THE SEVENTH WHEEL.. mike hanlon x pennywise ✔️

i. not your average fic

Mike Hanlon rode his bicycle down the streets of Derry. He was beyond familiar with the sound of the chains clinking as he pushed the pedals. In fact, he was so used to the music his chains made that he could probably imitate it. As he biked, he looked up at the trees. They stood tall and thin, painted against the sky like streaks of paint.

While Mike was biking smoothly down the newly paved roads, he passed Bill Denbrough's house. To no one's surprise, Bill and Stanley Uris, another friend of Mike's, were sitting together on the front porch. If Mike were to judge by the way their heads were ducked, they were whispering to one another. They did not notice him.

He sighed, riding on. He passed another house he knew, the house that belonged to Eddie Kaspbrak. The front door was ajar, which was strange. Eddie never left the door open. His mother would "have an aneurysm", whatever that meant. But Eddie was nowhere to be seen.

Mike sighed again, riding on. He made it into town and passed the movie theatre. He slowed as he passed it, looking through the doors in case he saw his friend Richie there. Richie loved the arcade in the front of the theatre. But Mike did not see Richie in the arcade.

It was questionable, but Mike rode on. He passed one of the more recently built coffee shops, and there was-

Richie and Eddie, sitting at one of the outside tables. Richie was taking a swig of whatever was in his coffee cup, and Eddie was just sitting across him, without any drink. Mike suspected he was just enjoying Richie's company. Eddie's face turned red, and he reached his hand across the little table to take Richie's.

Mike, not wanting to watch any more, continued to ride his bike. He nearly passed the butcher shop he was supposed to be heading towards. His bike slowed to a stop and he went inside.

"Hey, Grandpa," he called as the door swung shut behind him. The little bell tinkled, reminding Mike faintly of his bicycle chains.

"Mike!" his grandpa's voice echoed from the back room. "Come bring the order in here!"

☾

Mike Hanlon was alone. There was no "significant other" for him. He realized this, not for the first time, as he was riding past Beverly's apartment building. Beverly Marsh and Ben Hanscom were a long-term couple, and had been together for more than a year.

Everyone seemed to have a boyfriend or girlfriend except for Mike.

In fact, Mike would never forget the time he walked in on Stan and Bill making out under the bleachers at a football game. Or the countless times he heard Richie and Eddie flirting with each other any time the Losers were together. Or the times he saw Ben and Bev holding hands as they walked down the street.

Mike Hanlon was as single as he'd ever been, and he was just about sick of it.