The Five Demigods

Thirteen

Everyone fell asleep quickly, except for Mitch. His mind just wouldn't shut off. He also didn't want to have another nightmare, which was bound to happen, but he wanted to put it off as long as possible.

He felt like he didn't belong with everyone else. He was the shut in. The quiet boy in the corner. Scott was right when he'd said that Mitch pushed everyone away. He just didn't want to burden anyone with his issues.

Then there was the matter of his mother.

Yes, granted he didn't like her, but she was still his mother. She helped raised him. But honestly, she barely did even that. Mitch practically raised himself. When Mitch was super little, his step father, Mike, took his older sister when he left and mitch hasn't seen or heard from her since. He couldn't even remember what she looked like, its been that long.

Unable to fall asleep, he threw his covers off and stole a hoodie he found and walked out, cringing at the loud sound of the door shutting, hoping he didn't wake anyone up.

He just stood there and looked up at the night sky, breathing in the cold air.

Avi, being a surprisingly light sleeper, woke up once the door shut. He loomed around and the only person missing was Mitch.

"Of course." He whisper-growled to himself. He looked around for his hoodie, but couldn't find it, so he just put on a shirt, grabbed the room key, and went outside. He saw Mitch standing in the middle of the parking lot, a flame in his hand illuminating the space around him.

"Mitch?" He said, walking up to the small boy.

Mitch dropped his head and sighed. Christ almighty. Could no one just leave him alone? "Go away." He said.

"Wanna explain why your standing out here at four in the morning?" Avi rubbed his hands on his face.

"Couldn't sleep." Mitch shrugged, putting out the flame in his hand. He turned around. "What do you want?"

"So that's where my hoodie went." Avi joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Sorry." Mitch said with no emotion. "Want it back?"

Avi shook his head. "No, its fine."

"Again, what do you want?" Mitch raised an eyebrow.

"Just checking on you. Most people don't go for a stroll at four in the morning in nothing but boxers and a hoodie."

Mitch avoided eye contact. "Why are you talking to me? You hate me."

Avi shrugged. "Maybe so, but you're still a person."

"Pfft." That made Mitch chuckle.

"Stop that. I mean it. I might not like you, but we're in this together."

Mitch scrunched his face. "Are we? 'Cause it doesn't feel like it."

"Mitch, come on. Can't you see that we all care about you?" Avi gestured back to the room where the other three were sleeping, then let his hand drop and connect with his thigh.

"You? Care about me?" Mitch snorted and rolled his eyes. "That's the funniest shit I've heard in my life."

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Deflect. Anytime some shows a genuine interest in what's going on with you, you make some joke or snide comment."

Mitch shrugged. He wasn't in the mood for this much talking. He just wanted to come outside and try to clear his head, but Avi made that a bit difficult.