Nyctophilia 🌪 Reddie

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The door to the room opened and Richie felt like he had walked into a scene from Men In Black. All of the officials in the room were in black suits and black sunglasses, arms crossed. They stood around a table that had seven chairs, where one of the officials gestured for them to sit down.

They all sat down cautiously, the only sound being Bill's coughing and sneezing into a rag from his sickness. In the front of the room, one of the officials pulled down a screen and stood beside it, a remote in his hand.

He pressed a button and an image of a black sky and fire took up the screen.

"Two months ago, you all were witness to the take off point for nearly fifty nuclear type missiles. They were supposed to target government buildings but you all assisted in the coordinate change to make them hit the very bases that created the missiles. For that, we are grateful. However, lives were lost. You weren't told how many. Until now."

Another click, and another screen appeared, this time showing a map of the United States and where all of the missiles hit.

"Two thousand lives. Some of them were on impact, but many of them came as a result of the aftermath, such as breakage of damns and earthquake like aftershocks. Even now, more lives are lost in the wreckage and due to inhaling smoke from the weapons. Many people in the country want you all dead, since they believe you were part of the reason."

"Why don't you tell them that we didn't cause it? That we helped to save lives?" Stan asked, his arms crossed.

"We aren't on completely good terms with you. You all saved lives, yet you let a girl with abilities escape. You could have turned her in, but you allowed her to run off. That's a threat."

Eddie scoffed. "She helped save us. She was down there with us, helping to make sure the missiles didn't hit government facilities and increase the death count. Why the hell is that a threat?" he asked, knowing that his outburst would not be appreciated by the officials.

Another click of the remote, and an image of Henry Bowers and his father, Butch Bowers appeared on the screen.

"These two men, you know them, correct?" an official asked. It was hard to tell who, since everyone in the room looked the same.

"Yeah, we know those assholes. Tortured me and kidnapped Eds," Richie said, putting his feet up on the table.

"What about the allegations that you worked with them and the girl with powers, Eleven, was it? She went with them, and they're a threat as well. Killers, psychopaths. You're going to let them just run?"

"They helped us and gave us the locations to the other Hive bases. Besides, we were taken down here a day after I woke up in the hospital. How could we have done anything?" Eddie asked, putting his feet up on the table next to Richie's, ignoring Stan's glare.

"You could have contacted us," an official pointed out.

"We could've, but we didn't. I don't see why this is on us," Stan said.

"There are a number of people with powers and abilities, and they all lead back to the Hive. From what we know, you are the only survivors of the Hive, so you are our only way to gather that information."

"We d-don't know anything," Bill said in a scratchy voice before coughing. "All of th-the information is w-within the wreckage of the H-Hive."

"You don't know anything?"

"No," Mike said firmly. "We don't know anything."

The official holding the clicker sighed. "You're excused then."

"Wait, that's it?!" Eddie cried as the door was opened and the officials began to surround the teens, trying to get them to leave. "You just want information then you're done with us?! When are we getting out of here?!"

Richie grabbed Eddie's bicep to make sure he wouldn't dive at one of the officials, but he didn't try to get him to quiet down. They all wanted to get out.

"You can't leave. It's safer if you don't," an official told Eddie, walking out of the room. "It's safer if you're in here."

"So we're trapped here forever?! That's fucked up! We didn't do anything wrong!" Eddie yelled, trying to pull away from Richie who was fighting to keep him from making things worse.

"Enough!" the official who had the remote said, standing in front of Eddie. He took off his glasses to reveal two angry eyes, one blue and one brown. "You are Hive members. To protect the innocent citizens of this county, we cannot let you leave."

"So this is a prison?" Stan asked, shooting Eddie a look that told him to shut his mouth.

The official didn't respond, and seven different ones grabbed the teenagers and escorted them back to their rooms.

•••

"BULLSHIT! Jade fucking tells me all about how they're doing this to fucking protect us, and it turns out they see us as fucking psychopaths and won't fucking let us leave! It's such fucking bullshit!" Eddie yelled, kicking the wall.

Richie would usually be upset with Eddie for losing it like that, but he understood. Eddie needed to be out in the world, free from harm and not captured. He didn't like being trapped.

"It's okay, Eds," Richie said calmly, hoping to soothe his angry boyfriend.

"It's not okay, Richie! They see us as criminals!" Eddie snapped, collapsing onto the bed and burying his face in a pillow. "I hate this place."

"We all do, baby, but we can't leave. They won't let us," Richie said, knowing it was the last thing Eddie wanted to hear but it was what he needed to hear.

Eddie rested his chin on Richie's chest and looking up at him. "We could break out," he muttered, grabbing one of Richie's hands and focusing on his bitten fingernails.

"And be on the governments most wanted list?" Richie laughed and rolled his eyes. "Sure, Eds, where do I sign up?"

Richie looked down at Eddie, expecting to see his teasing smile, only to see Eddie giving him a look of complete seriousness.

"You're serious?" Richie asked, shocked.

"I don't want to be stuck here forever, Richie. Didn't we promise that we'd get out of the Hive and finally live normal lives? If we stay here we're breaking that promise," Eddie said, holding his eye contact to make sure Richie knew he was serious.

"Eddie, that's a terrible idea. If we fuck up in any part of an escape plan, we could get killed. I'm not going to lose you, Eds."

"You won't! We went through an atomic bomb risk and survived! We can escape a government base!"

Richie loved Eddie, but he hated how stubborn he could be. If Eddie had a plan, he wasn't going to give up until he got what he wanted.

"Eds..." Richie began, but was stopped by a beeping sound.

Eddie shut off his watch and stood up. "I have to go see Jade. I'll be back in an hour," he said, kissing Richie before leaving.

Sure, he'd open up to Jade. It wouldn't matter if he did. Eddie was determined to leave the base, and when Eddie wanted to do something, it was hard to dissuade him.

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How do y'all feel about smut? I might write writing a scene if y'all want me to, even though I've never done it. As an author I'm okay stepping outside my comfort zone, but only if the majority wants it there :))