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How had it taken a whole year for them all get together for a sleepover? Most of them were actually shocked they hadn’t all slept in a mess of sleeping bags on the floor of one of their living rooms the night attached to the day they met Mike Hanlon in The Barrens. But with seven of them, there were seven different schedules, seven different sets of plans. And while none of them ever had too much going on in the summer, some of their parents were more strict than others.
Sonia Kaspbrak seemed to be the root of most of their ‘schedule conflicts’, but Eddie confirmed that they weren’t actually busy. His mother just didn’t want him spending the night away from her.
“Well, that’s bullshit,” Richie had said one weekend when Eddie told the Losers this. Eddie had showed up to Bill’s house with nothing more than his fanny pack—a tell-tale sign that Eddie had only been permitted to stay until 7:30 pm. And he was lucky he was allowed to stay that long, he always added.
Sonia didn’t even have a clue what the seven of them had been up to last summer—save for the time Eddie came back to her with a displaced-fractured radius. Sleeping over at a friend’s house was nothing compared to hunting, fighting, and killing—they hoped It was dead anyway—a shape-shifting monster from the Macroverse (and maybe if she had known, she would’ve locked Eddie in his room and never let him out again).
“What’s her excuse this time?” Mike had asked with a low chuckle to his voice. The situation wasn’t funny, but it seemed Eddie’s mom had fifty-two reasons—one for every week the year had—as to why her precious Eddie could not sleep away from home over the weekend. Her first reason had been that he had a bed wetting problem—which Eddie made sure to note was not true—an issue she had brought up with Mike’s grandfather in a whisper when it was the Hanlon’s night to host a sleepover (which was probably why Mike had found some form of amusement through Mrs Kaspbrak’s excuses).
“This week, she said she didn’t have enough notice,” Eddie answered with a sigh.
“H-how can she kuh-kuh-keep doing this?” Bill asked. “We planned this t-two Sundays ago.”
Eddie merely shrugged. “That’s not enough time, I guess.”
“Can’t you just sneak out?” Richie suggested as if that would be at all easy.
To sneak out for a sleepover, he’d have to wait till after his mother had tucked him in and given him his nightly kiss on the cheek—he’d have to give her hers then too. He’d have to wait until she hobbled down the hallway and until she came back in the night to glance in on him sleeping—and if he was sneaking out, he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep so he’d just have to lie there and pretend to be asleep until she closed the door again. Then, and only then, would he be able to sneak out of his bedroom via the window—and his bedroom was on the second floor of his home, mind you. Now, he did have a tree by his bedroom window that he could climb out on, but if he lost his footing in the dark, plummeted to the grass, and ended up with the second broken bone he’d ever had in his life, his mother would have no choice but to put bars on his window and maybe even handcuff him to the bed at night. He’d have to call for her to let him up if he needed to take a leak at three in the morning. A sleepover was hardly worth the risk.
“And be the reason my mother has a heart attack? No, thank you,” Eddie said instead. Denying simply was easier than explaining how far his mother could—and would—go. But if he had taken the time to explain all of that to the Losers, they would’ve understood instantly.
“I’ve got an idea..” Ben spoke up, ever the one for well-thought-out plans. “I’ll have my mom call yours—moms have a way of wanting everyone to be included.”
Stan nodded in agreement (from experience) while Beverly and Eddie shared an uncertain glance.
“We’ll work out the details and be able to have a sleepover at my place.” Ben had an optimistic smile on his face, but Eddie was still unsure.
“Just don’t expect this sleepover to happen in the next several weeks…” Eddie explained, raising his hands as if to say he wouldn’t have anything to do with this plan. “Mom has a way of putting things off…”
Richie wrapped his arm around Eddie’s neck, pulling him closer for a moment, a moment Eddie pretended he thoroughly detested. “Don’t worry, Eds,” Richie started.
Eddie immediately worried.
“If Ben’s mom can’t convince Mrs K, I’m sure I can, as your new stepdad,” he grinned slyly.
“Beep-beep, Richie..” Eddie whined, shoving Richie off of him with a few harsh jabs to his ribs which only seemed to make Richie laugh.
But now those few weeks had passed, and Eddie was finally at a sleepover with more than just a pack full of placebos and his fake asthma medication Sonia insisted he bring—even if Eddie insisted his lungs had grown stronger than ever since he stopped relying on that shit. It was like a celebration when he showed up with a stuffed backpack on his shoulders, a sleeping bag under one arm, and a pillow and a neatly folded blanket under the other.
Ben had come to the door alone in an attempt to ease Mrs Kaspbrak’s mind, but the mess of bikes outside Arlene Hanscom’s home did nothing to calm her.
One.. two… three sets of wheels she counted amongst the tangle of bicycles—only one of the bikes had been propped up on its kickstand. She couldn’t help but shiver as she watched Eddie step beyond the doorway, turning to give her a small wave as if to say: ‘I’m gonna be fine, Ma’. That was the only thing that brought her the smallest sense of ease…. that and Eddie’s promise that he’d call if he needed anything. She drove off, her heart full of worry for her son and hatred for the mother who had insisted Eddie be included in this.
Ben closed the front door behind them before beginning to lead the way into the living room.
“Beverly, Mike, and Stan are already here,” he said with a smile.
All three of them were already in there, just like he said. Beverly was looking through a stack of Ben’s old cassettes while Mike and Stan had been engaged in some sort of intellectual conversation. They all quickly stopped what they were doing when Eddie walked into the room, holding more than enough shit he would need for a sleepover.
“Alright!” Beverly cheered.
“Imagine that,” Mike teased while Stan merely half smiled.
Eddie adjusted the sleeping bag in his arms uncomfortably.
“You can go ahead and set your things down anywhere,” Ben informed with a vague wave of his arms, showing that he really did mean anywhere. “Bill just called. He and Richie will be here soon.”
“Should we call him back?” Beverly asked, a chuckle behind her voice.
Eddie set his things down in the corner carefully, raising a brow at Beverly’s words.
“No way,” Mike laughed. “I want to see the look on his face.”
“What’s going on?” Eddie asked.
“Richie didn’t think you guys would be able to pull this off,” Mike began.
“Actually, he didn’t even think you’d show up,” Stan continued.
“He said he wasn’t going to stay the night if you weren’t,” Beverly shook her head slightly, still breathing a soft laugh.
“We read between the lines and figured that meant Richie knew a Losers Club hangout just wouldn’t be the same without you,” Ben smiled.
“We all feel that way,” Stan chimed in.
Eddie’s eyes jumped back and forth between all of them as they explained the situation to him. He was beginning to make himself dizzy…
“Yeah,” Mike agreed. “But not all of us had so little faith in Ben and his mom being able to pull this off.” He grinned, glancing at Ben.
“Anyway,” Beverly continued, “if he isn’t planning to spend the night, Richie’s going to show up with the clothes on his back and the glasses on his face which is why I want to know if we should call him?” she asked again.
Mike waved his hand. “Richie finds out he’s here, he’ll stay the night anyway. He’s too laid back to care that he didn’t bring a toothbrush.”
“And besides,” Ben spoke up. “It’s too late. He’s coming with Bill on Silver any minute now.”
Then, as if on cue, they heard the front door swing open, the last two of the Losers spilling through the door while Bill whispered something about the importance of knocking-before-entering.
“They left the door unlocked for a reason, dipshit,” Richie muttered back, his own voice above Bill’s whisper.
He turned around just before getting to Ben’s living room, walking backwards as he faced Bill. “Didn’t see his bike out there.” ‘His bike’ referring to Eddie’s in this case. Richie shook his head, a smile on his lips. “I knew he wasn’t going to show. I should’ve made you guys place bets-”
Bill’s eyes locked onto Eddie first, Richie still conveniently doing anything but turning around. He adjusted the pack on his back. “B-beep-beep, Ri-Richie..” he warned, eyeing Eddie before nodding towards him.
Richie stopped in his tracks, spinning back around to look into the living room, adjusting his glasses before his eyes finally found Eddie, standing in the living room right where he was supposed to be. “Hey,” he said simply as if, finally, the trashmouth was at a loss for words.
“Hey…” Eddie copied, slightly confused.
“And we’re sure he has a sleeping bag and shit?” Richie asked, leaning back as if he were asking Bill.
Ben was the one who gestured to Eddie’s pile of belongings.
Richie nodded. “I see, I see…” he muttered, “Eddie is the kind of guy to bring his own pillow to a sleepover.. Welp!” he clapped his hands together. “I could still be wrong! The night is young!” he called out, his voice switching to something of an inspirational wizard, attempting to boost moral amongst his party. “I bet he doesn’t make it to 7:30.”
But he did make it to 7:30 and even 8:30, and by 9:30, the Losers had changed into their pajamas. Richie, like Bev said—with the clothes on his back and the glasses on his face—had only really shed his outer button-up crazy-patterned shirt. Once they were all changed, Ben had suggested that they set up their sleeping bags and get ready to ‘watch TV till they pass out’. Yeah, those were his exact, excited words.
Beverly had taken the couch for her own, due to the grace of Ben who had suggested she sleep up there. It was more comfortable than the floor and the rest of the guys all agreed so it was all hers.
Richie, however, without even a blanket, had tried to sneak a position at the end of the couch—now made the foot of the couch as Beverly curled up underneath the worn quilt she brought from home. Eddie rolled his eyes just watching such a thing. He just unrolled his sleeping bag, watching Stan do the same right next to him. Mike slipped his legs into his sleeping bag, still trying to be a part of the careful decision that was picking a movie—Bill had always been very selective with the movies they’d watch, but he seemed to know the best choices, so no one ever really cared. Eddie was getting ready to curl up in his little cocoon just like Mike and Beverly were, but he supposed someone had to make a sacrifice for Richie.
He unzipped his sleeping bag all of the way, making an enormous sleeping mat on the floor. “C’mere, Rich,” he said reluctantly. “You can share with me.”
“Eds is gonna let me sleep with him?” Richie’s jaw dropped, hands pressed to his cheeks much like Macaulay Culkin’s classic Home Alone expression even though that movie wouldn’t be released until later that year. His voice was full of faux wonder and amazement.
Eddie stared at him with the most deadpan look he could give him.
“Am I dreaming?” Richie stepped towards him. “Pinch me!” he demanded of Stan, sticking his elbow out towards him.
And Stan almost took him up on that offer, but soon Richie was pulling his arm away, getting ready to settle down with Eddie.
“If you’re too much of an ass, I’ll kick you out,” Eddie threatened.
Richie sat next to him, his back leaned against the couch while Eddie pulled his blanket over his body and rested his head against his pillow.
“What movie are we watching, Billy?” Richie asked in some sort of Voice, Eddie was almost too tired to know which one. Maybe one Stan had warned him of being offensive.
“W-we could watch Back to the Future.”
The Losers had seen that one about a million times, but none of them were willing to count it out just because of that. It was a great movie.
“Edward Scissorhands.”
Another amazing movie, but Stan piped in that Edward Scissorhands was more of a holiday film. The rest of them agreed.
“Beetlejuice.”
One of Bill’s favorites. He still had a Beetlejuice poster in his room even three years after the movie had been released. But listing two Winona Ryder movies in a row was enough to make Richie ask if Bill had a thing for her. They all ignored him with ease.
“Or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”
Beverly looked around the room. A red head, surrounded by rambunctious teenage boys who did happen to like pizza an absurd amount. Yeah, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the one.
“I’m down for watching some turtles goof off and take down an evil samurai,” Beverly said with a soft laugh and a quick shrug.
“Spoilers, Bevvie!” Richie shrieked, hurriedly slapping one of his hands down over Eddie’s ear—the ear that Eddie still had facing upwards, his other ear pressed into his pillow. He’d already seen the movie about six times so he swatted Richie’s hand away from him.
Ben popped the tape into his VCR while Bill took his seat between Mike and Stan then Ben sat back, ready to enjoy the movie.
Richie looked down at Eddie who was lying on his side, curled up in a ball next to him. His eyes were closed, and he almost looked like he was asleep. Unable to stop himself, he threaded his fingers into Eddie’s hair, brushing it out of his eyes that opened at the contact. Eddie looked up at him.
“Are you tired?” Richie asked. He seemed genuine—like he wasn’t about to ask Eddie if it was past his bed time. It was almost hard to believe.
“Just a little,” he whispered, pulling his pillow closer.
Richie slowly pulled his hand from his hair, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of him especially when Eddie closed his eyes again, making it way easier to stare. Richie only looked up when Stan climbed past him to pop some popcorn.
“It’s bad enough we have to watch this without pizza. The least we can do is have popcorn,” he muttered to himself as he stepped into the kitchen.
Richie looked up, watching how Bill’s eyes followed Stan or the way Bev looked at Ben while he explained some seemingly hilarious story about the time he and Mike went to see this movie together for the first time. Richie just wanted to scoot closer to Eddie, his curled-up, sleepy form, but he didn’t dare move a muscle.
By the time Stan was back, Eddie had adjusted his position, leaning on his hand, propped up by his elbow so he could attempt to watch the movie with the group.
“You gonna share your blanket, Eds?” Richie asked, pushing his lip out slightly as if to pout.
Eddie rolled his eyes but scooted closer regardless. He handed a corner of his blanket to Richie who quickly pulled it over himself. “My pillow is off limits though. You’ll drool all over it.”
Richie didn’t argue with him. He was probably right.
Despite trying to watch the movie, desperate to not be the first person to fall asleep, Eddie passed out about the same time April O’Neil had. In the movie, she didn’t faint nearly as many times as she did in the first episode of the cartoon, but she still did black out when she met the turtles for the first time. Richie hardly blamed her. The smell that probably followed those teens was gonna enough to make your brain melt. In the worst way possible.
Richie was, on the other hand, far from being tired now. His heart was racing as if he had just finished up running a marathon. He about thought he was having a heart attack, but it wasn’t nearly as painful as people described. It was like his stomach was creeping up into his thoracic cavity, pushing his heart into his throat. It was a fluttery feeling, a feeling that usually came to him when he was in the same room as Eddie.
So he assumed it had something to do with the way Eddie was asleep next to him, his face nearly pressed into Richie’s side. His long, dark eyelashes rested against his skin beautifully and- yep, Richie’s heart actually skipped a beat.
Eddie was gonna kill him.
And it wouldn’t even be on purpose.
Then Eddie stirred, gaining Richie’s attention that was already on him. He was only pretending like his attention was mainly focused on the movie in front of him. Eddie rolled to his back, then to his other side, stealing his blanket away with him. If Richie’s entire being wasn’t already ablaze with blush, he may have cared.
But it was apparent that Eddie was going to hog the blanket.
By the time the movie was over—or by the time enough of the Losers decided they were too tired to continue. Frankly, Richie wasn’t paying enough attention to know which one it was—the movie was shut off and the others were collecting their toothbrushes or fluffing up their pillows.
Richie pulled his glasses off of his face, ready to set them to the side when Beverly took them from him, folding their arms in and setting them on the side table as opposed to the floor—which was probably where Richie would’ve left them, let’s be real. They were already held mostly together with tape, but he did need a new prescription soon so maybe the tape would be fine until then.
Since he was without his toothbrush, Richie just adjusted his position, ready to sleep in what Eddie would call his ‘outside clothes’. Maybe if he was conscious, he would’ve insisted Richie change into someone else’s clean clothes, but Eddie laid asleep in front of him, blanket all wrapped around him. Richie had no reason to wake him. It was just a blanket. He’d live…
Until it was hours after the lights had turned off and Richie could hear Ben snoring peacefully from across the room. He assumed the rest of them were asleep by now, and he imagined he would be too if it wasn’t for the closeness of Eddie. It’s not even like he could see him anymore—the lights were out, his glasses were removed—he could just feel his best friend’s presence. And it shouldn’t have been something that distracted him, he knew that. But it did.
He’d slept over at Eddie’s house before, like Eddie had slept as his. That part wasn’t new. It was how they were sleeping on the same sleeping bag, supposed to be sharing the same blanket.
Richie finally accepted that he might not be sleeping that night when Eddie rolled over, legs tangling with Richie’s while his shoulder hit him as well.
The soft collision woke Eddie up. Richie heard him gasp lightly at the suddenness of it, and he could see the faint moonlight reflecting off of the damp pools that were his eyes as he opened them to the darkness.
“Did I wake you up?” Richie whispered almost in his ear. No, it was lower than a whisper. He didn’t want to risk waking the others. He knew he couldn’t have done anything to wake Eddie other than being in his way when he rolled over. That wasn’t his fault. But he did want the other boy to know he was also awake to avoid scaring him out of his skin by accident later.
Eddie adjusted his position, rolling onto his side, pulling his warm limbs away from him, facing Richie now a few extra inches away from him. “It’s ok,” Eddie whispered back, knowing it was technically his fault. “Did I wake you?” he repeated back to him.
Richie shook his head before responding verbally. “No. I was already up.”
“Can’t sleep?” Eddie asked. He adjusted his pillow, pulling it closer as he hiked his blanket up over his shoulder again.
“Not really…” Richie sighed.
“I don’t usually sleep well on the floor,” Eddie announced as if it was going to make Richie feel seen. “My mom says I shouldn’t sleep anywhere besides my bed.”
“What? She thinks you’ll develop scoliosis from side sleeping?” Richie guessed, but when Eddie didn’t say anything right away, pondering apparently, Rich spoke up again. “You don’t ever hear of people having bed bugs on the floor though.”
Eddie appeared to be grateful for that information even if it was only slightly.
“I’m not uncomfortable,” Richie clarified. He was about ready to continue when Eddie interrupted him. Richie quickly closed his mouth so he could listen to the other.
“Shit..” that first whisper was a little louder than he intended. “You were supposed to share my blanket. I can’t ever sleep without a blanket.” Eddie shifted closer, throwing a corner of the blanket over Richie’s shoulder.
“It’s not that..” Richie explained, accepting the blanket by pulling it over his body anyway.
“Good, ‘cause I might steal it back again,” Eddie smiled.
“Well, you did bring it,” Richie pointed out.
“You don’t have a pillow either…” Eddie whined, already trying to figure out how they could share.
“It’s ok,” Richie laughed softly. “It’s not that either…”
“Well, if you don’t get some sleep, you’re going to be cranky tomorrow.”
Richie briefly wondered when Mrs Kaspbrak had given Eddie that information. Perhaps when he was under the age of three?
“Maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t bike here yourself,” Eddie noted. “You could crash into a tree or the lane of opposing traffic on your way home.”
Richie wanted to mention that there usually wasn’t much traffic in Derry, but another thought came quicker. “Falling off of the back of Silver is still a possibility.”
Eddie was about to offer him a ride home with his mom, but it didn’t seem like the time, especially when bringing up his mother around Richie usually ended in some sort of stupid joke. He stayed relatively quiet, adjusting his pillow and whispering: ‘here’.
“I don’t need your pi-” Richie’s whispers were muffled by the fluffy pillow smacking him in the face with a careless toss.
Eddie tried to repress a giggle. “Did I hit you?”
“I’m not taking your pillow, Eds…” Richie refused, his voice serious.
“No, no. I have an idea,” Eddie explained. “Take it.”
Richie sighed, rolling onto his back as he tucked the pillow under his neck. Eddie shifted closer, his blanket still draped over their shoulders. Richie stared at him, trying to get some idea what he was doing in the dark. Sure, his eyes had adjusted to their surroundings a bit, but everything was like a big murky blur to him.
Then he felt Eddie shift, a gentle weight being placed against where his shoulder met his chest. His breath hitched in his chest, something Eddie hadn’t noticed as he adjusted, pulling Richie’s arm around his shoulders as he snuggled into him close. He used Richie’s chest as his pillow, attempting to steal his warmth while he was at it.
“Is this ok?” Eddie asked sleepily.
Richie answered quickly. He feared that if he didn’t Eddie would’ve pulled away, taking his warm body away from him. “Yeah.. t-that’s fine…”
Eddie only shifted closer, falling limp against his body as he pulled his arm around Richie’s stomach. “Your heart is pounding…” he noted, clearly concerned.
Richie gulped, involuntarily squeezing Eddie’s shoulder. He didn’t know what to say… He couldn’t explain the truth, that his heart was pounding because of him. He about wanted to shove Eddie off of him and run away, flee into the darkness Derry had to offer to avoid being found out. Then his secret could die with him.
He could feel Eddie adjust his head to look up at him. “Are you scared of the dark?” Eddie asked innocently.
Richie almost laughed out loud—and he would have admitted that laugh would’ve been incredibly dry due to how nervous he was. It was ridiculous to be scared of something as simple as the dark now—after everything the Losers has been through just a year ago.
“I’m still scared sometimes..” Eddie admitted, making Richie seriously regret even thinking about laughing.
“Of the dark?” Richie asked.
He could feel Eddie nod against his chest. He supposed that explained why Eddie had fallen asleep during their movie—while it was still light in the living room.
“After we defeated It…” Eddie started, that simple pronoun sending a shiver down both of their spines when Eddie had said it as if it were a proper noun, “when we were lost in the sewers..” He shook his head against Richie’s chest, unable to continue.
Richie squeezed Eddie’s shoulder again before shifting to rub his back gently. He didn’t want him to continue—for both of their sakes.
All of the Losers probably still had nightmares of being lost in those winding tunnels in the pitch black darkness. Richie actually tried to teach himself how to sleep with his eyes open the week following the event—because, of course, closing his eyes only reminded him of how wide he had held his eyes open down in those sewers, glasses missing and probably broken somewhere in the greywater, and still not being able to see a single thing save for the deep, dark green color of the sewers, relying solely on the grasp he had on Bill’s arm and Eddie’s sense of direction to get him out of the dark. Even the Losers with 20/20 vision could barely see the hands they waved in front of their faces. And even after that first week, he’d passed out only from exhaustion and not from actually attempting to fall asleep. He could only imagine the other Losers had a similar experience. But hearing that a year later, Eddie was still having trouble with the dark… no wonder his mom was so hesitant to let him stay the night anywhere. That and she was quite possibly just a little overprotective (sarcasm. Partially anyway).
Richie leaned into him, his fingers still rubbing soft circles into Eddie’s shoulder blade. “It’s ok..” he said softly, forgetting to whisper just this once. “We’re all here.. just like we were then..”
As if to prove that point, Ben snored loudly again.
Eddie took a deep breath, something Richie could feel under his fingers and against his side. That deep breath calmed both of them a bit. Richie’s heart probably slowed down too, if only just a notch.
“Besides, nothing’s going to get you when I’m here…” Richie breathed a soft, nervous laugh. Was that too forward?
“I was counting on that,” Eddie smiled against his shirt.
“Trashmouth Tozier..” Richie mumbled, finally starting to feel tired. “No clowns or werewolves or lepers,” he added, “are gonna fuck with me…”
Eddie giggled, “A well timed ‘your mom’ joke will take any of them out.”
“Now you’re gettin’ it,” Richie grinned lazily.
Eddie chuckled softly before closing his eyes. “I’m gonna try to get some sleep…”
“Guess I should too…” Richie yawned, adjusting a bit by curling into Eddie’s touch. “But feel free to wake me again if you have any trouble sleeping… we can go see if Ben has any cereal to feast on.”
Eddie shook his head in amusement. “Sure… Night, Rich..”
“G’night, Eds...”