Escape Routes (in Every Room)

sequel to (every heart is) like a house on fire

Kris doesn’t have a lot of ‘buddies’ at the station and all everyone knows about him is that he is divorced and has a son. When months pass and his relationship with Adam doesn’t falter, it begins to bother him that no one at work knows about it. Not that it’s anyone’s business, but it feels like he is hiding it, and that is just not the kind of person he is. He doesn’t bother talking to Adam about it, because he knows Adam will just shrug and say “screw ’em.” So, after careful consideration, Kris takes matters into his own hands.

It doesn’t take a lot of planning. He mentions it to one or two key people and the rumors spread like wildfire. And the fallout isn’t as he feared either; a bunch of people stare at him for a while, but it’s only a couple of guys that drop snide comments, and they were dicks to him before he went and turned gay on them anyway.

So when a couple of gay bashing cases coincide with an officially unofficial hand-to-hand lesson he scheduled with two fresh-out-of-the-academy rookies, he finds himself inviting Adam along. Small steps in both directions, he figures.

“You want to teach me self-defense?” Adam looks incredulous. Kris has no idea why that would be so hard to believe.

“You don’t have to participate. Just drop by and check out my teaching techniques or whatever.”

Adam nods. “I do like checking you out.”

Kris sighs in exasperation. Adam gives him a cheeky grin.

~

The kids know when and what to strike in hand-to-hand combat, but it becomes clear to Kris pretty soon that they are really sloppy about the how. The chief did grumble about the academy when he told him to rough them up a bit, but Kris had thought he was exaggerating.

They start off joking and laughing, but in fifteen minutes the guys realize that Kris isn’t going to go easy on them. Kris couldn’t possibly go easy on them when they don’t even know how to fall properly. They’d get themselves killed, lumbering around like that, and the last thing Kris needs is more nightmares. So he makes sure they learn how to do it properly by calling out again and again until they can tell the exact places in their bodies that are supposed to make contact with the ground by the bruises they developed on them.

Adam watches them from a bench on the side, his legs crossed and an amused smile playing on his face. When Kris goes over to get a sip of water, his smile grows into a smirk and he whispers, “You are so sexy when you get bossy.”

Kris smirks back.

~

Kris only calls on Adam when they get to the throws. The guys mostly know how to do those, but he wants to see if they can handle a larger guy, like Adam, without losing their balance. It’s controlling the fall of the opponent he thinks they’ll screw up, and he mentally apologizes to Adam for all the bruises he will inevitably get from this.

Adam saunters over to them, looking as harmless as he possibly can, wearing old sweats and a large t-shirt, his hair soft and down around his face. He pushes a lock of it behind his ear and stands next to the smaller of the kids, making the size difference obvious. The guys give him wary looks.

Kris positions one of them with Adam for an over-the-shoulder throw and describes the move all over again, not skipping the smallest detail, even though they should know it by heart. Adam nods at him when he finishes, so Kris steps back to watch.

The kid manages to block Adam’s punch as Kris told him to, turns on the ball of his foot and gets himself inside Adam’s right armpit, but after that, things get a bit off track. Adam grabs the kid’s right elbow, kicks his legs out from under him in one sweeping move and has him down on the ground in seconds. He pushes his forearm against the kid’s throat and looks him in the eye for a second before he grabs the kid’s hand to pull him back up.

Kris blinks.

Adam looks over at him and shrugs.

~

The guys have a newfound respect for Adam from that point on. Kris has no idea why Adam is suddenly their role model when Kris can do every move Adam is showing them himself and is a detective to boot, but to be perfectly honest, he couldn’t care less. Maybe it’s the sashaying hips or the blue hair, who knows what goes through the minds of kids that age. The important thing is, they are following Adam’s lead like a couple of eager puppies and what Adam is teaching them is actually the good stuff. Adam knows technique, but he also knows how to fight dirty. Which, come to think of it, should not be a surprise.

They pack it up after another hour of Adam wiping the floor with them, and the kids wave goodbye to Kris as they leave, offering Adam high fives. Kris watches them go, then follows Adam with his eyes as he takes a seat on the bench next to him, wiping the sweat off his face and neck with a towel. Adam winks at him when he notices.

“Now that was sexy,” Kris says, leaning toward him conspiratorially.

“I told you I could take care of myself.”

Kris nods. “I worry.”

“Well, don’t,” Adam says, bumping their foreheads.

Kris finds himself unable to pull back from the contact. Because seriously—seriously!—that was possibly the sexiest thing he’s ever seen and he’s been watching a whole hour of it. He doesn’t know if he can get up and walk a straight line at this point. The way Adam moves, precise and strong—this will certainly replace Kris’ favorite Adam moment, because no matter how much he loves watching Adam dance, it doesn’t even come close to this.

Breathing in the familiar scent of Adam’s sweat, he swallows hard.

“I don’t think we should have sex in here,” Adam says, his voice raspy.

Kris’ lips move even closer. “I’m not sure I can wait.”

Adam’s tongue comes out to wet his lower lip reflexively. Kris groans, trying to fight against the pull.

Gym full of cops, Kris’ mind says.

The door is open, it supplies.

You won’t be able to stop—

Kris gives in.

The End

September 6th, 2009