the minute you turned eighteen, you left that overbearing household in an instant and went to college. of course, your only regret is leaving your little brother eddie behind.
you two had a close relationship, often covering for him and defending him in front of your mom. you were scared of leaving poor eddie but you knew he'd be fine. you came home during the holidays of course but you never got quality time with eddie.
so when you moved to derry in the summer of 1989, you were excited to start a fresh life out of college and hopefully reconnect with your little brother. you knew he changed since he was nine but you can always adapt, right?
you were walking the calm streets of derry, contrasting it to the busy, loud streets of orono, the city where maine university was. you were walking to your old house, going to see eddie and pull him away from mom for a while.
the house was coming into view and you quickened your pace and ran up its steps. you rap on the door and patiently waited for someone to answer the door. you heard the locks click and you're met with your mom in her long dress and spectacles.
"y/n! honey, you're back! have you been taking your meds? how about those daily and nightly showers and-"
you cut off your mom's yapping with a hug and a soft kiss on the cheek, "hey ma, yes i'm back, yes i've been taking my meds and showers."
it was a straight up lie but anything to prevent any more lectures, "where's eddie?"
your mom's face twisted into a nasty scowl, "he's out with those disgusting friends of his. will, dan, reggie, and new people. you'll see how much of a bad influence they are on eddie."
you roll your eyes, you've met his friends and they seem perfectly fine. you step into the house and you were met with the disgusting smell of clorox, "great to be back home."
your mom went back to her chair in front of the TV and you went up to your room, being hit back with old memories. you walk over to a picture of you and eddie when he was four. he just lost his first tooth after walking into a wall and yo laugh at the memory of your mom having an absolute fit.
while you were opening closets and drawers, you heard the door creak open and close. you stalk out of your room and peer down at who came into the house. you saw a tiny little boy with his high pitched voice ringing through the living room.
"ma, i'm fine. i swear i am," he was trying to twist out of mom's hands and he stomped upstairs, stopping short when he saw leaning against the railing. his lips broke out in a grin and he raced up the stairs and gave you a hug.
"y/n, you're home!" he said into your shoulder, short kids are common in the family, you suppose.
"hey bub," you pull away from his and pinch his cheeks, "how've you been doing?"
eddie slapped your hands away and led you to his room, "great. how's college?"
his voice was laced with some uncertainty when he uttered the word great. almost like he was lying to you but you disregarded the thought. eddie would never lie to you, right? he couldn't have changed that value over the years. or maybe he has and you're too naive to realize it.
"i graduated, remember? i live down by costello," you beam, proud of your achievements as a young adult.
"wow! you have your own apartment now?" eddie asked, suddenly interested.
"yeah, i do. you can always come if you want, the address is 347 Costello Avenue," you laugh and you watch him scramble for a piece of paper and a pencil and scribble down your address.
"great, now i can get away from that bitch," he chirped and you hit his stomach.
"edward kaspbrak, watch your mouth or else she'll hear," you say loudly but leaned in to whisper in his ear. "nice going, bub."
it wasn't after a few days that eddie knocked vigorously on your door. it was in the late afternoon and you were curled up in bed, reading a good book. you jog over to the door and opened it up.
"hey eddie i- are you okay?" you ask when you see your poor little brother, shaking in his shoes, taking inhales of his aspirator every few seconds. wow, mom really has him fooled.
eddie shook his head no and you brought him inside to your room where you made him sit down on your bed, sliding your legs underneath the comforter. some days your heater didn't work and this was one of these days.
"okay bub, what happened," you turn to look at him and he seemed to have calmed down but his hands were still shaking.
"i can't tell you," he began and your face twisted into confusion. eddie with secrets?
"eddie, i can't help you if i don't know what's happening," you wrap your arm around his shoulders and pulled him close, resting your cheek on his head.
"okay, but you have to promise that you won't do anything about it or say anything to anybody," eddie looked at you in all seriousness. "promise?"
"pinky promise."
"okay so, it started off with bill's brother getting killed, georgie? he was born right before you went into sophomore year- or was it when you were in junior year? i don't know anyways- well he went off..."
you listen in complete awe as eddie explained what has been happening since october of 1988 and you had your mouth agape all throughout the whole explanation.
",,,so i just saw a really disgusting leper, covered in diseases and icky stuff and i'm already aware of the fact that i'm going to have to face that stupid fucking clown and i'm just scared. i'm scared, y/n," eddie exhaled, leaning back into your pillow.
"oh bub," you pull eddie to your chest and rubbed his head. "i haven't been the best big sister and i haven't been here a lot but i hate that you have to go through this without me. i want to protect you with all my might from that demonic clown bitch but i had to make that promise with you. then again, i'm not scared for you eds because you, edward kaspbrak, are one of the bravest people i've ever known and i know you can defeat the clown. i believe in you and i'm pretty sure those friends of yours believe in you, too. you got me, eddie?"
eddie nodded and you hug him closer to you and rocked him back and forth. he wasn't your little eddie anymore. no sir, he's more mature than you believe it or not, being able to face a clown demon at thirteen? at thirteen, you fell off your bike and was rushed to the hospital to get a bandage around it.
you pull away and smile down at him, "tell you what, i'll call mom and tell her that you're staying in with me tonight. sound good?"
"a day without mom breathing down my neck? i'm so down!" eddie exulted then his face turned stone blank. "you have sanitized this house, right?"
"i will kick you out."
"no, i'm just kidding! but, seriously, have you?"
"eddie!"
"kidding!"
