⚠ Talk about abuse ⚠

*Richie's POV*

"Hey! Dingus! Can I come in yet?" I yelled through the door. Stan kicked me out a half hour ago and they still won't let me in.

"S-sure!" Eddie said quietly. I walked in quickly, immediately noticing the tiny blood drops on the floor.

"Is everything ok in here?" I asked and Eddie and Stan looked at each other uneasily.

"Everything's ok Richie," Eddie finally broke the silence. "I just needed a minute."

"Ok...so what happened?"

"Yeah," Stan turned to Eddie. "Why'd you leave Richie's apartment?"

Nobody said anything. Stan just looked at the both of us.

"What? Did Richie, like, ACTUALLY fuck your mom and things got awkward?"

"Stan, I'm gay," I rolled my eyes. "Besides, there's a different Kaspbrak that's got my eye."

Eddie...squeaked? Kind of like a mouse that had it's tail stepped on.

"You like guys...and you have the hots for a Kaspbrak..." Stan gasped dramatically. "YOU LIKE EDDIE'S DAD?!"

"Fuck, Stan! You figured it out! And now Eddie knows too, he heard everything!" I playfully slapped the side of Stan's head as he started bursting out laughing. Eddie and I quickly joined and we were all doubled over in laughter when Bill and Bev marched into the room.

Bill immediately ran to Stan and hugged him. I could tell that he had been crying, his eyes were red and puffy.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again, asshole!" Bill cried to Stan, who was hugging him back and running his hands through Bill's hair.

"Shit...I'm so sorry sweetie. Are you ok?"

I didn't really understand why Bill was getting so worked up over this, but who am I to judge. Bev walked over to Eddie and I.

"You!" she pointed to me. "Never fucking answered your phone! And you," she moved her finger towards Eddie. "Have been ignoring us for weeks! What the fuck happened?!"

Eddie looked down, scared. Bev wasn't actually mad at him, she's just an overprotective mom friend.

"I want to tell you guys," Eddie whispered. Stan glanced over at me, but I was just as surprised as he was. We thought we would have to practically force Eddie to tell the others. "But I need to tell all of you at once. Can you guys call Ben and Mike? And can we go back to Stan and Bill's house?"

Bill went to call Mike and Bev went to call Ben. Stan and I each took one of Eddie's hands.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this?" I asked. I don't want to pressure him to tell, but I know it's for the best.

"Yeah," Eddie nodded. "They have a right to know. And they can help. And, drumroll please...I'm not gonna live here anymore! I'm packing a bag before we leave, and I'm never coming back."

"Eds, that's amazing! Where are you gonna go?" I asked.

"Well, I don't want to intrude on the couples...so either yours or Mike's."

I was about to GLADY offer him to stay at my apartment, but Bev and Bill walked back into the bathroom.

"Let's go!"

•°•

*Eddie's POV*

I could feel my anxiety growing as all of the Losers gathered in the Denbrough-Uris living room. I took a big puff from my new inhaler, which I haven't had to do in 3 years.

Richie bought one for me once he found out about Dan, knowing that eventually he was going to get me out of there. Even though I hadn't used one in a while, he still bought one. Just in case.

The Losers looked at me suspiciously as I pressed the button again, releasing a spray of medicine in my mouth.

"Eddie, what's going on? I haven't seen you use that damn thing since we got to Bar Harbor." Mike asked.

"And you've been totally ignoring us too!" Ben added.

"That's why I asked you all to come here. I have something pretty upsetting to tell you," I pumped the button again and Richie grabbed my hand, squeezing it slightly. I took a deep, shaky breath and continued.

"Dan's been abusing me. It started after about half a year into the relationship. I thought he would stop, but it just kept getting worse. Whenever I 'called in sick', it was usually just that I couldn't hide the marks. Richie found out a little over a week ago, immediately telling Stan afterwards. I called Richie, pleading him not to tell any of you. Dan overheard the conversation and figured out what it meant. So, he locked me in my bedroom closet with a cup of water once a day and barely any food. I was there for a week before Richie and Stan found me in there. I realized how mad Dan would be, so, like an idiot, I went back to the house. Dan...did stuff again, but luckily Richie and Stan found me again. And I knew this had gone on long enough. You guys deserved to know that truth. So...yeah."

I couldn't bare to look at their faces. They would be filled with disgust, or disappointment, or hatred. I immediately regretted telling them. My eyes teared up and Richie held me closer.

I heard a small sniffling, and I finally looked up. Bev had tears falling down her face quickly. She walked over to me and hugged me.

"I'm so sorry Eddie. I should've known...you're ok now. We've got you."

Soon after her, all of the Losers joined the hug. I started shaking and sobbing. I finally felt complete now that a giant weight wasn't on my chest. And none of the Losers hated me or thought I was weak.

We'd all gone through our own childhood abuse, and we took comfort in one another back in Derry. For some reason, I thought that would change. But it hadn't.

I wiped my tears as everyone backed away. I couldn't contain my giant smile.

"Thank you guys so much. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Of course Eddie!" Bev called out. "Now, where's this motherfucker, I'm about to beat the shit out of him."