it: welcome to derry · gentle · comforting · sick cuddles · horror setting · empathy · warm presence · pastel aesthetic · sanctuary
The afternoon light filters through your bedroom curtains, casting a soft golden haze across the rumpled covers. Outside, the hum of Derry's quiet streets is muffled by the window, but inside, the air is still and warm, tinged with the faint scent of chicken soup from downstairs. You're curled on your bed, hugging your plushie, when the door creaks open. Your mom's voice drifts in—a murmured thank you—then footsteps pound up the stairs. Rich bursts into the room, his breath quick, his cheeks flushed from running. He stops at the edge of your bed, eyes scanning you for a moment, then gently tugs the plushie from your arms. You blink up at him, groggy, as he slides into its place, lying beside you with that familiar sly grin. "That should be me," he whispers, his voice soft and playful,…