Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Looking back on Eddie Kaspbrak's memories, it's clear that the boy can't say exactly how the story that unfolded that summer began. That's because, for Eddie, what would mark him for the rest of his life didn't start in it, nor did it happen suddenly. In fact, it was something that had formed gradually, from feelings and emotions that had existed long before, but which he only realized in himself over the course of the summer.
So, to begin what would be this time in his life, Eddie sees himself in the quarry where he occasionally goes with his best friends. He could start there because it was one of the events he remembered most (for good reasons and others not so good, in a way). It had been three years since all the shit with Pennywise, but Eddie hadn't fully recovered. He didn't know if his friends had, but he didn't have the courage to ask. They didn't talk about it much anymore.
But their friendship remained the same, strengthened by the moments they spent together. In a way, they were still the same too. At least Beverly was, being the first to jump into the water, as always.
“Jesus Christ, this never stops being scary,” Stan says, watching the girl fall. Richie, who’s standing in front of Eddie in the line the group had formed, immediately starts messing with him.
“Just jump already, Stan. Keep the line moving,” Richie says. He wouldn’t admit it, but he always got a knot in his stomach before jumping too.
“Can you shut up for one second?” Stan snaps, turning to glare at Richie, before looking down again. Then, with a sudden burst of courage, he runs and jumps into the water. Beverly is already down there, flailing her arms.
“One of these days we’re gonna screw ourselves up real bad. I don’t wanna end up in the hospital over some dumb shit like this. I really don’t,” Eddie says, staring down. He felt sick every time.
“Eds, please. Switch places with me.”
“Not fucking happening.”
Richie laughs, a little nervous.
“Just go already, for God’s sake!” Mike yells from the back, behind Bill and Ben.
“Alright, alright, I’m going. Fuck…!” Richie mutters, before taking off and jumping.
Eddie tried not to think too much. Thinking too much was his biggest problem. So he jumped right away, to give himself no time to overthink things.
When he dives, he stays underwater for a while before returning to the surface. He wasn't hurt, so he was grateful for that. He resurfaced next to Richie, who looked at him with a smile.
“Easy, right, Eds?” Richie asks, a little out of breath. Their bodies close together. Eddie lets out a small laugh, shaking his head.
“Definitely not,” Eddie says, and Richie bursts out laughing.
For a moment, they just look at each other, smiling, catching their breath.
“You guys are getting braver!” Beverly shouts, drawing Eddie’s attention away. He follows her gaze and looks up, watching Ben jump, then Bill and Mike right after.
After a while, they decide to play chicken fight. Eddie climbs onto Richie’s shoulders, going up against Stan, who’s on Mike’s. Beverly gives the signal to start.
“Get him, Eddie, get that bastard!” Richie yells, and Eddie laughs.
“I’m trying, you idiot! You’ve gotta help too!” Eddie yells back, struggling to keep his balance as Richie moves closer to Mike.
“He’s got long arms, but don’t let that get to you, Eds, he’s a total wimp! You’ve got this!” Richie shouts, making the others laugh.
“Oh my God, shut up, Richie!” Stan yells.
“Maybe try a little harder, Stan!” Mike says, clearly struggling to swim while holding Stan’s weight.
“You think I’m not trying?” Stanley snaps, shocked, which gives Eddie the opening to shove his shoulder, throwing him off balance. Beverly, Bill, and Ben burst out laughing from where they’re watching.
“Eds! Yes! That’s it! Do it again, Eds!” Richie yells as Eddie tightens his legs around Richie’s shoulders, bracing himself while Richie gives it everything he’s got to swim back toward Mike.
Then Eddie pushes Stan again, sending him into the water awkwardly, which makes Richie shout,
“That’s it, fuck yeah!” Richie yells, grinning ear to ear. He immediately dives under so Eddie can slide off his shoulders.
“You were awesome, Eds! You went straight for Staniel!” Richie says, gripping Eddie’s forearms. They’re so close to each other, and he needs to share that little moment of victory. Eddie smiles.
“It wasn’t that hard,” Eddie says. In the background, they can hear Stan yelling for them to go fuck themselves, with Mike trying to calm him down.
Richie flips Stan off before turning back to Eddie, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah, I know. You’re the best.”
***
Back at the clubhouse, after spending the afternoon at the quarry, Beverly, Mike, Ben and also Bill played cards on the table (which was already completely ruined from how much they banged on it). Stanley, of course, was on the couch, doing some homework that the teachers had assigned for the summer. Eddie and Richie, meanwhile, were sharing the club's hammock, Richie reading a random comic book that Eddie had lent him.
Eddie paid attention to Richie's every reaction, the older boy's eyes scanning the pages. Their hair was still damp, but that wasn't a problem, because they were refreshed after swimming on one of the hottest days of the summer.
Then Richie turns the page of the comic book, makes a funny face, reads the last panel, and then slam the covers shut with an exaggerated sigh.
“What a shitty mess,” Richie says, tossing the comic onto the ground with an exasperated tone that makes Eddie laugh, before he scolds him. “I can’t believe you made me read that, Eds.”
“Don’t just throw it on the ground, you idiot,” Eddie says, lightly kicking Richie in the face, his glasses sliding a bit crooked.
“It’s not like it could get any worse than it already is!”
Richie picks the comic up off the ground and tosses it right at Eddie’s face, laughing when the younger boy shoots him an annoyed look.
“You’re so-” Eddie sighs, rolling his eyes.
“So what, huh? Say it,” Richie mocks, laughing. Eddie can’t help but laugh too, kicking Richie again, a little harder this time.
“Cut it out, you’re so annoying,” Richie says, trying to block him.
“Me? I’m annoying? Look who’s talking!”
Richie grabs Eddie by the ankles, stopping his legs mid-air, and leans in closer.
“Quit kicking! You’re cute, but this little rage thing you’ve got going isn’t nearly as-”
“Shut up, asshole,” Eddie cuts in, managing to land another kick that catches Richie off guard. Richie recovers quickly though, gripping the other ankle tighter, then lunges forward and starts tickling Eddie’s stomach.
“You- you're a little shit, Eds… you hear me?” Richie keeps tickling him, and Eddie twists around, laughing uncontrollably, his legs brushing all over Richie’s back.
“Stop it, Richie!”
Eddie laughs so hard it hurts. Richie watches him, laughing too. No matter what Eddie does, Richie has the upper hand now. He could honestly die right there from laughing. He kicks at Richie’s stomach, but it doesn’t seem to do anything.
“That’s what you get… better not use those feet against me again, got it?”
“Stop… please… Richie…”
Eddie lets out a groan.
It’s a sound that catches Richie completely off guard and makes him freeze instantly. Eddie blushes in the very same second, his cheeks burning red. What the hell was that? he thinks. Since when could a sound like that come out of his mouth?
He looks over at the table where their friends are sitting.
“Could you guys keep it down, please?” Bev scolds, “I’m this close to winning, and all the noise you’re making is throwing me off.”Of course she was winning, she was the best at every card game they ever played. Richie and Eddie had long given up on going against her, or maybe they’d just given up on being humiliated in front of everyone else.
Eddie is still blushing as he nods in agreement. Richie does too, without a single comment or swear word. He’s still half on top of Eddie, way too shaken by what just happened.
Stanley doesn’t seem to notice anything, at least not that Eddie can tell. But Richie is looking at him now, with that look, and he’s red too. Was it really that embarrassing? Eddie wants to crawl into a hole and disappear.
Eddie suddenly gets up from the hammock, scratching the back of his neck. Stanley looks up from his homework to stare at him. One by one, everyone turns to look at Eddie.
“I need to go… I just remembered I have to clean my room!”
“O-Okay,” Bill replies, and the table goes back to their game after giving Eddie a brief wave.
But, to Eddie’s dissatisfaction, Richie stands up too, looking at him.
“I’ll walk you home…”
He says it in a low voice. Of course Eddie wouldn’t let that happen. Ever. Not in a million years, not after moaning his best friend’s name like that. Especially not like that… like that. Eddie wants to get home and throw himself off the roof, hopefully he’d die.
“Alright, let’s go,” Eddie replies nervously. Eddie must have something seriously wrong with him. There’s no other explanation. He briefly considers the possibility that the side effects of seventeen years of excessive medication have finally started to rot his brain.
Richie just nods, and the two of them leave the clubhouse, heading toward Eddie’s house.
***
They walk down the sidewalk. Eddie says nothing. Richie doesn’t either.
Eddie’s afternoon had been going so well. He was having so much fun. It didn’t have to be ruined in such a stupid way. No, it really didn’t. But that awful truth eats him up inside, the same way it completely wrecks his day.
When he finally looks over at the taller boy, he notices Richie isn’t as red anymore. Maybe it hadn’t been that embarrassing after all, right? This is just Eddie’s anxious brain spiraling. He didn’t have control over his actions, moaning his best friend’s name? Totally normal. Who hasn’t done that?
“So…” Richie starts, his footsteps dragging like they always do. He adjusts his glasses.
“Tomorrow, at your place?”
“Yeah, sure,” Eddie replies, fanning his shirt a little, because apparently he doesn’t even feel refreshed anymore after all that.
His hand brushes against Richie’s, and Eddie notices it’s sweaty.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to.”
“It’s fine, Eds,” Richie says, his tone is calm. The way he says it, maybe he’s trying to say that that is fine too? Eddie lets out a breath.
“Come by tomorrow after lunch, my mom’s gonna leave earlier,” Eddie says, trying as hard as he can to sound casual.
Richie listens, looking at Eddie.
“Is that so? Guess you’re lucky, you get me all to yourself for longer then.”
“Shut up, you wish!,” Eddie replies with a muffled laugh. Richie smiles anyway.
They walk the rest of the way to Eddie’s house in silence.