Culture Project
~Katrara~
USxUK LiveJournal Community 2011 SweetHeartsWeek
Day 2
Pop Culture
"Pay attention Jones!" The history teacher snapped at the dosing American.
Nearly immediately Alfred snapped to attention in his seat, looking back and forth quickly before looking up at the teacher. A sheepish smile taking residence on his face as he noticed her angered one.
"I am trying to go over your project for this semester, I'd rather not get questions later about what you are suppose to do for it." And with that she went back to explaining the project.
"You will be partnered up, I will chose the partners, for this assignment. You will have to research two different countries pop cultures. One countries pop culture must be from the past, compare it to the other countries pop culture, which will be from today or at least the last five years." As the middle aged women spoke she handed out papers to the class. Specific directions and requirements on both sides. She went over the paper in detail, Alfred losing focus again and staring down at the paper without reading it.
"Alfred Jones, and Arthur Kirkland." At the hearing of his voice Alfred snapped back to attention, whipping his head to his left, where he saw said Arthur Kirkland looking back at him. Alfred didn't know why the two had been called on but he quickly found out when Arthur came back to his seat with him, looking a tad annoyed, and let the clueless American in on the fact that they were to be partners in this assignment.
"Oh, that's cool man." Alfred commented after a moment, turning his desk to face Arthur's. On the outside Alfred made sure he remained calm, but on the inside he was doing a little happy dance. He'd never lost his feelings for the stodgy Brit, even after they broke up last year, and the chance to work together with him again made him overly joyed.
Their relationship last year in tenth grade had been on the coarse of a train wreck from the start. The fights were to frequent, the communication was bad, their were lies exchanged and to many problems that they didn't try to work out before hand. By the end of the third nine weeks they broke up, not so much as looking at each other for the rest of the year.
Arthur had changed in that time period, he had always been a straight A student but with Alfred no longer in his life his outer style changed. He was still the shy little Brit that Alfred had met when he first came to the states all those years ago in the seventh grade, working hard at his grades and talking to himself. Now though, although his personality had remained in tack other aspects of him hadn't.
The few friends that he had had vanished from his presence, replaced by a shading looking fellow or two that were almost never around. Alfred was pretty sure the only time they talked to one another was when Arthur needed another pack of cigarettes. He had started smoking over the summer apparently, Alfred thanked the lord it wasn't any serious drugs and that Arthur clearly didn't smoke that much, for the scent didn't linger on his clothes that much. There had been rumors that he drank now too but Alfred didn't truly believe them. That would be taking it a bit to far in his mind. Although Arthur could legally drink if he wanted too, it just didn't seem like his style.
What had truly changed about Alfred's stodgy Brit was his clothing choices. Turning in the neatly pressed slacks and wrinkle free jeans in for tight skinny jeans, often torn or with chains hanging off of them. The neat dress shirts had turned into sloppy long sleeves and tighter band T-shirts. The cute sweater-vest transformed into fabric jackets and hoodies, the jackets being a size to large and contrasting with the tight jeans. He had a few piercings too, two studs in each ear and an industrial bar through the left, three cartilage piercings along the right.
Alfred never expected to see Arthur dressed in this manner, but surprisingly he liked it to an extent. The tight jeans hugging his slim legs and the baggy jackets making him look small, giving Alfred the urge to just pull the Brit into his arms.
The current Arthur was clothed in grey acid-wash skinny jeans, they had a few tears on his thighs and knees, and a zipper going up his calf on both legs. A red studded belt was around his waist with two chains hooking from his front pocket to the back one. Dark blue converse were on his feet, and Alfred could sware there were some hand drawings on them in black sharpie. His forest green shirt that promoted some band was hidden under a plain black jacket, the cuffs frayed at the end. Arthur had his normal piercings in, of silver studs with the black arrow industrial bar.
"Alright Jones," his name sounded so foriegn now, "have you any ideas for this project?"
"Um, well..." Alfred glanced down at the sheet, picking the first two topics that came to his mind. "How about British pop cultured past and American for today?"
Arthur didn't respond right away, seeming to think it over as he looked Alfred up and down. Alfred wondered what he felt he was looking at. Did he appear like the same old Alfred in his baggier jeans and Steelers Hoodie? Or did Arthur see a different Alfred, an older and more mature one that had changed and was worthy of a second chance?
Than the punk looking Brit replied with a shocking answer: "That sounds good."
The next few days they worked together in class. Compiling groups of different artists for their project. Alfred was in charge of picking the American bands for the current time period, while Arthur got to pick the ones from the past. It worked rather well, since Arthur liked the older bands from the sixties through the nineties more than today's rap. Alfred himself wasn't into rap, more of the party style or slower songs that you played in the back-round while working on homework.
On the fourth day they had their artists all but decided.
"I think The Beatles is our best bet to go with for this." Arthur stated, handing Alfred three papers stapled together. One had nothing but a list of their albums, songs, and tours, the second had the names of all the band members; John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison. The third had a short history on the band, were when and how they formed and some information on their careers and two deaths.
Alfred nodded, only scanning over the information before setting it down and pulling his own out. "I've got some information for her, but know you don't know Lady Gaga all that well."
Arthur took the two sheets of paper from Alfred, not anywhere near as much information as he had but it was honestly a good start. "I think the best thing to do would be to just spend a night sitting back and listening to her music so I can see if I like her any."
"Sounds like a good idea, want to come to my place tonight than? I'm free and have her Cd's." Alfred offered, anticipating the answer.
"That sounds good, I'll be there around six. You still eat dinner at five so that's okay, right?" The Brit replied, making Alfred smile. Even if it was something as small as remembering what time he ate dinner it still showed that Arthur hadn't forgotten about him.
"Yeah, we still eat at five. So that's good," the bell rang for the day, "see you tonight I suppose." The American said as he stood up from his seat with Arthur.
"See ya." And with that Arthur had gotten his things and left the room.
Arthur showed up at six on the dot like he said he would. Another factor that had never changed, he was still as punctual as could be.
"Hey Arthur" Alfred cheerily greeted opening the door. Arthur took a hesitant step in, his hello much softer than Alfred's as he looked around the home he hadn't been in since the break-up. He caught sight of Alfred's mother, giving him more of a glare than a look and he quickly averted his eyes away to follow Alfred up the stairs.
"Alright, so I pulled out my favorite CD of Lady Gaga's music, that cool?"
"Yes, sounds lovely." Arthur answered softly, stepping inside Alfred's old room. He blushed when he looked around, remembering all the times they'd made-out in this room. He wondered if Alfred ever thought about that when he was in his room like Arthur did. Recalling all their kisses and curious touches before everything fell apart.
Alfred was at the desk by his bed, putting a CD in the CD-player and sitting on the bed, motioning for Arthur to join him. "Alright, so we just gonna listen to the music and see if you like it?"
"That sounds like a plan." Arthur replied, sitting next to Alfred as he hit play.
Don't be scared, I've done this before
Show me your Teeth
Show me your Teeth
Show me your Teeth
Arthur vaguely recognized the song, having heard it on the radio once or twice before. He heard a gentle hum next to him and when he looked he found Alfred humming to the song. When the blue-eyed American caught Arthur's looking he smirked, singing the lyrics to him.
"Don't want no money
That shit's ugly
Just want your sex"
Arthur blushed lightly at the lyrics, and Alfred just smiled, leaning closer to him playfully as he continued to sing with Lady Gaga.
"Take a bite of my bad girl meat
Take a bite of my me
Let me see, your mean"
At the lyrics Arthur found his blush leaving in exchange for a light laugh and smirk, leaning towards Alfred. Said man smirked back as the song continued.
"Got no direction
I need direction
Just got my vamp"
This time it was Alfred's turn to blush, as Arthur had chosen to join Alfred's fun, but in his own way. Namely biting Alfred's neck like a vamp as the lyrics had said. One hand instinctively went around Arthur's waist to press gently on his lower back as Arthur continued to nip and bite Alfred's neck, Alfred still managing to sing the song.
"Take a bite of my bad girl meat
Take a bit of me, boy
Oh the truth is sexy"
At the last line Arthur raised an eyebrow, breaking away from Alfred's neck where a bruise was forming. A bruise obviously caused from someone biting your neck, nicknamed a hickey.
"Only fair" Alfred whispered once Arthur had pulled away.
Before Arthur could even ask what Alfred meant their was a mouth on his neck, forcing a light sqeauk to escape his lips. Alfred was much more straight forward with the bite as the song droned on, nipping and biting the skin like Arthur but sucking and licking too. Determined to leave a darker and longer lasting mark on Arthur's fare skin.
The treatment of his neck also brought a blush to spread from his ears down his tortured neck, having not done anything like this since the last time he'd been with Alfred. It wasn't until the end of the song that said American released Arthur's neck, the bruise already blossoming. Another song came on, one that Arthur recognized. A silent communication passed between the two before the real lyrics started and they sang along with them.
"I want your ugly, I want your disease
I want your everything as long as it's free
I want your love
Love, love, love, I want your love"
They'd separated just slightly for the their little duet, dancing along with the lyrics as much as one could on a small bed.
"I want your drama, the touch of your hand
I want your leather studded kiss in the sand
I want your love
Love, love, love, I want your love"
Throughout their dancing they'd come closer together slowly, voices dropping to quieter tones as they moved on to the chorus. Slowly closing the space.
"You know that I want you
And you know that I need you
I want it bad, bad romance"
They stopped their singing of that song there, for both occupants lips were busy for this song now. Kissing the other with months of pent up frustration and feelings. The kiss wasn't slow or hesitant, they already knew each other and fell back into routine instantly. Arthur's arms crept up Alfred's chest, to loop around his neck and press their body's closer. Alfred's own hands going down Arthur's back to grip his hips securely. The motions were instinctual, as though they'd been doing it their whole lives and hadn't spent the last few months avoiding one another like the plague.
The song carried on in the backround as heads tilted and the kiss deepened, teeth and tongue being introduced to the kiss. Arthur gave purchase to his mouth first, allowing Alfred's tongue to remap his mouth and claim it for his own while Arthur's hands went up into Alfred's hair. In response, Alfred merely pulled Arthur closer and said Brit took that as an invite to crawl into Alfred's lap.
By now Lady Gaga was singing a new song entirely, neither occupant of the room noticing though, too busy with one another. Half-way through the CD and Arthur found himself on his back on the bed, the owner of said bed hovering over top him with lips still on his own. The two were rather lucky that no one in Alfred's house had heard them and come up to see what they were up to.
On the last song of the CD the duet was finally calming down. Faces red, lips swollen, hair out of place, and multiple hickies forming on their necks.
Still slightly panting and catching their breath Alfred made the first simple comment, "damn."
Arthur just smiled, shaking his head lightly as he rolled onto his side next to the American. "Was that a shit what did I just do damn or an I just made-out with my ex like a crazed teenager and want to do it some more damn?"
"Second one, defiantly the second." Alfred laughed, laying on his back and pulling Arthur close.
"Mm, this wouldn't have been some elaborate plan to get us back together now?" Arthur teased, wrapping his arms around the larger American.
"Nope, just pure damn luck." Was the happy reply, followed by a light kiss.
"Well I do believe you do owe our teacher a thank you than for partnering us up for this project than." Another quick kiss.
"Yeah, and to think that this was gonna be a boring project." Alfred commented, holding his boyfriend in his arms finally.
Arthur just smiled, snuggling into Alfred's hold like he use to.
"Gotta love Pop Culture."
Day two of the 2011SweetHeartsWeek on the USxUK Community on LJ. Today's theme was Pop Culture.Reading the theme this idea immediately hit me, I blame Gaga though, because I love her music. Although I did have to find some way to incorporate the Beatles, they are just like a requirement in my mind for Pop Culture with these two.
So I hope you enjoyed my third contribution to this years SweetHeartsWeek and my first for today's theme! (I'm going to try and get a second one in, my sister JUST walked in the room and told me it's a two hour delay...but it's ten o'clock at night and I don't think I'll get a second in on time. I had to type half of this up in school as it was.)
Oh! The songs used were Teeth and Bad Romance both by Lady Gaga.