schlatt (+lunch club) : babysitter

twenty six +

he's so different.

"schlatt .." his name tumbles from my mouth before i can even think.

"what happened are you okay? maya called-"
"it's just-" i let out a heavy cough into my mask and talk between deep breaths, "just some pneumonia.. i'll be okay. and its not a ... contagious form it's just my shitty lungs so ..

you can come closer.." i stare up at him.

he's barely recognisable. he has long hair, those mutton chops, a fashionable little korean hoodie on. completely different to the guy i met before.

"how do you feel?" he sits softly on the edge of my bed and i brush off the question.
"you look so different.." i smile.
"oh, yeah .. i grew out my hair in the pandemic." he pushes it back shyly.
"dont ever cut it!"
"hah, well-"
"and the .." i gesture tiredly to my cheeks.
"oh man the chops! yeah, iconic right?"
"yeah wow hah .. if i saw you on the street i'd barely recognise you!" i cough.
"but here..?"
"once i caught your eyes i knew right away." i sit up slightly.
"man i don't even know what to say i mean-"

"can i feel your hair?"

"i told you to never ask me that again." he sighs dramatically, shuffling closer on the bed. i run my fingers though his long head of chestnut hair and smile.

"just as soft as i thought it'd be."
"it's because i condition it now. gotta care for it now that it's so long."
"i wish i could brush it."
"you really like it now huh?"
"i just think it could use some extra care. it's so thick." i lift some gently to feel its density.

"what about the chops? you like them?" he says with a manly scratch of them.
"oh absolutely .." i chuckle and cough into my hand.
"hey!" he says, annoyed at my laughter.
"i'm happy with whatever you're happy with .. so yes, i like the chops."
"yeah! yeaaahhh!!" he says gruffly and laughs.

"i can't believe how different you look .."
"yeah?"
"you seem ... less grumpy. i like it." i smile.
"you look ... just like before. still pretty." he says through a mumble, almost hoping i don't notice.
"don't flatter me, i'm a mess.." i take in another breath, struggling with air still, "i'm in hospital." i gesture to my bed.
"you look better than when you had a bunch of bandages on your head, that's for sure." he laughs.
"touché." i smile and push back his hair some more.

he leans into my hand a little, "i missed you."
"i missed you."

"do you still watch me?" he asks with a grin.
"i didn't used to .." i smile awkwardly, "but i do now. i think i was watching you when i K. O.'d back home."
"and is your head okay?" he furrows his eyebrows and lifts some of my hair to see the scar, "it was pretty bad last time.."
"yeah, it's great. well-" i cough, "good as it can be."
he just stares for a bit before realising i can see him and then looks away.

"i just woke up from a dream about you actually." i say, coughing into my duvet and shuffling down slightly.
"what kind of dream?" he grins and raises and eyebrow.
"hey, no! it was scary! not- i was trying to get to you but the water was so thick and you saw me and came over easily but when i touched you, you disappeared." i sigh and sniff.

"well," he holds out his hand.
"promise i won't disappear."

i smile and hold it, his big hand making mine look little.

"see?"

my heart feels so warm at this. i never even hugged him before but just this ... feels wonderful. i want to hear him talk some more.

"i spoke to charlie recently .." i say, still staring down at our touching hands.
"oh yeah?" he tilts his head attentively.
"he said you moved out of new york? where's your new place?"
he chuckles shyly, "ahh well ... connor must've not told you."
"ohh!" i piece it together in my brain, "you're-"
"yeah we're roommates now."
"wow i ... i can't believe he didn't tell me ..." i push my hair back, confused.

"well, i told him not to .." he says, going to the wall to grab a chair.
"why?"
he sits down and scoots closer, "i thought ... well- i thought you didn't want to see me. or know about me."
"but you're here?"
"shot in the dark? i don't know .. i just heard you were sick and ... i had to come. i was worried it would be ... really bad ..." he looks solemnly down at his hands.
"well you're here now."  i smile. he returns it with a hopeful look.

"you should come over some time."
"yeah i haven't-" i cough, "visited connor in a while. i guess cause you were there."
"i have somebody i want you to meet too .." he takes out his phone quickly and my stomach drops.

does he have a girlfriend..?

i lean closer and he turns the screen to face me.

there's a little picture of a ginger tabby lying tiredly on his back on top of a little blue blanket.

"this is jambo."

i cover my mouth in shock and take his phone from him, "oh what a handsome little boy!"
"isn't he? a real trooper too. he had pneumonia and ringworm when i first got him so he's still a bit of a fixer upper." he smiles fondly down at the picture.
"pneumonia?"
he chuckles, "yeah, just like you."

"how old is he?"
"uhh about six months? just a little guy. he loves following me around and yelling, listen." he plays a little video of the boy meowing at him as he walks around.

"little boy. a baby."
"he's smart too. he rolls little balls up the bath so they come down again and he can play." he looks so proud of the kitty.
"oh i have to meet him .. as soon as i'm bette-" cough tiredly into my duvet again, gasping for breath. he quickly grabs me a tissue to blow my nose and sits close to me.

"does it hurt? .. to cough?" he says, twiddling his thumbs like a nervous kid.
"well, yeah. my lungs feel raw. like if you scraped your knee but .." i gesture to my chest, "inside."
"where's your doctor? i just wanna see what advice she can give ... anything i can do for you."

i grin slightly, "she's in the room next to this. tell her maya sent you."
"you gonna be good if i go?"
"as long as you don't disappear." i tap his knuckle.
he smirks, "oh i was actually just gonna fade into dust until you said that."
"thank god. then i wouldn't have to act like i'd missed you, schlaggy." i tease back.
"you're a pretty bad actor then, y/n."
"and you're a pretty bad liar."

"don't die while i'm out, okay?" he says and i nod. then he looks back once more before walking over to the door with a smile painted across his face.

i didn't realise how badly i missed our little bickering; how badly i missed him.