Lance tried not to let the fact that JC was bringing a date into his home bother him. It shouldn’t matter. After all, he and JC weren’t an item. He shouldn’t get his hopes up just because Chris made him think he had a chance. There was absolutely no reason for him to feel hurt. It was ridiculous. The only thing between them was friendship. “Lance, last time I checked beef stew didn’t call for diced carrots,” Joey said as he watched Lance become more upset with every passing second. “Huh?” Lance looked down at the cutting board in front of him. He was barely conscience of the knife in his hand. What had once been piles of carrot chunks were now finely diced mounds. Some days he couldn’t even get the little things right. Joey didn’t know what JC was up to, but it had better work. Teasing Lance was one thing but hurting him was another. “Come on, Lance. You know it’s probably nothing. JC hasn’t really been out to meet anyone new lately.” “I know. I know. It’s just that…I mean, I finally admitted how I feel.” Lance gestured with his hands and started to babble. “Well, I didn’t admit it. I never came right out and said, ‘I’m bisexual’. Especially not to JC, but that’s not the point. And, actually, you guys drug it out of me. I didn’t volunteer the information so…come to think of it how did you guys know?” Chris and Joey rolled their eyes at Lance’s babbling. “Umm…what exactly is your point, Scoop? And can we get to it sometime before the New Year?” Chris smacked Joey on the arm. “Joey! We’re supposed to be his support network.” Joey just grinned, and Chris turned back to Lance. He batted his eyelashes at Lance and in an atrocious French accent said, “Yes, however rude Joseph may be, he is correct. You must focus, Lance, darling, baby.” He primly crossed his legs and leaned his elbows on the counter. “Now tell us exactly what is bothering you.” Lance smiled at Chris’s antics before turning his attention back to the knife. Absently he used it to draw roads in the carrot heaps. “It’s all out in the open now. I can’t deny how I feel and it just hurts to see him with someone else. When I kept it to myself, I could pretend it didn’t matter. Now everything is different. If he doesn’t fee-” “It’s Busta.” Chris’s head shot up as he looked at Joey. “What about Busta?” Lance looked at Joey. He was confused. What did Busta have to do with his love life? “No, wait. Maybe it’s Dirk.” Joey bit his lip and looked confused. “Or maybe it’s Justin. No. Can’t be Justin. He’s going with me tonight,” he said to himself. “What the hell are you talking about?” Chris said totally clueless as to where Joey was going with this. Joey rolled his eyes. “JC’s date. I’m just trying to figure out who it is.” “Joe, Busta would never be JC’s date. He’s Curly’s designated companion when Brit’s not around. Besides, he likes Lance better.” “OH! OH! I got it. It’s Oliver.” Joey’s eyes lit up. “The stuffed bear Lance got him for Christmas last year?” “Yeah.” “I don’t know, Joey. Why would he invite a stuffed bear to dinner? I mean…dinner, Joe. With food. Toys don’t eat.” Chris gave Joey an are-you-stupid look. “I think he invited some chick.” “Hmm…you could be right. But…I’m still voting for Oliver.” He just shook his head. Chris could be dense some times. Lance cracked a grin and looked back and forth between the two. “You guys need some serious psychological help. Do you know that?” Joey jumped up and rushed over to Lance. He threw his arms around his neck in a quick hug. “Woohoo! Mission accomplished.” Joey clapped his hands together and smiled dreamily at Lance. Lance eyed Joey. “What?” “You smiled.” Joey sighed. “Now my life is complete. I can go party with no worries.” Lance pointed his knife at him causing him to back away from him. “Git! And you and Justin had better not get into too much trouble.” “Would we do something like that?” Joey tried his best to look innocent. “YES!” Both Chris and Lance shouted. “Bye, bye, bye.” Lance and Chris groaned in unison. Joey really needed to learn a new line. “Hey, Jus, wanna tell me what’s wrong?” JC watched as Justin picked at invisible spots of lint on his shirt. It was obvious that something was troubling him, and JC couldn’t just stand by and not try to help. Justin fiddled with the hem of his shirt before finally meeting JC’s eyes. His direct stare conveyed the seriousness of his mood. “How do you really feel about Lance?” JC was taken aback by the question. Surely Justin knew how he felt. Wasn’t his feeling the whole reason he’d confided in Justin in the first place? “What do you mean how do I feel?” “Joey called and told me about the whole date issue for dinner tonight. I want to make sure you’re not just playing with Lance. He’s my bro just like you are and if I thought you were going to hurt him I’d have to cut your liver out. I really do not want to do that.” JC dropped his gaze. He admired Justin’s fierce protectiveness however unwarranted it was. His friends should know him better than that. Playing with people’s emotions was not one of his favorite hobbies. He took a deep breath and chose his words carefully so that there would be no misunderstanding. “A little over six years ago I had never met James Lance Bass. I was a perfectly normal 18 year old. I hung with my friends, I chased girls, and never once did I even think about being with a guy.” JC looked Justin in the eye and continued. “Then *NSYNC happened and my whole life changed. For a long time my private life went on as it had before with it being a little less private. I still hung with my friends. I still went out with girls. But then something strange happened. One day one of my best friends got sick and was hospitalized.” Suddenly the tile pattern on Justin’s floor took on an infinite fascination for JC. He blinked back the moisture gathering in his eyes as he tried to recall what exactly happened that day. Some of it was still a blur. “Did you know that I spent that whole night in the hospital chapel praying that Lance would be okay? I promised to make any deal with God that He would accept just as long as Lance made it through okay. I don’t think I have ever been as scared as I was that day.” He looked at Justin who was still regarding him with a steady gaze. “God conveniently pointed out to me sometime during my fervent praying that Lance was more than just my friend. It was like he opened my eyes and for the first time everything made sense. In that moment I knew Lance would be all right and that we would have our chance together. Later on what scared me the most was the realization that the love of my life had been lying in a hospital bed, possibly dying, and I could have lost him before I even knew I wanted him. So if you’re asking if I love Lance, yes, I do. He means more to me than anything in my life.” A slow smile spread across Justin’s face. “I’m glad you said that ‘cause I was really not looking forward to beating you up.” “As if, you little curly haired freak. You couldn’t beat me up if you tried.” “Who you callin’ a freak, Mr. I-knocked-myself-out-running-into-a-door.” “Oh, that was low.” Justin just shrugged. “If the shoe fits.” JC laughed at the expression on Justin’s face. They could start out a conversation seriously but it always ended lightly. “So what are you doing tonight? You gonna come watch me work on Lance?” “As much as I’d love to watch your feeble attempts at winning Lance over, I’m sorry to say that I have other plans. Joe and I are going out tonight.” “What kind of friend are you?” Justin grinned and wagged his eyebrows. “The kind that knows more is not always merrier. I still can’t believe you won’t just come out and tell him how you feel. You might be surprised.” JC laughed. “The chase is half the fun, Jus. I can’t have him feel like he wasn’t properly pursued now can I? Besides, I know that we’re going to be together. Right now I want to savor the little moments I can steal from him. I am confident this will be the last romantic relationship for both of us, and I want to do it right.” He grinned mischievously. “‘Sides, it’s fun to see him get all flustered.” “You’re very strange. Do you know that?” “Yeah, yeah. But seriously, Lance completes me in ways I didn’t think were possible.” He blushed slightly. “He takes care of me. He treats me like I’m special. He listens even when I say the dumbest things. He understands me.” Justin gave JC an innocent look. “He makes you say cheesy things.” JC laughed. “It’s hard to put into words, Jus. The closest I can come is that Diamond Rio song Lance likes. You know the one I’m talking about.” JC began to sing a few bars. “It’s like just before dark…jump in the car…buyin’ ice cream to see how far…we can drive before it melts…kinda feelin’…there’s a cow in the road and you swerve to the left…fates skips a beat and it scares you to death and you laugh until you cry…that’s how you’re love makes me feel inside.” “Now that’s scary.” “What? That I love him that much.” Justin laughed. “No. That you know the words to that song.” JC scrunched up his face. “Ha, ha. Funny guy. Just wait till you experience the big one.” “Umm…I think I’ll stick to the hearts and flowers. You can keep the cows and ice cream.” “You think you’re funny don’t you?” A sigh issued from Justin’s lips. “I know I’m funny.” He grinned and proceeded to finish the work he and JC had started earlier. “You know, Lance, we are pathetic individuals. Joey is out clubbing with Justin and we’re sitting here waiting for lover boy and his date.” Chris casually stated as he lounged in a kitchen chair. “It’s Saturday night. We’re young and gorgeous. We should be out chasin’ booty. Not sitting here pining for Dani and JC. So I repeat, ‘We are pathetic.’” “Well, you’re half right. I’m pathetic. At least you have a girlfriend.” Lance gave Chris a critical look. “And I prefer to think of it as being love challenged.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It just sounds better.” Chris burst out laughing. “Don’t lie, Lansten. You’re just in it for the nookie.” Lance groaned and covered his eyes. Trust Chris to reduce everything to sex. “Yep, okay. You figured me out. I’ve been hiding my need for sex in the closet for years.” “You wanna have sex in the closet?” Lance smacked Chris up side the head. “Shut up! You know what I meant.” “Can we say ‘abusive’?” Chris said as he rubbed his head. “Man, I hope JC knows your kinky little fantasies before he commits to anything.” Lance leaned back in his chair and crossed his hands over his stomach as he contemplated Chris. Did he know something about how JC felt? Or was he just projecting wishful thinking? The little pipsqueak could be annoying at times and, for once, Lance wanted to have the last word. “You’re just jealous you’re not in my kinky fantasies.” Chris sat up straight in his chair. “Dude, I’m in everybody’s kinky fantasies. What’re you talking about?” So much for having the last word. Lance rolled his eyes. And people called Justin conceited. “Umm hmm, just keep telling yourself that, little man. I’ll believe it when I can’t get the image of you running around in the buff out of my mind. Until then, well, you’re better off not knowing my deepest, darkest fantasies.” That should hold him for a while. Chris cocked an eyebrow at him. “Not very imaginative, huh?” Lance blushed lightly and grinned. Busted! “No, not really.” “Ah, Lansten, you haven’t learned anything from me in the last few years have you? I’m disappointed.” He let out an exaggerated breath. “And to think, you were one of my four most promising protégés.” “Uh, yeah, wish I could say I’m sorry to disappoint you, but…I’m not. Anyway, give it up, old man. I’m just a good little boy and you can’t corrupt me.” Lance’s eyes crinkled, and he stuck his tongue out at Chris. There was way too much cheese in their relationship. On the upside, all this banter was taking his mind off JC and his damnedable date. Ugh! Great going, Bass, you almost went for a whole minute without thinking of JC. “I’ll never give up…and who you callin’ old? Just remember, my pretty, in the end I’ll get you and your little weasel, too.” Lance huffed. “Fer-ret. Ferret. Dirk is a ferret not a weasel.” Chris looked confused for a minute. “Who said anything about Dirk? I was talking about JC.” “Oh, that’s it. You’re goin’ down.” Lance jumped out of his chair and lunged at Chris. He smacked into Chris’s hastily vacated chair and then faced his friend. “You are so dead.” “Now, Lance, let’s be reasonable.” Lance squinted his eyes. The best way to Chris would be over the table but he didn’t want to break the dishes. That left the old fake-right-and-go-left routine. Slowly he stalked to the right. “If you kill me, I’m telling your mother!” Just a little more to the left. Yeah, that’s it. Lance swiftly reversed direction and tackled Chris. He put him in a headlock and proceeded to give him a noogie. “My mom knows how evil you are. She’d probably bake me cookies if I killed you. Now take it back or I’ll rub you bald.” JC paused with his date outside the dining room doorway. He wiped his sweaty hands on his pants and then pasted on a smile. It was show time. He walked into the dining room just in time to see that the show had already begun. “Oh, that’s it. You’re goin’ down. You are so dead.” He watched Lance lunge out of his chair at Chris. Chris moved at the last second and Lance hit the empty chair. He grabbed onto it to stabilize himself. The unguarded look of enjoyment on Lance’s beautiful face nearly took his breath away. “Now, Lance, let’s be reasonable.” JC grinned when he saw the nervous look on Chris’s face. Evidently he hadn’t planned on Lance trying to attack him. JC took in the now sinister look on Lance’s face that couldn’t hide the mischievous sparkle in his eyes. The boy had a plan and Chris had better watch out. Lance moved to the right and Chris followed suit by moving farther around the table. No, Chris, not that way. You’re falling right into his trap. Of course JC just kept his mouth shut and watched. Chris hadn’t realized that Lance wasn’t really moving that far and that he, in fact, was moving right in to Lance’s avenue of attack. “If you kill me, I’m telling your mother!” JC winced. Didn’t Chris know it’s a big no-no to bring a man’s momma into a fight? Oh, well, too late now. He was almost in position. JC watched Lance’s muscle tense for the attack. Annnnnd, he’s off. Lance practically flew at Chris. The two hit the floor with a satisfying thud and immediately Lance had Chris in a headlock. “My mom knows how evil you are. She’d probably bake me cookies if I killed you. Now take it back or I’ll rub you bald.” “O-“ Time to make his presence known. “Umm, guys, an I interrupting?” Lance looked up to see a pair of legs encased in black cargo pants leading up to a chest covered by a royal blue button down shirt. His eyes snagged on the top three buttons which were undone and revealing a tantalizing portion of chest. Finally he looked up to see JC’s smiling face. His mind froze. JC looked absolutely delectable. “Sooo, JC, where’s your date?” Chris’s question snapped Lance out of his trance. He hurriedly scanned the room but found no trace of a date. “Right here.” “JC, that’s a piece of paper.” “This isn’t just a piece of paper. It’s my date and my future.” Chris looked at Lance. “Do you remember what I said about us being pathetic?” Lance shook his head. “I was wrong.” Chris turned back to JC with a patient smile. “So, JC, why don’t you umm…introduce us to your date.” JC’s smile was nearly blinding. “Guys, this is FreeLance. Lance, I believe the two of you are already acquainted.” Lance raised his eyebrows quizzically. He gestured over his shoulder. “Umm, yeah. We go way back.” “Uh huh, whatever, C. Those are the contracts you signed this afternoon.” Lance could almost see the light bulb blink on over Chris’s head. “Oh, wait! FreeLance is your date. Lance is FreeLance. That would make Lance your date. So…Lance is your future. Am I right?” Chris looked extremely pleased with himself. “I didn’t go to college for nothing.” A pained expression came over his face. “Ugh. Now my brain hurts. This is all too strange for me. I’m outta here.” Chris jumped up and with one last look back bolted out the door. “Need some help?” JC noted the blush spreading across Lance’s cheeks. Lance turned his head to look at JC and saw that he had extended one hand. He grabbed it, and JC hauled him up off the floor. He ducked his head and muttered, “Thanks.” “No problem.” JC held Lance’s hand for a moment longer than necessary. Lance met JC’s eyes and then tugged his hand free. He turned around and surveyed the table. “I hope you’re hungry. I had planned on feeding four people.” He let a short laugh escape. “I think the last time we cleared a room this quick was when I was having back problems and you tried to help me and we ended up on the bed and the guys thought we were gettin’ freaky together.” JC laughed along with him. “Yeah, but that was all your fault. You were the one moaning my name. Loudly. –“ “And you liked every minute of it, too.” “- And the guys ran in to see what was wrong.” Lance watched JC space out. He must be having some memory. He waved his hand in front of JC’s face. “Yoo-hoo, earth to JC.” “Huh? Oh, are we ready to eat yet? I’m starved.” “Yeah, come on. You get to serve yourself tonight.” “But I wanted you to wait on me.” “Me! Wait on you.” Lance acted incredulous as he handed JC a bowl. “I cooked. You should be waiting on me.” JC squinted his eyes and tried not to laugh. “How ‘bout I kiss you, and we call it even.” Lance’s heart skipped a beat. He couldn’t be serious. There was no way he was that lucky. “Okay, but only this once.” “Tsk. Tsk, Lansten. You might like it.” Lance groaned to himself. That’s what he was afraid of. “Okay, now close your eyes.” He obediently did as he was told. He flinched slightly when JC loosely grabbed hold of his upper arms. “Easy, Lance. It’s not like I’m gonna hurt you,” JC murmured. A nod was his only answer. The first brush of JC’s lips against his own was tentative. When he didn’t pull back the pressure on his lips increased. Warmth started to seep throughout his body as JC’s lips continued to work over his. The kisses were light and teasing. Then he felt the warm wetness of JC’s tongue. A line of fire shot straight to his groin when JC tasted his lips. He grabbed onto JC’s upper arms to steady himself as JC sucked his lower lip into his mouth, and then…it was over. “Now see. That wasn’t so bad.” Bad? Bad? That was freaking excellent...no, earth shattering. That was the absolute most amazing kiss of his life. Lance slowly opened his eyes. JC’s sparkling blue ones were staring right back at him. “No, not to bad at all.” “Now that that is out of the way, let’s eat.” JC bounded to the stove and lifted the lid off pot. The groan of appreciation he let out didn’t do anything to ease Lance’s arousal. They were half way through dinner and Lance’s breathing had finally returned to normal and his arousal had been pushed to the back of his mind. Everything was back to normal. They talked about everyday things, the break ending, Thanksgiving, the rapid approach of Christmas. Finally Lance asked the question that had been bugging him since JC arrived. “Jace, why did you bring you’re contracts as a date?” JC paused with his fork almost to his mouth. “What?” “Why did you tell me you had a date and then show up with those contracts?” JC laid his fork back down. This was the moment he’d been dreading. How was he supposed to explain without coming out and saying he was trying to make Lance jealous? “Uh…ah…I was just doing what you told me to.” Lance wasn’t buying the innocent look JC was selling. “Uh huh, and what exactly did I tell you to do?” “You specifically told me not to forget to date them. Sooo…we talked it over and they agreed to come as my date and…here we are.” Lance gaped at JC for a moment before erupting in laughter. “What,” Lance wiped a tear from his eye, “am I going to do with you?” JC lost himself for a moment in Lance’s laughing eyes and infectious smile. This was a moment he would always treasure. “Weeeellll, you could tell me that you were jealous and then kiss me to show that you’re not mad.” He watched the laughter die abruptly in Lance’s eyes only to be replaced with something else. Apprehension. “JC –“ “Guys! You are never gonna believe what I just saw.” JC and Lance both turned at Chris’s untimely intrusion.

Scoop 5

Scoop 6a

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