STICKY NOTES // JSchlatt X Reader

24

You filled a box with most of the paper hearts and tucked it under your bed during your deep clean of the apartment in preparation for Schlatt's arrival. There were still a few pinned to your corkboard, but you figured those could stay. There weren't that many up there, and without them your board wouldn't look right.

It had been easy to settle the rest of the details of the trip with Schlatt, and then it was only a matter of counting the days until he arrived - something Maddy teased you for incessantly. You knew it was just good natured ribbing though; she wasn't the type of person to actually make fun of anyone. She was just as excited about this as you were - but for different reasons of course. In her head, this was when you made your move. 

It would never happen - you were too scared - but you let her have her hopes. 

You just kept ticking off the days on your sticky note calendar, and before you knew it, it was the day of Schlatt's arrival. Bright and early on a Wednesday morning, you found yourself at the airport with a coffee in hand, waiting for Schlatt to land. 

Looking around the place, nothing had changed since you had last been here, when Maddy had dropped you off to fly out to Schlatt's city. You were just as excited as you had been last time you were here - it was thrumming through you. If you pretended for a moment, this could even be the same day. Airports had always been something of a liminal space though, outside the reaches of time. 

Yet you kept checking the time anyway, wondering when Schlatt would land. He had told you that he was supposed to arrive around five minutes ago, but there were countless things that could have held him up. Getting off a flight was always a hassle, with everyone itching to get to where they were going. Or maybe there had been a problem at baggage claim - you would hate for him to lose his bags. Maybe he was still on the plane-

"Y/N!" 

You looked up from your phone to see him coming towards you, bags in tow. A wide smile broke out on your face as you took him in - it had been two months since you had seen him, but his face was still clean shaven, even though the last couple of videos he had posted had featured the return of the chops.

"You shaved." You said, grinning up at him. Seeing his clean face had no right to make your heart flutter as it did, but just knowing that he had taken the time to shave before he'd gotten on the plane made you smile. 

"Well, I know you prefer me clean-shaven, so I thought-" Schlatt started. 

You cut him off by barreling into his chest letting the affection overtake you and wrapping him up in a hug. It had been too long spent trying to make your feelings for him disappear and they overflowed you now. Schlatt dropped his bags to wrap his arms around you instead, squeezing you around the middle and lifting you off the ground with a triumphant smile on his face. 

"I take it you're happy to see me?" He said, putting you back down on the ground. 

"Of course." You said, reaching down to grab one of his bags. "I've been waiting for you to get here ever since you told me you were coming."

It was maybe a little too honest - but Schlatt laughed and smiled and then you were walking out to where you were parked, talking about the flight and the comment was behind you. It was nice just to be near him again; the months you had spent with just the videos and memories failed to do him justice, really. 

You helped him load his bags into the back of your car and slid into the drivers seat, starting up the car as Schlatt wedged himself into the passenger side. 

"Jesus." He griped, sliding the seat back as far as it would go. "Your car is fucking tiny."

"Well, they don't call all of us 'big guy'." You joked, backing out of your space and navigating your way to the highway that would take you back to the apartment. "Any music requests?"

Schlatt shrugged. "Whatever is good. It's your car."

You smiled, and just turned on what you had been listening to on the drive up. You watched in your peripheral vision as Schlatt relaxed into the seat with a yawn, watching the scenery pass by with half-lidded eyes. You were sure he was tired from getting up early and then flying for six hours. Good thing you had put new sheets on the guest bed. 

"The guest room is all cleaned out for you." You said. 

"Thanks again for that." Schlatt said. "It's nice not to have to book a room for once, and it's probably a lot cleaner. Last hotel room I was in I couldn't even move any of the furniture because is was cemented to the floor with semen."

You huffed out a laugh, exiting the highway and slowing down as you approached the inner sections of town. You would have to get used to his humor again too - it was surprising, how many things you had forgotten in the short time you had been apart, but then again you had been trying to stop thinking about him. 

And you were probably going to have to do it again after he left at the end of this trip.

Still, watching him try not to fall asleep in the passenger seat beside you, you couldn't help the rush of affection that surged through your veins. 

"You keep giving me the side eye." Schlatt said.

You laughed a little nervously - caught. "I'm just excited that you're here. It feels like forever since we've gotten to properly hang out."

A sleepy smile stretched over Schlatt's mouth. "Yeah, me too."