Chapter Text
March 11th, 1978
Life-defining moments rarely occur when you seek them out. They crash into our lives like a tree falling in a storm, harsh, unmistakable, usually leaving some wreckage behind, but the memory is set. Today presented such a moment. Richie Tozier had never been to Indiana before, but the seven-year-old hadn’t been a fan so far. For one thing, his cousin Mike Wheeler lived here and somehow made it Richie’s problem. If Eddie Kaspbrak, Richie’s best friend back at home, were here, he would be shocked to find out there was indeed somebody more annoying than Richie himself.
Oddly enough, said more annoying person happened to share his face, except for the glasses because of course his jerk of a cousin would also have perfectly functioning eyesight. Even at the ripe age of seven years old, Richie was highly suspicious that God had a very sick sense of humor… Such as now, his nose forced in the corner of the room, a jumprope tied around him after Mike and Mike’s new friend Lucas had tackled him. Richie was honestly not even sure why he was there, and weirdly had been a little afraid to do anything about it. Richie wasn’t used to not having his friends there to help him, or for one of the bullies in question literally looking like him and supposedly being a family member. He was shocked that Aunt Karen or Uncle Ted hadn’t done anything, and assumed this was some game.
Mike had decreed Richie to be in jail for the crime of being a secret evil twin, and had himself and Lucas stand guard to keep Richie right where he was in the corner. He wanted to fight back or escape, but it was like he was frozen. Richie didn’t even know why… he just cried, then hated himself for crying. God, if Eddie ever heard about this, he’d have to find a hole to another dimension and jump headfirst. At least his Mom wasn’t trying to take photos with the Polaroid.
“Untie me!” Richie tried to demand through hot, angry tears. It hadn’t been the first time.
“No chance, prisoner, Evil Twins are dangerous.” Mike insisted, in an annoying little voice, as if the assessment were obvious. Richie hated the little boy passionately. He also hated how much they looked alike, and made a mental note to punch every mirror in this absurdly big house if he was ever untied from this stupid jump rope.
“Mike!” A sweet little voice entered the basement, turning Lucas and Mike’s attention away. “My Mom dropped me off with Banana bread; it’s in the kitchen!” Said another little boy, one Richie couldn’t see from the corner.
“Cool!” Lucas gasped, the little boy immediately abandoning his post to run up the stairs.
“You have to watch the prisoner, Will. I’ll be right back!” Mike added as he ran too. Great, another bully to call Richie the evil twin. This just kept getting better.
Then, to the little boy’s shock, he felt shaking fingers tug at his knots.
“I’m sorry about them,” Will said gently, keeping his voice down as he kept tugging the knots. “Mike always tries to impress Lucas; I don’t know why. I don’t think you’re evil at all.” After a minute, he freed Richie from the restraints, and the little boy was able to look behind him into a pair of striking greenish-hazel eyes. Will Byers then moved the bangs of his bowlcut out of his eyes and gave an apologetic smile.
“You sure?” Richie asked, quickly wiping away his own tear stains. “Maybe this is my secret plan to trick you into giving me all the banana bread. Banana bread can drive a boy to madness.”
Then, Richie Tozier heard Will Byers laugh for the very first time. The sound was joyous, accompanied by the brightest smile Richie had ever seen, and it was the first time he could remember thinking the word beautiful in a way that wouldn’t quite fit into place for eight more years. Richie didn’t understand words like gay yet, but he knew when he made Will laugh that it made up for the entire state of Indiana sucking. It even made up for Mike being a pain in the butt. All Richie knew was the thought that entered his head.
Wouldn’t it be great to hear that laugh all the time?