fic: stars light up the evening (1/2)

[spoileralert17]

Title: stars light up the evening
Alternately: five completely normal afternoons
Fandom: American Idol RPF
Rating: NC-17
Pairings: Adam/Kris
Word Count: ~18,000
Summary: This would be so much better if we had a bed. (Everything, including the kitchen sink. High school AU.)

A/N: October/early November was literally the busiest month and a half of my entire life so far. School was so awful, you guys. I barely had time to think of even writing anything, and on the very rare moments of inspiration, I couldn't do much beyond jotting snatches of dialogue/scenery down on my poor, neglected notebook. Thank goodness for the semi-freedom that came mid-November. \o/ As you can see, the word count is crazy high. This took a couple of weeks to write and edit.

It seems I always fall back on 'five things' prompts whenever I get blocked, but I think it's a good writing exercise. This one isn't even really a cohesive 'five things' thing at all - it's basically just my way of dumping five updates on you guys all at once, hee. Thanks for sticking around, everyone. <3 I'm going to try my absolute best to get back to posting every weekend from now on.

For the kissbingo prompt greetings: see you soon.

Master post of previous installments: here.

The whole story (in chronological order) is up at AO3 here.

one
day six

The cool metal on Kris's back contrasts wonderfully with Adam's heat all over his front, and it's great, his boyfriend pressing him into a row of lockers in an empty hallway at school - totally cliché, but mostly they don't care about that anymore - but Kris can't help but think this would be so much better if we had a bed. His hand drifts slowly up the curve of Adam's neck (the way he now knows drives Adam crazy - he did it by accident a couple days ago, fumbling to hold on to something as Adam kissed him stupid; he was surprised at the strong reaction but loved that he could make it happen, that full-body shiver Adam couldn't suppress), fingers caressing skin and soft tufts of hair. Kris opens his mouth further, sighing in welcome when Adam's tongue dips in for a taste, back arching up for more when Adam steps between his legs. They are so very, very good at this, and even if it must be their thousandth kiss in the last six days, Kris's stomach still flutters, and he feels all tingly and excited and giddy like it's their very first.

Kris groans at the sweet-sharp press of teeth behind his ear, hand immediately fisting tight on Adam's shirt and tilting himself impossibly closer, their hips slotting together when Kris wraps his arms around Adam's neck. Kris shuts his eyes and kisses Adam with all of his heart, the feel of Adam's thighs pressing against his a little too much to bear standing up, too much pleasure, not enough naked skin, and they still have rehearsal to get through -- crap.

Kris pulls away, panting, hand carefully petting Adam's hair when Adam lets out a soft little whine. Kris takes a moment to clear his throat. "Can't be late," he rasps as he presses a small kiss at the jut of Adam's jaw.

Adam doesn't even skip a beat - his left hand clutches at Kris's waist and pins his hips to the wall of metal so they're pressed all along each other as closely as their clothes could allow. Adam's other hand makes its way down Kris's side, into the back pocket of his jeans and squeezes as he runs his tongue on the roof of Kris's mouth. Kris presses back, helpless and aching, and he doesn't know how much time passes before he pulls away one more time, head spinning and feeling completely off-balance.

"Adam," he gasps, both hands cradling Adam's face.

Adam's opens his eyes slowly, and his gaze makes Kris's heart knock in his chest. "Kris," Adam sighs, grasping Kris's waist and pressing their foreheads together. "You need to stop being so --" he starts then stops, eyes raking down Kris's body.

It's so unfair how Adam can do that, make Kris feel it like a physical touch, make Kris's knees weak. He clears his throat again. "Being... what?" he asks, eyebrows raised.

Adam narrows his eyes. "You know exactly what you are," he huffs, pressing a sloppy kiss on Kris's forehead before slinging an arm around his shoulders and pulling them both down the hall.

"I know exactly what I am," Kris agrees, warmed. His hand drifts up under Adam's crazy layers, searching, until he can grip Adam's naked waist. He hears Adam's breath hitch as his fingers move, and it makes him grin. "Film went well?"

"Yeah, I got an A," Adam answers happily. "Ugh, I love that class so much. I'm gonna miss it when it's over."

They amble forward at a leisurely pace, talking about their day. They pass through a couple more mostly-empty hallways and then squeeze into the long-familiar stairway, their footsteps echoing in the small space. Adam pushes the heavy door open and they slide into the auditorium, fingers tangling together as they walk down the narrow aisle. Kris immediately spots their friends gathered right around front row, audibly bickering about something.

"What's up?" Adam asks as they sidle up to the group.

"Dinner plans," Danielle answers with an eyeroll. "We're gonna end up at the diner anyway, I don't know why we have to do this every single time."

It's difficult to keep up with the conversation when it sounds like there are at least three people talking all at once. So Kris just stands there and listens, laughing at the crazy faces Allison keeps making over Brad's shoulder.

A few minutes later, Matt and Megan appear next to them, and Kris doesn't even really need to think before taking a step to the left, planting himself right in front of Adam to make space. Adam absently slides an arm around his waist and tugs him close all while chatting with Danielle. Kris smothers a smile, loving the ease in which they move in each other's space, how it's already second nature for them to always reach out and touch, how even the simplest contact can center him, make everything a little bit better.

"Aren't we running 'til 9 tonight?" Megan asks, and Kris kind of wants to burst out laughing - all this fighting over dinner plans, and nobody thought of how late rehearsal was going to run.

"No, that's not 'til Friday. I think it's 8 tonight? Seven thirty?" Allison answers, frowning. "Friday's gonna suck."

Kris grimaces in sympathy. He's been in the orchestra since middle school, and he's been roped into theater productions about half a dozen times, so he's more than used to how hectic it gets the month before a performance. Allison, on the other hand, is new to all of it. "It's easy when you get used to it. You'll get there," Kris says. "In the meantime, Red Bull works."

"If we're running 'til 8, I can't do dinner," Brad pouts. "I haven't started that chem paper and it's due tomorrow."

"Shit, that's tomorrow? Yeah, no, I'm gonna have to run home," Matt says. "I'm up for whatever on Friday, though."

"I think we're all gonna want to kill ourselves on Friday. Fun! My house, then," Alisan pipes up while fiddling with her phone. "Girls can stay the night."

"Wait, so no more dinner tonight?" Danielle asks.

"I'm up for it, but only if we do quick and dirty at the diner," Megan answers.

Allison nods in agreement, and Kris tips his chin up to look at Adam. "We can do dinner, right?" he asks. It's a light week for both of them, and he knows Adam's basically homework-free until Monday.

Adam smiles and presses a kiss on the side of his head. "Yeah, we can do dinner."

Kris only has to endure everybody's raised eyebrows for a few seconds before Mr. D. suddenly appears, clapping his hands and calling for Act 2 positions. He just has time to press a haphazard kiss on Adam's chin before scurrying down to the pit, scrambling to take his viola out and flip to the right page in the score. He sheepishly meets their conductor's admonishing glare, but he's a pro at this, able to find his concentration quickly, and by the time Mr. D. starts the run-through, Kris is more than ready.

---

Rehearsal is as smooth as it gets at this point in the preparation process and Mr. D. only yells at the orchestra four times, so Kris counts the afternoon as a win. It's tedious and repetitive, it always is, but he knows it's worth it. He loves when the orchestra gets in a groove, their individual bits of music seamlessly coming together, in perfect harmony with the voices of the singers above them. It's fantastic, ten times better than when it's just them sitting on a stage and playing on their own for an hour and a half. Kris loves the interplay of music and lyrics, the story they tell together, how it's easy to switch moods or tug at heartstrings or make the audience laugh in the space of one measure.

And it's thrilling - it always is - to hear Adam sing.

Kris packs his stuff up, waves a vague goodbye to the other people left in the pit and shuffles to the audience seats, collapsing onto a chair as he waits for his dinner companions. The principals are still onstage, crowded around Mr. D. while the rest of the cast trickle out of the auditorium. Kris smiles when Megan and Danielle plop down on either side of him.

"Mr. D. is a slave driver," Megan groans into his shoulder.

Kris laughs lightly and pats her head. "No more than usual, I thought. He's always like this, three weeks out."

"Ugh, I know. You're lucky you get to stay down there and never actually face his wrath."

"Our conductors are worse. There's no escape - they're always right there, all up in your face." Kris wrinkles his nose. "They don't have to yell to terrify us, pretty much."

Danielle's trying really hard to curl on her side, her torso twisting, head resting on Kris's arm as she tucks her feet under her. "M'so tired. And I'm starving," she sighs.

Kris can't help the huge yawn that comes out of his mouth. "Me too." He rests his head on the back of the chair and lets his gaze settle on Adam standing on stage. Adam's shoulders are slumped, hair a little messy, eyes almost scary in their focus. He's beautiful, Kris thinks, smiling slightly as he takes in the shape of Adam's legs showcased very nicely by his jeans; the curve of Adam's arms, pale and freckled, free from the confines of a jacket for once - Kris can almost feel the smooth skin in his palms; the line of Adam's neck, lovely and perfect for kissing and nuzzling and biting.

When Adam's eyes catch his, Kris knows he's been caught staring. He just smirks and rakes his eyes slowly down Adam's body and back up again, meeting Adam's eyes, completely unashamed. Kris can just barely see Adam's jaw drop in shock, can imagine the adorable blush staining his cheeks as he shakes his head and deliberately wrenches his gaze back to Mr. D. Kris huffs a quiet laugh, feeling a little smug, tilting his head a little to be able to fully appreciate the curve of Adam's ass, a small pool of heat gathering at the pit of his stomach at the vivid memory of what it feels like under his hands. Every part of him is alert, all of a sudden, aching to touch and to hold.

It's ridiculous, how he can get worked up so quickly with just some stray thoughts and a little bit of staring. Adam drives Kris crazy in every way, and it's intense, exhilarating, about two dozen kinds of wonderful.

"It's like you're trying to melt him with your eyes," Megan says suddenly.

Kris has learned to stopped blushing when he's around Adam - it was a quick lesson, really - but he still isn't quite used to getting teased by their friends. "Can't help it," he murmurs, smiling.

"Adam's top of the line eye candy, I agree," and Kris doesn't even to look at Megan to know that she's smirking. "That ass is magical."

Danielle doesn't even try to muffle her breathless giggles. Kris just smiles helplessly, unembarrassed, feeling a little dreamy. "You don't even know the half of it," he says as smoothly as he can. Both girls break out in hysterical laughter, and all eyes in the auditorium fly to them.

Kris just shrugs his innocence and stands when the onstage pow-wow breaks up, grinning when Adam comes up to him and palms the back of his neck.

"You're mean," Adam pouts.

"No I'm not," Kris says as he slides an arm around Adam's waist, more than happy to bear Adam's exhausted weight. "You're very pretty. I couldn't help it."

Adam laughs and pulls him closer. "Flatterer."

"I only speak the truth," Kris whispers. "You okay, babe?"

"I'm so tired," Adam sighs, nuzzling the top of Kris's head. "I need my bed."

"Food first, and then I'll tuck you in."

Megan takes Allison and Danielle in her car, and Adam curls up in Kris's passenger seat, sighing happily when Kris reaches out to stroke his hair. "I really love your hands," Adam murmurs wistfully, and it makes Kris's insides jolt. "I really love when you touch me."

Kris just smiles and threads his fingers with Adam's.

The diner is half-empty when they get there, so it's easy to commandeer a booth by the window. As soon as they all settle in, Adam tips sideways and rests his head on Kris's shoulder, yawning. "Three more weeks of this, oh my God."

Kris runs his hand up and down Adam's back, trying to soothe. "You guys sound great. It'll be over in no time."

Allison folds her arms on the table and props her chin on top of them. "It's coming together pretty well, right? It's not just my imagination?"

Megan tugs at her hair. "Everything's fine. No disasters. Opening is going to be so awesome."

"I'm getting excited, actually," Danielle says as her fingers trace random patterns on the cracked tabletop. "I mean, I know rehearsals are gonna get worse, but I love putting on the show. There's nothing like it."

The waitress sets down five glasses of lukewarm water and they all take hesitant sips. Kris doesn't need it - he didn't just spend the last three hours singing his face off - but he drinks for solidarity's sake. It'd be pretty mean if he drank a chocolate milkshake in front of them.

It's another few minutes of quiet conversation before their food is served. Kris takes a hearty bite of his double cheeseburger and fights not to let out a loud, embarrassing moan. Adam's quirked eyebrow tells him that Adam knows what he's thinking anyway, and he just shrugs as he chews. He really likes food, so what. Adam kind of shakes his head and kisses his cheek, silly and fond - he figures he wins points for putting a smile on Adam's face tonight.

The three girls across the table are all paused in the middle of chewing or taking bites of their own meals as they watch, ridiculous grins on their faces. They look like they're on the verge of cooing at them like they were babies. Or small animals. Kris feels a blush start to spread on his cheeks, so he ducks his head and busies himself with dumping chicken fingers on Adam's salad. When Adam slaps his hand in protest, Kris just levels him with a stern look. "Sorry, your days of getting away with this are over," he says.

"I take it all back. I don't like you anymore."

Kris just snickers and takes another bite of his (awesome) burger, winking at Danielle when he sees her approving grin. It seems Adam's too hungry and too tired to argue much more so he just digs in, and Kris tries not to look too smug as he licks stray mustard off his fingers. They all bicker lightly over the plate of fries they're sharing, voice their disgust when Megan takes all the pickles and pops them into her mouth one by one, and choke on their food when Allison makes a particularly gross joke about chicken nuggets.

They order one slice of chocolate cake and one slice of carrot cake for dessert. It becomes obvious that they're all exhausted when they devolve into yawning after every other bite. Adam tips sideways again and Kris just wraps an arm around him, feeding them both with the fork in his left hand.

---

After a round of hugs and kisses at the parking lot, Kris and Adam slide back into Kris's car with matching sighs. Once they pull into the street, Adam reaches out and cradles Kris's right hand in both of his, dozing through the short ride to his house.

"Time for bed, babe," Kris says as he turns off the engine.

Adam's eyes flutter open, and he just keeps his bleary gaze on Kris for a handful of seconds.

Kris smiles and cups his cheek. "C'mon, superstar."

Adam lets out a soft sound of protest when Kris pulls his hand away and gets out of the car. He's still slumped miserably in his seat when Kris opens the passenger door.

"You left me," Adam pouts.

Kris smothers a grin and slings Adam's backpack on his shoulders. "I'm right here. You gotta get up so you can get some real sleep, okay?"

Adam blinks at Kris for a few seconds, and then gingerly gets to his feet. Kris immediately throws an arm around his waist to keep his balance, and they slowly make their way to the door. Adam giggles and nuzzles at Kris's ear when Kris slides a hand into his back pocket to get his house keys; Kris just smiles, indulgent, and lets them both in the house as quietly as possible. It's nice, taking care of Adam like this, getting to do this for him after itching to do it for months on end.

Adam wakes up enough to make the trip up the stairs easy on them both; Kris kind of just stands there and watches him robotically go through what is presumably a truncated version of his bedtime routine. Kris keeps an ear out for trouble when Adam putters around in the bathroom, relieved when he walks out unharmed. Adam grabs Kris's hand and pulls until they're both lying on the bed.

"Thank you for dinner, baby," Adam murmurs.

Kris's face is mashed into Adam's shoulder and he can't move his limbs because Adam's coiled all around him, but Kris loves it all the same, doesn't really want to be anywhere else but here. "You're welcome. Close your eyes and go to sleep, you need your rest."

Adam snuffles and somehow tightens his grip around Kris. "M'kay. G'night."

Kris presses a soft kiss on Adam's neck and smiles. "Sweet dreams, love."

Kris: Line went dead, babe. Phone issues?
Kris: Adam?
Kris: Did you really fall asleep before me?
Kris: You fell asleep before me!!!
Kris: Brb marking this down on my calendar
Kris: You're gonna read this in the morning and you're gonna be so mad :D
Kris: Sleep tight <3<3<3
Adam: Jeez baby
Kris: Good morning, sleepyhead!
Adam: Stoppppp
Kris: And how are you doing today?
Adam: Stop being smug it was the first time
Kris: Aww let me have this one
Adam: I was tired okay
Kris: I know babe, just teasing :*
Adam: Cmere i wanna cuddle
Kris: Lol okay lemme get dressed
Adam: Hurry
Adam: <33333

two
day 105

It's a routine they've fallen into. Adam growls at his alarm and rolls out of bed at 7:10, checks his phone and gets dressed, then stretches as he waits for Kris to pick him up at 7:35. For half an hour, they jog around the neighborhood, in a kind of crazy, circuitous route that leads them to the edge of the park. It took a couple of weeks, but by now they're used to it, their muscles no longer screaming in pain but luxuriating in being used every morning. They slow down as they get close and stretch when they get there, spotting each other, splitting a towel and a bottle of water. They'd recently taken to sprawling on a bench or playing on the swings as they cool down.

Today is a bench day, and despite being drenched in sweat, Adam can't really make himself mind when Kris plants his head on his lap. Kris's hair is damp and wild, cheeks tinged red and still struggling to catch his breath. Adam's brain calls up an excruciatingly vivid picture of Kris looking much like this not even twelve hours ago, pinned underneath Adam in his bed, eyes shut tight as he came, untouched, between their stomachs. The vivid memory of the previous night along with many, many similar others is a jolt to Adam's system - his heart knocks even harder in his chest, brain going a little fuzzy, breaths picking up like he'd just run a five-minute mile. It's barely eight in the morning and he's sitting on a park bench, almost all the way hard in his shorts just at the mere thought of sex with his boyfriend.

Yeah, he's seventeen year old guy at the mercy of his hormones, but this is a little ridiculous.

Adam grips Kris's chin in his hand and leans his head down for a kiss. He can't help but immediately dip his tongue inside the warm, ever-willing mouth, deep and a little forceful. Kris can tell from the first touch, and he feels instead of seeing Kris's smirk as he kisses back.

"Shut up," Adam murmurs into his mouth, and then Kris laughs, breaking the kiss, sitting up to wrap an arm around Adam's waist.

"I'm all sweaty and dirty and it still gets you hot, huh," Kris says as he mouths at Adam's jaw.

He turns his head to catch Kris's lips again. "Shut up," he answers, but he can't get mad, not when Kris's fingers curl around his ears to keep him close. Kris is giddy, practically bouncing beside him, dotting small kisses on every centimeter of Adam's lips, humming in satisfaction. The urgency Adam felt earlier turns to an affectionate, lived-in warmth just underneath his skin, a little less intense but just as all-encompassing. It's easy to let himself drown in this and everything Kris makes him feel, to let go and be swept away by its ebbs and flows, staying grounded in certainty and trust.

Kris nips down his neck and smacks a loud kiss on his shoulder before sliding a hand down his arm and threading their fingers together. He gets up in one smooth movement and stands between Adam's knees, eyeing Adam's crotch with an adorable leer. "Think you can walk now, babe?"

Adam rolls his eyes and lets himself be pulled up. "Smug bastard." Kris just grins at him, eyes dancing with mischief. Criminally adorable. Adam's helpless, he really is.

It's a five-minute walk back to Kris's house. On weekdays, Adam drops Kris off at the doorstep with a long and thorough goodbye kiss before they have to separate for the day - Kris to his job at his dad's office and Adam to school for the theater workshops they're holding for kids. They're together every night, at each other's houses or out with their friends, and they do it all over again the next day. It's not a very exciting summer, but Adam can't really complain. Teaching kids, tooling around with his friends just like always, spending all of his time with Kris - it's more than enough to keep him happy.

This morning, it takes them three times as long to get back, lingering and taking detours just because they could, talking all the way. Saturdays mean lake days, and they can take everything as slowly as they want today.

"You think Alli's packed yet?"

Adam snorts, thinking of the incredible mess that was Allison's room when he dropped by two days ago. "I doubt it. She puts everything off to the last minute and bitches when she forgets to bring stuff." It's her last day in town before she drives three hours to spend the last six weeks of summer vacation with her extended family. "She had to buy a new phone charger last summer, remember?"

"Maybe this time she'll leave her phone," Kris chuckles. "You better not leave your phone when you go."

Adam sighs, just like he does every time his upcoming three-week stay at his dad's gets brought up. "I won't leave my phone. I'm not leaving my laptop either. Quit worrying."

"I'm not worrying! I'm just -"

"Just what?"

"I'm just concerned. And cautious."

"Yeah, whatever you say."

Kris swivels around and plants himself in front of Adam, gripping both of his hands. "I just - I just want you to be sure."

"It's gonna be fine, baby," Adam says, dropping a quick kiss on Kris's lips before pushing forward, down the street and around the corner. "And anyway, that's like two weeks away, it's not even on my radar yet. You're coming to the recital thing, right?"

"Going straight to school after work, yes. That's - that's a weird sentence to say."

"Yeah well, summer's weird. Oh man, I can't wait for you to hear this kid sing, he's going to blow your mind. He's six, and just - you'll pee your pants," Adam says with a flourish. Max is staying in town for the summer and joined his little cousins in the workshop. He'd opened his mouth and everyone - even the unflappable Mr. D. - had gaped in awe at the sounds he'd made with his mouth. Adam has been trying to think of a strategy to keep Max around, maybe recruit him to the elementary school drama club and groom him for high school, but most of that is a pipe dream. He's just glad Max is around this summer.

"I really hope I don't," Kris drawls, throwing Adam a bemused look. "But I'm excited. I don't think I've ever seen you this pumped about any of your kids."

Adam swings their joined hands between them as they start to shuffle their feet, slowly ambling up the Allens' driveway. "Just you wait."

It'll only be for an hour, but any separation is difficult (he's a sap, he owns it) and Adam hates saying goodbye. He presses Kris up against the door and kisses him deep, hovering over him and not letting up until his lungs are burning. Kris looks up at him, eyes glazed, mouth gorgeously red, and Adam has to remind himself that no, he really can't just push Kris inside the door and fuck him in the shower.

"Back soon," Adam whispers before opening the door and pushing Kris inside. He walks briskly to his house, throwing his shoes by the door before going into the kitchen. He chats with his mom over eggs, toast and OJ before she leaves for work and he takes a long shower. His duffel bag is open on his desk, already half-full of necessities. Adam stuffs in two extra shirts - one his, the other one Kris left in his closet - and a bottle of sunscreen before grabbing his phone and running back downstairs. He goes into the pantry and grabs two packs of hot dog buns, a bag of chips, and the cooler.

Once he's locked up behind him, he slowly makes his way back to Kris's house. Adam slides inside the kitchen door, dropping his stuff by the fridge before going up to Kris's room and finds Kris is sitting up against the headboard, fiddling with his phone. Adam crawls up the bed and lays his chin on Kris's stomach, settling down with a sigh. Kris's bed is almost as familiar as his own by now, and Adam relishes the feeling of being able to lay down, finally, after that morning run.

"Cale just woke up," Kris says. "He's swinging by in an hour."

"'kay," Adam murmurs, tugging Kris down so they share a pillow, arms and legs wrapping around him. "Megan says don't forget the ice this time. And the rootbeer."

"Got it." Kris sighs into his neck. "I think I left my trunks in your bag last time --"

"Yeah, mom found 'em and threw it in the laundry. It's downstairs."

"Oh. That's... is that weird?"

"She didn't say anything. And you've left, like, half your shirts in my room. It's no big deal."

"Okay. And hey - sunscreen?"

"Taken care of."

"Thank you," Kris says, pressing a kiss on his jaw.

"You're welcome. So hey."

"Hey what?"

Adam nudges backward a little and props his chin on his hand. "I met a boy at the park today."

Kris quirks a grin at him. "Oh really?"

"Uh huh. Kinda short, messy hair. So cute I wanted to put him in my pocket."

Kris snorts and cards his fingers through Adam's hair. "Cute, huh? What'd you say to him?"

"Hit on him. Told him he was hot. Tried to get in his pants." Adam fights not to purr under Kris's talented fingers, dropping down on the bed and closing his eyes, enjoying the soothing touch. "He played hard to get, but eventually he caved. They all do."

"They, really?" Kris says, and Adam doesn't need to look to know that Kris's eyebrow is raised in that cute, trying-to-be-threatening-but-not-really way he does when he thinks Adam is being ridiculous. "Feeling a little cocky there, I see."

"I'm irresistible, admit it."

"I admit nothing," Kris says, but he betrays himself when he tips Adam's chin up and presses a slow, soft kiss on his lips. Adam sighs happily into his mouth and hitches closer, hand rubbing slow circles on Kris's back as their tongues curl together in that sweet, perfect way they'd gotten down mere minutes after their first kiss. It's so nice, the early morning light streaming around them as they share in this quiet moment. Just over three months in, and so much of this still feels so new; Adam still feels so privileged, so lucky to have this.

They stay in bed for a while after that, talking and kissing, just enjoying each other. It's close to eleven when Cale texts I'm on my way, and they haul themselves downstairs, taking the six-packs of root beer from the pantry and a bag of ice from the freezer and stuffing them into the cooler. They play-fight over which bags of chips Kris should bring (Kris insists on the red-hot Flaming Hot Cheetos, completely ignoring Adam's protests) and haul all of their stuff to the sidewalk when Cale honks his arrival.

Cale grins at them as he helps load everything into his van. "Megan texted me twice about --"

"Ice, yeah," Kris says, rolling his eyes fondly. "She's never getting over that."

"Are we picking anyone up on the way?"

"Nah, it's just us. Matt already got Tommy and Allison, and Danielle has the rest of the girls. I think they're already there?"

It's a quick trip to the grocery store to pick up another bag of ice, and then they head to the lake just outside of town. It used to be a really popular spot, especially during the summer, but when the new water park opened up two towns over, they're really the only ones who still go. They have their routines down pat now - they rotate ice and soda duty, and they're all required to bring at least one huge bag of chips each, along with whatever assignments they've had for years. Ryland's a beast with the grill, and Danielle isn't allowed anywhere near it unless to eat; Cale and Allison aren't allowed to team up when they play chicken; every tube of sunscreen is fair game; everyone pitches in to clean up before leaving; no one disturbs Kris and Adam when they sneak off to the bushes on the far end of the property. That last "rule" had been enforced pretty quickly at the start of summer - in the span of two weeks, no less than three of their friends had caught them in compromising positions. Adam is beyond feeling embarrassed about it, honestly, it's long been known as the makeout spot - a ton of the older kids go to the lake just to use it, and many of their hide-and-seek games as kids were disrupted by their presence - so of course they were going to go there as often as they could.

When they get there, Ryland's flanked by Andrew and Monte and they'd already started grilling while Danielle and the girls are unfolding their lawn chairs in the designated sunbathing area across the lake. Once they've unloaded everything from the van, Cale and Adam help Lee put up the huge tent as Kris putters around the cooking area, yelling good-naturedly when Megan checks in on the ice situation. Cale opts to stay at the grill while Kris and Adam say hi to the girls.

"You're not packed, are you?" Adam smirks down at Allison before squeezing in next to her.

Allison rolls her eyes. "Have you no faith in me?"

"No, I really don't."

The whole group chuckles as Allison whales on Adam. "I hate you. For your information, I'm more than halfway done. And my room is the cleanest it's ever been in years, it's awesome."

Adam takes the abuse as gracefully as he can, then throws his arm around her and kisses the top of her head. "Good. I'm gonna miss you, half-pint."

"I'll be back before you know it. I'm sorry I'm missing your recital thing."

"Oh, that's fine. Say hi to Nana for me, and send two boxes of cookies this time, okay?"

"I can wing that, sure."

From the corner of his eye, he sees Megan and Danielle pushing a resistant Kris onto a chair and tugging his shirt off. Adam watches them, slightly alarmed. "What's going on over there?"

Megan smiles at him innocently. "Your boyfriend's almost as pasty as you, Lambert. We can't let that stand."

"I believe I'm the only one allowed to undress him, harlot." He tries as hard as he can, but he isn't quite able to keep the stern expression on his face when Allison's giggling hysterically into his shoulder.

Megan laughs and blows him a kiss. "This is an intervention. Emergencies trump boyfriend rights. SPF 50 should do, am I right?"

Danielle's waving around an innocuous bottle of sunscreen, and that's when Adam jumps off his chair. "Drop it, Danielle. Drop it, and no one gets hurt."

Danielle - he's never calling her his BFF ever again - impishly throws the bottle to Scarlett who only barely manages to catch it, she's laughing so hard. Adam's eyes land on Kris, who's lounging in his chair with his arms crossed at the back of his head, a smug smile on his lips. Bastard.

"What did I ever do to you?" Adam says, eyes narrowed. It's difficult to keep up the angry face when Allison's clapping her hands in sheer glee and Megan is folded in half, clutching her stomach as she giggles hysterically.

"Let us have this one, Adam," Danielle chokes out as she drops to the ground. "You got dibs for the rest of time, we only want a quick taste."

"There will be no tasting!" Adam shrieks, laughing as he runs forward and drops down on Kris's lap.

Kris wraps his arms around him, muffling his giggles into the back of his neck. None of them can stop laughing - Scarlett and Megan are literally rolling on the ground - and when Matt comes up to them with a puzzled "What's going on?" it just sets them off all over again; Adam's reduced to wheezing, it's insane, and Allison has tears streaming down her face. Kris is the first of them to calm down, and he rubs Adam's back soothingly whenever he coughs. They all taper off eventually, the girls crawling onto lawn chairs and lying down in exhausted heaps as they try to catch their breath. Adam slumps into Kris's grip, clutches Kris's hand to his chest, letting him feel the thump-thump-thump of his racing heart.

"I didn't know your voice could go that high, Adam," Scarlett wheezes after a long silence.

They all laugh weakly, and Adam half-heartedly slaps at her leg when he coughs. "Oh my God, stop making me laugh. No more. Please."

He feels Kris smile into the side of his head. "Should I go get you guys some water?"

"Nah, we'll get our own later," Adam says before pressing a haphazard kiss on the bit of shoulder he can reach. "Thank you, though."

"Don't want anyone's hands but yours," Kris murmurs and Adam's answering smile isn't even a little bit smug.

---

Lunch is the usual, rowdy affair. They all let Tommy get away with eating two buns at once, loudly threaten to dump ice on Adam's head when he hems and haws about finishing his share, and lavish praises on Cale's person when he whips out a bottle of his mom's homemade mustard. They gossip about the things they've been up to in the two weeks since they'd been together like this, and they all fake cry at the reminder that Allison's leaving them until September.

"Oh, come on! It's not like I'm dying or anything!"

"You really shouldn't say stuff like that, baby girl," Matt says, eyes like saucers.

"You'll tell us if they don't treat you right, okay? We'll take care of it," Cale winks.

"And Adam, you're not allowed to keep the cookies to yourself this time," Megan says, throwing him a warning look.

Adam just raises his eyebrows at her. "I can't make promises."

Allison pinches Adam's arm. "I'll ask Nana to make enough for two batches, and I'm gonna time the package to get here before another lake day. No hoarding."

"I'll keep him in line," Kris says, and Adam stares at him, incredulous. Before Adam could voice his indignation, though, Kris reaches out to wipe a stray bit of mustard off the corner of his mouth, smiling as he licks it off his thumb. Adam smiles helplessly and tugs on his shirt, pressing a quick kiss on his lips. Stray bits of lettuce are thrown at them while half of the group groans, but Adam just smirks and tucks Kris into his side.

They linger under the tent even after they're done eating and cleaning up, none of them all that eager to fry under the unrelenting heat of the too-close-to-noon sun. It's all idle conversation for a while, and when Andrew falls asleep in his chair with a towel over his head, it's easy to break up into small groups and find their own places to nap. Matt, Allison, Danielle and Cale move Ryland's pickup truck under the shade of the tall beech and somehow manage to squeeze in together at the back. The rest of them drag the lawn chairs around the foot of the tree and doze lightly. Adam doesn't feel all that sleepy, so after he deposits an adorably drowsy Kris on a chair, he joins Lee and Ryland for a chat on the shaded dock.

The water is pleasantly warm at his ankles, the conversation light and easy, and Adam thinks, this is the life.

---

He doesn't know how much time has passed, but he's arguing with Lee about the merits of light cream cheese over real cream cheese, and the next thing he knows, a warm, snuffly Kris is draped all along his back.

"Hey, sleepyhead," he murmurs as Kris presses his face into the side of his neck.

"Mmm. Swim now, please?"

Adam gingerly gets to his feet, and Kris slumps into him, still a little dopey from sleep. As they make their way to the tent, a loud scream pierces the air - Adam turns around in time to see Matt dump Allison into the water, and then Lee and Ryland wrestle each other in after them - and it's on. Kris just stands there, sun-warmed and pliant as Adam drops a kiss on his forehead and tugs his shirt off. The first touch of sunscreen on his shoulder wakes him up, though, and soon he's wrestling Adam's shirt off and pressing a line of kisses down his back. Adam can't help but sigh and pull Kris's arms tighter around him, feeling light and happy.

It gets a lot rowdy once they're in the water - Adam referees no less than a dozen high-intensity games of chicken, and gets elbowed in the face a couple times for his trouble. (Everything's kicked up a notch whenever Allison's involved.) It's hilarious to watch his friends hurl insults at each other, to listen to the good-natured trash talking, to slap water in someone's general direction when they get too flustered. When Kris isn't getting pulled onto somebody else's shoulders to fight, he stands with Adam, back plastered all along his front, hands curled tight and comfortable in his.

Allison's mom comes to pick her up sooner than they all thought, so they scramble to say goodbye as she hurries to gather her things. There are at least two rounds of goodbye hugs, and Allison threatens to kick their asses if they don't check in with her at least twice a week. Adam is the one who darts forward to help her put her overflowing duffel bag in the car and tries to comb through the mess the other guys made of her hair.

"Safe flight, baby girl," he murmurs when she throws her arms around him.

"I'll text you guys as soon as I'm with my aunt, promise. I'll be back before you know it." Allison slides smoothly into the passenger seat and rolls down the window. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," she winks, and Adam blows her kisses as she gets driven away.

---

Things get a little more quiet after that, some of them settling on the lawn chairs to try to tan while some others start digging into the supply of chips and tooling around on the couple of guitars they'd brought. Adam happily stays in the water, drifting on his back, feeling completely relaxed and mellow as he listens to the strange mix of birdsong and his friends' chatter around him. Kris floats right next to him, arms wrapped around a beach ball, eyes closed. It always feels like they're in their own little world, when they do this. Like Adam could stay here forever, Kris by his side and their friends in the immediate vicinity, their only real concern whether they have enough ice for everybody.

"Hey, babe?" Kris's voice drifts over from somewhere to his right, soft and honey-sweet.

"Yeah?"

"I really wanna kiss you," Kris answers, wistful, and Adam's chest tightens.

Adam hopes his eyes can express what he still sometimes has trouble putting to words. "You know you don't ever have to ask."

Kris smiles, then lets go of the beach ball and slowly wades over to him, hands light on Adam's waist as he pushes them both forward. Adam grins up at him, enjoying the view of his bare chest and freckled shoulders. When Kris stops and gently nudges him upright, Adam finds that they're standing in the part of the lake that's obscured by the dock. It's dark, a little murky, and he can see the strange shapes the barnacles make on the wood. It's the most privacy they'll ever get in the water.

"You, sir, have designs on my virtue," Adam says teasingly as he crowds into Kris's space.

Kris slides his hands up Adam's chest and twines them together at the back of his neck, stepping lightly on Adam's feet as he tips his chin up for a long, lingering kiss. His skin is wet, a little cold, and Adam loves every inch of him. "Yeah, I do. I always do."

Adam: Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway
Kris: You are a lone reed
Adam: Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower?
Kris: Go to the mattresses
Adam: How about some coffee or drinks or dinner or a movie for as long as we both shall live?
Kris: Absolutely
Kris: Sorry I broke the script. Only not really :)
Adam: I wanted it to be you so badly
Kris: Don't cry, shopgirl - er... boy?
Adam: Will you be my internet boyfriend, baby?
Kris: I will be all of your boyfriends

three
day 271

Kris's room is first-day-of-winter-break messy, all the stuff he'd accumulated through the semester scattered all over his desk and his dresser, evidence of his two-week-long flurry of finals. He figures he should clean up a little, but that can wait another day. He grabs his beanie from his desk, checking to see if there's anything else he needs to bring with him. A sweater would be overkill when paired with a heavy quilt, so Kris just flexes his toasty, socked toes on the floor before walking back downstairs.

It's not quite a surprise to find Adam sitting on the couch, being fussed over by his mom, but there's a pleasant jolt in his stomach anyway, a broad grin spreading on his face.

"I went upstairs for like two seconds," Kris says, flopping on the other end of the couch. "Of course that's when you choose to get here. Your timing sucks."

Adam smiles up at Kris's mom when she pulls the quilt down on his lap. "Thanks, mom," Adam says around the mug of hot chocolate. "I have awesome timing, Kristopher. And look, I got treats."

Kris pouts playfully and lets his mom kiss him on the head before she leaves the room. "You're so spoiled. I swear she likes you more than me." It's kind of awesome, actually, seeing Adam fit into his family like he's always been part of it. Leila dotes on Kris equally, so it's a fake complaint for both of them.

"What's not to like?" Adam winks. Adam extends his arm and Kris happily crawls over, curling underneath it and tucking his forehead under Adam's chin. Adam's shivering, a little, so Kris pulls the quilt more snugly over them and rubs down Adam's arms. Adam's car heater is busted, so Kris really should have been the one to make the drive, but Adam had insisted. They always choose which house has the least people in it - Leila and Neil are staying in today, whereas when Kris's mom leaves in an hour, they'll be the only ones left.

It's not like Kris minds being the one responsible for warming Adam up.

Adam carefully sets the mug down on the end table before wrapping his arms around Kris with a sigh. Kris shifts over so they're both lying down, crowding Adam into the back of the couch, the entire length of their bodies touching. Adam chuckles when Kris rubs his foot up and down his calf. "Shut up, I'm trying to keep you warm," Kris muffles into Adam's shoulder.

"Aww I love you," Adam says, voice all sappy-like and sweet. It makes Kris smile.

"Love you too," Kris says, tilting Adam's head down for a soft kiss. Adam's mouth opens underneath his, tasting of chocolate and Adam, all familiar heat and knowing tongue, immediately weaving an intense, heady spell around him. They keep it light and lazy, just tasting, not going anywhere just yet, just holding each other close. Kris feels the tension of the whole week drain right out of him, his limbs going loose, all his muscles relaxing as he gives into Adam's sweet assault; there's nothing else in his head but Adam, his hands and chest and teeth and tongue, warm and all his, kissing down his neck and making happy noises against his skin. The line of Adam's body is so familiar under his hands; the width of his back, the curve of his shoulder, the soft skin of his arms. Kris sighs when their lips meet again, loving every second of this, feeling warm and loved and grateful above all.

"Have I told you how cute your beanie looks? Because you're like extra extra cute," Adam says, breaking their content silence. He grins, carefully fingering the edges of cloth that cover the tops of Kris's ears.

"You might've mentioned it once or twice," Kris answers, pleased. Kris has been wearing it all week, and Adam kept cooing whenever he put it on, incessantly touching, fingers trailing warmth down Kris's face. It's not like Kris is ever hurting for compliments - let alone from Adam - but it's still really, really nice.

Adam smiles at him, soft and bright, before tugging him closer, wrapping his limbs around him like some kind of octopus. "God, I feel old. It's the first day of break. I shouldn't be this exhausted."

Kris just hums and rubs circles on Adam's back. It's been a stressful couple of weeks for all of them with the insane amount of schoolwork they'd had to deal with, and with the winter concert on top of it all. "You're tired because you're tired, not because you're old. C'mon, let's nap."

It's so nice and warm and Adam feels so, so good around him. Kris feels Adam's breath turn slow and steady, and he closes his eyes.

---

"...lock up behind me," someone's saying, and Kris can barely manage to open one eye. He's vaguely aware of someone ruffling his hair - mom? - and then the door clicking shut, the sound of an engine turning...

---

The next time Kris opens his eyes, the first thing he's aware of is Adam's light snores rumbling in his ear. The next is Adam's hand carelessly splayed on his ass, heavy with sleep. And the next is the unmistakable urge to take a quick trip to the bathroom.

It's an effort to untangle himself from Adam's grip without waking him up, but he manages somehow. Adam lets out a small, unhappy noise when Kris stands up, and Kris tucks the quilt snugly around Adam's shoulders before walking away.

He flushes the toilet and stretches up on his toes and throws some water on his face, feeling wide-eyed and well-rested. He's anxious to go back to the couch, to fold himself in Adam's warmth and just be close. On a regular day he can't get anywhere near as much Adam as he wants, and it was especially bad through the whirlwind of finals, seeing each other for barely an hour every day. He plans on savoring every bit of time they can get together during break. It's a sappy thought, but there it is, just like the thousands and thousands of others he's had about Adam in the entire span of their relationship. He's never been embarrassed by them, and he feels lucky that he learned pretty early on that when he says these things out loud, Adam will make his I can't believe you're real face, and that one's Kris's favorite.

He almost jumps out of his skin when he opens the bathroom door and finds Adam standing on the other side, half-asleep, hair standing on his head, quilt wrapped around his shoulders. It's the most adorable thing Kris has seen in his life, and he takes a handful of seconds to burn the image into his brain.

"Why'd you get up, babe? I just went to pee," he says, wrapping an arm around Adam's waist and leading him back to the living room, their feet shuffling on the floor.

Adam drops down on the couch and looks up at him blearily. "Missed you," he pouts, tugging on Kris's hand. "Woke up and you were gone."

Kris huffs a quiet laugh and stares down at Adam, unable to keep his hands from petting his hair and caressing his cheek. It's too much, the burst of love and joy and pure affection in his chest feels huge and impossible, burning bright, overwhelming.

"Well I'm here now," Kris murmurs, pushing Adam back down and wrapping all around him with a contented sigh. "I'm not going anywhere."

Adam hums into his hair, breaths evening out almost immediately. Kris shuts his eyes and siinks into Adam's touch. He's not sleepy at all, but he's more than content to lie there and feel the rhythm of Adam's breaths all through his body.

---

Some time later, Kris turns in Adam's grip and reaches for the remote, starts to channel surf with the TV on mute. He finds The Muppet Movie and turns on the closed captioning, watches as Kermit runs around. Adam's breaths puff against the back of his neck, arm tight across his, legs tangled around his waist, a perfect fit around him. They could spend the rest of their lives like this and Kris wouldn't mind at all. It's so easy and natural, like they were made to fit together in so many ways. In all the ways.

The movie ends and Kris starts to channel surf again, gaze alternating between the TV and the snowfall visible through the living room window. Kris has always loved winter, enjoyed pulling on layers and spending time in the quiet cold outside, and then curling up indoors and trying to keep warm, seeing family, interrupting the banality of going to school all of the day, staring at the twinkling lights. Snow brings with it a different kind of peace that Kris feels in his bones.

He loses himself in a documentary on the National Geographic. He has no idea how much time has passed when he feels Adam's hand start to rub circles on his hip.

"Hey," he murmurs.

Adam keeps a firm grip on him and keeps him from turning around, whispering, "I want you like this" into the back of Kris's neck.

Kris groans and fits himself closer to Adam, relaxing into the slow, soothing movements. He smiles inwardly when Adam's hand drifts up under his shirt and deliberately palms at his stomach then up his chest, fingertips grazing his nipples. Adam sighs into his ear and presses forward, the line of his cock hard and insistent at the small of Kris's back. Kris's breathing picks up when Adam hooks his knee around his thigh, hips rolling in tiny circles. The space underneath the quilt has become stifling, all of a sudden, and both of them let out broken moans when Adam slips his hand inside Kris's sweats, starting him out with one shallow stroke.

"Just dreamt about this, baby," Adam mumbles into his shoulder, hand gliding soft and easy on Kris's cock. "Touching you like this, making you crazy."

He still sounds like he's half-asleep, but the deft movements of his hands prove otherwise. Kris's hips strain into his grip, short and shallow thrusts that Adam guides with his hand. "More, please," he chokes out, squeezing his eyes shut and letting himself just feel.

Adam's hands are magic, working Kris's cock like a virtuoso, fingers perfect, grip just right, confident in the knowledge of everything Kris likes. It's almost too much, Adam a mass of unbearable heat at his back, the movement of his fingers, panting into his ear, hips moving in time with the stroke of his hands. Heat pools low in Kris's belly, building and building as he thrusts into Adam's hand with complete abandon. It's too fast, but he's close, so close, he's so turned on he feels helpless with it. He feels so needy he aches with it. He blindly reaches around and grabs Adam's ass, desperate for leverage.

"Oh fuck," Adam groans, thrusting hard and quick, strokes going clumsy, and Kris feels half-crazed at the change in friction, orgasm just barely out of reach. He squeezes Adam's ass, fingers barely sliding down Adam's crack, and then Adam's gone, coming with a sharp yell. Adam's hand reflexively squeezes around Kris's dick, too much, too tight, exactly what Kris needs, and that takes him right over the edge.

Adam pants into his shoulder and keeps stroking his cock until Kris halfheartedly bats his hand away, oversensitized and twitchy. He can feel Adam's thighs trembling, chest heaving with exertion. Kris's brain feels fuzzy with pleasure and love and satisfaction and ecstatic joy, the way it always is when he and Adam are together like this. A wave of affection crashes in his chest and he has to twist around to capture Adam's lips in a deep, sloppy kiss. His legs wrap tight around Adam's waist, just needing to be closer. His fingers pet clumsily at Adam's face, and he hums in pleasure when Adam wraps around him completely, arms gripping his back like a vise, tongue opening up his mouth, relentless.

"Wake-up sex is the best sex," Adam murmurs into the small space between them before kissing him again, dragging his tongue on the roof of Kris's mouth.

Kris groans and clutches at Adam, entire body straining forward, desperate, as if trying to climb into the space that Adam occupies. He feels his throat ache with the volume of sheer, incredible affection he feels in his chest, in his entire body, in the buzz underneath his skin. It's so much at once, so much like drowning in an ocean of impossible joy, only the waves aren't dragging him down but lifting him up instead, endless and infinite. His hands grasp at Adam's face and he pours all of himself into the kiss, knowing that Adam will understand what he's trying to say with his teeth and tongue and the tight grip of his legs around his waist.

"Adam --" he rasps, and a distant part of him is surprised by how his voice is completely broken, and he just - he just needs Adam to know --

Adam's hand spans his back, rubbing big, wide circles, and he's whispering in Kris's ear. "I know, baby. I'm right here."

Kris lets out a long, slow, deep breath and just pulls Adam close, perfectly content to just stay like this for hours.

Some time later, Adam pulls away a bit and presses a soft, wet kiss on his cheek before hauling them both upright, grimacing at the mess they'd made. "Um. We need towels."

Kris groans as he gingerly gets to his feet, dragging the quilt to the floor. "Yeah, this... yeah. Shower first, though?"

"Yes please."

They set the water to almost scalding, and it feels so good on his skin that Kris doesn't even mind much when Adam takes hold of the shower head and sprays his face a few times, laughing as he sputters and tries to slap it away. They both enjoy the slip-slide of wet skin, but other than a few kisses and a couple of pointed rub-downs, there's no funny business. Kris pulls on a long-sleeved shirt, his mistletoe-patterned pajama bottoms - a gag gift from Andrew last year - and his favorite striped socks. Adam delights at finding a pair of his own sweatpants in Kris's closet ("Why didn't you tell me you had these?" "You left 'em here last week, I kept forgetting to tell you.") and it makes Kris think of ridiculous things - things like the future, sharing closets, living in the same house, and getting to have all of this, with Adam.

Kris watches Adam get dressed, and he thinks he'd love it if they could do this every day for pretty much all their lives.

---

Once they've cleaned up the couch, they migrate to the kitchen. Kris heats up two thirds of the apple pie his mom left for them to eat, and Adam puts one plate and two forks on a place setting. Kris sprawls half on top of Adam - knees draped over his lap - and they alternate bites.

"I think my parents got me an electric guitar," Kris says as he thumbs off stray crumbs from the corner of Adam's mouth.

"Really? That's great! How do you know?"

"I went into the garage to look for some old Christmas lights, and I found a brand new amp hidden under the work table. Covered by old curtains and everything."

Adam claps his hands in delight. "Ooh, so it's definitely an electric, then. Awesome, baby. An electric that's just yours, oh my god, you're gonna be able to do so much stuff now."

Kris takes a swig of water and grins. "There's so much stuff I've always wanted to try. It's gonna be great. I can't wait to see it - I don't even really care what kind they got me."

Adam just levels him with a look.

"Yeah, okay, I do care, and I hope they got me a Strat, but I'm not gonna complain if they got me something else," Kris relents with a rueful smile. Adam knows all about his guitar obsession. "My own electric, babe."

"Your own electric," Adam exclaims, shaking his shoulders a little. Then he leans in and drops a soft, sweet kiss on his cheek. "I get first listen, okay?"

"Of course. Like you even had to ask."

They giggle through the last few bites of pie, what with Adam rattling off every single guitar-related innuendo he can think of - along with some others Kris is sure he just made up (including something about frets, what?) - while Kris tries to make him shut up with his hands, a big forkful of pie, or with his lips. They both get distracted with that last one, but it's not like either of them minds.

The plate in front of them is empty, but neither of them cares very much. Kris has somehow made his way onto Adam's chair, straddling Adam's lap as their kisses turn frantic, hands gripping Adam's hair and his entire body straining closer. Adam runs his hands up under Kris's shirt, nails scraping suddenly sensitive skin. Kris groans into Adam's mouth and his hips instinctively thrust forward, desperate for friction, his eyes rolling back into his head when Adam lifts up under him to return the pressure.

Suddenly the chair is tipping backward, a nauseating lurch in Kris's stomach, and it's only Adam's quick reflexes that stop them from falling into a heap on the floor. A couple of silent seconds pass with them just gaping incredulously at each other before they both burst out laughing, loud and hysterical, collapsing into each other as they ride out the fit of giggles.

"We could've died, oh my god," Adam breathes into his neck.

"Don't exaggerate," Kris says as he tugs lightly on Adam's hair. "Concussion at the worst, maybe. Good thing you're quick on your feet. So to speak."

Adam laughs, arms squeezing tighter around him. "I have excellent self-preservation instincts. I just saved your life, buddy."

Kris just snorts, but chooses not to answer, instead focusing on tracing Adam's earlobe with his tongue. He's rewarded with a long, shuddering sigh he can feel all along his body. Adam tilts his head, and Kris obliges, focusing on the soft, sensitive skin. There's another shudder as he kisses down Adam's neck, and then a small, frustrated noise just a split second before he's tugged into a deep, drugging kiss. Adam's mouth is open and pliant under his, breaths coming out hot and fast, hand sliding up and around to squeeze his ass. Kris arches into the touch, wanting more, always more, but then Adam pulls away completely.

"Upstairs," Adam pants, both hands squeezing at Kris's hips.

Kris just stares at him, hardly registering, and dips down for more.

Adam snorts a laugh and tilts his head away when Kris tries to deepen the kiss. "No more kissing in the kitchen today," he says. "I think your bed is the best idea I've had all day. Yeah?" Adam says, carefully pushing Kris to his feet.

"Yeah," Kris answers vaguely, biting his lip as he watches Adam get up and stretch in one smooth movement. "Uh. Yeah," he says again when Adam looks down at him with a fond smile on his face.

Adam clears the table, and it's only when the faucet starts to run that Kris gets his bearings back. He darts forward to take over the dish washing, but Adam just shushes him, hand already reaching out for the sponge thing. Kris presses a thank you kiss on his shoulder before hopping up on the counter next to the sink, watching Adam intently.

"You're my guest. It's rude to make you wash the dishes," Kris says, foot idly rubbing the little bit of Adam's thigh he can reach.

"I haven't been a real guest here in years, baby," Adam answers, smiling. "Especially not now. It's no big deal, I promise."

Kris watches Adam's long, lithe fingers in the sudsy water, movements slow and careful. It's a quick job - one of the benefits of their sharing everything, even utensils - and it isn't too long before Kris is reaching out for the kitchen towel and Adam's passing stuff for him to wipe dry. It's literally the most domestic thing they've ever done together, and it seems the thought strikes Adam too, his smile sweet and knowing.

They work in silence, their lingering gazes making words unnecessary. Once Adam lays everything back down in its place and drains the sink, he sidles closer to Kris, a sly grin quirking his mouth. "Teamwork goes a long way," he murmurs in the space between them before his lips close on Kris's bottom lip.

Kris sighs, legs wrapping around Adam's waist as he opens his mouth further. His arms drape around Adam's shoulders, head tilted down for once as they kiss, loving this new angle. "We're kind of awesome together, aren't we," he whispers.

Adam just nods breathlessly and pulls him off the counter. They stumble and giggle and kiss all the way up the stairs.

Part 2