Title: What the heart tastes
Pairing/Characters: Adam Lambert/OMC (Michael Fitzharris)
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2 x 100
Content: PTSD issues
Beta reader(s):  @Rimblemethis 
Author's note: This is follows on the heals of last week's "What the heart hears"  - (Less ouchy things to come, I promise!)
Part of: A man in uniform series, which begins with Adam meeting Marine First Lt Michael Fitzharris at a party.





Adam licks at the throbbing point inside his mouth and tastes copper: bitter and bright and –

His thoughts grind to a halt. 

It’s blood. 

It’s his blood. 

Michael hit him. 

His cheek throbs and his side hurts. 

Michael hit him. 

No. 

Michael had struck out at -- something. Not him. That much Adam knows, without question. The look in Michael’s eyes when he’d come back to the present had said it all. Michael had known what he’d done. And aching or not, all Adam wanted to do was wrap Michael in his arms and hold him forever.  

But he couldn’t. 


~^~


Michael squeezes his eyes shut against the bitter taste of bile in his throat and flushes the toilet a third time. 

He’d thought he’d seen -- but. No.

He’d thought he’d heard -- but he hadn’t. 

This was LA. Not Fallujah. 

Safe, dammit.

His stomach clenches. It’s empty but he feels the nausea rising, pressing up against his will, tangling with his fear and shame. 

He’d hit Adam. 

He’d thought he’d tasted sand, heard the blast. He’d tried to save Jameson -- but they weren’t there. Instead he’d hurt someone in LA. Someone at home –he’d never done that before.