freaks of nature - stenbrough

-15-

TW: eating disorder, suicidal thoughts, abuse and torture effects

——

"Hey," Stanley smiled at everyone as he sat down at the table.
"Hey, Stan," Betty smiled.

Stanley kissed her on the cheek, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and smiled. Betty had escaped with them, giving her a chance of a normal life. The MHA had seemed to back off and started ignoring the group.

"Morning Stan," Beverly said.
"Morning. How was your first few lessons?"
"They were alright," Richie said, "would've been better if Eds mom was there."
"Ew you're so gross and don't call me that."
"You claim I'm gross, yet you love me."
"Unfortunately, I do."

Eddie kissed Richie's cheek and smiled at him. They made eye contact for a few moments before Eddie leant against Richie's chest.

"Can you stop being in love for like two seconds?" Ben asked teasingly.
"Could say the same thing about you and Bev," Eddie retorted.
"We're not in love," Ben said quietly.
"You're not in love, my ass!" Betty said, "you two obviously like each other."

Beverly kicked Betty under the table and she raised her free hand up in surrender, while maintaining a sweet smile. Stanley leant on the table and looked at her in awe.

"What are you looking at?" Betty asked, still smiling.
"Just thinking about how pretty you are."

Richie groaned and Eddie elbowed him. Stanley sat up and and held Betty's hand tight. He pressed a soft kiss to the back of her hand and her smile grew. Betty placed her free hand on his cheek and gave Stanley a soft peck. She rested her head on his shoulder. He softly traced the intricacies of her hand while humming softly. She closed her eyes and listened to his voice. Stanley kissed her temple.

"I'm so happy to have you back," Stanley whispered.
"Me too."

Stanley was about to respond, but a sharp pain stabbed at the side of his head. He grunted and brought one hand up to hold his temple.

"You okay?" Betty asked, lifting her head off his shoulder.
"Yeah...just a headache."
"You've been having them a lot lately. Do you need some medicine?"
"No, I just need some air, excuse me."

Stanley stood and walked out the cafeteria. He headed straight for the front of the school. The pain in his mind grew more and more intense. He made it outside and pressed his back against the bricks.

"Why are you doing this to me, Bill?" He sobbed, "I waited for you. I waited for five months and you didn't keep your promise. I'm trying to move on ...what do you want from me?"

He wasn't expecting an answer nor did he get one. He waited for a few moments before speaking again.

"I can't move on if you won't let me go...I don't know why we're still connected, but you need to let me go. You're making this harder for me."

He slid down the wall and buried his face in his knees. He knew the headaches were coming from Bill, there was no other reason. He'd been taken for brain scans and they'd come up with nothing. There was no other explanation except his mutation was still connected with Bills.

"Hey," Eddie said as he opened the doors to the front of the school, "you okay?"
"Yeah...'m fine."

Eddie sat next to Stanley. Stanley lifted his head and looked over at him.

"No you're not. You know what the headaches are from, don't you?"
"Bill and I...were connected like our mutations were. When he got upset for angry, it would give me a headache, vice versa."
"I have never seen two people love each other as much as you guys did...and you didn't even know each other for that long."
"I miss him so much."

Stanley's words collapsed into sobs as he left Eddie hug him. Eddie held back tears of his own as he embraced the hurting boy.

"I miss him too," was all he could say.

——

Why are you doing this to me Bill? I waited for you. I waited five months and you didn't keep your promise I'm trying to move on ...what do you want from me? I can't move on if you won't let me go...I don't know why we're still connected, but you need to let me go. You're making this harder for me.

"Bill," Stryker yelled, "stop using this machine to check up on Stanley Uris. If you want me to leave him alone stop printing out his coordinates."

All Bill could do was nod. The pain from the machine didn't even effect him anymore. He just felt empty and broken. He's hands shook constantly and he was always tired. He was small and frail. He used a wheelchair to move around purely because he was so malnourished he couldn't support himself. He couldn't speak anymore. It's not that he couldn't, he wasn't strong enough. Bill was sure he was going to die soon and he was just waiting for it to happen. Five months without Stanley was harder than he thought, but he knew now there was no chance of him escaping, especially in the state he was in.

"That's enough for today," Stryker said, "go back to your room. Now."

Bill waited for Stryker to take the thing off his head and for another agent to wheel him away.

He sat there. Emotionless, broken, silent. He thought about his family. Bill wondered if Georgie missed him or if they even still talked about him. A tear probably would've fell down Bill's cheek, but he was so dehydrated nothing happened. He felt himself slowly becoming weaker and weaker.

The agent who's name he hadn't learned or had a desire to, left him in his room and locked the door. Bill sat there. Still. He clenched his fists the best he could and closed his eyes. There was nothing Bill could do. He was going to either end up like Jason or dead and at the moment, death didn't sound like too bad of an option.