The Venture Bros Oneshot Collection

Past Tense I (Pete White x Reader)

AN:  Looking through some of my old fics, I've decided to re-write a few of them here and there that I felt were lacking.  This one, I spent so much time skipping through the flashbacks.  I re-wrote this, and it turned out to be a hell of a lot longer than expected, so this one is split into two parts.  Currently editing part 2 now, and it will be posted as soon as finished. (08/08/2020)

___________

Funerals had never been your cup of tea, and yet, the moment you were informed of your buddy Mike Sorayama's passing, you booked the next flight. Work was placed down, a sense of morbid nostalgia around the idea of attending the funeral for the man. Though you had been Leslie's roommate in college, and close with the boys, you drifted after Rusty had left for his father's funeral. Nothing had been the same between the group with himself and his freshman roommate gone, and you had only had Leslie for quite some time. No matter how many times you had passed red eyes in the hallway, or caught a glimpse of the snubbish brunette with the man slave, you could not recall another word spoken to anyone from the original group.

As one of the first people in the church, you sat on the right side of the pews, silently in your funeral garb to pay your respect. The room had been silent at first, a simple nod from the funeral director as you entered and took your seat. You clasped your hands together patiently, your gaze shifting from the picture of your old colleague to your own hands. In your own little world, you practically jumped as you felt a gentle hand tap your shoulder. Y/e/c orbs shifting upwards, for a moment your breath hitched in your throat.

"Y/N?" the white haired male questioned, a little shock in his tone as he glanced down upon you. A gentle, half smile tugged at his lips as he moved to take a seat beside you, taking the edge of the pew as he did. "I'm shocked to see you here." His voice had been merely a whisper as he spoke, though it caused your heart to race the same childish way that it had back in college.

You merely nodded, hoping the blush that heated your cheeks hadn't been visible as your gaze shifted back to the picture of your old friend. "I could say the same," you whispered in reply, biting your lip as you spoke. Your heart held a mix of melancholy, atop a strange feeling that swirled in your gut as you sat beside the albino that you used to laugh and joke with. Though your voice had been soft, it had remained with an err of professionalism you never thought you'd speak to the male in.

"I, uh, well, it's nice to see you," he said, trying to force his lips upwards as his hand rested upon your folded hands for a moment, catching your attention once more. The touch had been brief, though the crimson in your cheeks darkened as your y/e/c gaze only met his red stare for a moment. "Under different circumstances would have been nicer."

You allowed a hollow chuckle to escape your lips, though they did not turn upwards as you kept your gaze averted. "Yeah," you replied, "funerals aren't the best reunions, but it couldn't be helped." With that, you shrugged, your y/e/c orbs moving back to his red eyes as you forced your lips to curl upwards the slightest bit. "I..." Pausing for a moment, you tried to form your words around that sinking feeling in your chest. "It's nice to see you again, too, Pete."

His lips curled upwards the slightest bit at your words, though any words he thought to speak were quickly quelled by the more obnoxious entrance of two boys and two men. For a moment, you hadn't even recognized the balded male as he practically threw his hands up in the air upon his gaze meeting your face. "Y/N, is that really you?!" he exclaimed, a little too loudly for a funeral. "God, how long has it been-? You look great. Oh, and you're here too, White."

You couldn't help cringing at his loud words, Pete shooting a glare in his direction. Though his looks hadn't sparked any sort of memory for you, the moment he opened his mouth, you knew exactly who it was. "I-uh," you started uncomfortably, as the male had already moved to sit beside you, his sons sitting behind the three of you. Your voice had been a whisper, though your slight cringe had been evident by your facial expression. "Hey, Rust. Yeah, it's been a while."