Devotion Chapter Thirty-Four: Time Flies When You're Stressed Out
disclaimer: This is (gasp!) fiction. I don't really know whether or not any or all of the members of *NSYNC are gay. I have my suspicions, though ^_~
notes: Hey, I'm back and it's been less then two months! Hmm... wondering what's going on? I'm back into *NSYNC! I already have much of ch.35 planned out, so it should be coming soon. Oh, and I still love feedback, so feel free to write me, the address is up top. Oh, and I apologize for any errors in the text... I didn't have it in me to edit this chapter, and I really wanted to get it out, so... I guess my grammar suffered. >.< Thanks, Angel ^_^
Chapter Thirty-Four: Time Flies When You're Stressed Out "C'mon! It's almost eight! We have to be at the airport by nine!" Lance called, walking through the door of Justin and JC's hotel room, key in hand. JC and Justin were laying in one of the beds together. Some time during the night, they had rolled away from each other, and Justin had pulled all of the blankets with him. JC lay on his back with an arm across his stomach. Lance sighed, glancing around the hotel room, which was spotless except for a few articles of clothing laid out for the day to come. "At least you've already packed," he muttered. Walking towards the bed, he said louder, "JC! Justin! Time to get up!" JC groaned and blinked a couple of times. "Lance?" he questioned hoarsely. Justin rolled over and grumbled something. Sighing again, Lance placed his hands on his hips. "Guys, you need to get up, and you need to get up *now.* Don't make me get Joey in here." JC sat up, rubbing his eyes. He then lifted his arms over his head in a stretch, yawning all the while. "What time is it, Scoop?" he asked sleepily. "8:05," Lance replied, glancing at his watch. "Which means that I've been trying to get you two up for the past fifteen minutes. Now hop to it. We've got to be out of here in twenty-five minutes." JC nodded and got off of the bed. Glancing at Justin, he muttered, "So *that's* why I was so cold." Lance chuckled quietly. "Oh, and Joey and I have doughnuts over at our place. They're from last night, but it was late, so they're still fresh." JC's eyebrows raised in surprise. Half because Lance and Joey went out last night and half because Lance and Joey went out *together.* "Were you out late?" he asked the blonde. Lance laughed. "Incredibly, but I've had enough coffee to make it seem otherwise. Joey, on the other hand, is in some serious pain right now." JC laughed as well. "I'll be over in a couple of minutes, all right?" Lance nodded and headed out of the room. As soon as he heard the door close, Justin sat up. "He didn't say anything about us being in the same bed." JC walked into the bathroom. "Neither did I." Justin looked worried. "Do you think he noticed?" JC re-entered the bedroom and knelt beside his companion. "Justin," he said gently, taking the younger man's hand. "Lance was in a relationship with Joey. Do you really think he's going to be bothered even if he *did* think we were together? Besides, it's not like we've never shared a bed before." Justin smiled down at the brunet. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I mean, yesterday I wanted to tell everyone about us being together, but now I'm not so sure." JC stood up, releasing Justin's hand. "What do you mean?" Justin looked away. "Well, now I want to make sure that the timing is right, and that you and I both know what we want to tell everyone, and what we want to keep private. But," he added, looking back at JC. "I think you're right about Lance being okay with it. Joey and Chris, too." The twenty-four year-old smiled. "Yeah, Joey and Scoop kind of broke the ice on that one for us." Justin smiled as well. "Yeah, and everyone already knows that you're gay, and they're all cool with that." JC's smile faltered. "I'm gonna go hit the shower, okay? Lance and Joey have doughnuts, so I think I'm going to head over there when I get out. I'll be quick, though, all right?" Justin nodded but remained silent, wondering what he had said to make JC uncomfortable. JC himself quickly entered the bathroom, closing the door behind him. "Ooo," Chris cooed, entering Lance's room behind the bass singer. "Doughnuts! All right! You two are awesome!" "Thank Lance," Joey replied, brushing powdered sugar out of his mustache. "He's the only reason I haven't already finished them off." Lance laughed as he and Chris joined their bandmate at the table. "Well, that and he knew that JC would cause him physical harm if he didn't save a few for him." Joey rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and Justin would probably join in, too, knowing him." Smiling, Chris glanced around the room as he grabbed a jelly doughnut. "Say, where are the lovebirds? Not up yet?" Lance sighed. "They're in the process of getting up. When I went to get you up, JC was actually moving around, but I left Justin to him. He was piled under so many blankets, I don't think I could have gotten to him if I'd wanted to." Joey laughed. "You'd think that if he was cold he'd just cuddle up with JC." Chris nodded seriously. "Yeah, and remember how only one of the beds was unmade the other day? Maybe they *do* sleep together." Finishing off his danish, Lance put in, "Actually they *were* in bed together. But," he added quickly, holding up a hand to silence the comments his companions had been ready to make. "They were as far away from each other as they could be. And Justin had taken all of the covers." Chris laughed. "Typical Justin. I'm telling you, that kid gets everything he wants." Joey shook his head in amazement. "JC even spoils him in his sleep! I think I'm going to have to tease Justin more then usual today to make sure it doesn't go to his head." Lance rolled his eyes. "Sure you will, Joey. I mean, you've been doing such a good job of that so far." Joey laughed, but Chris raised his eyebrows. "You think that Justin's egotistical?" the twenty-eight year-old asked the younger man. Lance shook his head, looking thoughtful. "Not really, no. I'm just poking fun at Joey." Joey smiled. "As usual," he added. "Yeah, but you're such an easy target," Lance replied, returning his bandmate's smile. Chris smiled as well. /This sounds familiar. Maybe these two really did work out their problems./ "So, did you guys have fun last night? You left just like I asked, so at least I know that you didn't just sit around and get drunk. Well, not at that table, anyway," Chris said with a laugh. "Yeah, actually. It was a lot of fun," Joey replied. "We had a great time," Lance agreed. "And neither of us got drunk." Chris looked surprised. "Joey was in a club and he didn't get drunk?" "I know, I was amazed, too. I kept asking him if he felt all right, and I took his temperature once or twice," Lance replied. "Ha. Ha," Joey deadpanned. "You two think you're *so* funny." Chris nodded. "We do." Joey glared at the twenty-eight year-old, but said nothing. "So, when's our flight again?" Chris asked, looking to Lance. Lance opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Coming," he calling, getting up from the table. "I'm gonna go jump in the shower," Joey told Chris, getting up as well. "You'd better be quick," Chris replied. "Lance will kill you if you're not, and you're not exactly known for taking short showers." Joey muttered, "Yeah, yeah," and headed into the bathroom. "Jace," Lance greeted, opening the door. "Come in." JC smiled. "Thanks." "How do you look good this early in the morning?" Chris asked, shaking his head in wonder. JC looked down at his outfit. He was wearing loose, olive-green cargo pants and a tight black sweater. "Um, I *don't* look good," he replied, looking at the eldest member of *NSYNC in confusion. "What are you talking about?" "This is why *he's* the heartthrob, and you're not," Lance explained to Chris. Chris glared at the bass singer. "I *am* the heartthrob, so you go back to being your shy little self." "Aren't you supposed to be the nice, kind, wise older brother?" Lance asked, folding his arms across his chest. "I thought that was me," JC put in, walking over to the table. "May I have a doughnut?" Lance chuckled quietly. "Of course, Jace. I wouldn't have told you about them otherwise." As JC sat down and grabbed a doughnut, Chris asked, "Say, JC, where's your shadow?" JC rolled his eyes. "If you mean *Justin,* he's in the shower. He's gonna come over here when he's done, though." "Are you-" Lance began, but JC interrupted him. "Yeah, we're completely packed. I sent our bags downstairs already." Lance smiled. "Excellent. Chris, I'm going to assume that you did the same?" Chris laughed nervously and looked away. Sighing, Lance shook his head. "Just as I thought. Okay, would you go get your bags so I can at least send them downstairs with mine and Joey's?" Chris nodded and got up to leave. He opened the door to find Justin there, his hand poised to knock. "Hey, Curly. I see you didn't have time to tame your `fro this morning," Chris greeted. Justin glared at him and held up a red bandanna, growling something unintelligible. Laughing, the twenty-eight year-old shoved past the young singer. "Well, aren't we grumpy this morning? Don't tell me - JC wouldn't cuddle with you last night so you're taking it out on the rest of us?" Lance sighed and buried his head in his hands. "Chris, *please.* We *don't* need this this morning." "Hey!" JC exclaimed, standing up. "Leave Justin alone!" "Chris, I *so* not in the mood for your shit right now," Justin snarled, storming into Lance and Joey's room. Chris just laughed as he made his way down the hall to his hotel room. Lance rubbed at his eyes warily. "Okay, we have to be out of here in-" the Mississippian began. He stopped when he looked up to see that neither Justin nor JC was listening to him. "Nevermind," he muttered as Justin and JC both sat down at the small kitchen table. Justin was playing with the buckle of the belt he had slung around his jeans. After JC pointed out that he was doing it, the teen stopped for only moments before he began to play with the end of the soft, gray sweater he was wearing. "Just, are you all right? You're not eating," JC commented out, looking at the younger man with concern. "Yeah, I already ate. Thanks again for the Lucky Charms," Justin replied, beginning to tap his fingers on the table. JC looked at the blonde skeptically. "Are you sure nothing's bothering you?" Justin forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just nervous about Joey taking too long in the shower, that's all." JC laughed. "Yeah, good point. We may never get out of here." "At least he's packed," Justin pointed out. "Only because I packed for him," Lance muttered. The two young men at the table laughed. "Yeah, Josh had to pack for me," Justin admitted. "I don't know what I'd do without you," he added, turning back to the brunet seated across from him. "You'd find your way," JC replied softly. A feeling of concern flashed across the blonde's face, but Justin quickly replaced it with a confident smile. "Yeah, but you'd probably be totally lost without me - like Joey would be without Scoop here to hold him together." JC laughed, and Lance marched over to the bathroom door. Banging on it, he yelled, "Joey, c'mon! We've got all of five minutes before we have to be down in the hotel lobby! Don't think I won't leave you to Sexual Chocolate! And you *know* they won't be happy about being late!" It took all of two seconds for the water to turn off. JC laughed, but Justin raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I'm glad you're not like that, Josh." "Hey, whatever works," Lance replied, walking away from the bathroom. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Lance went over to answer it. "Don't worry, I sent my stuff down," Chris announced before Lance had a chance to say anything. The Mississippian nodded. "Good." "So, how much time do we have until we need to get downstairs?" Chris asked, leaning against the door frame, his arms folded across his chest. "Don't any of you have watches?" Lance muttered. Glancing at his, he replied, "Two minutes. Basically, we're just waiting for Joey to-" The Mississippian was cut off by Joey himself, who burst out of the bathroom in bright red pants and an orange and blue long-sleeved tee-shirt. "Okay, let's get this show on the road!" he cried cheerfully. For the second time that morning, Lance buried his head in his hands. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ So...? What did you think? I know that there wasn't that much happening, but I'd love to hear what you think, so feel free to drop me a line (Angel1313@att.net). Thanks for reading! -Angel ^_^