Title:
Chapter 3
'The (After) Life of The Party'
Author: infamous_gmo
POV: Ryan Ross
Rating: PG
Pairing: Eventual Pete/Ryan, seemingly Pete/Bert for short time, Pete/Ashlee for ever shorter time xD.
Summary: Pete loves bert but bert doesn't feel the same...they have a rollercoaster relationship but pete can't help but love him till he starts to realise bert's not the only other person on the planet, infact the person who wants nothing more than to be with him and love him like he deserves is right under his very nose. It's takes a long time to get there with lots of highs and lows but eventually pete gets happiness and true love.
Disclaimer: Haha not mine, the title belongs to Angels and Airwaves, the title of chapter three belongs to Fall Out Boy.
Author Notes: I hope you all fall in love with it and want more, coz if I get the commentage I'll be more than happy to keep writing!!! Before anyone asks, no Brian and Zacky aren't dating in this fic.
Dedications: Trick AKA Jackie <3 She's helping me out with this.
Also my darling Shaun <3 who I couldn't have got through all the hard times without.
“Duuuude! This party is banging!” Pete exclaimed as he entered Brian’s parent’s house with his arm still draped across Ashlee’s shoulder, greeted by a familiar tune, being ‘The City is at War’ By Cobra Starship one of his and Trick’s favourite bands.
Trick smiled, gave him thumbs up and muttered in his ear “I’ll leave you guys to it.” Then he winked and danced his way over to some of their friends from college settling himself between 2 girls.
“So! Ashlee can I get you a drink?” Pete shouted over the din of the music.
“Yeah sure, no punch though please I’d rather just some of that apple juice please hun, the punch just gives me a headache.” She replied giving him one of her cheerful grins, which for some reason made his heart skip a little.
Then his heart suddenly did a double flip when his eyes were averted to the stereo as he looked over to see who had changed the music, ‘The Kill’ by 30 seconds to mars was now playing, and the boy that had started playing it was why his heart had flipped.
“My God...” He thought to himself as his eyes absorbed the appearance of the tall, handsome, skinny, boy standing by the stereo laughing with some of his friends. He had floppy brown hair and hazel eyes not too dissimilar to his own, he was wearing unbelievably tight pin striped skinny jeans and a black blazer accompanied by a baggy white shirt, “Smart yet casual.” Pete thought to himself, very much liking what he saw.
“Pete!” Ashlee shouted at him, bringing him back down to earth with a thud. “Errr, where’s the drink then?” She said prodding him playfully.
“Oh God, I’m so sorry Ash, I’ll go get it, just wait one second.” He replied rather embarrassed. He quickly got his drink and they danced around playfully for a little while before becoming tired and going to sit down on a random couch. Pete had spent most of the time looking around for this mysterious boy with little luck, so he thought.
“I’ve got to go to the bathroom, I’ll be back.” Ashlee said after a little while of discussing how much their teachers irritated them.
“Okay.” Pete replied yawning and stretching. He didn’t know what time it was but he gathered it was very late, so he got up and went to get himself a drink from the kitchen. He carefully slipped past all the people, eventually reaching the fridge, not just finding a drink there, standing in front of the fridge grabbing himself a can of beer, was none other than the mystery boy he’d been looking for all night.
“Errm, ex-excuse me...” Pete mumbled stuttering a little as he tapped the mystery boy on the shoulder, the boy shivered just a bit and turned to face him, he was about to answer back rudely, but stopped in his tracks when his eyes met Pete’s and a grin spread across his face when he saw how cute this bashful boy was.
“Oh, sorry dude, here let me get it for you, what would you like?” The mystery boy answered still grinning at Pete, whilst Pete was merely left stunned by the sheer beauty of this boys smile, it was like the sun breaking through a thick blanket of clouds after a dark and troubling storm.
“I-I, I’ll have what you’ve got thanks.” Pete replied, finding he was almost unable to breath so stunned by this boy and his amazing smile.
“Here you go!” The boy replied cheerfully finding Pete’s stunned expression incredibly cute and amusing, the urge to hug him was excruciating for him, he could hardly bare it, so as he handed Pete the beer, he made his foot do a small slip and lunged forward catching Pete round the shoulders to gain his balance. He clung onto Pete, finding it difficult as Pete was stiff as a door.
“Oh my God! I’m sooo sorry!” The boy said grinning at Pete, their faces merely inches apart. Suddenly Pete’s face was red as a tomato and he couldn’t help but laugh a little, as he suddenly realised the boy’s secret ploy.
“Ha-ha, don’t worry about it, really thanks for the beer, what’s your name?” Pete replied suddenly full of confidence as he swigged his first sip of the bitter tasting beer.
“Oh I’m Ryan, Ryan Ross. What’s your name?” Ryan replied, shifting himself so he could have balance, but let go of Pete, whilst still standing very closely to him.
“I’m Pete, Pete Wentz. I’ve never seen you around here before, what brings you down this neck of the woods?” Pete asked curiously.
“Oh, I’m a friend of one of Brian’s he invited me.” Ryan replied almost pressed right up close to Pete now as the room was so very crowded.
“Oh riiiight.” Pete said smiling at Ryan, very relaxed now that he had some alcohol slowing through him.
Buzz Buzz Buzz Buzz
“Oh maaaan! One of my mates just texted me to say his girls thrown up and he needs a hand, I’m so sorry Pete, but I’ve really got to go help him out.” Ryan said sadly as he hurried away leaving Pete to stand by the fridge very much saddened.
“Hmmm I’ll go see if I can find Ashlee...” He thought to himself remembering she’d gone away to the bathroom.
So he drudged back into the sitting room slipping through the crowds with ninja like precision, he slumped down on the sofa he’d left, and Ashlee wasn’t there. “Oh well she must’ve gone to hang with one of her pals...” Pete thought a little disappointed by her disappearance.
He swigged some more beer, becoming very light headed, he tried to stand but failed finding himself very dizzy, he sat back down and looked either side of him, suddenly realising Bert was sat right beside him sleeping.
Pete’s eyes opened wide as he stared at Bert, he’d forgotten all about him, but now here he was right beside him sleeping, looking so peaceful Pete couldn’t bare it, it was like a stabbing in the chest it wasn’t anywhere near as nice as how he’d felt on spotting Ryan, this was pain, pure suffering, torturous pain knowing what he could never have was what he wanted more than anything.
He tried hard to remind himself that as long as Bert was his friend he could handle these feelings, but it was impossible, a friend was not what he wanted at all! He wanted Bert to look at him the way Nathan did at Phoenix, he wanted the love they had, every last bit of it, every last kiss, every last hug, every last moment of happiness, but he knew he couldn’t have it, Bert didn’t want him, at least not the way he did, and it hurt, so so much.
Suddenly Bert shifted himself and the next thing Pete knew, he had Bert’s head rested on his shoulder and he’d put his arm around Bert tenderly. They sat there like that for a little while and Pete didn’t know it but Bert had woken up shortly after Pete’s arm had arrived around his shoulders but he was so happy to just sit here he didn’t want to ruin it, since he didn’t want to confuse Pete.
Pete was very drunk so he didn’t even notice when Bert had sat up and was staring right at him.
“LoooouP?!? Pete!!” Bert exclaimed.
“Huh! What the fuck...?” Was Pete’s highly bemused reply, he’d not even realised Bert was talking to him, “Shit...I must be really drunk...” He assumed he’d thought to himself, but had infact said this out loud.
“Yes Peter I think you are dear.” Bert said grinning sleepily at Pete, ignoring reason so he could cuddle Pete round his waist. This made Pete feel very uncomfortable even in his highly incapacitated state, but he still allowed himself to be caught in the cuddle, making no effort to escape, in fact he moved closer to Bert, and Bert snuggled his head against Pete, and they fell asleep like that.
----------------------------------------------
Quite sometime later when the sun was just starting to break over the horizon, Pete began to stir. He looked around and saw many bodies strewn across the floor like the varying carpets beneath them. But where was Bert? He certainly wasn’t where Pete had last seen him when they were cuddling contentedly on the cough.
Pete was quite upset by this and before he knew it, he’d burst into floods of tears, an over emotional state induced by the alcohol still in his system. He sat sobbing quietly for some time, none of the bodies stirring at all, till he heard the sound of footsteps and fell silent to listen to where they were coming from, he was still tired and slumped his head a little looking down at his shoes, and then pulling his knees up so he could hug himself.
“Heyy, err Pete??” It was Ryan; he’d silently made his way to Pete over all the bodies, then he realised Pete was had been the sobbing sound he’d heard and he fell to his knees so he could be level with Pete face (Yes the height difference is that big LMAO). He tilted Pete face upwards so he could see his eyes.
“Petey? What’s the matter? Why are you crying?” Ryan said almost pained by Pete’s emotional state.
“-Sob- I’m okay, really...” Pete replied sniffling and feeling a little happier now that Ryan was here.
“Yes of course you are, that’s why I could hear you sobbing from my little sleeping place on the kitchen floor.” Ryan said, climbing onto the couch and putting his arm around Pete cuddling him close to his chest.
“It’s just so so hard Ryan...I barely know you, you shouldn’t have to be looking after me.” Pete said trying to free himself of Ryan, but giving up and snuggling into his chest, hiccupping a little and stifling another sob.
“Well, maybe I want to know you Pete, maybe I want to know what is ‘so so hard’, I could help you with whatever it is, I don’t care if I only met you a few hours ago Pete, I just feel like I gotta care for you.” Ryan said giving Pete a light peck on the top of his head which made Pete giggle a little between his sobbing and hiccupping. “See, I’m making you feel better already! I don’t go to school around here, but we can still talk I’ll give you my number and my email too! You can talk to me whenever you like okay?”
“Okay...If you say so, but you don’t know what you’ve just let yourself in for, I’m a lot of hard work you know, ask anyone, in fact ask Patrick, he knows all about it.” Pete rambled quietly, his sobs fading away as a smile spread across his face, happy to know he had someone to talk to rather than always having to unload his problems onto Trick.
“Okay Pete, here’s my email and my cell, keep it safe, I better go, my roommate will be wondering where I am, I’m gona go back to my campus.” He quickly scrawled his information onto a small piece of paper he’d found in his pocket and used a small purple pen he’d pulled out of his jacket.
My email:
ryrorossyboi@hotmail.com My cell: 345-545-465-431.
Call whenever you like, I’m always here Pete.
Much luffs.
Ryro Ross. x x x
Then he hurried away after giving Pete another light peck on the head.
After Ryan was gone he read the note over and over and then clutched it close to his chest grinning to himself with his eyes closed, till he heard:
“Tink? Why are you grinning to yourself? And what’s that you’re holding?” It was Trick, and Pete couldn’t have been happier to hear the voice of his best friend.
“Triiiiiiiiiiiick!!!!!” Pete exclaimed leaping out of the chair and throwing himself at Patrick, only to fall flat on his face as he landed on one of the bodies stuck to the floor.
This received a great deal of laughter from Patrick, which earned him a playful but scowl.
“Don’t just stand there laughing! Help me up!” Pete said in a mock angry voice.
Sp Patrick pulled Pete up off the floor and allowed Pete to tell him more or less every last moment of his time at the party, right from seeing Ryan all the way to saying goodbye to him and getting his details.
“Oh yeah, I know that Ryan guy, he’s cool, he strikes me as someone you’d get on with.” Patrick answered after Pete was done rambling.
“Yeah he’s great...But, but, I still likes Berty...” Pete said his happy face falling dramatically.
“Oh dear...I was wondering when you’d say something like that, I wonder where he went...” Patrick replied putting an arm around Pete carefully as Patrick was now driving back to campus with Nathan and Phoenix sleeping in the back of the car and Ashlee nowhere to be seen.
“And Ashlee too! She just totally disappeared...” Pete said sadly, remembering how he was the one who’d left her alone.
“They’re probably just back at campus, and couldn’t be bothered to wait for a ride; they might even have gone back together, I’m sure they’re okay Tink.” Patrick answered reassuringly
Bu this didn’t really reassure Pete at all, he didn’t like the thought of Bert with Ashlee, especially if they’d gotten drunk, he got the idea that Ashlee didn’t handle her drink too well, and he knew how much of a man whore Bert was too. He sat silently wondering where all his friends were, he’d not seen Gerard or Frankie at the party, but he also vaguely remembered Frankie mentioning a cos-play picnic, and Gerard telling them he was going on a date with a cute girl.
Eventually they got to campus, at about 8am; it was so quiet they all ran inside quickly and made their way to their dormitories. One by one they were all in their rooms, and Pete and Patrick slumped onto their beds glad to be on something comfortable at last.
“I don’t feel like sleeping Trick, its breakfast soon, I’m gona get changed then head out, you can stay here if you want.” But the only answer Pete got was a loud snore, he went over to Patrick took off his hat and laid it down on the bedside table, then he covered him with his duvet and started taking off his own makeup and tight clothes.
When Pete was done changing, he quietly left the room after leaving a short note explaining where he was if Patrick woke up. Then he crept along the corridors and entered the common room, gasping when he saw Bert and Ashlee draped over one another there faces practically merging as they kissed wildly with a desperation unlike any Pete had ever seen, as Bert’s hands raked their way around her body and slid up the front of her shirt squeezing her breasts. She didn’t even try to stop him, and all Pete could do was stand and stare as he saw his good friend Ashlee and the boy he was practically in love with making out passionately, in almost the exact same spot he’d shared a kiss with Bert.
Then he let out a sob he’d been stifling, and they realised he was there, the shock in Bert’s eyes was evident, as Pete merely stared back at him with a mixture of love, hate, pain and anger.
He ran fast as his feet would carry him back to his dorm room, throwing himself into the bathroom and leaning his head over the toilet as he vomited violently, sickened by what he’d seen. It was quite some time before he realised Patrick was banging his fist off the door shouting Pete’s name in utter panic, then the banging stopped and Pete found he couldn’t be sick anymore, so he attempted to straighten up, looking around the room wildly, trying to find something to release the pain he felt, the pain that had never been as strong as it was now.
Then he saw it...A razor, a razor he used to shave his stubble every morning, it shone in the light of the overhead light, almost calling his name as he stood rooted to the spot staring at it, whilst his mind screamed at him to do it, but also screamed at him not to. He couldn’t take it, he fell to the floor sobbing uncontrollably, trying to pull him up to reach out the shining beacon of release, he finally had it, he didn’t even bother to clean the razor in his hurry to free himself of a little bit of his pain.
Slashing at his left arm as he leant over the sink, he began to feel less pain in his heart and a more pleasurable pain flowing through him as he watched his red blood trickling down the sides of the white sink, he was so dazed by now that the sight of the strong contrasting colours almost seemed beautiful to him, but as always, he was brought back done to earth as suddenly the door burst off its hinges and Gerard, Patrick and Brian came flying into the room, all Pete could do was stare at them as they looked from his face to his arm, all of them widening their eyes in unison, then everything went black and it seemed all things had ended...