Pairing: Joey and Lance
Words: vermilion; hoodie; powdery; candlestick


Lance stares. And then stares some more. "*That* is not the color
I told them to put here." The wall is unashamedly vermillion. It
clashes with everything in the room. Lance can't get over it.
"They... I. They screwed up my room." 

Joey wraps Lance in a hug from behind. "Gonna kick some ass?"

Lance shrugs uncomfortably, leaning back against Joey. "I could
just move my bedroom, I suppose." 

Joey snorts. "And do what with this room? Wall it off and never
come in it again? You *know* you're going to get pissed off all
over again every time you look at it."

"I don't wanna be a prima donna," Lance says reluctantly. 

"It's your bedroom. You're gonna be looking at it for *years*. Go
ahead and throw a fit."

Lance laughs. "You're too nice to me. I suppose-- I could ask them
to put that smoking over it. That'd make it look kind of powdery.
Do you think that'd be pretty?" 

"You want advice on colors, you should get JC. Me, I just provide
the hugging."

"And the loving," Lance says, turning in Joey's arms. "I love you."


Joey holds Lance and pets him. "Sure. Me too." Damn. He didn't
think painting a room the wrong color was *this* traumatic. Maybe
he should get on the phone and start kicking some ass.

Lance sighs happily. "Good Joey. Hey. Wanna watch me kick some ass
on the phone?" 

"I can do that."

Lance grins and kisses Joey quick. "Will you reward me?" 

"Uh, whaddaya want? Pizza? Some good ol' homestyle cooking?"

"I think I want some Joey." 

"You already got me," Joey says. He isn't gonna push Lance away
just because he thinks Lance may be coming onto him.

"You gonna stay here with me this time, Joey?" Lance asks after
every tour. Someday Joey will say yes, and everything will be
right. 

"Lance," Joey says, pained. "I'm sorry..."

"Okay," Lance sighs. "Maybe next time." 

Joey hugs Lance extra tight and doesn't say anything.

"Someday," Lance says determinedly, "I'm going to catch you." 

"It's not a race," Joey says and lets Lance go.

"Of course not. It's life." 

"Look," Joey says awkwardly. He hates having this discussion and he
wishes Lance would stop bringing it up. "It's not that I don't like
you a lot. It's just... there's things I can't do. Stuff I don't
feel. It wouldn't be right."

"Okay. Um. Like what?" 

Joey closes his eyes. Lance makes his heart hurt. "I know you think
you're in love with me."

"Yes, I do." 

Joey opens his eyes again. "And I'm not."

"Oh, well." 

"Yeah." There's a long pause, and Joey feels like a tool. "You were
gonna call someone and kick their ass?"

"Yep. I'll do that, then." Lance finds his phone and calls. 

Joey ambles aimlessly through the house. He doesn't want to leave
just yet, but staying doesn't feel right either. The house is
furnished in parts and not in others. As he touches a set of
candlesticks on a sidetable, he thinks that he doesn't really like
this house. It's not Lance and it's not Lance's. It belongs to the
decorators.

Lance finishes with the decorating firm's secretary and goes after
Joey. "Hey, you staying for dinner or not?" 

"Yeah, sure. If you still wanna."

"Sure. I always like hanging out with you. Whatever way it is." 

Joey just nods.

"Don't worry, Joe. You'll always be my best friend." 

"I thought I was supposed to be saying that kind of stuff to you,"
Joey jokes.

"Whatever, dude. Friends are just friends. That's what matters.
C'mon. Put on a hoodie and we'll go buy groceries at the store." 

Joey nods. He doesn't know why he's so unhappy right now. He turned
Lance down again and for once, Lance accepted it. But Lance is
happy and he isn't. He sighs and goes to grab the hoodie.

Lance hugs Joey just before they leave. "Joey, honey. It's enough."


Joey hugs him back, hard. "I wish it could be more. I want you to
be happy."

"I am happy." 

"Sure, you are," Joey says. "Sure you are."