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The next time Remy saw Patton after the closet freak out was from down the hall in the ER. It was about half a week after word came out that Bluebird had regained his memories. Patton had called in sick for work for a few days after Remy had sent him home, and Remy hadn’t heard anything from him. However, David had told him he’d seen both Patton and Logan yesterday afternoon when Remy had gotten a coffee from him at The Hideout this morning. So, he guessed it was time for them to return to the land of the living.
Remy held his breath as he came up behind Patton wondering just how much he was going to have to beat Logan’s ass.
“Hey, Pat, back to work?” Remy asked.
He turned to face Remy and gave him a slightly sheepish smile. “Hi Remy,” he said.
Remy studied him for a couple of seconds. “How’re you doing?”
“Better,” Patton said, and it sounded like a relieved sigh. “I’m a lot better.” And he did seem a bit better. There was less tension in his shoulders and his eyes appeared less dead. There wasn’t as much exhaustion weighing down his frame and he had regained a bit of that bounciness to his words that was typical Patton. But at the same time…
“Are you sure?” Remy said. “Because no offence, but a few days ago, you looked like the emaciated ghost of a rabid racoon that didn’t get invited to it’s best friend’s birthday party.”
Patton’s nose scrunched as he processed that metaphor. “I’m sure,” he confirmed after a few moments. “Logan and I had a bit of a miscommunication issue is all.”
Yeah, bitch, Remy was not taking that as the only explanation.
Remy raised an eyebrow at him, and Patton sighed. “So,” he said with a bit of a wince, “he didn’t, um, actually understand that I was proposing.”
Remy thought about everything he knew about Logan and, yeah, that about tracked. Dumb fucker.
“Anyway, that misunderstanding kind of dragged up some issues that, uh, aren’t actually related to Logan at all. Then, last week was a bit stressful and it kind of all came to a head and… sorry for tangling you up in my melt down, by the way.”
“It’s no biggie Boo, but I’m a little worried about some of the stuff you said.”
“Yeah…” he said, starting to fidget. “So is Logan. We talked it out and came up with a plan.”
“A plan huh?” Remy asked skeptically. Logan and his stupid ass plans.
“Yeah, uh, I’m actually,” he looked away and down while fiddling with the edges of his doctor’s coat, “going to see a therapist that has experience with childhood trauma. So, um, that is something and then Logan and I are going to go to a bit of relationship counseling too for a while. At least a year for both things, probably more.”
“That’s good,” Remy said.
He looked back up at Remy. “You think so?” he asked.
“Of course, Patty Cake. Mental health is sexy.”
Patton gave an amused head shake. “Anyway,” he continued. “My first appointment is tomorrow. It’s more for just making sure the woman we picked is a good fit than anything, but then after that we’ll… well I don’t actually know what I’m supposed to do next, but hopeful it might help with some stuff. Then we start to see the relationship counselor next week.”
“Cool,” Remy said. “What time does the first appointment end? I can take you out for coffee afterwards.”
“Oh, sure, um, it ends at 4.”
“Alright, it’s a date. Or at least a friendship date. Unless you’ve decided to give up on the nerd.”
Patton laughed, knowing he was joking. “Actually,” he said. “That’s another thing.” He grabbed at a chain around his neck. “I’m putting it here during working hours,” he explained as he pulled out an engagement ring.
Remy immediately grabbed for the ring so he could see it better.
“Remy,” Patton complained with a laugh as he was yanked forward by the chain on his neck.
“Ooo, gurl get it!” he said. “Lo-Lo’s lucky. Not only because he gets you as a husband, but because the size of that rock decreases the ass beating I’m going to give him the next time I see him by 75%.”
“Remy no,” Patton protested.
“Remy yes,” Remy said sticking out his tongue as he released the ring. “He’ll agree he deserves it anyway.”
Patton sighed and put the ring back inside his coat. “We’re going to wait a while,” he said. “We’re not even going to start planning until at least that first year of therapy is done, but it’s still nice to have.”
Remy gave him a soft smile and offered a hug which Patton easily accepted. Remy patted him on the back. “Invite Logan to our coffee date. I’ll fight him in the parking lot afterwards.
Patton snorted. “Remy!” Remy just squeezed him tighter.