The Newsboy
Part 1: The Morning Edition
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Adam/Kris
Summary: Adam and Kris strike up a casual relationship on the streets of New York City but when one of them falls on hard times, the other comes to the rescue, refusing to take “no” for an answer.
Disclaimer: Pure fiction. I do not own anyone.
Warnings: angst
Just a little fic squeezed in between work and school. Hope you like it, three parts in total.
Adam stepped out onto the street and was nearly run over by a bike messenger riding the sidewalk rather than the road. The startled man yelled an obscenity that got swallowed up in the roar of traffic then forgot about it, turning in the other direction and going on his way.
It was crisp autumn morning and the November wind was whipping down the cavernous corridors made by the tall buildings towering overhead. Adjusting the scarf around his neck and taking out the gloves tucked into his coat pocket, Adam took in a deep breath of car fumes and hot dog vendors and sighed in happiness. There’s was nothing like this city with its energy and excitement. Growing up in San Diego, he’d imagined moving to Los Angeles when he graduated high school but a scholarship at NYU was too good to resist and he crossed the country on his own to pursue his dreams. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. His dream was to be a ‘rock star’, just like most kids into music, but he had a head for business and decided to pursue the practical career choice for security. While in school, he did open mic nights and was part of an indie band but landing a job with a prestigious advertising agency took up most of his time. Now when he was free, he preferred staying home and relaxing unless his boyfriend Tony dragged him out clubbing.
Buzzing in his pocket drew his attention and he took his phone out. It wasn’t even 8:00 am yet and he already had clients and co-workers demanding his attention. Well, he made it a policy not to conduct business on the street. He made that mistake once when he was texting back a message and his arm got bumped, resulting in his thumb mishitting a letter and causing a ruckus with a new client that took two days to straighten out.
One of the messages was from his boyfriend. They’d been talking about hitting a show off-Broadway tonight and Tony said he knew a guy who knew a guy who could secure tickets for a price only Adam could afford at the moment. As he read the message, his feet worked of the own accord leading him to the newsstand on the corner. Every morning he stopped by to say “Hi” to Doc and pick up his usual daily reading material.
As he texted Tony back, he came to a stop and without stilling his fingers or looking up, he casually said, “Morning Doc, my usual please.”
“There are a lot of ‘usuals’ in this city friend. Can you narrow it down for me?”
Messaging forgotten, Adam look up for the source of that fine Southern accent. Surrounded by a mass of print media including Rolling Stone, Elle and Popular Mechanics was the hottest boy he’d seen in forever. He was a bit shorter than Adam with messy brown hair, a strong jaw, brown eyes and a crooked smile that demanded attention.
“You’re not Doc,” Adam declared, stating the obvious.
“Nope … and I’m not Bashful, Dopey or Sneezy either,” the cute dude laughed back. “I’m Kris. What can I get ya?”
Snapping out of his daze, Adam suddenly noticed the growing line of impatient customers gathering around him.
“Wall Street Journal and Variety please. And the name’s Adam.”
Kris gathered the papers and held them out in one hand while his customer placed money in the other. “That’s an unusual combination of usuals.”
“I’m a rather unusual guy.”
“I don’t doubt that.”
“And I don’t have time to watch you two flirt,” an annoyed voice declared. Both men looked at the hippie shoving his hand in Kris’ direction. “Village Voice.”
Kris smiled an apology that warmed the cold November morning and handed over a recent issue. Behind the rude hippie were other customers, cutting this get-to-know-you session short.
“Um … thanks Kris,” Adam said, holding up the papers. “Have a great day. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bye Adam, you have a great day too.”
It was a miracle he didn’t get hit by a car or run over by a dog walker. Adam kept looking over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the paper boy. He was just about to fall down the stairs into the subway station when his phone rang.
“Hello?”
“What the fuck Lambert?! Why did you stop texting me? I lost the damn tickets cause you didn’t tell me if you would pay that much!”
“Huh? Oh, sorry Tony, I got distracted. Let’s forget the show and just go out to dinner, someplace quiet and dark and then we can go back to my place and I’ll make it up to you.”
“Weeellll, I guess we could do that. Can I bring something?”
Adam knew what that meant. Since he cost them the show tickets, it was the least he do.
“Sure but nothing that leaves marks. I’m still explaining the chaffing on my wrists from the last time. My train’s here. See you tonight.”
A squeal of excitement was cut off by the squeal of the subway wheels. Pushing his way inside, Adam found a rare seat and looked at his copy of Variety, smiling.
“Mmpphh, baaa-byyy … why the hell you up?”
Adam was sitting on the edge of his bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and focusing in the dim room.
“I want to get to work early.”
The mattress shifted as Tony rolled to look at the clock.
“It’s five fucking o’clock. Why the hell do they need you in the office before the crack of dawn?”
“There’s a new client … he wants a breakfast meeting.” Adam got up and padded naked towards the bathroom. “Want to make a good impression.”
Tony wiggled back under the covers and yanked them up to his chin.
“Fine but I ain’t gettin’ up yet. You wore me out last night,” he groaned.
“No problem,” came a reply from the open bathroom door. “Let yourself out whenever. Just remember to lock the door this time.”
In record time - for him - Adam was out the front door of his high-rise and on the hunt for hot beverages.
Twenty minutes later ….
“Morning Kris.”
“Adam! Hey, you’re early. Here you go,” the newsboy said, holding out a rolled bundle of newsprint.
“You remembered.”
“You’re kinda hard to forget.”
Adam couldn’t grab the bundle and hand over the change until he emptied a hand.
“What’s this?”
“For you. It’s cold in the morning … I thought you could use something to warm you up. I hope you like Chai.”
“Chai … chai … oh yeah, the pottery thingy you soak and spread seeds on and it sprouts. I had the Mr. Potato Head when I was a kid.”
At first Adam was clueless and then he connected the dots and laughed out loud.
“Man, that’s the Chia Pets … this is CHAI tea, you know a spiced hot tea brewed in milk.”
Kris looked like he had no idea what his customer was talking about but he accepted it anyway.
“That wasn’t necessary but thanks.”
“No problem, just … want you to stay hot … I’m mean warm.”
Kris flashed a crooked smile, making the other man’s heart stop, and proceeded to reach under a shelf and take out a large steel thermos.
“I’m good … lots of coffee.”
“Oh … sorry.”
“Hey man, I appreciate the gesture.”
Adam reached into his shoulder bag and brought out a bag.
“Suppose you have breakfast down there too. I’ll just eat this cronut myself later.”
“Hold on, not so hasty,” Kris blurted out, “I’ve been dying to try one of those. Hand it over and the papers are on me today.”
Adam smiled back and handed over the yummy treat, along with the money for the papers. There was a digital clock in a bank nearby and he caught sight of the time.
“Gotta go. See you tomorrow?”
“Mmphff … bye … and thunk you!”
He missed his connection but he didn’t care. He was early anyway and the look of pure bliss on that boy’s face when he bit into the pastry was worth the early wake-up.
Over the next month, Adam got up and out early about three out of every five weekdays. Tony got tired of the :have to go in early to meet a client” excuse and stopped staying over. The two men still went out and fucked around but Tony headed home at the end of the night, leaving Adam to his musings about the mysterious Kris.
There wasn’t much time to chat but Adam had made sneaky use of every second of the time they had. Unfortunately, Kris was pretty tight-lipped about himself. The businessman managed to find out the newsboy was from the South but exactly which state was still a mystery, as was his reason for coming to New York. One day Adam spotted a guitar case tucked into a dark corner and Kris admitted he played and sang.
For now, Adam was satisfied with what he knew -- Kris liked a basic coffee with milk and a hint of sugar, he was friendly and funny and patient and stubborn and adorable and hot … and hot … and hot ….
Yeah, he was hot. Adam was so attracted to him the little dude was invading his thoughts every waking hour and his dreams the rest of the time. He kept it in check most of the time but when he slipped, it wasn’t good. The most embarrassing example happened when he and Tony were making out one night. Earlier that day Adam had walked by the newsstand on his way home and managed to catch Kris before had closed up and left. It was windy and the papers weren’t cooperating. Adam pitched in and helped him close up the wooden flaps and secure it shut for the night. Kris had his guitar flung across his back and Adam walked him down to the bus stop and stayed to chat until the #5 arrived. They talked about the weather and hot topics in the news, nothing too deep. Somebody bumped into Adam and he fell against the smaller man. This was the closest they’d ever physically gotten and feeling that hard body pressed against his own short-circuited his brain. That night, with his eyes closed, his mind open and Tony’s mouth around him, Adam nearly screamed out Kris’ name as he came, managing to morph it into “Kraaahhhhh!!!” instead.
Adam had no clue if Kris was gay. It shouldn’t matter anyway. Adam had Tony and they were … sorta happy.
“Happy Holidays!”
“What’s this?”
“A present … for you.”
“A Christmas present?”
“Sure, if you want it to be.”
“Um … really Adam, there’s no need. A cup of hot chocolate, okay but this?”
“Open it.”
“Right now?”
“Sure, I’m the only one here.”
“Then … I guess.”
Adam was right. He was the only one there. He and Kris were the only one’s stupid enough to be standing still on this windy corner in Manhattan on the coldest day of the year.
Hence the gift.
Over the last few weeks, as winter dug her claws into the city, Adam noticed that Kris didn’t have a proper winter coat. The one he had on may have been okay for a Southern winter but it wouldn’t do here. It also wouldn’t do for Kris to come down sick; something told Adam this newsstand job didn’t come with health insurance.
“Wow, it’s beautiful.”
The coat was hunter green with a fur trimmed hood and down filling. It was also waterproof.
“I hope it fits. There’s a hat and scarf in the box too. And two pairs of gloves - one regular, and one fingerless so you can pick up the papers and make change.”
“I can’t accept it.”
“Sure you can.”
“No, I can’t,” Kris replied seriously. It was the first time there hadn’t been a smile on that face and it was crushing. “It’s too much. Too expensive.”
“You can’t put a price on warmth. Can you afford to get sick?”
Kris hugged himself as a particularly cold blast blew down the street and shook his head.
“Then put it on.”
“You can be a bitch, you know that?” Kris sighed as he started undoing his old coat and quickly slipped on the new one.
“And you’re the most stubborn person I’ve ever met.”
“You’re not the first person to say that too me.”
“I’m not surprised. How’s it feel? It looks good.”
“It’s warm. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“But I still can’t accept it!”
“KRIS! Oh for the love of heat, then consider it a loaner. When it warms up you can give it back.”
“I guess.”
“Great. Consider my closet your closet and when it gets cold again next winter I’ll give it back to you.”
“You’re impossible,” Kris laughed.
Adam smiled.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go clubbing?”
Adam yawned and stretched before slipping into his leather jacket.
“Baby, I’m exhausted. That client of mine has been a slave driver. If we have to go out … sorry, sorry, yes I want to go out with you … then let’s go someplace we can relax.”
“I suppose but I get my valentine when we come home?”
“Sure.”
“And you don’t have to be up early in the morning?”
Tomorrow was Saturday and the newsstand was closed so yeah, he didn’t have to get up early.
“I’m all yours for the weekend.”
Tony wrapped his arms around Adam’s neck and kissed him sloppy and dirty before coming up for air, “And I’m gonna enjoy every millisecond of it.”
Being Valentine’s Day the pub was packed. Adam and Tony found a booth in the back: Adam wanted someplace away from the noisiest patrons and Tony wanted someplace tucked away where he could fondle his man in peace. They ordered drinks and dinner and when the food came, so did an announcement that the entertainment would be starting shortly. Adam couldn’t see the stage from where they were sitting and as much as he was a music fan, he prayed they wouldn’t be blasted out of the place. He had a headache starting and if this had been any day other than today, he would have called it off in favor of a quiet bed.
Half way through their appetizers the music started. The performer may have been introduced but it was hard to hear over the applause and Tony’s tongue in his ear. The music started and the clapping stopped. There was just a guitar - an acoustic set was perfect. The singer began and Adam was transfixed. He’d never heard this dude before but his tone was amazing. He performed a couple of up tempo tunes, including a killer rendition of ‘Heartless’ and then he slowed it down. As the lyrics poured out like sun-kissed golden honey, Adam closed his eyes and let himself get lost in the music:
♫ You’re just too good to be true / Can’t take my eyes off of you / you’d be like heaven to touch / I want to hold you so much …. ♫
“Adam?! Wake up, you’re embarrassing me!”
“Hmph … wha?”
Lifting his head, he got a crick in his neck and rubbed it. An image of Kris flashed in his mind and he smiled.
“What’s so funny?!” Tony screeched as quietly as possible.
“Calm down,” he yawned.
“Why the fuck should I calm down. It’s the most romantic night of the year and you fucking fall asleep on me in the middle of a bar!”
“Stop being so dramatic.”
“What?”
“ I told you I was exhausted and I didn’t want to go out tonight.”
“So what … now it’s my fault. I ….”
Adam took his arm and silently shut him up.
“Let’s not do this here.”
Tony got to his feet, “Take me home.”
“Yeah, yeah … we’ll stretch out on the couch and relax ….”
“No Adam, my home … not yours. I’m done for tonight.”
“Suit yourself.”
The two men got up and pushed their way through the crowd towards the exit. As they pushed through the crowd, the singer finished his set and someone else was talking.
“What a fantastic set, as always. Give it up for Kris Allen!”
Adam didn’t know what made him turn around, maybe the familiar first name, but he did and was shocked to see it was Newsboy Kris. With a guitar in one hand, Kris waved and walked off stage. Forgetting about Tony, Adam pushed his way back through the crowd towards the stage. When he got there, Kris was nowhere to be seen so he tried to get backstage. Unfortunately, he met resistance.
“Sorry man, you can’t go back there.”
“I have to! I mean, I’m friends with Kris … I need to talk to him.”
“As if I haven’t heard that before. Like I said you can’t go back there. Besides, he’s left already.”
Damn.
“Does he play here a lot?” Adam asked casually.
“If he’s your friend, wouldn’t you know that?”
“C’mon man ….”
“He plays once or twice a month on Friday nights.”
“Thanks, I appreciate the info.”
As he turned back to find Tony, his phone buzzed. Apparently his boyfriend didn’t appreciate being abandoned and he took a taxi home. Somewhat relieved, Adam headed home and put the kettle on. He changed into comfy sweats, made a green tea with honey and lemon, and settled onto the couch. The laptop was nearby and he Googled that song. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons were the originators of ‘You’re Just too Good to be True’ but in Adam’s humble opinion, Kris did it one better.
Adam stood out on his balcony, sipping coconut water and looking down on the maze of city streets. Despite all the people scurrying like ants and the ribbons of yellow cabs weaving amongst the rest of the traffic, his eyes tuned in on a tiny brown box on a busy street corner. Inside the condo, Tony was gathering the few belongings he had here. Adam thought it best to stay out of his way.
If he had to pick the exact time their relationship started unraveling, it was probably Valentine’s Day. Tony started getting more demanding of Adam’s time and Adam started pulling away more. That pub became his favorite hangout on Friday nights. He waited four or five weeks before telling Kris he knew about his gig. Instead, Adam sat in the back, under cover of the shadows, and just drank in the euphoria Kris’ voice poured over him. When he finally confessed, Kris blushed the cutest shade of pink and then told him about some other places he performed at during the week. At first Tony went with him but the guy got bored and pissed off that the singer was getting more of Adam’s attention than he was. He jokingly asked Adam if he was following this dude around the city since the odds of constantly running into him were astronomical and then it was no longer fun when Tony realized it wasn’t a coincidence at all. He confronted his lover and Adam finally admitted he had feelings for the singer. Thank God Tony didn’t know Kris worked down the street or he would have confronted the clueless newsboy and probably bitch slapped him.
The door slammed and Tony was gone. Adam let out a long, slow breath. He hadn’t been happy in this relationship for a long time. It was almost as if he just kept Tony around cause he didn’t want to be alone. Lately, he hadn’t felt that way.
He strolled inside and looked at the clock in the kitchen. Kris would be closing up the newsstand and in about two hours, he’d be on stage … and Adam couldn’t wait. Stripping down, he headed towards the shower when his phone rang. If it was Tony, he was going to flush it. Instead it was the second person he didn’t want to hear from - his boss.
“Adam, we have a problem. Wannamaker Industries suddenly decided they need another approach to the campaign.”
“Oh? Well, I’ll get on it first thing Monday morning.”
“That won’t cut it. Wannamaker wants a meeting at his office first thing tomorrow morning. I’ve got you a first class ticket that leaves JFK in 90 minutes.”
“But Mr. Gerald ….”
“No buts. He’s your most important client and if he wants you go to Mars, you go to Mars. If you have a problem with this, I can pass the account onto someone else.”
“No! I’ll … I’ll throw together a bag and be out the door in 45 minutes.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear. I’ll have the campaign material couriered to the hotel I booked for you. I’ve emailed the details to you.”
“How long will I be there?”
“As long as it takes.”
“Yes sir.”
“I knew I could count on you. Call me after the breakfast meeting tomorrow. Have a safe flight.”
Damn, this was his most high profile account and no matter how much he wanted to see Kris, he had to be practical. Besides, he’d see Kris when he got back. Quickly he jumped in the shower then packed a suitcase. He had some of the client’s paperwork at home so he packed it up in his briefcase and dug out his best suit; apparently a driver from Wannamaker was meeting him at the arrivals gate so he couldn’t dress for comfort.
In the taxi on the way to the airport, he called the pub and left a message for Kris since he didn’t have the boy’s phone number. He said he was called out of town but he knew Kris would kill it and he’d see him when he got back next week.
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Adam/Kris
Summary: Adam and Kris strike up a casual relationship on the streets of New York City but when one of them falls on hard times, the other comes to the rescue, refusing to take “no” for an answer.
Disclaimer: Pure fiction. I do not own anyone.
Warnings: angst
Just a little fic squeezed in between work and school. Hope you like it, three parts in total.
Adam stepped out onto the street and was nearly run over by a bike messenger riding the sidewalk rather than the road. The startled man yelled an obscenity that got swallowed up in the roar of traffic then forgot about it, turning in the other direction and going on his way.
It was crisp autumn morning and the November wind was whipping down the cavernous corridors made by the tall buildings towering overhead. Adjusting the scarf around his neck and taking out the gloves tucked into his coat pocket, Adam took in a deep breath of car fumes and hot dog vendors and sighed in happiness. There’s was nothing like this city with its energy and excitement. Growing up in San Diego, he’d imagined moving to Los Angeles when he graduated high school but a scholarship at NYU was too good to resist and he crossed the country on his own to pursue his dreams. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. His dream was to be a ‘rock star’, just like most kids into music, but he had a head for business and decided to pursue the practical career choice for security. While in school, he did open mic nights and was part of an indie band but landing a job with a prestigious advertising agency took up most of his time. Now when he was free, he preferred staying home and relaxing unless his boyfriend Tony dragged him out clubbing.
Buzzing in his pocket drew his attention and he took his phone out. It wasn’t even 8:00 am yet and he already had clients and co-workers demanding his attention. Well, he made it a policy not to conduct business on the street. He made that mistake once when he was texting back a message and his arm got bumped, resulting in his thumb mishitting a letter and causing a ruckus with a new client that took two days to straighten out.
One of the messages was from his boyfriend. They’d been talking about hitting a show off-Broadway tonight and Tony said he knew a guy who knew a guy who could secure tickets for a price only Adam could afford at the moment. As he read the message, his feet worked of the own accord leading him to the newsstand on the corner. Every morning he stopped by to say “Hi” to Doc and pick up his usual daily reading material.
As he texted Tony back, he came to a stop and without stilling his fingers or looking up, he casually said, “Morning Doc, my usual please.”
“There are a lot of ‘usuals’ in this city friend. Can you narrow it down for me?”
Messaging forgotten, Adam look up for the source of that fine Southern accent. Surrounded by a mass of print media including Rolling Stone, Elle and Popular Mechanics was the hottest boy he’d seen in forever. He was a bit shorter than Adam with messy brown hair, a strong jaw, brown eyes and a crooked smile that demanded attention.
“You’re not Doc,” Adam declared, stating the obvious.
“Nope … and I’m not Bashful, Dopey or Sneezy either,” the cute dude laughed back. “I’m Kris. What can I get ya?”
Snapping out of his daze, Adam suddenly noticed the growing line of impatient customers gathering around him.
“Wall Street Journal and Variety please. And the name’s Adam.”
Kris gathered the papers and held them out in one hand while his customer placed money in the other. “That’s an unusual combination of usuals.”
“I’m a rather unusual guy.”
“I don’t doubt that.”
“And I don’t have time to watch you two flirt,” an annoyed voice declared. Both men looked at the hippie shoving his hand in Kris’ direction. “Village Voice.”
Kris smiled an apology that warmed the cold November morning and handed over a recent issue. Behind the rude hippie were other customers, cutting this get-to-know-you session short.
“Um … thanks Kris,” Adam said, holding up the papers. “Have a great day. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Bye Adam, you have a great day too.”
It was a miracle he didn’t get hit by a car or run over by a dog walker. Adam kept looking over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the paper boy. He was just about to fall down the stairs into the subway station when his phone rang.
“Hello?”
“What the fuck Lambert?! Why did you stop texting me? I lost the damn tickets cause you didn’t tell me if you would pay that much!”
“Huh? Oh, sorry Tony, I got distracted. Let’s forget the show and just go out to dinner, someplace quiet and dark and then we can go back to my place and I’ll make it up to you.”
“Weeellll, I guess we could do that. Can I bring something?”
Adam knew what that meant. Since he cost them the show tickets, it was the least he do.
“Sure but nothing that leaves marks. I’m still explaining the chaffing on my wrists from the last time. My train’s here. See you tonight.”
A squeal of excitement was cut off by the squeal of the subway wheels. Pushing his way inside, Adam found a rare seat and looked at his copy of Variety, smiling.
“Mmpphh, baaa-byyy … why the hell you up?”
Adam was sitting on the edge of his bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and focusing in the dim room.
“I want to get to work early.”
The mattress shifted as Tony rolled to look at the clock.
“It’s five fucking o’clock. Why the hell do they need you in the office before the crack of dawn?”
“There’s a new client … he wants a breakfast meeting.” Adam got up and padded naked towards the bathroom. “Want to make a good impression.”
Tony wiggled back under the covers and yanked them up to his chin.
“Fine but I ain’t gettin’ up yet. You wore me out last night,” he groaned.
“No problem,” came a reply from the open bathroom door. “Let yourself out whenever. Just remember to lock the door this time.”
In record time - for him - Adam was out the front door of his high-rise and on the hunt for hot beverages.
Twenty minutes later ….
“Morning Kris.”
“Adam! Hey, you’re early. Here you go,” the newsboy said, holding out a rolled bundle of newsprint.
“You remembered.”
“You’re kinda hard to forget.”
Adam couldn’t grab the bundle and hand over the change until he emptied a hand.
“What’s this?”
“For you. It’s cold in the morning … I thought you could use something to warm you up. I hope you like Chai.”
“Chai … chai … oh yeah, the pottery thingy you soak and spread seeds on and it sprouts. I had the Mr. Potato Head when I was a kid.”
At first Adam was clueless and then he connected the dots and laughed out loud.
“Man, that’s the Chia Pets … this is CHAI tea, you know a spiced hot tea brewed in milk.”
Kris looked like he had no idea what his customer was talking about but he accepted it anyway.
“That wasn’t necessary but thanks.”
“No problem, just … want you to stay hot … I’m mean warm.”
Kris flashed a crooked smile, making the other man’s heart stop, and proceeded to reach under a shelf and take out a large steel thermos.
“I’m good … lots of coffee.”
“Oh … sorry.”
“Hey man, I appreciate the gesture.”
Adam reached into his shoulder bag and brought out a bag.
“Suppose you have breakfast down there too. I’ll just eat this cronut myself later.”
“Hold on, not so hasty,” Kris blurted out, “I’ve been dying to try one of those. Hand it over and the papers are on me today.”
Adam smiled back and handed over the yummy treat, along with the money for the papers. There was a digital clock in a bank nearby and he caught sight of the time.
“Gotta go. See you tomorrow?”
“Mmphff … bye … and thunk you!”
He missed his connection but he didn’t care. He was early anyway and the look of pure bliss on that boy’s face when he bit into the pastry was worth the early wake-up.
Over the next month, Adam got up and out early about three out of every five weekdays. Tony got tired of the :have to go in early to meet a client” excuse and stopped staying over. The two men still went out and fucked around but Tony headed home at the end of the night, leaving Adam to his musings about the mysterious Kris.
There wasn’t much time to chat but Adam had made sneaky use of every second of the time they had. Unfortunately, Kris was pretty tight-lipped about himself. The businessman managed to find out the newsboy was from the South but exactly which state was still a mystery, as was his reason for coming to New York. One day Adam spotted a guitar case tucked into a dark corner and Kris admitted he played and sang.
For now, Adam was satisfied with what he knew -- Kris liked a basic coffee with milk and a hint of sugar, he was friendly and funny and patient and stubborn and adorable and hot … and hot … and hot ….
Yeah, he was hot. Adam was so attracted to him the little dude was invading his thoughts every waking hour and his dreams the rest of the time. He kept it in check most of the time but when he slipped, it wasn’t good. The most embarrassing example happened when he and Tony were making out one night. Earlier that day Adam had walked by the newsstand on his way home and managed to catch Kris before had closed up and left. It was windy and the papers weren’t cooperating. Adam pitched in and helped him close up the wooden flaps and secure it shut for the night. Kris had his guitar flung across his back and Adam walked him down to the bus stop and stayed to chat until the #5 arrived. They talked about the weather and hot topics in the news, nothing too deep. Somebody bumped into Adam and he fell against the smaller man. This was the closest they’d ever physically gotten and feeling that hard body pressed against his own short-circuited his brain. That night, with his eyes closed, his mind open and Tony’s mouth around him, Adam nearly screamed out Kris’ name as he came, managing to morph it into “Kraaahhhhh!!!” instead.
Adam had no clue if Kris was gay. It shouldn’t matter anyway. Adam had Tony and they were … sorta happy.
“Happy Holidays!”
“What’s this?”
“A present … for you.”
“A Christmas present?”
“Sure, if you want it to be.”
“Um … really Adam, there’s no need. A cup of hot chocolate, okay but this?”
“Open it.”
“Right now?”
“Sure, I’m the only one here.”
“Then … I guess.”
Adam was right. He was the only one there. He and Kris were the only one’s stupid enough to be standing still on this windy corner in Manhattan on the coldest day of the year.
Hence the gift.
Over the last few weeks, as winter dug her claws into the city, Adam noticed that Kris didn’t have a proper winter coat. The one he had on may have been okay for a Southern winter but it wouldn’t do here. It also wouldn’t do for Kris to come down sick; something told Adam this newsstand job didn’t come with health insurance.
“Wow, it’s beautiful.”
The coat was hunter green with a fur trimmed hood and down filling. It was also waterproof.
“I hope it fits. There’s a hat and scarf in the box too. And two pairs of gloves - one regular, and one fingerless so you can pick up the papers and make change.”
“I can’t accept it.”
“Sure you can.”
“No, I can’t,” Kris replied seriously. It was the first time there hadn’t been a smile on that face and it was crushing. “It’s too much. Too expensive.”
“You can’t put a price on warmth. Can you afford to get sick?”
Kris hugged himself as a particularly cold blast blew down the street and shook his head.
“Then put it on.”
“You can be a bitch, you know that?” Kris sighed as he started undoing his old coat and quickly slipped on the new one.
“And you’re the most stubborn person I’ve ever met.”
“You’re not the first person to say that too me.”
“I’m not surprised. How’s it feel? It looks good.”
“It’s warm. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“But I still can’t accept it!”
“KRIS! Oh for the love of heat, then consider it a loaner. When it warms up you can give it back.”
“I guess.”
“Great. Consider my closet your closet and when it gets cold again next winter I’ll give it back to you.”
“You’re impossible,” Kris laughed.
Adam smiled.
“Are you sure you don’t want to go clubbing?”
Adam yawned and stretched before slipping into his leather jacket.
“Baby, I’m exhausted. That client of mine has been a slave driver. If we have to go out … sorry, sorry, yes I want to go out with you … then let’s go someplace we can relax.”
“I suppose but I get my valentine when we come home?”
“Sure.”
“And you don’t have to be up early in the morning?”
Tomorrow was Saturday and the newsstand was closed so yeah, he didn’t have to get up early.
“I’m all yours for the weekend.”
Tony wrapped his arms around Adam’s neck and kissed him sloppy and dirty before coming up for air, “And I’m gonna enjoy every millisecond of it.”
Being Valentine’s Day the pub was packed. Adam and Tony found a booth in the back: Adam wanted someplace away from the noisiest patrons and Tony wanted someplace tucked away where he could fondle his man in peace. They ordered drinks and dinner and when the food came, so did an announcement that the entertainment would be starting shortly. Adam couldn’t see the stage from where they were sitting and as much as he was a music fan, he prayed they wouldn’t be blasted out of the place. He had a headache starting and if this had been any day other than today, he would have called it off in favor of a quiet bed.
Half way through their appetizers the music started. The performer may have been introduced but it was hard to hear over the applause and Tony’s tongue in his ear. The music started and the clapping stopped. There was just a guitar - an acoustic set was perfect. The singer began and Adam was transfixed. He’d never heard this dude before but his tone was amazing. He performed a couple of up tempo tunes, including a killer rendition of ‘Heartless’ and then he slowed it down. As the lyrics poured out like sun-kissed golden honey, Adam closed his eyes and let himself get lost in the music:
♫ You’re just too good to be true / Can’t take my eyes off of you / you’d be like heaven to touch / I want to hold you so much …. ♫
“Adam?! Wake up, you’re embarrassing me!”
“Hmph … wha?”
Lifting his head, he got a crick in his neck and rubbed it. An image of Kris flashed in his mind and he smiled.
“What’s so funny?!” Tony screeched as quietly as possible.
“Calm down,” he yawned.
“Why the fuck should I calm down. It’s the most romantic night of the year and you fucking fall asleep on me in the middle of a bar!”
“Stop being so dramatic.”
“What?”
“ I told you I was exhausted and I didn’t want to go out tonight.”
“So what … now it’s my fault. I ….”
Adam took his arm and silently shut him up.
“Let’s not do this here.”
Tony got to his feet, “Take me home.”
“Yeah, yeah … we’ll stretch out on the couch and relax ….”
“No Adam, my home … not yours. I’m done for tonight.”
“Suit yourself.”
The two men got up and pushed their way through the crowd towards the exit. As they pushed through the crowd, the singer finished his set and someone else was talking.
“What a fantastic set, as always. Give it up for Kris Allen!”
Adam didn’t know what made him turn around, maybe the familiar first name, but he did and was shocked to see it was Newsboy Kris. With a guitar in one hand, Kris waved and walked off stage. Forgetting about Tony, Adam pushed his way back through the crowd towards the stage. When he got there, Kris was nowhere to be seen so he tried to get backstage. Unfortunately, he met resistance.
“Sorry man, you can’t go back there.”
“I have to! I mean, I’m friends with Kris … I need to talk to him.”
“As if I haven’t heard that before. Like I said you can’t go back there. Besides, he’s left already.”
Damn.
“Does he play here a lot?” Adam asked casually.
“If he’s your friend, wouldn’t you know that?”
“C’mon man ….”
“He plays once or twice a month on Friday nights.”
“Thanks, I appreciate the info.”
As he turned back to find Tony, his phone buzzed. Apparently his boyfriend didn’t appreciate being abandoned and he took a taxi home. Somewhat relieved, Adam headed home and put the kettle on. He changed into comfy sweats, made a green tea with honey and lemon, and settled onto the couch. The laptop was nearby and he Googled that song. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons were the originators of ‘You’re Just too Good to be True’ but in Adam’s humble opinion, Kris did it one better.
Adam stood out on his balcony, sipping coconut water and looking down on the maze of city streets. Despite all the people scurrying like ants and the ribbons of yellow cabs weaving amongst the rest of the traffic, his eyes tuned in on a tiny brown box on a busy street corner. Inside the condo, Tony was gathering the few belongings he had here. Adam thought it best to stay out of his way.
If he had to pick the exact time their relationship started unraveling, it was probably Valentine’s Day. Tony started getting more demanding of Adam’s time and Adam started pulling away more. That pub became his favorite hangout on Friday nights. He waited four or five weeks before telling Kris he knew about his gig. Instead, Adam sat in the back, under cover of the shadows, and just drank in the euphoria Kris’ voice poured over him. When he finally confessed, Kris blushed the cutest shade of pink and then told him about some other places he performed at during the week. At first Tony went with him but the guy got bored and pissed off that the singer was getting more of Adam’s attention than he was. He jokingly asked Adam if he was following this dude around the city since the odds of constantly running into him were astronomical and then it was no longer fun when Tony realized it wasn’t a coincidence at all. He confronted his lover and Adam finally admitted he had feelings for the singer. Thank God Tony didn’t know Kris worked down the street or he would have confronted the clueless newsboy and probably bitch slapped him.
The door slammed and Tony was gone. Adam let out a long, slow breath. He hadn’t been happy in this relationship for a long time. It was almost as if he just kept Tony around cause he didn’t want to be alone. Lately, he hadn’t felt that way.
He strolled inside and looked at the clock in the kitchen. Kris would be closing up the newsstand and in about two hours, he’d be on stage … and Adam couldn’t wait. Stripping down, he headed towards the shower when his phone rang. If it was Tony, he was going to flush it. Instead it was the second person he didn’t want to hear from - his boss.
“Adam, we have a problem. Wannamaker Industries suddenly decided they need another approach to the campaign.”
“Oh? Well, I’ll get on it first thing Monday morning.”
“That won’t cut it. Wannamaker wants a meeting at his office first thing tomorrow morning. I’ve got you a first class ticket that leaves JFK in 90 minutes.”
“But Mr. Gerald ….”
“No buts. He’s your most important client and if he wants you go to Mars, you go to Mars. If you have a problem with this, I can pass the account onto someone else.”
“No! I’ll … I’ll throw together a bag and be out the door in 45 minutes.”
“That’s what I wanted to hear. I’ll have the campaign material couriered to the hotel I booked for you. I’ve emailed the details to you.”
“How long will I be there?”
“As long as it takes.”
“Yes sir.”
“I knew I could count on you. Call me after the breakfast meeting tomorrow. Have a safe flight.”
Damn, this was his most high profile account and no matter how much he wanted to see Kris, he had to be practical. Besides, he’d see Kris when he got back. Quickly he jumped in the shower then packed a suitcase. He had some of the client’s paperwork at home so he packed it up in his briefcase and dug out his best suit; apparently a driver from Wannamaker was meeting him at the arrivals gate so he couldn’t dress for comfort.
In the taxi on the way to the airport, he called the pub and left a message for Kris since he didn’t have the boy’s phone number. He said he was called out of town but he knew Kris would kill it and he’d see him when he got back next week.