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Pete wasn't quite sure what he had been expecting when he burst into Patrick's hotel room like normal, only to find that what he had walked into was unusual. No, scratch that. What Pete found was probably downright odd. In a kind of twisted way because for some internal reason he wasn't repulsed by what he saw in front of him.
He imagined most people would have stormed out of the room and probably contacted Perez Hilton to make massive amounts of money or something just about as stupid, but Pete...Pete continued in anyways.
What Pete had seen? He had walked into Patrick's room, and everything was pretty normal, except Patrick. Patrick was working slowly on a light green pacifier, and didn't seem to notice that Pete was even in the room. At least he didn't notice until Pete was on the other side of the bed. Boy, did Patrick lose his shit.
Patrick came close to screaming, scrambling off of the bed and pressing up against the hotel room wall, eyes wide in fear and embarrassment.
"Wait, no, Patrick!" Pete scrambled up as well, genuinely confused at the whole thing, but he sought out to understand what was going on.
"S-Stay away from me..." Patrick sputters, body trembling, hands scrabbling against the wall as if trying to find a hold.
"I'm not gonna go until I figure out what's going on here," Pete says, still at the edge of the bed, giving Patrick a somewhat firm look. "I mean...I can deal if you're into something, I just wanna know what it is...Then I'll leave you alone if you really want me gone."
Patrick takes well over a minute to respond, and he's biting his lip so hard Pete wants to chastise him about it, but he doesn't want to make this anymore awkward then it was.
"I....Well..."
That's all that Pete gets, because Patrick lets out a choked sob, going over to where his MacBook sat on his nightstand, turning it on. Pete wants to pull Patrick close and tell him that whatever this is, that they'll get through it, but Patrick seems so vulnerable that he's afraid to get too close. Moments later, Patrick shoves the laptop across the bed, with about five different tabs open. So Pete looks through them.
The pages Patrick opened for him are describing aspects of Dom/Sub relationships, and Pete's extremely confused at first, scrolling through the first page with his eyebrows furrowed. Until he sees that there's certain things highlighted. There's stuff talking about Littles, Daddy/Mommy Doms, regression, among other topics. For the first time since he walked into this, Pete's finally beginning to understand what this whole thing is, what Patrick is looking for.
"So wait," Pete starts out, not completely sure what he's even trying to say, trying to find the words he needs. "Are you trying to tell me you're like the 'little' right now?"
Patrick, who has been curled up at the end of the bed and watching Pete, slowly nods his head, the lights showing the few tears that have run down his face.
"Okay....Could you come back up here? It's weird talking to you and you're on the other side of the bed."
Patrick stills for a moment before hesitantly making his way to Pete's side, making sure to leave a couple inches of space between them. Which doesn’t last long at all because Pete’s got his arm wrapped around his shoulder and he’s bringing him close? "P-Pete?" he squeaks hoarsely, looking at him with a confused look.
"Look, Trick. I want you to be able to do whatever you want, seriously. Even if that involves acting like you're a toddler or whatever," Pete whispers, closing the MacBook and shoving it off his lap. "I will totally back you up on that. Now, if this is some sign that I'm supposed to come into the picture...I might need a night to think it over."
"I didn't say that!" Patrick says, sounding accused.
"Not saying you did, dork. But I can tell. At least I think so. Is that true?" Because Pete feels like that's what he's getting from Patrick and oh lord this is the first time he's ever thought about serious kink negotiation.
He allows Patrick to mull over his question, and tries not to notice how the younger man fiddles with the bottom of his Clandestine hoodie. It feels like an hour has passed with them sitting there on the bed, pressed against each other, before Patrick answers.
"Maybe?" It comes out barely a whisper; Pete swears he's never heard the twenty-two year old sound like this in all of the time he's known him.
Pete hums a flat note, rubbing Patrick's back reassuringly. "Okay. Let's take a night to think about this? If we both feel the same about this tomorrow night, then we'll figure it out from there. If not, then I guess we'll both pretend this never happened and go on with life."
Patrick makes a sound in agreement, and Pete figures he's probably exhausted from the night's events, so he starts to make his leave.
"'oodnight, Pete." Patrick mumbles as Pete reaches the doorway.
"Night, Patrick."
----
Throughout the night, Pete's wide awake. Though it's not exactly unusual, Pete at least has one reason he's still awake. His mind is still reeling from the whole thing that happened with Patrick, swimming with newfound information and decisions.
Patrick seemed like he truly wouldn't mind if Pete came into this, became his...Daddy or caregiver. But Pete wonders if he would even be good enough, if Patrick really really wants him in this thing.
Around two in the morning, Pete's on his own laptop, going between information pages and shopping websites, and by this point, Pete is around 76% sure he could probably do it. Whatever that happened to be.
Pete doesn't fall asleep until almost seven the next morning, and he's fortunate that the band is staying at the same hotel for two nights so he doesn't have to wake up at nine to pack up. He dreams about taking care of Patrick, but the images were fuzzy and he can't quite grasp them when he eventually wakes up around noon.
As the day passes, he only sees Patrick a few times, exchanges normal greetings and banter, as if he hadn't seen a pacifier between Patrick's lips only the night before. He can tell however, in Patrick eyes, that he's brewing with thoughts as well, non-music thoughts which are probably a first.
-----
That night, Pete sits on his bed, Sidekick in hand, casually texting Ryan from Panic!, when he hears a few, short knocks on his hotel room door. Is it Patrick? His mind races as he shoots up from the bed and stumbles to the door, peering through the peephole. It was Patrick. He quickly unlocks and opens the door, ushering him into the room before closing it back.
Patrick's actually in his pajamas, which is really awkward because Pete is definitely not, and his eyes are gleaming hopeful at him and Pete just knows.
----- (a few months later)
The band is back in Chicago, they have this new, completely amazing album, and Pete really couldn't be happier...or busier.
However, he remembers that things have changed this time. Because he has Patrick, and Patrick is his little boy to take care of and love. Though they don't actually 'play' as often as either of them would like, the whole thing still manages to interfere with their daily lives. Like when Pete will text Patrick, reminding him to do things, basic things that Patrick might otherwise forget in the new rush they're beginning to experience as mega-stars. Or when Patrick will get closer to Pete when they're in studio, and sometime Joe might question it but Patrick seems to know what to say so he won't dig too deep into it.
Pete feels like having this relationship with Patrick may have changed things for the better, and he really hopes so. He thinks this as he knocks the door to Patrick's apartment, a package in hand.
The early spring still nips cold on him as Patrick opens the door and lets him in, watching the bag in his arms as he takes his shoes off. "What's that, Daddy?" Patrick asks, and Pete's kinda glad he didn't need to help Patrick into headspace for this.
"It's a special something, Trick." Pete replies, walking into the living room and sitting on the sofa, Patrick crawling on beside him.
"Is it for me?"
"Of course it is, baby. You remember your birthday's in a few weeks, right?"
Patrick probably very nearly squeals in joy, and Pete has to remind him to ask for things before he goes to snatch said things from people. Soon Patrick is settled down a bit, though he's channeling his excitement by bouncing on his knees which makes focusing on any one thing tough for Pete.
Pete unwraps the bag, and hands Patrick a blob wrapped in newspaper. "You can rip it open, Trick." That's all that needs to be said, because Patrick's completely destroyed the wrapping in seconds, and is now in silent shock.
In his hands now was a stuffed alligator, bright blue with white eyes and a friendly smile. Pete wonders if he got the wrong thing, because Patrick's completely still for a whole minute. He's proven wrong when Patrick wraps his arms around him tight, and whispers a happy "Thank you Daddy!" into his neck, breath leaving him warmed up.
Patrick then leans back, and gives Pete his biggest smile and bopping him on the head with the stuffie. Pete merely chuckles at his antics and reaches to ruffle Patrick's hair.
"You gonna give 'em a name, baby?" Pete asks, honestly curious as to what Patrick would name something in his headspace.
Patrick thinks about it only for a moment before hugging the alligator close to him. "I'm gonna call 'im Ally-gator." He then nods firmly, as if settling this in his own head, which Pete wouldn't be surprised if he was.
"That's a very nice name for him, Patrick." Pete says, knowing that Patrick will want his word on it. "Happy two weeks early Birthday."
Patrick laughs and leans back in to hug Pete again, and Pete can now feel Ally-gator pressing into his side. "Love you, Daddy."
"Love you too, baby boy."
end.