Chapter 26

There was an air underneath the covers that Justin never wanted to escape. There was this security wrapped around him, so nicely fit that he didn’t want to move, not even to use the bathroom, like he so desperately needed to.

JC sighed, his lips mouthing words against Justin’s collarbone in his sleep.

Eh, fuck the bathroom. He could hold it for as long as he needed to.

He shifted and felt his whole body protest, the muscles in his thighs burning when he settled back into his place. Now there was a pain he hadn’t felt in years, and though the feeling was slightly frightening, it also gave his heart a jolt, knowing that they were going to be ok again.

“Mm... J?”

Justin turned his head, thankful that his neck didn’t tense when he did. He had yet to figure out how his neck was sore too.

“Yeah?” he whispered and JC’s eyes opened slowly, pale eyelids lifting to unveil brilliant blue. But before JC could say anything, Justin moved close, ignoring the pain and gave JC a kiss he hoped showed the young man how much he felt at that moment.

JC pulled away smiling, his hand sliding over Justin’s stomach. “Thanks. For last night. For this morning. Just for... ya know.” JC bowed his head and Justin’s heart went pitter-patter. How he could have ever left this, pushed this away, was beyond him.

“J?”

Justin blinked back to JC and smiled slightly, though his stomach was in knots, suddenly nervous at being so close.

“I know this really isn’t the time, but I... Don’t run away ok?”

Justin nodded and JC’s hand came to his chest, fingertips resting slightly over a nipple. “If you do, I’m going to give you the worst titi-twister known to man.”

Justin laughed and rolled his eyes. “Touch me and you pay.”

JC grinned. “Hopefully, right?”

“Hopefully.” he replied with a devilish smirk, rolling over to topple JC, the younger man’s legs instinctively circling his hips, clasping at the ankles. “Tell me.”

JC leaned forward and kissed Justin’s throat softly. “I love you.” he whispered and was ready for Justin to tense, to suddenly switch up and leave again. Though he was preparing himself for it, he wasn’t ready for the hurt he knew would follow it.

“I can’t say it back.”

JC opened an eye and nodded, already scooting away, but Justin kept him in place.

“Not right now, a’ight?”

JC’s jaw dropped but he mustered up enough brain cells to nod without looking like a freak, and when Justin laid his head down, snuggling up closer, he closed his own eyes, his stomach tight with anticipation.

It was unnatural to be this happy with a person. That’s all that Justin knew.

But now, watching as JC scuffled around the room, looking for a pair of tennis shoes Justin had seen the brunette throw away himself, Justin couldn’t help but smile. How the hell had he forgotten this?

“C?”

JC stopped mid stride and turned alert eyes to Justin, the blonde laughing in response. “For one, you threw away them shoes a minute ago, and two I wanna leave with you.”

JC threw up his hands in frustrations. “Dammit, and you knew while I was-... Oh. You mean, leavin’ me, with me?”

Justin nodded shyly and JC chuckled shortly, trying not to show that he was absolutely elated. “Oh... ok, alright. I can... Um, should I try and calm down first?”

Justin sat up and scratched at his nude stomach. “So, where are we goin’?”

JC stopped pacing yet again. Then he did a little jump, blushed and was stripping out of his shirt, Justin sitting up to pull him closer.

“Are you for real?” JC whispered against Justin’s lips, their mouths touching only briefly as he talked.

Justin looked into JC’s eyes. “Yes. I’m for real.” he murmured back, perfectly content to just lie there with him. And for once, that’s all he wanted to do. “Let’s just... let’s just stay here, right now.”

JC nodded and was sure there were hearts in his eyes, swallowing as they pressed closer together.

“Slim?”

Slim turned around to Mario and he grunted and paid the man no mind.

“Slim, what you gonna do?”

“Dammit!” Slim lashed out and kicked a chair over, narrowing his eyes at Mario. “Do you fuckin’ think I know what the hell I’ma do?! What the hell would you do? If you found out one of ya own is fuckin’ the enemy. What the fuck would you do?!”

Mario sighed and slinked away, just wanting to escape from the situation. Slim breathed and slumped down into his seat, shaking his head. Justin was one of them. He was like a brother, blood to Slim and to have this put up before him?

“Fuckin’ bitch.” he snarled as he reached for his phone, dialing up a familiar number. “Ey, Celle, tonight, we got some shit to do. Tell J we got a surprise for him and meet me in fronna Saff’s... Right, yeah... Let the shit stay quiet though, ya know?... Yeah. I’m gone.” He ended the call with a grunt and squinted, hoping Justin was ready for what he was coming to deserve.

“Are you sure?”

Pure silence and JC shifted on the couch, throwing a leg over Justin’s thighs. Still they had to be close, touching.

“I ain’t got nothin’ here.”

“OK.”

“Damn, don’t be too hyped.”

JC chuckled. “I just... Right, so I’m afraid this isn’t real and you’re not coming with me.” he blurted out quickly and bit his lip, watching Justin intently. The blonde, though, kept quiet, nodding.

“I wanna go to California, or something. Where there’s no one else around.” JC smiled, changing the subject all too quickly.

Justin didn’t catch on though, and continued to tear apart his lip. JC watched and sighed.

“Never mind I said anything, alright?”

“You ain’t gotta watch what you say ‘round me.”

JC smiled and rolled his eyes. “Yes, I do.”

Justin shook his head. “You shouldn’t.”

“You don’t get it, Justin. I need you more than you know. I can’t-- I don’t wanna lose you.”

Justin closed his eyes and scooted closer, JC sighing against his cheek. “I do.” he whispered when he knew JC was too caught up in the TV to notice him.

“What?” JC asked and Justin seemed surprised himself.

“What what?”

JC squinted and then shook it off before turning back to the television. Justin thanked the higher powers and then thanked it again as his cell phone rang.

JC lifted instinctively, Justin sliding out from underneath him as the brunette then settled on his legs.

“What?” he asked answering the call.

“J, what you doin’ tonight?” Marcelle said and Justin cringed.

“Uh, I don’t know. Nothin’ maybe-”

“Great, you can come here.”

Justin narrowed his eyes. “Um, alright. What we gonn’ do?”

Marcelle sucked on his teeth. “I got a surprise for ya. Just get here at 7, alright?”

“Um... a’ight. I’m ghost then.”

“Yeah.”

Justin hung up and frowned at his phone. That was a weird conversation and Justin knew it rubbed him the wrong way.

Part 27 [coming soon]
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