Lambliff Big Bang - Among the dust and the microfiche (Part 2)

[magenta_fic]

Title: Among the dust and the microfiche
Pairing: Adam/Tommy
Rating: NC-17
Word count: 15598
Summary: Adam is a university student by day and budding rock star by night, struggling through his last major paper and desperate for help. Tommy is the reluctant library assistant who's gotten really good at his job, even if what he really wants to do is make music.
Notes: I took this idea from a prompt in the plot bunny post at lambliffbigbang and I'm glad I did! This was such a fun story to write, except when it wasn't, and I have to thank janescott and no_detective for getting me out of those moments. Also, thanks to x_serenade for the wonderful banners! :D Finally, the title from this story comes from the song Young Adult Friction by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and I highly recommend that you check it out!









After that, everything was different even though to other people it probably looked like very little had changed. Adam still visited the library almost everyday, spending most of his free time curled up in the corner, books spread out around him. Adam's paper was almost done, the words flowing from almost too quickly for him to keep up. The ideas fell into place like blocks in a Tetris game, slotting together like they just knew where they needed to go. Tommy joined him whenever he had a free moment, reading over Adam's notes and distracting him with kisses and whispered words. Adam hadn't really needed Tommy's help with the paper in weeks, but Tommy liked to watch as Adam's fingers flew across the keyboard, and he felt a sharp burst of pride when Adam rushed into the library one afternoon, his eyes bright and his smile wide.

“Tommy, I think it's finished! I was up until 4, and I wanted to call you but I was pretty sure you'd kill me.” Adam spoke quickly, his voice an excited whisper as he leaned over the reference desk.

Tommy stood and wrapped his arms tight around Adam, grinning so wide his cheeks actually hurt. “That's amazing! I would have killed you at 4am, but when do I get to read it?”

Adam pressed his lips to Tommy's ear, his voice dropping from an excited whisper into something darker. “Tomorrow night? I know your roommate's going away, and you've never let me come to your place before.”

A shiver ran down Tommy's spine and he forgot all of the totally valid reasons that Adam had never been to his place. It was small, it was messy, he had a little lumpy bed and a lot of creepy horror memorabilia and there was never any food in the fridge. Right now though, Adam's voice was just making Tommy think about Adam spread out in that little lumpy bed, being forced to lie so close that every inch of them was pressed together, and Tommy just nodded. “Yeah, tomorrow night. I can't wait.”

“To read my paper.” Adam stepped back, swiping his fingertips down Tommy's back lightly, his voice still soft.

Tommy leaned back into the touch and looked up at Adam, shaking aside the fall of his hair to grin at him. “Yeah, your paper.”

The moment was broken by the sound of someone clearing their throat, and Tommy felt his cheeks go red when he turned to see a professor leaning against the reference desk with an amused look on his face. “Um, so...tomorrow night?”

Adam hefted his messenger bag higher on his shoulder, and smiled, his eyes twinkling as he bent down and brushed his lips gently across Tommy's flushed cheek. “Tomorrow night.”

Tommy spent most of the next afternoon trying to clean his apartment, but about two hours into it, he realized he kind of sucked at it. Between him and Dave, they just had a lot of stuff, and by the third time a cupboard door swung open, dumping its contents back onto Tommy, he realized they just didn't have enough space. He crammed whatever he could into the cupboards and closets, and stacked the rest of the stuff as neatly as he could, trying to hide the worst of the porn magazines on the bottoms of the piles. His own room wasn't much better, but he tossed his clothes in the closet, shoved everything he could fit under the bed, and tugged the threadbare comforter up over the mattress, fluffing the pillows in a totally futile effort. Tommy was almost ready to call and tell Adam not to come with he heard the buzzer go off, and with a sigh and one last tug on the comforter, he decided it had to be good enough.

“I brought pizza, I hope you're hungry!” Adam burst through Tommy's door with enough pizza to easily feed six people, and a bag under his arm that clanged with the tell-tale sound of wine bottles. He bent down and kissed Tommy quick and light, and stepped the rest of the way into the apartment. “Do I get a tour?”

Tommy shrugged, and gestured around the small space. “There isn't really much to see. You can pretty much see everything but the bedrooms standing right here.”

“Well, I do want to see one of the bedrooms...but maybe after dinner.” Adam grinned and held up the pizza and the wine, and Tommy led him to the kitchen.

When they were both seated on the couch, balancing plates of pizza and pint glasses of red wine on their laps, Adam cleared his throat. “So...do you want to read it? It's killing me that I don't know what you think!”

Tommy wanted to say that he'd never be able to tell, the way Adam hadn't stopped talking since he walked through the door, but instead he nodded. He really was excited to see what Adam had written since he kind of felt like he'd been a part of it. “Yeah, absolutely. Give it here.” Tommy wiped the grease off of his hands and took the stack of paper handed him, flipping through it once before starting to read. It was long, and under normal circumstances Tommy would be compelled to skim it, but Adam's writing pulled him in almost immediately. He drained his wine and leaned back against the arm of the couch, turning page after page until he finally looked up, more than an hour later.

Adam was picking at the polish on his fingernails, and for the first time in all the months Tommy had known him, Adam looked nervous. “So?”

“So? It's amazing, Adam, really, really good.” Tommy set the paper carefully aside and slid across the couch until he could wrap his arms around Adam, holding him tight. “You really fucking did it.”

“I couldn't have done it without you.” Adam's hands slid up Tommy's back until they could tangle in his hair and tug his head back.

Tommy's heart leapt at Adam's words, but before he could answer Adam dipped his head and ran his lips up Tommy's neck, his teeth closing on the tender spot just behind Tommy's ear. Tommy let out a deep groan and let Adam push him back on the couch until Adam was settled heavily between Tommy's legs. Adam's mouth was warm against his, and Tommy opened easily, a sigh escaping his mouth when Adam's tongue slid inside, firm and insistent. No matter how many times they did this, Tommy would never, ever get tired of the feeling of Adam's body against his, of the taste of Adam's mouth or of the feeling of Adam's skin under his fingers. Their hips rocked lazily together as they kissed, and it wasn't until Tommy was breathless and on the edge that he pulled back from Adam's mouth, just far enough to speak.

“So...how about that tour of the bedroom?”

They stumbled blindly down the hall, and Tommy dimly thought that he'd better pick up the trail of clothes they left behind them before Dave came home. He bounced as he fell back onto the bed, groaning when Adam's naked body covered his own. Adam's teeth worried at his earlobe, his hips rocking slow and easy against Tommy's until Tommy shuddered, flinging a hand in the direction of his dresser mumbling something that he hoped sounded like 'sock drawer'.

Adam was back almost as quickly as he left, and Tommy left his legs fall open easily when he heard the crinkle of foil and the click of a cap. He hissed when Adam pushed two fingers into him quick and deep, but it wasn't long before he was pushing Adam's hand away and begging between panting breaths.

His breath came out on a hiccuping moan when Adam finally pushed into him, tension uncoiling in his belly when Adam was fully seated, his balls nestled hot and heavy against Tommy's. Adam only paused for a second before building up to a fast and hard rhythm, hard enough that Tommy's bed was creaking and banging against the wall. Tommy arched into Adam's thrusts, the intensity shocking but totally not unwelcome as he raked his nails down Adam's back, letting himself get completely lost in the moment.

When he came, it was like a punch to the gut, his breath rushing out of him all at once, his come spilling hot between their bellies without Adam even touching his cock. Adam groaned and fucked into Tommy's body deeper, so deep that Tommy had a ridiculous fleeting thought of Adam being inside him forever. When Adam came, it was beautiful like it always was, his strong thighs shaking and his face going all slack and smooth, an almost blissful smile on his lips before he collapsed heavily against Tommy, his hand petting softly down Tommy's chest while he murmured wordless sounds of endearment.

Later, when they were lying pressed close together in Tommy's little bed, Tommy was very glad that he'd agreed to have Adam over. He decided he definitely liked having his body slotted alongside Adam's, his head resting on Adam's chest where he could hear the steady thump-thump of Adam's heart and trail his fingers through the soft hair on Adam's chest. Suddenly, Adam lifted himself up onto his elbows and grinned down at Tommy before looking around the room.

“I'm a terrible guest. I never even told you how lovely the accommodations are!” Adam made a falsely grand gesture around the small room, and then his eye caught on the far corner. “Tommy, is that a guitar? Oh my god, you play? Why didn't you ever tell me?” He was already climbing out of the bed and heading for Tommy's worn acoustic guitar, even longer unplayed than his bass, and Tommy almost felt his stomach turn.

“Um...I don't really play anymore. Not for a long time.” Tommy sat up and shifted back into the corner of the bed, suddenly really aware of his nakedness.

Adam stopped just as he reached the guitar, running his fingers over the neck. “Will you play for me? Just a little?” He picked up the guitar and held it out to Tommy with a look on his face that made Tommy's heart ache. He'd figured out a long time ago that he'd never say no to Adam, and this was no different.

“Yeah, okay.” His voice was soft, and his hands shook more than a little when he took the guitar, but it still fit in his arms just as well as it always did. He pulled the pick out from where he'd tucked it in the strings all those months ago and slid his fingers down the neck until they found the right place, and started playing. As the sound of the guitar filled the room, Tommy had to close his eyes. He felt weirdly overwhelmed to be playing again, and he couldn't handle watching Adam's face. Tommy let his fingers move over the frets as they wanted to, not playing anything in particular. Now that he was letting it happen, it felt good to be playing again, to feel the music flowing out of him, and he was almost disappointed when he realized his fingers had stopped moving, and he was done.

Adam was sitting cross-legged in front of him, a soft look on his face, and Tommy shifted nervously under Adam's gaze. “Tommy...you're like, really good. Why didn't you ever tell me you could play like that? Why did you stop?” Adam's hand was almost burning-hot when it came to rest on Tommy's knee, and Tommy looked up at him and shrugged.

“It didn't pay the bills, and when I wasn't paying attention...that's what started to matter.” Tommy set the guitar next to him and dropped his gaze to where he folded his hands in his lap, picking at his ragged cuticles. “And I didn't tell you, because you do it for real, what I didn't have the guts to do.”

Adam laughed, soft and light, and tipped Tommy's face up to look at him. “Music doesn't pay my bills either; it barely pays for the drinks at the club when we play. I pay my rent slinging lattes and frappucinos most nights, haven't you ever noticed I smell like coffee?”

“But at least you do it, you didn't let that stop you.” Tommy shrugged again, because he was feeling whiny and more than a little stupid that he'd never realized Adam had an actual job. “I'm just jealous that you get to live it, even with the shitty day job. I just feel like a fraud sometimes, you know?”

“Baby, you are not a fraud.” Adam shifted across the tiny bed until he could pull Tommy against his chest, holding him close. “You just haven't gotten your shot yet, and there's no shame in working to make money to support your dream. But you've got to promise me one thing, okay?”

Tommy nodded against Adam's chest, unable to decide if he was embarrassed beyond belief or relieved that he'd finally gotten it out.

“You've got to keep playing. I don't care if you only play in this room all by yourself, but don't stop again.” Adam tipped Tommy's face up, brushing a kiss across Tommy's forehead. “You're too good for no one to hear you play, even if it's only me and you. Okay?”

“Yeah, okay. I think I can do that.” Tommy smiled up at Adam and sat back, resting his hand on the face of his guitar. “Do you mind if I play more now? It...felt really good.” Merely admitting that it felt good to play again made Tommy's fingers start to itch, a feeling he had almost forgotten.

“No, I want to listen to more.” Adam scooted back to give Tommy room, tugging a pillow into his lap and leaning against the foot board of Tommy's bed. When Tommy started to play this time, he kept his eyes open, watching Adam watch him, Adam's eyes flicking from Tommy's fingers to his face and back again. Tommy played until his fingers ached, skin that used to be tough and calloused now raw and nearly bleeding. Adam took the guitar from Tommy and set it on the floor, lifting Tommy's sore fingers to his lips and kissing each one in turn. “Thank you for playing for me, that was beautiful.”

Tommy stared openly at Adam for a few seconds longer than was totally appropriate, his brain trying to put together the right response. “I...thanks for listening.”

“Anytime, baby. Now come here; with this little bed of yours, you're lucky I like to cuddle.” Tommy was still laughing softly when Adam pulled him down onto the bed, reaching over him to flick off the light next to the bed. Adam's arms wrapped easily around Tommy's body, and Tommy let himself curl into the warmth. He would never complain about his little bed again if it meant he always got to sleep like this.

Tommy found the promise he'd made to Adam easy to keep; it was like once he picked up his guitar again he couldn't stop. He played until his hands and forearms ached, first thing in the morning and every night before he went to bed. Dave nearly tripped over his feet the first time he walked through the door and found Tommy sitting on the couch surrounded by sheet music, pausing in his playing just long enough to scribble down a chord here and there.

“Are you...writing? Music?” Dave made it sound like Tommy was setting his own hair on fire, one strand at a time.

“Is that so weird that you need to stare at me like that?” Tommy looked back down to his paper, strumming out a chord before scratching out the last thing he'd written and changing it.

“It is now. A year ago, not so much, but now?” Dave walked over to the couch and picked up one of the pages, his eyes scanning it quickly. “This looks good, man. Is it safe to say I know the inspiration?”

Tommy dug his teeth into his lower lip to try and stop the grin that was spreading across his face, but he wasn't very successful. “He made me promise. To keep playing.” He shrugged, strumming his fingers lightly over the strings. “I know it sounds stupid.”

“It doesn't sound stupid, I'm glad you see you playing again.” He squeezed Tommy's shoulder once and left him to it, and for the first time Tommy realized that Dave had actually been worried about him. Before Tommy could stop and think about how fucked up he must have been for Dave to worry, another phrase floated through his head and he had to play it before it drifted away. It was pitch black outside when Tommy finally put his pencil down, his eyes running over the sheets of paper scattered around him one more time. When he'd started this, he'd had no idea what he was writing, but now he knew it was perfect. He looked at the clock and watched as it ticked over to 4:19am, and he knew how Adam felt when he'd finished his paper.

Tommy managed to hold off calling Adam until his lunch break the next day, but only just. “Hey, so I have something for you.”

“Ooh, like a present?” Adam's smile was clear in his voice, and it made Tommy smile against the phone.

“Yeah, kind of. Are you working tonight? Can I come over?” Tommy picked at the chipped black polish on his fingers, the flakes decorating the white surface of the table in front of him.

Tommy agreed to meet Adam at his place after work, and 5 hours later he was standing at Adam's door wrestling his guitar, his backpack and a bag of Chinese food.

Adam's face broke out into a big smile when he opened the door and saw Tommy's guitar. “Is that part of my present?”

Tommy made Adam wait until after dinner, even though he was as eager as Adam was. They ate quickly and quietly, and it wasn't until Adam was scraping their plates into the garbage that Tommy clicked open the latches on his guitar case and pulled the instrument out.

“So...I only wrote this last night, so if I mess up...” Tommy trailed off, straightening the sheets of music on the table and fiddling with the tuning of the guitar. He strummed carefully a few times as Adam settled himself on the couch, and without looking up, he started to play.

He didn't even need the music he'd spread out in front of him; the song came to him as easily and effortlessly as it had the night before. He kept his eyes closed, letting his fingers move over the strings and find the notes, but they shot open when he heard another sound join in. Adam was singing, wordless, his voice rising and falling along with Tommy as he played. Tommy's fingers stuttered for a moment on the strings, but he recovered quickly, his eyes now fixed on Adam's face. Adam's voice was even more amazing this close, and Tommy's heart was thudding in his chest to know that it was his music that was making Adam sing this way. He was almost sad when he reached the last chords, the music growing quiet and fading out, Adam's voice following it easily until there was nothing but silence in the room.

Tommy's voice was soft when he finally spoke, like there was some spell he didn't want to break. “Um...wow.”

“Yeah.” Adam's voice was soft too, and he had a look on his face that Tommy had a hard time placing. “Did you...did you write that for me?”

Tommy shrugged and ran his hands over the surface of his guitar, focusing on the cool smoothness of the wood. “Yeah, kind of. Because of you.”

Adam was quiet for a second, and he furrowed his brow, obviously thinking. “Do you think we could maybe, finish it? Put words to it?”

“You want to do that? Write together?” Tommy hadn't even thought that the song would ever be more than the music he'd written. It took his brain longer than he'd like to admit to put all the pieces together, but when it did he set the guitar on the floor and wrapped his arms around Adam's neck, pressing a quick kiss to Adam's lips.

“So...is that a yes, baby?” Adam's hands immediately fell to Tommy's hips, pulling him closer so he could grin up at him.

Tommy matched Adam's smile, and settled in his lap, leaning down to kiss him again, this time slow and easy before pulling away. “Fuck yeah, it's a yes.” Tommy pushed Adam back until they were laying flat on the couch, perfectly happy to wait till tomorrow to start writing.




It was a quiet night in the library, and Tommy was pretty sure the entire floor he was on was empty. He glanced down at his watch as he pushed the cart of books around a corner, groaning softly when he saw he still had nearly two hours to go before he could go home. Adam had called him and told him he thought he'd finished the song they were working on, and Tommy couldn't wait to hear what Adam had come up with. He sighed and picked up the next book on the cart, stretching up onto his toes to put it on the top shelf. Tommy started when he felt fingers slide in where his shirt had come untucked from his pants, but he relaxed into the touch when he recognized the smell as Adam.

“How the hell do you sneak around like that?” Tommy turned and let Adam pull him up for a kiss that was definitely too long and wet for work.

“Obviously, I was trained as a spy.” Adam grinned and took the book from Tommy's hand, sliding it easily into place on the top shelf. “So, I have something for you.”

“Oh, did you bring the lyrics you wrote?” Tommy's eyes went bright and he slid his arms around Adam's waist.

Adam shook his head, and made a show of looking both ways down the aisle. “Nope, those are for later. Right now, I'm going make a little dream of yours a reality.”

“You're going to - oh.” Tommy didn't even finish the question before Adam's head dropped and his lips were on Tommy's neck, teeth digging into the tender flesh above his collar. “Adam, we can't...someone could...”

“Shhh, don't worry about it. I took care of it.” Adam sounded really sure, and Tommy decided to just trust him, only partly because of the way Adam was trailing his fingers up and down Tommy's zipper.

Tommy let himself slump back against the shelves, lifting one of his legs to wrap it around Adam's hip, and Adam took it as the sign it was meant to be. His fingers worked Tommy's pants open easily, his hand hot when it pushed inside. Tommy arched into the touch, catching the moan in this throat before it could spill out. He'd learned a long time ago what Adam's hand felt around his cock, but here, with his back pressed against the shelves like he'd imagined all those months ago, it felt brand new. Adam's hand was big, so much bigger than his own, and smoother too, and he pumped it slow and easy up and down Tommy's cock until Tommy was panting.

When Adam pulled his hand out of Tommy's pants, Tommy groaned, arching his hips to chase Adam's hand. Adam's hands caught him around his hips and shoved his pants down, and Tommy felt his face flare red when his bare ass came in contact with the books behind him. He watched hungrily as Adam shoved his own pants down, his cock hard and shiny-wet, bouncing against his belly, and Tommy clumsily toed off one of his shoes so he could free his legs. He wanted to able to wrap himself right around Adam's waist, all thoughts of being caught shoved to the back of his brain when he saw the light glint off the foil packet in Adam's fingers.

Adam tore the condom open with his teeth and rolled it over his cock in a smooth movement, stepping forward to press his lips to Tommy's ear. “Can you take it, baby? Just like this?”

The blunt head of Adam's cock slid in the cleft of Tommy's ass, the condom lubed just enough to ease the slide. Tommy shifted his hips, lifting himself up on his toes to try and get it to rub against his hole, his breath catching when it finally did. Adam was the kind of guy who loved to spread Tommy out and finger him for what felt like hours, so much lube that Tommy was still dripping the next morning, and the thought of his cock pushing in just like this, with no prep made Tommy's heart stutter. “Yeah, fuck, please.”

Adam slid his hands under Tommy's ass and lifted him up until Tommy could wrap both of his legs around Adam's waist, one pant leg dangling. Tommy groaned softly when Adam lined his cock up with Tommy's hole, swallowing around moan when Adam pushed forward, the sound that did make it out of his mouth sounding an awful lot like a sob.

“You have to keep quiet, baby. Remember, anyone could hear us.” Adam's voice was more than a little strained, and Tommy had a moment to feel gratified before Adam's cock bottomed out in his ass. Tommy felt stretched to the limit; the usual slight burn was magnified, but so was everything else, and Tommy tightened his legs around Adam's waist, urging him on.

The edges of the shelves and the spines of the books dug hard into Tommy's back as Adam fucked into him, and Tommy could hear dull thuds as books hit the floor, knocked off the swaying shelves. Tommy was breathing heavy, teeth digging into his lower lip to keep quiet but it was getting harder with Adam's hands digging into his hips and his cock rubbing over every spot inside of him that made him want to scream. Adam's mouth was back on his throat, sucking and biting until Tommy was sure he was going to be covered with bruises he'd never be able to hide. That thought suddenly overwhelmed him and Tommy let out a moan that nearly echoed through the stacks, but was sharply cut off by Adam's hand clamping down over his mouth.

“Shhhh.” Adam had to be the only person who could make that noise sound so filthy, and Tommy let out another moan, softer this time but still muffled by Adam's hand. Adam fucked into him harder and faster, and Tommy tightened his arms and legs around Adam's body, a thought floating through his mind of having to explain why the shelves had just collapsed. Tommy felt Adam's hips start to stutter, slamming into Tommy's body unevenly, making small thrusts that kept his cock deep in Tommy's ass. The sharp bite of the books against his back and the salty-sweet taste of Adam's hand pressed over his mouth overwhelmed his senses, and Tommy panted against Adam's hand, his teeth scraping over the meatiest part of Adam's palm as he felt heat start to coil low in his belly.

Adam pulled his hand away from Tommy's mouth, and Tommy dragged in a deep breath before Adam's lips were on his own, kissing him almost bruisingly hard. Tommy felt more than heard Adam moan against his mouth, felt the sharp intake of breath just before Adam's hips fucked deep into him, his cock twitching as he came. Adam's tongue pushed into Tommy's mouth and one of his hands snuck in between their bodies to wrap around Tommy's cock, his thumb smearing the pre-come all over the head and lower to ease the slide. Tommy started coming almost as soon as Adam touched him, his breath coming out of him in a rush as his come spilled over Adam's hand, soaking into the hem of his shirt.

Tommy's legs were weak and shaky when he got his feet back on the floor, but he grinned a little when he realized Adam wasn't much better off. Adam reached into the pocket of his jeans as he tugged them back up, pulling out a little plastic baggie.

“Is that...some kind of kit?” Tommy watched as Adam pulled moist towelettes from the baggie before tossing the used condom into it, and shoving it back in his pocket.

“I like to be prepared.” Adam smiled wide as he handed Tommy one of the towelettes, and Tommy had to admit he was pretty grateful to wipe the sticky mess off of his belly, even if there was nothing he could do about his shirt. He dressed quickly, suddenly incredibly aware that he was standing mostly naked in the middle of the library. When he looked back to Adam, he was totally dressed and putting the books that had fallen onto the floor back onto the shelves, working quickly.

“What's your hurry?” Tommy said, glancing down at his watch. “I've got like, an hour left before I can go.”

Adam put the last book up on the shelf and brushed his hands off on his pants, stepping forward to wrap his arm around Tommy's waist. “No you don't. You can leave now.”

Tommy opened his mouth to ask, but decided to just go with it, letting Adam steer him towards the elevator and downstairs. They swung by the staff room so Tommy could get his stuff, but on their way out the door, they had to walk past the reference desk where Greg was sitting. Tommy felt his cheeks go red and nearly groaned out loud when Greg gave them a huge smile and a thumbs up, pointing to a sign on the desk that read '4th floor off limits due to cataloguing'.

He thought he should probably be mad at Adam, or at Greg, but when he turned to look up at Adam he couldn't help but smile at the pleased look on Adam's face. “See? Told you I took care of it. Now, let's go finish that song.”

The song was perfect, maybe even better than perfect. They played it again and again, until Adam's voice was going hoarse and Tommy's fingers ached, until the words and the melody were burned into both of their brains.

“Adam, it's amazing! Seriously, thanks.” Tommy set his guitar on the floor next to Adam's couch and wiped the palms of his hands on his pants, rubbing the soreness from his fingers.

“Thanks yourself. It was your song.” Adam leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Tommy's lips, lingering just a second before pulling back. “Which is why I want to ask you something.”

“Yeah? Ask away.” Tommy leaned back into the cushions of the couch, pulling his knees up to his chest; something about this whole thing suddenly had him on edge.

“Well, you know Monte, from my band? He just got this amazing gig touring the country with some band, and we're short a guitar player.” Adam looked at Tommy for a few long seconds, a little smile on his face. “And I was thinking about you. Joining the band.”

Tommy stared blankly, thoughts cycling through his head in rapid-fire. Standing on stage with Adam, in front of the crowd. People cheering and clapping. His heart started to thud when the thoughts turned dark; booing crowds, the faces of the people who were right all along when they told him he'd never make it. He shook his head, forcing the negative thoughts to the back of his brain, the smile that curved up his lips totally genuinely ecstatic.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Of course!” Tommy launched himself across the couch at Adam in a familiar fashion, kissing him awkwardly around both of their smiles, laughter bubbling just below the surface.

Three weeks later, the smile on Tommy's face was genuinely nervous as he stood backstage at some club, the air thick with the smell of booze and the thrum of excitement. He had his guitar strapped over his chest, the third song on the set list was the one he'd written with Adam, and he had Adam's warm, comforting weight pressed against his back as they waited for their cue.

The lights dimmed, and Adam bent to press a kiss to the side of Tommy's neck, sliding them up to Tommy's ear. “Let's go, baby. Time to be a rock star.”

Tommy felt the nervousness flow from him as he stepped out onto the stage, the lights bright in his eyes and the music already ringing in his ears. He took one last look at Adam, a quick smile shared between them before Adam stepped to the centre of the stage, waiting for the music to start. Tommy brought his hand to his guitar, the opening chords of the song ringing out through the club, and Tommy gave himself over to it, letting his chest fill with the sound of Adam's voice and the beat of the drums and the cheers of the crowd. Yeah, it was definitely time.