Getting Over Him

Sweet dreams

Pat's P.O.V: 

The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of the streetlight filtering through the blinds. It felt surreal to be standing here, with him, knowing that outside this small space, the world was still spinning with all its chaos. But inside, it was just the two of us—our own little sanctuary, even if just for a few hours.

I watched him as he kicked off his shoes, his movements a little slower than usual, the exhaustion from the night starting to catch up with him. I could tell he was still unwinding, the weight of all those hours spent putting on a face for his family clinging to him like a shadow. It had been hard for him—I knew that. Those jackasses probably questioned him, the way they probed at his life, all while he smiled and played the part they expected him to play. It always drained him. 

It always drained me...

He turned to look at me, his eyes soft but tired, and I couldn't help but close the distance between us. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I pulled him close, feeling the tension still lingering in his body. He rested his head against my chest, and for a moment, we just stood there, breathing in sync, the world outside fading into the background.

"Rough night?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

He let out a sigh, his breath warm against my shirt. "Yeah. It was... a lot." His voice was quieter now, the weight of the evening settling in.

I nodded, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "You don't have to pretend anymore. Not here." I wanted him to know that, more than anything. That with me, he didn't need to put on any masks or play any roles. He could just be himself.

He pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at me. His eyes searched mine for a moment, and I could see the relief there, the quiet gratitude. "Thanks for being here tonight," he said softly. "I don't think I could've made it through without you."

I smiled, brushing a strand of hair away from his face. "You don't have to thank me. I'm always here, you know that."

And I meant it. Being here for him, supporting him through these tough nights, it wasn't a burden. It was something I wanted to do—something I needed to do. He'd been through so much, balancing his family's expectations and the person he truly was. I knew it wasn't easy for him, and that's why I wanted to be his safe place, the person he could lean on when it all became too much.

He smiled, that small, tired smile that still managed to make my heart skip. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Pat," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I chuckled softly, leaning down to press a kiss to his lips. "Lucky for you, you won't have to find out."

The tension between us softened, and I could feel him relax a little more in my arms. I led him over to the bed, and we both sat down, the quiet still stretching between us. It wasn't an awkward silence—it was comforting, like we didn't need to fill it with words. We were just... together, and that was enough. 

He laid back, pulling me down with him, and I settled beside him, my arm draped over his chest. His hand found mine again, and I intertwined our fingers, feeling the warmth of his skin against mine.

"You know..." he began, his voice breaking the silence, "I was thinking about us tonight. While I was at the banquet."

"Yeah?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. I propped myself up on one elbow, looking down at him.

He nodded, his eyes staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought. "I kept thinking about how different things could be. Like, if I didn't have to hide this part of myself from them. If we didn't have to hide. Didn't have to keep faking. From our family. From everyone." He paused, his thumb brushing against the back of my hand. "It's exhausting, Pat. Sometimes it feels like... like we're living two different lives."

His words hit me hard, and I could hear the frustration and sadness laced in them. I knew what he meant. I'd seen it in the way he carried himself around his family, the way he had to mask who he really was just to keep the peace. of course, the same goes for me.  It wasn't fair. We deserve to live our truth, to love freely without fear of judgment or rejection.

"I know it's hard," I said softly, my hand tightening around his. "I know because we were unfortunately born to these assholes of a family. We keep trying to fit into the mold that they want us to fit into. And... I wish things were different too. I wish we didn't have to hide."

He turned his head to look at me, his eyes soft and vulnerable. "Do you ever feel that way? Like... like we're hiding?"

I thought about it for a second, then nodded. "Yeah, I do. Sometimes I catch myself thinking about how easy it would be if we didn't have to sneak around or worry about who's watching. If our families weren't enemies. If we could just... be."

He smiled at that, a sad kind of smile. "That sounds nice."

"It does," I agreed, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead. "But even if we have to hide for now, we still have this. We still have each other, and that's what matters.We will be able to stop hiding once we graduate, and then we can start our own business with Korn & Wai.  "

He closed his eyes, exhaling slowly as if letting go of some of the weight he'd been carrying.His dimples popped out at the thought of being free from all of this in the future. "You're right," he murmured. "We have each other."

We laid there for a while, wrapped in the warmth of the moment, the quiet of the room making it feel like we were the only two people in the world. I could hear his breathing slow, and I knew he was starting to drift off. I watched him for a moment, my heart swelling with affection.

Before long, his breathing evened out completely, and I knew he was asleep. I stayed there beside him, my hand still resting in his, my thoughts swirling in the quiet. I thought about what he'd said, about the weight he carried, and it hit me again how strong he was—how much he endured just to protect himself, to protect us.

I leaned down, pressing one last kiss to his temple. "I love you," I whispered, my words soft against his skin. He didn't stir, but I knew he'd feel it, somewhere deep down.

I settled beside him, the comfort of his warmth beside me pulling me into my own calm. Whatever the world had to throw at us, I knew we'd face it together. For now, we had this moment, this quiet, this love—and that was all we needed.