Title: Could I Just Be You Tonight
Author: krisherdown
Fandom: American Idol RPS
Pairing: Adam Lambert/Kris Allen
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This did not happen.
Summary: Adam has been around Kris enough to see him as predictable. He’s so wrong.
Author’s Note: First time writing AI but after a week like this one, it was inevitable. :) Fic isn’t related to the matchbox twenty song, even though I love that song. The title just happened to fit.
Adam is sure Kris couldn’t care less about fashion. That Kris could literally be from bed to performance-ready in under a half hour mystifies him.
Yet it suits him. Just like it suits Adam to make sure every element is in place to enhance the show. He has tried to broaden Kris’ understanding but Kris would rather let the makeup people guide him instead of actually listening to any of it.
Adam has seen Kris hang around the room in a white t-shirt and jeans, writing down lyrics while playing chords on his guitar. Sitting barefoot on the bed, appearing so simple and tranquil while in this mood.
The guys that Adam has been with in the past can best be described as complicated. Taking something so slight and turning it into a major issue. Adam is like that himself so, like minds, he guesses.
That’s not Kris. Sure, the fact that Adam is crushing on a married man makes the situation complicated but Kris himself is not into the drama. It’s refreshing.
Adam imagines what it would be like if Kris let loose. One debauched night, lose the sweet exterior and admit something dark, dammit. Adam is used to dark and not just because he wears that color so much.
It feels weird to say but, as the number of contestants decreases, Allison is the one Adam finds easiest to bond with about the silly crazy stuff. She is just a kid but, in his theatre world, there are more people like her than people like Danny or Kris.
He may have mentioned to Allison about his desire for Kris to let loose. He covers it by saying there is no prayer of a chance, pun intended, with Gokey but Kris is a bit more open-minded. After all, he figures, Kris hasn’t suggested changing rooms and Adam being himself is enough to drive most people mad, sexual orientation not even in the equation.
Allison gives him this look, her eyes seeming older than her years, but doesn’t say anything further on the subject. In the moment, Adam is sure she has something else in mind.
It doesn’t take long to find out. Adam, Matt and Danny are sitting in the hotel lobby when they hear Allison yelling, “No fair! You lost the bet. A deal’s a deal!”
It’s muffled but it’s clear to Adam that it’s Kris speaking and he’s trying to get out of the terms of the bet.
Matt smiles brightly, gesturing for them to join the commotion. Adam shakes his head and lingers behind, not thinking too much of whatever Allison and Kris are doing.
That is, until Danny stops in his tracks, exclaiming, “Are you kidding me?!”
Matt adds, “Now that is a transformation! When Adam sees this… just, wow.” Neither guy can stop laughing.
Now Adam is curious and is immediately on his feet, rushing to where they are standing. However, by then, Kris has retreated to the elevator, the doors shutting before Adam finds out.
“What happened?” Adam asks.
Allison gives Danny a stern look, not wanting Adam to find out this way. She replies bitterly, “He chickened out, that’s what happened. He’s probably heading back to the room.” The up button is already lit on the elevator and soon the doors are open. She pushes Adam in and presses the correct floor but nobody else is with him when the doors close.
* * * * *
When the elevator reaches the desired floor, Adam expects to find him still in the hallway. It doesn’t work that way. Adam finds himself calling out for Kris, but gets no reply.
He reaches the door of the hotel room, asking, “What is going on? If you think it’s worth hiding, keep in mind that Matt can’t keep his mouth shut so he will give details.”
“It’s not that… I don’t care…well, I care but not because of them.”
“Matt said that if I saw, I guess I would what? Flip out?”
As a reply, Adam hears the click of the door and it nudges open. When Adam presses his hand against it, the door falls open with no sign of Kris. Adam glances toward the bathroom.
“What…”
“I’m preparing. Hold on.” Adam can hear a loud, deep breath, as if Kris is trying to still his nerves before going on stage. But what could have led to…
The bathroom door opens and it cuts off all train of thought. Adam blurts out, “Oh my God!”
Kris is fidgeting with the bracelets on his wrists; he’s so uncomfortable he can’t even face Adam. Bracelets, studded leather belt, rings, wallet chain - all clearly raided from his own closet. Tight sparkly black tee, shiny black jeans - someone (guessing Allison) must have done some shopping recently. As well as applied that eyeliner this morning.
Kris tries to explain and the words come out too quickly. “When it was still the Top 13, Allison and I made a bet. If we both made the final six, I had to allow her to dress me up. Otherwise, she would get rid of the pink hair, even if she was still around and I was gone. Although she admitted now all she’d have done was make it purple instead. But, so, dress up turned out to be her way to do this,” holding his hands out as a demonstration.
Adam knew Allison’s look days ago held something greater. He doesn’t know if she told Kris yet so better to assume she didn’t. “Well, they were right. I am surprised. So you lost a bet. What did you think would happen? I would freak out? Be offended?” If Kris was looking, he might not like the fact that Adam is so turned on right now but his voice is level, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
It takes awhile for Kris to answer and his voice is soft when he does, making it tough for Adam to hear. “No. I feared that you’d really like it.”
“Oh?” Adam has to admit he doesn’t understand at all. If Allison said too much, it still doesn’t explain how nervous Kris is right now.
“That’s not quite right. I feared… I fear reacting to your reaction, actually. It’s supposed to be just a joke but…”
Adam smiles brightly, finding it charming how much this is twisting his roommate around. “You did nothing with your hair.”
“Because that black stuff won’t come out right away and there is no way I can explain to the press why I did that. It’s not quite the same as the nail polish, ya know? So even Allison said it was okay not to do that…”
“I wasn’t complaining.” Adam slowly approaches Kris, who still hasn’t actually looked at him. “In fact, I like this better. Otherwise it feels too much like Halloween.” He grabs hold of the restless hand, forcing Kris to finally stop avoiding.
The eyeliner does throw off the way Adam would dream about this moment but those brown eyes staring up at him, such wanting yet needing to hold back.
Kris does seem to relax now that he’s actually seen Adam’s reaction. “You think you’re the only one who can shock people?”
“You needed Allison to do it,” Adam reminds him. “Though, yes, you did manage to throw me off.”
The corners of his mouth turn up. “That is true. The outfit was her idea - or, more likely, she was influenced by you. I suppose I should change that.” Kris pulls on the collar of Adam’s jacket and shocks him with a kiss. Adam’s brain hasn’t yet caught up to the change in mood so maybe he doesn’t quite react immediately.
So when Kris breaks away, Adam thinks that he’ll see how freaked out Kris is. Instead, the smile is wider as he says, “Is that the way you fantasized us?”
“There is no version in which you look like this. Although… I do imagine you doing the kissing and letting loose.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet.”
This time when Kris kisses him, Adam is ready to reciprocate. His hands run along Kris’ back as their bodies get closer.
“There is one difference,” Adam whispers, his lips still brushing Kris’ but just enough apart to speak. Kris raises an eyebrow, allowing Adam to continue. “I imagined there would be fewer clothes to remove.”