Part 19

“How’d you end up in Chisten?”

Justin was rubbing JC’s nude sides, his fingers sometimesdrifting beneath the elastic band of the brunette’s sweatpants.

“You don’t wanna know.” he smiled and JC pouted, shifting inhis lap, his legs hanging off the sides of the chair.

“No, tell me.”

Justin kept a smile, though his heart started beatingquicker. “Nah.” The blonde hoped the conversation was over then, but JC waspersistent and kept asking.

“Please! I’ll... I’ll...” He tried to think of something hecould do, his palm sliding over a fresh tattoo on Justin’s chest, the movementsoothing. Justin had always tried to get JC to get one, but the older man saidhe wasn’t going to mar his skin with ink. Justin knew he was afraid of needlesand regularly teased him about it.

“Shit.” It hit Justin. “You get a tattoo and I’ll tell you.”He grinned victoriously upon seeing JC’s defeated face, the irresistible try ata pout and the slump of his shoulders.

“You play dirty, bastard.” he glared and Justin gave him abright teasing smile. JC wouldn’t admit it for Justin would probably stop butJC loved Justin’s smile, almost needing them, as they became more frequent.

“You’re the bitch here. Just get a tattoo, it’s that simple.I dare you.” There was a glint in Justin’s eyes and JC fell for it, sighinglike the whipped man he was. But he still wasn’t getting a tattoo.

“You could get my name tattooed on your ass under a rainbowand I still wouldn’t do it. Needles are fucking scary. You could get HIV andall these other diseases. You can’t trust anybody these days.”

Justin laughed and squeezed JC’s waist. “Be a punk, it’sok.”

JC grunted and pushed away, flipping off Justin as helaughed. “I don’t wanna know how you got here, anyway. I bet its lame. Justlike you.”

Justin laughed louder and JC put his hands on his hips.“Damn, ya really got me there. I think Ima go cry like the little loser I am.”

JC rolled his eyes and went to the fridge, ignoring Justin as he got up from his seat, coming up behind JC. His arms encircled JC’s waist as he grinned against his ear, little giggles spilling out as Justin kissed JC’s cheek.

“I’m ignoring you.” JC quipped and pushed away, turningaround to glare. But the move soon ceased as Justin looked at him with glassy eyes, want written all over his face. “You look happy.” he mused and Justingave him a small smile.

“I am.”

JC knew he wouldn’t go into the mushy stuff JC loved to hear but that was good enough, being the reason Justin was in such a good mood.

Justin walked into Slim’s apartment, smiling at the familiar woman sitting in the large chair, flipping through channels.

“Hey, white boy, where ya been?” Veronica drawled and Justin shrugged, calling out Slim’s name as he rounded the corner.

“Ah, J, you finally got my messages?” Justin smiled at the all too sarcastic greeting and he tipped his cap.

“I been busy.”

Slim laughed and sat down at his desk. “Oh, is that what you call it these days? So how is the cop?”

Justin was hit with the quick statement and stumbled for a second. “W-what? What are you-”

“Damn, you lying to me now? I thought we was tight, Jus.”Slim was shaking his head, clicking his tongue and Justin’s heart was close to beating right out of his chest.

“Slim, what are you talkin’ ‘bout?”

“Where you stayin’ at?”

Justin cleared his throat and played with his words a little. “Uh...”

Slim shook his head. “Whats he doin’?”

Justin’s brow furrowed and he leaned forward slightly.“Huh?”

“Why you stayin’ there?”

Oh. “I... I just, ya know, I got a place to stay with food and shit.”

Slim shifted in his chair, his stare never wavering from Justin. “You know, ya sound like a pussy whipped bitch.”

Justin could feel himself sweating, clenching his fists.“Look, he’s just a cop who thinks he’s cool. If he wanna let me stay, he can. It’s not like... ya know-”

“Like y’all fuckin’ and shit?”

Justin jumped at the offered answer much too quickly.“Exactly! I mean, I ain’t no sissy bitch. You know me.”

Slim scratched his chin. “Why’d ya lie?”

“How’d you find out?”

“Mario followed you.”

“He’s a cop. I love this block like it’s my own mother, butto be able to stay at a place that’s got electricity? I’ll come back soon. I just wanna...”

“You usin’ him like a two cent whore.”

Justin shrugged uncomfortably and wished he hadn’t showed upafter all. “Well, uh, I gotta go look for a job. I’ll see ya, Slim.”

Justin stood and Slim’s eyes followed him slowly and he shivered once he was out of the apartment, suddenly feeling as if he was beingwatched from every angle.

JC came home with Joey to find Justin asleep on the couch.While JC cooed at the picture, Joey snarled and made extra noise in thekitchen.

“It’s funny, I thought you were actually mature nowadays.”JC rolled his eyes and went in search for some milk. He had a bad case of drymouth.

“It’s funny, I thought you dated your own kind.” Joey dared and JC turned dark, yet cold eyes towards Joey.

“You fucking say anything more about him or I, I will gethim to kick your ass.” he growled and Joey rolled his eyes, plopping down at the counter, his bowl hitting the wood loudly.

Justin jumped awake from the couch and JC waved at him when he turned sleepy eyes his way.

“Hey. When’d you-” He saw Joey and groaned. “Ugh, nevermind.” JC came around to sit next to him and Justin brought him to sit on him.“Hi.” he smiled and JC blushed unconsciously.

“Hi. Hey, I got a surprise for you. Close your eyes.”

“Last time I did that, you tied me to the bed-”

“’Ey! I don’t need to know that.” Joey said from the counter and Justin raised his middle finger easily, closing his eyes.

“Then get out. No one invited you anyway.”

Justin’s other hand was then directed to JC’s skin and Justin was surprised to find raised skin. As his fingertips lightly flitted over the swollen skin, his face screwed up.

“What the hell...”

JC grinned above him. “Open your eyes.”

Justin did so and blinked a few times to stop everything from blurring and the first thing he was hit with was JC had his jeans unbuttoned and a corner pushed low beneath his hip bone.

Then he saw it.

The thick black ink almost vibrant against the pale skin of JC’s waist.

“Oh my god.”

Justin blinked a few more times, his thumb rubbing around the tattoo. He looked at JC with wide eyes. “What?”

JC grinned and covered the tattoo with a large bandage before pulling up the jeans again. “So, ya better be ready to spill the beans.”

Justin pawed at JC’s jeans, insisting to see it again and JC did so, rolling his eyes. Justin’s fingers were light against the marked skin and he read it slowly.

“Smokey... Smokey?!” he laughed loudly and pushed JC back.“You such a dork, it’s ridiculous.”

JC smiled and sat back up, pinching Justin’s stomach. “I couldn’t decide what to get.” He had finally chosen on the nickname that Justin used to always call him back when they first met. He was the Smokey Bear of the ghetto, Justin had complained and JC had always resented that nickname, feeling lame. Now he had an eternal reminder.

“What does that say?”

JC looked down to the small script Justin was pointing atand his eyebrows raised quickly. He brushed away the curious fingers andattempted to zip up his jeans.

“Nothing.” he muttered and Justin raised an eyebrow, tugging down the jeans. He looked quickly, JC slapping him away. When he finally let JC push him away, he had already read the text and was now just a little shocked. The brunette saw it in his face that he had read it.

“It’s nothing like, I just... I didn’t know-”

“C?”

JC bowed his head, embarrassed, ready for Justin to call hima fag and leave him feeling like a loser.

“You got my initials on you.”

JC cringed and sighed.

“That’s forever.”

Justin shook his head, lifting JC’s head, hoping JC couldsee how touched he was. No one had ever really done that. Never for him atleast. He had never thought... A pang shot through his chest and he startedhaving trouble breathing.

JC watched him, a hand covering Justin’s own as his warm palm settled on the tattoo. He swallowed and licked his lips, worry set in his face.

Justin wanted to say thank you. Wanted to say that that wasthe best thing anyone had ever done for him. He wanted to say that that’s whatgirls did, but that he didn’t care because he... well, he--

“Alright, C. I’m leaving.” Joey announced and ruined the precious moment, Justin glaring at him over JC’s shoulder.

“Bye.” JC whispered, still looking at Justin.

Justin turned back to JC and smiled with reassurance. “It looks good. The smoke is tight.”

JC cracked a smile and nodded, though there was a thick silence between them, Justin’s heart thumping against the palm of his hand.

Tricky 20
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