polaroid ▸ r. tozier

05

A/N richie is a bit OOC and it's annoying me, but not to worry, once i edit i'll fix him up!

-

"richie! where are you taking me?" (y/n) asked exasperatedly as richie dragged her by the hand through derry.

it had only been a couple of minutes since she'd told him about her encounter with the clown, and it seemed as if he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"almost there." he said resolutely, tugging her closer to him gently.

(y/n) then saw the house that she recognized to be bill's, having ridden by a couple of times on her way to take some photos on the outskirts of town.

(y/n)'s free hand flew to her neck and she groaned when she realized her camera wasn't sitting around it carefully, the familiar weight gone from her chest.

"what is it?" richie asked, shooting her a concerned look.

wow. he really seems to care.

"nothing important. aren't we at bill's place now?" she gestured to the large house to their left and they walked up the driveway. richie pressed the doorbell with his free hand.

wait. he hasn't let go of my hand yet.

(y/n) could feel her face start to heat up as she considered the very unrealistic possibility that he actually did in fact want to hold her hand some more. she knew she certainly wanted him to.

bill opened the door.

"h-h-hi g-guys." he stuttered, then catching sight of their hands clasped together between them and (y/n) wearing richie's shirt before smirking.

it took a while for richie to realize why bill was looking at them smugly and when he did, he blushed the deepest shade of red imaginable.

this did not go unnoticed by (y/n), who could feel her face still blazing and they awkwardly retracted their hands.

"shut up bill." richie muttered. bill's smirk grew even wider at the lack of comeback from the boy.

"i-i d-didn't s-s-say a-anything." richie just barged past him and into his house, making sure to hit his shoulder on the way through.

(y/n) smiled sheepishly and followed richie in.

once they were all inside bill's room, the door safely shut behind them, richie started pacing.

"(y/n) saw it bill." he said.

(y/n) hugged richie's hawaiian shirt around her tighter, suddenly feeling cold.

"a-as i-i-in p-p-pennywise?" bill's eyes widened.

"so that's what that clown fucker's name is. was his mum high when she wrote the name on it's birth certificate?" (y/n) snorted, trying to cover up how scared she was. 

richie smirked at her sarcastic remark.

"(y/n), t-t-this 'f-f-fucker' k-k-killed georgie." bill said. (y/n) drew in a breath of air sharply.

"and let me guess, the other missing kids as well?" she sat down in bill's desk chair, looking down at the street below.

bill nodded.

"i think he did something to my parents. i think he killed them." she said quietly, bringing her knees up to her chest on the chair and hugging them.

"what do you mean?" richie asked, never taking his eyes off her. bill noticed this and decided to grill richie on his obvious affection for the girl later.

"one morning the house was dead silent when i woke up. they were nowhere to be found. all i could find was an envelope full of money and a note apologizing." she furrowed her brow and nibbled on her bottom lip. "but there are so many things that don't add up if pennywise were to be the perpetrator." (y/n) sighed.

both the boys stared at her.

"how have you been doing this whole thing alone then?" richie asked curiously.

she shrugged.

"not exactly rocket science. i just needed to learn to separate the clothes when I wash them. plus they left a shit ton of money." richie jumped up onto the desk next to her and sat down, legs dangling off the edge.

"w-w-well h-h-how did p-pennywise a-a-ppear?" bill asked.

"as my mum. did he say anything about floating to you?" she wrinkled her nose, recalling the strange sentence her 'mother' had said.

"y-y-yeah. a-a-apparently w-w-we'll f-float too." he answered shaking his head in confusion. "w-whatever t-t-that m-means."

"so what are we gonna do about pennywise?" (y/n) queried, picking at her nails.

"nothing. you will do abso-fucking-lutely nothing." richie replied, fixing his gaze on her.

is that concern or the bullshitty need men have to regard every woman as weaker i am hearing?

"uh i think the fuck not tozier. bastard might have my parents. plus i could be useful." she retorted, glaring up at him.

bill looked at them in amusement. they were like an old married couple.

they glared at eachother for a few moments before richie gave in.

"fine. but if you die don't say I didn't warn you."

"i'd better get going, i need groceries and i haven't changed yet." (y/n) stood, richie following suit.

"bill, you mind if I crash here later, mum's been..." he trailed off, but before bill could reply (y/n) cut in.

"come stay at mine. i obviously have plenty of space." she blurted. the boys looked at her in surprise.

"are you sure?" richie asked, scratching the back of his neck. She nodded profusely.

"don't be ridiculous, it's not a problem." She assured him, before hugging bill and saying goodbye.

bill just smirked back, resulting in her flipping him both middle fingers.

then her and richie walked out into the sunshine.

"i need to pick my bike up from the arcade." she announced, richie nodding.

"hey (y/n)?"

"yeah tozier?"

"thanks."

(y/n) just smiled at him as they continued to walk, her heart fluttering in her chest.

richie took a deep breath and took a hold of her hand, fully expecting her to pull away.

but she didn't.

he didn't miss the way her cheeks burned red slightly, and the small smile that graced her lips from the corner of his eye.

it seemed that for once, something in his life was perfect.