Twelve
“Come
on, Lance, sit down,” JC said, leading Lance to the sofa.
“God,
I'm so embarrassed.” Lance wiped at his eyes.
“Shut
up and sit. I have to make a phone call, and I'm going to make us some tea,
okay?”
“Okay.
Thanks, JC,” Lance said. JC just looked at him. “I mean, Josh,” Lance added
quickly, and JC smiled, feeling that old easy warmth between them.
JC
went to the kitchen and put the teakettle on. He then pulled out some pasta and
started a pot of water on the stovetop. He picked up the phone as he dug around
in the cupboards for a jar of spaghetti sauce. “Mr. Thacker? Hi, it's JC
Chasez. I know that we were supposed to meet tomorrow…but I have a family
emergency. Could we make it for Monday instead? Thank you. I apologize…thank
you for being so understanding. Bye.” JC hung up and searched for his favorite
herbal tea.
When
he returned to the living room with a tray, Lance was shivering on the sofa,
his legs pulled up beneath him. “Wow…I didn't expect all this,” Lance said.
“I
assumed you probably haven't eaten in a while, if you haven't slept in a
while,” JC said. “And God, Lance, put that blanket around you if you're cold.”
JC grabbed the grey fleece blanket from the back of the sofa and draped it over
Lance. “You can eat with this around you.”
“Thank
you.” Lance picked up the mug of tea and gratefully wrapped his hands around
it. “I'm sorry to just burst in on you like this, but I really didn't know
where else to go. I slipped out of the hotel and started running…and ended up
here.”
“You're
always welcome here, Lance,” JC said, calmly sprinkling Parmesan cheese onto
his pasta.
“I
knew the press could be rat bastards when they wanted to…but this is the worst
thing I've ever experienced.” Lance sipped at the hot beverage. “The questions
they were asking…Lance, have you ever done drugs with AJ? Lance, have you ever
done drugs at all? Lance, did you know that AJ was dealing out of his
apartment?” JC gasped but Lance continued. “Lance, did you ever participate in
orgies with AJ McLean? Lance, did you know that AJ was hosting orgies in his
hotel suite in Milan?”
“You're
kidding,” JC whispered.
“Me
and AJ have been falling apart for a while now,” Lance said, poking at his
pasta. “I mean, it was pretty much all for show lately. But this…it still hurt
me. Way back when, when we met and hooked up, we promised each other that we'd
always respect each other enough to end things if they seemed to be bad. I
guess what hurts is that he obviously doesn't respect me that much anymore. Not
even as a friend.” JC put a hand on Lance's knee.
“I'm
sorry, Lance.”
“So
Kevin tried to fend off the reporters but they just kept going after me. After
AJ called tonight, I finally couldn't take it anymore. I need some peace and
quiet.”
“He
called you?”
“Yeah…to
ask me to help him cover it up somehow.” Lance laughed wryly. “I told him to go
fuck himself and hung up.”
“Good
for you,” JC said. “As for peace and quiet, you have SO come to the right
place. Chris and Nick are gone for the weekend, and we'll be here all by
ourselves, if you want to stay for a few days.”
“Chris
and Nick?” Lance asked.
“Yeah,
believe it or not. Chris used to drive Nick crazy, but apparently when Nick
needed a friend one day, Chris was really there for him.”
“I'm
sorry…about that night with AJ,” Lance said. “I didn't think he'd show up like
that. I wasn't trying to use you.”
“I
believe you,” JC said. “It was silly, anyway…I mean, really…you and me?”
“Right,”
Lance said, then he yawned.
“You
can sleep in my bed. Neither one of us deserves to try and sleep in Chris'
room, so I'll take the sofa.”
“No,”
Lance insisted. “I will.”
“When's
the last time your diva ass slept on a sofa?” JC asked, grinning.
“I
can't remember, and I'm not a diva,” Lance said haughtily, then laughed.
“Really,
Lance, you're my guest. And you're so tired…you need a good night's sleep.”
“I'm
not that…” A yawn split Lance's head in two. “…tired.”
“Go.”
JC took Lance's plate. “Really. I have extra sweats in the top dresser drawer.
Take a shower and go to sleep.”
“Thank
you, Josh.” Lance started to say something more, then stopped. “Good night.”
“'Night,” JC said, trying not to wistfully
watch Lance walk away.
JC
flipped channels for an hour or so, then finally turned off the living room
lights around ten o'clock. Lance had been asleep for a few hours, after taking
a long hot shower. JC lay awake, staring at the shadows on the ceiling.
He
heard footsteps thumping down the steps, and he sat up. “Are you okay?” He
asked, rubbing at his eyes slightly.
“Fine.
I just…would you like to come up and sleep with me?” Lance asked.
