Ten

  

"Hi."  Justin stepped into Lance's room and closed the door.

"Hi," Lance said, fidgeting nervously.

"Wow...you've made this place look almost homey," Justin said, looking around.

"Joey had some old pictures and stuff in the attic, said I could use whatever I wanted," Lance replied.  "I liked the scenic stuff...reminded me of home."

"I know the feeling," Justin said.  They had decided to use Lance's room for their "training," because it was farthest away from everyone else's.  No one knew about the special arrangement between JC Chasez and Lance, and no one WOULD know until it actually happened.

"So...uh...that guy was Howie's brother?" Lance said, referring to the man who had arrived the night before.

"Yeah, isn't he a scream?" Justin said, flopping onto Lance's bed and bouncing a bit.  "He's hot, I guess, but..."

"He seems to just want something every time he looks at you," Lance finished.  Justin nodded.

Lance hadn't liked Alex from the start, though he had politely smiled and said hello.  Alex had looked him over, amusement and want shining from the dark brown eyes.  Tattoos snaked across his thin arms as he leaned against a wall and asked if Lance was a "new boy."  Justin had quickly jumped in and told him no, and the disappointment on Alex's face was obvious.  No, Lance didn't like Alex one bit.

"I hope you can stay away from him, Lance.  He's not like gonna rape you or anything, but...he can be convincing when he wants to," Justin finished, sitting up and leaning on his hands.

"I bet," Lance said simply. He looked at Justin, shuffled his feet nervously, then began to pull his tshirt up over his head.  Justin simply watched, then sat straight up in surprise as Lance started on his jeans.

"What are you doing, Lancey?"

"Aren't we...don't...I need to be naked, right?" Lance stammered.

"Yeah," Justin said with a chuckle as he stood.  "But we're not doing that."

"We're not?"

"Lance, I'm not gonna have sex with you. Joey made a huge point to JC that you're a virgin and all...and I don't wanna make him a liar.  I'm just here to show you how to DO things...how to act and how to move and what to say, okay?"

"Oh, okay," Lance said.

"Not that I don't plan on making some moves on you," Justin teased, and Lance was able to smile a little.  "Just to see how you react."

"Okay," Lance said. "I trust you, Justin."

Justin looked at him, his smile softening. "C'mere."  He surprised Lance by hugging him. "Lancey, you are a real sweetheart, and I'm sorry for some of the stuff I said last night.  Forgive me?"

"Of course," Lance said. "I already forgot it."

"Good." Justin pulled back. "Trust is important.  I don't think you'll have to worry about JC Chasez, though; he seemed to be a pretty nice guy."

"Does it bother you, that he wants me after he had you, I mean?" Lance asked.

"Does it bother you that he had me first?" Justin countered.

"No. I mean, kinda, because how do I compare to YOU, but otherwise, no. It's, well, it's your job."

"Right. That's all. It hurt my ego at first, but I got over it.  And, you know, if he wants you, that's fine." Justin smiled. "You are pretty hot."  Lance blushed, as Justin knew he would.  "C'mere."  Justin sat on the bed and Lance sat next to him. "Why don't I just kiss you, and we go from there, okay?" Lance nodded and Justin placed a hand on his shoulder.  "Some guys will gross you out. If you ONLY knew.  But JC...I bet he'd kiss nice."

"You didn't, uh, kiss him?" Lance asked.

"He said he didn't want to," Justin said, shrugging. "But, just in case..."

Justin leaned forward and met Lance's lips.  Lance tried not to be nervous and concentrated on kissing Justin. At least he had kissed someone before, if nothing else.  "Uh, well?" Lance asked when Justin pulled away.

"If you weren't THINKING so hard about it, it would be nice," Justin teased. "Relax, Lance.  Pretend you're at least attracted to me."

"I am!" Lance said, then blushed again.  Justin laughed.

"Thank you." Justin leaned in again, and this time Lance relaxed.  Justin's lips were soft and warm, and Lance forgot himself enough to reach a hand up to twine in Justin's curls.  "Better," Justin whispered when they pulled apart again. "MUCH better. Now...do you think you're a top or a bottom."

Lance turned beet red. "Well, uh, I don't...uh...bottom?"

"Me, too," Justin replied.  "Nick's a top. Howie's a whatever the guy wants. I topped a few times, when I was on the street, but I prefer bottom. I feel safer."

"What street?"

"In Los Angeles. I worked the streets for a while, then I moved with some guys to Vegas, and the streets were a LOT worse there, believe it or not...and then I learned about this place and Joey hired me."

"Oh," Lance said softly. He could imagine Justin making a lot of money in a big city, but he thought it would be scary.

"So." Justin rubbed his hands together.  "Let's start by how you talk to him."

 

"Let me get this straight." Chris downed his shot of bourbon and looked at JC.  "You called that place and asked for Lance?"

"I asked if I could have him, yes." JC waved his empty glass at the bartender.

"JC, Lance isn't a prostitute. Lance is a handyman. Lance works with tools and gets sweaty."

"I can give him a tool to work with and I can get him sweaty," JC said with an arrogant smile.

"JC, the boy is totally innocent. You KNOW that."

"And Joey Fatone reminded me countless times on the phone. He's...he's what I want.  And Fatone talked to him, and he agreed, as long as I promised Fatone that I wouldn't hurt him. Which I wouldn't. I'm not a monster."

"I'm beginning to wonder," Chris muttered. "So...when will you get with him?"

"Fatone said to give him a few days...I'm supposed to call in three days," JC said, sighing. "Can I go without sex that long?"

"Fuck you, Chasez," Chris muttered, knowing that JC was teasing him.  JC laughed.  "I can't believe you'd do this to someone."

"Chris, I'm not DOING anything. All I did was ask. They could have told me no, and I'd have hooked up with that Justin kid you like so much."

"I don't like him," Chris said, but he didn't say it with much conviction.

"Three days," JC repeated.  "Maybe you could hook up with Justin while I'm there."

Chris gave him a glare and got up from the bar as JC laughed.

Eleven