Pretty. (Frerard, Petekey, Ryden, Peterick)

10: World War Pete

"Pete, we... we need to talk... I know... I know... you don't want to, but I..." Patrick exhaled loudly, his breath heavy as he knocked for what seemed like the thousandth time on his best friend's bedroom door. His heavy breathing used only as a mask for his tears and how he needed to cover them before Pete opened the door, if ever of course. He held grudges and wallowed in his sadness to an extreme, and honestly, Patrick was terrified he'd never see the same best friend again.

Pete was always more in love with Mikey than he let on, and it was simply a matter of long-term friendship that had allowed Patrick to see just what he never told anyone.

"You matter, Pete, I promise you that. I promise you... I just... you matter, and... Right now it might not seem like it... but... but Mikey is irrelevant... let him go... go and date her, you don't need him, okay?"

"You don't understand... you don't... fucking understand- what... it's like." Came the choked up and sobbing voice hidden behind the bedroom door. "What’s it's like to love someone who'll never... who will never... who could never love you at all... not even as a friend... to love someone who hates you is just a death wish."

"I know what it's like, Pete." Patrick found the truth springing free without warning and his head spinning as he wondered where they'd go from here, because he knew that Pete would never just let this sit - he'd get it out of him, and then they'd fall apart at the consequences.

And of course silence ensued and the self-conscious part of Patrick thought that perhaps Pete hadn't even been listening, that Pete hadn't heard him at all, but of course, the truth was vastly different.

And the door opened, revealing Pete - red face clad with tears and his fringe falling messily across his face like he'd been pulling at it. "What?" Came his response - not in a questioning or demanding manner, but a shocked one, like the thought that Patrick would let anyone break his heart hadn't even crossed Pete's mind.

"I know what it's like to love someone who doesn't love you back." Patrick finished, his voice, for once, steady, and most because he spoke as his eyes locked with Pete's, watching for his best friend's reaction with an open mind, ready to be completely cut out of this friendship if things went sour, because god, Pete wouldn't stand for this - he'd surely think it weird; we'd been friends for years now and sometimes he told me that I was more so his brother than his friend.

"Tell me who the fuck this bitch is so I can slap her across her fucking whore face." Pete exclaimed at once, and Patrick couldn't help but chuckle at his response, but for what reason he hadn't a clue, perhaps it was the fact that his best friend though that the subject here was female. That was just funny.

"Him." Patrick found the word tumble from his lips without a word of warning, much like before, leaving him to the rather sincere conclusion that he was pretty much screwed here. "That's a funny way to come out, I guess, but Pete, it's a him."

"I'll fucking kick him in the balls then." Pete laughed it off, but Patrick started crying, because Patrick knew who he loved, and he could see just how fucking selfless Pete was, how he would do anything for the people he cared about and how far too many people barely even seemed to notice.

And it broke Patrick's heart more than the fact that Pete would never notice him like he noticed Mikey.

"Pete.." Patrick just let his voice slip audacity as he stepped forward into Pete's now open bedroom, his eyes falling upon the scene before him, and wondering how the hell either of them could carry on from here. "That's your blood. Isn't it?" He finally addresses the situation and the dark red stains on the sheets and their horrifically obvious cause.

"Pat-... Patrick, I... I..." And Pete started crying again, tugging on Patrick's arm in a half-hearted attempt to get him out of the room, and perhaps lead them into a situation where the blood stains were never mentioned again. "Please, just... just go... just forget... I-"