I'm Just The Man On The Balcony...

[hopenight]

Title: I’m Just The Man On The Balcony…
Author:hopenight
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Merlin/Patrick, mentions of Pete/Ashlee
Warnings: language, crossover
Summary: Based off a prompt at anon_lovefest! Crossover! Patrick/Merlin (BBC's Merlin)
Patrick is King Arthur's reincarnation, but he doesn't know it. Merlin is nervous to approach him so he took a post as a janitor at the recording studio in order to be near and not intrude. Until Patrick hears Merlin sing. Now he can't get him out of his mind. Patrick has had these dreams his entire life. And Merlin is definitely the boy from them. Pete is a Crush Bloodhound.
A/N: I have no clue where to post this. So help? Please? I need some good bandom communities?

 

Ever since Patrick could remember, he always had different versions of the same basic dream. It’s not something that he goes around blurting out to people because they always felt so…real. And every time he would wake up from the dreams, he would feel so alone. Almost like he’s missing something but he can’t quite put his finger on what. So he tried to fill that hole with music.

He was never good at sports. His grades were a solid B-plus average in school, but he really wasn’t motivated enough to be brilliant. He pretty much sucked out loud with drawing and he didn’t have the “stage presence” for theatre. So really it was either music or turning to a life of crime.

Now while being a criminal mastermind is something that looks pretty awesome on T.V., it really doesn’t work well in real-life. Music really was the only option that he felt comfortable with.

He just had no idea how scarily good that he would be with it. (Despite what Pete thinks he didn’t come in the world singing and playing any instrument that he could get his hand on.)

Music was the one thing that was almost effortless. The feeling of the neck of a guitar in his hand reminding him of a sword that he held in a dream. The beat of the drum sounded like hooves of horses as he led a group of knights into battle. Any instrument was a feeling of absolute and totally connection to his fucked up dreams. Patrick needed that connection because it felt like it was something tied to his soul.

(He is aware of how girly this sounds.)

However, there’s one part that could never be replicated by any instrument or any song.

It’s the boy in his dreams.

He’s around Patrick’s age: tall and lithe with messy black hair and ears the stick out way too much. His bright blue eyes shine like the summer sky and remind Patrick of the Trickster gods of mythology: full of mischief and warmth and the promise of adventure. Sometimes the eyes are that color blue, other times they are a burning gold and it’s like staring into the sun. In the dreams, he was the one person that Patrick trusted the most in the world.

But every time he tried to express the boy in music, it never came out right. No pitch of the guitar could match his laughter. No arrangement on the piano held a candle to his eyes. No beat on the drum was ever close enough to match the feeling of his fluttering heart under Patrick’s touch.

No song in the world could ultimately capture how Patrick felt when he and the boy would kiss in his dreams.

The only people in the world who know about the dreams are Andy, Joe, and Pete.

Since sometimes the dreams turned to nightmares.

Monsters out of mythology and evil sorcerers out of storybooks tend to make an appearance in Patrick’s dreams. He has a sword in his hand and (for some strange reason) the ability to use it to try to defeat them. But he knows the dark haired boy is helping him along.

Sometimes in the nightmares, the boy is hurt. That’s when Patrick would wake up screaming with a name on the tip of his tongue and the aching desire to protect burning in his belly. Of course, this had to happen a couple weeks into their first tour in some crappy no tell, motel in Indiana. Once he had calmed down, he had to explain about the dreams.

They took it in stride and just accepted it as one of Patrick’s quirks.

Though Pete gave him a sparkly pink journal to write about “the epic story of dream gay love epicness”; Patrick promptly wrestled Pete to the ground and sat on him while Andy and Joe cheered.

He suspects that pictures may have been taken but he has no proof (yet).

However, all he chalked up the dreams up to be were just that…dreams. He doesn’t think it has anything to do with sexual repression (Joe), soulmates (Pete), or memories from a past life (Andy). It’s just something that’s possibly in his D.N.A. like his bald spot.

He has a good life filled with friends, laughter, success, and music. There’s nothing more that he could want.

Little did he know that he was about to find the one thing that he needed.
-------------
When Patrick first saw Merlin. He didn't spare a second glance. He was too distracted by thoughts of the new album and making sure that his work was perfect. He made sure that he got to the studio early to run over the chorus for "Winona" one more time.

He paused briefly when he ran into the janitor and mumbled out a quick apology before hurrying off to the studio. He didn't notice the pair of burning blue eyes stare into his back.
------------
Sometimes Merlin cursed his luck. He knew that Arthur was reborn. He felt it some twenty odd years ago like a punch in the gut. He just chose to ignore it because he had to wait for Arthur to grow up. So he bought a small house in California and spent the next few years working on anything that caught his fancy. He published some books, learned how to play the flute, and took vocal lessons (just for something to do).

However, one can only spend time by oneself for so long. So Merlin packed his belongings, paid two years rent on an apartment, and moved to L.A. He got a job as a janitor in a recording studio for something to do and went out to clubs. He could feel Arthur's presence in the city. But in the glitz and glam and seduction of Hollywood, it was way too hard to get a good trail going.

Then he heard the voice.

(Alright so he had heard Patrick Stump sing before on the CD's and downloads that he bought. He has to be in the reincarnation's presence for their to be a click)

He had no idea Fall Out Boy was doing a show in one of the club's he frequented. Still he stayed at the bar and listened. Patrick opened his mouth and as soon as the first note spilled out...

Merlin knew. And then he promptly downed three shots of vodka out of shock. After the burn of the alcohol faded, he could feel his magic hum through his veins trying to reach, trying to take, trying to grab. He practically ran out of the club and back to the apartment to the bathroom where he got on his knees and promptly threw up. He rested his pounding head against the procealin bowl and tried to think of what to do next.

For once in his life, he really didn't have a plan. There was no way that he could be involved with someone famous, even if it was Arthur. So he tried to push the incident out of his head and slowly got ready for bed.

Now three days later, he's watching Patrick Stump walk toward one of the studios and thinks that maybe he has a chance after all.
--------------
Recording, in Patrick's opinion, is going along amazingly. Everything is falling into place and it really couldn't make him happier. Wrapping up for the day, he placed the guitar on the stand as Pete hugged his arm.

"Rickster! Come over for dinner. Ashlee's making vegeterian lasgna. Besides the baby has started kicking."

"Would Ashlee even want me touching her stomach?"

"Please 'Trick. You're practically going to be the kid's favorite uncle. Of course she wouldn't mind."

"Fine, fine. I don't want to go back to my apartment anyways."

"You need to get laid, my friend."

"Yeah I'll get right on that, Pete."

They started walking down the hallway together, heading out for the night. Patrick paused checking his pockets.

"Shit. I left my wallet in the studio."

"Smooth, Tricky, smooth."

"Shut up. I'll meet you at the car?"

"Deal. Just hurry I don't want some rapist stealing my virtue."

"Don't convince the rapist to steal mine either."

"Naughty boy! I'm so proud."

Patrick rolled his eyes and headed back toward the studio. He paused outside it hearing someone moving about, probably a janitor. He was about to open the door when a voice stopped him.

“Oh yeah! Life goes on! Long after the thrill of livin’ is gone!”

The voice made Patrick's blood burn. The boy with golden-blue eyes flashed in his mind's eye. He gripped the wall and leaned against listening. He never felt like this. Something in him was telling him to go to the person, that he needed the mysterious singer.

However, Patrick is not a knight or a king. He doesn't laugh in the face of danger and give the finger to death. He's just a man: scared and uncertain. So he does the only thing that made sense.

He turned and ran as fast as he can. His wallet was completely forgotten.

-------------------
Merlin was the one who found the wallet, in case you were curious. He opened it, saw the picture, and allowed himself to wonder if that old Dragon was still playing tricks. (The Knights always maintained that the cryptic messages are what got Merlin interested into Arthur in the first place.)

He gently fingered the buttersoft letter. He knew that Patrick usually got in around the time Merlin started his first shift. So he could give it to him then.

And well then if this was as close as he was gonna get then that was alright with him.
--------------------

Patrick wandered in around the same time that he always did. Though he was fairly certain that he had driven the safest and slowest to work then he had ever in his life. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and downed some too sweet coffee trying to wake up.

He was still tired beyond belief.

He had a dream of the boy last night. Laughter and magic and kisses against sweat slicked skin and destiny whispering in his ear was played before him. Golden-blue eyes and a soft mouth was what he woke up hard to, mid-orgasm with a name on his tongue.

Needless to say, he needs to change the sheets on the bed when he gets home. But right now, his wallet was more important. Especially since he's praying that no one stole it. He heard that canceling credit cards and identity theft was a major bitch.

"E-excuse me? Mr. Stump?" asked a soft voice in a lilting British accent. Patrick turned around to look at the speaker.

And his breath caught in his throat. The boy was familiar and a stranger all at once. He was about an inch or two taller than Patrick with long awkward limbs and a thin face. His hair was black bed-head mess that was stark against his ivory pale skin. He was dressed in the janitor's uniform with the sleeves rolled up. Patrick could see a flash of tattoos on his wrist.

But what really got his attention was the boy's eyes. They were the eyes from his dream: full of life, mischief, and good humor. Those eyes reminded Patrick of long summer days and stolen kisses under the full moon.

"I found your wallet," said the not-quite stranger holding out the aforementioned wallet.

"Oh God! Thank you so much, man. I was worried that someone was going to steal all my information or something. Or sell it on eBay to a deranged fan-girl."

"I promise I did none of that."

"And dude don't call me Mr. Stump, that's my dad. Call me Patrick."

"Patrick," said the man before grinning, "I'm Merlin."

"Seriously?"

"I was named after the bird not the wizard. My mother was quite delirious after my delivery."

"At least you're initials growing up weren't P.M.S. Those jokes never really die."

Merlin laughed and it reminded Patrick of the dream-boy again.

"I heard someone singing last night. Was it you?"

Merlin flushed, "Yeah it was. Um...I have to go start my shift."

He started to walk away. Patrick gathered up his courage before speaking.

"Merlin! I'll see you around?"

Merlin stopped, turned, and smiled coyly, "Maybe."

Patrick felt his heart pound out a heavy drumbeat in his chest.

-----------------------
Unsurprisingly Pete is the one that caught onto Patrick’s crush first. Patrick, Andy, Jon and Travis have this running theory that Pete automatically knows when one of his friends has a crush. It’s not something they talk about with the others because they will actually start testing out the theory. Still after Patrick stayed late the third night in a row to hear Merlin sing and sharing shy ‘hellos’ in the hallway, Pete caught on. Patrick considers that keeping Pete in the dark for three days was some kind of record.

“You like someone,” sang Pete draped across a couch in the studio. Joe and Andy looked up from their sheet music to stare at Patrick.

“Shut up. I do not,” said Patrick feeling his neck and face turn red.

“Who is it?” asked Pete with a wide shit-eating grin on his face.

“Oh is it that receptionist? Because she’s totally hot,” said Joe with a nod.

“Does your girlfriend know that you think that?” snapped Patrick wishing the ground would swallow him alive. He did not have a crush. He sighed and dropped his head, “Can we please stop talking about this?”

“As soon as you tell us who your secret lover is,” said Pete with a wide smile.

As if on cue the door opened and Merlin stood in the doorway. Patrick could see the wire of his headphones trail into his pockets. The Brit paused in the doorway for a moment.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you all left for the evening.”

“We were just clearing up some last minute music things because Patrick’s a perfectionist,” said Pete, “You can totally come in and clean if you want Mr. Janitor guy.”

“Merlin,” answered Merlin automatically, “My name is Merlin. And well I’m not supposed to disturb the bands.”

“You’re not disturbing us. Right guys?”

Andy and Joe chorused their agreement. Patrick’s tongue felt glued to the roof of his mouth, like he just ate an entire jar of peanut butter. He paused and nodded slowly. Merlin, still unsure, wandered in. He met Patrick’s eyes and smiled shyly. Patrick flushed, looked away, and shuffled his feet.

“I still owe you for finding my wallet,” said Patrick finally finding his voice. He knew that Pete was shamelessly listening in, while Joe and Andy were trying to be more discreet.

“You would have done the same for me. It’s really no big deal,” answered Merlin as he cleared away some trash.

“Totally, Trickster here is up for canonization,” said Pete butting in.

Patrick wondered how mad Ashlee would be if he killed her husband.

“Oh really?” said Merlin as he wiped down some of the equipment with tender care. He looked up with eyes bright and playful.

“I have the Pope on speed dial and everything,” said Patrick through his dry, dry throat. It felt like he was having the worse case of stage freight in his life.

Merlin laughed. Patrick got half hard at the noise. Pete looked way too smug for his own good.

Patrick spared a look over at Joe, who made kissy faces at him when Merlin turned his back. Great now he was going to have to kill Joe also. Andy merely looked thoughtful.

“I approve ‘Rickster,” said Pete once Merlin left.

“I totally ache for your approval Pete. Thanks.”

“He seems pretty awesome. If I was you then I would go for it,” said Joe helpfully.

“He looks like that guy you keep dreaming about,” said Andy with thoughtful expression. Patrick had described the boy to them once after being annoyed by Pete solidly for two weeks.

“I so knew it was soulmates!” crowed Pete. Patrick threw a pillow at him.

He then wondered if Merlin kissed like the boy in his dreams.

----------------------------
Pete Wentz takes care of his friends. He'll provide a couch to crash on if there's a hotel mix-up, wire money if there's a mugging, and pretty much do anything and everything in between. He's not generous or anything. It's just that he takes care of the people that he likes.

And Patrick? Has never really asked much of Pete except for his friendship. So when Pete finally, FINALLY sees an opportunity to help Patrick; he jumped on it like a soft new journalist jumps on a story about a monkey taking care of a kitten.

Of course for this mission to fulfill Patrick's crush of epic gay love, he'll need some help.

He needs to form a committee. Which is what the normal course of action is in these situations.

So he pulls out the phone tree, made up of people that will take part in committees created by Pete Wentz, and calls Mikey Way. Mikey Way then calls Gabe, who then calls Will, who then calls Travis, who then calls Ryan, who then...you get the picture.

So about an hour later, Pete is sitting at the round coffee table that he and Ashlee bought talking to about eight guys on conference call/web cam.

"Welcome to the Committee of Patrick's Epic Gay Love."

"Patrick's gay?" asked Travis with a shocked tone.

"He's gay for a janitor at the studio. Did you not listen to what I was telling you Trav?" asked Bill annoyed.

"Bite me, Beckett."

"I'll hold you to that, McCoy."

"If we can get this meeting started," huffed Pete annoyed, "Patrick is gay for the studio's janitor. And we need to get them together because he's acting like a preteen girl trying to pluck up the courage to ask the guy she likes out."

"So what do you need us to do?" asked Ryan.

"I need one of you out here to help me. Andy is taking the no meddling stance and Joe is siding with him saying that Patrick will fuck us up if he finds out."

"I'll do it!" sings Brendon face peering in on the computer.

"Oh Christ! Urie is on this? Patrick is not getting laid," grumbled Gabe good-naturedly.

"Alright Brendon get here tonight. We strike at dawn. Gentlemen, I'll call you with updates. Break for CPEGL!"

Pete laughed evilly for several moments before Ashlee smacked him on the back of the head and told him to stop being weird. He was still grinning because this time next week? Patrick will SO be getting laid.

--------------
Pete and Brendon are up to something. Patrick knows it. It's kind of like knowing that something bad is going to happen but having no clue when disaster will strike. And then when the disaster happens you're like: 'why the hell didn't I run the fuck out of here when I had the chance?'

Brendon has been fucking around the studio for the past couple days. Just appeared with a tray of coffees, a smile, and a bag of chocolate scones from that vegan cafe that Patrick really likes. So he kind of has to let him in to get to the scones. Brendon has just never left since.

Not that anyone minds which is the weird thing. He helps by playing other instruments that are critical to the song and going on coffee runs. But he and Pete are planning something because during breaks they're whispering shiftly, looking like reject spies from a B action movie. And Patrick can practically feel their eyes on the back of his neck.

"Dude, Pete and Brendon are staring at you like your the Second Coming," whispered Joe.

"Just ignore them. Though if this blows up in our faces assume counter-attack plan D."

He, Joe, and Andy have coordinated counter-attack plans just incase Pete's genius gets a little too much for the world to handle (or at least that's what they told Pete). We'll not get into a lot of detail but let's just say that counter-attack plan D involves pot, tequila, and a weekend in Mexico or Vegas. They're still not allowed in the small town they held counter-attack plan D in last time.

And yes Ashlee has been given a list of all the counter-attack plans incase they are put into effect.

"Vegas this time? I don't want to be chased out of town by angry locals."

"You know it. Let Andy know."

"Ten-four little buddy."

"You did not just say that."

Joe just laughed and walked away. Patrick sighed and turned back to tuning his guitar.

"Patrick?" asked Brendon from behind him.

"Yeah Bren?"

"I found this when I got here this morning. It's addressed to you."

Patrick takes the clumsily wrapped gift and opened it. He blinked it's his favorite candy bars.

"Who gave it to you?"

"Some British guy. He was in a janitor's uniform. He says that you should meet him on the roof tonight."

Patrick flushed at the mention of Merlin. When Brendon turns his back, he broke out in a grin.

Alright so maybe he's a little bit in love.
-------------------
"Hey Merlin!"

Merlin looked up from his lunch and paused seeing Pete Wentz staring at him. He's not entirely sure how to move forward from here. Though he can feel Pete kind of checking him out. He took off his work shirt and is sitting in his janitor pants that ride low on his hips and a blue wife-beater shirt.

"Pete," said Merlin slowly, "Can I help you?"

"Patrick wanted me to give you this."

Merlin slowly takes the bag and opens it. It's those chocolate scones from the vegan cafe that he likes.

"Why?"

"For getting your wallet back. He wants you to meet him on the roof tonight."

Merlin felt his face turned red but smiled, "I'll be there."

If Pete smiled just a little too wide the Merlin pretended not to notice.

-------------------

Merlin stood on the roof looking out at the bright lights of L.A. He changed out of his uniform in a bathroom stall several minutes prior. He nervously wipes his sweaty palms against his ripped jeans and fidgets with the edge of his t-shirt.

He likes L.A., wouldn't live hre if he didn't, except that he can never really see the stars.

In Camelot he could see the stars, he climb to the highest tower and just stare out at the night sky. Legends of old would creep into his head. He was never told them but he knew them like he knew his own story. Maybe it was even then the magic was choosing him to be who he is.

He sighed and stared out. Some days he aches for Camelot like how one aches for home after being away for years and years. Most of the time, it's Arthur.

It's stupid to be hung up on one guy. Especially when you're Merlin's age. He's had others: men and women who drift in out and of his life like a the tide. But he always ends up going back to Arthur in the end. Most of the time, Arthur is how he was in the past: brash and bold and loud and obnoxious and kind and courageous and just so...Arthur.

Then sometimes, it's different (the whole nature and nurture thing). Merlin likes Patrick because he's comfortable with himself but doesn't need fame to survive. He's kind and quiet and has this dry sense of humor. Plus that voice drives him insane. And even though he isn't obvious as a reincarnation of King Arthur, Merlin can see it all the same.

"Merlin?"

He turned and met Patrick's eyes.
---------------------
Patrick normally doesn't do things like this.

He doesn't go up to the roof of the recording studio to meet a guy that he barely knows. He's cautious, safe with stuff like this. Except that Merlin is the exception to every rule that Patrick has to protect his heart. Because Patrick cannot help but intrigued by him. He wants to know Merlin.

And he has a crazy feeling that Merlin won't break his heart.

Plus the face in his dreams is getting clearer. The face to go with the golden blue eyes is getting more defined. And Patrick wakes up feeling like he's lost something so precious that he just wants to curl up and have a good man cry.

Then he comes in and Merlin smiles at him. And Patrick knows that smile like he knows Prince's entire body of work.

So he walks out onto the roof and sees Merlin against the moon and the smog and the lights of L.A. staring up at the sky like he can see the stars.

And just for a moment he's in a castle tower in pretty much the same scene (minus the smog and L.A.) and he can see the stars. And Merlin's voice is low telling him ancient stories.

Patrick is definitely a little bit in love and can feel it in his blood.

"Merlin?"

Merlin turned and met Patrick's eyes.

They smile at each other.

And so destiny began.

Comments

[gcbenjigal.livejournal.com]

Damnit, I left a comment, but it deleted itself. >:-[

Anyway, this is your fangirl and you make me want to shio this pairing, even though I'm pretty sure it hasn't existed until now. >.>

I can't offer you any comms that aren't soley Pete/Patrick, unfortunately, but I can definately pimp this fic as hard as I can. X-D

Also: I hope you don't mind that I'm adding you.

[hopenight.livejournal.com]

>:( That's never ever fun.

Yay! I was curious as to who you are!

I tend to do that! I had a verse with a pairing of Merlin/Doctor Lance Sweets (from Bones) and I had people wanting to ship it. And I know it never existed before. Hahaha!

Awww thank you for the pimping! Yeah I have an idea for a Pete/Patrick fic. Tell me what you think: Pete is Patrick's temporary driving teacher.

No problem. I added you back.

Love your icon.

[gcbenjigal.livejournal.com]

Well now you know! \o/

Dude, I've never even seen this version on Merlin (though I'm extra-tempted to look him up right now.)

No problem at all! Pimipinh is what I do when I get excited. X-D Also: Fuck yeah, that would be awesome!

I love my icon too. ♥

[hopenight.livejournal.com]

:) I totally do.

Well the actor who plays him, Colin Morgan, was in an episode of Doctor Who where he played an emo kid. So most fans just go with if it were modern times then Merlin would be punkish/emo/artsy like. I just kinda motified it for my own purposes!

XD I wished I had people to pimp it to! Most of my friends don't read fanfics.

I'm working on it. But RL sucks :(

Patrick just rules my heart. No questions asked.

[gcbenjigal.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've been researching. ^_^ I approve of your purposes. ^_^

D-: LAME! Most of my friends read fanfics, but only a few will regularly read bandom. :-C That why I have internet friends! X-D

Blah, tell me about it! I got my computer taken away for a week for leaving the garage door open. >:-[

We call that Wentz syndrome. If you start to feel stalker-y and a sudden urge to let Mark Hoppus shave your hair, I suggest running away. X-D

[misfitish.livejournal.com]

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3
My favourite fandom combined with bandom!
*heart eyes*
Loved it!

[hopenight.livejournal.com]

:) Yay! I'm glad you loved it so much!

I know it's a fun mix right? Just imagine what would happen if everyone found out about Merlin's powers.

My Soul. Take It.

[aparanoid-angel.livejournal.com]

Here, take my soul, I don't need it anymore. This story just captured it and....I can die happy now. (If you continue *nudge nudge wink wink*)

Patrick and Merlin!! It's almost St Patrick's Day and you give me THIS. I love you.

*Descends into jibbering mess*

Re: My Soul. Take It.

[hopenight.livejournal.com]

Erm well how about I let you keep your soul for the time being? My room is filled with books, hoodies, and other random crap that I have to clean soon!

Though I'm so happy that you enjoyed it! I was hoping that people would enjoy it! (I will just after Big Bang when MY soul is my own again!)

What kind I say?! It's the luck of the Irish or just plain luck!

I love you too! Your icon wins!

*hugs jibbering mess*

[shadowglove88.livejournal.com]

this was awesome. great job and thanks for sharing!

[hopenight.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

[monicaop.livejournal.com]

Hi :), I just found this... amazing, just letting you know, be well