It's been 16 months since I wrote for this story. I'm so so sorry it's been so long :( The ONLY reason I lost touch with it was cos I got pregnant and had a baby... and well, that was really kinda life changing!

I absolutely nearly PEED my pants watching 'Chapter 2' ... anyone else? Reddie forever & ever & ever & canon :D :D :D

PS: Slight canon-divergent in that I've made Richie's parents total assholes who don't care about their son, whereas I've realised that in canon, they DO care, but I'm gonna go the other way with it. Should have mentioned this earlier in the story.

Also, **TRIGGER WARNING** for homophobic-based violence.

Chapter Six: Nicknames & Name-Calling

"Oh... Edward," Margaret Tozier is surprised to see Eddie standing in Richie's room, "I... I didn't realise you were... here." she says with utter bewilderment. She glances at her son who has a look of sheer panic on his face, his body frozen stiff, eyes wide, body language restless, his fingers twitchy and fidgety.

"He... we um, I mean... we just..." Richie stumbles, his heart beating so fast, it makes him feel light headed as he struggles to breathe.

Eddie steps up, straightens his back, smiles confidently and says, "Sorry, Mrs T, I came over last night, I don't think you saw me. You and Mr T were asleep on the couch, I think?" passed out from booze, "We stayed up late watching movies, and the night just got away, we must've fallen asleep without realising." He turns to Richie, whose face is as white as a sheet, "Right, Rich?"

Richie is still staring at his mom, Eddie not even entering his radar. His throat constricts as the panic quickly disperses itself through his body. How does this all look? What will the repercussions of this be? How will his mom react? Will she tell his dad?

"Richie?" Eddie echoes.

Richie blinks back into focus and composes himself quickly, "Yeah, yeah that's right. You and dad were... asleep, and we didn't wanna wake you, so we just came up and watched a movie, and yeah... it got late and..."

Maggie Tozier glances back and forth between the two boys. She senses something is a little off with their behaviour, but doesn't want to think any more about it, doesn't want to let her mind wander too far, for fear of imagining scenarios she does not want to imagine! Nice normal boys, just a boy's sleepover, she tells herself.

"Right, well as long as you cleared it with your mother, Edward?"

Eddie begins to nod when Richie cuts in, "It's Eddie, mom, he doesn't like..."

"Don't backchat me in front of your little friend, Richard." Richard . Richie fucking hates that as well, and he winces in response.

Eddie feels uncomfortable and wishes he could just grab Richie's hand and run out of the house, run far away where they can be happy and free, without having to answer to the likes of parents. One day... maybe.

Richie's whole body sags, his head dipping, eyes hitting the floor. Maggie looks around the room, her mouth twisting in disapproval at how slightly unkempt it is. Totally normal for a teenage boy, of course, but it gives her just the fuel she needs. She can't scold her son for being a disgusting little fag, without proof, but she can certainly exert her authority in ways she masterfully knows how.

"Clean up this mess, will you?" she sneers, "And stop smoking out the Goddamn window. It doesn't hide the smell, you know."

Eddie is trying not to look at Mrs T, an uncomfortable ambience filling the room. He purses his lips shut and stares up at the ceiling to avoid her gaze, wishing to God, or whoever, that she would just leave already.

Maggie takes one last look at the boys before turning on her heel and leaving. Richie only knows she has gone when he hears the door slam shut. He looks up at Eddie, utterly humiliated.

"Shit, Eds, I'm so sorry," Richie takes two steps forward and puts his arms back around Eddie, pulling him into an embrace.

"For what?" Eddie is back where he wants to be, back in Richie's arms, warm and cosy.

"Just… all of that. Her calling you Edward, and… the rest."

"Rich, you don't have to apologise for your mom," Eddie speaks into Richie's neck. He can't fathom why Rich would feel as though it's his fault or that he has any control over something like that, "you're not responsible for her behaviour."

Richie stands tall over Eddie, arms around him, fingers gently stroking his shoulder, the automatic motion of kissing his head, as natural as a mother to her newborn baby. Richie breathes him in and all he wants to do is kiss him forever. He brings his hands down to cup Eddie's face, carefully tipping his chin up so Richie can press his lips into the younger boy's.

Eddie melts into it, emitting delicate moans, his lips exploring Richie's. He loves how soft they feel on him, the warmth of them enough to send a gratifying buzz through his body. "God damn, the things you do to me, Richie Tozier," Eddie moans as he pulls away.

Richie smirks and pulls him back, a quick lick to his own lips to show Eddie that he is not done with him yet. And before they know it, they are making out again and Richie is pushing Eddie towards his bed.

Eddie wants it. He really does, but there's that sensible part of him that takes command, causing him to break the kiss, "Rich, c'mon, we gotta go meet the guys."

Richie isn't the least bit interested in following any such commands, his mouth caressing Eddie's neck, ear and cheek as the younger boy tries to resist, Richie's hands roaming the expanse of Eddie's body now. "Screw the guys. Or rather... just let me screw you."

"Ladies and gentlemen, the king of romance." Eddie banters as Richie tongues the dip behind Eddie's ear, making him tremble. He wishes that Richie's mouth didn't feel so fucking good, "Ugh, Jesus Christ Rich, do you want your mom to catch us?"

"I don't care!" Richie is like a rabid animal, his mouth hungry for his lover.

It isn't long before Eddie has to physically push Richie off him, "We've got all the time in the world. Slow it down a bit, yeah?"

"Grrrr" Richie growls in his throat, "How can I? You drive me crazy. You just make me wanna do... all the stuff."

Eddie's heart flips. He wants to do everything with Richie too, of course he does. But he doesn't want it rushed. He wants it sweet and romantic and perfect. Not some quickie with the threat of being caught out, not to mention running late to meet their friends.

Richie tries to go back in for another kiss. This time, Eddie outstretches a hand and holds it firm to stop him coming any closer. "No. I'm putting my foot down."

Richie shrinks back in a sulk before walking over to his dresser to get his cigarette tin. "Fine!" he relents, "but you owe me later, missy." he says as he quickly makes a roll-up for the journey.

"I don't owe you shit! Now move your ass, we gotta go."

"Woah I think I like this new assertive Eds." Richie smiles as he licks and seals his cigarette before putting it safely in his shirt pocket and grabbing his hoodie.

But the smile drains from his face when Eddie shoots him a cold, hard stare. "Stop calling me Eds!" Exasperated, he turns away from Richie, heading for the door. Suddenly, Richie feels bad. It's just a nickname, what's so wrong about that? He didn't think it bothered Eddie that much. And now he feels stupid. It's Saturday. It's the one day of the week the Losers can all be together and do something fun. It's become a sort of tradition. Saturday. Best day of the week. Richie worries that he's soured the good mood by pissing Eddie off.

But what Eddie will probably never tell Richie is that he secretly loves when he calls him cute nicknames. Eds, Eddie Spaghetti, Spaghetti Man, Spaghetti Head. He loves them all. He can't explain it but they make him feel special. Richie doesn't call any of the other Losers by any kind of a nickname and he never has. In this way, it kind of cements for Eddie how long Richie has potentially had feelings for Eddie.

He melts inside whenever Richie chooses to use a nickname. In a way, it's like Richie saying "I love you" and that just makes Eddie feel giddy and elated. What he especially likes about it, particularly now that they've established feelings, is that Richie will probably continue to call him the things he always has, in front of everyone and well, that's just neat as hell , Eddie thinks. For Richie to declare his feelings over and over and in plain sight, with no-one else being any the wiser.

But part of the enjoyment for him is keeping those very feelings to himself, to horse around with Richie even if he doesn't know it. He can't think of anyone else in the whole world that he'd rather fight and argue with.

Richie tries not to say anything else that might tick Eddie off. They've just spent such a wonderful evening together, he'd hate to spoil things now. He reasons with himself that he can be a lot to handle, that he's an "acquired taste" as many people have told him in the past. That yeah, Eddie feels the same about him, but maybe that doesn't change the fact that Richie can be an annoying ass-hat. Just tone it down for a while, Richie chides himself, Beep beep, me .

Richie follows closely behind Eddie as they head out the door, but almost trips up when Eddie stops abruptly, turning unexpectedly, grabbing Richie in a dominant embrace and plants his lips on him, giving him one more passionate kiss before they go. Richie sucks in a deep breath, heart palpitations catching in his chest.

Eddie's tongue massages Richie's and he pulls away, sucking Richie's bottom lip as he goes, his eyes clear and sharp as he stares up at the older boy and smirks, before he drops the tone of his voice, one; so no parents hear anything and two; to add a little sensuality to the situation and whispers, "Don't ever stop calling me Eds." and gives Richie a filthy smirk.

Richie's heart leaps and he's overcome with a whole mass of different emotions; excitement, happiness, arousal, jubilance, absolutely tickled pink that he hasn't cheesed off his Spaghetti Man quite just yet.

The boys traipse down the stairs, giggling as Richie playfully squeezes Eddie's butt. It's Richie's house but Eddie leads the way. They hold hands until they know they'll come into view of anyone. As they come down the stairs, Mrs T is nowhere to be seen, but Richie's dad is sat at the dining table, reading a newspaper, a mug of long forgotten-about lukewarm coffee nearby.

Wentworth Tozier hears his son laughing and the sound gets under his skin, utterly grating on him. Richie's father is not a tolerant man. He has no time for the likes of children's laughter. Kids should be seen and not heard , and all that. Richie is eighteen now and Mr Tozier thinks it's high time he got a job and moved out, in all honesty. At his age, Wentworth was in construction, years before finding his true calling in dentistry. He was putting in twelve-hour days, working six days a week, as a man should, not flouncing around town with other boys.

Mr T lowers his newspaper and glares at the boys, a hateful rage stirring inside him at the sight of their closeness. Disgusting . Maggie had told him all about what she saw before she left that morning.

"And I saw them, I swear, I think they were hugging or kissing or something. The way they jumped apart when I came in. I mean, why do that if you've nothing to hide, right? When the fuck did he sneak him in? What were they doing up there all night? Tell me, Went, what would two teenage boys be doing alone in that room? I don't even wanna think about it."

It irked him, of course, but his initial reaction had been to shoot the idea down.

"Eddie's slept over before, Mags, stop gettin' ideas in your head."

"But they haven't done that in years. And you didn't see how close they were." She'd drawn the sign of the cross over herself. "Lord have mercy, if that boy turns out to be a queer… Where did we go wrong, Went? What have we done to deserve this?"

Wentworth assured his wife it was all in her imagination, but he wasn't putting it to rest just yet.

The boys' laughter ceases when they see Wentworth at the table. "Morning, Mr T." Eddie chirps, composing himself.

"Edward." he replies solemnly, eyes glued to Richie as they descend into the living room. They stand uncomfortably for a moment, before Mr Tozier slowly puts his paper down.

"Where are you going?" Wentworth asks as Richie and Eddie try to make their way to the door.

"Uh, out to meet Stan and Bill. Like every Saturday, Dad."

"Edward, please go and wait for Richard outside." Wentworth tells Eddie without breaking his gaze from his son.

Richie and Eddie glance at one another worriedly then back at Mr Tozier. Richie swallows hard and blinks nervously. Eddie is reluctant to go, sensing something awful is about to happen, but he doesn't feel brave or strong enough to do anything other than follow the orders of an adult.

"Go. Now." Wentworth repeats.

Eddie takes one last look at Richie, giving a half smile, hoping it will help in some small way. Richie nods in Eddie's direction, implying a 'thank you' and that he'll meet him in a minute.

Richie watches Eddie walk to the front door, willing time to slow down. If Eddie is never able to leave the house, Richie won't have to deal with his Dad. But time betrays both Richie and Eddie, and a moment later, the door clicks shut, with Eddie on the other side of it, out of Richie's sight or reach.

In a vain attempt to avoid any confrontation Richie walks into the kitchen to look for a snack of some sort to take with him, all the while babbling cheerily, his heart pounding wildly.

"Nice weather out today, huh Dad? Good day for ridin', we'll probably take our bikes out. Might head down to the barrens," Richie jabbers as he sticks his head in the fridge. His mom buys individual cartons of orange juice, which he likes cos he can just grab and go. He doesn't tend to like hanging around too much in the mornings, often getting to school earlier than he needs to, just to get out of the house.

Wentworth says nothing as he steps closer to Richie who is now crouched over, rummaging in the snack cupboard.

"...maybe do a bit of swimming, might hit the arcades later." Richie closes the cupboard door while stuffing some potato chips and cookies in his pockets. His heart pounds heavier, terrified about the fact his dad hasn't said a word since Eddie stepped out. He swallows hard before standing up and turning around.

He hasn't even time to blink before Wentworth's fist is flying into his face, knocking him backward into the kitchen counters. Richie's glasses fly off and Wentworth couldn't give a shit about them, stepping on them purposely, knowing how much it embarrasses Richie having to wear taped up spectacles, giving the other kids even more fodder to bully his son. Serves him right. Maybe this'll teach him, Wentworth thinks.

A burning sensation shoots up Richie's nose and into his head, a warm, wet feeling trickling down his face. Blood . Fear and adrenaline pump through Richie's veins as he flounders around the kitchen, trying to escape the clutches of his dad, but the confines of the kitchen work in Wentworth's favour, who grabs Richie by his shirt, dragging his flailing body up off the floor.

A blinding frenzy sweeps through every fibre of Mr Tozier's being, his eyes raging with fury, hands trembling, teeth bared but his jaw clenched tight, pulling Richie right up to his face, snarling, "Disgusting little fag !" he spits as he wraps one hand around his son's throat, fingers crushing into his skin, taking all of his bottled up anger, hatred and homophobia out on Richie who is quickly losing oxygen, face turning purple as Wentworth strangles him.

Rapidly running out of breath, Richie tries to push his father off of him, but Wentworth is too strong and Richie's eyes begin to pop as he chokes.

"Don't you ever disrespect me or your mother again in this house, you little queer, YOU HEAR?" he screams in his face.

Of course Richie is unable to answer, and Wentworth knows it. "Do. You. Understand. Me?" he repeats and Richie nods furiously, desperate to appease his father.

Satisfied that he's made his point, Wentworth finally lets go of his son, who coughs and splutters, trying to wipe the blood off his face before he gets on the floor to search for his glasses.

He's been in this situation too many times before. He knows better than to answer back or try to outsmart his dad. He always comes away from the beatings a little more fortunate if he refrains from saying anything. Stay quiet, be calm, don't react , he tells himself.

Richie can see the blurred shape of his father's black boots standing before him. He finds his glasses, grateful that somehow the lenses aren't broken, only the frame. At least his mom won't have to shell out any money this time. He can sort them out with some tape, no problem, he figures.

"You can mince around with your little fairy friends all you want, I don't care. You're nothing to me. But you are breaking your mother's heart," Wentworth sneers, "the woman I love! How you can do what you do, to treat your own mother that way is beyond me. You're fucking vile."

Richie glances up at his dad, but quickly gets up to tend to his glasses. His face throbs, particularly close to his left eye, but he gets on with the task at hand so he can just get the hell out.

Mr Tozier quickly tires of the situation, casually returning to his newspaper while Richie finishes sorting his glasses out before going back upstairs to change clothes since his shirt is now spattered with his blood. He stops in at the bathroom first to clean his face, then goes to his room to change his shirt, rescuing his cigarette and his snacks before fixing his glasses back into place.

This time when he comes down the stairs, he stops for nothing, refusing to acknowledge his father who completely ignores Richie anyway and flies out the door before anything else can transpire.

Eddie sits on the sidewalk waiting not so patiently, twiddling his thumbs, desperate to know if Richie is alright. The front door opens then and out stomps Richie, slamming the door behind him. Eddie stands and rushes forward, noticing his friend is wearing different clothes. He also spots the fresh tape on his glasses.

"Rich! Are you alright, what happened?" Eddie asks, frightened. It's only upon closer inspection that Eddie notices rather a large bruise forming under Richie's eye. Richie says nothing, feeling more humiliated than he could have ever imagined. Eddie puts his hands on Richie's face and begins tearing up. He can't know for sure but suspects he received a beating from his dad.

"What did he DO to you? That fucking animal!" Eddie shouts.

Richie doesn't want to draw any more attention to them. "Shhh" he says as he grabs Eddie's hand and pulls him towards the garage so he can get his bike. "It won't do any good, so just leave it, Eddie."

Eddie. It's rare that Richie ever calls Eddie just that.

"But... he's a monster. Why do you put up with it?!"

"I don't really have a choice," Richie stops in his tracks, facing Eddie head-on, a small gap in the conversation before proceeding, "You don't know what it's like. You've got a mom who loves you."

"Yeah maybe too much. It's suffocating." Richie doesn't respond. He doesn't know what else to say.

"Can we not do the whole 'my life is worse than your life' thing right now?" Eddie speaks softly, so that he doesn't come across as hostile or aggressive. He knows that's the last thing that Richie needs.

"Can we just go?" Richie asks, his eyes devoid of emotion.

Eddie sees how much his friend is hurting and his heart aches for him and it's worse than any other type of pain he's ever felt. He wishes he could trade places with Richie just so he didn't have to hurt anymore.

Richie is standing over his bike frame, ready to jump on and ride away. Eddie stares at him, his amazing, beautiful Richie and he walks slowly over to him and simply puts his arms around his waist, prolonging the hug for as long as Rich needs. Until it's enough. Until Rich wants to let go.

"You don't have to be afraid. I'm here. No matter what." Eddie whispers and he can hear Richie's heartbeat strong in his ear.

Richie grips Eddie tighter. "Eds…"

"Yeah?"

"Please don't tell the others."

"I won't... But they're not stupid, Rich. They make their own conclusions."

"I guess. Just..."

"My lips are sealed." promises Eddie and he looks up at Richie, desperate to give him a kiss but he refrains for fear of making things worse for him.

"Come on, hop on," Richie says as he backs up onto the seat of his bike, "we'll stop at yours and get your bike."

"But I just wanna ride with you, babe." Eddie jokes as he climbs onto the back.

"You won't be able to keep your hands off me though and I thought we weren't tellin' just yet."

"Always have to get the last word in dontcha, Trashmouth?"

Richie looks back at Eddie, knowing he could prove him wrong by staying quiet but he does so love having the last word.

"Nooo," he smirks and they both chuckle before Richie sets off, "Hold tight princess, your chariot is here!"

Eddie taps out a message for Bill, "on our way x", presses send and slips his phone back into his pocket before wrapping his arms around Richie, leaning his head against Rich's back, their cares dissipating the further and further they ride away from that house.