People In Love
Aug. 21st, 2016 03:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
katleeptTitle: People In Love
Author: Kat Lee
Fandom: California Dreams
Character/Pairing: Jake/Lorena, Mark/OMC, Ensemble
Rating: PG/K+
Challenge/Prompt:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
1_million_words A to Z Challenge: Q and Weekend Challenge: C is for Consensus
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 1,449
Date Written: 20 August 2016
Summary:
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.
"JAKE! JAKE, YOU'VE GOT TO COME QUICK!"
Jake looks up at Sam from his cheeseburger. The burger drops from his fingers at the look of urgency and fear on her face. Beside him, Lorena's spewing Spanish. He doesn't understand a word of what his girlfriend's saying, but he gets the feeling she knows something he doesn't -- and it isn't good.
"Don't worry about the bill," Tiffany says from across the table. "I'll take care of it. Just go!"
Jake dashes from his seat and follow Sam out of Sharky's. Lorena's right behind him. He thought they might go to school, but Sam's cutting a quick corner into the alley way behind Sharky's. He follows, and what he finds makes his blood boil.
There's a guy with glasses he hasn't really noticed before cowering behind Mark. He can tell from Mark's stance that his intention is to protect the guy. Sly stands in front of Mark, and for the first time, Jake realizes that maybe the guy isn't as bad a weasel as every one claims. He's cupping his own, bloodied nose, blood spewing between his fingers, but he's still standing in front of his cousin and behind Tony, who's already sporting several bruises.
Jake dashes in between Tony and the fists that's coming at him and catches the other biker's fist in his hand. Lorena's coming in beside him and flat out ignores him when he tells her to take the others and get out of there. Sam's trying to take care of Tony, but he pushes her aside and behind him.
Only now, holding the bully's fist, does Jake realize that the other biker isn't alone. He's brought all his pals from his little, would-be biker gang with him, but Jake doesn't back down. He crunches his fist instead before slinging his arm back at him. Bull teeters backwards but regains his balance.
"Why are you messing with my friends?" Jake demands, his voice icy. The people behind him, plus Tiffany back in the restaurant, are the first real friends he's had in a very long time. He wants to beat every one of these bikers to the pavement, but that's the old Jake, the one everybody, including Lorena and the others, feared.
"You know he's a faggot?" Bull, the leader of his own little group, sneers.
"What?" Jake's blood runs cold. He's never liked it when bullies call other people names, but the word Bull's just used is one of the ones he hates the most. He glances back at Mark, notes the way he's holding the hand of the guy who's now beside him, and gently touching a big, purplish black bruise that's already forming on the side of his head. He notes, too, that the other guy's glasses are cracked and how pale both Mark and his friend are.
Lorena's muttering in hot Spanish. He almost roars at her to tell him what's going on, to explain to her what she knows that he doesn't, but watching Mark and his friend and hearing that ugly word ring in his ears, Jake suddenly understands. "Who they love is their business."
"Love? Yeah, right! Faggots don't love!"
Jake hits him smack in the mouth. "Say it again, and you'll be eating concrete," he growls.
"What are you? A faggot lover?"
Jake pounces, grabs Bull, snatches his arm behind him, and flips him down to where his face is suddenly pressing against the concrete. "Don't," he warns, "say that word again."
Everybody's watching them. Jake can feel all their wide eyes on him. Even the other teenagers and wait staff have left Sharky's and are facing them. He sees a flash of blonde hair and knows Tiffany has joined their group of friends. Little and blonde but with her own fierce temper, she, too, stands between Mark and his boyfriend and Bull and his friends.
One of Bull's friends starts to dash forward. Tony doubles his hands into fists again and shakes his head. "Uh huh." Tiffany steps up beside him with Lorena on his other side. Even Sam's eyes blaze fiercely.
"Faggot lover!" Bull mutters. "You're all faggot -- "
Jake slams his face into the concrete. "I said," he growls, "don't say that word again."
Suddenly, a siren sounds. Bull's friends all look up. They see a flash of blue lights and make a hasty retreat.
"Jake -- " Tony says in warning.
Reluctantly, Jake releases his hold on Bull, dropping him on the ground. Bull skitters several feet away before standing and wiping blood off of his own mouth. "You'll pay for this, Somers."
"Save it, Bull. I've been beating your ass since first grade, and you come near Mark or -- "
"Don," Lorena whispers as Jake realizes he doesn't know the name of Mark's boyfriend. He hasn't even noticed him before today!
" -- or Don or any of my friends ever again, eating concrete will be the least of your worries!"
"Is there a problem here, gang?"
The crowd scatters at the sound of the officer's voice. It's crystal clear that there's been a fight, but both Tiffany and Lorena brighten at the sight of the cops.
Lorena goes to talk to the lead officer's partner while Jake answers, still glowering at Bull, "Not any more, officer."
"Right -- "
"Hey, Hank?"
"Yeah?" Hank looks at his partner and sees the way he's narrowing his eyes and shaking his head. He frowns, then follows Officer Mendoza's gaze over to Donald and Mark. He looks back to Bull and Jake before focusing on Jake. "Everything's okay here?"
Jake nods.
Tiffany steps up beside him. "Everything's fine now, officers," she insists.
Lorena's still whispering busily and in Spanish to Officer Mendoza.
"Very well." Hank nods. "But let's make sure it doesn't happen again, okay?" He, too, glowers at Bull before walking over to his partner, who's now nodding at Lorena.
"Gracias, Officer Mendoza," Lorena says with a brilliant smile. She leans up and kisses his cheek.
Jake's hands silently ball into fists. "It's okay," Tiff whispers to him, still smiling brightly. "They're cousins."
The officers' departure leaves only Jake, his friends, and Bull still in the alley. "You're lucky they're queer."
"They're not queer," Lorena tells him, "but Mark does have a little brother who's gay."
"Who the Hell says queer any more any way?" Jake demands. He glares darkly at Bull. "I'd better not hear you say it again, or the other word. They love who they choose to love, and that's their damn business. You got it?"
Bull nods slowly, and when Jake takes a step toward him, he beats a hasty retreat to his bike. Fighting to keep his own temper under his control, Jake forces him to let him go and turns back to his own friends. "You guys okay?"
A general consensus passes through his group. The guys are all a little battered, but they'll be okay. Sam's kissing Tony's bruises with lips as light as a feather while Tiffany's checking out Sly's nose. "You need to go to the hospital," she advises him.
"I'll be fine," he argues.
"I'll go with you."
"Really?"
She nods. "You know, you're really not as much of a fink as people think you are."
"Thanks. I think." He smirks. The motion pushes up his nose a little. "Ow."
"Come on," Tiff says and, lacing her fingers through his, starts to lead the way.
Mark looks over from fussing over his boyfriend. His eyes meet Jake's. "Thanks."
Jake grins back at him. "It wasn't just me," he tells him.
Mark nods. He needs to thank every one, but right now, he just doesn't have the words.
Jake turns to Lorena who's finally hushed her angry torrents of Spanish and cups her beautiful face in his hands that are still tight with anger. He curls his fingers around her locks and threads them through her long, silky hair. "How did you know?"
She shrugs. "I let them hang out in my garage when you guys aren't practicing."
Jake shakes his head in wonder at his girlfriend. "You really are something, you know?"
She beams. "I know." She moves forward and kisses him, and as they kiss, Tony and Sam and Don and Mark are also kissing. It doesn't matter that there are two guys kissing in the alley while eight people are still there. Tiffany does look back with a smile, but then she tugs Sly on toward the hospital. It really doesn't matter that they're two guys at all. What matters is that they're people in love, and that, just as Jake used to tell his aunt and her girlfriend when he was only a kid, is all that should matter, especially between friends.
The End
Author: Kat Lee
Fandom: California Dreams
Character/Pairing: Jake/Lorena, Mark/OMC, Ensemble
Rating: PG/K+
Challenge/Prompt:
1_million_words A to Z Challenge: Q and Weekend Challenge: C is for ConsensusWarning(s): None
Word Count: 1,449
Date Written: 20 August 2016
Summary:
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.
"JAKE! JAKE, YOU'VE GOT TO COME QUICK!"
Jake looks up at Sam from his cheeseburger. The burger drops from his fingers at the look of urgency and fear on her face. Beside him, Lorena's spewing Spanish. He doesn't understand a word of what his girlfriend's saying, but he gets the feeling she knows something he doesn't -- and it isn't good.
"Don't worry about the bill," Tiffany says from across the table. "I'll take care of it. Just go!"
Jake dashes from his seat and follow Sam out of Sharky's. Lorena's right behind him. He thought they might go to school, but Sam's cutting a quick corner into the alley way behind Sharky's. He follows, and what he finds makes his blood boil.
There's a guy with glasses he hasn't really noticed before cowering behind Mark. He can tell from Mark's stance that his intention is to protect the guy. Sly stands in front of Mark, and for the first time, Jake realizes that maybe the guy isn't as bad a weasel as every one claims. He's cupping his own, bloodied nose, blood spewing between his fingers, but he's still standing in front of his cousin and behind Tony, who's already sporting several bruises.
Jake dashes in between Tony and the fists that's coming at him and catches the other biker's fist in his hand. Lorena's coming in beside him and flat out ignores him when he tells her to take the others and get out of there. Sam's trying to take care of Tony, but he pushes her aside and behind him.
Only now, holding the bully's fist, does Jake realize that the other biker isn't alone. He's brought all his pals from his little, would-be biker gang with him, but Jake doesn't back down. He crunches his fist instead before slinging his arm back at him. Bull teeters backwards but regains his balance.
"Why are you messing with my friends?" Jake demands, his voice icy. The people behind him, plus Tiffany back in the restaurant, are the first real friends he's had in a very long time. He wants to beat every one of these bikers to the pavement, but that's the old Jake, the one everybody, including Lorena and the others, feared.
"You know he's a faggot?" Bull, the leader of his own little group, sneers.
"What?" Jake's blood runs cold. He's never liked it when bullies call other people names, but the word Bull's just used is one of the ones he hates the most. He glances back at Mark, notes the way he's holding the hand of the guy who's now beside him, and gently touching a big, purplish black bruise that's already forming on the side of his head. He notes, too, that the other guy's glasses are cracked and how pale both Mark and his friend are.
Lorena's muttering in hot Spanish. He almost roars at her to tell him what's going on, to explain to her what she knows that he doesn't, but watching Mark and his friend and hearing that ugly word ring in his ears, Jake suddenly understands. "Who they love is their business."
"Love? Yeah, right! Faggots don't love!"
Jake hits him smack in the mouth. "Say it again, and you'll be eating concrete," he growls.
"What are you? A faggot lover?"
Jake pounces, grabs Bull, snatches his arm behind him, and flips him down to where his face is suddenly pressing against the concrete. "Don't," he warns, "say that word again."
Everybody's watching them. Jake can feel all their wide eyes on him. Even the other teenagers and wait staff have left Sharky's and are facing them. He sees a flash of blonde hair and knows Tiffany has joined their group of friends. Little and blonde but with her own fierce temper, she, too, stands between Mark and his boyfriend and Bull and his friends.
One of Bull's friends starts to dash forward. Tony doubles his hands into fists again and shakes his head. "Uh huh." Tiffany steps up beside him with Lorena on his other side. Even Sam's eyes blaze fiercely.
"Faggot lover!" Bull mutters. "You're all faggot -- "
Jake slams his face into the concrete. "I said," he growls, "don't say that word again."
Suddenly, a siren sounds. Bull's friends all look up. They see a flash of blue lights and make a hasty retreat.
"Jake -- " Tony says in warning.
Reluctantly, Jake releases his hold on Bull, dropping him on the ground. Bull skitters several feet away before standing and wiping blood off of his own mouth. "You'll pay for this, Somers."
"Save it, Bull. I've been beating your ass since first grade, and you come near Mark or -- "
"Don," Lorena whispers as Jake realizes he doesn't know the name of Mark's boyfriend. He hasn't even noticed him before today!
" -- or Don or any of my friends ever again, eating concrete will be the least of your worries!"
"Is there a problem here, gang?"
The crowd scatters at the sound of the officer's voice. It's crystal clear that there's been a fight, but both Tiffany and Lorena brighten at the sight of the cops.
Lorena goes to talk to the lead officer's partner while Jake answers, still glowering at Bull, "Not any more, officer."
"Right -- "
"Hey, Hank?"
"Yeah?" Hank looks at his partner and sees the way he's narrowing his eyes and shaking his head. He frowns, then follows Officer Mendoza's gaze over to Donald and Mark. He looks back to Bull and Jake before focusing on Jake. "Everything's okay here?"
Jake nods.
Tiffany steps up beside him. "Everything's fine now, officers," she insists.
Lorena's still whispering busily and in Spanish to Officer Mendoza.
"Very well." Hank nods. "But let's make sure it doesn't happen again, okay?" He, too, glowers at Bull before walking over to his partner, who's now nodding at Lorena.
"Gracias, Officer Mendoza," Lorena says with a brilliant smile. She leans up and kisses his cheek.
Jake's hands silently ball into fists. "It's okay," Tiff whispers to him, still smiling brightly. "They're cousins."
The officers' departure leaves only Jake, his friends, and Bull still in the alley. "You're lucky they're queer."
"They're not queer," Lorena tells him, "but Mark does have a little brother who's gay."
"Who the Hell says queer any more any way?" Jake demands. He glares darkly at Bull. "I'd better not hear you say it again, or the other word. They love who they choose to love, and that's their damn business. You got it?"
Bull nods slowly, and when Jake takes a step toward him, he beats a hasty retreat to his bike. Fighting to keep his own temper under his control, Jake forces him to let him go and turns back to his own friends. "You guys okay?"
A general consensus passes through his group. The guys are all a little battered, but they'll be okay. Sam's kissing Tony's bruises with lips as light as a feather while Tiffany's checking out Sly's nose. "You need to go to the hospital," she advises him.
"I'll be fine," he argues.
"I'll go with you."
"Really?"
She nods. "You know, you're really not as much of a fink as people think you are."
"Thanks. I think." He smirks. The motion pushes up his nose a little. "Ow."
"Come on," Tiff says and, lacing her fingers through his, starts to lead the way.
Mark looks over from fussing over his boyfriend. His eyes meet Jake's. "Thanks."
Jake grins back at him. "It wasn't just me," he tells him.
Mark nods. He needs to thank every one, but right now, he just doesn't have the words.
Jake turns to Lorena who's finally hushed her angry torrents of Spanish and cups her beautiful face in his hands that are still tight with anger. He curls his fingers around her locks and threads them through her long, silky hair. "How did you know?"
She shrugs. "I let them hang out in my garage when you guys aren't practicing."
Jake shakes his head in wonder at his girlfriend. "You really are something, you know?"
She beams. "I know." She moves forward and kisses him, and as they kiss, Tony and Sam and Don and Mark are also kissing. It doesn't matter that there are two guys kissing in the alley while eight people are still there. Tiffany does look back with a smile, but then she tugs Sly on toward the hospital. It really doesn't matter that they're two guys at all. What matters is that they're people in love, and that, just as Jake used to tell his aunt and her girlfriend when he was only a kid, is all that should matter, especially between friends.
The End
