"How did he die?"
"Not the way he deserved to."
He fell sick months ago. But Gar hadn't heard a word of it until a week prior when his health took a turn for the worse and it was clear that Steven Dayton wasn't going to come out of this alive. By then his mental state had deteriorated so much that he hardly recognized the boy that was his son.
He came to say his good-bye's and instead of an "I love you" or a good-bye back; secrets came spilling out. No. They weren't exactly spilled as if in a dramatic and sudden fashion. More like they were carelessly mumbled in a foggy haze by a weak and sick man who was no longer the man they had once taken him for. Casually mentioned as if they were little white lies that didn't really matter in the end. But they did. And his words still hung over them as heavily as their black coats did in the frosty air of this winter day.
Green eyes slid over to the woman standing beside him. He almost wanted to say something, not exactly defend the man buried beneath the grave spread out before them, but at least call for no need to speak in such a way with the dirt still settling above the yew casket. He decided against saying anything.
The funeral was over and the small group of people that had showed up had now dispersed and left after saying a few words of comfort to the deceased's wife and son. Dayton had a handful of colleagues and associates back from his days before he donned the helmet and called himself Mento, but few friends. And even fewer loved ones.
"I never blamed you for running away, you know. You deserved better than what we could give you."
"Rita, you and the others are family. You gave me more than enough and I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for you."
He wanted to say so much more. He wanted to let her know how positively she had impacted his life. How much he admired and adored her and how grateful he was that she had come into his life when she did so many years ago. But now wasn't the time. And even if it was he'd never be able to find the words anyway. So he kept it short and simple, much like himself, and waited for her to elaborate on what she wanted to say.
"Even if that was true, I'm glad. I'm glad you left us and found others. They love you, you know. Your Titans. I saw them standing with you during the service. How they wouldn't leave your side and how at least one of them always kept a hand on you throughout the whole thing." She chuckled. It was cute, how much they fussed over him.
Gar's smile was hard pressed, but he couldn't help himself. The Doom Patrol would always hold a special place in his heart. They were there first and they meant everything to him. But he felt that in the end, things worked out the way they were supposed to.
"Yeah, I know. I love them, too. And I love you, Mom."
She breathed in cold air as hot tears slid down her cheeks. Before she knew it she found herself in her son's embrace and she was hugging him back. God, when had he gotten so tall?
Author's Note : I never really cared for Mento tbh. That's kinda obvious. Anyway, just a short thing that I drummed up. I have a lot feelings regarding Gar and the Doom Patrol, so I had to get some of those out. Please feel free to leave a review. I'm experimenting with a new writing style after not writing for a really long time and I'd like to get a gist of how I'm doing. Let me know if some parts were kinda confusing or hard to get. Thanks!