Six

 

“Hey.”  JC sleepily made his way down the stairs and looked around the living room.  Lance was on the sofa, and AJ was laying on the floor, chin in his hands.  JC went to the sofa, curled up against Lance, and fell back asleep. AJ raised an eyebrow.

 

“He sleepwalks?”

 

“Something like that. He wakes up long enough to find someplace else to sleep, then falls back asleep.” Lance patted JC’s cheek, then tossed AJ the remote.  “Half-hour’s up. Your turn.”

 

AJ gratefully changed the channel away from CNN, and began to randomly flip through the networks.  “Cool.”  He stopped on a decorating channel.  “I love this show.”

 

Lance stared at the screen, then looked at AJ.  “You like decorating?”

 

“This is Christopher Lowell, Lance. He’s the best,” AJ declared.

 

“And the biggest queen in the world,” JC said drowsily.  Lance looked down at him.

 

“You’re still asleep.”

 

“No, I’m not.  I like Christopher Lowell,” JC replied, then fell asleep for real.

 

“Okay, he is a big queen, but he has some great ideas,” AJ commented.  Lance sighed and prepared himself for the worst.

 

An hour later, JC slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes.  “Thank you,” Lance groaned, stretching his legs.

 

“You’re still watching Christopher Lowell?” JC asked.

 

“It’s a marathon!” AJ said gleefully.  He then looked at Lance. “Whatever you do, PLEASE don’t tell Nick I like this stuff. He won’t let me live it down.”

 

“What’s there to be ashamed of?” JC asked.  AJ shrugged.  “Where IS Nick, by the way?”

 

“Nick, Chris and Justin went to play basketball with those friends of Nick and Justin’s,” Lance said.

 

“You didn’t go?” JC asked.

 

“I wasn’t invited,” Lance said, blushing slightly.

 

“I know you can’t play for shit, but they coulda invited you,” JC said. “That was rude.”

 

“It’s okay,” Lance insisted.

 

“They didn’t invite me, either,” AJ pointed out.

 

“That’s because you’re short,” JC said with a smile.

 

“Not THAT short. Lance’s little elf boyfriend is about my size,” AJ said.  “Anyway, I’d rather hang inside than be all sweaty and running around a court.”

 

“What time is it?” JC asked, yawning and stretching.

 

“Almost noon,” Lance answered.

 

“Lunch time,” AJ said.

 

“Brunch time,” JC corrected.

 

“Hey…ya know what I could totally eat?” AJ asked. “Tuna.  Tuna salad.”

 

“I love tuna salad,” Lance said.

 

“We should try to find a deli or something,” AJ said.  “I bet there’s one within walking distance.”

 

“Why?” JC asked.

 

“For tuna, silly,” AJ said.

 

“Why?” JC repeated. “We can just make it here.”

 

“MAKE it?” AJ asked.

 

“You DO live a sheltered, spoiled life, don’t you?” JC asked. He got up. “We just need eggs, tuna, mayo, and a little bit of relish.”  JC headed for the kitchen and AJ followed him.

 

 

 

Lance was still in front of the television when Chris, Nick and Justin made their way home at twelve-forty.  “Hey, sexy.” Chris bent down to kiss Lance.

 

“Ick. You’re sweaty.” Lance shoved him away.

 

“What’s this?” Justin motioned to the television.

 

“Um, something that JC likes,” Lance said. “I, uh, you know, just didn’t feel like changing it.”

 

“You like decorating shows?” Chris asked.

 

“I SAID, it’s JC’s show,” Lance retorted, changing the channel to CNN.

 

“I’m gonna get something to drink.”  Justin headed to the kitchen with Nick following.

 

“I need a shower,” Chris said.  He went upstairs.  As soon as the room was empty, Lance flipped the TV back to Christopher Lowell.

 

 

 

“No…AJ…they’re gonna explode!”  JC exclaimed. “Turn it of and let them steam!”

 

“Why?  They’re cooking in there…won’t steaming take too long?” AJ asked.

 

“AJ…” JC began, then yelped as a white mass shot out of the lid of the pot.  “I told you!”

 

“Euww.” Nick wrinkled his nose as he entered the kitchen. “That smells worse than Justin and I do after hours of basketball!”

 

“What IS that?” Justin asked.

 

“It WAS eggs,” AJ said. “JC was teaching me to hard boil.”

 

“JC obviously isn’t a very good teacher,” Nick said.  Justin glared at him.

 

“Or AJ is just a shitty pupil,” Justin said.

 

“So much for tuna salad,” JC said, tossing the eggs in the garbage and tying the bag closed.  “I guess we’ll have to run out to the deli, anyway.”

 

“I’m sorry I messed up your tuna,” AJ said.

 

“It’s okay,” JC said, shrugging.  “You guys want anything?”  He asked Nick and Justin.

 

“I’ll take a roast beef sub,” Justin said.  “Extra onions and tomatoes.”

 

“Euww.”  Nick wrinkled his nose.  “You know what I want, Aje.”

 

“Right.  I’ll go ask Lance.” AJ went to the living room. JC went upstairs to get his shoes.

 

Nick drank directly from the orange juice carton. “Man, I’m hot.”

 

“Do you ever think about him?” Justin asked in a tiny voice.  Nick handed him the carton, but he shook his head.

 

“Think about who?”

 

“AJ.”

 

“I have to think about him. He’s my bandmate,” Nick teased.  Justin didn’t smile. “You still worry about that?”

 

“You guys are all buddy buddy.”

 

“So are you and JC,” Nick said.

 

“But we were never involved,” Justin reminded him.  Nick sighed.

 

“Justin, I’m not interested in AJ, okay? I’m interested in YOU and only you.  Besides, I think AJ might be after someone else,” Nick said slyly.

 

“Someone else?” Justin asked.

 

“Yep…the only NSYNC member in this house not involved with someone…yet.” Nick went out of the kitchen.  Justin frowned. AJ and JC?

 

Seven