0.6 [You're not like the others]

"So, Brad and I are leaving tomorrow and we'll be back on Tuesday. His mom called and said his dad had to be hospitalized, so we're gonna stay the extra day," Drake tells him over a late lunch. Since waking up this morning, Adam's been caught between being on edge and spacey. His mind keeps drifting to the dream he had and the fact that his door was unlocked. Normally the door wouldn't have bothered him, but he knows for certain he locked it before going to sleep.

"What time will you be back on Tuesday?" Adam asks, taking a bite of his pasta. Drake had called him shortly after he woke up and suggested that they go and get lunch again together after he got out of his classes. Adam agreed since today is his free day. And, well, he enjoys spending time with Drake. Drake is his best friend.

"I'm not sure yet. Brad's hoping we'll be back in time to get dinner and proper sleep since we both have exams on Wednesday. But we'll see about that. You know how he is with his family," Drake comments and Adam nods once, taking a drink of his water. It cools the soft sizzle in the back of his throat from the Cajun pasta and he sighs softly, stabbing at a piece of chicken.

Despite trying to be involved with the conversation he's having with Drake, Adam's mind is still wandering off. Last night's dream keeps flashing behind his eyes every time he blinks and it takes all of his will not to moan when he remembers the feel of the blond's fingers and lips on his skin. Biting hard into his chicken, Adam forces the shiver to center in his shoulder and he feels it twitch, though the motion goes unnoticed to Drake.

Swallowing the bite of food in his mouth, Adam sets his fork down for a moment to take another drink of his water. He doesn't look at Drake, though he can feel the weight of the brunette's gaze on his face. He lets out a breath, lifting his attention up to Drake who quickly looks away, blushing faintly. Adam raises an eyebrow, folding his hands in front of him and resting his chin on them.

"Something wrong, Drake?" He inquires and the brunette's blush deepens wildly as he hurries to take a bite of his pasta.

"No," he says around a small mouthful of food, swallowing. "Not at all, Adam." Adam doesn't believe him for a moment but he doesn't say anything as a smirk toys at his freckled lips, and he lifts his fork back into his hand again.

It's usually like this between them. The teasing and the little cute and flirty moments between them. Much to Adam's dismay, Drake learned quickly of his puppy crush back when they were still in high school. But Drake didn't mock him or tease him about it. If anything else, he invited it in, regardless of his relationship with Brad. Hell, he even flirts back with Adam from time to time, though not as often as Adam would like. But he understands, all the same. Drake's with Brad. He can't ask that of him.

"For some reason, I don't believe you. Why is that?" Adam says with a bit of a smirk as he takes another bite of his food. Drake's blush is brilliant, the shade reminding him that of a tomato, and Adam laughs lightly as Drake hides bashfully behind his water.

"Cause you never believe me?" Drake inquires and Adam mocks a disappointed frown.

"Now, that's not true. I do believe you… Most of the time." Drake snorts softly, taking another bite of his paste before wiping his mouth off with a small napkin.

"Most of the time, exactly," Drake comments after swallowing more water before letting out a sigh. He sets the glass back down on the table, staring at it for a moment as he speak, "No, I was just… Looking at you. That's all." Adam raises an eyebrow as his friend, trying to fight the blush as he smirks.

"Not that I have anything against you looking at me, but why? Do I have something on my face?" The suddenly bone-chilling worry that Drake might have been staring at a drop of sauce or something on his chin grips him, and he feels a wave of embarrassment. Or, worse, what if his acne is coming back? He usually has a hard time fighting it off and does his best to keep his skin relatively clear, but maybe he forgot one of the steps recently? Oh, God…

"No, no! Not at all. There's.." Drake blushes a little, "There's nothing on your face, Adam. I just.." Adam raises an eyebrow a little at Drake and the Cajun brunette looks away again.

"What? C'mon, Drake, you tell me everything, regardless of the subject or whatever.." Adam tells him, reaching across the table to touch Drake's hand. The brunette glances down at their hands for a moment before looking back up at him and smiling softly. The kick that Adam's heart gives isn't startling but at the same time it makes him blush deeply, and he curls his hand tighter over Drake's.

"You're beautiful, that's all, okay? That's why I was staring. It's cause you're beautiful, and… Yeah," Drake admits and it takes a moment for Adam to process it right away. But when he does, his breath catches some in his throat and he loosens his grip on Drake's hand a little. Sure, he and Drake have flirted and teased and been cute before, but this is different. It feels different in all the strangest ways. And, yet, he kind of likes it.

"O-oh. Well, thank you, Drake. That's very kind of you," Adam says with a shy smile, moving his hand away. Something flashes across Drake's face and it strikes odd to Adam. Does that look like disappointment? It couldn't possibly be..

"You're welcome," Drake mutters, clearly embarrassed as he attacks his pasta again. Adam smiles softly at him, taking a bite of his own food as he takes a bite of his own food. A borderline awkward silence falls over them, the only sound at their table being of the sips of drink and the clinks of forks on plates. Around them is the hubbub of other customers and waitresses, the sound of a kitchen in the back. Around them, it's calming. Within their table, the awkward strain is stretching taught between them.

Adam's caught in a debate with himself to reach over and set his hand back on Drake's and just simply leave it in its place on the table. It's no secret between them of Adam's interest in Drake. And over the past few months, and suspicion Adam has that Drake might harbor similar feelings seems to be growing stronger and more accurate by the day. Because when he glances up to look at Drake, he finds the brunette staring at him again. Adam looks back down, sighing softly. He hates himself for what he's about to do, but he knows it's necessary all the same.

"So where's Brad?" Adam asks and Drake blinks, a dawning recognition crossing his face before a sigh falls from his lips. "I thought he was supposed to join us for lunch today?" Drake nods once, taking a drink of his water.

"He was, but he got caught up in something for his theatre class and couldn't. He says once we get back from Sacramento we can all go out and get lunch together. It's his big ol' idea to catch you up on what's going on with his dad, even though I told him I would keep you informed while we were there," Drake tells him, not really looking at Adam as he speaks. Adam smiles a little at Drake's last few words, feeling honored and looked out for that Drake would concern himself with keeping Adam informed.

"Still, though, you have to take into account that this is Brad we're talking about. He's going to feel like you've missed a detail here or there and he's going to want to fill it in and over-emphasize it." Adam replies softly, taking another bite of his pasta as Drake chuckles softly, stabbing at his food.

"Yes, well, Brad does have the tendency to be a bit of a queen. I think he gets it from his teacher…" Adam snorts softly.

"No, he gets him from himself," Adam says with a smirk and Drake laughs softly, his eyes lighting up some. "He doesn't need to get it from anywhere or anyone but himself and within," Drake nods once in agreement and Adam just smiles at him.