~~~A short drabble of what might have or haven't happened, but I'm pretty sure it was there somewhere. X3~~~
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It didn't take long for the kids to stop being scared, but that was only for initial reaction anyway. Part of it was probably because Bill was a complete sucker for trying not to fraternize with the rest of the cast.
For the first month and a half or so, he gave it a fair headstart — for the sake of the movie. Always everything for the sake of the movie. But when it was done and they finally properly met, that was it. Bill's internal will for decent socializing and the kids' fascination with their newest colleague had beat the producers' wishes and the whole talk of ''raw reactions'' fell into the well. They all knew it was for the effect, but Bill couldn't help himself. And, frankly, neither could the kids.
Yes, it didn't take them all long to connect. But once it happened, there was no going back, leaving the producers frowning at their forsaken plan. In hindsight, the more metaphorical image would be them building a Jenga house for Bill whereupon he came and shamelessly took it down with a wrecking ball after spending a few days in it. Then he wrapped up the show with two middle fingers up.
Case in point, that's when the bickering started.
Aside from being a legitimate oven made of satin, Pennywise's outfit had one slightly alarming flaw: there were no pockets.
And for the pantaloons this ridiculously broad (which still made Sophia snicker behind his back) it wasn't that there was no room for those. No, the designers only saw no logic in that. Since when does Pennywise need pockets? What for, stashing rat-poisoned candy?
(Alright, he mused about sneaking in a chicken wing on set before he realized the stash-keepers aren't present.)
Bill didn't see it, either, and therefore, as per usual, didn't push. So he had to settle with crossing his arms or laying his hands on the hips like a dissatisfied parent whenever the conversations with Andy or Barbara were necessary.
All the better if balloons were involved as well, but at times, he'd get genuinely pissed at King for not giving Pennywise a cane or something to keep himself occupied and at least not make him look like an idiot.
„Whenever you talk to him, whenever you're near him — hands in your pockets."
It was obviously the deal the kids whispered among themselves because whenever they would get engaged in conversation with the Swede (individually, or in group), their hands would be always be buried, and Bill later figured how, in spite of serene, cautious neutral facial expressions that were starting to look less and less like respect, they all had an indefinable spark of mirth in their eyes. Some were hiding it better than the others. And then, when they would skid away to join the group, they would all convulse to snickering and rapid whispering like gossiping teenagers in class.
Bill wasn't sure what it was they were humoring him about, but he was positive it was him.
He would turn to Andy and point a thumb at the merry group over his shoulder with a questioning look.
Andy responded with a helpless shrug, but Bill spotted the same spark in those hazel eyes.
The bastard knew, too!
He figured it was specifically related to Pennywise's costume since when they're hanging out offset, the said snickering is never there.
Perhaps he had it figured already then, but it wasn't until one morning when he was getting his half-awake self into the suit and automatically went to rest his hands in nonexistent pant-receptacles, that it clicked.
Still, he played along and pretended to be oblivious, for the sake of inward giggles. All until one afternoon when Jack felt a particular need to be obvious and repetitively shift his hands between the front and back pockets, leaning back and forth on the balls of his feet, purposefully lifting his hips every once in a while. Next to him, Jaeden was sporting similar pose, albeit more subtle. For all the sass that was usually in him, the taller boy was still merciful.
Behind them, the rest of the kids convulsed in silent laughter, Sophia and Chosen being among most obvious ones.
And Bill felt every bit of dignity crumble like leftovers of burnt paper when a black curtain fell over his eyes.
Right. That's it.
He flipped around and charged walking, leaned forward with hands closed into fists — a replica of the time when he ran at Finn and Jaeden for the first time in Neibolt house. When his voice came out, it was cawing suspiciously like the one of the Wicked Witch of the West.
„Yes, yes, alright, I get it. You have your dumb pockets and I don't. Very funny. Now scram before I get you all."
The kids giggled and laughed their heads off, Jack and Jaeden fleeing in time from Bill's reaching gloved fingers, away from his already much less monstrous form where they all together ran out of the room. Their collective cackling didn't silence down even as they did so.
By then, Bill had already abandoned the character and walked back, feeling like he was in for a long while. (He could hear them high-fiving each other out there!) Still, that didn't stop a warm branching feeling of satisfaction from spreading inside his chest and filling every single capillary with unexpected warmth. He shook out the pleasantness for now, having no idea where it came from, but deciding to let it back later.
The feeling wilted completely right away when he faced Andy giving him a knowing look and the most horrendous sly grin, hands invisible where they were buried wrist-deep into—
„Agh! You too?!"
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~~~ It's called molesting, Bill, it's reportable.~~~