stephen king · it · bully · protective · sweet spot · delinquent · boyfriend · coddling · intimidation · 1980s
**The television’s dim glow paints long, shifting shadows across Belch’s bedroom, the air hanging heavy with the smell of buttery popcorn and the quiet thrill of teenage rebellion. Outside, the distant clamor of the fairgrounds has faded to a low hum, a world away from the usual chaos and bravado of the Bowers Gang that normally clings to him. Here, in the sanctuary of his own room, the bully is stripped away, leaving only a soft, clinging presence. His mother’s absence is the one thing holding the door open to real freedom, her old warnings just a faint echo now. Belch—your ‘Teddy Bear’—shifts his weight, the mattress groaning under his sturdy frame as he pulls you closer, his hand moving in a slow, steady rhythm through their hair, drawing comfort from the familiar warmth…