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Everything sat in perfect tranquility within the cozy, urban hotel. All was at ease during the very early morning, until a massive banging sound erupted from within. Pete bolted upright in bed from where just a moment ago, he was finally relaxed in the comforting arms of much needed sleep. Adjusting to his bleary surroundings, he realized the disruption was erupting from behind his locked door. Not even wanting to attempt patience, he sprinted to the handle and ripped it open as fast as he possibly could.
Two very familiar soft, brown eyes grew even larger than they already were with sudden shock and fright as they moved away from the door. Pete remained standing frustratedly in the doorway with his arms folded across his chest. His icy eyes glared deeply into Keith’s as the younger silently tried pleading with him. Pete wasn’t about to have it tonight, though. His patience was running near empty and waking up from a bit of a drunken sleep certainly didn’t help either.
Pete sighed and rolled his eyes. He definitely didn’t have the time and made that very clear when he spat, “WHAT?!”
Keith’s eyes seemed to harden, and he seemed to physically flinch at the bitterness. However, that was all momentary because the next second his arms flew around Pete’s neck in a tight embrace. Pete’s weakened body nearly fell back backwards from the sudden impact, but he was able to regain composure and harshly shove Keith back off him.
“Aw, but-“
“Not now, Keith! Go back to bed!” Pete made to close the door, but Keith was quicker and put his foot in the way. He also happened to be more awake and energetic, allowing him to pry it open and get inside. Pete, though, certainly wasn’t out of it entirely, so he managed to pin Keith’s wrists to the wall before he could get too far. He had to hold on with all his strength to keep him there due to all the squirming to get away, even if he was a lot smaller.
“Oh, c’mon, Pete! Let me go! please?” Eventually, Keith appeared to become tired of losing the battle and resorted to begging instead. He widened his eyes into his most pleading look. A look that rarely failed with anybody, no matter what the circumstances.
Pete felt himself weakening under those begging, puppy-dog eyes. He forced himself to look away as to not give in because he seriously wasn’t in the proper mood. However, it was almost as if Keith could practically read Pete’s thoughts radiating from him and grew impatient. Hardly any room remained between them, which allowed for a quick plan to formulate, unbeknownst to Pete.
A devious smirk danced on Keith’s face when Pete looked back up. The next second, he was completely blown off guard as Keith took advantage of the little space between them and placed a full kiss on Pete’s lips. Sensing the weakness of shock, Keith cackled victoriously as he managed to slip out of Pete’s grasp. He ran to the bed that still remained warm from Pete being asleep on it only a minute or two ago. He quickly wrapped all the covers around himself before spreading out and taking up all the bed.
Pete rushed to the side of the bed and paused a moment before jumping on an empty area of the mattress and attempting to pry the covers off him. Unfortunately, all the effort turned out to be no use because he really couldn’t build back all the energy he lost holding the writhing, energetic man down seconds ago. He gave up and flopped down on the carpet with the wiggling bundle rustling above him as he panted heavily from exhaustion. He felt he could just fall asleep the way he remained, and in fact, he actually could feel the darkness spreading over him. Until…
“PETE!” he jumped at the startling sound of his voice being called. Increasingly agitated, he just groaned as a response. “Peeete! I want you to sing to meeee!”
Pete groaned even louder at that. He didn’t even want to talk right now, let alone sing. Even by knowing Keith still wouldn’t shut up effortlessly, he still snapped a curt, “no.”
“Aw, pleeeaaase?” the young lad whined as he leaned in closer.
“No! Why don’t you ‘please' go away?!” Pete rolled over onto his side to block out the beggar now hanging off the bed above him.
Yet, Keith still managed to plead without losing any persistence, “But I just-“
“Oh, just shut up already! Can’t you see how annoying you’re being right now? Just leave me alone!” Pete was practically at the end of his fuse by now. He leapt right off the floor and marched right on over to the paltry sofa in the corner and plopped himself down. He snatched his jacket off the floor next to it and covered his upper body, as if it could do anything to serve as a replacement for proper bedding.
Pete really didn’t care at all anymore where he slept, he just had to sleep. If he didn’t, everybody would have to deal with it the next day. Finally after a silent minute, he had easily drifted into oblivion as if nothing happened. For another minute, it seemed as if everything had been solved, but of course it would never be that way. The Moon always shines the brightest at night….
“OOMPH!” Keith bounced onto Pete resting the settee he had just drifted off to slumber on. Pete bolted upright to scowl at the boy who had quickly resorted to kneeling on the floor before him.
“Oh, please, Pete! Just a quick lullaby is all, and I promise I won’t ever bother you again at night if you-“
“NO! No means no! Get out!” Pete cut Keith off in the middle of his rapid rambling without any thought or sensitivity. He was on his feet again grabbing Keith by the waist with all his renewed strength and dragging him to the door. The task proved to be awfully hard as he moved along because Keith wasn’t providing any help at all to the process.
Keith just giggled manically, “ah, stop! STOP! It tickles!”
Pete didn’t even bother to respond. He busied himself in managing to balance the wiggling boy with one arm just enough to yank the door open with the other. All he wanted to do was plop him outside and lock him out. No further struggle would be required, and he could live in peace for a few hours. Keith, on the other hand, had different plans. He grabbed at the door with all his limbs to prevent being pushed out. He turned out to be a lot stronger than he looked, and Pete could feel himself crumbling. He knew he couldn’t win the battle, but he could at least tie it for the meantime.
Pete fell to the floor with Keith below him. He pinned him to the floor like he previously did with the wall, but this time proved to be a lot easier and less tiring. Pete was desperate now as he began to realize his anger wasn’t going to get him anywhere in this strife. “What will it take for you to just leave me alone?”
“I already told you!” Keith instantly replied with a hint of melancholy.
“No, I will not sing you a lullaby or whatever!” Pete grumbled sternly.
“Fine, have it your way then!” Keith retorted in the same tone as he looked away with a dismal turn of the head, but he also bore a sinister smirk.
Pete sighed. He couldn’t believe he was actually letting Keith’s childish ways of pouting and pleading get to him. Although, he knew that smirk held secrets of torture far worse than what he’d already been put through, and he didn’t want to find out what that would be. “Alright, if you just calm down, I’ll let you sleep on the bed and pretend like nothing happened. Howbeit, you make a single peep, and you’re gone, understand?”
Keith slowly refocused eye contact once again, but his eyes were seemingly empty this time around. Pete no longer had any clue what to make of the situation, but he felt a wave of relief wash over him as Keith gently nodded his head. He let off of holding his friend down so strongly, and carefully managed to pick him up bridal-style.
Pete rested the calmed man smoothly on the mattress. He reached over him and to the other side of the bed to get the covers. He delicately placed them on top of the still figure before standing straight up again. Keith stared up at him with blank eyes that seemed to swim dully with the glow of the dim moon. They watched Pete in an almost mournful way as he apathetically walked back to the couch and slumped down.
Pete rested comfortably on the plush material, but his mind didn’t seem connected with the rest of him anymore. It suddenly filled itself with a million thoughts and emotions, but each was distant and bleared. He clenched his eyes shut and begged for it to stop, but it only seemed to strengthen and crystalize all mental feeling. Suddenly, it hit him.
Pete rolled over to face the frame that hadn’t moved an inch since he set it down. The longer he waited and wondered, the further sleep seemed to run. Keith did nothing wrong, but he suffered everything in return. It began washing over him now.
Guilt.
Without even being able to control himself anymore, Pete began stumbling over to the rigid bed and under the covers where there remained room. Those two unchanged chocolate orbs followed him all the way, making him sting even more inside. Pete automatically found himself pulling closer, one arm behind the neck and the other over the torso. He pulled Keith into a tight embrace at his chest, so they could both still comfortably bask together in warmth. It felt a lot better, but Pete still didn’t know what to do next. They remained in silence for a few moments, before Keith finally returned the hug, and Pete finally found the strength to do anything.
"When I say I love you, you say you better,
You better, you better, you bet.
When I say I need you, you say you better,
You better, you better, you bet.
You better bet your life,
Or love will cut you like a knife.”
Pete had actually just written those lyrics as a time passer. He had just put them away, not having any other lyrics to properly fit with them yet, but they suddenly flew back to him. He felt a lot of emotion writing them, but he never knew why or for who, until now. He felt bad, and he knew he had made Keith feel even worse. He didn’t really know what else to say to make him feel better, so he decided to show how apologetic he really was and how much he really did love his tiny drummer. Pete doubted he would ever have said those words without being under the influence, but he was glad he got them out. He finally felt relieved. He felt honest.
Keith nestled further into Pete’s chest, and with a glance down, Pete could see that he was now beaming in the nighttime glow. Pete felt a warmth of affection wash over him as he allowed his lips to curl into a grin as well. He nestled his head down above Keith’s and took in the scent he’d been missing for too long. For them, it felt as though the world was nearly perfect again.
“I love you, Pete.”
“I love you, too, Keith.”
They slowly began to drift off into uninterrupted dreams of peace in each other’s arms, knowing for a fact that everything unmistakably was perfect once again, and nothing could change that.