𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 / 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞✔️

fifteen// youre welcome, i love you

"Happy birthday dear richieee, happy birthday to you!" Everyone cheered, and by everyone that means the losers.
Richie smiled, his cheeks almost hurting. He'd never felt so appreciated, and hell, he liked it. But despite his happiness, and reassurance that he was cared for, the same half of his brain etched at his mind in its horrid shrieks of facts. You annoy them. They don't care. They didn't want to come. He tried to ignore the reminder, but it overwhelmed him, and he sat down on the couch in an attempt to calm down. He blew out the candles and was almost immediately handed a gift, from Beverly, that was in a pink bag with white tissue paper.
"Why thank you, miss marsh," Richie grinned. He pecked her cheek and opened it up. The tissue paper fell like snow to the ground, and he pulled out a brand new Walkman, which was in much better condition than his older, very used one. He looked up at her with genuine eyes.
     "You didn't need to spend this much money on me, Bev!" He insisted, examining the box as if it were an ancient, irreplaceable artifact.
     She shrugged, accepting the hug she was given.
     Eddie felt his stomach twist. What if he doesn't ever use his record because he's got a new Walkman? He won't want to use it. Maybe he will. Eddie hopes he would.
      The next gift was from Stan, it was a bottle of black nail polish. Richie grinned, "you know me so well," he laughed. Stan let Richie hug him as well, sighing happily.
     Ben had gotten him a Guns and Roses tape for the new Walkman Bev had given him, they obviously planned it together, and this made eddies hopes drop even further. Mike got him an AC/DC t-shirt with intentional holes in the sides, and bill got him a black beanie. Richie hadn't realized how emo he must look until then.
     Out of pure fear, Eddie snatched the gift up right before Richie got the chance to grab it. The losers furrowed their eyebrows at him, especially Richie, who looked slightly hurt as well as confused.
     "Oh my gosh, I'm such an idiot. I just realized I grabbed my Aunt's birthday gift instead of you're, gah. I was so scared I'd be late that I didn't notice. I'm so sorry," Eddie rambled, hoping that Richie believed him, and thankfully, he did.
     "It's okay, you can just give it to me later," Richie smiled. He was kind of disappointed, he was really looking forward to the gift Eddie would give him.
     Eddie smiled, mostly of relief, but some of guilt. He spend twenty-five dollars on the vinyl, and he was really looking forward to giving it to him...
     —
     They all sat down at Bills table, Richies parents wouldn't approve of the party being at their house, but bills parents liked Richie enough to let him use theirs. They chewed on their cake, Mike constantly reminding Richie (and Beverly) not to talk with their mouth full, and constant pieces of frosting flicking onto stans face and hair. They were content, Eddie sitting as close to Richie as he could, which none of the losers found out of the ordinary.
     "And then she was like, well I'd totally let you ruin my pussy, and I was like, jokes on you bitch I'm gay, except I didn't say that because I'm not gay, you know?" Richie wiggled his eyebrows, the losers laughing, not because of the joke, but because of how Richie could talk and make absolutely no sense but still make sense.
     "God, Richie, you're so gross!" Eddie wrinkled his nose. "You kiss your mom with that mouth?"
     "No but I kiss yours!"
     Eddie flicked his forehead, causing Richie to grin with pride. A few more fists slammed into the table and cheers, Bill's father walked into the kitchen.
     "Hey, guys," he smiled.
     A chorus of "hey"s and "hello"s erupted at the table, directing their attention to the man.
     He collected their empty plates and began to rinse them in the sink.
     "You kids hear about Greta Keene?" He began, attempting to start a conversation. The silence was unbearable.
     They shook their heads.
     "Found dead just down the road from where Hockstetter was killed, her dad's all torn up about it."
     They gasped, especially Beverly, who was in just as much shock as she was relief. Was that bad? That she was glad Greta died?
     "How'd she die?" Eddie asked hesitantly.
     "Shot in the chest three times," he sighed. "Poor kid."
      Silence filled the kitchen, until bill coughed and slid his chair from the table with a loud shriek. "Th..thanks for taking up the p..p...pla..tes, dad. I think w..we'll head upstairs n..now."
     The losers nodded in agreement, as they shuffled upstairs in a huddle, their minds spinning in thought.
     —
     Their legs were crossed, everyone sitting in a small circle.
     "Who do you think is doing this? Killing all these kids?" Ben asked, his heart thumping in fear of him being next.
      "You think it's a coincidence that everyone who is killed also bullies us?" Mike mumbled, looking up at them.
     "He's right," bill began, tilting his head up solemnly. "Patrick targeted Eddie specifically, and Greta always went after Beverly."
     The thought gave everyone chills, hairs pricking on their necks.
     "Whoever it is is heartless," eddie scoffed, almost instinctively reaching for Richie arm for comfort. Richie smiled weakly, stroking the back of eddies hand lightly with his thumb.
     "We should split up, it's getting late," Ben notes.
     "I'll see you guys later! Thanks for letting me use your house, Billiam. I'll come over tomorrow morning to help
Clean up." Richie chimed, smiling.
     One by one they left, Eddie and Richie the last two.
     "You didn't bike?" Eddie commented, staring at Richie, then the only bike left, his own.
     "Chain broke," Richie mumbled into the chilly March air. "I had to walk."
     Eddie nodded a bit, straddling his seat. "You can catch a ride on mine. You know, if you want."
     Richie smiled, sliding in front of Eddie on the seat and settling his long legs awkwardly onto the pedals.
     Eddie smiled, wrapping his arms around Richies waist and pressing his cheek comfortably to his back. They grinned, Richies feet kicking quickly. They went down hills, up hills, took turns, and it felt as if the whole journey ended all too quickly. Richie stopped at his own house, climbing off of eddies bike.
     They said their goodbyes, and Richie began to walk away. Eddie pursed his lips, letting his better judgement get the best of him before to his escaped his vocal range.
       "Wait!" He called, instantly regretting what he'd said when Richie skrrted to a stop. He turned on his heels, the gravel crumbling beneath his converse. He pushed the glasses that rest on the bridge of his nose up, which was a nervous tick of his, and he tapped his foot.
    Richie stood expectantly, his lip pulled between his teeth.
     "The gift..that I didn't wanna give you. It was yours- I just got scared you wouldn't like it and-" Eddie cut himself off, reaching back and grabbing the gift, handing it towards Richie.
     Richie smiled weakly, taking it from Eddie. He carefully untaped the top and slid the vinyl out with ease, much gentler than he was with the past gifts he'd received. His eyes lit up at the sight, a grin forming on his face almost immediately.
     "Why wouldn't I have liked this?" He looked up at Eddie.
     "I dunno...I was worried since you got your new Walkman that you wouldn't bother to use your record player anymore and-"
     Richie hugged Eddie tightly, smiling. "Thank you. I love it."
     Eddie beamed.
     "Youre welcome. I love you."