Last chapter in "Meet the Parents (It Style)"...
"[Y/F/N]," he says solemnly, "Will you marry me?"
Once upon a time, in a Macroverse quite near to ours, there lived an eldritch creature, who likes to sleep.
A lot.
It's made out of Deadlights, things that contain such horror and wonder that no mortal mind can view it without destroying itself.
For no mortals can survive it, not unless the Creature's counterpart, the kind and gentle Maturin or the Other, would deign to interfere. Alas due to their natures, they are unable to, for their duties were to observe and watch, to their great grief and sorrow.
And so, It consumed and spread Its horror with impunity for Its nature is of wickedness; It only cared to sate Its unending appetite before slumbering for all eternity.
It found itself upon our world, by accident. (Because even in Its imagination It never though a fucking asteroid would smack It in the face).
But oh what a happy accident it was for though our world was but a speck in the eyes of universe, it soon became home to a species that thrived upon the one thing the creature loved: imagination.
For centuries It hunted us, keeping a cycle of awakening, hunt, eat and sleep. Though the rules of the world bound it, for all things are to be ruled, it was still strong and powerful enough that no creature in our world could possibly hope to defeat it.
Unchallenged, it grew arrogant and forgot the one rule that all predators must learn: for even prey may one day fight back.
And they fought and for the first time in Its long, long life, it was nearly defeated. Worst it was by the weakest of Its prey, children, whose life was not even a glimmer in the universe's eyes. Driven to slumber and starvation, it woke again, to seek vengeance. But, after ages of simply watching, Its brethren, for the first time, interfered.
Since then, the creature had known not only fear but a semblance of something It never thought It'd ever feel.
Though It would never admit it, it was only because of that that It still roamed this world, albeit bound by flesh and blood.
And for the past two years, the creature, known as Pennywise had come to accept his new life. Struck down in mortal form, he must trudge this world, bound as he was until one day he's able to return. But he won't do it alone.
He has you, his young one and another on the way…
And like before, he became more confident and comfortable with the life he has now. True, they were moments – like that time with the duck – but he knew that he had a family he can come home too.
Until now…
Pennywise had seen you lose your temper only a handful of times (And no being dumped didn't count because it was done via text) Granted, some of them wasn't his fault – how was he supposed to know that ducks and geese don't get along? Also, it's his moral imperative to show to amateurs at the haunted house how to scare people. And he really didn't mean to set that float on fire – why were they so flammable?
Okay maybe it was…a tiny bit…but hey, he paid the fines, even if they were the ones that Eggy refused to magically erase because "It's wrong, Dada."
But, Pennywise is digressing…
For all your neuroses, you were for all purposes quite laidback.
You had taken the whole "torturing, murdering and eating children" quite calmly and even adjusted to a life with two technically illegal aliens (literally in his case) and a multi-limbed half-eldritch child with aplomb.
Not much can get under your skin…until…
"[Y/F/N], will you marry me?"
Your face turns pale and your jaw drops as you stare at him.
And stares and stares…and keeps staring.
…which should have been the cue for him to put away the ring and pretend it was a big funny joke, "HAHAHAHA, you should have seen your face [Y/N]!" but there is a crazy woman outside the door, probably hiding an AK-47 under her sundress and by the King, he'd rather face you instead.
Still, your eyes have gone blank and it reminded Pennywise of those borne by his floating victims. He waves his free hand in front of your face.
"[Y/N]? Um, hey – ow, OW, MY HAND!"
Pennywise winces as he tries to wrench his other hand even as your fingers tightened further. He cries out but stops when he sees your eyes; they are alert, narrowed and burning with rage. An apology begins forming in his mouth, before you snap your head towards the door and lets out an earth-shattering scream.
"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"
Farewell, left ear, Pennywise thought to himself.
Despite cradling his deafened appendage, he is still aware when the door swings open to reveal a rather stricken older woman, who eyes her daughter warily.
"Honey, you can wake the dead with that scream." She says blithely.
Releasing Penny's (mangled) hand, you rise to your feet and eyes piercing through her.
"Did you put him up for this?" you hiss and Penny had to admire your mother's acting skills; the woman looks bewildered as she steps forward, one hand reaching out for you.
"Put him up for what, honey?" she asks, expression confused. Before Penny can blink, you snatch the ring from his hand, shoving the object right under your mother's nose.
"This bullshit Mom." You growl. You mother's eyes widen before she breaks into a wide smile.
"Oh my goodness! Penny proposed?" she squealed, eyes darting from you to Penny. Either out of ignorance (unlikely) or joy, your mother grabs you into a tight embrace, nearly jumping with joy.
Penny watches as your face turn stonier with each excited jump, "Mom." You say coldly but she ignores the tone of your voice.
"This is wonderful! My daughter is getting married!" your mother exulted.
"Mom-"
"And just in time too! I know a venue that would be just perfect for the wedding!"
"Mom, I –"
"It will be a fall wedding, of course! I know how much you hate summer heat but a winter wedding would be far too late!"
"MOM!" you shout, snapping both arms onto her shoulders.
"I am not getting married." You spit, digging your fingers into her flesh.
Your mother freezes, pulling away from you, her eyes narrowed and lips pursed in disapproval.
"Darling, think of the baby." She says softly.
"Don't. You don't get to decide when I get married."
"Oh, honey, you can't –"
You press a finger against her lips, "No, Mom. Penny and I have discussed this, and I get to decide the marriage and right now I am not getting married!"
Your mother frowns, "[Y/N]…you can't –" she starts when suddenly, her eyes roll to the back of her head. Penny barely catches you as your mother slumps forward into your arms, unconscious. You panic as the three of you slide slowly to the floor and Eggy steps into your room, pale and trembling.
"Mama," your daughter utter weakly, "I don't feel so good."
If you had to describe the next few hours it would be confusion, utter confusion. Eggy promptly fell to the floor and started humming drunkenly, according to Penny. You panicked, of course because Eggy was clammy and cold until Penny stated that their daughter is simply drunk due to a reaction to the sleeping drugs your mother had slipped to Eggy.
"Come again?"
Penny cradles Eggy, eyes flaring with anger as he explains.
Eggy was drugged by your own mother, who apparently took a level of badass since the years you left Washington and threatened bodily harm towards your lover if he didn't propose to you because no grandchild of hers would be born a bastard.
Your mother.
Your mother who grew up in the Seventies, who once danced naked in the streets and cried over gay swans and romantic movies is now a knife throwing, sadistic maniac who nearly beheaded Pennywise and has apparently become concerned about the sanctity of marriage and the legitimacy of her grandchildren?
Your mother?!
If not for the serious way Penny is staring at you, while cradling your daughter (who's busy making 'pew pew' noises) and for the fact that he stated that no, it's not Bob ("He's not that creative"), you might think that this is some sort of cosmic joke.
A big fat cosmic joke when you're pregnant and are barred from downing that bottle of wine you had bought months ago.
Penny passes you a pillow and you slam it into your face as you scream and scream because this is some bullshit and why is this happening to you and your family? Why can't anything just be normal for once? You try to think of reasons how she could have ended up this way? Both of you had been crushed when your father passed away, and then her with you when you gotten the job in Derry and accepted.
She thought it was too soon but you wanted to go, partly because the pay is good and partly because you just want to be anywhere but your hometown. True, you should have visited more but you were busy and despite having more free time, your mother loathed travelling here. Yes, your communications became sporadic through the years but could she have changed so much?
Did you miss something? Your mother was an accountant for Christ's sake! She couldn't even harm a fly much less learn how to fight!
But, a niggling voice at the back of your head cry out, did you know her?
People change. Penny is solid proof of that (sort of), both of you were still grieving after you parted. You plunged straight into your job (and booze) and your mother - who despite having friends and large extended family – might have channelled hers towards self-defence. You recall her saying she wants to try kung-fu or karate or whatever but you never put stock to it, knowing that your mother's gentle nature; who didn't like hurting anyone, even in her own defence.
Except you should have, you should have visited more, called more, anything because in your absence your mother had morphed into someone paranoid and crazy enough to drug a child!
With one final muffled shriek, you throw the pillow across the room where it lands forlornly next to your mother.
Penny scoots near you, freeing one arm to grasp your shoulder. You lean into his chest, careful not to crush Eggy who begins to play with your hair.
"She'll be fine, right?" you ask, gently touching Eggy's cheek, wincing at just how clammy it feels.
"Yes, just let it flush out of her system and she'll be fine."
You sigh and turn up as Penny plants a quick kiss on your nose before his lips twists in anger.
"I want her out."
And you agree, because mother or not – there's no way you could forgive her for threatening your lover and your child.
"Yeah, once she's up, I'll tell her to leave." You say. Penny quirks an eyebrow in surprise.
"What?" you ask.
Shaking his head, he replies, "No, I just thought I'd have to fight you about this."
"She drugged Eggy and threatened you. Mother or not, I don't want her under my roof. She's lucky we can't press charges." You say, glaring at your mother's body. As though sensing you, your mother moans pitifully, stirring weakly. Penny sneers at her and for a moment you'd think he'd kick her but eventually the former alien clown walks out from the room, content at knowing that you're on his side.
You plop your ass on your bed, arms crossed as you prepare to face your mother.
You don't notice a pair of blue eyes surrounded by white glaring outside your bedroom window before they vanish with a soft pop.