Chapter Text
The morning sun had already climbed high over the city when Jobe, a college student who had stayed out late partying the night before, finally dragged himself out of bed. His head still felt heavy from the lack of sleep, and his body ached from spending most of the night singing, dancing, drinking, and hanging out with his friends.
After getting home in the early hours of the morning, Jobe had barely managed to throw himself to his bed before passing out, completely drunk and exhausted.
Now, waking up much later than usual, he groggily reached for his phone and squinted at the time,
The clock on his phone showing it’s now 12 pm.
Jobe stared at the screen for a few seconds, his sleepy eyes struggling to process the time.
Then, his heart suddenly dropped.
He was supposed to wake up at 10 am.
It’s not because he had somewhere important to be, or morning classes. But because he had promised his brother that he would take his son to kindergarten this morning.
And now it was already half past twelve.
“Oh, shit…”
Jobe immediately sat upright, the exhaustion disappearing from his face as panic took over instead.
He looked around his messy bedroom, his eyes widened.
“Fuck!” Jobe jumped out of his bed.
“Where is my nephew?!”
At twenty years old, he was not used to early duties, and the apartment whom belonged to his brother, Jude, felt too quiet without the usual bustle of the small family.
Erling and Jude had left for their vacation days ago, trusting Jobe, to look after their son, Elias, while they enjoyed some time away. Fuckass lovebirds leaving their little squirt of responsibility, Jobe thinks.
Actually, the truth is Elias had refused to join the trip, he preferred to stay at home instead, so Jobe– who been living at the college dorm had agreed to crash at his brother and the husband apartment for days. He will handle Elias activities, feed him, bathe him, play with him.
Everything had done well for the past 2 days. Now they back to Monday. Elias has to go to kindergarten, and Jobe also has to take of the kindergarten runs. But today, everything had gone wrong from the start.
“Elias?!”
Jobe hurried out of the bedroom, still half-asleep. His bare feet slapped against the apartment floor as he rushed toward the living room.
“Elias, where the hell—”
He then stopped.
There, sitting in the middle of the couch, was Elias.
The little boy looked completely miserable.
His cheeks were wet with tears, his lower lip trembling as he sniffled quietly. In his small hands was a box of cereal, which he was eating straight from the box, one handful at a time.
Jobe can only stared for a seconds before He rubbed his face in frustration.
He approach his still teary nephew, and sat beside him.
Elias, the five year old boy with tear streaked cheeks, had been trying to wake his uncle for hours before.
“Uncle Jobe, please! I'm gonna be lateeeeeeee!!!” he had cried, tugging at the blankets, pushing Jobe's hands, punching his back, even pulling his ear over and over.
Yet his uncle kept sleeping. Elias Leaving Jobe on his dead simulation games and moving to the kitchen, grabbing whatever was there and eating it up messily while he was just on his underwear and socks.
Jobe scratched the back of his head, staring at Elias with a genuine confused expression.
“Wait… Elias...you woke me up?”
Elias nodded. “I called you over and over, Uncle!”
“And I didn't hear you?”
Elias nod.
Jobe frowned, trying desperately to remember what had happened that morning.
He vaguely remembered something crawling onto his bed. Maybe a tiny hand shaking his shoulder. Maybe someone saying his name.
“Damn,” he muttered. “I really slept through that? Just how drunk was i?”
Elias sniffled, Jobe sighed and ruffled his hair. “Okay. No more crying. You're hungry, right?” Elias nodded again.
“Come on.” He picked Elias up, walking into the kitchen. He grabbed a glass, a bowl, a spoon, and the carton of milk,
“Want to finish your cereal?” Jobe asking, pointing at the mess of cereal box on the couch.
Elias shook his head. “I want eggs.” He say in a tiny voice.
“Of course! Your beloved and responsible Uncle will make you one.” He said with a chuckles, trying to changing the heavy mood on early of the morning.
Jobe muttered under his breath as he pulled a pan from the cabinet.
A few minutes later, he managed to put together a proper breakfast, scrambled eggs, toast, fruit, and a glass of milk. Giving it to Elias, then continue to make himself a coffee.
Elias sat at the kitchen counter, slowly eating while Jobe leaned against the counter beside him.
For a brief moment, everything seemed normal and fixed under his management.
Then Jobe's phone vibrated on his pants pocket, Jobe taking it out, just to see a shocking massage that his brother, Jude, was given.
Judie brodie
Hey Jobe
Don't forget to send Elias to his kindergarten at 10!!!!
7:12 am
Did you send him offfff????????
Text me back!!!!
Or no souvenirs from us
10:12 am
Elias class finished at 2!!!
Don't forget to pick him up!!!!
12:47 pm
His eyes widened.
Fuck
Jobe haven't even send him off.
“...Oh, you've got to be kidding me.”
Elias looked up to him, still chewing his food.
“What happen, Uncle?”
Jobe sighing, checking the time again and they were nearly three hours late.
“Elias.”Jobe called him.
“What is it?”
“You're supposed to be at kindergarten, right?”
Elias slowly lowered his fork.
“I supposed to! I'm late Uncle!!” Elias answered, lips pouting.
“You know what, Uncle?” Elias continue, replying quietly. “I think I should have a day off.”
Jobe stared and blinked. “A day off?” He ask, not sure of what he heard earlier.
“Yeah.” Elias nodded seriously. “I'm embarrassed if I go there so late.”
Jobe stared at him for a moment before rubbing his face. “Elias..... your dads is going to murder me.”
“But I already so late!”
“I know that, Elias–”
“Everyone will look at me, and they will know I'm late and they will laugh at me!”
“Nobody will laughing at you! Well maybe there's some– but that's not the point, let's just go now” Jobe walking to Elias bedroom, getting his clothes and bag.
Elias folded his arms.
“Nooooo!!! I should stay at home.” He say eagerly.
“No.”
“Whyyyyyyyyyy?”
“Because it's my responsibility to take care of you, and it's also my mistake so at least I don't make it worse by letting you skip a day off.” Jobe explaining while helping Elias wear his clothes.
Elias frowned.
After finished, Jobe pointed toward the hallway. “Come on. We're going.” He says, picking Elias bag and the car key.
“No.”
“Elias.”
“No.”
Jobe sighed. “Please don't make this harder than it already is.”
Jobe picked him up off the floor.
“Hey!” Elias grunted.
“Sorry, squirt. There's no a day off for you.”
They hurried down to the parking lot.
“Come on, Elias.”
Elias climbed into the back seat and buckled himself in, while Jobe rushed around to the driver's side. He pulled out of the parking lot and drive onto the road.
Elias sobbed quitly, his small hand gripping the seatbelt. “I told you, I told you! Papa and Dada always get me there on time. You're not taking care of me right!”
Jobe felt a pang of guilt but focused on driving faster. “Okay, Alright it's my fault, sorry, Elias. I didn't mean to sleep in. We'll make it.” But deep down, Jobe knew it was too late.
When they finally reached the kindergarten parking lot, the front playground was empty, and the other children already inside since earlier. Elias was furious, his face red from crying and anger. “I don't want to go inside!!!!” Elias cry out.
Jobe still picking Elias out of his seat, walking them towards the building door.
Just then, one of the teachers approached them.
A guy with braided hair with a colorful shirt, wearing a name tag that written
Hi! My name is
Mr. Michael
From jobe perspective, he had a stern expression that didn't match the gentle image that most people expected from a kindergarten teacher. No maternal vibes or whatever that is.
“Elias?” He called, Jobe putting him down to stand on his own. Elias head lower down, his eyes staring into the ground.
He knelt slightly to Elias's level. “What happened here, Elias? Why are you upset?” He ask, His voice sound deep yet gentle.
Elias sniffled and poured out the whole story, his words tumbling out between sobs.
“Uncle Jobe wouldn't wake up! I tried and tried, but he kept sleeping. Now I'm so late!!!” The older guy listened patiently, then scooped Elias up into his arms.
“It's okay, Elias. Let's get you inside with the others.” He carried the still crying boy toward the door, but then paused to glance back at Jobe. “You, stay right there. I need to talk to you.”
Jobe shifted uncomfortably as he disappeared inside with Elias. Leaving him guilty and scared over his own mistake.
When the teacher returned a few minutes later, he stand right Infront of Jobe, crossed his arms and fixed Jobe with a direct stare.
“Do you have any idea how this affects a child? Elias is used to being accompanied by his parents, who always being on time. Now his uncle shows up late without a care? What kind of example is that?”
Jobe's face flushed with embarrassment. The younger guy had never expected such a direct confrontation from the teacher. “I... I'm really sorry about that. It won't happen again. I overslept, and—”
“Save the apologies for Elias. He's the one who needs to hear it.” With that, the older guy turned and headed back inside, leaving Jobe standing alone at the front door.
Then he go back to the car, choosing to stay around the kindergarten until pick up time. He grunt frustrated, picking up the phone on his pocket, he dialed his brother, needing to asking something.
When Jude answered, Jobe jumped straight in. “Hey, do you know this teacher named Michael at Elias's kindergarten?” He ask, his tone full of curiosity.
Jude's voice came through with a hint of amusement. “Mr. Michael? Yeah, he's Elias's favorite teacher, he talks about him all the time. Why? What happened?”
Jobe stare at the phone, confused. “That guy? Elias's favorite? How in the hell– he was nagging at me earlier like I committed a crime. He doesn't look like the type to be gentle with kids at all.”
Jude chuckled softly on the other end. “It must be your problem, Jobe, you probably did something to set him off. Mr. Michael's might not been the cheerful type, but he sure is kind and caring!! That's why the kids love him, especially Elias.”
“Well then! Erl is calling, gotta go! We're back at Wednesday, okay? tell Elias we missed him! Bye!”
Jude ended the call, leaving Jobe just staring blank at the kindergarten door.
Meanwhile, back at the kindergarten, Michael went from one child to another with patient attentivenes. He wasn't the type to cheer everyone on with exaggerated enthusiasm or entertain the children with funny things.
Instead, the older man showed his care through steady attention, helping a child with their small problem, offering a reassuring hand during story time, or simply listening whenever one of the little ones needed to talk.
The kids gravitated toward him anyway, drawn to his calm and reliable presence.
Elias, now settled at his table with dried tear marks still faintly visible on his cheeks, watched Mr. Michael with obvious adoration. His little hands were wrapped around a crayon, though he had barely touched the drawing in front of him.
Michael noticed.
He crouched beside Elias's chair. “You've been very quiet today.”
Elias looked up at him.
“I was so late, Mr. Michael.” He pout.
Michael's expression softened.
“It's fine, Elias.....Your friends understand that, right? Keep your chin up, buddy.”
Elias lowered his head, suddenly embarrassed again. “Yeah, but it's not my fault....Uncle is overslept.” He says.
Michael paused for a moment.
“He sure did, didn’t he?”
Elias nodded. “He sleep like a baby, and I don't even sleep like that!”
“Mhm, Thats bad.” Michael's lips twitched, almost forming a smile. “Listen here, Elias. When your Uncle overslept again, you have to pour water over his head to wake him up, okay?”
Elias giggled quietly. “I will do that!!” He says excitedly.
Michael reached over and gently straightened the corner of Elias's drawing paper.
“So, are you feeling better now?”
Elias nodded.
“A little.”
“A little is still good.” Michael tapped the crayon in Elias's hand.
“What are you gonna draw?”
“My family!!” Elias continue drawing something on his paper.
Michael glanced at the drawing that Elias made.
There were several brightly colored figures drawn with uneven lines, one noticeably taller than the others. “Which one is you?”
Elias pointed at one of the smallest figures.
“This is me.” He pointed to the small drawing of a boy, poorly drawn but Michael can still tell that Elias work hard on that.
Then Michael eyes wondering on the character with black hair “And who's this?”
“Papa Jude!!” Elias answer excited. Michael smiling, nodded toward the tallest figure with bright yellow crayon colored hair.
“And that must be your Dada.”
Elias smiled proudly.
Then Elias continue to draw but this time he draws it far away from the 3 figures, making it almost on the corner of the paper “Aaaaaand that one is Uncle.” He says.
Michael looked at the more poorly drawn character. He chuckled at how less effort Elise put on it.
“He's very tall.” Michael respond.
“He is! Just like Dada and Papa!”
Michael nodded.
“Have you talk to him, Mr. Michael?” Elias ask, face curious.
Michael smile awkwardly, “Ah– yeah, I did”
“Really!! I hope Mr. Michael and Uncle can be friends!” He said that excitedly.