Lachlan's P.O.V.
Being a quadriplegic wasn't pretty. It wasn't easy, I wasn't able to be independent, I was barely able to do anything in fact, but most depictions of people suffering from quadriplegia got it very wrong. A lot of us weren't completely paralyzed from the neck down, in fact, depending on which vertebrae the injury occurred in, we could have a wide range of motion in our arms our shoulders. That didn't make it any easier though.
I had been injured fairly young, at ten, and had thus had almost 14 years to regain some amount of strength and to know the boundaries. I knew what I could and couldn't do without help, I knew when I needed someone there, even if it was just to supervise. But still, I couldn't do most things on my own. That was where Mitch came in, and bless him because he was a godsend.
He had learned how to deal with care from being, you know, my brother, and once we moved in together in an accessible house everything kind of fell into place. With my limited movement all I could really do was edit Mitch's stuff but his streaming career allowed us to live a very comfortable life, and I helped out where I could. I had to use a trackpad, but it worked.
"Lachlan!" Mitch called, and I turned my chair towards him. He was standing in the doorway with a plate of my lunch, a sandwich, a small pack of crisps and an apple. I lit up. "Lunch! I know it's almost three but you haven't eaten today, I know that."
"Thank you!" I said happily, gesturing with a closed fist to place it on the table beside me. Not that I could gesture any other way, because I literally couldn't open either of my hands. "Are you staying?" He shook his head.
"I'm picking Rob up from the airport, remember? He's staying for a couple of weeks." I blinked, and then nodded. I had totally forgotten that one of his YouTube friends was coming to stay if I was totally honest. "Are you alright on your own for an hour?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I won't be going anywhere, I'll just be editing probably." He nodded and helped me get my hand around the sandwich. I could normally do it on my own but I had been struggling. I bit down, hoping that my hands wouldn't spasm and I wouldn't squish it. That happened sometimes. "I was hungry though."
"I figured." Mitch laughed. He gave me a side hug. "I'll be back in a little while, 'kay?"
"Mm, 'kay."
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I was indeed in the middle of editing when Mitch arrived back home, accompanied by Rob. I didn't know his friend, I knew they had recorded and competed together sometimes, but I didn't know what he looked like or who he was really. I had assumed he knew about me and my disability.
"Lachlan!"
I wheeled my chair out of the office and down the hall, grinning as my brother and friend came into view. Rob had his suitcase sitting just inside the front door and was looking around the house with some interest. There was some unusual additions to the house that not everyone would have to make my life easier and to allow me some form of independence. Handles on the edge of each door so I could pull it closed, an elevator, and wide open hallways with tile and wood flooring so I could manoeuvre without any issue. Mitch grinned at me, nudging his friend. Rob turned to me.
"Oh! Hi, I've been waiting to meet you." He laughed. "Mitch talks about you a lot. Can I give you a hug?"
I nodded, but laughed myself. "Sure, but I'm not that great at hugging back."
When he did lean down to give me a hug I immediately noticed that he smelled like... lemongrass? It was an interesting scent and it intrigued it because not only was he cute as hell, he was kind, he wasn't acting weird around me and Mitch talked about him enough to know that they were pretty good friends.
Not wanting to interrupt the two and their catch up time I headed back to my office. They hadn't seen each other in a while and if Mitch wanted to include me in their conversations he would, but he also knew when I didn't want to be involved. I heard them laughing and chattering in the living room, snacks being consumed, cups of coffee. Pulling my headphones back on I turned back to my computer. It was going to be a long few hours.
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There was a gentle knock on my door and I turned to see Rob standing there, looking unsure. I gave him a curious look.
"Hi ummm Mitch is asleep and I don't really know my way around the house and I'm kinda hungry..."
"Oh!" I grinned. "Hold up, I'll help. Why's Mitch sleeping? It's only seven isn't it? If anything, I thought you'd be sleeping given you've just flown from Canada and it's what... 5am there?" Rob shrugged.
"I slept most of the flight so I'm not actually tired, surprisingly. I am hungry though." He said it all with a friendly grin and I rolled my eyes.
"Alright, alright, I'll come help. Give me a sec. Want anything particular? We've got a whole bunch in the fridge and breakfast stuff and all that, it depends what you want."
"Uhh, something warm? Leftovers if you've got them, I just didn't know if there was anything I shouldn't have. Did you have dinner?" He asked.
"No, but I only had lunch at three. Might have something though."
Turning, I pushed my chair with my limited movement. I wasn't actually pushing my chair, there were mechanisms and motors installed in my wheels that meant my light pushes translated into actual movement. If I didn't have the motors I would be able to move at all given my limited use of my upper body. The kitchen was quiet and oh, Mitch was actually sleeping on the couch. I couldn't help but giggle at him.
"I'll wake him later." I said. "And make him actually go to bed. I don't think sleeping on the couch would be great for his back, considering he has to help throw me around most of the day."
"Are you gonna be alright without him?" He said, genuinely concerned. "I- I don't really know how much you can do, can you get into bed on your own?"
"Nope." I said as I wrestled a bowl of casserole out of the fridge. Mitch divided all the leftovers up into meals for me in case I wanted one. "I can if it's a mattress on the floor but that's about it, falling out of my chair. That's why I'm gonna wake him up. Can you put that in the microwave? I'm gonna have the leftover pasta instead."
He helped me as much as he could, doing everything I directed without much question. I mean, it was pretty obvious why I couldn't do some things like carrying plates or bowls when I would probably drop them, and he helped me hook the rubber band around my hand so I could hold a fork.
I was yawning by the end of the meal, rubbing my face with the back of my hand and glancing over at Mitch occasionally, where he was still sleeping. Rob watched.
"Tell you what, I'll go get Mitch up to bed and then help you. No sense in waking him if he really is that tired. If you're okay with that?" He watched me, for any sign of distrust I supposed. I nodded, because Mitch deserved a break from everything. He had looked after me almost every day since we had moved in together and I knew he needed some time to himself.
"That's fine." I yawned. "Thank you, it'd be good to give him a break."
There were a few minutes that I was alone while Rob woke my brother and helped him upstairs before coming back down, grinning.
"Mitch says some weird stuff when he's half awake. I think he thought that I was your mum." He laughed, motioning for me to show him where to go because I had to go up the elevator. He stepped in with me, looking around with interest.
The thing that surprised me was how strong he was. I was 6 foot 3, so I was by no means light, but when I asked Rob was able to lift me from my chair and transfer onto my bed seemingly without any exertion. I blinked at him from where I was lying.
"I lift." He grinned. "You aren't actually that heavy."
"Oh." I paused. "Th- thanks. Thanks for today. I think Mitch needed it."
And as he smiled, as bright as ever, something in my chest fluttered. I liked him, I think.
"Night Lachlan." He turned, pulling the door half closed behind him. "See you in the morning."
