A Matter Of Perspective
Title: A Matter of Perspective
Disclaimer: Not real, not in the slightest.
Pairing: Adam/Anoop
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 3,401
Warnings: Not really but some mention of mild OCD so if that's a problem than there it is.
Notes: This is for susysunflower who requested it back in February so I'm kinda late with it. Sorry bb!
Summary: He was quirky, slightly eccentric maybe, but that was all. Unfortunately that didn't always make being on American Idol the easiet thing in the world.
Anoop half-heartedly listened to Matt as they walked up to the doors of the mansion. It was late, the day had been ridiculously long, and the lighting wasn’t good enough for him to make out the paving slabs as well as he’d like. They’d lived at the mansion for long enough that he was pretty good with knowing not only the basic length and width of the stones used on the path but also how many got him from place to place but every time they entered the house after dark he still struggled a little. He didn’t always take as much care over how he walked but today had been stressful; they all knew that two of them were heading home this week and there was added pressure to be at their best. So tonight he needed everything to be correct.
It was hard trying to participate in the conversation while also making sure to count his steps and not tread on a crack. Occasionally he’d overstep, nearly hit the line between the slabs, and have to reach just a little further than looked natural so he could go straight to the next step. He was relieved that throughout the years he’d learnt how to do this without making it too obvious so he was pretty sure no one noticed; after all, nobody wanted to be the weirdo walking down the street focusing on the pavement.
Not that Matt would notice anyway. Matt’s self absorption, and he meant that in the nicest possible way, and general unobservantness was one of Anoop’s first reasons for hanging out with him. He just got lucky that Matt had turned out to be both fun and surprisingly sweet because Anoop had often proposed to himself that Danny was the only other person in their group so consumed with himself that he wouldn’t notice some of Anoop’s slightly more eccentric traits. Because that’s all they were, little eccentricities.
Anoop didn’t like labels, hated that on American Idol they were forced on everyone at an alarming rate, and he refused to be labelled as ‘functioning OCD’ as a few people throughout his life had tried. He more than functioned thank you very much. And so what if he knew that there were exactly 14 stairs from the lobby to the landing. Who did it really affect if he took all of them at exactly the same pace with a silent count going on in his head? Why was it anyone’s business if his head got stuck in a loop at times and he found himself mentally repeating the same small sentence all morning making sure that he’d tested out every variation of emphasis an equal number of times! Was it frustrating? Sure. Did it tire him out at times? You betcha. But did it affect his ability to live in the real world or even in the contrived world of American Idol? No it did not.
Anoop walked through the door that Adam was holding open for him and ignored the look the older man sent his way. It was an unspoken rule of the group that everyone would head to their own separate rooms to clean up and get ready for bed before meeting back in the living room to unwind from the day. Anoop barely looked at the others before beginning to make his way up the stairs to the first floor where his room was situated so it was only once he’d reached the very top did he notice that he was alone. Turning to face the others still stood in the entrance he took in their amused faces.
“Man I told you he wasn’t listening.”
Danny slapped Matt on the arm as he spoke and then beckoned Anoop back down to the rest of them. Not knowing what was going on Anoop didn’t move. He needed this routine. Each day he prepared himself for in the knowledge that he had no idea what was going to happen once they left the mansion. He had told himself the fact that there was no routine was a routine in and of itself. He could be spontaneous he just needed to plan for it beforehand. And he needed to know that he could control his actions during the spontaneity; that he could order and process how he dealt with it. He’d come up with small routines for how to eat any food they were given. He followed exactly the same process every time he was in the recoding booth. He knew exactly which seat he would take in the green room, how many glasses of water he would drink, and in which order he would look at the sections of the audience during every recording of the show. But what he needed most, what he was pretty sure he’d have gone mad without, was the knowledge that once he got back to the mansion things were going to be the same as always. Tonight was not the same as always and he’d turned off the section of his brain that allowed him to not freak out too badly when his plans were changed the moment he’d recognised the bends in the road as those that led back to the mansion.
“Come on dude, we decided that we’re having a pool championship.”
Kris grinned up at him, one arm slung over Allison’s shoulder.
“Umm...sure, sounds great. I just have some things that need to be taken care of first but start because I’ll only be a few minutes.”
“A dude’s gotta poop when a dude’s gotta poop.”
“Kristopher!”
Anoop watched as Kris turned his full smile onto Adam and then started pulling Allison into the living room. As the others started to follow, Anoop turned and made his way to his bedroom. He would head back down to the others when he had gotten himself straight.
Knowing no one was near Anoop verbally started repeating his last sentence as opposed to simply forming the words in his head. He hoped that allowing himself this would mean that he wouldn’t spend the rest of the evening thinking about how he hadn’t done what he needed to do.
“I’ll only be a few minutes. I’ll only be a few minutes. I’ll only be a few minutes. I’ll only be a few minutes. I’ll only be a few minutes. I’ll only be a few minutes.”
He entered his room and stood still for a second. Now he’d started he couldn’t stop thinking of the words; they kept going round and round in his head needing to get out. Well they could just stay right in there. He starting mentally going through the list of variations again - I’ll only be a few minutes, I’ll only be a few minutes, I’ll only be a few minutes, I’ll only be a few minutes - and continued with everything else he needed to do.
He removed his jacket and folded it, in exactly the same place as always, before placing it on the back of the chair where it belonged. He went to take his wallet out of his pocket and place it on the dresser when he realised that he didn’t have it on him. He had passed it to Matt on the way back from the studio when he’d borrowed cash for the milkshake he was craving and had apparently not remembered to take it back. Trying to push the thought to one side of his mind he made his way into the bathroom and picked up his toothbrush. He would forgo the rest of his routine so as not to take too long and make his absence too obvious but he needed to do this. He placed about a centimetre of toothpaste onto the brush and started brushing. He counted the seconds in his head, making sure to spend an equal amount on each section of his mouth. He couldn’t stop thinking about the wallet.
He was engrossed enough in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the figure stood in the doorway to his bathroom. He didn’t notice that he was being watched until he’d placed the toothbrush and paste back into the cup that held them and turned around to leave again. He froze on the spot and stared at Adam.
“Adam?”
Adam sent a gentle smile is way and held out his hand; Anoop’s wallet was in it.
“I thought you might need this.”
Anoop cautiously took the wallet from Adam. Adam stepped aside to allow Anoop to walk over to the dresser and position the wallet in its place. Anoop made sure that it was lined up in parallel to the front of the dresser and then turned to face Adam. He hated always lying.
“Thank you, although Matt could have just brought it with him when he comes up later.”
Anoop did not like the slightly sad but reassuring smile that Adam sent his way. He had gone back to leaning on the doorframe and was standing in the casual pose that screamed with the effort he was putting into looking nonchalant. He looked at Anoop for a few seconds and when he spoke it was in a soft, quiet voice.
“I think we both know that it would have been a problem for you all night.”
Anoop wasn’t sure he wanted to have this conversation with anyone but was aware that out of everyone he could be having it with Adam was the best choice. He wasn’t the ‘camp counsellor’ for nothing and he sure as hell had his own fair share of eccentricities.
“It’s just a wallet Adam.”
“It’s never just a wallet ‘Noop.”
Adam moved from the wall and took a few steps forward. Anoop stayed where he was and watched as Adam placed his hands in his pockets. Adam was as easy to read as a book for those who knew him and here he was desperately trying to hide his nerves; he was removing the temptation of picking at his fingernails. At times Anoop wished that he were worse at reading people because it would make situations like this a lot more comfortable. He thought of how Matt would have no idea what was about to happen and therefore wouldn’t have been stood dreading it. However dreading it did give Anoop the chance to take control before the conversation started.
“How did you know?”
Adam look almost as shocked at hearing as Anoop felt at saying the words.
“All my friends in LA are a little different in some way or another. They’ve all got their quirks, some bigger than others.”
Adam sent a rueful smile at Anoop.
“Did you really think that at least one of them didn’t have some form of OCD?”
“I do not have OCD.”
Adam’s eyebrows raised at that a little and the sad look returned to his face.
“I’m a little anally retentive. And I have a few eccentricities but if this were a romantic comedy I’d be kooky, not out and out weird.”
The sound of Adam’s laughter filled the room.
“I like that description. I think I might have to borrow it.”
The tension that had been gradually seeping into Anoop throughout the day rushed out of him in an instant. He sent a smile, a real smile, to Adam and lent back against the dresser.
“You are more than welcome to have it. I think you’re more likely to be playing the kooky lead role than me anyway.”
“Oh no honey I’m the gay best friend. Kris is the leading man.”
“That’s not what half the country thinks and you know it. Kris is sweet and wonderful but I think you’d be a far more interesting romantic lead.”
“Oh do you now?”
Adam’s eyebrows rose and his lips jutted out in the ‘I see what you said there’ way that had become familiar to the rest of the group over their period on the show. Anoop felt his brain trying to catch up with his mouth as he attempted to clarify his statement.
“I meant....I just meant that Kris is more of a, a Tom Hanks, whereas you’re, you’re.....you know what I can’t think of a single actor to compare you to and I love Tom Hanks because the man is all kinds of awesome but sometimes you want The Station Agent more than you want....I don’t know, some film Tom Hanks is in...Sleepless in Seattle or something.”
Adam stared at Anoop for a while but didn’t reply. As he looked back Anoop noticed that one of Adam’s many necklaces had its clasp round the front. He was pretty sure it hadn’t started there because although Adam barely undid any of his necklaces, just slid them over his head, he usually tried to make sure they were positioned correctly. But there it was, right next to the collar of Adam’s T-Shirt, staring Anoop straight in the face,
“Well as I have no idea what The Station Agent is about I’m just going to agree with you and hope that you’re not insulting me.”
Anoop looked away from the clasp and back up to Adam’s face.
“It’s a great film, and it’s cool and sweet but a little different. So kinda like you.”
“That’s kind of Kris as well.”
“I’m not criticising Kris here okay, Kris is great. I was just saying that you, more than me, are likely to be, at some point in the future, playing the lead in some sort of romantic comedy that requires a quirky-kooky lead role.”
Anoop was back to looking at the clasp. There was silence for a second but Anoop didn’t really notice it.
“You do realise that being male I don’t actually have breasts for you to stare at right?”
“Huh?”
“You’re looking at my chest.”
“I’m not.”
“You very definitely are.”
“It’s....can I....okay just...”
Anoop moved forward, grabbed the offending chain and starting to reposition it with the clasp at the back. He then gently replaced the others back how they were and smoothed down Adam’s top. Realising what he was doing Anoop froze; his hands resting on Adam’s T-Shirt. He began to move away but was stopped by Adam’s hands on his. He looked into the questioning blue eyes, eyes that were almost level with his own, and then unable to think of anything other than the hands on his he quickly leaned in a placed a kiss on the mouth in front of his own.
The kiss ended a quickly as it had started and Anoop pulled away from Adam without any resistance. He moved back to the dresser where he’d been before and looked at the surprise on Adam’s slightly flushed face.
“Sorry, sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. That was inappropriate.”
“I’d have to disagree.”
Anoop looked as a small smile replaced the shock on Adam’s face.
“Really?”
“Really. In fact, I wouldn’t be averse to doing it again.”
“Even though you already know most of the crazy that my normal, completely functioning life hides?”
“Even though.”
“And even though I’m probably going home this week and you’re going to the finals.”
“Even though that could be, although is not definitely, the case.”
“It’ll be the case.”
“Anoop!”
“It’ll be the case. Kris’s song kicks ass this week, yours does too; not to mention you both have crazy strong fanbases. Danny’s Danny and therefore will get votes. Matt will be safe because of last week. It’s me, Lil and Allison that have to worry and we all know it.”
“You’re all great this week.”
“We are, I’m not saying we’re not, but people don’t like us as much as Danny, Matt’s got good will on his side, and you and Kris are obviously the best at this competition so that’s that. It’s fine, I’m very accepting of the fact, surprisingly so to be honest.”
Adam moved forward and perched himself on the dresser next to Anoop and he soon felt a hand reach for his. He took hold of it.
“So we’ve established that I’m cool with your crazy, and I’m going to assume that you’re cool with mine. And we know that you’re a pessimist but that I’m cool with that as well. So you want to think of any other excuses for us not to do this?”
Anoop turned to face Adam. He took in the eye liner, the ginger roots that were beginning to show in his hair, the freckles that were peaking through under the makeup that was coming off. He looked at the questioning smile on the lips and again found himself leaning in.
This time when he kissed Adam he got a reply. The mouth opened and his tongue was granted access. He moved so that he was standing in front of Adam with the other man’s legs either side of him. Anoop stopped himself when his brain started to detour onto how many germs a person has in their mouth and tried to focus his thoughts on other things such as where Adam’s hand was travelling.
“Adam?”
“Anoop?”
Kris and Matt’s calls and the sound of their nearing footsteps pulled the two men apart.
“We’re coming.”
Anoop caught his breath as Adam called out to their friends. He moved out of the way so that Adam could jump off of the dresser. Taking Anoop’s hand he pulled him with him and made his way to the bedroom door. Anoop stopped Adam from opening the door as a thought struck him.
“What about Drake?”
“Sometimes stuff is just for fun.”
Anoop took a small step back, removing his hand from Adam’s.
“I’m not sure I can do this if it’s just for fun.”
“I meant him.”
“Oh.”
“Adam, you in their dude?”
Kris’s voice was directly outside the door. Anoop hoped that Adam could get the blush off of his neck before they left the room but he was beginning to see one of the advantages of all the foundation the other man wore. Staring at his neck Anoop noticed another of his necklaces had moved so that the clasp was at the front.
“Yeah man we’re here.”
“Dudes, you gotta come see this. Lil is kicking Danny’s ass at pool. It’s beginning to not even be funny.”
“Kris is totally wrong there, it’s very very funny.”
Adam gently took Anoop’s face in his hands and raised it so that his eyes were looking away from his neck. He spoke quietly enough that Anoop guessed the two men outside the door couldn’t hear over their descriptions of Lil’s hustling.
“We good?”
Anoop moved closer to Adam and slid the necklace round so that it was positioned correctly again.
“As long as you stop wearing all these necklaces we’ll be great.”
“How about I just keep letting you fix them?”
“I’ll have to regularly get this close to you.”
“Sometimes there are sacrifices we all need to be make.”
Adam lent forward for another kiss before pulling away and opening the door. Kris and Matt were stood directly in front of it and turned to stare at them as they walked past. Anoop could hear sniggering behind him and wondered if they’d been a little obvious
“I knew they were making out in there.”
They had apparently definitely been too obvious; even if at least it was Kris and not Matt who had noticed.
“You did not, you said that Adam was helping ‘Noop rearrange his shirts.”
“And he was.”
“Na-uh, they’ve totally been kissing.”
“Which is how Adam was rearranging his shirt. Seriously Giraud, sometimes you’re as dense as Danny.”
Anoop could hear Matt spluttering in horror behind him before both he and Kris pushed past them and took off down the hall and stairs; Kris whooping as his ran. Anoop felt Adam squeeze his hand before he too rushed down the stairs to catch up with the others.
As always Anoop counted his way down the stairs, taking each one at exactly the same pace. He smiled at the thought that the day hadn’t turned out as bad as he’d predicted and that sometimes a change of plan, an unexpected event, could be nicer than routine. Of course, now he’d have to incorporate Adam into his routine but he figured, as Adam had said, sometimes sacrifices needed to be made and sometimes, with the right impetus, Anoop was more than willing to make them.
Disclaimer: Not real, not in the slightest.
Pairing: Adam/Anoop
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 3,401
Warnings: Not really but some mention of mild OCD so if that's a problem than there it is.
Notes: This is for susysunflower who requested it back in February so I'm kinda late with it. Sorry bb!
Summary: He was quirky, slightly eccentric maybe, but that was all. Unfortunately that didn't always make being on American Idol the easiet thing in the world.
Anoop half-heartedly listened to Matt as they walked up to the doors of the mansion. It was late, the day had been ridiculously long, and the lighting wasn’t good enough for him to make out the paving slabs as well as he’d like. They’d lived at the mansion for long enough that he was pretty good with knowing not only the basic length and width of the stones used on the path but also how many got him from place to place but every time they entered the house after dark he still struggled a little. He didn’t always take as much care over how he walked but today had been stressful; they all knew that two of them were heading home this week and there was added pressure to be at their best. So tonight he needed everything to be correct.
It was hard trying to participate in the conversation while also making sure to count his steps and not tread on a crack. Occasionally he’d overstep, nearly hit the line between the slabs, and have to reach just a little further than looked natural so he could go straight to the next step. He was relieved that throughout the years he’d learnt how to do this without making it too obvious so he was pretty sure no one noticed; after all, nobody wanted to be the weirdo walking down the street focusing on the pavement.
Not that Matt would notice anyway. Matt’s self absorption, and he meant that in the nicest possible way, and general unobservantness was one of Anoop’s first reasons for hanging out with him. He just got lucky that Matt had turned out to be both fun and surprisingly sweet because Anoop had often proposed to himself that Danny was the only other person in their group so consumed with himself that he wouldn’t notice some of Anoop’s slightly more eccentric traits. Because that’s all they were, little eccentricities.
Anoop didn’t like labels, hated that on American Idol they were forced on everyone at an alarming rate, and he refused to be labelled as ‘functioning OCD’ as a few people throughout his life had tried. He more than functioned thank you very much. And so what if he knew that there were exactly 14 stairs from the lobby to the landing. Who did it really affect if he took all of them at exactly the same pace with a silent count going on in his head? Why was it anyone’s business if his head got stuck in a loop at times and he found himself mentally repeating the same small sentence all morning making sure that he’d tested out every variation of emphasis an equal number of times! Was it frustrating? Sure. Did it tire him out at times? You betcha. But did it affect his ability to live in the real world or even in the contrived world of American Idol? No it did not.
Anoop walked through the door that Adam was holding open for him and ignored the look the older man sent his way. It was an unspoken rule of the group that everyone would head to their own separate rooms to clean up and get ready for bed before meeting back in the living room to unwind from the day. Anoop barely looked at the others before beginning to make his way up the stairs to the first floor where his room was situated so it was only once he’d reached the very top did he notice that he was alone. Turning to face the others still stood in the entrance he took in their amused faces.
“Man I told you he wasn’t listening.”
Danny slapped Matt on the arm as he spoke and then beckoned Anoop back down to the rest of them. Not knowing what was going on Anoop didn’t move. He needed this routine. Each day he prepared himself for in the knowledge that he had no idea what was going to happen once they left the mansion. He had told himself the fact that there was no routine was a routine in and of itself. He could be spontaneous he just needed to plan for it beforehand. And he needed to know that he could control his actions during the spontaneity; that he could order and process how he dealt with it. He’d come up with small routines for how to eat any food they were given. He followed exactly the same process every time he was in the recoding booth. He knew exactly which seat he would take in the green room, how many glasses of water he would drink, and in which order he would look at the sections of the audience during every recording of the show. But what he needed most, what he was pretty sure he’d have gone mad without, was the knowledge that once he got back to the mansion things were going to be the same as always. Tonight was not the same as always and he’d turned off the section of his brain that allowed him to not freak out too badly when his plans were changed the moment he’d recognised the bends in the road as those that led back to the mansion.
“Come on dude, we decided that we’re having a pool championship.”
Kris grinned up at him, one arm slung over Allison’s shoulder.
“Umm...sure, sounds great. I just have some things that need to be taken care of first but start because I’ll only be a few minutes.”
“A dude’s gotta poop when a dude’s gotta poop.”
“Kristopher!”
Anoop watched as Kris turned his full smile onto Adam and then started pulling Allison into the living room. As the others started to follow, Anoop turned and made his way to his bedroom. He would head back down to the others when he had gotten himself straight.
Knowing no one was near Anoop verbally started repeating his last sentence as opposed to simply forming the words in his head. He hoped that allowing himself this would mean that he wouldn’t spend the rest of the evening thinking about how he hadn’t done what he needed to do.
“I’ll only be a few minutes. I’ll only be a few minutes. I’ll only be a few minutes. I’ll only be a few minutes. I’ll only be a few minutes. I’ll only be a few minutes.”
He entered his room and stood still for a second. Now he’d started he couldn’t stop thinking of the words; they kept going round and round in his head needing to get out. Well they could just stay right in there. He starting mentally going through the list of variations again - I’ll only be a few minutes, I’ll only be a few minutes, I’ll only be a few minutes, I’ll only be a few minutes - and continued with everything else he needed to do.
He removed his jacket and folded it, in exactly the same place as always, before placing it on the back of the chair where it belonged. He went to take his wallet out of his pocket and place it on the dresser when he realised that he didn’t have it on him. He had passed it to Matt on the way back from the studio when he’d borrowed cash for the milkshake he was craving and had apparently not remembered to take it back. Trying to push the thought to one side of his mind he made his way into the bathroom and picked up his toothbrush. He would forgo the rest of his routine so as not to take too long and make his absence too obvious but he needed to do this. He placed about a centimetre of toothpaste onto the brush and started brushing. He counted the seconds in his head, making sure to spend an equal amount on each section of his mouth. He couldn’t stop thinking about the wallet.
He was engrossed enough in his thoughts that he didn’t notice the figure stood in the doorway to his bathroom. He didn’t notice that he was being watched until he’d placed the toothbrush and paste back into the cup that held them and turned around to leave again. He froze on the spot and stared at Adam.
“Adam?”
Adam sent a gentle smile is way and held out his hand; Anoop’s wallet was in it.
“I thought you might need this.”
Anoop cautiously took the wallet from Adam. Adam stepped aside to allow Anoop to walk over to the dresser and position the wallet in its place. Anoop made sure that it was lined up in parallel to the front of the dresser and then turned to face Adam. He hated always lying.
“Thank you, although Matt could have just brought it with him when he comes up later.”
Anoop did not like the slightly sad but reassuring smile that Adam sent his way. He had gone back to leaning on the doorframe and was standing in the casual pose that screamed with the effort he was putting into looking nonchalant. He looked at Anoop for a few seconds and when he spoke it was in a soft, quiet voice.
“I think we both know that it would have been a problem for you all night.”
Anoop wasn’t sure he wanted to have this conversation with anyone but was aware that out of everyone he could be having it with Adam was the best choice. He wasn’t the ‘camp counsellor’ for nothing and he sure as hell had his own fair share of eccentricities.
“It’s just a wallet Adam.”
“It’s never just a wallet ‘Noop.”
Adam moved from the wall and took a few steps forward. Anoop stayed where he was and watched as Adam placed his hands in his pockets. Adam was as easy to read as a book for those who knew him and here he was desperately trying to hide his nerves; he was removing the temptation of picking at his fingernails. At times Anoop wished that he were worse at reading people because it would make situations like this a lot more comfortable. He thought of how Matt would have no idea what was about to happen and therefore wouldn’t have been stood dreading it. However dreading it did give Anoop the chance to take control before the conversation started.
“How did you know?”
Adam look almost as shocked at hearing as Anoop felt at saying the words.
“All my friends in LA are a little different in some way or another. They’ve all got their quirks, some bigger than others.”
Adam sent a rueful smile at Anoop.
“Did you really think that at least one of them didn’t have some form of OCD?”
“I do not have OCD.”
Adam’s eyebrows raised at that a little and the sad look returned to his face.
“I’m a little anally retentive. And I have a few eccentricities but if this were a romantic comedy I’d be kooky, not out and out weird.”
The sound of Adam’s laughter filled the room.
“I like that description. I think I might have to borrow it.”
The tension that had been gradually seeping into Anoop throughout the day rushed out of him in an instant. He sent a smile, a real smile, to Adam and lent back against the dresser.
“You are more than welcome to have it. I think you’re more likely to be playing the kooky lead role than me anyway.”
“Oh no honey I’m the gay best friend. Kris is the leading man.”
“That’s not what half the country thinks and you know it. Kris is sweet and wonderful but I think you’d be a far more interesting romantic lead.”
“Oh do you now?”
Adam’s eyebrows rose and his lips jutted out in the ‘I see what you said there’ way that had become familiar to the rest of the group over their period on the show. Anoop felt his brain trying to catch up with his mouth as he attempted to clarify his statement.
“I meant....I just meant that Kris is more of a, a Tom Hanks, whereas you’re, you’re.....you know what I can’t think of a single actor to compare you to and I love Tom Hanks because the man is all kinds of awesome but sometimes you want The Station Agent more than you want....I don’t know, some film Tom Hanks is in...Sleepless in Seattle or something.”
Adam stared at Anoop for a while but didn’t reply. As he looked back Anoop noticed that one of Adam’s many necklaces had its clasp round the front. He was pretty sure it hadn’t started there because although Adam barely undid any of his necklaces, just slid them over his head, he usually tried to make sure they were positioned correctly. But there it was, right next to the collar of Adam’s T-Shirt, staring Anoop straight in the face,
“Well as I have no idea what The Station Agent is about I’m just going to agree with you and hope that you’re not insulting me.”
Anoop looked away from the clasp and back up to Adam’s face.
“It’s a great film, and it’s cool and sweet but a little different. So kinda like you.”
“That’s kind of Kris as well.”
“I’m not criticising Kris here okay, Kris is great. I was just saying that you, more than me, are likely to be, at some point in the future, playing the lead in some sort of romantic comedy that requires a quirky-kooky lead role.”
Anoop was back to looking at the clasp. There was silence for a second but Anoop didn’t really notice it.
“You do realise that being male I don’t actually have breasts for you to stare at right?”
“Huh?”
“You’re looking at my chest.”
“I’m not.”
“You very definitely are.”
“It’s....can I....okay just...”
Anoop moved forward, grabbed the offending chain and starting to reposition it with the clasp at the back. He then gently replaced the others back how they were and smoothed down Adam’s top. Realising what he was doing Anoop froze; his hands resting on Adam’s T-Shirt. He began to move away but was stopped by Adam’s hands on his. He looked into the questioning blue eyes, eyes that were almost level with his own, and then unable to think of anything other than the hands on his he quickly leaned in a placed a kiss on the mouth in front of his own.
The kiss ended a quickly as it had started and Anoop pulled away from Adam without any resistance. He moved back to the dresser where he’d been before and looked at the surprise on Adam’s slightly flushed face.
“Sorry, sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. That was inappropriate.”
“I’d have to disagree.”
Anoop looked as a small smile replaced the shock on Adam’s face.
“Really?”
“Really. In fact, I wouldn’t be averse to doing it again.”
“Even though you already know most of the crazy that my normal, completely functioning life hides?”
“Even though.”
“And even though I’m probably going home this week and you’re going to the finals.”
“Even though that could be, although is not definitely, the case.”
“It’ll be the case.”
“Anoop!”
“It’ll be the case. Kris’s song kicks ass this week, yours does too; not to mention you both have crazy strong fanbases. Danny’s Danny and therefore will get votes. Matt will be safe because of last week. It’s me, Lil and Allison that have to worry and we all know it.”
“You’re all great this week.”
“We are, I’m not saying we’re not, but people don’t like us as much as Danny, Matt’s got good will on his side, and you and Kris are obviously the best at this competition so that’s that. It’s fine, I’m very accepting of the fact, surprisingly so to be honest.”
Adam moved forward and perched himself on the dresser next to Anoop and he soon felt a hand reach for his. He took hold of it.
“So we’ve established that I’m cool with your crazy, and I’m going to assume that you’re cool with mine. And we know that you’re a pessimist but that I’m cool with that as well. So you want to think of any other excuses for us not to do this?”
Anoop turned to face Adam. He took in the eye liner, the ginger roots that were beginning to show in his hair, the freckles that were peaking through under the makeup that was coming off. He looked at the questioning smile on the lips and again found himself leaning in.
This time when he kissed Adam he got a reply. The mouth opened and his tongue was granted access. He moved so that he was standing in front of Adam with the other man’s legs either side of him. Anoop stopped himself when his brain started to detour onto how many germs a person has in their mouth and tried to focus his thoughts on other things such as where Adam’s hand was travelling.
“Adam?”
“Anoop?”
Kris and Matt’s calls and the sound of their nearing footsteps pulled the two men apart.
“We’re coming.”
Anoop caught his breath as Adam called out to their friends. He moved out of the way so that Adam could jump off of the dresser. Taking Anoop’s hand he pulled him with him and made his way to the bedroom door. Anoop stopped Adam from opening the door as a thought struck him.
“What about Drake?”
“Sometimes stuff is just for fun.”
Anoop took a small step back, removing his hand from Adam’s.
“I’m not sure I can do this if it’s just for fun.”
“I meant him.”
“Oh.”
“Adam, you in their dude?”
Kris’s voice was directly outside the door. Anoop hoped that Adam could get the blush off of his neck before they left the room but he was beginning to see one of the advantages of all the foundation the other man wore. Staring at his neck Anoop noticed another of his necklaces had moved so that the clasp was at the front.
“Yeah man we’re here.”
“Dudes, you gotta come see this. Lil is kicking Danny’s ass at pool. It’s beginning to not even be funny.”
“Kris is totally wrong there, it’s very very funny.”
Adam gently took Anoop’s face in his hands and raised it so that his eyes were looking away from his neck. He spoke quietly enough that Anoop guessed the two men outside the door couldn’t hear over their descriptions of Lil’s hustling.
“We good?”
Anoop moved closer to Adam and slid the necklace round so that it was positioned correctly again.
“As long as you stop wearing all these necklaces we’ll be great.”
“How about I just keep letting you fix them?”
“I’ll have to regularly get this close to you.”
“Sometimes there are sacrifices we all need to be make.”
Adam lent forward for another kiss before pulling away and opening the door. Kris and Matt were stood directly in front of it and turned to stare at them as they walked past. Anoop could hear sniggering behind him and wondered if they’d been a little obvious
“I knew they were making out in there.”
They had apparently definitely been too obvious; even if at least it was Kris and not Matt who had noticed.
“You did not, you said that Adam was helping ‘Noop rearrange his shirts.”
“And he was.”
“Na-uh, they’ve totally been kissing.”
“Which is how Adam was rearranging his shirt. Seriously Giraud, sometimes you’re as dense as Danny.”
Anoop could hear Matt spluttering in horror behind him before both he and Kris pushed past them and took off down the hall and stairs; Kris whooping as his ran. Anoop felt Adam squeeze his hand before he too rushed down the stairs to catch up with the others.
As always Anoop counted his way down the stairs, taking each one at exactly the same pace. He smiled at the thought that the day hadn’t turned out as bad as he’d predicted and that sometimes a change of plan, an unexpected event, could be nicer than routine. Of course, now he’d have to incorporate Adam into his routine but he figured, as Adam had said, sometimes sacrifices needed to be made and sometimes, with the right impetus, Anoop was more than willing to make them.