Forever Young: We're Going to Disney World!
by Karen and LB
© 2002
Number 23 in the series.
The room is dark when Lance opens his eyes. This doesn't surprise him; even though it's morning, the room is always dark. He can't sleep unless it's absolutely pitch black. The body pressed against him, however, can sleep through anything. Lance knows it's early, VERY early, but he can't sleep. Maybe it's the excitement of today's shoot for Disney in preparation for their first big concert in the states. Maybe it's the talk he had with Lou yesterday. All he knows is that he's wide awake with hours to go until they have to leave. But he doesn't want to move. The warm body behind him and the arm draped around him are too comforting, too safe. He sighs quietly, running through the day's schedule in his head. He's looking forward to doing a little horseback riding, even if it's for the show. Riding always helps him clear his head.
As if sensing Lance's tension, JC, still quite asleep, tightens his arms around Lance, cradling him more securely against his chest, until every inch of them that could be touching is touching.
Lance's breath quickens as he feels the thrum of JC's heart against his back and the twitching of his sleep-induced erection against his backside. He knows he shouldn't be thinking about sex right now, but it's in the early morning hours that Lance feels most intensely aroused. He shuts his eyes and very cautiously tries to disentangle himself from his lover, not wanting to wake him just yet.
JC holds on tightly, as if Lance were a giant, living teddy bear. That is, if teddy bears could get you all turned on even when you're sound asleep.
Resigning himself to the fact that he's not going anywhere, Lance puts his arm on top of JC's and gently strokes the soft skin, playing with the fine hairs on his strong arm.
JC stirs sleepily, drawn toward wakefulness by the arousal that is becoming more and more obvious.
Lance stays perfectly still against JC's restless movements, trying as best he can not to awaken him. Part of him wishes he would wake up though. After last night, Lance yearns for the intimacy they usually share so easily.
JC, still drowsy but no longer asleep, breathes in the scent of Lance's neck, then tastes it with his lips.
This unexpected contact shakes the last traces of sleep from Lance. There's nothing like a wet tongue on a most sensitive body part to wake you up. Lance breathes heavily with desire, pushing his butt against JC's hard member as a secret smile forms on his lips.
JC sighs contentedly and lets his hand move against Lance's stomach, arcing lower each time. He continues kissing Lance's neck, exploring until he finds a sensitive spot to lick. Lance pants quietly as JC's hand wanders, and he bites his lip when he feels the tongue once again caressing his neck. His heartbeat quickens--he knows he should tell JC to go back to sleep, but the words never make it out of his mouth. JC slips his hand under Lance's t- shirt to caress warm, bare skin. He kisses his way up Lance's neck and whispers, hotly, "You still want to just sleep?"
Shivering at the warm touch and barely able to speak, Lance croaks, "No. I'm wide awake right now."
JC dips his hand still lower, brushing over the fabric covering the stiffening flesh. "Yeah, I guess you are."
"So you don't want to sleep? It's still early."
"I want you."
Those three words hang in the air like a magic incantation. "Good. Because I don't think I can wait till tonight."
JC pulls back enough to let Lance roll partway onto his back and finds Lance's mouth with his, kissing him hungrily.
Lance can sense JC's urgency in that kiss and meets it with his own. Fine-- Lou wants him to date a girl, he will. But he's only going to make love to one person, and that person is here with him right now.
JC slips his tongue into Lance's waiting mouth, teasing Lance's tongue and caressing the roof of his mouth. His hand still moves over Lance, from the warm skin of his stomach to the thin fabric encasing his still growing erection.
Lance brings a hand to JC's face, stroking the bristles on JC's unshaven chin. His own tongue wrestles JC's, pulling back and pushing against it as his arousal increases.
JC can tell by the way Lance's body follows his hand that he wants more and he finally slips his hand into Lance's shorts and closes his fingers around Lance's heat.
A small moan gets trapped in Lance's throat and he draws his knees up in reaction to the hand on his twitching erection. He presses back against JC, feeling his body heat through their thin clothing.
The sensation of Lance pressing against JC's aching erection is almost too much for JC, who pulls away, breathless, and begins stripping off Lance's t- shirt.
Lance complies, although doing so means that JC will have to remove his hand temporarily, raising his arms so the shirt can be easily removed. He lies back, his face hot with desire, his body eager for JC's love.
JC slips off Lance's boxers, then quickly flings off his own clothing as well. He rolls on top of Lance, relishing the sensation of skin on skin, the heat of erection on erection.
It has only been a day or two since they last made love, but it feels like forever. Lance lets his hands wander over JC's chest, lightly fingering the small erect nipples while parting his legs as a silent invitation.
JC doesn't need to be asked twice. He fumbles in the darkness, but soon locates the drawer where Lance keeps the lube. He sinks back down against Lance, kissing his face and neck, and rolls off him again. JC wraps his hand around Lance's erection again, stroking the long, smooth shaft.
Lance watches JC intently. The way he can put all his attention on Lance yet still manage to flip open the cap of the tube without missing a beat. He reaches out and plays with JC's nipples all the while, fascinated by the tight peaks on the toned, lean chest. JC coats his fingers with the slippery substance and eases his hand between Lance's legs, finding the puckered entrance with practiced ease. He circles the sensitive spot before pressing in with one finger. Lance closes his eyes at the sudden penetration, biting his lip as the exquisite pleasure of this intimate contact hits him. JC waits until he feels Lance relax, then thrusts in with another finger, moving rhythmically as he continues kissing Lance's throat and collarbone.
Leaving one hand on JC's chest, caressing the tight peak of his nipple, Lance wraps his other hand around JC and cradles his head to his shoulder. He breathes in time to the gentle thrusting of JC's magical fingers, his lips slightly parted.
JC kisses his way back up to Lance's lips while thrusting a few more times with his fingers before withdrawing them. He finds the lube again, and squeezes out a generous amount, which he uses to coat his own hardness. He lifts himself over Lance and positions himself, then thrusts into Lance carefully.
Lance lets out the breath he'd been holding as JC enters him. He arches his back as JC's heat fills him, and he reaches up with his hands to caress his lover's face. Joined like this, he feels closer to JC than he's ever felt with anyone.
JC pushes deeper, feeling himself surrounded, enveloped by Lance's warmth. He begins moving in Lance, finding a rhythm that pleases them both.
Turning his head to the side, Lance moans quietly, in time with each thrust, urging JC in deeper. He clutches JC tightly to him, feeling their twin heartbeats through his chest. JC kisses Lance's neck where the tendon is pulled tight and follows it up to his ear, which he licks and nibbles as he continues to thrust powerfully.
With the heat of JC's breath in his ear, Lance feels himself nearing climax. As beads of sweat trickle down his forehead, he fights back the cry in his throat as he comes, his pulsing organ pressing against JC's tight abs.
JC thrusts harder and deeper, determined to give both Lance and himself as much pleasure as possible. He whispers his love into Lance's ear and when he comes, it's with a deep sigh.
Lance shudders against JC's trembling body, and he's still trembling long after they both recover. He strokes JC's damp hair and sweat soaked back, not yet wanting to part from his lover.
When JC finally moves, he pushes up enough to look down at Lance's face. He grins. "We've still got time to sleep."
"I knew it! You just wanted to squeeze in a quickie."
"I wanted to squeeze in something."
"You certainly did." Lance grins, then pushes JC off. "Go back to sleep. I'm gonna take a shower."
"Mmmm. Love you."
Lance looks back before entering the bathroom. "I love you too," he says, in all seriousness. As he waits for the water to warm up, Lance goes over the conversation he had with Kelly last night, and JC's suggestion about how to handle it. Someone in the business. Someone who could benefit by dating him. But who?
Sometime before Lance comes back out, JC drifts back to sleep, and he doesn't stir when Lance opens the bathroom door, letting a plume of steam into the room.
Lance smiles as he watches JC sleep. So peacefully, like he has no worries at all. Lance dresses quietly, pulling clothes out of his drawers and closet for JC, then pads softly to the kitchen to make breakfast.
When JC awakens, he looks around him, smiling when he sees the little pile of clothes. He crawls out of bed and heads for the shower, letting the pounding water bring him fully awake. When he's clean, dry and dressed, he follows Lance out to the kitchen.
When JC enters the kitchen. Lance is busy marking appearances in his daily planner, the same leather bound journal JC bought him for his birthday in Europe what seems like years ago. "There's juice in the fridge," says Lance without looking up.
"Thanks." JC detours from his path to the fridge to drop a quick kiss in Lance's hair.
"Do we need to swing by your place or should we go straight to Disney?"
"If we have time, I'd like to stop off."
"Yeah, we can if we get moving."
"I'm ready when you are." They drive in silence to Justin's house; the car in the driveway lets Lance and JC know that Lynn and Justin aren't ready yet. "Maybe Lynn wants to take one car," suggests Lance.
"Maybe." JC reaches over and takes Lance's hand. "Look, I know things are going to be busy today, and I just want to tell you again how much last night meant to me. All of it."
Lance gazes at the hand holding his and then back up at JC's face. "I wanted to do it. I...love you. You know that, don't you? No matter what."
"Yeah, I do. So you do whatever you need to do. I trust you."
The way they discuss this issue makes Lance feel like he's going off to war or something equally unpleasant. It's only dating, right? No, it's his life and he never liked the idea of anyone controlling his life. As they reach the front door, Lance tries his best to push that particular issue to the back of his mind. Today, they have work to do. He'll worry about it after the Disney show.
"Lance, Josh, come in," Lynn greets them. "Justin's almost ready. He's finishing his breakfast. Lance, would you check on him for me, please? I'd like to speak with Josh for a minute."
Lance eyes Lynn suspiciously, but complies. "Sure."
When Lance is out of earshot, Lynn turns to JC. "Josh, when I offered to have you stay here I did that because I like you. You're like a son to me."
JC hesitates, wondering if he's done something to offend her. "Thank you, Lynn. But, um . . . "
"And you know if there's something you want to talk about, you can come to me. About anything."
"Yes, I know that."
Lynn pauses, not sure how to approach this. "I know you've been spending a lot of nights out. But if there's something going on that you want to talk about, I'm here for you."
JC freezes, wondering if she suspects something. "I, um, no."
"Josh, I've been in this business long enough to know it's not easy, especially when you're surrounded by people who tell you how much they like you. I know it's none of my business who you date, but it's risky. Do you know what I'm saying?"
"I know what you're saying, but I don't know why you're saying it to me," JC says stiffly. "I'm not sleeping around, if that's what you think."
"Josh, honey, I'm not accusing you of anything. I just want you to be careful. All I know is that you haven't been sleeping here very much."
"I'm sorry, Lynn. But it's not what you think. Look, I better go change if we're gonna be ready to go."
Lynn sighs and decides to let it drop for now. "Justin! Let's go! We're gonna be late!"
JC, eyes downcast, walks quickly past Lance and Justin on his way to his room. Lance notes JC's silence on the way to the park, but it's not until much later, when they finally get a break between the boys' segments that he's able to approach his friend. With a cold soda in hand, Lance takes a seat next to JC as the crew sets up the next shot. "Soda for your thoughts?"
JC lets out a big sigh. "When Lynn wanted to talk to me back there? She thinks the reason I haven't been coming home much at night is that I'm sleeping around."
"Well, you are. With me."
JC smiles, feeling okay for the first time since his conversation with Lynn. "Cute. But you know what she meant. And I don't like it. I mean, I told her that wasn't what I was doing, but I could just see it on her face: 'Well, he never brings a girlfriend around, so he must just be going with anyone.' "
"We're never going to have any privacy, are we?"
"No. But this is different. This is Lynn. I-I think she'd actually be happy for us."
"But why do we even have to tell her? We told my parents, your parents, and the guys. Now Lou's on my back about dating. I'm sick of this."
"We won't do anything you don't want to. But Lynn's not the same as Lou. She actually cares about us."
"I know she does." Lance sighs, his shoulders suddenly feeling very heavy. "I'm just tired of having our personal life be such a big issue. It's like our whole identities now center around us being gay. But that's not who we are."
"I know what you mean. But she didn't talk to me because she thinks I'm gay. She talked to me because she's worried about me. If I wasn't gay and I'd fallen in love with someone, I would have told her. I guess that's kind of the flip side of what you're talking about."
"Then why can't you just tell her you're seeing someone and leave it at that?"
"I can, I guess."
"Do YOU want to tell her?"
"I guess I kind of do. I don't like acting like you're some kind of dirty secret that I have to keep hidden. It's bad enough we have to hide from the world--do we have to hide from the people we care about?"
On some level, Lance knows JC is right. Lynn is family now. Just like the guys. It was part of the deal. "No."
JC lets out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "Good." He glances up and sees one of the crew beckoning. "Looks like they need us again."
Midway through the day, they're finally done taping and move to the stage to rehearse for tomorrow night's show. As excited as Lance is about performing for this crowd, he can't help thinking about his conversation with JC. They've been together for more than two years; if this isn't serious, what is? And if it were a "normal" relationship they wouldn't be keeping it a secret.
The rehearsal goes as well as such things usually go--the delays, mic failures and so forth. JC is exhausted when they're done, but it's a good sort of exhaustion. He feels ready to do the best show ever tomorrow night. When he catches Lance's eye across the stage, he smiles brilliantly, happily, thrilled beyond belief that he is doing what he loves with the boy he loves.
JC's smile is infectious. With all that's happened recently, with all the pressures coming down on them, that smile makes it all disappear. A warmth spreads through Lance's body and he feels certain that everything is going to go great tomorrow. He smiles back and winks.
They finally get the word that they can go, but not until Lou has given them a fake-hearty pep talk. For once, he hasn't found anything to criticize, and they're all in high spirits as they walk away.
"Hey, C, wanna shoot hoops?" Justin asks, still revved from the rehearsal.
"Why don't all you boys come over?" Lynn interjects. "I'll feed you and you can relax."
"I'm not gonna argue with that," Joey replies hurriedly.
"Joey, doesn't your own mom feed you?" Chris asks with a scowl.
"Sure she does. I'm just not gonna pass up a free meal with my buds." Joey throws his arm around Chris and they head for his car.
Lance shrugs. "Might as well," he says to JC.
"Yeah, sounds like the best offer we're gonna get," JC replies. Lance is flushed and rumpled from their day's work, but JC still feels like taking him in his arms right here, in front of everyone. Instead he reaches for his duffle and says, "You got everything?"
"Yeah," answers Lance, slinging his own bag over his shoulder and walking with JC to the car. At Lynn's house, he follows JC up to his room to wait his turn for the shower.
JC insists on Lance going first and lies down on his bed to wait. He's almost asleep when Lance comes back, his hair damp and his skin smelling fresh and soapy.
Lance shakes his head at the near-unconscious form of JC lying on the bed. He sits on the edge as he goes through his bag, pulling out the change of clothes he brought with him and various toiletries. "You better grab the shower before Joey gets in there."
JC stirs. "Mmm, yeah. I'm going." JC sits up and leans against Lance's shoulder, resting his head there for a moment. There's a knock on the door and before they have time to separate, Lynn comes sailing in with an armload of towels. "Boys, do you have enough t-- Oh."
It's bad enough Lance is half-naked; he knows how it must look to Lynn to be sitting on this bed with JC. There's no way to cover this up, no way to hide it. "Um, oh my gosh--"
Lynn, stunned in the doorway, starts to leave but then turns back. "Lance, hon, would you please get dressed and then the two of you come downstairs?"
"Yes, ma'am," Lance answers, before JC can say anything. This has to be the single most embarrassing moment of his life, and the only thing that's saving him from sudden death is having JC endure it with him. When the door is closed, he says quietly, "Well, I guess we don't have to worry about telling her."
"I guess," JC manages. "I'm sorry, baby. I know you weren't sure and I wasn't going to push you on this."
"I guess it was meant to be." He dresses quickly and braces himself for yet another lecture from a parental unit. JC gets up and holds his hand out to Lance. Hand in hand, they walk down the stairs to find Lynn.
When they reach the kitchen, Lance drops JC's hand. He doesn't want to freak out Lynn any more than they already have. "Um, Lynn, you wanted to see us?"
Lynn looks up from the bowl of salad she's been tossing for the past ten minutes, going over in her head what she was going to say. "Sit down, boys."
Lance and JC take their seats at the kitchen table and wait for Lynn to speak. "You know how much you both mean to me." Lance gazes down at the table. "Well, you do. We're all family now. It's not just a business. We've been involved in each other's lives and we're going to be for a long time to come. Now, I'm not sure what's going on with you to, but I have an idea. So I'm just gonna say it. Are you two . . . ?"
"Yes." Lance is the first to speak.
"I see. How long?"
"A couple of years."
"Oh my. And you've kept it a secret all this time?"
Lance hesitates but figures since it's out in the open he might as well tell her everything. "My parents know. And JC's. And the guys."
There's a moment of silence, then Lynn speaks again. "I give you credit. That must not have been easy."
"No, ma'am it wasn't."
"Josh, you could have told me. You've been living with us for a while. I would have understood."
"We were going to, when the time was right," JC begins. "We were just talking about it today. It was just, you know, hard telling our own parents and dealing with all that, and we just weren't ready."
"Does Lou know?"
"No!" Lance surprises himself with his quick response. "We've been real careful."
"Good. Because I don't think he'd be thrilled about this."
"He'd kill us." JC shudders involuntarily.
"Well, then we'll all just have to be careful, won't we?"
"Yeah. I know what you just saw doesn't look like it, but we have been. Two years worth."
"Just so you boys are being...safe," Lynn says, with a knowing look.
Lance blushes and nods. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good. Josh, why don't you go get cleaned up for dinner."
"Thanks, Lynn. I mean it." JC grins. "I'll hug you later, when I'm not all sweaty." JC bounds up the stairs.
Lynn turns gentle eyes on Lance. "Two years? You were, what, 17? 16?"
"Um, yeah. But we weren't like, you know."
Lynn takes a long look at the now scarlet boy. "Okay, I won't embarrass you any more. I'll bet you got enough of this from your own parents." She brushes his hair back from his hot face with a cool hand. "But if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here, okay? Now, why don't you go find Justin. He's either down playing video games or out by the pool."
Relieved that the interrogation is over, yet impressed with Lynn's caring attitude, Lance rises from the table and heads off to find Justin. In the kitchen doorway, he pauses and looks back over his shoulder. "Thanks, Lynn."
Lynn smiles back, knowing how difficult this must be for him, being on his own now. "You're welcome."
Lance finds Justin on the floor of the living room in front of the TV, engaged in a battle to save the earth with Chris. He eagerly accepts the offer to play the winner, needing to do something youthful, childish. Something that kids his age do.
When JC comes down, he joins the other boys in the living room, settling on the couch to watch Lance being totally annihilated in the game but having a great time anyway. Soon, Lynn calls them in for dinner, and it's a noisy, enjoyable, relaxing meal.
For the first time in days, Lance is completely at ease. There are no secrets hanging in the air, no tension, only the natural camaraderie that such a unique group as they are can share. He sits back in his chair and watches as Joey dishes out his third helping, and he catches JC's eye across the table. Smiling, he gives his boyfriend, lover, best friend, a knowing nod.
"So, everyone ready for tomorrow?" Joey asks.
"Nah, Joe," Justin says seriously. "We need to rework the choreography for Tearing Up My Heart. We'll be up all night, but it will be worth it."
"Fine," Joey grouses. "Make fun of me. I was just making conversation."
"Aw, Joey, we still love ya," Lance says, putting his arm around Joey's shoulder as Joey makes a sad face.
Everyone laughs at Joey's clowning, and when it dies down, Lynn asks "Who wants dessert?"
"Like you have to ask, Mrs. H?" Joey manages before he's even finished his last bite. Lynn shakes her head as she cuts each boy a generous slice of homemade pie. It reminds Lance of his mother's cooking, and he gets a stab of homesickness. But then he remembers that his parents are flying in tomorrow for the show, and he smiles. "What's so funny, Lance?" asks Chris.
"Your face," Lance fires back.
"Ha ha ha. Not as funny as yours." JC makes a goofy face and pretty soon they're all making faces and giggling like a bunch of 6-year-olds. Which is exactly what they need tonight. It gets late before they know it, and reluctantly, Lance decides it's time to go. He gives Lynn a hug, and says quietly, "Thanks. For everything."
"You're welcome, hon," she whispers back. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
JC walks Lance out to his car. When they reach it, JC runs his hand down Lance's arm. "Interesting day," he says, wryly, as he brings his hand up to cup Lance's chin.
"Yeah, um, I guess," Lance responds, eyeing the house over JC's shoulder.
"Call me when you get home? It's late and all."
"I live ten minutes away."
"Yeah, so? I still want to know you got there okay. And maybe I just want to hear your voice before I fall asleep."
"Ah, now I know the real reason. I'll call you before I call my mom." Lance looks around the street and seeing it's empty, gives JC a quick kiss.
"I'll miss you. Sleep well, baby."
Lost in thought on the short drive home, Lance reviews the events of the past two days and is once again amazed how he and JC managed to stay together for so long. And yet, in some ways, it's just the beginning.