I'm just a phone call away- Reddie au

You're special

(TW, Richie talks about what Henry did to him)

Eddie pov: 

I hear his voice from the other side telling me to come in. I slowly open the door and peek my head in. Richie is sitting in the tub, knees to his chest, slightly damp hair. His clothes are all over the floor, and glasses on the sink. I then open the door slightly and slip into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

"I got you some of my more oversized clothes. I hope they fit!" I say setting them onto the toilet. I can notice that Richie is watching me closely, but he isn't saying anything. I then notice my still slightly blooded hands, the blood mostly dry, but still there. So I simply go over to the sink and scrub my hands and wrists with my germ killer soap. "Is the bath warm enough? Are you comf-" I cut myself off when I get a good look at Richie. He is squeezing his legs to his chest with his good arm, he looks like he is shaking, and his eyes are all puffy and swollen. I dry my hands off quickly and slowly walk over to the tub, kneeling down next to it, leaning on the side. I reach up and move a wet curl from his face, he flinched away.

"Are you alright Rich?"

He flicks his eyes over to me and then back to the water. He starts to breathe a little faster now. 

*He's hyperventilating.....he's having a panic attack!*

I slowly and gently put my hand onto his right shoulder, his wounded one facing the wall. Trying not to scare him more, but to also give him something to ground himself with. I rub shapes into the back of his shoulder and whisper to him. 

"its ok....im here.....there's nothing to worry about.....shhhhh....its gonna be alright...." He starts to calm a bit and he finally looks back into my eyes. I give him a sympathetic smile. "You doing ok there?" I say quietly.

He starts to nod his head, but then quickly starts to shake it.

"What's going on Richie? What happened tonight?" He doesn't respond right away, he slowly places his head on the right side of the tub, the tub wall not against the wall, but towards me. I follow in suit and lean my head on it, looking at him somewhat upside down.

"...the waiter..." He says in a whisper.

Confused I ask. "you mean mike?" I ask in the same whisper. He shakes his head again.

"the asshole one....Henry....."

"whay did he do?"

He is silent for a moment. "I-i was smoking to try to get warmer...." He stops again, and I wait for him to continue. "I-i w-was in the alley, and then out of n-nowhere he is there." Small tears start falling from his eyes, but I can tell he's trying to stay strong. Still laying my head on the side of the tub I lift my hand to put it into his almost dry again hair. He jolts a bit, but then melts into my hand. He continues.

"He was saying things like how I was trash, and he knew I was trash all along, and since we told Mike about his asshole behavior, Mike apparently told his manager about it. And Henry got fired. S-so..." More tears fell, and he leaned into my touch more. "H-he said t-hat I needed t-to get f-fired too..." He says as he now sobs uncontrollably, not able to talk anymore. I could fill in the rest of the story in my head.

*That fucker Henry burned him, just because he got what was coming for him in the first place!? Ill have to remind myself to beat the shit out of him the next time I see him.* But in this moment, Richie needs me. So while continuing to play with his curls in one hand, I raise my other to wipe the tears on his cheek. He looks at me while I'm at work trying to calm him. He then lifts his head off the side of the tub, body still leaning against it, but neck is now straight. He sniffs.

"Why are you so nice to me?" He says as he looks deep into my eyes. Searching for an answer. But I'm not sure how to answer.

"Im not sure, something inside me is just telling me to help you, to protect you, to make you know that you are appreciated. With anyone else, I would have turned up my nose. But with you, the voice in the back of my head is telling me its ok, telling me I'm fine to open up, to be vulnerable."

"Its telling me you're special."

All he does is look at me with wide dark eyes, searching for if im lying or not. And I think he finds it.

"god...im so glad I met you..." He says as he puts his forehead back onto the side of the tub. I run my fingers into the hair on top of his head and sigh. 

"Me too.....me too."

(God this is such a good spot to end, but it would make the chapter too short, so I have to keep going😭💀)

Knock, knock.

Richie looks up and I turn my head to the sound of knocking on the bathroom door.

"Eddie?"

*oops I forgot Bev was still here..*

"Yeah Bev?" I yell for her to hear.

"Its getting late, so I'm gonna head home, but to help you a bit more I set up the guest bed for your guest. Its got clean sheets and pillows."

*Gosh, she's the best..*

"You're the best Bev! I love you! Get home safe!" I say back at the still closed door.

"Love you too, don't stay up too late!" She says as I hear footsteps getting farther.

I look back at Richie who seems a bit uncomfortable.

"Gosh she's so great!" I say with a big smile.

"Is she your girlfriend?" He asks hanging his head. *Why does he sound sad?*

"What?? Beverly!? No! Nononnononono. NO! We've known each other since we were kids, were just best friends!" I say crossing my arms. "No, my girlfriends name is Sophia, she's been out of state for a little over a month on a business trip. She's a model!" I say excitedly, I never get to talk about her, she's SUPER talented.

He's quiet, but then looks back at me with a smile. "That's cool man...i-im glad for you!" I smile back at him and mutter a small thanks as I blush a bit. But obviously for my adoration for my girlfriend!!

"How about I help you wash your hair hmm? I just notice how hard it would be to try and do that in the state your in." I say getting up from my now sore knees. *I was sitting on them for toooo long!*

Richie nods and repositions himself in the bath, where he is leaning with his back at the head of the tub. A perfect place for me to grab a small stool and place it on the other side, and have full access of his hair.

Fast forward and I am now outside of the bathroom, waiting for Richie to dry off and change. Like sure I've already seen everything, not that I wanted that to be our first interaction with each other! But I still wanted to give him his privacy. I wait another minute of two and Richie appears from the opening door. He looks so comfy in my oversized clothes. They fit him normally of course though.

"Ready to get some sleep?" I say as I motion for him to follow me too the guest bedroom.

"Ready as ill ever be." He says as he follows my lead.

A/N

There we go!

Man I'm tired, I need to go to bed, I have school tomorrow. And chem(😭💀😷😵😫) I hate chem so much..

Also can I say how hard it is to not call Bev, Bevy?? Like I personally don't wanna call her that, because in the movie that's what her dad called her, and that's creepy. And in my book its still canon that her dad is an asshole and a creep. So I don't wanna call her that(at least by eddie). But when I'm writing I feel it fits in some places to call her that as a nickname, but I cant😩😩

Anygays, how'd you like the chapter??

Gn, or gm, whatever time zone.

Don't forget to drink water!!💧🌊

Kisses

-Louie❤