Lance isn't sure exactly what Justin is expecting to get out of his meeting with Chris. Or, he is, of course he is, he isn't quite that naïve, no matter how much Justin laughs at him. But, just, from what Justin's told him, Chris is not interested in a seventeen-year-old. Lance has to say he applauds this, ten years is waaay too big an age difference. But Justin is going to try, and maybe he'll get his way, since he's wearing that tight Ramones t-shirt and his too-big cargos that barely sit on his hips. Lance isn't sure what he's supposed to do while Justin tries on the seduction scene.

When they get to Providence, they head to the club Chris picked, and Lance wonders if they'll even be able to get in. It's an all-ages show, though, so they can. They each get their hands stamped and in they go, moving slowly through the dim lights and the close-pressed bodies. Justin's got that height advantage, so he's the one that finally finds Chris — who's not alone. "Fucker," Lance hears him say, and checks out Chris' companion. He's vaguely familiar. They head over and Chris nods and talks, but Lance can't hear him over the music. Justin's taking that as an opportunity to get in nice and close, and he rolls his eyes behind Justin's back. The other guy moves closer to him (it looks like Justin has body checked him out of the way) and smiles. He introduces himself, though Lance only gets "C" out of it. Lance, introducing himself in return, notices that this "C" has a really nice smile, and then he turns toward the stage and they listen to the music.

The band takes a break at some point, and it gets a little easier to hear, so they move back, to a corner and a table, and Lance shakes Chris' hand and says hi. He finds out the guy with the nice smile is JC and that he goes to Brown and is studying music. They start talking about the band, but it pretty much just degenerates into an argument between Chris and Justin. Lance watches them, wondering if he should say anything, because they are really going at it. He doesn't, though, because JC touches his arm, and smiles a little behind his wild hair, and his eyes just crinkle up, just so, and Lance is drawn into conversation with him without knowing what they are even talking about.

At the end of the night, Chris decides they are leaving. The stand outside in the damp, Justin obviously trying to get a repeat invitation with Chris, it seems, having none of it. JC speaks up, though, and says, "Hey, you guys should come up next week for the Stone Roses show. It's at the Met Cafe and I think it's all ages. We're going." He continues to chat happily about the Stone Roses, Justin chiming in almost desperately that they love that band, and Lance making a comment or two. Chris looks like he's going to knock someone's block off, but just says a curt "see you then" before dragging JC away.

Justin watches for a minute, and Lance tells himself he's watching too only because of Justin, and then Justin's grabbing his arm and dragging him to the car, quiet until the doors are closed and the engine's on, and then just exploding all over the place with how Chris is "such an asshole, so fucking full of himself," and in the next breath, "so hot, holy Christ, how hot is he." Lance just shakes his head and mumbles in appropriate places.

Justin's exit is the one before his, and he starts to signal for it when Justin interrupts his monologue on Chris to ask, "Can I stay with you tonight?"

Lance looks over at him, and then says, "Yeah. Yeah, no problem."

"Cool, dude. Thanks." Justin flashes a smile, his usual blinding one, but Lance has known him for a long time and he sees that it's ragged on the edges.

They get to Lance's house, and head to his room. Lance tosses Justin a blanket and they pull open the futon. There are already sheets on it, which neither of them says anything about. As they lay in the dark, teeth brushed (Justin has a toothbrush there too), in boxers and t-shirts, Justin says, "So next week. Are you gonna come?"

"Yeah, I guess," says Lance, and when he closes his eyes he sees JC's smile.


next
table of contents