"Richie Tozier, ladies and gentlemen, back in Derry after 27 years! He enters and the crowd goes wild!" Richie used his best announcer's Voice to give himself the grand entrance he'd been waiting for. He slides into the restaurant Mike told him to meet everyone at. He presents Mike with a bottle of vodka, noticing that he apparently wasn't the only one to have brought booze. "Yowza! Looks like we're gonna party hard tonight, gents." He turned to a pretty redhead and gave her a low bow, "And, m'lady."
The redhead rolled her eyes and laughed, "Holy hell. I'm definitely remembering you now, Richie."
He laughed along with her, sitting down, "So, who all do we have here? Lemme think. Okay. Hmm." He put a finger to his chin and thought animatedly, before making a loud buzzer sound, "Oof, seems like I'm out of time and out of luck. Care to introduce me?"
Mike went around, as he had with Bill earlier, and introduced Richie, who pointed to each person as their name was said aloud. He repeated them to remember better, "Okay, Billiam, got it. Beverly, oof, can't forget her, hehe. Benny boy, got chu. You're Mike. And, this little wheezy thing is Eddie."
Richie started to have little memories come back to him as he looked around, first as Bill, then Mike, Bev, Ben, and settling on Eddie.
His head started to hurt a little, as he began to remember. It was as if memories were mining their way out of a deep, dark cavern that Richie had built to keep them away.
Every time he looked at one of them, he regained another lost thought. Another old, black and white memory that had been stored away for ages.
And, for some reason, when he looked at Eddie, it hurt more. He'd glance at Bev's pretty little face, and remember smoking with her out by the quarry. Then, he look at Eddie and remember not exactly a moment, but a feeling. And, it was as if the feeling struck him right in the chest. As if it had a long, pointed dagger and it being there was painful, and yet, something Richie liked at the same time.
Each detail about this guy was bringing back something new. In his short, sweet smile, Richie saw his compassion, and when that smile faded, Richie saw his hard life. In Eddie's hair, which had faded and turned a brighter blonde, (Richie thought that wasn't exactly right, and wondered if it'd always been like that, or if Eddie dyed it), he saw this man's neatness and perfection. He was wearing a sweater vest that portrayed that, as well. And then, Richie looked into Eddie's eyes for a split second, and he saw everything he'd been missing. That's when the memories themselves came back. He remembered messing with Eddie's hair so much it made him get a comb out of his fanny pack to fix it. He remembered pinching his cheeks and calling him cute, making Eddie flustered and turn a bright red-which might have made him even cuter.
Richie remembered one summer day, when they were all about to go home from a day at the quarry. It had started raining, and poor Eds was afraid he'd get sick. He was clutching an aspirator that looked similar to the one he was holding now. Richie walked him home, trying to make Eddie laugh while rain poured down and made his curls stick onto his forehead. Richie remembered Eddie laughing, then coughing a little. Richie worried he'd have an asthma attack, and rushed him along to his house. In his rush, he'd grabbed Eddie's hand, squeezing it a little to get Eddie's attention.
Richie remembered Eddie's wide eyes and flushed face as that happened. He remembered leaving Eddie with his mother, going back to his own house, and smiling the entire time, even whilst his mother was scolding him for tracking mud in the house. Richie remembered being so utterly happy that day. He wondered if he'd ever been so happy.
"Hey, 'Chee? You feeling alright?" Richie looked at the owner of the voice and, of course, it was Eddie.
Richie felt like he was going to be sick.
Richie gave the group a little smile, and excused himself with a flair. He left to the bathroom, splashing some cold as all fuck water on his face.
Richie coughed a couple of times before reaching out to grab a paper towel and dry his face off.
His hands were shaking, and before he knew it, his whole body was, too.
Richie's head felt like it was going to explode. He didn't know how long he'd stayed in the bathroom until he heard Eddie's voice, asking him if he was okay.
Eddie closed the bathroom door, and stood by Richie without looking at him. The shorter of the two said, "You remember it too, right?"
Richie's mouth felt dry, and he nodded.
Eddie then looked up at him, moving to give Richie a warm hug. An embrace that was a bit awkward, and maybe a bit forced, but natural all the same. Eddie had his arms around Richie's neck, his face in Richie's shoulder.
Richie felt somewhat numb. All the joy he'd ever felt when he was with Eddie was all rushing back to him in one swift moment.
Eddie's heart was pounding; Richie could feel it. Eddie looked up at Richie, pulling away. Eddie gave him a heart-and heart breaking smile. "We should join the others," Eddie suggested softly.
Richie nodded, the numbness gone, and a tingling sensation arising.
He followed Eddie back to the table, where he was questioned a little. Eddie spoke up, "Just a lot of old emotions, you know?" He laughed a little, looking up at Richie and giving him a reassuring half-smile.
Richie returned it, feeling all of the weight from before lifting off of him.
The emotions might be old, but not outdated.
Richie might be crazy, and he wouldn't doubt that, but he might just fall for Eddie Kaspbrak a second time.
