Teenage Troubles (Prequel for Teenage Baby)

Bonus chapter | Future

this chapter takes place after Aaron and Leo were saved and reunited. clarifying just in case lol.

Bonus chapter | Future

Aaron and Leo sat beside each other on the couch in their living room, spines uncomfortably straight and lips pulled into polite smiles.

There was one thing both of them had been desperately trying to avoid all this time. Except it was right in front of them, breathing, living, and even whining quietly.

"Aaron, darling? You look... stressed."

Aaron snapped his head up and stared at the woman sitting opposite him. He forced a nonchalant smile, wringing his fingers in his lap. "No, I'm great."

"Do you wanna try holding my baby? He's only three months old."

Aaron's heartbeat raced. "No. No thanks. I'm fine."

The woman (she was a neighbor but Aaron couldn't remember her name) bent down and picked the baby from the bouncer seat, cradling him in her arms. She approached Aaron with light steps, eyes lovingly set on the newborn.

Pretty much how the captors used to stare at Aaron. He subconsciously gripped Leo's knee, squeezing, then scooted further against him and away from the woman. "I don't know how to hold a baby. I'm probably gonna drop him so I'm just... I'm just"-Aaron fidgeted in his seat uncomfortably-"this couch's really not comfy. I'm just gonna go sit somewhere else."

Aaron quickly sprang off and plopped down on an armchair near the door. He caught Leo's eye across the room, and he regretted leaving him there.

"Yeah," Leo suddenly said, mimicking Aaron's awkward shifting on the couch. "Aar's right. I don't like this couch either." Then he got up and squeezed himself beside Aaron, just about sitting on his lap.

Aaron scooted aside so he'd offer more space for Leo. They fit on a single armchair, which should be concerning, except the fact that they couldn't even handle a baby in the room stole the spotlight.

Aaron only noticed that his mom had been staring at him when found it in him to glance up. He quickly averted his gaze. Beside him, Leo pressed his elbow into Aaron's ribs and mumbled, "Are you okay?"

Aaron refused to look at Leo. His little brother could cope with a baby's presence better, and Aaron didn't know if he should be proud of Leo or angry with himself for the incapability to grow past what'd happened.

Leo was too busy watching Aaron and Aaron was too busy trying to calm down, that they didn't pick up the slightest bit of the conversation that went on between Jannette and the woman.

Aaron only lifted his chin when he heard the woman pull herself to her feet, heels thudding against the carpeted floor. She exchanged some final words with Jannette but Aaron didn't really focus with the fuzz in his head.

The woman passed by Aaron with the baby in her arms, making him push himself further back into the chair for a second. She disappeared into the foyer with his mom. He let out a long sigh.

"Aar?" Leo said.

Aaron looked at Leo. "Don't worry, I'm fine. It's just that today's... it's the worst day possible for an actual baby to show up."

Standing up, Aaron gestured Leo over as he headed for the bedroom, but halfway through and Jannette cut his way off.

"Can we have a word, Aaron?" she asked.