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Challenging
Lance never got nervous anymore. Well, okay, that was kind of a lie. He got nervous speaking in front of a crowd of complete strangers all by himself. He got nervous when he did crazy things like sign up to jump out of an airplane. He got nervous when he had to tell his mom things he didn’t want her to know. But seeing the guys? That wasn’t supposed to make him freak out.
And it wasn’t Joey. He saw Joey all the time. And he saw Justin and JC enough, even if it was only at parties where they rarely spoke to each other. He smirked at that thought – the last rumors about he and Justin fighting were still amusing.
So it wasn’t them. And it wasn’t really the charity stuff they were doing, because that was the fun part. Parties and games and basketball, all in the Florida sun. How could he complain when that was his *job*? No. That wasn’t it either.
Which left one thing, really.
Chris.
He hadn’t really seen Chris since Joey’s bachelor party in Vegas. But it wasn’t really about *seeing* Chris.
That wasn’t it at all.
~*~
He remembered that he was in Vegas. That kind of information was something he’d learned long ago to commit to memory before falling asleep. And he’d been in Vegas for the past couple of days with Joey and Chris, so it was easy.
Lance woke up with a start. He was used to strange surroundings, used to waking up in strange hotel rooms. That hadn’t forced him awake. It was the arm around him and the weight shifting against him.
This usually didn’t happen. Sure, he picked people up, but he never let them fall asleep with him. That required trust that he just didn’t have with his pickups.
He barely knew their names.
It only took a couple of seconds for it to hit Lance who it was and why they’d managed to stay.
Chris.
Lance closed his eyes and tried to wake himself up from the apparent nightmare. Not that sleeping with Chris was a nightmare. More like his most secret, dearest wish coming true, but since there was no way it could be like Lance wanted, then he was screwed in so many ways.
He wasn’t exactly sure how it had happened. He remembered there had been a lot of alcohol, and that Chris had been really nice to him. Lance really hoped that nothing embarrassing had happened in public.
Chris shifted again and Lance had no idea how he’d slept as long as he had with Chris moving around practically on top of him. But then Chris shifted mostly away and Lance managed to slip out of the bed. He winced when Chris mumbled something, but then breathed in relief when Chris seemed to still be asleep.
He really didn’t want to stick around and hash this thing out with Chris. He knew that Chris didn’t do commitment. Lance wanted more and there was no way he was going to get it and that would just ruin everything for him. He wanted everything with Chris. He always had.
Lance gathered up his clothing, thanking whatever God of boybands that was watching over him for them being in Chris’ room as he scribbled a short note to Chris.
“Dear Chris – had to catch my flight. See you soon, Lance”
He felt like a pussy as he let the door close silently behind him.
~*~
Lance hadn’t answered any of Chris’ calls the next day, and he hadn’t returned any of the messages that were left on his phone. It was going to be awkward and he *hated* awkward – which was why no one got to spend the night. He had no idea what to say to Chris, let alone answer anything Chris might say to him.
Should he thank him? Apologize? Jump him?
All possible ideas, but none seemed like something Lance should do. There’d probably be silence and weirdness and Lance felt his stomach clench when the flight attendant got on the overhead speaker and announced their arrival into Miami. He sighed as he closed his laptop and started unplugging things.
As soon as he was off the plane, Lance’s phone started beeping at him. There were messages, of course, and by the time he’d gotten to baggage claim, he’d returned two of the calls and was in the process of returning the third while he pulled his bag off the carrousel. With all the airport security, he had to get his own bag a lot of the time, and he figured that getting someone to help him was pointless.
Lance somehow managed to get his car after only signing a few autographs and taking a few pictures. He really should have realized that more people would be arriving at the same time as him for the event and been more prepared.
As it was, he was too busy to be nervous until he was alone again in the car. He fiddled with the radio until he found the local country station and pulled out his directions for the hotel. Sure, he could have had a limo, or have Lonnie’s people pick him up, but he had figured he could handle it. He smiled into the rearview mirror and backed out of the parking spot.
~*~
Lance tried not to think about Chris on the drive to the hotel, or what he was supposed to say to him. He tried to concentrate on psyching himself up for all the ‘on-time’ he was going to have all weekend between the parties and the games and fans. He was also kind of excited to sing again. He’d missed performing, no matter how many times he suggested otherwise.
He made it to the hotel and snuck in. There were girls everywhere, and he was really hoping to avoid the screaming. At least with a bucket hat and a pair of sunglasses, he wouldn’t stand out that much. He had no idea how he got checked in without incident, but he contributed it mostly to the girl behind the counter.
Smiling at her and promising to send down an autographed CD was probably helpful too, but Lance was just grateful that she sent him to the back elevator and he found their floor. In his hurry to get to his room, he’d forgotten to ask if any of the other guys were there yet. He knew they were all getting in around the same time, because they had rehearsal and a meeting in the early afternoon.
He was trying to work out what he would say to Chris and get his door open at the same time when he felt arms wrap around him. Surprised, he whirled around and was prepared to talk down an over enthusiastic fan, but instead he could only sputter.
“Ch-Chris.”
“In the flesh. Long time, no see, Bass.” Chris didn’t move one of his hands. He plucked the key card from Lance’s trembling fingers with the other and opened the door before pushing Lance inside.
Lance bit his lip and let Chris push him inside. “Uh. Chris? What…”
“Shut up, Bass. I’ve been waiting over a month to talk to you, and now you’re going to listen. A guy with a lesser ego would think that you regretted our night together.”
“Uh…”
“And I know that’s not true. So why don’t you just kiss me?”
“Chris,” Lance started, but his words were cut off by a hot, wet mouth and Lance could only moan and hang on.
“Yeah,” Chris whispered against his lips and then Chris slid his hands into Lance’s hair and his tongue into his mouth. Lance was in heaven. Chris rocked against him, his hips pinning Lance’s to the door.
“Oh, God, Chris,” Lance panted.
“See what you were missing? Why’re you avoiding me?”
The reason slammed into Lance’s head and he struggled to move away. “I can’t. Chris, please.” He pressed one more kiss to Chris’ lips before ducking underneath his arms and stepping away.
The harsh sounds of their breathing filled the silence that stretched between them. Chris stared and Lance stared back.
“Chris. It’s not that. God. You’re so beautiful. But come on. We can’t. Not when you don’t…” Not thinking about what to say made Lance stupid. Well, that and all the brain cells that were just killed when Chris kissed him.
“Not when I don’t what?” Chris demanded and stepped closer. His eyes flashed and Lance couldn’t think fast enough to say something besides the truth.
“Like boys? Clearly,” Chris said as he gestured to himself. Lance could see the length of his cock outlined against the fly of his jeans. “I do.”
Lance shook his head.
“What is it, Bass?”
“You don’t like me,” he whispered.
Chris stared at him like he was crazy. “Are you kidding me?”
Lance shook his head again. He opened his mouth to clarify, but Chris was too quick for him. Damn wiry bastard. Lance ended up pinned against another wall with Chris holding him there.
Taking a deep breath, Lance tried to focus on anything except Chris’ cock pressing into his thigh. “I’ve had a crush on you for so long that I can’t remember not feeling like this. I can’t do this because I don’t think you feel the same way and I won’t do it if you don’t.”
Chris kissed him and Lance whimpered.
“You idiot,” Chris said softly. “You told me about your crush when you were drunk. Don’t you remember what happened?”
“I told you? And you still…we still… God, Chris!” Lance started struggling again, trying to distance himself from Chris and his apparent new habit of pushing Lance against walls.
Chris rolled his eyes. “You really think I’d do that, do this, knowing that?”
Lance stopped. No, Chris probably wouldn’t do that.
“I love you, you big dumb fucker.”
“What?” Lance was still processing. Chris had really said… He’d said… “Say it again,” Lance breathed.
Chris laughed. “You first.”
Lance slid his hands up Chris’ arms to behind his head and tugged him in for another kiss. “I love you, too,” he whispered just before their lips met again.
~*~
Lance grinned up at Chris. There was someone pounding at the door and Lance could tell that it was one of the guys by the knock. Long ago they’d started knocking so they could tell it was each other. When he heard Justin’s shout, Lance hid his face in Chris’ shoulder.
“Are we going to tell them?”
“I think it’d be funner if we didn’t and let them figure out themselves.”
Lance nodded and arched his hips into Chris’. “Plus,” he added. “I think we should make them wait. We have a while until we *have* to be anywhere.”
Chris grinned back. “I like the way you think, Bass.”
[ main l rps l fps ]
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