a chained heart

9 | awkward love

Adam was in the dark room developing the photos he'd taken of Lawrence sitting by the skyline, and he brought Larry along with him because he'd asked if he could watch.

"Alright, so I can't do color prints, so these are gonna come out black and white," Adam warned Lawrence.

"Ew," Lawrence was disappointed. "Then why do you even do all this?" Larry gestured around the small room.

"It's fun," Adam smiled widely.

"How did you get those other photos in color?"

"I just bring my film to the store?" Adam laughed at Lawrence.

"Oh, right." Lawrence looked down shamefully.

Adam clapped his hands together, "So, first and most importantly, we have to make sure we don't soak the pictures in the chemicals too long or else they'll come out wrong."

He began putting on his gloves and sorting the film. Lawrence watched him intensely. Sneaking up from behind, he wrapped his arms around Adam's waist. "Did I ever tell you how sexy it is when you nerd out."

Adam turned his neck so that his cheek touched Lawrence's. He let out a small laugh through his breath.

"And this lighting?" Lawrence looked up at the red bulbs. "It makes you look super hot."

"Oh yeah?" Adam questioned, raising his eyebrows with a smile.

"Yeah," Lawrence whispered before turning Adam around and planting multiple kisses on his lips.

"Mmm—the photos," Adam mumbled through Lawrence's pecks.

"Forget the photos, I want you," Lawrence pulled Adam into him before he could protest.

Adam kissed back graciously but pulled back seconds later, "And I want money." He raised his eyebrows at Lawrence.

Lawrence crinkled his face in confusion, "You'd only make money off of the colored ones though?"

"Yeah, but the store charges you to print them, and I can barely even afford that already. So I develop the photos to see how they came out. If they are bad, I don't waste my time or money getting them colorized." Adam sulked at his demise.

"Alright, well I'll tell you what," Lawrence ran his fingers through the side of Adam's hair. "If these look fine and you get them colorized, we'll go to a gallery today and try to get them shown off. Sound good?" Lawrence smiled, encouraging Adam's dreams.

"Yeah, that sounds good," Adam grinned before placing a quick kiss on Larry's forehead.

***

"What are you talking about! These are great!" Lawrence held the colored photo up to Adam's face.

They were back from the store, and Adam was beginning to change his mind about going to a gallery. "They're not good enough."

"You said once we got them printed you would try," Lawrence stressed. Adam opened his mouth to protest but Lawrence kept talking. "Adam, you didn't pay for these for nothing. You have to make a profit somehow and sitting around judging your work isn't going to get you anything."

Adam was silent for a minute then groaned. "You're right. You're right, I'll change into something nice—"

Lawrence eyed Adam funnily.

"Nice-ish," Adam corrected himself. "Start my car for me?"

"On it." Lawrence was immediately grabbing Adam's keys and walking out the door.