Coup de Foudre - Part 1

[eaivalefay]

Coup de Foudre - Part 1


It was becoming increasingly apparent to Harry that he and trouble were inextricably linked. His whole life he’d been dogged by it in some form or another.

…but he thought it had been England. England and magic. So he moved. It was the practical option and after talking it over with his friends he knew they understood. He had to get away from the mess he called a life.

He’d ended up in America, with his same face but a new name, no magic, and a great deal less fame. He was known by the wizards in America, but they were more dispersed. Small communities across the breadth of the continent and thoroughly mixed in with their muggle counterparts. They weren’t concentrated in one intense section of a small island. Harry suspected all that concentrated magic made his country a little mad.

Really, Americans didn’t give much of a crap about what he’d done in the UK. It was old and distant news. When a wizard did spot him there was no screaming and no gushing. There was occasionally a nod or a raised, inquisitive eyebrow. Two kids had asked for his autograph, back in Memphis in a little apothecary he frequented. Mostly there was nothing. No one usually recognized him.

At the core, what it all meant was that no one ratted him out to the British wizarding world. No one cared enough to bother. He got his dream: a new name, a new life. He had his second chance away from the politics and constant attention. It was a brilliant new beginning to be himself. If he could figure out who he even was, because sometimes he felt like he didn’t have a clue.

Yet somehow, despite everything he’d done to escape… He was without the media. Without the politicians and bureaucrats. Without England or magic. And here he was, with trouble.

It started where most things start. Money. When you’ve given up magic and have no useful muggle skills beyond primary school, it was kind of hard to get clothes, or apartments, or food. So he’d cheated just a little and apparated to America – his last act of magic – and promptly took to drifting across the country.

He hitched rides and did odd jobs every place from small, pea-sized towns to big, sprawling cities until he’d hit on some big-event concert.

He’d fucking lucked out.

He was front row and center for the rant of the year, where some woman capped off her complaint by quitting her job. It was astonishing who they would hire and how when they were desperate. Because they looked around, took a quick glance at Harry, asked if he could drive a truck, and threw him in the front seat of a semi. It was one skill he’d picked up between Little Rock and Las Vegas only a year before, and thank Merlin, because these people were offering good money to get him behind the wheel.

Oh, they got a proper driver at their next official stop, but the money had been brilliantly good. So Harry did the only sensible thing he could think of, he fished around for more odd jobs. If they kept paying that well he would have a tidy sum stored up and a few months with steady, interesting work.

That was how he came to be some odds-and-ends roadie for the American Idol Tour of 2009. And that’s how he came to be in the best trouble of his life.

----------

It wasn’t his fault they had some insanely magnetic guy singing every night and interacting with the crew every day. Of course, half the staff didn’t see the artists half the time, but everyone had made friends throughout the show and everyone tended to end up working somehow with everyone else, at least at some point or another.

Harry was in a unique position of being the go-to guy for the most random crap, even though half the time he hadn’t a clue what he was doing. He did things from driving trucks to hauling sets to working with the make-up artists. He shifted around costumes, made sure they were cleaned, bought coffee and ensured various important people were eating every other day. Most often he was a gopher. He brought cable cords and candy bars to rooms in the dead of night when no one else could be bothered. He had a reputation as doing pretty much anything, which was fine with him, because he liked almost everyone and got paid overtime.

He drew the line at computers. The last time he’d dueled it out with a computer, the bastard piece of technology had won. Then promptly burst into flame. So maybe it lost in the end, but he’d bloody lost too, about four hundred dollars in damage. Every time anyone asked him to fix or even look at a computer, he reminded them he didn’t do that. If they asked again, he pretty much told them where to shove their tech problems. Now that after the first few fires and inexplicable crashes, everyone usually remembered not to call him for that.

The best part was Jack. Jack-the-security-guard. He was one of the tour’s numerous bodyguards, though everyone acknowledged he was mostly Adam Lambert’s bodyguard. Adam seemed to have the most trouble with overzealous fans. Jack had been Harry’s first connection, the bloke who’d invited him to play poker – cash players only – the first night he’d arrived. Harry lost twenty bucks on that game, and made five friends, Jack being the friendliest.

Harry was hard pressed to pin down a reason why, but Jack liked Harry and often pulled him in on random jobs just to chat. Jack, of course, was around Adam Lambert all day. The insanely magnetic guy. The insanely magnetic guy who was thoughtful enough to remember Harry ordering a chai tea latte once and ensuring one was ordered every time they stepped into a coffee shop or anyone even brought up running out for caffeine.

Harry had a hell of a time keeping his eyes off the man. He’d mentioned Lambert’s magnetism, hadn’t he? It was like a bloody siren’s call in his head, every time the man sang or even spoke. It was to the point that Harry juggled his schedule to be free the half hour Adam sang every night.

He was definitely obsessed. That was the trouble.

He didn’t bloody want to be obsessed. He didn’t need this. Romance was for the romantic, not for him. He was cynical, solo and happy that way. But hell, if he could catch that man’s attention…

And that was the other side of the coin. Adam was thoughtful, yes, but that didn’t mean he noticed Harry at all beyond his friendship with Jack. Which is how it was supposed to be. Harry definitely preferred it that way. Not being noticed was by far better than being under the laser gaze of a man that was far too intense. The way he looked at his ex, Drake, Harry was pretty sure that expression could make a diamond crack.

Harry hummed along softly as he watched Adam finish Starlight onstage.

“You’ve got it bad,” a voice said far too close to his ear. Harry jumped, chills running up his spine and neck hairs standing on end. Jack was standing two feet behind him, trying not to smirk.

“Don’t sneak up on me. Shit.” Harry rubbed roughly at the back of his neck. He hated that feeling, the sudden spike of alarm. He was too used to an enemy wand being on the other end, even after all these years.

“I didn’t.” Jack let out a chuckle, crossing thick arms, dark eyebrow arching up over amused brown eyes. “You’re focusing so hard on that stage nothing short of the lights falling from the ceiling gets your attention.”

“Or arses sidling up to me,” Harry said.

“I still say I didn’t, and I’m pretty sure I’ve got witnesses,” Jack said, leaning against the wall. “Got a crush?”

“No,” Harry said it a little too forcefully, and he knew it too. “Not a crush, exactly. It’ll pass. Bloody hell, I don’t even know why.”

Jack shrugged. “From a neutral standpoint? He’s attractive, if you go in for that type, likable, funny, has a voice that can shatter glass, is rocketing toward fame—”

“Fame is not a factor, and I resent that you think so little of me,” Harry interrupted. “I won’t deny the other parts.”

Jack grinned. “I don’t think you’re a fortune seeker, Harry. My instincts go against that idea. But it’s my job to suspect people, and protect the kids.”

“They’re not kids,” Harry said. It was an automatic response, really. “Except for Allison,” He added on belatedly. He had a hard time calling anyone older than eighteen a kid. Even Allison was close enough that Harry didn’t think of her as a child. He hadn’t been at that age, and most of his friends hadn’t been either. Not really.

“They are by my standards. Anyone under thirty,” Jack said.

“Oh good, I just make it past the line then,” Harry snarked.

“So you’re thirty?” Jack asked. His eyes glinted with triumph.

“What, you didn’t check out my credentials the moment I was officially hired?” Harry returned.

“Before, when you were unofficially hired. After all, you were conveniently in the right place at the right time. But there wasn’t much on you. No birth certificate, for one,” Jack said calmly.

Harry shrugged. “Most of my stuff is buried.” Which was all he would say on that. What could he say? Sorry, all my official documents are filed with the wizarding branch of the British government. You could go ask them for it, if you can find them, only they will probably cast a memory charm on you and you won’t remember any of this at all. From Harry’s experience, that would not go well, no matter what view Jack took on it.

Jack nodded slowly. “I have my suspicions, Harry.” At Harry’s questioning look he added, “If you won’t share, I won’t either. Doesn’t mean I don’t trust you, just have a few ideas. But Adam…”

“Doesn’t matter.” Harry shook his head. “Okay, so you caught me out on my, to be quite honest, annoying as hell crush, or whatever you want to call it, but nothing’s ever going to happen. I don’t want anything to. I’m here for work.”

Jack shook his head in turn. “Just because you don’t want anything to…”

“Oh hell, Jack,” Harry said, annoyed. “I can control myself!”

“Can you? Even if someone’s looking back at you?” Jack asked.

Harry frowned in complete confusion. “It’d be nice if you would make sense.” When Jack’s eyebrow arched up and he didn’t answer, Harry sighed and rolled his shoulders. “Never mind, Deanna beeped me fifteen minutes ago, I should probably go see what she wants.”

“Deanna beeped you a quarter of an hour ago and you’re still here?” Jack asked. “She’ll flay you alive.”

He offered Jack a crooked smile. “Yeah, I know. Every other day it’s some new diva request. From a manager! But look, about this thing… nothing’s going on, alright? You don’t need to protect your lamb from me. Poker’s still on tomorrow, right? If Chelsea’s found a replacement for Lou?”

“Yeah, yeah. Poker’s on. I need the extra cash from you god-awful players.” Jack pushed him toward the exit. “Deanna’s going to give you shit.”

Harry could feel Jack’s eyes on him as he left, and if Harry could read his mind, he’d know Jack wasn’t worried about Harry seducing his little “lamb,” because Adam wasn’t a lamb by any stretch of the imagination. If anything, Harry was the one who would need a little protecting.

----------

“Nope, you’re coming with us.” Jack tossed him a bag. “The busses rolled into the hotel, everyone is getting checked in and we’re meeting up and take a van out into the city.”

“Why am I coming on an interview haul?” Harry asked, slinging the gym bag over his shoulder. From the weight he had no doubt it was filled with water bottles and candy bars.

“There’s no interview run today,” Jack said.

An arm slung across Harry’s shoulder. He barely kept from jumping, even though he’d heard the approaching horde of footsteps. “Yep, an afternoon off,” Adam’s voice sounded cheerfully a couple inches above Harry’s head. “You get to come along with us stars and see the sights.”

“Ye-ah,” Kris said. “The good ol’ sights of Washington, DC.”

“Stars?” Lil said simultaneously, rolling her eyes. “Right.” Adam laughed at her.

“Hey,” Danny said, “This is a great place. The seat of the government, the historic sites, c’mon!”

“The world’s largest museum, the Smithsonian. They have everything. A couple museums for Asian art, aviation, Native art, American art, stamps. The zoo,” Harry said absently as Kris playfully charged Danny. He tried to stealthily slip Adam’s arm off his shoulder to no effect whatsoever. Adam simply shifted, tightening his grip a bit and twining his fingers into Harry’s jacket.

Harry could feel Jack’s eyes boring holes into his back from behind as everyone made their way to the vans.

“Danny, you coming with?” Allison asked from Harry’s other side, sliding sunglasses on as they hit the doors. Thankfully the parking lot was private and blocked off, so no fans awaited their idols’ arrival.

“Nope, I’m booked.” Danny shook his head. “Still can’t believe it. Meeting some producers today, one time opportunity.”

“You’ve been to Washington before?” Adam asked Harry quietly, half breathing the question into his ear, not wanting to interrupt the others.

A shiver shot down Harry’s spine like lightning. “Um,” he said articulately.

Adam grinned down at him. “You mentioned museums.”

Harry blinked rapidly, trying to clear the sudden cobwebs from his brain. “Er,” he said. “Right. I rode through here about a year and a half ago, hitchhiking with a nice couple coming back from Niagara Falls. It was their tenth anniversary, reliving the honeymoon, that sort of thing.”

“Is there anything you haven’t done?” Allison asked, making a face. “My parents would kill me if I hitchhiked across America.”

Harry laughed. “Probably because you’re seventeen.”

“They’d kill me at any age for that,” Allison said. “With a speech about dangerous behaviors.”

Kris grinned. “Harry’s like Jack here, nothing’s dangerous to these men of war.”

“Men of war?” Harry asked in a tone of disbelief. “Seriously? Jack, possibly.”

“Don’t go hurting my reputation, Harry,” Jack said, stepping forward and pulling the van door open.

Harry shot a smile at Jack as he finally escaped Adam’s grasp. “You all watch too many horror films. Hitchhiking, from my experience, is not all that dangerous. A couple creeps have tried to pick me up, but I say no and they move on. Not once has a driver attempted to haul me off into a forest or industrial complex on some mad serial murdering binge.”

“But hitchhiking is wrong, kids,” Jack added. He dropped the bag he was carrying in the back with a dull thump. “For a variety of sensible reasons.”

“…right,” Harry said, a note of apology creeping into his voice. “It’s frequently stupid and you should always choose the safest form of available travel.”

Jack cleared his throat pointedly. Matt changed the subject before Jack started in on one of his many prepared lectures. “I’m for some bars, not museums.”

“Food,” Allison said with a tone of finality. “And Lil and I have already planned out our day. You’re free to tag along.”

Lil nodded, “Brunch then shopping. Angie got someone to put highlights together. Maybe a show before dinner and then crashing.”

“Because our workdays aren’t stressful enough?” Harry asked. They all hovered around the two parked vans. “Do any of you ever sleep?”

“Sleep is for days we don’t have off.” Adam and Kris said together, before catching each other’s gaze and bursting out laughing.

“You two spend too much time together,” Lil said.

“Seconded,” Allison said as Harry muttered the same. She elbowed him in the side. “Let’s not start, eh?”

“Where we eating?” Matt asked. “Since you have it planned out.”

“Oh, that’s open. There’s a few places Angie listed…” Allison dug around in her bag. “A Chinese joint—”

“Not Chinese.” Kris made a face. “Three nights in a row is enough for me.”

“No pizza either,” Lil put in quickly.

“There’s The Burger Joint, name making the menu obvious,” Allison suggested.

“How about something that caters to everything?” Adam asked. He glanced at Harry curiously before looking around at everyone else.

“There’s a place, The Prime Rib, they do great ribs and have a pretty good general menu. A bit on the pricy side,” Harry said. He almost frowned outright at Adam, because that look had been weird. Why was he acting so oddly?

Allison said with a grin, “That’s on Angie’s list. They don’t believe in subtle names, do they, these DCers?”

“Ribs sound amazing.” Kris actually groaned. “Barbeque!”

Adam smirked, “Guess we’re going out for ribs.”

----------

How was Harry supposed to know ribs would be a big mistake? He wasn’t bloody psychic, no matter what some wizarding tabloids might claim.

Only six of them ended up going out to eat, the others deciding to stay in or already having other plans. Only Adam, Allison, Lil and Kris ended up going out, and Harry wasn’t sure why he was coming along when Jack could easily look after four of them. Only Adam had his arm around him, urging him into the van, and he couldn’t catch a lapse in the chatter to point it out.

The Prime Rib had a nice atmosphere, with dim lights and music that didn’t make ears bleed. They piled comfortably into a booth, ordered drinks and decided to split oysters on the half shell and a shrimp cocktail, which had been all Adam’s idea. The food was amazing, the shrimp, and even the oysters were better than Harry ever thought they could be. The problem came with sitting across from Adam, because with Adam there always came a show.

Harry sat trapped between Allison and Kris, watching Adam suck oyster after oyster out of a half shell. And he had no idea how everyone else was managing to avoid the fact that Adam sucking on oysters, tipping his head back as he swallowed them, throat working, and then licking his lips. And making that sort of noise was completely and utterly filthy. Harry’s eyes dragged down to watch as Adam swallowed his fifth oyster, adam’s apple bobbing and humming appreciatively. He looked back up just in time to catch Adam’s eye.

Adam held his gaze and licked his lips slowly.

Who the hell ordered oysters for appetizers anyway? Oysters with ribs coming along any moment? Harry swallowed hard.

He shifted his gaze to Jack, who sat at the edge of the booth next to Adam. Jack was staring at him, an eyebrow arched slightly. This is not my fault, Harry thought hard in Jack’s direction. It wasn’t!

Kris laughed at something Lil said. “They do say oysters are aphrodisiacs.”

Adam snickered, “Better not let Katy know about this then. She might get concerned about what we’re up to.”

Kris’ eyes widened impossibly and he flushed. Harry felt vindictive pleasure at the knowledge that he wasn’t the only one affected by Adam. It wasn’t him. Adam had this effect on practically everyone. Kris was proof of that. For Merlin’s sake, Kris was straight and Adam still got to him. Not to mention Adam’s ardent fans. Adam’s fans were women and he got to them too. Harry clung to that thought.

Then the ribs arrived.

Ribs were messy. They got delicious barbeque sauce over everything and you couldn’t eat them without bare fingers and twenty napkins. How Adam made that sexy as fuck, Harry had no idea.

Only Adam kept watching him, and when he polished off a rib he would lick his lips and suck off a finger or two. Harry stared helplessly as Adam’s tongue darted out to catch a line of sauce on his lower lip.

Adam smiled at him. “You’re a mess, sweetheart,” he informed Harry before promptly reaching across the table. His thumb swiped across Harry’s cheek, wiping off a smudge of sauce. Harry’s mouth fell open as Adam licked off his finger. “This place is fucking hot. It’s like ribs back home.”

Harry snapped his mouth shut and set his jaw tightly to keep from saying something he really didn’t want to let out in front of everyone. He glanced at Jack again with a what the fuck was that look. Harry refused to eat another rib, and stared religiously in any direction but Adam’s. Lil’s earlobe became a point of fascination, and then the potted tree wedged behind Jack. The plan worked brilliantly until they paid the check and left.

As soon as they hit the pavement Adam worked his way beside Harry and slid an arm around his shoulders once more. Harry tried to recall how far away they’d parked the van.

“Oh, look, a Ben and Jerry’s!” Allison bounced next to them. “Let’s go in. Ice cream would top the ribs off perfectly.”

Harry nearly whimpered.

----------

Harry wouldn’t have guessed lunch to be the most relaxed part of their little trip out.

The stop at the ice cream shop felt like an eternity. Harry sat trapped once more, only this time beside Adam, who had naturally ordered a banana split. Harry steadfastly refused to order anything, his sense for danger shooting off the charts. He just knew if he ordered something there would be a repeat of the lip-swiping and finger-licking. After their order arrived Adam declared his split was way too large and insisted on sharing with Harry.

Harry was sure some cosmic joke was going on. Some cruel deity, God or Merlin or whoever the fuck was up there, was sitting up on a cloud, laughing their arse off as Harry was repeatedly tortured by what had to be the most oblivious man on the planet.

As Adam lifted a spoonful of banana split toward Harry’s mouth, he suddenly desperately wished he had ordered something. Anything, even a lemonade. How the hell do you say no to an unstoppable spoon filled with banana and chocolate syrup heading toward your mouth? Harry didn’t have the faintest so he opened his mouth, accepting the spoon as Adam grinned over at him. He reached up and grabbed the handle, along with half of Adam’s hand. But hell, he would die before letting go of the spoon again, even as Adam tried to pull it back. Harry tightened his grip.

He won that battle, Adam released the spoon, turning back to the sundae and glancing around for a second utensil. Harry licked his lips slowly and tried to calm down. He was fairly sure his heart rate was three times higher than any decent survival rate. He felt ready to go to battle or run for his life. Adam turned back toward him, pushing the dish between the two of them.

He smiled lazily at Harry, “You’ve got chocolate—”

Harry never whipped his hand up to his mouth so fast in his life. Not even when Snape’s threats to poison him turned physical. Not even when his stomach revolted after his first “official” battle and he was trapped in a tent, being congratulated by more battle-hardened wizards than he could count.

Adam’s grin broadened and he lifted the napkin in his hand. “This might help.”

Kris made a noise and when Harry glanced past Adam, Kris started coughing on his sundae. Allison ducked her head quickly into her shake while Lil took to staring toward the counter. Jack procured another spoon, handing it to Adam.

“So, kids, what are the plans after this?” Jack asked pointedly.

“I’m set on the museum,” Adam said idly, considering Harry for another moment before glancing toward Jack. Harry wiped his mouth and tried to regulate his breathing as he tuned into the conversation. Adam was having that effect on him far too often, the one that made him react instead of think.

“Which?” Lil asked.

“Is there more than one?” Kris made a face. “We won’t do all of them, will we?”

Kris and Adam simultaneously glanced at Harry. “The Smithsonian is made of several museums, American art, ah—”

“You mentioned an aviation museum earlier,” Lil said. “I’m all for that.”

Kris nodded enthusiastically. “Planes? Yeah, that would be cool. Think they got cars around somewhere?”

“I was thinking art museum,” Adam demurred.

“But planes…” Kris started.

“Are so much cooler,” Allison finished. “Agreed. Why not split up?” Allison finished before Kris got the chance. “And I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m going shopping before I even look at a museum.”

“Splitting up it is.” Lil winked at Allison before turning to Adam, “Sorry, honey, art is nice, but I’m not in the mood.”

“Yeah. I wants me some shoes. Two groups?” Jack made of noise of dissent, but Allison kept talking. “Jack can come with me and Lil, and Kris, you can come with us. We’ll check out the museum after the shoes, and Harry can show Adam the art since he’s been there before.”

Harry blinked repeatedly. When was Allison in on the universe’s plan to frustrate Harry? And when had Adam’s arm snuck around his shoulders again? “I haven’t been there in ages.”

“And I don’t want to shop,” Kris said.

“Kris, didn’t Katy threaten you with physical violence if you didn’t have shoes by the time she flew out again?” Adam said helpfully.

Kris stared at Adam in alarm. “I don’t really need new shoes. She won’t be that upset—”

“Or Jack can go with Kris straight to the museum,” Allison said, rolling her eyes.

Adam took another bite of syrup smothered banana. “Didn’t you swear to her?”

Kris smiled sheepishly, rubbing his hand along the back of his neck. “Crap. I guess I’m coming shopping.”

“Great! So the four of us will go shopping—”

“Or Jack can make his own decisions about what to do,” Jack added.

“Jack, three idols win out over one,” Adam pointed out logically. “Besides, I have the fearless Harrison Grey here with me. He’s taken on arena managers. He’s taken on semi-drivers. He’s taken on cosmeticians. If he can’t keep me safe, who can?” He squeezed Harry’s shoulder.

Jack’s eyes dropped to the hand, then back up to its owner’s face. Harry could see his thought processes strolling across his face. He couldn’t blame him, in his shoes, Harry would worry too. But it wasn’t as though Harry was trying to get Adam alone, and he’d told Jack it would be fine. Not that he would refuse a little back-up right now, but he could handle his infatuation just fine, thank-you. “Adam, the fans go crazy for you in a way they simply don’t for the others—”

“No offense taken,” Allison said drily. Jack glanced at her with an amused smile.

Adam shook his head, “That one chick charged Kris the other day, and I swear, Allison’s fans have been getting creepier with each passing city. Did you see the one guy with the death shirt?”

“That shirt was bloody creepy,” Harry said without really thinking about what he was saying. It had been. The man in the shirt had three scars that were visible, one along his cheek and the other two along his right arm. Harry could tell they were made three separate occasions by three separate instruments. He had no doubt he had more scars they couldn’t see. ‘Blood’ had been tattooed across one hand, though he couldn’t say about the other, since it was gloved in leather. The shirt was plain out of this world, soft pink with an epic on the merits of death. He exchanged a look with Jack.

Harry had pegged the guy as trouble the moment they’d rolled into the arena the morning of the concert. It wasn’t the clothes entirely. He was used to bizarre muggle apparel. British wizards just didn’t know how to dress for muggle excursions. It was the way the man just stood outside the barrier gate, hanging around. Harry had gone to Jack to point him out. Jack had thankfully already noticed. Unfortunately, it brought up an uncomfortable conversation about Harry’s previous experience with creeps.

The Idols glanced curiously between Jack and Harry.

Adam pushed onward anyway. “It’s only a museum, Jack. Unless a mummy comes alive to eat our brains I think we’ll be safe.”

Jack sighed. “Point taken.” He glanced at Harry, then at the arm around Harry’s shoulder. Harry wished he wouldn’t, because he was fairly positive it brought everyone else’s attention to it too. Harry would rather this…whatever it was remain solely in his head and not available for everyone’s comedy routines.

Merlin, he was getting paranoid.

“Alright, we’ll split up, but you’re both to be back at the hotel by,” he checked his watch, “six. Any later and everything goes code red. No excuses, boys.”

“Four hours, Jack—” Adam started.

“Four and a half, Adam. Period,” Jack said.

Adam pouted.

Harry couldn’t stop the grin. Adam essentially got the trip he wanted and he still pouted at being curfewed.

“Nonetheless, your illuminating presence is required, back at the hotel. By six. We all work tomorrow,” Jack said flatly.

“I used to party until dawn,” Adam said, taking a bite of ice cream. “And still make it to work early, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed."

“You can party as long as you want so long as I’m there to keep your excitable fans at bay,” Jack said blithely.

“Excitable fans are the only way to go on the dance floor,” Adam said.

It was at these points, when Adam flirted with imaginary people who weren’t even in the room, that Harry remembered Adam flirted with everybody. Arms around shoulders didn’t count for much, and he really had to get over this. No wonder Jack was so concerned. Harry knew Adam didn’t mean anything by it and he was still a basket case reading too much into everything.

Adam wanted to see a museum or two. It wasn’t a cosmic joke to drive Harry nuts.

----------

The group went their separate ways not long after that. Harry was finally starting to calm down, despite Adam’s bizarre little behaviors. He expected the arm to pop around his shoulder any second as they got out on the pavement. He didn’t even mind the idea, which either meant he was getting used to Adam’s affectionate nature or he was finally returning to sanity.

What he wasn’t expecting, and what made him jump three inches off the ground, was the arm that slid comfortably around his waist.

“You okay?” Adam asked, a note of concern in his voice.

“Er, no. I mean, yes!” Harry felt the flush slowly creeping up his neck. “It’s nothing.”

“It must be something.” Adam steered them toward the street, hailing down the cab he’d called fifteen minutes earlier. “You were taller than me for a second.”

“Oh.” Noticed that, had he? Harry knew the blush had moved fully across his face. “I just wasn’t expecting… Never mind.” He ducked into the cab quickly, sliding across the seat. “Smithsonian, Freer Gallery,” he told the cabdriver.

Adam gave him a questioning look, but dropped it. “Alright. But what was that look you and Jack exchanged in the shop?”

Harry frowned, “Look?”

“When Allison’s shirt guy came up,” Adam said. He watched Harry, and Harry was pretty sure that sort of intense look was inhuman. He half expected that they could crash and Adam wouldn’t notice, he was so focused.

“Oh, that. He disturbed both of us. I mentioned it to Jack at the time. I think Jack was on high alert, higher than usual, the entire day and half we were there.” Harry brushed his hair out of his voice, his mind wandering back to the bloke from a week ago. “Hell, the man put me on alert. You know, I don’t think Allison was out of my sight for more than half an hour at a go when she wasn’t on the bus?”

Adam grinned, more in appreciation than amusement. “It means a lot that you look after her so carefully. You look after all of us, a miracle in itself, since even Angie is going insane from our exciting influence.”

Harry laughed, “I don’t, it just looks like I do because I’m always bringing junk food to your every location.”

“A talent I for one constantly appreciate,” Adam said.

Harry snorted, “It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it. You’re all too busy running around like madmen all day. I’m still shocked you lot have a few hours off and aren’t in interviews today. Speaking of. Why in the world did you opt to see a museum instead of shopping with your girls?” Harry asked. “And none of this ‘art is interesting’ publicity bullshit you pull.”

“Bullshit?” Adam put on a small pout. “That hurts, Harry.”

“Doesn’t make it less true, love.” Harry said. “You’ve got a better publicity face than anyone I’ve ever met.” Including myself, Harry thought silently. Because Harry had had the bad habit of going off on the media, before he’d slipped away. “And since when do you give up time to shop in new towns?”

“I had planned to shop at the museum.” Adam grinned slightly, bumping his knee into Harry’s.

He scoffed, “You’re kidding.”

“Art does interest me—”

“More than—”

“Occasionally more than shopping with Allicat and Lil,” Adam finished. Harry eyed him suspiciously. Adam held up a hand. “Swear.”

The cab pulled up to a large white building with columned archways framing a walkway around the building. “23.75.”

Adam paid the man and climbed out of the car, grabbing Harry’s hand to help him out. He just didn’t let go when Harry was on his feet. “This building is fierce. Very old style, authoritative,” He laughed.

Harry shook his head, “Authoritative? Never looked at it that way.”

“Aside from hitchhiking to DC,” Adam tugged him along toward the entrance, “why did you end up coming here, or sightseeing enough to end up at the museum?”

Harry gave Adam a startled look before he burst out laughing. He didn’t get himself under control until they had entered the building and came up to the service desk, little chuckles bursting forth into laughter every time he managed to stop.

Adam kept watching him and smiling, as if it was contagious, eyes bright with curiosity. He dropped Harry’s hand and tucked an arm around his waist, this time, Harry suspected, to keep him on his feet as he laughed their way across the room.

The young man at the desk glanced up from the computer as Harry leaned against it, still catching his breath, and began in a bored tone, “Welcome to the Freer Gallery, how may I be…” He trailed off. “Harry?”

“Rob.” Harry grinned at him. “I thought you planned to get shot of this place months ago?”

Rob made a face, “Yeah, but the catering thing fell through. What are you doing back? I thought you didn’t hit the same city twice?” He grinned, turning to Adam. “And who’s your… Oh my god.”

“I’m just traveling through. This is Adam Lambert. I work for him actually,” Harry said.

Adam squeezed Harry’s hip in reproach. “We’re friends,” Adam amended.

“You were on American Idol.” Rob glanced toward Harry. “You’re, what, working for American Idol now? Damn, you do get around. I always thought you exaggerated.”

Harry could feel the interested stare from Adam, which he flatly ignored. “Yeah, yeah. Floor plans, Robbie? Brochures? That is what you do, isn’t it?” He smirked, “And I’m sure if you ask nicely Adam will give you his autograph.”

Robbie made the bitchiest face Harry could imagine, “Funny. Really.” Then he sighed, glancing at Adam surreptitiously. “But my girlfriend’s a really big fan. I think she’s going to the concert tomorrow.” He looked at Adam sheepishly. “If you wouldn’t mind…”

Adam grinned, “Not at all. It still shocks me that people ask.”

“Oh, great! I will win points for this!” Rob dug into his wallet, searching out something. He whipped a photo out. “That’s her, Ellie. I, uh, have a pen here somewhere…”

Harry pulled out a marker.

Adam eyed him. “You carry them with you?”

“Just one,” Harry said. “After the Tulsa debacle.”

Adam snorted.

“So Robbie? Floor plans? Any special exhibition admission fees?” Harry tilted his head toward the entrance to the museum proper.

Rob waved a hand. “Don’t be stupid. You worked here for almost six months. Just go in. Arnie’s working on a set on the special gallery upstairs, if you want to scare the shit out of him.”

As they headed into the museum Adam leaned over and hummed in his ear, “You worked here for six months? You might have mentioned that.”

Harry coughed to cover the bubble of laughter and shrugged a shoulder. “Slipped my mind. What do you want to see first?”

“Slipped your mind?” The disbelief was clear in Adam’s voice. “Is that what you found so funny?”

“It’s not all that important anymore. And yeah, it was,” Harry said, grin blossoming. “There’s two exhibitions going on right now, some modernist paintings deal and, ah, furniture by Charles Rohlfs.”

“Furniture?” Adam asked, distracted. “That’s art?”

“Apparently he was big in his time? I’ve seen some of his work, and to be honest there’s a phallic edge to it, especially his chairs,” Harry said. He smiled suddenly, “It’s a shame we won’t be here in three or four months. As I recall there was a quilt show in the works.”

Adam paused for a second, clearly debating between what to respond with. After a second he shrugged, “Go back to the phallic chairs part.”

Harry laughed, “It’s entirely my personal, uneducated opinion. They’ll be upstairs. I don’t know what it’s doing in this building, honestly… Not usually for furniture exhibitions.”

----------

The chairs were exceedingly boring. It didn’t really matter how many embellishments an artist carved into a chair, it was still a chair. An uncomfortable one, by all appearances. Adam did say something about how they would make excellent props. Harry almost asked, and suddenly thought better of it.

Which is how they ended up wandering the general displays of the museum. Harry was surprised by how much Adam seemed to know about random artifacts and paintings from completely random periods.

Adam shrugged, “You pick it up when you’re constantly surrounded by friends who also happen to be artists.”

“You’re an artist,” Harry pointed out with some amusement.

“And proud of it,” Adam laughed. “Fierce, the Egyptian display.” He nearly vibrated with excitement as they turned the corner, passing through a narrow entrance into the well lit room.

“A fan?” Harry grinned.

“You couldn’t guess?” Adam lifted his arm, showing off his tattoo of the Eye of Horus.

“I have a tattoo whose obvious meaning isn’t remotely close to its actual meaning for me,” Harry said. “I wasn’t going to assume.”

“Oh?” Adam said, arching an eyebrow. “What’s the tattoo of? Where is it?”

“It’s a closely guarded secret.”

“Oh, that is a challenge if I ever heard one,” Adam declared, a wicked grin spreading across his face. He tightened his arm around Harry’s waist—the one that continually reappeared no matter how many times Harry thought he’d outsmarted him—and suddenly he was being pulled up against Adam’s chest. “I’m going to guess…” His hand wandered briskly down Harry’s back.

“No, you’re not!” Harry pulled away with a jerk. He laughed even as his face turned bright red and that dull sense of panic set in his brain. “We’ve got to work on your sense of personal space.”

“That’s easy enough, I don’t have one,” Adam said brightly. He didn’t reach for Harry again, just started strolling down the hallway slowly.

“We’re in a highly public museum, you’re a celebrity, and most people don’t know how bloody friendly you are, Adam,” Harry said reproachfully, catching up quickly. He ran into Adam’s back as the man stopped suddenly.

Adam turned and gave Harry a confused look, “Come again?”

Harry blinked, “You should be more careful.”

Adam stared at him, “Okay, one, I don’t care what people think. Two, I’m not that friendly…”

“Please,” Harry said. “You flirt with me all the time! And Kris. And Allison. Even Jack. Your favorite cosmetician—”

That made Adam grin, “Maggie just asks for it. It’s called affection, Harry. And I don’t flirt with Jack or Alli, or… Okay, occasionally with Kris, but that’s like breathing.”

“That’s my point,” Harry said.

“Christ, are you serious?” Adam huffed slightly. “It’s all been in vain?”

The completely confused expression on Harry’s face seemed to answer Adam’s question because he heaved a sigh, grabbed Harry’s hand and started walking down the hall again, muttering. “Oh my god, I don’t believe this.”

“Don’t believe what?” Harry asked, an edge of frustration creeping into his voice. Why did Adam have to be so damn confusing?

Adam shot him a sideways glance, “Never mind. It’s nothing.” ‘Oh my god,’ he mouthed silently. Harry scowled at him.

“I’ve missed at least half of the Egyptian set,” Adam declared a minute later. “Let’s go back through.”

“When did you become interested in Egypt?” Harry asked, because the silence as they walked was starting to become overbearing. He and Adam always had something to say. It felt like they had just had a bloody fight, and he had no idea why or what it was about or if it was over. He felt he should be watching for eggshells, to make sure he didn’t walk on any.

“When I was a kid,” Adam said. His pace slowed as they hit the end of the room and began retracing their steps. “My family vacationed there for a couple weeks. We went through every available pyramid, the Karnak temples… We stopped at Giza, Luxor, Alexandria, Cairo. It was fierce.”

“I always loved Alexandria. The ancient remains there are breathtaking,” Harry said absently. They stopped at a display room with three sarcophaguses.

Adam gave Harry a strange look, “There aren’t many monuments left in Alexandria. Most of it was destroyed.”

Harry froze for a brief second, “Right. You’re right, I was thinking of Luxor, with the temple of Karnak. I don’t know why I said Alexandria.” Merlin’s balls, he’d forgotten wizards hid most of the remains in Alexandria. Bill would have killed him for letting that slip.

“…right.” Adam peered down through the glass case containing an open sarcophagus. “Mummies always creeped me out.”

Harry smirked, “Did you watch ‘The Mummy’ then? A friend of mine made me sit through those. I thought they were funny, laughed my way through them.” He propped himself next to Adam, leaning down to look into the case. “Of course, they were completely absurd, weren’t they? But mummies never scared me. When you have mummy-like buggers attack you at least three separate times in your life, you learn to deal with them quickly.”

Adam burst out laughing, “When the hell did ‘mummy-like buggers’ ever attack you?”

Harry stared in shock. He’d said that out loud? Adam was smiling down out him, laughter still escaping every few seconds. Harry could not believe the day he was having. “Idiots in costumes,” he said weakly after a second of scrambling. “My cousin when I was a kid, then, erm, Halloween at school. Once more when I was traveling around with a couple mates.”

“I’m not sure guys in suits count as ‘mummy-like,’” Adam said, still chuckling occasionally, half-breathless.

“They looked very realistic!” Harry objected. “And they almost scared the shit out of me, which is how each of them ended up severely injured.”

Adam went off again, laughing until he was in tears. Harry waved on the few visitors that peered in at them. He smiled at Adam in amusement. “True story.” For the most part, sort of. All three experiences were actually with the undead, and they’d all ended up dead—really dead—not just severely injured.

Adam wiped the tears away, “Remind me to keep you around next time there’s a mummy attack.”

Harry nodded seriously, “I’m your man.”

That sobered Adam up quickly, “You must be.” He was staring at Harry intently once more, laughter still lingering in his eyes. “Even if you’re disturbingly naïve.”

Harry frowned, “What? I am not—” Adam leaned in and cut him off with a light kiss, brushed softly across his lips.

“You are,” Adam said, not moving away. He pressed another kiss against Harry’s mouth as Harry froze in shock, eyes wide and staring at Adam.

Adam sighed slightly, breath puffing along Harry’s lips and cheeks, and pulled away slowly. “Harry? This whole kissing thing usually works better if the other person kisses back.”

“Um,” Harry said. A part of his brain had imploded the second Adam’s lips met his. He couldn’t think. “I… erm. It’s, we’re really late. Jack’s going to murder us.” He pulled away quickly, putting a decent amount of distance between the two of them.

“Harry—” Adam tried.

“No, no.” Harry waved him off. “We really have to go. It’s ten to six. You’ll have to call on the way back. I can’t believe we only made it through one building.”

“Harry—”

Harry was already hightailing it out into the hallway. He was also already working up a story to explain… explain what just happened in there. “This is what I mean about your excessively affectionate nature,” he said. Because that was simply the easiest way to account for everything, to make it make sense.

Adam stared at his back, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” He ran to catch up with Harry. “You’re fucking kidding, right?”

“I don’t know what—”

“Harry, it was a—hello, Rob.” Adam looked like he wanted to strangle the man.

“Hey.” Rob nodded at them. He led a small tour group past them. “As you can see, we’ve come upon our unfortunately small Egyptian collection…” His voice trailed off into the distance as Harry rounded the corner.

Adam followed. He caught Harry’s hand. “Wait a second, alright? I’ll be right back.”

Harry frowned as Adam disappeared around the corner again. He peeked around to see Adam dash up to Robbie. They spoke for a few minutes and Adam handed over something as Robbie gaped at him. When Adam returned, Harry arched an eyebrow, “What was that?” He only half meant the little trip over to Rob.

“I just remembered I had backstage VIP tickets. They give two out to everybody, you know? It’s not like there’s anyone I have to invite, so…” Adam shrugged. He caught up Harry’s hand again. “We’re going to be late, remember?”

All of a sudden Adam was just going to drop what he’d tried to pick at a minute ago?

“That was nice,” Harry said. He couldn’t quite hide his put out tone, but he couldn’t bring himself to bring up the subject. If Adam was willing to let it go, Harry should be relieved, shouldn’t he?

Adam looked down at him, torn between amusement and complete confusion, unable to tell if Harry was upset about inviting Robbie or the kiss.

“You’d better call Jack, Adam,” Harry reminded him as they stepped outside. He hailed down a taxi. “You know how tetchy he gets when we’re late.”

Adam sighed. “Right.”

----------

“Who’s this guy again?” Allison asked.

Adam groaned, “Alli, c’mon. His name’s Robbie, he’s a couple inches shorter than me. Short, light reddish blond hair, looks like he’s sixteen though he’s apparently 24. He’ll have a short blond girl with him named Evie. No, Elsie. Ellie. Or Emma.”

Kris arched an eyebrow before he burst out laughing. “You’re kidding, right?”

Adam rolled his eyes, “No. Forget her name. I’m serious.” He looked around at the little powwow he’d called together. The five Idols stared back at him. “We all want to know more about Harry. Or I was under that impression, but if you don’t want to bother, that’s fine…”

“Okay, okay, chill, bro,” Allison fought back the grin. “We do wanna know. Not as badly as you. And if Jack knew there was a source to pump for info, well, I’m not sure this guy would survive… But we do want to know.”

“Yeah, Harry’s like our collective mystery game,” Anoop grinned.

“Which game would that be?” Kris laughed. “Who’s Who?”

“I was thinking he’d be something like Memory,” Anoop said, grin broadening. “Because you have to remember all the little details that keep vanishing under rocks again.”

“Oh, come on,” Lil said. “We’ve got planning to do. Besides, if Harry was a mystery game, he’d be Clue, hands down.”

“He’d be poker,” Adam stepped in. “But that’s not the point—”

“Poker is not a mystery game!” Matt said before he started laughing, sliding off the arm of the couch to land trapped between it and Lil.

“It is if you’re doing it right!” Adam said, “Like sex.”

“Oh, you did not go there,” Kris groaned.

“I did,” Adam said. “But I’m more than willing to get back on track here.”

“Okay, run it down one more time,” Allison said. She sat up straighter and sent a look toward the others. “We won’t interrupt this time, promise.”

Adam looked skeptical, but started, because it wasn’t like they had much more time before someone wondered where they were and hunted them down. “This guy, Rob, works at the museum we went to. Harry worked there for six months, and apparently he told stories that Rob didn’t believe until we came walking in today.”

“Okay…” Anoop began.

“So this guy knows stories about Harry that may or may not be true?” Lil made a face.

“It’s not much to go on, is it?” Kris pointed out.

“And you all have better leads?” Adam asked. “I’m not expecting anything, but it’s worth a shot since I got Rob to come to the show tomorrow.”

“But they could just be stories to impress his coworkers anyway,” Allison said.

“Harry’s not the type to lie,” Matt said. The group collectively looked at him in surprise. “He’s not!” Matt insisted. “He’s a nice guy and I don’t think he’s lied once since he’s been here. If he didn’t mind lying, he wouldn’t go to so much effort to just avoid talking about his life, he’d just lie about it flat out.”

“Or he knows lies are more likely to get caught,” Lil said.

“Damn, Lil, cynical much?” Anoop said.

“I’m just saying—!”

“And I’m saying we all like Harry,” Adam interrupted, irritated. “Do any of us not trust him?”

The group slowly shook their heads.

“I was saying, Harry doesn’t lie,” Matt said again. “He told me this really creepy story about his uncle after we saw that horror flick with the twins, and honestly, the look in his eyes? I believed him.” At the curious looks he added, “No, I’m not sharing it. It was personal and I respect that he was willing to confide in me. You bunch of losers.”

Allison flung a peanut at him. “He told me something once too.” At the accusatory looks she protested, “I just forgot, okay? I’ll tell it now, though! It wasn’t anything in confidence.”

“Then spill it, Allicat.” Adam popped down on the chair he’d been leaning against.

“It wasn’t a big deal really. I mentioned something about how difficult it was to date with the tour and CD and fame and all that shit. Harry said it was difficult no matter what the circumstances were. He told me how he grew up knowing this girl, who was sort of the girl-next-door type, and they didn’t get together until—”

“You’re not saying he’s straight, because the way he looks at Adam…” Anoop scoffed.

“No,” Allison stared. “If you’d let me finish the story? Thank-you. They didn’t end up dating despite something like being destined to end up together until after there was an incident at their school where another student nearly died, and that drove them together.”

“…that’s the story?” Adam asked in disbelief. It was the first time Allison had sent him into speechlessness.

“That’s the end of the themed part about dating, anyway,” Allison said with a grin.

“So there’s a point to this?” Kris asked.

Allison flung another peanut. “I thought this was a “facts about Harry” meeting? So you’re all getting facts. Anyway, after that I pushed to know more, because what happened to this being straight business? I didn’t actually say that, but something like why he didn’t end up with her if there was an unstoppable destiny thing going on.” Allison took a deep breath. “He laughed at the question. This girl was his first girlfriend! They’d been in love, or thought they were, and planned on getting married, because that seemed like what everyone expected to happen. They actually got as far as the altar, according to Harry, when she said no at the vows.”

“And…”

“And that’s it. They called off the wedding right there in front of everybody. He said later they had a long chat, and they both felt relieved about everything. His girlfriend said, and this is a quote, ‘We should have worked this bugger out sooner, Harry, when we noticed we were attracted to the same people,’” Allison smirked.

There was a long silence.

“Geez,” Allison said finally. “Last time I fill you guys in on the dirt.”

Matt coughed, “Alright. That was the most bizarre coming out story I’ve ever heard. Any more random Harry stories floating around?”

“Nah, I’ve heard way weirder,” Adam shook his head. “Ah, he’s been to Egypt?”

“Alli’s story is so much better than that,” Lil laughed.

“And back to the planning,” Anoop rolled his eyes.

Kris shrugged. “Plan A, corner this Rob guy and pump him for information. If one of us gets him alone, the others go on alert for Harry and Jack and distract them as long as possible. If they break through the barrier we abort mission. Report on all findings post-meet and greet.”

Adam couldn’t stop from chuckling, “I don’t think we need a plan B.”

----------

Robbie felt cornered. “When I said Kris was her favorite I didn’t mean that he should drag her off to some place to chat.” He leaned over and peered around Matt’s shoulders. “…where are they going?”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Matt said cheerfully, shifting back in front of him. “Kris’s married.”

“Plus we’ll catch up with them in a minute, honey,” Lil added brightly. “But we thought we would drag you off to the back room where we chill. No one will miss us much, and you can hang out until Harry’s freed up from work.”

Matt nodded and threw an arm over Rob’s shoulder, leading him quickly toward a side exit of the room flooded with a few dozen fans. “This is one of the busiest of the busy times around here, and Harry’s probably been pulled onto one of the security teams.”

They shuffled out into the hallway. Matt dropped his arm away and Robbie took a deep, relieved breath. “Harry’s working security?”

“Oh yeah, pretty standard situation these days,” Matt noted.

“Is that weird?” Lil asked.

Robbie shrugged, “Yeah. Sort of. Nah, not really.”

“Ah,” Lil glanced at him, not her bafflement apparent as they jogged along, passing door after door. “That’s… that made no sense.”

“I dunno, security always seemed to suit him,” Robbie said. “He noticed all the weird characters. Not just the weird ones, because oddballs always stroll into the museum, spouting off this and that, but I mean, the really weird ones, who were trouble from the get-go. He noticed them all, and kept an eye on them and usually had them out of the museum at the first signs of trouble.” Rob snickered, “One time this shithead, the size of a house and drunk up to his eyeballs—hundred proof vodka I’m pretty sure, the awful cheap stuff—started feeling up one of the Japanese statues we had on display. It was nuts! This the room?”

Robbie veered into the room as Matt pushed open the door and popped nervously onto one of the couches.

“Soda, Rob? Or juice? I think there’s some beer too…” Matt dug around in the fridge.

“God, a beer would be great,” Rob said. “Where’s Ellie?”

“They’ll be along in a moment.” Lil sat on the armrest next to him. “What happened with the drunk guy?”

“It was a mess.” Rob accepted the beer. This was one of those surreal moments in his life. He remembered he had a lot more of them when Harry was still living in DC. “Harry went down with security to deal with this guy; he’s usually pretty decent with people until he gets pissed. You wouldn’t believe it when he goes off, sort of goes off with this scary look in his eye. We had to call the cops in, this drunk guy took out the two security guards. The bastard broke four statues, two irreparably! Harry was stuck behind a vase display until the cops arrived. It was the first time I ever saw him incapable of taking someone out. Well, the drunk was as big as a house, but… Harry did manage to drag the guards behind the display with him. He’s just good with crises and shit.”

“Is that your way of saying he’s good at security work or bad at it?” Matt said from the couch across from him. He sipped from a bottle of orange juice. “Sounds like Harry sucks at it.”

Robbie waved a hand impatiently and took a swig of beer. “You’re missing the point totally. That was the first guy Harry couldn’t handle. He’s really good at that shit. It always made us wonder. Half of us had a bet on what his real job entailed.” He grinned. “Half of us thought he was a government spy keeping an eye on someone or something at the museum. Jeff used to panic genies or demons would pop out of every bottle or vase Harry took an interest in.” Robbie took another drink and then began twisting the bottle in his fingers. “Harry was always… Erm, eccentric? His stories were nuts. I decided to believe them because it was more entertaining that way, but who knows? The funny thing is, some of the stuff he got interested in did end up being moved out of the museum. One of the curators said they were being removed for further research or storage or new displays. Jeff always asked so he could spread the latest gossip.”

“Did his stories ever match up with his skills?” Lil asked.

“Jeff’s?” Rob said, baffled. “Jeff’s a conspiracy buff. Why?”

“I mean Harry’s,” Lil said. “Did he stories line up with being a cop or something?”

“Nah, not really.”

Matt perked up a little at Rob’s last words. “You said that earlier. When you said Harry wasn’t a good security guy?”

“Is this some sort of interrogation?” Robbie laughed, a nervous edge creeping into his voice.

“No, no,” Matt said quickly. “I was thinking… If Harry’s bad at security for some reason, maybe he shouldn’t be working it on the tour—”

“Oh, fuck, I didn’t just get him fired?” Rob jumped up. “I didn’t mean he was bad at it! Didn’t I just explain he’s really good? I didn’t—”

Lil shot Matt a dirty look. “Harry’s not fired. Matt’s trying to be funny, and you might notice he sucks at it.” Matt gave her an injured look. “Calm down, Robbie.” She patted him on the arm. “You’re wound tight.”

“Sorry.” Robbie sat. “Where’s Ellie and—”

“Right here, hon,” Ellie said as she breezed through the door. “Kris showed me his guitar and he played a short piece. It was amazing. He is so nice!” She smiled brightly at Kris as he closed the door and sat. “What have you been up to?”

“Just talking.” Rob shrugged. He snuck a hand out to grab hers. “Had fun, huh?”

“Actually,” Lil jumped in quickly. “Rob was just telling us about working with Harry. Isn’t it interesting how people meet and, ah, relationships interconnect?”

“Harry stories?” Ellie squeezed his hand, glancing up at him. “You couldn’t wait to share, could you? Those are always pretty insane. Going into his Russia thing?”

“I was explaining that Harry’s a good security member, not a shitty one, because I nearly got him fired,” Rob said, a little too quickly. “Not any of Harry’s crazy, unbelievable shit.”

“But you believe—” Ellie began.

“What I meant was,” Rob spoke a little louder and a little more quickly, cutting off Ellie, “that Harry never seemed to care for doing security work. Our manager offered him a transfer to that department. Remember, Ellie? He refused it flat out, said he preferred staying behind the customer service desk. Insane.” Rob shook his head.

Lil, Kris, and Matt exchanged looks. Rob wondered if he’d let on to something he shouldn’t have. He thought the Spanish Inquisition couldn’t be as uncomfortable as this, and he’d seen some artifacts related to it.

Kris cleared his throat pointedly before offering an easily smile. “What’s the Russia story? That sounds like fun.”

Robbie flushed. “Oh, I don’t—”

“Go ahead and tell them!” Ellie smiled and nudged him in the side in pure exasperation. “Hon, you love sharing that story. Every time Margie asks for a story, out it comes.”

He stared sulkily at the floor and muttered out, “Harry once told me about how he worked to uncover a big prostitute ring the Russian mafia was running. Or that’s what it sounded like from the vague descriptions of each group. I can’t be sure. He never even mentioned his partner’s name, or anything about the mafia, nothing specific, but it sounded like that.” He looked around the room, carefully not looking anyone in the eye. “Harry’s good at stories, but that’s all they are. You should ask him to share a few. He knows them best. Geez.” He glanced at his watch. “We’re talking about him so much and he isn’t even here. I thought the bastard would be off by now. When’s he getting here?”

“But if they’re just stories, you could tell them…” Lil pointed out, looking disappointed.

Rob shook his head and stood. “They’re no big deal. I think I’ll hunt down Harry. I always wondered where he headed off to when he left.”

The Idols exchanged looks. Well, bully for them. Their information source just caved in. Rob steeled himself to withstand torture and remain quiet. He didn’t know what the hell was going on, but he was done with it. He did not sign up for this when his girlfriend’s idol gave him backstage passes to impress her.

“Sit and relax, Rob. I’ll text to see if he’s free yet.” Lil fiddled with her phone, sending a message off before picking up her drink. “Should be here soon!”

----------

“Harry,” Adam caught his arm as the man walked past. “If you’re not working… Are you wearing glasses?” He stopped short and studied Harry a little closer. Thick, round lenses encased in black plastic. “You’re wearing glasses! Since when—oh my god, you wear contacts?”

That blush Adam was always so thrilled to induce was blooming across Harry’s cheeks. His favorite roadie adjusted the rims with a swift, irritated gesture and pushed a hand through his hair. “Only you would make a big deal about my glasses.”

“It’s like you were hiding them,” Adam widened his eyes and pouted just a little, just to get Harry to glare at him. The man really was too sexy to be allowed.

“I wear contacts, Adam,” Harry said. “I lost one earlier. My spare are packed. So, my glasses. Mystery solved, I hope?”

“You should wear them more often. You have no idea how sexy you look in them,” Adam informed him, looking him up and down slowly. He was pleased to watch the redness spread along to Harry’s ears. He smiled sweetly, unable to stop himself in the face of such adorable aggravation.

“Is there something you wanted?” Harry asked waspishly.

He switched his smile from sweet to ‘you’ll want to kill me, but I’m lovable’ sweet. “This is Sandra and her daughter, Clemence. Big fans.”

“It’s nice to meet you.” Harry smiled at the small woman and her daughter. “I’d love to stay and chat, but there’s someone I need to catch over there—”

“I thought you had the night off?” Adam asked.

“Jack wanted me upstairs, but I bargained out of it.” He smiled ruefully. “I’ll have double duty in Baltimore.”

“So you can stay.” Adam happily slid an arm around his waist. “You can protect me from my adoring crowd.” He winked at the girls. Clemence giggled while her mother coughed to cover her smile.

Harry frowned, “You know, you look quite familiar, Sandra. Have you come to other shows? I know a few fans do.”

“Well, I may have been to another one or two. What can I say? We’re both big fans. But we don’t want to keep you to ourselves all night, Adam. Clem and I will let you do the rounds. It was lovely meeting you both,” Sandra said, catching up Clemence’s hand.

“No autograph?” Harry asked as they walked away, glancing up at Adam.

“…she got one earlier, when we first met,” Adam said. He squeezed Harry slightly, “So—”

“She didn’t ask for a hug either,” Harry said, brow furrowed in puzzlement.

Adam cursed silently. “Some people aren’t huggers, Harry,” he pointed out. “You’re not big on them yourself.”

“Fans always ask for the hug. It might as well be an unwritten command. And the kid didn’t ask either.” He looked up at Adam, eyes narrowing. Adam braced himself. Harry was so fucking on to him. He worked it out and was about to rip into him. “And we are not talking about me and my hugging habits, thank-you. If you’ll kindly unwrap yourself from my person, I do have things to do—”

“I need protection.” Adam blurted out far too cheerfully. It was from pure relief and glee that his Diabolical Plan, tm, was still on. After all, Harry hadn’t worked it out or he’d be more pissed by now. “And you’ve already admitted you have the night off. I’m going to feel hurt if you don’t want to spend any of it with me.”

“You have Jack,” Harry said.

“He’s off, being busy somewhere.” Adam steered them toward the table set up for autographs.

“I was planning to spend the night with Rob,” Harry said.

“Harry! He has a girlfriend!” Adam gasped, eyes widening in shock. Fans and crew alike looked at them curiously.

Harry scowled, “Funny. I meant reminiscing.”

“You have all night. Besides,” Adam looked around, across the heads filling the room. “Looks like your friend is busy. Kris is dragging them off over there.” He nodded toward the back.

Harry looked, “Kris is dragging off Ellie. Where’s Rob?”

“He has to be there,” Adam said. “He’s probably through the doorway already.”

“I don’t see him,” Harry said.

“I’m taller than you,” Adam said. “And my boots add on at least two more inches.”

“And your point?”

“I have a clearer view.” Adam tugged Harry around the table, smiling broadly as Harry chuckled. Walking through the room was slow progress. Every few feet a fan approached him. He greeted them, chatted, signed something and occasionally hugged someone. Photos were requested by nearly every person. Harry played cameraman and each time he would take the opportunity to crane around and look for Rob. When Adam gave him the amused, slightly questioning look, Harry muttered something about watching for predators and psychopaths, since he was playing bodyguard, which only made Adam laugh.

“I don’t think we have to worry about psychopaths, baby.” In Adam’s opinion, Harry did inscrutable really well for the big things, but he was easy as pie to read for anything else. As if it wasn’t completely obvious he was trying to worm away to find Rob. Harry really was a terrible liar. But if Adam let Harry go before he heard from Lil his entire plot would be for nothing. Besides, this way he got to keep Harry around him awhile longer, and that was always a plus in his book, ever since he first saw Harry in that little bohemian coffee shop and found out the jaded, adorable chai addict was working the tour.

Harry elbowed him in the side, “If there aren’t any psychopaths then why am I here again?”

“Just in case,” Adam said. “We’ve cleverly disguised you as my cameraman and you’re undercover, just in case.”

“I feel I’m the one being protected, not the other way around,” Harry grumbled. He straightened his glasses again.

Adam watched him avidly. “You need to wear those more often.”

That skeptical black eyebrow arched up, “You’re kidding.”

Adam licked his lips. “Shamelessly sexy,” he informed his partner, looking him up and down. His fingers itched to pluck off the glasses, inspect them and Harry a little closer. Damn, he’d never noticed how much he liked to touch people until he couldn’t. “Maybe get a few pair. Silver rims, muted browns, rhinestones. Switch them up.”

Harry shook his head, mouth quirked. “You pull off fashion much better than I do. I like simplicity. And I think someone wants you.”

Adam’s eyes glittered, “If there’s a god, that’d be you, right, baby?”

His mouth split into a broad grin, “Nope, no god, sorry, love.” He nodded his head to the left.

Adam turned and offered a big smile to the decked-out girl hovering a few yards away, staring and hesitating. “Hey, I don’t bite, you know.” He ignored Harry’s disbelieving snort, finishing smoothly, “Not on the first date. Love your earrings. Work ‘em, girl.”

He could tell Harry was looking around the room again, inspecting it for any appearance of Rob. He reached out and Harry sighed a little when he caught his wrist.

The rest of the evening Adam did his damnedest to hold on to Harry: an arm around his waist, or a hand locked into a sleeve, or fingers interlaced. When he couldn’t keep hold of Harry he kept him within reach or sight at all times. More than once Adam was forced to let go, distracted with sweet – and occasionally alarming – fans, only to have Harry ease slowly away. Every time that happened Adam barely managed to get him back. The last time he grabbed the nearest thing in reach, the back of Harry’s belt, and he was pretty sure there would be an unfortunate picture floating around the internet tomorrow, because a flash or four had gone off the precise moment he’d slid his fingers around belt and pants alike and tugged Harry backward. Harry stumbled straight back into Adam’s side.

“Adam,” Harry said, and the tone promised an incredibly ugly argument.

“You have no interest in protecting my assets whatsoever, do you?” Adam sighed dramatically. He’d known the second the flash went off Harry would react badly. He was fairly sure he could defuse this, given a little time and improvisation. He looked around. The group around them, fans and crew both, were watching them avidly. The crew had the decency to watch out of the corners of their eyes, but the fans and few interviewers still around were watching outright. A little privacy wouldn’t hurt. Not that he could simply drag Harry off, because fuck knew where that would lead the gossip train. He didn’t particularly care—the rumors were usually hideously inaccurate and ragingly funny—but he was cluing in to the fact that Harry did, and Harry had been just the tiniest bit pissy and distant with him since the museum incident yesterday.

“I’m not your bodyguard.” Harry couldn’t stop the note of exasperation in his voice. “And I worked to get this night off for a reason.”

“Rob,” Adam said.

“Yes Rob,” Harry said. “You’re surprised? You’re the one who invited him in the first place.”

“So he could impress his girlfriend.” Adam smiled, as easy as breathing really despite the bitchy expression Harry was aiming at him, and he nodded toward the hallway. “I need coffee and we can dig up Jack at the same time.”

Harry blinked, taken aback. Realization seemed to dawn on him; Adam could just see the blush darkening Harry’s cheeks as he looked around surreptitiously at their audience. He nodded tensely, yanked on the front of Adam’s t-shirt, and urged him toward the exit. “I’m retiring from security next chance I get. I’d rather work with computers,” Harry informed Adam’s back. Adam glanced back and saw the flinch as a camera clicked and a flash went off.

In the hallway Adam took over, turning into the first door they passed. He swung the door open, grabbed Harry, and hauled him into the dark room.

“Uh, what are you doing?” Harry asked.

“I lied,” Adam said. “I don’t want coffee, I want to talk.”

“In a pitch black janitor’s closet?” Harry said.

Adam paused briefly, then turned and leaned forward into Harry, hands groping behind him.

Harry pulled back quickly, “What the hell are you thinking—”

Then he found what he was looking for, and flipped the light switch on. He smirked down at Harry, one eyebrow arched high. “I was thinking of turning on the light.” At Harry’s tense reaction Adam couldn’t help but add, “What were you thinking?” Even though it was clear what he had been thinking. Sometimes watching Harry really was like reading a book, so perfectly fucking crystal clear.

A flash of annoyance shot across Harry’s face, disappearing as quickly as it came. “Why did you want to ‘talk,’ Adam?”

“Okay, I more wanted to chat and escape the crowd for awhile,” Adam admitted.

“You’ve barely got fifteen minutes to go. You couldn’t stick it out?” Harry sounded skeptical. He knew as well as anyone Adam thrived off the energy of his fans more than anything else, as much as the music even. Adam was notorious for being friendly.

“But—”

“What confuses me,” Harry kept on, bulldozing over Adam, who immediately stopped talking, not minding in the slightest. Getting Harry’s opinion without prying for it would be a refreshing change. “Is why you seem hell-bent on keeping me from meeting up with Rob? And where the fuck has Kris gone? He’s as much of an attraction as you are at these things. Angie must be having a fit. And Matt? Hell, half the Idols… Angie is going to murder the lot of you. What is going on, Adam?”

Adam blinked, and thanked the universe he had so much acting experience. It made the small lies a hell of a lot easier. “I have no idea what the others are doing, Harry. I’m not their babysitter or a mind reader.” He frowned at Harry. “And I’m not keeping you from Rob. You’ve been avoiding me like I’ve picked up the plague.” That distracted Harry. He looked completely taken aback. And it wasn’t like it wasn’t true. Maybe Adam could get some damn answers.

“Since when have I been avoiding you? I spend more time with you than I ever have with anyone since I left school.” Harry looked torn between disbelief and irritation.

“Since yesterday, at the museum.” Adam almost added ‘with the kiss,’ as if they were playing Clue and he was revealing the mystery. Maybe Harry really was the tour’s personal mystery game.

“…you’re joking,” Harry said.

Adam didn’t quite cover his injured expression, “You’ve declined… three requests from Jack, two from me and Alli, and one from Angie. The only connection between any of them is that I’d be there. God, Harry, if I thought you’d get that upset about a kiss—”

The notorious blush bloomed across Harry’s face. “It has absolutely nothing to do with that. It’s been a long day. Half the stuff I should have had done yesterday I had to do today, on top of today’s list. I do have a job here, Adam. I’m not always available to fill every bloody request. Mind, I’d appreciate a little more sensibility from you on occasion.”

Okay, that was a fair point. He hadn’t thought of that. “Shit.” Which just about summed it up. But… “What do you mean, ‘sensibility’?”

Harry stared at him like he was an idiot. “I know you’re physical with your friends, Adam, but quite honestly I don’t want to end up pasted across the front page of some tabloid as your rumored boyfriend. I don’t…I just don’t want that.”

“Why do you care?” Adam shook his head with sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “We are friends. Who cares what everyone else thinks?”

“I do,” Harry said flatly. That was really the end of that. “I don’t want to deal with it, Adam. Fame fucking sucks, okay? I know you enjoy it; you can handle it. I can’t. I don’t want cameras flashing in my face because I’m out eating and someone recognizes me. I just want to be me, without the pressure.”

Adam realized this was an obstacle. A big one that put a huge roadblock in his way. But he was not deterred. He chewed his lip thoughtfully. Harry was staring at him, but Adam was thinking and not inclined to rush. “Okay,” he finally said. Really, what else could he say? ‘Get over it’? Or, ‘You’re wrong about this one so I’m going to make you see it my way’? Yeah, that would not only never work, but it would probably make him the biggest asshole on the planet. “But it’s who I am, Harry. You’re still my… friend and I’m not going to pretend you’re not.”

“I’m not asking—”

“Yes, you are,” Adam said, staring Harry down.

Harry sighed, head dropping, hand running along his jaw and neck in frustration. “I’m not. I’m only—”

Adam caught the hand and cut him off, causing Harry to look back up at him in surprise. “So compromise. I’ll try to not,” he grinned, “maul you in public. But you’re not escaping anything on the road or on the job.” He paused for a second, staring past Harry at the shelves of cleaning supplies, before focusing back. “I suppose we should get back. Just one last thing… I don’t get why the media or attention should stop you from being yourself. Don’t let them pressure you just because they’re there, Harry.”

Before Harry could respond Adam’s phone went off. He flipped it open and read the message. “Well, I know where the others are hiding out anyway. Lil says they’re chilling with Rob and Ellie in the back, a few doors down. You should go meet them, there’s only a few minutes left on this little party.” He smiled at Harry. “And if Kris is back there, send his cute ass out.”

He reached for the door handle, but before he opened it, he leaned down and dropped a loud, wet kiss on Harry’s cheek. “Since we’re in a closet and all.”

He strolled out as Harry glared at his back.

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Master Post || Part 2