A Rose by Any Other Name (10/?)
Title: A Rose by Any Other Name
Chapter: 10/?
Pairing: Kradam
Rating: R maybe? This one is G.
Summary: High school AU. What happens when Kris is kidnapped, and the police have given up the search after 2 years? And how do Adam Lambert and American Idol play into all of it?
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Adam, Kris and all other recognizable faces belong to themselves, not me.
I was more than grateful when Tuesday and Wednesday proved to be hectic. I didn’t have a single moment alone with Adam, and that was fine with me. During the ten minutes back in the room after going out with Alli, before Frank got back, Adam had been throwing out ideas. Within the ten minute span, Adam had gone from ‘call the police and get them to work with the Idol security guards,’ to ‘throw him off a cliff over the Pacific. Either a giant eagle will catch him and serve him at dinner to her babies, or he’ll drown. Win-win situation!’ I shot down every idea, though he was a bit partial to the cliff idea, and it took a bit more coaxing to get him to realize that Frank would gladly drag both of us over the cliff with him.
“I can’t believe it,” I laughed when we got back to the room late Wednesday night. “We’re both safe!”
“Did you expect anything different?” Adam asked, smirking at me from across the room.
“I knew you’d be okay,” I pointed out. “But I can’t believe I wasn’t even in the bottom three.”
“Have you ever heard yourself sing?” Adam asked, raising his eyebrows at me. I just shrugged. “Okay, next week, we’re watching the show Tuesday night, and you’re going to hear how amazing you are.”
“Ugh, no,” I said, making a face at him. “I’ll watch everyone else, but I’ll go fix a sandwich when I’m on.”
Adam just laughed. I smiled unconsciously at the sound. “You’re impossible,” he said. He paused and walked over to sit on the bed beside me. We both knew the conversation that was coming, and we both knew the cue we were waiting on. A moment later, the sound of the shower came from the bathroom.
“Ten minutes,” I said under my breath. Frank always took short showers.
“There has to be a way to get you out of this,” Adam said in an undertone.
“There’s not,” I said, shrugging.
“Be more positive, kid,” Adam said, rolling his eyes. I made a face at him. Again with calling me a kid! “What?”
“Could you not call me a kid?” I requested simply. “I’m sixteen.”
Adam chuckled under his breath, and I narrowed my eyes at him. “Alright, alright, sorry,” he laughed, holding up his hands in defeat. “Didn’t know it bothered you that much.”
“I’m not a kid,” I said clearly, glaring at him.
“Aw, little Krissy’s growing up,” Adam said in an annoying baby voice. I slapped away his hand when he reached to pinch at my cheeks.
“Damnit, Adam!” I said louder than I meant to. “I’m serious. I’m. Not. A. Kid.”
Adam sobered immediately. “Sorry, Kris,” he said, and I actually thought he meant it that time. “I really didn’t know you hated it that much. You’re always my best friend’s little brother to me, you know?”
“Yeah, I know,” I bit sarcastically. Yes, I definitely knew that I would always be the best friend's little brother. The sound of running water stopped, and I stood, not wanting to face either Adam or Frank at the moment. “I’m going to get a drink.” Pointedly avoiding looking at Adam, I headed out the door and towards the kitchen.
Okay, so maybe I overreacted a bit. But I refused to accept that it was my fault. It wasn’t like I just suddenly decided I didn’t want him to call me a kid. It’s gotten on my nerves for years! It was one thing when I finally realized I might like guys instead of girls when I was eleven. It was one thing when I finally started seeing Adam without Daniel around when I was in the theatre with him when I was fourteen. But now I was sixteen. Sixteen!
“Hey James,” Alli’s voice jerked me from my thoughts. I acknowledged her with a small grunt. I knew I should be nicer to her, at least say something in English, but I wasn’t in the mood to care at the moment. “What’s wrong?”
“I was going to ask the same thing.” I groaned at the voice and started for the door, not bothering to turn around. I didn’t want to see or hear Adam at the moment. Probably a first since I’d met him, but I refused to focus on that thought.
“James?” Alli asked.
“I’ll talk to him,” Adam said, in what was apparently supposed to be an undertone not meant for my ears. I rolled my eyes. What did he really think he could say to make me feel better?
“Look, you don’t need to feel responsible for me, or whatever,” I said sharply when I heard him footsteps follow me into the red room.
“What are you talking about?” Adam asked. He grabbed my shoulder and jerked me roughly around to face him.
I glared hard at him, attempting in vain to wrench my arm from his grasp. “Just because you know the truth about me doesn’t mean you have to act like my best friend now.”
“That’s not why I’m trying to be your friend,” Adam said, now starting to look angry. Like he had any right to be angry. “I’m just trying to help you.”
“I don’t need your help,” I said. My eyes widened in exaggeration. “Oh wait, maybe you’re right. Maybe I do need your help. I’m just a kid, right? I can’t do anything by myself. I’m just the fucking best friend’s little brother, right? All I’ve ever been, right?”
“Kris, I honestly have no idea what you’re going on about,” Adam said incredulously. I just rolled my eyes at him. Of course he didn’t. He’d never even paid attention to me before now, so why would he even try and care what I’m saying?
“I just don’t want to be the kid brother anymore,” I said, staring decidedly at some point over his shoulder.
“But you’ll always be Daniel’s brother,” Adam said, still clueless as ever.
“I know,” I said with a sigh.
“Then I don’t get it,” Adam said in frustration. “I’m so sick of trying to figure you out! What the hell do you want from me?”
I groaned and pressed my hands against my face. How was I supposed to answer that? I knew exactly what I wanted, but I couldn’t really tell him that. But I promised myself I would. My subconscious helpfully reminded me of the decision I made a while ago. But what I had told myself then was right. I had bigger problems than some stupid crush on my brother’s best friend.
That in mind, I closed the space between us before I could second guess myself, and pressed a rough, almost angry kiss against his lips. Hell, maybe it was an angry kiss. I was still royally pissed at him for treating me like a kid. I stayed like that for a moment, until it hit me like a punch to the stomach: he wasn’t kissing me back. Not that I had expected him to, but instead I felt a gentle pressure on my shoulder. He was pushing me away.
“Kris,” Adam said cautiously after I’d taken the hint and stepped back. “I’m sor-”
“Don’t,” I cut him off quickly, my gaze determinedly holding his. “Just stop treating me like a kid, okay?” Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked swiftly back to the room.