His first week living with Pete chugged along in much the same way as his first day. Wake up at noon, go play in the park, come back to the hotel. Sometimes Pete would go out for the night, sometimes he'd stay in. They talked about music, movies, politics, anything but what Pete did for a living and why Patrick had run away. He still hadn't gotten the courage to sing for Pete yet.

Just as he was getting back Friday afternoon, Pete was having a very excited phone conversation. "I'm being fucking serious, dude, you have to promise to behave yourselves tonight. I'm used to you getting freaky on my bed, but for the kid's sake, try to hold back, OK? Alright, I'll see you at 7."

"Having company, are we?"

"Yeah, Gabe and Bill are coming to hang out tonight. You'll like them, I swear. They're a little strange, though."

Strange wasn't exactly the word he'd meant. At seven on the dot, there was a knock at the door, and Patrick was nearly mowed down by a pair of the tallest, lankiest bodies he'd ever seen. "The party has arrived!" The one with the purple hoodie crowed, jumping on the bed.

"And so has Gabe!" The one with the girly hair quirked as he joined him, only to get shoved off with a giggle.

Pete, who'd been perusing a tatty old paperback before their arrival, put on his Chesire grin and joined the pair on his feet. "Took you long enough, you fuckers! Precious, this is Gabe and William. Boys, this is Precious."

"Well it's lovely to meet you, Precious," the one called William smiled warmly as he slung an arm around an uncomfortable Patrick's shoulders. "Does Precious have a name?"

"Or perhaps angels have no names, only beautiful faces," the one called Gabe cooed, hopping down and pinching his cheek. Patrick immediately started looking forward to a day when he could pick on this Gabe guy about quoting A Knight's Tale at their first meeting.

"Get off, get off, you're making him uncomfortable," Pete pouted, pulling him free. "Besides, he's my Precious. You no touch."

"Yeah, and I'm sure he's perfectly happy being pawed by you, Gollum." From the pocket of Gabe's hoodie, William produced a brown paper wrapped bottle. "Lucky for you, Gabey baby brought the refreshments. You partake, Precious?"

"He's only eighteen, we're not corrupting him yet," Pete butted in, shoving the boy to the bed.

"Oh come off it. If he's old enough to shack up with a dirty old tart like you, he's old enough for a touch of the hard stuff." Gabe winked and went to hand him the bottle, jumping back when it got slapped. "Ow, geez, Petey boy, that was uncalled for."

"Big whiny bastard, let Mama kiss it better." William kissed his fist, rewarded with a gooey smile. "Better?"

"Much," Gabe growled, pulling him closer and abruptly sucking his neck. William blushed and giggled; Patrick just blushed.

Pete rolled his eyes, but then his brows shot up in realization. "Shit, I haven't payed for the week yet." Grabbing his wallet out of the bureau, he quickly slipped on his shoes. "I'll be right back, guys, I've just gotta go pay Andy. Precious, if they go to touch you someplace you don't wanna be touched, don't be afraid to fight back."

"Get outta here, you dirty old tart!" Gabe flipped him off as he rushed out the door, throwing himself and William at the bed. The pair grinned evilly up at Patrick from the foot of the bed before looking at each other with a giggle. "He's totally displacing, isn't he?"

"Displacing, for sure."

"Displacing all over the place."

"Patrick."

The couple glanced back at the smaller boy in confusion. "What, Precious?"

"My name, it's Patrick. I tolerate Pete calling me Precious cuz he took me in."

Giggling to each other again, Gabe and William crawled up to join him on either side. "That's all good and well-"

"Peachy keen, as it were-

"But you don't quite understand what's going on in this situation."

"See, this whole business started about a year ago," Gabe sighed, wrapping an arm around Patrick's shoulders. "That's when the Twins walked into our lives."

"Ryan and Brendon-"

"So fucking in love-"

"But so young."

"Hey, they were both seventeen."

"Yes, but they were still too young to be out on their own like that. How they ever got all the way up here from Vegas on their own-"

"You remember, Greyhound."

"Oh, yes. Oh well, anyway, Patrick dear, one evening these two darling boys show up at the Lake Effect-"

"Freezing their bony asses off-"

"No, Brendon had a rather plump ass-"

"Oh true, rather fruit-like."

"These boys show up, fresh off the bus, and they don't have enough money for a room."

"Sweet Saint Peter, he had to take them in."

"Like a eyelinered mama bird."

"And for awhile, everything was perfect."

"Such a cute little family."

"Until, of course, they found the junk."

"Oh God, what a tragedy that was."

"How stupid do you have to be to be that size and think you can handle an addiction-"

"Hey, they were young, they didn't know any better. Besides, I managed just fine when I was on the stuff."

"No you didn't, don't you remember how messed up you were when we met?"

"Oh I can't lie to you, Gabey baby. I'm lucky you came along, my knight in purple fucking armor." William laughed and went to hug the other man, pinning Patrick in the middle.

"I'm lucky to have you, my fucking fairy prince," Gabe chuckled, hugging back.

Just then, Pete came skipping through the door, rolling his eyes at the group hug. "Getting along nicely, I see?"

"Just swell, Petey boy."