Eleven

  

“So…we’re going out tonight, right?”  Justin said, looking from Lance to Chris to Nick.  “Right?”

“Justin, wasn’t that party last night enough?” Chris groaned.

“You’re just bitchy because you’re hung over still,” Lance said, patting Chris’ knee.

“Can we?”  Justin asked.  “C’mon.  We can go to the place that Nick likes tonight, and then maybe the coffeehouse tomorrow. Okay?”

“I’m in,” Lance said.  “Chris is, too.”

“Grrr,” Chris said, but he snuggled closer to Lance on the sofa and didn’t object.

“Jayce?  AJ?” Justin asked.

“Sure,” AJ said.  “Nick said the music’s pretty good there.”

“It is. And drinks are cheap…uh…not that you care,” Justin said, blushing shamefully.  “Sorry.”

“No problem.”  AJ waved his hand in the air. “I still buy, even if I don’t drink them.”

“Sweet…less money I have to bring,” Chris said, giving AJ a thumbs-up.  Lance smacked him.

“Jayce?”  Justin asked.

“Uh, sure, yeah, if everyone else is.”  JC looked at AJ, who was carefully studying a tattoo.

“Cool.  I’ll tell Nick.”  Justin scampered up the steps.  Lance led Chris upstairs to shower and get ready.  AJ bounced out of his chair and headed for the kitchen.  JC sighed and slowly made his way up the steps.

“Whoa, tiger!” JC said as Justin ran into him in the hallway.

“We’ll leave at nine-thirty,” Justin told him, then did a double take.  “You okay?  Trouble in paradise?”

“There is no paradise, Justin, not for me,” JC told him.  “How about you? Did you tell him yet?”

“No,” Justin said, frowning. “I…I can’t.”

“God, if this is what it took to get you two together, I’m surprised it ever happened,” JC teased. Justin reached up and tugged at one of JC’s curls.

“Don’t be a dickhead.  I can’t help it if this is hard.”

“What’s hard?” Nick asked.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” JC said to him, smiling.  He really liked Nick, and thought of him as a little brother already.

“Well, if you wanna sneak into my room tonight, my boyfriend probably wouldn’t notice,” Nick said, playing along.

“Hey.” Justin poked them both. “Jayce, did you see where AJ went? I need to ask him something.”

“He was heading for the kitchen, I think,” JC replied.

“Thanks.” Justin went down the steps.  Nick winked at JC.

“Hey, JC, wanna come see my bedroom?” Nick said loudly.

“I heard that!” Justin yelled back up the steps.

 

AJ was drinking from a bottle of water when Justin entered the kitchen. “Hey, Curly,” AJ said, toasting him with the bottle.

“Look, AJ…” Justin shifted from one bare foot to the other.  “I wanted to tell you something.”

AJ set the bottle down. “Am I receiving another lecture?”

“No.” Justin had the grace to blush.  “I wanted to apologize for that. I had no right telling you what to do, or Jayce.  You guys are two adults and don’t need me to run your lives for you.”

“How nice of you to notice,” AJ said.

“Look, I know I was a jerk and I’m apologizing, okay?  I’m sorry.  I just…I love JC like a big brother, and I worry about him. He was really hurt by the last guy he dated…and I’m afraid for him.  I didn’t know much about you, only what I heard, and I guess that wasn’t fair.  But you seem to be an okay guy…and I think JC really likes you.”

“I don’t know about all that, but thank you. Apology accepted,” AJ said.

“Good,” Justin said, relieved.

 

JC was hoping to get to talk to AJ in the noise of the bar, but it didn’t seem like it was going to happen.  AJ made sure that at least three people were seated between himself and JC, and JC couldn’t come up with a good excuse to change seats with someone.  The band was loud, and would have been the perfect cover for a semi-private conversation.  JC sighed and stared at his Coke.  It was going to be a long night, especially with AJ looking as good as he did in black pants and a black wifebeater.

“You the designated driver?” Max asked him, looking at his glass.

“Nah…we took taxis out here.  Just not in the mood to get wasted. Last night was bad enough,” JC said, remembering the disappointed look on AJ’s face.

“Understood,” Max said, raising his glass.  JC toasted with him, then stood.

“I’m gonna get a soda.  Anyone want anything?”

“Beer,” Nick said.  Justin nodded.  AJ ignored JC.  Lance and Chris declined, as did everyone else.

JC tapped his fingers on the bar as he waited for the bartender.  Someone on his left shoved him, and he accidentally bumped the man on his right. “Sorry,” JC said.

The man, who was JC’s height but outweighed him by about fifty pounds, turned his head to glare at him.  “Be more careful, Runt.”  JC just smiled and shrugged his shoulders.  “Hey…you look familiar.  You from around here?”

“No, sir.”  JC looked around, desperately wishing for the bartender.

“Hey…you’re one of those fags who sing, aren’t ya?”

“I sing, but I’m not…”

“Hell, yes, you are…your little friends stayed here last summer.  Everyone was talking about it after you left.”  The man looked at JC.  “You part of their sick little orgy?”

“Look, I…” JC started to back away, but the man grabbed his arm.

“I asked ya a question.  I asked if you’re a queer like them.”

“Yes, he is,” a gravelly voice said behind JC.  The man looked over JC’s shoulder.

“You his boyfriend?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business, but maybe I am,” AJ said, slowly removing his sunglasses.  “Is that a problem for you?”

“Maybe.”  The man got off his barstool. “You one of those little fairy singers, too?”  The man wove on his feet and AJ gave him a dangerous smile.

“Yeah…which means I’m twice as quick as you are, and can sing while I kick your drunken redneck ass,” AJ said.  “Would you like to see?”

JC swallowed deeply.  This man was huge, yet AJ refused to back down.  “What’s going on over here?” Michael walked over.  “John?”

“Oh, Mike, hey…just talking to some of these little queers,” John said.

“These queers are my friends…you got a problem with them, you got a problem with me,” Michael said. “Why don’t you go home and sober up?”

“Why don’t you fuck off?” John said.

“Don’t waste your time, Michael,” AJ said.  “He’s not worth it. Thanks, though.”

JC’s world swam as he realized what might have happened, all because of him. “I need air.”  JC brushed by AJ and Michael and headed for the door.

“I’ll get him. Thanks again,” AJ said.  AJ followed JC out the door.

JC walked across the sidewalk to a railing and held onto it.  “What the fuck were you doing?” JC almost screamed.

“Saving your scrawny ass,” AJ retorted.  “Excuse me for fucking living!”

“Did you SEE how big that guy was?”  JC continued.

“Yes, which is EXACTLY why I came over.  He would have pounded your ass into the ground.”

“And he could have done the same thing to you. That was stupid!”  JC said, glaring at him.

“Why do I even bother?” AJ turned on one heel, and JC grabbed his arm.

“Just for the record, I’m glad you bothered. I’m glad you bothered last night, too, but I didn’t want to get alcohol all over you. THAT’S why I turned away at the last minute.  You had just finished saying how you didn’t like people breathing booze all over you, so I pulled back.  So don’t go thinking I was grossed out or something, because I wasn’t,” JC finished.  He realized that he had just ranted, and blushed slightly.

“You weren’t?” AJ asked, smiling slowly.

“No,” JC whispered. “Not even close.”

“Good.”  AJ put his hands on JC’s shoulders.  “Don’t pull away this time.”

“I won’t,” JC said softly, and AJ kissed him gently.  The kiss intensified, and it was AJ who pulled away finally.

“Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this in the middle of the street,” AJ said. 

“God knows there’s probably a reporter from the Star behind that bush,” JC said.

“You up for a walk?”

“Sure,” JC said.

“I’ll tell the guys we’re leaving and walking home.  Don’t go anywhere,” AJ said.

“I won’t,” JC promised, shivering as AJ gave him one last kiss, then darted back into the bar.

Twelve