Young and Yearning (IT Imagines and Oneshots).

Stenbrough; StarChild.

Bill and Stan lay in the soft flower fields, in silence. The mere sound of shallow breathing could be heard, accompanied by the occasional cry of an owl. The picnic blanket underneath them cushioned them from the wiry Autumn grass. Bill looked up wistfully at the stars above. Stan's mind was tracking for constellations, as half of it longed to reach over and hold Bill's hand tightly. Stan controlled himself however, breathing in deeply.

"See, over there?" He said finally, "That's the Big Dipper."

"W-Where?" Bill muttered, through the dark Stan watched him narrow his eyes. An opportunity came as Bill held his hand in the air, trying to find wherever it was Stan was pointing.

"Here," Stan said gently. He took Bill's hand by the wrist and pointed it upwards, and to the left a little - before letting go as Bill's eyes focused on the constellation happily.

"You see it?"

"I-I see it, S-Stanny," Bill whispered.

"And there," Stan said, taking Bill's hand again, "Is Venus."

"It's b-beautiful."

Stan nodded, moving to lie on his stomach and face Bill. Bill did the same, and their faces were inches apart. Bill looked up at the stars above and then Stan in front of him.

"W-What do you think's u-up there?" He asked softly, his eyes not peeling away from the infinitesimal sky.

"Nobody really knows," Stan whispered, "It's probably beautiful. Endless stars and burning balls of fire. Saturn's rings and sandstorms. The raining of diamonds on Jupiter."

Bill looked down at him.

"D-During the day i-it's bird watching a-and at night, it's stargazing.."

"Mh," Stan agreed. A small beeping broke the silence. Stan chuckled. Beep Beep. Bill looked at his watch, and read the time in silence before slowly rising to his feet.

"I-I gotta g-go Stanny," He whispered. Stan stood too and nodded. Bill placed a gentle kiss on Stan's cheek before speed walking off hurriedly. Stan's cheeks burnt as he rose his hand to his cheek, and didn't want to let go.

The next day at school, neither Stan nor Bill had spoken a word about the previous night. Richie was being his usual Trashmouth self as Eddie whined at him. Bev looked on in awe at the two, adoring how oblivious they were of each other's affection. Unknown to her, Ben was fixated on Bev - turning red when Mike tapped him on the shoulder gently, pulling his attention away.

Stan decided to gather up his courage. He tore a page out of the textbook he was working on and scribbled a neat message onto it, before sliding it to his left - to Bill.

Star Gazing, you & me, tonight? - Stan x

Bill subtly picked up the paper and his eyes skimmed over the words. He turned a subtle shade of pink before writing on the back of it and sliding it back, without a word spoken.

Can't wait :) x

Stan smiled at him, pocketing the small piece of paper and burying his face back in the book. Night soon came, and on the inside - both Stan and Bill were ecstatic. Neither would show it, of course.

When Stan arrived at the flower fields, Bill was already lying on a picnic blanket of his own, with a pillow propped against his neck.

"Hey S-Stanny," He said gently, "W-What constellations a-are we looking at t-today?"

"Mh," Stan pondered for a moment, "We can try and find Orion's Belt."

Bill looked at him for a second before nodding and moving along the pillow.

"Y-You'll hurt your n-neck," He urged. Stan obliged, shifting comfortably next to Bill. The pillow could barely hold the two of them. A surge of bravery filled Stan's gut - as he moved from the pillow, and rested his head on Bill's stomach, feeling the inhaling and exhaling movement.

"There's Orion's Belt," Stan said, after a while of searching. He took Bill's hand in his and used it to point out the constellation. Their arms fell back downwards, but the hands stayed held. Subconsciously, Bill gave Stan's hand the occasional gentle squeeze.

"H-Hey, S-Stanny?"

"Mh?"

"You're b-beautiful," Bill said gently, becoming aware of their intertwined hands. Stan held his breath as the words sounded in his head.

You're beautiful.

"Thank you, Billy," Stan said, mustering up courage once again, "You're beautiful, too."

Stan rolled from Bill's stomach to his, facing the boy once again. His features were outlined by the shine of the moon and stars upon their faces. Before he knew it, they were sharing a kiss. Soft and tender, cautious. Stan adored the kiss, and wouldn't want to move for the world.

"Billy?"

"Mh?"

"I uh- really, really like you," He chuckled.

"I l-like you a lot too, S-Stanny," Bill whispered, his hand twisting around one of Stan's curls. Stan felt his cheeks warm, and prayed Bill couldn't see it. Breaking the silence, Bill's watch began beeping obnoxiously once again. Stan found himself chuckling.

"Beep beep," Him and Bill said, before erupting into a tumultuous amount of laughter. The laughter echoed into the night, drowning out the cries of the owls and each other's shallow breathing. It was a truly beautiful night.