Author's Note: Okay, this one requires a bit of an explanation. This is some self-indulgent fluff I wrote over the course of an afternoon, skipping past the set-up and delving right into the fun stuff. Sort of an "in media res" thing, I suppose. Since most of the important context wound up getting explained over the course of the story, I decided to just keep it as-is, and explain the set-up I imagined for it this way, in a note preceding the story proper.

So, here we go. This story takes place a few weeks after the events of the first movie. (I'm treating Goof Troop as at least loosely canon, although I've only seen a few episodes, so bear with me. I'm mostly ignoring the second movie, although I don't think there's anything in here that would really contradict it.) Since then, Max has been mostly hanging out with his new girlfriend, leaving PJ by himself... or that would be the case, if it wasn't for the fact that ever since PJ returned home from the camping trip, Bobby's been eager to hang out with him all the time. PJ's confused by the sudden attention, but decides to roll with it, and the two start hanging out at Bobby's house perhaps every other day or so.

Our story begins one afternoon, maybe a week or two into this newly-developing friendship. Bobby's invited PJ over again, and PJ figures this would be a good chance to work on summer homework, in an attempt to not leave it until the last minute like every other year. The two boys are in his bedroom, Bobby loafing around on the bed doing nothing in particular, PJ sitting on the floor with his back against the bed, trying to study, but not really getting anywhere. Now that you're up to speed, let's raise the proverbial curtain on this fic...

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Don't Get Me Wrong
by Carrehz

He heard Bobby shift on the bed, rolling over. Before he could react, suddenly he was there, leaning over his shoulder, his hand stretching across his chest to point at the paper. His fluffy hair was tickling against PJ's face... "Mkay, so, it's these dudes here that you can't figure out, bro?" he gestured to the two equations.
"Uh, y-yeah," PJ stammered, thrown off by how close the other boy was all of a sudden. "I, uh, I know it prolly sounds stupid, but I just can't figure it out.."
"Nah, 's not stupid," he said easily, waving his hand. "Ya just gotta... hang on," he interrupted himself. He shifted around again, leaning forward a little more, his left arm draping loosely around PJ's shoulders.
"Wh.."
"There we go. 'Kay dude, so all ya gotta do is, you take the first number, yeah? And then..."

He rambled on in this fashion for a few minutes, gesturing occasionally to emphasize a point. His way of explaining was eccentric, to say the least - much like the rest of him - but PJ had to admit, it was a lot easier to understand than the way Mr. Arky had taught it. In class it had seemed so complicated, but Bobby made it sound like it was nothing.
"...then ya add that to the first duderino and there ya go. You get that?" A pause. "PJ? Bro?"
"Oh!" He jolted slightly. It wasn't that he'd been zoning out, exactly; he'd just been listening so intently, it had taken him a second to realize Bobby had stopped talking. "Yeah - yeah, I think I've got it now-" he started scribbling some notes down, the equations suddenly seeming much simpler than they had done five minutes ago. "Wow, Bobby, you're really good at this."
"Heh, what, ya think I'm just some dumb slacker or somethin'?"
"Oh- no, man, I-"
The other boy laughed, cutting across him. "S'okay bro, everyone else does. I don't mind." His right hand reached up, ruffling PJ's hair slightly; he blinked. Bobby was always so... like this. Always invading everyone's personal space, being so touchy-feely with him. PJ never knew quite how to react; it wasn't unpleasant, exactly, just... new.
"W..well, thanks," he said eventually.
"No probs. You're cool, Pete," he said, both arms draping themselves around him a little more. PJ swallowed. It wasn't like he'd never been this close to anyone else... him and Max were always grabbing onto one another, pulling each other all over. But they were practically brothers, it was different. Pistol hung onto him all the time, but she was his little sister, that didn't count. Bobby was practically hugging him right now, his face so close to PJ's...
"...Please don't call me that," he muttered, staring at the floor.
"Hm?"
"That's, uh, that's my dad's name. Feels weird."
"Oh, sorry, dude." His fingers brushed against PJ's chest slightly. "Didn't know. Hey, your dad seems pretty cool, though."
"What? No way." He twisted around to look at Bobby, who seemed surprised by his reaction. "My dad's the worst."
"Well, he took ya camping this summer, right?"
"Yeah, but..." PJ fidgeted a bit, looking down again, feeling the most uncomfortable he had all day. "You just don't know what he's like."
"Pff, can't be worse than my dad. 'Least yours is around." PJ looked back up at that, surprised. Bobby tilted his head. "He left when I was a kid. I still see 'im sometimes, but..." he shrugged. "He kinda sucks. Mom's cool, but she's at work all the time, ya know?" PJ nodded; he did know. His mother had always been busy, but in the last few years she'd been particularly busy, her company getting bigger and more involved, keeping her away from home more than it had when he was younger. He was proud of her, but it was hard not to miss the way things used to be. "So it's usually just me." He paused. "And you," he added, nudging PJ in the chest slightly. "'s been real nice havin' you around lately, dude."
"Y-yeah, I..." PJ was surprised; he hadn't realized things were like that for Bobby. Not like I ever asked, I guess. They'd known each other since the start of the school year, technically - it was hard to miss someone like Bobby. But they'd never really talked, their paths only crossing sporadically; the stunt on the last day of school had been the first time they'd really done anything together. Heck, he'd really only started coming over because Max was always with Roxanne now, and he'd been too shy to turn Bobby down when he'd asked.
He smiled, realizing something. "It is nice," he agreed. He liked Bobby. Sure he was weird, loud, and the concept of "personal space" seemed to be completely foreign to him, but... he was nice. He never made fun of PJ or anything.
"Mm..." The two just sat there like that for a minute, looking at each other. Then without warning, Bobby suddenly leaned closer, closing the already-small space between their faces, and pressed his lips to PJ's.
PJ jolted back in shock, his textbooks and papers crashing off his lap and onto the floor. "Wha- you- I- wh-" he babbled, his eyes wide. Bobby had slid forward at the sudden movement, his hands flailing for purchase briefly before he landed with a crash on the floor himself. His teashade glasses slid down his nose as he pulled himself up, rubbing at his head.
"Heh.. 's gonna leave a mark.." he mumbled, grinning awkwardly. It looked fake, forced; his eyes were looking away from PJ. He swallowed, visibly, then looked back up. "It's, uh, it's okay."
PJ blinked, his mouth very dry. "I..." if he hadn't known what to say before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. His head was racing, a thousand thoughts screaming at him all at once, the loudest being Dad would absolutely kill me if he found out about this.
Bobby kept rambling, his voice a little too high-pitched, too casual. "It was- it's okay, hahaha, I was just joking, you know, I-"
"I thought you liked Stacey," PJ whispered, his face feeling very hot. "M-Max said-"
"Oh- ah.." Bobby rubbed his arm awkwardly. "Stacey? She's great, but- I mean, yeah, I like her, but she's not- we didn't really click, you know? Not like that," he added, gesturing vaguely with both hands. "We wouldn't work. As uh, as a couple- as more than friends. Stace said that herself."
"Oh." He really didn't know what else to say. His heart was pounding and his hands were shaking. It had happened so quickly, and he'd still been getting used to - to having the other boy so close - his hair brushing against PJ's face, his hands ghosting over him as he pointed to the equations in his textbook...
"...You alright, bro?" Bobby said eventually, pushing his glasses back up. Some part of PJ wanted to push them back down; it was weird, actually seeing his eyes so clearly. It made him easier to read. Well... a little easier, perhaps. PJ didn't understand what was happening. The closeness had been confusing, but Bobby was like that with everyone. It didn't mean anything. But the kissing... PJ felt fairly certain he didn't do that to everyone. Guys didn't do that, right? Kiss other guys? Max had never... the thought of that was so weird, alien. His little sister kissed him on the cheek sometimes - less and less now that she was older - but that didn't count. That was normal for family, especially for a girl. Girls were meant to be affectionate like that.
Bobby had said it was a joke... but then why did he seem so- so- the way he was - rambling and avoiding eye contact and stuff. And what kind of joke was that - all the other guys at school would push each other away at the merest hint of any affection, laughing at that, saying... things. Words. Jeering accusations - him and Max had gotten that a few times, this year. Ugly words thrown at them... PJ didn't know exactly what some of them meant, but it wasn't hard to get the gist of it. Max had just laughed it off; at the time, PJ had just fretted about what his dad would think if he overheard it. He was used to other kids picking on him, but not in that way. Was that the joke? Kiss him and say he was.. that he... But that didn't make sense, kissing another boy just to say that. And besides, Bobby wouldn't make fun of him, right? He was confusing, and different to what PJ was used to, and maybe they didn't know each other that well, but he'd been so nice up to now.

"PJ?" Bobby said again, his voice faltering.
"...Why'd you do it?" he said quietly, thankful his dark fur hid any sign of blushing - well, he hoped it did. His face was so hot... he didn't want Bobby laughing at him for it. "Are you making fun of me?"
"What?!" the other boy yelped, his glasses tilting down again slightly as he jumped. "No, no!! No, PJ, dude, I- dude, I wouldn't- you know I'd never," he said desperately. "Look, 'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean anythin', let's just forget it." He scooted forward awkwardly, looking like he didn't know where to go from here.
"Then why, I don't get it, I-"
"'Cause I like you, okay?!" he blurted out, his voice raising. PJ stared at him, his mouth falling open in surprise. Before he could say anything, Bobby continued, rambling again.
"I really like you- I dunno what it is but whenever I'm with ya I just- and I know ya just think I'm some annoying weirdo who won't leave you alone and, and like I'm just hangin' out with ya cause I've got nothin' better to do or whatever, but it's not- y'know - I really do like you! You're so cute, dude-"
"C-cute?" PJ squeaked. He hadn't thought his face could grow any warmer than it already was, but there it went, proving him wrong. "Really?" No one had ever said that... sometimes girls said he was "so nice", or "such a sweetie", or other similar empty phrases, but it was always said in the same way. Polite, but it didn't mean anything. Not like that. He knew what it meant, knew that the girls would never go for someone like him. They'd always pick someone cooler, more popular, thinner, less awkward. Guys like Chad, or the jocks who always had cheerleaders clinging to them. He'd sort of given up on the whole idea of getting a girlfriend a while ago. Confessing to a girl seemed like an insurmountable task anyway, so difficult, and he'd only make a fool of himself.

He'd never expected, even dreamed a girl would ever confess to him. The thought that another boy could confess had never crossed his mind. He didn't even know you could do that. Everything he'd heard about... about that sort of thing... well, he hadn't heard much. Mostly just the names, words, the other boys at school would toss around casually. A couple of things his dad had said (his mom quickly telling him off for it, but she did that a lot anyway). But they made it seem wrong, dirty, forbidden.

"Well yeah! C'mon, man, you're adorable." Bobby's fur was lighter than his - thinner, too - he could clearly see the light blush beginning to spread across his face as he continued talking. "Like the way you laugh, and how nervous ya get all the time, 'specially when I touch you- and, and you're so nice an' like, supportive, and..." He laughed nervously. "Listen to me, I sound- I'm no good at stuff like this," he admitted, his blush deepening. "Never done it before. But um, I really do like you, dude. B-but if you don't, um, if you don't wanna- I get it, s'okay," he added quickly. "I, er. I shouldn't've just, you know. Kissed you. Like, uh, like that." The last few words came out in a rush, his voice getting quieter with each word. He coughed nervously, fidgeting a bit.

PJ sat there, going over Bobby's words in his head, trying to figure out what to say, how to react. He'd never been in a situation like this before in his life. For a minute or two they just sat there in silence, neither looking at the other.
"...I don't think you're annoying," he said quietly, breaking the silence. "Or, or dumb, or- or any'a that junk. Or- well-" Bobby was looking at him again, his head cocked to one side, an eyebrow raised. "Okay, you are annoying, but not- I don't-" he paused, trying to find the right word. "I like it. I don't get it, or, um..." Another pause. "You're confusing," he admitted, "and I don't know how to... I mean, I.. I'm not used to people bein' nice to me, you know?" He looked down, ashamed to admit it, even though it was probably obvious anyway. "I mean really nice, not just cause they have to be or, or whatever."
"Aw, dude." His voice was tinged with pity, but not the kind PJ was used to hearing. He sounded genuine, not the patronizing faux sympathy he usually got. He shuffled over to his side, leaning next to him, his head resting against PJ's arm. "I get it. That's one 'f the reasons I like you... and Max," he added. "You two dudes always treat me like an actual person, not.. you know." He shrugged, gesturing vaguely. "Whatever. Not like everyone else does."
PJ understood, more or less, what he was getting at. People liked Bobby well enough, he was definitely more popular than PJ himself, but he tended to be treated more as... sort of a novelty, really. He shifted a bit, feeling guilty as he remembered that he'd really only talked to him because him and Max needed him to pull their plan off. No... Max's plan, not mine. I didn't even wanna do it. He was the one that asked Bobby. I just went along with it. On the other hand, he'd only started hanging out with him over the summer because Max had been busy, and it beat staying at home being pestered by his sister, or yelled at by his dad... or feeling sorry for himself, worrying that this was how it was going to be from now on. Like it had been when he was a kid, before Max had moved here. Just alone, all the time.
Okay, that's how it started. But it's not like that now. I do like being with him. But... like that?
The idea felt strange, but the more he thought about it, the more PJ realized it didn't feel unpleasant, somehow. It was terrifying - for so many reasons - and different, and confusing, but...
"You really think I'm cute?" he said tentatively. Even that was an odd, confusing concept.
"Yeah, man!! You're hella cute." He sounded excited again, and PJ smiled despite himself - he couldn't help it. Bobby's constant, almost unending enthusiasm was so contrary to his own generally pessimistic outlook, and sure, it could get a bit overwhelming sometimes, but he found it... refreshing, he supposed. It was hard to feel down around him.
Then again... His smile faltered, as he remembered his usual fear, the worrying thoughts screaming, ringing in his ears again. "...my dad would kill me."
"Huh?"
"M-my dad. Seriously, Bobby, if he knew about... about this, he'd kill me." Bobby opened his mouth, and PJ added quickly, before he could say anything, "I'm not just saying it- I know I say it a lot. But I swear..."
"He didn't take the thing on the last day of school too badly," Bobby pointed out, turning around to face PJ properly. "I mean... 's not like he locked you up in the house or anythin'. You still went camping."
"Yeah, but..." He didn't get it. "Look, he was the one that wanted to go anyway. I wish he had left me at home. He only took me so he could get me to do everything." Bobby was giving him that look again, his head on one side. "Okay- okay, maybe he didn't react as badly as I thought he would." Really, he'd been more upset about PJ taking the video camera than anything else. "But that's totally different to this. To you, a, and me, and..." he trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
"Okay, well... that's only if he finds out though, right? He doesn't need to know." He leaned forward, touching PJ's hand gently, tilting his head down so he was looking at him over his glasses. "I wouldn't tell him, dude. I promise."
"It's not just him. If- what if Max found out?" he whispered, the idea making his stomach twist up. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Max, not for anything. "I, I couldn't..."
"Oh c'mon, man, Max wouldn't care. You two've known each other forever, right?" He gestured vaguely with his free hand. "I know I only met 'im earlier this year, but anyone can tell how much you two dudes mean to one another. He's not gonna freak out just 'cause..." PJ frowned; Bobby shook his head. "Look, if ya feel that strongly, Peej, I wouldn't tell him either. Or anyone. It could just be our secret, right?" His fingers brushed against PJ's, his thumb gently nudging against the other boy's wrist. "I mean... we could give it a try, anyway."
"Yeah..." PJ breathed lightly, without really realizing it, or meaning to. He blushed again. "Um, I mean..."

He thought about it again. He really was terrified of how his father would react if he found out about it. He wasn't even sure what his mother would think - she wasn't generally as hard on him as his dad, but this was so... so different to what he was used to. Maybe she wouldn't like it either. To say nothing of Max... or Max's dad - he had always been so nice to him, but this...
But then, Bobby had a point. They really didn't need to tell anyone. PJ already tried to share as little as possible with his dad for fear of any potential criticism or repercussions. He was good at keeping quiet about things. He wasn't exactly convinced that Bobby would be as good at it, but he had said he'd try. It wasn't like either of them were exactly hanging out with other people anyway. Maybe it would be alright. Maybe things would work out fine for him, for a change. Maybe they could give it a go.

Maybe it'd be nice to be kissed again.

He exhaled heavily, the thought making his head spin. "Yeah," he said again. "We could give it a try."
"YES!!" Bobby exclaimed, launching himself forward and flinging his arms against PJ, burying his head into his chest. PJ rocked back with the impact, surprised at the sudden contact again. "Oh dude, this is gonna be so awesome, you wait 'n see, it's..." He started babbling excitedly, making PJ smile again as he listened to him - not the words, so much - more the tone, how pleased and happy the other boy sounded. The way he was looking up at him again, his chin resting against PJ's body, his arms stretching as far around him as they could go. The fact that it all somehow felt perfectly natural, and right, and wonderful, despite it also being strange, terrifying, utterly insane...
"Um... Bobby?" he said eventually, interrupting him. "C-could- do you think you, we, um-" Bobby had stopped talking, just looking at him, smiling, his expression patient, encouraging. It made him feel flustered and exhilarated all at once. "Could you kiss me again?"
Bobby's grin widened as he leaned up and gently, softly kissed him.

It might be unbelievable
But let's not say "so long"
It might just be fantastic
Don't get me wrong
- The Pretenders