~Blake’s POV~
Lights, camera, sing.
Blake plopped down in his chair, a smile spread wide across his face. He watched intently as Adam skipped, literally skipped, onto stage, with a smile just as big. However, Blake sensed it wasn’t as real. And that concerned him.
Shakira followed, grinning at the crowd, waving her hands high. The people sitting in the mass of seats behind them were not going to be able to see it, and he knew that the cameras were going to make sure they didn’t catch it, but the faint red rimming her eyes told him all he needed to know.
Something had happened between the two. The combination of Adam’s forced smile and Shakira’s eyes confirmed Blake’s suspicions that there was something going on between the them. He had originally dismissed it because of the fact that Shakira had a child, but now, feeling the sexual tension practically screaming its presence on that side of the panel, he knew better. And it angered him to no end.
His smile threatened to waver so he switched his attention from the issue to the show. It was the first night of battle rounds. He was going to lose two members of his team, Usher was going to lose one, Shakira also one, and Adam two. He was glad with his pairings for the night. He made it so the decisions wouldn’t be too hard, but not obviously easy.
The show began and Carson came out, introducing the show and reviewing the battle rounds procedure. The audience got an overview of the first two, Adam’s first battle. After a few minutes of talking at the end of the clip, Carson stepped off stage and the lights dimmed slightly. The coaches sat waiting as the contestants came out. It was almost an awkward silence, and Blake was damned if any of the people near the panel didn’t feel it.
The contestants came out and Carson introduced them one by one, Elizabeth and Carrie. When they took their spots on the stage, the lights went down and it got quiet, waiting for Carson's beginning statement.
"Let the battle begin."
Instantly, the melody to Lee Ann Womack's 'I Hope You Dance' began playing. Blake got into it quickly, being a fan of the artist and song, finally able to push the current issue to the back of his mind. He noticed one girl, Elizabeth, had a stronger voice than Carrie, but Carrie held her long notes better. He knew Adam had paired the two to end up with Carrie, and made a mental note to tell him of his lack of discretion in pairing.
The song finally ended and Carson joined the girls in the middle of the stage.
"Adam, I'll give you a moment to think. Shakira. What do you say and who would you pick?"
Hesitating, she said, "I like how strong and experienced your voice is Elizabeth, and how you extend and accentuate your notes Carrie. I would have to go with Carrie."
"Usher?"
"I have to agree with Shakira about your voice Elizabeth. It holds potential. Carrie, your voice is softer and it seemed to me a little wavering at points. I would have to go with Elizabeth."
"Thank you Usher. Blake?"
Blake snuck a look at Adam, who seemed calm and cool. He looked back towards the front then shrugged. "I really liked them both. They both had unique characteristics that made their voices blend extremely well. I don't know who I would pick."
"Thanks Blake. That wasn't very helpful!" Adam exclaimed. "I...oh god, I hate this. This sucks. I love the strength that you have Elizabeth. Carrie, the way you twist the notes makes it your own and special. The winner of this battle is...Carrie."
The girl went crazy on stage, then turned and gave the other one a hug. Elizabeth said a few words then left, crying. Carrie stayed, thanking the judges again, giving Adam a hug, then leaving.
A commercial break followed and Blake got up to get a drink, anything to get away from the choking atmosphere on stage. The tension was so thick he couldn't breathe. Grabbing a cup of water in the back, he stepped out the side door, breathing in the crisp night air, more refreshing than the water. He knew he was part of the tension. His disapproval of the relationship between Adam and Shakira was evident, including the fact that he knew about it.
He was about to turn around and go back inside when the door opened up and he jumped out the way to avoid getting hit. Adam slid out and shut the door behind him, falling against it and sighing loudly. He looked in Blake's direction and said, "How bad?"
Knowing exactly what he was talking about, he responded, "Bad enough to be noticeable to me. Her eyes are more distracting than your fake smile though."
"I don't know what the hell I'm doing. What we're doing. Why can't life just be simple?"
He looked so broken, so upset, Blake couldn't resist going over and pulling the guy into a hug. They stayed like that for a few moments, holding each other, not moving or saying a word. Blake ignored the flutters in his stomach, knowing Adam was not up for discussing their own issue at the moment. Right now, Adam just needed him to be his best friend and be there for him. And Blake was going to do just that.
~Adam's POV~
I can't freaking breathe. As soon as the commercial break finally came, he forced himself to walk calmly out of the room and into the side hallway. He went to the bathroom and splashed water on his face, looking at himself in the mirror. What the hell am I going to do? She's a freaking wreck. A lump grew in his throat thinking of the distress he was causing her, and swallowed it down. I have to be strong. If not for me, then for the sake of keeping all this shit out of the public eye.
Suddenly wanting his best friend close, he left the bathroom and snuck down the hall, making sure no one saw him. He knew the man had gone outside; he knew Blake hadnt been able to breathe either. He didn't blame him; the tension was suffocating, and it was even worse on Adam's side.
He pushed open the door and collapsed against it, sighing. It felt so good to get air in his lungs, and he stayed like this for a minute. He spoke, not directly at Blake, but to the darkness as well.
"I don't know what the hell I'm doing. What we're doing. Why can't life be simple?"
Seeing his loss of mental strength, Blake came over and wrapped his arms around Adam.
He had never been so grateful for the large guy entering his life a decade before. In that moment, he knew there was no where else he'd rather of been than in Blake's arms. The thought kind of scared him, but he knew it was true. No use denying it.
The minute stretched into two and yet the bond wasn't broken. Adam could have sworn they were going to stay like that forever when the door opened. Both instinctively tensed, but didn't move out of each other's embrace.
They knew who it was; they didn't need the confirmation of the blonde hair that popped out the door.
"Two minutes'til commercial break ends." Her voice cracked and then she was gone, letting the door slam shut behind her with a loud thud.
Looking at each other and finally letting go, Adam studied the ground while Blake silently questioned him with eyes.
Breaking under his glare, he confessed.
"We...she...I...did something....we maybe shouldn't have done." He cringed and looked at Blake like he was going hit him. Blake sighed and closed his eyes, lowering his head and shaking it.
"Adam. What did you do?"
~Blake's POV~
Adam was quiet for minute, then said, "We got close. Too close. She freaked. And left. That was two in the morning on Sunday. It's Monday. I thought maybe she would be okay by now. I guess not..." He trailed off, his voice faltering pathetically.
Blake wanted to feel sorrow for his friend, to have pity on him. But he couldn't. He had shared a freaking kiss with the guy. Then he went and made out with another judge. What was he thinking?
"I don't know, man. I don't know what to tell you. Not a great idea, messing around like that. You'll be lucky if no one questions. Your smiles aren't exactly convincing, either."
He paused, keeping his hidden anger masked and his voice cool. "We should go back, the show is gonna start." Without waiting for Adam, he went inside and returned to his seat on stage.
On goes the cameras, on goes the smiles.
~Shakira's POV~
She wish she hadn't gone and said something. If only she stayed in her seat and talked to Usher. So what if they were late? It would've been their fault.
No, instead she had left and gone into the back hallway. She had almost made it back to the door to the stage when a hand closed on her shoulder. Her stomach dropping instantly, she slowly turned around, fearing the worst. It happened to be only Carson, but the look on his face told her she shouldn't be any less worried. He knew.
"Shakira. Speak. You obviously need to." Carson had been a friend since childhood, and she told him everything. Except this. She knew she couldn't, and wondered how she was going to get out of it. Where is the sound for the resuming of the show?
"I...Carson not right now. We have to get back to the chairs." Spinning on her heel, she flew through the door, walking swiftly to her chair and plopping down dramatically. She heard Carson yell her name from offstage somewhere, but ignored it. Usher looked at her with raised eyebrows.
"You good? You look a little...flustered." He gave a strange small smile at the end, assuming what she knew he would.
Rolling her eyes, she have him an 'Are you serious' look and said, "I'm fine. And I looked flustered because I had to run all the way from other end of the building. But thanks for your concern." She gave him a grin and straightened herself as Adam trudged back onto stage, and Blake a moment later. Neither looked happy.
Sneaking a small look at Adam, she caught his gaze, steady and unwavering, full of apology and regret. She was taken aback at how he was allowing such emotion to show, and that he was risking the audience, though behind them, to see it also. Her heart jumped to her throat and she looked down, embarrassed.
She wanted to stay mad at him but just couldn't. After all, he didn't actually take advantage of her; she went along with it willingly. And it was her fault she left him high and dry when he deserved an explanation. No, she had been in the wrong, and ended up blaming him for it. She knew they couldn't be together. She was merely playing with his heart, and it caused her so much pain to do so. Even if he did own a large part of her's.
~Blake's POV~
Blake watched as Shakira laughed and smiled her way through the rest of the show, playing off her happiness like it was second nature. It was much harder for him to do so, and he struggled to smile. He couldn’t believe his best friend would go and do something like that. It wasn’t even the fact that he messed around with her; it was the fact that he had sworn Adam had kissed him because he had feelings for him. Now, he wasn’t so sure.
The show eventually ended and the coaches met with their teams. Blake met briefly with whom he had remaining and then left. When he got to his trailer, he saw a figure sitting on his steps.
“What do you want, Adam? I’ve got a headache and I need sleep.”
The figure stood up and came into the moonlight. Adam’s face broke the anger wrapped around his heart in a second. He looked so regretful, so miserable, Blake forgot about his grudge against him and gave him a hug.
“I’m sorry. You must think I’m a f***ing manwhore now. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I don’t know what my heart wants, and I have no f***ing clue what I want.” Blake knew he was serious, because Adam rarely said the f word. He decided to forgive him right then and there.
“You know what Adam? I forgive you. I couldn’t hold anything against you anyway; you’re just too good.” They broke the hug and Blake resisted kissing him again. He had a feeling that that was never going to happen again. However, Adam’s next comment made Blake’s skin crawl with anticipation that he knew he shouldn’t have.
“I’m so lucky to have you, Blake. You are definitely the best. And I’m sorry if that...kiss... confused you. It confused me. But I will tell you one thing; it wasn’t done out of experiment or anything spur of the moment. I...I care for you. But something like that wouldn’t work because of our jobs and marital statuses. Just know I did enjoy it.” He looked sheepishly at Blake, who couldn’t help but start laughing.
“Too bad. I thought we could give those Shevine fans a show tomorrow night.” He winked to let Adam know he was joking, and Adam started laughing with him.
“Best buds?” Adam asked, looking at Blake hopefully.
“Until the day one of us dies.”
“And then?”
“The other is screwed.”