| It's Always Been You | Reddie Fanfic |

14

TW - HOMOPHOBIC SLUR/RAPE SPEECH

-back to regular time-

Knock

Knock

Knock

Eddie slammed his fist against the broken wooden door. His heart raced, going over the crazy words he planned to say in T-2 minutes. The small boy's stomach was left on his own door stoop, and his mind was swirling. When the door began to creak open, everything fell. The world stopped and he could no longer move.

"Oh, hey Eddie. What's up?" The boy who opened the door casually asked.

Eddie was frozen, eyes wide and still. "Connor?" He choked out, questioning his own whereabouts.

"Oh, right," Connor chuckled, "I'm just staying here for now. Guess that explains your obvious confusion, right? Anyways, I assume you want Rich, I'll go get him." The boy turned and shouted, "HEY BABE! EDDIE'S HERE!"

Eddie scuffed his feet on the concrete, until he heard 'babe'. His heart rushed back to him, broken like the white door that stood open in front of him. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he wiped them away and held them back as Richie walked up.

"Oh, hey Eds..." Richie shut the door behind him, waving Connor back. "Guess I should tell you something... I- Well, I'm gay Eds. I'm dating Connor, and I'm happy with him. Wish I could've planned this, but that ass just blew my cover, damn." He pulled in a breath, waiting for Eddie to respond to him.

The Kaspbrak boy looked the man he loves in the eyes, at a loss for words. He stumbled a bit over his words when he first began to respond. "Oh, congrats I guess. Glad he makes you happy, you deserve that... Cool that you're gay too... I, uh, have to go... I shouldn't have come here."

Richie smiled at the acception, a cocky smile, but one that he used most days. "Eds, you okay? Did you want to say something?" He called after the boy who began slouching off towards his bike.

"It's nothing, doesn't matter. I'll see you tonight at the fair." Eddie waved to his crush as he sped down the road in tears, choking on oxygen and bugs. When he got home, he threw his bike on the dirt, stormed up to his room, slammed the door, and flopped onto his bed, weeping into his soft pillow.

Fuck. I missed my damn chance and now he's living with Connor Bowers. Fucking Bowers! I bet he wouldn't have said yes even if he were single, no matter how gay. Fuck fuck fuck. He told me he's gay and I didn't even fucking say anything. I didn't even say I accept him, what is wrong with me? I should've just told him. Maybe if I said I was gay too, or told him that I loved him, maybe he would've left Connor too, maybe he would've changed his mind and came with me. Maybe it could've been different. He said he was happy with Connor, not that he wanted to be with me anyways. I need to get over him, Eddie continued thinking over the latest happenings up until around 6 o'clock, time for the fair.

Everybody met up just left of the bridge at a freshly painted green bench. They rambled on and laughed for about half an hour, until Bill cut in with a much more serious topic, Stanley just next to him.

"H-Hey guys, I have s-something I w-want to tell y-you. Something w-we want to t-tell you." Bill put his arm around his boyfriend. "W-We're dating."

The losers exchanged happy glances and confused looks. "That's a little gay dontcha think?" Richie chimed in, laughing a bit.

"So are you," Eddie mumbled, receiving an elbow to the gut from the boy next to him.

"Shutup Richie, we're serious. And yes, I guess that makes me gay." Stanley glared, nervous to finally speak the words.

"I guess I-I can't fully s-say the same, b-bisexual here-" Bill stuttered, but off by a slam to the head.