fic: better left to chance (ai rpf, david cook/carrie underwood)
Title: better left to chance
Author: empressearwig
Pairing/Fandom: David Cook/Carrie Underwood; American Idol RPF
Rating: R
Word Count: 3950
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is all for fun. This didn’t happen. At least not yet. Etc.
Summary: And that's how they end up performing together at Idol Gives Back.
Author's Notes: For irishmizzy and normative_jean, because they're the non-judging breakfast club.
David knows that his relationship with Carrie is the worst kept secret at 19E. And that some of the reasons for that (okay, a lot of the reasons for that) are probably his fault. But the way he sees it, he's dating Carrie fucking Underwood. Expecting him to keep that a secret was always a crazy idea. He might have won American Idol, but he's still the broke bartender from Tulsa in his head, and guys like him do not end up with girls like her.
But it's not till he gets a call from Simon Fuller personally that he realizes just how open a secret their relationship has become. Simon's technically his manager and he calls sometimes to check in on how writing the new album is going or promotional appearances he wants David to make (mostly when Simon knows that David won't want to), but most of the time David is delegated to staff. Which is fine with him.
So getting the call is weird. That he gets it while he's sitting in Carrie's living room in Nashville is fucking weird.
He answers his phone because he doesn't really have a choice, and listens as Simon tells him his master plan of having David and Carrie perform together at Idol Gives Back since all of their joint appearances have gone over so well, and doesn't David think it's a great idea, too? David does think that, actually, because performing with Carrie is pretty damn awesome, but he's not exactly sure how she's going to feel about it. All the joint appearances aren't really helping to keep things between them a secret. Then again, neither is the fact that he's basically moved into her house to write the new album, and she seems okay with that. He can't really mention his concerns to Simon, though, because hello, secret, and he's trying to figure out how to say something without saying something, when Simon says, "Talk to Carrie about it and the two of you can call me back later to discuss things further." And then he hangs up.
David blinks. Did Simon just tell him that he knows where David is spending his all his time? Was that Simon giving them his blessing? He's not sure he understands what the hell just happened.
When Carrie comes downstairs after her shower, he's still sitting in the same spot on her couch, staring at his phone. She actually has to wave a hand in front of his face to get his attention. "Hello? Anyone home?"
He looks up at her. "They want us to sing at Idol Gives Back. Together. And I'm pretty sure that Simon just told me he knows we're dating."
Carrie shrugs. "Okay. What do you want to order for dinner?"
And that's how they end up performing together at Idol Gives Back.
*
Of course it's not that simple. Picking a song is a lot harder than David thought it would be. Their labels are pushing for something off their albums, and while David and Carrie both veto that idea immediately, they can't agree on what to actually sing. Given the occasion it basically has to be an emotionally manipulative ballad, they agree on that, but they can't decide whose kind of song it should be.
He wants rock and she wants country and it isn't long before everyone they know is sick of them debating the subject. Andy and Neal refuse to go to dinner with him and Carrie after a writing session unless they don't have to give opinions on songs, and Carrie's bass player actually bars him from watching tour rehearsals till he promises not to start debating the merits of Our Lady Peace versus Martina McBride.
David's pretty sure there was a time when he was in charge. He just can't remember when it was.
He and Carrie are driving to meet Andy for dinner when they finally manage to agree on a song. Carrie has the radio set to country like she always does, and he's drumming his fingers against the dash in time with the newest Taylor Swift song. He can't help it, it's catchy. And if he ever says that around Neal, Neal is going to punch him in the face.
David likes his face the way it is.
The music on the radio shifts, to something slower, more melodic, something he thinks he recognizes. Carrie starts humming along and when the vocals start, he remembers. His mom used to love Garth Brooks. Still does probably.
He shoots Carrie a sideways look. She's got a little smile on her face, and it's like she's trying her best not to start singing along. "What song is this?"
She turns towards him for just a second, before looking back at the road. "What? Oh, the song. 'The Dance.' Garth Brooks."
"I like it."
She looks back at him with surprise. "Really?"
"Yeah."
They listen to the rest of the song in silence, the last chords playing as they pull into the restaurant's parking lot. Carrie cuts the engine and starts to get out of the car, but David grabs her arm and she glances back at him with a confused look on her face. "What?"
"Let's sing that." The confusion her face deepens, and he shakes his head. "For Idol. Let's do that song."
Carrie's jaw actually drops, and he has to bite his lip to not laugh, because he thought that only happened in cartoons. "What?"
Now David does laugh. He can't help it. "It's like you think I don't like country music or something. I happen to own three Carrie Underwood records, you know."
She hits him in the arm almost by reflex and she's still looking at him like he's suddenly grown two heads. It's pretty fucking adorable. "I'm just confused," she says. "You've spent the last two weeks shooting down every country suggestion I've made and now you hear a song on the radio and --"
He leans in and kisses her, cutting off whatever else she was going to say. When he pulls back, she's got a sort of dazed look on her face and he smirks. He still can't believe he gets to do that. "What were you saying?"
Carrie makes a face and shakes her head at him. "I hate you."
David laughs again and lets go of her arm. "That's what they all say."
She swats at him another time as they both slide out of the car. When she rounds the hood, she bumps him with her hip. He wraps his arm around her waist and she leans against his side as they head into the restaurant.
Yep, still can't believe he gets to do that.
*
At dinner, in the middle of a story David wishes Andy weren't telling Carrie about tour, he hears the song again. Under the table, Carrie slips her hand into his and squeezes tight.
They call and tell the producers what they'll be singing the next day.
*
They manage to fit in a few rehearsals in with Carrie's band before the show, and the song sounds pretty fucking awesome. The guys keep grinning like idiots while they're singing, and if David had to guess, he's willing to bet he looks the same way. It's just -- getting to sing, to perform, to do all of this with Carrie -- it's basically a dream come true.
(Carrie smiles at him that way when they're performing, too, so at least he's not alone in looking like a lovesick dweeb. It helps.)
David tries not to think about the fact that a week after they sing together she's leaving for tour.
*
Idol Gives Back is basically a reunion show. At rehearsals, David actually loses track of how many former contestants and crew he sees and has to hug. Kelly and Chris are there as usual, and Jordin and the other Kris. Mostly he and Carrie just sit in one of the green rooms and chill, talking with everyone else about never ending tours and bad hotels and how hard it is to write good albums with the label breathing down your neck. That's the nice thing about Idol reunions; no one else in the world understands better than these people do.
On day two, Carrie has a bunch of phone interviews to do, so it's just him and Kelly sitting around shooting the shit. She gives him this look, and he can just tell that she's going to say something.
"So you and Carrie, huh?" she asks with a half smile on her face.
He can actually feel the back of his neck getting hot, and what is he, twelve? He shrugs sort of helplessly. "Yeah?"
Kelly grins and reaches over to pat his shoulder. "Good for you."
She changes the subject to how weird it is to be back without Paula around acting crazy and passing out hugs like they're candy to babies, and when Carrie comes back in he's laughing like an idiot at one of Kelly's stories. Carrie sits down next to him and his arm slides down from the back of the couch to around her shoulders, and Kelly gives him the look again.
He pretends not to notice.
*
The first time they perform the song onstage, Debbie the stage manager comes up to hug both of them with tears streaming down her face.
He meets Carrie's eyes over Debbie's head and smiles. Mission accomplished.
*
Simon books them on Ryan's radio show the morning of the broadcast, and even though neither of them wants to, they show up at the studio like the good little former American Idols that they are. When they get there, Ryan's freakishly alert and David sees a trash can full of empty red bull cans in the corner of his booth. He'd always wondered what Ryan's secret was; he figured it was uppers.
David's still not awake enough to form complete sentences, much less give an interview, so Ryan has a P.A. bring in coffee. When Carrie tells the kid that he takes it with two creams and no sugar, David sees Ryan's eyebrows go up all the way to his hairline and he thinks, shit. But then Ryan knows everything about everyone, so if there's someone in Los Angeles that has to be suspicious, it's probably better that it's him. Still. Shit.
The coffee is hot and strong and David drinks it too fast, but he needs to wake up so he doesn't say something stupid on air. Like admit that he and Carrie are dating. He likes to think he wouldn't be dumb enough to do that, but he knows himself. If someone wants to get the truth out of him, they just need to wait till he's drunk, sleep deprived, or give him a blow job.
The guys regularly use the first two against him. If they ever try the third, he's firing them all.
Carrie elbows him in the side, hard, and he almost spills his coffee. He frowns at her. "What?"
She rolls her eyes and nods her head towards the chair that's right in front of him. "Sit down, dumbass."
"Language, Ms. Underwood," he scolds, sitting down and pulling out the chair next to his for her automatically. "What would your public think if they knew America's country princess had a potty mouth?"
"What would they say if they knew you're the world's biggest dork?" Carrie counters, sliding into her seat.
"Pretty sure they already know that."
"I don't want to interrupt," Ryan interjects, and they both snap their heads towards him. He's smirking at them, and David takes another drink of his coffee to stop from reaching across the booth and wiping the look off Ryan's face. He can't deal with this shit so early in the morning.
Carrie rests her hand on his knee and squeezes. David's not sure he should take it as a warning or reassurance.
"We'll get started when we come back from commercial," Ryan says, looking back and forth between them. "You guys ready?"
"Of course," Carrie says, settling the headset over her ears and leaning forward so the mic is within easy reach.
"Sure," David echoes, taking the headset Carrie passes him and doing the same. He's given a million of these interviews in the last two years, it should be routine by now. But if this were a normal interview he'd be here with Neal, not Carrie, and frankly, Neal isn't nearly as pretty at the ass crack of dawn as she is.
A producer cues Ryan and he starts the intro for the interview. Carrie's hand is still on David's knee. He turns it over and threads his fingers through hers.
This is better than the normal routine.
*
When David checks his phone for messages after the interview, he has four new texts. The one from his mom wants to know when he's bringing Carrie to visit again. Andrew's is a desperate plea for the exclusive when he and Carrie decide to go public for real. Neal warns him that if he writes another sappy love song that he's quitting the band. And Andy just sent a bunch of obnoxious kissing faces.
David wonders, not for the first time, if it's possible to divorce his friends and family.
*
They go back to the hotel to take a nap before the show. Neither of them really got any sleep the night before, because Kelly had insisted they all go to her favorite dive bar, and David's never met a dive bar he didn't like. Carrie had tried to say no, but he'd backed her against the wall of green room and kissed her till she agreed. She didn't put up much of a fight. She likes dive bars, too, she just doesn't like to admit it. He likes making her admit it.
The midday sun streaming through the cracks in the blinds is the first thing David notices when he wakes up. The second is Carrie burrowed into his side, her long blonde hair splayed out across his chest. Neither of them are normally cuddlers when they sleep, but this is nice.
He strokes his hand over her hair and wonders if she's as sad that she's leaving for tour as he is. He hopes so, even if that makes him a shitty, unsupportive boyfriend. He doesn't want to say goodbye again.
Carrie shifts under his hand, stretching like a cat. She tilts her face back to look at him, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. "Hi," she says, voice thick and groggy. "What time is it?"
He looks over her head, at the beside table where the alarm clock is blinking at them in bright red lights. "About eleven. We should probably get up."
She shakes her head and presses her nose into his shirt. "Don't wanna."
"This is a switch," he laughs, skimming his hand over her back and palming her hip. "Normally I'm the one that doesn't want to get out of bed."
She lifts her head just a little and looks up at him with heavy, almost bedroom, eyes. "Are you sure you want to get out of bed now?" She rolls on top of him, straddling his waist. Her hair falls in her face and she pushes it back with impatient hands, bending her head to give him a teasing kiss. "Really?"
"Carrie," he groans, tangling his hands in her hair. The woman will be the death of him. But god, it'll be a good way to go.
She laughs against his mouth and kisses him again. It's slower, deeper, and he sinks into it, into her, letting her take him where ever she wants to go. He'll follow blindly; they both know that.
They undress each other in the half dark, touching each other slowly, with gentle hands. They touch each other like they have all the time in the world, like this is a moment frozen in time and it's going to last forever. When he looks at her in his arms, he believes that it will.
*
Of course they're late getting to the theater. When Carrie blames him, he just raises an eyebrow and asks which one of them couldn't keep their hands to themselves. She concedes the point.
Backstage is a mad house like it always is before a show, but about a million times worse because of all the special guests. It's a lot of hurry up and wait and getting pushed out of the dressing room so Carrie can get ready. David doesn't really mind, Daughtry's managed to hook up a Play Station in his dressing room, and he hangs out there getting his ass handed to him in Madden. He'd never have guessed that Kris Allen had such a ruthless streak when it came to video games. Beneath his freakishly laid back exterior is someone that takes no prisoners. It makes him like Kris more.
Soon enough David's being paged to the stage and when he sees Carrie he feels like the wind's been knocked out of him. She's the most beautiful woman he knows, always, but tonight... He can't find the words for it. He's not sure he remembers what words are.
"You look..." he breathes out, still staring at her in awe. If Neal were here, David knows he'd be getting slapped and told to snap out of it right about now. But fuck it, just look at her.
Carrie laughs and presses a kiss to his cheek, rubbing off the lip gloss with her thumb. "Thank you."
He shakes his head, trying to regain the power of speech. "Seriously, Carrie, you look amazing." He shakes his head again. "You look more than that, there aren't words for how beautiful you are."
"As long as you remember the words to the song."
"Hell, I'm lucky I remember my name right now." Her head snaps back around to look at him, but he grins and holds his hands out in front of him. "Kidding, I swear."
She presses a hand to her heart. "Do not do that. God. I think you almost gave me a heart attack."
"Then we're even." He reaches out and takes her hand, squeezing it briefly. "Let's kill it."
Carrie smiles and starts to say something, but a P.A. is pushing them out onto the stage and there isn't anymore time to say anything. They take their places and the lights dim, and he can hear Ryan announcing their names right before the music starts to play.
And then a spot shines on Carrie and she starts to sing and all he can see or hear is her. When he steps into the light and matches his voice to hers, he thinks it might be the most perfect moment of his life. She smiles at him and he knows that it is.
*
When the song is over, and the audience is cheering like they did the night he won Idol, David raises Carrie's hand to his lips and drops a kiss on her knuckles. It's not quite what he wants, but he knows it's all he can have. The smile Carrie gives him in return, like she knows exactly how he feels and he'll be rewarded for it later, makes him want to drag her off stage and get started on the later immediately.
Neither of them notice when the cheers get louder.
*
There's an after party, and even though he's usually all about the free food and beer, all David really wants to do is go up to their room and finish what Carrie started when she pushed him against the door of her dressing room after they got off stage. He doesn't think that anyone would believe him if he told them (and if they did, he still wouldn't get any sympathy), but the woman is a goddamn tease when she wants to be.
But Carrie says they have to at least make an appearance, and he knows that she's right, so off they go to the party. The ballroom is packed and he loses sight of her almost immediately as she's swallowed by the crowd. He makes his way to the bar and orders a beer. He figures its the least he deserves.
Kelly materializes at his elbow and signals the bartender for another beer. She bumps against his shoulder, and he turns to look at her. She's got that same knowing smile on her face from the other day, and he regrets not ordering a shot with his beer. "So," she says.
"So," he echoes, grabbing his bottle and taking a long drink.
"You were great tonight, did I tell you that?"
He shakes his head. "No. Back at you, by the way."
"Thank you." She takes her own drink. "So."
He laughs. Kelly is many things, but subtle is not one of them. "Just say it, you know you want to."
"It was pretty adorable what you did on stage, that's all," she says innocently, picking at the label on her beer bottle with her fingernail.
"What can I say, I'm an adorable guy." He drains his beer and signals for another. He's pretty sure he's going to need it.
"And modest, too," she laughs, bumping his shoulder again. "Seriously, though, why don't you guys just admit it? You're cute as hell, and I'm sure Fuller would get down on his knees and kiss your feet in gratitude for such a feel good story. I mean, two American Idols hooking up? It's like his dream come true."
He gives her a pointed look. "That's why."
"Why what?" Carrie says from behind his shoulder. She steals his beer and takes a drink, passing it back to him. "Hey, Kelly."
"Hey, Carrie," Kelly says, giving David that look again. "I was just telling Dave how great you guys were."
Carrie smiles at her and uses his shoulder as an arm rest. "Thanks, you too." She fans herself with her hand. "God, it's hot in here."
"Do you want to get some air?" he asks, looking back at her. She's all warm pressed against his side, and he really wants to get away from prying eyes and awkward conversations, because he's not sure how much longer he'll remember that he's supposed to keep his hands to himself. Not that either of them have been doing a good job of that this week.
"You don't mind?"
"Nope." Understatement of the year. Decade. Whatever. He pushes off from the bar. "Kelly, always a pleasure."
Kelly nods, saluting them with her beer. "See you guys later."
He puts his hand on the small of Carrie's back and steers her through the crowd. The sooner they get away, the sooner he can make her follow through on what she promised. He's not so much of a girl that sex with his freakishly hot girlfriend isn't at the top of his priority list. That might be all that keeps Neal from smothering him in his sleep sometimes.
She looks up at him and asks, "Do I want to know what that was about?"
"No."
She leaves it at that and they escape into the lobby, making a beeline for the elevators. She's kissing him as the elevator doors close and he stops thinking about anything but her. He doesn't think of anything but her for the rest of the night.
*
They fly back to Nashville the next afternoon.
Just after takeoff, Carrie tips her head onto his shoulder and murmurs, "I can't wait to get home," before drifting off to sleep. He rests his head against hers and closes his eyes.
Going home sounds like the best idea he's ever heard.
Author: empressearwig
Pairing/Fandom: David Cook/Carrie Underwood; American Idol RPF
Rating: R
Word Count: 3950
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is all for fun. This didn’t happen. At least not yet. Etc.
Summary: And that's how they end up performing together at Idol Gives Back.
Author's Notes: For irishmizzy and normative_jean, because they're the non-judging breakfast club.
David knows that his relationship with Carrie is the worst kept secret at 19E. And that some of the reasons for that (okay, a lot of the reasons for that) are probably his fault. But the way he sees it, he's dating Carrie fucking Underwood. Expecting him to keep that a secret was always a crazy idea. He might have won American Idol, but he's still the broke bartender from Tulsa in his head, and guys like him do not end up with girls like her.
But it's not till he gets a call from Simon Fuller personally that he realizes just how open a secret their relationship has become. Simon's technically his manager and he calls sometimes to check in on how writing the new album is going or promotional appearances he wants David to make (mostly when Simon knows that David won't want to), but most of the time David is delegated to staff. Which is fine with him.
So getting the call is weird. That he gets it while he's sitting in Carrie's living room in Nashville is fucking weird.
He answers his phone because he doesn't really have a choice, and listens as Simon tells him his master plan of having David and Carrie perform together at Idol Gives Back since all of their joint appearances have gone over so well, and doesn't David think it's a great idea, too? David does think that, actually, because performing with Carrie is pretty damn awesome, but he's not exactly sure how she's going to feel about it. All the joint appearances aren't really helping to keep things between them a secret. Then again, neither is the fact that he's basically moved into her house to write the new album, and she seems okay with that. He can't really mention his concerns to Simon, though, because hello, secret, and he's trying to figure out how to say something without saying something, when Simon says, "Talk to Carrie about it and the two of you can call me back later to discuss things further." And then he hangs up.
David blinks. Did Simon just tell him that he knows where David is spending his all his time? Was that Simon giving them his blessing? He's not sure he understands what the hell just happened.
When Carrie comes downstairs after her shower, he's still sitting in the same spot on her couch, staring at his phone. She actually has to wave a hand in front of his face to get his attention. "Hello? Anyone home?"
He looks up at her. "They want us to sing at Idol Gives Back. Together. And I'm pretty sure that Simon just told me he knows we're dating."
Carrie shrugs. "Okay. What do you want to order for dinner?"
And that's how they end up performing together at Idol Gives Back.
*
Of course it's not that simple. Picking a song is a lot harder than David thought it would be. Their labels are pushing for something off their albums, and while David and Carrie both veto that idea immediately, they can't agree on what to actually sing. Given the occasion it basically has to be an emotionally manipulative ballad, they agree on that, but they can't decide whose kind of song it should be.
He wants rock and she wants country and it isn't long before everyone they know is sick of them debating the subject. Andy and Neal refuse to go to dinner with him and Carrie after a writing session unless they don't have to give opinions on songs, and Carrie's bass player actually bars him from watching tour rehearsals till he promises not to start debating the merits of Our Lady Peace versus Martina McBride.
David's pretty sure there was a time when he was in charge. He just can't remember when it was.
He and Carrie are driving to meet Andy for dinner when they finally manage to agree on a song. Carrie has the radio set to country like she always does, and he's drumming his fingers against the dash in time with the newest Taylor Swift song. He can't help it, it's catchy. And if he ever says that around Neal, Neal is going to punch him in the face.
David likes his face the way it is.
The music on the radio shifts, to something slower, more melodic, something he thinks he recognizes. Carrie starts humming along and when the vocals start, he remembers. His mom used to love Garth Brooks. Still does probably.
He shoots Carrie a sideways look. She's got a little smile on her face, and it's like she's trying her best not to start singing along. "What song is this?"
She turns towards him for just a second, before looking back at the road. "What? Oh, the song. 'The Dance.' Garth Brooks."
"I like it."
She looks back at him with surprise. "Really?"
"Yeah."
They listen to the rest of the song in silence, the last chords playing as they pull into the restaurant's parking lot. Carrie cuts the engine and starts to get out of the car, but David grabs her arm and she glances back at him with a confused look on her face. "What?"
"Let's sing that." The confusion her face deepens, and he shakes his head. "For Idol. Let's do that song."
Carrie's jaw actually drops, and he has to bite his lip to not laugh, because he thought that only happened in cartoons. "What?"
Now David does laugh. He can't help it. "It's like you think I don't like country music or something. I happen to own three Carrie Underwood records, you know."
She hits him in the arm almost by reflex and she's still looking at him like he's suddenly grown two heads. It's pretty fucking adorable. "I'm just confused," she says. "You've spent the last two weeks shooting down every country suggestion I've made and now you hear a song on the radio and --"
He leans in and kisses her, cutting off whatever else she was going to say. When he pulls back, she's got a sort of dazed look on her face and he smirks. He still can't believe he gets to do that. "What were you saying?"
Carrie makes a face and shakes her head at him. "I hate you."
David laughs again and lets go of her arm. "That's what they all say."
She swats at him another time as they both slide out of the car. When she rounds the hood, she bumps him with her hip. He wraps his arm around her waist and she leans against his side as they head into the restaurant.
Yep, still can't believe he gets to do that.
*
At dinner, in the middle of a story David wishes Andy weren't telling Carrie about tour, he hears the song again. Under the table, Carrie slips her hand into his and squeezes tight.
They call and tell the producers what they'll be singing the next day.
*
They manage to fit in a few rehearsals in with Carrie's band before the show, and the song sounds pretty fucking awesome. The guys keep grinning like idiots while they're singing, and if David had to guess, he's willing to bet he looks the same way. It's just -- getting to sing, to perform, to do all of this with Carrie -- it's basically a dream come true.
(Carrie smiles at him that way when they're performing, too, so at least he's not alone in looking like a lovesick dweeb. It helps.)
David tries not to think about the fact that a week after they sing together she's leaving for tour.
*
Idol Gives Back is basically a reunion show. At rehearsals, David actually loses track of how many former contestants and crew he sees and has to hug. Kelly and Chris are there as usual, and Jordin and the other Kris. Mostly he and Carrie just sit in one of the green rooms and chill, talking with everyone else about never ending tours and bad hotels and how hard it is to write good albums with the label breathing down your neck. That's the nice thing about Idol reunions; no one else in the world understands better than these people do.
On day two, Carrie has a bunch of phone interviews to do, so it's just him and Kelly sitting around shooting the shit. She gives him this look, and he can just tell that she's going to say something.
"So you and Carrie, huh?" she asks with a half smile on her face.
He can actually feel the back of his neck getting hot, and what is he, twelve? He shrugs sort of helplessly. "Yeah?"
Kelly grins and reaches over to pat his shoulder. "Good for you."
She changes the subject to how weird it is to be back without Paula around acting crazy and passing out hugs like they're candy to babies, and when Carrie comes back in he's laughing like an idiot at one of Kelly's stories. Carrie sits down next to him and his arm slides down from the back of the couch to around her shoulders, and Kelly gives him the look again.
He pretends not to notice.
*
The first time they perform the song onstage, Debbie the stage manager comes up to hug both of them with tears streaming down her face.
He meets Carrie's eyes over Debbie's head and smiles. Mission accomplished.
*
Simon books them on Ryan's radio show the morning of the broadcast, and even though neither of them wants to, they show up at the studio like the good little former American Idols that they are. When they get there, Ryan's freakishly alert and David sees a trash can full of empty red bull cans in the corner of his booth. He'd always wondered what Ryan's secret was; he figured it was uppers.
David's still not awake enough to form complete sentences, much less give an interview, so Ryan has a P.A. bring in coffee. When Carrie tells the kid that he takes it with two creams and no sugar, David sees Ryan's eyebrows go up all the way to his hairline and he thinks, shit. But then Ryan knows everything about everyone, so if there's someone in Los Angeles that has to be suspicious, it's probably better that it's him. Still. Shit.
The coffee is hot and strong and David drinks it too fast, but he needs to wake up so he doesn't say something stupid on air. Like admit that he and Carrie are dating. He likes to think he wouldn't be dumb enough to do that, but he knows himself. If someone wants to get the truth out of him, they just need to wait till he's drunk, sleep deprived, or give him a blow job.
The guys regularly use the first two against him. If they ever try the third, he's firing them all.
Carrie elbows him in the side, hard, and he almost spills his coffee. He frowns at her. "What?"
She rolls her eyes and nods her head towards the chair that's right in front of him. "Sit down, dumbass."
"Language, Ms. Underwood," he scolds, sitting down and pulling out the chair next to his for her automatically. "What would your public think if they knew America's country princess had a potty mouth?"
"What would they say if they knew you're the world's biggest dork?" Carrie counters, sliding into her seat.
"Pretty sure they already know that."
"I don't want to interrupt," Ryan interjects, and they both snap their heads towards him. He's smirking at them, and David takes another drink of his coffee to stop from reaching across the booth and wiping the look off Ryan's face. He can't deal with this shit so early in the morning.
Carrie rests her hand on his knee and squeezes. David's not sure he should take it as a warning or reassurance.
"We'll get started when we come back from commercial," Ryan says, looking back and forth between them. "You guys ready?"
"Of course," Carrie says, settling the headset over her ears and leaning forward so the mic is within easy reach.
"Sure," David echoes, taking the headset Carrie passes him and doing the same. He's given a million of these interviews in the last two years, it should be routine by now. But if this were a normal interview he'd be here with Neal, not Carrie, and frankly, Neal isn't nearly as pretty at the ass crack of dawn as she is.
A producer cues Ryan and he starts the intro for the interview. Carrie's hand is still on David's knee. He turns it over and threads his fingers through hers.
This is better than the normal routine.
*
When David checks his phone for messages after the interview, he has four new texts. The one from his mom wants to know when he's bringing Carrie to visit again. Andrew's is a desperate plea for the exclusive when he and Carrie decide to go public for real. Neal warns him that if he writes another sappy love song that he's quitting the band. And Andy just sent a bunch of obnoxious kissing faces.
David wonders, not for the first time, if it's possible to divorce his friends and family.
*
They go back to the hotel to take a nap before the show. Neither of them really got any sleep the night before, because Kelly had insisted they all go to her favorite dive bar, and David's never met a dive bar he didn't like. Carrie had tried to say no, but he'd backed her against the wall of green room and kissed her till she agreed. She didn't put up much of a fight. She likes dive bars, too, she just doesn't like to admit it. He likes making her admit it.
The midday sun streaming through the cracks in the blinds is the first thing David notices when he wakes up. The second is Carrie burrowed into his side, her long blonde hair splayed out across his chest. Neither of them are normally cuddlers when they sleep, but this is nice.
He strokes his hand over her hair and wonders if she's as sad that she's leaving for tour as he is. He hopes so, even if that makes him a shitty, unsupportive boyfriend. He doesn't want to say goodbye again.
Carrie shifts under his hand, stretching like a cat. She tilts her face back to look at him, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. "Hi," she says, voice thick and groggy. "What time is it?"
He looks over her head, at the beside table where the alarm clock is blinking at them in bright red lights. "About eleven. We should probably get up."
She shakes her head and presses her nose into his shirt. "Don't wanna."
"This is a switch," he laughs, skimming his hand over her back and palming her hip. "Normally I'm the one that doesn't want to get out of bed."
She lifts her head just a little and looks up at him with heavy, almost bedroom, eyes. "Are you sure you want to get out of bed now?" She rolls on top of him, straddling his waist. Her hair falls in her face and she pushes it back with impatient hands, bending her head to give him a teasing kiss. "Really?"
"Carrie," he groans, tangling his hands in her hair. The woman will be the death of him. But god, it'll be a good way to go.
She laughs against his mouth and kisses him again. It's slower, deeper, and he sinks into it, into her, letting her take him where ever she wants to go. He'll follow blindly; they both know that.
They undress each other in the half dark, touching each other slowly, with gentle hands. They touch each other like they have all the time in the world, like this is a moment frozen in time and it's going to last forever. When he looks at her in his arms, he believes that it will.
*
Of course they're late getting to the theater. When Carrie blames him, he just raises an eyebrow and asks which one of them couldn't keep their hands to themselves. She concedes the point.
Backstage is a mad house like it always is before a show, but about a million times worse because of all the special guests. It's a lot of hurry up and wait and getting pushed out of the dressing room so Carrie can get ready. David doesn't really mind, Daughtry's managed to hook up a Play Station in his dressing room, and he hangs out there getting his ass handed to him in Madden. He'd never have guessed that Kris Allen had such a ruthless streak when it came to video games. Beneath his freakishly laid back exterior is someone that takes no prisoners. It makes him like Kris more.
Soon enough David's being paged to the stage and when he sees Carrie he feels like the wind's been knocked out of him. She's the most beautiful woman he knows, always, but tonight... He can't find the words for it. He's not sure he remembers what words are.
"You look..." he breathes out, still staring at her in awe. If Neal were here, David knows he'd be getting slapped and told to snap out of it right about now. But fuck it, just look at her.
Carrie laughs and presses a kiss to his cheek, rubbing off the lip gloss with her thumb. "Thank you."
He shakes his head, trying to regain the power of speech. "Seriously, Carrie, you look amazing." He shakes his head again. "You look more than that, there aren't words for how beautiful you are."
"As long as you remember the words to the song."
"Hell, I'm lucky I remember my name right now." Her head snaps back around to look at him, but he grins and holds his hands out in front of him. "Kidding, I swear."
She presses a hand to her heart. "Do not do that. God. I think you almost gave me a heart attack."
"Then we're even." He reaches out and takes her hand, squeezing it briefly. "Let's kill it."
Carrie smiles and starts to say something, but a P.A. is pushing them out onto the stage and there isn't anymore time to say anything. They take their places and the lights dim, and he can hear Ryan announcing their names right before the music starts to play.
And then a spot shines on Carrie and she starts to sing and all he can see or hear is her. When he steps into the light and matches his voice to hers, he thinks it might be the most perfect moment of his life. She smiles at him and he knows that it is.
*
When the song is over, and the audience is cheering like they did the night he won Idol, David raises Carrie's hand to his lips and drops a kiss on her knuckles. It's not quite what he wants, but he knows it's all he can have. The smile Carrie gives him in return, like she knows exactly how he feels and he'll be rewarded for it later, makes him want to drag her off stage and get started on the later immediately.
Neither of them notice when the cheers get louder.
*
There's an after party, and even though he's usually all about the free food and beer, all David really wants to do is go up to their room and finish what Carrie started when she pushed him against the door of her dressing room after they got off stage. He doesn't think that anyone would believe him if he told them (and if they did, he still wouldn't get any sympathy), but the woman is a goddamn tease when she wants to be.
But Carrie says they have to at least make an appearance, and he knows that she's right, so off they go to the party. The ballroom is packed and he loses sight of her almost immediately as she's swallowed by the crowd. He makes his way to the bar and orders a beer. He figures its the least he deserves.
Kelly materializes at his elbow and signals the bartender for another beer. She bumps against his shoulder, and he turns to look at her. She's got that same knowing smile on her face from the other day, and he regrets not ordering a shot with his beer. "So," she says.
"So," he echoes, grabbing his bottle and taking a long drink.
"You were great tonight, did I tell you that?"
He shakes his head. "No. Back at you, by the way."
"Thank you." She takes her own drink. "So."
He laughs. Kelly is many things, but subtle is not one of them. "Just say it, you know you want to."
"It was pretty adorable what you did on stage, that's all," she says innocently, picking at the label on her beer bottle with her fingernail.
"What can I say, I'm an adorable guy." He drains his beer and signals for another. He's pretty sure he's going to need it.
"And modest, too," she laughs, bumping his shoulder again. "Seriously, though, why don't you guys just admit it? You're cute as hell, and I'm sure Fuller would get down on his knees and kiss your feet in gratitude for such a feel good story. I mean, two American Idols hooking up? It's like his dream come true."
He gives her a pointed look. "That's why."
"Why what?" Carrie says from behind his shoulder. She steals his beer and takes a drink, passing it back to him. "Hey, Kelly."
"Hey, Carrie," Kelly says, giving David that look again. "I was just telling Dave how great you guys were."
Carrie smiles at her and uses his shoulder as an arm rest. "Thanks, you too." She fans herself with her hand. "God, it's hot in here."
"Do you want to get some air?" he asks, looking back at her. She's all warm pressed against his side, and he really wants to get away from prying eyes and awkward conversations, because he's not sure how much longer he'll remember that he's supposed to keep his hands to himself. Not that either of them have been doing a good job of that this week.
"You don't mind?"
"Nope." Understatement of the year. Decade. Whatever. He pushes off from the bar. "Kelly, always a pleasure."
Kelly nods, saluting them with her beer. "See you guys later."
He puts his hand on the small of Carrie's back and steers her through the crowd. The sooner they get away, the sooner he can make her follow through on what she promised. He's not so much of a girl that sex with his freakishly hot girlfriend isn't at the top of his priority list. That might be all that keeps Neal from smothering him in his sleep sometimes.
She looks up at him and asks, "Do I want to know what that was about?"
"No."
She leaves it at that and they escape into the lobby, making a beeline for the elevators. She's kissing him as the elevator doors close and he stops thinking about anything but her. He doesn't think of anything but her for the rest of the night.
*
They fly back to Nashville the next afternoon.
Just after takeoff, Carrie tips her head onto his shoulder and murmurs, "I can't wait to get home," before drifting off to sleep. He rests his head against hers and closes his eyes.
Going home sounds like the best idea he's ever heard.