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“Jesus— Richie?”
Eddie scrambles off where he was on his bed, opening his window and Richie smiles at him and Eddie cringes at the blood in his mouth.
“Holy shit, dude, what happened to you?” Eddie asks, dragging the other boy in his room and Eddie cups Richie’s cheeks, turning his head every which way to see his injuries, which most are covered by blood.
“Guys were sayin’ stuff about me,” Richie lets Eddie drag him into the bathroom, watching as Eddie looks around every corner, making sure his mom isn’t there, “and they started saying stuff ‘bout you and the others so I punched one of them.”
“Was it Bowers and his gang?” Eddie asks, seating Richie on the toilet and he starts searching his through the cabinets.
Richie hums and Eddie sighs, pulling out a box of bandaids and he grabs some toilet paper, walking in front of Richie, “You’re a fucking idiot.”
Richie shrugs, looking up at Eddie and the boy in front of him steals his glasses, putting them on the counter near him.
“I can’t see you,” Richie mumbles, squinting his eyes at Eddie.
“I know,” Eddie wipes the blood off, trying his hardest not to hurt him, “You look stupid squinting like that.”
Richie doesn’t reply, closing his eyes and he lets Eddie clean his face.
“What did he say?” Eddie asks, going back to the sink, looking for the alcohol to clean Richie’s cuts.
“Stuff,” Richie opens his eyes again, letting his gaze run to Eddie and he doesn’t meet his eyes, instead, Eddie gets on his knees, rummaging through cleaning supplies.
“Bad stuff?” Eddie pulls himself up after a bit, holding a plastic bottle in his hand, “Like, badder than usual?”
Richie shrugs, “I mean, it hurt more than usual.”
Eddie’s lips turn into a frown and he walks back over to Richie, “what they’re saying isn’t true, you know that right?” He says, and its so gentle and Richie looks back up into Eddie’s eyes.
“But — but what if it is right?”
Eddie grabs a cotton ball and opens the bottle, pressing it against the top and he tips it.
He puts the bottle back on the counter and brings he cotton near Richie’s cheek, “This is gonna hurt, okay? But its gonna make it so you don’t get fucking STDs or something.”
“STDs are a sexual disease, Eds,” Richie says, grinning at him and Eddie puts his lips into a thin line, pressing the cotton ball on Richie’s cheek which makes him hiss.
“Sorry,” Eddie mumbles, dabbing it across the cut, “hey, Rich?”
Richie hums and Eddie sees him bite his, already bloodied, lip to hide the pain, “What were they saying about you?”
“I—“ Richie’s eyes drift away, focusing on his shower instead, “they — they called me a queer. And a faggot and a fairy,” Richie looks back at Eddie, “it really hurt, Eddie.”
“Oh, Richie ,” Eddie says softly, his voice so sad and worried it kinda makes Eddie wanna cry himself, “They’re just a bunch of insecure assholes and so they make up lies about you, you know that, right?”
“Eddie, it—” Richie whispers, “Fuck, I just — I just wanna be normal. I wanna like girls.”
“You’re gay?”
Richie looks at him and Eddie sees panic set in his eyes, “Im sorry. Oh God. I know its not normal and- and if you hate me I totally get it. I’m sorry—“
Before Eddie can fully think through his actions, he rushes forward, squishing Richie’s cheeks in his hands and he presses their lips together. Eddie can taste the iron from Richie’s blood and he should think its disgusting and unsanitary but he cant bring himself to care.
He feels Richie place his hands on his arms, but Eddie pulls away, an apology on the tip of his tongue but Richie is faster.
“Why did you stop?”
“What?” Eddie lets his hands fall to his sides, “I don’t know - thought it wasn’t the right time.”
“Can- can you do it again?” Richie asks and Eddie suddenly remembers that Richie still needs a thousand bandaids on his face.
“Later,” Eddie says and Richie grins, big and wide.
“Okay,” Richie says happily and Eddie laughs softly, reaching over to grab the bandaids.