Runt in Shining Armor (Reddie) - COMPLETED

Psst!

"Psst! Eddie! Eddie, you fucking dumbass! Here!"

Eddie spun around, alarmed at whoever was trying to whisper in his ear. In his surprise, he saw Richie. He gasped, he hadn't seen Richie in ages- and they weren't allowed to talk, anyway- and he was relieved yet confused to finally be talking. Richie held a note in his hand, urging Eddie to take it before a teached saw them near each other. He stared up at Richie, puzzled, but then it hit him and he slipped the note into his pocket, turning back around like nothing ever happened between them.

-

Richie and Eddie being separated really did take a toll on the Losers Club. Sonia arranged a little "mini-restraining order" on Richie, which meant most of Eddie's classes were changed and the lunch ladies prevented Richie and Eddie from sitting next to each other at their table anymore. They couldn't even sit across from each other, or at tables next to each other, diagonal from each other... it had to be across the whole cafeteria. Ben and Beverly sat with Richie at his new table, out of pity for Richie being without company, while everyone else remained with Eddie. The dynamic in the group changed suddenly, and not for the better.

Richie and Eddie were both impacted more by their separation than the other Losers could dream of. Eddie felt this looming sense of sadness and loneliness with everywhere he went, and everything he did- it was like something was missing from his life, no Richie tagging along behind him to annoy him with stupid jokes and comments, no Richie rushing to his side whenever he got vaguely upset with something so little and small that Richie was either able to fix it entirely or reassure him that it was no big deal, and things would be okay in the end. He resented his mother for separating him from Richie, after all, they were kids. They were bound to do stupid things like sneak out, and if anything, he thought his mother should put a "restraining order" on Henry and his gang. They were the ones that broke his leg, anyway, not Richie. Richie didn't know what would happen, and that was the truth. Sonia absolutely refused to accept that, though. So there Eddie was, hobbling around on his crutches, lonely and with no Richie Tozier to hang around and make light jokes about Eddie being crippled now. The silence was overbearing, and none of the Losers were fit enough to step into Richie's place as the group comedian. That left everyone just a little more empty inside.

Richie, on the other hand, felt like he had nothing to look forward to. Nothing at all. Every day was a drag for him, but he lived for those moments in the hall where he would pass Eddie, watching him try to maneuver his crutches and apologize for getting in someone's way was about damn near the cutest thing Richie would ever see. Aside from that, he was losing Eddie, slowly but surely. He spotted Eddie talking to other people, and whether Eddie actually liked them or not, Richie didn't care. He was jealous, and he would be jealous no matter what. Those people had the blessing- the privilege- of talking to Eddie. Richie didn't.

As the weeks went by, Eddie retired his crutches and was finally able to walk.

Richie had considered other things- like hanging around after school and waiting for Eddie, having a few words, maybe meet him in the morning, but the problem with that was the fact Eddie's mom picked him up every day from school. If Eddie happened to be just the slightest bit late one day, her guard would be up, and that wasn't something Richie wanted at all.

Richie got to school late, most of the time, too. Talking in the morning wasn't an option.

So what could he do?

Richie felt like he was in prison, with Eddie (his freedom) just out of reach. And Eddie always had a pit in his stomach, how you might feel after a relative died. That's what Edde connected the feeling to, because after all, he did have a loss.

That day, as Richie handed him the note, he had a spark of hope. The note meant they could communicate that way, or there was something important Richie needed to tell him about. Eddie chewed his bottom lip, important things could also be bad too. If he got too excited, he could just as easily be let down.