Well, not quite.

Actually, it began with JC.
And with Matthew having too much time on his hands.

I used to hate *NSYNC.  Loathe.  Despise.
They couldn't sing and they looked funny.

But I sort of liked JC.

Kyla

My dislike of *NSYNC became an odd obsession.
I bought their CD's.
I listened to their CD's.

I was already writing a Backstreet Boys story, so writing boy band RPS wasn't out of the question.
(Does anyone remember the one where Brian gives Nick a blowjob in the dressing room while AJ's in there covering the videocameras?)
I needed to write a JC story.
Gotta slash JC.
But he needed someone to be slashed with.
I picked Justin Timberlake.
I mean, I hated Justin.
But he was cute.

aimee

Keep in mind that, at this point, I didn't have a website and I had no idea that anyone would ever read this story.

So, I started "I Need You Tonight."
I had JC/Justin.

Diamond

In the background of "INYT," there's this mini-story of Nick and Drew, and Nick and Jeff, and Brian being stupid.
I was really curious about what was going on there.
So I started "Boy Lead the Way to Ecstasy."
It was weird to write Nick/Drew, because for me, Nick will always belong with Brian.
I had to create a Drew that I could believe Nick could love.
It worked.

Becky

Nick with Drew, meaning Nick without Brian, was interesting.
Watching Nick seduce Drew created a whole new Nick for me.

Kyla

I had Drew and Nick.

Kyla

But it didn't feel complete to me.
The Brian issue wasn't quite resolved.
Was Nick over Brian?
Was Brian over Nick?
Were they just good friends now?

Kyla

By "Not Easy," I wasn't happy with what I had, but I couldn't possibly change things.
Throwing Brian into the mix would ruin the entire story.
I didn't dare trash my work.
I had no idea how to fix things.
So I said, oh, forget it, no one's going to see it anyway, it's not like it matters.
And I threw Brian into the mix.
I knew that it was bad writing, but I didn't know what else to do.

Enter Brian.

Becky

I already had Nick/Drew.  And Nick/Brian is not a problem.  But I had to establish some Drew/Brian.

Kyla

I didn't, really.
By now, it's there.
Then...no.
Yes, I'm admitting in public that I ruined my own story.
Go me.

Anyway.

Thus I created the Drewsome.

Becky

That happened in "No One."
Back in "Boy Lead the Way to Ecstasy," there was a second story.
The story of Nick and Jeff.

Since the bulk of "BLTW" is in Part One, we see this relationship mostly through Drew watching Nick.
Drew knows what's going on there.

Kyla

Nick wants Jeff.  Smart man.

Kyla

Nick gets Jeff.  Go Nick.

Diamond

"I Need You Tonight" established JC/Justin.  They're the First Couple.  They started the series.  Within the series, their relationship, their love, and their strength inspires the other couples to believe in themselves.  Very moving.

"Boy Lead the Way to Ecstasy" established Nick/Drew and Nick/Jeff.

"Not Easy" brought in Brian, who refused to be ignored.

Then there was "No One."

And AJ.

Kyla

That was not supposed to happen.  I already had half of the fourteen slashed.  I couldn't write any more couples.  But, you know AJ.  AJ does what AJ wants.  AJ wanted to get some.

AJ wanted...

...Lance?

Who knew?

Becky

The more I learn about AJ and Lance as a couple, as their relationship progresses, the more I like this pairing.
I can't explain it here without going on for pages.

That's true for all of these couples, though.
The more I understand about them, and the more I understand each individual and what he brings to the relationship, what he gets out of it, the more compelling that relationship becomes.
I think that that's why people like the Drewsome.
Or it could be because Drew's sexy.

At any rate, without warning, AJ and Lance were a couple.

Kyla

(A few weeks ago, I got a new plant.  I named it James.)

But that was it.  JC/Justin, Nick/Drew/Brian, Nick/Jeff, Lance/AJ.  No more.  Nine out of fourteen was more than enough.

Then Chris started looking at Howie.
I couldn't get him to stop.
And he kept touching Howie's hair.
Even Howie was getting annoyed.
Finally, Howie and I gave in.

Kyla

That was it.  That is it.  I'm not slashing anybody else in this series!

Kyla

Okay, so Joey kisses Justin Timberlake Chasez,
Kevin's jealous that AJ's not having sex with him,
and Justin Jeffre's an honorary bisexual.

Still.

There, um, is one other "pairing" in "Living."
See, um, the Lachey brothers, um...
And, see, if Drew loves Nick, and Nick loves Jeff, then...
Anyway, um...yeah.
So there's a fivesome.
With incest.

Diamond

It's their fault.
I have nothing to do with it.

I also have a Drew/Justin banner.

Kyla

Drew's love life is full enough, thanks.
And Justin has JC.  Enough said.