LOVE is DEAD [RARL]

5

It was a miracle that Ron didn't fall off the back of the bike on the way home. Carl cursed himself for not asking Lydia to take the blond home as well, so Carl could just take the dirt bike back himself, but the solid warmth of Ron's arms around him, head leaned between his shoulder blades, made him think twice.

...

"You should stay," Ron said as he watched Carl push his ride back into the garage, propping it ok the wall opposite to the couch Ron slept on. "I really wanna fuck again."

"Hell no," Carl snapped back, sniffing slightly as he pawed his shoulder length hair from his face. "We both know you're stoned off your ass, and last time you fucked while wasted, you got Lydia pregnant, so no."

Ron frowned, looking legitimately upset at the harsh words. "At least stay to sleep."

"I said no," Carl was getting angry, and he pushed Ron onto the couch. "Sleep it off."

And before Ron could say anything else, he left, slipping out the side door, making sure to lock it with the spare key that was hidden under the dirty welcome mat.

...

"Think he's okay?" Mikey asked, gesturing to Ron as he showed off his atrocious skateboarding skills, trying to one-up Enid, who could board professionally if she wanted.

Carl didn't answer, busying himself with eating his ice pop.

"I mean, his mood changes so fast. One minute he's laughing and shit, the next he's yelling. I really think it's the stress."

Mikey and Carl sat shoulder to shoulder on the sidewalk, sweating buckets as Enid and Ron took turns on her skateboard. Lydia had stayed home, insisting on sleeping in.

"He's got a lot on his plate," Carl said, licking the cherry flavor from his lips, blue eyes intent as he watched Ron's every move.

"I know, man, but it's seriously freaking me out. He's gonna pick a fight with the wrong person one of these days."

Carl blink sweat from his eyes and looked down at his shoes. "I know."

...

Carl sat at the kitchen table, head laid in his arms as he watched his piss stick turn dark green; the usual.

"Told you," he said, sitting up straight to look his dad in eye.

Rick shrugged, shaking his head slightly. "You know I have to check." He was looking over the card still, making sure the green matched up perfectly with the Amphetamine coded color.

"And I'm still taking my meds, so two birds with one stone, huh?" The chair squeaked on the tile floor as he stood, making for the stairs.

"Carl?" Rick called after him, and Carl faltered on the stairs, listening.

"Thank you for being strong."

Carl simply grunted in annoyance, continuing the climb to his room.