"Baby, are you sure you want to cook Thanksgiving dinner? It's not too late to call a caterer. The guys won'ft care if you made it yourself." Justin cajoled, as he watched JC peruse the produce at the grocery store.

JC frowned and dropped the sweet potato he'd been inspecting back into the bin. "I said I was going to cook and I'm going to cook. You don't think I can do it, do you? It's so wonderful that my boyfriend has so much faith in me." He said snidely and walked away from Justin.

"JC as much as I love you and as great as you are with music and anything pertaining to music you're not a cook." Justin said, watching nervously as JC picked through a table of marked down fruits and vegetables.

JC hurt by Justin's skepticism continued to pick through the produce and ignore Justin.

"Uh, JC that stuff ain't gonna last until Thursday. This is only Monday and that stuff is marked down because it's about to rot." Justin said, wincing when JC slammed an already bruised and slightly soft apple back into the pile of old produce.

JC turned sharply and faced Justin. "And when did you go to culinary school?"

"I was just trying to help, JC. Jesus if just making Thanksgiving dinner makes you this big of a bitch we are so getting a caterer for Christmas." Justin said angrily and then stomped off toward the front of the store and the magazines.

JC continued on with his shopping and muttering under his breath about diva's and whiney spoiled little brats.

~*~

"Thank you for helping to carry in the groceries." JC said, as Justin plopped the last bag down on the kitchen table.

Justin pulled his motorcycle magazine out of the bag he'd just set down. "Yeah no problem. You want help putting them away?"

"Nah, I can handle it." JC said and grabbed Justin's sleeve as he turned to leave the kitchen. "And Just, I'm sorry for being so crabby at the store. I just want everything to be perfect."

Justin smiled and wrapped his arms around JC's waist. "It will be perfect. No matter what it is or how it turns out it will be perfect because you put yourself into it. The guys will love it because you put your love for all of us into it. Even if we end up starving because the food is inedible we'll still love it because you made it."

JC swatted Justin's arm and then gave him a little shove away. "You started out so sweet and then you had to go and ruin it. So like a man to put his foot in his mouth just when he's so close to getting laid."

"You mean I was close to getting laid here in the kitchen? You said we couldn't do it anywhere but the bedroom anymore since Tyler caught us on the dining room table." Justin said, eyes lighting up at the prospect of sex in the kitchen. "Oh and what do you mean so like a man? Aren't you still a man? Maybe I'd better check just to be sure. I don't wanna be in the middle of something hot and heavy and find that you're missing my favorite part." He said, grabbing for the fly of JC's jeans and laughing at the affronted look on his face.

JC pushed Justin away and swatted him with a towel. "You can be such a dick sometimes, Justin." He said, exasperation evident in his tone.

"But you love me anyway, right?" Justin cooed, batting his eyelashes at JC and sliding his arms back around his waist.

"Against my better judgment, I do." JC intoned, shaking his head solemnly.

Justin laughed and then released JC when the phone rang. "I'll get it."

"Behave." JC warned seeing the mischievous look on Justin's face as he picked up the receiver.

Justin grinned evilly before lifting the phone to his ear. "Hello, JC's den of sexual deviance."

"Jeez Justin, what would your mother say if it'd been her on the phone instead of me?" Tyler reprimanded, groaning when Justin laughed.

"My mama would probably ask me why if it's such a den of sexual deviancy I wasn't off being deviant with JC." Justin laughed, and then made lewd gestures at JC when he sighed and shook his head.

Tyler chuckled, "You're incorrigible, Justin. Now may I speak to your better half?"

Justin winked at JC before answering Tyler. "What? You wanna talk to my ass? Maybe you'd better come over and do it face to face. Or should I say cheek to cheek?" Justin gasped for breath as he laughed and JC yanked the phone from his hand.

"Hello?" JC said almost hesitantly.

"JC, that boy needs serious help." Tyler said, laughing when JC agreed.

~*~

"Jace are you sure you want to tell the guys today? I mean we've been together for a year now we could always wait another year. Just to be sure ya know." Justin suggested, nervousness settling in his stomach like a lead weight.

JC's spine stiffened as he turned away from the potatoes he was peeling. "Just to be sure? What do you mean, Justin? Just to be sure we're actually gonna last?" He asked voice harsh with growing anger.

"NO! No baby, I know we're gonna last. I meant just to be sure the guys will be ok with it. Like we could start dropping little hints to make them wonder. Ya know, kinda working up to it. They're out best friends, Jace. I'm scared." Justin whispered the last as he moved closer to JC and wrapped his arms around his waist.

JC sighed and hugged Justin tightly pressing a kiss to his chin. "I love you, Justin. I'm tired of hiding it. Our families have realize that we make each other happy and they're happy for us now. I want our friends to know and share in our happiness."

Justin burrowed closer to JC for a moment before pulling back to look at him. "I love you too. You're right, we need to tell them. I just don't want things to change with all of us. It'll be nice though to not have to worry about touching you the wrong way in front of them. And we'll be able to share a room now on tour instead of having to sneak around to be together at night."

"See it will all be worth it in the end. I really don't think we have anything to worry about anyway. You know Chris is always teasing me about liking guys anyway and Joey and Lance laugh with him about it. They seem like they'd be ok with me being gay so why would it bother them if you are too and we're together?" JC reasoned, hoping to sooth Justin's nerves so that he could get back to his cooking.

Justin kissed JC quickly on the lips and pulled away. "You're right. You're always right." He said and then chuckled at the smug look JC shot him. "Can I help with anything?" He asked, swatting JC's ass as he turned back to his potatoes.

"You can peel the rest of these potatoes for me while I finish up the cranberry salad." JC said, handing Justin the knife after he'd nodded his head in agreement.

~*~

"Hey guys, come on in." Justin greeted his friends as he opened the door.

"Here Jup, make yourself useful." Joey handed Brianna to Justin and took the diaper bag from Kelly.

Justin cooed at the baby for a moment before smiling at Kelly. "Hey Kelly, glad you could make it. You and Miss Thang here give me something pretty to look at after seeing these ugly mugs so much." Kelly laughed when the comment earned Justin a smack in the head from Chris.

"Hey Justin, are Britney and Bobbee coming?" Chris asked, calling over his shoulder as he went into the living room to turn on the football game.

Justin blew a raspberry on the baby's cheek making her giggle before he answered Chris. "Bobbee's already here. She's in the kitchen with Jace. Britney can't make it."

"What, your first Thanksgiving in your new house and she can't make it? What's she doing that's so important?" Kelly asked, upset with the fact that Britney wasn't at a dinner that obviously meant so much to all of the guys.

Justin bit his lip and thought about how to answer Kelly. "Umm, well I didn't invite her." He said, deciding to go with the truth because it would all be out in the open soon anyway.

"Thank god. I'm not even going to ask why because it's your business but now it looks like I've got one more thing to be grateful for today." Kelly said, laughing at the warning look Joey shot her way.

Joey cleared his throat and then motioned Kelly over to where he was sitting on the sofa. "Woman, come sit down before that mouth gets you in trouble."

Kelly stuck her tongue out at Joey and then kissed his cheek when he shook his fist at her.

"It's ok Joe. JC said worse when I told him that I wasn't inviting her." Justin said, laughing at the surprised looks on his friends faces.

Lance raised an eyebrow and look at Justin curiously. "Ok nobody else has the balls to ask what we're all dying to know so I will. Did you guys break up?" He asked watching Justin's face intently.

"Yeah sort of. Umm can we save it for a little later? I promise you guys will get the whole story. But can we just please wait until we're all sitting down and can talk about it?" Justin asked, his eyes almost pleading with his friends to agree.

Chris flung an arm around Justin's shoulder in a sideways hug. "Sure we can wait, Just. That is wait for what you wanna tell us. Wait for food? Not much longer. I'm about to start gnawing on Joey's big beefy leg."

"You better keep your mouth away from my big beefy leg little man or you're gonna find my big smelly foot up your ass." Joey warned. "And are you really that anxious to eat? I mean JC cooked. We'll probably be heading for a restaurant pretty soon because JC's gonna run in here crying about the burnt turkey or something."

Kelly nudged Joey with an elbow in the stomach. "Joey hush. I'm sure JC will make a perfectly fine dinner. Nothing smells burnt so far." She said, sniffing the air.

Justin smiled brightly at Kelly. "It does smell good and I need to get back to the kitchen because I'm sure there was something else those two slave drivers in there wanted me to do. Make yourselves at home. You all know where the drinks are." He said, waving distractedly toward the small bar in the corner before leaving the room.

"If we're gonna be eating something JC cooked I need to get good and drunk first." Chris said, heading toward the bar.

~*~

"So you really cooked this, JC?" Chris inquired, poking lightly at the turkey with a fork as if he were afraid it was going to blow up.

JC grinned and nodded as he carried the last dish to the table.

"It looks good. Which is why I'm wondering who you are and what you've done with the real JC." Joey teased and then grunted when Kelly kicked him rather hard.

Lance chuckled as Kelly reprimanded Joey quietly. "I'd think Bobbee cooked it for JC but we all know she can't cook either." He teased winking at Bobbee to let her know that he was just playing.

Bobbee smiled shyly at Lance. "Actually Lance, JC did cook. I wasn't allowed to do anything more than cut vegetables and set the table. Our JC is full of hidden talents." She said, winking at JC and giggling when he blushed a deep red.

"So Jace, have you been able to cook all of this time and you were too selfish to cook for us or did you wake up this morning knowing how to cook?" Chris asked, lifting lids and inspecting other dishes.

JC grinned at each of them. "No I couldn't cook before. You know how I've been out of town so much the past month doing all of the solo appearances? Well I kind of took my mom with me and she taught me some stuff during the down time. I wanted to surprise all of you. And since I'm settling down finally and getting serious I wanna be able to cook so that we aren't eating out every night." He said, smiling at the looks of surprise on everyone's faces.

"Settling down? What do you mean settling down?" Lance asked, turning to look then at Bobbee. "Tell me you aren't moving in here with him and Justin."

Bobbee laughed and shook her head. "No I'm not moving in here."

"Jace, you finally moving out and letting Justin be a grown up?" Joey asked, flinging a green bean at Justin when he mumbled something that sounded pretty much like fuck off which knowing Justin it probably was.

JC cleared his throat and looked at everyone nervously. "Umm, that's kind of why we asked you all to miss one Thanksgiving with your families and spend it with us. We have something we need to tell you." He said, slipping his hand under the table to touch Justin's leg where it rested against his.

"Umm, I need another drink. Does anybody else need a drink?" Justin asked, standing from the table so fast he nearly knocked his plate over.

"Justin, JC was in the middle of telling us something. Can't your drink wait another five minutes?" Lance asked irritated that Justin had interrupted JC.

Justin shifted his weight from one leg to the other and looked pleadingly at JC. "No, I really need a drink. JC come with me and refill yours too."

JC frowned but stood and followed Justin out of the dining room and into the kitchen.

"What's going on, Justin?" JC asked the minute they entered the kitchen.

Justin paced back and forth across the length of the room. "I'm scared Jace. I can't do this. They're gonna hate me. They're gonna hate us." He ranted.

"Justin they aren't going to hate us. I really believe they are gonna be fine with us. And if they can't accept us and see how much we love each other then they aren't our true friends anyway." JC said, reaching out to snag Justin's sleeve as he passed him.

Justin pulled his arm out of JC's reach and continued walking. "I can't do this JC. I can't take that risk. If they do hate us they'll probably go and hold a press conference and tell the world. I just can't do it. Let's just go on like we have for the past year. Please, JC." He pleaded.

"Fine if that's what you want we'll say nothing." JC ground out as he clenched his jaw and turned to leave the kitchen.

~*~

Chris sighed exaggeratedly when JC and Justin returned to the dining room. "Finally, now will you please finish your little announcement?" He asked, tapping his fork on the tabletop impatiently.

"Nothing to announce. There's been a change of plans." Justin said, taking his seat next to a stone faced JC.

JC cleared his throat and looked up from his plate. "No there's still an announcement. Just not the original one."

"What? JC what are you doing?" Justin asked, face turning white when JC wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Shit, I told you this was gonna happen soon. Didn't I tell you, Lance? The little shits are planning to go solo on us. At least JC is." Chris said, frowning at the top of JC's head because he'd looked back down at his barely touched food.

JC's head shot back up though at Chris' allegation. "That is not true, Chris. I don't know what gave you the idea that Justin or I were planning to leave the group but you've got it all wrong. I am leaving but not the group. I'm leaving this house. I'm moving out." The last part came out choked as he tried to swallow the knot in his throat.

Justin's hand jerked and he knocked over his glass of water causing it to run into his lap. He never even noticed his wet pants as he turned sad blue eyes toward JC. Justin was speechless which at any other time the guys would've taken great pleasure in pointing that out.

"You're moving out? Why? You and Justin have shared this house for two years now. What happened? What's going on?" Lance asked, apparently the spokesman for the group as everyone else looked on shocked.

JC shoved his plate back from in front of him and buried his face in his hands on the table. "I can't do this anymore. I can't lie anymore. I'm sick of having to lie." He mumbled into his hands.

Justin dropped to his knees beside JC. He flung his arms around his waist and pressed his face to JC's shaking shoulder. "Don't leave me, JC." He whispered.

"I have to. God knows I don't want to but I can't do this anymore. I'll pack an over night bag now and send for the rest of my stuff later." JC said, struggling to dislodge Justin's arms from his waist as he stood.

Justin scrambled on hands and knees after JC and latched onto a pant leg. "JC, I need you. Don't go. I'll do anything. I'll tell anyone you want. I'll get on the phone right now and call Carson Daly himself. Just please don't leave me, baby. I can't be without you. I can't breathe without you." Justin sobbed, frantically pulling on JC's pants.

"Justin, stop it. It's ok, Angel. I won't leave. I just need to know that I'm not the only one in this relationship. Shh, it's ok now." JC soothed, pulling Justin up from the floor and into his arms.

Lance cleared his throat drawing all eyes to him. "So I'm assuming this has something to do with the original announcement?" He asked, waving his hand in the direction of Justin in JC's lap.

"Yeah this was the original announcement. Helluva way to announce it, huh?" JC said, rocking Justin soothingly as his breathing became more normal.

Chris chuckled. "Justin always has been a bit of a diva and once again he's made himself the center of attention."

"Fuck off, Chris." Justin growled, sitting forward as if to attack Chris.

Lance cleared his throat. "Shut up, Chris. Now isn't the time for your stupid sense of humor. Justin, he's being an ass but he didn't really mean it as an insult. Think about how often Chris has teased you about that. You know he doesn't really mean it."

"I have one question. Did you know about this?" Chris asked, turning to look at Bobbee.

"Yes, I knew. I've known from the beginning." Bobbee said, smiling supportively at JC and Justin.

Joey clapped his hands in an attempt to get everyone's attention. "Ok so I still don't get it. Are you guys like together, together?" He asked.

"Yes. We have been for a little over a year." Justin said, leaning back into JC for support.

Joey looked down at the table swallowing nervously and then looking back up at Justin and JC. "So like you guys kiss and fuck and shit?"

"Feeling stupid today, Joey?" Kelly asked, slapping Joey in the back of the head.

Joey looked up at his friends sheepishly. "Sorry."

"So are you both gay or what?" Chris asked, looking genuinely curious.

JC smiled when Lance rolled his eyes and covered his face. "Yes we're both gay."

"Cool." Lance said and then poured himself more wine.

"Cool? Does that mean you're ok with it? With us?" Justin asked, watching Lance closely.

Lance smiled at Justin. "I'fm fine with it, Justin. I'fm glad you guys have what you do with each other. Something like that isn't easy to find."

JC smiled and mouthed his thanks silently at Lance as he pulled Justin back into his arms for a hug.

"So have you guys been to those gay bars. I hear they have like wild orgies and shit." Chris said, picking through a plate of cheese.

"Are you sharing a brain wave with the other idiot over here or what?" Kelly asked, as she slapped Chris on the head the same way she had Joey.

JC and Justin laughed with their friends for a few moments before Justin cleared his throat and spoke. "So does that mean you guys are all ok with this?" He asked, indicating JC and himself.

"You already know I am." Lance said.

"Me too." Chris and Joey chimed in at the same time.

"I think it's great." Kelly said, smiling at JC and Justin.

Bobbee jumped from her seat and threw her arms around JC and Justin. "See I told you that you guys have wonderful friends and that they'd be happy for you." She said.

JC and Justin shared a light kiss and a hug much to the amusement of their friends.

Justin pulled back to look at JC. "Do I have to call Carson now?" He asked nervously.

"No. I never wanted you to tell the world. I just wanted to be able to share it with our friends. I don't want to have to hide how much I love you from the important people in our lives." JC said, stroking Justin's cheek.

"I love you too." Justin said, kissing JC's lips tenderly and trying not to laugh as Chris and Joey yelled for them to get a room.

THE END