to @kaps0ura, from your anonymous secret santa!
Returning to Derry felt different, like a piece of Bill had always been here.
No, that's not quite right. It's not Derry a piece of Bill stuck with, it was Mike.
The call left Bill with old memories returning faster than ever, and when he returned to Derry, Mike had greeted him with a wide smile and open arms and soft familiarity.
Familiar arms that'd he'd hugged before, that he'd been held by before, many years ago. Bill could remember it now, vividly, every part of him remembered it.
But that was them, this was now. Now, Mike was finally able to get out of Derry, constantly calling Bill to tell him about it. And Bill would just sit there and listen, genuinely listen, to every word Mike had to say.
Mike could go on and on for hours and Bill wouldn't mind. It always gave him the same familiar feeling from when they first reunited, so he didn't care one bit about it.
Bill and Mike had something going on since they killed It, and now it'd been a few months. It wasn't official, they didn't talk about it, but they both knew, and so did everyone else in the Losers Club.
It's not like they were subtle or anything.
"How's your new book going?" Mike asked.
Bill glanced down at the computer in front of him, "It's...it's going." He responded, and he could hear Mike's smile when he spoke.
"It's good-" Bill said, kicking his feet up on his desk, "I just- writers block, y'know?"
"I don't know, actually. Only one of us is an author." Mike replied, "Hey, y'don't mind if I stop by your place, do you?"
"Course not." Bill answered easily, "why, though?"
"Just need somewhere to crash. I'm on my way to Florida." Mike replied.
"Yeah. You've always wanted to go there, haven't you?"
"You outta come with me." Mike said later the next night, drink in hand and Bill's head in his lap.
"Where are you going?" Bill asked, blinking slowly.
"Florida. Maybe. I dunno. Just come with me. We'll figure it out." Mike replied, taking a sip of the drink.
"I'm old, Mike, can't go exploring the U.S all the time." Bill said, and Mike gave a chuckle of amusement.
"You're 40, ain't even that old." Mike shot back.
"Still." Bill huffed, closing his eyes.
"So we'll find a place to stay. Come with me, Bill. It's borin' alone." Mike said, and Bill opened his eyes.
"Ask again when I'm sober."
Mike did. Bill said yes, even if every part of him was flashing warning signs.
It's not like it was important, Bill leaving his house to go to Florida with Mike, except it definitely was important and Bill knew he wasn't overthinking.
And, well- even if he was, it was just because it was just logical, right? Who wouldn't overthink it?
"What are we anyways, Mike?"
Bill asked it a week into their little Florida "trip" with his head in Mike's lap, like the other night. Mike gave him a questioning look, so Bill continued.
"I mean…us." He said, gesturing at the both of them. This was stupid and he felt like a teenager again.
Mike shrugged softly, resting his hand on Bill's shoulder. "We're whatever you want to be."
Bill went silent momentarily, before- "I just wanna be with you."
"Then that's all we gotta do."
