8 Sips of Blood | Stray Kids Mafia FanFic

Eric's backstory part 1

18 years ago

-Mommy?

Little Eric peeked through the crack between his door and the wall and spotted his mother crying while cleaning her bruised cheek with the edge of her skirt.

-Eric, stay in your room, she said between her sobs.

-Why are you bleeding? he asked innocently as his heart raced inside his chest. Did... Did daddy hurt you?

-No no no... This is a form of love. We were hugging and his ring cut my cheek. Don't worry about it! she forced a smile even though every move was making her wince in pain.

-Love?

-Yes! Love! Pain is part of our life. You didn't give 100% unless you're in pain.

-Pain... Eric repeated and wrapped his hands around his mother.

Eric Lambrook was the child of a modest English farmer, traditional and a bit violent with a short fuse and very much unchangeable ideas about society and a Korean high class lady that traded the riches for love foolishly.

As the years passed, his father grew old and more insufferable which led his wife to madness. Driven by regret and spite for the man besides her, she distanced herself from him and slowly began to pretend he wasn't even there.

She focused all her attention towards their child and made her life mission to turn Eric into her male version using her so-called tough love.

-Mother, I'm sorry! I did everything I could!

-Then why are your grades so low? she slammed the exam papers on her desk.

-I... I don't know, I studied all night!

-Not enough! Do you want to end up like your father, waiting for your death on a god damn couch? No! Then stop embarrassing yourself and get to work! This is your life and you will thank me later!

-But-

-This conversation is over.

-Mother...

She slapped him hard to shut him up and left the room while he rubbed his cheek with salty tears.

-Why won't you work, brain? You need a perfect score or you'll let mom down! Come on! Come on! Come on! he started hating himself in the head in frustration, trying his best to focus on the materials in his bed.

Every second of crying was a wasted second in which he could study. Every outburst was prohibiting him from studying even more. He had to be perfect. He had to do it for his mother.

When he finally did get a perfect grade, he went to his mother to show it to her.

She was on the phone, talking with one of her colleagues when Eric bumped into her. She pushed him to the ground, his arm rubbing against the harsh rug.

-Hang on a sec, she told her colleague. Eric, get up now! she yelled at him before returning to her conversation.

-But...I got 100%. She snatched the paper from him and analysed it quickly.

-I see. Good job. Keep going like this, she patted him for the first time in years.

His trembling body warmed up under the touch of his mother. He smiled widely, forgetting completely about his bruises and lack of sleep.

-Well? Go study! Make me proud, she added.

Years have passed and he reached high school under the radar of anyone. He didn't make any friends. Just academic rivals that needed to he taken down for his mother to congratulate him.

However, something happened in 10th grade. A day he would have remembered forever.

-Do you have an extra pencil?

-What? he turned around and met with a blonde boy with blue eyes.

-A pencil? I forgot mine at home.

Eric handed him his own and turned back to focus on the class.

-I'm Seonhun, the boy kept going.

-Good to know, Eric shrugged.

-I'm an exchange student from Korea. I bet you're pretty impressed by my English.

-I am astonished, Eric replied ironically.

-What about you? What's your name, Mister pen?

-Mister pen? he finally turned to face him with anger splattered on his face.

-Easier to remember, the blonde shrugged.

-Call me Eric. Just Eric. And no, I cannot pronounce your name. Fortunately I won't have to.

-Then call me Hun.

-I won't, Eric mumbled.

-You will, Hun teased.

After the class, Eric rushed through the halls, eager to go home and get back to studying when his new fried caught him by the shoulder and stopped him.

-Hang on! Your pencil, he handed the item to Eric.

-Yeah, thanks! I should go. I wasted a whole minute already. Mom is gonna be so angry, he looked at the clock in horror.

-Chill, man. You can relax for an hour, can't you?

-Why would I do that when I can study even more? Eric looked up, genuinely confused.

-Because you're human?!

-That makes no sense, he replied, trying to find the shortest way home so he can make it in time.

-ERIC?

-Mother, I'm so sorry I'm late! There was this boy and a pencil and...

-You know what happens when you're late, don't you?

-Less time to study leads to failing which leads to no job opportunities and a minimum wage with a life like dad's and eventually death. I know.

-You're studying for your future, not for mine. This should hurt more than my punishments. I'm trying to make you realize how important efficiency is.

-I know, mother. I'm sorry I was incompetent. It won't happen again, I promise.

-It better not.

He got slapped once that time, which was merciful for her.

And for the following weeks he kept his promise and avoided the boy.

_____________________________

Guess which angel is Eric and see at the end of the backstory if you were right.

For the record Eric was never taught Korean since his mother decided that the States would provide a better market, so he doesn't know how to pronounce Hun's name.

Thank you for reading!