Fear Factory / reddie circus au

Eleven - William

Richie sat on the edge of his camp bed, his head in his hands. His eyes closed but restless.

He tapped his foot against the floorboards nervously, trying desperately to drown out the shallow coos of Stanley's birds.

That's when he heard a soft knock at the door.

Richie simply ignored it. His head full of thoughts, mostly negative, but overall he felt anxious.

"Richie, it's me," A familiar voice pleaded from outside.

At the sound of the warm mellow voice Richie stopped tapping his foot and looked towards the door. His heart fluttering.

"Richie please open the door,"

Richie hauled himself up, his body aching and stiff and his head throbbing.

He unhooked the latch and pulled the door open.

Eddie stood there. His hands folded across his body to try and stop the goosebumps that blemished across his exposed arms.

He smiled sympathetically up at Richie, he could tell something was wrong.

"Are you going to invite me in?" He asked sweetly.

Richie couldn't help but smile as he stepped aside. The sight of the small boy melting away his anxiety and negative emotions.

Eddie could wash all of Richie's problems away. And Richie knew it. That's why he began to breath a little bit steadier and let the smile cross his face.

Eddie walked over to the row of bird cages, looking into the curiously,
"Doesn't Stanley realise keeping these birds in here is a massive safety hazard?"

Richie grinned, "He loves those birds like they're his family. Sad but true,"

Eddie continued to examine the birds with a slightly uncomfortable look on his face, "What if one of these birds has bird flu? Then what?"

"Oh relax Ed's, if they had bird flu I would have already caught it by now and passed it on to you,"

"Ew that's gross Rich," Eddie said pouting and stepping away from the cages. He made his way across the room and onto Richie's camp bed. Looking up at Richie with his coffee brown eyes, indicating for Richie to join him.

The lanky boy obeyed, climbing clumsily up onto the bed beside Eddie.

"You wanna tell me what's up?" Eddie asked calmly, no pressure in his voice, "I saw you bail yesterday before my act, and I knew you wouldn't break your promise unless you had to,"

Richie looked down at his hands, picking at the skin on his cuticles,
"I just, I don't know, got a bit freaked out, that's all,"

Eddie moved a little closer causing butterflies to erupt in Richie's stomach.

"What freaked you out?" Eddie asked, looking at Richie,

Richie straightened his glasses, "When I went out on stage, I felt like I lost control. I wasn't able to control what I said or how I moved. It was like I was a fucking puppet. It was messed up Eddie,"

Eddie looked at him, concern in his eyes, "The mind is a strange thing,"

Richie finally turned to look at Eddie, slightly surprised by his comment.

"You see, Richie, no one comes to Derry Circus because their lives are going great. We all have secrets. Trauma."

Richie looked at Eddie. Lost.

"The people that own this place. They find kids like us. Kids who need a change, who need a break from their crazy lives... and they give us a second chance. I had never done aerial till I came here, but they taught me and now it's a true passion of mine... But you Rich, you already had a talent. You didn't need to be taught anything. The problem was you pushed aside your knowledge of hypnotism when you pushed aside your memories of trauma... Last night was bound to be emotional. Your body and your mind were both trying to conflict each other."

Richie looked at Eddie, "So your saying last night, part of my mind was trying to let me remember and the other half was trying to make me forget?"

"Yeah, it's complicated. But kids like us are bound to be complicated."

"We can be complicated together... just so I don't lose my mind," Richie smiled.

Eddie blushed a little, but so lightly Richie couldn't notice in the dim light,
"You can tell me anything Rich, you know that right?"

Slowly, Eddie moved his hand on top of Richie's, intertwining their fingers. Sending chills down Richie's spine.

Richie looked down at him, his cheeks blossoming red.
"Anything?"

"Anything."

Richie paused for a moment. Contemplating whether or not his next move was going to be a good idea or not. All Richie could think about was how he was convinced they had kissed. But Eddie never mentioned it so Richie was scared it was only a dream.

But Richie had to know for sure.

"Eddie, I think.... I think I might be falling for you."

There was a long silence. But Eddie didn't move his hand away from Richie's like Richie was afraid he would.

"Falling for me like you fell from the trapeze?" Eddie said smirking, looking up at Richie with his sweet, chocolate eyes.

Richie giggled, dimples appearing on his pink cheeks.

"I think I might be... falling for you too Rich." Eddie said moving closer.

The two boys were inches apart. They both looked down at each other's lips. Lust in the air.

Eddie leaned in...

***************

Bill stepped across the damp concrete, his footsteps echoing ominously through the black.

He continued to walk. His pathway silent except for the chorus of dripping water.

Once he reached a certain spot he stopped. Tilting his head into the air. The cold breeze on his face. He waited. Emotionlessly.

"William." A dark, sludgy voice hissed from the darkness.

"I am here." Bill whispered, his face blank like a porcelain doll.

"William. We have a problem," it gurgled, "The new boy. Richie. He's been disrupting the harvest." The voice moaned, it's tone unbearable like nails on a chalk board.

Bill's glassy, unreflective eyes stared blankly into the darkness, "What do you mean? His act last night seemed to strike lots of fear into the girl."

There was a melancholy pause, "Yes... that was successful. But that's not the problem."

"Then what is it? May I ask?"

"He's in love. He's in love with the aerialist... And the aerialist loves him back."

Bill paused, his head aching, "Richie and Eddie? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure," the voice spat, "I cannot feast if there is love in the fucking air. Love is the only thing that can overcome fear, you idiot!"

Bill stayed quiet for a moment, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath impatiently, "What do you suggest we do?"

There was a very long pause. Bill became convinced that the creature in the black had disappeared until its shrill, ear-bleeding voice uttered its final answer:

"I think it's time to start spreading."