| It's Always Been You | Reddie Fanfic |

8

TW - SUGGESTIVE MATERIAL/TRAUMATIC EVENTS

Eddie laid in bed, a small piece of toast, and some pills sat next to him in bed. He stuffed the pills into his fanny pack, trying not to take them anymore. His blankets, mattress and pillow had been taken, his mother always did this when she was upset with him. He was always put on the floor, hungry and cold. He hated his mom so much.

His cold, metal bed frame chilled his shirtless back. Eddie was lucky to have kept an extra sweatshirt in his drawer after the last few times. Sonia also took his shirts, she wouldn't let him go out, eat normally, sleep well, or get nearly enough warmth. He was smart enough to keep extra things around his room, though. Some leftover snacks, clothes, and a stuffed animal hung in the deep back of his closet.

He reached in when night came and he grabbed his few items, set them up in the back corner, and fell asleep on the cotton lion's belly.

-

Connor never slept that night. Henry had done things to him before, starved him, beat him up, blackmailed him into doing shit like he did to Stanley, but he had never done that. His mind swirled, replaying what had happened, who had hurt him, how he had been hurt. His lower half still ached, his legs had been thrown this way and that, so they were barely movable. As for the rest of him, he felt like he was going to puke. Everything hurt, and he couldn't stop shaking. Nobody had asked if he was okay, nobody had checked on him. Nobody cared. Nothing new, but still painful.

He got up around 9am, only to get up and fall. His body could no longer hold him, his legs were throbbing, and he began to cry once again.

By the time he could get up, it was already 10:30, and he needed to meet Richie soon. Though Connor was not in shape to bike as far as the quarry, he needed to talk to Richie. He needed to explain what was happening to him, and what could happen at school.

Connor threw on khaki shorts, and a dark red tee. He slipped into sandals, and avoided everyone in his house, especially Henry. He grabbed his bike, but sitting down felt like absolute hell on him. Nothing had been worse than this.

The two stood nearly 3 feet apart, Richie wary of the other boy.

"Thanks for meeting me." Connor made a quick gesture to Richie, acknowledging his being there.

"Yeah, sure. What's this about?" Richie had his arms crossed. He didn't trust Connor, and he had good reason not to.

"Look, I've done some pretty fucked up stuff." Richie scoffed and rolled his eyes, "but I want you to understand why." Connor continued, slowly. "I grew up with Henry around, it's a shit excuse, but it's what I've got. He always told me what to do, and how to be. My dad was never around, so Henry was like a father. I trusted him, always thinking he was right. When I met you, I'll admit, I felt something, and Henry caught on. When he confronted me, I thought there would be the slightest chance he would accept me." Tears started rolling down the boy's face. "And I took that risk. Henry threw me against the wall, and I passed out. When I woke up, I was locked in my room for days. My parents didn't notice, they never cared about me anyways. I didn't get food, I didn't get water. I got shit. Every 3 days I'd get a small meal, and every 2, I would get water."

Richie tried to find something that would point to Connor lying, but it looked like he was being honest.

"I only got out when I told him I wasn't gay anymore. Of course, that was a lie, and Henry knew it. So instead of locking me up, he blackmails me. He tells me to do this, or that to other people and he won't tell everyone in Derry and get me killed. I hadn't known what I was doing. I'm sure you heard about Stanley,and wh-"