Unless The Dreamer Is The Real You

01. deleted scene: set sometime early on in the competition.

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for the first few weeks, eating dinner is like eating in a mess hall. it's crowded and noisy and there's more food than any of them could consume in a week. it's all good food, too, catered by the on-staff chefs. kris thinks that home cooking will have a whole new meaning from now on.

they all sit at a long table with benches on either side, passing food around and knocking over drinks and chattering happily between bites. by the time the meal is over and they've cleaned their plates as best they could, no one feels capable of moving from their seat anytime soon.

one night they eat chicken parmesan and linguine pasta and soft, fresh baguette bread, and kris turns to adam next to him and below the din of the table says wistfully "this reminds me of my mom." adam tips his head back and laughs, eyes bright and amused when kris knocks his shoulder into him, embarrassed. adam doesn't share his amusement with the whole table like he is prone to do sometimes, and for that kris is grateful.

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02. bonus scene: set a month or so after the finale, during the idol tour.

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nothing happens between them until halfway through the tour, which is way longer than kris expected them to hold out and ignore what was missing between them, simmering just below the surface like a distant memory. he's pretty sure the others are aware of them, the handlers too maybe even, but they never say anything, never prod or discourage.

kris does eventually sing the song adam wanted him to, crooning hallelujah low and honest to a huge stadium as if he were alone in his bedroom again. he knows he is nothing compared to the original or any of the other great artists who've covered it, but he does his best, for adam, and that's what counts.

once he finishes up his individual set onstage, kris highfives allison where she's standing on the side to watch everyone, and then ducks down the hall and into the green room. he grabs a red gatorade from the fridge and cracks open the lid as he collapses on the couch, gulping it down. the room is empty, everyone else busy waiting or getting ready or cooling down from their set somewhere else. the sounds of the crowd are a distant rumble, but from here it all feels far away and muted. kris leans his head back and shuts his eyes for a moment, mind thankfully completely blank.

the peace is short-lived, however. the door to the room slams open and adam whirls in like a hurricane, minutes from going onstage. "oh, hey kris," he says, flustered and distracted. he's looking for something, kris realizes fuzzily, brain still checked out. adam scans the counter along the edge of the room, then crows victoriously, picking up his leather cuff bracelet and sliding it expertly over his wrist. he turns back towards kris, and kris blinks up at him with wide eyes. "you were great out there," adam says quietly, whole self stilling for a moment, and kris knows what he means, starts to say the song, i played the song for you, did you like it -- but then adam leans over quick and kisses him swift and hard on the mouth, unexpected. kris is at a loss for words when adam straightens back up, and adam winks and smiles at him without a word.

kris is surprised, but he can't say he wasn't aware it would happen eventually. adam leaves just as quick as he came in, leaving behind him a promise. of what, kris isn't sure, but it makes his skin tingle in anticipation.

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