Through the Screen

"nan, i'm a hundred years younger than you and i'm pretty sure i can knit better than that," adrian rolls his eyes but hugs the loosely knitted sweater close to his chest, the fabric smelling both strangely and comfortingly like his grandmother—a faint scent of roses and a specific brand of detergent that she buys from the pits that were located deep somewhere in the northern part of england.

"okay you cheeky little thing, you don't have to abuse your nan like that," she pinches his left cheek and adrian scrunches his nose in response, leaning in the opposite direction so his cheek is free of the assault.

"mum! how many sugars in your tea?" noah yells from the kitchen, abel 's cheeks flushing just by the sound of it, and he shifts his body closer to the edge of the dining table to hide more of himself. he had been trying not to act suspicious and give away anything to noah's mum, but it was getting harder every second noah pretended to enjoy their family gathering with abel present in the same room. he knew him just being there was taking a toll on every breath that encased noah's lungs.

"one please! i'm trying to tone it down," kathryn muttered, and adrian just giggled in response, shifting his chair more towards her so he could rest his head on her shoulder. the older woman just smiled adoringly, lacing her fingers through his textured hair and pressing an affectionate kiss to his forehead.

"oh abel! i almost forgot, i made you your favourite cookies!" she broke the uncomfortable silence, reaching into her bag and pulling out a medium sized tupperware container and placing it on the table, her eyebrows furrowing when she noticed the uninterested expression on abel 's face. he looked as if he didn't even acknowledge he was being talked to—his eyes focused on the silver salt shaker in the middle of the dining table, his thumbs overlapping one another again and again, and his lips pursed.

"abel?" kathryn waved her hand in front of his face and then there it was, the lost expression startling all at once and the most heartbreaking of smiles on his face as he looked at her, eyes dim and devoid of colour.

"sorry i got—what were you saying?" his voice is anything but himself. there is no youth, no zeal in his tone, it sounds just as broken as he looks—carrying the weight of lethargy from something unknown to her.

you, i know you love them," she smiled, soft crinkles

didn't have to," abel bites his tongue, and kathryn brushes

as if you've never called me mum before," she leaned over and ruffled the frizzy mess of curls. "i have

of things about which he is just thinking and not saying. most of

a confused smile. "i mean, you're everyone's mum," he stated as

to look at his father, kathryn simply held an element of surprise on her face because of the sudden voice and abel, he proceeded to bite his lip and hide the redness of his cheeks by running

of not meeting noah's gaze went downhill once noah cleared his throat, placing a cup of tea in front of abel as well, abel 's cheeks flushing further at the gesture as he looked up at

epitome of motherhood," she said with an accent thicker than her original one, accompanied by a playful wiggle of her eyebrows as noah shook his head and giggled, his laugh seeming more genuine

your boat," adrian rolled his eyes, pushing the hair covering his forehead under

are a very annoying child," kathryn mocked him empty heartedly, noah taking one of the chairs next to her so he can sit down. "unfortunately for me, those are the kind of children i've always been around," she nudged

pouted, just for the dramatic effect and kathryn shrugged, grabbing the mug of tea and blowing on the