The Rhythm of the Rain (Patrick Stump / Fall Out Boy Fanfic)

Chapter 2 - I'm Dizzy on Dreams

Lily Matthews

A few days after finishing Alone Together, I was still worked up about what Pete had said. I still thought he was full of it, but Patrick was making it really difficult to ignore Pete's suspicions. Every day he came in with that smile and flirtatious little jokes, but I tried not to think too much into it. He was just a flirt, and it didn't mean anything. I was just as guilty, as I always set myself up for the jokes, and I had to admit that I flirted back from time to time, but that's all it was; Just mindless flirting.

I was in my trailer this morning, setting up my things and waiting for the boys to arrive one-by-one. They were shooting The Mighty Fall today, so I also had about eight kids to fix up before the shoot as well. They would be a little simpler, since most of them just needed their hair done and a few dirt streaks on their faces, but the fact that there was going to be eight of them was a little daunting.

I still had an hour before Joe was scheduled to be in my trailer, so I wandered outside and headed for the breakfast tent, just a few feet from my trailer. There was a long table of food and coffee set up inside, with a few tables scattered about where the crew was sitting and eating. I grabbed a blueberry muffin and an orange, and made myself a cup of coffee, then went to an empty table to sit down to eat. I was halfway through my muffin when a shadow fell over my table, making me look up to see who was standing over me. It was none other than Patrick, standing over me with that damn smile.

"Good morning, Lily," he said, grinning as he gestured to the seat across from me. "Mind if I join you? I have no one else to sit with."

That was a lie. He knows everybody on set. He's Patrick Stump, I doubt anyone here would tell him he couldn't sit with them. Nevertheless, I smiled and nodded. "Of course you can," I said, biting into my muffin again. Patrick had a cup of tea that he sipped at gingerly, careful not to burn himself on the steaming liquid. He was still in his regular clothes, a fedora, cardigan, t-shirt, and jeans. He usually changed into costume right before coming to have his makeup done. "How has your morning been, Patrick?" I asked, sipping my coffee.

Patrick chuckled and shook his head, blinking a few times. "Too early," he said, "I hope you can cover up the bags under my eyes." He looked up at me, dead in the eyes, to prove his point, but we ended up staring at each other a moment longer than was necessary. I couldn't help it; He did have beautiful blue eyes, with a little ring of gold around the iris that caught in the morning light like fire.

"I might have to work some magic," I teased, "But I think I can manage."

Patrick smiled, leaning his arms on the table as he continued staring at me. "What would I do without you, Miss Matthews?" He asked, taking another sip of his tea. I blushed at him, unsure of what to say. There was that flirting again. Before I could answer, there was another man dropping himself down at our table, right beside me.

"Good morning, lovebirds!" Pete announced, throwing an arm over my shoulder as he smiled. Patrick furrowed his brow at him, obviously perplexed by the term he had used to describe the two of us. Good; He's just as lost as I am, which means I was right, and it is nothing but harmless flirtation between good friends. Nothing meaningful behind it at all, right? "What's for breakfast?"

"Same as every other day, Pete," I said, beginning to peel my orange and purposely squirting him in the face with it. Patrick giggled, covering his mouth with his hand, and Pete glowered at me.

"Alright, I see how it is. I'm sorry I interrupted your 'date,' Lily." He used air quotations when he said "date," but Patrick and I glared at him all the same.