The First Last Kiss - Part 2
Title: The First Last Kiss – Part Two of Two
Author:
seraph05
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Fall Out Boy
Pairing: Patrick Stump/Pete Wentz
Warnings: Semi-bad swearing but appropriately place and what else…I don’t know there’s a gun.
Disclaimer: these people or characters are not mine! They belong to themselves only and this story is a complete fabrication, it is not in any way shape or form true. I borrowed facts about the band members in Fall Out Boy (who I love dearly and would never want to upset or trouble) to make it seem more realistic. Not true! Fan fiction! I feel very strongly about this ok?
Summary: I don’t want to give to much away…You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll “YEAH!”, you’ll “awwwwww”…….i hope XD There’s a concert, a hostage situation, a kiss, a gun, a new song and our favorite boys in Harry Potter costumes. Oh yeah this part is better XP
Part One: http://community.livejournal.com/patrickxpeter/790848.html
Pete got out of the car and stretched pulling his hoodie over his head briefly admiring the beautiful day. It had been an hour since breakfast and Pete had finally arrived at the music festival. There were already people milling around though Pete knew it wouldn’t really start to get busy till seven or eight pm. They were playing twice today; once at one and again at eight.
“Thanks man, don’t worry I’ll be cool” Pete said to the driver. The driver wished him luck for the day before leaving. Pete strolled casually up to the registration and waited in the line. If he wanted to he could have walked straight to the front as he already had a performers pass, good for pretty much any area of the festival. However in the spirit of keeping a low profile he decided to wait in the line and flash it quickly when he got to the front. Besides it was kind of fun to be amongst the fans their excitement spreading and building the closer they drew to the front.
“In Fall Out Boy? Well…Pete’s pretty hot…” Pete’s ears pricked up at the sound of someone discussing him and the band “But Patrick’s voice is so sexy!” she, whoever she was, said with ecstasy and Pete grinned.
“Well for me it’s all Joe, the way he plays is just awesome!” her friend exclaimed.
“No way Andy is so cute and funny and cool!”
“I just can’t wait to see them play!” another squealed. Just as Pete was about to turn around and reveal his identity he felt a tap on his shoulder.
“How many tickets?” the ticket guy asked absentmindedly and Pete just held out the pass quickly. The guys head shot up and Pete lifted his hood slightly smiling into his face.
“Hey” he said before pulling it back down “Don’t say my name”
“Uh-uh go right on through” the guy stuttered and Pete gave him a nod.
“Thanks” Pete said gratefully walking briskly into the crowds. There were stands with merchandise and food leading all the way to each of the separate stages. There were people running around with posters waiting to be signed and Pete could hear bands rocking out in the near distance. Kids who Pete knew had used fake id cards leant proudly on a thick pole which had one of the many posters for the festival stuck to it. This one had a large picture of the Gym Class Heroes on it. Pete walked on typing a reminder into his mobile to not forget to call Travis and ask to hang out. It had been ages since the two bands had had a night out on the town. He bought a poster and went looking for the signing desks, knowing they’d get a kick out of him asking for their signature. A group of teens ran excitably past.
“Quick! Gym Class Heroes is about to start!” the youngest one shouted and Pete jumped shooting after them a light feeling coming over him. He felt younger, as though he was going to a concert for the first time and there was nothing more important in the world than seeing the band play. He rushed towards stage 2, as the signs read; showing the security guy his pass as he quickly ran by joining the crowd. They were just finishing singing ‘Taxi Driver’ and still the crowds were screaming for more.
“Yo it’s great to be here!!!” Travis shouted out as loud as he could bringing the masses excitement level up another notch “Great day, great crowd and company!” Pete shouted out with everyone else, laughter mixing in with his screams.
“Especially good company because today we have managed to get Patrick out of his Fall Out Boy interviews to sing with us!” Patrick walked out on stage and over to a mike as the crowd went wild clapping and shouting and chanting his name. He waved to the crowd in an almost shy fashion. Pete pondered the fact that Patrick was never the type to make much of himself even though he was something special.
“Patrick!” Pete roared but his voice was muted by the unbelievable noise.
“You see here’s the thing…” Travis said giving Patrick a sideways glance and Patrick smiled back grabbing the mike.
“We have to take our clothes off! And we have to party all night! We have to take our clothes off to have a good time! Oh no!” Patrick sung his voice filling the crowd, the air and the hearts of all that watched as his grin widened and Travis began. Patrick continued to moan and shout every now and then as Travis rapped enthusiastically at the front. Pete laughed at the odd feeling of watching Patrick and the others on stage. It was a strange to call their names and not be heard his voice melting into hundreds of others.
Strange to be part of a different kind of joy and bring a different kind of smile to his friends faces. The kind of joy given by many voices for one. He watched Patrick from the distance and listened to girls screaming his name.
"Patrick’s voice is so sexy"
Pete’s eyebrow quirked at the theory. Pete always thought Patrick’s voice was awesome, fantastic and even mirthful at times but sexy had not exactly come across his mind before; in not such blunt terms anyway. Despite the many jokes he had made about him and Patrick being intimate he’d never honestly considered it before. Suddenly someone bumped into him and he realized he had actually stopped moving to facilitate his thoughts of Patrick. He frowned a little concentrating hard as the chorus came around. He closed his charcoaled eyes and tried to block everything else out.
“No, no, no. We have to take our clothes off! And we have to party all night, it’s alright! And we have to take our clothes off to have a good time! Oh no!”
“I guess he does have a certain tone…” Pete thought silently, as Patrick moaned, with a shiver that had nothing to do with temperature “The way he sings those high notes…”
Pete’s heart soared as it usually did when Patrick sang though he noted that it was far more uplifting to be standing next to him, or lean on him and feel the vibrations of his voice shoot through their bodies. To have Patrick’s unique and wonderful sound engulf him, wrap him in it and lose himself to it. Pete had a sudden resurgence of the disarming need to be close to Patrick and he opened his eyes taking the scene in as much as he could like a parched man reaching for a glass of water. He looked frantically around but was sadly unable to even get closer to the stage due to the jumping masses. He jumped and threw his hands in the air in time with the beat and Patrick’s voice, the only way to be closer.
* * *
Patrick and Pete once again, as carefully and slowly as possible, opened the door and looked over craning their necks to try and see who it was the armed attacker had. The hooded man was facing away from them and had someone hostage for sure but it wasn’t till an arm flung out that they recognize the tattoo’s as Andy’s. They sat back, not bothering to shut the door, all their thoughts on their friend.
“I have to get out there” Patrick said firmly “His back is to us, I’m going” Pete nodded.
“I’m going with you” he whispered and Patrick nodded trying to hide the relief that flashed briefly on his face. Pete suspected, like him, that Patrick was petrified. Patrick opened the door just wide enough sneak out and then, with both of them holding their breath, he dashed out into the open then behind a shelf. Pete waited heart in his throat only breathing when no sounds followed. He looked over at where Patrick had disappeared to then ran after him ducking behind the same shelf. Patrick caught his arm and pulled him close so he didn’t fall over. Pete smiled at him stifling a gasp mouthing the words ‘thanks’. Then there was a noise, a painfully familiar noise that made the smile slide right off Pete’s face.
Chu-clunck
The hooded man spun around to face the door that had just swung open and hit the wall.
“GET OUT HERE!” he bellowed harshly. Pete and Patrick's bodies went stiff as they heard the man draw closer their blood running cold at his next scream “I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT HERE BEFORE I SHOOT YOU!” he was so near now, only on the other side of the shelf and Pete and Patrick began to shuffle along to the end of the shelf. It wasn’t till he was looking into the staff room that Pete and Patrick jumped behind the next shelf. Pete pulled his legs out of sight then leaned over to Patrick getting so close his lips were almost touching his ear.
“Patrick…in case something bad happens…” Pete’s breath on Patrick’s ear and neck tickled but he didn’t pull away and Pete spoke so gently Patrick could only just hear him “You’re the most important guy in the world to me. I don’t think there is anyone that understands me more completely, no one I enjoy hanging out with more and no-one that I am so comfortable with” he grabbed Patrick’s wrist and squeezed it. Patrick looked down at the hand holding his wrist and then covered it with his own.
“I know” he whispered back “I feel the same way about you Pete” They knew - they didn’t need to say it, they had felt it since the day they met and they had been through so much together that at this stage it was more known than anything else. However Pete and Patrick couldn’t ignore the circumstances and the awkwardness of such terms of endearment were lost in the moment. They heard the hooded man stomp back out into the centre of the room dragging Andy along with him, his arm painfully tight around Andy’s neck.
“Did anyone come out of there?!” He bellowed at the cowering crowd. A young girl with tears in her eyes nodded and the man glared at her
“uh huh” she cried.
“Where are they!?” Pete and Patrick leapt as if physically shocked at this development. As the hooded figure was being distracted by the girl a figure flew at him from the crowd punching him hard in the face then yanking on his arm in an attempt to release Andy. Patrick and Pete heard the sickening sound of fist smacking cheek and looked around the shelf briefly glad that the little girl seemed fine, a feeling that failed when they realized who the attacker was.
“You fucking punk!” the hooded figure shouted, his voice pitch was high and manic as threw the attacker from him dropping Andy in the process. Andy looked on as the hooded man smacked the attacker with his gun.
“Joe!” Patrick said through gritted teeth, his voice mercifully masked by the screams some of the woman made at the sight of Joe hitting the floor jaw bleeding. He had long since abandoned his costume and was therefore immediately recognizable wearing only the black t-shirt and jeans his boss had told him to for this day.
“You think I’m kidding?! This is a hostage situation kid! That means you shut the fuck up and sit still” he screeched as Joe moved backwards on his hands and knees expression as furious as it was anguished “You know what else happens in situations like this, the gunman chooses a victim to show the people that he is not playing games.” He aimed his pistol at Joe “And he wastes this victim” there a persistent murmur of crying from children and adults alike all shielding their eyes and begging whatever god they believed in to let the police break in and end this. However Patrick was unable to look away terror unlike any before traveling like a sickness through his veins.
“Now I was gonna do that guy” he said tilting his head quickly in Andy’s direction “But it looks like you’ve volunteered to take his place” The click of the gun loading seemed to silence everything leaving only Joe’s heavy breathing and the sirens in the distance.
* * *
Pete sat on a bench, hood pulled far over his face not only serving as a identity-protector but a good hiding place for the pout currently controlling his face. After the Gym Class Heroes concert Pete had tried to find Patrick but had lost him in the crowds only managing to catch Travis backstage.
“Come on man you’ll see him in like an hour anyway” Travis had said with a grin after their initial catch up “What’s up with you today anyway, you seem a bit edgy”
“It’s nothing, I’ll probably feel better after the show” Pete said dismissively.
“Yo are you worried about the audience?! Man, they’re sweet as! Don’t worry about it you’ll have them hanging off your every word!” Travis tried to reassure his friend.
“Dude it’s not the audience…ah don’t worry about it. Hey wanna catch up later I know Joe and Andy would love to hang out again” Pete asked tucking the signed Gym Class Heroes poster under his arm.
“Sure, I’ll call you tonight. We’re here till the end of the week” Travis said as he started to walk away.
“So are we! See you later” Pete called starting to walk away himself thinking of what Travis had said. Their show was only about an hour away and Pete knew he had to get to their stage to be briefed on the show. He needed to know what kind of mike he would be wearing, if he needed a touch up on his makeup and double check what songs they were going to play. He began to swiftly make his way there when suddenly a voice and a hand pulled him.
“Whoa hang on there mate, what’s the big rush!”
“Oh god” Pete thought immediately turning his gaze downwards “Not MTV guys”
“Uh..I’m running late for the Fall Out Boy concert” Pete said trying to lower the pitch of his voice so it was less recognizable and turning to leave.
“You don’t have to worry about that, they’re not starting for at least half an hour besides we only have a few questions” The man with a more annoying smile than Pete thought was possible beamed at him.
“Half an hour!?” Pete exclaimed looking at his watch, it was indeed just over half an hour to go much less than he had originally thought.
“This is Vh1” The man began as Pete thought ‘MTV, Vh1 same difference’ “Matt Stanford speaking now what’s your name?” Pete’s brain snapped into motion.
“Lewis” he replied quickly.
“And why are you here today?”
Pete looked into the camera an evil smirk coming across his face. He threw off his hoodie and shouted into the camera lens.
“To rock out bitch!” then pelted away the camera man just as surprised as the interviewer.
“It’s so fun to screw with them!” Pete thought laughing hard and pulling the hoodie back over his face. When Pete actually reached their stage the stadium was already nearly full of frenzied fans and he realized that he would need security for this one. He walked over to the nearest security guard as inconspicuously as he could.
“Um excuse me but I’m a bit late” Pete said to him lifting his hood just enough for the beefy security guard to see his face and he held out his pass “Can you walk me to backstage?”
The security guard hesitated only momentarily before replying with.
“Follow me” Pete did as he was told praying none of the fans would recognize him. They moved quickly along the fence till they reached the locked door in the side of the stage then after the security guard had opened it Pete snuck in.
“Thanks” he shouted over the chanting of ‘fall out boy’ in the back ground and shut the door. Pete walked up the steps leading onto back stage and saw Andy, shirtless, and Joe, guitar in hand, ready to rock.
“What took you so long?!” They asked in unison obviously finding the irony of his lateness amusing.
“I thought you came here early?” Joe continued.
“I did but I got caught up, I ran into Travis and the boys! And then a Vh1 guy tried to interview me when he didn’t even know who I was” Pete explained pulling his guitar out of its case the glossy red and black finish gleaming in the sunlight “And where is Patrick in all this? You make fun of me for being late but he was here before me-”
“They aren’t making fun of me because I even though I actually sung with the Gym Class Heroes and was interviewed by people who knew who i was I was still on time”
Pete looked over from where he was kneeling to the source of the voice. There stood Patrick, his ‘I love bingo’ hat placed on top of his head allowing wisps of his hair to fall messily over his face, his t-shirt was a clandestine creation with the green in it bringing out those eyes that were now glinting playfully at him from behind his glasses which had not yet been removed bringing out that part of Patrick that Pete knew best.
* * *
“Joe!” Patrick snarled. It was as though with that one simple word the lower floor of borders had been plunged into a different dimension where time ran slower and nothing seemed quite real. He started moving staggering to his feet as he propelled himself towards the hooded mans back his sweet face contorted with the snarl of that word still in his throat. Pete’s eyes widened as he reached to grab at Patrick but the material of his shirt slipped through Pete’s fingers like air. Pete stumbled to his feet to follow.
The hooded man turned, his horrible face only now coming into view – pale and ugly like a gargoyles, his eyes were bloodshot and red and his mouth, the most terrible feature of all, was pulled into a yellow sneer teeth bared. Patrick leapt at him, making to tackle him and the man pulled the gun around.
A shot rang out, it’s echo replaced by Patrick’s tuneless, loveless, lifeless cry. Pete watched him fall, blood pouring down his soft back unaware the gun was being turned on him.
“YOU MOTHER FUCKER!” Pete felt himself scream it but he could barely hear it over the sound of his heart beat pounding in his ears. He didn’t see Joe kick the man’s legs which caused him to lose aim and allow Pete to knock him down. He didn’t even notice the warm tears that were streaking down his face as he lay into the guy, fist after fist till his knuckles were raw. His body felt like it was on fire, like it might explode at any second from the sheer fury that burned in every cell in his being. He only stopped for one voice, one cough.
“Pete”
* * *
“Pete?” Patrick asked with a raised eyebrow “Are you ok dude?” Pete stood and started to walk over to Patrick.
* * *
“Patrick?” Pete sniffed looking over at his wounded friend his voice quivering as time began to speed up again. He crawled over, the blood on his hands leaving streaks on the floor. He wiped it off on his pants before turning Patrick over, not wanting to get blood on Patrick despite the blood that was already seeping excessively from Patrick himself. Patrick sobbed as he was turned over.
“Fuck!” Pete swore seeing the extent of the damage “You fuck!” he cried hard holding Patrick tighter and rocking a little “Someone open the doors! Get the ambulance guys in here-DO SOMETHING!” most of the people were in shock just lying on the floor watching; having witnessed Pete’s brutal beating of the attacker and now Patrick’s life expiring. Andy however found his feet quickly and, snatching the door keys from Joe, ran to open the doors upstairs. Pete remembered that when someone has been injured pressure should be put on their wound and he quickly lay Patrick back down pulling his own shirt off, folding it and pressing it to the injury. Patrick groaned in pain.
“Stop” he coughed, his voice weak. Pete’s tears began to flow again mixing with his eye shadow sending more black streaks down his cheeks and he rested his forehead on Patrick’s.
“Don’t you die lunchbox, don’t you fucking die” Pete swore his voice a mere rough murmur as he draped his arms over Patrick in a protective manner.
“Pete, keep going. Don’t ever stop. You can make it. I believe you can do it” Pete heard Patrick’s cracked voice say and a hand grabbed the back of his neck “Do…it for...me ok?” Pete moaned his breathing irregular with gasps and whimpers escaping his wet lips.
“Peter, please” Patrick begged as his eyes started to gloss over. Then the hand on Pete’s neck pulled his face closer causing their lips to meet. Pete’s wet eyes closed and after a moment of lingering on Patrick’s soft lips he kissed deeper trying to find comfort or the promise that this would not be the last. All he could taste was blood and tears. He could hear the police and ambulance people bolting down the escalator stairs as the pressure on the back of his neck went slack and Patrick’s hand fell away. Pete broke the kiss and sat up a bit, still leaning on Patrick’s chest.
“Patrick? Patrick!” Pate shouted shaking Patrick’s now still form, trying to give it motion, trying desperately to give it life “PATRICK!”
* * *
“Patrick!” Pete said speeding his walk to a run and half tackled Patrick, Patrick only just keeping his balance as they spun around. Pete pulled his arms around Patrick’s shoulders nuzzling his head on the nape of Patrick’s neck. He breathed deep the fresh smell of summer that seemed to be a part of Patrick and rubbed a hand against his back where no wound bled “I had the most real and terrifying dream last night” he let go of Patrick but didn’t move away feeling suddenly choked up “I dreamt you died and there was nothing I could do to save you”. Pete didn’t however tell Patrick about the way this dream had torn him in two, making Patrick seem far too mortal. How it had made him long so completely for his friends company on the one day he couldn’t seem to give it to him. Or the pure joy that he felt to hear him sing and to know that that sound, that amazing sound sprung from an amazing friend was not gone forever. Patrick looked surprised at the unusually pale and serious expression on Pete’s face. He reached out and put a warm hand on Pete’s shoulder.
“It was just a dream Pete, I promise I won’t die anytime soon ok?” Patrick said softly “Are you ok to go on?” Pete mimicked Patrick’s action putting his hands on Patrick’s shoulders.
“Always” he replied regaining his composure just glad to be near Patrick.
“Was I in it?” Andy’s voice floated over from behind.
“Yeah, you were even a hostage for a little while” Pete answered looking behind.
“What about me?” Joe asked joining Pete and Patrick.
“You were great man! You saved Andy” Pete replied with a grin “Though I think you might’ve gotten a broken jaw for it”
“Intense” Joe said with a proud smirk.
“So how did I off it anyway?” Patrick asked sensing the mood was sufficiently light enough as they lined up waiting to be called.
“You were shot by the guy who was holding Borders hostage” Pete answered.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah I think it was supposed to be like back when you worked at Borders and it was on the day one of the Harry Potter books was released so it was mad busy, prefect for a hostage situation I guess” Pete explained “And just as you were about to finish your shift and we would get a cup of coffee the bastard came blazing in telling everyone to drop to the floor and shit. It was really scary”
“Sounds like a good story line for a movie” Andy said thoughtfully as a guy with headphones came over to them.
“Ok boys you’re on in five…four…”
“Nah I don’t think audiences would appreciate the guy on guy action as much as me” Pete said casually.
“Dude you have the weirdest dreams” Joe laughed.
“GO!”
Epilogue
Pete dragged his sorry ass into his bedroom shutting the door behind him, the clock on his bedside table informing him that it was 4:00 in the morning. Finally coming down from the high of the two exceptionally successful concerts of that day he fell onto his bed exhausted. With no energy to get changed he took off his belt, shirt and shoes and threw them into the corner. Then slithered under the clovers wincing with the thought of the hangover he would have tomorrow. To celebrate their popularity at the festival they, with Travis and the others, had gone on the most inebriating bar crawl he’d ever been on. He had apologized profusely to Sara on arriving back for missing dinner when he promised to be home and had given her a kiss on the cheek to make up for it. When he had reached his floor he bid his friends goodnight and staggered down the hall to his room. Now as he lay in bed though the crushing tiredness weighing down on him he couldn’t sleep. He lay there between the covers in the dark, his eyes closed waiting and wishing for sleep to take him images of Patrick’s bloody body in his arms flashing through his mind. He was coming down harder than he thought and he wondered if he would sleep at all. Just then he felt a hand push him and he groggily lifted the front of his torso up.
“Shove over” the voice said and Pete did as he was told feeling the covers being lifted then placed back down.
“Patrick?” Pete asked blearily.
“You dropped your keys outside the door” Patrick explained yawning.
“I didn’t even hear you come in” Pete said.
“I’m silent like a ninja you know that” Patrick replied with a titter “Now go to sleep” Pete looked through the dark silently a soft grin spreading his lips before his lowered himself back down onto the bed.
“No nightmare’s for you tonight young man” Patrick said.
“Goodnight Lunchbox” Pete said sleepily.
“Goodnight Peter Pan”
A/N: I put a hell of a lot of work into this one with planning and going over it again and again to make sure it was ok. The idea for this fic came originally from a little book I found in borders called creative block. Me and my good friend aspirer were waiting in the loooong line for the last Harry Potter book when we found it, which also helped with the storyline. She or me, I can’t remember, I think it was her, flipped it open to a page that read “Much is said about the first kiss, but what about the last?” and that just lodged itself in my brain immediately. I thought what a cool idea for a story and then it wouldn’t leave me alone. Then after reading the first few incredibly fantastic ‘The Phrase that Pays’ chapter petrick I was ridiculously wound up to write one of my own despite the moral dilemma that this entailed.
However after coming up with tons of storylines I just couldn’t find the love for and sitting with writers block for a few hours the “much is said of the first kiss…” came into mind. So then I tweaked and twisted this idea into my own having the peterick kiss not only being the first but the last.
I was going for a sort of fractured reality feel with this fic. I wanted people to be like “What’s going on? Is this really happening or not?” till they caught on towards the end though it won’t surprise me if you smart cookies know from the very start what the Borders bits are.
The title of this fic is inspired by Pete’s style of naming songs, though it doesn’t sit entirely well with me because I don’t really want people to think that the kiss is what this fic is about. It’s not. It’s about friendship and love and cherishing that bond.
I hope this fic is enjoyed and does not hurt anyone’s feelings, please comment and tell me what you think!
Author:
seraph05Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Fall Out Boy
Pairing: Patrick Stump/Pete Wentz
Warnings: Semi-bad swearing but appropriately place and what else…I don’t know there’s a gun.
Disclaimer: these people or characters are not mine! They belong to themselves only and this story is a complete fabrication, it is not in any way shape or form true. I borrowed facts about the band members in Fall Out Boy (who I love dearly and would never want to upset or trouble) to make it seem more realistic. Not true! Fan fiction! I feel very strongly about this ok?
Summary: I don’t want to give to much away…You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll “YEAH!”, you’ll “awwwwww”…….i hope XD There’s a concert, a hostage situation, a kiss, a gun, a new song and our favorite boys in Harry Potter costumes. Oh yeah this part is better XP
Part One: http://community.livejournal.com/patrickxpeter/790848.html
Pete got out of the car and stretched pulling his hoodie over his head briefly admiring the beautiful day. It had been an hour since breakfast and Pete had finally arrived at the music festival. There were already people milling around though Pete knew it wouldn’t really start to get busy till seven or eight pm. They were playing twice today; once at one and again at eight.
“Thanks man, don’t worry I’ll be cool” Pete said to the driver. The driver wished him luck for the day before leaving. Pete strolled casually up to the registration and waited in the line. If he wanted to he could have walked straight to the front as he already had a performers pass, good for pretty much any area of the festival. However in the spirit of keeping a low profile he decided to wait in the line and flash it quickly when he got to the front. Besides it was kind of fun to be amongst the fans their excitement spreading and building the closer they drew to the front.
“In Fall Out Boy? Well…Pete’s pretty hot…” Pete’s ears pricked up at the sound of someone discussing him and the band “But Patrick’s voice is so sexy!” she, whoever she was, said with ecstasy and Pete grinned.
“Well for me it’s all Joe, the way he plays is just awesome!” her friend exclaimed.
“No way Andy is so cute and funny and cool!”
“I just can’t wait to see them play!” another squealed. Just as Pete was about to turn around and reveal his identity he felt a tap on his shoulder.
“How many tickets?” the ticket guy asked absentmindedly and Pete just held out the pass quickly. The guys head shot up and Pete lifted his hood slightly smiling into his face.
“Hey” he said before pulling it back down “Don’t say my name”
“Uh-uh go right on through” the guy stuttered and Pete gave him a nod.
“Thanks” Pete said gratefully walking briskly into the crowds. There were stands with merchandise and food leading all the way to each of the separate stages. There were people running around with posters waiting to be signed and Pete could hear bands rocking out in the near distance. Kids who Pete knew had used fake id cards leant proudly on a thick pole which had one of the many posters for the festival stuck to it. This one had a large picture of the Gym Class Heroes on it. Pete walked on typing a reminder into his mobile to not forget to call Travis and ask to hang out. It had been ages since the two bands had had a night out on the town. He bought a poster and went looking for the signing desks, knowing they’d get a kick out of him asking for their signature. A group of teens ran excitably past.
“Quick! Gym Class Heroes is about to start!” the youngest one shouted and Pete jumped shooting after them a light feeling coming over him. He felt younger, as though he was going to a concert for the first time and there was nothing more important in the world than seeing the band play. He rushed towards stage 2, as the signs read; showing the security guy his pass as he quickly ran by joining the crowd. They were just finishing singing ‘Taxi Driver’ and still the crowds were screaming for more.
“Yo it’s great to be here!!!” Travis shouted out as loud as he could bringing the masses excitement level up another notch “Great day, great crowd and company!” Pete shouted out with everyone else, laughter mixing in with his screams.
“Especially good company because today we have managed to get Patrick out of his Fall Out Boy interviews to sing with us!” Patrick walked out on stage and over to a mike as the crowd went wild clapping and shouting and chanting his name. He waved to the crowd in an almost shy fashion. Pete pondered the fact that Patrick was never the type to make much of himself even though he was something special.
“Patrick!” Pete roared but his voice was muted by the unbelievable noise.
“You see here’s the thing…” Travis said giving Patrick a sideways glance and Patrick smiled back grabbing the mike.
“We have to take our clothes off! And we have to party all night! We have to take our clothes off to have a good time! Oh no!” Patrick sung his voice filling the crowd, the air and the hearts of all that watched as his grin widened and Travis began. Patrick continued to moan and shout every now and then as Travis rapped enthusiastically at the front. Pete laughed at the odd feeling of watching Patrick and the others on stage. It was a strange to call their names and not be heard his voice melting into hundreds of others.
Strange to be part of a different kind of joy and bring a different kind of smile to his friends faces. The kind of joy given by many voices for one. He watched Patrick from the distance and listened to girls screaming his name.
"Patrick’s voice is so sexy"
Pete’s eyebrow quirked at the theory. Pete always thought Patrick’s voice was awesome, fantastic and even mirthful at times but sexy had not exactly come across his mind before; in not such blunt terms anyway. Despite the many jokes he had made about him and Patrick being intimate he’d never honestly considered it before. Suddenly someone bumped into him and he realized he had actually stopped moving to facilitate his thoughts of Patrick. He frowned a little concentrating hard as the chorus came around. He closed his charcoaled eyes and tried to block everything else out.
“No, no, no. We have to take our clothes off! And we have to party all night, it’s alright! And we have to take our clothes off to have a good time! Oh no!”
“I guess he does have a certain tone…” Pete thought silently, as Patrick moaned, with a shiver that had nothing to do with temperature “The way he sings those high notes…”
Pete’s heart soared as it usually did when Patrick sang though he noted that it was far more uplifting to be standing next to him, or lean on him and feel the vibrations of his voice shoot through their bodies. To have Patrick’s unique and wonderful sound engulf him, wrap him in it and lose himself to it. Pete had a sudden resurgence of the disarming need to be close to Patrick and he opened his eyes taking the scene in as much as he could like a parched man reaching for a glass of water. He looked frantically around but was sadly unable to even get closer to the stage due to the jumping masses. He jumped and threw his hands in the air in time with the beat and Patrick’s voice, the only way to be closer.
* * *
Patrick and Pete once again, as carefully and slowly as possible, opened the door and looked over craning their necks to try and see who it was the armed attacker had. The hooded man was facing away from them and had someone hostage for sure but it wasn’t till an arm flung out that they recognize the tattoo’s as Andy’s. They sat back, not bothering to shut the door, all their thoughts on their friend.
“I have to get out there” Patrick said firmly “His back is to us, I’m going” Pete nodded.
“I’m going with you” he whispered and Patrick nodded trying to hide the relief that flashed briefly on his face. Pete suspected, like him, that Patrick was petrified. Patrick opened the door just wide enough sneak out and then, with both of them holding their breath, he dashed out into the open then behind a shelf. Pete waited heart in his throat only breathing when no sounds followed. He looked over at where Patrick had disappeared to then ran after him ducking behind the same shelf. Patrick caught his arm and pulled him close so he didn’t fall over. Pete smiled at him stifling a gasp mouthing the words ‘thanks’. Then there was a noise, a painfully familiar noise that made the smile slide right off Pete’s face.
Chu-clunck
The hooded man spun around to face the door that had just swung open and hit the wall.
“GET OUT HERE!” he bellowed harshly. Pete and Patrick's bodies went stiff as they heard the man draw closer their blood running cold at his next scream “I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT HERE BEFORE I SHOOT YOU!” he was so near now, only on the other side of the shelf and Pete and Patrick began to shuffle along to the end of the shelf. It wasn’t till he was looking into the staff room that Pete and Patrick jumped behind the next shelf. Pete pulled his legs out of sight then leaned over to Patrick getting so close his lips were almost touching his ear.
“Patrick…in case something bad happens…” Pete’s breath on Patrick’s ear and neck tickled but he didn’t pull away and Pete spoke so gently Patrick could only just hear him “You’re the most important guy in the world to me. I don’t think there is anyone that understands me more completely, no one I enjoy hanging out with more and no-one that I am so comfortable with” he grabbed Patrick’s wrist and squeezed it. Patrick looked down at the hand holding his wrist and then covered it with his own.
“I know” he whispered back “I feel the same way about you Pete” They knew - they didn’t need to say it, they had felt it since the day they met and they had been through so much together that at this stage it was more known than anything else. However Pete and Patrick couldn’t ignore the circumstances and the awkwardness of such terms of endearment were lost in the moment. They heard the hooded man stomp back out into the centre of the room dragging Andy along with him, his arm painfully tight around Andy’s neck.
“Did anyone come out of there?!” He bellowed at the cowering crowd. A young girl with tears in her eyes nodded and the man glared at her
“uh huh” she cried.
“Where are they!?” Pete and Patrick leapt as if physically shocked at this development. As the hooded figure was being distracted by the girl a figure flew at him from the crowd punching him hard in the face then yanking on his arm in an attempt to release Andy. Patrick and Pete heard the sickening sound of fist smacking cheek and looked around the shelf briefly glad that the little girl seemed fine, a feeling that failed when they realized who the attacker was.
“You fucking punk!” the hooded figure shouted, his voice pitch was high and manic as threw the attacker from him dropping Andy in the process. Andy looked on as the hooded man smacked the attacker with his gun.
“Joe!” Patrick said through gritted teeth, his voice mercifully masked by the screams some of the woman made at the sight of Joe hitting the floor jaw bleeding. He had long since abandoned his costume and was therefore immediately recognizable wearing only the black t-shirt and jeans his boss had told him to for this day.
“You think I’m kidding?! This is a hostage situation kid! That means you shut the fuck up and sit still” he screeched as Joe moved backwards on his hands and knees expression as furious as it was anguished “You know what else happens in situations like this, the gunman chooses a victim to show the people that he is not playing games.” He aimed his pistol at Joe “And he wastes this victim” there a persistent murmur of crying from children and adults alike all shielding their eyes and begging whatever god they believed in to let the police break in and end this. However Patrick was unable to look away terror unlike any before traveling like a sickness through his veins.
“Now I was gonna do that guy” he said tilting his head quickly in Andy’s direction “But it looks like you’ve volunteered to take his place” The click of the gun loading seemed to silence everything leaving only Joe’s heavy breathing and the sirens in the distance.
* * *
Pete sat on a bench, hood pulled far over his face not only serving as a identity-protector but a good hiding place for the pout currently controlling his face. After the Gym Class Heroes concert Pete had tried to find Patrick but had lost him in the crowds only managing to catch Travis backstage.
“Come on man you’ll see him in like an hour anyway” Travis had said with a grin after their initial catch up “What’s up with you today anyway, you seem a bit edgy”
“It’s nothing, I’ll probably feel better after the show” Pete said dismissively.
“Yo are you worried about the audience?! Man, they’re sweet as! Don’t worry about it you’ll have them hanging off your every word!” Travis tried to reassure his friend.
“Dude it’s not the audience…ah don’t worry about it. Hey wanna catch up later I know Joe and Andy would love to hang out again” Pete asked tucking the signed Gym Class Heroes poster under his arm.
“Sure, I’ll call you tonight. We’re here till the end of the week” Travis said as he started to walk away.
“So are we! See you later” Pete called starting to walk away himself thinking of what Travis had said. Their show was only about an hour away and Pete knew he had to get to their stage to be briefed on the show. He needed to know what kind of mike he would be wearing, if he needed a touch up on his makeup and double check what songs they were going to play. He began to swiftly make his way there when suddenly a voice and a hand pulled him.
“Whoa hang on there mate, what’s the big rush!”
“Oh god” Pete thought immediately turning his gaze downwards “Not MTV guys”
“Uh..I’m running late for the Fall Out Boy concert” Pete said trying to lower the pitch of his voice so it was less recognizable and turning to leave.
“You don’t have to worry about that, they’re not starting for at least half an hour besides we only have a few questions” The man with a more annoying smile than Pete thought was possible beamed at him.
“Half an hour!?” Pete exclaimed looking at his watch, it was indeed just over half an hour to go much less than he had originally thought.
“This is Vh1” The man began as Pete thought ‘MTV, Vh1 same difference’ “Matt Stanford speaking now what’s your name?” Pete’s brain snapped into motion.
“Lewis” he replied quickly.
“And why are you here today?”
Pete looked into the camera an evil smirk coming across his face. He threw off his hoodie and shouted into the camera lens.
“To rock out bitch!” then pelted away the camera man just as surprised as the interviewer.
“It’s so fun to screw with them!” Pete thought laughing hard and pulling the hoodie back over his face. When Pete actually reached their stage the stadium was already nearly full of frenzied fans and he realized that he would need security for this one. He walked over to the nearest security guard as inconspicuously as he could.
“Um excuse me but I’m a bit late” Pete said to him lifting his hood just enough for the beefy security guard to see his face and he held out his pass “Can you walk me to backstage?”
The security guard hesitated only momentarily before replying with.
“Follow me” Pete did as he was told praying none of the fans would recognize him. They moved quickly along the fence till they reached the locked door in the side of the stage then after the security guard had opened it Pete snuck in.
“Thanks” he shouted over the chanting of ‘fall out boy’ in the back ground and shut the door. Pete walked up the steps leading onto back stage and saw Andy, shirtless, and Joe, guitar in hand, ready to rock.
“What took you so long?!” They asked in unison obviously finding the irony of his lateness amusing.
“I thought you came here early?” Joe continued.
“I did but I got caught up, I ran into Travis and the boys! And then a Vh1 guy tried to interview me when he didn’t even know who I was” Pete explained pulling his guitar out of its case the glossy red and black finish gleaming in the sunlight “And where is Patrick in all this? You make fun of me for being late but he was here before me-”
“They aren’t making fun of me because I even though I actually sung with the Gym Class Heroes and was interviewed by people who knew who i was I was still on time”
Pete looked over from where he was kneeling to the source of the voice. There stood Patrick, his ‘I love bingo’ hat placed on top of his head allowing wisps of his hair to fall messily over his face, his t-shirt was a clandestine creation with the green in it bringing out those eyes that were now glinting playfully at him from behind his glasses which had not yet been removed bringing out that part of Patrick that Pete knew best.
* * *
“Joe!” Patrick snarled. It was as though with that one simple word the lower floor of borders had been plunged into a different dimension where time ran slower and nothing seemed quite real. He started moving staggering to his feet as he propelled himself towards the hooded mans back his sweet face contorted with the snarl of that word still in his throat. Pete’s eyes widened as he reached to grab at Patrick but the material of his shirt slipped through Pete’s fingers like air. Pete stumbled to his feet to follow.
The hooded man turned, his horrible face only now coming into view – pale and ugly like a gargoyles, his eyes were bloodshot and red and his mouth, the most terrible feature of all, was pulled into a yellow sneer teeth bared. Patrick leapt at him, making to tackle him and the man pulled the gun around.
A shot rang out, it’s echo replaced by Patrick’s tuneless, loveless, lifeless cry. Pete watched him fall, blood pouring down his soft back unaware the gun was being turned on him.
“YOU MOTHER FUCKER!” Pete felt himself scream it but he could barely hear it over the sound of his heart beat pounding in his ears. He didn’t see Joe kick the man’s legs which caused him to lose aim and allow Pete to knock him down. He didn’t even notice the warm tears that were streaking down his face as he lay into the guy, fist after fist till his knuckles were raw. His body felt like it was on fire, like it might explode at any second from the sheer fury that burned in every cell in his being. He only stopped for one voice, one cough.
“Pete”
* * *
“Pete?” Patrick asked with a raised eyebrow “Are you ok dude?” Pete stood and started to walk over to Patrick.
* * *
“Patrick?” Pete sniffed looking over at his wounded friend his voice quivering as time began to speed up again. He crawled over, the blood on his hands leaving streaks on the floor. He wiped it off on his pants before turning Patrick over, not wanting to get blood on Patrick despite the blood that was already seeping excessively from Patrick himself. Patrick sobbed as he was turned over.
“Fuck!” Pete swore seeing the extent of the damage “You fuck!” he cried hard holding Patrick tighter and rocking a little “Someone open the doors! Get the ambulance guys in here-DO SOMETHING!” most of the people were in shock just lying on the floor watching; having witnessed Pete’s brutal beating of the attacker and now Patrick’s life expiring. Andy however found his feet quickly and, snatching the door keys from Joe, ran to open the doors upstairs. Pete remembered that when someone has been injured pressure should be put on their wound and he quickly lay Patrick back down pulling his own shirt off, folding it and pressing it to the injury. Patrick groaned in pain.
“Stop” he coughed, his voice weak. Pete’s tears began to flow again mixing with his eye shadow sending more black streaks down his cheeks and he rested his forehead on Patrick’s.
“Don’t you die lunchbox, don’t you fucking die” Pete swore his voice a mere rough murmur as he draped his arms over Patrick in a protective manner.
“Pete, keep going. Don’t ever stop. You can make it. I believe you can do it” Pete heard Patrick’s cracked voice say and a hand grabbed the back of his neck “Do…it for...me ok?” Pete moaned his breathing irregular with gasps and whimpers escaping his wet lips.
“Peter, please” Patrick begged as his eyes started to gloss over. Then the hand on Pete’s neck pulled his face closer causing their lips to meet. Pete’s wet eyes closed and after a moment of lingering on Patrick’s soft lips he kissed deeper trying to find comfort or the promise that this would not be the last. All he could taste was blood and tears. He could hear the police and ambulance people bolting down the escalator stairs as the pressure on the back of his neck went slack and Patrick’s hand fell away. Pete broke the kiss and sat up a bit, still leaning on Patrick’s chest.
“Patrick? Patrick!” Pate shouted shaking Patrick’s now still form, trying to give it motion, trying desperately to give it life “PATRICK!”
* * *
“Patrick!” Pete said speeding his walk to a run and half tackled Patrick, Patrick only just keeping his balance as they spun around. Pete pulled his arms around Patrick’s shoulders nuzzling his head on the nape of Patrick’s neck. He breathed deep the fresh smell of summer that seemed to be a part of Patrick and rubbed a hand against his back where no wound bled “I had the most real and terrifying dream last night” he let go of Patrick but didn’t move away feeling suddenly choked up “I dreamt you died and there was nothing I could do to save you”. Pete didn’t however tell Patrick about the way this dream had torn him in two, making Patrick seem far too mortal. How it had made him long so completely for his friends company on the one day he couldn’t seem to give it to him. Or the pure joy that he felt to hear him sing and to know that that sound, that amazing sound sprung from an amazing friend was not gone forever. Patrick looked surprised at the unusually pale and serious expression on Pete’s face. He reached out and put a warm hand on Pete’s shoulder.
“It was just a dream Pete, I promise I won’t die anytime soon ok?” Patrick said softly “Are you ok to go on?” Pete mimicked Patrick’s action putting his hands on Patrick’s shoulders.
“Always” he replied regaining his composure just glad to be near Patrick.
“Was I in it?” Andy’s voice floated over from behind.
“Yeah, you were even a hostage for a little while” Pete answered looking behind.
“What about me?” Joe asked joining Pete and Patrick.
“You were great man! You saved Andy” Pete replied with a grin “Though I think you might’ve gotten a broken jaw for it”
“Intense” Joe said with a proud smirk.
“So how did I off it anyway?” Patrick asked sensing the mood was sufficiently light enough as they lined up waiting to be called.
“You were shot by the guy who was holding Borders hostage” Pete answered.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah I think it was supposed to be like back when you worked at Borders and it was on the day one of the Harry Potter books was released so it was mad busy, prefect for a hostage situation I guess” Pete explained “And just as you were about to finish your shift and we would get a cup of coffee the bastard came blazing in telling everyone to drop to the floor and shit. It was really scary”
“Sounds like a good story line for a movie” Andy said thoughtfully as a guy with headphones came over to them.
“Ok boys you’re on in five…four…”
“Nah I don’t think audiences would appreciate the guy on guy action as much as me” Pete said casually.
“Dude you have the weirdest dreams” Joe laughed.
“GO!”
Epilogue
Pete dragged his sorry ass into his bedroom shutting the door behind him, the clock on his bedside table informing him that it was 4:00 in the morning. Finally coming down from the high of the two exceptionally successful concerts of that day he fell onto his bed exhausted. With no energy to get changed he took off his belt, shirt and shoes and threw them into the corner. Then slithered under the clovers wincing with the thought of the hangover he would have tomorrow. To celebrate their popularity at the festival they, with Travis and the others, had gone on the most inebriating bar crawl he’d ever been on. He had apologized profusely to Sara on arriving back for missing dinner when he promised to be home and had given her a kiss on the cheek to make up for it. When he had reached his floor he bid his friends goodnight and staggered down the hall to his room. Now as he lay in bed though the crushing tiredness weighing down on him he couldn’t sleep. He lay there between the covers in the dark, his eyes closed waiting and wishing for sleep to take him images of Patrick’s bloody body in his arms flashing through his mind. He was coming down harder than he thought and he wondered if he would sleep at all. Just then he felt a hand push him and he groggily lifted the front of his torso up.
“Shove over” the voice said and Pete did as he was told feeling the covers being lifted then placed back down.
“Patrick?” Pete asked blearily.
“You dropped your keys outside the door” Patrick explained yawning.
“I didn’t even hear you come in” Pete said.
“I’m silent like a ninja you know that” Patrick replied with a titter “Now go to sleep” Pete looked through the dark silently a soft grin spreading his lips before his lowered himself back down onto the bed.
“No nightmare’s for you tonight young man” Patrick said.
“Goodnight Lunchbox” Pete said sleepily.
“Goodnight Peter Pan”
A/N: I put a hell of a lot of work into this one with planning and going over it again and again to make sure it was ok. The idea for this fic came originally from a little book I found in borders called creative block. Me and my good friend aspirer were waiting in the loooong line for the last Harry Potter book when we found it, which also helped with the storyline. She or me, I can’t remember, I think it was her, flipped it open to a page that read “Much is said about the first kiss, but what about the last?” and that just lodged itself in my brain immediately. I thought what a cool idea for a story and then it wouldn’t leave me alone. Then after reading the first few incredibly fantastic ‘The Phrase that Pays’ chapter petrick I was ridiculously wound up to write one of my own despite the moral dilemma that this entailed.
However after coming up with tons of storylines I just couldn’t find the love for and sitting with writers block for a few hours the “much is said of the first kiss…” came into mind. So then I tweaked and twisted this idea into my own having the peterick kiss not only being the first but the last.
I was going for a sort of fractured reality feel with this fic. I wanted people to be like “What’s going on? Is this really happening or not?” till they caught on towards the end though it won’t surprise me if you smart cookies know from the very start what the Borders bits are.
The title of this fic is inspired by Pete’s style of naming songs, though it doesn’t sit entirely well with me because I don’t really want people to think that the kiss is what this fic is about. It’s not. It’s about friendship and love and cherishing that bond.
I hope this fic is enjoyed and does not hurt anyone’s feelings, please comment and tell me what you think!