XXVIII
We're Just...
~~~

The mirror betrays him. He looks fine but he still feels a mess. Of course, he still had a headache. He took the bandage off last night and oh boy what a bruise he had. He's not sure whether to put it back on or keep it off. Both look bad.

I'll just put my hair over it. He combed his hair down a bit and what do you know it works. Of course, it looks a bit funny, but he'd rather have that than people asking where the giant bruise ok his forehead came from.

There's one on the back of his head too, he can feel it. And it's bigger than the one in the front oddly enough. Thank God it's in the back.

He walks to his nightstand to find the painkillers and he can't avoid the prescription bag sitting on top holding his antidepressants inside.

Dammit...

He grabs the bottle from the bag, trashes the bag, and opens the bottle and removes a pill. They aren't very big. The ibuprofen pills are bigger than them.

Holding both pills in his hand, he walks to the bathroom, takes the ibuprofen pills and dumps the antidepressant one down the toilet and flushes it.

You're not getting my stuff, Rita.

Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt!! Bzz bzzzt!!!

"What the–" his phone is exploding. It won't stop buzzing.

He's got a good feeling of what's coming too.

Vic, Kori, Dick, Raven, Wally, Terra, Jinx

Vic
GARFIELD MARK LOGAN WTF IS WROHG WUTH YOU

Kori
Vic, your spelling

Vic
screw the damn spelling Kori!!!!

Dick
Vic calm down

Vic
don't tell me to calm down!!! 😑

Dick
Why do you have to say something in this chat

Vic
Wdym

Dick
THEYRE BOTH HERE DUMBASS

Vic
hey I want rave to see that I have her back and gar to see how much he f*cked up

Gee thanks

Dick
Gar why did you say anything
Now he knows youre here

Vic
WHAT THE HELL GAR.
did adam knock out some of your brain cells or something???
cuz you r out of your MIND

Kori
Vic I am sure that he has his own reasons
Even if they are quite unclear...

Vic
thats exactly my point kor. I bet HE doesn't even know why he literally just chewed up ravens heart into tiny little pieces an then spat it right back at her

Raven
I'm fine Vic
now

Kori
Raven!! You are here as well! Are you sure you are ok???

Raven
Yes

Dick
you both really can't help but say something can you

Go shit bricks dick

Dick
What's that's even supposed to mean???

Vic
I thought dick was the dick. I didn't know you were going for the title gar. cuz you sure as hell earned it

Dick
HEY
WATCH IT

Raven
Vic I appreciate the...help...
but please just leave it
We'll fix our own problems

Vic
...
I don't get why youd push her away man
like seriously y
she's only tried to help you

Then why don't you let me explain

Vic
because it's only gonna piss me off

Then why did you ask

Dick
All right you two
can it for godsake

Thank you

Dick
I meant both of you

🖕🏻
you won't listen to me either huh

Vic
Dude we heard enough from you

Dick
Honestly yeah...

Kori
I...agree

Seriously Kori??

Kori
I am your friend, but what you did to Raven was very wrong

thats a bit subject to opinion isnt it

Vic
no its not gar
what you did was definitely wrong
and how much you guys wanna bet that he's not gonna take any responsibility for any of it

Dick
Vic stop trashing him straight to his face
Yeah he screwed up but everyone does

Vic
Yeah but he ROYALLY screwed up

Raven
Would you quit it!
You're just as bad as him!
Stop being so rude and let us figure out own shit out!

Vic
Easy Raven I'm on your side
all *three* of us

Dick
Vic wait a sec

Kori
Yes wait a moment!

I hate all of you
Friends really are just a bunch of bull

You left the conversation

His texts don't show it, but he was a bag full of emotion. The main emotion: sadness. Not anger as one might be led to believe based on his past actions. No, it's sadness. Sadness, and the pure and empty feeling of being alone.

He comes very close to slinging the phone across the room. But he doesn't. He doesn't want to wake Rita or Steve. Instead? He stands there and silently lets three tears, one from the left eye, two from the right, escape.

Who cares about them? Screw them! I can do this by myself. Right? After all, I did have to start over when I moved to Washington. I can get more friends. New friends!

But...I don't want new friends...

He looks melancholically at the trap door, then quietly opens is. He makes sure it doesn't make a loud noise when it hits the floor like it normally does. Rita and Steve definitely would not appreciate being woken up at 5 AM to find Gar sneaking out.

He needs to get out of the house. Especially after just now. Besides. He has plans. Of which he'll be late for if he doesn't leave.

He leaves a note as always and bounces.

Decent enough morning. Good thing he brought his grey sweatshirt though. He sighs and pulls out of the driveway as quickly as he can.

This isn't going to go well... he can feel it. Luckily for him this past week his mind has been rather blank. Even the short while he was with the Manticores, all he focused on was the task at hand. Which was his video games. His concussion? The doctor said no more than two hours. Practice is an hour and a half. They don't even know about the fight. Maybe they do. He wouldn't know.

He didn't really talk to them much. All he was doing was trying to focus his thoughts on one thing. Either the task at hand, or nothing. He really does not want to let his mind wander because he knew exactly what would happen if he does.

He hasn't talked to Raven all week. And of course when he first "talks" to her again it's because of yet another argument. "Talks" definitely being a relative term here.

He tried calling her once earlier this week. She didn't pick up. Then she tried a day later. He didn't pick up. Both times the phone was right next to them. Part of him wants to talk to her — have a civil conversation — before his birthday. The other part wants nothing to do with her anymore.

This is the place. The sun is hardly over the horizon, but that doesn't stop him from getting out and standing on the sand. Waiting. He did say here...right?

He stands against the wooden pole embedded in the sand and begins to dig his shoes down into it. Focus... he orders himself.

Ow...shit... He focused too much, his vision blurs and his head throbs. He places fingers on his temples and rubs them, trying to alleviate the pain. Stupid concussion.

"Good morning, Logan." He groans and turns around.

"Hello...Ike..." He manages to spill out.

"Beautiful morning isn't it?" He attempts to make small talk.

"Cut it. What do you want? Or can I just go home?"

"Of course you can't dumbass."

"Then why'd you ask me to come here at 5 AM?! I'm not in the mood for bullshitting, Ike!" Yelling only makes the headache worse.

"Calm down, Logan. There's no need to get so aggressive. That wouldn't be good for your health now would it?" Gar snarls at him, but stands down, patiently listening now. "Thank you. Good dog. So, Raven–"

"Don't bring her up." He demands, ignoring the dog comment.

"Oh? What's the issue? I thought you two were completely infatuated with eachother?"

"Cut the crap. I know you know what happened."

"What was it? My tone? Or perhaps you just–" Gar snatched up Ike by the collar of his polo and twisted it.

"I. Am not. In. The mood. I thought I made that clear the first time."

"You did, Garfield. But I suggest you release me before I have to respond with violence as well." Ike warns. Gar's eyes become slender and he snarls. His nostrils flare and his teeth grind against one another. "Your intimidating looks do nothing to me."

Gar takes a deep breath and throws Ike to the ground as he exhales. "I honestly don't give a crap anymore. Just tell me what you want from me."

Ike raises an eyebrow. "What I want from you?" He laughs. "I want you to tell me what's wrong." He states simply.

"Tell you? Ike, knowing you you probably already know what's wrong."

"Who else do you have to turn to? All of your friends hate you right now. I know you want to talk about it. You know you want to talk about it. You've got nothing to lose." The last sentence was slow and methodical. He's planning something. That is obvious.

But he's right. He's got no one else to talk to. Nobody wants to hear it anymore.

He looks at and examines Ike's face. Ignoring the fact that Ike is...well Ike, he sees it. What? The need for companionship. But that need is also accompanied by the need for control.

He's trying to trick me again.

"Well?" He groans.

"I may have lost my friends because of this crap, but I'm not losing my dignity. Figure it out yourself." He turns and begins to move away, making a b-line to his car.

This isn't going to end well if I don't get out asap. He repeats in his head.

"Shame." He says. "I could've helped you if you told me." Gar bites his lip and struggles not to reply. "You know, on her father? We talked about this before didn't we? Was it on Prom night? It's a bit hard to remember."

"He's gotten enough punishment." He places his hand on the door of the car.

"You know that's not true." Gar whips around and he's right up on him.

"What the–?!"

"C'mon Logan. I'm done playing games. Just join. I can help you get everything you want. Avenge your parents, get Raven back, everything." He leans into him, trapping Gar between him and his own car.

"Get off me." He stands firm. But his head is starting to ache even more. His walls are beginning to break down and crumble again. His voice wavers a bit. "Now."

"The Vines of Ivy are all like-minded people you know. All of them are just like you. All of them have that same lust for something more. Something that they wouldn't get otherwise. And you wanna know something?"

"..." Scared? Why's he scared? What's he scared of? Ike stares him down. His heart's in his ears.

"I always give my colleagues what they want." His whisper sends shakes and shivers up and down his spine. "Garfield? What's the matter? Cat got you–" and in one minute, his fight or flight instinct kicked in. His body chose fight, then flight.

Gar punches Ike square in the nose and then jumps in the car and hauls himself away.

Ike snarls. "Fine, you'll regret that descision, Logan. I'll make sure of that."

~~~

Sorry sorry sorry it's late! Would you believe me if I told you I forgot I needed to update? 😅

I also kinda forgot what this chapter was supposed to be about after I started writing so this is what ya get! Heh...

I hope it's ok for you guys though!

~Rae

Word Count: 1976