Chapter Text
David settled into the passenger seat of the SUV. Jonathan was at the wheel while Karamo, Bobby, and Antoni were squished into the back seats.
“Who’s our next victim?” Bobby asked.
David turned towards the other men and pulled out his tablet with all the information.
“His name is Patrick Brewer. He’s 31, 5’9, and 150lbs. His best friend, Stevie, nominated him because he is what she calls a disaster gay.”
The whole car started laughing at that.
“What the hell does that mean?” Bobby asked.
“Basically, he was engaged to a woman, broke it off, moved like 500 miles away from home and came out, but he is still a disaster according to Stevie,” David explained.
“We’re going to a town called, no lie, Schitt’s Creek,” David continued as he stifled a laugh. Everyone in the car started chuckling again.
“So our goal is to bring Patrick from disaster to delightful! He’s throwing a housewarming party at the end of the week and has invited his parents, whom he hasn’t seen since he moved away about 6 months ago. He also hasn’t come out to his parents yet and feels that that is one of the biggest things holding him back from fully embracing his new life.”
“Yasss!!” Jonathan yelled.
They continued to ride in quiet conversation, until they passed the town sign for Schitt’s Creek.
“PULL OVER RIGHT NOW,” David yelled. The car screeched to a halt and David demanded that everyone get out of the car.
“Look at that!!” Antoni said with a laugh. The rest of the men started roaring with laughter and took out their phones. David and Jonathan ran in front of the sign and posed like the couple in the image. Karamo started taking pictures of the two while everyone else cracked up. Finally, everyone got back in the car and they continued driving until they arrived at a place called Cafe Tropical. Except for the minor detour where they ended up at an Amish farm, the trip went very smoothly.
Everyone piled out of the car and ran into the cafe with the camera crew following close behind. They bounded into the restaurant, Jonathan in front.
It was pretty busy inside and it took a moment to find Stevie and Patrick, who were sitting in a booth towards the back of the restaurant. Everyone ran towards them. Patrick looked overwhelmed and Stevie looked giddy as the men crowded into the booth. David ended up squished next to Patrick as everyone made their introductions.
While the other men talked over each other, David gave the man to his right the once over and honestly, he liked what he saw. Patrick had a short haircut and a little bit of stubble. He dressed alright and seemed to understand the idea of a color story, at least subconsciously. David figured his job wouldn’t be too hard.
He listened in to the conversation once again- he hadn’t realized he had been staring at Patrick for too long until the girl, Stevie, kicked him under the table and gave him a smirk.
“Ok, time to head out! Stevie, you coming?” Karamo questioned.
She responded affirmatively, and they all walked towards their cars. David climbed into the Fab 5’s SUV with a grin. This week was going to be fun for sure.
They headed towards Patrick’s house. They pulled up to a nice house on the outskirts of town and were met outside by a smiling man. David immediately frowned. Is this Patrick’s boyfriend? He thought to himself. However, his unwelcome feelings of worry subsided when the man introduced himself as Ray, Patrick’s roommate. Patrick gestured for them to follow him upstairs, where he showed them his room.
“This is where you live? You’re in your 30’s,” Bobby said with slight disdain.
“I know,” Patrick sighed. “I actually just signed a lease for a new apartment! I move at the end of the week,” he explained.
“Glad to hear that,” Bobby said with relief. “Let’s head over there next.”
Next, it was Jonathan’s turn. He started to raid Patrick’s bathroom. David stayed near Patrick, feeling drawn to the handsome man.
While Jonathan threw things around in the bathroom, David asked Patrick to show him his clothes. Patrick’s closet was very…. blue. Lots of mid range denim and blue button downs, but David honestly didn’t mind them that much. He turned to Patrick.
“You have some great basics here! This is one of the few times I won’t be throwing everything you own away on this show!”
Patrick beamed and looked very proud of himself. David really liked Patrick’s smile. Jonathan asked Patrick to come into the bathroom, and David’s smile faded when Patrick left the room. Shit, he thought to himself. This is not good. Get it together, David, you just met the guy.
Antoni was downstairs raiding the fridge and David decided to join him, hoping to find a flaw in the seemingly perfect man.
“This fridge is disgusting,” Antoni whispered to David. David looked inside, cringing at the contents. It was full of old take out and for some reason, the eggs were on the counter next to the fridge. David shuddered. They headed back upstairs, not wanting to offend Patrick’s roommate.
Jonathan was done ripping apart Patrick’s abysmal skin care routine and Karamo had begun speaking to him about what he was struggling with. Antoni and David waited in the doorway.
“What do you think has kept you from coming out to your parents?” Karamo pressed.
“I just was hoping to meet someone and have someone to introduce them to. I sorta figured that if they saw how happy I was, they would be more accepting of it.”
David sighed internally. Patrick was going through something deeply personal and he hoped that he was able to gain the confidence this week to talk to his parents. He might not have known him for even an hour, but he knew that’s what Patrick deserved.
Antoni began asking questions about the fridge, which turned out to be Ray’s mess. Patrick admitted that he ate most of his meals at the cafe, and David swore Antoni nearly fainted right then and there.
“We’ll be fixing that,” Antoni told Patrick. “But first, let’s see your new apartment!”
Stevie had left soon after their arrival at Ray’s house, saying she would meet them at the apartment. Sure enough, when they arrived at the brick building a few miles away, she was waiting outside with a smile.
“Took you long enough!”
Patrick gave her a hug, before they all headed into his new apartment. It was… alright. David was sure Bobby would make it amazing by the end of the week. The apartment was empty, but had good bones. Bobby looked around for a little while before they all left.
Patrick and Stevie went back to Ray’s while the men headed to their motel for the week. Schitt’s Creek has slim pickings. They had a long week ahead of them and David was looking forward to this transformation more than most even if he wasn’t quite sure why.
The next morning, David woke up excited to start the day. He wasn’t quite sure why, but something about this Patrick guy captivated him. He didn’t particularly like it either. This was his job and he shouldn’t feel anything more than platonically about his client. Despite this talk with himself, he still offered to tag along with Bobby and Patrick on their trip to the furniture store in Elmdale.
He smiled as Patrick climbed into the front seat with Bobby and greeted him warmly.
“Oh! Hi there, David! Didn’t know you would be joining us today,” Patrick exclaimed.
“Just thought it could be fun,” David mumbled back. This was probably a terrible idea. Everyone made idle chit-chat on the drive, with Bobby interspersing some design related questions here and there. David stayed quiet and couldn’t help but study the man in the passenger’s seat. Nothing about him jumped out at David, but he couldn’t help but be intrigued by him anyway.
Bobby had classified Patrick’s design style as industrial, so that’s the look they would be shopping for. He asked Patrick to show him pieces in the store he liked so he could get a better idea of what to do. David trailed after them like a lost puppy, until Patrick turned towards him.
“David, what do you think of this?” he asked, pointing towards a leather couch. David sat down awkwardly on it, with Bobby and Patrick on either side of him.
“It seems nice,” David said.
“Well, how can you tell? Your butt is barely on it! Here, spread out a little bit, get comfortable!” Patrick exclaimed as he motioned for David to scoot closer to him. Patrick put his feet up and his arm behind David’s head. David’s heart fluttered and he willed himself to remain stoic. He followed Patrick’s lead, however, and put his feet up.
“Hmm, I’m not sure. I might need a minute or two to decide,” Patrick said to Bobby as he settled in next to David. His arm dropped slightly, so his fingers grazed David’s shoulder. David shuddered, but did his best to hide it. He was a grown man for god’s sake--he should be old enough to keep everything professional!
Finally, Patrick decided that the couch was comfortable enough and they were able to move on. The rest of the shopping trip was uneventful, but David enjoyed being near Patrick nonetheless.
When Jonathan came to collect Patrick, David’s heart sank. He liked being around Patrick. He emitted a warmth that David had never felt before and it was almost intoxicating. David felt like a lovestruck teenager, and he hadn’t even known the man for a full day.
Patrick turned towards David, and then back towards Jonathan.
“Can David tag along? I’m a little nervous about my grooming session, if I’m being honest. I could use the moral support,” Patrick said with a small smile.
David couldn’t help it--his heart soared as Jonathan nodded and motioned for the two of them to follow him into the salon.
Jonathan sat Patrick down in his chair and David leaned against the counter behind them, trying to stay out of the way.
“So, what’s your plan?” Patrick asked Jonathan.
“I’m thinking about getting rid of the facial hair and then simply neatening up your hair, nothing major! Your look isn’t bad at all!”
For some reason, David felt relieved that Jonathan didn’t have anything crazy planned. He liked the way Patrick looked. It was very… Patrick, for lack of a better word. For Patrick’s part, he seemed relieved as well.
Patrick and Jonathan made small talk during the haircut. A few times, Patrick tried to engage David in a conversation, but his mind was elsewhere.
David was lost in his own mind, thoughts swirling of Patrick. David was a loner and he was okay with that. He had his fabulous friends, and was moderately close with his family, but he hadn’t had a significant other in many years. And he was okay with that. At least, he had been, until he met Patrick.
David couldn’t believe that in such a short span of time, Patrick had managed to turn his world on its head. He shouldn’t feel this way about anyone this quickly--but a client? Seemed a tad inappropriate. He had a job to do and he would do it well. That didn’t mean, however, that he couldn’t appreciate how handsome Patrick looked as they left the salon and got back in the car.
David and Patrick drove in comfortable silence. They listened to music quietly, with David mouthing the words to Simply the Best under his breath. Patrick interjected here and there, giving David driving directions to Ray’s house. A short while later, they arrived.
Once parked in the driveway, David and Patrick looked at each other. To anyone looking in on the scene, it would seem odd for the two men to be simply sitting there, smiling in silence, but for them, it felt right. Finally, Patrick reached over and patted David’s knee.
“Well, thanks for the ride,” David said, breaking the silence.
“You drove,” Patrick deadpanned.
David panicked inwardly, racking his brain for a response. “You are… correct. Ciao!”
Patrick smiled and got out of the car, casually waving over his shoulder.
“I can’t believe I just said ciao to that… person,” David whispered to himself before driving back to the motel for a much needed nap before dinner.
When he awoke from his nap, the other guys had pizza arriving. They sat at the small table in their motel room, making idle chit chat.
“And what do you think, David?” Karamo asked.
“Huh?” David replied, with a mouth full of pizza.
“About Patrick. You’ve spent the most time with him. What’s your impression of him?”
“He seems… nice. He is incredibly nice. I hope we can help him,” David said, for once in his life not faking the sincerity that came through in his voice. The other men nodded, and David was thankful that their attention quickly turned to a new subject. David didn’t notice their pointed looks between each other, and then to David, and then back to each other.
The next morning, the men headed to the cafe where they were supposed to be meeting Patrick. David’s heart raced as they approached the entrance. He knew his feelings were unreciprocated; there was no way Patrick would be interested in someone like him, but he couldn’t help himself.
Everyone squeezed around the table for breakfast. Karamo had told Patrick to wear comfortable clothes, but hadn’t elaborated. Patrick was wearing joggers and a tight fitting tee with a hoodie over top. David couldn’t stop staring. Patrick looked great, despite his dumb mountaineering shoes.
Everyone made idle chat throughout breakfast. As they were finishing up, Karamo stood.
“Patrick and I are going to be taking a hike! Would anyone like to join us?”
Patrick looked towards David immediately with a hopeful grin. David, however, shook his head solemnly. No matter how he felt about Patrick, he was not an outdoorsy guy.
Patrick’s smile fell for a moment, but he composed himself quickly. Antoni decided to join them, and the three men headed towards the car. David decided he would take the day to plan some outfits he thought Patrick would like. He went around town looking for a clothing store, but came up empty.
Upon asking Stevie for recommendations, he discovered that the nearby town of Elmdale, where they had gone furniture shopping, had the best options. David asked Jonathan to join him, and Bobby decided to come as well to do some more shopping for the apartment.
“So... you and Patrick,” Jonathan started as he nudged David.
“Don’t antagonize him, he’s driving,” Bobby warned.
“Me and Patrick? There is no me and Patrick. He’s a client. And anyway, I’m not his type,” David said with a sigh.
“Ooh. So if he wasn’t a client, there WOULD be a you and Patrick,” Bobby interjected.
“You just said not to antagonize him!” Jonathan yelled.
“Yeah, but then it got interesting.”
“As I said, I’m not his type,” David explained, rolling his eyes.
“But he’s yours,” Jonathan concluded.
David was silent, leading to a cacophony of giggles from Jonathan and Bobby.
“He totally likes you. It’s so obvious. Didn’t you see his smile this morning? He was totally smiling at you--only for you,” Bobby started, before being interrupted by David’s exasperated sigh.
“He just smiles a lot! He wasn’t smiling at me, he was just smiling,” David exclaimed.
“Sure…” Bobby started, smirking. “I’m sure, he does, David,” Bobby continued, giving a wink.
David rolled his eyes once more and turned the radio up, effectively shutting down the rest of this conversation. His mind wandered towards Patrick again as he concentrated on the road. He wondered how Karamo and Antoni were doing, but mostly wondered about Patrick. Could it be true? Did Patrick actually like him? He smiled briefly at the thought before shaking his head. No. It wasn’t possible and he shouldn’t even go there to begin with.
At that point, Jonathan started singing along to the radio so David’s attention was diverted away from his thoughts. They soon arrived in Elmdale. Bobby went back to the furniture store, while Jonathan and David began searching out a clothing store.
They passed by a few female-centric boutiques before finally finding the lone menswear store. Jonathan began wandering around, while David searched methodically. He wanted to keep Patrick in blues, where he seemed most comfortable, but slightly more put together.
He looked at piece after piece, selecting a few here and there. After a few hours of this, he had a decent selection to show Patrick the next day, and Bobby was done at the furniture store. Everyone gathered back at the car and drove to Schitt’s Creek.
The whole drive home David thought about Patrick and what his friends had insinuated. He tried to shake the thoughts of him away, but they were very persistent. He couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that Patrick could have anything more than platonic feelings for him, despite what the other men insisted.
The next morning, David headed out early. He let Patrick know that he was coming to pick him up and he had breakfast with him. Patrick seemed surprised, but was waiting outside when David pulled up at Ray’s house.
“Hi,” David said, quietly.
“Hi yourself,” Patrick replied.
David handed Patrick a tea and a scone, before pulling out of the driveway.
“We’re going to Elmdale. I found a cool shop there yesterday and pulled some pieces I think you’ll like,” David said, breaking the silence.
“Sounds good.”
They fell into silence again, but the comfortable kind. The music was playing quietly, and David tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. He was itching to reach out and touch Patrick, but he knew he shouldn’t.
A short while later, they arrived in Elmdale and got out of the car. David walked close to Patrick, brushing their shoulders together a few times. Patrick nudged him back, which made David smile. It suddenly dawned on him that this was the first time he was alone with Patrick, excluding the camera crew that was a constant in his life. He smiled at the thought. David had been smiling a lot since he met Patrick, all things considered.
The items David had picked out the day before were waiting for them when they arrived.
“So, I figured out that you really like the color blue,” David began.
“Yeah, I guess I do,” Patrick said with a shrug.
“So, I picked out stuff in the blue family that can easily be mixed and matched to create different looks. Fast and easy, but still put together,” David said, as he showed Patrick some of his picks.
Patrick smiled and accepted the clothing, before going into the fitting room to try everything on. He modeled a few different casual outfits, before he came out in the one David had been waiting for.
He was wearing a navy suit jacket and slack with a white button down. He took David’s breath away, leaving him speechless.
“So, what do you think?” Patrick asked, looking nervous.
David walked towards him quickly, as he willed himself to remain professional. He reached out and desperately wanted to pull Patrick into a kiss, but instead adjusted his lapels. He took a deep breath, and then looked into Patrick’s eyes.
“How do you feel?” David asked, breathless.
“I feel… good. Strong. Sexy,” he said, as he let out a breath at the last word.
“That’s how you should feel in everything you wear, Patrick. You are all of those things and so much more. You should always strive to look the way you feel inside. Project that confidence outward,” David told him.
Patrick smiled at that. “Thank you,” he said, stepping closer to David.
David tried to step back, but found that he was against the wall. David’s breathing was shallow and he tried to hide inside himself. Patrick stepped even closer, until he was right in David’s space.
“David, I...” Patrick started, but was cut off by a loud bang as a dressing room door slammed closed. He jumped back, the moment broken.
David let out a sigh, not sure if he was relieved or annoyed. He took a moment to compose himself, before looking at Patrick again.
“You should wear something like this to your party. It will help you feel more confident about talking with your parents.”
They paid for their items and headed toward the car. Something had changed, and they both knew it. Once again, they sat in comfortable silence as they drove back to Schitt’s Creek. Every now and then, they shared a small, knowing smile.
David was supposed to drop Patrick off at the cafe but decided to follow him inside for the meeting with Antoni.
“Hey Patrick! Are you ready to cook?” Antoni said, excitedly.
“Sorta? Hope it’s okay that David’s here too.”
“I always love having David around,” Antoni said with a laugh.
Antoni motioned for everyone to gather around the cart in the kitchen. Spread out on the surface were breadcrumbs, eggs, and fresh mozzarella cheese.
“So, any idea what we’re making?” Antoni asked.
“Looks like mozzarella sticks. I love those,” Patrick said with a smile.
Antoni nodded, and began explaining what Patrick needed to do. David stepped back and let Antoni and Patrick have their time together. He needed some time to think about everything that’s been going on. He looked at the two men as he lost himself in thoughts of Patrick.
Patrick was nothing like the man he imagined he would be meeting when he arrived in Schitt’s Creek for filming. Yes, he was still a little bit of a disaster, but he was also confident, self-assured, and all around incredible. He was not like anyone David had ever been with, but David wanted nothing more than to be with him anyway. David couldn’t believe his luck. He finally met the perfect guy, and he lived hundreds of miles away and probably wanted nothing more than friendship with him. However, he thought about their interaction in the clothing store and second guessed that last bit. David tuned back into Antoni’s lesson.
“So, now you take the frozen cheese and you roll it in the eggs and breadcrumbs. This is literally one of the easiest appetizers you can make! It’s a perfect choice for your housewarming party.”
“Honestly, the ones they serve here suck anyway, so I’m glad I can make them now!”
Antoni and David chuckled. Antoni prepared the hot oil and started to show Patrick how to fry the mozzarella sticks. David watched with reverence. The whole scene was very domestic and David couldn’t help but imagine a life where Patrick was cooking food for him. David shook the thought from his mind. The Fab 5 were his life and they needed to stay his priority, not some guy he had just met a few days prior.
David watched as the two men finished their lesson. Patrick held out a deep fried mozzarella stick to him and he gladly accepted it. He took a bite and grinned.
“This is actually really good!” David exclaimed.
Patrick laughed and shook his head.
“You doubted my abilities?” Patrick questioned.
“Not even for a second,” David replied.
The three men left Cafe Tropical and headed back to their respective places for a good night’s sleep before the big reveal the next day. David spent most of the night tossing and turning, unsure of his feelings and what to do about them.
David awoke the next morning and still felt very conflicted. Those feelings, however, did not stop him from chowing down on motel cinnamon rolls as everyone prepared for reveal day. He would shame eat in peace, thank you very much.
Bobby had left early to finish setting up Patrick’s apartment, and the other guys went over there to help. David was given the task of picking Patrick and Stevie up and driving them to his new apartment. He took the leftover cinnamon rolls and left the motel for the last time, still full of apprehension for the day ahead.
Stevie and Patrick were tired, but seemed very excited for the big reveal of Patrick’s apartment. If David was being honest, he was always excited to see the transformations Bobby created everywhere he went. Stevie turned the music up in the car which prompted a Mariah Carey sing-along on the short drive to the apartment building. David felt right at home with them.
They pulled up at the building and scrambled out of the car. David made them close their eyes, and Stevie and Patrick each grabbed onto one of David’s hands. David nearly pulled his hand away from Patrick’s due to the shock he felt, but he restrained himself. He decided to relish the feeling while he could enjoy it innocently.
He led them up to Patrick’s apartment, squeezing Patrick’s hand gently. David knocked on the door, sad that his time with Patrick was coming to an end. The door flew open and Bobby grabbed onto Stevie and Patrick and pulled them away from David as he led them inside. David followed behind and closed the door gently behind him.
The apartment was amazing. The leather couch from their shopping trip was in the middle of the room as a focal point. The kitchen had been painted black with white accents, which David thought looked really cool. The bedroom was decorated in shades of blue, but it was all perfectly Patrick. Stevie hugged Patrick as they looked around his new place.
“Wow,” she said. “This is amazing!”
“It really is. Bobby, I cannot thank you enough for everything you’ve done here,” Patrick said as he hugged Bobby.
Bobby told Patrick that he was welcome before Jonathan led him towards the bathroom to go over his new skin care routine. David couldn’t hear their conversation, but knew that it was mostly about sunscreen.
Finally, it was David’s turn with Patrick. They met in the bedroom and turned towards the small closet. David pulled out a few options and explained what he was doing.
“As you know, I decided to stick with a blue color story! You can really do a lot of mixing and matching with the wardrobe we created which I think will really help you get creative with your look,” David explained.
His first outfit was very casual and consisted of slim jeans and a fitted button down. He led Patrick out to the other men and Stevie. They ooed and awed, and David couldn’t help but admire his handy work. They turned and headed back into the bedroom, ready to change into the next look.
David waited in the bedroom while Patrick changed into the dressier outfit. After a few minutes, David called out to Patrick.
“Hey, Patrick? Do you need anything?”
“Actually, yeah. I’m having some trouble with this outfit,” Patrick replied.
David took a breath and walked into the bathroom. He couldn’t help but be grateful that Patrick was fully dressed, but seemed to be having trouble buttoning the last few buttons on his dress shirt. David walked over wordlessly and grabbed Patrick’s shaking hands. He lowered Patrick’s hands to his sides and began buttoning up Patrick’s shirt.
“How are you doing with all of this?” David asked.
“It’s a lot,” Patrick said truthfully, “but I’m so grateful. I’m very nervous for tonight. David, I know my parents are good people. I just can’t shake this fear that there’s a small chance this could change everything.”
At this, David finished buttoning Patrick’s shirt and pulled the man into a hug before he could stop himself. Patrick’s hands spread out over David’s back and David held him tight.
“Patrick, I can’t tell you not to be afraid. But you have so many people who love you and no matter what happens that won’t change. You are so unapologetically yourself and you can’t keep that hidden away in Schitt’s Creek anymore. Your parents deserve to know all of you, and if they can’t accept that then it’s their loss, not yours.”
Patrick hugged David tighter for another moment before letting go. David gave Patrick a small smile and turned around. He motioned for Patrick to follow him out to the living room.
“Fives? A ten is speaking,” David said with a laugh as he and Patrick entered the room.
Everyone laughed, but gasped when Patrick was revealed.
“Damn, boy! You look fabulous,” Jonathan yelled.
Karamo and Antoni smiled and clapped at Patrick’s look, while Stevie ran up to hug her best friend. At this point, the men decided it was time to leave. They all shared another hug with Patrick. David and Patrick’s hug lingered longer than everyone else’s. Finally, regretfully, David broke away and turned towards the door. He didn’t dare look back out of fear that it would truly break his heart. He whispered for Stevie to take care of Patrick, and then he left his heart in Schitt’s Creek.
A few weeks passed and David threw himself into his work. They helped a few more clients, but Patrick never left his thoughts. David was both devastated and glad that he hadn’t given Patrick any way to contact him. They both needed to move on from whatever had happened in Schitt’s Creek.
David had almost convinced himself of that when he realized it was time to watch Patrick’s follow up video. He tried to hide his feelings, but was pretty sure he failed when he saw the sympathetic looks coming from his friends. Karamo pulled him aside.
“You okay to watch this?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” David said as he shook off Karamo’s hand from his shoulder.
Karamo gave him a knowing look, but thankfully didn’t press the matter further. The men settled into the couch as Antoni passed out mozzarella sticks he had prepared. After a deep breath, David pressed play on the video.
The moment he saw Patrick on screen, everything he had tried to push away came rushing back in. All the feelings and emotions he thought had been locked up tight came spilling out, and he felt his eyes begin to water. He watched as Patrick prepped for his big housewarming party. The other men didn’t even pretend to be watching the video, too focused on making sure David was okay.
“We can turn it off,” Bobby started, but David cut him off.
“No, I’m okay, I swear. It’s my damn allergies acting up.”
It wasn’t and they all knew it, but David’s friends let him get away with the lie. David watched as Patrick prepared the food, his outfit, and finally, himself, for the night. A knock at the door could be heard on the video, and David held his breath.
Patrick took a deep breath on screen before opening the door and welcoming his parents inside. He sat them on the couch and provided drinks like a good host, and then dropped the bomb on them.
“Mom. Dad. I’m gay,” Patrick said with a wince.
Patrick’s parents looked at each other before turning towards Patrick and pulling him into a hug. They whispered to him that they didn’t care, it didn’t matter to them as long as he was happy. David’s heart soared as he watched the man he felt so deeply for be embraced with love and kindness.
The video ended shortly thereafter and David moved to get up from the couch, but was stopped.
“Not so fast,” Jonathan warned, “there’s another video you need to watch.”
David was confused, but did as he was told.
Suddenly, he was onscreen as well. He watched as Patrick appeared, and both Davids began to smile. Clips began to play, all of him and Patrick and their time together. David couldn’t believe his eyes. He had never seen himself look as happy as he was in this video.
Their shopping trip, their salon adventure, their dressing room escapade, and their cooking lessons all flashed before his eyes in quick succession. David knew in that moment that everything he had been trying to deny was real. He had feelings--strong, romantic feelings for Patrick Brewer. And he had left him.
David began to cry and his friends rushed to his side.
“What’s wrong, boo? This was supposed to help,” Jonathan mumbled as he rubbed David’s back soothingly.
“I just… I can’t… I miss him, guys. I can’t believe this,” David got out between breaths.
“You know what you need to do,” Karamo said knowingly.
“I have absolutely no way to contact him,” David exclaimed as he threw his hands up.
“You don’t, but we do,” Bobby said with a smile before he handed David his phone.
On the screen was a message from Stevie Budd, and David knew he had a long night of planning ahead of him.
A few days later, David arrived back in Schitt’s Creek. The town was as sleepy as ever, but David saw everything with new eyes. He had been driving for countless hours, but he was wide awake. He could have taken a plane, he knew, but he needed time to gather his thoughts before he saw him again. His Patrick.
Before David knew it, he was pulling up in front of the cafe. With any luck, Stevie would have Patrick waiting inside.
He braced himself for the worst, and then headed inside before he could convince himself to turn around. The bell above the door rang as he entered, but no one turned around.
Patrick’s back was to him, but he could see that he was wearing the outfit David had picked out for him a few weeks prior. He wasn’t sure what Stevie had said to get Patrick here, but he made a mental note to send her some wine later. David strode towards Patrick’s booth as he tried to exude confidence.
“Is this seat taken?”
Patrick turned towards him, getting ready to reply, when he saw who it was.
“David,” he said, breathlessly.
“Hi,” David replied, suddenly feeling very small.
Patrick motioned for him to take a seat across from him. David shook his head, and Patrick looked at him, confused. He reached toward Patrick and pulled him out of the booth.
“David, what are you--” Patrick began, but was cut off as David hugged him.
Patrick was rigid for a single moment before he wrapped his arms around David. After a few long moments, David pulled back from the hug and pressed his lips to Patrick’s. Patrick kissed him back, and David had never felt so at home.
They both knew they had a difficult road ahead of them, but they could conquer anything as long as they were together.