✓ | LOSERS CLUB → richie tozier ¹

thirteen

a/n: oh god. this is the one.

RICHIE AND Ash hadn't really spoken much since the incident at Neibolt.

She mostly spent her time hanging out with Eddie, having slowly, slowly, earned the trust of his overprotective mother.

Richie on the other hand was always at the arcade, and Ash found herself missing him.

Oh, he talked to her. But it wasn't the same. Nowhere near it.

Sometimes she hung out with Stan, to bird watch, but that was on the rare occasion she wasn't with Eddie.

She never saw Bill, Bev, or even Ben and Mike.

And it seemed that the Losers Club had gone their separate ways, just like the Asshole Duo.

Today was one of the days she was supposed to meet Eddie, and she was riding her bike down to the exact same general store where she usually bought cigarettes.

As she pulled up to the curb, clambering off her bike, she noticed the arcade a couple of doors down, and hesitated.

She didn't see Eddie anywhere; she could have a little time.

Ash took a few steps towards it, and was stopped when she heard the cry of, "Ash!"

She turned, and there was Eddie Kaspbrak, that same old quirky grin on his face as he skidded to a stop in front of her.

"Sorry I'm a bit late, Mom had to get me to take my pills."

He held up the clear bottle, rolling his eyes, and then unzipped his fanny pack, sticking it neatly inside with his inhaler.

"So, your arm feeling better then?" Ash asked, bumping his shoulder with hers as they entered the general store together, heading straight for where the cigarettes were.

"No!" Eddie said. "It hurts so bad, I can barely move it! In fact, I have no idea how the hell I even made it down here!" He grinned at her expression. "I'm kidding."

She shook her head and folded her arms, leaning against the rack that held the cigarettes as he prepared to do his daily jump for her favorites at the top shelf.

"Think you can reach them this time?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh yeah. I've been growing, like, a ton in the past-"

He hesitated, and she tilted her head.

"The past 12 hours?"

Eddie nodded vigorously. "Yup! I'm going to reach them this time, I can feel it."

Ash laughed as he started jumping, trying with all his might to reach them and his outstretched fingertips just missing them.

After a few minutes, he was forced to give up, shooting her a look. "Next time, I will. And then we'll see."

"Whatever you say, Eds."

After Mr. Keene had rung up their purchases, shooting them both a highly suspicious look when he got to the cigarettes, they exited the store, the sunshine warming both of their faces.

"He gives me the creeps, oh my God." Ash shivered, and Eddie nodded.

"All the adults here give me the creeps."

Ash wholeheartedly agreed, and then swiftly changed the subject, not wanting to talk about creepy adults or anything nearing the subject of her mom.

She hadn't told Eddie about her. She didn't know why, she just couldn't.

"So, what's the plan for today?"

He didn't answer right away, and she glanced at him.

"Are you-?"

"C'mere." Before she knew what was going on, he had grabbed her by the hand and pulled her behind Mr. Keene's store, where she had been with Bowers.

She shuddered. If it hadn't been for Richie. . .

Her thoughts swam away as she focused again on Eddie. "Uh, why are we here?"

"Because it's quiet. And away from peering eyes."

She looked at him suspiciously. "Richie Tozier, is that you?"

He laughed, his nose crinkling up, and she smiled, looking down.

When she did, she realized he hadn't let go of her hand.

She looked at them for a minute, and then looked up, saying, "Hey, so, about your mom. I know she's really hard to deal with, but I think if you try to talk to her or-"

He put a finger to her lips. "Shh."

Ash narrowed her eyebrows at him. "Don't 'shh'  me! You shush, Asthma Boy-"

"Ashley."

She stopped abruptly, looking into his eyes. "What?"

"Hold still." He whispered, and before she could react, before she could even comprehend anything other than the words 'hold still', she felt his lips press to hers.

And then, she realized Eddie Kaspbrak was kissing her.

Really and truly kissing her; pressing her up against the bricks of the department store, and her hands went up to the cool of his neck and Ashley Brenner kissed him back, a smile forming over her lips as his hands went into her hair.

Eddie pulled away gently, his eyes staring straight into hers.

"I've wanted to do that for the longest time." He whispered softly, and she let out a breathless laugh.

"I'm glad you did."

He grinned, interlocking his fingers with hers, and she was at loss for words, trying to process what had just happened.

And then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move at the end of the alleyway.

She turned her head, looking to see what it was, and then felt all the blood drain from her face, leaving it a pale white.

Because standing there, his arms hanging by his sides, a package of cigarettes in his hand, was Richie Tozier.

And from the look on his face, he had seen everything.

For a couple of horrible, horrible seconds they just stood, staring at each other.

And then Ashley spoke. "Richie-"

"Save it."

His voice was cold, flat, and so unlike Richie Tozier that Ash stopped speaking at once.

Richie spoke again, in that same flat and distant voice, "Ashley fuckin' Brenner and Eddie Kaspbrak, the match made in heaven. Don't let the Trashmouth spoil your fun."

He spit the word at Ash, who flinched.

So he did remember what she had said to him at Neibolt.

Richie laughed, a cruel sound that made the hairs on the back of Ash's neck stand up.

And the next words he uttered Ash knew she would never, ever forget.

"I hope it fucking kills you."

She felt like the wind had been kicked completely from her. She had no air. She had no lungs, she didn't even have a heartbeat.

Because there was no way. No way he had just said that to her.

But the look on his face was filled with revulsion and complete hatred, and that was the last thing Richie Tozier said before he turned on his heel and stormed away.

The package of cigarettes fell with a thud to the ground.

And then with another thud, Ash crumpled to the ground too, feeling like the world had fallen out from under her feet.

And all at once, everything had gone black.

and just like that. v & c. update coming soon.