Loveless (Peterick)

♡7♡

A/N: I've been writing a lot because I've got more free time than I can deal with so here's another update.

Snowflakes fell in small amounts throughout the day, slowly piling into snow in Patrick's front yard and driveway. He had spent an entire two hours shoveling it all away, but as soon as he had come inside it began to snow again with, what Patrick believed, a newfound hatred for him and his poor landscape. Ice had encrusted everything outside with this crystal shell that he found oddly lovely as it sparkled in the rising sun on that Christmas Eve. It was like a serene blanket had fallen over his home in a matter of a couple weeks with winter now upon the city. He was curled up by his fireplace, drinking a mug of homemade hot coca and listening to some calming, Christmas tunes from his boombox when his doorbell rang.

Everyday for the past couple weeks Pete had been coming over after work to discuss with Patrick what things he had accomplished doing with Mikey like holding a conversation with his co-worker for a solid five minutes or giving him a ride home. Patrick liked hearing about that, about Pete breaking out of his comfort zone and doing things he hadn't deemed possible merely three months ago. It made him feel good inside- all warm and bubbly- whenever his client would go on with a smile about how grateful he was to have Patrick there to bring him out of his shell. Patrick hadn't expected anything different out of the days he'd shown up, but when he opened his front door he saw Pete there in a beanie and large coat, holding a box with a bow stuck on top.
"Happy Holidays," he greeted, and Patrick could feel his heart just melt in that second.

"You-you got me something?"
"Well, yeah. I wasn't sure if you celebrate Christmas, but I just thought I'd give you something anyway for being there for me."
"Pete, you didn't have to do that. I didn't even think to get you anything. I mean, you're paying me after all. I just assumed you wouldn't give me anymore than you already have."

"No, no. You're going to take this present, and you're going to like it, and it's totally cool if you don't have anything for me. I just bought this on the way over."
Pete handed the gift off to him and stomped his boots on the mat before coming inside to embrace the warmth from the fireplace circulating the living room.
"Thank you. I-I still feel like I should do something...wait, I know. I've got some cookie cutters from a yard sale I went to recently. We should definitely make cookies."

"There you go. Thinking of the best ideas like you always do. Let's get going then."
Patrick pulled out all the supplies they needed to make some holiday cookies from scratch while the music from his boombox fueled their joy and excitement. The two friends began to roll out the dough in a matter of a few minutes after getting their faces covered in flour in the process.
"I call the snowman and angel," Pete said, snatching the cookie cutters from the bag Patrick had laid out on the counter.

"Go ahead. The best ones are the gingerbread man and pine tree."

"Nope. I still stand by my snowman and angel. They're going to be married and have lots of tiny hybrid snowmen angels."
"A love story for the ages," Patrick said.
They put their shapes on a baking sheet and slipped it into the oven.
"You should have some eggnog Andy and Meredith brought over when they visited me the other day."

He poured them both a glass, and they sat on the island counter top to wait for their cookies to be done baking. Though it was homemade, the eggnog was thick, golden with flecks of nutmeg, and held a custard-like consistency that blew the both of them away.
"I asked them if I could hire them to cook for me, and they laughed, thinking it was a joke, but, Pete, I was 100% serious. They've got magic in them or something."

"You've got magic in you too," Pete told him.

"Doesn't everybody, though? In some way, shape, or form everyone's got something special and 'magical' about them, I think. Like with you, I can't really pinpoint what it is, but you're something else. You've got a lot of potential to do a whole lotta good. I guess, it's that you're selfless and considerate of others."