Light in His Darkness ~ Part 12
Title: Light in his Darkness ~ Part 12
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: adam/kris
Summary: WIP. Kris is a rehab therapist who finds himself falling for his student, a rock star lost in a world of darkness.
Warning: angst
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone involved. I am not a rehab therapist; the information I share is from internet research and may or may not be accurate. Aside from the menu and description of the décor, all other info about the restaurant came from my imagination.
This is the final chapter my little saga but there will be an epilogue. Kris does a lot of reminiscing so I hope the jumping back and forth isn’t confusing.
I didn’t realize this past college term was going to take so much time. Thanks to everyone for your patience. I’ll still keep writing but I won’t post something this long again until it’s complete. In the meantime, keep an eye out for ficlets … I can’t stop writing all together
Part 1 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/80872.html
Part 2 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/81380.html
Part 3 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/81579.html
Part 4 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/81680.html
Part 5 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/82096.html
Part 6 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/82375.html
Part 7 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/83360.html
Part 8 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/84034.html
Part 9 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/84497.html#cutid1
Part 10 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/85130.html
Part 11 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/86004.html
~~ ☼ ~~
Twenty-four hours, give or take.
Twenty-four hours until his future is revealed.
Twenty-four hours until Kris tells Adam goodbye for the last time… or not.
The only light in his apartment was the glow from his bathroom. Kris sat in the quiet of his living room, making a dent in a bottle of bourbon he brought out for special occasions. Six weeks had never passed so quickly before and he wished he could just flip his calendar back one month and start over.
Then again, if he did that, Adam would once more be a shell of the man he used to be, not the confident beauty he said ‘see ya later’ to this afternoon when Leila came to pick up her son and take him home.
Lolling his head against the back of his couch, one hand fisted around the bottle of bourbon and the other loosing holding his empty glass, Kris thought back on everything that had happened since he’d made the stupidest decision of his young life ….
~~ ☼ ~~
THE DAY AFTER
Kris sat in his car in the parking lot, fighting back the constant yawning that had plagued him since he left his place this morning. He couldn’t say he’d been yawning since he got up cause he never made it to bed.
After getting cock blocked by his phone and leaving Adam, Kris had kept his mouth shut on the ride home, despite Cale’s constant questioning. His friend knew something was wrong but if Kris had opened his mouth to reply, all the agony he was holding in would have poured out unheeded. He barely made it to his apartment before he lost the battle. Locking his door, he slid to the floor and gave in.
He’d been so fucking close.
Why the hell didn’t he ignore his damn phone?!
Eventually Kris had crawled into bed but his head wouldn’t shut off. He’d had an angel/devil battle going on in his brain all night. His ‘good’ side told him he was right to stop, that getting involved with his student was unethical. His ‘bad’ side told him he was an idiot for not letting the other man fuck him all night.
Kris didn’t like picking sides but part of him was siding with the guy holding the pitch fork.
Resting his forehead against the steering wheel, he looked at the building sideways, his eyes focusing in on the fifth window to the left of the entrance, or was that now the fifth window above the entrance … anyhow, he zeroed in on Adam’s room and imagined him curled up in his bed, just as miserable as Kris was. He really didn’t want Adam to be miserable but misery loved company and Kris was feeling awfully alone right now.
Waiting for the conversation wasn’t going to get any easier so he sucked it up and headed into the center and straight to Adam’s room. He knocked and waited. A minute passed with no response and he knocked again. Still no answer. Third time around, he tried calling out to the man. Still no answer.
“The garden.”
Kris spun and found one of the cleaning staff behind him.
“Pardon.”
“Adam’s in the garden. He’s been there for the last hour.”
Kris looked at his watch. It was 7:30am now, so Adam had been outside since ….
Thanking her, he ran towards the garden. On the way out, he stopped long enough in the kitchen to snatch a carafe of hot coffee and two mugs. Once outside, the singer was easy to spot, being the only person outside at this early hour. Adam was sitting cross legged on a bench, eyes closed and hands clasped in his laps. Kris slowed down as he got closer, stopping momentarily to catch his breath so he could talk.
“Are you going to stare or sit down?” Adam softly asked, still striking his pose.
Kris sat and poured out the steaming brew. Adam sniffed loudly and sighed, thankfully accepting it when Kris handed it over.
“A toast,” Adam declared, holding his mug out.
“To what?”
“To understanding friends?” Adam asked tentatively.
“I …,” Kris began.
“I need to apologize,” Adam blurted out before Kris could elaborate.
“Apologize? For what?”
“For kissing you … or almost kissing you … last night.”
“Adam ….”
“Let me finish. I … I need to say this.”
Kris was being given a way out and he reluctantly took it. He felt guilty though, letting Adam think the almost kiss was entirely one sided.
“Okay, I’m listening.”
Adam let out a big sigh, “Good … okay … God, this was easier to tell you in my head last night.”
“Take your time.”
Blue eyes looked his way and Kris heart fluttered.
“You’re too good to me Kris, and that’s my problem. I was in such a funk before I got here and you offered me a life line. I didn’t realize really how much I needed you until you went back to your apartment at night and left me behind.”
“Adam, no ….”
“I know, you didn’t really leave me behind, you were just doing your job. I guess its natural I’d get attached to you and then yesterday Tommy told me you were my type ….”
“Oh God,” Kris groaned.
“And, and well, I kinda got the sense that you were … and if you’re not I’m even more sorry and ….”
Kris reached out and touched Adam’s arm, “You weren’t wrong. I am gay.”
The singer smiled broadly and laughed a little, “Well at least my gaydar didn’t go blind too. It’s just, I’ve been lonely and you’re such a great guy and so kind to me. You’re giving me my life back and I guess I confused gratitude with something deeper. Your friendship is everything to me Kris; I promise it won’t happen again….”
~~ ☼ ~~
Kris poured another glass of bourbon, savoring the slow burn. That had been one of the worst moments of his life. Adam’s confession, especially the part about not letting it happen again, had left Kris’ soul in a smoldering heap. For the longest time, he hadn’t known what to say, afraid to open his mouth but the words ‘I want it to happen again’ were on the tip of his tongue, just waiting for his lips to open so they could fly out. Eventually, Kris swallowed his declaration and told Adam it was okay but it wasn’t okay … but it had to be.
They’d moved on from there into the next weeks, continuing with lessons and enjoying more visits from the singer’s friends and family. Adam continued on as if nothing had happened and Kris did his best to do the same.
The quiet of the apartment was interrupted by a loud gurgle from Kris’ stomach. The liquor wasn’t sitting well on an empty stomach so he went into the kitchen to make something to soak up the alcohol. He had the fixin’s for a Philly Cheese Steak. Digging around for the cheese, he noticed some cold Chinese leftovers and his mind journey back to the day he reintroduced Adam to the ‘real’ world ….
~~ ☼ ~~
DINING OUT
“No Kris … I’m … I’m not ready.”
“Yes you are.”
“No … I’m … not! Don’t you think I’d know if I was ready?”
“No, I don’t.”
Adam huffed and started pacing the sidewalk, his cane clicking to keep him on the pavement and off the grass. When he made a u-turn back in Kris’ direction, he stopped short.
“I’m scared.”
Kris moved closer and reassuringly touched his arm.
“I know Ad, but you have to re-enter the real world sometime. You’ve been here four weeks and haven’t left the property. I wouldn’t suggest we do this if I didn’t think you could handle it.”
It was a lovely day and they’d gone for a walk in the gardens. They chatted about nothing in particular and then Kris suggested they go out for lunch tomorrow. Adam said a picnic sounded great and Kris said was thinking farther a field, like going into town. His student stopped so fast, Kris almost slammed into him. He understood Adam’s fear and hesitation but he needed to get over it if he wanted a normal life again.
“If I agree to do this ….”
You will, Kris replied silently.
”… I want to pick the place. I want to go somewhere I’ve been before, you know … somewhere familiar.”
“Whatever you want.”
Kris looked at the scenery blur by as the town car sped down the highway. When Adam said he’d make all the arrangements, Kris hadn’t expected to be in a chauffeured car heading into Hollywood to eat at one of the most famous restaurants in the country. The last time he’d been in Los Angeles was when he’d landed at LAX and then he only stayed long enough to get on a bus and head north to his job.
They weren’t dressed real fancy but Adam had put on the best clothes he had with him at the centre and had put on make-up and fixed his hair. When he mentioned looking his best for the paparazzi, Kris froze. He’d never thought of that, that Adam venturing out into public wasn’t like him going out. There were people … fans … and photographers who hung around the hot spots looking to snap pictures of celebs doing everyday things. If Adam blew his nose, it could end up front page news.
To help ease the transition, Kris suggested they invite Tommy and Neil and both men had accepted.
The city quickly surrounded them and the car slowed considerably as it entered LA traffic. The driver told them they were a few blocks away and he was going to call the manager to let them know they were arriving. Kris was impressed and a thousand questions about the life of a celebrity bounced about his brain but he kept them to himself. Adam was nervous enough, having grabbed Kris’ hand at some point and holding on for dear life.
When the car came to a stop, Kris peered out the window. A few photogs hung around the entrance. Someone came out who looked familiar and the flashes and shouting exploded. While the paps were kept busy, a man in a suit and a burly dude hurried down the stairs and approached the car. There was a rap on the window and Adam lowered it.
“Mr. Lambert, welcome back to Katsuya.”
“Thank you Lee. It’s been a long time.”
“It certainly has. Shall we?”
The door opened and Kris stepped out first. Smelling fresh blood, a few photogs turned to see who was arriving. They whispered to each other, probably asking if Kris was anybody. Reaching a hand in the car, Adam took hold and slowly emerged into the daylight.
“Adam! Adam Lambert!”
“Adam! Over here! Look over here!”
“Where you been?!”
“How are you?!”
“Looking good Adam, give us a smile!”
“Who’s your boyfriend?!”
Adam had sunglasses on but left his cane back at the centre … he wasn’t ready to be seen with it in public just yet … so he took Kris’ arm and between Kris, the manager and the security dude, they got the rock star inside without much trouble.
“We’ve set aside the table you requested,” Lee told Adam.
“Thanks. We’re expected two more. Have they arrived yet?”
“No and I’m afraid they aren’t coming. Mr. Ratliff called and said he and your brother would not be able to make it. He sends his regrets.”
“Sure he does,” Kris muttered under his breath.
Adam chuckled a little and asked to be led to their table. On the way to a secluded area, Adam explained this wasn’t his usual table but he wanted some privacy. Kris half listened, his attention drawn to the very big, very red 3D lips protruding from several panels on the wall. Other walls displayed a single unblinking eye gazing over the light wood, airy interior.
Sure beat the dark cluttered interior of Harry’s Bar & Grill back home.
This was Hollywood after all.
The moment they sat down, a waiter was there with menus and water. Kris was pleasantly surprised to see the menu placed in front of Adam was in Braille. Lee explained when they received word Adam was coming for lunch today - and they considered him a friend, not just a patron - they proceeded to have a menu crafted that he could use. Adam thanked them graciously, joking he ate there so much he had the menu mesmerized. Kris was touched they would do this for him and he hoped they’d extend the same courtesy to other visually impaired clients. After filling their glasses with water, they were left alone for a few minutes to peruse the offerings.
“So, what do you think?” Adam asked
“It’s very … very ….”
“Modern?”
“Yeah, modern. That fits.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah, so far.”
“Good, good. Okay, let’s get a drink. They have these wonderful fruit refreshers that are freshly squeezed and made daily. You can add alcohol to them if you want but I like them the way they are.”
Kris looked at the five beverages, still trying to make up his mind when the server returned. Adam ordered a Watermelon Cucumber Fresh. Kris looked at the ingredients - crushed seedless watermelon, English cucumbers, fresh mint and freshly squeezed lime juice. It sounded … refreshing … but he wasn’t a big fan of cucumbers. Knowing he was holding things up, he ordered the Raspberry Sidecar, fresh muddled raspberries shaken with pineapple and cranberry juice. Adam asked for a few more minutes and she left to get their drinks.
“Do you like Japanese food? I should have asked before I made the reservation,” Adam softly commented, that bottom lip disappearing into his mouth.
“Adam, no this is great. I really like Chinese and Korean food so I imagine I’ll love Japanese just as much. It all looks so good, I don’t know what to order.”
“Would you let me order for you?”
Kris reached across and squeezed his hand, saying, “I’d like that very much. Just no sushi … I’m not a fan of raw fish.”
The last line had been whispered and Adam laughed, assuring him he’d keep that in mind.
The server returned and Adam ordered for them. For starters, the singer ordered Creamy Rock Shrimp for himself - crispy bite sized shrimp in a spicy cream sauce - and for Kris he ordered Crab and Mozzarella Tempura served with a light sake soy sauce. The food was fabulous and they snuck bites off each other’s plates. Once they were finished, Adam ordered drink refills and their main entrees.
“I’ll have the Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna and my friend will have the Wagyu Tobanyaki.”
After she left, Kris leaned forward and asked discreetly, “What the heck did you order for me?”
With a sneaky smile on his face, Adam leaned in and discreetly replied, “Lots of sizzling beef with wild mushrooms. You’re grinning like a fool right now, ain’t ya?”
Kris blushed and swatted his hand, “Shut up.”
Lunch lasted nearly two hours. They seemed to have all the time in the world. Kris had cleared their afternoon schedule so there were no lessons to do and they weren’t expected back at the center until 5pm. When they were ready to leave, Lee came over and suggested their driver pick them up at the back entrance. Apparently, the number of photogs had increased out front and Lee thought Adam might be more comfortable leaving another way. Kris excused himself … he just had to see for himself if it was really the bad.
Oh … it was.
Like amoebas, each pap had split its cells, creating six for every one that had been there when they arrived. The moment too much of Kris’ face appeared behind the door, the flashbulbs went off and the world disappeared in a cascade of white pops and flares. Quickly, he shut the door and fumbled around to a seat in the reception area to rest a spell until his vision cleared.
How the hell did Adam every put up with that.
“I thought you’d run out on me,” Adam nervously joked when Kris returned fifteen minutes later.
“Abandon you to that throng? Not on your life. We’re going out the back door.”
On the way back to the rehab center, Kris got a hankering for a vanilla ice cream. Asking the driver to stop at the first place he saw, which ended up be DQ. Rather than take the town car through the take out window, Kris took orders and ran inside, coming back with a hot fudge sundae for their driver, and two small, plain cones for Adam and himself.
Kris fell back into his seat and let a minor giggle escaped.
“That good huh?” Adam asked.
“I haven’t had one of these since I was a kid. I think one of the last times was just before high school graduation. Me and a bunch of friends drove our pickups out to the local dairy bar and sat on picnic tables under a June moon. That was one of the happiest days of my life.”
“And you’re remembering ….”
“Cause today is right up there. I really enjoyed myself.”
Adam patted his teacher’s knee.
“Me too.”
~~ ☼ ~~
Kris sat on the floor of his kitchen, the freezer door at the top of his fridge open. He slowly licked the Madagascar Vanilla ice cream off his spoon, relishing the last scrapings he got out of the carton.
It was getting late and he needed to get to bed. It had been a long day at Adam’s place and he wanted to be at his best for tomorrow.
Getting up, he shut the freezer door and started removing his shirt as he headed to his bedroom. Striping down, he turned on the radio for company and climbed into a hot shower. As the water streamed over his skin, he closed his eyes and let out a big sigh, running fingers through his wet hair.
He hummed along to some Top 40 forgettable as he lathered up. Somewhere between the shampoo and conditioner, the tune in his head changed into the newest song of Adam’s he’d heard. It wasn’t a new song in the sense that it had just been released, but it had been new to Kris and it was anything but forgettable ….
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: adam/kris
Summary: WIP. Kris is a rehab therapist who finds himself falling for his student, a rock star lost in a world of darkness.
Warning: angst
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone involved. I am not a rehab therapist; the information I share is from internet research and may or may not be accurate. Aside from the menu and description of the décor, all other info about the restaurant came from my imagination.
This is the final chapter my little saga but there will be an epilogue. Kris does a lot of reminiscing so I hope the jumping back and forth isn’t confusing.
I didn’t realize this past college term was going to take so much time. Thanks to everyone for your patience. I’ll still keep writing but I won’t post something this long again until it’s complete. In the meantime, keep an eye out for ficlets … I can’t stop writing all together
Part 1 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/80872.html
Part 2 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/81380.html
Part 3 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/81579.html
Part 4 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/81680.html
Part 5 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/82096.html
Part 6 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/82375.html
Part 7 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/83360.html
Part 8 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/84034.html
Part 9 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/84497.html#cutid1
Part 10 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/85130.html
Part 11 ~ http://cunningdeb.livejournal.com/86004.html
~~ ☼ ~~
Twenty-four hours, give or take.
Twenty-four hours until his future is revealed.
Twenty-four hours until Kris tells Adam goodbye for the last time… or not.
The only light in his apartment was the glow from his bathroom. Kris sat in the quiet of his living room, making a dent in a bottle of bourbon he brought out for special occasions. Six weeks had never passed so quickly before and he wished he could just flip his calendar back one month and start over.
Then again, if he did that, Adam would once more be a shell of the man he used to be, not the confident beauty he said ‘see ya later’ to this afternoon when Leila came to pick up her son and take him home.
Lolling his head against the back of his couch, one hand fisted around the bottle of bourbon and the other loosing holding his empty glass, Kris thought back on everything that had happened since he’d made the stupidest decision of his young life ….
~~ ☼ ~~
THE DAY AFTER
Kris sat in his car in the parking lot, fighting back the constant yawning that had plagued him since he left his place this morning. He couldn’t say he’d been yawning since he got up cause he never made it to bed.
After getting cock blocked by his phone and leaving Adam, Kris had kept his mouth shut on the ride home, despite Cale’s constant questioning. His friend knew something was wrong but if Kris had opened his mouth to reply, all the agony he was holding in would have poured out unheeded. He barely made it to his apartment before he lost the battle. Locking his door, he slid to the floor and gave in.
He’d been so fucking close.
Why the hell didn’t he ignore his damn phone?!
Eventually Kris had crawled into bed but his head wouldn’t shut off. He’d had an angel/devil battle going on in his brain all night. His ‘good’ side told him he was right to stop, that getting involved with his student was unethical. His ‘bad’ side told him he was an idiot for not letting the other man fuck him all night.
Kris didn’t like picking sides but part of him was siding with the guy holding the pitch fork.
Resting his forehead against the steering wheel, he looked at the building sideways, his eyes focusing in on the fifth window to the left of the entrance, or was that now the fifth window above the entrance … anyhow, he zeroed in on Adam’s room and imagined him curled up in his bed, just as miserable as Kris was. He really didn’t want Adam to be miserable but misery loved company and Kris was feeling awfully alone right now.
Waiting for the conversation wasn’t going to get any easier so he sucked it up and headed into the center and straight to Adam’s room. He knocked and waited. A minute passed with no response and he knocked again. Still no answer. Third time around, he tried calling out to the man. Still no answer.
“The garden.”
Kris spun and found one of the cleaning staff behind him.
“Pardon.”
“Adam’s in the garden. He’s been there for the last hour.”
Kris looked at his watch. It was 7:30am now, so Adam had been outside since ….
Thanking her, he ran towards the garden. On the way out, he stopped long enough in the kitchen to snatch a carafe of hot coffee and two mugs. Once outside, the singer was easy to spot, being the only person outside at this early hour. Adam was sitting cross legged on a bench, eyes closed and hands clasped in his laps. Kris slowed down as he got closer, stopping momentarily to catch his breath so he could talk.
“Are you going to stare or sit down?” Adam softly asked, still striking his pose.
Kris sat and poured out the steaming brew. Adam sniffed loudly and sighed, thankfully accepting it when Kris handed it over.
“A toast,” Adam declared, holding his mug out.
“To what?”
“To understanding friends?” Adam asked tentatively.
“I …,” Kris began.
“I need to apologize,” Adam blurted out before Kris could elaborate.
“Apologize? For what?”
“For kissing you … or almost kissing you … last night.”
“Adam ….”
“Let me finish. I … I need to say this.”
Kris was being given a way out and he reluctantly took it. He felt guilty though, letting Adam think the almost kiss was entirely one sided.
“Okay, I’m listening.”
Adam let out a big sigh, “Good … okay … God, this was easier to tell you in my head last night.”
“Take your time.”
Blue eyes looked his way and Kris heart fluttered.
“You’re too good to me Kris, and that’s my problem. I was in such a funk before I got here and you offered me a life line. I didn’t realize really how much I needed you until you went back to your apartment at night and left me behind.”
“Adam, no ….”
“I know, you didn’t really leave me behind, you were just doing your job. I guess its natural I’d get attached to you and then yesterday Tommy told me you were my type ….”
“Oh God,” Kris groaned.
“And, and well, I kinda got the sense that you were … and if you’re not I’m even more sorry and ….”
Kris reached out and touched Adam’s arm, “You weren’t wrong. I am gay.”
The singer smiled broadly and laughed a little, “Well at least my gaydar didn’t go blind too. It’s just, I’ve been lonely and you’re such a great guy and so kind to me. You’re giving me my life back and I guess I confused gratitude with something deeper. Your friendship is everything to me Kris; I promise it won’t happen again….”
~~ ☼ ~~
Kris poured another glass of bourbon, savoring the slow burn. That had been one of the worst moments of his life. Adam’s confession, especially the part about not letting it happen again, had left Kris’ soul in a smoldering heap. For the longest time, he hadn’t known what to say, afraid to open his mouth but the words ‘I want it to happen again’ were on the tip of his tongue, just waiting for his lips to open so they could fly out. Eventually, Kris swallowed his declaration and told Adam it was okay but it wasn’t okay … but it had to be.
They’d moved on from there into the next weeks, continuing with lessons and enjoying more visits from the singer’s friends and family. Adam continued on as if nothing had happened and Kris did his best to do the same.
The quiet of the apartment was interrupted by a loud gurgle from Kris’ stomach. The liquor wasn’t sitting well on an empty stomach so he went into the kitchen to make something to soak up the alcohol. He had the fixin’s for a Philly Cheese Steak. Digging around for the cheese, he noticed some cold Chinese leftovers and his mind journey back to the day he reintroduced Adam to the ‘real’ world ….
~~ ☼ ~~
DINING OUT
“No Kris … I’m … I’m not ready.”
“Yes you are.”
“No … I’m … not! Don’t you think I’d know if I was ready?”
“No, I don’t.”
Adam huffed and started pacing the sidewalk, his cane clicking to keep him on the pavement and off the grass. When he made a u-turn back in Kris’ direction, he stopped short.
“I’m scared.”
Kris moved closer and reassuringly touched his arm.
“I know Ad, but you have to re-enter the real world sometime. You’ve been here four weeks and haven’t left the property. I wouldn’t suggest we do this if I didn’t think you could handle it.”
It was a lovely day and they’d gone for a walk in the gardens. They chatted about nothing in particular and then Kris suggested they go out for lunch tomorrow. Adam said a picnic sounded great and Kris said was thinking farther a field, like going into town. His student stopped so fast, Kris almost slammed into him. He understood Adam’s fear and hesitation but he needed to get over it if he wanted a normal life again.
“If I agree to do this ….”
You will, Kris replied silently.
”… I want to pick the place. I want to go somewhere I’ve been before, you know … somewhere familiar.”
“Whatever you want.”
Kris looked at the scenery blur by as the town car sped down the highway. When Adam said he’d make all the arrangements, Kris hadn’t expected to be in a chauffeured car heading into Hollywood to eat at one of the most famous restaurants in the country. The last time he’d been in Los Angeles was when he’d landed at LAX and then he only stayed long enough to get on a bus and head north to his job.
They weren’t dressed real fancy but Adam had put on the best clothes he had with him at the centre and had put on make-up and fixed his hair. When he mentioned looking his best for the paparazzi, Kris froze. He’d never thought of that, that Adam venturing out into public wasn’t like him going out. There were people … fans … and photographers who hung around the hot spots looking to snap pictures of celebs doing everyday things. If Adam blew his nose, it could end up front page news.
To help ease the transition, Kris suggested they invite Tommy and Neil and both men had accepted.
The city quickly surrounded them and the car slowed considerably as it entered LA traffic. The driver told them they were a few blocks away and he was going to call the manager to let them know they were arriving. Kris was impressed and a thousand questions about the life of a celebrity bounced about his brain but he kept them to himself. Adam was nervous enough, having grabbed Kris’ hand at some point and holding on for dear life.
When the car came to a stop, Kris peered out the window. A few photogs hung around the entrance. Someone came out who looked familiar and the flashes and shouting exploded. While the paps were kept busy, a man in a suit and a burly dude hurried down the stairs and approached the car. There was a rap on the window and Adam lowered it.
“Mr. Lambert, welcome back to Katsuya.”
“Thank you Lee. It’s been a long time.”
“It certainly has. Shall we?”
The door opened and Kris stepped out first. Smelling fresh blood, a few photogs turned to see who was arriving. They whispered to each other, probably asking if Kris was anybody. Reaching a hand in the car, Adam took hold and slowly emerged into the daylight.
“Adam! Adam Lambert!”
“Adam! Over here! Look over here!”
“Where you been?!”
“How are you?!”
“Looking good Adam, give us a smile!”
“Who’s your boyfriend?!”
Adam had sunglasses on but left his cane back at the centre … he wasn’t ready to be seen with it in public just yet … so he took Kris’ arm and between Kris, the manager and the security dude, they got the rock star inside without much trouble.
“We’ve set aside the table you requested,” Lee told Adam.
“Thanks. We’re expected two more. Have they arrived yet?”
“No and I’m afraid they aren’t coming. Mr. Ratliff called and said he and your brother would not be able to make it. He sends his regrets.”
“Sure he does,” Kris muttered under his breath.
Adam chuckled a little and asked to be led to their table. On the way to a secluded area, Adam explained this wasn’t his usual table but he wanted some privacy. Kris half listened, his attention drawn to the very big, very red 3D lips protruding from several panels on the wall. Other walls displayed a single unblinking eye gazing over the light wood, airy interior.
Sure beat the dark cluttered interior of Harry’s Bar & Grill back home.
This was Hollywood after all.
The moment they sat down, a waiter was there with menus and water. Kris was pleasantly surprised to see the menu placed in front of Adam was in Braille. Lee explained when they received word Adam was coming for lunch today - and they considered him a friend, not just a patron - they proceeded to have a menu crafted that he could use. Adam thanked them graciously, joking he ate there so much he had the menu mesmerized. Kris was touched they would do this for him and he hoped they’d extend the same courtesy to other visually impaired clients. After filling their glasses with water, they were left alone for a few minutes to peruse the offerings.
“So, what do you think?” Adam asked
“It’s very … very ….”
“Modern?”
“Yeah, modern. That fits.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah, so far.”
“Good, good. Okay, let’s get a drink. They have these wonderful fruit refreshers that are freshly squeezed and made daily. You can add alcohol to them if you want but I like them the way they are.”
Kris looked at the five beverages, still trying to make up his mind when the server returned. Adam ordered a Watermelon Cucumber Fresh. Kris looked at the ingredients - crushed seedless watermelon, English cucumbers, fresh mint and freshly squeezed lime juice. It sounded … refreshing … but he wasn’t a big fan of cucumbers. Knowing he was holding things up, he ordered the Raspberry Sidecar, fresh muddled raspberries shaken with pineapple and cranberry juice. Adam asked for a few more minutes and she left to get their drinks.
“Do you like Japanese food? I should have asked before I made the reservation,” Adam softly commented, that bottom lip disappearing into his mouth.
“Adam, no this is great. I really like Chinese and Korean food so I imagine I’ll love Japanese just as much. It all looks so good, I don’t know what to order.”
“Would you let me order for you?”
Kris reached across and squeezed his hand, saying, “I’d like that very much. Just no sushi … I’m not a fan of raw fish.”
The last line had been whispered and Adam laughed, assuring him he’d keep that in mind.
The server returned and Adam ordered for them. For starters, the singer ordered Creamy Rock Shrimp for himself - crispy bite sized shrimp in a spicy cream sauce - and for Kris he ordered Crab and Mozzarella Tempura served with a light sake soy sauce. The food was fabulous and they snuck bites off each other’s plates. Once they were finished, Adam ordered drink refills and their main entrees.
“I’ll have the Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna and my friend will have the Wagyu Tobanyaki.”
After she left, Kris leaned forward and asked discreetly, “What the heck did you order for me?”
With a sneaky smile on his face, Adam leaned in and discreetly replied, “Lots of sizzling beef with wild mushrooms. You’re grinning like a fool right now, ain’t ya?”
Kris blushed and swatted his hand, “Shut up.”
Lunch lasted nearly two hours. They seemed to have all the time in the world. Kris had cleared their afternoon schedule so there were no lessons to do and they weren’t expected back at the center until 5pm. When they were ready to leave, Lee came over and suggested their driver pick them up at the back entrance. Apparently, the number of photogs had increased out front and Lee thought Adam might be more comfortable leaving another way. Kris excused himself … he just had to see for himself if it was really the bad.
Oh … it was.
Like amoebas, each pap had split its cells, creating six for every one that had been there when they arrived. The moment too much of Kris’ face appeared behind the door, the flashbulbs went off and the world disappeared in a cascade of white pops and flares. Quickly, he shut the door and fumbled around to a seat in the reception area to rest a spell until his vision cleared.
How the hell did Adam every put up with that.
“I thought you’d run out on me,” Adam nervously joked when Kris returned fifteen minutes later.
“Abandon you to that throng? Not on your life. We’re going out the back door.”
On the way back to the rehab center, Kris got a hankering for a vanilla ice cream. Asking the driver to stop at the first place he saw, which ended up be DQ. Rather than take the town car through the take out window, Kris took orders and ran inside, coming back with a hot fudge sundae for their driver, and two small, plain cones for Adam and himself.
Kris fell back into his seat and let a minor giggle escaped.
“That good huh?” Adam asked.
“I haven’t had one of these since I was a kid. I think one of the last times was just before high school graduation. Me and a bunch of friends drove our pickups out to the local dairy bar and sat on picnic tables under a June moon. That was one of the happiest days of my life.”
“And you’re remembering ….”
“Cause today is right up there. I really enjoyed myself.”
Adam patted his teacher’s knee.
“Me too.”
~~ ☼ ~~
Kris sat on the floor of his kitchen, the freezer door at the top of his fridge open. He slowly licked the Madagascar Vanilla ice cream off his spoon, relishing the last scrapings he got out of the carton.
It was getting late and he needed to get to bed. It had been a long day at Adam’s place and he wanted to be at his best for tomorrow.
Getting up, he shut the freezer door and started removing his shirt as he headed to his bedroom. Striping down, he turned on the radio for company and climbed into a hot shower. As the water streamed over his skin, he closed his eyes and let out a big sigh, running fingers through his wet hair.
He hummed along to some Top 40 forgettable as he lathered up. Somewhere between the shampoo and conditioner, the tune in his head changed into the newest song of Adam’s he’d heard. It wasn’t a new song in the sense that it had just been released, but it had been new to Kris and it was anything but forgettable ….