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David couldn’t hear anything. The rushing sound in his ears was blocking everything else – what did you just do? He held onto his shirt – stupid stupid shirt – tightly as he dashed from the stage. He couldn’t quite believe that he’d just kissed Cook on national – I think you mean international – television. Once offstage David felt, rather than heard, the sound of the world around him reappear. The clapping from the end of his performance was still going strong and the cheering – why are they cheering? – appeared to be getting louder. His lips still tingled from the kiss and all he wanted to do was place his hand to them to see if the feeling was real but he refused to participate in any more actions that would make him look like a love struck girl.
The kiss had been innocent and gentle – and definitely no tongue – and everything David had hoped it would be. He knew he was going to have to make the first move – heck Cook was never going to – but he hadn’t meant to make quite such a public one. David had been thinking about Cook since they’d been on Idol together 2 years ago. At the time he’d been ashamed of his feelings – thank you God for helping me get past that – and tried to ignore them as best he could. It had been the conversations he’d had with both Kris Allen and Adam Lambert – thank goodness for good friends – over the past year that had helped. Kris had been the person who had helped him come to terms with being gay – when running seemed the best idea. And Adam had been kind enough – if a little intense – to let him know that he was pretty sure Cook returned his feelings. David had been so sure that Cook thought of him as a little brother – if that – and nothing else but Adam had assured him otherwise. He would have to find some way to thank them both after this.
He had been trying to make Cook aware of his feelings for a while but his plans never seemed to work. He realised that sometimes he had maybe been a little too subtle – because I had another reason for learning all the lyrics to everything by Our Lady Peace – and at other times he’d backed out of acting on his thoughts. But he really hadn’t meant to kiss Cook in public. It’s just that he’d been so nervous and angry – and horrified and embarrassed and, urgh, stupid stupid shirt – when his shirt had started to slip. He would probably have kissed anyone who helped him out – well maybe not kissed but they’d have gotten a solid handshake. So when he’d turned round and it had been Cook standing there smiling at him he’d been overwhelmed by his feelings for the man – because you aren’t every time you look at him! It had been natural to thank him for his help, for saving his dignity, and the kiss – oh gosh that kiss – had just sort of happened.
Now he was backstage he didn’t really think about where he was going. David just wanted to hide somewhere – preferably under a big rock – and get away from all the looks people were giving him. He could see the disgust in some, the amusement in others and the awe in a few. He ducked his head, his cheeks burning with embarrassment, and began to make his way back to his dressing room. He had made it less than a metre when a body suddenly blocked his path. Looking up David felt himself blushing again as he watched the amusement dance across Neal’s face – well at least he’s not punching me. Neal grabbed David’s arm and pulled him back to the wings of the stage in time to see Cook moving towards the podium to present the award for Best Kiss. David looked up at Neal.
“My shirt, I need to…”
He didn’t finished the sentence as Neal shrugged off his jacket and placed it over his shoulders. Neal then turned him around so that he was once again facing the stage and he felt an arm settle across his shoulders. The cheering was still going on – was that a wolf whistle? – and David couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face. When Cook turned to look at him David knew he was blushing – well it is a little embarrassing – but even he couldn’t miss the joy in Cook’s eyes.
He watched as Megan Fox helped Cook present the award but he wasn’t able to focus on anything other than the possibilities of what might happen after the bucket of golden popcorn had been handed over. He worried about what might happen when he had to actually speak to Cook – talking is not a strong point.
As Cook made his way off the other side of the stage David felt the arm around his shoulder start to pull him and he had no choice but to allow himself to be led backstage. David tried to slip out of Neal’s grasp in the corridor as there wasn’t enough room to stand 2 astride but as he began to move his wrist was taken in a firm but gentle hold. Letting Neal lead him David was unsurprised to find himself being taken to the dressing room his clothes were in. He waited as Neal opened the door and gently pushed him inside.
“Stay here.”
David watched Neal smiled at him – I don’t think he’s as scary as he likes to believe he is – before closing the door leaving David alone in the room. Removing the jacket from his shoulders David carefully placed it on the chair – it’s not yours so take care of it – and moved over to his pile of clothes – you should have hung them up, they’ll be creased. He started to remove his shirt – stupid stupid shirt! – but at the sound of the door opening he quickly smoothed it back down. Turning around he saw Cook enter the room – here we go – and close the door behind him. David felt the sleeves of the shirt start to once again pull it off his shoulder. Before he could move reposition it Cook had crossed the room and was grabbing the shoulders of the shirt as he had done on stage. David, unable to look away from Cook, found himself studying the face above him. Cook smiled – gosh I’d do anything if he’d always look at me that way – and David found his arm moving, with a will of its own, to the back of Cook’s head. He pulled Cook’s head closer to his own and rose to meet his mouth in a kiss. He pushed against Cook harder than he had before and saw the shock on Cook’s face. Determined – show him you meant it – David closed his eyes and cautiously moved his tongue to Cook’s lips. Finding his tongue being granted access David relaxed into the kiss and stopped trying to control it. He felt Cook’s hands move away from his shoulders and tangle themselves in his hair.
When they pulled apart Cook’s face held a look that combined shock, desire and happiness. Smiling at Cook, David moved back to his clothes. He picked up his shirt – my nice normal won’t embarrass me shirt – and tie.
“I should really…”
David waved the shirt a little in Cook’s face to make sure he understood. Pulling the top he was wearing over his head he let it drop to the floor before starting to put his regular clothes on. He noticed Cook move forward, pick his costume up off the floor, and start to fold it.
“Do you think they’d let me keep this?”
Placing his tie around his neck David looked up at Cook in surprise. He couldn’t understand Cook’s desire to keep a shirt that not only didn’t suit him – I bet Cook could pull it off, he looks amazing in everything – but had also caused so much trouble – I’m never going to live this performance down.
“Why would you want to?”
David watched as Cook smiled – oh gosh – at him.
“I like this shirt. This is a good shirt. In fact, I think I want to take this shirt out to dinner to thank it. Without this shirt, I doubt we would have just kissed. And I doubt I’d be able to ask you if you’re free for dinner tomorrow? So yes, I like this shirt a lot.”
David felt himself blush at the comment. Where all David’s plans to get Cook to ask him out had failed – all that planning gone to waste – one little – stupid – shirt had succeeded. Maybe it’s not such a stupid shirt after all.