D͟E͟A͟D͟ E͟N͟D͟S͟ - 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗕

"Strange? You mean Stranger?"

[‼️TRIGGER WARNING for
mentions of gagging,
vomiting and
choking, abuse
is also implied‼️]
                          A coke flavored slushee
                                         ————

BEVERLY AWOKE TO the smell of cigarettes, the same smell she'd awoken to everyday for the past five years.
To her, the smell was almost comforting. She'd wake up, knowing she was safe. It was a smell that she would associate with safety.
But to one of her dearest friends, Eddie Kaspbrak, this smell was horrendous. This was a smell that he associated with death, and cancer.
For Richie Tozier, he hated the smell. One of the only smells that could make Richie want to hurl at the thought of it. He couldn't stand the smell.
Richie associated the smell with his father. The man whom Richie hated most, the man who hurt Richie most, the man who made Richie the way he is now;
A boy who clings onto life, grasping at whatever is left of humanity, his hand replaced with comedy.

———————————————————-

One dreadful, rainy summer day in Derry, Maine, Richie Tozier flew onto his bike, not caring if he scraped his leg on the way, discarding the red stain that covered his philtrum. At this point, he didn't care anymore. He was so caught up in himself, that he didn't think about those who he could have hurt in the process.
Thinking back to moments prior to the state which Richie resides in now, his eyes started to wet, and he felt the pit in his stomach grow deeper inside of him, it felt as if the pit itself might swallow him whole.
Richie knew where he was going. A place that brought him so much comfort, he didn't know what to do with it, or how to feel.
The clubhouse.
When Richie finally reached the patch of woods where the treehouse resides, he threw his bike onto a wet patch of leaves and grass. He flung open the clubhouse door with a "Bang!".
Stan being closest to the door, jumped at the sudden commotion.
"Richie?", Eddie asks, scraps of concern leaving his vocal cords and grasping at the air.
Richie didn't reply, no. He did something which he might regret later.
He hugged Eddie Kaspbrak.
He quite literally melted into the hug, embracing every second of it. He grasped onto the back of the boy's shirt as if he was going to vanish at any given minute. As he was doing this, he felt the pit in his stomach start to shrink. The pit was filled. Richie was whole once again, and all because of that boy.
———————————————————-

As Beverly was cleaning Richie's face, she tried to question him once more.
"Can you please tell me what happened, Rich?", she pleaded, only to be met with a slight nod.
She sighed in annoyance, glaring at the ignorant boy.
"Was it Bowers' gang? I know they're still messing with people even without Bowers around.", she says, trying to ease the boy into talking.
"Rich, why can't you j-j-just tell us why your nose was b-b-b-bleeding?", Bill asked for the hundredth time.
"Because I don't want to, and it doesn't even matter! So, can you guys just shut up about it?!"
The room goes silent to everyone but Richie.
All he can hear is the cries of his own regret and sorrow. They're yelling at him with a raspy, cold voice. It sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard.
"Sorry, it just slipped out. I'm not mad. I just don't wanna talk about it, okay?", he says, trying to be forgiven.
"I'm sorry, too, R-r-rich", Bill says.
"Yeah, me, too", Beverly nods in agreement.
"Just, tell us when you're ready. We're always here for you.", Ben says, giving the boy a reassuring smile as he taps his shoulder lightly.
The room is once again filled with silence. But to Richie, it's filled with the laughter of his own comfort and happiness.
Whenever something goes wrong, he always knew he could turn to the losers for comfort.
———————————————————-
A bit later in the day, when the patch of wet leaves which Richie had once thrown his bike onto was dry, the losers decided to go outside. They planned to go to a local gas station and buy slushies.
Richie, Eddie, Bill and Mike all got a blue slushee, Beverly and Ben purchasing a red one, and Stan ordering a coke flavored slushee (of course Bill had something to say of this.)
"R-r-really? I thought w-w-w-we talked about t-this", Bill says jokingly.
"Huh?"
"I s-said, how could y-y-you buy such a d-d-d-disgrace of a s-s-s-slushee flavor?!", Bill says, slapping Stan's arm.
"It's actually really good! Here, try it.",
He practically shoves the straw into Bill's mouth, cashing Bill to choke.
They both start to laugh uncontrollably, as the rest stare at the two.
"Is it just me or have they been acting.. strange?", Mike whispers into Ben's ear.
"Strange? You mean, stranger? They've always been strange. I mean, we all are in some way, you know?"
"Yeah, but this is different, Ben. I don't know how to explain it, it's just... I don't know.."
"What do you mean?"
"It's like... it makes me feel sort of... disoriented, I guess?"
The boy's honey eyes looked into the other's dark green ones. They gave one another a look and decided to end the conversation there, not knowing how to continue it.
———————————————————-
As the group left the gas station, Eddie's watched beeped at the same time it always does, but somehow, still managed to scare the boy.
"Jesus!", He whisper-screams.
"What's wrong, Eds?", Richie asks, looking at the boy with furrowed brows.
"Nothing, just this stupid, old watch! I don't wanna take these gazebos! I mean, what even is the point of them anymore?"
"Eds... you know you don't really have to take those, right? You know they do absolutely nothing.. your mom is just insane and she shoves these thoughts down your throat.. literally!", Richie says, almost sounding angry.
"I know, but she'll know if I don't take them! I don't wanna get in trouble again, Rich. It's not worth it.", Richie frowns at the sight of his best friend's face.
———————————————————-
"Hey, Mike..", Ben asks.
"Yeah?"
"About earlier...",
Mike looks at him with his eyebrows furrowed.
"Stan and Bill."
"Right. Yeah, what about them?"
"I was thinking about what you said.. and well, I think I might understand what you were trying to say."
"Really?"
"Mhm."
"Okay, shoot."
"I think that Stan and Bill's relationship is... evolving?"
"Evolving?!", Mike says too loud, causing the others to stare at him. He feels his face grow hot with embarrassment.
"What? What are you guys looking at?!"
"Uhhhh, you?", Richie says.
"No shit.", Eddie says sarcastically as he slaps the back of Richie's head.
Eventually, everyone resumes to their prior conversations.
"Anyways,", Ben continues, "I think their relationship is changing. Like, not in a friend way. Kind of like when Bill and Beverly kissed.. after the blood oath. They were just.. different. Does that make any sense at all?"
"Yeah. I get what you're saying. Maybe it's some sort of tension. But, you really think Stan and Bill are gay?", Mikes voice starts to fade, trying to avoid conflict from the others.
"I mean, I'd be absolutely fine with that, of course! I'll always love them no matter what, I just never figured they were.. you know.."
"Yeah, I guess so, but that's for them to decide."
Mike nods his head in agreement.
———————————————————-
Back at the clubhouse, Eddie and Richie were arguing over who's turn it was in the hammock.
In the end, the two ended up sharing the hammock as always.
Stan and Bill were talking about something random. Most likely about a new Tv show that had just came out, or what their plans for the rest of the summer were.
Ben, Mike and Beverly were playing a rather confusing game of charades.
Mike was running in place, his right arm folded like he was carrying something, and his left moving up and down in a running sort of motion.
Ben started laughing at the sight, along with Beverly.
"Guys! You're supposed to guess, not laugh!"
"Okay, Okay, i'll try.", Ben says.
"We can ask questions in this game, right?", Beverly asks.
"Yeah."
"Are you running from someone?"
"Uhh, kind of?"
"What do you mean?!"
"I guess not necessarily.. next question, please!"
"Are you holding something and if so, what?"
"Yes or no questions only! But yes, I am holding something.
"Are you holding a book?", Ben blurts.
"Yes."
"I think I know who you are! Are you Bastian Bux From "The Never Ending Story"?", Ben asks excitedly.
"Yes!"
Mike and Ben slap hands, celebrating Ben's 'victory'.
"Ugh, I suck at this!", Beverly says, throwing her hands in the air and slapping them on the sides of her legs once they fall back down.
"Sucking on what?!", Richie shouts from across the room, which is followed by laughter, a slapping noise and an "Ow!".
Beverly rolls her eyes at the boy.
"Your mom."
Everyone in the room starts to laugh at the girl's remark.
"Oh. My. God, Beverly! That's, like, disgusting!", Eddie yells, gagging.
"Come on, Eds! You gotta admit it, that was pretty funny and that's coming from me! The guy she just insulted, hello?!", Richie says, pulling at Eddie's arm.
"It wasn't funny and don't call me that!"
"Oh, you know you love it!"
"I don't!"
"Oh, my gosh! Can you guys stop flirting over there? Jeez, can never laugh in peace around here..", Stan says sarcastically.
"We are not flirting!", the two yell in sync.
Both of their faces heat up from a mixture of embarrassment and a feeling that the two can't describe or explain to anyone.
"Jeez, I was joking.. calm down!"
Richie rubs the back of his neck nervously, his palms sweaty.
            ———————————————————-
       Richie sat outside for the next 25 minutes.
He had become so lost in his own mind, he wasn't aware of his surroundings.
He felt as if he were floating in his own mind. Not moving, just simply sitting there.
The more he thought, the more and more peaceful it sounded to him.
If he could just escape from this horrible place called life, he could be like this.
Nothing but himself and his own thoughts.
No one to make fun of him, no one to tease him, no one to hit him.
After awhile, Mike came out of the clubhouse and sat next to Richie.
His honey eyes looked the boy up and down, almost as if he were scanning the raven-haired boy.
"Rich."
Richie flinches at his own name. He was so lost in his mind he hadn't realized Mike was there until he was called upon.
"Huh?"
"Are you okay? You've been out here for awhile.", he smiles comfortingly.
"Oh yeah, me? I'm okay. Just thinking about.. stuff, you know?"
"Richie? Thinking? Something is definitely wrong here. Do you feel okay?", Mike places his hand against the other's forehead, playfully checking his temperature.
Richie slaps his hand away, smirking.
"Seriously, Rich. Are you okay? You know you can talk to me about.. well, anything, really."
"Yeah, I know, Mikey", Richie says as he gets up, ruffling the boy's hair along his way.
"Hey!"
Richie climbs down into the clubhouse, Mike following after him.
"Oh, hey.", Beverly says.
"Hi, Bev."
"Weird..", she mumbles.
"Richie, I'm, like, really, really sorry. I shouldn't have.. said that. Are you alright?", Stan apologizes.
"Nah, it's fine! I shouldn't have been so uptight. You have nothing to be sorry for. If anything, i'm the one who should be apologizing. I yelled at you and then kinda disappeared. I just needed to think about some stuff. Anyway, it's fine. Really."
"You sure, Rich?"
"Yeah, i'm sure.", he says as he sends a reassuring smile Stan's way.
Richie walks over to the hammock where Eddie still hasn't moved, despite Beverly's attempts to urge him away from the hammock.
"Hey, Eds.. Right. Sorry. Eddie. Are you okay?"
"Oh, yeah i'm fine, Rich.", Eddie smiles a reassuring smile at Richie, to which he returns.
"Why did we even get so worked up over that? It's not like we were actually flirting! I mean, we both like girls, right?", Richie says, turning to look Eddie right in the eye.
"Yeah! That was stupid of us.", he replies, starting to nervously laugh. Soon, the whole room is filled with laughter as everyone is laughing at something different.
Richie smiles, finally being happy after such a rough, rainy day.