Chapter Text
Pete stood still, slightly shuddering from the cold. He was outside his best friends door, waiting to knock. He spent all night thinking about him, and now he had to see him. Maybe I don't have to, maybe I can just go home.. Pete knocked on the door, sighing. Of course he would have to see him, just like every other day.
The other boy hurried to the door, slinging his bag over his shoulder. Pete had been driving them both since he'd got his car, a damn nice one thanks to his parents. "Hey! Sorry, didn't mean to keep you waiting." Patrick huffed, following a shivering Pete to the car. "Don't sweat it Rickster." Pete grinned, climbing into the car.
The two arrived at school, thankful to finally be somewhere warm. "You wanna skip first period?" Pete asked, as soon as they walked in. "We just got here, I'm not going back outside." Patrick replied. "And besides, you want to skip every period." He added. Pete couldn't disagree, he'd had 'senioritis' since freshman year. Now that he was a senior, skipping almost every class period had become his routine. "Alright, you do you. I'm gonna hang out in the parking lot and rip my pen." The black haired boy smiled and turned to leave.
Patrick sat in class, first period government. His teacher droned on and on about the constitution and other crap he didn't care about. He tapped his fingers on the desk, drumming a song. He thought about Pete, the boy was probably having a better time than him. In his car, blasting music and getting high at 8 in the morning. Patrick groaned, I wonder if school could be considered a torture method.
After the period was over Patrick packed up as quickly as he could and speed walked out the door. The next period was band, the only class him and Pete ever went to.
Pete flopped down in his seat, picking up his bass. He'd taken band every semester since freshman year, and this was his last semester. He could teach the class himself if he wanted, but he didn't even do assignments at that point. He looked up as Patrick walked in, rather quickly. "What's up Trick?" He greeted. "Do you wanna skip third?" Patrick asked, abandoning greeting. Pete immediately smiled, "Fucking yes, where should we go?" "Let's just hang out in your car, it's too cold to go anywhere" Patrick decided.
Band class was the highlight of Pete's day. He got to play music with his best friend, and he didn't have to do any assignments. Him and Patrick were working on a song, he plucked a couple of notes on his bass. "I want it.. more funky. Try three to seven" Patrick instructed. The boy couldn't help but smile, Patrick had always been music driven. He could sit in front of an instrument and bless the room around him without a second thought. Pete admired it about him, all he could do himself was write edgy, overly metaphorical lyrics and mess around with a bass.
Patrick watched as the black haired boy fiddled with his bass. He admired the way his brain worked. How he could say things that made Patrick feel like the most important person in the world. The way he wrote was unlike anything Patrick had ever seen, and Patrick couldn't get enough.
The bell finally rung and the two walked straight out the front doors. The cold air hit Patricks face, immediately turning his face red. They hurried to the car, and Pete started his playlist. He leaned back in his seat, reaching in his pocket and grabbing his cart. Patrick didn't smoke much, it hurt his lungs, but Pete did. Alot. "Check it out Trick, I'm gonna hit a blinker" Patrick looked him, unamused. He watched the boy wrap his lips around the mouthpiece, feeling oddly intimate. Pete inhaled for a solid 10 seconds and Patrick was a little impressed, he'd hit Pete's pen occasionally and knew that it burned like hell.
After watching Pete hit a bunch of ghosts, and French inhales and Os and all the other bull crap Pete had made him watch, Patrick was fed up. "Let me try." He asked. Pete grinned, his canines visible . "You sure? Princess fairy lungs isn't gonna cough anything up in my car right?" Patrick grabbed it from Pete. "No promises, but I'm not gonna do that much.." Patrick pressed the device up to his lips. "Indirect kiss! I'm blushing Patrick!" Pete exclaimed. Patrick frowned, he didn't understand why Pete flirted with him as a joke. It just confused him, made him feel weird.
He finally inhaled, a measly hit compared to Pete's blinker. Patrick didn't smoke much at all, so as soon as he gave it back he was starting to feel it. His head felt heavy, and it seemed as if everything was in slow motion. "You alright dude?" Pete asked, finally making eye contact with him. Patrick looked at him slowly, the contrast of his blue eyes making the redness more apparent. Patrick smiled, lazily. Pete laughed at the sight. It wasn't often he got to see his best friend geeked out of his mind. "I wish my tolerance wasn't so high, maybe I should take a break." Pete pondered out loud, he knew his friend was probably too high to even be paying attention. To his surprise, Patrick replied. "Yeah, I wish you would smoke less." Pete scoffed, "Why?" "I dunno, it's bad for you? Don't you wanna live long?" Patrick muttered. "Nope." Pete laughed. "I want you to live long." Patrick replied, almost too quiet for him to hear. Pete stared out the window. That was gay as fuck.
They didn't end up going back to school until lunch time. Patrick had sobered up, but Pete hadn't stopped thinking about him. They sat at their lunch table, notoriously crowded with the most annoying emos in their grade. Gerard and Frank sat next to each other, thighs pressed together. Pete was so jealous it made him disgusted. They were the first in their group to get together, and Pete couldn't help but envy them. His brother.. he who shall not be named sat at a different table, with the quieter, less annoying emos. He had dated Gerard's brother one summer and they ended on.. less than good terms. Across the table was Ryan, Brendon, Spencer and Jon. Brendon was somehow more annoying than Pete, the only balancing him out being his quieter friends. He sensed something between Brendon and Ryan, but he wasn't sure because he didn't hang out with them outside of school.
"Patrick are you fuckin high?" Frank asked, loud as hell, as soon as they sat down. Patricks face dropped and he looked around. "No!! A little? Can you be quiet?" Patrick muttered, flustered. Pete smiled "We skipped half the day to get geeked in my car." Frank groaned "Thanks for the invite, asshole. I've been bored in class but it was too cold to skip outside." Gerard piped in, "You didn't seem bored in the bathroom during passing period.." Frank blushed and Pete pushed down a gag. These motherfuckers and their gross public relationship. He could only dream. "I don't know why you guys don't go to class. When I get absences my mom yells at me for it." Brendon announced in his overly loud voice. "Not everyone's parents are dumb ass Mormons" Frank cackled. "Hey I think it's dumb too but don't say it to his face!" Ryan defended. "Whatever I'll leave your boyfriend alone." Frank teased. Ryan looked unamused and Brendon looked a little guilty. "Anyway, are we still practicing tonight with Mikey and Ray?" The whole table stopped talking and Frank looked around, realizing his mistake. Pete heard his name and cringed. "Really?" He grimaced. Frank huffed. "When are you gonna get over it? You guys dated for like a month and you act like he's the devil. He's Gerard's brother too, you really expect to never hear about him again?" Everyone was silent and staring between them. Pete scowled. "Fuck you man, you don't know anything" Gerard looked nervous, but Frank kept going. "Actually Mikey told us everything, I'm not even sure why we're still fucking friends!" Frank exclaimed. Pete paled and his stomach dropped. He grabbed his bag and rushed out the doors.
Patrick watched the whole moment. He admittedly was still a little high, he felt like the whole thing happened in slow motion. Pete looked like he'd seen a ghost and left without saying a word. He thought about following him but decided against it, seeing the speed the boy left at. Patrick was in shock, how did he never know Pete dated Mikey? Is that why the brothers stopped sitting together? Patrick hadn't put the pieces together but now he knew. He knew his best friend that he was in love with dated someone else and didn't tell him. Patricks stomach lurched. Why didn't he tell him? He knew Pete was gay, so why wouldn't he tell him about the relationship. The whole table was whispering to each other, and nobody said anything when Patrick left. He briskly walked down the halls, making a sharp turn into the bathroom. He sat in the stall, feeling a little gross by his choice of hiding spot. He looked down at his shaky hands. He felt like a faggot. He shouldn't care this much, but his brain was already racing with thoughts. He felt betrayed, it's not like they were dating but Patrick was his best friend, and he hid an entire relationship from him? His head was pounding and he wanted to go home, so he called him mom and left before lunch was over.
Pete slammed the door to his car and punched the wheel over and over. He screamed in anger, finally hitting his head against the car seat. He took a deep breath, and muttered. "Fuck.." Pete wanted his relationship with Mikey to be forgotten. He wanted to forget about Mikey entirely, but Frank had aired his business out into the world. In front of Patrick. Pete punched the wheel again, feeling his knuckles ache. His relationship with Mikey was short lived, awkward and ended terribly. They got together after Pete drunkenly kissed him at a fourth of July party. He can admit in the moment he thought Mikey looked like a skinny version of Patrick. Pete didn't see any harm in dating him, he'd thought it'd dull the ache in his heart from wanting Patrick. He wanted to redirect his attraction and fall in love with Mikey. But it didn't work, he found himself wishing he was with Patrick every time they hung out, he only kissed him if he was drunk and could pretend he was Patrick. He didn't tell his best friend he was dating Gerard's brother. They hung out as a group regularly and he didn't want things to be awkward. Pete regularly pounded back 5+ shots on every one of their dates. On their last date he took it too far, he'd been hanging out with Patrick all day and as soon as Mikey pressed his lips against his, Pete couldn't stifle it. "Mmgh, Patrick" Mikey pulled away, face crinkled. "What the hell, Pete?" Pete grimaced. "Sorry.. I meant Mikey" Mikey stood up "Are you serious? Are you cheating on me? Why are you thinking about him when I'm making out with you?" He snapped. Pete, too drunk to stand up muttered. "I'm not, I just.. can I pretend you're him?" He slurred. "You're kidding me. You're an asshole Pete! Go make out with Patrick, fucking cheater! I can't believe it.. I thought you liked me." Mikey ranted, angrily. He stormed out, and Pete stood still, left in his own misery.
Patrick ran to his room to avoid questions from his mom. He flopped on his bed, exhausted from his remarkably short day. He felt like he hated his best friend, but he needed him. Right now. Patrick picked up his phone, the most recent contact of course. His phone rang and he bit his lip in anticipation. After a few rings he finally picked up. "Rickster! How can I be of service?" Pete answered. Patrick could tell he wasn't smiling, it sounded fake. "Why'd you hide it man?" Silence from the other end. "I didn't want things to be awkward.. We were still figuring things out." Pete finally replied. Patrick faltered. Not the reply he'd expected, so he continued questioning. "How'd you guys break up? Why was Frank so pissed about it?" He could hear Pete's sigh through the phone. "I'm not ready to tell you..can you please just let this go Patrick?" He felt a little uneasy, Pete calling him his name instead some stupid nickname. And he sounded sad, like it was weighing him down to even say. "Will you tell me eventually?" Patrick finally asked. "For sure. Sooner than you think." Pete replied, the smile in his voice evident. Thats good, right?
It had been a few weeks since the incident at the lunch table, and their friend group had split. Gerard and Frank now sat with Mikey and Ray. Brendon and the others stayed sitting with Pete's friends. Lunch was dull now. Without Gerard and Franks pda, Frank teasing Brendon and making each other mad the table was boring. Brendon was the first to speak up, as always. "We're having a party this weekend, if you guys wanna come!" "Where? I thought your parents were strict." Patrick replied. "My house, my parents are gone for the weekend and I wanna raid their alcohol cabinet." Spencer said. Pete cringed at the thought of hanging out with his ex friends. "Who's all invited?" He asked. The group exchanged a quick look, too quick for Pete to catch. "Just us, I don't want things getting to crazy" Spencer explained. Pete and Patrick agreed, not knowing what they agreed to.