Pairing: JC and Lance
Words: gnaw; long-distance; curvaceous; decent


"All I'm saying is that calling a guy 'curvaceous' isn't going to
help you keep him, Joey," Lance notes.

Joey gnaws on his lip.  "What am I supposed to be calling him
then?"

"Probably shouldn't mention it.  Or say, like, 'nice ass' or
something."  Lance stretches, wrapping his naked ankles with
Joey's.  "With the next one, just remember -- treat him as little
like a girl as possible, but still be decent.  Unless it's JC, then
treat him just like a girl."

"It's not like I was planning to date this one.  It just sorta
happened."

"Next time it just sorta happens, then," Lance says, rolling his
eyes.  He turns over, settling closer to Joey.  "I'm starting to
stick.  Are we gonna go again tonight?"  Joey knows that Lance
absolutely *must* be clean to sleep.  But if they're going again,
there's no point in wasting water.

Joey shakes his head.  "It's not gonna happen again.  This time I'm
gonna do what I should have done to start with -- stick with
girls."

"You're still gonna come to me in between, right?" Lance asks. 
Naked in bed might seem like a strange place for this conversation,
but this is how Joey and Lance *work*.

Joey shifts uncomfortably.  "I dunno.  I mean...  I think maybe
that's part of the problem.  It's so good with you that I think
it'll be like that all time, but it's not because it's you."

Lance looks up at Joey.  "So.  You want to not be with me again,
huh?"

He swallows.  "Something like that, yeah."

Lance closes his eyes, then lays his head down on Joey's chest.  If
it's the last time, he's gonna get lots of snuggle out of it. 
"Okay."

Joey rubs his hand over Lance's back.  "I don't want us to stop
being friends.  I just wanna stop with the sex-having.  'Cause it's
hard to remember I'm straight when you're... um.  Yeah."

"You're not straight," Lance replies.  "You just like to date guys
long-distance so you can pretend they don't matter to you."

Joey shakes his head.  "I'm straight except for you.  I keep
thinking maybe I can find another you, but it doesn't work.  Girls
are easier."  He makes an effort to keep his voice steady.  "If you
were ever gonna change your mind about getting JC, it'd be
different, but you're not."

"Maybe I will.  JC doesn't want me.  He never does.  He never
will."  Lance sighs.  "Maybe he likes you."

Joey snorts.  "Yeah, right.  The party in his pants is all about
me.  No way."

Lance shrugs.  "We know it's one of us, and we know it's not me. 
And it's not Chris, because of that thing last month.  And it's not
Justin because of that deal last year."

"It could be you."  Joey shifts until he's got one hand on Lance's
back and the other stroking his hair.  "Listen.  You have a serious
go at JC.  None of this half-assed shit you've pulled before.  You
make it perfectly clear that you want him, and if he still turns
you down, then let's you and me make a real go of it.  Maybe we're
just friends and there's nothing extra there or whatever, but you
gotta make up your mind.  And the only way you can do that is if
you put it up and let him shoot you down, instead of just hinting
around it."

"Is that fair to you?" Lance asks, frowning.

"Fairer than it has been with me waiting around for you to make up
your mind and me pretending that this is just something we do
'cause we can't find anyone else."

"Joey, I love you.  I really do."  Lance is hesitant to ask, but...
"Would you want to do us first, and then ask JC together?"

"Huh?"

"I mean... you and me try to really date.  Get ourselves together
as a couple, and ask JC to join?"

"You don't want me like that," Joey says evenly, trying not to
influence Lance either way.

"I do," Lance admits.  He's spent years now telling himself he
didn't, because he didn't think Joey did.  "I didn't-- I thought
you didn't want me."

"I want you," Joey assures him.  "Have for a long time now.  But
you had that whole JC thing going on and it seemed pretty clear
that the sex thing was something we were only gonna do when we
weren't with somebody else."

"I don't share," Lance says.  Then he laughs.  "I sound like a five
year old."

The hand on Lance's back curves down over his ass.  "You're not."

Lance laughs, this time low and sure.  "Damn right, I'm not."

"I don't wanna share you either.  Not with JC and not with JC's
ghost.  If you get over him, that's fine.  But it's not gonna work
for me if you're always wondering what it would have been like." 
Joey's hand returns to Lance's back.

Lance looks at Joey, completely looks at him.  "I'm willing to
never know on JC.  I won't wonder.  If you want me to try, lay it
out with him, I will.  But if you want me -- really want me -- say
the word, and I won't ever look back."

"Baby," Joey says gently, a little sadly.  "I've wanted you for a
long time.  And as much you like being with me, I could tell you
were always looking for something else.  I'm not saying you're
lying, but I don't think you could give up on the idea of JC that
easy.  I want you, but even more than that, I want you to be
happy."

Lance nods.  "I've thought a lot about it, Joey.  JC might be the
ideal, the Ken-doll boyfriend you fantasize about.  But you're the
reality.  G.I. Joey, who takes you home and makes you realize what
a home and love means."

"You never said."

"Neither did you.  You always seemed happy to run from bed to bed."

Joey shrugs.  "Variety's good if you can't find what you want."

"Maybe."  Joey knows full well that Lance is celibate when they're
not together.

Joey strokes Lance's skin, soothing him.  "You were waiting for JC
to get a clue.  I get it.  But that's why I need you to, y'know,
get it out of your system.  Follow your heart.  Whatever."

Lance slides slowly until he's mostly over Joey's body.  Suddenly,
he has an idea.  He grabs his cell from the table and dials.  "C? 
Hi, C.  It's Lance.  Um, so, I was wondering.  Would you like to
try dating?  Yes, me.  Why not?  Yes, I do care about you.  Yes, I
love him.  My dream, you know?  Right.  Are you absolutely certain,
here?  Okay.  Yeah.  See you later.  Bye."  Lance hits end and
stares at the phone for a long moment.  Then, with a sigh, he
tosses it across the room.  "There.  Out of my system."

Joey looks up at him quizzically.  "What's wrong?  What'd he say?"

"He doesn't think of me that way, at all.  Ever.  And he never,
ever could.  He's sorry and all, and he loves me, of course.  But
it's a negative, Houston."

"You said you love him and something about your dream.  What was
that all about?"

"Oh!  I care about JC, and he said, like, why.  So I said he was my
dream, you know?  Prince Charming-like.  And I love him -- well,
that was when he asked about you."

Joey cradles Lance's face in his hands.  "You okay, babe?"  He
kisses Lance softly, then pulls back to look at him.

Lance smiles slowly.  "Yeah.  Yeah, I think I am."

"Good."  Joey kisses him again.

Lance kisses Joey back.  "Now can we go again?  Boyfriend?" he
asks, just a little shyly.

Joey's face breaks into a grin.  "My boyfriend."  He kisses him,
hands roaming over Lance's body.  They find their way down until
they're gripping Lance's ass, pushing them tightly together. 
"Mine," Joey says with a growl in his voice and nips at Lance's
ear.

Lance moans tipping his head to the side.  "Yeah.  Yours."

"No more stupid talk about sharing?"

"No."  Lance shivers, tugging at Joey's shoulders until Joey rolls
over top of him.

Joey nuzzles under Lance's ear.  "What's wrong?"

Lance shakes his head, moving his hands restlessly over Joey's
body.  He wishes Joey'd just *do* it.  Lance understands sex.  He's
never had a real boyfriend, though.  The things he wants to ask
Joey to do scare him.

"I know something's wrong."  He licks and nibbles his way down
Lance's neck.  "I don't know what it is.  I wanna know though, so
we can make it better and you can fuck me."

Lance whimpers at the thought.  "Oh, Jesus.  Um.  No, nothing's
wrong.  I just... I don't know what to do."  He gasps arching his
head back into the pillow as Joey suddenly nips at him.

"You know what to do.  You're the one who showed me how this can
feel good."  Joey rests his forehead against Lance's collarbone as
a disturbing thought occurs to him.  "Unless you're having second
thoughts about us, y'know.  Being together."

"I've never been together like that before.  You're... you're
*mine* now, and I don't know how I should act.  I need to be good
so you keep wanting me and -- I'm just a little nervous, here, Joe. 
I'm, like, relationship retarded."

Joey snorts.  "Babe, we've been doing this together for how long
now?  It's not like I've suddenly changed into some other person. 
We're still both the same, the only difference is this is gonna
keep happening and there won't be anyone else in between."

"And now I can ask for anything, and so can you."

"Yeah," Joey affirms.  "That's why I want you to fuck me."

Lance blushes.  "Okay."  He grins up at Joey.  "What's wrong with
me?  Fuck, yeah!"

Joey grins back at him.  "That's what I was wondering.  C'mon,
babe.  Show me what you got."

Lance does, twisting to get lube and condom.  He rolls the latex
on, and slicks it, then turns to Joey.  "You want prep?"

"I'm all yours.  I trust you."  Lance ought to know exactly how
often he's been fucked, since Joey's only ever even thought about
it with him.

Lance likes prep for more than practical reasons.  He likes the way
it feels against his fingertips.  So, he presses them into Joey,
stretching at the same time as he sucks Joey's cock.  Finally, he
pulls back.  "Knees?" he suggests.

Joey pulls his legs up.

Lance hooks his elbows under Joey's knees and presses in, luckily
actually hitting the mark.  He starts a slow, small movement,
building in intensity as he watches Joey's face.  "Fuck.  Yeah. 
Mine."

Joey smiles back at him.  This is what he wanted.  Lance to claim
him and want him.  Joey craves the feeling of Lance taking *him*,
hearing Lance admit that it's him he wants, and not JC.

"Joey," Lance pants.  "Fuck.  Make some noise, baby, please, baby?"

"Yours," Joey says.  "All yours."  He's watching Lance's face, the
chin up turned, Lance's eyes closed and straining.  "You're
beautiful."

Lance's eyes open, and he releases one of Joey's legs to reach down
and stroke his cock.  Joey groans, flushing even redder suddenly. 
"That's beautiful," Lance grates out, grinning.

"I know you're not a fucking girl," Joey says, eyes closed now. 
He's pushing back against Lance now, counter motion to Lance's hand
on his cock.  "Wasn't why I said it."

"Hmm?" Lance hums.  It's as close as he can come to a real
question.

"You're gorgeous.  Sexy.  And you're *mine*," Joey pants out.

"Yes," Lance agrees.  He's moving so fast now.  Like he can stay
ahead of his body's reaction if he just moves fast enough and hard
enough.

Lance is pressing hard against him, making it so good like only
Lance can.  Joey wasn't kidding about not being able to find
another Lance.  No guy had ever been even close to how good Lance
is in the sack, and that's ignoring all the other things that Joey
loves about Lance.

Right now, though, what he loves most is Lance's dick and his hand. 
And Lance.  Lance gave up JC for him.  That's the thought in his
head as he comes, bucking his hips.  "Oh, yeah.  Love you.  Fucking
love you."

Lance sucks in a breath and comes along with Joey.  He tried, a few
times, to be one of those people who comes loudly, but he can't. 
He's always quiet when he comes, nearly silent.  Maybe he'll ask
Joey to make him a screamer.

Lance goes tight and tense, and that's how Joey knows Lance came,
too.  When Lance pulls out, Joey rolls them over and covers Lance,
kissing him.  "Thank you, baby."

Lance smiles.  "Don't know why *you're* thanking *me*," he notes. 
"But ditto."  After another moment of rest, he disposes of the
condom and grabs a box of baby wipes from his overnight bag. 
Taking a couple, he hands the box to Joey.

Joey grumbles, but uses them.  Lance's neatness fetish is annoying,
but worth it.  When he's done and Lance is once again within reach,
he grabs him and pulls him down, holding him.  "I'm thanking you
for being you.  For giving me great sex.  And for giving up on your
dream of JC for me."  He kisses Lance soundly.

Lance kisses Joey back, turning a brief assurance into a long
declaration.  "It's no loss."

"Dreams can mean more to people than the real thing," Joey says,
and kisses Lance again.  He never gets enough of touching Lance. 
"You want company in the shower?"

"Not gonna shower," Lance says, snuggling into Joey.  "Staying
here."  Suddenly it doesn't seem like such a big crime to be a
little messy for sleep.

"I'd get clean with you, for you," Joey says, adjusting their
positions so he can stay there comfortably for a long while with
his armful of Lance.  "But I gotta admit, I like it better when
messy's okay, 'cause it means that you're still here."

Lance hums tunelessly, relaxing against Joey.  He kicks at the
sheets that are tangled around his feet.  "Stupid sheet," he
mutters, then hooks his feet over Joey.  "There."

"Yeah."  He likes it better when Lance is still touchable after
sex.  When he still smells sweaty and like sex, and not clean and
pure and not his.

Lance's eyes finally open.  "You okay?" he asks.  It's a stupid
compulsion, but he always asks.

"Babe, I'm better than okay.  I got you.  Go to sleep.  I'll still
be here in the morning."  Joey runs his hand over Lance
comfortingly.  "You will, too, right?"

"Always," Lance agrees, arching into Joey's hand.  "I got you,
where'm I going?"

"To sleep, my curvaceous beauty."

Lance hisses at Joey.

"What?" Joey asks sleepily.  "I like your curves."

Lance frowns and pokes Joey's stomach.  Then grins.  "I like yours,
too."

"Good."  Joey kisses the top of Lance's head.  "Nothing wrong with
the words.  They just mean I like you."

Lance nods, tipping his face up to Joey.  Lashes fluttering closed,
he mumbles, "Now you'll be the first thing I see when I wake up."

"Yeah," Joey agrees.  It's easy to let himself fall asleep when he
knows that falling asleep doesn't mean it's over.  "See you in the
morning."

"Mmm-hmm.  S'my turn, then."

"Oh, yeah," Joey says happily.  "Looking forward to it."  And all
the rest of the time he's going to have with Lance, now that he's
finally got him.

Lance yawns, covering his mouth just in time.  "Sleepy, Joey."

"Then go to sleep, babe," Joey says, and lets himself fall.