"Are we still having fun?
Are you holding a gun?
Take the money and run
And never go home

"I've got nothings to lose
You've got nothing to say
And we're leaving today
And never go home!"

Patrick stops, holding his head back against the pole with both hands restrained on the other side like they're tied. One leg is bent with his foot against the pole and his back is arched as he heaves, Adam's apple bobbing.

There's an applause as he steps away from the pole and picks the crumpled money up from the stage. He didn't get much tonight. Maybe just $162 but he knows it's his more than his max tip so he doesn't care all that much. Patrick bows to the crowd with a faux smile, then walks offstage and to the back, dropping off the cash on his desk and holding back tears. It's been four days since he left Gerard's. It's Tuesday.

Pete's gonna be here soon.

He's terrified. What if Gerard doesn't show up? What if he does? Will he say anything? What if Pete tries to kill Patrick? What if he doesn't even show up and Gerard does?

Patrick strips off his clothes and instead grabs the lingerie and skirt that he's always worn when Pete comes. His mind is racing as he pulls it on and when he finally has the chance to look up at the clock, he realizes he only has two minutes before the man shows up.

The stripper takes a quick swig of water, and bends over the bed, hands behind his back as he waits, mind still racing and worries rising. He feels like me might have a panic attack, or puke out of stress. He'a terrified of what Pete will do, especially with his comment from last time...

Click.

That's Pete shutting the door softly. Patrick tenses from the bed, taking a deep breath and trying to calm his nerves as Pete strokes his fingertips over Patrick's bum, but doesn't pull him up. They both know he doesn't need to.

"Where is he?" Pete asks immediately, lips moving just slightly and his breaths the only sound in the room.

"He's going to be here," Patrick breathes, eyes shut tight and hands shaking, "I swear. I told him a-about you and he's gonna be here and he said he'll talk to you."

Gerard, please don't let me down.

Pete frowns, "What has he told you?"

"About what?"

"About us. About..." he grits his teeth and sighs, pulling Patrick up so he's no longer bent over the bed and instead facing Pete.

That's when Patrick sees them and he knows Gerard wasn't the only one.

Two long fangs protrude down Pete's bottom lip, stopping just at where the faded pink meets pale. They're stained red.

With blood.

"About us," Pete growls.

"He didn't tell me anything. I swear. It was all me asking!" Patrick replies, trying to defend Gerard as best as he can and also trying not to absolutely freak out. He's not sure if he's supposed to be more afraid of the blood on Pete's fangs, or the fangs themselves, "H-he picked me up on the s-streets and I kept asking how he c-could fly. The first time we met, h-he flew me to the hospital. S-so I asked over and over and that's when he showed me the... the wings..."

Pete glares at him, "He should have never flown you to the hospital in the first place!"

"Well, I'm sorry he used common sense!" Patrick yells back, trying to be brace but he knows damn well it's not going across.

"You're a simple human. How does your life matter more than the discovery of the supernatural?" Pete hisses.

"The supernatural? Jesus Christ, you guys are all fucking crazy," Patrick chuckles, "I bet those teeth aren't even real."

"Would you like to test that?" Pete growls. Patrick knows the threat isn't empty and his smile fades fast, "I could kill you right now and that risk would be all over. Suck all the blood from that pathetic body of yours and make you just like me. A freak. A vampire."

"If you do that, Pete, I will kill you, and we both know that's not what Mikey wants."

Patrick gasps at the sound of Gerard, Patrick's fear lightening as the vampire drops him and turns. Sure enough, the raven-haired man is there, covering his wings with a soft hoodie and glaring at Pete with dark eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?" Pete barks, "Bringing a human into this? You'll get your wings clipped! I'll be doomed to hell and the boy? Who knows what God will do to him!"

"How is he any different from you?" Gerard growls.

"If a vampire risks it they'll be doomed to hell and the human forgets. But, but this human hasn't forgotten, has he?" Pete smiles falsely, "Imagine if he tells others. Lies to us."

"You were human only a century ago, Pete, forget about your ego for just a moment. You were just like him once," Gerard replies.

"I didn't know when I was human, Idiot! Most vampires don't know about angels or-or Lucifer," Pete grits his teeth, "Look, you either turn him or I'm telling Brendon all about this and him and Ryan are gonna have a little talk. Don't be surprised if he's doomed to hell in the afterlife. Or y'know... sent to Earth to live for the rest of his life just like some people I know."

Gerard glares but says nothing to Pete.

"Don't think I haven't heard about your little incident. William Beckett? Looks like you were bitten by the first vampire himself. Doomed just like me." Pete gives a nasty grin.

"Enough," Gerard breathes, looking away. Pete hit a nerve, "I'll figure it out, okay? Quit being such a fucking bastard or I'll decide that Mikey maybe doesn't deserve you."

Pete stares at Gerard for a moment longer, then lowers his eyes and nods. Gerard turns to Patrick, "You. You're gonna stay with me for a while longer."

All Patrick can do is nod with wide eyes.

"Good," Gerard turns back to Pete, "we're done here."

And with that, he leaves, slamming the door shut behind himself. Pete follows after one more glance to Patrick.

What the hell just happened?

Had a shitty Fourth of July. How is everyone doing?