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This lovely day is written in happy cooperation of MissA and myself.
Ricky’s birthday 1971
Emily was unloading the boxes and baskets of food and decoration from the car. "Emily do we really need all this? It is just a dinner for you, me, Rick's mentor and Rick himself." Thomas sighed when his wife piled the boxes into his arms.
"Yes we do darling, no go and ring the door." Emily locked the car and took a basket herself. And it was not her husband that rang the bell it was her. She knew that Ricky wasn't home yet he was still at university, and that was the point. That way they could have a surprise dinner with Ricky and his... friend. Emily knew what Ricky felt for Alfred not that she would ever speak it out loud until the day Ricky would tell her first, and she was okay with Ricky's choice. She never believed all the myths about his tendency. And here she was waiting for Alfie to answer the door.
Okay, Alfie had to admit that he was pretty bad with dates, like, in remembering whose birthday it was and those kind of things. He never cared about his own birthday, it wasn’t a great deal at all, it had always been just one more day where he got loaded up with presents that he didn’t really need and a phone call from his father who would have forgotten about his birthday if his secretary wouldn’t have reminded him. So, all in all a birthday had never been something Alfie cared about, neither his or anybody else’s birthday and thus he almost forgot about Ricky’s birthday but fortunately remembered it on time- well, two days before the actual birthday. Of course he immediately called his driver and went shopping, even if he didn’t care for birthdays, he cared about Ricky and wanted to buy presents he would like.
On the day of Ricky’s birthday he had to go to work but said that he would come home sometime in the evening. Alfie would give him his presents later, but they would probably be very busy that evening, he had lots of plans with his Lover Boy.
It was almost six in the evening and Alfie had just taken a shower and was now walking around naked in the flat, which he often did. It wasn’t like Ricky would mind that, and besides, he wouldn’t need clothes for one of Ricky’s birthday presents. The bedroom was all ready and set, and he had also prepared a very special ‘movie night’, which included the other kind of movies that were definitely not what kids should watch…There was also some whipped cream next to the bed, which, of course, wasn’t used for the ‘usual’ purposes.
Suddenly the bell rang. Which was weird because Ricky had a key. Maybe he had forgotten his key today? Or maybe (hopefully not!) it wasn’t Ricky after all.
He walked to the door and turned on the door speaker: “Yes?”
“Hello!”, a woman’s voice on the other end answered. “This is Emily Butcher, Ricky’s mom. My husband and I wanted to surprise him with a little home-cooked dinner. Ricky does live here, right?”
What.The.Fuck?! Seriously?!
“Um…yes.”
“Would you be so kind and let us in so we can prepare everything before he comes home?”
Oh, hell no!
“Eh…yes. Just give me a moment.” Alfie turned off the speaker. Great, he was naked, there were porn videos in the bedroom, and Ricky’s parents had the nerve to just show up like that? Now? Out of all days? Well, yeah, it was the birthday of their only son, but still…Really?! “Bloody shit!” Alfie ran back into the bedroom and quickly threw on some clothes (totally forgetting to put on any boxershorts) and ran back to the door to let them in. This was definitely so not planned at all!
A moment later Ricky’s parents appeared in front of the door. Alfie had seen them before but had always kept a distance, just to make sure they wouldn’t get any ideas. Well, he didn’t really care but Ricky did since he had a good relationship with his parents and didn’t want to jeopardize that.
“Thank you so much”, Emily smiled and reached out her hand. “Alfred, right?”
“Alfie is okay”, he said, trying not to give away the fact that he was slightly annoyed.
“Your family is quite famous, it’s really an honour to meet one of the Jacksons in person.”
He had to force himself really hard not to let out a sarcastic remark. “Well, family is family, right?” His eyes wandered to Ricky’s dad who didn’t look like his son at all. He obviously had no sense of style. It was hard to believe that Ricky was related to that man.
Alfie let them in, and the same moment both just stopped and their eyes widened.
Great. Now they would never believe that Ricky actually lived here.
“How much do you charge for this mansion?” Thomas barked roughly unable to really do anything productive.
“This is so lovely.” Emily said smiling hoping Alfred… Alfie would not mind her husband’s rough remark. “Ricky is very lucky that he can share this flat with you. What did you get him for his birthday? We got him a new bag, it is even a good one made of leather and big enough to hold many essays and other papers.” When Emily was younger she would be blushing by telling the rich boy so proud about a bag she bought, but a part of her hoped that Alfie would understand why this [url=http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQTtdo6DVWIBKdKeaA61Kjk5d5IXrIiZzpEZNB-HWWIjVfkJVG6&t=1]bag[url] was special.
“May I go in the kitchen and prepare the dinner? I can even set the table if you men want to talk without me.”
Thomas was rather quiet and starred grumpy at the wall.
This was the finest version of awkwardness. First Ricky’s mother shows him this incredibly ugly old thing which is apparently a bag (it probably was one two hundred years ago, and even then he couldn’t imagine who would have actually used that thing), and then she left him alone with that man who looked like a forester right out of the woods, only the tree saw was missing. But Alfie knew he had to be nice to the Butchers otherwise Ricky would get mad at him.
“You care for a drink?”, Alfie asked.
Thomas’ eyes wandered to the bar. There was a bar. In a flat. An own, private bar?! What 20-something year old kid had an own freaking bar in his flat? Well, yeah, everybody knew there was always an exception for rich kids, especially for one of the Jacksons but Thomas still had a really hard time believing his eyes.
“Eh…no, thanks”, he said.
It was actually good that he didn’t want anything since Alfie had no doubt that this guy was more a beer than a wine drinker, and Alfie most certainly didn’t have any kind of beer in his flat, that was something for common people.
“Oh my, this kitchen is fantastic!”, Emily shouted happily. “If I had a kitchen like that I would never leave it again.”
“Yeah…I don’t really use it that much”, Alfie replied dryly. He didn’t add that his diet mostly consisted of whiskey and wine rather than actual food, and if it wasn’t for Ricky who would cook something for him and force him to eat he would probably never even enter the kitchen at all and have breakfast, lunch and dinner at his beloved bar.
Thomas looked around like he was in a museum, and Alfie was very tempted to tell him to keep his hands off everything.
“Do you want to sit?”, he asked before the older man could touch anything and possibly break it. Mr Butcher just nodded and fortunately sat down on the next armchair he could find and not Alfie’s sacred couch.
“You collect art or something?”, he asked while his eyes wandered over the paintings.
Art or something? Did this guy even know how valuable those paintings were? Obviously not.
Alfie cleared his throat. “Yes.”
“Hm.” Thomas crossed his arms, obviously uncomfortable in this surrounding while Alfie looked at his watch and counted the seconds until Ricky finally arrived.
Thomas thought this Alfred lad was an odd ball, what young man was collection art? He thought about talking with the young Jackson about something like football, or cricket but he remembered Rick telling him that this Jackson lad was interested in Polo like his son, a weird sport. Emily had everything precooked already so all she had to do was heat everything up and it would be perfectly prepared.
Meanwhile on the street just outside the house, Ricky was tired and hoped that Alfie wouldn’t mind have a day at home with him cook a simple and quick meal and maybe trying the new whiskey Alfie got last week. He said it is special and once in a while Ricky loves a glass of whiskey. Suddenly he looked surprised up, that was his father’s truck. It didn’t fit in this neat neighbourhood.
“Oh no, no, no, no.” Ricky fingered until he finally found his keys and ran all the way to the penthouse flat. “Hello?” Ricky still running popped into the living room. “Oh hello father. You are here?”
“Yes Rick. And we are waiting for you what the bloody hell are you doing that late at the university?” He barked a little rough at him, he didn’t meant to but didn’t know what else to do he was so out of his waters.
“Ricky is that you? Oh my birthday boy. Happiest birthday of them all. We’ve got you a present and I made dinner, your favourite Sheppard’s Pie with carrots and peas.” Emily hugged her son tightly. “Your mentor is a really polite and your kitchen is so beautiful.”
Ricky looked over his mother’s shoulder at Alfie luckily his father couldn’t see him so he said without sound. “I am so sorry!”
[06:56:28 PM] Debbie (MissAusten): Well, at least Ricky was finally here but that didn’t mean that the situation was less awkward. His mom was okay, but his dad…He was like one of those dads who watched their little angel daughters like hawks, only that Thomas Butcher didn’t have a daughter but a son, and yet he still acted like he had a 14-year old daughter who brought her first boyfriend home to meet the parents.
Alfie could tell that Ricky was really sorry and he didn’t blame him for anything, after all Ricky didn’t know about his parents coming over like that, but Alfie knew that he needed to get out of here somehow.
“Well, good that you’re finally here”, Alfie said while looking at his watch that had cost as much as a nice house in Oxford. “Because I have to go somewhere tonight, so-“
“What? No!” Emily turned around. “You have to stay here and join us for dinner. I cooked more than enough and I don’t want to take it all home. Besides, one barely gets the chance to have a family member of the Jacksons as dinner guest, it would really mean a lot to me if you’d stay.”
Great. Now he could definitely not leave, not with that woman looking at him like that. He would be a totally super arsehole if he’d just leave now.
“Well, unless it’s something important you have to go to”, she added. “I don’t want you to keep away from anything important, of course.”
“Well…” Alfie had no chance but to stay here. Ricky’s mom looked at him just like Ricky always looked when he asked him for a favour. She actually had his eyes, or well, he had her eyes and that made it especially impossible to say no. “I guess I can blow it off. It wasn’t important anyway.”
She smiled widely. “Really? That would be wonderful!” She immediately ran back into the kitchen to get everything she needed, and Ricky helped her setting the table since he was the only one who knew were in fact the plates were. Alfie only knew where the booze was.
“Oh dear Lord, look at that chandelier!”, Emily shouted when they walked into the dining room. She had no idea how expensive it was, but she was sure that it had cost a fortune. Her husband just followed her quietly and sat down. While his parents were distracted, Ricky took the chance and waved Alfie into the kitchen.
“I’m so, so, so sorry, I don’t even-“
“That’s okay”, Alfie interrupted him, slightly tense because he worried that one of the parents could walk in any second.
“Did they wake you up?”
“I wasn’t sleeping.”
“Okay, good.”
“I was naked though. In fact, I’m still not wearing any underwear”, he mumbled more grumpy than seductively.
“Really?” Ricky couldn’t hide that grin on his face, but at the same moment his mother called him so they walked back into the dining room.
Alfie sat down at the far end, trying to ignore Mr Butcher who looked at him as if he was the 18-year old dude who took away the virginity of his 14-year old daughter.
Ricky took off his shoes under the table and managed to start rubbing Alfie’s inner thigh without his parents noticing. He was having the spring soup when a moan escaped him.
“What was that dear?” Emily looked up she was chatting with Ricky but now looked worried at Alfie. “Is something wrong with the soup?”
Ricky didn’t stop gently massaging Alfie’s package with his foot.
Okay, under different circumstances Alfie would have enjoyed what Ricky did, but not with Ricky’s parents at the table, especially not with his dad scrutinizing him suspiciously all the time!
Alfie cleared his throat. “The soup is fine, Mrs Butcher.”
“Please, call me Emily”, she said all smiley and friendly and so not knowing what her son was doing this very moment.
Alfie just nodded and tried to focus on the soup but Ricky made it really hard for him. Alfie shot him a ‘what the hell?!’-look, but the younger boy just smiled, ignored him and turned to his mother again. While they started talking about Ricky’s work day, Alfie tried to push Ricky’s foot away but the same moment he noticed Mr Butcher’s suspicious glance, so he kept his hands on the table before Ricky’s dad could see what was going on.
“Are you sure you’re alright?”, Emily asked when she noticed how Alfie stared at the wall while covering his mouth as if he tried really hard not to throw up.
“Yes”, he mumbled behind his hands while Ricky tried not to laugh. He turned his head back to Alfie and smiled innocently, but Alfie only shook his head very slightly, which still didn’t make Ricky stop. Suddenly Alfie jumped up and startled both Emily and Thomas.
“Sorry, I have to…eh…I’m right back.” He threw Ricky a last, warning glance then he quickly walked out of the dining room into his study before the parents had the chance to realize what was going on.
“Please excuse me.” Ricky got up and followed Alfie.
“I’m sorry.” Ricky looked innocent at Alfie. “I didn’t mean make you feel uncomfortable.”
“They are your parents not mine.” Alfie snapped at him taking care of his little pressure problem in his trousers , Ricky was hurt that Alfie didn’t ask him to take care of it.
“I know… I shouldn’t have done that.” Ricky looked upset away. “I can tell my mum that you had to go and then you don’t have to do the whole meeting my parents’ thing.”
“Wait, what did you say?”
“I can tell my mom that you had to go if you want and-“
“No.” Alfie shook his head. “Meet your parents? Are you…is this…I’m not doing parents, okay? I never did and I…that would mean…”
That this whole thing, their relationship, was serious. Like, the real kind of serious.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that”, Ricky quickly said as he realized that he just freaked Alfie out. For Ricky Alfie was clearly his boyfriend but Alfie, on the other hand, had a harder time acknowledging that word ‘boyfriend’. He was still not used to it and Ricky worried that he would push him away if he gave him the feeling that they really were that serious about their relationship. “So if you want to go, that’s okay, I can tell my mom that-“
“No, I’ll just suck it up and get through it. It’s just dinner after all, it’s not like they will sleep over or anything…” He paused for a moment. “They don’t think of sleeping over here, right?”
“Of course not!”
“Okay. Good.”
They were quiet for a moment and Ricky stared shyly at the floor. “Anyway, I should get back…” He was about to turn away when Alfie grabbed his arm.
“Hold on for a sec.”
Ricky looked questioning at him.
“You…eh…didn’t have to apologize…” He cleared his throat. “I mean, you can’t do stuff like that in front of your parents, I don’t think your father would been all calm if he had seen that, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t like what you did.” He leaned a little closer. “I always like what you do…” Alfie’s hand was wandering over Ricky’s chest and a smile appeared on his face, but the same moment they heard his mom’s voice.
“Boys? Is everything okay?”
Ricky smiled one more time at Alfie before he stepped away from him into a safe distance. So when he mother stepped into the study and saw two friends standing close. She smiled at them she would never tell her son but she thought that he and Alfie looked really good together.
“What are you doing here?”
“Alfie had a really important phone call to make but there was no answer. I’m sorry mum, we didn’t mean to interrupt your lovely dinner.”
Ricky offered his mother his arm. “Alfie are you coming?” Ricky looked hopeful at Alfie. The last time he had freaked out Alfie his boyfriend walked all the way through the fields home from Waterfall Down and he was scared that he did it again, push Alfie to think about their relationship and his feelings.
“The pie needs a little bit longer, but you can unwrapped your present now.” Emily said smiling at Ricky. “I think you will like it. Don’t you think Alfred?”
“Wait you know what it is Alfie?”
Both Ricky and his mother looked at him in expectation. Alfie was never someone who was shy in saying what he thought. He even said things in the most inappropriate moments and he so didn’t care whether people felt offended by it or not. He never cared about other peoples’ feelings…well, okay, he used to never care about other peoples’ feelings until a certain boy taught him that it wasn’t right to trample over someone’s feelings like that, so instead of saying ‘You get an old, ugly thing that’s supposed to be a bag and was probably last worn by cavemen’ he cleared his throat and said: “Yes, I know what it is.” He didn’t say if the present was nice, but at least he managed not to say something negative about it, and even when Ricky’s mother handed him the present all proud and happy and Ricky hugged her and thanked her so much for this ‘beautiful bag’, Alfie managed not to say anything sarcastic- although he had a damn hard time keeping his sarcastic thoughts to himself.
“I’m glad you like it”, Emily said while she kissed her son on the cheek. “Did you get anything else today?” She asked simply out of curiosity.
“Well, I left really early this morning, so I didn’t have time to-“
“I’ve got a few things for you”, Alfie said, although aware of the fact that the things he got for Ricky were a tiny bit more valuable than that old bag.
Now everyone was staring at him, and he started to feel slightly uncomfortable. “You don’t have to open them now.”
Ricky was just about to agree with him when his mom shook her head.
“Oh no, please open them now, I’m curious.”
Ricky and Alfie exchanged a quick glance, then Alfie went into the guestroom where he had put all the bags with the presents, most of them very fine clothes that he knew Ricky would like but could never afford, and also a brand new Rolex since Ricky still wore this old thing of a watch that wasn’t even properly working anymore. And well…there was this other present that he didn’t wrap up yet.
“Good gracious!” Emily’s eyes widened when she saw all the bags, and Thomas’ eyes widened when he saw that most of it were clothes. Ricky knew what his dad was thinking. What kind of ‘mentor’ would give his student clothes?
If his parents wouldn’t have been there, Ricky would have thanked Alfie by kissing and hugging him, but he obviously couldn’t do that, so he just smiled and thanked him politely. Alfie just nodded and played along, he had to be careful in the presence of Ricky’s parents.
“Those are incredibly nice presents”, Emily said, barely believing her eyes.
“Yes, they are.” Ricky’s eyes wandered from his mother to his dad who just stood quietly in the corner.
Alfie scratched his chin. “Ehm…there’s one more present, but it’s in the not here in the flat. You can look at it tomorrow.”
“Oh, now I’m really curious.” Emily turned to Alfie. “Where is it if it’s not here?”
Oh damn, that woman really wanted to know everything!
“It’s…downstairs…”
“Downstairs?”, Emily asked.
“In the garage.”
Ricky just stared at Alfie while Emily was still confused that the last present was in the garage. “Why did you put it in the garage?”
“You’re not serious, right?”, Ricky asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
“I’m sorry, but your car really needed to get exchanged. That thing isn’t safe anymore…” Alfie didn’t need to mention that the car he had bought for him was not a cheap one.
“Bloody hell you got me a car?” Ricky starred at Alfie in disbelieve.
“Mum, father I don’t wanna be rude but I’ll see you Sunday for dinner as usual, but I really need to talk to Alfie. This is too much.” Ricky hugged his mother and pretty much shoved his parents out of the flat. They couldn’t really not follow his wishes and left. Ricky came back in the dining room and looked at Alfie.
“Alfie okay listen all of this is too much. I mean the clothes alone cost a fortune. I don’t want to sound ungrateful but I am already sharing the bed with you. I told you I never want to be your personal whore. You don’t need to pay me for being with you.” Ricky picked his words carefully and not called himself boyfriend… well at first. “Alfie am I nothing more than a toy for you, like all those girls?” Ricky didn’t want to pick a fight on his birthday but it scared the hell out of him how much money Alfie spent for him without thinking twice. He looked scared and shy at Alfie, a part of him didn’t want to know the answer.
Alfie didn’t answer immediately. He was pretty surprised about the things Ricky just said. Did Ricky really think that he tried to buy him like a hooker?
First of all, Ricky’s car didn’t belong on the street anymore, it looked like it could fall apart any second, and he sure as hell didn’t want something happen to Ricky. And secondly, Alfie never learned how to buy things with little money, or to actually buy such a thing as a ‘simple present’. Besides, he had never bought presents for someone he slept with. He paid his hookers generously, yes, but he never gave them presents. But very deep inside of him he knew that there was a little part in him that was afraid of losing Ricky, so giving him presents would let him stay eventually. However, this was just a very tiny part very deep down, it was definitely not his main reason why he showered Ricky with expensive gifts. Alfie’s father had always showered him with countless, very extravagant presents only to make sure that the boy was kept busy when he was little but Alfie gave those presents not to keep Ricky entertained but actually because he…well…cared for him. Kind of. A lot actually. Not that it was of any import.
Ricky got him into this really annoying situation again where he had to talk about his feelings, and he hated that. What was he supposed to say? ‘Hey man, I buy you presents because I like you’ ? No way he would say that.
“So you think you’re a toy for me?”, Alfie asked without any emotion.
“I just…I’m not sure what I am for you. You know that I really, really appreciate all the gifts you buy for me, but that doesn’t mean that I automatically know where I stand.”
“So you want me to stop buying you presents so that you don’t feel like a whore?”
Ricky sighed. “That’s not what I meant and you know that.”
Alfie was quiet for a moment. “Isn’t that what normal people do, people from your background?”
“What?”
“Buying presents for people they actually give a shit about. See, among my people we only give presents to show off what we have, not because we like giving someone presents.” As soon as he was finished he realized that he – in his own words- just admitted that he totally cared about Ricky, and he immediately cleared his throat. “Whatever. Think what you think, I don’t care.” He turned away from him and went to his bar.
Ricky shook his head, he didn’t like how this went. “Listen to me Alfie. Just this once can you not act like a total jerk, for me please?”
Ricky felt like a girl begging her boyfriend to tell her that he loves her.
“No one is here who will see that you do have a heart, I mean you know me better than I know myself and I’m not just saying this. You might laugh about the thought of buying me simple presents, but you never complain when you get a very simple present form me. Or are you telling me that you hate all those pictures and meals I cook for you as presents? Don’t you understand that I don’t care if you are rich or poor, I love you anyway?” Ricky didn’t expect Alfie to tell him back the he loved him, at least not in exact this words. But he needed to hear that Alfie needed him, that Alfie wanted him. “See it as the only present I really want for my birthday to know what you feel about me. Well that and a lot of sex tonight.” Ricky stood like a shy schoolboy in front of his teacher, which as weird as it might sound was actually the case. Alfie was his first and Ricky hoped to be the last man he would ever sleep with.
“Well, yeah, I planned to do that anyway”, Alfie said.
“You planned to do what?” Ricky was a bit confused. Did he actually plan to really tell him?
“The bedroom was all set but then your parents showed up.”
Ricky sighed. “Did you even listen to what I just said?”
“Yes, we can have sex tonight, it’s-“
“No”, he interrupted him. “What I said before that!”
Alfie was quiet for a moment. Of course he heard what Ricky said, he always heard what he said and he always paid attention to him, even when he often pretended not to listen, but he always did. For someone like Ricky it was very easy to show affection. He grew up with parents who taught him how to do that, he never learned anything but showing feelings, and on top of that was very emotional himself so of course those things were easy for him. For Alfie, however, it was almost impossible. He couldn’t even write those things down, which made it often easier, but for him that didn’t work either. But he knew he had to say something to Ricky, he couldn’t just get away like that, Ricky was really serious and Alfie knew that he would risk everything if he didn’t finally say what he felt.
“Let’s say there was a fire…”, he said after a very awkward pause. “Then I would try to get you out first, and well, the couch too, which makes sense because the couch doesn’t have legs and can’t save itself…”
Ricky just stared at him. “You’re serious?”
“Yes, I would make sure that you and the couch are safe.”
“Okay…” He nodded slightly, looking like a kicked little puppy. He was tired of begging Alfie to show his feelings for once, it was exhausting. He felt stupid for hoping that Alfie would actually tell him what he felt, did he seriously believe he would tell him that? “I’m tired, I had a long day”, Ricky mumbled while he turned away from him.
“If you were a girl I would call you Lizzie.”
“What?” Ricky stopped, but he didn’t turn around yet.
“Don’t you dare mocking me for taking a bloody Austen novel as an example, but I have to get back to something I know about.” Alfie felt majorly uncomfortable but he had no other choice. “That old son of a bitch Darcy makes Lizzie feel like crap most of the time but in fact really…likes her…” Jesus, that was bloody hard! “And everyone thinks he’s an idiot who doesn’t give a fuck about Lizzie, but he…eh…likes her so much that he risks losing his money so that he can be with her. I mean, his rich aunt hates him for that and even threatens him that she will cut off his money if he decides to marry this girl from the poor background but he doesn’t care, he still goes ahead and gets Lizzie in the end. Darcy pretends to be an insensitive dick but he cares about Elizabeth Bennet more than…other stuff…”
Could he please go into the garden and dig a hole where he can stay for the rest of his life? He felt so incredibly stupid but that was the furthest he could go when it came to describing his feelings.
Ricky still didn’t turn around. “You would call me Lizzie?”
“Bloody hell do I have to say this all again?” Alfie snapped slowly getting annoyed.
No Ricky turned around. “I’m your Lizzie?!”
Ricky smiled widely. “You are such a jerk, but I love you for it.” Normally Ricky was more shy and submissively but for once he was a little bossy when he took Alfie’s glass out of his hand and pulled him in their bedroom. It didn’t take him long to take off Alfie’s shirt and placed kisses all over his boyfriend, while he unbuckled Alfie’s belt.
“You can’t imagine how glad you make me that I am your Lizzie. And your Lizzie would like it very much if you go down on him.” Ricky giggled nervous. He never asked or more told Alfie what to do in bed, but for once Alfie kissed him back while his hands were gently rubbing the shaft of Ricky’s cock, the start of a long, steamy and sweaty night.
Ricky’s birthday 1971
Emily was unloading the boxes and baskets of food and decoration from the car. "Emily do we really need all this? It is just a dinner for you, me, Rick's mentor and Rick himself." Thomas sighed when his wife piled the boxes into his arms.
"Yes we do darling, no go and ring the door." Emily locked the car and took a basket herself. And it was not her husband that rang the bell it was her. She knew that Ricky wasn't home yet he was still at university, and that was the point. That way they could have a surprise dinner with Ricky and his... friend. Emily knew what Ricky felt for Alfred not that she would ever speak it out loud until the day Ricky would tell her first, and she was okay with Ricky's choice. She never believed all the myths about his tendency. And here she was waiting for Alfie to answer the door.
Okay, Alfie had to admit that he was pretty bad with dates, like, in remembering whose birthday it was and those kind of things. He never cared about his own birthday, it wasn’t a great deal at all, it had always been just one more day where he got loaded up with presents that he didn’t really need and a phone call from his father who would have forgotten about his birthday if his secretary wouldn’t have reminded him. So, all in all a birthday had never been something Alfie cared about, neither his or anybody else’s birthday and thus he almost forgot about Ricky’s birthday but fortunately remembered it on time- well, two days before the actual birthday. Of course he immediately called his driver and went shopping, even if he didn’t care for birthdays, he cared about Ricky and wanted to buy presents he would like.
On the day of Ricky’s birthday he had to go to work but said that he would come home sometime in the evening. Alfie would give him his presents later, but they would probably be very busy that evening, he had lots of plans with his Lover Boy.
It was almost six in the evening and Alfie had just taken a shower and was now walking around naked in the flat, which he often did. It wasn’t like Ricky would mind that, and besides, he wouldn’t need clothes for one of Ricky’s birthday presents. The bedroom was all ready and set, and he had also prepared a very special ‘movie night’, which included the other kind of movies that were definitely not what kids should watch…There was also some whipped cream next to the bed, which, of course, wasn’t used for the ‘usual’ purposes.
Suddenly the bell rang. Which was weird because Ricky had a key. Maybe he had forgotten his key today? Or maybe (hopefully not!) it wasn’t Ricky after all.
He walked to the door and turned on the door speaker: “Yes?”
“Hello!”, a woman’s voice on the other end answered. “This is Emily Butcher, Ricky’s mom. My husband and I wanted to surprise him with a little home-cooked dinner. Ricky does live here, right?”
What.The.Fuck?! Seriously?!
“Um…yes.”
“Would you be so kind and let us in so we can prepare everything before he comes home?”
Oh, hell no!
“Eh…yes. Just give me a moment.” Alfie turned off the speaker. Great, he was naked, there were porn videos in the bedroom, and Ricky’s parents had the nerve to just show up like that? Now? Out of all days? Well, yeah, it was the birthday of their only son, but still…Really?! “Bloody shit!” Alfie ran back into the bedroom and quickly threw on some clothes (totally forgetting to put on any boxershorts) and ran back to the door to let them in. This was definitely so not planned at all!
A moment later Ricky’s parents appeared in front of the door. Alfie had seen them before but had always kept a distance, just to make sure they wouldn’t get any ideas. Well, he didn’t really care but Ricky did since he had a good relationship with his parents and didn’t want to jeopardize that.
“Thank you so much”, Emily smiled and reached out her hand. “Alfred, right?”
“Alfie is okay”, he said, trying not to give away the fact that he was slightly annoyed.
“Your family is quite famous, it’s really an honour to meet one of the Jacksons in person.”
He had to force himself really hard not to let out a sarcastic remark. “Well, family is family, right?” His eyes wandered to Ricky’s dad who didn’t look like his son at all. He obviously had no sense of style. It was hard to believe that Ricky was related to that man.
Alfie let them in, and the same moment both just stopped and their eyes widened.
Great. Now they would never believe that Ricky actually lived here.
“How much do you charge for this mansion?” Thomas barked roughly unable to really do anything productive.
“This is so lovely.” Emily said smiling hoping Alfred… Alfie would not mind her husband’s rough remark. “Ricky is very lucky that he can share this flat with you. What did you get him for his birthday? We got him a new bag, it is even a good one made of leather and big enough to hold many essays and other papers.” When Emily was younger she would be blushing by telling the rich boy so proud about a bag she bought, but a part of her hoped that Alfie would understand why this [url=http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQTtdo6DVWIBKdKeaA61Kjk5d5IXrIiZzpEZNB-HWWIjVfkJVG6&t=1]bag[url] was special.
“May I go in the kitchen and prepare the dinner? I can even set the table if you men want to talk without me.”
Thomas was rather quiet and starred grumpy at the wall.
This was the finest version of awkwardness. First Ricky’s mother shows him this incredibly ugly old thing which is apparently a bag (it probably was one two hundred years ago, and even then he couldn’t imagine who would have actually used that thing), and then she left him alone with that man who looked like a forester right out of the woods, only the tree saw was missing. But Alfie knew he had to be nice to the Butchers otherwise Ricky would get mad at him.
“You care for a drink?”, Alfie asked.
Thomas’ eyes wandered to the bar. There was a bar. In a flat. An own, private bar?! What 20-something year old kid had an own freaking bar in his flat? Well, yeah, everybody knew there was always an exception for rich kids, especially for one of the Jacksons but Thomas still had a really hard time believing his eyes.
“Eh…no, thanks”, he said.
It was actually good that he didn’t want anything since Alfie had no doubt that this guy was more a beer than a wine drinker, and Alfie most certainly didn’t have any kind of beer in his flat, that was something for common people.
“Oh my, this kitchen is fantastic!”, Emily shouted happily. “If I had a kitchen like that I would never leave it again.”
“Yeah…I don’t really use it that much”, Alfie replied dryly. He didn’t add that his diet mostly consisted of whiskey and wine rather than actual food, and if it wasn’t for Ricky who would cook something for him and force him to eat he would probably never even enter the kitchen at all and have breakfast, lunch and dinner at his beloved bar.
Thomas looked around like he was in a museum, and Alfie was very tempted to tell him to keep his hands off everything.
“Do you want to sit?”, he asked before the older man could touch anything and possibly break it. Mr Butcher just nodded and fortunately sat down on the next armchair he could find and not Alfie’s sacred couch.
“You collect art or something?”, he asked while his eyes wandered over the paintings.
Art or something? Did this guy even know how valuable those paintings were? Obviously not.
Alfie cleared his throat. “Yes.”
“Hm.” Thomas crossed his arms, obviously uncomfortable in this surrounding while Alfie looked at his watch and counted the seconds until Ricky finally arrived.
Thomas thought this Alfred lad was an odd ball, what young man was collection art? He thought about talking with the young Jackson about something like football, or cricket but he remembered Rick telling him that this Jackson lad was interested in Polo like his son, a weird sport. Emily had everything precooked already so all she had to do was heat everything up and it would be perfectly prepared.
Meanwhile on the street just outside the house, Ricky was tired and hoped that Alfie wouldn’t mind have a day at home with him cook a simple and quick meal and maybe trying the new whiskey Alfie got last week. He said it is special and once in a while Ricky loves a glass of whiskey. Suddenly he looked surprised up, that was his father’s truck. It didn’t fit in this neat neighbourhood.
“Oh no, no, no, no.” Ricky fingered until he finally found his keys and ran all the way to the penthouse flat. “Hello?” Ricky still running popped into the living room. “Oh hello father. You are here?”
“Yes Rick. And we are waiting for you what the bloody hell are you doing that late at the university?” He barked a little rough at him, he didn’t meant to but didn’t know what else to do he was so out of his waters.
“Ricky is that you? Oh my birthday boy. Happiest birthday of them all. We’ve got you a present and I made dinner, your favourite Sheppard’s Pie with carrots and peas.” Emily hugged her son tightly. “Your mentor is a really polite and your kitchen is so beautiful.”
Ricky looked over his mother’s shoulder at Alfie luckily his father couldn’t see him so he said without sound. “I am so sorry!”
[06:56:28 PM] Debbie (MissAusten): Well, at least Ricky was finally here but that didn’t mean that the situation was less awkward. His mom was okay, but his dad…He was like one of those dads who watched their little angel daughters like hawks, only that Thomas Butcher didn’t have a daughter but a son, and yet he still acted like he had a 14-year old daughter who brought her first boyfriend home to meet the parents.
Alfie could tell that Ricky was really sorry and he didn’t blame him for anything, after all Ricky didn’t know about his parents coming over like that, but Alfie knew that he needed to get out of here somehow.
“Well, good that you’re finally here”, Alfie said while looking at his watch that had cost as much as a nice house in Oxford. “Because I have to go somewhere tonight, so-“
“What? No!” Emily turned around. “You have to stay here and join us for dinner. I cooked more than enough and I don’t want to take it all home. Besides, one barely gets the chance to have a family member of the Jacksons as dinner guest, it would really mean a lot to me if you’d stay.”
Great. Now he could definitely not leave, not with that woman looking at him like that. He would be a totally super arsehole if he’d just leave now.
“Well, unless it’s something important you have to go to”, she added. “I don’t want you to keep away from anything important, of course.”
“Well…” Alfie had no chance but to stay here. Ricky’s mom looked at him just like Ricky always looked when he asked him for a favour. She actually had his eyes, or well, he had her eyes and that made it especially impossible to say no. “I guess I can blow it off. It wasn’t important anyway.”
She smiled widely. “Really? That would be wonderful!” She immediately ran back into the kitchen to get everything she needed, and Ricky helped her setting the table since he was the only one who knew were in fact the plates were. Alfie only knew where the booze was.
“Oh dear Lord, look at that chandelier!”, Emily shouted when they walked into the dining room. She had no idea how expensive it was, but she was sure that it had cost a fortune. Her husband just followed her quietly and sat down. While his parents were distracted, Ricky took the chance and waved Alfie into the kitchen.
“I’m so, so, so sorry, I don’t even-“
“That’s okay”, Alfie interrupted him, slightly tense because he worried that one of the parents could walk in any second.
“Did they wake you up?”
“I wasn’t sleeping.”
“Okay, good.”
“I was naked though. In fact, I’m still not wearing any underwear”, he mumbled more grumpy than seductively.
“Really?” Ricky couldn’t hide that grin on his face, but at the same moment his mother called him so they walked back into the dining room.
Alfie sat down at the far end, trying to ignore Mr Butcher who looked at him as if he was the 18-year old dude who took away the virginity of his 14-year old daughter.
Ricky took off his shoes under the table and managed to start rubbing Alfie’s inner thigh without his parents noticing. He was having the spring soup when a moan escaped him.
“What was that dear?” Emily looked up she was chatting with Ricky but now looked worried at Alfie. “Is something wrong with the soup?”
Ricky didn’t stop gently massaging Alfie’s package with his foot.
Okay, under different circumstances Alfie would have enjoyed what Ricky did, but not with Ricky’s parents at the table, especially not with his dad scrutinizing him suspiciously all the time!
Alfie cleared his throat. “The soup is fine, Mrs Butcher.”
“Please, call me Emily”, she said all smiley and friendly and so not knowing what her son was doing this very moment.
Alfie just nodded and tried to focus on the soup but Ricky made it really hard for him. Alfie shot him a ‘what the hell?!’-look, but the younger boy just smiled, ignored him and turned to his mother again. While they started talking about Ricky’s work day, Alfie tried to push Ricky’s foot away but the same moment he noticed Mr Butcher’s suspicious glance, so he kept his hands on the table before Ricky’s dad could see what was going on.
“Are you sure you’re alright?”, Emily asked when she noticed how Alfie stared at the wall while covering his mouth as if he tried really hard not to throw up.
“Yes”, he mumbled behind his hands while Ricky tried not to laugh. He turned his head back to Alfie and smiled innocently, but Alfie only shook his head very slightly, which still didn’t make Ricky stop. Suddenly Alfie jumped up and startled both Emily and Thomas.
“Sorry, I have to…eh…I’m right back.” He threw Ricky a last, warning glance then he quickly walked out of the dining room into his study before the parents had the chance to realize what was going on.
“Please excuse me.” Ricky got up and followed Alfie.
“I’m sorry.” Ricky looked innocent at Alfie. “I didn’t mean make you feel uncomfortable.”
“They are your parents not mine.” Alfie snapped at him taking care of his little pressure problem in his trousers , Ricky was hurt that Alfie didn’t ask him to take care of it.
“I know… I shouldn’t have done that.” Ricky looked upset away. “I can tell my mum that you had to go and then you don’t have to do the whole meeting my parents’ thing.”
“Wait, what did you say?”
“I can tell my mom that you had to go if you want and-“
“No.” Alfie shook his head. “Meet your parents? Are you…is this…I’m not doing parents, okay? I never did and I…that would mean…”
That this whole thing, their relationship, was serious. Like, the real kind of serious.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that”, Ricky quickly said as he realized that he just freaked Alfie out. For Ricky Alfie was clearly his boyfriend but Alfie, on the other hand, had a harder time acknowledging that word ‘boyfriend’. He was still not used to it and Ricky worried that he would push him away if he gave him the feeling that they really were that serious about their relationship. “So if you want to go, that’s okay, I can tell my mom that-“
“No, I’ll just suck it up and get through it. It’s just dinner after all, it’s not like they will sleep over or anything…” He paused for a moment. “They don’t think of sleeping over here, right?”
“Of course not!”
“Okay. Good.”
They were quiet for a moment and Ricky stared shyly at the floor. “Anyway, I should get back…” He was about to turn away when Alfie grabbed his arm.
“Hold on for a sec.”
Ricky looked questioning at him.
“You…eh…didn’t have to apologize…” He cleared his throat. “I mean, you can’t do stuff like that in front of your parents, I don’t think your father would been all calm if he had seen that, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t like what you did.” He leaned a little closer. “I always like what you do…” Alfie’s hand was wandering over Ricky’s chest and a smile appeared on his face, but the same moment they heard his mom’s voice.
“Boys? Is everything okay?”
Ricky smiled one more time at Alfie before he stepped away from him into a safe distance. So when he mother stepped into the study and saw two friends standing close. She smiled at them she would never tell her son but she thought that he and Alfie looked really good together.
“What are you doing here?”
“Alfie had a really important phone call to make but there was no answer. I’m sorry mum, we didn’t mean to interrupt your lovely dinner.”
Ricky offered his mother his arm. “Alfie are you coming?” Ricky looked hopeful at Alfie. The last time he had freaked out Alfie his boyfriend walked all the way through the fields home from Waterfall Down and he was scared that he did it again, push Alfie to think about their relationship and his feelings.
“The pie needs a little bit longer, but you can unwrapped your present now.” Emily said smiling at Ricky. “I think you will like it. Don’t you think Alfred?”
“Wait you know what it is Alfie?”
Both Ricky and his mother looked at him in expectation. Alfie was never someone who was shy in saying what he thought. He even said things in the most inappropriate moments and he so didn’t care whether people felt offended by it or not. He never cared about other peoples’ feelings…well, okay, he used to never care about other peoples’ feelings until a certain boy taught him that it wasn’t right to trample over someone’s feelings like that, so instead of saying ‘You get an old, ugly thing that’s supposed to be a bag and was probably last worn by cavemen’ he cleared his throat and said: “Yes, I know what it is.” He didn’t say if the present was nice, but at least he managed not to say something negative about it, and even when Ricky’s mother handed him the present all proud and happy and Ricky hugged her and thanked her so much for this ‘beautiful bag’, Alfie managed not to say anything sarcastic- although he had a damn hard time keeping his sarcastic thoughts to himself.
“I’m glad you like it”, Emily said while she kissed her son on the cheek. “Did you get anything else today?” She asked simply out of curiosity.
“Well, I left really early this morning, so I didn’t have time to-“
“I’ve got a few things for you”, Alfie said, although aware of the fact that the things he got for Ricky were a tiny bit more valuable than that old bag.
Now everyone was staring at him, and he started to feel slightly uncomfortable. “You don’t have to open them now.”
Ricky was just about to agree with him when his mom shook her head.
“Oh no, please open them now, I’m curious.”
Ricky and Alfie exchanged a quick glance, then Alfie went into the guestroom where he had put all the bags with the presents, most of them very fine clothes that he knew Ricky would like but could never afford, and also a brand new Rolex since Ricky still wore this old thing of a watch that wasn’t even properly working anymore. And well…there was this other present that he didn’t wrap up yet.
“Good gracious!” Emily’s eyes widened when she saw all the bags, and Thomas’ eyes widened when he saw that most of it were clothes. Ricky knew what his dad was thinking. What kind of ‘mentor’ would give his student clothes?
If his parents wouldn’t have been there, Ricky would have thanked Alfie by kissing and hugging him, but he obviously couldn’t do that, so he just smiled and thanked him politely. Alfie just nodded and played along, he had to be careful in the presence of Ricky’s parents.
“Those are incredibly nice presents”, Emily said, barely believing her eyes.
“Yes, they are.” Ricky’s eyes wandered from his mother to his dad who just stood quietly in the corner.
Alfie scratched his chin. “Ehm…there’s one more present, but it’s in the not here in the flat. You can look at it tomorrow.”
“Oh, now I’m really curious.” Emily turned to Alfie. “Where is it if it’s not here?”
Oh damn, that woman really wanted to know everything!
“It’s…downstairs…”
“Downstairs?”, Emily asked.
“In the garage.”
Ricky just stared at Alfie while Emily was still confused that the last present was in the garage. “Why did you put it in the garage?”
“You’re not serious, right?”, Ricky asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
“I’m sorry, but your car really needed to get exchanged. That thing isn’t safe anymore…” Alfie didn’t need to mention that the car he had bought for him was not a cheap one.
“Bloody hell you got me a car?” Ricky starred at Alfie in disbelieve.
“Mum, father I don’t wanna be rude but I’ll see you Sunday for dinner as usual, but I really need to talk to Alfie. This is too much.” Ricky hugged his mother and pretty much shoved his parents out of the flat. They couldn’t really not follow his wishes and left. Ricky came back in the dining room and looked at Alfie.
“Alfie okay listen all of this is too much. I mean the clothes alone cost a fortune. I don’t want to sound ungrateful but I am already sharing the bed with you. I told you I never want to be your personal whore. You don’t need to pay me for being with you.” Ricky picked his words carefully and not called himself boyfriend… well at first. “Alfie am I nothing more than a toy for you, like all those girls?” Ricky didn’t want to pick a fight on his birthday but it scared the hell out of him how much money Alfie spent for him without thinking twice. He looked scared and shy at Alfie, a part of him didn’t want to know the answer.
Alfie didn’t answer immediately. He was pretty surprised about the things Ricky just said. Did Ricky really think that he tried to buy him like a hooker?
First of all, Ricky’s car didn’t belong on the street anymore, it looked like it could fall apart any second, and he sure as hell didn’t want something happen to Ricky. And secondly, Alfie never learned how to buy things with little money, or to actually buy such a thing as a ‘simple present’. Besides, he had never bought presents for someone he slept with. He paid his hookers generously, yes, but he never gave them presents. But very deep inside of him he knew that there was a little part in him that was afraid of losing Ricky, so giving him presents would let him stay eventually. However, this was just a very tiny part very deep down, it was definitely not his main reason why he showered Ricky with expensive gifts. Alfie’s father had always showered him with countless, very extravagant presents only to make sure that the boy was kept busy when he was little but Alfie gave those presents not to keep Ricky entertained but actually because he…well…cared for him. Kind of. A lot actually. Not that it was of any import.
Ricky got him into this really annoying situation again where he had to talk about his feelings, and he hated that. What was he supposed to say? ‘Hey man, I buy you presents because I like you’ ? No way he would say that.
“So you think you’re a toy for me?”, Alfie asked without any emotion.
“I just…I’m not sure what I am for you. You know that I really, really appreciate all the gifts you buy for me, but that doesn’t mean that I automatically know where I stand.”
“So you want me to stop buying you presents so that you don’t feel like a whore?”
Ricky sighed. “That’s not what I meant and you know that.”
Alfie was quiet for a moment. “Isn’t that what normal people do, people from your background?”
“What?”
“Buying presents for people they actually give a shit about. See, among my people we only give presents to show off what we have, not because we like giving someone presents.” As soon as he was finished he realized that he – in his own words- just admitted that he totally cared about Ricky, and he immediately cleared his throat. “Whatever. Think what you think, I don’t care.” He turned away from him and went to his bar.
Ricky shook his head, he didn’t like how this went. “Listen to me Alfie. Just this once can you not act like a total jerk, for me please?”
Ricky felt like a girl begging her boyfriend to tell her that he loves her.
“No one is here who will see that you do have a heart, I mean you know me better than I know myself and I’m not just saying this. You might laugh about the thought of buying me simple presents, but you never complain when you get a very simple present form me. Or are you telling me that you hate all those pictures and meals I cook for you as presents? Don’t you understand that I don’t care if you are rich or poor, I love you anyway?” Ricky didn’t expect Alfie to tell him back the he loved him, at least not in exact this words. But he needed to hear that Alfie needed him, that Alfie wanted him. “See it as the only present I really want for my birthday to know what you feel about me. Well that and a lot of sex tonight.” Ricky stood like a shy schoolboy in front of his teacher, which as weird as it might sound was actually the case. Alfie was his first and Ricky hoped to be the last man he would ever sleep with.
“Well, yeah, I planned to do that anyway”, Alfie said.
“You planned to do what?” Ricky was a bit confused. Did he actually plan to really tell him?
“The bedroom was all set but then your parents showed up.”
Ricky sighed. “Did you even listen to what I just said?”
“Yes, we can have sex tonight, it’s-“
“No”, he interrupted him. “What I said before that!”
Alfie was quiet for a moment. Of course he heard what Ricky said, he always heard what he said and he always paid attention to him, even when he often pretended not to listen, but he always did. For someone like Ricky it was very easy to show affection. He grew up with parents who taught him how to do that, he never learned anything but showing feelings, and on top of that was very emotional himself so of course those things were easy for him. For Alfie, however, it was almost impossible. He couldn’t even write those things down, which made it often easier, but for him that didn’t work either. But he knew he had to say something to Ricky, he couldn’t just get away like that, Ricky was really serious and Alfie knew that he would risk everything if he didn’t finally say what he felt.
“Let’s say there was a fire…”, he said after a very awkward pause. “Then I would try to get you out first, and well, the couch too, which makes sense because the couch doesn’t have legs and can’t save itself…”
Ricky just stared at him. “You’re serious?”
“Yes, I would make sure that you and the couch are safe.”
“Okay…” He nodded slightly, looking like a kicked little puppy. He was tired of begging Alfie to show his feelings for once, it was exhausting. He felt stupid for hoping that Alfie would actually tell him what he felt, did he seriously believe he would tell him that? “I’m tired, I had a long day”, Ricky mumbled while he turned away from him.
“If you were a girl I would call you Lizzie.”
“What?” Ricky stopped, but he didn’t turn around yet.
“Don’t you dare mocking me for taking a bloody Austen novel as an example, but I have to get back to something I know about.” Alfie felt majorly uncomfortable but he had no other choice. “That old son of a bitch Darcy makes Lizzie feel like crap most of the time but in fact really…likes her…” Jesus, that was bloody hard! “And everyone thinks he’s an idiot who doesn’t give a fuck about Lizzie, but he…eh…likes her so much that he risks losing his money so that he can be with her. I mean, his rich aunt hates him for that and even threatens him that she will cut off his money if he decides to marry this girl from the poor background but he doesn’t care, he still goes ahead and gets Lizzie in the end. Darcy pretends to be an insensitive dick but he cares about Elizabeth Bennet more than…other stuff…”
Could he please go into the garden and dig a hole where he can stay for the rest of his life? He felt so incredibly stupid but that was the furthest he could go when it came to describing his feelings.
Ricky still didn’t turn around. “You would call me Lizzie?”
“Bloody hell do I have to say this all again?” Alfie snapped slowly getting annoyed.
No Ricky turned around. “I’m your Lizzie?!”
Ricky smiled widely. “You are such a jerk, but I love you for it.” Normally Ricky was more shy and submissively but for once he was a little bossy when he took Alfie’s glass out of his hand and pulled him in their bedroom. It didn’t take him long to take off Alfie’s shirt and placed kisses all over his boyfriend, while he unbuckled Alfie’s belt.
“You can’t imagine how glad you make me that I am your Lizzie. And your Lizzie would like it very much if you go down on him.” Ricky giggled nervous. He never asked or more told Alfie what to do in bed, but for once Alfie kissed him back while his hands were gently rubbing the shaft of Ricky’s cock, the start of a long, steamy and sweaty night.
