Mike Hanlon - Blog Posts
i live in a hologram with you
do you think Ben ever wrote any other poems? or was he just like,,, the first one slayed so hard he didn’t want to risk it
did anybody else watch IT (2017) and have their entire brain chemistry altered or was that just me
His little Mate
Summary: An odd girl, Silver's somehow different than anyone else in Derry, and her life's about to get much more complicated. With children going missing, bullies in every corner and new friends, she'll have to gather enough courage to survive the summer that's coming, and the choice that must be made, if not by her then by another. Rating may change later. Also struggled to pick the genre.
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Chapter 1
Footsteps and laughter echoed in the Denbrough home as seven year old George Denbrough ran into his older brother's room. It was absolutely pouring down and Bill was sick with the flu, but he'd promised to make Georgie a boat he could take outside and play with. Georgie's face had lit up and he nodded with a large grin, staring out of the window and into the distance as Bill made the boat with some paper from his notebook, old newspaper and some tape. He could hear the crinkling of the paper as it was folded again and again until at last, there it was. Bill grabbed a thick black pen and wrote S S Georgie on the side. "Now, g-go t-t-to t-the cellar a-a-and get m-me the p-p-paraffin w-wax."
"What's that?"
"I-it will a-a-allow t-the boat t-to f-float."
"Okay." He rushed obediently to get the wax, eager to get going. He passed his mother in the lounge. She was playing the piano. Georgie was careful not to disturb her, creeping past the doorway and down the cellar. The wax was on the shelf just as Billy said it was, but something was...off. Georgie hated the cellar. It was large and dark - the perfect place for monsters to hide in, which was ridiculous because both his parents and more importantly, Bill and Silver, said there were no such things as monsters. No such thing as monsters. It was something he kept reminding himself of. Yet, as he picked up the wax, there was a noise that made him almost jump out of his skin, his heart racing in his chest. He spun around, his torch shaking in his hand as he tried to find the source - a pair of glowing lights staring at him in the dark. His eyes widened in fear, but he stayed where he was, his free hand going for the light switch. The light turned on, his shoulders slumped in relief at the sight of the "glowing lights", which were nothing but two torches lying side by side on the shelf.
He giggled and ran up the stairs, walkie talkie in one hand and the wax in the other. He had to put one down in order to turn off the light and shut the door, picking it back up after and running back to Bill. It never occurred to Georgie that the two torches couldn't have possibly been responsible for the glowing lights in the Cellar, as they were both off at the time. If it had, his fear would have returned and he probably would have questioned it further. It only took about five more minutes to finish the boat, grab his bright yellow raincoat and green wellies and rush out of the door. Rain pelted down on him as he stopped at the end of the driveway and turned to wave to his brother in the top window. "Bye, Billy!" He didn't bother to respond when he heard Bill's voice on the walkie talkie, warning him to be careful. It was slowly getting dark, it was pouring down and there was not another soul in sight, but Georgie didn't mind as he placed his boat down in the water next to the curb and began chasing after it in glee. If Bill Denbrough knew that was the last thing Georgie would ever say to him, and the last time he ever saw his brother, he would have done something, anything.
But he didn't. And Bill Denbrough never saw his brother again.
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For being October, the weather wasn't as cold as you would have expected. It was just raining. Georgie laughed loudly, jumping in puddles as he ran down his street onto Witcham Street. The boat was yards in front of him. Georgie was so busy keeping an eye on it that he forgot to keep an eye on where he was going. He slammed into one of the road signs with a loud "Oof!", landing on his back. Unfortunately, this allowed the boat to pull even more ahead, something he noticed. He shot to his feet, running faster than before. But the water was running too fast, and his boat ended up going down one of the storm drains. "NO!" He lunged at the boat but missed by a few seconds. "No." He crouched down, uncaring whether he got his clothes soaking wet or not, and peered in despite knowing it was a lost cause. "Bill's gonna kill me."
Georgie switched positions so he was on his hands and knees and ducked his head a little more. But it was dark; too dark too see anything. It didn't help that the water going into the drain sounded almost like a hollow waterfall. He was about to leave when a pair of amber eyes opened suddenly and stared straight at him. He screamed, jerking back.
"Hiya, Georgie."
The voice was sweet, soft and somewhat high pitched, yet he had a feeling it came from a male rather than a female. The voice moved closer to him until he was able to see who - or rather, what, it was. It was a man dressed as a clown. He couldn't make out all of the clown's features but he noticed it was chalk white with rather plump cherry lips and a painted red nose instead of one of those stupid red noses clowns usually used and a ruffled costume.
Hold on, I thought they were amber. I'm sure they were amber a moment ago.
But who the hell has amber eyes? And yet, the eyes Georgie swore were amber moments ago, were a bright sky blue - the same colour as his mother's. In his white gloved hand, he held up Georgie's paper boat. What was a clown doing in the sewers?
"What a nice boat. Do you want it back?"
"Um, yes please."
"You look like a nice boy," he whispered. "I bet you have a lot of friends."
"Three, but my brother's my best, best."
"Where is he?"
The question revealed the clowns two rabbit like teeth that Georgie thought was kind of adorable.
"In bed, sick."
Good. That makes things easier.
"And I have a sister. She's older than us."
Well, she's not really my sister, but close enough.
"Her name's Silver because of her silver hair. But some call her the silver dragon because she can be fierce and terrifying sometimes. She says dragons are territorial. They're supposed to be possessive and protective over their things - things they claim as their treasure. That's why my brother and his friends call her the silver dragon. She also said you don't have to be blood family to be family. You may not be able to choose your blood family, but you can damn well pick the family you choose to have around you."
"That's very wise of her. Very wise indeed."
"I know. She very smart."
"And where is she?"
"Um, I don't know. She's probably at home if she hasn't had a craving and gone to the store to fix it. She get's craving all the time. I remember she once said something about them being bad, but if she were pregnant, they'd be a lot worse."
"And is she?"
"Is she what?"
"Pregnant? I could give her a present to welcome the new baby. I could give her a balloon. Do you want a balloon too, Georgie?"
"She's not pregnant. She's only a teenager. She's too young for that stuff. Everyone else says so. And I'm not supposed to take stuff from strangers."
"Oh, well, I'm Pennywise the dancing clown," bells jingled as he jerked his head abruptly at the word 'dancing'. "Pennywise, yes, meet Georgie. Georgie meet Pennywise." His hand pointed between the two of them upon introductions. Georgie let out a soft laugh. "Now we aren't strangers, are we?"
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Georgie knew something was wrong. But he let it go because this clown was funny and friendly, and there was no danger as far as he could see. He barely heard the door of the house in front of him, open. He didn't see the old woman come out, pulling the blinds up. But she noticed him. She pulled her coat tighter around her and ran back inside. "What are you doing in the sewer?"
"The storm blew me away. Blew the whole circus away," he chuckled with a grin. His grin faded as he regarded him with a slightly more series expression. Even more of the clowns face was revealed enough for Georgie to see the two red painted lines going from either side of the end of his top lip to underneath his eyes. His teeth were too large because he was drooling badly. "Can you smell the Circus, Georgie?" Now that he thought about it, he could smell something. And he swore he heard voices of children softly singing. "There's peanuts...cotton candy...hot dogs aaaaand...?"
"Popcorn?"
"Popcorn! Is that your favourite?"
"Uh huh."
"Mine too," Pennywise laughed, his grin returning, "because they pop. Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!"
Georgie laughed joining in until he suddenly stopped. Georgie did too. Pennywise stared at him with such intensity, it made Georgie uncomfortable. He needed to get home anyway; the rain wasn't letting up anytime soon and his family would no doubt be worried about him by now, and he didn't want to get sick like Bill. They'd want him home, and truthfully, Georgie had enough with playing outside. He was cold, tired and soaking wet. All he wanted to do now was go home, get dry and changed and maybe have something to eat. It must be close to dinner time by now anyway. It was the perfect excuse to leave. "I should get going now."
"Oh, without your boat?"
He once again held up Bill's boat. But this time, Georgie was hesitant. The bad feeling from earlier was back and it was growing stronger every second. Then he remembered what Silver once told him.
Always trust your instincts. They'll never steer you wrong. If you have a bad feeling, it's because something's wrong and your instincts are trying to warn you. Don't ever ignore it.
The clown obviously noticed his uncertainty, because his next words were the reason Georgie made the biggest mistake of his life. A mistake in which he dearly regretted making, having wished in the next few minutes that he had listened to Silver's warning instead. But he didn't.
"You don't wanna lose it, Georgie. Bill's gonna kill you."
He has a point. I don't want Billy to kill me or get angry for losing it.
Pennywise's mouth twitched upwards- something Georgie failed to notice and he stared thoughtfully at his boat. "Here. Take it," Pennywise offered, emphasizing the word 'it'. "When Georgie didn't immediately go for it, he tilted his head and said, "Take it, Georgie." His hand rose a little, and Georgie found himself getting closer. The boat was just inside the drain - close enough to reach out and quickly pluck. But Georgie didn't want to be rude, so he reached in instead. He had almost got it when Pennywise pulled his hand back, forcing him to shuffle forward more so his hand could reach even further.
If Georgie had listened to Silver or if he had been focusing on the clown's face, he would have realised the wrong feeling was because of It. Unfortunately, he was so focused on getting his boat back, he never noticed the clowns eyes turning from blue to amber, indicating his earlier thoughts about It were in fact, correct. Once he was close enough, he grabbed Georgie by the wrist, his buck teeth transforming from something cute and adorable to anyone's worst nightmare. Rows or incredible sharp teeth that reminded Georgie of a Dinosaur or a Dragon, grew, and he opened his mouth wide - wider than possible- and bit down on his arm. Georgie let out a loud scream as he instinctively fought against his attacker. Whether it let him go or not, didn't matter. White hot pain shot through his arm and through the rest of his body. Georgie found himself on his stomach not far from the storm drain. At first, he was relieved, but when he looked down at his arm, it was gone. Blood poured out of the wound, mixing with the rain as he tried crawling away. Shock hadn't yet settle in, his wound and the agony crippled him enough that he couldn't just get up and run, giving that thing the advantage.
Unseen by him, a gloved hand crept out of the drain, stretching to an impossible length and grabbed him by the ankle. Georgie felt himself being pulled and knew it was that thing. Terror gripped him tight as he tried and failed to find anything to hold onto. He gave one final cry of, "SILVER!" before he was pulled down the drain. He missed the woman from before, rushing out after hearing his screams, only to see blood and water but no child. The only thing he knew upon being dragged down was yet more agony then nothing.
Georgie Denbrough's last thought, besides wishing either Silver or Bill were there to save him, was that Silver was wrong; monsters were in fact, real.
Ink stains..what ink stains I don’t see them...ANYWAYS YES I HAD TO DRAW IT
They did this on Mike’s farm, fite me
You can look me in the eye and tell me this isn’t the kind of shit the losers do in their free time, but I won’t believe you.
I got Richie! Who are you?
she just sent me her location bruh wtf is this
we don’t talk about that part of the book..
lowk trauma
Dead fandom this, dead fandom that
I stil interact and am apart of the fandom based on a fucking crazy ass book from the 80’s that a guy wrote so fucking high on crack cocaine that there’s a part of the book everyone collectively ignores and pretends doesn’t exists.
IT: Chapter 2
As soon as I saw that scene where all of the Losers Club faded from child to adult and Stanley was not included I knew that the worst was to come.
I literally looked at my mom showing her the scene and stated that Stanly is definitely going to be dead.
I was still shocked when this clip popped up.
But this, I can only assume that this is Eddie’s death. And by the looks of things, I’m gonna have to bring some tissues.
God, I am super scared and super excited at the same time!
IT 2017 oc!! (yippee!!)
Losers club (and a lot of richie) fanart
anyone wanna be part of a It group chat on discord ? I need friends oof
HII!! it's me again with another request for the losers! >:D I didn't wanna bother you with too many requests but since you don't know what to write... I have an idea! What if a feminine Reader with the losers club who's into 'over the top' fashion like lolita or kawaii kei/cutecore wasn't ready to share that with the losers just yet, but they ended up finding out on accident one way or another. Feel free to change up the request however you like or however suits your style better! Thank you for your time!! (❁´◡`❁)
Also! Not sure if you have specific anons on your blog, but if you do could I be 🦢 anon? No pressure if you don't!!
— CUTE FOR THE SUMMER
written by mina leigh ୨ৎ , losers club 𝔁 f! reader | wc 1100
summary. you had invited the losers over to your place without thinking about how your room was scattered with your, from what you thought, embarrassing interests. completely distracted, you hadn’t noticed your mom let your friends in and headed straight to your room where you were practicing your lolita style makeup. looking and appearing completely different from the person you are out in derry. you got flustered by compliments and questions ..
labels. hyper feminine reader, she/her pronouns, lolita style reader, happy go - lucky reader. reader is closest to richie toizer and eddie kaspbrak.
warnings. mild language, fluff, flustered reader, playful teasing
‧₊˚ ୨୧ mina speaks. hey 🦢 anon, hope you’re doing well. sorry if i made too many drastic changes to your request. it helped me make it a tad bit easier to write. check out my rules to get a better understanding. hope you enjoy ml ♡
you adjusted the pastel pink bow on your head, tilting your face slightly in the mirror as you perfected your makeup. the lolita style had always been your little escape from the dreary life of derry. out there, you were just y/n — casual, approachable, nothing that would make anyone look twice. but here, in your room, surrounded by frills, lace, and soft pastel hues, you felt like your truest self.
you dabbed a bit more blush onto your cheeks, focusing so hard on getting it perfect that you barely noticed the distant sound of your mom’s voice downstairs.
❝y/n, your friends are here!❞
your heart stopped.
the losers. here. now.
you spun around, eyes wide as the sudden panic hit you. your room was a full display of your hyper-feminine interests: lace curtains, stuffed animals, intricate dresses hanging in the open closet, and makeup scattered across your vanity. you didn’t even have time to hide anything before footsteps pounded up the stairs.
the door burst open.
❝yoo - hoo, y/n!❞ richie’s voice rang out, loud and obnoxious as ever. he stopped mid-step, his mouth hanging open when he saw you.
behind him, eddie, beverly, bill, ben, mike, and stan filed in, each of their faces shifting from confusion to surprise.
❝holy shit,❞ richie muttered, adjusting his glasses. ❝what is this?❞
you froze, your face heating up faster than a kettle on a stove. ❝i — it’s nothing! i didn’t know you were coming up!❞ you stammered, frantically trying to pull off the bow.
eddie, ever observant, stepped closer, his eyes scanning your makeup. ❝wait, you did this?❞
you nodded, chewing on your lip nervously.
❝it’s … really good,❞ eddie said softly, a small smile forming.
❝yeah,❞ beverly added, tilting her head to examine you. ❝you look amazing.❞
you blinked, taken aback. ❝you don’t think it’s weird?❞
❝nah,❞ mike said with a shrug. ❝it’s cool. different, but cool.❞
richie grinned, recovering from his initial shock. ❝dude, you look like a doll. in a good way.❞
you felt your cheeks burn. ❝stop.❞
❝no, seriously!❞ richie teased, winking. ❝you’ve been holding out on us.❞
eddie elbowed him. ❝don’t be an ass. y/n, this is really impressive.❞
beverly nodded in agreement. ❝it’s not just the makeup. the whole style is beautiful.❞
stan, standing by the door, gave a small nod. ❝it’s not what we’re used to, but it suits you.❞
you swallowed hard, the overwhelming mix of embarrassment and gratitude bubbling up. ❝thanks, guys. i just… didn’t think anyone would understand.❞
ben smiled gently. ❝we’re your friends, y/n. you don’t have to hide anything from us.❞
bill stepped forward, his stutter barely noticeable. ❝y-you look h-h-happy like this. th-that’s all th-that matters.❞
richie clapped his hands together dramatically. ❝okay, okay, group vote — who thinks y/n should dress like this all the time?❞
you groaned. ❝richie, i swear —❞
everyone laughed, and the tension broke.
eddie nudged your shoulder. ❝but seriously, you don’t have to be embarrassed. we like seeing this side of you.❞
you glanced around at their smiling faces, feeling a warmth spread through you. ❝okay, but if anyone tells anyone outside this room …❞
richie threw his hands up. ❝scout’s honor!❞
beverly smirked. ❝your secret’s safe with us.❞
mike grinned. ❝besides, you look too good to keep it hidden forever.❞
you laughed softly, finally relaxing. ❝thanks, guys. really.❞
and as they settled into your room, cracking jokes and asking questions about your style, you realized that maybe, just maybe, being yourself around them wasn’t so scary after all.
© MINA LEIGH 2023 - 2024
I JUST READ YOUR BEN'S BUNKER FIC AND IT WAS SO YUMMY! I'm not sure if it's your writing style or the way the Reader was depicted but I'm in love!! I haven't explored your blog for requesting rules or anything yet, but I'd love if you would write something similar to that fic for the losers! \(≧▽≦)/
— QUARRY PARADISE
written by mina leigh ୨ৎ , the losers 𝔁 f! reader | wc 2700
summary. it was the hottest derry, maine has been. after a quick trip for ice cream, you convince the losers to take a small dip in the quarry. you all meet up later that day prepared and bike the way there, ready to feel the refreshing water coating your skin.
labels. girly girl reader, happy go lucky, sweet & shy reader, hyper feminine reader, no definite description of reader, reader goes by y/n, she/her pronouns, closest with richie toizer & eddie kaspbrak.
warnings. possible language, mentions of fear/anxiety, minor physical teasing (all in good fun).
‧₊˚ ୨୧ mina speaks. i’m so happy you enjoyed it! i really didn’t think it would appeal to anyone but i really appreciate it babes! lots of love, this one - shot goes specifically to you. ♡
the sun was relentless, beating down on derry like it was trying to burn the small town into nothing. the ice cream in your hand had already melted half down your wrist, and you watched as the losers struggled to finish theirs before it became a complete disaster.
you couldn’t help but laugh as richie dramatically groaned, holding out his cone. ❝ i swear, if this thing gets any messier, i’m throwing it in the trash. ❞
❝ you wouldn’t dare, ❞ you teased, knowing full well richie would probably shove it in someone’s face before wasting it.
you sat on the curb of the ice cream shop, legs tucked beneath you as you felt the heat radiate off the sidewalk. derry wasn’t usually this hot, but today was different, and your friends were all trying to keep cool with their sticky, melting treats.
eddie sat beside you, carefully licking at his cone like it was a mission he had to complete without any error. his eyes darted over to richie. ❝ you do realize you’re supposed to eat it, right? not just complain about it? ❞
richie grinned, messy and smug. ❝ oh, eds, you know me so well. ❞
you wiped the drips of ice cream from your wrist, turning to look at the group. ❝ it’s too hot to sit here, ❞ you sighed, squinting against the sunlight. ❝ we should do something fun. ❞
stan raised an eyebrow, always the practical one. ❝ like what? the pool’s too crowded. ❞
you huffed.
❝ the quarry, ❞ you suggested, the idea hitting you like a breath of fresh air. ❝ it’s perfect! we can cool off, and it won’t be packed with people like the pool. ❞
there was a brief silence as everyone considered it. bill was the first to nod, his face already flushed from the heat. ❝ sounds good to m-m-me, ❞ he agreed, looking around to gauge the others.
you squealed, kissing his cheek all in good fun. ❝ thank you, thank you, thank you bill! i knew you would agree. ❞
he smilled softy placing his hand where your lips touched his face gently.
ben smiled softly, wiping sweat from his forehead. ❝ yeah, i’m in. we just have to be careful. ❞
❝ oh, come on, ben, ❞ richie groaned. ❝ it’s not like we’re jumping off cliffs. we’re just gonna swim. ❞
❝ actually, that’s exactly what the quarry is, ❞ eddie corrected, looking mildly horrified at the thought of jumping into the water.
you nudged him lightly with your elbow. ❝ it’ll be fun, eddie. we’ll just float around in the water, i promise. ❞
❝ if they do end up doing so, i’ll just accompany you regardless! ❞
he sighed, but there was a tiny smile tugging at the corners of his lips. ❝ fine, but if i get an infection, i’m blaming you. ❞
you laughed, standing up and dusting off your shorts. ❝ deal. let’s meet back up later. we can bike there together. ❞
later that day, you found yourself biking down the familiar path to the quarry, the warm air rushing past as you pedaled alongside your friends. richie rode beside you, tossing out jokes every few seconds, his glasses slipping down his nose as the wind whipped through his hair.
❝ so, y/n, ❞ he said, leaning closer with a smirk, ❝ if eddie starts panicking, you’re on distraction duty. ❞
he didn’t have to tell you twice.
you grinned, swerving playfully to avoid a rock in the path. ❝ oh, don’t worry. i’ve got it covered. ❞
you arrived at the quarry, parking your bikes in the usual spot. the shimmering water below looked so inviting, and the heat of the day made the idea of jumping in even more appealing. you quickly peeled off your shoes, giggling as the others did the same, some more enthusiastically than others.
you were sporting a cute red gingham ruffled swimsuit underneath a pair of old jean shorts.
eddie lingered by the edge, eyeing the water nervously. ❝ this … looks a lot higher than i remember. ❞
richie rolled his eyes, already halfway to the ledge. ❝ that’s because you’re standing up here like a loser. come on, eddie, don’t be a wuss. ❞
you shot richie a quick look, gently tugging eddie toward the water. ❝ ignore him. he’s just showing off. we’ll take it slow, alright? ❞
eddie nodded, still not convinced, but trusting you enough to step closer.
ben, stan, and bill were already easing into the water from a lower point, avoiding the jump. you followed suit, dipping your toes in and shivering as the coolness spread up your legs. it was freezing at first, but the relief was immediate, making you sigh in contentment.
❝ oh my god, this feels amazing, ❞ you murmured, wading in deeper.
eddie, with your help, finally stepped in, wincing as the cold water hit his skin. ❝ it’s so cold! ❞
❝ don’t worry eds, you’ll get used to it, ❞ you assured him, giving him a small splash. ❝ just float, and you’ll forget all about it. ❞
as soon as everyone was in the water, it turned into a game of splashes and laughter. richie, of course, was the loudest, egging everyone on as he swam circles around you and eddie, trying to start a splash war.
❝ you guys are no fun, ❞ he teased, pushing his glasses up as he slicked back his hair.
you giggled, splashing him lightly. ❝ maybe we just don’t want to get our hair wet, ❞ you shot back playfully.
richie scoffed, clutching his chest dramatically. ❝ y/n, you wound me. ❞
the rest of the afternoon passed in easy joy, the cool water providing the perfect escape from the oppressive heat. you floated on your back at one point, letting the sun warm your face while the water kept the rest of you cool. you could hear the others splashing and joking around nearby, the sound of your friends’ voices mixing with the soft ripple of the quarry.
eddie floated beside you, eyes closed and content. ❝ thanks for making me come. ❞ he said quietly, barely audible over the splashes.
you smiled softly, turning your head toward him. ❝ anytime, eds. ❞
as the sun began to dip lower in the sky, you all reluctantly made your way out of the water, the air now feeling cool against your wet skin. you wrapped yourself in the towel you’d brought, sitting on the rocks to dry off as the others did the same.
richie flopped down beside you, shaking his wet hair like a dog. ❝ so, y/n, think you could survive a summer in derry without us? ❞
you glanced over at him, grinning. ❝ not a chance. ❞
you reached for beverly’s hand, accepting your touch of affection returned the favor and giggled along with you.
to turned to the losers and furrowed your eyebrows and smiled a bit as a small amount of heat rushed through your face. flustered.
❝ thanks for coming with me guys, i love you all so much. ❞
© MINA LEIGH 2023 - 2024
— BEN’S BUNKER
written by mina leigh 𝜗᭪ , losers club 𝔁 f! reader | wc 2300
summary. spending time the your bestest friends in the world, in ben’s surprise hideout for the losers club. a stronger bond flourishing inside!
labels. feminine reader, happy go lucky girl, shy cute girly girl reader, no definite description of reader, she/her pronouns used, reader is closer to richie toizer & eddie kaspbrak.
‧₊˚ ୨୧ mina speaks. hey everyone! i was rewatching it 2019 and me being the self indulgent person i am, i started fantasizing about us (readers) being with the losers! lots of love.
summer days in derry had a special kind of magic, one that was even stronger when you spent them with the losers club. today, ben had promised a surprise, and you couldn’t wait to see what he had in store. the air was thick with excitement as you all made your way through the woods, your heart fluttering with anticipation.
❝ are we there yet? ❞ richie’s voice rang out, filled with mock impatience. you were walking beside him, as usual, and his playful energy was contagious. you couldn’t help but smile.
❝ yeah, ben, how much further? ❞ eddie added, swatting away a mosquito with a grimace. you could tell eddie was getting antsy, but his curiosity kept him moving forward. you gave him a reassuring smile, hoping to ease his nerves. richie noticed and nudged you with his elbow, his grin wide.
❝ you know, eds, (y/n) here could probably carry you if you get too tired, ❞ richie teased, earning a light smack on the arm from eddie.
❝ shut up, richie, ❞ eddie muttered, but you could see the corners of his mouth twitching as he tried to hide a smile. you laughed softly, loving the way they always managed to make you feel at ease, even when they were bickering.
finally, ben stopped in front of a large thicket, and your curiosity peaked. he pushed aside some branches, revealing a hidden entrance. ❝ here it is, ❞ your eyes widened as you stepped through the opening. inside was a large, cozy space, bigger than you’d expected. there were shelves full of books, soft blankets, and a huge hammock strung up in one corner, large enough for several people. the place felt like a secret clubhouse, one that was just for you and your friends.
❝ ben, this is amazing! ❞ you exclaimed, your voice filled with awe. you turned to look at him, and he blushed slightly, clearly pleased with your reaction.
❝ yeah, ben, this is awesome, ❞ mike added, already exploring the different corners of the hideout. ❝ you really outdid yourself. ❞
❝ i thought it would be nice to have a place just for us, ❞ ben said, his voice warm with affection. ❝ a place where we can hang out and just be ourselves. ❞
richie immediately made a beeline for the hammock, his eyes lighting up with excitement. ❝ dibs on the hammock! ❞ he shouted, flopping down onto it with a dramatic sigh of contentment. you laughed and followed him over, sitting down on the edge of the hammock.
❝ you’re such an ass, ❞ eddie grumbled, but he couldn’t resist joining you both. he climbed onto the hammock, settling in beside you with a huff. you found yourself sandwiched between richie and eddie, feeling the gentle sway of the hammock as they playfully jostled each other.
❝ careful, you’re gonna tip us over, ❞ you warned, your voice filled with laughter. richie just grinned at you, his arm draping casually around your shoulders.
❝ don’t worry, (y/n), i’ve got you, ❞ he said, his tone teasing but affectionate. you leaned into him, feeling the warmth of his body against yours. on your other side, eddie was muttering under his breath about how richie was being annoying, but you could tell he was just as happy to be there.
as you lay there, the three of you fell into a comfortable rhythm. richie and eddie kept up their usual banter, tossing playful insults back and forth while you relaxed between them. their voices became a soothing background noise, and you found your eyelids growing heavy as the hammock rocked gently beneath you.
❝ hey, richie, do you ever shut up? ❞ eddie grumbled, though there was no real bite to his words. he was more focused on making sure you were comfortable, adjusting a blanket around you with a careful hand.
❝ only when i’m asleep, eds, ❞ richie shot back, his grin widening as he caught your eye. ❝ and even then, i’m sure i’m the most entertaining sleeper around. ❞
❝ if you say so, ❞ eddie muttered, but you could see the fondness in his eyes as he looked at you. ❝ (y/n), how do you put up with him? ❞ with an exaggerated sigh.
you just smiled, feeling the warmth of their friendship surrounding you like a protective shield. ❝ i guess i’m just lucky, ❞ you replied softly, your voice filled with contentment.
eventually, the steady rhythm of their voices and the gentle sway of the hammock lulled you into a peaceful nap. richie’s arm was still draped over your shoulders, and eddie’s presence beside you was a comforting anchor. as you drifted off to sleep, you felt completely safe, knowing that your best friends were right there with you.
when you woke up, the sun had shifted, casting a warm, golden light through the small windows of the hideout. you blinked sleepily, realizing that richie and eddie had fallen asleep too, their heads resting against yours. the hammock was still gently swaying, and for a moment, you just enjoyed the quiet peace of the moment.
after a while, you carefully extricated yourself from the hammock, trying not to wake richie and eddie. they both stirred slightly but didn’t wake up, so you quietly tiptoed away, leaving them to their nap. as you looked around the hideout, you noticed bill, stan, and mike sitting together on a pile of blankets, engrossed in their books.
❝ h-hey, (y/n), want to j-j-join us? ❞ bill asked, glancing up from his book with a welcoming smile. you nodded, making your way over to them. you sat down beside stan, who gave you a small, shy smile as he handed you one of the books from the shelf.
❝ thank you, stan, ❞ you said softly, returning his smile. he nodded, his eyes already back on his book.
you opened the book and quickly became absorbed in the story, losing yourself in the world of words. the four of you read in companionable silence, the only sounds being the rustle of pages turning and the occasional soft murmur as one of you reacted to something in the story.
after a while, you felt a gentle tap on your shoulder. looking up, you saw beverly smiling down at you. ❝ hey, (y/n), can i steal you for a bit? ❞ she asked, her voice warm.
❝ okay, ❞ you replied, closing your book and setting it aside. you stood up and followed bev over to where ben was working on some project with a hammer and nails.
❝ we could use some extra hands, ❞ bev said, handing you a hammer. ❝ ben’s been teaching me how to build stuff, and i thought you might want to join in. ❞
you smiled, feeling a surge of gratitude for beverly’s thoughtfulness. ❝ i’d love to help, ❞ you said, taking the hammer and kneeling down beside ben.
❝ thanks, (y/n), ❞ ben said, giving you a grateful smile. ❝ we’re just reinforcing some of the shelves and adding a few more. it’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it. ❞
❝ definitely, ❞ you agreed, already feeling a sense of accomplishment as you began hammering nails into place. as you worked, bev chatted with you about all sorts of things—clothes, movies, and boys. it was nice to have some girl time, and you found yourself opening up to her in a way you hadn’t before.
❝ you know, (y/n), ❞ bev said, her voice turning a bit more serious, ❝ i’m really glad you’re part of the losers club. you bring something special to the group, and i just want you to know that you’re really important to all of us. ❞
you felt your cheeks flush with warmth at her words, and you looked down at the hammer in your hands, suddenly feeling a bit shy. ❝ thanks, beverly, you said softly. ❝ that means a lot. ❞
she smiled at you, her eyes filled with kindness. ❝ it’s true. don’t ever doubt it, okay? ❞
you nodded, feeling a swell of affection for your friend. as the two of you continued working, you couldn’t help but feel grateful for the bond you shared with the losers club. they were more than just friends—they were family, and you knew that no matter what, you’d always have each other’s backs.
after finishing up with the shelves, you and bev stepped back to admire your work. ❝ not bad, ❞ ben said, clearly pleased with the results. ❝ this place is really coming together. ❞
❝ it really is, ❞ you agreed, feeling a sense of pride in what you’d accomplished. ❝ i’m glad i could help. ❞
❝ you did great, ❞ bev said, giving you a friendly nudge. ❝ now, how about we take a break? i think we’ve earned it. ❞
you nodded, feeling a bit tired but happy. as you made your way back to the main area of the hideout, you noticed that richie and eddie had finally woken up and were now bickering playfully as usual.
❝ hey, sleepyheads, ❞ you called out, giggling as you approached them. ❝ have a nice nap? ❞
❝ the best, ❞ richie replied with a wink, stretching his arms above his head. ❝ but we missed you, (y/n). it’s not the same without our favorite girl around. ❞
❝ yeah, we woke up and you were gone, ❞ eddie added, his voice mock-petulant. ❝ don’t do that again. ❞
you laughed, feeling the warmth of their affection wrap around you like a cozy blanket. ❝ don’t worry, i’m not going anywhere. ❞
the rest of the day passed in a blur of laughter, stories, and moments that you knew you’d treasure forever. by the time the sun began to set, casting a warm golden light over the hideout, you felt completely at peace.
as you all gathered together in the hideout, huddled close on the blankets and bean bags, you couldn’t help but marvel at how lucky you were. the losers club wasn’t just a group of friends—they were your home, your family, your safe haven in a world that could be so full of darkness.
and as you sat there, surrounded by the people who meant the most to you, you knew that no matter what the future held, you’d always stick by their side as much as they stuck to yours.
© MINA LEIGH 2023 - 2024