Date: 25 Jun 99 21:29:06 MDT
From: "J." <Travis8888@netscape.net>
Subject: Soul-Mates: JC & Justin

Well here is the first installment of Soul-Mates: JC and Justin.  Hope you 
like it.  It does involve the plot of Frick and Frack, so you can't really 
read it separate from the other.  It just means the focus will be on this 
couple.  Thank you to all the people who have E-mailed me, you have really 
been so great and positive.

Warning:  No one under 18.  This is fiction and does not imply that any of 
the Backstreet Boys or N'sync are gay.

All suggestions and comments are welcome:  Travis8888@netscape.net

Soul-Mates: JC & Justin

By: J.


~JC~
	Why would Nick hang up the phone like...what the hell was that noise, it 
sounded like Justin's bedroom door.  I guess Mr. Grumpy is at his best this 
morning.  I better go check on him just in case.

"Just, are you OK?" I asked as I knocked gently on his bedroom door. 
 "Justin! I know your in there, why won't you answer me?"

	I could hear Justin whimpering from behind the door, it was unmistakable. 
 At least to me anyway.  I had known my little Curly for many years and he 
was very sensitive, not in a bad way, but just different than others.  He 
didn't have the hard shell some of the rest of us have.  That's why I 
always protected him, that's why I will always protect him.  Look at me 
referring to him as my little Curly, he's bigger than me now, but he wasn't 
always.
	I remember when I first met him at an audition for the New Mickey Mouse 
Club.  He was tiny and scrappy, 'nothing is going to stop this kid' I 
remember thinking.  From there we just hit it off, even though I was four 
years older than him.  He was like a kid brother to me.  We did everything 
together, ate lunch, shot hoops, just everything.  Once his parents got 
divorced though,  things started to change.  It just hurt him so much.  He 
ended up living with his Mom and by that time we had formed N'sync.  Curly 
was older by then but he still had this attachment to me.  Best friends I 
imagine always feel a special bond, but this was different.  It went so far 
that he begged me to move in with him and his Mom.  He said it would be fun 
and since we were practically inseparable anyway it wouldn't be that big a 
difference.  Just was right.  It was soooo fun!  If it was possible these 
last couple of years we have gotten even closer.  We would stay up late 
watching movies and talking, just being the best of friends, or more like 
brothers.  So that's how I ended up with a bedroom across from my little, 
er, big Curly.




~Justin~
"Just.  What's wrong?  You're starting to scare me, Curly.  I can hear you 
crying. Now come on and open the door!  Damn it Justin if you don't open it 
I'll just pick the stupid lock, it's not like its that hard, its just a 
bedroom door."

	I was just frozen on my bed crying.  How would I explain any of this to 
JC.  He knows me too well, he can tell when I'm lying.  Its not exactly 
like I'm very good at it.  Why do I need you so much JC?
	Its always been this way for me.  The very first day I saw JC it was like 
there was no one else in the world that was cooler, funnier, or more fun to 
be around.  I'm sure to him I was just this little pest, always hanging 
around him and his older friends, but he never treated me like that.  The 
older guys in MMC used to pick on me for being so small (my how things 
change huh fellas?) and they never wanted to include me in anything but JC 
ALWAYS stuck up for me.  He would go so far as to practically get into fist 
fights with anyone that would make fun of me.
	Once I got older (and much taller) the differences in age seemed be less 
noticeable and we were like any other best buds.  Its just that as I got 
older and bigger I started to have feelings for JC.  I just couldn't help 
it.  He was so cute and funny.  He had this way about him.  I just fell 
deeply in love.  I guess I always was, but it just became stronger and more 
uncontrollable.  I've tried to hide it as well as possible, but when he's 
around me I just want to reach out to him and hold him.  Not because I'm 
horny, but just because I need him to hold me.
	Growing up my parents were always at each others throats and never really 
had time for me.  I was always working so I never really got to see my 
family much.  Before I knew it they were getting divorced and remarried. 
 New kids and different responsibilities.  I love my brothers but at 18 I 
don't feel like I really belong to either my Mom's or Dad's family. 
 Touring with N'sync only makes it worse.  That's why I begged JC to move 
in with me at my Mom's.  We would hardly be at home anyway and we shared a 
room on tour so it all seemed like a good idea.
	I guess that's why I'm having a hard time being around JC, he just is all 
I really have.  I know he deserves other friends, but I need him more. 
 That's why Nick scares me so much.  I think of what my life would be like 
if he had taken the part I ended up with on MMC. Thank god he turned it 
down to be in BSB.  He would have been in JC's life, not me.  Now its all 
coming about anyway.  When he's around its like I don't exist to JC.

"Aha! Got it." JC cheered as he barged uninvited into my bedroom.  "Just 
why are you crying?" He pondered as he knelt down under my face.  "Please 
talk to me bro."
"I can't.  I'll be OK just leave me alone."
"Justin you look exhausted, didn't you even sleep last night?"
"I couldn't Josh, I've had things on my mind."
"What kind of things would make you stay up all night crying?"
"Please JC, I can't talk about it right now, maybe later, please."  I 
begged of him, knowing that it was up to him.  JC could make me talk if he 
wanted to, he knew all the buttons to push.
"I'll tell you what Curly, why don't we take a nap and then when we wake up 
we can have some lunch and get all of your problems out in the open."
"You're going to take a nap too?"
"Well I guess.  I can't exactly leave my little Curly alone to have a 
breakdown now can I?  Besides I looove to sleep, you know that!  You can 
never get enough you know?"
"Haha JC.  Any excuse to crash huh?"
"Yup.  Now lets get you into bed."

With that JC pulled back the covers of my king size bed (hey if you could 
have one at my age you would get one too.) and proceeded to slide in next 
to me.  Since it was still fairly early in the morning we were both still 
just in our boxers and T-shirts.

"What are you doing JC?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?  I'm going to sleep!"
"You're gonna sleep in my bed."
"Its not like you don't have the room, Mr. extravagant.  Besides we've 
shared the same bed lots of times.  I just want to make sure you don't pull 
a disappearing act on me.  We are going to talk about what going on with 
you Justin Randall Timberlake, so don't think you're off the hook."
"OK, but later, much later."
"Come here, cutie, er, I mean, Curly."
"Cutie huh?  I am very good looking aren't I?
"You knew what I meant!"

With that JC hugged me to his chest.  I know I should have released myself 
from the hug but I just couldn't.  I had been waiting for too long to feel 
his arms around me.  He made no attempt to pull away either so eventually 
we just fell asleep together.  In each others arms.

~JC~
I can't believe I said that "cutie", how embarrassing.  Justin probably 
thinks I'm some kind of queer.  But I'm not!  I'm just confused sometimes, 
but definitely not gay.  If I was though I sure would be happy to be with 
cutie, er Curly.  Damn it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I woke up I just glanced down at Curly, still laying on my chest.  It 
felt good to hold someone, I mean its not like you get many chances to find 
a girlfriend on the road.  Still, we had been sleeping for a couple of 
hours and I needed to wake him up.  I was very worried about Just, he 
hadn't been himself lately.  He seemed tired and depressed, but I figured 
it was nothing major.  That is until I found him crying.  Well time for an 
explanation buddy.

"Curly, Curly?  Time to wake up." I whispered as I gently ran my fingers 
over his face.
"Uhh-uhh."  Justin replied as he snuggled closer to my body.
"Come on Mr. Grumpy, we need to have a talk." I suggested as I began to 
nudge him.
"Cut it out JC, I'm sleepy still."  Curly whined.  (He was good at that)
"OK.  Don't say I didn't warn you!"
"I'm up!  Don't you dare do what I think your gonna do."
"What?"  I asked faking innocence.
"You know full well that you were gonna tickle me.  You know how sensitive 
my body is and you always like to prove it."
"Who me?  Well I guess I shouldn't disappoint then."

With that I began one of my marathon tickle sessions with Justin.  Everyone 
is ticklish, but Just is really right.  His body is very sensitive to 
touch, you could barely graze him and he gets the giggles.

"Well now that your up, I think we need to talk about before."  I stated 
matter of factly.
"What do you mean, 'before'?"  Justin faked innocence.
"Don't play dumb with me Just, you know exactly what I'm talking about. 
 You were hysterical.  What could make you feel so bad?"
"It was nothing JC, lets just forget about it."
"Justin I don't care if you keep secrets from your parents or the guys or 
anyone else for that matter, but not me.  I'm your best friend!  Your 
supposed to be able to tell me anything."
"That's just it, J, It feels like your trying to replace me."
"What?!  Replace you?  I could never replace you Just.  What are you 
talking about?"
"You don't have to lie to me JC.  I mean I understand if you don't have 
room for me anymore.  I mean Nick is a really cool guy, and I can see why 
you would want to hang out with him."  Justin revealed, tears welling up in 
his blue eyes.
"Nick?  Is that what this is about?  Oh Justin I wasn't trying to replace 
you.  I just hadn't seen him in a long time and thought it would be cool to 
hang out.  Just because I may want to hang out with Nick sometime doesn't 
mean your not still my friend."
"Oh!  So now I'm just a friend, a minute ago I was your best friend and 
then Nick's name comes up and I'm just a 'friend'."  Justin spit out full 
of anger.
"Justin where is all this coming from?  Why are you so jealous of Nick?"
"Because you have feelings for him."  Justin shyly whispered.
"What do you mean?  Do you mean romantic feelings?"

Justin hesitated and would not give me a direct response.  Was he implying 
I was gay?

"Are you calling me a fag for wanting to hang out with Nick?  Well I'M NOT! 
 How could you think that of me Justin?  Fags are disgusting!"  I screamed 
out.

	I didn't really believe this, but given my current state of confusion, I 
couldn't let Justin know he was on to something.  I'm just so confused, but 
I don't think I'm gay.  I mean all guys are attracted to other guys right? 
 After I said that fags are disgusting, Justin ran out of the bedroom and 
quickly darted down the stairs.  I immediately chased after him unsure of 
what caused his sudden exit.  As he ran through the front door, I grabbed 
his arm and looked at his tear streaked face.

"What's going on Justin?  And don't give me this bullshit about Nick. 
 There is more to this."
"Well it doesn't matter now!  Our friendship is over!  I mean how can we 
ever be friends?  I disgust you!"  Justin sobbed.

Before I could even respond,  Justin had turned around and sped off in his 
Mercedes.

"What the hell is he talking about?  I never said that he disgusted me.  I 
said fags...Oh my god!  Justin's gay." I said out loud to myself.

	That explains everything.  He wasn't mad that I wanted to hang out with 
Nick, he thought I wanted more than friendship with Nick.  But if that 
would upset him then Justin must have feelings for me.  Damn it JC!  You 
idiot!  This is what has had Justin depressed all this time.  Instead of 
being a supportive best friend, I basically call him a fag and disgusting. 
 Oh Curly!  I didn't mean it.  I just didn't know you loved me.  What am I 
going to do now?  I have to find you and make things right.  I couldn't 
take you thinking that I don't care about you.  I love you Curly!

~Justin~
	I never thought JC could turn on me!  He was all I've ever had, I mean if 
he can't understand I'm gay, who will?  No one!  It just hurts so much, how 
could he say those things to me!  I loved you so much JC.  I believed in 
you, I always thought that I could tell you and that you would accept me. 
 What I fool I am!  Gosh when he held me in bed and we were sleeping 
together, I let my self  believe that maybe he was gay and ....You idiot 
Justin, you set yourself up.  You knew he wasn't gay.  I gotta get out of 
here.  I can't face JC.   He will probably tell all the guys and they'll 
hate me too ....

~Kevin~
 	I walked into the Orlando airport  relieved to be getting away.  After 
everything I did to Brian and Nick I needed to put some distance between us 
for awhile.  I figured a trip to Acapulco, Mexico would help me clear my 
head.  Sun, beach, ocean.  And hey, who knows maybe I might meet the man of 
my dreams....Before I could complete my thought I heard a familiar voice 
asking to purchase a ticket.

"Justin?  Hey man what's up?  Are you going on a trip?" I asked noticing 
his puffy face.  He had obviously been crying.
"Huh?  Oh hi Kev, I...umm..." Justin looked down trying to hide his face 
from me as he began to cry again.
"Hey Just, what's the matter?"

	I pulled Justin out of line and held him as he sobbed on my shoulder. 
 Once he had calmed down I got him to open up to me.  At first he was 
tentative, but eventually he told me everything about his being gay and 
what happened with JC etc...  I never knew what a jerk JC was.  Poor 
Justin!

"Why are you still talking to me Kevin?  Don't you find me disgusting too?" 
Justin inquired.
"Well Justin, that would mean that I would have to find myself disgusting 
as well.  Your not the only one who's gay around here, and I don't mean gay 
as in happy."  I kidded trying to lighten Justin's mood.
"Your GAY!"  He shouted.
"Keep it down, I don't exactly need the whole airport to know."
"Oh sorry, Kev, its just you don't look gay."
"Is there a certain look a gay man has or are you just as blonde as you 
sounded?"
"NO!  I just meant you've always seemed really masculine, I would have 
never guessed."
"Well you never know.  I never thought you were gay and look what I find 
out.  So where are you headed?"
"I don't know.  Anywhere that will take me out of Orlando for awhile."
"Well I have an idea.  Why don't you come with me to Acapulco.  I'm trying 
to get away from some things too.  It would be nice to have friend to be 
with."
"Well...OK.  Your the first person that I'll be able to be myself around. 
 Maybe it will be fun.  So what are you running away from Kev?"
"Oh I'll tell ya later.  We have plenty of time to get to know each other 
better."

Hmmm.  Justin Timberlake.  Maybe, Kev 'ole boy, just maybe.

TBC

Well that was part 1 of Soul-Mates JC & Justin.  So what do you think will 
happen next?  If Justin thinks JC doesn't care about him, will he end up in 
Kevin's bed?  If they become a couple will that be enough to bring JC out 
of the closet?  Next up: Soul-Mates: Frick and Frack 4