Title//Reddie

Part 13. Wednesday. August 7th

Bill kept his promise and didn't tell anyone. Eddies at the point where he can be around Richie, but still refuses to talk to him. Richie, Stanley, Bill and Beverly are hanging out at Bill's house. Bill's parents aren't home so it's just them.
"Beverlyyyy" Richie whined "You took the last box of sugar babies"
  "I have no regrets" Beverly said, throwing the empty box in the garbage.
  "Even Beaverly doesn't like you Rich" Stanley teased.
  "Oh shut up Stanley. No one even likes you anyway so you're hardly one to judge" Richie joked.
  Bills cast a glance at Stanley, of course he was aware that Richie was just joking. But he was worried the words might still hurt Stan, sometimes Richies jokes went a little too deep.
  He saw a hint of offence flash across Stans face but it was quick replaced with a smile and a forced laugh.
  "B-Beep Beep Richie" Bill said, Bill was the only one not laughing.
  "Lighten up Billiam" Said Richie.
    "I d-d-don't like it when you g-guys insult S-s-s-Stan"
  "He's not insulting" Beverly told Bill "he's just joking"
"It's still r-r-rude"
"Bill" Stan spoke up "It's okay"
"No!" Bill exclaimed "It's not. It's m-m-m-mean and immature"
  "You've never said anything before" Bev pointed out "Why the sudden change of heart?"
  Stan shot Bill a panicked look, which Bill returned.
   Richie didn't seem to notice, but Bev picked up on the interaction.
  "Um- I- I-. Stutter sorry" Said Bill, using his stutter as a excuse for not having a good lie.
  "Bill. Upstairs. Now!" Bev demanded.
     Bill quickly followed her upstairs and into the guest bedroom/Richies temporary bedroom.
"What happened with you and Stan?" She asked.
"W-w-w-what? Nothing is h-happening" He lied, over exaggerating the words.
"Bill, I'm not a fucking idiot. Now explain yourself" Bev said.
"Fine" Bill could never fool Bev "Stan l-l-l-likes you, and he knows you d-d-don't like him back. So he's s-s-sad for it and I don't want R-Richie to muh-make him sadder."
  "No way. Stan hates me!"  Bev said in disbelief.
    "M-maybe he pretends t-t-to hate you, b-because he l-l-likes you" Bill suggested.
"But he acts like a bitch to me, and that doesn't exactly give off the vibe of liking someone" Beverly countered.
"I d-d-don't know why he's m-mean to you! I just know he l-l-l-likes you."
"But how does him liking me suddenly make Richie not allowed to joke anymore?" Beverly asked.
"Well, you d-d-don't like him. Which muh-must bring him d-down. But there must b-b-be something else. " Bill weighed his options. He promised Stan he wouldn't tell, and it wasn't his secret to say. But what if Beverly could help Stan? Stan needed all the help he could get right now.
"Why would there be something else?" Bev questioned.
"B-b-because he's cutting! He w-w-wouldn't cut just b-because you don't l-l-like him" Bill exclaimed.
Beverly went silent.
"H-he is?" Beverly said, her voice trembling at the thought of her friend hurting himself.
"Y-yes" Bill confirmed.
"W-why would he do that?" Beverly asked the complicated question.
"I d-don't know"
"How do we help him?" Beverly spoke to Bill.
"I'm n-not sure. I don't th-th-think he wants it." Bill recalled on Stan telling him 'not to tell anybody'. That doesn't sound like someone who wants help.
"Well I don't care. He's my friend, and I will help him" Beverly vowed. "Even if it means I have to do something that's not completely truthful"
Bill had no one idea what she was talking about.
Beverly raced down the steps, Bill on her toes. And didn't stop until she reached Stanley.
"Hey Stan"
"Hi"
"I like you. Romantically" she bluntly stated.
Stan stood silently in shock for a moment. He had convinced himself he liked Beverly, but now that she was reciprocating? He didn't know what to do.
Say you like her back his inner voice screamed to him. But you don't really like her a smaller voice tried to speak, but Stan shut it down. He would follow the louder voice.
"I like you too. Romantically" he said, although he wasn't sure if it was completely true.
"Cool" Beverly said before going in for a kiss.
It was like kissing a tree.
Stan was a good kisser, but there was no romance. No spark. It was completely out of sync, and neither person acted like it was what they wanted to do.
"Wow" Stan said monotone, after pulling away "that was a amazing kiss"
That was horrible! His small inner voice screamed, but he shut it down again.
"Fantastic" Beverly said in the same tone.
Is it really fair to lie to him? You don't like him. Beverlys inner voice pointed out, she refused to answer.
Bill felt horrible seeing Beverly kiss Stan. It should have been him kissing Stan- Beverly. Kissing Beverly.
"You want to be my boyfriend?" Beverly asked.
Stan bit back a 'no' and instead replied with "I'd love that" and a forced smile.
"You guys are the most unlikely lovers" Richie said.

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I do not like the Beverly x Stan ship. Like talk about EW. It is not permanent, don't worry.
Also if it wasn't clear, Bev kissed Stan because she thinks that Stans cutting because he likes Bev and Bev doesn't like him. So she thinks that if she "likes him back" he'll stop cutting.