freaks of nature - stenbrough

-17-

TW: death, starvation, implied sex

——

Bill was curled up in his 'bed' slowly starving. He thought about Stanley and Betty. They were happy and Bill hoped that him passing wouldn't effect Stanley the way their emotions had been effecting each other. He wondered if Georgie still thought about him. He wondered if his mother was still grieving for if she'd moved on. Bill shook violently as he clutched his legs and let out soft whimpers.

He didn't cry. He wasn't scared. He didn't even worry about his family. He felt nothing apart from hunger and heartbreak. Stanley was happy without him and that's all he needed. Bill closed his eyes and let the darkness take over him.

——

Betty and Stanley were walking through the streets of Derry with their hands laced.

"So our senior prom is coming up soon and I was thinking maybe we could go together?" Stanley asked.
"I'd love to go to prom with you," she rested her head on his shoulder, "but you don't know how to dance."
"I don't, but you do?"
"Well no...I'm guessing it goes a little bit like this."

She span Stanley around and he laughed softly.

"And back in."

Betty pulled him towards her and he span into her arms. She caught him and they laughed together.

"I think I'm supposed to spin you."
"And how would you do that?"
"Like this."

He stepped out of their embrace still with a smile plastered to his cheeks. Stanley lifted her arm up and twirled her underneath his arm. He then pulled her in close and she had one hand on his shoulder and the other in his chest.

"I thought you didn't know how to dance."
"I don't."

She stood in her toes and kissed him before lacing their hands again. They continued walking.

"I'll go with you if they'll even let me in."
"What do you mean?"
"I probably won't be able to graduate with the rest of you," Betty said, "seems as I missed almost the entirety of high school."
"We'll figure out a way. You're smart. Weren't you doing eleventh grade calculus ninth grade?"
"Yeah well the MHA don't have tutors to help me learn stuff."
"Fair point. What did you even do while you were there?"
"I was basically just security. I didn't want to do it, I swear. Just after seeing what they did to Josh, I didn't want that to happen to me."
"Did you ever...hurt anyone?"
"Not intentionally."
"I did."
"What?"
"You remember when Stryker was on edge about Rumlow's death?"
"Yeah. He beat Bill to a pulp and fired ten agents."
"I...I killed him...I didn't mean to, I swear I-"
"Stan, it's fine. You don't have to worry."

She squeezed his hand and he smiled.

"What happened?"
"Did you know they faked Bill's death?"
"No," her eyes widened and they stopped walking, "when?"

Stanley walked around to stand in front of her and held both of Betty's hands.

"Almost straight after they took us, I was told he died and then when Rumlow was trying to get me to use my...gift...he realised it was triggered by my emotions he brought up Bill. I lost control and accidentally sent a coin through his brain...I think Stryker was so upset about it because he loved him."
"Stryker loved...Rumlow?"
"Yeah. He was basically trying to scare me and..."

Stanley took one hand from Betty's and lowered his collar, revealing scars from nails.

"How did I not see that before?" She ran a finger along the scars.
"Dunno, but I told him that I loved Bill and then by the way he reacted I figured it out. He and Rumlow had something going on."

Stanley flinched and took Betty's hand away from the scars. Her eyes widened as she stared at the scars on his collarbone.

"Stan wait, look."
"At what?"
"The scars, they're...changing?"
"What do you..."

He looked down and realised what she was saying. Dark black bruising was spreading up his neck and down his chest. Stanley began feeling light headed and he stumbled back slightly.

"Betty...something's wrong...they've done something to Bill."
"What?"
"You have to help him...you're the only one they'll let back into the building."
"Stan, what are you saying?"
"They've done something to Bill...he's dying you..." Stanley was getting weaker by the second, "you need to go help him."
"I can't go back there."
"Then get the others...please."

Stanley collapsed into her arms.

"Stan," she cried, "stay with me."
"'M never leaving you," he said quietly.

Betty lowered him to the ground, not being strong enough to support his weight.

"I'm so confused, what's happening?"

Stanley pushed himself up the most he could and softly kissed Betty. When he pulled away he gave her a weak smile.

"You h-have to go...help him or else I-I'm gonna die."

His eyes closed and passed out. Betty was confused and hurt more than anything. She didn't know what he meant or why this was happening. Stanley's breaths were slowing down and his pulse was fading.

"No no no, Stan," she cried out, "please don't leave me...you said you wouldn't."
"Dear?"

An old woman in the house next to them came running out. Stanley's chest had stopped rising and falling. His pulse was so soft Betty could barely feel it.

"What's happening out here?"
"Call an ambulance, he's not breathing."

Tears were now rolling down her cheeks and she was feeling Stanley's pulse slowly fading. The old woman nodded and ran back to her house to call the ambulance as Betty had asked.

"They can't take you..." she sobbed, "not you too."

——

Betty banged on Richie's front door. It took a few moments, but he opened it and immediately furrowed his brows.

"Are you okay?"
"Stan is in hospital. He's not breathing properly and he doesn't have pulse and he kept telling me we had to go get Bill and that I can't be with him until we get Bill. We have to go get everyone and get Bill out of there."
"Woah woah woah, slow down, Stans in hospital?"
"Yes and he's going to die if we don't go get Bill!"
"Eddie, do you know what she means?"
"Who is it?" Eddie's voice emerged from a neighbouring room.

Eddie came around the corner slipping on a T-Shirt and doing up his jeans. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and looked at them confused.

"What?" He asked.
"How is saving Bill going to help Stan?"

Eddie's eyes widened. He ran over to the door and basically pushed Richie out the way.

"Is Stan okay?"
"No he's in the hospital," Betty cried.
"And he was saying you had to go help Bill?"
"Yeah."
"We have to go get the others," Eddie breathed out.
"What?"

Eddie ran into the room he came from and slipped on some shoes.

"Get changed dickwad, I'll explain on the way! Betty, go get the others and tell them to meet at Mike's farm."
"On it."