Archive of Our Own

Notes:

• In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the Schitt's Creek Passions and Pastimes Fest 2022 collection.

Pre-canon background
Patrick has always enjoyed hiking. He likes spending time in nature because it makes him feel like he’s a part of something bigger than himself.

He likes to push his body until his muscles burn because it’s something only he can control.

The fresh morning air soothes his lungs because it’s the only place where breathing doesn’t feel like suffocating.

He feels comforted when the rising sun spreads warmth across his back because it gives rather than takes.

Hiking in Schitt’s Creek
Patrick continued to hike when he moved to Schitt’s Creek but it was different now that he was in a new headspace. Once he met David, hiking allowed him to reflect, process, and figure out what he wanted his life to look like moving forward.

Fan Art Vision
I gained inspiration from The Rainbow Road Photography Series It provides a visual of how each step he took while processing his feelings for David eventually wore away the dirt and led him to a sexual awakening. The art I made leading up to the proposal cliff is where the rainbow is brightest to show the finality he felt about his future. It’s the metaphorical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Another inspiration for this art came from a quote by Rachel Hudson: When you reduce life to black and white, you never see rainbows. I think it perfectly describes Patrick breaking free from the chains of heteronormative expectations.

The pastimes we choose bring something to our lives that makes us feel better, connects us to others, provides a sense of achievement, or helps us see ourselves and the world at large differently. That’s what I’ve tried to capture in this fan art.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)