Fanboy (boyxboy)

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If Adam thought the first day of work wasn't anything like what he expected, the next few days were just as bad. The boys were assigned a teacher, a pair of vocal coaches, a stylist, choreographer and social media manager. It didn't seem to matter that the band wasn't complete, they started learning music and choreography anyway.

"Are you the gay one?" Jimmy asked. He and Adam were waiting during a "school" session one day as their teacher worked with Tyler. Adam turned so fast he knocked over his water bottle. Brent caught it and Adam was extra glad he'd put the top on tight.

"What?"

"They told me before I signed that you were gay and I had to be okay with that."

"They said I was...?" Adam's throat was already tired from all the singing but it was suddenly very dry too.

"Not him, me," Brent set Adam's water bottle back on the table. "I'm the gay one."

"You don't look gay," Jimmy narrowed his eyes at Brent. "Huh. That's cool."

"How do you look gay?" Adam looked at Brent. Was Jimmy saying he thought Adam looked gay? If so, he had to know how to fix it.

"Right? Sorry I forgot to wear my dicksucker merit badge," Brent rolled his eyes. It took Adam a second to get that he was being sarcastic. So maybe you couldn't look gay?

"Hey, chill, it was just a question," Jimmy held his hands up. "Sorry, dudes, I just figured it was you cause you have the pretty eyes."

"I, uh, what?" Adam tried to pick up his water to take a sip and almost knocked it over again.

"You do have pretty eyes," Brent grinned at Adam, sending his heart into full on palpitations. "But they're crazy intense, like I'm afraid if you get mad you'll shoot ice at me."

"Oh, man I can see that!" Jimmy gasped. "How fuckin rad would that be?"

"Language!" their teacher finally turned around. "Are you all finished with the worksheet then?"

"Sorry," Brent apologized. He even looked like he meant it. She turned back to Tyler.

"Hey, we're cool, right?" Jimmy nudged Brent.

"Yeah, but you've used up your one ignorant question," Brent didn't actually look like he was that okay with Jimmy, but Adam didn't want to point it out. "Next time Google it."

Adam sat with that for the rest of their "school" session that day. He'd never once thought to try Googling any of his questions. Maybe that would keep him from looking like too much of an idiot.

When they got a break before their meeting with Martin, Adam decided to try Googling a question, just to see if it would work. He started with what he thought was an easy question but when the results came up, none of the answers made sense.

"Oh, Adam," Brent's voice came out of nowhere and Adam almost dropped the phone when he realized Brent was looking at the screen.

"I'm sorry!" Adam insisted, not sure what else to say.

"Hey, come here," Brent pulled Adam out of the room. "Look, Jimmy was being a dick. I already told you that you can ask me whatever questions you want."

"Yeah, but," Adam tried to take a calming breath. "I don't know anything. I could be ignorant and not realize."

"So you tried to google what an ignorant question is, I get it," Brent gave him that sad, patient smile he was always giving Adam. "The difference is that you ask questions because you honestly want to learn. And you ask in innocent ways. But Jimmy saying I don't look gay, that's ignorant."