Alone Together

Joe had only recently come into his own as a songwriter, and everyone, Taylor included, couldn’t help but agree that his lyrics to “Pete and Taylor are fucking” were catchy with a good tune. Pete rolled his eyes whenever someone began to subconsciously hum it under their breath during breakfast in Brendon’s room; Rae seemed to be the only one aware of herself every time the tune mumbled in her throat. She flashed him a grin every time he glared at her. Taylor only laughed and patted Pete’s knee with a smile.

“Just because it’s not as poetic as your lyrics doesn’t mean you have to hate it,” she giggled.

Pete raised an eyebrow at her. “Taylor, it’s about me pounding you repeatedly. How is that not mortifying to you?”

She blushed and pulled her hair into her face. “Well, it is a bit crass, but…”

They both jumped when they heard the click of a camera phone. Rae grinned at them again, furiously typing away on her phone. “Sorry, instagraming this shit. ‘Reunited at last’ or something cheesy.”

Patrick sighed and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “I don’t know if you noticed, but Rae’s gotten really into social media,” he sighed. Rae stuck her tongue out at him and posted the photo with a grin before reaching over and pulling Taylor close to her and Patrick.

“Say cheese!” she beamed, getting a snapshot of the three of them.

Taylor blushed and covered her cheeks with her palms. “Rae, aren’t people going to see those?”

Rae nodded happily. “Yup, that’s generally the idea.” She noticed Taylor’s face pale and she patted her head affectionately. “Aw, Taylor, calm yourself.”

Taylor frowned and moved her fingers over her eyes. “It’s just…I don’t know, it’s weird.” She peeked over at Pete through the gaps of her fingers. “Do you want pictures of me and you out there for people to see?”

Pete smiled softly and reached forward, linking his fingers through hers and pulling her hands away from her face. “I was actually kinda hoping to take some myself, to be honest,” he admitted. “I don’t mind people seeing us together,” he said, quietly enough for only Taylor to hear.

Rae giggled and snapped another picture of the two. “See? No problem! I’ll text ya this one, Pete.”

Brendon slurped up the last of his orange juice and slammed his cup onto the room service tray. “I’m tired,” he announced. Everyone else laughed, glancing at the time. It was only ten in the morning.

“I think that’s code for Brendon and Sarah sexy Skype time,” Joe sniggered. Brendon didn’t try correcting him, merely wiggling his eyebrows and gesturing towards the door. Everyone took the hint, snickering as they were oh so kindly forced out of the room. When the door slammed behind them, they all turned to face each other.

“Taylor, we should go shopping,” Rae said very matter-of-factly. She tucked her arm through Taylor’s and began dragging her away. “It’ll be like when we went shopping for Hailey’s wedding, only this time I’m sure you’ll listen to my advice more.”

“Yeah, of course, Rae. As long as the stuff looks good on me this time.” Taylor glanced back at the guys with wide eyes.

Pete chuckled and nudged Patrick. “C’mon. Let’s be gentlemen and escort the fair maidens.”

Patrick sighed and nodded. “Rae would probably spend the entire wedding fund if we didn’t.”

Joe and Andy wished them luck as they followed the girls to the elevator and out to the street. Rae instructed the boys to follow behind them as they walked, and Patrick dutifully held Pete back to give the girls some privacy.

“Alrighty, Barrie. Tell me the deets,” Rae commanded. Taylor raised an eyebrow and Rae groaned. “Oh, Taylor, stop being a Puritan. I know stuff’s going on with you and Pete and I’ve held my tongue asking about it for years. Please tell me!”

Taylor blushed and glanced back towards the guys. Pete and Patrick were laughing about something, oblivious to what the girls were talking about. Taylor swallowed the lump in her throat and turned back to Rae. “We slept together,” she murmured.

Rae squealed and grabbed Taylor’s arm, jumping in front of her to face her. Taylor nearly fell into her trying to stop. “Shut your face, you did not! Last night?”

Taylor blushed and shook her head. “No, before I left Chicago…”

“Fucking knew it. I fucking knew it!” Rae waved a finger back at Pete when they caught up with them. “I knew it, Wentz! I fucking knew it!”

Pete rolled his eyes. “You know everything, don’t you, Rae?”

Patrick elbowed Pete in the side and tugged Rae away from Taylor. “What do you know this time, sugar?”

Rae tugged on Patrick’s cardigan and pressed her lips against his ear. “Pete and Taylor had sex in Chicago,” she whispered. Patrick’s cheeks turned as red as Taylor’s hair.

“Well, yeah, we kinda figured…”

“You two are so fucking nosey,” Pete snapped.

Patrick held up his hands. “Hey, I wasn’t gonna ask!”

“Peter’s talking about me, Pattycakes,” Rae smirked. “You’d think after all this time he’d know I’m as curious as a cat.”

“You’d be the one cat I’d have allergies to.”

Taylor sighed. “Guys, can we not do this? We’re in the middle of the sidewalk and people are starting to stare…”

Sure enough a cluster of people were gathering on the opposite side of the street, casting furtive glances in their direction. Taylor drifted closer to Pete subconsciously, eyeing the crowd warily. He felt her tense next to him and carefully took her hand in his.

“Taylor and I are gonna go do something,” he said. “We’ll meet up with you guys for dinner or something. Just text me, Trick.” He tugged on Taylor’s hand and started leading her away.

Rae yelled after them. “Fine, Wentz, but I get Taylor tomorrow!”

Taylor giggled and waved back at them. She nearly tripped over her feet trying to keep up with Pete. “Is something wrong?” she asked.

Pete shook his head and glanced over his shoulder. “I just don’t want those people nosing in our business.”

“Who, Rae and Patrick? Pete, they’re our friends.”

He shook his head. “No, all those paparazzi that were gathering.”

“Oh.” She gripped his hand tighter and followed closely as he led her away, eventually dipping into a street that opened up to an entrance to Central Park. Pete grinned and slowed down his pace.

“Sorry if I almost ripped your arm out, those guys can just be real dicks.” His eyes crinkled when he smiled at her. “I just…ya know, didn’t want you to get scared or overwhelmed.”

Taylor stuck her tongue out at him. “They weren’t even that close, Pete. Besides, I’m a tough girl. You think I can’t handle them?”

He stuck his tongue out at her in retaliation. “Tay, you were flustered enough when Rae was taking pictures of us. What would you do if strangers were creeping on us?”

She bit her lip. “Touché.”

He smiled and they walked through the park happily hand in hand, sharing smiles and jokes that flowed as easily as they did years ago. Pete even sang a song to the tune of Joe’s song, though changing the lyrics to a more vulgar nature directed towards the song’s creator. The slaps on his arm from Taylor only egged him on further, and soon they were in near tears from laughing so hard.

“Aw, a flower stand!” Taylor smiled at it as they passed. “It’s always nice to see those out. I’m surprised they’re out this late in the year, though.” Her gaze shifted and she grinned when she spotted the Alice in Wonderland statue. “Oh, Pete, do you mind if I go see it?”

He smiled and shook his head, and she pressed her lips to his cheek in thanks. She shuffled off to read the plaque, her long hair flicking the air in her excitement. Pete bit his lip and glanced back towards the flower stand.

Taylor trailed her fingers over the statue, pondering over what she would say when Pete brought up the topic she knew he was dying to talk about. They hadn’t kissed since her apartment last night, but she could tell he was itching to. She was, too, but with all the prying eyes, she wasn’t sure if it was okay. She was already kicking herself just from kissing his cheek.

“Here, Tay,” a voice murmured in her ear. Taylor blinked when a pink rose was held in front of her face, its petals wrapped tightly together as if to hide from the autumn chill. Pete grinned at her and offered her the flower, holding it gingerly between his fingers. “Remember? You helped me pick out flowers like this for my apartment.”

She giggled and her fingers tenderly wrapped around the stem, accepting it from Pete. “If I remember correctly, you were the one who picked them out, Peter. You just had no idea what they were.”

He rubbed the back of his neck with a shrug. “Yeah, well, they sounded pretty.” His eyes had a mischievous glint. “Besides, I liked how you knew what they meant. It was really cute.”

Taylor blushed and stared down at the flower in her hands. “I was babbling. I didn’t know what else to talk about.”

Pete chuckled and tenderly brushed her hair back away from where it fell into her face, moving it to lay on her shoulder and letting his hand rest there, cradling her neck in his palm. “Taylor, I want this,” he murmured. She looked up at him, eyes wide and glistening as the wind blew into them. He made himself stare straight into them, marveling over the purity of their greenness instead of bashfully looking away.

“I’ve wanted this for four years but I was too much of a fucking prick. I can’t say I regret being with Ashlee, because it gave me Bronx, but I can honestly say I regret ever letting you hurt or doubt just how much you meant to me. I’ve been a sucker for you ever since I met you at Patrick’s, and I want to be a sap for you from now until you get tired of me.”

Taylor smiled softly as she brought his hand down between their chests, cradling it softly between her palms as her thumbs stroked his fingers. “I very much doubt I could ever get tired of you, Peter. You are far too interesting for that to happen.”

Pete could feel his breath catch in his throat and he stood closer to her until his lips were pressed against her forehead. “Be with me?” His voice was so small, so quiet, it could have been the wind whispering their desires in the air as they stood together.

There was no denying Pete Wentz. His chocolate eyes knew too well how to make people bend to his will, even if doubts were hammering into their brain. He knew how to make them forget all the what-ifs and to be unafraid of the ledge they teetered on. He was already at the bottom, ready to catch you, as long as you were also willing to pull him back up.

It was these thoughts that went through Taylor’s mind as she pressed her lips against his, uncaring of the eyes observing from every corner. All she cared about was the feeling of his lips turning up against hers in a smile, and the feel of his fingers in her hair, and the satisfaction in her belly that she no longer had to be ashamed of the feelings for him that radiated from her every pore.

“Yes,” she whispered.

The paparazzi flashes were like fireworks behind their eyelids.