Part 12


Brighter

The first thing JC noticed when he saw Justin was that Justin was brighter.

His face didn’t hold the same dull, lackluster blur.

Well, the blur was still there.

It was just…brighter.

“JC!” Justin exclaimed, jumping from his seat and wrapping his arms tightly around JC’s body. “God, JC, don’t ever do that again,” he whispered into JC’s shoulder. “I thought something happened.”

“I’m fine, Justin,” JC said quietly, squirming out of Justin’s embrace.

Justin looked at him curiously, and JC squinted, trying to read the expression on Justin’s face. “Fine? You’re fine?”

JC nodded, eyes darting to Lance, who still had yet to say a word. He just smiled sadly at JC and nodded his head once.

“JC.”

JC stared at the floor.

“JC!”

“What?”

“Talk to me,” Justin pleaded, reaching for JC’s hand, squeezing it lightly. “Talk to me, JC. Tell me what’s wrong. Tell me why you left.” He took a step closer to the older man, brushing the back of his hand across JC’s cheek before whispering, “Tell me why you came back.”

And JC swore that through the blur of Justin’s face he could see a bright twinkle in Justin’s eye. A twinkle that held something.

A promise.

An invitation.

Lance stood up and walked towards them, resting a hand on each of their shoulders. “I love you both,” he said quietly. “Work this out.”

“Lance—“ JC started, but Lance was already out the door.

And he was alone in the room with Justin.

“Why, JC?” Justin asked.

JC sighed and made his way to the bed, sitting down heavily. “I was scared.”

“Of what?”

“This.”

Justin turned to face JC, knelt before him and placed his hands in JC’s lap. “What?”

“You,” JC breathed, his voice barely audible as a tear streaked down his cheek.

Justin’s breath caught way down in his belly, and he blinked once. “Me?”

“I love you,” JC whispered. “I love you.”

Justin smiled, and JC frowned when he realized he could see the bright white of Justin’s teeth.

“I know.”

JC’s head snapped up, his eyes wide. “What?”

“I know, JC.”

“Oh.”

They sat in silence, Justin thumbing circles on the back of JC’s hands. “I’m not leaving, you know,” Justin finally said.

“What?”

“I’m not leaving. I’m not leaving the group, or the music…or you.” The last words were whispered, and Justin reached up and ran his thumb across JC’s cheek. “I would never leave you, JC.”

“Justin…”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For putting you through this. For making you so upset. For causing everything that’s happened to you lately.” Tears brimmed in Justin’s eyes, glimmering brightly against the blue. JC instinctively reached up and wiped them away; Justin caught his hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing JC’s palm softly. “OK, JC,” he said. “I know why you left. Now why did you come back?”

JC was silent. He stared at Justin, suddenly noticing how much different he was looking. JC couldn’t see Justin’s eyes, but he could see the tears shimmering there. He couldn’t see Justin’s mouth, but he could see the brightness of Justin’s smile gleaming back at him.

“You really want to know?”

“Yes.”

“For the same reason.”

“You love me?”

JC nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from Justin’s face. It was beautiful…the way his tears traced down the cheeks that JC couldn’t make out, the way they caught at the corners of what JC assumed to be Justin’s mouth.

Amazing.

“I love you too,” Justin said, tilting his head up before leaning in to brush his lips across JC’s. JC could taste the salt of Justin’s tears, and he pulled away slowly, staring once again at Justin. “JC?”

“Hmm?”

“I thought you couldn’t see me.”

“Suddenly, things are getting a little bit brighter.”



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