AN: this is part of a personal challenge/project filling all the prompts of past Kadam weeks, and posting one every day from March 28 to May 8th, 7 prompts per year 5 previous rounds (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 last two managed by vcg73) the first week of May 2-8 will present to you the offering for the Kadam Week 2021 you can search for more on tumblr
This is the offering to Kadam Week 2017 prompt 2: Adam witnesses Kurt fixing/working on a car for the first time. He is singing something unexpected
It all started a friday afternoon before one of the Adam's Apples rehearsal, Paul was groaning and moaning when Adam and Kurt entered the auditorium, and when they reached him Kurt had asked worried "Paul what's wrong? Something we can help you with?"
Paul shook his head "Not really, not unless you knew a mechanic in New York City who actually has experience of working on historical cars and who won't demand ten grand just to take a look at my dad's sweet ride..."
Kurt tilted his head and hummed thinking "Well I do have some experience in restoring historical cars. It really depends on what kind of car we are talking about, what it needs, what's the budget we're working with and the expectations, including how much time he needs it to be fixed. Because you know we have midterms critiques around the corner, while I can multitask it depends on what's left to do..."
If Adam hadn't been completely aware of just how straight Paul was, he might have started to worry for his boyfriend at seeing the starring look of admiration invading Paul's eyes as he rambled on just as excited as Kurt had been
"You have and you'd be willing to come to my dad's place to check it too? Man if you could come even just to check and say to dad what's wrong with it I'd be forever grateful and you can ask anything anytime till we graduate. I just can't stand the whining anymore, it's grating everyone's nerves and mom is this close to get pissed off, and let me tell you you don't want mom pissed, she's able to make everyone feel miserable in that case..."
Kurt just chuckled and shrugged "No promises, I never had to take care of a project completely on my own, but I did help in almost all the ones my dad and the guys did at the garage, I can at least see what's going on."
And that's how Adam had lost Kurt to a 1937 Model 105D Clydesdale truck...
Despite Paul knowing looks and insinuations, Adam wasn't jealous, not much at least. But still, he missed his boyfriend, they didn't have much free time to spend together to start with, and even that time had to be cut short to make time for the truck restoration.
Which was probably how he managed to have a standing invitation to come and visit while Kurt was there.
Thus far, three weeks into the project, Adam had managed to restrain himself. Allowing Kurt to be a professional mechanic, avoiding getting in the way.
Adam had simply come around for picking up Kurt once he finished for the day, today though he had it rather rough, so he came around a little earlier than usual.
For this reason instead of simply waiting with Mrs Cartier for Kurt, she gave him instructions on how to navigate his way to the workshop where Kurt was still working.
Had Adam not been so excited to be able to see Kurt, he might have noticed the amused look present on Paul's mom's face.
Alas he was a tad too eager that he kept his strides long and steady, he wasn't running through the house, but his steps were purposely fast enough...
However before he could reach the workshop, Adam stopped in his tracks hearing Kurt singing something he would have never expected.
A truck to a Texan
Is just like his hat
You don't feel complete
If you ain't got that
And he stayed hidden listening to the first verse trying to identify what it was.
A truck is a marker
A part of the plan
That says you're grown up
That says you're a man
The first thing that hit Adam, was the accent, it was clearly a Texan one, oh Adam had the chance of hearing Kurt singing in his lower registers before, but that and a rather marked accent was something new...
If you live in the North,
you can drive a Sedan
But if you live in Texas
And you ain't got no truck
Buddy, you're stuck
Buddy, you're stuck
And for the first time, Adam could appreciate why Kurt's eyes always grew darker and his pupils grew impossibly large every time Adam forgot to keep his accent under control...
And once Adam's brain managed to resurface a little from its newfound place in the gutter, and he was finally able to process the lyrics he had to put a hand in front of his mouth to keep from laughing outright...
If I had this truck
I'd have a piece of the pie
If I had this truck
And a drop of good luck
I might get by...
Adam had to peek, trying to make sure he would not be seen,
He should have known that Kurt wouldn't be singing still, in fact as his boyfriend had promised he was great at multi tasking, and Adam had in front of his eyes his boyfriend in coverall bend on the truck, apparently working on the engine, or at least around it, that was as far as Adam's knowledge on cars allowed him to assume.
Still Adam couldn't stop the smile at the whole picture it made, a mechanic, working on a truck singing about winning a truck...
Daddy wished he'd had a boy
He raised me to be tough
He and Mama always fought
And when he had enough
However if he thought the surprises were finished, Kurt moved into the second part of the song, originally sung by women
Adam had heard Kurt sing the higher notes before, and yes he was well aware of his boyfriend talent, but this was an experience he didn't know he had ever missed before witnessing it
He'd grab his hat and coat
And though I was only five
He'd say, "Come with me, little girl
I'm gonna teach you how to drive!"
And he'd let the engine warm up
And he'd say, "Your coach awaits!"
Kurt was just as able to bring out character's emotions no matter their gender. It was truly breathtaking, Adam had found Kurt breathtaking before, but this was something else altogether.
And he'd lift me in that dusty truck
With the rusty license plates
There was no heat in the cab
And four different kind of wheels
And I thought, man
Now I know how Cinderella feels!
He could hear the sparkling in Kurt's eyes singing about being Cinderella, in fact Adam could almost imaging Kurt in such a state of excitement, like a five year girl would be at believing she was riding on Cinderella's coach...
If I had this truck
I'd be okay on my own
No more riding my bike
Come and go as I like
Just me alone
Adam had to lean on the wall, his own eyes shining bright with second hand enjoyment, the emotions Kurt was portraying with his voice alone. It made Adam feel like he was standing in a theatre...
If I had this truck
Man, that would be hot!
I'd flip folks the bird
As I peel out the lot!
And even more surprising to Adam, was the fact that even in his high register Kurt was able to modulate his voice enough to adapt the accent and cadence of his singing enough to impersonate multiple different characters.
Oh, when I win this truck
I'll give thanks to the Lord
'Til the day that I go
To my proper reward!
Adam couldn't stop himself from musing about the fact that Mr Kholler would give a lot to have the chance of taking over Kurt's instruction, if only Madam T was more inclined to loosen her grip on Kurt...
If you live in the South,
you can drive an Accord
But if you live in Texas
And you ain't got no truck
Honey, you're stuck
Honey, you're stuck
It wasn't at all an option and Adam knew that, just as the Dean of the Drama Department did. But knowing something had never stopped people from wondering and this time was no different.
If I had this truck
I'd have a piece of the pie
If I had this truck
I'd hold my head up high!
No, I won't leave 'til I win!
And my life can begin!
And for a moment Adam could see their future clear in front of his eyes, he could see himself working hard to make sure always being able to attend at least the opening or closing night of Kurt's show.
Because if he ever had doubts about his boyfriend making it into the industry, which he never did, right here and now would have been the moment when those doubts died a quick and swift death.
Sweet Jesus, I hate my Schwinn!
I know to covet's a sin...
Adam recognised the song was winding down, and he had to make a choice besides admiring his boyfriend, was he going to stay and admire till the end and be discovered or was he going to walk back to the kitchen and wait for Kurt there as usual.
But picture me drivin' in
My brand new truck!
My brand new truck...
Car don't make money
Truck make money
In the end Adam walked away before hearing the grand final, but his day had already improved by just listening and watching Kurt without revealing his presence.
Just thinking back on it was enough to bring a serene smile to Adam's smile as he calmly accepted Mrs Cartier's offer of tea and managed to suppress the instinct of blushing under the matron's knowing glance.
And Adam's accent thickened as he welcomed Kurt only for the sake of seeing the effect it had on the both of them.
Well, gladly no one called Adam on it, even if while leaving Paul and his mom shared a knowing smirk.