-Chapter I-
"Are you going to finish that?"
Those were the first words that Kevin heard from him and that was all it took. He remembered turning sharply around in his chair, getting ready to scream in the others face to go find their own damn food, but something made him stop short. The person standing behind him was like no one he had ever expected. He was tall, blonde, and had the most amazing glimmering blue eyes that he'd ever seen in his life. The beautiful image made Kevin's mouth go dry, all words scrambled to the point he couldn't even fathom what an actually sentence would sound like, let alone what it would sound like if his voice decided to betray him.
Not trusting his voice in any way, Kevin just slid his tray to the open chair next to him and the blonde boy's expression became childlike in seconds. He swiftly sat himself down in the spot him and picked up his utensils, not even caring that they had just been used by a complete stranger.
The other student grinned up at him and gave the biggest smile that Kevin had ever seen in his entire life. He remembered how white his teeth were, so perfect that he was sure it would give any dentist a teeth boner. His smile was wide and beautiful, just like his blue eyes. They swirled like a blue lagoon that one would only see during a mirage in the desert because they were like nothing in this world.
Kevin just nodded his head weakly at the other boy and watched him as he ate the rest of his food. He was afraid of speaking in case his voice betrayed him, or if the blonde other accidently spit in in his face. It didn't take long until the other finished and then Kevin sat there with an empty brain and tray. He didn't know the boy to strike up a conversation, but he knew he needed something to say or else the other boy would leave.
He remembered sweat start to build above his brow and his hands quiver in his lap, aching to just do ANYTHING, but he was a mess. He saw the boy move and he panicked, debating whether or not to reach out and try and stop him. But before he even knew what was happening, the blonde boy swung out his arms then wrapped them fully around him, giving him a huge bear hug. Kevin froze, the sweat above his brow starting to boil from the furnace in his heart heat up to a degree that he never though possible. He felt HOT, hotter than any day he spent while gardening on a hot summers day in his home state of Nevada.
The boy pulled away with that big silly smile still plastered on his face. "Thanks for sharing your lunch! My brother says that people wouldn't ever share their lunch with me, but you proved him wrong!" he laughed and Kevin watched speechlessly. "Oh! I'm Alfred by the way! Do you wanna be friends?"
And that was all it took for Kevin to find love. He didn't even have to say a single word for love to blossom in his chest for an actual human being. It was just like the fairytales stories that he had written in his journal at home.
From that moment on Alfred became a magnificent princess, and Kevin swore that one day he'd become the blonde's knight in shining armor.
~.~
Becoming Alfred's knight in shining armor turned out being a lot harder than Kevin thought it would. The reason being his dreams came to an abrupt halt?
High school.
He and Alfred had stayed friends all through elementary school and even progressed to a closer friendship in middle. Middle school was the time when Kevin realized that the way he felt for Alfred was more intimate. In elementary school he enjoyed holding hands with him and eating lunch together everyday, but that soon wasn't enough for the Nevadan once he entered the hellhole of a place called Middle School. The heat he'd feel in his checks quickly spread to other parts of his body, more so in the southern regions.
Sitting next to the blonde in their mandatory Sex Ed class was specially hell. Alfred would just giggle whenever a picture of the males' sex organ would come on screen while Kevin just crossed his legs like he had to take the biggest piss of his life. Alfred unfortunately noticed and even asked if her needed to use the restroom several times. He was to wait until he friend left at the end of the presentation before he could get up and run to the nearest restroom. He thanked GOD that Alfred was a bit more clueless than the others in their class or else he would've dyed from embarrassment.
When thy started High School, the two didn't have a single class together except homeroom, which only lasted for a week so the new students would have a place to report to. They only got assigned to the same room because they happened to have the same last name as each other. Jones was a pretty common name and Alfred seemed to think it was the coolest thing in the world that he and his best friend had the same last name when in elementary school. Kevin liked it too because sometimes people thought they were related and he would play along with it and keep others from interacting to friendly with his "brother". It kept people from asking why he was so protective over a friend and turned away any of the rumors that he and Alfred were dating, which he most of time denied.
He and Alfred had lockers close to each other and was the only time during the day that they would actually see one another. The first few weeks of schools were tolerable enough for Kevin, he was still able to see his love and catch up with him every morning and before they went home. It was okay until Alfred started arriving to his locker with a new friend in tow just about everyday.
Kevin remembered him vividly. He was taller than them both, but that was just because he was in a higher grade and had age on them. He was also very slim and had long limbs, sometimes Kevin would see those limbs hanging around Alfred's shoulder, or rubbing his head like some goddamn child. His eyes were more green and venomous than any type of rattlesnake that Kevin had ever seen in the desert back in his home state. The way me slithered though the halls, and snaked his way to Alfred was all too unnerving. The most disturbing thing about the upper classmen was his repulsive accent that just about everybody in the entire school loved to hear, including his dear Alfred.
He said stupid things in that stupid accent like brilliant, staggering, cheers, and worst of all, love. He specifically used that mushy term in just about every sentence he had with Alfred. It made Kevin want to bang his head against his locker as he stood there and listened to the soothsayer say those ridiculous things in the American's naive ear.
Months passed and soon enough Kevin couldn't even go to his locker anymore. To his dreadful nightmare, Alfred and the English fellow began dating. Kevin remembered his blonde friend practically skipping through the halls to come tell him that Arthur, was his name, had finally asked him out. He put on the best damn smile that he could muster and told his friend he was happy for him. He lied about how he felt and wanted to tell him that he were making a mistake, but he didn't want to ruin his happiness. To Kevin it didn't matter who made Alfred happy, just as long as Alfred smiled as brightly and beautifully the day they first met he'd be okay with it.
The day right after the news, Kevin had been at his locker when Arthur showed up and grabbed Alfred from around the waist and spun him right into him. Alfred blushed at the intimate playfulness while Kevin nearly opened his bagged lunch and puked into it. Despite how much he knew he should've looked away from the scene, he couldn't resist but to stare at the adorable blush and innocent smile on his friends face. He watched as Arthur brought up a hand and cupped it around his friend cheek; Kevin froze and watched as the two slid their eyes closed and slowly lean in for a kiss.
He'd seen enough at that point. He'd seen enough to make him want to go home and tear about every journal entry he had about Alfred and burn their very existence. He fought back tears the entire day at school until he finally reached home and went running up to his room and gave into the need to weep. He cried for hours that night, not evening bothering to eat anything for the rest of the day. If he ate anything he'd probably just end up throwing it up anyways. He cried for so long and for so long that his body physically ached from the inner and outer torment.
The next morning he didn't even bother getting out bed and get ready for school. He knew that he'd just see the same thing that he witnessed the day before and he'd most likely escape to the bathroom to suffer from the pain alone. He knew he couldn't bare just a sight every again, and if that meant avoiding the boy he loved for years, then so be it.
~.~
Kevin ended up abandoning his locker all together for the rest of his first year. He emptied it out at a time he knew he wouldn't find Alfred or his boyfriend there. The new locker he'd been given was on the second floor and right next to anther bloke who had an almost even more irritating accent than the damn Brit. He said he was from a country called Australia and had some bizarre name, so Kevin just gave him the nick name Hutt. Surprisingly despite the others prissy attitude, he didn't seem to mind the nickname but actually liked it. To Kevin it was the start of a new friendship. In truth, it was the first real friend that he had besides Alfred.
The first three years of High School finally passed and Kevin was atlas in his final year. The years went by slow compared to Middle School, but that was just because he spent the remainder of his school days without his old best friend, Alfred. They ended up never having a single class or even getting a locker near each other again. At first Kevin was sad about the fact and not sure he how he was going to go on without the blonde, but he found a way how and that apparently worked for him.
He became best friends with Hutt and ended up having a lot more classes together than Kevin would've liked with the snotty Australian. But because of the constant of always being with each other, their friendship became as tight as a knot and Kevin soon started to think less about Alfred and more about his days with his new companion. He was never able to completely forget his first love, but he did stop writing fantasies of them in his journal after the first year of meting Hutt.
Him and Hutt were close and both determined to apply and attend the same college as one another, but that all changed when Hutt was forced to move back to Australia with his family. Once again Kevin found himself all alone and loosing his best friend to live on a country on the other side of the world. That happened their third year of school, so Kevin was alone during his entire senior year. Having no friends or no one to stick up for him, Kevin knew that he had to become tough enough so that no one who even dare mess with him. He already gave off a stern appearance for most of his life, but he amped it up to the point that people didn't even dare step in front of him in the hall anymore. He bought himself a Harley and drove it through the school parking lot like he own the place. Girls soon enough gathered the courage to even ask him if he could give them rides or take him on dates. To his annoyance, he ended up attracting more people than scaring them off. It took for a while for to realize that he wasn't interested and soon enough they all started to leave him alone.
Several times as he drove through the parking lot, he'd pass Alfred standing next to the of his boyfriends expensive slick BMW parked next to the building. It was beyond the point of it being awkward anymore and Kevin thought nothing of it whenever Alfred would stare as he drove by. Every once and while he would notice however the nasty glares he would get from Arthur when he ramped his bike as he drove slowly past his car. It made that Bastards big eyebrows knit to tightly together that Kevin thought it looked like he had one extra large unibrow. He'd snicker as he drove past and sometimes he'd also catch his old love giggle and try to hide it from his boyfriend form behind his textbooks.
Kevin thought he was ready for his last year of school. He'd been through the heartbreak of his first and only love, and the loss of his best friend moving away. Schoolwork he knew he'd be able to handle, so why was his last year so hard on him?
Because he had to watch Alfred suffer the same way he did after having your heart broken.
After three years of being together and being convinced they were in love, Arthur dumped Alfred and moved back to England to attend university. He even tried using excuses that it weren't his fault and that he'd still always care about him, just not sentimentally anymore.
Alfred was completely devastated. His once adoring sapphire eyes faded so dramatically that they could pass of grey. Whenever he smiled it was never with teeth. The corners of his lips would barely hint that a smile was even present. It was like a part of him died when Arthur left him it made Kevin furious.
He always knew that damn Brit would eventually end up hurting Alfred. He knew that it would never last between them and what they had what just a High School romance. If the Brit ever dared to show his face back in the country again then Kevin was sure to beat him so badly so it'd knock the snobby accent right out of his slimy mouth.
As much as Kevin wanted to feel all the pitifulness for his old friend, he couldn't help to feel a bit of joy. It was wrong. He should never get any sort of relief seeing his dear old love in such a tormented state, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't glad that it happened. It meant that Arthur was finally gone for good. He was positive that Alfred wouldn't even take him back even he arrived off the plane with flowers and a shitty written poem.
Kevin wanted to comfort Alfred in a way that any good friend would, but he was afraid of being rejected. The last time he'd spoken to him was over three years ago. Over the time they both changed and found out things along the way, except for each other. Kevin went his way and Alfred went his. Both in completely different directions but somehow both ending up in the same place.
Alfred was lucky and had many friends there for him. Over time he began to smile again but just not as wide and freely. He started to get more involved in school again and even was convinced by friends to join the schools swim team, which he excelled in.
Kevin watched him over the year from the sidelines; not wanting to get involved, afraid that he might screw something up for the blonde and have him restarted his course to find happiness all over again. He watched Alfred as he walked down the halls laughing and joking with friends close at his sides. In the cafeteria there was always a large crowd around his table, laughter always coming from the group what seemed like every 5 seconds. Kevin sat alone at a table near the window, watching and grinning to himself whenever there was a gap in the crowd on peers and he'd be able to catch a glimpse of Alfred, smiling and sometimes throwing his head back after finding something humorous.
Sometimes Kevin would even attend the school swim meets just to be there and silently cheer for Alfred in case no one else did. But of course there was always a crowd of his friends, cheering along side the pools as he swam on by in lighting speed. He was down right incredible and soon scouters from colleges came just to see him swim. Kevin would sit on the bench and smile whenever a recruiter would walk over to Alfred and shake his hands after a glorious win. The way that Alfred's eyes would like up from the excitement was enough to keep Kevin's mind racing all night long after he'd leave for home.
Graduation came and everyone was all set and ready for their next move in life and go to college. Kevin didn't apply to too many colleges because he wasn't as interested in it as the rest of he peers were. He didn't particularly care if the school had an impressive football team, or if they were one of the nations best. He just wanted to go someone that was close to home and he could afford. During High School he spent his afternoons working in a bike shop, repairing and shadowing his boss on just about everything that he did. He planned on going to college and get an automotive degree then move back Nevada and open up his own bike shop near his od home town. Nothing in the world seemed better than riding on the flat roads in landscape that people only saw as a desert.
Kevin didn't know where Alfred was going after summer. He knew he'd been offered a scholarship to multiple colleges in and out of state. He heard a rumor that Alfred had been thinking about going to some university all the way in California where they had a great swimming facility.
In truth, Kevin was happy was him. He'd come a long way and was offered an amazing opportunity to go and pursue what he loved. He was sure that he'd see him on TV on day and be on the USA Olympic swim team, breaking world records and winning gold for his country.
Summer finally came to an end and most of the people in the town had already left for college. Kevin was one of the few that didn't need to leave so early since his college was so close to home. He would've lived at home and attending his school but it was mandatory that all new students had to live in a dorm. The though of having to share a room with a complete stranger pissed Kevin off before he even had to leave for the school. He tried asking for a room that he could get for himself but was denied every single time by a new person, each getting stricter it seemed.
After all the pleading and praying, Kevin was forced to accept the fact that he was going to be living with another whether he liked it or not. He hoped that his new roommate didn't have any plant allergies but he planned on brining all of his indoors plants with him that he could fit into the back of his dads pick up truck. He would be damned if he had to leave his in door garden behind. It was already bad enough that he couldn't take his dog.
~.~
"If you need anything then don't hesitate to call, sweetie. We are just down the road and can be up here in just a short while if your father speeds." Kevin's mom pulled her son into another embrace, burying her head into his chest since he was much taller than her.
Kevin's face turned bright red as he looked around to see if others were laughing at him. He didn't want anyone thinking he was a mommy's boy and be picked on like in elementary school. "Ma please not in front of everyone!" he whined and tried to pry her off as she resisted letting her only son go. He stopped when he started to hear sniffling coming from her and his shirt start to feel wet. He sighed and finally wrapped his arms around her and actually held her, not caring how many people saw or what they thought.
"It's okay ma, it's not like I'm getting married or nothing." He groaned and felt her tighten her hold. "I'll be just up the rode if you really think about it. If I had my bike I could visit you every day even." He smiled and kissed her atop the head.
She sniffled and pulled away to look up at him unhappily. "But you don't have your bike," she began frowning. "how are you going to come home?"
Kevin shrugged his shoulders and thought about it in his head for a moment. "I'll take a bus to go see you. School has free shuttle service I hear down to our part of town." He smiled down at her and moved a hand to wipe a tear that was just about to slide down her tanned check.
She grinned and finally removed herself from around him and used the sleeve of her shirt to wipe away any of the remaining tears, careful not to ruin her makeup anymore than she already had. "It's not going to be the same without you around the home" she laughed softly. "I don't know what's going to happen to all of your plants. They'll die without your love and care." He patted his arm and he just rolled his eyes at her, thankful that he had on his shades so she couldn't see the act.
"Well then there's another reason that I'll be home every so often to visit." He joked lightly and she smiled.
"I'll try to keep them alive until you get back then. No promises however." They both laughed until silence filled the space between them, hinting that it was finally time for them to say their goodbyes.
"I'll call you when I have everything all set up, ma. Even might send you a picture." He pulled her in for another tight hug and she returned it just as tightly.
"I'd like one of your new roommate too. If you end up liking him them I better see you bringing him home with you for me to meet." She felt her son fidget and she couldn't help but to laugh.
Kevin blushed but nodded against the side of her head before pulling away. "Promise." With that he picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder and turned to leave, but not without his mom standing on her tippy toes and kissing him on the cheek.
He smiled but shook his head at her and turned away and started making his way up to the double doors that led into his new dorm. Right before entering the doors he turned and waved a final time at his mom who cheerfully waved back with one hand while the other wiped more tears from under her eyes.
Kevin entered the elevator and pushed bottom that led him up to the fifth floor. The ride up was very quiet since he was alone but he was glad. He let out a deep breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding after saying the final goodbye to his dear mom. He knew that she would be crying and he thought that he would've been too, but for some reason he didn't. He supposed it was because he was still so close to home and it didn't really feel like he was going anywhere. It just felt like he were moving out so his own place, except it wouldn't exactly be his 'own'. He kept forgetting that he would be having someone else living and sleeping next to him. The thought nagged at him and he was sure he was going to march his way to the dorm head and demand whoever was in charge to give him his own room. He'd be damned if he got stuck with some total pervert or creepy.
Or worse… British.
Kevin stepped off the elevator and eyed each door as he passed, looking for the number that would be present on the dory he'd have to live behind for the rest of the year and a half. He stopped when he found the room he'd been looking for. It was at the end of the hall that looked like it was part of a new wing. He heard that most of the freshmen dorms were the oldest and poorest of rooms, so he was happy there was possibly a chance that his won't be so shitty after all.
Nervous of who or what may be behind the wooden door, he slowly inserted the key and turned the handle careful to not make any sounds in case it squeaked. He nudged it open with the tip of his shoe and entered it leisurely. So far so good he thought. He took a couple of steps in before letting his heavy bag plop onto the ground next to his feet. Half of the room was already filled with someone possessions while the other half looked it was just cleaned and ready for the next patient. Kevin looked down at his bag and realized that he most likely didn't have enough to even cover all the selves and open spots. His plants would take up a lot, but not enough like the person next to him.
Kevin walked over to his new roommates side and examined their choice of decorations. They had a huge American glad hanging right over their bed and posters covered the wide wall to the right side of the bed. There were a few medals hung up along side certificates and Kevin was almost positive that they already broke the rule that they weren't aloud to hammer anything into the wall. And all the stuff would definitely not pass the fire safety code.
College hadn't even started yet and they were already going to be on watch thanks to his idiot roommate. He slid a hand through his slicked backed hair and sighed tiredly. He really didn't want to meet the guy who was going to probably kill them, but maybe if they were really bad then he'd be allowed to have a new roommate or better yet not one at all.
That was a soft click coming from the door and Kevin turned just in time to see it open and his new roommate walk in.
"I hope you realize that none of this is going to pass inspection-" Kevin's word suddenly dyed in his mouth and his breath hitched in his throat.
It can't be… That's impossible…
Kevin felt his heartbeat began to race and the fire that was there so long ago sparked and erupted into untamable flames. The heat rose from his chest into his face so quickly that he was sure his tan skin wouldn't' be able to cover such a color as the heat intensified.
He realized that the past was happening again. It was coming back to mock him and laugh at his poor attempt that he could actually deny such strong feelings for such a long time and not except for them to just go away like he wanted them to. He thought the flames had died, but they had only been patiently tamed, waiting for that single spark that would make them erupt and consume its host. There was no going back now. The flames were too strong, too out of control and Kevin thought himself as a fool for thinking he had ever put them out.
He swallowed hard but didn't say anything just like he had when a child. It really was the past making its way back.
"I saw your mom out front and gave her a big hug. Its been a while since I've spoken to her to we talked for while. When she gave me your room number I practically ran all the way up here." He laughed amusingly and let out a long tired breath. "Here you are right in front of me and I still I can't believe it, Kev."
A flame lashed out at the name and Kevin let the fire ravage his insides as they pleased. Tired of holding them back any longer.
"What are the odds that we ended up attending the came college and being roommates? It seems fate really knows how to set people up again after years of being apart." The blonde's face turned red at his own words and he looked away momentarily. "I-I didn't mean it in that kind of way or anything. Just uh cause we were all close and stuff and then,"
And then it was silent. Kevin turned his head away as did his friend, both feeling the same and the guilt from both of their actions over the years. It was almost too hard to even stand as the heavy air in the room was practically pushing Kevin down.
"Hey Kev?"
Kevin looked up and met eyes with those beautiful blue. They were as radiant as ever. The sight was so overpowering and bringing back to many memories that Kevin almost wanted to cry like he had all those years ago. The boy before him really had no idea how much he put him though intentionally.
Then to Kevin's surprise, the other started making his way across the room and stopping right before him. Kevin hadn't been that close to him since they were in their first year of High School. Since they've both grown and changed so much, Kevin realized that he was now taller than his friend, though not by much.
"I'm really sorry for what I did to you in High School. I got so swept up that I let everything and everyone else that was important to me go. I got carried away, far, far away. To the point that didn't even realize what all I was leaving behind and all those," he paused and Kevin heard him take him a deep, shuddering breath. "I may have hurt along the way. I was stupid and naïve and in love and just a total fool. I couldn't even see that I let me best friend in the whole world go and, and," his voice became weaker and slower and Kevin was scared to look down and see the others face, afraid that it would shatter the resistance of a wall he had up around himself for so long.
"I think the worst part of it all was in the end when I noticed what I'd done. I-I lost years to that jerk and people along the way and one of those people was you, Kev. I l-lost you and I acted like a total jerk about it too. Like I didn't care that I had even lost my best friend and after A-Arthur left I felt so alone and I thought that's what it must've felt like to you but it seemed as though you didn't even care."
Kevin froze as his eyes shot wide open. Didn't care? His blood boiled just thinking about the words of that his dear friend had even thought that of him. He spent days crying over him, praying that their friendship would someday rekindle, and he thought he didn't seem to care? He opened his mouth to speak but was beaten to it.
"After we stopped talking you seemed okay with it. I never saw you much after that, but it seemed you were getting along perfectly fine and I know I shouldn't be saying this or have the right to, but I was angry. I was angry that our friendship didn't actually mean anything to you and you didn't case for me as much as I cared for you and-"
But he didn't get to finish when Kevin suddenly pulled him into his arms and tightly up against his chest. The flames insides him spread to ever corner of his being and felt his skin simmer as he basked in the heat. He didn't care if the one in his arms was being crushed because he still couldn't get over that he was still actually holding him.
Years he'd spent fantasying over him, crying over him, lusting for him, and now it has all come to this. But what exactly was this that it has come to?
"I can't even tell you how fucking wrong you are about everything you've just said. You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment, Alfred. Goddamn years if you'd believe me or not. So just please don't say another damn word about how wrong you've been and just forget about it." He squeezed him and felt the other squeeze back.
"How much of it?" Alfred asked and buried his head into the side of his friend's neck.
"You remember when you asked me if I was ever going to finish my lunch?"
Alfred clucked but nodded against him. "That far back you want to go?"
Kevin brought a hand up and ran his fingers through his blonde hair and held his head. "Yeah, lets start there where it was just me and you."
-The End-
AN: Dedicated to all those MolAme fans. There just isn't enough love for this ship and I really wanted to pitch in.
(Write this at 2:00am so it's probably not the best looking thing in the world. I will go over it soon.