coy ➳ Reddie

One

A/N Who else is already hyped for Christmas? Anyway, this is a new story I created. You can check out my oneshots book instead if you want straight to the point fluff. This might take a little while to get to the fluff, but I promise that the ending would be good, or if it's not then there will be a part 2. But enjoy, nonetheless. 

Eddie sat on his bed, crying. School was starting the next day, and he knew he'd see them. 

His old Loser's Club.

He didn't quite know why he was so upset, though. Maybe it was because every time he sees them it reminds them of all the fun they used to have. Building the dam. Playing guns. Richie's jokes. 

Richie.

He was the one he missed the most, and he never quite knew why. He was annoying as all hell; he'd pinch his cheek, call him cute, and called him the nickname he hated, but missed so badly.

Eds.

He longed to be called that again. He hated it, but loved it so much at the same time.

Ever since they split apart, he hasn't talked much to anybody else, except for Stan. Eddie was the most introverted person Stan knew. Eddie didn't want to talk to anybody who didn't matter to him. Sometimes he had to, though.  

He hated those times.

He needed support at that moment-someone to talk to, someone he'd know would listen. And care. So he called his only friend. You know who he is. Eddie picked up the little pastel blue telephone that sat on his nightstand, and dialed Stan's number, hearing the soft hum of ringing in his ear. Then Stan's voice.

"Hey."

"Hi. It's Eddie."

"What'd you call me for?"

"Can you come over?"

"I was about to go bird watching. Maybe you'd like to come?"

"Yeah, I'd love that. I need to clear my head."

"Okay. How bout' you come over to my house, and we can go. Might wanna bring your raincoat. Its drizzling."

"Alright. I'm on my way."

"Buh-bye."

"Bye."

Eddie went over to the poppy red slicker that hung on a hook in his closet, and slid it on, and also put on his black rain-boots. Then he went outside, his mother surprisingly not getting angry, but only giving him a questioning scowl from where she sat.

As he walked, the precipitation collected and formed little dew droplets on Eddie's coat, and softly dripped onto his freckle-spotted face. His footsteps were soft and almost inaudible, and the sound of the rain filled his ears until he reached Stan's house. 

The curly haired Jewish boy sat on his porch, looking through his bird book, his chin in his hand, waiting patiently. He was also wearing his own rain coat, but his was dark blue. Eddie forced a smile.

"Stan!" Eddie called.

He looked up from his bird book, and smiled back, getting up and walking off of the porch to greet the younger boy. Stan noticed how Eddie's clearly faux smile evaporated almost immediately, as they began walking.

"Are you okay?"

"Just having a bad day." Eddie sighed.

"You seem to have a lot of those."

"...Yeah."

"What's wrong today?"

"I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Tomorrow. I don't want to see them. Especially Richie."

"Why 'especially Richie'?"

Eddie had to figure out something to say. Two options: truth or lie. 

He trusted Stan. He decided to tell him the truth.

"I don't know... I just don't know what I'm feeling. Have you heard of Adrian Mellon and Don Hagarty?"

"Yeah. The gay couple, and one of them died..."

"I just... I don't know if- You know what, I'm just gonna be blunt. I used to like Richie and I'm scared that if I like him again and I tell people, I'll end up like that. Dead. Missing."

"Eddie, why didn't you ever tell me you were gay, too?"

"'Too'?"

Stan blushed, and looked down. "No, not too. I'm not gay."

"Uh. Okay."

Stan's face was pulled into an emotion that was both flustered and frustrated, and Eddie couldn't help but laugh.

"Stan, if you are, then that's fine. We're alone out here. Nobody will judge you."

"Okay! Okay, yes. I am a little."

Eddie laughed a genuine laugh. "Yay! Now I'm not alone."

Stan began laughing, too, and they arrived at the park with smiles spread across their faces.

  ♚ 

After they were done finding the bird that Stan had been looking for- an evening grosbeak, to be exact- they walked back home. It took them at least one hour, to get that damn bird, but the satisfaction they got when they finally did was wonderful, and made the wait worth it all.

"You think I can stay at your house for the night? Last sleepover of the summer?" Eddie asked.

Stan shrugged. "Sure, why not. You'll have to ask your mom, though."

"Okay."

So they quickly stopped at Eddie's house, and his mother said that it would be fine, and as long as he's to school on time she didn't care. Then, Eddie got an outfit for the next day, and a pair of pajamas, and headed back down to Stan's house. 

They stayed up until 10:34 watching different Stephen King movies, and then they both started getting tired. They were close enough to be able to sleep in the same bed and not have it be awkward. So they did. It was a friend thing.

Eddie wished he could be able to have more people like Stanley. He wished for it with all of his little heart.

Little did he know, he soon would.

A/N Hello people! I hope you are enjoying this story so far. And I just wanted to say that even though I do ship Stenbrough, I kinda ship Mike and Stan and I KNOW IT'S WEIRD but if you go on instagram and go under the # stanlon there's a fantastic fanart of Mike putting flowers in Stan's hair and it's the most pure thing. So I was wondering if maybe I can add Stanlon into this without triggering anyone? I'm sorry but it's frigging adorable and there's no fanart or fanfic of it anywhere and I need to fill my sad gay brain with weird ships.