thisavrou | video 02 | Alzheimer's Disease

(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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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.

(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.

Edited 2017-12-03 04:22 (UTC)

[ 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. ]

(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.

Edited 2017-12-03 04:56 (UTC)

[ 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.

(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.

[ 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.

(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.)

video 02 | Alzheimer's Disease | Introducing the Losers

so privated;

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

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