What Twisted Webs We Weave

Miss Missing You

(Pete's POV)

It was ridiculous how attached I was growing to Patrick again. And so damn quickly. Today was his first day back at work and I just wanted to keep calling and texting to see how he was doing. I'd spent the entire day with him before that and I still felt like I hadn't seen him in days. Tyler had to literally hide my phone from me to prevent me from spamming his phone while he was trying to work.

That was all over now. Because I was on my way to his house. He told me he was getting off at five. So as soon as the clock shined the time, I was pulling Tyler to the door with my keys.

He was slumped in the front seat. His arms crossed over his chest childishly. This thing he and Patrick had going on was so stupid. There was no reason for either of them not to like each other. In fact, I was positive that if they spent less time glaring and throwing low blows at each other, they would actually be friends. They had a lot in common.

"Don't be such a baby." I ruffled Tyler's hair with my free hand.

"Your boyfriend doesn't like me."

"Sure he does." Or he will, eventually.

"He doesn't, Pete. And you know it."

"Give him some time to open up-"

"I'd rather not. I don't want to go to his house. Can't you just drop me off at a park or something?"

"Like a dog?"

"Woof."

"Tyler, I swear to God-"

"He doesn't like me. And I don't like him. Stop trying to force us to mix and mingle. Because it's just going to end in hits and strangles."

I couldn't help it. I laughed. Tyler tried to hide his own amusement.

"You wouldn't hurt a fly."

"I have killed a man." His response was automatic.

I laughed again. This time Tyler's face didn't show any hints of playfulness. He was staring straight ahead. His deadpan expression made the hairs on my arm stand up. My foot eased down on the breaks just as we pulled into Patrick's driveway. I turned my head to fully face him.

"Y-You killed someone?"

His head turned to me. Almost in slow motion. As if he were being purposely eerie. I was a second away from punching him in the face and jumping out of the car when I saw his lip twitch.

"No, you idiot." He burst out laughing. I exhaled hard enough to break a rib.

"You scared the hell out of me!" I mushed his shoulder.

"I know!" He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "You should have seen your face."

"Oh my god!" My heart was still beating irregularly fast. "You are such an asshole."

"Language, Pete."

"Fuck you, man!"

"Were you seriously that afraid?" That only made him laugh harder.

"I was... creeped out. I didn't want to be in an enclosed space with a murderer."

"You were a word away from peeing your pants."

"That's it. This conversation is over. Let's go in the house."

That stopped his laughter. "Pete, I really don't want to."

"Do you hate him that much?"

"It's him who hates me."

I didn't want to have his argument right now. Not when I was right outside of Patrick's house. Not when I'd been waiting for this moment all day.