𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡.

(𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝) | 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤

author's note: tw

[ INT. FLASHBACK: JANUARY 2015. DERRY, MAINE.]

Richie Tozier nearly felt his soul leave his body as he arrived at the Uris residence. He was upset out of his mind and borderline manic - his rational reasoning skills had basically left his psyche. He'd tried to plan everything about the discussion he was about to have with Stanley Uris, even down to how he'd knock on the door. However, all of his planning, scheming and intentions were forgotten as soon as he'd remembered the consuming amount of frustration he was feeling.

Stanley Uris was a generally calm person, and habitually never lashed out at people or showed any signs of instability. Richie figured the boy was calm by nature, and part of him was jealous of that. In a way, all of the Losers were jealous of that aspect of Stanley. While many of the Losers were on the calmer side as well, they would still, in human nature, would have their moments of lashing out and behaving irrationally. No one had ever seen Stanley behave anything more than being sarcastic as for "acting out".

Standing in the center of the street in front of Stanley's house, Richie felt the chill of the late winter wind brisk upon back, causing the hairs of his neck to stand up and send chills rushing down his body. He had a bad feeling, and it was more than just the indignation he was feeling towards Stan. Even as anxious as he was feeling about the encounter he was about to have, it was taking every bit of willpower Richie had left to not just bust the front door open and slap Stanley so hard that even his unborn grandchildren would feel it.

His willpower must have been strong enough, because finally, Richie walked to the door with clenched teeth and knocked on it (well, rather banged quite loudly on it, but it was better than kicking it in, as Richie wanted to do so intensely in his mind).

There was no answer.

After waiting a few seconds, Richie quickly grew impatient and knocked even harder on it, nearly leaving a dent in the old, worn in door. After a second, Richie saw light shifting, signaling movement under the door.

"Stan, I know that's you. Open the fucking door." Richie said firmly, just loud enough for Stan to hear it on the other side of the door. The door unlocked, and Richie saw Stan standing there, half of him behind the door, probably to prepare himself for whatever threat could be on the side of the door.

"Ye-"

"I'm coming in," Richie interrupted pushing past Stanely and walking into the house. The wood on the floor creaked with every step Richie took, adding to his irritation. "Okay?" Stan said with a confused expression, genuinely having no idea what was happening.

Richie sat on the couch which was in the living room where the front door was. The house smelled good - it was clean. There was a candle burning, the wick was almost dull. The scent was a pure smelling scent, maybe mint or eucalyptus. The air was warm and it felt nice in contrast to the chilling winter air outside.

There was a dripping of a faucet somewhere, Richie just couldn't see where.

Stanley followed Richie to the couch and stood beside it with a look of confusion. "Are you going to tell me what you're doing in my house?" Stan said after a couple of seconds of silence.

"Are you gonna tell me what you're doing in my house?" Richie said in an annoyed tone. Honestly, everything Stan could possibly say would annoy him, so he figured he could just mock him until he eventually caught on.

Drip.

Stan looked to the side and then looked back. "That literally didn't make any sense-"