JC awoke to the feeling of being watched. Opening his eyes, he saw crystal blue ones staring back at him. Justin’s head was resting on the pillow next to his own, his leg was thrown causally over JC's, his strong arm was lying almost protectively across JC's chest. He smiled and leaned over to place a soft kiss on Justin’s forehead.
“How long have you been awake?”
“Not long. I just didn’t want move and wake you. You looked too peaceful.” Justin said, running his hand slowly up and down JC's chest. JC untangled himself and threw the covers back, climbing to his feet. Glancing back at Justin, he saw a split second of hurt in his eyes, but it was quickly gone and Justin looked down, picking at the sheets. JC realized what climbing out of bed that quickly must have looked like, and he didn’t want to give Justin the wrong impression.
“I need a bathroom badly.” Leaning down, he gripped Justin’s chin lightly and turned it until their eyes met again. “I’ll be right back.” He leaned close to plant a soft kiss on Justin’s lips before straightening and heading toward the bathroom.
Once he returned, he climbed back in, pulling the covers back over both of them and pulling Justin to him once again. Justin curled against him and sighed.
“I need to be real honest here, JC. I’ve never done this before, the whole one night stand thing. And as wonderful and right as last night was, I have no idea how I’m suppose to act this morning.” He glanced up, meeting JC's eyes. “Are things supposed to be awkward between us? Am I just supposed to get up and leave?”
“Justin, if I wanted this to just be a one night stand, I would have had you leave last night. And I definitely don’t want things to be awkward between us. Last night was incredible. It was hot and like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. And there’s just something about you that has me enraptured. I have no idea where this is going to go between us, but please don’t think that last night didn’t mean something besides just sex.” Justin smiled and let his lips fall against JC's shoulder, kissing the skin softly. Just as JC went to speak again, Justin’s stomach rumbled loudly. JC laughed. “Come on, I’ll see what I can scrounge up for breakfast. I’m warning you though, I’m not the best cook in the world.”
Pulling on some clothes, they made their way down to the kitchen, where Justin insisted on taking over the breakfast making duties once JC burned the first batch of eggs. They sat across from each other at the small table, eating quietly. They spoke about their lives, shared their past, and talked about their hopes for the future.
“So you’re parents know? That you’re gay, I mean.” Justin nodded, his mouth full. “Mine don’t. Everyone out here that I know does, but I could never bring myself to tell them. I’m afraid of how they’ll react.”
“I understand completely. I was terrified to tell my parents. I know I was lucky with their reaction and that not everyone gets that kind of reaction. I know just how you’re feeling.”
After breakfast, they cleaned up together. Even as domesticated as it was after one night together, it felt right. There was a peaceful sereneness that should have scared them both, but didn’t. As JC finished drying the last pan Justin had just washed, Justin leaned over and planted a soft kiss on his lips.
“Should this feel weirder than it is?”
“It should, but I’m glad it doesn’t. I’m glad things worked out how they did between us. It’s like I’ve known you forever. Like maybe we were friends in high school and now here we are, eating breakfast together, doing dishes together, just being together. It’s nice. I’ve never had something like this. Even in other relationships that lasted awhile, it was never quite like this.” JC said, pulling Justin lightly against his chest, wrapping his arms around Justin’s waist.
“You do realize we’re never gonna hear the end of it from Tony, right?” Justin sighed, leaning his head back to rest on JC's shoulder. JC laughed softly in his ear.
“That’s ok. For more of this, I think I can handle it.” He kissed Justin’s temple lightly until Justin sighed again.
“JC, I have to go home in a week. I have to be back for classes and it’s not something I can just put on hold.” As wonderful of a time as he was having, being in JC's bed, JC's kitchen, JC's arms, reality was that they still lived on opposite sides of the country. And as Justin had told Tony, long distance relationships just weren’t a good idea. Especially when all they really had between them so far was a night of hot sex and breakfast the following morning. As much as he wished, he didn’t let himself get carried away. It was a dream, a fantasy, to keep things like this. “This fantasy is going to end in a week. Then it’s back to the reality where we live on opposite sides of the country, in opposite worlds.”
“Let’s just take this day by day and see what happens, what do you say?” Justin nodded as JC captured his lips once again.
*****
“So what happened?” Tony’s full attention was on Justin the moment he walked in the door, eyes trained intently on Justin’s own. Justin shrugged casually.
“We hung out, watched a movie, I slept on his couch.”
“That’s it?” Tony was clearly disappointed. “You guys didn’t even kiss?” Justin laughed.
“Why do you have so much interest in my sex life anyway?”
“Look, I just think you guys would be good together. Excuse the hell out of me for caring.” He wasn’t really mad, more disappointed than anything. He was sure that something would have happened between them, at the very least a kiss or something. He had seen the chemistry last night at the club. He was sure it hadn’t been imagined. And even though he knew Justin wasn’t in the habit of random sex, he was sure there would have been something. Justin laughed again.
“Ok, yes Tony. We attacked each other in his kitchen. He took me upstairs and gave me the best blowjob of my life before I licked down his entire body and fucked him hard into his bed. There, that what you wanted to hear?”
“No need to lie about it.” Tony pouted. Justin just grinned lazily at him before heading into the bathroom to shower and change.
*****
The next morning, Tony and JC were meeting in the studio to work on some more of Tony’s song for the album. Tony had invited Justin along and the truth was, even though he wanted to hear the stuff Tony was working on, he was more excited to see JC than anything else. On the way there, he let his mind wander off as Tony sang along to the radio. No one had ever affected him like JC was. No one had ever gotten so deeply into his mind, and quite possible his soul, that it seemed impossible to think of much else.
Although Tony had spent most of Sunday showing Justin around LA, taking him to some of the top name stores and eating at a small outdoor café, Justin’s mind had been with JC for most of the day. He wasn’t sure it was completely healthy, the way he seemed to think about him nonstop, and a part of him was worried it was one sided. But then he remembered the way JC had been, that morning, and a smile hit his lips. It didn’t seem to be one sided at all.
Arriving at the studio, they climbed out of Tony’s car and headed inside. JC was already sitting at the soundboard, playing with some of the controls, and Justin stopped for a moment in the doorway as he breath caught in his throat. Just the sight of him was enough to make Justin’s head spin. Tony pushed him lightly from behind, tossing a curious look his way as they entered the studio. JC turned at the sound of the door closing and nodded to Tony before his gaze landed on Justin. He smiled, a soft, secret smile, and climbed to his feet. His eyes held questions as he made his way to Justin, sending a look Tony’s way with just a turn of his eyes. Justin knew what he was asking immediately and nodded his consent briefly. JC reached him and leaned in, placing a simple kiss on his lips. Tony’s jaw dropped as he looked from Justin to JC and back to Justin.
“I thought you said nothing happened!” JC looked curiously at Justin, amusement showing in his deep blue eyes.
“No, I told you exactly what happened. You just seemed to think I was lying for some reason.” Justin said, reaching out to let his fingers brush lightly against JC's, his eyes crinkling in a smile. He winked at JC before turning his attention to Tony.
“Then you...he. You guys. Wait, what?! You said...”
“I said,” Justin interrupted, “that he gave me the best blow job of my life. I said that we had sex. All of that happened, Tony.”
“I thought...you said...” he was still stuttering but stopped when he noticed the laugher in both Justin and JC's eyes. “You guys were messing with me on purpose, weren’t you?”
“You deserved it, man. After trying so damn hard to get us together in the first place. We had to put up with your shit for a year and a half. Of course we’re gonna mess with you.” Justin said, chuckling lightly.
“So did something really happen or not?” Tony was confused and had no idea what the real truth was anymore. JC and Justin looked at each other for a moment, sharing a secret look, before they both turned back to Tony.
“Yes.” They both said in unison.
“But we’re not telling you exactly what, or how much. Just leave it at that. And before you say it, yes we know, you told us.” JC said, moving back to the soundboard. “We gonna stand around speculating about what exactly Justin and I did or didn’t do all day, or we actually gonna get some work done?”
*****
“You wanna do something tomorrow?” JC asked. Tony was in the booth, going over some music on the paper in front of him, getting ready to record. Justin let his gaze wander from the booth to the man sitting next to him.
“You mean like a date?” JC laughed.
“Yeah, like a date. I know we’ve already passed the sex step, but I figured I’d do things right from this point out. So what do you say?”
“I’d love to,” Justin grinned. The grin that lit up JC's face matched his own.
*****
The following afternoon, Justin ran around Tony’s apartment getting ready. Tony sat on the couch, a grin spread across his face, a chuckle reaching his lips every now and then.
“So you guys are coming to my show tonight, right?” Tony asked. Justin nodded absently as he walked from the bathroom to the living room, towel still wrapped around his slim waist.
“We’ll be there after we do whatever else we’re doing today.”
“Dude, you need to relax. You’ve already, possibly, slept with the man. Although I’m not really sure on that one, since neither one of you will give me a damn straight answer. But that’s beside the point. You’ve already got him impressed. I don’t see what the big deal is now.” Justin stopped and turned to Tony, hands on his hips.
“I might have impressed him once. Now I need to keep him interested.”
“Trust me, he’s interested. This is the most interested I’ve ever seen him actually. Usually he doesn’t give a damn either way. This is the most emotion I’ve ever seen from him about dating or relationships. Chill out.” Tony’s words hit him and Justin stopped short, taking a deep, calming breath.
“You’re right. I do just need to calm down...” A knock at the apartment door caused Justin to gasp and sprint for the spare bedroom that he was using as his own for the week he was in town. Tony laughed and moved toward the door, opening it to see JC standing on the other side.
“Come on in. He’ll be right out. He’s getting beautiful for you.” Tony said, laughing.
“I heard that!” was heard from the closed bedroom.
*****
JC kicked off his sandals and rolled the legs of his jeans up to his calves before stepping out into the cool ocean water. Justin stood on the dry sand, arms crossed over his chest.
“I’m not coming in there. There’s, like, strange animals.” Justin said, planting his feet firmly on the ground. JC laughed.
“Justin, you were the one who wanted to come to the ocean because you’ve never seen it before. Now you don’t want to be here?”
“No, I said I wanted to come to the ocean, not in the ocean. There’s a big difference.” JC walked out of the small waves and made his way back to Justin.
“Ok, ok. We’ll just sit here and watch all the other people having fun in the water so we don’t get attacked by ‘strange animals’ or anything. Besides, I wouldn’t want a huge tidal wave to come and carry you off.” He winked and let his body lean gently toward Justin’s.
“I think you’re making fun of me. And normally, I’d be offended, but you’re just too cute.” Justin said, letting his hand slide up JC's arm to his shoulder before pulling him in for a gentle kiss. When they finally broke apart, JC had a grin plastered across his face. “What?”
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” JC said, grin widening slightly.
“Now why do I not believe you?” Justin asked, stepping away cautiously. But before he got too far, JC had a hold of his wrist. His other hand grabbed onto the back of Justin’s thigh and with one swift movement, he had Justin hoisted up over his shoulder. Justin screamed playfully as JC made his way toward the water. “JC! Come on, don’t!” It was as far as he could get before a fit of laughter overtook him. Making his way out into the water, past his calves, his rolled up pants getting wetter and wetter with each step until it was almost up to his waist, JC finally deposited Justin down into the water with a loud splash. Justin disappeared under the waves and a moment later, JC lost his balance as Justin grabbed his ankles, pulling him down as well.
They both came up laughing and sputtering, water dripping from their faces and hair. Justin stood so the water was running around his waist and turned to JC, hands on his hips.
“I can not believe you dropped me in the water. It’s freezing!” JC just laughed and splashed him in retaliation.
“This is far from freezing. Trust me, I’ve been in freezing water. This isn’t it.”
“When you come from Tennessee where the most you get is pools and lakes in the summer, this is freezing. But I think I can handle it, because you look damn sexy right now, all dripping wet like that.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself, Timberlake.” They moved toward each other, Justin slipping easily into JC's arms. “Besides, I’ll keep you warm if it gets too horrible for you.”
*****
The rest of the week passed quickly. Too quickly for Justin’s liking. He spent his time between hanging with Tony and being with JC. Tony hadn’t minded in the least. It had been his plan to get them together in the first place. Justin’s last full day in LA had been spent in the studio with Tony and JC before they all left early to grab something to eat.
That night Justin had stayed at JC's again. It was the first time since their first night together, but they had done nothing but sleep, curled up around each other, legs and arms intertwined, hearts beating together, Justin’s cheek pressed against JC's strong chest. It was more than enough for both of them.
Justin had woken up the next morning with mixed feelings. He was happier, here in JC's arms, than he’d ever been in his life, yet he was leaving LA today. He was heading back across the country to a life that didn’t involve JC. He knew it would be unfair to expect things to carry on between them with the distance separating them. Although they had agreed to still talk on the phone, they both knew it wasn’t the same. And as much as he wanted there to be something real between them, something more than just this week, there was no way he could ask that of JC from the other side of the country, from his separate world. As much as he wanted to be special in JC's life, there was no way he’d be selfish enough to ask for it.
When Tony and JC took him to the airport, he hugged Tony tightly before turning to JC. Tony turned to a small newsstand, giving them some semblance of privacy. At least as much as the middle of an airport would allow.
“This week has been amazing. Please don’t go back to Tennessee and forget about me.” The tone and emotion of JC's voice was something Justin hadn’t heard in it before. It was, Justin realized later, fear.
“Not a chance in hell. How could I forget the best week of my life?” Justin reached a hand up to rest on JC's cheek, stroking the soft skin lightly before letting his thumb fall to run along JC's bottom lip. “I didn’t think it was possible to imagine missing someone so much. Especially since I’m not even gone yet.” He leaned in to press a soft kiss to JC's temple, then his eyes, the tip of his nose, and finally his lips.
“Will you call me when you get in? Just so I know you made it?”
“Of course. I’ll miss you, JC.”
“Me too.” And with one finally press of their lips and a final wave to Tony, Justin started down the terminal without looking back for fear the emotion would show in his eyes.