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Chapter 23

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"-And Stanley tripped and pretty much fell straight into a trashcan!" Eddie laughed, finishing a rather long story Richie couldn't even remember the beginning of at this point.

Richie smiled as he looked over at Eddie, who looked so carefree as he laughed and walked along the road. He was happy to see his friend was pretty much back to his old self. They were able to joke around like always. Eddie wasn't jumping at every little sound or movement - not any more than he always did.

His mom had kept him locked away in their house for about a week, but did let Eddie call and talk to Richie on the phone. Richie didn't take it personally, as he realized Sonia was trying her best to honor Eddie's wishes to not be kept from his friends. She was paranoid. It wasn't against Richie specifically. She wouldn't let Eddie go anywhere without her for a couple days... and Richie could hardly blame her. In fact, he kind of wished he could be in her place, keeping track of Eddie at all times, knowing he was okay.

Apparently she bought Eddie's story about being lost in the woods. She even didn't make him go to the doctor. Maybe Eddie really did hide all of his injuries well enough to fool her.

It took her a lot less time than Richie would have guessed to finally let her son go out into the world on his own again. She actually invited Richie, Bill, and Mike over, sat them down, and specifically told them to watch out for Eddie - to make sure he didn't go anywhere alone. Maybe she didn't trust Stanley, Ben, or Beverly to watch out for him. Maybe she just didn't like them. Richie wasn't sure how she chose which of Eddie's friends to give these directions to... But a part of him felt honored that she'd chosen him as one of the three to invite over.

Richie kind of thought Sonia was fucking nuts, and wouldn't have faulted anyone for not making her list of approved playmates for her son... Even so, he kind of felt accomplished having achieved a sort of approval from the woman. Now he just needed to make sure to do what he said he'd do - keep Eddie safe. He always tried to do that - ever since they were tiny kids. Eddie was always smaller, quieter, more scared than Richie. He'd been a sort of older-brother figure to Eddie since they were little kids. But he was going to be even more careful now - for a while at least. No more walking home alone, no more walking anywhere alone. Eddie was worth the extra walking. Richie was glad to go out of his way to make sure Eddie got everywhere he wanted to go safe and sound.

"I mean, he like went head-first. Caught himself with his hands, but I'm pretty sure both arms were like fully in the trash can. I didn't laugh, but I kind of wanted to." Eddie smirked, looking down at his shoes and then back toward Richie. "Stanley's so serious."

"Yeah, he is." Richie agreed. "He's gotta learn to chill the fuck out."

Eddie looked up as they neared the big wooden bridge all the kids called the 'kissing bridge.' He gestured toward it and nodded. "I heard Mary Singleton carved her name with just T. L. after it. People think it's Tasha Langton."

Richie shrugged. They barely knew either of those girls. They were juniors or seniors in high school. Their relationship status couldn't possibly surprise him. It was bold for a young girl to publicly claim to be dating another young girl, especially in this town... but Richie wished it weren't so.

"Can you believe she did that?" Eddie whispered, leaning closer to Richie as they walked into the bridge. "People are gonna make fun of her for it."

Richie frowned. "Well, if they like each other..."

"I know. Just... Kids are fucking mean." Eddie noted. "I'd never carve my name on here. No matter what. People are gonna judge you and make fun of you - no matter who the other person is."

"That's why most people do initials." Richie shrugged.

"But people can guess. How many people have the initials 'T. L.' anyway?" Eddie wondered. "I mean, like at our school. I don't think a lot of adults-" He cut himself off with a startled gasp as they reached the end of the bridge.

For a moment, Richie wasn't sure what happened, until Eddie stumbled back and Richie looked up toward where the smaller boy had been. His breaths froze in his chest when he saw Patrick staring back at him with a smirk.

Richie immediately grabbed Eddie's arm, pulling him back and putting himself between his friend and Patrick. "Eddie, go back the way we came." Richie whispered, shoving backward with his arm.

"No." Eddie whispered back, standing close behind Richie, gripping his hand. "I'm not leaving you here.

Richie exhaled. "Eds, go... I'll be fine..." He insisted. They both knew Patrick was very interested in hurting Eddie specifically. Eddie needed to fucking leave.

"Aren't you two just fucking sweet?" Patrick smirked, taking a step toward them. "I knew you'd walk this way. Figures two little fags would walk through the kissing bridge."

Richie glared, but his chest felt frozen. Patrick had a knife in his hand.

"So I've been thinking... Did your little girlfriend here tell you what he and I got up to last week?" Patrick laughed, glancing from Richie to Eddie. "He pretended like he didn't like it, but he had lots of chances to leave... I've been thinking about it - I remember exactly where we left off... so I'm ready when you are." He stepped forward, thrusting his hips and gesturing toward his crotch. "Give it a good suck and I won't break your arm... I'll let you both go. Be difficult, and maybe I'll give you and Trashmouth both a ride... A rough one. Then gut you both and throw you over the bridge."

"Don't you fucking touch him." Richie glared, backing both himself and Eddie up further. Patrick took a step forward each time the younger boys took a step back. Richie exhaled and shook his head. "You might scare him... You might scare everybody in Derry... But you don't scare me. I'm not putting up with this shit anymore. I'll go to the cops. I don't fucking care. Leave us alone."

"Richie, don't..." Eddie whispered, squeezing Richie's hand tighter. "We should both run... Let's just go..."

Richie swallowed. That wasn't an option. Patrick was fast. He'd catch one of them, and it would probably be Eddie, who wouldn't be able to run far before getting out of breath. "Eds, just go." Richie repeated, pulling his hand out of Eddie's tight grip and shoving his arm back behind him, trying to push his friend back. "Go." He hissed again, starting to feel frustrated that Eddie didn't have the sense to just save himself. Richie would rather Patrick actually kill him than have Eddie get hurt again - especially in the way Patrick clearly wanted to hurt him.

"Come on, Pretty Boy. It won't hurt." Patrick unzipped his jeans and smirked. "Your little boyfriend can take notes and suck you off next." He laughed. "I know he wants to."

Richie glared, balling his hands into fists. "You fucking kidding me right now, Patrick?" Richie breathed, determined to take any and all focus off of Eddie right here and now. "You're calling us fags? You come up to two thirteen year old boys, tell us you wanna fuck us, and you call us fags. Let me just make sure I'm clear on this - you, who specifically just said you want to have sex with younger boys... are calling us fags."

Patrick stared, narrowing his eyes. "Give me your friend, or I'll fucking stab you both." He growled.

"No." Richie growled back. "Eddie, run!" He demanded again, lunging toward Patrick, grabbing toward his knife-hand first, miraculously knocking the knife out of his grip without getting himself stabbed.

"Little fucker!" Patrick grumbled, grabbing Richie's arm and twisting it behind his back. Richie felt a fist slam into his lower back as he sunk down to the ground with a sharp wince.

"Fuck..." Richie breathed as he noticed Eddie was still standing in the road, staring, seemingly frozen in fear. "Eds, go, god damn it!"

Patrick laughed as he threw Richie to the ground and started kicking him. "You don't get to call me a faggot, you loud-mouth, four-eyed fuckin' queer. You learn your god damned place... Now I'm gonna break your fuckin' arms, and your legs, and then you get to watch me pin your weak, crybaby little friend up against the wall of this bridge while I ram my dick up his ass."

Richie groaned as he struggled to pull himself up to his feet, but fell right back down when Patrick's foot connected with his ribs again and pain shot through him. He could barely even breathe anymore.

"Stop!" Eddie's voice screamed. Richie turned his head toward his friend's voice to see Eddie running up to him and Patrick, clearly ready to defend Richie. "Stop it!" Eddie's little voice shook.

"Eddie, don't!" Richie whimpered. "Just run! Please!" He felt fear and panic bubbling up in his chest. He couldn't bear to watch Patrick hurt his friend. Eddie needed to go while he still could.

Richie choked out a pained breath as Patrick kicked him again, but apparently Eddie had made it over by this point, and was grabbing onto the older boy's arm, pulling him back.

"Get off of him!" Eddie demanded, suddenly finding his bravery the one time Richie actually didn't want him to. He wanted Eddie to run, to save himself. Richie drew Patrick's attention toward himself for a reason, so Eddie would be able to get away. Of course the smaller boy would choose now to take a stand. "Leave him alone!" Eddie screamed, punching out at Patrick's arm as the older boy kicked Richie's ribs again.

The next thing Richie heard was Eddie whimpering as Patrick turned his attention toward the smaller boy, grabbing him and dragging him over toward the wooden wall of the bridge.

"Patrick, don't-" Richie coughed, groaning at the pain in his ribs as he struggled to pull himself to his feet.

Eddie let out a pained scream as Patrick twisted his arm back behind him and shoved him hard face-first against the wooden wall. "Should'a run like your friend told you." Patrick breathed.

"Stop!" Richie screamed, pulling himself up onto shaking legs.

"Patrick! What the fuck?!" Henry's voice suddenly growled from somewhere nearby.

Richie let out a shaking breath as he looked around himself, spotting Henry at the other end of the bridge. "Fuck..." He breathed. That was just great. Now they were even more out-matched. With a frustrated groan, Richie focused back on Patrick. He needed to get Eddie away from the older boy first... Then he could plead their case to Henry.

"Get off of him!" Richie screamed, staggering up to Patrick, who had pressed Eddie even harder against the wall and was grabbing toward the waist of the sobbing, shaking boy's pants.

"Hold still, you little fucker. We're pressed for time." Patrick breathed, tugging Eddie's pants and underwear down his thighs as the smaller boy choked out a pained, terrified sob.

"Patrick, please don't!" Eddie cried.

Richie grabbed out at Patrick's arm, pulling uselessly as the older boy turned toward him long enough to punch him across the face, sending his glasses flying and Richie himself stumbling backward into the road.

Richie fell back with a pained wince, landing on the hard asphalt and bringing his hand up toward his cheek, then wiping his arm across his nose, smearing red over his sleeve, but immediately moving to stand back up when he heard Eddie cry out again. He sounded so scared, so out of breath, so heartbroken.

"Patrick, let him go." Henry demanded as he made his way up to his friend, put his hand on Patrick's shoulder, and pulled him back.

Richie held his breath and stared, wondering if the two friends were going to argue about this. Eddie had noted that during his captivity, Henry seemed to disapprove of Patrick's sexual threats. Maybe Henry was going to be their ticket out of this. It might be the window he and Eddie needed to get out of this mess.

"What's your problem?" Patrick laughed. "Just let me finish this. It'll be like five minutes, tops." He noted, reaching down and grabbing into the front of his own pants as he shoved Eddie harder against the wall, kicking his legs apart.

"Don't!" Eddie sobbed.

"God damn it, Patrick." Henry stared, shaking his head in disgust.

"What?" Patrick laughed, smirking right up until the point at which Henry balled his hand into a fist and slammed it hard against the side of Patrick's face. "What the fuck, Henry!?" Patrick groaned, stumbling back, letting go of Eddie in the process.

"You're not doing this. You wanna fuck boys, find one who wants to fuck you back. We're not little kid rapists. I don't know why I have to keep fucking telling you this. You touch this fucking kid again-" Henry started.

"What? Hm? What are you gonna do, Henry? You claiming this little brat as your own or something? What are you gonna do about it if I fuck him? Huh?" Patrick growled, grabbing Eddie's arm and slamming him back up against the wall.

Eddie let out a pained, frightened whimper, but remained otherwise quiet, sniffing back soft, shaky sobs as he reached down with shaking, fumbling fingers and pulled his underwear and pants back up.

"Gonna trash your fucking alibi is what I'm gonna do." Henry stared, grabbing Eddie by his arm and pulling him back away from Patrick.

Richie held his breath as he stared, silently contemplating trying to grab his friend away from Henry. It was odd - it seemed like Henry was defending Eddie... Richie didn't know if he should try to steal him away or just wait. He grabbed his glasses off the ground and put them back on, blinking and staring, waiting to see what was going to happen.

Eddie let out a tiny, breathless whimper as his eyes darted from Patrick, to Henry, to Richie. He looked so uncertain, so scared. But he remained quiet, probably wondering the same thing Richie was - if trying to get away from Henry would just ruin a good thing - if Henry was defending him - on the condition that Eddie stay still and not fight him.

"What are you talking about?" Patrick stared. "What alibi?"

"Guess I'd have to clarify, huh? 'Cuz I've provided so fucking many, you god damned criminal pervert. The night of the barn fire... I know you did it. My dad knows... Everybody knows. Only thing keeping you out of jail is me saying you and I were together. Vic saying he was there too. He'll turn on you if I tell him to. Especially if I tell him you're a little-boy-fucker." Henry breathed.

Patrick didn't say anything back as he glared at his friend.

"And I know about other things too." Henry noted. "The animals."

"That wasn't just me. You did that too." Patrick growled.

Richie watched as Eddie looked wide-eyed up from one of their bullies to the other, clearly no longer knowing what either of them were talking about. He was quiet obviously scared, confused... So was Richie. But if Henry had dirt on Patrick that would keep Patrick away from them, Richie was all for it.

"I didn't do it like you did. Couple cats is nothing compared to all those rabbits and that dog. And the horse... That one could probably really get you in trouble. Those cost a lot of money. And what you did..." Henry looked kind of sick. Richie wondered what the they they had done, but he kind of didn't want to know. "You always take things too far..." Henry frowned.

Patrick frowned too, looking down like he honestly didn't mean to do whatever it was Henry was referencing, like he was ashamed... But Richie doubted he was capable of that.

"I'm not kidding. I'll run my mouth... I'll tell my dad so much shit about you that you'll spend the rest of your life in prison. Don't you ever touch this kid again." Henry growled, perhaps squeezing Eddie's arm a bit too hard on accident - or maybe on purpose - judging by Eddie's tiny, but sharp inhale. "You stay away from him. That one too." He gestured back at Richie. "And actually, if you can't keep your dick in your pants, maybe you just need to stay away from all of 'em."

Patrick exhaled. "Fine. We'll go back to the old stuff. We just won't do the sex things. Kind of boring... But whatever." He rolled his eyes. "Give him here. I'll just break his arm or something."

Eddie whimpered softly and shrunk down as Patrick reached for him.

"No." Henry tugged the smaller boy back. "This one's off-limits entirely for you. You're too much of a fuckin' creep. I can't even in good-conscience advise that you even be allowed to look at him. You'd probably come all over yourself just knowing he's nearby. You gross fuck. Now go home. Don't let me see or hear of you laying a finger on this kid. Understand?"

Patrick laughed. "What's he like your pet now?"

"Yeah." Henry glared. "Call it whatever you want. Just leave him the fuck alone."

"Whatever." Patrick scoffed, grabbing his knife up out of the road, turning and walking away.

"I mean it, Patrick!" Henry yelled as his friend walked away. "I'll find out... and your life'll be over!"

"Okay, Bowers. Fuck!" Patrick screamed back, but kept walking.

Henry let out a loud breath as he looked down at Eddie, then toward Richie. "Sorry about him." He grumbled.

Richie stared with wide eyes, giving Eddie a confused look. This was the last thing he expected to happen - for fucking Henry Bowers to be their knight in shining armor.

"You okay?" Henry asked, looking down at Eddie and letting go of his arm.

"Yeah..." Eddie breathed in a small whisper as he remained perfectly still, obviously unsure of what Henry was going to do next. "He didn't hurt me... I'm okay."

"Good." Henry exhaled, walking up to Richie next, reaching down, grabbing his arms and pulling him to his feet. "He does anything to either of you, you let me know, alright?"

Richie stared at Henry, totally unsure what to say. Was he serious? He was acting like a person right now - like an almost normal human being. Richie had never, ever in his life witnessed Henry give a single fuck about anyone else getting hurt. Why the fuck was he acting protective right now? And even toward Richie! Richie didn't miss that - Henry told Patrick to stay away from him too - not just Eddie.

"Listen." Henry turned back toward Eddie, who had taken a few steps back toward the bridge's wall and stared up at Henry with huge eyes. "You and I aren't friends, okay? I don't have any obligation to protect or defend you... But I don't like what Patrick tried to do... I don't like what I threatened to do to you." He paused, looking down as though ashamed as he lowered his voice. "What I made you think I was gonna do... I was wrong. That's sick, and I was wrong."

Eddie remained silent, still staring with his mouth hanging slightly open. He was clearly completely shocked by what he was hearing. So was Richie. Henry Bowers was actually apologizing for something he did. Richie never thought he'd see the day that happened... Eddie clearly didn't either.

"I mean it. I really am sorry..." Henry shrugged. "For whatever that's worth. I'll beat the shit out of Patrick if he ever touches you again. This doesn't change anything else. You're still both little vermin. I might still break your fucking fingers or shove you into a ditch if I get bored. Just..." He trailed off, then shrugged again. "I've got limits... Lines I don't cross. Lines I won't let Patrick cross. And that's one of them."

"Okay." Richie breathed after a brief moment of all three of them standing in awkward silence. "Alright then." Richie laughed nervously, walking over and grabbing Eddie's arm. "That's great. We'll take it. Come on, Eds..."

Henry laughed and grinned toward Richie. "You're lucky I'm feeling generous. Get out of here before I change my mind."

Richie nodded, grabbing Eddie's arm and pulling him back the way they came. It didn't matter that they were going the wrong way now. He couldn't take Eddie the same direction Patrick just went...

"Motherfuck, these bullies are fucking unpredictable lately, huh?" Richie breathed as he quickened his pace, practically dragging Eddie along behind him.

The smaller boy looked over his shoulder back at the bridge as he let Richie pull him down the road. "Henry Bowers just fucking apologized, Richie. Can you believe it?" He breathed.

"Well it's about fuckin' time, Eds. He put you through hell." Richie frowned. "You deserve an apology and more."

Eddie laughed softly and shrugged. "I think he didn't mean for it all to go that far... Like maybe he thought it was all fun and games and then Patrick-"

"Fun and games, Eds?" Richie put his hand on Eddie's chin so the other boy would look at him. "He beat you with a belt."

"Yeah." Eddie breathed, looking down. "An apology is something though. He seems to regret a lot of it at least."

"Guess so..." Richie exhaled. "Still think we should stay the fuck away from him."

"No doubt... Do you think he means it?" Eddie wondered. "Do you think he'd really beat up Patrick?"

"Uh, yeah." Richie noted. "He almost just did, I think. That was fucking tense... Are you okay?" He finally asked, just now remembering that Eddie had been whimpering and crying as Patrick slammed him up against the wall and twisted his arm behind his back. For all Richie knew, Eddie's arm could be broken, sprained, dislocated...

Eddie stopped walking and looked up at Richie, who stopped as well. "I'm fine... Are you?" He frowned.

Richie laughed softly. Patrick had been pretty rough, and Richie could see in Eddie's eyes that the younger boy felt it was ridiculous that Richie was the one asking if Eddie was okay.

"Are you hurt, Rich?" Eddie's wide eyes looked so worried. It made Richie smile slightly.

"I think I'm alright. He kicked the shit outta me. For a minute there I couldn't really breathe and wasn't sure if I could stand back up, but I'll be okay. I think it was more painful in the moment... I mean, it still hurts like hell, but I can walk and breathe and everything." Richie explained, remembering how terrified he had felt a few minutes ago, when he was on the ground, struggling to stand up, desperately needing to go to Eddie's aid.

"I told you to run, Eddie." Richie frowned, remembering how frustrated he was in that moment. He had tried to draw Patrick's attention to himself so Eddie could get away... Eddie just stood there. "Why didn't you run? If Henry didn't show up, Patrick would have hurt you really bad."

"I know." Eddie frowned, looking down. "But if I ran, he'd have hurt you."

Richie frowned. "I'd rather that than what he was going to do to you, Eddie. That's why I tried to draw his attention away from you, toward me."

Eddie looked up with him with raised eyebrows and a small smile.

"What?" Richie frowned.

"That's why I stayed, Rich... To draw his attention back... You always forget that people care about you too." Eddie frowned.

"What do you mean?" Richie furrowed his brows.

"I mean, you always run your mouth, trying to draw bullies away from us - toward you. I see what you're doing. We all see it." Eddie explained. "You do it for all of us. You try to protect everyone, but we don't want you to get hurt either. I don't want you to get hurt."

Richie looked down and shrugged. He didn't want Eddie trying to protect him. Eddie was the little one, the one Patrick was targeting. He told the smaller boy to run so he'd be safe - not so Eddie would stay behind and get himself hurt anyway.

"I appreciate you protecting me, Rich." Eddie reached his arm out and pulled his friend into a hug. "Let me protect you sometimes too."

Richie exhaled and forced himself to stop being upset over this. It was nice that Eddie felt compelled to keep Richie safe too. Richie wanted to always be the one protecting everyone, but Eddie was right. No matter how uncomfortable it made him feel to think of Eddie putting himself in danger for Richie's sake, it only made sense that Eddie might do that. That's how friendships worked - especially really close ones like theirs. It was a two-way street.

As he hugged his arm around Eddie, Richie felt tears stinging his eyes. He loved the smaller boy so much... and it felt good to know Eddie loved him back - cared so much about keeping Richie from getting hurt that he risked his own safety. And Eddie was naturally so scared - so good at self-preservation too - in regards to running like hell or hiding any chance he got... but he didn't today. He stayed, risked himself, just for Richie. It was so sweet Richie actually wanted to cry.

Richie cleared his throat and blinked back his unshed tears as he rubbed his hand up and down Eddie's arm, then clapped the smaller boy's shoulder. He wasn't going to let himself get emotional. Eddie was okay. Richie was okay... He needed to lighten the mood back up.

"Hey, Eddie." Richie stared down at his friend. "I think your mom's starting to like legitimately like me back."

Eddie shrugged, not realizing Richie was trying to make a joke. "I think she might... I was kinda scared shitless confronting her at the police station, but I think she actually listened to me - and respects that I care about you."

"I care about you too, Eds. And your mom." Richie laughed. "I care a whole hell of a lot about your mom. When she called and invited me over... Man... I was a little hurt when I learned she invited Bill and Mike too. Not really into orgies..."

Eddie shook his head and scoffed. "Richie..." He shoved his friend's arm. "Fucking gross."

"She probably invited the others just to try to mask her feelings for me." Richie smirked. "But I know the truth."

Eddie rolled his eyes. "Damn it, Rich. I thought you were being serious for once."

Richie shrugged, but then pulled Eddie back into a hug. "I wasn't being serious... But I will be now. I really did feel honored that your mom trusted me with you. Don't tell her about today..." He added, widening his eyes and biting his lower lip. He couldn't believe Eddie's mom made this big fucking deal about trusting Richie with her son and Richie already almost fucked up, already walked him right into the hands of an older boy who legitimately tried to rape him a week ago.

"I won't." Eddie grinned. "I didn't even tell her about the other stuff. She still thinks I got lost in the woods for a whole fucking day."

Richie smirked too, shaking his head. "She must think you're an idiot."

"Right? The woods isn't even that big!" Eddie burst out laughing.

"You're lucky you're so damn cute and everybody treats you like a little kid. My mom would never believe me if I tried to sell her that bullshit." Richie laughed.

"Sure she would. You're dumb enough to get lost in your own back yard." Eddie stared up at him as though completely serious, then slowly started to smirk, turning his cheeks into round little balls and his eyes into half-moons.

Richie pulled Eddie close, lighting kissing his cheek. "I fuckin' love you Eds."

Eddie smiled, his cheeks growing a bit red as he reached up and ruffled Richie's hair. "I love you too, Rich. Thanks again... For everything. For finding me last week, distracting Patrick today... For everything before that - being my friend, putting up with me being scared all the time."

"Hey, don't do that, Eddie..." Richie frowned. "You know for damn sure you put up with a hell of a lot more bullshit from me than the other way around."

"Yeah. I do know." Eddie laughed.

Richie smiled, putting his arm back around Eddie's shoulders and leading the smaller boy back toward town. "We should get ice cream. You said you wanted to try all the flavors."

"All but the raisin." Eddie noted, putting his arm around Richie's back and leaning his head against the taller boy's shoulder.

"Of course. Nobody likes that." Richie agreed, squeezing his arm tight around his best friend. For the first time in a while, things seemed like they just might be okay. Their lives might actually run smoothly for a while.

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THE END

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