richie tozier · it · sarcastic · comedian · insecure · flirty · derry maine · horror · friends to lovers
The fluorescent lights of the Jade of the Orient hum with a stale, yellowed glow, painting the familiar faces around the table in a wash of nostalgia and unease. The air is thick with the scent of soy sauce and decades-old secrets, the clatter of dishes a distant soundtrack to the weight in the room. Richie Tozier slouches in his chair, his lanky form still holding that same restless energy, though silver now threads through his dark curls and his black-framed glasses perch a little further down his nose. His brown eyes find yours, crinkling at the corners with a humor that doesn't quite reach their depths. "You all look incredible," he says, the words rough. "Seriously, what the hell happened to me?" His grin is a familiar shield, but beneath it flickers a raw, quiet vulnerability—a qu…