Richie burst into the apartment he shared with his roommate Beverly and her boyfriend Ben.

"Guys! Stop sucking face I need help!" Richie yelled, and watched them make no sudden movements to stop making out. Left with no choice Richie released Ember and let the puppy attack her humans, her real humans.

"Beep beep, Richie." Bev said as she wiped spit off her face. Whether it was Ben's or the dog's was unknown to Richie. Usually he'd make a comment about it, but he currently had bigger issues to deal with in the form of an adorable guy named Eddie.

"This is not what I meant when I said 'Can you walk Ember so I can have some alone time with Ben.'" said Beverly while giving Richie a look he was used to seeing from his mother. Not his best friend.

"Okay well I saw a boy, and I didn't know what to say anymore, so I panicked and told him I needed to go home okay?" Richie said, his face flushed from the memory of his interaction with Eddie.

"What's this? Richie? Speechless?" Ben laughed from the couch, "It must take a special person to do that to you, I've been trying to get you to shut up for years." Ben was still pinned underneath Ember. The dog had been his gift to Beverly for one of their anniversaries, Richie had talked him out of proposing and convinced him to get a puppy instead. He was starting to regret that choice.

"This boy was different, okay?" Richie sighed, "He knew exactly how to tame Ember, and he wasn't scared when she attacked him. But, talking to me made him look like he's pass out right there. Yet, he was sweet and nice and.. Oh my god i haven't texted him yet!"

"Wait, you're telling me that he gave you his number, willingly, and you haven't used it yet?" Beverly asked, shocked by the current behavior Richie was exhibiting, "You really are flustered by this kid."

At this Richie didn't know how to respond. He knew the flamboyant-carefree-ditzy persona he put on was faltering. But, for the first time in his life he didn't actually mind being vulnerable. In his ridiculously short conversation with Eddie he had felt safe. Something Richie wasn't used to.

"He's running a dog wash and just wants me to help out, it isn't a big deal, Bev." Richie said. Hoping not only to convince Beverly, but himself too.

Meanwhile across the college campus Eddie was sucking on his inhaler like his life depended on it. Which, it really didn't. His roommate Stanley Uris, who had been looking at a spectacular cardinal in the tree outside his dorm, was almost as startled as the bird when Eddie walked into the room holding a torn up textbook and panting.

"Can't… find… inhaler" Eddie wheezed as he planted himself on his lower bunk. Stan realizing the importance of the situation, put down his bird watching book and went to help eddie search his backpack.

Which is where they were currently found. Stan kneeling by Eddie as he sucked on his inhaler.

"So," Stan started tentatively, "do you wanna talk about what happened?"

Eddie got "asthma" attacks like this alot. Something would happen and then all of a sudden Eddie couldn't breathe. Most of the time the event wasn't a physical happening, but just something that caused him a good amount of stress. Stanley had known Eddie since they were in about middle school, it had been so long Stan didn't really remember exactly how long it had been. But, Stanley was pretty sure Eddie's asthma was just anxiety. He tried to mention it to Mrs. Kasprak once but she went on such a fit of hysterics she didn't let Eddie out of her house for a full month.

"I met someone." Gasped Eddie as soon as his breathing calmed down enough for him to get the three words out.

At this Stan stopped. For as long as he has known Eddie he has avoided dating, well, avoided people. Stan was pretty sure he was Eddie's only friend. In fact he had only ever seen Eddie leave his dorm to go to class. Whenever Stan tried to ask Eddie about it it sent him into an asthma attack and Stan never got a straight answer. He knew Eddia's mom wouldn't let him live in an off campus apartment, which is why they were in a dorm as juniors in college. But, Stan wasn't sure just how strict she was, and didn't want to push Eddie to any further breaking points.

"Do you, maybe, wanna talk about them?" Stan asked gently, wanting to give Eddie a chance to talk but not wanting to scare the poor boy.

"He was tall, not too tall, but tall. And he had curly black hair that kinda fell in his eye but his glasses were in the way, and he had this incredible dog with him, and he…" Eddie was about to continue before he was interrupted by Stanley.

"Wait, you said he," Stan said, not in total shock, as since he grown up with the boy Stanley had known he was a little more feminine than most, but finally hearing the words out of Eddies mouth made relief rush through him. Stan was already in a relationship with a man, and had always been worried about how Eddie felt about him seeing Bill. Especially with his mother and her overbearing opinions on the matter. Now thought, Eddie was opening up. Thank god for that, "did I hear you right?"

"Oh um, yeah, I guess you did." Eddie mumbled turning a ferocious shade of pink. "Please, just, please don't tell my mom I like guys. You're the only one I've told and I didn't even mean to tell you right now but I just met richie and, he was so sweet."

"Edward Kasprak, how long have I known you, nothing you say or do is going to stop me from being your friend, and you already know I'm seeing a guy right now, and wait. Did you say Richie?" Stan lost his train of thought trying to remember where he heard the name from.

"Um, yeah?" Eddie said meekly, worried about what Stan was about to say. All while Stan's mind was racing, thinking how this could not be the same Richie he was thinking of. Not the same Richie who had introduced him and Bill, that wouldn't be right. Why on earth would sweet innocent little Eddie be this flustered over that trashmouthed heathen.

"It's not Richie Tozier by chance," Stan said, praying it wasn't, " is it?"

Eddie's face lit up at his name, "Yeah! Do you know him? I'd love to see him, i mean his dog, again." He said. Stan frowned slightly, and stood up.

"You'll have to excuse me Eddie, I just realized I have somewhere else to be." Stan then headed for the door.

" wait, Stan! I haven't finished telling you about... "

But, Stan was already out the door. He had a phone call he needed to make, and then he had an ass to kick.