" LIPSTICK " + STENBROUGH

[9]

((warnings : underage drinking, sexual undertones, swearing ))

cherry coke swirls around in bill denbrough's plastic cup. he's been standing on the side of the makeshift dance floor in betty ripsom's living room for twenty minutes. he watches as mike dances with a girl he thinks is named carole (and is pretty sure attends an all-girls school just outside derry) and as richie drags eddie onto the dance floor.

it's kind of funny, to bill at least, how richie and eddie's relationship pans out. by the time they were thirteen, richie had come out as gay. it definitely hasn't helped him when it comes to henry and his gang—and richie is usually their main target these days, because still a fucking idiot who doesn't know when to shut up. a week later, during a stupid game of truth or dare on the bedroom floor of mike hanlon, richie had been dared to kiss eddie, and the rest is history. it had been on richie's fourteenth birthday, actually, when the rest of the losers' club sans eddie had been hiding in his house, waiting to jump out and yell surprise. eddie was meant to keep richie away while they all set up, and then call the tozier house when he and richie had finished their movie. however, eddie seemed to forget they were there, as the pair walked into richie's house playing an aggressive game of tonsil hockey. richie only smirked at eddie's bright red face.

now, eddie is out, too. his mom hadn't taken it as well, though, and eddie kaspbrak now lives with ben hanscom (he would have stayed with the tozier's except richie would most definitely plan secret makeout sessions with eddie, and his parents could not handle it). mrs. hanscom had been more than happy to take in eddie after his mom dumped him on the streets like the shit bag that she is.

they dance now together, arms wrapped around each other, giggling carelessly. they're very drunk, bill can tell.

beverly had said she was going to get a drink ten minutes ago and never came back, and bill guesses she ran into someone and won't stop talking. she's a chatty drunk.

he hears a sigh beside him, and glances over to see stan uris, left foot resting carefully on the wall and his left hand in his pant pocket. the other hand holds a beer bottle.

stanley uris is one of those teenagers who doesn't look like a teeanger. well, he does, but he looks more mature than every other teenager, because he is.

his hair is a bit darker, his curls a little less tamed unless he puts product in them, and crinkles are forming around his eyes from laughing so goddamn much. if bill denbrough has to admit one thing about stan uris that he will never tell anyone, it is that stanley has one of the most contagious laughs ever. he also wears glasses now, but for a little while he just stopped wearing them, because eddie drunkenly said he reminded him of richie with glasses on and stanley did not like that. like, at all. only stanley's glasses are horn-rimmed, with gold metal on the bottom. the glasses, along with the typical short-sleeve button up and neat dress pants or shorts stan wears every day, make him look far more adult than most sixteen year olds. it's interesting though, because it suits him so well.

speaking of...

"you're drinking?" bill asks, his eyebrow raising.

"you're not?" stan counters, chuckling. he tips his head back and takes a sip of beer. his face scrunches in disgust.

"i'm m-making sure everyone gets hu-home safe," bill says. "y-your excuse?"

"betty ripsom just shoved it in my hand, said i looked too wound up," he says, shrugging. "oh, and if i drank it she'd let me touch her boobs under her bra, which i'm not complaining about."

bill spits the cherry coke he's been drinking out. he wipes the trail on his chin off with his bare arm.

"s-she what?!"

"oh please, i know you've seen bev's breasts. you had to have. richie told me that you told eddie you left a hickey on one of them," stanley says, grinning. bill is bright red.

"i-i-i-i-"

"relax," stan says, laughing. "deep breaths, okay? i didn't mean anything by it. i've just been trying to get betty ripsom to let me go further than making out for a while now, and if it means drinking one disgusting beer, i can deal with it."

"you l-like her, h-huh?" bill smirks. now stan goes a bit red om the tips of his ears.

"i'm not sure." he pulls at his collar a little. he wears a collared button up underneath a thicker green jumper. his pants appear to be a nice pair of jeans. it's still the most casual thing bill thinks stan uris has possibly ever worn.

bill chuckles, knocking his elbow against stanley's, downing his soda. beverly sways over, curvy hips moving effortlessly to the music.

"w-wanna dance?" he asks, as she comes closer. she places one hand on his neck, just below his left ear, the other around his right hand. she leans up to his ear and whispers,

"i have another idea."

——

i just want to say that

1) this chapter kind of sucks and

2) I REALIZE that they're sixteen and are like weird about touching boobs like it comes off very strange, but keep in mind they're not very popular, and i'm thinking that this is around a time period where teenage girls were traditionally less sexually active as they are today, if that makes sense

anyway, i am SO SORRY in advance for the next chapter

- m