as he puts the token in the machine, starting the game.

He leans close next to the machine but not close enough to make contact. “Well sure, I walked all the way, why not.” He adds a nod and glances away. “Gotta keep you company and stuff.”

”ya know, you don’t have to be scared to admit you love being in the same space as me.” He snorts out with a chuckle at the beginning of his sentence.

”you’re putting words in my mouth.”

”Awh, come on now don’t do me like this!” Richie draws out to the other as he’s focused on picking his character.

”alright fine, being in the same space as you is,” Stan says quickly but clearly, slowing his pace towards the end as he watches Richie quickly click buttons and push around the joystick. “Tolerable.”

”pfft- alright dude whatever.” He says with another chuckle. His eyes widen as he keeps clicking the buttons. “Ha! You see how k kicked this guys ass? Just gotta pretend it’s bowers or something.”

Stan laughs at his remark, stupid but still clever. He now stands besides Richie, more interested in the game as he gazes at the bright graphics and the sound effects from the digital characters.

Aside from the slightly nauseating smell of popcorn and rusted metal, the arcade held memories that were special.

”hey I’ll tell you what.” Richie suggest as he finishes yet another round of the game, taking the token out of the machine. “Soft pretzels are sounding real good right now.”

”oh, I can go get you one if you want?” Stan offers up. Richie waved his hand around.

“I mean for later when we leave. Oh but another note, how do you feel about a kazoo?”

He puts his hand up, pinching his pointer finger and thumb with some space in between. “I turn in my points for tickets, could be a nice trinket to add with your wall of books.”

”from here? It’s gonna be cheap, it would break not even two seconds stepping out of here.” Stan says.

”so you’re not completely protesting the idea of a kazoo.”

”I think you want a kazoo but are convincing me that I want a kazoo.”

“Not true! Unless you want some wind up duck that walks around the floor.” Richie says, slotting the token in the machine and starting another round.

Stan turns. “They have those?” Richie nods silently. He thinks for a moment. “I guess that wouldn’t be so bad, it  pulls make a nice shelf decoration.”

”see? Birds are everywhere,” Richie smiles. “Boom! You see how I obliterated that guy?” A snap of the fingers and a chuckle comes from him.

Chapter Text

For the losers showing up to school Wednesday that week, there wasn’t any snowfall, just a light layer of powder on the grass, a cool breeze. Stan himself took a good look around the place, parking his bike in one of the holders and kicking up the stand. Everything around not as bright as back in January, leaks of green and browns and greys to be seen plastered around in the air and ground.

Bev following lead, dropped her bike next to a tree and adjusted her jacket, wiping her hands on the bottom of her dress afterwards. “Particularly excited today?”

Stan averted his sight from around and about to his friend, joining her in a walk up the stairs to the school. “About Valentine’s Day you mean?”

”no about all the birds that are flying over head before after school that you’ll miss because of the period you’re stuck in.” She says with a small hum. The other furrows an eyebrow, eyes squint together.

”todays fine, it’s just going to be a open opportunity for couples to give and pass gifts.” Stan replies, the pair being hit a rush of warmth entering the building, manoeuvring their way through the crowd of kids moving in the halls to class or their lockers.

Bev squeezed past a girl she got stuck behind and shook her head to get back next to Stan again when he looked around for a for a seconds. “Yeah no of course.” She says. They take a turn and they make it to lockers. “Then again as of the couples here don’t make out in the halls or in the bathroom.”

”the bathroom?” Stan asks, revulsion senses in his tone as he starts to turn his combination lock. Bev lands her spot next to him, back leaned against the metal door, arms crossed.

”well it’s highschool.”

”yeah but the bathroom” Stan says sighing at the end, opening his locker and putting his coat away as he slipped it off. “There’s so many germs in there.”

”guess a lot of people don’t care about that?” Bev says shrugging slightly as she pushed herself off the locker and to the opposite of the hallway where her locker is.

”evident.” He says. Stan reaches and grabs some of his notebooks and looks over at her, watching her open her locker. “And about the birds anyhow, they won’t come back until early spring at the most.”

”oh I know you miss your feathered friends.” She giggles, grabbing a textbook and folder before shutting her locker. “But come on you’re avoiding the question.”

”right, Valentine’s Day. Sorry.” He nods as they walk to their classes. “I did have something to give to Bill, not sure what he has planned though. Says it’s a surprise.”

”Aw that’s nice, Ben said he had something planned for us too. Wish he’d let me in on secrets.” She says as they both take a seat in their first period class.

Come lunch time and all the losers are all sat down at their usual table with much to talk about and the semi-inedible base food served at the line. Well, mostly Eddie was the one to prod at the subject the most, on and on about the usual health standards of things how you might catch sickness consuming such stuff.

”hey eddie, aren’t your cabinets filled with boxes of delicious deals?” Stan asks between drinks of his milk carton, pointing at the hypocrisy. 

“Yeah next to all that birth control.” Richie adds in with a smirk, shovelling the other half of his sandwich into his mouth. Eddie just knocks his foot into his under the table, an unappealing face on front.

”okay first off, asshole,” he says directed towards Richie, shooting Stan a look to know it wasn’t directed at the other. “I don’t control what she gets and I have my own stash of stuff from my allowance you know this.” He huffs and shoves his tray away infront of him. An elbow rested on the table with a hand in chin. “Just forgot to pack lunch today anyway.”

”I got a second thermos of chicken noodle if you’d like.” Ben offers keenly. Eddie shakes his head, kindly turning down the offer to which Ben nods and looks back at his own lunch packed. “No thanks.”

Across where Eddie sits, Beverly marsh has a stack of candy next to her plate of half eaten lunch, spread out as she smiles with a soft shrug. “Hey it’s a holiday, gorge on candy if you must.” Eddie only rolls his eyes. “You know how unhealthy that is?”

”we just went over how your moms been robbing little debbie of her buisness the past 16 years, Eddie.” Mike adds in with an enthusiastic smile as Richie chuckles to that.

”what? Shut up.” He quickly cuts himself off as the others add scatters of giggles to Mikes comment. Only thing left for Eddie is ti surrender with a groan as he pinches the bridge of his nose with a exasperated sigh.

”now you know how some of us feel when it’s you and Richie back and forth all the time.” Bev says again, handing a piece of chocolate to Stan.

”it’s not all the time.” Eddie says.

”oh it definitely is.” Bill says, looking between him and Richie. “Remember that winter sleepover last year? Y-You two fought because Richie wouldn’t stop talking about Ponyboy’s blond hair ch-change.”

Ben blushes and nods at the memory, a small smile. “Yeah you guys did seem heated about that.”

”oh woah!” Richie leans forward intriguingly, left arm crossed leaned on the table, other hand pointed at Bill, a half gone juice box in hand with eyes squinted. “Don’t bring ‘The Outsiders’ into this, we all know how some of us were feeling over Thomas Howell.” He says matter of factly.

Mike hums. “gotta give it to him, he’s not wrong.”

“I just don’t see why you wouldn’t shut up about him the whole movie.” Eddie dives in.

”like you weren’t all up on Cherry the second she came on screen.” Richie says, taking a second to fix his glasses as he sits back. The comment made Eddie himself feel cherry red up in the face and the ears.

”Sherri Valance is pretty that’s all.” Eddie says quickly, voice cracked towards the end. Silence. He turns his head a few times then towards Bev. “She’s pretty, is she not?”

”you got the hots for redheads?” Bev asks.

”no! She’s, I’m only just saying I thought she was real neat the whole movie.”

”neat? What are you, 30?” Bill teases. Bev rolls her eyes, encouraging Eddie to talk on.

”okay, beautiful.” He crosses his arms on the table. “Why is it a big deal we were fighting over some movie characters?” Eddie asks half confused. The group in unison shrugs while Richie seemed to have something to mumble under his breath.

”what’s that?” He turns to Richie. Richie clears his throat and shrugs slightly.

”you seemed kinda jealous?” He drags on between words. Eddie pauses.

”I don’t get jealous, you just talked about him for a while.”

Before Richie could rebuttal with one of his famous Trashmouth comebacks, Stan had intervened quickly. While yes, I’m the subject of movies still, the attention had moved away from the entire bicker motivation in the first place.

Now merely just a group of friends all exchanging words on the new releases, what might be in theaters Friday and so on. Bill was the one who offered up a movie night at his house to do a watch of ‘My Bloody Valentine’ for the night, which, strangely Richie shrugged and replied a simple. “Yeah I’ll think about it” considering the man of the hour couldn’t keep his mouth shut when movies like that were muttered of.

Maybe Richie had been occupied with his head thinking elsewhere. Nothing unusual for him. Just maybe more so today. A quick look around you could tell it was a different day, pinks and reds of every box with every shaped traded wrapped in nice bows. Cards and candy given between class periods or shoved into locker with stickers or anything of other sorts for friends or secret admirers. The whole spiel of Valentines Day.

One of the unusual things more specific towards he himself was the more than usual gain of eyes to himself. Richie had always made himself a promise do whatever he could to ‘get the hell out of Derry’, go to college, make it to Hollywood even if his friends had thought it was too big of a dream even for his wise cracking humour and glasses. But none of that. The growing up part that came with high school . Sure they all weren’t gonna be small and thirteen forever, they all knew well enough that’s how life is. Perhaps the gain of attention from girls was what caught him off guard.

From that point growing up, a relatively good portion of a group of kids ‘knew’ Richie, the dirty kid who wanted to bone guys or stared in the locker. Everything was written on walls or spit with venom through the mouths of the bullies the group outran all the time. As for the other small portion, girls seemed to have noticed the changes within himself like anyone else.

He shot up another inch and a half over freshman and now into sophomore year, his skin still pale but perfectly shaped around his bones from the sharp line of his jaw to the thin of his hands or the red in his lips. Perhaps the freckles on his shoulders had grown more prominent on his shoulders or under his eyes and perhaps his dark hair had grown more curly. Some could say the face he still resembles that of a frog others could say otherwise. And for Valentine’s Day? The girls who had their eyes busy seemed to have stuff to say.

But he didn’t want to do much. Kindly turn their offers away or the cards and chocolates they would offer and insist he took. Just the burden piled up. That he already had someone, there was already someone he had for the taking long before any of this. That he was not for grabs. He just wanted to think about how he wanted the day to be about the one he already has his eyes stuck to.

a walk back to the Toziers house that day after school already had been enough for Eddie to bring up the topic after they had talked the whole way of Airwolf episode plots the brunette had a lot to comment on.

The door shuts and they both have their bags dropped on the wood floor, before Eddie could make another complaint Richie sighed in a dramatic tone as he spoke. “Eddie, you keep talking about this I’ll die before I can give you your sappy Valentine’s Day gift.”

Eddies quickly turned quiet as he blushes and clears my throat. “Jan-Michael Vincent can wait, my bad.” They both quickly laugh at eachother, sat down on Richie’s half messy bed faced to eachother. The four eyed part of the pair hands him a wrapped box which the other takes. A quick adjustment of the glasses as he’s sat criss cross to watch him begin to unwrap his gift, which, doesn’t happen.

”you seemed kinda off or am I wrong?” Eddie offers with hesitation as he peeks up at the other. Richie sighs. Of course he guessed that. “Yeah and how the fuck did you know that?”

”because you’re you, Richard,” he says with a raised eyebrow as he pushes a finger into the others chest. He makes a face as he brushes his hand over his own chest. “I know you too well.”

”evident.” He says countered back as he eyes Eddie’s gift, Still perched in his lap. His arms still crossed over his chest as he waits for the other to start talking. Obviously not letting this go he starts to talk.

”I just wish this wasn’t hard.”

Eddie eases back with softened eyebrows, ready to listen up. ”wish what wasn’t hard?”

”this. Us,” and as he’s about to make a face to back track into a fast talking frenzy, Richie is quick to fix his words. “Not like- like us! Like as if there’s something wrong with…yeah holy shit that was actually-“

”poorly executed?”

”yeah- you can tell I’m an idiot at talking.”

”not different from any other time you decide to run your mouth. 

Richie sighs with a roll of the eyes, vision averted to anywhere else but Eddie. “Being gay.”

Oh.

And that word that was said out loud with so much meaning, so much other stuff behind it. Sure he got where he was coming from, while the exploration of sexuality was an entirely new concept to Eddie, Richie was infact not new at all. If anything a concept that followed him around his whole childhood, from child innocence of “I have a crush on that boy like a girl” to ever growing feelings, attraction, to something that’s wrong. Deemed bad. Dirty. The only word he’s known his whole life. 

Eddie eased in, eyes still silent in tune for listening but still ready for him to start talking if he wished. He moved the gift off his lap to the side and replaced where his hands held to being wrapped around the knees of his legs he held up to his chest.

”like, the whole dreading feeling of it. I just wish I could,” he sighs with frustration. “All those cards and gifts I’ve been offered- given I guess through the week and today? I wish I didn’t have to feel the need to hide like this anymore.” He says with his hands held together in his lap, picking at nails or fidgeting. 

“Right.” Eddie agrees. “I’m not exactly the biggest fan in the world of this either but, y’know.”

”I know. I just wish- wish one day, for one day this wouldn’t be seen as so weird.” There’s a pause between the two the only thing filling the air was the box ac unit jammed in one of Richie’s windows. “All those guys out there giving all this stuff or kissing their girlfriend. I want that for us.”

Eddie swallows, blush spreading over his face again. “Oh?”

”I want to be able to kiss you- give you stuff, parade around how I have someone I’m happily in love with, how it’s the last thing I’m ashamed of…y’know?” He says resting finally after a quick sentence with barely any room to breathe. The edges of his hands come up and rub his eyes in defeat as if he’d confess a big secret. 

“god,” Eddie laughs awkwardly through blush. “Did you not think I wanted the same? I would give about anything to parade around making claims.” He says almost not thinking halfway correctly.

”woah.”

”what? What- what did I say?” He says slightly backtracking.

”that’s how you’re wording it?” Richie says almost in a skeptical tone like a detective trying to weave out information from the criminal. Eddie rubs his eyes and crosses his legs again, stating his sentence again.

”I guess? I don’t- yeah, actually yes.” He makes himself clear as he holds his hands together, eyes scanning almost everywhere it seemed. “The amount of girls that always- always present you all these compliments or the cards you got today?” Richie slowly nods, still trying to stay on the conversation. Though his eyes say otherwise, too busy staring at the lips of mouth moving infront of him, the hands in the others lap fidgeting.

”I am such a lucky damn- and I don’t- I’m a lucky guy,” he points out, making a up and down gesture with both hands. “I don’t even know how I didn’t notice anything sooner, you’re fucking handsome as hell, gorgeous even.”

”maybe because we’re still growing up?” Richie offers. Something different about being told that to his face buy his own boyfriend rather than his classmates at school had sent some kind of feeling to his heart.

His thoughts are cut off with the matters dipping under weight while the brunette moves closer with an expression between annoyed and determined. Though Richie was right, they were all growing up so there were plenty changes. Such as the boy who would always slick his hair to the side or carry around his fake inhaler that he never needed who’s hair had grown into a more messy way, the occasional curls he’d always hide with gel that grew and the freckles on his sun kissed skin that seemed even more cute that Richie had always found him. And the drop in his voice didn’t help either. It all just made him crazy.

”shut up, don’t change the subject.” He states, a playfully back of the palm slap the shoulder before he couldn’t fight the smile his lips curled up into. “Yeah, yeah, quite a change, me being all romantic and shit. You get a free pass off considering the day.”

Richie only blushes more, leaning himself in with a touch to the forehead with his own, eyes shut. “Whatever you think of me is wrong because god you have not seen yourself.” Eddie doesn’t fight, rather he too closes his eyes, enjoying the forehead touch.

”new idea for you, stop switching romantic crap onto me.” He mutters.

”new idea, don’t turn away the romantic crap I switch onto you.” Richie says with a smirk to himself. Eddie reached his hands up, both cupping the others cheeks as he pulls his face so they’re level. “You’re a real shithead.”

He gives a soft smile, leaned into his hands slightly. “I know you are but what about me?”

”a work of art. Sue me, go ahead, the fact you can’t recognise this is almost disturbing to me.” Eddie’s surge of confidence is almost torn down completely. The feel of cold hands lightly tugged into the collar of the thin fabric of his sweater that sent chills down his spine as he was pulled into a kiss. Not pulling away, he follows suit, moving his fingers towards the back of the others head, tangling in his dark curls just above his neck. Just a few more seconds before they had both pulled back.

”all of this and you still didn’t open your gift.” Richie says half frowning.

”about 5 packets of M&Ms, a cassette tape and some cheesy photos the others took from Bevs camera in the clubhouse.” Eddie quickly mutters out with a quick smile. He had only hoped to quickly move on from the subject to kiss the other again. For someone who talks too much there was something about kissing said trashmouth that always made him mental. Always wanting more.

Richie raised an eyebrow, cupping a hand over Eddie’s mouth as he quickly interrupted. “Hey and how the hell did you know!?”

Eddie stares at him, grabbing his wrist and moving his hand away. “I may or may have not seen the stuff you gotten and overheard you talk about it.” Richie huffs a sigh. “Sorry” Eddie apologies, hands moving quickly to grab into something of the other to which Richie only smirked. “Wow, ruined the whole gift surprise just to get handsy? I’m flattered.” And of course h was back to joking.

Eddie furiously blushed. “Yeah and you’re a real piece of shit for making me want to kiss you all the time.”

”oh it’s my fault all of a sudden? I tell you what-“

”god, shut up.” The only words that were muttered out from the brunette, dragging the other into a kiss again, hands on the sides of his shoulders for support this time. Richie had made the decision to lean in closer to the kiss, sighing out a breath as he held onto Eddie’s neck, turning his head to angle it where their noses didn’t knock. Though it didn’t seem to matter as the pair in the moment just worried about the feeling of lips against one another, Eddie leaned against the headboard and Richie leaned into him. Until the need for oxygen separated the pair as they pulled away again. 

Richie raised an eyebrow quickly. “Wait, so do I not get a Valentine’s Day gift or what?” Eddie quickly clears his throat. “Oh uh…I mean you know how Bill was on about ‘My bloody Valentine’? I may or may not have gotten you a special edition copy. Deleted scenes and all.”

He laughs at that. “You’re a loser for that, I love you.”

“Yeah I know, I love you too.” 

Chapter Text

From the shield of the cold breeze outside that was the inside of the house, Bev was occupied on her bed, flipping through a magazine she had picked up at the pharmacy last week but was neglected for touch due to school and other things she was occupied with.

Only other thing on the agenda was scratching off some algebra homework but she figured finish it in study hall the next day before class. She was too busy reading on celebrities and listening to her CD’s spin on the radio.

A quick glance up after turning the page, out the window the sky was still blue but was starting to go to nightfall. The months progressed to where the sun would slowly stay out longer and only few could dream where spring would roll around the corner and then summer. Atleast the losers were up for another summer together.

The music was blurred for the few seconds a knock came to her bedroom door and her aunt poked her head through. ”Hey Beverly, you have a call for you sweetie.”

”okay, thanks.” Tossing the magazine face up on the mattress, she’s quick to walk out and to the side of the hall, taking the phone off the receiver on the wall. Before she talks, she watches as the other woman is finished walking down the stairs and is out of view.

Leaning on her side to the wall and putting the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

”Bev, hey! Glad you picked up.” And on the other side of the line was a voice with a soft smile in the tone. Mike.

“Oh thank god,” she starts, leaning off the wall, smiling slightly. “I almost guessed it was gonna be that stupid Trashmouth with another one liner.” Mike shares a chuckle on the other side of the line.

”he has been ‘working’ on his new material after moving from just crude language, something about Hollywood?”

”Yeah he told me the whole thing. Ringwald, when I’m out of this dump of a town I’m making it big time, honest. I’ll be on Radio and TV and all those other big shots will be kissing my feet.” Bev recalls from the conversation they had in school earlier that day.

“At least the guy’s got a vision.”

”I guess. Alright enough about him, what’s up?”

”you think you can get out of your house tonight?” Mike asks.

Bev narrows her eyebrows slightly as she covers her hand over the speaker with a quick look around. She puts the phone back to her ear. “Some kind of special occasion?”

”Not in particular, Bill just figured this place we could go at. You know that old sandlot near the school, yeah?”

“I think so. Do I grab my bike?”

“Yeah that’s what we were all gonna do. Alright meet us there in half an hour.”

”got it, see ya then.” Bev says back before hanging up. After that she’s quick to walk back to her bedroom and grab her shoes and a jacket, walking downstairs and starting to but on her boots when she reaches the bottom. Her aunt in the living room watching a game show that had come on early that night.

The woman reaches her arm on the top of the couch, turning her head. “Heading out somewhere?”

”yeah with the guys. We’re hanging out.” She says back, finishing tying off her laces and tossing on her jacket.

”alright, I want you back no later than nine though, it’s a school night.” She says back.

”got it. Love you!” Bev shouts back as she’s out the door and stepping down the porch. She grabs her bike fallen on the grass by the side of the house as she starts pedalling down the street.

Dropping her bike by the park, she walks through the small trail leading to where everyone else was. And the place was exactly how one would imagine. Weeds and plants overgrown over the rusted fencing and benches.

Chalk worn away in the sand and trees scattered. The presence of the place seemed boring or lonely but it all blocked out from the teenagers that sat and stood, music playing from a beat up radio.

”hey! You made it!” Mike calls over from the covered team bench, waving with a bottle of coke in one hand.

Bev smiles and runs over, laughing slightly as she sits between him and Ben. “Sorry, I wish the house really wasn’t on the other side of town it sucks.”

”all is okay, now everyone is here.” He says, reaching into the small cooler brought with him and handing a bottle of coke and a rock to her.

She happily takes both, wedging the rock under the cap so it fell in the dirt with the others, taking a sip. Ben watches keenly at her, catching her eye and blushing. “You look beautiful.”

Bev smiles, fixing the side of her hair slightly. “Thank you.” He nods and takes a sip of his drink, glancing away with a small smile back.

“No offence over your lovey-dovey romance stuff but we can’t hear any music if you two are smooching.” Richie says from one of the opposite side benches, fiddling around with the radio.

”nobody could hear any music with you around.” Bev retorts back, waving a hand at him. Richie nods softly and goes back to messing with the radio. Next to him, Bill makes a face at him.

”or m-maybe we could hear anything if that piece of sh-sh-shit didn’t get dropped and kicked a bunch of times.” He stutters out, sighing at the end of his sentence.

”hey man, like I can control when Bowers is gonna pull something up behind me.” He defends, pulling his hand back from the radio and leaning back. “Or having it accidentally fall from somewhere. But that’s not the point.”

“Jesus, you’re the most irresponsible person I know.” Eddie says, head back to comment from where he sits a seat below next to Stan.

Pressing his palms against his jeans, he squints his eyes and leans his head down near his level. “You know other ‘irresponsible’ people?”

”not as bad as you.” He says, reaching up and messing with his hair, smirking to himself and looking back ahead. Richie rolls his eyes and fixes his hair, sitting back up.

”oh speaking about Richie’s horrible responsibility,” Bev starts, pointing her hand over towards the four other boys sat on the benches on the opposite side, pointer extended while the others hold her bottle. “If you can barely manage keeping up with Ms. Dunwicks history homework, your’e done for as an adult.”

”you never need history to be a comic.” He retorts back, taking a sip while the others exchange looks at eachother. Bill and Stan sharing a collective. “Uh huh.” 

“Oh okay I see, so it’s more realistic for someone like Kaspbrak to be a doctor but not me to get up in Hollywood?” Eddie doing a double take, makes a face between confused and of offence.

”because it is?? And also, asshole, maybe I don’t wanna persue a job in that field.”

“nah you’re right, someone like you could get paid to sit and judge since you love commenting everything on me.” He sets down the empty bottle by his feet. Bev let’s out a giggle glancing between them.

”jesus, is there ever a day those guys don’t fight like a married couple?” Bev says, leaning over at Ben, whispering. Ben looks at her then back at the pair. “No, I don’t think there’s an ever been a day of ‘peace’.”

“I think the day they don’t fight is the day the world stops spinning.” Mike says with a shrug.

”how much to bet I could get a way better job than he could ever dream of someday?” She asks.

”all of my money.” Mike looks at her. “You’re real smart and great with clothes, Bev, you could sure as hell do something with that.”

She lets out a soft smile. “Yeah?”

”Honest on all!” He says. Ben nods. Bev turns to him, a sip from her bottle again. “I mean, it’s not that far off of an idea that Richie could get close to fame or that you could absolutely do something with the skills you have.”

”yeah fair point.” She comments. “It’s just weird to think that Trashmouth could make it big. Just mess around with him.”

Stan, listening in on their conversation not trying to hear the pair beside him bicker comments in. “I think the day he gets big is the day I won’t like birds anymore.”

“Oh seriously?” Richie quickly says. Stan shrugs. “When and if that day comes. Which I doubt.”

“Hey come on, one day they’ll be playing me over the radio and TV so much I won’t be able to get out of anyone’s head.” He says with a smile and a fix of the glasses. Stan gently shakes his head.

”you’re already so much of an ass, you’re stuck in people’s head with no choice.” Eddie comments. Bill laughs and nods his head in agreement while Richie just shrugs slightly. “Touché.”

Bev chuckles from where she’s sitting, putting the glass bottle aside with the other empty ones. She sits back and crosses her arms with her hands curled into balls inside her jacket sleeves. Next to her, she gently leans against Bens side. He glances to his side before looking at her. Red curls against his neck.

”you alright?”

”great actually.” She shrugs off, eyes closed.

He nods, softly tapping one of his feet against her boot. As he looked back ahead, listening on to the random tuned channel on the radio and the others talking, smiling. Bev sighs to herself. Just a few years back, she would’ve been stuck inside that house and had another crappy summer to herself if she didn’t run into the others. Now she gets to spend school and outside with a good group of friends.

Chapter Text

Tossing the heavy blanket off himself, Richie pulls himself out of bed and stretches. The crack of bones accompanied him with a yawn and a quick reach over to the nightstand to grab his glasses. The red numbers read eight in the morning. Tossing on some clothes and brushing his teeth, he quickly walks downstairs, finding his mom making eggs and bacon, his dad at the table with the paper propped on his lap. As for his sister, doing what not in the living room.

”Morning, kiddo.” Went greets. Richie greets him back, reaching to grab a plate of food. “Morning. Thanks for the breakfast.” He says to his mom, starting to eat his eggs. He used one of his feet to wedge at the bottom of the fridge to open and grab the pitcher of orange juice and put it on the table.

”hey, no walking and eating. You’re going to drop something.” Maggie says making a plate for herself.

“Can’t help it, I got plans. Good ones” Richie replies, still taking a seat and finishing his food and pouring a cup of orange juice. “What sort of plans? Your mother and I have some ideas for your birthday, y’know.” Went asks his son, turning the page in his newspaper.

Richie nods in acknowledgment. “Shoot, well yeah.”

”well, your friends I assume?” He asks, raising an eyebrow.

“isn’t gonna be Ms. Launcey and her dog down the road.” Richie says light heartedly with a small shrug, drinking his cup of juice.

”oh you be nice, Richard.” Maggie says. He nods his head. “Nothing bad of it, mom.” He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “But yeah, I sort of did have some plans with the others. Or I guess they had plans for me that I’m in on.”

”whatever happened to surprises? What a bunch of lame-o’s” Rachel calls from the living room. He turns sideways in his chair and his arm rested on the top with his head back. “Last I recall, you aren’t the one turning sixteen!” He turns back and looks at his parents.

Maggie turns off the stove and puts the hot pan aside to cool off, taking her plate in hand. “Well, what did they have planned for you?” She asks, sitting by her husband.

”Something about the drag race going way outback.” 

“New interest in automobiles, I take it?” 

“eh, I’ve been able to drive, why not get interested in the idea of having my own ride soon.” Richie says with a shrug to Went. He throws him a glance. “Those things are a lot of money.”

”pssh! What do you think I’ve been saving all my holiday and allowance for the past three years?” He stands and puts his plate and cup in the sink. “It’s at seven. I can make it home by eight.”

Maggie nods, looking at her husband then at him. “Well that’s fine enough, the thing we had planned for you is here anyhow. I’ll allow you going, just be safe.”

”sick! well, thank you so very much for your final input.” He says with a smile before running back to his room. Maggie shakes her head with a chuckle as she eats her breakfast. Went turns his head to her.

”you don’t reckon this is some excuse so he can go out and see Eddie, hm?” He suggests. Maggie shrugs slightly. “Well I don’t see why he would need excuses, he’s a good kid. And anyway, it’s his birthday so it doesn’t matter if he wanted to.”

”I suppose you’re right.”

The first and most part of the day, Richie spent with his family. Maggie had ended up cooking him his favourite meal for lunch and afterwards he was presented with some gifts he’d been more than happy to receive. Just a copy of ‘The Outsiders’, the full dvd collection of ‘Star Wars’. Even some Garfield slippers, which of course seemed silly but he made a promise on always wearing them in the morning and night around the house. Other than that he had a cupcake and lounged around fidgeting or what not. Almost too anxious to wait for that radio call.

He was busy sitting back in his bed flipping through ‘The Outsiders’. Before he could end up flipping to chapter four, the walkie on his nightstand started acting up. Someone on his line trying to send a message.

”R-Richie do you copy? This is Bill. Richie?” And you couldn’t exactly describe how fast the movement was, but it was quick at the speed he shut the book and tossed it on his bed, grabbing the walkie and answering the line.

”hearing you loud and clear. And that’s not your name we agreed on.” Bill sighed on the other line. “I’m not making my co-code name, ‘Big Billiam’.”

”well seeing as it’s my day, I say we officially make that your code name.” He replies back, leaning down to toss on his shoes and tie them.”

”we’ll talk names later, I’m outside in the car with everyone. Come down?” He asks.

”meet you there, over and out.” He chuckles before turning off the walkie and setting it back down elsewhere. And he was out his bedroom, saying goodbye and out the door.

In all its glory, bill sat in the drivers seat across the road as Richie ran over, examining the ride. Bill was always the best out of the group with his parents being the more “loaded” ones on the block. They ended up lending one of their cars to Bill to keep seeing as his dad had to buy a new one anyway. It was a nice car though. Cadillac fleetwood brougham.

”holy shit, up in this bad boy and everything? This is the coolest thing ever.” He says with an arm leaned in the window, half sarcastically at the last sentence. “Y’know, for our parents.”

“You gonna get in or what? Mike, Bev and Ben are all carpooling separately so we’re m-meeting up with them.” Richie nods and opens the back door, sliding in and sitting down. “Oh what, you couldn’t fit in these guys?” He asks with the door shut. He was sat next to Eddie while Stan sat in the passenger seat.

”it’s a four seater, if the others tried fitting in s-someone would get squashed.” He explained, driving down the road.

”or we sit in each others laps.” Richie says with a shrug. Eddie looks at him. “You know how dangerous that it in a car?”

”so? Lotta kids die sitting in the back of trucks and end up falling out, nobody says nothing about that.”

”maybe don’t talk about car accidents, this is supposed to be a good day.” Stan chimes in.

Richie waved his hand. “Oh ofcourse, dying on your sixteenth isn’t a good look.” Eddie sighed. “I want to question you a lot but at this point it’s seems expected.”

”ain’t nothing of it, you love me.” He says smoothly, a quick hand makes it to his hair and messes it up. Eddie’s cheeks turn red as he pushes the others hand away.

By the time they had arrived there, the others had the truck they took parked off in the grass and bushes with a bunch of other teenagers cars. The location for the race was way back out. Near the farms and grass and forests in Derry, real rural outside of town. One step out of the car and the air was already mixed with smells of cigarettes, cheap junk food and other kinds of stuff. The air cool and the sky still with enough sun to light up before flash and streetlights turned on.

Eddie shoved his hands in his pockets. That letterman jacket his dad kept tucked away in the attic from his track days in high school seemed to finally fit but still a little loose around him. Hell, he was close enough to a spitting image of him. He looks around. “You think it’ll get colder later?”

”probably” bill replies, shutting the door and locking the car. “Beverly brought ex-extra blankets though incase.”

“We don’t need blankets, Bill, what are we, men or boys?” He asks quickly, leaning on stands shoulder with an arm. Stan and Eddie look between each other. “We’re all men, you’re just gonna be stuck looking prepubescent the rest of your life.”

”oh okay, trash the Trashmouth, yeah I get it.” He says with a roll of the eyes and standing upright again as they all walk over to join Bev, Mike and Ben gathered. Bev looked over from where she was sat on one of the metal benches, a jacket over her shoulders and popcorn in hand. She waves them over.

Stan was the first to take a seat, sitting beside Bev and Ben, nodding their head. “Glad we made it in time.”

”for a second I was under the impression you guys were ditching, and on Richards birthday too, shame.” She says with a giggle as she tosses some popcorn in her mouth. Eddie sits beside Bill and Richie. “If he kept talking the whole way we probably would have.”

”oh me talking is your biggest enemy? Remember when you were all gagged out learning about vaginas and stuff in health class for the first time?” Richie recalls. To say ‘gagged out’ would be a bit of an exaggeration. They were all more so sat in fifth grade health class and Eddie stared at the front board, face taken back in confusing and disgust.

He furrows his eyebrows. “It was the fucking fifth grade, how did you expect me to react!?”

”for someone who’s such a great ‘doctor’ you sure know how to act.” He grins with a quick fix to his glasses. Stan looks over. “Look who’s talking.”

Eddie joins back in. “Yeah, asshole, sex jokes aren’t even funny half the time you talk about them.”

”touché” he says back, reaching over and grabbing some of bevs popcorn and eating it. “Alright, who’s the bad batch losing this one?”

”you know those group of seniors who’ve been at eachother for a while now?” Ben chimes in quietly. Bill cocks his head. “Oh, uh, Tommy’s gang and A-Ace and the boys?”

Ben nods. “Well the tension between them was already tough enough and all, but I guess it all kinda went real business after one of Tommy’s kid brothers got real hurt by Ace’s car. His friend was going crazy on the road and everything.”

”so they’re seeing who’s car is better cause his brother got hurt? Surprised they aren’t doing this over a girl.” Eddie says with a shrug.

Ben smiles and looks back on the road. “Well his brothers okay, but it wasn’t just that. Ace was getting real tough and up in Tommy’s face. Big game talk, now we’re here.”

“Well at least we get a good show out of this.” Mike says, handing a cup of Coke over to Richie to drink. “Though my grandfather thinks I’m watching down old guys race it out.” He finishes with a chuckle.

”a shows a show, couldn’t ask for a better birthday present.” Richie laughs taking a swig of the drink then handing it to Bill. Bill nods. “I think my d-dad would have me in a headlock if he found out I was just showing up to some guys beef out some p-problems.”

”got that right, my mom would probably be real worried.” Richie says, he takes a pause. “We’ll just keep this under wraps, yeah?”

Eddie nods. “yeah of course. Hell, you think I want my mom to know I’m here?”

”oh yeah, she’d go all “oh, Eddie, don’t go out! You’ll trip on the track and contract blindness!” Or something.” 

“You don’t contract blindness, though for your case it probably applies.” He says with a soft nudge in the others ribs.

“Shh, it’s starting.” Mike says, the others quieting down as they turn to the track. Two guys and their cars a bit down the road as they stood talking, their buddies on each side.

“Are they gonna stand there and trade insults all night?” Stan asks, grabbing hold of one of the blankets Bev had brought and wrapped it around his shoulders.

”they always do this, they’re just getting riled up and stuff.” Richie explains, taking another sip of Coke and reaching over to steal more of Bevs popcorn. Bev only returned a cocked eyebrow on her face. “Get your own food.”

”no talking back to the man of the hour, y’know!” He defends back.

looking over and ahead the guys got in their cars, starting up. The other teenagers that showed to the race cheering or clapping for they wanted to win.

“Maybe the turnout is that Aces big game talk might make him the winner by surprise.” Bev says. Ben nods, leaning against her slightly. “It is possible.”

”what? You guys see T-Tommys gang? Those guys are in it.” Bill asks, pointing over. Richie nods. “Yeah, Tommy knows what he’s doing, he’s been getting his ride ready for a week in the garage.”

“Just watch the race and watch the turnout.” Mike says with a quick nod. 

And so the cars took off, fast but not super fast like those F1 racers or anything. But fast enough to bring up shouts and claps. The losers joined in quickly. “Kick their asses, Tommy!” “Show them, Ace!” Or stuff like that, just like everyone else. The road they watched was pretty big so they had a while to watch, and every second was great till the end and people started feeling cold. The end result was Tommy notoriously crossing and everyone supporting his side cheered.

With the race ended, street lights on, there was just the losers as they sat by the vehicles as all the other kids that came and watched started rolling out and going back home. Bev sat in the back of the pooped open back trunk of the truck, cigarette in hand next to Ben, the radio playing one of his tapes from New Kids on The Block. The others sat on grass or elsewhere. Richie was sat on the top of bills car, cross cross as he wiped his glasses.

Eddie looks up. “You better not damage the car, Richie.” Richie looked at him  and slipped his glasses back on. “Why are you acting like it’s your car?” He turns to Bill. Bill looks at him.

“J-Just don’t fall or anything.” He says, sitting on a blanket next to Mike. Richie shrugs at Eddie and looks around. Eddie shakes his head, hands still jammed in the letterman jacket pockets as he leaned against the car close to Richie.

“Hey, wasn’t that your dads?” Bill asks, temporarily stopping the silence of talking and the air filled with music.

Eddie softens his look, looking down at himself then back. “Oh uh, yeah. He was my age when it fit him.” He takes a quick pause before speaking again. “Thought I could see what it was about.”

”well your dad was the school track star when he was our age.” Bev adds in softly, taking a drag and blowing out smoke. Eddie quietly nods.

Richie catches his look and nods. “Yeah dude, he was awesome, they still have in the glass windows in the halls and everything.”

”yeah, I get it.” Eddie nods before glancing around anywhere except at the others. “You enjoy turning sixteen?”

Richie slouches over, hands in his lap. “I sort of miss fifteen now.” He lets out a soft laugh and a grin. “But at least our age matches up now.” Eddie lets out a scoff. “Oh fucking hell.”

Ben looks between them. “What is it?”

The brunette points a thumb above his head towards the other. “He likes to make this joke that us dating is ‘illegal’ just cause I’m older than him.” He glares with his head tilted back at Richie. “And he won’t shut up about it. I mean, seriously, you’re so dramatic.”

”but Eddie, you can’t be seen with a seventeen year old when you turn eighteen.” He waves a hand. “Not a lot of people take that lightly.” He let’s out a grunt and reaches up to push his shoulder.

”it’s a one year age difference, asshole! It’s not weird! I’m not even close to eighteen yet!” He yells out. Richie only responds in a string of laughs.

”it’s not funny!” He turns the others. “Christ sake, someone back me up??” Bev and Stan look between each other and shrug. “I mean, it’s a funny joke I get it” Bev says with a chuckle. Stan smiles slightly. “Just be grateful there’s not some kind of three year difference happening.

Eddie gives up, sighing in defeat. “I mean, hell, even then nobody’s gotta know.” Richie starts. “Have you seen me and your mom?”

”im gonna climb up there and strangle you!” He yells, reaching up and grabbing Richie with all his strength to tug him down off the car roof, causing them to both grunt as they hit the ground, bickering at eachother. The only thing to cancel it out was the music from the truck and the dark of the night