Schitzo
Copyright November 24, 2000 by Matthew Haldeman-Time
Rating: R for for general RPS and Justin's potty mouth
Pairings: JC Chasez/Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass/Chris Kirkpatrick
Disclaimer: The young men who comprise *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: Ewan, SG slashers, Jon for the challenge.
Wherein the reader will find woods, snow, and wait, now I'm thinking of Robert Frost.
Notice: This story is in response to a challenge issued over JoshJustSlash.
It wanted: *a scene with people getting lost in the woods, *Justin and
JC hating each other (at first!), *a little snowfall, *an engagement, *mention
of JC's abs, *Christina and Joey as a couple, *Lance and Brit, *somehow
Mandy Moore, *JC has to talk about being sleepy and always wants to sleep
and stuff how it's his fav hobby.
Well, I don't do het, so
Christina, Britney, and Mandy won't be here. But I'll do the rest.
"I'm cold."
"Shut up."
"It's freezing out here."
"Shut up."
"We're lost."
"Shut up."
"We're so fucking fucking fucking fucking fucking lost!"
"SHUT UP!"
Chris's gloved hand squeezed Lance's. Lance tossed Chris a half-stunned, half-"It's okay," look, to reassure him. Chris gave another squeeze, to reassure Lance in return, and went back to picking his way through the forest.
"I can't believe we're out here in this freezing cold dark woods at night. This is like a slasher flick or something. A guy with a chainsaw's going to come out and it won't be to cut down trees for timber so we can start a fire and get warm because my fingers are falling off and I'll never hold a microphone or my dick again, it's so he can chop off our heads!"
"Shut up."
"We're out here lost. In a forest. There are wild animals out here. They're probably stalking us or something. We're the hunted here, not the hunters. Because yeah, I so totally wanted to spend my vacation in a little cabin in the woods like the Waltons or something, this isn't Little House on the Prairie, there's no house and no prairie, it's just fucking dark and fucking cold."
"Shut up."
"It's snowing. It's snowing. That's snow. It's fucking snowing on us."
"Shut up."
"Like it wasn't cold enough! Now it's snowing! We're going to get caught in a blizzard and die in the forest and you know what, they'll never know, they'll never find our dead rotting frozen bodies because we'll be out here in the middle of nowhere buried under the snow. By the time they do find us, we'll be raccoon food, or bear food, or something, they won't even recognize us, they'll try to use dental records."
"Shut up."
"At least my teeth are straight. Unlike some people's."
Instead of saying "Shut up" again, JC stopped walking, staring straight ahead through the darkness and snow. With a grim determination, his hand tightened on the luggage he held, and he started forward again, bypassing Justin.
"Where the fuck is he going now?" Justin asked. Chris and Lance followed JC, Joey following them and grabbing Justin, who stumbled quickly but let Joey yank him along after the others. A minute later, he could see where JC was leading them.
A cabin.
The cabin?
One could only pray.
JC walked faster, faster, almost sprinting in the end, until he reached the one-story wooden building. He raced onto the porch and fumbled in his pocket for the key, but his hands were so frozen that he couldn't manage it. Chris fetched the key for him and fitted it into the lock. The key turned; the lock opened.
"We're here," JC said through numb lips.
"We made it," Lance said.
"Thank god," Joey said.
"Inside, inside, inside," Justin said.
Stepping into the cabin off of the porch, first they came to the kitchen and dining area. Beyond that was a large sitting room with a broad fireplace. To the right was a hallway with several bedrooms and a fully furnished bathroom. It looked like an expensive hunting lodge, without deer heads on the walls.
Joey went to the bathroom. Justin went to claim a bedroom. Chris looked through the kitchen, poking into cupboards and the refrigerator. Lance tried to help JC start a fire.
"JC," Lance said softly, keeping his voice low.
"Yeah?" JC asked.
"You might have frostbite."
"I'll be okay."
"You-"
"It wasn't that cold."
"It's below freezing out there."
"I'll be okay."
Once the fire started, Lance sat there with JC and tried to rub circulation back into JC's hands.
"We need more food," Chris said. "JC, you brought some?"
"I have some, and Joey brought some," JC said. As he regained some feeling, pain made tears prick his eyes.
"Fire, fire, warm, warm," Justin said, running in and huddling before the flames.
JC pulled his hands from Lance's and rose, picking up the bags he'd dropped. He dumped the food on the kitchen table for Chris and stalked off down the hallway.
"Justin," Lance said, "you know I love you, but right now, I think you're the shittiest person I've ever met."
Justin stared, jaw dropped. "What?"
"You wanted to get out of the city, out of Florida, for a vacation, to relax after the tour. JC said we could come up here. You wanted to drive instead of fly, so JC drove us. The road was closed. You said that we should just walk instead of stopping in a hotel, that it wouldn't be far, that you wouldn't be cold. So we got out and walked. You said that you didn't want to carry all of your stuff. JC carried yours and his. You said that you were cold. JC gave you his coat and his gloves. This is the vacation from hell, Justin, and I swear, if JC gets sick and his fingers fall off and he can't ever play the piano again, much less hold a microphone or his dick, I'm holding you responsible."
"I didn't mean it," Justin said.
"I don't care what you meant or what you didn't mean. I love you, Justin, but I don't like you much anymore." Lance went to help Chris unpack the food.
"Wow," Joey said from the hallway entrance. "Go Lance."
"You all hate me?" Justin asked.
"I'll get over it," Joey said. "JC might not."
"JC would forgive Justin for castrating him," Chris said. "Justin could need a heart transplant and JC would say, 'Here, take mine.'"
"You think he has frostbite?" Justin asked, eyes on the flames.
"He might," Lance said. "But it's not like we can call for help."
Justin stood quickly and went past Joey, down the hallway. "JC?" He found JC in the room beside his, sitting on the bed, hands curled to JC's chest. "JC, your hands, your poor hands. Why didn't you say something?"
"Hard to get a word in with you running on the whole time."
"Does it hurt?"
"Yeah."
Justin sat beside JC on the bed, rubbing JC's hands. "Come back to the fireplace. It'll get you warm. Come on." He pulled JC by the hands, walking backwards, leading JC to the fireplace again. "Are your ears okay?"
"I had my hat on. They're okay."
"Can you feel your nose?" Justin asked, rubbing down it. "What about everything else?" He stroked down JC's cheeks, ran a thumb across JC's lower lip. "Tell me your whole face isn't frozen."
"It's okay."
Justin, dissatisfied but not knowing what else to do, resumed rubbing JC's hands briskly. "You're shivering."
"It's cold."
"Is there a blanket or something?"
"Here." Joey draped a blanket from one of the beds down over JC's shoulders.
"Thanks," JC said.
"Good," Justin said, and went to get another one. He came back and wrapped that one around JC too, tucking JC in snugly. Then, making JC face close to the fire, he settled down behind JC, lending his own body warmth, JC seated snugly in the vee of his thighs and back against his chest. Reaching around JC, he began to massage JC's hands. "We'll get you warm in a minute."
"Thanks," JC said.
"How do you feel?"
"Tired."
"Tired?"
"I could go to sleep right here."
"That might not be a good idea."
"All of that walking. I'm so tired." JC yawned.
"Hey, no sleeping."
"Why not? It's my favorite hobby."
"Yeah, we know. Come on, stay awake. Talk to me."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why awake? I can just take a little nap."
"JC, come on. You could be hypothermic or something, I don't know, but whenever someone's hurt on TV and wants to fall asleep they always make him stay awake, so I'm making you stay awake. Come on. Stay awake."
"Why?"
Justin glanced at Chris. "Because I'm asking you to."
"Okay," JC said. "I'm awake."
"Good." Justin swallowed.
Shit.
JC, it turned out, did become ill. He vomited and slept, and they took turns checking on him and sitting with him. Justin, working on an incredible guilt complex, spent the most time with him.
"Chris, promise me something," Lance said.
"What?" Chris asked, lying before the fireplace half on top of Lance, running his fingers over Lance's collarbone.
Lance sorted through the spikes of Chris's hair. "When we go on our honeymoon, we are not going anywhere cold."
"The cold isn't the problem," Chris said.
"Okay. Promise me we won't go anywhere with Justin."
"I wasn't going to bring Justin along on our honeymoon."
"Good. You think this will change anything?"
"What? This week? Between them? I don't know. Maybe not."
"Justin takes JC for granted. Like JC's only purpose on earth is to serve Justin's needs, fix Justin's messes, make Justin happy."
"JC lets him do it," Chris said.
"That doesn't make it right."
"We've had this conversation before," Chris said. "If Justin doesn't stop taking JC for granted after this, and if JC doesn't stop letting Justin take advantage of him, there's nothing we can do. It's between them."
"How can JC let Justin do it?"
"Justin's young and pampered."
"You mean spoiled."
"Yeah." Chris's fingers traced the shell of Lance's ear gently. "He loves Justin."
"Then how can Justin take him for granted like that?"
Chris smiled. "Justin
loves Justin, too."
"You feel any better?" Justin asked, sitting on the edge of JC's bed.
"Yeah."
"Lots better or some better?"
"Lots." Still weak, JC struggled to sit up, resting back against the headboard. "You wanted to get away from the heat and the city, you made it."
"It's boring up here."
"I'm sorry. Aren't the guys keeping you company?"
"Lance and Chris just have sex a lot."
JC smiled. "That's one way to take a vacation."
"Yeah, well, it's not like I can have sex with Joey, so there's nothing else for me to do. We have snowball fights and watch TV and play videogames and we were working out this exercise regimen thing, but... JC, I'm bored."
"Come here."
"Come where?"
"Come here." JC reached out for Justin.
"You're not going to make me sick, are you?"
"You're healthy as a horse. Come on, I won't bite." He pulled Justin to himself, cradled against his chest. "You're fussing like a whiny two-year-old, so I'll treat you like one. Let me tell you a story."
"Oh, storytime. Okay."
"Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young prince."
"And his name was Justin."
"You've heard this story?" JC stroked Justin's curls, just once. His other arm was relaxed across Justin's chest, Justin's head on his shoulder, Justin's long muscular body stretched down the bed. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young prince. Justin Randall of the Timber Lakes. He was beautiful, tall and strong with the prettiest curls in ten kingdoms. He had pretty blue eyes and a smile that showed his teeth and lit the sky. He was very smart and very talented. He could sing to enchant the world, and when he danced, even the gods stopped to admire his grace. His name was known around the globe, and he had wealth untold. But he wasn't happy."
"Why not?"
"He didn't have anyone to share his glory or his life. He was surrounded by admirers, but there was no one who really knew him. No one understood him. He was unhappy. Then one day, a knight came with a minstrel and a fool."
"A knight?" Justin asked. He sounded sleepy.
"Sir Lancelot. Justin Randall of the Timber Lakes and Sir Lancelot became friends, best friends. The prince even befriended the minstrel and the fool. But even these great friendships did not keep the prince happy. He still hurt inside. He still needed love."
"True love," Justin murmured, eyes closed.
"True love," JC agreed softly, stroking Justin's curls again, just a little. "He spoke with his new friends, Sir Lancelot, the minstrel, and the fool, of his unhappiness. Now, Sir Lancelot had a friend from the kingdom of his home, another prince. Sir Lancelot sent word home, asking his friend to come for a visit. The prince came, and met Justin Randall of the Timber Lakes. This new prince was handsome and intelligent, and he fell in love with Justin Randall of the Timber Lakes, who charmed him immediately. It was love at first sight."
"Mmm," Justin said sleepily. "Did Justin love him back?"
"Yes," JC said. "Justin loved him very much. The new prince made him very happy, and they lived happily ever after."
"Good," Justin said, and
shifted to his side, falling asleep in JC's embrace. JC stroked his
hair and held him.
"I thought you said you were better," Justin said.
"I did."
"That was yesterday morning, and you're still throwing up and fevered and stuff."
"I know," JC said dryly. His own illness hadn't escaped his notice, thank you very much.
"You lied to me?"
"I didn't want you to worry."
"That's cheap. We're out of here in a few days, and you've spent this whole vacation vomiting."
"I'm sorry."
Justin stopped short. "Wait a second."
"What?"
"You mean that. You're not being pissy or sarcastic. You're actually sorry that you're sick. JC, you can't apologize for being sick."
"I didn't want to ruin your vacation."
"You're sick because of me!"
"You didn't infect me."
"You were out there walking
around in - - forget it!" Justin left, slamming the door.
"JC?"
"What?" JC asked. He did feel better today. He didn't feel as feverish, and he wasn't dizzy anymore.
"Why are you like this?"
"Like what?"
Justin sat down on the bed, facing him, frowning. "You're too nice to me."
"I should be mean to you?"
"No. But you... JC."
"What?"
"I need a heart transplant."
"What?"
"I need a heart transplant."
"What?"
"Are you listening?" Justin demanded. "I need a heart transplant. Mine sucks. It's all withered and rotten. I need a new one."
JC wasn't sure where this was going. Maybe he was sicker than he'd thought.
"I want you to give me yours."
"Give you my heart?"
"Yes. Give it to me."
JC frowned. "Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay. Take it. It's yours, anyway."
Justin nodded. "Good." He put his hand to his chest as though feeling for his new heart. "I like yours better."
"I thought yours was beautiful."
"Finish the story."
"The...the fairy tale?"
"Tell me the rest."
"It was over. They lived happily ever after."
"But who's the new prince? Sir Lancelot's friend. Who is this guy?"
"You tell me."
"It's not my story."
"Who do you think he is?"
"You said he's handsome. And smart. That could be anybody. It was love at first sight."
"What's he like?"
Justin thought about it. "I bet he has blue eyes. I like blue eyes. I bet he has blue eyes...tight abs...and lots of flexibility."
"Are you bringing sex into my fairy tale?"
"I didn't say anything about sex."
"You're talking about his abs and his flexibility."
"So? I'm allowed. It's my story now. I bet he has good hands. He's really nice. He treats the prince right, you know?"
"I'm sure he does. He loves the prince very much."
"I bet he'd give the prince anything he asked for."
"Probably."
"His gloves. His heart. His body. All Justin Randall of the Timber Lakes has to do is ask."
"It's just a story. We'll never know for sure."
"You know what?"
"What."
"I bet sometimes Justin Randall of the Timber Lakes doesn't even have to ask. Usually the prince just gives him everything anyway, knows what he wants and gives it to him without being asked."
"Maybe."
JC dragged himself out of bed, ate some toast, and found the bathroom. He showered and shaved, finally feeling human again. Then he went to his suitcase, dug out a tube of lubricant, and went to Justin's room.
Justin was asleep in the darkness, cosy and warm beneath the covers in a sweatsuit. JC set the tube on the bedside table and clicked on the lamp.
Disturbed by the sudden light, Justin frowned in sleep. Slowly one eye cracked open, then another. "JC? JC, what are you doing out of bed. You must be freezing. Come on." Justin pulled JC into his bed. "What are you doing running around in your underwear?"
JC kissed him.
There was no surprise. No protest. Just acceptance. Justin's mouth opened, his body moving closer to JC's, his warm hands sliding down JC's body.
"I love you," JC said, and reached inside Justin's sweatpants. "Let me make you happy."
"It shouldn't be like this," Justin said.
"I know," JC said.
"I don't care anymore."