Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

Lance slipped the vial in his pocket and headed to the Voodoo Queen's office, where JC waited patiently. The Queen came in after him and they both paid her for her time. JC left quietly, but Lance stayed back to pay her for her little vial of 'magic'. He didn't really believe it would work, but hey-- anything was worth a try at this point. He had done everything short of screaming to let his crush know, but either the man was blind, or he wasn't gay. Lance hoped it was the first one and not the second! He and JC headed back to the hotel in peace, avoiding the topic of the reading they'd both had. They found Chris waiting for them in the suite. He lay on the couch, watching some old movie.

"So what did you guys do today?" Chris asked, glancing up at them.

"We wandered around," Lance said non-commitally and JC frowned.

"We went to Riverwalk and took a riverboat cruise," he offered. Chris smiled at JC and glared at Lance, who simply gave him an innocent look in response.

"Where are Joey and Justin?" Lance asked.

"Justin went looking for a basketball court, and Joey is talking to some girl he met in the lobby."

"Why does that not surprise me?" JC said with a grin. Joey came in just then, looking a little dejected.

"What happened?" Chris asked his friend.

"She's got a big, burly, punch-Joey-out boyfriend," Joey said, pouting. The others laughed at him.

"Poor baby," JC and Lance mocked as one voice. Chris and Joey both raised their eyebrows.

"I thought Justin and JC were the ones connected to the half-brain they share between them," said Joey thoughtfully to Chris.

"I guess JC and Lance share a quarter of a brain, then," Chris responded. "JC's quarter, 'cause Lance is blond and has no brain to speak of."

"Why?" Joey asked innocently. Lance groaned, seeing where this was going. JC fought back a laugh, but it escaped, setting Joey off.

"Cause he's from Mississippi!" Chris yelled, falling over with laughter. Lance narrowed his eyes and launched himself at his friend, beginning a fierce wrestling match. When Justin finally came in an hour later, the living room of the suite had been totally destroyed, with furniture and boy-band members scattered all over the room.

"What the HELL?" Justin yelled, studying the carnage.

"You'll wake the dead with your yelling," JC complained. Lance suddenly sat up, remembering the vial in his pocket. A quick check assured him it was allright. He glanced at Justin to find the younger man's eyes filled with confusion.

"What IS that?" he asked.

"What's what?" Lance played innocent.

"That thing in your pocket."

"JUSTIN!" JC cried suddenly. "Get your mind out of Lance's pants!" The room erupted in giggles at the words and JC blushed. Secretly, Lance was grateful for JC's distraction. He had no idea how he was going to explain *this* one if he got caught! Joey's stomach rumbled, further bringing the focus of attention away from Lance.

"I think I'm hungry," Joey laughed.

"What else is new?" Chris teased. Joey stuck out his tongue, but he laughed. Food was quickly agreed upon for once, leaving the guys plenty of time to get ready for their six o'clock dinner appointment. When the dinner rolled around, the guys were ready. They met the fans that had been chosen for the event- five screaming teenage girls- and tried their best to smile through it. JC and Lance were seated on one side of the table with their fans, while Joey, Chris and their faced them. Justin and his dinner date sat at the head of the table and their manager sat on the other end. Just a 'cozy' family dinner.

Lance felt the small vial in his pocket and took a deep breath. He had to do this now, before he lost his nerve. Uncorking the bottle, he quickly emptied it into JC's glass and sat back, glancing around to make sure nobody had seen him. The coast was clear. Lance let out a sigh and his dinner companion turned to him.

"Are you allright?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he assured her and she nodded. Their conversation resumed where they had left off, but soon Johnny stood up, signalling the end of the dinner. The girls all groaned in disappointment, but they all managed to collect autographs before they left. Lance snuck a peak at JC's glass and saw it was empty.

*Now, I wait,* Lance told himself. *I hope this works...*


	Inner Reflection \| home back to The Eyes of the Cat Chapter 3 Lance slipped the vial in his pocket and headed to the Voodoo Queen's office, where JC waited patiently. The Queen came in after him and they both paid her for her time. JC left quietly, but Lance stayed back to pay her for her little vial of 'magic'. He didn't really believe it would work, but hey-- anything was worth a try at this point. He had done everything short of screaming to let his crush know, but either the man was blind, or he wasn't gay. Lance hoped it was the first one and not the second! He and JC headed back to the hotel in peace, avoiding the topic of the reading they'd both had. They found Chris waiting for them in the suite. He lay on the couch, watching some old movie. "So what did you guys do today?" Chris asked, glancing up at them. "We wandered around," Lance said non-commitally and JC frowned. "We went to Riverwalk and took a riverboat cruise," he offered. Chris smiled at JC and glared at Lance, who simply gave him an innocent look in response. "Where are Joey and Justin?" Lance asked. "Justin went looking for a basketball court, and Joey is talking to some girl he met in the lobby." "Why does that not surprise me?" JC said with a grin. Joey came in just then, looking a little dejected. "What happened?" Chris asked his friend. "She's got a big, burly, punch-Joey-out boyfriend," Joey said, pouting. The others laughed at him. "Poor baby," JC and Lance mocked as one voice. Chris and Joey both raised their eyebrows. "I thought Justin and JC were the ones connected to the half-brain they share between them," said Joey thoughtfully to Chris. "I guess JC and Lance share a quarter of a brain, then," Chris responded. "JC's quarter, 'cause Lance is blond and has no brain to speak of." "Why?" Joey asked innocently. Lance groaned, seeing where this was going. JC fought back a laugh, but it escaped, setting Joey off. "Cause he's from Mississippi!" Chris yelled, falling over with laughter. Lance narrowed his eyes and launched himself at his friend, beginning a fierce wrestling match. When Justin finally came in an hour later, the living room of the suite had been totally destroyed, with furniture and boy-band members scattered all over the room. "What the HELL?" Justin yelled, studying the carnage. "You'll wake the dead with your yelling," JC complained. Lance suddenly sat up, remembering the vial in his pocket. A quick check assured him it was allright. He glanced at Justin to find the younger man's eyes filled with confusion. "What IS that?" he asked. "What's what?" Lance played innocent. "That thing in your pocket." "JUSTIN!" JC cried suddenly. "Get your mind out of Lance's pants!" The room erupted in giggles at the words and JC blushed. Secretly, Lance was grateful for JC's distraction. He had no idea how he was going to explain this one if he got caught! Joey's stomach rumbled, further bringing the focus of attention away from Lance. "I think I'm hungry," Joey laughed. "What else is new?" Chris teased. Joey stuck out his tongue, but he laughed. Food was quickly agreed upon for once, leaving the guys plenty of time to get ready for their six o'clock dinner appointment. When the dinner rolled around, the guys were ready. They met the fans that had been chosen for the event- five screaming teenage girls- and tried their best to smile through it. JC and Lance were seated on one side of the table with their fans, while Joey, Chris and their faced them. Justin and his dinner date sat at the head of the table and their manager sat on the other end. Just a 'cozy' family dinner. Lance felt the small vial in his pocket and took a deep breath. He had to do this now, before he lost his nerve. Uncorking the bottle, he quickly emptied it into JC's glass and sat back, glancing around to make sure nobody had seen him. The coast was clear. Lance let out a sigh and his dinner companion turned to him. "Are you allright?" she asked. "I'm fine," he assured her and she nodded. Their conversation resumed where they had left off, but soon Johnny stood up, signalling the end of the dinner. The girls all groaned in disappointment, but they all managed to collect autographs before they left. Lance snuck a peak at JC's glass and saw it was empty. Now, I wait, Lance told himself. I hope this works...