A smidge early this week. I’m sure y’all have your hands full with Frozen Over reading but in case you’re looking for something else…𝘚𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘎𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘌𝘺𝘦𝘴 by @this-will-be-our-year. I’ve been meaning to do this one for weeks so it delights me to finally make it happen. 💙🦛
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: “Can you give me anything else here? Who is he? Why is he unhappy?”
“David Rose. And I’ll let you figure that out. Let’s just say he’s very protective of his brand and how it’s marketed.”
“Ah, a client who thinks he’s in advertising - creative is going to love that.”
“Well, getting to see him and Ray go back and forth during a presentation might be worth the headache. I may even stop by to watch.”
“Is this your best pitch?”
“It’s not a pitch, it’s a favor. You don’t have to call him.”
Patrick shrugged. “You know I like a challenge.” *** The 𝘔𝘢𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘯-inspired AU no one asked for
Rating: T Words: 41645 Let me start by saying I have no idea how I’m going to distill this magic into a summary. I can’t possibly do it justice so you’re going to have to trust me. If my life depended on it I will likely never remember the very first SC fic I read. I’m at least 87% sure I’ll remember this one because this is the fic that made me create an AO3 account just so I could comment on it. 𝘚𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘦 takes us back to 1960 with newly promoted Head of Accounts Patrick Brewer working for Currie Mullens Advertising. In typical Patrick fashion he is a take-charge guy with everything figured out - or so it seems. We learn quickly that he is in the middle of a divorce with the prospect of making partner being dangled in front of him. The trajectory of his life changes when one of his best clients, Stevie, tosses him a business card from the owner of a pretentious apothecary looking for a new ad firm. It throws typically level-headed Patrick into an emotional storm of navigating who he wants to be with who he thinks he needs to be.
If you haven’t read it, this is the strangers to lovers fic you’re looking for. The use of canon elements are brilliantly placed. I adore the cat-and-mouse aspect of the Boys trying to figure each other out in the beginning. Watching Patrick slowly come to terms with the hidden desires he’s never let himself feel before. And the ending…I will gladly discuss it with anyone who wants to in another format.
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 (seriously so many I had to narrow it down): Patrick remained irked by his meeting with David. Protective of his brand, Stevie had said. Patrick laughed to himself - that was an understatement. He’d had difficult clients before, so this shouldn’t be bothering him so much. Why was it bothering him so much? — And even though Patrick couldn’t understand for the life of him why David was like this, he was still a client, and Patrick had to take the high road. “Good night, David!” Patrick called, a last-ditch effort to part on good terms.
David kept on walking and he didn’t turn around, but he yelled back over his shoulder.
“Good night, Patrick!”
As he sat in the back of the cab, heading home and watching the city lights blend together in streaks of color, Patrick tried not to think too hard about why he liked the sound of David saying his first name. — And then David kissed him, his lips crushing into Patrick’s as though he couldn’t hold back - and Patrick let him.
Almost as soon as he had moved in, David pulled back, his hair askew and falling down in strands over his forehead.
“Fuck,” he breathed, stepping backwards, leaving Patrick shocked and wide-eyed, still glued to the brick wall. David swallowed. “Shit, I’m sorry.”
Their eyes met, and David’s usual bravado and teasing glint were gone; all Patrick could see was shame - and fear.
“Do it again.” — …Patrick didn’t think he’d be able to stop. But they didn’t stop kissing, passionate and lazy and then back again. Patrick leaned into all of it, for the first time in so long feeling wanted, safe, home...himself. — And the next morning, when David awoke before sunrise to slip out quietly, the way they always did, Patrick reached an arm across his chest to hold him back.
“Stay,” he whispered. “I can make you breakfast.” 💙🖤
