WHO: Clio, Patrick, open to Stutely WHEN: Thursday night WHERE: Clios WHAT: A LOT OF CRYING WARNINGS: Talk of past sexual assault
Patrick had texted that he was there when he parked his car, which meant that Clio could meet him at the door. She pulled it open, and the second that Patrick was revealed and before he even said anything, Clio burst into tears and fell into his arms.
"Oh. Oh, Christ," Patrick hissed, because the door wasn't even closed. "Clio...Clio, the- the door-"
"FUCK the door!" Clio hissed, pulled away. The look of shock and a little bit of fear on Patrick's face in response was enough to calm her. "Sorry- Yes, come in," she moved so he could head deeper into the house, and she could close and lock the door behind them.
They headed into the lounge, where Patrick gently took hold of Clio's arm. "Clio, what happened?"
Furiously wiping at her eyes, Clio didn't even know how to begin to describe it. "I- I w-" She shook her head, miserable.
"Sit," Patrick said, instead. "You just sit, I'm going to get you some water." Clio did as she was told, stiffly falling to the sofa where she sat blankly while she could hear Patrick rustling around in the kitchen. His footsteps preceded his return, and she looked up as he walked in, concern etched into the planes of his face.
"Hermes tried to rape me," she said, even though Patrick already knew. Patrick had known before anyone. Perfectly safe Patrick had been the person she had called to rescue her from that awful symposium, the poor man braving the partying people and the orgies just because she had asked him to. It wasn't fair. Not to Patrick. Not to keep calling him every time she needed someone she knew would never hurt her. Not for all the money or fame in the world. Not when she knew he still had feelings for her.
And it wasn't that she thought Will would hurt her. But she hadn't known him that long, all up. Patrick had been her best friend and then her lover for seven years.
"Hermes tried to rape me and now I don't know- I don't know if anyone-" She could feel the sobs choke at her throat and she made a keening noise of frustration. Her expression crumbled and she couldn't fight it any more, a strangled cry escaping from her throat.
Clio felt Patrick's arms wrap around her, and she leaned against him gratefully. She hadn't cried about what Hermes had done...hadn't even properly processed it, and now it was all coming out. "He was so strong- And I didn't think I would- I didn't think I would be able to stop him-"
Parick buried his face in her hair and he started to rock her, but he didn't say anything. He was letting her express her grief and yes, it wasn't fair she had called him over despite knowing his residua feelings, but she was so glad he was here. So, so glad. "And I never know- I'm pretending to be- Please why couldn't I just be a man? I don't want to feel this way any more. Patrick- Patrick! I don't want to feel this way any more!"
"Shhhhh," it was only when she heard Patrick's voice waver that she noticed he was crying too. "I don't mean shh. I mean, I'm here," he corrected himself.
She was sobbing so hard she was hiccuping now, choking on words, and having to stop to suck in a panicked breath in the middle of them, "and Apol-lo, he th-inks he's s-afe but n-o one is! N-ot if Herm-es- N-not if- I can't- I can't breathe-"
"I'm here," Patrick repeated, sniffling. "You don't have to explain. You can just cry. And I'll just be here. I'll just be here, Clio."
Clio nodded, and then she buried her face in his chest and she did just that. She cried.