Pitbabe S2, Chapter 30 pg 7
Pitbabe S2, Chapter 30 pg 7
“But it still hurts, doesn’t it?”
“Stop fussing, Charlie, I’m begging you.”
“Like you would understand,” I said in a tired tone, too exhausted to argue. I got up from the bed and headed to the shelf in the corner, opening the top drawer to rummage for the small tube of ointment I’d used on Babe’s wounds before.
“Understand what?” Even without looking, I knew Babe was probably pursing his lips and mocking me. “Understand that I can’t handle a tiny scratch? Like… are you scared this cracked lip will send poison straight to my heart?”
Look at him.
I’m genuinely worried, and he’s acting like this.
“Yeah, better put some ointment on it before the poison reaches your heart,” I played along with his sarcasm, walking back to the bed with the tube in hand. I shot a slight glare at the guy on the bed, noticing he was gearing up to playfully bolt. “Don’t you dare, Babe.”
“Alright, alright. I’m not running. No energy for that.”
Even just applying ointment requires multiple rounds of scolding. I’m starting to believe what Babe once said—that I’m the most fun person in the world to tease (at least for him). No matter the situation, Babe always finds a way to mess with me. But I can’t complain too much about it, because I tease him just as much.
“Open your mouth a little,” I said calmly, and Babe followed the instruction perfectly. He parted his lips just enough for me to apply the ointment to the corner of his mouth, then flashed a sweet smile, tilting his head back and forth like he was thrilled about his cracked lip. “What’re you smiling about?”
“I’m happy.”
“Happy about a cracked lip?”
“That you came back to take care of me.”
His response left me speechless. I knew Babe just meant he was happy we were back together like before, but my mind wandered further, back to when he had to learn to live alone after having me by his side for years. Ordering takeout instead of eating homemade food, sitting alone in a quiet living room, playing single-player games, swallowing sleeping pills, and forcing himself to sleep on this bed, all alone.
The happier he seemed that I was back, the more I couldn’t help but think how hard it must’ve been for him.
“Why that face?” Babe asked. He must’ve caught my expression easily. “I didn’t mean I’m gonna boss you around now that you’re back. I’ll take care of you too. If you want me to do anything, just…”
“I get it, I get it,” I quickly cut in before he misunderstood further. “I know what you mean, Babe. I’m happy to be back taking care of you too.”
“But your face doesn’t look that happy.”
Babe narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously, his cute demeanor easing the heaviness in my heart a bit. What surged forward instead was longing.
“Whoa!” A soft gasp escaped Babe’s lips as I suddenly pulled him into a tight hug. He was probably confused by my random behavior, and I couldn’t even find the words to explain how I felt. “What’s wrong, you mutt?”
I really missed him.
I only realized now how happy I was to be back by his side. Even if it’s not official yet, it’s still better than before—better than when we didn’t wake up or go to bed together.
“Missed you,” I said, still holding him tightly.
“Have I been gone or something?” Babe muttered, puzzled by my “missed you” as if we hadn’t been together for ages, or hadn’t just had hot, fresh sex. “Then who was banging me earlier… a dog?”
I laughed so hard my body shook.
He gets me with his jokes every time.
“If you’re saying you missed me just from walking five steps between the bed and the medicine cabinet, you’re in rough shape, Charlie.”
“No, it’s not…”
“If I go to the bathroom, are you gonna die of heartbreak?”
“Enough already,” I let go of the hug, lightly pushing the head of the guy who’d completely ruined the romantic mood. But part of me was grateful too, for lightening the weight in my heart. “I just realized I missed you a lot, Babe.”
“Just realized?”
“I mean, I’ve always known I missed you, but just now, I missed you so much, like, really much.”
“For real?”
“For real.”
“I thought I’d miss you like crazy, like it was just me feeling that way,” Babe said with a faint smile. He seemed a bit shy about saying something like this out loud. “Sometimes I think you might miss me too, but probably not as much.”
“Why would you think that?”
“I don’t know…” Babe’s face turned thoughtful. I still couldn’t believe he’d have thoughts like this. Why would Babe think I don’t miss him that much? Have I not shown him enough love all this time? “It just feels like I rely on you more. When you’re gone, I miss you a lot. But you… maybe you feel relieved not having me as a burden.”
“Slap your mouth.”
“What?”
“How can you call yourself a burden?” I said sternly, clearly upset, while Babe blinked rapidly, as if confused by my sudden, unprompted seriousness. “Don’t you think saying that would hurt me?”
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