Nurse Patrick Preston

28.2.1. A problem shared is a problem halved

Co-written with cameronpreston
[Follows THIS, THIS and THIS]

Cameron was sitting as close to his twin's hospital bed as he could get. He had lost track of how long he had been sitting there for now, but he knew he would stay there as long as it took. He had no idea what had happened, but it really didn't matter. He just wanted Pat to be okay when he woke up. He had been medicated for some time now. There was one thing having people tell you to relax and it would all be okay, but it was entirely another to manage to do it. He was waking now, though, so Cameron wrapped his hands around one of Pat's, squeezing it softly. "Patto, it's Cam. Listen to me, buddy. It's going to be okay. Aiden's going to be okay..." he told him, trying to stay calm. He wanted Pat to have the information he needed straight away, even if he had to repeat it a hundred times. Pat was awake, his eyes were opening, but Cameron had no idea how he would react or if he was cognitive enough to comprehend the words. It could go either way. But when all Pat did was start to cry, Cameron wished to God it didn't have to be that reaction, because it felt like his heart was crushing and that helpless, aching feeling started to set in with a vengeance.

( He tried to shift closer, but being stuck in a wheelchair with a fucked knee, it was impossible... )


Word Count | 1,647

28.5.3. A moment of heightened emotions

Co-written with mrpublicity
[Follows a few weeks after THIS]

Pat flexed and unflexed his hands around the steering wheel of his car and sighed as he he pulled up for the red light at a busy intersection. He wet his lips and glanced at Aiden sitting in the passenger's seat. "Are you serious? You want to do this now?" he asked calmly. "Right now? It can't wait until we get home?" He fought the urge to light up a cigarette, even if that was what his first reaction was. He did know sooner or later they would reach this point, but it was just something he wasn't sure he was ready to face yet.

( “Home?” Aiden returned with a small snort and shake of his head... )


Word Count | 1,246

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... )


Word Count | 931

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... )

All muses here used with permission and come from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 1,083

8.1.3. “The excellence of a gift lies in its appropriateness rather than in its value.” - Charles Dudley Warner

Co-written with mrpublicity

[Follows ALL THIS]

Pat pulled out of the deep kiss and stroked his fingers along Aiden’s cheek. “Do you mind if we have a night off tonight, darling? I’m buggered from the trip. I feel like I could sleep for a week.” He stretched and then settled in against Aiden’s side with his ankle hooked over Aiden’s leg.

“Nope,” Aiden confirmed with a tired smile. “I’m about ready to join you in that quest.” He pressed another kiss to Pat’s lips and relaxed under the covers himself.

Pat’s eyebrows rose with a smirk. “Why Aiden Lewis, did I hear you right? Are you actually going to attempt something as appalling as slowing down? That’s surely an event worthy of a sacrificial ritual with pig’s blood on a full moon, no?”

( “Cheeky bastard,” Aiden sniggered and squeezed Pat’s bare hip... )

All characters referenced with permission


Word Count | 607

2.4.4. TEN of your favourite songs/CDs

1. “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor
2. “I Love The Nightlight” by Alicia Bridges
3. “RESPECT” by Aretha Franklin
4. “Hot Stuff” by Donna Summers
5. “You Sexy Thing” by Hot Chocolate
6. “Dancing Queen” by ABBA
7. “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred
8. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by The Temptations
9. “I Touch Myself” by The Divinyls
10. “YMCA” by The Village People