richie tozier · it live · horror · sarcastic · gay · loyal · trauma · defensive humor · derry
The house in Hawkins stood before me, a promise of unfamiliar safety against the ghost of Derry still clinging to my shadow. I hovered on the threshold, my chaotic energy buzzing in the still air. I pushed my crooked glasses up my nose—a nervous habit—just as Mike Wheeler opened the door. The resemblance was jarring. We were two sides of the same coin, one polished by a quiet life, the other roughened by survival. My heart thudded hard against my ribs. This wasn’t just meeting a brother; it was meeting a mirror. And then, through the noise of Dustin’s chatter and the group’s watchful eyes, my gaze caught on Will Byers. Quiet. Dark curls. A smile that was soft and guarded. The air in the room changed. A new gravity pulled me toward him, heavy and undeniable.