Try Hard.

Alone Together

Patrick and Pete were meeting at a local bar. It wasn't very busy, but the later it would get, the more people would come. Pete sat patiently, watching the bright big screens show a game he didn't care to see. He had been here since opening, around 4, but the wait hadn't been that long, twenty minutes at most.

His hands tapped against his thighs impatiently, looking around nervously. It had been many long and painful weeks since the two had spoken properly. Maybe a few broken texts and calls, but they hadn't seen eye to eye in a while. And that just so happened to work for the band, everybody felt it was time to go on hiatus anyway.

After a few moments of watching the entrances, Pete began praying Patrick didn't ditch him. But he also wanted more time to think. Soon enough the door opened again, and in came Patrick, his hat slightly hiding him. But Pete could recognize Patrick from miles away.

He slid into the bar stool beside Pete, pulling him from his thoughts, even if all he was thinking about was Patrick. "Hey, Pete. What's up?" Patrick asked him softly, watching as he struggled out an answer. Patrick quietly shushed him, knowing he looked incredibly stressed out, and scared, "I'm guessing you wanted to talk about the call?"

Pete gulped. the call. At three in the morning. His giving up call. He hadn't meant too. Pete didn't know what he was thinking. He felt so hopeless and scared and alone. And Patrick. Patrick's number was still in his emergency contacts. Hard to believe that Patrick didn't block him.

Pete sighed as he started, "I'm sorry, dude, honestly. I feel like such an ass, I wasn't sober and I don't know what I was thinking, I'm sorry, 'Trick," Pete said. Patrick hesitated at his name, not sure if he liked the way it still sounded coming from him. Pete's voice was shaky, but he tried so hard to hide it. He was so scared. He drunk dialed his ex.

Pete looked away from Patrick, watching a couple dance near them. He glanced back at Patrick, the red lighting casting the most beautiful shadow across the bridge of his nose. Pete mentally traced the lines across Patrick's hands as he watched them on the table too.

Patrick sighed and brought his hand up to his mouth, hiding as he bit on his lip in thought. "You were so drunk then, I've never heard you cry over a little pain," Patrick said shyly. He realized how big of a pushover he was when I came to Pete. His stupid eyeliner. And his stupid unfunny jokes were enough to make anyone fall in love. And Patrick did, hard.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to meet up in person to actually show you I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have pulled you back in, if you didn't want me too. I feel so shitty about that," Pete told him softly. It was so weird talking to Patrick this calmly again. But, it was a very nice change.

Patrick ran his hand through his hair, before sliding his hat back on, watching Pete with close eyes, "Pete, tell me why you called me?" Patrick asked, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief as he asked the question that's been on his mind for weeks. He starred into Pete's dark brown irises, waiting for an answer, almost even looking for one.

Pete looked worn down, and lonely, his tired eyes avoided Patrick's, "Like I said man, I didn't mean to," Pete slurred, he wasn't drunk, but these kinds of conversations always took the most out of him.

"you sound so drunk... or drugged?" Pete said, and small hint of anger covered his words. Patrick drank a lot, and he hated watching Pete destroy himself in that sense too.

Pete looked nervous, but he was drunk, at all, surprisingly, today was the first day both of them were completely sober over a long time, "I'm not, actually, a week sober," Pete answered, and to Patrick surprise, he was genuine.

A blonde bartender walked over, asking if the two had something they'd like to drink, her voice soaked in lust and need. Patrick smiled up at her, lightly shaking his head no, "I'm good, thank you," Patrick answered, and she nodded, looking to Pete, which surprised himself, why had he said that? Was it because of Pete?

"None for me, thanks, I actually think we were just leaving," Pete told her, and she also nodded, looking slightly pitiful at the two, Where they really that distant looking? He stood up, watching to see if Patrick would follow.

"Okay, have a good night!" She said and walked over to another group of people. Patrick stood and followed Pete out the door. They spoke and walked through the town for a while.