Pairing: Lance and Joey
Words: fumigate; candlelight; abundance; finale


He's standing on display.  It's uncomfortable for him.

Not because it's too cold, although the flimsy garment he's wearing
doesn't do much to keep him warm.  The scrap of green silk wrapped
around him reveals more than it hides.  They might as well have
said outright to the bidders what his position is.

But he has an abundance of ability and intelligence, despite the
fact that he knows that most of those here consider him to be a
pleasure toy.

Lance keeps his chin high though.

The bidding is brisk, as always.  However, Joey wins.  As usual. 
He keeps the best talent -- both in terms of skill and looks --
under his employ.  Today, this particular person is the only one
Joey's interested in.  He goes to collect the young man who scored
so high on his placement tests, and looks lovely in green silk
besides.

Lance studies his new employer.  This is Lance's first contract. 
The tall, dark-haired man may not be interested only in what Lance
can do with his body.

Joey smiles and offers his hand.  "Joey Fatone.  Mr.--" he breaks
off waiting for Lance to fill in a surname, if he has one. 
Auctionees are listed only by first name.

"Just Lance."  He flushes as he takes the offered hand and shakes
it.  He'd purposefully entered the indentured servant program
anonymously.  The money offered just to sign up was inducement
enough, but the total loss of choice also offered had been
frightening.  Is still frightening.  He'd elected to stay anonymous
and keep the one secret he could.

"Very well, just Lance.  Would you care to change before we go?"
Joey waves to a rack of plain clothing provided to buyers -- for an
extra fee.

"Thank you.  I'd like that."  Lance is not happy with the silk.

Joey watches the man choose clothing.  He's little more than a boy,
really, for all the age in his eyes.  It should be interesting,
working with him.

Lance changes there.  Modesty is also something not allowed to him
anymore.  He found it easy enough to lose once he'd learned how to
cover his feelings with a cool mask of unconcern.

Joey does not watch.  He started his career on the block.  He
remembers humiliation all too well.  He doesn't notice when the man
turns back to him.

"Sir?"

"Yes?  All ready, then?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well."  Joey leads the way out to his car.  "I've no driver. 
I hope you don't mind sitting up front with me."

"No, sir."  Lance gets in, glad to be wearing clothing.  He would
have felt even more naked in these ordinary surroundings in the
silk.

Joey drives for long minutes before saying, "You don't have to call
me sir.  Joey is fine.  Or Mr. Fatone.  Or, yes, if you would
prefer it, sir."

"Whatever you like.  This is my first contract.  I'm not that
familiar with what really happens.  Just with what they told us in
the training."

"Training," Joey snorts.  "It's about preparing you to have your
spirit broken.  The reason I bought you was not for that.  Your
scores were very high.  I'm starting a new business and need
someone to oversee it.  You have those qualities.  Also, you're
very attractive."  Joey's jaw tightens.  "I don't like leaving men
with the faces of angels to be raped by the highest bidder."

Lance smiles, both in relief that apparently that's not to be his
lot and in ironic acknowledgment of Joey's statement.  "As long as
no permanent damage is done and I'm well for my checkup..." Lance
shrugs.  "When I saw what they wanted me to wear, I knew what was
likely to happen."

"I'm sure you did."

Lance steals glances at Joey as he drives.  He wants Lance to
manage a company for him?  That's luck almost too good to believe. 
Lance had not expected to find employment suited to his actual
talents for years.  Until his face is less pretty and his manner
less innocent.

The car pulls up a long drive and stops.  "The right building is
business.  The left is housing.  You will have to share a room for
a few months.  I have another employee who will be moving on then,
and your roommate will move to his room.  The rules are simple,"
Joey says.  He and Lance start walking into the house.  "Behave
accordingly when we're in the business block.  In the house, I
don't care how you act.  I'm not your owner here.  I'm the head of
the house.  Meals are served at seven, noon, and six thirty. 
Between there is a refrigerator in the kitchen, along with a
microwave.  You're welcome to both.  No loud noises after ten.  If
you're sick, let me know.  If you wish to have a liaison with one
or more of your coworkers, let me know."

Lance's eyes widen.  "You would allow that?"

"I'm not your father.  Do what you will, just let me know.  I'll
schedule you for regular testing."

"Is that all you expect of me?" Lance asks cautiously.

"I won't fuck you against your will, nor pressure you into any
sexual situation," Joey says.  They've stopped in the wide expanse
of the entrance hall.  "I don't believe that buying your employment
includes buying your body."

Lance nods.  That's far more than he'd expected.  "Thank you."

"Nothing to thank me for.  Common sense was given to most of God's
animals."  Joey leads a tour of the housing building, then over to
the work building.  "This is your office.  I'm through that
connecting door most days.  We'll go over the details tomorrow. 
Also, outside of work hours, you may use the computer as you wish. 
Play games, watch porn, I don't care.  If you have to pay for it,
you have to approve it with me."  Joey's look turns stern.  "But
only outside work hours and on breaks."

"Yes, Joey.  You're very generous."

"Yes, I am.  And if you can't handle it, you'll have to leave.  But
I think you can."

Lance gives him a puzzled look, not understanding, but nods as soon
as Joey glances at him.  He'll do whatever it takes to be worthy.

Joey sighs.  "Come on.  It's nearly supper time."

Lance follows him in.  The house is very grand.  Lance doesn't
quite feel like he belongs here.  Or perhaps like he would belong
here better in the silk.  He takes in the high ceilings and the
tiled floors.  There's the sound of running water -- of a fountain
somewhere most likely.  It's the kind of place he had expected to
be scrubbing floors in.  "Your home is lovely," he says quietly.

"It's a show room.  But it is pretty," Joey says, smiling a little. 
"Thank you."

"This is then part of your business?"  Lance hasn't asked yet what
kind of business Joey does.  He feels he should know, although he
doesn't know how, because he was taught that asking questions was
rude and that he would be told what he needed to know.  But much of
what he'd been taught seems to not apply with Joey.

"Sort of.  For hosting parties and such."

Light dawns.  "Is that why you require attractive faces?  To help
you with hosting parties?"

"Partially.  And so you don't get raped.  And because I like to
look at you.  Does that bother you?"

"I..." Lance is flustered, a little.  Joey is treating him like a
real person, and it pulls him outside of the mask.  "A little?"

"I'm sorry.  I thought that you should know.  I won't do anything
about it, but if you catch me looking?  Don't worry that I'm gonna
bend you over a desk or something.  My promise holds.  I won't
touch you against your will.  Feel free to ask the others about
it."

Lance nods.  "I believe you."

"Good.  Now, I'll have a tailor in this evening to take your
measurements, and a doctor in the morning for a checkup.  Then, in
the afternoon, we'll talk business."

"All right."

Joey grins and turns to Lance.  "So, do you want to stay?"

Lance is taken aback.  "Yes.  Yes, please."

"Good."  Joey offers his hand.  "Then it's a deal."

Lance shakes it.  He's staying.  And he's attracted.  Very
attracted.

~~~~

"Hi, I'm Justin.  You live with me now!"  Justin bounces, grinning. 
"Do you mind taking the bottom?"

"Taking the bottom what?" Lance asks, raising his eyebrow at his
new roommate.

Justin snickers.  "Bunks.  Though that, too, if you wanted."

"No, thank you," Lance says.  "The bottom bunk will be fine."

Justin shrugs.  "Your loss."

"I suppose that depends on your point of view."  Lance sits down,
hands suddenly shaking.

Justin sits on the floor in front of him.  "Hey, hey now," he says
gently.  "What's up?"

Lance gives Justin a small smile, the best he can manage.  He likes
Justin more for asking.  "Just that this isn't how or where I
expected to end the day."

Justin looks at Lance shrewdly.  "Thought you'd be under some
sweaty businessman trying not to choke while calling him your
daddy?"

"Yeah.  More or less.  Or locked up at least."

"At least that you were prepared for, huh?"

Lance starts to ask how Justin knows, then nods.  "It was the same
for you, I'm sure."

"No.  I wasn't on the block when Joey found me."

"So you're not..."

"Not what?"

"A servant, like me."  The term 'servant', as short for the
official phrase, 'indentured servant', is the most commonly used
polite expression.

"Oh, I am.  Now.  I was a slave.  Sold at birth and all that.  Joey
found me at a business partner's house.  Bought me and all.  I
don't think he approved of what I was doing, since I was only
fourteen at the time."

Lance shakes his head.  "No.  I can see why not."  At least Lance's
choice had been his own.  Forced perhaps by social and financial
pressures, but nonetheless his own.

Justin grins again.  "I don't mind.  But let me tell you -- this is
way better than what you were expecting.  Just don't let the
freedom go to your head.  It does for some people.  Then they have
to leave.  And I like you.  You're cute."

Lance smiles wryly.  "On the whole, I'd rather *not* be cute.  It's
nothing but trouble for a servant.  And I know where I could end up
if I weren't here.  Believe me, I'm grateful."

"You don't wanna know what happens when they're not worried about
your looks," Justin says simply.  "Be glad."

"Maybe not, but I have other talents," Lance says.  "Valuable
talents."

Justin just shakes his head.

"I'm grateful to Mr. Fatone.  Very grateful.  But I did this
because there isn't any other way to get into the business world
unless you can buy your way in.  I'm willing to put up with what I
have to to get to where I want to be."

There's a knock on the door.  Justin stands and answers it, letting
Chris in.  "Hey, this is the man of many talents.  One of them
being tailoring.  Chris."  Justin bows mockingly.

Lance gets up and bows as well, but his bow is polite.

"Shut up, kid."  Chris smacks the younger man, but gently.  "So,
you're Lance.  Hello.  Strip."

Lance takes off the clothes he'd been given earlier and lays them
neatly on the bed.  They aren't his to mistreat; they belong to his
owner.

Chris measures quickly, making notes of numbers and colors and the
texture of Lance's skin and hair.  "You allergic to rabbits?"

Lance's eyebrows quirk.  "Not as far as I'm aware."

"Wool?"

"No."

"Gold, silver, copper, platinum, bronze?"

"Copper turns my skin green."

"Okay."  Chris finishes his notes.  "You want piercing, tattoo,
brand, shackles or collar?"

Lance pales, but this too is nothing he hadn't expected.  He just
hadn't expected it to be his choice.  He hesitates.

Chris smiles a little.  "If you go with collar or shackles, you
only have to wear them at work and parties."

Justin chimes in, "But if someone steals you, there's no concrete
proof you're Joey's."

"Tattoo, please," Lance says steadily, although it'll probably hurt
the most of all the options.  He doesn't know that he could take
the burning of his flesh for the brand.  But Justin's point makes
sense and he'd rather have a permanent reminder of a good master
than a bad one.

Chris nods and makes another mark.  "Okay, that'll be tomorrow
evening then."  He hesitates before adding, "Joey'll be there.  If
it's too bad, tell him."

Lance can't imagine protesting, so he just nods in return.

Chris turns and leaves.  "See you at dinner," he calls over his
shoulder.

Justin grins and shows Lance his tattoo.  "He lets you choose where
you want it, too."

"I... it's a very nice tattoo.  Elegant."

Justin grins.  "Only it's on my ass."

"I noticed that."  Lance looks at the clothes on the bed.  "Do you
think I'm supposed to get dressed again or wait for other clothing
to be brought?  I assume, given the measuring Chris did, that I'll
be wearing clothes."  So many assumptions he's having to make, when
he thought, once bought, he wouldn't have to make decisions again.

"Wear that tonight.  Chris'll have new clothes tomorrow.  And you
can go naked in the house, if you want, but you have to dress for
work."

Lance chokes off a laugh at that.  If he *wants*.  "This is a very
strange place," he says, and gets dressed.

"Yep!"  Justin happily strips off his shirt for dinner.  "Let's go,
or we'll miss all the good food."

Lance follows him, still in shock.  *Wanting* to be naked.

All through dinner, Justin flirts with the man across the table. 
JC's so, so hot.

Lance restrains himself to mostly watching his plate.  He wants to
just stare, but it'd be rude.  He does it out of the corner of his
eyes instead.  He especially watches Joey.

Joey stands as the meal starts to draw to a close.  "Hey, y'all! 
Shut up!"  Silence comes a moment later.  "Two announcements. 
Lance is our new arrival, here to work on the new business for us. 
That's him.  Be nice.  Kevin?  Keep your hands to yourself.  And
all other body parts, too.  Second, Kelly'll be home tomorrow.  No
full nudity, got it?"

There's a murmur of assent.  Justin groans.  "No fair!"

"Who's Kelly?" Lance whispers.

"Joey's wife."

"Oh."  Lance nods.  He wonders if she likes pretty boys or if
Joey's likely to be jealous of perceived attentions to her.  He can
see problems any way he looks, particularly if the household alters
their normal routines if she's around.

"She doesn't mind us.  Except Chris.  She hates Chris because he's
in love with Joey."

Chris is someone else to be wary of then.  Not that Lance has any
designs on Joey, but for fear that Chris will be jealous anyway. 
Lance chews and eats his food slowly.  It's hard to swallow. 
Things aren't as safe as he was thinking.

Justin reads Lance's expression.  "Oh!  Oh, no, no!  It's nothing
like that.  Chris doesn't care who Joey sleeps with at all.  He
doesn't do jealousy.  It's totally fine."

"You must think I'm an idiot," Lance says softly.  "Afraid of all
the wrong things and not afraid enough of the right ones."

"Nope.  You're just new.  You get over it.  Everyone is new once."

Lance half-smiles.  "Only once?  You don't think it's possible that
Joey will get tired of me or run out of use for my talents then?"

"It doesn't matter.  You won't be new again.  It's like virginity. 
You only lose it once.  And after that you wonder why you ever
cared about losing it at all."

"Let's hope it's not that bad," Lance says, a little grimly.  It's
not a requirement that you lose your virginity during your
training, but they make it very clear before you sign your freedom
away that if you want there to be any choice at all in the matter
that you should.

Justin tilts his head.  "It's never that bad again, you know."

JC reaches out and smacks his hand.  "Shut up.  You're as subtle as
a semi.  Are you coming to my room tonight?"

"Yes.  Please."  Justin smiles winningly.  "You wanna go tell
Joey?"

JC laughs and stands.  "Don't listen to him, Lance.  Some things
are better with age."

Lance hopes suddenly and fervently that Joey says no.  He's going
to feel very alone if Justin's gone tonight.

Joey speaks from behind them.  "We're hoping one of them is Justin. 
Lance, would you talk with me a while?" he asks.  He keeps his
voice soft so it's a request rather than a command.

Lance nods and stands up, feeling light-headed.

Joey takes Lance's elbow when the younger man sways.  The walk to
his quarters he takes as quickly as he dares.  "Are you all right?"

"Yes, s-Joey.  I'm just.  Overwhelmed.  A little."

Joey pushes the young man down onto a soft couch and gets a glass
of wine for each of them.  "Drink that slowly.  Tell me what
overwhelms you."

Lance takes a sip.  He gives Joey a tentative smile for caring, or
at least pretending to care.  "Nearly everything.  Trying to figure
out where everyone here fits into the situation and where I do. 
Trying to figure out where my place is and what I must and must not
do."

"I see.  Here, you are an employee, not a servant.  There are some
basic rules that go beyond what a completely free man would have to
do.  That is because I have so many of you here.  I absolutely must
know what is happening below stairs.  You must do your best, and be
honest.  You must not push yourself or anyone else too hard.  You
must bring me your problems, and you must not let them fester.  You
must wear something in front of my wife.  You must never steal
candy from my baby.  You must be the most beautiful creature I've
seen in a long time."

Lance nearly chokes on his mouthful of wine at the last remark.  He
looks up at Joey with wide eyes.

"You are."

Lance hears nothing but absolute sincerity in Joey's tone.  Joey's
eyes say the same thing, a very masculine appreciation of Lance,
and not just for beauty alone.  For sex as well.  Lance blushes. 
"I'll do my best."

"I expect you will," Joey says smiling.  He sighs.  "Justin and JC
are likely to be at it through the night.  Would you care to stay
here?  There are two beds, so your virtue may be safeguarded."

"I..."  Lance takes another sip of wine, needing the bracing
effect.  He's running low on courage by this late in the day.  He'd
expended it all at the start and has very little left.  "I believe
you.  That you wouldn't..." his face flames.  "I believe you," he
says more firmly, leaving it at that.  "And I appreciate your
offer.  Being alone seems even more frightening than everything
else.  I don't know how I'm going to sleep.  I was looking forward
to Justin's chatter."

Joey sets out to provide all the chatter Lance could hope for.

Lance is surprised by how genuinely friendly and warm Joey is.  He
would be completely comfortable if not for the ever-present
awareness saying, 'this man owns me'.

A deep gong sounds through the house.  "Goodness.  Lights out. 
Time flies when you're having fun," Joey says.  He stands and
stretches.  "Will you be staying, then?"

"Yes, please."

Joey nods and takes their glasses, washing them carefully in the
bar sink.  "C'mon.  D'you want something to sleep in?"

"I..." Lance stutters as he tries to figure out what Joey wants,
but if Joey's asking him, then it must be all right to make the
choice himself.  "Yes, please."

"Top drawer there," Joey nods to a tall dresser.  "Help yourself to
anything you like."

Lance takes out the first garment that looks likely to fit. 
Everything probably would, considering that the clothing must be
Joey's.  He feels cold, although that's likely more psychological
than real.  Still, the clothes will be warm either way.

Joey strips to his boxers and looks at Lance.  "One bed or two," he
asks gently.  "And one does not have to mean sex, unless you wish
it."

"One, please," Lance says very quietly.  Partly it's a wish to test
Joey's word, to make sure that it's true.  But most of it is a deep
desire for comfort.  He'd very nearly gone to sit on the floor
earlier, by Joey's legs.  If Joey is everything he seems to be,
then there would be no harm and possibly a great deal of good.  And
if he is not... he is still Lance's owner, with the right to do
whatever he wishes.

Joey nods and slides into bed, holding up the covers.

Lance gets in next to him.  He comes close, but doesn't press.

Joey reaches out and pulls Lance against his side.  "Night," he
says, yawning slightly.

Joey's warm and he's holding him close.  "Good night," Lance says.

"Wake me up if I snore," Joey slurs out.

Lance can't imagine anything less likely than himself doing such a
thing.  He relaxes against Joey, though.  Joey's falling asleep and
Lance can make himself believe that the embrace is purposefully
comforting.

Joey sighs and holds Lance gently.  "It'll all be okay, Lance. 
Sweet dreams."

"Thank you," Lance says in a tiny voice.  He isn't sure that thanks
will be appreciated, but he's still grateful.

Joey squeezes Lance in acknowledgment.

Lance finds, to his surprise, that he's able to sleep after all.

~~~~

The morning is awkward for Lance, although Joey treats having him
in bed as nothing special.  Business clothes are waiting for him
back in his room, and they're very nice clothes indeed.  Chris must
have been working especially hard to get these tailored to his
measurements in time.  He feels more settled fully dressed, and
goes to the breakfast table that way.

Joey drops a chaste kiss on Lance's cheek as he heads for his own
seat at the table.  They eat, mostly silent.  None of them is
particularly fond of mornings.  And then it's time for work.  Joey
stands and motions to Chris.  "You've got him until noon, then I
need him over at the block.  Party clothes, too," Joey adds with a
grimace.  He kisses Chris just as chastely, although his eyes say
more.  Then he and most of the others leave for work.  Chris and JC
are left looking at Lance.

"Thank you for the clothes," Lance says.  "You must have been
working very late."

Chris shrugs.  "I keep some things nearly ready.  You're built very
nicely, so..." he shrugs, but he's pleased.  JC beams at Chris and
Chris rolls his eyes.  "All right, you two.  To the studio!"  And
he takes off at a full run.

JC giggles.  "Chris is crazy!"

Lance grins back at him.  "I'm beginning to understand that. 
What's the studio?"

"The clothing design thing."  JC leads, waving his hands in
intricate explanation.

Lance follows him.  "So Chris is more than just a tailor -- he
actually creates his own fashions?"

"I help," JC says happily.  "Chris does other stuff, too.  He works
on the business stuff sometimes."

Lance nods.  "I guess he and I will be seeing a lot of each other."

"Sometimes, yes.  With Kelly coming home, more.  She likes to have
parties.  We're *allowed* to serve at them."

"Which is rather like being invited as guest of honor to your own
funeral," Chris calls through the door.  "Come in here.  D'you
wanna do the mostly naked stuff first or last?"

Lance's heart races at the implications, but he swallows it back. 
He thinks there may be multiple reasons why no one seems to be glad
that Kelly is coming home.  "Whichever works best for you," he
says.

"Get naked then.  You can keep the underwear."

JC starts laying out heavy velvet and sheer drapings.  "Kelly
treats us like slaves.  We don't like her.  Joey doesn't like her."

Lance starts taking off his clothes.  "Is there... is there
anything I should know?"

"Nope.  You can call her a worthless bitch to her face and there's
nothing she can do about it," Chris says.  "She can't hurt you,
other than making you serve her guests at her stupid parties.  And
even then, Joey's always there."

Naked except for the briefs, Lance wraps his arms around himself,
shivering.  "I'm sorry.  You must think I'm being stupid.  This is
probably one of the best situations I could have ended up in and
I'm still scared out of my mind."

"I don't blame you.  You're waiting for the other shoe to drop.  I
don't think it'll drop on you, though," Chris says.  He starts
holding fabrics against Lance's skin.  "Tell me what you like the
feel of.  And where you're getting the tat."

"Um, that one's good.  I like cottons over synthetics and silky
over scratchy.  I haven't made up my mind about the tattoo yet."

"Is it gonna be on your ass?"

Lance shakes his head.  "No, probably not.  I was thinking bicep or
leg."

"Okay.  We have to make sure it shows."  Chris drapes a soft green
silk over one shoulder and a dark black velvet over the other. 
"C?"

"Pretty!" JC declares after a moment.  He gets a piece of silver
ribbon and holds it up, too.  "There, with laces?"

Justin wears things that show off his tattoo?  Lance can hardly
imagine it.  "Arm then.  The left one."

Chris laughs.  "Okay.  JC, find those green boxer briefs."

"How much -- how *little* clothing is party wear?" Lance asks.

"Not much," Chris says grimly.

"What happens," Lance asks, afraid of the answer, "if Joey leaves
the room?"

"Yell louder.  We'll come.  We protect each other," JC says.

"Besides, most of the guests are too chic to settle for servants."

Lance nods.  Be careful then.  Try not to be left alone with
anyone.

In a short time they've got all sorts of party things picked out. 
Things they're all comfortable with.  Chris looks Lance over.  "Do
you cross dress?"

"I haven't."

"Do you, though?  Can you do it without being incredibly gawky and
uncomfortable?"

Lance gives him a look.  "At the moment, I'm pretty sure I look
gawky and uncomfortable in everything."

Chris laughs.  "Point taken."

"I'll wear whatever you tell me to wear."  Lance gives him a
half-smile.  "I'd rather you just told me to wear something.  That
somebody just told me to do something.  There's too many choices
and I don't know the consequences of any of them."

Chris nods.  "Put this on, then."  It's a simple sheath dress. 
"Let's see you walk in it."

Lance gets it on.  Like everything Chris has given him, it fits. 
He walks across the room and back again.

JC purrs.  "Pretty boy."

Chris shakes his head.  "Okay.  So that's always an option.  Let's
get you some jeans."

Lance shies away from the look in JC's eyes as he takes the dress
off.

"JC's harmless," Chris says.  "He's just very appreciative."

JC nods.  "I don't mean to make you feel bad.  I just like pretty
things."

Lance risks a glance at JC.  JC now has an open smile with nothing
extra in it.  "I wasn't trying to... it's not that it's bad... it's
just."  He shrugs.  "Everything's different now."

JC nods.  "Yep."

Chris laughs and starts finding ready-made clothes for Lance.

When they have him suited up, JC walks back with him to his room to
help him carry everything.  Lance gets it put away and then JC
takes him to the business side.

Joey smiles when Lance appears.  "Ready?"

Lance smiles back at him.  "Yes."

Joey spend hours explaining the business to Lance, and then leaves
him in his office to get familiarized with the equipment.

Lance is intrigued by Joey's description of his business.  He can
already think of several things he might be able to do to help
things go more smoothly.  It doesn't take him more than a few
minutes to accustom himself to the equipment -- it's similar to
what he's used before.  And then he's researching, completely lost
in what he's doing.

Joey returns hours later.  He laughs softly at the concentration on
Lance's face.  "You don't have to do it all in one day, you know."

Lance jumps in surprise, then looks between Joey and the time. 
"I'm late for dinner.  You didn't..." he looks horrified, "you
didn't have to come get me, did you?"

"Nope, I haven't been back myself.  Shall we go see what's left?"

Lance nods and shuts down the computer.  For a moment, he walks
along at Joey's side, before he remembers that he's getting
tattooed tonight.  It takes the hunger right away.

Joey drapes his arm over Lance's shoulders.  "What is it?"

"Just..." he starts to temporize and then sighs.  "The tattoo.  I'm
sorry.  I promise I'll stop being such a coward eventually.  I know
how lucky I am that you chose to purchase me, and that you've been
nothing but kind.  It's irrational."

"No, it's not.  It's very rational to fear pain."

"It's not the pain."

"Being marked?"

Lance shakes his head and then says, "Not exactly.  It's like
instead of getting it all over at once, losing all of my freedom,
I'm doing it a little at a time.  And having to *choose* to do so
each time.  It's harder."

"I see.  You know you don't have to do this, right?"

"I know I need to be marked in one way or another as being not only
a servant but your servant.  And that this is the safest option I
can handle.  A brand would be more permanent, impossible to remove
or hide.  I would be safer.  But I can't bring myself to choose
that."

Joey squints into the distance.  "Wait a week.  If in a week you
still feel like I'm taking your freedom, we will find some other
solution."

"No!" Lance says, shocked and upset.  "Please don't.  Please let
me."

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Joey asks.  He looks down at
Lance.  "I'm serious.  This isn't taking your freedom.  Not to me. 
This is making you safe enough to earn it."

"I know.  I *know*.  That wasn't what I meant, not at all.  I'm
sorry I said anything.  Please, please, let me do this."  Lance is
near tears.

Joey holds Lance closer.  "Shh, now.  Tell me what you need to feel
better."  He hugs the younger man to him, kissing away the tears
that shine on his lashes.

Lance clings to Joey.  "I only meant that it's difficult to adjust,
to do everything in stages.  Not that I didn't want it.  If I don't
belong to you, then I don't belong to anyone and it starts all over
again and I don't want that."

Joey looks at Lance and knows he wants to kiss him.  The moment
stretches as Joey tries to find the will power to draw away.

"Will you?  Please?"

"Will I what?" Joey asks faintly.

"Mark me."

"Oh.  Yes.  I will."  Joey hugs Lance tight.  "Eat first?  Or would
you rather after?"

Lance doesn't let go of Joey.  His bulk is reassuring.  "It doesn't
matter."

Joey laughs and picks Lance up, tossing the younger man over his
shoulder and jogging the few yards to the door.

Lance squeaks, startled, then starts laughing, too.  "Joey!"

"Yeah?"

"You're carrying me!"

"You know?  I think you're right!"

Lance laughs again.

It's a happy laugh, and he doesn't get shy again until Joey sets
him down on his feet in the dining room and Lance realizes that
everyone is looking at them.

Joey looks around.  "Hmm.  There are people here.  That means there
is still food here.  Yay!"  Joey picks Lance up again and runs for
the kitchen.  They're followed by good natured laugher and jeers
about Joey being whipped.

"Whipped?" Lance asks when Joey lets him down again and hands him
a plate.

"Hmmm?  Oh, they just like to tease."

Lance nods.  Maybe he'll be able to ask Justin about it.  Maybe
Justin'll be able to tell him what's considered to be right and
wrong and whether it's okay to feel so good when touching Joey.

Joey heaps his plate and Lance's.  "You look like you've been too
worried about your figure to eat as much as you want.  Eat."

"Not me.  The trainers.  Please, no, that's enough.  I couldn't eat
any more than that.  Really."

"So leave it on the plate," Joey says with a shrug.  "And I'll
write a letter to the trainers.  I hate it when I see boys looking
like they'll snap in half if I touch them."

"They said it'd be better like this," Lance says, looking down at
his plate.  It really is more than he can eat.  He's gotten used to
small, but nonetheless nutritious meals.  "But I think I just look
sickly.  Especially around the eyes.  But they said there were
fixes for that."

"Fuck them."  Joey hugs Lance, pressing his big, fat body in close. 
"I don't care if you become a blimp."

"You want me so you have something to look at," Lance reminds him.

"Yes.  I like your eyes.  And your attitude.  They can't get fat. 
Go for it."

Lance smiles tentatively at Joey.  He doesn't think *that* will be
happening any time soon, but it's reassuring that Joey won't send
him away if his appearance isn't perfect.

"Lance -- if you stick to the basic rules, I'm not sending you
away.  And if I do send someone away, it's not back to the block. 
You'll never be for sale again."

Lance gives him an incredulous look.  "Why would you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Keep all your servants.  Not resell our contracts.  You must lose
a great deal of money doing that."

"Not really.  And if someone needs to be relocated, I relocate
them.  It's something we discuss.  I'm more than repaid in loyalty
and keeping on trained, experienced workers when contracts are
fulfilled."

Lance nods, still amazed.  "It makes sense when you put it that
way, but.  Every time I think I know something, I'm wrong."  He
quirks a smile at Joey.

"Same here," Joey says, laughing.  He leads the way back out to the
tables.  They sit with Chris, JC and Justin and have a pleasant
meal.

Lance can't help glancing at Chris to get his reaction to Joey's
attention to himself and not the other man, but Chris seems
content.  He winks at Lance when Lance looks his way.

JC laughs and leans against Chris's side.  He opens his mouth to
say something and is interrupted by a high piping voice screaming
"Da!  Da!  Da!  Da!"

"Baby!" Joey cries, jumping to his feet and scooping his daughter
up.  He tosses her into the air and blows raspberries on her
stomach.  She laughs and drools in his hair.  "Lance, this is
Briahna, my daughter.  And... Kelly, my wife."

Lance is out of his seat in a moment, bowing.

Kelly surveys the room.  "I see you're all elated at my return,"
she says dryly.  "Who's this lovely young man?" she asks, lifting
Lance's face.

"This is Lance.  He's going to work on the new business."  Joey
kisses Kelly on the cheek.  "Welcome back."

Lance holds very still, focusing on a point past her shoulder. 
Never look at their face, he remembers.

Kelly smiles just a little.  "Thank you, Joe.  Bri and I are going
up to bed.  Will you be coming to read to her?"

Joey nods.  "Of course.  I have something to do first.  I'll be up
in about an hour.  The bath is ready for you."

Kelly nods, and turns to go, smoothing her hand over her belly. 
The baby she carries turns with the motion.  Then she and Briahna
are gone.

The room lets out a collective sigh.

Lance drops back into his chair.

"That's my wife."

"What a bitch," Chris says.

Joey shakes his head and ruffles Chris's hair.  "Idiot."

"Your idiot," Chris says.

"Damn right," Joey says, grinning.  "You staying with AJ tonight?"

Chris nods.  "Yep.  Gotta try to forget you somehow.  C's gonna be
with us tonight, too."

"Justin?  Where will you be?" Joey asks.

"Is Lance coming home?" Justin asks.

"That's up to him."  Joey looks at Lance with eyebrows raised.

Lance colors.  He knows where he'd like to be, and obviously so do
they.  "B-but, your wife."

"Doesn't sleep in the same room.  I don't love her.  She owns me."

"S-she what?"

"She owns my contract.  Or she did when we married.  Right now I
owe her three more years for Bri."

Lance just stares at Joey.  Does this mean that Kelly actually owns
all of them?  That Joey has to obey *her*?  He doesn't know what to
think.

"She doesn't own you," Joey says, reading Lance's look.  "You have
a right to know.  I could have paid for Bri in one year.  I agreed
to five so she wouldn't own what I own."

Lance nods.  He feels stupid now about being scared.  Joey's like
him.  Like all of them.  He stands up and puts his hand in Joey's. 
"With you, then."

"Okay.  J?"

"Hmm?  Oh, sorry.  Y'all are so cute my brain shorted.  I'll invite
Drew over, then."

Lance blushes.

"Good deal.  C'mon, Lance.  We gotta go downstairs for a bit."  He
takes Lance's hand more firmly and leads him to the tattoo parlor.

Joey greets the tattooist, Kevin, and helps Lance get in the chair. 
"Okay.  Where you want it?"

Lance rolls up his left sleeve to expose his bicep.  "Here,
please."  He's even more eager to get the tattoo now that he knows
Kelly has a larger legal stake in this than he'd thought.

Joey sits at Lance's right side.  "Wanna hold my hand?" he offers.

Lance nods and reaches for him.

Kevin gets the needle ready, smiling.  Joey's so fucking domestic
sometimes.  "Okay, dude.  Look at Joey.  Talk to him.  This doesn't
take long."

Joey tells Lance all about his daughter while the needle hums.

Lance turns his head toward Joey and listens intently.  It hurts,
but it's not the stomach-churning nausea he'd imagined branding
would be.  He tries not to squeeze Joey's hand too hard.

Eventually the buzzing cuts off.  "All done," Kevin says.  "You
want a touch-up, boss?"

Joey tugs up his pant leg and examines his leg, which bears the
same mark.  "I think I'm good for now.  Thanks, Kev."

Lance's eyes widen, but he doesn't say anything.  He's intimidated
by the other man being there.

Joey leaves Lance in his room to collect whatever he wants for the
night and morning and goes up to read to Bri.  By the time Lance
arrives, she's asleep and Kelly is in her own room.  "Hey, kid."

"Hi."  Lance smiles at Joey, coming to him.  "I wanted to ask --
why do you have the same tattoo?"

"It's mine.  It marks things that are mine and of value to me.  I
own my own body now.  That's important."

"Oh.  That makes sense."  He looks up at Joey, big and warm and
comfortable and friendly under the softer glow of the lights.  He's
not sure why he was ever scared of him.  "Joey... I don't know who
to ask and I'm not even sure I'm asking the right question, but I
think maybe I'm getting to a point where I need you.  And maybe
it's just not having anything and that you literally are the center
of my life now, but."  He wets his lips.  "You'd tell me if it's
wrong or if it's going to get me discarded or if it was going to
mess any of the others up, right?"

"Yes.  If I was sure what you were talking about."

"You.  I like being with you.  I want to keep being with you."  He
stresses the 'with' lightly, but hard enough to be heard.

"Ah.  I'd like that.  It's not wrong.  It won't fuck anyone up. 
But I'm not exclusive.  So, if this isn't gonna fuck you up, we can
do it."

Lance smiles wryly.  "I was more thinking that you'll get bored of
me and send me away for the next new boy to catch your fancy." 
That's a perennial worry of those in his position, ironic because
most of the time, the attentions that accompany the position are
considerably less welcome than the position itself.  Only Lance
genuinely wants this.

"You won't ever leave unless you want to.  And, well.  I think I'll
keep right on wanting you."

Lance nods and steps into Joey's arms, face upturned.

Joey leans down and kisses Lance.  Softly at first, checking the
reaction.  When Lance doesn't pull away or shake with fear, Joey
kisses him more and more passionately.  Finally he draws back. 
"May I carry you to bed?"

Lance likes that.  He'd wanted to be kissed.  A lot.  He'd also
wanted to crawl into Joey's lap a long time before he had any idea
it'd be okay.

Joey lifts Lance and carries him to bed, where there's more
kissing.  And necking.  And just general, getting-to-know-you
making out.  In fact, by the time Joey falls asleep, he knows Lance
very well -- but not biblically.  And it was still some of the best
sexy times Joey can ever remember having.

~~~~

Lance wakes up next to Joey, buried under his arm.  He feels warm,
comfortable and happy.  Happy is a new thing, but he likes it.  He
steals a moment for himself to enjoy it.

Joey wakes when Lance's breathing changes.  He lifts his face and
starts kissing Lance lightly.  "Morning, sunshine."

"Good morning," Lance says, opening his eyes and smiling at him.

Joey grins back and then kisses the pretty smile, morning breath
and all.

Lance kisses him back.  It's a wonderful thing Joey has given him. 
Not only the attention and affection and his place here, but the
ability to choose.

He's chosen to want Joey.

Lance reaches out and strokes Joey's side, stroking the other man's
skin.  Not quite seductively, because he knows he'd be disappointed
if it just leads to a brief coupling and nothing else -- the gift
of Joey's affection is the greatest of the ones he's been given.

Joey sighs and turns them, drawing Lance over top of his body.  "We
seem to have some time before we must be to work.  Shall we shower
and get clean?"

Lance lays his head on Joey's chest, savoring the feeling of
comfort and security.  Then he forces himself to be cheerful about
the prospect of getting up.  "All right."

"Or we could get dirty and then get clean," Joey offers as
delicately as he knows how.

Lance stiffens.  "If..." he says tentatively, "if it happens now,
will this be the only time?"

"I don't think so.  Unless you wish it to be."

Lance nods.  He's already fairly sure Joey isn't the kind of man
who would use someone and carelessly toss them aside -- he wouldn't
have the universal respect of everyone Lance has met here if he
was.  He just needed to make sure.  He nods.  "Yes, with you. 
Please.  Not just this time."

Joey smiles happily.  "Thank you."

Lance returns his smile, but doesn't quite understand what Joey's
thanking him for.

Sex is usually gratifying for Joey.  He enjoys it both for the
physical sensation and for the fun and for connecting with someone,
if only for a time.  But the soft wonder on Lance's face takes his
breath away like little else has ever done.  Joey feels somehow
blessed and honored and exultant all at once.

Joey has to practically hold him up in the shower, but Lance
doesn't mind if Joey doesn't.  He's hardly done it before at all --
just enough not to enter training with no experience -- and it's
so, so much better with someone who was bound and determined to
make him feel special, even if he has no idea why Joey would bother
to do that for him.

Joey leans Lance back against the wall, kneeling here and lifting
that as needed.  And, since he's in the area, he lifts Lance's knee
over his shoulder and rims him.  Luxury, thank God, provides for
suitable near-seats in the shower.

Lance mewls as Joey licks him down there.  He *loves* Joey. 
Generous, kind, handsome Joey.

Joey doesn't stop until there's come in his hair.  Then he laughs
and washes it out.  "Fuck, you're good, Lance."

Lance doesn't feel half so shy now.  He comes up and clings to
Joey, kissing his chest.  "Not compared to you," he drawls, nearly
worn out all over again.  "You're *amazing*."

Joey grins and traces Lance's lips with a finger.  "Experience. 
And I love the accent."

Lance mouths at Joey's finger.  "Don't have an accent," he says,
then sucks it inside his mouth.

Joey gently guides his finger in and out.  "If you say so, babe. 
Anything you say."

Lance closes his eyes and keeps suckling Joey's finger, content to
let Joey hold him up.

The water no longer feels hot, and Joey knows it's time to get out
and start the day.

When Joey pulls his finger away, Lance looks up, coming back to his
surroundings with eyes heavy-lidded with pleasure.  "Mm.  Time to
get dressed?"

"Something like that, yep.  Too bad the boss is such a hardass, or
we could play hooky."

Lance nods, taking that as a hint.  He draws in a deep breath,
trying to center himself.  "I... I'm going to have to go back to my
room to get dressed.  Thank you."

Joey holds Lance's wrist, pulling him back when he would leave.  He
lifts the younger man with firm hands on his ass and kisses him
firmly.  "Thank *you*," he whispers when they break apart.

Lance gives him another smile and leaves.

~~~~

Justin bounces when Lance comes in.  "How *was* it?" he bursts out.

Lance's smile isn't gone yet.  "Amazing."

Justin grins and hops all over the room.  "Yay!  You're all glowy,
too."

"If he's like this with all of you, I don't know why you didn't try
to shove me right back out the door.  He's just..." Lance smiles
again as he gets his clothes on.  He won't be late.  He's never
going to disappoint Joey.

Justin nods.  "He's very focused.  He's kind of a slut, like we all
are, but he's very sweet about it.  He's there for whoever he's
with, which not many guys are."

"Yeah," Lance says and sighs just a little.  There is that.  "I
don't understand how things work around here, but it's pretty
obvious that you're all... doing that."  He isn't going to say
'slut'.

Justin smiles.  "Well, I suppose it's not all of us.  And you have
to know that there are over a hundred men living in this house. 
Most of us didn't come here straight from the block.  We go a
little crazy over having choices again."

"There haven't been that many at meals."

"A lot of guys don't eat at the meals regularly.  Except on
Sundays.  The more solitary guys will just eat out of the fridge
and all."  Justin shrugs.  He's approaching Lance with clothes,
holding them up and whisking them away.  "Put these on," he orders,
shoving leather pants into Lance's arms.  "I'm gonna do your hair."

"B-but... those aren't business clothes.  I'm supposed to be
dressed to work."

"You are.  You don't have any conferences today, and they're black. 
Trust me, you're allowed to look alternative, as long as you look
good."

Lance looks Justin in the eye.  "I am trusting you.  I don't want
to do anything to make Joey unhappy.  Ever."

Justin reaches out, cupping Lance's cheek.  "You're sweet."

Lance ducks his head.  "Joey's nice.  Special."

"So're you," Justin says quietly.  He sighs.  "Get dressed.  I
wanna spike your hair all pretty."

Lance nods and changes clothes.

Justin carefully spikes Lance's hair up and dusts the tips with
greenish glitter.  "There.  You look marvelous, darling."  He grins
and kisses Lance's cheek.  "And remember, some whores have a heart
of gold."

Lance looks at him, brows knitting.  "Are we -- you, me, any of us
-- expected to be whores?"

"No.  But some of us might act like it.  I just... y'know.  Because
we like sex, doesn't make us bad."  Justin shrugs awkwardly.

"I know that," Lance says.  "I just can't imagine seeking that out
without wanting to feel close, too."

"Maybe that's what we're looking for."  Justin turns away to get
dressed himself.  "Anyway.  Go be beautiful.  Impress the boss with
your savvy business skills."

"I'm sorry," Lance says hesitantly.  "If I've somehow offended you. 
I didn't mean to."

"I offend myself, Lance.  Don't worry about it."

Lance nods, but he feels guilty.

Justin flits over and hugs Lance.  "Seriously.  Don't worry.  Go
work!"

Lance hugs him back, glad that Justin is giving him a means to at
least somewhat make up.

Justin sighs silently and pulls away, heading off to his own work.

Kevin appears just after Justin leaves.  He checks the tattoo
quickly and declares it fine.  Then vanishes.

Joey's waiting when Lance arrives at the office, early.  "Hey!  I'd
like a prospectus on buying by the end of the week, if possible. 
I won't be in my office this morning, but I'll see you after lunch. 
And, whoa, dude.  You look good."

Lance shines back at him.  "Thank you.  It was all Justin's idea. 
He's been very nice to me."

Joey grins.  "He's a good kid.  Anyway.  Lunch.  Yes."

Lance nods.  "I'll have the prospectus ready for you."

"Good deal."

Lance settles down to work immediately, entirely focussed on his
task.  He has a tendency to compartmentalize.  There's work him,
and there's the rest of him.  It's one of the reasons he thought he
could handle being a servant, because he could keep whatever else
he had to do separate from business.

It's noon, and the bell gongs loudly and repeatedly, calling
workers to lunch.  Joey's sitting with Bri in a high chair by him,
feeing her peas, accompanied by airplane noises.

Lance comes in late, worn out and eyes pricking with the adjustment
to looking at things further away than the computer screen.  He'd
only remembered about the existence of lunch after the gongs had
sounded.  And then there had been a little bit of this and a little
bit of that needed to finish off the prospectus.  But he's done,
and triumphant.

JC waves Lance over to sit with him, near Bri and Joey.  "Look at
the pretty girl!" he coos, offering Bri pieces of cut up hotdog.

Lance smiles at Bri.  He's all smiles today.

Joey laughs as Bri suddenly goes shy, hiding behind her bib.  "Come
out, princess.  This is Lance.  He's a nice man."

Bri grins messily and waves.

Lance can't help but grins back at her.

JC trills a laugh and puts a hot dog or three on Lance's plate.

Lance wrinkles his nose at them, but obediently starts eating.

Joey laughs.  "Hot dogs not your favorite?"

"Not really," Lance says.

"So don't eat them.  There's bound to be something else in the
kitchen.  Want me to show you where?"

Lance shakes his head.  "No, that's fine.  I... I don't want to be
any trouble.  I'll be fine."

"It's not trouble," Chris says, sitting down with a plate of pasta
and potatoes.  "You just open the door, pull out food, nuke it, and
eat."  He hands a sippy cup of juice to Bri.

"C'is!" she cries.  Chris stands to kiss her on the forehead and
she quiets.

The way Chris says it casually makes it sound more all right. 
Normal even.  Lance doesn't know why Joey making a fuss over him
makes him want to cry, but it does.  He gets up quietly and leaves
the table, heading for the kitchen.

Joey hands the spoon to JC and follows.  "Hey, you okay?" he asks
when they're in the kitchen alone.

"Yes."  Lance offers Joey a smile, but it's more forced than real. 
"I'm not... I'm sorry I'm this much trouble.  I didn't mean for you
to have to come after me.  Really."  The worried look Lance changes
to is more real.

Joey says, "I didn't come because I had to."  And then he grabs
Lance and kisses him hard.  "I missed you."

"Oh."  Lance leans into Joey.  His arms sneak around Joey's waist. 
"I don't know if I missed you at all," he confesses.  "But the
prospectus is done."  He lifts his head and grins at Joey.

Joey tosses back his head and laughs, hugging Lance.  "You're a
jewel."

Lance rests his head against Joey, content.

After a few minutes, Joey draws back.  "Bri's fussing.  Let's find
you something for lunch, huh?"

"Okay."  Lance flushes, but doesn't say he's sorry, because
obviously that's not the right response and besides, he *likes*
having Joey's arms around him.  He picks out the first things that
seem remotely edible -- fruit, bread and cheese.  He puts them on
a plate and looks at Joey.

Joey grins and kisses Lance one more time.  "C'mon.  The heathens
will have her drinking beer if we don't get back."

Lance follows him back out to the dining room, smiling again, the
same happy absent smile from earlier in the morning, where he's too
happy to notice where he is or what he's doing.

Justin snickers and elbows Chris, pointing.

Joey rolls his eyes at them as he sits back down and finishes
feeding Bri.

Lance takes his seat next to JC and quietly starts eating.  His
eyes are on Joey and Bri, but then, most people's are, so it's
nothing noticeable.

Bri starts fussing, so Joey transfers her to his lap and eats his
own food.  By the time he's done, she's asleep, clinging to his
shirt with sticky hands.  Looking down at his baby, Joey knows
she's worth far more than five years of his life.

Chris watches, his face unreadable.

Lance glances at Chris every so often.  He still wishes he knew how
Chris feels about this.  He knows Chris loves Joey, and if Lance
feels even half of what Chris does, well... he hopes Chris doesn't
hate him.

Chris catches Lance's eyes on him and winks, smiling with half his
mouth.  "I share well with others," he says.

Lance blushes and looks down, but he feels better and his smile
comes back.  This is the second time Chris has made things all
right for him with a wink.  He kinda likes Chris.

Again, the gong rings, warning them to head back to work.  Joey
stands with a sigh.  "You wanna put her down, Chris?"

Chris nods enthusiastically and gently takes the sleeping child. 
"Hush, now, baby mine."  And he wanders out of the hall, singing
quietly.

Lance watches Chris go and thinks that Chris is closer to Joey in
the important ways.  But that Lance'll still do his best for Joey.

~~~~

Months pass.  Justin and Lance start chatting every day.  And Chris
takes them all into town one Sunday.  They shop like wild men.  JC
sleeps with Justin while Lance is in the bottom bunk.  Kevin starts
calling on them every week, bringing little presents for Lance. 
And, finally, four months after Lance arrived at the estate, AJ
moves.  It's time for Lance to have his own room.

Lance doesn't really want the move to happen, not exactly, but
Justin deserves to be alone.

The only things to move really are his clothes and his books.  He's
uncomfortable with the presents from Kevin.  The one's he's kept
he'd just as soon leave in the room for Justin to look at or break.

Justin stretches himself awake.  "Okay, let's go look at the room. 
I get to choose."

Lance gives him a lopsided smile.  "Why do you get to choose?  I
have to stay there."

"Nope.  I choose which room I want.  You get whatever I don't
want."

"Oh.  You're getting a room of your own, too?"  Lance gets it a
moment after he asks the question and feels stupid.  Of course.  He
remembers now.  Justin gets AJ's old room and Lance gets this one. 
He tries to cover for his idiocy.  "That's cool."

"Um, yes.  That's the whole point.  We're all *supposed* to live
alone.  But I was the least experienced until you came."

"I didn't really think about it much," Lance admits.  It's true,
after all.  "Just, y'know, one guy moving out means that one room
is available.  Not two."  He's making this worse with every word. 
Time to change the subject.  "And, um.  Why are we supposed to live
alone?"

"So we don't kill each other."

Lance grins.  "Okay.  I can see that."

Justin laughs and rolls off his bed, standing in front of Lance
completely naked.  "So.  Are we going to have sex before you move
out?" he asks.

Lance steps back.  "Justin..."

"I was just asking."

Lance sighs.  He doesn't want to disappoint Justin, who's the
closest thing he has to a real friend here.  "It's not that I don't
like you, it's just..."  It's only ever been Joey for him here, and
that's important in more ways than one.  He takes a breath.  "For
one thing, if I do, I'm worried about.. being pressured by some of
the others.  Like Kevin.  Right now, he backs off 'cause, y'know. 
I haven't done the casual thing.  But if he thought I was fair
game..."  Lance couldn't deal with it.  He also couldn't complain
about it, because his idea of too much to deal with is considered
to be reasonably normal around here.

Justin nods.  "I get it.  Um.  I can keep my mouth shut, though. 
If you ever change your mind, I mean."

Lance nods.  "Thank you."  After a second, he takes a step forward,
putting a hand up to Justin's chest.  "I like you, though," he
says, and presses his mouth to Justin's.

Justin kisses back sweetly.  Kissing Lance feels like a first-time
kiss should.  Justin's grinning when Lance steps back.  "Thanks. 
I like you, too."

That's better.  Justin looks more like Justin.  "Let's go pick out
your room so I have somewhere to put my stuff."

Justin pulls on shorts and they go to inspect the room.  It's in a
corner of the courtyard with two huge windows looking out over the
lawns.

"Nice," Lance says.  "Especially the windows."

Justin nods and looks around.  "I like that.  But the furniture
sucks."

Lance looks around the room, not seeing the problem.  It's much
more spacious than the room they'd been sharing and besides the bed
and expected desk, there's even a nice couch.  He doesn't get it. 
Then he tries seeing the room through Justin's eyes and laughs. 
"The bed's too small, isn't it?"

"Um.  Yes?"

Lance's shoulders shake.  "It's a queen size bed.  You've been
making do with a *bunk* bed.  What do you expect to have, orgies?"

Justin smiles a little, looking over the lawn.  "When you don't
have quality love, you go for quantity, after all."

"Oh."  Lance quiets, stung.  "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault at all!" Justin says, whirling around.  "No, dude. 
Totally not.  Just how I work, y'know."

"It feels like my fault somehow," Lance says.  "You're... you're
not... please tell me you're not in love with me."

"I'm not in love with you," Justin says.  "I don't know what love
is, dude.  Don't stress.  I'll find it eventually."

Lance hugs Justin.  "You could have this room," he suggests.  "I
bet if you ask for a bigger bed, you'd get it."

"I don't fit this room," Justin admits.  "It's light and airy, like
you.  I think you should take it.  They'll put a king sized
waterbed in, once the bunks are out."

Lance shudders.  "Please no.  Anything but that."

Justin laughs.

Lance scrunches up his nose.  "Waterbeds are icky."

"Why?"

"They roll.  And you can't snuggle up to the bed."

"That's good, though.  You have to cling to the other person or
persons in the bed."

"Then it's just right for you," Lance says firmly.  Justin never
sleeps alone if he can sleep with somebody, although a couple of
times he's done just that so Lance doesn't have to be alone when
Joey's not an option.

"Yep.  Maybe I can even get a mirrored canopy!"

Lance laughs.  "I can just see that."

"If you want to, you can," Justin says simply.

Lance bites his lip and looks down, before deciding to go with
what's safe and what's true.  "If you needed me, I would."

Justin smiles just a little.  "I don't need anyone.  It's safer
that way."  After a moment of silence, he says, "Anyway.  Let's
move your stuff."

Lance nods.  He thinks maybe that's the crucial point.  Justin
doesn't want to need anyone, and Lance can't see the point if there
isn't need on at least one end.

JC and Chris appear to help move things, as does Kevin.

Lance ducks away from Kevin, but JC and Chris are almost an
official couple and there's not much room for him with them. 
Kevin, on the other hand, finds a lot of reasons to be near Lance. 
Thankfully, Justin shows up.

"Please," Lance says to Chris, when Kevin's been distracted by
Justin, "don't leave me alone with Kevin."

"He pushing you?" Chris asks.

Lance shakes his head, because he can't, he won't get Kevin into
trouble for just acting like everyone else.  "No, not exactly.  He
hasn't done anything wrong.  I just... I don't want him and he
doesn't go away and it's very very obvious what he wants."

Chris nods.  "Okay.  Uh, play along, okay?"

Lance nods fervently.  Chris loves Joey and in some ways, that
makes Chris equivalent to Joey in Lance's head, because Chris would
never do anything to hurt Joey either.

"Okay."  Once they've moved nearly everything, Chris grabs Lance,
pulling him close and kissing him thoroughly.  Chris and Kevin
don't share.  Not with each other.

Lance didn't expect that, not at all, but he turns his automatic
flinch into a move toward Chris.  He closes his eyes and lets his
hands touch Chris.

Chris knows how to kiss.  He kisses Lance gently, passionately,
teasingly, carefully.  This is the closest he's been to kissing
Joey since Briahna was born.  But Lance drives that thought out of
Chris's head with his tentative tongue and soft, soft lips and
sweet mouth.

Kissing Chris is nothing like kissing Justin.  Chris *needs* him. 
Lance can feel that.  He tries to get closer, to wind himself more
tightly into the other man.  

Justin watches.  JC watches.  Kevin clears his throat.  "Fine, I'm
going."

Lance doesn't notice.  He's trying to get his hand up to Chris'
face, to touch him like he deserves to be touched, like Chris
*needs* to be touched.  Like he's special and he matters, which
Lance *knows* Chris does, because Chris cares about nearly
everyone, especially Joey and Briahna.  Except Lance thought
someone, probably JC, had been giving *to* Chris.  But no, Chris
needs and Lance wants to fill that with himself.

JC covers Justin's eyes and drags him out of the room, laughing. 
Kevin follows, shaking his head ruefully.

Chris only breaks away when he has to breathe or fall down.  "Wow,"
he mumbles.

Lance lets him go, and only then realizes that the others have
left.  "Um.  I guess that worked."  He gives Chris a shy, sideways
look, trying to figure out if Chris wants to acknowledge what just
happened or make it all about saving Lance from Kevin.  Lance knows
it wasn't.  It couldn't have been.

Chris reaches out and pulls Lance close again.  "What worked?"

Lance goes into Chris' arms.  "Kevin.  He's not here anymore."

"Who's Kevin?" Chris asks, smiling.  "I only see Lance."

Lance grins back at him.  "I don't know.  Nobody important anyway."

"Mmm.  Smart boy.  Sexy, smart boy."

Lance feels very happy.  "You needed me.  Right then.  You wanted
me."

Chris flushes a little.  "Yeah."

Lance doesn't understand why Chris is blushing.  "Is that all
right?  With you?"

"Oh, yeah.  Totally."

"Good."  Lance steps back enough to tug Chris toward the couch. 
He's wanted to talk with Chris about things for forever, but Chris
has always seemed above everything.  More experienced and
definitely not needy.

Chris sits, waiting to hear what Lance has to say.

Lance takes Chris' hand.  "Is this all right?" he asks.  Sitting
had seemed like such a good idea, but he can't really touch Chris
this way and when they're not touching, Chris seems remote again.

"Totally.  Here."  Chris shifts, putting one leg against the back
of the couch and pulling Lance in between his thighs.  "Okay,
talk."

Lance curls up against him and lets out a sigh.  "This is perfect. 
Um.  I've been wanting to talk with you for a long time, but it
always seemed like you were..." he can't find the right word.  "Um. 
Smarter than me or older than me or stuff like that.  I didn't want
to bother you.  And I thought you were, y'know, *with* JC."

"C?  Nah.  We'd kill each other, on a permanent basis.  And I am
older than you, kid.  But I have the mentality of a toddler, so it
evens out."

Lance laughs.  "Yeah, well, for whatever reasons, I figured you had
it all sorted out and so I shouldn't bother you even though I
wanted to talk to you.  'Cause, y'know.  Joey."

"What about Joey?"

Lance is glad he isn't looking at Chris' face.  "How you love him. 
And how you can stand me being there."

"I do love him.  But the only thing Kelly won't let Joey have is
me."  Chris smiles a little.  "Someday though.  Besides, Joey's not
a one person kinda guy."

"You can't be with Joey as long as Kelly's around?"

"Hmm?  Oh, yeah.  Condition of the contract."

Lance hugs Chris tightly.  "Oh.  I'm so sorry."  He means it, too. 
Joey is a huge source of affection for him and he doesn't know how
he'd handle being cut off from him.

"Yeah, well.  Whatever."  Chris is flustered by Lance's sympathy. 
He pats the younger man's back awkwardly.  "What else you wanna
talk about?"

"I mean it," Lance says.  "'Cause that's really it.  I wanted to
know how you dealt with Joey being with multiple people, but you
don't have any choice."  He turns and leans his forearms on Chris'
chest so he can look at him.

"Well, sort of.  Besides.  He's Joey.  There's enough to go
around."  Chris grins and winks.

"But you're still alone."

"Not really.  I sleep with people."

"Uh huh.  Like Justin does.  Like everyone else does and like Kevin
wanted to do with me.  Not like I sleep with Joey or you used to
sleep with Joey."

"I don't do like Kevin does.  I'm not quite so free.  I'm not as
young any more.  Can't keep up with you whippersnappers."

"You need someone," Lance says, firmly convinced of this.

"Everybody needs somebody sometimes!" Chris sings.

This is the kind of thing Lance was afraid of when he'd thought of
talking to Chris.  That Chris would put him off by one means or
another, because he thinks Lance isn't worth really talking to. 
But Chris kissed him and that makes everything different.

"You can have me," Lance says, voice soft.

Chris quiets.  He reaches out and touches Lance's cheek.  "Yeah. 
But how would you know I wasn't just using you?"

Lance rubs his cheek into Chris' hand.  "You need me."

"Who says I don't just need someone to fuck?"

Lance likes that Chris still hasn't moved his hand away from
Lance's cheek.  "You'd have said something or looked at me earlier. 
That's what I don't like about Kevin.  Or getting my own room.  I
see the looks."

"You're very attractive."

"So're you."

"I was."

"You are."

"Whatever."

Lance pushes himself a little further upward so he can kiss Chris
again, needing to show him just how desirable Lance finds him. 
Quirky, funny, thoughtful, hard-working Chris who has been kind to
him even though Lance is sleeping with his love and who saved him
from Kevin just because Lance asked him to.

Chris, never one to turn down a good thing, kisses back.

Lance would very much like to pull Chris down on him and put his
hands under Chris' clothes, but he's probably already breaking the
rule about telling Joey what's going on before they do something
like this, so he pulls back a little.  "So, will you?"

"Will I what?"

Someday, Lance is going to learn how to control his blush.  "Be
with me.  For a while, at least."

Chris smiles, tracing the redness in Lance's cheeks.  "Sure.  Let
me know when you get annoyed with me, okay?"

Lance basks in Chris' smile, smiling wide himself.  "I can do
that."

"Good deal, kid."

Lance rests there for a while in Chris' arms, enjoying the
closeness.  Joey's very affectionate with him, very touchy, but
there're other things that take up his time and other people. 
Justin's only a little touchy, and Lance has been wary of everyone
else.

But he knows they have to finish moving soon and then there's
dinner and they have to tell Joey.  "Chris?  Do you think... it
won't hurt Joey's feelings if we do this, right?  I don't want to
hurt him."

"Hmm?  Nah, he won't care."  Chris grins.  "Might tease us,
though."

Lance ducks his head.  "Have to hide behind you.  I'll be red all
through dinner."

"If you're hiding behind me, they'll give you a hell of a lot more
to be red about."

"Oh."

Chris winks.

Lance smiles.  For some reason, Chris' winks always make him feel
better.

"Not that I'm complaining, though.  You're welcome to get as behind
me as you want," Chris says earnestly, but with twinkling eyes.

Lance grins back at him.  "I think I should finish getting moved in
or I'm going to end up breaking a house rule."

"Oh?  What's that?"

"No sex without talking to Joey first."

"Oh.  That's easy.  Just call him."

Lance's brows knit.  "There's phones in the house?"  He's seen them
on the business side, of course, even used them.  But that's
different.

"Yeah.  Somewhere."  Chris looks around.  "On top of the bookcase
over there."

Lance looks.  There's an actual phone.  In the room.  "Th-that's
got to be a mistake," he stammers.

"Why?"

"Because.  They can't...  No one would give someone like me that
much freedom."  Lance thinks of another possibility, one that
scares him less.  "It's only an inside line, right?  Just for the
house?"

"You can dial out, but you have to have a code," Chris says.

Lance nods.  He can almost deal with that.  "Would you... like
that?"

"Like what?"

"To stay here and have sex with me instead of going to dinner?" 
Lance isn't sure which he'd prefer.  He wants to touch Chris, but
he also wants to get the ordeal of dinner over with.  He's not
looking forward to being teased.

Chris smiles slowly.  "I think I would.  I'll cook for you, after."

"That's... thank you.  That's... I'd like that.  Um.  Should I call
Joey or would you?"

"I'll do it, kiddo."  Chris stands up, gently moving Lance.  "You
go grab the rest of your stuff.  Um.  And *stuff*."

Lance gets his meaning.  "I... I don't have any of my own.  I've
never... not on my own... here..."  Chris is grinning at him. 
Lance swallows his embarrassment.  "But Justin will know.  I'll ask
him."

Chris reaches out and grabs Lance.  He kisses the younger man
firmly.  "You're cute."

Lance can't think of anything that isn't stupid to say and he hopes
Chris doesn't laugh at him.  "You're nice.  I like you."

"I like you, too."

Still smiling, Lance heads off to find Justin.

~~~~

"What for?" Justin asks, clinging to his stash.

"Chris," Lance says, eyes dancing with excitement.

Justin considers.  "Hmm."

"What?"

"Ribbed for her pleasure or studded for extra sensation?" Justin
asks, in the tones of one deciding the fate of the world.

"You pick."

Justin drops the box and hugs Lance.

Startled, Lance hugs him back.  "What?"

"Chris!"

"Yeah?"

Justin laughs.  "It'll be fun, dude."

Lance nods.  He hadn't thought about it like that, but of course,
Justin's slept with Chris.  Lance is probably the only man here who
Justin hasn't slept with.  "You would know," he says, smiling.

"Actually, I haven't.  With Chris."

"Oh."  Lance thinks about it.  That makes more sense to him than
the idea of sex with Chris being fun.  The way Justin said it makes
it sound like Chris is all light-hearted and casual and that's not
what Lance feels from him at all.  "He's not... I don't think he's
like that.  Just for fun.  Maybe sometimes.  But I don't think
that's what he wants."

"No, I just mean -- when he *does*, he's very... joyous?  C says,
anyway."

"Okay.  Yes, that makes sense.  He's... I like him."

"Well, that's good.  Otherwise, it would be a bad thing."

Lance laughs.  "Yes.  Like Kevin."

"Kevin's not so bad.  Just... very, very intense."

"Very focused on having sex, you mean," Lance says.  "Every time he
looked at me, I could tell that's what he was thinking about.  And
he wouldn't stop or go away.  I didn't like that.  But Chris says
he won't bother me again."

"Kevin doesn't share."

"The way Chris put it is that Kevin doesn't share with him."

"Yeah.  Well.  Kevin doesn't like to share at all.  He just likes
to own."  Justin shrugs and sits down to find condoms and lube. 
"Here."

Lance stands very still, stricken.  He's very glad now that he
avoided Kevin, but something else is bothering him.  "Justin... you
didn't, you haven't been with Kevin, have you?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because.  You sound like you did and you got hurt."

Justin sighs.  "I've done a lot of things.  Not the least of them
take the path of least resistance.  You want flavored lube?"

"I don't know," Lance says and hugs Justin.  Justin doesn't want to
need anyone, but Lance wants to.

Justin hugs back and sticks several condoms and a few small packets
of lube in Lance's jeans.  "Now, go get em, Tiger."

"Thank you," Lance says and means it.

Justin laughs merrily and waves Lance out the door.

Chris is laying on the bed naked when Lance comes back.  "Hi. 
Thought you should see what you're in for.  You know, in case you
want to run in fear or faint with maidenly shock."

Lance shakes his head as he dumps his armload of possessions on the
nearest flat surface.  It didn't seem right to leave Kevin's
presents with Justin if Justin'd been hurt by him.  The condoms he
keeps, though.  "No."  He drops the condoms on the bed, pulls the
lube out and drops it next to the condoms.  Then he starts taking
off his clothes.  "I'm not as repressed or shy as you all think I
am.  I'm just... there's so many things here I don't understand or
I don't know how to deal with, and I want to get things *right*. 
When I know something, I'm not like that."  Naked now, he lays down
on the bed next to Chris.

Chris turns to look at Lance.  Lance doesn't look modest or shy at
all.  "Damn pretty."

"That's what people keep saying," Lance says.  "I'm just as happy
that Joey tells me that's no longer going to be a consideration I
have to worry about."  He runs his hand over Chris' side, waiting
for reaction.

Chris arches into Lance's touch.  "You're pretty inside, kiddo. 
Sorry to say, you're gonna stay that way."

"I'm not worried about that."  He kisses Chris gently, slowly
wooing Chris' mouth.  Chris opens his mouth, but Lance doesn't
press.  It's about warmth and comfort and showing Chris he's there.

Chris submits, letting Lance need him.  He even lets himself need
Lance back.  It's only after a long, long time that he draws back,
smiling.  He licks the tip of Lance's nose.

Lance grins at him.  "What do you want?  Or like?"

"I like you.  Whatever else is good for me."

Lance purses his mouth, thinking.  After a minute, he resituates
himself, half-sitting at the head of the bed.  He pulls the covers
up over them, up to the level of Chris' shoulders, then pulls Chris
in close.  Then he wraps himself around Chris.

Chris holds Lance, petting him.  "What's the matter, babe?"

"There isn't anything the matter.  Just... with what you said... I
know what I like best, over even sex, is feeling warm and close. 
Not that there's anything wrong with sex.  I like sex."

"Sex is good," Chris agrees.  "Close is good, too.  'Specially in
the winter."

Lance's hands on Chris falter.  "I'm wrong.  Aren't I?"

"No.  You're not.  You're smart.  You're brave.  You're soft
here... and here... and here.  And hard and strong here."

Lance lets out a tiny gasp when Chris' short, teasing touches move
to his cock.

Chris doesn't touch to arouse so much as to acknowledge.  And to
hold.  "I like it."  Meaning Lance, and his cock, and the strategy.

"Okay," Lance says.  Lance isn't going to argue about that.  About
any of it actually.  His hands are on Chris' shoulders, stroking. 
"You're sexy.  I don't know where to start.  Just want to make it
good for you.  Being with me.  And sex."

"Lance, don't worry.  It's already good because, y'know, you want
to be with me.  Nothing could make it bad now."

Lance contorts himself so he can kiss Chris and still keep Chris'
hand on him.  "But see, I want you to want to do it again."

"Heh.  Oh, believe me.  I want to do it again."

"Haven't done anything yet."

"Doesn't matter.  I already wanna do it again."

Lance grins at him, then slips down, heedless of losing Chris'
hands and rolls over on top of him and starts kissing with intent.

Chris presses his knee up between Lance's legs and participates
enthusiastically.

The kissing leads to touching, which leads to licking and sucking,
which leads to Lance on his back, legs held high and spread while
Chris thrusts into him, babbling words like love and care and
beautiful and so good.

Chris sighs, sheet settling around them.  "Mmm.  I'm going to buy
you sheets.  Soft, brushed cotton sheets.  To match your eyes."

"Buy me sheets?" Lance asks.  Why would Chris buy sheets?  How
would Chris buy sheets?  If Lance wanted sheets, he'd ask someone. 
Probably, ultimately, Joey, if he couldn't find what he needed.  An
answer creeps in, but Lance isn't sure he's happy about it. 
"Chris... are you a servant?  Or are you free?"

"I don't know.  I never wanted to know when my contract ends.  But
I can always requisition whatever fabric I want and make the sheets
in my studio."

"Oh."  Lance curls in, arm over Chris.  Chris is smaller than Joey,
but Lance still feels that same sense of solid bulk that says
'safe' to him.  "I just... either way, it's okay."

"You sure?  I know guys you would kill me for living like this if
my contract is paid."

Lance gives him a puzzled look.  "Why?"

"You know.  Mocking the life, or whatever.  I never really got what
was so much better about being free than being here."

"I understand wanting to be free.  But if you're happy and you
choose to be here, then I don't see anything wrong with it."

Chris smiles.  "You're a good kid."

"Chris?"

"That's me."

Lance nips his shoulder playfully, but then asks what's been
bothering him ever since earlier.  "Did Kevin do something to
Justin?  I told him you'd helped me with Kevin and about the
condoms and all of that, and.  Well, he didn't *say* anything'd
happened.  He actually said nothing had happened.  But I got this
feeling, y'know?"

Chris sighs and settles Lance closer.  "It's not that Kevin did
anything to Justin against his will.  But Justin's background isn't
the best, you know.  And when he got here, he didn't know how to
deal with much of anything.  So, he was pretty, and Kevin
approached him.  Justin went.  Not so much because he wanted Kevin,
as because it was easier, I think."

Lance nods.  "Kevin's so persistent."  He shivers a little and
cuddles into Chris.  "If you hadn't helped me, I might have given
in eventually.  Maybe."

"Nah.  Kevin doesn't force.  You'd have eventually just told him to
go away, and he would have.  Or you'd've said something to Joey."

"I would've.  'Cause Joey's been wonderful to me."  Lance smiles
against Chris' chest, because 'wonderful' barely even describes it,
but Chris knows, too, so he doesn't have to explain.  "But, see,
you said that you and Kevin don't share.  And Justin said it
slightly different.  That Kevin doesn't share.  Ever.  And that
sounded creepy.  Like Kevin tries to own people.  Like the reason
he was coming after me was *because* I'm new, *because* no one else
here, other than Joey, had had me."

"Well, sort of.  Kevin won't ever be with someone I've been with. 
But when he's with someone, he also won't let them be with anyone
else.  For however long it lasts.  A night, a week, a month,
whatever."

"And he probably wants it to be up to him to decide when it's
over."

"Usually is."

Lance nuzzles Chris.  "Thank you."

"I think that's my line, Lance."

"Hmm?  You're the one who stepped in and helped me just because I
asked you to."

"Well, yeah, and cause you're hot."

"Justin says you sleep with JC sometimes.  *He's* really hot."

"Not the same way."

"I don't mind."

"Mind what?" Chris asks, tracing idle patterns on Lance's skin. 
They stay white for a second before filling with soft peach.

"If you like him more."

Chris laughs softly.  "Okay."

"I mean.  If you were trying to be nice."  Lance flushes.

"No.  You're hot in different ways.  Hey, did you wanna... sleep
with him?"

Lance shakes his head.  "Not really."

"Okay.  I know he would, if you want to.  He's really sweet, too. 
Kinda like you."  Chris smiles and kisses Lance.

"A lot of people would.  Justin wants to.  But he doesn't want to
need anyone.  Me... I don't see the point if they don't need you
and you don't need them."

"Justin probably got burned by needing someone.  I did.  Makes it
hard to let yourself need anyone.  Plus, you don't expect anyone to
need you back."

"Guess that makes me naive and stupid," Lance says, closing his
eyes.

"No."  Chris tightens his hold on Lance.  "It makes you fucking
precious, okay?  Strong."

"Okay."  Lance risks opening his eyes.  Chris' look is fierce, like
he means to make sure that Lance believes him.  Lance does believe. 
"Is there anything I should know?  Like how Joey told me that he
isn't exclusive and how Justin can't need people.  Stuff like
that."

Chris laughs lightly.  "I'm not terribly promiscuous.  I really
only sleep with a few people.  C, you, guy named Howie.  Joey, when
we could.  Don't be psycho-jealous, and we're good.  Come to me if
you need help."

Lance absorbs this and sighs.  "I guess that's my thing, then."

"What is, kiddo?"

"Wanting to stay with someone."

"It's not a bad thing.  I agree with it, even.  But it's kinda hard
when you can't have the one.  So... it's not really bad to stay
with only a few people, you know."

Lance sighs.  "Yeah.  I guess so."

Chris blinks hard and looks out the window.  "You could probably
have Joey."

Lance shakes his head.  "No.  I like Joey.  I like him a lot.  Even
need him.  But he doesn't need me."  Wistfully, he says, "I was
kinda hoping you needed me."

Chris smiles at Lance.  "I kinda do.  He kinda does, too."

"I just want you to stay for a while."  Lance blinks several times. 
"Please."

"I think I will.  I think I might be staying for a long while."

Lance leans up and kisses Chris gratefully, over and over again.

Chris rolls on top of Lance.  A few deft maneuvers later, Chris is
riding Lance's cock.  Happily, when they finish, they're both
hungry.

Lance's stomach gurgles.  "Food?"

"Oh, yeah."

Lance grins at him and kisses him again before getting up.

Chris dresses and drags Lance down to the kitchen.  He tears open
a bag of salad and throws cut up grilled chicken breast on top. 
"Look, I cooked for you."

"I'm, um, not as impressed as I thought I'd be?"

Chris laughs.  "Did I forget to tell you I'm really annoying?"

He sticks two potatoes in the microwave.  "There.  Carbs."

Lance nods.  "But Justin mentioned it already."  He smiles at
Chris.  "But since I probably wouldn't have come down here at all
on my own, it still counts."

Lance is so fucking hot when he smiles.  Chris lifts him onto the
counter and kisses him.

Lance spreads his legs and pulls Chris between them, wrapping his
legs around Chris' waist.

Chris kisses Lance over and over, until the microwave dings.  "Mmm. 
Dinner bell."

"And no teasing."

"Why not?"

"I didn't mean you," Lance says, watching Chris go to the
microwave.  "I meant, nobody else here teasing us about being
together."

"Ah."

"I'm sorry.  I'm not used to people teasing me.  It's... it's more
like heckling, especially when I don't know everyone all that well
yet."

Chris smiles.  "I'll tease you.  Um.  Your hair looks funny!  Oh,
wait, that's my fault.  Um.  Your lover's weird looking!"

"Doesn't count," Lance says, kissing him as Chris hands him his
plate.  "I know you."

"Oh.  Hmmm."

"What?" Lance says, taking a bite.  "Are you going to go get
someone just so you can tease me?"

"Nah, I think I'm gonna watch you eat, instead."  Chris hops up
onto the opposite counter.

"You're not eating?"

Chris stretches and grabs his plate.  "Eating!"

"Good.  Don't want you to go faint from hunger or anything like
that."

"Nah, I'll be fine.  I only did that once."

Lance looks alarmed.  "Really?"

"Yeah.  I'm hypoglycemic."

"They couldn't correct it?"

"What do you mean?" Chris asks, honestly puzzled.

"In training.  They corrected all sorts of things before they let
me through.  My eyesight, my heart, things I didn't even know were
wrong or might go wrong.  Didn't they do that to you?"  Servants
are supposed to be healthy.  Free from sexual disease as well,
although that didn't count for much when free people could do as
they liked.

"Nah.  I sorta slipped through.  The place I trained got closed
down after we were through."

Lance nods, obscurely saddened.  The free medical care is one of
the best side benefits to becoming a servant.  Of course, maybe
Chris doesn't consider hypoglycemia to be a big deal.

"Hey, hey.  Don't worry.  It gives me an excuse for being a big
spaz."

Lance shrugs.  "I worry.  A lot.  It's what makes me good at what
I do."

"Maybe.  I think just being smart makes you good."

"It helps," Lance admits.  "But having a sense of what can go wrong
helps.  And not being overly optimistic with plans.  Kinda like an
eye for color and knowing what's in and what's not has to be
important for you."

"I'm a tailor because I have to be, not because I wanted to." 
Chris shrugs and crunches through some of his salad, croutons
crushing between his teeth.

"Okay, never mind."

Chris smiles and reaches out to poke Lance's knee with his toes. 
"No, you're right.  Don't tell anybody, but I kinda actually don't
hate my job anymore."

Lance is still looking at the floor.  "You're good at it.  I liked
all the clothes you got for me."

Chris grins.  "I wanted to sing."

"You must be really good then."

"At what?" Chris asks.  Lance's face is still tipped down.  "Look
at me, baby?"

Lance looks up slowly.  Chris' gaze is warm.  Lance hops down from
the counter and comes over to him, leaning against his side.  "At
singing."

Chris laughs.  "Oh, hell no.  I just wanted it."  He looks off into
the distance, seeing the past.  Then he shrug.  "Eh, who knows? 
I'm a decent tailor.  That's enough."

Lance wants to look away.  He feels uncomfortable exposed to Chris'
feelings when there's nothing he can do.  But Chris asked him to
look up, so Chris obviously doesn't mind that part.  Lance nudges
Chris' knees apart and steps between them, wrapping his arms around
Chris and leaning his head on him.  He doesn't have words, but he
can offer something anyway.

Chris holds Lance back, resting his head on the convenient
shoulder.  And it's comfortably intimate and intimately
comfortable.  Until the door opens and the overhead lights are
flicked on.

"I'm sure we've got... holy wow, Batman," Joey says. 

Lance blushes, but turns, still leaning against Chris.  "Hi, Joey."

Joey grins, bouncing a fussy baby girl on his hip.  "Well, hello
boys.  Damn."

Lance's hand on Chris' leg tightens, but he doesn't pull away. 
Joey already knows, since Chris told him on the phone, but maybe he
should tell Joey, too.  Joey always seems to ask both people
whether they want to be together and Lance figures that's part of
why Joey's expressing surprise now.  "Yeah.  Me and Chris."

Joey puts his hand on the side of Bri's head, pressing her to his
chest and covering her ears.  "Fuck you look gorgeous together."

At this rate, Lance's blush isn't going away any time soon.

Briahna squeals angrily and pushes at his hand.  "Sorry!  Sorry,
sweety.  Let's find your juice, huh?"

Chris laughs and slides off the counter to steal her out of Joey's
arms.  He dances her all over the kitchen, talking in funny voices
until she's giggling.

Joey rolls his eyes and starts hunting for a snack to give his kid. 
"Children."

"Which one of them are you talking about?" Lance asks softly as he
helps Joey look.

"Both."

"That's what I thought."  Lance hands Joey a package of graham
crackers to go with the juice.

Joey kisses Lance's cheek.  "You're a life saver.  Having a good
time?" he asks seriously.

"Chris needs me.  But I don't understand him and he hurts a lot."

Joey smiles sadly.  "I know.  You'll be good for him, I think."

"I hope so."  Lance leans against Joey.  "I want somebody.  I'm
sorry."

Joey shakes his head and hugs Lance.  "No reason to be sorry.  I
know exactly how you feel."

Lance nods.  He figures Joey probably does, what with loving Chris
and not being able to have him and all.

Joey sighs.  "So, hey.  Go forth, have fun.  Make Chris show you
the silks he ordered.  They feel like air, seriously.  Gotta go
feed my kid now."

Lance hugs Joey tight.  "I'll take care of him for you, I promise,"
he whispers, then lets Joey go

Joey nods and steals Bri back from Chris.  "Stop trying to make her
love you more, Kirkpatrick.  She's already gonna grow up to be a
heartbreaker."  Then he kisses Chris, hard and fast.  "Love you."

Chris nods.  "Ditto."

Lance comes up behind Chris and wraps his arms around Chris' waist,
letting his head drop onto Chris' shoulder.  It's comfort, but he's
not sure for who.

They finish dinner at a table, chatting quietly.  And it's almost
like a date, if either of them had ever actually dated.

Later, much later, after they're done eating and in bed, Chris
asks, "How old are you?"

"Twenty."

"Really?  Huh."

"I went in at the minimum age.  I just spent extra time learning
all the business skills."  There's no other way to get an education
really, unless you're very wealthy, which Lance is not.

"What is the minimum now?" Chris asks.  He always likes to talk
before going to sleep.

"They just recently put it back to 16.  It was 18 when I went in. 
Really, they just changed the graduation age.  You can't leave til
you're 18.  Age of consent.  Because of the stuff that can happen."

"Huh.  Really.  Sixteen?"

"Yeah.  From what I saw, they're mostly letting the people who need
advanced training in early -- they don't want to pay for housing
any longer than they have to."

Chris nods.  "Hey, but I bet that makes your contracts lower,
right?"

"That's the idea.  Give people a headstart on their own careers. 
As it is, I'll be 35 when my contract's up."

Chris shakes his head, a useless motion in the dark.  "Nah. 
Working here, you'll pay it off in half that.  Easy.  Especially
working the business side.  And the business Joey's got you in."

"I signed a standard 15 year contract.  Didn't know you could buy
those out."  Lance is half-asleep himself, but it's nice talking to
Chris in the dark.  Nice talking to someone who listens to the
answers and whose only interest isn't sex.

"Well, it's owner option.  There's a dollar amount you're expected
to earn in that fifteen.  They can release you early."

"And Joey's the kind of person who'd let someone go early.  Okay. 
That makes sense.  I'd read that, but I'd looked at it the other
way 'round.  That I'd get the balance of the difference between
what I owed and what I'd earned.  Minus all the usual fees and
percentages, of course."

Chris nods.  "The older contracts don't have that clause in them. 
It's supposed to make the new ones more humane."

"Does it?"

"The one I signed was thirty years or one million dollars, so I'd
say, yeah.  They are."

Lance's eyes open.  "Wow.  Um.  How old are you?"

"Uh.  Twenty-eight.  I think.  So I have, what?  Fifteen years
left?  But I think I've probably earned somewhere near that
million."

"But you're not planning on leaving right now," Lance says,
unconsciously snuggling closer.

"I'm not planning on leaving at all," Chris assures him, rubbing a
cheek on his hair.  "I'm planning on sleeping right now.  With
you."

Lance yawns.  "Okay."

"Night."

"Night."

~~~~

The morning's like waking up with Joey.  Good and soft and slow,
feeling comfortable and safe.  Not like waking up with Justin
kicking him in the head.

Lance yawns and starts stroking Chris, running his hands over
Chris' skin.

Chris makes a protesting sound and buries his head more firmly
against the warm body next to him.

If they didn't have to get up, Lance'd stop, but breakfast is soon. 
He keeps touching Chris, just soothing sweeps of his hands. 
Nothing really sexual, 'cause Lance doesn't know if Chris likes
waking up like that.  Lance does, though.

Chris finally sighs.  "If you're not going to fuck me good morning,
I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Sounds good to me.  Didn't know if you were awake or liked that or
what."  Lance pushes Chris over on his back and nips at his
collarbone, before moving down his body.

Chris catches Lance's motion.  "No, here."  He turns under Lance,
sprawling on the bed.  "I'm lazy in the morning."

"Well, I was going to suck you off first," Lance says, staring at
Chris' ass.  "But if you insist..."  His hands touch that ass,
stroking it with avaricious glee.

Chris sighs.  "Children.  How am I supposed to come around your
cock if I've already come, hmm?"

Lance is already preparing himself.  "Guess I thought you could
come twice.  I must be stupid in the mornings."

"I'm old, Lance.  Fuck me."

"You're not.  But I will."  He works his way inside, then lets
himself collapse slowly over Chris.  A lick of his tongue over the
back of Chris' neck and he starts thrusting.

Chris shifts and shivers and slides until he's completely relaxed
and spread out over the bed.  Lance feels huge like this.  Chris
smiles smugly.

"You like it better this way," Lance says as Chris spreads his legs
wider and he goes in even deeper.  "Me in you."

"I like feeling you," Chris agrees.

Joey was very generous with Lance, getting him off any number of
ways, but he liked being on top.  And Chris likes it the other way. 
Lance likes both, being surrounded while being fucked, and the
sheer pleasure of fucking.  It's morning and it doesn't take very
long at all.

Chris sighs blissfully.  "You give good orgasm."

Lance recovers enough to roll to the side.  "Huh?"

"You make me come in ways that give me very happy endorphins?"
Chris tries.

Chris came from that?  Lance pushes at Chris' hip til Chris rolls
over, then scoots down, head on Chris' stomach to look at his cock. 
His fingers trail in come.  "Wow."

Chris bats Lance's hand away.  "Hey!  Leave a man's sensitized bits
alone."

Lance moves back up and nuzzles Chris' chin.  "I was just checking. 
Didn't believe you could like it that much."

Chris frowns and mutters at Lance.

"What?"

"Making fun of my sexual foibles."

"I'm not," Lance assures him.  "I'm in awe."

Chris flushes and turns over to hide the reaction.

"I'm sorry," Lance says, aware that he did something wrong, but not
knowing what.

Chris slings his arm over Lance's hips.  "Shush.  Let an old man
hide his delight."

"You're not old," Lance whispers.

Chris laughs.  "Not with you."

Lance coaxes Chris into proving he's not old in the shower.  He
drops to his knees and, before Chris can let out more than a token
protest, starts licking at Chris' cock.  Chris got his way about
being fucked before -- now Lance just wants to touch and taste. 
And make Chris feel good.

At breakfast, Chris eats his eggs with his hands and licks his
fingers, grinning at Lance.

Lance can't take his eyes off Chris.

Justin stretches out and smacks Chris across the back of the head. 
"Dude.  Knock it off.  Lance is drooling and I think Kevin's going
to rip your tongue out."

"Hey," Lance protests.  "Don't hit him.  And, um."  He wipes his
mouth.

Justin laughs merrily.

Chris glares and is about to go back to licking his fingers when he
catches Kevin's glare.  Then thinks better of it.  Then does it
anyway.  Fuck Kevin anyway.

Lance blushes, but bites his lip when Chris goes back to his finger
sucking.

Joey watches the little melodrama playing out a table away.  He'd
say something to Chris, do something -- if he and Chris were
together the way they want to be.  As it is, he watches Lance and
Chris with a faint smile on his lips and a slight worry line
between his eyebrows.

JC sighs.  "So nice!"

Lance gives JC a quick smile before returning his gaze to Chris. 
After breakfast, it's work again and he won't see Chris until
lunch, but there's something about Chris' mischievousness and
obvious pleasure in being with *him* that makes Lance feel all warm
and happy.  The way Chris had gotten him off in the shower hadn't
hurt even a little.

Eventually, the bell rings.  Joey rises and gathers Lance up. 
"Okay, you and me today.  Planning time."  He slings an arm around
Lance's neck, waves at Chris and heads for the offices.

Lance smiles a promise for later to Chris, then leans into Joey,
wrapping his arm around Joey's waist.

The morning is long.  Far too long, in Joey's opinion, even though
he gets to spend it with Lance.  They're at the tedious part of the
project.  "So, basically, we can't do anything more without staff,
right?"

"Not exactly," Lance says.  He's got the numbers in front of him,
but he doesn't need them to set up the equations in his head.  He's
got the model firmly there now, and he only needs the computer for
precision.  "If you go for a slower rate of expansion, then it can
be done in about a year.  But if you want to meet the time frame,
then yes."

"So, look up the sale schedule and let's find you a staff."

Lance raises his eyebrows, but nods.  "I've projected needing a
number somewhere between three and seven, depending on skill sets
and competence."  He makes a face.  "Not that you can count on the
latter."

Joey laughs.  "True.  However, I suppose we can change that a
little.  Do you know anyone you'd like to work with?"

"You mean, like people I trained with?"

"Yeah, or people here."

The comment jars him out of business mode.  Lance gives Joey a
stricken look.

"What?"  Joey reaches out instantly.  "What's wrong?"

"I'm not used to mixing business stuff with personal stuff.  The
only people I know well enough to work with, I don't really know
are qualified.  Or interested.  And I'd probably be choosing them
just because I wanted them around."  Like Chris.  Although Chris
already has a job.  But it's one he's not entirely happy with
either.

"It's okay, Lance."  Joey nudges Lance forward in the desk chair. 
He stands still for a long twenty seconds.  The lunch bell rings
and Joey slides into the chair with Lance in his lap.  "Okay.  Two
solutions.  First, we get the staff outside.  No problem, except
the reliability factor.  However, it's not like we have to *keep*
the people we get on the project.  They can always transfer to
another division.  Second option, you do a week of tour.  I'll get
you into everything I've got going on, and you look around.  I've
done that with people before, so don't worry that it would be
weird."

"A week of tour?" Lance asks, puzzled.  He rests his head against
Joey's shoulder.  "I'm not sure what that is, so I don't know if it
would help or not."

"Oh.  Just that I send you to every project I've got going for a
while, and you observe or work or whatever you want.  Meet people. 
Also, here are the dossiers of the people you already know."  Joey
pulls up some files and sets up a temporary password for Lance. 
"Everyone is in here.  Some people are blocked, if they *totally*
lack business skills, for instance."

Lance takes a quick skim through.  The three he wants are all
listed.  "Doesn't help," he says.  "You know who I want."

"It's still your decision, Lance.  Go to the market, or pick from
what we've got.  Think of it as training.  Learn to lead."  Joey
wraps his arms around Lance's waist and kisses his temple.  "It's
not easy, I know."

"I'll think about it," Lance says.

"Okay.  But I need to know which way you wanna proceed soon."

"Can I at least have til after lunch?"

Joey laughs gently.  "You can have until the next sale, which is
Saturday.  So, six days.  Five and a half, rather.  Will that
work?"

"Yes, that should be more than enough time."

Joey grins.  "Good.  Now.  No more business.  D'you want Chinese
for lunch?"

Lance is already planning what he'll do about his staff.  He'll ask
Chris.  If Chris doesn't want to, which is very likely, he'll ask
for recommendations.  Chris will know who Lance should talk to.  If
Chris does say yes, then Lance'll ask JC as well, since the two
already seem to work well together.  And either way, he'll pull in
Justin.  No matter who else he chooses, he'll need an enthusiastic
gofer, and  if Justin has any ability to be more, so much the
better.  "Hmm?" Lance asks.

"Chinese.  I feel like ordering in."

"Oh!"  Lance comes back to himself.  "Food.  Yes, Chinese is fine."

Joey hunts for his menu and hands it to Lance.  "Pick."

Lance looks between the menu and Joey, brows knitting.  "Are we
eating here?  Without seeing... anyone else?"  He misses Chris
already.

Joey doesn't understand at first.  Then he does.  He smiles. 
"Addictive, isn't he?"

"Yes."  Lance ducks his head.  Mumbling, he adds, "You'd know."

Joey rolls his eyes.  "You wanna call over and invite him to our
office picnic?"

Lance grabs the phone and starts dialing.

Chris says, "Number eight," and hangs up.

Lance looks over his shoulder at Joey, amused.  "He says, 'number
eight'."

Joey rolls his eyes.  "Sweet and sour sauce plus Chris equals mess. 
What do you want?"

~To lick lunch off Chris.~  "Uhh--" Lance stabs blindly at the menu
and then looks at what he's pointing to.  Close enough.  "That."

Joey snorts, but places the call and orders their three entrees and
three more at random, along with two appetizer samplers.

Chris comes in with a quick knock.  "Hi!  It's me!  Feed me!"

Lance grins at him.  "The food isn't here yet."

"Well damn."  Chris slides up to sit on the desk in front of them. 
"Hi, anyway.  I guess."

Lance can't help the smile.  Chris perching on the furniture is
adorable.  And then there's how him being here gives Joey and Chris
an excuse to be near each other.  "Hi."

Chris grins and leans forward to steal a kiss.

Joey tries very hard not to think about fucking Lance like this,
with Lance bent forward and sucking Chris off.  He's only partially
successful, of course.  But then again, there's no reason why
seeing two hot guys kiss shouldn't make him hard.

Lance turns right around from the kiss and kisses Joey.  It's not
the same as Joey being able to kiss Chris, he knows, but it's the
best he can offer the two of them and he cares about both of them
a lot.

Joey moans into Lance's mouth, sucking away all the taste of Chris
to get to the taste of Lance.

Chris adjusts himself, watching them.  And if his hand lingers,
there's no one here to tell him not to.

Lance stands and pulls Joey's chair toward the desk until Lance is
leaning against Chris.  "Is this wrong?" he asks.  "'Cause if it
is, I won't.  But I just thought..."

Joey leans against Lance, pressing him into Chris.  "It's wrong,
but don't stop."

"I don't want to get you in trouble," Lance says, voice half-choked
as Joey rubs against him.

"She's not here," Joey murmurs, voice thick.

Lance hesitates, then turns around so he's facing Chris and starts
unfastening his belt.  Joey's hands are there almost immediately,
stripping him from the waist down.

Joey touches Lance softly, reverently.  It's as if Lance is
suddenly a new person, or Joey is.  Everything is exciting and
terrifying all at once.

Chris breathes out, touching Lance and looking at Joey.  "I think
I may love you," he says, and he's not sure who he's talking to.

Lance knows who Chris is talking to.  He leans over Chris' lap so
Chris can see him better, unfastening Chris' pants as well so he
can suck Chris while Joey fucks him.  He feels light-headed between
them.

Chris reaches down, stopping Lance for a moment, tilting his face
up.  "I think I may love you," he repeats, directly to Lance this
time.

He's definitely dizzy now.  Lance leans forward and kisses Chris. 
"Thank you," he whispers against Chris' lips.

Chris holds Lance's face and kisses him again and again.

Joey smiles softly and kisses the back of Lance's neck as he slides
spit-slickened fingers into Lance's ass.

Lance sucks in his breath.  "Need to... need..." he says, pulling
away from Chris' mouth and fumbling with his pants.

Chris helps, lifting up and shoving the loose denim down as soon as
Lance has his belt undone.  "Fuck, yeah."

Lance gets his mouth around Chris' cock as soon as it's exposed. 
He feels raw and urgent.

Joey bends low over Lance, his mouth switching from Lance's neck to
Chris's chest and back again.

Chris swears.  He prays.  He makes promises.  He wails and babbles
and nearly cries.  And then he comes.  Joey's eyes are looking up
at him with love and Lance swallows.  Chris's body tries to come
again.

Lance keeps sucking until Chris pushes him away, panting around
Chris' cock.

Chris pulls Lance up, holding him tightly, bracing him as Joey
moves harder.  And jerking him off, of course.

Joey lets his hand cover Chris's, riding the motion.  "Lance, fuck. 
Jesus, Chris, yes."

Lance wants to let himself fall against Chris, but he's got to make
space for Chris' hand.  He braces himself between the two of them,
shaking.

"Oh, oh, oh!" he says as comes, legs collapsing under him, falling
forward toward Chris and the sharp edge of the desk.

Chris, having regained some brain power, grabs for Lance, catching
him short of the edge of the desk.

Joey, with the same idea, grabs Lance's hips.  He overbalances and
topples them backwards into the desk chair.  The landing is
awkward, but it shoves Lance's tight ass down on Joey's cock, so
Joey couldn't fucking care less.  He's too busy coming.

Lance's head falls back against Joey's shoulder, thankfully, rather
than splitting Joey's lip.  The feel of Joey going deep forces his
eyes open.  "Oh, fuck," he says.

Chris laughs.  "You are."

Lance nods as Joey rides out the aftershocks.  He wants to lift a
hand to Chris, to bring him across the small space dividing them
and have him here, too, but Lance thinks maybe he's already broken
the rules enough for one day.

Chris hooks his feet in the chair's arms, and pulls them close to
the desk again.  "So.  That was way good."

Joey laughs an agreement.

Lance leans forward, still in Joey's lap, but head on Chris'
thighs, joining them again.

Chris gently pets Lance's shoulders.  He smiles at Joey.  "He's
pretty fucking special, Joe."

"Yeah.  He is."  Joey runs his hands down Lance's back, massaging
lightly.  "So are you."

"Yeah," Lance says.

The intercom buzzes.  "Chinese!" Chris yells, popping to his feet
and jerking his pants up.  He paws through the desk to find Joey's
checkbook and runs off to pay the delivery person.

Joey groans as he slips from Lance.  "Damn."  He disposes of the
condom and hugs Lance tightly.  "Damn, you're good."

Lance curls in close.  "I didn't do anything special.  But you and
Chris together... you're amazing."

Joey snorts.  "We are, but Lance, you are amazing all by yourself." 
He stares Lance down.  "I'm serious."

Lance ducks his head.  "I'm just glad you're making room for me."

"You've made room for yourself, and now I can't remember how it was
before.  Or I can, but I don't want to."

Lance tips his head back and smiles.  "Thank you.  I... I don't
want to be in the way, but I don't want to be nothing either.  I
just like being with you.  Both of you."

"You know something?  We like you, too."

Chris comes in with the food.

Joey cheers.

Lance gets up, pulling his pants back on.  He echoes Joey's cheer
and goes for chairs.

Chris looks at Joey and smiles.

Joey smiles back because Chris looks happy for the first time in a
long time.

Lance places his chair where he wants to sit and leaves the third
one for Chris if Chris wants it.  Chris is just as likely to ignore
the chair, which Lance doesn't mind, but Lance thinks he should
still have the option.  Lance starts opening cartons, looking for
his order.

Chris surveys Joey and Lance picking through cartons.  It's like
being home.

~~~~

Lance feels the next thing to naked.  Like he's back on the block. 
It's not so much the clothes this time as the fact that everyone
who looks at him looks at him the way Kevin used to.  Like they're
going to have what little clothing he's wearing off of him and
start groping him.

He goes back for another tray.

Chris does not like parties, because Kelly takes joy in making
Chris look as unattractive as possible.  Hence his current outfit. 
His ass is barely covered, there's a huge flower in front of his
dick, his stomach hangs out and he's wearing horns.  The only thing
more ridiculous looking than Chris at a party is the dogs in
costume.  Chris holds his tray of champagne and wishes to throw it
at Kelly's face.

JC flits here and there.  His job is to entertain and be pretty,
both things he's good at.  He's also on call tonight, so he may be
going to bed with one of these people.  JC doesn't mind, that's why
he volunteers.

Justin struts.  He looks good and knows it.  He might as well enjoy
the attention.  He'd be getting it anyway.  He reaches across the
pool table to light yet another cigar.

Joey surveys the view from the stairs.  He needs to check in with
some people, not the least of whom is Chris.  He slides behind the
other man.  "You need a break?"

"No," Chris growls.  "I need some fucking clothes and a girdle."

Joey hugs him quickly.  "You look sexy to me.  I can nearly see
your ass."  He presses his erection into Chris's back.  "You turn
me on."  When he walks away, Chris is smiling.

JC waves Joey away, toward Lance.

"How you doin', Lance?" Joey asks.

Lance nearly drops the fresh tray of canapes.  ""F-fine."

"How do you feel really?"

"Scared," Lance says frankly.

Joey frowns.  "Anything concrete scaring you?"  He walks with
Lance, an escort through the crowd.

Lance shakes his head.  "I'm being stupid.  It's just looks
mostly."  And a few gropes of his bared thighs.  The light fabric
of his pants is really just two pieces held together with ties down
the sides.  He's already had to stop and retie them several times. 

Joey shakes his head.  "Do you want to take a break?"  He settles
his hand in the small of Lance's back and snarls silently.  The
guests know the meaning.

"I-I'm fine.  Really."  He won't let Joey down.  He just won't. 
Not when nothing's really been done to him.  Not when he's been
assured that nothing will be and that he can get help if something
really does.

Joey smiles at nothing.  "You have the right to breaks."

"I know."

"Okay."  Joey pats Lance's back.  "Break in half an hour then.  You
and Chris go to the studio.  I'll tell him.  Sew those knots
closed," he says.  He's just seen a man untie the bow at Lance's
knee.

Lance nods gratefully.  "Thank you.  That's a really good idea."

Joey grins.  "Go me."  He vanishes into the crowd.

Lance relaxes after Joey leaves.  Half an hour and he gets to be
with Chris, and he gets the ties sewn up.  He's sure they look
good; he's probably just as pretty to look at as Joey wanted him to
be, but when they come undone, especially when more than one of
them comes undone, then he's practically standing here naked.

A hand brushes his ass and Lance turns toward the owner, offering
the tray.  It's the most polite way he can think of to get the
touching to stop.  He's also probably all untied again.

"Would you like a canape, sir?" Lance says, eyes down.

"I'd like something you got."

Lance chooses his reply as carefully as possible.  "The kitchen
will be pleased to know that their selections met with approval."

Laughter.  "Something like that.  Kitchen, huh?"

Lance has absolutely no idea what that means, but by tone alone is
aware that it's nothing good.  He could tell the guest that *he* is
not one of the delicacies on offer, but without a direct invitation
from the guest, it would be unforgivably rude to rebuff him so. 
And some of the servers *are* on offer.  "Yes.  The head chef takes
great pride in his work."

"Head, huh?"  There's a grin in the voice.

"Yes, sir."

"I think I'd like to see this head... cook.  Why don't you show me
to the kitchen?"  The tray is removed, set aside.

Lance nods.  He's not shaking only through an effort of will.  The
guest has still said nothing more than is polite, although Lance
doubts he really wants to compliment their chef.  But once in the
kitchen, Lance will be surrounded by people of his own status and
he'll be safe.  "This way, sir."

Footsteps follow, body pressing close enough to brush against Lance
as they walk.  They're almost to the kitchen, starting to pass
through bright hallways and past dark doorways.

Hands press Lance back against the wall.  Lance opens his mouth to
shout, but the man's mouth covers his.  Panic keeps him from
struggling effectively.

The slim body struggles just a little.  A smile curls the man's
lips.

Lance's heart starts to sink within him.  He did the wrong thing
and now *this* is happening.  He starts kicking, praying
desperately that someone, anyone, will come along.

The gauzy pants catch on his palms as he lifts the servant up by
the thighs, pinning him to the wall.  Oh, yes, this will be good.

Lance is frantic.  He doesn't want this to happen.  Yes, he'd known
that rape or something very close to it was an almost inevitable
consequence of becoming a servant, but he'd been told he's safe
here.  He'd believed it.

"Excuse me," a firm voice says, and a hand pushes the guest back a
few inches.

Lance recognizes the voice.  It's Kevin.

"What?"

"Excuse me.  This servant is not available."  Kevin smiles blandly.

"What the hell?  Who are you?"

Lance stops fighting, believing himself saved.

Kevin's grin widens.  "I *am* available."

The man considers.  "You're not as pretty."

Lance wishes profoundly that he were ugly.  He also wishes that he
didn't have the other man's hands still on him.

"I'm not as likely to get you thrown out, either."  Kevin looks
Lance over.  "Kinda skinny, isn't he?  Where's the fun in that?  He
doesn't even fight back very well."

The man lets the little one slide down the wall.  "You.  You're
going to let me fuck you?"

Kevin looks humble suddenly.  "It is my duty, no?"

Lance sidles away as soon as he's released, trying to get away.

Laughter, and they stumble into one of the dark doorways.  Kevin
looks back at Lance once.  "Tell Joey later."

Lance nods and then goes to hide in the kitchen, trembling.  He
owes Kevin now, he knows.  Kevin didn't have to do that for him. 
Especially not after the way that Lance had turned him down.

Chris sits in his studio and waits for Lance to arrive.

When Lance feels safe enough, he leaves the kitchen by the back
way, carefully checking corners before heading down them and hiding
in shadows when he hears voices.  It takes him a long time to get
to the studio, and when he does, he checks inside to make sure no
one other than Chris is there before entering.

Chris frowns.  "What happened?"

Lance startles, jumping back, hands against the wall, before his
eyes find Chris.  He's got red scratch marks all over himself where
he'd unconsciously tried to get rid of the crawling sensation left
behind by the guest's touch.  "Chris," he says, and stumbles
forward.

Chris grabs Lance, lifting him up and carrying him into the back
room.  He locks the door behind them and lays Lance on the couch. 
"What happened, Lance?" he asks, hands searching for injury
already.

Lance won't lie down.  He clutches at Chris, trying to hide himself
in him.  "Nothing.  Nothing much.  Wouldn't have happened if I'd
just done what I was told."  The words are spilling out of his
mouth, all the fear and relief coming out in a stream of babble. 
"Should've known better, but Kevin saved me.  Don't know what I owe
him.  Hope he isn't hurt."

"Calm down, baby," Chris says.  He crawls over Lance, blanketing
him.  "Tell me what happened, sweetheart."

Lance wraps his arms and legs around Chris.  Chris is safe.  Chris
will keep him safe.  "There was a guest.  He touched me.  Said
things.  I didn't know what to do.  Because they weren't *wrong*
things.  I knew what he meant, but he wasn't saying things that
meant that.  And he asked to see the kitchens, so I took him there. 
Only h-he tried to t-take me instead."  Lance shivers.

Chris holds Lance tight.  "So, you followed all the rules, and
nearly got raped, and Kevin came and stopped it?"

Lance nods.  "Y-yes.  Should've known better though.  Should've
expected it even.  That's what... that's what I sold myself into. 
My own fault."

"Not here," Chris says calmly.  He kisses Lance's cheek.  "Here you
have a choice.  You have plenty of right to be scared and shocked."

Lance looks up at Chris.  "K-kevin?"

"He always serves like that at parties."

"I don't think I could."

"You don't have to," Chris says.

Lance nods.  "Okay.  I know that.  I just..." he shakes his head. 
"Maybe you should sew me up so I can go back and do my job."

Chris lifts up, looking down into Lance's face.  "I don't want to
let you go back."

"It's my job," Lance repeats.  He's not sure he wants to go back
out either, but he knows it's not right for him to let Chris coddle
him like this over something that he should have known how to
handle, that anyone else here would have taken as a matter of
course.

"Lance, you're not the only one, you know.  I care about you.  I
don't want this happening to you.  Neither does Joey.  You should
have seen Justin, the first time someone dragged him off.  He
didn't know he could say no here."

"I know I'm not the only one," Lance says miserably.  He's just the
only one falling apart.

"Justin cried for two days.  And he'd done it before," Chris says
gently.  Still, he gets up and fetches a needle and thread.

Lance sits up.  "Oh."  He feels a little better, but guilty for
doing so at Justin's expense.

Chris shrugs.  "The human mind is just not set up for rape, thank
God."  He starts sewing all the knots closed.  "And I'm sorry I
didn't think to do this sooner."

Lance is calmer now.  It's easier to be calm when Chris is
focussed.  "They don't look as slippery as they are, I guess."

"I should have known, that's my job."

"It's not your fault."

"It is," Chris says looking up.  "But we're gonna fix it."

Lance really doesn't like the idea of Chris blaming himself.  "It
was me.  I should've known what to say.  How to deal with it. 
Maybe asked people for hints so I'd know how to deal with it."

Chris replies, "How about we share the blame, forgive each other,
and go on with life a little smarter?"

Lance pets Chris' hair.  "Okay.  If that's the best I'm gonna get."

"Pretty much."  Chris grins.

Chris' smile makes him feel happier.  Lance smiles back at the man
kneeling at his feet, sewing him up.

It's only then that Lance notices the red marks on his skin.  In
places it's just white trails of disturbed skin.  But in other
places, there's little dots of blood, where his nails had dug too
deep.  "I, um.  Might have stained your fabric."

"It's washable."  Chris finishes and grabs the first aid kit from
under the couch.  "Besides, I'm all set up here to deal with
blood."

"I probably don't want to know why," Lance says.

"Needles.  You wouldn't believe how clumsy we can be."

Chris has clever fingers.  "No, I wouldn't."

Chris grins.  "Think how out of it you are the morning after good
sex."

Lance grins.  "At least I don't have to handle dangerous objects
then."

"Exactly!  Lucky you."  Chris quickly cleans the tiny cuts and
bandages those that need it.

"Thank you, Chris.  For taking care of me."

"Thanks for letting me."

"I like it when it's coming from you."

Chris pats Lance's knee.  "You feel a little better now?"

"Yes."

"Good."  Chris kneels up and kisses Lance.  He makes it incredibly
gently, soft, careful.  "To remind you what it should feel like."

Lance touches the sides of Chris' face, "I never wonder when it's
you."

Chris smiles, and they rejoin the party.

~~~~

After the party, Lance doesn't need to avoid Joey.  Joey has other
duties long into the night.

Instead, Lance busies himself helping with the clean-up so that he
doesn't need to think.  Out of the filmy green costume and in
sturdy house clothes, he feels better.  Less exposed and
vulnerable.  Less like someone's playtoy.  He *knows* now, in a way
that he didn't before that that is exactly what he would have been
if Joey hadn't bought him.  In training, he'd hatched plans for
dealing with that kind of attention, but Lance knows now that they
were naive in the extreme.

He works himself to exhaustion before slipping off to shower and to
bed.

Chris knocks softly.  "Lance?  Baby, it's Chris.  Do you want some
company?"

Lance drags himself out of the bed, and opens the door because it's
Chris.  He doesn't say anything, just lets him in and then crawls
back into the bed.  He's very tired.

Chris closes the door and scoots a chair in front of it, then
climbs into bed with Lance.  "Love you."

Lance sighs and moves until he's lying over Chris' chest.  "Love
you, too."

"Sleep tight, baby."

"Didn't know if you'd come," Lance says, not quite asleep, brain
far more awake than body.  "Didn't want to ask you in case you had
stuff to do or you'd rather sleep alone.  Or with someone else."

Chris looks at Lance's peaceful face.  "More and more, I find I
only wanna be with you," he whispers.

Lance's fingers fumble at Chris' chest.  They're too heavy for him
to grab onto Chris' hand like he wants to.  "Could you, your hand,
please?  Wanna hold you."

Chris slides his fingers through Lance's.  "Right here, Lance. 
Right here."

Lance squeezes just a little.  "Thanks.  Want you, too.  Need to
ask you something.  Later."  Chris being there is making the noisy
parts of his brain shut down because he knows he's safe if Chris is
there.

"Later," Chris agrees.  Lance's breathing evens out.  Chris waits
to see if he'll have nightmares.  When nothing changes for a long
while, Chris smiles and kisses Lance.  Then he sleeps, too.

~~~~

In the morning, while Chris is still asleep, Lance starts sucking
his cock.  He needs to talk to Chris and if they don't have sex
first, Chris will be all distracted and won't pay attention to what
he has to say.  Plus, it's fun.

Chris moans.  He can smell Lance.  The whole bed smells like Lance. 
And the warm mouth on his cock, that's Lance.  Chris grins.  "Good
morning to you, too."

Lance mumbles a good morning around Chris' cock, increasing the
pressure and speed now that Chris is awake.

Chris spends a pleasant quarter hour this way, then comes into
Lance's eager mouth.

Lance finishes him off and then crawls up Chris' body to kiss him. 
"Hi.  I need to talk to you, so I thought I'd get you up early."

Chris laughs at that.  "Hell, baby."

"Is that okay?"

"Oh, yeah."

Lance grins.  "So.  I have something I need to ask you."

"What's that, baby love, light of my life, sucker of my cock?"

Lance giggles.  He almost never giggles; it sounds stupid when he
does it.  But around Chris, it's easy.  "This is serious."

Chris looks serious.

"I... Joey wants to do some expansion.  On the business end.  It's
going to require hiring a lot more people.  And I'm going to need
some assistants, too.  He's given me my choice.  I can take people
from in-house, or find someone from the block or both.  And... I
know this is asking a lot, and I'm afraid that I'm just thinking
like this because of personal reasons, but your dossier *says* you
have the ability and I can't think of anyone else I'd rather work
with, so, I'm asking.  Do you want to work with me?"  Lance waits
a second for a reaction, then rushes on.  "You don't have to.  I
understand that you're already doing something and it's not that I
don't think that that's important or--"

Chris kisses Lance hard, and for a long time.  When he finally
pulls back, it's to say, "Yes.  I'd love to work with you.  Fuck,
yes."

Lance's eyes light up and he rolls over on top of him, grinning
widely and hugging him close.  "Thank you.  Thank you, thank you,
thank you."

Chris laughs and decides that sex is in order.  As a celebration.

Lance forgets about the rest of what he needs to say when Chris
spreads his legs and urges Lance inside of him.

"Good morning," Chris sighs.  "Love to... work with you," he
grunts.  "Yes, sir, anything you, ugh, say sir."

"Not like this," Lance says, pausing, leaning down to kiss the back
of Chris' neck.  "Never like this.  I don't want that from you."

Chris moans and moves.  "Please?"

"No," Lance says, unable to stop his hips from moving.

"Yes," Chris agrees, pressing back against Lance's motion.

"No, no, no," Lance says, gritting his teeth.  It's so good and
Chris is squeezing his ass muscles just right and Lance hasn't had
sex since the night before last and he wants it so much.

Chris is beyond words, answering in the way he wants Lance and the
way he moves.

Lance can't stop himself.  Or, more honestly, doesn't *want* to
stop himself.  He comes inside of Chris and it's so good, he wants
to cry.

Chris reaches down and brings himself off again while Lance is
still shuddering over him.  They slide slowly onto the sheet. 
Chris doesn't even care that he's lying in the wet spot.

Lance slides down next to Chris.  "Won't.  Not with you."

"Hmm?"

Lance rests his head against Chris' bicep, lying next to him rather
than on him.  "Boss you around.  Tell you what to do.  Don't want
you for that."

Chris slides his leg over Lance's hip.  "You are so fucking great."

"Knew I should've waited til later to talk to you," Lance grumbles,
but puts his hand on Chris' leg, situating him more comfortably.

"No, really, I get what you're saying."

"You do?"

"Yes.  I do."

"Don't know if I believe you, but okay," Lance concedes, shutting
his eyes.  They've got a while yet before breakfast, since he'd
wanted to make sure there was time for one or both of them to freak
out.  "You want JC to help?  I thought maybe, since you two work so
well together that you'd be more comfortable with him around."

"I think he could do a lot for it, actually.  He's pretty
talented."

"That's what I thought.  I'll ask him then, unless you want to. 
Don't want you for someone to order around.  Want you because you
have good ideas and you know how to make things happen.  Gonna get
Justin for someone to order around."

Chris grins, "Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah.  You think that's a bad idea?"

"No.  What time is it?"

"Early."

Chris smiles seductively.  "Think you can get it up again?"

"Chris!"

"What?"

"You're incorrigible."

"And?" Chris raises an eyebrow.

"And, no.  I don't think I can."

Chris pouts.

Lance strokes Chris' thigh.  "You can fuck me if you're still
turned on.  It's okay, you know."

"Yeah, but."  Chris pouts more.  "You're really, really good at
it."

Lance laughs.  "I am not.  I have next to no idea what I'm doing
and you're the first guy I've ever, y'know."

Chris smiles, humbled.  "Yeah?"

"Yeah.  Joey's the first guy ever, but he was always the one doing
stuff.  But you like it the other way."

"I like it both.  Do you like it both?"

"Yes.  But I want it more with me being fucked by you.  Because you
don't.  So it's sorta special."

"Oh.  In that case, we should wait until later.  So we can be all
romantic and shit.  That'd be cool."

"It doesn't have to be romantic," Lance says, still stroking Chris'
thigh.  "When I first saw you last night, with that flower, I
really wanted you to do me."

Chris snickers.  "The big ugly flower under my big, fat belly?"

"The big flower swaying around like, 'look here, look at my dick,
I wanna fuck you with my flower'."

Chris snorts and then collapses in helpless laughter.

A laughing Chris is a sexy Chris.  Lance pins him down and licks
him.

Chris licks Lance back.

Lance decides more sex doesn't sound so bad after all.

~~~~

Joey comes down to breakfast late one morning, long after the party
has gone, the room been fumigated and life gone on with.  He stands
with Bri in his arms, asleep.  "Can I have your attention, please?"

The hall quiets.  Chris frowns.  Something is not right.

Lance sets his fork down and looks at Joey.

"There will be no work today.  Early this morning, Kelly, my wife,
was killed in a car accident.  Please, keep the house quiet today. 
People will be coming in and out on business.  Stay dressed when
not in your rooms, and be polite.  Thank you.  That's all."  Joey's
eyes sweep the hall, lingering on Chris and Lance.  He feels
himself starting to break down and turns to leave.

Chris's mouth is hanging open.  "Holy God," he breathes.

Lance puts his hand on Chris' arm, leaning in to whisper.  "Maybe
you should go talk to him.  See him."

"Maybe *we* should," Chris says, looking at Lance seriously.  "He
doesn't love her, but he's known her since he was ten."

"See, you know this stuff.  I don't.  He needs you."

"Come watch Bri, then."

Lance nods.  "Yeah.  That's a good idea."

Chris leads the way up.  He gently hands Bri to Lance and ushers
the younger man into the nursery.  Joey's first sob breaks free as
the door closes.

Lance sits and stares at Bri for a while.  She's giving him the
same look Justin had given him sometimes while they were still
rooming together.  The look that means she's waiting for him to
come up with something fun to do or she's going to *find* something
fun to do.

He shakes his head and starts looking for toys.

~~~~

Chris slides into the nursery hours later.  Bri is asleep and Lance
is reading Dr. Seuss books.  "He's asleep," Chris says quietly.

"Is he... how is he?" Lance asks, closing the book and turning
toward Chris.  He's been anxious and lonely, even with Bri there. 
Maybe especially with Bri there, because he's had too much time to
think.

Chris sighs and sits down next to Lance.  "He's tired, sad and
guilty.  Guilty because he's relieved, and even happy to be free. 
Guilty because the baby died, too, and it wasn't even his.  But he
doesn't know whose it is, so he doesn't know who to contact."

Lance moves closer to Chris as soon as Chris sits down, edging
close enough for Chris to touch if Chris wants, or not if he
doesn't.  "Baby?"

"Remember when she was here, how she was just kinda plump?  She was
just starting to show.  Five months, I think.  So she would have
been about seven by now."

"That's kinda..." Lance shakes his head.  The stuff he's thinking
he can't say.  Wrong or sad or both is what he's thinking, but none
of that seems exactly appropriate.

"What, baby?" Chris asks, leaning against Lance.  Supporting Joey
is something Chris is more than happy to do, but it is stressful
and tiring.

When Chris lets his weight fall against him, Lance turns so he can
fit Chris between his legs and cradle him.  "I didn't know she was
having another baby."

"Yeah.  Not Joey's, so you wouldn't have heard about it around
here."  Chris leans back into Lance.  "Only Bri's his."

Lance strokes his fingers across Chris' hair, breathing in deep the
smell of Chris.  "I understand.  It just makes it seem more wrong
somehow."

"Yeah, it does.  Some driver hits her limo, and boom.  Everything
is different.  She's dead, the baby's dead, Bri's mother and Joey's
wife is dead.  And Joey's free.  I can be with him.  We won't ever
belong to anyone else.  We've got nearly unlimited funds.  The
rules have changed.  I don't know how to feel.  Neither does Joey."

"Sad and happy.  Sad that it happened and happy that you get what
you've been wanting."

Chris nods.  "And confused, because I don't even want to think of
not being with you."

So they are thinking about being a couple again, or at least Chris
is.  Lance is glad Chris can't see his face.  "It's going to take
some time to sort things out.  Probably more than just today."

Chris rests his head back against Lance and closes his eyes.  The
clock chimes the quarter hour, then the half.  "Would you maybe
want to be with me and Joey?  And no one else?"

Lance's fingers still.  That isn't something he'd been expecting to
hear.  He takes several deep breaths as he processes the idea. 
"I... I was already thinking like that.  As long as you kept
needing me, y'know?  Because sex for the sake of sex doesn't appeal
to me, but you do.  And Joey does."

"Would it be something you'd want for a long time?" Chris asks.

Lance nods.  "As long as it kept being the same.  Being good.  I
wouldn't like being not wanted or something else like that."

Chris nods.

"Shouldn't you be in bed with Joey?" Lance asks quietly.  Chris is
relaxing into his body, giving every sign of being on the edge of
falling asleep.

"Hmm?  Oh.  Missed you."

"Yeah?"  He nuzzles the top of Chris' head.  Keep Chris.  He gets
to keep Chris and have Joey too and he's so happy inside that he's
not going to be a temporary solution to their mutual problem.

"Yep."

"Think maybe Justin would like to watch Bri and I could put you
down for a nap next to Joey?"

"I think he might like that, yeah."

~~~~

"Joey? I've got something to tell you," Kelly says. She's smiling,
but nervous. Her hands clasp and unclasp over and over again.

"What, Kel?" Joey asks. He's got reports spread all over the coffee
table as he tries to figure out what to do next.

"We're gonna have a baby."

Joey freezes, then looks up slowly. "What?"

"A baby."

Joey grins. He yells happily and jumps to his feet, picking Kelly
up and swinging her around. "Really? When? Is it a boy or a girl?"

Kelly laughs. "Yes, March, girl." She's glad Joey is happy. It
makes things so much easier.

Joey kisses Kelly, which leads to other things. It's only later,
when they're in bed, sweaty and happy, that he thinks to ask how
this happened. Kelly's always been adamant about not having kids.

A small, smug smile curling her mouth, Kelly says, "Does it matter?
Now we'll be together forever. A baby, Joey. A little girl. You're
not going to leave her, are y