The midnight sky hung over the town like a pitch-black curtain. The moon laid under thin, grey clouds; which the moonshine easily leaked through. The only active sounds in the building were the whir of lightbulbs in the hallway, the very, very rare dinging of the elevator, and the buzz of other appliances throughout the vicinity.
Garfield and Rachel slept on Rachel's bed, as Garfield's was mounted with comics and clothes.
Garfield's face wrinkled in anguish, then he opened his eyes. He slipped away from Rachel, sitting up in the bed. He exhaled deeply, putting his head into his hand.
"Damn it."
The green teen sniffles, then a warm tear glides down his cheek.
"Gar?" Rachel was a light sleeper, so the slightest noise or movement woke her up.
His basil cheeks grew hot and red. He shook his head, then broke into a another cry.
"Babe, what's the matter?"
Rachel hugs Beastboy from behind, gently kissing his neck.
"Nothing."
"You waking up out of your sleep and crying isn't "nothing". You can tell me anything, I promise. I'm here to help."
Garfield exhales shakily, "Rae, there's something you should know about me that I haven't told you yet."
"Tell me."
"There's... this girl..."
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion instantly, but she sticks around to listen. Instead of jumping to conclusions or combusting in rage, Rachel listens.
Whatever the matter was, it was serious enough to disturb Garfield's sleep and make him cry.
"My ex."
Rachel combs her fingers through his hair, "What about her?"
He breathes before proceeding, "I don't have any feelings for her at all, but it hurts," he pauses.
"You got this, Gar. Take your time to express your emotions. I'm listening."
"We broke up last year around this time. We were dating for like a year and a half. Her name was Tia. I just—can't get over how you can be so down for someone, and you find out they don't reciprocate the same energy until it all takes a left turn,"
Garfield glances at his hands through teary eyes, trying not to meltdown again.
"When our relationship started to fade, she stopped answering my messages, and if she did answer, her replies were dry. She started acting distant in-person, and our dates became less frequent," he discontinues.
His voice weakens, he tries to hold himself together. The pain rung evidently in Garfield's words as he spoke.
"Then, I find out that she cheated on me with another guy."
"No way." Rachel responded, disappointed.
"Yep, and it wasn't just any guy. It was my best friend from high school."
She rubs him soothingly,"Oh, gosh, Gar. I am so sorry, I can't imagine how that feels."
"It feels absolutely horrible, Rachel. To know that someone you loved was your first choice, but they ended up treating you like you were their last. I gave her everything I had, and she did me dirty. Sometimes, I wonder where I went wrong. If I gave too much, or not enough. I always want to know why she just up and left me for someone else."
"It's that burnt-out feeling, after you give so much love to someone, they leave you in the cold. I may not fully comprehend your situation, but I have had a similar feeling."
"Yeah. It bothers me even more that she's out living her life, but she somehow manages to occupy some of my headspace. Like I said before, I don't have any emotional attachment to her, but the damage she inflicted on me is painful,"
"Also, Rae, don't think. you're some sort of rebound to me. A stepping stone to get out of a rut, or someone for me to bleed my pain on. It's only that this heartbreak still stings every once in a while."
"Gar, I wouldn't think that. I never would think that in a million years that you would use me to your own benefit. I appreciate that you are being emotionally transparent with me. It isn't the easiest thing to do, I know from experience. That shows strength, and that you are looking forward to healing. It is completely okay to hurt while you're in a relationship," she takes a brief pause.
"A relationship isn't about one person carrying the weight, or for the couple to ignore their issues. Being together means that love, affection, reassurance, and care has to be exchanged. It is alright to have needs and desires. I am willing to love you in any and every way you need me to, and you know that."
"I hope I'm enough for you, Rae. I hope that I make you happy, make you feel loved, make you feel safe, all of the good things. I really, really hope I'm not falling short in any areas, or disappointing you."
"You aren't, Gar. Even if there are some slip-ups, we can always talk it out. We both are working on being more verbal and honest with each other. It's not easy, but it can be done. I'm grateful that you're someone no one else has. You're mine to comfort, mine to hold, mine to cry with, mine to laugh with, mine to heal with. I love that we can not only be naked physically, but emotionally as well. That is where it really matters,"
Garfield holds Rachel's hand that is placed near his chest, and kisses the back of it.
"I'm not leaving you, okay? I'm not leaving you when it gets hard or dark. You're my number one, and always will be my number one. Kinda like my superhero packed into a fun-loving sweetheart," she fondles with his nest of hair once more, planting a warm kiss on his neck.
"We're going to pick up the broken pieces together. Screw waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel. We can light the tunnel up while we walk through it."
Garfield's dark frown bends into a light, soft smile.
"Thanks, Rae. I don't have the words to repay ya."
"There's no need for any."
Rachel gets tissues, then cleans Garfield's tears. While she wipes them away, she kisses his cheek; almost like putting a bandaid over a wound.
"Do you want to go back to sleep?" Rachel quizzes.
"Hope I'll be able to." he says.
"Let's watch one of your favorite anime and cuddle. That might help."
"Rae, I really don't think—"
"Not you doubting me."
"Alriiight, alright."
The couple get under the covers and turn on the television. Garfield slithers his arms around Rachel's body, leaning into her chest. She wraps one arm around him, switching through the channels with the other available hand.
"Cowboy Bebop?" Rachel suggests.
"A classic, that's one of my comfort shows. Let's do it."
"Okay." she selects the show, and it begins.
Garfield snuggles into the warmth of Rachel's body. Her heartbeat is peaceful and strong, it was is if it perfectly matched the sound his ears longed to hear.
Everything about his girlfriend was therapeutic.
All of the non-sexual things, like the way she talked, laughed, stroked her hand through his hair, the way she held him like he was her own. Down to the very fact that she was altruistic enough to sacrifice her sleep to tend to his pain and comforting him.
Garfield reasoned, maybe he needed to suffer through a heartbreak, just to find the person that would help him be a broken whole. His pain, as agonizing as it was, was all a part of showing Garfield who can truly handle him.
It was relevant to granting Garfield the person not only that he wanted, or needed— but the girl he deserved.