freaks of nature - stenbrough

-27-

Stanley stood in the shower with his eyes closed. He felt every single drop falling down his back onto the floor. He stepped backwards so his face was under the water. He felt the water drip down his forehead, to this eye lids, cheeks, jawline then fall onto his chest. Bill was getting out of hospital today and coming back to school. Stanley knew he should be excited, but he was scared. Since he lost Betty, being around Bill was hard. Not because Bill was being insensitive or anything like that. It was because he felt guilty. He still loved Bill. No matter what he tried to tell himself, those feelings remained.

There was a knock on the bathroom door.

"You okay in there, Stan?" Maggie called.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm alright," he lied.
"Okay, well come downstairs for breakfast, we want to talk to you."

He felt an uneasy feeling wash over him.

"I'll be down in a sec!"

They're going to kick me out, was all he could think.

He rubbed his hands over his face and took a deep breath. He didn't know if he could face his family, not now, not ever. He was already terrified of going to Bill's later like he'd promised, and this didn't help.

Stanley took in the warm aroma of the shower for a few more moments before shutting it off and getting out.

Once he'd got changed into some clothes he'd borrowed from Richie, he headed downstairs. Stanley stood on the bottom step for a few moments before joining, Maggie, Richie and Wentworth in the kitchen.

"Good morning, Staniel," Richie grinned.
"You look way too happy for the morning," Stanley rubbed his eyes and sat down.

Wentworth and Maggie sat down across from Stanley and he felt the uneasy feeling in his stomach grow more intense.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, timidly.
"Of course," Maggie smiled, "it's just, we talked to your parents to make sure this was okay first, but you've been living with us for a while now and we were thinking that maybe you would like to become a part of the family officially?"

Maggie lifted some paper from under the table and slid it across to Stanley. He frowned in confusion and pulled the paper closer. When he looked down and saw adoption at the top of the document.

"Only if you want to."
"You mean it?" He said quietly.
"Yeah, we do. It might be hard at first because we don't know if you still want to go to temple or what'll happen at Christmas time, but we'll try our hardest to make things work."

Stanley covered his mouth and closed his eyes. The uneasy feeling went away as he caught a sob. He closed his eyes and completely broke down. Richie put an arm around him. Stanley turned and hugged him.

"Hey," Richie spoke softly as he rubbed his back, "it's okay."
"Thank you," Stanley whispered.
"You're my brother, Stan the Man, blood or not. Besides, we could tell the others we got married and that's why we have the same last name."

Stanley pulled back from the hug and laughed.

"I don't think Eddie would like that very much."
"I have two hands for a reason," Richie shrugged with a smirk.
"Ew!"

Maggie and Wentworth looked at each other for a moment before turning to Richie.

"What's this with Eddie, huh?" Wentworth gave Richie the same smirk Richie was giving Stanley.
"You see what you've done?"

Stanley chuckled and wiped a few tears.

"Eddie and I are, um, dating, surprise! I'm gay!"

Wentworth's smile dropped. He pulled out his wallet and gave Maggie, who was beaming, twenty dollars. Stanley collapsed into laughter as he watched Richie's jaw drop.

"You were betting on me being gay?"
"Technically," Maggie shrugged, "more like you and Eddie getting together."
"Unbelievable."
"So were Bill and I," Stanley shrugged.
"Oh yeah, Bill," Went said, "he gets out of hospital today, right?"
"Yeah, um, he asked me if I could meet him at his later, if it's okay with you guys."
"Of course it's okay, just be home before dinner."

Richie stood and grabbed Stanley's hand. He pulled him to his feet and he stumbled.

"We gotta pretty you up for Billy Boy!"
"I swear to god I will kick in the back of your knees."

Richie laughed and pulled him away.

"Thank you, Mr and Mrs Tozier, I love you!"
"Love you too, Stan!" Went called after them.
"I'd say that went well," Maggie grinned.

Maggie looked over at Wentworth who was growing.

"What's wrong?"
"The way he broke down completely and then so easily collected himself...I, I don't want to know what it was like for him at the MHA or at home. He's lucky he got out of there in one piece, so is Bill."

Wentworth grabbed Maggie's hand and squeezed it softly.

"It's obvious he's scared to show us that he's hurting. Nothing has been easy for him," he continued.
"I just think he needs loving parents, that's our job now, ya know."

Wentworth smiled at his wife and rested his head on her shoulder.

"I love you," Maggie smiled.
"I love you too."