Better Off In Love (Peterick Au)

Special Friends

Industry parties always had great music, no matter what else was going on. It was always a little weird when your own songs blasted out over the speakers, but if you tuned out the words and lost yourself in the booming bass line you were still so proud of, you could almost find yourself having a good time.

Patrick was still mastering the art of zoning out his own songs, because he flinched when he recognised the familiar intro. He froze up when his vocals came in, but that could also have had something to do with Pete sauntering into the room like he owned the place, spotting him and heading over. He smirked in the impossibly attractive way he had as he recognised the song too.

"Do I really look that good under the stars?" Pete asked, leaning in close to Patrick's ear in an attempt to be heard over the song. He gave Patrick a knowing yet somehow flirtatious look, and Patrick knew he was done for.

"Don't let it go to your head," He retorted, and Pete burst into a peal of laughter. Patrick felt like he was home again, and he'd been away for far too long.

"I'll have to take you star gazing again some time,"

"Good luck with that, there's way too much light pollution around here to see anything," Patrick shrugged.

"Are you enjoying the party?" Pete asked, and Patrick nodded.

They smiled at each other, letting the music drown out anything they might have said for a moment. Patrick's eyes scanned over Pete, with his black skinny jeans paired with a purple shirt that fitted him perfectly, the top buttons undone to give the outfit a casual edge. His bleached blonde hair was swept up into a short quiff, the polar opposite of that stupid emo fringe that Patrick used to love (although he suspected there wasn't a look he wouldn't love on Pete). The club's lights rolled across the walls, highlighting their faces for a moment, before leaving them in half-light again.

"What is this party even for, anyway?" Pete asked, seeming to have not noticed Patrick checking him out as he was too busy checking him out. Patrick wore tan chinos with a floral patterned shirt, along with his signature fedora. The outfit was so adorably him, and Pete was having to resist the urge to squish his face or something.

Patrick shrugged. "I'm not sure, but my invite came through your manager, so I assumed something happened at GDY,"

"Maybe Hayley signed someone new," Pete shrugged, "But who knows? Have you met Hayley before? She's a total sweetheart,"

Almost instantly Pete spotted his manager and called her over. Her orange hair was glowing in the black-lights, and she looked like a punk rock pixie of some sort.

"Hi! You're Patrick, right? Pete's told me so much about you!" Hayley enthused.

Both men blushed, unable to look at the other momentarily. She grinned. This thing was a matter of days away from happening, she was sure of it. There was something so sweet about high school sweethearts finally coming together.

"So, what are we celebrating?"

Hayley rolled her eyes at Pete.

"There was a new signing last week. Band called PVRIS. The 'A' is a 'V', please don't ask why," she shrugged, "but they're a great bunch of kids, you should go say hi! Lynn's gay, you'd get on,"

Patrick nodded politely, still not quite sure why he was at a label party for someone he wasn't signed to.

"And, Patrick? It's lovely to have you here, I'm so glad we could invite Pete's special friend," the way she said 'special friend' implying all sorts.

Hayley hurried away before Pete could tell her off for that, and left the two men to blush furiously and for Patrick to wonder what gave her that impression, and if he needed to stop whatever it was.

If this was how the evening was going to go, he could really do with a drink.