(no subject)
Title: My Crutch
Author: fomp
Pairing: Kris/Adam
Rating: PG/PG-13?
Word Count: 1332
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all. Completely fictional.
Notes: Could be friendship fic or more than that, depending on how you read into it. This took me so long to finish (too long, really). There are sections in this, each one with a slightly different approach or flavor to it. Bear with the quirkiness. Dedicated to my benches at ontd_ai. I listened a lot to the Kings of Leon album while writing this, if that helps. Un-beta'd, all mistakes are mine. Comments are ♥.
After the tour ends, Kris is back in Arkansas for maybe a week, he isn’t really sure. It’s not quite enough time to really catch up with his friends, but it’s all he can spare. He needs to do some serious recording for his album and take care of things that just didn’t get taken care of while he traveled the entire country. He spends as much time with Katy as he can; they make their favorite carrot cake cupcakes one night and they end up talking for hours while sitting on the kitchen floor.
At first it was about nothing, things they used to talk about: Katy’s ridiculous new nail polish color, crazy antics Kris witnessed his friends doing. That leads to stories of offstage/camera hilarity during Idol and the tour, things that somehow were missed in their daily conversations. All of his stories involved Adam, mentioned Adam, mentioned someone mentioning Adam, Adam Adam Adam. She didn’t say anything, though, just smiled that knowing smile of hers.
He goes bowling with some of his friends and finds it odd that none of them pick the pink bowling ball or sing along when Katy Perry is played over the alley’s stereo system.
He goes to church with his parents, sits in their family pew, but he finds the once inspirational pastor now seemed closed-minded and ignorant. He still sang loudly with his momma, however, because that’s what was expected of him. Plus, it made her smile, which made it all worth it.
His week in Arkansas comes to a close and it reminds him of ‘homecoming’, during the show. A nice break, a mini-vacation, but then back to business, back to LA, back to making his dreams come true.
---
Meetings, schedules, managers, agents, writing, singing, recording.
Repeat.
Meet Kris’ life now. Mix in eating, interviews, and fan correspondence. A sprinkle of phone calls to friends or family. Bake in an oven where all the Idol contestants still regularly see each other.
Serve on a bed that is rarely slept in.
---
He’s living out of suitcases again, trying to eat as healthy as possible, whenever he can. His hotel suites are always fully stocked, everything he needs is either already there or a quick phone call away. He mentions this in an interview when they ask about his living arrangements. He likens it to how they lived during Idol, but with less glitter everywhere.
Every.
Where.
---
“Kristopher Allen, you are not staying in a hotel while you are in LA. You are staying in my apartment. Grab your shit and get over here.”
“Die.”
“Oh, did I wake you?”
A mumble. A crash. “’S 3:30.”
“Go back to bed, Krissy. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
---
Really, Kris was expecting to sleep on Adam’s couch, it would just be nice to sleep somewhere that didn’t have nosy maids for once. But no, Adam’s apartment was large enough that it had a guest bedroom and bathroom. When Kris arrived, with his two suitcases and one duffel bag, looking completely disheveled, Adam just pointed down the hallway, telling him to take a nap already.
When Kris awoke, Adam had already ordered take-out from the Thai restaurant down the block.
“Hey, I really appreciate this, man.”
Adam simply smiled and handed him a container filled with pad thai. “Don’t thank me just yet. If we order your favorite food, that means I get to pick what we watch during dinner. And it’s just your luck because Project Runway is marathoning on Lifetime.”
Kris just nodded, resignedly, then began to grin.
It was just like old times. He was himself again.
In the following weeks, more and more of his stuff gets moved into Adam’s apartment, into their apartment.
---
His phone calls to Katy became few and far between, maybe once a week, if that. Between being entirely too busy with the record, sleeping, and getting back into a groove with Adam, Kris just barely had the time to call. He still tried to send the occasional text, though.
Had a jamba juice today. thought of u :)
That taylor swift song was on the radio - I hate that i know all the words lol
But it just wasn’t the same anymore. If Katy responded, it was with quick, short replies, just barely saying enough to answer a question or to comment at all. She wasn’t being cold, she just knew that Kris was busy, that Kris was forging a new life and she wasn’t a part in it. She had come to terms with that fact many weeks ago; it appeared to her, however, that Kris had not.
---
Scene: INT. Mid-afternoon in Adam’s apartment. Kris is struggling with something on his laptop while sitting in the overstuffed chair near the windows. Adam is fidgeting on one of the bar stools from the kitchen nook as he repeatedly checks his watch, phone, etc for the time. He laughs nervously at the various sounds of frustration coming from Kris. SOUND CUE: a knock at the door.
ADAM: I got it. (crosses to door; opens it to reveal Katy shaking the rain from her umbrella and wiping the soles of her boots on the welcome mat)
ADAM: Hey, Katy. Come on in.
KATY: (smiles politely) Thank you, Adam, for everything.
ADAM: It’s no problem, really.
ADAM: Uh, Kris, I’m gonna let you two talk. I’ll be back later, mmk? (grabs coat and keys then exits)
Kris has been seated in a quiet shock for this exchange, but isn’t unhappy to see her. Katy sits down on the sofa next to Kris, takes out a manila envelope from her attaché and places it on the coffee table in front of them. She takes one of Kris’ hands and gives it a little squeeze before releasing it again)
KATY: Hey, Kris. You look good. (a small smile)
KRIS: What’s in the envelope, Katy?
KATY: I had called Adam a couple days ago to let him know, er, everything.
KRIS: What’s in the envelope, Katy.
KATY: (hands him the envelope) I know we haven’t really discussed this or anything, but I thought it would be for best this way.
Fall curtain.
Scene: INT. Two hours after previous scene, early evening. Adam cautiously opens the door, carrying a box of pizza and various bags from department stores; the pizza is for Kris, the bags are for Adam (though he did buy Kris a new sweatshirt, but he doesn’t mention that now). He finds the living room empty and silent.
ADAM: (calls softly) Kris? I’m back. Are you here?
(a small sniffle comes from Adam’s bedroom. Adam heads over there, fearing what he will find. He gently pokes open his door, seeing Kris curled into himself in the very middle of the bed with one of Adam’s quilts; a box of tissues sits next to him, used tissues surround him, divorce papers in a neat pile on the floor)
ADAM: Oh, honey. I had no idea when she called that it meant… I’m sorry.
KRIS: Is that pizza?
ADAM: Sweetie. (a small, gentle laugh) Yes, it’s pizza. But it can wait. Can I get you anything?
KRIS: Just lay down with me?
(curtain fall)
---
It takes only one day to make, with Adam’s help, a Katy Box: a box filled with items that reminded Kris of Katy in any way, shape or form. Really, it’s more like 4 boxes, and now Kris has a whole lot less stuff, it feels like. But he is cleansed, he is renewed, he’s on his way to heal himself completely.
It takes exactly seven days before Kris even leaves the apartment, however.
Another five after that before he picks up his guitar.
In the end, though, he likes to think it was all worth it. Why? Because he was able to lean on someone throughout this whole ordeal and come out on the other side in one piece, one very happy piece.
Author: fomp
Pairing: Kris/Adam
Rating: PG/PG-13?
Word Count: 1332
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all. Completely fictional.
Notes: Could be friendship fic or more than that, depending on how you read into it. This took me so long to finish (too long, really). There are sections in this, each one with a slightly different approach or flavor to it. Bear with the quirkiness. Dedicated to my benches at ontd_ai. I listened a lot to the Kings of Leon album while writing this, if that helps. Un-beta'd, all mistakes are mine. Comments are ♥.
After the tour ends, Kris is back in Arkansas for maybe a week, he isn’t really sure. It’s not quite enough time to really catch up with his friends, but it’s all he can spare. He needs to do some serious recording for his album and take care of things that just didn’t get taken care of while he traveled the entire country. He spends as much time with Katy as he can; they make their favorite carrot cake cupcakes one night and they end up talking for hours while sitting on the kitchen floor.
At first it was about nothing, things they used to talk about: Katy’s ridiculous new nail polish color, crazy antics Kris witnessed his friends doing. That leads to stories of offstage/camera hilarity during Idol and the tour, things that somehow were missed in their daily conversations. All of his stories involved Adam, mentioned Adam, mentioned someone mentioning Adam, Adam Adam Adam. She didn’t say anything, though, just smiled that knowing smile of hers.
He goes bowling with some of his friends and finds it odd that none of them pick the pink bowling ball or sing along when Katy Perry is played over the alley’s stereo system.
He goes to church with his parents, sits in their family pew, but he finds the once inspirational pastor now seemed closed-minded and ignorant. He still sang loudly with his momma, however, because that’s what was expected of him. Plus, it made her smile, which made it all worth it.
His week in Arkansas comes to a close and it reminds him of ‘homecoming’, during the show. A nice break, a mini-vacation, but then back to business, back to LA, back to making his dreams come true.
---
Meetings, schedules, managers, agents, writing, singing, recording.
Repeat.
Meet Kris’ life now. Mix in eating, interviews, and fan correspondence. A sprinkle of phone calls to friends or family. Bake in an oven where all the Idol contestants still regularly see each other.
Serve on a bed that is rarely slept in.
---
He’s living out of suitcases again, trying to eat as healthy as possible, whenever he can. His hotel suites are always fully stocked, everything he needs is either already there or a quick phone call away. He mentions this in an interview when they ask about his living arrangements. He likens it to how they lived during Idol, but with less glitter everywhere.
Every.
Where.
---
“Kristopher Allen, you are not staying in a hotel while you are in LA. You are staying in my apartment. Grab your shit and get over here.”
“Die.”
“Oh, did I wake you?”
A mumble. A crash. “’S 3:30.”
“Go back to bed, Krissy. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
---
Really, Kris was expecting to sleep on Adam’s couch, it would just be nice to sleep somewhere that didn’t have nosy maids for once. But no, Adam’s apartment was large enough that it had a guest bedroom and bathroom. When Kris arrived, with his two suitcases and one duffel bag, looking completely disheveled, Adam just pointed down the hallway, telling him to take a nap already.
When Kris awoke, Adam had already ordered take-out from the Thai restaurant down the block.
“Hey, I really appreciate this, man.”
Adam simply smiled and handed him a container filled with pad thai. “Don’t thank me just yet. If we order your favorite food, that means I get to pick what we watch during dinner. And it’s just your luck because Project Runway is marathoning on Lifetime.”
Kris just nodded, resignedly, then began to grin.
It was just like old times. He was himself again.
In the following weeks, more and more of his stuff gets moved into Adam’s apartment, into their apartment.
---
His phone calls to Katy became few and far between, maybe once a week, if that. Between being entirely too busy with the record, sleeping, and getting back into a groove with Adam, Kris just barely had the time to call. He still tried to send the occasional text, though.
Had a jamba juice today. thought of u :)
That taylor swift song was on the radio - I hate that i know all the words lol
But it just wasn’t the same anymore. If Katy responded, it was with quick, short replies, just barely saying enough to answer a question or to comment at all. She wasn’t being cold, she just knew that Kris was busy, that Kris was forging a new life and she wasn’t a part in it. She had come to terms with that fact many weeks ago; it appeared to her, however, that Kris had not.
---
Scene: INT. Mid-afternoon in Adam’s apartment. Kris is struggling with something on his laptop while sitting in the overstuffed chair near the windows. Adam is fidgeting on one of the bar stools from the kitchen nook as he repeatedly checks his watch, phone, etc for the time. He laughs nervously at the various sounds of frustration coming from Kris. SOUND CUE: a knock at the door.
ADAM: I got it. (crosses to door; opens it to reveal Katy shaking the rain from her umbrella and wiping the soles of her boots on the welcome mat)
ADAM: Hey, Katy. Come on in.
KATY: (smiles politely) Thank you, Adam, for everything.
ADAM: It’s no problem, really.
ADAM: Uh, Kris, I’m gonna let you two talk. I’ll be back later, mmk? (grabs coat and keys then exits)
Kris has been seated in a quiet shock for this exchange, but isn’t unhappy to see her. Katy sits down on the sofa next to Kris, takes out a manila envelope from her attaché and places it on the coffee table in front of them. She takes one of Kris’ hands and gives it a little squeeze before releasing it again)
KATY: Hey, Kris. You look good. (a small smile)
KRIS: What’s in the envelope, Katy?
KATY: I had called Adam a couple days ago to let him know, er, everything.
KRIS: What’s in the envelope, Katy.
KATY: (hands him the envelope) I know we haven’t really discussed this or anything, but I thought it would be for best this way.
Fall curtain.
Scene: INT. Two hours after previous scene, early evening. Adam cautiously opens the door, carrying a box of pizza and various bags from department stores; the pizza is for Kris, the bags are for Adam (though he did buy Kris a new sweatshirt, but he doesn’t mention that now). He finds the living room empty and silent.
ADAM: (calls softly) Kris? I’m back. Are you here?
(a small sniffle comes from Adam’s bedroom. Adam heads over there, fearing what he will find. He gently pokes open his door, seeing Kris curled into himself in the very middle of the bed with one of Adam’s quilts; a box of tissues sits next to him, used tissues surround him, divorce papers in a neat pile on the floor)
ADAM: Oh, honey. I had no idea when she called that it meant… I’m sorry.
KRIS: Is that pizza?
ADAM: Sweetie. (a small, gentle laugh) Yes, it’s pizza. But it can wait. Can I get you anything?
KRIS: Just lay down with me?
(curtain fall)
---
It takes only one day to make, with Adam’s help, a Katy Box: a box filled with items that reminded Kris of Katy in any way, shape or form. Really, it’s more like 4 boxes, and now Kris has a whole lot less stuff, it feels like. But he is cleansed, he is renewed, he’s on his way to heal himself completely.
It takes exactly seven days before Kris even leaves the apartment, however.
Another five after that before he picks up his guitar.
In the end, though, he likes to think it was all worth it. Why? Because he was able to lean on someone throughout this whole ordeal and come out on the other side in one piece, one very happy piece.