Paper Wings||Richie Tozier x reader

19

I smile at the three horses, necks craned and drinking from the water flowing river.

Beverly sighs, and pretty much right on cue the three of us sit down on the river bank, looking out into the continued land of forest across the stream.

"So, how long are you gonna be staying with Y/n, bev? please say a long time! that means we all can hang out more often!" Tia asks excitedly as she looks at beverly hopefully.

"Actually I'm staying with them permanently" Bevvie informs her happily. I nod and look at Tia who's smiling even brighter.

"YAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY" She shouts ecstatically as she practically falls onto her back.

Beverly and I giggle and also lay on our backs, so we're all staring up at the sky in silence. Just happy keeping each other company.

all we can hear is the sounds of nature.

and the odd horse neigh or snuff.

we lay in silence for a long time, taking in the beauty of the scenery, of the stars and almost invisible clouds.

and we just listen for the sounds of wolves howling and giggle.

but after a long time we decide to head back. unsure why, we just thought it's a bad idea to leave Richie alone for more than an hour.

but he's asleep. so nothing to worry about.

he's perfectly fine.

He can't cause trouble if he's asleep right? No, he can't.

I take hold of Sizzle's reins, and we start off back down the trail, towards Tia's house.

Our flashlights are on, and we're all taking our time to return. Looking around the forest to see who can spot different animals.

"ooh! look a bunny!" Beverly exclaims, pointing to a small cotton tail, sniffing a plant.

"awe, how cute" I chirp dreamily, turning to look at it.

"yeah, it's too adorable" Tia cooed, a faint echo to be heard from all of our voices.

we all grin and keep a lookout for many more woodland creatures.

 By the time we reach the Stables, we've gotten off our horses and are having crush talk. 

"But Beverly, you like Bill! Why are you judging my choice of crush!" I accuse playfully, punching her shoulder lightly.

"sorry, sorry" she apologizes with a roll of her eyes.

"heh, you should be" I tease.

"oh yeah cause she was being sooooo offensive! And y/n what about your crush? He obviously likes you back!" Tia teases in return to me teasing Beverly.

"Oh please, hardly a crush" I defend, shrugging off the truth.

"Your right!" beverly agrees. "Your in love with him!"

I gasp fakely "How dare you suggest such a thing in my good christian household!" I scold, holding back a laugh. failing at it as we walk through the stable doors. "I am not in love with him!" I lie obviously. These two are my best friends. Of course they know I have a major crush on Richie. It's too obviously painful.

"You are so in love with him!" Tia shouts, teasing me so totally shamelessly.

"Also, do you like Zane?" Beverly asks. Curiosity, clear in her voice when she speaks. I laugh nervously.

not because I like him, but because it's an awkward question when being asked if I feel that way about Zane.

"You do!" Tia shouts. 

"You like Zane!" Beverly shouts too. "I knew it!"

Richie's POV

I had woken up, it was around four thirty in the morning, I was cold and am assuming that's the cause of my waking. I looked around but the girls were nowhere to be found.

I left the tent and to the stables, only to find that Sizzle, Grizzly, and Chili were all gone. I walked around the stables for a little longer until I heard the sound of hooves and laughter.

I ran outside the other way, but kept the door open to know when they were coming out. I wanted to scare them.

I could hear what they were saying.

I hear y/n gasp. "how dare you suggest such a thing in my good christian household!" what are they talking about? "I am not in love with him!" 

what? are they talking about Zane?

"Also, do you like Zane?" Beverly asks with curiosity.

 So they were just talking about her being in love with some mystery crush?

my heart is pounding a mile a minute in my chest as I wait for a response.

"You do!" I hear Tia's voice echo. my heart drops. i feel like the beat of it stopped completely and I'm just gonna die right now.

"you like Zane! I knew it!" Beverly shouts excitedly.

I feel tears sting my eyes and I just want to go home. I'm gonna cry. no.

I just run, back to the tent.

I'll just pretend to be asleep. maybe they won't bother me. Maybe they'll just leave me alone. Maybe I won't wake up.

Your POV

"No! I don't have a crush on Zane too! he's just friend. I only like Richie" I explain. thoroughly.

"okay, good I would be excited, but it would ruin my ship" Tia breathes.

"I know right! and that can't happen!" Bev chuckles sweetly.

"my god" I shake my head, sighing and carrying Sizzle's saddle to the storage room where we keep them.

We walk back to the tent giggling like fucking Greta.

but whatever, at least our laughter isn't fake, much unlike her boobs.

kidding.

kidding.

I swear.

I open the tent, and Richie is right where we left him. asleep in his bed.

The three of us are pretty tired and decide to go to bed too.

I crawl into bed beside Richie, but of course, away from him. Not even bothering to change out of my clothes. screw it I'll do it in the morning.

When I got into bed, I was genuinely disappointed when Richie's arm didn't snake around my waist and try to pull me closer to him.

He just stayed where he was, peacefully asleep.

I fell asleep not long after I went to bed. 

Richie's POV

The girls came into the tent and  went to bed not long after I got back to tent. 

I heard y/n whispering to the other two and them whispering back, but I didn't catch what they had talked about.

But when she came to bed beside me I had to refrain from grabbing onto her.

I wanted to.

So badly, but I didn't because she has a crush on Zane, just like I suspected. And I didn't want to make her uncomfortable.

Because...because...I can't even say it. I know what it is. And it's obvious, but I just can't bring myself to admit it.

It took me a while to fall asleep again. But as I heard y/n's breath even out, it got easier to want to sleep.

So I forced myself to just stay where I was, and wait for sleep to take me. And hopefully, never give me back.