Eric's Buddy

Ch. 43

TW: homophobic slurs

Ch. 43

Eric's POV

"Oh, Eric! Honey what happened?" Kitty's loud voice rattled in my brain.

I flinched at her piercing voice in the tiny nurses office.

"Hi." I said trying to ignore my worsening head ache.

After Buddy had left, I sat on the bed and waited for my mom to pick me up. I sat there with my head hung, shamefully. I don't know why I did that. I don't know why I started a fight I knew I was going to lose. I don't understand what went through my mind, it happened before my brain could comprehend my actions. I feel like a hypocrite for getting mad at Buddy for picking a fight with Hyde when I just did the exact same thing but worse on so many different levels.

"What did you do?" Kitty said holding my face and touching the bruises, "Oh, we need to put ice on this now. Are you hurt in other places?" She started lifting my shirt to check for the bruises on my ribs. The nurse in her is really trying so hard to fix me right now.

"M-mom! Mom! Stop, I'm fine." I pushed her hand away. "I'm fine. Let's just go." I said trying to calm her down.

Kitty nodded, staring at my black eye, "Okay, yeah let's go." She rested a hand on my back, guiding me to the exit. "Thank you, Gretta." She nodded at the nurse at her desk.

I think it's just a nurse thing to know every other nurse in town. Like the Jedi Force, they just can sense each other.

As we started walking, I really felt the chest pains kick in, my breath was catching harder, which is scarier to me as I only remember one punch making contact with my face. What happened when I was out?

"So," Kitty said as we stepped in the car, "who'd you fight?" she asked in her scolding motherly tone and slammed the door.

"Destroy and Give Back." I said trying to speak as normally as possible to not sound out of breath, wincing slightly while buckling up.

Her eyebrows creased in confusion.

"They're two bullies in the school who love to break your things and give them back in pieces. They think it's a funny joke." I explained, which made me feel even more stupid for starting a fight with such stupid jocks.

"Uh huh, I see. So did they break something and you just snapped?" She asked with a slight giggle.

"Well, uh actually no..." I thought for a moment, is this gonna be the time we talk about it finally? "One of them said some-some uh disgusting things and I got really angry, Mom." I paused.

Kitty waited a moment, "What kinds of things?" she asked, understanding this is serious.

I don't know if I can even say it, "They called Buddy and I 'fags'." I said quickly and waited for her response.

"Oh..." She said softly.

I nodded, I can feel the tightness in my throat from holding back a cry. I need her to say more.

"Well," Kitty sighed, "I see why you did it. I'm proud of you for standing up for you and Buddy, Eric." She laid a hand on my shoulder and smiled.

"You are?" I whispered.

"Your father's not gonna be too happy about the bruises but... he'd be so proud to know you stood your ground."

I smiled at her, "Thanks mom. God, Red is gonna be pissed, huh?"

She giggled, "Yeah, but he'll get over it. Let's go home." And she turned the key in the engine and we left.

We drove in silence for a few minutes before Kitty finally spoke first, "You should have Buddy over for dinner one night, you know to properly introduce him as your... boyfriend." She glanced a smile at me. Buddy might not even wanna see me right now.

"I'd love that but, I think Buddy's really mad at me for starting that fight. He got a few hits too."

"He's mad at you? I oughta give him a piece of my mind!" She said with her voice raising.

"No, it's okay. We'll work it out, Mom." I said cringing at the sharp pains in my temple. We'll work it out.

-

"You did what?" Red's voice boomed in my ear, causing me to wince a little.

Kitty and I had waited all day for Red to return home from work, he didn't know about anything that happened today. So when he walked in to the living room to see my purple face, he wasn't exactly thrilled.

"Red, lower your voice." Kitty shushed him.

"Who did you say gave you those big bruises?" He asked, which he already knew he was just in disbelief.

"...D-Destroy and...Give Back." I said shamefully again. The more I say who I got in a fight with, the more lame it sounds.

"D-.." Red started and stopped himself, he was so angry I saw a vessel bursting out his forehead. "Those names sound made up! Did one of your dumbass friends do this?" He wagged a finger in my face, not believing my story. To be fair, this sounds like a lame excuse I would make to cover my ass.

"No, Dad! It actually happened!" I said trying to explain myself.

"Why? Why did you start the fight?" Red said almost like he was sad and defeated.

"Um." I said biting my tongue, he has to know at some point. Kitty knows. I looked at her for guidance, her eyes were wide, eager for my response. "Dest- the two guys um..." I stuttered. Red was waiting patiently for an answer. "They called Buddy Morgan and I," I paused again, here it goes."... my boyfriend and I, slurs. They called us slurs, Red." I spit out.

Red's eyebrows were furrowed, confused. "Boyfriend?" he asked slowly.

I nodded hesitantly and then began nodding really hard. I don't feel scared of Red anymore. I've dealt with all of his insults, punishments, groundings. Nothing he'll say now will hurt any more.

"You're dating Buddy Morgan?" He asked in such a plain, unhateful voice, it actually surprised me. "Buddy's gay?" He asked Kitty, who was not expecting to be asked that, she just shrugged. "Buddy's gay and he ended up with you? Why you of all people?"

There's insult number 1.

"Thanks, Dad." I said sarcastically.

"So what does that make you?" He asked me.

"Well, I like girls too so that means I'm bisexual... I guess." I never really finalized my sexuality, but hearing Kelso say it the other day was nice to hear, which ironically was said in the same spot I'm sitting in right now.

"Huh." Red said, his shoulders slumping and deep in thought. He slowly sat down in his chair, which was the closest spot to me where I was sitting on the couch. "Ahem." Red cleared his throat. "You stood your ground?" He asked.

I nodded, "Yes, sir." I said respectfully this time.

"Did you throw the first punch?" He asked, this feels like a trick question.

"No, sir. Destroy punched me and I knocked out." I said cautiously.

"Good. A man never throws the first punch, that makes him already the loser." He somehow turned this into a manly life lesson. Red sighed and sat back in his chair. "Don't get into any more fights though, I don't think your boney arms can handle it."

Semi-compliment followed by insult number 2.

I looked at Kitty, she seemed surprised at the encounter, I think we both were expecting a bit more of an explosion.

"Thanks, Red." I said quietly and stood up to go upstairs. I really need to lay down. Being knocked out wears you out apparently. "I'm gonna go lie down for a little while."

"Eric." Red stopped me.

"Yeah?" I asked turning around, I felt like he was going to add something more sincere to the end of this conversation.

"Sweep the garage when you get around to it." Ah, there he is. Good ol' Red. Kitty smiled proudly at me, her eyes screamed 'I told you so'.

I smiled back and turned, continuing my trek upstairs, I'm so achy. I would collapse straight on my bed but I think I would just reinjure my already sore ribs.

I really wanna know what happened after I passed out.