The State of Florida {TABLE 9}
Summary: #9 in table; Gary & Pat go to Florida for a weekend.
Disclaimer: I don't own, but I'd like to.
"What do you say we leave for California?" Pat sang as he fell onto Garrett's bed beside him.
"Oh, no." Pat grinned. "You've been listening to Metro Station again, haven't you?" Gary groaned.
Pat nodded and sat up, pulling Gary with him. "Let's go to California," Pat pleaded.
Garrett considered it. "Let's go to Florida." Pat didn't reply. "It’s closer and my parents have a sick beach house there," he prodded.
Pat grinned, agreed enthusiastically, and they spent the next few daylight hours putting off plans and packing for their weekend.
"It's Thursday now. We'll get there by morning, and then we'll have 'till Sunday night because we have an interview to be at Monday afternoon and a band meeting with everyone Tuesday morning," Pat was rambling, mostly to himself as he loaded up the car.
"Alright, let's go!" Garrett shouted to no one, really. Only he and Pat were at the apartment right now.
They climbed in, Garrett driving, and took off. Pat pulled out his phone as they reached the highway.
"So, we're driving to Florida . . . because we decided we need some time off. Garrett's parents have this really great place near the beach and I. Can't. Wait." Garrett chuckled and tried to keep his eyes on the road as Pat filmed himself. Pat sent his video and said, "Alright, now you've got to do yours." He began searching for Garrett's phone.
"Pat, Buzznet does not care that I'm going to Florida with my best friend," Gary groaned.
"Yes, it does," Pat said firmly, unearthing the phone from Garrett's duffel and flipping it open. "Go," he instructed.
Garrett sighed in annoyance, but spoke to the camera anyway, basically relaying what Pat had just said.
Pat sent the video and clasped the phone shut proudly. "Aren't you excited?!" he squealed. Garrett hummed in agreement and switched lanes to get off at the next exit. "What are you doing?!" Pat screeched.
Garrett was used to Pat's spontaneous outbursts, but he still jumped a bit. "There's a Krystal's up here."
Pat just gaped. "But we have to drive all night, so we can sleep in the sand all day," he pouted.
Garrett smiled at the idea, but still exited the highway, "We will drive all night, but I need fuel first."
"Fine," Pat huffed, still pouting. Garrett rolled his eyes, but stretched his free hand out to grip Pat's reassuringly. He laced his fingers with Garrett's and held on loosely.
Garrett didn't let go either, until he had to take the food from the drive-thru window. Pat accepted it happily and dug in while Garrett got their drinks.
"Where we at?" Garrett grumbled around a mouthful of fries. They'd been driving for a while and it was really dark out here. There weren't many cars and the fries were getting cold. Garrett was a bit grumpy.
"Almost into Georgia," Pat relayed from his map. "Hey!" he shouted a moment later. "Phone's off!" he lunged for their bags to get the cell phones.
"Why?" Garrett mumbled.
"Because you know everyone and their mom is going to call us when they realize we just left," Pat explained obviously, humming as his phone buzzed to silence. He then shut off Garrett's and settled back into his seat.
They stopped for food again around two a.m., going straight for the drive-thru window.
After Garrett ordered, Pat decided, "Let's eat inside!"
"But you wanted to get there fast. You said it take too much ti-"
"We've got the whole weekend together, baby," Pat assured. He was only joking, but Garrett's stomach still did a somersault as he twisted the car into a parking spot. They walked in and Garrett noticed that Pat was humming as they approached the counter.
Pat easily explained that they'd just ordered at the window and they got their food on the spot.
"You're so charming," Garrett whispered. He spoke it as a joke, but he meant it. Pat smiled in return before going to the drink machine and leaving Gary to carry the tray to their booth. Pat slid in, taking the seat beside Garrett. "You're making the other side of the booth sad," Garrett joked.
Pat shrugged, "I like this side more." He reached for a fry and his hand brushed Garrett's. They both smiled. Any other time, with anyone else, Pat would have dashed over to the other seat and snuggled into it until it was time to go, but he truly did like sitting beside Garrett; brushing fingers over fries and sharing a drink. They were like a real couple.
Pat immediately wanted to hit himself after the thought. He and Gary were just two guys friends going to Florida for a weekend. Alone.
They only ate about half of what they ordered, but they finished the drink through three refills before getting back on the road.
Pat was ridiculously bouncy, which fit considering he'd slept most of the time while Garrett drived. Gary didn't mind, really. He, kind of, liked watching Pat sleep. It was cute.
"Gary, Garrett, Gare, Gary!"
"Yea, Pat?" Garrett, on the other hand, was actually really tired.
"We're almost there, right?"
"Just about five more minutes," he yawned.
"Oh. . . good. I can't wait." Garrett nodded lazily in agreement. Pat asked another question a few minutes later, "Hey, Gary?"
"Yea?" he sighed.
"Are we really gonna sleep on the beach together all day?"
"Sure, Pat," Garrett smiled, adding, "If you want to."
"I do," Pat mumbled, causing Garrett to smile again.
"Okay," Garrett mumbled back, finally pulling up to the beach house. Pat grinned, but he'd noticed how tired Garrett was and kept his mouth shut.
"Can we get all the stuff tomorrow?" Pat whined a bit.
"There's two duffel bags, Pat, and, technically, it is tomorrow," Garrett smiled, nodding to the sun rising over the water. Pat's jaw dropped at the sight. It was really fucking pretty, just like Garrett.
Pat sighed and grabbed his bag from the backseat after Gary got his. They carried them in, chucking them into the living room before Garrett announced, "I'm putting on my swim trunks, first," and disappeared in the bathroom. Pat shrugged and changed into his right there in the middle of the living room. He finished first and trudged around the house checking it out.
There wasn't much space to trudge. The place was huge, but it was all open, so he could see most everything from the living room. The small kitchen had a breakfast bar, there wasn't a dining room though, there were two small bedrooms, - Pat knew the bigger one was Garrett’s parents and the smaller one Garrett’s - the entire back wall, the one facing the beach, was glass, but it had curtains that could be pulled closed, and there was a huge, lifted deck out back too. Pat decided right then that he never wanted to leave and he told Garrett this as he joined him on the deck.
"I don't even wanna leave." Garrett chuckled and headed for the sand, Pat trailing after him. "I," Garrett started, falling into the sand. "Am so fucking tired."
Pat settled in the sand beside his best friend, "Sorry, I guess, I could have driven some."
"Nah, it's okay," Garrett mumbled, turning on his side to face Pat. He smiled softly and laced his fingers with Pat's again. "Les' go sleep," he murmured, his eyes slipping shut.
Pat smiled and gripped Garrett's hand protectively, sliding over to bury his face into Garrett's neck; the best way to fall asleep, if you asked Pat.
-!-
"Garrett!" Pat screeched as he awoke in the sand; the wet sand.
"Oh, shit." Gary heard Pat from the deck. "I'm coming!" Garrett called.
"Gary!" he screeched again as the water washed over him.
"What the hell are you just sitting there for, then?! Get the hell up," Garrett shouted, lowering his voice as he reached Pat and bent over to pull him off the ground and away from the rising tide.
"You left me there," Pat accused, shivering a bit as they stumbled back to the house.
"I- I went to get us some drinks. I was going to wake you when I got back." Garrett's words were backed up by the now empty glasses in the sand beside the deck, wet sand around them. Pat realized the sweet nature of Garrett's idea and melted a bit inside.
"Tha- That was sweet," he mumbled. Garrett shrugged, pretending it had been nothing. He got Pat into the living room and set him on the couch before running to get a towel.
"Here," he mumbled. It was awkward between them now; maybe because of how they'd slept, maybe because Garrett was bringing them drinks. Pat didn't like it, though. He shivered involuntarily after drying off. Pat didn't really like water much, after all. "Let's watch a movie," Garrett offered, grabbing the remote and flipping on the huge widescreen. Pat nodded and looked around for a blanket. Gary noticed and grabbed one from the chair, settling into the couch beside him with the blanket and remote in hand. Pat curled up under the blanket, a good distance away from Garrett, and stared at the television.
"Gary?"
"Yea?" Garrett replied too quickly.
"Let's watch cartoons." They had always bonded over their love for cartoons, so now would be a good time to watch some.
"Okay," he replied, changing the channel. Garrett watched contently and didn't even notice as Pat wriggled his way slyly across the couch. Before he knew it, Pat was cuddling into his chest, his hand resting across Garrett's stomach. "Sorry I left you by the water," Garrett whispered. Pat shook his head to tell Gary that it was okay.
-!-
"Garrett, let's build a fire."
"There’s no fireplace, Pat. We're in Florida."
"I mean on the beach! We could have a mini bonfire," Pat grinned. He had an idea.
"I, um . . . okay," Garrett shrugged. Why not, right?
"Great! I'll go find some driftwood; you find a lighter," Pat instructed running out the glass door. Garrett blinked a few times before searching the kitchen and finding a lighter in the third cabinet.
"Pat, I found one!" Garrett cheered, jumping down from the deck.
"I got wood!" Pat laughed and Garrett blushed, laughing too.
"Let me do it," Garrett said as Pat failed to build a successful bonfire shape.
"Okay," he mumbled. Garrett arranged the driftwood and lit them quickly before taking a seat in the sand, stretching his legs out in front of him. Pat was already sitting beside him. He'd just watched because he was never too good with fire. "The sun's almost down," Pat mumbled. Garrett hummed an agreement, glancing behind them to see the small rays of light straggling to shine over the house.
"Want to get some food? Cook it over the fire," Garrett suggested.
Pat grinned, "Marshmallows?!"
"Sure," Garrett laughed, jogging back to the house to get a bag and the fire pokers to put them on.
"Hurry up!" Pat shouted as Garrett reappeared on the deck. He flipped him off and Pat laughed, waiting until Garrett was back at the fire to say, "You wish."
Garrett didn't reply, Pat noticed, but instead focused on opening the marshmallows and spearing them.
"Gary?" Pat asked cautiously.
"Yea?" Garrett still didn't look at him.
Pat watched him hold his marshmallow toward the fire and waited for Garrett to look at him. He wouldn't. "Gary?" he asked again.
"What?" he asked, a bit of annoyance poking through.
"Look at me," Pat replied, just as annoyed. Garrett didn't and this only annoyed Pat more. He dropped his poker and crawled across the sand to sit on his knees in front of Garrett. "Garrett," he whispered softly.
Garrett looked up, finally, with wide, curious eyes and a nervous smile, "Yea, Pat?" Pat didn't respond verbally. He took Garrett's face in his hands and guided their lips together hotly, pressing in with his tongue and threading his fingers into Garrett's hair. Garrett kissed back on contact and set his free hand on Pat's waist, dropping the poker and twisting his other hand in Pat's longer hair, pressing the drummer closer to him.
Minutes later, Pat pulled away gasping for breath and smiling like an idiot. Garrett smiled too, not quite as big though, and kissed Pat once again, chastely. Pat turned around and leaned against Garrett, back to chest, reaching for the discarded pokers.
Pat decided, "This is gonna be a great weekend," and Garrett hummed in agreement.
Disclaimer: I don't own, but I'd like to.
"What do you say we leave for California?" Pat sang as he fell onto Garrett's bed beside him.
"Oh, no." Pat grinned. "You've been listening to Metro Station again, haven't you?" Gary groaned.
Pat nodded and sat up, pulling Gary with him. "Let's go to California," Pat pleaded.
Garrett considered it. "Let's go to Florida." Pat didn't reply. "It’s closer and my parents have a sick beach house there," he prodded.
Pat grinned, agreed enthusiastically, and they spent the next few daylight hours putting off plans and packing for their weekend.
"It's Thursday now. We'll get there by morning, and then we'll have 'till Sunday night because we have an interview to be at Monday afternoon and a band meeting with everyone Tuesday morning," Pat was rambling, mostly to himself as he loaded up the car.
"Alright, let's go!" Garrett shouted to no one, really. Only he and Pat were at the apartment right now.
They climbed in, Garrett driving, and took off. Pat pulled out his phone as they reached the highway.
"So, we're driving to Florida . . . because we decided we need some time off. Garrett's parents have this really great place near the beach and I. Can't. Wait." Garrett chuckled and tried to keep his eyes on the road as Pat filmed himself. Pat sent his video and said, "Alright, now you've got to do yours." He began searching for Garrett's phone.
"Pat, Buzznet does not care that I'm going to Florida with my best friend," Gary groaned.
"Yes, it does," Pat said firmly, unearthing the phone from Garrett's duffel and flipping it open. "Go," he instructed.
Garrett sighed in annoyance, but spoke to the camera anyway, basically relaying what Pat had just said.
Pat sent the video and clasped the phone shut proudly. "Aren't you excited?!" he squealed. Garrett hummed in agreement and switched lanes to get off at the next exit. "What are you doing?!" Pat screeched.
Garrett was used to Pat's spontaneous outbursts, but he still jumped a bit. "There's a Krystal's up here."
Pat just gaped. "But we have to drive all night, so we can sleep in the sand all day," he pouted.
Garrett smiled at the idea, but still exited the highway, "We will drive all night, but I need fuel first."
"Fine," Pat huffed, still pouting. Garrett rolled his eyes, but stretched his free hand out to grip Pat's reassuringly. He laced his fingers with Garrett's and held on loosely.
Garrett didn't let go either, until he had to take the food from the drive-thru window. Pat accepted it happily and dug in while Garrett got their drinks.
"Where we at?" Garrett grumbled around a mouthful of fries. They'd been driving for a while and it was really dark out here. There weren't many cars and the fries were getting cold. Garrett was a bit grumpy.
"Almost into Georgia," Pat relayed from his map. "Hey!" he shouted a moment later. "Phone's off!" he lunged for their bags to get the cell phones.
"Why?" Garrett mumbled.
"Because you know everyone and their mom is going to call us when they realize we just left," Pat explained obviously, humming as his phone buzzed to silence. He then shut off Garrett's and settled back into his seat.
They stopped for food again around two a.m., going straight for the drive-thru window.
After Garrett ordered, Pat decided, "Let's eat inside!"
"But you wanted to get there fast. You said it take too much ti-"
"We've got the whole weekend together, baby," Pat assured. He was only joking, but Garrett's stomach still did a somersault as he twisted the car into a parking spot. They walked in and Garrett noticed that Pat was humming as they approached the counter.
Pat easily explained that they'd just ordered at the window and they got their food on the spot.
"You're so charming," Garrett whispered. He spoke it as a joke, but he meant it. Pat smiled in return before going to the drink machine and leaving Gary to carry the tray to their booth. Pat slid in, taking the seat beside Garrett. "You're making the other side of the booth sad," Garrett joked.
Pat shrugged, "I like this side more." He reached for a fry and his hand brushed Garrett's. They both smiled. Any other time, with anyone else, Pat would have dashed over to the other seat and snuggled into it until it was time to go, but he truly did like sitting beside Garrett; brushing fingers over fries and sharing a drink. They were like a real couple.
Pat immediately wanted to hit himself after the thought. He and Gary were just two guys friends going to Florida for a weekend. Alone.
They only ate about half of what they ordered, but they finished the drink through three refills before getting back on the road.
Pat was ridiculously bouncy, which fit considering he'd slept most of the time while Garrett drived. Gary didn't mind, really. He, kind of, liked watching Pat sleep. It was cute.
"Gary, Garrett, Gare, Gary!"
"Yea, Pat?" Garrett, on the other hand, was actually really tired.
"We're almost there, right?"
"Just about five more minutes," he yawned.
"Oh. . . good. I can't wait." Garrett nodded lazily in agreement. Pat asked another question a few minutes later, "Hey, Gary?"
"Yea?" he sighed.
"Are we really gonna sleep on the beach together all day?"
"Sure, Pat," Garrett smiled, adding, "If you want to."
"I do," Pat mumbled, causing Garrett to smile again.
"Okay," Garrett mumbled back, finally pulling up to the beach house. Pat grinned, but he'd noticed how tired Garrett was and kept his mouth shut.
"Can we get all the stuff tomorrow?" Pat whined a bit.
"There's two duffel bags, Pat, and, technically, it is tomorrow," Garrett smiled, nodding to the sun rising over the water. Pat's jaw dropped at the sight. It was really fucking pretty, just like Garrett.
Pat sighed and grabbed his bag from the backseat after Gary got his. They carried them in, chucking them into the living room before Garrett announced, "I'm putting on my swim trunks, first," and disappeared in the bathroom. Pat shrugged and changed into his right there in the middle of the living room. He finished first and trudged around the house checking it out.
There wasn't much space to trudge. The place was huge, but it was all open, so he could see most everything from the living room. The small kitchen had a breakfast bar, there wasn't a dining room though, there were two small bedrooms, - Pat knew the bigger one was Garrett’s parents and the smaller one Garrett’s - the entire back wall, the one facing the beach, was glass, but it had curtains that could be pulled closed, and there was a huge, lifted deck out back too. Pat decided right then that he never wanted to leave and he told Garrett this as he joined him on the deck.
"I don't even wanna leave." Garrett chuckled and headed for the sand, Pat trailing after him. "I," Garrett started, falling into the sand. "Am so fucking tired."
Pat settled in the sand beside his best friend, "Sorry, I guess, I could have driven some."
"Nah, it's okay," Garrett mumbled, turning on his side to face Pat. He smiled softly and laced his fingers with Pat's again. "Les' go sleep," he murmured, his eyes slipping shut.
Pat smiled and gripped Garrett's hand protectively, sliding over to bury his face into Garrett's neck; the best way to fall asleep, if you asked Pat.
-!-
"Garrett!" Pat screeched as he awoke in the sand; the wet sand.
"Oh, shit." Gary heard Pat from the deck. "I'm coming!" Garrett called.
"Gary!" he screeched again as the water washed over him.
"What the hell are you just sitting there for, then?! Get the hell up," Garrett shouted, lowering his voice as he reached Pat and bent over to pull him off the ground and away from the rising tide.
"You left me there," Pat accused, shivering a bit as they stumbled back to the house.
"I- I went to get us some drinks. I was going to wake you when I got back." Garrett's words were backed up by the now empty glasses in the sand beside the deck, wet sand around them. Pat realized the sweet nature of Garrett's idea and melted a bit inside.
"Tha- That was sweet," he mumbled. Garrett shrugged, pretending it had been nothing. He got Pat into the living room and set him on the couch before running to get a towel.
"Here," he mumbled. It was awkward between them now; maybe because of how they'd slept, maybe because Garrett was bringing them drinks. Pat didn't like it, though. He shivered involuntarily after drying off. Pat didn't really like water much, after all. "Let's watch a movie," Garrett offered, grabbing the remote and flipping on the huge widescreen. Pat nodded and looked around for a blanket. Gary noticed and grabbed one from the chair, settling into the couch beside him with the blanket and remote in hand. Pat curled up under the blanket, a good distance away from Garrett, and stared at the television.
"Gary?"
"Yea?" Garrett replied too quickly.
"Let's watch cartoons." They had always bonded over their love for cartoons, so now would be a good time to watch some.
"Okay," he replied, changing the channel. Garrett watched contently and didn't even notice as Pat wriggled his way slyly across the couch. Before he knew it, Pat was cuddling into his chest, his hand resting across Garrett's stomach. "Sorry I left you by the water," Garrett whispered. Pat shook his head to tell Gary that it was okay.
-!-
"Garrett, let's build a fire."
"There’s no fireplace, Pat. We're in Florida."
"I mean on the beach! We could have a mini bonfire," Pat grinned. He had an idea.
"I, um . . . okay," Garrett shrugged. Why not, right?
"Great! I'll go find some driftwood; you find a lighter," Pat instructed running out the glass door. Garrett blinked a few times before searching the kitchen and finding a lighter in the third cabinet.
"Pat, I found one!" Garrett cheered, jumping down from the deck.
"I got wood!" Pat laughed and Garrett blushed, laughing too.
"Let me do it," Garrett said as Pat failed to build a successful bonfire shape.
"Okay," he mumbled. Garrett arranged the driftwood and lit them quickly before taking a seat in the sand, stretching his legs out in front of him. Pat was already sitting beside him. He'd just watched because he was never too good with fire. "The sun's almost down," Pat mumbled. Garrett hummed an agreement, glancing behind them to see the small rays of light straggling to shine over the house.
"Want to get some food? Cook it over the fire," Garrett suggested.
Pat grinned, "Marshmallows?!"
"Sure," Garrett laughed, jogging back to the house to get a bag and the fire pokers to put them on.
"Hurry up!" Pat shouted as Garrett reappeared on the deck. He flipped him off and Pat laughed, waiting until Garrett was back at the fire to say, "You wish."
Garrett didn't reply, Pat noticed, but instead focused on opening the marshmallows and spearing them.
"Gary?" Pat asked cautiously.
"Yea?" Garrett still didn't look at him.
Pat watched him hold his marshmallow toward the fire and waited for Garrett to look at him. He wouldn't. "Gary?" he asked again.
"What?" he asked, a bit of annoyance poking through.
"Look at me," Pat replied, just as annoyed. Garrett didn't and this only annoyed Pat more. He dropped his poker and crawled across the sand to sit on his knees in front of Garrett. "Garrett," he whispered softly.
Garrett looked up, finally, with wide, curious eyes and a nervous smile, "Yea, Pat?" Pat didn't respond verbally. He took Garrett's face in his hands and guided their lips together hotly, pressing in with his tongue and threading his fingers into Garrett's hair. Garrett kissed back on contact and set his free hand on Pat's waist, dropping the poker and twisting his other hand in Pat's longer hair, pressing the drummer closer to him.
Minutes later, Pat pulled away gasping for breath and smiling like an idiot. Garrett smiled too, not quite as big though, and kissed Pat once again, chastely. Pat turned around and leaned against Garrett, back to chest, reaching for the discarded pokers.
Pat decided, "This is gonna be a great weekend," and Garrett hummed in agreement.