The Will of Love and Life (Peterick)

Chapter Seven

June 05, 2016

It rained all morning, but since the June heat was hitting hard, the grass was dry enough to sit on. There was still the occasional spot of mud. In fact, there was one off to Patrick's left that was serving as his ashtray. The sky was no longer overcast, but there were still clouds obstructing the sun. He didn't mind it, though. He didn't really care about anything.

"Hey, Tricky," Pete whispered once he was on the same side of the fence. He sat down next to him, their hips close together.

Patrick glanced over, pulling the cigarette from between his lips. "Why so sad?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Pete countered.

Patrick rolled his eyes. "You've known me for how long now? Over a month? That's just my personality,"

Pete rolled his eyes back at him. "Your personality is perfect."

Patrick ignored that. "Why are you sad?"

"Today's my birthday."

"And why would you be upset about that?"

"Nik forgot."

Patrick scoffed, and Pete's lips jutted out. His brown eyes narrowed.

"It's not funny."

"I'm not laughing," Patrick noted, sticking the cigarette back in his mouth.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," Pete said, staring at the cigarette between Patrick's teeth.

"Wishes don't always come true," Patrick said, letting the smoke out of his lungs.

But Pete was looking up at him with his big brown puppy dog eyes and pouty lips. Patrick felt his heart melt. He couldn't say no to him. It wasn't as if he liked the taste of them, anyway. He put the cigarette out on the back of his hand.

"Happy?" he asked, dropping the dead cigarette in a patch of mud.

"You didn't have to do it like that," Pete said, taking ahold of Patrick's hand. "That's not what I meant."

Patrick shrugged. "I do it all the time. Relax."

"You shouldn't," Pete whispered, kissing the burn on Patrick's pale hand. "You're too pretty for that."

"Don't start something you can't finish."

Pete leaned into Patrick's side, looping the lawyer's arm around his shoulders. Patrick rubbed Pete's arm, and they just sat against each other quietly like that, until Pete couldn't take it.

"You know," Pete said, looking up at him. "I'm not a teenager anymore."

Patrick knew what Pete was thinking. Pete watched him pull his lip from between his teeth. Patrick's lips were pouty and looked so full and soft. Pete couldn't take it anymore.

"Can I do something kind of stupid?" Pete asked, cupping Patrick's cheek in his hand to make him look at him.

"If you want to," Patrick whispered. He could feel his heart beating; trying to break out of his chest.

"Do you want me to?" Pete asked, voice just below a whisper.

"I don't know, do I?" Patrick asked, voice shaking.

"I want you to want to," Pete muttered, moving his hand back to Patrick's hair.

"Then stop talking," Patrick replied, fingers pressing against Pete's jaw.

"Sorry," Pete whispered, breath ghosting over Patrick's lips.

"Oh, shut up," Patrick said, tipping up Pete's chin and attaching their lips.