⚠ Talk of abuse ⚠

*Eddie's POV*

"1 new message." The robotic voice and the answering machine said as I got dressed.

"Hey Spaghetti Head, I'm gonna pop by at around noon today. I haven't seen you in a while, so I thought we could hang out. By the way, this is Richie. See ya then Eds!"

Oh shit, I thought to myself and I looked down at my bruised body. Dan had a bad day at work yesterday and took it out on me. He told me that I couldn't see anyone in my condition, not realizing how suspicious it is that I can't hang out on a Saturday.

I looked over at my clock. 11:49. It's too late to cancel, he's already on his way over. So I walked into the bathroom and tried to cover up the marks with concealer.

I kept doing that until I heard the doorbell ring. I walked downstairs and opened the door.

"Hey Eds!" Richie said and gave me a big hug. It felt so amazing to have someone hold me like this. I forget the last time Dan hugged me just because he wanted to. It was usually to apologize for a bad beating.

"I brought, drum roll please..." Richie said as he walked inside with a plastic bag. "Supplies to make spaghetti with a meat sauce! Since you're Eddie Spaghetti, it seemed reasonable for you to eat it."

"You goof," I laughed and started taking out the ingredients. I started cooking the meat while Richie set up a pot of water for the pasta.

After a little while, the table was set, the meat was cooked, the pasta was ready and all that was left was putting the sauce in with the meat. Richie started draining the pasta and I grabbed one of the jars of sauce.

A sickening crack. Tomatoes splattering our feet. Glass scattered across the floor.

I looked down in fear at the broken jar on the ground. Tears welled in my eyes and I curled into myself.

"I'm so sorry, please don't hurt me. It was an accident Danny, I didn't mean to, don't hit me again. I'll go upstairs and wait for your punishment, I'm sorry." I rambled and ran up the stairs. I started sobbing and I grabbed the knife from Danny's dresser. I guided the blade across my stomach, pressing down hard. Blood dripped out and I layed down on my bed, waiting for whatever Danny had in store for me.

*Richie's POV*

What the fuck just happened?! I was about to make a joke about Eddie dropping the sauce when he started apologizing? He called me Danny and said "Don't hurt me again". Again.

Is...Is Danny hurting him? My heart dropped at the thought of Eddie's boyfriend, who he's been dating for 3 years, abusing him.

That doesn't matter right now, what matters is that Eddie is upstairs panicking. I walked towards the sound of his sobs until I got to his room.

When I walked in, Eddie was crying on his bed, blood seeping through his shirt.

"Richie?" he looked over at me, obviously confused.

"Eddie, what just happened?" I said in the softest voice I could.

"I dr-dropped th-the jar. S-so Danny-" he stopped mid-sentence, finally realizing what's going on. "Nevermind" he squeaked out and quickly walked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

"Eds, please tell me what's going on. I can help!"

"It's nothing, I s-swear!"

"Eddie, it's obviously something. You ran upstairs asking me not to hurt you AGAIN. Is Danny hurting you?" I asked, really hoping the answer is no, but knowing it's probably yes.

"N-no?" he said in a timid voice. I sighed.

"That's not an answer Eds..."

I heard a shaky sigh from the other side of the door. There was some shuffling around and then he was opening the door. Eddie stepped out, shirtless.

Bruises, cuts and scars littered his entire body. The ones on his wrist caught my attention. I wondered if Danny had made them or Eddie.

5 red, bumpy circles were on his hip. A cigar maybe? 2 or 3 were on his collarbone.

On his stomach was where most of the cuts were. There was a new one, the one Eddie had just made.

There were too many bruises to count. Some of them were fading and yellow, but most of the splotches covering his body were dark purple.

Eddie was shaking harder now. His face was twisted in pain. It hurt me to see him like this. I just wanted to hug him, but I didn't want to hurt him anymore then Dan had.

Daniel. I swear to fucking god, I'm going to murder that son of a bitch. Eddie was the sweetest, most generous person you would ever meet. Dan should be GRATEFUL to have him! And this is how he treats Eddie?!

"I'm sorry Rich." Eddie's tiny voice cut through my thoughts. I forgot everything from before and pulled him into a loose hug. He flinched, but hugged back. God, he's so skinny now too...

"Eds, don't be sorry. This isn't your fault, ok? Dan is a dickwad, you don't deserve this." I didn't care that Eddie's blood was staining my shirt.

He grabbed a towel and led me to his bed. I pressed the cloth against the cut and he started telling me everything.

"It started about 7 months into the relationship. We had just moved in, and we were having a movie night. I dropped the popcorn, so he hit me. I tried to tell him that I was breaking up with him, but he didn't listen. He made me feel like I didn't have a choice. So I let him do it. I mean, I deserve it anyways."

"Eddie, no. You don't."

"Whatever... Anyways, it kept happening. He would make one cut for each mistake" His hand brushed over his stomach. "Most of them have faded by now though. He would force me to do...things and he wouldn't stop if I asked him to."

That made my blood boil. I hated thinking about the person I love having sex with someone besides me. But he was forced into it?! I don't even know what to say anymore.

"He loves me though." Eddie turned to me with his wide, doe eyes. "I know he does."

"Eds, I-"

"Eddie, I'm home! Why is there sauce on the floor?!"

Eddie looked at me with scared eyes and quickly put on a new shirt. We ran downstairs.

"Hey Dan!" I said cheerily, trying not to murder him on the spot.

"Richie," he said in a monotonous voice. Rude. Dan turned to looked at Eddie, who was trying to put on a brave face. "Why is there sauce on the floor?" Before Eddie could I answer, I did.

"Silly me, I dropped it. I'm such a clutz. We went upstairs to clean off the sauce. That's when you came in."

"Ok then. Richie, I got off work early, I hope you don't mind that I want to spend time with my boyfriend. Alone."

"I can take a hint, I'm the third wheel here. Nice seeing you Dan. Bye Eddie."

And, even though I really really didn't want to, I left.