I'm the Secret You'll Swear to Keep

/Seventeen/

The nurse frowns at the idea of Patrick leaving, but the strawberry blond had his mind set.

Brendon taps his foot impatiently. Ryan steps on the toes of Brendon's shoe to stop him, finding a passive way to tell him off.

"It'll be an hour," Patrick promises. "In the rare case something happens, Pete will rush me back. Right?" He looks to Pete.

Pete nods. "Of course."

Another large sigh from the nurse. "An hour."

Patrick beams, quickly thanking her. She nods slowly, heading off to fulfill her other duties.

"Do you think Coach will let him only train for an hour?" Ryan whispers to Brendon.

"He's has no choice. Pete won't leave Patrick again."

"You talking about me, Bren?" Pete calls a few steps behind.

"No," Brendon answers rather quickly.

"Yes," Patrick corrects.

They all pack into the elevator, mainly because it's too painful for Patrick to use the stairs.

"Coach may want you to train you more, Pete." Brendon says, eyes locked on the pad of buttons.

"We promised the nurse an hour."

"Patrick did."

Pete frowns. "I'm going with him."

"Pete--"

"Brendon, I'm not going to leave him again."

"You're going to have to at some point."

"Nobody yells at Ryan when he spends a week off work when you got shot, but god forbid I take a few days with Patrick!"

"That's different!"

"How!?"

"Guys, stop!" Ryan yells.

"Ryan didn't go on a lot of missions, you're our leading agent!"

"I don't give a fuck!"

"Guys, I'm fucking serious!" Ryan growls.

"You better give a fuck! This is your goddamn life, you have nothing without it."

"Do you really believe that? About my life? About yours?"

"I sure do!"

"Guys, just stop arguing," Patrick frowns.

"You're wrong," Pete seethes. The elevator opens, Coach is by the track room door waiting. "This is my job, but Patrick's my life. I'm nothing without him. Poor Ryan, apparently you don't feel the same about him."

Brendon's eyes light up, but not in a good way. "Take that back, Wentz."

"I'm only restating what you said. You said this job is your life, not Ryan."

"You knew what I meant."

"What's going on in there?" Coach starts walking toward them.

"I knew exactly what you meant. I said exactly what you meant."

That seems to be it for Brendon. He charges Pete, tackling him to the floor outside the elevator.

"You idiots!" Ryan groans, storming out to split up the fight.
It doesn't work, both men roll around for dominance, landing punches. Brendon manages to sock Pete in the gut, causing the younger to gain leverage. Pete's quick to grab Brendon's shoulders and drive him forward until he's slammed into the ground.