Beverly held Richie's hand as they walked in and out of several stores in the lesser populated section of Derry. Usually the stores here are managed by forty year olds who are carrying out their parents' 'legacy'. Although, some of the few shops here are meaningful.
The couple were finding and buying gifts for their friends for Christmas- although Richie was fairly poor and could only buy the Losers each some type of candy or a snow globe - and Beverly helped paying for him. That's what couples do, yes?
Beverly got the Losers each a few valuable things; for Bill she bought him two baseballs and a mitten, for Stan a small bird book, for Mike new headphones and a The Rolling Stones poster, she bought Ben two blank journals for anything he'd want to write, and for Eddie she got him a black My Chemical Romance beanie (she didn't know what he likes anymore). And being the kind friend she was, although she did get a bit snappy and assertive towards him, Beverly got him a new sweater.
Of course, she said her Christmas present for Richie was a surprise...
•
"And then I said, 'I'm sorry I spilled lemon juice in your eyes!' and then he was like, 'Get out of my face before I kill you, Tozier!'" Richie laughed as he explained one of the few times where he got revenge from Henry Bowers.
Bev chuckled at him. "Well that's just cruel."
"He deserves it, Bev! You know how much of a jackass he is."
"All the time..."
"Everyday." Richie took a swig from his hot cocoa. The couple just got done Christmas shopping and were pretty cold from the snowy weather. "So, you doing anything after Christmas?"
"Eh, just going to my aunt's a week before school starts up again."
Richie grinned. "Well how about that." He said to himself.
"How about what?"
"Er, how about that, uh- shit, Bev. I forgot what I was gonna say." Richie chuckled softly and stared at her.
Beverly rolled her eyes playfully. "Anyway, we're going to Michigan after Bill's sleepover. I won't be gone too long."
"I'll miss you, Bevvie."
"It's only in four days, weirdo. Don't start with that 'I'll miss you' shit already."
"But still." Richie shrugged. "So, I was thinking..."
"Yeah?" Bev perked up.
"Well, I wasn't really thinking. I was just- well, there's like, something I think you should know."
"What is it?"
"Uh," Richie shifted nervously in his seat. "Just, don't get mad at Eddie."
"What's up with Eddie?" Bev quirked her eyebrow. "Rich, what's going on?"
"Whooo, okay, um...so, basically, ah shit. Look at the time!"
Bev looked at her wrist watch. "It's only seve-"
"I should be leaving-"
"Richie!" He froze. "What the hell were you going to say?!"
Richie sat back down and fiddled with his gloved fingers. He avoided staring at Beverly. "Er- heeee said that, uh, he was glad to see you at the sleepover!" Richie lied.
"That's it?"
"Yep!"
Bev knew he must be lying. Besides, the random twitching of his fingers said it all. Apparently she might be mad at Eddie about something. She just didn't know what...
She'd have to find out herself.
•
Stan carried four bags in one of his hands, all filled with stuff he bought for his friends and parents. He strolled with Bill along the sidewalk, going back to the Denbrough household to set up the basement for the sleepover. Bill held five bags - three for the Losers, one for his parents, and one specifically for Georgie.
"You didn't get Audra anything? Is she not going to be here for Christmas?" Asked Stan. Although his family didn't celebrate Christmas themselves, he was still going to enjoy the sleepover and gift exchange with the rest of them. Bill shrugged.
"No."
"Why?"
"I wanna break up with her." Bill said plainly. "I think I'm gonna do it tomorrow...
"What's going on?"
Bill sighed and took out his house keys since they were almost at his house. "A lot. She's mad that I'm not spending every single second of the day with her."
"Oh, well, that'd be controlling you."
"I know, which is why I don't wanna be in a relationship with her anymore. You know?"
"I guess so." Stan said. He's never been in a relationship before, but he'd hoped it'd be with someone special (like Bill).
Bill dropped the subject. "You up for a round of Wii tennis?"
"Bet."
•
The next day, Eddie called Stan around twelve o'clock. He felt as if he needed to get out of his house for the day (he'd heard his parents fighting for hours last night and he could barely sleep). They decided they'd go out and do whatever, possibly window shop (that didn't happen because both Stan and Eddie bought a few things with whatever money they had left).
The two brothers-from-other-mothers currently smelled scented candles in some type of body care and beauty store. Stan kept shoving every single candle he smelled in Eddie's face so he could sniff the scent too.
"This one's coconut and honey."
"That's disgusting!"
"Smell this one! It's a mix of lavender and roses."
"I'd prefer just lavender, thanks." Eddie shoved the candle away from him and Stan put it back on the shelf. Eddie bit his lip. "Stan, there's something I think I should tell you..."
Stan turned to him and quirked a brow. "What's up?" The bespectacled boy asked, sniffing a candle that was apparently scented as 'Misty Forest Hills'.
"Don't judge me when I say it please."
"How could I judge you, Eddie? I bet what you have to say is nothing bad at all."
"Um, well," Eddie quickly shoved a small bottle of black nail polish in his pocket without Stan noticing. "I've kinda been sleeping with Richie for awhile."
"What?"
"We've actually been kinda doing it for a long time. Like, every week. For three years." Eddie blushed as Stan's mouth gaped open in surprise.
"Eddie's, he's dating Bev-"
"Stan, I-I think he...I think he likes me." Eddie blushed and smiled, looking down at some random thing on the small shelf he stood by.
"Eddie, that's not right!" Stan snapped, looking angry and his voice was taut. "He has a girlfriend, Eddie! You can't be doing that when he's. Dating. A. Girl."
"Who says I can't? He comes to me." Eddie said, looking confused because he thought Stan was being irrational.
"You can't keep sleeping with him. He's in a relationship."
"So what, Stan? I bet if Bill asked to shove his dick up your ass you'd be on your knees in a second!"
Stan blushed and huffed. "That is not true! I wouldn't risk my friendship with Bill like that!"
"Oh, uh huh, sure. Like you haven't been having wet dreams about him even though he's dating Audra."
"Shut up, Eddie! You're being stupid!"
Eddie felt his fists clench and he resisted the urge not to stomp his foot.
"You know what that's called, Eddie? Sleeping around with other people's boyfriends? You're a slut!" Stan didn't mean to say it, but it was true. He didn't even care that Eddie was gay but he knew his friend shouldn't be fucking another person's boyfriend. "A fucking whore!!"
Eddie felt his face heat up and he really wanted to break Stan's glasses. How fucking dare he expose Eddie like that in a store, when Eddie accepted him for being bisexual just two days ago. Eddie felt himself getting a head ache from holding in the tears that brimmed at his eyes. He wasn't a slut, was he? Richie's the one who sometimes goes to his house. Eddie's just another hole for him to use...
The last thought erupted a variety of emotions in Eddie's small body and he felt like he was bound to explode.
"Fuck you, Stan! FUCK YOU!!" Eddie gave him the finger and began running out of the store.
"Eddie!- shit, Eddie, wait!" He heard Stan call out but he was too focused in going back home and locking himself in his room.
•
Eddie slammed the front door as soon as he stepped foot in his house. He couldn't feel his feet, ears, or face because of how fucking cold it was outside. Sonia heard the ruckus and came into the parlor. And upon hearing the doors slamming shut, Frank came in too and scowled.
"What the fuck, Edward!?"
"Eddie, sweetie, what happened?" Sonia asked him, coming closer to her baby boy as Eddie's back hit the front door and he cried.
Eddie glared at both of them through his red, puffy eyes. His cheeks were splotchy and nearly frozen, and his nose was a bright pink and his freckles were more prominent.
"Fuck you fuck you fuck you!"
"Eddie?! What happened?" Sonia asked again, only to be shoved away by Eddie.
The angry and sad and overall frustrated teen climbed the stairs quickly and went to his room, slamming his door and running to his bed. He was so angry with himself and his stupid fucking best friend Stan.
Fuck Stan, fuck Beverly, fuck Richie! Fuck all of them fuck fuck FUCK!!!
He stripped out of his shoes and took off his jacket, throwing them fuck knows where in his room. Eddie pulled the dark covers closed over his window and turned on his newly bought black lights. No one would understand him.
•
Eddie Kaspbrak aka the edgiest horniest snappy soft boy ever