The Dancer

The Dancer

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: *NSYNC/Wade J. Robson

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

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

Wherein Chris is not the baby-sitter, Lance has a tan, and Justin wants to party.

Notice: I know at least one slashwriter who gives a story soundtrack. The music that goes with the story - - either what inspired the story, or what she listened to as she wrote. Does anybody care what I'm listening to as I'm writing? Stop scratching your ankle!

Erica

Awkward. Awkward. That was the word. The situation was awkward. He felt awkward. He was one of the guys, but he wasn't one of the guys, and he felt it all day long. All night long.

*NSYNC was tight. They were close. Friends, brothers, more. He could hang out with them, work with them, be a young white guy in the industry, but he wasn't a part of them.

He was as close as anyone could be. It was weird. He was closer to them than their friends, family, Lou, Johnny, or pretty collective of ex-girlfriends. They didn't let anyone see them from the inside. He wasn't quite on the inside, either, but they'd let him in the doorway.

Why they let him that close, he didn't know. Not for sure. He did appreciate it. It was hard, being young and talented, trying to prove it to the world. They respected that. They respected anyone who worked hard. They respected his struggle. And they, along with Johnny, were the only ones who didn't expect that young pretty boys owed their superiors something in exchange for the honor of a paycheck. He worked with *NSYNC because it was a good fit, because he knew the moves, not because he was willing to hand out personal favors.

It was weird, though. Working with Justin was great. Justin worked the moves, and Justin was his age. Working with, say, Chris, was a whole different experience. Chris was a good guy with a great sense of humor, but the guy was over a decade older than Wade. He had to teach anybody and everybody; that was his job. He was young and he had to compensate for it by being mature, stand-up, responsible, and, sometimes, tough.

If that included pushing the guys, that was his job.

They could do it, and he knew that they could. They knew that they could. They worked hard, all day, every day. It was his job to keep them going. He made them look good. They made him look good.

He knew them better than anyone else.

Their families made judgments. Their friends couldn't be trusted. Lou and Johnny worked for them, and vice versa. Girlfriends came and went. The five of them, they weren't exactly a brotherhood, not quite a closed sect. They were *NSYNC. A five-man team.

He'd made his way in slowly. Bit by bit. He saw the way they opened up around some people, and how they closed up around other people. They were friendly to everybody, but they only shared true warmth with some people. The thing was, it was hard to tell the difference. They were too nice.

On occasion, there was friction. When they were overworked and overtired and stressed out, stuff happened. JC threw a prima donna hissy fit. Chris and Lance fought. Joey - - of all people, Joey - - made Justin cry.

But even during the stressful times, they were there, the five of them, for each other. They got JC to relax, laugh, and apologize. Chris and Lance hugged and made up.

Joey wiped up Justin's tears. Kissed them away.

That was the kind of thing that no one, no one, but Wade, ever saw.

The new tour was coming up, and it was never too early to start planning. The guys had been distracted with their own projects, not seeing each other nearly as much as they were used to. Johnny set them up in a house by the coast and told them to spend time together, alone. He forbade them to bring along twenty friends and a lot of non-*NSYNC work.

Then he called Wade.

"Only we would take a working vacation like this," Chris said. "Sure, Johnny. We'll just hang out on the beach, relax, get tan, be lazy, and, oh yeah, learn thirteen new dance routines!"

"I hope we're paying you big-time for this," Joey told Wade.

"To hang out on the beach?" Wade asked.

"Aren't you the choreographer?" Joey asked.

"He's the baby-sitter," Chris said.

"Shouldn't you be the baby-sitter?" Justin asked Chris. Everyone burst into laughter. "No, I meant, you're the old one."

"I'm the baby-sitter," Lance said. "Everybody get moving."

They were comfortable together. Relaxed. Familiar. There was almost a visible connection strung between the five of them, linking brain waves, linking hearts. Sometimes they pretended to be macho and cool, but most of the time they were affectionate idiots.

They'd had their reunion in Johnny's driveway. During the drive to the beach house, they were in three cars with bodyguards. Finally, though, they were alone. When they walked into the house, cracking jokes on its cost, Wade hung back a little to watch.

Joey dropped his bags in the foyer.

"Honey, I'm home!" Lance called.

"Hi, honey," Chris said, pretending to wipe his hands on an apron. "Kids, go run up to your rooms and unpack. I've got a roast going, and-"

"Mom, I gotta pee," Justin whined.

"There are bathrooms here, right?" Lance asked.

Everyone exchanged nervous looks.

"I missed you guys!" Joey said, and hugged Lance.

"My turn!" Justin said, and wrapped his arms around Joey and Lance.

"Group hug!" Chris said, trying to squeeze Joey and Lance from the other side.

"Joey, not now," Lance said.

"I didn't do anything," Joey said.

"Sorry," Justin said. "That was me."

"Go to your room, young man!" Chris ordered. "And take your stuff with you."

Everyone groaned. Justin lifted his luggage and started off. Lance lifted his luggage and followed Justin. Joey picked up JC, slinging him over one shoulder, and followed Lance. Chris took his own luggage and Joey's; Wade closed the front door and took JC's stuff upstairs.

Wade spent the first few days listening to the new songs and working out the choreography. The other guys spent their time eating, sleeping, hanging out on the beach, hanging out inside, and keeping Lance distracted from working. There was a suspicious mark on Lance's neck that might have been a lovebite, but other than that, Wade didn't see evidence that they were doing anything he wasn't supposed to know about.

Justin dragged Wade down to the beach.

"I don't even have a bathing suit," Wade said.

"Liar," Justin said. "Chris has it."

"I'm allergic to saltwater."

"You're not going to let Lance get more tan than you, are you?" Justin asked.

"Hey, Wade!" Joey jogged up the beach from the water and shook his hair dry, right over Chris.

"I always knew you were part dog," Chris said.

"And it ain't poodle," Justin said.

"You're the poodle," Chris said. "Look at that hair."

"That's hair?" Joey asked, shading his eyes from the sun.

Chris tossed Wade his suit. "All work and no play makes..."

"Not us," Joey said. "Where did Lance go?"

"How hard can it be to keep track of five grown men?" Chris asked.

"There are five of us?" Justin asked.

"Grown?" Joey asked.

"Men? Where?" Wade asked.

"Look who I'm talking to," Chris said.

"And look who's talking," Justin added.

"Are you insulting me?" Chris asked.

"Yeah," Justin said.

"That's it," Chris said. "Put 'em up."

"Where's Lance?" Joey asked again.

"Who?" Justin asked.

"He went to find Sleeping Beauty," Chris said. "Justin, you're tall, stand over there and block the sun for me."

"Justin Timberlake, personal parasol," Justin said, shading Chris.

"Knew you'd turn out to be good for something one of these days," Wade said. "Enjoy today. Tomorrow, we're dancing."

Joey groaned. Chris collapsed in the sand. Justin threw himself into the sea.

Johnny'd had mirrors hung along one wall in a room on the first floor. Good planning. Wade had been building routines in there, and now it was time to share with the guys.

He'd given them the morning off, but he wanted them in there by noon.

Lance showed up at eleven fifty-five.

Justin was there at noon.

Chris and Joey were there five minutes later.

Wade checked his watch. "Where's JC?"

"Sleeping," Lance said.

"Want me to get him?" Joey asked.

"I'll get him," Wade said. "You warm up."

"Yoga stretches!" Chris said. "Justin, be a pretzel."

Wade jogged up the stairs. When he walked into JC's room, it was empty. He frowned. Then he raised his eyebrows and checked Joey's room. Bingo, jackpot, hello Mr. Chasez. "Come on, JC," he said, and clapped his hands. "You're late. We're dancing without you."

JC moaned and burrowed into the bed.

Wade shrugged and grabbed JC, bedclothes and all, dragging him off of the bed. When JC's butt hit the floor, he burst into laughter and pushed Wade away. "I'm up, I'm coming, get off of me."

"I want you dressed and ready to dance in two, JC."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." JC stretched in his tangle of sheets, which slid down, exposing him to the navel. "What time is it?"

"All you need to know is, I wanted you down at noon, and it's after that."

"Right. Sorry. I'm on my way. Here I go."

"Two minutes," Wade reminded him, heading for the door.

In remarkably short time, JC was downstairs, brushed and dressed and wide awake, ready to work. That was what Wade liked about these people.

Justin and JC always picked up the routines the fastest. Chris concentrated so hard Wade felt eyeholes drilled through his back.

Wade showed them the moves, walked them through the dance, then did it with them, watching in the mirror. There was a lot of stopping and going back, because he wanted to correct mistakes right away before they were learned and incorporated. Finally he stepped away and watched them do it on their own. They watched each other for cues, but that was fine, that was part of it. Working together, as one unit.

Chris collapsed on the sofa.

Joey draped himself over Lance.

Justin staggered about blindly before dropping onto the floor.

JC leaned against the mirror and tried to sleep.

"Let's go get something to eat," Wade said. "Then back in here."

Five groans.

"Carry me," Joey whined to Lance.

"I can't carry me," Lance said.

Wade wasn't sure where he was supposed to look.

Should he leave? Was he allowed to stare? Justin was playing video games like nothing was going on. He looked around the room, scratched his chin, and let his eyes wander back towards the sofa.

JC's hand was under Lance's shirt now. They were definitely frenching. Wade knew tongue when he saw tongue.

Lance made a small moaning sound and shifted under JC. JC rode the movement, fingers crawling up Lance's chest.

Wade pretended he was reading.

He was reading. He was reading. Look at him read. This was reading. He was reading. Eyes on the words. Not looking anywhere near Lance's hand sliding down over JC's ass.

Lance squeezed and rubbed.

He was not taking mental notes on Lance liking JC's ass.

Whoa. Wade tried to focus on the words. He couldn't remember what he was reading. His mind kept replaying JC rubbing back into Lance's hand. JC liked that hand. JC liked being groped there.

"Lance!" Joey called. "Where is he? Lance! Beth's on the phone. It's very important!"

"Very important?" Chris's voice asked. "When is it not?"

"She has to talk to him," Joey said. "Lance!"

JC sighed and sat up a little, letting Lance crawl out from under him.

"Sorry," Lance said. He adjusted himself, wincing, leaving the room.

JC ran his hand through his hair.

Wade read. He was not eyeing the bulge at JC's crotch.

JC looked at Justin's back.

Justin fidgeted.

"Justin," JC said.

Justin's man onscreen ran right into a wall.

"I'm going upstairs," JC said.

"Lance-"

"He knows where your room is," JC said.

Wade was reading.

Justin paused the game.

JC went upstairs.

Justin fidgeted.

Justin went upstairs.

Wade threw his book on the floor.

When Lance came back, Wade didn't say anything.

Lance went upstairs.

Justin was beatboxing and dancing with Chris. Joey was sitting on the floor, their audience, clapping and cheering. Lance and JC were practicing yesterday's routine in the corner.

Wade turned on the stereo.

"Places, everyone, places," Chris said, clapping.

Joey crawled on his hands and knees to his spot on the floor. JC sat on Joey's back for the ride. Lance dragged JC off of Joey. Joey collapsed, moaning about his back. JC rubbed his butt, blaming Lance, ignoring Joey. Lance laughed and refused to apologize. Justin dragged Joey and JC to standing positions and pushed Lance into place.

"Are we ready to begin?" Chris asked. "All righty then. One, two, three, four." Chris did an awkward plie.

"Tango!" Joey said.

"We don't know how to tango," Lance said.

"I know how to tango," Wade said. "If you're good boys, I'll teach you. Let's go." He turned on the CD. "Show me what you remember."

"Two plus two is three," Chris said.

Justin started the routine for "I Want You Back."

"Three plus three is seven," Chris said.

Wade stopped the CD. "You have ten seconds to get the silliness out of your system. Ten. Nine."

Chris flapped his hands and screamed.

Justin jogged in place.

JC laughed.

"Eight. Seven."

Joey hopped around Lance.

"Six. Five."

"Two men walked into a bar. The third one ducked," Chris said.

"Four. Three."

"There was this man and he was building a house and he-"

"Two."

"-was a perfectionist and he wanted to make sure-"

"One."

"AUGH!" everyone yelled.

Wade turned on the CD.

They dropped into perfect position for the downbeat.

"Joey," Chris moaned. "I'm an old man."

Joey grinned.

"We've been practicing and rehearsing and dancing and I'm tired, my feet are falling off, my arms-"

Joey ran his fingers through Chris's hair.

"My hips can't do that thing anymore, they're locked into place, there's no-"

Joey kissed Chris's cheek.

"We were rehearsing yesterday and rehearsing all day today and I had Justin last night, he was as horny as a really horny thing, I need a break."

Joey kissed Chris's other cheek.

"Somebody, anybody, help," Chris begged.

"Come on, Joey," Lance said, tugging Joey away from Chris. "Give the poor old man a rest."

Joey grinned and kissed Lance.

Chris sighed and dropped onto the sofa. "Kids."

JC sat in Chris's lap.

Chris groaned.

JC smiled.

"My name is Lance," Justin said.

"I'm Justin," Joey called quickly.

"I'm Joey," JC said.

"I'm JC," Chris said.

"I'm Chris," Lance said, and sighed.

"Guys," Wade said.

Everyone switched positions on the floor.

"Excuse me, can we get through with this, I have work to do," Justin said.

"Nothing is more important than this!" Chris snapped.

JC fell down.

Joey fixed his hair in the mirrored wall.

"I don't have the voice for this," Lance said. "Why am I always Chris?"

"Guys," Wade said.

"How much is this costing us?" Justin asked.

Joey flexed and swung his hips and admired his reflection.

"Justin has more solos than I do," Chris said.

Wade left the room. Counted to ten. Walked back in.

Everyone was in position, waiting for him.

Justin looked into the mirror and patted his hair. Everybody laughed.

"Aaahhh!" Chris screamed.

Lance rubbed his ear.

"Look out!" Joey said.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch," JC said.

"Aaahhh!" Chris screamed.

"Does anybody want to switch seats?" Lance asked.

"Watch the-"

"Whoa. Ouch."

"Aaahhh!"

Lance climbed over Chris and stepped over Joey and sat beside Wade on the floor.

"He's coming up-"

"Ow," JC said.

"Aaahhh!"

Lance sighed and dropped to his back, giving up.

"Behind you!" Joey shouted.

"Ouch," JC said, flinching.

"Joey, Joey," Wade said. "One, two, three, swivel, one, two, three, swing, step, back, left, hook."

"Swivel, swing, hook," Joey repeated.

Justin hummed to himself, going through it.

"We know you can do it," Lance muttered.

"Why is it swivel and then swing?" Chris asked. "That doesn't make sense."

"Here." Wade did one, two, three, swing, one, two, three, swivel, step, back, left, hook.

"You are the master," Chris said. "Swivel, swing it is."

"Don't mess with Wade's flow," Justin told Chris.

"Flow on," Chris said.

Joey counted to himself, working out glitches.

"Step, back, left, hook," Wade told him, doing it slowly.

Joey nodded and mimicked his movements.

Lance rubbed his temples.

Chris was sitting on the sofa, head tipped back, staring at the ceiling. Justin was curled up against him, half-asleep.

JC was singing to himself, practicing with the mirror. Joey and Lance watched, memorizing.

"There are two hundred thirty-six tiles in this ceiling," Chris said.

"The ceiling's not tiled," Wade said, watching JC.

Joey looked up.

"If it were, there would be," Chris said.

"JC," Wade said.

"I know, I know," JC said, dropping the dance. He ran his hands through his hair. "Turn."

"Tight left, right there," Wade said.

JC nodded and tried again.

"I am not feeling this rhythm," Joey said.

"I am not feeling my feet," Chris said.

"I'm feeling sweaty," JC said.

"Joey, what's wrong?" Wade asked.

"That whole backstep section," Joey said. "From the pivot, slam, right-"

Wade went through it quickly, thinking.

"That," Joey said.

"Okay, I need to dance like that," Lance said.

"If we cut him into five equal portions and eat him, will we absorb his genes?" Chris asked.

"It's a thought," JC said.

Wade made mental revisions. "It's the one-two-three-four in the middle of the, like this."

"Right," Joey said.

"I'm not feeling that, either," Chris said. "I'm not feeling anything. I'm numb. My brain is numb. Am I speaking?"

"What if we make it a slow three?" Wade asked.

"How would that help?" Justin asked.

"Excuse me, are you the choreographer?" Chris asked Justin.

"That's good," Joey said, watching Wade. "I can do that."

Lance tried it.

"Right there," Wade said. "You want to change it?"

"Yeah," Lance said. "That moves easier with the rhythm."

"Good," Wade said. "Thanks, Joey. Okay, eyes up here, making a change."

On his back on his beach towel, Chris raised himself on his elbows and squinted towards the ocean. "There are few sights prettier than Lance Bass with a tan."

"Amen," Joey said.

"Did you catch Justin licking JC's tan lines?" Chris asked.

"What?" Joey asked.

"Oh, you missed that?"

Joey threw sand on Chris's back.

"Sight to see," Chris said. "JC just laying there, letting him."

Joey groaned and dug his toes into the sand.

Wade was glad he was on his stomach so no one could see his arousal.

"Does Justin ever..."

"What?" Joey asked.

"Lick you right here?" Chris asked, and rested his weight on one side, reaching over and running his fingers into Joey's lap.

"On that bone?" Joey asked. "Yeah."

"He's started sucking it now."

"How do you know all this?" Joey asked.

"It's amazing what Justin does when he doesn't think anybody's watching."

"You're bad," Joey said.

"When JC's half-asleep, Justin does whatever he wants to do," Chris said.

"Does JC know some old pervert's staring and taking notes?" Joey asked.

"If you don't tell him, I'll show you my peeping spot."

They fell silent, watching Lance approach.

"Like to lick his tan lines," Joey said.

"Hey, Lance," Chris called.

Joey hit Chris.

Chris hit Joey. "Lance!"

"What?" Lance asked.

"Joey-"

"Chris!"

"Joey wants-"

"Chris!"

"Be quiet! Don't interrupt when I'm talking to Lance."

"Chris Kirkpatrick, you-"

"Joey wants to lick your tan lines," Chris said.

Joey groaned and dropped onto his back.

"Oh," Lance said. He smiled and headed for the house. "Come on, Joey."

Chris stared.

Joey whooped and ran after Lance.

Wade sifted sand through his fingers.

"Justin," Wade said. "Concentrate."

Justin inhaled, exhaled, and nodded.

"Let's do it again," Wade said. "One, two, three, four... Pick it up, Joey. Tighter, tighter. JC, you're ahead. One, two, three, Chris, one, two... You've gotta focus, Justin, concentrate, right here. Left, left, good. One, two, three, four... That's your cue, Lance, right there, that was it. You should be getting this stuff. Let's do it again. Justin. Focus."

"Food," JC said, dropping to his knees before the open refrigerator.

"Food," Joey said, reaching past JC.

"Just grab me a tray of ice cubes and cover me," Chris said.

"Cover me!" Justin said, going into a crouch, aiming his fingers like a gun.

"Where did we get him?" Lance asked.

"Can we put him back?" Chris asked. "Augh!" he shrieked, spotting Wade.

"I'd run for my life, but I can't move," Lance said.

"He gets no food," Justin declared. "No food for Wade."

"He can eat whatever's left after we're through," JC said.

"That's right," Joey said. "*NSYNC eats first. The hired help can pick through the leftovers."

"And there ain't gonna be nothing left over," Justin said.

"Party!" Justin shouted.

Nobody moved.

"Party!" Justin tried again.

Joey's eyeballs moved in Justin's direction.

"Party!"

Lance changed the channel.

Justin ran into the practice room. Music blared. Chris winced. Lance turned up the volume on the TV. Justin ran out again and grabbed JC's arms, hauling JC from the sofa. "Party!"

"Wee-hee," JC tried.

Joey laughed.

"That's the spirit!" Justin cheered. "Party, party, party! Shake that booty, JC Chasez!"

"It's shaking," JC said. "Can I sit down now?"

Justin smacked JC's ass and started tugging at Lance. "Lance! Dance! Lance! Lance's chance to dance! Prance, Lance!"

"Get Wade to dance," Lance said. "That's what we pay him for."

Justin turned to Wade and grinned, showing all of his teeth. "Wade. Wade will dance with me."

JC sat again.

Justin whirled around. "Up!"

JC stood.

Justin turned back to Wade. "Come on, Wade. Come on." He snapped his fingers and rotated his hips. "Come on, Wade. Come and dance with me. You know you want to."

Wade looked around the room.

"Go ahead," Joey said.

"Little boys run off and play," Chris said.

Justin crooked his finger in Wade's direction. "Come on, Wade. Come and dance with me."

Wade stood.

JC sat.

Justin grabbed the remote control from Lance's hand, turned off the television, and stuck the remote in Wade's waistband. Then he started to dance.

Wade picked up the rhythm and moved with him.

"This is good," Chris said. "What more entertainment does anyone need?"

"Anybody got popcorn?" Joey asked.

"I was watching that," Lance said to no one in particular.

"So turn it on again," JC said.

"I can't reach the TV from here."

"Use the remote."

"Wade has it."

"Take it from him."

"Are we allowed to put our hands down the pants of pretty dancing boys?" Chris asked.

"We are paying him," Joey said.

Lance and JC "Ooohhh"ed. Joey pretended he hadn't said that.

Justin was dancing a lot closer than Wade normally danced with guys. Some girls didn't dance this close.

"It's a game," Chris said. "They dance around the room, and we try to grab the remote. The remote, Joey. Grab the remote."

"Stop trying to get me in trouble," Joey said. "I never, I didn't, I'm not grabbing Wade!"

"I will," Chris said. "Dance over in this direction."

Justin was starting to sweat.

"I need to dance like that," Lance said.

"In public?" Joey asked.

"Not in front of your mother," Chris said.

"I meant dance that well," Lance said. "Not those moves. I don't want to get arrested."

"JC, where are you going?" Chris asked as JC stood.

JC started right in with them, twisting and grinding. Not edging Wade out to dance with Justin, but dancing all three of them together. Justin was sweating and JC was smiling and Justin's return smile showed happy white teeth.

"Come on," Justin said. "You know you want to."

"I want something," Chris said, and coughed.

Lance coughed.

Joey coughed.

"Is anybody taping this?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, where's Steve?" Lance asked.

"He wishes," Joey said.

"Look at that boy go," Chris said.

Lance coughed.

Joey coughed.

"I'm going in," Chris said. "Notify my next of kin."

"Good luck," Lance said.

"Are you getting in there?" Joey asked Lance.

"No way," Lance said.

"I have never been that flexible," Joey said.

"Wow," Lance said.

"If I go to bed alone tonight, there is no God," Joey said.

Wade went to bed alone.

Joey had Justin backed against the wall, hands sliding over his torso. Justin's hands rubbed down Joey's denim-clad hips.

Chris coughed.

"The dancemaster's here," Lance said.

"Break it up," Wade said.

Joey backed away; Justin wiped his mouth with the back of one hand, turning red.

"The seven dwarves-"

"Dwarfs."

"Dwarfs?"

"Dwarfs."

"The seven dwarfs-"

"It's not dwarves?"

"The plural of 'wharf' is 'wharves."

"So?"

"The plural of mouse is mice, but several houses are not hice, so what-"

"But louse are lice, so-"

"That's a lousy comparison."

"Ha ha ha."

"You're a lousy joke-teller."

"You're a lousy singer."

"You're a lousy dancer and he's a lousy dresser and he's a lousy choreographer!"

"Ooohhh."

"Are you dissing Wade? Did you diss Wade? Are you dissing Wade?"

"Yes, yes, and yes."

"Ooohhh."

"You take that back."

"You take it back."

"You."

"You you you."

"Me me me."

"Mi mi mi."

"Do, re, mi, fa-"

"Doe, a deer, a female deer-"

"Why don't I look like that?"

"You're not tall enough," Lance said.

"Oh."

"I don't know," Lance said. "JC's too skinny."

"Yeah, but look at that muscle."

"Justin has muscle."

"Joey. Joey, wake up."

"I'm awake," Joey said.

"You're going to get a sunburn," Lance said. "Do you think JC's too skinny?"

"Yes," Joey said.

"I like Joey's body," Lance said, running his hand down Joey's back.

"Good," Joey said, closing his eyes again.

"There's a lot of meat on Joey, but most of it's muscle," Chris said.

"Lot of meat," Joey agreed.

"We're not talking about that, Joey," Lance said.

"Should be," Joey said.

Lance smiled and rubbed Joey's back some more.

"Then there's Wade," Chris said.

Wade looked at them. "What?"

"He's too young for you," Lance told Chris.

"He's too young for anybody," Chris said. "What are you, eleven?"

"Shut up," Wade said, and watched the ocean again.

They passed around the hat.

Joey unfolded his slip of paper. "If you wore pink underwear, would you tell anybody?" He thought about it. "Probably."

Chris read his paper. "Who's your favorite Backstreet Boy?" Everyone laughed and groaned. "I'd have to say Brian, because he's the only one I wouldn't be humiliated to be onstage with."

"Next," Justin said. "Have you ever shaved your armpits. No. Thank you. Good-bye."

"What color would you paint your toenails?" Lance asked. "Blue?" Chris pretended to make a note of that information.

"How much did you hate Chris's braids?" JC asked. "A lot," he said, smiling. "A lot," he repeated for emphasis.

Wade read his slip. "Would you rather get tongue from Justin or Lance?"

Joey put his hands over his mouth. Chris put his hands over his ears. "You can't ask him that," JC said.

"Who wrote that?" Lance asked.

"Wanna trade?" Wade asked JC.

Justin put his hands over his eyes to complete the tableau.

Wade looked at Justin. "Lance," he decided.

JC burst into laughter.

"Pass the hat," Lance said. They passed the hat.

"How many times did you come last night?"

"Who wrote that?" Chris asked.

"You," Joey said.

"Good question," Chris said.

"How many times did I come last night?" Joey asked.

"Three," JC said. Then he put his hand over his mouth and blushed.

Lance pretended he wasn't laughing.

"Next," Joey said. "Keep moving."

"How much money would you pay to have someone shave Wade bald for revenge for this anti-vacation?" Chris read. He thought about it. "However much money I have, plus I could take out a loan, and I know I could borrow some money from you guys-"

"Next," Wade said.

"That's me," Justin said. "If you were licking ice cream from JC's toes, would it be chocolate or vanilla? You guys are sick. Vanilla."

"Where were you the first time Joey kissed you?" Lance read. He thought about it. "I think we were in Justin's room."

"Is Justin too young for you?" JC asked. "Probably."

"Have you ever masturbated to a Disney movie?" Wade read. "No."

"Pass the hat," Chris said.

"Are there any normal questions in here?" Lance asked.

"Did anybody write any normal questions?" Chris asked.

No one said anything.

"My turn," Joey said. "Did you ever notice that when you - - yes," Joey said, turning red and crumpling the paper. "Next."

"What?" Justin asked.

"You have to read it," JC said.

"No, I don't," Joey said. "Not in mixed company."

"What's mixed?" Justin asked.

"Trust me," Joey said. "JC does not want me reading this in front of Wade."

"Why not?" JC asked. Joey passed it to JC. JC read. "Lance!"

"I wanted to make sure I wasn't the only one," Lance said.

"What's it say?" Justin asked.

Chris snatched it from JC's hands. "Did you ever notice that when you...whoa. Yes. Been there, done that. Wanna do it again."

"What?!" Justin demanded.

"You wouldn't know anything about that," Chris said to Justin, handing the paper back to Joey.

"I wouldn't?" Justin asked. "What? What are you all doing to JC?"

"Nothing," Lance said.

"Joey, give it to me," Justin said. "Joey."

"Where have I heard that before?" Chris asked.

"May I be excused?" JC asked.

"No," Justin said. "Chris, it's your turn. Joey, I'll see you after class."

"Name three songs from musicals by Andrew Lloyd Webber. What is this, how gay am I?" Chris asked. "Okay. There's 'Memory' from the kitty-cat one. There's 'Give Argentina a Kleenex,' from Evita. And..."

"Sad," Lance said.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! Cha cha cha, the phantom one, oh, there are songs in that."

"Very sad," Lance said.

"Hi, I'm a phantom, let me sing about it," Chris said. "Ah! Gurd, hnk, eep, argh! I know this one! 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue! 'Music of the Night!'"

Justin and Joey applauded politely.

"Take that!" Chris shouted at Lance.

"Sad," Lance said again.

"My turn," Justin said. "Oh, I think I dropped my paper. Joey, could you hand it to me? Thanks. Did you ever notice-" Justin's jaw dropped.

"May I be excused?" JC asked.

"He's catatonic," Chris said, watching Justin.

"Next," Lance said. "How many times have you danced naked? How many times? Are you asking about doing some moves on my way out of the shower, or-"

"Lance dances naked," Chris said.

"Wow, Lance," JC said.

"No, I-"

"Next," JC said.

"I-"

"Can we watch?" Joey asked.

"Why does Justin hog the covers? I don't know," JC said. "Why does he?"

"I do not," Justin said.

"Would you pay to have sex with JC?" Wade asked.

"Yes," Chris said.

"I don't have to," Justin said.

"Who wrote that?" JC asked.

"Sure," Wade said.

"Ooohhh," Justin said.

"I'm going to bed," JC said, getting to his feet. "Alone," he added, and left.

"Oops," Chris said.

"Somebody go talk to him," Joey said.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Lance said.

"Go," Justin said, pushing Wade.

"What?" Wade asked. "Me?"

JC was curled up in bed, under the covers. His sneakers, socks, and pants were on the floor, which left him in his sleeveless shirt and, presumably, underwear. "Hey," Wade said. "Are you asleep?"

"Yes," JC said.

"Okay. I'll wait until you wake up." He hummed to himself, moonwalking across the floor. "You need to get rid of this carpet. It's interrupting my flow here."

"What do you want?" JC asked.

Wade turned on the light.

JC sat up.

"You okay?"

"I was until you woke me up."

"You weren't sleeping."

"I was going to be."

"I didn't mean anything. They didn't mean anything."

JC rubbed his forehead.

Wade kept quiet.

"It's the five of us, we... You know." JC sighed. "I love them. And when we make love, it's..." He looked away, not that he'd been meeting Wade's gaze in the first place. "I don't know. We're all, it's the five of us. But I think they think I'm, like I'm different, like it's different with me. Like I'm better. Not a better person, I'm... Better in bed. Easier. I'm not, I..."

"You know they love you. They respect you."

"Yeah. What am I doing, complaining? Listen to me. This is ridiculous. I should be happy, they all think I'm good. We don't compare, it's not about that. We're all different people and we all bring different things to the table, whatever table it is. But I'm the one, would you pay to have sex with JC. Nobody asks if you'd pay to have sex with Chris. And nobody's sucking ice cream off of Joey's toes. And..."

"Was that other question really that bad?"

"Yes."

"Joey's feet aren't all that pretty," Wade said. "Lance has nice toes."

JC smiled.

"Come down and hang with us."

"I want to sleep."

"You can sleep later."

"Not with them around."

Wade smiled. "You need a lock on your door, JC."

"Tell me about it." He was blushing, but he was smiling.

It was a bad day. Everyone was in a bad mood. No one danced well. Chris was sunburnt. Justin was quiet. Wade heard himself pushing them and reprimanding them.

"Can we take ten?" Joey asked.

"No," Wade said. "When you're onstage, you don't get to take ten. When you're performing, you don't get to take ten. When you have a show to do, you don't get to take ten. You don't take ten here."

It was obvious that Lance wanted to say something unpleasant.

"Do it again," Wade said. "Right from the top, no stopping, no mistakes."

Wade had the house to himself. The beach to himself. *NSYNC was in Chris's room with the door closed, and had been all morning.

He didn't know what they were doing. Talking. Planning to kill him. It made him nervous, but he shrugged it off. He'd spent too much time and energy proving himself to get scared now.

He had to prove himself every day. Even with these guys. He hated it, but if he was going to be where he wanted to be, choreographing the biggest show on the road, that was what it took. Don't back down, show no weakness, take charge. Piss them off if you have to, but get the job done. They wanted to work, and he could make them work. It wasn't easy for them, but it wasn't easy for him, either.

He was too fucking young for this.

He started the CD over again, charting the steps.

"Make way for the boiled lobster!" Chris called, walking down the stairs.

"It isn't that bad," Lance said.

"It hurts, and if I want to complain, I'm going to complain," Chris said. "Look at this! I'm red! I'm a white boy!"

"Are you ever," Justin said.

"How did you end up with a tan?" Chris asked Lance. "You're sexier than ever and I'm in pain."

"Lance is sexy," JC said. "Look at sexy Lance."

"You're scaring me, JC," Lance said.

"Sexy," JC said again.

"Sexy," Justin repeated.

"Sexy," Joey said.

"Sexy," Chris said.

"Sexy!" Lance said. "Okay?"

Everybody beamed.

The light flared without warning. "Wade! What are you doing in bed?"

"Get up! Let's get cracking! The day's a-wasting!"

"You're still asleep?"

"Come on, no time to shower. Where are your clothes?"

"Haul that butt out of bed, Mr. Robson. Let's go."

Wade was pulled out of his bed and pushed into a standing position. "What-"

"It's already after six! You can't sleep the whole day away!"

"We should be dancing!"

"Dancing!"

"Dancing! Let's go!"

"One, two, three, four..."

"Get dressed. Come on. Wakey wakey."

"One, two, three, four..."

"Do you have a comb?"

"Yeah, you might want a comb."

"Nice undies, Wade."

The guys acted rested and even chipper. They were happy and upbeat, ready to work, able to shed their silliness and concentrate on the steps. They helped each other and communicated with Wade, learning quickly.

He let them off early.

They ran down to the beach.

Then they came back, all five of them, and dragged him along with them.

"Two people you'd like to meet."

"Jesus and Santana. Two people you'd like to smack."

"Lou and...Nick Carter. Two people you'd like to eat with."

"Ronald McDonald and Miss Manners. Two people whose ears you'd like to pierce."

"JC and...Lance. Two people you'd like to...two people whose hair you'd like to dye blue."

"Joey and Steve. Two people you'd like to have sex with."

"JC and Lance. Two people you'd like to watch have sex."

"JC and Wade. Two people-"

"What?"

"What? Two people you'd like to be onstage with."

"It's in your nature to destroy yourselves."

"Terminator II!"

"Ow. My pancreas."

"Encino Man!"

"He ain't all there, is he?"

"Young Guns!"

"Tomato soup!"

"Memphis Belle!"

"Run for your life!" Chris shouted, dashing down the hallway.

"Why?" Lance asked.

"Horny teenager on the loose!" Chris yelled. "Flee while you can!"

"What is going on?" Lance asked. Wade shrugged.

Justin appeared in the doorway. "Hi, Lance."

"Hi, Justin," Lance said.

"Want to come upstairs with me?"

"No," Lance said.

"Just for a minute," Justin said.

"Why?"

"I want to show you something."

"What do you want to show me?" Lance asked.

"No! Lance! Don't do it!" Chris yelled, running in, shoving past Justin and trying to bar the doorway.

"Chris, what?" Lance asked.

"Justin wants to see if he can have sex with all of us in one day," Chris said.

"Why?" Lance asked.

"I need a reason?" Justin asked.

"He's oversexed," Chris said.

"I love you, Lance," Justin said. "Come and make love with me."

"Justin-" Lance began. He hesitated. "I don't..."

"Please, Lance?"

"Don't do it!" Chris said.

"I was on my upstairs anyway," Lance said, standing.

"You were not!" Chris said.

Justin held his hand out to Lance.

"Sex dwells in this house of perversion!" Chris said.

Lance took Justin's hand and walked with Justin from the room.

"That boy is asking for trouble," Chris said. "And a pulled muscle. And I don't know what he's thinking, with this order. Me, Joey, Lance, and JC? JC last? After he's already been with three other people? There will be nothing left of him. You need to be in peak form to handle having JC in your bed - - hi, JC."

"Hi, Chris," JC said.

"I was telling Wade...nothing about you."

"Good," JC said, and dropped beside Wade on the sofa.

"Hi," Wade said.

"Hi," JC said.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes," JC said, patting Wade's knee and standing again. "Come with me."

"Where?" Wade asked, rising and following JC from the room.

"Come on," JC said, leading the way. Wade looked around for help, then followed. They went outside and down to the beach. "This is a private beach."

"Yeah."

"Nobody's around for miles. There are no boats out there. Justin's busy with Lance inside, and Joey's going to keep Chris busy."

"Okay."

JC pulled off his sneakers and socks, dropping them together in the sand.

Wade followed suit, then followed JC down to where the sand was soft and wet from the ocean. "Teach me to dance," JC said.

"You know how to dance," Wade said.

"Show me."

Wade scratched his forehead. "Okay. What do you want to do?"

"Dance for me."

"Dance for you," Wade repeated. "I'm not really ready to put on a show."

"Dance for me."

"Dance for you," Wade said. "Okay. To the natural music of the ocean?"

JC smiled. "Exactly."

"Right." He was supposed to dance for JC. He was being paid for his time, right? JC was the star, right? If JC wanted him to dance, he had to dance. Dance, boy, dance! He looked over the waves, trying to pick up a rhythm. Too slow. Pick it up, double-time, triple-time, twist for every seagull. A little tap, a little salsa, a little swing... Pretty soon he was dancing to the music in his head, finding his groove and then weaving it harder, ignoring the people in the house, ignoring the man before him, feeling the soft wet sand, the splash of the ocean, the heat of the sun. He stripped out of his shirt, and even that was part of the dance.

"Hey!"

Wade jerked around, snapped out of the dance. Chris was coming down from the house.

JC stood, dusting sand from his butt. "Wade, that was - - Chris, he - - you were feeling it. I was feeling it." JC was looking happy. His eyes were bright, and his smile was brighter, and he was high-energy. High on energy. "I can't believe - - you had the - - I knew you had the moves, man, I-"

"Hi, JC, this is coherency calling," Chris said, joining them. "Please pick up the phone."

"Aaahhh!" JC whirled around in a tight circle.

Chris backed up.

Wade raised his eyebrows.

"That was awesome!" JC told Wade.

"Apparently," Chris said. "You guys doing lines out here? Found some mushrooms not native to the area?"

"That was the best! You were the best! This man," JC said to Chris, standing behind Wade and wrapping his arms around him, "is the best."

"Man," Chris said. "Has he hit puberty yet?"

"You're going to get burned out here," JC told Wade, smacking his shoulders and moving back to retrieve Wade's shirt. "Get back in there."

"And shower," Chris said. "You're half-naked and sweating. What have you guys been doing?"

"Nothing," JC said, and smiled. "You, you, are the best," he told Wade.

"Wipe your feet," Chris said.

"Yeah," Wade said, and walked back to the house.

Justin didn't meet his goal of having sex with everyone in one day. Instead, he spent the majority of the day in bed with Lance. When they came down for food, he looked exhausted.

Lance looked...relaxed.

Wade nodded to himself, pacing the back of the room, watching them dance, making mental notes.

They sat in a close circle on the floor, making eye contact, passing smiles, singing a cappella. Wade stood in the doorway and watched.

Lance took Joey upstairs, leading him by the hand. Joey grinned and waved along the way. Justin gave Joey a thumbs-up.

Wade was in the mirrored room, running through old routines without thinking.

"Hey," JC said, coming into the room. "You're still up?"

Wade turned, wiping off sweat. "Yeah. I can't sleep, so..." He hesitated. "Whenever I can't sleep I do old dances I can do in my sleep."

JC smiled. "Makes sense."

"What're you doing down here?" Somebody upstairs was missing a warm body right now.

JC smiled without answering, wandering through the room.

Wade calculated the odds that JC was naked under those sweatpants.

The house was still and quiet. Dark, beyond this room. JC walked back in his direction. "Dance with me."

Wade frowned.

JC offered one hand.

Wade hesitated.

JC was standing close.

"We don't have music."

JC's eyes were blue. Blue. He'd known that, but...blue. "We have music," JC said.

Wade swallowed, looking around for help.

"You lead," JC said. "Dance with me."

He took JC's hand, fitting his other hand to the small of JC's back. JC's hand rested on his shoulder. Back, side, front, side. Back, side, front... JC was skinny and light, moving with Wade's touch. Their eyes were locked. Wade wanted to look away. Blue. Wade let himself get lost there. Blue. Blue. Blue. Nothing else existed, not the floor, not the lights, not the people upstairs, not the money he was being paid to keep this man happy. Only blue, and the music, and the dance.

The mirrors reflected an intimate tango.

Wade was a professional. A lot of dancing he'd done required grabbing and groping and the scandalous juxtaposition of body parts, from ballet to swing. He knew the difference between a touch that was part of the dance and a touch that crossed boundaries.

He let his hand slide down over JC's ass.

JC's eyes closed, breaking the trance of the blue, weaving a new trance. JC inhaled, shoulders back, pelvis front.

JC didn't have anything on under those sweatpants.

Wade danced. It was a new dance now, a private one, so private even the mirrors couldn't reflect its true nature. JC's hips obeyed his touch, JC's body bending and swaying at his command as no trained partner's could.

Wade stood still.

JC stared into his eyes, breathing.

Wade was sweating.

"Thank you for the dance," JC said.

Wade nodded.

JC stepped back, turned, and went upstairs.

Wade sank to the floor in a crouch, crossing his arms over the back of his head.

Chris and Justin were convulsing with laughter.

Lance was talking with JC and ignoring them.

Wade led Joey through the intricacies of the routine.

"Nose job," Joey said.

"I would do something about my mouth," Justin said.

"You're all crazy," JC said.

"Nose job," Chris answered for JC.

"What's wrong with my nose?" JC asked.

"Can you get your butt lifted?" Lance asked. "I'd do that. Get the fat suctioned out of it, or something."

"Tummy tuck," Chris announced. "No, nose job. No, I'd get my penis enlarged, like, inches longer and this big around-"

"Ouch," JC said.

"Don't come near me with that thing," Justin agreed.

"You sleep with Lance," Chris said.

Joey started laughing.

"Can you get your eyes enlarged?" Chris asked. He reached over and tried to stretch the skin around JC's eyes. "Open wide."

"Get away from me," JC said. "You're all crazy. I wouldn't change a thing about any of you."

"I might cut Justin's hair, though," Joey said.

JC smiled and declined to answer.

Lance and Justin were late for practice. Wade mounted the stairs. Lance was probably on a business call, and-

He froze.

He had to go, he had to retreat, go, go, get out of there. He wasn't allowed to see this, nobody was allowed to see this, this was between them, this was Justin and Lance, this was *NSYNC, he was an intruder. If they saw him, if they knew he'd seen...

He stood at the bottom of the stairs, shaking.

JC touched his arm. "Go work with Chris and Joey. I'll get them."

He nodded. JC squeezed his arm and jogged up the stairs.

It was Be Nice to Wade Day. Everyone dragged him off to do something nice for him. Joey gave him a full-body massage. Chris bleached his hair. Lance learned the back-twist-slide they'd been working on yesterday. Justin sat with him on the sofa and told him stupid jokes until he laughed himself sick.

He jacked off in the shower, remembering Chris's hands gentle in his hair, Chris's fingers tipping back his face; Lance's body twisting, Lance's pelvis thrusting just right; Justin warm and close, Justin smiling and happy; Joey's hands on his body...

When he came out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist, JC was sleeping in his bed.

He pulled on his clothes as fast as he could. Then he shook JC's shoulder. "JC."

"Crs n m bed," JC said. He tugged at Wade's fingers.

"JC-"

"I'm tired and I want to sleep and your door locks," JC said. "I won't snore."

Wade absorbed this information. "You want me to sleep with you?"

"It's your bed."

Okay. Wade looked around the room. He looked at the door, which was indeed locked. "Can you scoot over?"

"I like this side," JC said, eyes closed.

Wade pulled his fingers free of JC's grasp and climbed over JC, settling in as best he could. Okay. He was going to sleep. In his clothes. Without moving.

He couldn't very well impress everyone with his maturity if he had a freaking wet dream. Wade sat up and looked over at JC. Just keep sleeping, JC. Gingerly, Wade tried to crawl over-

JC rolled over. Wade shrank back. Shit. He waited. JC frowned a little and shifted positions. Wade held his breath. Come to think of it, besides the fear and panic, this wasn't too bad. Maybe he'd stay here. In bed. With JC. For the rest of his life.

JC kept sleeping.

Wade kept watching, sitting there against the wall. He had to pee and his clothes were sticking to him and he was hungry, but he wasn't going anywhere.

Voices. Movement. The guys were awake.

"Where's JC?"

"I thought he was with you."

"He's not in his room?"

"Check downstairs."

"I didn't see him down there."

"I guess we're *NSYN."

"Where's Wade?"

"Ooohhh."

"Ssshhh."

Knock. "Wade?"

Wade held his breath.

"Door's locked."

"No way."

"Yes way."

"Josh Chasez!"

"My man Wade."

"He didn't."

"He did."

Wade watched JC sleep.

"Mmm." JC rolled over again. Opened his eyes a little. A little more. "Hi. What time is it?"

"Ten." He'd gotten up, washed, dressed, and come back to sit and watch JC sleep. For a change of pace, he'd spent a few minutes looking at his toes and wondering what flavor of ice cream went well with them. He had the weird urge to lick mint chocolate chip from Lance's, but he couldn't associate any flavor with his own.

He wondered if the guys sucked JC's toes.

He wondered if JC sucked their toes.

JC rolled out of bed and walked to the bathroom, stretching.

Wade wondered what the guys would say when JC showed up downstairs.

As it turned out, no one said anything. At least not within Wade's hearing. No one even said anything to him, which was weird. Someone should have said something, whether to threaten him or make cheap innuendo. But no one warned him to stay away from JC, and no one dropped double entendres.

Maybe they'd figured out that nothing had happened.

Maybe they'd known all along that nothing had happened. What would JC be doing with him, anyway?

The only one who might possibly ever once sleep with him was Justin. And that wasn't happening in this lifetime.

Which sucked.

Because Wade would have done anything to feel that muscular grace move naked against his body.

"Goatee."

"Voice."

"He makes me laugh, 'cause sex is fun."

"Best thing about sex with JC."

"There are no words."

"Flexibility."

"Necklace."

"The fact that a hundred things popped into my mind, that is the best thing about JC."

"He even breathes sexy."

"Justin breathes sexy."

"You breathe sexy."

"I do?"

"If I hear you count to four one more time, I'll one-two-three-four your ass."

"If you all focus and learn the moves, I'll stop counting," Wade said. "I'm not doing this for my benefit."

"Good. Then we're not paying you."

"Get back in line and let's start over."

"Wade sucks."

"Your show's going to suck if you don't start listening to me."

"Ooohhh."

"Take ten seconds and fix that attitude."

"Fix yours."

Wade stared them down.

There was a scrap of paper under Wade's comb.

Did you ever notice that when you lick the back of JC's neck, his ass gets tight around your dick?

"I'm Wade!" Justin announced.

"I'm Justin!" Chris said.

"I'm Chris," Lance said, and sighed.

"I'm Lance," Joey said.

"I'm Joey," JC said.

"I'm JC," Wade said, when everyone looked at him.

Everybody switched places. Wade walked to JC's spot.

"One, two, three, four," and Justin did something so drastically complicated he bounced off the mirrored wall and fell on the floor.

"Wade's more graceful than that," Joey observed in his best Lance voice.

"More like this," Lance said, and tried to dance, Lance being Chris being Wade.

"Who am I?" JC asked.

Chris tried to beatbox, doing some hip-hop moves.

Wade fixed his hair and smiled.

Justin executed his dance more gracefully this time, going through fast and impossible choreography. "Now you do it. No mistakes."

Chris did a hasty rendition of the moves. "Now you all look bad because I'm so good."

"We're used to it," JC said, and scratched himself.

"Are we finished here?" Lance asked.

JC poked Wade and looked away innocently. Tapped Wade's shoulder and gazed at the ceiling. Kicked Wade in the butt and scratched his chin.

"Focus!" Justin snapped.

"On what?" Lance asked.

"It's time for my milk and cookies," Chris said.

JC stood behind Wade, ducking behind his back, peering over each shoulder, giving him bunny ears.

"You have ten seconds," Justin said. "Ten. Nine."

"You're counting too fast," Joey said.

JC started fixing Wade's hair.

"What comes after nine?" Lance asked.

"Eight. Seven."

"No, I'm pretty sure that's not it," Lance said.

"It's past my bedtime," Chris said.

"Six. Five."

JC grabbed Wade around the waist and tried to pick him up.

"JC, have you gained weight?" Lance asked.

"Four. Three," Justin counted.

"I think you missed some numbers," Lance said.

"Two."

Everyone scrambled back into position.

"One," Wade said.

Wade dug his toes into the cooling sand and watched the water shine beneath the moonlight.

"Nice view," Chris said. "Makes me philosophic. Gives me very wise thoughts."

"Like what?" Wade asked.

"I don't know."

Wade chuckled.

"You're at least twenty years too young for me."

"At least. You're what, fifty?"

"Something like that," Chris agreed, watching the ocean. "That doesn't seem to keep my lecherous old hands off of Lance or Justin, though."

"That's different."

"It is," Chris said. "Everything's different when it's *NSYNC."

"You share something really special," Wade said. "I... Thank you. For letting me see that."

"Now that you know, we have to kill you. I hope you realize that."

"You could dump my body in the ocean," Wade said. "There should be sharks out there somewhere."

"Or we could initiate you into our secret club."

Wade forced himself not to say anything stupid.

"It's up to you," Chris said. "Once you're in, you can never get out. We're *NSYNC for life. In synch for life."

Wade watched the ocean.

"I think that's enough deep philolosophophizing for one night," Chris said. "I told Lance he should have this talk with you, and he said, no, Chris, you do it, it should come from you. He's so pretty, I can't say no. And even if you cover your eyes, you can still hear him. Lance has a good voice. You should hear him in bed." Chris went into the house.

Wade dug his toes into the cooling sand.

JC was in the practice room, dancing before the mirrors. "Hey."

"Hey," Wade said. "Straighten your shoulders."

"What time is it?"

"After midnight."

JC shook himself. "I should get to bed."

"It should be empty."

JC stretched.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

Wade felt like shit. Desperate shit. "Do you want to dance?"

JC turned and looked at him.

"Do you want to dance?" He kept his voice from faltering. He had a lot of practice faking confidence.

"We don't have music," JC said.

"We have music," he said, because he had to, because that was his line.

"You lead," JC said, and took his hand.

He was weightless. The floor beneath his feet was nothing but blue sky. JC's movements were an extension of his own. He didn't think, didn't plan, didn't choreograph, only moved. Danced. And JC danced with him. Followed each touch. Obeyed the direction from his eyes.

Oh, dear, god, JC was flexible.

Gravity intervened. Wade remembered where he was, who he was. Who was with him.

"Joey's been wanting to make love to me in here," JC said, his voice soft. He stayed in Wade's arms, against Wade's body. "He wants to watch me in the mirrors."

Wade wasn't breathing.

"I want to watch you," JC said.

He couldn't breathe.

"I want to make love with you."

All brain activity had ceased.

"What do you want?"

Without his permission, his hand slid down over JC's ass.

JC smiled. "We can do that."

"Well, looky here," Chris said.

Wade blinked.

"Wow," Justin said.

"Whoa," Lance said.

"Aren't they cute?" Chris asked.

"That's one word for it," Justin said.

Wade wriggled away from JC and reached for his clothes.

"He's not a natural blond," Joey said.

"There are beds upstairs," Lance said.

JC sat up, coming awake.

"Morning, JC," Chris said. "Have a good time last night?"

Wade stood, clutching one sneaker to his chest.

"Mirrors," Joey said. "The...the mirrors."

"Yes, Joey, there are mirrors," Lance said.

"Go JC!" Chris shouted. "Wish I'd thought of that. Now that we've all seen Wade naked, who wants breakfast?"

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