just_muse_me | 14.1.6. Jacques Prévert quote
14.1.6. “When love is not madness, it is not love.” - Jacques Prévert
Co-written with mrpublicity
“Stop it,” Pat warned breathlessly, turning his head to shoot Aiden a weak glare. “I can hear you working up to an optimistic pep talk and I don’t want to hear it. I’m sore, I’m tired, I’m sweaty. As much as you’re my favourite cheerleader, darling, just no. It’s our first Valentine’s Day and I’m extremely unsexy and cranky. It’s a miracle I’m not crying right now and I’m warning you, there is a distinct chance I might vomit on you, so I just really don’t want optimism right now.” This was his fifth day of intense physiotherapy and it was one of the worst. He was gradually regaining the use of his legs, but the work he was doing to get that far was draining and exhausting. He could walk short distances now with assistance and currently that assistance was his partner, Aiden. Pat’s head was pounding from exertion and he really was everything he just listed and more. The biggest, most-hard to swallow issue was Valentine’s Day. This was their first together and this was how they were spending it… stuck in the hospital trying to keep him on his feet so he could fight through the latest MS attack. This was one of his worst ever and it was getting him down more than he could possibly explain. He was sick of hospitals and he was sick of being sick. He just wanted to finally go to their new home and just be a normal couple with Aiden. It wasn’t too much to ask, was it?
Aiden couldn’t help but laugh softly as he wiped Pat’s face with a damp cloth. Pat was spot on; Aiden had been going to offer some encouraging words to help him get those last few paces to his bed. He paused in his steps, forcing Pat to stop with him. “Rest for a minute, sweetheart. You aren’t supposed to be pushing yourself this hard. You heard what they said. If you just pace yourself, you might be able to come home this weekend,” he reminded him gently and pressed a kiss to the top of Pat’s sweaty head.
Pat gave a small nod, but still scrunched his face up as he struggled with his breath. He swallowed to wet his throat and moaned. “I’m gross,” he mumbled, clinging to Aiden’s waist as his legs started to weaken.
“You’re gorgeous,” Aiden corrected with a smirk. He used his free hand to brush Pat’s damp hair off his face so he could see his eyes. He wasn’t lying, either. Even like this, Aiden was still sickeningly in love with him. Pat’s blue eyes were finding some of their familiar shine again, even if the face portraying them was pallid and pained. Each day Pat was getting stronger and even though the doctors had repeatedly indicated this had been a bad episode, Pat kept his fight and determination to get back on his feet again and now he was succeeding, even if it was a slow process. Aiden was bursting with pride for him. Even though he was there just about every day with him, it still hurt his heart to see Pat ill and stuck in a hospital bed when he was usually so full of life.
Pat snorted softly. “I’m slimy and wet and probably stink.”
“Marry me,” was Aiden’s response, his own blue eyes still locked on Pat’s face.
It went over Pat’s head and he just laughed tiredly. “Yeah, sure, darling. Why not?” he joked back, shifting to try for the last few steps towards his bed. “Perfect wedding dress this lavender hospital gown with my arse hanging out the back. My dream wedding.”
Aiden didn’t move though. He dipped his head a little to catch Pat’s gaze. “Marry me, Pat,” he repeated with absolutely no jest in his tone. A smile flickered at the corners of his lips as he nervously held his breath, hoping Pat would get the message this time.
Pat’s mouth dropped open and he froze, staring in shock at Aiden’s face. “But this… this…” he stammered, anymore words completely failing him. “I-I need to sit down.”
Aiden had Pat in a nearby chair quickly and then crouched down in front of him, taking both of his hands and cupping them in his own. “This is Valentine’s Day,” he told him with a smile. “And no matter how sweaty and gross you think you are, you’re still my Pat and standing here seeing you at your worst and helping you through it, I just… I know. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Tears sprung to Pat’s eyes before he could stop them and he just continued to watched Aiden, stunned. “Are you serious?” he whispered tearfully, swallowing to try and clear the emotional lump that had formed in his throat. “B-Because it’s okay if you’re not… you don’t have to be, darling…” The tears spilled over and he put a shaky hand up to his cheek to brush them away.
Hopefully, third time was the charm. He caught Pat’s hand again and kissed his fingers. “Patrick Preston, will you marry me?” he asked with a grin.
Pat’s head was spinning and he put his hand over his mouth with a small laugh of disbelief. “Oh my god…” He looked over Aiden’s face through his shocked tears. “I- yes?”
“Was that a question or an answer?” Aiden asked, laughing.
“An answer. It’s an answer,” Pat confirmed, his own grin finally breaking through. He took Aiden’s face in his hands and kissed him deeply.
Word Count | 931
Co-written with mrpublicity
“Stop it,” Pat warned breathlessly, turning his head to shoot Aiden a weak glare. “I can hear you working up to an optimistic pep talk and I don’t want to hear it. I’m sore, I’m tired, I’m sweaty. As much as you’re my favourite cheerleader, darling, just no. It’s our first Valentine’s Day and I’m extremely unsexy and cranky. It’s a miracle I’m not crying right now and I’m warning you, there is a distinct chance I might vomit on you, so I just really don’t want optimism right now.” This was his fifth day of intense physiotherapy and it was one of the worst. He was gradually regaining the use of his legs, but the work he was doing to get that far was draining and exhausting. He could walk short distances now with assistance and currently that assistance was his partner, Aiden. Pat’s head was pounding from exertion and he really was everything he just listed and more. The biggest, most-hard to swallow issue was Valentine’s Day. This was their first together and this was how they were spending it… stuck in the hospital trying to keep him on his feet so he could fight through the latest MS attack. This was one of his worst ever and it was getting him down more than he could possibly explain. He was sick of hospitals and he was sick of being sick. He just wanted to finally go to their new home and just be a normal couple with Aiden. It wasn’t too much to ask, was it?
Aiden couldn’t help but laugh softly as he wiped Pat’s face with a damp cloth. Pat was spot on; Aiden had been going to offer some encouraging words to help him get those last few paces to his bed. He paused in his steps, forcing Pat to stop with him. “Rest for a minute, sweetheart. You aren’t supposed to be pushing yourself this hard. You heard what they said. If you just pace yourself, you might be able to come home this weekend,” he reminded him gently and pressed a kiss to the top of Pat’s sweaty head.
Pat gave a small nod, but still scrunched his face up as he struggled with his breath. He swallowed to wet his throat and moaned. “I’m gross,” he mumbled, clinging to Aiden’s waist as his legs started to weaken.
“You’re gorgeous,” Aiden corrected with a smirk. He used his free hand to brush Pat’s damp hair off his face so he could see his eyes. He wasn’t lying, either. Even like this, Aiden was still sickeningly in love with him. Pat’s blue eyes were finding some of their familiar shine again, even if the face portraying them was pallid and pained. Each day Pat was getting stronger and even though the doctors had repeatedly indicated this had been a bad episode, Pat kept his fight and determination to get back on his feet again and now he was succeeding, even if it was a slow process. Aiden was bursting with pride for him. Even though he was there just about every day with him, it still hurt his heart to see Pat ill and stuck in a hospital bed when he was usually so full of life.
Pat snorted softly. “I’m slimy and wet and probably stink.”
“Marry me,” was Aiden’s response, his own blue eyes still locked on Pat’s face.
It went over Pat’s head and he just laughed tiredly. “Yeah, sure, darling. Why not?” he joked back, shifting to try for the last few steps towards his bed. “Perfect wedding dress this lavender hospital gown with my arse hanging out the back. My dream wedding.”
Aiden didn’t move though. He dipped his head a little to catch Pat’s gaze. “Marry me, Pat,” he repeated with absolutely no jest in his tone. A smile flickered at the corners of his lips as he nervously held his breath, hoping Pat would get the message this time.
Pat’s mouth dropped open and he froze, staring in shock at Aiden’s face. “But this… this…” he stammered, anymore words completely failing him. “I-I need to sit down.”
Aiden had Pat in a nearby chair quickly and then crouched down in front of him, taking both of his hands and cupping them in his own. “This is Valentine’s Day,” he told him with a smile. “And no matter how sweaty and gross you think you are, you’re still my Pat and standing here seeing you at your worst and helping you through it, I just… I know. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Tears sprung to Pat’s eyes before he could stop them and he just continued to watched Aiden, stunned. “Are you serious?” he whispered tearfully, swallowing to try and clear the emotional lump that had formed in his throat. “B-Because it’s okay if you’re not… you don’t have to be, darling…” The tears spilled over and he put a shaky hand up to his cheek to brush them away.
Hopefully, third time was the charm. He caught Pat’s hand again and kissed his fingers. “Patrick Preston, will you marry me?” he asked with a grin.
Pat’s head was spinning and he put his hand over his mouth with a small laugh of disbelief. “Oh my god…” He looked over Aiden’s face through his shocked tears. “I- yes?”
“Was that a question or an answer?” Aiden asked, laughing.
“An answer. It’s an answer,” Pat confirmed, his own grin finally breaking through. He took Aiden’s face in his hands and kissed him deeply.
Word Count | 931