Work Text:
Kieren had always been a bit of a loner. He got on with plenty of people, but something about his quite nature had always left him a target for others to prey on. Truth be told Rick liked Kieren. He wasn’t half bad to hang out with, being just across the road and all. Over the years the two had developed a special kind of bond, and Kieren became increasingly dependent on both the boy and their friendship. Rick would consider him his best mate, even if they didn’t exactly hangout at school. But he did try, giving him encouraging smiles and claps on the back when they passed in the corridor. If his other friends had anything to say about it, they certainly didn’t comment.
So when he asked Kieren if he wanted to go to his mate Jake’s party, the boy had been over the moon. They both knew it wasn’t so much because of the increase in social status, but the fact that Rick had taken a step towards acknowledging their friendship.
He appeared at the door, all tight lips and small, awkward smiles. It had taken a bottle of beer and a can of cider for Kieren’ s smile to get unnaturally wide, and his laugh over confident and loud. Trust him to be a lightweight Rick thought endearingly at the lone boy dancing embarrassingly in front of the I-pod station.
When most people had passed out on various bits of furniture around the living room, Rick didn’t say no when Kieren leaned over and whispered (well, he thought he was whispering) that they should get out of there.
Rick hadn’t had much to drink, feeling as though he should have at least one eye open on his quirky friend. So he reasoned that maybe a familiar setting and some water would calm him down for a bit. Or that’s what he told people the next day. Everybody knew that his cousin worked at the bar and didn’t care who was buying as long as they were spending.
They didn’t exactly stumble in, more like swayed. A few sceptical glances from judgemental villagers went unnoticed as they plonked themselves down on the nearest seat next to the door. It only took a moment for Rick to appear with the drinks, and with Pearl being at the other side of the bar they would probably get away with a few more.
When he sat down again Kieren leaned heavily on Rick, giggling to himself as though he’d just thought of the funniest thing in the world. Funny lad. Not yet having had his growth spurt, the ginger boy was short and down-right lanky, and luckily for Rick weighed next to nothing.
“You…are my BEST MATE, I hope you know that Rick” he slurred, the same happy smile never leaving his face.
“Course Ren, you’re mine too ya little weirdo” he said, ruffling the hair on his head. Grinning at the praise he grabbed his cider eagerly and downed it. Impressed, Rick followed suite.
“Didn’t think ya had it in ya, we’ll make a man of you yet Kieren Walker!” his father’s puppeteered words slipped out of him without either party noticing.
“You should-“ a hiccup “go get me another one” Kieren said, smiling coyly and fluttering his eyelashes. Christ, he didn’t even know he was doing it. Rick was…whatever he was, but it didn’t help when Ren wriggled his hips and batted his eyes and licked his lips. It was all so…feminine.
“Take it easy lad,” he said, smiling wide to cover his discomfort “I’m gonna be the one getting the blame if I deliver you home hammered.”
“Maybe I should stay round yours then, if anything your dad would approve.” He said with a content sigh, wriggling closer him and almost…nuzzling his head into Rick’s neck. His cold nose (always a cold nose) skimmed against his skin and Rick let out a shaky breath.
“Mate? Did you just…smell me?” Confused, he looked down at Kieren, who was suddenly staring intently at his lips “Ren?” he asked again, beginning to feel uncomfortable. Granted there weren’t many people in the Legion, but even one person was one to many for this sort of thing. If his dad even got a whiff of this… Jesus.
“Mate what are you doing.” A flat, warning tone entered his voice. Kieren said nothing, letting his pink tongue swipe briefly against his bottom lip and moved his hand to settle high on Rick’s thigh. “Ren.” He said, a bit more loudly as Kieren looked at him through heavy, innocent, eyelids; hand ever so gently moving upwards. His face suddenly looked so sincere, so open. It scared him half to death.
Rick looked up for only a moment, but it was a moment too long. People were looking. People were looking.
In a fit of panic Rick did the one thing his dad always taught him – the aggressive approach.
“GET OFF ME.” He bellowed suddenly , pushing the fragile frame away from him. Kieren landed heavily on the ground, slipping from the cushioned seats, his eye wide with shock.
His shoulders heaved, anger boiling off of him in heavy breaths. What the fuck. What the fuck. What the fuck. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know Kieren was… Kieren couldn’t know that…. Fuck. Aware that he had now caused a scene he was in the headlights. He didn’t want to hurt Ren, the boys eyes had already filled with tears. Standing above him, hands bunched as though he was going to take a swing at him, Kieren’s mouth trembled and he closed his eyes, awaiting the punch. Instead Rick jabbed a finger at him “don’t ever do that again, I’m no queer.” He spat out the last word, a sneer on his face. Stepping over his sprawled legs, he left, the door swinging ominously behind him. Hating himself more and more each second.
Silence.
Kieren, head still fuzzy and mouth dry, barely noticed the arms hauling him up and out. The words of ‘don’t like people like you coming in ‘ere and making trouble, you young lad are barred, don’t let me see your face around here again’ and followed by a muttering of ‘what must his parents think’ by the seemingly mild tempered Pearl met his ears. What had he done? The horror of his actions nearly overwhelmed him and he burst into loud ugly tears.
Pearl was a kind lady at heart and asked Gary, who was already on his way home, if he would accompany the lad. After a heated discussion where Kieren heard himself being called the word that had haunted his thoughts for years (fag, fag, FAG) he was eventually grabbed by the arm and pulled the short way back to his road.
He somehow managed to sneak up to his room without his parents noticing. His footsteps felt heavier than ever. He curled up in his sheets, not bothering to change out of his drink stained clothing, and cried and cried and cried, eyes locked with his painting of his best friend.
//
And if Rick broke into his bedroom that night and kissed him until the tears stopped – well it was never spoken of again.