A/N PLEASE READ: Hi readers, I'd just like to point out that this story is a Pennywise Human AU, meaning Pennywise's real name is Mr. Robert "Bob" Gray (as stated in the novel). It is based on the "IT" 2017 character portrayals. Also, this story is very DARK and will touch upon themes potential readers could find triggering including adult language, violence, child abuse, sexual abuse, rape (non-graphic) and torture. I do not wish to offend anyone with what I've written, and I hope you'll all heed my tags before proceeding. I don't normally write this kind of content, but I was rewatching "IT" the other night and the relationships between the core four really inspired the idea. Because this is currently a one-shot story, I've focused primarily on Bill, Richie, Eddie and Stan. However, there's a chance I may continue depending on how "Sacrifice," is received. So the other Losers could potentially show up in later chapters. Please let me know what you think by leaving a comment, giving a kudos and/or bookmarking. I really do appreciate the feedback and it'll help me determine whether or not to keep writing this. Thanks so much for reading guys!

Bill hears him first.

He wakes on the cellar floor, cold and stiff from his unsettled sleep when the footsteps echo in his ears. He sits up, suddenly alert and his attention shoots to the ceiling. With his chest pounding he follows the sound, watching for where the dust loosens from the rafters. Traces trickle down in murky grey path that's moving slowly but undoubtedly toward the cellar door.

Robert is back and he's on his way.

Bill wastes no time, as he shuffles feverishly across the floor to the first boy he can reach. Eddie is the closest to him, huddled against the wall with his knees pulled against his chest and his brows furrowed together. A hard line is cut between his eyes. It looks like he's having a nightmare and Bill almost doesn't wake him because no monster in Eddie's dreams is any comparison to the one awaiting him in the cellar.

But he places a sad, hesitant hand on Eddie's shoulder anyway, and shakes his friend awake, not wanting Robert to be the one to do it. When his eyes flutter open, Eddie knows right away. A quiet, "no," whispers from his lips and he scrunches his eyes shut, blinking out tears.

Bill squeezes his shoulder and the smaller boy straightens up, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He takes a deep breath and helps Bill with the others.

Eddie wakes Richie and Bill wakes Stan. After that, the four boys are left standing in a dank, dripping corner of the cellar. They wait in dread and with baited breath for the man upstairs. It's only a matter of time, a few more steps before they'll hear the squeal of the cellar door.

"Well fellas, least he can only butt fuck one of us at a time, am I right?"

"Don't!" Stan snaps at Richie. He's stood against the wall; the farthest back out of any of them. Bill has never seen him look so pale. "Just don't, okay Richie?"

Richie doesn't know what to say, so he just looks at Eddie. Bill catches him doing this often, and he notices that for someone as tall as Richie, he sure does leans on Eddie a lot. He thinks it's because Eddie is Richie's crutch. He needs Eddie like he needs air. To function, for support and reassurance but most often then not, he needs Eddie to tell him when he's being a complete ass.

Eddie holds his stomach like he's hurting. With watery eyes, he shakes his head at Richie and mumbles "beep, beep."

Richie pierces his lips and lowers his gaze, feeling ashamed. Joking is how he copes. It's the only way he knows how to deal with any of this, but he forgets sometimes that he's not the only one suffering. Stan and Eddie still haven't been chosen yet. Though the threat is implicit. It's not a matter of will it happen, but when, and that thought alone is enough to render Stan a blithering wreck and send Eddie into another sick fit.

A creak resounds from atop the wooden steps and a sliver of light peaks through, broken by a looming shadow.

Stan is hiccupping beside him and Bill nudges his shoulder. When Stan turns to face him, he's a teary and snotty mess. Bill wants to say something, anything comforting but the words don't come. He settles with taking Stan's clammy hands in one of his, and Eddie's hand with the other. From Eddie's right, Richie also holds his hand and together they stand like an unbreakable chain.

Robert takes the first step, his steal-tow boots rasp against the ramshackle steps.

STEP. THUMP. CREAK.

Bill sneaks Richie a hard look from behind Eddie's shoulder, a thought passing between them.

I have to do something.

Richie agrees. He nods.

STEP. THUMP. CREAK.

They watch as Robert slides his palm along the bannister, tapping his fingers with an almost tauntingly feathered touch. The gesture makes Bill hate him more. He knows those hands, every callused and sharp edge of them, and they've never been gentle.

STEP. THUMP. CREAK.

Robert descends from the final step, dancing on his toes and to their dismay he's not wearing his costume. Instead he wears a white collared shirt, unbuttoned against his bare chest and pair of kaki slacks. Without the showboat of clown makeup, he seems completely ordinary.

Of course they know it's just another trick. They've learned the hard ways that with Robert looks are deceiving.

With his gaunt cheeks and swollen, snake-lipped smile, Robert feels even more like a villain then his painted counterpart, Pennywise. Because Pennywise may be a deviant, he taunts the boys with news clippings of the other children, all the ones he's killed. He promises them they'll never see their families again. He entertains in the misery that besets them, chiselling at their souls and trying to tear them down with his mind games. But Robert Gray is depraved. He takes pleasure in making them squirm; in bruising them and in hearing them beg. He'll do just about anything to get the reaction he wants, and he'll do it with a smile.

When he comes to them as himself, they already know tonight will be horrible.

"My boys," Robert leers, breaking the silence with a voice that bubbles with excitement, "My beautiful, beautiful boys. I'm so sorry for not visiting these past few days." He brushes his wild, red hair from his face and takes a step toward them. They all stiffen. Robert doesn't fail to miss this. It enthuses him and he licks his lips as he trails his eyes across the line. He starts on a glaring Richie, and stops on Stan…too long on Stan.

Stan feels the man's eyes on him and he's losing it. Bill can sense it for himself. He squeezes Bill's hand so hard that he can actually feel his fingers going numb.

"Staaaanley." Robert rocks his head from shoulder to shoulder. A deceivingly sweet drawl dribbles from his lips. "Aren't you going to say hello?"

Stan gives a frantic shake of his head, "Yellow-billed cuckoo," he squeaks out. He pulls on his left ear, whispering a mantra they know all to well.

"Bay-breasted Warbler. Scarlett Tanager."

Where Richie has his jokes, Stan has his birds. He recites the ones he can remember from the bird book his father gave him when he was eight. Bill thinks it helps him escape. He imagines that he's back in the woods with his dad, the two of them spotting the birds together and definitely not here in the cellar where he's the only one being observed.

"Green-tailed Towee. Purple Finch. American Pipit."

"Look at me Stanley."

"Lark Sparrow."

The boys feel helpless watching as Stanley begins to crumble. Names spew from his mouth, one by one with barely a breath between them. He looks like he might vomit but the words get in the way.

"Ruby-crowned Kinglet."

"Bawk…"

They turn suddenly to find Robert with his hands tucked under his armpits, shaping his arms into wings, "bawk."

Stan twists his ear even harder and shakes his head once more, trying to jangle Robert's taunts from his mind. "Bu-barn…Swallow."

"BAWK!" Robert croons. It's loud and shrill and it startles all of them. "BAWK! BAWK!"

He flaps his makeshift wings, and yells, "What about a chicken Stanny. Ain't you ever seen a chicken before?"

Stan lets out a whimper, staring at the ground. Tears trickle off his chin. He doesn't look up even as the silence presses on and the weight of Robert's presence hammers down on him.

Bill's jaw tightens. Face him Stan. Come on, you have to face him.

"Northern wheat-"

Robert smiles wider, "cause I'm looking at a clucking little chicken right now." He steps closer and that's all it takes. Stanley doesn't mean to, but he breaks the chain. He stumbles back in a bid to distance himself and falls. Bill feels the tug of his weight as he hits the ground and watches woefully as his friend hugs himself on the floor.

His thoughts trail back. Do something!

Robert snickers as he begins to close the distance between them, "and here I thought you'd miss me."

Bill is next to break the chain. He let's go of Eddie's hand. Eddie is a second to late trying to pull him back, and before Bill can even think about what he's doing, he steps in front of Robert, blocking his path.

"I mu-missed yu-you, Mr. Gray." He's disgusted by his own words, humiliated, but he manages to say the right thing because for now Robert's attention turns on him. With curious eyes he looks Bill up and down. "Is that right?"

Bill gives a weak nod. "Did yu-you mu-miss me too?"

Robert reaches a hand up to him, and it takes everything inside of Bill, all his willpower to plant his feet and stay put. But he wants to run. God he wants to run so badly.

"As a matter of fact..."

The man presses his palm on the side of Bill's face, rubbing the bud of his thumb over the dint in Bill's cheek, down onto his chin and back up over his lips. "I did."

Bill swallows, feeling his heart hammering back in his chest. He knows what the man wants and he parts his lips.

Robert smiles, pushing his thumb into Bill's mouth. Bill is contrite as he forces his brain to react, sucking the thumb in a way he remembers the man likes. He tries not to think about his friends, whom he knows are watching and are just as disturbed as he is.

He knows Robert takes a particular pleasure in tormenting him in front of the others. The Losers look up to Bill, not because he's bossy or high-handed, but because he's loyal, and brave and fiercely protective of them in a way no other person, not even their own parents have ever been.

Robert doesn't like this.

He considers Bill a threat and to a degree, Bill supposes he is. He can't physically challenge Robert in any way, the man doubles him in his size and stature. But Bill is clever. He studies Robert on those horrible nights that he's forced to spend with him. By now he's gotten a pretty good understanding of how the man ticks and one thing is for certain, Robert feeds off the power. He does things and says things to try and belittle Bill all the time.

"Big Bill?" The man pants in his ear. He has Bill's face pressed in the sheets, pushing him down by his hair. He can hardly breath. "I wonder what they'd think of you now."

Bill likes to believe he has a hard shell, kind of like a turtle. In spite of Robert's cruel fixation with him, he hasn't cracked. He's come close though, plenty of times. But then he remembers he's not alone in this. There are his friends, who he knows he has to keep safe. They come first and foremost. He thinks he can use Robert's obsession to an advantage. No matter how messed up that might be, he'll have to be manipulative too. He doesn't want to lie down willingly, but he'll do what it takes to keep Robert from hurting one of his friends again.

He thinks of the first time Richie was taken instead of him. He tried to stop it. Damn it, he tried so hard. But Robert had been too strong, and Bill wasn't prepared. He watched Richie be dragged up those steps, kicking and screaming and he spent the entire night feeling every second of Richie's torture like it was his own.

He knows there's no way for him to change what's already happened, but he can try at least to keep the same thing from happening to Eddie and Stan. If he gives in and offers Robert everything he demands, if he allows this man to believe he's in complete control than Bill might have better chance of keeping the attention on himself.

"Takin' one for the team," is what his baseball coach would call it and he'd die for this team if he had to.

Robert takes his thumb out of Bill's mouth and pinches his chin. It feels warm, still wet with his saliva. "So eager to please, are we Billy Boy?"

He hates the way Robert talks down to him like he's enjoying this, like he's doing this for any other reason besides keeping the people he cares about safe. Bill narrows his eyes, "Yes," he mutters through clenched teeth. "I-I want to go with yu-you."

"Well then," Robert grins at him. He squeezes Bill's chin harder, "I want to hear that again, like you mean it."

Bill wishes he could spit in the man's face, watch as his big yellow loogie dribbles down Robert's filthy sweat beaded forehead. He swallows, "Pu-please...ta-take me-

"Bill don't!"

He's interrupted before he can finish. He follows the voice, catching Richie's gaze from behind his coke bottles glasses. There's something so completely desperate there. "Don't do it."

Bill shakes his head, and snaps back. "Sh-shut it, Rich."

"You're Big Bill," Richie states, his voice firm and impassioned. "We know that. We know you can do anything...but not this. That doesn't mean you have to do this."

Bill's heart swells in his chest, coursing steaming blood through his veins. He's so damn angry with Richie right now. This isn't his job, why doesn't he understand that? Bill's the leader. He's the one who's supposed to protect them, not the other way around.

Richie, you have to let this happen! Hot tears well in Bill eyes. "Fucking beep, beep you idiot!"

Richie ignores him and steps forward.

Oh no.

"Hey Fuckwad!"

Robert drops his hand from Bill's chin. He tilts his head, eerily slow toward the glass-eyed boy with amusement and his lips quirk up. "What was that Richie?"

Richie stands his ground, clenching his fists. He could almost pass for intimidating, if his hands weren't shaking at his sides, and his eyes weren't so swollen under his lenses. "If you're going to take anyone here, it uh...it might as well be the only one who has a big enough dick to handle it."

Richie is tugged back into place and for someone as small as Eddie he actually manages to pull Richie behind him. "What - are - you - doing?" Eddie gasps, his chest rises and falls with laboured breaths.

"Let me go Eds!"

"Stop it!" Eddie begs him, "Richie, you can't...not again-"

Tears stream down Eddie's face.

For a moment, Richie forgets he's being watched. With soft, concerned eyes, he places his hands on Eddie's face and gives him a gentle shake, "Eddie come on, please breath man."

It's a mistake, a huge fucking mistake. Bill catches Robert's eyes flit with delight and his heart plummets straight into his stomach because now more than ever, Robert has the upper hand. There's only one other thing he loves more than having power and that's collecting leverage.

Richie has just revealed his biggest weakness to a predator.

Bill sees what's coming next, and he grabs for Robert's arm before he can advance. Robert turns fast on his heels and backhands Bill across the face. The sound is piercing and echoes through the cellar with a SNAP! Bill falls to the floor with a dull thud. He lands beside Stan. His head spins. Stan crawls to his side, and pats his nose with a hesitant touch. His fingertips are red with Bill's blood, "You're nu-nose Bill...it's broken." Bill knocks his hand away. He has no time to worry about himself right now. With unsteady legs, he stumbles back to his feet.

...

Richie sees it coming too late. He looks up when he hears the slap, and suddenly Robert is only two feet away from them and Bill is on the floor. He pushes Eddie into the corner and lunges. He catches Robert around the torso, but the man is like a cement wall. He doesn't budge.

"He's certainly cute Richie and so wonderfully fragile." Robert grabs a handful of Richie's hair and yanks him upright. Richie hisses as Robert twists his grip and pulls his head back so they are cheek to cheek. "You think you can fix him, don't you?" He presses his chapped lips to Richie's ear and hisses hot breath as he whispers, "Not after I break him."

A growl of rage rips from Richie's throat and he jumps up, kicking off of the wall and sending them both careening backward.

Robert staggers, and missteps. They fall to the floor, and for a split second, Robert's grip on him loosens. Richie rolls sideways. He's on his hands and knees, crawling for freedom when Robert's hand tightens over his ankle. He's tugged back so fast; Richie completely flattens onto his stomach. The man drags Richie down till he's straddling him from behind, keeping him still between his knees.

"Get off me you fucking demon Carrot Top!"

Robert laughs, "You're funny Richie, so so funny." He grabs Richie's hand and pins his arms against his back. "Always with the jokes. Always entertaining. You sure do like a good show, don't you?" Richie doesn't like the inflection in his voice. He struggles even harder, especially when he hears Robert rifling through his pockets. When he catches sight of the man over his shoulder, there's a zip tie ready in his hand. "I know Eddie and I could put on greaaaat show for you."

The hairs on Richie's body stand upright. No! No! No! How did this happen? He was only trying to help Bill, and now he's made everything worse. A hundred fucking times worse! It was supposed to be him. Not Stan. Not Bill. Not Eddie. Please god...not Eddie.

Robert loops the zip tie around his wrists and finishes tightening it just before a flying force bulldozes into him. The man is sent tumbling off of Richie and onto the cement. It takes a moment for Richie to register what's happened and with dumbstruck eyes he realizes it's Bill. He's on top of Robert, and he's bringing down punches, left and right as fast as his skinny limbs can pummel.

"That's it Bill!" Richie encourages. Red drips from Bill's nose, and Richie's not sure if the blood that's on Robert's face is his or his friend's. He prays for the latter. "Beat that mother fuckers ass!"

The feeling of triumph is short lived. Robert is only thrown for a moment before everything takes a terrible turn. Robert's hand shoots forth and he catches Bill's clenched fist in his palm. It lands there with a residual CLAP. There's a second of silence. Bill stares down at the man, eyes wide and stricken. Robert smiles.

Oh shit...

Bill tries to pull free but it's no use. Robert twists his hand in a violent and sudden gesture and the boy cries out. Robert's other hand shoots up and captures his throat silencing him.

"No!" Richie shouts, he pulls against the bindings but they don't loosen and he's waggling on the floor like a useless dying fish.

Robert flips them over, so he's towering on top of Bill.

He simpers. "When are you going to learn?" Saliva drips from Robert's mouth as he leans his face close to Bill's, and squeezes his neck tighter. "There's no use in fighting me Billy Boy. You won't save them."

Bill kicks out. His eyes are bloodshot and full of tears. He's turning red, the same colour of Robert's hair; strands shroud over his face in a crimson veil.

Richie is helpless.

Like a superhero in yellow shorts, Eddie appears out of nowhere. He dashes past Richie and throws himself onto Robert's back. "Let go of him you asshole!" He's a determined little spitfire as he claws his fingers across the man's face.

A laugh of utter disbelief escapes Richie, fragile my ass. Richie wishes he could take Robert's words, shove them down the bastard's throat and watch him choke on them till he's dead. Never underestimate the Spaghetti Man.

Of course he's terrified seeing Eddie, his Eddie fending Robert off, but now's not the time to be selfish with his friends. Bill needs help and Eddie is all he has. Eddie and Stan.

Wait. Where the hell is Stan?

Richie turns his head and finds Stanley still trembling on the floor. Still crying where he sits. He can't believe this.

"Stan get up and help them, NOW!"

Stan covers his ears, and closes his eyes. He rocks back and forth, shaking his head.

"Stan! We need you!"

Eddie yelps, and Richie whips his head back around. Robert is on his feet. He has Eddie by the arm, dangling him up so that his sneakers barely kiss the ground. Bill lies at Robert's feet, a boot planted on his chest. The man steps down hard, pushing all his weight into Bill with a crushing force. Bill let's out a horrible, strangled wheeze. His flailing hands claw at Robert's leg, frantically attempting to push him off.

Eddie swings his leg and it catches Robert in the hip. The man sighs, as though dealing with a pesky fly, and he delivers a merciless punch to the small boy's face. The force sends Eddie's head whipping back. His eyes roll skyward.

Richie sees fire. "You son of a bitch! You fucking piece of shit!"

"These little acts of defiance are really starting to bore me."

Robert lifts his foot off of Bill's chest. Bill heaves, gasping and coughing. He's finally able to breath. Robert throws Eddie's limp body behind him and Eddie lands like dead weight onto the cement floor. Richie flinches when he does. Robert turns his attention back to Bill. He lifts his leg and kicks the toe of his boot into Bill's ribs. Bill cries out again, rolling across the floor and clutching his side.

"Stop it! Stop hurting him!"

Robert delivers another kick. "I like you so much better like this." He kicks. "Those pretty brown eyes blooming with bruises." He kicks. "That perfect pink skin painted in red."

"Stop you sicko!" Richie shouts with a raging desperation. "You're going to kill him!"

Robert Gray stops short of his next kick. He rests his foot back on the ground and peers down to the bloodied, crumpled mess at his feet. "Kill him?" A dark, dreadful chuckle escapes the man's lips. "I wouldn't dream..."

He pushes a foot into Bill's side and rolls the boy onto his stomach.

"Bill!" Richie calls out to him; he squirms on the floor and pears over to his battered friend. "Bill buddy, you in there?"

"Rrr-Rich...arrrrg!" Bill groans, as Robert climbs on top of him. He grabs Bill's hands and twists them behind him. He reaches in his pocket, pulling out another zip tie and fastens it around Bill's wrists.

"We still need an audience for our BIG SHOW!"

The man stands and grabs Bill's arm, dragging him across the room. He drops Bill in front of Stanley and pulls out another zip tie. Stan finally looks up. He meets Robert eyes with a faraway gaze that so completely shattered that the man doesn't even bother. Robert winks at him and places the zip tie back in his pocket. He comes for Richie next, sauntering over and does the same, dropping him on the floor beside his friends. They huddle together. Richie feels Bill's hand slip back into his.

In a quiet corner across the room, Eddie stirs. A weak moan escapes his lips.

"It looks like our little star is up," Robert chuckles at Richie. His lips rise in a vile smirk that slices all the way across his face. Thin scratches bleed down his forehead and frame his feral eyes. He's a complete, and total monster.

Richie breaks when Robert strides across the room, straight for Eddie. Heavy, hitching sobs twist in his stomach and tear apart his throat. He knows this is his fault and there's no amount of begging, no snap backs, or clever insults that can stop Robert from doing every horrible thing imaginable to his best friend...the only boy he loves.

Eddie starts screaming and Richie shuts his eyes. "I'm sorry Eds. I'm so fucking sorry."