Reddie- angsty fic

{Part Twenty-six} Illness

(Warnings: Slight homophobic comments)

Richies POV

The next day Eddie came to school. Everyone noticed how pale and ill-looking he was, he looked like he could snap in half with a single poke. A few teachers asked to talk to him after lessons but other then that everyone didn't say anything. Everyone just acted normal. Still not back from the talk with our maths teacher during lunch I decided to do what I stayed up all night planing.

"Bevster can i borrow ya wee lass for a tickety boo?" I asked in a strange accent I usually do when I'm nervous as fuck, which I am. We walked out to our smoking area where we go during lessons and jump on the wall. I can't sit still though. I'm definitely regretting deciding to do this.

"Whats up asshole you look nervous as hell?" She laughs but looks at me and sees how serious I am and stops immediately. "Whats wrong Rich?"

"Um well you see.. where do I start..? Oh right yes. Okay long story short I got in trouble at home, um for telling my dad I like cock.." I get quieter and quieter until its barely a mumble hoping Beverly didn't hear it but she did.

"You did WHAT?" She gets up her eye wide in shock but before she could comment any further I lifted up my shirt to show the black and brown bruises painted on my sides.

"Oh Richie," She pulls me into I hug and I melt into it but pull away realising that that's not what I was telling her.

"Um so I went to Eddies and I saw his mom force feeding him these horrible pills" I shudder at the memory "but he looked after me and we star gazed on the roof, and then-I.. I. I urr leaned in to kiss him.. I-don't-know-what-came-over-me-I-just-did" I ignored Bevs squeals and continued. "but he backed away and- and I got my s-stuff to go leave and I walked down the road but he ran after me, he ran after me Bev." I looked her in the eyes, "and he p-pulled me towards him and k-kissed me.. Not long but really short.. and I'm basically fucked Bev, I'm fucked." She screamed and hugged me tightly.

"OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD Are you dating??!"

"Actually thats what I needed help with.."

"I'm in, I am so in!" She looked me in the eyes and saw a light flash in my eyes,

"Thats what she said!" I burst out laughing and she joins me. Snorting in glee.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next day

The plan was set, it was now or never. I had a speech and everything. I was going to do it at lunch but not publicly, I don't want Henry and his goons to find out. Or anyone else for that matter. We would be fucked. I strode into school with nothing but confidence but when Eds wasn't in first period it knocked a bit off, when second period came and went with no sign of him still, it took at large chunk of my confidence off. It was third period and I came to conclusion that he wasn't coming in. But I worked so hard with Beverly all night! I was going to do it at lunch. Even if Eddie wasn't in school. As soon as the bell for lunch rang I told Bev where I was going and she wished me goodluck and that she would make something up for me. I thanked her and ran out the school, unlocking my bike and speeding off down the streets of Derry. I approached the familiar house and climbed the pipe and knocked on Eddies window. I could see him sitting and reading comics in bed looking even worse then yesterday. His skin paper white, the lines on his forehead dripped with droplets of sweat, his eyes opening and closing slowly. He clambers out of bed to open the window for me but struggles immensely, like it weighed tons. I really hadn't noticed how ill he had gotten.

"I gotta get you out of this house Eddie! You're killing yourself slowly!" I shout as soon as I get into the room.

"I'm fin-" He starts to cough and choke on the air for a couple seconds before clearing his throat to speak again. "You could have just knocked on the front door, my mothers at work."

"That piece of shit! Look at what she's doing to you! She's killing you!" I start shouting getting too worked up about this. "Come stay in my house, at least till you get better! It's those pills that are killing you! They are making you ill!" Eddie just stands there, proceeding the information, he sways slightly from side to side before falling to the ground. I run to him and pick him up in a firemans lift, placing him on the bed carefully. "See Eddie, you can't even stand," I tell him, speaking at a quiet level now. I spot the pill container on the side and inspect it. I don't understand anything it's saying but it doesn't sound good.

"I'm getting rid of these." I say walking towards the door of the room towards the bathroom to flush them.

"NO!" Eddie shouts jumping out of bed and running to stop me "I need them Richie!"

"For what Eddie! YOU'RE NOT ILL!" I yell getting more angry by the second.

"I'M ILL RICHIE, I'M GAY AND THEY CAN FIX ME! THEY WILL MAKE ME STRAIGHT MOMMY PROMISED! They will make me normal." He sniffs crying softly.

"Eddie you're not ill! Being gay doesn't make you ill! You're amazing Eddie, I'm going to flush them Eds." I say sitting down next to him.

"DO NOT CALL ME EDS AND NO YOU ARE NOT I NEED THEM!" In a quick motion that you would if missed if you blinked, he jumped on me, kicking and screaming, punching me with everything he had. He kicked me in the nuts and I doubled over in pain the pills flying out my hand, the lid coming off in the process and when I look up with tears in my eyes at the boy sitting in the middle of the room crying on the floor, the pills are spread all around.

"You are staying with me tomorrow night, pack things you need." He looks up at me and I expect more of a fight but he nods, knowing that it's what is best for him.