"Kiku? Come get your breakfast, babe," A slightly taller Asian man said cheerfully. How could he be so hyper in the early morning?
He opened Kiku's curtains, letting sunlight flood the room. Kiku flinched, grumpily turning over as the sun hit his scrunched face directly.
Why had he chosen this spot for his bed, again?
Oh. For that reason exactly.
Kiku bolted up in bed, seeing his clock read ten am.
"D-Dad-"
"I know, Kiku. But you were so tired, and having a good dream, so I let you sleep a little longer," He said nonchalantly, his lax shoulders offering a small shrug.
"Hop to it, Kiku."
Kiku ate his daily breakfast of rice, egg, and spam, rubbing his eyes. One month. One month since Alfred had taken Kiku to the beautiful strawberry field. Kiku wanted to laugh, recalling when they had to flee the scene. He was a little scared, but to hold Alfred's hand, to feel the night air against his face and in his lungs with Alfred was so exhilarating, he knew he'd treasure the moment forever. It was a breathtaking night spent with a breathtaking person, on the inside and out.
Oh. Alfred.
Kiku recalled his dream last night with a slight blush. In the dream, Alfred had come over with his favourite record.
Kiku didn't have any idea to what his favourite record really was, but in the dream, he had brought over Odessy And The Oracle. He shivered as he recalled the rest of the pleasant dream- they danced to Magical Mystery Tour, but mostly to This Will Be Our Year together, arms around each other. They were so caught up in the never ending song, with each other, that after what felt like hours, they stopped dancing, only to get another workout, the song changing to She's Not There.
Needless to say, when he Kiku woke up in the morning feeling the air on his slick thighs, wet from what he knew couldn't be sweat, and that weight between his legs, he found the rather embarrassing thoughts from earlier in the day had leaked into his dreams. Was he in love? It wasn't the first time he had a wet dream, but... Alfred was different. Alfred was Alfred.
He choked on his milk, going red in the face, and not from sleep. Thank God Yao didn't notice anything off this morning. Or maybe he did. Either way, he kept his mouth shut.
"What's wrong, son?" He asked, patting Kiku's back with a tired hand.
"O-Oh... Nothing, I just thought of my f-friend..." He said, mumbling through his food. He rubbed the back of his head in anxiousness. Don't give yourself away.
But Yao frowned at this.
"Friend... Is... Is he mean to you, Kiku?" He asked, sitting across from him with a cup of coffee. His hair was hanging freely. It seemed he too, had had a lazy morning.
"No! No... Not... He's not like like everyone else, dad," He said, eating his breakfast hurriedly. He wanted to say, "He's not like the other boys!" but stopped himself, knowing how suspicious that would've sounded. Yao frowned again, and Kiku bit back more words, as well as his tongue. Had he perhaps said too much? He could never be too careful. Kiku knew his father wasn't... Wasn't too accepting of people like him.
He quickly finished the food on his plate, putting it on the sink.
"May I be excused?" He asked sporadically, an impatient tone hinting in his voice. Yao looked at his own full plate of food in disappointment. He had only just finished making his.
"I suppose..." He trailed off, practically signing the words. But, he knew he shouldn't be disappointed. His son was finally going out, having a friend, having fun, being a normal kid. It was everything he could've asked for.
"Kiku," He said, stopping him. He turned around, trying very hard not to roll his eyes.
"Be back before dinner."
Kiku ran up to his room, shutting the door behind him. He closed his eyes in annoyance as the beads that hung in the doorway went all over his face. Picking through the many records Yao bought him, he found the Zombies and the Beatles. Magical Mystery Tour or Odessy and the Oracle?
Putting the Zombies away, he settled for his favourite band.
He looked over at his brand new albums- Abbey Road and The Yellow Submarine. He put them both away, deciding he'd listen to them with Alfred later.
He marveled at all of the record covers covering his walls; The Doors, The Zombies, The Bee Gees, The Beatles, The Drifters- whatever Yao had though he'd like, too many things to name. All of them were newer, the older album covers still with their records.
Yes, honestly, Kiku had a ridiculous amount of records, making him seem quite spoiled. He was an only child, and they were rewards. His father rewarded good deeds and good grades with gifts- and Kiku could not remember a time that they were not records.
Laughing in some unknown source of happiness, Kiku rode his bike go the park, unable to contain that gregarious laughter that would constantly spill out of his smiling lips these days- what was with him? He was just so happy to see Alfred, so he rode a bit carelessly, almost bumping into garbage cans and cars, even people a couple of times.
Riding his brand new red bike, he accidentally bumped into one of the meaner kids at school, recoiling when he saw who it was, yet polite nonetheless.
"O-Oh, sorry!" He said, speeding off, lips threatening to release the musical laughter he knew Alfred would love. For some reason, even as he heard the boy yell "Watch yourself, Buddhahead!" He felt a smile creeping unto his lit up face, feeling his lips tingle even from a mile away. He started singing Martha, My Dear with an exaggerated British accent the rest of the way, not noticing looks from strangers. He may or may not have replaced "Martha" with "Alfred", and it may or may not have been a slip of the tongue.
"Freddie!"
He face palmed. He couldn't believe he let that ridiculous pet name slip, especially in public. Did that really happen?
Alfred looked up immediately from his own shoes, red in the face. It seemed that ever since Kiku had accepted his friendship, he had nothing to do when he wasn't around. He didn't even want to really be around his brother and father anymore.
"Can you come to my house? My dad is going out... Like, in an hour?" He asked earnestly, still remembering the grocery list in his pocket. He looked like he wouldn't take no for an answer, even if he knew that wasn't Alfred's response.
Alfred looked taken aback, though nodding nevertheless.
"I'll be there."
"Cool. Bring your favourite record."
He turned and walked off to his bike, astonishing Alfred. Had he really just come for this?
"Wait! How did you know I was here?!" He called over, waving his arm.
He turned around, small smile on his cool face.
"Alfred F. Jones, I always know where you are."
He sped off, feeling a hunger he knew wasn't caused by the food.
The hour went by slowly- All he could do was twiddle his thumbs and listen to music. But what was new? That had been his life before Alfred, before he realized he had a voice that that stupid war had taken away from him.
He had nothing to do after picking up and putting away the groceries. So he sat around, listening and fumbling with his White Album record, eventually replacing it with Magical Mystery Tour, maybe sitting by his window. Maybe.
When Alfred knocked in the door, he was met with Kiku almost right away, his shaggy hair a bit disheveled.
"Kiku... Your... Your house is so big! I-It's bad!" He said a little nervously, taking off his shoes by the door.
Kiku was very pleased that he knew to do that already, but...
He looked down at his own feet to see shoes still on. It seemed he was in such a hurry to get home, he forgot to remove them.
"Actually... You don't have to do that," He said idly, taking a look down at his feet and shrugging.
"Yeah, but... Won't your dad think it's dirty?" He asked, not putting them back on.
"Well, he isn't home."
They walked up the spiral staircase, Kiku watching Alfred in amusement. Yes, it was a little hard to believe in only two people lived in this house but... It wasn't that big, right? Oh. Speaking of big.
"Fred, you were in my dream last night," He said innocently, liking his look of shock. He seemed very flattered that Kiku had dreamt of him, even if he had many times.
"Oh, really? What was it about?" He asked, genuinely interested. Kiku smiled at how cute it was, but hid the fact that his throat had grown dry with such skill only a person as quiet as himself could possess.
"Oh, we just listened to records, and hung out," He shrugged. He had left out the whole, you know, blow job part.
"By the way, I bought a brand new needle."
Alfred sat cross legged on Kiku's bed, clutching his record as if it were his lifeline. He seemed so tense in Kiku's house, in his room, in his bed.
"Where... Where's your cat?" He asked, looking around. He had heard about her many time before, but he still hadn't seen her. He was in need of an animal's comfort right about now, even if cats typically didn't like him. "I don't know... She's shy, you know, so you might not see her," He said, shrugging. The cat was the least of his worries now.
Kiku sat cross legged across from him, fishing out something from his pocket. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes, putting one in his mouth. Alfred stared, trying to digest the image of Kiku smoking.
"Woah, where'd you get that?" He asked excitedly, pointing at them.
Kiku smiled deviously, waving them around boldly in his hand.
"Five finger discount."
"Woah, who'd you bag it from?" He asked, a newfound respect for Kiku.
Kiku got his box of matches that he usually used for candles, lighting one and lighting the end of the cigarette, shrugging.
"My dad. He has so many, he probably won't even notice," He said, sitting in front of Alfred. All of it was true, and he not only wanted to impress Alfred, but have fun with him.
He took one ridiculously long drag, out of humour or ignorance, I do not know, and released it again as he coughed, engulfing his face in a cloud of smoke; it was his first time smoking, but he was already having fun, laughing with Alfred over it. Alfred reached over and took Kiku's offering. He, too coughed after his first breath. It was fun though- nothing was forced. No matter the circumstances, Alfred always seemed to give Kiku a good time.
"Kiku, look, there's this thing my dad does!" He then proceeded to fail at trying to blow rings, pouting a little. Kiku took the cigarette from Alfred's mouth, placing it in his own, talking in the process. "My dad does it when he thinks I'm not watching," He said, smiling a little. He blew a ring from the smoke, once, twice, three times. He then grabbed a pencil and threw it through the line, earning a cheer from Alfred and himself. He stopped out of surprise- he didn't think he'd be able to do it right away.
Alfred refused to give up, though. He succeeded in using up the rest of the cigarette. He took another out, blew more on Alfred, then gave it to him, getting up to change the record.
After letting the last few notes of Strawberry Fields Forever play, he removed the Magical Mystery Tour, instead putting on The Zombies, picking She's Not There.
After a few more minutes of sharing another cigarette, Kiku jumped as if he forgot something, and took it off the record player.
"Alfred, you brought your favourite, right? Let me put it in."
He stared at the cover for a moment, making a face over to Alfred.
"W-What?!"
"Really, Fred? '61? That's so old... Like, eight years ago," He snickered with disdain. Shaking his head, he inserted Blue Hawaii regardless, sure not to break his new needle.
"Well, it was either this, or Pet Sounds. The Beach Boys, you know..."
Alfred sauntered over, putting it on his favourite song. After a moment, Kiku started dancing, grabbing Alfred's sleeve in indignation as he tried to sit. No way in hell was he letting him off that easy
"Don't be boring, Alfred F. Jones. Dance... With me."
Alfred complied, nervously getting up to stiffly join him.
Kiku saw how tense he was, so he put his hand on his shoulder, bringing him close. Resting his head on his shoulder soon after, he was slightly startled when he heard Alfred singing along.
"Like a river flows,
Surely to the sea, darling so it goes,
Some things are meant to be," He sang shyly, surprisingly a good singer. Kiku smiled at him, looking up to meet his eyes through thick lashes.
"Take my hand, take my whole life too," He replied, giving Alfred a pleasant surprise. He didn't though Kiku didn't like "old" songs. He blushed, giving Kiku his hand.
"For I can't help falling in love with you," They sang in unison. Kiku smiled a genuine smile that reached his eyes, closing them. Feeling suddenly winded, he started laughing, his other hand finding Alfred's.
As the next song played, Alfred laughed, too.
"K-Kiku, I thought you didn't like 'old songs,'" He stuttered, dumbfounded but excited. Kiku smiled and rolled his eyes, a look of feigned irritation on his face, looking away.
"My dad loves Blue Hawaii."
Kiku carefully gave the record back to Alfred, carrying it in such a manner as one would use with babies.
He looked through his own records, and Alfred's eyebrows shot up into his hair. Damn. Kiku had an excessive amount of records. The fact that his walls were painted maroon and blue really added to the whole 'spoiled' thing. Kiku seemed to be a brat, but didn't act it. And... Was that a giant poster of... George Harrison?
He couldn't seem to decide which album to listen to. "Hmm... Freddie? Abbey Road, or Magical Mystery Tour?" He asked, reverting his gaze to Alfred.
Well, shit. He didn't listen to the Beatles as much as Kiku did, but he desperately didn't want to disappoint him. He liked new stuff, right? Magical Mystery Tour sounded a lot cooler, in Alfred's eyes. He especially didn't want to when he called him 'Freddie.'
"Uh, Magical Mystery Tour?" It was more of a question, but Kiku accepted it nonetheless, his lips slightly pursed, as if it wasn't his favourite album.
Oh, shit.
He put it in, sitting in front of Alfred.
"Well, this one's actually a bit old. '67, you know. And Abbey Road came out this year," He said, looking over the psychedelic cover and moving his shaggy hair out of his eyes.
Kiku heard the first notes of Blue Jay Way and quirked his thin eyebrows.
"Can you dig it?"
Even if Kiku had asked it, Alfred knew his eyes were really asking, dying to know, Can you dig me?
"Yeah, it's really boss, man..."
Kiku sat on the bed and talked to Alfred about his records, never looking away, shying away from those crystal eyes, mixing up his words a couple of times.
"Yeah, I would play Please Please Me, but... It's a little outdated," He frowned, handing a cigarette to Alfred. He rolled his eyes as he took a drag. He was pretty sure Please Please Me came out 1964.
Alfred was flustered at how happy Kiku got over songs, so just to make him feel good, he'd occasionally say things like, "That's bitchin'," or "Go cat, go!" whenever he'd start to sing or dance, or just nod to everything he would say, agreeing to all of the things he would spout off about the songs- he tried his best to listen, but when you were sitting with the cutest boy in your whole school, it made it kind of hard.
As Kiku put on his favourite song from the album, he stood up, taking both of Alfred's hands in his.
"How does it feel to be one of the beautiful people?" Kiku asked, meaning every word, even if it was just a line from the song.
The danced for a minute, forgetting all about singing, instead settling for frantically doing the twist, or busting a lung doing the Mashed Potato, and wildly laughing.
Suddenly Kiku stood straight, looking Alfred dead in the eyes.
"What did you see when you were there? Nothing that doesn't show," He sung, taking a breath for a second.
"Baby you're a rich man! Baby you're a rich man! Baby, you're a rich man, too!" He shouted, pointing at Alfred, who good naturedly laughed out loud. Kiku smacked his arm before continuing.
"You keep all your money in a big brown bag! Inside a zoo! What a thing to do!" He laughed, putting his head on Alfred's chest to rest for a moment, stifling a gasp at how firm it was. Why was he ever so shy?
Alfred watched Kiku finger through his albums, clicking his tongue as he was trying to find the one he was looking for. Kiku took out an album called Odessy And The Oracle, what Alfred knew to be The Zombies, something he hadn't really listened to very frequently. Sitting down, he watched him put it in, expecting him to sit beside him, but instead, was met with surprise as Kiku started dancing to the slow beat alone, hips imitating the slow, slovenliness time of the song, hips jerking every time the singer let out a tired breath, sometimes snapping his fingers.
Alfred watched him on the edge of the bed in complete silence, almost too afraid to move. Kiku started to sing along, voice deep and dragging.
"It's the time of the season,
When love runs high
In this time, give it to me easy," He said in an alluring voice, sneaking a look at Alfred. He lifted his hands in the air as he sang 'high'.
"And let me try with pleasured hands
To take you in the sun to...
...Tell you what...
It's the time of the season for loving," He mumbled, groping the air with needy hands.
He let the music take over for a minute, no longer singing along. He seemed so into it, Alfred did not want to start dancing by him.
Kiku suddenly looked at him and pointed a small finger at him.
"What's your name?" He sung suggestively, pointing at Alfred with wide eyes.
"Who's your daddy?" He asked seductively, flipping his arm over and brining back a beckoning finger to Alfred in such an irresistible way, eyes closing.
"Is he rich like me?" He purred the words carefully. He made sure Alfred heard every little sound he made. From his small breaths, to the noise of his corduroy bell bottoms scraping together at the inner thighs, to the light, miniscule noise of his shaggy hair falling onto itself, and all over his face.
"Has he taken
Any time
To show you what you need to live?" He sang in a breathy voice, pointing at Alfred once more.
Thank God his father wasn't home to hear it.
Oh sweet Jesus, he definitely needed this to live. Alfred crossed his legs, staring at the careless sway of his hips. He felt himself go rigid- this was more pleasurable to watch than he'd like to admit- he knew this was never meant to be taken lightly.
"Tell it to me slowly! Tell you what
I really want to know
It's the time of the season for loving," He mouthed, still swaying for his one man show, sometimes bringing a hand to his hair.
He danced as if he did this everyday, occasionally clapping, as if Alfred wasn't even there, yet fully aware of his presence, sneaking glances at the boy who was too infatuated- or too nervous to even notice them. He was sitting at the edge of the bed, clinging to the end of his shirt for dear life.
If Alfred was standing, his legs would buckle- he felt weak in the knees. with such a sweeping feeling in his stomach, a rush of ecstasy, he became startled, looking around. Well, there was no other way to say it. Alfred was in another persons house, in front of Kiku, hard.
"Loosen up a little, Freddie," He said slyly, staring at the rigid way he sat. What exactly was he hiding? Kiku knew, but he wanted to see it, almost wanted to feel it himself- even if he knew he couldn't. Not yet, anyways. Slowly, he reached for Alfred's hands. He rested them on his shoulders for a few seconds, letting him feel the slack movements.
Alfred felt like fainting every time he jerked his hips to the moment the singer let out a breath.
Slowly, he lowered them down to his chest, the palms of Alfred's hands resting right over Kiku's nipples.
Still dancing, he kept them there, his hands on top of Alfred's, letting him feel him. He moved forward a bit, closer to Alfred, still practically sighing the lyrics with a lustful breath. Kiku let the effervescence take over him as he put his legs outside of Alfred's, trapping him between his legs. Still swaying those hips of his to the slow beat, he lowered his hands even more, moving past his chest.
Alfred stiffened. No, no, no... As much as he wanted it, he already had an erection, and didn't want to get even more embarrassed than he already was. Kiku moved his hands at a leisurely pace down to rest on his moving hips, keeping them locked there with his own. He let him feel the lax movements of his hips, the feelings in his heart (and another place), the thoughts in his head. If he closed his eyes, it was calming, yet simultaneously insanely arousing. But no, it wasn't forced- Alfred would've moved by now if he wanted to. He did a complete 360 turn, delighted to find Alfred's hands still there.
"What's your name? Who's your daddy? Is he rich like me?" He asked, a playful smile on his face. He put one hand on his shoulder, the other under his chin.
"Has he taken
Any time," He said, bending down to meet his face.
"To show you what you need to live?" He said breathlessly, almost cutting off at the end. He was practically mumbling at this point, and didn't seem to have anymore interest in the song.
He looked into Alfred's eyes, leaning in close. Alfred tensed up, staring back into what was normally dull. They were a bit brighter now, like staring into a clean lake.
The music played in the background, but Kiku was no longer singing, nor dancing. His hand was still under Alfred's chin, but their lips were so close it made Alfred a little nervous- why don't they kiss a little later? His sixteenth birthday was coming up really really soon, like next month soon... So maybe then...?
Tell it to me slowly
Tell you what
(I really want to know)
It's the time of the season for loving
Kiku moved his hand from his shoulder to behind his head. He looked deeper into Alfred's eyes, making him tense for a second. It was as if Kiku could see everything about him- he was reading him, like it was nothing. Alfred didn't like being read- but if it was Kiku doing it, it was okay, even welcomed.
And Kiku loved what he saw; every bit of it. Kiku didn't ever think he would feel that way about anyone. But as he looked into the hesitant eyes of the boy in front of him, and he was all he could see, Kiku couldn't deny the fact; ever since he had met Alfred, he was gone. He was beyond saving. And he didn't want to 'be saved', if there was even such a thing.
He leaned in, his nose touching the other's, a peculiar feeling.
At this moment, Alfred seemed to finally give in, to click. He moved his right hand (both were stuck in place) to the small of Kiku's back, leaving the other at his hip. Closing his clear blue eyes, he anticipated the kiss he knew was going to come.
"Knock knock knock!"
Kiku practically jumped, running over to his record player. He fumbled around with it, making the scene seem somewhat natural. The door opened to reveal a slightly taller Asian man, keys still in hand.
"I brought home pizza! Oh, who's this?" He asked, looking at Alfred in surprise. He didn't think he'd bring a friend home.
Kiku was still turned away from him, probably hiding more than an angry face at being interrupted. It was the first time Kiku could recall ever being mad with his father.
Alfred, more relieved than annoyed quickly offered his hand.
"I'm Alfred, A-Alfred F. Jones, Kiku's best friend!" He said, still sitting on the bed. He couldn't stand without embarrassing and revealing himself, and there was no way in hell he'd do that. He answered for Kiku, knowing he wouldn't, glancing at him through worried eyes.
Yao stood dumbfounded, taking his hand, marveling at the strong grip and handsome face he was met with.
"What a nice grip," He remarked, laughing lightly. He admired his earnestness and his seemingly endearing nature. He seemed like an ok kid.
"Well, you two can share this, I'm full from lunch, haha," He said, jerking his thumb to the staircase. Kiku knew what Yao was thinking.
Give him his food and go.
As the door closed lightly, Kiku finally turned to face Alfred, praying Alfred wouldn't look any further than his face. They looked at each other's urgent, flustered faces and began to laugh, nervously at first, then developing into stomach destroying laughter.
By the time they were done eating, Alfred knew it was time for him to leave.
"See you at school tomorrow, Kiku!" He smiled, waving as he walked away.
Well. He'd think about this one for a while.
Needless to say, it was the best Sunday Kiku had ever had.
_
Yeah, so I put the video of the song Kiku danced to up there because I know all of you are too lazy to look it up. I know you're too lazy, but consider listening to Martha, My Dear. It's short, but it's a sweet song.
Haha, I the twist and the mashed potatoes are dances in the sixties. The twist is an easy one everyone thinks of when they think of sixties dancing, and the mashed potato is, too, I suppose, but I can really see them doing the mashed potato together for some reason. That, and I am tired of looking up and watching YouTube vidoes of sixties dances. But who knows, knowing me, I'll probably go back and edit other dances in over time.
Haha, I hope you can all infer this takes place during the Vietnam war, so that's why people are pretty racist to Kiku.
And this is fun/convenient to write since I live in Orange County, and I can just ask my dad and my (Asian) mom how it was back then, lol. Funnily enough, Orange County wasn't always a big city, but farmland, the majority being strawberry fields. And yeah, I know not all of America was like this, especially New York, but during/after the Vietnam War, Orange was the main place Asians immigrated to. But yeah, in this fic, Kiku and Yao are like, totally 100% American, haha. I bet Kiku says "Wang" like way-ng.
But since this takes place in the Vietnam War, in the sixties, that also means a lot of people didn't accept homosexuality, so that's why they're so secretive about it, although, the adults that were gay(even if they were straight tbh) were super overly flamboyant, so yeah. Another big reason Kiku was probably hated more than other people is because he's so wealthy, and probably more than a lot of the others at school, have it be white or Asian.
But anyways, if you're anything like me, slang is funny and fun to use, so I'll pretty much unintentionally overuse 60's California slang.
Also, sorry for the sucky selection of words and execution of things, alright guys?
(Video: Time Of The Season- The Zombies, 1968)
