{semi charmed life} reddie

{reunion pt.2}

"Big Bill!" Richie clapped his hands in Bill's face, and chuckled. "Cheer the fuck up! Where's the so-called movie star candy of yours?"

Bill cleared his throat slightly. "She uh- she went to our place in New York early. Wasn't feeling up to the partying after our trip, I guess. I don't know. I don't really care."

Richie blinked and glanced towards his husband with a single raise of his brow. Bill sighed and rolled his eyes. "I guess we had a fight, I don't know. She told me something and I didn't react the way she wanted me to, so she felt I don't know if she's left left or just... I don't know. She... Audra is pregnant."

Richie whistled lowly, but Eddie could see the dancing behind his eyes. "Oh damn. Kids. Fuck 'em, eh? Who fucking wants those little... smelly.... things."

Eddie grinned, bringing the back of his hand to rub at his mouth. His eyes caught Mike's over the table, his friend frowning slightly and frowning. Eddie coughed loudly, quickly bringing his drink to his mouth and chugging half the glass. Richie was smirking at him all the while.

"Yeah, well, whatever." Bill shook his head angrily. "Can we just talk about something else?"

"Uhh..." Ben stammered. "Stan, have you guys picked a day for the wedding? Or given it any thought at all?"

Stan and Patty's hands came to clasp together on the table and Eddie felt Richie go stiff beside him. Eddie reached under the table and squeezed Richie's thigh. "We haven't started talking about the wedding yet," Stan answered happily. "Its enough to be engaged honestly. We met her first year at Georgia State- it was already my third year- and honestly I think I fell in love with her the second I saw it. When we started dating, I knew I was the luckiest guy in the world."

"Yeah," Richie scoffed. "It sure is lucky you were able to go to Georgia State, isn't it, Stan? Luck has got to be the only thing that explains it."

Stan's face paled, and Patty looked around the table in confusion. Eddie squeezed his eyes shut, heart tightening in his chest. Ben and Bill both looked between Richie and Stan like deers caught in the headlights. "Rich..." Mike said slowly, sounding half sympathetic and half cautionary.

Richie forced a smile. "Okay, yeah, no. I'm out." He shook his head, pushing up from the table. He moved through the crowds of old classmates with a surprising amount of grace. Eddie sighed and placed down his drink but felt Mike's hand wrapping around his wrist before he could stand.

"No, Eddie. Wait." He said softly, making eye contact with Stan from across the table. He nodded once towards Stan. "Go."

Stan seemed to bounce in his seat for a moment before sighing and standing. He moved through the same crowd, flying out in the hallways. Richie was walking not far ahead of him, bouncing his fists against the lockers as he walked past them. "Richie! Wait!"

Richie let out a loud, humourless laugh as he slowed to a stop a few feet ahead of Stan. He didn't turn around, but Stan jogged up towards him. "Look, I know I deserved that okay? I probably deserve way worse than that. But Richie, it's been ten years, man. I'll regret what I did to you every day for the rest of my life but I'd really like to move past this. You were best friend for fifteen years before that, and I... I've always missed you."

"You know...." Richie shook his head and frowned. "I thought I was past this, I thought I was easily eight years past what you did. But now I'm here, looking at you and having to listen to you go on about what a great experience you had at school and how in love you are and I.... I want to be happy for you, Stanley, but I can't. Because you stepped on me to get it."

"Richie, I'm sorry..." Stan's voice wavered, nearly broke.

"You almost destroyed me," Richie snapped, eyes blazing. "I couldn't go to school, I couldn't even graduate. I almost had to stay in this absolute hell hole, just so you wouldn't have to admit failure. So fuck you, Stanley."

Richie turned to walk away but Stanley grabbed his arm and tugged him back. "What I did to you, Richie, was the worst thing I've ever done. I was so caught up in my own issues that I didn't even think about the consequences of what happened to you. And I am so damn sorry."

"That apology is about ten years too late." Richie stared back off down the hallways and Stan could do nothing but stare after him.

→ → →

"So," Bill said, attempting to break through the awkward tension that had settled itself around their table. "Since we're just unloading all our old high school baggage- Benny Boy, how's that old flame for Miss Marsh burning?"

Eddie chuckled. "Just because Trashmouth left doesn't mean you need to replace his lack of filter, Billy."

Bill beamed at him, winking once. "What can I say? We were a pretty incestuous little group back then. I'm surprised not more of us dated back then."

Eddie quickly finished the rest of his drink while Mike eyed the side of his face.

Ben was shaking his head. "Torch still burning or not, she's not Miss Marsh anymore. She's Mrs Rogan. And that's all that."

Eddie hummed. "Don't be so sure about that. I'm not seeing a husband anywhere, and there wasn't even an excuse to why. And if it means anything now, I was always routing for you guys."

"Ditto." Mike spoke up, smiling softly.

"Wow!" Bill cried in a mock-wounded voice and the entire table broke down into youthful giggles.

→ → →

CUTEST COUPLE. Richie traced his hands over the words, smiling softly as he took in the appearance of himself and Beverly Marsh at fifteen. Hair that hadn't been tamed on either part, paisley patterns and braces on Richie's teeth. Himself looking like the best thing that could ever happen to him was standing there with Beverly Marsh in his arms, having their picture taken for their high school yearbook.

"I'd almost forgotten about that," Beverly voice came towards him as she approached from behind. Cheeks a little flushed and bottle of wine in her hands, she swayed up to Richie and leaned against him. Her hand came out to trace the words alongside his. "I think... I think you, Richie Tozier, are the only good guy I've ever dated."

Richie looked down at her with a bemused smile. "Beverly, aren't you married?"

Beverly pressed the bottle of wine to her lips and let the liquid fill her mouth. "It's all bullshit, you know? Love, marriage? It's a trap."

Richie got a small far away look in his eyes as he accepted the bottle offered to him. "Nah, it's not. Not if it's the real thing."

Beverly watched Richie drink, narrowing her eyes and frowning. He eyes landed on the pale ring of skin on his finger and she furrowed her brow. "Richie... are you married?"

Richie hummed, wrapping an arm around Beverly and pulling her flush against him. "Look at those dumb kids," he gestured the bottle towards the photo of them laid out on the table of memories from 1991-1995. At them, smiling up at the camera as though they had absolutely no problems to ever concerned themselves with. "Absolute dumb fucks."

Beverly nodded against him, taking the bottle back. "I'm still convinced that Ben rigged those results so we'd win."

Richie chuckled. "I paid him fifteen bucks to do it. A little cruel looking back on it, given out absolutely in love with you he was but hey- I didn't know a lot of things about a lot of things back then. I don't think I even had a functioning brain until junior year." Beverly laughed and Richie glanced down at her once more.

"Bev? Are you going to go back to your husband?"

"I-" Beverly stalled and took another swig of wine. "I don't know."

Richie nodded. "Well... there will always be room in my and Eds' place for you. As long as you're able to keep a secret."

Beverly though of her life and chuckled. "It's what I'm best at."