Ship: Joe/Patrick
Words: 759

Hey look, Patrick isn't the one with self esteem issues for once and I know this was supposed to be smut but I honestly want to write anything BUT smut right now. I'm sorry.

I had first noticed it when he skipped meals.

Joe would tell me he's not hungry, he'd smile too widely just afterwards. I'd hear his stomach growl later but he just shrugged it off.

I did, too.

After that, I noticed that he was getting skinnier and skinnier, his thighs would no longer touch each other, his stomach was getting smaller and smaller and it frightened me.

Something is wrong.

Something is seriously wrong.

I need to comfort him.

I need to figure out what's going on because this isn't healthy and I don't want him to hurt himself.

So it's an Autumn Tuesday when I finally confront him.

We're making dinner, he's obviously a little reluctant to let me help but I was persistent. I finish putting all the ingredients in the pot and we're waiting for it to cook, his head down, a baggy shirt on over his chest.

"Hey, Joe?"

He pulls me close, resting his head on top of mine, "Hmm?"

I swallow, looking up at him. It hurts. Knowing what he's probably going through right now.

"Are you..." I take a deep breath, "There's something I've been meaning to ask you for a while... about... your body..."

He tenses up beside me and I feel his breathing hitch.

"W-What about it?" He whispers.

I purse my lips and reach around him, turning off the stove, "Come here."

He follows me upstairs, nervously fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

"Here," I hold him in front of the mirror inside our bedroom, the light on and the door shut behind me, "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Joe swallows and looks away, tears gathering at his eyes.

"Joe."

"I see myself." He whispers, still not looking. I eventually sigh and force him to look, tears falling from his eyes.

"What do you look like?"

There's a moment of silence, then, "I'm fat, ugly, overweight."

I sigh, and press him out of the way gently, "Now look at me. What do I look like?"

"Beautiful, handsome, skinny."

"Like, unhealthy skinny, or okay?"

"Okay. You're healthy."

I nod and look to him, "now, take off your shirt."

"Patrick–"

"Take it off, Joe." I reply sternly.

Tears drip from his eyes and he finally complies, pulling it above his head but immediately covering himself.

I take off my own shirt and hand it to him, "put it on."

He complies.

"Now look in the mirror. How does the shirt fit you?"

"It's baggy."

I pull it off, over his head and put it on myself, "Now tell me how it fits me."

"It fits."

I look over at him and kiss him gently, wiping his tears from his cheeks, "do you know what that means?"

"It means I'm skinny."

"Yes." I reply, "You're so beautiful and lovely and I hate that you're doing this to yourself. I noticed you skipping meals and i can see your ribcage and it's really unhealthy."

He's just barely holding back more tears and it makes my heart twist in my chest.

"I love you, Joe. I do. So much. Please, I want to show you..."

He flinches when I touch him but calms down eventually, "I love you, too."

"Can we..." I trail off, looking up at him to make sure this is alright.

"O-Okay.."

I finger his nipples gently, watching his chest rise and fall a little faster, and eventually I kiss him, pulling him closer.

We make our way to the bed, I'm pulling his shirt off and getting to work on his pants, our lips still attached as he falls back.

"I love you so much." I whisper, yanking down his jeans and watching contently as he fumbles with the clasp of my belt.

"I love you, too."

***

"Thank you."

His voice seems so fragile as sweat covers our bodies and we lay tangled in each other, the stench of sex in the air. But I really don't mind it.

"Anytime... you.. you really are beautiful, you know that?" I ask, caressing his face and watching as his beautiful blue eyes meet mine.

"I... I don't know if I really believe it." He whispers, "But I think I'm learning."

I smile.

"I love you. So much."

"I love you, too."