Richie's POV

I was sitting at the rickety table in Ben's house, eating breakfast with the other losers.

Ben had grabbed some cereal boxes and bowls and we were all just chowing down.

All of a sudden Bev raised up her glass of milk, "to another year of living," she toasted.

I smiled nervously and looked at Eddie, he was biting his lip. Soon we all raised our glasses to the toast, besides Eddie.

I gave him a look, "what's the matter?"

Eddie met my eyes and shrugged, "I don't know, it just feels like I didn't really live." He sighed.

"Well you definitely aren't dead Eds" I tried to smile and cheer him up, "See?" I said poking his cheek with the tip of my finger, "I can still annoy the fuck out of you."

Eddie smacked my hand away and I smirked.

"I don't mean that," he grumbled but stared at his lap like he was embarrassed, "it just feels like...life is so boring, ya know? I'm not really living it to my fullest even though I've had many near-death experiences....I'm just....surviving."

Fuck. This kid was really about to make me cry. He just looked so lost and pouty, with his lip stuck out and hair falling into his eyes.

"You know...." I had a plan, "I know how you can spice up your life a bit."

I looked up at me, worry in his eyes, "N-nothing crazy Richie," he seemed so anxious.

I just smiled, "that's the whole point of living life Eds, you gotta do crazy shit from time to time."

Eddie gulped and I turned towards Beverly, who was having a contest with Mike on who could eat the fasted without using their hands.

"Bev!" I called and she looked up from the bowl, milk dripping down her chin. She gasped and smacked the table anxiously.

"Fuck you Richie! I was winning!" she exclaimed and glared at me.

I laughed, "can I ask a favor of you?"

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I pulled Eddie to the bathroom I had slept in last night. He was silent the whole way, which was unusual. I would have expected him to be whining or cursing me out by now.

Ben's bathroom was painted a soft blue color that made it almost sweet. The nicest thing in the bathroom was the sink. I was almost as big as the room and even had a countertop.

"You ready spaghetti man?" I asked Eddie, smirking slightly.

"For what?" he asked quietly, trying to get a look at the items I had in my hand.

"It's a surprise!" I beamed, "now come here," I said and reached for his face.

Eddie's eyes when wide and he jumped back.

I reached again, but he smacked my arm away.

"Don't touch me!" he was glaring at me, "not until you tell me what your doing."

Eddie was stubborn, I knew this. So I sighed and showed him what I had in my hand.

"What the fuck are you going to do with a safety pin and Bev's earrings?"

"Um....pierce...your...ears?" I said quietly. I knew he wasn't going to let me. Eddie wasn't the guy to pierce his eyes, he didn't like those guys.

Eddie hadn't said anything so I glanced up at his face. He was biting his lip again and tapping his hands together, lost in thought.

Finally, he nodded, "do it."

"Really?!" I lit up and almost leapt forward to hug him.

Eddie rolled his eyes, "yes dipshit," he looked unsure, "time to start living, right? Just make sure you disinfect the safety pin first," he added as an afterthought.

I was gaping at him, not able to believe he was actually letting me do this.

"Hurry up and make my life more interesting!"

I wondered if I could use that as an excuse to kiss him. 'I was just trying to make your life more interesting'

I was still smiling as I took my lighter out of my back pocket, Eddie glared at it.

"I have withdrawals from quitting so fast," I said quietly, embarrassed, "it's nice to still have this."

Eddie only nodded. I stuck the pin through the flame for a couple seconds then let it cool.

I glanced into Eddie's eyes, confirming that he still wanted to do this. He smiled nervously but nodded, urging me to do it.

So I leaned down towards his ear. A couple seconds later and nothing had happened, I kept trying to get in a good position but he was just too much smaller than me.

Finally I sighed and leaned back, "this isn't working Eddie."

"What?"

"I can't get in a good position."

Eddie sighed, "what if I sat on the counter? I'd be taller and easier for you," he suggested.

Something about what he said made me blush mad, but I nodded anyway.

Eddie hopped up in the counter and I situated myself between his legs so that I could get as close as possible to him. The position was a lot easier but it was really making me feel things I had been repressing for too long to become exposed now.

"Ready?" I asked, glancing at Eddie's face.

He was biting his lip again but had his eyes squeezed shut. He nodded.

I stuck the pin into his ear and it wiggled it through. I breathed out a sigh of relief at the lack of complication.

"Are you going to do it?" Eddie asked, his eyes were still shut. He looked so scared.

I smiled softly and put my hands on his cheeks, "already done Eds."

He opened his eyes slowly and turned his head to look in the mirror.

"Want me to put the earring in?" I asked.

Eddie turned back and nodded anxiously.

The he was back to looking in the mirror as the safety pin was replaced with a fake white pearl earring.

"You like it?" I asked nervously. It would have devastated me if he wasn't happy with the earring and I had just made his life worse.

Eddie turned back to me, his smile so amazingly wide.

"I love it!" then he leaned forward and hugged me. I slowly hugged him back, enjoying the feeling of him all in my arms.

"Thanks Richie," he said softly.

Eddie really out here trying to give me a heart attack.

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Loooong ass chapter. Just to make up for no chapter yesterday.

Eddie's piercing is cute as fuck in my opinion. Everyone always thinks that Richie is all punk with earrings and tattoos and such, but he's just a little baby nerd. Eddie's gonna be the wild child. Lol not really, he just has an earring.

Also I had written for like twenty minutes, like four hundred words, and then it all fucking deleted.

I'm real tired rn, finals are a bitch. I have all of these projects being assigned too and it's bs.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed