Chapter Text
It all started on what appeared to be a very normal Monday morning in Schitt’s Creek.
David and Patrick had travelled to the store together to open from Ray’s, much to David’s distress, who required several cups of coffee, and some other methods of convincing to even get out of bed. Patrick had been patient, and loving, as he always was, as he woke his boyfriend up with soft, sweet kisses over his bare chest.
“Mm, nooo.” He whined from beneath the blankets.
“Yes, David,” Patrick whispered in return, moving his kisses lower, “someone needs to open the store and I’m not going alone.”
“Why does it have to be us though?”
“Because we own the store, David.” He groaned as he felt Patrick push the duvet back and move his head further down, “maybe I can give you a little, enticement?”
“Mhm, I could be convinced, I think.” David said arching his back slightly and laughing.
***
So, they were late to open the store. But that wasn’t unusual in the long term. They arrived just before 9, waving to Twyla who was outside the café setting up the outdoor signs and wiping down the tables.
The store was relatively busy from that point on, with various visits from regular townspeople, and a healthy number of sales made.
Every time there was a lull, Patrick would cross the room to where David was stood, working stocking shelves, or standing behind the counter from where he was ringing up purchases. He would come up behind his boyfriend, or to the side, and wrap his arms around his waist, pressing small fond kisses to his shoulders, or neck, or face.
“You’re being very affectionate today.” David said quietly after the fourth or fifth time it happened; fond smile plastered on his face regardless.
“Am I?” Patrick asked teasingly, “I hadn’t noticed.”
“You are, is there something you wanted to say to me?” David asked, closing his eyes and looking almost blissful in the quiet of the store.
“Do you mind if I say it?” Patrick asked slowly.
“I don’t mind, you could- you could say it, if you wanted to say it.”
“David?”
“Mhm.” David replied nodding and trying to repress a smile.
“I love you.” Patrick murmured, kissing the side of David’s face as pulling him against his chest.
David’s face scrunched up, and he pursed his lips as he held on tightly to Patrick’s shoulders, “Mhm.” He said slowly, reaching to wrap his arms fully around his boyfriend, “I love you.” He said, quietly into Patrick’s face, tensing at the affection of it.
They kissed for a moment, before being interrupted by the bell above the door, and a guilty looking Stevie entering.
“Sorry to break up a moment,” she said wincing, looking flustered.
“What’s up Stevie?” Patrick asked, looking concerned as David made his usual facial fuss about the interruption.
“Um, well, we had someone book into the hotel.”
“Well, that’s good news? So why- why are you not there?” David asked.
“Um, well, it was meant to be a surprise I think,” she said, looking at Patrick carefully, as if to not spook him, “but I just figured, that it would probably be better if you had some warning, and just, you know, tell you straight.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your parents just booked into the motel, Patrick.”
David felt rather than saw Patrick tense up next to him, “I’m sorry what?” He asked breathily, going even paler than before and seeming to sway slightly with the news.
“Clint and Marcy Brewer just booked into the motel, they said they were coming to surprise their son, I just thought the name thing was too much to be a coincidence and I figured it would probably be better for you to have some warning.”
“Hmm,” Patrick said, frowning at the floor.
David looked between his boyfriend and his best friend slowly, brain working a mile a minute as he tried to keep track of the conversation, and Patrick’s strange reaction. After a while, he gripped Patrick’s arm to try and support him, and turned to Stevie. “Um, can you give us a minute?” He asked.
“Yeah, yeah sorry,” Stevie said, looking guiltily at Patrick and pulling a face, “I should probably head back to the motel, I shouldn’t have left the desk really I just, wanted you to know.”
“Thank you,” David said, catching eye contact with Stevie as she opened the door and disappeared once more, “Patrick honey, are you gonna be okay?” He asked once she had gone, turning to grip both his arms, and leading him backwards towards the curtain leading to the back room.
He effectively deposited him on the couch, turning around to grab the bottle of water from the desk and returning to sit next to him.
“What’s wrong- what’s wrong with your parents Patrick?” He asked slowly.
Patrick hesitated, sucking air through his teeth as he rubbed at his face, “I- I haven’t told them yet, David.” He said slowly, “I haven’t told my parents about me - a-about us, about our relationship.”
David froze, tensing massively as removed his arms from Patrick’s shoulders, “Oh, I- I didn’t realise, you - I should have, um.”
He waved his hands around slightly as he shuffled back along the couch.
“I just- it isn’t anything that you’re thinking.” Patrick said, reaching for David’s flapping hands, but faltering and missing them, grasping at the air awkwardly, “I’ve been wanting to tell them about us, I really have, I just was waiting to do it in person, and then I didn’t go home for the holidays, and I- I’ve been feeling so comfortable with your family I-“
“Yeah, yeah I- I don’t know why I assumed,” David said putting his face in his hands, “but I- I’ve spoken to your parents before, like, on the phone, did they- did they think that they were just talking to your- your business partner?”
“I just, I know my parents are good people, David. I just, I can’t get over the fear that once I tell them, it’s gonna change everything.” Patrick said, voice thick with tears, “but I will tell them today, I want to tell them, I owe it to us.”
David shook his head as if clearing it, before turning to face Patrick fully, “Mm, Patrick, what you’re going through is very personal, and something that you should only do under your terms.”
Patrick nodded shakily, leaning in as David gripped his shoulders tightly.
“So, I think, that the best idea, just for now, is that I stay your business partner in front of your parents.”
“No - David I can’t ask you to do that.” Patrick replied, frowning and shaking his head.
“Mm-mm, I insist. It’s too much of a strain to put on our relationship, and on me, to be the reason that you come out. I think it would maybe be better for you to focus on spending time with your parents who you haven’t seen in a little over a year, and we can have this conversation again maybe like, six months down the line.”
Patrick looked at him contemplatively for several seconds, “you would really do that for me?”
“Mhm, well, it’s actually partly for me, this isn’t just a surprise for you, I am in no way prepared to meet my boyfriend’s parents right now. I need a lot more warning for that.”
Patrick breathed a short laugh, leaning to push his head onto David’s shoulder, “I’m so sorry for this, David, I- if I’d known that they were coming then I would never have--”
“Shh, shh, stop, it’s fine, really.” David exclaimed, stroking the back of Patrick’s head comfortingly. “Now, I need to go and do some damage control, and let people know that we’re not intending to tell your parents anything yet. Can I leave you in charge of the store whilst I do that?”
“Yes, yes, I’ll just stay here and, wait for my parents to show up and surprise me I guess.” Patrick said, wiping his face as David stood up.
“Okay, you should splash some water on your face before they arrive though,” he said, leaning down to press a firm kiss onto Patrick’s lips, “and I will see you in a few hours, okay?”
“Will you come back here after you’re done?”
“Do you want me to?” David asked, wincing.
“Please? I’ll text you updates when I find out what’s happening.”
“Okay sounds good, have a good time with your parents, honey.” He said, flouncing out around the curtain.
Patrick sighed for a moment, waiting to hear the bell on the door ring as David left, before standing up and rubbing his eyes, heading for the bathroom.
***
“So, Patrick’s parents don’t know like, anything?” Alexis asked.
On arriving at the motel, David had immediately called a meeting, gesturing for Stevie from the door of the office and collecting everyone in his parents’ room.
“Are you sure that’s healthy?” Stevie asked, “wouldn’t it be better for you to let Patrick tell his parents whilst they’re here?”
“Absolutely not,” David exclaimed, “I refuse to be the reason for Patrick coming out to his family before he is one hundred percent ready for that.”
“But surely--”
“Mm, nope, he will talk to his parents next time he visits home, which wasn’t going to be that long anyway, and we will survive the next couple of days just as business partners.” He said, with finality, wincing slightly over the end of the sentence.
“Couple days? Marcy and Clint have booked into the motel for the next week.” Stevie said slowly.
“Week?” David asked, weakly, “I- I thought they’d be here for like, a couple of days? I have to pretend to not be with Patrick for a week?”
“See, this is why we thought--”
“No, no absolutely not. I refuse to put any pressure on Patrick about this. We will just, deal with it, for a week.”
“Well David, we will do whatever we can to help you with this.” Johnny said slowly, “I’ll speak to Roland and Jocelyn and get them to spread the news not to say anything if they do bump into Patrick’s parents.”
“That’s great thanks Dad.”
“And I shall notify the Jazzagals at our weekly rendezvous tonight.” Moira added in, “you have no reason to fret about with that my dear.”
David nodded, fiddling with the rings on his right hand and pacing slightly back and forth, “am I, am I doing something wrong here?” He asked fretfully, “this isn’t like, another example of self-sabotage?”
“No no no,” Alexis assured him, “David, sit down on the bed, you’ve just got to get through this week, and then you’ll be fine.” She said, standing over him and patting his shoulders uncomfortably.
“Yeah, yeah it’s fine, it’ll be fine, I just need you to help me keep Patrick in the closet for as long as possible,” he paused, “that came out wrong, but you know what I mean right?”
The room nodded in assent, and everyone rushed off to go about their jobs and inform the town of the plan. David’s phone buzzed.
13:01 Are you coming back to the store?
13:01 I can do, have you seen your parents?
13:03 Yeah, we’re just going for lunch.
13:04 If you lock up on the way out, then I’ll head over now and reopen.
13:04 Sure, thank you David x
David sighed, putting his phone back into his pocket and twisting his hands uncomfortably before heading back out to the store.