Runt in Shining Armor (Reddie) - COMPLETED

Break A Leg

Richie grabbed Eddie by the waist, wearing a mischevious smile. "Ya like pop rocks, Eddie Spaghetti?" he asked, leaning his head down next to the other boy's ear. He'd already had a mouthful of them, so he separated his lips, letting the candy crackle and pop. Richie knew Eddie would hate it- that was his motivation. For talking. For doing. For living. Just to see his response.

"Ew, Richie, you're weird-" Edward Kaspbrak complained, pulling away from Richie's so-called 'hug.' Richie removed his hands reluctantly. Who would want to stop touching Eddie Kaspbrak's waist? he thought to himself, glad nobody could read his mind. "Alright, but it sounds cool, doesn't it?"

Stanley "The Man" Uris had taken attention away from his book, and now had focused it on his two (queer) friends. A smirk grew on Stan's face, before he opened his mouth to say something smart. But then Richie shut him down.

"No, Stan, you can't say anything. You're the one who's reading a book at a sleepover."

The curly boy just shrugged, looking back down at his book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Stanley's eyes darted through the pages, completely engrossed in the story.

Impatient, Eddie plops down on Richie's bed. "When are we gonna dooooo something?" he whined, inhaling the scent of Richie's bed.

This is where Richard Tozier slept at night. Where Richie cries. Where Richie ponders his life decisions. Where Richie lays down, staring at the ceiling, hopeless. Or maybe hopeful. This js where Richie Tozier masturbat-

"Whenever you wanna go. We could go to the graveyard now-" he mentions, chewing on his bottom lip. Eddie sits up, nodding quickly.

"Um, okay, yeah. That sounds fun, but if we get caught out after curfew, I'm blaming you. I am simply too young to go to jail, I have a whole future ahead of me. When I grow up, I'm gonna research the cure for cancer-"

"Alright. Okay. Hush. We won't go to jail, calm your shit..." Richie interrupts, throwing on a heavy coat. He stole a look at Stanley and Bill, smiling sweetly. Basically making googly eyes at each other. They ignored their surroundings completely. Super in love, Richie thought. With a straight face, he says, "Come on, gays." shoving his keys in his back pocket, and exiting the bedroom.

   Their heads both shot up simultaneously. "You meant-" Bill started, but Richie interrupted. "Did I fucking stutter?" The three of them watch as Richie left the hallway. Bill and Stanley look at each other, as Eddie stood up and followed silently.

   Richie furrowed his eyebrows as the freezing February wind hit him in the face. Sure, all of the snow had now turned to slush, but that didn't mean that it wasn't still cold as hell- as the weeks before had been. It was already dark, the scattered specks of light twinkling in the otherwise pitch black night. The boy looked up, admiring them for a second, before the dark grayish clouds sailed along to reveal a part of the moon. Just a sliver, but still giving off moonlight. That was until the other light of Richie's life stood next to him, complaining about how cold it was 'out here.'

   Eddie had left his winter jacket in his locker at school. He huffed in frustration- he'd either just have to deal with the weather, or stay at home like a "party pooper." He shivered a bit, looking at Richie who, of course, had his winter jacket, all safe and bundled up from the winter. He glared at the other boy silently, wishing he hadn't been so airheaded to leave his jacket at school.

The taller boy noticed Eddie shivering- looking down at his pale, bare arms and rosy red cheeks from the cold. My time to shine, Richie thought, pulling the fluffy jacket from his own shoulders, draping it over Eddie's. "Cold, Edward?" Richie asked, although the answer was obvious.

Eddie just stared up at the taller boy with big eyes. He felt special, all of a sudden. He felt loved. But then something interrupted his train of thought.

"Cuh-c-c-cute," Bill managed to get out.

"Hah, I know, riiight? Just look at 'em!" Richie gushes. He looked back at Eddie, messing up his hair playfully with his thumb and forefinger. Eddie huffs, about to protest, but he kept silent this time.

The Losers kept walking through the harsh cold in complete silence, except for the occasional dick joke from Richie. Eddie pulled Richie's jacket more over his chest- he wanted to keep it. It was warm, and it smelled like Richie. Despite the fact that what they just did was... super gay.

He eventually got lost in thought, but something made him snap right out of it. Eddie saw something- a figure- looming over him from his right side. Instinctively, he tensed up and looked over at Richie, clinging to his side. Eddie wanted to let out a scream of terror, but his throat wouldn't let him. It was dry, as if someone had shoved cotton down it while he wasn't paying attention. Had this guy been following them? His hands began to shake. Stanley said something, but he hadn't paid attention- his brain was mush at the moment. "Run," Eddie told Richie, sounding like more of a plead than a threat or a command. Richie's eyes darted around from Eddie to where the "figure" was supposed to be, and back down to his pocket. He shoved his fingers in hastily, pulling out Eddie's inhaler. He then proceeded to pick Eddie up. Running.

Richie didn't care that he hadn't seen a real threat- he could've just used the excuse that he wanted Eddie to be safe. Which he did. Once he got to a place he decided was okay- street light and all- he sat Eddie down on a large chunk of concrete someone had abandoned during a construction job. Richie sat down next to him, placing his fingertips lightly on Eddie's cheek. Stanley and Bill watched, but didn't interject. They both knew Richie could take care of his loverboy himself.

   "What happened-? Why'd you tell me to run-" Richie questioned, tilting Eddie's head up ever so slightly. Richie suddenly remembered something- handing Eddie his inhaler. He didn't really know how he forgot. "There was a guy- or a person- I think- I'm sorry, Richie," Eddie sniffled.

   "Well, now there's three more guys!" Belch announced, strutting up to the Losers. "We ought to start with the small one first. Prolly will set his lil' boyfriend off."

   "Good thinkin' for once, Huggins!" Henry joked. He emerged from the darkness, stepping in sight and grabbing hold of Eddie's arm. Eddie gasped, wanting to fight back, but his body too stiff to do so. He hadn't even used his inhaler yet, which guaranteed a couple of athsma attacks. He felt helpless and gross. Of course, anyone who had to come into physical contact with Henry Bowers automatically would've felt gross.

   All of a sudden, Richie stood up. "Get your filthy fucking hands off of Eddie before I do it for you," he spat. Richie had Henry Bowers' pocket knife from their sixth grade year tucked deep into his pocket, and he wasn't afraid to use it.

   Snap.

   Eddie felt a sharp pain in his calf- burning. He also heard Richie's voice- angry, surprised, loud. Enraged. Threatening.

   Violent.

   Then Eddie went unconscious.