Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 21:12:27 EST
From: aCi 2785 <aci_85@hotmail.com>
Subject: Love Interest - Chapter 15

Last time on Chapter 14 of Love Interest -

"I thought we were friends Chris? It's one thing to kiss my boyfriend, I
could have forgiven you for that. But, you know I couldn't have beaten
you even if I tried, and you didn't stop after one hit." Justin spoke up,
much to even Josh's surprise. He had come into the room thinking he was
there to speak for himself and Justin, and he was a little taken back by
Justin's forwardness.

"We are friends Justin. I'm sorry I hit you, I'm sorry I didn't stop
after one hit. And I'm sorry for what I said to you." Chris got looks
from everyone in the room except Josh and Justin questioning what he had
said. "They don't need to be restated, but I'm sorry for saying them. I'm
sorry that I hurt you, and I know you probably think I'm full of shit.
But I'm not. I know we aren't going to be friends for a while, I tried to
take your boyfriend and then I beat you up, but I want to try. You too
Josh, I want to make things better between us. Whaddya say?"


____________________________________________________________________________


Silence was evident, as no one spoke. Finally after no words came from
Josh and Justin, Lance broke the silence. "Um, you all have to work with
each other. So, you kinda don't have a choice."

"Lance is right. Fine, if you wanna make it up to us, just give us time."
Josh replied, and stood up. "Meeting over." Justin stood to follow, and
was surprised by a wrist on his arm pulling him around. Standing face to
face with Chris, he flinched, but was happy to see that Josh was right by
his side, waiting to see what Chris was going to do. Extending his arms,
Chris made it evident that he wanted a hug, and reluctantly Justin gave
into it, and soon Josh was in the hug as well. It was a step, and small
one, but albeit a step. Ending quickly, Justin and Josh left the room,
heading back to there own.

"It didn't go that bad." Christina chirped as Chris too left to go to his
room. A small laugh came from her friends, but it was obvious that it was
only to break the awkwardness.

"You're right, it wasn't that bad. I mean, it could have been worse."
Brittney agreed.

"It still didn't go great. They are still aren't on talking terms, I can
tell by the way they were looking at each other when they left the room.
It will be awhile before Justin will feel comfortable with Chris alone.
Not to mention the fact that Josh is going to want to kill him for a
year, if not more." Joey added in, another small joke to ease back into
the normal.

"I'm just glad that they sat in the room with out killing each other."
Lance joined in on the joking, and got a little louder of a laugh then
the others. Samantha snickered but, didn't feel enough involved to join
in on the joking. After all, she had only joined the tour two days ago,
and yet she had been pushed into so much. She had witnessed two top male
stars lip-locking, and then the scandal of NSYNC breaking out. She
wondered if it had always been this way, but knew asking the question,
might make them ask questions about her trust-worthiness, and she didn't
want that. She was trust-worthy, and she wanted them to believe it.

"Um, what's with the schedule tomorrow?" Samantha changed the subject,
hoping to avoid getting involved in the conflict.

"PR was telling me that we have a day of rehearsal. A break for dinner,
and then a quick prep before the concert at 8. You are starting out
there, and getting the fans warmed up. When the concert ends we are back
on the bus until we get to Buffalo." Lance answered, thinking it over
first. "But I think we get a hotel up there, cuz we have a show, and then
a free day." He replied again, after thinking that over as well.

"Thanks, I think that means I'm gonna get some sleep." Sam smiled, and
yawned to emphasize that she was tired. "I'll leave the door unlocked
Christina. Good night all." She turned and walked away.

"Well, what are you all up for tonight?" Christina asked looking around
the room. It was obvious that they weren't going to get Justin and Josh
out of there room. And at the same time Chris was probably too busy
thinking over how to make things right, not keeping himself busy with fun
things. Samantha had just left for bed, so Christina knew the people in
the room were the only ones she had a chance to party with.

"Um, nothing. And you either Chrissy. We have the first night of our tour
tomorrow, and it's bad enough we pushed it back. We were lucky enough for
them to do that, and I bet it's coming at a cost. I guarantee you that we
probably have to sign autographs before and after the concert tomorrow.
And if we show up tired with hangovers, they'd never let us live it
down." Lance assured the young blond that she was not going to have fun
that night.

"Fine, I'm just heading in." Christina groaned, and held the door open as
Joey followed. Once the door was shut, Brittney smiled at Lance.

"You sure know how to clear the room. And um, now that it's clear, maybe
we could, have a little fun without going out?" Brittney whispered
seductively, playing with her hair.

"Sorry honey, but not tonight." Lance smiled, and shrugged off her
appeal. It wasn't like they were going to have sex, Brittney had made it
clear that she was waiting for marriage, so he knew he wasn't going to
get much that night, he hadn't received before.

"Hmph." Brittney groaned similar to Christina and went to the bathroom,
figuring her only option was sleep, she might as well have gotten ready
for it.


____________________________________________________________________________


"You wanna talk about?" Joey asked, as he noticed that Chris was still
pacing the room in the dark. He meanwhile was already comfortably in bed,
but he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep until he found out if everything
was cool with Chris.

"I don't know. I'm glad I got to kiss him, even if I shouldn't have. I'm
glad I got to feel what Justin gets to feel every day, and I'm sorry if
it caused all that happened after it, but I'm overall glad that it
happened." Chris answered, still pacing. "I love him, but I think I have
to realize that the love for him is just as a friend. And that in the
mean time I just have a lust for him. And I think that's why I hit
Justin. I was jealous, so I took it out on him. I can't take it back, I
just have to hope that Justin and Josh will forgive me, I know it is
going to take time from them though."

"I can understand that." Joey replied, a small smile crossing his face.

"What!?" Chris stopped his pacing, surprised that Joey was able to
understand it.

"I can understand. I can't imagine how hard it is to love someone you
can't have, but you have to realize that you can't have him. He had to
feel the same way for years while Justin didn't return it, and Justin
too. Justin had the same problem when he first felt that mutual love for
Josh, because Josh was involved. Now you have to feel it, but you have to
know that you can't have it. If you take them from each other, the love
you want to have with Josh wouldn't be real. He would always remember the
love he had with Justin, and that would be his driving force, not the
love you want him to have for you." Chris was taken back by Joey's words.
Although he wasn't the stupidiest member of NSYNC, Joey was by far the
smartest. And his words of wisdom shocked Chris.

"I know, I know. I don't want to ruin that for them. I just had to try, I
had to experience that feeling. Even if Josh didn't feel the same way, I
had to feel it." Chris seemed to be happy with the discussion though, and
settled his pacing. His walking led him to the bed, and he climbed in for
the night. "Thanks Joe, g'night."

"Night Chris. And I don't think you have anything to worry about, Josh
and Justin will forgive you. Just give them time like they asked for,
that's not to much to ask. I mean, I'm surprised Josh doens't kiss your
ass for what you did to Justin." Joey laughed, and was happy to hear a
laugh from Chris as well.

"That's what I was afraid of. Actually I was afraid everyone would kick
my ass. I hit the baby of the group, man, I'm such an ass." Chris joked
back, and Joey laughed along.

"Don't worry, the baby seems to be over it, so I don't think anyone is
going to do any ass kicking. At least, not unless Justin gets upset about
it." Joey joked again. "But, I think it's time we both get some rest.
Talk to you in the morning. Good night."

"Good night Joey, and thanks."

"Welcome."


____________________________________________________________________________


"I'm not in the mood tonight Justin." Josh pushed back, as Justin kissed
up his neck. Justin scooted back upset, a small groan came from him, as
he felt the pain from where Josh had pushed him backwards. "Did I hurt
you? I'm sorry" Josh rubbed Justin's stomach lovingly, fear on his face.
Justin giggled a little, but Josh didn't find it funny. It frowned at the
fact that he thought he had hurt his boyfriend.

"No, that's just a soar spot, ya know...." Justin drifted as he was
reminded of what happened. As well as the fact that he was enjoying the
caressing he was recieving from Josh.

"I'm sorry, I'll give you a massage. How 'bout that?" Josh smiled, and
started working away before Justin could agree. Slowly he massaged and
caressed Justin's abs, and chest, working carefully at not hurting the
area Justin had complained of being soar. His hands found the perfect
spots, and Justin was soon in a peaceful half-slumber, aware of the world
around him, but feeling nothing but the pleasure Josh was giving him with
such a simple touch of the hands. "Feel better?"

"mmhmmm" Justin moaned, continuing to slip into a more sleeping stage,
until Josh slowly came to a stop. Happily he allowed Josh to scoop him
up, and softly set him down in a fetal position at the head of the bed.
Smiling he allowed Josh to kiss him gently, but erotically on the lips.
"mmhmmmm" Justin moaned again, and Josh smiled and giggled.

"Let's go to bed baby, we have a busy day tomorrow." Justin's eyes opened
slowly, and he frowned a loveable puppy dog frown, that caught Josh's
eyes and made him think twice about teasing Justin like he had.

"but, i, but, hmm?" Justin stuttered with a loss of words, his confusion
causing him that. Josh frowned at this, not sure what to do. He knew he
wouldn't be up for a concert if he didn't get some rest, but if he let
Justin down, he wouldn't want to do a concert.

"Baby, waddya say we cuddle tonight?" Josh frowned at the reaction he
got, Justin did not seem thrilled with it. But as Josh pulled him closer,
Justin smiled, and he knew that Justin loved the attention. Justin
giggled a little, and rested his head on Josh's chest, and allowed his
body to be wrapped up in the strong arms of his boyfriend. Soon he felt
himself slipping into sleep, and Josh reached over to turn off the light.
Once off, he put a quick kiss on Justin's forehead and smiled. "I love
you baby." He smiled, and settled in for sleep.

Surprisingly after a good five minutes of sleep, he heard a faint voice,
silent and crackily, but heard none-the-less. "Love you too Josh." Josh
smiled, and laughed. Sleep took over him, but not before he got to think
of how lucky he was to have Justin, how lucky he was to hold him at
night, and just be there for him. They had managed to get through
everything that had happened to them. And they were finally together,
although the relationship was only beginning, to Josh they had been
together for years, and they would be together for the rest of there
years, Josh knew that, and he smiled, as he drifted into a dream world.
The dream world was only second best to the real world, he could hang out
with Justin all the time, and although it was a great way to dream.
Nothing could compare to the real Justin, Josh knew that more then
anything, and he was happy to have him to himself, something he thought
he could only dream of once.

____________________________________________________________________________


TBC.....

____________________________________________________________________________

Well this chapter ended on a happy note. I think I've started to end the
situation between Chris and Josh and Justin. I wanted it to end soon, but
I thought it would take a few more chapters, but at the same time I am
glad it is over, because I can move on with a different storyline. Next
chapter the tour starts, and then the concert picks up, and the story
will get a different setting.

If you have any questions, comments, or criticsms just send them my way.
The e-mail is aci_85@hotmail.com I take good or bad thoughts, so don't be
shy, I can handle criticism.