Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2001 03:14:27 +0000
From: Angel1313@att.net
Subject: Devotion ch.34

Devotion
Chapter Thirty-Four:
Time Flies When You're Stressed Out

disclaimer: This is (gasp!) fiction. I don't really know whether or not any
or all of the members of *NSYNC are gay. I have my suspicions, though ^_~

notes: Hey, I'm back and it's been less then two months! Hmm... wondering
what's going on? I'm back into *NSYNC! I already have much of ch.35 planned
out, so it should be coming soon. Oh, and I still love feedback, so feel
free to write me, the address is up top. Oh, and I apologize for any errors
in the text... I didn't have it in me to edit this chapter, and I really
wanted to get it out, so... I guess my grammar suffered. >.< Thanks, Angel
^_^

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Chapter Thirty-Four:
Time Flies When You're Stressed Out

	"C'mon! It's almost eight! We have to be at the airport by nine!"
Lance called, walking through the door of Justin and JC's hotel room, key
in hand.
	JC and Justin were laying in one of the beds together. Some time
during the night, they had rolled away from each other, and Justin had
pulled all of the blankets with him. JC lay on his back with an arm across
his stomach.
	Lance sighed, glancing around the hotel room, which was spotless
except for a few articles of clothing laid out for the day to come. "At
least you've already packed," he muttered. Walking towards the bed, he said
louder, "JC! Justin! Time to get up!"
	JC groaned and blinked a couple of times. "Lance?" he questioned
hoarsely. Justin rolled over and grumbled something.
	Sighing again, Lance placed his hands on his hips. "Guys, you need
to get up, and you need to get up *now.* Don't make me get Joey in here."
	JC sat up, rubbing his eyes. He then lifted his arms over his head
in a stretch, yawning all the while. "What time is it, Scoop?" he asked
sleepily.
	"8:05," Lance replied, glancing at his watch. "Which means that
I've been trying to get you two up for the past fifteen minutes. Now hop to
it. We've got to be out of here in twenty-five minutes."
	JC nodded and got off of the bed. Glancing at Justin, he muttered,
"So *that's* why I was so cold."
	Lance chuckled quietly. "Oh, and Joey and I have doughnuts over at
our place. They're from last night, but it was late, so they're still
fresh."
	JC's eyebrows raised in surprise. Half because Lance and Joey went
out last night and half because Lance and Joey went out *together.*
	"Were you out late?" he asked the blonde.
	Lance laughed. "Incredibly, but I've had enough coffee to make it
seem otherwise. Joey, on the other hand, is in some serious pain right
now."
	JC laughed as well. "I'll be over in a couple of minutes, all
right?"
	Lance nodded and headed out of the room.
	As soon as he heard the door close, Justin sat up. "He didn't say
anything about us being in the same bed."
	JC walked into the bathroom. "Neither did I."
	Justin looked worried. "Do you think he noticed?"
	JC re-entered the bedroom and knelt beside his companion. "Justin,"
he said gently, taking the younger man's hand. "Lance was in a relationship
with Joey. Do you really think he's going to be bothered even if he *did*
think we were together? Besides, it's not like we've never shared a bed
before."
	Justin smiled down at the brunet. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I
mean, yesterday I wanted to tell everyone about us being together, but now
I'm not so sure."
	JC stood up, releasing Justin's hand. "What do you mean?"
	Justin looked away. "Well, now I want to make sure that the timing
is right, and that you and I both know what we want to tell everyone, and
what we want to keep private. But," he added, looking back at JC. "I think
you're right about Lance being okay with it. Joey and Chris, too."
	The twenty-four year-old smiled. "Yeah, Joey and Scoop kind of
broke the ice on that one for us."
	Justin smiled as well. "Yeah, and everyone already knows that
you're gay, and they're all cool with that."
	JC's smile faltered. "I'm gonna go hit the shower, okay? Lance and
Joey have doughnuts, so I think I'm going to head over there when I get
out. I'll be quick, though, all right?"
	Justin nodded but remained silent, wondering what he had said to
make JC uncomfortable. JC himself quickly entered the bathroom, closing the
door behind him.

	"Ooo," Chris cooed, entering Lance's room behind the bass
singer. "Doughnuts! All right! You two are awesome!"
	"Thank Lance," Joey replied, brushing powdered sugar out of his
mustache. "He's the only reason I haven't already finished them off."
	Lance laughed as he and Chris joined their bandmate at the
table. "Well, that and he knew that JC would cause him physical harm if he
didn't save a few for him."
	Joey rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and Justin would probably join in,
too, knowing him."
	Smiling, Chris glanced around the room as he grabbed a jelly
doughnut. "Say, where are the lovebirds? Not up yet?"
	Lance sighed. "They're in the process of getting up. When I went to
get you up, JC was actually moving around, but I left Justin to him. He was
piled under so many blankets, I don't think I could have gotten to him if
I'd wanted to."
	Joey laughed. "You'd think that if he was cold he'd just cuddle up
with JC."
	Chris nodded seriously. "Yeah, and remember how only one of the
beds was unmade the other day? Maybe they *do* sleep together."
	Finishing off his danish, Lance put in, "Actually they *were* in
bed together. But," he added quickly, holding up a hand to silence the
comments his companions had been ready to make. "They were as far away from
each other as they could be. And Justin had taken all of the covers."
	Chris laughed. "Typical Justin. I'm telling you, that kid gets
everything he wants."
	Joey shook his head in amazement. "JC even spoils him in his sleep!
I think I'm going to have to tease Justin more then usual today to make
sure it doesn't go to his head."
	Lance rolled his eyes. "Sure you will, Joey. I mean, you've been
doing such a good job of that so far."
	Joey laughed, but Chris raised his eyebrows. "You think that
Justin's egotistical?" the twenty-eight year-old asked the younger man.
	Lance shook his head, looking thoughtful. "Not really, no. I'm just
poking fun at Joey."
	Joey smiled. "As usual," he added.
	"Yeah, but you're such an easy target," Lance replied, returning
his bandmate's smile.
	Chris smiled as well. /This sounds familiar. Maybe these two really
did work out their problems./
	"So, did you guys have fun last night? You left just like I asked,
so at least I know that you didn't just sit around and get drunk. Well, not
at that table, anyway," Chris said with a laugh.
	"Yeah, actually. It was a lot of fun," Joey replied.
	"We had a great time," Lance agreed. "And neither of us got drunk."
	Chris looked surprised. "Joey was in a club and he didn't get
drunk?"
	"I know, I was amazed, too. I kept asking him if he felt all right,
and I took his temperature once or twice," Lance replied.
	"Ha. Ha," Joey deadpanned. "You two think you're *so* funny."
	Chris nodded. "We do."
	Joey glared at the twenty-eight year-old, but said nothing.
	"So, when's our flight again?" Chris asked, looking to Lance.
	Lance opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted by a knock
at the door. "Coming," he calling, getting up from the table.
	"I'm gonna go jump in the shower," Joey told Chris, getting up as
well.
	"You'd better be quick," Chris replied. "Lance will kill you if
you're not, and you're not exactly known for taking short showers."
	Joey muttered, "Yeah, yeah," and headed into the bathroom.
	"Jace," Lance greeted, opening the door. "Come in."
	JC smiled. "Thanks."
	"How do you look good this early in the morning?" Chris asked,
shaking his head in wonder.
	JC looked down at his outfit. He was wearing loose, olive-green
cargo pants and a tight black sweater. "Um, I *don't* look good," he
replied, looking at the eldest member of *NSYNC in confusion. "What are you
talking about?"
	"This is why *he's* the heartthrob, and you're not," Lance
explained to Chris.
	Chris glared at the bass singer. "I *am* the heartthrob, so you go
back to being your shy little self."
	"Aren't you supposed to be the nice, kind, wise older brother?"
Lance asked, folding his arms across his chest.
	"I thought that was me," JC put in, walking over to the table. "May
I have a doughnut?"
	Lance chuckled quietly. "Of course, Jace. I wouldn't have told you
about them otherwise."
	As JC sat down and grabbed a doughnut, Chris asked, "Say, JC,
where's your shadow?"
	JC rolled his eyes. "If you mean *Justin,* he's in the shower. He's
gonna come over here when he's done, though."
	"Are you-" Lance began, but JC interrupted him.
	"Yeah, we're completely packed. I sent our bags downstairs
already."
	Lance smiled. "Excellent. Chris, I'm going to assume that you did
the same?"
	Chris laughed nervously and looked away.
	Sighing, Lance shook his head. "Just as I thought. Okay, would you
go get your bags so I can at least send them downstairs with mine and
Joey's?"
	Chris nodded and got up to leave. He opened the door to find Justin
there, his hand poised to knock. "Hey, Curly. I see you didn't have time to
tame your `fro this morning," Chris greeted.
	Justin glared at him and held up a red bandanna, growling something
unintelligible.
	Laughing, the twenty-eight year-old shoved past the young
singer. "Well, aren't we grumpy this morning? Don't tell me - JC wouldn't
cuddle with you last night so you're taking it out on the rest of us?"
	Lance sighed and buried his head in his hands. "Chris, *please.* We
*don't* need this this morning."
	"Hey!" JC exclaimed, standing up. "Leave Justin alone!"
	"Chris, I *so* not in the mood for your shit right now," Justin
snarled, storming into Lance and Joey's room.
	Chris just laughed as he made his way down the hall to his hotel
room.
	Lance rubbed at his eyes warily. "Okay, we have to be out of here
in-" the Mississippian began. He stopped when he looked up to see that
neither Justin nor JC was listening to him. "Nevermind," he muttered as
Justin and JC both sat down at the small kitchen table.
	Justin was playing with the buckle of the belt he had slung around
his jeans. After JC pointed out that he was doing it, the teen stopped for
only moments before he began to play with the end of the soft, gray sweater
he was wearing.
	"Just, are you all right? You're not eating," JC commented out,
looking at the younger man with concern.
	"Yeah, I already ate. Thanks again for the Lucky Charms," Justin
replied, beginning to tap his fingers on the table.
	JC looked at the blonde skeptically. "Are you sure nothing's
bothering you?"
	Justin forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just nervous about Joey
taking too long in the shower, that's all."
	JC laughed. "Yeah, good point. We may never get out of here."
	"At least he's packed," Justin pointed out.
	"Only because I packed for him," Lance muttered. The two young men
at the table laughed.
	"Yeah, Josh had to pack for me," Justin admitted. "I don't know
what I'd do without you," he added, turning back to the brunet seated
across from him.
	"You'd find your way," JC replied softly.
	A feeling of concern flashed across the blonde's face, but Justin
quickly replaced it with a confident smile. "Yeah, but you'd probably be
totally lost without me - like Joey would be without Scoop here to hold him
together."
	JC laughed, and Lance marched over to the bathroom door. Banging on
it, he yelled, "Joey, c'mon! We've got all of five minutes before we have
to be down in the hotel lobby! Don't think I won't leave you to Sexual
Chocolate! And you *know* they won't be happy about being late!"
	It took all of two seconds for the water to turn off. JC laughed,
but Justin raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I'm glad you're not like that,
Josh."
	"Hey, whatever works," Lance replied, walking away from the
bathroom. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Lance went over to
answer it.
	"Don't worry, I sent my stuff down," Chris announced before Lance
had a chance to say anything.
	The Mississippian nodded. "Good."
	"So, how much time do we have until we need to get downstairs?"
Chris asked, leaning against the door frame, his arms folded across his
chest.
	"Don't any of you have watches?" Lance muttered. Glancing at his,
he replied, "Two minutes. Basically, we're just waiting for Joey to-"
	The Mississippian was cut off by Joey himself, who burst out of the
bathroom in bright red pants and an orange and blue long-sleeved tee-shirt.
	"Okay, let's get this show on the road!" he cried cheerfully.
	For the second time that morning, Lance buried his head in his
hands.

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	So...? What did you think? I know that there wasn't that much
happening, but I'd love to hear what you think, so feel free to drop me a
line (Angel1313@att.net). Thanks for reading! -Angel ^_^