Reddie's Love Story

Part 1, Arcade Ambush

TW | Homophobic slurs and violence

Its spring break and all the high schoolers of Derry are out partying and getting drunk. Except, the losers. Well.. not yet at least.

The cold spring rain shivered across the little boys body as he walked through town. He was dressed in a light blue button up shirt and black high rise jean shorts. His gray converse were muddy and disgusting.

As he reached his destination, he felt a sensation of relief and relaxation. The boy opened the door and stood there for a second feeling the warmth of the slightly empty arcade building fluttering around him. He slowly made his way to the token machine and put his money in, to trade it for arcade tokens. He had gotten 25 tokens. He walked over to his favorite game, Street Fighter. The machine was slightly old, but the game brought back memories for Eddie.

Every time he played the game it reminded him of what made him happy, Richie, Richie Tozier. Last summer the two boys spent almost everyday together playing the game, challenging each other until they ran out of tokens. Eddie enjoyed those memories, they made him happy, but sad at the same time. During the school year, they slowly stopped going to the arcade together and hanging out. Eddie missed Richie, but he would never tell Bill that.

Bill wouldn't understand. That's what Eddie would tell himself every time he had a sensation to tell Bill about Richie. Eddie didn't know what he would say if he told him. Maybe he say how he loved Richie. But Eddie questioned the word love, especially when the word was about another dude.

He put 2 tokens into the talking machine. The screen lit up the pale boys face. Eddie played the game for about 20 minutes. He realized that he was running low on tokens so he finished the match he was on and got up and walked back to the token machine.

He scattered around in his fanny pack looking for a few dollars. He managed to find $1 worth of quarters. The boy put them into the machine and out dispensed 20 tokens. He took them out of the machine and put them in his fanny pack. He turned around realizing he was face to face with Mason Dodgers. (he has nothing to do with IT i just made the name and character up, he's basically like bowers.) But the losers called him Dodgers.

"Hello little fairy." Eddie felt himself tense up in fear. Mason acknowledged the fear in his eyes. "what's the matter fag? Scared because none of your little boyfriends are here to protect you this time?"  Dodgers told the boy. He was right, Eddie didn't know what to do. Eddie reached into his fanny pack feeling around for his inhaler. "what's that you got there?" Dodgers ripped the black fanny pack off of Eddie's small waist. He then dumped out the items inside revealing, polka dot bandages, an red inhaler, and some other random items. Eddie's pills fell out of the container as dodgers continued to dump the bag. But dodgers finally noticed what he wanted, arcade tokens. Eddie sat there watching, starting to have a panic attack. As he watched the douchebag he heard footsteps behind him. It was Dodgers goons, they picked up eddie by his collared button down shirt. "please stop i didn't do anything!" Eddie shouted in fear at the two boys. One of the goons shouted back still holding him by the collar, "you don't belong in Derry you queer!" The goon dropped Eddie on the floor and punch his face. Eddie passed out from all of the commotion. They all left laughing and high fiving each other like they just won a football game.

A tall boy dressed in a blue plaid flannel and black high tops came running towards Eddie. He realized it was Richie, Richie Tozier. He was concerned about Eddie and tried to find eddie's inhaler. Once he found it he sat Eddie up against a wall and sprayed the medicine down his throat. Eddie made a loud gasp for air. "Eds are ok?!" Eddie blushed, he didn't like being called Eds. Every time Richie called Eddie, Eds he would feel flutters in his stomach. The feeling hurt but in a good way. The feeling overwhelmed him into happiness. Eddie managed to mumble out some words, "im fine trashmouth." "You are clearly not fine! come on i'll take you to my house and fix you up." Richie picked up all of Eddies belongings and put them back into his fanny pack. Richie wrapped the fanny pack around his own waist. Eddie couldnt help but smile even though he was very injured.

"Why are you so happy after just getting beat up spaghetti?"

Eddie sat there in silence.

"ok whatever you say" Richie replied to the silence.

Eddie let out a little giggle. Richie smiled and picked up the fragile boy. Richie plopped him on the back of his bike and rode off.

***

They reached Richie's house, his parents at work and sister out with her friends. Richie was about to pick up Eddie off of the bike.

"I can walk Tozier"

Richie rolled his eyes.

The two boys walks into the house and to the bathroom. Richie scuffled through the cabinets for some bandages and grabbed a washcloth to clean up the blood on Eddies face. Eddie just sat there smiling, while his face throbbing from pain.

Richie placed the washcloth on Eddie's baby freckled face and slowly let it soak the blood up.

"I don't understand why your so smiley Eds" Richie told him as he placed a bandage over Eddie's scars.

"I don't know, I guess I just missed you." Eddie said it so confidently not even realizing what he said.

"Y- You missed me?" Richie asked hesitanly.

Eddie blushed. "We never hang out anymore!"

"Well maybe that can change." Richie smiled.

Eddie got a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time, not love, but happiness and  joy.

Richie threw the bandage wrappers in the garbage and smiled up at Eddie.

"Do you want to go to something?" Richie Asked. "like what?"

"Maybe a movie, or the Quar-" Eddie cut him off.

"Your really expect me to go swimming in grey water covered in blood"
Richie rolled his eyes as his comment.
"i'd like to see a movie." sassed Eddie.
Richie shrugged "Works for me."