Chapter Text
It had been about three months since Garroth and Aphmau had started dating. Laurance was very supportive of his best friend's endeavors and wanted the best for him, but everything about Aphmau felt wrong. It felt as if she was blocking him off from everyone that wasn't her or his family. Cadenza told him to be happy for Garroth- that maybe he’s just being paranoid and if there’s something actually wrong, his parents can deal with it.
It wasn’t until Vylad and Zane approached him during his free period did he think it was in fact, not in his head.
Zane walked over to Laurance and sat down next to him. "I want you to get Garroth and Aphmau to break up."
“What?” Laurance looked up from his phone, a confused look on his face. “Zane? Where’s this coming from?”
"She's really possessive to him and it feels like he can't even hang out with us without her say-so," Vylad butted in. “Even Gene thinks it’s weird. And that’s saying something.”
That really was saying something. “Why do I have to do it? Wouldn’t it be easier for you two?"
"He won't listen to us, he thinks it's just an overprotective family," Zane shifted in his seat, "it's annoying."
"We both think that he would listen to you more than us since you two are close," Vylad added. "Plus your crush on him has been obvious to all of us but him."
Laurance's face grew red, "I don't like Garroth!"
"Sure Laurance, just help our brother." Vylad tiredly dismissed.
"I'm not causing Garroth to break up with a girl he likes because you have the wrong idea." Laurance began fiddling with the push stand on his phone. "I think she's fine and you're just overreacting as Garroth thinks."
Zane sighed deeply, with a tone that showed how much he wished he was anywhere else but near Laurance. "She's cheating on him with another guy she's doing the same thing to."
Laurance paused. “...Who’s the other guy? How do you know?”
Zane pulled out what looked like photos from a phone. "I know people, Laurance, so I was able to get ears and eyes on what Aphmau does when not around Garroth and one of the "things" she does is this kid named Aaron. He seems like a good kid and has a pretty well-off family, so I think that Aphmau is a gold digger after easy guys."
Laurance squeezed his phone while looking at the photos, and it was as clear as day. There was Aphmau, messing with who he assumed was Aaron. Holding onto him and kissing him deeply behind a stairwell. His blood began to boil.
"How about it, Laurance? Gained enough motivation to help Garroth?"
Laurance thought for a moment, but as soon as he was going to speak the bell rang. Laurance grabbed his bag and rushed off to his next class which he shared with Garroth, English.
His next thought was well, can’t they just show the picture to Garroth? But then again, he thought maybe that’d hurt him too much.
I don’t know what they expect me to do, he thought to himself. I can’t tell him... Can I? Laurance fought with himself over issues for a while.
“Laurance, you there buddy?” Garroth waved his hand in front of Laurance.
Laurance snapped his head up. “Oh- hi. Just tired. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? You look like something is stressing you out, do you wanna talk about it?”
“I’m fiiiiiiiiine, Garroth. I’m just thinking about, uh, stuff.”
“Well, then you’ll be okay with going out with me today then, right?”
“Going out?” There was a mix of overwhelming joy and anxiety in Laurance’s voice.
“Yeah, stop by the mall and hang out for a bit. Aph said she would be busy this afternoon, so I’m free to hang out with you.” Garroth didn’t notice and merely smiled at his friend.
“I’ll see if I can find time after soccer practice,” he bit his tongue. He really wanted to go with Garroth, really wanted to, but if he could show Garroth proof since Aphmau would be with Aaron… “sure.”
“Awesome, I can chill and watch your practice so it’s easier to get to the mall from the school.”
“Alright, anyways, let's get started on your English work then.”
Garroth let out an annoyed groan, “Fine.”
------------------------------------------------------
Laurance wiped the sweat off his brow with his shirt as then the team reset. It felt like the coach was putting more effort into the team than usual as the scrimmage they were running seemed intense. Coach blew his whistle and called for a water break, allowing Laurance to try and talk with Aaron.
Aaron had been on the team since the beginning of the year and was a hell of a striker, but they had never talked. Even though they played the same position the two never tried comparing notes about attack ideas and possible strategies.
“You good Laurance?” Garroth had snapped Laurance away from his tunnel vision on Aaron.
“Hm? Oh, yeah, just thinking again.”
“Well, it looked like you were watching Aaron over there.”
Laurance choked slightly on his water, “you know Aaron?”
“Of course I do, our parents do business together, and since my father wants me to take over someday I joined him at his meeting. I guess that Aaron’s father has the same idea for him so I got to meet him.”
“Oh, that makes sense.”
“Anyways,” Garroth turned his attention away from Aaron, “what the interest with him? Do you think he’s cute or something?”
“He is attractive, but I think that it might be a good idea to start talking with him more since we are the lead strikers of the team.”
“Oh, okay.” There was a slight hint of something in Garroth’s voice Laurance couldn’t place.
“Alright team gather ‘round so we can get you home,” Coach shouted.
“I’ll be back, Garroth.” Laurance patted him on the shoulder and jogged over to the huddle standing next to Aaron purposefully.
Garroth wasn’t normally a jealous person, but for some reason seeing Laurance be that close to Aaron drove him slightly batty. Laurance was his best friend, what did this Aaron guy have that Garroth didn’t?
Garroth squeezed his thigh to pull him back to reality, was Aph rubbing off on him that much? She was pretty protective over him, not that that was bad, but it felt weird to be that protective of Laurance.
Laurance began walking back over to Garroth and noticed him staring what looked like daggers at Aaron.
“Are you okay Garroth?” Laurance was grabbing his bag from the ground.
Garroth snapped back to reality, “yeah just zoned out I guess. What’s up with you and Aaron?”
“I got his number to talk more, and I explained why already, are you okay?”
“I’m good, let’s get going to the mall.” Garroth stood up and started walking over to his car.
Laurance was about to follow when he spotted Aphmau with Aaron. It took every fiber of his being to not pull Garroth over to see how much of a whore Aphmau was. It took, even more, to not run over and knock her face in for messing with Garroth.
“Laurance, hurry up,” Garroth yelled and waved for him to hop into the car.
“Yeah, coming,” Laurance yelled back.
Laurance was not an aggressive man. Let him repeat- Laurance was not an aggressive man, but this was an exception.
--------------------------------------------------------
He could hear Gene’s words echoing in his brain- and something about that stupid man made him want to hit things. And Aphmau- across the mall, flirting with Aaron, stringing alone Garroth- it made him even angrier. Somehow. He never thought anyone would beat Gene’s skill at making him royally pissed, but here he was.
Garroth had yet to notice them across the mall floor and Laurance had hoped to keep it that way for as long as he could. But that little voice in his head that was still Gene’s apparently, muttered for him to punch her across the room and choke her out-
“Laurance,” Garroth interrupted Laurance’s train of thought, “are you listening?”
“Oh, sorry, what was that?”
“I asked if you wanted to stop by Hot Topic to get something for Zane. You’ve been kinda distant since English today. Is that thing still bothering you?”
Laurance let out a sigh, “yeah it is, and it feels like I can’t escape it no matter how hard I try.”
“It’ll be okay man, you go ahead and go over there. I need to grab something for my mother from Victoria’s Secret. See you there?”
Laurance nodded and started heading in that direction, but when he go to the story his world came to a halt.
Aphmau was standing there and probably waiting for Aaron. Laurance decided to strike.
“Hey, you’re Aphmau, yeah,” Laurance asked already knowing the answer.
She nodded, “and you are?”
“I’m Laurance, Garroth’s my best friend. It’s so nice to meet his girlfriend finally.” Laurance gave her a fake smile and held his hand out.
“Oh, nice to meet you too,” she said, her voice almost too cheery.
“I have just one question for you.”
“And what is that?”
“Are you any good at catching hands?”
“What-”
Laurance swung a right hook at Aphmau, breaking her nose, and knocking her off balance. “That’s what you get for being a gold digger and lying to both Garroth and Aaron!”
“What the fuck you jackass!” Aphmau exclaimed, throwing a kick to his stomach causing him to stumble back.
Laurance threw another hook at her and went for an uppercut as well. Aphmau yelled and grabbed his shirt, and headbutted him. Laurance stumbled back again and wiped the blood from his nose that Aphmau caused.
It was then that security arrived to break the two up as well as Garroth and Aaron.
“If you two wanted to fight you shouldn’t have done so in a public,” the officer restraining Laurance said.
“You two are getting banned from this mall,” the officer holding Aphmau replied.
Garroth and Aaron watch dumbfounded as the two were dragged out by the officers.
Laurance prepared to go back to fighting Aphmau when Garroth stood in front of him.
“We’re leaving Laurance,” Garroth said coldly.
“But-”
“No buts, now.” Garroth began to drag Laurance back to his car.
It took a minute or so but the two arrived and sat in the car.
"...Garroth, I’m… sorry,” Laurance took a deep breath, “...The truth is, Vylad and Zane were worried about you because they know Aphmau is cheating on you with Aaron, but they said you wouldn’t believe them. So they wanted me to do something about it. I didn't believe them, but then they showed me a photo and then the bell immediately rang, and everywhere I went today doesn't let me escape it, and I-"
“I don’t want to hear excuses, Laurance.”
“It’s not an excuse, it's true!”
“And that makes it right for you to knock her teeth out?” Garroth had turned to Laurance with a beyond pissed look on his face. “I wanted you to meet Aph and be friends with her, not this.”
Laurance gripped his sleeve. "...Fine. If you don't believe me, whatever. Be that way. I'll walk home."
Garroth inhaled deeply, “I’m taking you home and we are going to have a long conversation about it tomorrow when your head is in the right place.” He put the keys in the engine and started the car.
"No, if you don't believe me and your siblings, I give up. Don't come crying to me when you find out. I'm going home, I have two other people to be chewed out by for trying to help my best friend get out of a bad relationship." Laurance gritted his teeth and left the car to take a bus home.
“Laurance-”
Laurance slammed the door and walked over to the bus stop to wait for the next bus that went close to his house. This was one of the few days he was glad he bought a bus pass for the year.
When he got home, he was mostly disassociated while being yelled at by Hayden. When he was walking up to his room, he prepared to be yelled at by Cadenza when she put a hand on his shoulder.
“Laurance, I know you’re better than this,” Cadenza said.
“I know,” Laurance pushed her hand away, “I’m going to sleep, so please let me be.” Laurance pushed past Cadenza and laid down on his bed.
Laurance stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours, questioning why he let himself crack like that. Usually, he was mister calm and collected, but when he was Aphmau it was like he was dating Gene all over again.
He wasn’t quite sure what happened after that- he thinks he skipped school. Laurance knew Hayden wouldn't usually allow that, so perhaps his body went through the usual notions of skipping from freshman year. He wasn't sure.
Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into whatever comes after that— though only a few days might have passed. He remembered a forest, maybe? He remembered sleeping in an alleyway as he did after an argument with Hayden when he was first adopted. He remembered that maybe he heard his phone ding a few times. Probably Gene bragging about how he would always be evil or Zane laughing at his misery.
He only started coming back to reality when he woke up when Zane and Vylad came to check on him at his house. Vylad was the one to enter Laurance’s room since he had been suspended from classes.
“Hey Laurance, how are you holding up?” Vylad stood at the end of Laurance’s bed. “Is there anything we can get for you or help with?”
Laurance didn’t respond and merely pulled the sheets over his head.
Zane poked Laurance’s side, “get out of your bed, your sister is worried about you. She told us that you haven’t left your room for the past few days.”
"She can be worried all she damn well pleases," Laurance muttered. "Let me wallow in self-pity while your brother marries a gold digger."
Vylad sighed, “Actually, the two broke up a week ago. He’s been pretty bad but when he learned you punched Aphmau for him it kinda made him think. He’s mostly been hanging with Aaron, but other than that he’s been pretty closed off.”
Laurance didn’t say anything.
“He’s getting really annoying so we want you to pull him out of his funk,” Zane pulled the sheets off Laurance’s face, “so let’s get going, lover boy.”
"It's been a week?" He finally murmurs. "also, last time you asked me for help it didn't go too well."
“Well, things are different now, so it might be a good idea to try and talk to him now. Garroth worries about you but never texts because he’s scared you’re mad at him.” Vylad intervened.
Laurance sat up. "...Okay, but I'm not going into the school."
“Well you are still suspended so I wouldn’t think that would go over well,” Zane scoffed.
"Yeah. Duh." Laurance rolled his eyes. "I knew that," he assumed. he wasn't paying attention when Hayden yelled anymore. "I'll text him, but I'll probably make it worse."
“It would actually help him a lot. I’m pretty sure he understands why you did what you did, plus she gave you a concussion and he wants to know you’re okay.” Vylad sat down at the edge of the bed.
Laurance sighed and brought out his phone, wincing at the brightness. He pulled up Garroth’s contact and texted a quick ‘how are you?’ while somehow misspelling all of it. “I did it,” he said while throwing his phone somewhere on the mess of his bed.
“Good, now you gotta get out of bed,” Vylad said, standing up.
“No, fuck off.” Laurance stuck his tongue out and curled back into bed. “I did your thing.”
“Too bad, I’m getting you out of bed.” Vylad began pulling Laurance’s legs to drag him out of his bed.
“It’s not like I have school or a job to get to. There’s no reason to be out of bed.”
“Don’t care, you’re getting up,” Vylad began straining and Zane reluctantly helped pull Laurance out of bed.
Laurance fell with an umph onto the floor. “You guys are the worst.”
Vylad smiled, “I know, and now to get out of those clothes.” Vylad gestured at the outfit that Laurance clearly hadn’t changed out of the past few days.
“I did the crap for your brother, fuck off.” Laurance pulled a blanket off the bed and laid down on the floor.
“Yes, and knowing him he’ll want to see you as soon as possible,” Zane said.
“He’s in school.”
“It’s Friday, and after classes have ended. Why else would we be here Laurance?”
“Because you hate me?”
Zane sighed deeply and began looking through the clothes lazily thrown around the room.
“You won’t find clothes in your style in there, Zane. Fuck off.”
“I’m looking for you, not me, asshole.” Zane pulled a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a hoodie off the floor and threw them at Laurance. “You can grab your own boxers and shit; now go change.”
“I never agreed to go anywhere-”
“Oh but you did,” Vylad said, handing Laurance his phone. Vylad had been texting Garroth and said that Laurance wanted to meet up.
“...get out.” He deadpanned.
Vylad smiled and pulled Zane out of the room with him.
Laurance slammed the door and stared at his phone. His face fixated on one text that Garroth had sent, ‘I miss you, Laurance, I wanna see you :(‘ Laurance paused as his stomach did a backflip. He responded with a heart emoji and hesitantly got dressed. He walked out, hoping that he could go back to bed.
Laurance opened the door as Vylad and Zane fell inwards. “Were you two listening to see if I was getting ready?”
“Vylad was.”
Vylad hit his arm in the shoulder, “Zane was as well. Also, please don’t forget sunglasses for the concussion, or else Garroth is gonna buy you some expensive ones.”
“Who even let you guys in” He looked at Cadenza, staring at him from her doorway, and sighed. “Right.” He grabbed some sunglasses off of his nightstand, putting them on after looking at them reminiscently. I used to wear these so much during freshman year. Gene always thought I wanted to look cool, but it was just because I was constantly in fights.
“Shouldn’t he have showered before he changed?” Zane gave Vylad a look.
“It’ll be fine,” Vylad turned to Laurance, “You have some cologne that you can spray before leaving right?”
He groaned and walked back into his room, slamming the door and walking out a few minutes later. “Anything else you’d like to hound me about? I wanted to sleep.”
“It’d be good if you ate food,” Cadenza yelled from the living room.
“No!” Laurance yelled back. “That was rhetorical anyways!” Laurance’s phone rang with a message from Garroth, ‘Outside when you’re ready.’ “...I hate you all.”
“Sure Laurance, now go see him.” Vylad gave him a small push towards the door.
He held back the urge to punch the freshman and walked to the door, opening it.