Eight Month

Having no money to pay for a funeral, or even a wake, Blue had his father cremated with the little pocket money he had available, in the lowest way possible. It was surreal to Blue; just last week he was playfully shoving his father's shoulder while working on the truck in the driveway of their run down home. Now he was just a pile of ashes in a cardboard box, now being buried in the middle of the woods behind his house. His proud son and his crestfallen boyfriend, as well as his soon to be grandson were the only guests at the burial.

They had done the whole process in silence. Red would always readjust his scarf and jacket over his stomach, even when it was perfect the way it was. He clung to Blue's stiff arm as he watched the older man gaze down at the freshly stacked pile of dead dirt he just finished smoothing out with the shovel. He looked so subtle, but the rare sight of tears brimming his eyes convinced Red to shuffle closer and bring Blue into an embrace.

"He's a dumbass." Blue glared at the ground. "I knew his alcohol problem would be the cause of his death. But of course, he didn't listen to me."

Red remained quiet out of fear that he would say the wrong thing, and resumed hugging his boyfriend.

"We got classes."

Blinking, Red pulled away and acted surprise. "Oh...right." He knew they had classes all day, but didn't dare to say it to Blue.

"Shouldn't we get going?"

Red nodded, tugging Blue's hand along to the car. "Yup."

He took one last glance at the soil on the ground before Red climbed into the truck and the couple drove together in silence during that brisk April afternoon.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Red never bothered to tell his mom about Blue's father. He didn't mean to be cold, he was just afraid his mother would be the one to give the cold, harsh response. Probably something like 'Oh, what a shame.' 'Hope he can manage.'

Blue was barely managing. He had hardly enough money to live in that basement apartment even with the television and internet cables out. The poor boy only needed three vital things to survive: food, a phone, and Red, and it pained the latter to reject Blue's pleas of coming to live with him, so neither of them would be alone. It pained Red every night to imagine Blue, sitting in the stone cold basement, all alone, laying on his cot bed with nothing to do.

Coincidentally, Red would feel the baby stir around in his stomach whenever he thought those heart wrenching thoughts, and he would slowly rub his bump until he comforted him and his baby. His due date was in a matter of weeks, and despite what he felt during his first few months, Red just feels...normal. He wouldn't say he doesn't care anymore, but he can't imagine things going any worse than they are now.

He sighed and looked out the window and saw tiny flower buds sprouting.

He felt dead. Sometimes he wished he were dead. He would never have gotten these thoughts in his head before he...got like this, but it's ironically the child itself that's keeping him from thinking any further, and the father...the father who started this all.

The phone in his lap vibrated and Red nearly fell off his bed. Who could possibly be texting him? He was so use to Blue always texting him, but he was at work, and it couldn't be his mother, since he was home...

Vio

Curious, and a little bit frightened, Red hastily flicked open his phone and scanned over the message.

'Hey Red, how're you feeling? Shadow, Green and I would love it if you and Blue would come out with us tonight, around 8 to see a movie and get dinner? I think it's time the two of you took a break.'

Red was in shock. He kept rereading the message repeatedly, to make sure it was indeed Vio, or if there were any traces of sarcasm.

And for the first time in weeks, Red's heart fluttered in joy.

'of course!'

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Shit, Blue," Shadow snicked, leaning on his elbow, "you inhaled that meal."

Blue gave a tired smirk while wiping away an extra crumbs with his sleeve. "I didn't have lunch, alright?" Red only giggled with a straw in his mouth, leaning his head on Blue's shoulder as he lazily picked at his french fries.

"Blue, do you want these?" He asked sweetly.

It took Blue a few seconds to eye them suspiciously.

"Yes please."

They all laughed and Blue was the last one to finish all his food.

"So," Green leaned back in the booth, "you guys picked out names yet? Gonna name it Green, right?"

Vio sighed and rubbed his temples with his two fingers. "Green, please. The last thing they want to thing of is their baby. And what if the baby is a girl?"

"Pft," Shadow snorted, his arm slung around Vio's slim shoulders, "way to stick to your words, Vi."

Red's stomach warmed up as he smiled tenderly at his bickering friends. It was great to be together again. "A-actually, we don't mind talking about it...really, it's fine."

"Yeah." Blue agreed, confidentially before frowning down at his empty plate in thought. "Besides, Green is an ugly name."

"E-excuse me?" Green sat up. "How is that...w-well jokes on YOU because your name is a color TOO!"

"Yeah, but dude...blue is an amazing color."

"Shut up."

"You guys make me want to overdose just so I don't have to listen." Shadow groaned as Red and stifled his giggling and Vio whacked him in the head.

Green turned his head and smirked. "Yeah, like Malon Friday night."

This immediately caught Red's attention and he stopped himself to look at Green, Blue not paying attention until he realized everyone was looking at Green. "Wh-what do you mean? What happened to Malon?"

The three boy sitting across from the couple gave them a questionable look.

"You mean you didn't hear? It's all over Facebook and Twitter."

"Malon fuckin' overdosed at a party on Friday-in a house over by the bay-and they inspected her locker and found some weed in her bag. It was so funny how they dragged her out and she was hysterically crying."

Both Shadow and Green began laughing until their sides began to hurt, and once they quieted down, everyone at the booth, including the people sitting around them and the waiters heard Red's mumble.

"Bitch deserved it."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"That was grotesque." Vio sighed with Shadow's leather jacket draped around his shoulders as they stepped out of the movie theater. "I still say we should've seen that documentary instead."

Shadow snorted and guided his boyfriend through the door. "Cuz that would have been soooo much better."

It was now a little past midnight, at the two couples, including Green, were walking side by side in the illuminated street under the streetlights, laughing and casually chatting, their voices echoing off in the far distance. The main highways were nearly empty, all stores were closed. It was just those five souls wandering around on the abandon streets, like teenagers were suppose to.

"Oh man...that scene where the guy took a shit in the ocean-" Red rolled his eyes with a tiny smiled when Blue couldn't even finish the sentence because he was laughing so hard.

"Yeah," Red sighed, "it was lovely." Although, seeing Blue laugh so hard he couldn't breathe was a refreshing sight to see after so many tiring weeks.

This entire night was exactly what the two of them need. It seems impossible to say, but Red hasn't felt this wanted or even carefree in a while. Even if he's with Blue, he just needed a little more attention from somebody else. He needed his friends to take his mind off things...friends are such a wonderful thing to be blessed with.

"Thank you, everyone." Red whispered, and the others slowed their pace.

"Huh?"

Red blinked away his overjoyed tears. "I mean it...thank you for bothering to take us out for the night. I-I think I can speak for me and Blue when I say it was well over due for us." He laughed weakly, but Blue smirked his appreciation.

"Yeah guys. Thanks."

Vio, Shadow and Green all gave sympathetic, genuine smiles in reply before all looking at them all in one, full circle.

"We hate you so much that we love you." Shadow winked and Vio nudged.

"We're sorry you've had such a rough year." Vio nodded.

"But we start practicing for graduation after Spring break!" Green chimed in enthusiastically.

Red flinched. May started in two weeks...

The baby's due date was May 31st.

But Red shook that thought from his head.

No, not right now. He has to stay focused on school right now, and his grades.

He smiled when Blue pressed a soft kiss to his temple, snickering when the others pointed out he was daydreaming.

And his friends.

I apologize for not updating in months, but it appears people were pretty chill with the wait LOL fortunately, this was the only chapter i struggled with in terms of what to write about before the climax started...i honestly have the PERFECT ending in mind, but i needed to find something to write about for the second to last month...as well as the last BUT; the next chapter should be the one before the birth, then i'll to an epilouge to wrap shit up~

SPEAKING OF BIRTH!

the girl whom i based this story on had her baby in november! an adorable baby boy named Hunter, and i can tell from her proud facebook posts that she and the father couldn't be happier with their healthy baby boy c: HUZZAH! now that i'm out of this block, the next few chapters should come out smoothly. later!