What Lies Beneath (Pennywise x Reader)

Chapter 1

Author's note: This narrative delves deeply into the toxicity within the relationship dynamics of Reader and Pennywise. Both characters are flawed and far from perfect, so be prepared for moments of frustration that may tempt you to hurl your phone/tablet/etc. out of a window.  You'll find yourselves wanting to slap the shit out of the Reader and strangle Pennywise all at the same time. Good! This tension serves the story's purpose well—it's designed to provoke introspection and confront complex emotional reactions. Reader exhibits hypocrisy and indecisiveness to an extreme degree. I wish you all well on the journey ahead! 

Oh, there's also sex. Like... a lot of sex. Like, so much sex that I've gotten complaints about how much sex there is. So, brace yourselves for that. 

Into the thick of it! 

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Chapter Warnings: Mentions of coping with grief/loss, reader experiences feelings of intense anxiety/fear, non-consensual touching, attempted sexual assault, mild gore

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Derry, Maine. A land of hopelessness where dreams go to die. It physically pained you to be back there after so many years away. You had been one of the few who had actually succeeded in leaving Derry after graduation to start a new life for yourself; one that didn't consist of being trapped in a town where people had a tendency to settle for less than what they deserved. Oh, and there was also the fact that people went missing there more frequently there than anywhere else in the U.S.

You made damn sure to move to the opposite end of the country, knowing that you would never return of your own volition. It had been disheartening to see others from your hometown whom had made an attempt to leave but would eventually return for one reason or another. Most of the people you had grown up with were still there settling into their own lives, forever binding themselves to the seemingly modest town. Marriage, kids, jobs, things that ensured a permanent attachment that was almost impossible to escape.

One of those unfortunate souls was your cousin, Sara. She was the sister that you never had. You were both the same age and literally did everything together. Sara had gotten into journalism at an early age, which didn't take her very far in a town like Derry where pretty much nothing interesting ever happened - apart from the disappearances, that is. One would think that would be significant enough to attract national news, but inexplicably... it wasn't. 

You and Sara managed to stay in touch with constant communication over the years, which is why when you hadn't heard from her in over a week, you started to get worried. Sure enough, an emotional phone call from your Aunt confirmed your suspicions and also brought your worst fears to reality.

Sara had gone missing. She was now another addition to the ever-growing list of people who disappeared in Derry, never to be seen again.

There was no way that you were going to let that happen. Not to Sara.

Wasting no time, you booked a one-way flight to Derry, knowing that you would be there as long as it took to find her and bring her home.

Any optimism that may have existed had already dissipated before your arrival. The people searching for Sara seemed even more hopeless than when the search began. No one had seen her or heard from her in over a week. Your family was an emotional wreck and you felt infuriatingly helpless after turning up empty with every possible lead without a single clue as to where she could be.

About a week after you had returned, the Derry Council was hosting their annual Charity Carnival where all of the town vendors got together and set up booths, rides, and attractions to collect donations for the local charities. It was a big event every year and you thought that, just maybe, Sara might make her way there. It was a long shot, but you had to try.