🔸Shot 18 ~ Safe Place🔸

                                    

                                          
WARNING: SWEARING   TRIGGERS/SLURS
                          
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EDDIE'S POV
                          
(My Reddie book is out now! Please check it out!)
                          
I was sound asleep on the couch when I heard knocking on the door. It startled me, so I woke with a jolt. My mother went on a trip somewhere, and wouldn't be back for a few days. I glanced at the clock on a nearby nightstand. 
                          
[12:00AM]
                          
Midnight!? Who the hell is knocking on my door at midnight? I got up slowly and walked cautiously to the door, peering out the window. What I saw nearly gave me an asthma attack right there.
                          
"Richie?" I opened the door. 
                          
His black curls draped at his ears were a mess, his eyes brimmed with tears that stained his pale, bloodied cheeks and his glasses hung cracked at his crimson leaking nose. He stood shivering, holding his ribs as he looked at me. His face immediately lit up, trying to hide his tears but I saw right through them.
                          
I brought a hand to my mouth and my eyes pricked with tears. 
                          
"H-Hey, Eds" he groaned. 
                          
"Oh my God, Richie! What happened?"
                          
"I look pretty badass, huh Eds?" he chuckles painfully then sniffles.
                          
I immediately pulled him by the hand and guided him to the couch. He sat down next to me and buried his face in his hands. I wrapped my arms around him and looked at him desperately. 
                          
"Richie" I said softly, "It's okay, it's okay, you're safe here with me" I cooed, "what's wrong? What happened?"
                          
He lifted his head and wiped his nose. I grabbed a clean cloth and wiped his cheeks and nose clean of the smeared blood.
                          
"I was...I was planning to surprise you earlier by coming here, but...m-my old...m-man stopped me from leaving. When I told him where I was going-"
                          
He paused, took a deep breath, then let out a sob. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and held him tighter. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his lap, hugging me tight and close.
                          
"It's okay, you can tell me, you're safe with me"
                          
He lifted his head and looked me in the eyes as he sniffled and let his tears fall.
                          
"Someone told my old man that they saw me hanging out with you, holding your hand, hugging you...doing...things...that 'boys shouldn't be doing with other boys'...I told him he can fuck off, because I was going to see my boyfriend, and there was no way he would stop me, or keep me from you...and he said 'no son of mine is going to be a faggot'"
                          
"Then he hit you" I mumbled.
                          
He shook his head.
                          
"No. I told him that he was a piece of shit, who was never my father and never gave a fuck about me. Then I said that I'm fucking gay, and I was going to see you, no matter what....then he screamed, called me a faggot, and...and beat my ass...and my mother didn't even do anything. She just sat and watched. Then after he stopped beating me she just looked at me like I was some puppy to kick around and said simply 'that's what you get if you're gonna be a fag'. I just don't get why my family hates me so much. Why am I so fucking worthless?"
                          
"Richie, you're not worthless, fuck them. Who cares what they think?"
                          
"I do, Eddie" he replied sternly, and I was taken aback. "They're my fucking family, they're supposed to love me and nurture me, instead they spend more time nurturing a fucking bottle every night. I must be a fucking piece of shit for them to hate me so much. They're right, I am fucking worthless, I'm nothing, nobody would even miss my sorry ass if I were dead, I'm a worthless faggot, I'm-"
                          
I refused to let him finish. I smashed my lips against his and kissed him hard. He kissed back hard and I could feel his warm tears spill onto my shirt as he kissed back.
                          
I pulled away and he looked at me with sad eyes, searching my eyes for a response.
                          
"Richie, for once, shut up. Do you have any idea how important and meaningful you are to me? You mean the world to me, Richie. I can't sleep without you, I can't breathe without you, I can't live without you. Don't you fucking dare say no one would miss you if you died, because I can tell you right now, me and the Losers would miss you like fucking hell for the rest of our lives. Just because your parents are fucking homophobic drunkard assholes doesn't mean their opinion matters. They are the ones who are pieces of shit, making you feel this way. Please, Richie. Don't think of yourself like that. I love you, so fucking much. You make my life better every day, you mean everything to me"
                          
He was now sobbing and I pulled him into a tight hug, resting my head on his chest as he pulled me close and sobbed into my hair. 
                          
"You're right, Eds, I'm sorry...I'm so fucking sorry"
                          
I looked up at him and connected our lips, ignoring the salty taste of his tears that streamed down his handsome face and spilled over his lips. 
                          
"I love you, Richie. I love you so much"
                          
He smiled and wiped away the rest of his tears, then wiped away mine.
                          
"I love you so much, Eddie. Thank you"
                          
"Please, don't ever talk that way about yourself again, Richie. I'd die without you"
                          
"So would I, Eds"
                          
"Promise you don't talk that way about yourself again"
                          
"I promise"
                          
"Good. You're crashing here. This is a safe place for you" I grinned.
                          
He chuckled and sat down next to me on the couch, laying his head in my lap as I laid in his lap and rested my head on his.
                          
"Goodnight, Eds. I love you"
                          
"Goodnight, Richie. I love you too" 
                          
We whispered to each other, then fell asleep, warm and safe.
                          
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