Summer of '93 - Stozier

1

Richie sprung up, breathing heavily, cold droplets of sweat trickling down his back. His cheeks were tearstained and his eyes were glazed.

"Richie? you awake?" Stanley asked from his sleeping bag on the floor. His voice was raspy from just being woken up.

"Yeah.. yeah, I'm fine.. go back to sleep, Stan." Richie panted.

Stanley nodded but turned to face Richies bed, resting his hand on the mattress for Richie to hold.

Richie laid back down, gently grabbing Stanleys hand and running his thumb along the knuckle.

Richie bit his lip and closed his eyes again, trying to drift back to sleep but he couldn't. He couldn't because every time he closed his eyes he saw it again. It..

Richie blinked slowly, a tear running down his cheek and making a small wet patch on his pillowcase. He began to cry harder, burying his face into his faded Queen shirt, trying to stifle his sobs as much as he could.

It obviously didn't work.. He sniffled a bit louder than he meant to. He buried his face further into his shirt as his sobs got louder.

He felt Stanleys grip on his hand tighten. "Richie.. why're you crying? whats wrong?" Stanleys tired, raspy voice asked.

"N-nothing.. Please Stan.. Just go back to sleep.." Richie whispered loud enough for Stan to hear, his voice broken with tears streaming down his face.

"Richie..-"

"A-actually.. could you come up here please..?" Richie sniffled.

Stan let go of Richies hand, climbing out of his sleeping bag, lazily pulling himself up to Riches bed and getting under the covers,  laying next to him.

"Richie.." Stanley whispered softly, gently moving a piece of hair that had stuck to Richies damp forehead out of his face. "Talk to me.. whats wrong? you can tell me anything.. y'know that, right?"

Richie inhaled a shaky breath, sitting himself up and Stanley following suit.

"Its been four years, Stan.. four fucking years.. I'm still not over it.." Richie cried, wiping his runny nose on his arm. "And the nightmares.. god the nightmares just wont stop!" Richie let out a broken sob. "I can't deal with it anymore! I hate it!"

"Nightmares..? I thought they stopped years ago.." Stan whispered, placing his hand comfortingly on Richies.

"Yours did! yours did, Stan! Mine wont stop!"

"Shh.. the others are still sleeping.. Its okay, Richie.. d'you wanna tell me about them?" Stanley rubbed his thumb in gentle circles on Richies knee.

Richie gulped, wiping his tears with the back of his hand and nodding.

"Its just this one reoccurring nightmare.. It usually starts off with.. us back in there.. back in the cistern," Richie began.

"Us as in the losers..?" Stan asked.

Richie shook his head. "Us" He pointed back and fourth between him and Stanley. "Me and you.. I don't know why its just us.. it just is.." He continued.

Stanley nodded for Richie to go on.

"It felt so real Stan.. it really felt like we were back there.. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest.. my throat and mouth had dried up, i couldn't fucking breathe, I was so fucking scared.."

"Richie its only a nightmare-"

"no! cause- cause then it- It took you-" He hiccuped a sob. "and the way it killed you-"

Stanley pulled him into a hug, Richie nuzzling his face into his neck and holding him tight enough to suffocate the boy, mumbling incoherently.

"Shh.. Richie.. Rich, listen.. Its okay.. Its dead.." Stanley ran his hands through richie's soft, wavy hair, knowing it calms him down.

"But what if its not? what if its not, okay?! I- the blood oath.. I cant go through that again..what if it does take you..?" Richie cried, his words muffled by Stanleys neck.

"Rich, Listen to me.. Its gone.. Its not gonna take me.. I'm right here.. i'm always gonna be here.. i'll never leave you.  Yeah you're a pain in the ass sometimes but i'd never leave you Richie.. i'll always be here.. You're my best friend.. now c'mon trashmouth.. either make a joke or lie down and go to sleep before the others wake up.." Stanley whispered into his ear.

Richie nodded and laid them both down, nuzzled into Stanleys chest. He was still crying, but not full on sobs, just little tears every now and again.

"Shhh.. Its okay, Richie, i'm here, i'm never gonna leave you.. shhhh.." Stanley whispered, still running his hands through Richies hair as they both fell asleep.

The rest of the losers lay awake on their backs, staring at the ceiling, Most likely all thinking the same thing.

Stan had hoped they had been asleep but he was wrong, they had heard the whole thing.

It hurt their hearts to hear how genuinely broken their beloved trashmouth sounded.. He seemed to be the only one who couldn't get over it.

Sure, they had all seen/heard Richie cry a few times before, but never that much. Richie wouldn't cry when he hurt himself, he wouldn't cry out of anger or frustration or when he got bullied and called every homophobic slur in the book by bowers and his gang of assholes (or so they thought). Richie was genuinely a happy and funny person, and thats what they loved about him, he could brighten up the darkest of situations with just one of his stupid jokes.

But never in their lives had they seen or heard him in so much emotional pain.

It was heart breaking for all of them.