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𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟚𝟟-𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕖'𝕤 𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕖

"No worries, Chee, we'll only do what makes you happy," Eddie said, looking up at Richie and pressing a kiss to his jawline. 

"Thank you, Eds," Richie said, a smile appearing upon his pale face. 

"Wanna head back to mine?" Eddie purred quietly, continuing to trace his jawline with his lips. 

Richie chuckled, "My dad's gonna be home soon, reign check, darling?" 

Eddie huffed but nodded. "Don't worry, love, there's plenty of time for that later," Richie whispered, kissing Eddie's forehead. 

Eddie smiled and nodded, but instead of letting go of Richie, he just wrapped his arms around his waist and buried his head in his chest. "Are you gonna be okay? You know, with your dad and all?" Eddie asked, breathing in the scent of Richie Tozier. 

"Yeah," Richie said, lying through his teeth. 

Eddie nodded, untangling himself from Richie. Richie said a quick goodbye, and then he was gone. He had walked around the side and onto the porch before Eddie could blink. All that was left was the sounds. Eddie heard the door creak open loudly and waited. Waited for nothing, or maybe for everything. Eddie then heard the sounds he had dreaded. A loud, male voice erupted through the air, muffled yet so clear. The words could not be heard, but the anger, oh the anger and aggression laced between the timbre could be heard for miles. Eddie turned on his heel, his mind spinning, his heart and brain at a war with each other. Eddie took one step forward, his heart racing as the yelling accelerated in speed and harshness, no sign of slowing down. His brain commanded him to walk but his heart begged him to do something, anything. You can't save him, Eddie, his brain scolded him. But you have to try, his heart beseeched him. Eddie ran his hands through his hair as he took another step forwards. Good boy Eddie, just running away like always, his brain taunted him. You love him, his heart reminded him. "More than anything," Eddie said aloud, turning around and sprinting around the house, his heart bouncing with glee and his brain screaming with fear. Eddie reached the porch, bounding up the stairs and knocked harshly on the front door. The yelling all at once stopped, replaced with loud, angry foot steps. The door swung open and Eddie normally would've recoiled at the harsh motion, but he stood as tall as he could, puffing out his chest. The man in front of him made his palms sweat and body shake with fear, but nonetheless he spoke. "Uh hey, I'm just a concerned pedestrian. I heard yelling," Eddie said, fiddling with his palms but meeting the beady eyes of Wentworth Tozier. A face appeared behind the man at the sound of Eddie's voice. Richie stood in the background, inside the house, his eyes strike with fear and his lip quivering while blood oozed out of it. Richie's face dropped when he met Eddie's gaze, causing him to instantly make a shooing motion at Kaspbrak, attempting to signal him to get the fuck out. 

"None of your business, fag," The man growled, attempting to close the door. 

Eddie put his foot in the door frame, stopping it from closing. Wentworth looked at Eddie's foot and scoffed. "Move your foot, fairy, before I fucking break it." 

"Do it." 

"Excuse me?" 

"Break my foot. I fucking dare you," Eddie said, his voice surging with hatred and confidence. 

"How dare you?" Wentworth grabbed the front of Eddie's sweater and shook him with frustration. 

"Dad!" Richie shouted, moving forward to put his hand on his father's shoulder, attempting to distract him. "Dad stop, you're going to hurt him," Richie pleaded, trying to get in front of Eddie. Wentworth snarled and turned around, pushing Richie backwards, causing him to fall on his bum harshly. Eddie glared at him and as soon as Wentworth turned back around, Eddie swung his small fist and connected it with Mr. Tozier's ugly face. Eddie's fist stung with pain as the impacts collided. Wentworth composed himself and turned to scowl at the small boy, his hand clutching his bloody nose. "You little shit!" He roared and lunged at Eddie, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the house. Eddie yelped as he was flung into the house, his back colliding with a hard wall. He heard Richie yell in the background, causing his anger to increase in size. A flash of another person whisked by, and Maggie Tozier could be seen, frantically talking to someone on the phone. 

Wentworth glared down at Eddie, trapping him against the wall. "You're the little brat who turned my son gay!" Wentworth yelled, his spit flying into Eddie's face, causing his heart to constrict with the thought of germs on him. Richie's yells were now gone, instead Richie was on his knees, clawing at the fabric of his father's long shirt. "Please, please don't hurt him," Richie cried out, his eyes red with tears. 

"SHUT UP YOU FUCKING FAGGOT," Wentworth screamed, kicking at Richie. 

Eddie struggled to get out of Wentworth's grip, kicking and punching at anything he could. When Richie was kicked backwards, he shakily stood up. Eddie Kaspbrak and Richie Tozier made eye contact for a couple of seconds, and then, he was gone. Richie Tozier slowly turned around and headed up the stairs. Eddie stared after him, wondering what was happening. Had he left him there? Had he given up. Was Richie Tozier finally broken enough to realize that he cannot save anyone? Eddie felt tears prick the corner of his eyes with realization. He left you, his brain repeated. He left because he knows you aren't worth it, his destructive brain continued on. No, he loves you, his heart fought. Eddie's thoughts were interrupted by a painful blow to his face. Eddie's mind went foggy and blank as he repeatedly was punched by Richie's father, his heart slowly breaking into pieces. "Dad," A voice commanded shakily. 

"I SAID SHUT UP," Wentworth bellowed. Eddie opened his eyes as the punches stopped. He dragged his gaze upwards and was met with the fearful face of his boyfriend. "Rich," Eddie croaked, his heart warming at the sight. "Dad, put him down," Richie said, ignoring Eddie's voice. 

"Listen you little shit-" 

"Put him down before I shoot you," Richie's voice commanded, causing Eddie's eyes to widen as Richie held up a gun and aimed it at his father. 

"What did you say, boy?" 

"You heard me," Richie said, confidence finding it's way into his voice.

Wentworth slowly dropped the Kaspbrak boy, and turned on his heels. Eddie groaned as he hit the floor, but quickly scrambled up, his heart beating loudly in his chest at the sight of Richie, his hair wild and his eyes angry, his hands shakily clutching a cocked pistol. 

"Put the gun down," Wentworth growled, taking a step forward. 

"No." 

"Put the fucking gun down or i'll make sure Kaspbrak fag knows just how painful taking it up the ass is," Wentworth let a sadistic grin form over his face. Eddie shuddered at the threat and met eyes with Richie. Richie's orbs were tired, filled with confusion, hatred, and love combined. 

"Wentworth Tozier," Richie said coldly, "Cause of death: touching my Eds." Richie glared at his father, letting the anger overcome him. And with that last sentence, a blood chilling loud bang erupted into the air, as the bullet left the gun that Tozier held in his hands. And as he held the gun for seconds after the small bullet pierced his father's flesh,  it was as if he was holding onto the last piece of hope that he held in his body. A loud thump followed after the gun shooting, Wentworth's body meeting the ground with a harsh impact. Silence filled the air, a tension seeping into the atmosphere. Moments passed, both boys just staring at the lifeless body on the floor. Soon, Richie's sobs burst out, his body collapsing onto the floor. Richie sat on his knees, sobs racking through his body violently as Eddie scrambled towards the boy. "Chee, Chee, you're okay, I'm here," Eddie cried, sitting next to Richie to wrap his arms around the boy in anyway he could. "I'm a psychopath," Richie whimpered, hot tears flowing out of his sad eyes. 

"No, no, no," Eddie repeated, "Self defense, it was defense." 

Richie sat on his bum completely and pulled Eddie into his lap. Richie buried his face into Eddie's shoulder and continued weeping. "Are y-you okay?" Richie cried, soaking Eddie's shirt. 

"I'm fine, Chee. I'm fine. We're fine. We're gonna be fine," Eddie said, tears staining his cheeks. Loud sirens interrupted their cries, sending Eddie's heart into panic.