just_muse_me | 10.8.5. Change of Heart
10.8.5. Change of Heart
Co-written with mrpublicity | Set Christmas Day
[Companion piece to THIS]
Aiden watched Pat and his twin up at the SingStar mics belting out You'll Never Walk Alone together. Pat in his wheelchair wasn’t going to let a single thing ruin his Christmas, especially not the illness. It was early in the day that Pat had caught Aiden’s hand in his and fondly but firmly told him to stop worrying. Aiden had been nervously watching Pat like a hawk but hadn’t realised how obvious he was being until Pat pulled him on it. Pat promised him that he would be the first to know if he didn’t feel well and that from that minute on it was time to enjoy themselves, and he hadn’t missed a beat in doing just that. It also gave Aiden the gentle nudge he needed to relax, realising Pat was surrounded by people who could help him in an instant if he needed it and even if he did overdo himself, it was Christmas. It would be worth it.
When the song finished, the mics were offloaded to Riley and Tab for their own twinly duet and Cameron wheeled Pat back over to Aiden. “Your turn again. Musical Wheelchairs,” he told him with a smirk and made a beeline for Harri again.
Aiden laughed and sat down on the armrest of the sofa so he could be at Pat’s eye level. It was the little things like this he was learning slowly. It hadn’t taken long for him to realise that when Pat was sitting in the wheelchair, he had to look up at Aiden to speak to him, so Aiden came down to his level when he could. Or remembering to hand Pat a glass or a mug into his stronger left hand where his right side was presently more affected by the illness. They were finding a rhythm and when Pat had told him out of the blue the previous evening on the drive from New York to Princeton that he was proud of Aiden for everything he had done since they met, Aiden knew he was on the right track. Granted, it was a long track, but they would get there. “Whose song choice was that? No disco?” he asked, taking Pat’s hand and squeezing it.
“Cam’s. That’s always Cam’s Karaoke song choice. It’s the Liverpool FC anthem. It’s the only song he will sing with passion. Not even the National Anthem or Christmas carols get the same enthusiasm,” Pat said in amusement. “Disco doesn’t even begin to cut it with my darling twin.”
“Either way, perfect rendition by my gorgeous boyfriend, as always,” Aiden told him, grinning. “And no needing to wrestle Lachlan for the microphone this time, as amusing as that was. I was sure for a moment there that you were going to get him in a headlock.”
Pat sniggered. “It was on the cards. Don’t be fooled by the wheelchair. It never comes between a girl and his Aretha, darling. Not even a stubborn Scotsman would stop me. Besides,” he added, glancing over at where Lachlan and Tara were in a cosy lip lock, “his oral talents are happily busy elsewhere.”
Aiden followed Pat’s gaze with a smile and then turned back to his lover. “How about your oral talents? Can I give them a whirl?”
“Always, darling,” Pat laughed and leaned in to meet Aiden in a long, slow kiss, teasing his fingers through the curls at the nape of Aiden’s neck. They ended it with a few smaller kisses and he rested his forehead against his boyfriend’s. “So, what do you think? Are you about ready to run screaming into the night at our scary family Christmas? Or you could just challenge Lachie to a Guitar Hero duel and he might beat you unconscious with the plastic instrument if you beat him.”
Aiden laughed and shook his head. “No, I love it. It’s perfect. I’m having a great time. And how could I possibly beat him? He’s disgustingly talented. I think he was giving me sympathy looks at my appalling lack of musical coordination when I tried it.”
Pat nodded. “Oh, he was, darling. We all were,” he joked, weaving Aiden’s fingers with his own. “But don’t worry, I know your talents lie elsewhere. Those fingers don’t need to be strumming the strings to know what they’re doing.”
“You keep stroking my huge ego, gorgeous, and I may not be accountable for my actions,” Aiden warned, smirking. He looked down at their link hands for a moment, contemplating something in his mind. “I have something for you.”
“Another something, darling?” Pat asked in surprise. “You haven’t already spoiled me enough? Not that I’m complaining.”
Aiden pulled a small velvet pouch from his pocket and handed it to Pat. “I would give you the world on a silver platter if I could, gorgeous.” He watched Pat carefully open the pouch and pull out a freshly cut key on a silver chain. “For now, I just want to ask you to move in with me. I know we talked about this and you thought we should wait, but I don’t want to. Nothing will change my mind, Pat. I love you and I want you - all of you - as much as I possibly can. Whatever it takes, I want to be right there with you through it all. Move in with me?” he asked hopefully.
Pat looked down at the key resting in his palm, the chain loosely hanging through his fingers. Without looking, he could feel his twin watching him from nearby, probably thinking Aiden was proposing or something, and when he looked up, he shot Cameron a look that clearly indicated he wanted some privacy before meeting Aiden’s eyes with a smile. “Aiden, I would love to, but-”
Aiden sighed and nodded resolutely. “I expected a ‘but’,” he admitted softly.
“But…” Pat continued, “your apartment needs some changes, darling. It’s not conducive for me to live there full time without certain aids installed for when I’m sick. It’s too hard on you and I need to be as independent as I possibly can so I don’t drive myself crazy. That’s all.”
Aiden searched Pat’s eyes and squeezed his hand. “Is that a yes? You’ll move in? If we get everything installed that you need? Or everything you want, whatever!”
Pat smiled and closed his fingers around the key. “Yes, darling. I’ll move in with you!” he agreed and sealed the deal with an excited kiss to Aiden’s lips.
All muses here used with permission and come from the princeton2nyc universe
Word Count | 1,083
Co-written with mrpublicity | Set Christmas Day
[Companion piece to THIS]
Aiden watched Pat and his twin up at the SingStar mics belting out You'll Never Walk Alone together. Pat in his wheelchair wasn’t going to let a single thing ruin his Christmas, especially not the illness. It was early in the day that Pat had caught Aiden’s hand in his and fondly but firmly told him to stop worrying. Aiden had been nervously watching Pat like a hawk but hadn’t realised how obvious he was being until Pat pulled him on it. Pat promised him that he would be the first to know if he didn’t feel well and that from that minute on it was time to enjoy themselves, and he hadn’t missed a beat in doing just that. It also gave Aiden the gentle nudge he needed to relax, realising Pat was surrounded by people who could help him in an instant if he needed it and even if he did overdo himself, it was Christmas. It would be worth it.
When the song finished, the mics were offloaded to Riley and Tab for their own twinly duet and Cameron wheeled Pat back over to Aiden. “Your turn again. Musical Wheelchairs,” he told him with a smirk and made a beeline for Harri again.
Aiden laughed and sat down on the armrest of the sofa so he could be at Pat’s eye level. It was the little things like this he was learning slowly. It hadn’t taken long for him to realise that when Pat was sitting in the wheelchair, he had to look up at Aiden to speak to him, so Aiden came down to his level when he could. Or remembering to hand Pat a glass or a mug into his stronger left hand where his right side was presently more affected by the illness. They were finding a rhythm and when Pat had told him out of the blue the previous evening on the drive from New York to Princeton that he was proud of Aiden for everything he had done since they met, Aiden knew he was on the right track. Granted, it was a long track, but they would get there. “Whose song choice was that? No disco?” he asked, taking Pat’s hand and squeezing it.
“Cam’s. That’s always Cam’s Karaoke song choice. It’s the Liverpool FC anthem. It’s the only song he will sing with passion. Not even the National Anthem or Christmas carols get the same enthusiasm,” Pat said in amusement. “Disco doesn’t even begin to cut it with my darling twin.”
“Either way, perfect rendition by my gorgeous boyfriend, as always,” Aiden told him, grinning. “And no needing to wrestle Lachlan for the microphone this time, as amusing as that was. I was sure for a moment there that you were going to get him in a headlock.”
Pat sniggered. “It was on the cards. Don’t be fooled by the wheelchair. It never comes between a girl and his Aretha, darling. Not even a stubborn Scotsman would stop me. Besides,” he added, glancing over at where Lachlan and Tara were in a cosy lip lock, “his oral talents are happily busy elsewhere.”
Aiden followed Pat’s gaze with a smile and then turned back to his lover. “How about your oral talents? Can I give them a whirl?”
“Always, darling,” Pat laughed and leaned in to meet Aiden in a long, slow kiss, teasing his fingers through the curls at the nape of Aiden’s neck. They ended it with a few smaller kisses and he rested his forehead against his boyfriend’s. “So, what do you think? Are you about ready to run screaming into the night at our scary family Christmas? Or you could just challenge Lachie to a Guitar Hero duel and he might beat you unconscious with the plastic instrument if you beat him.”
Aiden laughed and shook his head. “No, I love it. It’s perfect. I’m having a great time. And how could I possibly beat him? He’s disgustingly talented. I think he was giving me sympathy looks at my appalling lack of musical coordination when I tried it.”
Pat nodded. “Oh, he was, darling. We all were,” he joked, weaving Aiden’s fingers with his own. “But don’t worry, I know your talents lie elsewhere. Those fingers don’t need to be strumming the strings to know what they’re doing.”
“You keep stroking my huge ego, gorgeous, and I may not be accountable for my actions,” Aiden warned, smirking. He looked down at their link hands for a moment, contemplating something in his mind. “I have something for you.”
“Another something, darling?” Pat asked in surprise. “You haven’t already spoiled me enough? Not that I’m complaining.”
Aiden pulled a small velvet pouch from his pocket and handed it to Pat. “I would give you the world on a silver platter if I could, gorgeous.” He watched Pat carefully open the pouch and pull out a freshly cut key on a silver chain. “For now, I just want to ask you to move in with me. I know we talked about this and you thought we should wait, but I don’t want to. Nothing will change my mind, Pat. I love you and I want you - all of you - as much as I possibly can. Whatever it takes, I want to be right there with you through it all. Move in with me?” he asked hopefully.
Pat looked down at the key resting in his palm, the chain loosely hanging through his fingers. Without looking, he could feel his twin watching him from nearby, probably thinking Aiden was proposing or something, and when he looked up, he shot Cameron a look that clearly indicated he wanted some privacy before meeting Aiden’s eyes with a smile. “Aiden, I would love to, but-”
Aiden sighed and nodded resolutely. “I expected a ‘but’,” he admitted softly.
“But…” Pat continued, “your apartment needs some changes, darling. It’s not conducive for me to live there full time without certain aids installed for when I’m sick. It’s too hard on you and I need to be as independent as I possibly can so I don’t drive myself crazy. That’s all.”
Aiden searched Pat’s eyes and squeezed his hand. “Is that a yes? You’ll move in? If we get everything installed that you need? Or everything you want, whatever!”
Pat smiled and closed his fingers around the key. “Yes, darling. I’ll move in with you!” he agreed and sealed the deal with an excited kiss to Aiden’s lips.
All muses here used with permission and come from the princeton2nyc universe
Word Count | 1,083