#I changed the colour of the frills and bows and took the sleeves away AGAIN for whatever reason

[derpiedoxie]

A maniacal boi!

He sees that you’re not sleeping, naughty naughty~

[eddie-boii]

Never Let You Go (part 2/14)

Fic info: Both Eddie and Stan live because I do what I want. Multichapter.

Rating: Teen and up (may change). There’s much swearing but that’s about it atm.

Pairings: Reddie, Benverly.

Ao3 link: here

Summary: The Losers prepare for a wedding.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14

*

Summer was just leaning into fall when Beverly called on the combined forces of the Losers to help her pick out a wedding gown. Though Ben was absent for obvious reasons, it was nice for the majority of the group to all be together again, especially without the looming threat of a homicidal clown, and especially with Stanley joining them. White scars shone glaringly bright on his wrists whenever his sleeves rode up, but no one mentioned it. They were just glad he was alive and happy now.

They all piled into Beverly’s car, though there wasn’t that much room for them. Richie called shotgun and Eddie ended up having to sit half on Mike’s lap in the back, squeezed between him and Bill. He ranted about how dangerous it was for the most of the drive until Mike reminded him that he’d once crashed his car because he’d been on the phone and this definitely wasn’t as risky. 

They eventually arrived at a Bridal Store in the centre of the city, the kind of place so fancy that the champagne was complementary and the dresses sold cost more than a family home. It was hard to forget that Ben was a wealthy architect and Beverly formerly a highly successful fashion designer. Eddie wondered vaguely if her company had designed wedding dresses, but he figured she wouldn’t want anything to do with them considering what had happened between her and her ex-husband.

“This is… unusual.” The store attendant in the bridal boutique eyed the five middle-aged men flanking Beverly wearily. “I’m used to young, well, ladies aiding the bride in picking out a dress.”

Eddie opened his mouth to go off at her about gender stereotyping but Stanley pinched his arm to silence him and Beverly took control.

“They’re my boys,” she said, her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly at the store attendant as if daring her to say anything else. “They’re here to help me pick out a dress.”

“Yeah and if you’ve got any dresses my size, too, that’d be swell,” added Richie with a wink.

The shop attendant gave him a partially horrified look before laughing awkwardly and turning away to lead them into the main part of the store. “Follow me, please.”

“I was being serious,” Richie whined and Stan rolled his eyes. Eddie just gave him an unamused glance though, honestly, he wouldn’t protest to seeing Richie in a dress, if only to take as many blackmail-worthy photos as possible.

“You know these dresses have been tried on before by dozens of women,” Eddie told Beverly as they walked to an open corner of the room full of wedding dress racks, mirrors and plush velvet seats. “So you’re not just trying on a dress, you’re trying on all those women’s sweat and bacteria.”

“Take a chill pill, Eduardo,” Richie said and Eddie scowled at him. “It’s not like you have to try them on.”

“I’m just saying-”

“I’ll be fine,” said Beverly. She gave Eddie a smile to show she was more amused than annoyed. “Contrary to what you may believe, human beings possess immune systems.” 

She moved away to view some dresses and Eddie grimaced as her hands brushed the most likely bacteria-laden fabric but he kept his mouth shut.

“Do you th-thh-think he’s going to explode,” he heard Bill whisper to Mike and he shot them both a glare, eliciting a few snickers and winks from the pair in response.

Beverly finally selected a few dresses and went off with the attendant to the dressing room, and Eddie took a seat on the nearest loveseat beside Stanley before promptly having to scooch over when Richie squeezed himself between them both. Eddie tried not to focus too much on the fact that their thighs were pressed closely together.

“There’s other seats, asshole,” he said, elbowing Richie. 

“Oh, but this is so cosy!” Richie grinned and slung his arms around the men either side of him. 

“You better have washed your fucking hands.”

“I washed them this morning just for you, Eddie-spaghetti.”

“You stopped to use the bathroom like ten minutes ago, you-”

“That’s it,” Stanley interrupted, extracting himself from Richie’s arm to perch on the couch arm beside Bill and Mike instead. “The sexual tension is too thick next to you two.”

Eddie felt his face go bright red and he ignored it, sticking his middle finger up at Stanley who just gave him his signature deadpan expression. Richie, for once, seemed to be stuck on what to say and settled on sticking his finger up at Stan too. He didn’t remove his arm from Eddie’s shoulder and Eddie didn’t make him.

He didn’t have to dwell on it for long before the attendant returned. 

“She’ll be through in just a moment,” she announced just before Beverly emerged from the changing room clad in a beautiful gown, fine white vines embroidered along the hem that glistened with the movement of fabric as she walked.

“Woah,” said Bill at the same time Mike said, “You looking gorgeous, Bev.”

Beverly smiled at them both before turning to frown at herself in the mirror. “I don’t know,” she said, chewing her lip. “Maybe I’ll just try on a few more.”

It ended up being more than a few, each just as beautiful than the last with a few garish ones possessing large bows or frills thrown in just for the Losers’ amusement. Beverly tried on dress after dress, the clock on the wall showing one hour had passed, then two, and the store attendant was looking more and more agitated.

“What’s wrong, Bev?” said Mike at last when Beverly was in danger of gnawing a hole into her own lip while she stared at her reflection.

“I don’t know. I-” She frowned at herself, brushing imaginary creases out of the current dress as if it would change anything. “None of them feel right.”

Mike stood to stand beside her, looking at her reflection with her. “How come?”

“I just-” Beverly frowned again. Her gaze was fixed on her sleeve, her fingers running over the white mesh that hung there as though it was more appealing than having to look at her reflection. “I’ve done all this before,” she said finally. “And it- It’s like it’s too familiar.”

Mike gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and she gave him a thankful smile though it didn’t linger for long on her face.

“Well, B,” said Richie. He stood from the couch and Eddie instantly felt cold without the warm figure beside him. Richie walked up to the mirror and stood on Beverly’s other side, him and Mike framed in the reflection like two bodyguards flanking her. “No one ever said you have to wear white.”

Beverly blinked at her reflection. “It’s a… tradition.”

“You have two maids of honour,” said Stanley, “who are both men.”

“Yeah, fuck tradition,” said Eddie. 

“You know you c-could turn up dressed like R-Rrr-Ronald McDonald and Ben would still think you were the mm-most beautiful woman in the world,” said Bill. 

“You could dress like fucking It and he’d still marry you,” said Richie. “Don’t do that though.”

“The guy’s got it bad,” Mike agreed.

Beverly swept one last look over her reflection, then turned to the rest of the men in the room. Her boys. 

“Fuck tradition,” she said, her mouth finally curving up into a genuine grin. “I’m gonna save a fucking fortune.”

The store attendant was not best pleased, to say the least, after spending two hours helping Beverly try on dresses only for her not to buy anything. But the bride wants what the bride wants, and the group left the store snickering at the look on the attendant's face. 

They let loose on the town, hitting far less classy stores, and Beverly tried on an assortment of colourful dresses that were just as gorgeous as the wedding gowns if not more so. These stores were probably even less sanitary than the bridal boutique, but Eddie watched Beverly’s gleeful face as she spun around in pretty dresses and persuaded Richie to try some on too so they could both parade dramatically down the store aisles as though they were catwalks, and he kept his mouth shut. And in the end, Beverly finally found that perfect dress, one that wasn’t remotely white but that made her glow all the more for it. She was stunning, and Eddie for one couldn’t wait to see her wear it on her wedding day, and the look on Ben’s face when he saw her walking down the aisle. 

*

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