"You know, not everyone can bend in half and turn themselves into a pretzel, you know, JC," snorted Chris, watching him demonstrate a move and rolling his eyes. "How about we try something that the rest of us can do, too." He shot his gaze over to Joey, who was grinning and studying how JC did it. "And don't you tell me you can do that, too, or I'm gonna have to go sit in the corner and cry me some manly tears or something."

Joey just shrugged and watched JC again. He always surprised Chris with what he *could* do. "I could do it," he said finally. "But. I don't know, it seems a little sexy for the kids." He winked at Chris and then leered at JC, making him blush and stop quicker than anything Chris had said for the past five minutes.

"We do not need to be talking about how sexy JC is," Chris complained, just to be saying something. "JC is not sexy. That was not sexy. It may have violated obscenity laws in, like, thirty states, but it was not in any way, shape or form, sexy. It's not sexy unless *I* can do it."

"Thanks, Chris," JC said, bashfully but dryly. "I'll keep that in mind. And anyway, he didn't say I was sexy. Um. Right, Joe?"

"Right," Joey nodded. "You're much too ... having-known-me-for-too-long to be sexy."

"Well good, it's settled then," said Chris. "Not sexy, and not going into the choreography. Justin's mom would have fits if you tried to get him to do that. In public, anyway. Though she'd probably have even more fits if she knew he knew how to do that in private. Which, for the record, I don't want to hear about from either of you."

Joey smirked and JC just blushed again. "It wasn't *that* risque," he mumbled, and then walked over to dig around in his bag, but probably really to just let his embarassment fade.

Joey took the chance to walk over and throw his arm around Chris's shoulders. "You don't know you couldn't do that, you know," he pointed out quietly. "You might could."

"I think I did that in bed once and sprained something," murmured Chris back, smiling to himself as he watched JC for a moment. "JC could probably have sex on a trapeze and still walk away from it with a spring in his step, whistling a happy tune. Which is my way of saying, I'm pretty sure I couldn't do that. Why ... you wanting to watch me try?"

He just grinned at that, and Chris looked hard for any other reaction. "I'm just *saying*," he said, "that you can probably do more than you think you can, you know? with the right encouragement, and, um. Preparation?" He grinned wider. "You know. Stretching, and stuff."

Chris narrowed his eyes at him, but couldn't keep his heart from pumping a little faster. He was glad for about the millionth time in his life that his colouring hid a blush so well; there was already enough to tease him about.

"And I suppose you'd be happy to show me how," he said, shaking his head at him. "You're incorrigible, Fatone, you know that? Do you even know what that means?"

"Nope!" Joey said easily, squeezing his shoulder before he let go. "But I'm thinking it means sexy and irresistable, or something like that, right?" Chris caught him looking back over at JC for a second. "Naw, I didn't mean me, anyway. Jace is the expert, after all."

"I think JC is a little too busy teaching Justin how to stretch to worry about me," snickered Chris, low enough that JC wouldn't hear. He hoped. It was true, but JC embarrassed so damn easy. Chris needed to pick his moments, let him recover from the last one before he tried another.

"Oh, I don't think so," Joey said, actually sounding serious. "I don't think he would. Unless ... oh, are we back to, like, real stretching? as opposed to being ... what, um ... metaphorical?"

"Well, I certainly hope the stretching's real enough," said Chris, "though I'm sure not talking about the kind we ought to be doing before dancing. They are, you know. Or ... didn't you know that?"

"They are what?" Joey blinked, turning his attention back to Chris. "JC ... and *Justin*?" He squinted and frowned a little, disbelievingly. "How do you know."

"Justin told me," said Chris, a little more seriously. He was sure that Joey would have known that, that JC would have said something. "He made me promise not to tell his mom, and cover for him sometimes. I told him he was too damn young to be doing that, but ... I guess he's not. I mean, *I* was, when I was his age, so who am I to talk?"

"You were sleeping with guys at fifteen??" Joey blinked. "Huh. I guess ... I guess I didn't know that." He looked back over at JC with a completely unreadable expression on his face, made even moreso by the fact that it was *Joey*, who seemed to always wear his heart on his sleeve. "About them, I mean. Well, you too, but them now."

"Aw, hell," said Chris with a sigh. "I thought you did, Joey. I thought that's what half the joking was all about, with you guys and with me. Look, I think I need a cigarette. Bad. You wanna come with?"

"Well, I was *joking* about it," Joey said. "I guess that was the difference." He sighed and turned to face Chris again. "You shouldn't smoke, man," he pointed out, fishing his own lighter out of his pocket with a grin.

Chris grinned back and pulled the cigarettes out of his jacket, offering one to Joey as they headed for the side door. "So seriously, JC never said? Never even hinted? Guess I had the guy figured wrong."

"What do you mean?" Joey said, not really giving anything away. He may have worn his heart on his sleeve, but he also could play dumb better than anyone Chris had ever met. He took the cigarette. "How did you figure him?"

"Figured him for not being able to keep a secret like that worth shit," said Chris, pushing open the heavy door with his shoulder. "Also figured he told you everything. Huh. I guess he must've had his reasons ... "

"I guess," Joey said, in a very thanks-we-can-stop-talking-about-this-now way. "And you mean you actually tried to talk Justin *out* of something? *you*?"

"Hey," said Chris, kicking his ankle. "I can be a good influence ... when I need to be. But the kid's really hung up on JC. Puppy love, or whatever. He wasn't gonna stop just cause someone said he should. So I sat him down and taught him about safe sex. You know, the stuff your parents *don't* tell you. And then told him to wait, but ... you know Justin."

"JC wouldn't be unsafe with him," Joey murmured, staring across the street and exhaling the cigarette smoke through his nose. "Of course, I wouldn't have thought he'd ... but if he is, he isn't being unsafe."

"Yeah, well, Justin needed to know that stuff anyway. You think his parents ever thought about telling him about how to be with guys? Sometimes I'm not even sure he got the girls talk from them." He sucked the smoke deep inside his lungs and held it there for a long time, feeling a little bit old and a little bit dirty. "You're upset."

"I'm not," Joey said, and Chris honestly couldn't tell if he was lying. He *was* upset, though, that much was obvious. It was just whether he even recognized it. "Why would I be?"

"Beats me," said Chris, inhaling again, too deeply, almost coughing reflexively. "But you are, Joey. I can read that much, at least. If I'd've known you didn't know, I would've kept my big mouth shut. It was all in fun, you know? No big deal. So they're messing around, they're boys, they're horny, they do that."

Joey grinned, obviously amused by Chris telling him that messing around wasn't a big deal, when Joey probably thought he invented the concept half the time. "He's just young," he shrugged, too casually. "Fifteen is one thing if you're sixteen, and another if you're almost twenty."

"He's not that different from how I was," said Chris again with a shrug of his own. Joey wasn't judgmental, but at the same time ... he was. "Different circumstances, but same desires. JC's safe. He could do a lot worse."

"And couldn't do better," Joey agreed. "No, it's cool. I'm cool. The whole thing ... cool." He kicked the curb idly. "So yeah, JC doesn't tell me everything."

"You probably don't tell *him* everything either, huh," said Chris, nodding without it actually meaning anything. "I sure as hell don't tell Justin everything. I'd probably break him or something, if I did, and then there goes the group. So we can't be having that."

"Heh, no," Joey acknowledged. "No. Who do you tell that stuff to, then? The stuff you don't tell Justin ... your ma?"

"You know, you don't have to snicker every time you think about me telling my mom stuff," said Chris, grinning and elbowing him. "She's heard it all. But no ... some stuff doesn't get to *her* ears, either. Some stuff just stays inside my head."

"Yeah," Joey said, tossing his half-smoked cigarette on the ground; his idea of conceding to quit was only smoking half of each cigarette rather than half the cigarettes. "Yeah, but you'd tell someone that. *JC* would tell someone that. Just not 'me' someone, this time."

"Maybe he didn't tell anyone yet," Chris tried, his own still-lit cigarette dangling between his fingers. "It's new. Ish. I dunno ... maybe he didn't know *how* to tell you. You guys ever had trouble with that kind of thing?"

"With not being able to talk about stuff?" Joey clarified. "Um, no. Not really. And I think he'd talk to me about this if I asked ... I really don't *know* why he didn't, Chris. But ... it's new? how new?"

Chris shifted his weight uncomfortably, then leaned against the wall. He shouldn't have been the one telling Joey all of this, especially not when Joey seemed to have some kind of emotional stake in it that Chris didn't entirely understand yet.

"Less than a month," he said finally. "As far as I know."

"Oh, yeah," Joey's face fell. "Yeah, that's new. Well. You know, explains Justin lately, I guess. Good for them. Really. Really." He stomped on his cigarette butt again, needlessly.

"You wanna just tell me what's wrong before you start, I dunno, stomping on ants or something?" he said with a sigh, watching Joey out of the corner of his eye. He'd only seen this somber, irritated Joey a couple of times so far and he wasn't looking forward to the next time.

Joey blinked at him. "What? I'm okay, Chris. Thanks, though." He reached out and punched Chris on the shoulder, which was exactly what he'd always do when one of them would give him a look for being a little too affectionate.

"Yeah, whatever," muttered Chris, finally dropping his own cigarette butt to the ground and grinding it out. "Whatever. We really to go back and watch JC's contortionist act again?"

"Yup," said Joey, not moving an inch. "Yup. Look at me. Look at me, ready." He kicked the curb again.

"Is there a trick, that I should know here?" asked Chris, turning to face him. "Is there a little button I'm supposed to press to get the Joey model to spill his guts?" He started pressing random places on Joey's body, trying to get *some* reaction, even if it was just a swat to the head. "Someone's gotta tell me these things."

"Um," Joey said, then grabbed Chris's hand and used it to pull him into a huge, tight, prototypical Joey-hug. Complete with him resting his cheek against Chris's head.

"Well, there's a start," said Chris, feeing that too-familiar racing of his pulse again. He'd never asked for it to happen when he was around *any* of the guys he was trying to make this group with, but his body didn't always listen to reason.

And he made Joey giggle, even. And not let go. "Sorry, just need this for a second," he said, his voice vibrating against Chris's temple. "You can hold it against me later, since I know you will anyway."

"I'm holding it against you right now, "Chris pointed out lightly, and wrapped his own arms around Joey's back, giving him part of what he seemed to need. He wasn't good at this whole dragging-people's-stories-out thing. Well, he was, but he didn't like to play headgames with his friends.

"You ever feel like stuff happens over your head, Chris?" he asked. "No, I guess not with you. But I feel that way sometimes. Not in the group before, though."

"Yeah, sure I feel like that," said Chris, a little stung by the casual assumption at the same time he found himself flattered by it. "Not a lot, but sometimes. They're not obvious or anything, you know ... I mean, they are, when you know, but they aren't if you don't. You didn't just miss something by not seeing."

"You don't ... " Chris couldn't see Joey's face, but he could hear the struggle of his question in his voice. "You don't think they maybe didn't say because they thought ... because I might not be able to keep it a secret, or something? Like, I might open my big fat mouth and we'd get in trouble?"

"Oh, come on," said Chris quietly. "Come on, Joey, they wouldn't do that. I mean, you already knew that JC was gay, right? And probably about Justin, too? Um ... right? And that's the bigger thing than knowing that they're with each other right now."

"But JC was before," Joey said, finally pulling back but keeping his face turned away. "Oh, well, whatever. It doesn't matter. I totally trust JC to know what he's doing."

"JC was what before?" asked Chris. "Gay? Because yes, that's the point. That he already trusted you with that."

"I know, but *before* before. Before it really mattered like it does now. Like ... if he had it to do over again, if he knew he'd be maybe famous, maybe he wouldn't have even told me then. You know?"

"Oh, Joey," said Chris, wishing he had something better to say to that, something more comforting. But he really had no idea how JC felt about it. "I'm pretty sure he would've anyway," he said finally. "And I'm pretty sure he still *will*, about Justin. I mean, he has no reason to think you wouldn't be okay with it, right?"

"Oh, no, no," Joey shook his head. "*Obviously*. Since we. You know. Or ... or, oh. Chris. Is that what you meant? That maybe he thinks I won't since *we* did stuff?"

Chris could only stare at him, couldn't even mask his disbelief. It was one thing to joke about it, but this was another thing entirely. "Okay, you know that thing, about feeling like stuff happens over your head ... ?" he said finally, still staring. "Yup, feeling that, right about now."

"Which part?" Joey frowned worriedly. Chris almost thought he was upset to have put Chris into that position. "Me and JC? It was like ... forever and ever ago. Lifetimes ago."

"I didn't know," said Chris sheepishly, shrugging his shoulder. "I had no idea. I didn't even have the littlest inkling of a clue. Boy, was my gaydar off about *you*."

"But ... but I joke all the time about it!" Joey protested, eyes big. "Like, *all* the time. And I thought ... I thought that was why you give me those looks, sometimes, when I hug you guys too much and stuff."

"Yeah, you *joke*!" said Chris, waving on hand around ineffectually. "You seemed comfortable with JC! I thought that's all it was. I didn't know ... and how long ago can it have *been*, anyway? What, were you guys, like, twelve when you were together or something?"

"Fifteen and sixteen," Joey said awkwardly, and Chris would've been deaf, dumb and blind to miss the significance of that, given what Joey had said earlier.

Chris didn't even know what to say to that, exactly. Didn't know what kind of reassurance that Joey wanted to hear, or even if he'd hit on the real problem yet. "When I was fifteen," he found himself saying, babbling, really, "there was this guy, and he was twenty-two, and we were together for a while. I know how that sounds, but it was nothing to do with me being 15 as much as us being cool with each other -- for him, anyway. For me it was about being 15 and admitting what I wanted and finding someone who'd been there, who could show me a little. You know?"

"Um, yeah?" Joey said. "I mean ... I get why Justin's doing it, Chris. I even kind of get why JC's doing it, even if it surprised -- surprisES -- me a little." He reached out to touch Chris's arm. "I'm really sorry if you didn't know, about me. It's only sometimes. Obviously."

Chris gave him a weak smile. "Well, maybe JC's just that irresistable," he joked. "First you, then Justin ... who next, you know? Don't be sorry I didn't know ... guess I just missed that memo. It's cool."

"Is it?" Joey pressed, actually staying serious. "I should have said. You think I should have just said, right? I know you do. I'm sorry."

"No, no," said Chris shaking his head. "I mean ... none of my business. I'm sure it would've come out eventually anyway. You can only spend so much time with someone before you know *all* their secrets."

"Right," Joey nodded. "Right. Well ... so, okay, so. Now you know. But ... I mean, it's important that you know it was over. Before the group. We haven't since. We wouldn't."

"You wouldn't?" said Chris, frowning at him. "Even if you wanted to be together? Why?"

"Just ... we wouldn't," Joey shrugged. "We're friends. We know each other too well now or something? Seriously, I think that's it. The type of person you want when you're that age is different than when you've been around a little more, I think."

Chris accepted that easily enough; it actually seemed like a really mature thing to hear Joey saying. "So you're over the whole bendy stickman thing, then?" he teased lightly, not making a joke of any of this but just keeping Joey's spirits up. "I guess so ... I've seen some of the girls you've been with."

"Hey, fuck you!" Joey protested, laughing. "And that's not what I meant. I don't know ... when you're young, or when *I* was young, I wanted a friend. Someone I could really count on not to laugh at me. And then once you've done it enough, you just ... you do. Want other stuff." theunCJ:

"No, no, I know what you meant," said Chris, nudging him. "Trust me, I do. I understand. Things like that always change, a little. You go from lovers to friends, or sometimes from friends to lovers. And people drift in and out of your life who are right for you at the time. I get it."

"*Do* you?" Joey looked relieved, and gave Chris an almost breathtaking smile. If he was susceptible to that kind of thing. "Cool. So ... I guess what Jace wanted now is someone he can kind of ... teach. As opposed to learn with. Or learn *from*."

"Looks like it," said Chris with a nod. "Plus, Justin's his friend and he's ... well, I don't have to tell you what Justin looks like. It's better that I know him as well as I do -- I don't have to keep reminding myself that he's only fifteen that way. I'm just automatically reminded of it every time we talk."

"So," Joey said. "Um, so. But so you would otherwise, is what you're saying?" He laughed nervously. Obviously nervously. "And I here I was, worried that I'd have to compete with the kid to get chicks -- the guys'll be the real competition."

Chris grinned at him, sheepishly again, and feeling a little dirty again too. "Well, he's not exactly my type," he admitted, "but just try and tell me that if someone who looked like Justin came up to you and offered you a night of sex, no strings attached, that you could say no to him."

Joey shrugged. "I get what you're saying. But I was with boys when I was a boy. You know? And he's not my type either."

Chris cocked his head to the side and looked at Joey curiously. "Yeah," he said finally. "I know exactly what you mean. Huh. Sometimes you find kindred spirits where you least expect them." He pulled out his cigarettes again and grabbed himself one, knowing that they always worked miracles to keep him calm and cool. "You want?"

"I shouldn't," Joey said, grinning goofily as he reached for it, and then flicking his lighter and holding it up for Chris.

Chris let Joey light his cigarette, and tried not to think about how it was kind of an intimate act. Because even now he couldn't tell at all if Joey was seeing it the same way. "I shouldn't, either," he said, only after he'd taken his first drag. And he grinned back at Joey.

"They're gonna come find us in a minute," Joey said, turning to stare wherever Chris was staring, rocking back and forth a little. "I just gotta figure out what to say to JC, I guess." He twisted his lighter in his fingers.

"You gonna tell him you know?" asked Chris awkwardly, realizing just how close they were standing to one another. He could practically feel Joey moving. "Gonna tell him I accidentally busted them?"

"Naw, you didn't," Joey said. "I woulda noticed. JC's good, and Justin's better, maybe, but I would've read JC sooner or later. I would've known." He sounded very, very sure.

"You would've," said Chris, trying to sound equally confident. JC and Joey *were* that close, he's been able to see that all along. Which was the whole reason he thought Joey knew in the first place. "Justin's too new to this, too. He's gonna slip. At least it'll be around us."

"Yeah," Joey said. "They'll be fine." He looked very much like he was convincing himself, though, and tossed his again-half-smoked cigarette on the ground. "So, okay," he exhaled, shaking himself. "Ready?"

"Sure," said Chris, leaning against the wall, even planting his foot against is. "Ready." He brought the cigarette to his lips again, casually, and stared out across the street.

He saw Joey's smile flicker to something even more amused, and appreciative, as he raised his eyebrow. "Or not," he laughed softly. "What? I'm not going to flatter myself and think this is 'cause of anything *I* said to you."

"We were just fucking around in there anyway," said Chris with a shrug and a lopsided grin. "You know we were. And it's nice out here ... not too hot ... good company. And no JC complaining about me smoking. So sue me for wanting to make it last a little longer."

Even if Chris wasn't doing it on purpose, Joey seemed pleased and flattered. And appreciative of the attention. "So ... Justin, huh? he's a little ... eager, for me. You know?"

"Yeah, but just forgetting all that," said Chris with a little laugh. "Forgetting all those things that make him so, so young. Man ... don't make me feel any dirtier than I already do. I would ... I would just never. Not with the real Justin. But he'd be real nice to look at, if he was someone else."

"He's all legs, man," Joey said, and Chris couldn't quite tell if he was agreeing or disagreeing. "I dunno. You think he's the best-looking, of all of us?"

"Nah," admitted Chris. "He's just ... you know. He's the only one that's off-limits. Just completely. And, well, Lance, too, but I don't have any trouble resisting Lance. So maybe it's just a forbidden fruit, thing. I dunno. Sometimes maybe it's easier to lust a little bit after something that you know you not only will never have, but will never even try for. It's safe."

"I get that," Joey nodded. "I've done that before. I kind of do it with Jace, now. He's just ... he gets better-looking every day. I mean ... I think we all will, as we grow up and all, but. Yeah. He's kind of my safety."

"I'm already grown up," Chris reminded him with another grin. "You're dreaming if you think I'm ever gonna get hotter than I am right now. I'm scorching, baby. But you guys ... yeah, everyone's changed even since I met you. A lot."

"Yeah," Joey ducked his head. "Well. I guess you're right. Don't forget I've seen you with facial hair; I know you're grown up." He mimicked Chris's posture against the wall. "But the rest of us."

"Yeah, I'm an old fucker already," said Chris with a snicker. "When my mom was my age I was well into school." He didn't want to be saying that, though, didn't want to be bringing up just *how* much time separated him from them all. "The rest of you are just gonna get hotter, that's for damn sure."

"Whatever," Joey said, picking at his nails. "According to you, Justin and JC don't have far to go." He tugged on his hair a little and even ... was he pouting?

"What is *up* with you tonight," said Chris, nudging him with his foot, letting it linger a little. "When did I say anything about JC? I think *you* said JC was hot. And that you still lust for him, which ... yeah, still wrapping my mind around that a little."

"I did *not* say I lusted for him," Joey protested. "Don't be spreading stories, dude. And ... I'm just so surprised you're suprised, you know? As obvious as Justin and Jace weren't, sometimes I think we kind of are."

"Yeah, you kinda did say you were lusting," Chris prodded him. "Well, you implied. Inferred. And what's between you and JC ... the only thing that's obvious is that you guys are close. I didn't get any vibe other than that. Though, now that I'm gonna be looking, maybe I'll see more of what you thought I'd be seeing all along ... "

"He's my best friend," Joey said simply, almost bluntly. "You don't lust after your best friend. You can think about them and dream about them, maybe, and every once in a while catch yourself remembering what it was like to f- kiss them, but."

"Hey," said Chris, giving him a look, trying not to let that sting as much as it could. "You don't need to be like that. 'Specially after what I admitted to you, just a minute ago. Not cool, Joey."

"I *wasn't* ... " Joey sputtered, then stuck his hands in his pockets. "I wasn't talking about you. You mean Justin? I didn't mean that. I just ... I was talking about me." He turned to face him. "Don't be mad. I wasn't being a jerk, I swear."

"I'm not *mad*," said Chris, kicking at him lightly again. "I'm just ... I get mad at myself sometimes, for thinking about that kind of thing with Justin, even for a second. At least you and JC ... you have history there. You don't have to feel all weird about it. You *know* what he's like naked."

"You know what Justin's like, naked," Joey protested, missing the point. "And anyway, it's nothing to get mad at yourself for. Hey. Maybe we should, like, say that we can talk to each other once we start thinking the things we don't want to think. You know? Like AA. We can be each other's sponsor."

"Does that mean I have to tell you about everyone I picture in bed with me?" joked Chris, unable to stop himself. "Cause that would probably get really awkward the first time your name came up."

Joey's expression was almost worth it. "M-me?" he stuttered. "You don't." He narrowed his eyes. "If you don't want to, you can just say so."

"Don't," said Chris, a little seriously. A lot seriously. "Make fun of it if you want, but don't dismiss it. Of course, you. Looking in a mirror lately, muscle-boy? Not to mention that smile. Of course I do. It's not ... it doesn't have to be a big thing or anything."

"*Muscle* boy," Joey replied incredulously, looking down. "I ... " He obviously didn't know *what* to say. "I wasn't dismissing it. That's ... wow, I'm ... surprised. Just surprised. Speaking of types; I figured I couldn't be yours."

"Yeah, well," said Chris awkwardly. It wasn't like *he* had much of a clue what to say about this now either. "Now you know, I guess. Don't get weird. I'll lust from afar, and use our support group for my Justin issues."

"Im not weird, just surprised," Joey repeated, still almost staring at himself. "I thought ... well, never mind what I thought. That's ... kind of cool." He looked back up and gave Chris a huge, huge smile.

Chris smiled back, but then bared his teeth a little and turned it into a playful growl. He didn't want it to get too serious, or too mushy either. "Stop being so surprised. You're hot. There are dozens of people out there who'd jump you in a second if they thought they had a chance."

Joey just kept grinning. "Maybe that can be the, um, slogan for our support group," he offered, then bounced a little in a very Justin-like way and pressed against Chris for another hug.

Chris laughed in surprise and hugged him back, more easily even though his heart was pounding so fucking hard he wouldn't be surprised if Joey heard it. Stupid body and its stupid reactions. "That's a pretty good slogan, for us," he admitted.

"Yeah," Joey agreed, then surprised the shit out of Chris by kissing him softly on the mouth. "Um. 'Cause you, too," he said, then hurried inside.

* * *

The next time Chris saw Joey -- not that much later, maybe an hour or two -- he was standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom and staring at himself. Not exactly frowning, but close enough. "I want my goatee back," he said, when he saw Chris.

"Hey, I didn't take it!" said Chris, raising his hands in the air in a gesture of innocence, and grinning at him. "You should ask Justin ... he couldn't grow his own to save his life ... "

Joey flinched. "Yeah," he said, and Chris realized that apparently it hadn't been quite long enough yet to forget, for Joey. "I just ... I look like a guido, like this."

"I liked the goatee," said Chris approvingly, after a moment. "You should do that. I mean, you look good now, but the goatee makes you look more ... you."

Joey chuckled a little. "And my ma always says it make me look like a hoodlum. Maybe it's the same thing." He turned a little and leaned into the sink with his hip. "So what's up?"

"Something has to be up for me to want to use the bathroom?" asked Chris, then coughed politely as it occurred to him just where he could go with that comment.

Joey blushed anyway, and started to push past him. "Sorry," he laughed awkwardly. "Sorry. And I'm just hogging it staring at my ugly face. It's all you."

"No, no," said Chris, grabbing his arm. "If I was you I'd spend a lot of time admiring myself in the mirror, too. All that gorgeous stuff to look at. You sure you're done? Cause I'm happy to let you keep on doing that for as long as you want ... "

"Chris!" Joey said, blushing even harder. "You're such a jerk when you tease. Quit it." He didn't really try to pull his arm away, though, and Chris wondered if he was thinking of the way he'd kissed him earlier. The way Chris was, without a doubt.

"i'm not ... " said Chris immediately, then rolled his eyes dramatically. "Okay, okay, I'm a jerk for telling you that I think you're hot. And I bet I'd be a *real* asshole if I told you I thought you were fun, too, huh?"

"*Chris*!" Joey protested again, but laughing. "Seriously. You're making fun. And I guess, like, trying to cheer me up, which is nice, but. You don't have to. I'll get over my Timberlake inferiority thing sometime before I die."

"Oh shut. up," snorted Chris, shoving him lightly against the doorframe. "Like you've ever been inferior a day in your life. I may be a jerk, but I'm not a liar."

Joey stumbled against the door surprisingly easily, and sort of just stayed there. "Thanks," he said quietly, obviously finally getting that Chris was being serious for once. "Um, thanks, Chris."

"Yeah. Anytime," he muttered, not sure what to say now that Joey was paying attention to him, for real. "You look good, Joe. And don't think people aren't noticing."

"Thanks," he said again, then reached out for Chris hesitantly. "So you never told me," he said. "When we were talking before? Remember? the stuff about wanting different things when you're ... not fifteen. What you want, now."

"I kinda told you," argued Chris, a little bit teasingly. "I hinted. But honesty? I want someone that knows what they want. Someone who's not just experimenting anymore. Someone who's about as grown up as I am. 'Course, I should be careful what I wish for with that one, huh?"

"Why?" Joey cocked his head, looking sweetly confused. "What would be wrong with having someone who's ... who's, a grown-up?"

Chris had to smile back, it was useless to resist it. "I just meant ... 'cause there's a lot of jokers out there who'd say I'm not much of an adult. So I guess that, too. I want someone who's willing to see me as one."

"People that say that, they don't know you," Joey insisted. "They don't." Then he sort of looked embarassed again. "I guess I should let you ... you know. Get back to your business, there."

"Exactly my point," said Chris, grabbing hold of his arm again, trying not to give too much away, but trying not to *throw* it away, either. "I need someone who knows me well enough to know that I'm not always a big kid. Just most of the time."

Joey backed up against the doorframe again, curling around it, watching Chris. "So, um," he said. "Are you, like, looking?"

"Casually," said Chris, refusing to give in to the urge to press up against him. That was too much, too fast, too crude. "A little." He looked Joey up and down and smiled at him. "Do I look like I'm looking?"

Joey's eyes were wide, but Chris was impressed with how little else he was showing. "You look like you're looking at me," he said carefully.

"Would it be so bad if I was?" asked Chris, still just inside Joey's personal space and not moving back. Not backing down in any way, not when he'd already in so far. Further than he'd ever thought he would. "Would it be so bad if I maybe have been for a while?"

"Not bad," Joey said, his voice cracking a little and making his blush spread. "No, not bad. But Chris ... I'm not really so grown up ... "

"You're about as grown up as I am," said Chris, a little quieter, a little more significantly.

Joey's eyes went even wider. "This isn't just cause I kissed you, is it?" he asked, slipping down the wall just a little so they were at eye level.

"Maybe you missed the part where I mentioned that I might've been thinking about this for a while?" said Chris, raising his eyebrows as he looked at him. Joey was still frustratingly unreadable. "It's not ... that's just what gave me the balls to tell you."

"And it's not just because you're feeling sorry for me?" he went on, like Chris hadn't even spoken. "Seriously, Chris? Cause I know you, or I'm getting to, and I'm not sure you wouldn't say that, or do that, just to make me feel better ... "

"I'm not feeling *sorry* for you," Chris blurted out, going back to just staring at him again. "Why the hell would I feel *sorry* for you? You have the body of a god, a great smile, a great personality, a great voice, a million friends ... and I'm supposed to feel *sorry* for you? No. And even if I did, I'd just ... bake you cookies, or something. I wouldn't go offering myself to you."

Something in that list of things he said made Joey surge up from the wall and capture Chris's lips in another kiss -- completely different from the first. It was still a little clumsy, but so much deeper. And eager. And promising.

This was the kind of thing that Chris imagined doing with him sometimes, deep and wet and enthusiastic. And not perfect, never perfect, but making him feel so, so desired. He just hoped that Joey could tell he was kissing back with the same enthusiasm.

His arms came around Chris awkwardly, clumsily, too, but it just meant that their bodies were even closer together and that was nothing at all for Chris to complain about.

He really didn't think Joey did this with guys much anymore, not the way his arms and hands groped for the right way to hang on to him, but it didn't matter. Because he had, and he didn't hesitated to just go for what he wanted now, and that was what *Chris* wanted.

"Well," he said breathlessly in a moment between kisses. "I'm glad you accepted the offer."

"You told me I have the body of a god," Joey panted softly in return. "Like I'm going to say no after that."

"You do," said Chris, laughing softly at how *that* was what had triggered this response in Joey, just a simple, true compliment like that. "You really do, Joey."

Joey just kissed him again, with the slightest bit more confidence, lifting his hands to Chris's face in a move that seemed much more familiar for him. He licked at Chris's teeth, then pulled back, grinning. "Braces," he said. "Dangerous."

"Oh don't," murmured Chris, nudging him a little and flushing to have him point that out. "I'm not going to *injure* you or something ... "

"I'm not worried," Joey just grinned, standing there with his palms still on Chris's jaw, waiting for something -- waiting for something from him. "Just saying it could be."

Chris sighed in resignation and poked at him and tried to kiss him again. "How about if I promise not to damage any vital organs?" he offered. "When I actually have the chance to get near any. Will that satisfy you?"

That actually made Joey blush a little again and tilt his head to kiss Chris quickly. "Um, so. About that. Like ... what do you think you can do? I mean. How far can we take this?"

"You're asking me?" said Chris, a little surprised. "I'm not gonna draw a line somewhere and say we can only go X far, Joey. Are there things that *you* don't want to do with *me*? Is that what you're trying to say?"

"No, no!" Joey said quickly. "No, god. I just ... you know. Guess I kinda wanted to know where you were coming from. If, you know, this was kind of just a casual convenience thing since you like me and think I'm hot but don't want to actually ... you know, SEX sex."

"Yes, I want to have sex with you!" said Chris, grinning -- self-consciously now, though, after that -- and rolling his eyes at him. "There, it's spelled out for you. Are we all clear on how hot I am for you now?"

"I just didn't know," Joey said, a little shyly and a little apologetically. "If you did that. Sorry." He managed to look down at Chris but look like he was looking up, biting his lip totally fetchingly until it was redder than it normally was.

"Well, um, given the whole conversation we just had?" Chris reminded him, tugging him closer again. "I think you have a really, really good idea of just what I do. What I've *been* doing, for a pretty long time. And now ... who I'd like to do it with, too."

"Lucky me, I think," said Joey, going willingly to him but then letting his weight drag them both back against the doorframe. "I'm a little ... it's been a little while."

Chris had to laugh at that. "A while?" he scoffed. "Are you trying to tell me you *didn't* pick someone up last night and bring her back with you? I won't believe you ... I know you better than *that*, at least."

"No, no," Joey said, blushing again and looking at Chris a little accusingly. "You *know* what I meant. A while since a guy."

"Oh!" said Chris. "Right. I ... actually, no, I *didn't* know what you meant, for a second there. Sometimes ... in my head? A lot of the time it's the same thing, guys and girls. Huh. Like, twenty seconds after I find out you're into guys I make the same assumptions about you. Oops."

At least it seemed to make Joey relax a little again, whether he believed him or not, and he smiled. "I'd never think of them the same way," he said, letting a hand drift down Chris's stomach only just a bit awkwardly. "The good parts are different."

"That depends entirely on what you consider the good parts," murmured Chris, but Joey's meaning was quite clear, and it was as much as he could hope for. "There been anyone? Since JC?"

"Yeah," Joey admitted. "It really was a long time ago, Chris. I'm over him, we're over each other, if that's what you're worried about." It wasn't what Chris meant at all, but it was notable that that was how Joey took it.

"You talk to him?" asked Chris, using every ounce of his self-control to be careful about asking that, to not be too pushy. "About the whole thing with Justin? Work that out?"

"What? no," Joey said. "You mean since ... since we were outside? No. I'll ... it's not a big deal, Chris. I'll talk to him later. He had his reasons and they don't have to do with me, I'm sure." His fingers slipped to Chris's waistband. "So yeah. There've been guys since him."

Chris smiled at him again, slowly, a little reassured by that. "Good," he said, pressing closer to him. "Then you *do* know what you want. I wanted to be sure of that, Joey."

"I could be lying to you," Joey said, a smile teasing at his own lips as he curled his fingers against Chris's skin. "Maybe I'm just telling you what I think you need to hear?"

"You wouldn't do that," said Chris, leaning in to Joey's neck and grazing his teeth along it carefully. "We've already established I can do damage. You wouldn't want to give me any reason to."

"Kinky," Joey whispered, before pulling Chris's head back and kissing him deeply again. That was one thing Chris was learning about Joey: he certainly didn't lack enthusiasm.

Chris would've laughed if he could have, if his mouth hadn't already been busy keeping up with Joey's "Kinky," he said finally. "is just about the best thing you could've called that. Thank you."

Joey just smiled, that huge beautiful smile, and tugged on Chris's shirt. "So, um," he said. "We doing this? When? Where? When? How soon?"

Chris was back to staring at him for a moment, on the verge of laughing again just at that eagerness. To be with *him*. "Um. We have rehearsal to get back to, I think. Unless everyone gave up on us and went home. Tonight? Maybe?"

"Maybe?" Joey echoed a little worriedly. "S'there something wrong with tonight? or are you ... h, maybe you have plans already?"

"No, no, nothing wrong with tonight," said Chris, shaking his head firmly. "The maybe was in case *you* had plans. I mean, god knows you usually do, Joe. But tonight ... would be really good for me. Really good."

"Oh, me, nothing that can't be dropped. At all." He grinned again. "Especially for this. And now you're totally gonna give me shit for being so, like, cheesy-excited about it. Aren't you."

"No," said Chris with a grin in return, less conscious of it this time. "I'm a little excited, too. More than a little. I'm a lot excited. I'd be bouncing if I wasn't trying to look incredibly cool and suave for you."

"I can't tell," Joey insisted. "But god, now I totally don't want to go dance any more. Not like this. I want ... I want to just go home with you and do ... not dancing."

"Consider the dancing practice," teased Chris, wishing the exact same thing as Joey was. "I'll be watching you. Watching the way you move your hips. Watching the way you stick your tongue in the corner of your mouth when you're concentrating." He laughed again when he was the expression on Joey's face. "What, you think I don't notice these things about you?"

Joey just nodded with wide eyes, and then smiled slowly. Then laughed himself. "I can't believe this!" he giggled, his eyes bright. "Seriously. Chris. I had no idea. And ... especially if you thought I was straight?"

"Why do you think I never said anything?" said Chris, nudging him again with his elbow. "Of course I thought you were straight, all those girls, and how was *I* supposed to know about you and JC? Did everyone know except me, or something?"

Joey shrugged, looking apologetic. "Well, I mean. Justin did, because ... because when, the show. Was when. But I don't know if Lance knows. Doubt it, I guess. Either way ... doesn't matter. I'm not and that's the important part."

"That *is* the important part," agreed Chris quickly, like Joey was likely to change his mind about that or something if Chris didn't take him up on it. "Don't think I'm gonna forget that any time soon."

"Don't think I'll let you, any time soon," Joey replied, leering, but still a little cautious. Like he was afraid that Chris would change *his* mind. "Can I get a ride and stuff? to your place, I mean."

"Yeah, sure," said Chris easily. "What, you think I'm gonna make you find your own way there, when I can get you into my bed ten times faster?" He paused and tried to read Joey's reaction. "I'm serious. About wanting you. Just so you know."

"I'm still surprised about that, but seriously happy," Joey grinned. "And see? cheesy-excited. I just ... never would have thought I had a chance."

"Why not?" asked Chris, slipping his fingers up under Joey's shirt, deliberately. "I didn't even know ... I never would've thought you would've even noticed me. Like that. But you knew about me ... why wouldn't you think I'd notice *you*?"

"Cause you're smart and I'm a goof-off?" He was smiling, but he seemed perfectly serious. "And ... I don't know. Your tastes seem to run to blond and pretty, I guess. There's a lot of reasons but they're not important."

"You don't know a thing about my tastes yet," Chris told him, running his hand up highter. "But you will. Soon. I'm gonna make sure you know *exactly* what my tastes run to. All right?"

Joey nodded, sucking in a breath when Chris's fingers must have brushed a soft spot. "Okay, stop," he whispered. "Or it's gonna take half an hour for my dick to go back down."

Chris hadn't even been looking for that, not consciously, but when he looked Joey *was* visibly hard, straining against his pants. "Um ... oops?" he offered, not feeling very sorry for that at all. It wasn't like Joey didn't do the same thing to him.

"Probably will anyway," he went on, not looking ashamed in the least. "Gonna make dancing tough." He reached down to adjust himself, his eyes falling shut and his lips parting a little when his hand touched the fabric.

"Not like half the group isn't dancing like that already," muttered Chris, giving him another grin. "We'll manage. Should probably learn how for the next time it happens. And the next. And the next."

Joey opened his eyes slowly, then looked at his watch. Then looked up at the doorway they were standing in and then the door, significantly. "They haven't started looking for us yet," he murmured.

"Is that a hint?" asked Chris, not stopping the movements of his fingers along Joey's skin. "Are you sure you're okay with things going this fast? Cause frankly, Joey? I could go down on you right here and now, if you wanted me to."

Joey exhaled with a sharp burst of breath he must have been holding, and tugged Chris back inside and slammed the door behind them all in one movement. And then actually pushed down on Chris's shoulders with an eager and shameless grin.

Chris laughed again and let his hands slide down Joey's body. He'd find out soon enough how much Chris enjoyed this part of being with guys, even though it was a bit harder now than it used to be. He'd always loved it.

"Patience," he warned him, sinking his fingers into the backs of Joey's thighs as his knees hit the ground.

"You offered," came Joey's voice from above him, sounding strangled. "God, I can't ... I feel like I'm totally dreaming this, like, hallucinating ... "

"Yeah, well, I might've offered, but if you grab my ears, I'm biting," teased Chris, letting go to reach for Joey's fly. "You're not dreaming this. The totally hot Chris Kirkpatrick is really on his knees in front of you in a bathroom, ready to go down on you."

"Okay, not hallucinating either," Joey practically squeaked, when Chris actually touched him. "And no ears, got it." He did rest a surprisingly gentle hand on the back of Chris's neck, though.

Chris didn't waste any time getting his fly open, tugging his pants down to mid-thigh. A bathroom wasn't the place for romance, and they'd both been around enough to know it. Then suddenly Joey was right there, in front of him, thick and hard and steady, and Chris wanted nothing more than to lick him. So he did.

Joey's cock twitched in his hand in response, and when Chris glanced up at his face he was blushing and staring right back. "May I have another?" he teased softly, and not a little anxiously.

"Shhh," said Chris with a wink and licked him again, wetly and enthusiastically. Joey tasted good, almost better than he'd been expecting, and he wanted more of it, now. He lifted up on his knees a little and took the head into his mouth, sucking on it gently, just enough to taste.

Joey keened softly and tried to encourage Chris closer with everything *except* the hand on his neck ... with his hips, and his voice, and the way his legs spread a little.

Chris opened his jaw wide, carefully sliding Joey further inside and tonguing him repeatedly. He loved the feeling of that, of his tongue sliding over a guy's -- Joey's -- cock.

"Fuck, Chris," he groaned, hitting his fist on the cabinet under the sink he was leaning against. "Fuck. Do I ... shit, yeah ... do I have to be quiet?"

Chris slipped his lips off again and gave him another thorough lick. "Well, you're free to announce to whoever you like what we're doing in here," he said reasonably before taking Joey back into his mouth again. Licking wasn't enough.

"You're right," Joey moaned quietly. "Shit." The next time Chris looked up, he had his other hand in front of his face, biting his thumb *hard*.

Part of Chris was totally aroused, seeing him like that, seeing the flash of his teeth on flesh like that. And part of him was amused, very sure that Joey wouldn't be able to keep it up for very long. He knew he was good at this, and Joey would be making noise again any moment now.

He didn't for a *long* moment, though -- just surprised Chris by letting go of his neck so he could grip the sink with tense fingers, and kept chewing on his hand. But he did, finally, start whimpering around the digit, sounding almost pained.

Chris wanted him to let go, tried to encourage him with his lips and mouth and tongue. It hadn't been *that* long since he'd done this. He couldn't have lost his touch. And based on those desperate whimpers, he hadn't.

"Okay," he blurted finally, his breaths coming faster and faster as he tried to squirm away, trapped where he was by the sink. "Okay, Chris, okay ... " He was obviously about to come, and just as obviously wanting Chris to pull off if he was going to.

No way in hell Chris was gonna do that. They were in a bathroom; he could clean up just fine if it got messy. He just kept licking, then sucking and pressing his tongue flat against the underside of Joey's cock, right where the bundle of nerves was.

Joey half-grunted, half-shouted, and clutched at both of Chris's shoulders when he started coming. Hard, and long -- impressively, surprisingly long.

Chris struggled to keep up, careful not to scrape his teeth against Joey's tender skin, and ended up slipping his lips off before Joey had finished coming completely, swallowing and then wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. That was unexpected, but definitely not unwanted.

"Sorry," Joey gasped, slumping against the sink with closed eyes. "Sorry. Just ... yeah. Been a while. I ... said that before. Damn, Chris."

"You said it had been a while since you'd been with a guy," Chris reminded him, licking his lips thoroughly, then licking Joey's cock again gently. "Girls can do *this*."

"No, they can't," Joey said firmly, opening his eyes again and reaching down tentatively to rub his thumb over Chris's lips. "No. Damn."

Chris gave him a satisfied grin. "Well, maybe not *quite* like that," he admitted. "But then, all guys can't do it quite like that either."

"Yeah, no kidding," Joey murmured, then held his hand up. "Yeah, we might have to skip to the fucking, on my part."

"That's not exactly what I meant," said Chris, licking him again to make sure he was cleaned up. "But it's good to know that I left you happy. And hopefully wanting more."

"Definitely wanting more," Joey agreed, tugging on Chris's hair when he felt his tongue. "Okay, okay. The whole going-down-on-me thing so I'm not trying to dance with a boner won't help if you give me another ... "

"Just didn't want to put you away sticky," murmured Chris, tugging Joey's pants and underwear back up but leaving the fly open. "I'm a gentleman, after all."

Joey grinned. "Are not," he teased, reaching down to help him to his feet, and then leaning down in jerky movements to kiss him. "Thanks," he whispered.

"Any time," said Chris sincerely, licking at Joey's lips. "Any time you need a helping hand, my mouth'll be right there before you even have to ask."

Joey's eyes went wide again, but he just let Chris lead him out of the bathroom, scrabbling to zip up before they reached the practice room. Chris hadn't thought it was possible for him to want rehearsals to be over even quicker, until he had something like Joey to look forward to.

* * *

"Look," said Chris, grabbing Joey's arm before he could duck away to get some water. "Joey ... if you don't want them to know, then you're gonna have to stop looking at me like that. And if you *do* want them to know ... well hey, I'm fine with that, I get to show you off, you can shout it from the rooftops. But how you're being right now ... they're gonna know whether you want them to or not."

"It's just ... " Joey started, staring and then visibly forcing himself to look away. "I just. Never considered it, like seriously, and so ... I don't know, I can't help it." He tried to reach for Chris's shirt hem. "Plus I'm ready to go. We need to go. You got to see me and I want to see you ... "

"You know, if you're ashamed of being with me, how about you just say so," muttered Chris, looking away from Joey as well. "I don't mind doing this all private, between us, but ... nevermind. I think we can go now."

"What?" Joey looked confused, and even a little hurt. "What did I say? I'm not ... where did you even *get* that from?" He did manage to snag Chris's shirt, and fisted his hand in it.

Chris just shrugged at him, forcing away any hurt *he* might've been feeling. He was good at that. "Just not wanting them to know. It's fine, Joey, it doesn't matter. Why should you want to tell them who you're screwing around with, right? We can go."

Joey backed up. "But ... I didn't *say* that. I didn't even ... we can tell them! I just, I don't know. Seemed like something I didn't really want to share until it happened, I guess."

"It's fine, Joey," said Chris again, glancing over at where JC seemed to be watching them curiously. "It's fine. He's looking ... do you want me to go out first? Do we need to go anywhere before we go back to my place?"

"*Chris*," Joey said, pleadingly. "I'm serious. Where's this coming from? I'm ... you don't even seem like you want to, now."

"No, I do," said Chris quietly. "I do. Want to. Still. A lot. Let's just ... go and worry about it later, how you want to do this, okay? You don't have to want to tell them, I just want to know what it's gonna be, is all."

"You don't even know if you're going to like me," he replied. "It may not ... we can totally talk about this, just ... " He glanced over and saw JC too, and gave him an automatic grin. "You're right, we should go."

"Of course I'm gonna like you," said Chris immediately, leading the way out, both of them still sweaty. "I already like you. Just what do you think I'm not gonna like about you, Joey?"

"Well, just," Joey said, still following eagerly. "I mean. In bed."

"In bed?" repeated Chris, just a little too loudly. "Are you kidding me?" He glanced around and lowered his voice again. "I'm sure you're great," he said. "But even ... I mean, that's not an inherent thing. We can always practice."

Joey chuckled. "Yeah." He rocked back on his heels while he waited for Chris to unlock the car. "I mean, I am great, but that doesn't mean you don't still intimidate me, a little. Even more, after the bathroom ... "

Chris just stared and then laughed again; he never ceased to be amazed by some of the things that came out of Joey's mouth. "No one's asking you to be the maestro of blowjobs," he assured him, lettig him tinot he car. "I suck on things every day, I was bound to get good at it."

"Maybe I can practice that too," Joey grinned shamelessly, climbing in. "Not first, though. You gotta at least let me start with the stuff I *know* I do well."

"Which is what,then?" asked Chris, pulling out of the lot then wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "Actually, we start with showers. *Then* we can do whatever you like."

"Showers, yeah," Joey nodded. "And ... I dunno. Guess you'll have to wait and see! Unless you really want me to talk about it here." He reached over playfully to slip a hand under the leg of Chris's damp shorts.'

Chris slapped his hand playfully. "No jerking off the driver. Leads to blindness and car accidents." Then he let his hand just rest on top of Joey's, comfortably. "Does it involve my ass in any way?"

"It could," Joey replied immediately. "If you were into that kind of thing, it definitely could." His fingers were soft and still warm, on Chris's thigh.

"There's not much I'm not into," admitted Chris candidly, glancing sideways at Joey when they hit a red light. "But I think maybe you already guessed that about me, huh?"

"Me too," Joey insisted. "Any nervousness is just ... you know, like I said. S'been a while. Not 'cause I'm new to it."

"I'm counting on that," Chris reminded him. "I trust you, that you're okay with this. And hell, you certainly seemed okay in the bathroom, there, so I'm not worried."

Joey grinned cheekily. "Actually, getting head's probably the thing I do best. It's only going downhill from there."

"Well, as long as you didn't freak out to see my head between your legs and not some girl's, we're doing good," said Chris, squeezing his hand. "Getting head is awesome, though. Not as good as giving it, but close."

"Where have *you* been all my life," Joey teased, letting his fingers slip up Chris's leg even more. "And ... no, freaking out was not my first reaction to seeing your head between my legs. almost coming on your face was probably more like it."

"Let's avoid that if we can," laughed Chris, squirming and shifting down his his seat so Joey could get even further. "I'd rather have you come in my throat, if it's all the same to you. I just need to learn to swallow faster."

That, finally, made Joey blush. "Yeah, sorry about that. I just. Forgot what it was like, with a guy. And a guy you trust and aren't really shy around. I just kind of ... let everything go."

"Hey, don't apologize," said Chris immediately. "I ain't complaining, here. Just promising that next time, that last little bit will be even better for you. For us."

"Even better?" Joey repeated. "Um. I may not be able to come for a week after. Which might crimp our plans, man."

"Oh please," laughed Chris, shifting in his seat again. "You're young. It would take you less than an hour to get it up again, even if I totally sucked your brains out through your dick."

Joey's fingers tightened. "Um, you can try that sometime," he said quickly. "I won't say no."

"I wouldn't let you say no, to that," teased Chris, pulling his car up the lane. "Okay. We're here. Hurry up and get naked."

"You want me to go first?" he asked, tumbling out the door. "Or, um. Are we getting in together? The shower, I mean." He looked like he was about to tug his shirt off right there.

"Whatever," said Chris, giving him a last nudge. "Just get inside and get naked. That's the only important thing right now. Things. Whatever."

Joey grinned at Chris's obvious enthusiasm, the first he may have shown, and *did* tear off his shirt as he waited for Chris to open the door. He could barely keep from staring at the younger man.

"Go, go," said Chris, patting him on the ass as he let him into the building. "You know the way. I'm right behind you. Watching."

"Yeah?" Joey grinned, turning and shaking his ass a little, then laughing and dashing up the stairs two at a time.

Chris did watch his ass as Joey headed up the stairs, and certainly not for the first time. Just the first time he'd actually told him about it. He thought about calling up after him, but didn't want to be overheard, so he just followed. "You still need my keys, you know," he reminded him instead.

"You said you were right behind me," Joey complained, leaning back against the wall and waiting, then shoving his shirt under his arm so he could start undoing his pants.

"Not *here*," laughed Chris, catching up and holding them closed with his hand. "Wait 'til we're inside, then you can be all the kinds of naked you want to be." He did kiss him, though; there was no one else on the stairs to see.

Joey practically lifted him up when he yanked him against him, his own back against the wall, and kissed him back. He'd forgotten how strong the guy was.

It was the kind of kiss that he didn't want to end, that should've led to something else, and Chris groped for his keys again even as their lips were still pressed together. They were so close to being inside now, where they didn't have to watch their backs. Not that they were at the moment anyway.

"Shower with me," Joey mumbled into his mouth when Chris started pushing him closer to the door. "Faster. In and out."

"All right, all right," said Chris. He'd never imagined, when the day had started, that it would end up here. With Joey desperate to get into his cramped little shower with him, and then into his bed after that. "Lemme open up, Joey."

He slipped out from between Chris and the door just to drape himself over Chris's back, sucking slowly at the nape of his neck. "Faster," he said again.

Chris managed to get the key in the lock through sheer willpower, he thought, because he certainly wasn't coordinated enough to do much else except push the door open and let the both of them tumble inside. And hope the security cameras were fucked up again, like they always were, so there wasn't some kind of permanent record of that display.

"Faster," Joey laughed, tugging Chris's hands off his pants so he could tear them back open and push them over his hips. And just like that, he was more naked and as hard as he had been in the bathroom.

"What, you want to do it right here?" said Chris, gaping at him. Joey was an adult, yes, but still ... so, so young. And eager. And there was nothing wrong with being that, either. "I'm still dressed."

"You said inside and naked," Joey accused, grinning shamelessly. "And you said shower first. So come on."

"Good lord," muttered Chris under his breath as he struggled out of his clothes. Inside and naked and showered indeed. "Go get towels. The two big yellow ones. I'll meet you in the bathroom." Otherwise, he suspected, they might never get there.

Joey just kept grinning and backed away, still shameless, and now shamelessly leering at Chris. "Waiting for you's harder than that rehearsal was."

"You've only been waiting about 30 seconds," said Chris, taking off his shirt and throwing it at him. "Go!" As soon as Joey was out of sight Chris could regroup, get in control of the situation again. And *then* go and shower with him.

"I'm *going*," Joey protested, batting the shirt away and sticking out his tongue lewdly before finally turning around and and sauntering down the hall. He had no idea Joey could saunter.

He had no idea Joey would be like that at *all* really; he *had* imagined it, but all he'd ever seen was when Joey was trying to pick up women, and this wasn't the least bit like that. He took some deep breaths as he stripped the rest of his clothes off, leaving them on a chair, then started following him to the bathroom. Slowly.

He hadn't even started the water, but he had gotten the towels: they were sitting on the counter right next to where he was perched, hunched over a little with his legs spread. "You're slow," he accused.

"And you're a brat," Chris countered, leaning up to give him a kiss. He was pretty sure that wasn't what Joey was waiting for, but it was what *he* wanted. And it was very nice. "Are you always this impatient to get your hands on my hot bod?"

"From now on, yes," Joey replied, trying to wrap his legs around him and tug him closer. "I was waiting, like, an hour."

"You were waiting, like, a minute," laughed Chris, kissing him again, but not too hard. "And you smell. We really, really need to shower."

Joey blinked at him, then just shrugged and pushed him away so he could hop down. "Okay, move, then." He knelt with one knee on the edge of the tub and turned on the pesky faucet.

As soon as Joey's back was to him, Chris ran his fingers down Joey's spine, right to his waist. "I can feel your muscles," he noted quietly, barely audible over the sound of the running water. "You're really hard."

Joey turned his head just enough for Chris to see his profile. "Yeah?" he said. "Not like Justin, though. Or C."

"No, like you," said Chris, running his hand up again. "Thick and solid. Justin's different, he's still a boy. And JC is ...not you either."

"Solid," Joey repeated, ducking his head again with a very quiet snort. "JC's got muscles; more'n me, probably."

"I don't want to see JC naked, though," said Chris, leaning forward to kiss his back. It felt strange to be doing that, but Joey seemed to like it well enough. "I don't care if he has more muscles than you."

"Yeah?" Joey turned a little again, then reached over to turn on the shower and stepped carefully inside, tilting his face to the water immediately.

"You know it," said Chris, automatically stepping in behind him and closing the curtain, Joey had the water really hot. "You know what I want, Joey, I think I was pretty clear about it. Once things were finally said."

"I guess you were," Joey murmured, turning under the spray to face him. "I really had no idea, before."

Chris took the chance to kiss him again, then gave him a broad grin. "Well, now you know," he said. "It would've really sucked if you'd said no. I ... well, I wasn't really looking at anyone else, you know? Just you."

"And Justin," Joey reminded him. Which was ballsy, really, given the way Chris had reacted when he'd brought that up before.

"I was trying to avoid looking at Justin," he said tightly, clenching one hand into a fist just to do something with the tension. He could feel his nails dig into his skin. "I never looked at him like I looked at you. I wouldn't."

"Okay, I know," Joey said, closing his eyes and letting the shower pound at the back of his neck, before turning and sticking his face in the water again and scrubbing at it.

"You look really great when you're wet," Chris blurted out, watching him. "All that water just sliding down you and off you ... " He ran his hand down Joey's chest and this time didn't stop at his waist.

Joey pressed back against him immediately, then twisted in his arms and practically shoved Chris under the water himself. "Just rinse off," he said brusquely. "Hurry. Please? I want ... you know what I want."

"You don't want this first?" said Chris, watching for Joey's reaction as he touched him. "And then bed? I don't mind ... I can do both ... "

"God, Chris," Joey obviously gave in, letting go of his arms and just standing slack for him to do whatever he would, to Joey's body.

"You're young," Chris reminded him with another grin. "You'll recover quick enough." Then before Joey could reply he was slipping down his body, wanting Joey's cock back in his mouth again.

"Fuuuck," Joey gritted out. "Didn't we just talk about what would happen if you did this?" He leaned over, reaching to brace himself against the wall, over Chris's head.

"Promise not to suck your brain out this time," said Chris, right before starting to lick at Joey's cock. He could feel the water dripping off his face but it didn't matter, didn't bother him at all, he just kept on licking at him, mouthing at him, then finally sucking on him again.

"Chris!" Joey blurted out, almost losing his balance. "You don't have to *do* this ... "

But it definitely wasn't a matter of *having* to do anything, and the sooner Joey realized that Chris would go down on him whenever, wherever and for no good reason, the better. So he just curled his hands around the back of Joey's thighs and sucked.

"Fuck," Joey whimpered, then shouted it. "Fuck!" And he was coming, head thrown back and eyes closed and not quite as much as before but no less hard. Not at all.

Chris swallowed it all this time, and kept Joey in his mouth long after he finished coming, right to the point where he started to soften again. And even then, he waited a few moments longer before sliding his mouth off and just kneeling there, in front of him. "Nice," he murmured appreciatively.

"What is," Joey exhaled, his eyes still closed for another minute even after that, before he opened them and reached around to shut off the water.

"You are," said Chris, stroking his thighs, noticing as Joey's legs trembled, just slightly. "That was. This is."

Joey just laughed lightly, and reached down to help Chris to his feet. "But now you have to wait," he grinned, pullinh him close for a kiss. "I'm worthless for at least half an hour."

"I can wait," Chris assured him, gripping his own erection for just a moment before letting go and reaching for the curtain. "Half an hour? Gives us time for foreplay."

"I could ... " Joey started, reaching around Chris's body to touch him where he'd just touched himself. "If you don't want to wait, I could ... "

Chris shivered and pushed back against him without even thinking about it, then laughed. "Okay, yeah," he admitted. "That might be ... good. Yeah."

"Bedroom, though?" Joey said a little huskier, fondling Chris gently as they both stepped out of the tub. "I don't think I bend like you ... "

"Bend?" laughed Chris breathlessly, helpless to do anything but move where Joey encouraged him. "Wasn't my lack of ability there what got us here in the first place?"

Joey laughed. "Your lack of confidence, maybe," he disagreed, grabbing the towels and dropping one on Chris's head. "But yeah, bedroom, I think."

"Bedroom," agreed Chris, grabbing the towel and swatting at Joey at the same time. "Get dry first. No messing up my sheets."

"Okay, okay," Joey protested, wrapping the towel around his waist and giving Chris another grin as he walked down the hall. "You know, that deadly *water* and all."

"Hey, you ever tried sleeping in a wet bed? With no one to fix it up for you? Not fun." He flicked his towel at Joey before wrapping it around himself. "That's all I'm sayin'."

"And all *I'm* sayin' is that we won't be sleeping for a while," Joey grinned, tugging on Chris's towel playfully as soon as he had it on.

"Yeah, well, doin' *that* on a wet bed isn't much fun either. It chafes." Chris tugged on Joey's towel in return. "And don't ask me how I know that, just trust me."

"I can do it on the floor," Joey said, pressing up against Chris's back as they made it to the bedroom. "Or get down on my knees, with you up against the door ... "

Chris paused and pressed back against him. "Okay," he murmured, not really caring which of those it was. "Sure. Let's do that. Just put me where you want me, Joey, I know you can ... "

"Remember," Joey said, his voice low. "It's been a while. But Jace said he liked it, so ... " He *did* put Chris where he wanted him, pulling his towel off the rest of the way and pushing him against the edge of the bed.

"I'm sure I'll like it," Chris assured him, but Joey didn't seem to need any assurance now. Seemed to know just exactly what he was doing and how to do it.

Joey gave him a sweet, wet kiss, before grinning and slipping down his body, holding Chris's hips in his big, warm hands. "How long does this mean *I'll* have to wait?" he asked teasingly.

"Not long," said Chris with a soft moan, struggling not to tumble back onto the bed. "Not long at all. I'm not *that* much older than you. Some people might even call me young."

"Some people," Joey echoed, then fell quiet as he just studied Chris's erection, right in front of him. Without even having to move his fingers from Chris's hipbones, he brushed just the pad of his thumb over the head of his cock, and hummed a little.

"Tease," said Chris mildly, though he couldn't help the little hitch in his breath as Joey touched him. "You know I haven't gotten off yet at all today ... "

"I know," Joey murmured, still not looking up *or* leaning close enough to put his mouth on him. "I'm awful and selfish."

"You absolutely are," teased Chris, pushing himself closer to Joey's mouth. "You're evil, too. Aren't you gonna ... don't you want to ... ?"

"Yes," Joey breathed, closing his eyes. He parted his lips and pulled gently on Chris's hips, letting just the head of his cock inside his mouth. He sucked gently. SO gently.

"Oh," said Chris breathily, half sigh and half exclamation. He wasn't sure he'd be standing up for much longer, not even braced against the bed. Joey was being so gentle; even knowing that Joey was out of practice, Chris hadn't quite expected that.

He was slow in pulling off, only to slip his tongue around him almost agonizingly slowly before taking him inside again. Chris could feel Joey's nails digging into his skin, and realized he was doing it that slowly on purpose.

"Jesus, Joey," he muttered, forcing himself not to reach of Joey's hair or any other part of his head, knowing he would probably try to tug it forward if he did. "Just ... god. Please?"

"This is how I do this," he whispered, the next time he pulled his lips off with a wet sound. "You don't like it, tell me what you want different." He sounded the tiniest bit defensive but more than that, quietly eager-to-please.

"No, good!" said Chris quickly. "Just ... " His legs shook and he let himself tumble back onto the bed, wet back and hair and all. "Can't stand up. Try now."

Joey smiled and let his hands move to the top of Chris's thighs. He spread them a little, then held them to the bed as he resumed his achingly slow attentions; broad shoulders hunched.

Joey's mouth was just so warm and wet as he carefully went over little bit of flesh on Chris's dick. Chris had thought he would be quick and maybe a little sloppy, not this. Not this at all.

His thumbs slipped down the inside of Chris's thighs, teasing at the crease, teasing at his balls as he took even more length into his mouth. Still slow, with careful pressure and careful suction and careful tonguing that just made Chris want to tug on his hair even more.

"Jesus, Joey," he blurted out again, gripping the blankets in his fists instead. He really wasn't sure how much of this he could take, how much it would take to get him off.

He *absolutely* shocked Chris when he felt himself slide to the back of his throat -- not all the way, not by a long shot, but *much* deeper than Chris would have expected.

No wonder JC had been happy with it. And if this was what Joey could do when he hadn't done it in a while, Chris had a lot to look forward to. "I'll warn you," he promised, gasping it out, "when I'm about to ... "

Joey just squeezed his eyes tighter and kept doing exactly what he was doing, obviously just as reluctant to miss that part as Chris had been, with him.

"Joey, Joey," he said, finally reaching out and gripping his shoulder. "Fuck, Joey! I'm gonna ... " What Joey did now, it was up to him. He knew he had about ten seconds, tops.

Joey didn't really do much with that information, besides maybe slip a thumb just behind Chris's balls, and finally open his eyes back up to watch Chris's face.

Chris closed his own eyes when he came, and practically saw stars. Especially when it slammed into his brain that *Joey* had done this to him. Joey. On his knees in front of him. Chris's dick in Joey's mouth. And he was coming hard.

Joey swallowed, swallowed everything, and then gave Chris a little taste of his own medicine by continuing to suck on him even once he started to soften. Making happy, contented noises.

Chris just lay there, eyes closed, panting and trying not to look *too* needy. One hand was still on Joey's shoulder, the other he finally loosened and lay flat against his own thigh. "Wow," he said, then laughed a little. "Joey. Dude."

"What?" Joey picked his head up slowly, then rested his chin on Chris's thigh too. "God, it's been too long, I think."

"You've must've been practicing on *something*, that's for damn sure," murmured Chris, tugging him a little to get him up next to him on the bed. "Too good to be an amateur."

"No, I *haven't*," Joey insisted, pressing up next to him. "Just. What's that thing, like, muscle memory, or whatever? Maybe it's that. God knows I've done it *enough*, before. Just not lately."

"I don't need to know how much you went down on JC," teased Chris, still a little breathless. "Especially not since you were, like, 16 at the time. I wasn't that good when *I* was sixteen. Dammit."

Joey just grinned back. "JC had very specific tastes," he chuckled. "And anyway. You're better than me now, so what does it matter?"

"I give better blowjobs than god," snorted Chris. "That doesn't mean much. And I *do* spend most of my free time sucking on things. It's bound to make a difference. Not that ... I mean, fuck that was good, Joey."

"Thanks," Joey ducked his head. "I'm glad I didn't disappoint. Still dealing with the whole inferiority thing, here."

"That's ridiculous," said Chris, rolling onto his side to kiss him. "There is no inferiority thing here. At all. Ever. Except the part where you're smokin' hot and I'm kinda just there. But I give a mean blowjob so it works out in the end."

"Shut up," Joey said, kissing him back. "Just shut up, about that. Everytime you say something about it, it makes me think you just are because of Justin, so ... if you're not, just stop." He grinned. "You do give a mean blowjob. That's a much better backhanded compliment."

"You shut up," mumbled Chris back at him. "Don't bring anyone else into this bed. Ain't nobody else invited but you and me."

"Kay," Joey said easily, biting Chris's lip playfully. "*God*, I seriously forgot what that feels like, though. I'm all ... warm and half-hard again, and, like, stupidly pleased with myself."

Chris grinned at him. "You *should* be stupidly pleased with yourself. You were well on your way to some brain-sucking of your own."

"Naw," Joey said, letting his head -- and wet hair -- drop back on Chris's pillow. "So now what." He grinned cheekily at Chris, then nipped at his mouth again.

"Now you let me recover," laughed Chris. "And dammit, what did I say about the bed? I only *have* one extra pillow in here."

"Sorry," Joey breathed, wrapping his arms around Chris's shoulders and flipping them over so his wet hair was hanging in Chris's face, instead. "Better?"

Chris sputtered and shoved at him lightly, but was still grinning. "Well, beats the bed, anyway. Guess I'll have to get used to you never listening to me, huh. You ... gonna let me get used to that?"

Joey's grin didn't go anywhere. "Hey, even if we figure out we don't like each other like that, I think you'll have to get used to it." He tilted his head and gave Chris a searing kiss, giving the exact opposite impression from his words.

"Stop jinxing this," said Chris breathlessly, as soon as his lips were free again. "Just go with it." He kissed him back, hard, his braces scraping against both their lips as they did, but neither stopped. Any more of this and his recovery time was going to speed up significantly.

"*You're* jinxing it!" Joey disagreed, moving his mouth away only long enough to do it. "Keep bringing it up ... " He kissed Chris more firmly, then started trailing his lips down his jaw, up to his ear.

"Am not," protested Chris, squirming. "Just telling you that you and your mouth could make me happy my whole life, doing what you do to my body." And doing what he did to Chris's insides, too, giving him all those squishy feelings toward Joey.

Joey smiled in pleased surprise. "Hey," he said, then licked slowly at Chris's ear. "That's cool. You can say that."

"Just did," teased Chris, tilting his head to the side to give Joey more access. "I'm busy gathering more evidence, though. I'll have to wait to give you my final conclusions until tomorrow morning. I assume you'll still be here?"

"Jeez, Chris," Joey chuckled, tugging on one of Chris's earrings with his teeth. "Relax, okay? I'm not going anywhere. Unless you, like, kick me in your sleep."

"I might," Chris warned him. "You'll just have to kick me back, though. Doesn't mean I don't want you there. Just not used to not having the whole space to myself anymore."

"I'll do my best," he promised, then stuck his tongue carefully just inside Chris's ear, pressing his body into Chris's at the same time.

Chris let out a sharp moan, than clapped a hand over his mouth. "Shit," he mumbled through it. "Didn't mean to do that."

"There's no one here," Joey breathed, his hands snaking between them. "What are you scared of."

"I'm not *scared*," said Chris, pulling his hand away. "I'm just .. way, way too cool to be -- " He moaned again at the way Joey touched him. "Well, then. Nevermind that." He gave Joey a grin and rolled his eyes at himself.

Joey looked absolutely thrilled to be having such an effect on Chris that he didn't even mind. "I'm glad it's okay for us to talk, in bed," he admitted. "It's ... relaxed, y'know? Cool."

"What, you've never talked in bed before?" said Chris, arching his neck so Joey would pay attention to it again. "You know me. If I don't shut up anywhere else, I'm not likely to shut up *here*, right?"

"I've *talked* in bed, but not ... " Joey ducked his mouth to Chris's throat. "Not like this, exactly. More sexy, I guess. Less playful. Both are good."

"I'm a playful guy," said Chris, licking his lips. "You're a playful guy. It works, for us. I think." Joey was very, very good with his mouth. Very good.

"How you doing down there," Joey murmured against his collarbone, even though if he moved his hands or his hip half an inch he'd know himself.

"Definitely waking up again," he said, a little louder. "Definitely ready for attention again. You?" He could feel Joey pressed up against him, but he asked anyway. Wanted to hear the answer.

"Chris," Joey smiled into his skin. "I'm good. Ready. Willing. All that stuff. Speaking of ... you got stuff? Want I should get it? Or ... are we not, maybe, this time."

"I have ... " began Chris, forced to think about it. "Oh hell, I must. Check my dresser maybe? Can't remember what I did with it, the last time ... "

Joey rolled his eyes at him and gave him a quick grope before climbing out of the bed, hair still damp and cock hard and proud and just making himself perfecting at home in Chris's room, digging through drawers.

"If it's not in the dresser, I don't know where," admitted Chris, rolling onto his side again and propping himself up on his elbow to watch him. "Maybe the bathroom? Sorry man ... I didn't exactly plan for this this morning ... "

"S'okay," Joey waved at him, still yelling as he headed down the hall. "You're just getting up and walking around with your boner next time."

"Next time," Chris called after him reasonably, "We aren't gonna have to go looking. We'll already know where everything is. Though you'd probably go and hide it, wouldn't you? Just so we could call it even."

"I might!" Joey barked out a laugh, and then he was in the doorway again, holding the lube in one hand and stroking himself casually with the other. "I might do that."

Chris breathed a sigh of relief and rolled over onto his back welcomingly. "Good, it was there. I was starting to get worried there."

"I would have left," Joey teased, walking over to the bed. "So, once again, with the whole not-having-done-this so recently ... "

"I'm not even gonna ask how JC liked it," said Chris firmly, beckoning him closer. "I'm gonna ask you. How do *you* like it, Joey?"

Joey paused, then grinned slowly. "Hard," he said, almost closing the distance. "I really like it hard, Chris. You into that?"

"I can be," said Chris, a little surprised by the decisiveness there, when Joey had been hesitant about his other skills. "As long as you make it good."

"I'll try," Joey promised, kneeling on the bed and dropping the condom he'd had hidden in his hand onto the sheets along with the lube. "Tell me if we shouldn't, the first time, though. It'll be okay if we don't."

"No, I can," said Chris firmly, reaching for Joey's neck to curl his hand around it. "Just slow, at first. Then as hard as you like it."

Joey grinned again, looking devilish and sweet all at once. "I can do slow," he said, and given the blowjob, Chris didn't doubt it. "Spread your legs, man."

"You're so pushy," teased Chris, but the moment he said it, Chris was already spreading for him. "Do you bottom? Ever? Just curious ... "

"Sure!" Joey nodded, still grinning. "You're allowed to ask me that, you know. It was bound to come up. But ... yeah, I have. I like it. No worries at all. Would you rather do it that way?" He already had lube on his hand, all of a sudden, and his fingers between Chris's legs. Waiting.

"Oh, no, no, please, fuck me hard," he said with a grin, pulling his knees up and spreading even wider. "Just mapping out the playing field, here. Making plans for next time already."

"Wow, you that bored?" Joey accused with a grin, slipping a finger inside Chris without anything showing on his face or in his voice to prepare him. "Don't mind me, I guess."

"Oh!" Chris practically shouted. "Damn you, Fatone!" Then he laughed and fell back against the bed again and reached out to touch him again. "Well. That's definitely one way to keep me in the moment."

"Not my preferred way," Joey admitted, twisting the finger much more gently once he was inside him, stroking one of Chris's knees. "And *damn* me? That's pretty harsh."

"So's fingering me to get my attention," said Chris, grinning at him again. "Which, by the way, you definitely already had."

"You were distracted," Joey disagreed, at least looking at Chris questioningly before slipping another finger in him. This one was much slower, gentle like he had been before.

"Thinking about you bottoming for me? Is definitely not distracted from you," insisted Chris, pushing back against those fingers, though not roughly. "In fact, I'd have to say it's pretty focused on you."

"Distracted from *this*," Joey clarified, trying to hold Chris still. "At any rate." He shut up and concentrated, cutely, on stretching Chris well.

"I'm definitely ... not ... distracted ... from ... this," said Chris, struggling with each word and Joey's fingers worked at him so diligently, so single-mindedly. "And all I'm thinking about is you, Joey. That's it. Nothing else."

"You should put the condom on me," Joey suggested, smirking a little. "I've got my hands full."

Chris sighed and groped for the condom, and why couldn't Joey make this *easy* on him. But he was grinning the whole time, and glad that things were happening just exactly as they were. Finally he snagged it and ripped it open. "Yeah, while you have your hands full of my ass, I'll play with your dick. Hey, works for me!"

"It *should* work for you," Joey boasted, shifting a little closer on his knees. "Only good things can come of that." He ducked down and kissed Chris almost sweetly, though -- Chris was learning that was how he did things in bed.

Chris just let his smile spread across his face as he did it, though. He may have been a little crude sometimes, himself, but that didn't mean he didn't appreciate things like this. "Move closer, baby ... I have little arms, can't quite reach you ... "

"I just *did*," Joey grumbled, but his cheeks were a little pink and he wouldn't meet Chris's eyes. "Like that?"

"Yeah, okay," said Chris, leaning up a little and stroking Joey a few times with his fingertips before beginning to slide the condom on. "This is good. I ... " Then he leaned in close and stole another kiss. "It's all good."

"Here," said Joey softly, handing him the lube, too. "Use a lot, okay, man?" He spread his fingers about as far as he could, felt like.

Chris was startled into stillness for a moment, then finally opened the lube to spread it on him. "I will," he promised, knowing *he* was the one that was gonna benefit the most from it. "Should I keep it close? Do you think we might need more partway through?"

Joey smiled and kissed him, closing his eyes when Chris starting running his hand over his cock. "You know better than me," he said, sounding a little choked. "Won't hurt. How you doing, now?"

"Ready for you," said Chris confidently, keeping the lube close at hand. Joey was right, it certainly wasn't going to hurt anything to have it, just in case. "Very ready for you, Joey."

"Slow and then hard," he repeated, almost more to himself, sounded like. "Tell me if I need to stop," he said seriously, and then he was pushing Chris's hand away, pushing his hips closer, pulling his fingers out and apart and pushing the head of his cock inside.

Chris hissed and pushed back against him -- the moment when someone entered was always a bit of a jolt, no matter what, and he wanted to make it as easy as he could. "I'll tell you," he said, when Joey was already halfway inside. "But I don't think you'll need to. Ever."

Joey blinked at him, and slowed even more, but kept pushing inside. "You feel good," he murmured. "I hope I don't."

"You won't," Chris promised. "You go as hard as you want. I'm notoriously hard to break, I think you know that."

"Do I feel okay?" he asked softly, shy about THAT part of all things, reaching down to push Chris's legs wider once he'd gotten far enough in that he needed the extra room for his hips.

Chris moved easily under his hands, as always way more flexible than he let on, or even expected. "You feel great," he assured him, trying to relax a little more so Joey could get all the way inside. "Really great."

"No, you," Joey said, getting less coherent and less vocal as he sank deeper. "Shit." He reached up to tangle a hand in Chris's hair, holding his head against the pillow.

"You gonna make it to the 'hard' part?" teased Chris, hooking one leg up over Joey's back. But he really, really hoped he would. Joey was big, and strong, and it was probably gonna be something Chris hadn't really felt before.

"Shut up," Joey grunted, but he was grinning, and finally all the way inside. "I'll make it. May be a little sooner than I thought, but I will."

"I'll take that as a compliment," said Chris, not willing to shut up at all. Joey would have to make him, if he wanted that to happen. "I don't need you to go slow anymore, by the way. I'm good. Um. Thank you."

Joey just grinned, a little shakily, then bit his lip and held Chris's legs tight. He dug into the bed with his knees and thrust hard and deep and Chris thought maybe he *might* break, if he did it again. But not in a bad way. Joey was just ... powerful.

"Fuck," he blurted out, feeling his teeth scrape roughly against his lip as he sucked in air. He was right about the not-having-felt-it-before bit, and profoundly hoped that he would be feeling it again. "Like that, Joey. Right into me."

"God, Chris," Joey grunted, clutching at his thighs. "If I hurt you ... " He moaned as he slammed right back into him, trying to cradle Chris's hips and keep his hands bracing Chris's legs all at once.

"Ain't gonna hurt me," said Chris, not knowing how the *hell* he was gonna dance at their next rehearsal, then not caring. He *wanted* it this hard, this out of control. Wanted to be desired so much that Joey couldn't hold himself back even if he tried. "Go hard, Joey. Don't worry."

"I can't believe you're doing this, we're doing this," Joey muttered. "Fuck. You feel good. Too good." He thrust again, taking his breath away, and Chris's a little too.

"Believe it," said Chris firmly, bucking back against him, taking Joey by surprise. "I've waited long enough for this, Joey, I have to believe it's real."

"Stop doing that," he whispered, his eyes wide open again. "I'll come, I'll come too soon. I know you can't stop moving if your life depended on it but just ... not like that, Chris ... "

Chris dug his leg into Joey's back as he clenched his teeth for a moment and forced himself to stop, even though it felt so, so good. "Well," he said finally. "You can just take that as your proof that it's definitely not too hard for me."

"I'm going to *break* you," Joey said wonderingly, unknowingly vocalizing Chris's earlier thoughts, and pushed his leg up to his chest and drove himself in, and out, and back in.

"Kirkpatricks never break," said Chris, clutching him all the tighter as Joey drove inside him, hitting places he was sure no one had ever reached before. "Stop worrying. Just go for it."

Joey's whole body kept Chris pressed into the blankets, pinned to the mattress. He could barely move, and realized that even though he knew in his head Joey was bigger than him, it was nothing like having him on top of him, in him. He was thrusting hard every single time.

The tightness Chris felt in his chest wasn't panic, though, it was excitement. Anticipation. The knowledge that however hard Joey was going now, it still wasn't what he was going to be doing to Chris's body in the moments right before he came. Chris didn't even have to try to push back now; Joey was taking care of everything.

He let go of Chris's hip, finally, to pin his arm to the bed instead, and started twisting his hips as he pounded into him. "Chris," he pleaded, his voice higher than when he spoke or sang. "Chris."

For once, Chris was speechless, biting down on his lip until he was sure it was bleeding and letting Joey ride him, letting him just take Chris's body in every way he wanted to. It felt good; the only thing more he wanted now was to feel Joey come.

"Chris!" he cried louder. "I'm ... do you ... " The pressure on Chris's wrist increased when he let go of his hip with his other hand and tried to reach for Chris's cock, bracing all his weight on his knees and that hand. He didn't seem able to get enough space between them, though, and gasped and was crying out and had to be coming, before he could.

But God, fuck, hell, it didn't matter, not at all. Chris slipped his own free hand in and with two quick jerks it was all over for him, too. The real sensation, though, the new one, the overwhelming one, was deep inside him where Joey still was.

He almost felt smothered when Joey buried his face in his neck, then lifted his chin to just attack Chris's mouth with kisses -- but smothered in a good way. Joey *did* want him, that was obvious by more than just the way his body had reacted.

"You weren't kidding about the hard," said Chris, grinning into those kisses now that he was getting them, and giving them back with just as much enthusiasm. "Fuck, Joey. You're the man."

"You're okay?" he said quietly, kissing him back and running his palms carefully over Chris's hips, wherever he could reach. "No regrets?"

"No regrets," said Chris firmly, making his kisses a little more gentle, a little less painful to him. "You, Joey? Regrets?"

"Hell, no," Joey insisted, grinning and then trying to deepen the kiss again. "Just ... anxiousness, about doing it they way *you* like, next."

Chris forced him to be gentle again. "Careful, with the kisses," he said softly. "And what could possibly have made you think that there's a way I like to do it more than *that*?"

"Oh," Joey looked a little embarassed. "Sorry. And ... nothing! Just. you let me pick this time, was all. So you, next."

Chris nestled in against him and smiled and began stroking him gently like he hadn't, yet. Post-coital Chris was a rare creature indeed, and Joey was lucky to get to see him. Or maybe not lucky; Chris *wanted* to be like this with him. Wanted to be all ways with him.

"Next time," he said, feigning thoughtfulness. "Next time, I might just choose exactly the same thing."