Bill Denbrough was the most popular member of the Losers Club.

Due to the fact that he was the star player of the baseball team, and he was quite the good looking guy, everyone loved him. He was humble, in a sort of way that people admired. He was always helping out people who needed a hand or standing up for kids being bullied. 

So it was no surprise to Richie when he found out how many students would be attending Bill Denbrough's 18th birthday party.

"Just the baseball team, the cheerleaders, some of the robotics kids, a few kids from the school newspaper, and of course the losers"

That was what Stan had told Richie, which made the socially awkward boy really not want to go.

More like "just" the whole school.

It was the party that Eddie Kaspbrak had been stressing about for weeks now, even before Beverly and Richie had arrived. Eddie and Bill were close in the same way Stan and Richie were, like brothers, except they'd known each other much longer. Ever since Eddie had been crying on the sidewalk over a scraped knee when he was seven, and Bill cheered him up and gave him a hello kitty bandaid.

He was the first person Eddie had come out to, and of course, he was supportive even after everything that people had fed into his brain about homosexuals. Bill got Eddie his spot in the school newspaper, and always gave him a place to stay when his mother was in one of her "moods".

So to Eddie, this was one of the most important days of the year. Bill had been there for him through thick and thin, so he deserved the best birthday. And this wasn't just any birthday, he was officially becoming an adult.

But if Eddie fucked this up, what would that say about him?

Richie and Eddie had been working all week on the Christmas issue for the school newspaper, so they were spending the night at each other's houses in order to stay up late and get as much work done. Turns out Eddie Wheezy Kaspbrak was a writer, and a hell of a good one too. So while Richie would take photos of students in different classes, Eddie would go along with him and take notes.

At the same time, Richie was helping Eddie with the preparations for Bill's party, with help from the other losers of course. It was an expensive party, so Ben and Mike handled getting all the drinks while Stan got the cake. The Uris's were going out of town and had offered for Eddie to throw the party at their house and cover the expense for pizza, to which he thankfully accepted. They worked and planned, and Eddie was worried about everything, so Richie just kept telling him it was going to be great.

Which brings us to this point, 5:30 on December 14, where the two were getting ready in Richie's room. Richie wasn't one for parties, as you already know, but he didn't really have a choice. Bill was one of the first friends he'd ever made, and he couldn't let him down.

Besides, what could go wrong?

Just as Richie slipped on his old pair of converse sneakers, Eddie came out of Richie's bathroom with a comb in his hand. His hair was an unruly mess of curls, and he looked incredibly flustered.

"What if the DJ plays shitty music?" He said, waving his comb around. 

"The 'DJ' is Mike and his walkman connected to a speaker, and you already know he listens to good shit" Richie looked up at the boy.

"I guess you're right, Rich" Eddie sighed, walking back up to the bathroom mirror and combing his hair neatly. "What if the pizza gets delivered to the wrong house?" Eddie paced out of Richie's bathroom again.

Richie stopped what he was doing and stood up walking towards Eddie and standing in front of him. "Stop," Richie sighed "you're gonna fucking pass out if you keep worrying about it. Everything is fine, it's gonna go as planned"

Eddie looked up through his long lashes, and Richie began to melt right where he stood. his head spun while his body froze. Time stopped for Richie when Eddie would do that, and no one else but had ever made him feel that way, and he didn't understand why.

But that's what friends do.

Right?

They stood there, staring at each other, and Richie could feel his heart pounding out of his chest. Eddie began to lean in, and Richie did too, inching closer and closer until they were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell and Stan quickly appeared in Richie's doorway.

"I heard the truck engine so that should be Ben and Mike," Stan said, and Eddie quickly pulled away as if he'd just been burned or something. It was clear the boy had seen what was about to happen, but he didn't say anything as to not embarrass the two. "We should get downstairs and help them unload"

"Oh uh... yeah of course" Richie looked at Stan and then quickly glanced back at Eddie, walking out into the foyer past Stan, Eddie following him out.

The three boys, along with Bev, went downstairs and Richie answered the door. There stood Mike and Ben standing in between a large metal barrel, making Richie's mouth fall open.

"How on earth did you guys score a keg?!" He smiled up at the two boys.

"Mike's knows a guy" Ben smiled as the two picked it up and carried it inside to the kitchen. "Holy shit" Stan exclaimed as they walked past him with it. The two set it down on the kitchen tile and greeted everyone. They began to set up the snacks and Mike took Stan to get the cake. Soon enough, guests began to arrive, and 6:00 came a lot faster than they expected.

People were chilling around the house, chatting and laughing when bright headlights shone through the windows of the living room.

"He's here, everyone shut up," Eddie said loud enough for everyone to hear. Bill had been made to believe that the losers would be celebrating the night with a few drinks and some movies like usual, and they would be at Stan's house by 6:00.

What he didn't know, was that tonight was going to be wild.

For everyone.

Everyone stopped talking and moved from the view of the doorway, while the losers tried to act casual, which of course didn't work. Bill rang the doorbell, and of course the losers awkwardly all trampled over each other to answer it. Eddie opened the door, Richie and Stan standing right behind him while the others peeped over their shoulders with uncomfortable and awkward smiles.

Like idiots.

"Happy Birthday!" They all said over each other, making the situation even weirder and more suspicious.

Bill just smiled his bright smile, and laughed, "What kind of c-crack are you weirdos on n-now?"

Just as he began to walk past the fucking Brady Bunch, everyone jumped out and yelled the famous "Surprise!" making Bill laugh. He turned back and looked at Eddie, who smiled "You d-didn't have to-"

"But I did," Eddie said before Bill could say anything else, and then he turned and shouted, "So let's get this party started!"

Hoots and hollers filled the air, and Mike ran over and started the music. People all started getting drinks, and the pizza got there not long after. They decided to do the cake early before everyone got shit faced drunk and couldn't sing "Happy Birthday" without vomiting on someone. Everyone went to do their own thing after, some people dancing around in the living room while others played beer pong and other stupid party games.

 Richie drank a soda and kept it in his hand while sitting on a countertop in the kitchen. Stan and Ben didn't really drink either, deciding they needed to be sober in case something were to happen. Bill was serving himself a cup of beer from the keg, joking around with Richie and Eddie when the doorbell rung.

Bill walked over and opened the door, his smile being wiped clean off his face when he saw who it was.

Patrick Hockstetter.

"I heard there was a party, I hope you don't mind that I stopped by" he smiled his evil smile and began to step inside the house. Bill just rolled his eyes and turned his head to the kitchen.

"Eddie, it's for you" he hollered and Eddie turned his head to face Patrick. His heart practically stopped, and he slightly grabbed Richie's arm but pulled away as soon as he realized what he'd just done. Richie turned to look at what was freaking Eddie out so bad, and he hopped off the counter, barely stepping in front of Eddie.

Eddie hadn't spoken to Patrick since the night Richie first came over, and from the looks of it, he wasn't too happy about it. He looked at Eddie, who started to walk towards him when Richie gently put his hand on his shoulder. Eddie turned his head to Richie and gave him a reassuring look, making Richie nod slightly in return as Eddie walked over to Patrick.

Before Richie could see where Eddie and Patrick went, Bev pulled him into the living room, where a game of beer pong was set up.

"We're up, Rich. You and I against Bill and Mike" Bev smiled. Richie had never played so Mike explained the rules. Turns out, Richie was quite good at beer pong. He and Bev won every game, no matter who went up against them, but eventually they got bored and Richie went to the kitchen to get another soda.

He was just about to go meet up with the losers again when he saw Eddie, stumbling out of the door with his arm slung around Patrick's shoulder. Bill had come up behind Richie and tapped on his shoulder, but quickly saw what the boy was so focused on.

Richie walked outside, he saw that Eddie seemed to be in a struggle to get away, and he tried to keep his composure. "Whoa whoa whoa, where are you taking him?" he asked Patrick, who turned back around with Eddie, revealing a huge bruise that had begun to form on the side of his face. The poor kid was wasted, trying to push away from his boyfriend and mumbling words under his breath.

"Oh, uh... he um... he tripped and fell so I'm gonna take him home" Patrick stumbled over his words, and Richie knew he hadn't just tripped. He saw Eddie and thought of himself, knowing what would happen if he let him go home with a guy like Patrick. He felt his blood boil, and his heart was pumping fast. "You know, he can just stay here tonight, it'll save you some gas money"

"It's really fine, he's tired so I'm just gonna go," Patrick said, but Richie stepped in front of him.

"You're not taking him home, Hockstetter" Richie glared. By this point, Bill had followed outside along with Bev, and they watched as the scene unfolded.

"I'm sorry?" Patrick laughed.

"He's drunk, and obviously you are too, so you're not getting on that bike with him" Richie stepped closer, taking a deep breath.

Patrick just chuckled some more "I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna let some four-eyed freak tell me what to do" he said, just as Eddie finally pushed away from him after regaining some of his consciousness. Patrick turned and slapped Eddie straight across the face, which made him fall to the ground as Bill and Bev came running to help him up.

At that moment, Richie snapped. 

"Don't fucking touch him!" He pulled his fist back and socked Patrick square in the nose, making him stumble back and step back forward quickly. He reached his hand to his face and saw blood trickle down his fingertips. He swung back at Richie, who dodged it and punched Patrick in the jaw, causing him to fall to the ground. Richie kept going after that, and so did Patrick. There was blood on both of their faces, mostly Patricks, and they were covered in dirt from rolling on the ground.

Richie could hear yelling around him, but it all seemed to be drowned out by his anger, and before he knew it he was being pulled off of Patrick by Bill, Mike, and Ben. Richie's nose was bleeding, and he had a few scrapes, but that was the most injured he'd gotten. Patrick, on the other hand, was still lying on the ground, busted lip and bloody face as he coughed up blood. Richie turned back to take in his surroundings, and everyone at the party had gathered around to see what was going on.

"Are you fucking happy?! Is this entertaining enough for you guys?!" Richie yelled at everyone standing around him.

"Richie, calm dow-" Stan started, but he was cut off.

"No Stanley, I'm not gonna fucking calm down! Eddie needs help and no one pays enough attention to see it! But you let him date a piece of shit like Patrick fucking Hockstetter and he does it to protect you!" Richie yelled at Stan but then turned back to the crowd of people.

"He could've been killed, goddammit, and none of you would've given a shit! Because all you dumbasses care about is getting drunk, or high or whatever the fuck kind of stupid shit you do at parties! So did you enjoy the show?!"

Everyone just stared in shock, not responding.

Richie turned to see Eddie, who was staring at him in shock. All of the losers were shocked, feeling guilty that they hadn't realized what was going on. They didn't know Richie had all that in him. Richie just looked back at the house, and he began to walk towards it. He felt the sting of tears welling up in his eyes and the lump that began to form in his throat. He just walked up to his room, leaving the door slightly open and flopping down on his bed.

It wasn't long before there was a quiet knock at the door, and Richie looked up to see who it was. He looked up and let out a low groan when he realized it was Eddie.

"If you're here to yell at me for making a scene, I already know I screwed up so there's no use." He sighed, sitting up.

"I'm not mad, Rich" Eddie smiled faintly, "I'm glad that you got me out of that"

Richie just stood up and hugged Eddie, which caught the smaller boy off guard, but after a moment he hugged him back. "Thank you"

Eddie pulled away once he remembered why he'd gone up to Richie's room and dragged Richie into the bathroom, pulling out the first aid kit he had stored under the sink. Eddie was cleaning up the small cuts on his face when all of a sudden Richie couldn't hold it in anymore "Do you think they hate me?"

Eddie stopped and stepped back, trying to gauge if Richie was actually being serious "What?"

"The losers? You know, since I blew up at them and all"

"Richie," Eddie sighed, throwing the small cloth he'd been using into the trash can "They could never hate you. You and Bev were the missing piece to our group, we wouldn't be the same without you"

The two walked back into the room and Richie began to exit the doorway when Eddie turned to him. "Where are you going?"

"Just to the hall closet to get a sleeping bag for the floor like usual"

"Why don't we both just sleep in your bed? I feel bad making you sleep on the floor, especially since your all bruised up." Eddie said as he pulled the comforter back.

Richie just nodded, and he grabbed a pair of pajamas from his drawer. He noticed that Eddie had nothing to sleep in, so he found his only shirt and pair of shorts that could be small enough to fit Eddie, which were still oversized on him. Richie laughed at this, making Eddie hit him over the head with a pillow.

The two got into bed, and Richie set his glasses on his nightstand.

"Goodnight Richie" Eddie mumbled groggily.

"Night Eds" Richie replied "I love you"

Not even two seconds after, Richie realized exactly what he'd just said. "I mean um... not like that, of course, I uh-"

"Don't call me Eds" Eddie cut the flustered and tired boy off, turning on his side and drifting to sleep.

Richie couldn't believe he'd said that.

It's a common mistake, people say 'I love you' all the time.

I don't like Eddie like that.

Right?

~

Haha, I'm not dead.

This is literally the longest it's ever taken me to update but it's finally here.

I also know I screwed up the date with Bill's birthday, don't delete my kneecaps.

this is 2,805 words jeez.

Ok goodnight ma peeps❤❤❤