✓ | LOSERS CLUB → richie tozier ¹

eight

RICHIE TOZIER woke up with Ashley Brenner in his arms and almost had a heart attack.

"Holy fuck!" He shrieked, and then freed a hand to clap it over his mouth as she stirred, her eyes slowly flickering open.

"Richie?" She yawned, and he reluctantly unraveled his arms from her waist as she sat up, brushing her long hair out of her face.

"Where are your parents. . ." She trailed off as she saw his face go stony.

"Out." He said shortly, and rubbed his face with his hands, dropping them to his sides.

"Sorry." She said, and he shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'm used to it."

The phone rang, and he moved to get it before she stopped him. "Let me get it."

Before he could protest, she had already stood and was walking towards the kitchen, like she knew exactly what to do, and Richie mumbled under his breath, "Women."

He heard her pick up the phone, assuming it was Bill, and then heard her say brightly, "Hey, Eds!"

He choked on his own spit. So she called him Eds now?

He knew he should have gotten the phone.

"Because stuff happened with my mom last night." He heard her speak into the receiver, and knew Eddie had probably asked why she was picking up Richie's phone.

"It doesn't matter. What's up?" She waited, and then said, "Right now?"

Richie quietly stood and went over to the door leading to the kitchen, leaning against the wall and watched her talk.

Eddie said something, and Richie could faintly hear the word 'gorgeous' come out of the phone, and gritted his teeth as Ash's face went pink and she grinned, saying, "Okay, okay, I was just asking."

She laughed and listened some more as Richie resisted the urge to reach through the phone and strangle Eddie.

God, why the fuck could he make he smile when he called her gorgeous and not Richie? How could he make her laugh, just like that?

"Okay, we'll be right over. See you, Eddie."

She hung up the phone, smiling to herself, and turned to go back into the living room, stumbling backwards a few steps as she saw Richie.

"God, Tozier, you scared the shit-"

"Yeah, whatever." He cut across her flatly. "Are we leaving now, or what?"

Her brow creased as her eyes roamed over his face. "Are you okay?"

He jerked his head in a nod. "I'm fine. Let's get ready, we don't want to keep Eddie waiting."

He hoped she couldn't detect the snideness in his tone, and felt the slightest twinge of guilt as her eyes cast downward. "Alright then."

A few minutes later, they were both dressed and ready, and as they left the house, Ash said, "Shit! I forgot my fucking bike!"