IT (Richie Tozier X Reader)

-'☆》𝟗《☆'-

The first night was the worst. I collapsed into bed a just sobbed as the day's events came spiraling back. I eventually fell asleep stayed that way until my brother got home. I hadn't bothered to change so all he saw when he peeked through my cracked open bedroom door was his little sister face down and bleeding. He had rushed in so fast and grabbed me, shaking me in an attempt to wake me up. He was convinced I was dead until I tried pushing him away. He ended up dragging me to the hospital, parking right next to Mrs. K's car. I told them it was a bobcat and they didn't think anything of it, stitching up my back up. My fingers were more complicated, however. They decided I needed surgery, saying something about a break at the joint and the finger potentially staying deformed. They put me under and put some screws or something. I didn't really pay attention. When I got home late that night I went right back to my room, crying to I Started A Joke by the Bee Gees on my walkman.

Weeks passed slowly, Stan's bar mitzvah coming and going. Richie and I sat together watching the shit show happen. I still spoke to Richie every night on the phone. It didn't quite feel the same without the group but I was just happy to have Richie. Sometime in August, he invited me to come to the arcade, and I agreed. He came over to my house and rode us to the arcade, my fingers still in a splint. And that leads us to what's going on now. I lean on the side of the machine as Richie plays Street Fighter. He's basically button-mashing with a giant smile on his face as I notice Bill come in frantically.  He makes eye contact with me and jogs over.

"Richie, Y/n!" He calls. Richie spares him a glance before looking back to the game.

"What do you want? See that guy im hitting? Im pretending it's you." Richie huffs, breathing heavily as he focuses on the game.

"I-I-I-It got Beverly." My hands fly to my mouth as it drops open in shock.

"You're kidding," I respond as Richie barely bats an eye.

"What are you talking about?" Richie sighs, fingers pressing frantically into different buttons.

"It, Richie. It got Beverly." Bill responds. Richie presses a few more buttons before pausing, turning away from the game thats still going. They stare at each other in silence until Richie nods. Bill looks at me and I nod. Bill races out again, looking for a phone. Richie turns to me and we just stare before he hugs me, pulling me to him tightly. We leave the arcade quickly, hopping on his bike and meeting up with the rest of the group. I clutch onto Richie as best as I can as the group speeds down the streets and up to the Neibolt House. A shiver runs down my spine as we walk past the gate.

"Guys, spikes." Bill points at the broken-off fence lying on the floor. Eddie throws his fanny pack and Richie steps forward, grabbing a bottle. He holds his free arm in front of his face before smashing the bottle down on the railing. All thats left is a tiny nub. He sighs and tosses it to the side. We all enter the house slowly, glancing around at the familiar entrance. We're all trying to keep up the confidence when Ben notices Stan still at the door.

"Stan?" He just stands there, his feet not even touching the doorway. We all stare at him as Bill steps forward.

"Stan, we all have to go." He says. "Be-Bev-Beverly was right. If we split up like last time, that clown will kill us off one by one. But if we st-stick t-t-together, all of us, we'll win. I promise." Stan's jaw quivers before he steps in. We all walk forward again, following Bill down to the well. We all gather around it, Bill shining his flashlight on it.

"Hey, Y/n, you got a quarter?" Richie asks, starting down the well. I simply pull two from my pocket, flicking one into the well and handing the other to Richie. "Well, shit. I didn't expect you to actually have one." He chuckles, flicking it into the well. I just smile and lightly punch his arm with my good hand.