Pairing: Justin and AJ
Words: expletive; foam; figment; keel


"Tell me those fuckers aren't doing what I think they're doing,
Joe."

"No."

Chris brightened.  "They're not?"

"No, I mean, I won't tell you that.  Because then you'd get
involved.  It's better if you think it's just a figment of your
imagination."

"Um, Joey?"

"Yeah?"

"That's as good as admitting that they *are* doing what I
think they're doing."

Joey blew the foam off of his fresh beer and looked out at the
dance floor.  "Okay, maybe *I* want it to be a figment of my
imagination."

"Fair enough.  Where's Lance?"

"I said -- I *think* I said I didn't want to think about it."

"You did.  So what's Lance got to do with Justin and AJ having
a..."

Joey stuck his hands over his ears and started humming.  "Lalala."

"Does that ever work?" Chris asked.

"I can't hear you."

"I'm more patient than that.  I can outwait you... no, I can't. 
Bye, Joey."  Chris got up and went to find Lance.  Who was,
naturally enough, collecting money and keeping score.  "So they
*are* having a contest."  This was the life.  Taking your
musical rivals to a gay bar and seeing which of them could pick up
the most guys.  Really, they needed to just get a ruler and go for
it.

"Justin's ahead.  But they've still got twenty minutes to go.  Want
to place a wager?"

"No.  If I bet on AJ, J will be on my case forever for not
believing in him."

"So bet on Justin."

"And lose my money?  No fucking way."

Lance shrugged.

Chris eyed him closely.  "Who did you bet on?"

"I didn't.  I get 10% and the winner."

Trust Lance to set up the situation so that he came out on top no
matter the outcome.  He was so Sithly that Sidious would've been
taking notes if he knew him.  "You're the fucking *prize*?"

Lance considered it for a moment, then nodded crisply.  "Yes.  I do
believe that would be the correct expletive under the
circumstances."

Chris stuck his tongue out at him, the smart ass.

AJ sauntered over, a blonde in a muscle shirt following him. 
"Lance, this is Derek."

Lance stuck out his hand, and Derek took it.  "That's 23 for you,
AJ.  You need 2 more to pass Justin."

AJ smiled confidently.  "Not a problem."  He whispered something in
Derek's ear, and Derek laughed and slipped something into AJ's
hand.  A phone number, probably.  Derek left and AJ slipped onto
the seat next to Chris.  "Last guy your boy talked to punched him
when he found out Timberlake wasn't coming through on what he was
promising.  He's in the bathroom, and with security standing in
front of it, he isn't going to be meeting anyone there."

Chris was torn between finding out if Justin was all right and wild
curiosity.  As it usually did, curiosity won.  "So how come no
one's punched you?"

AJ leaned in a little.  "'Cause, baby, I always come through on
what I'm promising."

There was a bit of a growl in his voice, and a definite look in his
eyes.  Chris promised himself that he was not going to keel over. 
Mostly because he'd fall face-first into AJ's lap, and while there
wasn't anything wrong with that on general principles, Lance would
laugh at him.  And he didn't give blowjobs on the first date. 
Usually.  Oh, hell.

"Lance," Chris said.  "Make that 24 for AJ."

AJ gave him a wicked smile.  "One more to go."

"You gonna take them home too?"  Ooh, a spine.  Just a little late. 
As usual, really, but he really felt he couldn't be blamed, not
with the way AJ was looking at him.

"Depends."  He glanced at Lance.  "How much longer?"

"Fifteen minutes."

"Give my cut of the winnings to your guy," he nodded at Lonnie, who
was standing by the hallway to the restroom, "to keep Justin in
there for fifteen more minutes, and come home with me and Chris."

"That would be unethical."

"Lance!" Chris said.  He couldn't believe Darth Bass was making a
fuss over something like this.  Not after the linguini incident.

"It would be wrong to keep people out of the bathroom that long. 
It'd be much simpler to tell Justin that the bet ended fifteen
minutes ago."

"When I was losing?"

Lance smiled, shark-like.  "Not according to the score I'm
keeping."

There were times, Chris reflected, that he was really really glad
Lance was on his side.  He resolved to make sure to break his
no-giving-blowjobs on the first date rule for Lance; it couldn't
hurt to make sure Lance *stayed* on his side.

He looked at the nearly identical grins that AJ and Lance were
sporting.  Maybe he should do his part to keep AJ on his side too. 
Just in case.

It wasn't like it'd be a hardship.