Title: Unrequited

Part 1

Author: Lizzie

Rating: R

Content: Not a lot besides some very light m/m and a whole bunch of total silliness.

Part 2

Disclaimer: Characters don't belong to me. They belong to WWF and Titan Sports. No copyright infringement intended.
__________________

"Just... just leave me alone".

"Look, Jay. Jay. It's okay, really. I know what it's like".

"How could you? How can it be? Since when have you been in love with your best friend, huh? C'mon, tell me. You know what this is like?
Huh? Do you?"

"Okay, so I don't know *exactly* what it's like, but... but... You're
in love with me?"

"Well duh, genius. What the fuck did you think we were talking about?"

"Jeff just said you thought I was hot, that's all. He didn't say you
were, that you're... you're... You're in love with me?"

"Jeff Hardy is a dead man".

"Don't blame Jeff, Jay. It's not his fault".

"It's not?"

"No, it's not. Yo're the one who told him. You're the one who's...
who's in... who thinks they're... Damnit, Jay! Couldn't you've kept
this to yourself? You know how Jeff gets when he's drunk".

"Yeah - stupid and loud-mouthed".

"So, not unlike someone else I can think of right now. God, Jay, I so
totally didn't need to hear this right now. Or at all".

"I'm sorry".

"It's a little late for 'sorry' now, don't you think?"

"I guess so".

"You should never have told Jeff".

"I know, I know. I shouldn't but I just needed to tell someone and
he's one of my best friends and I thought maybe this time he's keep
his mouth shut".

"You should *never* have told Jeff".

"I know, I'm sorry".

"Don't be".

"Huh?"

"Don't be sorry, Jay. Just be gone".

"Adam?"

"Leave, Jay. Now. Go. Before I do something I'll regret. Just go.
Now. I fucking mean it, Jay, just get out!"

***

Jay blinked back tears as he closed the door behind him. He felt dumb
being about to cry. It was completely ridiculous when he thought
about it - he'd always known what Adam's reaction would be and he'd
been steeling himself for it for years. He'd known exactly what would
happen. He'd played it through over and over in his head going
through each and every possibility from Adam pulling out a gun or
choking him to death with his bare hands to him clutching at his
chest and dropping dead of shock. So he shouldn't have been
surprised. And he definitely shouldn't have had tears in his eyes.

But he *had* just lost the best friend he'd ever had. And all because
of one duimbass conversation late one night with a guy he knew was
lousy when it came to secrets. Jeff was one hell of a good friend,
right up until he heard the words 'you can't tell anyone, but...' It
was pretty much common knowledge that he had a mouth the size of the
Grand Canyon. And of course Jay would have to choose him to tell.
Really he deserved everything he'd got.

So he didn't cry. Not as he stood there outside the room and not as
he walked to the leveator, not as he shuffled into the bar. But he
was actually shaking as he picked up the glass, almost tipping
straight bourbon directly down the front of his shirt. He didn't feel
good. Hell, that was the understatement of the year. He felt kinda
like someone had just plunged a knife into his chest, hacked apart
his ribs and torn ou his still beating heart. Yeah, that pretty much
summed it up. Better than 'not good', anyway.

He slammed down his glass, ordered a beer and told the barman to keep
them coming. He wasn't trying to get drunk, even if he was pretty
sure it'd help - he was just trying to take the edge off. Edge. Ha.
And he wasn't in the mood for talking, either - the barman gave it a
try in that distinctly barmanlike way but gave up when Jay just
looked up at him like he was about to take the elevator all the way
up and go jump off of the hotel roof. What he was doing - along with
all five others drinking there that night - could be most accurately
described as drowning his sorrows. And that's just what he wanted to
do. He wanted to drown his sorrows, not talk them over with the
prying bar staff.

He definitely had sorrows to drown, more than he'd ever be able to
deal with. The two main ones being along the lines of 'how fucking
stupid was I to tell Jeff Hardy?' and 'oh my God, Adam hates me now'.
He couldn't keep from cursing himself. Surely it was bad enough he
was in love with his best friend - Adam of all people, Mr Dictionary
Definition of Heterosexuality himself - but knowing all that and
knowing what would probably happen, he had to go and tell Jeff Hardy.
Great idea, Jay. Yeah, if your number one objective is to fuck up
your life beyond all recognition. Way to go.

But he'd had to tell someone. He'd had to or he would've gone
completely insane, no doubt about it. It was terrible, being around
him all the time and sharing a room with him and having to pretend
like he hated him in public and all the time knowing he couldn't do
anything about the way he felt, couldn't ever act on it no matter
what because Adam just wasn't like that. Jay was his best friend. Jay
was the guy he roomed with and travelled with and talking about girls
with. Not being able to be with him or even tell him was like some
particularly malicious form of medieval torture. He'd just had to
tell someone, get it off his chest before it got too much for him to
handle, before he broke down and told Adam everything.

So he'd told Jeff. Knowing full well what was bound to happen, he'd
told Jeff Hardy.

And now Adam knew anyway. He wasn't sure whether he should be
relieved or petrified, but mostly he was petrified. This so couldn't
be good.

***

"I told you I'd tell him. You *know* what happens when I'm drunk".

"So this is *my* fault?"

"Yeah. Absolutely".

"Well, isn't that just fucking great. Fan-fucking-tastic, Jeff. You
ruin my life and yet somehow that's *my* fault".

"You know I can't keep a secret to save my life! I tell everyone
that. All the guys know that if you want something kept quiet then
you don't tell me. I'm like the Federation broadcast beacon. I even
told you not to tell me because I know I'd have to tell someone.
Hell, I can't even keep my own secrets. You were just looking for
someone to tell because you... you... you wanted him to know. Yuu
must have".

"That is the last thing I ever wanted".

"THen why the hell did you tell me? I told you not to. You knew what
would happen. None of this would've happened if you'd just listened
to me and now you're blaming me for something I told you I'd do. You
knew. You can't tell me you didn't know".

"Well, maybe I just thought you'd think twice before ruining my life,
Jeff".

"I didn't mean to".

"You didn't mean to? You didn't mean to. Adam's in our room right
now. Alone. I'm not there. You may have noticed this. Because right
after he found out I'm in love with him he practically threw me out.
Now not only do I not have a best friend anymore, but I don't have
anywhere to sleep tonight".

"Whoa there. You love him? You did *not* tell me that. You can't
blame me for that 'cause I had no idea. You didn't tell me that. I
didn't tell him that".

"No, I did that all by myself".

"I just told him you thought he was kinda hot".

"And you told him I'm into guys".

"He's gotta be pretty blind if he doesn't see that. Wait. Oh. Oh God,
he didn't know? No way!"

"Way".

"Even with the way you and Billy Kidman've been going at it?"

"Even with that".

"Jesus, Jay, I'm sorry".

"Yeah, well I shouldn't've gone off at you like that".

"What can you say? You're just a lousy drunk".

"I'm not drunk, I've just had..."

"...about six beers too many in the hotel bar? Well, duh. You show up
outside my room at one am blaming me for, well, y'know, and you're
not drunk? You lie".

"When you put it that way, I guess I am a pretty lousy drunk".

"No problem. I guess I kinda deserved it. Hmmm... c'mon in here
before someone complains. Matt's gone for the night so you can take
his bed".

"Thanks. You know you're a life saver?"

"Hadn't I ruined your life a second ago?"

"Cute. You wouldn't happen to be in the market for a new best friend,
would you?"

"Well, I guess Matt's kinda AWOL".

"You know I love you like a brother, right?"

"Oh, now I know you're drunk. And you do know what I do with Matt,
right?"

"OKay so I love you like a brother you're not fucking".

"Oh and you make it sound so darn special. Love you too".

"At least someone does".

"Way to wallow in self pity, Jay".

"It's true, though".

"Shut up".

"Thanks".

"Night, Jay".

"Night, Jeff".

***

THe night passed too slowly. Jay lay awake in his boxers in Matt's
bed, listening to Jeff breathe; he must've been listening for over
two hours, just staring into the dark or the crack of light coming
from under the door, trying not to think about how he'd screwed
things up. Because whatever way he looked at it, he was screwed. He'd
tried to convince himself that it was okay because at least now he
didn't have to feel like he was suffocating in Adam's blissful
obliviousness, but then he realised he was worse off now than he had
been before. By a long shot. Because not only did it not feel better
that Adam knew, but if felt so much worse. He hadn't stopped
suffocating. He was being smothered by the panic that welled up every
time he remembered the look on his ex-partner's face, panic so thick
that it made him sick at his helplessness. There was nothing he could
do.

He finally drifted into shallow, tortured sleep around four am,
waking every time Jeff moved and his mattress squeaked. Then he'd
just force himself to take slow, deep breaths until the panic died
down and he'd go back to listening to Jeff breathe. It was oddly
relaxing, hearing him inhale, hold, exhale, over and over,
rhythmically, soothingly. And evntually he'd drift back to sleep.

But the wakeup call from the lobby wok ehim up once and for all. He
woke with a jolt, looked over at Jeff in the twin bed who just
groaned and pulled a pillow over his head, then picked up the phone
and mumbled something barely intelligible at the deliriously chipper
woman on the other end. He hung up and sighed, throwing his pillow at
Jeff who was already falling asleep again. He yawned and peered out
at him from under the pillows with tired, mock-glaring green eyes.

And then the door opened and in walked Matt.

"Hey, Jeff. Hey, Jay". He pulled off his jacket and hung it on the
coathook on the back of the door as Jeff and Jay exchanged a slightly
confused look. Then Matt turned back around slowly, frowning. "Uh,
Jay... is there any particular reason you're in my bed?"

"Early birthday present?" Jeff joked, smirking as Matt quirked an
eyebrow. "Hey, it was free. Jay needed a place to sleep so he got
your bed. Don't tell me you're angry - you're the one who left me
alone and stayed out all night, remember?"

Matt just shrugged. "So, you coming down to breakfast?"

Jeff looked over and Jay shook his head, hoping the pathetic
expression on his face was enough to dissuade them both from trying
to persuade him. It worked.

"I'll be right down, Matty". Matt nodded and stalked back out of the
room; Jeff climbed out of bed, grabbed his clothes from a case by the
wall and started pulling them on.

"You can borrow a shirt if you don't wanna wear yours again", Jeff
told him, trying to balance on one leg while he pulled on a pair of
baggy black jeans. "Damn, these are Matt's. You know your shirt reeks
of bourbon, right?" Jay shrugged.

"S'okay. I should grab my stuff from my room. Adam's room. Fuck".

Jeff winced over at him, almost falling over as he pulled on a pair
of platform sneakers. "Give me your key and I'll go for you".

"It's in my pocket". Jeff grabbed Jay's jeans from the top of the
dresser, fished out a keycard and flung the pants in the general
direction of Jay's head. "Thanks", he said, disentangling a button
from his hair. "I so don't need to face him right now".

"No problem", Jeff said, twisting up his hair. "Look, come get
something to eat. It's gonna be a long trip and..."

"Fuck".

"What?"

"I'm s'posed to be sharing a car with Adam".

"So ride with me and Matt and Amy. They won't care".

Jay smiled. "Has anyone ever told you you're a life saver?"

"Oh, you know, once or twice. So, breakfast?"

"Give me five minutes and I'll meet you down there. Think I'll borrow
that shirt. Mine reeks of bourbon".

***

"Jay".

He couldn't believe it. Of all the people he had to run into on the
way to breakfast. He almost couldn't breathe. And all he could think
was 'typical. Fucking typical'.

"About the car..."

"I'm driving down with Matt, Jeff and Amy".

"Oh".

And then he walked away, leaving Jay staring after him. Just standing
there outside the elevator doors, staring. And when Jeff tugged on
his sleeve and asked if he was okay he just mumbled at him like
Cletus the slack-jawed yokel or something. Not that Jeff minded - he
just steered him into the dining room and practically force-fed him
enough grapefruit and coffee to feed the entire United States Marine
Corps. Jeff had seen Adam and was trying to take Jay's mind off of
him with food. Jay barely even noticed how much he was eating, he
just apologised every three seconds for being distant.

***

Matt drove. Amy sat up front and constantly played with the radio.
Jeff slept. Jay listened to him breathe.

Thanks to the crappy traffic, the trip took six and a half hours, but
eventually they were over the border and checking into hotel rooms in
Calgary. Usually Jay felt a little buzz as he crossed back into
Canada, but not this time. He was sitting in a car full of Americans
and Adam wasn't there to be patriotic and generally silly with him.
So he just sat there leaning against the window, shivering and
wondering if Adam felt even half as lonely as he did without him. But
in the end he guessed not.

Except he realised there was a flaw in his logic. Adam had to be
lonely - it stood to reason since he was taking the trip alone. He'd
be alone in a rental car, missing his best friend. But the real
problem was that Jay wasn't really his best friend. Jay wasn't the
guy he'd always thought he was. Adam would be missing the Jay he
thought he knew, not the real Jay. Sitting in the car with Amy and
Matt bickering over the radio and the sleeping Jeff, Jay found that
thought extremely depressing.

Then at last they were there. Jay checked into Matt and Jeff's room
with Jeff instead of Matt and Matt checked in with Amy. And finally
he managed to sleep.

***

"Jay, wake up. C'mon. Jay, it's time to wake up. Jay!"

"Urrrrgh. Jeff? What time is it?"

"Ten after four".

"What? Whaaa? *Four*?"

"PM, idiot".

"I slept all day?"

"Uh-huh".

"And you let me?"

"You looked like you needed it. Now get up and get your ass in the
damn shower before you make us late".

"Yes Mom".

***

A shower and a short car ride later, Jay was falling asleep in the
dressing room he was sharing with Matt and Jeff. He wasn't sure how
much longer he would keep his eyes open - they kept shutting of their
own accord and he'd blink them back open and wonder if he'd been
asleep for seconds or minutes. He had no idea how he was managing it,
since for starters he was nervous as hell about seeing Adam. Then
there was the fact he'd been asleep for almost twenty-four hours
already, and that the Hardys were pretty much groping each other at
the other side of the room and being quite vocal about it, too.

Then the door opened and Jay's eyes snapped open. Matt and Jeff
instinctively sprang apart then went deathly quiet. It was Adam. Jay
could see the brothers torn between breathing a sigh of relief and
feeling really, really uncomfortable. He couldn't say he blamed them.

"Jay, we need to talk", Adam said. Jay nodded slowly. "Let's, uh, go
somewhere. No offence guys, but Jeff has a mouth the size of the Gulf
of Mexico".

Jeff shrugged, Matt nodded and Jay stood. Adam left the room and with
a quick look to Matt and Jeff, Jay followed.

Adam led him down the corridor to the locker room they should've been
sharing, let them both in then closed the door behind them, leaning
back against it. Jay played with the tape on his wrists and leant
back against the wall.

"Jay, this is stupid".

"It is?" Jay asked before he knew he'd said it, looking up from his
wrists. Adam nodded.

"Yeah, it is. You're my best friend. I don't want to lose that. We
can deal with this".

"We can?"

"Yeah, we can. Look, no matter what you're always going to be my best
friend. This doesn't change a thing. I'm sorry I threw you out. You
didn't deserve that. This has to be harder on you than it is on me, I
know, and I feel terrible. Do you think we could... still be friend?
Maybe? 'Cause I know it's only been one day but I missed having you
around".

Jay smiled. "We can still be friends", he said with a
nod. "Definitely".

"Great! So no more rooming with Jeff?"

"Nah. I guess Jeff and Matt'll be pleased to hear that, too. It
hasn't really been a whole lot of fun being around two horny Hardys
who can't lay a finger on each other. God, the moment they get behind
a closed door..."

"Hey, a little more information than I needed, thanks".

Jay winced. He kept having to remind himself that even if Adam knew
about Matt and Jeff, he didn't necessarily want to hear or talk about
it. And he couldn't say he blamed him - the Matt and Jeff thing had
been a lot for him to get over himself so he could imagine what it
was like for terminally-straight-guy Adam who was having enough
trouble dealing with finding out his best friend was gay. He didn't
exactly need the gory details of their friends' incestuous homosexual
love affair waving around in front of him at regular intervals.

"Sorry", Jay mumbled.

"S'okay. I'd just rather not think about... *that( right now. Hey,
how about we grab a pizza after the show?"

"Yeah, that'd be... good".

"I've gotta see Vince, but I'll see you for the match then we'll get
going".

Adam headed for the door and Jay found himself nodded and smiling
even though he knew Adam couldn't see him. It was weird. He actually
felt almost happy.

So, maybe this wasn't a complete distaster after all.

***

THe match went well, despite a tiny bit of apprehension on both parts
about actually having to touch each other. But Adam was still
essentially treating him like a person and not the scum of the earth,
and Matt and Jeff were more than happy to have their room back to
themselves. But even if everything seemed to be going great on the
surface, Jay was starting to get the unsettling feeling that
something was about to go well and truly awry. He even felt nervous
as he collected his stuff from what was now back to being Matt and
Jeff's room and made his way back to where he was staying with Adam.

It wasn't like he'd never roomed with him before. Hell, it wasn't
like he usually roomed with anyone else. But this was the first night
since he'd admitted everything and Adam had thrown him out. The word
nervous hardly did what he was feeling justice.

But he knocked and when Adam opened the door he had a huge grin on
his face, the sort that Jay couldn't help but return. He started to
feel better.

There was a pizza and a small sea of cokes sitting on the table; they
grabbed them and sank onto the floor in front of the TV tuned to MTV.
They ate and drank, complaining over Britney Spears and Christina
Aguilera videos, and it felt just like it always had. Until Adam
turned to him with a frown on his face that made Jay's stomach tie
itself up in knots.

"What?" he heard himself asking, despite the fact that he really
didn't want to hear whatever it was that Adam had to say.

"Why to you... uh... Why do you like guys?"

Jay just gaped at him, finally managing to squeak out "What?"


" I just don't get it", Adam said, turning off the TV. "I always
thought you were straight. And I *really* don't understand why you
like guys. You're a guy. It just seems... weird".

"Are you serious?" Adam nodded. Jay frowned. "Uh, I don't know. It's
just, well... why do you like girls?"

Adam shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it just feels right".

"Then I think you have your answer".

"You like guys because it feels right?"

THe way Adam was looking at him, Jay just had to smile. He looked
like he was genuinely confused, and on him that looked kind of odd.
Just like Edge. Only it really did seem like he was trying to
understand, and that was oddly touching. Maybe a little reassuring.

"I guess I was just born this way", he said in the end. "The same as
everyone else is born the way they are".

Adam nodded, slowly, in that I-don't-really-get-it-but-I'll-pretend-I-
do-anyway way that Jay knew so well.

"I think I get it", he said. "Thanks".

"So you're really okay with this?"

"It's gonna take awhile to get used to but sure. You're my best
friend. You being... into guys isn't gonna change that". Adam
smiled. "Just don't start bringing guys to the room and we'll be
fine, 'kay?"

Jay grinned. "I think I can cope with that", he said.

***

THey ate breakfast in the hotel dining room with Matt, Jeff and Amy
the next morning. Then they hit the gym for a couple of hours,
showered, ate, met up with Matt and Jeff again and drove to the
arena. Smackdown was going out from the same arena as the previous
night's house show, in front of a sell-out crowd. Everyone was on a
weird kind of mid-week high that no one could explain.

Their spot was quick, just Edge in a non-title match with Lance
Storm, Christian running a little interference that got Edge pinned.
Then they headed backstage, grabbed their stuff and headed back to
the hotel.

The Hardys talked them into a drink in the hotel bar. Jay wasn't
really feeling like it, and from the look on Adam's face, he wasn't
either. Then again, the look could also have been something to do
with how uncomfortable he was being around Matt and Jeff now he knew
about them. At some point Jay resolved to sit him down and explain
exactly why they were together and why it was okay. Not that Adam
would be all that receptive, but maybe eventually knowing how in love
they were and how happy they made each other would help. The two of
them were so obviously made for each other that Jay wasn't sure how
Adam, Amy and himself were the only ones who knew. Evidently Jeff was
a lot better at keeping that secret than every other he'd tried to,
ever.

Eventually Jay begged out with a headache and went back to the room,
leaving Adam with Matt and Jeff and a seemingly neverending supply of
beer. Adam seemed to be relaxing a little and being around the Hardys
wasn't bothering him so much, and Jay guessed that a little time
alone with them might do him good. Not to mention the fact that all
he wanted to do was take a shower and sleep for a week. Every single
muscle in his entire body was aching and he wasn't entirely sure why.

So he took a hot shower, hoping the heat would help with his sore
muscles, but it didn't really. He just ended up with shampoo in his
eyes and wrinkly fingers. He rubbed his eyes, towelled off, pulled on
a pair of boxers and curled up in bed, determined to get some sleep.

And he did. For maybe all of an hour, 'til the door open and slammed
into the wall, and he looked up from the bed to see Adam walk in.
He'd never exactly been the quietest of roommates, that was for sure.
Jay groaned and lay back down, pulling the duvet over his head.

"You awake?" Adam pseudo-whispered, loud enough to wake him if he'd
actually been asleep. Jay groaned again and sat up.

"I am now", he said, rubbing his eyes. They were still kinda sore
from the shampoo incident, and he wished he hadn't bothered. Now he
had sore eyes, sore muscles and damp hair, and not only that but he
was tired as hell, too. Fabulous.

"Oh, sorry". He felt the mattress shift under him as Adam sat down by
his feet. "Didn't mean to wake you up". Jay frowned.

"No, but now I'm awake, is everything okay?"

Adam shrugged. "Guess I've been better".

"So what's wrong? Something happen with Matt and Jeff?"

"Not exactly".

"I'll take that as a yes. So what happened?"

"Well... Y'know, they were just talking. And it got me thinking.
That's all".

"Thinking about what, exactly?"

"Oh, just, y'know, about what it must be like for them".

Jay frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Having to keep it s secret. That must be hard. You ever notice how
they are together? It's scary. They just love each other so much. I
can't believe no one else knows. You'd think they'd be able to tell
just by looking at them".

"I know exactly what you mean".

"That must be so hard on them. If they weren't related then there
wouldn't be a problem, they'd just be two guys together and it's not
like that's never happened before... oh, Jeff told me about Billy
Kidman".

Jay froze, suddenly feeling very, very cold. "What about Billy
Kidman?" he asked, completely in spite of himself.

"About you and him. It's okay, Jay, I'm not going to throw you out".

"So why did you mention it? What did Jeff tell you?"

"Just that you were seeing him. I can't believe you wouldn't tell me
that. Apparently it was pretty serious. And you didn't tell me. And I
can't believe I didn't realise".

"I guess sometimes you only see what you want to see".

"Well that's true".

"So why did you mention it?"

"I was just, uh, wondering, that's all".

"About what?"

"About you. About... You're gay, right? You've... been with... guys,
right?"

"Yeah and yeah. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering... y'know, about, well, does it hurt?"

"I can't believe we're having this conversation. Does what hurt,
Adam? Are you asking me if it hurts when someone fucks you in the
ass? Is that what you're asking? Is it?"

"Yeah, I guess it is". He sighed, taking a quick glance at him out of
the corner of his eye, barely turning his head but somehow managing
to make his hair slip back over one shoulder. Jay's breath caught in
his throat. This just so couldn't be happening. "So, does it?"

"Does what what?"

"Does it hurt?"

"Yeah, Adam, it hurts. It hurts like hell. But then it passes and
it's just... amazing. Okay, that what you wanted to hear? Or do you
want to hear about what I did with Billy? Or Lance? Or Jericho?"

"I just wanted to know what it felt like, that's all".

Adam's voice was so tiny that Jay immediately just wanted the ground
to open up and swallow him whole. This was Adam, his best friend, the
one person he cared about more than anyone else in the world and he
was snapping at him for trying to understand. What the hell was wrong
with him?

"Look, Adam, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I just... it's
not something I've really talked about before. It's kinda
embarrassing, y'know?"

"Then what do you think it's like for me? Sitting here talking about
this, asking you dumbass questions. I just wanted to... y'know,
understand why you do it, what it feels like. Jay, I..."

And then he'd taken his hand. And he was staring right into his eyes.
Jay started to panic. Then he really had a reason to because Adam was
moving, straddling his hips, pressing his lips against his, his hands
in his hair. Somehow he managed to wrench himself free.

"Adam, what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm just trying to... I just wanted to... Jay, I need to understand.
I want to know. And you, you're my best friend and you're the only
person I could ask. I want to, well, I want to. With you. Do you
think we could? Maybe just this once. I need to. Jay?"

"How could you even ask me that?"

"Because... because... Jay, this won't change anything between us,
okay? In the morning you'll still be my best friend. I just need to
do this, okay? Just this once. Please".

He didn't know what to say. So he didn't say anything. It was all too
much. He was there, sitting on the bed, with Adam almost on top of
him, asking him to sleep with him, no strings attached, no
consequences. So he did the only thing he could do. He did nothing.

But when Adam leaned forward and kissed him again, this time he
kissed back.