Title: A Friend in Need
Author: Leela (leela_cat)
Pairing/Characters: Adam/Sauli with hints of Adam/Sauli/Tommy
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 10x100
Content/Warning(s): None
Author's notes: Written for glam_100, prompt #048: It's not what you think. Many thanks to aislinntlc for the preread.


Tommy worries. It's not so much a thing as what he does. And right now, he's totally worrying about Adam.

Everything should be great. Like 'nailing a riff on the first try' great. Sauli got a visa and he's moved here, and Adam's working on his second album. But Adam's got dark rings around his eyes, and he's dragging his ass everywhere. He won't explain either. Just waves people off when they suggest he needs to take a holiday or sleep for a couple of years.

So Tommy worries, because Adam's his friend and he needs him to be happy.

.:.

"I'm fine," Adam says, giving Tommy a one-armed hug and a kiss on his temple. "Just busy with the album. Way too many late night conference calls. It's going to be awesome though."

"Yeah, awesome," Tommy mutters as Adam moves away and slides in between Sauli and Danielle. Adam rubs at his eyes, stifling a yawn, and Tommy's stomach sinks.

That's just not how Adam fucking is at a party. He's the one who brings this shit to life, singing with the music, encouraging people to dance or to grab their instruments. Not this fucking quiet dude Tommy hardly recognizes.

.:.

In the end, though, it's Sauli who pushes Tommy into doing something.

Three hours into the party and Tommy's way past his limit of people. He's got his Guild and a bottle of some fancy ass beer. Bowie's on the stereo, singing about Cat People, and Tommy's working the harmony.

Sauli's curled up on the couch with Alisan, his hands and face so expressive that Tommy can almost figure out what they're talking about. Then Sauli licks his lips and he leans into Alisan, nuzzling her.

Before Tommy can blink, Adam's right fucking there, dragging Sauli away and out of the room.

.:.

Within seconds, Scarlett's sitting next to Alisan and they're obviously talking about Adam and Sauli. Fuck talking, Tommy thinks. It's way past time he found out what the hell's going on.

No one looks his way as he lays his guitar in its case and gets to his feet. Still, he heads for the kitchen first, empty bottle in hand, because he knows Adam will fucking kill him if he brings anyone else into whatever's going on.

As he ducks upstairs, Tommy doesn't let himself wonder why he's so sure that Adam won't be pissed off with him.

.:.

By the time Tommy reaches their bedroom, he's burning up with the need to know. The door isn't quite closed, so Tommy leans against the wall next to it and listens.

"It's supposed to be me. Only me," Adam is saying. "That's what we agreed."

Sauli curses in Finnish, words he's been teaching Tommy. "It's not working, rakas. You know that."

"Sauli, baby," Adam says, half-prayer, half-desperation, and all love. "I can't."

"You have to. This way, what we're doing, it's killing you."

Tommy swallows the lump in his throat and it lodges in his chest, making his heart ache.

.:.

There's silence for a moment, a change in their breathing, and Tommy can see them kissing when he closes his eyes. The way they just fucking lean into each other, become each other's world.

"You can't go to clubs," Adam says. "This isn't Finland. The paps would break me."

Sauli's response is too quiet for Tommy to hear.

"You think?" Adam's hope is tangible, nearly painful.

Tommy covers his face with his hands, presses back against the wall, fights the urge to go in there and comfort them.

"I don't know." Sauli's voice sounds closer. "What do you think, Tommy?"

.:.

Sliding his hands down slowly, Tommy finds himself looking into Sauli's eyes. "Umm," he says, because there's no fucking way to pretend he needed the bathroom.

"Not here." Adam grabs Tommy's wrist, pulls him into the bedroom.

The door closes with a solid snick, shutting out the music and voices from downstairs. A satisfied smile spreads over Sauli's face, lights his eyes.

Tommy realizes he's been had. "You planned this?"

"No," Adam says.

"I hoped." Sauli rocks back on his heels, strokes the ink on his own arm. "I've seen the way you look at Adam, at both of us."

.:.

"I don't—" But Tommy does and he totally knows it. He just hasn't wanted to.

"It's not what you think," Adam says.

Sauli looks at Adam, who stares down at his hands and fiddles with his rings.

Silence builds between them, and it's annoying as fuck. "What is it then?"

"Okay." Adam darts a glance at Sauli, then at Tommy. Shrugging, he gives them a half-smile. "Just... you tell him, okay?"

Moving on instinct, Tommy goes over to Adam. He slides his arms around Adam's waist, rests his head on Adam's shoulder, and hugs him. "Whatever you need," he says.

.:.

Sauli joins them, fitting himself behind Tommy. "In my language," he says, breath brushing against Tommy's ear, "there are so many words for what I am. In English, you have only one: vampire."

The word shocks through Tommy, and he flinches. Adam and Sauli tighten their hold on him.

"Listen," Adam says, "Please." He twines his fingers with Sauli's, holds onto Tommy's waist.

"I said I would." Tommy's way too close to being in shock to be insulted. "It's simple, yeah? Sauli's a vampire. He's, like, taking too much blood from you, and you don't want him feeding from strangers."

.:.

"It's not quite that simple." Adam frowns, looking unhappy. "If it was just the fucking blood, I'd deal."

Running through all the stories about vampires leaves Tommy confused. He thought he knew everything there was. "Then what?"

"Sex." Sauli's lips touch the steel rings in Tommy's ear. "Without that—" Sauli mutters in Finnish. "Shit, I don't have the words. Stupid English."

"The blood doesn't work," Adam says, "without whatever sex adds to it. We've tried, and he's come close to starving."

Tommy bites his lower lip, worries it, and then lays his head back on Sauli's shoulder. "Yes," he says.