The Collaboration - Chapter 25
Title: The Collaboration
Author: fictionfreak15
Beta: gwencarmichael Love You!!!! <3
Pairing: Adam & OMC, Adommy
Disclaimer: This did not happen. Don't own the celebs mentioned in the story.
Warnings: This fic contains swearing, insensitive comments, some homophobia later, light violence and a dash of sex
Summary: Adam is asked to lend his vocals skills after an emotional performance at the Oscars catches the artistic interest of a "High Rock" singer named Calad, right before Adam starts working on his new music video. When the pressures of the music industry and intolerance threaten to test their abilities as artists, the friendship they have formed must hold them together.
Special Author's Note: I’ve made up a rock band in this story called Tamera’s First Born. The members of the band are completely fictional; however, any song titles, lyrics and album names are taken from the real life band Coheed an Cambria. I will post links in various chapters that will include specific Coheed and Cambria songs mentioned.
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Chapter Note: The Glamily presents Calad with a very special gift...
A/N: At the end of this chapter, you can listen to my the last of my selected Coheed and Cambria songs called Welcome Home. You may remember it from the ads for that movie "9" from 2009, but I fell in love with it the year before :) There is also a cliffe...just warning you now :O Love and Respect - fictionfreak15 <33333
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Chapter 25
When the soothing comfort from Adam and Tommy had lulled Calad to sleep, Adam carried him into the guest bedroom and laid him down. Tommy helped Adam remove the boy's shoes, and a light blanket was placed over him. The room was darkening as twilight settled in outside. Adam stood in the doorway with his arm around his boyfriend's waist and wondered what the hell he was going to do. He felt like all the tumblers of his own life were neatly falling into place while Calad's was crashing down around him. After a moment, Tommy pulled him gently away, and they went into the kitchen.
Adam sat at the counter looking a bit down and burdened with thoughts. Tommy quickly fixed them both some sandwiches for dinner. Not quite the quiet, romantic evening that either of them had planned, but as Adam had told the sleeping boy an hour ago, things don't always go your way.
They sat next to each other and ate quietly, both trying to take in what was going on. When Adam was done, he rubbed his fingers together to get the crumbs off, wiped his mouth with a paper towel, then sighed. He looked at Tommy, who was almost done. He leaned in and said in a subdued tone, "I'm sorry about all this, baby. I'll make it up to you."
Tommy looked up. "I'm not put out, Adam," he said in an equally quiet voice as if Calad were just in the other room, listening. "This kid needs your help, and I'm going to be here for you both as long as you need me. I couldn't possibly get upset that he's here, not after the story he just told us. My god! My heart was in my fuckin' throat!"
Adam put his arm around Tommy's shoulders, now sorry that Tommy had been emotionally affected.
Then Tommy added, "What did he mean when he said you're the only one who cared? Doesn't anyone like this guy?"
Adam corrected, "He said I was the only one he believed. It could mean his band mates just aren't compatible with him. Or he has a hard time dealing with fame. Or he could be just one of those people who has a hard time trusting others. I’m not sure."
Tommy watched him as Adam theorized, seeing his concern for the boy. "I never thought it would come to this, you know?" Tommy said. "I mean, you told me he was quiet and shy...and he was really sweet when I talked to him before...but that kid's got issues. He talks about that guitar like it was all he had in the world."
Adam contemplated this. "I know what you mean. I get the feeling that if he didn't think to come here, or if he'd never met us..." he whispered really soft as he concluded, "...he might have actually lost it, you know?"
Tommy nodded with pity. "Are you sure you can handle this? I mean, I'm here for you, but would you rather see if there's someone we should call? Like...what if he really needs...you know...help?"
Adam cocked his head. "Let's just wait and see about all that. I mean, for all we know, Calad just needed to get away for a while and let it all out. He can certainly do that here, right?"
Tommy nodded, completely supportive. Adam rubbed his lover's back in appreciation.
***
The next day, Tommy went over to Monte's and explained what went on at home with Calad. They came up with an idea and got on the computer with the lead guitarist to do some research.
Meanwhile, back at Adam's place, Calad had awoken to his normal, quiet and shy self again. He and Adam sat in the living room after Calad had showered and eaten. Calad said he was feeling better but that he wanted to take a break from talking about sad crap.
"No problem, dude. What do you wanna talk about?" Adam asked.
Calad thought for a minute. Then he said, "I meant to tell you before that I was happy for you and Tommy. How long have you guys been together?"
Adam smiled. If Calad was anyone else, other than who he was, Adam would have asked - a bit skeptically - if he really wanted to hear about it. But, feeling comfortable, he said, "Well, it depends on how you look at it. I mean, we've loved each other for a while now, but just recently...kind of admitted that we were, you know...in love. It kind of happened suddenly, like by surprise...and now that it's out in the open, we...we just can't even describe how happy we are."
Calad smiled a little and nodded in approval, but then he got quiet and looked like he was thinking about something very far away. Adam picked up on this and said, "What else?"
Calad just shrugged, but Adam persisted, reminding the boy he could ask him anything. "It's none of my business..." Calad answered softly.
Adam said, "Well, if that's how you feel about it, but it's better to just tell people what's on your mind, especially when you're with a friend." He smiled, trying to make Calad comfortable.
Finally, Calad timidly asked, "W-what's it like...being in love?"
Adam wasn't surprised he asked this, young and inexperienced as the child-like musician was. His face became soft, his eyes gleaming behind the black eyeliner, and he said, "It's like...oh, this is so cliché...it really is like being completed. Tommy and I had something special anyway. I mean he has helped me through so much. This past year has just been incredible, but for me...being so new to the fame thing, I just would have had a lot harder time if I didn't have him. Tommy understands me. It's like we're one person, and he just makes me so happy." Adam sniffed, recovering with a broad smile. "He's just so wonderful..."
Adam noticed Calad was hanging on his every word as if trying to see with his eyes what Adam was describing. He blushed a little, but pulled himself together. "Are you thinking you might want to find someone for yourself?"
Calad looked away, trying to find the right words. "I've been thinking about a lot of different things lately, things I never bothered with before. I do find myself wondering who I could ever find. I - I just don't even know what to look for...it could be anybody."
"That's true," Adam said. "But you'll get there. You'll find the person you're meant to be with."
Calad considered. "I think I'd just like to...enjoy being friends with you...before I can start moving on to all that other stuff."
"You've got time. I'm 28, and it's taken me this long to find someone who I can even picture spending the rest of my life with. Just go out and get a life as soon as you can, and when you're ready, you'll know who to start looking for." When Adam met Calad, he certainly didn't think he'd be giving him life advice, but...whatever.
***
Adam and Tommy hung out with Calad over the next day and a half as much as they could, and they even took him to a few of their engagements they'd been scheduled for. There also began a slight buzz, just a day before the video shoot, that Calad Areese would be appearing in Adam's new video. Further rumors indicated that Adam had been tapped by Tamera's First Born to sing on their upcoming record. They'd tried to keep it a secret for as long as possible but knew it would leak eventually. Not that it mattered. Pretty soon everyone would know.
Then, the evening before the video shoot, the band had pooled together a bit of cash and bought Calad a present. Adam took Calad to meet them at the practice space where they gave him a replica of his red double neck guitar. When Monte and Tommy had found a good image of Calad holding his old one on the internet, Monte recognized the model right away, and they found another one on a website for a store in Hollywood that sold instruments. Same color and everything.
When Calad saw it, he broke down into tears, and it took a while for him to see it clearly; he was crying so hard. Everyone understood and didn't judge. Instead they were moved by how much he loved it. Calad hugged and thanked them all and after a bit, he calmed down enough to play them a bit of one of his new songs called, 'Welcome Home'. It was the third track from the new album. Monte and Tommy were head banging to the High Rock flavor. LP enjoyed it with more of a cool groove. Adam stood against the wall, looking on, a proud smile on his face.
Later that night, the three of them went home. Tommy decided to take a shower and go to bed. Calad sat in the kitchen, not releasing his new guitar for anything, and Adam came out to sit with him.
"Take care of that one, huh?" Adam smirked.
Calad smiled sheepishly. He looked a bit tuckered out, too, but Adam had never seen him happier. Then he said, "I think I love the guitar so much because it was gifted to me."
"Oh?" Adam smiled.
Then, after seeming to reminisce a bit, Calad finally said, "My other one was a gift, too..."
Adam waited, wanting to ask the boy to elaborate, but Calad finally did.
"It...saved my life..."
Adam was immediately intrigued. He stared at Calad, listening intently as the boy began to tell his hidden story.
END OF CHAPTER 25
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