FIC: The One Who Waits
Title: The One Who Waits
Pair: Kadam
For Kadam Week on Tumblr #kadam week: Coffee Date
Post "Boys (and Girls) on Film"
Summary: Kurt’s been so busy that he hasn’t been able to give Adam the coffee date he promised. Luckily, they both know how to make it work.
Kurt wasn’t sure where the week had gone between asking Adam out (a personal success that he ranked up with moving into the big city without having some kind of breakdown, and with not stabbing Rachel in the head for her morning car alarm impressions). But wherever it had gone, here he was, once again, walking to the large staircase that spiraled down into the commons outside the main classrooms, and Adam was chatting excitedly with another student... possibly the same student as a week ago.
Kurt paused just for a moment, thinking that he should really stay and talk to Adam. However, he hadn’t planned anything yet, and he’d only seen Adam in passing since he’d gotten his number, and during one Apples practice. He took a breath, then turned towards the stairs.
“Kurt!”
(Or rather, “Kuhht!”)
His accent really was extremely cute.
Kurt stopped and turned to look up at Adam. “Hey. How’s it going?”
“Starting to think you’re avoiding me,” Adam said cautiously, but with a soft smile.
“No! No. I just... You were talking to someone, and I-”
“Was joking a bit. You’re off the hook for not barging in on our conversation.” Adam took two steps down so they were on the same level. “Can I walk with you to wherever you happen to be hurrying off to?”
“I’d like that.” Kurt said the words with so much conviction that he bit his lip and blushed a little.
“Hm,” Adam mused as he descended the stairs with Kurt. “So it’s not for want of desire keeping my phone from ringing.”
“No, it’s for want of... time.” Kurt raised a brow. “I’ve been thinking about that. Maybe we should get out our day planners and... see if there are any gaps?”
“Well, how about today after your dance class?” Adam suggested. He hopped past Kurt, down the last two steps, and caught himself as he swung to the side of the railing.
“I have to work,” Kurt admitted, mesmerized by his playful antics.
“And after that?”
“I have to work somewhere else.”
Adam’s brows went up. “Diligent, aren’t we?”
“Poor,” Kurt corrected.
“How about... tomorrow morning?”
“Working. From 6am to 11am, and then I come in for my acting class, and then I go for a shift at the diner, and then I come back for beginning dance.” Kurt pressed his lips together apologetically.
“Hmm...” Adam narrowed his eyes and offered Kurt his arm.
Smiling slightly, Kurt took it.
“You know, the last bloke who decided he couldn’t go out with me because he was ‘really busy right now’ just told me so.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to- I mean I asked you.”
“You did.” Adam looked down and smiled softly. “Rethinking that?”
“Rethinking my physical limitations right now...” Kurt spotted Rachel and waved at her. Their eyes met briefly, but she turned away toward the student who was gushing over her. “Oh.”
“What is it?”
“N-nothing.” Kurt’s brows started to knit together. “Anyway. Um... I’m not actually free this week. Maybe I could ask for a day off.”
But he couldn’t really do that, and his expression probably reflected as much. Not and keep both his jobs. And he needed them. Even at Vogue, internships/assistantships only paid so much, and waiting tables only paid as much as the tightness of his pants.
“Maybe we can find a way around this.” Adam let him go in front of the dramatic interpretations classroom.
“I’d love to. I mean, not that I don’t love getting to know you in these brief bursts, but it’s not quite the same as a date.” Kurt swallowed. His body seemed to ache as he realized what he was going to have to do. It was the only responsible thing, given his lack of time and where his head was with all this stress. “I literally only have about five minutes free at a time. Unless you count the time I’m sleeping... or the time I should be sleeping.”
Adam tilted his head to the side and smiled brightly. “It might not be quite like a date. But I enjoy it nonetheless. How about...” He put his hands on his hips. “Meet me at the top of the staircase again on Wednesday before you come to class. Alright?”
“I... Yeah. Alright. I can do that.” Kurt gripped the strap of his bag, then looked down. “I’m sorry, I know it must make you feel great to hear me talking about my ex all the time and only managing to see you for about three minutes a day-”
“Kurt.” Adam rubbed his hand up and down Kurt’s arm. “Stop feeling bad. Our schedules are absolutely ridiculous. I happen to know what that’s like!”
Kurt nodded. “Okay. See you Wednesday, then.” He paused. “Text me?”
“About?”
“Anything that makes you smile.”
Adam turned around and pulled out his phone. Kurt watched him for a minute, sparing a few glances toward the room filling with students. Then his phone vibrated.
I have a date with a cute guy, the message read.
Kurt scrunched up his nose and looked at Adam.
“Ha ha!” Adam clapped his hands together, leaning forward as he did so, then did a twirl around on one toe.
“You think you’re charming,” Kurt accused.
But what he was really thinking was:
He thinks I’m cute.
---
Come Wednesday, Kurt had sent Adam any number of silly messages, from notes about what his professor was saying in class on Wednesday, to a picture of argyle socks, to some excited notes about Drag Race. Adam responded to them all, even the ones he didn’t quite understand, and he’d sent he’d sent back pictures of his cat and some ramblings on a British show Kurt had never heard of.
So when Kurt approached the stairway, and there was no Adam in sight, he felt his heart sink just a bit. There had been something exciting about trying to find time for one another in between their intrusive schedules. He leaned back on the railing, and sunk into it. He could go over his class reading one more time, he supposed.
“Hullo, my lovely,” Adam’s voice rang out.
Kurt looked up and felt his cheeks and neck going red. Adam had a small but exquisite bouquet of orchids cradled in his arms as he approached, then offered them to Kurt.
Kurt heart surged so hard that he started to get a headache.
“What? What is it?”
Kurt blinked several times, then tried to catch his breath as he reached for the flowers. “Nothing. Nothing, it’s uh, I- Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Adam reached for Kurt’s hand.
Kurt hesitated for a moment. Then his brain caught up with what his body had been responding to.
The only time that he had ever received flowers, quite literally, had been his mother’s funeral, his father’s heart attack, or Blaine cheating on him.
He took Adam’s fingers, smiled again awkwardly, and gave his hand a soft squeeze. Adam licked his lips, smiling bashfully. They went down the stairs together, taking it slow, and ignoring the students around them.
Kurt spoke first, asking Adam where he was from. Essex. Adam volleyed back the question. Lima, Ohio. Kurt asked what his major was, and Adam returned the question. When Kurt told him musical theatre, Adam cajoled him a little, asking why he hadn’t gone into classical voice.
“To be perfectly honest... I didn’t think I was good enough. I was never exactly a star back home. My old show choir hardly had a use for me. Except to make costumes and get advertisers for the school play. I never got the lead part.” Kurt shrugged and shook his head. “I wasn’t prepared for Madam Tibideaux to give me praise on my skills. I was expecting to have to really wow her on that front.”
“I imagine you did.”
“Yeah, but... that was... What you saw. Adam, I’d been rejected from NYADA twice when she gave me that chance.”
Adam stopped by the doorway to the classroom, his eyes wide with disbelief. “What? How? But...?”
“Oh.” Kurt gave his hand another squeeze and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Thank you for that reaction.”
“What it the world was she thinking?”
“She said I was all surface. And that they only admit artists here.”
“I’m afraid I’ll have to get back to you on that one. My sense of perception and fairness in the world has been obliterated.”
Kurt lifted his hand and petted over the soft petals of the orchids. They were so beautiful, and fragile.
“Did something happen during your first audition?” Adam pressed. “Something that threw you off?”
“No. Not that I know of. Although I guess she doesn’t like props and bells and whistles. I performed ‘Not the Boy Next Door’-”
“Oh! Bless!”
“Complete with gold lamé pants.”
“Oh...” Adam’s eyes drifted downward briefly, but then jerked back up. “Well, what’s important is that you’re here now, right?”
“Right.” Kurt nodded and looked to the side of the hall, where one of the guys Rachel had been snubbing him for giggled behind his hand without discretion.
“Ignore them,” Adam urged. Then his brows tented. “I’m so sorry your association with me is causing you problems. It’s selfish to demand your presence with the Apples when I know what it does to your rep.”
“I just told you why I have no rep. I got rejected twice.” Kurt rolled his eyes. “And then I blew them away at a public function. They distain me, and at the same time, they know I have talent. It’s scary. For them, anyway. But not new for me.”
Adam’s lips curved into a smile once again.
“I have to get to class.” Kurt sighed and took Adam’s hand one more time. “This was nice.”
“Friday, then?”
Kurt nodded once. “Friday.”
---
There were no flowers from Adam on Friday. But Kurt already had flowers.
Adam’s face lit up from across the hallway and he jogged over. “Are those...?”
“Yes, some guy just came up to me and told me how gorgeous I was and gave me these flowers!”
The way Adam’s face fell stabbed Kurt right in the heart. He handed over the small bouquet of orange, white, and gold tiger lilies.
“They’re for you, silly!”
“Ohhh. Oh, I just...” Adam touched his neck and grinned. “Well, it seemed plausible that someone would do that.”
“You are precious.” Kurt took his hand and lead the way.
Today he sort of wanted to skip class, take the hour and just spend some quality time with this wonderful guy, but he wasn’t working himself into the ground to blow off his responsibilities. He lingered in front of the classroom until the very last minute, though, and only let go of his hand when he saw his professor walking towards them.
“Monday?” Kurt asked.
“Maybe.” Adam touched the tip of his nose and backed away, smelling his flowers.
Kurt went to sit down, feeling a little sad at the ‘maybe.’ Focusing was going to be hard, knowing that he wouldn’t see Adam all weekend, probably.
At the end of class, Kurt pushed himself up and started toward the door. Now to Vogue until five, then to the diner. Two more things, before he could relax. Or try.
He nearly missed the sight of Adam leaning against the wall just outside of the room. He was wearing a pale yellow suit jacket over his worn blue jeans and a jaunty white fedora.
“Oh. My. God,” someone gasped behind Kurt.
But an orange tiger lily was perched in Adam’s pocket, and Kurt came up to him with a huge smile.
“Hey! Where are you headed? You look...” Kurt faltered for words.
Ridiculously adorable.
Like a sexy bohemian.
Good enough to rip off that terrible outfit in the dance studio.
Kurt bit his lip.
“Ahh... so not exactly the Vogue seal of approval.” Adam laughed softly. “But... if you’ll have me... I’m headed out with you.”
“Adam... I have to work,” Kurt protested.
“True. But... I have the afternoon off. And you’ll have time on the way to the one job. And then time on the way to the next.” Adam reached out for his hand.
Kurt slipped his fingers through Adam’s. “So you’re just going to... travel with me?”
“You have five minutes here or there? I’ll take it.” Adam looked down on him with eyes both optimistic and a little terrified.
“I don’t think anyone has tried this hard to find time to see me. Ever.” Kurt paused in his thoughts... Well, aside from his father.
Adam ducked his face towards Kurt’s neck. “I don’t care if no one else in the world believes. You’re worth it.”
Kurt laughed uncomfortably and tightened his grip.
Once they reached the main entrance, Joey (one of the junior Apples) appeared with two coffees in hand. Kurt took his with a thank you, then looked up at Adam, who winked.
They drank their coffee on the way to the subway, as Adam got Kurt talking about what he’d been doing at Vogue as an assistant. Once at the subway, Adam held onto a pole and slipped his free arm around Kurt’s waist to keep him steady. Kurt prodded about life in Essex. They left the subway cars, each talking about their road to NYADA. Kurt scoffed when Adam claimed not to be much of a singer.
As Kurt reached the front lobby, he felt a tug. A little pinch where a string was connecting him to Adam, and he didn’t want to leave. The conflict must have read on his face, because Adam leaned over with a smile.
“Lovely coffee date. I’ll see you after work? Don’t worry. I’ll bring dinner.” Adam winked.
Kurt crossed his arms over himself, looking at Adam in amazement. “I couldn’t ask for a more perfect first date.”
And it was. After he’d organized and sorted and emailed for all he was worth, Kurt changed into his table-waiting outfit and came down in the elevator to see Adam waiting in the lobby with a bag of takeout hanging on his arm. Adam let out a sharp whistle and bowed, tipping his hat to Kurt.
And off they went, talking and eating dinner as they went to get on the subway to take Kurt to Fire Island. There, Adam ordered a coffee, pulled out a book, and snuck glances at Kurt all night. Every so often, Kurt would send flirty glances back. He’d never made so much as he did that night. Probably because Adam was making him feel so good about himself.
At the end of his shift, Kurt took off his apron and came to sit down across from Adam at the table and set a piece of cheesecake between them.
“Oh, you got us dessert?” Adam teased.
“I did. How did you manage to wait so long for me? It must’ve been really boring. We had such a busy night.”
“I had homework to do, I’ll have you know.” Adam took a fork and dipped it into the nose of the cheesecake.
“Yeah,” Kurt said dryly, “it looked like you got that all done.”
Adam chuckled. “Well, you happen to be dressed in a very distracting way.”
“Am I?” Kurt took some cheesecake on his fork and licked it off.
Slowly.
“Oh. Dear lord.” Adam set his fork down and stared for a moment.
Kurt licked his lower lip, then sucked it in and took in the look of Adam.
The man was exhausted. Under the shadow of his fedora, Kurt could see the lines. He had work, too, and classes, and his senior project looming. He’d been out all day, cheering Kurt and waiting for him, and then cheering him again. All so they could spend some time together.
Kurt moved over to his side of the booth. Adam watched him curiously as he lifted one hand up and touched the side of Adam’s face gently. They looked into one another’s eyes for a moment, blue on blue, until Kurt leaned forward and gave him an unhurried, but determined kiss that caused Adam to shudder.
Adam seemed a bit breathless after that. He looked down at his lap, then crinkled the corners of his eyes.
“If you don’t mind getting up too early, you could come over to my place for breakfast. I’m an excellent cook.”
“Oh? I’d love that. I could even come early. I’m not a bad hand in the kitchen myself.”
Kurt leaned into Adam and picked up his fork again. They ate the cheesecake messily, occasionally offering one another a bite, and sealing their lips with a kiss.
Kurt knew he would always remember Adam’s cheesecake kisses. No matter what their future held.
So that night, incrementally, they managed their first date. And the next morning, they had their second, over a grand gourmet breakfast which they retreated behind the privacy curtain to share away from prying eyes.
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