Beneath the Surface (a Petekey Fic) Yeah, you said you wanted a fanfic, so here's a petekey just for you. I shouldn’t be writing this on a school computer, but I guess we all make mistakes lol. Also any teachers or if my parents stumble upon this, I'm genuinely sorry. I’m a little dead inside and this makes me feel better lol. Anyways, here it is. Chapter 1// welcome to s̶c̶h̶o̶o̶l̶ hell Mikey’s pov: I groaned as I heard the sound of my alarm. The annoying beeping wouldn’t stop. I rolled my eyes as I turned it off quite aggressively, considering I had just woken up. I was up at three am listening to a bunch of subliminals that were supposed to make me sick, and I was mad they didn’t work. There were so many comments saying it worked. Liars. Bots. I layed around wondering how I could get out of going to school. You may be wondering why I don't want to go, and see, the issue is, there’s really no reason to dread it today. I mean, I dread it every day, but today there's no group projects or presentations, or awkward speaking or really anything to do with being social. I know what people think of me. I’ve heard whispers when I answer a question or get partnered with someone I don't talk to (i mean, i don’t talk to anyone really). The teachers pity me. Or at least are forced to. Just the other day my science teacher tried to put some kid in front of me so I'd ‘have someone to talk to’ because I had nobody around me in that class. We haven’t said a word to each other. That kid talks to everyone else around us that isn’t me. It’s not even that I don't have any friends, they're literally existent. I mean, maybe half of them are my brother’s age, and the others are in 10th grade, but I swear, they’re real. All the other freshmen are idiots and probably hate me, I really don’t want to be around them. So yeah, this is why I dread school, I'm counting down the days until I can leave and never return. “Mikey, hurry up, we’re gonna be late!” My older brother, Gerard, yelled from the kitchen. I looked at my phone and realized I had been pitying myself for the last ten minutes. I quickly grabbed a pair of skinny jeans and a band tee that was so faded I had no idea what band was even on it anymore. I grabbed a granola bar because people tell me I have to eat and I really don't want to argue today and chew as quickly and quietly as possible while waiting for Gerard to drive us. God, I hate chewing so much. I can’t eat around people unless it’s loud, imagine how gross it would be if they heard me chew. A few minutes later, Gerard and I were in his car going to school. “You okay, Mikey? you usually talk to me more, something wrong?” he asked after a few minutes It was true. As quiet as I am, when I'm talking to my brother or friends, I'm loud af. People always say i’m shy and “oh, it’s just his personality”, but in reality it’s my social anxiety, which is a completely different thing, okay people. “Honestly, no. I'm not okay. At all. I promise.” i said, for some reason about to cry “Anything you want to talk about? you know you can tell me anything” god, he’s the best brother ever So yeah. I tell him all my thoughts from this morning and how I severely don’t wanna go to school today. “It’s okay man. You know, there’s got to be one person in your class that’s not all that bad. New kid, loner, quiet emo kid?” “Nah we got nothing. There’s just a bunch of people who act entitled and think they know everything and that everybody loves them” “Just wait, there will be someone like us. You’ll just have to wait, you’ll see” We then arrived at school and Gee went to go talk to his best friend, Frank. “Friend” that is. I sighed, knowing I had to go to my homeroom in twenty minutes anyways. I went to my locker, figuring I could stalk my brother. I watched them, feeling awfully jealous. Yeah, they’re definitely more than friends. I wish I had that. Life isn’t fair. And all the jerks always get their way. And us losers are left standing in the dust. A/N Wow, I'm an awful writer, but I hope you enjoyed it, I guess. Most of this is just real thoughts of mine, from not wanting to go to school (me this morning), to the eating thing, to the science class thing, to the subliminals (ik, i need help). So basically Mikey is the male, hotter, version of me. The biggest difference is that I don't have an older brother and all my friends are my age, just i never get classes with them. I’m just trying to keep the fandom alive. And relax, Pete will be here soon ;) —------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2// bigger than my future Pete’s Pov: Ugh nothing like having your mom drop you off on your first day at a new school to make you confused and nervous as hell. God, I just wanna disappear into thin air. “You have everything, baby?” she asked a little too loudly. “Yes mommmmm” I said like in my angsty 7th grade emo phase. Like I got out of that phase, that is. I got out and walked inside, then realized I had no idea where to go. Wow, way to go, great way to start at a new school, pete. I sighed and walked into the principal's office, knowing I'm gonna embarrass myself. “Uhm…. excuse me….” i said awkwardly “Oh, hi! You must be our new student, Pete, right? “Oh.. uhm.. yeah“ “I got a student coming in right now to show you the way around!” I read his lanyard. “Oh cool uhm…. Mr Urie…” I said, relieved but also scared I'd be stuck with one of those people. “You can call me Brendon, and I'm not the principal, only the vice principal” he said, seeing my weirded out face. Gotta say, This guy seemed cool. And dang, his forehead was bigger than my future. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- After a few minutes, there was a soft knock on the door. Okay, this guy doesn’t seem bad. He doesn't look like he’s gonna make fun of me. Wait- damn, look at him- He had on a t-shirt that looked very worn and faded, but in like a cool way, and he was wearing skinny jeans. God, I just love dudes who wear skinny jeans. Especially how tight- okay no no Pete. stop it. He’s probably straight. Leave this guy alone. But damn, I could get lost in those eyes. I could write a million songs about this guy. And a bunch of cheesy poetry. Not like I'd ever do that… “Uhm, Pete Wentz” I said awkwardly, shaking his hand. He had soft hands. Now I just sound creepy… “Mikey Way” he said equally as awkward. We walked out, and he took my schedule. “Oh wow, we have the same schedule,” Mikey said, sounding excited? “Oh yeah, well, you’re not a jerk then, are you?” “Well, I sure hope not, don’t wanna be like the rest of them” “nah, you seem too adorable to be like them” oh crap. I just said that. Out loud. To the cute guy i just met Mikey tilts his head slightly. His lips part like he’s about to say something, then Smirk. I’m dead. This hallway is my grave now. "Adorable, huh? Didn’t see you as the type to give out compliments so easily, but - I’ll take it." ahhhhhhh he’s still smirking I try to play it cool, looking anywhere but directly at him. Floor? Safe. Locker? Safe. Mikey’s eyes? Very, very dangerous. "Uh- well, I mean- it’s not like I just hand out compliments... I mean, unless you want more. Because, uh, I could do that." what the hell am I saying “Be careful Petey, don’t wanna spoil me” ahhh his face was gonna be the death of me “Well, we’d better get to class now” he said, clearly enjoying how flustered I was. “Wait, one sec, unlock your phone” I said as he obeyed ‘Why, do you not-” I opened his contacts and put myself into his, making sure I was Petey and not Pete. Now it was my turn to smirk as I handed him his phone back. Mikey looks down at his phone, then up at me. Yep. I've died. His cheeks tint pink. Or maybe it’s just the hallway lights. Either way, I noticed. "Petey, huh? You’re making it awfully easy for me to remember you." He rolls the name on his tongue, testing it “Well, it would be a shame if you forgot me already, don’t you think” yeah, now my cheeks were the color of his. And then, that damn bell rang. And I walked to class with Mikey, who was quite fun to flirt with. Wait, was that flirting? Like, actual flirting? From him? At me? Oh, I’m losing it. I am losing my breath. I’ve never even kissed anyone before, how would I know? Oh, all the things I imagined us doing- not yet Pete, too soon. He’s probably straight A/N Wow, this and the last chapter are two different vibes. Once there's more, our story will make more sense, but for now, enjoy my attempt at having them flirt. I have what gen alpha calls ‘L Rizz” so, uhm, i’m sorry for the cringe. —---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 3// let’s be alone together I just could not pay attention in class. Pete was sitting two rows ahead of me, and every time he shifted in his seat, I found myself staring. Okay, but why was I so confident around him? God, I even made him flustered and he made me blush. Then my phone vibrated in my pocket, Petey: This class is torture. How are you surviving? I smirked, glancing up at him. He was hunched over his desk, pretending to take notes. Me: I’m not. I’m texting you instead. Pete turned slightly, catching my eye for a split second before looking back down at his phone. Petey: Let’s ditch the next class. I raised an eyebrow. Me: where the hell would we go??? Pete’s reply came almost instantly. Petey: Hear me out here. It seems insane, but the bathroom. I stifled a laugh, earning an evil glare from the teacher. Me: really? Pete turned his head just enough for me to see the mischievous grin on his face. Petey: Oh yeah. You in? I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. Me: Fine. But if we get caught, I’m blaming you. Pete’s shoulders shook as he tried to suppress his laughter. Petey: Deal. See you there :) When the bell rang and Pete shot me a wink before disappearing into the hallway, I couldn’t help but smile. Guess Gerard was right. There is somebody who isn’t so bad. A/N Yeah short chapter. Probably making the next one in Mikey’s pov. If anyone sees this, I hope this isn’t too bad. —------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 4// Somewhere only we know Mikey’s pov: I felt ridiculous. Standing here, in the grimy school bathroom, waiting for Pete to show up, was not how I expected my day to go. But then again, nothing about today has been predictable so far. The door creaked open, and I heard Pete walk in. “Well, now what?” i asked “Cmon, into this stall. That way if anyone walks in from our class they won’t see us” he grabbed my arm and pulled me into what seemed to be the smallest stall, but at least it was clean. Even the thought of being in the stall together made me nervous, hopefully nobody would see us. They might think we were doing more than just talking. "This is so dumb," I muttered, pressing my back against the wall to make room. He sat down right beside me, only a little bit of space separating us. Pete grinned. "Yeah, but nobody will find us." For a few seconds, it was just silence. Not the awkward kind, just the kind that lingered between people who weren’t sure what to say next. Nervous losers like us. Pete shifted slightly, his hand brushing against me. There wasn’t much space between us, obviously, but somehow, the little contact sent my brain into overdrive. "So, Mikey," Pete said suddenly, leaning his head against the stall door like we were sitting in some cozy café instead of the most questionable spot in school, "why were you actually down to do this?" I blinked. "What do you mean?" Pete turned to me, and for the first time today, his expression was… softer. Curious, even. "I mean, skipping class is one thing, but sitting in a stall with me? You could’ve just said no." I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Maybe I didn’t want to say no." Pete raised an eyebrow. "Interesting." I narrowed my eyes. "You’re analyzing me right now, aren’t you?" Pete grinned. "Maybe." I groaned, knocking my head lightly against the stall wall in defeat. "Great. Love that." Pete laughed under his breath, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he pulled out his phone, holding it up between us. "Okay, now that we’re here, wanna waste time watching dumb videos?" I side-eyed him. "You came prepared for this." "Always," Pete said, and I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. I sighed, finally relaxing against the stall wall. "Fine. Show me the stupidest thing you've got." We had burned through a handful of dumb videos already, most of them too absurd to be real. Probably ai. Most shit is these days. the energy shifted slowly, like an autumn wind sneaking in unnoticed. We weren’t laughing anymore, just sitting in the quiet hum of the school bathroom, backs against the stall, feet brushing against each other in the cramped space. "Okay, weird question," Pete said suddenly. His voice wasn’t loud, just soft enough to feel like it mattered. I glanced at him. "Hit me." "If you could, like... disappear for a while, where would you go?" I stared at the stall wall, tracing invisible patterns against the chipped paint. "Disappear? Like, vanish off the face of the earth?" Pete huffed a small laugh. "Not, like, die, dude. More like- run away. Hide somewhere nobody could find you." The way he said it—so casually, but with something heavy beneath it—made me hesitate. "Somewhere quiet," I finally said. "Maybe a treehouse in the forest. Just somewhere where it is always fall, with fog in the mornings and leaves everywhere. No people. No noise." Pete was quiet. When I glanced at him, he was watching me, like he was turning my words over in his head. "That makes sense," he murmured. I nudged his knee with my own, making my heart slightly race. "What about you?" Pete inhaled slowly, rolling his head back against the stall door. "Somewhere dark. Somewhere I don’t have to think too hard. A cave, maybe." "A cave?" "Yeah. That way I can pretend that I'm the only human to exist. " I thought about that. It wasn’t really about the place- it was about the feeling. Both of us wanted to escape, just in different ways. There was something kind of sad about that. "So, you wanna disappear into the dark, and I wanna disappear silent in the trees," I said quietly. Pete let out a slow breath. "Guess so." We sat in silence for a few minutes just enjoying each other’s company. I barely know this kid, yet somehow he seems to just get me. At some point, without really thinking about it, I shifted closer to Pete. The stall was already cramped, but now our shoulders were pressed together, his warmth bleeding through my sleeve. I didn’t move away. Neither did he. The quiet had settled again- not uncomfortable, just there. Like it was waiting for one of us to break it. I exhaled slowly. "Do you ever feel like... you’re not really here?" Pete turned his head slightly, just enough to look at me. "What do you mean?" I swallowed, staring at the scuffed tile floor. "Like- okay, obviously, I am here. I'm real. But sometimes, it feels like I’m watching everything from the outside, like I’m not really part of it. Like I could vanish, and everything would go on the same way." Pete was quiet for a second, and I started to regret saying anything at all. But then he spoke. "Yeah," he murmured. "I get that." I blinked, turning toward him. His face was unreadable, but his voice- that soft edge to it- said more than anything. "You do?" Pete gave a small nod, staring at some distant point on the stall door. "Sometimes I wonder if people would even notice if I was gone. Or maybe they’d pretend they did, but really, it wouldn’t matter." His voice wasn’t bitter. Just honest. And somehow, that hurt more. I hesitated before leaning my head against his shoulder. Just a little. Just enough to make sure he felt it. Pete inhaled sharply- like it caught him off guard- but then he relaxed, tilting his head slightly so it rested against mine. Neither of us said anything again. We sat for the rest of the period, just enjoying each other’s company. It was just us. I felt this feeling i’d never felt before. A/N Crappy chapter, ik. Also i feel it’s moving too fast and tbh idk what's happening myself. But hey, thanks for reading ig. —------ Chapter 5// Pete’s pov Mikey and I hung out for the rest of the day. God, I shouldn't be this comfortable around somebody who I hardly knew. Something about him feels right Later that night, when I was trying to sleep, I got a text from him. And yes, that is his contact name. Mikes: hey man, you free rn Me: Rn? Mikes: yeah. I mean you’re obviously not sleeping Me: yeah, i can never sleep lol Mikes: Well great then. I mean, not great but like, meet me at the park? Me: now? Mikes: yeah ;) Me: well ok then. Be there in a few. I put on my black hoodie (bcs black is basically all I own) and walk down to the park. Nobody is down there at night, at least I sure hope not, because I don't want people spying on me and Mikey. When I got there, I saw Mikey sitting on a child's swing. Haha. classic mikes. Awe, I really like that nickname for him. Someday i’ll say it out loud. Maybe. Just maybe. “Hey” he said with a genuine smile that was killing me slowly. “Hi,” I said. Wow, great response, Pete. We sound like the guys from heartstopper. Although, it worked out for them, so maybe that was a good thing. “Hey Mikey, can I tell you something?” I said, realizing this is the appropriate time to tell Mikey a major part of myself. Something about him was just so trustworthy. “Yeah, you can say anything. I’m not gonna judge.” he got up and sat next to me. Damn, now he can probably hear my heart beat “Uhm yeah so basically i’m gay. Uhm yeah i doubt you understand but uhm-” mikey then interrupted “Yeah I get it. I mean, girls are pretty ew. Yeah honestly, me too” mikey was obviously surprised by the words coming out of his own mouth. “Wait , really? Ay mikey that’s great!” I said, realizing something obvious. I'm into boys, so is he. We are both boys, meaning we have a chance. “Yeah, I've never told anyone this before, you’re the first person to know, okay Pete?” he said, looking somehow a mix of happy and terrified, and honestly, he looked adorable. We talked for a while about our experiences, and it was really nice. We also just sat leaning into each other, with my arm partially around him. I wished the night would never end. Unfortunately, it was getting late. And we figured we should go home and at least try to sleep, although I would have been more comfy just leaning up against him, we’re jus friends last time we checked, so we just walked the dark sidewalk to our homes. “Night Pete- Petey” he said, emphasising the nickname, making me blush like the first time we met. “Night Mikes” I said. Haha, who’s blushing now?