The Bath || Stenbrough

1985

"I'm sorry." He says again, bluntly.

"Don't be, sweetheart." I smile comfortingly and hug his side, pulling him closer. He points out that I look tired so I admit to not having slept at all. Guilt creeps in to the poor Stan's face.

"It's not you fault, Stanley." I rub his back with my ever so sweaty palms.

"Don't full name me, William." Stan teases, leaning his head onto my chest. I fake gag before turning to look him in the eyes, giving him a more serious look.

"We have to go, honey." I say. "To Derry."

He shakes his head. "Why? Why should we go if you don't remember why?" Stan then crosses his arms giving me a sharp look. He's always been a sassy man, ever since we were kids but damn it's annoying sometimes.

"Stanley, we promised."

"You don't even remember what we promised." He simply states, looking down at the floral bedsheets.

"I-" I realize he's right, I have no idea what we promised. I don't know if it was important or not but it feels important, can I make this big of a decision off of a feeling? I have so much work. Can I leave it all behind for god knows how long due to a feeling?

"What do you remember?" Stan asks, placing his hand overtop of mine.

"I don't know." I admit, feeling stupid.

"I'm going to help to remind you." He declares with a smile. His teeth align perfectly with each other, like a finished puzzle.

"Okay...?" I lay my head onto his lap confused.

He runs his (fairly dry) hands through my hair and asks me a question. "Do you remember the losers?"

"Yes." I say. How could I forget! "Richie Toizer, Bev Marsh, Mike Hanlon, Ben Hanscom, and Eddie Kapsbrack?"

"Good." He smiles, relieved. "What else do you remember?"

"Not much." I answer earnestly.

"You always wore those stupid flannels..." Stan's finger traces my nose slowly.

"Hey those weren't stupid!! I still wear those sometimes!!" I exclaim defensively.

"And they're still stupid." His hands return back to my red-brown hair. "But you pretty in them."

I smile, sitting up and giving him a quick kiss, before laying back on his lap. "Carry on."

"We used to hang out at..." Stan says this slowly, as if he wants me to finish the sentence for him.

"Your house?" I tilt my head. "I remember sleeping there a lot." The sleepovers come flooding back into my memories as I say this. I would sleep at his house almost every day when we begun 'sort-of-dating.' We would cuddle for a while, not having to explain our relationship to anyone else. We were good.

"The quarry." Stanley replies. "With the losers, I mean."

"W-Water?" I chuckle. "I just barely remember."

"Yeah, you stared at Bev in her swimsuit while I stared at you." He chuckles.

"I stared at Beverly?" I laugh, in genuine surprise.

"You dated her for like, 2 years Bill." The curly headed boy leans down and kisses my cheek.

"I did?" I blush in sheer embarrassment.

"Yep, it broke my 13 year old heart." Stan says, straightforwardly.

"Oh...sorry." I apologize.

"Late apology, but I'll take it." We both laugh before he gives me a solemn look. "There's more important thing's than that though, Bill."

"Like what?" I sit up, looking him in the eyes.

Stan takes a deep, deep breath, like the word he's about to say could kill him (and it might.) "...It." He says a simple two letters, yet still sends a surge of panic through my body. It's a feeling hard to put into words. Maybe a mix of many, fear, sadness, and something else I can't quite place. It's like I don't remember, but I feel it. Like déjà vu, but so different.

"Do you remember, Bill?" The beautiful man asks me.

"No, but I feel it." I reply, earning a confused look. Stan holds both my hands in his, rubbing them gently.

"That's why we need to go Stan, I feel it. I know I remember I just can't....yet." I rub his back. He nods hesitantly, as I pull him out of bed. I grab the large suitcase still left in the closet, sit down and begin placing clothes neatly into it. I fold the ones I was too delirious to yesterday. Stan sits crisscrossed next to me, resting his face onto my chin.

"I love you." His sweet voice whispers in my ear.

"I love you too." I smile, enjoying his face close to mine.

We continue to pack, this time with him helping me almost in a rush. I feel like if we don't get to Derry soon enough something terrible will happen. Once the suitcase is fully packed, we get in our small silver car, and start driving. Stan rides in the passenger seat, playing 'The Beatles' on the stereo, which was his favorite band since college. He hums along to the radio, which makes me smile. He's so cute. I giggle softly at him.

"What?" Stan asks while blushing.

"You're adorable." I smile trying to keep my attention on the road rather than my beautiful husband in the other seat.

"I love you." He smiles, red as a strawberry.

"I love you too, no matter what." I reply.

a/n: their abt to remeet the losers :,) and yes, in this story stan lives...as for eddie, ill decide later 🤭