"ready?"

pt. six

x chapter energy x
head over heels | tears over fears

eddie took a sip of his drink with the other losers and his eyebrows furrowed in a confused, distrustful sort of way. they all migrated into the living room and eddie continued to gingerly sip on his glass of wine. he made eye contact with richie who smiled and gestured to the drink in his hand with a nod.

eddie took another hesitant sip and richie's eyes widened slightly. eddie's eyes resurfaced and richie started to laugh.

"so then," richie started," do you feel like you're dying yet?"

"beep beep rich," eddie said shaking his head," it's really not all that bad. doesn't mean it's not slowly rotting away my brain cells or some shit."

"heh, don't worry i think you could do with losing a couple," richie laughed," keep ye sane ya know." he continued in his irish cop voice

"sureee," eddie said, trying to stifle a smile," 'ya know' i don't think you can afford to lose any more richie."

"oh come on ed's," richie smiled," you know my aptitude for intellect far surpasses yours, no need for jealousy."

"oh fuck off," eddie rolled his eyes," i didn't even know you could utter words that complex."

they both laughed at this and eddie's eyes travelled back to the rest of the group, chattering on about some teenage nonsense. richie's eyes lingered a bit before doing the same.

+++ about half an hour passes +++

"so who's up for some music?" richie asked, standing up and moving toward the hitachi turntable in the corner of the room," i've got just about anything you could think of."

the rest of the losers acceded and began to deliberate as richie flipped through the records. they all managed to agree on two albums "songs from the big chair" by tears for fears and "make it big" by wham!

richie lifted the tone-arm, slid the record out of it's sleeve, and sat it carefully onto the platter. he released the arm and the needle hit the record with a gentle crackle as shout began to play.

bev got up and started dancing- the rest of the losers laughed and then began dancing themselves. they all jumped around nonsensically, being careful not to spill their drinks, as richie had instructed them.

after the first couple of songs finished, richie asked the others,"anyone else need a refill?" as he walked towards the kitchen.

"always-" bev yelled after him, she looked to eddie as she began to withdraw from the room," what about you eddie?"

he glanced down to his cup and realized all of his wine was practically gone, he glanced back up at beverly slowly and responded," fuck it, why not."

"great!" she said and lead him by his wrist out of the room.

richie was pouring his second glass as he looked up and saw bev and eddie walk in. he motioned for their cups, filling bev's back up first.

"thanks rich," she said, tipping her glass toward him," best bartender in all of derry."

"why thank you bev," he replied, bowing his head to her.

bev left the room as he began pouring eddie's next glass.

"back for more eds?" he smiled," there goes at least five more braincells for ya kind sir."

" ha ha ha, very funny dickhead," eddie responded, with a slight smirk that richie just nearly noticed.

" thanks i'll be here all week," richie leaned onto the counter and carefully slid the glass to eddie with a wink.

eddie laughed and shook his head as he took a seat across from richie at the counter. richie corked the wine bottle once more and set it back on the counter. he grabbed his glass and took a sip.

as he laid the cup back down he could've sworn eddie was looking at him. when he looked back up though he saw that he was taking a drink from his glass as well. must have been a reflection in his glasses or some trick of the light.

he pushed them back up onto the bridge of his nose and nudged eddie's arm.

"i'd love to keep chatting ed's but i do believe we have a party to attend," he said, tipping his head toward the doorway.

eddie agreed and followed richie back into the living room where music was still blaring, this time though it was eddie's favorite tears for fears song "head over heels".

"oh shit!" he shouted happily and began dancing along with the rest of the losers.

richie saw this and laughed to himself as eddie swayed blithely and began singing along. he joined in soon after and began singing, dramatically falling to his knees as he clutched a phantasmal microphone in his hands.