Come Hell or High Water (Petekey Fic)[ON HOLD]

Chapter 2

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"Where the fuck is Gerard?" Ray asks, freaking out as the seconds pass and we don't see Gerard through the bar door. He's more nervous than I've ever seen him. You don't get this stressed for a field trip. However, my brother is late. Like, later than usual, and Frank is sinking down in his chair looking guiltier by the minute. It's not his fault that Gerard is late; at least, I don't think it is. Gerard had been acting weird even before their "fight".

I'm not worried about him being late, I know he's alright. But, him being late means I will have to make decisions for him, and I know he hates that.

"Okay, they're here" says Ray, looking like he's going to faint. I feel like there's something he's hiding from me, I feel like this meeting is more than just a field trip. I start to go through possible things Patrick would want to discuss, but I lose trace of thought when I see him coming through the door. Not Patrick. Pete. Fucking hell I had totally forgotten about him. I hadn't seen him since that day after the party, in that hotel. "Only fate will tell" he had said. I never actually thought I would see him again, I mean, fate's never been on my side before. But holy shit was it now.

Pete is looking hot. Like, that time we'd both been drunk and I didn't quite remember how he looked before the smudged eyeliner and the sex hair. Now, though...

I feel an elbow going deep into my ribs.

"What the f--"

"Mikey. Patrick said hi..." Ray looks at me with a forced smile that says "get your shit together or I will kill you as soon as we're out of hearing range."

Fuck.

I look up at Patrick, a heavy blush covering my face. I glance at Pete, who noticed, and is smirking at me. I look back at Patrick.

"I'm sorry." I say, standing up, shaking Patrick's hand. "Hey, Patrick, it's nice to see you again."

Patrick smiles kindly, as if nothing had happened. "Same thing, Mikey. Thanks for agreeing to meet us here. Pete was gonna make me crazy if I didn't set this meeting up."

"Oh, was I, now?" Pete intervenes, probably before Patrick lets out more. I look at him, an amused smile on my lips, wondering what it is that excites him about a meeting. A tiny voice in the back of my mind is begging it to be me, but another, much louder voice is saying yeah, right.

Pete walks past Patrick to shake everyone's hand, starting with Frank, who has recovered a little bit from his initial guilt. When he gets to me, he not only shakes my hand, but he pulls me against him, as if he wants to hug me, and whispers in my ear "I told you fate would bring us back together." I take in a sharp breath when he runs his knuckles down my cheek, out of everyone's view, but I think my shiver is visible for the people across the bar. So is my blush.

He lets go and pats me in the back, as if it was nothing but a manly hug, and sits down beside me. Like, really close. Fuck, I should've worn less tight pants. Patrick and the other two guys, who introduced themselves as Joe and Andy, sit on the empty chairs and empty spots on the sofa.

"Well," Ray says, "I don't think Gerard is going to make it on time, so why don't you tell us what you have in mind?"

Pete's knees is pressed against my leg, and half of his hand is on top of my thigh, the warmth spreading like ants up to my crotch. I have to try really hard to focus on the conversation before us.

"Sure!" Patrick says. He takes off his fedora, running a hand through his hair, combing it back. "Okay, so here's the thing. We are... bored. Like, really, we literally have nothing to do, since none of us is currently studying. I know Mikey and Frank are still finishing school" he looks at me, then at Frank, "but I also know that you don't really mind skipping last year, do you?" Everyone turns to look at me and Frank. Ugh, I hate this kind of attention.