Twenty-Four

 

"I cannot believe we're doing this," Chris grumbled as they waited in the lobby.  JC pulled down his baseball cap and poked Chris in the bicep.

"Lighten up, Chris. Like we ever take the time to go sightseeing."

"We're in Vegas. You don't leave Vegas to go sightseeing. You sightsee IN Vegas," Chris snapped.

"For someone who got hella good sex last night, you're awful grumpy," JC observed. He kept one eye on Justin and Lance, who were quietly talking a few feet away.

"I'm not talking about that," Chris said.  JC's mouth fell open.

"Damn, Chrissy...I was just kidding."  JC looked at him. "You and Justin really..."

"Yeah, we did," Chris replied, and JC took a good look in his eyes.

"You look scared to death."

"I am. What does this mean?"

"It means that you've come to the Pink Side," JC said lightly, then threw an arm around Chris' shoulders. "I know it's hard, Chris. And I'm being totally serious when I say that if you want to talk about it, about ANYTHING, please come to me. I know what it's like, finding out new things about yourself that you never dreamed possible."

"Thank you," Chris said.  He looked at Justin and sighed. "So, uh, did you two have a good time last night?"

"Yes," JC said, trying not to stare at Lance, but he couldn't help it.  Lance only wore a simple pair of cargo shorts and tshirt, but he was so attractive.

"Ya know, someday we'll have to go back to work, right?" Chris said carefully.

"Of course.  It won't be a big deal," JC said.  He saw the rental car pull up in front of the hotel and started out the door.

"SURE it won't," Chris said to himself.

 

"I really appreciate this, JC," Lance said, taking his eyes off the road for a moment to smile at JC. "I mean it."

"I'm glad," JC said, smiling back. "We wouldn't want this weekend to be ALL work for you, now would we?"

Lance blushed slightly but smiled back. "And I'm glad you could come, Chris," he said in the direction of the backseat. 

"Sure," Chris said faintly.  Justin was leaning against him, having pulled one of Chris' arms out to drape around him. He wasn't sure if he was comfortable with it, but he DID like the feeling of Justin's body sitting casually against his.

"I mean, Hoover Dam...it's amazing what they did for the time period they were in. Did you know that they all but invented the hard hat while building this thing? I can't IMAGINE how it was, trying to stay safe without safety restrictions."

"Didn't someone like fall into the concrete and die or something?" Justin asked.

Lance rolled his eyes.  "Urban legend, Justin.  It never would have settled if a body was in it."

They arrived at Hoover Dam in about forty minutes.  JC had gotten direction from the front desk, and Lance had offered to drive, as long as JC would navigate.  JC didn't mind. It gave him an excuse to watch Lance.  They got out of the car and stretched their legs.  "Man, I'm gonna hate going back on tour again," JC groaned, yawning and stretching tall.

Lance absentmindedly watched a patch of JC's stomach as his tshirt stretched up.  "Uh, when do you go?"

"They're talking about next month, but God only knows," JC griped. "I MUCH prefer playing in one place for a while...I don't really like touring."

"All the more reason to do the Broadway thing," Chris sing-songed as he and Justin walked towards the ticket office.

"Shut up," JC snapped. He turned to Lance. "Let's go."

They joined a tour group, JC keeping his hat pulled down low.  Lance kept lingering behind, rereading every exhibit's description.  "Sorry," he said after the third time that someone had to come back to get him. "It's just so interesting."

"You should have been an engineer," Justin teased him. It was his turn to bring Lance up to speed.

"Nah...I like math, but not enough to work with it every day. I prefer to be outside," Lance said.

"Have you said anything to JC about your feelings?" Justin asked, and Lance stopped walking.

"No, Justin, and I don't plan on it. It's not like that. I'm stupid for even feeling like this.  It can never work."

"I've watched him watching you, Lance, and even Chris said that JC likes you."

"JC likes YOU, too, Justin, and all you guys were was employer and employee," Lance said, trying to be polite.

"It's not like that with you, Lance!" Justin said. "God, why won't you try to be happy?"

"Because it will only hurt to get rejected, Justin," Lance snapped. "Let it drop."

 

"So, what do you and your little Georgia Peach have planned for tonight?" Chris asked as they waited for Justin and Lance.

"He's not from Georgia. He's from MISSISSIPPI, bonehead," JC said.  "And I don't know.  Whatever Lance wants."

"As long as there's sex at the end, right?" Chris asked.

"YOU have sex on the brain," JC pointed out. "I don't know, but that would definitely be nice, yes."

"I thought that's why you brought him down here," Chris said.

"It is." JC turned on his heel and walked away before Chris could say anything else.

Twenty-Five