𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀✰𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐀| IT ONESHOTS

best friend pt2

now the kids were in high school. ben and mike had joined the five losers. it got worse for stan.

his anxiety started acting up. when richie would cancel on stan because of something important, stan couldnt help but think he was already being replaced. he wasn't being replaced but he couldn't even talk to richie about it. it was in ninth grade when stan figured out he was gay. it was actually thanks to eddie that he had come to terms with it.

they had a project to do so stan was at eddie's house. eddie was wearing short red shorts, a yellow tee and knee high socks with rainbows on them. eddie had already been out, long before stan so he thought it was wise to seek out advice from him.

stan put his pen down and cleared his throat, "um.. eddie?" eddie didn't look up, "yeah?"

"how did you know you were gay?" eddie stopped writing and held his pen in hand. the question shocked him, no one had asked him that before. "i just.. knew" he shrugged.

wow, stan thought, real helpful. eddie must've noticed stan's bothered look and said, "there's a boy.." stan looked at him intently. please don't let it be richie. if it was richie, eddie didn't say, "he was real nice to me, and i liked it. i thought he was really cute. and sometimes i would imagine what it would be like to kiss him. or hug him, really tight. to touch his skin." eddie blushed, "when i look at other girls, i think, 'yeah, theyre pretty. but i could never date one. it's just not right.' you get me?"

stan nodded, "i want a boyfriend. not a girlfriend. the more you admit it, the more you'll start to accept it." stan picked his pen backup, "wait, why?"

he swallowed the lump in his throat, "i think i might be.." eddie smiled, "i know."
"what?"

"well it's kind of obvious." he giggled, biting the tip of his pencil, "ho ——"

"i see the way you look at richie." he sung. "and i see the way he looks at you." he taunted and stan blushed. but then he stared at eddie confused, "wait, youre okay with that?"

"yeah? why wouldn't i be?"
"well dont you like richie too?"

"what!" he laughed, "no, why, i, why would i like richie? i mean sure he's funny and cute and well really hot but he's so not my type." stan had never been more confused. "wait, then who were you talking about?"

"mike!"
"hanlon?"

eddie nodded, "yea, mike hanlon." saying his name out loud made eddie blush madly. "richie and i couldnt last a day in a relationship. we're too immature together," he paused to look at stan, "but you and him on the other hand." he waved his pencil around, "i spot a bit of chemistry."

"shut up" stan had blushed and eddie had giggled.

he had been 15. now he was 17 and still not out.

on the plus side, mike and eddie were together. stan had been happy for eddie but eddie knew something was troubling him. "what is it?"

"i don't think im ever going to tell richie." he whispered, "sure you will. maybe not how you feel, all good things take time. but at least.. come out. he won't hate you, he doesn't hate me." he patted stan's shoulder and walked away, holding mike's hand.

stan knew eddie was right. he had to eventually tell richie something. and he did.

they were in richie's room, stan was sitting on the floor, trying to piece together a new puzzle his mom had gotten him. richie was on his bed, throwing up a ball. "can we do something." richie groaned, "we are."

"i mean like, together." stan sighed, "but i'm not done with my puzzle."
"you can finish your puzzle later stanley." he threw the ball at stan's head but missed, it hit his puzzle and a few pieces pushed away and scattered. stan gasped and richie sat up. "i'm so sorry." richie started, looking at the mess he made.

"shit stan, it was on accident i swear, i didn't mean to do that." stan didn't answer, "i'll help you finish it, okay?" he crouched down, grabbing the puzzle pieces and connecting them with its pair. "wrong piece." stan whispered sadly.

richie looked at him guiltily. "stan.. i'm really sorry."
"i know."

they stayed in silence for what seemed like forever. but richie hated silence, "who.. who are you taking to homecoming?" stan shrugged, going back to his puzzle. "aw, im sure there's a girl out there—"

"what if i dont like girls?"

the question made richie almost stop breathing. "wha—"

"what if i like boys?" richie didn't answer. he didn't know how. after a while, all he could say was, "then that's okay."

they continued the puzzle in silence. they hadn't even noticed how much time had gone by. it was 7 pm now and they had barely finished. stan stood up to admire the puzzle. he smiled brightly.

in the center of the entire puzzle was a type of blue bird in a nest with little chicks. richie admired it too, he looked at stan with a smile, one stan happily returned. "now what?" richie asked, going around the puzzle, careful this time. "hold on."

stan walked over to his closet, taking out a polaroid camera, he stood on the bed and richie got in the frame, flashing a middle finger at the camera. "richie get out." stan hissed. richie rolled his eyes and moved aside, allowing stan to take the photo.

stan smiled happily and put the camera down on the bed. richie used this as an opportunity to grab stan's legs and pull him down. "hey, richie what are you doing!" he shrieked as he fell on top of richie. richie let out a loud, oof. he hit his head on stan's nightstand, then hit his head again on the floor.

"nice going dipshit." stan groaned and richie laughed. though that left turned into a groan later. "you're crushing me." he whined. "mm that suck—"

stan wouldve finished his sentence, if only it weren't for richie's face so close to his. their noses were touching. richie's eyes grew wide and stan grew as red as a tomato. "sorry." he muttered, attempting to get up. but he couldn't.

richie's arms were wrapped around stan's neck. stan didn't even have time to process that because in a matter of seconds, he was being pulled down and his lips were on richies.

not that stan could complain, he found himself kissing back, it's what he'd always wanted. the kiss was short but stan kept replaying it in his head, that it lasted longer than what it actually had.

they pulled away shortly. stan sat up, his hands folded neatly on his lap, the blush still on his cheeks. richie sighed softly, he didn't know what to say, or do.

"wanna go to homecoming with me?" richie whispered, his eyes closed. stan smiled and looked at the ground.

"id like that, yeah."

they smiled and richie sat up, giving stan another kiss.