Chapter Text
“It? But I thought we were planning on watching Star Wars.” Jeff didn’t seem so happy with the news. “I know, but your prom date decided against it.” Bob jerked his head in the direction where Tom had been a few moments before. “You’ve seen Star Wars a million times, Jeff, we all have, aren’t you up for something more exciting?” Tom entered Bob’s field of vision again, waving around the two DVD cases. “I don’t like horror movies.” Bob had to agree with Jeff on that one. “Aww, don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe”, Tom teased.
After Roy arrived, they got their snacks ready and made themselves comfortable in the living room. Roy was seated in an armchair and Tom and Jeff had taken the left side of the couch, Bob and George the right. Bob felt himself tense up as soon as the movie started. He really didn’t like horror, but he tried not to show it. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, George caught on rather quickly and laid an arm around him and pulled him closer in an attempt to make him feel safer. Bob hated how well it worked.
A bad feeling grabbed a hold of him when Georgie started chasing the paper boat. He didn’t live under a rock, so he knew what was about to happen and he didn’t like it. He caught Tom’s gaze who seemed very amused at how close he was sitting to George. Feeling like there was no point in pretending he wasn't scared anymore, he hid his face in George’s shoulder. He barely flinched when he heard the screams from the TV, but George still pulled him a bit closer. The next time he looked at the screen, the street was empty and all that was left of Georgie was a puddle of blood.
Some scenes later, Bob felt more relaxed and like he could make it through the evening. The movie alternated between more relaxed and even funny scenes and horror, which was good for his heart rate. He felt George lean closer to him, which was not good for his heart rate at all and he heard the taller boy whisper: “Richie has something of our Tom, don’t you think? Not look-wise, but the stuff he’s saying.” Bob turned to him to whisper back: “You mean being a pain in the ass?” They both giggled, which drew the others' attention to them. “You lovebirds wanna get a room?” Bob flipped Tom off in response and threw popcorn at him. “Alright.”
Most of the movie went by as expected, there were inappropriate comments from Tom – “I’m gonna carve my whole name onto his cottage cheese!”-“Kinky.”-“NO, TOM!” – and Bob was moving more and more towards George, even though he would deny it if asked out loud. Bob could feel George tense at the slightly incestuous scene. It was the first time that evening that the other boy had shown any reaction to the movie, but Bob got it, that scene was uncomfortable as hell and its own kind of horror. When Beverly cut her hair, he freed his arm that was squashed into George’s side to lay it on his shoulder, telling him to relax without using words. George seemed to not have noticed how tense he had been and settled down again, sending Bob an apologetic smile.
There were a couple of other distressing scenes that George, bless his heart, held him through tightly without saying a word. Nothing, however, had him prepared for the scene in the garage. The jump scare took him completely by surprise and he wasn’t proud of the squeal he let out. His heart was hammering on and he felt with the kids onscreen as they watched their panic unfold. It was only after they had left the garage that Bob noticed that he must have grabbed George’s hand and he was holding on for dear life. He let go of it immediately and felt blood rise to his cheeks. “Sorry”, he murmured at George, who just whispered back:” No problem”.
“Aww, she can’t keep him away from his boyfriend”, Tom commented when Eddie’s mom forbid him to hang out with his friends. “They’re too cute, they’re like you guys.” He gestured at Bob and George. “What- what do you mean?!”, Bob spluttered. “You two also have that opposites attract thing going; anxious, grumpy, small boy is best friends with taller, protective boy…” – “I’m not a hypochondriac”, Bob interrupted, “And George is nothing like Richie, if anyone is similar to him it’d be you.” Tom had a big grin on his face. “So you’re sayin’ I’m the Richie to your Eddie, something you’re not telling me, Bobert?” Bob just rolled his eyes and tuned him out again.
It taking Beverly had Bob flinching again, but the rest of the movie was endurable. When the credits were rolling, Jeff demanded a break and some fresh air, so he headed out on the terrace. Roy went to use the bathroom and Tom said something about getting the beer that he’d somehow acquired. When it was suddenly only them in the room, Bob realized how close they were sitting, or, at this point, laying. He was just about to move away from his friend when George lowered his arm from the couch’s headrest to his back. Bob relaxed into his side and looked up at the taller boy. He could see concern in his brown eyes. “Are you alright? I know you don’t like horror movies.” Bob responded with a dry laugh. “Won’t be able to hide that fact now. It’s fine, I guess-”, he swallowed against that dry feeling in his throat, “I guess having you by my side made it somewhat bearable.” George beamed at him and what would Bob do just to see his eyes light up like that all the time.
Looking away from his eyes, he noticed a stray strand of hair that fell into George’s face and without thinking, he tucked it back behind his ear. Suddenly embarrassed by the gesture and how close he’d gotten to George’s face, he pulled his hand back, only George wouldn’t let him. He had caught him around the wrist and his thumb rested at his pulse point. He could probably feel Bob’s heart racing. They were so close, Bob could feel George’s breath on his face, he was looking up at him, George only had to lean down, it wasn’t even one inch…
“Do you have a lighter somewhere, George?” Bob wanted to scream. Why were his friends so insistent on interrupting them at the worst possible times? George’s head snapped up at Roy’s question and Bob just hid his face in the other boy’s chest. “There must be one in the kitchen, check the table or the left counter, maybe?” Bob could also hear Jeff return from outside and he was sure that Tom wasn’t too far either. His suspicions were confirmed when he heard him yell: “Time for Chapter Two!” He felt George stroke through his hair and sighed.