Valentine's Fic Fest - Love Hearts
Title: Love Hearts
Disclaimer: Not real, not in the slightest.
Prompt: Candy Hearts
Rating: PG (if that!)
Word Count: 3,673
Notes: Written for the kradam_ai Valentine's Day Fic Fest.
Summary: Kris has a strange obsession with a certain sort of candy.
Adam looked at the man who was to be his roommate for the next however long they both lasted in the competition. The camera crew had just filmed them entering their room three times to get the right angle and lighting which, although frustrating at the time, had given him something specific to focus on. Now they were gone he wasn’t too sure what to do. Kris was piling his clothes into the drawers and Adam wanted very little more than to hang all that plaid up in the wardrobe so that it didn’t get creased. Although thinking about it, his plaid becoming un-wearable was probably one of the best things that could happen to Kris Allen. It was criminal to hide all that cute in awful clothes.
Adam didn’t really know what to make of Kris. They had gotten on really well since they met in Hollywood Week, and he knew that his sexuality wasn’t a problem for Kris at all, but not having a problem with it and being comfortable enough with it to share a room were two very different things. He liked Kris, he didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, but he didn’t want to change who he was either. He was going to have to censor himself on the show, he wasn’t sure he could do it in the house as well. Maybe playing it by ear was the best way to go.
Adam noticed that Kris had moved away from his suitcase and was rummaging through his bag.
“Got it!”
Adam watched as Kris unwrapped something. Taking out what appeared to Adam to be a candy Kris looked at it, smiled, and then placed it in his mouth. Sucking on it he looked up at Adam.
“Want one?”
“One what?”
“Love heart.”
“Huh?”
“Candy dude, do you want a candy?”
“Oh yeah, sure, thanks.”
Adam moved over to Kris and held his hand out. Kris grabbed the first love heart from the package and looked at it.
“Nope, not that one.”
Adam watched in bemusement as Kris pulled another out of the pack and looked at it before handing it over to Adam.
Looking down at the message Adam laughed as he read it. He looked back up at Kris who smiled at him before heading back to his unpacking.
Hi Buddy
~~~~~~~
Adam stood in the bathroom looking at his reflection in the mirror as he took his makeup off. It had been a tough night Adam wasn’t going to deny that. In fact, if pressed, he’d even admit was pretty sure he was going home tomorrow. He didn’t want to go home, didn’t want it to be over yet, but maybe ‘Ring of Fire’ had been a mistake. He thought his vocals had been pretty good but hey, if Simon said you were singing ‘self indulgent rubbish’ than America tended to listen.
But what did they expect him to sing! It was Country Week for fucks sake. He’d wondered if they were baiting him, trying to get him to come out with a Dolly Parton or Patsy Cline. Maybe they wanted him to just get it over with and sing ‘Stand By Your Man’. They’d been openly supportive of his choices but Adam always wondered if there was an undercurrent to everything the Powers That Be did; some Machiavellian subconscious meaning behind every decision. Or maybe he was just listening to Neil too much. Maybe it was Country Week purely because there was always a Country Week on Idol. But it had felt like sink or swim time, like he’d been thrown in the lake without water wings to see what would happen. And sure, the same could be said for Allison and Lil, neither of whom knew anything about country either, but for some reason it felt aimed at him. Why else would they have played that video which emphasised just how much Randy Travis thought of his nail polish?
But this wasn’t helping his mood and stewing on it wouldn’t change the outcome of tomorrow. Adam splashed some water on his now clean face and walked back into the bedroom.
Kris wasn’t on his bed as Adam expected him to be but he could hear laughter coming from downstairs and guessed that he had joined some of the others to relax. Undressing, Adam moved to his bed where his jogging bottoms and T-Shirt were laid out waiting. Pulling the trousers on Adam noticed something lying on the T-shirt. He looked in surprise at the round sweet resting in the centre of the top and then around the room to see if anyone was watching. Seeing no one hiding behind the door waiting to jump out at him Adam picked up the candy. Reading the message he rolled his eyes, laughed, and popped the sweet in his mouth. He was still laughing as he left the room to join the others.
U Rock
~~~~~~~~~
Adam was sitting on the sofa with Allison and Megan watching movies and trying not to listen to Kris’s goodbyes with Katy. It was a private moment that Adam didn’t want to intrude on. As Kris walked into the room Adam glanced over and saw Michael giving him a consolatory pat on the back. Kris smiled at the group on the sofa as he walked past them and into the kitchen. Adam focused his attention back on Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer arguing on the television. He wondered if someone would ever be watching something with him in it, singing or acting, and feel pride in announcing that they worked with him once?
Adam turned away from the screen again as he heard Kris make his way back into the room, Matt and Anoop trailing behind him, all of them carrying drinks. Kris handed Adam a cup of tea and the stood in front of him, looking down expectantly. Adam looked at the saucer the tea was on, surprised at its presence, and noticed the candy nestled next to the mug. Looking at the words on it Adam unceremoniously dumped Allison on the floor, not thinking about why he so willingly followed the instructions.
“Hey!”
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you to give up your seat for your elders?”
“Kris is barely older than me!”
“But barely is still some, so there.”
Kris sat in her now empty space and Adam stuck out his tongue at the girl on the floor.
“Because that was real mature!”
Allison giggled before turning back to the screen and Adam pulled Kris into his side under his arm.
Hug Me
~~~~~~~
The third time that Adam walked in on Kris rolling a joint he began to realise just why Kris would have love hearts on him at all times. He didn’t mind, he enjoyed getting little messages all over the place and being able to eat them, but he was sure that Kris’s obsession with edible notes was at least partially the reason behind his weight gain. Well, that and all the stress eating they’d all been doing.
Adam was disheartened to see that Kris had already gotten his suitcase out in preparation. Noticing that it was still empty the relief that swept through Adam almost took him by surprise.
“You weren’t that bad.”
“I know I wasn’t but I was boring and it was a stupid song choice, stupid Don Henley, and that’s almost worse than if I’d flamed out.”
Adam didn’t know how to respond to that because anything he said that might be optimistic would also probably be a lie. Mediocre was more dangerous on Idol than bad. If you were bad your supporters rallied, if you were just dull they didn’t. It was something that they’d all seen time and time again. But there had to be some way to cheer Kris up before he got stoned. Because stoned was always better when you were already happy. A thought crossed his mind and Adam made a beeline for Kris’s bag. Grabbing it he started rummaging through the contents.
“Hey, what are you? Adam! Stop!”
Adam ignored Kris and continued until he’d found what he was looking for. Grabbing the packet he tore it open and looked through all of the different messages there. There wasn’t anything that really suited the situation! Where the hell had Kris managed to find all of those perfect ones because there were only about three different messages in total in the entire pack! But Adam grabbed the one he thought would work the best and moved back to Kris. Grabbing his hand Adam placed the candy in Kris’s palm, removing the joint as he did so. Adam gave a reassuring smile to his friend and then made his way onto their balcony, knowing that Kris would follow.
You’re Fab
~~~~~~
Adam couldn’t stand still. He needed to move, he needed to let out this tension somehow. He couldn’t believe they’d done that to him, actually, no, he could easily believe they’d done that. He knew they had ulterior motives but they made him look like such a douche out there with that move. Why had he even chosen a side? Oh yeah, because that’s what he does. Just don’t ask him to do the middle ground. And now he might be going home because honestly, Matt kinda killed it out there tonight. It was his best performance in weeks and it was Adam’s worst, it didn’t matter what the judges said, he knew that he’d held back.
At least Kris was safe! And why did that matter so much? And Kris was now dancing away to Jamie fucking Fox who had been looking at Kris in a way Adam didn’t want anyone looking at Kris! Apart from Katy because Katy had every right to look at Kris that way what with being his wife and all.
But Adam couldn’t bitch about anything that had happened that night because Matt was here with him and Matt had been here so many times before and was taking it so very calmly. He was even talking about his exit package and once again Adam felt like a tool for being so focused on himself.
“It could be me that goes, it’s just as likely.”
He’d been trying to reassure Matt but the look Matt gave him was one that clearly showed he thought Adam was insane. But Adam couldn’t help but think that maybe he’d been too gay last night, a little too flamboyant for the voting public. And now if he did get through would his decision to choose a side this week put him in danger next week?
Debbie the stage manager walked up to the pair of them and they both turned to look at her.
“You’re going to be needed back on straight after the commercials.”
They both nodded and started to make their way back to the stage. Debbie grabbed Adam’s arm and he turned back to her.
“I was asked to give you this.”
She didn’t say by whom but Adam knew as soon as he saw the candy. He smiled at her and made his way onto the stage with Matt. He slipped the sweet inside his pocket and smiled over to the group already safe. He pulled Matt under his arm into a hug and took a deep breath trying to obey the sweet’s command.
Relax
~~~~~~
Adam moved to the side of the stage for his quick change out of the KISS outfit. The costume itself was not that hard to remove but he’d had to go and glue individual rhinestones onto his eyes hadn’t he. He’d completely forgotten the very short amount of time he had to get them all off again! Maybe it wouldn’t matter if he was still wearing them for Queen?
His dresser was working as fast as she could and Adam was trying to help but they were running out of time. He’d never missed a quick change once in his life, he was not about to start now. Why the hell did his belt have such a complicated buckle? His hands slipped. He needed to calm the fuck down is what he needed, the more stressed he was the slower he’d be. But fuck it, it was Queen!
“Do your eyes. I’ve got your belt.”
Adam felt Kris’s hands appear on his waist as his dresser grabbed his jacket and started slipping it onto his arms. He quickly grabbed at the rhinestones, pulling them easily from his eyes. He felt Kris slip something into the back pocket of his trousers and knew exactly what it was.
“Read it later.”
Fully dressed he and Kris made a dash for the wings of the stage ready to make their entrance. Adam grinned at Kris as they stood there.
“Fucking Queen man.”
“I know dude, just take it all in.”
It wasn’t until after the press that night that Adam got to read the message he’d been given. He’d moved the sweet into his new trousers when he’d changed that final time and had been carrying it with him ever since, but he hadn’t gotten to read it until he was back in the hotel. He didn’t eat this one, instead sliding it into a compartment of his wallet. He’d decide what to do with it later.
You and I
~~~~~~~~
The fucking protesters were back and this time Adam wasn’t sure he could ignore them like before. He didn’t want to let them see that of course it hurt. Reading Michael’s tweets and hearing the support from all his friends and the fans had meant a lot to him but it didn’t change the fact that there were people outside protesting his very existence. He’d kept up his happy facade for the others but inside he was hurt and angry. What had he ever done to them?
But he wouldn’t do anything. He wouldn’t lower himself to their level. Well, apart from those few tweets about love but that wasn’t the same. He’d been hiding from the rest of the group in the bathroom for the past ten minutes trying to calm himself down. It would do no good to go out there angry. But it was time to face the world again.
Exiting the stall Adam washed his hands, even though he’d not actually used the toilet, and made his way to the door. He stopped in surprise at the sight before him.
“Sneaky little fucking ninja.”
There sellotaped to the door was a message from Kris. He hadn’t even heard him enter the room! How the hell had he managed it? Peeling the sweet off of the door Adam wrapped the sellotape around the candy and placed it in his pocket. It would go in the box he had bought with all the others he had received since that one the night of the final. He didn’t know why he was keeping them. It just felt wrong to eat them, or throw them away. So for now he’d keep them and when they stopped coming, which he knew they must, he’d work out what to do then.
Adam fixed a smile on his face, something that was a lot easier than it had been a few seconds ago, made sure the sweet was safely in his pocket, and opened the door.
My Hero
~~~~~~~
It had been two months since the tour ended and, as Adam had known they would, the love hearts had stopped arriving. It was hard to share candy when you didn’t see each other. So it was a surprise when one turned up in a letter with the rest of his mail. Kris had penned in a question mark on the end of the message, he’d never altered one before and Adam was intrigued.
He picked up the phone and dialled Kris’s number, something he hadn’t done in about two weeks. Kris picked up on the first ring.
“Hey you.”
“Hey. Um...would you mind if I come and stay with you for a while?”
“Excuse me?”
“Can I come and stay with you?”
“Of course, anytime you know that! But Katy...”
“Katy’s in Arkansas, she’s probably not coming back.”
“Kris...”
“Don’t Adam. Please. I just need...I need...”
“I’ll be here whenever you need to come.”
“I’m...I’m actually outside right now.”
“What?”
“Look at the envelope.”
Adam did as he was told. How had he not noticed that there was no address written on it, just his name?
Adam rushed to the front door and pulled it open. Kris was stood there with a duffle bag in his hand, sunglasses on his face. Adam pulled him into a hug. Kris pressed his face against Adam’s shoulder like he belonged there, Adam was beginning to think that he probably did. Drake had thought so as well which was why Adam now had the room in his house for Kris to stay.
“So did you?”
Adam was momentarily shocked by the question until he remembered the message.
“Of course I did! I always do.”
He felt Kris sigh into his shoulder. He really wished he didn’t have to let go.
Miss Me?
~~~~~~~
Kris had been divorced for two months when Adam arrived home to see his dining table set up for a meal for two. A rose sat in the middle of the table and candles lit the room.
“Umm...Kris?”
Adam didn’t want to interrupt some romantic meal that Kris had planned but he needed some sort of warning if he was going to stay away. He didn’t want to acknowledge how much it hurt think about Kris dating again. And wasn’t two months a little quick to start dating even if he and Katy had been separated for quite a while before it was finalised? Kris being with Katy had been one thing, Kris and Katy, it’s just how it was no matter how much Adam wished it weren’t. But Kris with someone else? Adam wasn’t sure he could handle that in his house. Maybe it was time to move on. But he’d really liked sharing his life with Kris, even if it was only as friends.
“Kris?”
When Adam still got no response he moved closer to the table. Looking at the spread he was surprised, to say the least, to see a love heart on one of the placemats.
Be My Love
The stab of pain that went through him at seeing it, at the idea that Kris used love hearts for someone else, nearly knocked him sideways. Of course he did! Why would Adam even think that this was something reserved for him? Adam thought of the box filled with love hearts that was resting in his drawer upstairs and his stomach lurched. How could he have been so stupid! Never fall for the straight boys, you’ll only end up with your heart broken.
“So will you?”
Adam looked up at the man stood in front of him. Kris Allen, heartbreaker and fucking ninja.
“Christ you have to stop creeping up on me like that!”
“Sorry man.”
“Kris I should...I should go, you’re obviously expecting company.”
“The only person I’m expecting is here.”
“Well fuck, don’t just leave her somewhere while you talk to me! I’ll...I’ll go.”
“Adam, I’m waiting for you.”
Adam looked at the small, nervous, smile on Kris’s face. He studied it for any sign that Kris was joking and found none.
“What?”
“Didn’t you read it?”
Adam thought about the note, about the set up of the room; about everything.
“I...”
“Oh for the love of...look I know I could have chosen another one but I thought that was the best. Look!”
Kris disappeared back into the kitchen before returning with a handful of love hearts. He dropped them onto the table and Adam looked at them where they lay. The ones he couldn’t see he turned over.
I Love You, All Yours, Only You, Yours, I Like You, In Love
The list went on.
“Do you know how long I thought about which one to put down? It took me forever to collect all of those.”
“You mean...this is for me?”
“And he gets it! I swear, all those people who think that you’re smart have been seriously misled.”
“Hey! It’s not my fault. I thought you were straight!”
“I never said that!”
“But Katy?”
“It’s called bisexual Adam. I know you don’t like labels but I thought you’d understand that one.”
“But you never said...”
“There was no need. I was with Katy, I loved Katy. I was in love with Katy. But then I wasn’t anymore. I realised that I was, am, in love with you. And it wasn’t right to keep leading her on so we broke up and I moved in here and it became very obvious that you were never going to make a move so I decided to make one for you.”
“But...you’re straight!”
“Still hung up on that are we?”
Adam couldn’t stop looking at Kris, it was like he’d grown a third head, or even a second one because that would be weird as well. This piece of information blew Adam’s entire world open. It was like the time he discovered that the moon didn’t give off any light, just reflected the sun’s. It didn’t make it any less beautiful or wonderful, but it did change his perception of it and its actions entirely.
Adam was pulled out of his shock as he felt something pressed into his hand. Looking down at the sweet Kris had placed there he held it up to read it. He looked back at Kris to find him looking more nervous than he’d ever seen him.
“What?”
“Obey the candy Adam. It has many wise words.”
“I’ve noticed.”
As there was very little in life that Adam wanted to do more than follow the instructions on the love heart he reached out and pulled Kris towards him. If this carried on he’d definitely need a bigger box.
Kiss Me
Disclaimer: Not real, not in the slightest.
Prompt: Candy Hearts
Rating: PG (if that!)
Word Count: 3,673
Notes: Written for the kradam_ai Valentine's Day Fic Fest.
Summary: Kris has a strange obsession with a certain sort of candy.
Adam looked at the man who was to be his roommate for the next however long they both lasted in the competition. The camera crew had just filmed them entering their room three times to get the right angle and lighting which, although frustrating at the time, had given him something specific to focus on. Now they were gone he wasn’t too sure what to do. Kris was piling his clothes into the drawers and Adam wanted very little more than to hang all that plaid up in the wardrobe so that it didn’t get creased. Although thinking about it, his plaid becoming un-wearable was probably one of the best things that could happen to Kris Allen. It was criminal to hide all that cute in awful clothes.
Adam didn’t really know what to make of Kris. They had gotten on really well since they met in Hollywood Week, and he knew that his sexuality wasn’t a problem for Kris at all, but not having a problem with it and being comfortable enough with it to share a room were two very different things. He liked Kris, he didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, but he didn’t want to change who he was either. He was going to have to censor himself on the show, he wasn’t sure he could do it in the house as well. Maybe playing it by ear was the best way to go.
Adam noticed that Kris had moved away from his suitcase and was rummaging through his bag.
“Got it!”
Adam watched as Kris unwrapped something. Taking out what appeared to Adam to be a candy Kris looked at it, smiled, and then placed it in his mouth. Sucking on it he looked up at Adam.
“Want one?”
“One what?”
“Love heart.”
“Huh?”
“Candy dude, do you want a candy?”
“Oh yeah, sure, thanks.”
Adam moved over to Kris and held his hand out. Kris grabbed the first love heart from the package and looked at it.
“Nope, not that one.”
Adam watched in bemusement as Kris pulled another out of the pack and looked at it before handing it over to Adam.
Looking down at the message Adam laughed as he read it. He looked back up at Kris who smiled at him before heading back to his unpacking.
Hi Buddy
~~~~~~~
Adam stood in the bathroom looking at his reflection in the mirror as he took his makeup off. It had been a tough night Adam wasn’t going to deny that. In fact, if pressed, he’d even admit was pretty sure he was going home tomorrow. He didn’t want to go home, didn’t want it to be over yet, but maybe ‘Ring of Fire’ had been a mistake. He thought his vocals had been pretty good but hey, if Simon said you were singing ‘self indulgent rubbish’ than America tended to listen.
But what did they expect him to sing! It was Country Week for fucks sake. He’d wondered if they were baiting him, trying to get him to come out with a Dolly Parton or Patsy Cline. Maybe they wanted him to just get it over with and sing ‘Stand By Your Man’. They’d been openly supportive of his choices but Adam always wondered if there was an undercurrent to everything the Powers That Be did; some Machiavellian subconscious meaning behind every decision. Or maybe he was just listening to Neil too much. Maybe it was Country Week purely because there was always a Country Week on Idol. But it had felt like sink or swim time, like he’d been thrown in the lake without water wings to see what would happen. And sure, the same could be said for Allison and Lil, neither of whom knew anything about country either, but for some reason it felt aimed at him. Why else would they have played that video which emphasised just how much Randy Travis thought of his nail polish?
But this wasn’t helping his mood and stewing on it wouldn’t change the outcome of tomorrow. Adam splashed some water on his now clean face and walked back into the bedroom.
Kris wasn’t on his bed as Adam expected him to be but he could hear laughter coming from downstairs and guessed that he had joined some of the others to relax. Undressing, Adam moved to his bed where his jogging bottoms and T-Shirt were laid out waiting. Pulling the trousers on Adam noticed something lying on the T-shirt. He looked in surprise at the round sweet resting in the centre of the top and then around the room to see if anyone was watching. Seeing no one hiding behind the door waiting to jump out at him Adam picked up the candy. Reading the message he rolled his eyes, laughed, and popped the sweet in his mouth. He was still laughing as he left the room to join the others.
U Rock
~~~~~~~~~
Adam was sitting on the sofa with Allison and Megan watching movies and trying not to listen to Kris’s goodbyes with Katy. It was a private moment that Adam didn’t want to intrude on. As Kris walked into the room Adam glanced over and saw Michael giving him a consolatory pat on the back. Kris smiled at the group on the sofa as he walked past them and into the kitchen. Adam focused his attention back on Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer arguing on the television. He wondered if someone would ever be watching something with him in it, singing or acting, and feel pride in announcing that they worked with him once?
Adam turned away from the screen again as he heard Kris make his way back into the room, Matt and Anoop trailing behind him, all of them carrying drinks. Kris handed Adam a cup of tea and the stood in front of him, looking down expectantly. Adam looked at the saucer the tea was on, surprised at its presence, and noticed the candy nestled next to the mug. Looking at the words on it Adam unceremoniously dumped Allison on the floor, not thinking about why he so willingly followed the instructions.
“Hey!”
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you to give up your seat for your elders?”
“Kris is barely older than me!”
“But barely is still some, so there.”
Kris sat in her now empty space and Adam stuck out his tongue at the girl on the floor.
“Because that was real mature!”
Allison giggled before turning back to the screen and Adam pulled Kris into his side under his arm.
Hug Me
~~~~~~~
The third time that Adam walked in on Kris rolling a joint he began to realise just why Kris would have love hearts on him at all times. He didn’t mind, he enjoyed getting little messages all over the place and being able to eat them, but he was sure that Kris’s obsession with edible notes was at least partially the reason behind his weight gain. Well, that and all the stress eating they’d all been doing.
Adam was disheartened to see that Kris had already gotten his suitcase out in preparation. Noticing that it was still empty the relief that swept through Adam almost took him by surprise.
“You weren’t that bad.”
“I know I wasn’t but I was boring and it was a stupid song choice, stupid Don Henley, and that’s almost worse than if I’d flamed out.”
Adam didn’t know how to respond to that because anything he said that might be optimistic would also probably be a lie. Mediocre was more dangerous on Idol than bad. If you were bad your supporters rallied, if you were just dull they didn’t. It was something that they’d all seen time and time again. But there had to be some way to cheer Kris up before he got stoned. Because stoned was always better when you were already happy. A thought crossed his mind and Adam made a beeline for Kris’s bag. Grabbing it he started rummaging through the contents.
“Hey, what are you? Adam! Stop!”
Adam ignored Kris and continued until he’d found what he was looking for. Grabbing the packet he tore it open and looked through all of the different messages there. There wasn’t anything that really suited the situation! Where the hell had Kris managed to find all of those perfect ones because there were only about three different messages in total in the entire pack! But Adam grabbed the one he thought would work the best and moved back to Kris. Grabbing his hand Adam placed the candy in Kris’s palm, removing the joint as he did so. Adam gave a reassuring smile to his friend and then made his way onto their balcony, knowing that Kris would follow.
You’re Fab
~~~~~~
Adam couldn’t stand still. He needed to move, he needed to let out this tension somehow. He couldn’t believe they’d done that to him, actually, no, he could easily believe they’d done that. He knew they had ulterior motives but they made him look like such a douche out there with that move. Why had he even chosen a side? Oh yeah, because that’s what he does. Just don’t ask him to do the middle ground. And now he might be going home because honestly, Matt kinda killed it out there tonight. It was his best performance in weeks and it was Adam’s worst, it didn’t matter what the judges said, he knew that he’d held back.
At least Kris was safe! And why did that matter so much? And Kris was now dancing away to Jamie fucking Fox who had been looking at Kris in a way Adam didn’t want anyone looking at Kris! Apart from Katy because Katy had every right to look at Kris that way what with being his wife and all.
But Adam couldn’t bitch about anything that had happened that night because Matt was here with him and Matt had been here so many times before and was taking it so very calmly. He was even talking about his exit package and once again Adam felt like a tool for being so focused on himself.
“It could be me that goes, it’s just as likely.”
He’d been trying to reassure Matt but the look Matt gave him was one that clearly showed he thought Adam was insane. But Adam couldn’t help but think that maybe he’d been too gay last night, a little too flamboyant for the voting public. And now if he did get through would his decision to choose a side this week put him in danger next week?
Debbie the stage manager walked up to the pair of them and they both turned to look at her.
“You’re going to be needed back on straight after the commercials.”
They both nodded and started to make their way back to the stage. Debbie grabbed Adam’s arm and he turned back to her.
“I was asked to give you this.”
She didn’t say by whom but Adam knew as soon as he saw the candy. He smiled at her and made his way onto the stage with Matt. He slipped the sweet inside his pocket and smiled over to the group already safe. He pulled Matt under his arm into a hug and took a deep breath trying to obey the sweet’s command.
Relax
~~~~~~
Adam moved to the side of the stage for his quick change out of the KISS outfit. The costume itself was not that hard to remove but he’d had to go and glue individual rhinestones onto his eyes hadn’t he. He’d completely forgotten the very short amount of time he had to get them all off again! Maybe it wouldn’t matter if he was still wearing them for Queen?
His dresser was working as fast as she could and Adam was trying to help but they were running out of time. He’d never missed a quick change once in his life, he was not about to start now. Why the hell did his belt have such a complicated buckle? His hands slipped. He needed to calm the fuck down is what he needed, the more stressed he was the slower he’d be. But fuck it, it was Queen!
“Do your eyes. I’ve got your belt.”
Adam felt Kris’s hands appear on his waist as his dresser grabbed his jacket and started slipping it onto his arms. He quickly grabbed at the rhinestones, pulling them easily from his eyes. He felt Kris slip something into the back pocket of his trousers and knew exactly what it was.
“Read it later.”
Fully dressed he and Kris made a dash for the wings of the stage ready to make their entrance. Adam grinned at Kris as they stood there.
“Fucking Queen man.”
“I know dude, just take it all in.”
It wasn’t until after the press that night that Adam got to read the message he’d been given. He’d moved the sweet into his new trousers when he’d changed that final time and had been carrying it with him ever since, but he hadn’t gotten to read it until he was back in the hotel. He didn’t eat this one, instead sliding it into a compartment of his wallet. He’d decide what to do with it later.
You and I
~~~~~~~~
The fucking protesters were back and this time Adam wasn’t sure he could ignore them like before. He didn’t want to let them see that of course it hurt. Reading Michael’s tweets and hearing the support from all his friends and the fans had meant a lot to him but it didn’t change the fact that there were people outside protesting his very existence. He’d kept up his happy facade for the others but inside he was hurt and angry. What had he ever done to them?
But he wouldn’t do anything. He wouldn’t lower himself to their level. Well, apart from those few tweets about love but that wasn’t the same. He’d been hiding from the rest of the group in the bathroom for the past ten minutes trying to calm himself down. It would do no good to go out there angry. But it was time to face the world again.
Exiting the stall Adam washed his hands, even though he’d not actually used the toilet, and made his way to the door. He stopped in surprise at the sight before him.
“Sneaky little fucking ninja.”
There sellotaped to the door was a message from Kris. He hadn’t even heard him enter the room! How the hell had he managed it? Peeling the sweet off of the door Adam wrapped the sellotape around the candy and placed it in his pocket. It would go in the box he had bought with all the others he had received since that one the night of the final. He didn’t know why he was keeping them. It just felt wrong to eat them, or throw them away. So for now he’d keep them and when they stopped coming, which he knew they must, he’d work out what to do then.
Adam fixed a smile on his face, something that was a lot easier than it had been a few seconds ago, made sure the sweet was safely in his pocket, and opened the door.
My Hero
~~~~~~~
It had been two months since the tour ended and, as Adam had known they would, the love hearts had stopped arriving. It was hard to share candy when you didn’t see each other. So it was a surprise when one turned up in a letter with the rest of his mail. Kris had penned in a question mark on the end of the message, he’d never altered one before and Adam was intrigued.
He picked up the phone and dialled Kris’s number, something he hadn’t done in about two weeks. Kris picked up on the first ring.
“Hey you.”
“Hey. Um...would you mind if I come and stay with you for a while?”
“Excuse me?”
“Can I come and stay with you?”
“Of course, anytime you know that! But Katy...”
“Katy’s in Arkansas, she’s probably not coming back.”
“Kris...”
“Don’t Adam. Please. I just need...I need...”
“I’ll be here whenever you need to come.”
“I’m...I’m actually outside right now.”
“What?”
“Look at the envelope.”
Adam did as he was told. How had he not noticed that there was no address written on it, just his name?
Adam rushed to the front door and pulled it open. Kris was stood there with a duffle bag in his hand, sunglasses on his face. Adam pulled him into a hug. Kris pressed his face against Adam’s shoulder like he belonged there, Adam was beginning to think that he probably did. Drake had thought so as well which was why Adam now had the room in his house for Kris to stay.
“So did you?”
Adam was momentarily shocked by the question until he remembered the message.
“Of course I did! I always do.”
He felt Kris sigh into his shoulder. He really wished he didn’t have to let go.
Miss Me?
~~~~~~~
Kris had been divorced for two months when Adam arrived home to see his dining table set up for a meal for two. A rose sat in the middle of the table and candles lit the room.
“Umm...Kris?”
Adam didn’t want to interrupt some romantic meal that Kris had planned but he needed some sort of warning if he was going to stay away. He didn’t want to acknowledge how much it hurt think about Kris dating again. And wasn’t two months a little quick to start dating even if he and Katy had been separated for quite a while before it was finalised? Kris being with Katy had been one thing, Kris and Katy, it’s just how it was no matter how much Adam wished it weren’t. But Kris with someone else? Adam wasn’t sure he could handle that in his house. Maybe it was time to move on. But he’d really liked sharing his life with Kris, even if it was only as friends.
“Kris?”
When Adam still got no response he moved closer to the table. Looking at the spread he was surprised, to say the least, to see a love heart on one of the placemats.
Be My Love
The stab of pain that went through him at seeing it, at the idea that Kris used love hearts for someone else, nearly knocked him sideways. Of course he did! Why would Adam even think that this was something reserved for him? Adam thought of the box filled with love hearts that was resting in his drawer upstairs and his stomach lurched. How could he have been so stupid! Never fall for the straight boys, you’ll only end up with your heart broken.
“So will you?”
Adam looked up at the man stood in front of him. Kris Allen, heartbreaker and fucking ninja.
“Christ you have to stop creeping up on me like that!”
“Sorry man.”
“Kris I should...I should go, you’re obviously expecting company.”
“The only person I’m expecting is here.”
“Well fuck, don’t just leave her somewhere while you talk to me! I’ll...I’ll go.”
“Adam, I’m waiting for you.”
Adam looked at the small, nervous, smile on Kris’s face. He studied it for any sign that Kris was joking and found none.
“What?”
“Didn’t you read it?”
Adam thought about the note, about the set up of the room; about everything.
“I...”
“Oh for the love of...look I know I could have chosen another one but I thought that was the best. Look!”
Kris disappeared back into the kitchen before returning with a handful of love hearts. He dropped them onto the table and Adam looked at them where they lay. The ones he couldn’t see he turned over.
I Love You, All Yours, Only You, Yours, I Like You, In Love
The list went on.
“Do you know how long I thought about which one to put down? It took me forever to collect all of those.”
“You mean...this is for me?”
“And he gets it! I swear, all those people who think that you’re smart have been seriously misled.”
“Hey! It’s not my fault. I thought you were straight!”
“I never said that!”
“But Katy?”
“It’s called bisexual Adam. I know you don’t like labels but I thought you’d understand that one.”
“But you never said...”
“There was no need. I was with Katy, I loved Katy. I was in love with Katy. But then I wasn’t anymore. I realised that I was, am, in love with you. And it wasn’t right to keep leading her on so we broke up and I moved in here and it became very obvious that you were never going to make a move so I decided to make one for you.”
“But...you’re straight!”
“Still hung up on that are we?”
Adam couldn’t stop looking at Kris, it was like he’d grown a third head, or even a second one because that would be weird as well. This piece of information blew Adam’s entire world open. It was like the time he discovered that the moon didn’t give off any light, just reflected the sun’s. It didn’t make it any less beautiful or wonderful, but it did change his perception of it and its actions entirely.
Adam was pulled out of his shock as he felt something pressed into his hand. Looking down at the sweet Kris had placed there he held it up to read it. He looked back at Kris to find him looking more nervous than he’d ever seen him.
“What?”
“Obey the candy Adam. It has many wise words.”
“I’ve noticed.”
As there was very little in life that Adam wanted to do more than follow the instructions on the love heart he reached out and pulled Kris towards him. If this carried on he’d definitely need a bigger box.
Kiss Me