How To Be A Heartbreaker

"You have a commitment issue, Pete! How many girls have you been with just this month? Like, five, right?"

The dark haired boy nodded in shame.

"Exactly! Why do you do this?"

The blonde was frustrated with his best friend. It was a repeated thing for Pete to show up at his home, usually late at night, upset about losing his latest girl. Tonight was no exception and Patrick was frustrated. He just wanted Pete to be happy.

More specifically, he wanted to be the one that Pete was happy with, but it could never happen. Patrick was no more than a best friend to Pete and it did sting, if he was going to admit things.

"I don't know, Pat! I really, I don't know." His voice dropped to a whisper as he finished his sentence. A lone tear slid down his olive colored cheek.

"No, Pete. Please don't cry on me. It hurts me when you cry," Patrick said, enveloping the other boy in his arms.

"I'm sorry, Patrick. I just can't get anything right! After Ashlee left, it got like this. I can't have Bronx thinking that it's okay to act this way! What do I do?"

"You slow down. Don't date woman after woman. Why do you, anyways?"

"Because I have to try to ignore every other feeling I've got held up inside."

"Like what?"

"Like lots of things."

"What's one thing in particular?"

"One thing? Knowing the person I really want will never have me."

"Ashlee is the past, okay. There's someone out there for you, I know there is."

"Maybe I didn't mean Ashlee," Pete murmured at an impossibly quiet volume.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Come on, Peter. You know that you can tell me anything."

"Maybe I wasn't talking about Ashlee."

Patrick did not say a thing as his mind raced with ridiculous dreams of his friend meaning he wanted him.

"Maybe I want you. Maybe I always have. Maybe I can't come to terms with my own feelings. Maybe I shouldn't have said all that."

Patrick's mouth hung open in shock and he didn't dare trust his words to come out in a way that would not leave him blushing and flustered.

Pete took this as a bad reaction to his confessions. He knew Pat wouldn't feel the same, but he was hurting and wanted to get all of his pent up feelings out. Patrick had asked, after all.

"I just should've kept quiet. I'm sorry for messing up your life so much, so often. I think I'll just go home now. You don't have to talk to me again if you don't want. I understand."

"Please, Pete. Don't go."

Patrick reached out to grab the older man's hand as he tried to exit and stood with him.

"I don't want you to leave."

"You don't? Why not?"

"Because you're not the only one who feels that way."

"Obviously. It's how things happen. Best friends fall in love all the time. Or at least one does."

"Then maybe you're lucky that it's not only one."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You're an idiot."

"Thank you?"

Patrick suddenly leaned forward and pressed his lips to Pete's. At first, he didn't react and Patrick became paranoid, despite himself. Once over the initial shock, Pete kissed back, pulling the younger closer to him as their mouths worked against each others.

When they pulled away, Pete had another confession to make.

"That's why I was always with different girls, Pat. None of them could compare to you."

Patrick looked down at his hands, cheeks turning pink.

"H-how do I know you won't just use me and leave like you've done?"

"I never want to hurt you, Patrick."

"You may not want to, but that doesn't mean that you won't."

"Pat, please trust me," he said, placing his palm on his best friend's cheek and pulling him just a little closer.

"I just don't know..."

"How can I prove to you that I won't?"

"With your previous record, I don't know if you can."

"Give me a chance, please."

His voice was weak with worry and sadness. He had not thought Patrick would react the way he did, but he also didn't expect this. Pete hoped Patrick would say his feelings were the same and they would be together just like that.

That obviously wasn't the case and it was hurting the older man. Little did he know it was hurting his best friend, too. He wanted so desperately to be with Pete but he could not have his heart broken the way those girls did.

"I don't know, Pete."

"Please, please Pat. I told you that it was because I love you that I couldn't be with those women for long."

"You love me?"

"Yes. I always have and I know I always will."

"This is all a dream. It must be. Soon it will end and I'll wake up and you will still be with, what's her name? Dakota."

"No, Pat. This is real. What I feel for you is real and all I'm asking for is a chance. I won't hurt you. I can't."

"One chance, that's all," Patrick replied and the two brought their lips together in a passionate kiss once again.

~

One chance turned into a month and that month turned into a year. Before either man really knew it, they had been together for three years. Never once did Pete hurt Patrick and never had either of them been so happy.

Patrick opened his eyes and blinked in the strong sun before looking down to see the love of his life curled into him, still peacefully asleep. This was one of Patrick's favorite moments with Pete. It was early and there he was, asleep, innocent, and protected from the weight of the world. There had been many times when Pete had overslept and been late for work because Patrick just couldn't bring himself to disturb something so beautiful.

Almost as if he could feel his boyfriend's eyes trained on him, Pete awoke and looked up at Patrick. He really couldn't think of a better way to wake up, though he was by no means a morning person. He smiled a goofy, lopsided smile at the man who was holing him so very close and it made them both laugh.

"Good morning," Patrick spoke.

Pete had always been a little in awe of Patrick, of everything he did, really. He became so much more fascinated when he had heard Patrick's half-asleep morning voice. It was gruff but still so young, as if he was completely new to the world and it's terrors.

"Morning. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Want to spend today on the boardwalk since I don't have to go to work?"

Patrick's eyes lit up, much like a kid who had just been told he was going to be getting a puppy's would.

"Yeah, that would be great."

Pete placed a chaste kiss on his lips before going to take a shower. Patrick wandered downstairs in search of breakfast.

Not ten minutes later, Pete was back and got some breakfast as well. This had become a routine for them at one point, when both men worked rather early in the morning, and it had just continued since then.

They shared a short conversation before Patrick made the trek back upstairs so he was ready to leave as well.

Neither of them could wait to go to the boardwalk, but for different reasons. Patrick loved the atmosphere out there, where no one seemed to have a care in the world. As for Pete, he had a plan for today. He knew he loved Patrick more than anything- well, maybe just as much as he loved his son- and he wanted to be with him and no one else for the rest of his life. He was nervous already as he ran his fingers over the black velvet box that was concealed in the pocket of his trademark leather jacket.

Patrick returned and Pete quickly withdrew his hand from the pocket. Thankfully, his boyfriend had not noticed his strange behavior and they left the house for the boardwalk.

~

The day was spent wandering through shops and along the wooden planks that made up the place they both loved, talking about nothing. It was the kind of relationship they had. No matter what it was they were talking about, neither of them could ever be bored with the other.

Night was falling over the area, all remainders of the day fading into a dazzling sunset. A light wind rustled through, but it was enough to make Patrick shiver as they stood at the railing, looking out at the mysteriously beautiful ocean.

Pete pulled his love closer to him in a feeble attempt to keep him warm and Patrick smiled at him before pressing his lips to Pete's.

When he had pulled back, Pete dropped down onto one knee as the sun continued dropping lower into the water.

"Peter," Patrick barely choked out, already becoming emotional. This was a day he had dreamed of for as long as he could remember, but he never thought it would actually be happening.

"3 years ago, I was a mess. I wouldn't admit it then, but I was. I loved you so much and didn't dare to dream that you might return that love." By this point, people had stopped to see what was happening. "I didn't think you would give me the chance I so desperately wanted with you, but you did and I will always be grateful for it. I don't know what I would do without you in my life, Patrick. I know that I would be lost, though. I want to be there for you, now. Forever." Patrick was already nodding, knowing what Pete was going to ask as he pulled the box from his pocket. "Patrick, will you marry me?"

Patrick mumbled a yes through his tears and Pete stood to embrace him. They shared a brief kiss before Pete slid a solid silver band onto the blonde's finger. Some of the people around them clapped and both men blushed at the attention they had drawn.

Once the crowd of people had parted and returned to whatever it was they were doing before the spectacle, Patrick pulled Pete to him again.

"I've never been happier about giving you a chance, heartbreaker," he said with a laugh before kissing the only person he would ever want to call his.