Devotion Chapter Two: Dream a Little Dream of Me
disclaimer: I don't really know anything about *NSYNC, except for what the Man tells me. I hope you're enjoying my story! -Angel1313 ^_^
"Justin, there's something I have to tell you," JC said, taking the younger man's hands in his own. "It's something that I've had to tell you for a long time." "Yes?" Justin asked, looking hopefully up into JC's deep blue eyes. "Justin, you're the only person that I've ever loved," Justin's heart began to beat faster. JC continued. "and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Only you." "Oh, Josh!" Justin exclaimed, throwing his arms around JC's neck. "That's not all, Just," JC laughed, giving Justin a quick hug. He then pushed the younger man away from him, making Justin look up at him in worry for a moment. The worry disappeared immediately, as Justin realized that JC had needed room to fish around in his pockets for something. "I know it's here somewhere," JC muttered to himself. Pulling a small black velvet box out of his coat pocket, he made a small noise of triumph. Finally taking Justin's hands again, he knelt down beside the curly-haired man sitting next to him. "Justin Randall Timberlake," he began, slowly opening the box to reveal a sparkling diamond ring. "Will you-" "-Get off of my lap? C'mon, Curly, I have to go to the bathroom, so I really need you to move. Justin? Come *on*! I *know* you're awake!" "Josh?" Justin asked groggily. JC stopped prodding at him and smiled down at the sleepy face of his closest friend. "Yes?" Justin closed his eyes again. "Oh no you don't!" JC exclaimed, laughing. "I've *got* to *go*!" "But I was having such a good dream!" Justin whined, laughing as well. "I guess you leave me no choice," JC said, shaking his head sadly. "Chris, I need you to hit that high note. That *really* high note." "No!" Justin exclaimed, sitting bolt upright. "Anything but that!" "Ha ha. Very funny," Chris responded in a deadpan voice. He rolled his eyes as Justin playfully slapped JC's arm and said something along the lines of "I can't believe you'd do that to me!" JC laughed at his blonde friend. "I know, but I couldn't think of any other way to get you up." Justin folded his arms across his chest and turned away from the older singer, hiding his smile. "Don't give me your excuses, boy!" Wrapping his arms around Justin's waist from behind him, JC rested his chin on Justin's shoulder, pressing their cheeks together. "I'm sorry, Curly. Will you forgive me?" Justin smiled and blushed a little at having JC hanging over him like that. "What's the magic word," he asked, giggling a little. "Hmm," JC murmured, pretending to think it over. "Let's see..." he trailed off before turning his head so he could whisper directly into Justin's ear. "Please?" he breathed, sending chills down Justin's spine. Lance, Chris, and Joey watched as Justin's blush deepened. Chris and Joey's mouths were hanging open in shock. Even Lance was a bit surprised by this blatant display of affection on JC's part. JC pulled back as Justin finally forgave him. Justin glanced at his friend shyly, and JC smiled back at him warmly, displacing any nervousness Justin had. The blonde immediately warmed back up to the older man, resting his head in the crook between JC's neck and his shoulder. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him. "Josh?" he asked, glancing up at the older man. "Mmm?" "Didn't you have to go to the bathroom?" JC chuckled. "Naw, I just had to think of a reason for you to get up." "What?!" Justin squawked, sitting up straight. "My leg was falling asleep! It hurt!" JC explained, grinning a bit. Justin let out a "Hmph!" as Lance, Chris, and Joey chuckled along quietly with JC. Crossing his arms, Justin once again turned away from JC. "You are so on my shit-list, Josh," he informed the still chuckling brunette. Turning Justin to face him, JC smiled. "Tell you what," he began, looking deep into Justin's eyes. "How about I let you go back to sleep, but you lye down instead of sitting awkwardly on my leg?" Justin immediately returned his friend's smile. "Deal!" He quickly scooted back over to JC and placed his head in the older man's lap. Curling up on the row of seats that he and JC were sharing Justin whispered, "Goodnight, Josh." "Goodnight, Justin," JC murmured back, gently stroking Justin's soft curls. "Um," Chris' nasal voice suddenly cut into the conversation. "Do either of you realize that it's only four in the afternoon?" "Shut-up, Chris," Justin and JC answered back in unison. "You two spend *way* too much time together," Chris laughed. "You're even beginning to think alike." "Love'll do that to ya," Lance said, chuckling. Both JC and Justin's heads snapped in his direction. "What? Am I wrong?" He asked, looking at the two innocently. Justin thought back to his dream. "No," he whispered, but only JC heard him. Quickly redirecting his gaze to the nineteen year-old in his lap, JC's mouth dropped slightly open. He knew that Justin loved him as a friend, even a best friend, but he hadn't thought that Justin loved him like that. Hoped, yes. Believed, no. "Really?" the brunette whispered, closing his eyes and preparing himself for the worst. Justin risked a glance up at the man he loved, and saw him sitting with his eyes closed, his face distraught with worry and anticipation. Justin smiled and sat up. As he turned back to JC, he could see that the older man had turned away and was looking intently out the window. Justin was about to reach over to him and place a hand on JC's shoulder, planning to confirm what the older man had heard him say, when Lance cut in. "I was just kidding guys," he explained. "No need to get all silent on me." Chris laughed nervously looking back and fourth between Justin and JC. Joey was watching JC, and he noticed the look of hurt and disappointment on his handsome features. He felt a twist of pain in his own chest, feeling that it was partially his fault that any of this had come about today. Lance was also beginning to feel bad about what he had done. He hadn't been completely teasing, but he had been sure that if he had brought the topic out in the open, JC and Justin would admit their feelings for each other, and everything would be fine. However, he had seen JC say something, and then the two of them had moved apart. JC looked as if someone had just died, and Justin was watching him with a mix of concern and remorse, much as, Lance noted, Joey was. The car fell into silence until JC cleared his throat. Any eyes that weren't already on him, turned to him. "I think that I'm just going to go to sleep," he whispered, his voice wavering slightly anyway. His eyes were filled to the brim with tears that he stubbornly refused to shed. Lance nodded mutely, now feeling extremely guilty for making JC look like that. It broke his heart to see one of his friends so sad, but there was nothing that he could really do at the moment, except let JC sleep. "Sure man, go ahead," Joey consented, mentally noting Lance's reaction. "Yeah," Chris chimed in. "I'll be sure to keep Joey quiet." "Josh," Justin began, looking on the verge of tears himself. JC turned away and leaned up against the side of the limo, finally closing his eyes. Twin tears immediately slipped out from beneath his closed eyelids, and down his perfectly sculpted cheeks. Others began to slowly follow. Lance, Chris, and Joey looked on in silent heartache as they watched their friend cry himself to sleep, unable to do anything to help him. No one noticed Justin quietly sobbing in the corner, hating himself for doing that to JC, the one person that he loved more than anything. / I'm such a hypocrite,/ he thought angrily to himself. / I'm no better than Joey!/ By the time everyone's attention was off of JC, Justin had already fallen into a fitful sleep, and the three remaining people decided to go to sleep themselves. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hmm, cliffhanger-ish. I hope you liked it enough to read on and find out what happens!