Chapter Text
Ricky can't quite pinpoint the moment his teeth had begun to ache, pain focused on the back of his mouth and pulsing horribly in his jaw. But he knows that it was brought to light while he was kissing Nini softly at her locker.
Which sucks because pressing his lips against hers is always something that makes his stomach flutter, and his heart pound in his throat.
Usually he isn't one for PDA. It's hard for him to say 'I love you' if it isn't in moments where he's 100% sure he means it, but he does go out of his way to show it when he can. Just not in public, where everybody can notice if him and Nini don't stand as close as usual or kiss as passionately or hug as they walk through the doors. He doesn't want to broadcast a relationship when he knows there's a chance it could end.
He doesn't want his second chance to end up like the first.
But he's doing better, he reckons, sailing his boat out into uncharted waters as Nini finishes complaining about her economics teacher. Her hair frames her face just right and her skin almost glows under the horrible East High lights, and he's kissing her; chaste yet meaningful and as she smiles into his lips he winces because something feels wrong.
But he ignores it, like he does all his problems. Because he's a teenager, and that's what people like him do when faced with a minor inconvenience.
But if something looks like it's painful, feels like it's painful - then it's painful.
And his dad laughs at his expense a week later as he grumbles and holds a bag of peas to his jaw, sucking yoghurt through his front teeth and craving death all at once as Mike phones the orthodontist and books an appointment.
~*~
On the day of the appointment, his dad's at work. Which is kinda sad, because he would have liked his dad there - or any family really - while getting the hell raisers out of his inflamed jaw. But Nini and her moms offer to come to pick him up and keep an eye on him until his dad gets home from work, so he supposes that if he had to put his life in the hands of anyone, Nini was a solid backup.
It's when he's sitting in the back of Carol's car that he begins to regret everything.
Because his girlfriend has pulled out her phone and has the camera turned on him, and he's pouting into the lens as the seatbelt crosses his chest and rests too close to his cheek for comfort.
"Ricky's getting his wisdom teeth out," she informs everyone on her Instagram story. Her hair is in pigtails much like the night he drowned in her mom's pride shirt and almost kissed her in her basement, "and as you can see, my boyfriend who is usually an absolute delight and loves me so much that he won't hate me for filming as much of this as I can - doesn't look like he's going to enjoy it. Thoughts, babe?"
Ricky blinks up at her, then at the camera. She's got it pretty much spot on, and if he wasn't suffering and afraid of moving incase he hit his cheek off something, he would have gently pulled on her pigtails to tease her in the backseat.
When he looks up, Carol and Dana are peeking at the pair through the rearview mirror and grinning.
"Just because I love you doesn't mean I can't dislike you," he offers, and he realises it's stupid and kind of childish but he's scared for many reasons.
What if the anaesthesia wears off? What if his pain meds don't work? What if he's so high he doesn't listen to reason and opens his stitches?
Nini laughs, "that makes no sense whatsoever but sure, Rick. Sure."
She then continues, raising her hand to push back his hair and ruffle his curls. Her palm is gentle against his scalp, smoothing down his hair and fingers scratching softly as he hums underneath her grasp - his eyes slowly falling shut.
Maybe if he squeezes them just right, he'd be sitting at home with no ache in his jaw - watching reruns of The Office and eating his dad's Ben and Jerry's, but apart of him will know it's a pipe dream.
"So feel free to send in some questions you want the answer to," Nini turns the camera so it captures Ricky in his nervous yet contented glory, "and stoned Ricky will give you an answer."
She takes a picture - the junior boy sitting with flushed cheeks and a frown pulling on his lips, eyes half lidded in the sunlight that splashes half of his face in gold. Before she tacks it on the end of the stream of videos she adds a question sticker, taking her time to post it and save each new story to her highlight.
She's probably named it something sweet.
Nini's really sweet.
And then the phone is gone, shoved back into the pocket of her cardigan while the sleeve rubs softly against his temple; and she turns his way beneath her seatbelt and addresses him gently.
It does little to compact the panic that's rising in his chest, ribcage three sizes too small as his lungs constrict. But he appreciates the distraction while it's there, even as he pours his focus into sifting his pain and panic through his nose - cracking the lumps that make his head spin and making it manageable.
"Are you okay, bubba?"
And Ricky shakes his head.
It's quick, and it's slight - but everyone sees it.
"M'scared," he admits, and can feel the burning looks of pity that Nini and her moms are doing a horrible job of hiding, "never had anaesthesia before. What if I wake up while getting them out?-" his eyes flicker open, neck turning so his gaze meets Nini's, "-what if I rip my stitches? I can't- I'm scared."
It's an irrational fear, but he's so goddamn terrified.
However his girlfriend is there, all gentle fingers and soft hair and calm voice that falls like a song from her throat. Her fingers continue to skim through his hair - and he sighs, not pulling his eyes away.
"I'll be with you," Nini reassures, "I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you, do you understand Richard Bowen? We're here to look after you, to deal with the blood and the chaos - and you know my mom's a nurse so she'll probably double check everything with the staff before you get them out."
Dana turns in the front passenger seat, a smile rising in her cheeks.
"She's right, you know. Plus these people know what they're doing. Between all of the employees and us three," Dana gestures to herself her wife and her daughter in one fell swoop as she maintains eye contact with the boy stationed behind her, "you couldn't be in safer hands if you tried."
Ricky closes his eyes tightly, head shifting against his headrest as he nods.
"It's just- I wish my dad was here? You know? Because he'd joke and laugh and ruffle my hair but he'd hold my hand-" his voice builds thick with the tears that threaten to fall, and he sharply inhales through his nose, "-and I always thought he'd be here for this to c-calm me down, and tell me to get my act together while brushes my hair ba-back and stays with me- god- I'm sorry."
And no sooner has he started crying, irrepressible tears racing down his too-pale cheeks - he's frantically trying to wipe away the tears with the sleeves of his hoodie.
Mindful of his aching jaw, Nini tugs his knuckles from his face; using the soft beige sleeves of her cardigan to wipe away his sorrows as she soothes him under her breath.
He loves her. He really loves her. And after this he feels more than happy screeching it from the rooftops, if she'll still have him after it.
"We're your people today, kid," Carol says, looking him in the eye using the rearview mirror, "we've got hands for you to hold, we can push you to get your act together - and don't ever tell this to your dad, but I'm far funnier than he is…"
And she's trying. He appreciates that she is, but he wants his dad.
"... you'll be okay Ricky. We've got you."
And the rumbling of the engine stops.
Ricky feels like he's about to die.
Granted, maybe he does want the world to swallow him up, but bleak nothingness satisfies him more complete agony, so he'd take melting between the cracks of the concrete that pave the entrance to the dentist's, over having his teeth yanked from his gums.
On autopilot he opens his door, stepping out after unbuckling his belt and shoving his hands deep into his pockets. Ricky's eyes remain trained on the ground as the floor changes, a thin strip of metal marking the split between concrete and linoleum.
Dana is the first to speak so he doesn't have to, and all Ricky can hear is the faint jingle of Carol's key rings, and he can feel a grounding hand on his back that he doesn't have the heart to shrug off. It's Nini. He knows it is. Her hands are small and slender and he just knows.
"We're here in regards to Richard Bowen," Dana explains, taking the clipboard that's placed on the counter. And Ricky watches as she begins to fill out his personal information.
Treating him in several instances of broken bones, and being his girlfriend's (and best friends) mom - not to mention a nurse - Mike and Lynne trusted her with their son's medical details incase he got injured while they were out of town. Ricky has never been more thankful for anything in his life as Carol hooks her finger under his chin, lifting his head up to look into her eyes.
"D'you wanna sit down," she asks, and he nods carefully and lets Carol and Nini pull him over to the waiting area. From his spot near the reception desk, he can hear the conversation between Dana and the man whose typing away at the computer.
"He's a bit nervous," she shrugs as the man asks her if anything's wrong, "his dad's working today and I think it might've been easier for him if he was here."
The receptionist nods, "it's not uncommon for patients to be nervous. Last week a nineteen year old boy was holed up in the bathroom for an hour because nerves hit him so bad he wouldn't stop throwing up. But if it helps at all, he'll be taken for an x-ray first. It might help him segway into the rest of it."
And Ricky looks up at this, and smiles at the man who gives him a half salute from behind the desk - and Dana mouths a quiet 'thank you' as she hands back the clipboard.
An X-ray is nothing compared to what it's like getting your gums cut open and your teeth removed from your skull, but okay Chip Skylark, enlighten me.
Sitting beside Ricky and sandwiching him between her and Nini, Dana places a hand on his knee - not batting a single eyelash as he rests his head on her shoulder and takes a shaking breath.
"Step one, an x-ray. Think you're up for it hun?"
Ricky nibbles at his bottom lip, licking away the crimson that bubbles and twinges his tongue with copper. The junior turns his gaze to look into Nini's eyes, and as he does she takes his hand and tightens her grip.
No. No, not at all. But I've already cried in front of Nini once today, and I'd rather have my teeth yanked from my jaw than embarrass myself again.
"Yeah. Yeah- I think I can do that."