sugarcoat it | bill denbrough

chapter twenty three: where It lives

"Bill!" I shriek as we pull up to the Neibolt house. He's halfway up it's porch steps. We all throw our bikes down and run to him.
"Stop, seriously," Stan says as we approach him.
"If you go in there, you'll die," Bev says, frowning.
"Please," I beg, "at least let us go with you."
"Wait what, Neva?" Mike asks.
"Speak for yourself, Finley," Richie says. I climb the porch steps and grab Bill's hand.
"Come on, guys, are you fucking kidding me?" I ask, throwing my arms up. Bill stares at me, stunned.
"Nevada, think rationally," Stan murmurs. "Come on, Bill. Let's go."
"No, Stan." Bill says. "Look, you don't have to come in with me. Neva, I don't even want you going in there, but I need to, okay? What happens when another Georgie goes missing? Or another Betty Ripsom? Or another Ed Corcoran? Or one of us?" He says, and looks at his shoes. I grab his shaky hand, trying to comfort him. "Are you gonna just keep pretending it isn't happening like everyone else in this town? Because," He takes a sharp inhale like he's about to cry. "I can't do that."
"Bill..." Bev says softly. Richie shakes his head.
"I go home and all I see is that Georgie's not there." Bill says, I feel a knot in my throat and my eyes prick with tears. "His clothes his toys, his stupid stuffed animals, but he isn't. So walking into this house... For me... Is easier than walking into my own." He pivots and approaches the rickety front door.
"Wow," Richie says. "He didn't stutter once." Everyone else is staring, wordless.
"Bill," I choke out. "C'mere." I grab his hand and he turns, and I pull him into me and I feel him breathing hard against me. "I love you," I say into his shoulder. "We're not letting you go in alone."
"I love you, Nevada." He whispers, and we turn to the others.
"Let's go then." Eddie says, and everyone nods, following him up the porch.
"Wait," Stan says. "Shouldn't we have some people stay outside, to you know, keep watch?"
"Okay, who wants to stay back?" I ask. Stan, Bev, Mike, Ben, and Richie raise their hands. I roll my eyes, "You're the fearless one who hasn't been targeted by the fucking clown, Trashmouth, you come with Bill, Eddie and I."
"No way, Finley. Are you crazy?" Richie says, shaking his head.
"You're the one who always says you're fearless, Rich," Ben says.
"C'mon, Trashmouth," Stanley says.
"Fuck. This is fucking peer pressuring, but okay." Richie says. He walks up the steps and I give him a quick hug while everyone wishes us good luck, and then we pull the door open with a creak and walk in.