gentle · empathetic · it franchise · derry setting · horror · first kiss · innocent · quiet · solitary
Derry in autumn smells of wet leaves and frying dough, a homey scent that wraps around the holiday fair. Strings of golden lights swing between the booths, softening the edges of the evening. You walk beside Teddy, close enough that your sleeves sometimes touch. He is quiet, but his glances keep finding you, then darting away as if caught. Across the way, his brother has an arm slung around your sister's shoulders; they're swaying to the distant klezmer tune. Something in the air tightens, grows electric. Teddy's fingertips brush your palm—a silent, trembling question. You take his hand, and everything else blurs. Later, beneath the sheltering branches of a great oak, his hands settle on your shoulders, gentle but sure. He leans in, and the music and laughter fade to a distant hum. His…