Control // It (2017) // Stanley Uris

Eighteen- "January Embers?"

While Eddie, Mia and Stan were outside on the fire escape, Ben Hanscom was grabbing a garbage bag of his own to take out to the bin. As he made his way down the tight hallway, he turned to look back at the bathroom.

He wanted to know if Beverly had found the postcard he'd made for her.

Quietly, and without notice, Ben crept into the Marsh girl's bedroom. He scanned the room, his gaze falling on a keyboard, journals scattered across the floor, a toy cat, converse sneakers, and finally, the post card he'd made for her, placed right on her bed. Ben smiled to himself. He hoped that Bev kept the post card because of her feelings for him, and maybe soon enough he might have the hope and confidence he would need to tell her how he felt.

Upon turning around and walking past the bathroom on his way outside, loud giggles emitted from the bathroom. Ben's head turned on a swivel towards the source of the sound, and he found Beverly staring at Bill Denbrough. She was staring at him in a way she'd never once stared at Ben.

"You never went to the Derry Summer Fair?"

"No," Beverly giggled, "no, I don't think so."

The two Losers stood close to each other, only a couple feet apart, and neither one of them could stop smiling. They made each other happy.

"Not that I know of." Bev continued.

Ben stopped at the end of the hallway and stared at the interaction between Bill and Bev. He was jealous and envious of the Denrbough boy. He wanted so badly to be him in this moment.

The way that Beverly talked to Bill made Ben sad and distraught. She had never looked at him that way. Ben's head fell sadly and he trudged down the hallway, outside.

"I go there every year, but once I went with Richie and I technically won because I hit the target." Beverly turned towards the hallway, checking to be sure that none of the others were around. "But, there were so many prizes that I didn't know which to pick."

Bill stood over the bathtub and Bev approached him, with her head facing the window on the wall.

"It's not true, you know..." The red-headed girl took a deep breath, "what they say about me..." Bill lightly smiled at her, as if to tell her that he already knew. "I was only ever kissed by one guy." Beverly shrugged, "It was a long time ago." Beverly continued, trying to refer to the kiss that the two of them had shared in the third grade play. "It was a nice kiss, though."

Bill couldn't contain his smile. He chuckled lightly to himself, and stared at the Marsh girl.

"January embers?" Beverly stated as more of a question than a statement. She raised her eyebrows and turned towards Bill in anticipation.

"W-w-w-w-was that in the play?" Bill asked, confused by her statement.

"No, the poem."

"Oh, I don't really know much p-p-p-poetry." Beverly's face fell at Bill's words, and she knew that her hopes hadn't come true. Bill hadn't been the one who'd written her the poem.

"Oh, I was just," Bev paused for a moment, "never mind then."

"Um..." Bill started, "just so you know, I never believed any of the rumours." Bev stood quiet, without any emotion to her face. "And none of us l-l-losers do." Bill took a deep breath in, "we like hanging with you."

An enormous and beautiful smile crept onto Beverly Marsh's cheeks, causing Bill to smile as well. "Thanks." She said.

"You shouldn't thank us too much. Hanging out with us makes you a loser, too."

Bev chuckled lightly, still not able to contain her smile, "I can take that."

The shorter girl moved closer to Bill and chuckled, then leaned over to pick up the last of the garbage bags.

"Come on, loser." She smiled. She reached out and grabbed Bill's hand, dragging him with her down the hall of her home. The two of them reached the fire escape and found the rest of the group sitting and chatting on the stairs. Mia sat in between Stan and Eddie while Ben sat behind the trio. Mia was smoking a cigarette while the boys all tried to act like they were okay with it.

Mia took a long toke of her cig and blew the remnants in Eddie's face.

"Are you kidding? That's disgusting." Eddie exclaimed, trying to reach for her cigarette. Mia pulled it away quickly, nearly punching Stan in the face. As her arm drew close to Stan's face, he noticed a strange marking he'd never seen before. It looked to him like a blister from a burn.

"What did you do to your arm?" Stan asked, pointing at the marking on the inside of Mia's forearm. Mia's eyes followed Stanley's finger, and she found herself looking at the marking she'd received from the clown. Bill had bandaged it for her only a few days before, and she thought the mark would be hardly noticeable. But she was wrong.

"L-l-let's get down to Richie before he blows a fuse." Bill stuttered, saving Mia from having to answer that question. From what Bill knew, Henry had been the one to give that mark to his little sister. He didn't know about Mia's several encounters with the clown.

"Smart thinking." Mia smiled, standing up from between her two friends and heading down the steps.

a/n oh my god mia got like everyone so whipped i can't handle this. stan is such a cutie and he gets jealous so quick and then eddie is adorable and hE GETS JEALOUS TOO hahahah! I ship both couples but let's be real Bill, Bev and Ben are the true love triangle here so let's not forget that drama.

Who do y'all ship the most?!