Chapter 42

Inner Reflection | home

"Ahem. AHEM!" JC and Lance broke apart, blushing. "So...are you guys like...together now?" Justin asked, shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

JC looked over at Lance, silently allowing him to decide what he wanted. Lance thought for a second. This basically would go against everything he'd ever had pounded into his head, by both Nikolas and management. "Never get involved with a client." Well...JC was his groupmate, so that was different, he reasoned. As for his "Other bosses?" Eh, well, he could deal with them later. "Yeah," he finally said out loud, smiling at JC. "We are. You guys okay with that?"

"Fine," Joey said immediately.

"Yeah," Justin agreed.

Chris looked back and forth between the two. "It'll be a little weird...but...if...I guess if that's what makes you happy...and obviously..." he trailed off, seeing JC with a smile on his face.

"You're just jealous that I have the hottest member of *NSYNC as my boyfriend."

Lance covered his face with his hands, feeling a blush creep up. "JC!"

"But I'M the hottest," Justin said, puffing his chest out regally.

"No, he is," JC argued.

"JC, please," Lance said, turning even redder.

"He i--" JC's voice was muffled when Lance covered his mouth with his hand.

"I don't care," Lance said. JC's eyes crinkled evilly before he licked Lance's palm with his tongue. "EW!"

"You're not going to get all mushy on us, are you?" Justin asked, wrinkling his nose.

"Depends," JC said with a grin.

"You two are so cute!" Joey said. Lance rolled his eyes in dismay.

"The happy little couple," Justin nodded.

"A model for gays across America," Chris put in.

"Shut up," Lance said, covering his face again and sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Aw, we're embarrassing poor Poofu."

"Oh Lord," Lance groaned.

"But it's so much fun!" Chris said. "You make red look good, man," he added seriously.

Joey finally, mercifully, ushered Justin and Chris out the door. "Let's leave the poor lovebirds alone," he said with a little wave. JC and Lance smiled gratefully.

"Wanna try the kissing thing again?" JC asked eagerly.

Lance laughed. "I doubt I'm THAT good of a kisser," he said, "But we should talk first...about stuff...stuff like...Are we gonna tell management? They don't even know you're gay."

"I don't know," JC admitted. "If you want to, we will, but..."

"That's all right," Lance said. "Whenever you're ready...I don't really need another lecture right now anyway. But what about your parents?" JC paled, and Lance continued hurriedly. "No rush, but I mean, maybe...they have a right to know, JC."

"Yeah, I know," he sighed. "And you're right, now that I have you, I want the whole world to know."

"That was cheesy, JC," Lance said.

"I can be as cheesy as I wanna be," JC said, stepping forward with a grin.

"Who's gonna stop me?"

"Not me," Lance said, looking from JC's eyes to his lips.

"Didn't think so," JC replied with a grin. "And I think we've done enough talking."

"I think we should try doing something else," JC said, looking Lance in the eyes, which were still darting back and forth.

"Maybe we should work on your kissing skills...already good, by the way...again."

"Or maybe we could--"

"Stop talking." With that statement, Lance turned his head up and devoured JC's mouth with his own. JC responded by pulling Lance even closer.

They were still at it a few minutes later when Lance faintly heard a pounding on the door. It gradually became louder as he let himself become more aware of it. "JC! PHONE! IT'S YOUR MOTHER!" Justin was yelling.

Lance pulled back and JC opened his eyes. "Wow. You should call me Josh more often."

Lance kissed the tip of his nose. "Justin's at the door."

JC groaned. He stalked over and opened the door. He was greeted by Justin holding a cellphone, his hand covering the mouthpiece. He laughed, seeing JC's dazed, yet angry statement. "What do you want?" JC growled.

"Lance is that good, huh?" he asked, taking in the disheveled hair.

"What do you want?" JC repeated.

"Phone," Justin said, still grinning. "She couldn't get a hold of you. It's your mom."

JC's eyes widened and he took the phone. "Thanks."

"Hey Mom?" JC asked.

"Josh, honey, where have you been? I tried your phone, but it just kept ringing..."

"I was asleep," JC fibbed. "I didn't hear it." THAT part was true, anyway.

His mom believed him. "Well, I was just checking up on you anyway."

"We're fine," JC assured her. He looked nervously at Lance, who was tying his shoe. The blond looked up and grinned reassuringly before going back to tying it. "I actually wanted to tell you and Dad something...Is he there?" Lance finished with his shoe and stared up ad JC in shock.

"Yes...is something wrong?"

"No," JC said. "Just...get Dad, I want to talk to both of you. Mind if I call you back in a second on the hotel phone?"

"Kay." JC hung up and Lance looked at him.

"You sure you wanna do this?"

JC nodded. "Most definitely."

"You want me to...stay here?"

JC bit his lip. "Would you?" Lance smiled and nodded, and JC smiled back at him. He picked up the phone and dialed, putting it on speaker as he did so.

"Yeah, we're both here...what is it you wanted to tell us?"

"Well...it's not something I really wanna say over the phone, but...we're on tour and..."

"We understand," his dad said.

Lance climbed over the bed and sat next to JC grabbing his hand. "Lance is here too."

"Hi Lance," his parents chorused.

"Hi Mrs. Chasez, Mr. Chasez," Lance said politely.

"But um...Well..." JC began, and Lance squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I wanted to tell you that...I..."

"Go ahead, Josh," Lance whispered, kissing him on the cheek. JC smiled at him gratefully.

"I...I'm...well..." he took a deep breath, and Lance winced, feeling JC crush his fingers. "I'm gay," he blurted out.

"Josh, honey? Are you serious?" Karen asked.

JC exhaled a breath. "Yeah, I am. Um...Dad?"

"I have to...I've gotta think about this..." Roy muttered, before they heard his connection get cut off. JC crumpled in Lance's arms.

"Lance?" Karen asked.

"A little upset, if that's what you mean," Lance said. "Understandable...I felt the same way."

"Are you saying that you two are..."

"Together?" Lance asked. "Yes ma'am, we are. And quite frankly...I understand Mr. Chasez's reaction, though I don't...I don't really like it." JC had tears running down the side of his face. "Are you okay with him?" he asked, looking at JC. "I mean..."

"Of course, I love him no matter what," she said quietly, and both JC and Lance brightened a little. "And you're always welcome in the house." Lance smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate that...especially after..." he trailed off. "I'll let you guys talk," he said, kissing JC on the forehead and leaving the room with a wink.

"After what? What happened?"

JC sighed. "His parents weren't very happy when he came out...he hasn't talked to them since. He was fourteen..."

"Yeah," JC sighed. "Listen, we've got soundcheck...but thanks."

"You're welcome sweetie. I love you, always remember that, and I'll talk to your father."

"I'd appreciate that. Love you too, Mom. Bye." JC hung up, then walked out to find Lance. He found him in Joey's room with the other guys. He immediately wrapped his arms around him in a hug. Lance looked over his shoulder, slightly startled, but smiled when he saw who it was. "Thank you," JC whispered simply, kissing him on his ear.

Lance kissed him back. "You're welcome."


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 42 "Ahem. AHEM!" JC and Lance broke apart, blushing. "So...are you guys like...together now?" Justin asked, shifting nervously from one foot to the other. JC looked over at Lance, silently allowing him to decide what he wanted. Lance thought for a second. This basically would go against everything he'd ever had pounded into his head, by both Nikolas and management. "Never get involved with a client." Well...JC was his groupmate, so that was different, he reasoned. As for his "Other bosses?" Eh, well, he could deal with them later. "Yeah," he finally said out loud, smiling at JC. "We are. You guys okay with that?" "Fine," Joey said immediately. "Yeah," Justin agreed. Chris looked back and forth between the two. "It'll be a little weird...but...if...I guess if that's what makes you happy...and obviously..." he trailed off, seeing JC with a smile on his face. "You're just jealous that I have the hottest member of *NSYNC as my boyfriend." Lance covered his face with his hands, feeling a blush creep up. "JC!" "But I'M the hottest," Justin said, puffing his chest out regally. "No, he is," JC argued. "JC, please," Lance said, turning even redder. "I AM!" "He i--" JC's voice was muffled when Lance covered his mouth with his hand. "I don't care," Lance said. JC's eyes crinkled evilly before he licked Lance's palm with his tongue. "EW!" "You're not going to get all mushy on us, are you?" Justin asked, wrinkling his nose. "Depends," JC said with a grin. "You two are so cute!" Joey said. Lance rolled his eyes in dismay. "The happy little couple," Justin nodded. "A model for gays across America," Chris put in. "Shut up," Lance said, covering his face again and sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Aw, we're embarrassing poor Poofu." "Oh Lord," Lance groaned. "But it's so much fun!" Chris said. "You make red look good, man," he added seriously. Joey finally, mercifully, ushered Justin and Chris out the door. "Let's leave the poor lovebirds alone," he said with a little wave. JC and Lance smiled gratefully. "So..." "So," Lance said. "Wanna try the kissing thing again?" JC asked eagerly. Lance laughed. "I doubt I'm THAT good of a kisser," he said, "But we should talk first...about stuff...stuff like...Are we gonna tell management? They don't even know you're gay." "I don't know," JC admitted. "If you want to, we will, but..." "That's all right," Lance said. "Whenever you're ready...I don't really need another lecture right now anyway. But what about your parents?" JC paled, and Lance continued hurriedly. "No rush, but I mean, maybe...they have a right to know, JC." "Yeah, I know," he sighed. "And you're right, now that I have you, I want the whole world to know." "That was cheesy, JC," Lance said. "I can be as cheesy as I wanna be," JC said, stepping forward with a grin. "Who's gonna stop me?" "Not me," Lance said, looking from JC's eyes to his lips. "Didn't think so," JC replied with a grin. "And I think we've done enough talking." "Uh huh." "I think we should try doing something else," JC said, looking Lance in the eyes, which were still darting back and forth. "Uh huh." "Maybe we should work on your kissing skills...already good, by the way...again." "Uh huh." "Or maybe we could--" "Josh." "What?" "Stop talking." With that statement, Lance turned his head up and devoured JC's mouth with his own. JC responded by pulling Lance even closer. They were still at it a few minutes later when Lance faintly heard a pounding on the door. It gradually became louder as he let himself become more aware of it. "JC! PHONE! IT'S YOUR MOTHER!" Justin was yelling. Lance pulled back and JC opened his eyes. "Wow. You should call me Josh more often." Lance kissed the tip of his nose. "Justin's at the door." JC groaned. He stalked over and opened the door. He was greeted by Justin holding a cellphone, his hand covering the mouthpiece. He laughed, seeing JC's dazed, yet angry statement. "What do you want?" JC growled. "Lance is that good, huh?" he asked, taking in the disheveled hair. "What do you want?" JC repeated. "Phone," Justin said, still grinning. "She couldn't get a hold of you. It's your mom." JC's eyes widened and he took the phone. "Thanks." "Welcome." "Hey Mom?" JC asked. "Josh, honey, where have you been? I tried your phone, but it just kept ringing..." "I was asleep," JC fibbed. "I didn't hear it." THAT part was true, anyway. His mom believed him. "Well, I was just checking up on you anyway." "We're fine," JC assured her. He looked nervously at Lance, who was tying his shoe. The blond looked up and grinned reassuringly before going back to tying it. "I actually wanted to tell you and Dad something...Is he there?" Lance finished with his shoe and stared up ad JC in shock. "Yes...is something wrong?" "No," JC said. "Just...get Dad, I want to talk to both of you. Mind if I call you back in a second on the hotel phone?" "Sure sweetie." "Kay." JC hung up and Lance looked at him. "You sure you wanna do this?" JC nodded. "Most definitely." "You want me to...stay here?" JC bit his lip. "Would you?" Lance smiled and nodded, and JC smiled back at him. He picked up the phone and dialed, putting it on speaker as he did so. "Ma?" "Yeah, we're both here...what is it you wanted to tell us?" "Well...it's not something I really wanna say over the phone, but...we're on tour and..." "We understand," his dad said. Lance climbed over the bed and sat next to JC grabbing his hand. "Lance is here too." "Hi Lance," his parents chorused. "Hi Mrs. Chasez, Mr. Chasez," Lance said politely. "But um...Well..." JC began, and Lance squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I wanted to tell you that...I..." "Go ahead, Josh," Lance whispered, kissing him on the cheek. JC smiled at him gratefully. "I...I'm...well..." he took a deep breath, and Lance winced, feeling JC crush his fingers. "I'm gay," he blurted out. Silence. "Josh, honey? Are you serious?" Karen asked. JC exhaled a breath. "Yeah, I am. Um...Dad?" "I have to...I've gotta think about this..." Roy muttered, before they heard his connection get cut off. JC crumpled in Lance's arms. "Lance?" Karen asked. "Yes, ma'am?" "Is he all right?" "A little upset, if that's what you mean," Lance said. "Understandable...I felt the same way." "Are you saying that you two are..." "Together?" Lance asked. "Yes ma'am, we are. And quite frankly...I understand Mr. Chasez's reaction, though I don't...I don't really like it." JC had tears running down the side of his face. "Are you okay with him?" he asked, looking at JC. "I mean..." "Of course, I love him no matter what," she said quietly, and both JC and Lance brightened a little. "And you're always welcome in the house." Lance smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate that...especially after..." he trailed off. "I'll let you guys talk," he said, kissing JC on the forehead and leaving the room with a wink. "Josh?" "Yeah, Mom?" "After what? What happened?" JC sighed. "His parents weren't very happy when he came out...he hasn't talked to them since. He was fourteen..." "Fourteen?!" "Yeah," JC sighed. "Listen, we've got soundcheck...but thanks." "You're welcome sweetie. I love you, always remember that, and I'll talk to your father." "I'd appreciate that. Love you too, Mom. Bye." JC hung up, then walked out to find Lance. He found him in Joey's room with the other guys. He immediately wrapped his arms around him in a hug. Lance looked over his shoulder, slightly startled, but smiled when he saw who it was. "Thank you," JC whispered simply, kissing him on his ear. Lance kissed him back. "You're welcome."