Better than me.[bowers gang]

Chapter ten: the safe space

•WARNING: VULGAR LANGUAGE•
(I just had to add the song "be nice to me" by the front bottoms)

Henry gazed at his friend as patrick lit yet another cigarette. Henry found himself staring a lot, it wasn't because he loved him. He couldn't never love a fucking guy, especially not Patrick. He was still convinced he didn't like guys, but Patrick knew that was a lie. Henry stood there still looking at him, he couldn't look away. It was almost as if he was hypnotized. He didn't know why he couldn't look away.. his tired eyes soon gazed down towards the ground instead. Henry let out a small sigh before saying anything again, he looked up and began talking to Patrick. "Do you know what time it is..?" Patrick looked down at his watch and replied, "2:30, when do you wanna head back to my place?" "We can go whenever, I'm fine with whatever. As long as I'm away from.. my house.." Henry's tone saddened as he carried out the end of the sentence. "Let me just put out my cigarette then we can go back, you're probably tired. I assume you didn't get sleep after what happened." "Yeah.. I wasn't really able to sleep I was just.. up." Henry mumbled. He didn't wanna say he was crying because that'd make him a baby. "it'll be alright. I promise. When you're with me you don't need to worry about that, I'll be your safe space." Patrick assured. Henry gave a small nod. "Lets get home, you need sleep." Patrick tried comforting as he flicked what was left of the cigarette on the ground then proceeded to put the embers out with his shoe. Henry didn't say a word but instead followed.

They walked back to Patrick's place which was only a few minutes from the quarry. Patrick walked up to the garage door and grabbed the handle to open it, he pulled it, it was locked. "Oh great." He snapped. "What??" "It's fuckin locked." Patrick sighed in annoyance and rolled his eyes as he continued. "I've got a key somewhere around here, god damn it why did they lock it! All we've got is useless junk and some razor blades." The rest was an incoherent angry ramble. He searched around the area for the key to the garage door, after about five minutes he found it. He was visibly annoyed but still managed to keep it cool for Henry, "sorry about that. Shit like that makes me frustrated." He bent down and put the key into the lock, "thank god it works." He slid the garage door up a bit then pushed it further up so it wouldn't fall. "There." He said as he brushed off his hands. "Sorry that took forever.." he apologized to his friend still standing behind him quietly. "It's okay, I was spaced out.." his voice broke with a bit of sadness. "still thinking about the incident..?" Patrick acknowledged. Henry nodded and he felt that sting again, the sting he felt in his eyes right before tears began to fall. He bit his lip in attempt to hold it together.. "Henry.. it's okay to cry.. it's just us here.." "what..?? I'm fine." He snapped back at Patrick. That caused silence between the two of them for a few moments. "well.. let's just get in here so you can chill out for a bit.." Patrick walked into the garage and towards the empty van they had, he slid open the door in the back and got inside. Henry followed shortly after.

The back of the van only had bean bag chair and some blankets on the floor already. "I know it's not much but it's where I go when I don't feel being around people." "It's not bad.. any place cant be as bad as my house. And I know that." Patrick looked at him, he now noticed the bruising on Henry's nose and face. he frowned slightly, Henry looked back and raised an eyebrow. "what's wrong?" Henry asked. "Your face.. just.. you're bruised." Henry put a hand up to his face and pressed two of his fingers against the bridge of his nose "ow.. fuck." he winced. He put his head down so Patrick couldn't see his face, he felt embarrassed. "why're you hiding your face..?" questioned Patrick. "Uh..um.. I'm not hiding it..! I'm just looking down.." Henry mumbled. "Look at me then.." "w..why?? i just told you I'm not..h...hiding." "Well I want you to prove it." said Patrick. Henry shook his head no, he felt nervous to show his face now. He was embarrassed by the horrid purple bruises and he didn't want Patrick to see them. Patrick moved closer to henry and sat crisscrossed in front of him, "please henry.. I just wanna see your face.." he talked to him gently. "why do you wanna see my face.. why..?" Henry stammered. Patrick sighed and put a hand under Henry's chin, he lifted the boys head up and made eye contact. "It's okay.. I don't care about how you look.. you're still the same Henry.." he gave him a small but genuine smile, still not looking away. "I know you hate my guts.. but you're the last thing that feels real to me." Henry's face turned to a bright shade of pink, he felt.. loved. Henry didn't understand this feeling, what was it?? Patrick lowered his hand from Henry's chin, "you probably hate me now.. great.." "no." Henry said firmly as he grabbed Patrick's wrist. Patrick looked back at him again. The two gazed at each other as if they were fixated on one another like an animal and it's prey. they couldn't do it anymore, they broke the tension. They filled the spaces between each other's lips, Henry put his hands on Patrick's shoulders as the two continued to kiss like they've been waiting years for this exact moment. They were all over each other, neither of them wanted to let go. The passion that burned between them was greater than 100 bonfires..

Henry broke the kiss first, he looked at Patrick right after letting go. Patrick gazed back. "f..fuck.. I.. just.. I couldn't do it any longer.. I needed you. I'm fucking in love with you Henry Bowers.. I'm sorry if this makes you hate me.. it was weighing me down for so fucking long.. I've liked you since I was 13.. and I know that it seems like I'm not a person to love but you're real to me. so so real.." his eyes teared up as he looked at his best friend. Henry had never seen Patrick cry before, he knew he meant it. Tears soon came to Henrys eyes too, they streamed down in salty waterfalls. It finally was okay. "Patrick.. I.. I didn't realize you felt that strongly for me.. n.. no one has ever been nice to me like that.. I.. I..-" Henry was caught up on his words as the tears spilled down faster and faster. "it's okay.. just breathe.. don't cry, love.." he gave Henry a weak smile followed by a small laugh. "I can't believe you love me.. why do you l.. love me?" stuttered Henry. "because you've been there for me.. f..for forever. You never left no matter how many fights we got in or.. the amount of times you wanted to kill me.. you never fucking left. I know you're lonely.. but.. let's be lonely together." Patrick couldnt hold any of his feelings in anymore, he needed to tell him. He had to. The tears only spilled down Henry's face quicker, more and more tears fell. "i.. love you.." the words fell from Henry's mouth, he didn't exactly know what love was yet.. but he knew he felt it for Patrick. There was something there that had been there for so fucking long, it was driving him insane. Patrick placed a hand on the side of Henry's face gently, the two just admired each others features in the dark. They felt so strongly for each other this night, it felt like a ton of bricks suddenly disappeared off of both of them.. they began to smile at each other and they both felt safe. Patrick was right, he could be Henry's safe space and he was.