✓ | LOSERS CLUB → richie tozier ¹

one

Bowers hit him again, and this time Richie fell to the ground, his glasses skittering to the side as Bowers said, "Shut your trap, Trashmouth, before I do it for you."

Richie opened his mouth to retort when Eddie bent down beside him and handed him a tissue from his pocket, speaking in a low voice, "Richie, calm down, okay? Stop. Stop."

Richie looked at him, but all it took was one look from Eddie and he closed his mouth, silently taking the tissue and beginning to mop his face.

Henry laughed at the pair, saying, "Better find your girl, Tozier, before someone else does."

He gave him one long last look before turning away with Victor, Belch, and Patrick behind him.

Richie watched them go, and then slowly struggled to his feet, swiping at his face and saying, "We gotta go find Ash."

Stanley shared a look with Bill and Eddie, and said slowly, "Richie, I don't think-"

"Fine!" Richie yelled. "Fine, I'll just go myself! I mean, who cares if she's hurt, right? Who cares if Bowers assaulted her or some shit, whatever! Because apparently, some stuff is too low for the rest of you to care about, huh? I get it!"

"Richie." Stan said, gritting his teeth. "That's not what I meant. Your nose is bleeding and your face looks seriously messed up, so I was just saying-"

"My face looks messed up? From one or two hits?" Richie cut across him. "Then how the fuck do you think Ash looks like right now?"

Stan seemed to be trying to keep his voice calm. "Richie, I'm sure Bowers wouldn't-"

But Richie didn't let him finish. "Oh, you're sure? You're completely sure?"

Stanley glared at him, and didn't answer.

"Exactly." Richie spat, and then said, "I don't care if you come or not, I'm going after her. If it's too risky for all of you to bear. . ."

He turned and stormed away in the direction of the school, and stomped angrily up the steps.

"Richie!" He was a little ways into the hallway of the school and turned to see Eddie, Billy, and Stan standing in the entrance.

"Yeah?" He said grudgingly, and Bill said, "We're s-s-sorry, Richie. We d-didn't mean it like that."

Richie hesitated, and then nodded. "I know. I just- she could be hurt and Bowers made me so mad, and I lost it."

"It's okay, Rich. We get it." Stanley replied, and Richie's lips twitched into an almost smile before worry about Ash coursed through him again and he turned and continued looking for her.

"Ash?" He called. The school was completely deserted now, and just faintly he heard sobs coming from down the far end of the hallway.

He took off in a run, the boys on his heels. "Ash!"

He rounded the corner and almost ran right into her, coming to a sudden stop.

She was crying into her hands, and he said, "Beautiful, what-"

Another sob came through her mouth and he dropped to his knees beside her, reaching and softly touching her shoulder, "Ash? What's going on, are you-"

She raised her head to look at him, her face streaked with tears, and his breath came out in a whoosh.

Ash's face was bruised and she was sporting a bloody lip, and Stan breathed, "Holy shit."

Eddie crouched down on her other side with the other two boys watching over his shoulder and he said, "Ash,"

She glanced at him, away from Richie, who felt himself stiffen.

Usually only he called Ashley "Ash". That was his name for her, not Eddie's.

"What happened?"

His voice was soft, and she said, "He started calling me. . .you know, Ashes. Because of the fire and my cousin dying and shit, and I yelled at him and he decided to use me as his personal punching bag. No surprise there."

She forced a laugh, but they could hear the pain in her voice.

"I stayed a little longer because Beverly Marsh was in the girls bathroom and Greta and them were being horrible to her so I had to deal with with that. And then he caught me coming out and, well, you know the rest."

"Yeah, Richie caught some too." Stan said, jerking his head towards Richie, and Ash looked at him, her eyes widening.

"What did you do this time?"

Before Richie could answer, Bill cut in. "He was sticking up for you, what else?"

Richie said, "Yeah, well I don't have a cool name. Some people even call me Ashley by accident, you know, because we're married."

Ashley rolled her eyes, and Eddie said, "Is your face okay, Ash?"

She managed a nod. "It'll be fine. Thank you, Eddie."

He smiled. "No problem. Hey, do you wanna bike down with us to the ice cream parlor?"

Ashley hesitated, and then slightly bumped his shoulder with hers. "Why not?"

Richie got to his feet and helped her up, and she stopped him, and said, "Thank you, Rich."

He grinned at her. "Anytime, beautiful."

a/n: richie is my king i'm so !!!!! this movie has me so obsessed. vote and comment for me, thank you!