Joey shoved a single arm out from under the covers and groped to find the source of that awful, ringing noise. He moaned and grumbled something that even he couldn't understand, then popped his head out despite the fact that the morning light from his window was way too bright to handle. He smashed his alarm clock with a closed fist a couple times before realizing the noise was coming from his phone. Already frustrated, he snatched it up out of the cradle.

"What?" he mumbled into what he hoped was the right end.

"Um, is this ... can I speak to, uh, Joey? Fatone?" The voice was tentative and slightly garbled. Joey took a moment to try an puzzle out what it was saying.

"Huh? Who's this?" asked Joey, sitting up higher in bed and holding up his free hand to block the light from the window. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

"Oh, sorry, sorry. This is, um. My name's Ja- Josh. Chasez. I was just looking for Joey Fatone? Or ... maybe I have the wrong number?" There was a rustle of paper during the awkward pause that followe, and a soft grunt. "Sorry, sir ... "

"Josh?" repeated Joey abruptly, waking up a little more. "*JC*?" He grinned suddenly, even as he winced at the still-too-bright light, and pulled the phone under the covers with him. "Shit, man, it's been ages. What's up? Still in LA?"

"Joe?" JC's voice sounded confused for a moment, then brightened. "Dude, why didn't you say it was you? I was all freaked out that I woke up your pops, man. Heck, I wasn't even sure I had the right number -- it's all faded and stuff and my handwriting looks like chicken scratches." There was a pause, but a lot briefer now. "What's up with *you*?"

Joey cringed a little at the enthusiasm in JC's voice, so loud in his ear. "You woke me up, man. Fuck, I got *so* wasted last night." He moved the phone a comfortable distance away, so that he could just still hear him. "Me? I'm just ... same old, just without having to worry about school anymore. So what's up? Why'd you decide to call?"

"Sorry," JC chirped, too excited to actually be talking to Joey to realize he might want to go back to sleep. "Dude, I'm back in town, in Orlando. I was just ... y'know. Seeing who all was still aound." He grinned and kicked back on the floor. "Happy Graduation, sucker."

"Yeah," said Joey. "'s'about damn time, huh." He shifted under the covers again, rolling over as the light seeped in and trying to escape it. "So what are you doing back in town anyway? Just taking a break from your hot-shot LA life? Slumming with the old crowd?"

JC paused, then laughed a little too brightly. "Yeah. Something like that. I'll probably be here for a while, though, man ... you up for getting together? Now that you can actually get in clubs legally?" He smirked, remembering they'd both had fake IDs since they were a lot younger.

"Oh, yeah, sure," said Joey at the unexpected invitation. JC's voice was still too loud and his head was starting to hurt. He was awake now, though, and he wouldn't be going back to sleep any time soon. "That'd be cool. Where? When?"

"Whenever you're free," JC said, trying to keep the eagerness out of his voice. "I can swing by and get you whenever you're not too busy; I'm not doing jack shit." He paused as something occured to him. "You gotta clear it with anyone before you do? Parents? Personal Assistant? Um ... girlfriend?"

Joey snorted, amused at the clumsy grope for information. Even in his sorry state, he could pick THAT up. "I'll run it by my personal assistant," he joked weakly. "How about I call you back when I take a shower and, you know, fell less like a pile of crap? We can catch up and whatever."

"Okay," JC smiled, looking very forward to seeing a friendly face -- more than he really wanted to admit to himself. "My number's ... uh ..." he peered at the number on the top of the phone. "It's 599-5719. I'll be in and out today, so ... cool. Whenever."

"Hang on," said Joey, peeking out from under the covers again and groping for a pen. "5-9-9-5-7-1-9," he repeated, writing it on his hand. "Listen, I'll call you after lunch or something, okay? It's really cool to hear from you again." He reminded himself to copy the number somewhere more permanent before his shower washed it away.

"Yeah," JC said, a little softer, touching the phone gently. "It is. See ya." Hanging up the receiver, he stretched and walked over to look out the window. It really was.

Joey hung up the phone clumsily and sank back into the pillow for a moment. It was so soft and warm, but the pounding in his head was keeping him from going back to sleep. What was it Steve told him to do for a hangover? Not the beer thing, the other thing? Water. He all but fell out of bed and pulled on a pair of clean-enough boxers to get him from the bedroom to the bathroom and back again. He paused at the door for a moment, though, and copied JC's number from his hand onto the margin of his swimsuit calendar before leaving the room.

***

JC looked at the clock on his wall, then his watch, then peeked outside the window -- not quite sure why he did that, since it wasn't like Joey was going to *show up* or anything if he decided not to call back. Finally, he flopped down on his futon, crossing his arms, too bored and disconsolate to even bother with the remote.

Joey gave his mother a kiss on the head before dumping his dishes in the kitchen and heading back upstairs to his room. He was going to flop down on the bed after taking another couple of aspirin when he spotted his calendar by the door and remembered the number he'd jotted down on it -- he'd said he would call JC back. He did take the aspirin first, draining the water he'd left by his bed before reaching for the phone.

JC knocked the phone off the other end of the futon in his haste to pick it up when it finally rang. Cursing, he picked it up quickly, and spoke too loudly into the receiver. "Hello?!" he said, then again in a more normal voice: "This is JC."

"Hey JC," laughed Joey, imagining what had happened based on the banging and crackling on the other end. "It's Joey." He yawned and stretched out on the bed before going on. "I'm feeling a little more human now, sorry 'bout this morning. I was feeling pretty shitty."

"Oh, no," JC said immediately. "I'm sorry I woke you up, I didn't ... I should've thought you'd have gone out last night. Since school's out and all." He bit his lip and started twisting himself up in the telephone cord. "Anyone I'd know?"

"Was what anyone you'd know?" asked Joey casually, waiting for the aspirin to kick in and thinking he should have waited on making the phone call until it had. "It was, yeah, a pretty wild night. I made it back to my own bed somehow, though, so it can't have been *that* out of control."

"Usually a good sign," JC said idly, twisting back the other way. "I was asking whether I'd know who you were out with. I'm not even sure who all's still around, y'know?"

"Oh," said Joey, "just, you know, some people from school. No one you'd really know, I think ... at least, that I remember. There are some pretty big blank spots, if you know what I mean. But most of the guys from the show, though, they're long gone, JC. Just like you."

"Right," JC said softly, and looked out the window again. "Like me." He sighed heavily. "So ... besides graduation, what's going on with you? Got plans, or anything?" He smiled broadly. "Where're you going to school, in the fall?"

"Not going," said Joey shortly, wishing JC hadn't brought it up. "To college, I mean. Not right away. I mean ... you know me, I didn't really have the grades for it anyway, and it's so expensive. I'm just ... I'm working now. At Universal. That's kinda new, I guess."

"O- okay," JC said, almost a whisper, easily able to read Joey's tone and knowing he made a mistake. And as much as he wanted to protest that, that Joey should go ahead and go wherever he could because JC could already tell how hard it was going to be to go back for *him*, he knew they weren't close enough for that kind of unsolicited advice. "Universal, huh? Sleeping with the enemy? Waiting tables, or something?"

Joey snorted. "I'm performing, loser," he said, unable to keep that TINY bit of pride out of his voice, even though it was really a crap job when it came down to it. But it wasn't waiting tables. "It's not a big break or anything ... but it's a start. So why aren't you telling me about LA? Why are you listening to me go on about MY boring life?"

"Why are you so hard up to hear about it?" JC teased back, knowing he couldn't let himself get defensive but also knowing there was no way he knew Joey well enough to get into it. Plus, he didn't want sympathy. Or pity. "Performing???" he crowed instead, honestly surprised at that. "That's so awesome. Singing, yeah?"

"Um, more or less, yeah," said Joey, hoping JC wouldn't ask to see him perform. "And jeez, JC, it's *LA*. Of course I'm gonna want to hear about it. Did you meet any movie stars? Was it really cool? What did you do?"

"I saw some stars," JC said, trying not to let his voice sound bored. Or embarrased, for that matter, since HE had been waiting tables when he saw them. "Did demos, mostly. I learned a lot. A LOT. It's not ... all that exciting, though, man. Really. It's just ... well, it's good to be home. Kinda."

"Home?" said Joey, interested. "Like, to stay? Or are you headed back to LA soon?" JC sounded SO blase about meeting stars; Joey was a little jealous. He'd always thought if maybe he could meet a star and impress them, that'd be his big break, right there. Not that he had anything against a little -- or a lot of -- hard work, too.

"Dunno," JC said, and he didn't. He sighed again, and realized he was completely tangled in the phone cord. "Um. So. Did you ... you thought maybe you might still want to go out, sometime?"

"Yeah, for sure," said Joey, a little more eagerly now that he was feeling better. "I'm looking forward to seeing you again, man. It's been a while. When did you have in mind? 'Cause, besides work, I'm pretty much totally free now." He grinned at that thought; it hadn't entirely sunk in yet and he still got a bit elated every time he thought about it.

"Well," JC replied, not hesitating. "When's your next night off? I can come by and get you. Since I'm doing even less than that." He really wasn't sure what the night would hold, but figured Joey was plenty laid-back. They didn't have to plan everything. And that way JC couldn't be disappointed -- he'd learned that the hard way.

"Well, we could do something tonight," suggested Joey, squinting at his calendar across the room. "Or tomorrow. I got a couple days off 'cause of finishing school and all." He didn't state explicitly how easily replaceable he was, but he figured JC would have caught it. He knew what it was like to be a performer, and how days off shouldn't be as easy as they were for the guys who worked at McDonald's. "How's that for you?"

"Either," JC said easily, checking his watch and walking over to his closet -- across the room in his little studio apartment -- to see if he had anything clean. "Wait. When WAS graduation, man?

"Yesterday," mumbled Joey, suddenly remembering something about a pair of red pumps and jello shots. He didn't think it was something he really wanted to remember about the previous night's party. "Hence the hangover."

"Shut UP," JC practically yelled. "Man, now I'm, like, triply sorry I woke you up. Shit." He felt like a moron. "Dude. You gotta let me take you out tonight, then, to celebrate or whatever. My treat." He swallowed a little, knowing that would mean cutting back to two meals next week, but it was worth it. To see an old ... well, acquaintance, if not friend. "Like, eight? Will Phyllis be home?"

Joey winced at the loud sound in his ear. He was feeling better, but not THAT much better. "Yeah, she'll be home," he said, trying to keep the nagging pain out of his voice. "She'll be happy to see you. She asks about you sometimes, you know. 'What ever happened to that nice friend of yours, JC?' Well, you know how she is. So ... sure, tonight it is."

"Great," JC beamed. "See you at eight, then." That would give him time to go the the grocery store, get some cash and some gas, return a couple messages he had -- one from the mom of another kid on the MMC, randomly -- and generally just try to get his head on straight. This was Orlando, and it was familiar, and he could handle whatever happened here.

"Yeah, cool," said Joey, thinking he'd very much like to take a long nap before JC came over, as much as he really was looking foward to seeing him. "I'll see you then, man."

***

JC hopped out of his Jeep, pleased that he had remembered so easily how to get to Joey's place, happy that it was only a short trip from his apartment buiding. He bounced up the steps and ran a hand through his hair, still so long on top, before knocking loudly.

"Ma, can you get that?" called Joey from the bathroom, his voice muffled by the toothbrush in his mouth. When he didn't hear her answer, he groaned and went to get the door himself, toothbrush and all, flinging it wide open.

"Hey!" JC smiled broadly at Joey, trying not to stare too much at how much older he looked -- shorter hair, broader shoulders, a couple more inches of height so that they just met each other's eyes. He chuckled at the toothpaste threatening to spill out of his mouth. "Um. I wouldn't have left, or anyhthing."

Joey gave him a lopsided grin and motioned him inside. "I'll be right back to greet you proper," he mumbled, closing the door and dashing back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. JC looked pretty much like Joey remembered him, but there was something about his eyes ... he was definitely older than he'd been when he left. Joey rinsed out his mouth and went back to the living room where he'd left him.

JC smirked again. "So ... hey," he said, crossing his arms, trying not to look awkward as he stood in the homey room. The first real HOME he'd been in, since he got back. "Lookin' good, Fatone."

"You too, Chasez," said Joey, grinning and lifting him in a bear hug. "So NOW will you tell me all about LA?" he prodded as he let him down again. "And hey, you want something to eat before we go out? Mom made tons, like always."

JC flushed and hugged Joey back a little awkwardly, even as he smiled to see that some things -- like Joey's affectionate nature -- hadn't changed. "Dude," he laughed. "LA's the only reason you're talking to me, isn't it? And there isn't even much to tell; sorry to disappoint you." He tried to look around Joey into the kitchen, not having really counted on getting dinner but not about to turn it down if it was offered. "If you're serious, I'd love some food. Where's your ma at?"

"I dunno," said Joey, looking around. Then he yelled out, "Ma, you about?"

"She's at the supermarket!" came Janine's equally loud voice from the top of the stairs.

"She's at the supermarket," Joey told JC unnecessarily, leading him into the kitchen and sticking his head in the fridge. "I'm hungry again anyway. You want some leftover lasagna? Or I think there's some chicken in here from last night and a bunch of potatoes and a couple kinds of salad and, oh, hey, there's some pie left, too." He stood up straight and let JC take his pick. "And dude, if you'd been in, like, Albuquerque for a year I'd be asking about that, too," he added with a grin. "I just wouldn't be as excited about it."

"Wow," JC murmured, staring at the fridge, then back at Joey. "Uh ... lasagna, I guess? And maybe some pie? Your ma's the best, but you're gonna have to, like, roll me to the club, I think." He stood back and let Joey get the food out, then went and started poking around in drawers for silverware. After a moment he returned Joey's grin. "Seriously, man, LA was cool. Lots of stuff to see, and do, but it's definitely ... well. Nice to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there." He snorted. "Uh. Obviously."

Joey gave them both a generous helping of lasagna and piled it in the microwave to reheat. There was still tons left over that he wrapped back up and stuck in the fridge. "Sit down, sit down," he said as he got the pie out of the fridge and left it out on the counter for after. "We can hang out here for a while, no big deal. I mean, we're catching up anyway, right?" He was, though, beginning to get the sense that JC really didn't want to talk about LA. And he didn't know why.

"Right," JC grinned back, relieved that Joey wasn't pressing the issue. Then, at least. "So, yeah ... Universal, huh? Are you getting to act at all, too, or is it just ... you know, ensemble stuff?" He remembered that Joey loved being on stage, and really thought it was great that he was doing something like that, so soon out of school.

"Well, kinda," said Joey awkwardly. "It's ... you know how those shows are. It's something, at least, 'til I get something better. It's nothing like what *you* did or anything." He shrugged and

grabbed the milk out of the fridge, drinking from the carton then offering it to JC. "So how come you're back anyway?" he asked. He tried not to be pushy about it, but wanted to let JC know that whatever the reason was, it was cool with him. What did it matter, anyway?

JC was about to laugh at the milk before Joey asked that question, and it died in his throat. "Things just ... didn't work out," he said simply, honestly. He couldn't avoid telling him forever, and he knew Joey wouldn't make fun of him for it. Now that he'd seen him again. "Nothing caught on, and ... you know, it was expensive, and far from home, and ..." It was his turn to shrug as he picked at the lasagna. "I'm still only 18, you know? I can try again sometime." Or maybe this other thing, what Lynn had mentioned today that Justin was doing ... maybe *that* would be something.

"Oh, hey, I'm sorry," said Joey sincerely, almost jumping as the microwave beeped. He grabbed their hot plates and slid them onto the table. "I really thought things would work out for you. You've got talent, you know?" He didn't dwell on it, though, digging into his food. "So who else have you gotten ahold of since you got back into town? Anyone I'd know?" He guessed, though, that most of the people that JC used to hang with -- when he hung out with ANYone -- were the ones who'd left town when the show was cancelled.

JC couldn't decide whether he should be surprised at Joey's lack of reaction, or not. And at the compliment, however backhanded. He just smiled gratefully and took a bite of the pasta. "Thanks," he mumbled around his food. "I've left messages some places, but ... not too many of the old crowd are still here. Keri was still out in LA, with Tony, when I left, and ... " He shrugged. "Seriously, like, the *only* person you might remember from the show is, uh, Justin? Timberlake? Younger kid. And I didn't even talk to *him*, I talked to his mom."

"Little kid, curly hair?" said Joey, nodding his head. "Yeah, I remember him. I mean, we never hung out or anything, but I'd probably know him to see him." He suddenly felt kinda sorry for JC, who'd come home from what was obviously a bit of a bad year for him, to a place that wasn't even really home anymore. His family wasn't here, and his friends really weren't, either, anymore. "Did you and him hang out much?"

"Not ... really," JC said awkwardly. "I mean ... he's, what, 14? But ... we did some stuff after the show stopped, last year, in, uh, Nashville. Not country, or anything," he said quickly, "but just some vocal stuff. He's cool. Anyway, he's back here, too, trying to still get into something, I guess. Like the rest of us." He sighed, and ate a bit more in silence. "Even though a huge part of me just wants to punt, y'know? Go home -- my *real* home -- and, like, go to college."

"Well," said Joey around a full mouth of lasagna. "I'm not gonna be that guy that tells you not to go to college or something, but ... is that what you want? Is that what you dream about, and what keeps you up nights aching for it, you want it so bad? Cause ... I don't remember that about you. Seems to me the only thing you ever wanted was to be in the business." He cleaned off his plate and dumped it in the sink. "But maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. I'm just a werewolf, after all. Barely a professional."

JC stared at him, fork paused halfway to his mouth. "What? Did I ... say something to piss you off, or something? I didn't say anything about what you were doing -- I think it's great, fucking *great* you're actually performing. There's just really a limit to how many times you can get fucking rejected without thinking that the normal life of an 18-year-old guy doesn't sound too bad." He took a deep breath. "Maybe I should go."

"Whoa, hang on," said Joey, catching his arm before he even got up. "Come on, you know me, you know I'm not pissed off, man." He sat back down and pulled his chair around the table, closer to JC. "If you've got someone you'd rather hang with then that's cool. I mean, maybe you wanna hook up with this Timberlake guy or something. But you don't HAVE to leave, JC." He rested his elbow on the table and his head on his hand. "What happened, man? You didn't used to, you know, BE like this ... "

"Be like what?" JC asked, honestly confused, but glad that Joey wasn't mad at him for somehow sticking his foot in his mouth. "I'm fine. It's all just ... a little tough, is all. On the ego." He looked up at Joey's open, friendly face, and relaxed a little more. "I think I wasn't really ready," he admitted. For a LOT of things, he could've added, but knew Joey would ask and that just wasn't something else he needed to get into.

"All down about stuff," said Joey, grabbing the remains of the pie and 2 forks. "You were always pretty, you know, upbeat. As far as I remember." He offered JC a fork and dug in. "What happened? Was it really that tough out there? " In that way, he'd always looked up to JC just a little bit, because JC had been a professional in the business for a long time, when he was still just hoping for it. Even if there hadn't been much else they'd bonded over.

JC looked at Joey carefully, part of him really wanting to spill his guts, the rest too embarrassed to do so over pie, in his kitchen. "I'm still upbeat," he said weakly. "Or I will be." Again, he was reminded of this group, or whatever, that Mrs. Harless had mentioned, and wondered if that would help him bounce back. "At any rate, I think that's a conversation saved for when we're far less sober, huh? That way I might be less liable to start crying, and, like, make you want to slit your wrists or something over my tales of heartbreak and bad luck." He smiled at Joey, though, to cushion the words.

"Shit," swore Joey, staring at him. "Was it that bad, JC?" When he didn't answer right away, Joey shoved the pie in his direction. "Eat up, you look like you haven't eaten in a month. And then we'll go out and get you drunk, okay?" And then maybe he'd bring JC back here and find out what was going on with him, because let it never be said Joey Fatone didn't take care of his friends.

***

JC wasn't exactly *huddling* in the corner, with his beer, but he was still wary of getting kicked out of places for drinking underage. It had happened too many times in LA to count, especially because the bouncers seemed to have it in for pretty boys like him. He smiled in relief when Joey made it back from the bathroom, and grabbed on to his arm. "Dude, that chick is totally checking you out. AND she's cute."

Joey looked. Of course he did. "She's not bad," he had to admit, checking her out. "Another night I might've, you know ... " He gave her a cocky smile, but not a blatant come-on. "You still know my type, huh." He turned back to JC with his own, fresh, beer in hand. "Seen anything *you* like, JC?"

"Not looking," JC said firmly, as shortly as he could with a slight slur to his words. He hadn't been kidding about the heartbreak thing earlier, for one; and even though he had fallen quickly and easily back into a good repoire with Joey, the fact was that they weren't close enough for JC to say anything about the really cute *guy* sitting at the bar. "I was always better at picking up people for my friends, anyway. You should talk to her."

"Not looking," echoed Joey, though he did sneak another glance at her. "I'm pretty sure I got lucky last night, anyway, so I'm not hard up or anything." He punches JC's shoulder lightly. "Besides, my old friend JC is back in town and this night's for him, okay?" And if JC bailed early, Joey had a few people he could call up tonight anyway, if that's what he wanted. "What's your type, man? Maybe *I* can find someone for *you*."

JC laughed and leaned into Joey's arm. "Seriously, man. I'm good. Don't worry about it. I thought we were 'catching up,' anyway ... " He trailed off as the guy at the bar caught his glance and smiled back, throwing him off-guard for a second. "Yeah. So wait. You never did tell me whether you had a girlfriend."

"Nah, no one serious. Still playing the field," said Joey, trying to follow JC's gaze but not seeing what or who had caught his attention. "And we *are* catching up, except you now seem to know everything *I've* done over the last year and all I know is where you were and that it wasn't exactly all you'd been hoping for."

"Man, you're not letting this go, are you?" JC said distractedly, knowing he probably shouldn't risk watching this other guy. Not really wanting to do anything about it, certainly, even though it was nice to know that people were still attracted to him. And it made him less aware of what he was saying. "I got burned. In, like, every way imaginable. Professionally, romantically, artistically ... you name it. Plus, I was not cut out for the scene, and just ... is that what you wanted to know?"

"Sorry," said Joey, a little taken aback by JC's outburst. "I'm just ... I don't know what else to ask you, JC. I mean, that's what you've been *doing* all this time, but you don't want to talk about it, and what am I supposed to say, you know? Just ... whatever it is, it's cool to talk about it with me. I'm not like one of those guys you used to hang with who'd give you shit about not making it, or something. I mean, that's right where I am, too, man. Um ... you want another drink or something?"

JC turned back to Joey, surprised, that guy forgotten for the time being. "I didn't think you would," he said honestly, looking at his eyes. "Give me shit, I mean. I just ... it still hurts, and part of me coming back here WAS to remember that I *can* kinda do this, but right now? I just want to forget about it." He smiled again, and cocked his head. "Isn't it my round, this time?"

"Okay, if you're sure," said Joey, standing up to get JC another beer. "And don't worry about buying a round or something, let me just get you drunk, okay? If I can't do anything else for you, man, at least I can do that." He impulsively mussed JC's hair -- knowing it would at least get him a reaction -- then went over to the bar.

JC bit back a retort about not needing Joey's pity at the affectionate gesture, knowing -- once he thought about it -- that Joey didn't mean it like that. And truthfully, he was okay with Joey spending his allowance, or whatever, on the beer. JC'd be doing it too, if he still lived at home. "Thanks," he said, futilely attempting to fix his hair, then turning back to watch everybody dancing.

Joey got two beers, both for JC, and after a friendly smile at the guy next to him at the bar he brought them right back to the table and set them in front of him. "Drink up," he said. "I'll keep 'em coming. So, um, what did you have in mind for tonight?"

JC looked up at Joey, surprised to see him back so soon. "What?" he laughed, looking at the two full mugs, then sliding over to make room for his friend. "You're looking at it, I guess. Maybe dancing, once I finish these, but hopefully not on the table." He looked at his watch. "You got someplace else you needed to be? I can't tell if you're bored."

"No, I'm just askin'," said Joey, raising his hands. "When'd you get so defensive, anyway? I'm just trying to ... be a friend." He rested his elbow on the table again and watched JC drink. "Did you forget what it was like to have those, or something?"

JC glanced up sharply, then closed his eyes as he drained half of one of the glasses. "I was just asking, too," he said quietly. "Look, Joe, I really appreciate all this. You totally *are* being a friend, and it's great. I don't want to be a drag on you." He slid a friendly hand under the table and squeezed Joey's knee briefly before pulling the arm back and resting it on the back of the booth.

"I don't have anywhere else I want to be," said Joey patiently, which was true. Everyone else he knew was pretty much still recovering from the night before, or else hadn't stopped partying yet and so weren't the kind of company he really needed at the moment. "So you can stop thinking that right now. You know I wouldn't shit you about that." He sighed. "If you had a shit time in LA then you had a shit time in LA and it's not *your* fault that you're feeling all crappy because of it. I've never asked anyone to be happy, just for me."

JC bit his lip, trying not to react to that, too. "Okay. So we can agree we both want to be here, okay? And ... look, I *am* trying to be upbeat, and it's not just for your benefit, so ..." He shrugged and finished the first beer. "Man," he said after a moment, stretching out again. "You *are* getting old. The Joey Fatone I used to know would totally be out there on the floor, even if you're not 'looking' tonight."

"Uh huh," said Joey, rolling his eyes. "Hung over, remember? I'm afraid my head will explode if I let too much blood flow up to it." He reached out, making like he was going to twist JC's nipple. "Old," he muttered with a sly grin. "*We'll* see who's getting old, buddy." He didn't grab him, though, pulling back at the last second. He *was* doing okay with the loud music, and as long as he didn't move around too much the persistent headache was staying away.

"Still?" JC laughed again, for like the fifth time in as many minutes. "Dude, I *am* impressed you got back to your own bed last night, if you're still feeling like ass." He did shrink away from Joey's fingers, but maybe not as quickly as he would've with someone else, and looked over Joey's shoulder back at the bar. "We'll have to do this again, sometime," he murmured, distracted again. "Y'know. When we can show off a little."

"Don't know how I got there," admitted Joey, shaking his head. "I think Steve knows but he never said. He just kept giving me these *looks*, all through dinner. He was smirking. I should probably be worried about that." His rested his forehead on the table for just a moment. "We definitely need to do this again some time, when I'm in peak shape. I can drink your ass under the table and still be able to pick up someone for the night, and you know it."

JC smiled and rested a hand high on Joey's back. "I do know it," he admitted, raising his other glass to his lips and drinking more, his fingernails scraping softly over Joey's shoulderblades. He made eye contact with the guy still at the bar, again, and let his eyelashes drop a little, wondering if that would have any effect. "Well," he went on, "it's not like I don't owe you one. I should totally come see your show, and then take *you* out, sometime next week."

"Well, if you want to," said Joey, thinking that JC would probably laugh at the show but maybe that was okay. "Or we could just go out, you know. Maybe get a bunch of people together to celebrate your return." Only he couldn't really think of a 'bunch' of people that JC hung out with enough to want to have a big get together. Let alone narrowing it down to the ones where were still in Orlando.

"No, that's ... " JC sighed. "It's okay. I'm still trying to figure out how to tell people what happened, you know? Not really a great party conversation piece." He scratched Joey's back a little harder, still sipping at his beer. "I'd like to see your show. I don't think I've ever really heard you sing, when you weren't just goofing around with the rest of us on the set, or whatever."

"So just you and me?" comfirmed Joey, nodding. "That'll be cool, too. I'd rather your heard me sing, like, real stuff though, instead of the stuff I do in the show. I mean, you're gonna get a pretty fucked up impression of what I can do if *that's* what you base it on." He was surprised, though, that JC remembered him singing with them there; it wasn't something that had happened *that* often.

JC smiled a little to hear that Joey actually seemed to care what he thought. "It'll tell me enough," he assured him. "Not everyone can get on stage and sing loud *and* well. Believe me." He smiled and leaned back in the booth, but let his hand drop to rest lower on Joey's spine. "Something else you want me to hear, or something?"

Joey looked at him and smiled then chuckled softly. "Nothing in particular," he said. "You can come see if you want -- I'll get you some times and stuff back at my place. Um ... dude," he added, laughing softly again but not meanly, wondering if he should even say this. "You know you have your arm around me, right?"

"So?" JC shrugged, but he moved it fast enough. It didn't bother him, and he didn't mean it to come across as anything less than friendly, but he wasn't about to make Joey uncomfortable with it. Even if he was surprised, a little, that it bothered him, knowing how physically affectionate he could be. "Sorry," he said offhandedly, and focused back on his beer.

"Whoa, hey, I didn't say take it *away*," said Joey quickly, still smiling. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't doing something *you* didn't actually want to be doing. I know you're a total lightweight when it comes to drinking -- I was just looking out for you, man. Like remember that time before you went away, when you ended up with your head in that girl's lap?" He chuckled. "So yeah, I don't mind or anything. You know me."

JC really *didn't* know what that meant, so he just smiled. "It's not so weird," he said, then put his hand back. "And I'm not so drunk."

"Then you need to drink more," said Joey with a grin, shoving the beer closer. "That's what we're trying to do after all. You're not leaving here until you're good and drunk." He paused for a moment, remembering another time someone had said that to JC, a long time ago. "If that's what you want, I mean."

"Why not?" JC replied, affably. "I'm cool. I'm just not going to freak out, about touching you."

"Okay, good," said Joey, nudging the beer again encouragingly. Despite what he was saying, JC *was* starting to sound a little drunk. "That's fine, JC. I'm not gonna make you talk tonight, so just go ahead and drink up."

"I'm just *not*," JC insisted, even though Joey had pretty much already moved on from the topic, and started rubbing Joey's back again as if to emphasize his point. "We're friends, right? It's just ... a friendly gesture." It was a testament to how not-sober JC was starting to get, that he was pushing the issue and didn't just drop it when Joey gave him an out.

"Okay," said Joey again, still patient with him though his eyes narrowed a little and he wondered why JC wasn't just letting it go. "I believe you, JC." He slowed down his speech to make sure JC was getting it, while trying not to sound condescending. "The hand on my back doesn't mean you have the hots for me. I got it, don't worry."

"Exactly," JC said quickly, then hid his face in his glass. He recognized that he was saying stuff he normally wouldn't, but Joey was being really great about it, so he wasn't too concerned. "Are you ready for another? Beer cures hangovers, you know."

"So I've been told," said Joey sagely, but with a smirk. "Does that mean I should make sure you have some beer on hand tomorrow, yourself?" He looked at JC's mugs and realized that they were already all but empty. "Well, let me get *you* another," he said, getting up from his seat again and smiling at him indulgently. JC clearly needed this night out. Why? He couldn't say, just yet.

JC scoffed and waved him away. "I don't get hangovers from beer," he boasted, even though it wasn't really true. "But thanks. And bring one for yourself, this time!" He was more relaxed, and happy in his own skin, than he had been in months. And he owed a lot of it to the person he was there with.

Joey got another two beers -- both for JC again -- but did take a long sip out of one of them before handing them over this time. Last night -- and this morning -- were both still *way* too fresh in his mind for him to do much more than that. "Here you go," he said, sliding them over. "Guaranteed to put you on your ass."

"Thanks," JC said again, giving him a big smile. "Man, you *are* trying to get me drunk, aren't you? I promise it's not going to mean I'll suddenly tell you about running in to Alicia Silverstone at a club and taking her home, or anything ..." Part of JC definitely still thought that was why Joey was spending time with him.

"Dude, if you'd run into Alicia Silverstone at a club and took her home, I'm pretty damn sure you would have told me before *now*," scoffed Joey as he sat down, giving JC a friendly grin. He was actually have a pretty good time, all things considered. "I'm just getting you drunk because I think you need to be drunk right now. And you definitely need to loosen up ... you were acting like it was doomsday, earlier. You're home, JC, live it up a little!"

JC scooted closer to cuff Joey on the arm after he put the beers down, and then didn't move back. He laughed. "It's not *magic* beer," he warned. "It's not like I'm suddenly this whole new person that's actually ... laid-back, or anything." He rolled his eyes and grinned. "You're right, though; I didn't take Alicia home. I did see her, though."

"Seriously?" said Joey, surprised. "Where did you see her? When? Did you talk to her?" He wasn't concerned about JC's closeness; he'd had drunk friends fall all over him many times before. And, as far as he was concerned, *all* beer was magic beer, and he was going to let it work its magic on JC.

JC flushed, cursing himself for opening his mouth, and quickly drank a good half of his next beer. Then he sighed when it was obvious that Joey was still waiting for a response. "I talked to her. took her dinner order once, okay? When I was waiting tables in this restaurant out there so I could actually, like, eat." He blushed harder. "Glamourous, huh?"

Joey gave him a somewhat apologetic smile, for asking. "It's a living," he said simply. Non-judgmentally. He did grab the other beer and take another, small, sip of it as he watched JC's reactions. "You don't have to be embarassed by that, you know."

"Whatever," JC said, and slumped back in the booth, turning his attention back to the dance floor. Being caught at being embarrassed was pretty much worse than just being embarrassed. He drank some more in silence for a bit, then turned to look at Joey again. "Thanks for being cool about it. About everything, really."

Joey smiled at him, relieved that JC was perking back up a bit. "Why wouldn't I be cool about it?" he asked him. "I mean, no matter what happened out there, you lived a little, you know? And it shows. And I think that's pretty cool." He took one last sip of JC's beer, then shoved it closer to him so he couldn't have any more.

JC shoved it back playfully. "C'mon, man. Don't make me drink alone. It makes me look pathetic." He wanted to ask what Joey meant, when he said that 'it showed' that he had lived a little, but was so happy to hope that it was a compliment that he didn't want to hear the truth if it wasn't. He blinked a couple times and grinned, definitely feeling the alcohol.

"Shoe," said Joey firmly, reminding him. "Jello shot. And something about a toothbrush and an elastic band. Trust me when I tell you I am *not* getting drunk again tonight. I'm already, however, drinking with you. You saw me take a sip, man, you can't deny it." He licked his lips and grinned at him. A little more beer wouldn't hurt him, but a brief pounding in his head reminded him that more than a little, right now, was just bad news.

"Fine, fine," JC relented, grinning right back at him. "Next time, though." He drank some more, starting singing along a little to the song in the club, and just let himself enjoy the alcohol, the people, and most especially the company. He was home; and just like Joey said: he was going to live a little.

***

Joey held JC's laughing figure upright as he groped for his keys and unlocked the door. JC wasn't really falling down drunk, but he was laughing way too hard at a lame joke that Joey had made about five minutes earlier, and standing right by the edge of the step. "All right," said Joey as the door finally swung open. "Just go inside, JC, and *try* not to wake anyone up."

"Sorry, sorry," JC giggled again, tripping just a little over the rug in the hall and narrowly avoiding running his hip into the credenza. "I totally appreciate this, man, but you could've taken me back to my place. Sure I'm not totally being a pain in the ass?"

"Well, if you'd remembered the address before we were a block from my place, maybe I would have," said Joey, amused. "I think I'd rather keep an eye on you anyway; you're a total clutz when you're drunk. You're a menace to society. So don't worry, you're no trouble I'm not willing to take on." He switched on the lamp in the hallway so they could make their way upstairs.

"Oh, right," JC grinned. "Forgot that part. Thanks for not wrecking my car, man." He let Joey wrap his arm around his waist as they navigated the stairs. "I thought I was sleeping on the couch ... ?"

"You'd fall off and give yourself a concussion, the state you're in," muttered Joey as they reached the landing and he led JC into his room. "I'll make you up something on the floor, I guess." He let JC walk on his own as they walked down the hall and he opened his door. "Don't forget my parents are sleeping, dude ... "

"I *know*," JC replied in a stage whisper, still grinning. He walked straight to Joey's bed and flopped down on the foot of it, breathing heavily for a moment before rolling onto his side and looking up at Joey with blinking, blurry eyes. "Floor's good," he mumbled. "Probably softer'n my futon, anyway." He covered his face with his hands. "Man, I'm shitfaced. Sorry," he said again.

"Why're you sorry?" asked Joey, laughing a little louder once he'd closed his bedroom door. "I'm the one who got you that way. On purpose, too." He flopped down on the bed next to JC; he'd ended up having a little more than he'd intended, too -- he definitely wasn't drunk, but he could feel it, a little. "Feeling any better about everything?"

JC smiled, happy to realize he actually was, and tried to sit up enough to rest his weight on his elbow. "Yeah, thanks. Definitely better about being back here; a lot less worried about what people'll say. Or think. So ... thanks." He laughed a little and fell back on the bed, too drunk to balance like that for long. "And as soon as I find someone that'll get me over Trace, then I'll *really* be in business."

"Good," said Joey, giving him a light punch to the shoulder. "That's really good to hear." He rolled over onto his back, too, and stared at the ceiling. "So ... Trace? Is that the girl who broke your heart out there, man?"

JC laughed, a little bitterly that time, before responding. Without thinking. "He didn't just break my heart, man, he fucking *destroyed* it. Um." He froze when he realized what he'd just admitted, what he hadn't planned on telling Joey, for a whole number of reasons. But he couldn't take it back. Didn't really want to, once it was out there, either, he realized, struggling to sit back up again but not looking at Joey. "Uh, yeah. Trace ... was a guy. Is a guy. So."

"So the fucker destroyed your heart," said Joey, after taking a moment to process that. It wasn't shocking, exactly, but it was a surprise, and just about the last thing he'd been expecting JC to tell him that night. "You wanna tell me about it, JC?" Rolling over to look at JC's eyes he could see the nervousness in them, but even more than that he could see the overwhelming pain. "I know what it's like to have someone stomp on your heart. Sometimes it helps to just get it out, you know?" His other friends would have laughed at him if he suggested that, punched him and called him a girly-man or something, but he had the feeling that maybe JC would be a little more receptive to that kind of approach.

JC watched Joey, his mouth open a little in surprise that he took that admission of JC's in stride. And really ... grateful, that he chose to comment on what Trace had meant to JC, rather than the fact that he was male. "Hmm?" he said after a second of just sitting there, before he remembered that Joey had asked him a question. "Oh. He just ... " JC tried to find the words, but was too drunk, and really ... still a little too happy ... to explain it. "Naw. You don't really want to hear it."

"If you don't want to talk about it, that's cool," said Joey, watching JC's face. "That's your business. But don't tel me I don't wanna hear it. I don't ask about shit I don't want to know." He gripped JC's shoulder for a brief moment, then let go. "So was this asshole your first boyfriend, or was you being into guys just one of those things I didn't know, before you left?"

JC caught Joey's hand in a surprisingly quick move for how drunk he was. "Hey," he said softly, trying very hard not to slur. "I just had a really good time, tonight, and I'm feeling good, and ... you're right. I guess I didn't want to go into it. So I shouldn'tve brought it up. I wasn't trying to insult you, Joey." He let go of his hand once he realized that maybe was a little *too* familiar, given their topic of conversation, and sighed -- knowing Joey deserved some answers, really. "I've kinda been into guys for a while," he admitted. "But Trace ... yeah. I guess you could say he was my first real boyfriend." He couldn't help but smile at Joey calling him an 'asshole,' when he didn't even know what happened. It was sweet.

"That's bad luck, man," said Joey sympathetically, squeezing his shoulder again. "You're a nice guy, JC, and you deserve someone nice. Which this Trace guy obviously *wasn't*." He rolled over onto his back again, still a little surprised to find out that JC was gay and wondering what the right way to react was. He'd never actually been in this position before, didn't have any kind of experience to fall back on. "I'm not the first person you've told, am I?"

JC chuckled and rolled over onto his stomach beside Joey. "Uh, no. I mean ... I've actually been with guys, you know, so there *are* people that know. I'm not all ... angst-y, about it, either, so don't worry. I've had a while to get used to it." He smiled and stretched a hand out to tug on Joey's shirt. "Trace was nice," he said, a little softer. "He was good to me in a lot of ways. Just because we didn't work out, doesn't make him a bad guy. But, uh ... thanks for, like, getting my back, or whatever."

"Well, when someone destroys your heart so much that you haven't dated since them, they usually aren't a real nice person," Joey felt obliged to point out, though he wasn't *trying* to get JC down even more than he already was earlier. "That's all. I take care of my friends, you know?" And he hoped JC *did* know that, even though they hadn't been especially close before he'd left for LA.

"Yeah, I know that, about you," JC told him, blinking again when he realized that it really was a rare and wonderful quality, and he was very lucky that Joey had been home that morning and that they had rekindled their friendship. "He did hurt me, but ... it just was kind of recent, rather than *too* awful, so that's why I'm all ... bitter, I guess. Kinda the last straw that ran me out of LA, really. He hasn't ruined me on love forever, I don't think." He tried to smile, but just blinked some more.

"So you loved him, huh," said Joey quietly. "Well, that's cool. Even if it ended and all, it's *one* good thing that came out of LA, right? Kinda? That you, like, fell in love ... I assume for the first time?" He looked at JC curiously, wondering if he was right about that, and remembering the first time *he* had been in love. Or thought he'd been, anyway.

JC looked down, surprised that Joey had picked up on what he hadn't said, in so many words. "You're really good at that," he told him, a little wistfully, nodding. "How come you're single?" He was teasing, mostly, and didn't really look at Joey when he said it, dropping his head back on the bed finally.

"Really good at what?" asked Joey, rolling back again, closing his eyes for a moment as the glare of the light off his ceiling started to hurt. "As for that, well, you're not the only one who can have his heart broken, fool," he said, snorting softly. "I decided it would be easier just to play the field for a while, is all. Sow my wild oats, and whatever else they call it."

"Sorry," JC said, as gently as he could, mentally kicking himself for asking tacky rhetorical questions like that. He turned his head to the side to watch Joey, then propped himself up on his elbow so he could touch his arm. "And just ... really good at reading me. Reading *people*, I mean." He blushed, but didn't move his hand this time, liking the feel of Joey's warm muscle beneath his palm. "So, yeah. Did *you* want to talk about it?"

"Oh, hell, I'm over it," said Joey, not dismissive but not sounding overly concerned. "She was just ready to move on before I was, is all and I just decided not to date any more until I got outta high school. When I had a chance to meet other people, you know? That I hadn't already known for years and years." It was nice to be around someone who gave a shit, though, instead of the guys who first thing had wanted to throw him a party because he was back on the market.

"Well," JC said slowly. "You *are* out of high school. Have you met anyone at work?" Joey's story sounded pretty sad to JC, as well, and he found himself a little pissed off at the girl. And feeling kind of ... strangely possessive, of Joey. He leaned over a little more, so their sides were pressed a little closer together, and moved his hand up higher on Joey's arm.

"No one I can see as more than a friend," he admitted. He'd made friends easily with almost everyone he worked with -- everyone he'd ever met, really -- but he hadn't wanted to spend any extra time with any of them, really. There were very few people that he got close to. "And I'm, like, a day out of high school, JC. I haven't exactly been out looking." There was that one girl at the party the night before -- or was it two girls? -- but *that* was hardly something to base a relationship on.

JC chuckled and let his head drop to Joey's shoulder. "Right, right. Well. I'm sure, when you do, you won't have any trouble. Finding someone. If that's what you want." Joey's shirt smelled like bar, but underneath it, JC could get hints of what his skin smelled like -- good -- and it made him really miss being intimate with a guy. Without even really thinking, he buried his nose a little deeper and sighed.

Joey was slowly becoming aware of how close JC had gotten, how intimate. He had pretty loose boundaries when it came to affection, but it was feeling to him like JC was pushing things just a little beyond the normal casual friendship line. He wasn't uncomfortable with it, but he *was* curious about what JC was thinking, or even *if* JC was thinking, and not just reacting. "Yeah, sure, it's something I want," said Joey thoughtfully. "Just because I haven't been out looking yet, doesn't mean I won't let it happen if it happens. I just ... haven't really put any effort into it, in a while, is all. I'm not worried about being alone forever."

"No way that'll happen," JC mumbled, his voice still muffled by Joey's shirt. "Someone'll snap you up right when you aren't paying attention." He yawned and hummed a little before absent-mindedly placing a chaste kiss on Joey's shoulder, through his sleeve.

"JC," said Joey, rolling toward him slightly again. "Um, don't take this the wrong way? But ... are you hitting on me or something?" He certainly didn't sound like he objected to the prospect, just sounded a bit surprised and curious.

JC picked his head up, blushing and sheepish. He really hadn't realized what he was doing, but recognized it once Joey called him on it. "I'm just ... I'm sorry. Drunk, and I'm totally not ... just not thinking. I know you're not into that." He didn't move away, though, and his last statement came out as more of a hopeful question than anything else.

"How do you know I'm not into that if you never asked?" challenged Joey, nudging him with his shoulder. He wasn't even sure why he said that, after it was out of his mouth, but it felt like the right way to approach it. "Besides," he added with a nervous smile. "You never answered the question."

JC stared at him, sobering up a little more with each second. "I think you got an answer," he said slowly, his eyes drifting to Joey's mouth then guiltily back to his eyes. JC had to ask. He HAD to, and he didn't know how. "Do I get a hint? about your answer? if I do ask?"

Joey grinned and decided that was as close as he was gonna get to his question; he just wasn't entirely sure how to answer it. "The answer is I don't know," he said finally, feeling like he could be honest with JC about this. "I mean, I've thought about it from time to time, I guess, but I've never done anything about it." Would he do anything about it now, given the chance? He thought maybe he would, which was a bit of a surprise to him.

"Huh," JC said softly, then "wow." It was actually a real shock, to hear Joey say that -- he'd always been SUCH a flirt, with girls -- even as a part of him whispered that maybe he wasn't as surprised as he was telling himself he was. He HAD been, basically, hitting on the guy; drunk or not, that wasn't something he would've done, especially subconsciously, if he hadn't seen *something* there. "Can I ask why?"

"Why what?" asked Joey, confused. "Why I feel like that? Um ... I don't KNOW, I just do, I think ... " He wasn't sure, though, that that was what JC was asking, so he waited for him to say something else.

"No," JC chuckled. "I ... kinda get that part. I meant ... " He took a deep breath, and scrunched up his nose a little. "Why you've never done anything about it."

"Ohhhh," said Joey in comprehension. "That." He thought about that for a minute, trying to come up with an answer. "I just never had to, i guess," he said finally, knowing how lame it sounded. "There was always some girl around who I wanted, or who wanted me, or both. And I guess the right person never came along to convince me, either."

"Huh," JC repeated, turning his head back to the mattress beneath him. Definitely not sure what he was supposed to do with that information, what he WANTED to do. He knew Joey was being honest, and that made him feel good, but did that mean that he expected JC to be the one to convince him? Or wanted him to? "I was hitting on you," he admitted finally, wanting to be honest in reply. "I just ... I'm still not sure why I was."

"Well," said Joey, wishing JC hadn't suddenly withdrawn from him. "When I hit on people it's usually because I want to get with them. Do you want to get with me?" he asked. It was a pretty straightforward question, and he tried not to be awkward when he asked it.

JC scrambled to sit up on the bed, legs crossed indian-style, knees just brushing Joey's side. When he spoke, his voice was soft, but earnest. "You've been amazing, today. Just ... an incredible friend. And ... yeah, you're totally my type, so maybe I let my head go there. But I *didn't* know what you'd think, and I *don't* want to make you uncomfortable." He looked down at his hands. "If you want to chalk it up to me being drunk, it's probably more than halfway true anyway. But if you don't ... " he trailed off.

Joey hesitated. He was really comfortable with JC now, it was true, and he was finding that he was really easy to talk to. "Why don't we ... just see what happens?" he suggested. "We're just kinda getting to know each other, you know?" He grinned at him, then, at the eager expression on his face. "But it might be cool to ... start doing something about 'it'." JC smiled in return. Above all else, he didn't want to lose the new old friend he'd found. "What's 'it'?" he pressed, teasingly, poking Joey in the ribs and then rolling off the bed."Throw me a pillow?"

Joey grabbed a pillow from the head of the bed. "Where you going?" he asked, leaning toward him to hand it over. "So ... what's 'it'?" He shrugged. "You know. It. The it that I haven't done before."

"Sleep," JC yawned, taking the pillow gratefully and settling down into the carpet. "I think ... seeing what happens sounds like a really good plan. That way, maybe you can make a good decision about 'it'." He couldn't really stop smiling, though, that something so unexpected seemed to have fallen in his lap.

Joey hauled himself up off the bed and grabbed an extra blanket out of the closet, spreading it out over JC. "I'm glad you called," he said sincerely, crawling back onto his bed. "And I'm glad you're back in town, too. Have a good sleep, JC."

JC's head appeared over the edge of the bed, his chin resting on the mattress and the blanket wrapped around his shoulders. "G'night, Joey," he blinked at him. "And, just ... thanks. 'Cause I'm glad too."

***

Joey had already finished making a pot of coffee when he came back upstairs to his room. JC was in the exact same position he'd been in when he'd gone downstairs, about a half hour earlier, curled around the pillow with his knees drawn up, his face almost buried in it. And he was snoring lightly, too, which was more endearing than annoying, at the moment.

Slowly, JC shifted, turning his face completely in the pillow for a long second before picking his head up and taking a deep breath, blinking blearily. For a moment he had *no* idea where he was, or why he was on the floor, then he felt his head. "Mmmph," he grunted, collapsing back onto the ground.

"Hey," said Joey, speaking softly, remembering how *his* head had been, the morning before. He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked down at JC's sleeping form; he actually looked kinda cute like that. Kinda cute in general. "Good morning," he went on. "You want some coffee, man? Water? Oatmeal?"

JC's head popped back up quickly at the sound of Joey's voice, and he immediately regretted it. "Mmmph," he said again, his eyes focusing on the man on the bed, smiling sheepishly. "Hey, you. Drugs?" He closed his eyes and groped blindly for Joey's knee, trying to pull himself up.

"Water," said Joey decisively. Since he'd gotten JC into this, he felt at least a LITTLE responsible for making him feel better again. He helped him up to a sitting position. "Do you think you can get up?" he asked, brushing JC's hair back off his forehead.

JC opened his eyes, his lips parting a little in surprise at the affectionate gesture. "I'm ... fine," he said softly, dropping his eyes to look at the hand he left on Joey's leg. "I just wasn't really ... expecting to feel like this. I didn't think I was THAT drunk."

"You were," said Joey apologetically. "Sorry about that. But you did seem to appreciate it at the time, in my own defense." He smiled at him, and hoped he wasn't feeling *too* bad.

JC grinned back, enjoying the way Joey's smile took up his whole face, especially his eyes. "I still appreciate it," he assured him. "It was one of the best nights I've had in forever. I wasn't so drunk I don't remember *that*."

"Good to know," said Joey, smoothing his hair again; JC's skin was still flushed. "I had a really great time too." He paused and studied JC's face for a moment. "Do you remember talking last night, after we got back?"

JC blushed and ducked his head a little, biting his lip. Of course he remembered -- it was one of the first things that popped into his head when he saw Joey that morning -- but he wasn't sure if this was Joey's way of hinting that maybe JC *wasn't* supposed to remember. But ... thinking about it, he realized Joey wouldn't do something like that. Especially considering the way he was touching him. "I hope I'm supposed to," he replied.

"I know I do," said Joey with an encouraging smile. He really wanted to know what JC had to say about it now, when he was sober, when he actually had a chance to think about the idea, for real. "I'm hope you do, too," he said. "It saves me a lot of explaining."

JC chuckled, and met Joey's eyes again, a little more bravely. "I do," he assured him. "I'm just ... well. PArt of me is sorry I kinda ... passed out ... before we could finish talking about it. But the rest of me is glad we're doing it- " He was going to say 'now,' but then wasn't sure if it was the right time, either. "Well, whenever." He leaned his cheek into Joey's hand, still smiling too.

"Now?" suggested Joey. "Or are you feeling as wretched as I was, yesterday?" If he was, the conversation could wait. They would probably have a lot of other opportunities to have it now, anyway.

"No, I'm pretty okay," JC insisted, squeezing Joey's knee. "If you're not, like, needing me to leave, or whatever. Just ... drugs? And that water you promised? And maybe an extra toothbrush?"

"Bathroom. All three. It's the door at the end of the hall." Joey stood up, and leaned over to help JC to his feet. "Do you need some help, or do you want to meet me downstairs? I'll make breakfast. Or ... whatever."

JC laughed and batted at Joey's hands. After he was sure he could stand, of course. "I can manage," he grinned. "I'll see you downstairs, how about? And just ... coffee, if you have it." He didn't move away from Joey one bit, though, watching his face and waiting for *him* to be the one to leave.

Joey gave JC's arm one last squeeze. "Coffee's made," he promised him. "I'll be waiting for you." He paused, and grinned. "I'LL be waiting for you." Then he let go of him and headed down the stairs.

JC couldn't wipe the goofy grin off his own face, even if he had no clue what Joey actually meant by that, and sat down heavily on the bed for a moment to think about it. He had to admit that, if he really thought about it last night, he should've been a little worried that Joey was just thinking about this as a novelty. But everything he'd done this morning made it really seem that he liked JC. That he LIKED JC.

Joey poured a couple cups of coffee and, realizing he had no idea how JC took his, set out the milk and sugar, too. Then he grabbed the last piece of the pie out of the fridge for his own breakfast and sat down at the table.

JC made it downstairs a few minutes later without incident, feeling much better after chasing some advil with several gulps of water from the tap in the bathroom, then splashing water on his face and finding a wrapped toothbrush under the sink. He smiled at Joey's choice of breakfast food, and slid into the chair across from him. "Okay. Now I feel human."

Joey grinned and pushed his coffee toward him; JC looked a little bit more alert, but still kinda hellish. "Here's your coffee," he said. "You sure you don't want anything else, now that you're human and all?"

"Not right now," JC promised, accepting the mug gratefully. "I'll eat a bunch of pasta when I get home, or something." He sipped at his drink and watched Joey over the rim. "So. Am I ... are we still on the same page, here?"

Joey paused. "I don't know, are we? What page are we on, anyway?" He grinned a bit, but he was serious, not knowing quite where JC stood now.

JC grinned a little too, and accepted the fact that since he started this, really, he should be the first one to say something. To try and categorize whatever 'it' was. "Okay," he said slowly, blowing gently on the hot liquid. "Well. Here's what I know: I'm ... I like guys. I think I could definitely like you, like that. In a fit of either drunkeness, or supreme foresight, or maybe both, I hit on you last night. And you seemed ... not not interested." He smiled again and raised his eyebrow. "Right so far?"

"Okay, yeah, right so far," said Joey, taking a big bite of his pie. "I'm definitely not not-interested, if that helps you any." He tilted his head just slightly as he listened to JC, and his smile never entirely left his face. Joey still wasn't entirely sure what he wanted to have happen, but he thought maybe he wanted to feel his way through it for a while, with JC -- he was still a bit high from the freedom of being out of school, and was more willing than ever to try new things that he'd only ever really thought about, before.

"So ... " JC faltered a little, even though it was really reassuring to have Joey ... reassure ... him. "Yeah. So, I guess we just ... get to know each other a little better and, uh ... see what happens?" As awkward and nebulous as that seemed, JC really thought it was best for everybody involved. JC knew he wouldn't be rushing Joey -- more than anything, he didn't want their blossoming friendship to turn into some rebound thing for himself.

Joey shrugged nonchalantly. "Sure," he said, his mouth full of pie. "I think that sounds really good, JC. Really, you know, easy and stuff." He swallowed, then smiled at him again. "So I guess we're starting now, huh?"

JC laughed, and rested his chin on his fist as he watched Joey eat. "Okay, yeah," he grinned. "So ... sounds like we're on the same page, like I said, and ... that's good. Cool." It only seemed a little bizarre to have agreed to try something so casually. "So, yeah. Thanks, again, for last night. All of it, and letting me stay here ... that was really great of you."

"Well, you know, I liked having you around," said Joey easily. "It was really great to see you again ... I wasn't sure if I ever would, you know? I thought maybe you'd be one of those people who took off for something better and never looked back. So I'm glad you looked me up and all." He took another bite of the pie, seeming unconcerned that it muffled his voice and he was spraying crumbs on the table as he spoke. "It's cool to have someone around who knows where I'm at. Careerwise, I mean. You understand why it's important to me."

Chuckling again, JC stood up to grab a napkin for Joey, tossing it in his lap. "Well, maybe I would have been. Who knows. But that's not the way things worked out, and maybe that's for the better." His conversation with Justin's mom started nagging at him again. "We'll see. So ... " he sat down again, and drank some more of his coffee. "You're really serious about trying to do this? Performing? Do you have, like ... something in particular you want to do?"

"Whatever I can get, right now," said Joey honestly as he cleaned off his plate. "You know how it is. But I guess ... singing. Acting. Even dancing. Whatever. You know how I am, I kinda like it all." He grinned sheepishly. "I guess that doesn't narrow it down, huh?" He took a sip of his coffee to wash down his breakfast and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"That's okay," JC smiled. "We're 18. Nobody expects us to know anything." He leaned back in his chair. "You know what's really great? Talking to you, now, and yesterday, has really made me realize that I *wouldn't* be happy if I went back to Maryland and went to college. You were right about that. About me, I guess. So ... thanks for that, too."

"Just telling you what I thought," said Joey honestly. "I'm notorious for it. So ... you are sticking around, then? For good? You're not gonna go and disappear on us again?" He didn't sound accusing at all, or at least he didn't mean to, but the idea of JC leaving now was a lot less less appealing than it had been the last time, when he'd been mostly excited for him.

The expression on JC's face softened, letting himself believe that maybe Joey had some personal interests in whether he did, or not, now. "Not planning on it," he promised him. "I'll at least be here this week, man, so don't think I forgot that you said I could come see you work." He wrapped both hands around his mug, a little scared that he'd reach out to touch Joey if he didn't.

"Just this week?" said Joey, a little more quietly than normal, thinking about how far along things could possibly get in just a week. "Is that all you can promise?" But if that was it then that was it, and it wasn't his business to demand more. "Yeah, that'll give you enough time to come to the show. When do you think you might make it, man?"

"Oh, hey," JC said, his voice quiet too. "That wasn't ... I was just trying to make a joke. Y'know, that you weren't getting out of it. I didn't mean to make you think that I was going anywhere after that." He did let go of his coffee, then, reaching across the table to touch Joey's elbow gently, needing to maybe reassure both of them, after seeing Joey's expression. Not that he was self-absorbed enough to think that Joey would be devasted, or anything, but still. "I've got this ... something, tomorrow," he went on. "You working Tuesday?"

Joey nodded. "Yeah, definitely," he said. "I work a lot ... you just managed to catch me with some time off. So yeah, come see it. Join the masses of tourists." He sipped his own coffee, a little more at ease now that there was no time pressure on them. "Are you doing anything yet, or are you just kinda slacking for a whie until you get settled in?"

JC let go of his arm but didn't really pull away. "I don't ... know," he admitted. "I just got here; I guess you could say I'm slacking." He didn't really think that was what he was doing -- he'd barely had time to *look* for anything -- but he wasn't working, so. And the one thing he *was* doing -- going to talk with Justin, and his friend Chris, about this group thing, or whatever -- felt too tentative to even mention to Joey. "Do I get a backstage pass?" he teased.

"There's hardly even a *backstage*," grumbled Joey, rolling his eyes. "But yeah, sure, you know I'll bring you back there. You were always good about getting *me* in when you were doing your little show." He grinned and winked as he called it that, the way he always had. "So what sort of thing are you planning on looking for? I'd offer to use my connections to help you out, but ... well, I don't have any."

JC smiled and took the rib about the MMC in stride -- part of him, as always, wondering if Joey hadn't been a bit jealous of the whole thing. "I really, really don't know, Joe," he said, in response to his question. "Believe me, when I do, I'll tell you, but for right now? I'm just trying to get my head on straight, and see what's even *out* there, rather than try to look for something that doesn't exist. But I totally appreciate the offer, okay? That's ... " He was about to say 'sweet,' and stopped just in time. "Nice. It's nice."

"That's cool," said Joey with a smile, leaning back in his chair and tilting it up on two legs. "I guess working all that time when you were a kid, you kind of have the luxury to do that, huh.' When he leaned forward the front legs of the chair hit the floor with a bang. "So when do you think we'll get together again? Tuesday, after work? Or are you just, you know, coming by for the show?"

JC paused, thrown off guard by the comment about having the 'luxury' of not working -- when nothing could be further from the truth -- and then by Joey's question, when he hadn't even thought about it. "I don't ... what?" he started, then shook his head as he tried to gather his thoughts. "No, I thought we were going out after? Since I owe you a drink? Or like, eight, actually."

"Oh, don't worry about *that*," scoffed Joey. "Besides, I've decided I'm never drinking again." He considered that proclamation for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Oh hell, who am I kidding? But seriously, we can just hang out together and do whatever. You don't *owe* me anything, man."

"We'll see," JC said, just to drop the subject, getting uncomfortable even though he knew Joey wasn't taking pity on him. "Sounds good, then." He drained the rest of his coffee, then pushed his chair back. "I guess you have stuff to do, today?" he said softly. "I gotta go finish unpacking, and all, so ..."

"Oh, you have to go?" said Joey, sourding surprised. He realizing that actually he *didn't* plans for the day, but maybe it'd be nice to spend a little time with his family. "I'm an idiot, of course you do. Are you sure you don't want to eat anything before you go, though?" He looked at JC's still-slightly-pale face and chuckled, but not meanly. "You know I have to ask that. Ma brought me up right."

JC smiled back. "Well ... actually? You think I could take some more of that lasagna home?" He felt a little embarrassed, asking, but it *was* good, and Joey didn't need to know that it would probably be his lunch for the rest of the week. He stood up and kicked at the chair a little. "If you're bored, y'know, you could come by and keep me company. If you want." He shrugged and blushed.

Joey grinned. "Hell yeah," he said, getting up and going over to the fridge. "I'll tell ma you liked it so much; she'll probably go right out and make you one." He hauled out the remains of the lasagna and wrapped it up in tin foil for him, dropping the pan in the sink. "Here you go," he said, handing the whole thing over. "I'm sure you'll appreciate this more when your appetite's back." He considered JC's offer to hang out for a while, and it was true that he *didn't* have anything better to do. "If you don't think I'll be in the way, I wouldn't mind coming by for a while."

"Okay," JC looked up, smiling again, excited to get to spend some more time just talking to Joey without feeling like he was hanging around, not doing anything, mooching on his generosity. "If you have a pen, I can write down my address, and then you can just come over whenever. Keep me from pulling my hair out 'cause I'm bored." He took the lasagna from him carefully. "I really need to thank your mom, too."

"Um ... can I just come with you?" asked Joey, just a bit awkwardly. "I don't have a car or anything, unless it'd be a pain." He did grab a pad of paper and a pen from beside the phone so JC could write down the address. "Never mind, I can borrow Steve's car when he gets back. No big deal. You're gonna want to, like, shower and everything, anyway."

JC held the pen and paper in his hand, and looked at Joey. "Well ... either way. I totally don't mind driving you over, if you don't mind just watching TV, or whatever, when I shower. It's up to you." He'd thought that Joey wouldn't want to be stuck there any longer than he had to be, but was realizing maybe that Joey *wanted* to come over, as much as JC wanted him to himself. He smiled bashfully, but met Joey's eyes.

Joey grinned. "Yeah, that'd be cool," he said. "I don't mind vegging in front of the TV for a while, if you don't mind me being over. It's all I'd be doing here, anyway, 'til someone else got home. Unless Jeremy called, but all he'd want to do is play basketball anyway, and I *suck* at basketball and he knows it, so ... yeah, it'll be fun," he finished finally. "Can I get the address anyway? I mean, for me, and for mom when she gets home so she doesn't worry and all."

"Sure," JC said, still smiling, handing the lasagna back to Joey so he had a free hand to write with. "It's really close, and uh ... there's my number, too, if she needs to call or whatever." He shifted on his feet a little. "Um ... so, you ready to go? Or do you need to grab something? If you wanted to take a swimsuit, there's a public pool pretty close, or ... whatever ..."

"Well, maybe next time?" said Joey, taking the address and the number and sticking them up on the fridge. "I mean ... you said something about unpacking, right? I could help with that; I'm pretty good with the heavy lifting and all."

JC laughed. "It's not like there's that much stuff," he reminded him. "Just clothes and CDs, mostly. And hooking up my stereo. I just thought we could swim later, but ... you're right. I guess we have plenty of time to do that." He grabbed the lasagna again, not wanting to risk forgetting it, and dug his hands in his pockets. "You still have my keys?"

"Oh, right, they're upstairs," said Joey, holding up a finger. "Stay right where you are." He raced up the stairs and grabbed the keys, then decided at the last second to grab his backpack -- dumping all the books out of it carelessly; he wouldn't be needing them anymore -- and stuffed a pair of swim trunks and a towel in it. Just in case. He stuffed his wallet and his house keys in his pocket then dashed back downstairs, handing JC his car keys. "There you go. All set."

JC grinned back at him as he grabbed the keys, letting their fingers touch and then twisting around playfully to head out the door. He was feeling tons better after the coffee, and the prospect of talking to Joey all afternoon. "Dude, how long have you been awake?" he asked as he led the way to his Jeep. "You're all showered and everything."

"Um ... a while," admitted Joey as he got in. "I figured you could use the sleep, though, so I didn't disturb you. I mean ... you were pretty wrecked last night and all, but you fell asleep with a smile on your face, so I figure it was all worth it. Was I right?"

"I already told you, it was worth it," JC grinned at him, starting the car. "It was great. I'm just sorry I slept away half the morning. I hope I wasn't in your way or anything." He rolled down the windows and turned on the radio. "Should I say 'thank you' some more?"

"No, I just stepped over you when I needed something," teased Joey, punching his arm. "I only tripped and kicked you the one time." He looked at the expression on JC's face and laughed. "Dude, you *know* you weren't in the way, so stop worrying about it, all right?"

"I just didn't want to annoy you," JC explained. "You know, one of those cases where it's all the chores of a girlfriend, and none of the perks, or whatever?" He blushed at the words. "Well, whatever. You know what I meant."

"I know what you mean," Joey assured him. "I'm having a good time. You're having a good time. So don't worry about it so much, all right?" He had to wonder just why JC felt like he was in the way all the time now, and who had made him begin to feel like that, since it wasn't something he remembered about him. Then again, he hadn't known him even *this* well, before he'd left.

"And you know I didn't ask you over to, like, help me or anything," JC went on, bopping his head a little to the music. "Right? I just ... you said you had the day off, and then you said you weren't busy, and soo ..."

"Yeah, but I will," said Joey easily. "I mean, if you need my help. I'd be a serious jerk if I didn't, you know? And it's not like I had any plans already anyway. I'm looking forward to *not* having to play any basketball today, actually. It's a convenient excuse, if Jere asks where I was." He gave JC a somewhat thankful grin. "So you see? It's fine. It's good."

"Who's Jeremy?" JC asked carefully, knowing he was just a friend, if for no reason other than Joey had admitted he'd never acted on his feelings for a guy, but ... that was the second time he brought him up. "Do I know him?"

"I doubt it," said Joey, shrugging. "He's a guy from school; we hung out a lot this past year. We just, you know, went to a few parties together on friday and I remember him threatening to 'get me off my ass and out on a court' when we recovered. I told him I'd do that the day I managed to get him into the gym with me, but he's a persistent fucker."

"Dude, you HAVE been working out?" JC asked, interested. "You've really bulked up since I left. Totally noticeable." He wanted to laugh at himself for the patently obvious pangs of jealousy he was feeling, refusing to give in to them.

"You noticed?" said Joey eagerly. "That's really cool. So ... yeah, I figured I wanted to get into better shape, but I couldn't get into the team sport thing -- you'd think I would, you know? It's not like I'm not coordinated, and it's not like I don't like people, or something -- so anyway, I went to the gym one day, and then I just kinda kept going ... and voila!"

JC chuckled. "Of course I noticed. You were skinny as me, when I left. You look great." JC didn't even feel remotely uncomfortable saying that, and even turned to give Joey a bright smile as he pulled into the parking lot of his apartment complex. "I'm impressed."

"Thanks," said Joey, looking down at himself, pleased by the compliment. "This where you're living, man?"

JC flinched a little, not sure how to take that. "Yeah. For a while at least; it's a monthly rent." He frowned a little, and turned off the car. "It's just a place to sleep. And it's clean. That's all that mattered to me."

"Cool," said Joey, getting out of the jeep and looking around. "It must be really great to have a place of your own. No one telling you what to do or anything."

JC blushed, again, feeling bad for thinking Joey meant anything more than that. "Yeah, I like it. But I mean ... it's not like I've lived with my parents in forever, so...." He walked up to his building and led Joey up the stairs. "You know it's going ot be a mess, right? It won't be this bad, next time you come over."

"Yeah, but this is different," said Joey, looking around. "This is yours. JUST yours." He paused on the stairs. "I said I'd help with unpacking but I said nothing about cleaning, right?" he joked. "Just to be clear on that?"

JC laughed and shoved him a little. "You're not doing either. You're just here to talk to me, and go swimming with me after." As he watched Joey walk up the stairs ahead of him, he realized that there definitely were some things nice about having a place to yourself.

"Well, I have to do *some*thing," protested Joey as he walked up. "What floor did you say you were on? If you say twelve I'm gonna have to kill you. Or at least spank you or something."

"Fourth!" JC chuckled. "And you said you've been working out." He brushed past Joey to open the door. "SERIOUSLY, man. I just want you to make yourself at home, and make fun of my CD collection, and ... whatever. Keep me company. I'm glad you're here."

"Just because I work out doesn't mean I like to run up 12 flights for fun," snorted Joey, leaning against the wall as JC unlocked the door. The apartment building was pretty plain, but it was clean enough. "I bet you have tons more CDs than me, too."

JC shrugged. "It's good practice. I mean, I put something in, someone with a totally different style than me, and try to imitate their voice. I guess that sounds kinda lame, but ... you know. Just trying to work on my own singing."

"Can I hear?" asked Joey, still leaning casually against the wall. "Are you gonna sing for me, JC? I haven't heard you in *ages*."

"I haven't heard you at ALL," JC countered. "So ... we'll see." He ushered Joey inside, grabbing his forearm and pulling open the blinds to light up the room. "See?" he said, nervously, blushing at the unmade futon. "Nothing special."

"You've heard me," said Joey, chuckling. "You just didn't LISTEN." Joey looked around the room; it wasn't really what he was expecting to see at all. He'd always kinda thought that JC was well off, after being an actor for years, but this didn't look like he was at all. It looked like the kind of place *he* would be in, if he had to make it on his own right then.

"Well, then I haven't heard YOU in ages," JC retorted, walking over to the kitchenette and putting the lasagna in the fridge carefully. "I have, uh ... water. And a coke. You want something to drink?" He was definitely self-conscious, having Joey there, but in a way just happy to have someone see what he was really doing. Which was struggling, a little.

"I'm good, for now," said Joey, still looking around. "Do you need to go shopping or something? Because I'm, like, really good at that." He grinned at him and started walking around. A lot of stuff WAS still only half-unpacked still. But there weren't that many boxes to begin with.

JC trailed along behind Joey a little nervously. "Shopping? Why?" He tried to see what Joey was seeing, what was missing. He had a futon and a small coffee table, and, sure, the TV was on a crate, but he had a chest for his clothes. And a lamp. "I didn't to get too much, not knowing how long I was staying here ... " He was starting to get *really* embarrassed about how sparse everything was.

"No, no, I meant grocery shopping," said Joey quickly. "You know, stock your fridge and everything. The place looks cool. So ... where should I start? What do you need unpacked the most?" He chuckled at the look on JC's face. "Don't give me that look. I *said* I was going to help and I meant it. You go shower and I'll ... do my best to mess your place up, probably. But, you know, in the good way."

JC relaxed and let a smile find its way to his face. As much as he wanted to make an impression on Joey, he realized he didn't need to *impress* him. "Okay," he said softly, walking over to an overflowing suitcase and grabbing some clean underwear and another pair of shorts. "Um ... why don't you just start with the books and CDs and stuff? You can just put them all on that little bookcase, and I can organize 'em later, if I need to. And, uh ... make yourself at home. The remote's right there."

"Cool," said Joey, immediately picking it up and turning the TV on. He opened the box nearest him and then looked up at JC, who was still standing there. "Go, go," he said, waving his hand at him. "I'm fine. Go get clean and stuff. Don't worry, I'll still be here when you come back out. Actually, I'll probably still be on this box." He gave him a grin and another shooing motion.

JC gave him a crooked smile and said "thanks" again, softly, before shutting the door to the bathroom and flipping on the fan. This room, at least, was unpacked, and he was able to peel off the clothes he'd been wearing for practically 24 hours, and get right into the shower. He didn't take as long as usual, though, not wanting to be rude. It felt really ... good, to have Joey here. Even as just a friend, not necessarily a potential ... something more.

Joey was amused by some of the CD's in JC's collection, but it was all music so he could appreciate it's importance to him. He would never make fun. Well, maybe he'd make a *little* fun, but only in a good-natured way. It was actually an interesting way to learn more about him, to see what books and CDs he had, as well as all the other things he owned. The things he considered important.

As soon as JC had pulled on his shorts, he opened the door of the bathroom to let the steam billow out so he could see in the mirror to shave. "Hey," he smiled, seeing Joey studying the liner notes of a favorite CD. "Man, I feel better. Are you finished yet?" he teased. He picked his towel back up to rub away a trickle of water that dripped down his bare back, then tossed it back over the shower curtain.

Joey looked up to see JC standing in the doorway of the bathroom and actually ran his eyes up and down his body quickly before registering his question. "Done?" he scoffed, and pointed down between his feet. "Still on the same box, just like I said. I can hurry up if you want me to, I was just ... " He gestured at the pile of CD's next to him, that he hadn't carried over to the shelves yet. "You've got some interesting stuff here."

"I told you, practice," JC reminded him, leaning over the sink and smearing shaving cream over his chin. "And I was just playin' with you, about being done. You know I didn't want you to feel like you had to work, if you came over. Take your time." He started running the razor over his jaw, pursing his lips in concentration. "See something you want to put in?"

"Can we listen to this?" asked Joey, holding up the CD in his hand, not realizing JC couldn't really see him anymore as he turned back to the box in front of him. "I don't think I've heard it before. Or if I have, I didn't know it -- Jeremy is always putting weird shit on and never telling me what it is. I think he gets a kick out of it when he knows something about music that I don't ... I swear he goes out of his way to find that stuff."

JC tried to use the mirror to see what Joey was holding up, winced a little when the blade of razor caught on his skin when he flinched at the mention -- again -- of Jeremy. "Fuck," he muttered, rinsing it off and trying to see the cut. "Bring it here," he said a little louder, his voice kind of tight. "I'll tell you if I think this Jeremy kid's heard it. It might be something local from LA." One thing JC knew: he didn't have the self-confidence to fight with anyone, over anybody, right then.

"Sure," said Joey, getting up off the futon and stretching his back before walking over to the bathroom door and holding it up. "This one," he said. "Is it any good?" He caught JC's eyes in the mirror and smiled, then noticed he'd cut himself. "Shit, that looks like it stings," he added.

"Yeah, it kinda does," JC muttered, finishing shaving before rinsing his face so he could hold a towel against the bleeding. "What, am I fifteen or something?" He rolled his eyes at himself before finally looking at the case Joey had in his hand. "Oh, yeah. Uncle Tupelo. I got that in Nashville. I don't know if you'll like it, but you can put it in. I think it's great." He paused, noticed Joey watching him, and ran a hand through his wet hair. "What?"

Joey grinned. "Just looking," he said, watching JC finish shaving. "I'll, uh, go put this in." He gave JC one last lingering look, then went back in the other room and slipped the CD into the player. "Nope," he said after a moment. "Never heard this before." He smiled a little, just to himself this time, then went back to the futon to attack the box of CD's again.

"So, yeah," JC said awkwardly, after he ran the towel through his hair again and shut off the light in the bathroom, walking over to grab a polo shirt from his bag and shaking the wrinkles out. "This is going to sound totally ... obsessive, or something, but ... " He knew if he didn't ask Joey about it, he'd never find out, and he didn't want to get his hopes up if Joey was considering trying stuff with someone else, too. "You kinda ... talk about Jeremy a lot. Are you ... interested in him, too? It's cool if you are," he said quickly, "but ... I dunno. Just curious."

Joey laughed, both surprised and amused. "Jeremy?" he said incredulously. "Hell no. He's just, you know, a friend. Has the sweetest, most tolerant girlfriend in the world, actually." He snorted, finding something about that funny. "Well, he'd pretty much have to. He's ... an interesting guy, that's for sure." He looked up then, still smiling in amusement but also a bit affectionately. "You have nothing to worry about from him."

JC smiled warily, and tugged his shirt on, not quite sure why that was *so* funny. "Okay. I'm a freak, I get it." He was very relieved to hear it, though, and went over to sit next to Joey on the futon. "So silly, getting ... whatever. Jealous, or something, and you and I, we're not even together, so it's really fucking silly." He blushed and picked up some CDs himself. "I'm such a dork."

Joey laughed. "No, you're not the freak," he assured him. "Jeremy is. You're gonna have to meet him some time, so you'll know what I'm talking about." He threw an arm over JC's shoulders casually and gave him half a hug before withdrawing it and going back to the CD's. "It's not silly. If you'd been talking all about someone, I'd probably be wondering too, you know? Especially, you know, *knowing* you've been with guys before."

JC smiled for real, and started digging happily through the box. That was right, he realized: he'd remembered Joey getting a little strange when he'd mentioned Justin at the club the night before -- as WRONG as that idea was -- even before they'd talked about getting together. That almost made him more confident than any of Joey's spoken reassurances. "I'd love to meet him," was all he said, though, but let his knee brush against Joey's.

"We'll go to a movie or something first," said Joey, pulling another CD out and studing the back. "I'll break you in gently before I let you go clubbing with him." He chuckled again. "I wouldn't want to scare you away so soon after getting together with you again. Is this one any good?" He held up the CD for JC to see.

JC looked at it, then took it from Joey's hands gently, making him meet his eyes. "Yeah, it's good," he said softly. "And ... I can pretty much assure you it'll take more than a freaky friend to scare me away. Okay?" Joey looked good, and smelled good, and was so damn *sweet*, that JC was just aching to make a move on him. But those urges were still overwhelmed by wanting things to go at Joey's pace, so he handed the CD back with a wink.

"Good to know," said Joey, his eyes still caught by JC's, smiling back at him. "So where did you get this? Is it another Nashville thing, or an LA thing, or just something that I'm naturally clueless about?" He gave JC his own wink this time before looking away and back at the CD case. He wouldn't have thought that JC had such eclectic taste, really, knowing what he had about him before he'd gone away.

"Well, not *clueless*," JC protested. "That's Nina Simone. Keri actually gave that to me. Good make-out music, actually," he said, then blushed again furiously. "Not that I'm, like, suggesting that. At all. Um." He stood up quickly to carry a stack of the discs over to the bookcase.

Joey actually flushed a little, knowing that if they were gonna do something together, sooner or later he was doing to have to, well, DO something. He'd been thinking that JC would make the first move, but maybe this was going to be as close as he was going to come. "I hope you're not suggesting you made out with Keri," he said after a moment, because he felt like he needed to say *some*thing. "Because then I'd have to laugh."

JC laughed too. "God. No. I like my face the way it is, thanks, without Tony rearranging it for me. She gave it to me after I ... whatever. Came out to them, when we were in California." He shoved the CDs onto the shelf, wiping some non-existent dust out of the way first, then turned around and leaned against it. "I'm sure you've got your own repertoire."

"Yeah, I guess," said Joey, shrugging, thinking about who JC *had* made out to the CD with. "I mean, doesn't everyone?" He grabbed another handful of CDs and only really glanced at these ones, then got up himself and walked over to the shelf with them. "Here," he said, standing very close to JC and letting their fingers brush together as he handed over the small stack of CDs. And then fell silent.

"Joey..." JC started, blinking at Joey, a little surprised at how near he was standing and if he could read that the way he wanted to so badly. He stretched behind himself to put those CDs away too, but didn't take his eyes off his friend. "We can take ... we don't have to do anything, yet," he told him. "I really didn't mean to ... hint, or ... " He trailed off. If Joey didn't move away, he'd do it; he'd kiss him. He just needed to give him an out, first.

"I know," said Joey, nodding his head. "I know that. And thank you." But he didn't go anywhere. It was interesting, being just that little bit taller than JC now, which he hadn't been before. And that little bit bulkier, from working out. But JC was a little bit harder himself. A little less happy-go-lucky than he'd once been; maybe a lot less. They'd both definitely changed over the past year, and not just in physical ways. And Joey was finding he was a bit excited at the prospect of learning all those things about each other now.

"You're welcome," JC said quietly, then smiled softly, encouragingly. "That said, can I ... ?" He touched Joey's chest briefly, then reached one hand around to rest gently on the back of Joey's neck, rubbing just a little. Using his other hand to push himself away from the shelf, he brought their bodies and their faces closer together. "You can say no," he murmured, his eyes closing halfway as he left barely any room between their lips. He hadn't touched anyone like this in ... weeks ... and it was making his heart pound.

"I'm not saying no," said Joey, leaning forward that last little bit so that their lips met. He hadn't been sure this would happen, when he got up to meet him at the shelf, but he'd definitely known it was a possibility, been ready for it. JC's lips were warm and soft and moist from the shower, and it was almost a surprise how very easy he was to kiss.

JC swallowed back any moans he wanted to make, not wanting to scare Joey away, but it was hard -- his mouth was so inviting, and welcoming, and felt so good. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed it. "Joey," he whispered, still pressing their lips together, keeping everything as chaste as he could manage.

Joey pulled away just slightly, curling his lips into a smile that was reflected in his eyes. "Yeah?" he murmured, still staying very close to him. His body had definitely appreciated that kiss. He'd always kinda thought, in the back of his mind, that he might be into guys as much as he was into girls if he gave it a chance, but this was the first time he really knew for sure that he was pretty much right about that. The kiss wasn't any more awkward than any other first kiss; it was actually kinda nice. Really nice.

JC raised his eyebrows and smiled back slowly, practically giddy at how relaxed Joey seemed to be after kissing a guy for the first time, how unfazed. He squeezed the nape of his neck a little, and leaned in to just brush their lips together one more time. "Just ... " he said, knowing he'd said Joey's name for no good reason, shrugging his shoulders apologetically. "Nothing. Nice." He blushed at his incoherence but wasn't about to let go.

"Yeah, nice," agreed Joey, brushing his own lips against JC's one last time for good measure before moving away for real so he could look him in the eye. "That was pretty easy," he blurted out, then grinned. "Not that I"m saying you're easy or anything, just *that* was easy. Kissing you. Was easy."

"Good," JC grinned back. "Easy's good; means you're probably more likely to want to do it again, right?" He let his hands fall to his side, reluctantly, and hunched his shoulders. "I did my best to resist sticking my tongue down your throat. This time," he teased. He watched Joey carefully, just to make sure he really *was* comfortable with what happened.

Joey chuckled softly. "Well, it's always good to have something to look forward to," he said, and didn't move in for another kiss just yet. "You know, for next time. You ... um ... want to go through the rest of the CDs?" He wasn't sure quite what to do now, except go back to what they *had* been doing, and let things happen as they happened. But the kissing was definitely something he wanted to be doing again.

"Okay, sure," JC said easily, knowing that as much as he wanted to kiss Joey again, more, a *real* kiss that was more about showing how he felt for him than trying to make him comfortable with the concept ... he had to let Joey register everything. And like he said, save something for next time. "Could I ... will it be okay, now, to kiss you? not *now,* but ... just when I get the urge?"

"Well yeah, sure, why not?" said Joey, still smiling, not able to *stop* smiling, really. "I mean, not in front of my friends or anything yet -- I kinda have to break the news to them and all and there are probably better ways -- but ... yeah. Kissing's good." He gave JC another wink as he went back over to the futon and sat down by the box of CDs. The *first* box of CDs, he realized -- the bulk of JC's possessions seemed to be music-related.

"Okay," JC repeated, watching him a second before re-joining him on the futon. "If you ... want to talk, or whatever. Um. About how you're feeling? I'm a pretty good listener." Joey seemed happy, and everything, but just in case this all started hitting him at some point or another. He started on another box, this one of books, and just enjoyed the music they were listening to and the comfortable feeling between them.

"I'm fine," said Joey a few minutes laterr, when he'd finished with the box he was working on and had set it aside to be taken down to storage or to the trash. "I know you're probably wondering, but I'm fine. With this." He kinda shrugged and smiled. "Feels pretty normal, so far."

"I wasn't implying it had to be a big deal, or traumatic, or whatever," JC smiled. "Believe me, it's nice that it isn't." He shoved another box closer to Joey, with a huge grin. "Makes it ... easy. Like you said."

"Cool," said Joey, flashing him a grin before digging into the box. "I just didn't want you to think I was going through some silent trauma here. If there was, you know, a problem ... I'd talk about it. But there isn't. So ... I'm not." He laughed, mostly at himself, and pulled out a handful of CDs to see what treasures lay in *this* box.

***

JC reached up behind his head to tug his tee shirt off, stretching in the sun and glad that he had been in California, and wasn't totally pale. Flopping down on one of the deck chairs, he closed his eyes and realized how tired he was. A night of sleep when you go to bed drunk just wasn't restful. He squinted at Joey. "I just need to get hot, first, then I'll get in."

"Suit yourself," said Joey, stripping off his shirt then cannonbaling into the water right away, splashing everywhere. He popped back up out of the water and slicked his hair back, grinning at JC. "You hot yet? Huh? Huh?" he teased, resting both arms up on the edge of the pool.

Laughing, JC twisted around on the chair so his head was facing Joey. "You're *so* lucky you didn't get me," he challenged. "Isn't the water cold?" Part of hime wished the sun wasn't so bright in his eyes, but the rest of him was relieved that he couldn't see Joey better. He'd already found himself staring at random times over the course of the afternoon.

"Not once you get in," said Joey reasonably. "The water's fine, you're just a wussy-boy." He splashed water in JC's direction but deliberately didn't hit him. As JC closed his eyes again against the sun, Joey took the opportunity to check him out for the first time. JC was as skinny as ever, but it was just natural for him and it wasn't like he wasn't in shape, either. He looked pretty good, from where Joey was standing, and he had a damn good view.

"YOU'RE a wussy-boy," JC mumbled in return, resting his cheek in his folded arms, stretching out like a cat in the sun. He *would* get in, in a minute, he just had to stop imagining kissing Joey when he did, first. Those lips; he couldn't help it.

"I'M the one who's not afraid of a little cold water," teased Joey, but he didn't splash him this time. Instead, he pushed himself away from the wall and floated on his back, squinting and letting the sun hit his chest.

JC pushed himself up off the chair at that, and slipped into the water gracefully before wading over to where Joey was floating. "Or its effects, apparently," he teased, making sure Joey saw him eying his crotch. Then he stepped back a little, and sunk down futher into the water, up to his neck. Even PLAYING, he couldn't look at him; Joey really HAD been working out, his chest was broad, with a light dusting of hair, and nipples taut from the cold water. He looked so different from the other boys JC had ever been physical with.

"You can't shame me," said Joey, turning his head to the side so he could give JC a cocky grin. "You should know that by now." JC looked like his teeth were on the verge of chattering, but Joey was impressed at how little taunting it had taken to get him into the water in the end.

"Ooh, big words," JC replied, wrapping his arms around himself and bouncing up and down in the water to try and warm up. "Dude. Okay. One thing I WILL miss about LA? How the pools don't take until July to heat up."

"You *are* a wuss," laughed Joey, sinking down into the water again until he hit the bottom with his feet. "The water's beautiful and you know it. You probably just spent too much time lounging around in hot tubs with big stars." He winked at him, and hoped that JC realized that he was just teasing, now. That he didn't mean anything by it.

"Whatever," JC said, but he smiled, since Joey knew the truth. Or most of it, anyway, and was probably close to guessing at the rest. He reached out his foot and pushed Joey away from him with it, grinning playfully. He WAS still cold, but he didn't want to leave Joey right then, either.

"And here I thought you wanted me *closer*," said Joey, still grinning, but there were people around so he didn't do anything about it. "I'm all hurt and stuff now." He sent a light spray of water in JC's direction and backed away a little more himself.

JC pouted sympathetically. "I'm only taking pity on you if you promise not to splash anymore," he told him, following Joey until he was close enough to whisper to him. "I DO want you closer," he smiled, then dove backwards away from his friend, under the water.

Joey chuckled and dove after him, grabbing at JC's legs to try and pull him back. Or maybe it was an excuse to get his hands on him for a while, but he didn't examine that one too closely. Like he'd said, they just needed to let things happen and not worry about anything else along the way. He managed to snag JC's heel after a short chase.

JC lost his balance, partly from the awkward way his other leg landed, but probably more from feeling Joey's warm hand, even underwater, wrap around his foot so intimately. He inhaled a mouthful of water before he popped back up on the surface sputtering. "Shit," he coughed, blinking water out of his eyes, too.

"Oh, shit," said Joey apologetically, going over and pounding his back to help get the water out. "Sorry, man, didn't mean to do *that*." He left his hand on JC's back, though, as the other man caught his breath again.

Laughing even as he caught his breath, JC moved into the warmth of Joey's hand unconsciously. "It's okay," he told him hoarsely, grinning. "I'm not a girl, just stepped funny. I'm fine. Kick your ass at Marco Polo, even."

"Careful," said Joey seriously, patting his back gently still. "You don't wanna hurt your lungs or throat or anything. You wanna get out?" He didn't seem to notice JC's amusement as his honest concern. "We can get out if you want. That's cool. I won't call you a wuss or anything."

"Joey!" JC said a little more insistently, daring to touch a hand to his stomach to get his attention, even as he was a little overwhelmed by his protectiveness. "I'm FINE. I just swallowed some water; you've done it a million times. I'm not going to ... I don't even know!" He laughed and touched Joey's forearm then, too. "I don't even know what you thought would happen to me."

"You were coughing pretty hard," said Joey sheepishly. "Sorry, I was just worried. You can actually hurt yourself, you know? And you're gonna have to start going out on auditions and stuff soon, and ... " He sighed and grinned. "I get overprotective, okay?"

"Of your friends?" JC clarified, nodding. "I get it. Thanks for looking out for me; you're right." He backed away a little, conscious of them being too close in such a public place.

Joey wondered why JC was suddenly being so weird, backing away and just dismissing his concern. He frowned, then tried to hide it; he was probably just misreading things. He didn't know JC well enough yet to know what his actions and expressions meant. "You okay then?" he asked after a moment, trying to sound casual -- less concerned -- about it.

JC nodded again, then cocked his head at Joey's frown. "That IS what you meant, right?" he asked softly. "Being concerned for your friends? I remember that about you." He wasn't sure why what he had said made Joey close up -- which seemed like a very un-Joey thing to do.

"Yeah, I am," said Joey, not reaching out for him. "All my friends. And all my ... potential something elses." He gave him another tentative grin. "I'll do my best not to drown you again," he promised.

"Oh," JC breathed, feeling like a moron for not getting that sooner, and touched by the awkward way Joey tried to explain it. He stepped forward into the circle of Joey's arm and met his eyes, giving him what he hoped came across as a promising look. "I can't say I'll do my best not to let myself drown, though." That was much more forward than anything he'd said, before, with deeper implications. But it didn't feel awkward to say.

Joey's eyes caught JC's for a long moment after that and he remained still. "Yeah," he said finally and pulled his eyes away, shaking off that moment of intensity before he wasn't able to anymore. It had caught him a lot more firmly and a lot more deeply than he'd expected it to. "Wow, yeah, okay. Um ... do you wanna swim some more?"

"Sure," JC said lightly, once the moment had been comfortably broken, and flicked water gently at Joey's chest. He'd needed to say that, he figured; something so Joey knew that even just kissing, like they had, wasn't really ALL that casual for him. And that he wasn't treating this like an experiment for Joey.

"Cool," said Joey, flicking water back at him and watching it spray JC's chest and arms. Watched JC's body as it submerged up to his neck again. Wondered where all this was going, and just how quickly it was going to get there.

***

JC sipped at his water, watching Lynn retreat from the room before turning back to the other men -- sort of -- in the room. One five years older, although you couldn't tell, and one five years younger. Although you couldn't tell that, either. "So? Be honest."

"Dude," said Justin, laughing happily at him and not waiting for Chris to say anything at all. "You couldn't tell by that crazy smile on my face? You *have* to do this with us. I knew it! I knew it from the moment that mom said she'd talked to you."

JC smiled patiently at him, but looked over his head at Chris. "I think it sounded good," he admitted, even though he'd wanted to hear Chris's opinion first. But somehow figured that wasn't going to happen. "You've already talked to some people, about managing, or whatever?"

"I know a guy who knows a guy," said Chris, nodding and crossing his arms over his chest as he clearly was studying JC. "Who's looking for some fresh blood and all."

"Okay," JC shrugged, clasping and unclasping his hands. "Here? We don't have to relocate to LA or anything, right?" There were a lot of reasons behind the tension in his voice at that question, but none of them were the other guys' business at that point.

"My mom would *never* move me to LA," said Justin, rolling his eyes and scowling childishly. "She's all settled in here, and like she says, she *already* moved for me once."

Chris looked at Justin and smiled indulgently. "It'll be here," Chris assured JC a moment later.. "This guy's local. You're from Orlando?"

"No ... kinda," JC stuttered. "Just not ready to move again so soon, I guess." He bit his lip, and bit the bullet. "Chris? What did *you* think? I'm not ... Lynn wasn't all that clear on the kind of sound, or whatever, you were looking for, so ..."

"You were good," said Chris, hesitating only for a moment as he studied JC again. "Justin, you wanna see if you mom can get us some drinks?" he said to Justin, his eyes still on JC.

"Sure," said Justin eagerly, still smiling at them, excited by the prospect of JC joining them.

JC smiled back at Justin, and watched him leave before returning his attention to Chris. "This wasn't your idea, huh," he said solemnly, seriously. "*I* wasn't your idea. Right?" He really WANTED this -- he realized, after singing again; it seemed just perfect for him -- but he was never the type to dive into ANYTHING without knowing that he was wanted there.

Chris nodded, looking a lot more solemn than he had even when they'd met. "Justin would have had you singing with us without me ever having heard you," he said honestly, pulling no punches. "I'm the one who insisted on the audition." He studied JC for another long moment, then smiled. "You interested?" he said a moment later. "You're good. Really good."

JC exhaled in relief. "Yeah. SHIT yeah, man, I'm interested. I think we could really do something with this. Justin ... man, he's only going to get better, and you've got a great voice, really unique." He took a breath and let Chris see his excitement for the first time. "We just gotta figure out what we want to DO with this."

Chris looked a bit amused at his eagerness. "That's just it about Justin, you know? He's a great kid, but he *is* a kid. He's still growing and changing. You're not." He seemed to consider his next words a little more carefully. "We need you, and I think you know it."

JC shrugged that off, but definitely filed the comment away for future use. "And I already told you I'm in. So." He looked at Chris a little more appraisingly, realizing that Chris's willingness to say something like that reinforced something else: this was his group. And JC would probably do well not to forget it. "What next?"

Chris loosened up a little after that. "Now we're one step closer to being a group," he said, spontaneously singing something under his breath as he looked around for somewhere to sit down. "I'm seriously about this thing," he added. "We're gonna make this work. We're gonna be big, JC."

"Yeah," JC said slowly, thinking that felt more likely than not, for some reason. "Okay. So ... how many more are we looking for, here? Did Lynn call anyone else? Or you? What are YOU doing, right now?"

"At least one," said Chris as he flopped down on the couch. "Someone to fill out the bottom, unless we want to be pretentious and bill ourselves as The Three Tenors. I don't think Lynn's done any more calling, I don't know. Justin says they kinda just lucked into you."

JC nodded along with Chris, only pausing at his last comment. "What? Did they ... did he say what that was supposed to mean? I mean, I sang with him som in Nashville, if they just meant that they knew our voices go well, or whatever ..."

"Yeah, I meant he says you guys kinda lost touch until you called him up," he said, putting his feet up on the coffee table, shoving the TV guide out of the way. "He mentioned your name before, but he didn't know where to get ahold of you or anything then."

"Oh," JC replied, a little relieved that it wasn't because he'd been a huge bust in California. "Okay. So. Another guy, then? And you don't have any more leads? Any guys you've seen ... wherever you met Justin, or whatever?"

"We were auditioning for some things," said Chris vaguely, waving his hand in the air. "There were a few guys, but no one who really, you know, meshed. So we've been looking and just, you know, playing around with some songs and stuff."

"Okay, cool," JC replied agreeably. "Can I help with anything? Keep my eyes out, or whatever? And are we, like, meeting regularly, or whatever? Cause ... I gotta get a job, I think, and I don't mind trying to get one that works with your schedules."

"Lynn's letting us use her place for now, to get together and everything," said Chris, looking a bit impressed, like JC was asking some of the right questions. "It's been pretty informal, but now that there are three of us we need to get more serious. I work days mostly, so it'll have to be in the evenings."

"Okay," JC repeated, running though all of his alternatives in his head, worrying a little that that cut out most jobs waiting tables, but willing to do what it was going to take to be a part of this. Suddenly, he looked down at his watch. "Shit!" he exclaimed, looking at Chris guiltily. "I ... I'm supposed to be somewhere. Can you just call me when you need me to come down again? And I'll totally try to think of someone else, okay?"

"Gimme your number," said Chris, patting himself down for a pen and paper that he clearly didn't have. "I'll call you soon, whenever we work out a schedule."

JC grabbed a pen off the table and hastily scribbled his number on the cover of the TV guide. "Lynn should have it too," he reminded him, looking around to make sure he didn't forget anything, worried about making it over to Universal in time to catch Joey's show like he'd promised. "So, yeah. Talk to you soon? Sorry to run, my ... friend ... is in a show, and I don't want to miss it."

"We're done here," Chris assured him. "I need to talk to Justin about some stuff anyway. I'll call. Tomorrow, probably. You'll be around?"

Justin came back in the room with a couple glasses of lemonade. "This is all we had," he said apologetically. "Mom says she needs to go shopping."

JC laughed and clapped Justin on the shoulder as he walked by. "Tell her thanks anyway for me, okay, man? I gotta run." He turned back to Chris as he walked backward out the door. "Yeah, I'll be around tomorrow. Talk to you then. And, uh ... thanks."

"You're going?" said Justin, looking hurt. "But I just ... " He looked at the lemonade helplessly. "Are you sure you can't stay?"

Chris nodded at him. "I'll call," he said again. "Go see your ... friend," he added, imitating the way JC had said it, then laughing.

JC smiled a little awkwardly at that, then more reassuringly at Justin. "I have to be somewhere right now, but I'll see you soon. I'm definitely in, okay? Your buddy there has a good pitch." He exchanged another look with Chris, recognizing that some things weren't necessary for Justin to know.

"Okay, cool," said Justin, clearly reassured by that. "That's great, that's SO great."

Chris gave him a smile and a nod and a wave. "See ya," he said, still looking amused. JC waved in reply, then stepped quickly out into the hall. He still hadn't really processed everything that had just happened, but even still ... getting to Joey was all he could think about.

***

"So yeah," said Joey, scrubbing his hair with a towel as JC leaned against a wall and watched. "Now you know what *I* do for a living." He almost looked as though he expected JC to laugh or something, and grinned sheepishly at him. "Well, it's a living," he said. "And it's on stage and all. So ... um ... ?" He dropped the towel to his side and looked at JC, waiting for a reaction.

JC was still a little speechless, not sure how to express his pleased surprise without it seeming like an insult. He eventually just smiled fondly, and broadly. "You were great," he said simply. "I really ... I didn't know, Joe, and I think you were just ... great!" His eyes sparkled, and his cheeks were flushed with excitement and pride for his friend.

"You thought I was great?" said Joey, clearly surprised. "Really? It's just ... " He gestured towards the stage vaguely. "It's nothing like what *you* did, though, you know." It was definitely a far cry from JC's role on television, that was for damn sure.

"What I did was taped," JC protested. "And in front of, like, a hand-picked crowd, with cue-cards. And inside a studio. And just ... you're right. It *isn't* like what I did. It's so much harder, and you were great." He approached him unself-consciously. "Seriously."

"Thanks," said Joey, looking appreciative but not quite ready to show HOW grateful he was for the compliment. "So, what, you didn't think I had it in me, man?" he said instead, punching his arm. "Shows how much YOU know."

JC groaned; even though he knew Joey was playing, that was exactly what he didn't want him to think. "No, that's not it. I just ... had no way of knowing HOW good you'd be. I didn't remember, or I never knew, or something. You've got an amazing voice, man. Fucking amazing. Your RANGE, is just ... " JC shook his head, knowing he'd gush as long as Joey let him.

Joey looked at him in surprise. JC was the LAST person he'd expect to be complimenting on his voice; he'd figured he'd just say that Joey was doing a 'good job' and leave it at that, like his other friends who'd seen him perform had said. "Thanks," he said again, utterly unable to hide his pleasure this time. "Seriously, thanks, man."

JC saw the surprise on Joey's face, and worried about it a little, before grinning encouragingly. "Seriously, you're welcome. And I hope you know I'm not just saying that, or whatever. AND I hope you know that I kinda know a little of which I speak, so ... y'know. Take that for what it's worth." He desperately wanted Joey to believe how good he thought he was, to not think he was just saying anything because of their budding relationship. He knew how important encouragement was, if nothing else.

"If by that you're implying that you're good?" teased Joey. "I know that. Thank you, JC. I do get that that's a compliment." He ran the towel over his damp hair again. "That was my last show -- you wanna get out of here and do something, where you can flatter me some more?"

JC blushed furiously. "That's NOT what I meant," he protested, letting Joey lead the way out. "Just that ... I've been around performers who think they can sing, and ... that's all I meant. Not that I'm some sort of measuring stick, jeez." He realized he was walking slower and jogged a little to catch up, placing his hands on Joey's shoulders and bouncing a little behind him. "It's not flattery, either. That's honest critique, right there."

Joey looked back over his shoulder and grinned at him. "I believe you," he said. "It was just a surprise is all. You never said anything about it before, and I know you've heard me sing and all. I've been singing for years."

"But not like *that*," JC said again. "Not performing; just goofing off. I think you can totally do this, if you want." He wrapped one arm a little tighter around Joey's neck, pressing closer to his back. "I'm just impressed, okay? Is that allowed?"

"I like that I impressed you," said Joey, leaning back against him a little. "I wasn't trying to, but I like it anyway. I was just trying to, you know, put on the same show I always do. The one that keeps the tourists coming. I think, actually, I can do better than that, with good music and stuff." He started walking again, with JC still attached to him. "So, um, where do you want to go, now?"

"Out," JC grinned. "Let me take you out. Please? To celebrate?" He hugged him one more time and then slipped around to walk beside him, his mind racing a mile a minute. Joey *had* been good -- great, even. And his range *was* incredible. And hadn't Chris said they needed someone to round out the sound for the new group?

"Out *where*?" laughed Joey, turning his head to see JC again now that he was beside him. "And what are we celebrating anyway." JC had always been kinda cute, in that geeky way, but right now with his skin flushed with excitement and his eyes wide and bright, Joey realized he looked good. Really good. He swallowed and looked away again.

"Anywhere," JC said easily. "Want to go dancing? And we're celebrating ... I don't know." He wanted to make it about how well Joey did, but he got the feeling that Joey was more than a little uncomfortable about the big deal JC was making. And he kinda wanted it to be about what happened with *him* today -- he knew Joey would be excited -- but with this plan forming in his head, he stopped himself before bringing it up. "Just stuff. Don't fight it." He grinned and wrapped a casual arm around his waist.

"Definitely not fighting it," argued Joey with a chuckle, definitely happy about JC's arm being around his waist now. It was casual enough to look friendly, and intimate enough to feel like something else. "Never been one to fight being taken out. We can celebrate ... the new shipment of beer at Hugo's." He grinned at him. "That's always a cause for celebration."

"Sounds like as good a reason as any," JC grinned. "Add to that the fact that you were able to sneak me in the employee's entrance so I didn't have to buy a ticket, and we got some great things to toast to." He pulled away from Joey as they made their way out of the park, letting his hand brush along the top of Joey's as when he did, and smiling flirtatiously when Joey looked at him. "A great day all around."

"And getting better," Joey flirted back with a wink and a grin. He almost reached out for JC's hand, forgetting the kinds of problems that would cause. He'd never really had to deal with this sort of thing before, never had to censor his actions, and the realization is a big surprise. Not that they wouldn't be able to be affectionate in public -- he'd KNOWN that, he'd thought about that -- but that he'd have to consciously restrict himself from doing the things he normally would. He hadn't realized it would be an effort.

JC felt his heart beat a little faster at Joey's happy smile, thinking about what he'd look like and how he'd feel if JC could get him in the group. If he'd even *want* that, let alone want to be around him that much. To JC, it sounded like perfection; almost too good to be true. He unlocked the doors to his jeep and they both climbed in, after which JC gave a cursory glance around the parking lot before leaning over and kissing Joey from across the gearshift.

Joey is startled by the kiss, but he smiles and doesn't let himself get overly concerned about it. The spontanaeity of it makes his heart spark a little, and the smile lingers as he sits back in his seat. "We should get something to eat first," he admitted a few moments later, as JC started the jeep. "I'm *starving*. I *am* a growing boy, after all."

JC frowned a little, trying to think about just how much cash he actually had in his wallet. "Um ... okay. What did you have in mind? I'm ... not all that hungry, so you can choose." He shifted out of reverse and draped his hand on Joey's thigh, wanting to just keep touching him, not caring that he had to move it every other second to switch gears until they got out on the main road.

"Oh hell, McDonald's is fine with me," said Joey easily. "Or whatever." He glanced at JC. "I don't even know what you *like*, man, and I'm such a crappy ... something ... that I haven't even asked yet. Did you pick up any strange tastes in L.A.? Are we gonna end up at a sushi bar or something?"

JC looked at him surprised, then laughed and leaned over to kiss him quickly again when they were stopped at a light. "Only if you're a big enough man to want to expand your horizons," he teased, relieved about McDonald's and happy and NOT thinking about how Joey wasn't sure what to call them. "Some other time, maybe? McDonald's sounds good right now." Actually, pulling over to a curb and making out sounded good, but they hadn't really talked seriously since they started this whole thing, and JC was still not sure how serious things were.

Joey breathed a sigh of relief, even though his eyes darted around to see if anyone had spotted them kissing. "I'm an adventurous guy," he said with a chuckle once he'd settled back in his seat again, "but when it comes to food I like a little something that can fill my belly." He grinned. "It's an Italian thing. Blame my mother."

JC laughed. "Okay, I will. But not if it means she won't make me lasagna any more." He put his hand on Joey's leg again, catching that he looked a little uncomfortable. "Uh ... drive-thru, or do you want to go in? And ... is this okay? Me touching you, and stuff? I thought you said that kissing was alright, just not in front of your friends ... "

Joey looked down at JC's hand. "No, this is good, this is great. I was just, you know, looking around to see if anyone I knew was around. Because if there was, I'd have a lot of 'splaining to do." He paused and swallowed. "Um, not that I don't already, but I'll get around to that soon enough." He considered JC's other question for a moment. "Going in means we can't touch," he reasoned. "Drive-thru means you can at least leave your hand on my leg. So ... yeah, that."

"I might need my hand to eat," JC reminded him, but smiled and felt all warm that Joey wasn't regretting the way JC was being affectionate. And completely understanding about taking his time to figure out how to tell people. It really didn't bother JC to sort of have to stay in the closet ... he kinda did anyway. "But ... it kinda is great. You're really ... if I haven't said it, I'm totally attracted to you. It's hard *not* to touch you."

"I ... noticed," said Joey with a grin that was a bit shyer than his usual one. "It's cool. I like it. Taking a bit of time to get used to it is all. Not the affection or anything -- like I said, I'm Italian -- but the ... knowing there's something else behind it. I'm your ... you know, whatever." He grinned again, and at the next light *he* was the one to lean over and kiss JC quickly.

After that, JC really *couldn't* stop smiling. "Okay, then. As long as you promise that the second it gets too ... whatever, you'll say something." He didn't think that Joey was suffering from hero worship, or anything, but he did know that he looked up to him a little, and really didn't want him doing anything for any reason than he wanted to. "And you don't have to keep stumbling over what to call us. We haven't ... I mean, I'm not blowing you off, I just don't want you to freak out over a label. I'm just here for you. And I'm okay with that, until you decide you want it to be something else."

Joey laughed. "I'm still gonna stumble over what to call us," he said. "That didn't help at all, JC. But thanks for, you know, going at the new guy's pace and all. I'm not all uptight about being your ... something ... though. Seriously." As if to prove that, he reached over and squeezed JC's knee as they pulled into the line.

"Good," JC smiled. "I don't want anything to make this anything less than something that's good for you. For both of us." Again, he was reminded of Chris and Justin, and made a mental note to call Chris the second he woke up in the morning. "At the very least we each get a great new friend out of it." He placed their orders, and shifted on to one hip to grab his wallet. "So for the time being, just call me that."

"Friend?" repeated Joey, pulling out his own wallet. "I can, if you want me to. I mean, if that's what we actually are. How much do I owe?"

JC bit his lip, not wanting to take his money, but kind of needing to, and wondering which would draw less attention to the fact. "Um ... three bucks," he said, then looked at Joey for a long moment. "I'm just trying to make this comfortable for you," he reminded him. "We ARE friends. But ... I didn't think you were ready for boyfriend, and," he blushed bashfully, "lover -- if we even get there -- that seems like a ways away. When you say 'friend,' I'll know what you mean."

Joey frowned. "Three bucks? That can't be right. What's the total, JC?" He looked down and counted out some money as he went on. "I can be your boyfriend," he said casually, not looking up at him as he spoke. "I don't have a problem with that, if that's what we are. I mean, I'm not going to introduce you as my boyfriend to my friends, just yet, but between you and me? Sure. If I was a girl you'd be calling me your girlfriend by now, right?" He finally looked up then, to both see and hear JC's response.

JC was staring at him, paused in the middle of taking money out of his own wallet. "I don't ... I'm not ... sure," he said awkwardly. "I mean ... if we're basing it on, like, how much time we've spent together? Which isn't a lot? Then probably not. But if I was just going on ... how I feel around you? And how I definitely can't even think about anybody else?" He looked down in his lap. "Yeah. *I'm* at that point, at least."

"Well, we're on a date, right?" said Joey, still reasoning the whole thing out. It was almost easier that way. "And we're planning on going on more. And we've kissed. So ... yeah, I think I oughtta be your boyfriend by now." He gave JC a quick grin. "So don't worry, it's not just you. So ... how much is it, man? The poor girl's gonna be waiting for her money."

JC laughed at him. "It's only six dollars total, so three bucks. I told you." He didn't care that he only got fries; that seemed fair to him, to split it. "And ... okay. Boyfriend. Wow." He blinked at him. "Like we needed something ELSE to celebrate."

Joey handed him six dollars with a happy smile. "Yeah, we can celebrate that, too," he agreed. "We can celebrate that *mostly*." He waited for JC to take the money. "So what did you do with your day, anyway?"

"THREE, doofus!" JC laughed, grabbing the five-dollar-bill and throwing two of his own ones back at him. "I had kinda a ... job interview," he admitted, not quite meeting Joey's eyes and feeling slightly bad about the evasion. "Should be something that works out, maybe." He couldn't hide the excitement in his voice, though.

"Dude," said Joey, lowing his voice a little. "Can you just take the money already? It's not like I don't have it." Then he grinned again and let that tense moment pass. "That's great, about the job. What is it? Where would you be working?"

"Not *working* working," JC clarified quickly, knowing he might still need Joey's help getting a day job ... frowning a little as he obediently took the money back from Joey. "More ... performing. MAYBE. We'll see. I don't ... want to jinx it, or whatever. Is that cool?" He looked at Joey with eyes maybe a little sadder than they should be.

"Yeah, that's cool," said Joey, squeezing his knee again. "What's wrong, JC. Is it, like, something you don't want to be doing ... or something? Because if it is, don't worry, you can always find something else, man. You've got talent."

"Thanks," JC said gratefully, having to look away to take the food from the window but then turning right back to look at Joey again. "No, I'm okay. I DO want it. It's just ... not a done deal, and I don't want to get my hopes up. I'll tell you when I know something more, okay?" He wasn't about to tell Joey that he was still feeling awkward about the money, and was trying his best to get his own mind off it. "I DO need to start thinking about something to do during the day, though," he admitted reluctantly.

"Yeah, sure, no problem," said Joey, reaching hungrily for his food and deliberately rubbing his knee against JC's. "As for a day job, like I said, I wish I had the contacts to help you, man, but I'm pretty low down on the totem pole. My second cousin owns a restaurant, though, if you're that desperate."

JC handed the bag over and grinned when their knees bumped, even though he'd gotten a little preoccupied thinking about work. "Let me ... maybe," he said. "I might need to take you up on that." He *didn't* want to wait tables again, but he wasn't sure what else to do. "Should I pull in somewhere so we can eat?"

"Yeah, sure," said Joey, grinning again, figuring on JC pulling in to somewhere dark and private. "I worked at Leo's place for one summer, in the kitchen. They're good people and all, and do good business. You know, if you *do* need to take me up on it. But hey, this other thing could pan out, though, right?"

"Yeah, but ... even if it does, it won't be paying anything, so. I need to find something else regardless. Whatever; let's talk about that later." Slowing down, JC turned into the parking lot of a small park and shut off the engine, holding his hand out for his fries. "Gimme," he said, with a grin.

Joey took one fry out and held it up in front of JC's face. "Ask nice," he said playfully, waving it around. He shifted over in his seat and rubbed their knees together again, trying to make it seem not *entirely* intentional.

JC looked down at their legs this time, and arched an eyebrow when he raised his head back up to meet Joey's eyes. "Is there a magic word, or something?" he asked slowly. "Or am I supposed to just look like I'd really be grateful if you gave it to me?" He leaned forward a little, and parted his lips.

"How grateful?" asked Joey, placing the fry in JC's mouth and resting his fingertips against JC's lower lip. He raised his own eyebrow, his lips curving into something in between a smile and a smirk. "Very grateful?"

JC bit the fry gently between his teeth and pulled his head back just enough so that he could chew it, then swallowed slowly and leaned forward to open his mouth slightly again. "I must have convinced you, however I looked," he said, a little surprised at Joey's forwardness but definitely not complaining. "Will it work again?"

Joey laughed, but quietly, and reached into the bag for another french fry. They were gonna get cold, if they kept this little game up, but he found he didn't mind much ... and not just because JC was the one who had to eat them. He held it just up against JC's lips this time and smiled again. "Maybe," he said, though the answer was obviously yes.

Joey's fingers felt hotter on JC's lips than the french fry, and JC shivered a little when he gathered the courage to tilt his head further so his mouth closed over Joey's thumb and forefinger along with the food. He couldn't believe he was doing this with *french fries* -- couldn't really believe he was doing it at all -- but it was playful and felt like *them*. He licked Joey's knuckle very briefly while it was still in his mouth, then let it slip out from between his lips. "Will it work for other things?"

Joey's lips were slightly parted as he watched JC all but suck on his fingers; he suddenly felt very, very warm. It took him a moment to even realize that JC had actually asked him a question. "What did you have in mind?" he asked, when he was sure his voice wouldn't crack as soon as he tried to speak. Eating fast food was definitely not supposed to be this hot.

"A kiss?" JC asked quietly. He wanted to say 'a real one,' but it wasn't necessarily that the ones they'd shared to that point weren't real, or affectionate, or full of potential. It was just that he knew somehow that the way Joey would kiss when he was really into it, and secure in it, would be something else entirely. So JC smirked a little, and decided to make it even clearer what he meant. "With tongue."

"You don't ask for much," said Joey, leaning in towards him slowly. "But I thought you were hungry?" He only caught the double entendre after he'd said it -- as usual -- and had to grin a bit even though he was trying to look all solemn and seductive. "I think I can handle a little kiss ... "

"No, *you* were hungry," JC whispered back. "And I was humoring you. And you apparently don't have as much faith in your abilities as I do, if you think that I think a kiss from you -- with tongue, mind you -- isn't much." It practically hurt to hold back from capturing Joey's lips between his own, but the fact that he had to ask for it made it part of the game.

"You were the one who was begging for french fries," teased Joey, unable to keep a solemn look to save his life. "And a kiss ... is easy." His lips hovered over JC's but he didn't -- quite -- make contact. He just prolonged that moment, right before they consummated the rapidly increasing tension.

JC felt like he was going to start whimpering any second as he closed his eyes. "Looks like I need the magic word, after all," he breathed, licking his lips. "*Please*, Joey."

Joey leaned in that last fraction of an inch and pressed his lips against JC's. He left them closed for the first few moments as they settled in against once another, then parted them just slightly and began moving. He mouthed JC's lower lip dryly then darted his tongue out for the first time to flick at his upper, all the while reveling in how fucking *hot* this was.

JC *did* whimper, and grasped at Joey's shirt, the second he felt Joey tasting his mouth like that. His lips parted further, giving Joey's tongue permission to go wherever it wanted. He'd never felt such anticipation for a kiss, before -- some combination of amused, at their banter, and just ... turned on.

Joey let the kiss deepen with every motion of his lips, dipping inside and tasting JC's mouth, exploring it. Rather than making him nervous, all the little things that reminded him that JC was a guy just made him hotter to do this, to possess him, and be possessed, for as long as this one kiss lasted.

JC finally let his own tongue slip into Joey's mouth, teasing against his tongue briefly before lapping at his upper lip. He'd just *known* it would be like this -- hot, and heady, and so ... equal ... it almost didn't seem natural. He didn't want to end, at all, but he couldn't really handle it if Joey was the one to pull back first. Not this time. So he sucked gently at his lower lip before releasing Joey's mouth reluctantly.

Joey licked his own lips as JC pulled away and found he couldn't think of a single thing to say, for once. He blinked a couple times, then just grinned at him and reached out to rest his hand on JC's upper thigh.

JC shivered again at the touch, and reminded himself that he couldn't get like this over one kiss -- not when it wasn't going to be a prelude to something else, and they still had to take everything slowly. And he still had the rest of the evening to get through -- including *dancing*, God -- before he'd be alone to deal with it. Smiling back at him, he covered Joey's hand with his own. "I ... think your food's getting cold."

"Is that a hint that you want some more fries?" asked Joey, finding his voice again, almost sorry that the game was over again. "Because ... " He smiled at him significantly, " ... there's plenty where that came from."

JC stared at him, wondering if Joey even knew what he was doing to him. But if he wasn't ready to stop, then JC would be a moron to be the one to put the brakes on. He licked his lips a little, tasting the salt still left there, and cocked his head at Joey. "Like I said before ... *you* were the one that was hungry. I was just trying to be considerate, and let you ... eat ... "

"I was," said Joey, leaning forward and licking the salt off JC's lips before pulling away. "Maybe ... after?" He lifted an eyebrow as he reached into the bag for his food. "We could pick up where we left off?"

JC swallowed a groan and closed his eyes, flopping back in the driver's seat. "Sure, okay," he said, mostly successful at keeping the frustration out of his voice. It wasn't *resentful* frustration, just ... unfulfillment. Even though he knew he should've made himself stop after the first time. "Can you hand me my soda?"

Joey handed it over wordlessly, unable to read him again and worried that JC was having second thoughts, now that they'd actually *done* something. "Do you, um, want your fries, too?" he asked quietly, reaching into the bag again.

JC opened one eye and smiled sheepishly at Joey. "Not really. It won't be quite the same." He chuckled at Joey's apologetic look. "I'm just kidding. I really *wasn't* hungry, to begin with. I just got something since you were eating." He reached out and grabbed Joey's hand after he let go of the soda, noting the change in his voice and expression. "Hey. You okay?"

Joey shrugged. "Yeah, sure," he said, shaking off the last of the concern over what had happened. It had been fun, for him --- more than fun -- but he wasn't going to push it or anything. He just smiled at him and pulled a hamburger out of the bag. "I'm stealing them then," he said. "I haven't eaten all day."

JC didn't let go. "You paid for them," he reminded him idly, then tugged a little on his arm to get his attention again. "Hey," he said again. "Look at me. I *liked* that, what we just did. A lot. I'm just ... " He gestured broadly in the air, and didn't even care that he was blushing. "I know you know what this feels like. And that's not meant as pressure, just by way of ... explanation. If I seemed distant." He couldn't believe he was being so candid, but it felt right to do it with Joey.

"So you're telling me I'm a tease," said Joey, but he was smiling and his voice was lighter again. "Way to flatter your date, Chasez." He chuckled at the situation, trying to put JC at ease again too, then took a big bite of his burger; he really *was* starving. Usually he went home from work to one of his mom's huge meals, but obviously he'd had to skip it today.

JC smiled fondly, leaning back into his seat again, but much more casually and relaxed. "You don't need any more flattery," he pointed out, watching Joey wipe ketchup off his mouth with the back of his hand. "You got me to ask you to kiss me. And say 'please,' even. That's not a *little* bit of an ego trip?"

"Maybe a little," admitted Joey, his mouth full. He waited until he'd swallowed before going on. "You really like me, huh?" The question, though delivered with a smile, was quite serious.

"I do," JC said simply, running his hands over the steering wheel nervously. "But you know that. And that's not meant to be pressure, either." He bit his lip. "Why do you ask?"

"Kinda came out of the blue," said Joey. He'd obviously been thinking about this, at least a little, since the last time he'd seen JC. "You know, right after we met up again. Did you like me, you know, *before* you left, too?" He took another bite of the burger, forcing JC to take up the conversation.

"As a person," JC said carefully. "As a friend. But liking you like this? like I do now? No." He kept his hands on the wheel, still trying to calm himself as he wondered where this line of questioning was going. "And it's not how you look, even though that's part of it, and it's not what's happened to me since, even though THAT's part of it. I just ... you did a lot for me, Saturday, and it opened my eyes to it."

Joey nodded slowly, his mouth full again. "I know what you mean," he said a few moments later. "I get that. Totally." He smiled again, brightly, getting his whole face involved. "I've just been, you know, working it out in my head. What's happening here. So I figured, if I want to know something, just ask, right?"

Even with Joey smiling, JC wasn't reassured. "Did I do something to make you think something bad?" he asked. "What is it you're working out? Just ... why things are going fast, or something?" He bit his lip and gripped the wheel a little tighter. "I'm sorry; I'll ... stop."

"Hang on," said Joey quickly, before JC could get the wrong idea about this. "Back up. I've just never had a guy come on to me before," he said. "Especially not a friend, a guy I've known for years but haven't seen in a long time. I was just wondering, about where it came from and why *me* and stuff. I mean, could you *tell* that maybe I'd be into it or something? Not that I'm worried about that or anything. It's just ... questions."

"Oh," JC said, turning to look at him finally, and smiling, more relieved than he thought possible. "OH. Oh, gosh, I didn't know that was eating at you. No," he said quickly. "I mean, I'm not even sure I would've realized I *was* hitting on you, that night, until you said something. But I'm not just liking you because you eventually admitted you might be into it. I could definitely see this having turned into a huge unrequieted crush, if you hadn't, you know?"

Joey sighed softly, not realizing he was looking for reassurance until he got it. "It's a good thing I'm into this sort of thing, then," he said, leaning over and giving him a fleeting kiss. "Unrequited feelings are a bitch, you know?"

JC snorted. "Yeah." He touched his own lips briefly, after Joey kissed them, and took a breath. "Why *me*, then? I mean ... I guess I'm kinda wondering where it came from, too. Like ... was it just because I was there and made it easy for you?"

"No," said Joey slowly. "But ... I don't know. I've been kinda wanting to try it for a while, and I feel like you're a really safe guy to try stuff out with, but that's not why. I'm not THAT much of a prick or anything." He snorted then smiled at JC again. "I guess I never really knew you, before you went to LA. I just kinda knew you, we hung out, that's all. And now that I AM getting to know you, I'm thinking that I like to spend a lot of time with you, you know? And ..." Joey sighed and *almost* looked embarassed. "Hell, JC, you look really hot when you're wet and in nothing but your swim trunks, okay?"

That was better than JC had really hoped for, as a response, and he couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Thanks," he chuckled, reaching out to brush a crumb off Joey's chin. "I'm ... it's okay that you're trying stuff with me. I mean, it doesn't bother me." He leered a little, teasingly. "You can try whatever you like, too."

"I have no doubt about that," laughed Joey, thinking that he would probably be taking JC up on that sooner than he probably thought. But he had his priorities; he reached into the bag for a fry to feed to JC. "Are you sure you don't want anything else to eat? Did you eat before you came to see me, or something?"

JC took the proffered food willingly, with a much quicker lick at Joey's fingers this time, but shook his head at the question. "I was so nervous about my ... audition thingie ... that I didn't. But I'm good. I'll get some peanuts at the bar or something." He really had been too nervous to eat, otherwise he would've finished the last helping of lasagna. And he wasn't currently much better, but now the butterflies were from anticipation and excitement, about two potentially huge new things in his life.

"Well, if you're sure," said Joey dubiously, popping the next french fry in his own mouth. He kicked his shoes off and tucked one leg up under him, getting comfortable. His other socked foot he snuck over to tease JC's ankle and slide up under the cuff of his pants. He gave him a grin and pulled out his second hamburger, sucking the salt off his thumb.

"I'm sure," JC promised, biting the inside of his cheek when Joey sucked his own thumb into his mouth. "Uh. Thanks." He tried to turn to face Joey a little better, without trapping himself behind the steering wheel, or making Joey move his foot. Which felt ... really tingly ... on his ankle. "Um. Maybe one more fry? If you can spare one?"

"I think I can spare one. For you," said Joey, digging one out of the bag. He was starting to feel very, very warm again, and had managed to tug JC's sock down with his foot so he could teased his bare flesh. He held the french fry up against JC's lips, like he had before. "Open up," he whispered.

JC could just NOT believe how quickly Joey could turn him on. In the front seat of his car. While eating McDonald's, of all things. "God, Joey," he mumbled, letting his lower lip drop open, and closing his eyes. He was just going to let Joey do what he wanted, already having been burned, a little, when he tried to push it earlier.

Joey brushed a finger over JC's lip as he pulled away, reassured now that JC was still interested. "See? I knew you were still ... hungry," he teased, grabbing another for him. "You've got a little ... " He gestured at JC's mouth, then just leaned in and licked the salt away himself.

"Okay, I take it back," JC said, grunting a little. "You are a tease. Come back here, with that." He wanted to chase Joey's mouth down himself, across the seat, but Joey still had his other burger and JC was still uncertain.

Joey laughed. "I'm not teasing, I'm just ... having fun?" He leaned over and licked at JC's lips again, then kissed him full on, a bit sloppily, just enjoying it rather than worrying if it was perfect or anything. He curled his hand around the back of JC's neck as they kissed, his thumb caressing the bare skin behind his ear. "That cool?" he asked as he pulled away, his hand still firmly on JC's neck.

JC hummed a little. "You know you can pretty much get me to say whatever you want, kissing me like that," he admitted, tilting his head a little to brush his cheek against Joey's wrist. "Either way, I know you're not teasing. I'm just trying to be patient and really ... sucking at it."

Joey leaned in and kissed him again, a bit more briefly this time. Kissing JC felt really, really good. Really natural. "How about you tell me what you're not-so-patiently waiting for," said Joey, flicking his tongue out to lick at the corner of JC's mouth, "and I'll tell you how far we are from that. And then you won't have to worry about it so much."

JC chuckled, trying to stay detached from the incredible things Joey was doing with his mouth. "I meant, for you to finish your food," he explained. "But now that you bring it up ... I don't have any expectations, or anything. Or, like, a time schedule. But it sounds like *you've* given that some thought."

"Yeah, sure," said Joey, leaning back and letting him go so he *could* finish his food. He did chuckle again before he dug in, though, looking down for a moment. "I have these two categories in my head," he said finally. "One is 'stuff I've already done that won't be so different with a guy' and the other is 'stuff that i'm gonna have to figure out how to do'. And the stuff from the first one I can do any time, really, and the stuff from the *other* one I'm gonna have to work up to. Like ... kissing is in the first category, but, say, blowjobs are in the other. Giving them, anyway." He looked up at JC again. "Am I making *any* sense?"

JC nodded, watching Joey with a smile that appeared as soon as he said 'blowjob,' but serious eyes. "You *have* given it thought," he commented. "I hadn't thought ... that's cool." It *was* cool, he thought, shifting in his seat and biting back a ticklish giggle when Joey's foot slipped a little higher on his calf. And it also meant that, if *that* was Joey's criteria, he had a lot more to look forward to than he'd hoped. It felt weird to be propositioning Joey when he had a cheesburger stuffed in his mouth, but he couldn't let the moment pass. "So no policy against getting them, then?

"Oh," mumbled Joey, his eyes widening, clearly surprised. He was thankful he was eating, so he could chew and swallow a little bit slower to buy himself some time. "No ... no policy against getting them," he said finally. "Um ... was that an offer?"

JC noted his discomfort and backtracked a little. "Well, not *here*," he clarified. "Although I kinda missed out on that make-out-in-parked-cars phase of my life. I just ... " He realized there wasn't any real way to explain the comment away, without lying, so he just admitted it. "But yeah, I guess it was." Watching Joey, he smiled crookedly. "I think you might get tired of me repeating 'no pressure,' here."

"Making out in parked cars is a very important part of growing up," said Joey solemnly, leaning in for another quick kiss. JC's soft, shiny lips were irresistable to him now. "I'd better make sure you don't miss out, huh?" He grinned and caressed his cheek and hoped that told JC everything he needed to know. "Okay, I've never hated the lack of a sizeable backseat in my Jeep before," JC joked, swallowing a little nervously and blinking, then looking down at the rest of the burger in Joey's hand mournfully. "But you seem very comfortable with this concept. Lots of practice?"

"Let's just say Steve's car is no stranger to any number of sexual acts," chuckled Joey. "Between him and me, well ... " He clearly didn't need to say any more and took another bite of his burger as he watched JC. "That was the deal in high school, you know?" he mumbled around the food. "Go find a place to park so your parents don't walk in on you. Or your older sister," he added, rolling his eyes.

JC settled back in his seat, feeling only the slightest twinge when Joey spoke about something he'd always sort of been jealous of. Being in high school, for one, but also spending time with his siblings. "Kinda like the broom closet on the set, huh," he remarked. "AND if I remember correctly, you're no stranger to THAT, either. Those chicks *talk*, man."

"Too damn much," muttered Joey ruefully. "You totally weren't supposed to know about that, man." He looked up again, finishing off the hamburger and sucking the ketchup off his finger. "Of course ... YOU aren't much of a stranger to that EITHER."

"Misguided youth," JC replied casually, then flashed Joey a broad grin. "I've learned stuff since then, though," he added, reaching over to pull Joey's hand away from his mouth and take his finger between his own lips bravely. "How about you?"

Joey chuckled. "I'm still doing pretty much the same stuff I was doing then," he had to admit, shrugging. "No great adventures like you." He watched him again for a moment, then grinned. "I guess that means YOU have things to teach ME, huh? Now *there's* a change from the old days ... "

JC ducked his head a little and swiped his tongue along the skin between the finger he'd sucked gently on and Joey's thumb, then laughed and pushed his hand away. "Whatever! I've been getting laid as long as you have, dork. Nice try." Now that Joey was done with his food, he wasn't sure if he was supposed to start the car? or if he was actually serious about sitting there and making out?

"I wouldn't count on that," snorted Joey, but didn't push the issue. Someday they'd have this conversation; until then, he'd let JC think what he liked. And the sucking thing was too nice for him to discourage, really. "I'm done," he pointed out, dropping the take-out bag on the floor beneath him.

JC just rolled his eyes at Joey, fairly certain he didn't have a reason to be that cocky, but not really caring about the subject right then -- irrelevant as it was. "Okay ... ?" JC asked him, grabbing his keys off the dash where he'd tossed them, figuring it was better -- and less embarrassing -- to be safe than sorry. "We off, then?"

"Off?" said Joey, frowning, puzzled. "I thought we were ... um, okay." He'd thought that they already had plans for what they were going to do when he finished eating -- and he was pretty sure that JC still wanted it. "Do you WANT to go?" he asked finally. "Because we *can*, I just thought ... ?"

"No, okay," JC replied, dropping the keys again quickly, like a hot potato. "I just wasn't ... I think I got confused, somewhere along the way. Were you, um ... serious? about initiating me in the, uh, intracacies of fooling around in motor vehicles?" He let a hand drop to the leg that Joey still had stretched on his side of the car.

Joey's toes toyed with JC's ankle and calf again. "I think I'm up for a little vehicular make-out session," he said with a grin, leaning closer but letting JC come to him, if he wanted to. "If you are." He knew it would be nothing serious, not with them in the awkward-for-fooling-around seats of the jeep, but he figured it would be pretty fun anyway.

"Heck yeah," JC murmured, letting that hand grip Joey firmly behind the knee, and leaning back over the stickshift to rest his weight on the other, that clutched Joey's seat. He didn't hesitate this time, not with all of the hints Joey'd dropped, and all the things he'd given permission for. Pressing their mouths together firmly, he barely even waited for contact to lick at Joey's lips insistently.

Joey kissed him back enthusiastically, not holding anything back now. His hand curled around the back of JC's neck again, holding their lips together as he licked and sucked and nibbled at them. "Good," he whispered against JC's lips.

"God," JC groaned, right after Joey released his lower lip from between his teeth, briefly. "Okay, you're a damn good ... you just take to this like a duck to water, huh?" He started rubbing the tendons behind Joey's knee, just to keep his hands occupied, and kept his eyes squeezed shut.

"Been doing THIS forever," said Joey with a brief chuckle before kissing him again, just as deeply, letting his hand drift under JC's shirt to caress the back of his shoulder. "I sure HOPE I'm okay at it by now," he added, a couple minutes later.

"So it's not ... different?" JC breathed, curious. It was, for him, always; he liked the sort of power struggle that underlied the things he did physically with men. He leaned in closer, slipping his lips off of Joey's mouth, running them over his jaw.

"The feel of it? A little," said Joey, catching his breath as he seriously thought about the question. "The method? I think I've got that down okay. You're kinda ... stronger ... than anyone I've been with before, though. It's cool. I like it." With that he didn't hesitate before kissing him yet again, wetly, nibbling at his lower lip the way he liked to have done to him.

JC almost fell between the seats when he tried to lean closer, intoxicated by the feel of Joey's sharp teeth on the sensitive skin of his lips, frustrated by the way his attempts to kiss more of his face had been thwarted. "Like, a lot?" he whispered, anticipating the day when they could make the most of how strong they both were.

"Like ... a whole lot," admitted Joey, pausing to catch his breath again and catching JC's eyes, staring into them. "A WHOLE lot," he repeated fervently, running his toes up JC's calf.

JC bit his own lip, swollen as it was already, as they stared at each other. "Um," he said. "Is that ... I totally don't know what I'm supposed to do here. I'm really afraid of pushing you, Joe." He hated sounding so weak, but with every moment they spent together, JC realized more and more how much he'd hate to lose this.

"Stop worrying so much," said Joey. "Seriously, JC, if you do something I'm not cool with, I'll say something and we'll stop and then we'll do something else instead. Just ... go with it, okay? That's what *I'm* doing, anyway." This time, when he leaned in, he pressed his cheek to JC's and nibbled at his ear.

JC blushed and wanted to push Joey back, to tell him that was exactly what he *didn't* want -- the embarrassment of having Joey turn him down. But as good as Joey's teeth felt on his mouth, they felt a million times better on his ear, and he wasn't moving. He grabbed the loose fabric of the hip of Joey's pants and held on as he moaned softly but appreciatively. "Okay. For a little while," he teased breathlessly.

"Only for a little while?" asked Joey, licking around the rim of his ear. He liked having THAT done to him, too, and had never found enough people who thought of it. "That's just what we should do all the time," he said softly but confidently. "Up until we've done it all."

"God," JC moaned again, every part of his body -- ear, heart, groin -- throbbing at Joey's actions and Joey's promise-filled words. He wrenched his head away, and moved his hand from Joey's pants to actually resting, in a fist, right at the juncture between Joey's thigh and his hip. "That sounds ... perfect." He sucked a little right at Joey's jawbone, then moved his attentions to Joey's earlobe.

Joey tilted his head back so JC could keep doing what he was doing, moaning softly. JC was more confident, doing this, than just about anyone he'd been with. He'd been with enthusiastic girls, and slow seductive girls, but never someone who approached what they wanted so directly. Never someone who made him feel this essential. This equal. "Yeah," he murmured, not sure what all he was agreeing to but knowing it was the right answer.

It was an incredible struggle to keep from involving his hands while he was kissing Joey, JC realized. Especially once he finally heard a noise escape from him -- the first real sign that JC had that Joey *was* into this, and it wasn't just the same old, same old. But he wasn't about to start groping him awkwardly, either ... wanting it to be smooth and feel good and keep Joey coming back. "Still like it?" he breathed, right behind his ear, licking the skin so slowly it barely felt like his tongue was moving.

"Oh yeah," breathed Joey, still arched back and bracing one arm against the door of the jeep. He reached out with his other hand for JC's body, half-blindly, managing to touch JC's shoulder and his chest with his roaming palm. They were warm and solid under his palm.

JC felt his skin in goosebumps under Joey's hand, and pulled back again, replacing his mouth on Joey's ear with gentle, rubbing fingers. "Okay," he said slowly, talking a breath. "Okay. This is, like, the most frustrating thing ever. This fucking car," he swore, then blushed for cussing. "Um. Can we ... how do you feel about dancing, and then ... maybe picking this up later? If you don't have to be up too early, and ... well, if you want to, obviously?"

Joey shuddered and sat up again, his eyes half-closed with pleasure. "Okay," he murmured, taking longer than normal to register the words. "I just ... need a sec." He reached down and adjusted himself in his pants, trying not to be TOO obvious about it.

JC twisted around in his seat, too, leaning down to rest his head on the steering wheel. He could barely see straight, and wasn't going anywhere right then. "Okay, that whole keeping-my-hands-off-you problem I told you I had? SO much worse."

"Why on earth would you want to keep your hands OFF me?" asked Joey teasingly, squeezing JC's knee again, his foot still caressing him.

"And you were making fun of me for it," JC reminded him, "so don't bother playing dumb with me." He turned his head to look at him, resting his cheek on top of the wheel -- taking in his just-getting-to-look-used appearance. He still wanted to dance, but ... he was starting to wonder (even hope?) that Joey might be amenable to a different place. Where they could *dance* dance.

Joey just grinned back at him and winked. He trailed a toe up JC's calf, but didn't try to tease him more than that. While JC was distracted by that, he shifted in his seat and adjusted himself again; he hadn't expected to get QUITE so turned on by that, but he wasn't complaining.

"Is it okay that we stopped?" JC said carefully, not really wanting to mess with the playful vibe but knowing they'd been able to ask serious questions of each other so far and bounce back. "I just ... I liked it, a lot, but ... I dunno, call me a freaking geek, or whatever, I just didn't want the first time we did anything more to be in a car." He looked at him a little pleadingly.

Joey laughed. "Okay," he said. "Yeah, it's totally okay, JC. I understand. Were you thinking of ... um ... going somewhere else, then?" He wasn't sure what the plan was anymore, whether they were gonna go out, still, or they were just gonna ... go in.

"We're supposed to celebrate," JC said slowly. "Remember? We can do ... whatever, but ... I mean. I owe you a drink, at least." Their indecisiveness made him want to laugh. "So, okay. Options. Um. The bar. Someplace where we can dance. Or someplace where *we* can dance." He looked at him quickly. "Or, um. My place."

"Yeah, I know, celebrate," agreed Joey, nodding his head. "See, the thing is that 'celebrate' can mean just SO many things ... " He gave him another wink, implying that JC's place was definitely not an option to be ruled out. "We could go to my place, too ... " he suggested. Things wouldn't go TOO far, if they were there, but they'd go further than they would in a jeep. And they could raid the liquor supply there. "Or yours," he acknowledged.

JC couldn't help but grin at him. He'd really wanted to dance, but ... now he kinda wanted this more. And it seemed like Joey did, too, which *still* was surprising him every time he realized it. "I have, like, *a* bottle of whiskey," JC admitted. "But my ID's great; if we want to grab some beer and go to my place. Or yours, if that's more ... convenient." He was going to say comfortable, but didn't want to make too big a deal out of what seemed like was going to happen next.

Joey didn't want to admit that he'd suggested his place because things wouldn't get out of control there. He knew JC wouldn't push it anyway, he didn't need to worry. "Sure, that'd be cool," he said. "I'm definitely a beer man."

"Okay," JC smiled, starting the car and backing up to the main road. "Left or right, man," he said, quietly. "Your pick." Left was the quickest way to JC's apartment; right would take them to Joey's house in no time.

Joey hesitated a moment. "Right," he said finally, sighing. "Is that cool, JC? For real?" jawababes: JC glanced over at him, then set the parking brake so he could lean over the stick and kiss Joey soundly. "I promise I'm cool with that," JC assured him, recognizing that he felt relief anyway, since he was still a little self-conscious about where he was living. "We still need to stop and get beer?"

Joey grinned happily. "The chances of Steve leaving any beer in the house untouched are slim to none," he admitted. "Um ... thanks, by the way." He wondered if he could convince his mom to do a bit of cooking the next day, so JC would have something to take home with him, too.

***

"Watch the bottle," JC murmured as Joey slumped down further on the sofa in the basement, tipping his head back on the armrest, dangerously close to knocking over his beer. He pushed himself up on his knees and leaned up over him, grabbing it out of peril and putting it on the floor, before ducking his head again for another kiss.

"I never spill a drink," murmured Joey against his lips, but the kiss was way better than the beer, anyway and his lost his train of thought as he kissed him back. Somehow, no matter what they were doing, JC's lips managed to find his and vice versa, over and over again.

JC wasn't really drunk, but he wasn't so sober that he was too concerned with keeping a safe distance between them. As soon as Joey started kissing him back, he melted against his body -- their hips next to each other one the couch, but JC's chest draped across Joey's. "I'm telling you, you were gonna," JC ribbed him, nipping at his lips, having gotten what were *vary* favorable reactions from that.

"Nah," said Joey with a grin, moaning softly and kissing him back again after a moment, His hands found their way up the back of JC's shirt to caress his bare skin. "I'm a better drinker than that."

"I think you weren't giving it your full attention," JC continued, murmuring a little more haltingly, pressing tighter to Joey when he felt their skin touch like that. "And accidents happen." He moved his own hands up to grasp Joey by the shoulders, and threw one leg over the nearer of Joey's thighs.

Joey didn't argue this time, his lips were too busy nibbling at JC's jaw. It was a little rough with stubble, which was a new thing still, but it also excited him. One of his hands traced up and down JC's spine as he captured his lips again.

JC pressed a little closer and realized distractedly that his position was going to pretty much guarantee that Joey couldn't mistake how much their kissing was turning JC on. But he figured the guy'd have to deal with it sooner or later, so he just tilted his chin to give Joey better access. And pulled his thigh -- the one that rested on top of Joey's -- up a little higher.

"You're a very nice graduation present," murmured Joey, sucking at his neck and ear again. "Just about the best I got." While one hand remained on his back, the other slid down just under the waistband of JC's pants. "Comfortable?"

Had JC been any less buzzed, that comment would have made him feel a little bad that he hadn't gotten Joey a *real* present for his graduation, which seemed like a really big deal. But he also realized that Joey probably meant what he said -- he always did -- and that made him too happy to worry. "I'm good," JC promised, arching his back a little, causing his pants to gap out just where Joey had put his hand. "Hope I'm not too heavy." He wasn't really resting *that* much weight on Joey, but it was kind of his way of making sure the whole leg thing was okay with him.

"Nope," said Joey easily, sliding his hand further down JC's pants as soon as he was able. He knew the skin that he was touching probably wasn't any different than that he could normally see, but to his fingertips it was softer. Hotter. "I could take more," he added unspecifically, licking at JC's neck then fumbling around to catch his lips leaving a trail of wetness up JC's neck and chin.

"I have no doubt," JC breathed honestly, noting how much broader Joey's torso was, how much bigger his legs and arms. Then he wondered what that comment actually *meant* -- if there was some other insinuation there. "So can I ... ?" He slipped over further on top of his friend, letting his legs straddle Joey, wincing just a little when the movement made his pants dig into his already-present erection. Their hips still weren't touching, or their groins, or anything ... JC was still trying to take things slowly.

"Can you what, exactly?" asked Joey, stretching out beneath him. "The answer is yes, of course, I'm just curious." He rested one finger against the very top of JC's crack; it was as far as he could reach, and he *had* tried for more. With his other hand, carefully but not particularly nervously, he began caressing JC's chest, feeling the hard, lean muscle there.

JC's shoulders shook a little when even that motion hadn't made Joey seem to want to move his hands out of his underwear, and he smiled down at him gratefully. "Can I change my question, then?" he teased, ducking his head to nibble on the top of Joey's ear. "I just wanted to make sure I could, uh, lay on you like this," he explained. "But now it's more like ... can I tell you how much the way you touch me is totally turning me on?"

"That was the plan," said Joey with a grin, rubbing over JC's nipple with his palm. "I'm glad it's working." He shifted underneath him, but didn't try to go anywhere. "We're ... kinda getting into column two, though, just so you know." He pressed the heel of his hand against JC's tailbone, trying to force him closer. "Case in point ... no breasts." He grazed his palm over JC's nipple again, for emphasis.

"I'm kinda relieved about that, actually," JC joked, after inhaling sharply at the contact with his nipple. "The whole lack-of-breasts thing." He let Joey pull him further up against his body, slipping his knees up along the outside of Joey's ribs so that he really was straddling him -- not quite sitting on his hips, though. Not yet. "But feeling somebody up ... that's not *really* column 2, is it?" he babbled. "I mean, it kinda seems like more of, like, a combination, or a hybrid, or something, because it's not like the *technique* is any different, really, and there are *kinda* the same parts, and ... "

"Yeah, sure, they're kinda the same," agreed Joey. "And, you know, I have them and all ... but I'm not entirely sure they WORK the same, you know?" Experimentally he pinched JC's nipple and watched for his reaction. "Yeah, maybe a hybrid," he agreed softly. "I seem to be doing okay at it ... "

"Okay, yeah, that pretty much does what you meant it to," JC hissed, closing his eyes, shifting awkwardly in Joey's lap. "Want to, uh, see for yourself?" He let go of Joey's shoulders and grabbed the hem of his shirt, twisting a little to tug it off over his head. Like ripping off a bandaid, quick and painless, hoping Joey wouldn't balk at it.

Joey grinned at him and shifted underneath him. His pants were starting to feel way, way too tight, and from his position he guessed that if JC didn't already know that, he was going to soon. Not that it was anything to be embarassed about; that was the whole POINT of making out, wasn't it? A wide, lopsided grin still on his face, he reached out and flicked his thumb over JC's nipple, then pinched it again.

"Ow; be nice," JC admonished, smiling and hunching his shoulders a little. They kept moving their hips against each other, each obviously trying not to be too blatant about trying to accomodate their arousals, and JC was getting a little weary of it. With the distraction of Joey's hands on his chest, he settled down against Joey's groin firmly, grinning goofily when he felt his erection fit against his own ass.

Joey's next breath was shaky and he closed his eyes for a moment as his erection twitched. "I thought I WAS being nice," he said softly. "Just kinda .... doing what *I* like, you know?" He figured that was as good a guildeline as he was going to get, even though JC's body was obviously going to be at least a LITTLE different than his own. He rested his palm flat against JC's ribs after that, and tried not to rub himself against his ass.

"Yeah?" JC murmured, taking that as a cue and spreading his own hands across Joey's chest gently before plucking a bit at one of his nipples. "You should tell me what you like, if it'll make this ... more familiar, or whatever." With his other fingers he began working at the buttons on Joey's shirt, hoping desperately that *that* would be okay, too.

"Yeah, that!" said Joey as a jolt of arousal shot through him and his eyes flew open. "Um ... you don't need to be gentle with me," he said, in response to JC asking what he liked. "Beyond that ... play it by ear?" He hoped it was obvious that he was into this. He wasn't sure if it was the beer, or just that he was comfortable wtih JC, but he wasn't feeling nearly as nervous about this as he'd expected to.

"Sounds perfect," JC mumbled, hunching over to press his lips to Joey's now-exposed breastbone, pinching at his nipple a little harder since it was basically what he asked for. He had to slip back down Joey's body a little to be able to reach, inevitably bringing their erections together and making both of them gasp. "You don't really have to be gentle with me, either. Uh ... except there," he admitted, when Joey reached for his nipple again. "Sensitive. Maybe I *am* a girl, after all."

Joey ran the pad of his thumb over JC's nipple, more gentle with it now. "Definitely not," he said, feeling his erection pressed tight against JC's. "But at least I, you know, know how to do this." He brought his thumb to his mouth and licked it, then brought it back down to run over JC's nipple again. Tentatively, he raised his hips up against JC's body. "That, however ... column B, man."

JC jerked a little too hard on the buttons of Joey's shirt when he surprised him by rolling his hips like that, causing the collar in the back to dig into Joey's neck. "Sorry, sorry," he said sheepishly, letting go briefly before slipping his palms inside, along his abdomen. "Um. That kind of column B where I'm supposed to back off?"

"No," said Joey, quietly but firmly. "The kind of column B where you might have to help me along so I know what the hell I'm supposed to do." He ran a hand over the surface of JC's pants now, and gently -- and a little clumsily -- squeezed at his ass.

"THAT's good," JC sighed, his own eyes drifting shut when he felt Joey's warm palms covering his ass. "What you're doing there, I mean." He finished unbuttoning Joey's shirt by feel alone, and pushed the material off to the side so he could press their bare chests together -- one of his nipples, damp from Joey's thumb, brushing against one of Joey's. "I don't want to order you how to touch me," he said reluctantly, sucking on the salty skin of his neck.

"Well, you haven't had to so far, more or less," Joey pointed out, squeezing his ass again then rubbing his hands against it. His buzz was fading, but arousal was keeping him dizzy and lightheaded. He arched his head back to give JC greater access to him, especially now that he was barechested. "A pointer or two from time to time might be appreciated, though." Because Joey had never had much of a problem with frankness in bed.

"I'll try," JC promised. "But I tend to get kind of ... inarticulate ... when things get any further than this." He took advantage of Joey arching his back to slip a hand under him, using it as leverage to keep from resting too heavily on Joey's chest rather than pressing them closer together. THAT part of their bodies, at least; because right then he wasn't being shy about practically digging his hips into Joey's. Not thrusting, or even rubbing, really; just insistent pressure. "I'll just curse a lot and tell you how hot you are."

"I'll take that as a sign I'm doing something right," said Joey, pressing up against JC equally hard. He actually had to gasp for breath for a moment, his muscles had become so tight. "Um, we should probably ... take this to my room, man ... "

JC pushed himself back up into some semblance of a sitting position. "Um ... what? are you sure? I didn't ... " He'd gotten the impression that Joey'd wanted to go back to his house so they wouldn't necessarily be ... tempted, or whatever, by a bed. He swiped Joey's beer off the floor and took a swallow of it, waiting for Joey's explanation.

"Cause I really, really, really need to get these pants off," said Joey sheepishly, giving him a crooked grin. "And while I could explain THIS, maybe, as wrestling or something and be believed ... I"m pretty damn sure I couldn't explain THAT." Of course, there was also the chance that someone would burst into his bedroom -- the Fatone family'd never had much consideration for privacy -- but the chance was smaller.

JC swallowed a little, but grinned back and struggled to pull himself off of Joey's body. Getting his own legs under him, he reached down to help Joey to his feet, then grabbed his shirt off the sofa. One thing he liked about being a gay 18-year-old guy was being able to make out with *other* 18-year-old guys -- who were pretty much always into sex and didn't take a lot of convincing. Joey was already more into this than he suspected either of them thought he'd be, earlier today.

Joey's legs were shaky at first but a moment later, after adjusting himself, he was ready to head upstairs. He left his shirt open, not even considering whether there might be any telltale marks on him or not. "Let's go," he said, tugging on JC's arm. Then he reconsidered and pulled him abruptly into a long, deep kiss before heading for the stairs.

It was JC's turn to have to stand still and catch his balance, after that kiss, and he smiled sheepishly at Joey when he turned around and waited for him to catch up. "Sorry," he sighed, wiping his mouth with his thumb and touching the small of Joey's back as he followed him. "So. Do we have to come up with a reason we're in your room with the door closed?" he asked. "I haven't lived with my parents since I've started doing this kind of behind-closed-doors stuff."

"Nah, they're used to it," said Joey, thinking maybe they should have gone to JC's place after all. "And I doubt they'll pop their head in to see what I'm doing this time of night." He led the way up two flights of stairs to his bedroom. "I hope," he added. "They don't give me much trouble about what I do in my room."

"Okay," JC said easily, crossing his arms over his chest as they walked down the hall, then dropping his shirt back on the floor once they were inside Joey's room. "I meant to ask you," he said casually, watching Joey shut the door behind them and approach slowly, "whether you had work tomorrow."

"After lunch," said Joey, smiling at him a lot more confidently now. "So no need to worry about keeping me up." He let his shirt slide off his shoulders onto the floor, and reached out for JC's body. "You *were* planning on keeping me up, right?"

"Oh, yeah," JC nodded, letting Joey wrap an arm around his waist and pull their torsos together. Snickering when their noses bumped, then shutting up really quickly when their mouths met again in another wet kiss. "That's what you get, anyway, for buying me soda," he explained when he could talk again, fisting his hands in the waist of Joey's pants.

"Off," said Joey urgently, one hand on JC's neck as they kissed, the other struggling with the buttons on his jeans. "Don't remember them being this tight before ... " He licked JC's lower lip and closed his eyes as he tried to undress. There was a tiny place in his brain that was telling him to slow down, but his hormones were far, far stronger than it.

JC moved closer, kissing Joey a little more desperately in reaction to the urgency in his voice, getting his own fingers tangled with Joey's in the effort to rid him of his pants. "It's a really good look for you, though," he murmured, jerking his hand back when his wrist accidently brushed against the front of Joey's fly, then replacing it just as quickly -- but safely on his waist -- when he heard Joey grunt.

"Fuck it," said Joey, grabbing JC's wrist and putting his hand back right where it had been, firmly. He groaned and his hand fell away from his own fly for a moment; he could feel an aroused flush spreading over his chest and neck as JC finally touched him ... more or less. "Yeah," he whispered, and hesitated only another moment before scrambling to get his pants off again.

JC's hand was frozen for a minute, he himself being really taken aback by how abruptly Joey had clutched at him. But the hard heat he felt there -- the arousal that was for *him*, even though Joey probably should have been way more nervous about this -- was impossible to ignore, and he gently cupped the bulge in Joey's pants, only moving his hand when Joey managed to tug his jeans down over his hips finally. Hesitantly, he put it back even then, over the thin material of Joey's boxers.

"I was fifteen last time I came in my pants," said Joey, breathing a heavy sigh of relief once he'd kicked his jeans away. "Being felt up by Jenny Robinson -- God, she had huge tits. Couldn't look her in the eye for a week. I'd hate to have the same thing happen with you..." With that Joey pulled JC into another hot, wet kiss and ever-so-slightly rubbed himself against JC's hand.

"You won't *have* to come in your pants, with me," JC whispered promisingly, opening his mouth a little wider to to suck on Joey's tongue suggestively. Bracing himself, he wrapped his fingers around Joey's erection as best he could through the material, and dug the heel of his hand in a little harder at the base. "Um. Unless it was the tits that do it for you."

"Tits DO do it for me," said Joey, chuckling under his breath as they kissed again, ferociously. "Apparently, so do dicks." He tried to stifle his moans as JC rubbed him, not wanting to be heard, not wanting someone to come check on him just right now. Damn the consequences, though, damn the fact that this was his first time with a guy and he should probably have been taking it slower, he really just wanted to come right then. Really just wanted to be making out with JC until they were both completely spent.

"Good to hear," JC replied, laughing a little too, reaching around with his free hand to slip his thumb just inside the waistband at the back of Joey's underwear. "Um, about that column B stuff," he murmured, tugging with his thumb so the boxers slid down over the top of his ass, then slipping it around to the front and starting to ease the elastic over the head of Joey's cock.

"Doing good so far," said Joey, breathing heavily. In another couple seconds, he was going to be completely exposed to JC. And he was pretty okay with that. "Still in, um, familiar territory. Just wait 'til I get into YOUR pants, though ... " Rather than get edgy at the thought, a smile crossed his face and his cock twitched. He realized his hand was still cupping the back of JC's neck and let it trail down JC's back to his waist again.

"That sounds a little scary," JC teased, feeling like maybe being lighthearted about this, like they had all along, was the way to make sure Joey was comfortable. Which is what he wanted more than anything. Almost anything.

His thumb ran along the length of Joey's erection as he pulled the material down, letting the underwear fall to the floor and dropping smoothly, suddenly, to his knees along with them.

Joey couldn't stop the moan this time, just watching JC do that and knowing exactly what he could do from that position. His cock twitched again, but it couldn't GET any harder at this point. "So ... um ... yeah ... this is me," he murmured, resting a hand on JC's hair, sucking in a harsh breath. "Can't wait ... to see you ... "

JC knew he wasn't going to hold Joey to that tonight, completely fine with it being something he kinda thought he'd want, in the heat of the moment, but might change his mind about later. But he pushed that from his mind as he held Joey steady with firm hands on his hips, taking in the scene in front of him. "Absolutely good enough to eat," JC murmured, kissing the top of his thigh, nuzzling his nose into the dark, dark hair between Joey's legs, and finally letting his cheek brush against the wet tip right in front of his face.

"Oh God," said Joey, moaning again. "And you thought *I* was a tease!" He remained still, though his hand was restless in JC's hair as he waiting for every single sensation that was going to come next. He wasn't insecure about his size or anything, but it was still a good feeling to know that seeing him turned JC on. "Please ... " he mumbled next, having a very hard time waiting.

Still gripping Joey firmly, not wanting him to lose his balance or even fall down once JC touched him, JC tilted his head to the side and licked generously up the swollen flesh, base to tip. Without even giving Joey time to react to that, he closed his lips over his cock, tonguing just under the head, pulling incrementally on Joey's hips to encourage him deeper.

"Fuck," Joey blurted out, wobbling on his feet as he tried not to push in too far or too fast. He'd said this would be okay, that it was something he'd done before, but it was still different. Even if he closed his eyes, he could feel the light rasp of JC's stubble on his skin, could feel the short strands of JC's hair and the hard planes of his face. As JC tugged on him he went in deeper and deeper until he was sure it HAD to be hurting him.

JC swallowed a couple of times once he felt the head of Joey's cock bump against the back of his throat, liking the way that felt when HE was buried in someone's mouth like this. He slipped his hands around to grasp Joey's ass solidly, bracing his legs between his arms so he wouldn't collapse even if his knees buckled. These were the things that girls wouldn't have done with him -- weren't strong enough to have done -- and JC couldn't help wanting to show off.

Joey gasped and felt a sharp sensation shoot from his groin up his spine. He tugged lightly on JC's hair. "Gonna embarass myself," he groaned, trying to get JC to pull away in time. "Now, JC ... " he added urgently when JC showed no signs of moving.

JC had to fight to keep from rolling his eyes, and would've laughed if his mouth wasn't full. Unlike girls, *he* knew the difference between what a blowjob felt like when someone swallowed and when someone didn't. And besides ... he liked it. He simply reinforced his hold on Joey's body, and let just enough of Joey's cock slip back out of his mouth so he could move his tongue again. And so he'd be able to taste him when he *did* come.

Joey gave up a moment later, curling his fingers in JC's hair but not tugging anymor. "Okay," he whispered, giving in gratefully, and about 5 seconds later he came in JC's mouth. "Damn. Fuck. Yes," he moaned harshly, his head lolling back and his knees almost giving out.

JC swallowed enthusiastically, tonguing him as he came, still suckling even when he was empty and pushing at JC's shoulders in protest from the overstimulation. He felt Joey's wieght shift in his arms and kept him steady, watching him moaning, with big eyes, until he slowly pulled his lips away. "How was that?" he asked, in a thick voice, returning his attention to kissing Joey's hips and belly until he was sure he could stand on his own. "Another one of them there column B hybrid things, I guess?"

Joey pulled him up, then kissed him mercilessly. He had no idea what to say, but he figured the long, deep, hard kiss would say it all for him. JC was fucking good at that and Joey realized he'd probably dramatically underestimated JC's experience. "So good," he mumbled against JC's lips when he was finally able, still dizzy from the powerful, fast orgasm.

Just as Joey'd probably been surprised at JC keeping him standing in the middle of the bedroom, JC was surprised by the strength that Joey displayed yanking him to his feet. The kisses he gave him in return were passionate and emotional; he felt ridiculously close to Joey just then.

I"m glad," he murmured, stroking Joey's broad back, smiling when he felt the sweat that covered his spine. "You're really hot, when you come."

"Just when I come?" teased Joey, his sense of self finally returning to him through the fog he'd been in. "God ... that was so fucking hot ... " He had to claim JC's lips again, to say the things he couldn't find the words for. "You made me come so fucking hard, JC ... " he murmured a moment later, wrapping his arms tightly around JC's body and keeping him close.

JC smiled and squirmed playfully in Joey's grip, his hip making the zipper from JC's pants dig painfully into his own insistent erection ... which had only gotten harder when he'd sucked Joey off. "I'm kinda good at some of that column B stuff," he promised. "Thanks for letting me."

"You're thanking me?" asked Joey incredulously, his voice on the edge of cracking. "You're insane. I'm messing around with an insane man." He kissed him again and nudged him in the direction of his bed. It wasn't big, but was at least big enough for two almost-grown men who didn't object to getting a little close. "An overdressed, insane man."

"Maybe," JC agreed, walking backwards, not quite sure where this was going but mentally preparing himself for anything embarrassing. Worst case scenario: HE'D be the one to come in his pants, which actually didn't seem that far-fetched at the moment. Anything else was gravy. "I still say it was fun. And, uh ... good for me, too. Obviously."

Joey blatantly looked at JC's groin but he didn't touch it, not yet. "Yeah, that's really cool," he murmured appreciatively as he finally backed JC up against the bed. "Is it hard? To do?" he asked awkwardly, nudging him backwards so JC would have to either sit or lie down.

JC fell heavily on his butt on the mattress, bouncing a little as he looked up at a still-very-naked, and apparently unashamed, Joey. "Only if you try to do too much," JC said honestly, reaching for his hand. "C'mon, c'mere, don't *worry* about that right now. We'll deal with it when it comes up, okay?"

Joey finally ventured a hand onto the front of JC's pants. "It IS up," he joked, his voice just a little bit tight. A moment later he started carefully unbuttoning JC's pants, wanting to get them on the floor with his own. He knew it was going to be a bit of a shock to his system to be naked with him for the first, but the sooner they were past that milestone the sooner they could just start having fun with it.

JC leaned back on his hands, letting Joey take off his pants, watching him carefully for signs of real discomfort. His voice had sounded kind of funny, when he made that joke, and he wasn't sure if that meant it *wasn't* a joke. And if it *wasn't*, then JC wasn't really sure this was something he should let Joey do that night, even though he wanted it so bad every time his licked his lips and tasted Joey on them.

Once JC's pants were on the floor, Joey reached over and cupped his erection again through the fabric of his underwear. It was hot and hard and the fabric around it felt almost damp. "You know I have NO idea what I'm doing, right?" said Joey as he groped him with a combination of lust and curiousity.

JC nodded, biting his lip to keep from groaning, and tossed his head back as he spread his legs a little. Just so Joey could get a good angle for whatever he was going to do, he told himself. "I'm just going to give you the most cliched line used in situations like these everywhere," he mumbled, his eyes closed tightly, especially since all of Joey's naked body was right in his field of vision. "Just do what you think would feel good to you. You're not going to hurt me."

Joey nodded, not quite realizing that JC couldn't see him, and squeezed him gently before taking a deep breath and slipping his hand beneath the waistband of JC's underwear to touch him for real It wasn't like he was unfamiliar with the sensation of a hard dick in his hand -- far from it -- but this was different, and he was surprised even by the things that should have been familiar, the softness of the skin, the heat coming off it, the steely hardness just beneath. He gaspsed softly and gave him his first tentative stroke.

"Damn," JC muttered, falling back onto his elbows, thinking that Joey was being really brave and not able to decide whether that was sweet, or hot. Or both. His hand was a lot less shaky than JC remembered *his* being, when he'd been in the same situation. "Um. I hope coming in my underwear won't be frowned upon," he said haltingly, trying to smile. "Or taken as, like, an indicator of stamina ... "

Joey smiled and took that as a hint to get them off, which at that moment he was pretty okay with. Everything so far had been nothing but really, really good. Hooking both thumbs in them, he carefully pulled them down JC's legs and dropped them on the floor with the rest of their clothes. Only then did he really look at JC's erection, staring at it for a long moment before touching it again. Then he wrapped his hand around it and began stroking slowly.

JC was still a little nervous, typical for him being with someone new, even if it was someone he felt as relaxed with as Joey. That was essentially the only reason he wasn't way closer to coming in Joey's hand the minute he touched him. "Just ... yeah, do that," he moaned, still braced on his elbows, watching Joey watch what he was doing to JC. Joey's hands were huge, and warm, and very, very soft for a man.

"Wow," whispered Joey almost inaudibly, watching as his hand moved up and down on JC. He was startled for the first few moments, then he got used to it and stroked him a little more confidently, but still slowly. He moved his whole body a little closer, pressed along JC's side as he touched him. Joey was being gentle, but it had still been a while since JC'd been jerked off without some sort of lube, and he hoped he wouldn't tug any harder. "What's 'wow'?" he asked softly, worried that Joey was going to get too detached from what he was doing -- making it more about trying something than *feeling* something, with JC.

Joey unwrapped his hand and wiped his damp palm off on the inside of JC's thigh. "Just you," he murmured. "Just ... this. Shit, JC, I have NO idea what I'm doing. I'm not exaggerating, here." He kinda felt like a moron for stopping, and was worried about what JC would do, but he couldn't even tell if JC was enjoying what he was doing or not. So he went back to what he knew, wrapping an arm around JC's body and kissing his soft, wet lips.

"Hey, it's okay," JC insisted, smoothing away the worried lines that appeared on Joey's forehead just as he realized that even a dry, nervous hand was better than no hand at all. He kissed him back for a moment, then touched his cheek. "Do you *want* to try this? If you do, I can help you, I can show you what to do. But if you don't, that's perfectly okay. Alright?"

"I seem to recall you not wanting to have to talk me through it," said Joey with half a smile. He closed his eyes and just enjoyed the feeling of being pressed up against JC's body, comfortably aroused, comfortable just being naked with him. "I'll figure it out."

"Who said anything about talking?" JC said, slowly wrapping his fingers around Joey's wrist and pulling his hand up to his face. Keeping his eyes on Joey, he reached out with his tongue and lapped gently at his palm -- purposefully, certainly, but more than that it was teasing and playful and as seductive as JC figured he could be.

Joey opened his eyes again, watching JC lap at his hand and knowing damn well what he was doing. "I don't know how to read arousal on guys," he said quietly. "I think that's ... my problem." He chuckled at himself quietly. "I had it figured as easy, you know? Guys get hard, so of course you can tell. But ... it's not that easy after all ... " He caught JC's gaze and smiled, crinkling his eyes endearingly.

"I'm sorry if I didn't seem into it," JC said candidly, pausing to close his lips over Joey's thumb and sucking tenderly. "I was. I *am*. I was just ... concentrating on not embarrassing myself. And ... maybe a little worried that *you* weren't into it?" He didn't really wait for Joey to respond to that, tugging more on his hand so he could reach the sensitive skin on the inside of his wrist with his tongue. "Plus, just 'cause I've done this before ... it's never been with *you*."

"JC," said Joey seriously. "I'm naked on a bed with you. Tell me how there's any possible way to conclude from this scene that I'm not into this?" He gestured at the bed and at them and smiled again. "Let's just start this part again, okay?" He pulled his hand gently away from JC's mouth and kissed him deeply, leaving his lips shiny and reddened when they finally pulled apart.

"Your mouth is gorgeous," JC mumbled, chewing on his own lip when Joey moved back, watching every move he made without trying to look like he was anxious. He didn't move to lay back on the bed yet, though; not quite ready to relinquish that much control, not knowing what Joey expected him to do. "No, you," teased Joey, smiling a little more easily again, kissing him again. "Um ... just so you know ... not planning on stopping here. I just ... kissing is really good." He was half hard again, but didn't expect to go beyond that for at least, well, another few minutes. "Kissing is comfortable. Easy."

"You always say that," JC protested, then smirked at him. "Maybe 'cause you're so good at it." He pulled one of his feet up onto the edge of the bed and let his head loll back a little as he accepted Joey's kisses willingly. "And just so YOU know ... I don't have any expectations. Okay?"

"I know," murmured Joey against his lips. "Thank you. That makes it easier." He grinned again. "But I guess you knew that already, huh?" He kissed him again and got used to the feel of their lips and faces and chests together again. He reached down, the motion feeling natural and not forced this time, and cupped part of JC's still-erect cock in his large hand, fondling his balls lightly.

THAT surprised JC, a little, that Joey would touch him there, and he lost his precarious position on his elbows -- falling back to the bed unintentionally. His knee was still in the air, his foot on the bed, and he used it to push his hips up a little. Not fast or hard enough to startle Joey, but enough to encourage him, he hoped.

Joey kept caressing him leisurely, getting used to the weight in his hand. His eyes were wide open and watching JC's every reaction to what he was doing to his body. When he let go this time, it was only to hook his arm around JC's waist and drag his whole body up onto the bed. "That's better," he said softly.

"Better for what?" JC breathed, wanting Joey's hands and fingers back on him right THEN. He reached for his face, trying to pull him down next to him, wanting some kind of contact. Torn between needing -- really *needing* -- to get off, and wanting Joey to do whatever he was going to do at his pace. "This," said Joey, stretching out next to him and hooking one leg over JC's as he reached down to caress him again. "Tell me if I'm just being a tease okay?" he said, brushing his lips against JC's lightly. "Tell me if what I'm doing isn't cool."

"It's not teasing if it's not intentional," JC pointed out, shivering a little at how heavy Joey's thigh was, anticipating when he might feel the weight of his whole body draped over him like that and getting even harder at the thought. "And I can be ... patient. For you." He realized it *was* something he'd only do for someone like Joey. Maybe ONLY for Joey.

"It's *intentional*," said Joey, running his fingers up the inside of JC's thigh before curling his fingers around his erection again. "It's just not intentionally *teasing*." He kissed him again, using his tongue teasingly against JC's. He didn't stroke him this time, just held him, felt the pulsing heat in his hand.

"Right, that's what I meant," JC agreed, not really sure what he was saying any more, getting to that inarticulate point he'd warned Joey about. He squirmed a little, spreading his thigh slightly at the contact from Joey's fingers, and nudged up into his fist. "You okay?" he breathed, watching Joey's look of concentration with glassy eyes.

Joey began stroking him with loose fingers. "I'm good," he said after a moment, watching his own hand then watching the rise and fall of JC's chest as his breath quickened. "I'm actually really good. You?" He realized then that he really *wasn't* just playing, that he actually intended to take this all the way for him.

"Just ... fine," JC replied, giving Joey a sweet smile and then giving up and closing his eyes. Letting himself just enjoy the soft touch and the gentle friction and the warm pressure. "Thank you." He licked his lips and dug his shoulders back into the bed, proccupied with how *nice* being like this with Joey could be.

Joey saw JC relax into the bed and began stroking him more confidently again, but not yet the way he would have done himself, noting the difference between the way he felt in his own hand, and the way JC felt. "Um ... I have some lotion in the drawer," he murmured hesitantly as he kissed JC's neck, "if that would make it better for you?"

Opening his heavy-lidded eyes again, JC grinned at the top of Joey's head until he lifted his face -- knowing he hadn't really been subtle about it before, but still touched that Joey was thinking about it. "This one?" JC asked, stretching his arm across the bed to tug the nightstand open. He pushed himself up on his other hand, keeping his lower body right where it was, so he could see into the drawer.

"Yeah, there," said Joey, keeping his strokes light but not maddeningly so. He leaned over again, lifting himself slightly to suck on JC's earlobe, grazing it with his teeth. "I'll take that as a yes, then?"

JC blushed. "You don't ... have to do this," he reminded Joey, even as he snatched the lotion and dropped it on the bed beside them. When he did, he glanced down, and noticed that Joey was getting turned on again too -- which was only sort of a surprise, but still comforting. "Um. I'm going to tell you something," he blurted. "Just to get it out there. But I don't want you to freak out, okay?"

Joey pulled away from his throat and looked at him curiously; he didn't stop stroking but his touch became lighter again, trailing his fingers up and down. "Sure," he said, not sounding alarmed, or at all like he expected he would freak out. "Go ahead, man."

"Okay," JC exhaled, closing his eyes again. "Okay. It's just ... any time? that you think you might be into, uh ... fucking me? You can," he said quickly. Keeping his eyes squeezed tightly shut. He needed to say it, because he'd kick himself *hard* if they waited longer than they had to just because JC'd never brought it up, but he couldn't make himself watch Joey's reaction. "Since it's another one of those things that, uh, isn't so much different from what you're used to. Um ... so. Yeah."

"Whoa," said Joey softly, his hand stilling for a moment. The offer was completely unexpected, and something he hadn't even really considered up to that point. "Um, okay," he added, reminding himself of JC's telling him not to freak. It wasn't something to freak over. "I'm not ready YET," he said. "Cause that IS kinda column B. But, um, it's not out of the question or anything. It's definitely in the question, at some point, in the future. Near future. Probably." He shut himself up by sucking on JC's ear again.

"Alright then," JC mumbled, satisifed with that response -- plus relieved, encouraged, and maybe just a little disappointed. He turned his head so Joey wouldn't have to strain to kiss his ear, and lifted his hips a little. "You may proceed."

"I may, may I?" said Joey, laughing in surprise, the nervous tension of the moment gone. "Well, okay then." He reached for the lotion and used just a little bit, just enough to make things smoother but not enough to make them sloppy. When he started stroking again it was a little firmer and a lot more confident. "Like that?" he asked, rhetorically, kissing just below JC's jaw.

"Yeah, like that," JC said, after he stopped giggling himself, arching his hips toward Joey a little more. It was definitely nice, and definitely felt good, and definitely would get him off, and that was about all his brain could process at the moment. "And it's not gonna take much, man. I've had this thing for, like, two hours."

"Two hours," scoffed Joey softly, then thought about it. It probably HAD been about that long, he just hadn't realized. If he fooled around much longer, he WOULD be a tease. His strokes on JC's cock weren't particularly creative, but he tried to make them good, tried to make JC really feel it.

"Hmm, yeah," JC mumbled, squirming again, very *very* close. "Um ... you should probably ... if you just want me to finish, or whatever, I can ... " He reached down and rested his hand on his own thigh, then nudged Joey's forearm to emphasize that he could let go if he wanted to. Since things were about to get a little messy.

"No, hey, I can do this," whispered Joey against his ear, looking down to watch his hand again and waiting for that teltale tightening, teltale pulse beneath it that he was sure he would know on someone else as well as he knew it on himself.

"Mm, okay," JC whispered, arching his back again and just cupping the back of Joey's elbow lightly. "It really ... feels ... " His voice cut off and a shudder ran through him as his orgasm hit; not unexpectedly, but still with a little more force than he'd anticipated. "Oh -- Joe," he grunted, knowing he'd come everywhere; feeling it mostly on his belly and a little on his hipbone, knowing Joey's hand was probably covered too.

Joey was ready for it when JC came, and slowed down, pulling his hand away entirely only when the streams of ejaculate had finally stopped flowing. It was a hell of a mess, but a good one and he chuckled happily as he nipped on JC's ear again. He wasn't sure what to do with his hand so, after a moment, he just rested it on JC's already sticky stomach. "Told you I could do it," he murmured.

JC shivered under the weight of Joey's hand, and opened his eyes slowly with a grin. "Yay you," he choked out, a little hoarsely, before clearing his throat. "No, seriously. Um. Thanks." He reached up to grab Joey's chin and kissed him firmly. "You doing okay?"

Joey kissed him back hungrily; he was definitely okay. So far, anyway. "I don't seem to be traumatized by the experience," he said lightly, licking at the corner of JC's mouth. "We'll have to do it again." He realized he was probably going to want to lift his hand soon and maybe clean up, but right then he hardly wanted to move.

"I guess that's as good a review as I'm going to get, huh?" JC teased him, wrapping and arm around his shoulders and tugging him down next to him on the bed, careful not to rub up against him too much and get anything else sticky. He kissed him soundly for several moments before mumbling against his lips. "Can I get a towel?"

Joey smiled. "Let me take care of that," he said, giving him one last kiss before getting up off the bed. He pulled his boxers on one-handed and slipped out of the room, into the bathroom. He washed his own hands, then grabbed a towel and a warm, wet washcloth before checking the hall to make sure the coast was clear and slipping back into the bedroom where JC was still waiting. He stretched out on the bed next to JC and gave him another long kiss before beginning to gently wipe his stomach clean.

JC watched him quietly, both touched and amused, and stretched his arms up over his head. "Hey," he whispered after a little while, reaching out to run his fingers through Joey's hair. "I just wanted to tell you ... I'm really happy to be here with you. I'm really happy that you think you want to be my boyfriend. And I'm *really* happy that we'll get to do that again."

"Me too," said Joey honestly, finishing off and dropping the cloth on the floor. "I mean this -- us -- wasn't really what I was expecting to happen to me, but I'm kinda glad it did now. It's way better than anything else I could be doing, I think." He grinned and kissed JC briefly. "Um ... I totally didn't mean that the way it sounded. I mean ... I'm not doing this because I have nothing better to do. You know that, right?"

JC smiled at him, too sated to overanalyze at the moment, and reached for the dry towel. "I know. I can tell," he assured him, thinking that maybe this would be as good for Joey as JC already knew it would be for him. Which all of a sudden made him remember Chris, and Justin ... and the group and hearing Joey sing and his growing plan to try and get Joey to be a part of it ... and his grin got even wider.

"I was that good, huh," said Joey, kissing that grin. "Well, I'm glad." He snuggled in against JC's side, comfortable with their bodies pressed together like that, semi-aroused but okay with not doing anything about it.

"What?" JC chuckled, confused about what Joey was even referring to, considering how distracted he was with thinking about how to have Chris meet Joey. "You were good," he said reassuringly, careful not to cross the line to patronizing. "Um. Am I, like ... staying here? 'Cause I'm sober enough to drive ... "

"Yeah, you're staying," said Joey, kissing his shoulder and feeling a moment of just pure tenderness towards him. "Well, if you want to, that is. We'll just have to, like, get under the covers here. If anyone comes in, they don't need to be seeing my bare ass. Or ... um ... yours, really."

"Afraid of having to fight Steve for it?" JC said solemnly, pretending to consider it. "Hmm." He giggled and reached down for the sheets; warm and comfortable and relaxed and pleased there wasn't anywhere else he needed to be. "We could put our underwear back on ... "

"I just took them off again," groaned Joey, shaking his head. "Nah. If they go peeking around under my covers, they deserve what they see." He helped JC tug the blankets up around them, so they were no longer conspicuous. "And dude? No more jokes about my brother and your ass. That's just gross, man." Then he grinned mischievously and kissed him, wrapping his body around JC's even more closely.

JC kissed him back, surprised and pleased that Joey seemed to want to hold him so close, loving the way that they were practically the exact same height but Joey still felt big and comforting to him. "It's *not* gross," JC teased back. "It's a great ass. You just haven't seen it." He nuzzled into Joey's chest and licked delicately at the hollow of his throat.

"Your ass," said Joey, "is great. My brother, however, is gross and I do *not* want to have to picture him naked. Besdies, you're in bed with *me*." He arched his head back so JC could lick and nuzzle it some more. "And don't you forget it."

"I couldn't," JC said simply, kissing his throat again obediently and sighing. "Did I do okay, with the whole 'keeping you up late' business?"

"Spectacular job," said Joey, moaning softly, but also sleepily. "Kept me up in all the best ways."

"There are too many double entendres in those two phrases for me to even begin to respond to that," JC murmured. "Go to sleep, okay? I'll try not to wake you up when I leave." He rubbed Joey's shoulder gently and kissed him a few more times.

"Don't you dare leave without waking me up," said Joey, kissing him fiercely. "I mean that. Okay?"

"Okay, shh," JC soothed him, his head falling back to the pillow, watching Joey with big eyes -- wondering why it was such a big deal to the other man, but really *glad* it was. "Alright. I'll be sure to collect my goodbye kiss first, okay?"

"You don't need to sneak out," murmured Joey, snuggling into him again. "Can't you stay for breakfast, at least?"

JC wanted to comment so badly on how sweet Joey was being, but it felt too mushy and girly and he just couldn't ... say stuff like that to him, until he knew a little better how Joey would act in a relationship. In a relationship with a guy, particularly. "Depends on what time you wake up, sleepyhead," he whispered. "Go to sleep, Joe. We'll do this again."

"A'right," said Joey, kissing his neck sleepily. "Night, JC."

---

When JC finally did wake up, stretching as best he could with Joey's arms still draped heavily around him, it was after 11. He cursed under his breath after looking at his watch, and turned his head to try and manuever out of Joey's grasp. Even if he *had* promised he wouldn't leave without waking him up, it didn't mean he had to make him get out of bed before he was ready.

His heart clenched a little when he saw Joey's face, still peaceful in sleep -- with dark eyelashes on his cheeks, scratchy stubble covering his jaw, and soft lips parted slightly.

Joey felt the warmth next to him move, and he followed it unconsciously with his body, not wanting to let go of it. Knowing that it was something that was supposed to be beside him.

JC smiled fondly when Joey's arms tightened around him, and he twisted up to kiss his nose. "Wake up," he whispered. "You gotta let go, boy. It's late."

"Don' hafta," mumbled Joey into JC's skin, clutching him. "No school. Sleep."

"Okay," JC said warningly, his voice still light and happy. "I tried. You're not allowed to get mad at me when you really wake up and I'm not here, then." He kissed Joey's forehead, then, and then his cheek, and then his lips because he really couldn't resist, before trying to pull out of his embrace again. "It's almost 11:30, kiddo."

Joey followed the heat again, beginning to register where he was, who he was with and what was happening. From the sunlight beginning to leak into his eyes, it was definitely late morning already and he probably should be out of bed. "What time?" he mumbled, and hoped -- comprehending that he hadn't been alone in bed -- that he hadn't done something embarassing like drool in his sleep.

"LATE," JC said, simplifying, finally managing to free both his arms and one of his legs. "C'mon, Joe. I got stuff to do today, and even though you don't have to be at work until after lunch, that's pretty soon." He started whimpering playfully. "Let me GO."

Joey finally popped one eye open. "JC," he said, recognizing who he was in bed with. Suddenly he also remembered everything that had happened the night before, all at once, and gasped. He wasn't upset at all, just surprised and, really, rather pleased with himself. He popped the other eye open and tugged JC back for a real kiss before letting him go. "Mornin'."

JC laughed delightedly as realization dawned on Joey's face, apparently with positive results -- setting JC much more at ease. "Morning," he sang, and rolled Joey onto his back before pouncing on him. "Hi. Coffee?"

"God, yes," said Joey, squinting against the light. He wasn't hung over, thankfully, but he was still groggy. He wrapped one arm around JC fondly and used the other to scrub the crap out of his eyes. "You making it, I hope?"

"No," JC laughed again, wiggling on top of Joey and kissing his face, whatever skin his other hand wasn't covering. "That was a request, not an offer." His eyes were already bright, his blood pumping excitedly, eager to see what the day would bring. "Come on, lazy," he goaded. "You owe me."

"Since when do I *owe* you?" laughed Joey, pushing up at him but not really wanting him to go anywhere. He leaned up to capture JC's lips, then glanced at the clock and really registered the time. "Shit, I have to be at work in a couple hours." He frowned. "I wanna stay here." Hie hand idly caressed JC's back, and realized as well that they were both still naked. Which made him hard, but no *way* were they gonna get to do anything about it, not with other people awake in the house.

JC collapsed heavily on him and kissed him back, not letting himself care about stubble or morning breath or Joey being at work on time or anything. It was a pretty morning, they'd had an amazing night, and he just wanted to stay there, too. "How about I come to work with you?" he said, only halfway teasing. "And I'll grab you after each performance and tug you into the bathroom and suck you. How's that, for a plan?"

"Oh, god," moaned Joey. "Fuck yeah. I wish. I bet I'd give the best performances of my life, too." His fingers clutched at JC's back and he both smiled and sighed. "I really have to get up, don't I?" he said in resignation.

JC nodded, still grinning. "Yes. Come ON. Coffee. Now. Because you like me, I guess, since you don't seem to think you owe me ..." He didn't move, though, because Joey's bare frame was still warm from sleep, and as much as they *had* done, last night, sprawling out on top of each other naked hadn't been on that list.

"Yeah, I *guess* I ike you enough to make you coffee," admitted Joey with a grin, caressing JC's back gently again. "In a minute." He bit lightly at JC's lower lip and tried not to let the utter newness of the situation overwhelm him.

JC sighed and scooted up Joey's body, resting his elbows on either side of Joey's head, ducking his face to kiss and be kissed until Joey made him move. He knew he needed to get going -- something he had to do today was nagging at him, he just couldn't remember -- but he was just at the beginning of that phase in a relationship where you just couldn't keep your hands off the other person. Quite happily stuck there, in fact.

Joey sighed happily, feeling JC's weight on him. He hadn't been lying when he'd said that he hadn't expected *any*thing like this to happen to him, especially so soon after graduation. He'd known he'd eventually get around to trying things out with guys, but he'd thought it would be with someone he met at work -- knowing damn well how many people he worked with were gay -- or maybe if he went to college within the next few years. But he couldn't regret that it was happening here and now -- JC was considerate and interesting and, well, hotter than Joey remembered him being, which certainly didn't hurt.

"Hey, distraction-boy," JC murmured, nuzzling Joey's nose with his own, sweetly, then slipping his tongue into Joey's mouth as lewdly as he knew how. "What's on your mind that means you're not paying attention to the naked person in your bed?" He knew Joey'd just woken up, but he really seemed to zone out there for a minute.

"The naked person in my bed is on my mind," countered Joey, looking *at* JC again instead of through him, and chuckling at himself. He kissed him back for a couple of long, leisurely minutes, but had to pull away again. "When are we getting together again?" he asked.

JC blushed and leaned down to kiss Joey's ear, a little, so he could hide his face. He hoped Joey would tell him, if it was good things that he was thinking. "Up to you," he said, trying to keep his voice casual. "Need a ride home, tonight?"

"Wouldn't mind one," said Joey, licking his throat wetly. He was probably gonna think about this a lot more once JC wasn't so warm and real and good in his arms, but until then he was just going to enjoy it. "Does it come with the same kind of perks as the last one did?"

JC laughed out loud. "Which ones? Footsie in the Jeep? Feeding me french fries? Or, uh ... the other stuff?" He pulled back and looked at Joey with bright eyes. "You can have whatever you want, but we probably ought to think about what your parents'll say if my car's here two nights in a row."

Joey made a face. "You're right," he said with a sigh. "I mean they won't be mad or anything, but they'll bug me about it and stuff. Or if they don't, Steve will." He kissed JC one last time. "Fuck. I've really got to get up. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," JC told him, but he frowned a little as he rolled off Joey's body. "So that's a 'no,' then?"

"That's a 'we'll have to see how they react this morning'," corrected Joey, reaching out to touch JC's chest as he rolled away. "Or ... when I see them next. We ... um ... there's always your place, if not, right?"

"Well, yeah," JC said, like that was an obvious solution, except that he kinda figured that the same reasoning Joey used the night before for not going to JC's would probably hold that night as well. "So. Either way ... you want me to come by and get you, then?"

Joey grinned at him. "Yeah," he said. "I really want to see you tonight. You sure you don't have anything else to do? I wouldn't want to be monopolizing your time or anything."

JC smiled back, happy and surprised that Joey had admitted he wanted to see him again so soon. "I'll make time, even if I do," he promised, tugging on his underwear and khakis from where Joey had dropped them last night. "Do I need to get out of your hair now, though?"

"Dude," said Joey, managing to sit up on the edge of the bed. "Breakfast? Most important meal of the day? And apparently I have to make you *coffee*, too."

"It's practically lunch now, though," JC pointed out, pulling on his shirt, too, and trying to smooth his hair out. "And I don't want to keep you, or be, like, an inconvenience, or ..." He shrugged and his cheeks pinked a little as he bent over to kiss Joey again almost bashfully. All of his cocky jokes seemed to disappear as soon as Joey said something sweet to him.

"Breakfast ... lunch ... it's all food," joked Joey, resting his hands on his knees and trying to work up the ambition to actually get off the bed. "You're not an inconvenience and you know it, JC." He looked at the pile of fresh laundry, just inside the door to his room. "You wanna grab me some pants?"

"No," JC admitted, looking at Joey's crotch until he got him to blush too. Then he went over and grabbed a pair of shorts. "Boxers, too? or are you going to be all ... preemptive ... and go commando today?"

"I have to *work*," laughed Joey, more pleased than anything else by the attention JC was giving him. "Grab me some boxers, too. They really don't appreciate us going commando in costume."

"Pity," JC sighed, and tossed some underwear in his lap. "Um ... if I can, I may come see your last show, alright? It depends on some ... stuff, but ... I'd like to. Otherwise I'll just wait for you out front?" He flopped down on the bed and watched Joey get dressed, blatantly staring at his body when he stood up, still naked.

"I'll keep an eye out for you," said Joey, pulling his clothes on, and not particularly quickly either. "You sure you wanna see the show again?" he asked, giving JC a genuinely curious look. "Or is it just me that is pretty much sick to death of it?"

JC laughed. "Well, you *do* have to do it ... what, six times a day? That's understandable." Truthfully, JC kinda wanted to hear Joey sing again, just to convince himself -- not that he really needed more convincing -- that trying to get him into the group might actually work. He didn't want to get his own hopes up too much. He just had to be objective; which, watching Joey tug a shirt over his well-muscled chest, was probably easier said than done. "I want to see it," he confirmed. "I want to see you."

"Well that's flattering," said Joey with an easy smile, straightening his clothes then hunting for a pair of socks. Knowing that JC was out there watching might give him that extra bit of energy that he usually needed toward the end of the day, give him that extra little spark that showed he was *into* what he was doing. "It's nice," he said after a moment, turning back to smile brightly at JC, "not to be the only one who's doing the chasing."

Chuckling, JC crawled to the edge of the bed. "Who said anything about chasing? I didn't say anything of the sort." He sat up on his knees and held his arms out to Joey expectantly, waiting for him to come close enough to grab and hug tightly. Just for a second. "And does that mean I might actually see some wooing out of you, yet?"

"There may possibly be wooing in your future," teased Joey as he went over to JC and kisssed him soundly. "You do know what I meant, though, right?"

JC made a noncommittal noise. "Don't tell me you've never had chicks make a play for you. Because I don't buy it." He dipped his chin to kiss Joey's jaw, wrapping his arms tightly around his narrow hips and resting his palms gently at the curve of the top of his ass.

"Yeah, sure," said Joey. "Plenty. And then as soon as I take the bait, it's like it was my idea all along, and I have to do all the wooing and chasing and everything. It must be a girl thing, huh." He leaned into JC's touch, already grateful for the differences between this relationship and his last few.

JC shrugged and grunted again, his face buried in Joey's shirt. "Maybe girls figure that they're supposed to make the guy work for sex," he said bluntly. "And with other guys, that layer of, uh, bullshit, just isn't there." He paused a second, wondering how Joey would take that and hoping it didn't come across as pressure. "Or, uh. Maybe it isn't about fucking, and I don't know what I'm talking about."

Joey was rapidly coming to the conclusion that JC tended to babble a lot, but it was kind of endearing, in its own way. "No, you're right, it's about the sex," he said, and kissed him again. "At least, you know, partly."

"Partly," JC repeated, sliding off the bed, feeling a little silly. "Right. Um ... so now I'm really making you late, huh?" He hadn't meant to distract him into a conversation that maybe they weren't ready to have, or anything. And he needed to let go of Joey, and stop kissing him, or he himself wouldn't be able to get *anything* done that day.

"Cause if it was *all* about the sex," Joey went on, holding JC there. "You wouldn't be wasting your time on me. You'd find someone who was already ready to do that." He kissed him yet again. "So obviously it's not *all* about the sex, right?" He smiled somewhat triumphantly, running his fingers down JC's chest. "I kinda like being chased, anyway. But I wouldn't hold out if I was ready to do that. I mean ... it's *sex*. Of course I want to do it."

"Right, okay," JC said, fidgeting in Joey's grip, wondering how a conversation about how girls were teases had turned into something deeper, about *their* relationship. And trying desperately not to get more aroused by Joey saying he wanted to do it, even in the general sense. "I hadn't ... I didn't mean to imply that, you know, that's what two guys being together was like," he insisted. "All about sex. And anyway, sex can mean a lot of things, and you're right, that's *not* why I'm with you ... I mean, it's not NOT why I'm with you, but ... " He winced and covered his eyes with his hands. "God. I'm so shutting up, right now."

Joey laughed and pulled his hands away so he could kiss him again. "I get it," he said into JC's ear as he bit the lobe lightly. "Don't worry." Then he finally pulled away again. "And on that note we really *do* need to get down to breakfast so I can get to work on time."

JC just nodded, and let Joey lead them out of the room, vowing not to open his mouth again until he could say what he meant. Something that would make Joey feel as warm inside as JC did when Joey said nice things. Something that wouldn't make him laugh.

Joey took JC's hand, but let go once they were outside the sanctuary of his bedroom. "So what are you gonna want, besides coffee?" he asked, looking back and forth between the rooms as he went, trying to see who was home and who wasn't. Based on the open doors and the lack of noise, it looked like there might not be *any*one.

"Nothing, I'm good," JC said quietly, with a smile, shoving his hands in his pockets as soon as Joey let go. If he ate now, he'd just be hungry in a couple of hours; whereas if he didn't, he could probably get away with a really late lunch, something small, and then maybe eat with Joey after work this time. He started thinking about maybe going to the grocery store, getting something inexpensive but filling to cook for him. Maybe.

"Yeah, right," said Joey, snorting. "You didn't eat last night either, JC, don't think I don't remember. What's up with you and food, anyway? I'm making bacon and eggs and I'm making enough for you, too, and if you don't eat it now, dammit, I'm *making* you take it with you, all right?" He punched JC's shoulder as they headed down the stairs. "You know better than to not eat in an Italian home. We've been through this, man."

JC grimaced at the idea of reheated bacon and eggs and figured it wasn't worth arguing about, especially when he was sure it would make his mouth water to smell it. "Fool, I could probably put away more food than you if it came down to it," he boasted. "I just ... I told you, nerves and stuff." He hopped up on the counter once they made it to the kitchen. "You gonna want dinner again tonight?"

"That was last night," said Joey dismissively. "What do you have to be nervous about this morning? *I* should be nervous this morning, if anything." He looked around furtively, then pulled JC's face towards his for a quick kiss. "Dinner tonight would be good. Where did you want to go?"

"What do *you* have to be nervous about?" JC asked in reply, hoping like hell it wasn't them, but a little stage fright. Not what they had done last night, or might do that night. "Oh, I wasn't ... I thought I'd cook," he explained, cocking his head and smiling weakly after the kiss. "Unless ... I mean, you did say maybe we'd go back to my place? We *totally* don't have to, we can go out," he backtracked.

Joey grinned at him happily. "You want to make me dinner?" he said. "That's really cool, man. Like a real, romantic date or something. You need me to bring anything?" He opened the fridge and stuck his head in, digging out the bacon and eggs and milk. "I'm scrambling. Hope that's okay."

"It's fine," JC assured him, and started swinging his legs. "You don't have to bring anything; anything we still need by the time I come get you, we can get on the way home, how's that?" He had enough money for some wine, he was pretty sure, and he already had candles, and stuff, and was really too happy that Joey didn't seem to think the idea of him cooking was lame or cheap. There was just that one little thing that still bugged him. "Joey? How come you're nervous? Work?"

Joey chuckled as he cracked the eggs into a bowl. "Well shit, JC, I just made it with a guy for the first time last night. I think I'm entitled to be a little nervous about that, don't you think?" He nudged JC's leg aside so he could get a fork out of the drawer, then looked up at him and smiled. "I think I made a heathy dent in column B, though, don't you?"

"Hey," JC said softly, catching Joey's elbow in his hand before he could move away again. "You did great, okay? I didn't mean to push you about it." He rubbed Joey's bicep idly, before grinning a little. "Besides. Like you said. That was *last* night. What do you have to be nervous about *today*? Never cooked a chick breakfast? Pig."

Joey shoved him playfully as he turned back to the food. "Now I get to, like, think about it. All day. Without you there. So yeah, I should probably be a little nervous about that. And about everything to come." He dug around in the cupboard for a frying pan. "But you know what? I'm not half as nervous as I thought I'd be."

"That's good," JC said encouragingly, thinking that it probably definitely helped that it was something Joey had admitted thinking about before. "Well, listen ... if you, you know, think about it today, and decide that maybe it's too soon to get together again, just ... you can just call me. If I'm not home, leave a message. Okay? I won't be a bitch about it."

"What, and give myself *more* time to think about it, without you there? No way, man," said Joey. "I just need to, you know, dive into this. Do the things I've been thinking about and not try and talk myself out of them for some stupid reason or another." He glanced around again before planting another firm kiss on JC's lips. "Oh, hey, is it cool to talk to people about this, though? About you and me?"

"You can tell whoever you're comfortable with. But," JC protested, tugging on Joey's shirt emphatically. "But, Joey, it shouldn't be something you have to talk yourself *into*, either." He knew the point Joey was making, but he also knew if they got too close too fast, and Joey had to slow down or stop altogether after-the-fact, it would crush JC.

"I know," Joey assured him. "Come on, JC, I know that. I always do what I'm comfortable with when it comes to this stuff. And see there's this guy at work that I ... well, that I can talk to about this stuff. Who might be able to offer some kind of wise advice." He snickered. "Or at least tell me what kind of lube to buy, anyway."

"Whoa, okay," JC leaned back, before grinning goofily -- completely reassured by Joey's explanation, pleasantly caught off-guard by the random aside. "Well, you know," he grinned, arching an eyebrow. "*I* can give you wise advice, too. Especially on topics like that."

"Well, that kind of stuff I *will* ask you," said Joey. "Unless whatever I'm doing is supposed to be a surprise or something. Which could happen." He smiled mysteriously at him and winked. "But really ... Kyle's the kind of guy that comes into the dressing room and starts right in on what he's done with his latest boyfriend. No shame there. So he'd probably be really interested in what I have to say." He was almost but not quite flushing as he turned back to breakfast again. "I kinda just want to tell someone."

"That's so ... really ... " JC smiled and gripped the counter so he wouldn't throw his arms around Joey and knock him into the range -- that one comment doing more to convince him that Joey wanted to be doing this than anything else so far. "That's great. It'll probably feel good to share it with someone." JC wouldn't think about how *he* didn't, really, have somebody. But it wasn't as big a deal. "Don't let him scare you," he teased. "We'll be taking baby steps, okay?"

Joey chuckled again as he cooked the bacon. "I've already heard it all," he said. "Kyle's pretty, you know, flexible. But wow ... it's way different when you're actually in bed with someone, huh?" He gave JC another grin that was just a little bit shyer this time. "It was like that with girls, too, I guess -- I'd heard all this stuff from Steve but when I actually went and did it? Whole new ballgame."

"Yeah," JC agreed, arching his back a little and blushing when his stomach growled. "It was kinda ... definitely weird, with girls, for me," he admitted. "'Cause I'd heard about it, right, but I didn't really ... feel the stuff I was supposed to, I guess. Or I did, and thought everybody was exaggerating." He didn't really pause, just kept babbling. Not knowing if this was anything Joey cared about, but feeling like he should share some experiences of his own to put him at ease. "It's kinda ... weird to have had sex for, like, years, and then ... be seventeen or eighteen and realize you hadn't *really* been having sex. If that makes any sense."

"It makes sense," said Joey, pausing to look at JC as he spoke, sensing this was a little more seriously. "I mean, I like girls so it wasn't entirely like that for me, but ... I get that, man. So ... um ... 17? That was before you left ... "

"Mmm," JC agreed, watching Joey right back. "It was. I mean," he shrugged, "nothing too big, or whatever -- like, the serious stuff didn't come until I was in LA -- but. Blowjobs, or whatever." He rubbed his face a little and then twisted on the counter to grab some plates out of the cabinet above him. "I like girls, too," he reminded Joey, "just ... definitely not as much."

"Anyone I know?" asked Joey, trying to sound casual as he snatched some papertowel to put the bacon on as he forked it out of the frying pan. Not that it *mattered* if JC had made it with someone mutual acquantance from before ... but he wanted to know.

JC narrowed his eyes a little -- not suspiciously, but just ... trying to figure out Joey's tone. "I wouldn't think so," he explained, a little more reluctantly. "I mean ... I kinda wasn't ready for it to get out, to anybody I knew really well. Mostly friends of friends, at first." He tried a smile. "Dude. Don't you think it would've been tough to surprise you so much, with this information, if we had a friend in common that I'd done ... whatever ... with? I think that information maybe would've gotten back to you."

"Yeah, well, maybe he just never said, you know?" explained Joey as he put the eggs on. "Sometimes people don't talk about this stuff. I mean ... obviously. You didn't. To me, at least." His back was more or less to JC as he cooked, which hid his expressions as he talked about this. "Not that it, um, matters. Or anything."

JC had no idea if anyone else was in the house, but Joey had already kissed him twice and so he felt pretty safe sliding off the counter and going over to wrap his arm around Joey from behind. "What's up," he said softly. "What's going on with you? I can't ... I really don't know what's bothering you, but I can tell something is, so ... could you just tell me? So I can try and fix it? 'Cause I mean ... I was just trying to put you at ease."

Joey chuckled and didn't turn around, but he stopped stirring the eggs for a moment. "No, I'm fine," he said. "No uneasiness here. Nothing bothering me. Um ... definitely not feeling just a tiny bit jealous at the thought of you being with some other guy that I might have known, back then ... "

JC smiled; he couldn't help it. He'd worried that it had been so many things -- like maybe Joey being mad that JC'd never told him about being into guys before he left -- that to have it only be something as innocent as jealousy made him beyond happy. Plus it was just so ridiculous that it was sweet, and he squeezed Joey's waist a little. "That's so silly; you know that, right?" he said, the affection apparent in his voice. "I barely *knew* you, then."

"Of *course* I know how silly that is," said Joey, his attention at least half on the eggs again. "Which, naturally, is why I'm not feeling it." He turned his head to give JC a grin and a quick kiss without even looking around this time. "Damn ... I hope no one's home," he murmured.

JC kissed the back of his neck and patted his hip before stepping away to sit at the table. "Naturally," he smiled. "So it wouldn't make a difference to you, I guess, if I were to assure you that not only was it no one you knew, it wasn't anyone that I enjoyed being with a fraction as much as I do, with you? That's probably not something I need to tell you, or anything. Since. You know. You're not jealous."

"Right," said Joey, turning off the stove. "Not jealous. At all. Very secure in my relationship with another man." He left the eggs in the pan and brought the whole thing to the table, as well as the papertowel holding the bacon. "Dude, we need toast," he suddenly realized as he sat down.

"I'll make it; you eat," JC said, jumping out of his seat and walking over to the fridge to grab the bread. Of course, he was wondering whether that was something he should pursue, too -- was Joey "secure" in the same way he was "not jealous" ... which was to say, not at all? "And if you *weren't* secure, or anything -- even though you ARE -- you'd tell me, right?"

"Yeah," said Joey seriously, pausing mid-bite. "Yeah, I would. I think I've been pretty, you know, candid, so far. Right? I mean ... maybe I'm not *totally* secure, yet, but it's all pretty new and it's only a matter of time. I'm sure."

"You've been great, so far," JC reassured him, popping a couple slices of bread in the toaster. "It'll come, okay? And if it doesn't? Well ... that'll tell us something, too." He sat back down at the table while the toast was browning, resting his chin in his fists. "Um. About this being secure thing -- would the problem be being secure about being with a guy, in general? Or, uh ... you know. Something particular about me?" He thought it was a little strange that Joey'd somehow made a leap from being jealous to being ... whatever he was.

"It's not you," Joey assured him, attacking his eggs again. "Really, JC ... I'm not having a problem here. Just gimme a couple more days to actually get used to the idea that I *am* with a guy now and that kinda changes a bunch of stuff in my life ... and I'll be fine. Totally great. And I *mean* that, okay?" He swallowed his biteful and gave JC a smile. "Really ... just relax. Nothing's going wrong here."

"Fine, okay," JC replied, standing back up to grab the toast and dropping it quickly on Joey's plate. Sorry that he'd obviously crossed that line from being sensitive to being needy, which he hated. He sat back down heavily and started picking at his own eggs. "That makes me feel better."

"Does it?" asked Joey seriously, wrapping his bacon in the toast and eating it that way. "I hope so. I mean ... I'd um ... " He stuffed his mouth full of food so that he wouldn't have to finish that thought, but by the time he'd swallowed JC hadn't picked up the conversation. "I'd hate to lose this now. Now that I know. What it's like. With you."

"Shit," JC muttered, closing his eyes -- thinking that was about the last thing he'd expected to hear Joey say, right after he'd basically told JC that he still wasn't comfortable. And JC knew he was letting his heart get too wrapped up in it, when he thought Joey was being sweet without him probably even meaning it. "Well," he said, clearing his throat. "Maybe not. But *that* made me feel better. I'm not walking away from this, Joey. Not if I know you'll eventually want it too."

"I'm glad," said Joey, the tightness disappearing from his voice. "I mean, it'd kinda really suck to go ahead and come out to my family and friends and everything and then lose you." He glanced at JC's plate. "Dude, you're not eating," he said. "I made that stuff for you, you know. Eat up. I'd like to think that you used up at least a *little* energy last night."

JC laughed, continually amazed that Joey had the ability and the *inclination* to change JC's mood so quickly and easily. Especially in the face of some pretty serious words. "Okay, okay," he chuckled, stuffing a forkful of eggs in his mouth. "Happy?" He chewed and swallowed. "Last thing I'll say about this? If you need me, for anything -- as a friend, now, not as your boyfriend -- in terms of talking to anyone? Your parents? You let me know, okay? I'll be there for you, no questions asked; no pressure."

"Thanks," Joey acknowledged, looking down for a moment. "I'm probably gonna take you up on that, you know. Just ... not yet." He shoveled another forkful into his mouth and tried not to think *too* hard about that, just yet. "Breakfast okay? You'll have to tell me what you like, for next time."

"It's fine, it's great," JC said quickly, even though he could barely taste it. He really couldn't believe it hadn't occured to him how much this really was going to change Joey's life, especially if he was already thinking about telling people, and he wished he'd been a little more in tune to that earlier. "But that reminds me ... anything you don't like? for tonight? I haven't decided what to make, but if there is something you can't stand, you should let me know ... "

Joey laughed. "Dude, I have yet to meet a food I didn't like," he confessed. "I swear that's gonna catch up with me one day and I'm gonna end up looking like my dad, but you know what? I think I'm pretty okay with that. Are you gonna let me help with dinner? I'm a good cook and all ... "

"Sushi it is, then," JC teased, remembering their conversation from the night before, then laughed at Joey's expression. "No, I'm kidding! I'll feed you normal food," he assured him. "And can you just let me do this for you? You can have your turn next, okay? Show me some of that wooing you promised."

"Hey, I wooed you with my mother's lasagna," teased Joey, pushing away his empty plate. "What more do you want from me?" He leaned over, though, and touched JC's face. "Sure, you can make me dinner," he said. "But at least let me bring dessert or soemthing ... ?"

"No!" JC laughed. "Unless by 'dessert' you mean you, in which case all I can say is: bring it on." He shoveled some more of his eggs into his mouth and arched an eyebrow, smirking once he swallowed. "Seriously, Joe. Am I supposed to be getting pissy that you apparently think I can't handle a romantic dinner? One that *doesn't* rely on food my mom cooked?"

"No!" said Joey quickly. "No, not at all. I just have a problem with, you know, feeling like I'm not *doing* anything. I don't sit back and let people do stuff for me easily. Which, um, I guess you noticed. But hey ... I"m willing to be taught ... " He got up and gave JC a wink before grabbing his plate to put it in the sink. "And don't you be dissing my mom's lasagna, man." "I wasn't!" JC assured him quickly, thinking he was getting a little close to biting the hand that fed him. Kinda literally. He stood up and cleared his plate, too, before starting to play nervously with his keys. "Um. Thanks for breakfast. I should probably ... let you shower, huh?"

Joey sniffed himself. "Probably a good idea," he said, his eye catching a note stuck to the refrigerator. "Okay ... " he said, reading it. "Mom's working, Dad's working, Steve took the car to the shop and Janine's out for lunch. And then the rest of the note is Janine complaining about having to do my laundry this morning." He grinned. "If she didn't want to do my laundry, she shouldn't have made that bet," he commented. "So yeah, you wanna hang out in my room while I shower?"

JC looked at him quickly, then looked at his watch, noting that it was after noon. "Um ... I kinda thought I'd just go ahead and go, since I gotta get to the store, but ... " He bit his cheek as he realized that maybe Joey needed a ride *to* work, too. "Um. Did you want me to wait so I could drop you off?"

"Um, yeah, I was kinda hoping," admitted Joey a little awkwardly. "But if you have to go or something then I won't keep you. I can still get there and all, no problem ... " He'd probably be late, though, unless he shelled out for a cab.

"No, no, that's fine," JC assured him, touching his back and then realizing that no one was home, and he could kiss him. Which he did, before pushing him toward the stairs. "Um. Can I check my messages, while you shower?"

Joey pulled him back for another kiss before answering, jogging up the stairs. "Yeah, sure, of course," he said. "I won't be too long. There's a phone in my room, or you can just go downstairs if you want." He stripped off his shirt before even going into the bathroom. "Back soon," he promised with a smile.

JC ran his hand down the front of Joey's chest possessively and sighed like it was the hardest thing in the world to do to let him go in the bathroom alone. But he returned his smile before heading into Joey's bedroom, falling on the bed and picking up the receiver, having to think for a second to remember his new number.

Joey usually got clean, washed his hair, then maybe jerked off in the shower if he was in the mood. This time the spray was barely hitting him before he was jerking off, thinking about JC and what might happen between them that night. He needed to get off before he went and tried to perform all afternoon with a hard-on, anyway. Despite the additional activity, though ... the shower didn't take long.

JC cussed, loudly, the second he heard Chris's voice on his machine -- remembering that he'd told the older man that he'd be home that day. "Fuck fuck FUCK," he muttered, listening to Chris explain that maybe he'd misunderstood, but that he'd thought JC'd said he'd be home, and that if JC got the message to please call Chris, because they were going to go ahead and try to get together again that afternoon, blah blah blah. He was laying back on the bed with an arm over his eyes, still holding the receiver loosely, when Joey came in.

"You okay?" asked Joey, slinging his towel over the back of the door and looking at him in concern. "You feeling okay, JC?" He sat down on the edge of the bed and reached for his face.

"Yeah," JC sighed, letting Joey pet him, thinking that it felt really nice and there was a *reason* he hadn't been home. A reason he was *happy* about. "Sorry, just ... missed a call. But it's okay. You almost ready?"

"Was it important?" asked Joey apologetically as he finished getting dressed, not worrying about his hair since he was going to work anyway. "You can call them back, right?" He looked at himself in the mirror and grabbed his bag off the floor. "Yeah, okay, I'm about ready."

"Yeah, don't worry about it," JC assured him, shaking his head and then grunting when he rolled off the bed. "You have clothes for tonight in there, right? Something to change into?" He walked over to where Joey stood and held on to the handle of his bag, too. "Kiss me," he said softly, needing the affection from Joey right then that could erase the guilt from not being home.

"Yeah, I've learned to keep a change of clothes on me. Or... at least underwear," said Joey, then leaned in to kiss JC soundly. "Just remind me to call my parents later, okay? Wouldn't want them to worry." He brushed his lips against JC's yet again before pulling away.

"Okay," JC promised, his mind wandering a little as they made their way back downstairs. "Um, Joey?" he ventured. "I know I said I'd try to come see you tonight, but I just don't really think I can." His voice was apologetic. "With such a late start and having to get to the store and all that? Can I come the next day?"

"Oh," said Joey softly, pausing for a moment. "Are we off for tonight, then? I mean, that's okay. We can do it for another time ... "

"What?" JC stared at him. "No, we're not off. I just meant ... your show ... " He chuckled. "God. Don't scare me like that, okay? I'm still picking you up. I just can't watch the performance tonight." He smiled and felt like wiping his brow.

"Oh!" said Joey, visibly relieved. "Oh, hell yeah, I don't mind that at all, man. I get the feeling you're gonna get pretty sick of the thing soon anyway. You know ... since you'll be comin by a lot." He turned to him and grinned a little hopefully then.

JC laughed, but only because it was probably true: he *would* be by a lot. "Get in the car."

"Going, going," laughed Joey as he locked up. "Thanks for the ride and ... everything."

"You're welcome," JC assured him, opening the door of the jeep for him. "I'll pick you up right where I let you off, okay?"

"Perfect," said Joey, giving him a furtive kiss before getting in.

---

Joey gave JC a furtive kiss goodbye before hopping out of the jeep and jogging inside. He was earlier than he'd expected to be, he realized as he finally caught sight of a clock. Apparently he'd underestimated JC's ability to weave in and out of traffic at a truly alarming speed, and didn't have to make his usual mad dash to get into costume after all.

"Oh, Joseph ... " someone called out from behind him, in a teasing falsetto. "Slow down, big boy."

Joey chuckled and rolled his eyes, turning around as he recognized the voice. "Shouldn't you still be in bed?" he teased, knowing Kyle was the reason he usually wasn't the *last* to arrive, at least.

"Oh, no," Kyle laughed, catching up with him and throwing a casual arm around his shoulders. "OH no. If I hadn't gotten out of it when I did, it would've been NEXT Wednesday before you saw my pretty ass in here. That boy's room is like a ... orgasmic black hole."

"I know the feeling," said Joey fervently, nodding his head, "though I'm not sure I need you to go into too much detail about your latest boy's 'black hole'." He elbowed Kyle's waist as they headed inside. "You wanna get some coffee, since we're so obscenely early?" Obscenely meaning, of course, about fifteen minutes.

"Don't pretend like you don't want to know," teased Kyle, waggling his eyebrows and elbowing him back as they made their way to the lounge. "All I have to say is that I came twice in one round, last night, and he didn't have to touch my dick once, and ... promise me something? you ever find a chick who's willing to be a little ... experimental? ... when she goes down on you? you hold ON to that one."

"Yeah, about that," began Joey, then waved his hand in the air as though to dismiss the comment. "Nevermind. Wait 'til we're sitting down, man." He swiveled his head to look at Kyle though. "Didn't touch it at *all*?"

Kyle just grinned wolfishly. "Sitting down for what?" he pressed instead. "Wait, wait. I thought you were giving yourself some time before finding another woman to use and abuse? What happened to the grand plan?"

"I didn't," said Joey, walking a little more quickly. This wasn't quite as easy as he'd imagined it would be. "Find another woman, I mean." He grinned back and turned the conversation around again. "At all? Not even a *little* bit?"

"Ah, the one-night-stand approach," Kyle nodded sagely, keeping a steady pace and laughing when Joey threw him an exasperated look. "What, what? You think I'm actually going to be surprised by your latest conquest? Boy, please." He stole a quick glance in a window as they passed by and spiked up his hair a little more. "And yes. Not at all. Not even a little bit. Well ... *that* round, like I said. I've explained this to you before, young one."

Joey laughed, even though he was imagining what doing that would be like and not laughing about *that* at all. "There are only so many times even *you* can come in one night, Kyle," he said, pointing at a chair. "Sit. Down." He tried to sound serious enough that Kyle would obey, but not so serious that Kyle would go all intimidating on him, demanding to know what was up with him.

"Yes, and last night that number was three," Kyle replied, sliding smoothly into the chair and looking up at Joey expectantly. "Well? What's the big news? You might as well tell me so I can yawn and tell you that I'm happy for you and start mentally preparing for the day when you come whining to me about how all women are evil."

"Yeah, so," started Joey awkwardly. He'd never known what the big deal was for people when they came out to him -- I mean, didn't they known him well enough to know that he wouldn't care? But now, he got it. It was way, way different on the other side, no matter who you were talking to. "There's this guy, see ... "

Kyle interrupted him quickly. "Whoa, whoa. Is this one of those instances where you pretend to be talking about a 'friend' of yours that has a problem, but it's really you? If it's you, just *say* so, man. You know I don't judge."

"I AM talking about me," said Joey, rolling his eyes at him. "And that's how the damn story starts. There's this guy that I knew about a year ago ... and he just kinda came back into my life ... "

Nodding impatiently, Kyle started looking around distractedly at the other people in the room. "He cute?" he asked offhandedly. "Single?"

"Cute? Yes," said Joey. "Single? Not after last night."

Kyle's head whipped back around quickly, eyes narrowed. "You're shitting me. You're shitting me, right?"

Joey had to laugh a little. "Dude, you're such a moron sometimes. I've been trying to come out to you since we sat down."

Kyle's jaw dropped open and he leaned back. "You're not lying, either," he said, obviously surprised, and considering that. "Are you going to be offended if I stop trying to hide how fucking shocked I am?"

Joey's laugh turned into a sheepish grin. "Go for it. I enjoy your shocked look. Never had it turned on ME before though." He paused. "Except that time I asked what rimming was. Which I was absolutely humiliated about back then, but I'm starting to be kinda glad I asked ... "

Kyle choked. "Jesus. What did this kid *do* to you? Rimming? Holy hell." He shook his head, then mumbled something about 'breakout stars'. "Oh, hey," he said, a little softer, leaning over to put his arm around Joey. "You doing okay about it? You need to talk about that part before I make you share every little detail you can squeeze in before we go on?"

"Yeah, I'm cool," Joey assured him, but he appreciated the concern all the same. "I just, you know, needed to TELL someone, before I exploded with it or something." He grinned. "It's really cool. He's great, Kyle, he really is."

"That's *awesome*," Kyle crowed, clapping him on the shoulder and leaning back in his chair again, grin once again intact. "Wow. Boy must have some excellent powers of persuasion. How'd he get you to go for him?"

"Hit on me," said Joey simply, with a brief chuckle. Kyle was reacting just about exactly how he'd expected he would. "I mean, we'd been friends for years, really, and it just kinda happened. I'd been thinking about it for a while, though ... well, you know how it is. I mean, I wasn't just straight yesterday and suddenly this guy is totally irresistable to me or something."

"And you never *told* me you were 'thinking' about it?" Kyle cuffed him on the head. "Jeez, and after everything I've done for you ... " He sighed exaggerratedly. "Oh well. And hey, that was ballsy, hitting on you. Unless he knew you were into it, and I'm *really* the only one still in the dark?"

"God, were you *ever* in the closet?" groaned Joey, rolling his eyes. "Besides, you're, like, the first person I've told. So anyway ... we'd kinda gone out to, like, celebrate his return to town, so we were ... well, drunk ... when we came back to my place. Or at least, he was. So yeah, that's how it happened. I think."

"You think? That's all very cryptic." Kyle grinned. "And damn, man. Keep me in suspense, much? How *was* it? And does this big ball of wonderful have a name?"

"JC," said Joey quickly, the name bringing a smile to his lips. "And it was fabulous." He paused a moment again, knowing that Kyle knew the whole story behind his last relationship. "This is probably a stupid question to ask *you*, but do you think I'm kinda rushing this thing? Especially since before Saturday we hadn't seen each other for, like, a year?"

"Oooh, *JC*," Kyle teased lightly, before getting at least moderately serious. "You want to know what I really think? If you know and trust this guy well enough to let him be the first guy you've been with? I wouldn't say you're rushing." He frowned a little. "Unless he's pushing you and this is really a cry for help?"

Joey shook his head. "He's not pushing me, not at all," he said. "He's being just really great about it, letting me go with what I want. So yeah ... I do trust him enough. He's earned it, with me." He grinned again, getting into the stuff he knew Kyle was dying to hear. "And oh my GOD can that guy give good head."

Kyle squealed flamboyently, then laughed. "You're a smart man, avoiding amateurs. Life's too short. And I know you fancy yourself a good judge of those sort of skills." He smirked. "And you? How'd *you* do?"

"I did okay," said Joey, gesturing vaguely. "He came. So, yeah. Got a lot to learn though ... " He admitted with a grin. "Lots of different parts to try out."

"'He *came*'," Kyle echoed, snorting. "That's not saying much, you realize. Did *he* think you were good? Or was he, like, pulling on your ears and shit?" He closed his eyes. "Man, I *hate* that."

"I didn't go down on him," mumbled Joey, gesturing again. "But he did say it was good. The making him come. Damn, Kyle." Joey shoved his arm playfully. "Stop making me feel all insecure. He liked it, all right?"

"Okay, okay!" Kyle protested, holding his hands up defensively. "Never said he didn't! Sorry. So ... am I allowed to ask why you didn't? You ARE planning to, right? 'Cause, I mean, I'm sure he's the best thing since sliced bread, and all, but even the greatest guy might get a little tired of that kind of ... uh, unequal treatment."

"Jeez, Kyle," said Joey, smacking him again. "It was my first time, all right? NOW who's pushing." He sighed and shook his head again, but still he was smiling a little. "I do plan to, man. But I mean ... did YOU blow the guy your first time?" He eyed Kyle and paused. "Um, don't answer that ... "

Kyle didn't even bother to look sheepish, which was as good as an admission. "I'm not pushing you," he explained. "Just ... encouraging. I'm like your boxing coach, or something. In your corner, you know?" He checked his watch, then leaned forward again. "So. You like this kid? This is ... turning into something, maybe?"

"He's making me dinner tonight," said Joey, watching for Kyle's reaction to that. "At his place. So ... yeah. I *want* it to turn into something. And I haven't wanted that, well, in a while." He knew Kyle knew that, but he wasn't sure if he understood just how significant it might turn out to be.

"Oooo," Kyle leered, but didn't say anything else for a minute. "This is a really big change, for you. Not just the guy thing, but ... I mean. The relationship thing? I'm really happy for you, Joseph -- I think it's been enough time for you to sit on the sidelines. And shit, if this boy can get you to start thinking about that again? And he cooks? AND he gives good head? You better not introduce him to me, is all I'm sayin'."

Joey laughed. "The cooking thing has yet to be proven," he said. "And I'm gonna want to test out the giving head thing a few more times, you know, just to be sure and all. But yeah, I'm definitely thinking about that again. Sure as hell didn't expect it to be with a *guy*, idle thoughts aside, but I'm not gonna be a moron and give it up, man. You can be damn sure of that."

"So what's he like?" Kyle pressed. "I mean ... you were way, way hooked on her. WAY hooked on her. And I guess ... I kinda thought you'd be looking for someone like that again. But ... he's not, is he? He's nice, right?"

"He's nothing like her," said Joey emphatically. "Like ... at all. He's really nice and ... okay, he's a little bit dorky. But in that cute way, you know?" He chuckled again, thinking about JC and how much he was really enjoying being with him. "I don't know. It's good, that's all I'm sure of right now. Dorky?" Kyle repeated. "Like a school nerd? Wow. That really *doesn't* sound like you." He bit his lip. "You sure you're okay? This isn't just a rebound?"

Joey laughed. "When you rebound, you pick someone easy and available," he pointed out. "I'm with a *guy*, Kyle. Available, sure, but *not* the easiest thing, for me." He reached out and punched his arm again. "And I don't mean school nerd dorky. Just ... a little different. I like it." Well, obviously he liked it from the smile on his face when he talked about him. "Well?" Kyle pressed. "So when do I meet him? This little-bit-different, not-school-nerd-dorky, cute-enough-to-make-you-switch-hit boy? What's he like? What does he do? Is he good enough for you?"

Joey sighed dramatically, but he was both amused and touched by Kyle's concern for him. "He's picking me up tonight," he said. "If you're that desperate to meet him. But if you scare him away, man, I'm SO kicking your ass ... " He grinned menacingly at him, to show he was half-serious, but ONLY half serious. "He's ... great. He's really into music and stuff. He used to be on TV, you know."

"Reeeeeally," Kyle said, considering. "Hmmm. So you're not rebounding; you're *using* him? Is that it?" He sat there, chewing on his lip. "I should definitely have a chat with this JC fellow."

Joey jabbed him. "Hey, stop," he said. "I really like this guy, Kyle. Like ... *really* like him. Probably more than I've told him, like him."

"Ow," pouted Kyle. "Jeez, okay. I get it. Kinda." He considered that. "Okay. You like him a lot? Why're you telling me, and not him? I mean... he knows he's the first guy you've been with? Don't you think he's pretty self-conscious?"

"I'm practicing on you," said Joey, frowning as he thought about what Kyle was saying. "I wasn't ready to say everything yet. And dude, can I just tell you you're starting to make me feel kinda bad about all this? Are you trying to talk me out of it, or something?"

"What? No!" Kyle said quickly. "No. Okay. You're practicing. That's good. So." He leaned back in his chair. "Pretend we just finished dessert, then. And Mr. JC's all doe-eyed at you; all infatuated. And you want to make sure he knows that you're in this for real. Whaddya tell him?"

"Oh Jeez, I don't know," said Joey, picturing the scenario. "I'd probably just kiss him or something. I'm not good at the telling-him stuff. Would that work? Kyle grimaced and shook his head. "Um. What has *he* told you? I mean ... if he's been all ... honest and sweet and schmoopy, then you probably need to be prepared to tell him something encouraging. Not 'I love you,' or anything, but ... well, what's wrong with just telling him what you told me? About liking him more than he knows? If I know you, I'm sure you've been hiding that well enough to deserve an Oscar."

Joey sighed. "I've been good. I told him I liked him and stuff. And how I wanted to, like, spend time with him. I guess ... um, okay, maybe he HAS acted a little insecure about me," Joey realized when he thought about it. "Should I just, like, say that to him then? About liking him more than he knows, just like that? I'd never say that to a girl, man ... "

"So?" Kyle retorted. "It's gonna hurt you to do it? Is it something you don't want him to know, 'cause you think he'll use it against you?" He leaned over to grab Joey's elbow. "Look. He's kinda taking a risk with you, knowing that you've never done this before. And he obviously likes you a lot, and isn't afraid to show it. Don't you want to put the same trust in him? And don't yell at me for making you feel bad, again." "Don't you think it's a show of trust for me to even do it?" asked Joey. "To BE with a guy, the first time? To spend the night with him and make him breakfast in the morning? C'mon, Kyle, I was all excited about this when I came in ... can you tell me I'm doing at least *one* thing right?"

Kyle laughed, jumping out of his chair and throwing himself into Joey's lap. "You're doing everything right, so far, boyfriend," he reassured him, trying to bring that smile back. "I just think you're not gonna lose anything by being totally honest with him. That's the great thing about being with guys ... you can get around the bullshit."

"Yeah, finding that out," said Joey happily, bouncing his knee under Kyle. "So you proud of me? Just a little?"

"Definitely," Kyle said firmly. "I'm reserving final judgment until I see his ass, but until then? I'm VERY proud of you." He gave him a huge kiss on the cheek. "Just TELL him how you feel. I promise. It'll only mean good things for you."

"I will, I will, " promised Joey. "I think he knows anyway, but I will. So ... um ... how do you give blowjobs, anyway ... ?"

"Don't assume," Kyle warned. "You know what they say. And blowjobs? Boy, you're the expert. Don't pretend I can tell you anything you don't already know. Use common sense and do what you like, man. All there is to it."

"Yeah," scoffed Joey. "I do that and I end up choking on him or something." He rolled his eyes. "And wouldn't THAT just kill the mood. So it's not that easy and you know it, man. And besides ... he did all these AMAZING things to me. There's no way in hell I can compete with that."

"I'm pretty sure he doesn't expect you to," Kyle said, reassuringly. "I gather he has more practice than you? He probably couldn't care less what you're doing, as long as you get down there and do *something*." He wiggled a little on Joey's lap. "ONE piece of advice? If he, uh, asks you to help him out a little? Put your fingers somewhere? Just do it, dude. Worry about it later."

"Oh God," groaned Joey, closing his eyes for a moment. "I wasn't even gonna GO there, yet." He popped one eye open. "Is that easy to do? I mean, for a normal person like me. Not for someone like you."

"It's very easy," nodded Kyle. "Finger-fucking's finger-fucking, man. It's one of the few things that don't change much between girls and guys. You'll be a damn star at it; relax."

"I'm pretty sure that something's gonna happen tonight," admitted Joey, a little embarassed that he was getting hard thinking about the stuff he might be able to do for JC. And have done to him. "More than last night. I mean, it's kinda hard to go all out when your parents are home, you know?"

"Whoa, what kind of stuff?" Kyle crawled back off of Joey's lap and sat in his own chair. "He lives by himself, then? Have tou been to his place? What do you think you're ready for? Has he told you what *he's* ready for?" He looked at Joey expectantly.

"Him?" said Joey. "I think he'd be ready for pretty much anything I was willing to do. He's ... done it all, I guess. Not the way YOU'VE done it all or anything, but I think you hold some records or something so it's not exactly a fair comparison." He poked Kyle again, but a lot more playfully this time. "We're gonna have privacy tonight, yeah, so ... yeah."

"Yeah?" Kyle leered again. "Oooh. Dude. Just BE. CAREFUL. You need condoms, let me know. ANYTHING you need, let me know. I think you're gonna kncok him, out, man. Jospeh Fatone on a mission; that's a sight to behold."

"Dude, I'm not a moron," laughed Joey. "I know the whole condom thing. But ... what else am I gonna need? To make it ... good. Or whatever. Yeah, good." He laughed again, at himself this time. "I'm a moron when it comes to this stuff, man, despite your 'education'."

Kyle exhaled and looked at his watch pointedly. "How much time do I have?" he joked. "No, seriously. Condoms and lube; you're set. I guess you'd probably be more comfortable with topping, first? Just let him pick a position. If he's as great as you say, he'll probably ask you your preference. Be honest; whatever feels right at the time. Be gentle at first, be slow. Until he tells you not to be. See? Just like girls. But better."

Joey grinned. "I still like girls, you know," he said. "But yeah, okay. I'll, um, do that. And I'm SURE I'll be telling you about it tomorrow, if I know you."

"So you think you will? Tonight?" Kyle pressed, grinning, standing up and grabbing his coffee cup. "My baby boy's all growed up!"

"Will ... have sex with him? Tonight?" Joey asked, thrumming his fingers on the table. "Uh uh, not THAT, Kyle. Jeez. Isn't it a little soon?" But now that the thought was in his head, it was an appealing, if intimidating, one.

Kyle tugged on Joey's collar to pull him up too. "Well, again, look who you're askin'," he smirked. "But seriously ... I dunno, from what you're telling me, it seems like y'all have an understanding, right? Like you're ... dating? So does it really matter if you do it now, instead of like ... two weeks from now? It's just sex. Not all that different from what you've already done together, depending on how you look at it."

"Yeah, we're dating," said Joey as he stood up. "I mean, once you do the breakfast thing, you're dating, right? Wasn't it you that taught me that?" He grinned as he grabbed his own, empty, cup. "So ... just sex. Well, we'll see," he said. "And like I said, I'm sure you'll be hearing about it whether I do or I don't. *Try* not to upstage me without your own story, tomorrow, okay? For once, I might just have something to tell."

---

JC coughed a little before taking another long drink of water. It had been a while since he'd sung that much in one sitting, but it felt good. Almost like he was training himself to get back in shape. As he drank, he kept looking sideways at Chris, trying to come up with a good opening at the right time to talk to him about Joey maybe joining the group. "I didn't know your range was so good," he told him, thinking that maybe he could butter him up a little. "That stuff you did in your lower-end, in that verse? was right on."

"Thanks," said Chris, putting down his own empty glass of water and wipng his mouth with the back of his hand. He watched Justin scurry back into the kitchen to get some more to drink. "That whole bit sounded good, what did you think?"

"I liked it," JC nodded, only hesitating a bit and trying not to make it look too intentional. "I mean ... you were right; we totally need another voice in there, under ours, though. Uh ... any luck, with that?"

Chris shook his head and sat down again. "Not yet," he said. "I had a lead on this guy that someone I work with used to sing with a couple years back, but he was a no go. Not interested. Well ... we'll find someone." He moved restlessly in the seat, and after a moment just got up again.

"Okay," JC said softly, staring at his hands, kinda waiting for Chris to ask him id *he'd* found anyone. When he didn't, JC took a deep breath and just went for it. "So. I have this, uh ... friend, that I know from a ways back. And I just heard him sing for the first time in a while? And I think -- I mean, if you want to -- maybe we could see if he's interested." His cheeks were pink, and there was no way he could've predicted how nervous he'd actually be about saying it.

"Yeah?" said Chris, looking interested. "And he's actually good, not just I-have-to-say-he's-good-cause-he's-my-friend?"

JC bristled a little. "Yes, he's good. If he wasn't, why the hell would I bother mentioning him? I could just tell him I did and never even bring it up with you." He knew he was being defensive, which was no way to win points, but this was *Joey* they were talking about.

"Hey, back off," said Chris, raising a hand and sitting back down on the arm of the chair this time. "I was just asking, man. You would've too. So what's this guy's name?"

"Joey," JC replied, suitably chastised. His face softened anyway as soon as he said Joey's name. "Joey Fatone. He's, uh ... my age, just graduated, definitely into singing and no plans for college or anything right now, so. And a nice baritone, but, like ... the most amazing range, and ... "

"Fatone?" said Chris, a little flatly, staring at him. "Yeah, I know the guy."

JC shut up quickly, staring at Chris and wondering if he imagined the less-than-impressed tone he heard in his voice. "Um ... you do? How? I mean ... well, that's cool ... you heard him sing?"

Chris nodded. "Yeah, we both work at Universal, man. I've seen him in rehearsals and stuff." He got to his feet again. "Just? Dude, you get lost in there or something?"

JC had no idea how to handle how dismissive Chris was being. "Well, okay. I didn't know you worked there." He stood up too and tried to follow Chris. "So ... ? What do you think? I mean, if you've heard him sing, then you know he'd be pretty much exactly what we need, and he'd get along great with everybody, and even Justin's met him before, and, I mean, it would be *no* problem to call him and get him to come by and sing with us, just to, y'know, try it out ... "

Chris turned and hesitated at the door to the kitchen. "I'm just not sure he's what we're looking for," he said finally. "We need someone with a pretty strong voice. Someone with some stage presence."

JC froze, and he knew the look of surprise was obvious on his face. "What are you ... what? *Stage* presence? A pretty strong ... " He shook his head and tried to form a sentence. "Chris. Those are, like, two of Joey's strengths. Are you sure we're talking about the same person?" JC was starting to think there wasn't any way that could be the case.

"I know the guy," said Chris, looking almost apologetic. "Trust me. I know he's your friend man, but ... well, he got cut from *my* list pretty early on."

"But why?" JC asked, honestly perplexed. It was true that a lot of the reason he was doing this was because of his feelings for Joey, but he was pretty secure in his sense that he *wouldn't* be doing, no matter what, it if he thought Joey wouldn't be a huge asset.

"Why?" repeated Chris, looking toward the kitchen again. "I just didn't think he had it, JC. I'm sorry." He took another couple steps closer. "Justin?! If you went somewhere to beat off I'm *so* kicking your ass!"

JC bit his lip, getting a little angry, and reached out to grab Chris's arm. "Hey," he said tightly. "I think he *does*, okay? And I don't think it would hurt to let him sing with us once." It barely registered with him that he was almost jeopardizing his own place in the group by pushing Chris like that.

"All right, fine," said Chris, turning back to him again. "We can let him give it a shot. Just don't get your hopes up, okay? I think I've probably heard him sing more than you have." jawababes: "Wow, really?" JC let go immediately and smiled broadly, ignoring the rest of Chris' warning. "Cool; that's *so* cool. Thanks, Chris." Already his mind was racing with how to tell Joey about it, how much to explain, and his face got a fond, far-off look. "He'll be really excited."

"Just don't tell him he's in, okay?" said Chris, leaning against the wall. "We'll just ... give him a chance."

"I know, I know," JC nodded distractedly. "No problem. I wouldn't. Wow." He looked at his watch, checking to make sure he still had enough time to go back home and shower and clean up the rest of his apartment before he had to pick Joey up from work. "I'll just tell him it's ... a tryout, whatever. Right? But, I mean ... I just *know* he'll be great. I *know* it."

"We'll see," said Chris non-commitally, looking at the kitchen. "Sheesh. I love that kid to pieces, but he's SO young sometimes."

Once that registered with JC, he frowned again at how dismissive he was being. But figured it wouldn't matter, once they all got together, and things wokred out like he expected they would. "Why?" he said, peering around Chris's body. "What's he doing?"

Chris rolled his eyes and made a jerking gesture with his hand. "That's *my* best guess. Either that or he went directly to the spring to get us our damn water."

JC laughed and clapped Chris on the back in a friendly gesture. "So. Um. What's a good day, do you think, for us to do this? When are we meeting again?"

"I"m not sure," said Chris. "I'll have to give you a call. Lynn and Justin are going out of town, but they'll be be back Friday, I think. So this weekend, I guess."

"Oh, okay," JC said agreeably, chewing on the inside of his cheek, wondering if maybe Chris would be a little more excited about the prospect if he got a chance to get to know Joey a little better first. "Hey," he said, trying to keep his voice casual, giving Chris a friendly smile. "What're you doing Friday? Like ... Friday night? Maybe we could go out, or something? I kinda feel like I barely know you, still."

Chris grinned a bit. "Do what, though?" he said. "If we have Justin along ... that kinda limits our options."

JC waved him off. "Are you kidding? There're plenty of places he can get in. 18-and-over clubs we've been going to since practically forever. Especially if we go down to Pleasure Island." He checked his watch again. "Is that a yes?"

"Yeah, sure," said Chris, turning away from the kitchen and clearly giving up on Justin. "Not usually where I end up on the weekend, but that's cool. As long as I can get out there and burn off some energy."

"We can get each other drunk some other time," JC tried, wondering why it was hard to get Chris to open up to him. "This'll be fun, and it'll be good to let Justin come." He walked over and grabbed his keys off the coffee table. "Okay? I'll call you?"

"Yeah," said Chris, nodding his head. "I'd call you, but I'm worried about leading your machine on, I talk to it so much."

JC flushed. "Right. Uh ... I'm sorry. About this morning. Sorry I wasn't home; I know I said I'd be, but I kinda ... got caught somewhere, and it sorta slipped my mind, but I'm usually not like that, I promise. Okay? I'll be there next time, Chris."

"Sure," said Chris. "You just call me, okay? You know where to find me."

JC just nodded, wishing he didn't feel so defeated for some reason, and had to force himself to remember that this was a *good* thing. That he'd gotten Chris to agree to hear Joey with them. Who he now he got to spend the rest of the evening with. "Um, so. Gotta run. You'll tell Justin bye for me, right?"

"If I manage to pry him and his sticky hands out of the bathroom, sure," said Chris, rolling his eyes again and bouncing on the balls of his feet a little. "I'll see you Friday, man."

"Cool," JC replied, punching Chris's shoulder as he walked past him to the door. "And, uh ... thanks again, about Joey. I don't think you'll be disappointed." He ignored the tight-lipped look Chris gave him in response to that, and waved cheerily before jumping down the steps.

---

"Dude, stop *poking* me," said Joey, swatting Kyle's hands away as they stood outside by a bench. "I know you want to meet JC but jeez, you're annoying sometimes." He looked up the street again, hoping to see JC's jeep come into sight, hoping he hadn't been held up longer than he thought he'd be.

Kyle snickered. "You might be the only guy I've ever met that's told me to stop poking them," he teased, then jabbed Joey with his finger one last time for good measure. "Where *is* he? Or is tardiness Mr. Perfect's fatal flaw?"

"He'll be here soon," said Joey, sighing. "He said he couldn't make tonight's show because he had stuff to do, so maybe that stuff went late or something." He hoped, anyway, starting to get irrationally worried that maybe sometime during that day JC had changed his mind about him.

Just as Kyle opened his mouth to reply, JC's jeep squealed to a stop in front of them and he jumped out, leaving the door wide open. "Hey," he said breathlessly, with eyes only for Joey. "I'm sorry. Were you waiting long?" He registered the fact that Joey wasn't alone, enough so that he didn't touch him once he stood next to him, but he didn't do much to acknowledge there was anyone else there.

"Just a little bit," said Joey, smiling both in happiness to see him and relief that he was there at all. He wrapped an arm around JC's waist and kissed him soundly, a little nervous that Kyle was with them, but not so nervous that he wouldn't give his boyfriend a welcoming kiss when there was no one *else* around to see them. "I was starting to get worried."

JC licked his lips after Joey released them, then looked from him to Kyle with wide eyes. But he didn't make any move to pull away; obviously this was someone Joey had talked to, and JC wasn't going to do anything to make Joey look foolish in front of him. "I'm sorry," he said again, whispering, making sure Joey could see how much he meant it, before turning to rest his gaze on Kyle -- who was watching amusedly but carefully. "Hey," he said simply. "I'm JC."

"Hey," Kyle echoed, in exactly the same tone. "I'm Kyle." Then he looked at Joey expectantly.

"I would've introduced you," said Joey defensively, looking from one to the other. "I just had, you know, stuff to take care of, first." He gave JC a private grin and a wink. "Kyle, this is my boyfriend JC. JC, this is my favorite pain-in-the-ass, Kyle. Everyone happy now?" He reached for JC's hand, grateful for the relative privacy of the location.

JC let Joey take his hand willingly, trying not to look as surprised as he felt that Joey was being *so* affectionate in front of someone else. "It's nice to meet you, Kyle," he said, twisting a little to offer his other hand for Kyle to shake, sizing him up a little without being able to help it.

"You too," Kyle said, smirking a little and shaking JC's hand vigorously. "Is this the point when I get to really embarrass Joseph, here, and tell you about how he didn't shut the hell up about you all day? Although," he murmured, his eyes drifting down to the tight jeans that JC was wearing, "I can kinda see why."

Joey whapped his arm. "Do I embarass you in front of YOUR boyfriends?" he challenged him, giving him a warning look. "Shut UP, man." He turned back to JC and smiled, not denying anything Kyle said despite his reaction. JC looked really good tonight, and he was looking forward to getting back to his place. His 18-year-old hormones were starting to kick in full blast.

"Ow," Kyle said, pouting, rubbing at his shoulder. "Jesus, man. I'm not even being remotely embarrassing yet. Wait until I tell him what you said about his- " He stopped abruptly when Joey raised his hand again. "Uh. Maybe I'll save that for another time."

JC chuckled and flushed a little bit with the attention from both guys, albeit for different reasons. "You ready to go?" he said quietly, touching Joey's nose with the tip of his finger before turning apologetically to Kyle. "I left the potatoes in the oven ... "

Joey grinned at Kyle. "Told you he was making me dinner," he said almost proudly, moving even closer to JC's body. "See you tomorrow, man?" He could tell by the look on Kyle's face that if he showed up without details tomorrow, he was never going to be forgiven.

"Indeed!" Kyle replied, giving them a beauty-pageant wave as he watched JC extricate himself from Joey and jog over to open the door for him. He waited until JC was walking over to his side of the car to give Joey a thumbs-up and mouth "nice ASS!"

Joey chuckled silently at him and nodded his head, hoping maybe Kyle was just a *little* bit jealous, given then number of times he'd been silently jealous of him. He gave him a last wave before turning to JC. "So what's for dinner, man? I'm starving. Again."

JC smiled at him after waving at Kyle himself. "I know you are. Um. Pork chops? Is that okay? With this, like, apple chutney stuff and mashed potatoes and spinach." He'd wanted to get steaks, but they were way, way too expensive. And he was pretty sure he wouldn't mess up this recipe, since he'd made it before. "And I'm so sorry I was late, Joey. Really. It's great to see you."

"Wow, I'm impressed," said Joey sincerely. "I figured I was gonna get, like, pasta or something. Pasta's easy. And safe." He put his hand on JC's knee where it wouldn't be obvious. "Don't worry about being late, man. I don't mind hanging out with Kyle. Even though he spent, like, 15 minutes *poking* me. Bastard."

"He seems really nice," JC said honestly. "He likes you a lot, I think." He chuckled a little. "Pasta? I know better than to try to cook *you* pasta. I don't think I'm secure enough in this relationship yet to know you're thinki ng how much better your mom's is." He covered Joey's fingers with his own, his palm hot on his leg.

Joey knew better than to stress again that pasta was easy, and that's why he'd been expecting it. He hadn't anticipated JC being quite the cook he was turning out to maybe be. "Well, I haven't had pork chops in, like, forever, so good choice," he assured him instead, his mouth already watering.

"I have some bread that you can eat while they're cooking, too," JC said softly. "I know you're hungry. And I'm sorry again that I was late." He concentrated on driving for a second. "How'd the show go? I wish I could've seen it."

"It went about the same as the last 20 shows," said Joey with a smile. "Trust me, you didn't miss much. And I'm not gonna eat all your bread, man. I'm civilized. I can wait for dinner."

"I didn't mean, like, sandwich bread," JC laughed. "I got it for tonight, okay?" He grabbed Joey's hand and brought it to his mouth to kiss softly. "I was thinking about you a lot today. You don't know how happy I am that I didn't have a message from you, cancelling."

Joey looked surprised. "Why would I cancel?" he said, forgetting that he'd been wondering the exact same thing about JC. "I've been looking forward to this all day, JC. I mean, *obviously*, considering what Kyle decided he had to tell you."

"I thought what he said was nice," JC said, smiling. "And I just ... I dunno. You seemed worried that you might talk yourself out of this, out of US, today. I'm just relieved you didn't, is all." He turned into the parking lot of his apartment building and parked the car. "Unless you're just using me for dinner, and Steve's coming to get you, or something?"

"Us is good," said Joey confidently. "We both need to stop being so damn insecure about it, huh? I'm not going anywhere, JC. I even called and told my parents they wouldn't be seeing me tonight. So ... yeah." It was really only after saying that that he realized the effect talking to Kyle about this had really had on him, making him realize that if he wanted this, he had to just *go* for it and stop sweating the petty stuff.

"Okay," JC smiled, leaning over to kiss Joey quickly before he climbed out of the car. "When'd you get smart?" He practically bounced over to lock the door behind Joey and grabbed his hand to lead him up the stairs. "Um. Wait. You told your parents you weren't coming home at all?" He tried not to grin too much.

"Yeah," said Joey as he followed him. "I mean ... just in case, right? I'm not gonna presume ... " He paused, and even stopped dead on the stairs. "No, wait, I *am* gonna presume," he said, turning JC's face toward him. "Would it be cool if I spent the night here, JC?"

JC's face felt like it was burning under Joey's hand, and all he could do was nod for a second. He was really proud and a little jealous of Joey right then, for being brave. And above all that, he was really, really excited. Turned on. "I'd love it if you did. Just ... love it." He reached out and touched Joey's earlobe. "Thanks."

"Cool," said Joey, smiling. "Because I'm betting that Steve got the message and he'd never let me live it down if I showed up early after saying I was gonna be out all night. You *know* what he's gonna be thinking." He gave JC's cheek a brief caress, then let go. "Let's go have dinner."

"Okay," JC said softly, but he kissed Joey's palm before it fell away. His heart was beating faster, and he could only hope that he wouldn't mess up dinner since he was beyond distracted at this point. Taking a breath, he opened the door to the apartment and stood back a little shyly. He'd struggled with whether to make up the futon, or not; whether to put out candles, or not. As he waited for Joey's reaction, he hoped that HE hadn't presumed too much.

"Wow," said Joey quietly, moving just inside the door and surveying the small apartment. It made him feel a lot more secure that he wasn't the one taking all the risks, here. "Wow, JC. Is this all for me, man?"

"Yeah," JC said, closing the door behind them, shifting a little nervously. "Um. I know it's a little ... a lot," he stuttered. He was relieved that it didn't seem like he'd made that big a mistake; hopefully hadn't made one at all. "I just wasn't sure I'd get another shot at it, to do it right." He bit his cheek and walked over to light the candles on the bookshelf and the table.

"No one's ever done this for me before," mumbled Joey, still looking around in awe and wishing JC wasn't so far away from him now. "Is this one of the perks of being with another guy? That they do nice things for you instead of expecting you're always gonna be the one to do nice things for them?"

JC chuckled, moving to get the ones on the coffee table that he'd pushed beside the TV so he could leave the futon pulled out. "I think that's just a perk of being with someone that likes you a lot," he told him, a pink flush still present on his cheeks. "It's really ... the least I could do." He resisted asking whether the whole thing was too cheesy; Joey's comment about both of them needing to not be insecure rattling around in his head.

"Thank you," said Joey, not sure if there was something else that would have been more appropriate to say or not. "So ... obviously I told Kyle about you -- about us -- today," he went on, hoping that JC might be as happy about that as he was.

"Obviously," JC agreed, blowing out the last match and walking over to take Joey's bag from him. "How do you feel about it? Can I tell you that I was sort of surprised but, like, totally flattered that you kissed me in front of him?"

"Well, I wasn't gonna *not* kiss you," insisted Joey. "And I knew that if you thought you knew that Kyle didn't know about you and me that you knew enough not to kiss me ... so it was up to me." He reached for JC and pulled him closer. "It felt really good to tell someone. And he gave me some advice that I'm trying to follow ... "

"I'm still trying to follow what *you* just said," JC protested jokingly, but he let Joey sweep him into his arms. "Was it good advice, do you think?"

"Probably, yeah," admitted Joey. "Kyle's a flake sometimes, but when it comes to this stuff, he knows what he's talking about." He kissed JC's forehead, right above the bridge of his nose, stalling for time to put together the words he needs to. "He said I should tell you the stuff I haven't. About how I like you."

"I know you like me," JC said quietly, ducking his head, not wanting Joey to think he *had* to say anything even though those few words made him feel like the luckiest person he knew. "You've put too much trust in me for me to think anything else."

"See, that was what I told him," said Joey triumphantly. "That you *knew* how I felt already, and I didn't have to *say*. But Kyle's all like I should just *tell* you how much I liked you ... " He grinned at him. "I *knew* you knew. I knew it."

JC wanted to smack himself for obviously being too good at convincing Joey that he didn't have to tell him things like that. He gave Joey a weak smile and leaned over to pick his bag back up. "I'm just going to put this over there, out of the way, okay?" he mumbled. "Then I'll finish dinner. Make yourself comfortable."

"I *was* comfortable," said Joey, reaching out an arm for JC as he moved away. Something about the way his shoulders hunched, the way he turned away, twigged Joey that something was maybe wrong here. "Um ... was it something I said?"

"Was what something you said?" JC asked, his voice a little stronger, squeezing Joey's hand before moving out of his grip again and dropping the bag on the floor on the other side of the room. "Look, I just ... " he sighed and turned on the burner on the stove, moving the saucepan on top of it. "I didn't mean to stop you before you said what you were going to say, is all."

"Oh," said Joey, moving closer again. "Is that your way of telling me you *don't* know how I feel about you?" he asked, wrapping an arm around JC's waist from behind and resting his chin on his shoulder.

JC smiled slowly, happy again that Joey still seemed like he could read him better than almost anyone he'd dated. "I thought you said you liked me?" he ventured, knowing it was as good as an admission. "Watch your hands," he said, backing them both away from the stove a little when he poured olive oil into the pan.

Joey clutched him close. "When I was talking to Kyle this afternoon," he said slowly, watching JC try to cook with Joey wrapped around him. "I told him I thought maybe I liked you more than you knew. I guess ... do you know that you're the first person I've even wanted to be with, since the girl I was with last ... ? Do you get that, JC?"

"Oh," JC said softly, wrapping one of his arms around Joey's in a brief embrace. "I didn't know that," he admitted; glad in a way, since it probably would have made him feel bad for being even as pushy as he was. He bit back a chuckle when he stepped over to the fridge and Joey still clung to him. "Because of her?"

"Kinda yeah." admitted Joey nervously. He was doing exactly what Kyle had told him, but maybe it wasn't such great advice after all. JC didn't seem .. happy, exactly, to be hearing it. "I didn't like anyone enough. I didn't trust anyone enough."

"But you like me?" JC pressed, pulling out the plate with the pork chops on it, and the apple sauce that he's already prepared, and the spinach that just needed to be microwaved. "And trust me?" He knew that part, but it seemed like Joey had something else he wanted to say. And JC very much wanted to hear it.

"Yeah, that's what I'm trying to say," said Joey, releasing JC enough that he could finish making dinner. "I'm not doing a very good job of it, am I?" He scrunched up his face a little and looked at JC apologetically.

"What?" JC asked, stumbling backward a little without Joey bracing him. He twisted to catch Joey's expression and sighed, looking around to find some counter space to put down everything in his hands. "I just didn't want to interrupt you again," he admitted sheepishly, reaching out for Joey. "You say the nicest things when I don't butt in and mess everything up."

"Do I?" asked Joey, leaning in to give JC a swift kiss. "Are you sure I can't help with dinner?" He looked at the expression that brought to JC's face and had to chuckle a little. "That wasn't as out of the blue as it sounded," he confessed. "I'm, um, nervous about tonight. And thought maybe if I was doing something with my hands, I'd stop worrying ... " He was embarassed at having to admit that -- still sticking with Kyle's honesty thing, though -- and was sure that it showed.

JC pushed him back in one of the chairs just outside the small kitchenette, and then brought over a plate with some slices of sourdough bread on it. "Here," he said, smiling a little. "Feed your face. Okay? And relax." He turned back to the stove and used a fork to transfer the porkchops to the pan. "There's nothing to worry about. I'm sorry if having the, uh, bed made wasn't such a good idea, if that's what's freaking you out, but ... I mean, we did sleep together last night, and I just thought ... it doesn't mean I think anything huge is going to happen. I promise."

"No, no," said Joey quickly. "That's not ... I mean, I've been kinda thinking about it, today. Maybe, um ... planning it. Kinda." He stuffed a piece of bread in his mouth to keep from saying anything else that might make him sound stupid. There was a line between being honest about how he felt, and flat out babbling.

JC threw him a grin over his shoulder. "You have?" he asked, his voice light, trying anything he could to get Joey in a better mood so he *wouldn't* worry. "You have an agenda? A checklist? Do I get any input?" He grabbed the bottle of wine from the fridge too and took it over to where Joey sat, along with a corkscrew. "Here, open that," he mumbled. "And hey! If the *bed's* not what's worrying you, does that mean you're scared of my cooking?"

Joey picked up the corkscrew and stared at it for a moment before opening the wine. "I don't have a checklist, JC. I'm just figuring things are gonna go a little further than handjobs on my part, tonight -- if I have anything to say about it anyway -- and ... God, you and Kyle both. Weren't *either* of you nervous, your first time?"

"Pretty much scared shitless," JC admitted quickly, before the significance of what Joey implied really hit him. And then he wasn't certain if he was supposed to have caught it, and commented on it, or not. He tried to take a middle road. "Is this where you want me to remind you that I don't have any expectations, and you shouldn't feel like you have to do anything you aren't ready for?"

"It's still gonna be my first time, even if it's weeks from now," replied Joey with a faint smile, grabbing another piece of bread. "And I never said anything about not wanting to, or not being ready ... "

"Good point," JC replied, wiping his forehead with his sleeve and wondering when the hell it got so hot in his apartment. He finished searing the pork chops and added the fruit to the pan, checked the mashed potatoes, shoved the spinach in the microwave. Handing a pair of wine glasses to Joey, he trailed a hand over his shoulder before leaning over to straighten the tablecloth he'd put on the tiny table. "How about we just think about dinner right now?" he suggested. "Everything else can come later."

"Well, that *was* the plan," agreed Joey. "Dinner first. Then ... anything else." He poured the wine clumsily but without spilling, and waited for JC to join him at the table.

"Because you're *starving*," JC agreed. "Okay; two seconds." He put all the food on the plates and shut off the small lamp over the stove so that the apartment was bathed just in the light from the collection of candles that seemed to be everywhere. Grinning self-consciously, he put one of the plates down in front of Joey and handed him a napkin. "Need anything else? Water, or is just the wine okay?" This was easily the most romantic thing he'd done for anyone in a long time, and it made him happy to be doing it for Joey.

"Just, um, wine," said Joey, thinking that *lots* of wine might be the order of the night. But he was glad he'd said all the things he had, though, because there was something new in the smile that JC gave him, and he reached out for him before he sat down. "Just a kiss," he said softly. "That's all I need."

JC gave into that gladly, leaning down into Joey's arms and closing his eyes before pressing his lips against the other man's. He groped a little clumsily at the table for balance when the kiss deepened -- their first real kiss since they'd left Joey's this morning -- and made a soft noise in the back of his throat. "Dinner first," he reminded him breathily, pulling back.

"Dinner first," repeated Joey, licking his lips then letting JC go. He took a moment to turn his focus from JC's wide, dark eyes to the meal in front of him. "This is great. Makes me feel like a slob for making you crummy bacon and eggs this morning."

"They were perfect bacon and eggs," JC assured him, waiting until Joey'd taken a bite to start eating himself. "And I had time to plan this, whereas you had to deal with me basically inviting myself to stay over last night, not to mention staying for breakfast." He tried not to look like he was waiting to hear what Joey thought of the food. "Plus, you're so worth it."

"They were greasy and I served the bacon on a paper towel," murmured Joey, but that wasn't really important, not after what JC said about him. "Thanks, man," he added after a moment. "This is just really great. Totally unexpected and, um, really romantic."

"You're worth it," JC mumbled again, putting his fork down and drinking generously from his wine glass. "And, um, Kyle? He's right, you know," he continued slowly. "About telling each other how we feel. 'Cause, um ... all this?" He blushed as he gestured around the apartment that he was still so self-conscious about. "You're the first person *I've* wanted to do anything like this for, since, um, Trace. And you deserve to know that too."

Joey knew, just from him saying that, how far out on the limb JC had gone over this. "This is probably one of the best dates I've ever been on," he said after a moment, sipping his own wine. And the most adult, definitely; before this most of his dates had consisted of movies and dancing and eating pizza and having sex when his parents weren't home.

JC sighed and picked at his food a little, thinking it tasted okay to him. "Me too," he said softly, before reaching out to hold Joey's hand for a moment. "And, like, so much of it's the company." He knew he should probably stop being so sappy, but Joey's been the one to use the word 'romantic,' so he figured he was safe.

Joey grinned at him. "You know, this is way different than I imagined it would be, with a guy, but ... totally better, you know? Maybe it's just ... because it's you." He took another bite of his dinner, and it was wonderful, but he could have been eating spaghetti-o's for all the actual dinner mattered, just right then.

"What did you think it would be like?" JC asked curiously, remembering that Joey had had kind of a big day in terms of new experiences, like coming out to a friend, and wondering if he still needed to talk about that. "And how is it 'better'?"

"I guess I thought it would be mostly about the sex," admitted Joey. "Because it's guys and, hell, there's nothing WRONG with that. Sex is great. I love that. But ... it's more than that, with you." He paused. "Okay, I'm getting sappy," he acknowledged with a grin. "Time to stuff my face."

JC chuckled and leaned over to fill up Joey's glass. "You're allowed," he assured him. "Just because I'm not a chick doesn't mean I don't want to hear you want to be around me for reasons other than getting in my pants." He wasn't surprised by Joey's comment, really -- when he had started seeing guys it was different for him, too; he hadn't been sure how much talking was necessary. But he was learning that everyone needed to be told they were wanted. "The only difference is that you don't *have* to say that stuff to be *able* to get in my pants."

Joey laughed, strangely reassured by that even though it wasn't anything he didn't already know. "But hey, *you* might have to sweet talk *me*," he teased as he took another bite of his dinner. "Though ... romantic dinner, candles, bed waiting for us ... you're doing a great job already, man." He suddenly wished he'd pushed Kyle a little more on how to do this, because it was looking more and more likely that they would.

"Dinner first," JC reminded him, since every time Joey *said* the word 'bed' JC was getting a little more turned on. Even though he was still a little embarrassed about it but, really, he hadn't had much of a choice. It would've really fucked with the mood to have to pull out the futon and put on sheets before they could do anything. "It'll give me a chance to come up with some lines, in my head."

Joey gave him a smile as he sipped his wine. "I plan to keep your mouth too busy to be able to deliver any lines," he said with a wink, more confident about the evening happening, if not about *how* it was going to happen. "So I wouldn't worry about it, if I were you." Of course, if JC *wanted* to seduce him, he wasn't going to argue, even though it wasn't strictly necessary.

JC coughed a little, and grinned back, wondering just what Joey *had* been planning and how far he could actually consider things might go that night. "All I'm saying is that'll kinda mess with the whole 'sweet talking' deal, if I can't talk," he pointed out. "Non-verbal communication isn't my strong suit, really."

"Well, like I said, you've already done a pretty good job of it," said Joey, gesturing around the room, at the candles and the dinner and, well, JC. "Can I tell you I'm nervous again without you trying to talk me out of it?" he ventured, needing JC to realize that any hesitation on his part had *nothing* to do with lack of desire.

"Talk you out of being nervous, or talk you out of doing ... whatever we're about to do?" JC tried to clarify, taking a big bite of his potatoes. If Joey didn't think JC was just as nervous -- there was a lot of pressure on him to make this good for Joey -- then he was crazy.

"Talk me out of trying it," clarified Joey, staring down at his dinner but looking up at JC periodically. It was an awkward subject, really, their first time. He should probably just let it happen, and stop thinking about it so much. But he just wanted to make sure that JC *knew* that he was jittery, but ready. "I don't want to be talked out of trying it, tonight."

"Okay," JC said calmly, finally getting just how nervous Joey *was*, if he was so insistent about it. He made a promise to himself that, since this was practically the only thing Joey'd asked him for, he'd do his best not to start beating himself up if things got a little rocky. He couldn't depend on Joey being reassuring, and so it might be up to him to make sure they followed through. With what, exactly ... he still wasn't clear about. "I know I was teasing you earlier, but ... *is* there something you kind of have planned?"

Joey gave him a lopsided grin -- not shy, but not confident either. "Nah," he said, shaking his head. "The only 'plan' was to, you know, do something. I mean, I told Kyle what we did last night and he was wondering why we hadn't done more, you know? And when I told him that I wasn't sure I'd be good enough, he basically told me to stop being such a damn pussy and just go for it if I wanted it." He sipped his wine again, wetting his throat. "And I want. So I'm going for it."

"THAT'S what was worrying you?" JC asked, a little incredulous, but shook his head and went on before Joey could get defensive. "You know I'm completely happy with what we did last night, right? I mean ... those were some pretty big hurdles, or whatever." He smiled, and his was definitely shy. "Lots of column B."

"Maybe I need to stop being so worried about column B altogether," said Joey, just toying with his fork now and not eating anything. "I mean ... it should be no big deal, that you're a guy, right? It's not like I have any trouble admitting that I'm attracted to you, or that I want you. I could've used a few more tips from Kyle, maybe, but he seemed to think that if I just went with it, everything would work out fine."

Realization about just what might actually happen between them tonight was starting to dawn on JC, especially after Joey's serious reaction to what JC had thought was a pretty playful reference to what they'd been calling things last night. He put down his own fork and started chewing on a hangnail. "Um. It seems to me like Kyle's given you some good advice, so far," he told him, a lot calmer than he felt. "And it's only as big a deal as you make it out to be."

Joey took a deep breath and smiled at him. "Fuck," he exhaled. "Okay, dinner. Dinner is really great, JC. Seriously. You *know* how starved I am after work and all, and this is way better than the McDonald's." Though, he recalled, the feeding french fries to each other had been pretty damn cool. He chuckled. "I'm totally psyching my*self* out here. I think I need to take two seconds and remember that, um, I *like* sex."

JC snorted a little, awkwardly, and picked up his fork again -- not really hungry anymore but not wanting the food to go to waste. "Thanks," he smiled, after a second. "I'm glad you like it. Just, uh ... remember this when I feed you, like, Rice Krispies tomorrow for breakfast." He pushed the food around on his plate some more. "Oh! I totally forgot music. Do you want me to put something on?"

"That'd be cool," admitted Joey, looking up, having started eating again. "I never mind having music on. What did you have in mind?" It didn't even have to be anything romantic; music made silence comfortable, and that was probably something they were going to need.

"I hadn't ... thought about it. Uh, obviously." JC pushed his chair back and tossed his napkin on it when he stood up, walking over to the shelf with his stereo. He wanted something mellow, but not too overtly sexy, and finally settled on an old Cat Stevens disc. He wasn't hungry anymore, just anxious. And he was about to gnaw his finger right off his hand if he kept chewing on it.

Joey smiled as the music went on as got up out of his own seat. JC had obviously stopped eating a while ago, and he was finished his own meal now. He did remember to grab both glasses of wine before walking over to where JC was standing. "Here," he said quietly. "You look like you need this almost as much as I do."

"I'm okay," JC protested quietly, but he took the glass gratefully, and took Joey's hand in his after he did. It would have been so easy to feel cornered, since he hadn't expected Joey to get up and follow him, but he didn't. He just felt really warm. "Are you finished? There's dessert ... "

"I'm finished," confirmed Joey, leaning in to kiss him softly. "And I think dessert can wait." With his free hand, he reached up to touch JC's chest. We're supposed to be comfortable together, if nothing else, JC. Can we take a few minutes and ... just find that again? This doesn't need to be awkward, between us. I'm thinking it probably *shouldn't * be, you know?" He tugged on JC's hand, toward the edge of the bed. "Sit down with me."

JC let himself be pulled, willingly, and slipped his shoes off before curling his legs under him and sitting down. "It doesn't feel *too* awkward," he protested weakly. "It's just ... a lot of talking about things that seem weird to be talking about." He blushed. "I think maybe I suck at the verbal communication, too." As soon as Joey joined him on the futon, he reached for his face and gave him a soft, sure kiss -- sensing it was his turn to do something a little braver.

"Then maybe we should just stop talking about it," said Joey, smiling at the endering dorkiness that he'd tried -- and failed -- to explain the appeal of to Kyle. "You know what I need you to know and I think I know what you need *me* to know and ... " He paused, leaning in to capture JC's lips again. "And dinner's over."

"That's true," JC murmured, wondering what he could've done to make Joey smile like that, but not really having much time to consider it before his mind was pretty much overrun with the realization that they were kissing. On the bed. WIth the understanding that some pretty big stuff would probably happen. That Joey *wanted* it to happen. He pushed back up against Joey more eagerly than he had been, cupping the back of his neck firmly and licking softly at his lips.

"Yeah, like that," murmured Joey, kissing him back with soft tugs of his lips and swipes of his tongue. He rested a hand at JC's waist as though to ensure that he stayed where he was, that he wasn't going anywhere. This probably really would be easy, if he didn't try to analyze it so much, if he didn't keep reminding himself that he was doing something different now.

"It's not that I don't like talking to you," JC tried to explain, babbling again once his mouth wasn't occupied, exhaling sharply when Joey's lips moved to his ear. "And it's not that we *can't* talk about it, I just ... I want you too, and ... " -- he fisted his other hand in Joey's shirt -- "and you don't know how much time I spent thinking about exactly this today, and, y'know, hoping you still wanted to see me ... "

"Shhh," murmured Joey, pulling back enough so he could look JC in the eye. He was smiling again, and wondered why he'd ever found JC's babbling to be unappealing, when they were younger. "I do." His lips moved back to JC's throat, the underside of his chin covered with just the barest hint of stubble. It scratched at his cheek and turned him on.

"Mmm, okay," JC replied quietly, throwing his head back in an anything-but-subtle gesture and bracing his hands behind him on the soft covers of the bed. There were a million things he was learning to love about Joey, but one of the biggest, to him, was the way that he could be so self-assured even though JC knew he was a little insecure. He bit his own lower lip and choked back a little whimper, grinning sheepishly at Joey when he looked at him again. "Sweet spot," he explained.

"Mm, gonna have to try that again," murmured Joey as he leaned back in, using any advantage JC offered. His hand moved around to the small of JC's back, partly to support him and partly to caress him. They were both still fully dressed, but he was comfortable with that for the moment. When they'd kissed the awkwardness away, then they could move on.

JC flushed even more when Joey moved against him, feeling his hand supporting him, knowing that Joey really *could* hold him up like that if he let go. Which was something that always turned him on, so he couldn't prevent the moan that time. "I'm feeling so not-awkward, when you do that," he breathed.

"Good, that's the idea," he said, licking JC's cheekbone where there was no tiny rasp of stubble, just a smooth layer of tiny hairs. Normally at this point he would reach up and cup someone's breast; lacking that, he wormed a hand under JC's shirt and caressed his stomach and ribs.

"Just trying out some positive reinforcement," JC explained, closing his eyes and letting his head loll back again, goosebumps appearing immediately wherever Joey's warm fingers brushed against the skin on his torso. "That's kinda hot, with the licking and the groping." He shifted to rest all his weight on one hand, and Joey's palm supporting him, and used the other to tug on Joey's collar.

"Again, the idea," whispered Joey, with the ghost of a smile on his face as he kissed JC's temple lightly then moved to suck on his earlobe again. "You wanna try it over on this side?"

"Sure, yeah," JC said, in an increasingly strangled voice. "Um. But no need to rush from, uh, what you're doing there." He tilted his head and cursed slightly when Joey nipped at his ear, then yanked a little harder on his shirt.

"I'm not going anywhere," Joey assured him, feeling warm and comfortable right where he was. He licked and sucked at JC's jaw and moved his hand higher up on his body, running his palm over JC's chest lightly. "No, you're not," JC agreed, arching his back into Joey's touch before sitting up completely and pushing Joey back into a position that very closely mirrored his own a couple seconds earlier. "I'm certainly not letting you out of this bed until tomorrow. Maybe not even then." JC loved being touched purposefully like that, but Joey deserved to know what it felt like, too.

"Except maybe for dessert," teased Joey, arching his own body, then. "We'll have to take a break, sooner or later. There's only so much the human body can handle." But thankfully, the male body at its sexual prime could handle a lot more than most.

"Nope, not even then," JC replied, taking his turn to run a hand over Joey's broad chest, smiling when he felt his heartbeat through the material of his shirt. "I'll just go get it and bring it back here and feed it to you. Or, um ... " He nuzzled Joey's throat with his nose, then licked him wetly. "Maybe eat it off you."

Joey shuddered as the arousal that shot through his body when JC said that, when JC touched him that way. It was as intimate as he could remember ever being with someone, combining the raw physical sensations with the way his emotions were responding, too. "I'm guessing dessert isn't anything flambe, then," he tried to joke, but the words got lost as JC's lips touched his throat.

"No," JC smiled, sucking gently at the tendon in Joey's neck and moving a hand around to trace along his shoulderblades. "Pie. Um, cherry. So it'll be ridiculously messy and, like, laughingly symbolic." He knew there was no way they were going to do anything with the pie, but it was still fun to think about, satisfying to see Joey' reaction to the way JC said everything in his huskiest voice.

Joey had to laugh at the obvious symbolism, and not softly either. Whatever he was doing right now, he was putting all of himself into it. "Did you plan that?" he asked tilting his head forward just enough to try and catch JC's eyes, but not discourage him from what he was doing. "That's great, man."

JC chuckled, too. "No, it's just that the last apple one I had sucked, so." He slipped his fingers into Joey's hair and tugged his head backward again. "Come to think of it, though," he mumbled, his lips against Joey's collarbone, "maybe I'm not getting out of the bed either. Can this come off?" He plucked a little at the back of Joey's shirt.

"Uh huh," mumbled Joey as he felt JC's lips on his body again, lifting his arms a little so JC could strip him. The moment his shirt was off he knew he'd be reaching for JC's body, wanting to touch him again, too. "I come complete with removable clothing."

JC gasped teasingly and pulled the shirt over Joey's head without ceremony. "You're the deluxe edition! Just what I always wanted!" He spread his hands over Joey's now-bare chest and started kissing him again. "Any other special features?"

"I'm, um, fully functional?" offered Joey with a grin, slipping a hand up under JC's shirt again and caressing his warm skin. He traced JC's lips with his tongue before letting them go again to roam his already-flushed body.

"Perfect!" JC said happily, then shut up for a while to get some serious kisses in. The only sounds he made were the soft mewls that escaped every time Joey ran a thumb over one of his nipples, or nibbled on his ear. "And I'm already familiar with the fact that you're anatomically correct ... "

"I'm glad you haven't forgotten already," said Joey as he tugged JC's shirt up blindly, trying to get it out of the way. "I seem to remember you being pretty functional yourself ... " He traced the rim of JC's ear with his tongue then tried to find his lips again.

"Shoot, I'm like a collector's edition, or something," JC giggled, scrambling up on his knees and yanking his shirt off himself before looming back over Joey, giving him the kiss he'd tried for earlier. He liked playing with Joey like that, teasing and light-hearted, and knew it helped the other man relax. Which was still the main objective right then.

Joey didn't mind that he was being backed up onto the bed by JC; that was exactly where he wanted to be anyway. When JC came with in range again he latched onto his lips, arching up against them, and kissed him like he was never going to stop.

"Hot," JC muttered, pushing back on Joey's chest a little to try and keep some distance between them, not minding at all that Joey took it as a signal to lay back on the bed completely. "You're so hot, Joe, I forget what I'm doing."

"Don't you dare," said Joey with a crooked smile, reaching up with both hands to gently fondle JC's nipples; he wasn't one to forget. "I'm counting on you to know what you're doing, man."

Slowly, carefully, JC stretched out along the length of Joey's body. "Okay, okay," he murmured, closing his eyes halfway and kissing Joey's neck some more. "Just keep me focused, alright? I think both of our bodies'll know what they're doing when the time comes."

"I think I should just listen to my body," agreed Joey, feeling his neck vibrate against JC's lips as he spoke. "My body's definitely not uptight about anything." In fact, his body was getting very insistent that the shirt wasn't enough and it wanted the pants off, too, but Joey resisted the urge for the moment. One thing at a time.

"So your body's okay with me like this?" JC asked, squirming a little in his own pants -- why'd he think tight jeans were a good idea this evening? -- and sliding down Joey's torso enough to bury his nose in the hollow of Joey's throat. He pinched one of Joey's nipples idly as he did, then a little more intently when Joey sucked in a breath.

"My body would be very angry with you if you were anywhere else," hissed Joey, arching up against him. He licked his lips and sucked in a breath though his nose. "Harder, JC," he whispered. He almost didn't, but Kyle advice echoed back to him; it was taken out of context, but still -- he wasn't going to get what he wanted unless he tried for it.

JC froze for a split-second at the request -- not even a request, really, more like a demand -- not because he didn't want to do it, but because it was the first time that he could think of that Joey had actually given him some feedback about what he wanted. To JC, that meant a lot. He rolled Joey's already-tight nipple between his fingertips briskly, then dipped his head to tug on it with his teeth without any more preparation.

"Oh, fuck," he blurted out, arching up toward him again, following that sweet, warm mouth as JC pulled back. He felt his cock jump inside his pants, too, as JC's teeth closed on his nipple. "Yeah." He reached for JC's body and ran his fingertips over the hollow of his throat. "I'm ... hot for you," he murmured, those fingertips trailing downward to brush over JC's nipples again.

"How hot? Really good things happen when you ask for them," JC muttered, stilling Joey's hands from rubbing too much against his chest, squirming and nudging until they caressed his belly instead. He kissed Joey's peaked nipple delicately, then rubbed his cheek against the other before picking his chin back up and nipping quickly at it as well.

Joey moaned this time, digging his fingers into JC's sides and refusing to be self-conscious about how much this, in particular, turned him on. He'd never asked a girl to focus on it that much, but this felt different. This felt like he could, for once, ask for what he really wanted. "So good," he said, loosening his grip a moment later. "So hot ... hot enough that I want ... " His hands moved down to fumble with the fly of JC's jeans. JC shoved himself up on his hands and knees as soon as he realized where Joey's hands were headed, giving him plenty of room to maneuver and do whatever it was he thought he wanted. He ducked his head between Joey's arms, licking sweetly at his chest before capturing a nipple between his teeth again in a way that he knew *he* would find way too painful but Joey seemed to enjoy more than almost anything they'd done yet.

Joey's hands almost fell away as JC latched onto his nipple again, but he managed to retain his focus on the task at hand. Said task being removing JC's jeans. He fumbled with the buttons of his fly for a minute before finally getting them undone, then moved his hands up to JC's waist again to push the fabric down over his hips and the top curve of his ass.

JC smiled, with heavy-lidded eyes, and pushed up all the way onto his knees so Joey could work the denim down over his body. Not in any position to reach Joey with his mouth, he had to settle for tracing the dark skin of Joey's nipple gently with the thumb of one hand, and resting the very tips of his fingers against Joey's lower lip with the other. "You know," he whispered, careful of preserving the mood, "Normally when someone says they're hot, they take off their *own* clothes; not somebody else's."

"Yours were easier," murmured Joey, his hand brushing against JC's cock as he eased the jeans down his legs. "Then you do me." It was a struggle to get them off, especially with the way JC was continually distracting him, but he finally managed and breathed a sigh of relief when they were out of the way.

"Better?" JC smiled, raising an eyebrow and scooting over to kneel beside Joey instead of between his legs. "You look ... relieved." One last gentle pinch at Joey's nipple, and he was tracing the line of soft, dark hair from his chest down past his belly button to where it disappeared beneath the waistband of Joey's (thankfully baggier) pants. "I get to ... 'do you' ... now?"

"Please," whispered Joey, moaning quietly again, not used to being in a situation where it didn't matter if anyone heard you. He reached out to fondle JC through his still-present underwear, but only casually. He didn't want to take that anywhere just yet.

JC batted at his hands weakly, but not in any way that Joey could interpret it as him actually wanting him to stop. "That's not keeping me focused," he protested, grabbing a little less gently at Joey's fly than Joey had done with him, and unzipping him quickly. He slipped his fingers inside, peeling the fabric back and over Joey's hips, sucking in a breath when Joey arched his body to help him tug off the pants.

"You didn't exactly help me out any either," teased Joey, but he did rest his fingers on JC's waist as JC stripped his pants off, not wanting to slow down the process any more than he had to. He was very glad he generally dressed for comfort over style.

"I sat up, at least," JC pointed out, drawing the pants over Joey's feet and dropping them off the bed. He paused a second, leaning back over to kiss Joey's ankle, lick at his calf, and nibble gently on the inside of his knee, before sitting back up to look at Joey. His boyfriend was spread out in front of him, his other leg bent a little at the knee in what he thought might be an attempt to camoflauge the erection that was neverthless quite apparent beneath Joey's surprisingly sedate boxers. His confidence faltered a little, even though they'd seen each other more naked than that.

"What?" asked Joey, alarmed at the change of expression on JC's face. He looked down his own body then up at JC again. "Is it me?" he asked quietly. "Is there, um, something you don't like ... ?"

"No, no!" JC reassured him quickly, with an honest smile. "No, you're ... " he reached out a hand to Joey, letting it hover over his body like he wasn't good enough to touch him, or something. "You look amazing. I'm just -- well. You know what you said, about needing me to know that even if you seem nervous, you still want this? Me too, and ... I don't know. I guess I'm getting the butterflies out of the way early."

"Okay," said Joey with a relieved smile, trying to remember to be confident about this, remember that he wanted JC and JC wanted him and they didn't have to be insecure about it. "As long as we're still gonna ... " He didn't finish the sentence, instead pulling JC closer agin for a kiss, wanting to be touched by him and reassured by more than words that they both wanted what was going to happen here.

"Oh, yeah, we're still gonna," JC nodded vigorously, falling to the bed beside Joey and kissing him back -- letting a hand rest on Joey's stomach for a few moments before running it down Joey's hip, and back up under the hem of the leg of Joey's underwear. "Whatever you want, we're gonna."

"Whatever we want," clarified Joey, lifting his knee and spreading his legs a little further. "It's about, you know, us. Not me." He ran his fingers down JC's throat again, loving the feel of the skin there. "Is there where I tell you what I think I'm ready for? Or do I just ... try it?"

JC smiled affectionately at Joey's correction, and had to bury his face in his shoulder for a moment until he was sure he didn't look like he was laughing. He fingers slipped around to the back of Joey's thigh when he lifted his knee, and he rubbed there with his knuckle absently before looking up at his face. "Whichever's easier," JC assured him, patiently.

"I was kinda hoping you'd give me some direction," admitted Joey as he nuzzled JC's neck, their bodies all but pressed up against one another now. He was aching for JC to touch his erection, but so far he hadn't and Joey didn't think he could bring himself to ask. He didn't think JC would mind, though, if Joey claimed one of his hands and gently set it where he wanted it to be.

"Mmm," JC replied wordlessly, watching with interest and a bit of a quickened heartbeat as Joey carefully moved his hand to cup his erection. They both closed their eyes at the contact. "Okay," he exhaled, when he could speak, and ducked his head to press his lips to Joey's nipple again. "Direction. Um. Remember what happened when you, uh, told me what to do before?" He blushed and then nipped at the tight bud. "I kinda think that worked well."

"I think that's kinda what I'm doing," Joey pointed out, reaching out to touch JC now and squeezing him very, very gently. "And ... you don't have to worry about touching me. I haven't run into anything yet that i don't like, man."

"I'm not worried," JC promised, draping one of his legs over Joey's thigh as soon as he felt his hand on the front of his underwear. Taking another breath, he reached into the opening of Joey's boxers and wrapped his fingers around his warm length, jerking him once gently before freeing him from the material. "I'm learning what you want."

"Yeah, you are," gasped Joey as JC touched him, staying in control enough that he could continue to fondle JC, even though he wasn't touching bare flesh yet. "That's good, JC. I like that. Um ... if that wasn't obvious." He gasped again as JC's fingers moved on him, and slipped his fingers just inside the waistband of JC's boxers.

"It's supposed to be obvious," JC smiled. "Remember? That's one of the good things about being with a guy?" He shimmied his hips a little, trying to get Joey to move his hand further down, to touch him where his skin was practically burning for it. Meanwhile, his own finger seared a trail up and down the length of Joey's erection, which jumped a little whenever JC would pull away for the shortest second.

Joey's fingers tangled in the hairs just below the waistband for a moment as he moved further inside, constantly distracted by JC's attention to his body. Finally he hooked his fingers on both sides of JC's boxers. "Can I take this off?" he asked, his voice shaky with arousal, not nerves.

JC wanted to make a joke in reply, something about Joey apparently wanting a lot of practice at stripping JC of his clothes, but his expression stopped him. He nodded, instead, and slid up further along Joey's hip, then covered Joey's hands in his own to help him take them off. He was happy to realize he wasn't nervous any more; his body really was remembering what it was supposed to do.

Joey slid these off a lot more easily than the jeans, dropped them to the floor next to them and promptly forgot they had ever been in the way. He reached for JC's cock and wrapped his fingers around it gently, feeling it jump in his hand. "That's better," he murmured.

"Yeah," JC sighed in agreement, letting go of Joey for a minute to flop on his back and spread his legs and just enjoy the feeling of being touched again by someone who he still wanted to see the next day. He was going to offer to suck Joey again in just a second, but he wanted to be a little selfish first.

Joey rolled over onto his side when JC moved, getting a better angle to be able to gently stroke him. JC was dry, though, and he knew that any more than this would be uncomfortable so after a moment he backed off. He cupped JC's balls and caressed them as he bit his lip and considered his options, then took a deep breath and leaned over, tentatively licking at the head of JC's cock.

"Ah, Joe," JC whimpered, caught off-guard by Joey's action and practically straining a muscle with the effort it took not to thrust up the second he felt that wet tongue *there*. "What are you ... you don't ... I was gonna ... " He couldn't finish a thought, gripping Joey's shoulder tightly and wondering if he was going to try it again.

"I'm just ... trying it out," admitted Joey softly, right before licking at the head again. Thought he dick itself was a lot different than what he was used to down there, the licking itself, well, it wasn't really all that different. Wetting his lips, a bit nervous again but certainly not nervous enough to stop, he licked JC's entire cock from base to tip.

JC groaned and threw his head back into the pillow, wrapping an arm across his belly like that would help keep himself still. Joey's tongue was so, so hot, and thick, and he used it like he knew what he was doing. And that, combined with the really arousing awareness that Joey nevertheless hadn't done this before to anyone else? He had to apologize quickly and profusely when he made Joey yelp a little by digging his fingernails into his arm.

Joey made a few more long swipes with his tongue before taking another deep breath and closing his lips around the head of JC's cock, suckling gently on it. It wasn't so intimidating, not when he was down there and just *doing* it, and he thought only momentarily about the I-told-you-so that he would get from Kyle the next day. The best thing, the *very* best thing, was how much JC seemed to be enjoying it.

JC knew he was spreading his legs wider apart automatically, but only gave a fleeting thought to what Joey would think about that. All he could concentrate on was the feel of Joey's soft lips, and not coming. Wet heat and tongue and gentle suction and *not* *coming*. "That's ... ah, gosh, Joey ... you don't know how good that is."

JC's words, along with his actions, assured Joey that he was doing this okay, so he kept sucking, pausing every so often to suck in a breath. He wrapped his hand around the base of JC's cock knowing better than to try and get *too* much in his mouth, this first time. The fear of embarassing himself by choking still lingered.

JC was still scratching at Joey's arm desperately, but he reached up with his other hand to tangle so calmly in Joey's hair that it was almost like it couldn't be the same person. "Okay ... dammit ... " he hissed, stroking Joey's head tenderly. "What the hell happened to ... my self control ... ?" It wasn't completely gone -- he wasn't arching and thrusting like he would've been if it was someone who'd done it to him before -- but he felt like he needed to try and prepare Joey for the fact that he was going to come way sooner than he'd've liked.

Joey figured silently that JC's self control had disappeared about the same time his own had, around the time they'd started to get naked. He sucked at JC's cock and wondered what he was supposed to do next, and licked at the underside with a flat tongue. It was the way he liked it, but since JC seemed to like things softer he wasn't sure. Then he reminded himself to stop thinking about it so damn much and if JC wanted something different, he would tell him.

JC groaned again when he felt Joey's tongue pressing insistently right at that spot, and he ran his foot up along Joey's ribs before trying to twist away slightly. "You can ... keep doing that," he told him breathlessly. "I'm not complaining. But ... if you just wanted it to be a warm-up ... ?" He shuddered a little and scraped his nails into Joey's back again. "You should let me up."

Joey didn't want to let go, not now, but he also didn't want this to be over yet. And, really, he wasn't so sure about the swallowing thing anyway. He let his lips slide off JC's cock but left his hand there, and looked up at him. "I'm guessing," he said roughly, "by the look on your face, that I did okay."

JC sighed in a combination of relief and remorse, and then smirked a little at the slight cockiness in Joey's voice. "You have a gorgeous mouth," he told him oblingingly. "Very good for things like that." He wiggled a little in Joey's hand, and pouted a little when he realized he couldn't reach Joey's erection anymore.

Joey kissed JC's stomach before making his way back up to kiss his lips again. "Is lip-kissing cool, after that?" he asked when his lips were barely an inch away from JC's.

JC laughed and strained up to kiss him soundly, wetly. "You tell me, silly," he murmured, licking at his mouth. "You let me do it last night." Slowly, he starting rolling the waistband of Joey's underwear over his hips now that he had to right angle, completely unconcerned about asking permission.

"I'm good with it," said Joey, kissing him then. "Just making sure there wasn't some ... etiquette, here. That I didn't know about." He lifted his hips to make it easier for JC to strip him, glad he was finally doing it.

JC squirmed a little and pushed the boxers down as far as he could reach with his hands, then slid back up underneath Joey and kissed him while he used his feet to push them the rest of the way off. "Mmm, you are good with it," he agreed, thrusting his tongue into Joey's mouth and tasting just the tiniest hint of himself, there.

Joey began playing with JC's feet with his own as they lay there, pressed up against one another, kissing. He rolled them both onto their sides and wrapped one calf around JC's to hold him there. "You're good with it, too," he added breathlessly.

JC chuckled happily and dug in closer to Joey -- running an idle hand down his arm, and then stretching a little to trail it up the leg that Joey had looped around him. He felt the head of Joey's cock pressing into the planes of his stomach, and knew his own tip was leaking a little in response. He just wanted the man in his arms so badly -- he tried to concentrate on the tangle of their feet instead.

"So what now?" murmured Joey as he kissed him, almost not wanting to be heard, embarassed to be asking the question. But he really wasn't sure to go on to the next step with JC. Or even what that next step was for sure gonna be. So he kept moving restlessly against him, kissing him, and hoping that JC was gonna lead the way.

JC smiled and kissed Joey fondly, but still a little dirtily. "Well," he drawled softly. "I *was* going to go down on you, before you beat me to it." He kissed Joey's lips again, then slipped down to his throat so he couldn't see Joey's reaction to his next words. "But now I just really think we should just *do* this, you know? Since we both want it." JC actually couldn't have imagined them getting to this point any more perfectly, and hoped that Joey would agree.

"Yeah," said Joey, gasping as JC hit a senstive spot on his neck. "I want to." But still, he wasn't quite sure how to *do* it ... and he assumed he'd be going inside JC but they hadn't exactly negotiated that. He wasn't used to it being an issue. "How ... ?" Once again, he half hoped that JC wouldn't hear him, to save him the embarassment, and the other half knew that he needed to have the question answered.

"Okay," JC said gently. "We'll do this ... really slowly, okay? Will it make you mad if I kinda ... tell you what to do?" He didn't want to have to say anything, really, but he knew that Joey was going to feel a little awkward, and JC himself would need a little preparation no matter what, and he just ... didn't want Joey to balk at it. "I don't mean bossy, just ... " he sighed and licked at Joey's ear. "What do you think?"

"I'd be really grateful if you did," whispered Joey, relieved. "Just get me started, man. Just tell me how to make it good and ... I will. Or how you're gonna make it good. I don't really know how ... " He broke off the sentence awkwardly, still unsure of how JC was picturing this going.

"How what, baby?" JC mumbled, distracted. Trying to reach down between them to tug on Joey's cock a little more, trying to figure out how to lean over the edge of the futon to grab the condoms and lube h'd stashed under there without looking too presumptuous, sucking on Joey's earlobe all the while. Joey smiled to himself at the endearment. "How we're gonna ... do this," he said awkwardly, not knowing how to ask if JC was planning on fucking him. "Who's gonna be ... um ... where ... ?"

JC looked up at him with bright eyes and wet lips. "What? Oh, Joey, I ... " he blushed. "Unless you have some other preference, I was kinda ... I'm sorry. I assumed you'd want to, uh, do me first." He wanted to, first of all; second, he wasn't worried about Joey hurting him out of ignorance, since he was pretty certain Joey was scared of making JC feel badly in any way. All the while, a little voice nagged at him that Joey was apparently at least *considering* the alternative, which was definitely a surprise. "Okay, um, good?" offered Joey with another crooked smile. "I mean ... yeah. For now. Cool." He ran a more confident hand down JC's side. "I think I'm ready for that, now. Do you ... do you have ANY idea how much you turn me on?"

JC shifted in Joey's arms, then curled his hand under the knee that Joey had pinning him and lifted it so he could straighten out on his back below him. He bit his lip and looked up under his eyelashes at Joey, knowing how willing it made him look. "I hope it's enough for you to want to do this to me," he murmured, but not insecurely enough that Joey might think he really *was* worried. "Otherwise I'm going to be kind of mortified."

"I'm not sure I can even stop now," said Joey, even though of course he could, if he absolutely had to. He reached down to caress him again, stroking his cock then cupping his balls then sliding just a tiny bit further back than that, feeling a dense, moist heat. "But I still need you to ... um ... help out ... "

"I know," whispered JC, arching his hips a little. "Okay. I'm going to ... I have to kind of ... talk you through this," he explained, "but I want you to know that *I'm* so turned on right now that if I didn't *have* to be paying attention? I wouldn't even be making this much sense." He *was* really, really aroused, but knew he couldn't just abandon himself to what he was feeling. Not this time. "Hop up," he murmured, patting Joey's hip.

Joey blinked at him, confused, then pulled his hands away and moved off his body. "Okay ... " he said slowly, knowing there must be a reason for this that JC just hadn't explained to him yet. He lay down on his side, propping himself up on his elbow and letting JC do what he needed to do.

JC leaned over and placed gentle lips on Joey's mouth, trying to kiss away the small frown, before explaining. "I have to get some stuff," he said shyly, "and I thought it might be better to do it now than when we're even more ... " He gestured vaguely before rolling over onto his stomach and hanging his head off the edge of the futon, searching around for the bag he'd put under there.

Joey caught on and nodded, reaching down to stroke himself a couple times just to relieve a bit of the tension. It didn't work. "Stuff," he murmured, getting a pretty good idea of what all JC was getting. "Stuff I'll know how to use?"

JC chuckled before responding, his voice muffled from down near the floor. "Some of it," he acknowledged, slipping down even further, not letting himself be self-conscious about his bare ass totally exposed to Joey when he did. "Actually, all of it, maybe. I have no idea how intricate your jerk-off techniques are. Dangit, where did I *put* that?"

Joey reached out and ran his hand down JC's ass. "After giving me a view like this," he said, "You better not have lost it." Silently he leaned forward and, after hesitating for a moment as his fingers lingered on JC's tailbone, he licked his cheek, slowly and wetly.

JC yelped a little in surprise and scrambled back up on the bed, trying to glare at Joey and failing miserably since he couldn't wipe the smile off his face and his erection had quite obviously reacted favorably. "Hey now," he admonished, even as he dangled the plastic bag from his fingers teasingly. "What's with you, and the distracting? I was busy." It wasn't that he *didn't* want Joey to do that, or that it *didn't* make him just want to melt onto his stomach and let Joey take that as far as he would -- of course, it did -- JC was just struggling with keeping as much concentration as he could.

"I would have kept licking, if you hadn't moved," teased Joey, running his hand up JC's back as he reached for the goody bag. "You have a beautiful ass." Which seemed like a really stupid thing to say, once it was out of his mouth, but he *did*, and Joey wanted to tell him that.

"Like you have anything to compare it to," JC demurred, but his face was flushed with pleasure at the compliment, and it definitely made it easier to deal with how completely open he was going to be to Joey in a couple of minutes. It also made him want to smack himself for moving when he did. He handed the bag over willingly and sat up indian-style, reaching for Joey's erection with a small smile.

"Hang on," said Joey, playfully batting his hand away as he opened the bag. He sat up a little straighter. "Okay," he said. "Condoms. Lubricant. Yeah ... I know how to use these." He sounded like he was saying it more to assure himself than JC.

"The handcuffs are in the other bag," JC said solemnly, leaning forward on his hands and knees and crawling over to where Joey sat -- more intent since Joey pushed him away. "Jo-ey," he said softly, trying to duck his head enough to reach his nipple. "C'mon."

"Impatient little thing, aren't you," teased Joey, not batting him away this time as he dumped out the bag on the bed. "Are you planning on helping me with this stuff?" He leaned down and touched his own cock before JC had the chance. "And ... you were kidding about the handcuffs, right?"

"You're right, that's a little much for a beginner," JC laughed, obviously teasing. "And I'm not impatient," he insisted, although he definitely wanted to help Joey out when he saw him reaching to touch himself. "I'm just ... you made me want you." He did manage to capture Joey's nipple between his top teeth and his tongue, and moaned a little. "One more thing, first, then I'll ... help you."

Joey gasped as JC latched onto his nipple, hard, the way he liked it. "And what's that one more thing?" he asked when he found his voice again, stroking himself a little harder and reaching for the lubricant to get started.

"Stop that," JC mumbled first, batting Joey's hand away and taking over, but much more slowly and gently. "Have you ... do you think you know how you want to do this? I mean, like ... would it be easier, for you, if I ... um, lay on my back, or, like, do you want me on my knees, or ... " He shrugged, wondering if Joey'd pictured it at *all* ... just because he himself had been fantasizing about it all day didn't mean Joey had.

"JC," said Joey honestly, struggling to keep his voice steady. "I really ... I mean, I don't know. I think any way would be just fabulous. What's easiest? For both of us, I guess ... " He fiddled with the cap of the tube of lubricant and looked down at JC's fingers on his erection.

"Let's just ... " JC shrugged and moved to lay down, resting on his elbow. "I just was wondering if you cared. We can just ... figure it out, I guess." He stroked Joey a little more and kissed his shoulder before bending his knee. "Okay. Can you ... do you mind using your fingers a little first?" he asked, trying not to blush. "I kinda ... I'll need it."

"Oh, yeah, of course I will," promises Joey. "I mean ... I do know enough not to just stick it in or something. It's, like, tight back there. Really tight." He finally bit the bullet and opened the lubricant; it was cold on his fingers. "I guess I don't know enough to know what's the best way yet," he confessed, "but I kinda imagined with with me being able to look at you. Is that okay?"

JC's face softened and he lifted his knee a little more. "That's ... yeah," he murmured. "Kinda what I was hoping." He wanted to be able to see Joey too, to see how much he'd actually enjoy this once they were doing it. Letting go of Joey reluctantly, he reached down to touch himself a little, and then used his hands to spread his thighs apart. "Just ... slow, at first."

"Yeah," breathed Joey, looking at him in awe. "Slow, for sure." He reached down and touched JC's cock again first, reassuring himself with it familiarity. Then he moved down behind JC's balls and touched the small stretch of skin there. The moist heat washed over him again. Turned him on even more. Finally he just barely touched at JC's hole, getting used to just *being* there.

JC shuddered and sighed. It had been a while since he'd been with another person, not letting himself get this intimate after having his heart broken, and he forgot how much hotter it was to have someone's fingers other than his own there, even through the cool sensation of the lubricant. Again he was happy he'd had his attack of nerves early, so he could relax at this point and things would be smoother for Joey. He tilted his hips towards him encouragingly. "You can," he smiled. "It feels good, and I want you to."

"Getting there," murmured Joey, bracing his other hand on JC's knee as he traced the rim of his hole, coating it with lubricant. When he got past the idea of actually being there, he pushed the tip of his finger inside, not feeling too much resistance from JC's body. "What should I ... um ... watch for?" He didn't want to have to ask any more questions, not at this point, but he didn't want to do anything bad or painful.

JC smiled again and covered the hand Joey put on his knee with his own. "I promise that I'll tell you if it doesn't feel good, okay? You don't have to worry about reading my expressions. So, if I, like, squirm away a little? It's probably more because it feels *too* good." JC shifted his shoulders and settled a little more comfortably onto his back, reaching his other arm over his head and content to shut up and just experience Joey's finger breaching his body for the first time.

"Okay," said Joey a little dubiously, hoping JC *would* tell him and not try and be stoic about it because he really wasn't able to tell how this was affecting him just yet. He worked the finger in further, up to his second knuckle, then paused there and twisted it around. He knew it would be tight, but he hadn't quite expected *this* -- despite the lube he could feel the walls tight against his finger as he moved it.

JC could see his cock twitch, and he practically mewled, when he felt Joey's finger shifting inside him ... it felt like just a hair's breadth away from that spot that JC was certain would make him shout, and just hoped wouldn't scare Joey. He hadn't given him a lot of direction, he knew, and then was overcome with a somewhat irrational fear that maybe Joey had less of a clue than he'd assumed. "That's ... it's so ... " he swallowed before he could speak clearly. "You know why this, uh, feels good, right?"

"Kinda yeah," murmured Joey, intent on what he was doing. "I know a lot of guys like it, so it must be good and all." He gripped JC's knee and pushed in just a little bit further, worried about going too fast, then twisted his finger again.

JC barked out a curse and arched his back before slumping back onto the bed and letting his legs sprawl out even wider. He'd forgotten, he'd just *forgotten* ... how had he forgotten this? He was all of a sudden very, very ready for this to go harder and faster and deeper and more. "Good?!" he laughed, a little wildly. "Please. More; can you ... "

Joey paused though, shocked at JC's reaction to his touch. He didn't pull out, but he did stop moving. "That was okay?" he confirmed, stroking the inside of JC's thigh soothingly with his fingertips. "I didn't just ... hurt you?" He looked away, feeling a little dumb again for asking so many questions, but mostly just feeling fiercely aroused and wanting to make sure it was okay before he did more.

"What you just did," JC exhaled patiently through his nose, "is *why* this is good." He squirmed and started pushing down against Joey's hand unabashedly, digging his heels into the bed. "I'll show you sometime, if you just ... *please* ... don't stop anymore ... "

"Sorry," murmured Joey, flushing as he pushed his finger the rest of the way inside JC's body, twisting it and wondering how he was ever gonna get him loose enough to get his dick inside here. He remembered, then, how Kyle had told him that if anyone ever asked for this to just *do* it, no question ... so he did. It was a couple minutes later before he even began trying to get a second finger inside him.

"Oh," JC breathed, when he felt Joey's finger slip out enough to bring a second one inside with it. "Oh, good, okay; yeah," he mumbled. He wasn't in any position to see what effect, if any, this was having on Joey, but he hoped he thought it was at least a little hot. "Just like a girl, man," he said, his voice catching. "You can totally, uh, thrust. I can take that ... "

Joey bit his lip as he struggled to squeeze his fingers in; he wasn't sure he was in *any* position yet to thrust, but he tried, because JC had asked for it. He was more than a little surprised by how much looser JC started to feel when he did, too. "Oh fuck," he mumbled, feeling his cock jump at the sight of JC opening up to him.

JC groaned at that intrusion too, and started grinding back down on Joey's fingers in earnest -- yelping every time Joey brushed against his prostate. "Um," he said, moving his own hand to his face to bite at his wrist. "You can either ... uh, use more," he started, then had to concentrate on breathing for a second. "Or ... like, spread your fingers. You won't ... hurt me," he reminded him.

Joey tried spreading his fingers, literally feeling him stretch; he wasn't sure how good that couple possibly feel good, but from the noises JC was making it obviously did. He was start to just *ache* to be inside him, to be having sex with him, and didn't know how much longer he would have to wait.

Digging his heels into the bed again, JC raised his hips completely off the covers and started practically panting. Joey's fingers felt good, felt amazing, but even spreading him as much as they were, it wasn't enough. And Joey was just ... perfectly endowed to fill that void. "*Please*," he said, more tightly than he meant to, before he realized that maybe Joey was waiting to hear from JC that he was ready. "Any time you ... want ... " he encouraged, reaching for Joey's hip.

"You're ready?" whispered Joey, twisting his fingers now as he scissored them and letting his other hand fall off JC's leg to grope for the condoms. "You're sure?" His voice was rough and halting, his breathing quick. He, at least, was very, very ready to do this now.

"I'm definitely ... ready ... " JC moaned, punctuating his words by clenching his muscles around Joey's fingers. "I want you really bad ... really want you ... " He'd always wished he could say sexy things in bed, but he could never string the right words together. "*You're* sure?"

Joey didn't even answer that, frantically ripping the condom package open with his teeth and sliding his hand out of JC's body to roll it onto himself. Once he'd taken care of that, he slipped two fingers back inside JC's body and thrust them slightly as he used his other hand to slick lubricant on his cock. He wasn't quite sure how to do this, and lifted one of JC's legs a bit awkwardly to give himself access to go inside him.

"Shh, okay," JC smiled, forcing his breathing to slow when he recognized Joey's slightly desperate movements. "Here." He slid one calf up along Joey's ribs to nestle gently on top of his shoulder, then encouraged Joey a little closer so he could wrap the other low around his waist, his heel digging into Joey's tailbone. "Better?" he asked, in his deepest voice, and tilted his chin back shamelessly.

"Oh, fuck," murmured Joey breathlessly. There was nothing holding him back now; he scissored his fingers one last time and spread JC as wide open as he could before taking a deep breath and pushing the head of his cock inside.

"Mmmm," JC moaned loudly when he felt that familiar tugging, and slumped back into his pillows. It seemed like that was probably the end of any instructions he'd have to give -- now he could just wait to enjoy his new lover, who he was certain knew what to do with what he had in front of him at this point. "Please," he said softly. "All the way."

Joey nodded his head wordlessly, his mouth slack, panting for air, and slowly sank himself into JC's body. With both hands he braced himself on the bed until he was all the way inside -- the feeling of being inside JC was just indescribable and made him feel weak. He remained still for a few moments as he kept the feeling from overwhelming him, then instinct took over and he gently began to thrust.

JC grunted when he felt all of Joey's length enter his body, pressing so close he wondered if their hips might fuse together like that. But as soon as he started thrusting, JC started rocking up against him -- *his* instinct taking over. "You're so ... shit, you're hot," he muttered, feeling Joey's ass working under his leg, reaching a hand out to touch his chest.

Joey hadn't imagined it being like this, *couldn't* have, it felt so raw and intense and different from anything he'd done before. The motions were the same but the sensations were just off the scale. He moaned softly, still unable to kick the habit of trying to be quiet, and rocked in and out of him, as deeply as he could go. He could feel JC rocking back against him and knew that whatever they were doing here, he was doing it right.

JC couldn't figure out how Joey was staying so silent when he felt like screaming his head off, all of it felt so good. Their bodies fit together like they were supposed to be like this, which was something he'd never felt with anyone else he'd been with, and couldn't Joey *feel* that? He hitched his leg up higher on Joey's back, trying to press him closer, and tried to catch his eyes.

When JC's eyes caught his, Joey ended up thrusting even harder, sucking in a sharp breath. JC's pupils were as large and deep as he imagined his were. "Oh God," he whispered and had to squeeze his eyes shut to keep from coming right then and there. On hand still braced him on the bed, with the other he squeezed JC's hip as he thrust into him, a sheen of sweat starting to cover his body from the exertion and the heat of it all.

"No," JC panted, the split-second he had to stare into that dark brown far too short. "Look at me. Please." He wanted desperately for Joey to see what he could do to him, just as he needed to know that Joey knew he wasn't with anyone else, wasn't with a girl. His other leg started to slip off Joey's shoulder, but he couldn't care; he reached up with a gentle hand to cup his cheek and wait for him to open his eyes.

Joey pried his eyes open and steeled his nerves so he could look at JC again. He knew his eyes were probably wild, frantic, and his thrusts were starting to match. He drew a hand up to brush his palm gently over JC's nipple again as he stared into his eyes, sucking in a deep breath through his nose to try and keep himself from losing control at the sight.

"Joey," JC breathed, shuddering, wanting *so* badly for Joey to be feeling this insane combination of physical satisfaction and just total ... contentment ... too. "Oh, Joey." He reached up to take Joey's wandering hand gently in his own, and led it down to his erection. He didn't think he needed the added stimulation, but he already felt completely owned by Joey, and *wanted* to be pushed over the edge.

Joey curled his fingers around JC's erection and had to let his eyes close again as a shudder went through him and he couldn't stifle this moan. A moment later his hand was moving with the same rhythm as his hips, driving closer and closer to orgasm, for both of them. "Oh FUCK, JC," he groaned.

JC whimpered Joey's name again, flushing at hearing his name on Joey's lips more than feeling his hand on his cock. "Don't stop," he warned him, getting his elbows underneath him enough to be able to pull himself up to kiss his mouth, then crying out when the new angle of his torso had Joey driving right against his prostate and he started coming.

Joey was kissing JC as he came. He felt JC's cock spill over onto his hand, felt JC's body clench down on him, and couldn't help himself. He pulled his lips away long enough to cry out, then claimed them again, frantically, as his orgasm swept over him and began to subside.

JC's body was still being wracked with tremors when he felt Joey come, and he accepted his desperate kisses passionately before trying to get him too look at him again. "Joey ... that was ... oh, please say you liked it." He was holding his breath, wiping his brow, licking his lips -- waiting in purgatory, it felt like, to hear if they'd ever get to do it again.

Joey couldn't even answer, so desperate to keep kissing JC, to keep this feeling going, to let JC know without words just exactly how he felt about what they'd just done. When JC did manage to catch his eyes he stared into them, hoping JC could see the lust and affection in his own as he panted and gasped for breath.

"Oh, hey," JC said, softer, trying to get Joey to slow his breathing down a little by rubbing what he hoped was a soothing hand over his chest. "Shh, baby." He pulled his calf off Joey's shoulder, bracing his foot against his chest before he could squeeze it between Joey's arm and his torso to lay it down on the bed ... then pushed himself up again on his elbows to kiss Joey deeply.

Joey kissed him back, his heart finally starting to slow down. "Oh, fuck, JC," he murmured, planting tiny kisses at the corners of his mouth. "Oh, fuck. Oh wow." His hands trailed aimlessly down JC's body, feeling the slickness and heat.

"You okay?" JC asked him first, now that he was talking; Joey's fingers felt they were scalding his skin as they trailed through the sweat on his chest and the juices on his stomach. But he still needed an answer to his other question, and couldn't help asking it again. "Was that okay?"

"Okay?" repeated Joey, then grinned and chuckled happily. "JC ... I don't think 'okay' quite covers how amazing that was, do you?"

JC shook his head and bit his lip, smiling back at Joey and trying to throw his arms around him without moving too much. He was struggling with how much to tell Joey; how despite the little bit of clumsiness and trepidation, and how quickly it was over, it was the most perfect sex he'd ever had.

Joey kissed him again, more gently now. "I don't want to move," he murmured against JC's lips, "but I guess I have to, huh?" He knew the pressure of his body on JC's, would be too much soon.

"You're not hurting me," JC admitted, "but ... the condom ... " He blushed and dropped his other foot back down to the bed so Joey could pull out. "Just put it in that bag," he said softly, gesturing at the plastic bag that the lube had been in. "And I'll get it." He kissed him again, sighing. "Since now I'm totally serious about not letting you out of this bed."

Joey pulled out carefully, not knowing what it would feel like to suddenly have that space empty and hoping it wouldn't be painful. He pulled away just enough to strip off the condom and tuck it away in the plastic back, then took JC into his arms again. This time he wasn't on top of him but lay on his side and pressed gentle kisses to JC's neck.

JC sighed again and let Joey cuddle next to him, cracking his back before stretching out on his side to face him too. "Hey," he said softly, brushing the hair out of Joey's eyes. "So, um. Amazing?" he echoed, not bothering to hide the hopefulness in his voice, wondering if Joey would pick that discussion back up at the prompt or not.

"Amazing," repeated Joey, wrapping his calf around JC's like he had earlier and holding him close. "Just fucking amazing. I don't even know what else to *say* about it. Was it ... I mean, for you? I wasn't totally selfish, was I?"

Well, *that* was an opening if JC ever heard one, and he only hesitated briefly before opening his mouth to basically spill his guts to his brand-new lover. "Okay, I have to tell you this, but you have to know -- you have to *promise* me -- that you won't shrug it off as me just, like, trying to stroke your ego, or ... like, me being too caught up in afterglow, or some junk like that, because it's *not*, okay?" He inhaled deeply. "I've never ... Joey, I've never *had* sex like that, okay? I don't know what it was, I don't know how to explain it, but ... even if it wasn't smooth and seamless and ... whatever else? It just ... *hit* me, and it *fit* me. It fit *us*."

Joey pressed himself up tighter to JC's body, speechless. He hadn't imagined it had been that good for JC -- who'd done it before, and with people a lot more experienced than him -- even though it had been just about the most mind-blowing sex *he'd* ever had. He'd just assumed it was the guy thing, that he was discovering what his body had wanted all along, but now he was thinking maybe it *was* because it was JC, and him and JC *fit*, and for no other reason than that.

"Joey," JC pleaded, worried immediately that despite Joey moving to clutch him, he'd made a mistake by being honest about what he was feeling. "Please, say something ... I'm ... I'm sorry, if that was too much ... " He didn't pull back, though a huge part of his heart was telling him to just retreat -- he kept his hand on Joey's back and rubbed his thumb against his shoulderblade to calm himself down.

"I have no idea what do say," said Joey honestly, feeling incredibly vulnerable and not used to feeling that way after sex, not used to feeling like he'd just exploded into a million pieces and come back together again. "JC ... that was amazing and I don't think I have another word for it. It was just completely new and special and ... I can't even TELL you how I feel about it. Man, I suck at this."

"No, you don't," JC said immediately, smiling as soon as he heard the honest awe in Joey's voice. "I just ... needed to hear that you didn't hate it. That you wouldn't be dumping me for a chick. Well ... not for that reason, at least." He stretched a little again, grinning at the raw ache he felt inside him.

"No way," said Joey fervently. "After that? No chicks, ever again. I don't think I've come that hard in my *life*, JC. Not even with Angie Mancini who thighs that could crush a man and tits the size of ... " He grinned. "It doesn't matter. How soon can we do that again?"

JC laughed, knowing that as much as Joey might've enjoyed it, it didn't mean he'd never have sex with a woman again -- he liked them too much. And he tried not to let that get him down as he pulled himself away to take the condom to the bathroom and grab a washcloth, wincing just slightly when he stood. "We *are* 18," he reminded him, trying to evaluate what his honest answer to the question should be.

Joey glanced over at JC's alarm clock. "So ... 5 minutes?" he suggested with a grin. "Maybe 10." He reached out an arm for JC, but didn't try and keep him from getting up to take care of things. JC looked pained as he moved, though and Joey's smile faded. "You're okay?"

"I'm good," JC reassured him, bending over the bed to kiss Joey, then kneeling next to him when he couldn't quite make himself pull away. "Just ... it's been a little while." He realized that after Joey's smile disappeared, he'd do just about anything to be responsible for bringing it back. "I think ... maybe we make it more like 30? and you promise to be gentle? and I'll be okay to go again." It made him insanely happy to realize that he couldn't make himself lie to Joey, not after starting their relationship by being honest.

"I don't want to hurt you," said Joey automatically, even though his cock twitched at the thought of doing it again tonight. "Can I maybe just blow you? I haven't done that yet ... " He gave JC a crooked grin and a bit of a hopeful look, realizing that he *did* really want that, he wasn't just feeding him a line or trying to make him feel like he wasn't obligated to do it again, just because Joey was a horny teenager.

JC chuckled as he walked to the bathroom, trashing the bag and grabbing a towel. "If that would make you happy," he called back to him. He grinned when he exited the bathroom, stopping by the stereo to change the CD -- "Sting okay?" -- and slithering onto the bed next to Joey. "I kinda did like your dick in me, though," he admitted, liking the flush it brought to Joey's face.

"I kinda liked my dick in you, too," laughed Joey as he wrapped his arms around him again. "It was wonderful. But you look like ... it hurts now. Does it hurt now, man? Can I, um, do anything to help?"

JC chuckled and let Joey coddle him a little. "It doesn't hurt," he assured him. "Just a little achy. Um ... like a good workout, y'know?" He was kinda curious about what Joey thought he could do to help, though. "You were really good," he said, in a little deeper voice, happy for the opportunity to compliment Joey, and deservedly so.

Joey flushed. "You don't have to tell me that, man," he said a little awkwardly, running his hand down over the slight curve of JC's ass. "I'll get better at that and all. With a little practice." He kissed him deeply, caressing JC's soft skin with his thumb.

"You think I didn't mean that?" JC asked petulantly, biting Joey's lip and looking at him challengingly. "You *were*. Slow when you needed to be and all ... strong when I wanted you to be, and you looked really ... " he closed his eyes, remembering the intense expression on Joey's face, and shivered a little. "So, yeah ... when ARE we doing that again?"

"Soon," Joey promised him, and promised himself. "Very soon, if I have any say in it." He nuzzled JC's throat, burying his face in his neck. "So what does that feel like?"

"Heaven," JC sighed, and didn't even blush when Joey laughed at him. "It feels amazing ... having somebody *inside* you, like they can physically touch your heart if they could only get deep enough." He wiggled against Joey and sighed, tracing around his nippled with a feather-light touch. "With you, it felt like that."

Joey smiled at him and ran a hand over his body again, sighing happily. "It's amazing, hearing you say that," he said. "Almost as amazing as doing it."

"We both need some new adjectives," JC teased, then flopped back onto the bed and grabbed a pillow, watching Joey with big eyes. "Can I get you anything? You want the rest of your wine?"

"No way," said Joey, clutching him. "No way you're getting out of this bed again. Unless it's to get the cherry pie. But then we'd have crumbs, and that would kinda suck ... " He frowned, torn between having his pie and having a comfortable place to have sex again.

"Well, when you make up your mind ... " JC told Joey, not really finishing the thought, squirming around to put his head on the pillow. He started watching him again, wondering what sorts of things were going through Joey's mind, wishing that either he himself wasn't such a cheeseball, or that Joey would be cheesy with him so he didn't feel so ... lame.

Joey wrapped his body around JC's again, making his decision. "The pie can wait," he said confidently, kissing his throat again. "Don't want you going anywhere."

"That wasn't the rule," JC reminded him, smiling and licking chastely at Joey's nose. "See, *I* get to get up. *You're* the one that's stuck here." He tried to pull away and pretended to try to look over the edge of the bed. "Where *did* I put those handcuffs ... ?"

"Hey, I can't make rules, too?" pouted Joey, still clutching him close. "It's only fair, right? And I say if I'm stuck here, you're stuck here with me." He looked over the edge of the bed nervously, but didn't comment.

"You can make rules in *your* house," JC told him, logically, still trying to squirm away. Then he burst into laughter at Joey's expression. "I promise I don't have handcuffs, Joey," he said, voice patronizing but tender. "Tell me why you want me stuck here."

"But ... but ... " Joey sighed. "Why do you *think* I want you here, huh?" He kissed his throat, then his lips. "Maybe because you feel pretty damn good in my arms? And you're so warm and soft and stuff ... " Joey gave him a sheepish grin, realizing he was saying the things to JC that he would say to a girl.

"Do you mean that?" JC asked him, finally calming down when Joey actually started *talking* to him. "Or are you just saying that because it's what you think I want to hear?" He kissed Joey as tenderly as he could to soften the brunt of his words.

"Hey," said Joey, pouting again dramatically, sticking his lower lip out with the express purpose of being noticed. "I didn't doubt what you said to me ... " He kissed JC again, cupping the side of his face with his hand. "I meant every word, okay? I feel silly saying it, but I mean it."

JC nipped at his lip, knowing he was supposed to, wanting to do it anyway. "Don't do that unless you want to be bitten," he said softly, then pushed Joey away a little more firmly and stretched out on the pillow. "Want to talk about why you feel silly?"

"I like being bitten," murmured Joey, sliding closer again, but not *too* close since JC didn't seem to want him there. "I ... feel silly because you're not a girl, you know? And here I am saying all these sappy things to you like you are."

"Why do you say sappy things to girls?" JC pressed, knowing he was trying to make a point, but not really so sure what it was. He noticed Joey moving closer, and it made him really happy, but he didn't reach out for him either. He was going to *need* Joey to talk to him like that, because he was the worst type of hopeless romantic. But he didn't want him to do it because he felt he had to. Or NOT do it because he felt like he wasn't supposed to.

"Because it makes them feel pretty and happy," mumbled Joey. "Because it's true and it makes them smile and girls like to hear sweet things like that. And it just feels ... natural, to be all sappy and honest with someone when we're in bed together, I guess."

"Mmmm," JC nodded, linking his fingers together and placing them behind his head. "And how did it make you feel, when I told you that you ... uh, fucking me ... felt like heaven? That I felt like you were touching my heart?" He spoke quickly, still a little embarrassed at the words himself. "Pretty? Happy?"

"Yeah," admitted Joey, creeping closer to him again. "Pretty and happy and manly." He reached out and touched JC's side. "You gonna stop playing psychiatrist and hold me again, JC?"

JC looked at Joey, a little surprised at his ... perceptiveness, and smiled and reached for him. "That's not what I was doing," he tried to explain. "I just ... there ARE things that are different, about being with guys instead of girls, but some things are just ... being intimate with anyone. Or maybe ... I dunno," he blushed and ducked his head. "Maybe, just being close to me? I'm a huge dork, Joey -- you should see some of the songs I write, god -- and it's going to be hard for me to do that alone."

"You write songs?" said Joey, picking *that* out of everything that JC had said. "Oh wow, JC, that's so cool. Can I hear some time?" He moved in closer still, into JC's loose embrace. "I love that you're a dork, okay? Don't ever *not* be a dork, not for me, not for anyone. It's just the cutest thing."

JC rubbed Joey's back gently when he curled up against him, feeling like his face was beet red. "Anyway," he went on, trying to recapture his train of thought, "if you think I'm 'warm and soft and stuff'," -- he was able to relay Joey's words back to him exactly -- "then, you know. You can tell me. Maybe it's the dork in me, or the girl in me, or the hopelessly-smitten-with-you *loser* in me, but ... I want to hear it, in any case." His throat felt a little choked up, and he closed his eyes, not really noticing how tightly he'd started squeezing Joey.

"As long as you don't think I'm a loser for wanting to tell you that stuff," said Joey breathlessly as JC's grip tightened, "I'm never gonna think you're a loser for wanting to hear it, okay?" He kissed JC's forehead, then his slightly-parted lips. "You really 'hopelessly-smitten-with-me'?"

"Heck, yeah," JC replied, before realizing what he actually said and burying his face in Joey's neck. "Um. See? Total dork. Maybe I need, like, a gag next time we're in bed, instead of the handcuffs." He stubbornly refused to look back up into Joey's face.

"Dude," said Joey, chuckling slightly but not *at* him. "I told you, the dork thing? One of the things I really like about you. I mean ... it's not like you're the only smitten one here, you know?"

"*Why*?" JC replied, incredulous, not understanding why being a geek could ever be attractive to someone like Joey -- before everything else he said even registered. When it did, he didn't even know how to respond. It kind of felt like forever since someone'd said that to him ... and he knew it was some kind of relationship suicide, but after Trace, he didn't know how much of it he could take to heart.

"Why not?" asked Joey, kissing his chin. "It's ... I don't know what it is. But I like it, okay? The way you just say what you think and like what you like and just ... be yourself. It's all attractive and stuff." He nuzzled JC's throat again, a bit embarassed at his *own* words now, not able to be as articulate as he wanted. As articulate as JC deserved.

"But dorky's not very hot," JC mumbled, then started to get angry at himself for bringing all of his well-entrenched insecurities into this thing he had with Joey, which had seemed so sweet and innocent to that point. "Forget it, forget I said that. Thank you, really."

Joey wrapped his hand around the back of JC's neck and kissed him soundly. "Just stop," he said gently with a tender smile on his face. "It is to me, JC. Just ... look at where we are. Look at what we just did. That was, like, my first time with a guy. You think I'd do something like that, with someone I didn't think was hot? Seriously?"

"No," JC admitted, relaxing automatically at Joey's touch. "But this is why I need that gag. Seriously, if I ever make it? I'm, like, not doing live interviews. Period. That's just ... a total disaster waiting to happen." He snuggled into the pillows and looked up at Joey impishly. "So. Um. Hot, huh? Like ... hot enough to get all naked with again?"

"Dude, we're already all naked," he pointed out with a grin. "Saves time." He licked at JC's neck a little, but more playfully than anything. "And I'm sure that I won't be the only person who likes the babble. So ... yeah. You can stop worrying about it, okay? Just be yourself."

JC waved him off and squirmed around so Joey's tongue was much closer to his ear, arching his eyebrow when Joey seemed to miss the fact that JC was perfectly aware of how naked they were. "Okay, then ... hot enough to stop trying to deal with my complexes, and *do* something about the nakedness?"

"You ready to do something about the nakedness?" asked Joey, rubbing up against him lightly and caressing JC's cheek with his fingers. "You sure?"

JC nodded and tried to bite at Joey's thumb. "Eighteen," he reminded him solemnly, wrapping a skinny leg around his hips and climbing so close to him it looked like he was trying to squeeze inside. "You didn't answer, though."

"Answer what?" asked Joey, concentrating on sucking JC's earlobe, knowing the meaning of 'eighteen' all too well. JC's body was hot against him and he was worried about it going away again.

"The question about whether YOU were ready," JC explained, shuddering and giggling at Joey's mouth on his ear, squirming in his arms and pretending to try and hide his erection, but rubbing it against Joey's knee very intentionally.

"If that's not obvious by now," said Joey, his fingertips dancing down JC's spine to his tailbone, "then we definitely have bigger problems." He rubbed against JC again. "But it seems to me the equipment is working fine."

"God bless being eighteen," JC sighed, kissing Joey deeply and rolling on top of him so they could start taking advantange of it. --- JC grabbed the alarm right before it was set to go off, not wanting to wake Joey up yet. He'd only been dozing, himself; knowing that if he let himself really fall asleep in the hour or so they had between the time they finally stopped whispering to each other, wrapped tightly in each others' arms and kissing, and the time that they had to wake up to make sure Joey got to work on time? He'd be really cranky. He took a moment to study the man in his bed, stretched naked on top of the sheets, the perfect slope of his lean body only interrupted by stark tanlines that just drew his eyes to his ass.

Joey rolled over onto his side, mumbling something softly in his sleep and wrapping his arm around JC's thigh. His choked a little as he pressed his face into the pillow, then managed to free his nose and mouth and started breathing normally again.

It barely felt like 24 hours ago that JC'd been in a similar position, forced to wake Joey up when he really just wanted to let him clutch his leg like that until both of them fell back to sleep. Similar, but not the same: because the day before, he hadn't had this sort of wonderful soreness in his hips and back and ass. Since whispering and kissing hadn't been all they did. He smiled, affectionate and eager, and ran a hand over Joey's back, from shoulderblade to thigh, before draping himself on top of his body. "Wanna go again?" he whispered in the back of Joey's ear, wondering if it would wake him up.

"Yeah," murmured Joey, and he squeezed JC's leg but he didn't open his eyes and didn't show any signs of waking. "'Gain."

"Really?" JC wiggled, running a hand over Joey's belly ... wondering if that easy agreement was a completely automatic reaction, and then thinking he was one lucky guy if it was. "Joey," he whispered. "C'mon, quick, or we won't have time."

Joey moved into his touch but didn't say anything further, his hand clutching JC's leg. He still didn't open his eyes, and his breathing was deep enough to suggest he was still fast asleep.

JC sighed, and let his forehead drop to the back of Joey's neck. So much for that idea. He reluctantly peeled Joey's hands off of him and stood up, grabbing his underwear from the floor and padding over to the kitchenette to start the coffeemaker, humming under his breath.

"JC?" murmured Joey, just loud enough to be heard, his voice rough from sleep and still sounding drowsy.

Smiling, JC snuck back into the bed and started rubbing his scruffy face up and down Joey's arm. "Yup," he said, tenderly. "I know you're exhausted, kid, and I'm sorry for keeping you up so late, but you've really gotta wake up. Okay? Coffee's comin'."

Joey reached out and tugged on JC's arm clumsily. "Back to bed?" he suggested with hopeful note in his voice, trying to hold him there. "More sleep with me?"

"Ohhh, is *that* what 'you've gotta wake up' means in your native language," JC teased, leaning down to bury his face in the sleep-warmth of Joey's chest. "More sleep; interesting." He did lay there for a second, before kissing him and continuing a little more firmly. "Joey. C'mon. I have to get you to work, babe."

Joey pried one eye open and stared at him, unblinking. "Can I say no?" he mumbled, loosening his hold on JC and leaning in, trying to touch his lips to JC's again.

JC's heart caught a little. "If you don't have to go, tell me, and I'll come back to bed with you. But that means you gotta get up and call in first, to let them know. So either way you gotta sit up for me, man." Joey sighed and closed his eyes, but wasn't going back to sleep. "I have to go," he said, groaning. "Shit." He let JC help him up to a sitting position and let his head loll forward, yawning. JC curled his body around behind Joey's, stroking his back lightly and watching him wake up -- rubbing his eyes and running a persistent hand through his hair. It felt really natural to be waking up with him, like they'd been a couple for years instead of days. He only wished he could tell Joey that. "So ... " he said, once Joey looked coherent. "Um. I can still come see you at work today, right? I can drive you back to your house after, if you want, or whatever." He wanted nothing more than to tell Joey to pack up a couple bags and just move *in* with him ... but he did have a life and family outside of JC.

"Yeah, sure," said Joey, yawning and lifting his head weakly. "I was kinda hoping you'd come anyway. You're not busy again today?" He reached out and rested a hand on JC's calf.

JC frowned a little, knowing he wasn't, and that -- money-wise -- that was going to start being a real problem. "No," he said awkwardly. "I probably ... I guess I'll probably be trying to find a job. Maybe I'll drop by Disney and see if they have anything I can do; like, PA for one of their new shows, or something." He kinda wanted to get together with Chris and Justin again, but Justin was out of town, so that left him with basically nothing.

Joey nodded and yawned again, squeezing his ankle and making a flimsy effort to get up. "Disney likes you," he mumbled. "You should have no trouble, man." He blinked his eyes a couple times and finally looked JC in the face. "Morning," he said with a smile.

"Morning, you," JC grinned, not *caring* that it was kind of pathetic that a smile from Joey could make him forget those sorts of serious problems. "Um. We had sex last night."

"Kinda remember that," said Joey, still smiling, leaning in for a fleeting kiss. "Kinda remember doing it more than once, actually. And you're walking ok?"

"I'm good," JC assured him, trying to cling to his lips a little more before realizing he was being just that -- clingy -- and pulled away. "Like I told you, I only have cereal," he explained, getting off the bed. "But I do have a banana, and juice, and coffee's coming, and ... hold on a second and I'll get you a towel so you can shower -- you can use whatever's in there -- and, um, I bought you a toothbrush at the store, yesterday, and I'm *telling* you that I did because I don't want you to read too much into it, although I guess you'd probably draw the right conclusions ... "

"That I have morning breath?" suggested Joey with a disarming grin, squeezing his ankle again. "Dude, I already *know* that." He stretched out widely, cat-like, and gave JC another brief, closed-mouth kiss. "I'm a-goin'."

"Oh, okay," JC said, shifting on his feet a little and then walking into the bathroom to pull a towel out like he promised. "Um, it's on the sink," he explained when he came back out. "And like I said, just ... make yourself at home."

"I have been," said Joey, touching him gently on the back and side on his way by. "I *feel* at home here. See you in a few minutes?"

JC nodded mutely and watched him go into the bathroom, before turning back to the kitchen and the coffee and getting bowls and spoons out for the cereal. He wasn't going to let his mind wander too far with that last comment, since it could have meant anything, but it made him *really* glad that he had his own place that he *could* share with Joey like that. He started humming to himself again as he munched on a banana and just futzed around in the kitchen -- picking up all the dishes from the night before, smirking a little at the pie still in the fridge.

Joey came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, rubbing his head with the towel and wearing a pair of low-hanging boxer shorts. A toothbrush was sticking out of the side of his mouth. "Hey," he mumbled with a sloppy smile, a bit of toothpaste foam dribbling over onto his lip.

"Hey," JC smiled, walking over to him and kissing his chin, gripping the waistband of Joey's underwear tightly. "Since it's still my house and I get to make the rules? No more walking around in your underwear all ... wet ... when I can't take you back to bed. Got it?"

Joey pulled the toothbrush out of his mouth, his teeth foamy. "You'd rather I walked around naked?" he challenged him. "That would make it easier to resist me?"

JC tried to feign indifference and turned back to the coffeepot, even though he sincerely hoped Joey wouldn't get naked. Since he himself was only in boxers and the mental picture was already turning him on. "Nothin' I haven't seen before," he said, breezily.

"Yes," agreed Joey as he wandered back toward the bathroom to rince and spit. "And I know exactly what you did last time you saw it, too." He grinned at JC, then disappeared.

JC blushed and groped himself a little, trying to get his blossoming erection to just go *away*. "How do you like your coffee?" he called out to him, wondering what Joey was doing and *hoping* it was getting dressed.

Joey came back out of the bathroom again, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Sweet," he confessed, still dressed only in his boxers. "Just dump a bunch of sugar in it and I'll be good."

JC sighed and realized nothing was going to be easy for him that day when he saw him, handing over the mug with a resigned kiss. "You don't have to tell me now," he started awkwardly, gesturing for Joey to sit down with him, having to bring up another topic that felt funny. "But ... this is going to sound stupid ... I'm not sure how much you, like, want to see me and all." He blushed and ate some more of his banana. "We managed to kinda skirt around that last night, and I ... not that I have, like, other plans, but ... I dunno, can you give me a little bit of an idea about how you see this working?" He *hated* being clingy, but he hated being rudely surprised more.

"Well, doesn't it work like normal?" asked Joey innocently as he sat down with the coffee. "I mean ... we like each other and get together pretty much whenever we can to hang out or make out or whatever. Right?" He sipped the hot coffee carefully. "Or is it different, somehow?"

"It doesn't have to be different," JC agreed. "I just ... well, you kind of answered my question. I just didn't want to think that you'd want to see me every day, since my loser ass has nothing to do, just to come to find out that you only wanted to do this on, like, every other Tuesday, or something." He gave Joey a bashful smile. "You're welcome to stay over whenever you want."

"I can't stay over *every* night," said Joey, sounding a little regretful. "Because of my parents and all. But ... I like the idea of it." He sipped the coffee again and looked like he was started to become a lot more awake. "I look forward to seeing you. Every time."

JC smiled and hugged himself, chomping happily on his banana. "Me too," he admitted. "And I know you can't stay here every night, even though I kinda wish you could." With that out of the way, he just had one more thing he had to at least test the waters about. "Um. So. You know that we still haven't gone out dancing to celebrate ... "

"Mmm, right," said Joey, sounding distracted by the warm drink in his hands. But then he looked up at JC and his eyes were bright, his expression nothing but happy. "When are we going to do that? And I guess ... I can't dance with you the way I want to. But still, that'll be fun."

JC decided he could put Joey's introduction to the gay danceclub scene off for a little while, having bigger fish to fry. "Well," he said slowly. "What do you maybe think about tomorrow night? We could head down to the old stomping grounds, you know, Pleasure Island, and drink like fools." That was where he was meeting Chris and Justin. And after Chris's lukewarm-at-best reaction to Joey's name, JC had figured that maybe setting up a "chance" meeting, and pretending to come up with the idea of him auditioning on the spot, was the way to go. He just ... couldn't handle getting Joey's hopes up.

Joey laughed. "That'd be great," he admitted. "I guess you probably haven't been, since you got back. You know, being that you've pretty much been with *me*, since you got back. No ... that'd be perfect. Fun."

At least *that* was easy. JC smiled back and leaned forward in his chair. "Cool. Uh ... just remind me that I want to do this, when I pick you up and try to convince you that what I really want to do is bring you back here and have you do that ... thing to me, some more."

"Now why on Earth would I want to do that?" teased Joey, taking larger sips of his coffee now that it was cooling. "Maybe I *want* to do that ... thing ... to you some more. Maybe I really *like* that thing. Maybe I really like *your* thing, and don't want to scare the kiddies if we go out."

JC blushed and squirmed in his chair. "What's that?" he said loudly. "You have to go get dressed? Oh, well, that's okay, I guess. Don't let me keep you." Maybe the field trip to Orlando's gay night life would come sooner rather than later.

Joey laughed again and stood up, leaning over the table and kissing JC soundly. "I think it sounds like a great idea," he assured him. "The going out dancing, not the getting dressed. I'm only doing the getting dressed because I have no choice."

"Mmmm," JC agreed wordlessly, watching Joey walk over to his bag and bend over to get clothes before standing up to clear the table. "Am I allowed to tell you that I think I'll miss you today? Like, a lot?"

"Gonna miss you, too," said Joey as he stood up again, groaning softly. "I'm probably going to be thinking about you, about *this* -- " He gestured at the bed. " -- the whole time I'm performing. And fuck, Kyle is *not* gonna be much help. He's going to want details, you know. He's going to force them out of me or something."

JC snickered and dumped his mug out into the sink before walking over to the bed and flopping down on his belly, watching Joey put on his clothes. "Right," he said. "Like somehow the teenage male drive to brag about getting lucky doesn't apply when it's with a guy? You're full of crap, Fatone."

"I wouldn't brag to anyone other than Kyle," he said, looking serious as he pulled on his shirt. "I couldn't. And I can't even *brag* to him, really. He'll just be all, like 'oh, that's so cute, i remember when I did that for the first time'." He rolled his eyes. "Yet he'll still want to hear about it."

JC bit his nails a little and handed Joey his pants. "I didn't ... I wasn't saying that I thought you'd be sleazy about it," he tried to explain, softly. "Or did you just mean ... because I *am* a guy, you couldn't say something?" He'd forgotten, in the time they'd spent since yesterday, that Joey was still having to deal with all of that, with coming out.

Joey gave him half a shrug. "There's no one else I can tell," he said simply as he pulled the pants on, not quite looking at him. "There's just Kyle, right now."

JC chewed on his lip and stood up to start getting dressed himself. "You can tell *me* about it," he ventured, shyly, stepping over to put a hand on Joey's waist. "Tell me about the cute, if geeky, boy whose world you rocked last night?"

"I think it was the other way around," said Joey, turning a little to plant a soft kiss on his temple. "See, there's this cute, adorably geeky guy who just completely changed my life last night ... "

JC flushed all over and tried to think of something to say to Joey that wouldn't just scare the shit out of him, like the "I love you" that he *wanted* to blurt out all of a sudden. "I ... I gotta brush my teeth," he stuttered, letting his own fingers touch Joey's face almost reverently before he stepped back, trying to stop smiling like a fool and completely failing.

Joey reached out and grabbed JC's fingers before he could get away. "I mean it," he said quietly, then smiled at him again and squeezed his fingers. "Go brush your teeth, man. I'll be waiting right here. Promise."

---

Joey tried not to be *too* obvious when he went inside, but he knew he was. To anyone who suspected anything, anyway, and probably to quite a few who previously hadn't. He just *couldn't* keep that damn smile off his face. And, really, he didn't want to. He slung his backpack up higher on his shoulder and wondered how long it would be before someone said something.

"Awwww, ya did it." Kyle's voice was teasing, but affectionate, when he stepped into Joey's path with twinkling eyes. "Or ... did *something*, at least. Am I right? You and JC and your night of loooove?"

"Shut up," mumbled Joey, looking down and flushing. He should have known that he would run into Kyle first thing when he got to work, it was fate or something. "Um ... yeah ... didn't get much sleep ... " he said, knowing perfectly well how Kyle was gonna take that.

"Well of *course* you didn't," Kyle agreed, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And yet, you were considerate enough to get to work on time -- meaning early for you -- so you'd have plenty of opportunity to tell me all about it." He pinched Joey's cheek. "You're such a good friend!"

Joey smacked his hand playfully. "Well, since you already seem to *know* what I did," he taunted him, "why do I need to tell you anything?" He knew that the goofy smile was still on his face, though. Knew there was no way he was getting off so easily, and not really wanting to be let off the hook anyway.

"Do I need to get down on my knees?" Kyle whined, waggling his eyebrows at the other implied meaning. "Or was that something that was taken care of satisfactorily again by my friend JC?"

"It's hard to get on your knees when you never get off the bed," admitted Joey, chuckling at his friend in spite of himself. "You're impossible, man. So we doing this over coffee again, then, or do we even have a spare couple minutes for that?"

Kyle tugged on his arm and jerked him into the dressing room. "Screw coffee," he said quickly. "And we can be late. *This* I need to hear." He pushed Joey down into the sofa and sat down cross-legged on the floor in front of him. "No joking, now," he said, a slightly more serious expression on his face. "Did you?"

Joey laughed happily. "Yeah," he said, his eyes sparkling happily. "More or less yeah. Oh God, Kyle, we did a *lot*. Wow." He thought back to the night he'd spent with JC, not just the sex but the talking and touching and little things that happened in between, and his smile got even wider.

"Well, slap my ass and call me Judy!" Kyle crowed. "That's fuckin' awesome, man. And? What'd you think? What'd *he* think, and is he walking today?" He squinted and stared at Joey's crotch. "Are *you* walking today?"

"Well, obviously *I* am," said Joey leaning over to smack his arm with a roll of his eyes. He didn't say anything about JC's state, though -- he still had his doubts about how well he was holding up after that night, though he'd *looked* fine. "It was fucking amazing, man. Shit. Why didn't you *tell* me it was gonna be that good, huh?"

Kyle just laughed and laughed for several seconds. "Tell you in some other way than the way I have, every day we've worked, for the past six months or so? Okay, I apologize!" He reached over and squeezed Joey's knee. "So you did it, you liked it ... what was the 'more or less' for?"

"Oh, that," said Joey, grinning at him nervously. "I mean, I did it, I just didn't ... have it done. You know? Does that make sense?" Though he thought maybe the next time JC suggested trying something like that, he was going to let him, because JC seemed to like it. A lot.

"Yes, I believe I can infer what you meant by that," Kyle replied dryly. "Thanks. So ... any other milestones? Did you conquer the big bad blowjob monster, or does JC just like dick so much that it wasn't necessary?"

"Oh yeah, that," said Joey, nodding. "That wasn't as hard as I thought, really. You just gotta, you know, not try to do *too* much to start, I guess. Right? I didn't choke or anything, and he seemed to like it, so I think I did all right. But him ... he does this tongue thing when he goes down on me? Fucking amazing." It was right at that moment that Joey realized he was starting to sound like Kyle.

Kyle sighed exaggeratedly. "All this talent, wasted on a scrub like you. Pity." He grinned at Joey to make sure he knew he was kidding. "I'm serious, you better not bring him around me again. Do you know if he likes skinny boys?"

"He likes *me*," said Joey emphatically, kicking out at Kyle's knee. "Me, me, me. And don't you forget it." He stuck his tongue out at Kyle and then laughed. "Oh, man, this is so fabulous. I'd tell you you have no idea but ... well ... you probably do." He knew it had to be obvious that he was falling for JC, hard, and it was way more than just the sex ... but he was okay with that. Kyle would tease him for it, sure, but it was worth it.

"I do," Kyle nodded, looking quite self-satisfied, before narrowing his eyes at Joey. "Man, who knew you were such a cheeseball? 'Fabulous'? What has this kid done to you? Where's my good buddy Joseph Fatone *Junior* with the ever-present mantra that 'love sucks'?"

"Love doesn't suck so much anymore," admitted Joey, scratching his chin nervously with just a tiny hint of a smile now. "Maybe I just needed to find the right person." He chuckled and forced his hand down, looking Kyle in the eye again. "The right guy, I guess."

"Shut UP!" Kyle shoved at his leg, then scrambled up next to him on the couch to cup his face in his hands like he was checking for a fever. "You're kidding me! I was just ... you know, teasing you. Man. You don't do anything halfway, do you?"

"I don't know," said Joey, backpedaling a little as what he'd just implied hit him. "I just ... you know me, man. When's the last time you saw me this happy? Honestly, now. Don't tell me about the time I was all hyped up because I managed to eat 8 hotdogs in one sitting and beat Terry's record."

Kyle squinted at him. "Honestly?" he echoed. "I'm not ... I don't know if I *have* seen you this happy. I just can't tell how much of it's because of this boy, and how much of it's ... you know. Maybe you're a little bored, happy to be done with school, wrapped up with trying to do something 'different'?" He made little bunny ears with his fingers, then went on quickly before Joey could protest. "But I'd say the last time ... was with Danay, yeah." He squirmed, looking uncomfortable for even mentioning her name.

"I'm totally gone for him, Kyle," said Joey quietly. Secretly. "Just ... totally. It's the most amazing feeling. Even the things I maybe used to think weren't attractive? They suddenly are, because they're a part of him. I didn't ... I didn't go *looking* for this, you know." He chuckled. "Well, of course you know that. It just happened ... and I'm not gonna second guess it, okay?"

Kyle looked at him for a moment, then just patted his cheek. "Okay," he said simply, looking like he recognized when Joey needed him to *not* make fun. "Um. Obviously, I don't know or anything, but it seems like ... he seems like he likes you back just as much. Was he good to you last night? Like ... patient?"

"Yeah," said Joey, his giddy smile returning as more memories of the previous night came to him. "He was the best, Kyle. Just the best. I ... um ... I didn't actually need too much patience though, when it came down to it. Everything happened pretty naturally." He sighed, still smiling. "So okay, yeah, you were right about that. Don't let it go to your head or anything."

Kyle waved him off. "I know I'm smarter than you," he yawned. "You don't need to tell me." He sat there another minute. "So you're good? Feeling okay? Not freaking out too much? Ready to go be the best Wolfie you can be?"

"Not freaking out at all, actually," said Joey, getting ready to stand up. "Except for maybe the slightly freaky feeling of wanting to spend every moment possible with him." He reached out and messed up Kyle's hair. "Thanks, man."

Kyle grimaced before reaching over to tangle Joey's hair in turn. "No problem, kid. Just so you know, though, I let you off easy this time. On account of it being your first time, and all, and therefore somewhat sacred. Be prepared for more ... fun ... questions next time."

"This was easy?" said Joey, giving him a disbelieving look. "Shit. Okay. Gonna have to start getting to work earlier, I guess." He finally stood up and offered his hand to Kyle, thinking about what details he was going to be expected to offer and wondering if he was *ever* going to be quite as candid as Kyle about them. "Can I expect to start getting my morning rundown from you again, then?"

"Yes, and now you can contribute somewhat knowledgeably!" Kyle clapped his hands together in exaggerated glee. "What FUN. I simply cannot WAIT until tomorrow."

Joey nodded at him, suddenly a little bit amused. "I'm also gonna know when what you're telling me is utter bullshit," he warned him, knowing damn well that some of the stuff Kyle told him was simply impossible. Or at the very least required someone completely double-jointed.

"What the hell, man?" Kyle protested, apparently insulted, but he led him out of the dressing room to grab their costumes anyway. "You've been with one guy, and now you're the expert?" He shook his head. "I have no idea what this JC is and is not capable of. But ... if you want me to come over sometime to see, I humbly offer my services."

Joey snorted. "Whatever, man. I'm on to you and you know it." He gave Kyle a wink and a cockier grin than he had previously, less shy about his relationship now that all the cards were on the table with Kyle. "I shoulda listened closer to your stories before though, maybe known what the hell I was doing. But ... your advice helped, man. And don't let *that* go to your head, either."

Kyle sighed. "Least I could do, I suppose. So ..." he leered. "Was that a yes, I can come over? I'll be quiet."

"Hell, no," said Joey, smacking his arm. "Dude, you have *no* shame." He did give him another grin a moment letter. "But don't worry," he said. "Before long I think maybe I'll have plenty of stories to tell."

---

Joey laughed and brushed his hand against JC's, since he couldn't actually *hold* it right then, as he looked around. The place definitely wasn't unfamiliar to him. "God, you remember the last time we were here?" he said. "With everyone? Seems like forever ago, huh."

"Yeah," JC agreed, with a slightly far-off look on his face, before he shook his head and smiled back at Joey. "Calls for a drink, I say. You in?"

"Have I ever *not* been?" challenged Joey, brushing his hand again. He had the feeling that he was going to be doing that a *lot*, all night, and resigned himself to the slight swelling in his pants. It wasn't going *any*where. "I'll buy. What are you having?"

"This isn't that sort of 'I'll buy' where you come back with two drinks for me and none for you, is it?" JC asked him with narrow eyes. "Cause I gotta tell you, you don't have to get me drunk. You're getting lucky tonight regardless." He looked around the club again. "Something in a bottle that isn't Bud," he decided.

"Is that the same as 'surprise me'?" joked Joey as he groped for his wallet. "'Cause you know better than that, man. Is Heineken too exotic for you? Or maybe there's some sexy California beer you're jonesing for that I don't know nothing about." He wanted nothing more than to lean in and take JC into his arms right then, and used playing with his wallet as a distraction not to.

JC laughed and pinched Joey's waist, the gesture hidden by their bodies. "Heineken's perfect," he told him, then started looking around the room again; almost like he was looking *for* someone. "Sexy California beer is called wine."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Joey with a grin, touching JC's arm as he passed by him. "I'll be *right* back. I promise." He watched JC scan the room and tried not to get jealous. "Try not to run away with anyone else while I'm gone?"

JC gave him a goofy smile and a good-natured push. "I promise you sex later, and that's the confidence you have in my faithfulness? Jeez." But he did turn quickly back around and lean over the railing, seemingly watching the door intently.

"I trust you," murmured Joey, moving in close enough to smell JC's hair before quickly going and getting them their drinks. He smelled and felt great, and he didn't want to be away any longer than he had to -- which made him feel a little needy but so what. They were dating; he was allowed.

"Hey!" JC called to him, on his way back, when he was still several feet away with a thick layer of people separating them. "Joey. "C'mere. There's some ... people ... " He beckoned to him with sparkling eyes and another silly grin, and disappeared behind a column.

"Yes, there are," said Joey, holding up the beer protectively. "There are plenty of them, actually. Anyone in particular?" He finally made it back to JC's side and handed him his beer, pressing himself closer to JC's side than he actually needed to.

JC took the beer distractedly, his fingers closing over Joey's briefly, as he gestured at the people he was standing with. "Look who I found. You remember Justin, right?"

"Hey Justin," said Joey, giving him a friendly wave with his beer. "Long time, no see." Then he looked at the other man who was there, someone else who was not unfamiliar to him. "Hey, Kirkpatrick," he said, using his now-free hand to clap him on the shoulder. "What are you doing here?" He looked from Chris to JC and back again, wondering if -- no, how -- they knew each other.

Justin didn't wait for Chris to respond before bouncing over to stand closer to Joey. "Hey!" he smiled. "Hey, Joey. You think maybe I could get one of those?" JC shared a look with Chris before glancing back at Joey over Justin's head. He looked like he hadn't been sure if he should step in. "I just saw them come in," he explained, then put a steadying hand on Justin's shoulder. "Let the guy breathe, Just."

"How old are you now, rugrat?" asked Joey, holding his beer out of reach, though Justin was a lot closer to eye level now than he remembered him being and it probably wouldn't hurt any if he let him have some. "What would your mama say, man?" He gave Chris another amused smile, then wondered how Chris and *Justin* knew each other.

"Hey, Fatone," said Chris without much expression, how own eyes shooting back and forth between JC and Joey. "We're just hanging out. Been a while, huh?"

JC looked a little relieved at Chris's reply, even though he gave him an appraising glance in response, and turned to Joey with an unexpected grin. "You guys work together, right? Chris told me that, when we were talking the other day about - "

"Fourteen," Justin cut in, batting JC's hand on his collar away, glaring petulantly when he slipped in between them. "C'mon. Chris lets me."

"Then *Chris* can get you a drink," countered Joey, but he handed his own to Justin so he could take just a sip, his glance going back up to JC, wondering what he'd been saying before Justin had interrupted. He was getting a weird feeling from the half-knowing, half-frustrated look that Chris was throwing in his direction, and JC's.

Chris clapped a hand on JC's shoulder. "Yeah about *that*," he said, tugging on him. "I need to go over something with you. You don't mind if I pull you away from your *friend* for a minute?"

Justin crowed and tried to scoot enough out of arm's reach to drink more of the beer as JC looked slowly down at Chris's hand and then back to his face. "Can it wait just a sec? I was just going to tell Joey about the group."

"No, it's kinda important," said Chris, his voice tight, his hand still on JC's shoulder. "It'll only take a minute."

Joey eyes them curiously as he snagged Justin and took his beer back, but he didn't say anything; whatever it was, he was confident that JC would tell him, when he could.

JC cocked his head at Chris and then purposefully removed his hand from his arm, not ungently. His body shifted a little toward Joey, again, blocking his hand from Justin and Chris's view so he could touch his hip gently. "Um. Apparently, I'll be right back," he said to him, biting his lip in conentration and maybe apprehension before nodding at Justin. "Best not to let him have any more, I think."

Justin rolled his eyes at JC's back as the other man followed Chris a short distance away, and then turned back to Joey like he was his new best friend. "I like Budweiser better," he told him solemnly.

---

"You kinda left out an important piece of information when we talked last, don't you think?" said Chris as they moved away from the crowds to where they could talk, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, yeah?" JC asked, trying to sound forceful but knowing it came out nervous and defensive. He figured he knew what Chris was getting at, and wondered how it had been that obvious. "What's that? And ... you're being a little rude, aren't you?"

"I thought I was pretty polite about it, not sticking around and giving him a flat out no," Chris shot right back. He didn't look mad, exactly, but he did look unyielding. "JC, this is a serious group, you can't just try and get someone in because you're sleeping with him."

JC recoiled, not sure which part of all that was the most devastating -- Chris apparently thinking JC wasn't serious about the group, Chris apparently having decided that he wasn't going to give Joey a chance after all, or Chris apparently believing it was okay to be that snide about his relationship with Joey. "Fuck you," he said tightly, even though he tried hard not to say that to people. "It's not like that. It's not *about* that. He's good, and he'll fit in, and honestly? that's the only motivation I have, here. The good of the group."

Chris sighed. "You'll forgive me if that's a little hard to believe? Setting us up like this, JC ... not cool. What, did you think we were gonna try him out right here? Right now?" He reached out for JC's drink, taking a sip of it himself. "Next time, if you want me to take you seriously, try to be a bit more professional about it."

That criticism, at least, JC knew he deserved, and he tried to think for a second about why this had seemed like a good idea. "I just ... thought maybe if we all hung out together, you'd give him a little more of a chance," he explained, shoving his hands in his pockets and letting Chris hang on to the beer. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you that we were ... together, but that's kinda because I don't think it should matter."

"It doesn't," said Chris as he handed the bottle back. "That's what made me wonder why you didn't say. Right now, it looks to me like you're so hung up on this guy you don't want to do anything without him. And didn't want me to know your real reasons for trying to get him in. Now really, JC ... is that so far from the truth?"

"Maybe I didn't say anything because I worried that this was exactly how you'd react," JC retorted, growing frustrated with how matter-of-fact Chris was being, how patronizing. "I *told* you my reasons for wanting him in. He *is* what we need, Chris, you can't argue with that." He wasn't, was NOT, going to tell Chris that as much as he didn't want it to be the case, the desire to be around Joey and to have them share something that could be so big HAD been a factor. "You said you'd give him a chance. We agreed."

"That was when I thought you might have something," said Chris, obviously trying *not* to be mean about it, but losing patience fast. "I told you, I've heard this guy, I *don't* think he's what we're looking for. It's a waste of our time to try him out just because your judgment's been clouded by ... well, by whatever you two have going on."

JC stood still for a moment before crossing his arms, his jaw set stubbornly. "Well. I hope you don't consider having to find a replacement for me a waste of time, then." The words came out shaky, and he couldn't look at Chris, but he meant them. He really meant them. "Good luck with that."

"Oh, JC," said Chris with a another sigh. "Don't do this, man. Don't do this over a guy, okay? You know we've got something good going on here."

"Yeah, we do," JC agreed, proud that he was standing up for himself, and for Joey. "So don't *make* me do this, Chris. I'm not giving you an ultimatum that he has to be in or I'm out -- that's stupid. He may NOT be what we need, once we're all together, and if that's the case? my judgment isn't so clouded that I won't realize that. But you *agreed* you'd let him try, and I ... I just have to make you own up to that. And I'm not apologizing for it."

Chris was silent for a long moment, staring at him, then nodded. "All right. Fine. We'll give him a chance. But not tonight, JC, and not here. I get to say when we do this, and tonight I just want to have some fun, all right?

"I didn't *expect* for us to do it tonight," JC rolled his eyes, but he let out a breath of relief first. "Especially since he had to work today, and it wouldn't be a fair assessment." He hesitated, then reached out to punch Chris's arm in as friendly a way he could. "Look. It'll be okay, alright? We see what he sounds like with us, give him an honest chance, and if we don't all agree in the end?" JC swallowed. "We can vote on it. And you know Justin'll do whatever you tell him. And I'll go along with it, I promise."

Chris looked skeptical, but nodded. "All right," he said. "I guess it can't hurt anything. But right now ... I need my own damn drink. I think we're done here, right?"

JC sighed and rubbed his forehead a little. "Yeah, that was fun. I'll just see you back over there." After he figured out how to explain all this to Joey.

---

"If you tell JC *or* Chris I gave you that, I'm gonna have to kick your ass," said Joey, handing Justin the Bud. "Or your mom, man. And that's the *only* one I'm getting you, all right?" He was barely looking at Justin, though, his eyes wandering to where JC and Chris were standing and starting to talk.

"Yeah, sure, okay," Justin said agreeably, watching Joey with big eyes. "So. When d'you think you're gonna come over and try out with us? Do you like Sega? I got the new NBA game, man, and it's awesome. I'm already beating the computer at the expert level. But if you like it we could play, when you come over?"

"Come over?" said Joey, frowning in confusion. "Try out for what?" He looked at Justin's earnest, wide-eyed face and chuckled slightly. "Maybe I shouldn't have given you that beer after all, kid. Sure, I'll come over some time and play Sega, though. I don't have one and I'm pretty sure JC doesn't either."

"JC sucks," Justin replied firmly, then squinted at Joey. "Try out for the *group*. That's why you're here tonight, right? So you could hang out with me and Chris and JC before you come over and sing with us?" He frowned a little and shuffled his feet, obviously confused about why Joey seemed to be teasing him. "What, I don't ... are you, like, mad at me because my mom thought of JC first? I don't think she's heard you sing, or anything, so don't take it out on me, okay?"

"Justin," said Joey slowly, the pieces starting to come together in his mind. "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. Me and JC just came here to hang out tonight. I mean, I had no idea you and Chris were even gonna *be* here, let alone anything about a group." He eyes flicked to JC and Chris again; they were talking animatedly and neither one of them looked too happy. "You wanna tell me about it maybe?"

Justin's eyes got even bigger, and he looked quickly over in Chris's direction too. "But JC's been planning this since, like, before I went out of town," he told him, looking like he was trying to remember if the tryout was something that was supposed to be a surprise. "Since last rehearsal. Meeting up with me and Chris, I mean. We didn't know that *you'd* be here. I mean, it's totally cool that you *are*, 'cause now we can hang out, like I said, but ... ?"

Joey nodded slowly, still watching the other two though he caught the surprised look in Justin's eyes. "Do you think maybe he changed his mind?" he suggested, though he doubted that was the case. "Or maybe that Chris changed his mind?" He remembered the last time he'd seen Chris -- at a Chrismas party where he and Jeremy had been doing a drunken and painfully off-key rendition of O Holy Night -- and cringed.

"Not that I know of," Justin shrugged, looking more comfortable now that Joey seemed to not be so confused. "I haven't really talked to JC much about it, but I know it was his idea; Chris just told me that JC had a friend that could do some lower-range stuff for us and that he -- you -- would be coming by so we could all sing together." He grinned a little. "Dude. You should *hear* us. It's awesome."

"Yeah?" said Joey, turning to him and grinning a bit, forcing his attention away from JC. He'd find out later what was going on; right now there wasn't much he could do about it. Actually, right now he was finding out more from little Justin than anyone, and there was something something not quite right about that. "I'm totally looking forward to it now. You guys have already been practicing, then?"

"Sure, not a whole lot though," Justin went on, seemingly happy to have a captive audience that would buy him beer, no less. "I mean, JC's only been in town for ... what, like a week? It was good to see him again." He paused, thinking. "Hey. You guys met up again pretty quick, too. Or I guess you stayed friends when he went to California, maybe? I guess that makes sense, you seem close."

Joey coughed politely and figured *he* wasn't going to say anything to Justin if JC hadn't. "He gave me a call when he got back into town," he said, "just like you. I'm making him tell me all about California now, sounds like it was pretty exciting and all. Maybe someday I'll get there myself."

"Maybe *we* will," Justin said loudly, smiling and throwing an arm around Joey. "Dude. This going to be so *cool*, don't you think? You know Chris from work, and you know me and JC from before, and I know Chris, and Chris and JC seem to get along good ..." -- he looked over to check and make sure they were still there -- "It's like ... fate, kinda."

"Yeah, fate," said Joey with a quiet smile as he, too, looked at the others. "Maybe it is, kid. Now drink up before they get back, or we're *both* getting our asses kicked." He ruffled Justin's curls and took a sip of his own drink as he started to think about the possibilities.

---

JC worked his way quickly through the crowd of people back to where Joey and Justin stood, really unsure about what Joey could possibly be thinking at this point about what was going on around him. He didn't *look* mad, or upset, though, he noted with relief. "Hey," he said, pressing up behind him for a split-second before slipping around Joey's body and frowning at Justin's beer.

"What? It's empty," Justin protested, chugging the rest of it and shoving the bottle onto a table quickly, wiping his mouth and smiling at Joey. "See?"

Joey rolled his eyes. "You're *trying* to get me into trouble, aren't you," he said, shoving Justin's shoulder lightly. "See if I ever buy you a drink again."

"You bought him a beer?" said Chris, giving Joey a look. "He's 14, man. You knew that."

Justin looked guilty for a second, then laughed at Chris. "What are you *talking* about? You buy me beer all the ti-" He was cut off abruptly when Chris wrapped an arm around his neck, covering his mouth with his hand.

JC didn't bother trying to hide his scowl at Chris, thinking that *he* was worrying about being taken seriously, when Chris was apparently going to be acting like a kid who didn't get his way? He shook his head and smiled at Joey. "Don't worry about it. What were you guys talking about?"

"How Justin should really finish his beer before you guys got back," said Joey, shoving him again, playfully. "And how he has this cool new game for his Sega ... "

"Don't play him at it," warned Chris as he pushed past all of them, heading for the bar. "He'll kick your ass. He spends, like, *all* of his time playing it."

"That's true," JC sighed, watching Justin whoop and follow Chris close on his heels. Hanging back a little, he leaned over to Joey and put a hand on the small of his back. There were a *lot* of things they needed to talk about, some of which he wasn't even allowed to, but they couldn't leave quite yet without it looking bad to Chris. "Look, Joey -- "

"Yeah?" said Joey, his eyes on Chris and Justin as they made their way to the bar and not on JC. "You and Chris cool? Things looked a little heated there for a bit."

JC didn't bother to hold in his sigh, even though that conversation wasn't one he planned on relaying to Joey when they did get a chance to talk about this. "We're fine. Just a ... difference of opinion. But what I wanted to say was that I'm sorry," he watched Joey sheepishly, "that this was kind of a surprise, or whatever, that I didn't tell you more about the group ahead of time."

He was about to say more when Justin came bounding back to them. "Joey, Joey! Chris is being a geek and won't get me another beer." He looked at them both with puppy eyes. "Please?"

Joey smiled faintly and nudged him with his hip. "At least now I know what's going on with you." he said as Justin ran up. His eyes caught JC's. "Your turn, man. I got the last one."

JC have Justin a patient smile. "C'mon, Just. If we get in trouble with your mom, we don't get to do this any more. Why don't you wait for the rest of us to catch up, okay?" He shot Chris a dirty look for pawning Justin off on them like that when he rejoined them, then smiled a little, remembering he was supposed to make nice. "See anything good?" he asked.

"Good for me or good for you?" asked Chris with a smirk, draining half his drink in one gulp. "No more, Justin. Not tonight. Your mom almost caught us last time, remember? You promised to be good tonight if I brought you."

Joey touched JC's waist discreetly as he took another sip. "You're off the hook, I guess," he said to Chris. "Lucky."

"Fine." Justin gave them a suffering sigh. "So. When does Joey get to come over?" he asked, looking at Chris and JC, apparently having decided that was what their conversation had been about. "I told him we'd been rehearsing and all and that we were excited."

JC looked at Chris, trying to take his lead on it, but fervently hoping that he'd say something to Joey so he wouldn't be stuck trying to avoid his questions all night until they could leave.

"We'll see," said Chris, quite obviously *not* looking at Joey. He held up his bottle to Justin. "If I let you finish this, do you promise not to push for any more?"

Joey frowned but didn't comment. Loudly, anyway. "Well, *that* was an obvious redirection," he murmured, close to JC's ear though he wasn't looking at him.

JC bristled, even though he didn't really expect Chris to do the dirty work for him. What he *wanted* to do was turn around and give Joey a kiss and promise him he'd tell him everything later, but he knew Chris was watching him and he wasn't going to give him another excuse to keep Joey from trying out. "Yeah," he said awkwardly. -->

Justin seemed to pick up on the diversion tactic too, and frowned at Chris and then Joey. "Ew, no, man," he said, turning back to Chris. "I don't want your backwash. Can we go dance?"

"Sounds great -- " began Joey, then looked at JC and sighed, the smile fading from his face. His hand touched him briefly, then fell away. "I guess."

JC bit his lip, feeling awful that that was what he'd promised to do with Joey, that he'd told him all along they were going out to celebrate *them*, and now all he was doing was making him insecure, it looked like. Or awkward, at least. And he really *hated* Chris for putting him in this position with him, and wasn't exactly sure how to make any of it better. "Hang on a second, Justin," he said, a little quiet for inside the club, but loud enough to be heard.

"What's up, Jace -" Justin replied, turning back around from watching the dance floor. His eyes widened when he saw that JC had slipped behind Joey and rested his chin on his shoulder, one of his hands laying subtly on Joey's hip. "Whoa, hey."

Chris watched the two of them silently, his expression unreadable, sipping at the beer that Justin had rejected.

"JC?" said Joey, turning his head to look at him, his eyes widening. "Are you ... ? What are you ... ?"

JC tried not to read too much into why Joey seemed *so* surprised that he was doing this, hoping his reaction wasn't because *he* didn't want Chris and Justin to know about them. He couldn't take it back now, in any case. He couldn't help but watch Chris's reaction when he turned his cheek to kiss the back of Joey's neck quickly before letting go of him, knowing he couldn't push it TOO far in public. "I think Joey and I are gonna just watch you, this song, okay?" he told Justin, wondering if he was going to react as maturely as he knew he could.

"Yeah, okay," Justin nodded, his eyes absolutely huge after seeing the kiss. "Um," he said, looking at Chris as if for explanation. "Um. You guys are ... boyfriends?"

"Yeah," said Joey with a smile, reaching for JC's hand and squeezing it. "We are. Is that cool?"

"Yeah, they are," echoed Chris, and he was actually smiling a little as he looked at them. "Come on, Justy. Let's go dance and leave the lovebirds alone for a minute."

"Okay, cool," Justin said slowly, apparently reassured by Chris's reaction. He gave Joey and JC a cheeky grin and started tugging on Chris's arm. "You're so cute! You can buy me a beer to celebrate when we get back."

JC chuckled as he watched them duck through the crowd, then turned around to face Joey head-on. "Okay?" he said softly, blinking a little as he looked at him.

Joey shrugged. "Justin sure is growing up, huh," he said, watching them go as well. "I still think of him as that little kid." He chuckled. "Didn't stop me from buying him a beer, though."

"He's a handful, is what he is," JC sighed. "It's gonna be interesting." Moving a little closer, JC wondered if Joey was avoiding talking to *him*, now. "Did you not want them to know?" he asked softly, reaching for his hand again. "I guess I should have asked..."

"No, I liked that," admitted Joey with a smile, moving as close as he could without drawing too much attention to them. "I liked that you told your friends. Thanks." He leaned in as though to whisper something in JC's ear, then lightly kissed the lobe.

JC shivered and pulled back, his eyes cloudy with affection and lust. "So you're not upset with me?" he asked, licking his lips almost hungrily, knowing that even though there was a foot of space between them, *anyone* that saw the looks they gave each other would know better.

Joey smiled, but it was obviously that he was intentionally not answering the question. "I want to dance with you," he said softly. "Next time?"

JC's head felt cloudy. "Next time, what?" he asked, staring at Joey's mouth. "Next song, you mean? You want to dance? We can." As for himself, he'd stay and dance with Joey as long as it would take to get him to *really* not be upset with him.

"I want to *dance* with you," emphasized Joey, touching JC's waist again. "Like we can't dance here ... " He glanced toward where Justin and Chris were dancing then back at JC. "So next time? Maybe?"

"Okay, definitely," JC nodded vigorously, already letting his mind wander with what he could convince Joey to wear at one of *those* clubs, until the physical effect was obvious and he rubbed a little, fleetingly, against Joey's leg. "But while we're here, we could at least ... " He nodded to the dance floor, knowing that at least it *used* to be able to cheer Joey up.

"Sure," said Joey, touching him briefly again. "Let's go dance with the kid. He keeps looking up at us anyway. You think he's weirded out or something?" He looked out at him again and sure enough, Justin was looking at them.

JC shook his head and let Joey lead him out to the other guys and the small crowd of girls that had collected around them. "Justin's cool," he murmured. "Cooler than most. I mean ... he's known gay people, I think maybe he's just curious because he'll be spending so much time with us." JC barely noticed that he automatically included Joey in that statement.

"Yeah," murmured Joey, his tone of voice undecipherable, as they made their way out there. "I guess I'll be your groupie, man. Do I get to give you head backstage?"

JC froze right as Joey said that, not even noticing when Justin bumped into him. He couldn't come up with anything to say, just looked at Joey with hurt eyes and slunk back a little. So maybe he deserved that, as much as he deserved the way Chris talked to him earlier, but it still wasn't something he could talk about right there -- and he just hoped Joey would understand that when he finally could explain. But at least he didn't have to dance with a hard-on, any more.

Justin giggled and made kissing faces at the two of them when they came up, only stopping when Chris gave him a withering look. "Hey guys! This is ... Janet, and Meredith, and Liz, and Jennifer, and ... Jennifer," he said, grinning proudly at the cooes he received in approval for getting everyone's name right.

"Hello Janet, Meredith, Liz, Jennifer and Jennifer," said Joey, grinning at them widely and moving away from JC to move closer to the girls. "Would you like to dance?"

Chris moved up next to JC. "Hmm, maybe you're not as close as I thought," he said, just loud enough for JC to hear. "Well, one thing's for sure at least ... the guy can dance." His voice, then, had a hint of admiration. A good sign. "We'll talk."

"Yeah, 'cause you haven't said enough tonight," JC bit back sarcastically, pretty much floored that Joey had pushed him aside so quickly and easily, fighting with every once of his being not to start second-guessing his desire to be with a guy. "Look, just ... don't talk to me right now, okay? Seriously. This was just ... not how I saw this going."

"Sorry," said Chris, sounding sincere, still at JC's side. "Is it new or something? 'Cause I was just jerking your chain, JC ... " He fidgeted a little bit, half dancing and half trying to remain still.

"Yeah, it is," JC muttered, not sure he wanted to be talking to Chris about this at *all*, and certainly not sure it wasn't something he'd just use against him later. "It's new and I'm his first boyfriend and so can you just leave me alone so I can stand here and be jealous and look like a loser? Yeah. Thanks."

Chris pushed his back in the direction of the girls. "Go dance with him then, loser," he said with a snicker. "Nobody here's gonna stop you, unless you try and make out on the dance floor or something." He pushed harder. "Go. I'm not gonna encourage you again."

JC looked at him with a little bit of shock on his face, then smiled gratefully. Chris really seemed to get him, and when they were done fighting, they'd probably turn out to be good friends. He slid over to where Joey had his arm wrapped around one girl, another pressed up against his back, and ran a hand down his arm. "If you really want to make me jealous," he murmured, glancing at the girls around them and not really caring if they heard, "you should dance with that guy behind us."

Joey laughed and pressed his face against JC's neck for a moment. "Dance with us," he said, tugging on his arm and kissing his neck before pulling away. "Let's just dance right now, okay?"

Chris joined them a moment later, dancing with the Jennifers and finally just letting loose like JC hadn't seen him do before. It looked like the whole situation wasn't at the front of any of their minds, right then.

---

"So," said Joey, closing the door of the jeep and turning his head to look -- no, stare -- ad JC. He wasn't gonna pull his punches now that they were alone. "What's going on, man?" JC looked nervous, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel as he started the vehicle. Joey sighed. "You gonna tell me?"

JC avoided any eye contact, but his expression was apologetic. "I'm sorry, how that all came out," he said simply, to start. "It didn't really go like I planned, and I know you're probably pretty confused. I just ... was trying to look out for your feelings, I guess." He blushed. "You want me to shut up and tell you, right? About the group?"

"Yeah," said Joey, still staring at him even though JC wasn't looking back. He really wished he would, for just a second, but he didn't say so. "I just ... want to know what's going on here. And why our special night together was pretty much ... fucked." That was a little harsh, he knew, but still ... he'd really been looking forward to going out together.

Flinching, JC looked out the window before turning back to the road. "Wow, okay. SO you *are* still upset with me. I just ... " He took a deep breath, and went on in a firm voice. "I've been singing with them. It's the performing thing I've been talking to you about; Lynn called me. It's really serious. And we need another voice, at least one. And, like, as soon as I heard you sing at work, this week, I mentioned it to Chris. I'd really ... " Finally, he turned to look at him. "I'd really love for you to consider it."

"Really?" said Joey, looking at him skeptically. "Look, I'm happy for you, JC, but that was a hell of a way to find this stuff out, okay? You made me feel like ... " He sighed and finally looked away. "A nothing. So what's the plan for the rest of the night, now?"

"Do you need me to take you home?" JC asked, his brow furrowed. "I didn't ... this was supposed to be a *good* thing, okay? And it's *going* to happen. So you can just ... stop this bullshit about being happy for me, and telling me you're gonna be my groupie, and ALL of that, right fucking now. I'm doing this FOR you, Joe."

"What are you *talking* about, for me?" asked Joey, frowning at him again and wishing they weren't driving right then. "I am happy for you man. Why shouldn't I be? You're right, you just might make it, with that thing. You think I wanna be holding you back, from that?" He sighed and stared straight ahead. "You know I'm not gonna go home when things are like this between us, JC. I hope you know me better than that."

JC acknowledged that with a shrug before responding in a tight voice. "Are you just ignoring the important part of this, man? I want you to sing WITH us. This could be something that *we* do, together. WE can make it, together. You just have to come give it a shot." He sighed and rubbed at one of his eyes. "What am I doing wrong, with you?"

"Don't make promises you can't keep," said Joey quietly. "I'm not stupid, you know, JC and you don't have to treat me like I am. I *saw* how Chris was; if he doesn't want me in the group I don't think there's much you can do to change his mind. He's a nice guy and all, but ... " He rested his elbow on the door and stared out the window at the dark street. "Look, I wish I could, okay? I think it would be great. I *want* to."

"Look, don't worry about Chris, Chris and I have an understanding," JC told him, in a voice that implied there was a lot more to it. "You're not just in 'cause I say so, that's true, I won't lie about that. But if you just *try*, I *know* it'll work out. It feels too right for it not to." He scratched at his face a little. "I do *not* think you're stupid. And I *don't* treat you like that. So don't say that to me, okay?"

"I didn't say I wasn't gonna try," said Joey, still staring out the window. "But I think you're jumping the gun there, okay? Of *course* I'm gonna try if I get a chance. It sounds great and I like you guys." And Justin had said it was 'fate' hadn't he? "But don't just gloss over the Chris thing like I didn't notice."

"Just fucking let me worry about that, okay? Jesus." JC looked really mad, like absolutely nothing was going right. "He's going to give you a chance -- an *honest* chance -- whether he feels like it or not. I can't tell you when that'll be, yet, but soon. Okay? So you can stop ... doubting me. Or hating me. Or whatever you're sitting over there doing."

"I'm not doubting you *or* hating you," snapped Joey, looking at him again in frustration. "I'm just asking you to show me a little respect, okay? That was totally humiliating, having Justin tell me all about it like that and me not knowing a *thing*. Because you'd decided I should be in the dark about it or something. That just ... wasn't cool."

"Fucking Chris," JC mumbled, rubbing his eyes again before pulling over to the side of the road and shutting off the engine. "I didn't want you to hear it from Justin, I wanted you to hear it from *me*. And I messed up, I get that, and believe me I feel a *billion* times worse that you feel humiliated than *you* do. I promise all I was doing was trying to make sure your feelings didn't get hurt. And I made it worse, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Joey."

Joey quickly leaned in and kissed him, more than just a peck on the lips but obviously not trying to start something right then and there. "I'm not trying to make you feel bad. I'm just, like ... you can tell me *now*, okay? You don't have to keep apologizing. Just tell me all about it now."

"I *did*," JC exclaimed, looking not-quite-mollified by the kiss. "I just did. I sang with them. They asked me to join. I came to watch you at work. I found out that you're fucking *amazing* on stage. I told Chris I had a friend who was exactly what we needed. He said he knew you and that you could try out, but not to tell you that you're in because we'd have to see. And so I just ... I figured if he wasn't sure? but could hang out with you a little? he'd see all the amazing things about you before you even knocked him on his ass with your voice."

"So you were trying to be sweet," said Joey with a crooked smile, reaching out to touch his cheek. The warmth he felt around JC was coming back now. "I should have known. You were just trying to sweet to me." He leaned in and kissed him again, closing his eyes and lingering there. "Next time just tell me, I think."

JC nodded and sighed, obviously relieved. "Sweet. Yes. Trying to take care of my boy." He sighed again and wrapped his arms around Joey as well as he could manage. "Next time I promise I'll tell you. I've learned my lesson. I don't like your tactics of making me feel bad."

"I never tried to make you feel bad," said Joey, kissing him one more time before sitting back. It was good to see JC smiling again. Was good to *be* smiling again. "I was just pretty miserable tonight, JC. Can we just ... go back to your place and try and salvage the night? Maybe?" He reached out to squeeze his knee reassuringly. "Let's not worry about this tonight."

JC started the car again. "If you dancing right in front of my face with girls like that is what you think is going to be normal behavior, and not what you do when you're trying to make me feel bad, we need to talk," he smiled tightly. "But yes. We can definitely go back to my place. I give good salvage."

"I was just dancing," protested Joey with a smile. "Okay ... maybe I wanted to get your attention a little more ... but I wasn't trying to make you feel bad." He squeezed his knee. "No worrying about it. Let's go see what kind of good salvage you give, huh?"

--- JC smiled a little sheepishly at Lynn as he just opened the door to the house without knocking and dropped his bag in the hall. "It's okay, you know you can just come in," she said, smiling. "I think Justin's letting Chris win at video games again in the living room. See if you can't get the both of them to focus a little, hmm?" JC smiled back. "Will do, ma'am," he said, ducking as she swatted at him for calling her that and then making his way into the other room. "Hey guys," he said. "What're you up to?"

"More points than Justy can count," said Chris without even turning his head, his thumbs fast on the controller. "Sit down. I'm almost finished kicking his ass. Take *that*, little boy, take *that*."

"I'm telling my mom you said 'ass'," teased Justin, not looking particularly concerned that Chris really *was* winning. "Hi, JC. You wanna play next?"

"No thanks," JC said easily, sitting down to watch them for a minute, then fidgeting when he checked his watch. Not that he didn't want to be there, just that ... well, the sooner they finished, the sooner he could swing by Joey's house for something homecooked by Phyllis. "Am I ... early?" he asked awkwardly.

: "Just in time to see me kick some *ass*," said Chris, turning his head momentarily to stick his tongue out at Justin. Just as he did, though, Justin took the opportunity to take him out. "Shit. Dammit. You little ... " He threw his controller down. "I quit."

JC tried not to look too happy about that. "So. What're we doing today? Anything scheduled, any news from Lou, or anything, before we get started?" One thing he did like about Chris and Justin was that they could get down to business when they needed to. Just took a little coaxing to get them there.

"Nah, he's supposed to get back to me next week," said Chris, bouncing to his feet and stretching broadly. "We should probably just get down to it, since you're so eager and all." He reached down and grabbed Justin's collar. "Up and at 'em, kiddo."

JC watched the playful exchange and couldn't help thinking how much fun it would be to have Joey there as well. "Next week, huh?" he asked slowly. "Maybe we should try to get Joey to come by before that, so we can make a decision and maybe be able to talk to Lou about our progress ... ?"

"Let's just worry about maybe having a song or two ready to show him first," said Chris as he hauled a smirking Justin to his feet. "We'll have plenty of time to feel Joey out once we've actually got something a little more solid.

"We already do," JC said, a little impatiently, looking from Chris to Justin and back again. "But you know they'll sound better in four-part. I talked to Joey about his schedule and he could do later in the evenings almost any night this week."

"We'll *see*," said Chris, sounding impatient himself. "I'll look and see when a good time for me is."

"We're not too busy right now," said Justin earnestly. "Joey could probably come by pretty soon, right? It'd be cool to hang with him agan. I haven't seen him, really, in *forever*." Chris ruffled his hair, an annoyed looking crossing his face but not lingering. "I said, we'll see. We should get started."

JC opened his mouth to protest again, to emphasize his point, but stopped when he saw the firm set of Chris's jaw. This was the first time they'd been together since meeting at the club, and it was certainly possible that he needed to check and see what his schedule looked like. But regardless ... JC had the sinking suspicion that Chris's reasons for being so non-committal had to do with other things. "Okay," he agreed, after throwing Justin a bit of a grateful look. "Oh, wait, Justin ... what did your mom say about getting studio time?"

"Oh! Um ... " Justin bit his lip, looking like he was trying to remember. "There's this place we can get that's pretty reasonable," he said after a moment, still looking thoughtful. "I can't remember where she said it was, though. Should I go ask her?"

"Yeah," JC nodded. "Could you? And get her to tell you how much we're each gonna have to kick in for it too, okay?" JC'd known this was coming. He'd done okay, with what he had in his savings so far and a lot of leftovers from Joey, but he still had to make his next month's rent payment soon and he hadn't gotten a job yet. He started trying to go through some alternatives in his head, if it was going to be more than a couple hundred dollars.

"It's up at the north end of the city," suppled Chris, nudging Justin's shoulder. "I think she said eight hundred or so? Depending on how long we need it, and whether we need technicians or not? Which, of course, we do. Unless by some miracle you can do it for us, JC ... ?" He sounded hopeful, but not *that* hopeful. Actually, he sounded like he already knew the answer; he knew how these things worked.

"*Eight* hundred?" JC echoed, his heart dropping through his stomach. "*Apiece*? Oh, wow." That was ... he couldn't do it. There was no *way* he could do it. That was next month's rent AND grocieries AND utilities. "Shit." He knew he probably looked as miserable as he felt. "Um, okay ... I gotta ... I'm not sure."

"No, dude, I mean total," said Chris, rolling his eyes. "That's just for the two days, though. Like I said, it depends on how long we need it and stuff. So we've gotta be really ready before we go in. No fucking around and stuff. You got that kiddo," he said, pointing at Justin.

"I'm more of a professional than *you* are," said Justin, sticking out his tongue. "And I remember now. She said a thousand, but she was gonna try and talk 'em down or something."

"It's gonna take at least four days," JC said quietly, remembering his experiences in Nashville and LA with people that *really* knew what they were doing. "Which means more like $1500, even if she can talk them down, so that's ... $500 apiece." Which was better, but not much. "Shit." He caught Chris's glance, and wondered if he could be really candid with him. "Um, Justin? Could you just go check with her real quick and make sure?"

"Yeah, okay," said Justin, bouncing out of the room. "I was gonna do that anyway."

"So what's up?" said Chris, taking a couple steps closer to him. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts ... "

"I don't have that," JC said shortly, looking up with pain and embarrassment on his face. "I don't have that kind of money. You *know* I want this, Chris, but I don't see any way I can afford it and make rent and ... just. Be able to *live* , you know?" He buried his face in his hands and went on, voice muffled. "And don't say anything about Lynn, like, fronting my share, either, because I'm not *doing* that. This is my life and I'm an adult and I'm not going to let anyone else be responsible for me like that. But ... I don't know where that leaves me."

"Shit," said Chris with sincere sympathy in his voice. "And there's no way you can get it from someone else or anything? And don't tell me you won't do *that*, either, because you're gonna have to do *some*thing to get it. I want you in this group, JC, and I know you know that."

"This is something I'm doing on my own," JC explained softly. "For me. I'm not asking my parents or anything; they'll think I don't know what I'm doing and tell me -- again -- that I should be in college." His mind was still racing with *how* he could come up with the money. Even if he got a job that *day* he wouldn't have enough by the time he had to write a check for this *and* his landlord. "Uh ... need a roommate?" he joked weakly.

"If that's what it takes," said Chris, nodding his head. "Look, JC, I know how it is. I've been there just about every day of my life. You know I'm staying here now, right? Because all this is going on? Both Lynn and Justin want this to work out as much as we do. If you won't take their money -- and she would offer, you know -- at least take their hospitality, man."

JC exhaled, shoulders slumped. That had been in the back of his mind. He had, after all, stayed with them in Nashville. But he'd been trying to not have to resort to that ... for a lot of reasons, he acknowledged, but none more important to him than Joey. The last week had been beyond amazing ... spending almost every spare second they could at JC's little apartment, getting to know each other closely in every way they could. And if JC moved in here ... they wouldn't have that luxury again. "I don't know," he said softly. "I could, but ... "

"But what?" asked Chris. "But you have too much pride, or something? Fuck that, JC. Sometimes you have to just suck it up and *do* something, to get to where you want to be."

JC flinched. "It's not *pride*," he protested, wondering how he could possibly explain, or if that would just be a step in the wrong direction with Chris, who apparently thought he wasn't taking this seriously anyway, and thinking with his dick. "I just ... like my place," he admitted awkwardly. "I like having my space."

"We're all gonna have to make sacrifices," said Chris. "I did the same thing when I moved in here, man. Lost my space. Lost my privacy. But hey ... if we make it big, privacy's the *last* thing we're gonna have, right? So ... consider this practice, or something."

"Shit," JC frowned, knowing he was right, and absolutely dreading having to tell Joey about it. Joey, who'd bought him two beanbag chairs so they "wouldn't have to spend all their damn lives on his futon, in one way or another." Joey, for whom he'd already had a copy of his key made, and was just trying to figure out a way to present it to him. Joey, who kept his own razor there now. It made him fucking want to cry, and he knew his voice was choked and bitter when he spoke again. "Fine, okay. Can you talk to her? Like, ask her to ask me, so I don't look like the total fucking worthless piece of fucking lame shit that I am?"

"Whoa," said Chris, looking at him with genuine concern, reaching out a hand to grab his shoulder. "Where's this coming from, man? You okay?"

"I'm fine," JC sulked, brushing him off. "Just ask her, okay? Seriously, this is going to be bad enough without having to embarrass myself by begging. My rent for the next month is due in a couple weeks and I gotta give notice if I'm going to do this." He pinched the bridge of his nose tightly.

"Yeah, well, just remember," said Chris as he backed away toward the kitchen. "If you're calling yourself a loser about this, you're calling me a loser, too. Got it?"

*It's not the SAME,* JC wanted to scream at him, but he wasn't bringing Joey up around him again. Especially since Chris had been so ... dismissive about him earlier. And the absolute last thing he wanted to do was sing right then. "Chris?" he said weakly, before the other man could leave him alone. "Can we maybe do this some other time? I don't ... I'm not feeling so great."

"Just let me talk to Lynn, all right?" said Chris kindly. "Just sit down and we'll get this sorted out and then ... then we'll decide what we're gonna do with today, all right?"

"Okay," JC nodded a little numbly -- Chris's tenderness registering, and appreciated, but not anywhere near enough to make him feel better about what he was going to have to do.

---

JC looked really comfortable in the crowd of people he'd been thrust into, smiling easily and openly at everyone Joey introduced him to, ducking his head whenever someone mentioned how much Joey talked about him. Then he'd look up and catch Joey's eye, and wink, and say something like: "Not in *too* much detail, I hope," before going on to ask the person what they liked about the show they were doing, and so on.

"Dude," said Joey against JC's ear, pressing his hand with comfortable familiarity against the small of his back. "She totally recognized you, man. I bet she was a fan or something." Or maybe she just thought JC was hot. God knows *Joey* certainly did, especially right at that moment with his wide smile and bright eyes and slightly shy posture that probably only Joey was able to catch.

JC slumped back a little against Joey's touch before turning to look over his shoulder and roll his eyes at him. "A fan? Mmmm, no. I think maybe the fact that I've been here in the audience of your show like ten times in the past week might have something to do with her recognizing me." He shivered a little when Joey leaned into his ear again. "Um. Are you trying to butter me up, or something?"

"No," laughed Joey, against his ear again. "I'm just saying, man, it's something in the look. I *know* that look. I give it to you every day, after all, 'cause I'm a *big* fan of yours." He nipped the lobe before moving away to a discreet distance, his hand still on JC's back. "So where to next, man?" He loved the little smile that crossed JC when he did that. Or maybe it was something he said.

JC blushed, and followed Joey's body almost imperceptibly. "Oh. Um. Was there anyone else you wanted me to meet? Or, uh ... do I get a tour or something? Try on your mask, perhaps?" He grinned at someone else who came up to say hello, and then turned back to Joey with a bit of an "okay, I've have enough; get me OUT of here" look.

"All right, time for the rest of your tour," said Joey, grabbing his wrist but not his hand. Even though he could, really -- there was hardly a person there who hadn't picked up on what they were to each other, when they'd met JC. "Not much left, man. You wanna see our lounge, where I suffer Kyle's teasing on a daily basis?" He gave him a grin and a good-natured roll of his eyes, because JC knew as well as he did that he didn't mind, much.

"Oh, you love it," JC replied, only squirming a bit at the firm grip Joey had on his arm, letting himself be pulled into the building. "Plus, if he's the one that told you how to do that, uh, thing, then maybe I should take this opportunity to leave him a note of thanks." He smiled and didn't seem bothered at all that Joey hadn't let go of him, and even held on a little tighter. "What do you think? Or maybe I should thank him in some ... other way?"

"A note will be more than enough," muttered Joey, shooting him a look. Of course he knew JC was teasing, but obviously he'd wanted to bring out the 'jealous boyfriend', so he was gonna get him. "Kyle has *plenty* of people taking care of him that other way," he added, pausing in a doorway. "So, uh, yeah. This is it. Not much to look at, but it's homey and all."

"It's nice," JC agreed, walking in and looking around like he was honestly interested and curious about where Joey spent his time at work. "Even a TV and everything, that's cool. I don't think the people in the shows at Disney World have digs this nice, actually." He turned back around and smiled at Joey. "Thanks for getting me out of there. I always feel like a tool when I can't remember names, and I was hitting my memory's maximum, I think."

"As long as you remember mine, it's forgivable," teased Joey, finally wrapping a possessive arm around his waist. "We all kinda hang out in here, whenever we can. Like I said ... it's homey." There were just a few people scattered around the room right then, most seeming like they preferred to stay outside on such a nice day. "But speaking of feeling like a tool, you don't actually want to try on my mask, do you? I'm sure we can find something more interesting to do ... "

JC laughed and leaned gratefully into Joey's embrace, his eyes still sparkling. "No, that's okay," he replied, reaching up to run a finger down Joey's jaw, then glancing around guiltily. "But you can show me the dressing room, right? Is that what you meant by finding something more interesting?"

Joey gave him a sly grin in return. "That could definitely be more interesting," he said, catching JC's hand and sucking the tip of one finger into his mouth. "It's not four star or anything, but I have a little cubbyhole to call my own. And, okay, we need to get out of here, like, now." No one had really noticed them in the doorway, but if they kept this up it wouldn't be long.

"Oh!" JC said, watching Joey's cheeks hollow around his finger, eyes huge. "I wasn't ... is *that* what you meant?" He blushed and ducked his head again, hanging back a little when Joey started tugging him by the wrist again down the hall. "Are you sure we should ... ?"

"No, that's not what I meant," admitted Joey, pausing with him and looking into JC's big eyes. "But I wouldn't mind, um, touching. A little. Before I have to work." He leaned in to give him a fleeting kiss, still sometimes worried about being seen. "I can't think of a better place to do it. Besides ... I want you to see where I work." He gave JC a hopeful smile and tugged his wrist gently.

JC blushed again and giggled. "You don't have to work for, like, over an hour," he pointed out shyly, looking around himself after the kiss. "If we only get to touch, you might have a little bit of a problem dancing." He looked down, then reached for Joey's hip. "I don't mind, you know," he said softly. "If you want me to, uh ... help you out."

Joey sucked in a breath and tugged him faster. "Okay, you'd better not just be teasing, man, or I'm gonna be taking care of myself in the men's room in a few minutes." He reached down and adjusted himself, trying to be discreet but failing miserably, from the look on JC's face. "Okay, this is it," he said, his voice racing. "That's wardrobe, that's make-up, that's the changing area and this is my little corner of the chaos ... " He tugged JC behind the floor-length curtain before he'd really even had a chance to look around.

JC laughed and stumbled into the little counter on the far wall. "You've fantasized about this, haven't you?" he teased, cheeks even pinker. The times JC chose to get shy and the times JC chose to be brazen were so random, there was no way to predict. "If you wanted me to go down on you, Joey, all you had to do was ask." He reached for his hip again and shrugged his shoulders bashfully.

Joey wrapped an arm around his waist again and pulled him into a real kiss this time. "Have you?" he asked softly, against his lips. "Have you ever fantasized about this?" He rubbed himself up against JC's body and tried not to be too forward, if JC wasn't into it. Because at this point, just a blowjob wasn't all he had in mind.

"Oh," JC exhaled as their bodies met, blinking, his own physical reaction to Joey's slight manhandling of him obvious against Joey's thigh. "Joey," he mumbled, kissing him lightly and tentatively, still, even as he ground their hips together. "I fantasize about you getting in my pants *everywhere.*"

"I think maybe we can make this one come true," mumbled Joey trying to pull him closer even though it was physically impossible. "Because you *know* I'm always ready to get into your pants." His mind was spinning now as he thought about the possibilities between the two of them in this cramped space. "I can't turn the lights out," he joked a moment later as he reached down to cup JC's ass. "I hope that won't be a problem."

JC shook his head and started licking eagerly at Joey's neck. "God, no," he breathed before snorting a little. "Flourescent lights are sexy. I just ... I like it when I can watch you." He pulled back, still looking a little dazed at how this had turned from the relatively innocent promise of a blowjob into something that looked like much more.

"Especially when there's a big 'ol mirror?" teased Joey, pressing him against the wall and rubbing against him again. JC's body was warm and pliant and he was very happy, suddenly, that they'd managed to make it in here in time. No telling how scandalized his friends would have been if he'd had to push JC up against a wall in the lounge.

JC groaned and shut his eyes, pointedly *not* looking in the mirror once Joey had him up against the wall. There wasn't any need for it to be over before it started. "Now that you've got me here," he murmured, licking his lips and rolling his shoulders against the hands Joey was using to pin him with, "what're you going to do to me?"

Joey kissed him deeply before answering, feeling the undeniable need to taste him, to feel those lips against his. "I have a few ideas," he murmured, cupping his hand around the back of JC's thigh and tugging lightly. "Depends on what you're up for, though ... "

"Oh, god, *anything*," JC replied quickly, his head banging back against the wall a little when Joey let go of his mouth, his blush still in full-force -- but that didn't seem to stop him from starting to paw at Joey's shorts. "You're really ... you're so ... " He moaned and shook his head, trying to tug Joey back against him using his waistband.

Joey pressed his face to JC's neck, taking his his scent and his taste again, almost getting high off it. "I want us to have sex," he said, nipping at JC's ear. "Can we have sex, JC?" He clutched at JC's thigh with one hand, at the small of his back with the other. No matter what they were doing right then, it wasn't enough.

Whimpering at Joey's teeth on his earlobe, JC squirmed in Joey's hands and began unbuttoning him in earnest. "You don't have to ask me," he told him breathlessly, even though the expression on his face made it clear how much he appreciated Joey getting permission. "I kinda ... want you to just *do* me." He lifted the leg Joey held onto slightly, and wrapped his calf around Joey's knee to press their groins together even closer.

Joey grunted and all but fell against him when he did that. "We need to get our clothes off," he murmured. "How are we gonna get our clothes off, JC?" He was at a loss, not wanting to let go of him long enough to strip, not wanting to lose that contact. "God, you're hot ... "

"Shit," JC bit out, growing harder still when Joey's chest pressed him back into the wall behind him again, looking like he was estimating how they could get undressed too. "Okay," he said quickly, still breathily, toeing off his flip-flops and running his bare foot down Joey's calf. "Okay, okay. We don't have to get them all off, all the way, right? Here, just ... " he let go of Joey's shorts and reached for his own with shaky fingers.

"That depending on whether you want me to push you up against the wall and take you from behind," breathed Joey, his voice trembling with barely contained lust as he reached to help JC with his shorts. "Or if you want me to lift you up and have you wrap your legs around me ... " The very thought of it made his cock twitch and ache.

"Oh, god," JC moaned, loudly, unapologetically. "I've never ... no one's ever talked to me like that." He got his shorts unzipped and pushed Joey out of the way so he could lean over to pull them off his ankles, after shoving them and his underwear down over his hips in one abrupt motion. After that, though, he looked a little lost -- like he wasn't exactly sure what needed to come next.

Joey snapped right back against him as soon as he was able, his arms circling JC's body, sucking at his throat, his ear, his lips. "Fuck," he murmured. "I'm glad i finally figured out how fucking sexy you are ... " He tugged on JC's thigh again, then moved further in between his legs.

"Yours, Joey," JC whimpered, tearing at the fly of his shorts, obviously trying to get them pushed down only as much as they needed to be. "Then you can ... fuck me ... up against this, any way you want." He curled his leg around Joey's again, shuddering when Joey's clothes scraped against his bare cock.

Joey managed to get his shorts and underwear down to mid-thigh before he needed to turn his attention back to JC, sucking at his skin again, frantically. Holding him against the wall, he sucked his own fingers into his mouth and reached around JC's body. He barely took the time to tease before sliding his fingers inside him, a little awkwardly, his lust and heat making up for anything lacking in technique.

"Oh, oh!" JC panted, rocking back onto his hand, pressing his shoulders up against the hard surface behind him, scrambling up onto his tiptoes. He gripped at the top of Joey's arms tightly, digging his fingers into the hard muscle there, before reaching down between their bodies to tug on Joey's erection. "God, please."

"I'm dry," whispered Joey desperately. "I don't want to hurt you." He thrust his fingers up into JC's body again, using his other hand to tug one of JC's legs up and over his hip. "Don't worry ... I've got you ... " He wanted nothing more right then than to just drive into him, to screw him up against the dressing room wall with JC's legs wrapped around his back, bucking against one another until they came.

JC whimpered like having to wait was more painful than anything he'd ever done in his life, then let go of him so he could spit into his own palm and smear his saliva over Joey's cock as best he could. "Better?" he gritted out, trying to climb up onto Joey's body before he was even really ready for it. "Don't let me fall."

"If it's good enough for you, it's good enough for me," said Joey with a rough, lust-thick voice, removing his fingers and clutching at JC's thighs, holding him firmly as he slowly entered his body. "Oh fuck," he murmured, keeping it as steady and careful as he could. "Oh my God, JC ... " The feeling of JC's tight body yielding to him was almost enough to short circuit his brain.

JC gasped with every inch that Joey moved deeper, letting his head fall back again, wrapping one arm around Joey's shoulders and bracing the other against the wall. Slowly, he raised his other leg and hooked it around Joey's hips, hissing when Joey took that as an opportunity to hitch him up higher on his body, almost totally supporting him.

"Yeah," murmured Joey. "Fuck. Yeah." He was all the way inside him now, buried in JC's body as far as he could possibly go. "You good?" he murmured against JC's ear as he began moving, clutching JC's body and pressing him against the wall as he moved out of him slightly then thrust back inside. He bit lightly on JC's neck as the sensation flooded through him again, and the reality of where they were and what they were doing.

JC cried out when Joey's hips slammed into him, driving him back into the wall. "Uh-huh," he said weakly, before his breath hitched again when Joey withdrew a little. "God, Joe -- I just, I fucking ... I love ... this. Okay?" He tried to pull their bodies closer, fisting his hands in Joey's shirt, his eyes tightly shut. "... love ... "

Joey didn't worry so much about driving into him after that reassurance, keeping him tightly pressed up against the wall as they fucked, hard, both of them forgetting to be quiet. Or maybe unable to be quiet. Joey turned his head and caught sight of them in the mirror; he gasped and slammed into JC's body again, an erotic pulse going through his body as he saw how absolutely *wanton* they both looked.

JC scrabbled for purchase using the hand he had kept on the wall, grunting every time his spine got slammed against the hard surface, moving his fingers to tangle themselves in Joey's hair. He came and it looked like practically an afterthought, because he didn't stop moaning and writhing in Joey's hands, biting at his lips every time his mouth got close enough to kiss.

Joey kissed him harshly, and his eyes flicked to the mirror again as he thrust up inside JC, practically exploding into orgasm. "Ohfuckohfuckohfuck," he groaned as he threw his head back and his fingers sank into JC's skin, still pumping inside him slower and slower, riding it out. He was left panting and gasping and clutching JC's body desperately as sweat and semen stuck them together.

Shivering, JC pushed off the wall and wrapped both of his arms around Joey's neck, holding onto him almost like a child. "Jesus," he whispered, rubbing their cheeks together tenderly. "Jesus, Joey. Ow." The smile he gave him was adoring and comforting and sweet and sated.

Joey kissed him for a long, long time as he held him up, a little more weakly now. "That was ... " he began, but there wasn't a right way to describe it. He didn't need to, though; JC had been part of it. He *knew*. "Fuck." He just kissed him again, then nuzzled his neck tenderly.

"Yeah," JC sighed, looking blissful, before starting to squirm against Joey a little insistently. "Um. Can you ... ?" He gestured beside them at the counter, his grip loosening in relief only after Joey carried him over there and set him gently on top of it, still buried inside him. WIthout any hesitation, he started kissing him again, letting his hands roam eagerly over Joey's chest in a way he couldn't while he'd been hanging on to him so desperately.

"Oh, Christ, you're gonna get me hard again if you keep that up," murmured Joey, leaning over him and kissing his face, his throat, his hands running down JC's arms gently. He ached all over but his nerves were still humming as they pressed their bodies against one another again.

JC chuckled. "We are NOT doing that again right now," he mumbled, but it looked like the words didn't come out as firmly as they could've. He kept his ass right at the edge of the counter and leaned back, sweaty shoulders squeaking against the mirror as Joey kissed his throat.

Joey thrust inside him lightly as he leaned in again to capture JC's lips, only half-hard. "You taste salty," he said, running his tongue over JC's lower lip. From where he was, he couldn't help seeing them in the mirror, in sharp, sweaty detail. "You look amazing."

Shuddering when Joey moved inside him, JC stared up at him with glassy eyes. "I'm quite sure I look used," he smiled, clearing his throat. "C'mere." He tugged Joey closer and reached down to pull his sticky shirt up over his head, then settled back against the mirror again and closed his eyes as he ran his fingers over Joey's nipples.

Joey's cock thickened even further, growing slowly this time rather than jumping to life like it had the first time. The feeling of getting larger and harder while still inside someone was something he'd never felt before, and it made him tingle. "I'm here," he said, moaning as JC touched his bare and *very* sensitive nipples.

"Not rough, this time?" JC asked quietly, and it wasn't clear whether he meant what he was doing to Joey's chest, or what he maybe hoped Joey would be doing to him. He must've felt Joey swelling again, but didn't show it much beyond his lush lips parting slightly.

"No," agreed Joey, kissing him gently, flicking his tongue out to taste his lip again. "Not rough, this time." He experimentally thrust again, not moving far at all, just enough to feel it. "You're so warm, so soft ... " He buried his face in JC's neck and held him, even as JC's hands were still pressed against his chest. "So good for me."

JC plucked at the hair on Joey's chest very, very softly, and sighed before opening his eyes and pinning Joey with the most intense gaze he'd ever given him. "That's all I want to be," he explained in a whisper, then guided Joey's hand to his own groin. "Can ... can we? Do you want me?"

"Always," said Joey, growing harder still, feeling JC's body constricting him now. He gently groped JC's groin, thickening as he was and still somewhat slick from their previous round. His breath caught again and he closed his eyes as a rush of both sensation and emotion went through him. He could hardly remember a time when he *hadn't* wanted JC.

"I want you, too," JC sighed, shivering again at Joey's warm hand on his stiffening cock. "More than I should let myself want something." When Joey opened his eyes again, he was still staring at him. "Please?" he said softly, pulling himself up so he could kiss Joey's mouth and wrap shaky limbs around him. "Oh, please, Joey."

"Forget about should," murmured Joey, kissing him back tenderly. "Just relax and enjoy this, okay JC?" He reached down to run his fingers up and down JC's thigh gently as he wrapped his fingers around JC's thickening erection and stroked it with equal gentleness. When he began sliding in and out of JC's body it was slowly and carefully, attentive to the fact that JC might already be a little sore and stretched, as much as they were both wanting this.

JC bit his lip and nodded, resting his chin on Joey's shoulder as he moved inside him, pressing gentle kisses to his neck as he slowly began reaching deeper. "Oh," he said, a soft, high sound, when Joey hit a little resistence, then was quiet for several moments, looking like he was concentrating on all of the sensations building inside of him. "You're going to make me come again," he murmured, pulling back to look at Joey with a bit of wonder on his face.

"I'm glad I won't be doing it alone," said Joey with a smile, kissing him again, unable to resist. He was moving rhythmically against him now, inside him, still being so very gentle. Both of them were still feeling the effects of the previous round, though the acuteness of it was fading, replaced by the growing arousal of what they were doing now. He stroked JC in exact time with his thrusts, squeezing carefully and flicking his tongue inside JC's mouth as they kissed.

JC kissed him back, sucking on his lip gently at every opportunity, starting to moan again if not quite as loudly as the first time. He gripped the edge of the counter firmly and started raising his hips off the surface, trying to drive Joey just a little deeper so that he got that spot with every stroke he made. The whole movement was smooth and slow and slick.

Joey didn't dare look in the mirror in front of him, knowing he was already far enough along to come the moment he did. He sped up a little, feeling JC's body begin to tense a little more, too, and tried to drive all the way inside him each time, now. He was sweating again, and wishing he could just crawl on top of JC and lie against him except this position felt *so* intense he didn't dare.

Once Joey started pushing himself into him completely, JC stopped his motion, slumping backwards and letting his shoulders and head fall back against the mirror. He watched Joey solemnly for a minute, his thin frame absorbing and cushioning Joey's thrusts, before reaching down and wrapping his own fingers around the hand Joey had on his erection. "Just a little faster," he whispered, showing him.

Joey followed JC's lead, doing exactly what he asked for, exactly what he needed. After all, no matter what he did for himself now, he was going to come, and right from the start he'd been keeping this gentle for JC's sake. "Like that?" he murmured as he kissed him again.

JC nodded, and yanked his head back as he started coming all over both of their hands, crying like his orgasm was being wrenched out of him. The back of his head smacked loudly against the mirror and tremors coursed through him as he just repeated Joey's name over and over. His legs slipped down Joey's hips and he looked like he didn't have the energy to keep them raised any longer.

Joey thrust a few more times as JC came, mesmerized by the sight of it, then came silently himself. He cupped the back of JC's head to keep him from hitting it again and kissed him softly. This time, when his orgasm subsided, he carefully pulled himself out and wiped himself off with a tissue before taking JC gently into his arms. "Wonderful," he murmured.

JC didn't move to hold him back for a long second, then seemed to shake himself out of it and curled up against him. "You know I like you, right?" he said softly, seemingly unconcerned with the ridiculousness of the question. "And it doesn't scare you?"

"Not even a little bit," said Joey as he kissed his neck again, then just held him some more, pressing JC's cheek against his chest. They were both sweaty and sticky but it didn't matter; it felt too good. "You know I like you back, just as much?"

JC kept his face buried against Joey's body and just nodded. "I have to tell you something," he sighed. "And I don't want to. Because it makes me really ... I don't know ..." He pushed Joey away a little, and looked like he was going to continue talking before he looked down. Right at Joey's groin, and then down into his own lap, and then at the tissue Joey had tossed on the counter beside him. "Oh," he said, in a tiny voice, before frowning.

"What?" said Joey, looking at him in alarm. The look on JC's face was disturbing, and he'd do anything to take it away. "Is everything okay? Oh God ... are *you* okay?"

"What?" JC looked up in confusion, shaken out of his thoughts. "Oh, no, that's not ... I'm sorry." His face was flushed. "I'm fine. I just ... um. We didn't use a ... anything," he shrugged with a single shoulder, looking embarrassed for making Joey so worried.

"Oh, God," murmured Joey. "I'm sorry, JC, I didn't even think ... " He chuckled self-consciously. "I guess I *wasn't* thinking. Are you, um, okay with it?" He touched JC's cheek with one hand, forcing him to look at him again. "We don't really ... have anything to worry about, do we?" He hoped not, but maybe there were things he wasn't even thinking of, because he'd never been with a guy before JC.

"I don't think so," JC said stiltedly, "but I don't ... I mean, there's no way to ... " He grunted and shook his head again. "Okay, nevermind, that wasn't even what I wanted to say." Sighing at Joey's gentle hand on his face, he looked like he was struggling to be able to meet his eyes. "I got you something. And it's kind of ... worthless, now."

"What do you mean?" asked Joey in genuine confusion. JC looked so sad now, and he shouldn't have been looking so sad when they'd just done something so wonderful. "Oh, JC, what's wrong?" He caressed his cheek again and kissed his forehead tenderly. "Tell me, okay, and we'll see what we can do to make it better."

JC truly did look like he was fighting back tears when he spoke again. "I got you a key. To my apartment." He paused, and then rushed forward before Joey could say anything. "But you won't even get a chance to use it, because ... I have to move out. I'm moving."

Joey kissed his lips as he rolled that one over in his mind. "Thank you," he said after a moment, the only thing he could think to say to that wonderful gesture that JC had been intending to make. "Now ... why are you moving?"

JC sighed and tried to cover his face with his hands. "I can't ... really afford it, any more," he said, his voice choked, his cheeks bright pink. "I *tried* to think of something else, Joey, I *promise* I did, but this is the only thing I can do. If I want to stay in the group; if I want to stay in Orlando. If I want to stay with you."

Joey sighed and leaned in to kiss him again, trying to be as comforting as he could while he dealt with the situation himself. "JC," he said slowly. "Why didn't you tell me you were having trouble? I mean, I guessed, but ... " He bit his lip, unsure of what JC wanted to hear right then and wondering what he could do to help. "Maybe I could have helped."

Blushing even more, JC turned his cheek to Joey. "How?" he said softly. "And it's not ... I mean, I was okay. I was managing. But we're having to book some studio time, and my share of it's gonna be like ... $500, which is like a whole month's rent." His voice caught again. "I really ... this was the last thing I wanted. I ... you don't know how much this past week has meant to me. Um. Being with you."

"I have some saved," murmured Joey, but he knew even that wouldn't have lasted them long, and maybe he should save it for a rainy day, now. "Okay. It's okay, JC. We're still together, you know. We just won't have your place anymore." He grinned at him suddenly, remembering what they'd been doing the day they'd gotten together. "Um ... you need me to help you pack, man?"

JC gave him a watery smile, recollection on his face too, and nodded before throwing his arms around him a little desperately. "Thank you," he murmured. "I'm sorry. I was so scared to tell you. I still can't ... I don't know what this is going to do. To us. How much we can see each other, now. How much we can *be* with each other."

"Where are you moving to?" asked Joey suddenly, when he realized he had no idea. "Dude, do you need a place? Shit, you aren't, like, homeless, are you? You'd tell me if you were, right?"

JC chuckled, but it sounded kind of hollow. "No, I'm not that pathetic," he assured him awkwardly. "Um. I'm moving in with the Harlesses. Uh ... Justin's mom?" He started stroking Joey's stomach. "Sharing a bathroom with Chris. Oh, the joy."

Joey gave him a tight hug. "It'll be fine. Besides, they know about us, so I can go over, right? Maybe even stay over?" He paused. "Oh. Unless maybe Justin's mom is gonna have a problem with it. But hey, we'll work out something, right?"

Nodding, JC dropped his forehead to Joey's shoulder. "Yeah. But even if we can, it won't be the same. Like ... no more eating cereal in bed, or taking showers together, or cooking for each other, or ... *anything*." He sighed again. "I feel like such a fucking disappointment."

"Then they're just gonna have to get used to me," said Joey firmly, stroking JC's arm comfortingly. "Because I'm gonna be there a lot. And when you guys make it big we're gonna buy a damn house together and then we'll have all the privacy we want, okay?" He kissed JC again. "We'll make this work. I mean it."

"When *we* make it big," JC mumbled stubbornly. "You'll still come see me?" he asked plaintively, after a moment. "Really? Even without my luxurious accomodations?" He looked really unsure, like the comment about them buying a house together hadn't even registered.

"Yeah, really. They're gonna get sick of me," promised Joey. "And as for it being 'us' making it big? Let's just ... not get ahead of ourselves. I really want it, JC, but ... well, we'll see. I know Chris doesn't seem to think much of me. So ... when's the big move?" He wasn't sure what he was gonna do, but he felt like he'd want to do something nice for him, that day. Since moving seemed to be such a big, horrible deal for him.

"Next week," JC exhaled heavily, avoiding the topic of Chris. "I have to be out by the 30th, and I'm just .... really lucky I signed up for a monthly lease in the first place, I guess." He started pouting a little, which was actually an indication that he was less upset than he had been. "I don't want to do this," he said again, but more resigned. "I'm going to miss seeing you whenever I want."

"Like I said," said Joey. "Make 'em get used to it." He took a deep breath, knowing what he needed to do and convincing himself that he was ready for it.. "And I can tell my parents. So we can get together there whenever we want. Okay?"

The shock was plain on JC's face, and he pulled back a little. "What? Joey ... no. You don't have to do that before you're ready, okay? I don't want ... I can't let this be the reason. You doing it out of desperation, or ... I just don't want it to backfire." He smiled and reached for Joey's hair. "Plus, I thought you said you can't get it up when your mom's in the house."

"I don't think that's quite what I said," laughed Joey, leaning into JC's touch. "So it's an option, okay? It's something I have to do eventually anyway, so don't just dismiss it. And ... we still have a week or two, right? Or are you probably gonna move before that?" Joey held him close again, not wanting to let go even though they *really* needed to get dressed soon.

"I'll stay as long as I can," JC promised, running a hand through Joey's hair -- "looking really touched at the sacrifices Joey was making for him, and how strong and protective he was being. "But it's definitely next week." He hugged him for a moment before looking up sheepishly. "So this is also my kind of roundabout way of begging you to come home with me tonight. I still have pie."

"You actually thought I wouldn't?" said Joey with a grin. "When *haven't* I come home with you, lately? My parents are starting to have trouble recognizing me, man. I go home to raid the fridge, that's about it." He finally backed away a little. "You're staying for the show, then? I have to start getting ready, I think ... " Which he didn't want to do, but there wasn't much choice in the matter.

JC petted him a little more, then let go, blushing when he seemed to recognize how many clothes they *didn't* have on right then. "Of course, I'm staying," he promised, jumping down off the counter and laughing when his legs barely supported his weight. "Whoa. Um. Bubble bath tonight?"

Joey grinned. "For you or for me, baby?" he asked, leaning in to support him as he wobbled again. They were both in pretty rough shape, but both smiling. "You're okay though? For real?" jawababes: "Wonderfully well-fucked," JC replied, grinning, leaning against Joey just for an excuse to lick his shoulder. The physical reminder of what they'd done enough, it seemed, to get the bad news out of his mind for the time being. "And for both of us, of course. The rubber ducky's still there from the last time you were over."

Joey chuckled. "Liar. You're just trying to embarass me." He ran his hands down JC's sides and kissed him tenderly. "I can't wait." He reached over to grab their clothes and realized that his muscles *all* ached. "Oh God, I can't believe I still have to perform."

JC grinned cheekily. "I'm going to sit out there like a pig in shit, knowing that you're dancing funny and knowing exactly why. "*That's* what you get for letting groupies backstage, man. Too many distractions."

"I'm very selective about my distractions," promised Joey. "Just you. You're *more* than enough to get me in trouble." He leaned back against the counter and silently prayed for the performance to go quickly. The sooner it was over, the sooner he could get out of there and into a nice, hot bath with JC.

---

Joey slumped down against the wall, his poor, abused legs unable to hold him up any longer. "Good lord I need to get out of here," he groaned, mopping off his forehead with a damp towel. He was only half-dressed, but he didn't think anyone would notice, let alone care.

Another towel hit him in the face, behind which stood a smirking Kyle. "WELL," he said. "Well. Where to begin?"

"You could begin by getting me some water?" suggested Joey, even though he knew that wasn't where Kyle was going with it at all. It was worth a shot, regardless. He looked up at him and sighed. "Sit down then. Let me have it."

"Lookin' a little rough out there, Fatone," Kyle went on, before raising an eyebrow at him. "Not as rough as your boy Chasez -- don't THINK we didn't see the way HE was sitting in the stands -- but still pretty used." He crouched down beside him and used a stage whisper. "You know we ALL heard you, right? Just to get that out in the open to begin with?"

Joey closed his eyes and flushed. "All? Tell me you're kidding, Kyle. You're kidding, right?" He wouldn't be surprised if Kyle had heard, the guy had a knack for that kind of thing, but *everyone*?

"Well, no," Kyle seemed to reconsider. "NOT all. Just me. And Susan. And Jack and Jeff, of course, which meant that Jenny and Jason did. And Matt, but only part of it, so don't worry about that one too much. Oh, wait, Kevin. Kevin did. And shit! one of the twins, but I can never tell them apart. Maggie was only in here for a second, but Kristin and Holly stayed for a while ... " He gave Joey a truly sadistic grin.

Joey let his forehead drop to his knees. "Fuck," he said again. "Okay, so I just outed myself to everyone I know? At least they know I'm good in the sack, too. That's a comfort."

"And the stamina of a young god, apparently," Kyle added, eying him up and down. "Hmm. Anyway. Look, don't sit there and pretend you're too embarrassed. If you really didn't want people to know, you'd never have brought JC around in the first place. It's not like you can keep your eyes, let alone your hands, off each other."

Joey nodded. "Yeah, okay, I know. But at least we were, you know, subtle about it and all." He finally looked up at Kyle and grinned. "Or so I thought. Damn hormones."

"You were doing okay until the bit with the screeching," replied Kyle sagely. "Kinda blew your cover there. I *will* say that your boy sounded like you treat him right ... who taught you how to do that, hmm?"

"I'm a good listener?" offered Joey. "I get really turned on when I have someone up against a wall?" He flushed again and shook his head. "It was wild, man. God things are great, with him."

"The WALL?" Kyle grinned. "So *that's* what we heard. Nice. Classy. Can I retract that 'treat him right' comment?" Laughing, obviously teasing, he flopped onto the floor beside Joey. "Man, if *that's* what you have to look forward to every day? now onder you think things are great."

"Dude," chuckled Joey. "You *know* it's not just that, right? Though that ... is nice. Is great. Is *fucking* great." He shook his head again, almost disbelievingly. "I can't believe you guys were listening. Speaking of *classy*, man." He nudged him playfully.

"What?" Kyle protested. "I make no apologies. After all, you're like ... my apprentice, or something. Gotta make sure you're not giving me a bad name." He sat still for a second. "Okay, so if it's not only the sex that's making it great, then what is it?"

"Everything," said Joey sheepishly, fiddling with the worn knees of his pants. "Just ... everything. Does that sounds as dumb and, like, inadequate as I think it does?" He shook his head, still not quite believing that they'd been *listened* to. It was embarassing ... but maybe a little hot, too.

"I think we don't need to be using the word 'inadequate' to describe anything about you today, big boy," leered Kyle. "But seriously ... it's not dumb. You love him," he shrugged, casually. "You're supposed to think that everything's great."

"Whoa," said Joey, holding up his hand. "BACK up. I didn't say that, you know? I mean, we've only been together for ... whatever. And everything *is* great, except ... well, everything's great. He's wonderful." He grinned again, helplessly. "I'm exhausted, too. That was ... well, you know."

"Ex*cuse* me," Kyle said. "YOU back up. *I* wasn't the first one to use the L-word; *you* were. So don't get your panties in a bunch." He looked him over again. "If you could even find them after all that. Now. Tell me. What's the 'but' for?"

"Okay, well, whatever," said Joey, trying to brush it off to be dealt with later, when he had time to think about it. "It's just, okay, this probably isn't gonna seem like a big deal to you ... but it is. To us. Or to him, really. I don't know ... " He realized he was being vague, but he wasn't even sure how he felt about it yet.

Kyle smirked at him some more, but still looked like he was paying attention -- and more patiently than normal. "Spit it out, kiddo. If it's still on your mind after sex like that and a day of performances, I'd say it's a big deal. So what's up?"

"Okay, so here's the thing," said Joey with a sigh. "JC has his own place, right? But ... he has to move. In, like, a week. And then he *won't* have his own place. And my parents don't know about us, and that doesn't leave many places for us to be, you know?"

"Good thing you have the dressing room, then," Kyle teased, then cocked his head when it didn't even really make Joey smile. "Okay ... why does he have to move? What's wrong?"

"It's just money stuff," said Joey, waving his hand as though it shouldn't matter. "Money stuff he didn't even tell me about until he had to leave his apartment, but ... okay, I knew. That's not the big deal. It's just ... you know. He's all worried about how it's gonna affect us. And I guess I am a little, too ... " He tried to smile a little, but it wasn't happening.

Kyle nodded and started picking at his cuticles. "Money stuff, yeah. Guys are so fucking proud when it comes to shit like that. But ... he has a place, though, right? You letting him stay with you? Like, is that what you meant about how it's going to affect you?"

"No, he's gonna be somewhere else. With a couple friends. And, um, one of the friend's mom, who ... I don't know how she's gonna be about us being together and all. It'll be like maybe we can't be together *there* either. Which would just be ... tough. It's like we only have a week left to actually be together. I'm trying not to get all uptight about it but ... I guess it does kinda suck." He smiled wistfully, then. "He'd just got me a key made, too."

Kyle smiled a little at that, too. "Aww, so *sweet*. Well ... I wish I knew what to tell you. Have you *thought* about having him come live with you, instead? Do you think that would work? That way you could at least see each other, right?"

"That'd be really weird, don't you think?" said Joey, tilting his head to the side as he did consider it again. "I mean, with us being together, and my whole family being there, and my whole family not even knowing that I'm into *guys*, let alone JC. It'd be ... it'd like torture." But so would not being able to be with him at Justin's place. They'd either have to crash with friends a lot, of pray that Justin's mom would be cool with it.

"I guess you're right," Kyle nodded, looking really apologetic that he couldn't come up with a better solution for him, some other alternative. Or at least words that might make it tolerable. "That *is* going to be tough, going from being able to have your privacy, to do stuff wherever and whenever you want, to being able to keep your hands off each other. Since we all know how good you are at *that.*"

Joey chuckled. "Yeah, I know. We're gonna be busted by my parents sooner or later anyway, at this rate. I think they'll be cool, don't you?" He didn't wait for an answer though. "I'm really gonna miss it, man, but JC ... he's *way* more upset about it than me. I was figuring maybe I should do something for him. To make it better."

Grinning a little, Kyle hit his knee playfully. "Your parents will definitely be fine. And I think that's a good idea, cheer up your man. You have a week, you said? You have something in mind already, or do I get to instruct you on what *I* think might work?"

"Haven't had much time to think about it," admitted Joey, scratching his head and tilting it to the side again. He was embarassed to admit he wasn't even sure what JC might like. "Maybe a date or something? Something nice for him. Or some music, he has this huge CD collection ... " That all sounded kinda lame though.

Kyle was shaking his head the whole time Joey spoke, his lips pinched into a disappointed look. "No, no. It's not his birthday, or anything, dude. You gotta do something special to take *advantage* of the fact that you still have a little time to be alone. The tough part is walking the line between doing something that kind of ... *represents* that, but not doing something that you really can't do anywhere else, which might just make him feel guiltier. You know?"

"Um, no," admitted Joey, frowning, unsure of what the hell Kyle was getting at. "Trust me, man, we're already gonna be taking advantage of the fact that we're gonna be alone. My parents are gonna forget that I live there, for the next week, if I have any say in the matter. But ... that's what we've already been doing, you know? I guess ... I guess we should just keep on. You know, make every moment count ... "

"No," Kyle said exasperatedly. "I mean, yeah, you *could* do that, but ... that doesn't really accomplish your goal of doing something *special* for him. All I meant was maybe you don't do anything crazy, like have sex hanging from the proverbial chandelier, but something ... different." He smirked. "And if you need suggestions about *that*, I got a ton of 'em."

Joey was starting to maybe have a few ideas of his own, but advice couldn't hurt. Actually, he was thinking maybe he knew what the exact right thing to do might be. "Go ahead," he said. "Entertain me. What would *you* do, if you were me?"

"With your boy Chasez? What *wouldn't* I do, if I were you," Kyle teased, stretching exaggeratedly like he was settling in for a lengthy discourse on the subject. "Hmm. Depends on how, like, cheesy and romantic you guys are when you're together. 'Cause you could cook for him, or give him a bath, or something, and then spend the rest of the night just trying to get him off as many times as you can, without letting him worry about you ... " He frowned. "I don't know. Maybe that's dumb. Is there something else you guys haven't done that you've wanted to try? I haven't gotten my update from you in almost a week, so I don't think I'm caught up ... "

"It's not dumb," said Joey, looking down. "That's kinda what we're doing tonight, man. We've, um ... well, I've gotten more experience this week than in any other week of my life. Not that that's any kind of surprise to you or anything." He rested his arms on his knees and thought about it some more. "There is something, maybe ... "

Kyle pulled Joey's chin up and grinned at him. "Good, I was starting to worry that the student had surpassed the teacher. Glad to hear there's *something* under the sun y'all haven't done yet." He didn't let Joey pull his face away. "Go on, tell me," he wheedled. "What is it? You're gonna let him tie you up, aren't you. I have to tell you that cords from drapes is *not* the way you want to go, with that ... "

Joey snickered, then chewed the inside of his cheek for a minute before answering. He wasn't even sure *how* to answer, since the idea was still pretty embryonic. "Does it hurt?" he asked finally, in a soft voice, looking away even though he was still facing Kyle and hoping he knew he wasn't talking about the damn drapes.

"Does *what* hurt ... the tying?" Kyle scoffed. "What are you, some kind of overgrown pansy - " He stopped abruptly when he got a better look at Joey's expression. "Oh. *That*? Um. You mean you haven't ... ?" Looking like he was struggling with trying not to appear too suprised, or too amused, he took a second to go on. "Yeah, *that* would definitely be something different."

Joey sighed, cringing internally at Kyle's reaction. He knew better than to do this with him, when he knew he couldn't take the teasing about it. "Fuck," he muttered. "I shouldn't have said. Forget it, man."

"No, no no," Kyle said quickly, putting a steadying hand on his arm. "I'm sorry. I just thought ... I didn't know you hadn't. Okay? C'mon. You know you can talk to me about it, about anything you need to. C'mon, dude."

"Yeah, okay," said Joey heavily, resting his weight on his knees again. "He's, um, think that was special right? Because I sure as hell know that I would. So ... um ... does it? Just be honest with me, okay?"

"I think he would think that was *very* special," Kyle said simply, looking very certain of that. "As for whether it hurts -- yeah, probably. It will. A little. But JC seems like the type of kid that's really gonna take care of you, if you want to do this. Have you ... I mean, he hasn't touched you at all? There?"

"Kinda," said Joey. "Um ... not really. He hasn't gone inside me, if that's what you're getting at. He kinda said he was waiting for me to say it was okay. And I haven't said, yet." He fell silent again, thinking about all the reasons he hadn't let him do it, thinking about how many of them were really valid ones. "Okay, you remember how I was all uptight about blowjobs? Thinking I was gonna choke or something? I'm thinking maybe it's the same deal ... that it'll hurt to much or something and I'll have to make him stop. And that would just totally ruin it, I guess ... "

"It's not a one-shot-only type thing," Kyle assured him. "YOU remember when you were just getting together, and you told me how patient he was being? Don't you think that will translate here? You won't ... alienate him, or anything, if you need to stop. He'll stop, and you can try again sometime. Or not, if you really don't want to after that." He grinned a little. "Don't MAKE me pull out the 'I told you so's about the blowjobs, for comparison ..."

"I think blowjobs are in a whole different league, don't you?" said Joey, looking up at him again. "And I mean ... I get it about the trying again and that's cool and I know he would ... but something like that could kind make a bust of a 'special night', you know? Defeat the whole purpose and all that and leave us both feeling more awkward than happy."

"Then don't do it," Kyle shrugged. "This was your idea, and I'm not going to push you into it. If you want to know what I *really* think, I think that you could plan on doing this and just make yourself go through with it, no matter what, and you'll be damn happy you did and it will be *exactly* the kind of special night you want. You just have to tell yourself not to back out. But if you aren't ready to be that definite about it? Maybe we come up with an alternative plan."

"Backup plan," agreed Joey. "Like handcuffs or chocolate syrup or something." He paused, though, because nothing else really *felt* right, like his first notion had. "I want to try," he said a moment later. "I'm just ... getting over my nerves. I mean, JC *loves* it and I know it has to somehow be good, but ... you know. Or maybe not. Was this another one of those things you just took to like a duck to water, man?"

"Everyone has to adjust to THAT," Kyle laughed. "But ... it's really good, I think, that you've seen how much JC likes it. And that he doesn't seem shy about letting you know. Have you ever felt like you were hurting him, or doing something he wasn't enjoying?"

"Maybe the first time," said Joey. "When I wasn't sure what I was doing yet ... and was thinking that something like that couldn't *possibly* feel good. But after that, no. I mean, yeah, he *is* pretty damn vocal about it ... as I guess you're well aware of now."

"Right," Kyle nodded. "And I bet you've been less ... careful, since, right? And it's still been okay. Look ... just think about how worried you were about hurting him. Don't you know he'll be more concerned about not hurting you than you'll be, about not being hurt? Do you trust him? Not to be nosy, or whatever -- THIS time, at least -- but *that's* the real question."

"Hell yeah," said Joey, nodding his head. "Completely. I trust him completely. It's just nerves. I *know* it's just nerves." He gave Kyle a nervous grin. "So I know I don't need to be asking *you* this, and I know what the answer's gonna be, but it's good, right?"

Kyle just smirked. "I think," he said slowly, "you will find it VERY good. And if you're still worried, and want to send pretty JC over to my place first -- you know, just so I can make sure he knows what he's doing? -- I will NOT complain."

Joey chuckled and shoved him with his elbow. "Hands off," he said with a grin, a little more relaxed about the whole thing now. "That guy's private property now. But ... Kyle? Um ... if we're ever really hard up for some time alone, you mind some houseguests?"

Kyle pinched his cheek. "Definitely not. I might demand a little kiss from your boy in exchange, but ... " He cut off, laughing, and ducking Joey's hand. "Okay, okay. You know you're welcome whenever you need it, just give me some warning, okay?" He stood up. "Speaking of warning ... you gonna tell JC about your little plan, ahead of time?"

Joey shook his head. "No way, man. I'm still not sure ... well, we'll see what happpens. I think I'm still gonna make that backup plan." He smiled, more to himself than to Kyle. "I hope I don't need it though."

"You won't," Kyle said encouragingly. "Now come on. Let's go get him, so I can tease *him* about his penchant for sex in public places."

Joey elbowed him again as they got up. "You embarass him and I'll kick your ass, man," he threatened him with a laugh. "And you *know* I can."

"Big bully," Kyle pouted. "You just wait until I get to say 'I told you so' again. I'm going all out next time."

"Dude, don't you dare embarass me about that," he said, even though he knew it was a lost cause. "It's just not fair, 'cause you have no shame and all ... "

"A bully AND boring," Kyle added, then flinched. "Ow! Quit it."

"Jerk," said Joey with a grin, jabbing his shoulder. "Come on, let's get outta here." --- JC rolled over and pressed up against Joey's bare back, running his bitten fingernails down his side in a smooth scatching motion. "You do realize," he murmured, wondering if Joey had drifted off into a post-coital nap, "that this will take us like six more weeks to get me packed, at this pace." It was true: they'd get a box of clothes put together, or CDs, and then one of them would look at the other and all of a sudden they'd be naked again.

"If you offer me sex for every half dozen boxes instead of every one," mumbled Joey, turning his head just far enough to the side to show JC a smile, "we might actually get done in record time."

"I think that was the deal you came up with in your head," JC sighed, smiling back weakly and squeezing Joey to him. "You don't have to stay here and do this," he murmured into his ear, resigned; it was a conversation they'd had many times. "I know you're bored."

"Oh yeah, I'm *so* bored," laughed Joey, tugging JC towards him. "I'll be better. I promise. No more sex until, um, the CD's and books are all done? Will that work?"

Chuckling, JC crawled closer into Joey's embrace until they were completely wrapped around each other. "That's all there is to do, practically," he reminded him, then closed his eyes and just inhaled the way Joey smelled for several seconds. "This sucks," he said, eventually. "It's like ... the fifth time I've moved since last summer. I feel like I don't belong *anywhere*."

"You belong right here," said Joey firmly, closing his arms around JC. "Right *here*. No matter where we are." He kissed JC's nose, then nuzzled his neck. "And there's still your kitchenish stuff to do. I think it was a fair deal."

JC gave him a weak smile, not ready to argue with that logic, but it was shortlived. "I have to sell the futon," he said morosely. "I don't really have the space, at Lynn's, in my room, and I don't want to deal with storing it." He knew it was silly, and ... well, silly, but he didn't *want* to have to get rid of it. It was just too symbolic of everything they'd shared so far, and too symbolic of how all of it was going to have to change.

"Dude," said Joey, kissing his forehead. "Just keep it at my place then, until we have a place of our own again. Unless ... it's a money thing. In which case sell it to me and I'll keep it at my place ... for when we have a place of our own." He ran a hand down JC's side again, tracing his body. "Simple, huh."

JC shivered and had to show Joey another smile. He'd been saying stuff like that all *week*, mentioning them being back together, living together, moving into the place they get together, and JC just couldn't believe how serious Joey seemed to be about it. It was only the times that he was really down -- like right then -- when he let himself think that it was really easy to be serious about it when it was in the distant, distant future, and nothing Joey had to ever really make good on. "Okay," he whispered. "You can have it. That's really nice of you."

"Nice? I thought it was pretty selfish, actually," admitted Joey, with another brief kiss. "So can we stay here just a liiiiiittle bit longer, or should get a-packin' again?" His body language implied that he was definitely leaning towards the first option.

"I'm not moving yet," JC murmured, running his palm over Joey's ass lightly. "And it's NOT like I'm in any rush to take another load over there, either." His last visit to Lynn's, to drop off some clothes, hadn't been the most comfortable of situations.

"Mmm, good choice," said Joey, tugging him a little closer again. He ran a hand down JC's cheek. "Everything okay, baby? You look ... something."

JC sighed again, the endearment being *another* thing that Joey had been doing more and more of that week. As if JC needed another reason to feel like ass for moving out: now he sat around second-guessing his boyfriend's motivations for everything. He felt like an ungrateful jerk. "I just don't want to do this," he sighed, his breath hitching as he buried his face in Joey's neck.

"I know," murmured Joey. "I wish you didn't have to. Just remember, it's only a temporary thing, okay? And just remember I'm still gonna be over all the time. *All* the time, JC. I mean it." He rested his hand on the back of JC's head and held it gently.

"Yeah," JC whispered. "Um. About that? I kinda ... I filled Lynn in on the situation, today, like we talked about." He fidgeted a little, not liking the memory but still proud of himself for doing it alone. "She was actually pretty great about it. I think she kind of ... she might have guessed, a little, about me. From when we were in Nashville."

"Yeah? So it's cool with her? Oh man, that's great," said Joey, hugging him tightly. "I was a little worried about that, you know. That she wouldn't be okay with us."

JC squirmed again, feeling awkward about having to tell Joey this. "Yeah, well ... she's definitely fine with you coming over, and all, and she knows about you, but she kinda ... made it clear that she'd prefer it if we didn't ... *do* anything in the house." He blushed and covered his head with a pillow. "I mean, I get the feeling that it really doesn't have anything to do with the fact that we're both guys, but just that ... I don't know. But I definitely don't want to, like, take advantage of her hospitality by not abiding by her wishes."

"Oh," said Joey softly. "OH. Um, okay. No ... that's fair. I can understand that, I guess. So it's the same for, like, Justin and Chris, too? Well, maybe not Justin. She probably hopes Justin isn't doing it at all." He runs his hand tenderly down JC's spine. "So we're back to me telling my parents. Okay. I can do that. And we can, like, *cuddle* at her place, right? And kiss? Just not ... that."

JC just sighed, feeling dejected again. "I guess. I mean, I'm sure that's okay, yeah. And yeah ... Chris said that he doesn't take anyone over there, but that he doesn't feel like he has to be home every night, either, so." He really, *really* didn't want Joey telling his parents because they had no alternative, but ... "You don't have to tell your folks," he said softly, then tried to make a joke out of it. "I believe you promised me some vehicular action over a week ago ... "

Joey grinned. "Yeah, that too," he said, kissing his neck. "JC ... baby ... has it occurred to you that maybe I *want* to tell them? That I'm proud of being with you? Huh?"

JC was actually secretly a little nervous about it. He'd always gotten along really well with Joey's family, and was worried they might think that he had something to do with Joey not being entirely straight; blame him, or something. "You don't think they're going to hate me?" he asked, in a meek voice. "Or worse, think I'm not good enough for you?"

"No way, man," said Joey softly. "They love you. They like you way more than any of my girlfriends ever. And ... " He hesitated for a moment. " ... okay, I'm not sure about this, but I think maybe Janine knows."

JC stiffened a little. "Really?" he asked quietly, wondering how *that* had happened -- they really hadn't spent much time over there. "What makes you say that? And ... I'm not trying to make you worry, or anything, but liking me as one of your friends, and liking me as ... a romantic interest? that's two totally different things, man."

"I know, man, but it's not like they're not cool with the gay thing in general, right? So ... that should make it easier. And Janine, man ... she's just been. Well, whenever I'm actaully home she's been all knowing grins and kinda *implying* things, you know? I dunno how I'm supposed to read that."

"But we haven't ... "JC frowned, trying to think of any time they'd even been there for anything other than a meal. "Maybe you're just being paranoid. Or ... I don't know. Maybe she heard us on the phone or something?" It didn't *really* matter, unless Janine had maybe in turn let it slip to Joey's parents. In which case all of this worry was practically pointless. "I don't know," confessed Joey. "But however it happened, she seems pretty ... happy about it, I think. So maybe my parents will be, too. And Steve'll be a dick, sure, but then he'll figure out that it means more chicks for him, and be all cool about it."

"That's ... great," JC said, thinking it was unexpected but might make things easier. "But still ... I mean, even if you *do* tell them? and they're totally cool? it doesn't mean we'll be able to do *this*" - he thrust his naked hips gently against Joey's warm thigh, and gestured at the bed they were sprawled across - "in the house, man."

Joey grinned. "My parents know I've been doing *this* -- " He thrust his hips right back against him. " -- for a couple years now. I don't think they're gonna change their mind about it now that it's *you*. I told you man, they *like* you. And if it comes down to it, we have friends who have their own places. Well, friend. Well, Kyle. But still."

JC tried to smile, wanting to reassure Joey even though he didn't feel very reassured himself. "Okay. Look, Joe ... you don't, like, resent me because of this, do you? or feel, um, burdened? 'Cause I know it wasn't anything you were expecting or wanting to happen and I guess maybe it seems like just this huge hassle when you should be, I dunno, partying your head off or whatever and being with as many girls as you can and trying to sneak *them* out of your room in the morning instead of me ... "

"Resent you?" repeated Joey disbelievingly. "You're kidding me, right? JC ... I have exactly what I want, with you. I wouldn't be here, if I didn't want it. And who's to say I can't still party my head off, huh? Jeremy's bugging me to go to this thing at his cousin's place this weekend and I figure we should probably go. I haven't gotten drunk off my ass since graduation."

"You want me to go with you?" JC asked meekly. "But ... I didn't think you'd even told him yet, or any of your friends from school, or anything. Maybe you should go without me." He didn't know what kind of a mood he'd be in, but probably not a good one, considering that he'd be at the Harlesses by then. And he didn't want to be a drag to Joey, who he *knew* needed to be out with people. It was in his blood.

"Well, we don't have to be, like, obvious, right?" said Joey awkwardly, then fell silent for a moment. "Well, we could do something else. I dunno. I'll talk to Kyle and see if anything's happening with his friends where we could tag along. Have a good time. Sound good?"

"I want you to do what YOU want to do, Joey," JC said tightly. "And I *don't* want you to feel like you can only hang out with other fags because of me." JC *hated* that word, but the cumulation of all these things meant he was really getting swallowed by self-pity right then, and couldn't pull himself out of it.

"JC, just don't," said Joey with a sigh. "Please? You know that's not what I meant by that. I thought maybe you'd want to go out with me is all, without me being all uptight about my friends or something."

"Sorry," JC said softly, then leaned over Joey's body to grab his boxers from the railing of the futon, where they'd landed. "I'm just feeling really ... crappy about everything, right about now. Of course I want to go out with you -- I just don't know if I'll be any fun. You'd probably have a better time without me."

"Well, don't," said Joey, grabbing JC's chin and kissing him. "I know we don't have to be joined at the hip for, like, every second of every day or anything, but I'd like to get out somewhere with you some time. It would be fun. It doesn't have to be today or this weekend or anything. Now." He gave JC a confident smile. "Tell me what I can do to make you feel better, about everything."

JC let Joey kiss him, then fell heavily on top of his body and wrapped his arms around him in desperation, biting his tongue -- hard -- to keep from crying. He'd known Joey was fun, and loyal, and affectionate, but he couldn't have predicted that he'd be this amazing at taking care of JC and his moods. "Nothing," he whimpered. "Just tell me you don't hate me for being such a fucking girl about all this."

"Hate you? Don't be a moron, man." Joey held him close and practically rocked him. "I know this is all stressful for you and everything, okay? It's this big icky change. But don't let yourself get all torn up about it. We're still together, man."

JC shifted in Joey's strong arms and sighed, as content as he could be under the circumstances. "I don't feel like packing any more today," he said quietly. "I just want to lay here with you. Can we do that? Can you stay tonight? I can take you home whenever, you don't even have to help me finish or *anything*, I just ... " He shut himself up and kissed Joey's throat softly, then licked it.

"Yeah, sure," said Joey, arching his neck a little so JC could press his face to it. "It's no problem, you know that. Just remind me to call home some time before midnight so they don't worry. Not that they don't already know where I am." Joey kissed his hair. "Hey, maybe they *all* already know, and we're worrying for nothing."

"Maybe," JC agreed, nipping at the line of scruff on Joey's neck, ready to not think about it any more. It wasn't like he was avoiding the things that were upsetting him -- they was going to happen anyway -- but he couldn't bring himself to care as much when he had something too-good-to-be-true curled around him. He nudged and squirmed at Joey until the other man caught on to what he wanted and flipped them both over. "Thanks," he sighed, and closed his eyes, safe between the fluffy mattress beneath him and warm skin on top.

"Any time," said Joey, kissing him for a long moment before gently resting his weight against JC. "Promise."

---

jawababes: (ah, fuck. I was supposed to have JC angst about Chris stalling more. grr. well, I can add it in later, I guess.)

---

Joey sat on the floor, toying with the cardboard flap on top of the last unsealed box, full to the brim with CDs. Tomorrow morning the small apartment would be emptied out; it was strange how many memories he already had attached to it, even though it had only been a couple weeks since he'd first laid eyes on the place. "We're done," he said quietly, and they were. The only thing still usable was the stereo, which JC was planning to take special care of when they moved it. Everything else was boxed, bagged and disassembled.

JC looked up at him, pausing from writing a label on the box in his lap, and wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. "God," he said, just as softly, glancing around the room. "Makes this actually ... real, huh." He bit his lip and finished the last couple letters before putting the cap on the pen and setting it down.

"Yeah," said Joey, his voice still soft, looking around the bare room, boxes piled around the futon -- not that many, but certainly enough to need to stack -- and a rather forlorn looking JC sitting on it. "You want me to put some music on or something?" The room was just too quiet now; he could hear them both breathing.

JC sighed and nodded, setting that box down on the floor and starting to pick at the blanket he was sitting on. "There's a stack of CDs I left out over there," he pointed. "The ones I was going to stick in the car. Or ... well, whatever you want to put in. I'll ... be right back." He stood up and crossed the room himself to slip into the bathroom; right away Joey heard the faucet come on.

Joey still had the unsealed box of CDs in front of him and picked one off the top, sliding it into the machine. A moment later, music filled the apartment and he hoisted himself up to his feet. He knew this had to be harder on JC than on him, losing his independence like this -- even though that wasn't *really* what it was -- and he made his way to the bathroom to find him. "JC?" he said.

"Hey," JC said softly, looking at him in the mirror for a second before cupping his hands under the water and splashing his face again. He even gave him a weak smile before grabbing the one bathtowel that he'd left out, and drying off. "I'm okay," he said, even though his pink eyes seemed to disagree. "You didn't have to check on me."

"Maybe I just missed you," suggested Joey, kissing the back of his neck. "The music okay? Good choice, for a little private time?" JC looked so down, and he knew there wasn't a whole lot he could do about it, except to be there with him all night. "I like it."

JC looked like he hadn't even noticed that Joey had put music in, even though that's exactly what he said he was going to do. "It's fine," he said, "Nice." He hung the towel back up, then looked around the bathroom a little -- frowning when his eyes fell upon his and Joey's toothbrushes resting on top of his travel kit, instead of the cup they'd been kept in. "Want some ice cream or something?"

"Only if I'm eating it off your naked ass," teased Joey, turning JC's head so he could kiss his lips gently. "Smile for me?" he suggested hopefully, caressing JC's cheek with his thumb, even knowing it would take more than that to coax a smile out of him. "This isn't an ending, you know. It's, like, a beginning." He cringed, knowing how trite that sounded, but it was just SO true, and pretty soon JC was gonna see that.

JC *did* smile, though -- it was weak, but it wasn't forced. "Okay," he said softly. "Cheeseball. But that's totally your quota of smiles from me tonight, I think."

"I doubt that," said Joey knowingly, kissing him swiftly before leading him out of the bathroom. "The night is young, man, and we have nothing to entertain us but a bunch of CDs and a big ol' bed." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, knowing JC knew he was exaggerating the whole thing for his benefit. Hoping it made him a little happy, inside of not on the outside.

"Huh," JC said, looking like he was trying to play along, maybe for *Joey's* benefit. "The bed should keep us entertained for ... oh, ten minutes or so? good thing we have the CDs." He stayed close to Joey, in any case, as if he was afraid to be left alone in the empty room.

Joey turned around and kissed his temple softly, holding JC's almost limp body in his arms. "You sure you want me here tonight?" he asked, his lips against JC's ear as he held him. He wanted to *be* here, though, even though JC seemed like he wanted to do nothing more than mope. And it was hard to blame him, but he needed to stop thinking like it was the end of the world.

"Yes please," JC replied quickly, sounding almost like a little boy ... an image that was reinforced as soon as he gripped Joey's arms around him. "You know I do, and you promised you would. I was ...just kidding about the bed." He turned his head a little to search out Joey's mouth with his own lips. "If you're not here, it's just ... four walls and a floor. Nothing to be sad about missing."

"You're not losing *me*," Joey reminded him as he pulled away, after a lingering kiss. JC's eyes were still a little bloodshot and looked weary. "Wherever you go, I'm coming with you. So you don't have to be all sad, okay? Let's just have a little party for two, here, tonight."

JC reached up and touched a gentle fingertip to Joey's nose. "Thanks, Joey," he said softly. "I'm ... I haven't told you this, so much, but you've been so great to me this week. Really patient and, like, grown up about everything, and just ... way more mature than I would've been, I think. So ... just thanks. For not letting me get you down, and for keeping *me* from getting down. Hopefully I can return the favor sometime." He took a breath, looking surprised that he'd said all that. It was probably more consecutive sentences than he'd said in days.

"Maybe I'm just a happy kind of guy," said Joey, beginning to lead him towards the futon again. JC wasn't smiling again, but something about him seemed to be finally relaxing. "And I like to make you happy, too. Will you let me do that right now? Make you happy?"

"How?" JC said, still looking a little morose. But then he glanced at Joey, and chuckled and reached for the collar of his own shirt -- apparently having decided that he *could* mope, or he could try to get over himself, and only one of those activities meant he'd be getting laid. "Okay, never mind. You know I like the way you make me happy."

Joey smiled at him, gratefully, and started singing along with the CD. If there was one thing he'd learned, it was that hearing him sing always seemed to make JC smile. Made whatever was happening even better. "Come on," he said a moment later. "Let's lie down. We can even just talk, if you want." Though somehow, between them, talking never lasted long. Unless it was after.

JC grinned and crawled onto the bed first, even, finishing stripping off his polo so he was just stretched out in a pair of shorts and a tight undershirt. He pushed the blankets down to the end of the bed -- they never, ever needed them -- and held his arms out to Joey. "You picked this one out to show off, didn't you," he said, his jokes sounding more tentative than usual. But at least they were there.

Joey leaned in and kissed him with a bit more passion and a bit less comfort than before. "See? Isn't everything better when we're in bed?" he joked, sliding his fingers up under JC's undershirt.Things *did* seem just a little better, as though JC really was letting some of the tension go.

JC bit his lip and nodded, squirming around underneath Joey's soft fingers on the muscles of his stomach. "Let's just hope we don't have to wait *too* long until we get to do it again," he replied, but it wasn't bitter. More ... hopeful. "You're really going to stick around, aren't you."

"Of course I am," said Joey, settling into the bed with him. "Why wouldn't I?" He wasn't even sure if JC was referring to that night, or to the two of them in general, but either way he thought the answer should be obvious. "So what did *you* have in mind for tonight?"

"Moping," JC admitted, rolling over and digging his chin into Joey's shoulder until he pushed him away. "But then you went and messed that up by being nice and funny and, like, reminding me that we have a bed." He gave him a lopsided smile. "Jerk."

"Yeah, but I'm your jerk," joked Joey, sliding his fingers up further. "So what are you going to do with me?" He loved that smile, the one that so often accompanied moments when JC was feeling particularly shy and geeky and everything that Joey felt like made him special. "Hopefully on this bed that you've remembered."

"Oh, what, you didn't like the beanbag chairs?" JC said, in mock hurt, then started butting his forehead into Joey's arm like he was trying to get him to pay attention to him. "Kinda sticky, actually," he sighed. "Oh well. C'mon ... take off your clothes, take off your clothes."

"Patience," said Joey, kissing his forehead. He couldn't help but laugh, though, as JC played with him. It was just the cutest thing, and made him feel all sorts of gushy things inside. "Maybe we *should* start naked, though. To avoid that nasty ripping thing, like we did last time ... "

"YOUR fault," JC protested, having moved from head-butting to biting Joey's sleeve and tugging on it with his teeth. "C'mon. Come ON. Get naked and kiss me, not necessarily in the order, or I'm pouting again." He demonstrated, then yanked on Joey's shirt one more time for goodmeasure.

Joey stripped his shirt off, then kissed JC thoroughly. "Don't pout," he demanded, between kisses. "You don't need to be pouting, when you're in bed with your boyfriend. Don't you know that by now?" He got the feeling JC was trying harder than he felt like, but he knew that once JC started feeling good it wouldn't be an issue anymore.

"How else am I supposed to get what I want?" JC asked, but he sighed contentedly when he could rest his cheek on Joey's bare chest. "I'm going to miss this," he mumbled, after a minute of nuzzling against Joey's nipples. "I really, really am."

"JC, please," said Joey softly. "You aren't going to miss it, because I'll still be here. And we're still gonna lie together and you're still gonna snuggle up to me like this. And that's just not gonna change, okay?" He kissed him again, going back to comforting again even though he was starting to get really turned on. "You're acting like after tonight there's not gonna be an us."

"No, I'm not," JC protested softly. "Well ... maybe. I don't know. I've just ... my life's been in this huge upheaval since I can remember, and I guess I ... why should this be any different? It's not that I doubt you, I just ... I'm a little scared." He paused, then kissed Joey's chest softly again. "Look, you said you'd stick around, right? And I'm trying to be ... upbeat. I didn't mean to bring it up again."

"Don't be scared," said Joey. "Besides, man, if I'd been dating anyone else? I wouldn't even have *had* these two weeks here. I would've been dating some chick who still lived at home or something. We've been lucky, man." He kissed him again. "You shouldn't have to try to be upbeat. Just be what you feel, and we'll work with that." He reached out to take off JC's undershirt, then his shorts. "Here, let me make you feel good, okay?"

"I can't decide if you sound really, really smart, or like some skeevy guy who's trying to deflower me," JC laughed, a little breathlessly, obviously teasing as Joey stripped him naked. He smiled and laid back in the pillows. "You're a little late," he added in an exaggerrated whisper.

"Been there, done that," said Joey with a quick kiss as he dropped the last of JC's clothes on top of the boxes. "So let's just pretend, okay?" He ran his tongue gently over JC's nipple on his way down his body, but didn't linger there. JC's body was already familiar to him, but he enjoyed exploring it again, every time.

JC sighed and shuddered, obviously relaxing under Joey's attentions, smiling when he used just the right amount of pressure every place he touched. "You really meant it?" he murmured after a moment, noticing that Joey still had most of his own clothing on and wasn't in a rush to get rid of it. "About just making me ... ? Joey, you don't have to. C'mon, come back up here. Get undressed."

"I plan to," said Joey as he kissed and nibbled at JC's hips and thighs. "I'm just having a little fun down here first. I hope you don't think I'm doing this *all* for you." He could almost feel JC's skin getting warmer as he lavished attention on it; it was as heady for him as it probably was for JC.

Giggling, JC brushed a gentle hand on the back of Joey's neck, and started rubbing the inside of his calf against Joey's ribs. "Alright," he breathed, spreading his legs in the way that had become so familiar to Joey. "But you just remember I offered, okay?"

"I *will* be taking you up on that," said Joey, right before he ran his tongue up the length of JC's cock. "Soon." He shorts were getting tight and it would only be a couple minutes before he needed to just tear them off his body.

"God, your tongue," JC said, with a breathy sigh, "was just *made* for that." He squirmed a little more, rolling his hips, probably because he knew that Joey liked it when he did. "Nevermind, I don't want you up here anymore. Just ... stay there and keep doing ... yeah."

Joey licked his length again, a few times, coating every bit of it with saliva. "Okay," he agreed easily. He'd grown to really enjoy doing this, licking and sucking and tasting him. And right now, he was just glad that it made JC sound content again. He took the head into his mouth and warmed it, then ran his tongue in a ring around it, focusing on the bundle of nerves on the underside.

JC's gasps and moans became a little more heated, a little more creative. "Are you trying to kill me, is that it?" he exhaled shakily. "Like ... make me come so hard I pass out, so you don't have to listen to me whine any more tonight?" He hooked one leg behind Joey's back. "I see how it is."

"Yes," admitted Joey, pulling his saliva-slick lips off for a moment to talk to him. "But only after the third or fourth time you come, I hope." He slid his lips down again, able to take JC in just a little further, every time.

"Jesus," JC shuddered, Joey's words having their intended effect, obviously. "Joey ... are you sure ... ? 'Cause you know I like it when I get to come with you ... " His voice trailed off into another groan. "God. I feel selfish."

Joey didn't answer, reaching between JC's thighs to toy at his hole with a sweat and saliva-coated finger. He wanted them to do that, too, but he knew that this first orgasm would probably go a long way to loosening JC up. To making him feel able to just have a good time tonight, and not worry about what tomorrow was going to bring.

It didn't take much of that -- Joey barely got his fingertip inside of JC's body before JC was clawing at his shoulders and coming hard. "I just ... *fuck*, baby." His hips were raised almost entirely off the bed, his head was thrown back into the pillow -- he'd probably never had a more satisfied expression on his face.

Joey swallowed quickly, still getting used to that part of blowjobs, and wiped away what little had spilled over onto the corner of his lower lip. He smiled sweetly at JC as he pulled his hand away. "I love looking at you when you've just come. It's amazing."

"How come?" JC asked, stretching, still trying to catch his breath a little. His cheeks were very pink and his eyes were very blue, and full of affection for the man still lounging between his legs. "You like to see the swoony mess you can reduce me to?"

"You look ... so hot ... " mumbled Joey as he made his way back up towards his face, his lips. "You make me feel so good inside." It was definitely time to get his own clothes off, and he reached down to tug at his shorts.

JC spread his legs a little more so Joey could still stay close to him, and as soon as he got in arm's reach, grasped for his waistband just as intently. "You make *me* feel good inside," JC corrected him, lifting his hips a little to emphasize how he meant that, exactly. "You're gonna give me a couple minutes though, right?"

"I'll think about it," said Joey, licking his lips quite obviously as he snuggled in close to JC, wrapping an arm around him. He didn't need to ask if JC was feeling better, he could see it, in his face and in his body. "Am I getting better at that?"

"You were never *bad*," JC protested, but then his face softened when he realized Joey might actually have meant it. "Yes, you are. Of course you are. You're just ... *good* at it, for one, but it's even better, 'cause you like ... know what I like, or bother to figure it out. And then even better on top of *that*, because *I* know it's *you*, down there, which makes it special." He closed his eyes and grimaced at himself. "And obviously it gives you the power to turn me into a huge loser. Please be kind and don't take advantage of that."

Joey grinned broadly as JC started to babble; he couldn't help it. It was just one of the most endearing things ever, to him, and he didn't know when that had happened, but it had and he loved it. "You're not a huge loser," he said, kissing him gently. "But I plan to take advantage of you anyway. And I really don't think you'll object."

"Well, okay," JC smiled -- really looking like everything that had him upset earlier was as far out of his head as it could be -- and kissed him back. "Thanks for the warning, then." He stretched his arms above his head and smiled, even more broadly when he saw Joey feel that he'd already started to recover, and let his legs fall further apart.

"I love you," said Joey when he caught JC's eyes, just loud enough to be heard clearly. It wasn't really a sudden realization that he had those feelings, but a sudden rightness to putting that word to them. He smiled back at JC, his eyes verging on watery but not teary, feeling so very warm inside to see him smiling openly again. "I love you, JC."

JC blinked at him, his smile replaced by a look of just plain surprise -- not happy OR scared -- which in turn was taken over by the biggest grin Joey'd ever seen. "Oh," JC exhaled. "OH. Joey ... " He shook his head and reached a hand up between them to touch Joey's lips, his forehead; a million more emotions passing over his face. "I don't ... wow." The smile won out. "Thank you."

"I do," whispered Joey, unable to keep the smile off his own face at having shared that with him. "You're wonderful and amazing and a hundred times better than anything else I could have expected to just fall into my life, the way you did." After that he just needed to touch him, to feel the realness of JC next to him.

JC closed his eyes, still smiling, and ran his hands over Joey's arms and back and hips. "I just want to feel like I deserve you," he explained softly. "And I just want this to be something that's good for you, and pure, and right. Um. Can you kiss me, after that?"

Joey laughed unexpectedly. "As soon as I feel like I'm breathing normally again? Sure." He brushed his lips against JC's lightly, but really *couldn't* kiss him deeply just yet, both his heart and breathing accelerated. "This is the best relationship I've ever been in," he whispered a moment later, then finally kissed him for real.

JC kissed him back, honestly and deeply, mumbling his name and nonsensical endearments against his lips. "I haven't breathed normally around you since our first kiss," he said, finally. "God, Joey."

"No, just Joey," he teased softly as he planted dozens of tiny kisses all over JC's lips and face and throat. "So how can I please you next?" he asked, and he was half-serious, too. He wanted to know what JC wanted; this night was for him.

"God," JC muttered again, then laughed along with Joey. "Um. Let me get this straight: I've been a total bitch to be around all night, so you decide to give me an incredible blowjob, then tell me that you ... *love* me ... and you want to know what *else* I want?" He nuzzled against Joey's face in return. "Does this mean ... I mean, if I were to come up with something that might please me ... uh, am I allowed to call it 'making love,' now? Y'know. If that's what I might ask for."

"I think it probably always was that," admitted Joey as he kept kissing him, tiny, tender. "And I think I'd really like it if that's what you wanted to do. I think that's exactly what I want to do, too." JC's laughter, too, was so, so great to hear again. And the words 'incredible blowjob' weren't exactly hard on his ego, either.

"No, I think you're right," JC smiled at him, still, then cupped his cheeks in his hands and kissed his lips intensely. "Just promise me we didn't pack up all the condoms already?" He slipped down under Joey's body a little more, and wrapped a leg around the back of Joey's knee in the same way that had grown to be a signal between them.

"They're on the floor next to you, like always," said Joey, his voice getting a little lower and a little softer. It was time, he could feel it, and it felt okay. Felt right. "And ... I have a better idea," he added, taking JC's hand and bring it between his own legs, back past his erection. Then he let go and kissed him. "What do you think?"

JC stared up at him. "What do I ... what ... what?" He cupped Joey's balls gently, even though both of them knew that's not what Joey was trying to guide him to do. And sighed. "How do I ask you if this is too much for tonight, without making you think I don't think you know what you want?" he asked softly. "How do I say we don't have to, without making you feel like I'm rejecting you?"

"How about I tell you I've been thinking about it since the day you told me you had to move?" countered Joey quietly, not hurt by those questions at all. He'd actually kinda been expecting them; every time they took a new step -- especially sexually -- in their relationship, JC always made absolutely sure that it was something that Joey wanted. That he was ready for.

"Have you?" JC asked, seriously. "Why?" He shook his head after a moment's consideration. "Don't answer that; it isn't important. You promise me this is something you've thought about? And you're okay with it and you're okay with me and you're just ... okay? For real?" Even as he was speaking, his let a gentle fingertip drift back to touch the soft, tight skin further between Joey's legs.

"Very okay," said Joey. "Very for real." He hesitated for a moment, close to doubting himself, doubting his decision. "JC ... it's something you want too, right?"

"*Fuck* yeah," JC blurted, then blushed furiously. "Um. Yes. If you don't mind being kissed by the fifteen-year-old that seems to have taken over my brain, then GOD, Joey. Yes. I want it." He touched him a little more assertively, then slipped one of his legs between Joey's to nudge them wider.

Joey spread his legs easily; he would have done it even without the encouragement. "Good," he said, with an audible sigh or relief, secure now that he was doing something special for *both* of them. "I never mind being kissed by you," he said, though he was sure that was something JC already knew quite well. "So ... um ... just ... I want this. I'm ready for this. Be careful with me, okay?"

"Of course," JC smiled, laying gentle, chaste kisses to Joey's face that didn't hint at all at the way his fingers were teasing behind Joey's balls, softly stroking flesh and muscle. "I'll take care of you, baby, just trust me. Okay?" He ran a soothing hand down Joey's back and then wrapped his limbs around him to roll out from under him so they both were laying on their sides, but his breathing was ragged.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't trust you," said Joey, remaining pliable under JC's hands. He'd done this *to* him more than a few times now, but he had no idea to go about having it done. He knew JC would help, though, knew he'd be patient. "Tell me what I should do," he added, letting his legs open just a little bit wider.

"Just ... okay," JC bit his lip. "Just ... try to relax. I'm not ... " he exhaled though his nose in slight frustration, but it was obvious that it was directed at himself. "I've never done this with someone who's never ... done this," he said apologetically, still rubbing Joey's back. "I'm sure it'll be fine, but ... well. The one thing I know is that you need to be relaxed. We *both* do." He slid a little further away from Joey, then rolled him onto his stomach in the space left between them -- still balanced on an elbow, the front of his body pressed up along the side of Joey's.

Joey frowned and squirmed, trying to get comfortable. He'd thought he was being relaxed already, but when he stopped to assess the state his body was in he realized he was far from it, both because of nervousness and because of excitement. JC's words and tone were haunting him more though. "Okay," he said softly. "I told you I was ready, but I never even asked you. Are *you* ready for this, JC, or are you just doing it because I want to?"

JC smiled softly, and kissed his ear. "You asked me," he reminded him affectionately. "If I wanted it. And I responded like the horny boy I am. Remember? I *want* to do this. If you're ready, I *want* to be the one that shows you how it feels to let someone in like that. To let *me* in like that." His strokes along Joey's back were smooth and long: shoulder to thigh. "I just thought you needed to know, in case I start ... fumbling, or whatever. I mean ... I *know* what I'm doing, I just want to be, um, delicate."

"Oh," said Joey softly. "Oh, thank you. I just ... wanted to be sure. Because there is a difference between wanting something, and being ready for it. Take me." He turned his head to give JC a tender smile, letting him know he was feeling good about this, and wanted JC to feel good about it too. "I've wanted this for a while, but I'm ready for it tonight. I think we're both gonna be fumbling a little, but that's okay. That's -- " He chuckled, imagining the possible scenarios for how the night would turn out. " -- part of the fun of it."

Hearing Joey's laugh obviously relieved JC, and he squeezed his ass gently. "Okay then. As long as you know and I know and I know you know, we're set. Don't be scared." He kissed his temple gently and leaned over the bed to grab a condom and the lotion they kept there, before rolling back over to resume petting Joey's skin. "You okay laying like this for right now? I thought this way I wouldn't be too heavy on you, to start, and I can still kiss you."

"I'm good like this," murmured Joey, trying to force himself to relax again. JC's fingers on his back were helping, reminding him that he was with someone who cared about him a lot, and what they would be doing would feel good for both of them. "I'm not scared. I'm just ... you know." He smiled at him again and it wasn't forced, but it was obviously nervous.

"Shh, I know." JC leaned over to kiss him again, brushing his hair off his forehead, before leaning up a little to open the bottle and smear some lotion over his fingers. "Um. I just ... have to get you ready a little." He chuckled self-consciously. "Uh, a lot, I guess. Tell me the *second* you need me to stop." Pressing their mouths together again, he slid his hand over Joey's ass one final time, this time running down the cleft, and slipped a single, slick finger just inside his body in a smooth motion.

Joey gasped and jerked and couldn't even answer him for a moment. He'd been expecting this, but at the same time he hadn't known what to expect. He hadn't even done this to himself, though he'd thought about it a time or two. "I'm good," he whispered finally as he started to relax again and let JC take care of him. "That's good."

"Quick and painless," JC explained, kissing his cheek and shoulder and the back of his neck. "Sometimes dragging it out isn't the way to go." He kept mumbling to him, reassuring him, as he worked his finger in deeper, stroking the flesh of Joey's ass with the thumb of the same hand as he did. "Um. I know this is patently obvious, and maybe doesn't seem like a good thing to you right now, but ... you're so tight, Joe, and it feels really *really* good."

"You calling me a tightass?" teased Joey, his voice already becoming rough. So far the sensation was more strange than anything, and he wondered where it was going to go from here. And he hoped the fact that he was apparently so tight -- that he was a virgin, to this -- didn't mean that it was going to hurt too much when JC was finally inside him.

JC smacked him gently on the butt with his other hand. "Stop," he smiled, kissing his neck again, before shifting a little and stilling his finger inside Joey's body. "Tell me if you feel this." Slowly, very slowly, almost as if he was scared to scrape against something he shouldn't, JC turned and curled his finger, pressing against the inner walls of Joey's body as he pulled out just slightly.

Joey gasped and jerked again. "Jesus fucking Christ, JC, how could I not feel *that*?" He panted a couple times as once again he tried to calm himself down. He could feel his body clenching around JC's finger. "Okay, what the fuck did you just *do*, man?" he breathed a few moments later.

JC kissed him again, and slipped his finger the rest of the way out quickly. "Okay, you know what? I can't do this like this. I need to kiss you and feel you and see you and just ... " He shook his head and pushed Joey onto his back, not very gingerly, and crawled over his leg to rest between them. With a wetter, deeper kiss, he pushed his finger back inside just as confidently as he did the first time, but this time quite obviously aiming for something.

Joey jerked again, and sank his teeth lightly into JC's lower lip. "Oh fuck," he murmured. "You could just keep doing that, and get me off. I don't even think it would *take* anything else." Then sensation was electric, and from the moment he first felt it -- hard and intense and unexpected -- he just wanted it again and again.

JC beamed, and then licked a little at Joey's teeth. "No way; you promised," he whispered, in a way that told Joey that of course he would just do that, if it was what he wanted -- then rubbed his erection against the inside of Joey's thigh. "I want you to feel more." He pushed Joey's legs up, a little, with his free hand, then reached for the lotion again. He let go for as short an amount of time as he could, kissing Joey's knee and murmuring "hold on" softly until he had two fingers slick and poised at the entrance to his body.

Knowing what to expect now, Joey was more relaxed, didn't resist the intrusion. One finger had been easy, more or less, even though it had felt tight. Two already had him feeling full, and for a second he wondered how he was ever going to get *more* in, but then he reminded himself of what it was like with JC, how he stretched to accomodate it, and all it took was a little patience. JC was pausing, and Joey suspected maybe he was waiting for a reaction or an okay or something.

"That's tight," he murmured. "But good, JC. It's good."

"I want you to want this," JC murmured, his other hand dancing along Joey's ribs and hips and nipples and flashing once under the head of his cock. "I want you to feel this." He started moving his fingers again, slipping out a little then further in, not thrusting, not establishing a rhythm, but not neglecting his prostate in any way, either. "Don't be distracted, baby."

"No," said Joey, moving back against JC's hand for the first time. "Not distracted. Very, very focused." The feeling of tightness was fading as JC moved and stretched and aroused him. A few minutes later he was almost thinking he might be ready to ask for more, but didn't, just moved against JC's hand again, not wanting to lose the feeling of JC being inside him.

JC met Joey's motion with another smile, and a deep kiss, and grasped his erection gently. "Good, okay," he murmured, and started to spread his fingers a little wider when he pulled them out, smiling more broadly when Joey followed him. "You look so good," he assured him. "There are so many things I want to do with you."

"I'll let you," said Joey, trusting him completely and not even worried about what those things might be. He could feel himself being stretched but it wasn't an unpleasant or painful sensation, especially not when JC kept hitting that one spot inside him that made sparks go off in his brain and groin. He let his legs fall apart even wider and actually moaned aloud.

"Yeah, there you go," JC encouraged him, and thrust a little deeper in response, stroking Joey's thigh tenderly, kissing his knee again, leaning up and using his body weight to push Joey's legs open just a little more. Two fingers, stretched as wide as they could be, became three. "Joey, shit ... you think you could come from this? *I* could come from seeing it."

The feeling of fullness was back again as JC slipped a third finger inside, but more than that it was stimulating all the nerves aroung the rim of his hole, too. "I look good, huh?" he panted, trying to keep his eyes open and watch JC's reactions to him. "Or do I just look easy right now?"

JC kissed him, a little roughly. "Stop. You look amazing." His strokes were smooth and sure, and Joey could see him reaching into his own lap after another several seconds. "Want me just to do this, tonight?" he said quietly, his voice a little strained. "Bring you off like this, so it's not too much all at once?"

"I want you inside me," said Joey decisively, moving against JC's fingers in an erratic rhythm now. "I want to feel that. I want *you* to feel that. I want us to make love this way, okay?" The words 'make love' were awkward and they made him flush, but they made JC blush, too, in the adorable way, so it was okay.

JC kissed him in relief, and grinned crookedly when he twisted his fingers again. "Okay. Are you ... do you feel comfortable, like this? It might be ... a little easier if you turn over, but ... " He nuzzled his chest and reached for the condom. "I'd love to be able to see your face, this time."

"I'm good like this," Joey assured him. Better than good, he was wonderful like that, and felt sexy and hot and taken care of. "I need to see you, too, JC." He bit his lip, having been told by both JC and Kyle that this part would probably hurt a little. But he knew he needed *not* to tense up again.

"You're gonna be okay," JC murmured again, his voice tender and reassuring even though there was some underlying tension that was probably a result of having to hold back as much as he had. His fingers disappeared again for a moment, then returned with more cool lotion, which was spread gently around his opening. "Look at me, okay? Hold on to me however you want, and just squeeze if you want me to stop. But don't stop watching me."

"I won't," promised Joey, and once his eyes were locked on JC he knew they wouldn't be going anywhere else until this was all over. Which he hoped wasn't *too* soon, but he was rigid and incredibly turned on and from all appearances, so was JC. "I'm good so far," he added, in case JC needed the assurance. He knew, from being in JC's position, that it was something that had helped.

"I know you are, baby," JC told him, the soft endearment sounding like it came easier every time he said it. He placed surprisingly strong hands on the outside of Joey's hips, angling his body more receptively, and kissed his mouth softly as his body was breached again by something smoother and hotter and harder and bigger and more everything than JC's fingers had been.

Joey gasped and winced and struggled not to squeeze his eyes shut. "Oh ... shit ... " he murmured. I did hurt, more than he'd been expecting but less than his worst case scenario. "Hang on, JC," he whispered, gripping his shoulder tightly and waiting for the throb to subside before JC did anything else. But he didn't want to stop.

JC held his own hips very still and dropped his forehead to Joey's shoulder, shifting to support his weight on his hands and breathing slowly. He seemed to understand, to know without Joey having to tell him, exactly what he needed to do. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he murmured, before remembering his own instructions to Joey and picking his head back up. "You're fine, okay? You're gonna be fine, and it's going to feel really good in just a second."

"I know," said Joey, his voice tight, still forcing his eyes open so he could meet JC's. There was a calm understanding in them and he remembered that JC had been here, once. That everyone had a first time. A moment later, the pain started to lessen and he took a deep, shuddery breath. "I'm okay," he whispered. "You can go ahead, JC, I"m okay ... "

JC still didn't move, though, kissing Joey's forehead and nose and chin. "You're wonderful, you know," he said softly. "Doing this for us, today -- it really means a lot to me, Joey. And I'm going to take care of you, alright? Not ... just with this, but with everything. If you let me." He kissed him again, obviously waiting for something else from Joey, something in his face, perhaps, to let him know he really could continue.

"I love you," said Joey, leaning up to kiss JC's lips softly and taking a few more deep breaths and willing his muscles to relax. "I'm okay, baby, honest. I'm more okay each moment ... "

JC sucked in a breath, too, and started pushing his hips further in. "Stop me again," he warned him, panting a little. "If you -- *god* you feel good -- if you need me to." His bright, blue eyes locked on Joey's, and got a little wet as he slid deeper.

Joey bit his lip, but it wasn't as bad this time, and he thought maybe the worst had passed. "It's fucking tight," he got out and tried to shift beneath JC but the position he was already in was just about the best he *could* be in. "You feel really big, inside me."

JC giggled a little, then looked surprised and apologetic. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't ... " he struggled to lift himself up off of Joey a little more, blinking at Joey's squirming underneath him but obviously reluctant to ask him to tell him to stop, if he needed to, again. "I'm not in all they way," he warned him, a hint of desperation, "so if this is already too much ... "

"It's not too much," said Joey, still squirming a little. "I'm just ... I gotta get used to it." He started breathing deeply again, the breaths helping to calm him. "I'm okay, all right? I just gotta ... okay ... just go in, okay?" He looked at JC pleadingly, knowing that once he was inside and Joey was used to it, it would all feel good again.

"Okay, baby," JC said, lowering himself back down, wrapping his forearms under Joey's back and cupping his shoulders, then driving gently, all the way to the hilt. "Oh shit, oh shit, shit shit shit ... " His breathing was shallow and his lips were parted in arousal and surprise.

Joey had to squeeze his eyes closed this time, he couldn't keep them open. "I'm sorry," he whispered, squeezing JC's shoulder. It hurt again, but he knew JC was all the way inside now. This was the last of the stretching, the last of the pain, and even though he couldn't tell right at this moment, he knew that there were things that JC was going to do that were going to feel good.

"What, what ... ?" JC panted, obviously worried about what "I'm sorry" was supposed to mean, coupled with Joey squeezing him like that. "Okay, out?" he asked, fumbling a little to get his knees on the bed and starting to pull back out. "Right, okay. We tried, baby, we can do this again later and it'll be easier. Let me just go down on you, instead, okay?"

"No, stop!" said Joey quickly. "Just ... wait. Stay right where you are and just ... wait." He heaved a couple of breaths, sounding just short of panicky. But he wasn't, it just hurt, and even then ... the pain was fading. "Don't pull out, it's getting better." He pried his eyes open again. "I'm sorry I had to close my eyes," he whispered, looking directly into JC's again.

"Oh," JC breathed, most of the worry dissolving from his face. "Oh, baby, that's okay. You're okay. I'm so proud of you," he murmured, kissing his face again and trying to keep still, his arms shaking a little under the strain. "I cried my first time; buried my face in a pillow. You're totally brave, okay?"

"Yeah, well, I still might," said Joey, giving him a tiny smile, his face lined with tension. "I think I'm .... okay with it, now." He shifted a little beneath him again, and the movement didn't send a renewed shock of pain through his body. "So, um ... how about you go ahead and show me what's so good about this, huh?"

"Relax," JC told him again, smiling gently and reaching up to caress his face and brush his hair off his forehead. Then, biting his lip, he pulled back to rest on his knees, pushed Joey's legs back, and lifted his hips as he slipped inside, concentrating.

Joey groaned softly as JC moved inside him, repositioned him. This was definitely different than having his fingers inside; even the three fingers seemed small in comparison, though he knew they couldn't have been *that* much smaller, really. "I'm relaxing," he whispered, and it was true that he was trying to. But this wasn't exactly a relaxing activity at the moment.

JC looked determined to try and make this feel good for Joey. "I do *not* want this to be something that you just remember getting over with," he mumbled, almost to himself, it seemed like. He twisted his hips a little, still buried inside Joey, and ducked his head to bite gently down on one of Joey's nipples.

Now *that* was definitely a good sensation, and Joey moaned softly, his eyes fluttering closed for just a moment. "Okay, that, again," he demanded. JC felt large and hard and ... large, inside him, still, but things were starting to feel good again. His body was starting to feel good about this again. Even his cock, with that one little nip, had started to rise.

JC kissed his neck. "Whatever you want, baby," he murmured, then took his nipple between his teeth gently and tugged -- withdrawing slightly from Joey's body and pushing back in quickly and carefully right as he did.

"Oh!" said Joey loudly, his eyes flying open. "Oh ... *that*." Whatever it was that JC had just done, he wanted it again. Immediately.

JC flinched a little in surprise at Joey's reaction, but smiled when he met his eyes. "That?" he echoed, raising an eyebrow and nipping at the tight bud again, flicking it with his tongue -- and pulling back to actually move his body in an honest-to-goodness thrust, if a small one.

"Yeah," breathed Joey happily, beginning to get what the big deal was. "*That*." He squirmed again, but for different reasons this time; he wasn't sure what *he* was supposed to be doing here, except lying back and letting JC take care of him.

"Oh, Joey," JC grinned, wrapping his arms around him a little less delicately. "Hey there." Joey could see him dig his toes into the mattress and push, saw him wink before he ducked his head to claim his other nipple. "One more time, just to see?"

Joey grunted, then moaned, then pushed back against him when JC entered him. "Just to be sure," he agreed in a hoarse whisper, staring at him with wide eyes again. It was really hitting him, for the first time, just what they were doing together.

JC began kissing him eagerly, smiling at him with crinkled eyes every time they looked at each other, palming bits of Joey's flesh and muscle wherever he seemed to be able to reach. Moving his hips a little quicker, a little sharper, as soon as Joey began to meet him halfway, careful to try and stimulate Joey's cock with his stomach. "Keep looking at me, baby."

Joey chuckled softly. "I will, as long as my eyes don't roll back up in my head or something, from this." He loosened his grip on JC's body with his arms, and instead wrapped his legs around him, a bit awkwardly. "Wow, okay, this is good."

JC squirmed a little to get everything lined back up, but when he did, the difference in the angle was noticeable to both of them. "Oh. Oh, Joey, that's ... " He leaned over to kiss him, wrapping his hands around Joey's thighs and digging in a little deeper. "You feel incredible, baby, I don't even ... " Grunting a little, he started twisting his hips with each tender thrust.

Joey started panting and moaning and didn't even care what he sounded like. What JC was doing was feeling good. No, it was feeling amazing, and he found himself wondering if *this* was what JC felt, every time they had sex, and no *wonder* he didn't mind Joey being on top. For the first time, he realized that this really *was* going to make him come. He kissed JC back furiously, grabbing the back of his neck for a moment so JC couldn't pull away.

JC moaned back into Joey's mouth, gripping his arm in one hand and his waist in the other, his hips responding automatically to Joey's heightened reaction. "Harder okay?" he breathed, biting Joey's lip and squeezing his forearm. "I want to make sure you're feeling this ... "

"Yeah, harder," said Joey. "Harder's okay. Harder's good." He moved harder back against him, as much as he could from the new position he was in.

"You sure, baby?" JC asked, pushing against him, lifting Joey's legs so that the back of his thighs rested against his chest, leaning down to bite his nipple again a little harder than before. "I don't want you to hurt. Too much."

"No, I'm ... " Joey hissed in pleasure as JC bit his nipple. "I"m really fucking good, JC, just do it, okay? Don't, like, make me beg here." Because he would have, just to get more of what JC was doing, just to feel *more*.

"Awww," JC said softly, biting him again, and then pushing at his knees to get even deeper. "But you do it to me, all the time. Where's the justice?" JC's pace was starting to get unrelenting -- still smooth, but noticeably faster, more demanding, more focused.

"I wasn't your first," Joey pointed out in a whisper, his eyes drifting closed again, but in ecstasy this time. He moaned aloud again and wished JC could get even deeper, even though he knew that it was all but impossible.

JC paused, and then pushed in as completely as he could, kissing Joey passionately. "You were my first in a lot of things, Joey," he said softly, against his lips. "Some of which I don't think you realize." He refused to say anything more on the subject, though, just sucked gently on Joey's neck as he thrust, until they were both practically fainting from the sensations.

"Oh God, fuck, I'm gonna ... " gasped Joey, pushing back hard against JC as he struck that spot inside him over and over again. His body was exhausted and sweaty and he wished this could go on forever, but it was rapidly coming to a conclusion.

"Please. Come for me," JC murmured into his chest, lifting his hips and grinding into him, then trailing his hand down Joey's stomach to reach for his cock -- obviously not expecting him to be able to get off from that alone.

Joey came just about the second JC touched him; he probably would have anyway. "JC!" he shouted, rather than something inarticulate, and tightened his legs around him, gasping and moaning. "Oh God ... " It was different, coming like this. More.

"Shit," JC said desperately, scrambling on his knees to push all the way inside him, most likely to feel every pulse of Joey's orgasm before his got yanked from him as well. "Oh ... Joey ... you're ... " His hips still moved, weakly, even after he'd been milked dry by Joey's body.

Joey was still gasping for breath, even after his orgasm passed, still clinging to JC with both his arms and his legs. "Okay," he said finally, his heart pounding so hard he could almost hear it. "I think maybe I could handle doing that again some time." He grinned at JC, his eyes wide open again and very, very bright.

"Nope, sorry," JC panted. "I like being able to breathe, thanks." He kissed him gently, but persistently, and sweetly. "Thank you, Joey. Thank you so, so much."

"No thank yous," said Joey, kissing him again to keep him quiet. "That was for us. And you made it so wonderful." He gave him another crooked smile. "I was pretty nervous. I guess you noticed." Which was truly a 'duh' question if there ever was one.

"I'm so proud of you," JC said again, kissing the curve of his lip. "I could barely tell it was your first time. I'm kinda ... part of me can't believe you did that. But everything you've done tonight has been just so ... unexpected, and amazing, and it totally just makes me remember how I kinda don't deserve you when I've been acting like such a shit, and makes me hope you won't suddenly decide that you wish you hadn't done that, with me, and ... "

"Don't be ridiculous," said Joey, letting his legs fall away from JC's back slowly. "Falling for someone isn't about whether you deserve them or not. It just happens." He was starting to feel sore, and realized he was *definitely* going to be feeling this when they were moving JC's things the next day. He tried to keep his wince at that thought purely internal.

"You know," JC said softly, rubbing the backs of Joey's legs for him as he rested them on the bed beside him, "if it was anyone other than you, I'd be asking whether that was your way of telling me you wish you hadn't fallen for me. Or that I hadn't fallen for you. But I just ... can't say that, to you. even if my mind is telling me to, my ... heart is saying it's the stupidest thing in the world."

Joey smiled at him happily, both for the soothing rubbing of his legs and for his words. "It *is* the stupidest thing in the world, to think that I can possibly be sorry for fallling for you, man." He leaned back into the pillows, didn't try to kiss him again. His muscles were all crying out, right then.

JC looked at him closely, then rested firm hands on his hips. "Okay, hold on, baby. I gotta ... take care of this ... and then I'll rub your back and legs for you, okay? Don't fall asleep before I get back." He bit his lip and watch Joey, worry plain on his face, as he started pulling out of him.

"I won't," said Joey, wincing only a little as JC pulled out. It felt very strange and empy, afterward, when he was gone. "I'm just a little sore. Didn't realize how much of a, you know, workout that was."

"Yeah, JC said sympathetically. "But you did great, just great. And it felt okay, right? You'll still take your pants off around me, without living in fear of me molesting you?" He smiled and kneeled up on the bed before crawling off it and hopping over to the bathroom, returning seconds later with that one towel that was left out.

"I told you I'd be willing to do it again," said Joey with another slightly smile. Maybe not *soon*, though, he had to admit -- his body needed to recover first -- but the end result had definitely made up for the pain, and he was pretty sure the pain lessened as he got used to it.

"Willing, but not eager?" JC teased, rubbing Joey's belly off gently, then kissing it. "Can I get back up there, with you?" He didn't wait for a reponse, slipping beside him and reaching for his hip. "Flip over," he murmured. "Let me make you feel better."

Joey started to, then groaned and winced. "Help me?" he asked, refusing to be embarassed about needing it. The evening was turning out way too well to worry about something so petty as needing help rolling over because his muscles were stiff. And other places were a little sore as well.

"Oh, Roo," JC said softly, wrapping wiry arms around his waist and turning him onto his stomach. "You're just ... so special, to me, and I wish I had a way to show you that isn't painful." He leaned over and lapped at Joey's shoulder blades as he rubbed and massaged his hips and thighs and lower back. Humming a little as he did.

"Oh, JC," said Joey with a soft sigh. "You don't think I know how you feel, man? Don't be silly." He tried to relax under JC's hands; he really did know how to make him feel better. "Were you this sore, the first time you and me did it?"

JC chuckled a little and dug the heels of his hands into the firm flesh at the top of Joey's ass. "How sore are you?" he asked. "Probably not," he admitted then, blushing. "There isn't much that compares to the first time you ever do that." He kissed his back some more. "But I found myself wishing you weren't so ... blessed, in retrospect." "Thanks," said Joey quietly. "For making it so good, man. And for being all patient with me, when I needed to slow down. I'm sorry about that, man. That must've been tough." He winced as JC hit one of his sore spots, but a moment later he was able to relax even further.

JC snorted and scooted over so his body was draped a little over Joey's back. "I was too scared to be worried about whether it was hard or not, to go slow," he admitted. "Please don't apologize for that. I'm just ... glad you knew me well enough, to know I *would* stop." He chuckled against and nuzzled into the base of his neck. "And Joe? Stop calling me 'man,' when we're in bed. Or I'll make up a really awful nickname for you."

"Sorry, dude," said Joey, turning his head to wink at him. He had no doubt that JC would follow through on that particular threat, though. "Keep doing that, okay? That feels really fucking good."

"Great, snookems," JC murmured, resting his cheek on Joey's back as he continued to work his fingers over Joey's muscles. "I'm glad we did this, tonight," he said after a moment. "It really ... can I tell you it reassures me, a little, about us not being at an end point? but, like, the first step to something else? exactly like you said, I guess, huh."

"I'm sure you can come up with a more awful nickname than that," teased Joey, grunting softly. "And we *are* just starting out, JC. There's just, like, *so* much ahead of us yet. We probably have no idea. Ooh ... yeah, right there ... " His body resisted JC's pressure against it, then the muscle finally yielded.

JC chuckled, squeezing him a few last times before cracking his knuckles and just running his palms lightly over Joye's shoulders. "That was your warning, your poor little thing. And can I have a hug now? I'll do more later, if you want, but I kinda just want to have you hold me right now."

"No, I'm good now," said Joey, rolling back over and taking JC into his arms. "Thanks, man, that felt great. Can I look forward to that *every* time we have sex?" He kissed JC's forehead and stroked his fingers up and down his back, hoping that the concerns of earlier weren't coming back.

JC narrowed his eyes at him. "I might have considered it, *apple dumplin'*, if you didn't just do *that*. Now you'll be lucky to *get* sex again." He squirmed playfully in Joey's arms, but both of them knew he didn't want to go anywhere.

"Do *not* call me that in front of Kyle," laughed Joey, still stroking his back. "I swear to God he will *never* let me live it down. You know I'm right." He pressed his lips to JC's throat and held him close, thankful that they'd gotten the time together that they had, and thankful that he'd taken Kyle's advice and made the most of it.

JC made his way slowly out to where Joey was waiting with the Jeep, just outside the rental office. He tried to paste a smile on his face, knowing that after everything that had happened -- especially the night before -- this shouldn't be bothering him anymore. But it didn't really work like that. "Hey, Roo," he said softly, climbing into the passenger seat. "All done. Thanks again for doing this ... "

Joey leaned over and gave him the briefest of kisses. "That's it, then?" he asked quietly as he put the Jeep in gear. At JC's nod, he started off down the street. "You'll have to give me directions."

"Sure," JC replied, then leaned his forehead on the window as Joey drove. It was true that he felt so much better than he had yesterday -- not only was Joey not going to resent him for having to move, he'd done the most amazing, wonderful thing for JC to make him forget about it. And -- he couldn't keep a real smile off his face, at this -- he *loved* him. And he *said* it, and *kept* saying it. But that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell to strip the sheets off the futon that morning, and it didn't mean all of his other problems magically disappeared. "Turn here."

"Left or right?" asked Joey as he slowed down the vehicle, driving with one hand while he rested the other on JC's knee for a moment. "You're crap at giving directions, C." He turned his head to glance at him. "You okay?"

"Right, sorry," JC mumbled, giving Joey a sheepish smile and holding his hand tightly. "No, I'm fine. Just ... you know. Same stuff. Don't want to do this." And he didn't, even though it was so nice of Joey to help him -- not that he expected anything else from him, anymore. "How 'bout you -- are *you* okay?" And that was just *another* thing: he'd been really, really worried about whether Joey was still alright with what they did. Physically and mentally.

"Am I okay?" repeated Joey as he turned the corner. "Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" His voice held genuine confusion, and he glanced at JC again as he drove.

JC rolled his eyes affectionately and looked out the window again. "Oh, I don't know ... did I dream having my dick in your ass last night?" He was learning that starting out taking things lightly with Joey was the way to go, and pretended to ponder what he had just said. "Huh. Helluva dream, if so. *I'm* achy."

Joey laughed. "Okay, yeah, that," he agreed. "What's not to be okay about, though? I mean, besides the fact that my ass is sore. And my shoulders ... but I'm blaming that on the packing."

"I'm sorry," JC said gently, definitely knowing how he felt. "But you're ... I mean, otherwise? Okay with what we did? with what we, um, said?"Noth that he thought Joey'd say he loved him, if he didn't mean it, but he hadn't really said it since the night before either. "Um, and turn here. Right, again."

Joey turned. "I'm okay with everything, JC," he assured him. "Last night was amazing. It was, like, perfect or something. Wasn't it?" JC couldn't tell for sure, but he thought maybe he heard a hint of insecurity in that question.

"It *was* perfect," JC reassured him, pointing at the driveway that led up to his new home. "I loved every minute of it and it was just the most amazing thing you could've ever done for me. I just ... y'know. Was checking on you. Making sure you didn't have any regrets." His smile faltered a little when they pulled up to the garage and saw Justin and Chris playing basketball outside. "Um."

Joey stopped the jeep and gave him another quick kiss, then tapped on the horn to get their attention. "No regrets," he promised him. "And a lot of hopes for what's to come still."

Justin turned around immediately with a wide grin, and bounded over to open the door for JC. "Hey, C," he said, peeking into the car. "Aw, you don't have *that* much stuff left. Y'all wanna play two-on-two with me and Chris first? Hey Joey!"

JC gave Joey a wink and then turned back to Justin. "Maybe later, huh? I just ... let me get all this stuff inside, and a little unpacked, and I promise I'll play later." He grinned at Justin's exaggerated sigh, and walked around the jeep with him to open the back.

"You guys need a hand or anything?" asked Chris, holding the basketball between his hands and twirling it between his fingertips, restlessly, every so often.

"I think we're good," said Joey, glancing at the relatively small load. "You can grab one of the boxes and carry it in if you want, but don't worry about it if you guys are already busy." He dropped the car keys in his pocket and joined JC at the back of the jeep.

JC laughed at Justin, who was struggling under the weight of one-too-many boxes -- petulantly insisting "I *got* it, jeez" -- and gave a guarded smile to Chris when he followed Joey. The older man was definitely still not on JC's good side, especially after continuing to stall all week about having Joey try out, despite both his *and* Justin's prodding.

He put a light but possessive hand on Joey's lower back as they both ducked in to pull some more boxes out. "Don't carry too much, okay?" he said softly to him, knowing he was being overly concerned but feeling like it was his prerogative.

"I don't think I could if I tried," promised Joey, grabbing a couple of the lighter boxes unapologetically. "This'll only take a couple trips, with the four of us," he noted. JC made sure that he hadn't taken too much anyway, then pulled out one of the larger, heavier boxes for Chris.

Chris took the box that JC handed him with a nod and a slight smile, then headed straight into the house

The four of them traipsed up the staircase into the small bedroom that JC would be using, and dumped the boxes unceremoniously on the floor next to all the stuff JC had already brought over. JC looked at the bed, with its floral print comforter since it was a guest room after all, and felt all of his earlier sadness rush back over him. "Fuck," he muttered, under his breath, and refused to meet any of their eyes when they went back down to get the other load.

"You want us to help unpack, too?" Justin asked cheerfully, grinning over the top of the box he was carrying on their second trip up the stairs. "So we can go play basketball quicker?"

Joey answered for JC. "We can take care of it I think, Justin," he said, setting down his own box just inside the door. A moment later he wrapped his arms around JC from behind and kissed the back of his shoulder. "It won't take long to settle in."

Chris dropped the bag of clothes he'd been hauling in an empty space and grabbed Justin's collar, giving Joey and JC an unreadable look. "Let's leave them alone, kid," he said, then tried and failed to lift Justin up over his shoulder. "I believe I was busy kicking your butt again."

Justin squawked in protest but gave JC and Joey a happy wave as Chris pushed them out the door and closed it behind them. JC collapsed on the bed and buried his face in a pillow. "God," he moaned, his voice muffled. "It's bad enough having a mom again; now I have a little *brother* again, too." He didn't mean that; Justin was sweet and fun and JC always forgot he was 14. But it was easier to complain about that than sound like a broken record to his boyfriend, who he was certain was tired of hearing him angst about not having his own place any more.

Joey put his hands on his hips. "The first thing we need to do," he said firmly. "Is make that bed livable. We may not be having sex on it, but you can be damn sure I'm going to be sharing it with you as often as I can. And right now, it just turns me off, baby."

"I know, it's awful," JC moaned. "And look at the fucking *draperies*." He sighed and pulled the pillow over his head completely, so happy and thankful that Joey was being positive for him, but feeling like it maybe wasn't going to work. "Can I get a kiss at least, before we turn into interior decorators?" he asked, in his most pitiful voice.

Joey pulled him back to his feet and gave him a searing kiss. "We'll make this place home," he promised him, sliding his fingers under JC's shirt at the back. "All right?"

JC nodded, feeling the pout threatening at his lips despite the kiss. "Maybe we ... shouldn't have the door closed," he said uneasily. "I don't want Lynn to think I'm sticking this in her face. Or Justin and Chris, for that matter." He scowled at the comforter and tugged it off before Joey could respond. "Plus, I can't be in a room with a bed with you, without getting hard. At least an open door will be a ... deterrent."

Joey opened the door fractionally. "I don't want you to be deterred," he said frankly, grabbing the back of JC's shirt and pulling him into another kiss. "You gonna be all right?" he asked softly, a moment later.

"Eventually," JC sighed, then remembered all the good things he had in his life right then, and how this was so, so inconsequential in the grand scheme. "You're so great. SO great. How is it possible that you have the patience to put up with all my shit?" He kissed Joey again and let him go, pawing through his bags to try to find the one that had the sheets and blankets from his futon.

"I don't. I'm leaving you for Chris," teased Joey, snagging the back of JC's pants this time to pull him back. "Stop *going* places when I'm not done with you, man."

"Wha-at," JC whined, but grinned enormously at Joey when he wrapped him up in his arms and dipped him a little in another kiss. "And great. Give me another reason to think Chris is the spawn of the devil. Next you'll tell me he leaves wet towels on the bathroom floor."

Joey nodded solemnly. "And squeezes toothpaste from the middle, too. Oh, oh, and he doesn't rinse his dishes *ever*." He grinned, gave JC another kiss, and finally let him go. "Okay, bed. Then stereo. Then whatever else." He started humming quietly as he scanned the boxes, reading the tops.

JC watched him, certain he had an expression of just complete adoration on his face for this man who already meant more to him than anything, for the way he could cheer him up so effortlessly. He turned to finish stripping the bed obediently before Joey's humming really registered with him. "No, you know what?" he said, suddenly, crossing the room to grab Joey's hand and pull him away from the boxes, toward the door. "C'mere. Come with me. No protests."

"What? Where are we going?" asked Joey as he was pulled out the door. "You sick of unpacking already? Justin will be thrilled."

"Just hush," JC said again, tugging him down the stairs and then pushing him onto the sofa. He checked quickly to make sure nobody was in the room before straddling his lap quickly and kissing him deeply, then hopped up. "Stay." He jogged over to the screen door and pushed it open, yelling over the where Chris and Justin were still playing basketball. "Can you guys come here and help me with something for just a sec? In the living room?"

Chris looked up first, then shrugged and grabbed at Justin again who dodged out of his way and made it inside first. "More heavy lifting?" asked Chris. "Justin's your man."

"What's this about?" asked Joey, sitting up but not leaving the couch as the other three came back in.

"We're doing this," JC said firmly, sitting down next to him. "Right now. We're all here, and there's just ... no reason to keep putting it off." He dodged Joey's confused look, returned Justin's eager smile, and let his gaze remain on Chris, daring him to keep balking right in front of Joey.

Chris looked at JC cooly; it was obvious he knew he'd been backed into a corner. "No time like the present," he said finally, but he didn't smile. "Let him show me what he's got."

"Guys?" said Joey, looking back and forth between them. "Anyone want to fill me in?"

"You're singing," Justin laughed, looking at JC for confirmation. "Right?"

JC nodded, then got off the couch to kneel on the floor in front of Joey, hands on his knees. "You're singing," he echoed, trying to show Joey with his eyes how much faith he had in him, how proud. No time to let him get nervous, or for Chris to say something else to rattle his confidence. "With us. Um ... 'Happy Birthday.' Okay?"

Joey leaned in to kiss him, just briefly. "Yeah, I think I know that one," he said with a smile, standing up and reaching for JC's hand. "Everyone?"

Chris nodded. "Start us, JC," he said, his voice even more impatient now than before. "Let's just do this."

JC bit back about a million snarky responses before clearing his throat and finding the note for everyone. "You've got lead," he murmured to Joey, still holding his hand tightly. "Do your thing, boy."

And JC didn't take his eyes off Joey as they started to sing, not even to see how Chris was reacting, how Justin was reacting. Nothing could distract him from being there for Joey in every way he could, right then, just as Joey had been for him.

Joey leaned in for another kiss just as soon as they'd finished, again briefly. He finally looked at Chris, as though he knew -- and JC knew he did -- that Chris was the key to the whole thing.

"Oh," said Chris quietly, and crossed his arms over his chest.

Justin smacked Chris in the chest and jumped over to where Joey and JC stood, throwing gangly arms around the two of them and squeezing them together. "Oh, that was so SO awesome, guys! I mean, it was just Happy *Birthday*, but still ... man, that was great! That little bit at the end, there? Just ... great!"

JC couldn't help but smile at the way Justin was beaming and didn't seem to be phased or concerned about Chris's total lack of reaction. JC didn't quite know what to think of it either, but he was prepared to fight him on this thing all the way, now. Joey'd never sounded better. *They'd* never sounded better.

"Thanks, kiddo," said Joey, grinning and ruffling Justin's hair and obviously not minding being pressed into JC. And naturally, JC wasn't minding much either. Out of nowhere, another set of arms circled the group and they all tumbled onto the couch.

"Let it never be said," said Chris enthusiastically, "that I can't admit when I'm wrong." Then he gave both JC and Joey a loud kiss on the cheek.

"Alright!" Justin screeched, and proceeded to try and maneuver around the pile to put Chris in a headlock while JC and Joey just stared at each other in shock.

"Wow," JC whispered, blinking; his mind too overwhelmed to even know how to react. They'd actually done it. Joey'd done it. And every step JC was going to make with this, Joey'd be there right beside him now. The last obstacle between them, the last thing that could've kept them apart, had disappeared with a few words. "Oh, god, Joey," he whispered, looking into his eyes and completely ignoring the other people laying on top of them. "I love you."

Joey's eyes widened and he kept staring at JC, even as the other two rolled off of them and started wrestling on the floor, completely oblivious. "Oh, wow. I love you, too," he whispered as their lips made contact again. "I told you baby ... it's just the beginning."

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The End.