cash in. (au story)

chapter 33; distance brings fondness.

richie sat on his bed, face in his hands. he stared at the floor. his gaze didn't break as his window cracked open.

"oh, well fuck, i was hoping i wouldn't find you here," eddie commented, dropping into the room. he shut the window and stared at richie curiously. "rich?" the boy walked over to richie. "richie!"

"huh?" richie whispered, jumping slightly and looking up at eddie.

"woah- what's wrong?" he asked, noticing richie's puffy red face.

"why are you here..?" richie whispered. eddie sat next to him.

"i was worried. you wouldn't pick up the phone.. or answer my texts. i looked around for you and this was my third guess." richie nodded and put his gaze back at the floor. "hey, what's wrong?"

"i.." he whispered. richie looked over at eddie with tears in his eyes and a distressed look. "my dad died."

"oh," eddie mumbled. "i'm so sorry for your loss." richie looked at the floor. "come here.."

eddie pulled richie into a hug, who started to cry.

"it's not fair," he squeaked, sobbing into eddie's chest. eddie sucked in a breath and hugged richie as hard as he could.

"you don't deserve this.."

"then why is it happening?! why can't i be happy?!" he screamed, sobbing.

"shh, it's okay, richie. it's okay."

"how do you know?!" richie yelped.

"i've been through it too."

"you were little! sorry but that's a big fucking difference!" richie cried.

"i know. i know. but i've lived my whole life without my dad. and it sucks. so i'm here. i'm here for you. i'm gonna help you."

"maybe start by shutting up.." richie uttered, hugging eddie tighter to show he didn't mean it. eddie smiled slightly and rubbed richie's back as he cried.

"hey it's okay," said eddie after ten minutes and once richie sat up, still crying, "the losers and i are here for you. a few of us have gone through this too. i've lost my dad, bev's lost her mom, mike lost both of his parents, your not alone in this fight. we're all here for you."

"thanks, eds.." richie whispered, sniffing and wiping his face.

"yeah."

rich >>> kev

rich: i uh cant come to work today

kev: why? updaaatess??

rich: my dad passed last night

kev: oh, fuck, im so sorry richie

rich: thanks kev

kev: okay well i'm here if you need me, come back whenever you feel you can

rich: ok

kev: hope you feel better soon

rich: lmao thanks

- 1:37 AM; SATURDAY -

"hey!" eddie said, entering through richie's window. richie sat on his bed, clearly upset. he walked over to richie, setting something on the mattress, and cupped the boy's face. "it's okay. i brought movies?"

richie slightly smiled. "okay.."

"let's watch until the sun comes up," eddie suggested sweetly, sitting on richie's bed and next to him.

the two watched movies until they were both out like lights.

richie didn't go to work for a few days. he stayed home, either with maggie, eddie, one of the losers, or himself. it was nice to get away from the pharmacy for a bit, but he felt guilty leaving kevin alone even though the boy was desperate to hire people and clearly needed help there.

richie wondered how kevin was doing. and quite honestly, he missed him. the only good part about work.

- WEDNESDAY -

"NO! uughh!!" kevin groaned, putting his hands in his hair.

"i don't believe you should be talking to your damn customers like that!"

"I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD BE DUMPING OUR FUCKING MEDICINE IN THE TRASH!"

"do NOT scream at me!"

"oh my god," kevin whispered. "GET OUT OF MY STORE."

"GLADLY! i'm giving this place a one stare rating!"

"GO A-FUCKING-HEAD, MA'AM. GET. OUT."

every customer stared at kevin, who fought back sobs as he put his face in his hands and had his elbows rested on the counter.

kevin was losing it without richie. the past few days were awful. he didn't know if it was the same when richie worked at the register, but customers were all sour and rude and always screaming.

it was too much. kevin was already physically exhausted from not sleeping for two days, clearly he wasn't doing well as it was. and oh, the rude customers as a cherry on top!

he sniffed and picked his head up to take the next lady, who was calmer and he appreciated that. she wished him a good rest of his day and left, and he nodded.

kev >> rich

kev: how are u doing

rich: better, im coming to work tomorrow so thats something

kev: YOU ARE?? THANK FUCKKKKK

rich: i feel so honored 🥹🥹🥹

kev: 😭😭

kevin set his phone down and let out a sigh of relief, taking deep breaths, drinking some water, and waiting for the clock to hit 1:00 AM.

- THURSDAY -

once it had, kevin drove home, basically asleep. he was so busy with working by himself that he wouldn't eat or sleep. he was just trying to keep his life together, and trying to take care of his drunk dad whenever he was home made that harder.

he couldn't seem to get his mind off of his mother, either. being back in is bedroom made him physically ill. he could still see his mother, molly, in his arms, blood stained all over her, the soul taken out of her body. he remembered the sick "prank" his father pulled by making him dump his mother's ashes to make it seem like he hadn't killed her, and honestly just to make kevin suffer more.

life at home was difficult. richie brought that weight off of his shoulders. but he hadn't seen the boy in a week, and he had officially lost himself.

kevin cried for five hours long, once again, not sleeping. he felt terrible. depressed. it seemed as though there would be no way of getting out of this dark hole any time soon.