" LIPSTICK " + STENBROUGH

[24]

sorry these past few chapters are so short!! i promise, they will get longer. i just wanted to get this one out bc i havent updated it

bill denbrough sits on his bed, bent over as he ties his sneakers. he takes the laces, creates loops, and crosses them over each. he then brings them under and through the hole, tightening them. he repeats the process and stands up.

he examines himself in the mirror. it's been a few interesting months, and he's managed to get taller. his mother has had to buy him even more jeans because he's outgrown his old ones. bill's mother stopped cuffing the hem of his pants; instead, bill does it. it's become a habit.

he takes his hand and flattens the wrinkles in his striped t-shirt. he's going out to dinner at the cheeseburger joint downtown. stan has temple, and it's richie and eddie's anniversary, so only beverly, mike, and ben are joining him. he doesn't mind, though, because he feels like he's been ignoring them a bit lately. bill spends more time with stan than anyone else, and he's afraid it's affecting his relationships with others.

bill opens his sock drawer and pulls out his makeup bag. as wearing makeup has become a more regular occurrence for bill, he's gotten much better at applying it. he still doesn't wear much outside of his bedroom, though.

like now, as he coats his lashes with mascara. bill straightens his back as he screws the cap back on to examine his work from afar. satisfied, he puts the mascara and bag away, grabs his coat, and walks out of his bedroom.

"–what do you think of stanley and billy?"

bill freezes as georgie's voice drifts up the staircase.

"what about them?" it's beverly. fuck, bill thinks. beverly typically picks bill up whenever their group goes out, as she has a car and bill does not. and often, she gets caught up in a conversation with his little brother while she waits for bill to get ready.

bill can't breathe, he can't even move, as he hears georgie speak.

"they're, you know." there's an emphasis in his voice, and bill can't see his face, but he knows beverly gets the implications.

bill walks down the stairs and into the living room before beverly can respond. georgie and bev look at him as he enters.

"re-re-ready to go?"

bev nods, grabbing her coat. she waves to bill's brother as she walks out of the house. bill does the same and follows her to her car.

once inside, beverly asks, "did you hear us?"

"hm?" bill fiddles with the heater. it's january, and bill can barely feel his hands, honestly.

"me and georgie were talking right before you came in. it was an interesting conversation, and i thought i should ask you about it."

"oh-okay."

"georgie asked me what i thought of you and stan, and the way he said it implied that maybe you guys were, i don't know, more than friends." beverly's eyes glance at bill for a moment, before returning to the road. it's snowing and the car's wipers are brushing away the snowflakes as they fall. bill watches the rhythmic swiping for a moment. "are you and stan a thing?"

"i-i–"

"i won't tell anyone if you are," beverly adds quickly. "stan obviously isn't out, because i didn't know he was gay, or bi, or whatever. and you've only told me and stan. i wouldn't out you guys." bill takes a deep breath.

"we are." beverly smirks.

she begins to ramble about how cute of a couple they make, and as they pull into the restaurant, a weight has been lifted off bill's shoulders.

——

this is the last chapter as a 16 yr old for bill!! finally, an age switch!!

also, i plan on doing a holiday thing. would that interest anyone? it would be mostly fluff, and contain stenbrough, benverly, reddie, as well as mike and an oc. just lmk !

i'm going to write an essay now even though i'm exhausted!

- m