The Bath || Stenbrough

1985

a/n: if i could be anybody, dead or alive, i think id wanna be my dad in 1985 (this is bills pov btw)

"You know what's awfully terrifying?" Bev asks, standing outside the hotel inn.

"Oh god there's more creepy shit?!" Richie exclaims, flailing his arms into the air. 

"I've seen all of us die." Bev says solemnly, ignoring Richie's remark.

"What does that mean?" I ask, dismayed. 

"I saw..." The confident woman's voice suddenly becomes choked, and quiet. "Stan...in a bath....and Richie getting-"

I shush Bev, glancing at Stan. His eyes are wide with dread. 

"...I'm sorry." Bev's face is now filled with guilt. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"So like.....how are you seeing this shit?!" Richie asks loudly.

"I...the deadlights." She answers. "I've been seeing all of it since..."

Mike cuts her off, since she looks incredibly uncomfortable. "It's okay Beverly. Thanks for telling us."

"So why are we all standing out here again?" Ben asks awkwardly.

"Yeah what the hell guys, it's too early for this!!" Eddie takes a large gulp of coffee.

"We need to regain memory." Mike says ominously. "Let's go...."

The man ponders for a good minute, looking at the clouds which are gray and dark.

"The clubhouse." He decides. "Our old clubhouse."

I feel a slight shudder in Stan's body, which is pressed against mine. "Alright." He mumbles, and starts trailing behind the 'losers.' I squeeze his hand comfortingly walking slightly behind him, he doesn't hold it. He doesn't even look back.

"You okay?" I whisper into his ear.

He nods, still staring straight ahead. I sigh and continue walking behind him. I squeeze his hand again, 3 times this time. It's been our own way of saying 'I love you' in public since we were kids. Stan squeezes back reluctantly, finally turning to face me.

"I love you." He says in a slight whisper, avoiding eye contact.

"I love you too, Stanley." 

"Would you two lovebirds hurry up already!" Richie hollers.

Me and Stan speed walk until we're at the same pace as the rest of the group. Mike is leading, which is odd to me. When we were young I was always the so called 'leader' of the group, mainly because I was confident. Confident in more of a brave way than a cocky, Richie Toizer way. Mike however, was more quiet, and reserved. It was strange to see the bashful young boy I once knew taking full control of the group.  Richie glances down at my hand, which is interlocked with Stan's. The curly haired man releases his grip in a panic, turning bright red. Richie lip curls into a smirk. I roll my eyes at him, slightly chuckling at Stan's bright red face. Richie gives a 'what-did-I-do' look before turning away, keeping pace with Eddie. The two begin bickering about something or other. Eddie looks truly agitated, but Richie is most definitely hiding a grin.  I've always known Richie was head over heels for him, every since we were little boys. He just treated Eddie different than the rest of us. The things the two of them said or did with each other would never slide with another loser. I wonder if my love for Stan was as obvious as Richie's for Eddie. 

God I hope not, that'd be embarrassing.

When we arrive at a beautiful location in the woods, the sunlight shines down making Stan's hair have a 'glow-y' effect to it. The birds sing, like in a Disney movie. Except, the circumstances of which we're hear under aren't much like that of a Disney movie. Stan looks around, I assume to look at birds, grinning at the nature around him. The losers begin laughing, talking about memories of rock wars and dam building. I, however am more focused on Stan's happiness than anything else. Especially considering his recent mental state. Suddenly Beverly trips on a rock, tumbling towards the ground. Naturally, I catch her. She stands there for a moment with my arms around her, her bright blue eyes staring into mine. She looks about ready to kiss me, of course she doesn't in front of people but I'm afraid she would've if we were alone. I quickly release my arms from around Bev, returning to Stan's side. He gives me an annoyed look, which I would guess is because of Beverly. I turn to him, looking into his eyes. 

"I love you." I assure him in a slight whisper. Stan's always needed more reassurance than the average man, he's always scared of getting left for someone better. When I tell him there isn't anyone better he doesn't believe it. He's convinced my compliments are only out of pity and I don't really love him. Obviously, I love Stanley Uris more than anyone in the world. I wish he could believe it.

"I love you too." Stan falsely smiles, circling my knuckles with his thumb.

"You know what?" Ben suddenly shouts, feeling his feet on the earthy ground. "I think the door was more-"

He's cut off by the sudden crash of him falling through the trapdoor, which was covered by grass. Richie snorts, following after him. Soon everyone is down in the small clubhouse Ben had built many, many years ago. 

"It's....weird." Stan mumbles primarily towards me, yet still getting a nod from everyone.

Stan holds onto my arm as we walk around, looking at all the old trinkets and memorabilia of our past. I point to an incredibly dusty hammock, on which Richie and Eddie used to sit together. I flip it over making a cloud of dust fly towards us. Stan coughs, holding my arm tighter. 

"You think I could sit on that?" I chuckle, pulling both sides to enlarge it.

"Bill don't-" Stan sighs as I begin climbing into the hammock. It collapses to the floor moments after I sit down, making all the losers turn away from whatever they'd been looking at. Richie laughs, causing Eddie to laugh with him. Stan shakes his head disappointedly, helping me up. 

"Thanks." I smile at him as everyone else messes with whatever sort of toy they were messing with earlier. 

"Time to float, losers..." An eerie voice makes me first jump back, then grab a large stick off the ground. I glance at Stan, who's eyes are wide and legs are shaky. I take a battle stance, stepping in front of him protectively. Suddenly, Richie emerges from the darkness, laughing his head off. It wasn't Pennywise, it was just him. 

"Richie that is so not funny!!!" Eddie exclaims. 

Everyone mutters in agreement. 

Stan crossed his arms, finally releasing his grasp from mine. I put my arm around him, pulling him into my side. He sighs, resting his head into my neck.

"Are you two like...." Richie made a gesture to me and Stan, causing him to blush and pull away. 

"Hey look." Ben interrupts opening a small chest. He pulls a few shower caps out. 

"That's the-" Stan smiles, stopping his sentence short as he takes a dust covered shower cap from Ben's hand.

"You don't have to be so....sad." Bev smiles at Stan, as a small tear rolls down her cheek.

a/n: short word wise, but it just feels long for some reason idk