legends.

               she hadn’t wanted children, so of course there was guilt bringing noah in to the world. but she wouldn’t change thins now. even though it was extraordinarily hard to cope with, he was a part of her, and now she had him in her life, she couldn’t imagine him not being around. “can you get me a caramel latte? that way i can convince myself it’s healthier, because i’m not adding any sugar.” she smiled gently, reaching out to brush her thumb across her sleeping son’s forehead. he was beautiful like this. so peaceful. it wasn’t just physically exhausting to deal with a constantly crying baby, but it was mentally challenging too. because there was no sound in the world like that of child’s cry.

                 hearing someone call her son precious made her feel strangely proud. ever since he was born, the most he had been called was a pain, but both her and those surrounding her. whilst she wanted to be happy with him, the amount he cried made it difficult for her to enjoy him. maybe he could sense though that she didn’t know what she was doing. maybe he could tell that she hadn’t wanted him. “surprise he was…” she sighed, propping her hand up on her chin as she studied him. god, she felt so guilty for not wanting him more. he was her son, and she loved him dearly, but not enough. scarlett felt she had done him an injustice in these first five months - she hadn’t taken care of him well enough. “r-really?” she stuttered, surprised by how much kindness he could have. “i could really do with another coffee, if i’m honest.”

           “uh…would it be bad if i said when i watched the notebook for the first time, i decided i really liked the name noah? not that he was planned - not that i was ever planning on having kids…but that’s besides the point. when i found out i was having a boy i decided on it…and then when i held him for the first time it just fit.” scarlett was rambling, yes, but she didn’t know how long hwan was going to stick around for, and it had been a while since she’d been able to have a conversation with someone her age. after all, her friends had ditched her when she announced she was pregnant. “teething age…right…i knew that.” except she didn’t. because even when she went to mother and baby classes, the moms there were older, and just as judgmental as the people she passed on the streets. “my mom…she tries…my dad is always busy with work and hardly speaks to me…but my mom also works so i’m…alone, a lot of the time.”

“hi uh, this is gonna sound…really silly, but i just moved here and i literally have no idea where i’m going. all i want is to go for a coffee but i feel like i’m just…walking round in circles.” tabitha laughed a little, clearly embarrassed. “would you mind directing me in the right place? whether it be to a starbucks or a small coffee shop, i don’t mind.”

               scarlett was a people-watcher, but she’d never have paid attention to mother’s and their children. to her, there had never been anything appealing about having a baby. they cried, stopped you having a social life, and were entirely dependent on you. she couldn’t look after herself properly, so how was she supposed to raise a child? now noah was here, she did understand the love a mother had for their baby a lot more. how it was natural to want to protect them. but it didn’t change that this wasn’t the life she had wanted for herself. her gaze shifting from noah to hwan, her smile was still present - and it was genuine. despite the tired look in her eyes, at least she looked happier than she had all day. seeing that he was still looking at her son, she realised she had only introduced herself. “oh, this is noah, by the way. he’s uhm, just over five months old.”

              “hwan?” moonbin clarified, looking for a nod before the beautiful boy was once again heaving into the toilet. he took a seat beside him on the cold tile floor, rubbing his back to offer a bit of comfort as he emptied his stomach. moonbin was grateful he wasn’t dealing with alcohol poisoning this time, having to go with a friend once or twice to get their stomach pumped at the hospital because they drank too much. “you’ll feel better when you get it out of your system. it was some kind of liquor in those jello shots, maybe vodka or tequila. i get those mixed up.” he sighed, trying not to get sick himself just from being around the smell of stomach acid. “it’s fine, honestly. my night wasn’t heading anywhere exciting anyway.” he continue to rub hwan’s back softly, smiling a little as the drunken boy complimented him—even saying he loved him. he shook his head gently, laughing to himself. “thanks.” he was embarrassingly blushing, which he felt radiating from his cheeks. the other was clearly out of his mind, but it still flattered moonbin. drunk words are sober thoughts, right? “where do you live, hwan? do you need a ride back home?” moonbin figured if all else failed, he could get his roommate’s keys, drive hwan back, get him to bed if he couldn’t do that himself, and be back in time to get his roommate. being sober had its benefits. he knew he’d never get a DUI.

               when the male spoke up, she was afraid he was going to tell her she wasn’t fit to be a mother. but instead, he offered her advice - advice that she had not expected from a young man, but something she very much needed to hear. carefully, scarlett did what he said, following each step as he offered the guidance. sure enough, the bottle stopped noah’s crying - and it was almost as if you could feel everyone in the cafe breathe a sigh of relief at the silence that came with it. at least for a little while, everyone would go back to their own afternoon, and leave her be. “hwan…thank you.” she said softly. “i’m scarlett…it’s…really nice to meet you. how’d you learn that trick? i go to mother and baby classes and they don’t teach you that there.”

she was really struggling today. having a baby at just 18 was going to be hard enough anyway, but for the girl who never wanted kids, it was a life she had never envisioned. all she wanted was to drink her coffee and pretend like she was normal again, but each time she set noah down, his screams would fill the room. everyone would look at her like she was a terrible mother, some even saying she was an unfit mother. if the father had stuck around, perhaps it would be a little easier. at least then she would have got some breaks. but instead she had to be the mom and the dad - and all this stress was getting to her. scarlett could feel eyes on her, as noah began to kick up a fuss for the umpteenth time. maybe if she closed her eyes, she could drown his crying out with her thoughts.

@natiiivus

            coughing for a few more moments, skull glanced up at his attacker and flinched when he stepped closer. “i’m not after anything,” he choked out. fishing for any sort of explanation, he decided to be halfway honest. “i thought you were cute. i thought i’d ask you out for coffee or something. i’m sorry i freaked you out.” he cleared his throat, wiping away a tear, smearing his eye makeup a bit as he did so. he finally looked up at him, widening his eyes in an attempt to look innocent. “please don’t hurt me.”

           “i don’t know what you’re talking about,” skull said with a raised voice, “i’m not reporting you to anybody!” at the first hit, skull brought a hand up to his jaw, moving it around to make sure no part of it was broken. the movement of the ground startled him, and his expression of laughter turned to one of sincere fear. he let out a gasp after the stranger punched him in the gut, coughing as he was reflexively looking at the ground rather than the man in front of him. “okay stop, stop,” skull begged, but still, the taller of the pair was relentless. skull was expecting a few punches, but not real pain, in this encounter. “please stop,” skull finally whispered, admitting defeat. he wrapped his arms around his stomach, trying to regain the breath that had been knocked out of him with the last blow. he used his last bit of strength to raise his voice. “i promise, i don’t work for anyone!” now that the other wasn’t holding him in place, he sank to the ground, still clutching his stomach.

“ it’s not like i always forget the lid ! just this once ! ” madison giggled, already moving towards the sink to wash the rag she was using, which was already covered in all the small pieces of her drink at this point. “ really, though, i think it’s your fault for leaving me alone, ” she said, clearly teasing the other at this point. “ but it’s good, though, yeah ? ”

         skull was walking to class, the light rain leaving him unable to drive. he was adjusting his messenger bag when he noticed a tall male looking particularly paranoid. he probably hadn’t even seen skull behind him, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was scared. with skull’s dark eyeliner (a bit smeared from the rain) and spiked collar, he looked a bit… unique, to say the least. so skull decided to fuck with him. staring him down, he followed from a distance, gradually filling the gap between them. class was long forgotten by now as skull walked along behind him for several blocks, still nearly burning a hole into the back of the other’s head. perhaps he should have expected the reaction, but it happened so suddenly he was taken by surprise. the stranger tugged on his shirt and yanked him into an alley, which made skull let out a gasp. when he was pinned to the wall, he almost laughed. this whole situation was cracking him up, especially when the taller boy began throwing punches his way. “take it easy, man. i don’t work for anybody.” skull was absurdly calm given the situation. this kid could kill him. he was clearly crazy. but skull found it sort of hot. “you alright there, buddy? c’mon, hit me like you mean it,” he taunted, a smirk forming on his face.