"Just By Chance." - Stanley Uris x Reader. (DISCONTINUED)

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍-𝐓𝐇𝐄-𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄

Stan stared at Richie and Richie stared back at Stan with the same thoughts. Neither one knew what to say in the moment. What was the best approach? How would they go by this? 

Stan was very very jealous, he knew that. He wanted to know exactly how and why Richie was in your living room and why he was hitting on you. You weren't his girlfriend, but you weren't Richie's either.

Right?

Richie was basically trying to think of any at least mundane excuse to this somewhat awkward encounter. There was no doubt that Stan was his best friend - even if they disagreed on some things. So to have both of them in that room with the person they obviously liked and were probably fighting for silently made things..weird.

After another silent moment of eye contact, Stan spoke up.

"I, uhh.. didn't know you were friends with (Y/n)." He said, in his obviously sarcastic town that anyone could recognise. He didn't want to go straight to the point yet. That'd make his crush on you obvious.

"We met up at the diner yesterday, yeah. She's cool." Richie gave Stan a half-assed answer, sounding like what he said meant nothing. (Even though he was basically shitting himself). Stan wasn't entirely happy with Richie's reply, but he knew he had to keep it cool.

"She is cool." He said again, and the two made eye contact once more. This time it was much longer and more meaningful. Stanley was trying his hardest to hide his discontent, but his eyes were having a hard time concealing how he felt. Richie knew Stan was jealous by the simple but threatening gaze his best friend was giving him. Stan had never been one to chase after a girl, so Richie hadn't seen this jealous side of him before. He would've been proud of his friend for being protective - but the only problem was that he likes said girl too.

"So, what are you doing here? I didn't know you knew where she lived." Stan finally decided to cut the bullshit and ask Richie why he was there. Richie tensed up.

"(Y/n), uhh.. she called me. It's personal stuff."

"How do you have (Y/n)'s number?"

"Doesn't matter - the point is I'm here."

"How long have you been here?"

"Maybe half an hour? I don't know, dude. Stop interrogating me."

"I'm not interrogating you." Stan's replies were just as quick and impulsive as Richie's as they bickered enviously back and fourth.

"Well, you're acting like she's your girlfriend or something!"

"What if she is?"

Everything went quiet when Stan said the last sentence and Richie's sudden thought train stopped. Stan didn't know why he said it, but in the heat of the moment he blurted it out even though he knew it wasn't true. He liked you, sure, but saying something like that probably wasn't right. He didn't understand why Richie would be interested in pursuing you, but all of this was coming to him too fast and he was just trying to make sense of it all. Apparently you met with him at the diner yesterday? Was that planned? You got his number? And you told him 'personal stuff'?

How close were they?

"..Is she?" Richie asked in a somewhat hurt tone. He had been told by you that you and Stan weren't dating, but what if you were lying? What if he was chasing someone who was in a relationship with his damn best friend?

"W--Well, I--"

Footsteps echoed from the other room and suddenly you appeared with tissues and bandaids. You walked back into the room and towards Stan, whose gaze eventually moved to you after death glaring Richie once more. Your eyes stared into his with a worried look as you examined his cuts once more.

"You're strong for being able to put up with him, Stan. He hurt you pretty badly."

You got one of your tissues slightly damp with water and gently pressed it up against Stan's lip, guiding it across the cut with as little force possible. It stung, but it wasn't terrible.

"Well, I guess I kinda deserved it for beating the shit out of him before." Stan replied to you with a calm tone, almost as if he hadn't just been fighting with Richie. Richie listened intently to the conversation.

 You were able to wipe off the blood on Stan's lip and you got a good look at the cut that extended from the top of his bottom lip down to the start of his chin. It wasn't bleeding anymore, but it was visible.

"That'll have to do." You said, dropping the tissue in the bin and grabbing another. You did the same technique to a few of his other cuts that were minor and would go away in a day or two. Then you moved onto the larger cuts, which weren't many at all, but the more visible ones. There was one that was near a bruise on the side of his cheek that you cleaned and ended up using a bandaid on. You couldn't do anything about the bruise, but you were able to fix up his cuts so that they weren't very visible to someone far away. When you finished, you placed your tissues in the bin and gave Stan a small smile, indicating that you were done. Stan looked over at Richie who stared at him with an almost jealous glare. He wasn't someone who found satisfaction in that kinda stuff, but he wanted to let Richie know that he liked you. So he stood up and gave you a small but comforting hug that you returned gladly.

"I got really worried about you. I know we met a little while ago, but I really did feel like you left me."

You said those words quietly in his ear so that only he could hear it. You didn't want Richie to hear, because it'd be a bit embarrassing, so you said it softly. Stan smiled and slowly pulled back from the hug. He mumbled something that Richie couldn't hear.

"I wouldn't do that." He said, not letting go of the gentle grip he had on your shoulders. You felt relieved to know that Stan wasn't mad at you for 'standing him up', even though you had a reason as to why he wasn't there in the first place. Richie saw Stan's lips move but couldn't read what he was saying. He got a little scared and stood up, slowly making his way towards you two with a tiny but anxious and fake smile.

"Why don't we pick up where we left off? We can go to the diner now, if you want.."

Stan finally let go of your shoulders and smiled at you as he spoke. Richie finally walked over and heard what Stan was proposing. He felt something well up within him. He had to do something.

"Yeah, It'd be so cool to go as a three! How about we all go?" Richie said, intervening into the conversation. Stan gave him another glare, but Richie's eyes were focused on you. You looked..anxious?

"I, umm, I mean--I would, but.."

Stan heard the hesitation in your voice and his smile faded as he looked down at your expression.

"I'm, uhh, waiting for my mom to get home.. I need to make sure she's okay."

Stan felt a little disappointed, but decided not to go any further. Why'd you have to make up an excuse like that?

"..Oh, umm, okay." He said, dejectedly. Richie said nothing.

Suddenly, someone opened the door and you jerked your head around at the noise. The others followed your gaze as your door opened.

You were suddenly filled with anxiousness, hoping it was your mother but also not hoping that at all. What would she do if she saw two boys alone with you in the apartment?

You gulped as the person walked inside.

But when you were met with the eyes of Beverly Marsh, you felt relieved but also very very embarrassed.

Bev walked in and first took in the room before scanning the place to find you. When she turned to the kitchen and saw you, Stan and Richie, her eyes widened and so did yours.

Everything was dead silent for a moment as everyone stared at eachother.

Richie was the first to start to leave. He gave you a little salute before speeding towards the door and walking past Beverly, closing the door behind him. After Richie left, Stan looked at you, cringing. This was embarrassing.

"I, uhh, I'll go too. I'll call you if I need to, uhh, bye--"

Stan sped past Beverly as she stood in front of the door with her mouth hanging agape. When Stan left the room and it was just you and her, that's when Beverly started to freak out.