Young and Yearning (IT Imagines and Oneshots).

Stenbrough; Soulmate.

Soulmates. What a strange concept. The idea that there is someone out there for everyone - some perfect, perplexing person, made especially for you. They could be right in front of you, or on the other side of the world. In Derry, there was an easier way to figure out who your soulmate was - you just had to pay attention. Words would be scratched into your wrist, by an unknown force. All of which, are what your soulmate last said. A simple concept, I know. Less simple, if you have a stutter. This - was Stuttering Bill Denbrough's problem at hand.

"E-Eddie, I'm s-sick of having to w-wait," He was complaining to his best friend, Eddie Kaspbrak. Eddie let out an exasperated sigh.

"I know, Billy. But it's out of your control, and please don't stutter my name," Eddie said back slowly. He had always been skeptical about the idea of Soulmatism - until words appeared on his wrist one day. He hadn't spoken a word about them, and chose to ignore them as they continued appearing. Stupid slurs and dumb words - stuff his mother would never allow him to utter.

"S-Sorry," Bill apologised. He buried his head back into a Biology textbook, his mind still racing. Who could be his Soulmate? And what if he never met them? Bill had dappled with the idea of his sexuality for many years, but he'd never gone into depth. What if his Soulmate wasn't a girl?

The next day, Bill and Eddie got ready for school like usual. Eddie stuffed his fanny pack to the point of overflow and Bill perked up his collar. The two headed into the building, both bracing themselves for another day of torture from infamous school bully, Henry Bowers.

They dodged the Bowers' gang, and headed straight to Biology.

A lanky, curly haired boy sat in front of Bill's seat. He had never met him before.

Must be new, Bill thought to himself, taking a seat. The teacher began doing the role.

"Richard Tozier?"

"Here!" Those words were scrawled across Eddie's wrist, and his eyes widened as he realised.

"Bill Denbrough?"

"P-Present," Bill managed to spit out, feeling his cheeks warm as the boy in front of him turned around in his chair.

"Stanley Uris?"

"Yep," The curly haired boy, Stanley - replied calmly. Suddenly, Bill felt a burning upon the inside of his left wrist. He winced slightly, and turned his arm to see what had appeared. Yep was written neatly across it. Bill felt his cheeks warm even more before flipping his arms over and crossing them in a polite manor. As soon as the role was finished, everyone got to work - but Bill was especially distracted. He tapped his foot against the leg of the desk repetitively as he urged his mind to do its work.

"Hey," A voice said, snapping him out of his mantra, "Can you not?"

Stan had turned around in his chair and was now staring at Bill - his cheeks a rosy red and his curly locks falling over his eyes.

"S-S-Sorry," Bill replied as his head lowered, embarrassed. Stan placed his hand on Bill's, and luckily didn't see the wrist.

"Hey, it's okay. Do you not understand?" He asked warmly, reassuringly. Bill shook his head, raising it a bit.

"I can help you if you want..?" Stan offered gently - to which Bill nodded, "Library at four?"

Bill nodded again, and so did Stan - before turning back to his own work. Unknown to Bill, Sorry was scrawled on Stan's wrist. Stan (like Eddie) had always been skeptical about the concept of a Soulmate - but this was living, breathing proof - literally. The day went by in a flash, and before Bill knew it - he was hurrying over to a table in the middle of the library, with Stan sitting at it.

"Hello," Stan said calmly, gesturing at a chair beside him. Bill ignored the scratching on his wrist.

"H-Hi," Bill spat, as Stan ignored his scratching.

"Can I ask you something?"

"S-S-Shoot," Bill said - his stutter steadily getting worse as his soulmate leaned closer to him.

"Were you uh- born with a stutter, or uh- something else?" Stan asked gently. Bill looked the boy up and down, and felt his cheeks warm. As he opened his mouth, he heard a loud heard a loud voice from the other side of the library. The other new student Richard was talking to.. Eddie?

Bill felt a grin form on his face as he saw Richard's arm around his petite best friend. He quickly caught Eddie's eye - to which Eddie held up his wrist awkwardly, before shoving it back into his pocket and raising his eyebrows at Stan, who was still sitting across from Bill.

"O-Oh. B-B-Born with it," Bill finally answered, tearing his eyes away from Eddie and Richard.

"Cool," Stan said simply, "What did Eddie just do with his wrist?"

"Oh, y-you know," Bill said, mistakingly holding up his own inked wrist to Stan - the words What did Eddie just do with his wrist written across it, "S-Soulmate sh-shit."

Stan laughed, and felt his own cheeks warm as he read the writing on Bill's wrist.

"I don't believe that stuff," He said, rubbing his own wrist awkwardly - now a light shade of pink, "But now, I don't know..?"

"Wh-What changed?" Bill asked, gently taking Stan's hand in his and turning over the wrist to read his own words from it, "O-Oh."

"Yeah," Stan blushed awkwardly.

"W-Well, the w-world d-d-doesn't lie," Bill shrugged.

"Do you want to give it a try?" Stan asked, a little taken aback. Bill nodded, his face turning red. Stan raised his eyebrows, before nodding too.

"Okay," Stan said simply, sitting closer to Bill.

"Billy!" A small voice interrupted Bill and Stan's moment. The small voice of Eddie's, "Who is this?"

"T-This is S-S-"

"Stan," Stanley replies gently, taking Bill's hand in his. Behind Eddie, stood Richard, "And you are?"

"I'm Eddie, this is Richie."

"Ahh, you're the other new kid. Welcome, Mr Urine."

"Mh, it's Uris - dickhead," Stan chuckled, squeezing Bill's hand gently.

"Mh, I don't care," Richie said snidely in reply, wrapping his arms around Eddie's neck, "What 'dya say we leave these two nerds, babe?"

Both Stan and Bill watched as Eddie turned a bright shade of red.

"Whatever, you nerd," Eddie replied, before practically dragging Richie away by his large hand.

"That was a bit-"

"C-Crazy," Bill finished for him, looking down at his own wrist as Stan did too. Perhaps, Bill thought, he'd give Soulmates a chance after all.