Hell's Reign (Patrick Stump/Fall Out Boy Fanfiction)

Chapter 17 - A Light in the Dark

            Patrick first woke up in the dead of night, the dull shine of the couple of stage lights they had left on humming quietly in the dark. Tori was still beside him, her breathing slow and even, and her hands tightly clutching the blanket around her. It was chilly in the drafty old theater, especially on the stone floor, so Patrick gently slid closer to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her tight against his chest. He closed his eyes then, his nose buried in Tori's hair, and let out a slow, deep sigh. He had every intention of falling back to sleep, but a noise in the darkened venue startled him.

It sounded like something had fallen far off, somewhere overhead, perhaps. Or maybe it was just something behind the stage, in the set riggings. Either way, Patrick sat bolt upright when he heard it, his eyes wide with fear. His sudden start had woken Tori as well, and now she was grumbling under her breath and sitting up beside him. "Trick," she groaned, "What the—"

Patrick quickly clapped his hands around her face, his fingers over her mouth to quiet her. She froze at that, realizing that he was listening for something. They both sat in unnerving silence for what seemed like minutes, until Tori gently placed her hand over Patrick's knee beneath the blanket that had pooled at their waists. Patrick let out an audible sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, trying his best to calm himself before he let go of Tori and turned his head to her. "I heard something. I think it came from backstage."

Tori swallowed hard and pushed the blankets off of her legs, holding her hand out to Patrick as she stood up. He hesitantly took her hand and allowed her to help him up, then laced their fingers together and began to walk toward the stage with her. He admired her bravery, he had since the day they'd met, and he silently cursed himself for being startled so badly by a bump in the night. Nevertheless, he couldn't help the pounding of his heart as they clambered onto the stage, and Tori pushed aside the curtains.

She started to venture blindly into the dark area behind the curtains, her free hand trailing over the stage equipment, and Patrick nervously pulled her back. She looked up at him quizzically, and he bit his lip. "Trick," Tori sighed, "It's okay. Come on." She tugged on his hand again, and Patrick followed behind her as she pulled him backstage. They slowly made their way towards the dressing rooms, one of which still bore the name Fall Out Boy, written in sloppy, dry-erase marker on the board outside the door. Just as they were passing that room, the same noise that had startled Patrick happened again, specifically from inside that room. Instinctively, Patrick yanked Tori behind him by her hand, as if to shield her from something, and she pushed him away in annoyance. Without hesitating, she rolled her eyes and moved to open the door to the dressing room.

Patrick nearly choked on his own breath as she haphazardly threw the door open, but when she reached inside and flipped on the light, he relaxed and nearly face-palmed right then and there. Scurrying across the counter on the opposite side of the room was a mouse, no bigger than Patrick's thumb, and it had knocked over a few bottles of Pete's hair products that had been left here in a hurry. Patrick sighed, closing his eyes as he ran a hand over his face and leaned on the doorframe. He heard a soft giggle, and then a pair of arms were wrapping themselves around his waist.

"Aww," Tori teased him, "Poor Trick was afraid of a mouse!" She playfully pulled his hands away from his face, only to see him glaring at her. She giggled again, biting her lip.

"Shut up," Patrick groaned, half heartedly pushing her away from him. Tori let him go and walked further into the room, still smiling to herself. She hopped up on the edge of the counter that the mouse had been on, picking up a stick of eyeliner and looking at it curiously.