The Proposal 2 / 10
Ah, Kradam. The lovely boys again. Not mine obviously - only each others. Mostly written from Adam's POV except for one part in Kris' POV because it had to roll like that. Also includes some Brad/ Adam and Brad/ Kris friendship stuff in the middle (that guy is cute to write).
This is a ten part fic and I have it all written up already, but need to still post in parts due to the fact its too long otherwise. Anyway the suspense is better that way! But at least you will get updates very quickly. The story mostly centres around the LA show in response to requests from my Glittery friends over at Gossip Candy, but then moves on to the end of the tour because thats the way the muse took it.
Rating: definitely NC 17 overall (especially part 7) although the earlier parts are probably PG 13 to R.
Warning: Matt stans should note that he is not protrayed at all sympathetically in this fic. Sorry but it just worked out that way. Therefore read at your own peril.
The Proposal
Part 2
Adam flicked his mind back further to how Kris had looked up at him shyly and then glanced away quickly that first time during Hollywood week. That was one of Adam's favourite memories, when he had first set eyes on Kris. How this cute quiet southern boy who seemed almost scared of Adam had sidled up to him anyway, had held out his hand in introduction, blushing to the tips of his ears.
'Kris Allen, from Arkansas' he had mumbled, looking up at Adam with big brown eyes through long lashes. 'Hey, I'm Adam, Adam Lambert' he had beamed back with his megawatt smile, thinking all the while wow who's this cutie? And how despite Kris' apparent shyness they had fallen into an easy conversation about musical influences and why they had both decided to audition that year.
Then he shifted his thoughts to when they had been assigned to room together after both making it into the top 13. How Adam's stomach had fluttered slightly when the camera's had finally left them alone to choose beds and unpack, watching Kris' hands as he deftly pushed his stuff into the drawers and cupboards.
And then they had just developed an easy friendship, borne out of mutual respect for each others point of view, innate musical ability, and strangely just by having so much in common. This had been something of value to Adam, something new to him, to be accepted, liked, for exactly who he was by a stranger. Kris had seen through all the make up and fierce pride that Adam wore like a well fitting suit, and dug deeper into his heart with each passing day.
The roar of the crowd was deafening. Adam slipped his ear monitor off slightly during the band's riff in the middle of Whole Lotta Love. He didn't really need to, because he could hear the shouts and the screams anyway, but he loved to hear that sound without the backing music, just for a few seconds. He loved to feel the throb of fifteen thousand people screaming for him. Wanting him. There was no other feeling like it in the world. Adam shimmied and cajoled and teased and made love to the crowd with his body and his voice. His voice now keening and low, now wailing and high, soaring and pulsing above and around the huge throng as they roared back their approval. It was a lot like love, this thing. This being wanted by thousands of people at once, and loving them all back in return, with every pore and sinew and fibre of his being.
He was gasping and sweating and just utterly ecstatic as the lift lowered him down to the basement at the end of his set, arm punched up in the air in triumph. Oh my god. The crowd had been wild! This feeling only got better every night, he panted to himself. Grabbing a bottle of water from the stash next to the lift base, he ran past the crew and though the airless narrow walkways back stage, a huge wide aching grin on his face. He had about twenty minutes max to cool off and change into his next outfit before joining the others for the end of Hey Jude. And boy did he need to cool off. The dressers stripped him down instantly to take away his clothes for cleaning, while he stood in front of the huge floor fan arms out stretched in just his underwear. He felt the sweat cooling rapidly from the blasts of cold air as it dripped down his torso and trickled down the inside of his thighs.
Standing spreadeagle in front of the fan, nerves tingling, mind still racing, Adam remembered with a secret smile the exact time that he knew Kris might be his. Remembered past all the easy touches and shared glances that grew between them as their early time on Idol had stretched from week to week, as their friendship deepened to something Adam had begun to recognise was more like love, to that night when they had sat up 'til 5am talking in low whispers about their passions, their dreams.
Adam had told Kris the story of how he had had some sort of revelation at Burning Man. OK, OK, admittedly drug induced, but definitely real all the same, he had responded to Kris' teasing innuendo. How he was so sure that it became an unshakable conviction, canon even, that AI was the right thing to do and the right time for him to do it. And he had even told Kris about splitting up with Brad partly because of it. Now that was a first! Adam had never talked to anyone else about that, not even his brother.
And then Kris had revealed that Katy wasn't really into his music, had wanted him to settle down and get a 9 to 5 'er. How her Pa had given him 'the talk' a few weeks before they got married. But that his Mom and his bro had pushed him to audition, to try for his dream one last time. Adam had murmured how he couldn't believe that someone as talented as Kris could have almost given up on his dream, and received a sweet shy smile in return for his compliment. He had reacted with surprise at the taint in Kris' voice when he mentioned his wife though. Remembered the look of sadness and disappointment in Kris' eyes at that moment. And then Kris had said something even more unexpected. Something that had jolted Adam upright with a sharp shock. Kris had said that he was envious of how Adam's family had been so supportive of him being gay.
It wasn't just the words, it was the way Kris said them. Shy, but emphatic at the same time. And how he had flicked his eyes up to lock them on Adam's at that moment. The silence that followed stretched out into the dim room, both of them looking directly into each others eyes, hooked, neither able to break away. Eventually Kris had turned first with a quick swipe of nervous tongue over lips. Adam had made a joke, something about how 'fabulous' ran in his family's DNA, and muttered that it was getting so late they should at least try to get a couple of hours sleep. But lying in his bed he kept rolling Kris' words, the look in Kris' eyes, over and again in his head. And he knew.
A full five minutes in front of the fan like this was essential. Adam wouldn't be able to climb into his next costume change otherwise without making it instantly wringing wet. He pressed the ice cold water bottle to his cheeks and forehead lightly, and soon he was cool enough to have his foundation touched up, and then cooler still, able to push his arms and legs through his clothing and get fully dressed again in blue denim and studs.
Now he's waiting in the Green Room with the whole group for their walk up the back of the stage to get ready to join Kris for the final number. His Kris. The Kris that had become his just a couple of weeks after the fateful late night talk. The couple of weeks that had stretched out agonising and slow and pounding, filled with almost accidental brushes of hand against thigh, of long looks and lowered voices, of arm on shoulder or fingers gripped around hip, of hard strong hugs when both were safe again for one more week.
Adam remembered with a skip of his pulse how the whole group had gone out drinking to commiserate both Lil and Anoop leaving. How he and Kris had stumbled back to their shared room giggling inanely at silly jokes that should not really be funny. High as kites on adrenaline, lack of sleep, and a small amount of alcohol, anticipation buzzing in the air between them. How wordlessly Adam had held Kris' face in his hands and kissed him, soft, lingering at first, then deeper as Kris groaned into his body. They had made love that night, slow and gentle, eyes locked together, bodies searching for each other, tongues exploring, fingers pulling and kneading and gently probing. Adam knew the difference between making love and having sex. This was not sex.
Then they were all lined up backstage with Adam at the head of the line... and go! Stepping out into the bright harsh heat of the lights and the roaring crowd Adam moves fluidly towards Kris as he sings his first line, the others following in behind. Adam sees Kris' face break into an ecstatic smile at the sight of him striding onto the stage and his heart leaps in his chest. How had they been so lucky to find each other he wonders as he moves in to stand next to Kris? They lock eyes and then the rest of the group are lining up along either side of them and he feels the rush from the crowd and the blinding blaring noise wash over them all, and the whole group are turning here and there to face each other, all singing together now, grinning crazily at each other. Every night has been like this, their energy, their connection to each other. Turning back again to Kris, watching him sing his lines, slight frame quivering and animated, bouncing up on his toes, Adam's heart just bursts. He thinks yes, tonight is a good night for what he has planned.