there she goes - jschlatt

tangled sheets

the morning light filtered through the curtains, casting soft shadows across the room. I stirred, the warmth of the blankets cocooning me in comfort. the events of last night felt surreal—a whirlwind of emotions, ice cream, and unexpected closeness with schlatt.

as I blinked away sleep, I became aware of the weight beside me. turning slightly, I found schlatt still sleeping, his tousled hair framing his face, a faint smile playing on his lips. for a moment, I just watched him, my heart fluttering with a mixture of feelings. the way he looked so peaceful, so at ease, made me forget everything else.

I shifted a little, trying not to wake him, but the sheets tangled around my legs, pulling me closer to him. I could smell the faint scent of his cologne mixed with the lingering aroma of the night—smoky from the fire, sweet from the ice cream. I felt the warmth of his soft hoodie against my back, and a rush of warmth as I recalled how we had sat together, talking and laughing, sharing our frustrations about sierra. it was a different side of schlatt I hadn't seen before, and it made my heart ache in ways I didn't fully understand.

as if sensing my gaze, schlatt stirred and opened his eyes, squinting against the light. "morning," he murmured, his voice gravelly and thick with sleep.

"morning," I replied softly, my heart racing at the intimacy of the moment.

he pushed himself up on one elbow, a lazy grin spreading across his face. "what time is it?"

"I don't know," I said, glancing at the clock. "probably too early for a weekend."

he chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "then let's make the most of it before the world wakes up."

I felt a thrill at his suggestion. it was strange how comfortable it felt to be here with him, despite the chaos surrounding sierra. "what do you want to do?"

"how about we raid your kitchen? I could go for some breakfast," he said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

"sure, but don't blame me if it's just cereal," I replied, pulling myself out of bed and following him.

as we walked into the kitchen, the tension of the night before hung in the air, but it felt different now—lighter. I watched as schlatt rummaged through the cabinets, a playful look on his face as he held up a box of cereal.

"breakfast of champions?" he asked, grinning.

"if you're a champion at being lazy," I teased, reaching for the milk.

he laughed and poured a generous amount into two bowls, and we settled at the small table, our knees brushing against each other. the simple act felt loaded with unspoken words, and I was acutely aware of how easy it was to fall into this rhythm with him.

as we ate, the conversation flowed easily. we talked about everything and nothing, sharing stories from our pasts, and I found myself laughing more than I had in a long time. it was refreshing to be so open with someone, especially after the heaviness of sierra's betrayal.

"so, what's next for you?" he asked, a curious glint in his eyes. "now that you're free from sierra's drama?"

I hesitated, the weight of my feelings pressing down on me. "I don't know. I mean, I wanted to figure things out with her, but... now it feels like everything is up in the air."

"you don't need to worry about her," he said, his tone shifting to something more serious. "you deserve better than that kind of toxicity."

his words resonated deeply, and I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me. "thanks, schlatt. that means a lot."

"besides," he continued, a playful smirk returning, "it just means more time for us to hang out without interruptions."

"yeah, us," I said, trying to keep my tone light. the air crackled with unspoken possibilities, and I felt my heart race at the thought.

"you're thinking too much," he said, noticing the shift in my demeanor. "let's just enjoy this. no pressure."

"right. just enjoying," I echoed, forcing a smile as I took a sip of my cereal. but my mind was racing with thoughts about how to navigate the complicated feelings that were blossoming between us.

after breakfast, we moved to the living room, sprawling out on the couch. the casual intimacy of the moment wrapped around us like a blanket. I leaned against the armrest, my head resting on the back of the couch while schlatt lay with his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling.

"you know," he said, breaking the comfortable silence, "I'm really glad we spent last night together. I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did."

"me too," I replied, feeling bold enough to meet his gaze. "it was nice to have someone to talk to."

"and to share ice cream with?" he added, a teasing glint in his eye.

"especially that," I shot back, my heart racing as I remembered the way our fingers had brushed against each other while eating.

the air shifted, the tension palpable as he turned on his side to face me. "you know, we can have more nights like that. if you want."

"like... what do you mean?" I asked, my heart racing. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks.

"just us," he said, his voice dropping to a lower tone. "no drama, just... whatever this is." he gestured between us, and I held my breath, feeling the weight of his words.

"whatever this is," I repeated, my mind spinning with possibilities. "I'd like that."

he smiled, and for a moment, I thought he might lean in closer, but then he hesitated, a shadow flickering across his face. "but we should probably talk about sierra first. you know... just to clear the air."

the mention of her name made my heart sink, the reality of the situation crashing back in. "right. sierra..."

"she doesn't deserve any more of our time," schlatt said firmly, his gaze steady. "but I want to make sure you're okay with everything that happened."

"I appreciate that," I said softly. "it's just... I thought things were different with her."

"it's hard when you care about someone, and they betray you like that," he replied, his voice low and understanding. "but you can't let that define you. you're stronger than that."

his words were a balm for my frayed nerves, and I felt a flicker of hope ignite within me. "thanks for saying that. it's nice to hear someone believe in me."

"always," he said, his gaze locking onto mine. "and I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

"okay," I breathed, feeling a warmth spread through me. it was a promise, unspoken but understood.

the moment lingered, thick with potential. I felt like we were on the brink of something new, something exciting. I just hoped we could navigate it without the ghosts of our pasts haunting us.

"so, what do you want to do today?" I asked, eager to shift the mood back to lightness.

"how about we go for a drive?" he suggested. "get some fresh air and see where the day takes us."

"sounds good to me," I said, feeling a surge of excitement at the thought of spending more time with him, away from everything else.

as we got ready to leave, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was the beginning of something significant. the tangled sheets behind us were a reminder of the night we had shared, and I was ready to see where our journey would lead.