Chapter 38

Inner Reflection | home

*~*March 1999*~*

"Some of us aren't twenty-one yet," Lance pointed out for what seemed to be the hundredth time that night.

"That's okay!" Joey said, more than a little tipsy. "Live a little!" He handed a beer to Justin, who gratefully accepted it.

"And I STILL don't understand how the hell you managed to turn old maid into a drinking game," Lance remarked, shaking his head.

"It's easy!" Chris exclaimed, taking a swig of some type of drink Lance couldn't name. He thought Chris probably made it up. Just like he made up this ridiculous game. "Whoever is the old maid gets to drink!"

"But you can still drink whenever you want!" JC giggled. Even HE'D abandoned all morals and gotten hopelessly drunk. Lance was the only one still sober, even though he'd had a couple drinks.

They played another round. JC was the one that was stuck with the queen they'd designated as the old maid. They didn't have a "real old maid card thing," as Joey had so eloquently renamed the card deck. "JC, you're the old maid!" Justin exclaimed, drunkenly pointing over at Lance, who rolled his eyes and pushed the outstretched arm in the right direction.

He looked around at his drunken friends and shook his head. "I think we should..."

"Play another game!" Chris cut in.

"No, that's not what I..."

"Great idea!" Joey exclaimed.

"Oh dear," Lance said.

"Let's do truth or dare!" Justin yelled.

"This sucks," Lance muttered. "I should just knock them all out cold and drag them to their rooms."

"Truth or dare? I haven't played that since the third grade!" Chris exclaimed.

"How bout this one?" Lance asked. "I've never played it, and I have no intention of playing it...because...it's TIME TO GO TO SLEEP! We've got an interview tomorrow afternoon and I'd rather it if you DIDN'T get wasted...well...more wasted now..."

"You've never played it cause they didn't have it when you were alive, did they Lance?" Joey hiccuped.

Lance's eyes shot over to Joey, almost burning a hole in the older man. "WHAT?!" Oh Lord oh Lord oh Lord...Play it off, Joey, play it off, play it off, play it off...

All eyes turned to Joey, who had sobered up about the second he'd shut his mouth. Think of something..."I said I dare JC to run around the hallway naked and come back alive," he lied. Lance's glare softened a little. "But you didn't even give me a chance to ask truth or dare! Or answer...ugh."

JC shook his head. "Ask me the question."

"What question?" Joey asked, still trying to calm himself down. He couldn't believe he'd almost spilled his guts. Thank God they were all too drunk to realize that what he'd come up with wasn't anything close to what he'd said.

"Truth or Dare, retard!"

"Oh! Truth or Dare?"

"Since I already know your dare, I'm gonna say truth," JC slurred confidently.

Chris jumped in. "I have a question!" He waved his hand around in the air, like he was in school.

"You're not aloud to do that," Justin lazily pointed out. "Joey has to."

Lance sighed, the conversation having been turned around from that scary moment. "Sure he can."

"Good!" Chris said. "So, JC, how do you REALLY feel about Lance?" he asked, his gaze going in between the two of them.

"WHAT?!" Lance and JC exclaimed simultaneously.

"You heard me!" Chris said mischievously.

JC and Lance exchanged glances. "The same way I feel about the rest of you, only closer," JC said, his gaze unfocused. "Cause we're both gay and all," he explained with a hiccup. "And stuff."

"And stuff?" Justin asked.

"Yup," JC nodded his head so violently that Lance thought he would either puke or his head would fall off. He would rather it be the latter. This WAS the room he was sharing with JC, after all.

"Lance, truth or dare?" JC asked.

Lance waved his hands in response. "I ain't playing, I'm just making sure that no one gets hurt or barfs all over my floor."

"You have to," JC whined. "It's tradition. Or something?" The last part was asked as a question.

"Or something," Lance muttered. "Who's tradition?" He sighed. "Dare."

"I dare you to...uh..." JC frowned and scratched his head. "I dare you to stand outside in the hallway for two minutes!" he said triumphantly.

Lance looked at him incredulously. "That's it?"

JC looked hurt. "You mean that's not a good dare?"

"Oh, no, it's a wonderful dare," Lance replied, rolling his eyes again. "Excellent." He got up and stood outside for about fifteen seconds before knocking on the door. "Has it been two minutes yet?"

"Uh..." Lance heard another hiccup from someone. "Yep, it has," JC said. Lance shook his head. JC got so confused when he was drunk. He opened the door and walked back in.

"Joey, truth or dare?" he sighed.

"Uh, dare," Joey said, nodding.

"I dare you to stick your head in the minibar for a minute. All the way, too," he said, knowing full well that it was a crappy dare. He figured though, that if they, in their drunken state, thought that him standing outside in the hallway was a wonderful dare, this would be pure genius.

Sure enough, he wasn't disappointed. "Wow, I wish I'd thought of that one!" Justin exclaimed. Lance rolled his eyes. After a minute, Joey came back.

"JC, truth or dare?"

"Again?" JC whined. "Dare," he said.

Joey got a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Kiss Lance."

JC and Lance again found themselves saying something at the same time: "WHAT?!"

"You heard me," Joey said, repeating the words Chris had said earlier. "I. Dare you. To kiss. Lance. For thirty seconds."

"All right!" Chris cheered. Justin had the stupidest little grin on his face, a grin Lance wished he could just slap off...

Were they really all drunk or just really good actors? He couldn't believe this. There was a drunk JC. Drunk JC had just been dared by Drunk Joey to kiss Undrunk Lance. For half of a minute. Drunk Chris and Drunk Justin (Justin? Drunk? Justin was only 18!) were egging them on. Joey had the look of victory on his face. Maybe we should just call ourselves four insane drunks and an angel, Lance thought wryly. *NSYNC who? This was nuts.

Then JC was closer, ever closer. "You okay with this?" he asked.

Lance thought it over. Then he sighed. "Sure." What harm could it do? No one would remember it in the morning anyway...

JC leaned closer. The other three watched in rapt fascination. Lance could smell the alcohol on his breath. Then, they both leaned closer and suddenly, Lance felt his lips touch JC's. His eyebrows shot up and everything exploded in a big bright light the second he felt JC's soft lips connect with his own. It wasn't a kiss of passion, Lance could taste the alcohol, but it was one of the most intense things he'd ever experienced. JC's lips were so soft, so delicate...so...perfect.

JC was feeling much the same way. He felt a connection. Even with his fuzzy mind, he could feel that Lance's lips were everything he'd ever thought them to be like. Because he had found himself thinking about Lance's lips more than once. But to experience them was quite a different matter. They were soft, full, and right now, at this very moment...they were touching his own. He reached out and held Lance's chin in his hand. JC couldn't stop himself and snaked his tongue out, asking for access, begging for access. Lance surprised them both by allowing JC's tongue into his mouth. His eyes opened and his eyebrows shot up again. Then he allowed himself to get lost in the moment and let their tongues dance.

They finally pulled themselves apart, needing to breathe. Lance instantly turned crimson and looked at the floor. JC turned about six different shades of red, red colors that only intensified when he heard the catcalls from the other side of the room. "Guys," he said, looking at the ceiling.

"Yes?" Joey giggled.

"Dayum, I knew there was something, but...that was SOMETHING!" Chris said. He immediately began laughing like a maniac. "30 seconds my ass!" He started laughing again.

"I think it's time for you guys to go to bed," Lance said.

"Aw, do we have to?" Justin whined.

"Yes. You'll be the ones with the headaches tomorrow," Lance said, lips still swollen. He looked back at the floor. "Now out. Do you want me to put you to bed?"

"No, but I'm sure JC does," Chris giggled, pointing to a now collapsed JC.

"Oh no," Lance moaned. "Out, one, two three," he said, slamming and locking the door behind them. He turned to JC, who was on the floor. "Jace, wake up, you're not gonna feel good as it is, we don't need you stiff from sleeping on the floor."

"I don't wanna," JC said, vaguely waving his hand from his position on the floor. "I'm sleepy."

"I know you are, JC, that's why you have to go to your bed," Lance said patiently.

"I can just sleep here," JC replied.

"No, you can't, JC, because then you'll be sore tomorrow and you'll complain." Lance grabbed JC's hand and pulled him to a sitting position. "Come on." JC giggled and fell over and Lance sighed, pulling him up again. "Jace, go to bed." JC finally allowed Lance to pull him up. He pushed JC over to the bed.

"Ow," JC said, rubbing the part on his arm that Lance had pulled on. "You hurt me."

Lance sighed. "I'm sorry, it won't happen again. Now...please...go to sleep."

"I can't sleep with my clothes on, silly!" JC said.

Lance arched an eyebrow. "What do you want ME to do about it?"

"Help," JC nodded, putting his arms above his head.

Lance rubbed his temples. "Oh Lord." He walked over and pulled JC's shirt over his head. "Happy?"

"Is that a new nickname?" Lance muttered. "There is no way I'm taking off your pants," he said, shaking his head.

"Please?" JC begged. He pouted.

Lance smiled. Not only did JC get confused when he was drunk, he was so adorable at the same time. JC started fumbling with the zipper, and then he promptly fell back. Lance briefly wondered if he'd passed out, then shook his head with another sigh. He went down to JC's ankles and pulled them off, tossing them on the floor. He stood up and caught his breath at the sight of JC in nothing but his boxer briefs. He grabbed gray sweatpants from the drawer and pulled them on the sleeping JC. Then he pulled his friend up higher on the bed and started to pull the sheets over, when JC suddenly woke up, and sat up.

"I lied," he said suddenly.

Lance looked over at him. "What?"

"When Chris asked me how I really felt about you...I lied." Lance swallowed, wondering what he meant, and wondering if it was just the alcohol talking. "Because I get jealous when I hear about how it's Danielle's turn to visit you, and she's coming next week, and I get mad when Lou yells at you and I don't feel like you're just a brother or a friend anymore...you mean more to me than that," he said, rambling on and not even stopping for a breath. "And I really, really liked that kiss."

Lance's eyes widened and he took a step back. "What?"

JC pulled him closer. "And since I really really liked it...I wanna do it again." Then before Lance could react, JC's lips connected with his own again. He felt a big explosion of passion this time. Lance knew he should pull back, JC was drunk...drunk...didn't know what he was thinking...or saying...or doing...But then again, at the moment, Lance didn't either. All he could think about was the fact that JC's lips were touching his own...for the second time that night...and JC didn't have a shirt on...and...

Lance pulled back, startled. Where had that come from? He looked down at JC, who had his eyes shut. He slowly opened them. "Wow," he said.

"I think you should go to sleep," Lance murmured. "Both of us." JC nodded and his head fell back onto the pillow. Lance dressed for bed and laid his head back. Even if he COULD sleep, he didn't think he'd be able to. All he could think about was JC's lips, JC's kiss...JC without a shirt on...JC...

"What?" Lance sighed.

"Yes it is, JC." Thank you Captain Obvious...What did the boy want now? "I wonder if there's monsters and shit in here. Isn't that scary?"


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 38 **~March 1999~** "Some of us aren't twenty-one yet," Lance pointed out for what seemed to be the hundredth time that night. "That's okay!" Joey said, more than a little tipsy. "Live a little!" He handed a beer to Justin, who gratefully accepted it. "And I STILL don't understand how the hell you managed to turn old maid into a drinking game," Lance remarked, shaking his head. "It's easy!" Chris exclaimed, taking a swig of some type of drink Lance couldn't name. He thought Chris probably made it up. Just like he made up this ridiculous game. "Whoever is the old maid gets to drink!" "But you can still drink whenever you want!" JC giggled. Even HE'D abandoned all morals and gotten hopelessly drunk. Lance was the only one still sober, even though he'd had a couple drinks. They played another round. JC was the one that was stuck with the queen they'd designated as the old maid. They didn't have a "real old maid card thing," as Joey had so eloquently renamed the card deck. "JC, you're the old maid!" Justin exclaimed, drunkenly pointing over at Lance, who rolled his eyes and pushed the outstretched arm in the right direction. He looked around at his drunken friends and shook his head. "I think we should..." "Play another game!" Chris cut in. "No, that's not what I..." "Great idea!" Joey exclaimed. "Oh dear," Lance said. "Let's do truth or dare!" Justin yelled. "This sucks," Lance muttered. "I should just knock them all out cold and drag them to their rooms." "Truth or dare? I haven't played that since the third grade!" Chris exclaimed. "How bout this one?" Lance asked. "I've never played it, and I have no intention of playing it...because...it's TIME TO GO TO SLEEP! We've got an interview tomorrow afternoon and I'd rather it if you DIDN'T get wasted...well...more wasted now..." "You've never played it cause they didn't have it when you were alive, did they Lance?" Joey hiccuped. Lance's eyes shot over to Joey, almost burning a hole in the older man. "WHAT?!" Oh Lord oh Lord oh Lord...Play it off, Joey, play it off, play it off, play it off... All eyes turned to Joey, who had sobered up about the second he'd shut his mouth. Think of something..."I said I dare JC to run around the hallway naked and come back alive," he lied. Lance's glare softened a little. "But you didn't even give me a chance to ask truth or dare! Or answer...ugh." JC shook his head. "Ask me the question." "What question?" Joey asked, still trying to calm himself down. He couldn't believe he'd almost spilled his guts. Thank God they were all too drunk to realize that what he'd come up with wasn't anything close to what he'd said. "Truth or Dare, retard!" "Oh! Truth or Dare?" "Since I already know your dare, I'm gonna say truth," JC slurred confidently. Chris jumped in. "I have a question!" He waved his hand around in the air, like he was in school. "You're not aloud to do that," Justin lazily pointed out. "Joey has to." Lance sighed, the conversation having been turned around from that scary moment. "Sure he can." "Good!" Chris said. "So, JC, how do you REALLY feel about Lance?" he asked, his gaze going in between the two of them. "WHAT?!" Lance and JC exclaimed simultaneously. "You heard me!" Chris said mischievously. JC and Lance exchanged glances. "The same way I feel about the rest of you, only closer," JC said, his gaze unfocused. "Cause we're both gay and all," he explained with a hiccup. "And stuff." "And stuff?" Justin asked. "Yup," JC nodded his head so violently that Lance thought he would either puke or his head would fall off. He would rather it be the latter. This WAS the room he was sharing with JC, after all. "Lance, truth or dare?" JC asked. Lance waved his hands in response. "I ain't playing, I'm just making sure that no one gets hurt or barfs all over my floor." "You have to," JC whined. "It's tradition. Or something?" The last part was asked as a question. "Or something," Lance muttered. "Who's tradition?" He sighed. "Dare." "I dare you to...uh..." JC frowned and scratched his head. "I dare you to stand outside in the hallway for two minutes!" he said triumphantly. Lance looked at him incredulously. "That's it?" JC looked hurt. "You mean that's not a good dare?" "Oh, no, it's a wonderful dare," Lance replied, rolling his eyes again. "Excellent." He got up and stood outside for about fifteen seconds before knocking on the door. "Has it been two minutes yet?" "Uh..." Lance heard another hiccup from someone. "Yep, it has," JC said. Lance shook his head. JC got so confused when he was drunk. He opened the door and walked back in. "Joey, truth or dare?" he sighed. "Uh, dare," Joey said, nodding. "I dare you to stick your head in the minibar for a minute. All the way, too," he said, knowing full well that it was a crappy dare. He figured though, that if they, in their drunken state, thought that him standing outside in the hallway was a wonderful dare, this would be pure genius. Sure enough, he wasn't disappointed. "Wow, I wish I'd thought of that one!" Justin exclaimed. Lance rolled his eyes. After a minute, Joey came back. "JC, truth or dare?" "Again?" JC whined. "Dare," he said. Joey got a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Kiss Lance." JC and Lance again found themselves saying something at the same time: "WHAT?!" "You heard me," Joey said, repeating the words Chris had said earlier. "I. Dare you. To kiss. Lance. For thirty seconds." "All right!" Chris cheered. Justin had the stupidest little grin on his face, a grin Lance wished he could just slap off... Were they really all drunk or just really good actors? He couldn't believe this. There was a drunk JC. Drunk JC had just been dared by Drunk Joey to kiss Undrunk Lance. For half of a minute. Drunk Chris and Drunk Justin (Justin? Drunk? Justin was only 18!) were egging them on. Joey had the look of victory on his face. Maybe we should just call ourselves four insane drunks and an angel, Lance thought wryly. *NSYNC who? This was nuts. Then JC was closer, ever closer. "You okay with this?" he asked. Lance thought it over. Then he sighed. "Sure." What harm could it do? No one would remember it in the morning anyway... JC leaned closer. The other three watched in rapt fascination. Lance could smell the alcohol on his breath. Then, they both leaned closer and suddenly, Lance felt his lips touch JC's. His eyebrows shot up and everything exploded in a big bright light the second he felt JC's soft lips connect with his own. It wasn't a kiss of passion, Lance could taste the alcohol, but it was one of the most intense things he'd ever experienced. JC's lips were so soft, so delicate...so...perfect. JC was feeling much the same way. He felt a connection. Even with his fuzzy mind, he could feel that Lance's lips were everything he'd ever thought them to be like. Because he had found himself thinking about Lance's lips more than once. But to experience them was quite a different matter. They were soft, full, and right now, at this very moment...they were touching his own. He reached out and held Lance's chin in his hand. JC couldn't stop himself and snaked his tongue out, asking for access, begging for access. Lance surprised them both by allowing JC's tongue into his mouth. His eyes opened and his eyebrows shot up again. Then he allowed himself to get lost in the moment and let their tongues dance. They finally pulled themselves apart, needing to breathe. Lance instantly turned crimson and looked at the floor. JC turned about six different shades of red, red colors that only intensified when he heard the catcalls from the other side of the room. "Guys," he said, looking at the ceiling. "Yes?" Joey giggled. "Dayum, I knew there was something, but...that was SOMETHING!" Chris said. He immediately began laughing like a maniac. "30 seconds my ass!" He started laughing again. "I think it's time for you guys to go to bed," Lance said. "Aw, do we have to?" Justin whined. "Yes. You'll be the ones with the headaches tomorrow," Lance said, lips still swollen. He looked back at the floor. "Now out. Do you want me to put you to bed?" "No, but I'm sure JC does," Chris giggled, pointing to a now collapsed JC. "Oh no," Lance moaned. "Out, one, two three," he said, slamming and locking the door behind them. He turned to JC, who was on the floor. "Jace, wake up, you're not gonna feel good as it is, we don't need you stiff from sleeping on the floor." "I don't wanna," JC said, vaguely waving his hand from his position on the floor. "I'm sleepy." "I know you are, JC, that's why you have to go to your bed," Lance said patiently. "I can just sleep here," JC replied. "No, you can't, JC, because then you'll be sore tomorrow and you'll complain." Lance grabbed JC's hand and pulled him to a sitting position. "Come on." JC giggled and fell over and Lance sighed, pulling him up again. "Jace, go to bed." JC finally allowed Lance to pull him up. He pushed JC over to the bed. "Ow," JC said, rubbing the part on his arm that Lance had pulled on. "You hurt me." Lance sighed. "I'm sorry, it won't happen again. Now...please...go to sleep." "I can't sleep with my clothes on, silly!" JC said. Lance arched an eyebrow. "What do you want ME to do about it?" "Help," JC nodded, putting his arms above his head. Lance rubbed his temples. "Oh Lord." He walked over and pulled JC's shirt over his head. "Happy?" "Pants, silly!" "Is that a new nickname?" Lance muttered. "There is no way I'm taking off your pants," he said, shaking his head. "Please?" JC begged. He pouted. Lance smiled. Not only did JC get confused when he was drunk, he was so adorable at the same time. JC started fumbling with the zipper, and then he promptly fell back. Lance briefly wondered if he'd passed out, then shook his head with another sigh. He went down to JC's ankles and pulled them off, tossing them on the floor. He stood up and caught his breath at the sight of JC in nothing but his boxer briefs. He grabbed gray sweatpants from the drawer and pulled them on the sleeping JC. Then he pulled his friend up higher on the bed and started to pull the sheets over, when JC suddenly woke up, and sat up. "I lied," he said suddenly. Lance looked over at him. "What?" "When Chris asked me how I really felt about you...I lied." Lance swallowed, wondering what he meant, and wondering if it was just the alcohol talking. "Because I get jealous when I hear about how it's Danielle's turn to visit you, and she's coming next week, and I get mad when Lou yells at you and I don't feel like you're just a brother or a friend anymore...you mean more to me than that," he said, rambling on and not even stopping for a breath. "And I really, really liked that kiss." Lance's eyes widened and he took a step back. "What?" JC pulled him closer. "And since I really really liked it...I wanna do it again." Then before Lance could react, JC's lips connected with his own again. He felt a big explosion of passion this time. Lance knew he should pull back, JC was drunk...drunk...didn't know what he was thinking...or saying...or doing...But then again, at the moment, Lance didn't either. All he could think about was the fact that JC's lips were touching his own...for the second time that night...and JC didn't have a shirt on...and... Lance pulled back, startled. Where had that come from? He looked down at JC, who had his eyes shut. He slowly opened them. "Wow," he said. "I think you should go to sleep," Lance murmured. "Both of us." JC nodded and his head fell back onto the pillow. Lance dressed for bed and laid his head back. Even if he COULD sleep, he didn't think he'd be able to. All he could think about was JC's lips, JC's kiss...JC without a shirt on...JC... "Hey Lance." "What?" Lance sighed. "It's dark out." "Yes it is, JC." Thank you Captain Obvious...What did the boy want now? "I wonder if there's monsters and shit in here. Isn't that scary?" "Very."