Work Text:
It doesn’t take long for the people closest to them to realize that there is something going on between them; Adam and Blake knew pretty quickly that their families and best friends would need an explanation sooner or later, lest they get the news from the tabloids and they’d never speak to either of them again. So they make a plan: tell everyone that they’re in a relationship, and hope to God they all understand.
They tell Adam’s parents first; their family is no stranger to alternative lifestyles, so the revelation that Adam is in love with a man is shocking but not an unwelcome prospect. In fact, they all seem to be pretty thrilled to be told.
“We always thought you two looked cozy together,” Adam’s Mom tells them, giving Blake a huge, motherly hug that makes Blake melt inside. They stay for dinner and nothing else is said about it.
When they invite Blake’s mom over to Blake’s house in LA to tell her, they’re both nervous; Blake knows his mom is open-minded, but it doesn’t stop him from sitting near the door when they break the news.
She, too, seems more happy than shocked. “I’m just so pleased y’all finally figured this out!” She says, getting dwarfed by them both as she attempts a double hug.
“Mom,” Blake says, hesitantly. “Have you been expecting this or something? I mean you know what we’re saying, right? Me and Adam are…together, together?”
“Sweetheart, I’m not an idiot,” she laughs. “Don’t think I didn’t notice the way you two acted around each other all those times I came out here. I think you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who isn’t really surprised, honestly.”
That’s a more than sobering thought for both of them to sit on during lunch with Blake’s mom. By the time she leaves, they’re both checking their phones for news alerts on either one of them.
There’s no breaking news, no blind items, nothing, not even when they start telling their friends. They tell Carson, Pharrell, and Gwen together; Carson actually says “FINALLY”, before giving each of them a hug.
Adam tells the band on his own, and they’re all supportive. As soon as the congratulations stops, Adam spies money being exchanged.
“We’ve had bets on this for a year,” James explains, grinning. “If only you’d held out until Christmas, man, I was so close!”
Anyone who isn’t supportive of them doesn’t get to call themselves a friend of Adam and Blake for much longer. With the exception of a few, no one is outright shocked. Most seem relieved, actually, as though they’re happy the truth is finally out. Almost impossibly, the press doesn’t find out. They figure they’ll have to do that one sooner or later, in one exclusive interview everyone else can pick up. But time for that would come. They wanted to live in the bubble for a little longer.
***
“It feels really weird to be going to this thing with you,” Blake says.
“Oh thanks,” Adam says sarcastically. “Do you want me to jump out, or are you offering?”
“Idiot!” Blake laughs. “You know what I mean! We usually try to show up separately to these things so people don’t get suspicious.”
“Fat lot of good that did,” Adam scoffed. “Did it freak you out that no one was shocked when we told them about us?”
“Some people were! I don’t think your publicist is gonna recover anytime soon.”
“Didn’t I tell you? She told me after that she knew but had been hoping we’d wait to announce it until after she retired,” Adam grinned, rather unsympathetically. “Pretty sure she polished off that bottle of vodka on her desk after we left.”
“We made the right decision though right?” Blake looks at Adam to find reassurance, that this isn’t all going to disappear tomorrow in a puff of smoke; just like he felt with his first hit album, it felt too good to be true, to be sitting in the back of a limo with Adam’s hand in his. When Adam smiles, it brightens up any of the dark thoughts he has.
“Absolutely,” Adam says before leaning in to kiss him, soft and loving. They forget what they were talking about after that, until the car comes to a stop outside Gene’s new place.
“Thank god he finally moved out,” Blake said, looking around. “You’re sure this is his place, right?” The house was dark, though they could make out some movement through the windows.
“Are you sure we’re not about to break into someone’s house right now?”
Adam laughed. “But you know what the tabloids would say: ‘Adam Levine and Blake Shelton commit crime together, are they a couple?’”
When they walk in the house, however, the lights are flicked on and suddenly there are people everywhere; yells of surprise and laughter fill the room, followed by celebratory music on Gene’s stereo; Gene himself is brandishing a tray of shots in their direction and he calls for momentary silence.
“Welcome to your ‘It’s Not a Surprise’ surprise party!” Gene announces to more cheers and laughter. “We just wanted you guys to know that we couldn’t be happier for you, and we’ve never seen you both happier than you are now.” Gene says, smiling. “And just so you know, not a single one of us was surprised. You guys are meant to be.”
He hands everyone a shot and calls out “To Adam and Blake!” After shots, both Adam and Blake being too smothered with hugs and high fives to talk, but Blake can’t help but feel touched that their friends felt the need to celebrate their relationship like this. He looks around the room, sees so many old friends and new, and finally glances over at Adam who looks about the same as him – overwhelmed, and so, so happy.