WARNING: Emotional Content surrounding parenthood in both parts.

NOTE: This next part is quite long, but please do try to read all sections, because I don't want you to miss anything! I hope you enjoy it!

Aahan walked into the classroom, eager to hear about any new ideas to win him the Teacher of the Year award.
Today had been a particularly stressful day for him.
He had to mediate three separate arguments.
One was about a student stealing another student's pen!

Aahan was met with the weirdest sight he had seen in a long time.
Several students were clutching what looked like dolls, and a few were frantically flicking through manuals.
Eloise was showing Atlas different baby onesies.

"What fresh héll is this?", questioned Aahan.

"Robot babies!", exclaimed Eloise.

"We got given them in tutor group", said Atlas.
"They're supposed to help us learn about childcare and relationships."

"How do they help you learn about relationships?", asked Aahan.

"Our tutor teachers made us pair up", replied Atlas.

"Oh, right... I was wondering why Elliott and Zee were sitting together", said Aahan.

"Trust me, I'm not thrilled either", said Zee.

Their baby was laying flat on the table, on its stomach.
Zee had placed it there as a dividing line between her and Elliott.
Elliott had a bag of supplies on his lap.
It contained a bottle, nappies, a dummy and basic clothes for the baby.
Every pair was given one, but Eloise wanted her baby to have more clothing options.

"We have to look after them for two weeks", said Rowan.
"The usual ones are programmed to start after school, but the school couldn't afford those ones apparently, so we had to get them from a different company.
They start earlier, and don't turn off until the two weeks are up."

Aahan's eyes widened.
"So they're going to go off in lessons?"

Rowan nodded.
"Yeah, but Headmaster Rogerson is supposed to be letting all the teachers know so they can plan their lessons around it."

"Not that it matters for us anyway", said Elliott.
"We haven't been learning history much anyway."

Aahan sighed.
"Come on, guys.
You know the deal."

"Still a pretty sucky deal", said Spencer.

◆◆◆

Eloise went over to Spencer's house after school.
Neither of their partners had been pulling their weight, so they decided to unofficially pair up.
Spencer's partner was nice enough, but she didn't seem interested in the robot babies at all.
Eloise's partner—well, that would be James. She didn't like him even before she got into that fight with him when Mr. Patel first joined, and her hatred for him had only grown since.

It had been a while since Eloise visited Spencer's house, but the second she stepped inside she felt at home.

"It's so lovely to see you again, Eloise", smiled Spencer's mum.
"You should come round more often!
You're always welcome."

"Thanks, Mrs O'Connor", said Eloise.

Eloise gently set her baby down on the sofa, before rummaging through her bag and pulling out a small chocolate box and a blue teddy bear the size of a tennis ball.
She handed them to Spencer's mother.

"Spencer told me that you're pregnant, so I bought you a little something.
I wasn't sure what to get for the baby so I just got a little bear.
I hope it's ok."

Spencer's mother beamed as she took the gifts.
She immediately pulled Eloise in for a hug. She didn't remember what her hugs were like, but she enjoyed this one.
It wasn't like the hugs Atlas' mother gave. Her hugs were strong, and she liked to squeeze tight.
Her hugs felt like they were protecting you from the world.
Mrs O' Connor's hugs were warm and gentle.
Her hugs felt like they were supporting you as you walked into your battles.

"That's very thoughtful of you, darling.
Thank you so much.
I've got to pop out for a bit but if you're not here by the time I get back I hope you have a good night, love."

"Thank you, you too, Mrs O'Connor."

"Call me Jen."

As soon as Jenessa left, Eloise ran up to Spencer's room.
His bed looked like it had roughly been made, with the corners of the duvet wedged into the pillows.
His wardrobe door was slightly ajar, and socks decorated the floor, almost as if they had spilled out of the wardrobe and formed a trail.

"Did you just clean up now because I was coming?"

"What?
No", he scoffed defensively, but his ears began to turn pink.

"Dude, it's ok.
You're forgetting that I have a little brother. No amount of mess will faze me.
Plus, it's your room, not mine."

"It's weird.
My mind is always cluttered with random thoughts, so it would make sense for me to want to keep my surroundings organised, but they're are just as messy."

Eloise sat down on his bed, before shifting her baby on to her other arm and cradling her.
Eloise's baby had an eggplant purple top on, with a denim jacket that matched Eloise's to a 'T.'
It even had a homemade badge on it that matched the one Eloise bought years ago.

"Ah, should've known you'd be a natural at
this", said Spencer, before looking down at his own baby.
"Don't know if I'm cut out for this though."

"What, being a dad?"

Spencer shook his head.
"Being a brother.
I mean, I've never had any brother figures in my life.
Even the boys I'm friends with... we're not that close.
It's been my mum, Zeke and I for the longest time, and before that it was my dad.
What's it going to be like when the baby gets all the attention?"

"That's what you're worried about?
Not getting attention?"

"More like being ignored.
I'm not stupid.
I know the baby needs more attention, but I... I don't want it to get to the point where I can't talk to my parents, you know?"

Eloise's face softened.
She gave him a small smile, before nudging him.
"If it helps, you can talk to me?"

Spencer chuckled softly.
"What, when you're not babysitting the fifty-odd students you've already adopted?"

Eloise laughed.
"Hey!
I can find time for you."

Spencer smiled.
"Yeah?
Might have to take you up on that offer soon."

◆◆◆

Later that day, Rowan and Irene met up at Rowan's house.
It was the only time Irene was free and although he was nervous to be spending more time with her, especially when the subject of relationships was thrown into the mix, Eloise had popped in earlier to give him a pep talk.
Well, that's not entirely true.
She saw a cute mini bowtie in a charity shop and thought it would look adorable on Rowan's robot baby.
The pep talk came after, but if Rowan was being honest, most of his conversations with Eloise ended in a pep talk from her.

Rowan was flicking through the manual as Irene gently rocked their crying baby.
The pair knew babies were loud, but these babies were demonic.
Their cries made Irene feel like her ears were bleeding.

"I-I don't get it!
We did everything the manual said!
Why won't it stop crying?", exclaimed Rowan.

"I don't know but I'm two minutes away from shoving a sock in its mouth", replied Irene.
"Come on, there's got to be something we missed.
Try looking online!"

Rowan liked a lot of things about Irene.
Her intellect, her kindhearted nature, her awkwardness.
But right now?
He really liked her determination not to fail. This baby may be making them want to scream, but they were not going to go down without a fight.

"Time to make that baby our b*tch", he said, which earned a surprised expression from Irene.
"Oops, sorry.
Don't know where that came from, I just got caught up in the moment."

__________

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