Sweetspot - Reddie

19

TW: HOMOPHOBIA, SLUT SHAMING.

Eddie made his way to his windowsill, his warm hands settling on its ledge as he watched, smiling, as Richie threw a salute at him. Eddie raised his hand half-heartedly, feeling drowsy and drugged from feeling Richie's lips on his skin. Just as Richie kicked off, biking up his road and into the distance and just as Eddie pulled down on his windowsill, shutting it, the loud clicking of Eddie's door opening ripped through the heavy atmosphere. Eddie spun on his heels in shock, his hands gripping the window ledge.

Sonia Kasbrak hobbled into the room, her eyes twinkling dangerously. Eddie's grip tightened on the windowsill.

"I thought you were getting ready for bed, Eddie-Bear." Sonia's voice rung out, piercingly, causing Eddie to wince and look down at the floor.

"I was mom, I promise. I just got...distracted." Sonia's eyes snapped up to meet Eddie's, whose were widening with regret at what he had just said. 'Are you fucking serious, Eddie? Distracted? She's suspicious Eddie! You can tell by that scary look in her eyes. Your scared and she knows it! She won't stop until she gets an awnser to her questions!'

"What sort of distracted, sweetie?" Her words were slick and smooth like the whip of a snakes tongue. Eddie pressed his back against the window, his heart hammering.

"I- "

Sonia shook her head slowly, her eyes flashing as she walked towards Eddie, her meaty hunk of a hand gripping Eddie's chin. Eddie felt his skin crawl and his stomach churn.

"You look very pink today, Eddie. Have you been applying sunblock?"

"Yes mom." Shit! Wrong awnser again!

"Good boy. I'll just have to keep a close eye on you, then."

"I guess so mom."

Sonia smiled cruelly, still not releasing Eddie from her harsh grip.

"You think I'm stupid, Eddie?" Her voice was low and wavering. Eddie's breath caught in his throat momentarily, fresh beads of sweat soaking his back and forehead.

"You think I don't know what's been going on with you, Eddie? All the...the...recorded messages? The morning detours whilst you should be sleeping? Sneaking unwanted guests into my home?!" Sonia voice was raised to a screeching shriek, Eddie's eyes widened with horror and his heart plummeted to his feet, alarms sounding throughout his mind. Tears stung his eyes.

She knows. She fucking knows. She knows everything!

Sonia's face was wild and terrifying. Eddie burst into a hackle of choking sobs, the fear of it all rattling his body.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry, m-mommy! I am! Please! Please don't hurt me!" His cries escaped in half-screams, his shaking arms wrapping round himself in protection. Sonia stepped back from her son, horror now glazing her eyes. Her cheeks were bright red as her face suddenly crumpled. She reached towards him pulling him into a smothering squeeze, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

"No! No Eddie-Bear! Mommy will never hurt you! Never!" Mother and son dissolved to the floor, both sobbing and cowering in eachothers arms.

After both tears had calmed, Sonia stroking Eddie's hair, her wet eyes flickered down to glance at a small, summer-tanned strip of Eddie's neck that showed a strange bruise-like mark had settled there, a mark that made Sonia's head spin. With breath bated with horror, she reached down to touch Eddie's neck with her trembling fingers. As her fingers made contact with his skin, his head lolled upwards, meeting her stance, a dim stare in his eyes. Sonia's face contorted, her eyes widening in horror.

"He touched you?!" Eddie sat up from his mother's lap immediately, his face scared all over again. But Sonia didn't care if her son was scared or not, this time. She needed to know if that monster touched him. Sonia's stare was so threatening, a fresh tear rolled down Eddie's cheek, his face crumbling.

"Yes." He choked, "Yes mom, he touched me."

"Where? Eddie where did he touch you?!" Eddie turned from his mother's face, his shaky fingers fumbling for his aspirator. He grabbed it and triggered it into his mouth, erupting into hacking chokes afterwards. His broken stare met Sonia's, his head jerking into a shake.

"No..." He went to trigger his aspirator again, grasping for one last pump of air, of freshness. But his mother's hand shot out faster, and snatched the pump in her hands. Eddie unleashed a horrified cry.

"You tell me where that monster touched you right now Eddie Kaspbrak!" She was like a demon, screaming at the top of her lungs, her face monstrous...like IT. Eddie gave a scream of terror as he shuffled backwards into his nightstand, his cheeks blotched with tears, his mouth gagging open.

"He kissed me mom! He kissed me! He kissed my neck! And I liked it! I like his touch!" Eddie's screams rung through the air, ringing like terrible music. Sonia's face changed, fresh tears brimming under her eye lids.

"No..no, Eddie...my boy. You didn't. You couldn't. Eddie, that boys a monster. A dirty monster! No better than that Marsh girl slut! He's a whore! Queer!"

As Sonias cruel, terrible words rung in Eddie's reddened ears, Eddie felt a thick, dark anger rip through his body. An anger that had been there since the very start, waiting to be unleashed.

"NO! HE'S NOT THE MONSTER! YOU ARE! I LOVE HIM! YOU HURT ME! YOU! HURT! ME! I LOVE RICHIE TOZIER AND I DONT CARE IF YOU KILL ME, I WILL NEVER STOP LOVING HIM!"

And with that, Eddie burst into an awful bunch of hacking sobs, cradling his head in his arms as Sonia stared at him, pure terror etched across her face. After a few minutes of listening to her sons sobs, sitting there dumbfounded she found her voice. She whispered-

"I am the only one that truly loves you Eddie. I have been here for you all this time." Sonia reached out and gripped her sons hands in hers. Eddie made no effort to move, his sobs making his skull throb.

"You can't see that boy anymore, Eddie-Bear. You can't see him or those monsters you hang around with. I am your mother and I need to keep you safe-"

"No." Eddie was glaring her, sobs melted away his expression cold and piercing. Terrifying.

"If you take them from me mommy...I'll run away. Far from here. Far from Derry. You won't ever see me again, mommy. I can promise you that." Sonia's head snapped up to meet her sons, eyes bulging with pure fear. Raw fear.

"You won't see me again."