"I'm exhausted, guys," Justin says, yawning as if to prove his point.

Chris waves a marshmellow-covered stick in his direction, and asks, "You sure you don't want another s'more?  I'll even toast the marshmellow for ya."

"Not tonight, Chris, but thanks."  Justin yawns again, the gets up from the fireside.  "I’ma hit the hay.  G'night guys."

Joey, Chris, JC and Lance answer in a vertible chorus, "Goodnight!" and Justin laughs as he heads for the tent.

JC's eyes follow Justin as the younger man walks away.  On the other side of the campfire, Lance is struggling to tell a joke, but JC isn't listening.  His thoughts bend only toward Justin's retreating form as it slowly becomes enveloped in the shadows.

Justin pauses at the tent and bends over to open its zippered door.  JC watches as the firelight flickers and shadows play upon the curves of Justin's ass.  Altogether too soon, Justin opens the tent and disappears inside, and JC's dark, disappointed eyes return to the fire.

The camping trip had been Chris's idea, something to calm them down after the high that came from the screams of the 60,000 plus fans they'd been performing for each night since May.  It was late September, and the campground they'd found in northern Virginia was pleasant and autumnal.  The sun was warm during the day, but the evening air took on a chill, and the night before, even in their snug, five-person tent, the guys had been positively cold.  When JC had woken up early this morning, he had found himself curled around Justin, who had snuggled up to him in his sleep.  When he realized what had happened, JC had tried to release his friend from his arms, but Justin was obviously comfortable where he was, and he refused to leave JC's warm grasp.  JC tried again to roll away from Justin, but his friend only snuggled in closer.  JC decided to let it slide, and fell back asleep, still holding Justin comfortably close.  While he slept with Justin in his arms, a dream had come to JC.

justin close.  justin warm.  justin naked and sticky and on top of jc.  justin's tongue on his nipples, hard with desire.  jc's cock hot and hard and needing justin's touch.  justin's hand on jc's erection, kneading it, toying with him. justin's lips on jc's own, hot and sweet and delicious.  jc smelling justin in the air, all around him, everywhere.  jc wanting to drink in the intoxication that was justin.  justin's hands cupping his ass.  justin's tongue on his cock.  justin swallowing him whole.  jc cumming everywhere, screaming, panting, loving justin so close so hot so his.  jc hand on justin's erection, stroking him, hearing him pant jc's name.  jc making justin cum.  justin's cum coating his body, gluing them together in the sweetest of embraces, the deepest of kisses.  jc whispering, "you're mine, now, justin.  mine."  justin kissing him and saying "yes."  falling asleep with justin in his arms, hot and naked and sticky and satisfied and his... 

"You awake over there, C?" Joey asks, nudging his friend.  The four remaining 'N Syncers are all still sitting by the fire.

JC blinks and shakes away the dreamscape from early that morning.  "Yeah, I'm awake."  He isn't sure if that's really true.  The memories of his dream are so vivid that he wonders if he has just redreamed the whole thing.  He shakes his head again to clear it further, but the images remain, teasing him, making him hard.

"I think the rest of us are going to bed," Lance tells JC, yawning much like Justin had earlier.  "Been a long day, always, aint that right?"

"Nothing like a little Matchbox Twenty to round out a good campfire, eh?" Joey says, and Lance grins.

"You know it."  The three of them get up and head for the tent.

"You coming?" Chris asks JC over his shoulder, halfway to the tent.

"Naw, not yet.  I'll be quiet when I do come.  G'night guys."

"'Night, C."

JC turns back to the fire.  He hears the sound of the tent zipper, then rustling in the tent.  The fire is too low to see anything in that direction anyway, so JC doesn't even bother to look.  He's almost slipping into his dream trance again when he hears Justin's sleepy whine, "Could you guys please keep it down to a dull roar?  Some of us are sleeping."  That voice, even in a whine, arouses JC even further.

"Sorry, J" he hears Lance say.

Then Chris quips, "I could do a dull roar if it really were required.  Anyone wanna hear me roar?"  By the fire, JC fights a smile.

"Knock it off, Chris," Justin whines again.  "You're gonna get it in the morning!"

"Why can't I get it now, huh?  You challenging me?"  Chris's mock definance makes JC smile even wider, mostly because he can picture the distain which he knows is clouding Justin's features.  Justin hates being woken up.  Especially by Chris.

Justin says, "Goodnight, Chris," and this is followed by some mumbling and then more rustling, then silence.  JC is alone with the quiet September night.  He takes a stick and pokes at the dying fire, sorting his thoughts, for about half an hour.  Then he gets up and walks slowly and quietly in the direction of the tent.

The others are all sleeping when JC unzips the nylon and crawls inside.  The moon is out and the one venting window is open on the far side of the tent, so JC can see his friends, sprawled out on or in sleeping bags across the tent floor.  Under the window, Joey is snoring lightly on the far side.  Chris is next to him, mouth open, sound asleep.  Lance is in the middle, his sleeping bag up to his chin, a half smile on his face.  Good dreams, Lance? JC thinks with a smile of his own.  Then his eyes fall upon Justin.

Wearing gray sweatpants and a baby blue long-sleeved t-shirt, curled on his side on top of his sleeping bag, Justin appears to be sleeping peacefully.  Too hot to crawl into your sleeping bag, J?  I'll say...

JC sees that his own sleeping bag is still layed out next to Justin's.  Tempting fate?  We shall see...  He sits down on his sleeping bag and hugs his knees to his chest.  Then he lets his eyes continue to roam over Justin, his friend who cuddled himself into JC's arms the night before.  An eternity ago, JC thinks.  Will I ever get that back?  The moonlight plays with Justin's short hair.  His magnificent curls that he clippered off before the summer tour started are starting to grow back.  The ends of his short, golden strands are just beginning to curl again.  JC fights the urge to play with the baby curls at Justin's forehead.  Instead of touching his friend, he lets his eyes move further down Justin's body, taking in his lips -- rosy even in the pale moonlight -- the fuzz covering his strong chin, the line of his jaw, the diamond earrings he always wears.  JC flashes back to his dream where his tongue runs over those lips, that chin, that jawline.  In his mind, JC nibbles on Justin’s earlobes.  Whoa, he thinks.  Hold it right there, buddy.  JC nervously runs a hand through his shaggy, frosted hair.  JC's locks stand out every which way, dirty from the camping trip, but he ignores their messiness.  All he can think about is Justin, lying there, sleeping like a baby -- and how badly he wants him.

Not now, JC admonishes himself.  The other guys would freak out.  Justin would freak out.  Stop thinking about him.  JC squeezes his eyes shut and wills out the tender thoughts of his bandmate.  He lays down on his sleeping bag, too worked up to crawl inside, and tries to clear his thoughts.  It's no use.  JC sighs and stares up and the ceiling of the tent.

JC closes his eyes again, and visions from his early morning dream flood back to him, warming him, reminding him at that very moment how close Justin is to him, curled up in a ball to his left.  Joey has ceased his snoring, and now JC can hear Justin's soft breathing instead.  JC scoots a little closer to Justin, close enough to feel Justin's warm breath on his neck.  JC's cock once again stirs to life.

It was the dream this morning that started everything, JC muses.  Justin had never turned him on before that dream.  JC had always known Justin had it, whatever it was, so he didn't question the ranks upon ranks of 12-year-old girls who worshipped at the altar of Justin Timberlake.  He saw the same things they saw.  Only that morning, what they saw had snuggled into JC's arms.  That changed things.

Thus, JC had been fighting an erection pretty much all day long.  When thoughts of a hot, naked, and sweaty Justin crept into his consciousness, he willed them away and willed his cock back down, replacing naked Justin with thoughts of naked Chris or naked Joey, both of which make him shudder and go limp.  He tries this again here in the tent, but this time it doesn't work.  Damn.

Just then, Justin yawns and rolls over, bumping up against JC's long, lean body.  JC can feel the electricity leap through him where Justin's body is touching his, but he fights it.  Not now.  It's all he can think.  And then Justin, still seemingly asleep, curls himself around JC again, just as he had done that morning.  As he cuddles into JC, Justin lays his head on JC's chest, and one of his legs nestles in between JC's, rubbing right up against JC's swollen cock.  JC squeezes his eyes tightly shut against the beautiful sensation.  My God, he thinks, then, Not now.  Not now.  Not now not now not now.  Snuggled in close, Justin's breathing is soft and regular and JC knows his friend must be dreaming of something.  God, let me not be just dreaming this, too.  Sighing, JC lets his arms go around Justin, and he closes his eyes.  Ignoring the fire burning in his crotch, JC tries to fall asleep.

For a few hours, JC drifts in and out of sleep with the snoozing Justin still in his arms.  He enjoys having the boy so close to him, but he aches to take care of the throbbing in his pants.  Eventually, of his own accord, Justin rolls away from JC again, leaving JC cold and alone, but able to care for his problem.

JC rationalizes that since everyone in the tent is asleep, maybe it's OK if his cock wants to be hard for a little while.  Maybe it's OK to take it out for a little while and play with it.  With his eyes still pasted to Justin's angelic face -- he could not get over those lips, so soft looking, the petals of a rare flower -- he slowly eases his hand down into his pants and retrieves his still-throbbing cock.

JC continues to stare at his friend as he gives himself a gentle squeeze.  A breathless sigh escapes his lips at the delicious feeling.  At that moment, Justin gives a little yawn.  Startled, JC starts to put himself back into his pants, but Justin only stretches a little without opening his eyes, rolls onto his back, and settles once again into sleep.

JC holds his breath, afraid that he'll wake Justin and lose his chance at this reverie.  A few moments pass, and JC is once again satisfied that Justin is asleep, so he begins to touch himself again, always in long, slow, teasing strokes.  He still can't believe that it's Justin that has him this hard, but he doesn't fight it.  He lets himself feel everything, and everything he's feeling is tingly and good and centered around naughty thoughts of Justin.

JC lets his eyes close as his strokes on his cock lose their teasing and pick up an edge.  His need has taken over, and suddenly he is completely focused on getting himself off.  He does not notice Justin yawning again.  This time, Justin turns towards JC with open eyes and a soft smile.  Justin leans up on his elbow next to JC to watch his friend jack off.

JC is completely oblivious.  Justin guesses by the look on his friend's face that he has needed this relief for awhile, and he seems to be close to his climax.  Justin decides he wants to be a part of that climax.

He scoots closer to JC, but JC doesn't notice.  Then, all at once, Justin lets his hand rest on JC's hip, and he places his lips at JC's ear.  Justin licks his earlobe, whispering, "I could help you with that, if you wanted me to."  He scoots his hand closer to JC's erection, but he doesn't touch him.  He's waiting for the invitation he knows will come.

JC’s skin burns where Justin is touching him.  His hip and earlobe are on fire from Justin's gentle caresses, but all words are stuck in his throat.  Yes yes yes, his cock screams, let him help you! but somewhere in JC's mind the thought of fooling around with Justin here, with the other guys asleep right next to them, rears its nagging head.  JC ignores this more sensible voice and gives in to the demands of his cock.

Since speech still seems to be absent from JC's abilities, JC takes Justin's hand with his own and guides it onto his cock, which threatens to explode at Justin's first touch.  Justin grips JC the way he grips himself, and slides even closer to JC, moving his leg between JC's just as he had done before in his sleep.  Justin presses his own erection into JC's hip as he strokes his friend.

A low moan escapes JC's lips, but Justin stiffles his friend's cries by covering JC's lips with his own.  JC melts under the soft pressure of the lips that had gotten him hard in the first place.  He licks those lips open and darts his tongue into Justin's mouth, unable to resist the delicious man curled around him.  As they kiss, Justin rubs himself against JC's hip while stroking JC's cock in his own favorite rhythm.  In the blink of an eye, JC grunts and cums all over the place.  Justin swallows his moans in their kiss while rubbing JC's cream into the tip of his friend's cock.  Then Justin breaks their kiss to lick his sticky fingers, and JC lays there, panting softly.  He needs to be quiet.  He can't afford to wake his friends.  He needs to repay his lover.

As JC tucks himself back into his pants, Justin grins down at him with his index finger still in his mouth.  JC's cum tastes salty and sweet all at once.  Justin never imagined it would taste that good.  He wants more, but JC seems to have other plans as he kisses Justin's nose and eases his friend down onto his back.

"I get to help you now," JC whispers hotly in Justin's ear, gently squeezing Justin's cock through his sweatpants.  "You don't mind, do you?"

"Josh, I..."

"Shhh," JC whispers, "Just let me do this."

"OK," Justin whispers back, "I just --"

JC cuts him off with a kiss.  Then he kisses his way down his friend's body, lifting his shirt and planting kisses around his belly button.  Then JC kisses his way the rest of the way down before burying his face between Justin's legs.  Though still covered by Justin's sweats, JC nuzzles his friend's erection and plants kisses all over it.  Then, lost entirely in the moment, JC pulls Justin's pants down just far enough to let his cock spring free.

Once freed, JC covers Justin's cock with wet kisses and long, wet swipes of his tongue before capturing its head in his mouth.

"JC, my God, you--"

"Shhh," JC whispers, letting Justin slide out of his mouth.

"OK, I'll be quiet, just don't stop!"

JC smiles and goes back to work.  Cupping Justin's balls in one hand, JC strokes his thumb along the underside of Justin's cock while licking its tip with his tongue.

"Uhhhhhh..."  Another low groan escapes Justin's lips.  "JC, I...  I'm gonna..."

JC stops again.  "You're gonna shut up," he whispers, "or you're gonna wake everyone up."

Justin whimpers.  "I'll be good.  I'll be quiet.  Please, Josh...  I need you."

Those words set JC off.  Justin can scream down the tent for all I care, JC thought, I need to taste him.

JC's wish is soon granted.  His quick tongue is too much for Justin, and the boy explodes in a rush of pleasure.  Justin manages to stifle most of his moans, but one long low one escapes as JC swallows his load.

"Shhh," JC warns him as he sits up, "It would not be pretty to wake the others right about now."  JC looks down at Justin's softening cock and grins, whispering, "Unless you want them all to see you like this."

"No, this is just for you."  The sparkle in Justin's eyes which JC can just barely make out in the moonlight makes JC hard again.  Or maybe that was the taste of him lingering on his tongue.  JC didn't know, but he did know he had it bad for the boy.  Really bad.

As Justin tucks himself back into his pants, JC lays down and gestures to have Justin cuddle up to him as before.  Justin does as bidden.  Again holding Justin where it feels so good to hold him, JC whispers, "Did you know that in your sleep you cuddled up to me like this last night and again earlier tonight?"

"I did?" Justin asks innocently.  JC cannot see the not-so-innocent gleam in his lover's eyes.

"Yeah, you did, and it made me dream of us making love, and I was a walking hard-on today because of it."

Justin feigns innocence once again.  "You were?"

"Yeah, all of a sudden I ached for you."

"Josh, would you believe me if I said I've always felt that way about you?"

"Right now I'd believe just about anything, J."

"I love you, Josh."

"I'm not sure I'd believe that...  though I'd like to."

"Believe it because it's true, JC.  Always.  Forever.  Say you'll be mine and we can be like this, like your dream, forever."

"And it'll always be this good?" JC knows he is letting his heart and his imagination run away with him again, but with Justin in his arms, anything truly seems possible.

"Always," Justin whispers, kissing the skid-mark on JC's chin.

"I believe you, J, and I love you, too."
 

When JC wakes up the next morning, Justin is snuggled close just as he had been the night before, but this time, JC knows his memories are more than just a dream.  This time the taste and smell of Justin are real, and they are forever.

"I think I like going camping," JC whispers to himself, and he smiles.
 

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