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The air in the room was thick with tension and anger, it had never been like this with him and Aaron before. It was always easy, he never felt anything but comfort from the older man. But now they're sat across from each other in Patricks sitting room. Aarons avoiding eye contact as Patrick glares daggers through him.
He doesnt know why he agreed to this, hes not forgiven Aaron, he wont forgive Aaron. He cheated on Patrick, too much of a coward to even break up with him, for what? To hide who he is? To get yet again another beard to cover up the fact that hes gay?
"How've you been?" Aaron breaks the silence, his eyes flicker to Patrick for a moment before they focus on the wall to his right. Patricks eyes somehow narrow even more than they already are "great." His answer is short, a little snappy, cause how dare he ask Patrick how he is after everything thats happened?
"You look good" Aaron says, his eyes moving over the younger mans body, and Patrick hates what it does to him. He hates how it makes him feel wanted, needed. "Congratulations on the win against the Bills."
Patrick hums and nods "yeah, I done pretty damn good" he says, his arms cross over his chest and he leans back. He feels like a petulant child, huffing over having to talk to Aaron even though it was his own decision. He listened to the voicemail, he called Aaron back, granted it was nearly a month later, but he done it all himself. He doesnt owe Aaron anything, not his time, not his efforts and definitely not his forgiveness.
Their eyes meet. It feels like its burning, theyre both burning. Maybe this hurt Aaron too, it couldve been a pr stunt set up by his manager. Patrick wipes that thought away, he cant feel bad for Aaron, thats what hes done every time they had an argument. Aaron would say the right thing, do the right thing, get Patrick to feel bad for him and then forgive him. Every. Single. Time.
But not now, hes not getting forgiveness. He might get yelled at, maybe a glass or two thrown at him, a picture frame. He might even get his cut up clothes that Patrick went at after he got drunk on that bottle of wine he stole from his house.
"Im really sorry" there it is, Aaron sounds sad, like he was forced to cheat, like someone was holding a gun to his head. "I really am Pat, I love you, I didn't mean to che-" "-so you just tripped and fell into her?" Patrick snaps at him.
The room goes quiet again, Aaron doesnt defend himself, he stays quiet and stares at Patrick. "...I love you" he tries again but Patrick shakes his head "if you loved me you wouldn't have fucking cheated on me Aaron!" He snaps again, hes beyond pissed off "yknow what, just fucking leave, get out."
Aaron sighs and shakes his head "im not going Pat, we need to talk." But the younger man shakes his head "no, I cant have any distractions for the next game, I'll...I'll call you after that."
Aaron sighs again but nods "okay...fine" he mutters before standing and letting himself out of Patricks house, neither say bye or acknowledge each other as the older man leaves.
"I swear I thought I was gonna kill him" hes pacing, Travis is sat on his couch, as soon as Aaron had left the younger man had driven to Travis'. He needed to talk about it to someone, and Travis was one of the very few people who knew about him and Aaron.
"I mean..." Travis puts his hands up, as if weighing out the pros and cons of killing Aaron. Pat sighs "he was trying to make me feel bad, he always fucking done that. Make it out that I was in the wrong for something i didn't even do!" Travis' head moves as the pacing continues, following Patrick with his eyes.
"Do you want a drink?" Travis hasnt always been the best at comforting people, he loves them, sure, but comforting definitely wasnt his strong suit. Patrick sighs and nods "yeah...you got any like...vodka or something? Wine?" It remind him of Aaron, fuck, even when hes not here hes still plaguing Patricks mind.
Travis nods "sure, be back in a sec" Pat watches as he stands and walks out of the sitting room, he hears light talking in the kitchen, having completely forgot for a few minutes that Taylor was here. And she just heard him rant about his cheating ex boyfriend. Great.
Hes left alone in the sitting room with his own thoughts, mainly on Aaron. He has to stop thinking about him, about them, its driving him crazy. He needs to focus, be on the top of his game, he doesn't need distractions.
They won against the Ravens, they're going to the superbowl again, and Patrick has a really good feeling about it. Hes ecstatic, surrounded by his teammates in the locker room, each one of them having full faith that they can win another superbowl, they've done it before and they can do it again.
But that ecstatic feeling drops slightly when he turns his phone on, right at the top of his notification bar is a text from Aaron. Theres a pit in his stomach, he hasnt spoken to him since that dah in his house, and he's not sure he wants to.
From: Aaron ❤️ (he should probably remove the heart from his contact name)
Watched the game, you did great Pat. Congratulations ❤️.
It's so little but so much, why text him? Why make that effort? Was it even effort to Aaron though? He probably didn't think much of it, or maybe he typed it out and then deleted in a retyped it another three times before sending it.
A hand lands on his shoulder making him jump and turn his head to see a grinning Travis "you okay, man?" He asks. Patrick looks at him for a moment before nodding and smiling back, hoping it looks believable. Travis seems to take it, he nods and then turns off to go get changed.
But Patricks eyes drift back down to the phone screen. He shouldnt respond to Aaron. He's not going to respond to Aaron. He 100% is not going to respond to Aaron.
Patrick pants as he lays in the bed, sweat covering his skin as he catches his breath. Aaron moves to lay beside him, in a similar state. His eyes drift to the older man whos arm is thrown over his eyes, his chest moving up and down. Patricks eyes close, he feels like hes on fire, he always has with Aaron.
Hands move over to his body, Aaron pressing against his side before his lips start to trail soft, light kisses over his shoulder. "You're so pretty Pat" is whispered against his skin, it burns, if it was possible Patrick would've thought it left an imprint on his skin, a permanent mark of those words that seem to drive him crazy and calm him down all at the same time.
"Missed you" Aaron mutters, trailing kisses up along his neck and jaw. Patrick hums, he thinks for a moment that he'll stay quiet, maybe Aaron will leave, but he knows the older man is far too stubborn for that. "...I missed you too" his voice is quiet, barely a whisper, but Aaron hears it.
Patrick hums softly, his head tilting back more as teeth nip at his neck, still careful enough to not leave a mark. "You should come" it falls right out of his mouth before he can think, why has he been either overthinking or not thinking at all lately?
Aaron pauses, he can feel the smirk against his skin "I already did, but if you wanna go again..." his hand flies up and whacks the older mans chest "no" he huffs, a small chuckle escaping his lips before he opens his eyes. Aarons holding himself partly up on his forearm, one hand still around Patricks waist as he watches him. They watch each other, both looking for something, neither knowing what exactly it is.
"I meant the superbowl" Patrick says, his eyes flash away from Aarons, he cant stand seeing the rejection, he doesnt think he'd survive Aaron leaving him again. He doesnt see how the older mans eyes widen at his words, its quiet for a moment before he hums and nods "okay, I'll come to the superbowl."
Patricks eyes snap back to him "you...what?" He asks, he didn't expect this, he expected Aarons refusing then probably a big argument and then they never see each other again. But no. Aaron actually agreed. "I said I'll come" Aaron repeats himself, his hand moving further up Pats side "I want to make it up to you Pat, I want to earn your forgiveness...earn you back, I love you" his lips press gently kisses down along Patricks chest.
He sighs, his head tilting back as his eyes close again "...okay" he says softly, he cards his fingers through Aarons hair "...but you'll have to work for it, Im not just gonna trust you right away." Aarons nodding before he can even finish "okay, of course...anything." he sounds genuine, it sounds like a real promise.
And Patrick doesnt know if he's being naive or an idiot, but he believes him.
"What the hell is Rodgers doing here?" Patrick looks at Travis who looks even more pissed than when Patrick told him about Aaron cheating. They're at the superbowl after party, hes still high on the adrenaline of winning, he feels like hes floating. "What'd you mean?" Patrick plays dumb, he knows that Aarons here, the older man was at the game and he came to the after party when Patrick told him to, and right now hes getting Patrick a drink.
"Whats he doing here Pat?" Travis repeats, his eyebrows furrowing together "you hate him, hes a piece of shit, why the fuck is he here?" Hes like a protective older brother, Patrick knows its just because he doesnt want to see him get hurt again.
"I...I invited him" he says, then shrugs and glances in the direction he seen the older man walk off in "We've been talking again." And if disappointment had a face it would be Travis.
"Talking? Pat he cheated on you" he has a point, but also...Aaron was just...his, he knew Aaron was his, that theyd end up together anyway. And he believes firmly in second chances. "And?" He sees Travis' face scrunch up even more "thats my problem Trav, not yours" it sounds cold and harsh, he knows Travis was there for him before, but at the same time its his relationship, his problem, not Travis'.
Travis huffs "fine" he grumbles before walking away, hes pissed off, Patrick can tell. But the thought is wiped from his mind when Aaron appears in front of him again, holding two drinks, offering one to him.
"You okay?" He asks, his arm going around Patricks shoulder, pulling him closer, if a picture of them like this got out itd be a public nightmare, explaining why hes cuddled up so closely to, not only another man, but a play from another team.
Pat nods "yeah, Im good" he smiles at Aaron, pushing away the conversation with Travis. His focus should be on celebrating, on being here, on winning another superbowl, on having Aaron again.
-fin.