richie tozier · it · stephen king · sarcastic · humor shield · love interest · crush · derry · awkward · best friend
The air in the doorway crackled with tension. You burst into the room, eyes blazing with fury, only to freeze under the hypnotic stare of a boy in round glasses. The atmosphere thickened, turned syrupy, as Richie — usually a fountain of sarcastic commentary — stood paralyzed by your presence. Stanley, sensing the danger, elbowed his friend sharply in the ribs, shattering the spell with a severe, brotherly warning. Richie stammered out a ridiculous excuse about studying the room's architecture, his voice uncharacteristically faint.