Before we start, I want to thank everyone for being so patient while I was away. Thank you so much for all your well-wishes and empathy!
Also, things are about to get intense and fast, now that the group has established itself, so be prepared. This is the point where fluff becomes rare.
Victor ran his human hand over his dress shirt again. He didn't really feel like dancing and had removed his false legs. A pair of slacks covered the swollen stubs as he sat in his wheelchair. His arm, though, remained on as it felt fine. A shadow blocked the light from the hall, and he looked up to see his father.
"Are you sure you want to go?" he asked.
Victor nodded. "I promised. I don't have to dance or anything. I just want to spend time with them."
"It doesn't have to be at homecoming, though," Dr. Stone said. "I'm not trying to stop you. I just want you to be comfortable."
Victor laughed and shook his head. Comfortable? As cool as the prosthetics were, they still chaffed and left his stubs sore most days. The alternative, though, was sitting in a chair and not moving all day. He ran a hand over his thigh and pinched. It was supple now, not muscular like it was a year ago. He laced his robotic fingers into his real ones.
"Comfortable how?" asked Victor. "Physically or mentally? I can't be both. Not anymore."
"I- I'm sorry. You're right," Stone said softly.
It made Victor's skin crawl. His father's tone betrayed his regret. He sighed and turned his chair.
"I'm sorry, too, Dad. You're struggling, just differently."
"It's easier to focus on you."
"Dad," Victor said gently, "I'm gonna figure this out. I know I can get dark on you, but it's part of the process, right? I'm still grieving for myself, man. I haven't really even gotten to Mom yet."
Dr. Stone nodded somberly. "It's hard."
"I get it. Look, I just want to be with my friends right now. I have my phone. I'll call if it's too much."
"That's all I'm asking," said his father. "There's a new normal now. You don't have to try keeping up with the old normal."
Victor blinked. A new normal. The words sounded odd coming from the doctor, but so right as they settled in Victor's head. He thought of Robin's words from the week before and wondered if normal was also subjective. Something else hung in the words, though.
"You're okay with it, then?" he asked quietly.
Stone shrugged. "I'm not gonna force you to be what you're not. I don't understand it, and I won't pretend to. But I don't need to understand to see you're happier being yourself."
Victor could have thrown himself at the man. A peaceful smile surfaced on his face.
"Can hugs be part of the new normal?"
"I just said I'm not gonna change you. Don't you even try changing me," said Stone. He leaned over and embraced Victor anyway, saying, "This is a moment, though. I'll give you that."
Victor happily squeezed him back.
Dr. Stone helped his son out of the van, reminding him that he would stay in the area and to call or text if plans changed. Again, Victor nodded before rolling over towards his friends.
Kori waved first, her burgundy dress sweeping the sidewalk as she turned slightly. Her hair hid beneath a black wrapping embroidered with white flowers and a jeweled red clip. Victor waved back, only somewhat surprised that Robin and Garfield were talking to each other heatedly rather than fawning over her. He wondered if they were bickering over the different styles they'd selected, but quickly realized that was very wrong.
"-just can't play a medic! I've been practicing, and it doesn't fit my style, okay?" Robin growled.
"I can't be the medic, either. I've always played magic users! Besides, you've practiced," Garfield retorted.
"I'm a combat avoider. Medics are right in there, dodging. You have to multitask for that. In reality, I can do that. Once I'm in a zone-."
"Ah, yeah, fair," admitted Garfield. "The zone is not to be disturbed. Hey, Vic's here!"
Victor laughed and bumped knuckles with both boys. "Man, how can you two be so similar and so different? Look, I can play Alastar. Not well, but will that fix it?"
Robin drew in the air with a finger and muttered while Garfield stared, dumbfounded, at the wall.
Garfield asked, "The guy with 'Circle of Protection,' right? Negates all damage within the spell limits?"
"Yeah, that should work," Robin said.
"Don't need a healer when there's nothing to heal. Good thinking, Vic!"
Victor shrugged with a wide grin. "I'll set up my hot keys in the morning and we can run a test with him, okay? For now, though, where's Rae?"
"Aw, who knows, dude?" said Garfield. "No one can reach her, ever."
"Except Kori," added Robin.
"She does not have the pocket phone," Kori said. "Only her father has one. It is to make sure no boys can disturb her. But no one is answering right now."
Garfield tipped his head. "So, do we keep waiting, or…?"
"Yeah, let's give her a few more minutes," Victor said. "You're the only one who didn't dress for the weather."
Garfield scowled and kicked the dirt. His t-shirt with a printed bow tie did, in fact, leave a lot of skin exposed to the wind. Robin smirked and hugged his green sweater.
"So warm in here," he taunted.
"Asshole."
"Jerk-wad."
Then they both started sniggering before laughing uncontrollably. Kori also giggled nervously.
"This is," she asked, "the 'good ribbing,' yes? Where rudeness is a kind of endearment?"
Victor confirmed and started to chuckle as well. Every time the infectious laughter started to fade, Kori would snort or Garfield would poke out his tongue at Robin, and it started again. At some point, Robin even started to hiccup, which only made the laughter harder at the tiny squeaks. He covered his mouth and begged them to stop between his own giggles and spasms. Suddenly, he screamed and jumped, spinning in the air and raising fists.
"Jesus, Rae, what the hell?" he half-shouted.
Rachel's hand and face dropped. Kori quickly slipped to her side and hugged her tightly.
"We are so glad you have arrived, Rae," she said.
Rachel nodded meekly and lifted the sides of her purple dress. It looked almost like an old Victorian gown embellished with lacy, punk-goth accents. Black sleeves puffed out at her elbows. Something felt off, though, despite the layers and colors matching her normal style, and Garfield was first to identify it.
"Hey, I can see your face!"
Victor gasped. "Yeah, that's it!"
Kori clapped giddily, as she was prone to do when excited. "You look beautiful! I am certain many boys will ask you to dance!"
"God, I hope not," Rachel chuckled. "I'm not really a fan of dancing."
"That is okay. I do not even know your culture's dances."
Robin, finally finding his voice now that his hiccups were gone, agreed. "It's not like they taught us. I know more about flips than footwork."
"Wait, am I the only one who plans on actually dancing?" asked Garfield.
"Man, you don't know how, either!" said Victor. "You just copy those viral videos, and you suck at that, even."
"You're just jealous that you can't do this."
Garfield didn't so much dance as wiggle his hips and awkwardly elbow the air, at which Rachel audibly smacked her face.
"What… the hell is that?" she asked.
"I'm dancing."
"No. You're not," Victor said.
"Are you telling me I got all pretty for this?" Rachel breathed angrily.
"You got pretty for yourself," said Robin with a smile. "It's important to like who you are."
"Damn," Victor said, pulling out his phone, "they gave you the good pills, huh?"
Robin nodded, "And an amazing therapist, yes."
Victor chuckled quickly and made a phone call. "Hey, Dad. Apparently, I'm the only one here who likes or knows how to dance."
"Yikes," said Dr. Stone. "What's the new plan?"
"Yo, Rob, do you like pizza?" Victor asked.
Robin smirked. "Who doesn't?"
"Can we hang out at my place and order some pizza, watch some movies?" Victor suggested.
"Kori, would you call my mom and tell her-?"
"That plans have changed and we will be dropping you off later than we thought?"
Rachel nodded, and Kori walked a bit away to make the call.
"Dad will be here soon," Victor said, hanging up. "Have any of you guys seen 'The Breakfast Club?'"
"No, but I heard my mom say it a while ago," said Garfield. "She said, 'you kids are your own little breakfast club, aren't you?' No idea what it means."
"Okay, now we have to watch it," Rachel said. "My mom talks about old movies all the time when Father's not home, and that one and 'Footloose' are on my list. And 'Pretty in Pink.'"
"Not a phrase I ever imagined you'd say, but cool," Robin joked.
"It's about fashion, not color," Rachel said, crossing her arms. "Why am I explaining this? I don't have to justify myself to you."
"You're right. You don't," admitted Robin. "So what's the movie about?"
Victor explained the premise as Garfield placed the pizza order. When Dr. Stone arrived, they all loaded into the van, playfully bickering over topping choices, outfits, and movies already.