I Do I Did

Twenty One

"I'm going with you."

"No."

Pete was following Patrick around his bedroom as he changed his outfit. Patrick was trying his hardest to ignore him. He grabbed a pair of beige skinny jeans from the closet. Pausing to pull them up his legs. He dug in his drawer for a pink T-shirt.

It rolled up as he slipped it over his head. Pete helped him straighten it out. Patrick muttered a thank you. He headed back to the closet and dug through his array of cardigans. Stopping on a white one and pulling it off the hanger. He walked back to the mirror and put on his glasses and hat. Not bad. Maybe even Ryan would approve.

"Are you trying to look as gay as possible?" Pete asked.

"What?" Patrick glanced at Pete in the mirror instead of turning to look at him head on.

"Your outfit just screams, Hey everyone, I'm a bottom!" He teased.

"Good." He wiped the nonexistent wrinkles from his shirt. "Maybe William will take me up on that."

Patrick was suddenly being pushed against the mirror. His cheek was squished against the glass. He could feel Pete's hand on the back of his neck. Making it impossible for him to move.

"Don't test me, Patrick." He warned.

"My, My, are we grumpy today." Patrick muttered the words the best he could. "Someone must have forgotten their morning cocktail."

"Fuck you."

Pete racked his brain. Trying to remember if Patrick's little joke was accurate. And holy shit, it was! He didn't take anything this morning. He dropped his hand away from Patrick. Patrick circled around to look at him.

"Pete?" His eyebrows pushed together in concern. "Did you take your medicine?"

"I forgot."

"How do you forget something like that?"

"I-my mind was preoccupied."

"That should be on the forefront."

Patrick sighed deeply. Shaking his head at Pete as he walked from the room. Of course Pete followed him out. Not really sure where Patrick was headed. At first he thought they were going downstairs. Until he kept straight. Walking to the other side of the house.

Pete didn't catch on to his destination intention until he slowed his pace when he passed Pete's bedroom. Patrick was headed to his office.

"Patrick, wait!"

It was too late. Patrick twisted the knob to the door and walked in the room. Pausing in astonishment. Pete walked in few seconds behind him.

They both stood in silence. Staring at the walls. Patrick's silence was one of disbelief. Pete's silenced was one of slight embarrassment. Because covering the walls of his office, were Patrick's paintings.

There were the newer ones. The ones he painted while he was living here. And there were ones from his old apartment. Ones he painted before he even knew Pete. They were all beautifully framed. Hung by smiliar color schemes and artistic style.

Patrick swallowed. He was trying to find the right words to say. Trying to explore which emotions he should feel. Should he feel happy that Pete actually cared enough to save all his paintings? Or should he feel offended that his greatest works were being confined to one room in such a grand house? He felt a little of both.

"I was wondering where my paintings went." Was all he let himself say.

"I- well, Meagan didn't want them hanging around the house. She wanted me to sell them. Or just throw them out."

"So you put them in here?" Patrick said more to himself than to Pete.

"Yes."

Patrick blinked back the irrational tears that were starting to form in his eyes. Everything Pete did just made him so emotional. Maybe that was just what happened when you loved someone so much. They could take full control of your emotions. He took a deep breath to calm himself before looking back at Pete.

"Thanks for not throwing them away."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"I-um, your pills." He pointed to the desk.

"Oh right!"

Pete walked past Patrick to the desk. He opened the top drawer. Sitting the three pill bottles on the desk. Patrick walked over to the mini fridge and opened the door. Taking out what he assumed was water. It was in a dark blue, glass bottle. Covered in words Patrick couldn't pronounce. He didn't even want to think about how much Pete must have paid for this.

"Here you go." Patrick handed him the water. Pete threw back the pills and swallowed the cold liquid.

"Thanks, Pat."

"What kind of water is that anyway?" He didn't really care. He just wanted to talk to Pete about something simple for once.

"It's from some untouched glaciers in Antarctica or something. Super pure."

"How'd they get the water without touching the glacier?"

"You know what? I've never thought of that."

"How much did you even pay for that?"

"A lot." Pete laughed.

Patrick laughed too. Not because something was funny. But because Pete was laughing. Moments ago he was crushing him against a mirror and now he was laughing about water. Patrick was going to make sure he never forgot his cocktail again.

He glanced down at the watch on his wrist. 7:48. He needed to get going if he was going to meet William at eight.
"I have to go." He told Pete.

"Don't." Pete placed the water down and grabbed his wrist.

"I want to."

"I don't want you to."

Patrick sighed. "Pete, that's not fair."

"I know. But I-I'm going to miss you."

"I'll be gone for a few hours. At the most, I'll be back in the morning."

Pete felt his stomach twist. "You'd stay the night with him?"

"I don't know, Pete. It depends on how the date goes."

"You'd actually sleep with him?!" Pete dropped Patrick's wrist.

"Thats none of your business. You're sleeping with Meagan. And she's an evil bitch."

"That's different. She's changed."

"Seasons change, Pete. People don't."

Pete didn't say anything. So Patrick headed for the door. He turned the knob and pulled it open. Trying his hardest not to spin around and run back to Pete. He needed to do this to fix him.

"Patrick!"

"What?" He didn't turn. Afraid that the look on Pete's face might convince him to stay.

"If you don't come back tonight, I don't see a point in you coming back at all."

Patrick's grip tightened on the door knob. He could see his knuckles whitening. He knew Pete didn't mean those words. He was just upset and jealous. But that didn't make the words hurt any less.

Instead of breaking down like Patrick really wanted to, he took a deep breath. Holding it in without breathing out. And he nodded.

"Okay."