liar ー petekey [2017 bandfiction award winner]

SEVEN

When Mikey sits down, Gerard grins at him. "He so had that coming for him."

"Agreed," Mikey says, glancing at Pete, who looks like he's holding back a grin.

"Dear, don't let Donald bring you down," Elena tells Pete. "He's just like his father. I wasn't able to raise him well."

Donna, clearly uncomfortable, clears her throat, "Since it's starting to get a bit late, would you like me to show you two where you'll be sleeping?"

"Oh, Donna, I'll do it!" Elena, despite her old age, gets up from the couch and leads Mikey and Pete up the staircase and down a hall that Mikey has never really become familiar with. It holds Elena's room, two guest rooms, and study, but Mikey's never found anything interesting about it. Though, the balcony in one of the guest rooms offers an amazing view of the docks. 

"Here," Elena, a wide smile on her face, holds the door open for Mikey and Pete. "This is the only guest room with a bed big enough for the two of you. The bathroom is small, but you've got a nice view." She shuffles over to the nightstand and picks up a remote. "This controls the curtains. Just press the red button when you go to sleep."

"When did you guys get electric curtain tracks?" Mikey asks.

"When we realized we valued sleep. Now, here's a closet full of extra linens and comforters and such. There're towels, too. But if you get chilly tonight, just use this," Elena grabs a woven quilt from the pile of blankets stacked in the closet and grins. "It has special powers."

"What kind of powers?" Pete asks.

"I used to call it the baby maker, but we can call it the love maker now," Elena says with her eyebrows raised. She hands the blanket to Mikey, who throws the blanket by the bed and makes a mental note to kick it under the bed.

"Thanks," Mikey says, trying not to laugh. "I'm pretty tired, so I guess I'll try and sleep. Night, Grandma."

Elena nods and almost walks out of the room, stopping at the doorway to call back, "I guess I'll turn in for the night, too. Sweet dreams, dears!" 

"Night!"

"Night, Mrs. Way!"

"Nonsense. Call me Grandma." Elena commands as she closes the door. Her footsteps are heard as she walks down the stairs.

Mikey walks over to what has been dubbed the love making blanket and kicks it under the bed. "Sorry about my family. Things are a bit hectic at times."

"I'm just thankful your dad didn't vaporize me when he stared at me with the intensity of a  thousand suns," Pete grins, walking over to and sitting down on the bed. "Should we go back down and get our bags?"

"Knowing my mom, she probably already put them in the closet," Mikey says. He opens the closet door and, sure enough, two suitcases sit in the back corner. "Present and accounted for."

Pete falls back onto the bed, "Do you even care if I sleep in my jeans? Because I feel like passing out on that bed."

"Go for it," Mikey says, dragging his suitcase out from the closet and opening it, "but I'm putting on pajamas."

"Good. I don't see how you can breathe in your jeans."

Mikey looks at Pete strangely. "Have you been looking at my jeans?"

"No, you just hiss quietly whenever you bend over."

"Huh," Mikey says as if he hasn't realized. "Anyways, I'll be back."

When Mikey gets back, Pete is asleep on the floor. Why he's on the floor in front of the bed, Mikey has no idea, but he somehow looks really cute when he sleeps. How he sleeps when the curtains haven't even been drawn shut escapes Mikey, too.

Mikey goes to the linen closet and gets a quilt, then drapes a quilt over Pete.

Eventually, he tucks himself into the bed and presses a button on the remote that he hopes isn't for the TV. The curtains close with a loud whirring noise that Mikey hopes hasn't woken Pete. 

He sighs softly when Pete groans from the floor. Mikey closes his eyes and tries to sleep, but the unevenness of Pete's breathing is keeping him from doing so. Pete's obviously awake. 

"What was that about the mysterious scar that you said you'd tell me about later?" Pete asks suddenly, and Mikey's breath catches in his throat.

Mikey holds his breath. "That question is not in the binder."

"I thought you were the one that said we needed to learn all this about each other."

"Not about this."

"But if the guy asks-"

"Not about that, Pete. Goodnight," Mikey rolls over in his bed and pulls the blanket up to his neck.

Sleep seems to come faster after Pete's breathing gets louder.