✓ | BETTER WITH YOU → richie tozier ³

twenty-three

"RICHIE TOZIER!" Ash shouted up the stairs.

There was a short silence before she heard two sets of feet thunder down the stairs, Richie appearing at the bottom with their 13-year-old daughter, Caroline Edward Tozier right behind him, running his hands through his hair.

Ash folded her arms as Richie said, "Heyyy, beautiful."

"Hi. Rich, remember what I told you today?" Ash asked, and Richie opened his mouth before Ash held up a hand, briefly closing her eyes.

"You know what? Don't answer that."

Richie smirked, sending her a wink. "Good choice."

Ash rolled her eyes, sighing. "Richie! I thought I told you we were meeting Stan and Bill, Eds, and-"

"And Charlie and Eliza?" Caroline asked, and Ash nodded.

"And Charlie and Eliza."

Caroline let out a shriek before punching her dad in the arm. "You idiot! Why didn't you mention it?"

Richie grinned sheepishly. "Forgot?"

"Asshole." Caroline muttered.

"Duo." Richie added, shooting a mischievous glance at Ash, who felt her cheeks turn red.

Caroline looked between them curiously. "You all are weird."

She turned and headed back up the stairs. "I'll be ready in five minutes!"

They heard a door slam, and Ash raised an eyebrow at Richie. "You forgot?"

"We were trying to talk into her walkie talkies!" Richie whined. "It slipped my mind! I'm just trying to protect her, okay? So she doesn't get into the same situations we got into when we were thirteen. Or have you forgotten?"

Ash slipped her hand into his. "Rich, we're gonna be okay."

He looked at her disbelievingly. "You really believe that we're going to be okay in a group with two assholes, a history nerd, and the rest gays?"

"Yes. I do." Ash said, and then added, "I was an idiot to fall in love with you."

His arms gently slipped around her as he kissed her, murmuring, "And I was an idiot to fall back."

~

Eddie Kaspbrak was sitting on his bed, raking his fingers through his hair.

"Eddie?" He heard a voice call through the apartment, and a few seconds later Stan had opened the door to his bedroom, leaning against the door frame.

"Hey, Eds, we're about ready to leave."

"Great. Good." Eddie said tonelessly, not looking up at him.

Stan stared at him, and then slowly entered the room, gently sitting down next to him.

He opened his mouth to speak before Eddie sharply cut him off. "Don't, okay? I don't need to feel anymore pathetic than I do right now."

Stan sighed before venturing, "Eds, it's okay."

"No." Eddie snapped, finally turning to look at him. "No, it's not fucking okay, Stanley. Wanna know how I know that? Because I'm the loser that hasn't been able to get over my best friend. Even though he has a family, even though he got married. He has a life now with the girl he's been in love with since middle school. And I'm the person that goes and fucks it all up for him."

"Eddie!" Stan said, shocked. "You're not fucking anything up! You're the only person that has ever stood by Richie. And he needs you!"

"Yeah?" Eddie exclaimed. "Well, I don't need him! The trashmouth can handle himself just fine without his fucking lapdog that follows him around everywhere because he can't get ahold of himself for five seconds!"