Copyright August 17-29, 2000  by Matthew Haldeman-Time

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 slashfic follows "I Need You Tonight" and "Boy Lead the Way to Ecstasy"; this one will make more sense if you've begun with those stories.

        Brian smiled.  "I think it's cute."

        "I hope he thinks it's cute when he gets the bill," Kevin said.

        "Wouldn't it be cheaper if we just quit our jobs and toured with them?" Howie asked.

        "We could leave Jive for Motown," Brian suggested.

        "We're not black," Howie said.

        "Neither are they," Kevin said.

        "We're Latin, that's gotta count for something," AJ said.  "Howie and I will get in, we'll pull in you three, and then Jive can devote itself to the little In the Kitchen Sink boys."

        "I thought they left Motown," Brian said.  "Aren't they just with Universal now?"

        "You're such a bitch," Nick said.

        "Since when does he talk like that to Drew?" Kevin asked.

        "Has he forgotten that Drew could kick his ass?" AJ asked.

        "Nick," Brian said, "who are you talking to?"

        "Timba Timba Timbalake," Nick said.

        "Justin," everyone said, and sighed.

        "If he calls Justin a bitch, won't JC kick his butt?" Howie asked.

        "Nick could take JC," AJ said.

        "I can't wait until we get to Kendig," Kevin said.  "Then he can see Drew, get it out of his system, and act normal again."

        "I don't think he'll ever get it out of his system," Howie said.

        "Seeing Drew again might even make it worse," AJ suggested.

        "I think that Justin's a bad influence," Brian said.  "We'll have to kick his butt."

        "I'm with you," Kevin said, and they slapped hands.

        "All the way," Howie agreed.

        "Count me in," AJ said, and the four shook hands together.

        "You think it's hard for Drew?" Howie asked.  "Having his brother and Jeff together when Nick's across the planet?"

        "I think it's hard for Justin Jeffre," Kevin said.

        "I think it's weird having Justin and JC out," Brian said.  "And married."

        "Married," AJ repeated.

        "Is it...do you regret not coming out?" Howie asked Brian.

        "It was a personal decision.  It was a business decision.  And you know I'm not ashamed of who I am,  I'm not ashamed of having loved Nick.  I just didn't think that it was the right thing for me to do.  I really admire Justin and JC for taking that risk.  They could have lost everything."

        "They still could," AJ said.

        They'd discussed it before, between the four of them, what they'd do if Nick came out publicly.  They'd decided that they would support him and love him and stick by him, no matter what he decided, no matter what the public decided.  And if he and Drew came out together, publicly, as a couple, they'd be happy.  Because Nick deserved to be happy, and Drew made Nick happy.  Drew made Nick very happy.

        Which was why it was really lousy that Nick was a Boy and Drew was a Degree.  Nick was busy recording and touring and promoting.  They were on their world tour, stopping only for days there and hours here to make a video or stop by an awards ceremony.  Drew was doing the same thing with his group.  Which meant that Nick and Drew were never in the same country, and usually not even on the same continent.  It even was hard for them to talk on the phone, often having hectic schedules in different time zones.

        Justin and JC's six-month anniversary was coming up - - not of the marriage, but of the proposal.  Six months since Justin had proposed; six months since Nick had fallen in love with Drew.  As a promotion, Jive was sending *NSYNC back to Kendig for a week-long honeymoon.  *NSYNC was getting a vacation.  The Backstreet Boys got jealous - - were they expected to tour nonstop and never pause for a breath, too?  So Jive was letting them stop, too, and since they were already in the area touring, they were being booked in Kendig, too.

        Meanwhile, hearing that the Backstreet Boys were taking a week off, 98 Degrees decided that Drew might want to see Nick at least once every six months, so they bargained and pushed and begged and finally Universal Records agreed to let them stop by Kendig for a few days.  Universal Records of course didn't know that Drew and Nick were an item, but the friendship-rivalry of the three bands was now a matter of public record, interest, and gossip.  The *NSYNC - Backstreet Boys competition long had been fierce, and now the young men of 98 Degrees, often considered out of that loop, had entered into it wholeheartedly, as evidenced by Nick and Drew's embrace and tribute at the Planet Earth VTV Music Awards.  A Backstreet Boy publicly thanking a 98 Degree had been overshadowed by Justin and JC's climactic moment, but attention had wandered back to Nick's gesture, and people had begun to wonder.

        Now, as far as the public, Jive, and Universal Records knew, Nick and Drew were friends, the three bands were coming to a strange friendship, and all three would be in Kendig at once.

        Kendig was bracing for the screaming teenage girl population invasion.

        So, three weeks later, the Backstreet Boys tour bus drove into the parking lot of Kendig's most infamous hotel, the Zum Anker.  The media were there already, since the renowned anniversary had been announced and people had realized that all three competitors would be in town at once.  Jive and Universal had collaborated to convince the Zum Anker to close the hotel to the public, guaranteeing that the only guests booked would be from those two record labels.

        Normally when stepping out into public, the Backstreet Boys either hid or smiled and waved.  Today, as soon as the bus doors opened Nick was running out, hurtling past the flashbulbs straight for the hotel.  Brian grabbed Nick's bags, handed one to Kevin, and followed.

        "Well if it ain't the peanut farmer Carter!"

        "Timba Timba Timbalake!"

        "Give me some love, man."  The two embraced.

        "Where's Drew?"

        "It's not my job to keep track of your short friends," Justin said.  "Speaking of, hey, B-Rok."

        "Justin.  Here, help my tall friend."  Brian handed Justin Nick's bags and walked into the hotel.

        "He likes me, I can tell," Justin said.

        "Where's JC?" Nick asked.

        "He's talking with Jeff.  AJ.  Howie D.  How you been?"

        "Mrs. Chasez," AJ said, bowing over Justin's hand.

        "You think that's funny," Justin said.  "You're such a riot.  Come on in, Nick, I'll find your - - woah!  Speak of the devil."

        Nick squeezed Drew tightly, burying his face in Drew's neck.  "Missed you."

        "Yo, guys, photographers," Justin said.  "Not cool."

        Drew pulled back, wiped a tear from Nick's face.  "How've you been?"

        "Horny," AJ said.  "Let's take it inside.  Wave to the nice reporters, Nick."

        "Woah.  Big brother Lachey," Justin said.  "Gotta be glad these 98 Degrees guys are so nice, you know?  Considering how if they weren't nice, they could totally beat my ass."

        "Even the short ones?" Drew asked.

        "No question," Justin said.

        "Hey," Nick Lachey said, shaking Nick Carter's hand, pulling Nick in for just a little squeeze.  "Come on inside, bring your stuff, join the party."

        "It's going to be like one wild frat house," Justin said.  "This is awesome."

        "Just remember to close the curtains," Howie said.  "With these reporters camped out here."

        AJ shooed everyone into the hotel.  They crowded into the elevator and went up to the third floor.  Their staff and handlers were on the second and fourth floors; the fourteen singers were on the third floor, one wing for Jive, one wing for Universal.  Nick controlled himself in the lobby and elevator, but as soon as they stepped out of the elevator he grabbed Drew, pushing Drew back into the wall, kissing Drew, sliding his tongue into Drew's mouth.

        "Subtle," AJ said.  "Where's his room?"

        "321," Nick Lachey said, watching the others curiously.  Only he and Jeff had seen Drew and Nick kiss, six months ago; there had been some speculation among the Degrees as to how the Boys would handle the situation of Nick and Drew's relationship once it was in their faces and not avoidable.

        "Come on, Nick," AJ said, tugging at the back of Nick Carter's shirt, "let's go take Drew to bed."  AJ plucked at Nick, slowly dragging Nick back down the hallway.  Drew came along, being somewhat attached to Nick at the moment.  Howie followed, dragging Nick's bags.  Justin grinned and said to Nick Lachey, "Let the games begin."

        "Where's JC?"

        "Why does everyone ask me that?" Justin asked.  "He doesn't have to be with me all of the time.  And I don't always know where he is."

        "Where's JC?" Nick asked again.

        "In Jeff's room."  Justin smiled.  "Want me to get rid of him?"

        "I wouldn't mind," Nick said.

        "Leave it to me."  Justin walked down to the Universal wing and knocked on Jeff's door.  "It's Justin Randall Timberlake!"

        Jeff opened the door.  "Hey, Mr. Timberlake."

        "The Backstreet Boys are here."

        "Hey, great," Jeff said.  "I assume Drew knows."

        "You won't be seeing him for a few days," Justin said.  JC came up behind Jeff.  "Hey, JC, come say hi to the guys."

        "They don't like me," JC said.

        "Nonsense!"

        JC smiled.  "They don't like you, either."

        "Everybody likes me.  Look at this face.  How could anyone not like this face?"

        "It's a cute face," Jeff told him.

        "See?" Justin said.  "Come on, JC.  I want to...introduce you."

        "To whom?" JC asked, smiling, slowly taking Justin's offered hand.

        Justin winked.  "You'll see," he said, and led JC away, patting Nick's shoulder.  Then he paused, retraced his steps, and squeezed Nick's shoulder.  "Wow.  JC, did you-"

        "Stop feeling up other guys in front of me," JC said, tugging Justin away again.

        Jeff smiled at Nick.  "So.  Alone."

        "So long," Drew agreed, tugging up Nick's shirts.

        Nick sat up just long enough to take off his shirts and toss them aside, kissing Drew, unbuttoning Drew's shirt.  "What do you want?"

        Drew's hands slid over Nick's back, down Nick's arms.  "You've been working out."

        "You inspired me," Nick said.  "Tell me what you want."

        He looked up at Nick, blushed, swallowed, kissed Nick's soft pink lips.  "Please."

        "Tell me," Nick said, kissing Drew.

        "Suck me.  Please."

        "You did miss me," Nick teased.

        "You have no idea," Drew said softly.

        "Go on lubricant runs and ignore the screaming," Chris suggested.

        "They scream?" AJ asked.

        "Justin does," Chris said.

        "Nick's not exactly quiet, either," Brian said.

        "I remember now," AJ said, nodding.

        "We could just leave them here and launch our own tour without them," Howie suggested.

        "Sounds good," Justin said.  "All eight of us, or two groups of four?"

        "Me and Kevin and Chris and Lance, and AJ, Howie, Joey, and Justin," Brian said.

        "That could work," Lance said.

        "We'd totally kick your butts," Joey told Lance.

        "No way," Lance said.  "No way."

        "Prove it," Chris told Joey.

        "You're on," Howie told Chris.

        "This is your fault," Kevin told Brian.

        "He started it," Brian said, gesturing to Howie.

        "This is your fault," Kevin told Howie.  "We're going to make you regret it."

        "Any time," Howie said.  "Give it your best shot."

        "It's your big chance to get out from my shadow," Brian told AJ  "Good luck."

        "Your shadow!  You cast no shadow on me, pixie boy!" AJ exclaimed.

        "Watch it," Chris said.  "No calling names.  He's my bandmate now, and I don't let anybody say bad things about people in my group."

        "Since when?" Joey asked.

        "Since you're not in my group anymore," Chris said.

        "You suck, Kirkpatrick!"

        "You tell 'im," Howie told Joey.

        "The four of you get that side," Lance said, pointing to the 98 Degrees wing, "since you got Justin.  The four of us get this side."

        "You're kicking us out of our rooms?" AJ asked.

        "Our side's better," Justin said.

        "Really?  Ha!" AJ told Lance.  "Let's go, boys.  We wouldn't want to stay and pollute their precious hallway.  Leaves more room for Brian's ego, anyway."

        "My ego!" Brian said.  "What about yours, Mr. I'm So Sexy Let Me Take Off My Clothes and Mate with the Stage."

        "I thought Howie was the one who liked to get naked," Chris said.

        "Oh, you saw the video for 'Quit Playing Games?'" Kevin asked.

        "Video?  I thought it was a porn movie," Lance said.

        "Dead," Howie said.  "D-E-A-D dead."

        "I'm so scared," Brian said.  "Hold me."

        AJ stalked off to his room to collect his things.  Howie followed regally.  Joey gave Chris a nice shove into Lance on the way.  The three returned and marched off to the other hallway with Justin.  "Good riddance!" Chris shouted.

        "I missed you," Drew said.

        "I don't know how we're going to keep doing this."

        "Sshhh.  Not today."

        "Yeah."

        Drew plucked at Nick's nipple.  "Would you like to make love to me?"

        Nick frowned.  Then blinked.  Then said, "You mean...you want me to...fuck you."

        Drew licked his lips.  "You could put it that way."

        "Are you sure?"

        "Tonight, later."

        "Did you just ask me if I'd like to?  'Would you like to make love to me,' that's what you said.  Drew, that's insane.  What, you think I'm going to say, 'No thanks?'"

        "You don't necessarily have to want to.  You might not be ready, you might not want to, you might-"

        "As long as I'm sane, I'm going to want to."

        "Thanks.  Tonight, okay?"

        "Yee-hah."

        "Surprise surprise," Joey said.

        "You got a problem with that?" AJ asked.

        "*NSYNC has Justin and JC; the Backstreet Boys have Nick and Brian.  You're third choice for lead, AJ," Joey said.

        "He has a point," Howie said.

        "I sing lead," AJ said.  "I can, I have, and I will.  The Backstreet Boys - - it's a group effort, we all take turns, and yes, three of us sing lead more than the other two.  That doesn't make Nick our front man - - we're not 98 Degrees."

        "Jeff sings lead," Justin said.  "Sometimes."

        "You know," Howie said, "they kicked us out.  They put us down here.  With Nick Lachey.  And if he just happens to decide to join our group..."

        "I like the way you think," Justin said.

        "Devious sneaky," Joey said.

        AJ considered.  They couldn't lose.  "Let's go ask him."

        "I'll ask him," Justin said.  "Wait here.  I think he's busy."

        "Ask Jeff, too," AJ said.

        "Absolutely," Howie agreed.

        Justin crossed the hall and knocked on Jeff's door.  "It's Justin."

        There was a pause before the door opened.  Jeff was shirtless and looked flustered.  "Hey."

        "I just need a second."

        "Come in," Jeff said, letting him in, closing the door.

        Nick finished buttoning his shirt.  "Everybody getting along?"

        "We've started a war," Justin said.  "To keep the eight of us from being bored while the six of you are...on vacation.  We've started two groups: Brian, Chris, Kevin, and Lance against AJ, Howie, Joey, and me."

        "Wow," Jeff said.  "That's a good balance."

        "We want you to join us."

        "I thought it was a four against four thing," Nick said.

        "So we're cheating."

        "Sure, why not," Jeff said.  "Sounds like fun."

        "Six of us could get crowded," Nick said.

        "Richer harmony, can't miss," Jeff said.  "You want us to come now?"

        "No, go ahead and...enjoy your vacation.  You can hook up with us later."

        "Thanks for thinking of us," Nick said.

        Justin let himself out and returned to AJ's room.  "They're in."

        "Great," AJ said.

        "We can't tell the others," Joey said.  "They'll just try to grab someone else for their side."

        "Hey, if we get Justin and Nick and Jeff, we get Drew, too," AJ said.

        "He can't side against his own band," Howie agreed.

        "And if we get Drew, we get Nick," Joey said.  "The other Nick."

        "Which gives them Justin and JC," Justin said.  "That's not good."

        "Not good," Howie agreed.  "We'll just have to take them all."

        "But quietly," AJ said.

        "What do you want?" Justin called.

        "Five seconds."

        Justin opened the door in his jeans.  "Five seconds."

        "Can I see JC, too?"

        "No.  He's naked in bed and he's not getting up ever.  What do you want?"

        "Lance and Brian and Kevin and I are fighting with Joey and AJ and Howie and the other Justin.  We're going to make a better band than they are.  We want to steal you and JC for our side."

        "Against Joey?"

        "Come on, you know we'll kick their butts."

        "True.  Sure.  I'm in.  JC, you hear that?"

        "Yeah," JC's voice said.

        "You in?" Chris asked.

        "Right beside you, brother!"

        "We're gonna kick their butts," Chris said.  "Okay, you can get back to sex now."

        "Thanks."  Justin closed the door.

        Night fell.

        Nick Lachey wandered casually over to the Jive side of the floor, pausing ever so casually by Nick Carter's door.  Brian was lounging there, too.  They exchanged glances.  They wandered away, then returned, drifting about, each keeping an eye on the door, ready to pounce.

        The door opened.

        Drew stepped out first, Nick Carter right behind him.

        "Hey," Drew said.  "What's going on?"

        "You got a second?" his brother asked.

        "Sure," Drew said.  "Nick, I'll see you in a minute."

        "Sure," Nick Carter said.  The Lacheys walked off a bit.  "Hey," he said to Brian.

        "I need a favor," Brian said.

        "Anything.  What's up?"

        Four members of *NSYNC and three members of the Backstreet Boys.  Four lead singers, two strong bass men, and Chris.  It sounded perfect.  Nick grinned.  "This is going to be fun.  We'll totally kick AJ and Howie."

        Drew returned to Nick's side just as Brian was leaving.  "Did you hear about this feud they're starting?"

        "I'm part of the feud they're starting," Nick said.

        "Oh no," Drew said.  "Don't tell me.  Brian wants you on their side."

        "And Nick wants you on their side," Nick guessed.

        "Which means that you and I are on opposite sides."

        "You could come to my side."

        "The Dark Side?" Drew guessed.

        "We're going to be great.  You have to join us."

        "Why don't you join us?" Drew asked.  "It'll be fun."

        "I can't back out on my friends."

        "I can't betray mine."

        "Sure you can."

        "It's okay," Drew said.  "We don't need you."

        "Why not?"

        "Do you know who's on our side?"

        "Do you know who's on our side?"

        "I'd like to steal Lance and Brian, though."

        "You want Brian and not me?" Nick demanded.

        "He's very talented."

        "And I'm not?!"

        "You overemote."

        "I...you...I do..."

        "Nick-"

        "Out!"

        "Nick-"

        "Kevin!"

        Kevin emerged from his room.  "Yeah?"

        "Will you please escort this gentleman back to his side of the hotel?  He doesn't belong here on our side."

        "No, it's okay, I'll go," Drew said.  "I'll go back to where I belong."  He reached up and pulled Nick down and pressed his lips to Nick's.  "Later."  Nick pulled him in for another kiss.

        "No fraternizing with the enemy," Chris said, coming into the hallway.

        "That's a really good rule, except when the enemy looks like that," Justin said.  "Then it's sort of okay to fraternize as much as you can."

        "I'll volunteer to be a double agent," JC said.

        "Aren't you the one who was saying that I shouldn't be checking out other guys in front of you?" Justin asked.

        "Yeah, but they're too old for you.  They're just right for me," JC said.

        "Okay," Justin said.  "You go seduce the Lacheys, I'll comfort Nick, everybody's happy."

        "What about Jeff?" JC asked.

        "We could share," Justin suggested.

        Drew released Nick and left.  "Wow," Nick said, trying to breathe.

        "Let the games begin," Justin said.  "Wait.  I said that already earlier today."

        Drew found the other six members of his team sitting around in AJ's room.  "Hey."

        "Hey," Justin said.

        "Welcome to the group," AJ said.

        "We're working on which songs we want to sing, whether we want to choreograph anything interesting, and what we're going to call ourselves," Howie said.

        "Verse Seven," Drew suggested.

        "Oh, that's original," Jeff said.

        "Don't ask," Nick told the non-Degrees.

        "We can't name ourselves until we know who we are," Drew said.  "What are we singing?"

        "Sappy love songs is my guess," AJ said.

        "We do good sappy love songs," Howie said.

        "First I want to make sure you're not a double agent," Joey said to Drew.

        "He's on our side," Justin said.

        "He's sleeping with the enemy," Joey said.

        "Think of them as liaisons," Jeff said.

        "Right," AJ said.  "The two of them can be the go-betweens for our groups."

        "Nick might seduce him over to their side," Howie said.

        "Or Drew could bring Nick to our side," AJ said.

        "That would be good," Joey said.

        "That might not work," Drew said.

        "Why not?" AJ asked.  "You can't be devious?"

        "I told him we'd rather have Brian and Lance."

        "You told your boyfriend, a professional singer, that you'd rather have another singer, his ex-boyfriend," Jeff said.

        "That wasn't smart," AJ said.

        "Brian's really good," Drew said.

        "That's not a good argument to use with Nick," AJ said.  "Just so you know."

        "Let's work with what we have," Nick said.  "We can try to steal some of their people once we know what our plan is."

        Across the building, Nick Carter stood suddenly from Kevin's sofa.  "Shit!"

        "What?" Lance asked, alarmed.

        "He was going to let me fuck him!"

        "Wow," Justin said.

        "Really?" Chris asked.

        "The first time?" Brian asked.  "When?"

        "Tonight," Nick said.  "We were just...and...he was going to let me..."

        "Bad timing," Chris said.  "That pretty much sucks."

        "Nick."  Kevin put his hand on Nick's arm.  "If you bring him over to our group, you can have him."

        Lance tried to smother a laugh.

        "So bad," Justin said.

        "I have to go now," Nick said.

        "Where?" JC asked.

        "To get Drew."

        "Be strong," Justin said.  "Don't join them.  Bring him over here."

        "I feel like we're making a virgin sacrifice," Chris said.

        "We are," Lance said.  "Come on, guys, we can't-"

        "Quiet, fool," Justin said.  "Nick, be strong.  Stick to your duty.  Make us proud."

        "You guys," Lance said.

        "Lance is right," Brian said.  "Drew's-"

        "Quiet, fool."

        Brian glared and moved in; with one graceful slide JC was between Justin and Brian with a polite smile.  "May I help you?" JC asked.

        "Brian, can I..."  Nick tugged Brian aside.  "I was just wondering..."

        "What?" Brian asked, Justin forgotten.

        "Do you think...  When we were together..."  He looked around nervously, then leaned down and whispered.

        Brian smiled and looked up at Nick.  "Go with your strengths."  Nick frowned.  Brian whispered something, and Nick turned red and smiled.

        "Thanks.  Wish me luck."  Nick jogged from Kevin's room.

        "What'd he want?" Kevin asked.

        "A little advice on what to pull from his grab bag of tricks," Brian said.

        Nick tried to remember Drew's room number.  Drew had told him, but he'd been distracted at the time by that soft sweet little patch of skin just behind Drew's earlobe.  There, maybe 345.  He knocked.

        Drew opened the door.  "Nick."

        "Nick?" came a voice from within the room, and the other Nick was there.  "Can we help you?"

        "I just came to get something," Nick said.  "Drew said he'd give me something later tonight, and I've come to take it."

        Drew looked away nervously.

        "You can't have it," Nick Lachey said.

        Ordinarily, Nick would have dismissed that sentence, but something about Nick Lachey's controlled glare made him pause.  Look.  Frown.

        He came to one conclusion: Drew had told Nick Lachey.

        Not good.

        But it was Drew's decision to make love, and if Drew wanted to make love with him, Nick Lachey had no right to stop them.

        Drew gave Nick a shy smile that melted Nick's insides superfast, then said something to Nick Lachey.  Nick Lachey gave Drew a measuring look, then nodded.  "I'll see you later," Nick Lachey said, and left, giving Nick Carter's arm a no-hard-feelings pat.

        "You want to come in?" Drew asked Nick.

        "Yeah," Nick said.  Hell yeah.  Drew closed the door behind him.

        "How's your new band coming?" Drew asked.

        "Okay."

        "I hope you're not mad at me."

        Nick remembered to breathe.  As if he could stay mad, be mad, remember how to be mad when Drew was standing right in front of him looking shy and guilty and oh-so-fuckable.  Drew looked down, not meeting his eyes.  "Mad?"

        "About what I said."  Drew met his gaze and flushed.  "I'm sorry, Nick.  I shouldn't have said it."

        Oh, right, about how he overemoted, about how Drew would rather have Brian.  "No problem."

        "I was talking, with the guys," Drew said, "and I know you said you'd join the other group, but we'd really like to have you."  And the way Drew looked at him, right into his eyes, made him think that Drew really would like to have him.

        "I'd like to be had," Nick said.  "But I'm already with the other group."  He'd come here for sex, not to talk about this.

        "Our group's better," Drew said.

        Nick snorted.  "It is not.  We have all of the good people.  Your group's just Nick and the back-up singers."

        Drew's jaw tightened incrementally.  "That's what you think?"

        "Yeah."  Oh.  Oh shit.

        Drew crossed his arms over his chest.

        "You can't be mad.  You insulted me way worse."  Drew had some really well-developed musculature.

        "All I said was that I preferred Brian's singing.  And if your group is the good people, what does that make me?  One of the mediocre people?  Or one of the bad people?"

        "Drew-"

        "I am not a back-up singer."

        "I just-"

        "Maybe I'll tell AJ that you consider him to be a back-up singer.  How do you think he'll take that?"

        Nick quickly calculated the odds of himself vs. AJ in a fight.  He could probably take AJ, but still...

        "I want you to go."

        "Drew, I'm sorry, come on, I just meant...  I didn't mean it the way it sounded.  This is stupid."

        "We're not supposed to be fighting."

        "If we'd just stop insulting each other, it might help."

        "I do think that you're very talented."

        "I'm sorry.  Let me make it up to you."

        "How?" Drew asked, curious, suspicious.

        Nick went down on his knees, hands closing over Drew's hips.

        "Don't take this the wrong way," Drew said, "because I'd like nothing more than for you to...do that," Drew's fingers skimmed under his chin, "but we shouldn't use sex for that."

        "Why not?"

        "I'm having trouble remembering," Drew said.

        "What do you want, then?"  He made an attempt to rise, but Drew's hands on his shoulders stopped him.

        "I'm thinking," Drew said.

        Well, while Drew thought, Nick decided to amuse himself.  He pushed up Drew's untucked shirt, exposing Drew's muscled abs, which he caressed fondly.  Then he opened Drew's jeans.  "Thought of anything yet?"

        "Not yet," Drew said.

        Okay.  He'd keep going.  He pulled out Drew's cock and stroked it admiringly, feeling Drew's fingers tighten on his shoulders.  One of Drew's hands then slid into his hair, pressing him forward; he took the hint and licked at the base of Drew's cock.

        A few minutes later, Nick was riding high on that unique feeling he got from cocksucking.  His world had narrowed to this living flesh, to its hardness and heat, to its throbbing pulse and leaking pre-cum, to these coarse dark hairs and silky silky skin.  He swallowed Drew's cock, eyes closed, fingers stroking over Drew's pelvic bone, throat working.  So good, so good, oh god...

        "I know what I want," Drew said.

        The words didn't really register in Nick's brain, but Drew's hands pushing him away did.  When Drew's cock slipped from between his lips he looked up in severe disappointment.

        "I know what I want," Drew said.

        Nick knew what he wanted, too, and it was right in front of his face.  He moved in again; Drew's hands kept him at bay.

        "I know what I want."

        "What," Nick said, impatient.

        "Join our group."

        Drew Lachey was the last person on earth that Nick had thought would ever pull this shit.  "No way."

        Drew stepped back; Nick grabbed Drew's hips to keep what he wanted from leaving.  That was when Nick realized for real that if he said no, Drew would say no, and then he wouldn't get that gorgeous cock in his mouth.  That beautiful, thick, long, heavy, drooling, hard, dark, beautiful, silky-smooth, cut cock that tasted so fucking good, just filled him, made him - - "Okay."

        "You'll join us?"

        Hell, he'd join the Hare Krishnas with this as bait.  "I'll join you."

        "Thank you, Nick."

        Those words, with that pleased, grateful, appreciative look on Drew's face, made Nick's heart flip.  Hell, he would've joined the group just for that.  And he saw that Drew felt bad about bribing him like that.  Well, he didn't want Drew to feel bad, he wanted Drew to feel good.  He knew how to make Drew feel good.

        Drew's fingers tightened on his hair, and the groan that came from Drew made Nick's cock throb in sympathy.  Which reminded him that he really wanted to teach Drew how to deep throat.  Of course, the blow jobs Drew had given him had been oh so fucking fantastic that it wasn't like Drew needed any lessons from him.  Still, if Drew's cocksucking was that good already, Nick could only imagine how well Drew would deep throat.

        When he finished, he was so hard he wasn't sure he could get off of his knees.  But Drew just dropped down in front of him and started stripping.  Which only made him more turned on, seeing Drew getting naked two inches from him.  Then naked Drew kissed his mouth.  "Take off your shirt."  He did.  Drew gave him a little push and he fell onto his back on the floor.  Drew took over and stripped him from there: sneakers, socks, jeans, boxers.  Drew caressed his cock lovingly.  "Oh baby," Drew whispered, and then Drew was leaning in and kissing his erection, and that just about shorted out what was left of Nick's brain.

        Twenty minutes later Nick was slinking back to his room.  His stealth didn't work; Justin Timberlake popped up and said, "So, how'd it go?"

        "Where is he?" Kevin asked.

        Nick unlocked his door.  "Back in his room."

        "Did you...  Did you make love with him?" JC asked.

        "That fast?" Justin asked.  Everyone glanced at JC.

        "Is he coming to our side?" Chris asked.

        "No.  No," Nick said.

        "Then what were you doing?" Kevin asked.

        Nick got his suitcases.

        "Nick?" Brian asked.

        Nick handed Brian the key to his room.  Brian had all of the keys to their side, and Nick Lachey had all of the keys for the other side.  "I'm...what's the word...defecting."

        "Defective?" Chris asked.

        "You're going to their side?" Justin asked.  "Traitor.  You traitor."

        "You were supposed to seduce him, not the other way around," Brian said, but Brian was smiling, amused, pleased, happy for him.

        "We'll just have to steal one of their people," Lance said.

        "Later," Nick said, and left.

        Nick moved into Drew's room.  For the first time, he spent the night with Drew, asleep in Drew's bed, sleeping with Drew's warm naked silky muscular body between soft smooth sheets, warm and secure and happy.  Happy didn't begin to describe it.  It was one of those pinch-me-I'm-dreaming, too-good-to-be-true moments.

        Drew gave him a lot of those moments.

        "I'm in here," came Nick's voice from the bathroom.  He sat up and stretched a little, and Nick came out wearing boxers, walking right over and sitting in front of him, kissing him without word or hesitation, all clean and fresh and shaven.

        "Morning," Jeff said, kissing Nick some more.  Nick started to lower him to his back again.  "Nick, you're already showered and-"

        "So?"

        "So if we...it'll get you messy again."

        "Don't care."

        Six months and Nick still wanted him.  Not that six months was all that long, at all, really, but still, six months and Nick still wanted him, that was pretty good.  "Nick."

        "Mm."  Nick sucked on his lower lip, one slow strong hand sliding up his thigh.

        Felt good.  "We said we wouldn't."

        "Want you."

        "We promised."

        "Want you."

        "Nick, please."

        "Love it when you beg," Nick said.

        "Nick-"

        Nick finally stopped kissing him.  "I know.  I won't, I promise, I won't.  I just...like touching you."

        "I know."

        "That was a nice try, though, about keeping me clean.  It would've worked, except for all those times before when you really didn't seem to care whether I'd just showered or not."

        "I never meant to seem disrespectful of your hygiene."

        Nick smiled.  "I want you all of the time, you want me all of the time."

        "I sure do."  Jeff trailed his fingers down Nick's upper arm, across the tattoo.  "It would really help if you'd get off of me."

        "I woke up and you looked so...good...and I made myself leave the bed, go in the other room, get away from you, and in the shower...I...but it doesn't seem to have helped any.  I still want you."

        "I'm not complaining."

        "Tell me again why we're doing this."

        "Not doing this, you mean."

        "You need to remind me," Nick said, and Nick pressed against his naked body, kissing his neck, and they were in full contact, and he could feel, through the thin shield of Nick's boxers, Nick's erection pressed to his hip.  Nick pressed closer with an aching moan against his skin.

        Oh, this was hard, it hurt, he knew what Nick wanted, and he knew exactly how to give it, but they couldn't, they'd promised that they wouldn't, they'd talked about this over and again.  They had good reasons.  But now, having Nick so close and so ready, his every last resolve was crumbling.

        "I shouldn't have spent the night," Jeff said.

        "I wanted you to."

        "I shouldn't have."

        "It's worse when you're away from me."

        "I know."

        "I can't do this."

        "It won't be long."  He pet the soft short hairs on the back of Nick's head.  "Soon."

        "Not soon enough."

        He agreed silently.

        Nick sighed and sat up, away from him, one strong hand cupping an aching erection.  "Go ahead, I'm finished in the bathroom."

        He smiled and kissed Nick on his way out of the bed.  "Hope you left me some cold water."

        Twenty minutes later they were knocking on Drew's door.

        Nick Carter opened the door.  "Hi."

        "Hi," Jeff said.  "You have a minute?"

        "Come on in.  Don't worry, I didn't...he wouldn't let me," Nick Carter said.

        "Don't tell them that," Drew said as the two entered.

        Nick closed the door.  "I don't need your big brother glaring at me all day."

        "It's none of Nick's business what we do," Drew said.

        "Right," Nick Lachey said too quickly, clearly not meaning it.

        Drew sighed.  "You're here for business reasons?" he guessed.

        "Is this about the feud?" Nick Carter asked.  "Are you kicking me out of your group because I'm not good enough?"

        "No, we want you here," Nick Lachey said.  "We're happy to have you."

        "On your own merits," Jeff said.  "Although since you're here, we're hoping that you can help us."

        "With what?" Nick Carter asked.

        "We're hoping that you can get Brian to come to our side," Nick Lachey said.

        "And Justin and JC," Jeff added.

        "Joey can help you with them," Nick Lachey said.

        "Ambitious," Drew said.

        "I'll talk to Brian," Nick said.

        "If we get the three of them, that'll leave Kevin, Chris, and Lance," Drew said.

        "We have to work on stealing their people because they're going to try to steal ours," Jeff said.

        "So while we're trying to talk Brian into joining us, they're going to be asking AJ to their side," Nick Carter guessed.

        While everyone was mingling in the dining room, Nick Carter made his way over to where Brian was just sitting down at a table.  "Can we talk?"

        "Sure," Brian said cheerfully.  "How's Drew?"

        "He wouldn't let me...you know," Nick said.  "He'd kill me if he knew I told you that."

        "How's your new band?"

        "We could use you."

        "Me?"

        "Yeah."

        "Thanks, I guess."

        "Do you think you could join us?"

        "No.  Nick, come on, we're starting our own group.  I can't just defect.  You have Drew, that's different."

        "Please?"

        "No."

        "Please?"

        "No."

        "Please please please please-"

        "No!"  Brian was laughing.

        "You're my best friend, you can't work against me.  We have to be on the same team."

        "So come back to our side.  And bring Drew."

        "Brian-"

        "Seriously.  Come on, you and me, Justin and JC, there's no way we can lose.  We're too good.  You know it.  And Drew, Nick, he's great, we could really use him."

        "He won't do it."

        "You can talk him into it."

        "You're serious."

        "You're my best friend.  We have to be on the same team."

        Nick smiled.  "Okay."

        "Hey.  How was your workout?"

        "Good.  You talked to Brian?"

        "Yeah."

        "What...you're staring."

        "You look good."

        "I'm sweaty."

        "You look good."

        Drew swallowed nervously as Nick closed in on him.  "I..."

        Nick kissed his jaw, trailing kisses back towards his ear.  There were a few long, precious moments of just tasting, Nick's mouth making love to Drew's ear and neck.  Then, "Drew."

        "Mm.  What?" Drew asked absently.

        "Sofa or bed?"

        "I'm too sweaty, I'll-"

        "Sofa.  I have a good track record on the sofa.  Those first two times."  Nick started walking them to the sofa, Drew moving backwards, Nick steering.  "Remember?"

        "Yeah."

        "I wanted you.  I wanted you to want me."  He lowered Drew back down stretched along the sofa, then managed to get on top of Drew, astride Drew, one foot on the floor for balance, one knee between Drew's thigh and the back of the sofa.  "Did you want me?"

        "Yes."  Drew was looking up at him, tugging at his clothes restlessly.

        Yeah, this had been a good idea.  Way to go Nick.  "I was scared.  I thought you might say no.  I thought maybe you didn't want me, or didn't want me the same way."

        "I did."

        He pushed up Drew's t-shirt and put his lips to one nipple.  It tightened under his tongue.  "Do you want me now?"

        "Yes."

        He tried the other nipple and Drew made a shuddering sound.  There was a slick sheen of sweat on Drew's skin.  This had been such a good idea.  They were on a sofa again, like the first two times, when he'd been in charge, when he'd seduced Drew.  He wanted to remind Drew, subconsciously or consciously, of those two nights.  Because he needed to talk Drew into something else, now.  And since everything he'd asked for then had gone really well, and had made Drew really happy, he was hoping that Drew would trust him again.

        He was very careful not to say, "I love you."  He didn't want to use that.  That was precious.  That was sacred.  That was off-limits.

        He pressed kisses over Drew's torso, admiring this flawless body, listening to Drew's stuttered gasps.  He made love to each inch, tasting and learning as he went.  Drew by turns tried to push him lower and tried to pull him up, either to suck Drew's cock or kiss Drew's mouth, but he resisted all entreaties.  He had his own agenda today.

        "Nick..."

        "What?"

        "Please, come here."

        He pushed himself up a little, brushed soft kisses over Drew's temples.  "What?"  Drew tried to kiss him but he evaded Drew's mouth.  "What?"

        "Kiss me."

        "I need to ask you for something."

        "What?"  Drew looked confused.

        "I was talking to Brian."  He licked across Drew's collarbone, fingers sliding down Drew's side.  "He wants something from us."

        "Brian?"

        He kissed Drew's chin, brushing his lips perilously close to Drew's.  "He wants us to join his group."

        "Both of us?"

        He pressed his fingers over Drew's fly.  "Both of us."

        "But we're...we can't."

        He rubbed his thumb there, kissing the corner of Drew's mouth, tantalizingly close.  "He's my best friend."

        "We can't."

        "Please.  He asked me and I can't say no."

        "You can't say no to him."

        "Come with me.  It'll be fun.  It'll be...so...good," he urged, squeezing Drew's hard cock gently through denim.

        "Okay."

        "Okay?"  That had been too easy.

        "Okay," Drew said.

        "Thank you."  He kissed Drew, whose mouth opened beneath his in invitation.

        After a nice make-out session on the sofa, Drew showered and they packed up their things and escaped to the other side of the third floor.  Nick knocked on Brian's door, 318.

        Brian opened the door.  "Hey, guys."

        "Could I have the key to 321, please?" Nick asked with a smile.

        "You're in?  Both of you?" Brian asked.

        "Both of us," Nick agreed.

        "That's great."  There was one quick moment where Brian almost hugged Nick before turning to get the keys.  "Just one room?"

        "Two, please," Drew said.

        "One's enough," Nick said.

        "Two, please," Drew said.

        "Here's 321," Brian said, handing it to Nick.  "Kevin's in the room beside Nick's, and Lance is over there, and...  Here, 316."

        "Thanks," Drew said.

        "We're meeting in ten minutes for an official group meeting," Brian said.  "Kevin's room."

        When Nick and Drew walked into the meeting, applause broke out.  Nick sat beside Brian on the sofa almost automatically, lacing his fingers through Drew's.

        "We need a name," Justin said.

        "We need songs," JC said.

        "We don't even know - - we have eight people," Brian said.  "Lance, Kevin, and Drew can fill out the bottom.  Chris can take the top, but someone has to do it with him."

        "Nick and JC," Justin said.

        "Excuse me?" JC asked.

        "I'm not Howie," Nick said.

        "You guys sing higher than Brian and me," Justin said.

        "Brian and I," JC said.

        "Don't get snarky," Justin said.

        "I'm not getting snarky," JC said.

        "Whether he's snarky or not, I'm not-" Nick began.

        "Afraid to be a mediocre back-up singer?" Drew asked Nick.

        "Okay," Nick said, "I'll do it."

        "What?" Chris asked.

        "How did you do that?" Brian asked Drew.

        "So you three sing lead?" Nick asked.

        "Now that we've sorted out the egos, can we decide what we're going to sing?" Kevin asked.

        "That would be nice," Lance agreed.

        "We're singing something?" Chris asked.  "I thought we were just going to sit around and snipe."

        There was a knock at the door.

        "Uh-oh," Nick said.

        "I'll second that," Drew said.

        "I'll get it," Brian said.

        "If they're out there being pissed, shouldn't we send someone like Kevin?" Chris asked.  "Someone more intimidating-looking?"  Brian opened the door.  It was AJ and Nick Lachey.  "The chair recognizes the delegates from the second-rate hallway," Chris said.

        "We want Drew and Nick back," AJ said.

        "They're not going back," Brian said.

        "Drew," Nick Lachey said.

        "He's busy," Brian said.

        "He's sitting right there," Nick Lachey said.

        "He's not going with you."

        "He's on our side," AJ said.

        "He's on our side now."

        "Brian-"

        "Drew and Nick are on our side now.  They're ours.  You can't have them."

        "You can't have both of them."

        "Why not?"

        "You have to give us one of them."

        "They're staying here."

        "Then give us somebody else."

        "No."

        "You could come with us."

        "No."

        "What about JC?"

        Brian closed and locked the door.

        "Pixie!" AJ shouted.

        The eight of them spent hours, then, lounging around Kevin's room and talking.  They ordered room service and talked shop and argued over songs.  It gave Drew a prime opportunity to see Brian and Nick together in a relaxed setting.  98 Degrees had for one reason and another been closer to *NSYNC, and he'd rarely seen the Backstreet Boys in a non-business atmosphere.  Now he got to see how Brian and Nick were interacting after their break-up.  They were close, still, and interacted easily.  He was glad; he'd known that Nick and Brian were important to each other, and he'd hoped that their break-up wouldn't destroy any future friendship.

        At first, there was a slight distance between the two.  There were boundaries now that hadn't existed before, clearly.  Then, as time passed, they forgot to put up the boundaries, and Drew got a glimpse of how close they still were, truly were.  When Nick was sitting on the sofa and Brian was sitting on the floor leaning against the sofa and Nick's fingers started to toy with Brian's hair, he saw.  He saw, too, how they looked at each other.  Open, loving.  And, in one quick unguarded moment that flashed for a split second, hungry.

        Drew hugged his knees and thought about that.

        When the impromptu party broke, primarily because Justin was antagonizing Brian for no good reason, Drew followed Nick to Nick's room.  "You coming in?" Nick asked.

        "I want to talk to you."

        "About what?  Before sex?"

        "That might be best."

        "Shit."

        "I'm not breaking up with you."

        "Good.  I was having Brian flashbacks."

        "That's what I want to talk about," Drew said, sitting on the floor.  Nick sat facing him.  "I know you love me.  I love you."

        "Good."

        "I know you love Brian.  No, don't - - don't feel like you have to deny it.  It's all right.  I understand.  You're in love with him."

        "I love you now."

        "You love both of us."

        "I'm over him."

        "He's not over you."

        "He made his decision."

        "You're right, he did.  Nick, I only wanted you to know that I know how you feel about him.  I don't want you to pretend that it's not there."

        "You're okay?"

        "I..."

        "What?"

        Drew closed his eyes.

        "What?  God, you're in love with somebody else.  You're having an affair with Jeff, aren't you?"

        "What?!"

        "Well, then, what is it?"

        "I'm...  I don't know how to tell you this."

        "Tell me before I freak out."

        "I'm not in love.  I wouldn't call it that.  But I have feelings for someone else."

        "Feelings.  What kinds of feelings?  Hey he's cute feelings or hey I'd like to fuck him feelings or hey I want to spend the rest of my life in happiness and harmony with this guy."

        "That last one."

        "Serious feelings."

        "I just..."

        "Who is it?  Someone from home?  A fan?"

        "Brian."

        "Bri...an...  Brian.  Brian Brian?  Brian Thomas Littrell Brian?"

        "Brian," Drew agreed with a sinking feeling.

        "You want Brian.  You like Brian.  My Brian."

        "Yes."

        "Shit, I didn't mean...he's not mine."

        "He'd like to be."

        "He doesn't want me anymore.  We're just friends."

        "Have you spoken with him about it?"

        "About what?  That he dumped me and I'm still in love with him?  No."

        "You should."

        "It doesn't matter.  I have you now."

        "It does matter."

        "What, you want me to leave you for him?"

        "No.  No, no, I don't want you to leave me for anything."

        "Then what do you want?  You want the two of us to start a 334th Brian fan club?"

        "You're in love with him.  You can't live like this, pretending not to be.  How can you do it?  You're with him all day every day."

        "And I was without you all day every day.  It hasn't been the best six months.  You really like him?"

        "I'm sure that you don't have to ask why."

        "Yeah, I can count the ways myself.  You want him?"

        Drew swallowed.  "Sexually?"

        "Yeah, sexually.  You want him?"

        "A little."

        "A little?"

        "Very very much," Drew confessed.

        "Yeah, me too."  Nick grinned.  Drew grinned back.  "It's okay.  If there's one thing I understand, it's wanting Brian.  Hey, if you have any questions, I've been there.  I know sex with Brian like the back of my hand."

        Desire curled in Drew's stomach.  Nick knew Brian.  Brian knew Nick.  The two of them had been together.  Intimate.  Loving.  Sexual.  Erotic.

        "You have any questions?" Nick asked, teasing yet sincere.

        "I can't."

        "I can tell you anyway."

        "You shouldn't."

        "Want me to?"

        "Nick-"

        "I will."

        "Nick-"

        "He has a nice body.  He's not super-Adonis like you, but he's got some nice muscles.  He has a few scars from surgery.  He has nice hands, good hands.  I'm the only guy he's ever had.  We learned from each other, on each other.  He's so pretty, you know how pretty he is, he's that pretty everywhere, all over.  He likes to do everything, like me, not just sucking or just topping.  His accent's light, I don't even notice it anymore, but the more turned on he is the thicker it gets."

        "Are you finished?"

        "I'll tell you more later."

        "You shouldn't encourage me."

        "He kisses differently from you.  But just as good.  And you kiss..."  Nick kissed him, eyes closing.

        That night, in bed, Nick told him, soft and slow, more about Brian, jerking him off slowly.  It made him realize how very tame Nick's earlier dirty talk had been.  And it gave him sweet, hot dreams.