Last Words, First Kiss
Oct. 13th, 2003 04:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amfiguree[N'sync] [Basez] [G]
Last Words, First Kiss
Author's Note: I think this piece is a bit better than the last one. It's short and sweet and I got the inspiration from my sister (thank you, Sarah!) so if the plot sucks you know who to blame. *winks* I'm just kidding. Anyway, enjoy!
“What the hell happened?”
“JC, calm down, man! He’s fine! The car screwed and he skidded onto the curb.”
“He’s fine?” JC’s voice was deathly calm. “He’s FINE?! Dammit! He’s having surgery and they’re cutting him open in there! Hell, I don’t know, if I were him, I’d be having the time of my life! Hmm, Chris?”
Chris sighed and patted JC on the back. “Hey, calm down. He’ll be fine. The doctor is the best around here. Just cool it.”
“Cool it?” JC was already at boiling point and Chris took a step backward, praying his usually level-headed friend wouldn’t erupt. “COOL it? How the HELL am I supposed to do that, Chris? It’s Lance in there, dammit!”
“And your point is?” Justin whispered softly to Joey as they watched their friend rant on and on to a mildly amused Chris.
“The boy’s in love,” Joey shrugged, a grin on his face. “And he’s got it baaaddddd.”
“What? For ol’ Poofu?”
“Yep,” Joey grinned even wider.
“JC’s GAY?!” Justin hissed the last word a little louder than he had intended and that earned him a thwap on the head from Joey.
“Shuddup,” Joey scolded. “What’s the matter? You got a problem with that?”
Justin nodded his head. “Yeah, a little,” he admitted, spreading his arms out wide, “Like, THIS much!”
“What’s wrong with homosexuals?” Joey demanded, shocked by Justin’s reaction. “They’re human and YES, they’re normal. It’s only in relationships that they have different tastes than us. The way they act and speak is just the same as the rest of us. In fact, there is no ‘rest of us’... it’s just... ALL of us.”
Justin nodded slowly, “Well, when you put it that way...”
Joey smiled and whacked Justin on the shoulder with brotherly affection. “That’s the spirit, man! No matter what, I’m behind them all the way. You?”
“Yeah man!” Justin chuckled then high-fived Joey. “All the way.”
Chris’ head whipped around at the sound of laughter. ‘I’m dying over here and you’re LAUGHING?’ he mouthed to them, still pretending to listen to the panic-stricken JC. ‘What kinda buddies do that?’
Joey batted his eyelashes and gave Chris a sugar sweet smile. “Aww... Mr. Macho can’t take a little scolding?”
Chris raised an eyebrow and gave Joey a look that said, ‘You wait. You’ll get yours.’ Then Chris sighed reluctantly and turned back to give his full attention to the frantic, screaming JC.
“Honestly, Joe, why aren’t you worried about Lance?” Justin asked, the worry lines that had never left his forehead deepening.
“'Cause I know Lance will be okay,” Joey said, forcing a bright tone and trying desperately to push away the fears that were about to swallow him whole. “He wasn’t that badly messed up, you know?”
Justin chewed nervously on his bottom lip, “Yeah, but...”
“Look, let’s just drop it, okay?” Joey snapped, his fears for Lance’s safety returning quickly. He plopped down on the chair and kept his lips tightly shut, scowling fiercely when Justin sat next to him.
“Listen, man,” Justin began apologetically. “I’m sorry. I know that right now, we’re all worried about him.”
“Yeah, but we’ve gotta be strong,” Joey said forcefully, glancing at JC. “The rock of the group is crumbling and so we’ve got to put up a brave front and keep things together while two of our band members temporarily lose their minds.”
Justin chuckled ruefully, staring at JC. “Yeah, I guess so...”
“Lance?” JC spoke softly as he entered the hospital ward, fully aware that Lance would not hear him, and yet unable to resist calling his name. “Hey buddy,” JC whispered as he settled next to Lance. The other guys had all seen him and were going back to the hotel with Diane, Lance’s mom. She had been reluctant to leave her son, but she visibly relaxed when JC volunteered to watch over her son. She knew he was responsible, but that did not mean that she was not worried.
“You gave us a scare back there, you know?” JC chuckled softly, trying to keep his tears from flowing. Lance was hooked up to so many machines JC couldn’t even begin counting them. There were I.Vs and all kinds of weird needles sticking out of Lance’s arm that JC flinched, wondering if Lance was in pain.
JC reached over to hold Lance’s hand gently in his. His mind was reeling and tears were threatening to overflow. “Why now, Lance? I haven’t told you yet... you can’t just go. Not now, not ever.”
JC put his head on the edge of the bed, the blanket muffling his sobs. His mind flashed back to the incident that had happened only the day before.
“JC, I-”
“Dammit Lance! How could you be so careless? Where the hell is the necklace now?” JC demanded, seething. He was clenching and unclenching his fists, praying that he wouldn’t just hit out at Lance.
“But...”
“WHERE Lance?” JC yelled, feeling Joey’s eyes on him. He didn’t even bother to look at Joey as he spat out, “Get out, Joey! Just leave us alone.” His steely blue eyes slammed into Joey’s as JC turned around slowly and said menacingly. “Which part of get out don’t you understand?”
Lance stepped in front of Joey, “Hey, Joey’s innocent in all this.”
“OUT!”
Joey sighed and shook his head apologetically at Lance as he ducked out of the room. Lance let out his breath with a whoosh and turned back to face the furious JC. Lance flinched at the anger in JC’s eyes, wishing JC would just give him a chance to explain. But JC was mad. And nothing he did was going to be rational.
“That was the last thing my grandmother left for me. How could you break it Lance? Dammit! Why was it even WITH you?”
Lance opened his mouth and tried to explain for the millionth time, but JC wouldn’t let him. “Why did you have to go playing with it? Do you know how much that meant to me? That bloody freaking necklace was all I had left from her, Lance, dammit!” JC knew that it was his hurt and anger speaking, but he didn’t care. It had been so long since he had lashed out at someone. And it felt good, it really did.
But Lance’s shocked and hurt expression made JC feel a little twinge of guilt. Well, almost. “I broke the necklace but it wasn’t-” Lance’s voice was drowned out when JC started shouting again.
“WHY DID YOU EVEN TAKE IT?” JC hollered. “Just tell me where the hell it is and I’ll go get it.”
“I can’t-”
“Why not?” JC asked forcefully.
“It-”
“You know what?” JC finally stormed, unable to look Lance in the eyes anymore. There was a mixture of confusion and hurt there that just made JC ill. “Forget it. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Just leave me alone.”
“JC!” Lance tried to stop JC as he stomped out of the room. But JC pulled back when Lance’s hand rested gently on his shoulder.
“Don’t touch me, Lance. Don’t make me do something I’ll regret. Just... just don’t.” JC growled as he went out of the room.
“Wait!” Lance pleaded.
JC was sick and tired of Lance, of everything. He said the first thing that came to his mind in a futile attempt to make Lance go away. “I hate you, Lance.”
“What?” Lance’s mind reeled and he took a step away from JC. His mind spun in confusion. ‘He hasn’t even heard me out yet!’ Lance thought indignantly. But his heart shattered when JC slowly repeated what he had just said.
“I... hate... you.”
“But...” Lance’s face fell and the sparkle in his sea green eyes disappeared.
JC sighed and stared at Lance’s disappointed look. On the outside, he looked cool and composed, but inwardly, he was cursing himself. ‘How could I have said that?’ he wondered. ‘How could I have hurt the one person I love so much?’
Lance held up a hand to stop JC’s pathetic apology and forced a smile. It was cold and sad, unlike anything JC had ever seen out of Lance before. “I did break the necklace, JC,” Lance said quietly, thankful when JC didn’t interrupt. “But it wasn’t the one your grandmother left you. It was an identical one I was intending to buy from a store.”
“Lance...”
“Forget it,” Lance silenced JC. He brushed past JC and didn’t even apologize when their shoulders met. “I’m going for a drive.”
“Wait!” JC pleaded, feeling terrible. The tables were turned and the one desperate to get the other to understand was now JC instead of Lance. “I’ll go with you!”
“Nah, it’s okay. Your work is more important, Jace. Sorry if I disturbed you or anything.” Lance disappeared out the door, leaving JC cold and alone.
“Yeah, and I only have myself to blame for that,” JC muttered miserably. Lance hadn’t gone home the whole night. JC had called him time and again on his cell but the only person who had gotten through was Justin. He had talked to Lance for a while and Lance had assured the rest that he was okay. He hadn’t spoken to JC though. He had slammed down the phone as soon as JC spoke up and refused to pick up any more calls.
JC rubbed his tears away furiously, still gripping Lance’s hand. “Lance, please wake up,” he begged softly. “Shit, my last words to you were that I hated you… I just... what if you die thinking that I hate you?” JC was becoming hysteric. “I don’t! Oh God, far from that! Please don’t die, Lance.”
JC buried his head in his hands as the tears began falling freely again. “I’m sorry,” he choked out. “I’m so sorry.”
“S'okay, Jace,” JC’s head shot up when he heard Lance’s voice. “I’m not mad. I could never be mad at you.”
Lance’s voice was scratchy and JC winced. “But I’m still sorry,” JC whispered, squeezing Lance’s hand. “God, I’m so glad you’re alive. I thought... I thought you...”
Lance chuckled, “You didn’t really think I would die without forcing an apology out of you first, do you?”
JC smiled sadly, “No, of course not.”
Lance reached up gingerly and brushed the tears on JC’s face away. “What’s wrong, Jace? Don’t cry.”
JC stared at Lance for a few seconds, then he sucked in his breath. “I have so much to tell you, Lance. And I think you’re going to hate me after this but if I don’t tell you and I don’t get the chance then... then I’ll hate me forever.”
Lance laughed but sobered up at the seriousness on JC’s face. “What is it?”
“Lance, I think I love you.”
Lance’s heart pounded when he heard JC’s heartfelt words. Sincerity shone out of JC’s pale blue eyes and Lance’s breath caught in his throat. “Dammit Jace, what took you so long?” Lance breathed.
JC’s tenseness fell away and a smile appeared on his face. Lance barely had time to think how beautiful JC was before JC’s lips were pressed against his. They kissed passionately, hungrily, each searching for comfort and solace in the other’s lips.
JC pulled back finally but it was a few moments before he opened his eyes to look at Lance. “Whoa...”
Lance grinned. “You can say that again.”
“Woohoo!” Lance and JC turned to the door when they heard clapping and whistling. JC’s cheeks flushed red when he recognized that it was the other N’sync members as well as Diane. She looked stunned but a small smile appeared on her face when she saw the love radiating from Lance’s eyes. “Go Jace!”
“Oh yeah,” Lance chuckled as JC bent down to kiss him again. “Go Jace.” Lance whispered against JC’s lips as they kissed again, lost in their own world, where no one else could intrude. Ever.
-fin-
Last Words, First Kiss
Author's Note: I think this piece is a bit better than the last one. It's short and sweet and I got the inspiration from my sister (thank you, Sarah!) so if the plot sucks you know who to blame. *winks* I'm just kidding. Anyway, enjoy!
“What the hell happened?”
“JC, calm down, man! He’s fine! The car screwed and he skidded onto the curb.”
“He’s fine?” JC’s voice was deathly calm. “He’s FINE?! Dammit! He’s having surgery and they’re cutting him open in there! Hell, I don’t know, if I were him, I’d be having the time of my life! Hmm, Chris?”
Chris sighed and patted JC on the back. “Hey, calm down. He’ll be fine. The doctor is the best around here. Just cool it.”
“Cool it?” JC was already at boiling point and Chris took a step backward, praying his usually level-headed friend wouldn’t erupt. “COOL it? How the HELL am I supposed to do that, Chris? It’s Lance in there, dammit!”
“And your point is?” Justin whispered softly to Joey as they watched their friend rant on and on to a mildly amused Chris.
“The boy’s in love,” Joey shrugged, a grin on his face. “And he’s got it baaaddddd.”
“What? For ol’ Poofu?”
“Yep,” Joey grinned even wider.
“JC’s GAY?!” Justin hissed the last word a little louder than he had intended and that earned him a thwap on the head from Joey.
“Shuddup,” Joey scolded. “What’s the matter? You got a problem with that?”
Justin nodded his head. “Yeah, a little,” he admitted, spreading his arms out wide, “Like, THIS much!”
“What’s wrong with homosexuals?” Joey demanded, shocked by Justin’s reaction. “They’re human and YES, they’re normal. It’s only in relationships that they have different tastes than us. The way they act and speak is just the same as the rest of us. In fact, there is no ‘rest of us’... it’s just... ALL of us.”
Justin nodded slowly, “Well, when you put it that way...”
Joey smiled and whacked Justin on the shoulder with brotherly affection. “That’s the spirit, man! No matter what, I’m behind them all the way. You?”
“Yeah man!” Justin chuckled then high-fived Joey. “All the way.”
Chris’ head whipped around at the sound of laughter. ‘I’m dying over here and you’re LAUGHING?’ he mouthed to them, still pretending to listen to the panic-stricken JC. ‘What kinda buddies do that?’
Joey batted his eyelashes and gave Chris a sugar sweet smile. “Aww... Mr. Macho can’t take a little scolding?”
Chris raised an eyebrow and gave Joey a look that said, ‘You wait. You’ll get yours.’ Then Chris sighed reluctantly and turned back to give his full attention to the frantic, screaming JC.
“Honestly, Joe, why aren’t you worried about Lance?” Justin asked, the worry lines that had never left his forehead deepening.
“'Cause I know Lance will be okay,” Joey said, forcing a bright tone and trying desperately to push away the fears that were about to swallow him whole. “He wasn’t that badly messed up, you know?”
Justin chewed nervously on his bottom lip, “Yeah, but...”
“Look, let’s just drop it, okay?” Joey snapped, his fears for Lance’s safety returning quickly. He plopped down on the chair and kept his lips tightly shut, scowling fiercely when Justin sat next to him.
“Listen, man,” Justin began apologetically. “I’m sorry. I know that right now, we’re all worried about him.”
“Yeah, but we’ve gotta be strong,” Joey said forcefully, glancing at JC. “The rock of the group is crumbling and so we’ve got to put up a brave front and keep things together while two of our band members temporarily lose their minds.”
Justin chuckled ruefully, staring at JC. “Yeah, I guess so...”
“Lance?” JC spoke softly as he entered the hospital ward, fully aware that Lance would not hear him, and yet unable to resist calling his name. “Hey buddy,” JC whispered as he settled next to Lance. The other guys had all seen him and were going back to the hotel with Diane, Lance’s mom. She had been reluctant to leave her son, but she visibly relaxed when JC volunteered to watch over her son. She knew he was responsible, but that did not mean that she was not worried.
“You gave us a scare back there, you know?” JC chuckled softly, trying to keep his tears from flowing. Lance was hooked up to so many machines JC couldn’t even begin counting them. There were I.Vs and all kinds of weird needles sticking out of Lance’s arm that JC flinched, wondering if Lance was in pain.
JC reached over to hold Lance’s hand gently in his. His mind was reeling and tears were threatening to overflow. “Why now, Lance? I haven’t told you yet... you can’t just go. Not now, not ever.”
JC put his head on the edge of the bed, the blanket muffling his sobs. His mind flashed back to the incident that had happened only the day before.
“JC, I-”
“Dammit Lance! How could you be so careless? Where the hell is the necklace now?” JC demanded, seething. He was clenching and unclenching his fists, praying that he wouldn’t just hit out at Lance.
“But...”
“WHERE Lance?” JC yelled, feeling Joey’s eyes on him. He didn’t even bother to look at Joey as he spat out, “Get out, Joey! Just leave us alone.” His steely blue eyes slammed into Joey’s as JC turned around slowly and said menacingly. “Which part of get out don’t you understand?”
Lance stepped in front of Joey, “Hey, Joey’s innocent in all this.”
“OUT!”
Joey sighed and shook his head apologetically at Lance as he ducked out of the room. Lance let out his breath with a whoosh and turned back to face the furious JC. Lance flinched at the anger in JC’s eyes, wishing JC would just give him a chance to explain. But JC was mad. And nothing he did was going to be rational.
“That was the last thing my grandmother left for me. How could you break it Lance? Dammit! Why was it even WITH you?”
Lance opened his mouth and tried to explain for the millionth time, but JC wouldn’t let him. “Why did you have to go playing with it? Do you know how much that meant to me? That bloody freaking necklace was all I had left from her, Lance, dammit!” JC knew that it was his hurt and anger speaking, but he didn’t care. It had been so long since he had lashed out at someone. And it felt good, it really did.
But Lance’s shocked and hurt expression made JC feel a little twinge of guilt. Well, almost. “I broke the necklace but it wasn’t-” Lance’s voice was drowned out when JC started shouting again.
“WHY DID YOU EVEN TAKE IT?” JC hollered. “Just tell me where the hell it is and I’ll go get it.”
“I can’t-”
“Why not?” JC asked forcefully.
“It-”
“You know what?” JC finally stormed, unable to look Lance in the eyes anymore. There was a mixture of confusion and hurt there that just made JC ill. “Forget it. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Just leave me alone.”
“JC!” Lance tried to stop JC as he stomped out of the room. But JC pulled back when Lance’s hand rested gently on his shoulder.
“Don’t touch me, Lance. Don’t make me do something I’ll regret. Just... just don’t.” JC growled as he went out of the room.
“Wait!” Lance pleaded.
JC was sick and tired of Lance, of everything. He said the first thing that came to his mind in a futile attempt to make Lance go away. “I hate you, Lance.”
“What?” Lance’s mind reeled and he took a step away from JC. His mind spun in confusion. ‘He hasn’t even heard me out yet!’ Lance thought indignantly. But his heart shattered when JC slowly repeated what he had just said.
“I... hate... you.”
“But...” Lance’s face fell and the sparkle in his sea green eyes disappeared.
JC sighed and stared at Lance’s disappointed look. On the outside, he looked cool and composed, but inwardly, he was cursing himself. ‘How could I have said that?’ he wondered. ‘How could I have hurt the one person I love so much?’
Lance held up a hand to stop JC’s pathetic apology and forced a smile. It was cold and sad, unlike anything JC had ever seen out of Lance before. “I did break the necklace, JC,” Lance said quietly, thankful when JC didn’t interrupt. “But it wasn’t the one your grandmother left you. It was an identical one I was intending to buy from a store.”
“Lance...”
“Forget it,” Lance silenced JC. He brushed past JC and didn’t even apologize when their shoulders met. “I’m going for a drive.”
“Wait!” JC pleaded, feeling terrible. The tables were turned and the one desperate to get the other to understand was now JC instead of Lance. “I’ll go with you!”
“Nah, it’s okay. Your work is more important, Jace. Sorry if I disturbed you or anything.” Lance disappeared out the door, leaving JC cold and alone.
“Yeah, and I only have myself to blame for that,” JC muttered miserably. Lance hadn’t gone home the whole night. JC had called him time and again on his cell but the only person who had gotten through was Justin. He had talked to Lance for a while and Lance had assured the rest that he was okay. He hadn’t spoken to JC though. He had slammed down the phone as soon as JC spoke up and refused to pick up any more calls.
JC rubbed his tears away furiously, still gripping Lance’s hand. “Lance, please wake up,” he begged softly. “Shit, my last words to you were that I hated you… I just... what if you die thinking that I hate you?” JC was becoming hysteric. “I don’t! Oh God, far from that! Please don’t die, Lance.”
JC buried his head in his hands as the tears began falling freely again. “I’m sorry,” he choked out. “I’m so sorry.”
“S'okay, Jace,” JC’s head shot up when he heard Lance’s voice. “I’m not mad. I could never be mad at you.”
Lance’s voice was scratchy and JC winced. “But I’m still sorry,” JC whispered, squeezing Lance’s hand. “God, I’m so glad you’re alive. I thought... I thought you...”
Lance chuckled, “You didn’t really think I would die without forcing an apology out of you first, do you?”
JC smiled sadly, “No, of course not.”
Lance reached up gingerly and brushed the tears on JC’s face away. “What’s wrong, Jace? Don’t cry.”
JC stared at Lance for a few seconds, then he sucked in his breath. “I have so much to tell you, Lance. And I think you’re going to hate me after this but if I don’t tell you and I don’t get the chance then... then I’ll hate me forever.”
Lance laughed but sobered up at the seriousness on JC’s face. “What is it?”
“Lance, I think I love you.”
Lance’s heart pounded when he heard JC’s heartfelt words. Sincerity shone out of JC’s pale blue eyes and Lance’s breath caught in his throat. “Dammit Jace, what took you so long?” Lance breathed.
JC’s tenseness fell away and a smile appeared on his face. Lance barely had time to think how beautiful JC was before JC’s lips were pressed against his. They kissed passionately, hungrily, each searching for comfort and solace in the other’s lips.
JC pulled back finally but it was a few moments before he opened his eyes to look at Lance. “Whoa...”
Lance grinned. “You can say that again.”
“Woohoo!” Lance and JC turned to the door when they heard clapping and whistling. JC’s cheeks flushed red when he recognized that it was the other N’sync members as well as Diane. She looked stunned but a small smile appeared on her face when she saw the love radiating from Lance’s eyes. “Go Jace!”
“Oh yeah,” Lance chuckled as JC bent down to kiss him again. “Go Jace.” Lance whispered against JC’s lips as they kissed again, lost in their own world, where no one else could intrude. Ever.
-fin-
