(Richie Tozier x maleoc!) Denial can be a most useful, temporary shield. Unfortunately, such flimsy armor will not last a lifetime. It is best to face your past, and do so quickly, before your past returns to face you.
In which Richie Tozier falls i...
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The first date had been innocent enough; a movie, ice cream, and a timid hand hold on the way home. The second had, in the typical teenage fashion, thrown all the previous shyness out the window. They had gone to the only record shop in town, Nate had brought Daniel a copy of A Kind Of Magic by Queen, and then they had disappeared into the forest of Derry to make-out. It wasn't long before Nate asked about Daniel's missing finger, to which he lied that a stray dog bit it off (while he was totally rescuing Richie from being mauled to death, he added).
Daniel hadn't been this happy in a long time. He was giddy with the knowledge that he could care for someone in a truly romantic way, and not feel like there was something wrong with him. Though he felt accepted and validated, there was a sour note to his joy. Richie seemed further away then ever. They'd talk during class, but nothing like they used to. There was a gap growing between them, and no matter what Daniel did, Richie kept expanding it.
That's why Daniel was surprised when he found Richie talking to Nate at the school gates. Richie looked a little disgruntled as he spoke, keeping his hands at his sides as if they were frozen there.
"What's going on?" Daniel asked as he approached them.
"Nothing, just the standard best friend check," Richie answered with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Go have fun rubbing dicks, or whatever it is you gaybo's do."
It took all of Daniel's strength not to kick him as he walked passed, returning to the school building to wait for Ben. They had been walking home together a lot, mainly because Ben insisted on it. He could see that something was bothering Richie, and though he tried not to pry, he figured that just keeping him company was a way of showing support.
"What did he say to you?" Daniel said anxiously.
Nate gave Daniel a small smile and held out his hand. "Nothing really. Just sussing me out."
"Great..." Daniel took his hand, a little reluctantly since they were still outside of the school. Nate had never been shy about hand holding or hugging in public, which was quite odd considering how taboo it was in Derry to be gay. Still, Nate's confidence was slowly starting to rub off on Daniel; he liked that he could look at himself in the mirror now and not hate what he saw.
"It's alright," Nate laughed, leading him down the path and apparently oblivious to the weird stares that they were receiving. "He's just trying to be a good friend."
"I don't know...I personally think he's just trying to piss me off."
"Yeah, well, that too."
Nate lead them to a small river in the forest. They sat down near the bank and watched the water rush between the trees. Daniel leaned over and pressed a his lips against Nate's, but the when the boy kissed back he seemed distracted.
Daniel pulled away with a frown. "What is it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Something's wrong, I can feel it," Daniel replied with a twinge of dread. "It's Richie, isn't it? What did he say?"
"It doesn't matter..."
"It does to me."
Nate's gaze fixed on the thick grove of trees beyond them, as if they might provide the appropriate answer. When they didn't he sighed defeatedly and answered, "He was telling me about your...condition."
"Condition?"
"Yeah, the seizures," Nate said a little awkwardly, like he wasn't certain how to talk about such a thing. "He wanted me to look into it. So I can help you if it happens around me."
Daniel averted his eyes from Nate's, wringing his hands together and trying to fight off the embarrassment. "Fuck's sake...sometimes I wish he'd just mind his own business."
"No, I'm glad he told me. I just wish I'd heard it from you instead."
"And what was I suppose to say? 'Hey, yeah I'd love to make out but I might have a fucking seizure at any moment?' You would have run for the hills."
Nate scoffed with an air of amusement and cupped Daniel's face in his hands. "Nah, I'm braver than you think."
Daniel leaned into his gentle touch, but somehow couldn't stop his mind from roaming to an altogether different set of hands; warmer and rougher from the adventures of youth. "You're gonna have to be to deal with my friends."
Nate moved a little closer, his lips hovering only inches from Daniel's. "I think I'll manage."
Their lips met again, and this time it held fire within. They were testing the waters; experimenting as teenagers often did. Nate caught Daniel's bottom lip between his teeth and earned a surprise moan. He thought he had never heard a sound so beautiful in his life. Daniel raked his fingernails gently along Nate's arms and he shivered in response.
Nate pulled away, almost breathless as he stared at the other boy. "Go to the prom with me."
It had come out of nowhere, and Daniel was so high from their kids that he had barely understood what Nate had said. "What?"
"Prom. Let's go together."
Daniel's entire expression turned blank. He still wasn't sure that he had heard him right...and so he laughed. "Good one."
"I'm being serious, Dan. It's the last event of the school year, why not give them something to talk about?"
"I'd prefer not to be the target of their ridicule."
"Come on, it'll be fun. Who gives a fuck what they think anyway?"
Daniel sighed. He had spent all this time trying to unravel his true self...and now he was slinking back into the darkness. If he was so sick of all the lying and hiding then why was he hesitating?
"You're right," Daniel finally said. He was sick of pretending. It took every ounce of strength to force the words out, but he had to. He had every right to go to prom with his own date, and to enjoy it without fear of being targeted. "I'll go on one condition."
"Anything." Nate was gleaming with unbridled excitement.
