Chapter Text
~Davy~
July 4, 1989
20:00
Davy shut the door and slid down it, landing softly on his bottom as he hit the floor. The room was still bright as Tyler hadn't gone to bed yet, but his bed was empty and unmade. Davy could hear the shower going and could smell Tyler's Irish Spring bar soap.
Davy pushed the dark, wavy bangs from his eyes and groaned softly. Not in annoyance. Not in aggravation. But in longing. Why did he feel like this over a jock? A goofy boy with a goofy accent. Gangly and annoying. SO annoying.
Elias Choi was objectively one of the most annoying people he had ever met, yet he couldn't get that boy's sweet smile off his mind. His kind, wide-eyed gaze, his crooked smile and teeth, and his cute lisp. Davy never went for jocks, and he didn't understand why his heart pounded every time he thought about or saw him.
The shower shut off, the bathroom light turned off, and out walked Tyler with a towel hung loose and low around his hips. His bleached hair was brushed back out of his face.
"Oh, hey, Bummie." He smiled down at him. "How was your date with Eli?"
Davy frowned at the older, but not taller boy. "He kissed me."
"Oooooh that's exciting. Your first kiss."
"It was wet and slobbery like a dog."
Tyler cackled, walked over to the dresser in the middle of the front wall, and searched through its contents. "The first ones usually are. Do you think he knew it was your first kiss?"
"Well, it was definitely also his first kiss, Ty." Davy slowly pushed to his feet.
"Well, other than being slobbery, how was it?"
"What do you mean?"
He turned, hands on his hips, eyebrow raised. "What do you mean what do I mean? I mean, did you see fireworks? Sparks?"
"Was I supposed to? I don't have anything to compare it to." He walked to the dresser and took out his own pajamas.
"What did it feel like?"
"Wet and slobbery. I keep telling you."
Tyler narrowed his eyes. "Babe, you know what I mean. Why are you fighting me on this?"
"Because we're leaving at the end of next month, honey. I can't be falling in love with someone who lives here. And definitely not with one who is so vastly different from me." Davy sped to the bathroom and shut the door.
"Does that mean you don't even want to try? He seems like a good boy, and you deserve that." The towel dropped to the floor and he quickly got dressed in his pajamas.
"I can't do long distance. I refuse to do long distance." His voice was muffled behind the door.
"But, Bummie, he obviously makes you feel good. I've seen how you have looked every time you come back from one of your dates. He could be really good for you."
Davy walked back out of the bathroom changed into his pajamas, his fingers lost in his dark locks as he braided it. "We didn't come to Virginia to fall in love, Ty. We came here on a family vacation."
"David Kibum Kim, no one expects to fall in love." Tyler leaned back against the dresser and crossed his arms. "I say go for it. He makes you happy."
"He's annoying, and he has a dad laugh."
"Sure, but you blush when you think about and talk about him."
Davy crawled into his bed and shoved his face into the pillow. He screamed into it, and groaned. "Yeah, because he's super cute and sweet and innocent. If he knew what you and I went through back home, he wouldn't want me."
"Did he ask to see you again?" Tyler walked to Davy's bed and cuddled up to him.
He turned his head and stared at him, his cheeks pink with embarrassment. "Yeah. He gave me his aunt's home phone number and wanted to see me again."
"Are you going to?"
"I don't know. He's...he's really sweet, honey. And I feel like I can be myself with him."
"Call him."
☆
~Elias~
July 4, 1989
20:15
Elias stared out the window of Mrs. Drake's red 1985 Ford Aerostar cradling his face with his hand. Little Deanna Drake was singing along to the radio with Max, kicking her feet in her car seat, from the back seat. 'Heaven' by Bryan Adams.
Mrs. Drake glanced over to Elias and squeezed his knee. "What's wrong, sweetie?"
"How did you know Uncle Mason was the one?" Elias turned to look at his aunt.
Max poked his head into the front seat. "Are you talking abo—"
"Yes."
Mrs. Drake giggled and stopped at a red light. "Well, it was kind of love at first sight for me. He was co-captain of the soccer team, and your father introduced us. He was just so handsome and he was always so kind to me. He didn't make me or your dad feel other for being Korean. Mason tells me you've been seeing a girl."
"Can you keep a secret, Auntie Feli?" Elias' beautiful brown eyes glistened in the traffic light.
"Always." She began driving again.
"It's...not a woman. His name is Davy Kim, and he's from California."
"Oh, another Korean? That's awesome, sweetie. Any reason you don't want to tell your uncle about that?"
Elias sighed. "I know he's okay with homosexuals, but he'll tell Dad, and Dad will give me the talk. The talk about AIDS, and I don't really want to get into that because it's not as if we're doing anything."
"Didn't you kiss him?" Max tossed a crumpled piece of paper into the front seat and giggled.
"Kissing doesn't mean that, Max!" Elias flushed bright red and turned back to the window. "But...yeah we did."
Deanna bounced in her seat. "You kissed a boy??? Is that allowed?"
"Not many people think it's okay, but it's not a bad thing, baby," Mrs. Drake assured the toddler. She pulled into the driveway and put the van in park. "So what is the issue, Eli? Do you like this boy?"
Elias nodded.
"Do you want to date him?"
"I think so."
"What's stopping you?"
Elias inhaled deeply as he turned back. "He's going back to California next month. I don't want to have my heart broken because he's going back home."
"You can call him. Send him letters and postcards. There are ways around this, and if you truly like him, you should go for it. I'll deal with Yun." Mrs. Drake smiled warmly. "But as your uncle says, 'Don't let it interfere with your work.'"
☆
July 5, 1989
09:45
They met again on the beach, the warm sun shining down on them. Davy stood toeing the white sand, arms crossed over his bare chest, his dark hair clipped out of his face. Elias rubbed the back of his head. His blue coveralls were unzipped to his hips and tied around, and his dark hair was pushed out of his face with a plastic headband.
"Well?" Davy said. His tone wasn't laced with its usual irritation, but almost anxiety.
Elias bit his lip and inhaled deeply. "I like you."
"I know you do, honey. I know you didn't call me here to say that."
"I...want to go out with you again. I was hoping you'd let me take you around the carnival again, and we both dress up like it's a actual date, and not how I was dressed before."
Davy rolled his eyes, dropping his arms, but he was smiling. "I'd love to, honey."
"Really??" Elias stepped closer and took his hands. "You really want to?"
"Do you want me to change my mind?"
"No." He dropped his hands and took a step back.
"Okay. When are we going?"
Elias tapped his chin, humming. "How about this Friday, say 6pm? We'll meet at the entrance."
"It's a date then." Davy stood up on his toes and kissed Elias' cheek. "Get back to work, honey."