Tight-Knit Family| Richie Tozier

34-

August 2016-

Richie had been on tour for four months and in that time, Eddie had been super-dad of the century. Both girls had become sick during June and were out with the flu for two weeks. Eddie had had to step up and look after them—— Richie usually being the parent to look after the girls when sick due to Eddie's hypochondria that he just couldn't get rid of. He'd gotten the flu too but still managed to clean the house and prepare meals and make sure the girls were doing their school work.

Richie's tour was concluding in New York and Eddie had planned a trip to surprise him at his last show. So, on the day before leaving to catch their flight, Eddie, Willow and Aurora are all going on a hike with Charlie——who will be looked after by Maggie and Wentworth when they go away.

"Come on, girls!" Eddie says as he jogs up a hill, Charlie running beside him. He turns to look at his daughters, who are desperately trying to keep up. Eddie chuckles.

"Papa slow down!" Willow coughs as they finally reach him." I'm 11, not a superhero!"

"I'm forty and I'm more in shape than you two. God you both take after your dad." Eddie chuckles as Aurora coughs slightly." You okay?"

"I'm okay. Let's keep going." Aurora breathes out. Eddie grins.

They continue their hike, the girls joking around with Eddie, and then they eventually get home and each take a shower, the girls changing into their pyjamas. Before Eddie starts on dinner, the three sit in the living room, all crowding around his laptop as they Skype Richie.

"Hello!" Richie greets cheerfully. He's in his dressing room, Steve sat beside him and his assistant Alyssa standing behind them, waving.

"Hi! Hi uncle Steve!" The girls greet. They get on really well with Steve.

"Hi girls." Steve greets.

"When do you go onstage, dad?" Aurora asks, making Richie check his watch.

"Due on in fifteen minutes so we gotta make this a quick one tonight, I'm afraid!" Richie explains and the girls nod.

Eddie barely talks and he hates the fact that he can't get a word in, but the girls are so enthusiastic so he just sits back and smiles. Richie glances at him through the screen, and Eddie smiles even more.

"Can you let your dad talk for a second girls?" Richie asks as he's notified he has five minutes until he has to be onstage. The girls stop talking and everyone looks at Eddie.

"We can't FaceTime tomorrow, I'm afraid. We're busy." Eddie says and Richie looks slightly disappointed." Oh and I love and miss you."

"Love and miss you too, honey. Okay I gotta go. Byeeeee!" Richie says as Steve stands up.

"Byeeeeee!" The girls repeat and Richie chuckles before he hangs up.

The rest of the night is filled with them having dinner and Eddie making sure everything is packed so they don't have to mess around in the morning. They're leaving at 10am so they can be there around 3pm so they can have lunch, check out the hotel and surprise Richie after his show.

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Richie sits in his dressing room before his last show of this tour, playing his ukulele, him, Steve and Alyssa yelling Man or Muppet and laughing. Richie enjoys going on tour. He misses his family but he isn't supervised whilst away on tour so he can drink and get high with Steve and Alyssa. Steve and Alyssa are two of Richie's favourite people in the world. He's known Steve for about 20 years and he's known Alyssa for 10. Steve leans his head on Richie's shoulder as they both laugh, Steve snorting slightly, making Richie and Alyssa laugh harder.