video 02 | Alzheimer's Disease | Introducing the Losers

[clussy]

(It felt a little bit like a blessing. After losing his memories, getting them back, and going through that alone, Eddie had damn near broken himself down with how badly he had missed his friends. But then they showed up. Not all of them, but the three boys he had been the closest to for the longest, the kind of childhood friends that started out in the single digits. Eddie Kaspbrak was happy. Maybe not perfectly, but for the time being, they were each other's perfect distractions and it was good to have them around.

On top of that, Eddie wanted them to know everything about this place. Including, most importantly, the people who lived there. He could have dragged them from place to place to introduce them to everyone he has come to know and care about, but then he remembered how the device worked and realized how much faster it'd be if he just sent out a video introduction.

So here he was, turning on the video feed and smiling into the camera. Anyone who had seen him lately would have noticed the kid was a bit off, but not here. He might still have bags under his eyes, but there was a brightness in him that hadn't been present in nearly an entire month.)

Hi! It's Eddie. So I know I told some of you about my friends a little bit? And guess what! They're here. Not all of them, but my best buds are- like. Childhood best friends.

(Can you feel his excitement? Eddie is practically vibrating. He's sitting in his room currently, and all it takes is him removing the device entirely from his wrist and turning it around to show Richie Tozier sitting on the floor.)

This is Richie Tozier. He's probably like, my best best friend. You might also notice he has some striking similarities to a trash can.

(He whips the video back around and grimaces a little. Richie was already speaking up with 'Whatever, eds, it's trashcan, not trashcannot.' The quib comes as Eddie's already turned the camera away, and Richie doesn't bother waiting for Eddie to stop talking. Them talking over each other is nothing new, though. Eddie doesn't even hesitate before plunging on.)

Really though, I have to apologize on his behalf for anything stupid he says. And trust me, most of what he says is really stupid.

(And Eddie's up and rushing out of the room, jogging down the hall before bursting into the nearby room that Bill and Stan were sharing. The camera gets whipped around and focuses on Stan. Not looking so amused at the intrusion.)

This is Stan! He's um- the man with the plan, you know?

(Then just like that, he's pulling out of the room, and heading into the main area.

The video doesn't focus on it, but as Eddie slides it across the room, people might notice that the door heading out of their unit is covered in several words painted in black. A large Derry painted over the door, a long list of names down the back of the door, including the Losers' names themselves. And of course, the ominously crookedly written It at the bottom of the door. On the wall beside the door are other words, some sketches, one that almost even looks like a map of something with 'sewers' written over the top of it. But it's a brief passing, something that slides in and out of perspective like a passing thought.

Then Eddie's focusing on a new boy and zooms in on Bill Denbrough's face.)

And this is Bill. He's practically my brother. He is arguably the coolest of us all.

(At first, Bill looks rather grave for his age, waving at the camera for his introduction. But then Richie has to go and jump at Eddie's back, grabbing at one of his cheeks which automatically has Eddie shrieking on the other side of the camera, and at that, Bill starts to laugh. Richie's voice filters through, indistinguishable (probably) insults not easily heard between Bill's laughing and Eddie's whining.

Eddie barely gets the camera back around, his face flushed, and he gives a long exasperated sound. Richie's hand can be seen coming out and grabbing at Eddie's cheek. Again.)

So that's- oh my God, stop- my best friends. So say hi. As for us? Well...We got some uh- stuff to do.

(Is that a small pile of what looks like Kaittan fireworks in the background? Oh boy. Let's just hope those are actually just strange looking sticks.)

OOC | It's completely up to you how you want to interact with this! Feel free to talk to Eddie directly, or make a post directed to all the Losers that they can respond to via separate threads. It's a free for all sort of thing so do whatever.

Comments

[greyate]

[ Her expression softens somewhat but her voice still has a firmness to it, because while Jean could have a temper on her, she was no bully. Not after being ostracized so much herself. ]

I know he's your friend but he's upset someone I care about very much. So, I'm sure you can understand the feeling there. No, I won't act on it because I know he's your friend, a good friend. I can see how much you care about him.

[ Even if she doesn't particularly know why. But bad first impressions are like that. ]

But if you know he can be that way, don't you think he would benefit from taking steps to be... I don't know, just more considerate in general? Especially when he's going to be living here now?

[clussy]

(The softening on her face helps calm Eddie down, but her words more so.)

I'm sorry. (He means it, and his voice goes terribly soft due to his conviction on that front. He wonders if she was talking about Laura. If that was the case, he really did feel even worse about that.

He's flushing a bit, embarrassed both on half being lectured on Richie's behalf, and on account of Jean saying that last bit. It wouldn't take anyone with half a brain to figure out within thirty minutes or so of watching the two interact why they were so close. Richie took good care of Eddie, really good care. But that isn't something Eddie would even think to explain.

Instead, he just sulks a little. It's like his mom again, how she would always berate him for hanging out with that Tozier boy! You know how I feel about him, Eddie!

So Eddie shuts down a little bit, his shoulders curling in and he stares at his lap. He had never known what to say to his mother back then, and he certainly doesn't know what to say now.)

I guess so.

(It's not like he disagrees with Jean. But he also wasn't going to dictate who Richie was as a person either.)

[greyate]

[ Jean watches the change in demeanor and even without being able to pick up on his feelings, she can tell she's struck a point of contention to some degree. She doesn't know Richie enough to know or understand yet but she can tell this means a lot to Eddie. She sighs through her nose, ]

It's just something to consider, okay? Because I know Laura could use more friends her age. And, as a girl, it's hard not to take those kind of words personally, you know?

[ A beat, ]

But if you say he's good, I believe you.

[clussy]

(He picks his head up, pretty much at all that. His eyes shine with a dim curiosity, because he doesn't fully comprehend how deep that sort of thing runs. There's quite a bit of processing going on in his head and he sits up a little straighter, thankfully. Especially when she says she'll believe him.)

Laura's got me as a friend. And I know the others will like her. She'll be one of us too. (Even as a girl, he is positive of that. They weren't a boy-exclusive group, even if they were a boy-dominate one.)

...Why? Girls call boys stupid all the time too. It's just a dumb thing we say.

(Boys and girls alike, he means, at their age. He's been told he was a dumb boy all the time.

But of course, Eddie has no clue about privilege, about systematic oppression. Feminism was alive and well in the 1950s, but only if you were personally involved with it, and there definitely was no one in Derry advertising that kind of mentality. Sure he knew girls could fight and do important things, but his thoughts on the whole thing? Still pretty muddled.)

He is. (Eddie thinks very hard, very carefully. He peers away from his camera and yes, he is absolutely making sure Richie isn't near enough to hear.)

I doubt I'd be alive if it weren't for him. And summer would have been a lot scarier.

[greyate]

[ She nods slowly, letting him finish before speaking: ]

I'm glad he's here for you. Friends like that don't come around even once in a lifetime sometimes.

[ Even if the little punk is getting on her nerves in the other conversation. She can still understand that kind of bond. It's the same she has with her family that is made up of people that have essentially found each other. ]

But Laura hasn't had much time around other kids her age, you know? She... has lived a very different life from most kids. She's not use to that kind of talk or teasing and I don't think that's the kind of thing she needs to hear right now.

[clussy]

(Eddie knows that. He glances down at the sharp scar across the center of his palm and closes his hand into a fist. He definitely knew that.

He looks back up at her. He does feel bad Richie was being a nightmare, especially to people he cared about here, but he also knew Richie enough to know he wasn't trying to intentionally be a jerk. He just had a sense of humor that was too much for some people.

The explanation gives him pause, and again, that processing. Eddie was deeply empathetic, even if he couldn't always understand situations. He knows comparing his own life to Laura's wasn't fair- knew she had gone through some things that normal kids never should (so did he, but of course, Eddie doesn't think about that and it's different anyway).)

I...I cry a lot. And I used to cry way more back before I had any friends. I really, really suck at making friends. People think I'm a sissy or queer or weak or girly. (Yeah, he doesn't think about that being an insult to Jean, but he's getting to a point here.)

I still suck at making friends. I don't even know why most people here are so nice. She was one of the first real friends I made here. I really don't want to upset her...but.

(He looks back down at his hand.)

I remember I used to cry way more before I knew Richie. I was crying when I met him. Being a stupid baby about something. (He was only like, six, but still.) But he started making jokes at me and I - I don't know.

It helped me a lot? Being teased with like that. I know that she doesn't get it yet, but I think maybe...everyone treats her too seriously sometimes. I joke with her too. And maybe she doesn't get it right now, but us guys, we joke a lot like that, we're a little rougher with each other cuz we trust each other to not mean stuff. And we were like that with our girl friend too. Maybe it'd be good for her to hang with us, realize she can joke around like that, and be stupid and let us be stupid.

(He really, really doesn't know if that makes sense but he hopes it does.)

Sometimes when my friends tease me about me freaking about sick-things, I remember how dumb I'm being about sick-things. Sometimes it upsets me too, but then they're nudging me and it's suddenly okay again. I dunno. If she doesn't have many friends her age, maybe...let her? I know we're all gonna get along. Just we'll get along in our own way.

so privated;

[greyate]

It's not about "letting" her have friends her age, Eddie. There haven't been a lot of kids for her to be friends with.

And... I know you're right. I know she should just be allowed to be a kid. But... don't tell her she's stupid. Don't tell her she's things she isn't. She's already had to deal with being treated like she wasn't even a person, like she was a monster. There comes a point where it stops being a joke and does more harm than good.

[ She falls silent for a long moment looking down and away from the camera. A long moment stretches out and her expression won't be something to easily read as she's spent years trying to keep her emotions to herself. Her voice comes out almost too quiet. ]

I know what that's like. To be treated like I was a freak. And believe me, that kind of joking didn't help.

[ She gives a small laugh with no real amusement there, ]

A lot of times they didn't even bother with the jokes. And other times they didn't even have to say anything.

[ Shaking her head, ]

In any other case, I would agree with you, you know. Because you're right about all that. But I just--Laura is special. She should be treated better. That's all I'm saying.

private (if only Eddie knew how to do that BEFORE TALKING)

[clussy]

(Eddie kind of sighs, because he doesn't think Jean gets what he's saying. Though he does at least understand how teasing doesn't help everyone. It didn't always help him either, and he wasn't saying that was the only thing that helped. He isn't good at this sort of thing though. Not at all. He was, after all, only twelve.)

I'm not calling her stupid. (He mutters, because he wasn't even the one doing the teasing. He does feel some shame rise up inside of him though. Mostly because Eddie barely understands how to make friends himself, doesn't understand how complicated relationships can be.

He doesn't understand how to make Jean understand either, and there's some tears stinging his eyes from it.)

No one's calling her a monster. I'm her friend too you know.

(He says this a bit fiercely, because he hadn't spent an entire month running around the station with Laura just to throw her under the bus and he doesn't like his own loyalty being doubted. His cheeks are a little red and he glares at the camera.)

None of you ever get it. People your age. Adults are so busy making kids feel bad for dumb mistakes that they don't let any of us just figure it out ourselves.

(Eddie gives a small sniff and glares off screen, blinking hard. He would never of said that to a regular adult. Jean being a teenager made him feel just bold enough to say that. For it, he felt a little braver than he had a minute ago.)

It's not like Richie and I don't get that either. Jeez, we had a bully who skinned animals for fun, and broke my arm on purpose. He wasn't any better to Richie. Richie just wants attention and doesn't know how else to get it sometimes. He isn't like those people who call Laura a monster or you a freak.

(His eyes flick back to the camera and he just looks angry now, no longer crying.)

And besides, if he really knew he had upset her, he'd feel bad. He's made me cry before too and he stops every time and makes sure I'm okay. It was an accident.

[greyate]

[ It only confirms Eddie and the others come from a pretty shitty place, for there to be a bully that violent towards other kids. And for adults to just apparently let it go on. Not that she says any of that. She lets him talk, lets him say what he feels he needs to, even if she doesn't agree with it all. There were plenty of mistakes she wishes she had been able to prevent.

But that was also her experience. Even as an empath, she can only understand so much. ]

I guess I just never will get it, then. I felt this way when I was a kid... I didn't like how other kids treated me and I didn't like making mistakes.

[ A pause. ]

Believe me, I would've appreciated people stopping me from messing up sometimes.

[ She wants to think maybe it would've saved her a lot of needless pain. ]

[clussy]

(Eddie could get worked up enough that sometimes it was better to let him get all of his emotions out of his system. Sometimes it was hard for him to see around them, and as Jean lets him talk, he can feel himself calming down. He closes his mouth and stares at her, the anger gone, the tears mostly tried but not entirely away just yet.)

I don't like the teasing either. I know what you're saying. It's not like- like I want her to be always teased or even think that's the best thing for her or whatever.

(He bites his lip, eyes rocking back and forth as he thinks of how to put his thoughts into order.)

I'm sorry though. You're right. I mean, I think I was upset cause I know Richie isn't like that - but Laura wouldn't know that, so it's not fair of me to get annoyed that you take it more seriously.

(He supposes at a distance he could understand. Though he still wished that no one had gotten mad at Richie. Things sorted themselves out eventually. If Laura had gotten real worked up, Eddie would have actually stepped in.)

Trust me. I stop Richie messing up all the time. I think by now I just know when I need to step in and when I don't. He listens to me, and I don't want to take advantage of that.

(He also trusted Laura too. Trusted when he had to talk to her, when she needed him to.)

No one likes making mistakes. But some of us are better at it than others. I can't make Richie perfect, and I wouldn't anyway, just like I wouldn't make Laura perfect. I don't know how to make them be- different. But I can at least- I dunno. Be here when they mess up too bad.

(Eddie says this with quiet fondness, distressed though it may be. He looks up at Jean and...his eyes clear a bit.)

I can be around for if you mess up too. I mess up a lot myself. Like, daily.

[greyate]

[ That finally gets something resembling a smile, her head ducking slightly as she nods. ]

I can be around for you, too. I would like to.

And I don't expect anyone to be perfect, Eddie. None of us are. I think a lot of people struggle to accept that. Even now, I sometimes forget that.

[clussy]

(Eddie can feel himself fully relaxing, and he has pretty much zero hard feelings. Jean might have made him feel a little uncomfortable earlier, through bits and pieces, but someone who was that willing to talk to him seriously couldn't be bad.

Besides, he's had adults lecture him, and this wound up different.)

Really? I don't know if I'd go promising that. I'm almost more of a handful than Richie.

(See, he's teasin.

He nods though, because yeah, he's pretty sure everyone forgets that. Stan had some issues with it too. Not that Eddie really understood how OCD worked or anything or that it was even a thing, but he was aware enough.)

He apologized to her if it makes you feel better.

[greyate]

[ She still doesn't appreciate Richie's... behavior but Eddie is right in that she doesn't know him so. Might just be a case of needing to let the new arrivals settle in and getting to know them. Maybe.

She huffs a small laugh, ]

That's what friends do, though, right? They look out for each other.

[ She smiles a bit more genuinely when she hears about the apology, nodding, ]

Yeah, it does.

[clussy]

(Richie was one of a kind guy. He couldn't really even promise that she'd like him one day, cause that was asking for miracles, but she might at least get him a little better later on.)

They do.

(He agrees with a broad grin.)

Good. I think he appreciates her too. So like, it's okay.

(He knew it would be, but he doesn't say that.)