Disclaimers: I do not know any of the celebrities mentioned herein, this has no element of truth to it. This is no reflection on their true sexualities or personalities of Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass or any others mentioned. If you are underage for your area or if it is illegal for you to look at this why not go somewhere else.
Part 16
Tim
I woke late the next morning, glad of the lay in after the trauma of the night before. I knew that being with two men would be difficult but I had not envisaged it being a series of obstacles to overcome without a break and so far that was what we were faced with.
I hoped that the next two days would bring something special for the three of us without the stress of turning into a major issue.
A knock on my door called me back to the present and I wondered if that was what had woken me in the first place. Pulling on the sweats that I had worn the night before I went to the door and was surprised to find a room service trolley on the other side of the door whn I checked through the viewer.
"Room service." Josh said, trying to parody a typical bell boy. It was an impression that I had heard more than once on tour but it never got any better.
"Thanks." I said as I opened the door. "But don't expect a tip, because I didn't order this."
"Compliments of the gentleman in room 217." Josh said, giving me his own room number. "Apparently he wants to apologise again for last night."
"Are you coming in?" I asked, as I pushed the trolley in and left the door open.
"I should check on Justin." Josh said.
As if he had been waiting on the other side of his door waiting for us, Justin chose that moment to exit his room and waved slightly as he talked into his cell phone.
"I think he might be joining us for breakfast too." I said, as I waved Justin in. That was enough for Josh who followed me into my room and let me wheel the trolley over to the bar area before pulling me towards him for a kiss.
"You're still not getting a tip." I joked as he pulled away.
Josh smiled.
"That was my tip." He retorted as he leaned in for another kiss.
Justin's face was set in a frown so I pulled away from Josh and busied myself with breakfast instead.
"How did you know we were in New York?" Justin asked whoever was on the other end of the phone. "And what if I already have plans?"
"Any idea who that is?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to know.
"It could be Lynn." Josh replied. "Justin's Mom." He added, when I looked confused.
I nodded and turned back to my breakfast. I wasn't really sure that I was ready to discuss parents and families with the boys. We had barely begun and I didn't think I could let them in on that part of my past.
"No, things are fine on the tour." Justin said, sounding haranged by his caller. "I don't care what Tracey told you about the tour, everything is fine."
Josh and I continued to eat our breakfast, me with eggs and him with cereal, while we heard one side of Justin's argument. Whoever it was he was talking to he appeared to be losing. When he finally hung up he let out a long sigh and turned to Josh.
"Did you have any plans for today?" He asked defeatedly.
"Nothing other than spending some time with you and Tim." Josh said. "I thought that Tim might have a few ideas of where he wants to go, given that this is his first trip to New York." Josh didn't add the fact that they had both been there a dozen times before and so it was all stuff that they would have done before, but it was nice that he was willing to humour me.
"That was Britney. She's in town for a photo shoot and wants to go shopping." Justin said. "I tried to tell her that we're fine but apparently Tracey has been telling her all about the problems that we've been having on tour. She insisted that she take me out so we can catch up."
"Why do I get the feeling that you don't want to go out with her?" I asked. "I thought that the pair of you were friends."
"We are." Justin said. "The best. But there are some days when I just want to sit back and relax, especially on my days off. The last thing that I want to do is get hounded by a dozen papparazzi photographers that are going to think that Britney and I are back together again."
"So, why don't we come with you?" I asked. "That way at least Britney will know that she doesn't have anything to worry about."
"Britney and I don't exactly see eye to eye." Josh said softly.
"Why not?" I asked, knowing that there was a story here that I was not privy to. Josh and Britney had been friends for almost as long as Justin because they had all been in Mickey Mouse Club together. Surely it couldn't be something that lasted that long.
"She thinks that I made Justin gay." Josh said.
"That's ridiculous." I said. "Surely she knows that you don't just turn gay. It's not something that you wake up one morning and decide to give a try because it sounds like a good idea."
"I know." Josh said. "But Britney isn't the most educated of girls and given her Southern upbringing..."
"Can't you set her straight?" I asked.
"She keeps hoping that if she spends enough time with Justin, sends him books about counselling and gurus that believe that they can 'straighten people out' and put them 'back on the path of righteousness' and reminds him why he liked girls then he will suddenly change his mind and go back to her." Josh said. "Last time she and I were in the same room I told her a few home truths and she didn't like it."
"She nearly imploded with anger." Justin said.
"So, I have to ask why you are still friends with her?" I said, knowing that it was a hard question to ask but I knew that things would get even harder if Britney ever met me and Josh when she knew that we were in a relationship with Justin. I needed to know that any hassle we would face would be worth it.
"Britney is just a little naïve." Justin said. "I hoped that a few years in the industry would help her realise that we're all the same people, just with different ideas and ways of expressing them but it turned out that she's not had enough time yet."
"She may never have enough time." I replied.
"I know." Justin said with a sigh. "But I can't give up on her. Not yet." There was a vague sense of hope in his words, as if he thought that he could change her mind and I supposed I wished that I had friends that cared that much about me.
"So, I guess we're on our own for the day then." I said, sharing a conspiratorial look with Josh. "I guess we could use some time to get to know each other now that we're not too busy resenting each other."
"I'm sure we could find some way to pass the time." Josh agreed.
"What would you recommend seeing in New York?" I asked, playing along.
"Well, I quite like the inside of this hotel room." Josh said lasciviously. "We could always spend the day here."
A flame of desire started in my belly as I realised that Josh wanted me. It wasn't that I hadn't known that before but it was taking some getting used to that Josh was not merely using me as a conduit to get to Justin. He actually wanted me for me.
"You can't stay here without me." Justin said, sounding like a spoiled three year old. "Not if I have to go out with Britney."
"Justin, we were only joking." Josh replied. "I have no intentions of keeping Tim couped up on his first day in the Big Apple."
I couldn't help but feel disappointed at that fact, and willed my growing erection to subside enough that I was able to go out in public.
"Maybe we can meet up later for some dinner." Justin said. "I'm pretty sure that I can get rid of Britney by this afternoon."
"That sounds like a good idea." I replied, wanting to spend at least part of the day with Justin.
"I guess I should get going." Justin said, not sounding as if he wanted to leave.
"We'll see you later." I said, encouragingly.
Justin gave us both one last look and then headed out of the door.
"So, what are we going to do with ourselves after breakfast?" I asked Josh. "I have no idea what there is to do in New York."
"We could take a trip to a museum, or gallery." Josh suggested. My face must have shown my lack of interest because he quickly added. "Or we could do some shopping of our own."
"I don't know..." I said, knowing that I didn't have a large amount of money and anything that I had coming from the film would have to be invested until my career took off.
"Trust me, I know some places we can go and you don't have to buy anything." Josh said.
"Okay." I agreed.
Josh
I have to admit that I was glad that Tim didn't want me to play tour guide while we were in New York because as much as I wanted to show him the sights of the city I also wanted to spend some time chilling out and I knew that if we were at a lot of the tourist attractions in the city we would be too bothered by fans to enjoy our day.
Shopping is a drug for me, it's something that I don't do as much as I would like and there is something freeing about buying your own clothes after having a stylist pick out what you wear for so much of your life. Tim, it turned out, was a great shopping partner too and had a great eye for clothes.
After a tiring day of shopping I took Tim for a walk in Central Park before we took a taxi back to our hotel.
"I still can't believe that you didn't know there was a memorial to John Lennon in the park." Tim said as we entered the hotel via the service entrance. "And you call yourself a musician..."
"Actually, I prefer the term genius..." I replied jokingly as Dre followed us into the building with piles of bags.
There was many reasons why having security personnel with you was a good idea, not least because of the fact that it saved us from getting mobbed everywhere we went, but having someone to carry your shopping bags never got old.
Justin was waiting for us on our floor when we entered and from the stormy look on his face his day had not been as successful as ours. I felt a lot closer to Tim after spending some time with him and in truth the last thing that I wanted was to have to deal with another of Justin's moods.
"Hey, what's up?" Tim asked concernedly, moving to Justin's side and taking his face in his hands. Tim looked as if he was about to kiss Justin but Justin shrugged out of his grasp before Tim could get close enough. "Justin?"
"Britney insisted that we go out tonight." Justin said, his voice flat as he spoke the words.
"You told her no, right?" I asked, knowing that we were going to spend some time together this evening. Justin had said this morning that he would get rid of her by the afternoon and Tim and I had returned early from our own trip to fit into Justin's plans.
"I couldn't Jayce." Justin said. "She's only here for a few days and..."
"So are we." I countered angrily.
"It's okay, Josh." Tim said, but I knew that he was disappointed. Tim had been looking forward to spending some quality time together that evening as much as I had.
"Justin?" A female voice called from inside Justin's room, I tensed as soon as I realised who it was. "Are you nearly ready to go?"
"Actually, Justin already had plans tonight." I replied before Justin had the chance.
"I'm sure that he won't mind changing them." Britney said. "He can spend time with you boys anytime."
It took a moment for Britney to turn the corner and see that I was not alone and when she spotted Tim she let out a small cry of surprise.
"You're Tim Caldwell." She said, pointing out the obvious and proving to anyone that didn't know that she was a stereotypical blonde.
Tim smiled sweetly and held out his hand.
"It's good to meet you." He said, giving her a smile that almost seemed sincere. "Justin, Josh and I were going out to get some dinner. Would you like to join us?"
"I didn't know that you were in town." Britney said, as if she made it her business to know which celebrities were around when she was in a certain place. Knowing how hungry for fame and attention Britney was I wouldn't put it past her.
"Actually Tim is touring with us." I said proudly as Justin and Tim both seemed to flounder for something to say. "He is working with Lance on a couple of film projects."
"Really?" Britney asked, her eyes lighting up as she saw her chance to break into the acting world. "Anything interesting?"
"Nothing that he can discuss." I added quickly, showing that I was more than willing to speak for Tim as I had done for Justin in the past. It was not that Tim couldn't speak for himself but I felt a protectiveness towards him and Britney had always made my hackles rise when I spoke to her. I was not about to let her lay a finger on either of my lovers.
"I forgot that I was supposed to be having dinner with Tim and Josh." Justin said to Britney as he saw the battle of wills that was beginning to rise between us. "Perhaps we can catch up another time."
"Tim already invited me to join you." Britney argued.
"Yes, but he was only being polite." I added curtly.
"Josh..."
"No, Justin." Britney said, sounding indignant. "I know where I am not wanted." She said to Justin. "Tim, it was nice meeting you. I hope that you know what you are letting yourself in for around these boys..." She added with a pointed look at me. I knew what she was implying and Tim surprised me with his confidence when he reached out and took my hand.
"Trust me, I know."
Britney gave a disgusted snort and stomped off, leaving us all in her wake. Justin's eyes followed her helplessly but he did not move to follow her. I could see the internal battle that was raging inside him as he tried to figure out if he should go after her or not but I knew that after a few moments he had made a choice. Justin had been forced to a decision and had reached the conclusion I could only have dreamed of. We had won. It seemed like a very hollow victory.
Tim
I'd had a good day with Josh and really felt that I knew him better after spending the day with him, but the encounter with Britney took the edge off of some of what I was feeling. I wanted to be angry at Justin for almost giving into her and cancelling his date with us but I knew that deep down Justin was stuck between a rock and a hard place and mine and Josh's presence had not made it any easier for him. Justin had made a decision and watched Britney go and I knew that was a hard choice for him to make.
"You want to get room service?" I asked, thinking that neither of the boys would want to be on show tonight after what had just happened.
"No." Justin said. "We said that we were going out and I don't want it to seem as if we are hiding away."
"We can stay in." Josh offered, he was clearly upset with Justin but didn't want to cause any more problems between the three of us when our relationship was still on rocky ground.
"I said that we were going out." Justin said adamantly.
"Okay." Josh replied. "I'll see if I can get us some reservations somewhere where we can at least get a little privacy."
"I'm sorry you had to see that." Justin said after Josh went to make some calls. "I couldn't get rid of her."
"Justin, you don't have to apologise to me." I replied. It wasn't something that I expected from him, and despite my anger I knew that this was misplaced. Justin had made no real promises about tonight and we hadn't made any solid plans so he had nothing to apologise for.
"I know, but I feel like I need to say something." Justin replied. "We only have a couple of days together and I don't want us to spend it fighting."
"I think that we have done enough of that for the moment." I agreed.
"I got us reservations at 'Tapestry'." Josh said as he came off the phone. "They said that they would fit us in."
"Is it hard to get a reservation there?" I asked, not sure about eating out in anywhere else but LA.
"Not when you're dining with an Oscar hopeful." Josh replied.
I blushed slightly, I knew that there was already talk of "Murder in the Gilded Cage" being nominated for the awards but I wasn't thinking about that now. I had to concentrate on the reality of my life and not a dream that would probably never happen. In two or three months another film would come out that would make everyone forget about my one success.
"Well, we should get going." I said. "We don't want to miss our reservations."
"I made it for later tonight." Josh said. "We have plenty of time to get ready." He said, pulling my key from my pocket and leading me into my room. For some reason I suspected that we would not have much time to change our clothes.
To Be Continued