Menagerie

By: Lara

“Let’s play Truth or Dare,” Joey suggested, shoving popcorn into his mouth. JC rolled his eyes.

“God, Joey, next you’ll be suggesting Spin the Bottle.” JC gracefully sat down, crossing his long legs under him.

“And that I would have to say no to. No one kisses my baby but me.” Chris gave JC’s cheek an energetic smack.

“Wanna tell us ONE more time what you see in this freak?” Joey asked JC. Chris stuck his tongue out at him and stole some of JC’s pretzels.

“I see that he IS a freak, but I see enough in him to love him anyway,” JC said fondly.

“You guys give me cavities,” Lance said, taking a huge swallow of his beer. JC gave him a kind smile.

“You’re just jealous, Mr. Bass.”

“Of your relationship with Chris? Hardly,” Lance said, laughing. But the laughter didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Let’s talk about this game,” Justin said quickly, noticing the sadness that flickered across Lance’s face. “If I’m stuck here in this slumber party with you guys, we might as well make it interesting.”

“Hey, whose idea was it to go away for a weekend, just the five of us?” Chris asked.

“YOURS,” the other four answered as one.

“Oh, yeah.”

Lance smiled at Chris. “You’re a dork. Okay…let’s not play Truth or Dare. We’ve all done enough goofy stuff to begin with, plus if we try to get JC to do anything sexual, Chris will get all possessive.”

“I don’t get possessive!” Chris exclaimed. Four pair of eyebrows raised. “I don’t!”

“Sure you don’t, Chris,” Justin said, rolling his eyes. “What did you have in mind, Lance?”

“Let’s just ask questions. Silly stuff. Hell, we’ve drank enough tonight so far to answer honestly.”

“Good idea. Anyone want a refill?” Justin stood.

“Me,” Joey said. “Bring me two, while you’re up.”

“I’ll take another one,” Chris said.

“Me too,” JC added.

“I’ll help you.” Lance stood and followed Justin into the kitchen of the large cabin. He dug through the refrigerator, looking for the different kinds of beer.

“You okay, Lance?” Justin asked softly. Lance poked his head up.

“Yeah. Why?”

“You looked kinda sad…when they said you were jealous.”

Lance sighed. “Jealous of a relationship with Chris? No way. Jealous of having someone who loves me and wants to take care of me the way Chris takes care of JC? Hell, yes.”

Justin grinned. “I’m with you on BOTH counts.”

“You and Britney aren’t getting along?” Lance poured more pretzels into a bowl.

“We get along…as well as we can since we broke up.”

The bowl almost fell on the floor. “Since you what?”

“Don’t tell anyone,” Justin whispered. “I’m only telling you because I know I can trust you. I’m not ready yet, okay?”

“Okay, Justin.” Lance put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, well.” Justin looked down at the soft hand on his shoulder. Lance blushed slightly and pulled away.

“Okay…if you could have sex with anyone in the world, who would it be?” Joey asked.

“Janet Jackson,” Justin said immediately.

“JC,” Chris answered.

“Not someone you already DO have sex with. Your fantasy person,” Joey told him.

“JC IS my fantasy person,” Chris replied. JC blushed. “But if not him…Gwen Stefani.”

“Like THAT’S a big shock,” Justin said with a grin. “Lance?”

“Janet’s good,” Lance agreed.

“I can’t narrow it down,” Joey said with a frown.

“Hugh Jackman,” JC answered.

“WOLVERINE?” Chris almost screamed.

“He’s hot. And that accent…meow.” JC stretched and purred.

“Next question,” Lance said quickly, before Chris got angry.

“Have you ever had sex with someone of the same sex?” Joey asked. “I’m just full of questions tonight.”

“Yes,” JC and Chris answered immediately.

“No,” Joey answered.

“No,” Justin said, then blushed. Lance just shook his head. JC studied them carefully.

“Have you ever kissed and or fooled around with someone of the same sex. And you can’t answer, Chris,” JC said.

“No,” Joey answered.

Lance and Justin looked at each other, then looked away. “A-HA!” JC said triumphantly. “Spill it.”

“When we were in Germany and you guys were out being grown-up and stupid, me and Justin spent a lot of time together. One night we experimented. No big deal,” Lance said with a shrug.

“Yeah, no big deal.” But the look Justin gave Lance signified just how much of a lie his statement was.

“How does Justin kiss?” Joey asked Lance. “Is he good?”

“He was at fifteen,” Lance said, and Justin blushed.

“How about Lance?” Chris wanted to know.

“He has soft hands,” Justin blurted out. JC jumped to his rescue.

“New question.” He curled up on the floor, hair fluffing out around his head like a dark mane. “If we were each an animal, what would we be?”

“You’re a cat,” Joey said immediately. “A sex kitten.”

“Yeah,” Chris said blissfully.

“A WHAT?” JC asked.

“A cat. But I see it as a physical thing. Your hair is like a mane…and then you just move like a cat,” Lance told him.

“Sex kitten,” Chris said, and JC smacked him.

“Chris is a mouse,” Justin said.

“I thought you and JC were Mice,” Joey commented.

“No. I see it, too,” Lance said with a laugh. “He’s always here and there like a little brown field mouse, darting from point A to point B.”

“And he sings like Mickey Mouse!” Justin cracked himself up.

“Fuck you,” Chris said, pouting.

“I think mice are adorable,” JC told him.

“You wouldn’t if you were a cat,” Joey pointed out.

“Joey’s a big bear cub,” Lance decided. “Warm and big and dark and furry.”

“I’m not furry!”

“You could braid your chest hair into a rug, Joe,” Chris said, and Joey threw popcorn at him.

“What about me?” Lance asked. Everyone thought.

“A ferret?” Chris suggested.

“I am NOT a ferret,” Lance said, insulted.

“You’re a dove,” Justin said softly. “A pure white dove with bright green eyes.” Lance blushed furiously.

“I can’t think of one for Justin,” JC said.

“Me either. When he was growing up, he was like one of those long-legged colts who haven’t grown into their bodies yet…but now…I can’t pin him down,” Joey said.

“I bet Lance wants to pin him down,” Chris teased.

“I think someone needs to go to bed. NOW,” JC said before Justin could hit Chris. “C’mon, Chris.” He dragged Chris to his feet. “Good night, all.” He pulled Chris down the hall to their bedroom.”

“I think I’ll turn in, too. Night, guys.” Joey ambled down the hall to his own room.

Lance started to clean things up. “Leave it, Lance.” Justin put a hand on Lance’s arm.

“Nah, it’s okay.”

“I’m sorry that they teased you.”

“It’s okay. Hell, it was years ago…just fooling around.” Lance put the snacks back in the kitchen. “Sweet dreams, Justin.”

“Yeah,” Justin said, watching Lance walk down the hall. “Sweet dreams.”

Justin rubbed his nose. Something was tickling it. He rubbed it again, knocking something out of the way. “Mmph…” he mumbled against his pillow, rolling over. He felt something settle onto his back, then something fluttered through his short curls. “Christopher Kirkpatrick, you will NOT live to see thirty-one,” he grumbled into his pillow. “I know it’s…” Justin opened one eye and realized no one was standing by the bed. He turned his head. No one was on the other side, either. “Dammit, Chris!” Justin rolled onto his back and was met with a small yelp of protest. “What the…” Justin jumped out of bed, staring at the black and grey tiger-striped cat on his bed. “Where did you come from?”

Bright blue eyes stared up at him curiously. “Meow,” the cat said firmly.

“You don’t look like an alley cat…of course, we’re in the middle of nowhere, so there ARE no alleys.” Justin sat down and rubbed his eyes. The cat climbed onto his knee and began to purr contentedly. Justin absentmindedly scratched behind the cats ears. The cat turned and stretched. Justin smiled. “Chris will have a coronary when he sees you. He hates cats. But I bet he’d like you.” Justin stood, and felt around for his battered pair of slippers. He didn’t trust the wooden floor of the cabin. “I wonder who let you in?” He slid his foot into a slipper and yelped as his toes hit something furry. “A scorpion!” Justin screamed. The cat gave him a look of scorn. “Okay…so we’re not in scorpion country, and scorpions aren’t furry,” Justin agreed. He picked up the slipper and carefully tipped it down. “But if this is a tarantula, I’m holding you responsible,” he told the cat. The cat yawned, sniffing the air.

“Squeak,” the little mouse said as it fell into Justin’s palm. It stared up at him, nose twitching. It then began chattering in a flurry of little squeaks.

“Holy fuck!” Justin yelled, dropping the mouse. The brown mouse ran back into the slipper as the cat angrily hissed at it. “What is this? Wild fucking Kingdom?” Justin asked. He picked up the slipper. He didn’t like mice, but he didn’t need to see the cat kill it. “No,” he told the cat, who seemed to scowl at him. The mouse peeked out and gave a pitiful squeak. The cat glared at the mouse as well, but didn’t hiss again. “What the hell is going ON?” Justin demanded. Both the cat and mouse stared at him innocently. Justin pulled on a flannel shirt and a pair of sweatpants. He deposited the mouse into his pocket, to keep him safe, then pulled on the slippers. He went out of his bedroom, the cat close on his heels.

As Justin went towards the living room, he heard an odd cooing sound. “Now what?” He asked himself as he followed the sound. He looked around, expecting to see an owl or a hawk or a bat at the very least. He finally looked up to the rafters, where a white dove was softly cooing. The dove gracefully flew down and landed on his shoulders. Justin stared into the bird’s bright green eyes and shivered. “No. This is NOT happening.” The mouse in his shirt pocket chattered up at the dove, who pecked down at him to keep him quiet. “Ow! Careful!” Justin yelled at the bird. The bird immediately looked sorry, and rubbed his soft head against Justin’s cheek. “Sorry I yelled,” Justin said, and the bird cooed in reply.

Justin looked at his feet. “A cat…a dove…a mouse…that only leaves…” Justin gulped as he heard a loud crash from the kitchen. The cat meowed in fear, and the mouse ducked back into Justin’s pocket. Justin slowly made his way into the kitchen. He turned around and walked back out. “There is a bear…in the kitchen.” Justin sat down on the floor. The cat came to sit on his lap, turning around on his legs. Justin noticed something around the cat’s neck and grabbed it. A small pendant with the sign of Leo on it. Justin’s eyes rolled back into his head and he fainted.

Something wet hit Justin’s cheek. He moaned and turned his head. Something wet hit the other cheek. He opened his eyes and looked into the face of a dark brown bear cub. “AHH!” Justin screamed, scrambling away. The bear growled quietly, tilting its head to study Justin. “God, Joey…you’re sick.” Justin wiped at his face angrily. JC the cat climbed up onto his lap and purred happily. “Get off of me.” He shoved the cat away. The cat meowed pitifully and went to hide under a chair. The brown mouse popped up out of nowhere, sat on top of the chair where JC was hiding, and angrily chattered at Justin. “You shut up, Chris.” Justin frowned at the mouse, which only chattered faster. The dove that was Lance swept down from the rafters to land a few feet from Justin. He looked up at Justin, his green eyes filled with reproach. “Yeah, yeah, Lance, I know. I shouldn’t have yelled. But, hello, you guys were…you…last night…and now you’re…animals!” Justin protested. The dove’s stare was unwavering. “Okay.” Justin sighed. “JC…come on out…I’m sorry…Jayce…” Justin got on his hands and knees in front of the chair. “C’mon, Jayce…” Justin said sweetly. The cat crept out and purred. Justin scratched it behind the ears. “I’m sorry.” He looked around. “Okay…you guys are gonna need to eat. And YOU will need to go to the bathroom somewhere,” he said to the cat. “I don’t think we have kitty litter anywhere. Can you go outside?” Justin asked. The cat immediately ran to the kitchen door and began to scratch. “I guess so.” He got up and went to open the back door of the cabin. The cat went off into the bushes. Justin chuckled. The real JC hated to go to the bathroom anywhere but in a real bathroom. He wouldn’t even go in the woods while hiking.

“Food,” Justin murmured, looking around the kitchen. “I can maybe break up some toast for Lance…and I’m sure JC will eat tuna or something…but a mouse?” He looked down at Chris, who climbed up his leg, hopped onto the counter, and into the cupboard. “Well, I guess you’ll let me know what you want.” Justin looked at Joey. “Man, I’m sorry…but I think you need to get outside to eat. You’re a little…uh…big, for the kitchen.” Joey the bear sighed and ambled towards the back door. Justin held it open for him. Joey trotted out towards the woods, and JC came back into the house. “Let me know when you want back in!” Justin yelled at Joey’s retreating backside.

Justin made toast, broke it up, and set it on a plate for Lance. He then got a piece of Swiss cheese from the fridge and cut it up for Chris. JC didn’t seem hungry, so Justin went back upstairs to get dressed. JC followed him, curling up on his pillow to watch.

“JC, this is freaking WEIRD,” Justin told him as he pulled on a pair of socks. “I mean, really. You guys are animals! I guess I’m lucky I didn’t turn into the colt…or none of us would be eating!” Justin sat down on the bed and sighed. “I’m in a cabin with you guys…all of you…but I feel so alone.” JC purred sympathetically. Justin pulled on a sweatshirt and went into the living room.

There was a small black and white TV in the room, but it got poor reception and Justin soon turned it off. He sighed, looking around the room. He was bored already. JC jumped off his lap and trotted out of the room. He soon came back with a paperback book in his mouth. “A book, Jayce? C’mon, man, this is vacation, not high school,” Justin whined. JC gave a small growl and Lance agreed with a coo as he flew back into the living room. “Okay,” Justin grumbled, curling back up on the sofa. Chris appeared and JC hissed. “You guys,” Justin said sadly. “You have to get along. You love each other.” The cat gave the mouse a skeptical look, and Chris climbed down to sit on Justin’s knee. The cat stared at Chris, then Chris slowly ran down Justin’s leg to the floor. JC the cat looked at him, then meowed quietly. JC curled up in a ball at Justin’s feet, and Chris soon curled up between his front paws. They looked at each other sadly for a long moment, then slowly fell asleep. Justin sighed and opened the book. It wasn’t like he had anything else to do. Lance flew to the back of the sofa and got settled there, next to Justin’s head.

Justin was startled when he heard a banging at the back door. He glanced at the clock. He had been reading for over an hour and hadn’t even noticed. “You were right, Jayce. This is a good book.” Justin looked down at the cat, which was contentedly sleeping. Chris the mouse looked up from between JC’s front paws, gave a big yawn, then fell back asleep. “You’re good company,” Justin remarked. “I bet that’s Joey.” He walked back to the kitchen, where he could see Joey’s big bear head through the window.

“Sorry, Joe,” Justin said, opening the door. “I was reading and lost track of time.”

If bears could have laughed, Justin would have SWORN that was the noise he heard coming from the bear in front of him. He glared at Joey, who politely nudged at his leg before walking into the house. Joey started sniffing at Lance’s empty toast plate.

“No, Joey. You had dinner, I’m sure. And I sure as hell hope you relieved yourself outside, because you are NOT using the bathroom in here,” Justin ordered as he cleaned up the plates. He would have to keep everything clean if his friends were going to be animals for any extended period of time. Joey left the kitchen and Justin heard an excited squeak from the living room. “Well, guess Chris is up now,” Justin said to himself. He returned to the living room. Joey was sniffing at JC, who was blinking at him sleepily, not unlike the way he woke up as a human being. Chris was standing between Joey and JC, angrily chattering at Joey. Joey looked down at him, amused. As Chris turned to scurry away, Joey gently put his paw down on Chris’ tail, effectively keeping him in place. Justin had to laugh at the angry look on the mouse’s face. “Let him go, Joey,” Justin said, and Joey released him with a loud sigh. Chris chattered some more, then went to hide behind JC.

Joey made himself comfortable on the floor. JC stood up, stretched, then went over to sniff at Joey’s legs, smelling the outdoors on his fur. Chris the mouse took off running across the floor, disappearing in a small hole in the baseboard of the wall. Lance took a few turns around the room, seeming to stretch his wings, then he settled down carefully on Justin’s shoulder. He rubbed his head against Justin’s cheek, and Justin carefully reached up to cradle the dove in his hands. The green eyes looked up at him, totally unafraid. Justin gently ran a finger over the pure white feathers, loving how soft they felt. Just like Lance’s human skin. Justin sighed and sat Lance down on the sofa next to him. Lance immediately flew back up to sit on his shoulder.

“You need to go outside, JC?” Justin asked. JC seemed to shrug, then started for the back door. Justin sighed and got up. He took Lance from his shoulder and placed him on the sofa. “Stay here. You’re bird enough to maybe fly away, and I don’t want that.” Lance blinked at him and cooed.

Justin followed JC out the back door. “Jayce, this...well...it’s crazy. How the hell can Lance be just as beautiful as a dove as he is as a human being?” Justin asked. JC stuck his head out of the bushes and gave a questioning meow. “Yeah...I said beautiful.” Justin sat down on the back steps. “Remember how we talked about that one night back in Europe? I wanted it to be more, JC. And it wasn’t just some fifteen-year-old hormones. I broke up with Britney because I’m in love with Lance.”

JC came bounding out of the bushes and stopped in front of Justin. “Me-OW?” He asked.

“Yeah...love. I broke up with her because I couldn’t live the lie. I’d rather just sit and be alone and love him, then lie to her OR to myself. She was cool about it. I didn’t tell her WHY, of course, because I just recently figured it out myself. You heard him, JC. He sees it as just two kids fooling around.” Justin sighed and got back up. “Let’s go in. I wanna read more of that book.”

When Justin woke up the next morning, there was a cat wrapped around his head on the pillow, a mouse on the mattress next to him, a dove cooing softly from the headboard, and a bear cub snowing loudly on the floor. He sighed and stretched, carefully moving JC over to snuggle next to Chris the mouse. Justin got out of bed, and Lance immediately woke up. He ruffled his feathers a bit, carefully stood, then flew to land on Justin’s shoulder. Justin smiled as Lance rubbed his soft head against Justin’s cheek.

“I was planning on going to the bathroom, Lance. Do you really want to watch that?” Lance immediately left Justin’s shoulder, and Justin chuckled.

Justin went to the bathroom, got dressed, then got breakfast together for everyone. Another piece of toast for Lance, a plate of cheese and peanut butter for Chris, and a can of tuna for JC. He made himself scrambled eggs, then sighed. “Another exciting day,” he remarked to himself. Joey ambled down the steps, giving Justin a good morning sniff before heading for the door. “You plan on being gone long?” Justin asked him. Joey seemed to shrug. “Mind some company?” Justin asked. Joey shrugged again. “Let me grab my sneakers and coat.”

Justin ran upstairs and quickly pulled on his sneakers. JC and Chris were still asleep. Lance ruffled his feathers and flew to Justin’s shoulder. “Me and Joey are going for a walk, Lance.” Justin stood and Lance remained on his shoulder. “You stay here and watch the lovebirds…I mean, lovecat and lovemouse…oh, whatever. You get it.” Justin hurried out to the kitchen, Lance flying behind him. Joey was already outside. “I shouldn’t be gone long, Lance. I just need some fresh air.” Justin opened the door and stepped outside. Before he could close it, Lance swooped out behind him and took off into the woods. “LANCE!” Justin screamed, but the beautiful white bird continued to fly.

“I don’t believe this. I DON’T believe it!” Justin tried to sound angry as he and Joey tromped through the small wooded area, but in all honesty, he was frightened. Lance seemed to be as mild-mannered a dove as he was a person…and doves were not generally woodsy birds. Heaven only knew what could get after Lance…and if Justin and Joey could find him. “Do you see anything, Joe?” Justin asked. The bear cub answered with a shake of his head. They had been looking for over an hour. “LANCE!” Justin yelled. “Dammit, Lance,” he almost sobbed.

Joey suddenly stopped walking. He sniffed the air once or twice, then lumbered through the woods to a large pile of brush and shrubs a few feet away. “What is it, Joey?” Joey ignored him and began to paw at some branches. “Is it…” Justin fell to his knees, his body shaking with fear. He could see the small white body of Lance, tucked into the corner of what was obviously some sort of den. Both he and Joey were too big to get in, and he was afraid that if they tried to pull the den apart, it would collapse. Lance’s green eyes fluttered open, and he gave Justin a feeble coo. It was then that Justin noticed the blood on Lance’s wing. “Oh…God…Lance…hold on.” Justin stood. “Joey, watch this place. If the…whatever…comes back, kick its ass, okay?” Justin took off at a run.

“JC. JAYCE!” Justin screamed as he entered the cabin. “JC!” Justin ran into the living room, where JC opened his eyes, yawned, and closed them again. “JC, wake up, dammit! Lance…he’s been hurt.” JC’s blue eyes flew open. Chris gave a shocked squeak as he ran up to sit on Justin’s knee. “He’s been hurt…and me and Joey can’t reach him. You’re the only one small enough to get him and carry him out.” JC stood and Justin picked him up. Justin ran out the door of the cabin, leaving Chris to pace nervously in the living room.

“See him? In there, JC. Get him out…but don’t hurt him,” Justin said as he set JC down on the ground. JC gave him a glare, then carefully picked his way through the branches and brush until he reached Lance. Lance gave another weary coo, then closed his eyes as JC carefully picked him up in his mouth. He closed his mouth around Lance just enough to keep him still, then JC ever so carefully found his way out again. “Oh, God, Jayce, thank you,” Justin said as JC placed Lance at Justin’s feet. “C’mon, Lance. We’re going home.” Justin carefully picked Lance up and the group made its way back to the cabin.

“I don’t know anything about how to fix birds,” Justin said almost tearfully as he laid Lance on the bed. He tried to wash the wound as best he could, but whatever creature that captured Lance had torn a gash in his left wing. “God, Lance, please be okay.” Justin lay down next to Lance on the bed, and spent the rest of the day watching over him, trying to get him to drink some water or eat some bread. Lance ate a few times, but mostly lay blinking at the ceiling. Joey lay down by the bed, and JC and Chris anxiously curled up by the foot.

Soon everyone but Justin was sleeping. He ran a hand over Lance’s milky white feathers. “I’m so sorry, Lance. I should have been more careful. I should have locked you in the bedroom when I went out.” Justin wiped at a tear. “You have to be okay, Lance. I never got to tell you how much I care about you…how wonderful I think you are. You’re so smart…and funny…and sexy as hell…and handsome and amazing. Why else would a guy leave Britney freaking Spears if it wasn’t for someone amazing like you?” Justin sighed and laid his head on the pillow. “I love you, Lance.” Justin stared at Lance until his blue eyes finally fluttered closed.

A low moaning awakened Justin the next morning. “Okay, Joe…I’ll let you out in a minute,” Justin mumbled, putting his pillow over his head.

“Justin.”

Justin whipped the pillow off and looked into Lance’s green eyes. Lance lay beside him, clad only in sweatpants. JC and Chris were snuggled at the foot of the bed, JC’s long legs dangling off the end. Justin looked over the side of the bed and saw Joey asleep on the floor. “Thank GOD. What a nightmare. Lance, you wouldn’t believe…” Justin froze as he saw the horrible gash on Lance’s shoulder. “Oh my God,” he whispered.

“What…happened?” Lance murmured. His voice was weak, and he was paler than usual.

“Don’t ask.” Justin got up. “We need to get you to a hospital.” He shook Chris and JC. “Get up, guys.” He lightly kicked Joey. “We need to leave.”

“Why are we all in YOUR room?” Chris asked.

“Why am I on the floor?” Joey wanted to know.

“What’s going on?” JC asked sleepily.

“Lance is hurt. We need to go NOW.”

They did the fastest packing job known to man, and in an hour they were on the bumpy road towards the nearest town. JC drove, with Chris next to him in the front seat of their rented minivan. Joey sat in the middle with many of their bags, and Justin sat in the backseat, with Lance’s head on his lap. “We’ll be there before you know it,” Justin said gently. He lightly touched Lance’s pale cheek. “You’ll be fine.”

“What happened, Justin?” Lance whispered. Justin frowned.

“Well, uh…me and Joey were walking in the woods, and you got lost…and when we found you, you were hurt,” Justin said lamely. Lance looked up at him.

“But I didn’t walk with you?”

“No,” Justin said, frowning again. He touched Lance’s hair curiously. Towards the back of Lance’s head was a shock of pure white hair…almost feather-white. “You…uh…you just kinda flew out of the house after us.”

They stopped at the police station in the small town, and the officer directed them to the town doctor. Thankfully the doctor was in, and he was able to see Lance immediately. “What happened to you, young man?” The doctor asked as he carefully removed the flannel shirt Lance wore.

“I got lost in the woods,” Lance repeated carefully. “I don’t really remember. Justin said that when they found me, I had this cut.”

“I can fix it up for you. It looks worse than it is,” the elderly doctor told him. “But it seems you lost some blood. You take it easy for the next few days…rest up.”

The others went into the tiny waiting room while the doctor tended to Lance. Justin paced. “This is all my stupid fault. I should have watched the door. Made sure he didn’t come out.”

“Justin, what are you talking about?” Joey asked. Justin sighed.

“If I tell you, you won’t believe me.”

“Try us,” Chris said. Justin talked for fifteen minutes straight. Everyone stared at him when he was through.

“You’re right. I don’t believe you,” JC said, yawning and stretching. He began to run his fingers through his hair. “We probably all drank some sort of tainted alcohol, and we…”

“You’re acting like a freaking cat, Jayce,” Joey snapped. “Can you quit grooming yourself for five freaking minutes?”

JC froze. “Uh, sorry.”

“I can only told you what I saw…what the last few days have been like. If you don’t want to believe me, fine. I’m just glad Lance is okay.” Justin sat down and buried his head in his hands.

After they got Lance back home safe and sound, Justin avoided everyone for a week. Chris called, and Lance called, but Justin ignored the messages. Chris told him that he had a strange yearning for cheese and peanut butter, and that JC was constantly asking him to scratch his back or play with his hair. “Like he wanted to be petted,” Chris said on Justin’s answering machine. He also said that Joey had taken a sudden liking to the woods, and was out on a camping trip. Maybe what Justin had told them wasn’t exactly untrue, Chris said on another message.

Justin replayed Lance’s message over and over, just to hear Lance’s voice. “Thank you for taking such good care of me, Justin. I really appreciate it. Chris told me what you told them…and while I don’t really remember those few days, I find it hard to believe. But I know YOU believe it. Did you see this white shock of hair I have going here? That’s weird…I don’t quite understand it. Call me, okay?”

Justin didn’t call.

Justin was walking through his house in his swim trunks when someone rang the doorbell. He padded over in bare feet. His mouth dropped open when he saw who was on his porch. “Lance? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” Lance unconsciously touched his shoulder. “On the mend. Can I come in?”

“Sure.” Justin moved aside. “I was gonna do some laps. Wanna come in with me?”

“I don’t think I should yet, but I’ll sit outside with you.” Lance followed Justin out back. He sat and dangled his feet in the water as Justin went off the diving board.

“So…is Joey back yet?” Justin asked when he surfaced.

“No.” Lance kicked his feet back and forth. “He’s suddenly Grizzly Adams or something…all about the wilderness.”

Justin laughed. “Yeah, the city boy. Strange.”

“Yeah…well…everyone’s acting strange lately.” Lance’s big green eyes studied Justin. “I’m beginning to believe you.”

Justin blushed. “I’m not making it up, Lance.”

“I know. And wanna know how I know?” Lance’s gaze was unwavering, and Justin’s legs began to shake under the water. He took a few steps closer to Lance, and suddenly he was right in front of him as Lance slipped off the side into the water.

“Your shorts…” Justin said weakly.

“You can loan me a pair,” Lance said in that same low voice. “I know it all happened because I remember laying there in bed beside you. I remember you telling me you loved me as you ran your fingers over my…feathers. I remember.” Lance touched Justin’s shoulder. “You really love me?”

“I have for a long time,” Justin whispered. Lance’s smile beamed.

“I love you, too, Justin…I just never thought…I didn’t think you wanted me that way.” Lance leaned in and kissed Justin. Justin carefully put his arms around Lance as they kissed. Lance was the first to pull away. “Wow…you’ve gotten better in the last 6 years,” he panted, and Justin grinned.

“Let’s go inside and dry off.” Justin helped Lance climb out of the pool. “Then let’s go shopping. I wanna buy Jayce some Meow Mix and some Jif and Velveeta for Chris.”

The End

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