Fateful meeting~

[chadwarwick]

Chad isn't much of a flirt. In a pinch, sure, he can flutter his eyelashes and smile suggestively like anybody else, but he doesn't go to parties to flirt. He goes to mingle, which is a very different thing

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[tothegym]

Patrick may not have an eye for detail, but when one guy's shoving another guy in his direction, even across the room? He's starting the countdown. Countdown until what? That part he has no idea. The last time something like that happened, it was an entirely straight guy a couple of years younger than he was, one who seemed to think that just because Pat was gay, a little bullshit was all it would take to make him cry. Besides being a complete douche, the kid was dead wrong, but it was still one of the most awkward social experiences Pat had been through thus far.

Needless to say, he's a little skeptical, so he might be side-eyeing the other man a little, at least until he checks his hair. That's... more reassuring than it should be. Or is it? See, this is why it's so much easier not to come to places like this. In the bedroom, you don't sit there and think about it.

But then the man's sidling up beside him, and he's talking, and it's an absolutely terrible pick-up line but at least Pat can tell that it is one. He lets out an awkward, quiet sort of laugh. "Yeah, I, uh..." And he's glancing over now, and this guy's... actually really not bad looking. "I don't go to very many parties." It's a lame reply and Pat knows it, but he never claimed to have a way with words.

[chadwarwick]

"Yes, I would've seen you around. You're hard to miss, and I do go to a lot of parties. I don't usually harass the wallflowers, but..." Anything he could say after that would be an even worse pickup line than the last.

"So what do you do when you're not at parties? I'm Chad, by the way." He sticks out the hand that isn't holding his champagne glass.

[tothegym]

"Patrick," is his reply as he returns the handshake, while at the same time he's racking his brain for things he does that could possibly be interesting to this Chad. "I'm kind of in between things right now."

A hand's lifting up to rub the back of his neck, because the main thing's coming to mind has a bit of a story to go with it. "Used to play some football with a bunch of the guys down on the south end, but..." How to even put it... "They aren't so great having me around anymore."

He doesn't actually sound too upset about it, a little awkward if anything. He's still not exactly used to telling people he got kicked off of a backyard-football team for being gay. Well no, that wasn't exactly the truth. They were fine for the first couple of weeks knowing he was gay. But when they thought they caught him staring at Weaver's ass during the lineup, that was it. (It wasn't even true, not that it matters very much. Pat doesn't exactly have 'standards' for men quite yet, but if he did, Weaver would definitely not meet them.)

[chadwarwick]

Chad had never been accepted by those types of guys in the first place, but he has a sense for what Pat means. "Well, Patrick. Their loss is our gain." He gives Pat what he hopes is a flirty look while he sips his drink. "I just finished design school, so no one's ever very surprised about me."

He glances away, looking around the room. "Are you really here by yourself, or has someone very foolish and inattentive left you on your own?"

[tothegym]

Okay, so Patrick's really not used to being looked at like that. Not by someone like Chad. He doesn't even exactly know what 'someone like Chad' means. Confident? That might be it. Chad seems pretty comfortable with... well, all of this. With the whole approach-and-start-a-conversation thing, with the small-talk, with the flirting. It's... refreshing. And Pat finds himself smiling back a little, because he has no flirty looks of his own and because he's not even sure if the smile is very voluntary anyway.

"Design school," he echoes, followed by, "Sounds like you've got things all lined up." Which is a little impressive, considering how Patrick's future's looking right now. "I'm saving up for my second year of med school," he offers, and even though his first year was a few years back and he really doubts he's gonna get that kind of money again, it sounds pretty impressive in conversation.

At Chad's question, his half-smile turned into more of a grin and a little bit of a laugh as he glanced down at the floor for a second, then out across the room. "I guess that's kind of a funny story," he started, putting together what exactly to say to make him sound a little less pathetic than he sounded in his own head. "Someone at the gym told me about this party. I guess I thought he'd be here too, but..." He's looking back to Chad now, and Chad can probably read the essence of oh-god-is-this-even-going-to-work he's radiating even if Pat himself doesn't know it. "I'm thinking that might not be such a bad thing." Because if he weren't stood up, he wouldn't probably be talking to Chad, and... yeah, you can do the math.

[chadwarwick]

Chad has to bite the hell out of his bottom lip to keep from smiling as hugely as he wants to. Look, Patrick, he's not desperate or anything. You're just super adorable, and even if you probably just want a one night stand, and Chad is sooo not that cheap, it's okay, because Chad really likes this little ego boost you're giving him.

"Well, I was definitely right about him being foolish then..."

The flirting is briefly interrupted when Chad's eyes dart at something somewhere behind Pat. In one movement, he grabs Pat's arm and twists him around so that Chad's against the wall and Pat is facing him, between him and the crowd.

He glances around Pat again, then smiles up at him. "Sorry, someone just walked in who I so don't want to see right now and you're. Like a big wall of man, aren't you?" He reaches out to sort of stroke Pat's arm where he grabbed him. "I didn't mean to manhandle you."

[tothegym]

Good thing Pat's not reading this as 'desperate'. As far as he knows, Chad might even get more than Patrick himself does. (Which isn't a ton, but it's definitely not nothing.) He's definitely attractive enough, and Pat can't answer for any other situation but Chad's sure got a handle on this one.

Literally now, actually. With only a brief deer-in-the-headlights look as warning, Pat's being hauled around to face him, and is almost wondering if his new acquaintance just got sick of all of the small-talk. Because just between you and me, Pat's pretty sure Chad wants in his pants. (Then again, he couldn't recognize a legitimate homosexual relationship prospect if it bit him, at this point.)

But then Chad's glancing around him and Pat puts together what this is just barely before Chad explains it. Pat steals a glance over his shoulder, but there are too many people near the door to figure out quite who Chad's hiding from, and looking again would make it too obvious. And besides, Chad is quickly gaining his full attention, with the way he's touching Pat's arm and have I mentioned how much Pat isn't used to being looked at quite like that? It's... distracting. In a good way.

"It's no problem," is his incredibly eloquent reply, before he breaks eye contact and glances off to the side, then back at Chad. "So the 'someone'... Is he going to start something?" Pat just likes to be prepared, he doesn't actually seem upset even if Chad did pull him into the crossfire.

[chadwarwick]

Chad blinks up at Pat until something clicks. "Oh! Oh, no. Nothing violent, if that's what you mean. Oh my, you are new to this crowd. No, nothing that direct. Catty repartee at worst. I'm just not in the mood for it."

He presses his lips together as he chances another glance in that direction, a little crack in that confidence already starting to show. His name is Seth, and if he comes over here now and starts talking about things, the things he always talks about, Chad will probably just leave and never see Pat again. Which, maybe would be for the best anyway before he gets too invested in this flirting, but he's not really ready for that yet. Not with Pat being so receptive to all of it.

"Actually, I'm kind of sick of this party. Maybe we could go somewhere else to talk?" And that's when his cheeks get a little red. "I mean... I just mean talk. I hardly know you, so don't get any ideas."

[tothegym]

Honestly, he's only really still at the party so he wouldn't be the guy who shows up then wimps out before the party's even really going. So when Chad suggests that they find somewhere else to be, he's got no problem with it. Even if he's not supposed to 'get any ideas'.

"Yeah, I'd-" I'd like that, he was going to say, but he's already expended his out-on-a-limb flirting quota for at least a few minutes. Still, though, "That'd be good." Close enough, right?

[chadwarwick]

"Good." Without much thought, Chad slips his hand into Pat's and pulls him along to the backdoor. He's been to house parties here a few times, so he expertly finds his way, then rounds back toward the front of the house once their outside. "All my friends are going to think I'm being a slut. Oh well. Hey, did you drive here? I hope you have a car, or we'll have to sneak back in to call a cab."

[tothegym]

There's not much pulling involved--Pat's following pretty much immediately, partially because he's not sure if he's still supposed to be blocking Chad from view or what. Anyway, soon they're out the door and heading around the side, and Chad's talking about sluts and cars and cabs and--"Oh, I've got a car. This way." And he's slipping past Chad now to take the lead and heading toward a row of cars parked just a little bit down the street. And they're slowing down in front of a dark green jeep wrangler.

"It's this one." He nods in the Jeep's direction. And it's just now occurring to Pat that he's still got Chad's hand, and that might make this car thing difficult. So he's retracting it now, reaching up to scratch at the back of his neck for something to do with that hand instead and heading around to unlock the driver's side door and climb inside. Pat leans over to the passenger door to unlock that one too, then turns the vehicle on while he waits for Chad to climb in.

[chadwarwick]

The way Chad feels about getting into a Jeep (and Chad not even opening the door for him properly, hmph) is written all over his face. He very awkwardly pulls himself up into his seat, then straightens his shirt which had gone slightly askew during his efforts. "I don't think I've ever been in one of these before."

But when he looks over at Pat, he regains his smile. The car might be horrible, but Pat is kind of lovely. "We should go get some coffee. I know a charming little place. And it'll be quiet, because my roommate's on the east coast visiting her parents." Now that smile's turned slightly coy. What is he doing? Inviting a man to his place five minutes after meeting him. And he's gigantic. He could rob him or something. He can't help it, though; he's feeling a little reckless tonight. After the last few months he's had, he's earned it.

[tothegym]

Strike 1: The Jeep. Good to know Chad's judging the getaway vehicle, but then again, Pat himself's been judging it for years. "I'd sell it if I could, trust me." At least it's a clean Jeep, though. Pat's always careful about that.

Coffee. Coffee's not so bad. Especially when Chad's smiling at him like that. Honestly, coffee could be terrible and he'd still be up for it right now. Which is weird, but he's not going to question it.

"Just point me in the right direction," which is a definite yes as he backs out of the parking spot and drives smoothly out onto the street.

[chadwarwick]

Chad gives him a brief set of directions; it isn't far. Just far enough to be out of his friend's upper crust neighborhood. It's not a bad place, though; a homey little duplex. Pure LA with curved arches and red and blue Mexican tiles lining the stairs in contrast with the pale yellow building. And, of course, plenty of palms in the yard.

He'd done some work on the place for the owner and gotten some favors with the rent. It's nicer now than what he can actually afford, but he doesn't plan to tell Pat this. He's intent on being impressive. He drops out of the Jeep gingerly and goes to the door, turning the key in his pocket. "You know, everyone saw me leave with you, so you can't kill me, all right?" He gives him a sly grin before he unlocks the door and flips on a light. "Go ahead and get comfortable on the sofa. I'll put some coffee on. You don't mind hazelnut do you? No, it's wonderful, you'll love it. I grind it fresh."

[tothegym]

It's a nice place. Much nicer than Pat's, thank god he didn't take Chad back there, especially after how Chad looked at the Jeep. He's following Chad inside, trying not to be too terribly obvious how far below this price range he lives. At the 'can't kill me' comment, he looks thoughtful for a second. "I think I can manage that," is his nonchalant reply, not that he was ever considering it to begin with. And then they're through the doorway and Chad's already off to the kitchen. Pat chuckles under his breath--Chad's something else, definitely, but not in a bad way--and closes the door behind them, looking around the place from what he could see standing there in the entrance.

But a cupboard closing in the kitchen reminds him of what Chad said to do, so he steps down into the living room to sink down on the couch. It's a nice couch, definitely comfy. It makes this awkward 'waiting in someone else's living room' part not so bad.

[chadwarwick]

Once the coffee's brewing, Chad comes back out and pauses, his expression becoming distressed. "I'm sorry about, um, that. It was a project for a class, actually. I never did get it... exactly right." In fact, he can see every flaw now. Some of the stitching could be better, even if it's not noticeable to the untrained eye. Why did he choose such a temperamental fabric? Also, he can just sense the imperfect craftsman ship of the wood underneath all that fabric and cushioning, which had been the carpenter's fault, really, but--

This is when he realizes it isn't very clear what he's talking about. "The couch, I mean." He sits down on the deeply flawed couch next to Pat, a couple of inches away. "I-I could've afforded a new one, of course, but. My roommate likes this one."