I'm Trying to Protect You

“I’m an old friend.”

                                “I'm Stargirl.”

@manstar​

@girlgimmick​

Pat couldn’t help the slight yelp that came out of him as he was picked up and twirled around. As he was set down on the ground, he couldn’t help the almost awkward laugh that fell from his lips. “Hey, Merry. It’s nice to see you.”

Pat was gorgeous, there was no denying that, but when he smiled? Like that? Dear God, it just took Syl’s breath away every time.

There was love in his eyes, real love, and it was one thing to be cared for through the years as friends– Syl wouldn’t ever trade that for the world, not when it had changed him for the better in so many ways– but it was another thing to know that Pat loved him now in all the same ways that Syl did, too.

Romance was ridiculous. Syl didn’t need it, per se.

But he wasn’t going to question this, and he wasn’t ever going to forget how soft the perfect greens of Pat’s eyes got whenever he told him he loved him.

So he grinned back down at him, all crooked and stupid and enough to bring his dimples out, as grins for Pat were wont to do.

“I’m never gonna get over you saying that,” he purred. One hand came up to card gently through Pat’s hair, then slipped low to cup his cheek. “…or how beautiful you look when you do.”

Syl’s smile softened, and he kissed Pat on the mouth– slow, parting his lips and tasting him with his tongue– before moving down his neck, his clavicle, and the dip between his chest. His hand came with him, moving over Pat’s body as if refreshing his memory, and Syl sighed at the scent of him, the feel.

He nuzzled the slight swell of Pat’s chest, and when his lips moved to wrap around one perked nipple and suck, its opposite was toyed with between Syl’s fingers. His other hand, meanwhile, stroked its knuckles up between Pat’s legs in the slightest hint of friction.

Pat couldn’t tell anyone the exact moment he had fallen in love with Syl. In truth, he wasn’t entirely sure there was any singular instant that his feelings towards his long time best friend and partner changed. Things between them always progressed in such a natural and subtle way that he hadn’t realized how in love he was with his best friend until he kissed him.

He always felt kind of silly having been so oblivious not only to his change in feelings, but also Syl’s.

Though, hindsight is twenty/twenty.

And he was beyond grateful that, no matter how bashful or awkward as Syl could get, he took a chance and took initiative with them.

He was grateful for a lot of things Syl did.

Pat’s eyelids fluttered shut and he leaned into his partner’s hand as it combed through his hair. With a hum as it settled against his cheek, he looked back up at Syl through hooded lids and grinned sheepishly.

“You’re pretty beautiful yourself, you know.”

Pat hummed softly as they kissed, gasping softly as his husband’s lips moved along the expanse of exposed skin. “I always knew that mouth was for more than just talking,” he teased, smirking slightly down at the other.

“Yes,” Syl replied instantly, and he made his voice just this side of growling as his own shirt came off and he moved to kiss Pat’s neck. “Yes, wear those.

“And make sure the shirt’s one of mine.” His voice was low, breath warm as his lips moved over Pat’s skin. “I love how small they make you look.

“Also, you’re really fucking hot with Fleetwood Mac on your chest.”

Pulling back just to offer Pat a grin, his eyes were bright with obvious mischief, and he leaned in to capture his lips with a hand moving to catch the side of Pat’s face. Syl kissed him, sucked on his lip and tilted his head to do it again, and again, and one hand landed on Pat’s shoulder to push him very gently onto the mattress and follow right after him.

The whole time, Syl kept their mouths connected, and as he parted Pat’s lips with his tongue, his knees pressed into the mattress to keep himself steady. Rough hands moved over Pat’s chest, down Pat’s belly to feel him breathe, and lower still to rub palms over his thighs before moving back up to the hem of his pants to hook his fingers in them.

The kiss broke, and after one last peck to Pat’s bottom lip, Syl pulled away. He looked down at his newly-kissed partner and it was impossible not to smile; the corners of his eyes crinkled fondly at the sight of him, of his soft lips and his kind eyes and the dishevelled state of his hair.

“I love you, Pat,” he murmured, “I really do.”

Pat couldn’t feel the bit of pride that welled up in his chest at Syl’s reaction. He never really had the best self-esteem throughout his life, but whenever Syl all but growled like that, he felt good about himself. So, sure, he might have meant it as a tease initially, but the way Syl took it and ran with it, he’d absolutely do it for him.

“I’ll be sure to have Stevie on me,” he mumbled softly, fingers loosely curling into his partner’s hair and tilting his head to the side as he felt his lips move along his neck.

As Syl gave him that tricky look, Pat grinned coyly and muttered a playful, “Oh, I’m in trouble tonight, aren’t I?”

Syl pulled a soft moan from him as he kissed his lips again and began to suck on his lower lip. His mouth met Syl’s each time he went to kiss with earnest until he was being guided onto his back on the mattress. Pat’s tongue brushed against Syl’s as it entered his mouth, sucking gently on the wet muscle as his fingers slid to the back of his husband’s head to hold him a bit more firmly.

He hummed as his hands roamed his belly briefly and went back to his pants, looking up at him through hooded eyes.

It was almost surreal what a well-oiled machine they were, but at the same time, Syl figured there wasn’t really any other way to go. Pat was his partner in just about every way– standing by his side just as often as he challenged him to be better– and Syl loved him for it.

Loved him, too, for the way he kept talking even as Syl let the garter of his pants snap back against his belly before moving to catch the hem of his shirt. Pat was incredible in just about every way.

“Swiffer wet wipes,” he repeated, symbolically writing the words down in the notepad of his mind like a responsible partner would. “Uhuh. Got it.

“I can’t believe you’re gonna let me watch you clean tomorrow,” he teased, tongue pressing gently into Pat’s mouth as his fingers slid up his torso, from Pat’s tummy all the way to his chest. The shirt bunched up with it, and Syl stroked the pads of his fingers over Pat’s chest, over his nipples, and shifted to press his palms over both buds as his fingers stroked Pat’s sides instead.

Syl pulled back with a soft sound between their lips, teeth digging lightly into the corner of his lip as he tugged at Pat’s shirt a little in a silent question of ‘yes-no-maybe?’.

“I mean, seriously. The bending” – he kissed Pat again, soft – “the reaching” – kiss, kiss, another tug, come on let me take it off – “oh, man, I can’t wait.”

Pat could only assume that they worked so well together because they’ve known one another for quite some time and worked out any and all kinks. Though, in truth, the two of them had always seemed to be in sync with one another. It still amazed him how cohesively they seemed to work together.

Yelping as his pants were snapped back against his skin, he playfully thumped his partner’s chest.

“Thank you.”

A humored huff puffed from Pat’s lungs. “Mm, yeah, you’re a lucky duck. Can’t get much hotter than me doing chores,” he teased, though, his words slid into a soft gasp and he shuddered as he felt Syl’s hands move up along the flesh of his belly. Swallowing loudly, he hummed into the kiss as Syl toyed with his nipples, arching his body upwards towards his touch.

“You seem to pay a lot of attention to me when I clean. Does that mean I should be doing it in just a shirt and those boxer briefs you seem to really like on me?”

Without a word, he leaned up and helped Syl pull off his shirt, meeting each and every kiss earnestly and reach to help his husband with his own. 

“Your tasteful modesty is out of season, lad. You are a good man, and an honest one. Speak the truth, from your heart, and they will see.“

“Holy sh–”

The kiss had Syl melting, as kisses from Pat tended to, and he sighed into it, kissing back with the slightest move of his lips until Pat was pulling away and smiling at him.

God, he was gorgeous.

And, as anticlimactic as it was, Syl let out a very soft, “…shit.”

Because he had to finish his sentences, obviously.

Then he grinned. “You’re so good at this, baby. But, okay– I see your point. Rest day Sunday, groceries tomorrow. Less people, less stress. Right?”

It was a good thing Pat was so kept together. It wasn’t that Syl didn’t know how to take care of himself– he’d gotten better about prioritisation and setting alarms for the stuff he knew he really, really had to do (curse his attention span!)– but little quality of life things like picking between two days to do errands? Jeez, he would’ve went with Sunday just because it was routine.

“I’ll come with you,” he said, hands moving onto Pat’s knees and sliding oh-so gradually higher up his thighs. “And bring Mike? I’ll watch him, don’t worry– it’s just, you know, I think he’s happiest when we’re together.”

It was completely ungraceful, but Syl leaned in to kiss Pat again.

“Mm,” he hummed, giving a soft suck to Pat’s bottom lip as his hands crept gently up his shirt. “Are there any other errands we have? And before you ask, I paid our bills before comin’ home today.”

Another kiss, and Syl hooked a finger in the garter of Pat’s pants, his tone lazy and casual. “So that’s done.”

“Mm, you’ve always had such a way with words, Syl. It’s no wonder I fell for you,” Pat teased as he continued to curse, even after the kiss. 

“I’m only good at this because I’ve got you helping me through this all. I couldn’t imagine raising a kid with anyone else.”

He reached his hands up to cup the side of Syl’s face, the pads of his thumbs stroking along his jawline as he gazed at him with sheer adoration. It was strange to think how they chance their meeting was, let alone how significantly their bond had developed over the years.

Pat pulled his lower lip between his teeth as he felt his partner’s hands on his knees and slide up his thighs.

“We can absolutely go together. I was just trying to make it easier on you, but you’re right. He is his happiest then.”

He loved that Syl was true to his word with being the responsible parent for Mike tomorrow, despite the fact that Pat knew full well he’d be stepping in to help anyway. It had nothing to do with Syl’s parenting in the slightest. In fact, he felt Syl was the better parent of the two, but he couldn’t imagine not helping his partner take care of their son when he was right there.

“God, I would have never thought listing responsibilities that were taken care of could be so sexy,” Pat purred against his lips, running against his lips. “I’ve just gotta do some cleaning around the house.”

“Thanks,” Syl said, laughing, and then his voice turned towards teasing as he lifted his leg from where it was crossed over Pat’s, lips catching his partner’s ear and kissing it.

“Here I thought you just loved me because I was great in the sack.”

And maybe that could’ve been something seductive, but right after he spoke Syl shovelled the last of his ice cream into his mouth, the spoon spinning nicely in its bowl once he put it down on their bedside table.

“Also, I thought groceries were a weekend chore, generally?”

With his hands free, he sat back down, except instead of leaning back against the headboard as he did earlier, he slid a little lower down the mattress and sat criss-cross applesauce between Pat’s legs. Facing him, Syl was good about keeping his hands to himself, and his fingers linked together with his wrists resting gently on his calves.

“Does parenting mean you just do things you have to do as soon as possible, no scheduling? Is it better to do the groceries tomorrow so you have Sunday free?”

Pat couldn’t help the faint giggle as he felt Syl kiss his ear, smirking around his spoon.

“That’s certainly one of the perks, but not the only reason. It’s also the general sex appeal,” he teased right back with a coy wink, watching him with an appreciative gaze.

To Pat, Syl always looked sexy, even when just reaching to set an empty bowl down.

He set his own bowl on the nightstand next to his side of the bed, despite still having several mouthfuls left, to mimic Syl’s position.

“Normally, yes, it’s a Sunday thing, but if we can take Sunday off together instead, I think it’d be better considering we’ll have two rambunctious little guys on our hands for a whole week. And, if I go tomorrow during the day, the crowd won’t be nearly as bad as it is on Sunday so it’ll save us some time.” He paused as he leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to Syl’s lips before smiling warmly at him.