Pitbabe S2, Chapter 12 pg1

 Pitbabe S2, Chapter 12 pg1

   Chapter 12:

   BABE:

   Charlie’s mysteriously late today. He said the meeting ran longer than planned. At first, I was ready to throw a fit, but when I heard his exhausted voice, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. All I could say was, “It’s fine, I’ll play games while I wait.” Charlie kept apologizing nonstop until I felt guilty for even thinking of being upset with him. Because if he had a choice, Charlie would probably want to come back to me sooner too. I believe that, really.

   At 9:15 p.m., I hear the sound of the automatic door unlocking downstairs. My body, which had been lounging limply on the bed, springs up instantly, as if fully recharged. I race down the stairs two steps at a time while Charlie drags his feet slowly. His lips curve into a smile when he sees me running toward him, but the exhaustion in his eyes is obvious, even from the second floor.

   “How many times have I told you not to run down the stairs?” Charlie grumbles half-heartedly, his arms already open, waiting for me to rush into them. I respond to the signal perfectly, and my hug makes him stumble slightly. I’m not sure if it’s because I came in too strong or because Charlie has no energy left.

   “You’re like jelly,” I say, still holding the bespectacled guy tightly in my arms. “Been to war or something?”

   “Something like that,” Charlie laughs. Even his laugh sounds weak, almost heartbreakingly so. “So much going on today.”

   “Like what?”

   “Can I tell you later?”

   If he’s looking that tired and I still force him to talk, I’d be too heartless. I nod lightly, as if to say, whatever, before slowly pulling out of the hug. Charlie lifts his hand to ruffle my hair, his eyes seeming to focus more on the wound on my forehead than on my own gaze. His kissable lips turn down slightly, like he’s regretting something.

   “Did you dress the wound yourself?” Charlie asks.

   “Oh… yeah,” I reply, feeling a bit guilty for taking over his job. I completely forgot it might make Charlie feel bad for coming home late and not being able to do it for me like usual. “I didn’t have anything to do, so after my shower, I just did it.”

   “Stole my job.”

   “You’re this tired and still want to play nurse?”

   “It’s my duty.”

   “Wrong,” I say, lightly poking his sensitive forehead. “Whoever’s free does it. What’s this about your duty?”

   Charlie pursed his lips, looking a bit displeased. I knew he was probably blaming himself for not taking care of me as well as usual. Honestly, I’m frustrated about it too. I’ve been trying to tell him forever that he doesn’t need to stress himself out trying to do everything for me. He’s my boyfriend, not my nanny or bodyguard, and I can take care of myself (even if not as well as Charlie does). Charlie always acts like he gets it, but then he goes right back to blaming himself every time I have to do something on my own. I have no idea where he got this extreme mindset from.

   “You weren’t wearing this outfit this morning, were you?” After talking for a few minutes, I finally noticed that Charlie’s clothes were different from what he had on when he left. I remember he was wearing a white T-shirt under a black short-sleeved button-up, but now he’s in a white graphic tee I don’t even recall him owning, plus black cotton pants instead of his favorite jeans.

   “Oh… this is Chris’s outfit,” Charlie said, like it just clicked for him. “There was a little accident.”

   “Accident?”

   “Ms. Liu bumped into me with her bubble tea. I was sitting there, and it spilled all over me.”

   “See? Told you that chick’s weird,” I said, already picturing it. That moonstruck researcher was probably wandering around the lab in her usual daze, looking like she’s communing with another galaxy. No surprise she’s clumsy enough to dump bubble tea all over my boyfriend. “You keep hiring weirdos to work with you.”

   “She didn’t mean it,” Charlie said.

   “Obviously. If she did it on purpose, I’d go knock her out.”

   “You gonna get revenge for me?” Charlie tilted his head, giving me that cute look, like he knew it’d stop me from griping about his clumsy researcher.

   “Of course. Someone messes with my boyfriend, you think I’m just gonna sit back?”

   “So cool,” he teased.

   “Born this way, baby,” I said, poking Charlie’s sharp nose before nudging him toward the couch. “Go sit. I’ll grab you some water.”

   “Let me get it—”

   “Sit.”

   “Yes, sir,” Charlie shut his mouth quick. The moment I used that firm tone, the puppy who was about to argue tucked his tail instantly. I swear I could hear a little whimper in his expression. Guess I need to stop seeing Charlie as a dog so much.

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