Pennywise's Neverland

Chapter fourty six: Sanctuary.

Georgie dipped his toes into the pool, watching the way the water rippled outward, casting shifting, ghostly reflections across the cavern's walls. The soft, almost otherworldly light in the space seemed to breathe, to pulse in rhythm with the quiet trickle of water, making the cavern feel like its own small world, separate from the lair's darker, colder chambers. For a short while, he'd been able to just be here, to enjoy the solitude without thinking about the tangled web of feelings and loyalties that had grown around him like a quiet storm.

A small splash behind him startled him from his thoughts, and he turned, catching sight of Pennywise standing at the edge of the pool, watching him with an amused, curious expression. The clown didn't say anything, just raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking up in a faint smile. Without another word, Georgie grinned and, with a bit of mischief, jumped fully clothed into the pool, water spraying up in a glittering arc around him.

Pennywise's eyes widened, his expression flickering between amusement and surprise, but as Georgie resurfaced, laughing, Pennywise seemed to catch on, his gaze softening. Slowly, he waded in after him, and before Georgie knew it, they'd fallen into an impromptu game of water play, splashing each other, moving in circles, each trying to get the other to flinch or laugh. For the first time in what felt like ages, Georgie let himself laugh freely, the weight he'd been carrying momentarily lifting as he enjoyed the simple fun of the moment.

Eventually, they drifted back to the shore, settling on the smooth stone that bordered the pool, both of them soaked and breathing heavily, their faces flushed from the cool water. Pennywise reclined against the rocky edge, his gaze softening as he looked at Georgie, his expression filled with an unspoken pride that made the boy's heart twist with something he didn't quite understand.

Georgie leaned back, letting the quiet of the cavern settle over him, the soft trickle of water the only sound breaking the silence. After a moment, he turned to Pennywise, his smile fading slightly as a thought, one he'd been carrying with him for a while, surfaced. He took a breath, his voice quiet, hesitant.

"Penny?" he began softly, his gaze fixed on the ripples on the pool's surface. "I... I really like this place. And, I guess... being here with you." He glanced at Pennywise, gauging his reaction. "But... I wish Finn and Sofia could be here, too."

Pennywise's expression shifted, a subtle flicker in his gaze that Georgie couldn't quite read. He tilted his head, his voice low, thoughtful. "Why, Georgie?" he murmured, his tone gentle, though there was a hint of something guarded beneath it. "Aren't you happy here? Just us?"

Georgie hesitated, biting his lip as he tried to put his feelings into words. "I am," he admitted, his heart racing as the truth of those words hit him.

"But... they're my friends. They've been with me through... everything." He paused, his gaze dropping to his hands as he fidgeted with the hem of his soaked rags. "And I promised them we'd all get out together. That... that we'd have a chance at something better. Away from... all this."

Pennywise's expression darkened slightly, though he kept his tone even, calm. "Better, Georgie?" he asked quietly, his voice filled with a subtle edge. "You think there's something better out there for you? Something that I haven't given you?"

Georgie looked up, meeting Pennywise's gaze, his own expression filled with a quiet, hesitant hope. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice thick with uncertainty. "But I... I think maybe there could be. For all of us."

A tense silence settled between them, the quiet rippling of the pool the only sound as Pennywise studied Georgie, his gaze intense, searching. For a moment, the clown's expression softened, a faint sadness flickering in his eyes, as if he were seeing something he hadn't wanted to acknowledge.

He leaned forward, his voice low, almost pleading. "Georgie," he murmured, his tone filled with a strange, quiet urgency. "You have everything here. I've given you more than you would ever have out there. Comfort, safety... freedom."

Georgie's gaze wavered, his heart heavy as he took in Pennywise's words. Part of him wanted to believe it, to surrender to the safety and warmth that the clown had offered him, to let himself stay in this strange, hidden world Pennywise had created for him. But another part of him, the part that remembered the brief taste of freedom he'd felt in the tunnels, the world beyond the lair's walls, couldn't shake the feeling that there was more out there, something he couldn't find here, no matter how comfortable he was.

"I know," he replied softly, his voice filled with a quiet, lingering sadness. "But... Finn and Sofia deserve that, too. And maybe... maybe we all deserve to know what else is out there."

Pennywise's face hardened, a flicker of anger and frustration twisting his features, though he quickly masked it, his voice soft, coaxing. "Georgie, my little one," he murmured, reaching out to place a gentle hand on his shoulder. "They don't see things as you do. They don't understand what I've given you. They're... holding you back."

Georgie tensed, a faint frown crossing his face as he looked up at Pennywise, his voice filled with a quiet resolve. "They're my friends," he said firmly, his gaze unwavering. "And... and I won't leave them behind."

For a moment, Pennywise's expression darkened, a shadow of anger flickering in his gaze. But as he looked at Georgie, at the quiet, stubborn determination in the boy's eyes, he softened, his voice turning gentle, almost resigned.

"I see," he murmured, his tone filled with a faint, reluctant acceptance. "Very well, Georgie. If... if that is truly what you wish." He sighed, his hand slowly leaving Georgie's shoulder as he gave him a faint, bittersweet smile. "But remember... I am the only one who can give you what you need. What they can't."

Georgie nodded, his expression a mix of gratitude and a lingering, hesitant sadness. "I know," he whispered, his gaze drifting back to the pool, the soft, gentle ripples spreading outward, like echoes of the choices he knew he'd have to make. "I'll talk to them soon. After dinner maybe. If things go okay, I'd like to maybe take them out for a walk. Just a small one. We.. we would all be so grateful."

Pennywise's gaze darkened slightly, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face as he processed Georgie's request. The outside world was unpredictable, a realm of variables he couldn't fully control, a place that held dangers he hadn't let near his carefully guarded lair. But Georgie's words lingered, filled with a quiet hope that softened the tension within him, and after a pause, he nodded, though his expression remained wary.

"A short walk," he agreed, his voice a low, measured murmur. His gaze holding a flicker of unease in those yellow eyes. But one look at the boy and his resolve softened, yielding to the determination in his plea.

"With me there to ensure your safety." He uttered.

Georgie's smile widened, his heart lifting with a quiet joy that had felt out of reach for so long. He reached out, placing a hand on Pennywise's arm, his gaze filled with gratitude. "It would mean the world to us," he murmured. "To all of us. And... to me."

Pennywise's expression softened, a reluctant but genuine warmth settling in his gaze as he looked down at Georgie. He could feel the strength of the boy's gratitude, the quiet appreciation that lingered in his touch, and for a brief moment, he felt the satisfaction that came with fulfilling a promise, with being the one Georgie looked to for safety, for happiness.

"Then tonight," he murmured, his voice soft, almost coaxing, "you will speak with them. And if they agree... we will go together." He leaned down, pressing a gentle, lingering kiss to Georgie's temple, a quiet vow shared in the silence between them.

And as they sat there, the faint, steady ripples of the pool reflecting in the dim cavern light, Georgie felt something settle, a fragile but real trust that wrapped around him like an embrace, binding him to this strange world Pennywise had made.