Baby It's Cold Outside

“…we interrupt this newscast for a severe winter storm warning in place from 4:30 P.M. PST to 9:30 the next morning. This will include 45 MPH winds and extreme snowfall, which in turn will cause mass power outages and damage from falling trees and tree limbs. It is highly advised that you do not leave your home during this storm. More coverage on this after the break…”

I sit back against the couch, not daring to change the channel.

A severe winter storm that’s going to last all evening and night.

Which means—

“Hey, Pat! Have you seen my bowtie? The blue and black-striped one?”

My breath hitches in the back of my throat as I hear his voice from the bedroom.

“No…”

But I knew exactly where it was.

Where it stayed since last night—

No.
Stop.

Don’t remember.

“Are you sure? I literally had it on last night.”
“Trust me, Brendon. If I knew where it was, I would have told you by now.”

I’d rather be accused of stealing than telling him his favorite bowtie is under the bed and trying to explain to him how and why it’s under there.

Why is it under the bed?

Tossed to the floor carelessly, just like his white, button-up shirt—

STOP.

He comes out of the room, a toothbrush in his mouth as he struggles to pull a pair of navy skinny jeans over his hips.

The struggle was the same in reverse.
Almost stopping them at the ankles, but knowing better to remove them completely—

STOP!

“Still a little hungover from last night?”

I almost miss his question.

“Y-Yeah…”
“Same here. I still have no idea what the hell happened.”

He laughs before returning to the bedroom.

His laugh…

His drunken laughter.
His drunken words.

His drunken tears.

His drunken moans—

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP!

I groan and run my hands through my hair.

Please leave.
Please go home and probably never come back.

We’ll never speak again, and I would be perfectly fine with that—

“…Hope you all stayed with us. As we continue to discuss the updates with the upcoming winter storm, we are also showing closings and delays as well. Some viewers have already spotted heavy snowfall in their areas along with notified power outages hitting cities already. As of now, the state has issued that all outgoing flights are to be canceled due to the weather conditions…”

My eyes widen as my jaw drops.

Are you—

“—fucking kidding me?!”

Brendon rushes out, coat halfway on.

“It’s not even that bad outside!”

As soon as he says that, the wind starts to pick up and the lights flicker a little.

“Dammit! It’s still not that bad!”

He goes to open the door, only to be hit with the harsh wind that seemed to chill the whole living room within seconds.

He shuts the door quickly afterwards.

“Fuck…It’s cold outside,” I mutter under my breath.

And I instantly regret it.

Brendon turns towards me with a smirk.

“I really can’t stay…”

I rolled my eyes as he starts to sing.

“I’m not doing this again, Brendon.”
“…I’ve got to go away.”

“Brendon.” I give him a warning look.

He prances his way over to me and takes my hands into his.

“This evening has been…”

He smiles, and I just couldn’t help it anymore.

“…So very nice—”
“—I’ll hold your hands, they’re just like ice.”

His smile grows wider as he’s got me to my feet, still holding my hands in his.

“My mother will start to worry—”
“—Beautiful, what's your hurry?”

I spin him around.

“My father will be pacing the floor—”
“—Listen to the fireplace roar.”

He dances across the room.

“So really I'd better scurry—”
“—Beautiful, please don't hurry.”

He grabs my hand again and I pull him close.

“Well, maybe just half a drink more—”
“—Put some records on while I pour…”

He winks before moving away again.

And this goes on.

Just like last night.

“My sister will be suspicious—”
“—Gosh your lips look delicious.”

Of course I would know.

“My brother will be there at the door—”
“—Waves upon a tropical shore.”

I could never forget.

“My maiden aunt's mind is vicious—”
“—Gosh your lips are delicious…”

And I get lost in the thought of those lips of his.

The way they welcomed my own.
The way they tasted of champagne.

The way they parted to breathe out his name—

“You missed your cue there, Patrick.”
“…Sorry.”

The wind outside picks up.
The lights flicker once again.

Then, darkness.

“…You said you just got your fireplace fixed, right?”

I glance at him in disbelief.

“I said that it wasn’t…Last night.”
“Shit…Really…?”

He bites down on his lip.

The same one I bit down on to shut him up—

He lets out another small laugh.

“How drunk were we last night?”

I don’t respond.

“Well, we can always snuggle up close under some blankets, play some card games and some board games, open some presents later and silently hope that the power eventually comes back on…”

He smiles, and I couldn’t help but smile back.

“Sounds like a plan.”

The next four hours were fun at first – playing two rounds of Cards Against Humanity and a round of Life, sitting close with two blankets wrapped around us.

But it was now 8:45 at night.

Most of the heat left the house, causing us to sit closer to each other with five blankets wrapped around us after we lit about two or three candles in each room – save for the living room that we are in, which Brendon swore that it needed eight candles for it to be bright enough.

We’re hip-to-hip and shoulder-to-shoulder under the blankets, but it was still really cold.

The bedroom was warmer last night.

“Something on your mind?”

I shake my head.

“Something’s on your mind.”

All of the images of him from last night.

“It’s just really cold. That’s all…”

Without hesitation, he wraps an arm around my back and pulls himself a little closer – if that was even possible.

And it was slightly warmer.

But it just wasn’t enough.

He sighs and rests his head on my shoulder.

“I’m glad you invited me over, Patrick. I really wasn’t looking forward to spending all of the holidays alone…And even though Christmas is in about four hours and I’m trapped in a frozen wasteland, I’m glad that I’m trapped in it with a friend like you.”

Alone, because his so-called “lover” decided to leave him for someone else.

But yet he still breathed out his name last night.

“We were drunk, and I wanted you to forget…”
“Hm? Forget what?”

“N-Nothing.”

He moves his head off of my shoulder and sits up to look at me.

“Alright, what’s going on? I thought I was just overthinking things earlier, but something really is bothering you. Talk.”

“Nothing is bothering me.”
“Liar. Talk.”

I bite down harshly on my lip.

“You don’t remember anything from last night. I’d rather keep it that way!”

He raises an eyebrow.

“…What happened last night?”

Shit.

I don’t respond as I look away from him.

“Patrick…What happened?”

I need to shut him up.

“Patrick.”

I need to shut him up!

“Patrick—!”

My lips were on his, without a second thought.

Pressing forward.
Biting down.

Anything to stop him from saying my name.

But he doesn’t push me away, nor does he pull me any closer.

He only moves his lips with mine.

Teeth pulling against lips.
Tongues dancing together.

I move away slightly, but I rest my forehead against his as we try to catch our breaths.

It’s not so cold anymore.

“I’m sorry…Brendon, I’m sorry. About now. About last night…We were drunk…You were still upset over Ryan leaving you… I just wanted you to stop crying, and I just wanted you to forget about him, even for a small moment.”

I tense up a little when he wraps his arms around me.

“You don’t have to tell me what happened. I’m over it. I just want you to be okay.”

I sigh.

“I’m alright…”
“Then I’ll be alright too.”

He smiles, and I couldn’t help but smile too.

“I ought to say no, no, no, sir…” He starts to sing again, causing me to roll my eyes.

But still…

“…Mind if I move in closer?” I sing in response.

His smile grows wider.

“At least I'm gonna say that I tried—”
“—What's the sense of hurting my pride?”

“I really can't stay—”
“—Baby, don't hold doubt.”

“Baby, it's cold outside.”