Everything seemed a whole lot better after four pints and a round of shots.
THE LIGHTSwere on when Patrick finally made it home around eleven thirty. He fumbled his keys twice before managing to get the door undone.
“You okay, Pat?” Ben shouted as Patrick fell into the wall and bumped his elbow, hard.
“Yep.” He grimaced, cursing under his breath. “Jus’ peachy.” He sort of stumbled his way through the hall and into the lounge.
“For fuck’s sake, Patrick, sit down before you break something.” Ben shot up off the sofa and manhandled Patrick into the chair. “I’ll get you some water.”
He made Patrick drink two pints of water and take a couple of ibuprofen before sitting back down and staring at him. Patrick had sobered up a little with all the water but was drunk enough to let his feelings spill out if pushed, and Ben knew it.
“So,” Ben began, and Patrick groaned into his hand. “Will came by earlier.”
“That’s nice. Why are you telling me?” Ben had been hanging out a lot at Will’s place over the last two weeks. It figured Will would come round when Patrick wasn’t there.
Ben rolled his eyes, as though Patrick was the stupidest person ever to have lived. And after today Patrick was almost inclined to agree with him.
“He didn’t come to see me, you dick.”
“Huh?”
“Jesus!” Ben sat forward, resting his arms on his knees. “I don’t know what happened today, but Will cancelled our poker night and was fucking gutted when I told him you’d gone out with Christian.”
Patrick grinned, viciously pleased for a second. “Good.” He felt instantly guilty again at Ben’s raised eyebrow.
“He’s a good guy, Patrick.”
“Yeah, sorry.”
“I know you said everything was fine between you two, but—”
“Itisfine.” Patrick insisted weakly.
“Bollocks.” Ben stared at him incredulously, and Patrick had to look away. “Both of you have been miserable as fuck for the past couple of weeks, andChrist, Patrick. I hate being stuck in the middle.”
Guilt washed over him, and Patrick winced. “Shit, I’m sorry. I just….”
“You need to sort it out, one way or the other. I’m sick of having to avoid getting my little brother and my best friend in the same place at the same time.”
Patrick slumped back in the chair. “He met Darren in the coffee shop today. I think they’re back together.”
Ben’s eyes narrowed, confused. “What?”
“I picked up an extra shift, and he didn’t expect me to be there, I guess. Darren was all smiles and fucking sunshine, so… yeah….”
Ben’s expression turned furious for a minute, and Patrick immediately wished he’d not said anything. Shit, he was making things worse.
“God, I could fucking hit him, the stupid fucker.”
Patrick sat there, too drunk to think of something appropriate to say to defuse the situation. Yeah, Will had been a cock taking Darren there, but he didn’t want to be the cause of a fight between him and Ben. “It’s okay. It was shitty at the time, but s’all good now.”
Ben sighed, shaking his head. “Is that why you went out and got trashed?” Patrick flushed and fiddled with the seam of his jeans. “Jesus, you two deserve each other.”
Patrick’s head snapped up at that, and he glared at Ben, because really, what the fuck?
“Listen to me, Pat. Will isn’t getting back with Darren, no matter how much Darren wishes he was.”
Patrick made a “get on with it” gesture, and sat forward, a lot more interested in the proceedings now.
