Kieren likes Roarton when it's dark. It's quiet and there's no one around to give him disgusted glances and whispered derogatory comments. It's why he and Simon agreed to meet fairly late, much to the despair of his parents who seem to forget that being undead doesn't change the fact he is 18 and therefore legally an adult who can go out when and where he wishes.
"Oi, rotter, what do you think you're doing outside this late?" Kieren startles at the sound of the voice and turns to see none other than Gary Kendal stumbling towards him, a beer bottle held haphazardly in his hand. When Gary comes closer his eyes widen in recognition and he sneers.
"Oh it's you, Kieren Walker." Gary spits out his name like it's an insult. "You should be at home, sucking up to your family so they don't see the monster that you truly are."
Kieren sighs. Even when Jem broke up with the lunatic he can't leave Kieren alone.
"The curfews been removed. You know that Gary," Kieren says calmly which he thinks is quite considerate of him since the man made him take blue oblivion and nearly kill other people and get killed himself.
"Shouldn't have been. You lot are fucking dangerous. Don't need you in the dark where you can get a sneak attack," Gary slurs. His eyes are bloodshot and Kieren wonders how long Gary's been drinking for.
"Just go away Gary, you're drunk," Kieren says but instead of doing what he advices, Gary just staggers closer.
"I'm not goin' anywhere," he hics and Kieren takes a step back, disgusted by the smell of Gary's breath. "Someone's got to make sure you don't go rabid and start killin people and that's going to be me. Should have killed you just like Miss Martin killed the rotter friend of yours. Glad she died, one less rotter infesting the rest of us. Just wish I'd been able to do it myself."
"Don't you talk about her!" Kieren orders, fury brimming up. The passiveness Kieren has tried to keep disappears when Gary starts insulting Amy. No one insults Amy. "You don't deserve to talk about her! She's twice the person you'll ever be!"
Gary gives a cruel laugh. "Person? She was just a walking, talking bag of bones encased in that disgusting grey skin of yours. She wasn't a person. And neither are you. Oh you lot can fool the others but not me. I can see you for what you really are. Your sister did too, till you brain-washed her."
Sick of Gary and needing some way to release the anger that has filled him, Kieren raises his hand in a fist, reading to punch Gary in his smug face when it starts trembling. Kieren knows it is a side effect of potentially becoming living again, but Gary doesn't and he throws his head back with a malicious laugh.
"Look at you, trembling like a little sissy girl! God, you're the same as you were when you were alive. A pathetic, weak, faggot!"
It looks like Kieren doesn't need to punch Gary as someone else does it for him. Gary's head snaps to the side from the force of the blow and in his drunken state he quickly loses his balance, falling to the ground. The bottle slides out of his grip, rolling along the gravel away from him.
Kieren's eyes snap to the assailant and the pale eyes that stared back inform him it's Simon. And he looks pissed.
Ignoring Kieren other than the brief glance, Simon picks up Gary by the collar of his shirt and shoves him against the bus stop.
"You," he hisses. "Will not talk to my boyfriend in that manner again, or at all. If you don't listen I may be forced to take drastic measures." He gives Gary a dangerous grin. "How would you like to become a rotter, one of us?
"You can't turn from being bit!" Gary protests though Kieren can hear the fear underlying his words. "Daz didn't!"
"Care to test it on yourself then?" Simon's grin widens, baring his teeth.
"Oh fuck off!" Gary's visibly frightened now; his eyes wide and body twisting in an attempt to fight off Simon. Simon lets him go and Gary hastens backwards. "Go shag your little boyfriend. Who gives a shit! Just leave me the fuck alone!"
Not acknowledging the hypocrisy of his statement, Gary runs off and when Simon looks prepared to go after him Kieren lays a hand on his shoulder.
"Leave it Si, he's drunk. The fright you gave him and hangover he'll have is punishment enough," he says, pulling on Simon until he grudgingly turns around and faces Kieren. His expression softens when he gets sight of Kieren who gives him a small smile.
"It'll never be enough. Are you hurt?" Simon asks, running his eyes and hands over Kieren's body.
"I'm fine," Kieren assures. "Not much he could do to me anyway, I'm dead already, remember?"
"Hopefully not for much longer," Simon murmurs and seeing that his boyfriend still isn't appeased, Kieren pulls Simon into a deep, bruising kiss. They'd been able to make their kisses softer lately, what with their nerves and senses slowly coming back to them, but Kieren knows Simon needs the reassurance the kiss provides and frankly so does he. Kieren had gone through his teenage life ignoring the jeers and criticisms of the villagers, even in life he was an outcast, but the words still stuck to him, feeding all and any insecurities. He needs the reassurance that no matter what the other villagers say and think he still has Simon. That makes it all worth it.
He must be coming across as more forceful than usual as Simon grabs his hands and holds them in his own. "You sure you're alright Kier?" Simon asks softly.
The words 'I'm fine' are on the tip of Kieren's tongue but they don't pass his lips. It's not true, he's not completely fine. He's angry and frustrated. He's angry that people like Gary only get a slap on the wrist when they do things wrong whereas people like Amy, wonderful, happy Amy and Rick, oh god Rick, get killed for no good reason other than fear from the ignorant and words from some undead Prophet. It's unfair that even if they do become properly living again that they still won't be accepted. People will remember and they'll still be judged for things that were out of their control.
Without realising it, Kieren has been saying all of this out loud and he is near shouting as he finishes, Simon regarding him with empathetic, tender eyes.
"It is unfair," Simon agrees. "But that's why we're going to make a difference, you and I. We're going to make sure people like Gary don't get away with that sort of behaviour."
"We're only two people Simon," Kieren argues morosely.
"Two out of a number of undead," Simon corrects. "We won't be the only ones who want change, that's been proven already even if I now know their methods aren't the best. But there are more out there, thousands we haven't met who will think the same things as us and want to do something about it. It won't happen instantly but we'll make a change, we will," he promises and his optimism makes Kieren smile.
"Sorry, I've kind of ruined our date," Kieren apologises and Simon shakes his head.
"You did nothing. Don't tell me you didn't need that?"
Now that Simon mentions it, Kieren does feel lighter, as if voicing his concerns and anger made them easier to bear.
"Yeah, I did," Kieren concedes and he leans slightly on Simon, getting all the contact his body can process.
"Do you want to go back to the bungalow?" Simon questions, resting a hand on the small of Kieren's back.
"No, I'm fine now, let's go." He's not going to let Gary bloody Kendal ruin his date. They go onto have the late night walk they planned and fortunately don't come across any more villagers which drastically improves Kieren's mood. The worries may remain but at that moment, walking under the stars with Simon's hand clasped in his own, suddenly they don't seem so bad anymore.