The Lost Weekend
by Karen and LB
© 2002
JC checks his watch, fidgets, tries to calculate the time difference in his head. He tries to picture where along the long flight Lance is. Not near enough. He knows he's going to have to get better at this if Lance is selected for the trip. But if this weekend is any indication, six months are going to be excruciating.
*****
Jim Bass watches silently as his son sleeps soundly in the seat next to him. Corporate jet or not, he's amazed Lance is able to sleep at all after the weekend he's just had. Jim hasn't watched his son sleep since Lance was a child, and now, in the dim light of the plane, he looks so much like that little boy--his face a mask of peace, his lips pursed slightly, his soft breathing the only sound beside the muffled voices of the men behind them, talking business.
They don't see the exhausted young man beside Jim, whose day has only just begun and who has so much more waiting for him when they land. Jim only hopes the airport isn't a mob scene; he knows Lance will try to accommodate every fan and reporter who approaches him, so he and Johnny have called ahead to make sure Lance gets through as quickly as possible. After all, he has a show to do tonight.
*****
Having declined invitations from the other guys to go to lunch or go shopping, JC decides to spend some time on the computer, cleaning out old emails, putting files in folders. He keeps the latest pictures of Lance open on his desktop and keeps going back to them. Back to the joyous light in Lance's eyes in the hotel photo. Back to the boyish excitement that every inch of Lance displays in the torture chair photo. And he KNOWS, seeing that excitement, that he can't tell Lance how hard this is. He can't let Lance see anything but support.
JC is back to looking at his watch every minute or so, checking it against the clock beside the bed. It's almost time to leave for the sound check party, and Lance isn't here yet. The LAST thing JC wants to do is go out there without Lance. They've only ever done that when someone is sick. And Lance isn't sick. Just not here. YET. JC checks his watch again.
*****
Lance stirs, his body telling him it's time to get up but his mind telling him to keep his eyes closed. He's not even sure what time zone they're in anymore. He left Thursday, it's now Monday. He hasn't seen his friends in four days. He hasn't seen JC since forever. He never even had a chance to call him over the weekend. When he wasn't in the lab he was meeting with the reps, and when he could make a phone call his father would call Diane. He wonders what JC did all weekend. Lance hopes Joey dragged him out and kept him busy. He's been working so hard with the tour and writing for the next album he deserved this break.
He drifts off again, but before sleep can completely claim him Jim wakes him to tell him they've landed. Lance yawns and stretches, and soon they're whisked through the airport. Fortunately, they cleared customs in New York and now only have to get to the arena.
"You okay?" his father asks as they head toward the exit, cameras flashing and the few fans that stalked them out screaming wildly.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"I'm proud of you, you know that?"
Despite his fatigue, Lance smiles. "I know." Those words give him the strength and the energy he needs to get through the rest of the day. Or at least until they get to the stadium. Seeing JC will give him everything else.
*****
JC's phone rings, his call to come down to the bus to go to the venue. And Lance isn't here yet. It reminds JC forcibly, painfully, of the time they were forced to go on without Lance, while Lance lay in a hospital bed. JC's least favorite memory.
*****
His mother waits by the car; with airport security being what it is now, Jim thought it would be best if she waited outside. But she doesn't hold back once she sees her son, looking jet-lagged and somehow thinner than when he left. Lance reassures her he's fine and ready to do the show. After telling his mother the short version of the weekend, stuff she hadn't already heard, he flips open his two- way and sends JC a message: almost there miss u lots.
JC fires back: me 2 hurry!
Lance grins. With everything that's happened to him this weekend, with this whole strange journey behind him, he finds a new excitement welling up at the thought of seeing JC's smiling face again. That gives him the burst of energy he'll need to get through the show tonight.
They arrive at the venue with time to spare. Lance is hustled through the tunnels to their designated area, and he immediately hits the Toy Room. "Hey dudes," he says, poking his head through the door.
Lance disappears under a boypile.
Laughing, delighted beyond belief, Lance manages to poke his head out from beneath the bodies. "Did you miss me?"
This causes another pounce, sending Lance on his back. "Hey, guys," Jim finally breaks in calmly asking, "give him some space, will you? He's had a long weekend."
"I'm okay, really."
Jim shakes his head, smiling, and leaves the boys to catch up. "So did they give you the anal probe?" asks Chris, getting right to the point.
"Ugh, Chris!"
"Well, that's what they do in movies!"
Lance pushes Chris off, but remains on the floor, pulling himself into a sitting position. "I got you guys shirts," he says, reaching into a shopping bag he carried in with him. He tosses one to each of his friends, and pulls out a stuffed Russian bear for JC as well. "And this for you."
"Thanks, baby," JC says softly, hugging the bear to his chest then reaching out to draw Lance in as well.
Lance holds JC tightly, breathing in his comforting scent. He'd been touched all weekend, but this is the one touch he needed most. "So what--" but before he can finish, his mother walks in.
"Lance honey, you should eat something and have some juice."
"Mom, I'm fine, really." But from the look on her face he knows it's useless to argue. He gives JC one more hug and follows her out. JC watches Lance go sadly. He has a feeling it's not going to be easy to get any time alone with Lance.
JC's feeling proves right--by the time they get through sound check and do some sound bytes for the local radio station--between one thing and another they're kept busy and more or less apart until it's time to do the pre-show hackey. "Hac-key!" Chris announces loudly in a deep voice. "Hac-key, hac-key, hac-key!" Surprisingly, Lance is able to kick it back, and after a few tries they finally head for the stage, satisfied. Lance takes a deep breath, knowing that in 90 minutes he'll finally be able to relax. He glances at JC and gives him a reassuring wink.
The show is a blur to JC. He sings and dances with his usual abandon, but he really only has eyes for his boy, who's practically sleepwalking. JC can see that, even if the fans can't. Lance messes up numerous times. He tries to cover but knows this is his worst show so far. By the time the boys disappear backstage and head to the bus, he's actually glad the show is over.
"Lance, the local news wants a sound byte, so as soon as you get on the bus we're gonna hook you up," Johnny says, running beside his charge. Lance looks over at JC. He was going to ask JC to ride the bus with him but he's hustled away before he can get the words out.
Figures, JC thinks, frustrated. He wouldn't mind being on separate buses if Lance were getting the rest he so clearly needs. But this. This is just maddening.
By the time they get to the hotel Lance is half asleep, having spoken to several news feeds, Melinda, Joey and Steve, and his parents. It's the wee hours of the morning as the bus pulls up to the doors, and Lance practically falls down the stairs to the sidewalk as he anticipates the large, comfortable bed waiting for him. And the body that will be laying next to him.
JC's bus pulls in almost immediately afterward, and he sees Lance stumble. He feels a spark of anger at everyone who surrounds Lance, yet doesn't help him. Lance hauls his carry-on bag over his shoulder, not bothering to wait for the rest of his stuff. It will be brought upstairs. All he needs right now is what he can carry. He turns when he hears the other bus pull in, but the screams of the fans who are waiting for their arrival remind him he's not in the clear yet.
JC tries to move quickly into the hotel, head down, but, in the end, can't refuse the kids who've been waiting. He signs a few autographs and answers a couple of questions, but finally makes it inside.
Lance gets cornered by a group of girls eager to hear the news of his weekend. He talks and signs pictures and shirts, but it's Lonnie who finally saves him. With a sigh of relief, he jogs toward the elevator where he sees JC, the doors about to close.
JC hits the Door Open button and Lance manages to slip in before it closes again. And they're alone.
Lance falls against JC, burying his face in JC's shoulder. "I'm so tired!" he mock-shouts, laughing.
"Really? I would never have guessed."
"Hey, wanna hit the clubs?"
"I think they'd hit back."
"Ouch. I don't think I could take that."
The elevator arrives at their floor and they step out, hand-in-hand. They get to their door and JC fumbles with the key, finally releasing the lock. As they step in, JC says, "Look, I'm only going to say this once, because if I keep saying it, it will seem like I'm trying to make you feel bad, and I'm not. But I missed you incredibly."
Lance looks down at their hands, then back at JC's face. "I missed you, too. I didn't think it would be so hard being away from you, because I knew I was coming back. But I missed you the second I left."
"We're gonna have to get used to it," JC says quietly, gathering Lance into his arms. "And we're gonna have to learn to make the most of the time we've got."
"I'm all for that. When I'm with you, I'm with you."
"That's all I need to know. Listen, I DO want to hear about your trip and what the tests were like and stuff. Tomorrow. But for now, I just want to hold you. Is that okay?"
Lance hugs JC tightly, securely, letting his weight fall against the tall, lean body. JC wraps himself around Lance, holding him, supporting him. He had expected to feel desire on seeing Lance again after their separation, but what he feels far more right now is tenderness.
"Is there a bed in here?" mumbles Lance.
"There better be, or the front desk will hear about it." Before Lance can protest, JC picks him up and carries him to the bed, putting him down gently. "Better?"
"Mmm, much. This is like the first time in days I'm laying down without a bunch of tubes and wires sticking out of me."
"You make it sound like Frankenstein."
"It was," jokes Lance. "They stuck electrodes in my head and made me run through a maze."
"Like a rat?"
"Yeah, they fed me cheese and everything."
"Hey, are you hungry? You didn't get much of a chance to eat."
"Now that you mention it, I'm starving. You think the kitchen's open now?"
"If it isn't, we'll find a pizza place that's still delivering." But it isn't necessary. The hotel is still serving a light menu. "What do you want, babe?"
"One of everything."
"You got it." JC doesn't quite order one of everything, but he orders all the things he knows Lance will like. Then he settles down on the bed next to Lance to wait.
"So what did you do all weekend?" asks Lance. "Did you go to any of the Oscar parties?"
"No, I went home."
"You didn't even hit the Vanity Fair party? Em would have gone with you."
"Home, home. Orlando."
"I thought you were going to your house in California. What did you do in Orlando?"
"I worked in the studio, mostly. Made sure the house wasn't falling apart and stuff like that."
"Did you feed the plants, too?"
"Are you making fun of me?"
"No, darlin'. Thank you for taking care of the house. But when I go away, I want you to go out and have fun, too."
"It was actually good to be home and just, you know, relax. And not have to be somewhere every minute."
"With me."
"That's not what I meant. I meant, like, on tour. You know I love it, but it's nice to have a break, too."
"I think it will be good for you to get a break from me."
"I don't need a break from you."
"I don't want to be away from you either. But this weekend was just the beginning."
"I know. And if you get to go, I WILL be happy for you. Just . . . don't expect me to be happy about having to be apart from you for so long."
"We'll just have to make the most of the time we have together. Hey, I didn't even get a welcome home kiss."
"You were too busy."
Lance sighs. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry this is so hard on you."
"It's not your fault. Everytime I got within five feet of you, you got dragged in another direction. But we're here now . . . " JC leans in for a kiss, but just as his lips meet Lance's there's a knock on the door.
Groaning, Lance covers his eyes with his hand as JC lets in the waiter with the tray of food. He sits up and waits until JC returns to the bed.
JC sets the tray carefully on the end of the bed and sits next to Lance. "I know you're hungry, but first things first." He leans in again and gives Lance a sweet kiss.
Lance accepts the kiss gratefully, kissing back with an energy he didn't know he had.
When they separate, JC reaches down and pulls the tray up between them. "Eat."
Sighing, Lance looks down at the food. He's very hungry, but also exhausted. It's only a sandwich, he thinks. He can handle a sandwich. So he takes a bite, and then another bite, until finally satisfied, he takes a drink from one of two bottles of water on the tray and lays back down. "That was good. Thank you."
JC takes the water bottles off the tray and puts them on the nightstand, then puts the tray outside the door. By the time he gets back to the bed, Lance is almost asleep. "Baby?" he says softly, touching Lance's face. "You wanna brush your teeth?"
"Mmm, hmm." But he doesn't move. A few minutes later, he does manage to make it to the bathroom, where he washes up. On his way back to the bed, he strips off his shirt and pants and climbs onto the large, warm bed, curling up with his hands under the pillow.
JC takes his turn in the bathroom and also undresses, slipping under the covers and shifting Lance so he can pull the covers over him as well. He switches off the lamp, then wraps himself around Lance. Snuggling against JC's warm body, Lance falls into a deep, satisfying sleep. He sleeps deeper and longer than he has in days. When he finally awakens, it's nearly 2:00 in the afternoon.
JC is sitting at a small table, sipping coffee and working on his laptop.
Yawning and stretching like a cat, Lance realizes there's something missing when his foot does not kick JC. Blinking and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he looks around for JC and sees him tapping away across the room. "What are you doing up?"
"You say that like it's the middle of the night, Jet Lag Boy."
Lance checks the clock. "If I was in Russia, it would be."
"How are you feeling?"
"Pretty good. This bed feels so good. Only problem is, you're not in it."
"That can be fixed." JC walks over to the bed and stretches out next to Lance. "Better?"
"Much." He pulls JC close. "Mmm, you smell nice."
"You FEEL nice."
"I feel . . . horny."
JC grins. "You know, you LOOK kind of horny."
"You can tell just by looking at me?"
"Yep. You get this look in your eyes. Not to mention the bulge."
"You can't see that."
JC peeks under the covers and grins.
"Are you looking at my bum?"
"You got a problem with that?"
"I'd rather you touch it."
JC lightly taps Lance's butt. "Like that?"
"It's a start."
JC curves his hand around Lance's firm roundness. "Better?"
"A little."
"Picky, aren't you?" JC says, molding his body to Lance's so Lance can feel JC's arousal.
"Deprived. I've gone without sex for five days!"
"No close encounters with a lab cup?"
Blushing, Lance stammers, "Uh, maybe, like, once."
JC laughs, sliding his hands up under Lance's T-shirt. "But you still missed me?"
"You were what got me through it. They, you know, gave me a magazine, but it had, you know, girls in it and stuff."
"Ewwww!" JC says, and giggles.
Lance grins and his eyes go wide. "I know! I couldn't tell them so I sat in this room with the magazine and, um, thought about you."
"How was I?"
"You got the job done. But it would have been better to have the real thing."
"You've got the real thing now."
Lance wraps his arms around JC. "How much time do we have?"
"Lots. Day off, dude."
"So what do you want to do?"
"You have to ask?"
Lance rolls JC on top of him and kisses him. JC kisses back, finally allowing himself to feel just how much he'd really missed Lance this long, long weekend. Lance puts his hands on JC's face, letting his senses take over after his restful night's sleep--touch, taste, smell.
"You're still looking a little tired," says JC. "So why don't you let me do all the work?"
"This is work?"
"This . . . this is pleasure."
"Mmm, now why can't this be one of the tests I have to take?"
"It is. It's the test to see if you can ride my rocket ship."
"That sounds like a challenge."
"Think you're up to it?"
Lance peers under the covers. "Definitely."
"That's my boy." JC kisses Lance again, harder this time, more hungrily.
Lance accepts the kiss with equal passion, having missed this activity very much over the past few days. His body aches for JC-- literally aches--and if there was an instrument for measuring his desire for his lover the results would be through the roof.
JC presses Lance harder into the mattress, as if they could get closer than they already are. And he knows they can. And they will.
Lance raises his knees on either side of JC and starts tugging at his shirt. "Who told you to get dressed?"
"Well, you know, the room service guy was coming . . . "
"He is? You ordered us breakfast?"
"Was. I got a pot of coffee while I was waiting for you to wake up."
"Aw, darlin', thank you. You could have woke me up, you know."
"You needed your sleep. But if you want lunch now . . . " JC starts to roll off Lance.
"Later," he says firmly, stopping JC. "Right now I want this." And he presses his lips to JC.
JC pulls back and grins. "I was hoping you'd say that." He pulls Lance closer again, parting his soft lips with his tongue.
Lance's tongue tangles with JC's, and he devours the kiss like it's the best breakfast he ever had.
JC struggles to get out of the shirt that Lance had objected to, losing a couple of buttons in the process.
"Careful, you don't want to hurt yourself," Lance says, laughing.
"You could help."
"You said I shouldn't do any work."
"I did, didn't I." JC frees himself from Lance's embrace and strips off both their shirts.
"Besides, I've undressed in front of enough people this weekend. It's fun to watch someone else do it."
"You're not going to make me think about you undressing in front of scary Russian guys."
"No way--you should have seen some of those doctors." Lance's brow creases and he shakes his head in mock seriousness.
"Keep it up and I'll never let you go back to Russia without me."
"That's the idea."
"It'll be great. 'Comrade Bass, we can't do the test with this GUY attached to you.' Do they still call each other comrade?"
"I don't know, but it sounds good. I'll call you comrade. My own personal comrade."
"Shut up and kiss me, comrade."
"I hear and obey." Lance pulls JC down and captures his mouth, tasting sweet toothpaste mixed with the rich taste of good coffee.
JC presses against Lance so their bare chests are crushed together and he can feel the warmth of his boyfriend's body.
Lance feels his heartbeat thrum against JC's chest and feels JC's beat right back. He runs his hands down JC's smooth, lean back and over the curve of his tight ass.
JC grinds his hips against Lance's as he feels Lance grip his ass. He kisses his way down over Lance's chin to nuzzle at Lance's sensitive neck.
Lance purrs like a cat, the sound deep within his chest. He gives JC's ass a gentle squeeze, moving his knees in and out with delight. JC feels that sound down to his toes. And in more interesting places.
JC's erection presses against Lance, causing a smile to form on his lips. He brings his mouth close to JC's ear and purrs again.
"Are you TRYING to kill me?"
"No, I'm trying to make you screw me."
"You do have a way with words," JC says, slipping his fingers under the waistband of Lance's shorts and sliding them downward.
"And you have a way with your hands."
"Wait'll you see what I can do with my dick."
"I'd love to see that. Learn any new tricks while I was away?"
"I may have done a little reading. But I had no one to practice on."
"You bought a sex book?"
"You think I need one?"
"No way. That's why I was surprised. You could WRITE the book."
"I could use a little more . . . research."
"Ah, another test. Well, what do I need to do?"
"Lie back and enjoy it." In one quick, graceful move, JC dips down and takes Lance into his mouth. Lance's back arches involuntarily and he groans loudly. Going without sex for five days has taken its toll, and his body reacts instantly to what it's been deprived of.
JC takes Lance in as deeply as he can, feeling Lance swell and stiffen in his mouth. He flicks his tongue against the shaft and breathes in Lance's sharp, musky scent.
Lance grabs JC's head, a reflexive reaction, but not with force. He caresses the hair back from JC's face, watching those lips work their magic. And what magic it is.
With all the intensity that he usually focuses on anything important, JC bobs up and down over Lance, licking, kissing, sucking.
Lance writhes under JC, sensing his climax nearing. With all this pent-up sexual tension, it's not long before he finds his release, his whole body convulsing and his throat making noises even he never heard.
When Lance is done, JC looks up at him, smiling, still tasting Lance on his lips, in his mouth. "Welcome home."
Lance throws his head back on the pillow and gazes at the ceiling, panting. "I should go away more often."
JC moves up next to Lance and brushes damp hair from his face. "That wasn't the idea."
"Well, you keep doing that then maybe I should bag the whole space idea and stay here."
"I don't want you to do that. Really. I just wish it wasn't, you know, such a long time."
"It'll be over before we both know it."
"Promise?"
"It'll go by so fast you won't even know I'm gone."
"Somehow, I don't think it's gonna be quite that easy."
Lance brings a hand to JC's chest, lightly trailing his fingers over the smooth skin. "No, it won't be easy. But we'll get through it. I promise."
"I know. We have to. Because there's no other option."
"Please don't be sad. It breaks my heart when you're sad."
"I didn't mean it like that. I meant . . . there's no other option than getting through. Because you're IT for me."
"And you're it for me. And when it's over, we'll take a few weeks off and go away, just the two of us."
"Anywhere but Russia, babe."
"I hear they got some nice spas in the GU-lag."
"And Chernobyl is lovely at this time of year."
"So we stay away from Russia." Lance wraps his arms around JC and clasps his hands behind JC's back. "We'll find some nice, deserted beach with no phones and no TV."
"You? With no phones?"
"For you, I'd do it."
"I love you, too."
"Show me."
For a long moment, JC looks into Lance's eyes, letting Lance see the emotion that fills him, then he bends down to claim Lance's lips.
Lance pulls JC on top again, his hands traveling lower to slip inside JC's pants and over the muscles of his tight ass.
JC kisses Lance again and again, giving in to the hunger this time apart has produced. He lets one hand slither down Lance's side, then snakes it between their pressed bodies to massage Lance's erection back to life.
It doesn't take long. Being a healthy 22-year-old has its advantages, Lance discovers, and the days they spent separated only helps his arousal. He tugs at JC's pants, eager for the contact.
"I suppose you want me to take them off . . . "
"Unless you learned some new technique while I was away that doesn't require you to be naked."
JC kisses Lance again, hard, before rolling off him to remove his remaining garments. When he turns back to Lance, his eyes are bright with desire, with need. He reaches for the nightstand drawer to retrieve the lube, never taking his eyes from Lance's.
Lance watches intently, the same intensity with which he performed each task in Russia. The same intensity when he's recording a new song. He watches JC as though it were the most important thing he could be doing right now. And it is.
JC smiles again, looking into Lance's beautiful eyes. He leans in for another kiss as he opens the lube and spreads some on his fingers, then he reaches between Lance's legs to caress sensitive flesh.
Flushed with heat, Lance parts his knees, anticipating the pleasures to come. He takes a deep breath and waits.
JC finds the tightly puckered opening and caresses it gently, waiting to feel Lance react before he plunges a finger inside.
Lance grunts and grips the bed sheet, the penetration so delightful he has to bite his lip to keep from crying out.
JC can wait no longer--it's been a difficult five days for him too. He quickly slathers more lube on his own erection, then raises Lance's legs and slides into him.
"Oh . . . my . . . gosh!" Lance does cry out this time as he's hit with the full force of JC's fullness.
JC grips Lance's hands, pulling them up to either side of his head and holding them there as he starts to move in Lance.
Lance struggles lightly in JC's grip but he's more aroused by the thrill of being pinned like this and utterly in JC's control. All he can do is clasp JC's hands and raise his hips to take JC in deeper.
Lance's struggle arouses JC even more, and he moves more quickly, more powerfully in and out of Lance. He dips his head to cover Lance's face in kisses.
Lance turns his head to meet JC's lips, his muscles bulging in JC's strong grip. He meets JC's every thrust, his hips rising and falling as JC fills him again and again.
When their lips meet and their tongues entangle, it's one of those electric moments of pure connection. JC is sure that it would be impossible for them to be any closer than they are at this moment.
With his eyes squeezed shut, Lance moans into JC's mouth, the sound low and deep, conveying his pleasure the only way he can right now. His heart beats wildly and sweat breaks out on his forehead.
JC pulls Lance's hands over his head so he can hold them both in one of his own. With his free hand, he reaches down between their conjoined bodies to encircle Lance's erection.
Lance writhes under JC's grip, so intensely aroused it's almost painful. He rarely sees this side of JC, and it turns him on to no end. "JC," he moans.
JC lets his head drop down, so every breath, every groan, goes straight into Lance's ear. He knows he's close, and, judging by the sound of his voice, so is Lance.
A quiet whimper escapes Lance's throat as his engorged organ erupts in JC's capable hand. "Oh my gosh," he cries softly, alternating between a moan and a giggle.
Another thrust or two and JC follows Lance into ecstasy, shuddering as he collapses against Lance.
Lance sighs, content, his body still trembling as his orgasm subsides. "Oh my goodness."
"Yeah," JC breathes, shifting so Lance can straighten his legs. "Oh, yeah."
His wrists still in JC's grip, Lance asks, "WHERE did you learn that?"
JC shrugs. "Just comes naturally."
"It sure does COME. I leave you alone for one weekend and you learn all kinds of new stuff."
"I gotta give you a reason to come back, right?"
"You're all the reason I need."
"Even if you go a million miles away?"
"I'd travel across the universe to be with you."
"That's a long way."
"I'd do it. I'd do it for you."
"Aw, baby. And I didn't even feed you."
"I don't need food. I just need you."
JC snuggles against Lance's shoulder. "You've got me."
With his hands finally free, Lance throws an arm around JC. "You know, with all that I had to do this weekend I'd do it all again if it meant coming back to this."
"You don't have to go away for this."
"Then when I am home, this is what we're gonna do."
"I won't argue with THAT."
"Guess I'm gonna have to try to be home as much as possible before May."
"You may not even have time to pack."
"You're gonna keep me that busy, huh?"
"If I have to let you go away, you're gonna go with great memories."