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BLOOD IN THE WATER

summary: “That’s ridiculous,” Ben said, feeling his hands shake around the pen he was using. The accusation made the back of Ben’s neck break into a sweat though his body had never felt so cold. “We’re not at war.”

Tozier looked up from underneath his messy fringe, a humourless smirk sliding across his face. “You’re a fool if you believe that.”

[or: after the gruesome murder of his younger brother, Bill Denbrough is determined to bring about the end of the string of crimes in Derry no matter the cost. As stories unwind and fall apart, there’s only more questions as everybody’s lives hang in the balance.]

chapter count: 6/20

chapter warnings: N/A

Taglist: @honkhonkrichard @hufflepuffkaspbrak @emmieliabedelia @reddie-for-anything @wowdidiask @reddiesetrichie @beepbeepbitchard @lemonadeandrice @daydreammiing-reality @mirandonsky (let me know if you want to be added/removed!)

[Prologue] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [Read Full Story on AO3] [Playlist]

“I’m telling you right now.” Aurora said, finger pointed against Ben’s nose. “If you blow this, Hanscom, I will kill you and then never speak to you again.”

“If I’m dead, I’m assuming you’d never be able to speak to me again,” Ben said lightly, trying to ignore the way his hands were sweating and shaking. He couldn’t even pretend that he didn’t somehow find Richie Tozier incredibly intimidating, despite how both Mike and Aurora had told him a hundred times that he had nothing to be afraid of.

“You didn’t really know Richie before,” Mike had told him that morning over coffee and muffins. “I promise you, Ben, he was the biggest dumbass I’d ever seen in my life. Got dressed in the dark, chewed with his mouth opened, and never shut the fuck up. Well… he still never shuts the fuck up, but he was funnier back then.” Mike’s eyes widened slightly. “Don’t ever tell him I said that!”

It did nothing to quell Ben’s panicky chest at the thought of being alone with Richie Tozier. The gangster’s son had seemed more than willing to talk to Ben about everything, but there was still the painful doubt that this was just a set up for Ben to disappear, never to be seen again.

“Seriously, you don’t need to worry about the Toziers,” Aurora said lightly. “If you need to be afraid of anybody, its Bill Denbrough. Your aunt totally exposed his deep dark fears in the freaking town newspaper.”

Ben swallowed roughly and crinkled his nose. “Thank you for the confidence booster, Rory.”

Aurora smirked and opened her mouth like she was ready to response but her answer was cut off by the door to the journalism room opening up and Richie Tozier strutting inside, a timid looking Eddie Kaspbrak trailing in after him. Aurora and Ben quickly exchanged a Look, watching as Richie leaned over to whisper into Kaspbrak’s ear. Kaspbrak looked up at him and there was something in that look, something that gave the reporter in Ben Hanscom a pause, a hint at deeper story.

Ben, admittedly, knew little to nothing about Eddie Kaspbrak. He lived on the North Side of town, in a big house that nobody could understand how they afforded it when Mrs Kaspbrak didn’t work and Mr Kaspbrak had left them years earlier. He was best friends with Bill Denbrough and he was gay. And now… apparently was also friends with Richie Tozier.

Aurora was watching them with the same careful reporter eyes as Ben, maybe more so. She raised one brow at him as Richie and Eddie walked towards them and Richie sat down across from Ben. “So, Haystack,” Tozier said lightly, raising one brow and smirking like a jungle predator who’d finally found his next meal. “Heard you’ve got questions you’re itching to get answered.”

Ben’s panic must have shown on his face, because Aurora’s hand came down and clasped on his shoulder. “He does. We do.”

Richie shot a dark look towards Aurora, face moving from amusement to a dark stillness. “Well, I’m here to answer Ben’s questions. Not yours, Morgan. I’m not telling you a goddamn thing.”

Ben’s brow disappeared under his mess of dirty blond hair while Eddie glanced nervously between Richie and Aurora. The two stared each other down, neither expression wavering until Eddie sighed and shook his head. “If you want your story, Aurora, you might as well just leave. Story is still a story, even if he doesn’t tell you.”

“Maybe I’ll just interview you then, if Ben’s getting an exclusive.” Aurora stepped around the table and moved up into Eddie’s face. “You’re suddenly seeming rather interesting, Kaspbrak. Didn’t know you even knew how to do that.”

“Kaspbrak’s always been interesting,” Richie said thickly, eyes flashing in a way that made Ben’s throat tighten. He clenched his fists. “He’s not telling you anything, Morgan. Eddie’s stays and you go. Those are my conditions here. Take ‘em or leave ‘em. Doesn’t bother me either way.”

Aurora raised her brow. “You unable to speak for yourself now, Kaspbrak?”

“I can speak for myself.” Kaspbrak said darkly, narrowing his eyes. “But I would just tell you the same thing as Richie, so I didn’t see the point of wasting my breath.”

“Oh, it’s Richie to you now is it?” Aurora giggled heavily, grabbing her bag from beside Ben and moving towards the door. “I swear, this gets more ridiculous everyday.”

The three other teens watched as Aurora walked from the room, not sparing a single glance over her shoulder. Ben’s heart was pounding in his chest as Tozier turned to meet his gaze once again. Wiping his hands on his jeans, Ben cleared his throat and forced himself to make eye contact.

“So, uhm, I just I could just start off with uhm-“ Ben frowned at his own nerves and shook his head. “I already told you what we wanted to ask so I’ll just get right to it. What’s with all the bad blood between you and the Denbroughs?” Tozier smirked humourlessly. “My dad and Zach Denbrough were best friends growing up, lived right next door to each other.” He’d known it was coming but Ben still couldn’t keep the look of surprise from settling over his face. Kaspbrak seemed to sitting in the same boat he was, pressed his mouth to his knuckles as an attempt to keep his expression neutral. “Up until Denbrough married North Side Sharon Porter, they’d been south siders. They’d actually been the Devils leader, until my dad. When Bill’s grandfather died, he left the Devils to my dad because the Denbrough had abandoned the Devils for a North Side girl.”

“But…” Ben shook his head. “I thought the Toziers- you family- had always been the leaders.”

Kaspbrak glanced back and forth between them, bottom lip drawn between his lips. Tozier chuckled humourlessly. “History is objective, Haystack. This was before we were even born, and people in Derry have always just believed whatever they wanted to. Zachary and Sharon Denbrough were the towns golden couple- still are- they could have been involved with such terrible things.”

“Is that why your dad gave the paper that picture?” Ben asked lightly, noting the way Tozier and Kaspbrak glanced at one another from the corner of their eyes. “He wanted to expose him for betraying the Devils? Why did he wait so long to do it?”

“Because he didn’t do it,” Tozier said simply. “As I told Eds here-“

“Don’t call me that.”

“My dad has bigger fish to fry right now than Zachary Denbrough’s reputation in town.” Tozier continued as though Kaspbrak hadn’t spoken. “His daughter’s missing and since everybody is so convinced the Devils are behind the killings, he needs to make sure our people are all safe. I promise the last thing on his mind right now is the Denbroughs.”

“So, you have no idea who might have sent that picture in?” Ben asked, leaning forward on his elbows. Tozier smirked at him while Kaspbrak shifted awkwardly in his seat.

“It was your aunt that they handed it to, wasn’t it, Haystack?” Tozier challenged, smirking. “Wouldn’t you know better than me who handed it in?”

Ben shook his head. “A good reporter would never reveal an anonymous source. No matter what.”

Tozier nodded as though that made perfect sense. “I don’t know who handed in that picture or where they got it from.”

“Speaking of the picture…” Ben pulled it from his folder and slid it towards the pair. Neither teen looked down at it, the image well known to them both. “There’s a third person. Do you know who it is? Another gang member?”

Tozier’s eyes jerked to look at Ben while Kaspbrak suddenly seemed interested at every other thing in the room besides Ben or Tozier. “Why?”

“I…” Ben cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I don’t know… I just… Maybe they’re the one who sent it in, and they cropped themselves out so they wouldn’t expose themselves.”

“Maybe.” Tozier said lightly, scratching the back of his neck and hyper interesting in the ceiling tiles. “I don’t know who’s in the picture, though.”

Ben narrowed his eyes and twirled the black pen between his fingers. He leaned forward across the desk and Tozier glanced down at his lap. “You’re lying, and you’re a terrible liar. Why are you withholding information from the press if you agreed to the interview in the first place?”

Tozier’s voice sounded heavy and sincere when he responded: “What at war, Haystack, you need to know which cards to play and which to hold onto until it works best for you.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Ben said, feeling his hands shake where around the pen he was using. The accusation made the back of Ben’s neck break into a sweat though his body had never felt so cold. “We’re not at war.”

Tozier looked up from underneath his messy fringe, a humourless smirk sliding across his face. “You’re a fool if you believe that.”

--

“I don’t know about this,” Audra said lightly, hands clutched tightly inside of Bills as they stood outside of the Long Float. She’d never felt more out of place in his floral romper as she watched the cluster of adults and teens alike walking in and about the place with their wore clothing and leather jackets. “They’ll probably shoot us on sight, you know? They’re not going to let us in!”

“They’ll let me in,” Bill said lightly, eyes moving over the building. There was a distance in his eyes that had left Audra unsettled and almost shaking in her wedged heels. She didn’t belong here, and if her mother found out that she’d crossed the unspoken border in town then she could kiss any freedom goodbye until graduation. “They have no right to keep from going in.”

“What are you talking about?” Audra pleaded as Bill took his hand from hers and began to walk towards the front door. Audra rushed forward and reached for her boyfriend. “This is crazy, you have to know that? Why on Earth would they let us in?”

Bill pursed his lips and gave the building the dirtiest look he could and shook his head. “The lease is in my family’s name. Has been since it opened, they can’t keep me from going inside.”

Audra’s mouth dropped open but Bill just turned and march towards the entrance. For a wild moment, Audra considered just leaving. Fuck Bill Denbrough and his roaring rampage of revenge, she didn’t owe him any of this. His rushings and thoughtless actions would get both of them killed, and she could feel it in bones. Walk away, Audra, she told herself stubbornly. He’s not the boy you fell in love with. Not anymore.

Audra sighed, thought once more about how she should be sitting in AP Chemistry right now, and hurried after her boyfriend as fast as she could in her heels. Bill was glaring at the tall boy standing at the entrance, whom Audra quickly realized with horror was Victor Criss. Maybe not the most dangerous of the Devils, not only, not without Henry or Patrick, but still not a welcome sight in any situation.

“No jacket, no entrance.” Criss said lightly, serpents venom in the back of his throat. “You’ll never have a jacket, Denbrough, so I guess you’re never getting in.” A joker smile grew over his cheeks and Audra could feel her pulse in her stomach as she gripped at Bill’s wrist.

“Look,” Bill said, voice deeper and stronger than Audra had ever heard it before. “Either move the fuck out of my way, or call Maggie out here and get her to show you the damn deed to the building!”

Audra glanced towards Criss with wide eyes, and his gaze met hers. She wanted the expressions cross his face, the the deep disbelief followed by fear. Maggie Tozier was a name you never wanted to be threatened with, and a person you never wanted to face if you weren’t forced to. Even Audra, in her sheltered North Side life, knew this.

Victor Criss stepped aside, and Audra followed Bill into the bar. They’d barely made it inside before Patrick Hockstetter looked up from his pool game and gave them a Cheshire Cat grin. He put down the pool stick and slithered his way across the bar, pressing a hand against the wall above Bill’s head. Bill didn’t so much as flinch while Audra fought every urge in her body to flee.

“Well, well, well. William Denbrough,” Patrick sleazed. “Been wondering when we were going to see your ugly face around here. We’ve been placing bets, you know, ever since little Georgie Porgie disappeared.” He leaned in even closer, nose pressed right against Bill’s. “Looks like I win. Wanna know what my prize was?”

Audra swallowed audibly when Patrick’s gaze moved over to her, settling as though he could burn her soul just by looking at her. Bill shoved at Patrick before he had change to say a word, the larger boy only stumbling slightly, but it was enough to re-earn Bill his attention. Patrick licked his lips and grinned deeply. Audra squeaked in horror but Patrick only managed to take a single step in Bill’s direction before a deep voice cut through the room.

“Now, now, Patrick. Go find another mouse to play with.”

Wentworth Tozier walked through the crowded bar like Moses parting the red sea. Every being stepped to the side to let him through, Audra almost expected them to drop down to one knee and bow their heads. Patrick stepped away, but the deep dark flash in his eyes when he turned to see Tozier wasn’t missed by Audra. Bill squared up his shoulders and stood his ground as Audra left that there had been no better time to melt into the floor and disappear completely from the world.

“William” Wentworth said in an almost a warm voice. He was wearing what Audra almost wanted to describe as a suit, but matched with the dark Derry Devils leather jacket rather than a suit coat. His hair was impeccable, not a single part of out of place, and Audra couldn’t help mentally comparing it to Richie’s mess of black curls. He looked so much like his father… a softer, nerdier version. Even now. “I heard you were down here, causing a stink about deeds to the building? If your father wants to take over the payments, I will happily hand them over. Goodness knows he has more money than I.”

Bill raised his brow. “As if you aren’t the richest bastard in this town.”

“There are many things that you don’t know about, William,” Wentworth said simply, sweet like summer honey. He glanced towards Audra, and she felt her heart skip. “And you brought Ms Phillips with you, how… brave.”

“You know who I am?” Audra asked airily as Bill shifted his weight so that he was standing just slightly in front of her.

“Oh yes, Audra, I know who you are.” Wentworth chuckled. “Come with me, I expect we have many things to discuss. I don’t believe this was a pleasure visit.”

Bill and Audra exchanged a look and without the need to speak, they tangled their hands together and followed the man into the a room off from the rest of the bar. If Deep Float was like any sort gang bar, with a distinct smell of stale beer and sweat, and bad lightning then Wentworth’s room off to the side was like walking into a 1930s gangster movie. Audra’s breath hitched in her throat as she and Bill took the leather seats. Wentworth walked over to the desk with a bottle of golden whiskey and a glass cup.

“Normally in my business meetings, I’d offer you a drink but since I assume you’ll be heading back to school after this, I’ll reframe.”

“Who said anything about a business meeting?” Bill challenged, nails digging into the leather arm rests. “You have nothing to offer me, Tozier.”

“If I have nothing to offer you, then why have you come?” Wentworth asked as he poured his drink. Audra watched the liquid swell into the glass, unsure about what else to look at. There were no pictures on the wall, nothing personal anywhere aside from one photograph of Richie and Janie on the desk. It was facing outwards, as though Wentworth had turned it away from himself.

Bill scowled. “The only thing you can give me are an-an-swers.”

Wentworth cocked his brow. “You’d need to ask me a question to receive an answer, wouldn’t you, son?”

“Don’t call me son!” Bill snapped, cheeks burning a deep red. “I’m not your son.”

Wentworth stood then and Audra was sure for a moment that they were going to die. The older Tozier surprised her with simply chuckling. “More the pity. You’re better set up for leadership than Richard. He’s a good kid, but soft. Stupid. I had always planned on leaving everything to my Jane. Even as young children, she had a stronger grasp on what it took than Richard does even now. He’s never wanted the run, no more than I did.”

“You talk of your daughter as though you already know you won’t be able to leave the Devils to her.” Audra surprised even herself by speaking up. Bill’s eyes jerked over to her and Wentworth had a mild look a pleasure on his lips. “Thought she was just missing. Not dead.”

Wentworth smiled without warmth. “I am doing every possible thing in my power to find Jane.” It sounded like a badly executed lie even to Audra, and Bill’s narrowed eyes showed that he didn’t miss it either. “My primary focus has been, of course, protecting my people and training my son. Not that either of us want that, it was never meant to be Richard.”

“And who was it meant to be?” Bill scoffed. “Jane? Your fourteen year old daughter?”

“It was meant to be you, William.” Wentworth said seriously, moving towards a large armoire against one of the non-windowed walls. “It’s in your blood. Your father made a choice years ago, but that shouldn’t mean you are robbed of your birthright.” Wentworth pulled an old, worn Derry Devils jacket from the hook and brought it to place in Bill’s limp hands. “These are trying times for the South Side, and you prove your strength by coming here today. Dumb, blind bravery. A true sign of Denbrough. Your father never had what it took to rule, but you… You were born for it, I knew the second I saw you with Hockstetter. The position is yours, if you want it. I’ll train you myself.”

Bill ran his fingers across the red letters across the back. “What about Richie?” He asked then, sounding more like Bill- more human-like- than Audra had heard him sound in months.

Wentworth sat on his desk directly in front of the Bill’s seat. “Richard doesn’t want this life. He wants to be as far away from it as he can. He wants softness and happiness and something easy. My son was not built for this world he was born into, he would leave it if he could. If Richard takes command, he’ll be dead within the year.”

“Maybe that’s not a bad thing,” Bill said lightly and Audra actually choked on her breath, pressing a hand to her throat.

“Maybe not,” Wentworth agreed mildly. “But that doesn’t matter, Richard will live or he will die. It’s trying times, and he has a bigger role than he knows. Just not the biggest role.”

“And you think Bill has the biggest role?” Audra asked, voice pitched and terrified. Both men looked to her and Wentworth smiled softly.

“No, sweetheart. Not the biggest.” Wentworth shook his head in amusement. “Rulers are never saviours. There will be a hidden hero, just like last time.”

“Last time?” Audra and Bill asked in unison but Wentworth merely sighed.

“I’m sure you didn’t come here to listen to me talk and get your fathers’ jacket,” Wentworth said lightly. “Ask your questions, William. I will shed with little light I can.”

And oh, Wentworth Tozier was a dangerous man. Audra had been told this her whole life but had never imagined seeing it in any fashion of life. But sitting here, hearing him talk of his own child as though he had accepted he die young, there was sick discomfort in her chest. She felt, for the first time in their 13 years of education together, that she might somewhat understand why Richie Tozier was the way he was.

“I assume you’ve come here to accuse me of killing your brother,” Wentworth continued casually. “Do you still wish to do so? I won’t stop you.”

Bill bit harshly on his bottom lip. “I… I don’t know. I still think you did it but I… I just don’t know anymore.”

Wentworth nodded sympathetically. “Would it put you at ease if I told you that I didn’t? I was the first person Bowers accused after that night, and gave him my alibi then and it still stands. I would never have land a hand on my daughter.” There was ringing pause throughout the room, an unspoken sentence regarding Richie that even Bill looked uncomfortable over, but Wentworth carried on quickly. “Maggie and I hadn’t even been in town that night, we’d had important business to take care of in Bangor.”

“What important business?” Bill challenged and Audra wanted to smack him. Wentworth raised his eyebrows slowly.

“Now, William, you are not one of us- no matter much more foolish courage you may have.” Wentworth stood, suddenly towering over Bill. “I don’t plan on spreading around my personal activities to some puffed up child, no matter how deep his blood flows. It is, in the end, traitor blood at its root.”

Bill shot to his own feet, and Audra quickly followed. She pressed her face and hand against his shoulder. “Please, Bill, let’s just leave. Please.”

“Why won’t you tell me?” Bill spat, his body completely ridged and fists clenched. “What the fuck are you hiding, Tozier?”

Audra felt tears burn at her eyes and she pressed her face all the harder into Bill’s stiff shoulder as she listened to Wentworth chuckle.

“When at war, Denbrough, you need to know which cards to play and which to hold onto until a later time.”

“But we’re not at war,” Audra barely heard herself say as she shook by Bill’s side.

“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong, you sweet, pretty, foolish little girl. Derry has always been at war.”

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