cash in. (au story)

chapter 24; piecing it together.

richie left the pharmacy after the shift, getting stanley's address and biking over.

once he arrived, he texted stanley so that he didn't disturb his sleeping family. stan opened the door for richie and they quietly made their way up to stanley's room.

stan closed the door and richie plopped right on the floor, sighing.

"thanks for letting me over," richie said. stanley nodded.

"it's no problem. i really wanted to talk about this with someone, i'm honestly kinda glad you experienced it too. wait no-" stanley rambled.

richie chuckled. "i get what you're saying."

stanley sighed and sat in front of richie on the floor. "how many encounters have you had?"

"two."

"when, and what were they?"

"ehm.. saturday but like- early in the morning, i was in the woods and texting beverly when i randomly started hearing rustling in the trees. it said something along the lines of 'richie, help, it's eddie, i'm stuck' but when i went to check, it just started screaming and calling me shitty things and.. basically like- harassing my biggest fear and secret, i guess."

"holy shit.." stanley mumbled. "a-and the other one?"

"it was about ten minutes before you texted me. but, i was out buying shit for my friend kevin as a therapy snack, and then my mom started to chase me, so i ran until i found my childhood cliff that had a rope attached to one of the rocks, and i jumped off and grabbed onto the rope. i watched maggie-my mom-jump off and hit one of the rocks and die. but then it came out of no where, told me it was all in my head, and suddenly, i was back outside on the sidewalk before getting chased," richie explained. stanley's eyes were wide and eyebrows were furrowed as he listened closely.

"that's.."

"terrifying," richie finished with a slight chuckle.

"yeah. even if it was fake, i'm sorry you had to see that."

"it'a alright. what was your encounter, though?" asked richie.

"well, i was downstairs reading when suddenly the lights all went out. it was terrifying, because i'm really afraid of the dark. i don't usually like to tell people that, but i am. and then, this woman, i-i don't know how to explain it.. she came out of the darkness as if she had peeled out of the painting in my father's office. and she started crawling to me, but i got up and ran to a light switch as soon as i could. but every fucking time i turned it back off, she'd be closer. and closer. and closer. so i dropped the book and ran up here and hid for the rest of the day," explained stanley.

"oh my god.. that's quite literally straight out of a horror movie," richie said. stanley nodded. "was she hot?"

"no, richie, she was not hot."

"just askin'!" richie yelped, throwing his hands up in defense.

"her face was all deformed.. and.. it was just scary. she had millions of teeth, as well. i can see if i'd be able to show you the painting, i just don't trust going down there anymore."

"i mean, that's understandable. so what i'm getting from this is that.. whatever this is.. is picking on our fears and secrets and using them against us," richie figured. stanley nodded slowly.

"i mean, that's what it sounds like. if your encounter was this.. monster.. thing.. harassing your secrets and fears, and so was mine, then.. maybe that's just what it does."

"god, but why us?" richie uttered.

"i don't know. the only thing we can do is just hope this thing stops, or at least stops at us. i don't want anybody else having to go through these encounters," stanley said.

"yeah, me neither," agreed richie.

"maybe.. pointing out our secrets and fears would help it go away? you know, just claiming them and opening up about them to the people you love and trust?"

richie swallowed hard. "you think that's what it is?"

"what do you mean?"

"do you think.. that maybe the only reason we're being targeted is because we have fears and secrets that we've never shared?"

"honestly.." said stanley, "maybe."

"well, that's not good," richie sighed. "i wasn't ever planning on telling a single soul about mine. and i accidentally did two days ago and the person i told started acting weird."

"do you.. wanna tell me who?"

"eddie."

stanley nodded. "if you're comfortable; what'd you tell him?"

"do you promise me that you won't hate me? make a big deal?" richie asked, knowing he won't trust stanley either way. not after how eddie reacted with his secret.

"i promise. nothing you say will ever change my view on you."

"okay.. well uh.. so- i'm.. gay..? y-yeah. i'm not straight. and uh.. i-i told eddie, and he just started acting weird."

stanley nodded. "well, i'm happy for you! i am too, actually."

"really?!" richie asked, looking at stan with hope. stanley smiled and nodded, eyebrows raised.

"and you know what? so is eddie."

"wait, is he actually?"

"he's bi. but he likes a boy." richie swallowed hard. he wanted to convince himself that he was the one eddie liked, but he knew damn well he wasn't good enough for that.

"um.. do-do you know who?"

stanley chuckled. "you know them."

"so it's someone in our friendgroup?"

"the losers club, you could say. and yeah."

"losers club?" richie snickered.

"henry bowers gave us that name. didn't you go to the same school as us? you should know that," stanley laughed. richie smiled.

"yeah, i did. losers club. got it."

"yeah. back to who eddie likes, i'd say the guy's pretty funny, kinda obnoxious, has big ass glasses that don't even fit his damn face."

richie furrowed his eyebrows and looked up at stanley. "no fucking way."

"i think his name is.. uh.. richie tozier?" stanley said with a smirk. richie shook his head violently.

"no. no. there's no way in hell."

"he told me himself. and i promised him i would get you two together some day. so technically, i'm not telling you his secret behind his back, because he's okay with me telling you."

richie chuckled. "good to know my secret's safe with you."

"it won't be much of a secret if you ask him out and the losers all know you're dating."

"i still can't get over you calling them losers."

"yeah, we gotta get together sometime and clarify that," he chuckled.

"so.. eddie likes me?" stanley nodded largely. "huh."

"and i think you should try and make a move."

richie sucked in a breath. "you know, maybe i will?"

stanley smiled proudly. "did you want to stay here overnight or do you have to be home?"

"i'm good with staying here."

"alright. wanna call your parents?"

"no." stanley tilted his head. "sorry. it's just late and they're asleep, they don't like to be woken up, y'know? no body does."

"true. well, okay then," stanley sighed.

the two settled off to sleep, richie finally getting the chance to.