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t w e n t y t h r e e

"i'm back."

eddie is mumbling as he returns to will's home, his eyes red and his throat choked up. he'd just come out to his mother, who had barely said anything, her only reaction including claiming that he wasn't her son and kicking him out.

"hey," will's voice is light as he enters the living room, but when he sees eddie's distraught expression, he is immediately concerned. "hey, eds, what's wrong? are you okay? what happened?"

eddie doesn't really want to talk about it, so he just shakes his head and flops onto the couch. will exits the room, and eddie is half glad he's gone but also half offended that he didn't push harder for eddie to tell him what was wrong.

however, just a few moments later, will returns with a steaming cup of tea for eddie, handing it to him gingerly when he sits up. "now, tell me what happened."

although his words are basically an instruction, his voice is soft enough to bring comfort to the smaller boy, who then sighs as will takes a seat next to him.

"i came out to my mom," eddie says, and his voice is barely above a whisper, but will still hears him, and his face immediately shows sympathy.

when will asks his next question, he speaks calmly, as if testing the waters, not wanting to set the smaller boy off. "and how did it go?"

eddie immediately bursts out crying, and will mentally curses himself for not being able to keep him calm.

"she didn't even say anything. i came out to her a while back but she was so furious that i had to tell her i wasn't serious. when i told her this time she thought i was joking. when i said i wasn't, she just...she kicked me out. that's it. nothing more or less. she said i wasn't her son, and just kicked me out."

"i'm so sorry," will murmurs, and his voice sounds genuine as he places his hand on eddie's back, rubbing it comfortingly. "i'm so sorry. that's not fair, you shouldn't have had to go through that."

eddie doesn't answer. he doesn't know what to say, or more accurately, he doesn't have anything to say.

"is there anything i can do?" will asks after a few moments, the air silent aside from his breathing and the sniffles coming from the sobbing boy at his side.

"no," eddie responds when he's able to catch his breath for a moment, eyes so full of tears that he can't see anything. when he shakes his head, he gets a bit dizzy, and he rests his head on will's shoulder carefully. "just be here with me. i really need the support right now."

"of course, eddie," he says, wrapping a tight arm around his shoulders and holding him. "always."

eddie is exhausted. in the past little while, he'd lost richie, the love of his life, and now his mother, who has disowned him for being gay. he's overwhelmed, horribly upset, and all he really needs is someone to be there for him.

although he's uneasy, he cries himself to sleep in will's hold, convinced that he's the only one sticking by his side.

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dw y'all we get what we need soon /pos