Chapter Text
"You did what?!"
Patrick was furious. Furious as in strangle Pete to death furious. Pete has made decisions on loads of things without thinking. But this one is absolutely outrageous.
"You expect me to play basketball against Brendon?! Do you even see my height, Pete? Do you remember that I haven't played sports since... ever!? How could you decide that without my consent?" Patrick scowls at him, the rage in his voice increases on every word.
Pete had the audacity of looking guilty but the damage has already been done.
"Patrick, look. We we're drunk, and it was just for fun but then things just got into an argument and stuff... Look, even Brendon isn't good at sports. Maybe with just some practice you could--"
"Practice? Practice? Of course it's easy for you to say. You're not the one playing against him." Patrick cut off his excuse. He hates being angry at Pete. But there's a length on how long his patience can last.
Patrick sometimes wishes he could hate Pete, but how can he? They've been best friends for years. They've fought and argue sometimes. And maybe a bit of unrequited feelings here and there (in Patrick's case. Not that Pete needs to know that). Hating Pete is the lasting he ever wanted to feel.
Even if he's done the most shittiest of things.
Patrick sighs in defeat. He was definitely gonna screw this up. At least he won't feel bad about it. It's not like Patrick was gonna lose something. It'll be at Pete's expense, after all.
"So what's the challenge about?"
"The losing player is gonna sing the winning team's songs on their respective concerts--"
Well, it doesn't sound so bad.
"And act exactly like the winning player."
Wait. So if Brendon wins, Patrick has to act like Brendon during the concert. He has to do backflips, curse or worse...
Go shirtless.
It was a good thing Joe and Andy were there to restrain him from literally strangling Pete.
Patrick doesn't really care about sports. His Mom is probably wondering why he's watching the NBAs all of the sudden. Or surfing the internet for tips on how to shoot properly. He actually bought some clothes for basketball. And an actual basketball. Who would have thought?
That's why Patrick is standing in an isolated basketball court. (He had to make sure there's no one playing.) He decided it's proper time to train himself.
He holds the ball in his grasp. He positions his arms and aims to shoot. He tries to remember all the YouTube videos he watched on how to shoot the ball.
Patrick goes for a shoot but the ball barely reached the hoop.
After countless times of trying (and failing), he still hadn't shoot a single ball. Maybe all those videos don't work for short people.
"Patrick?"
Patrick flinches and felt his heart stop. Shit. No one was suppose to know!
He reluctantly turns around to see Josh and Tyler, looking at him curiously. Out of all the people to see them like this, he didn't expect it to be them.
"We didn't know you play basketball!" Josh grins at him. Tyler just stares at him, amusement and curiosity is placed on the expression of his face.
"I-I actually..." Patrick was internally panicking.
"Play with us, Patrick!" Josh persuades him. And this makes it harder for Patrick. He doesn't know if he should make an excuse to escape this embarrassment.
"I'm not that good-"
"It's just a friendly game, Patrick--"
"I have never played basketball my whole life." Patrick blurts out. Secret's out and he will never be the same man ever again.
Josh pauses at Patrick's confession andstares at him. Patrick looks away from Tyler's gaze. He was waiting for them to laugh at him, mock him... But it never came.
"Guys, look. I'll just leave so..."
"How about I teach you?"
Patrick looks up to see Tyler gazing at him with resolve. Patrick took a glance at Josh to see him looking at Tyler incredulously. Tyler has probably never offered this to anyone.
"Tyler, no... I..." Patrick doesn't know what to say. He doesn't want to be an inconvenience to Tyler just because of his... inability to play basketball properly.
"Patrick, it's no problem, if that's what you're worried about." Tyler insists. He knows Tyler is good at basketball. Josh told him so when they had tour together. If Tyler teaches him, then it will be a big help.
"Are you sure?" Patrick asks him with hesitance.
Tyler's expression changes. The expression earlier turn soft. It was a look that he hasn't seen from Tyler before. He would understand if it was out of pity or amusement. But it looked... fond?
"Yeah. I'm sure." Tyler says with assurance.
Not that Patrick would say anything but he was actually relieved with Tyler's offer.
"That's sick. Why haven't we challenged each other like that, Tyler?"
"Because you suck at portraying me, Josh."
This is basically their reaction after Patrick tells them of his predicament. It doesn't sound so bad, yeah. But for someone like Patrick, how does one even portray a Brendon Urie without looking like a loser?
"Don't worry, Patrick. We'll teach you. Or just Tyler. He's better at this. I told you about that, remember?" Josh grins and gives Tyler a look that Patrick doesn't understand.
Tyler jabs at Josh and clears his throat.
"Anyway... Do you know the basics in playing?" Tyler asked him.
Patrick shook his head and shrugs. "I just watch from TV and YouTube. Sorry."
"We all begin from YouTube and TV, huh?" Josh adds.
While Tyler and Josh discuss in front of him, Patrick gave himself a moment to think about how he'll with against Brendon. Brendon isn't that good at sports as well but when he sets his mind into it, he'd likely win. His height is fair too. What does he even have against that?
"Patrick? Are you okay?"
Upon hearing his name, he snapped out of his reverie and looked at Josh, who seems to have brought himself a basketball. He gives a nod at Josh to assure him that he's fine. It took him a moment before he noticed that Tyler was missing.
"Patrick! Come here!" Tyler's voice call out to him from the other side of the court.
"What is it?" Patrick asks while he makes his way to Tyler's side.
"I'm going to train if you want to do this. Are you up for that?"
Patrick shrugs. "I guess. If I want to win this then I have to, right?"
Tyler gives him a small smile and the look again. Patrick doesn't really get it. He knows the kid isn't making fun at him. He just can't explain why he looks... fond? It's not his business though. And it doesn't really matter. But it makes him curious.
"Are you ready?" Tyler prompts him.
Patrick gulps. You can do this, Patrick!!
"Yeah. I'm ready."