Bar Red's Redemption (Edited)

19: Boot Against a Chest pt.1

"Monsters exist, but they are too few in number to be truly dangerous. More dangerous are the common men, the functionaries ready to believe and to act without asking questions."
― Primo Levi

Hey, my little gremlin readers! One: how do you guys feel about me putting the spicy scenes (smut that's in the extra BRR chapters book) in this one? I was thinking about it and planning to do it but ehhh, so like? Two: please comment, I'm starving. And it's been a rough week. Feed me, please - A Begging and Tired Author That Loves You
Also, it's a bit of a long chapter and I didn't want it to be 5k so I broke it into two :))

Chapter 18:
Boot Against a Chest Pt.1

The entire time Bar was at work, both the job he had at the local mechanics that Gus' dad owned and the second shift at the flower shop that Gwen's mom managed (each paid well, enough money for him to sustain himself, at least), his muscles ached from how tense he was.

The little goddess didn't call him until it was half past midnight and when she did, they talked for another three hours before going to bed—he just couldn't rest without making sure his girl was alright.

The brute didn't think it was possible for someone to worry him as much as his little sister did, but Clementine Astoria proved that to be wrong.

She's proving a lot of things wrong.

(Bar Red never doubted if he was a monster or not before.)

-——-——-

When he woke up that next morning for school, Bar got dressed and quickly moved through his neat apartment and got to school right when the doors opened at seven. Class didn't start until seven forty every day, but his goal was to find the little goddess and nothing more.

Or he would've found her, if he didn't run into Gus and Fen. The idiot squad were arguing, or maybe it was more Gus was being a dumbass and Fen was nonchalantly insulting him and less of a fight.

Noticing an amused Law, Bar leaned against the lockers next to him and watched the scene unfold after the two shared a head nod.

"I stubbed my toe!" Gus wailed, holding his foot as he rested against the water fountain across from his best friends. He truly did look in pain. What a theater kid. "I'm gonna die!"

"I'll be at your funeral," Fen deadpanned, looking bored.

"Bring sunflowers and lilacs," the dumbass dramatically gasped out. "Dead men deserve lovely things."

Bar just couldn't believe he loved someone like Gus.

Maybe he got one too many concussions or something, not because he's good.

"Sure." She shrugs. "It'll be a pity party and you're the guest of honor, so you get whatever flowers you want."

"You're so mean and it's only to me."

"At least you're special."

"Gus," Bar called, his voice deep and empty—how it usually is without Gwen or Clementine around. He can't let them know he thought that was funny. "What the fuck are you doing?"

The goof straightened up, the pain on his face disappearing as he looked towards the brute with a bright smile, and cheered. "Hey, Red! I'm annoying AJ."

Bar stiffly nods. Anyone with eyes could see that.

"AJ?" Law questions as all three boys glance at Fen.

"Yep," Gus pulls the scowling spitfire into his arms and ruffles her hair, making her smack his hand away. He flinched. "Y'know, her name? Aspen-Faye January Jackleson—ow! Stop hitting me, woman! So I call her AJ?"