mixtape (reddie)

Chapter 24

Stan and Ben talk excitedly by the ticket booth, the two boys spiraling out on dead-end conversations about the geometrics of the library and how beautifully precise all of the measurements are.

Richie stands behind Stan, carrying the boy's messenger bag while keeping track of the fourth member of today's party.

Eddie is perched at the concessions stand, leaning against the counter in a way that requires him standing on his tiptoes. The boy smiles as he talks to the employee, his face lighting up as he nods. Richie is too far away, but he knows the routine of the movies well enough to know that Eddie was accepting butter on the popcorn.

"Right, Richie?" Stan then asks.

Richie snaps out of it, bringing his eyes over to the two he's currently with. What were they talking about again? Just nod and say yeah, that's all they want to hear.

Richie nods, "Yeah."

Stan agrees once more before bringing up another point in his case. Ben listens intently, much more attentively than Richie. As if he's dismissed from the conversation, Richie's eyes immediately float back to where Eddie is at, the small boy struggling to balance two large popcorns in his toothpick arms.

Richie moves quickly, coming over to rescue the boy from a buttery meltdown. Eddie looks up in relief, smiling at Richie and adjusting his fannypack, his arms thankful to be free. Richie holds them easily, although his fingers begin to slip at the sight of Eddie's smile.

"You ready to get your mind blown, freak?" Eddie asks with glee in his tone.

"You wish, Kaspbrak," Richie rolls his eyes fondly.

When Richie Tozier woke up this morning, he wanted nothing more than to be with someone. Anyone. Even Henry The Fucking Asshole would have sufficed.

He called Bill first, feeling significantly closer to the boy after their truth session at the quarry. Bill declined though as he has a speech therapy appointment later today. Then, Richie called Mike, but once again he was shot down. Mike has to prepare the animals and the crops for wintertime, and he rattles off a chore list longer than Richie's lanky limbs. So, as his safe bet, Richie called Stan and finally sighed in relief when someone accepted. But then...

Richie looks back down at Eddie Kaspbrak, his heart bending and tugging at the seams. How did Eddie end up being invited? Who let this happen? Was it Stan? Was Stan being evil?

Stan doesn't have it in him to be evil, dipshit.

"I'm glad you're here," Richie says first, his eyes fixated on not moving from one spot in time.

Eddie looks up with a shocked expression, and then quickly averts his gaze elsewhere when he feels himself burning up. "Whatever. Idiot."

Eddie walks away quickly, his shoulders hunched up and tense. Richie sighs, kicking his boot against his ankle until he can feel the skin tingle with numbness. He keeps doing this as punishment for being stupid until Ben looks over and summons Richie to follow them to the box office.

The horror film that they choose to see is absolutely terrible. The effects are cheesy, the acting is subpar, and the soundtrack is the worst disco imaginable. Stan jumps at every scare, burying his face into Richie's shoulder and trying to avoid the haunted scenes. Richie pays the bare minimum of attention, mainly just rubbing Stan's shoulder and whispering promises of safety into the boy's curly hair.

"It's okay, Stan. It's just a movie, love. Ghosts aren't real, okay? You're safe with me," he whispers quietly in an attempt to build some kind of safety for his new best friend. He wants to be that comfortable place where people run to, and for Stan, he wants to be that place where the boy sees birds in every corner of his life.