Devotion Chapter Thirty-Five: Rough Terrain
disclaimer: I know nothing about the sexuality of any member of *NSYNC. This story doesn't imply that I do.
notes: Well, I know that this is a little short, but I really wanted to get it out sooner rather then later. I hope you like it, and please send feedback if you do. Hell, send feedback if you don't like it! And thank you soooo much if you have sent feedback. It means a lot to me, especially what with me just getting back into the story. -Angel ^_^
Chapter Thirty-Five: Rough Terrain "*Blend in,* Joey," Lance repeated, rubbing at his temples. "We're trying to *blend in.*" "With who?" the New Yorker asked, looking out the tinted windows of the SUV. Sighing, the second-youngest member of *NSYNC tried to keep the frustration out of his voice as he replied, "The *crowd.* At the *airport.* You know, because there's only going to be a couple thousand people there who might recognize us." "Oh, and JC doesn't stand out?" Joey shot back, folding his arms across his chest and nodding towards the brunet. "Josh can't help it if he stands out," Justin countered. "When you're that good looking, people notice." Lance raised an eyebrow at the nineteen year-old's choice of words, but Chris merely laughed. "Right, and I'm sure that it has nothing to do with the fact that he looks like a FREAK!" JC narrowed his eyes at the small group, but said nothing. "Oh, come on, C," Chris chuckled. "I'm just *joshing* ya." "What?" Justin hissed, his head whipping aroud to the eldest member of the band. "I said I was joshing him," Chris repeated, trying his best to look innocent. "It means he's ribbing him," Lance replied, rubbing at his temples again. "And it also means that he's trying to get a rise out of you." Turning to Chris, the blonde added, "Which, by the way, is very childish. Please don't try to pick a fight with Justin while we're all in such close quarters." Chris rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mom." Lance glared at him, but he quickly got tired and turned away. "That coffee finally wearing off, Scoop?" Chris teased. *That* brought the glare right back. "Don't worry, Lance, you can sleep on the plane," Joey soothed his younger bandmate, placing an arm around his shoulders. "How can you be so perky?" the Mississippian muttered, leaning into the touch. "Years and years of practice," Chris replied for his friend. "Joe's had to go on less sleep then he got last night more times than once!" Joey nodded. "Ain't *that* the truth!" Lance smiled a little, despite himself. However, he turned serious again as he remembered what they had been talking about before Chris had tried to provoke Justin. "Listen, Joey, all I'm saying is that an outfit that consists of red pants and and orange and blue top isn't exactly going to blend in with the masses." "At least he doesn't have red *hair* anymore," Justin pointed out. "Yeah, but what are we going to do about you?" Chris teased. "I mean, with that `fro of yours, we'll be spotted for miles around." The teen glared at Chris. "I'm wearing a bandanna, thank you." "I still think JC stands out more then I do," Joey put in. Everyone looked at him incredulously, except for JC himself, who was gazing absently out the window. "Okay, maybe I stand out a *little* more, but it wouldn't have killed him to put on a hat," Joey added. "I have a hat with me," JC growled, causing the other four men in the back of the car to turn to him in surprise. "And feel free to talk *to* me instead of *about* me." Justin blushed and cast his eyes to the floor. "Sorry Josh," he mumbled. Joey smiled sheepishly. Lance also looked embarrassed, but Chris looked confused. "What's *with* everyone this morning?" the twenty-eight year-old asked, looking at each of his bandmates in turn. "We *never* bicker like this. Well, maybe we do, but not all of us at once!" Lance smiled apologetically. "I'd chalk it up to lack of sleep. For me, anyway." His smile was quickly swallowed up by a yawn. "Yeah, even *I* get tired *sometimes,*" Joey agreed, smiling as well. "And I know that I was up waaay too late packing," Chris put in. Lance turned to him, looking confused. "I thought you dropped that plan and packed before we went out." Chris grinned. "Well, hey, I had to justify going out to party to myself *somehow.*" Lance rolled his eyes, but said nothing. "What about you two?" Joey asked JC and Justin. "Not that either of you are *ever* Little Mary Sunshine in the AM hours," Chris added under his breath. Lance and Joey, who heard the older man, laughed quietly. "I had to get up early. How do you *expect* me to feel?" Justin snapped, getting more irratated by the minute. He couldn't figure out *why,* though. Something about his day just seemed to be off. "What about you, Jace?" Joey prodded as the rest of the group turned to the twenty-four year-old. "I had a bad morning," he replied quietly. Chris and Lance exchanged questioning looks and Joey looked to Justin for answers, but the blonde was too busy glaring at his shoes to notice. "Okay then," Lance said, trying not to yawn again. "I think I'm just going to snooze until-" The Mississippian was cut off by their driver, who informed them that they were entering the airport. Lance sighed. "Nevermind, then. Okay, Joey can't you put on a sweatshrit or something? I mean, come *on*! Red and *orange*? That doesn't even match!" Joey laughed. "How is it that JC's the gay one?" he joked. As soon as he had said it, the New Yorker realised that it had been as mistake. As did the rest of the people in the car. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" JC - the usually calm, understanding, able-to-take-a-joke JC - hissed, his eyes narrowed and icy. As Joey's eyes widened, the car became silent and a tense air settled around the five bandmates. JC's question remained unanswered. Abruptly, the car came to a stop and the driver announced their arriaval at the airport. JC put on his nondescript baseball cap and hopped out of the SUV. Before anyone could get up to follow him, he was already lost in the crowd. "What's wrong with you, Joey?! Just what the fuck is *wrong* with you?" Justin yelled, ignoring the growing number of people who were turning to look at him. "Justin, keep your voice down," Lance commanded, his own voice low, his tone warning. Justin sighed and folded his arms across his chest. "Listen: JC just went off into the huge airport without a body gaurd. Don't you think he might be in trouble? I mean come on, we all know how it can be when you get recognized by a large number of people." Lance began to rub at his temples again, trying desperately to get rid of the headache he'd had since the caffeene had started to wear off. "I know, I know, it can get pretty scary. But-" "Especially for someone like JC," Justin added. "I mean, Joey was right, he stands out. People as beautiful as Josh don't usually wonder around airports without getting noticed. Even in a hat he turns heads." Lance couldn't help but smile a little. Even as Justin was talking about his best friend, the teen was looking around frantically into the crowd, trying to spot the twenty-four year-old. "Why don't we just go to the gate? He knows where to go, he'll be fine," Lance assured the younger man. "JC? Knowing where to go? Fat chance," Joey muttered, causing Justin to begin to look panicky. Lance glared at the New Yorker. "Really smooth, Joe." Joey shrugged apologetically. Chris tried to undo the damage, putting an arm around Justin's shoulders. "Naw, it'll be fine, Curly, don't you worry about it. JC isn't stupid; he'll find the gate. Besides, we have half of Sexual Chocolate out trying to find him, so I'm sure that if we don't find him, they will." Justin let out his breath in a hiss and tried to let himself believe what the rest of the group was saying.Well? Like I said, it was short, but I decided that it was a good place to end the chapter. Don't worry, I'll get to work on chapter 36 right away! While I'm doing that, you can wonder what got into JC ^_~ Hope he's okay ... evil grin