Bar Red's Redemption (Edited)

24: A Cruel or Benevolent God

"Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings."
― Anais Nin

Hi, my lovelies! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and that you like this rewrite, even if there's not too much that is different. (And also please don't be afraid to tell me your opinions on this, like, I'm doing this FOR you guys, mostly.)
Also, as a warning, there IS a discussion about faith and whether or not the Christian God is real or not, and if he's kind. This is not about me, as the author, trying to dissuade anyone's faith and/or undermine anyone's religion, it is simply about the characters having different opinions and experiences - as real people do - and talking about them.
Because while Bar's character could never believe in a god, no matter the religion, it's important to Eli's character and many others. So please be respectful, don't start any arguments, and no religion is wrong or bad unless it is actively hurting, discriminating against, or dehumanizing people at it's foundations. Like how Christianity isn't bad, but some of it's followers can be, as can be said for any religion. No one group of people is perfect.

Chapter 24:
A Cruel or Benevolent God

"I swear to potatoes there's something in my eye," Gus groans, rubbing his palm from his eyebrow to the side of his nose. He's being genuine, with a little frown, not even cracking a joke. Bar knows it's been bothering him the whole morning.

"It's brain cells," Fen says. "They're trying to crawl out of you knowing they don't belong because you have no brain."

Just like Fen's been mean the whole morning.

The beast instantly glares at the hot-tempered chick, knowing that his best friend was probably taking the words to heart. Like he always does, even though he didn't act like it.

"Why a-are you, you being so mean today, Fen?" Clementine asks, popping a piece of an orange into her mouth as Bar hands it to her and kisses her forehead. He often peeled her oranges, knowing the little goddess hated doing so herself but loved the taste.

Now, while that's still a reason to do it, he's trying to keep the lid on his anger shut tight.

"No reason." Fen's scowl argued with her words as she crossed her arms, body tilting back away from them, defensive body language and unfriendly expression..

"I called my future bae Aspen-Faye- Hey, that rhymes!- instead of AJ or Fen and now she's being a crabby, beautiful ass towards me." Gus explains, beaming towards Clementine.

There's hurt behind his hazel eyes. He wants to stab someone.

The little goddess doesn't see it, though, and just giggles and nods- making everyone go back to their respective activities.

Gus tried to help a confused Law with school work and momentarily failed- a common occurrence, but tried again nonetheless- as Fen begins to talk to Elijah about divinities and religion, momentarily dragging Bar into it while Clementine sat next to him, their shoulders pressed together, contently eating an orange.

Eli gestures around the table with a french fry. "Do you believe in God?"

Law didn't answer, but the broken boy knew that he was Jewish while Gus was Pagan, him having grown up in a Lutheran household but switched in middle school.

"Fuck no," Bar says, a scoff behind his words. How could he believe in a God that allowed a father like the one he had to live an unpunished life with no shame? That allowed his father to win, time and time again?