Erchomai [Ricochet/Adam Cole]

chapter 5: say nothing

The kiss only lasts a few seconds give or take, but that's still long enough for Trevor to experience a number of emotions. The first is want. Years ago, a crush-stricken Trevor wanted nothing more than this. To feel Adam Cole's lips on his own. He pictured it to be like floating on clouds. Like he would be up so high that nothing could touch him.

The second contradicts with the first, because Trevor is angry. Angry because this kiss is not consented, and it messes with his head in a way he never asked for. And now he's got this image of a kiss with Adam burned into his memory that he wants gone, but it won't leave any faster than it came. It's a stubborn iceberg under the sun, melting at a glacial pace.

When Adam breaks away, he doesn't meet Trevor's eyes. Or perhaps he can't. Trevor doesn't know which is worse. All he knows is that the crowd fades away into background noise as he refocuses on the monitor to find a replay of the kiss. It's surreal to see it play out so naturally on the screen all the while knowing he tormented himself with his thoughts every second of it.

Trevor squeezes his eyes shut, thinking back to the comparison of the iceberg. He shivers, and for a moment it feels like he's drowning.

+

The game ends with Trevor having had enough time to work through his emotions until he settles on one: anger. He's determinedly fuming when he slides into the passenger side of Adam's car. Past feelings for him or not, kiss cam or not, that kiss was not okay. It's not okay and Trevor's too angry to express his point in a mature way. So, he stays quiet, waiting for the right words to come so he can let Adam know that he can't pull a stunt like this ever again on anyone.

Adam, seemingly lost on what to say other than the obvious apology, goes for an ice breaker a few minutes into the drive. "How about some tunes?"

Trevor ignores him, opting to stare out the window at the passing palm trees as he works through a one-sided argument in his head. It's coming together really well. They pass by his favorite ice cream shop, and he's tempted to tell Adam to stop there. But Trevor's stubborn as hell and is still very much pissed off, so0 he watches it through the back windshield with a deep sense of longing in his eyes.

When Adam realizes that Trevor has no plans to reply, he takes it upon himself to turn the radio on. To Trevor's chagrin, the first thing he hears when it's on is:

Blow me one last kiss...

He doesn't appreciate the irony. There's a click, then:

...compare you to a kiss from a rose from th—

When Adam changes it again, Trevor's prepared to take action and stop it, but to his complete surprise, he hears:

You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you...

And that's the kind of situational irony he can get behind. Trevor finally turns away from the window to pointedly stare at Adam, the song playing in the background making the majority of his points for him.

Adam seems to get the underlying meaning as well, glancing sheepishly at Trevor before changing the station once more until finally:

...touch you like this, and if you kiss me li—

Trevor knocks Adam's hand out of the way as he reaches over to turn the radio off, having had enough of fate's antics for the day. He settles back into his seat, returning to stare out the window. He's determined to do it until he makes it back to his apartment.