Love is a wonderful thing


Justin loved Valentine’s Day. In his opinion, there was not a better holiday all year long. Sure, Christmas was fun, but Valentine’s Day…it was all about showing the people you love just how much you love them. And Justin had a lot of love to give.

Every year he made out the silly children’s valentine’s to all of his friends. Joey always laughed, Lance rolled his eyes, and Chris just shook his head and muttered something about Justin being the oldest infant he knew. But Justin didn’t care. He loved Valentine’s Day.

JC, on the other hand, hated it. Hated the word “valentine”, hated the hearts and the flowers and the candy and the sappy valentines Justin always insisted on handing out.

It was February 13th, and he kept eyeing Justin suspiciously. That boy had something up his sleeve, and JC had a very bad feeling about it. He watched as Justin sat on the couch, huddled close to Lance, whispering something in his ear. Lance smiled and nodded, then gave Justin a high-five.

JC frowned. Whatever those two were up to, he did not want to be a part of it.

“So you think it’s a good idea?” Justin asked Lance quietly. “I mean…it’s a long shot, but I can’t keep pretending anymore, ya know?”

Lance nodded and smiled at Justin sympathetically. “He hates Valentine’s Day, Just. You know that, right?”

Justin rolled his eyes. “Duh, Lance. We all know how much he hates it. But I’m gonna change that, you’ll see.”

“Ok, man. I just don’t want you to get hurt, ya know? JC is totally against the whole hearts and flowers thing, and I don’t want you to get your heart broken.”

“Thanks for caring, Lance,” Justin smiled. “But I can’t lie to him anymore. I can’t lie to myself anymore.”

“Did you tell Brit?”

“Yeah,” Justin nodded. “She’s known all along, and she kissed me on the cheek and wished me the best. In fact, she’s gonna help me get ready tomorrow.”

“Sweet girl, that Britney.”

“Yeah,” Justin sighed. “Gotta love her.”

“Ok, man, I’ve got a meeting to get to. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Good luck if I don’t see you.”

“Oh, you’ll see me,” Justin grinned. “I have to give you your valentine!”

Lance laughed and shook his head, waving a goodbye as he headed out the door.

Justin strode across the hotel room, trying not to grin at the way JC was watching him.

“Justin.”

“Hmm?”

“What are you up to?” JC asked, brow furrowing.

“What?”

“You’ve been awfully secretive with Lance today. What’s going on?”

“Oh. Nothing, just something for Brit for Valentine’s Day.”

JC rolled his eyes but couldn’t ignore the way his heart fell a little at the mention of her name.

“Come on, JC. What do you have against Valentine’s Day anyway?”

JC scoffed at the question. “Oh come on, Justin. It’s such a stupid holiday! Love is a horrible thing.”

Justin’s eyes widened, his jaw dropping. “What?!”

“Love. Is a horrible. Thing.”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

“Nope. All love brings is broken hearts and pain and stupid holidays like Valentine’s Day. And when you finally find someone that you think you could love for the rest of your life, you come to find out they’re in love with someone else. Love sucks.”

Justin sighed. “Fine, JC. I’m not going to argue with you anymore. But I promise you…” He took a step, his body inches from JC’s. “Some day, you are going to find the person that you think you could love for the rest of your life. And you might think they’re in love with someone else, but they’re not. They’re in love with you.”

And out the door he walked. JC plopped onto the couch, rubbing his temples. He didn’t mean anything by it, he thought. He’s in love with Britney. Not me. “Love is a horrible thing.”



“Rise and shine, Brit,” Justin gushed, beaming. “Happy Valentine’s Day!”

Britney groaned and rolled over on her side, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “Justin, how the hell did you get in my hotel room?”

“Pff. I have my ways. Now get up! We have lots to do!”

She sighed and sat up in bed. “Justin, are you sure you want to go through with this?”

He frowned and sat down next to her on the bed. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t want you go get hurt, J. JC…he might be really angry if you go to all this trouble…and plus…”

“Plus what?”

“You don’t even know if he feels the same way.”

“I have to find out, Britney. I owe it to myself to find out if he can love me like I love him.”

She sighed again, leaning her head on his shoulder. “Ok, Justin. I’m behind you 110%.”

He grinned and kissed the top of her head. “Thanks Brit. Now let’s go shopping!”




“Justin, hurry up!”

“I’m coming!” came his muffled reply through the bathroom door. The door swung open and he stepped into the room. Britney smiled.

“You’re dressed to kill, J!”

He grinned at her and smoothed down his tight black shirt, tucking a loose end into his low-hanging jeans. “I look good?”

“You look amazing. He’s be an idiot to turn you down.”

“Thanks, Brit,” he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Did you set everything up?”

“All set, hon. You ready?”

He took a deep breath and nodded before hugging her tightly. “Thanks, Brit. You’re the best.”

“I know,” she said, giggling. “Love you, J.”

“Love you too.”

“Now go get your man!”




A half an hour passed. Then an hour. Then an hour and a half. Where the hell is he? Justin wondered. He was sprawled out on JC’s bed, surrounded by hundreds of candy hearts reading Kiss Me, Hug Me, and Be Mine. He and Britney had spent hours weeding them out of the boxes and boxes of candy hearts he’d bought.

Everything was perfect. The lights were dimmed, the scene was set. Only one thing was missing.

JC.

Justin sighed and rolled over, propping himself up on one elbow and reaching for his cell phone.

“Hello?”

“Lance?”

“What’s up, J?”

“He’s not here.”

“Wait a minute. Nobody told you?”

Justin heart stopped. “Told me what?”

Lance sighed heavily, his heart going out to his friend. “Just, JC went out with Em tonight.”

“W-what?”

“I’m sorry, Justin. I thought you knew. I never would have let you go to all that trouble…I’m so sorry…”

Justin clicked the phone off and threw it against the wall, hot tears pressing against his closed eyelids.

Happy fucking Valentine’s Day, he thought before crying himself to sleep.




”Thanks, JC. I had a great time,” Em smiled, kissing JC softly on the cheek.

“Me too, Em. Thanks for keeping me company and listen to me babble on about this whole thing.”

“That’s what friends are for, Jayce,” she said, squeezing his hand. “I better go. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“You too,” he said, smiling sadly, turning to slide the key card into the door. “Bye,” he said quietly, closing the door behind him.

He turned, the vase of red roses catching his eye immediately. He frowned slightly, then reached for the wrapped box, tearing it open carefully. He chuckled to himself. Somebody had discovered his secret love for Godiva chocolates. He grabbed the box and trudged towards the bedroom, nearly dropping the chocolates when he saw Justin curled in a ball, shirtless, on his bed.

He stepped closer and noticed the candy hearts strewn across the bedspread. He picked one up and read it.

Hug me.

And another.

Kiss me.

And another.

Be mine.

They were everywhere. Hundreds of them. JC leaned closer and noticed the tears stained on Justin’s face. He couldn’t resist the urge to run his thumb across Justin’s cheek, rubbing circles on the soft skin. “Justin…” he whispered, dropping to his knees next to the bed. “Justin, wake up…”

Justin eyes fluttered open, and when he saw JC’s face staring back at him, he could have sworn he was imagining things. “JC?”

JC smiled softly and nodded.

“I’m sorry…I’ll leave, I know you and Em probably want to…” He sat up on the bed, stumbling forward, past JC, towards the door.

“Justin, wait!” JC called, chasing after him. “Em’s not here, Justin. She’s not here.”

Justin stopped and turned around slowly. “But I thought…”

JC shook his head. “You thought wrong. Now…” he said, waving his arm towards the bed and nodding at the flowers. “You care to tell me what this is all about?”

Justin sighed, fresh tears building in his blue eyes. “I’m sorry, JC. I know you hate Valentine’s Day, but I…I just…”

“It’s ok, Justin. You can tell me.”

Justin took a deep breath and looked JC in the eyes. “I did all this so I could ask you something.”

JC stepped closer to the younger boy, reaching out to stroke his arm lightly. “And what would that be?”

“Will you be my valentine?”

JC smiled. “God, I’ve been waiting three Valentine’s Days for you to ask me that.” He closed the small space between them and wrapped his arms around Justin’s waist, pressing his lips against Justin’s in a tender kiss. “I love you,” he mumbled into Justin’s mouth. “I’ve loved you forever. That’s why I hate Valentine’s Day. Because without you, it was just another horrible day about love.”

Justin took JC’s hands in his own and led JC to the bed, laying him down gently. “I love you,” he whispered as he stripped the clothes off JC’s body one piece at a time, kissing every piece of skin he revealed.

Soon JC lie naked on the bed, his erection pulsing against his stomach. “Justin…please…” he whimpered, reaching out for the younger man, who was busy taking his own clothes off. JC gasped when Justin straddled him, their bare erections meeting for the first time.

“Love you,” Justin murmured in JC’s ear, kissing the soft skin. They made love slowly, passionately, calling each other’s names when they came.

They lay tangled in a heap of arms and legs and melted candy hearts. Justin giggled and kissed the tip of JC’s nose. “We’re all sticky.”

“Not a bad thing,” JC smiled. “Love you.”

“I thought you said love was a horrible thing?”

“I was wrong. It’s wonderful. Especially when you meet someone you know you could love for the rest of your life.”

Justin smiled and nuzzled closer to JC. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Josh.”

JC smiled, deciding that maybe this holiday wasn’t so bad after all.



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