Smokes and Punk Clothes
A USUK fanfic
Warning: Rated M for later chapters and also language, just to be safe. High school AU, lots of characters, delinquent!Arthur and popular new-guy!Alfred. Some characters will be gender-bent. Alfred's POV
{ ...You could really tell that I just copy-paste that shit, huh? }
I walked around the hallway, looking for a certain room. It was rainier than usual outside. Guys, this is not fucking England. We are in fucking America.
I sneezed. I had caught a cold thanks to my awesome act of stupidity yesterday. I sniffled a bit, the sound was loud amongst the deafening silence.
It was already after school, and the halls were empty. Everyone just wanted to get home. Only the students who attend clubs stay after school hours. Oh, and teachers. They have to finish up their grade sheets or whatever teachers do besides teaching us boring crap. Damn, this building is huge. Stupid large campus, I can't even find the room I'm looking for.
Oh, yeah, I'm looking for the Photography Club's room. I know Arthur told me he'd take me there, but I didn't see him at all today, so I decided to go on my own. He might introduce me after it's too late, and the president won't accept members anymore.
"Ah, so you'll introduce me to him?" Alfred heard voice from the other corner of the hallway.
"Yes, I do believe he's talented, and ― speak of the devil, here's the man himself." I saw Arthur and some other guy run into me from the corner. The other guy was smaller, a bit pale and undoubtedly Asian. He had some kind of anime pin stuck to the strap of his messenger bag. I wonder if this is the president of the photography club...
Arthur raised an eyebrow, amused to see me around. "Hello, Alfred. This is Kiku, president of the Photography Club. He's your senior." he lifted a hand, presenting Kiku to me. "Kiku, this is the guy I wanted you to meet."
"Pleased to meet you." the smaller guy bowed a bit. He's kinda small to be my senior, huh? Well, Arthur's kinda small too, and he's also my senior.
"Nice to meet ya." I nodded, smiling at him. First impressions, Alfred.
Kiku cleared his throat and looked at his blonde friend, which I, only noticed now, was only wearing another band shirt and dark jeans and those boots he loved to wear so much. Nothing too outstanding or peculiar, now. He still had the piercings, though.
"I am delighted to make his acquaintance, but I'll be frank: why did you specifically ask me to meet him?" he asked bluntly, and my stomach did a funny lurch. He hasn't told him yet? All I could hope for was that Arthur would back me up on this one.
"I wanted to ask you if he could join the Photography club." he replied, his tone unchanging.
Kiku mulled it over for a moment, giving it some thought. I was nervous, though I tried not to show it. Arthur did tell me Kiku was a bit strict when it comes to letting members in.
He finally looked at us again, having reached what I thought was a decision.
"Hm. Well, are there any defining points about him that made you personally refer him to me? You know we're old friends and all, but you've never really done this before, so I'm curious as to why you handpicked him." Kiku looked at him quite stoically. So he and Arthur go way back, huh. I don't know if I'm supposed to be flattered or just kinda freaked out now that I find out that Arthur specially referred me.
"Alfred's got a great eye for people, and I would guess things as well." he shrugged, the answer was readily said from his mouth, like he didn't need to think it over. Of course, knowing Arthur (even though I haven't known him for more than 2 days), he really didn't.
"He can observe people and their actions stealthily. He would know when a good shot can be taken, and he'd do a pretty hushed up job about it. I do recall you mentioning something about more stealth photographers in your club." he continued, and I had to resist the urge to clamp a hand over his mouth. Why was he trying hard to get me into this club, going so far as to embellish my qualities and characteristics?
As he said that, I saw Kiku's face lighten up. "I'll think about it..." he nodded with a slight frown, as if he was slightly annoyed at Arthur for getting him like that with all that describing.
He turned to me, looking all professional and business-y. He removed his backpack from his back and pulled out a piece of paper from it, putting it on the floor before handing over the xeroxed sheet to me. "It'll be standard procedure; You will have to fill this application form. The lowest part instructs you to take pictures of whatever is told in the categories below. 4R, matte front, coloured unless stated. No post-processing." he stated clearly. I could sense how serious he was with the position and responsibility handed out to him.
I couldn't believe this. "Mhm, I got that." I nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "Thanks so much for the chance, Kiku!"
"Er... You're welcome." he looked slightly taken aback by my energetic and enthusiastic expression of gratitude. Oh, yeah, I forgot he's like, Asian or whatever so he must be all reserved or something. "I'll be expecting it by next week. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go now." he said with a tiny smile and bowed before leaving me and Arthur standing in the middle of the hall. I was still unable to get over the indescribable amount of joy I'm feeling. Next week. It's Wednesday, so I still have a week to go.
I turned to Arthur, grinning madly. "Artie, dude, that was so cool, thank you so much for that and oh my God how do I even thank you properly?" I said in a rush.
He merely raised an eyebrow at me, as if he was unable to understand my happiness. "Uh-huh. It's nothing, really."
"Why did you decide to help me, though?" I asked, calming down a bit. This had only occurred to me right now. Why would he do that, though?
"I decided I could use you to my band's advantage." he smirked a bit, and my eyebrows shot up. So this whole helping thing was to his advantage as well, that's why he helped me? I knew it wasn't an act of 100% good will and kindheartedness. I'm not sure why I felt kinda disappointed to know that, though. Why would I even expect him to do me a huge favor out of the blue? I couldn't help feeling kinda cheated on or betrayed, even though I wasn't really supposed to be.
"Oh? How would you use me to your benefit, exactly?" I asked, looking at him confusedly.
He paused for a moment, trying to piece the sentence together carefully. "I need you to be the one to take the pictures, even videos of the band. We'll need it for the publicity and stuff. We can't do it consistently since we got our hands full, and we can't always rely on the photographers from the clubs to do a good or even halfway decent job. Basically, you'll be in charge of graphics and stuff. Videos, photos, Photoshopping, posters, all that crap. You can do those stuff while under the cover of the Photography club." he waved his hands in gestures as he explained it to me.
"You serious, dude? That would be like, so cool." oh shit, I'm acting like a total fanboy, aren't I? I've never even heard them play!
"Serious as serious can be."
"Sounds great." I laughed. "I'll look forward to working with you, then."
He nodded. "So, basically, when we perform during school-shit events or whatever, you have to get yourself in charge of taking the pics of the event as well. It's double job; you have to do your work for the club, and you have to do your work for us. That would mean, two separate pieces of outcome as well. When I say 'get yourself in charge', I mean 'volunteer'. That way, you could actually take the pictures officially. It gets the job done easier."
"So, in short I'm your cameraman. Gotcha." I clicked my tongue with a grin, winked at him and pointed both of my fingers at him. "What's in it for me, though?" I frowned. I didn't want to do a job that only benefitted them, you know!
He frowned and sighed, looking slightly disappointed. "I knew you didn't weren't that easy, Jones." he smirked amusedly, as if caught in his dirty little scheme.
"You'll be paid, of course, and you'd get to hang with the band."
Great! Cash and a bunch of new friends to hang out with! I got a pretty sweet deal here, folks!
"Hmm. That'll do, I guess." I shrugged.
"Good." Something tells me even cash and a bunch of new friends seemed to displease him a lot already. I heard him mutter something under his breath, but I didn't hear him pretty well.
"I will have to trust you not to tell anyone that part of the photographer gig; I don't want word getting out that I've been using club people for my personal gain." he added a bit afterwards, his tone all serious and his look was all like, 'Bitch-you-better-do-as-I-say-because-terrible-things-happen-to-people-who-don't-follow-my-orders'. I'm not sure if that simile was perfectly said and if it had accurately captured the moment, though.
I suddenly remembered. "Hey, what was that all about, by the way? I mean, you like, embellished my character and all, telling Kiku all sorts of things!"
He chuckled. "It was true, though. The observing part. I've been on the receiving end so I know it to be true." he chuckled again, and smiled a bit at me before walking away down the hallway, leaving me a bit shocked.
So, he knew all those times I was looking the whole time? I stood there, stunned at this new revelation. Talk about embarrassing.
This is just perfect. Peachy.
"No. Freaking. Way." Zoe stared at me, her eyes like saucers. We were chatting over lunch the next day, and I just told her about me getting a shot at joining the Photography Club (God, saying 'Photography Club' is just so tedious. Can I just say 'CamClub' to make life easier for me?).
"I'm not busting your balls here." I frowned a bit, biting into my donut.
"But I don't have balls!" she laughed, taking a sip from her orange soda. "Seriously, though. I heard it was impossible, since it was run by this strict, uptight Japanese student or whatever." she looked all interested and shit.
"Mhm, yeah, but I haven't really gotten in, you know?" I laughed.
"Oh, well, if he gave you a second thought, then it's probably better than most and probably closer than anyone else has gotten."
Wow, is he that picky when it comes to new members?
"Photography Club, though..." she thought it over. "I hear that club's got a shady rep. They're associated with the school newspaper, and anything that has to do with publicity has got to be bad in its own way. Oh, and I hear they also do this secret service thing where you can buy pics of someone, and they don't care what you'll use it on, as long as they get paid for it." she whispered to me in a low voice. Yikes, maybe that's what Arthur meant by 'stealth photographer'. Suddenly, I am beginning to question the legitimacy of this club. It doesn't sound as innocent and proper as it's supposed to be now that Zoe screwed it up like this.
"Is that so? Well, I'll just find out for myself." I shrugged, not showing my worrying about it.
"You go do that." she laughed again, putting down her soda can on the table, the aluminium making the lightest, faintest clink against the tabletop.
We sat eating our lunches (more like "snack", but whatever) in silence, having nothing else to say.
"How about you, have ya applied for a club yet?" I asked her, breaking the silence now.
"Oh, yeah, I joined the gardening club." she smiled and I snorted in laughter. She pulled a mock-offended face. "Why are you laughing?"
"Nothing. I didn't expect ya to be the gardening type."
"Well, I am, so deal with it." she smiled now. "Honestly, though, it runs in our family. Gardening, I mean. Even my brother Isaak gardens. He's like this big, stoic, surly type, one of the least people you'd expect to take up the hobby."
"That's cool." I nodded, dusting off the crumbs from the sleeve of my shirt. She stood up, the empty soda can in her right hand, "We should go get our books from the locker now, we have English next." she reminded me.
I stood up as well, placing the tray in the deposit area, leaving the cafeteria with her.
"Don't you get tired of hanging out with girls?" she said all of a sudden. I only noticed now, but I hardly hang out with guys. The only guys I've interacted with recently are Arthur and Francis and Kiku, even if Kiku and I aren't that close yet.
"Not really." I laughed, waving it off. I didn't really want to hurt her feelings so I just said that. It does get kinda annoying when all the girls just... crowd around you and encroach your personal space all the time. Kinda like what Maria did when she, Liz and Anneliese sat with me all of a sudden in the caf.
We parted for a while since our lockers were far from one another, then we just went to the English room on our own. She sat next to me like always, and started to ask me things about waffles and waffle mix and I remember myself saying something along the lines of pancake mix being the same as waffle mix. I would know, since Maddie always cooks pancakes on Sunday mornings.
Class started and I absentmindedly wrote down notes about whatever. I don't really have the best attention span in the world, so my notes just kinda tend to trail off mid-sentence until I look at them when I review for my exams and wonder what the he'll was I supposed to write next.
Monday after classes, I walked inside the club room, where Kiku was poring over some of the archives. There were voices coming from the room at the back which was only separated by a divider. I walked over to his desk, placing a white folder labelled 'Jones' on his desk. He looked up.
"Two days early? I see you are quite confident about your application."
Not even a 'hi' or 'hello'. I was too nervous to care right now, though. I swallowed, licking my dry lips. "Yeah, I got it done quite early. I hope it's not a problem?"
"Not at all." he smiled for a flicker of a second, and reached out towards the folder. He opened it and started to read the form inside. I tried my best to keep my handwriting neat and legible when I filled it out.
He wasn't making any sounds of approval or nodding or anything. I couldn't tell what he thought of it. It just made my nervousness escalate, and I was practically sweating.
Why am I so determined to get in, though? I mean, it's not like I actually cared about joining a club before until Francis somewhat pressured me into it. Maybe it was the way Arthur had described it. Maybe it was because I wanted to impress people with my skill and not with my looks so that people actually have something better about me to fawn over. I wanted to show these people that I can do something and that I can impress Mr. President here enough to let me join. Yeah, I guess that's what got me all fired up about this. Besides, photography is my past time, so it's no biggie. Oh, God, I hope he actually appr ―
"Jones." his voice snapped me back into reality. He looked kinda worried, and I noticed it was because I had started mumbling to myself frenziedly.
"Oh, um, sorry..." I cleared my throat. "So, uh, how did I do?" I was so on edge. I needed to know.
"I liked the pictures." he nodded a bit, but I guess that wasn't much, since he probably says that to everyone. I expected him to say 'but...' but it never really came.
"That's it?" I sounded kinda rude or something so I hastily amended for it. "No, I meant, is that all? Didn't I mess up somewhere or whatever?" I looked at him with wide eyes.
He blinked, "Yes, that's all. You followed my rules, didn't you? No post-processing, 4R matte, coloured everything except for the one I asked for black-and-white... You've got better experience than the others who go and apply here who are so used to the fast point-and-shoot, that their pictures come out crappy. Point-and-shoot tactics should only be used for like, say, if you're moving or something, or if you're really experience." he waved his hand. "Some of them submit like, somewhat blurred pictures, because they weren't trained to stay still and focus. They think photography is just like, pointing it and shooting it. It's like the same with guns. You need technique, you need focus, you need practice. If guns were as easy as point and shoot, you would be a piss poor shot." he frowned, going on and on about the importance of photography. Once he gets started, he won't stop.
"You could use a bit more practice, though. You used a digital camera, am I correct?" he asked me again.
"Yeah." I nodded. I owned a DSLR that I got last Christmas, which was the one I used. I asked my parents for a digital camera, and they got me that huge monster of a camera. I'm still trying to figure out what 95% of the buttons and settings do, but I'm kinda scared that it might explode when I do. Too bad I threw the manual away.
"You should try to experiment with the settings more. What kind of camera is it?" he asked again, looking at me with this weird glint in his eyes. Wow, he must really be passionate about photography or something.
I paused for a moment. I really shouldn't have thrown away the manual. I decided that I should just come out clean. "I don't know the exact model, but it's a DSLR, and it's 18 megapixels."
He looked pretty satisfied; the camera's specs probably met his standards. "Normally, one of those semi-DLSRs would do, you know, one of those medium sized digicams? Or a really high-quality lightweight digicam so it's easier to carry around. DLSRs are pretty bulky, but if you can handle carrying it everywhere and if you could really take care of it, then it should be no problem. Take it with you here this Wednesday and we'll take a look."
Wait. "So does that mean I'm in?" I was this close to jumping up and down excitedly in front of him.
"Yes. I can't introduce you to the members right now, though. They're all busy at the back." he pointed to the partition behind him with a jab of his thumb. "Wednesday, after class. I'll be expecting you, Jones."
"Please, call me Alfred! Thank you so much, I..." I was at a loss for words, so I just made weird hand gestures, to which Kiku raised his eyebrow at.
"All right, Alfred. You can go along now. Thank you as well." he smiled.
"You're welcome, for whatever it is!" I laughed. "Okay, I'll get going now! Bye, Kiku, see ya this Wednesday!"
At the corner of my eye, I saw Kiku whip out his phone and type something on it, but I was too excited with what just happened to care.
Finally, something exciting for a change! I went to McDonalds when I got out of the school to grab something to eat on my way home, and I came out of the fast-food restaurant with two hamburgers and a soda.
"The deal's on. I get my share and you get yours." I heard someone say. That's kinda familiar. "I'll be looking forward to it. All right, bye." he chuckled.
I turned towards the voice and saw Arthur, who was half-sitting sideways on a black motorcycle, a helmet hanging on the handle.
"Yo, Artie." I walked over to his motorcycle, sitting down on the cement thing near the restaurant's glass panel.
He looked up, a slight scowl on his face when he looked at me. Welp. Better not call him that until we actually become closer friends.
"Hello. What are you doing here?"
"Getting an afternoon snack to celebrate my approval into the CamClub." I did a little dance, and he looked at me as if I was sub-normal.
"CamCl― Oh. You mean Photography Club." he looked kinda surprised for a second but it melted away. "I've heard."
"Yeah, saying 'photography' is just a mouthful." I sank my teeth into the soft buns of the burger, before ripping it away, munching on the Mickey D's goodness. "Wait, where did you hear it from?" I asked him after I swallowed my bite.
"Kiku. He just texted me."
"Ohh." I nodded in comprehension. "So, what are you doing here?" I asked back.
"Jett asked me to accompany him here. He's inside, buying a burger. Unlike him, I simply cannot stand those things you call burgers. It must be full of preservatives and shit." he gave a little shudder.
"Relax, man! It's not that bad, once you get to try it." I laughed, thinking I must've sounded like Spongebob when he tried to convince Squidward to try a Krabby Patty.
"Ahaha, no thank you." he laughed, though it was kinda fake, before deadpanning.
"Eh, you're no fun." I pouted at him mockingly, but he paid no mind.
"Art!" a voice called out. He had an accent, but it wasn't like Arthur's. Arthur's accent was British but this one is kinda... Aussie. Australian. I get confused sometimes which is which, like, Australia and Austria. I even get it mixed up type it wrong sometimes when I do my reports and stuff.
His hair was like, dark red. I don't know how to describe it accurately, but its color looks like a earthen pot. He was slightly tanned and I wondered if it was natural or not. He also had a band-aid on his nose. I wonder if he got into some fight or something.
Arthur rolled his eyes at the nickname. He probably just detests nicknames in general.
"You ready to go, mate?" the Aussie guy asked in his thick Aussie accent. All the Aussie.
Arthur nodded. "Oh, by the way, Jett, Alfred. Alfred, Jett." he said, pointing to each of us when he said our names. That wasn't really the best rushed introduction but hey.
"Oh, so you're the Alfred he told me about? Yeah, I've seen you around in school! Your face is pretty memorable so I kinda remembered. You're the new photographer, right? Sweet." he laughed and I nodded. The guy's coming off a bit too strong.
"Nice to meet you, too." I said a bit more simply. Wow, that was kinda lame.
"He plays the drums." Arthur pointed out.
"Ah." as if his drum-playing explains everything about his personality. Or maybe that's just a band stereotype.
"Man, Gweneth can finally shut up with all the complaints! She gets ticked off all the time when we need new band pics and she still has to set the self-timer, and it takes us forever to get a decent photo. Besides, it's also nice to have a proper cameraman for the gigs and shows and stuff." he grinned broadly, sitting down on the motorcycle behind Arthur, pulling on the safety helmet thing. "Anyway, we have to go now. See ya soon, Alfred!" said Jett the Earthen Pot-haired Aussie as Arthur revved up the motor, making the engine come to life, riding the motorcycle out into the street. I waved after them, seeing them off.
A tear slowly fell from my right eye and I sniffled. I'll probably miss th―
Wait, wait, wait. Hold the fuck up. What the hell was I talking about? Okay, that got me kinda sidetracked and confused. Huh. That was kinda weird...
I went home after I finished my McDonalds snack, and told my parents that I'm a member of the CamClub now. They were pretty happy, I guess. Maddie told me that at least I'm good for something in this world. I took mock-offense.
"What's the club's President like?" she asked me while we were doing the dishes. Tonight, she was washing, I was wiping.
"Japanese." I answered without thinking.
"I meant his personality, not his heritage or nationality or whatever." she looked at me like I was stupid.
"Oh. Pretty stoic and reserved, kinda strict when it comes to specifications about the photographs, and he's kinda like, crazy about photography. He's a nice guy once you get to know him, though, even if he is kinda odd." I shrugged, giving a half-decent description.
"What do you expect? He's like, the president of your school's photography club. Of course he'd be like, all crazy about it." she handed over another wet plate for me to wipe.
"Yeah, but he suddenly changes and starts being more open and stuff when it's about photos and stuff."
"Hm." she shrugged. "Some people are just like that, I guess."
"Whatever." I finished up wiping a bit after she finished washing the dishes. We both went upstairs to our rooms. I logged into my computer, checking my Facebook account and logging onto Skype. Don't get me wrong, I'm not like one of those people who only go online to play Farmville or something. I just check it because I might have some friend requests or something. I get a lot of them lately. A few hours later after I played Skyrim, I flopped onto my bed and passed out. Getting into the club was really just awesome, even if it had strings attached.
Author's Notes: OH MY GOD I AM SO SORRY I AM A DISAPPOINTMENT TO THE WORLD /cries
I know I told you guys I'll put the Slavics here (Belarus, Russia, Ukraine), but it suddenly got quite long that I didn't want to get it all crowded and stuff under one chapter and asdfghjjkll;;
Okay, I will definitely put the Slavics on the next chapter.
If I don't, I give you guys the permission to murder me.
I'm really sorry for the minimal interaction between Arthur and Alfred, as well! I hope I wrote Kiku well enough to make up for it ;A; Wait, no that won't make up for it who am I kidding ;A;
I'll probably update this between Monday-Thursday next week, since I'll be away this weekend. I'll be going to an outing with my distant relatives or something, I don't know.
By the way, if I make like mistakes about how school life goes in this story, I'll just come clean right now that I don't even know how schools in America work like. I know the very basics but that's about it? ;A; I just base it off what I know, what I assume and what I learn off the media. Yeah. =^=;;
So, yeah, I hope you didn't find this really boring and I hope you guys haven't given up agh ;3; I'll post the next chapter when I get it done. Now, I have to go to sleep and it's 12:51 AM and I leave for the outing thing at 9 AM tomorrow. UGH.
Thanks for the reviews, by the way! I love you guys, even if it's only a few of you peeps reviewing ;w; I appreciate it~ /hugs all people who reviewed in the last 2 chapters
'Till next chapter! /flies away