ethereal : it oneshots

one universe off

pairing: stozier 

a/n: richie's the one who got caught in the deadlights, and no, no one had to kiss him for him to get better. also deadlights work differently logistically.

in between/stuck behind a tv screen/in somebody else's dream/trying to let you know

when they asked, all heads cocked and shoulders leaning in, what richie saw in the deadlights, he didn't exactly tell the truth.

he didn't lie, either: he'd seen them, all of them, older, together, and he'd seen how happy ben and beverly had been side by side, and he'd seen bill's leadership prevail. but he saw something else too. well, a lot of something elses. his working theory was that they'd been universes, multiple different universes where the seven of them had still found each other, and the stupid clown had still found them. he'd only told stanley about his theory, but he'd left the most important fact out. he'd told him things were only slightly different. there was one where they'd all been girls, one where bill hated eddie, one where beverly was blonde, etc. but one had repeated, endlessly, in richie's mind. 

it was a series of moments, but it always started the same way. 

the sun poured in through the blinds, and richie grabbed his glasses from his nightstand, watching as dust particles flew through the air towards his empty doorway. the door was ajar, and richie knew somehow that neither of his parents were home. as he rolled over to his other side, he found stanley. 

stanley was lying next to him, eyes shut peacefully, sleeping with his mouth just open enough for richie to feel his breath on his skin. he was beautiful. lit up like a beacon home, and richie couldn't resist himself. he reached forward, using his forefinger to wipe at the inner corner of stan's eyes. he picked out sleep from between stan's eyelashes.

stan mumbled, "what's that for?" 

"you've got sleep gunk in your eyes." richie smiled as stanley laughed at him, opening his eyes. richie let his hand linger by stan's face. 

"shut up." stan reached a hand forward, shutting his eyes again and pulling richie closer to him. he kissed him, pausing just long enough for richie's heart to skip a beat or two.

they parted, but not too far, stan's arm now holding richie close. richie took his own arm, awkwardly positioned between the two of them, and started drawing on stan's shoulder. 

"i love you," stan whispered.

"i love you too."

the idea of this universe had given richie a headache, then a heartache, and then a stomachache. in that order. stanley, so tender towards richie, loving him without hesitation. it was enough to make him want a lobotomy. they'd been so happy, and the feeling had been so strong that as he'd come out of the deadlights, he'd wished he could go back. then he'd fought a clown. 

he longed to know stanley like that in this universe. he wanted it so badly to be this universe. 

in this universe, stanley was slowly destroying himself, and richie had to watch. 

- 

"c'mon, this is eddie's last time doing a movie night. you have to come," richie pleaded, stanley grinding his teeth as he stared away from all of them.

"i... i can't come, i'm sorry." stanley looked up to richie, and richie sniffled—half because it was dusty in the clubroom, and half because he could see how sunken in stanley's eyes had become. stan shuffled his feet, playing with his backpack strap like he could care less.