Work Text
more warnings towards the end so i don't spoil it now reminder
take pills
3:25Eddie glared at his phone, the pesky reminder only filled him with dread. Eddie didn't hate anything more than taking his stupid pills. He shoved his phone back into the pockets of his shorts, and unlocked his bike from the school bike rack. The kickstand creaked as he pushed it up with his squeaky clean shoes (that his mom polished for the new school year. It only reminded him of the sterile hospital rooms he spent hours in), and began to peddle away from the herd of students walking home. As he reached the end of the block, he paused to take his pills. He grabbed his pill bottle from his fanny pack, and the water bottle from the side pouch of his backpack. It was so routine, Eddie didn't even feel like he took them. Eddie's mom, Sonia, took forever to let Eddie ride his bike to and from school. First it was "But Eddie-Bear, the weather! What'll you do when it rains? Or snows?". Next was "Oh, what if someone steals it? They could cut off the lock!" After Eddie explained how careful he would be, she finally agreed. As he passed the houses near his, he re-examined every house. 1256, with the silver railings that had started to rust. 1258, with the broken window that had been covered with a piece of cardboard. And 1260, the house on the corner that belonged to none other than his dearest friend, Richard Tozier. Of course, Richie would slap you if you ever called him Richard, and Eddie did not learn the easy way. "Hey! Wanna buy some weed?" Richie yelled from his yard. He obviously meant it as a joke, but he probably had some on him. "Richie, shut the fuck up! I live around here too, y'know," Eddie called back from his paused position across the street. "Well get your sweet-ass over to my yard and I won't have to yell!" Richie responded with a huge grin across his face. Boy, what a nice smile. Eddie huffed, looked both ways and peddled slowly across the street. "What now, Richie? My mom will have a heart attack if I'm not home soon.""Wow, harsh today, huh Edward? Anyway, Bill told me in last period that Georgie has a school play thing on Friday after school. He said we should go."Eddie shrugged, "Sure. Who else is coming?""Uhh, I'm pretty sure Stan and Ben can, but Mike has to help his grandpa and Beverly works," Richie explained. "That sucks, but I'll ask my mom. Arcade after supper?""Fuck yeah, dude," Richie glanced over his shoulder towards his house, and saw his dad in the window. "Well, my dad won't stop breathing down my neck until I finish my homework. See ya later, Eddie Spaghetti," Richie waved with that grin again. God, that smile is one for the books. "Fuck off with that name, Trashmouth," Eddie chuckled and waved back. He cross the street again, and peddled home.———6:00 rolled around, and both Richie and Eddie were finished eating. Richie texted Eddie, and they were going to meet halfway between their houses and ride their bikes to the arcade together. "Wassup lover boy? Ready to get the big leagues with," Richie sucked in a deep breath, and flexed his arms, "this guy?""Who? I don't see a guy," Eddie furrowed his eyebrows and pretended to search behind Richie. "Oh, fuck off. Let's go before we get mugged or some shit," Richie laughed and took off with little warning. He sped in front of Eddie, and ignored his calls for him to slow down. "Peddle faster, slow poke!"Street Fighter was out of service today, which resulted in Richie complaining to the workers until they were so fed up that they kicked him out. "Ugh, what douchebags! I just harmlessly asked when it would be up again!" Richie hung his head. "I'm sure it wont be too long. What'ya wanna do now?" Eddie asked the taller boy. "Hmm. Let's see, what is there to do in Derry? Oh yeah! Dick all," Richie huffed. He hated living in Derry, and both of them couldn't wait to get the hell out. "There's that one park by Mike's place we never go to," Eddie suggested. "Yeah, cause it's far away," Richie grumbled. "Oh come on, old man! Put some pep in your step and let's go before it gets too late!" Eddie said. Richie huffed again, and followed Eddie. The ride to the park was quiet, something Eddie never experienced when around Richie. When they finally (it was really only ten minutes) reached the desired park, Eddie pushed out his kickstand and leaned his bike on it, and Richie just hopped off and left his bike to clatter against the dirt. Before he started walking, Eddie reached down to grab his water bottle from his bike. They walked along the barely noticeable path. "So, Eds, how's math treatin' ya?" Richie inquired. "Hurts my brain like a bitch, but at least I'm scraping an eighty. How's your english class?" Eddie answered. "Pretty good, actually, but I'm only gettin' a seventy," he sighed. "That's good. Whatcha learning?""Stupid grammar here and there, mainly just poems right now."Eddie nodded, finding that this conversation wasn't coming easily. "Aren't there swings around? Let's find those," Richie suggested and picked up his pace. Eddie matched his pace; losing his breath faster due to his smaller legs not being able to take large steps. When swings and a park bench finally come into sight, Eddie sighs in relief. He'd have to sit down and take his inhaler. Richie looked at Eddie over his shoulder, "Race ya!"They both took off into a sprint towards the swings, Eddie breathing heavily and regretting running. It was a short race- Richie won- but Eddie collapsed onto the swing, wheezing and fumbling in his fanny pack for his inhaler. "Jesus, Eds, you could've said something! I wouldn't have raced ya if I knew your breathing was getting bad," Richie exclaimed. His eyebrows were furrowed and he looked very worried. "I'm- fine. Just a little- a little out of breath," Eddie rasped. His voice was weak and quiet, and Richie couldn't help but feel partly responsible. "You know, I don't mind walking a bit slower with you, and we even could've saved the race for later! I just care about you, Eddie Spaghetti.""Thanks, Richie. I just thought that a short race wouldn't be that bad. I care about you too," Eddie replied. They sat on the swings in silence, a silence that was filled with love and care. Eddie felt safe; he always felt safe with Richie. reminder
take pills
7:30"Fuck," Eddie mumbled. He opened his fanny pack again, and pulled out one of his pill bottles. He reached down for his water bottle and swallowed them. When Eddie bent over again to put down his water bottle, Richie stuck out his arm and grabbed Eddie's phone. Richie was able to open Snapchat and send one picture to Stan before it was snatched from his hands. "What the fuck, Richard?" Eddie said, looking at how much damage Richie had done. "What the fuck, Richard?" Richie mocked Eddie, and then burst into a laughing fit. "That wasn't even funny, dickwad," Eddie smiled. "Y- You know it was," Richie continued to laugh. Eddie noticed that the sky was turning a dark orange, and remembered that it's nearly eight o'clock. "We should get going," Eddie announced and stood up from the swing. warnings: swearing, major character death, one small mention of noise relating to said death, angst, crying, getting mad at God. They re-walked the path to their bikes, hopped on and started to slowly peddle towards the road. "Eds, I really like hanging with you," Richie smiled wide again. Goodness gracious, Eddie could stare at it for hours, it was just so perfect. The road was nearing, and the sky wasn't as bright. Maybe that's why it came out of nowhere. Richie looked to his right, and began to peddle onto the road as he looked to his left. A scream left Eddie's mouth, not reaching Richie. A huge truck came barreling down the road, it's lights off. As quickly and quietly as it had ruined Eddie's life, it left. A crunch emitted from the lonely silence, Richie's bike clattered to the ground, his failing body alongside it. Eddie knew that getting hit and ran over wouldn't give optimal chances. Sure, other people have survived, but his gut tells him that Richie won't. Pulling himself out of his daze, Eddie ran to Richie's body. He fell on the ground, and shook Richie's shoulders. "Ed- Eds?" Richie whispered. It was faint, despair that could only come from a dying boy filled the air. "Yeah?" Eddie answered, wiping the tears from his own cheeks. "I-" Richie exhaled. "Love you." Eddie had called an ambulance moments after, not wanting to believe that he's really gone. The mighty Richard Tozier, the unstoppable Trashmouth, was gone. He screamed and cried and hit the grounds so long that he knew he would need a doctor too. He yelled profanity, not giving a shit about the so called 'God' that watched over them. Because if God cared, wouldn't He save Richie?Wouldn't He let Eddie tell Richie that he loves him too? When Eddie was returned home later that night, his hands were bloodied and bandaged; his heart torn and strained. He flopped onto his bed and sobbed into his pillow, feeling that nothing could ever go right again. Eddie took out his phone and went on YouTube.He played Save by Tyler Joseph. Towards the end of the song, it randomly cut out. Eddie lifted up his phone, and seen a reminder. Weird. He never has one for this time of night. Reminder
Eddie, I'm in love with you
-Richie
12:55 am