Looking in the Mirror

Looking int the Mirror is the 6th episode of HBO's Looking.

Synopsis
Patrick tries to hide his nervousness about Richie meeting his friends for the first time at Dom’s 40th birthday party. Lynn has a dinner to introduce Dom to potential investors; later, Dom insists to Doris that he and Lynn are just friends. Frustrated with the progress of his project, Agustin invites CJ to the birthday picnic, where he and Frank finally cross paths.

Plot
As Richie cooks dinner, Patrick nervously talks about Dom's upcoming birthday party, where Richie will spend significant time with his friends for the first time. "It's the first time they're meeting my boyfriend," he says, "so of course I want it to go good." That statement marks the first time either of them have used the term "boyfriend," so Richie makes a joke. "Boyfriend," he deadpans. "Who said I was your boyfriend?" Richie quickly makes it clear that he's excited by the new terminology; he tells Patrick that he's "in" and presents him with a scapular necklace.

Lynn introduces Dom to his friends Jack and Randy, who are in the restaurant business. Dom pitches them his idea for a Portuguese peri-peri chicken restaurant. It's hard to read their reaction, but Lynn seems optimistic and tells him to be patient. Dom is in a hurry because of his impending 40th birthday. "You know at 40, Grindr emails you a death certificate," he jokes to Lynn, who can't make it to Dom's celebration in Dolores Park. Later, in a conversation with Doris, Dom assures her that he and Lynn are just friends. "Gay men are capable of being friends without f*cking," he says. Doris thinks Dom should consider something more with Lynn.

Agustín examines photos from his in-progress art project with sex worker CJ, but is displeased with how they're turning out. Frank calls one of the photographed guys "hot," which just further enrages Agustín -- he clearly doesn't want the appeal of his art to be because of a "hot" guy. At Dom's birthday party in Dolores Park, Agustín learns the "boyfriend" news and is rude to Richie, especially when he sees the scapular that Patrick is wearing. Patrick is surprised when Kevin approaches -- he's unexpectedly at the park too. Kevin introduces his boyfriend Jon to Patrick, but when Richie joins the group, Patrick doesn't immediately identify Richie as his boyfriend. Further insulting Richie, he tells Kevin that Richie eventually wants to own his own salon -- which is not the case and causes Richie to recoil.

Doris announces that it's piñata time, and Dom smashes it open, revealing wigs, hair dye and diapers. "Die, younger self, die!" he jokes. A little while later, a delivery boy brings flowers to Dom -- they're from Lynn.

CJ joins the party, and Agustín watches as he immediately hits it off with Frank. In a brief moment alone with Patrick, Agustín unleashes how he really feels about Richie. "What are you doing letting this guy walk around thinking he's your boyfriend?" he asks. Patrick retorts by chiding Agustín over bringing CJ, a hooker, to meet his boyfriend. "I just feel like you talk shit about anyone I'm ever interested in," Patrick tells Agustín, who responds: "You're slumming, and it ain't cute." Richie overhears this and tells Agustín "f*ck you."

On their way home, Richie asks Patrick: "Are you embarrassed of me?" Patrick apologizes and, in an attempt to smooth things over, asks Richie to his sister's wedding in two weeks. "Now you want to throw me at your family?" Richie says. "I don't think so." Patrick assures him it's not too fast, but it's unclear if Richie accepts the invitation.

At Frank's place, Agustín and Frank are having sex as CJ takes video of them. It's not long before CJ and Frank are having sex, as Agustín films, contemplating what is going on in front of him.

After rebuffing a hook-up invitation from a younger guy in the park, Dom shows up at Lynn's door. The two hang out, watch cartoons and smoke weed, and Lynn reveals that Jack and Randy didn't like Dom's restaurant idea. He suggests the two of them have a go at it themselves. "We find a place, we do a pop-up, we take it over for a night," Lynn proposes. When he offers to fund the pop-up, Dom goes in for a kiss. Lynn doesn't reciprocate and declares them friends.

Back at home with Richie asleep in bed, Patrick stares in the mirror looking at his scapular.