Copyright September 14-October 1, 2000 by Matthew Haldeman-Time (actually, 3:30 a.m. October 2)

Rating: NC-17 for graphic male-male sex

Disclaimer: The young men who comprise 98 Degrees, 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 slashers.

Notice: This piece follows "I Need You Tonight," its sister fic "Boy Lead the Way to Ecstasy," and the sequel to both, "Not Easy."

        Jeff laughed.  "I'd like to thank you, too.  Nick told us how we could, but I don't know if it's appropriate."

        "What did he say?" Brian asked, curious but wary.

        "He suggested that we kiss you," Jeff said, sounding amused.

        "It's only fair," Drew said.  "You set up this whole thing, and I made you give me a blow job, and you didn't get anything out of it.  It's the least they can do."

        "You're serious?" Brian asked.

        "I wouldn't mind," Jeff said.

        "Nick?" Drew asked.

        "The least we can do," Nick said.

        "Oh.  Okay," Brian said.  "If you...feel like it."

        "Just don't get inventive or we'll never get out of here," Jeff told Nick.  "I'm standing closer, I'll go first."

        Jeff and Brian were just about the same height.  Each tilted right, lips parted, and their mouths fit together like they were made for this moment.  Brian made a warm, pleased noise first.  Then Brian's tongue passed into Jeff's mouth and Jeff made a slow aching sound that even his husband didn't recognize.  Jeff's hand slid through Brian's hair to hold Brian in place but Brian tilted left and came in at a better angle and everyone watched in amazement as the strong, confident, indomitable Jeff Timmons-Lachey trembled and moaned under Brian's kiss.

        Brian released Jeff and smiled.  "You're welcome."

        Jeff inhaled shakily, licked his trembling lips, and stepped aside, dismissed.

        Nick Timmons-Lachey swept in for the kill.  In seconds Brian was back against the wall, clinging to Nick for dear life, occasionally letting small whimpering sounds escape.  Brian's fingers grasped at the air for support, then clutched at Nick's hair, shoulders, back.  Nick's tongue dove deeper and Brian almost slid down the wall, knees giving out on him.  The kiss lasted so long that Drew worried about Brian's air supply.  Then, without warning, Nick stepped away from Brian.

        Brian gasped for breath.

        "Thank you for inviting us," Jeff said.  "We had a lovely time."  He kissed Drew's cheek, took Nick's hand, and left, closing the door.

        "Guys?" Drew asked.

        "I think I'm tingling," Brian said.  "Am I tingling?"

        "Is Nick all right?"

        "His brain short-circuited at about 9:02," Brian said.  "I'm tingling.  All over.  Or maybe I'm having a slow-motion orgasm."

        "I think your brain short-circuited," Drew said.  "Come on.  Let's go back to our room."  He knelt in front of Nick, who was still in the corner on the floor.  "Nick?"  No response.  "Nick?"

        "Is it over?" Nick asked vaguely.

        "Yes."

        "They're gone?"

        "Yes."  He waited but got no response.  "Nick?"

        Nick's eyes tried to focus on his face.

        "We're going back to our room now."  He took Nick's hand.  Nick stood with him, and he reached for Brian as well.  He led the two of them out of the room, found the key card in Brian's pocket, and locked the door.  They went to 309, which he unlocked.  He draped himself over the bed and rolled to his back.  "Wow."

        Brian laid down beside him.  "Wow."

        Nick laid on his other side and gazed up at the ceiling wordlessly.

        Down the hallway, Justin Timberlake Chasez was making love with his husband.  He moved slowly against JC's body, lying on one side, hands stroking down JC's back.  He always liked this feeling, skin against skin, nothing between them, JC's hands bare on his flesh.  He could just reach out and touch JC anywhere that he wanted, anywhere that JC liked, and nothing could stop him.

        Except JC.  Who reached back and grabbed his wrists and pinned him on his back under JC's body.

        "Are you getting rough for fun or should I be worried?" he asked patiently.

        "You're not making any noise."

        "You haven't given me a reason to."

        "I don't turn you on anymore?"

        Justin faked a yawn.  "Not really, no."

        "Okay."  JC released his wrists.  "If you'd rather sleep, that's up to you.  I'd never pressure you into sex.  Although I can't see why you need beauty sleep."  JC moved aside and laid down beside him, pulling up the covers, eyes closing.

        Jerk.  He reached down and pulled JC's pubic hair.  "Pay attention to me."

        "I thought you were sleeping."

        "You're supposed to be having sex with me."

        "Oh.  Sorry.  My mistake."  JC got on top of him again.  "Where were we?"

        "You were playing caveman."

        "Right."  JC pinned Justin's wrists over his head.  "You're not making any noise."

        "I'm not going to start shouting and begging just because you're kissing me."

        "Are you embarrassed?"

        "I don't want people listening."

        "This is a nice hotel, Justin, the walls are solid.  Come on.  Give me one little 'Oh please JC.'"

        "No."

        "Just a quiet one?"

        "No."  Justin frowned up at him.  "You can't make me."

        "I can make you.  I just like it better when it's voluntary."

        "You can't make me.  And don't even try."

        "Are you going to let me have any fun?"

        "You're supposed to be giving me sex.  That's fun."

        "Giving you sex?"

        "Giving me sex.  That's right.  Give me some sex."

        "You're completely out of your mind."

        "Maybe I'll give you a blow job."

        "Really?"

        "You did just insult me, so maybe not."

        "I didn't mean it.  I take it back.  I'm sorry."

        "Too late.  No blow job for you."

        "I'm sorry."

        "You can give me one."

        "That's generous of you."

        Justin spread his legs and slid his body down a bit, opening up for JC, letting JC see what he had to offer.  "I know.  It's very generous of me."  He watched JC look down over him, watched JC's jaw drop slightly.  He knew he wouldn't have to ask twice.

        About ten minutes later, after he'd had JC's mouth all over his cock, he frowned.  Scowled.  Glared.  "Why'd you stop?"

        "It wasn't right."

        "Why not?"  He knew that he sounded testy, but he didn't care, he wanted JC's mouth again.

        "You weren't liking it."

        "Not liking it?  Of course I liked it!  Your mouth, my cock, it's a great combination."

        "You didn't sound like you liked it."

        "Can you stop obsessing over it?  I'm over it, AJ's over it.  Forget about it."

        "If you were over it, you'd sound like you were over it."

        Justin glared at JC and settled on his back.  "Fine.  Be that way."  He rolled over to his side, facing JC.  Without looking up into JC's eyes, he ran his finger down JC's chest.  "JC.  JC, I'm hard."

        "I know you are."

        "Will you touch me?"

        Fingers in his hair.  "Are we having a fight?"

        "I don't know.  I don't think so."

        "Good.  I don't want to fight with you."

        He rolled JC back, got on top of JC, moved against JC's naked body.  "Make love, not war."

        JC groaned a little, arching against him.  "Okay."

        "You're so easy."

        "So are you."

        "Want me to suck you?"

        "Just," JC moaned, "keep doing that."

        "I'm going to come all over you," Justin warned.

        "You can lick me clean."

        "Okay."  He rocked a little harder, feeling his balls tighten.  "JC?"  JC panted beneath him and tried to focus on his eyes.  "JC, can I fuck you tomorrow?"

        "You can fuck me whenever you want."

        "You're so easy," he said again, breathing hard.

        "So are you."

        No kidding.  Just thinking about how easily JC played him, how quickly JC could make him hard and begging, how JC could get him naked and spread and violated, he came, thrusting against JC's body.  JC rubbed up against him and made a deep sort of purring noise and came over his chest.  He collapsed, face on JC's shoulder, entire body limp and useless.  "JC."  JC hummed.  "JC.  What was that sound?"

        "What?"

        "That sound you made."

        "When?"

        "When you came."

        "I don't know."  JC yawned.  "What did it sound like?"

        "You sounded like a cat."

        "A cat."

        "Don't laugh at me."

        "I'm not."

        Justin got up reluctantly.  He didn't want to move; he liked being there, lying on JC, sleepy and sated.  But they were sticky, and it was his turn to clean them.  The new rule was that whoever was on top in the end had to get the washcloth, or towel, or tissue, or whatever was handy for wiping.  He snagged a washcloth from the towel rack, dampened it with warm water, and wiped off two doses of semen.  Then he rinsed the cloth and went to find JC.  Blue eyes opened when he made the first gentle pass over JC's chest.

        "A cat?"

        "Can you do it again?"

        "I don't remember doing it in the first place."  JC smiled.  "If you make me come again, maybe I'll do it."

        "You wish."  He threw the washcloth in the sink and crawled into bed.  "I'm going to make love to you tomorrow."

        "You can do it now."

        "You should be so lucky."

        "I never got to finish your blow job."

        "That was your fault."

        "Let me try again?"

        "Are you going to finish it this time?"

        "I promise."

        He pretended to think.  "Okay.  But make it good."

        JC snorted.  "Never mind."

        "Oh, come on, I didn't mean it.  You know it's always...you know...perfect."

        "Flatter me all you want, I heard what you said."

        "Come on, JC, you promised."

        "I promised to finish.  I haven't started."

        "Come on.  Just one."

        "You came already."

        "That's it."  He sat up and reached over JC to the nightstand.  "That's it."

        "What are you doing?"

        "What does it look like I'm doing?"  He slicked his fingers slightly.

        JC sat up, too.  "What are you doing?"

        "You already asked me that."  He wrapped his hand around his cock.

        JC stared at him.  "You're not."

        "Looks like I am," he pointed out, and sighed with pleasure.  "God I'm good at this."  He sighed again, melting onto his back, eyes closing.  "Oohhh..."

        "Justin."

        "What?"  He moaned a little, rubbing his thumb over the head just right, then under the head.  Lubrication made this a lot easier.  God, he hadn't masturbated in ages.  Months.  A year, almost.  Almost a year.  One more month.  Well, he'd touched himself, of course, since then, but it had been different.  With JC around, it wasn't like he needed to masturbate.  The few times he'd touched himself lately had been while JC was inside of him.  And, three times, JC had asked him to masturbate.  Asked him to touch himself.  Sat back and watched him.  It had made him totally freaked out and self-conscious, but JC had wanted him to, so he'd tried.  The first time he hadn't understood the appeal, so he'd thought about what if he asked JC to masturbate, and the picture that made in his mind, JC's hand working over JC's dick, just made him go up in flames, and his cock went from interested to ready! in half a second, and it was over quick.  The second time, remembering the first time, he'd tried to go slower, pretending that he was alone, closing his eyes and imagining himself alone, maybe in bed at home, not his apartment with JC but his mom's house, jerking off in the dark at night thinking about wanting JC.  That time worked really well; JC didn't let him up for hours and even then spent the next week looking glazed.  The third time, he'd watched JC, did a lot of teasing, led JC on to make JC nuts on purpose.  He still hadn't gotten up the courage to ask JC to masturbate for him.  He should.  He wanted to see it, what JC did alone in the dark.

        "Justin."

        Getting close now, better back off some.  "What?"

        "Let me suck you."

        "No way.  You lost your chance."

        "Then let me help."

        He opened his eyes, looked at JC assessingly.  Narrowed his eyes, thought about it, hand still.  "Okay."  He tossed JC the lubricant, raised his hips, knees up and apart, and said, "You can use your fingers."  He closed his eyes and stroked himself, waiting.  He felt the slow push of two fingers into his body.  He pulled away a little, then pushed closer.  JC always knew exactly how to touch him.  His knees fell aside, mouth opening.  "Oohhh..."  He let his hand drop.  He didn't even want to touch himself if he had JC.  Those two fingers sank deep into his body and pressed against his prostate.  His favorite gland.  He groaned as he felt soft wet heat close over his cock.  He was pretty sure that he'd told JC not to do that, but...oh...ooohhh...

        Justin, feeling blissfully relaxed, drifted bonelessly toward unconsciousness.  He felt JC wrap around him and tuck them under the covers.  "I love you," he heard.  He snuggled closer cosily.  "You're beautiful," JC whispered.  "So beautiful."

        "Me too, you too, and ditto," Justin mumbled.  "Go sleep."

        "I love you so much."  JC stroked his back and kissed his shoulder and held him close.

        "Forever."

        "Forever.  Always."

        Good.

        "I can't taste them," Nick said.

        Brian's brain woke up and he realized that Nick hadn't gone insane after all.  Well, not entirely.  "They kissed me for two seconds hours ago.  I probably taste like sleep breath."  Or he had, until Nick licked him clean.

        Nick turned to a sleeping Drew and let loose a low, maniacal chuckle.

        "Do not bother him," Brian said quietly.  Nick just cackled and pushed up Drew's shirt.  Drew's hand swiped loosely at Nick's in sleep.  "Let him rest," Brian protested.  Nick leaned in and sniffed at Drew's navel.  Drew twitched.  Brian tugged at Nick's hand.  Nick sniffed down, tugged at the waistband of Drew's boxers.  Drew twitched again and one hand came up to Nick's hair, tugging at blond strands.  Nick launched himself up suddenly, coming nose-to-nose with Drew, who opened hazel eyes.

        "What was it like?" Nick asked with a wicked grin.  Drew groaned, closing his eyes.  Nick started to chortle.

        "Come on," Brian told Nick, "let him go to the bathroom and brush his teeth or whatever.  Come on."  He pulled Nick away; Nick kept chortling.  Drew left the bed a little unsteadily and went into the bathroom.  Nick laughed and squeezed Brian with glee until Brian gave in and joined Nick's hilarity.  When Drew came out again they were quieter but grinning like fools.

        Showered and shaved and brushed, Drew dressed and sat on the bed, smiling at their grins.  "Good morning."

        Nick pounced, pushing Drew back and down, straddling Drew's body.  "Tell me everything."

        Drew sighed, still smiling.  "You were there."

        "Tell me."

        "Are you tingling?"

        "I've had a hard-on for twelve hours now."

        "Ouch."

        "Have you heard of tantric sex?  You come but you don't really come, so you have an orgasm but nothing comes out and you can keep it up?  I think I did that.  About twenty times.  Tell me what it was like.  Tell me how it felt."

        "I feel like I'm at an adolescent girls' slumber party."

        "Good.  Let's talk about boys.  Tell me all your secrets."

        Drew grinned.  "Jeff Timmons-Lachey has the biggest cock."

        Nick laughed and rolled off of Drew.  "That's more like it!"

        "You're so bad," Brian said.

        "Ignore him," Nick said, controlling his laughter, propping himself beside Drew on an elbow.  "Tell me.  What's it like in your hand?"

        "Like anybody else's.  Just bigger."

        "How big do you think it really is?" Nick asked.  "I bet it's at least twenty inches."

        Drew pushed Nick.  "Be serious."

        "And a foot around.  God, when he fucks you it must split you right open.  Imagine having that inside of you.  God, just imagine Jeff.  Walking around with that in his pants all day.  Sitting down, with that load between your legs.  I'd just...god...  I'd never leave my bedroom if I had that to play with.  What's his cum like?"

        Drew twisted bedclothes in his fingers.  "Thick."

        Nick dropped to his back and gazed at the ceiling.  "I want some."

        "Ask him nicely."

        "He'd smack me from here to next weekend.  How's he kiss?  Lots of tongue?"

        "Deep.  Real deep."

        "Did you like it when he touched you?"

        "Yes.  It felt good.  It felt really good.  I would've let him do anything he wanted."

        "Any...anything?"

        Drew twisted more bedclothes.  "Yeah."  There was silence.  More silence.

        Finally Nick said, "I don't know if I'm more jealous of you or of him."  He rolled to his side again, looking at Drew.  "I guess if this is your sexual awakening, you're awake now."

        "I guess so."

        Nick stroked Drew's cheek until Drew looked at him.  "If you're going for your first time, I wouldn't do it with Jeff.  He'd probably rip something.  Your brother did though, right?"  Nick's eyes took on a dreamy look.  "Very first time, and you look down, and you know that that huge cock is going inside you.  I'm so jealous of Nick.  He gets to suck on that every day.  I would spend hours.  Hours.  Just sucking on it.  Not even wanting him to come, just..."  Nick dropped to his back again and rubbed at a nipple almost absently.  "He's got lots of come.  Huge balls.  I don't know how he sits."

        "He sits on his butt."

        "God that's a nice butt.  Jeff has the cutest ass.  I've been so busy checking out yours that I forgot to look at his.  That is a nice ass."

        "Feels good.  The curve, it fit just right in my hand.  And then he flexed, not even on purpose."

        "Mmm...  What was it like when he was on top of you?  When he was pounding away at you?"

        "It was incredible," Drew confessed, gazing at the ceiling with Nick.  "Mostly I just wondered how Nick lives through it.  How Nick can live through when he really, actually...enters him.  I mean...  I don't know, maybe if I actually had been put in the position of Jeff asking if he could make love to me, I would have been scared.  I don't think that body parts were made to fit together like that.  And he's so strong and so hard and so powerful and it felt so good, and I wanted him, and then it was over and all I could think of was...just...wow."

        Nick laughed.  "That's perfect.  Tell me what it was like when he sucked your dick."

        "He knew what he was doing.  He knew exactly.  It was...Jeff's devastating.  Everything he did, the entire time, he was so in control, he knew exactly what he was doing.  He had this confidence.  He had the most intense kisses, his hands were - - and you've seen his body, that is one incredible body.  Even without the..."

        "Twenty inch cock."

        "Right.  It is not twenty inches."  He reached over and pushed Nick's shoulder.  Nick pushed back.  He pushed back in return and said, "Anyway.  I'm trying to talk here.  By the time he asked me if he could suck me, I was so far gone I was praying that he wouldn't be good so I could rein it in a little.  But I had no chance, no hope; he was way too skilled.  Just the first part of it was bad enough, and then he started to deep throat and I just..."

        "Yeah, I was there.  You made some nice noises and your body went right off the bed, cleared the mattress."

        "It was so hard not to grab his ears and shove myself down his throat."

        "You ever want to do that to me you go right ahead."

        "I can't do that."

        "Sure you can.  I can take it."

        "Really?"  He turned his head and looked right.

        Nick looked left.  "Sure."

        "You shouldn't tell me these things," Drew said, looking up at the ceiling.  "Now I want to do it."

        "In a minute.  Tell me more about Jeff first."

        "I told you everything.  He just about killed me.  If I weren't totally in love with you and Brian I'd be pounding on his door begging him for more.  Oh, did you notice he has a ton of pre-cum?  When it started I was wondering if that was the real thing."

        "That must taste so fucking good."

        "Salty.  Thick."

        "God, would it be so wrong if I just jerked off while you're talking?"

        "I think it would."

        Nick rolled to his stomach and rubbed against the mattress a little.  "Tell me about Nick."

        "I will if you stop doing that."

        Nick flopped onto his back again.  "Brian, come and suck me."  He laughed.  "Wait, that's what happened last night.  First Jeff, then Brian, then Nick."

        "I feel so bad about that," Drew told the ceiling.  "I never meant to start a Brian exhibition."

        "You needed him.  It's cool.  They understood.  Now either I'm going to lie here and jack myself and think about Jeff's all-day sucker, or you're going to tell me about Nick."

        "Nick," Drew repeated, trying to summon the experience.  "Since we've reduced Jeff to his cock, we might as well reduce Nick to his mouth."

        Nick sighed with pleasure.  "Oh yes."

        "Jeff is very masculine.  Nick is very...I don't know.  I'm not sure how to describe it."

        "Tell me how he kisses."

        "He kisses like he's hungry, like he wants to take a part of you for himself.  When he was kissing me, I had the weirdest thought.  You know how he licks his lips?"

        Nick chuckled.  "Masturbation."

        "Yes!"  Drew laughed.

        "Maybe we should tell him that."  Drew looked right; Nick looked left.  "No, maybe we shouldn't."

        Drew smiled and turned back to the ceiling.  "He has a nice body."

        "Newsflash."

        "He has a nice cock."

        "Yours is thicker."

        Drew laughed.  "Let me talk.  He has a nice cock.  He has good hands.  His skin tastes good, and if you tease his nipples he squirms.  I think I swallowed one of his pubic hairs."

        "One of the hazards of the job.  Someday I'll cough up a Brian hairball."

        "That's lovely."

        "Just saying.  So how's he suck cock?"

        "He drove me crazy.  He couldn't just do it.  It was like...you know?  I bet he does that because he's with Jeff.  You know, you said you could spend all day doing that?  I bet he does.  That's why - - he took forever, and he kept getting me there and then going off to do something else."

        "I'm so fucking jealous.  I'm going to do that to you.  I'll just spend six, ten hours sucking at you."

        Drew couldn't hold back a pleased moan at the very idea.

        "See?  You'll love it.  Keep talking.  So he has good technique."

        "He looked good down there.  I promised myself I wouldn't look.  It would be too weird, too - - I mean, to have burned into your brain the picture of your brother sucking you?  That's sort of..."

        "Mmm, kinky."

        "Aaron."

        "Ew ew ew ew ew ew!"  Nick sat up and turned around and shook his head.  "Aahhh!  I've gone blind!  Help!  Help!"

        "See what I mean?" Drew asked.  "Come on, sit down."

        Nick glared at him.  "That was so mean.  I will not get you off ever again.  That was so so so evil.  Evil Drew.  Satan Drew.  Bad Drew."

        "I was just trying to make a point."

        "You've blinded me."

        Drew moved his hand slowly towards his crotch and watched Nick's eyes zero in with interest.  "You're seeing just fine.  Lay down and let me finish talking."

        "You're so evil."  Nick laid down cautiously.  "No more mentioning little boys."

        "I'm sorry."

        "You'd better be."

        "I promised myself, when Nick was down there, that I wouldn't look.  And now you know why.  But I did, I had to, I wanted to see what he was doing to me.  So I looked."

        "And came like a geyser."

        "Exactly."

        "Looked good, hunh?"

        "Very good.  That mouth on my cock looked...so good.  I'm pure evil."

        "Got that right."

        "I just wanted the five of us to stay there forever."

        "Okay.  We can do that."

        "His cock tasted good."

        "He came in your mouth."

        "Brian's tastes sweeter."

        "Brian's a very sweet person."

        "Nick?"

        "What?"

        "Will you let me make love to you?"

        Nick looked left.  "For real?"

        Drew looked right.  "For real."

        "God, yes.  Please.  Now."

        "Give me just one minute."

        "That's not now," Nick muttered in protest, but Drew was sitting up and moving towards Brian, who was sitting against the railed headboard.

        Drew stopped in front of Brian.  "Hi."

        Brian met his eyes.  "Hi."

        "Tell me you're not mad at me.  Tell me you understand what I said about Jeff."

        "You would have let him take you.  I can't even try to touch you there and you would have let him make love to you."

        "The choice was taken away from me.  I knew that he couldn't.  Everything he did felt good, and I was really excited, and I knew that he wouldn't try.  But he's my brother-in-law, and I have you and Nick."

        "And no one's first time should be with that cock," Nick said from behind him.

        "That too," Drew said.  "It was safe to want him to make love to me because I knew that he wouldn't.  I was safe with Jeff."

        "You're not safe with us?" Brian asked.

        "I know that if I asked you to make love to me, you would.  If I let you touch me, you'll touch me.  That frightens me."

        "Why?"

        "Being touched, being penetrated, it's a violation, it's...  It makes me vulnerable.  Look at what happened when I made love to Nick; he fell apart, he couldn't handle it, and he's been with you for all of this time."

        "We won't hurt you.  You can trust us."

        "I don't trust myself."

        Brian touched his face with gentle fingers.  "But you can trust us."

        He gazed into Brian's blue eyes.  Fingers hooked through his right elbow and pulled him back slowly.  "Come and make love to me," Nick said softly.  "Touch me like you want us to touch you."

        "Good morning," JC said, kissing nice and slow up his forearm, along the underside where the skin was more sensitive, holding him like a treasure.  He moaned a little when JC got to the inside of his elbow.  He wasn't the skinny kid he'd been; he was grown up now, and his body showed it.  He flexed and smiled at his muscle.  Then JC started to lick over the muscle definition and he shivered.

        "Come and make love to me," he said when JC reached his shoulder.

        JC straddled his body and pinned his wrist over his head.  Then JC licked his armpit.  He squirmed, mostly because it felt good and that was sort of disturbing.  JC went from there to his nipples.  He noticed that JC bypassed his collarbone; he'd figured out JC's secret weapon of sucking him there to make him spread his legs.  He didn't know why that happened, but it always worked, and even being aware of the phenomenon couldn't keep him from letting it happen.  But now that he knew about it, JC didn't take advantage of it as much.  Relatively.  Sometimes.

        Hot damp kisses down his torso.  Bypassing his erection, up his other side.  Ribcage.  Nipple.  Armpit.  Collarbone oh sweet jesus, JC.  Shoulder.  Along his other arm now, spending an inordinate amount of time on each little patch of skin, until it was time for the fingers, by which point Justin was drooling pre-cum.

        JC licked his palm, set his hand down on his chest, and sat back.  Reached for the lubricant.  About damn time, in Justin's opinion.  Justin waited.  And frowned.  "JC?" he asked, sitting up in bed.

        "Yeah?"

        "What...what are you doing?"

        "Jerking off."

        "Why?"

        "It feels good."

        "Not to me."

        "Maybe you're doing it wrong."

        "JC.  Come on.  Don't be mean to me.  You know I want you."

        "I want you, too," JC said.

        "Then take me."

        "Maybe later."

        He was going to kill JC.  Kill JC dead.  Extra-dead.  And not even feel bad about it.  "JC, come on, please.  Don't do this to me."

        "I'm not doing anything to you."

        "That's the problem!  You-"  Justin made a frustrated "rrgh" kind of noise and grabbed JC's wrist, pulling loose JC's grip.  "Make love to me."

        JC removed his wrist from Justin's hands.  "Maybe later."

        "JC, please.  I'm so hard, I want you so much.  I haven't had you since..."

        "The last time I was in you?  Thursday night."

        "Thursday night!  Thursday night!  This is Saturday morning!"

        "You're right."

        "Thirty-six hours, JC.  Thursday night to Saturday morning.  Why are you smiling!"

        "Just wondering if your body's tighter now."

        Justin seized onto the idea, even knowing its unlikelihood.  "It probably is.  I know you like how tight my ass is, JC."  Damn it, he should have taken a Nick Carter crash course in talking dirty.  Well, he'd just have to wing it.  "You always tell me how tight it is, how hot I am.  I bet it's even tighter now.  I bet it would feel so good, the muscle clamped around your dick.  You want to feel it?"

        "I think I'm going to come," JC said on a gasp.

        "No!  No!"  Disaster!  He wanted JC to come in him, in him, not out here!  "JC, please, just touch me, feel how tight I am, feel how good it is.  You can come inside me."

        "I'm going to come," JC panted.

        "No, JC, please, I'm so hard, I want you so much."  Thursday night, such a long time ago, his body was so lonely.  "Please, JC, I want you, please fuck me."

        JC, one hand slowly stroking the veined column, gasped and offered Justin a finger from his free hand.  Justin took his hand and sucked on his finger, eager, moaning softly, thighs spreading.

        JC's finger pulled free and Justin moaned at the loss, sinking back against the pillows, offering himself.  JC reached down and traced the finger in wet circles around the entrance to Justin's body.  Justin's ass muscles clenched and fluttered in hope and frustration.  "Please, JC.  Please."

        "Please what?" JC asked softly, almost absently, stroking across the hole.

        "Oh god, please touch me."  He wanted JC.  He wanted to be touched.  He wanted to be fucked.  He wanted JC.  JC in him.  JC full and hard inside of him, thrusting into him, coming inside of him.

        JC's finger pressed into Justin's body, pushed deeper.  "You are tight," JC said.  "Feels so good."

        "So good," Justin echoed, arching, aching.  "Oh please."  JC stroked him, back and forth, and he tried to move against JC's hand.  "More, please, I need more."

        JC's finger was gone.  Justin wanted to scream.  But JC just casually opened the lubricant and dabbed on a little and teased Justin's opening again.  JC flirted there, probing a little, massaging the skin around the outside, tracing the pucker.  "So tight, Justin.  You feel so good."

        Justin wanted to swear.  "JC, please, touch me."

        "I am touching you."

        "Touch me inside.  I want to feel you inside."

        JC's fingers entered him again, two now, sinking deeper.  Justin almost sobbed with relief, it felt so good, being opened like this.  Something was different this morning, though; something was strange.  Normally, always, no matter how Justin begged, no matter what Justin thought that he wanted, JC took care of him, and JC gave him everything, and he trusted JC to fulfill his needs.  That was how their relationship worked.  But today, for the first time, Justin wasn't sure that JC would give him what he needed.  So he begged.  And every time JC gave him a little bit, every touch, every concession, he moaned, and he panted, and it felt so good, it felt so good, he couldn't believe how good it felt, but he wanted more, more, more.  He got three fingers, finally.  But that wasn't enough; he wanted JC, JC's cock, JC deep inside of him.

        And he knew, he fucking well knew, that JC knew exactly where his prostate was.  JC knew him better than he knew himself when it came to that.  So why the hell wasn't JC touching him there?

        "JC, please, make love to me."

        "I am."

        "Your cock, I want your cock, please.  Oh, JC, oh...so good...please...JC...ooooohh."

        "You can come like this."

        He arched with a tiny cry.  "Please, JC, I want you."

        "You have me."

        "No, no, oohh...oh, oh, oh, oh..."  He twisted and gasped.  "Please."  He rocked his hips on JC's fingers, trying to get them deeper, trying to get them to hit him where he needed it.

        "You can come for me.  You can come like this."

        "No, JC, please...JC...baby...oh...I want to come with you inside me...come inside me...come inside me..."  He broke off, panting.  That was when JC's fingers left him, and he looked up wildly, sitting up, but JC's hands eased him down and held him still and then there it was, that glorious penetration, so full and hard, deep inside of him.  And he was still begging, but he didn't know why, because he was getting everything he'd ever wanted.  And he was panting, and he was making this constant weak needy moaning sound.  And JC's cock was filling him and JC was thrusting deeper and deeper and JC was hitting that electric sweet hot spot over, and over, and over, until he couldn't see anything but the bright flash of lights.

        JC was petting him.  "Sshhh, baby.  I'll make it good for you.  Every time."

        He was too weak to moan in response, so he just tried to inhale.

        "Don't be mad."

        He summoned his strength.  "You did that on purpose," he mumbled into JC's shoulder.

        "I know.  I know.  It was hard.  I just wanted to-"

        "You wanted to make me beg for it."

        "You were beautiful."

        "You're a sadist."

        "You're still beautiful."

        "Soon as I get my eyes open I'm gonna hit you."

        "Okay.  I love you."

        "JC?"

        "Hmm."

        "If I promise to do lots of noisy moaning again, will you make love to me?"

        "Yes."

        "And if I throw in lots of 'oh, JC' stuff, will you do it twice?"

        "Yes."

        "I'll never be quiet again."

        "I'm awake," Jeff agreed.

        "Why?"

        "Today is our last full day here.  I just wanted to get up and enjoy it."

        Nick's brain jerked awake.  Soft, aroused hazel eyes.  Broad hands.  Sweet, wide mouth.

        Jeff smiled.  "You remember."

        He turned his face into his pillow, eyes closed.

        "Don't be shy."  Jeff's fingers ran patterns over his back.  "You want to talk about it?"

        "No," he said into his pillow.  Jeff kept touching him.  "Yes."

        "You think that's natural talent, or are Nick and Brian excellent teachers?"

        "What he does, you can't teach."

        "True enough."

        "I liked it."

        "I noticed."

        "No, I mean..."  He pushed himself up, rolled to his side, wrapped his arm around Jeff, kept his eyes trained on Jeff's chest to avoid those blue eyes.  "Watching you.  With him.  When you were together."

        "I liked watching you together, too."

        He breathed.  "And I liked...watching him...with Brian."

        "So did I."  Jeff's voice was calm, reassuring, engaged, nonjudgmental.  Nick never could match that tone.  Jeff could do it naturally, without sounding the least bit condescending.

        "I started wishing that Nick would help them."

        "So did I."  Jeff's voice edged into amusement.  "I almost asked him to."

        "They looked so good together.  And you looked so good."

        "How did it feel?"

        "New."

        "What do you mean?"  Jeff didn't sound confused, or even like he needed an explanation.  Jeff just sounded like he wanted Nick to articulate.

        He licked his lips and searched for words.  "The whole thing.  It was new.  Touching a new person in a new way, new feelings, new sensations.  I'm sure that I've done something like touch his shoulder a hundred times in twenty-four years, but last night it was a whole new experience.  Just touching his shoulder.  He felt different.  He looked different."

        "You were seeing him through different eyes.  A lover's eyes."

        "He's not my lover."

        "He was last night."

        "He was yours, too."

        "What did you like?  Watching us?"

        "Everything.  Everything Brian said.  The way you looked at each other.  You wanted each other, you acted like you were seeing each other for the first time.  When he undressed you, I think we all wanted to jump you.  Especially when you took off your pants."

        "Let's not talk about that."

        Nick smiled and let it go.  "Drew's beautiful.  Isn't he?"

        "He's beautiful.  He's lovely."  Jeff's fingers slid down Nick's jaw.  "When you kissed him..."

        "You liked that?"

        "It looked...I wish that I could paint it.  The way you leaned in to him, the trusting way he raised his face to you, the way your lips parted."

        Nick met Jeff's eyes.  "I love him."

        "So do I."

        "I love you."

        "I love you, too."

        "Should I be worried that I want to kiss my brother's lovers?"

        "You already kissed one of them.  Rather well."

        "I had to punish him for what he did to you."

        "I had no idea that Brian Littrell could kiss like that.  No wonder he has two lovers."

        Nick laughed.  "If we would have let you, you would have stayed to make love with him."

        "You would have, too."

        "Yeah.  But we were there for love, and that's just sex.  I'm sure it would be fantastic great sex, but just sex, and I have you for that."

        "Oh, you do?"

        "Yeah."

        "Jeff Timmons-Lachey: good for just sex."

        "You're good for other things, too."

        "That's right, I'm Nick Timmons-Lachey's first tenor.  I'm multi-purpose.  Just rinse and re-use."

        "Is it going to be weird seeing them again?"

        "No."

        "Every time I look at Brian I'm going to remember the way Drew said his name when they were..."

        "They're good together.  They're very comfortable, and the way they treat each other - - I'm glad that Drew's with Nick and Brian.  They treat him right, the way he deserves."

        "Yeah.  I can't believe what a jerk I was."

        "I think they've forgiven you.  Seeing as how they let their boyfriend suck your-"

        "Don't say it."

        "He's very good."

        "He's very good.  And he liked how you did it, too."

        "He liked the way you do it."

        "Yeah, but seeing as how I have so much experience-"

        "Don't say it."

        "I can't believe you're embarrassed."

        "I'm not embarrassed."

        "You never let me talk about it."

        "It's embarrassing."

        "They liked it."  He rolled Jeff back and straddled Jeff's body, licking a nipple, looking up into Jeff's eyes.  "They liked it.  Drew liked it.  Nick and Brian wanted it, too.  Did you see?  When you took-"

        "Nick."

        "-took off your pants and showed us-"

        "Nick."

        "-showed us and Nick-"

        "Nick."

        "You know what he was thinking, you know what he wanted.  Brian wanted it, too.  And Drew got to do it, he had his chance, he loved it."

        "Nick."

        "Your body is not to be believed.  Every part, every angle, is better than the next."

        "Nick."

        "I won't lie to you.  You have a gorgeous face.  Very expressive.  Your eyes.  You say everything, show everything.  And I'm madly in love with you for dozens of excellent reasons.  But you have the best cock I have ever seen."

        Jeff put his hands over his face.  "You know, I got over my body complex, and I even became proud of my body.  I came to like my body.  And then I let you get me naked one day last year."

        "And ever since then, I've wanted to keep you naked.  But you look good in clothes, so I let you up once in a while."  He rested half on top of Jeff, half beside Jeff.  "I'm sorry.  That you used to dislike your body."

        "I was short and I had this huge groin thing and my muscles just made me look bulky."

        Nick had heard Jeff mutter about the "huge groin thing" a few times before, so he just sighed.  "You're beautiful.  Everybody knows it."

        "So are you."

        "Even with my nose, my ears, my forehead, my ridiculous mouth-"

        "See?  We all have body issues.  Or face issues.  Even when we're completely gorgeous."

        "We're completely gorgeous?"

        "Both of us.  All of those screaming girls can't be wrong."

        "And here I thought they liked us for our music."

        "What do you mean?" Drew asked.

        "He doesn't just pray.  He actually sits down and talks to God.  I've heard him when he thinks I'm sleeping.  I think he does it every night, when he can, or at least every twenty-four hours."

        "I didn't know that.  I know that he's committed to his faith."

        "He thanks God for you."  Nick pulled his knee to his chest, sneakered foot resting on the sofa cushion.  "He thanks God for the Backstreet Boys, and his family, and his health.  And he says thanks for me.  And for you.  He says different things each time, you know, it's not a set speech."

        "If this is private, maybe you shouldn't tell me."

        "Just thought you might like to know."

        "Thank you."  Drew rested his head on Nick's shoulder.  "Nick?"

        "Can I call you Baby?"

        "No.  Nick?"

        "What about...  Sugar's taken, I guess.  Sweetheart?"

        "You can call me Drew."

        "Can I call you Andy?"

        "No."

        "You're no fun."

        "If you call me that, a., I won't respond, and b., I'll call you Nicky."

        "You wouldn't."

        "I would."

        "So ask me what you wanted to ask me.  Drew."

        Drew smiled and patted Nick's thigh.  "Thank you.  My question."  He glanced toward the door, lifting his head, and whispered into Nick's ear.

        Nick's resounding "Yes!" was heard down the hallway.  Brian appeared in the bathroom doorway, toothbrush in hand.  "Nick?"

        Nick smiled broadly.  "Hi."

        "Drew?"

        Drew bit the insides of his cheeks to keep from grinning madly.  "Yes?"

        "You guys okay?" Brian asked, smiling at their obvious good humor.

        "Fine.  Thanks for asking," Drew said.

        "Nick, you look like you're tingling again," Brian said.

        "That's not a tingle."  Nick's grin widened.  "That's a full-body vibration."

        "Hey.  Let me in?" AJ asked.

        "Do you want something?" he asked with an atypical guarded tone, suspicious.

        "You're too young and too nice to be cynical."

        "I know."  The tone was dropped in favor of honesty.  "I feel guilty for being rude to you."

        "I deserve it."

        "I know you deserve it.  I feel guilty anyway.  Come on in."

        He entered and closed the door.  "If I apologize will you forgive me?"

        "Why are you apologizing?"

        "You deserve better.  I treated you badly on purpose."

        "On purpose?"

        "So you'd get pissed and leave."

        "AJ, that's stupid."

        "Look, you deserve better, I acted like a jerk.  Can we just shake hands and get over it?"  A hand was offered.  AJ shook it.  "See you later."

        "We're all leaving tomorrow.  I don't know when we'll see each other again."

        "Yeah."  AJ shifted uneasily.  His lean supple body wasn't used to moving with any unease, and he knew that it didn't look good, so he stopped.  "I know we weren't really friends before, but we can be now."

        "I'd like that."

        "Good."

        "Just...so you know.  If you care.  If it matters."  Pause for breath; hesitant look into his eyes.  "You're the only guy I've ever kissed.  I never touched a guy like that before.  I don't even think I wanted to."

        "So I was a one-time freak experience?"

        "You're a one-time experience anyway, AJ."  Smile.  "I wouldn't say freak.  I'd say unique."

        "You're not into guys?"

        "I was into you."

        "Not anymore."

        "Would it make a difference if I were?"

        "No."

        "We're not going to be friends, are we?"

        "I don't think we can be."

        "I'm sorry."

        "Yeah.  Life."  AJ left, closing the door again, and went to the elevator.  The doors opened; he got on and leaned back against the wall casually.  In the brief time between the doors closing and opening again, he turned and nodded his forehead against the wall.  "Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid.  Stupid."

        Three heads turned.  Drew blushed.  Brian blushed harder.  Nick started to laugh and sank back behind the sofa out of sight, chortling.

        "Hey," Drew said.  He knelt up and leaned over the sofa.  "Can you stop for a second?  I need to talk about something."

        "Sorry," Nick said.  "I'll be quiet."

        "Come here," Drew said, and reached down his hand.  Nick grasped Drew's hand and climbed over the sofa to sit between Drew and Brian comfortably, pulling one of Brian's feet into his lap.  Drew said to Jeff and Nick. "Can you come and sit for a second?  I...should tell you something.  And Justin.  Do you-"

        "I'll go get him," Jeff said.  "He's right down the - - Justin!" he shouted down the hallway.  "Yeah, you.  Come on."

        Justin Jeffre came to join the other two in the doorway.  "What's going on?"

        "Drew wants to tell us something," Nick said.

        "You're pregnant?" Justin asked.

        "That would be news," Jeff admitted.

        "Can you sit down please?" Drew asked, not hiding his amusement.  They shrugged and sat.  "Okay.  You...you remember our concert Sunday night?"

        "The one that was delayed two hours?" Nick asked.

        "Yeah."  Drew looked down a little.  "It wasn't a problem with the venue.  They lied to us.  They didn't want us to know.  Don't upset the talent."

        "What do you mean?" Jeff asked, sitting forward, concerned.

        "There was a death threat," Drew said.  "They spent those two hours making sure everything was safe.  Searching the crowds, looking for bombs."

        "Bombs?" Nick asked.

        "A death threat against whom?" Justin asked.

        Drew looked down some more.  "Nick and Jeff."

        "Oh god," Jeff said, and sank against the backrest.  "Oh god."

        "They don't know who sent it, where it came from, they just found it, I don't know where.  I only heard a little bit, two of the policemen talking with Travis.  They almost didn't let us go on at all."

        "I know I shouldn't say it, I know it's not my fault, just let me," Jeff said, sitting up again.  "I'm sorry."  He turned to Justin.  "I'm sorry."  He looked to Drew.  "I'm sorry."  He took Nick's hand.  "I'm sorry."

        "Don't be," Nick said.  "You're right, it's not your fault.  Not mine, either.  I'm sorry, too."  He looked to Drew, Justin.  "I never, we never, meant for this to happen."

        "We know," Justin said.  "We have to talk to Travis.  Everybody.  We can't let this stuff happen.  They have to tell us."

        "We need to know," Jeff agreed.  "We're the ones getting up on that stage.  And we're the ones the fans are there to see.  If someone gets hurt, our fans, our crew, we need to be in on these decisions."

        "You've been spending all week with this?" Nick asked Drew.

        "I know you get threats, I get threats, but we've never had to delay a show before," Drew said.  "Getting hate mail and almost cancelling a show are totally different."

        "I just want to sing pretty songs in front of people," Jeff said.  "Why is that so wrong?"

        "That's not wrong," Justin said.

        "I think the part people object to is the part after the concert where you crawl into bed with me," Nick said.

        "They're just jealous," Jeff said.  He squared his shoulders.  "Tomorrow we'll have a nice big chat with everybody, get it all out there.  Make sure we're all clear on what really happened.  Let everybody know that if it gets too tense, we're not forcing anybody to work with us.  We're all in it together, we all need to know what's happening."

        Drew nodded.  "Hiding stuff from us is not going to do any good.  We need to know what we're getting into."

        "It could happen again," Justin said.  "It probably will."

        "We're going to have to decide," Drew said.  "At what point do we stop getting onstage?"

        "The police are going to have to drag me off kicking and screaming," Jeff said.

        "What about the fans?" Drew asked.

        "They know it's not safe and they still choose to come," Nick said.

        "We need to respect that and put on the show for them," Justin agreed.

        "I'll talk to Travis," Drew said.  "We can have a group meeting tomorrow when we get to Jinrath."

        "We might want to talk to *NSYNC," Justin said as the four of them stood.  "They're going through the same thing with Justin and JC."

        "What about you guys?" Nick asked Nick and Brian.

        "We're not married, we're not changing our names, we're just getting hate mail, not death threats," Nick said.

        "You should talk to *NSYNC," Brian said.  "They've been dealing with this longer than you have; they might have learned something."

        "Can you give us a minute?" Jeff asked Justin.

        Justin glanced around the room.  "Guy talk?  Sure.  I'll go practice being heterosexual in the lobby."

        "Thanks," Jeff said with a smile.  Justin left.

        Brian pushed himself up straighter, withdrawing his foot from Nick's lap.  "Morning after regrets?"

        "No," Jeff said.  "We just wanted to say thank you."

        "You thanked Brian plenty last night," Drew said, "and I know I'm thankful all on my own."

        "We didn't thank Nick," Nick said.  "And since we're leaving tomorrow, we thought we'd better thank him while we have the chance."

        "Oh my god," Nick said.

        "It's only fair," Jeff said.  "Unless you mind?" he asked Brian and Drew.

        "It's only fair," Drew repeated.  "Brian?"

        "Fair's fair," Brian said.  "I don't think he's getting up, so you'll have to come over here."

        Nick pressed back into the sofa, wide-eyed, as Nick came nearer.  "Holy shit."

        "It'll only hurt for a second," Nick promised, sliding a hand back through his hair, other hand planted on the back of the sofa.  Nick's wide mouth brushed against soft lips, settled in, opened his mouth with a decisive tongue, and then Nick moaned.

        Sparking that moan, suddenly the young, blonde Nick was putting the older, married Nick on the defensive, licking into his mouth, pulling him closer by the front of his shirt, changing angles to keep him guessing.  He moaned, coming forward, helpless in the face of Nick's hot mouth and experienced tongue.

        Nick Carter let go abruptly and Nick Timmons-Lachey fell on his butt on the floor.  Nick arched an eyebrow.  "Still wondering what they see in me?"

        Jeff pulled his husband up to stand.  "I think you know what he sees in me."

        Nick's cockiness dissolved.  "Fuck.  Oh no."  He reached blindly for Brian, who dodged his grasp.  Jeff came onto the sofa, a knee planted on either side of Nick's hips, right hand on the back of Nick's neck.  Nick let out a soft moan before Jeff's lips even touched his, tilting his head back to offer his mouth.  Nick gasped and melted like a virgin under Jeff's masculine assertion.  Jeff kissed him, and kissed him, and kissed him, deeper, deeper, and Nick only moaned helplessly into the seal of their mouths.  At one point when Jeff let him gasp in air, Jeff whispered something, and Nick moaned in weak assent, mouth wet and ready for more.  Finally, when everyone else in the room was past amused, past embarrassed, and moving past arousal into ready-for-sex-now, Jeff eased away from the kiss.  Nick whimpered.

        "Thank you," Jeff said, with a slight smile, and climbed off of Nick.  He guided his husband to the door and left.

        "Oh," Nick said dazedly.

        "What did he say to you?" Drew asked.  Nick turned liquid blue eyes to Drew.  "What did he say?"

        "Oh."  Nick's gaze drifted back to the door.  "Suck my tongue."  He sighed.  "I think he knows I want his dick."

        "I'd say so," Brian said.  "You okay?"

        "That was nice," Nick said.  "If I get thanked like that, I'll do lots more good deeds."

        "Hey," he said right back, a bit too slowly, a bit too flatly.

        Howie paused, frowned, and came over to the sofa, sitting down facing him, right foot on the floor, left knee up on the cushion, left arm up along the back of the couch.  "You want to talk about it?"

        AJ, the back of his neck resting along the back of the sofa, fingers laced over his stomach, rolled his head right to look at Howie, then back to gaze meaninglessly at the door.  "No."

        "Are you upset about hitting Nick?"

        "No."

        "Are you upset about Chris hitting you?"

        "No."

        "Are you upset about making out with the competition?"

        AJ looked right fast.  "What?"

        "You were walking on air and then you were acting like a jerk just begging someone to hit you.  Something's going on.  If it were a woman you would have told me about it; it wasn't me or Kevin; it wasn't Justin Jeffre; that leaves three people.  Unless you're going for one of the already-married or already-taken, which we both know is not cool."

        "You think I was making out with someone from *NSYNC?"

        "I know you're bi."

        "I am not bisexual."

        Howie smiled and rested his temple on his left fist.  "You are.  I know you are.  You used to have a crush on me."

        "I'm going to kill Howie," AJ said.  "I'm going to kill Howie.  I'm going - - there's such a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

        "Do you want to tell me which little Syncer it was, or should I guess?  You still have a thing for short, older first tenors?"

        "I'm going to kill Howie dead dead dead.  I'm going to-"

        "AJ.  AJ.  Come on," Howie said, right hand fingers poking AJ's thigh.  "You can't kill me.  We have a concert Monday and that TV show tomorrow and-"

        "Doesn't matter.  There are other short, older first tenors."

        "Whoever it was - - and I think I know, or at least I hope that you like him, because he is one of the nicest people in the world - - I don't know what went wrong.  I don't know why you went from cloud nine to angry and depressed.  But we're leaving tomorrow, and you won't be seeing him for a long time."

        "Is that a hint?"

        "I'm telling you to go find him and make up with him.  Even if it means you spend the next few months being horny and missing him and acting like Nick and Brian over Drew."

        "You want me to be with him."

        "He made you happy.  For about a day, but at least you were happy.  It's hard, being on the road, the stress, the pressure.  I know you thrive on the performance, but we're tired and we're getting old.  He can give you something that even the best show can't give you."

        "With multi-platinum albums and a killer show and screaming fans, who needs anything else?  I got fame and fortune, baby.  If I need love, I get that from the audience every night."

        "That's not the kind of love you need."

        "Oh, I can get that too.  Ever heard of groupies?"

        "AJ, don't make me smack you, too."

        "You believe in happily ever after?  Real true romance?"

        "Yes."

        "Sucker."

        "I do.  Maybe you don't.  But I think that he does."

        "He would."

        "If he does, and he wants to be with you..."

        "He doesn't want to be with me.  He shouldn't want to be with me.  Come on, we all know I got it going on, don't you ever try to deny that I am the kick-ass section of the Backstreet Boys, but when he is looking to settle down it is not going to be with a skinny Latin guy."

        "You don't know that."

        "What nice wholesome guy like that is going to pick some guy when he can have any nice wholesome girl he wants?"

        "Brian did."

        "But that's Nick.  Brian and Nick are like peanut butter and jelly.  They belong together, and separating them should be punishable by death."

        "You don't want that with someone?"

        "No use wanting what you're never going to get.  You set your sights on something and you work to get it and you get it and you move on to the next thing.  But some things you just know are outta your league, man, and you walk on by."

        "But you didn't walk on by, AJ.  I know something happened.  You were walking on air."

        "You ever kissed a guy?"

        "No."

        "Don't.  Feels so good you'll never look at a woman again."

        "Then what's the problem?  You think he should be with someone else?  Who's better than AJ McLean?"

        "Nobody.  That's not the point."

        "If he wants to find a nice girl, that's his decision.  If he'd rather be with you, that's his decision, too.  You can't make that decision for him."

        "If you let a woman hurt you, she can tear you apart, but it's not going to kill you.  We've all been there.  It hurts, you think you'll never breathe without pain, but you live and you learn.  With a man?  Do you know what that must be like?  Can you imagine?"

        "That's sexist."

        "So shoot me."

        "You think it's true?"

        "I do.  The damage that one of your own can do to you...  Forget breathing without pain, you won't be able to breathe at all.  And that'll be the least of your problems."

        "So you're scared."

        "I'm not scared."

        "That he'll hurt you."

        "AJ McLean is not afraid of anything."

        "Afraid of a little white boy."

        "I am not afraid."

        "You're terrified."

        "Of him?!"

        "You can stand up to Nick Lachey and you're cowering in front of that innocent child.  AJ, AJ, AJ."

        "You're a jerk."

        "You're an embarrassment to us all.  One of the Backstreet Boys afraid of a little Syncer.  Where's your pride, man?"

        "That's it.  You think that you can get me to crawl back to him on my hands and knees just because you're attacking my pride."

        "I do."

        "And you're right.  But I still hate you."

        "So go.  Get crawling."

        AJ stood.  "If this doesn't go well, I'm coming back to slice open your face with an *NSYNC CD."

        "As long as it's not the Christmas one."

        "Hey, I have class."  AJ went down the hallway.  "Now where oh where can that little boy be?"  He knocked on a room door.

        "AJ."

        "Good afternoon.  You got a minute?"

        "I thought that you were finished here."

        "I forgot something when I was here.  Is it in here somewhere?" AJ asked, gracefully sidestepping the body trying to block the doorway, moving into the room.  "You still have it?"

        "You lost something in here?" he asked, turning with surprised eyes, closing the door automatically.

        "Yeah."  AJ turned around as though trying to see it.  "My heart.  Seen it?"

        Swallow.  "You lost your...heart?  In here?"

        "Obviously I'm no good for it.  If you find it, I'd like to leave it with you.  For safe-keeping," he explained, looking into those pretty eyes.

        "We're talking in metaphors, aren't we?"

        "I'm leaving tomorrow," AJ said.  "Tour of duty.  I'll be far away from home, working hard.  Can you give a sailor something to remember you by for the long lonely nights ahead?"

        "AJ, you know I don't-"

        "One kiss?"

        "One kiss.  That's all you want."

        "I see that you're suspicious," AJ said.  "Someone must have hurt you recently, made you wonder at intentions, made you think that when a man gets you behind a closed door that he wants something he shouldn't ask for.  How does that go?  'I know that you've been hurt in the past, but if you want it here's my heart, no strings attached.'"

        He smiled.  "See, JC writes good lyrics."

        "I can admit it when I'm wrong.  I was wrong in what I said to JC and Justin, and I was wrong to treat you badly.  I lost my heart, I lost my sanity, I don't want to lose you, too."

        "You're so romantic."

        "I'm trying to seduce you."

        "It's working."  He skimmed his knuckles lightly along the bruise on AJ's cheek.  "Now let me seduce you," he invited softly, leaning in for a kiss.

        Brian handed a girl her pen, and someone grabbed his hand.  His bodyguard tensed, but he just tried to figure out which fan was holding onto him.  "Hey," he said.  "Can I help you?"

        "We saw you, in pictures, kissing Drew Lachey," she said.  She sounded like she was going to faint.  He hated it when they fainted.  "Are you in love with him?"

        "Yes."  The girls around them screamed at that, loudly, shrilly, right in his ear.  But he was used to that, so he just smiled and waited for her to keep going.

        "But what about Nick?" she asked.  "You kissed him on top of the Eiffel Tower."

        "You know about that?"  He knew that his good-bye kiss with Drew from last time, four months ago, had been widely published.

        "Don't you love him?"

        "I love Drew and Nick," he said.  "I'm in love with both of them."  Everyone screamed.

        "But which one are you going to be with?" she asked.

        He carefully pried her fingers loose.  "I'm with both of them."

        More screaming.  "Both?" she asked, on the verge of collapse.

        "Can you help her?" Brian asked the guard.  A hotel-hired security man came over and the two reached in and lifted her from the crowd.  "Both," he told her.  "They're going to get you a chair and some water.  Have you eaten?"

        She fainted.

        "What are you doing?" Nick asked, coming to his side.  "Is she okay?  Hi," Nick said to the screaming fans.

        "Are you in love with Brian?  Did you really kiss him on top of the Eiffel Tower?  Are you jealous of Drew?" they shouted.

        "What have you been telling them?" Nick asked Brian.

        "I didn't want to lie," Brian said, watching the men cart off the girl who'd collapsed.

        "Yes I'm in love with Brian, I think he kissed me that time, and I'm not jealous of Drew," Nick said.

        "Who's Drew?" someone asked.  Everyone around her shrieked an answer in disbelief.

        "Look, look," Nick said.  "Everybody be quiet."  A few actually listened to him, gazing with wide eyes of rapture.  "There's me, and Brian, and Drew.  We're all together.  We're all in love.  Okay?"

        "You can do that?" someone asked.  "Are you going to get married?" someone shouted.  "He's coming!"

        "Hi," Drew said.  "What's going on over here?"

        Nick put his hand on Drew's shoulder.  "This is Drew," he told the girl who'd asked.

        "Hi," Drew said to her with a smile.

        "You're Drew Lachey," she said in stunned recognition.  "The one with the hat."

        "Do you love Nick?"  "Do you love Brian?"  "Are you going to get married?"  "Can I have your autograph?"

        "You have a pen?" Drew asked, and got about fifteen.  "Thanks."  He took one and started to sign album covers and posters and calendars and T-shirts.  "Yes, I am Drew Lachey, the one with the hat, but I don't wear the hat much anymore.  I am in love with Nick Carter and Brian Littrell.  I would like very much to be married but I can't marry them both so I don't know what we'll do about that.  And yes, you may have my autograph," he said as he signed his name.  "Any more questions?"

        "Are you guys having sex?"

        Drew blushed and laughed.  Brian turned his face to Nick's shoulder and Nick was laughing, too.  "Um, yeah," Drew said.  "We are."

        "Like, together?"

        Drew hesitated.  He wasn't about to give a graphic description of how they made love, but he wanted to be honest.  It wasn't anyone's business what he did or with whom, but these were fans, and he felt a certain obligation to them.  He wanted to repay their loyalty with his trust.  "Yes."

        "Are you gay or bi?"  "He's gay, Brian's bi."  "Duh."  "I thought Nick was bi."  "No, that's Nick Lachey."  "How's Nick?"

        "Nick my brother?  He's fine," Drew said.  "He's enjoying his honeymoon."

        "Why was your concert late on Sunday?"  "Yeah, what happened?"  "It was so hot and crowded I thought I'd die waiting."  "But it was worth it."  "Oh, totally."  "God, I would walk across this country on my hands and knees to see you."

        "Thank you," Drew told her, softly, sincerely, looking into her eyes.  She started to cry on her friend.  "I'm sorry you had to wait, those of you who were there Sunday," he added.  "I'm really sorry, we never do that.  There was a problem, and we're going to be talking about it, everyone who was involved, to make sure that it doesn't happen again.  Thank you for waiting for us."

        "You are so sweet and so nice."

        "Thank you," Drew said.

        "What happened to Brian?"

        "What do you mean?"

        "There's a bruise on his face."  "It looks like somebody hit him."  "Somebody hit Brian?!"  "Oh my god!"  "It's on the left side of his face."  "Who hit Brian?!"  "Is he okay?!"

        "He was hurt," Drew said.  "He's fine now.  Really."

        "Was it Nick?"  "Nick hit Brian?!"  "No, Nick Lachey."  "Nick Lachey?!"  "Oh my god!"  "What are you talking about?"  "He had a bruise."  "I saw him yesterday."  "Somebody hit him."  "Brian hit Nick?!"

        "Brian did not hit my brother," Drew said.  "Nick was hurt.  He's fine now.  When you saw him yesterday I'm sure he was fine."

        "He's really nice."  "He is so gorgeous."  "Jeff was with him."  "I love Jeff!"  "I love Jeff!"  "I missed Nick and Jeff?!"  "Are you going to be here tomorrow?"  "I missed Nick and Jeff?!"

        "We're leaving tomorrow," Drew said.  "We have to head out before noon, back on the road."

        "Do you know Justin Timberlake?"  "Justin Timberlake Chasez."  "I love Justin!"

        "I know Justin," Drew said.  "He's really nice.  He's such a regular person, he's so normal, it's almost scary."

        "Have you...like..."  "Seen him?"  "With JC?"  "Like, kissing?"  "Oh my god."

        "Actually, no, I haven't."  They looked terribly disappointed.  He felt bad.  "They're very much in love.  They treat each other really well.  They're devoted to each other.  But I've never really seen them kiss."

        "But they're guys."  "Guys are horny."  "Guys are all over you, they're all hands and leering."  "Two of them, together, they've gotta be..."  "You know, horny."  "Like, a lot."  "I love Justin."  "JC is so hot."  "I love Justin!"

        "Can you wait here for ten minutes?" Drew asked.

        "You're leaving?!"

        "I'll be right back.  Brian!"

        "What?" Brian asked, coming over again.

        "I'm going to be right back.  Can you entertain my new friends while I'm gone?" Drew asked.

        "Sure.  What do you want me to do?" Brian asked.

        "Will you sign this?"  "I love you!"  "What's Kevin like?"  "Will you sign this?"  "Oh my god!"  "Where's Drew going?"  "What's it like kissing Nick?"  "You are so gorgeous."  "Will you sign this please?"

        Drew slipped into the hotel and saw Joey in the lounge.  "Where are Justin and JC?"

        "Upstairs somewhere," Joey said.

        "Thanks."  He took the elevator and went to the third floor lounge.  "Chris.  Have you seen Justin and JC?"

        "They're in their room."

        Bother.  He went to their room and knocked hesitantly, apprehensive now.

        Justin opened the door, tugging down his shirt.  "Hey, Sprout."

        "Thanks.  Can I ask you for a favor?"

        "Sure.  Whassup?"

        "There are some really nice fans outside, and they asked me about you.  You and JC.  And they wanted - - I can't ask you to go downstairs and kiss in front of them, that would be weird and exhibitionist, but..."

        "They want me to kiss JC?"

        "They were really disappointed that I'd never seen it, and I think...  Maybe they're worried that you guys are..."

        "You didn't tell them that we were having trouble, did you?"

        "No.  No way.  Not at all."

        "That's cool.  Hey, JC, put your shoes on, we're going outside."

        "Outside?" JC asked.

        "We're going to meet some of Drew's fans."

        "Drew has fans?"

        "Hey," Drew said.  "I have fans.  I have fan clubs."

        "Yeah, and the members are Nick, Brian, and your mother," Justin teased.  "Come on, JC."

        "I'm coming, I'm coming," JC said.

        "Yeah, gotta give a fella a little time to fix his hair," Justin muttered.

        "You're talking to me about spending time on hair?" JC asked, appearing in the doorway.  "I know you spend more time on your hair than you spend onstage."  Justin locked the door and handed JC the key card.  "So why is Drew taking us outside to meet his fans?"

        "You'll see," Justin said.

        "Do you trust him?" Drew asked JC, pushing the button for the elevator.

        "Yes," Justin answered for him.

        [Why did Drew's whisper give Nick a full-body vibration?  Did AJ have a crush on Howie?  Would you do more good deeds if a Jeff Timmons kiss were your reward?  *Could this scene be any tackier?*  Tune in to "No One" Part Seven.]