Sorry for the shortness of this chapter.

Also, I've put up the fourth livy story, which takes place about a year after these shorts. :) It's called: Little Red: Apokolips Now

I'm sorry that my titles are really crappy.

Please enjoy!

L.L.A.P

~Laces

Chpt.25

Damian could easily pass for a 21 year old, and getting a fake ID wasn't incredibly difficult for someone like him.

So, when Livy was away, and he was truly missing her, he would head to a quiet bar in Gotham and drink. He was fairly certain nobody knew about his little excursions to the bar, and if anyone did, they didn't give him grief about it.

Damian wouldn't drink to get drunk, knowing that if a situation were to present itself where he needed to fight (which was not rare), he knew that he would be worthless impaired. No, Damian only drank to get buzzed, trying to kill the pain he had when Livy was gone.

He would worry, worry to the point where sleep was useless. Was she alright? Did she make a stupid decision? Was a few days ago the last I'd ever see of her alive?

Terrible scenarios would run through his mind as he contemplated what was going on with Livy while she was away. Damian knew that staying in Gotham wasn't good for her, but he truly wished that he could manage to make Livy comfortable and stay with him in the city. Realistically speaking, Damian unfortunately knew that that would never happen. Gotham was truly not an environment that Livy could stand for more than several months.

He took a swig of the beer he ordered, the bitter taste splashing against his tongue and teeth.

"A little young to be drinking, don't you think?" a man's voice questioned from behind Damian. The teen didn't have to turn around to know that it was Livy's friend, Carter Grills.

"Tt. Card me." Damian huffed. He wasn't entirely fond of Carter. Yes, he did appreciate that the man was kind to Livy and protective of her, but that also made Damian a bit territorial. Livy was his girlfriend. So when another man came along treating something that was his so kindly, it made him possessive. Damian didn't want some random fireman to take what was his away from him.

However, Damian tried not to voice his displeasure with Livy around. Carter was Livy's friend. What more, he knew that Livy would punch him if he ever proclaimed that she was his. He knew how much Livy hated being treated like an object.

Carter took a seat next to Damian, ordering a beer for himself.

"You okay? You look downright depressed." Carter questioned, looking at Damian curiously.

"Tt. What's it to you?" Damian questioned.

"I dunno. I'd hate to find out a close friend of mine was dating an alcoholic." Carter shrugged, and Damian shot a cold glare at the man.

"I am not an alcoholic." Damian snapped.

"Whatever you say." Carter hummed as he received his beer and took several gulps. "So, any news from Livy?" Damian eyed the man suspiciously, but figured that the little information he had wouldn't be so bad to give out.

"She safely made it to Moscow, where she's doing a job with her father. She should be away for about two weeks." Damian informed.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"No wonder you look depressed. When was the last time you heard from her?" Carter inquired.

"A week ago, when she landed." Damian sighed.

"Dunno how you do it." Carter mumbled, shaking his head. Afterwards he took several more large gulps from the beer glass.

"Do what?"

"Let her go." Carter stated. "If I were you, I wouldn't be able to let her go."

"It's not easy." Damian said in a low voice.

"Well, I figured as much." Carter let out a sigh. "But let me guess, you do it because it makes her happy?" Damian chuckled a bit.

"I know that this analogy will sound a bit on the nose, but she's like a bird. When you cage her, she gets depressed. However, when she's free to roam, she is at her happiest. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I were to take away her freedom and happiness." Damian explained.

"You're right," Carter nodded and took a swig of his beer. "that analogy was a bit on the nose." Damian scowled at the man as he took a swig from his own beer.

"I wasn't expecting you to understand." He grumbled.

"Hold on now. I said that I agreed that your analogy was on the nose. I didn't say that didn't understand." Carter argued. "My sister was the same way. Happiest when she was free to do what she wanted."

"I see." Damian nodded. The two then sat in silence, sipping at their beers.

"What are you doing here?" Damian inquired, breaking the silence. "Isn't it a little late for someone to just decide to get a drink?" It was one in the morning.

"It's the anniversary of my sister's death." Carter informed, then took another gulp of his beer. Damian was quiet for a moment, then looked at the bartender from across the bar.

"Bartender. Get this man another beer. It's on me."

Damian and Carter continued to drink in silence after that. Despite the fact that no words were exchanged, they were both grateful for each other's company.