𝙼𝚒𝚕𝚔 & 𝙷𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚢 | (Austin!Elvis x Black!OC)

Prologue

Warnings: Racial issues

-

The sun sets over the small, shanty town of Tupelo, Mississippi. The rusted depression shelters blurring under the refraction of the hot country sun.

Four small pairs of footsteps bite the sandy terrain, heading towards a small shack to follow the sound of the deep cultured music.

The children hide together behind the Shake Rag bar, peeking through the shack's holes. The scene playing out before them is exotic and thrilling, unlike anything they had ever seen. The blue eyed child and the little girl watch with a special type of glimmer in their eyes, wanting nothing more than to absorb the energy just on the other side of the wall.

A seductive grin appears beneath a woman's cocoa colored lips, swaying her hips across the man behind her. She reaches up over her shoulder to rest her wrist in the divet where the man's neck meets his collarbone, grazing her fingertips behind his ear. An old, familiar man taps his foot to the rhythm of his guitar strumming, singing his heart out while his head shakes in passion.

Back outside, the two darker skinned boys pull at their tranced friends, begging them to do anything else.

"Let go of me, Michael! I'm tryna watch!" The boy yanks his arm back, causing the two to groan.

"Come on, Elvis! This stuff ain't no fun to watch no more. Just like that church stuff, it just aint cool!"

The little girl rolls her eyes, ignoring them to continue studying the bar. Those boys were always trying to tell her what's cool and what isn't.

Elvis pays them no mind as well, that is until the entrance gets thrown open in annoyance.

"Hey!" A man shouts, pointing at the four kids. They jump at the sudden voice, leaving behind whispered swears as they scramble off. "You kids better go on now!"

Laughing, they run to the nearest safe spot. They push open the girl's door, quickly seating themselves at the splintered dining table while they poorly hide their smirks and giggles from her now suspicious mother.

Ms. James huffs, hands on her hips. "And what were you kids into today?*

"Nothin', Mama." Little Honey replies. "Can we have the tea yet?"

Her mother hums in dissatisfaction at her daughter's answer, but moves towards the window nonetheless. "I guess it should be done by now." She says as she grabs a pitcher of dark, golden liquid from the window sill. She places it on the counter to take out the sachets of black tea, then pouring four smaller glasses to hand to the children.

"Thank you, Mama."

"Thank you, Maam." Elvis says. Michael and Thomas quickly follow suit to match the blond's manners. Honey's mother hums once more, before exiting to the living room.

The kids go silent for a moment, leaning in their chairs to peek around the corner and ensure that the girl's mother is out of earshot.

"Elvis, did you see what they was doin' in there? It was so strange!" Honey whispers across the table to her young friend.

"I don't know, I kinda liked it." The boy raises his hands above his head, gracelessly rocking his hips side to side to mimic the woman they had seen earlier. His chair squeaks against the wooden floor from his movements, the sound echoing through the otherwise quiet home.

"What's going on in there?" A voice calls from the living room.

"Nothin, Mama!" Honey reassures her mother, though the older woman comes to inspect regardless.

She eyes down her child, taking a towel to wipe the spill mark her daughter's cup had left on the table. "Yall better hurry with them drinks now. 'Specially you, Elvis. Your mama's been askin' 'bout ya."

His eyes widen in panic. "Oh, well I best go then." He frantically stands from the table, leaving behind a half emptied glass of rich sweet tea. "Thank you, Ms. James!" As he runs out the door.

"Bye, Elvis!" Honey waves, watching her friend go.

Ms. James stands with an eyebrow raised at the remaining boys. "You two better get too. I ain't having another talk with y'alls mamas again."

Thomas chokes down the tea at her threatening tone, before setting the cup down and bustling out the door with Michael just as Elvis had done not too many seconds before.

The woman chuckles at the scared boys, watching the beaten up screen door swing back closed. She turns back to her daughter, observing her before cleaning off the table. "You been spendin' an awful lot of time with that Elvis boy, Honey." She mentions as she gathers the left behind dishes.

The young girl hesitantly swallows her tea, taking note of her mother's concern and preparing herself for another round of the same old lecture.

"You better watch yourself around him. He ain't like us, and you ain't like him, you need to remember that." She warns, watching as her baby's face slowly drops in shame.

Ms. James sighs, pulling a chair up next to Honey's. She pulls the little girl's head into her chest, running her tattered nails on the top of Honey's head of light brown curls. "I know it's okay here, but people like you and Elvis don't get along outside this town. You take one step past that main road together and you could get into a lot of trouble, you hear me?" She takes her daughter's head in her hands, forcing the girl to look up into her serious eyes.

"Yes, Mama." The girl whispers.

The woman smiles proudly, before carefully thumbing off a patch of dirt that had found its way onto her baby's forehead. "Good. Just be careful out there with him. Now, go get changed so we can get ready for bed."

"Yes, Mama."