Copyright October 6, 2001 by Matthew Haldeman-Time

Rating: R

Pairing: Brian Littrell/JC Chasez

Disclaimer: The young men who comprise the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC are their own people.  The author has not met anyone here described, nor does the author mean to suggest that these people act this way in real life.  This writing is a work of fiction.  I make no money from this venture.

Dedication: This slashfic is for Ewan McGregor and the Savage Garden slashwriters.

Wherein JC runs late, needs eyeliner, and blushes.

Notice: Last in a series.

        Nick kept an eye on the door.

        Howie tracked Brian's impatience.

        Kevin sighed and waited.

        Joey nudged Justin.  "What are they doing?"

        "Making JC pretty," Justin said.  "He has to look nice for Bri-Bri."

        He should've guessed.

        JC tugged at his cuffs, adjusted his necklace, flicked his fingers back through his hair.

        "Want to borrow my lipstick?" Chris asked JC.

        "No, but do you have some eyeliner?" Lance asked.

        Chris looked to Joey and Justin.  That had been a joke, right?

        Lance straightened JC's collar.

        "They're coming all the way from Phoenix," Kevin said.

        "Maybe he's not coming," AJ said.  "Maybe he's standing you up."

        "He wouldn't dare," Nick said.

        "I don't trust anybody that skinny," AJ said.

        Howie looked at AJ.

        "You don't like him because he doesn't have tattoos or piercings," Kevin told AJ.

        "He's wimpshit," AJ said.

        "AJ," Brian said.

        AJ held up his hands, backing off.

        "He's just late," Kevin said.

        "Half an hour late," AJ felt compelled to add.

        "He'll be here," Howie said.

        "Only half an hour," Joey said.

        "He's a Backstreet Boy.  I think he'll understand how it goes," Justin said.

        Lance gave JC a Tic-Tac.

        "You did get him a present, right?" Chris asked.

        "What?" JC asked.

        "You didn't get him anything?" Chris asked.

        JC looked panicked.

        "Chris, shut up," Lance said.  "JC, don't worry about it."

        "Should I be bringing him something?" JC asked.

        "There's gotta be something around here you can give him," Justin offered.

        Joey looked around the plane.  "Think he's seen last week's Sports Illustrated?"

        "Oh, here, here, a photocopy of our picture with printed signatures on it," Chris said.  "That'll win 'im over."

        "He has to come.  They're performing," Kevin said.

        "He's not coming," AJ repeated.

        "Shut up," Nick said.  "He's coming, he's just late."

        Brian turned sharply, wide-eyed.  "Where's, where did I-"

        Howie handed him the gift-wrapped box with a reassuring smile.  "Kept track of it for you."

        "Thank you."  Brian checked AJ's watch.  "You don't all have to wait here."

        "Why don't you just call him?" Kevin asked.

        "No, he's coming," Brian said.  "He'll be here soon."

        "What?" JC asked, distracted.

        "Yeah, what?" Chris asked.

        "You know, are you packing?" Joey asked.

        "Condoms, condoms," Justin said.  "He wants to know if you have some."

        JC blushed.  "Oh, no.  We don't..."

        "You don't what?" Chris asked.  "You don't have sex?  I think we all know better."

       "No, I mean, we don't...use condoms," JC said.

        "You don't use condoms?" Justin asked.  "You're kidding."

        "Are you nuts?" Joey asked.

        "Give him some," Justin told Joey.

        "No, guys," JC said.  "I don't want any."

        "JC, you need to," Justin said.  "I'm serious."

        "I don't think I'm going to get him pregnant," JC said, trying to pass off the subject.

        "You know what we're talking about.  He's on the road, JC, he's living the life.  You don't know what he's getting into.  Who he's getting into."

        "I trust him," JC said.

        "You think he spends all year celibate, waiting for you?"

        "Yes."

        They exchanged glances around JC.

        "I like his hair long," Brian said.

        "What'd you get him?" Nick asked.

        Brian looked down at the box in his hands.  "Oh, nothing."

        "Black and Blue," Nick guessed.

        "A sedative so he won't sprain something onstage," Howie said.

        "A ticket to Armani's next show, so he can see how real men dress," AJ said.

        "A box of condoms," Nick said.

        "Ribbed," AJ said.

        "Lubed."

        "Glow-in-the-dark."

        "Edible."

        "Nick!" Howie said, and blushed.

        Kevin wished he hadn't heard that.

        The guys were trying to talk to JC about condoms.  About safety.  About how they didn't want anything to happen to him.  About how they wanted him to be healthy.  About how gross it had to be to have anal sex without a condom.

        He wasn't listening.  He knew Brian; he trusted Brian.  And there was nothing gross about making love with Brian.

        It was beautiful, sexy, fun, erotic...

        Oh, god, he missed Brian.

        Couldn't this plane go any faster?

        The door opened.

        "Just me, just me," Justin said.  "He's on his way.  I'm the advance team."

        "Hi," Brian said, sorely disappointed not to see JC; filled with excitement that JC was close, near, coming...  The anticipation...

        "You're late," AJ said.

        "Yeah, sorry," Justin said.  "JC would've flown the plane himself if we'd've let him."

        The door opened.  "Hey," Joey said.  "Look, Brian has a present.  I told JC to get him something."

        Chris hit Joey to make him be quiet.

        "Three down, two to go," Howie said.

        AJ snorted.  "They probably got lost."

        The door opened.  Lance walked in; JC followed, a little shy, a little excited.

        AJ held everybody back.

        "Sorry we're late," JC said.

        Brian embraced him.  "JC.  I'm just glad you're here.  You look wonderful."

        JC felt his hormones go, "Ooohhh, Brian," and perk up.  A lot.  To be honest, he sort of didn't mind getting hard against Brian too much, but he really didn't want to have an erection in front of the Backstreet Boys.  Too late.  There it went.

        Brian felt JC's physical reaction, and squeezed JC's arm.  When he ended their embrace, he kept their bodies close, to shield JC's erection from notice.  He looked into JC's eyes, touched JC's hair, kissed JC's mouth.  "I've missed you."

        "Aw," everyone said, as one.  The guys started to sigh and melt; Chris made cooing noises.

        "Get out, get a life," Brian said.  "Go, go."

        "I wanted to stick around for the main event," AJ said.

        "In the airport lounge?" Chris asked.

        Nick gave Chris a disbelieving look.  "Amateur," AJ said.  Even Kevin looked inclined to snort.

        JC was standing so close to Brian, gorgeous loving Brian he'd missed, that he could almost, if he wanted to, he could almost rub his erection against Brian.  He was caring less and less that their friends were witnesses.  He'd missed Brian, he wanted Brian, and right now, Brian was here.

        "Ladies and gentlemen, the floor show is about to begin," Justin said.

        Brian kissed JC.  JC's mouth opened; his tongue welcomed Brian's love.

        "Okay, there they go," Joey said.

        JC moaned, pressing his hips against Brian's.

        "Not bad," AJ said.

        "Is it hot in here?" Chris asked.

        "Get out," Brian said, and let JC suck on his tongue.

        That time, there was no doubt that Brian meant it.  Kevin herded everyone out of the lounge.

        JC pulled Brian down to the sofa.