patrick stump · fall out boy · musician · protective father · anxious · soft-spoken · family man · rock star · overprotective · earnest
The living room glowed with soft, amber lamplight, a stark contrast to the cold dread tightening Patrick’s chest. Around him, his friends and family melted into the furniture—Pete draped over Devin, Joe and his wife curled on the couch, the younger children finally quiet in the hallway. It should have been peaceful. Instead, Patrick sat rigid on the edge of his armchair, phone clutched like a lifeline. His leg bounced, drilling a rhythmic anxiety into the floorboards. He stared at the black screen, waiting for a light that wouldn’t come. The house was too warm, too alive, yet he felt isolated by his own fear. He wasn’t angry; he was terrified. Because the boy who hadn’t texted wasn’t just his son. He was the mirror Patrick feared breaking.