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How dare you march right into my heart. Oh how rude of you to ruin my miserable
Unfortunately, Patrick didn’t have any time to talk to David in between different acts, but by the way David kept glancing at him, he was able to tell just how much David had liked his performance.
He had been able to see the way David’s expression melted from apprehension to a softness that David doesn’t let anybody else see as Patrick sang and it warmed him all the way to his toes. It had been fun teasing David about the open mic night, but seeing his reaction to the song was so much better.
The song had come on the radio one night when they were driving back from dinner in Elmdale. It had been their fifth official date and after a long day at the store, the two of them wanted food that came from somewhere other than the café. They had found this hole in the wall Italian place, and afterward, they took the scenic route back to Schitt’s Creek, wanting to spend as much time with each other as they could.
David had been telling him about a potential vendor when he suddenly cut himself off and reached forward to turn the volume dial. “I love this song,”
Of course, Patrick knew the song, it was a classic. He hadn’t expected David to start bouncing in his seat as he hummed to himself. It was adorable.
So, when he had suggested an open mic night, the song came forward in his mind and he knew he had to sing it to David.
And it clearly had its desired effect.
They kept exchanging shy smiles whenever they glanced at each other and he couldn’t wait to get David alone, though it was hours before he had the opportunity. The open night mic was a hit and Patrick made a note to rub it in David’s face later. They sold a lot of products between different sets and everybody agreed that they should definitely do another one soon.
After everyone filed out, Patrick locked the door and flipped the sign, surprised to see that David was already busying himself with cleaning up the store. He had a large garbage bag in his hand and it gave Patrick a sense of déjà vu. It was all very reminiscent of the store opening, the only difference was that Patrick could go up and kiss David if he wanted to.
And he wanted to.
David jumped a little when he turned around and found Patrick right beside him, but his scared expression melted away, replaced by a pink tinge in his cheeks. “Should I say ‘I told you so’ now or later?” Patrick asked as he placed his hands on David’s waist. David rolled his eyes and placed the garbage bag on the floor, arms moving to rest around Patrick’s neck.
“I guess you should just get it over with,”
“I told you it was a good idea,” Patrick poked his side and David squirmed.
“Yeah, whatever,” David rolled his eyes again, but there was a smile on his face.
“So, what was your favorite performance of the night?” Patrick asked, a look of mirth in his eyes.
“I surprisingly liked Bob’s beat poetry,” David teased.
“Oh, really?”
“Yes,” David pulled him closer. “Your song wasn’t bad though,” The warm expression was back on David’s face and it sent a thrill through Patrick.
“That’s all you have to say?” David ducked his head and Patrick squeezed his hips.
“Are you really gonna make me say it?”
“Say what?”
“How much I loved it,” Patrick’s felt his heart leap to his throat. He had known David has enjoyed his performance a lot more than he thought he would, but he didn’t think he loved it.
“You loved it?” Patrick found himself asking, eyes wide.
David looked up, cheeks dusted pink. “Of course I did. I think it might be the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to me,” David’s voice was quiet and Patrick blinked at him.
David was rarely this vulnerable and the fact that he felt comfortable enough to be this way with him made Patrick’s heart burst. He knew he was getting a part of David that nobody else was and it made him fall even further for David.
Wait, what?
Oh, shit.
He was in love with David.
He had known that his feelings were growing deeper for David every day, but to think about love made his hands start to shake.
So, to distract himself, he dug his fingers deeper into David’s sweater and launched forward to kiss him. David let out a noise of surprise, but a moment later, he was deepening the kiss.
Standing here, wrapped up in David and having his senses completely overwhelmed by the other man, he knew it was no surprise that he was in love with David. He just never thought he’d fall so fast, but he really couldn’t say he minded.
“You can have all the open mic nights that you want from here on out. I’m 100% behind you,” David smirked as he pulled back. “I don’t even care how much of Bob’s beat poetry I have to endure, as long as you’re singing at everyone,” David’s hand found their way to the hair on the base of Patrick’s neck.
“I’m sure I can do that,”
“I mean it,” David’s expression was serious and Patrick’s eyebrow arched in question. “I loved it so much.”
“I’m glad,”
“The only thing I didn’t love was that you made me think you were going to be horrible,” David scoffed at him. “And the fringe vest?”
“Who says I don’t actually have one of those?” Patrick asked and David glared at him and pushed him away before reaching for the garbage bag.
“If I see anything in your closet with fringe on it, I’m breaking up with you.” Patrick let out a loud laugh and David couldn’t help but smile.
“I’ve gotta head home and burn some things in my closet, for unrelated reasons,”
“I know you think you’re being cute, but you’re not,” David said, but his smile betrayed him. Patrick simply pressed a chaste kiss to David’s cheek before moving over to the stage to pack away all of the equipment.
He would wait a while before telling David about his feelings. He needed to give himself, and David, some time to process everything.
—
I’m in love with him.
!!!!!!
Oh my god! Pat, that’s so great!
Have you told him?!
No, it’s too soon. I don’t want to freak him out.
And don’t call me Pat
Does this mean I finally get a picture of him?
Ugh fine
[Picture attached]
Damn, Patrick
You have great taste *clapping hands emoji*
I’m sure I should probably tell you to shut up, but I completely agree with you. I do have great taste
Do you think he loves you back?
I think he could. It’s too soon now. Only I fall in love this fast apparently.
---
Okay, who the hell did Patrick think he was?
He had absolutely no right to walk into David’s life and make him fall so hard so fast. That was not okay and David was furious.
Okay, maybe he wasn’t...furious, but he was upset. He thought he had a while before he started to fall in love with Patrick, but it looked like that wasn’t at all accurate.
After they had finished cleaning up and David had complimented Patrick a few more times, Patrick drove him back to the motel.
“See you tomorrow,” David had breathed out once they had pulled away from a goodnight kiss.
“See you tomorrow,” Patrick repeated. “Maybe I’ll wear my fringe vest,”
“Okay,” David said exasperatedly, pushing the door open as Patrick laughed.
He waited until Patrick had driven off until he walked into the motel’s office. Stevie was sitting at the desk, looking bored as she always did, flipping through a magazine that David didn’t bother to glance at.
She raised an eyebrow at him when he walked in hurriedly, nearly breaking the door off its hinges when he shut it (but in his defense, the door was old and rickety and he was honestly surprised it hasn't broken already).
“Woah, what’s with you?” Stevie asked as he marched up to the counter. “Did you and Patrick have a fight?”
“No,” David groaned and leaned over the desk to bury his head in his folded arms. “It’s so much worse,”
“You broke up?” Stevie asked, and she honestly sounded genuinely worried.
“No!” David exclaimed and then sat back up, lowering his voice as he continued. “I...I think I’m in love with him,” Stevie’s eyes widened and she slowly shut her magazine.
“Um, wow,” She blinked at him and he groaned again.
“This is a nightmare!”
She let out a laugh. “Why? He’s a good guy.”
“Exactly!” She arched an eyebrow at him. “He’s a good guy, which means eventually he’ll realize he can be with someone that actually deserves him,” Well, he hadn’t meant to say all of that. Stevie stares at him for a moment before cracking a smile. “You better not laugh at me right now! I’m in a very fragile state!”
She chuckled and he glowered at her. “You’re being ridiculous,”
“Shut up, no I’m not!”
“Yes, you are,” Stevie rolled her eyes. “You’re freaking out because you’re in love with Patrick-“
David frantically looked around as he shushed her. “Lower your voice!”
“There’s literally never anybody here,” Stevie deadpanned. “Look, I’m not sure why you’re freaking out,”
“Because this is all temporary!” Stevie gave him a look and he sighed. “Patrick’s a much better person than me-“
“Well, yeah,”
“-and that just means that eventually, he’s going to realize how awful and...much I am and leave,”
Stevie frowned. “That’s optimistic,”
“It’s literally impossible for me to be optimistic,”
“David, you’re being ridiculous,” She repeated and he scoffed.
“You’re really not helping,”
“Was I supposed to be helping?” She retorted and he squinted at her.
“When I come in here in a panic, it’s your job to calm me down!”
“That’s not in my job description,”
“Oh my god!”
“Okay,” Stevie said, a sparkle in her eyes like she was enjoying this. Of course, she was, it’s Stevie. “Listen, I don’t see him leaving you anytime soon,”
“You don’t know that though,”
“You’re right,” She shrugged. “But I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He’s probably in love with you too,”
“Shut up,” David said quickly because he could not let that idea spark hope within him or it’ll hurt even more when Patrick inevitably leaves.
“Seriously,” Stevie’s nose crinkled in disgust. “It’s gross. He looks at you with this fond look and it makes me want to gauge my eyes out,”
“Okay.”
“You can let yourself be happy, you know?” The look Stevie was now giving him was soft and he hated it. He wanted her to keep teasing him.
“Can I though?”
She rolled her eyes again. “Patrick is super into you, so stop freaking out,”
“Um, have you met me?” He gestured to himself. “I never stop freaking out,”
“Wel, you should because I don’t see this relationship ending anytime soon,” She said, going back to flipping through the magazine. “And you should trust me on this,”
“Why would I trust you on this?”
“Because I was right about the date,” She smirked up at him. “And I knew he’d be good for you,”
David crossed his arms over his chest. “That doesn’t mean he’ll stay,”
“You two have a business together,”
“So?” Stevie let out a sigh and rested her arms on the counter.
“Just try to get out of your head, David. I know it’s hard for you but you’re just going to work yourself up over nothing,”
“Okay, it’s not nothing-“
“He’s falling in love with you too, if he isn’t there already,” David blinked. “He just serenaded you,”
He had texted her right after Patrick had finished. He completely regretted that now.
“That doesn’t mean-“
“Doesn’t it?” She interrupted. “He’s smitten. And I have never once used that word, but if you were to look it up in a dictionary, you would see a picture of Patrick looking at you.” David flushed and opened his mouth to respond but then promptly closed it. “Just relax. Everything will be okay. Just because you’re in love with him doesn’t change anything,”
“Shouldn’t it?”
“It’ll only change if you tell him, and I don’t see that happening,”
David shifted uncomfortably. “Maybe if he said it first,”
Stevie smiled at him, something that really only happened when she was teasing him. But this smile wasn’t a teasing one. “Oh, he will,”
David tapped at the front desk. “Well, uh, thanks for this,”
“Oh, you’re very welcome,” Stevie said, already glancing at her magazine again.
“And I feel like this goes without saying, but-“
“I won’t tell anyone that you’re stupid in love with your boyfriend,”
“Thank you,” David tapped the front desk once more and then started backing away toward the door.
“Bye, lover boy,”
“You know, sometimes I hate that you’re my closest friend,” David said as he pulled the door open. Stevie smirked at him and he slammed the door shut, surprised once again to see that it remained intact.
David was relieved to see that Alexis wasn’t home when he got into their room. His head was still spinning and he really didn’t need her in the room to make things worse.
He’s not really sure how he got here. Logically, he knew how, obviously, but it was still very confusing. He was in love with a man who made fun of him constantly (Patrick was still singing Christmas songs to him and it had been weeks since Asbestos Fest) and he never thought he would be able to stand someone making fun of him. He had been mocked and teased relentlessly from many partners over the year, but that way Patrick did it made him feel, for the lack of a better word, loved.
There were a lot of things about Patrick that would make his past self beyond puzzled at how David had fallen for him. The mid-range denim is the first that comes to the mind. But, somehow, in this podunk town, David had found someone that he had never thought he would love, and he had fallen hard and fast for the other man.
And now all he had to do was keep this secret locked up tight until Patrick said something first.