“Thank you New York!! We’re *NSYNC!” Lance screamed
into his mike.
”Bye bye bye!”
The group ran off the stage to the deafening sound of screams
and applause from the sell out crowd at the final show on their summer tour.
“That was AWESOME, guys!” Chris yelled, grabbing onto JC’s shoulders and
jumping up and down.
Everyone laughed, still full of energy from their 100 minute performance. “We’re
done we’re done we’re done!” Joey danced around, clapping his hands. “We
can take a MUCH NEEDED break now!”
“What should we do tonight, guys?” Lance
asked, wiping his forehead with the back of his sleeve.
“I say we don’t go out, “ JC said. “I say we go back to the hotel, just
us, get drunk, have some laughs,
and get some sleep. We never get to
do that anymore. I’m sick of all
the crazy after parties and clubs.”
“Yeah, me too,” Justin added. Everyone
looked at him in shocked disbelief.
“Huh? J, you ALWAYS want to party! You
complain when we don’t go out!” Lance said.
A small smile spread across Justin’s face. “Yeah, I know…but…I kinda miss hanging out with just YOU guys.”
“Aw, Justin, are you getting all sappy on us, man?” JC asked sweetly,
leaning his head on Justin’s shoulder. Justin tensed.
”No. I just think you’re right.”
“It’s settled then!” Chris yelled! “Just the guys tonight!” He flashed
a mischievous grin at Joey. “No sex for Joey!”
*******************************************************************************
They sat around the table, each with a shot glass in front of them, JC shirtless
in yellow pajama pants, Justin in
light blue basketball shorts that fell just above his knees, a tight white shirt
hugging his chest.
They’d been playing their favorite game, “I’ve Never”, for about an hour.
It was their favorite
because it was easy and fun, and they usually found out some things about each
other that they never knew before.
It was Joey’s turn. He was drunk,
but not nearly as drunk as the others. They
weren’t very good at holding their liquor, especially JC and Justin.
“Ok…my turn.” He scratched his head thoughtfully, then said, “I’ve
never made out with a girl my friend was dating.”
They all looked around the table to see who would be the first to take a shot. Lance
lifted
his glass and poured the vodka down his throat, his eyes watering. . So
did Joey, but that came as no surprise.
“Lance!” Justin yelled, his speech slurred. “Who? Who was it? You’re supposed to be the good one!”
Everyone laughed as a flush of red crossed Lance’s cheeks.
”No one you know, it was awhile ago.”
“Better not have been Bobbee!” JC
scowled, anger in his eyes. Justin looked at him. He watched the way the
muscles in JC’s chest and stomach tensed when he was angry, saw how toned and
strong his arms were. He licked his lips and took a deep breath, shaking away
the thoughts that were going through his head. Stop it, Justin! It’s JC
you’re thinking about—your best friend, your best MALE friend.
“Calm down, Jace, you know I would never do that to you, “ Lance said,
giving JC a pleading look.
JC sighed. “I know, Lance. I’m sorry.” He looked down, not wanting anyone
to see the tears that were in his eyes.
”You okay, Josh?” Chris asked.
”Yeah, I’m fine,” JC sniffed. "I just kinda miss her, that’s all.
Plus I'm drunk, so that's not helping any." He looked up to
see Justin staring at him, and a small smile lifted his lips.
“Ok, guys, lets take a break. I think Josh and Justin have had enough to drink
anyway!” Joey laughed, standing
up to stretch. “Chris, Lance, wanna see what’s goin’ on downstairs?”
“Hell yes!” Chris exclaimed, jumping up.
”I’m game,” Lance said, joining the two at the door.
"Why don't you ever ask me to go?" Justin whined.
"J, you've had enough to drink already. Plus, you're underage. What would
Mama Harliss say?" Chris grinned.
“You two be ok if we go downstairs for awhile?” Joey asked.
JC rolled his eyes. “Joey, we’re not ten. Get outta here, have fun.”
Lance, Chris, and Joey walked out, leaving JC and Justin alone in the room. JC
sprawled out on the floor and Justin plopped down on the couch.
“Jace?” Justin giggled.
“What?”
”The room is spinning.” Another giggle.
“I know, man. Make it stop, “ he laughed. The two were silent for a few moments, then JC spoke.
“Justy?”
“I can’t make it stop, C!”
“No, that’s not what I was going to say.”
“Oh.” Justin giggled again. “What were you going to say?”
“Who was the dream about?”
Justin didn’t respond, only wondered why JC was asking him this.
”Justin?” JC sat up on his
elbows, and the spinning slowed a little. Justin
looked at JC, first in his eyes, than on his neck, his chest, his stomach. JC
patted the floor next to him. “Sit by me.”
Hesitantly, Justin slid off of the couch on to the floor, his body inches from
JC’s. The alcohol was having an
affect on him, and he nearly fell backwards.
“Woah, there, buddy,” JC laughed, putting a strong, supportive arm around
his friend’s waist. “You’re
as drunk as I am, and I’m pretty drunk.”
Justin smiled, for some reason feeling more at ease with Josh’s arm around
him. “Yeah, I’m pretty fucked
up, “ he said, laughing softly.
“Now are you gonna tell me why that dream bothered you so much?” JC asked
quietly.
“Why do you want to know so bad, Josh? What’s the big deal?”
”Justin. It’s been bothering
you all day. It’s written all
over your face.” JC took
Justin’s hand
and squeezed it. “I’m your best friend, J, You can tell me anything.”
Justin felt the warmth of JC’s hand against his. His heart was beating faster and a nervous feeling was growing
in the pit of his stomach. Where
were these feelings coming from?
“It was about you," Justin whispered so quietly he could barely even hear
himself.
“What?” JC asked. “I can’t hear you, Justin. What did you say?”
“You.” Justin turned and looked into JC’s soft eyes. “It was about you.”
JC’s jaw dropped slightly, but he kept his hold on Justin’s hand. “Me?
You had a dream about me?” Justin
searched JC's eyes for any reaction, but JC just looked stunned.
Justin jerked his hand away and stumbled into the bathroom, slamming the door.
"Justin!" JC called after him, trying hard to get up off the floor. "Justin,
what's wrong?"
JC wobbled over to the bathroom door, leaning up against it for support. He
knocked gently. "Justin?"
"Go away," came the muffled reply.
"J, open up before I fall over!" JC said, laughing as he pounded on
the door. It swung open and JC
tumbled into Justin, nearly knocking both of them to the floor.
Their faces were inches apart, just like in Justin's dream. Justin
stood there, hands at his sides. He
couldn't believe this beautiful man was standing so close to him, so close he
could reach out and touch him if he wanted. Where was this coming from? He
had an urgent desire to touch JC, to run his hands over his body, to kiss him.
Slowly, he raised his hands. JC's
eyes went from Justin's face to his hands, anticipating his next move. Softly,
Justin placed his hands on JC's stomach. JC
continued to watch Justin's hands as they lingered on his stomach, then ran up
his torso, over his chest, and back down again. Justin
stopped on JC's stomach and looked at him, again searching for a
reaction. But JC's eyes were
closed.
"Jace..."Justin whispered.
JC's eyes opened slowly, and Justin waited for a response. "Have
you ever kissed a guy, Justin?" JC asked.
"Only once..." Justin said softly, nervously. "And it was in a
dream."
"Have you ever wanted to kiss a guy, Justin?" JC
asked.
"Not until this very moment," was Justin's shaky reply.
JC slid his hands around Justin's waist, pulling him close, thrusting his hips
into the younger man's own.
"Me neither," he whispered just before their lips met. After
lips met lips, tongues met tongues. JC
slipped his fingers through Justin's curls, and Justin moaned soflty. They
continued to kiss, and Justin drew in a sharp breath when Josh's hand found the
bulge in the front of his shorts. He
felt JC smile through the kiss as he peeled Justin's shirt off of his body.
Justin was breathless when JC suddenly stopped. He looked at Justin with a smile in his eyes, then turned and
walked out of the bathroom.
Justin just stood there, wondering what was going on. He
peeked his head out the door to see JC laying on the couch, his pants riding low
on his body, exposing the soft skin below his hip bone.
JC smiled at Justin, and as if knowing that this wasn't over, Justin walked
towards the couch with a shy grin on his face.
JC took his hands and pulled him on top of him, moaning as Justin pushed himself
against him.
Justin found JC's mouth, and the two began kissing again, softly at first, then
with more passion. JC pulled away and kissed Justin's neck gently, nibbling on
the soft earlobe of the younger man. He
ran his hands down Justin's sides, sliding one finger beneath the waistband of
his shorts. Justin gasped as his
shorts were pulled away.
JC kissed Justin softly before pulling off his own pants and rolling on top of
him. He spread Justin's legs apart with his knees, and a frightened
look appeared on Justin's face when he realized what was about to happen.
JC kissed him on the tip of the nose and whispered, "Don't be scared,
Justin. I love you."