I Could Be Him (Patrick Stump / Fall Out Boy Fanfic)

Chapter 14 - But For the Meantime

Ashley

Patrick and I have been together for almost three years now, and I honestly don't think I could be happier. The nightmares have lessened; They only happen once in a while, when I'm particularly stressed out or overtired. Patrick is always there when they do happen, and he always sings to me to make the bad thoughts go away.

Pete has even let up a little bit over the years. It's not that he suddenly no longer cares what Patrick does to me whenever we're alone, but he simply tries to block it out and pretend it's not happening, particularly when we're all sharing a tour bus. And it's a good thing that he doesn't worry as much anymore, because now, I'm living with Patrick. I moved out of Pete's house as soon as the tour ended, and I've been here ever since.

My favorite part of the last couple of years, has been waking up in the morning. I wake up every morning in a bed that's much too big for two people, tangled in a mess of soft, white sheets. And then I roll over, blinking in the early morning light, and there he is. His hair is messy, and sometimes he's drooling a little, but his face is otherwise more calm than it ever is. Sometimes his lips move, like he's talking, and sometimes he sighs in his sleep. Sometimes, he's lying in the perfect position on his side of the bed so that the light from the window breaks just barely over the top of his head, illuminating him like a golden outline. I never know how long I stare at him, but it never seems to be long enough. Soon, he'll stretch out his legs and scrunch up his face, groaning ever so softly before finally blinking his eyes open. He'll look dazed at first, until his gaze finally lands on me.

This morning was no different than any other, as Patrick's eyes slowly adjusted to the bright light in the room and found me, smiling at him from across the bed. He smiled back and rubbed his eyes. "Morning, Ash," he whispered, yawning.

"Morning, Trick," I whispered back, snuggling into my pillow as he eyed me curiously.

"What are you doing so far away?" He asked, reaching for me. I smiled and scooted toward his open arms; He knew I had been waiting for an invitation. I let him wrap me up in his warm embrace, burying my face in the crook of his neck and sighing when I felt his lips on my forehead. "We can't stay in bed all day, you know," he whispered, after laying in silence with me for a few minutes.

"Why not?" I whined, tangling my bare legs with his.

Patrick chuckled and moved back to look at me. "I want to take you somewhere," he whispered.

"Where?" I asked, trying to hold back a smile.

"I can't tell you," he laughed, "That would ruin the surprise." I snuggled back into his chest, kissing him softly, until he sighed over dramatically and pulled back. "Fine, I'll tell you," he groaned, as if I had actually been trying to force it out of him. I laughed and he grinned, biting his lip. "We're going to the park."

"Like a date?" I asked, smirking at him as he shrugged.

"Kind of like a date," he teased, "Like one of those really cheesy rom-com dates."

I giggled and finally rolled away from him, forcing myself to get out of bed. I was excited; We didn't go out much on traditional dates, but we spent a lot of time together at home, because it was more comfortable for both of us. However, when we did go out, it was always an unforgettable experience.

I hurried off to shower, and by the time I got out, I could smell breakfast coming from the kitchen. Patrick always cooked, and rarely ever let me lift a finger to help. I dressed quickly and wandered into the kitchen to find him standing over the stove, a pan of bacon sizzling in front of him. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist, stretching up on my toes to rest my chin on his shoulder. "Breakfast smells amazing," I whispered, kissing his cheek.