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 was in the club again, this time with my camera. Kiku was avidly examining it in this weird, creepy manner on his desk. He really loves cameras, huh?
"Uh…Kiku?" I asked tentatively. I didn't want to disturb him from his admiration or anything, but I thought he had something to teach me today?
"Oh! Sorry, Alfred… I was distracted by the camera. You've got a good model here. How much did this cost you?" he turned to me, a glint in his eyes.
"Dunno, I just got it last Christmas as a present." I shrugged. He nodded, looking a bit disappointed. Maybe he wanted to get a camera like this as well. He slung the strap on his neck and turned the camera on, and held it up a bit, before deciding to put it back down again. He then scooted a bit further away from me and turned towards me, pointing the camera at me.
"Smile, Alfred." he commanded, and I looked at him, a bit surprised. I normally didn't like to have my picture taken since I'm always nervous at how the pictures turn out. People say I'm photogenic enough so I don't need to worry, but I just don't know.
"Wh-what? Why are you taking a picture of me?" I sputtered, blinking.
"Just to test the camera." he frowned slightly; he probably thought my reaction was a bit weird.
I hesitantly obliged and smiled for the camera. He pressed the button and I heard it click, my smile fading once it was over. He placed the DSLR back onto his table.
He started teaching me about these functions and stuff like aperture and shutter speed and those kinds of things. I'll admit that I somewhat spaced out in the middle of the lesson/lecture, but I guess I learned a few handy things. He talked a bit faster than usual, like me when I talk about video games and stuff. I just nodded along to show him that I was still listening.
"Oh, sorry, I'd like to examine your camera further," (for what, bombs and hidden weapons?) "you may go to the back and help Natalya clean up some of the things while you wait." Kiku nodded and pointed to the other side of the room which was separated with a partition. I nodded before getting out of my seat and going inside the other side of the clubroom.
Natalya was standing in front of a file cabinet, her fingers meticulously flipping one folder after another, checking its label. She was quite short, but she looked like she could pack a punch. She wore a girly dress that didn't really look right with her unimpressed personality.
"Hey, Nattie." I greeted her as I walked over towards her.
She turned around, looking annoyed already. Geez, what'd I do to her?
"What do you want?" she asked me, her voice dripping with a thick
Russian accent.
"Kiku sent me back here to help."
"I can manage on my own, so just sit there in one corner and don't bother me." Wow, this chick's got a 3-foot stick up her ass. What's up with her? She turned back to the folders she was attending to before, so I pulled a chair beside her and sat down, watching her.
It was needless to say, boring. I watched her make her way through the thick bunch of folders and paperwork, which made me yawn a bit.
"Hey Nattie?" I spoke up again.
"What is it?" she snapped her head around to look at me, looking a bit more annoyed.
"Did you send this?" I held up the note I received from her somewhat around a week ago. Well, I'm pretty sure it's from her…
"Oh, that." she noticed it immediately, her expression turning less hostile. "What about it?" she had stopped fussing over the contents of the filing cabinet and closed it, giving me her full, undivided attention.
"I… Uh, I just wanted to say that you're welcome and that you shouldn't let those people get to you with their comments and stuff. They're just biased." I shook my head, frowning a bit.
"I never said I let them get to me…" she frowned and I felt kinda stupid. So she was okay with them bad-mouthing her family? "I don't care if they think we act quite weird, as long as they stay away from my siblings. I know Ivan holds out pretty well, but my sestra – sister, I mean – she gets teased a lot. I don't want anyone bothering her." she frowned, as if the slightest mention of it pissed her off.
I looked at her a bit sympathetically. "Sorry..." I mumbled. "But... Wow, you're a nice little sister..." I tried to compliment her, but she only raised her eyebrows at me, half-amused. "What do they tease your sister about?" I asked curiously.
"Double D's." she bluntly said, scowling a bit. "Everyone tells her it must be fake or whatever, and they all give her a hard time because of it. They call her pretty bad names." she didn't elaborate, but I could only imagine what kind of harsh insults were thrown towards her. I felt sorry for her sister, really.
"That must be hard..." I mumbled, having nothing else better to say. "Ah, well, she's lucky she's got a good sister like you who'll defend her, huh?" I grinned at her proudly, but she just scowled.
"Don't talk to me like I'm 10 or something. Anyway, I just thanked you for not agreeing to those girls who talked about us like that. Even if they actually were talking about my brother and I instead of my sister. Still, I hate hearing those kinds of stuff."
"Does your brother get bad-mouthed behind his back as well?"
"Yeah, they keep talking about how creepy he is and how he's probably some kind of weird kid who's into weird fetishes and crap. Some even say he probably buries dead bodies in his yard, but of course that's not true. Ivan doesn't really mind them, but I do. I just..." she paused, breathing heavily. "I don't like gossip, in general. Gossips, bullying, talking behind people's backs... It's despicable."
I nodded in agreement. I hated those kinds of things as well.
"So yeah, I guess my thanking you was more of just, 'thanks for not being a prejudiced asshole'." she shrugged, leaning against the cabinet.
"Huh. Well, you're welcome then." I chuckled and leaned back against my chair. "I guess you're pretty okay, Nattie. I'm glad I wasn't biased against you." I laughed jokingly.
"Oh, is that so? Well, I don't think you'd want to get on my bad side. You'll certainly regret it." she said nonchalantly, despite her words.
"Really? Um... Okay, then." I nodded slowly, a bit creeped out.
"Alfred, come here, please." Kiku popped from the side of the partition, calling me out.
"Coming." I stood up and put back the chair, catching a glimpse of Natalya's relieved sigh as I walked out of that area.
"A party, huh?" I was seated beside Liz and Maria again. They had come to my table uninvited, and started blabbering to me about a party in Anneliese's house. Anneliese was a rich kid, like I suspected, so their house was undoubtedly a mansion and can hold a party. I bet Maria and Liz forced her into this, because I highly doubt Anneliese likes throwing parties.
"Come on, it'll be fun!" she urged me, grinning madly. I'm not so sure about this, really.
"I'll probably be the only freshman there..." I laughed nervously, as if that excuse would deter them. Of course it won't, not when they prey on me like a hungry pack of wolves. Not in a good way, of course.
Elizaveta waved her hand dismissively, "Well, so what if you're the only freshman there? It's not as if anyone would care!" she laughed.
Maria thought for a while. "Hmm... Maybe you could bring someone with you, you know, like a date! Just so you won't feel so out of place." she grinned cheekily at me before biting into her bacon sandwich, waiting for my answer.
Is she crazy? A date? What kind of message would that send out to people, geez? I wanted to yell that at her, but I didn't.
"I'll think about it." I nodded instead. Who could I take? I mean, Kiku doesn't look like a party-person, and I'm pretty sure no one would really want Natalya around... I daren't even ask Arthur, and Francis would most likely go there anyway...
"Great! See ya this Friday, 8 PM!" she and Liz stood up and left looking quite cheerful, giving me a half-assed wave as they went.
They sounded as if I actually agreed to this. I sighed, morosely taking a bit out of my grilled-cheese sandwich. You're the only one who understands me, oh, grilled-cheese sandwich.
"You got invited to a party?" Dad repeated incredulously over dinner.
"Yeah, these two high school senior girls did." I said nonchalantly. Maddie's eyes were glinting with glee. Yes, I could see that even with just a side glance.
"I don't know..." my mom shook her head uncertainly. She's always been the protective one between her and dad. She's a hopeless worry-wart.
"I think he should go, it'll be good experience for him." I heard Dad say to Mom. I secretly wished my mom would win in this round of decision-making so that I had a legit reason not to go.
"Oh, all right." she conceded, to my disbelief. Damn. I almost begged them not to let me go. "Just be home by 12, okay?" she said sternly before taking a bite from her food.
"Nice one, Al. You got invited by the seniors." Maddie snickered at me in a hush.
"Yeah, whatever." I groaned a bit, resuming the consumption of my dinner.
It was Friday night, and we were going to the party. I took Zoe along with me, since she also heard about it and wanted to go. Her brother Isaak was driving us there. He seemed like a nice guy, just not one you could easily run a conversation with. Zoe was sitting in the front seat and I was at the back. She hummed a song on the radio, while Isaak's arm was out the window, a smoke between his fingers.
"Where was it, again?" Isaak asked me. This was the third time he asked. I'm kinda scared we'll all get lost or something now.
"Wait, hang on for a moment." I replied, whipping out my phone and texting Maria.
"Take the second left then a right, the house is white and has a lot of lights on." That's what she replied.
Isaak nodded and did as I told him to. Minutes later, we arrived in front of Anneliese's house. It was really impressive and huge. I wondered if her parents didn't mind her having a party here.
Music was blaring inside, and I could see silhouettes of people dancing through the window's curtain. Zoe and I got out of the car, Isaak telling both of us to just give him a call when we needed to go back home. He's a pretty awesome guy.
"Come on, let's go!" Zoe excitedly said, nudging me with her shoulder.
"Oh, yeah, sorry. Come on." I snapped out of that trance thing while I watched Isaak's car drive away.
We walked up the front door and knocked. We waited for a while, but no one answered. We tried the doorbell and knocking again, but the music was too loud for them to hear it. I grew annoyed of it so I called Liz.
"Liz, we're here already, no one's opening the door for us!" I said to her.
"Oh, sorry! I'll get the door for ya." she hung up and moments later we were let in. I could see some of the people grinning at me and Zoe. They probably think she was my girlfriend or something. Shit...
"So, I'll introduce you to some friends of mine..." Liz started to talk rapidly, and Zoe was just tagging along behind me like a lost kid.
"Oh, sorry, didn't see you there. What did you say your name was?" she asked Zoe sweetly.
"Zoe. I'm also a freshman." she smiled a bit.
"Ah. Okay. Well, I'll show you around as well." she nodded.
"Liz, hey." a black guy approached us. His hair was tied into a ponytail and he was quite plump and short.
"Oh, Marco, hey." Liz nodded. "This is Alfred and this is Zoe." she pointed to us.
"Cool. Name's Marco. Drinks are in the back." he grinned at us before he went off.
This is getting a bit confusing. See, this is why I don't go to parties.
Zoe and Liz went upstairs to play a few games, while I stayed downstairs. I took a can of coke from the drinks area and opened it. I sat in a corner and drank the softdrink, hoping that the time would pass and no one would notice me.
A few hours later and it was 11 in the evening. I was still seated in the corner, biding time. A few people came to say hi, and I even saw Jett there.
A person stumbled into the living room and leaned against the door, looking wasted. I took a closer look and to my surprise it was Arthur. Wow, I didn't know he was into parties and stuff.
"Arthur!" I called out, beckoning him. Bad idea.
"Oh, Alfred, hi—" he hiccupped, and then smiled. "What's up?" another hiccup.
"Nothing much, really." I shrugged, letting him sit on the chair next to mine.
"That's cool." he laughed, taking a swig out of his plastic cup before sitting beside me. He smelled of booze and sweat. Maybe someone spiked the drinks. None of us here were even legal. Well, except for Anneliese's parents.
"Dude, are you drunk?" I casually asked with a laugh. He turned to me; his expression was dopey.
"Uh-huh, I guess." he shrugged.
I looked warily at him. He seemed to be quite an awful drunk. He leaned his head on my shoulder, and I gave a startled jolt.
"Arthur?"
He hiccupped.
"Alfred, I'm sleepy. Can you take me back to my place?" he whined, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Uh... Well... I don't have a car, and I don't even know where your house is. Sorry, bro." I apologized.
"Oh, well. I guess I'll drive myself home." he chuckled, hiccuping again.
"What? No way are you driving while you're drunk!" I protested, looking very fearful.
"I'm fine," he groaned, drawing out the 'i' in 'fine' longer than necessary. "I'll be okay. So, yeah, I'll go now, haha." he grinned goofily, standing up. His knees wobbled a bit and he almost lost his balance and fell, but I grabbed his hand just in time.
"You can't go, Arthur, you're drunk!" I exclaimed. He turned around, laughing. "'M fine, really." he waved it off dismissively.
"No." I sternly said.
"Aww, okay, I'll stay." he groaned and plopped back onto his seat.
"Good." I let his hand go carefully, as if he'll make a run for it if I let my guard down.
A few minutes passed and he turned to me, asking, "Alfred, is that blonde girl really your girlfriend?"
I was caught off-guard, so I stuttered a bit. "Wh-what? No, she's not, what made you think so?"
"Well, duh, you took her to this party. Of course it would look that way." he shrugged. "So she isn't?" he asked again just to check.
"No." I answered more surely now.
"Oh, okay." he shrugged and pulled my arm, making me lean down as he harshly placed his lips against mine.
Author's Notes: Whoop whoop guys, I got grounded again! This calls for a semi-hiatus of sorts. Oh, and it's also 'back to school' for me! I hope this isn't boring you guys or anything, really. Anyway, thanks for the reviews last chapter!
By the way, Marco = Cuba in case you guys were wondering. Minor appearance.
Could you guys send suggestions on which character you would like to see in the story? Much appreciated~
BY THE WAY, THIS IS SO SHORT. I WAS ALL LIKE, "HOLY SHIT" BECAUSE FROM 3000 TO 4000 TO 5000, THIS CHAPTER IS JUST 2500+ AND I AM HIGHLY UNIMPRESSED.
The next update might be a little slow since I am grounded and on semi-hiatus and all. Ugh.