Garth excused himself almost as soon as he and Garfield entered the humble home. He had a feeling that Garth wasn't exactly having a good time so far, but probably wasn't saying anything. Maybe to save hurt feelings? He shrugged his shoulders as he headed into the living room, Emma in tow. "ANNABELLE!" She hollered excitedly, running over to hug her best friend.

"EMMA!" She shouted in return, the girls seemed so happy to be on one another's presence.

Garfield's cheeks didn't turn utterly red until he saw none other than Roy standing in his living room, a tutu and tiara in place.

Roy turned with a smile, which quickly faded when he saw Gar. "...You're... Emma's brother, aren't you?" he bit his lip. "Well this is awkward...at least I look pretty." he half smiled to himself.

Garfield couldn't help but to chuckle, "If that's how you always feel wearing a tiara and tutu. Pretty you say?"

Roy's cheeks were a perfect princess pink from his blushing. He couldn't even hold back his wide, embarrassed smile. "I would say so. You don't think I look... pretty?"

Before the young, blond male could answer, Cole proudly put the extra tiara on his head, "Not as pretty as I do. MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL, TELL THIS HOE I DO THEM ALL."

Garfield face palmed, "Oh Cole, do you live to torture me? I swear you do…" he mumbled to himself.

Roy took Cole's tiara. "No, sorry dude. The tiara is for the Queen." He responded, delicately placing it on Hillary's head. "Your Majesty." He joked. He turned back to Cole. "We've already deciphered that you are the court jester."

Garth walked into the room. "Court Jester?" He looked to Cole. Then he turned to the tutu-clad Roy. "And Princess?" He smirked. "Sounds fitting."

Garfield bit down on his bottom lip. All traces of nervousness surfacing. He began to scratch a patch of skin on his arm. Not seeming to stop. "Ooh boy." He mumbled to himself.

Cole grinned, "The more the merrier, what would you boys like for dinner? Aren't you both going to join the 'Court Jester' in making dinner."

They both answered simultaneously, "Yes, I-" They turned to each other and frowned. Once more, they spoke together, "Well, no, I-" Then they eyed each other carefully.

Cole narrowed his eyes at Garth, "Hey, you. Personal bubble popping, invading space, privacy issue smusher, person you… you look uncomfortable… you want to head out? The door's just past the kitchen if you want to." He had a feeling Garth was uncomfortable, and by the way Garfield was scratching at himself he could feel this wasn't a good situation. Cole didn't attend University to earn degrees for nothing.

Cole knew putting Garth in the 'fight or flight' situation would seek out his true intentions without really having to say anything.

Garth just shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I'm always uncomfortable- I think my boxers are too small..." He laughed a little and shook his head. "I will not be helping you in the kitchen- sorry, but the dolls are calling to me and I have yet to get my princess makeover." He shrugged.

Roy nodded. "And since I've had my fun, I'll help you out Cole. Did you know most oxidants occur in the home? You'll need all the help you can get."

Cole raised an eyebrow; he was rather impressed with Garth's 'fight' reaction, instead of 'flight'. And Roy talking about oxidants? This could hardly get any better. "Did you say oxidants, boy? I was trying to purchase me self some anti-oxidants so I'd prevent that!"

Hillary almost face palmed, "Oh my, he's getting his accents out. He must feel comfortable."

Emma looked to Annabelle, "Futz our lives."

(T~T)

Garfield wanted to pray. He wanted to pray that this dinner wouldn't go haywire and that he'd at least have a good friend and crush by the time all was said and done. "Oh Hillary, darling, gorgeous, beautiful wife of mine," Cole began with his wide, signature grin. To anyone who knew Garfield and got the chance to see Cole's grin, would've sworn it was extremely similar. It was baffling.

Even Roy, who knew the details of this being Garfield's foster family, had a hard time believing that Garfield wasn't their biological child. He seemed to just fit in so naturally and they really seemed to care for him just as they would and did Emma.

"What oh estranged, crazy ass husband of mine?" She answered back, almost glaring at him, setting an extra two plates down at the dinner table. They actually needed to get the extension for the table out of the finished basement closet. Which Hillary made a crack about Cole finally 'coming out' of.

He suavely made his way around to his wife, wrapping his arms around her in a hug from behind. He gave her neck a soft kiss, "Baby, legs like those should be wrapped around my neck." He whispered in her ear, a smirk on his face as he could feel Hillary blushing heavily.

Emma giggled, "Good one daddy! I'm gonna say that to my boyfriend!"

Hillary narrowed her eyes, swatting her husband. "Awkward…" she commented softly, her gaze not letting up from Cole, who just gave an aloof grin.

Cole shifted his gaze around the set up table; looking to the apparent crowd they had tonight. "So, the lot of you, who's going to eat who?"

Hillary's eyes widened in horror. Garfield's entire face turned red as he sunk in his seat. "COLE!"

Cole smirked knowingly, "What? I said what's going down with you?"

Hillary glared at him, "Not you - I can tell you that much."

Cole sighed as his wife left to head into the kitchen, grabbing the prepared food to bring it to the table. He looked at Roy, shaking his head. "Bitches be crazy."

Roy gave an all too knowing smirk. "Tell me about it."

Garth continued to stay quiet, seeing as he already had three feet in his mouth from earlier.

Cole was going to oblige a story if they wanted to hear it, "Well, the other day, we were in the store. Hillary just had to have this purse, what the hell's up with chicks and purses and tons of shoes they'll never wear more than twice a year? Anyway, so it was the last one there and this other chick goes to reach for it and Hill's all, 'BITCH PLEASE-' and then some sorta cat fight shit went down, I was told to grab the purse and run, but the mean security guard wouldn't let me go and I thought I'd be taken downtown for questioning," he told them as convincingly as possible, even though Cole knew none of this ever happened, he just wanted to see their faces.

Hillary gave a small chuckle, "Shut up, Cole. You're so apt to tell them about that, but not when you had to tell the guys on death row you were in the slammer for trying to steal a purse."

Cole narrowed his eyes as Garfield and Emma both giggled. Emma thought it was just funny period; Garfield had a bit more depth in his mind about what would've happened – had this all been true.

Roy chuckled, "Oh please. Cole is one bad motha-"

"Shut your mouth!" Garth interrupted.

Roy and Cole just chuckled as if there was some sort of inside joke and everyone else was on the outside. Roy then straightened up; nobody could deny his impeccable table manners.

Hillary, seemingly immediately interested in the two strange boys young lives. "So, Garth, Roy... Are you new friends of Gar's? I don't think we've ever met..."

Roy looked to Garth, allowing for the poor, awkward young lad to make a comeback. Garth took a gulp of water before answering, "Well... Actually, yes. Recently new. We hadn't met before but I'm sure we would've been friends had we met earlier. Gar is a great guy. I'm on the swim team and Gar's on the football team, as you know, so we never really had the chance to meet. But I'm glad we did get the chance. I mean, we don't have a ton in common, but we get along well and-" Garth looked up and noticed the glazed over looks, except for in Hillary who opted to feign interest, that meant he was rambling on once more. "-and now I'm done talking." He finished with a large grin, shoveling food into his mouth. His black hair flawlessly covering the embarrassment in his eyes.

Roy looked up with the smallest hint of a victorious smirk grin playing on his lips. "Well, I guess I can't beat that, but I'll try my best. Gar and I met in the archery club. I'm teaching Gar how to use a bow and arrow. He didn't shoot his foot yet, so I'd say it's going well." He looked over to Gar with a friendly smile.

Garfield blushed, "Yeah, that's… that's it." He seemed to be more nervous than both Roy and Garth combined. Well, Roy was playing it pretty cool, he seemed to be a natural when it came to communicating, where as Garth, not so much.

Cole smirked, "So Gar, I remember you complaining about your back being sore the other day, after practice? How's that doing?"

Garfield blushed once more and gave a shrug, "It's fine, I guess."

Hillary glared across the table at Cole, just having this feeling, this inkling that he'd be coming up with something to say, "Well son," Cole began. "maybe if you didn't spend so much time on your back, you wouldn't be so sore hmm?"

Garfield eyes widened, almost like a deer caught in headlights.

Roy chuckled, "Must be that Rachel girl then, eh Cole? You met her, right? She's a real spitfire, eh?" Roy was trying his best to keep this from being an embarrassment. He didn't want Gar to look back on the day Roy met his parents as a bad memory.

Cole grinned from ear to ear, "My bestest gummy buddy in the entire world?!" He gave a nod, "Yeah, she's cool. I told her that if I have to go to meetings – she's coming with me. We're tight, just as Gar."

Garfield cleared his throat, "If she's here, they just… chat and eat gummy-anything's. Bears, worms… whales. Cole said he swore he was going to get her gummy… private parts to see if she'd even notice before tossing them in her mouth."

Cole laughed, "Well do you think she'd notice if she were sucking on a gummy-"

Hillary glared, "Coleee…"

Cole smiled innocently, "Foot?"

Roy chuckled. "They sell gummy... feet at this candy shop about forty minutes from here. I'll pick some up for ya."

Garth just continued to stuff his mouth. Anything in his mouth was better than words. Even gummy feet.

Garfield blew his bangs back, "Anyway…" digging into his lovely whipped mashed potatoes; Hillary knew how to do them just perfectly. He reached delicately for the margarine, wanting to put it on his mashed potatoes quickly so it'd melt just right.

Cole took that moment to switch the topic, "Careers, gents – do we have careers picked out? Aspiring dreams? Mine was to become a porn star."

Garfield cringed as Emma giggled, "You'd never make it daddy." Which cracked the entire table up. Well, Roy, Hillary, Garfield, Emma and Cole himself.

Cole then faked a tear, "And that's the kind of encouragement I get around here when I mention my dreams and ambitions."

Roy directed the question for Garth to answer first, as usual. Garth just shrugged, "I want to be a marine biologist."

Roy seemed to nod in approval. "I want to be a children's psychiatrist." He had only decided just then and there what he wished to be. It changed for everyone who asked him.

Cole nodded in approval, "Excellent choice careers guys, but uh… Gar #2… have you not… seen that horror movie with the huge killer shark that they blew up in the first movie, electrocuted in the second and blew the same thing up again in the third movie?" He noticeably shuddered, "When I saw that… and the first one came out when I was younger than you guys, I didn't bath for a month I was so scared." He told them with a chuckle. He figured when they looked at him skeptically, he should reassure them it was the truth. "No really, that is the truth. Karma… is a real bitch. I mean, I bugged my older cousin to crash his date and so he was a jerk and took his girlfriend and I to see this freaky ass movie."

Hillary chuckled, "Now he won't even crash mine, Annabelle's and Emma's movie dates."

Annabelle laughed, "That's okay. Roy hasn't taken Emma and me to the movies since he cried during Peter Pan."

Roy seemed to rock a bit anxiously, as if it was a traumatizing subject. "I do believe in fairies!" He muttered, and Annabelle and Emma were off laughing at the memory once more.

Cole just shook his head, "So Garfield… you haven't really discussed your career choice with us, are you still undecided?"

Garfield shrugged, "Not really, but it was something I wanted to discuss with you guys."

Cole gave a slight shrug, "Right now is as good a time as any, what's on your mind?" He asked sincerely, both Roy and Garth waited for Cole to come out with a joke or something, but he didn't. He was showing sincerity.

Garfield let out a sigh, "Well… thing is, for me to achieve it, I'd more than likely have to give up football." He was waiting for the other two males to say something, anything that would assure him that he could really reach his dreams if he put his mind to it.

Roy coughed a bit, averting his eyes from Gar. Give up football? That's really something to think about. Scholarships, popularity... Scholarships... scholarships... Roy couldn't grasp the idea of even giving up that lush scholarship. Gar was damn good enough; he might actually have had a chance to win it.

On the contrary, as was everything between Garth and Roy, Garth seemed almost elated. Football was a stupid sport anyway in his opinion. "Whatever it takes to reach your dream, Gar. What is it you'd have to give up football for?"

Hillary nodded, "Yeah sweetheart, you were so into football and this is why we decided to move here – because the school provided football when not all the other high schools did. What's wrong sweet pea? Are the guys on the team hassling you?"

Cole gave a slight nod, listening to what Hillary asked Garfield. He too was interested in what would make Garfield want to give up football. It very well could be that the guys were hassling him, he looked to Roy, then Garth and back at Garfield again. Could also be the life choices Garfield perhaps wanted to make also? It was hard to tell and not knowing almost made the possibilities truly seem endless.

Garfield sighed, moving his mashed potatoes around. "I just… I want to be a vet. I really, really do."

Cole gave a soft smile, "Did that come to you after volunteering at the Humane Society?"

Garfield nodded once more, a genuine smile on his face. "Yeah, I didn't know it until I was there and, y'know, spending time with the animals, where I felt truly at peace, what I wanted to do. And… I don't think a sports scholarship will get me into the schools that I'll need to be in, if I want to make being a vet my reality, y'know what I mean?" Again silence, until someone would speak up that was and strangely, Cole wasn't the first one to do so.

Roy seemed a bit irked, but spoke up anyways. "You never know until you look into it. Besides, what if you change your mind one day? Might as well broaden your opportunities the best you can. Do you like football? You could use it just for recreation and stress relief. You always looked so happy when you were at the games. You played really well, too. Wouldn't want to see a talent go to waste. But you shouldn't play unless, of course, you want to and enjoy it." Roy seemed quiet, simple, and not too bright most of the time. It surprised Gar to hear his reasoning and the thought he put into it.

The pure reasoning of that wasn't the only thing to surprise Gar. He didn't know that Roy had gone to any of his games.

Garth decided, as Gar's friend, to express his own opinion. "Well, the lives of animals are far more important than a football game."

Roy didn't express any emotion on his face. "Who says there can't be time for both? Something to channel stress into is good."

"What if football is what's causing the stress?" Garth countered.

"Then he doesn't have to do it. But he has to remember that he has many options." And with that, the two boys were satisfied to have had their input, and contentedly shut up.

Garfield glanced from one to the other, but he shifted his gaze to Roy, "You actually… went to the games?" He was shocked.

Roy had the faintest blush. "Uh, yea. I did. Not that big a deal." He looked down at the table, seemingly having explained himself as much as he felt needed.

Garfield felt the beginnings of a smile appear on his face, "Oh, is that so?" He asked, a slight sultry tone to his voice, but looking over at Garth's blank face, him continuing to eat, Gar then cleared his throat. Hoping a new topic would soon arise.

Cole looked around the table, then spoke, "So, how many blonds does it take to screw in a lightbulb?"

Roy seemed to have upset feelings about this subject as well. "None, blondes don't screw anything." He sighed.

Cole's eyes widened slightly, then he smacked Garfield's arm. "Well I'll be damned boy! I wouldn't want you to fall under any stereotypes, get loose and jiggy with it. Go sex something already and make me proud." Garfield just sat there, his cheeks remaining a prominent rosy color.

Hillary glared at her husband for the millionth time tonight. "Who the hell says 'jiggy with it'?"

Cole gave her a straight face, "That's not cool anymore?"

Emma and Annabelle both shook their heads in negative response.

"That's alright, Cole. It's groovy, and I'm pickin' up what you're puttin' down, homes! I'm hip!" Roy exclaimed, his confidence reappearing, and bitterness being buried once more.

Cole grinned, "I like you. I'm feelin' your vibe bro."

Hillary sighed, "Cole, you're not cool and I can give you hints about what you won't be feeling tonight."

Emma giggled, "Ooh daddy's on the couch tonight!"

Annabelle looked to her best friend, "Or maybe she'll put him in the doggie house like she did last time."

Garfield chuckled, "Anyway, this… was really good Hill, you outdid yourself."

She gave a smile, "Aww, thanks Gar. Now, what's the plans after dinner?"

Cole gave a shrug and grin, "Oh the usual, it's family streaking time through out the neighborhood."

Roy shrugged. "Well, Annabelle is, of course, free to join you for that. However, I prefer to keep my shirt on until the second date, if you don't mind."

Garth just ate his last bite. He never did find Cole amusing.

Hillary looked from Garth to Cole, giving Cole a warning stare to keep it calm for now. Cole gave a quick nod in his wife's direction. "Well, it all depends on what you boys have written in your schedules. You're both more than welcome to stay if you wish; I have other things to do."

Garfield actually gave a look of concern, "You're not going to join us?"

Cole gave a light sigh, as much as he's always enjoyed a nice game of Monopoly or some type of board game after dinner, he decided it was best to get out of Garth's uncomfort zone. He didn't quite know why, but he had this lingering feeling that Garth didn't care much for him. So being the considerate person Cole was, he figured it'd be better to just get out of their way for awhile. "Nah, I don't think so."

Garth felt almost relieved, but at the same time, out of place. "Actually, I'd better be going as well. My parents worry very much when I stay out too late. You know parents." He smiled. "Thanks for having me, Cole and Hillary. It was all really great." He stood, nodding to everyone with a smile. "See you tomorrow, Gar." He said with certainty.

osa-chan: Thank you! I'm glad you find the humor in the story amusing, I hope this chapter made you laugh too! :)

mrtutus23: Yeah Cole is a little awkward lmao he would be interesting to meet in person wouldn't he? Hope you continue to read!

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