This is the Killer/Penguin story I promised after writing a tiny part of it in a KidLaw story (see chapter 4 and 5 of my drabble collection "Attraction of the Heart" if you want to, but it contains spoilers for this story). This story is set in a high-school AU, where Kid is Killer's father and Law is Penguin's father (and so both sons have their father's family name)
I'll warn you though: this story won't be updated very fast, as it's something I do in between my other stories. So be patient.
Thank you Aerle, for betaing.
I hope you all enjoy~! And please leave a review (doesn't have to be much) after reading it!
Penguin placed his bag on his desk and took out his books. Biology was his favorite subject, but today he was in a terrible mood and he just wanted to go home. Biology was the last lesson of the day, but it would probably last the longest, this time. He put his bag on the desk next to him, because he was sure no one would want to sit next to him anyway. He was, after all, not one of the more popular people of the school, and his only friend, Shachi, didn't take biology classes.
The classroom slowly started to fill with other students, and Penguin laid his head down on his book. Until the teacher would start, he could take short nap.
Before he could close his eyes, however, his bag was shoved against his head, and someone sat down on the chair next to him. On the one hand, Penguin was annoyed that the person had just shoved his bag aside and against his head, but on the other hand, he was kind of happy someone wanted to sit next to him, so he didn't say anything about it.
He sat up and looked at the guy who started unpacking his bag. His wild, wavy, blond hair was unmistakable. Killer was part of the alternative group at their school, and Penguin had actually never talked to him.
Killer caught him staring. "I'm sorry, was this seat taken?" he asked, but it didn't sound like he cared much.
Penguin shook his head. "No, you can sit there," he said, despite the fact that Killer was already sitting down.
Killer grabbed his phone and started to do something on it, Penguin couldn't really see what it was without watching too obviously. Since the teacher didn't seem to be starting soon, Penguin decided to sketch some in his notebook. It didn't feel right to nap anymore, now that someone was sitting next to him.
He started with just a few lines, but they soon formed themselves into paws and before long, he had drawn a polar bear. Penguin decided to draw a background too, when suddenly a mass of blond hair came really close to him. "Wow, that looks awesome, man, you've got talent."
Penguin smiled at his neighbor, but he felt his face was slightly heating up. He wasn't used to getting compliments. "Thanks. But I just practice a lot."
Killer pushed some of his hair behind his ear, giving Penguin a better look at his face. They both looked at each other for a while without saying anything, until both turned their gazes away. "It still looks better than anything I can draw though," Killer said as he returned his attention to his phone again.
Penguin tried to hide his face, as he was sure it was way too red. He had to admit Killer was kinda good looking, underneath that jungle of hair. And he seemed not half as bad as Penguin had thought he was.
To distract himself from his neighbor, Penguin continued to draw. He drew an iceberg and a few drifting pieces of ice, one carrying the bear. The bear seemed a bit sad. Probably because of global warming, Penguin thought.
"Mister Trafalgar!" the teacher almost yelled.
Penguin looked up, startled from his thoughts. He had barely noticed class had started while he was drawing. And he had definitely not heard anything the teacher had said. "Yes, sir," he answered nonetheless, pretending he had heard anything.
"Can you answer the question?" the teacher asked, but the man didn't seemed to believe his act.
Penguin looked at the board, desperately trying to find anything that could give away what the question was. However, the whiteboard only told him the date of their next test. "I-I'm sorry, sir, I don't know the answer."
A few giggles were heard, but the teacher sighed. "Maybe you should take that silly hat off, and pay attention to what I'm saying."
"I'm sorry, sir, I'd rather keep my hat on. It's part of my look, you see." Penguin tried to look at the teacher with puppy eyes, begging him to give in, but he wasn't sure if it worked.
Until the teacher sighed again. "Alright, as long as you pay attention. Maybe your neighbor knows the answer?"
"Sure. It's called photosynthesis," Killer answered.
Penguin could hit himself in the head. Had it been such an easy question? He felt really stupid now, and his mood of wanting to go home returned.
"Thank you, Killer," the teacher said, and continued his lesson.
Killer shook his head. It was pretty obvious Penguin had been daydreaming instead of listening to their biology teacher. That, or he was really stupid. But Killer didn't think it was the latter. Penguin seemed to be quite smart, but a little quiet, which made it hard for Killer to really judge his intelligence. Though it was a little dumb to have your own name written on your hat. As if he could forget it at any time. He wondered what Penguin's hair would look like, though. He couldn't remember ever having seen him without the hat.
Killer looked at the boy's notebook again. "Is the polar bear your favorite animal?" he asked quietly.
Penguin looked at him again, a slight blush on his cheeks. "I guess," he said, shrugging. "I like almost all animals that live on the North or South Pole."
Killer chuckled. "Because you're one of them, I presume?"
The smile on Penguin's face fell. "Very funny."
"I mean, you're a penguin right?" Killer continued. "Penguins live on the South Pole."
"Shut up, I'm trying to listen to intelligent talking." Penguin was already a hundred percent done with his neighbor. He could take a lot of teasing, but people shouldn't start about his name.
Killer smiled. "Don't worry, it's a cute name." When he realized what he'd just said, he chuckled to hide his embarrassment. "For an animal."
Penguin gave him a dark look. "If you say one more word, I'll beat the crap out of you after school."
Killer raised his eyebrows. He was impressed. He hadn't expected these words from such a cute, shy looking boy. But he liked it. Penguin didn't let others mock him. That was good. However, Killer couldn't take his threat too seriously. After all, he still looked kinda cute.
Killer shook his head. No, that was not what he wanted to think.
He did leave Penguin alone after that, though. In fact, Killer didn't say a word to him anymore. When class was over, he packed his bag in record time and went to the corner of his school where his group, the "alternatives", hung out. However, it was already late, and only a few people still had classes after this fifteen minute break, so there were just two other people, who he didn't really know that well. He sat down a small distance away from them and put his earphones in to listen to some music. The loud sound of guitars soon formed a barrier between him and the rest of the world.
Killer was frustrated with himself. He had thought about Penguin as cute and even when he thought of the boy now, he couldn't deny that he actually was cute. Dammit. And this wasn't the first time he had thought about a guy in a more than a platonic way. It had happened before, about two years earlier.
Killer let his hair fall around his face like a curtain. He didn't want to be gay. He was pretty sure by now that he was gay, but he didn't want to be. He didn't want to deal with everything society had to say about it – he already got a lot of shit just for the way he looked – and he definitely didn't need the prejudices that came with it. People saw homosexual men as feminine or as a pussy or something like that. But Killer wasn't like that at all!
He wasn't afraid his friends would abandon him if he came out, because almost everyone of their group was pretty open minded – at least more open minded than the average person at their school. But he was afraid they would look differently at him. Sure, they'd accept him for who he was, but they would always have the fact that he was gay present in the back of their minds. They'd look at everything he did, in that light, probably. Not that he could blame them; that was just how people worked, how this society worked. Because being gay was not "normal".
Killer just didn't want that. He could try to be straight, maybe. And who knows, maybe he was bisexual. He'd just never experienced any attraction toward a girl, but that didn't mean it couldn't happen someday. Besides, how would his father react if–
"Hey, Kill!" Someone kicked against his leg.
Killer threw his hair back to clear his view and pulled out his earphone. "Heat, shouldn't you be home already?"
His friend, Heat, shook his head. "I can't find my keys anywhere. Did you find them by any chance?"
Killer looked around him. "Nah, sorry man."
"Well fuck, how am I gonna get home now?" Heat sighed.
"You could come with me to music class instead…" Killer tried. He could use a friend in that class. "I'm sure the teacher won't mind."
"Yeah, and then someone will find my keys and steal my bike? No thanks." Heat looked distressed.
"Have you asked the janitor if he found them? And if he doesn't have them, just take the bus home and get your spare keys," Killer advised him. Heat nodded and made Killer wonder if he couldn't have thought of that himself. Heat might be a year older than him, but Killer sometimes felt like he was a parent to his friend.
Heat went off to find the janitor, and Killer strolled towards the classroom his next class would be in. He was a little early, but the door was unlocked, so he went inside already. Dropping his bag on one of the tables, he walked towards the side of the room, where a few instruments were standing. He picked up one of the guitars and started to jam a bit, letting his thoughts drift off. Music meant a lot to Killer. In music he could put all his emotions and thoughts that he couldn't show to anyone else. He couldn't really sing, but he was pretty talented in playing the guitar, so he let the sounds speak for him.
In his mind he pictured a perfect world where he could be openly gay without anyone thinking any different about him. Or just being able to beat up any fucker who treated him differently without being charged with abuse. It didn't take long before the image of Penguin sneaked into his mind again. It was probably for the best they only shared biology class.
Killer hadn't even noticed he'd closed his eyes during his playing, but wasn't really surprised to find out, since that happened a lot when he felt like he'd become one with the guitar. When the music died out, he opened his eyes and was surprised by an applauding class. Killer frowned. When had they come in? He placed the guitar back where he'd found it and chuckled slightly embarrassed. "Thank you, but it wasn't that special."
"That sounded great, Killer," the teacher commented. "Now would you sit down next to your fellow students? I would like to start."
When class was over and he walked towards his motorbike, he couldn't help but chuckle when he saw his friend's blue and black one still standing there. So poor Heat hadn't found his keys back yet.
To be continued~