Gerard settles back down, wedged between Pete and the sofa cushions. Pete's eyes are flicking between him and Patrick, and Gerard knows why he doesn't want him to leave.
Pete's scared of being left alone with Patrick. Not because he thinks Patrick will do anything Pete doesn't want, but because he thinks Patrick won't do anything at all, not if it's just him and Pete. Pete's breath is coming in short shallow bursts, the staccato of his heart visible at the hollow of his throat. Gerard makes himself relax, going soft and pliant, reassuring; his whole body radiating it's okay, it's okay.
Patrick watches them silently, His hand stroking idly up and down Gerard's back, careful not to stray to Pete's skin, not even by accident. Patrick is waiting for Pete to reach out first and Gerard hums in sympathy, pushing his face into the crook of Pete's shoulder. He remembers how hard that is, asking for something that he needs so bad he can actually taste it.
Underneath him Pete is shifting restlessly, tiny distressed movements of a fish caught in a line, tired and close to giving up.
"Pete," Patrick says quietly. "You can leave if you want to. You can just go. I won't--"
Gerard feels Pete's head snap back, everything coming to sharp desperate attention.
"We'll always be good, Pete. This won't change it." Patrick's voice is steady and almost casual, but his fingers are digging into Gerard's side painfully. This matters to Patrick so much more than he's letting on and Gerard wills Pete to see that, to understand.
It's an edge of a different kind of cliff they're teetering on now. Gerard wills Pete to jump.
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ninetydegrees
no subject
on 2008-03-26 06:24 pm (UTC)Pete's scared of being left alone with Patrick. Not because he thinks Patrick will do anything Pete doesn't want, but because he thinks Patrick won't do anything at all, not if it's just him and Pete.
Pete's breath is coming in short shallow bursts, the staccato of his heart visible at the hollow of his throat. Gerard makes himself relax, going soft and pliant, reassuring; his whole body radiating it's okay, it's okay.
Patrick watches them silently, His hand stroking idly up and down Gerard's back, careful not to stray to Pete's skin, not even by accident. Patrick is waiting for Pete to reach out first and Gerard hums in sympathy, pushing his face into the crook of Pete's shoulder. He remembers how hard that is, asking for something that he needs so bad he can actually taste it.
Underneath him Pete is shifting restlessly, tiny distressed movements of a fish caught in a line, tired and close to giving up.
"Pete," Patrick says quietly. "You can leave if you want to. You can just go. I won't--"
Gerard feels Pete's head snap back, everything coming to sharp desperate attention.
"We'll always be good, Pete. This won't change it." Patrick's voice is steady and almost casual, but his fingers are digging into Gerard's side painfully. This matters to Patrick so much more than he's letting on and Gerard wills Pete to see that, to understand.
It's an edge of a different kind of cliff they're teetering on now. Gerard wills Pete to jump.