Chapter Text
CHAPTER 9: WELL MET BY MOONLIGHT
Sunset on the Magnetewan River pales in comparison to the stillness of nighttime. As calming as it is to stay focused on Patrick, his eyes are everywhere. Never in his life has David Rose seen this many stars. They’re sprinkled throughout the sky, absolutely covering the blackness until they reach the trees. David wants to reach out with his hands and scoop them up, catching handfuls of glittering jewels to keep. The moon is full and glowing, casting a gentle sheen over the calm water. The only sound David hears, if any, is the slightest dip when Patrick’s paddle makes contact with the river. He moves the boat with ease and purpose, allowing them to drift into a cliffside area, hugging the water in a crescent shape.
When David looks down, he notices mist coming out of the water, twirling before it evaporates in the air. It feels so magical, it may as well be Christmas morning. His mouth hangs open, trying to burn all this into memory.
“The fairies are dancing,” Patrick whispers delightfully, following David’s gaze.
David is confused.
“I’m sorry, what?”
Patrick chuckles, looking down at his lap. (Can you see boys blush under moonlight?)
“My dad used to tell me stories like that when I was little. Still does.”
David hums. “My dad doesn’t know how to talk to me.”
Patrick smiles, understanding, but doesn’t respond. They sit in comfortable silence, watching the fairies dance.
Maybe it’s the quiet, maybe it’s the moon. Maybe it’s the anonymity of the dark, but David is feeling brave.
“You know if you wanted to learn… To do a landscape like this one,” his eyes make a big circle, sweeping across the starry sky and black ribbon of river, “I could help you, y’know.”
Patrick smiles back at him. “So you came to the public school board’s outdoor program for the art then? It wasn’t your parents forcing you to enjoy fresh air?”
David shakes his head softly. “It was my choice. Though when Roland called my parents about that first time I got in a canoe, my mother was very excited about the opportunity to work through my inner demons and rise to the occasion,” David finger quotes.
Patrick is perplexed, so David fills him in. “She’s an actress, don’t worry about it.”
“Ah,” Patrick nods, dipping his paddle in again. “So why’d you stay?”
“The people.” David’s mouth pricks up at the corner, having admitted to something he hasn’t told anyone before. “That and the idea of going back to a public school classroom makes me want to gouge my eyes out.” Patrick nods in sympathy. He opens his mouth to ask what is probably another question, but David’s had enough of talking about himself. This is a two-way conversation.
“What about you? You and Rachel wanted a cute semester of camping instead of gazing into each other’s eyes during trigonometry?”
Patrick’s eyebrows pull together, face overcome with confusion. “What?”
David shrugs, waiting for Patrick to give him more than a one word answer. Patrick takes his paddle out of the water and puts it in his lap, leaning forward.
“Rachel and I grew up next door neighbours. Friends, like Scout Finch and Dill. Her family moved to the country about six months ago, so we just haven’t seen each other as much as we used to.”
Now David is the one who is confused. He thinks back to his first day on the bridge, Rachel and Patrick peering at said characters in his sketchbook.
“Scout Finch and Dill? Why would you compare your friendship to two queer-coded characters from To Kill A Mockingbird?”
Patrick rubs a hand over his face, almost as if he’s in pain.
“David. Don’t you get what I’m trying to tell you? We’re both gay.”
What.
“Yep. It only took a year of dating each other in grade nine to finally realize that.”
David’s jaw drops. (Apparently all he needed was Patrick to flat out tell him the facts.) (In retrospect, that would’ve saved him a lot of time.) He blinks, trying to make an imaginary sculpture in front of him with his hands.
“Oh my god, I’m so stupid.”
Patrick is practically laughing now. “You’re not stupid. You may be lost in your head a lot of the time, but you are certainly not stupid.”
David huffs. “Thanks so much.”
The grin on Patrick is almost impish. “Guess I threw you for a change-up there, huh?”
The puzzles pieces are shifting into place.
“So you took me. On a canoe ride. At night. Because you wanted to?”
“That’s correct,” Patrick whispers.
“Because you wanted to keep helping me with my anxiety? Or because when we finished art class you said the water was pretty at night?”
Patrick puts his paddle back in the water, patient enough for David to work his way to a conclusion. He looks him directly in the eye.
“Because I like you, David.”
Oh.
“Oh. Okay.” He feels a smile spread, moonlight soft on his face.
“And I didn’t want us to finish trip without having said that. To you.” Patrick is looking at him through his eyelashes again, then he looks back down at his paddle.
Maybe it’s the calm that’s washed over him. Maybe it’s Patrick’s steadiness that he’s leaning into. Maybe it’s the new feeling in his chest, this sense if pulling.
The only logical explanation is that the dancing mist fairies have possessed David’s body, because he now finds himself getting up, walking himself down the narrow shell of the boat, and kneeling in front of Patrick.
Patrick is stunned by David’s sudden burst of confidence. His paddle is still in the water, anchoring them in place, but no longer taking up Patrick’s focus.
“Hi,” David whispers. The silver mouth of the canoe is cold on his hands, but David Rose feels like he’s on fire. `
“Hi,” Patrick whispers back. His eyes may as well be sparkling with the stars.
Patrick watches as David delicately lifts his hands, testing if he feels comfortable enough to keep himself balanced. (He doesn’t. Not yet, at least.) He keeps a hold on the sides of the boat, leaning up to kiss Patrick’s mouth.
It’s an instant rush. Any echo of tension he was holding dissipates, like water slipping off a duck’s back. Patrick’s hands come up between them, placing the paddle back in his lap, reaching out to hold David’s face to his. Patrick sighs, almost laughing into the kiss. His lips are soft, a little chapped from a day of baking in the sun, but they’re the best lips David has kissed in a while.
It’s Patrick that pulls them apart.
“You okay?” He looks at David, face washed in concern.
David bites his lip. As much as he wants to get back to kissing, his body can’t with him right now.
“Um. This is kind of an uncomfortable position for me to be in. So if we could change that. That would be nice.” He grimaces. He doesn’t want Patrick to be making all the compromises for him. He wants to be the one who can carry the wanigan. (Sometimes.) Patrick chuckles, somehow more lit up than he was before.
It takes some manoeuvring, getting David to back up, and coming down to sit at the base of the canoe. David remains crouched up in a ball, still holding onto the sides of the boat, watching as Patrick spreads his legs out in front of him. He props his paddle between his leg and the canoe’s side, back resting on the seat.
“C’mere,” Patrick gestures to David.
David tentatively walks himself forward, still crouched. Patrick opens his arms. David turn himself around and falls into them glacially, hands still resting on the sides of the canoe. Patrick wraps his arm around David’s middle, breath teasing the back of his neck.
“It’s so beautiful out here.” David whispers, gaze travelling from their entwined limbs, up to the glittering night sky.
“Mhm,” Patrick hums, pressing a kiss to David’s neck, right behind his ear. David grins, leaning back into Patrick’s solid frame.
Patrick holds him tighter. “We can stay out as long as you like, though I wouldn’t recommend falling asleep on the open water,” he whispers in David’s ear.
David sighs. “I can’t believe I wish this trip was more than five days. Who am I?” He feels Patrick’s laughter radiate from his chest, gently shaking him. He rolls his eyes, gently lifting one hand to reach for Patrick’s face.
“David Rose, there’s still a whole semester ahead of us.”
David shifts his head to the side, craning his neck to kiss Patrick’s cheek. It’s really nice. The mist continues to dance around their canoe, as they tilt their heads back and watch the night sky. David Rose is in the middle of nowhere, in the arms of a beautiful boy. This, he could certainly get used to.
He thinks about making a call to his parents when he gets home from trip and has cell service again. Maybe he does want to stay at the country house after the semester has run its course. But for now, all he can do, all he has to do, is keep breathing.