IT/ST crossover

4

"Richie, Eddie literally hasn't shut up about you for hours. Get your ass back--oh God you aren't Richie," Bev said, tapping Mike's shoulder and realizing her mistake when he turned around and gave her a confused stare. Richie threw his arms up and stared, offended, at her.

"Seriously?" he yelled. She then saw him, looked back at Mike, and sighed.

"Wasn't one of you bad enough?" she asked, pushing past Mike and going up to him. She was allowed to insult him like this because Richie and Beverly are best friends and tease each other all the time. She loves him as much as the other boys. "Did you hear what I said though?"

"No," Richie said.

"Eddie. You left him back at your place like a stray and he literally hasn't stopped talking about how much he misses you," she explained again. He grinned.

"Aw, Eds won't have to wait much longer. I was just leaving," he said, sneering at Dustin as he walked over swearing that he keeps losing. He stopped when he saw them. Stan rolled his eyes.

"What are you guys even doing in Derry, anyway?" he asked. They all had wide eyes and glanced at El.

"Broth-"

"Family! We're on a family trip," Dustin said, hoping Ben, Bev, Richie, and Stan are gullible enough to think they're all related. He only said that so El didn't let them know she literally has superpowers. She tends to not have a filter. Shockingly, they don't believe him for a second. Richie is once again offended. They were keeping secrets. There were no secrets in Derry anymore, at least not between kids their age.

"You keeping secrets now? Again, small town. If you don't tell us now, we'll find out eventually. There isn't anything you can do that we won't know about, so it's better to just let us know now," he said. The four of them looked at the group expectantly. None of them spoke, and El looked like she was about to break something.

"No," she said. Richie laughed.

"Suit yourself, babe," he said dismissively, and Mike stepped forward angrily. Lucas held out an arm to hold him back, and shook his head at him to tell him it wasn't worth it. You could cut the tension with a knife, and Bev noticed. She was still so interested in El.

"How would you like to hang out with us later? You can meet the rest of my friends," she said to her with a wink. El smiled a little and looked away. Richie practically yelped.

"What? Bev what? Did you just- are you actually- no! No. She can't hang out with us," he said. She gave him a sarcastic smile.

"She can, because I said she can, Richard," she said through her teeth. He groaned. The boys treated her like royalty. Whatever she said, goes, no question. That's just the way it was.

"Only if my friends can be there too," said El. Bev gave her a real smile this time. Every boy in the room stared at her with disgust at the thought of having to spend time with the other group. Bev ignored it, though, and nodded pleasantly at her.

"Yeah, that's perfect. See you later then," she said, walking away with Ben. Richie shoulder-checked Mike as he walked past them after her, and Stan apologized for Richie and went around them. As soon as the door closed behind them, the group all turned towards El.

"So now we're hanging out with them?" Max asked, a hint of anger in her voice. El shrugged.

"Friends."

"Yeah, sure, friends. Except they all hated us and thought we were weird," Lucas said.

"What's your point, Lucas? People thought we were weird back at Hawkins too!" Mike told him.

"Mike, why did that guy look like you anyway?" Dustin asked.

"How am I supposed to know? It doesn't matter, we'll just hang out with them. Maybe they know the person El is looking for, since they seem to know everyone," he said. They all sighed, but agreed it was the best idea they've had all day.

Just once, they thought. Then they can go home.