36. | future unknown: begging for a backbeat
36.
begging for a backbeat
don't worry, i fight dirty
cook/archuleta (1523 words)
Part of the Future Unknown verse! Hahahahahahaha oh my gosh, this was probably a bad idea. I FELT IT WAS TIME TO KICK THINGS INTO HIGH GEAR, THOUGH. Hope you guys enjoy!
PREVIOUSLY:
There's no way to make up over a fight that never really happened, so in the morning David slowly pushes a bagel with cream cheese towards Cook, like some sort of peace offering, and Cook takes it solemnly and says, "You're lucky I like breakfast foods so much--" and David says, "Oh my gosh, I can totally take it back!" but Cook bites it, and they grin at each other; David feels relieved even if it was a fake fight, because Cook is smiling again.
THIS WEEK
So today Cook is working with Dean, the cameraman with unit two, going over some of his music, and David takes Jared down to the grocery store, laughing while he makes faces at the food David picks out.
They're getting weird stares because Jared is filming, but this is LA and it's not that weird to have someone followed around by a cameraman. Jared has to tilt the camera at kind of a ridiculous angle though, so David tries to keep everything easy in his line of sight, holding up stuff so that people can see what he's buying, which, haha, fascinating, he's sure. Cook is definitely getting this episode.
"How are you a normal teenager?" he asks when David picks out some green apples and contemplates a pineapple. "Where's the junk food?"
"Cook gets enough of that for both of us," David says absently, then says, "Can you cut this?"
After Jared confirms that no, he cannot slice a pineapple, David finishes up pretty quickly, grabbing Cook's favorite chips and a bag of cookies to reward him with if he finishes the song he's been working on for a solid week. Jared watches him with knowing eyes and David avoids them purposely, which turns out to be a mistake. While he's checking out, he notices a bunch of candy on the conveyer belt that he didn't get, and Jared whistles innocently when David shoots him a look.
"I'm a growing boy," Jared insists, all like, eight feet of him, but David rolls his eyes and gets them, leaving Jared beaming and stuffing like, four sugary straws in his mouth while he drives home. Jared leaves the camera on and catches him singing along to the stereo again, and David makes a face at him and says, "I'll take your candy away!" but Jared just laughs and says, "Sure, mom."
David totally doesn't take his candy away, but he does get Jared to sing along, and he's not really that good at it, but they have a really good time belting out the top 40 hits, and this could be any other day of his life, just driving home from grocery shopping with a friend, except the friend has a camera and this moment of his life is going to be on TV soon.
David is surprised to find he doesn't mind as much anymore. Like, the whole fight thing? That sucked. A lot. David doesn't want to do it again. But for the most part, they can do normal stuff, and be themselves, and he gets to spend time with Cook, who is quickly becoming a normal part of David's daily life, and it's sort of scary, but it leaves a pleasant warmth in his stomach to think about it, so it can't be bad, right?
When they get home, Cook is still talking to Dean/the audience, explaining certain parts of his writing process, and how the balcony is actually a really great place for thinking despite (or probably because, knowing Cook) the noise of the street below. He shoots David a grin when he and Jared walk through with their arms full of groceries and says, "Oh look, the missus is home."
David laughs and says, "You're weird," and Jared and Dean trade inscrutable looks over the top of their heads. "I'm gonna go running, okay?"
"So I get a break?" Jared asks hopefully, already shutting the camera down, and David nods his head and Dean flips Jared off behind the camera when he salutes him cheerfully.
David changes into older clothes, but it doesn't really matter because he doesn't go running around the block or anything -- he doesn't like being out in public because inevitably someone will recognize him and it ruins his workout, having to stop. So mostly he sticks to the stairs of the apartment building, which almost never have people on them, and are really good for his heart because climbing stuff is better than just flat ground.
He waves to Cook to let him know he's going out, pulls out his iPod and heads to the stairwell. He blasts a playlist, just one full of some of his favorite songs, people he's met or toured with or met on Idol, and he doesn't realize it until it's playing Avalanche but that's like, the fifth song by Cook on the playlist and he's pretty sure there are more.
He runs down six flights of stairs and then jogs back up, feeling his breath come in short gasps and he relishes the burn in his calves, in his lungs as he runs up the stairs. He's pretty sure he's getting faster, which is only confirmed when he gets back and Jared is still on break, outside their door and --
Jared is leaning a guy against the wall outside David and Cook's apartment, and they're, they're kissing, soft, gentle kisses that aren't hurried or anything, just lazy and casual but it feels like something bigger, something meaningful. David hears Cook sing in his ear, "You're blowing up like a hand grenade," and realizes his cheeks are burning.
And it's not like David really minds that Jared is gay. He didn't know, but. He doesn't, he really doesn't, and he's happy that Jared looks so happy, but the -- David feels something settle deep in his stomach, and he remembers Carly stressing the gender neutrality of his fortune telling, and it's like -- everything spins around his head, and suddenly David wonders, he wonders if maybe --
"Um," the guy Jared is kissing says suddenly, and oh my gosh, they've stopped kissing and are staring at him staring at them, and David blushes even more and says, "Um, hi?"
"David," Jared says, grinning brightly, "Hey, you're back. You're getting quick, dude. Jensen came by to see if I was gonna be late tonight, and I told him probably not. I figure Cook's getting more footage this episode."
"Um, yes," David says uselessly, because what does he say to Jared's -- boyfriend? He assumes, and he doesn't want to be rude, so he holds his hand out and says, "I'm David Archuleta."
The guy -- Jensen, right? -- takes his hand with a smile and says, "I know. I'm Jensen. Jared actually talks even more than before, which is a blast, and you've come up a few hundred times. Can't believe you pay this guy to hang around and film you like a creep."
"Oh, um," David says, unsure of what to say, "it's not that creepy, I guess? Plus, Jared is -- he's funny, and I like him."
Jensen grins bigger at him. "I can't believe you're exactly like Jared said. I thought he was exaggerating."
David wonders if he's being made fun of, and Jared elbows Jensen and says, "That's a good thing, David, promise. He just wishes I exaggerated about him, since he's such a bad boyfriend."
"Whatever, you love me," Jensen says, nudging him, and Jared grins back and says, "Sure I do, honey," with a tone that suggests he's humoring Jensen, but David can tell he's not, he means it, and David feels, he doesn't even know, cold and hot all at once. He smiles at Jensen though, and tells Jared that he can stay out a little bit longer while David takes a shower. Jared smiles knowingly at David, which makes no sense because David doesn't even know what's going on, but after saying goodbye to them and getting inside the apartment, he's not even sure about what he was feeling.
Maybe he was just hot from his run, or something, he concludes, and then he looks up and Cook is strumming the acoustic on the couch, Dean's camera whirring softly as it focuses on his hands, singing softly into the camera and he looks up and sings at David and David --
David's running through the apartment and shutting himself in the bathroom and crouching on the ground, deep shuddering breaths wracking his body and his heart pounding and oh my gosh, oh my gosh, what is wrong with him?
Images flash before his eyes, and it's -- Jared laughing with Jensen, the way he'd looked at him and couldn't seem to keep his eyes off him, and Cook's carefully blank face after he'd told him his fortune, and Carly's meaningful looks and the words you've already met the one person you're destined to spend the rest of your life with echoing around in his head, and Cook's face just now, open and happy and David closes his eyes and wonders what's going on.
begging for a backbeat
don't worry, i fight dirty
cook/archuleta (1523 words)
Part of the Future Unknown verse! Hahahahahahaha oh my gosh, this was probably a bad idea. I FELT IT WAS TIME TO KICK THINGS INTO HIGH GEAR, THOUGH. Hope you guys enjoy!
PREVIOUSLY:
There's no way to make up over a fight that never really happened, so in the morning David slowly pushes a bagel with cream cheese towards Cook, like some sort of peace offering, and Cook takes it solemnly and says, "You're lucky I like breakfast foods so much--" and David says, "Oh my gosh, I can totally take it back!" but Cook bites it, and they grin at each other; David feels relieved even if it was a fake fight, because Cook is smiling again.
THIS WEEK
So today Cook is working with Dean, the cameraman with unit two, going over some of his music, and David takes Jared down to the grocery store, laughing while he makes faces at the food David picks out.
They're getting weird stares because Jared is filming, but this is LA and it's not that weird to have someone followed around by a cameraman. Jared has to tilt the camera at kind of a ridiculous angle though, so David tries to keep everything easy in his line of sight, holding up stuff so that people can see what he's buying, which, haha, fascinating, he's sure. Cook is definitely getting this episode.
"How are you a normal teenager?" he asks when David picks out some green apples and contemplates a pineapple. "Where's the junk food?"
"Cook gets enough of that for both of us," David says absently, then says, "Can you cut this?"
After Jared confirms that no, he cannot slice a pineapple, David finishes up pretty quickly, grabbing Cook's favorite chips and a bag of cookies to reward him with if he finishes the song he's been working on for a solid week. Jared watches him with knowing eyes and David avoids them purposely, which turns out to be a mistake. While he's checking out, he notices a bunch of candy on the conveyer belt that he didn't get, and Jared whistles innocently when David shoots him a look.
"I'm a growing boy," Jared insists, all like, eight feet of him, but David rolls his eyes and gets them, leaving Jared beaming and stuffing like, four sugary straws in his mouth while he drives home. Jared leaves the camera on and catches him singing along to the stereo again, and David makes a face at him and says, "I'll take your candy away!" but Jared just laughs and says, "Sure, mom."
David totally doesn't take his candy away, but he does get Jared to sing along, and he's not really that good at it, but they have a really good time belting out the top 40 hits, and this could be any other day of his life, just driving home from grocery shopping with a friend, except the friend has a camera and this moment of his life is going to be on TV soon.
David is surprised to find he doesn't mind as much anymore. Like, the whole fight thing? That sucked. A lot. David doesn't want to do it again. But for the most part, they can do normal stuff, and be themselves, and he gets to spend time with Cook, who is quickly becoming a normal part of David's daily life, and it's sort of scary, but it leaves a pleasant warmth in his stomach to think about it, so it can't be bad, right?
When they get home, Cook is still talking to Dean/the audience, explaining certain parts of his writing process, and how the balcony is actually a really great place for thinking despite (or probably because, knowing Cook) the noise of the street below. He shoots David a grin when he and Jared walk through with their arms full of groceries and says, "Oh look, the missus is home."
David laughs and says, "You're weird," and Jared and Dean trade inscrutable looks over the top of their heads. "I'm gonna go running, okay?"
"So I get a break?" Jared asks hopefully, already shutting the camera down, and David nods his head and Dean flips Jared off behind the camera when he salutes him cheerfully.
David changes into older clothes, but it doesn't really matter because he doesn't go running around the block or anything -- he doesn't like being out in public because inevitably someone will recognize him and it ruins his workout, having to stop. So mostly he sticks to the stairs of the apartment building, which almost never have people on them, and are really good for his heart because climbing stuff is better than just flat ground.
He waves to Cook to let him know he's going out, pulls out his iPod and heads to the stairwell. He blasts a playlist, just one full of some of his favorite songs, people he's met or toured with or met on Idol, and he doesn't realize it until it's playing Avalanche but that's like, the fifth song by Cook on the playlist and he's pretty sure there are more.
He runs down six flights of stairs and then jogs back up, feeling his breath come in short gasps and he relishes the burn in his calves, in his lungs as he runs up the stairs. He's pretty sure he's getting faster, which is only confirmed when he gets back and Jared is still on break, outside their door and --
Jared is leaning a guy against the wall outside David and Cook's apartment, and they're, they're kissing, soft, gentle kisses that aren't hurried or anything, just lazy and casual but it feels like something bigger, something meaningful. David hears Cook sing in his ear, "You're blowing up like a hand grenade," and realizes his cheeks are burning.
And it's not like David really minds that Jared is gay. He didn't know, but. He doesn't, he really doesn't, and he's happy that Jared looks so happy, but the -- David feels something settle deep in his stomach, and he remembers Carly stressing the gender neutrality of his fortune telling, and it's like -- everything spins around his head, and suddenly David wonders, he wonders if maybe --
"Um," the guy Jared is kissing says suddenly, and oh my gosh, they've stopped kissing and are staring at him staring at them, and David blushes even more and says, "Um, hi?"
"David," Jared says, grinning brightly, "Hey, you're back. You're getting quick, dude. Jensen came by to see if I was gonna be late tonight, and I told him probably not. I figure Cook's getting more footage this episode."
"Um, yes," David says uselessly, because what does he say to Jared's -- boyfriend? He assumes, and he doesn't want to be rude, so he holds his hand out and says, "I'm David Archuleta."
The guy -- Jensen, right? -- takes his hand with a smile and says, "I know. I'm Jensen. Jared actually talks even more than before, which is a blast, and you've come up a few hundred times. Can't believe you pay this guy to hang around and film you like a creep."
"Oh, um," David says, unsure of what to say, "it's not that creepy, I guess? Plus, Jared is -- he's funny, and I like him."
Jensen grins bigger at him. "I can't believe you're exactly like Jared said. I thought he was exaggerating."
David wonders if he's being made fun of, and Jared elbows Jensen and says, "That's a good thing, David, promise. He just wishes I exaggerated about him, since he's such a bad boyfriend."
"Whatever, you love me," Jensen says, nudging him, and Jared grins back and says, "Sure I do, honey," with a tone that suggests he's humoring Jensen, but David can tell he's not, he means it, and David feels, he doesn't even know, cold and hot all at once. He smiles at Jensen though, and tells Jared that he can stay out a little bit longer while David takes a shower. Jared smiles knowingly at David, which makes no sense because David doesn't even know what's going on, but after saying goodbye to them and getting inside the apartment, he's not even sure about what he was feeling.
Maybe he was just hot from his run, or something, he concludes, and then he looks up and Cook is strumming the acoustic on the couch, Dean's camera whirring softly as it focuses on his hands, singing softly into the camera and he looks up and sings at David and David --
David's running through the apartment and shutting himself in the bathroom and crouching on the ground, deep shuddering breaths wracking his body and his heart pounding and oh my gosh, oh my gosh, what is wrong with him?
Images flash before his eyes, and it's -- Jared laughing with Jensen, the way he'd looked at him and couldn't seem to keep his eyes off him, and Cook's carefully blank face after he'd told him his fortune, and Carly's meaningful looks and the words you've already met the one person you're destined to spend the rest of your life with echoing around in his head, and Cook's face just now, open and happy and David closes his eyes and wonders what's going on.