Patrick Stump/Fall Out Boy Imagines

[JOE] That's What Friends Are For

(L/N) = Your Last Name
(H/N/F/Y) = His Nickname For You (Your Nickname)

You're sitting on your couch in your pitch black living room, an almost bowl of popcorn in your lap and an LMN movie on the television screen across from you. The clock on the television box reads 1:42 and sitting next to you, their head resting on your shoulder, is your boyfriend, quietly snoring.

Just as the movie goes into a commercial break, your phone starts to vibrate beside you on the empty couch cushion, the screen illuminating your face in the darkness. You drop the mix of popcorn and kernels you just picked up and look down, seeing that you're getting a call, from Joe.

You heave a sigh and snatch your phone up, pressing the answer button and putting the phone up to your ear. "Trohman?"

"(L/N)!" He exclaims, his voice trailing into a slur and making it clear to you that he's wasted, "Wazzuuuuup?"

"Just watching a movie with my boyfriend," You tell him, giggling, "What about you?"

"Oh nothing much, just sitting against the wall outside of the bar..."

You sit up from your slouched position, your boyfriend falling to his side and lying behind you. "What do you mean you're sitting against the wall outside of the bar?"

"I...I got kicked out," He stammers before belching. He lets out a drunken chuckle before going on to say, "Yeah...I guess they don't like it when assholes get what they deserve."

You raise your eyebrow. "Joe, what are you talking about?"

"Some dickhead was talking shit about me and you and I just gave them a little piece of my mind, that's all," The guitarist explains to you, "I didn't do anything wrong." There's a short pause before he elucidates, "All I did was through a punch and then everyone else kind of just joined in and-"

"Joe..." You mutter, putting your head in your free hand, "You can't punch someone every time they say something you don't agree with."

"I don't! It's just that these people were a bunch of stupid motherfuckers who didn't know what the hell they were talking about!" He tries to justify his actions, "They deserved what they got and I have no regrets. Not one."

You shake your head. "Joe, you're absolutely insane. You know that, right?"

"I just don't like it when people talk shit about you, (H/N/F/Y). Especially when the shit isn't true." You glance back over your shoulder at your boyfriend and bite your lip. A moment of silence passes by before Joe asks, "Hey, do you think you can come and...and pick me up? I would just go to another bar but...I can't stand up without the world spinning around me. And I just gave my wallet to some hobo because...because...I don't even know why I gave it to him. I think he asked me for money for a burrito something."

"Oh my god, Joe," You mumble in disbelief (though you're not that surprised) before telling him you'll be there in a few minutes and hanging up. You stand up, causing your boyfriend's eyes flutter open. He tilts his head back to look up at you.

"Where are you going, babe?" He grumbles, scratching his head and pulling himself up.

"Joe just needs me to pick him up," You respond honestly, snatching up your sweatshirt that's draped over the back of the couch and slipping into it, "I'll be back home in a little bit, okay?"

"But it's nearly two in the morning, (Y/N)." He rubs his eyes like a child. "Shouldn't we be going to bed or something? Not leaving the house to pick up your drunk friend?"

"It doesn't matter if it's two in the morning or two in the afternoon. I'll always pick Joe up if he needs me too. That's what friends are for." And with that, you give your boyfriend a quick kiss on the forehead before walking out of the apartment and closing the door behind you.

*****

You pull your car up to the curb and see Joe propped up against the brick wall of the bar that was still bursting with people, a beam of light shining down on him. His head is cocked back and his eyes are closed, his arms hanging limply by his sides. You can't resist the smirk that your lips turn into and you shut your car off, getting out and walking over to him. You squat down and look at him for a little bit before extending your hand out and giving him a slight shake on the shoulder.

Joe stirs awake and meets your gaze, his eyes widening when he sees you. "Hey! (L/N)! You made it!"

"Well you did ask me to pick you up," You remind him, slipping your hands underneath his arms and helping him up to his feet. He wobbles to the sides a little before finding his center of balance, a goofy grin appearing on his face.

"You're the best, (Y/N). Do you know that?"

You chuckle, "I might've heard it once or twice before."

"That's not okay," He replies, his head dropping forward a little as he brings his hands up to your face and smushes your cheeks together, "You should've heard it more than once or twice before. You should've heard it, like, a hundred times. Or a thousand! Because you're awesome, (Y/N). You're so fucking awesome and I don't care what you do or who you're dating...or who you do for that matter...you're the best person in the world and I don't want anyone telling you an different. You hear me?"

You stare at your friend a little longer before chuckling nervously, a blush creeping up in your cheeks. "Okay, Joe. Whatever you say. Let's just get your wallet back and then we can go home, alright?"

"No, I don't want to go home. I want to..." He stops himself short and brings one of his hands up to his mouth, a sign you've grown to realize after all these times that he's going to throw up. Your eyes widen in realization and you abandon his side briefly, grabbing the trash can by the bar's entrance and moving it over to him. He holds his hand up to his mouth a little longer before shaking his head and dropping his hand back to his side. "Thanks, but I'm good. I thought I was going to, but-" Just then, his cheeks puff out and he grabs the sides of the trash can, stuffing his head into the small hole and emptying the mostly-liquid contents of his stomach. You sigh and place your hand on his back, moving it in circles to comfort him.

Despite what's happening, you wouldn't want things to be any different. You love nights like this. Sure, it's not the most ideal setting, or situation, but it's moments like these that you know your friendship with Joe is special, irreplaceable. You're always going to be there to answer his calls at odd hours of the night, and to pick him up when he's too buzzed to even walk, no matter where he is. And in return, he's always going to be there to tell you how awesome you are, and to make sure that everyone else knows that, no matter the consequences. Because, after all...

That's what friends are for.