Reddie

Reddie is the portmanteau name of the ship between Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrak, two of the protagonists from the horror novel IT by Stephen King. They appear in all adaptations of the novel.
==Canon==
Richie and Eddie have been friends since kindergarten and met through their friend, Bill Denbrough. Richie often teases Eddie and calls him "Eds" or "Eddie Spaghetti" to get a reaction from him. They are all part of the "Losers Club" and fight with their friends to defeat Pennywise the clown.
===Subtext===
Many fans have argued that Richie and/or Eddie are subtextually implied to be gay or bisexual and have feelings for each other in canon. There is much analysis of the book in this regard. Based on the book and before the 2019 film, most interpreted Eddie as gay and Richie as bisexual, with Eddie in particular as having issues and fears regarding his own sexuality.
Some meta on this subtext:
* by Megan Angeline, 13 October 2017.
* by DennisChristpher & Leyla, 14 March 2018.
* by Emily, 20 February 2018.
* by Emily, 29 July 2018.
* by Aaliya, 2 May 2019.
* by ReddieAnalysis, 22 March 2018.
===2017 & 2019 Films===
In IT Chapter 1, Richie and Eddie's relationship was generally represented as it had been in the book, though much of what fans considered the strongest in-book subtext was left out.
In advance of IT Chapter 2 in 2019, rumors that the relationship would be explicitly romance grew. Upon the release of the film, it was confirmed that Richie Tozier is gay, repressed his sexuality due to fear as a child, and comes to terms with being gay as an adult during Chapter 2.
Many also interpreted him as having had feelings for Eddie since childhood. Speculation increased even further after an image of Richie carving "R + _" on the Kissing Bridge (said to be know for "sucking face and carving names") was leaked. Fans argued that it would not make sense for Richie to carve the initial of any of the other Losers since his closest relationship in the movie was with Eddie. It was later confirmed that what Richie was carving was, in fact, "R + E". This is taken as confirmation that Richie has feelings for Eddie, but not that the feelings were reciprocated.
Richie seems to be the member of the Losers Club the most affected by Eddie's death. At the end of the film Richie re-carves the letters, seemingly to reestablish the connection they had.
==Fandom==
In addition to the film, fans were very interested in the actors' comments about how they chose to depict the characters and their relationship. In anticipation of IT Chapter 2, there was much speculation in the fandom over whether or not Richie and Eddie's feelings for each other would be made explicit in the new movie, especially after it was revealed that Richie was gay. This news was immediately celebrated by fans.
While Richie was explicitly gay in IT Chapter 2, it was not confirmed that Eddie is not straight or felt the same way about Richie. However there is much fan analysis of Eddie that reads him as gay or bi and reciprocating Richie's feelings.
Prior to the 2019 film, fans commonly interpreted Eddie as gay and Richie as bisexual. After Richie was revealed to be gay in the 2019 film, it was considered more appropriate the depict Richie as gay in fanworks.
Since its first appearance on the Fandometrics charts on the , the first week Reddie fell off the charts completely was the . It did not reappear on the charts until the . In the Fandometrics "2018’s Top Ships" Reddie was listed as #29. 
During the week following the release of IT Chapter 2, Reddie was the most popular pairing on Tumblr fandom. . 09 September 2019. Reddie was #4 in Fandometrics "2019’s Top 100 Ships."
==Common Tropes==
===Don't Call Me Eds===
Conceivably as a defense mechanism against his own feelings, Eddie Kaspbrak canonically asks Richie Tozier repeatedly not to call him by the nickname 'Eds.' Richie, of course, ignores this inciting exasperation in his friend. However, internally Eddie admits that the name held a special meaning for him.
This was taken and used by fandom mainly in fanfiction but also in fanart to show the way these two characters chose to flirt, or hide their feelings for one another.
===R+E===
 R+E is a representation of Sweetie Graffiti within the IT fandom by and for the Reddie ship.
It is by far the most prominent example of this trope due in large part to its canon nature. In the 2019 film, Richie Tozier carved his and Eddie Kaspbrak's initials into the wood of the kissing bridge.
Many headcanon that Eddie is present for the completion/addition of the 'E' after the defeat of Pennywise, for added closure and confirmation that Richie's romantic feelings were not only acknowledged, but reciprocated.
To the lower left, it is also notable that there is an 'R' carved within a heart. Some speculate that this was Eddie, having a similar idea to Richie, also declaring his love silently but publicly for his best friend. This secondary marking may very possibly be unrelated. However, much of the subtext originally thought to be fanon surrounding the 2017 film turned out to be intentional, upon the release of the 2019 film. So speculation may be more along the lines of an educated guess.
Their synonymous is Love Doodles & Umbrella of Togetherness and Kilroy Was Here is the non-romantic variation.
==Fanworks==
===Fanfiction===
* In the heat of the summer (you're so different from the rest) by KaboomSlang
===8tracks===
File:All my broken heartbeats ; acoustic + angsty reddie mix.jpg| by RichieBitchie, original by CrazyTom666
File:Be proud.jpg| by Theivy, original by MxgicDave
File:Of losers and lovers.jpg| by TVForDessert 
===Zines===
* I ♥ Reddie
* Losers Club - link
* NSFW R+E Sketches
* Our Memories
* R+E
* Reddie by Moska Fleur
* Reddie Fix-It
* Redlyn
==Links & Resources==
* on the Shipping Wiki
==References==
Category:Slash Pairings
Category:IT Relationships