Billboard Rehearsals: Put My Boyfriend Down
by Karen and LB
© 2002
Why is JC covering his privates?
"Okay, you can pick me up, but be careful what you touch. My boyfriend's watching."
Lance: Hey! Put my boyfriend down, you big moose!
Justin: Uh, Lance, it's part of the act.
Lance: Oh. <blush>
JC: Way to keep from going public, dude.
Lance: I thought it was normal.
JC: You're so cute when you're flustered.
Lance: I am NOT flustered!
Justin: Uh, Lance, you just put your fuzzy coat on backwards.
Lance: <sigh>
JC: Well, isn't he?
Joey: He is kinda cute when he's all flustered.
Justin: Yeah, that shade of red really looks good on you, dude.
Lance: ARGH!
JC: Awww, baby. We're only teasing you cause we love you.
Lance: I hate you all. I'm going to join the Backstreet Boys.
Joey: They wouldn't appreciate you the way we do...
JC: HEY!
Lance: Joey does NOT appreciate me the way you do, JC.
Joey: That's 'cause you won't let me.
JC: You've TRIED?
Joey: Well, look at him! Wouldn't you? I mean, if you weren't already--you know.
Lance: Will everyone stop talking about me like I'm not even in the room?
JC: You wanna take this outside, Fatone?
Chris: This is FUN!
Joey: You think you could take ME, Chasez? I'd kick your skinny white ass from here 'till Sunday. Oooo, or are you propositioning me?
Chris: Lance is gonna be jeeeeealous.
Lance: Will you guys CUT IT OUT!
JC: Shh, babe. I'm defending your honor.
Lance: I can defend my own honor, thankyouverymuch. Though I do have to say it's turning me on, this whole tough-guy thing you've got going.
JC: This rehearsal's going nowhere. What do you say we ditch and I'll act tough just for you...
"How tough?"
"How tough do you want me?"
"I dunno. I don't think you've ever been really tough. I don't think you can be."
JC grabs Lance by the front of the shirt, bends him over backwards, and kisses him deeply, pushing his tongue practically down the blond's throat. When he's done, he pulls Lance upright again, releases the shirt and walks away.
"Whoa." Lance staggers backward for a moment, stunned, then shakes his head. "Not bad. I mean, that was okay and everything, but...."
JC looks back. "Okay? You want more or am I wasting my time?"
"What do you think? I'm a waste of time?"
"I didn't say that." JC stalks back over to Lance and slams him up against a nearby wall, lifting him off his feet and holding him there by pressing his length against the younger man. He claims the full mouth even more forcefully than before, kissing Lance bruisingly.
Lance pushes back, but to no avail. JC has him pinned, but Lance doesn't try too hard to escape. He does manage to free his hands; he brings them up in an attempt to push JC's shoulders.
JC releases Lance's mouth and looks at the hands pushing at his shoulders. "Fine. If that's how you want it." He lets Lance slip down to regain his feet, and this time when he walks away, he walks out.
Lance blinks, confused. He slides down the wall until his butt hits the floor and sits there, trying to make sense of what just happened.
JC leans against the wall outside the door, breathless. He's been feeling lately that Lance isn't as into this as he is. And when this little...joking...teasing...whatever came up, when Lance tossed out what felt like put-downs to him, he'd tried to force the question. And he'd gotten his answer. When Lance let him walk away the first time, and threw out that "okay" he should have known. But stupid him--he had to keep trying. And still, now, he wanted Lance so badly. But it didn't seem to be mutual. If there was anything there, Lance wouldn't have let him go, would he? He's got to get out of here before anyone comes along and sees him crying.
Lance waits, but JC doesn't return. This time, you really did it, Bass. It's all fun and games for you, but did you ever think that maybe it isn't for JC--your BOYFRIEND? Is this the way you treat someone you love? Because you do love him. You may not always show it, you prick, but you do. It's time to grow up. This might be the way Justin acts, but he's two years younger and he's allowed. You're supposed to be a little more mature than that. Start acting like it.
Lance pushes himself to his feet and races out the door, hoping he's not too late.
JC hears footsteps coming and jumps up, scrubbing the tears from his face, looking for a way out.
Lance sees JC heading down the hallway, and shouts in panic, "JC, wait!" He runs to catch up with him and grabs him by the arm spinning him around. It's like a knife in his gut when he sees the tear stains on his friend's face.
JC's voice is cold. At least, that's what he's going for. "Did you want something, Lance?"
Lance takes his hand off JC's arm as though the ice in his voice was tangible. He shoves his hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched, head down. His voice cracks when he finally speaks. "I- I'm sorry, Josh. I'm really sorry. I know I can be a real asshole sometimes. I was just messing with you, and I pushed it too far and that was really stupid of me."
JC closes his eyes wearily. He knows his weakness, that he can't look at that face and still say what he needs to say. "Do you care at all, Lance? Is this just some fling for you?"
To Lance, that's like a slap in the face. "NO. You KNOW it isn't. How can you even say that? If I wanted a fling I'd pick up some fan after a show." He spits out the words and almost regrets them, but JC's accusation hurts worse than any physical pain he could cause. "You don't think I care? You don't think I care about you? You think I would risk our careers for someone I didn't care about?" He's raising his voice and he doesn't care who hears, but the more he speaks the closer he is to tears. "You think I would make love with someone I didn't LOVE? Well, fuck you, JC." His voice breaks and he fights back the tears, now welling in his eyes.
"I-I shouldn't have said that Lance. I was hurt, but you were trying to apologize. I shouldn't have tried to hurt you back. I'm sorry. I mean that."
Lance is furiously trying to stop the tears. "Whatever. Maybe we should just forget this whole thing. I just keep making you miserable."
"Don't say that. We've just...had a rough couple of weeks. We're finally gonna get some down time--can't we try to make good use of it?"
Lance shifts his weight to one foot, staring down at the ground, unable to look JC in the eye. He sniffs, wiping his nose and his eyes, and nods. "Yeah, it's been pretty lousy. I-I'm really sorry, Josh. For everything. I didn't mean to hurt you. I've been a jerk these past few weeks. It's not like we've never had a tight schedule before, but I took it out on you and I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I'm--" but he can't finish because now the tears win out and he can't do anything to stop them.
"Hey," JC says, wrapping his arms--no, wrapping himself--around Lance. "If we love each other, we can get through this. And we do. I know we do."
"I do, JC. I know you don't believe me, but I love you so much it hurts."
"I do believe you, Lance. I do."
Lance pulls away, keeping his hands on JC's arms, needing to see his face. "I'm gonna try harder, Josh, I swear I will. I don't want to lose you."
JC feels himself smile. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Good. Because there's one more thing I have to say," and he grabs JC and kisses him, passionately and full of all the emotion he had pent up inside him.
JC is a little surprised but certainly not unwilling. After the anger, the hurt, Lance's kiss is so damned sweet, so necessary.
Lance finally releases JC, panting. "And that's all I have to say."
"Oh, no. I think we need to discuss this much further. In our room. For hours and hours."
Lance smiles for the first time in what feels like days. "You do, huh? You're pretty demanding, you know that, Chasez?"
JC grins. "Yep."
"I like that."
"Good." JC starts to walk away again. This time he looks back and holds out his hand. "You coming?"
Lance takes the hand firmly in his; he has no intention of letting go this time. "Heck yeah."