You Are My Fight Song (Rytrick/Brallon)

Chapter Eight: Proposals

It had been so long since I had seen my room that first stepping foot into it felt foreign to me. The small bulletin board covered in happy photos from times with old friends, the floral pillow that always sat on my bed (being that it was the last present my mother gave me before she got sick), and the few books on my mostly bare bookshelves.

It hardly felt like mine anymore.

I set my backpack down by the door and just stared into the room. I must of zoned out, because the next thing I knew, there was a hard hit to the back of my head.

"You deaf too, boy?" My father asked harshly.

"Sorry..." I mumbled, shaking my head. That was familiar. Far too familiar.

"I said, you better not be a complete lost cause. Your life insurance doesn't kick in for another month because of the building fire."

"Good to know, dad..." I trailed off. Good to know I'm just a number now... A cash value instead of a person.

"Your mother couldn't beat it, so why should you?" He asked bitterly as he began to walk away down the hall.

I just walked into my room and shut the door, feeling tears in my eyes. He wasn't wrong. I constantly thought the same thing. I sniffled, reaching for the pillow in the middle of my bed.

I was no way going to make it out of this.

I was wiping my eye when I heard a frantic tapping on my window. I turned to see Patrick, red in the face, waving frantically.

"Patrick!?" I rushed over to the window, slipping it open and grabbing his hand. "This is the second story!"

I struggled, but helped the older boy into my room, falling to the ground with him landing on top of me. I winced, feeling the pain shoot through me.

"I-I...mmm sorry..." Patrick panted, his face still red as he looked up at me. He shuffled his position so that he was instead just beside me. "B-Brendon told me... Where... You live..."

"Stalker much?" I asked, forcing a smile through the pain I still felt.

Patrick rolled his eyes. "Oh please." He laughed before leaning to press his lips against mine. He just pushed softly, moving his lips with mine slowly. I closed my eyes, already feeling slightly better with just this contact.

He pulled away and our noses brushed against each other. He smiled at me before rolling over to climb to his feet. He held out a hand to me and helped me up as well.

"I was worried about you..." Patrick said, softly, once I was on my feet.

"I'm okay." I replied just as softly.

Patrick shook his head. "You liar... I could see you wiping tears away from the window I almost fell from."

"Patrick Stump, are you implying that you were falling for me?" I asked, a light smile tugging at my lips.

"I can't be falling if I've already fallen..." Patrick's hand trailed along my cheek before he leaned in to kiss me again. I smiled against him, wrapping my arms around him. He did likewise with his free hand, complying as I pulled us back to my bed, falling back and pulling him on top of me. I ignored the pain, focusing on just staying connected to him.

He pulled away slightly, sucking in a quiet breath. "You're real distracting, you know that?" He asked with an airy laugh.

"I try my best..." I teased, looking over every delicate feature of his face. His light skin... His shining eyes... His cherry colored lips...

"I actually came over for a reason, other than to get a taste of you..." He grinned, leaning down and kissing my neck. "I have a question..." He said lowly, only moving his lips back from my neck just slightly.

"Whatever you want, I am so ready..." I breathed before biting my lip.

Patrick giggled. "Nothing kinky yet, sweetie... But it could lead there, I guess."

"Name it." I encouraged, dancing my fingers down his back and sides.

"I want you to move in with me."

My eyes grew wide with his words. Move in? Like live together? With the boy I had fallen for and, from his words, had likewise fallen for me? He actually wanted me?..

"Ryan?" Patrick pulled up and looked down at me with curiosity, "Was it too much? I-I just can't get the stories of what your dad did out of my head and... I didn't want you back in that situation..."

I looked up at him, unsure what to really say in response. I felt tears in my eyes again. "I'm just gunna die." I whispered.

Patrick frowned, bringing up a hand to caress my cheek again. "Sweetie, that's inevitable... We all do, but I'll be damned if this illness is what takes you out." He pushed his fingers through my hair and kissed my forehead.

I closed my eyes to prevent tears from spilling. "Why do you care so much?.." I asked. I couldn't help the words that slipped through.

There was a moment of silence before I heard his soft, soothing voice right by my ear. "Because like I said, I've fallen for you... And I want to catch you if you've done the same for me..." He leaned his head against mine with a quiet breath.

I opened my eyes and kissed his cheek. He raised his head slightly and I pushed my lips up against his. He pulled back at first, but then pushed against me, quickly relaxing. I pulled his body down closer to me as well, just wanting him as close as possible to me.

I pulled away and leaned up to whisper into his ear, "When can we go?"

I just heard him laugh. God, how I loved his laugh...

"Anytime you'd like, Sweetie..." He replied, hiding his face in the crook of my neck. "Anytime..."