DISCLAIMER, ETC: Hey there! Remember me? Yep, Ye Writer is back after a long, long layoff! I hope everyone had a great holiday season, and I wish you all the best in 2002! Now, even though it's a new year, I still don't know Lance Bass, Justin Timberlake, or any of the other members of N'Sync. The following is fiction, and you shouldn't imply anything from it.
My apologies for taking so long in getting this one out...but life tends to get in the way in major fashion sometimes! Blah!
I hope you'll take some time to visit www.railwayshoes.net and not only catch up on Maze, but read all of the other great stories there as well. Special thanks to my one and only wonderful Guru, Gabriella Morrison, for hosting the story!
And if you're so inclined, drop some mail! I love feedback, and do my best to answer all of it! Tell me what you loved, hated, or even get on my case for taking so damn long with this chapter! Send it to KandLStories@aol.com and make your voice heard!
Since it took so darn long to get this chapter out, and it is after all a new year, think of this chapter as the start of the second book (or second season, if you will) of the story. Big things are ahead, so you're going to want to stay tuned!
The Maze of Moments and A Kevin and Lance Story copyright 2002.
Thanks for waiting and reading...and now on with the show!!
--Tony
The Maze of Moments - A Kevin and Lance Story
Chapter 16 - An Odd Couple
"If you'll be my bodyguard, I can be your long lost pal..."
--from "You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon
Inserting the card into the lock, Eric Hagen unlocked the door to the hotel room and opened it, stepping inside and dropping his bag on the floor just off the side of the entrance. Right behind him was Justin Timberlake, member of N'Sync, and his temporary roommate.
"Hey, not bad," Eric said as he took in the surroundings.
It really was a nice room, with two double beds, a table and two chairs, television set and mini- fridge. The drapes were open slightly, which allowed for the last rays of the sun that day to sneak in, casting a red-orange glow to the room, playing off the bright blue and green tone the room was decorated in.
"What do you think Justi..."
The rest of Eric's words were cut off as the blond, curly haired young man rushed in, dropping his own bag along the way, and flopped face first on the bed nearest to him.
"Um...claiming your bed, I assume?" Eric asked, closing the door behind him.
Justin bounced on the bed a few times and then stood up. Then, walking over to the other bed, the one closest to the window, he repeated the process, falling on his stomach and face, and bouncing up and down. Standing up again, he stood in between the two, rubbing his chin as he went deep in thought.
"Justin? What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm trying to figure out which bed is firmer. See, this one here," he indicated to the first one with his right index finger, "has some good resistance to it...but now this one...this one over here is about the same, so I'd say that they flipped the mattress on this one recently."
"A bed's a bed, what difference does it make?" Eric asked in wonder.
"No, no...see, I don't like a mattress that's too firm...I like a little give to it. So, I need to check them out and decide."
"Uh-huh. Well....why not just take the one where they....flipped the mattress?"
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking. Unless, you don't like a mattress that's too firm also, and then we're both in trouble! If that's the case, we could call the front desk, and...."
Eric interrupted Justin's rambling explanation and theory by holding up his hand. "Justin....it's fine by me. I can about sleep anywhere. Really, take the other one, it's cool."
"You sure? 'Cause if we have to switch rooms, then..."
"I'm positive, really." The last thing Eric wanted was to go from room to room while Justin tested beds in each one.
Satisfied that he had the better of the two beds, Justin picked up his bag and put it on the long dresser, next to the television set. "Cool. So! What should we do tonight? Feel like going out anywhere?"
Eric shrugged as he pulled some clothes out of his own bag and put them in a drawer. "Don't matter much to me, I guess. I've never been to Jackson before, so I'm not sure where to go. What about you?"
"I've only been here with Lance and the guys...so I'd be as lost as you."
"Well, why don't we just get some food later on and hang out here? They probably have pay-per- view."
"Cool! Let's see....we could...get a pizza? Maybe room service?"
"Justin," Eric laughed, "we just ate like, three hours ago! I was thinking later, after the sun goes down? That way we can think about it for awhile. Okay?"
"Yeah, that's cool. Maybe we can wander around the hotel some, too. See what they've got."
"Sounds good to me," Eric replied with a stretch. "I thought I saw an indoor pool down there off the lobby. Wanna go for a swim?"
"No thanks, but you go right ahead."
Eric changed into trunks and a t-shirt, went back downstairs, and swam a few laps. Afterwards, he sat in the nearby whirlpool for awhile, and then in the sauna area. All in all, it was a relaxing way to unwind after the drive and the first practice session. Altogether, he was gone for about an hour or so. Drying off, and with a towel wrapped around his waist, he made his way back to the room.
Stepping out of the elevator, he walked down the hall, nodding his head in greeting to an older couple who walked past him, smiling and chuckling.
'Wonder what got them so tickled?' he thought to himself.
He was about to put the key card into the slot and unlock the door, when he heard, ever so faintly, the sound of Justin singing to himself. This is apparently what had caused the man and woman to laugh. And after hearing Justin for a minute or so, as well as the choice of song, a smile broke out on his face as well:
"There was something in the air that night, the stars were bright, Fernando..."
'ABBA?' Eric thought to himself. 'Oh well...to each their own.'
Justin Timberlake's musical selection was only the first surprise. The second came when Eric unlocked and opened the door, and then stepped inside. Justin was indeed the one singing, no doubt of that. But he was doing so in the middle of the room, watching himself in the mirror over the dresser.
And he wasn't wearing any clothing.
When he heard the door open, Justin stopped singing, and turned his head slowly, his eyes wide, to look at Eric, who was staring back, eyes just as wide.
"Dude! You're.....NAKED!!!"
"SHHHHH!!!! Close the door, close the door!!!" Justin shouted as he attempted to cover up his naughty bits.
Quickly closing the door, and locking it again, Eric kept his back turned, his face about three shades of red, matching Justin's four or five shades.
"Um. Justin? Why are you....like....naked? And singing?" he asked, staring at the emergency exit map posted underneath the peephole.
"I was...uh...I just took a shower, see....and I came out and just....you know, most people wouldn't think I like this kind of music....but I really do..." Justin struggled to explain as he dug around for a pair of shorts. "See, people think I only like, you know...rap, and our music....but I listen to all kinds....and I sorta like ABBA.....and....and where the HELL are my fucking shorts?!"
Eric looked out of the side of his eye, into the bathroom, and saw what apparently was the shorts Justin was referring to laying on the toilet.
"They're...they're in the john."
"Great. Just great. Um. Like....don't turn around, okay?" Justin said as he moved quickly into the bathroom.
"Yeah, no problem, no problem at all," Eric said, closing his eyes.
"I mean, it's not a big deal or anything, I'm sure you've seen Kevin naked before, right?" Justin was now putting on the infamous shorts.
"Well, yeah, of course....but this is different! And can I open my eyes now?"
"Yeah, it's safe," Justin said, zipping up and walking back out of the room. "And how's it different?"
"It just....it just is! I mean...we just met the other day and all. I'm not used to seeing people I've just met...naked."
"Oh. Oh, well that makes sense then." Justin sat on the bed and watched Eric go into the bathroom himself. "I kinda know how you feel. I mean, I was the same way when I first joined the group. You know, I've seen all the other guys nude."
"Uh-huh," Eric replied as he changed out of his trunks.
"Yeah. In fact, I think I'm the best hung guy in the group."
There was an long moment of silence. Then, Eric poked his head out of the bathroom and looked around the corner at Justin.
"You're....what?"
"Yeah. Well, I think Joey comes a close second, but that's only 'cause he's a little thicker than me. But I always heard JC was more of a grower and not a showe..."
"Justin!! That's...nice and all.....but you don't have to tell me these things. Really. I...appreciate the information though. I think."
"Oh. Oh, sure, no problem," Justin said, the tone of his voice very matter of fact. "I guess I forgot I wasn't with the other guys. We talk about stuff like this all the time."
Eric had now come out of the bathroom. "Do you now."
"Yeah. Well, Lance doesn't all that much. I guess it depends on his mood. He needs to loosen up sometimes, you know?"
"Well, I think Kev can take care of that," Eric chuckled.
"Huh?"
"Um...nothing. So, you decide on dinner?"
"No, wait, what did you mean about Kevin?"
With a sigh, Eric rolled his eyes. "Well....without getting into too much detail...let's just say that Kevin is....um....generously endowed."
"Oh! Oh, wow! Really? Like, how big?"
"Justin!"
"Well, I'm just curious, you know. Like..I worry about Lance and stuff, and I don't want him to get....hurt or anything..."
"And you also want to know if there's any competition, so to speak?"
"Well, yeah, that too I guess."
"Well, it wouldn't be nice of me to tell you....but I'll say this, the nickname I gave him in high school was 'Big Kev' and it wasn't about the size of his biceps."
"Wow! That big, huh?"
"Can we move on now, please? Food? Your favorite subject??"
Food was indeed one of Justin's favorite things, and if there was any doubt about it, the size of the meal he ordered from room service would set the record straight once and for all: a bacon cheeseburger, fries, a side salad, a bowl of chili, and a side order of macaroni and cheese, not to mention the large chocolate shake. Eric, eating his own grilled chicken sandwich, could only look on in amazement.
"Where do you put it all?" he asked in between bites.
"Put what?" Justin said before taking a sip of his shake.
"This! All the food! Good Lord, you'd swear you'd never eaten before in your life!"
"Oh. Well, I'm a growing boy. And I have a great metabolism. Hey, I do love my food, what can I say?"
Shaking his head, Eric went back to finishing his own meal, yet while watching Justin devour the repast in front of him, it was a wonder he was still hungry.
"Okay, we've got...'Top Gun'.....'Dead Poets Society'.....Mission Impossible'....hmmm, must be Tom Cruise night or something...and the usual adult featur..."
"Porn!"
"Yes, Justin, but I think it's the soft core stuff, you know, like on Cinemax?"
"Dude, porn!"
"Okay, porn it is then."
The food having long since been finished, the cheesy soft core adult movie having been watched, they sat at the table. Eric pulled a deck of cards out from his bag and was shuffling them, while Justin wrote their names on a piece of paper.
"I haven't played rummy in forever, this should be cool. And, we can like, talk and stuff while we play, get to know each other."
"Yeah, that's cool," Eric said as he dealt the cards.
"What do you call it?"
"What's it?"
"You know....it. You said you came up with 'Big Kev'....don't you have a name for yours?"
"Well, yeah..."
"So what is it?"
"Okay, okay....I just call him Easy E."
"Really? Cool. Want to know what I call mine?"
"I kinda had a feeling you would..."
"Herman."
"Herman?"
"Herman. Like, Herman Munster?"
"Because he's green and ugly?"
"No! Because he's....you know....kinda big."
"I had to ask."
"Christy Rogers. I was sixteen and so was she. We were pretty much an item until through most of high school."
"Sweet."
"What about you?"
"This chick in Europe when we were on tour over there, right after we got started. A groupie or something."
"In Europe? But, wouldn't that have made you..."
"Yeah, I was a quick learner for my age."
"Gin! Okay, that's....343 points for me....and....278 for you. Another round?"
"Oh yeah. You may have won at poker, but I'll be damned if you win at this! Your turn to shuffle."
Justin picked up the cards and did so.
"Wanna play for money?"
"Have you and Kevin ever...you know..."
"No!"
"You answered that kinda quick...."
"I said no!"
"You have, haven't you! Wow! Hey, I think that's cool if you did. I mean, I did a little experimenting myself you know."
"I'm not even gonna ask."
"How else would you think I know that Jo..."
"JUSTIN!"
Eric pulled another five dollar bill out of his wallet and dropped it in the rapidly growing pile of money.
"Shit," he muttered.
"Sure you don't want to give in and call the lights?" Justin asked as he came out of the bathroom, the sound of the toilet flushing behind him.
"Oh, I'm positive. My deal."
Eric shuffled the cards again as Justin brought over two cans of soda from the mini-fridge and sat back down.
"You know, it really is cool if you and Kevin....you know. Fooled around. I'm not going to tell anyone."
Eric dealt the cards. "Yeah....well. I trust you. But it's not like that. We didn't....go too far or anything."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. We just.....jacked each other off. And we kissed."
"Yeah? Is he a good kisser?"
"Oh Jesus," Eric sighed.
"I'm sorry, I'll stop."
Eric picked up his cards and looked at his hand, sighing again. "And I dealt this crap, too."
"You know, I think I have an even better name than Herman you could use."
"What is it?"
"How about Fernando?"
Justin laughed and sat back in his chair. "I dunno man....I'd feel a little weird calling him that!"
"Well, how about I call you that then? Could be your nickname."
"Sure, why the hell not. You already came up with Lancelot!"
"He is."
"Who is?"
"Kevin."
"What is Kevin?"
"A good kisser. You asked, so I figured...what the hell."
"Ah."
"Not as good as Heather Felts, though."
"She was good, huh?"
"There was almost no need to date anyone after her."
"So, have you and Britney yet?"
"Oh yeah. Lots of times."
"Cool."
"In fact, Lance walked in on us one time. He ever tell you that?"
"Uh...no...no, he didn't..."
"Yeah, I was giving it to her from behind, and the door opens and there he his. He had this look on his face like he just saw his mother naked!"
"I think I know what that look looks like."
"So, what have you done?"
"Huh?"
"You were gonna say something about experimenting when I cut you off."
"Oh yeah, that. Nothing big."
Pause.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
"What did you do?"
"Oh! Well...Joey and I kinda...jacked each other off one night. Like I said, nothing big."
"I see."
"They shouldn't put porn on these hotel channels, you know?"
"You guys run up the bills, huh?"
"Only when I room with Joey."
"I saw Kev and Lance at it, too."
Eric was coming out of the bathroom. "Say what?"
"Yeah, on the drive down. Kev leaned over and gave Lance a blowjob while he was driving."
"Damn! They're lucky they didn't get pulled over by a State Trooper!"
"Well, that's what he said!"
"If you weren't in the group right now, what would you be doing?"
"Going to college....maybe try out for the school's basketball team."
"I can see that. You're pretty good."
"Uh-huh. White boy can jump! Oh, and Eric?"
"Yeah?"
"Gin!"
'Fuck me running,' Eric thought to himself.
"....so, I figure after law school I'll try and get on with a firm in a larger city somewhere. Maybe New York or out west. I've always wanted to live in a big city someday."
"That's cool. What about Kevin? He going to be a teacher or something?"
"I dunno. I can't see him really doing that."
"What do his folks have to say about it?"
"Um...they're dead."
"Open mouth, insert foot."
"Okay! And the score is now Justin, 1,043....Eric....823. You give?"
"I give. Just how much money did you walk away with this time?"
"Let's see...counting the last five you put in....eight-six bucks!"
"Shit. How do you do this?"
"You learn quite a bit when you're on the road. And it helps to have a great teacher named Kirkpatrick."
"Were there video games downstairs?"
"Yeah, I think there was a game room off of the pool area."
"Awesome! Let's go!"
"Now? It's like...after eleven."
"So? That means there won't be any kids down there to bug us. Come on, I'll even spring for the quarters!"
"Okay, I guess we could for a little while."
"All right! Hey...you any good at Mortal Kombat?"
"A little, why?"
"Do they have it?"
"I think so....again, why?"
"Wanna play for money?"
Eric rolled his eyes and sighed.
"I think I have Mortal Kombat thumb....I'm just glad I didn't take you up on that offer of playing for money."
"Well, when you're on the road, you tend to get pretty good at Playstation."
"Yeah, I can imagine."
The two walked outside the hotel for a little while, Eric smoking a cigarette.
"Do you regret joining N'Sync?" he asked.
Justin thought for a moment as they stopped at a patio table next to the outdoor pool. "Well....yes and no. I mean, sometimes I do. Like, when I think of everyone else my age, and what they're doing...I think I'm missing out on a lot. It's hard to go places by myself and all...hell, we're lucky this place is pretty quiet, and that they didn't say on t.v. that I was in town. If they did, we might not be able to walk around like this."
Eric nodded and sat down in one of the chairs. "Yeah, I can see how that would suck."
"But," Justin continued as he sat down as well, "when it comes right down to it, I think I'm pretty lucky to be doing what I'm doing. Having some down time every once and awhile really helps. Like this. You and me. You might think all this is pretty silly, me wanting to stay up all night and play video games and whatnot..."
"And kick my ass at cards. Again," Eric added with a grin.
"...yeah, that too. But you know, we need this every so often. It makes me feel...normal. Well, as normal as you can get when you do what I do."
"I think I understand. Lance mentioned pretty much the same thing to me and Kev when we first met him. Well, I'm just glad I could help a little bit."
"Thanks Eric, I appreciate it. Hey, you know what? We'll have this room all week probably...we can do this every night!"
"Um....yeah....just, not with the card games, okay?"
Eric yawned and reached over, turning out the lights above his side of the room.
"Night Fernando," he said with a grin.
"Night Eric."
Justin stood at his bed and fluffed out his pillow, counting under his breath to ten as he did so. Then, making sure the covers were tucked in tightly, pulled one side back and got in bed. Eric watched all this out of one open eye, and then smiled to himself before settling in for the night. A few minutes more, and he heard Justin talking to himself. Straining to listen, he could just make out what was being said:
"Thank you again for another glorious day....look down with favor on my friends and family, and keep them to Yourself....and thank you for my new friend, Eric, who put up with me tonight. Amen."
Eric smiled again, only this time it wasn't out of amusement.
About forty five minutes or so had passed, and the soft snore indicated that Eric was asleep. Noting this, Justin quietly got out of bed and walked over to the dresser. Taking his wallet, he opened it and counted out forty-three dollars, half of the winnings from the card game that night. Then, he walked over to Eric's things, found his wallet, and put the money inside.
Looking at his sleeping friend, he smiled. "Thanks for a great night buddy," he whispered. Going back to his own bed, he fluffed out his pillow ten times once more, got in, and went to sleep.
"You think they're really okay?" Lance asked.
Stooping over the sink to spit out the toothpaste, Kevin wiped his mouth and stood up straight. "Lance, quit worrying. If there's one thing I know about Eric, it's that he can put up with just about anybody. Hell, he's put up with me all these years, hasn't he?"
"I guess you're right. Well, ready for another day tomorrow?"
"Always. This is gonna be one hell of a week, I can tell."
End of Chapter 16.
But Kevin and Lance (and Justin and Eric!) will return in Chapter 17, coming soon!