✓ 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧, reddie

iv. the town

THE TOWN!

　 ҉ THE CITY WAS LOUD when the two boys stumbled back, soaking wet and shivering from the breeze. Richie led him past a couple of buildings, where people stared at the two like they were puppies in a box, drenched with rain water and whining and yapping, a big FREE written in Sharpie on the side. Eddie followed him blindly to where they walked into a dark alley. There, leaning against the bricks, was a girl with fire hair and icy eyes, and a ragged looking boy blowing bubblegum. "Where'd you find this one at?" Bev asks, motioning to Eddie, who hides behind his taller friend, "The pound?"

"Since when do you ask questions, Marsh?" Richie replies easily, and Bev tilts her head in acknowledgement and puffs out smoke from her lips. Turning to Eddie, he points to the dark skinned boy first, "This is Mike," and then the pale girl, "And this is Bev."

Eddie gives a cute little wave and a smile, and the boy Richie regarded as Mike gives a kind one in return. "I'm Eddie!" He introduces himself softly, beaming at the new people. Beverly chuckles at the cuteness and shakes her head, inhaling some of the smoke from the cigarette.

The small boy then looks down at his clothes, still sopping, and turns his head back to look at Richie. For what feels like the first time, the taller boy isn't already looking at him, and he finds that he sort of found himself enjoying it without noticing. "Richie?" Eddie says softly, tugging on the sleeve of his jacket, which is equally as wet of the rest of the articles that adorn his thin body. When Richie swings his head towards him, he softly says, "I'm cold."

When the gangly teen flicks his eyes over Eddie's body, which is covered in soaked and chaving fabric, Beverly Marsh and Mike Hanlon share a knowing glance at the soft behavior. He's only ever soft for someone when he's especially fond, which they've only seen him act that way with a kitten and a little crying boy. "We can go to my house," Richie says softly, then turns to Mike. "Swipe me an extra, hm, Eds, you a Butterfinger kind of guy?" He turns back to Eddie, who furrows his brows.

"What?" He asks, unaware of what a butter finger is but sure that it doesn't sound like a good thing, but Richie's back to talking again.

"Double the Butterfingers, doll. Eds here and I will be back in an hour or two after we're done washin' up," And then he ruffles the boy's brown hair and leads him towards the house he resides at. Behind them, Mike turns to Bev and wiggles his eyebrows, earning a small chuckle from the girl.

┉ ❦ ┉

"Alright, Eds, here is my house," Richie says, motioning to the rather large house he lives in. He's relatively wealthy, especially so compared to his two only friends, but he doesn't boast and always attempts to help so that Mike doesn't always have to steal from the stores. Eddie nearly gasps at the size of his abode, following Richie inside with a dazed stare.