Better Off In Love (Peterick Au)

Bromances

"I'm here with everyone's favourite rising star, Patrick Stump!"

There was loud applause from the audience as Patrick gave a shy wave to the audience. He couldn't help but feel rather exposed in these situations, with all the cameras and eyes on him.

"Ok, you didn't know about this, but we have a special surprise guest for you, Patrick! Come on out!"

Pete strolled out as the audience screamed, looking like he did this daily, which he pretty much did.

He made his way over to the host and Patrick, who was already dreading where the interview was bound to head, and slightly wishing he could spontaneously melt just to avoid it (but that would have the down side of making him look weird in front of Pete, so he'd have to live with the situation).

After everyone had shook hands they sat down, the host on a chair, Patrick and Pete on a sofa facing her.

"So everyone's seen your little Twitter interaction," the crowd whooped and whistled at this, and she waited for quiet before continuing. "Was it just us, or were there hints of flirting going on?"

Patrick laughed. This woman won the award for pointing out the most obvious thing so far that year, in his head.

"Maybe," he said with a shrug, trying to keep things neutral.

At his response, Pete turned and gave him an exaggerated wink that had to be 99% for the cameras, because Patrick would have noticed if Pete happened to breathe out of rhythm - he didn't mean to sound creepy, but he was definitely hyper-aware of Pete, and a few years of distance hadn't changed that. The crowd whistled again, and both men gave small smiles, avoiding the other's eyes.

"You two have known each other for a while, has there ever been a romantic connection?"

"Well..." Patrick began, already feeling the blush rising in his cheeks.

"Did someone have a crush?" She pried and Pete pointed at Patrick with a smirk, remembering the same flustered look crossing his features years before.

"Patrick, you had a crush on Pete?" The host seemed only half surprised.

"Yeah, when we were a bit younger,"

Both men smiled again, with a hint of nostalgia.

"Did you two date?"

Patrick's eyes widened on instinct, shaking his head 'no' vigorously. He'd spent the last couple years of high school dreaming of walking the halls with Pete's hand in his, but there always seemed to be someone else who got there first.

"Nah, Pete was with someone else at the time but we managed to stay friends. It was a bit of a train wreck though," he laughed awkwardly at the memory.

She turned on Pete next.

"What were Patrick's moves like then?"

"I mean, he clearly tried, I'll give him that," Pete laughed and Patrick felt like it was five years before and they were back in high school. Except there was no camera crew then.

"It was pretty bad though," Patrick remarked, cringing a little as he recalled his pathetic attempts at flirting with his best friend.

"I don't know, I've seen worse," Pete playfully nudged Patrick.

"So you two never dated at all?"

"Nope," Patrick popped the 'p', "But everyone in high school thought we were together,"

"Yeah, we were totally inseparable," Pete threw an arm over Patrick's shoulder, and he felt himself blush. Because he was surprised, of course, not anything else.

"So, if both of your albums have lots of songs about the other, does that mean there's a chance of something now?"

Pete carefully removed the arm he'd had around Patrick, blushing a little himself now. Not that he was in love with him or anything, but Pete knew what it felt like to be friends with someone, and what he felt towards Patrick was at least a little more than that, truth be told. He gave a nonchalant shrug, both men remaining silent as a murmur rippled through the audience.

"Pete, your album focuses on the theme of 'the one that got away', is that how you view Patrick?" The host looked almost as if she was enjoying making the men in front of her squirm.

Pete shook his head. "I mean, I wrote a lot of that stuff quite some time ago..." He trailed off, clearly uncomfortable.

"Patrick, what about you, is Pete the one all of your songs about forbidden love and unrequited feelings are about?"

"No, they're about all of the torrid affairs I have," Patrick joked, rolling his eyes, and the audience laughed along with him.

Pete shot him a grateful glance for moving the conversation away from questions they didn't want to answer in front of all these people. They already both knew the answers, if they were honest.

"So, what's next in this bromance?" The hostess asked.

The pair shot glances at each other, cringing at the hostess' choice of words, as if trying to devise whatever would be next then and there.

"Why's it always gotta be a 'bromance'? What's gay about two bros being gay?" Pete asked with a wicked smirk. He was pleased to see Patrick turn reliably red before letting a laugh escape him.

"What would you call it then, Pete?"

"I'm not sure, but I know this cutie can call me any time," he leaned over to Patrick, resting his arm on the back of the sofa to just slightly touch him and making very flirtatious eye contact.

Patrick held back the part of himself that wanted to just grin and giggle like a lovesick teen, because he was a professional, dammit. He'd forgotten the full effect that close proximity to Pete Wentz could have on people, but he was rapidly remembering.

"I presume you still have my number, you could always call me, you know?" Patrick raised a sly eyebrow, and Pete seemed very pleased to have gotten something out of him.

"Keep it PG, you two!" Joked the hostess, which was unnecessary as Pete knew he had enough self control not to jump Patrick then and there. Which he could do. It was a possibility. His brain was not going to shut up about it once he'd had that thought.

She thanked them both for their time before introducing an ad break. With the cameras now off, the pair were ushered towards their dressing rooms by workers with clipboards. As they came to the door with Patrick's name on it and the guides disappeared, Pete tapped his arm.

"Give me your phone," he said, holding out his hand.

Patrick quickly unlocked his phone before handing it over. Pete quickly typed something in, then giving his signature smile and passing it back. Patrick saw that it was open on his contacts, with a new contact named 'Pete 😈'.

"What's with the devil emoji?" He questioned.

"Because I'm a handsome devil, duh?" Pete told him with a sarcastic eye roll that told Patrick he really should have expected this from him. Of course he hadn't changed that much in a few years. He shook his head and smiled nonetheless.

"Anyway," Patrick began, "It was nice to see you again. Even in weird circumstances,"

"Yeah," Pete nodded, "Can you believe we're both here? Like, us just messing around online is apparently news worthy,"

"It's crazy, right?" Patrick agreed.

Their eyes met, and for a moment they just stayed there, in silence, appreciating the presence of the other. Some random worker wandering down the corridor ruined the moment, and they looked away.

"Text me, right? I'd hate to wait another four years to see you," Pete put a hand on Patrick's shoulder as he spoke, being serious for a moment.

Patrick nodded, before stepping forward and embracing his old friend. Yeah, he wasn't letting him go for this long again.