clueless.
Chris was pissed off.
Everyone could see it and everyone knew why. Everyone but
Justin. Justin just didn’t get it.
They had just come back from the Billboard Awards and Justin
was blathering on about the What’s Going On performance. More specifically
about Nelly.
“…and he was all cool about it, you know?”
“That’s nice Justin. Is anybody else tired?” JC sighed,
trying to shut Justin up.
Justin didn’t take the hint and continued to prattle on.
“Then backstage he was like you need to come out with us one night. Me. He
wants me to go out with him.”
Justin walked towards the kitchen. “Man, he smells good.
Have you ever stood beside the guy? I don’t know what it is, but it’s nice.” He
grabbed a can of soda in the fridge and walked back into the room.
“He has this thing about him. This appeal. I never noticed
that before.” He sat on the sofa beside Joey who was ignoring him completely
and watching an infomercial for some cooking grill.
“And his eyes…When we were goofing off on stage, I noticed
them. They are like these brown-piercing lights. Definitely nice eyes.”
Chris snorted, got up stiffly and walked out of the room.
Justin blinked. “What was that about?”
JC rolled his eyes.
Lance shook his head.
Joey changed the channel.
Justin shrugged. “Whatever. So anyway, when we were on stage
Nelly was laughing at the face I was making and then…”
The other men in the room collectively groaned.
***
It wasn’t until the next morning that Justin noticed that
Chris was pissed off. They had ordered breakfast from room service and they
were all lounging around the table finishing it up.
It hadn’t taken Justin very long to realize that Chris was
talking to everyone else but him.
“What’s the matter with him?” He asked JC after Chris had
left to go shower.
“He’s mad at you.” JC said, taking a sip of his juice.
“What the hell? Why?”
“Because of Nelly.”
“Nelly?” Justin looked at JC in confusion.
JC took a bite of his toast. “At the Billboards.”
JC rolled his eyes, when Justin looked at him blankly. “You
were obviously flirting with the guy.”
“So? Why should Chris care about that?”
“Figure it out Justin, because I’m not going to spell it out
for you.” And with that said, JC got up and walked away, leaving Justin to
wonder what he had missed in the last 24 hours.
***
Chris was sprawled on the couch watching TV. Justin decided
it was time to get to the bottom of what was going on. It had been two hours
since JC had walked away in a huff, and Justin had yet to figure out what he
had done.
“Are you mad at me?” He asked, sitting on the floor beside
the seat.
Chris shook his head; his eyes still on the television set.
“Because if you are, I want to know why. It just doesn’t
make sense that someone would be mad at another person for no reason at all.”
Chris turned his head and looked at Justin in annoyance.
“Forget about it. It’s over.” Chris turned back to the TV and Justin could see
that any attempt at conversation with Chris would be futile.
“Fine.” He said and walked away.
***
Two hours later. Chris was still ignoring him.
“Is this about the billboards and Nelly?” He asked as he
watched Chris and Joey playing cards over the dining room table.
Chris frowned but said nothing.
“Because if it is—“
“It’s not.”
“But if it is—“
“It’s not!” Chris glared at him.
“Fine.” He glared back, then walked away.
***
Two hours later.
“If this is about Nelly, you would tell me right? Right?”
“Justin get the fuck out of the bathroom.” Chris yelled as
he turned from the toilet to see Justin leaning against the doorframe.
“Not until you tell me.”
Chris zipped up his pants and slammed the door in his face.
***
“Chris?” Justin pushed open the door of Chris’ room.
Justin looked in to see Chris lying on the bed.
Chris looked up and sighed. “What is it Justin?”
“I just want to know why you’re pissed.” He walked over to
the bed and sat down beside Chris’ still form.
“This is getting annoying.” Chris rolled onto his side,
turning his back to Justin.
”No shit it’s getting annoying.” Justin said, getting angry himself. “I’m the
one here trying to make up for something, when I don’t even know what I did.
And you’re not even trying to help me out here.”
Chris sat up. “Just let it go.”
“No I won’t fucking let it go.”
“Justin. Shut up!”
“Not until you tell me what the hell’s going on.” Justin
shoved his face in front of Chris’.
Chris glared at Justin. His face a cold mask. His eyes
drifted over Justin’s angry face then rested on his lips.
His face softened.
“Just shut up.” He said softly and brushed his lips against
Justin’s. Once. Twice. Three times.
He stepped back and for the first time all day smiled at
Justin.
Justin looked at him in confusion. It seemed he had
missed something in the last 24 hours.
The phone rang on the bedside table, but neither of the men
made to pick it up.
“So…that was…” Justin stuttered, not knowing what to say.
“Hey Justin! Phone’s for you.” Joey said opening the door.
Justin nodded and picked it up; a little relieved that he
didn’t have to say anything to Chris just yet.
“Hello?”
Pause.
“Hey! What’s up man?”
Laugh.
“No kidding!”
Grin.
“Yeah, I’ll be there.”
Pause.
“Ha, ha. Later man!”
Justin hung up the phone, a big grin on his face. He turned
to Chris. “That was Nelly.”
Chris raised a brow.
“He wants me to come out with him and some of his friends
tonight.” Justin said beaming.
He walked over to Chris’ suitcase and opened it. “Hey you
know that black sweater you have. The one with the patches on the sleeves. Can
I borrow that for tonight?” Justin rummaged around for the sweater, not even
waiting for Chris’ answer.
Justin heard a low growl and looked up to see Chris with his
hands clenched and irritation written all over his face.
Without saying a word Chris turned on his heel and left
Justin alone in the room.
Justin frowned.
“Are you mad at me?” He called after Chris.
Justin just didn’t get it.
__________
Note: For Kia and her excellent reverse, reverse psychology skills. This is my first slash-y story, so be gentle. – December 7/01