Summary: Nick is struggling to make it day by day. Justin is trying to survive stardom. They both live two very different lives, but when they meet on a cold winters night a friendship begins. Will there be more then friendship? Do opposites really attract?

Paring: Justin/Nick (Timbernick)

Rating: PG-13 and Up

Warning: This is slash, meaning there will be male/male sexual relations mentioned in the story. Also, this story should also get a HET warning for those of you that don't like HET content. There are other couples in this story other then Justin and Nick and a few of them happen to be male/female couples. If you don't want to read chapters with explicit HET content then go ahead and scroll down to read the EDITED chapters.

Authors Note: I am really grateful to have a great friend writing this story with me. How we have it worked out is that I write whatever Nick says, and my good friend Kris writes all of Justin's lines. If this is confusing, or if you have any questions about the format feel free to e-mail me and I'll try and help clear anything up.

Status: Incomplete

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Once the pizza box was empty, Justin got up off the floor and took it...along with the empty water bottles...to the trash can. "Be right back," he said after disposing of the garbage. "I'm gonna use the bathroom." Justin then disappeared into the bedroom to go to the bathroom.

"Okay." Nick said, before turning around so he was facing the fire. Taking a deep breath he sent up silent prayers that he could do this. That he could handle being good friends with Justin and doing all these things together...knowing that was all they were going to be...friends.

After Justin went to the bathroom and washed his hands, he just stood in front of the bathroom mirror for a bit. 'What's going on with you, Justin?' he asked himself in his head. 'How are you just gonna go and decide you're bisexual all of a sudden?'

Taking a deep breath Nick grabbed a blanket off of the couch and put it on the floor by the fire. Folding it in half he lied down on it and covered himself up, looking at the fire and trying to get away from his thoughts.

Justin sighed, then turned on the cold water and leaned down to splash some on his face. He patted his face dry with one of the hotel's fluffy hand towels, and then looked at his reflection again. "Maybe it's not true," he whispered to himself. "Maybe I'm imagining things."

Lying in front of the fire, Nick let tears fall down his cheeks. He felt helpless and was beyond upset at himself. 'Why do I do things like this to myself' he screamed in his head. 'Why do I always set myself up for heartache' It continued as he tried to huddle in the blanket even more.

Justin took a deep breath, then backed away from the mirror and headed out of the bathroom. He made his way through the bedroom and out to the parlor...stopping in his tracks a few feet away from Nick. "Nick," he said softly...concerned for his friend. "Are you OK?"

Nick turned and looked up at Justin. "Yeah...I'm okay." He sniffled.

Justin's face fell, and his heart sank. "Then...why are you crying?" he asked...not moving from where he was.

Nick shrugged, and didn't answer Justin. The more he wanted to move so he wasn't looking up at Justin the more he couldn't. So instead he just continued to stare up at the object of his affection.

Justin looked back into Nick's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I can't tell you." Nick answered quietly. He didn't want Justin to blame himself.

Justin took a deep breath, and went over to the couch to take a seat. He'd figured out by that point that Nick wasn't a very open person. He'd tried a few times to get Nick to talk to him about what was on his mind, and failed every time.

Nick turned around to look at Justin and sniffled again. He knew he had to say something...but he was scared. "I...I'm scared how you're going to take what I'm feeling." he whispered.

Justin shrugged...looking down at Nick. "Why? I already know you have a crush on me, Nick."

"Have you ever had a crush on somebody...and you know that those feelings will NEVER be given back to you?"

Justin seriously thought about it for a moment. "No...I don't think so," he said quietly. "But that's probably because I try hard as hell not to let myself fall," he admitted.

"I wish I could do that." Nick said softly, sitting up but the blanket was still wrapped around him. As if it was there for comfort or support.

Justin shook his head slowly...looking down at his hands at one absently picked at the thumb nail of the other. "No you don't...it sucks...to not let yourself get close to anyone."

"It sucks just the same when you do." Nick swallowed hard, trying not to let the tears start falling again. His throat was burning along with his eyes as he tried to stop it.

Justin shrugged...still preoccupied with his hands. "I'm not sure I agree...maybe since every girlfriend I've ever had has fucked around on me."

Taking a deep breath, Nick got off the floor, blanket and all and walked over to sit with Justin on the couch. "I'm sorry they did that to you.”

Justin nodded. "Me too...but such is life."

Nick nodded, agreeing with Justin. “Yeah...I know what you mean...life is shitty sometimes...a lot of the time.” he added.

Justin shrugged again. "Parts of it."

Shaking his head a bit to try and clear his mind he sighed. “Okay, now what are we gunna do?” he asked, wanting to keep going...and trying not to be so depressed.

"With what?" Justin asked...dropping his hands and looking over at Nick.

“With the night..” Nick said slowly, wondering what Justin was thinking about.

"Oh," Justin said in response. He'd thought for a second that maybe Nick had been asking what they were going to do...with each other. After a quick breath, he said, "I don't know...what do you feel like?"

Nick shrugged he had no idea what they were going to do that wasn’t going to get them in trouble. It seemed like everything they did lately caused some sort of problem. “I’m not really sure.” he answered honestly.

Justin got the impression that Nick was kind of distant at the moment. "Ya know...you don't have to stay here and hang out with me. If you wanna go and be alone...I understand."

Nick shook his head like crazy. “I...I don’t want to go.” and that was true, he didn’t want to go. “I think you gave me your confusion bug.” he giggled slightly, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

"Why do you say that?"

“Because now I’m confused too.” Nick answered simply. He was coming out of his funk slowly but he still felt a little strange.

"What about?"

“About the fact that now my crush isn’t on a famous person, but a real person. Which makes it one step closer to happening...but still it’s hanging on by a strong thread that isn’t going to break. Now I have to figure out what I’m going to do.” Nick said softly, looking at Justin the whole time.

Justin nodded slowly...trying to understand.

Nick sighed. “But that probably doesn’t make any sense.”

"No...it does...but I don't know why you're so worried about it."

Nick looked down at his lap. “Because it hurts inside...carrying for somebody so much like that...knowing they don’t feel the same way.” He stopped and swallowed hard to keep from crying, Turning to Justin he tried to smile. “But I’m not saying any of this to make you feel guilty cuz it’s not your fault...It’s mine.”

"What's your fault? The fact that you LIKE me? You can't help it..."

“Then its nobodies fault.” Nick whispered as he leaned back against the couch.

Justin leaned back against the couch, as well. "Ya know...the more you get to know me, the less you'll probably like me."

Nick giggled a little. “Oh believe me that isn’t going to be the case.”

Justin dropped his head to the side to look at Nick. "How do you know?"

“Because how I feel about you is getting stronger every second I sit here.” Nick answered honesty, biting his bottom lip.

"I honestly don't know why."

Nick giggled again and shrugged. “I actually have no idea myself...I just feel comfortable around you...which probably makes no sense cuz I’m not really acting like it.”

Justin chuckled. "No...you're not."

Nick smiled a true, honest smile. “So...tell me about this Caribbean place you’re taking me.”

Justin smiled at the thought of his favorite vacation spot. "It's incredible. Warm, white sand, beautiful crystal clear water. It's so peaceful and relaxing."

Nick sighed, a happy content sigh. “That sounds SO nice. I’ve never even seen the ocean before.” Turning to look at Justin he smiled more. “What are we going to do while we are there?”

Justin chuckled. "Eat...drink...swim...and sleep."

“Gee...I don’t know If I can do any of that...It sounds all so hard.” Nick joked, loving the sound of the trip.

Justin laughed quietly...folding his hands in his lap and slouching down on the couch a bit. "Yeah...hard as hell."

“We really need to figure out something to do.” Nick laughed, trying to rack his brain for ideas of things to do.

"You mean right now?"

Nick nodded. “Yeah...right now...I mean sitting here and talking is nice...but we need something to talk about...or find something else to do.”

"Well...let's give option number one a shot first. What do you wanna talk about?"

Nick thought of something Justin had said, not sure if it was something he should ask, but he asked it anyway. “You said something about Lance earlier when we were talking about stuff...does that mean he’s the one you said was gay?”

Justin nodded. "Yeah...he is. He's been out forever...but not publicly, of course. Like...even right when the group first started."

Nick was a little shocked about that but smiled anyway. “That’s cool...has he had any long term boyfriends?” he asked and then paused. “You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to...or if you feel you shouldn’t.”

Justin shrugged...looking at Nick. "I don't mind talkin to you, Nick," he said...then smirked. "I'm not sure why, but I trust you. Just remember...if anything I tell you goes public...my men'll come after you."

“Cross my heart and hope to die...stick a thousand needles in my eye.” Nick said giggling.

Justin laughed at that. "Since I've know him, Lance has had two serious, several-year relationships. One back when he was like...nineteen, or so...and one now."

“Can I ask who?”

Justin gave a quick shake of his head. "No one famous...regular guys. Well...sort of regular," he said thoughtfully. "The first one was a guy from home he'd gone to school with...this guy now is a choreographer we worked with a couple times."

Nick smiled, he was happy for Lance. “Good for Lance...hope this guy works out for him.”

Justin nodded. "Yeah...me too."

“At least somebody is getting laid.” Nick joked, smirking.

Justin laughed. "I thought you said it wasn't about that."

Nick laughed. “Not ONLY about that...hell...everybody likes to get laid every once and a while.”

Justin nodded with a chuckle. "This is true."

“Just some of us get it more then the rest of us.” Nick pouted playfully. “Darn those people to hell.”

Justin laughed again. "Yeah...seriously."

“I’m sure you could get anybody you wanted to...if you wanted to.” Nick said, looking at Justin.

Justin looked down at his thigh as he picked at his sweat pants. "Yeah...you're probably right," he admitted.

“But you don’t want to?” Nick said it as a question, but really it was more of a statement.

Justin shook his head. "Nope. After all the shit I've been through, I'm done with the casual sex. Well...even though I never really had just casual sex."

“Probably safer...on your body...and your emotions...the casual sex thing fucks with your mind more then you think.”

Justin nodded. "Yeah...and I definitely don't need my mind fucked with any more than it already is...or has been."

“How are you doing...I mean earlier you weren’t doing too good...How are you feeling with everything that you’ve been thinking?” Nick thought he would ask, wanting to make sure Justin was doing okay.

Justin shrugged...looking down at his sweats again. "Good as can be, I guess."

“You wana talk about it anymore? I’m ready to listen if you want to.” Nick said smiling, he liked being able to try and help Justin with his problems. If it was doing any good he didn’t know...but it made him feel good to try.

Justin sighed, and sunk lower on the couch as he propped his feet up on the coffee table. "I don't really know what to say about any of it."

“Just say the first thing that pops into your head. When you are alone with your thoughts what goes on?”

"I guess I just wonder..."

“Wonder what?” Nick asked again, trying to get Justin to say what he needed to.

"I guess I wonder if everything I've been thinking and feeling is real...or just in my imagination."

“Sometimes the only way to figure that out is if it happens again.” Nick said, he knew exactly what Justin was talking about. “I used to think...or at least make myself think that the feelings I got when looking at guys in school...or on TV was just my mind and body playing tricks on me. That was until I saw you guys on TV...and got an actual hard-on that I knew I wasn’t seeing things or feeling things anymore.” Nick laughed, blushing a little.

Justin looked up at Nick with big eyes. "Whoa...you got a hard on watching that?"

Nick blushed even more and nodded. “I don’t even really remember when it happened either...what was going on at that time of the concert to make that happen...but it did and scared the shit out of me.” he giggled. “Of course my sister mentioned something and embarrassed me to death.”

Justin just laughed and shook his head.

Nick took a deep breath. “So, in all honestly, Justin...normally, like 99.9% of the time you’re brain isn’t playing tricks on you.”

"What makes you so sure of that?"

“Because you’re heart and mind normally know things before you do...before you even begin to start thinking them.”

Justin took a deep breath...exhaling it in the form of a sigh. "So...then...most likely...I AM bisexual."

Nick shrugged. “If that is what you’re thinking so much about that...then maybe so. I could be wrong, Justin, because I don’t know what you’re feeling inside...but by what you have been telling me...it sure sounds like you are having reactions to bisexual related material.”

Justin laughed bitterly. "Ya think?"

Nick looked at Justin, not sure what to say to that. “I do.” he said softly, not understanding what to do with the bitter laugh.

"No shit, Nick..." Justin started...getting up and starting to pace the room a bit. "...that's what scares the shit outta me."

“I know it does.” Was all Nick said, trying to let Justin get it out...he was even prepared for Justin to take it out on him.

Justin finally stopped, and covered his face with his hands with a long sigh. After calming himself, he put his hands on his hips and looked at Nick. "Ya know...I'm not trying to be rude and kick you out. In fact...you can stay here and hang out if you want. But...I really think I need to get to bed. My brain hurts...and I'm totally worn out."

Nick smiled softly and nodded. “I understand....and I’ll probably go back to my room and get some sleep too. It’s been a long and crazy ass day.”

Justin gave Nick a small smiled. "Sorry I'm not more fun...since this IS your vacation, and all...but...I think I just need to get some rest and clear my head."

“I really understand Justin.” Nick said getting up and folding the blanket on the couch. “Do you want to get together for breakfast tomorrow?”

Justin nodded. "Sure. Where should we meet up?"

“Why don’t you call me when you’re ready...and then I’ll come up here?” Nick suggested.

"Alright...sounds good," Justin said...walking to the door and opening it to see Nick out.

“Hope you sleep good...don’t let you’re thoughts make you weak and get sick.” Nick said kindly as he walked out the door.

"I'll do my best to get some rest," he said with a smile. "Goodnight Nick."

“Goodnight Justin.” Nick said before making his way down the hall and to the elevator. He was tired too, and sleeping sounded really good right about then.

Justin stood in the doorway long enough to see Nick make it to the elevator. Once he got on and the doors closed, Justin disappeared into his suite to try and get some sleep.

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Nick was shocked when he woke up the next morning to see it was almost 10am. He would have expected to wake up earlier since they had gone to bed so early. Stretching his arms over his head he got out of bed and headed into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for the day.

Justin burst into his suite from the hallway...his breathing ragged, and his cold cheeks pink with flush after his long jog out in snow. True...the two bodyguards that had accompanied him were NOT happy to be out jogging in that weather, but Justin needed it. He needed the cold air and aerobic activity to help clear his restless mind.

Nick stood under the shower spray and let it warm his body. He always loved taking really hot showers, they were relaxing and helped him think. After he was done he got out and looked at himself in the mirror. Thinking he should probably shave, he got out his shaving stuff and put the cream all over his face before starting to run the razor over his skin.

After his jog, Justin peeled off the outer three layers of his clothing, then went down the hall to one of the staff's suites so that his hair stylist could touch up his close buzz cut. Then...after a cup of coffee...he went back to his own suite to get cleaned up. After shaving...and leaving a small patch of stubble on his chin...Justin finally made it into the hot shower.

Nick finished shaving after about ten minutes and then worked on spiking his hair and brushing his teeth. Once he figured he was as good as he was going to get he walked out into the main room and hunted through his bag for something to wear. Choosing a pair of light blue faded jeans with holes in the knees and a dark red hoodie he grabbed boxers and started to get dressed.

Justin finished his shower, then dressed in some khaki cargo pants, a t-shirt and navy hoodie. After putting his sneakers on, he took a seat on the bed, picked up the phone, and dialed Nick's room.

After throwing his hoodie on over his head he heard the phone ring and walked over to the night stand and picked it up. “Hello?”

"Mornin," Justin drawled into the phone.

Nick had to bite his bottom lip at the way Justin said Morning. He had always been a sucker for Justin’s accent. “Hey...Good morning to you too.”

"What are you up to?"

“Nothing at all... I just woke up oh...” Nick paused to look at the clock. “Forty-five minutes ago.”

"Oh...sleep well?"

Nick thought about that for a second. “Yeah, I did actually...how about you?”

"I slept...OK," Justin said...a flat-out lie...considering he hadn't slept a wink. "Got up early to go for a run."

Nick looked out the window and saw the snow still coming down. “You went running out in that!” he exclaimed.

Justin chuckled. "Yeah...felt good."

“You won’t like it too much when you come down with the 100 degree fever.” Nick muttered.

"I'll be fine...I wore warm clothes."

Nick sighed. “That’s good...do you still want to meet up for breakfast...or do you need to do something else?”

"Nah...right now I'm free. I'm supposed to head out for soundcheck and shit in a few hours...but they're not sure if they're gonna even have the show tonight or not."

“Yeah, don’t really want fans to die coming to your concert.” Nick said as he shoved his room key into his back pocket.

Justin laughed. "Right. So...how bout the coffee shop downstairs this morning?"

“Sure...that sounds good to me.” Nick said smiling.

"Cool...I'll meet you down there, then."

“Alrighty...see you in a few minutes.” With that Nick hung up the phone and headed out the door.

Justin hung up his phone, then picked it up again to call next door and round up some security. Five minutes later, he arrived outside the entrance to the small lobby coffee shop with two members of his security team.

Nick saw Justin and the guys come and smiled. “Hey.” he said, a little shy, not sure how to act around the security people yet.

Justin smiled at Nick. "Ready to go inside?"

“Yup, I’m ready.” Nick said as he turned around and walked into the small coffee shop. It was cute though, and cozy. “This place is nice.”

Justin nodded...taking it upon himself to, by habit, make his way to a small table in the back corner. He took a seat in one of the two chairs as his body guards sat two tables away...and shifted their chairs for a good view of Justin.

Nick followed Justin and sat down across from him. “So, when do you need to leave for soundcheck if you are going to have the show?”

Justin shrugged as he grabbed one of the breakfast menus off the table. "Probably around...like...five, or so...since the show isn't till eleven."

Nick nodded as he also grabbed a menu and started to look through it. “You didn’t sleep at all last night, did you?” he asked, his head still behind the menu.

Justin glanced up from his menu to look at Nick. "How do you know?"

“Because, you just look tired.” Nick said glancing at Justin over his own menu.

Justin nodded. "Yeah...I am."

Nick put the menu down, and looked across the table at Justin. “Couldn’t sleep?”

Justin shook his head. "No...my mind was too crazy."

“Anything I can do to help?” Nick asked, just wanting to be there for help it Justin needed it.

Justin shook his head again. He was just about to say something when a waitress came over for their order.

Nick just ordered a bowl of corn flakes and a side of fruit with a coffee, and then handed the menu to the waitress.

Justin ordered a coffee and a bagel before handing his menu back...then took a sip of his water as he sat back in his chair.

Nick watched Justin closely. He felt terrible for his friend. “I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time...I would take away all the pain and problems If I could.” he said, and totally meant it.

Justin took a deep breath as he set his glass down. Looking down at his silverware as he played with it a bit, he said, "Ya know what...? I don't think I'm having such a hard time anymore. I spent ALL night thinking...obviously."

Nick raised an eyebrow. “And?”

Justin looked up at Nick, but didn't stop toying with his fork. He spoke in a quiet voice...not wanting to be overheard. "And...I think I'm coming to terms with...things."

Nick smiled softly. “I told you it wasn’t the end of the world.”

"No...I guess it isn't. But it's still hard to swallow."

“I can understand that...believe me.” Nick said as he took a sip of his water. “So what do you plan to do with this new found enlightenment?” he asked curiously.

Justin shrugged. "I don't know. Nothing for right now, I guess. I mean...what COULD I do?"

Nick wanted to scream that he could try things out with him...but he didn’t dare say that. “I have no idea.” was what he said, sort of leaving things open in a way.

"I mean..." Justin went on...lowering his voice a bit more. "...it's not like I wanna run right out and start messin around with guys."

Nick made a face at that and shook his head. “No...that would be like giving yourself a death sentence if you did that.”

"Maybe," Justin said before sipping his water.

“You could always run to Lance and tell him you wana try stuff out.” Nick teased, still not mentioning himself even though that was all that was on his mind.

Justin rolled his eyes. "Yeah...no thanks."

“Good idea...his boyfriend would probably beat your ass.”

Justin shook his head. "Nah...he couldn't take me."

Nick sighed and looked around the coffee shop for a second. He was so close to spitting out something he shouldn’t.

Justin noticed the strange look on Nick's face. "What?"

Nick continued to fidget and shook his head. “N...nothing.”

"Why is it that...every time I ask what's up with you...you close up?"

“Because every time you ask me I’m closed up because what I’m thinking has to do with you...and I’m trying to save myself either humiliation or pain.” Nick said softly.

"What makes you think I would..." Justin stopped short when the waitress came and placed their coffees on the table. Once she was gone, he tried again. "What makes you think I'd humiliate you or cause you pain?"

Nick sighed. “What is going through my head right now would scare you to death and you would probably run out of the room. Leaving me humiliated and sad.”

Justin just nodded...even though he didn't really understand. He leaned toward the table a bit to fix his coffee with some cream.

“I want you to experiment with me...I want to be the one to show you what it’s like to be with a man. I want you to like me like I want you!” Nick exclaimed softly, trying to make sure nobody else heard. Once he spit that out he looked down at his lap, never to look up again.

Justin's hand stopped in the middle of stirring his coffee, and after swallowing the lump in his throat, his sixth sense made him take a quick look around to make sure no one heard Nick. When he thought things were clear, he let go of the spoon, and sat back in his chair...completely speechless and dumbfounded.

Nick didn’t look up as tears pooled in his eyes. When Justin didn’t say anything he got scared to death. “Please...say something...yell at me...cus me...tell me to get the hell out...just say something please.” he whispered.

"I don't know what to say," Justin whispered back without looking up.

Swallowing hard, Nick looked up slowly and it took all the power he had not to start balling and run out of the room. “I...I...I’m sorry...I...shouldn’t of said that.” he said with a raspy voice from the need to cry.

Justin lifted his eyes to Nick's. "There's no need to be sorry. You're being...honest...and that's all I've been trying to get you to do."

Nick nodded, his heart was open on the table and he felt raw and exposed. “Do...you want me to leave?” he asked, once again his voice not above a whisper, he didn’t trust it not to crack if he went above that.

Justin just shook his head...and took a deep breath to compose himself as the waitress brought their food over.

Nick tried to smile as the waitress put his food in front of him. He wasn’t even close to being hungry now, so he kind of pushed the bowl away and sighed.

Justin just sat there looking at his bagel...the thought of eating making him sick.

Nick looked up at Justin and had to giggle a little. “I guess I ruined our breakfast.”

Justin managed a small smile. "No...you didn't. I really wasn't hungry in the first place."

“I was...but I’m sure not now.” Nick said and thought of something. “I know you just got warm and everything...but would you like to go for a small walk with me...I think I need to clear up some of the stuff I just spat out.”

Justin glanced at his body guards. "You sure you wanna go for a walk? Or somewhere we can have privacy?"

Nick thought about that for a second. “I guess privet will be better.”

"Are you sure?" Justin asked...taking out his wallet and tossing some bills onto the table. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

“I think you would be the one uncomfortable with me alone.” Nick said, looking at Justin.

Justin shook his head as he slipped his wallet back into his pocket. "I'm not."

Nick stood up. “Then let’s just go back upstairs...I’m not really in the mood to freeze right now either.”

Justin nodded and stood up. "OK."

Nick waited for Justin and then started to head for the elevator. “I’m sorry I said all of that in there...I shouldn’t of just blurted that out...that wasn’t very nice of me.”

Justin was about to respond, but decided to wait when his security joined them at the elevator port. He let out a quiet sigh of frustration as they waited for the elevator.

Nick smiled at Justin a little as they waited for the elevator. Once it came he got on with everybody else and waited till they got up to their floor.

As soon as the door opened on his floor, Justin stepped out of the elevator and made his way to his room. He opened the door, and just nodded at his security as they passed to go to their own suite.

Nick followed Justin into the room and sighed. He felt a little claustrophobic around the security guys, and it felt good to have them be gone.

Justin immediately went to flop down on the couch. "As I was about to say...don't apologize for what you said."

Nick joined Justin on the couch and turned to face him. “I know I shouldn’t...because that really is how I feel...I was mostly apologizing for how I said it and where.”

Justin shrugged. "You couldn't help it. Apparently, you'd been holding it in."

“I’ve been waiting for you to say what you said for years now...and then well the last day or so when you started talking to me.” Nick admitted.

"What about it?"

“I’ve finally come to terms with the fact that I’m bisexual.” Nick said, trying to repeat what Justin had said earlier.

Justin sighed. "Well...it's true."

“And what was the one thing holding me back...with getting the one thing I’ve wanted the most for years?” Nick asked, trying to see if Justin understood.

"The fact that I was straight," Justin whispered almost immediately.

Nick smiled a little. “Bingo.”

"But...apparently...I'm not."

That caused Nick to giggled a bit. “Looks that way.”

"Yeah...looks that way."

Nick groaned and leaned back on the couch, looking up at the ceiling. “So...when you said that...something snapped inside of me and was screaming. ‘What about me...what about me’”

Justin took a deep breath. "And...that's why...you told me you want me to...experiment...with you."

Nick looked over at Justin. “That wasn’t really a great way to put it...That sounds too casual. I really like you Justin...and you know that. I guess being one of the only gay guys you really know and the only person who knows about this...I was just thinking...”

"Yeah...I guess you were..."

“I think I got my little Nicky hopes up.” Nick said softly, looking back up at the ceiling.

Justin glanced at Nick. "You were just saying what you feel."

‘Yeah and now I want you to give me some sort of a reaction to what I said....answer my question.’ Nick yelled in his mind. “Yeah.” Was what he said out loud.

Justin looked away from Nick. "Honestly...I don't even know if I'm ready to experiment...with men."

Nick smiled a little and nodded. “I understand.” he was almost giddy that Justin even answered the question.

Justin sighed. "I don't know," he said...shaking his head. Then, when the phone rang, he got up to go answer it.

Nick stayed on the couch and watched Justin walk to the phone. He wondered who that could be.

Justin talked on the phone for a couple of minutes, then returned to the couch...taking a deep breath as he sat down. "Show's on," he said quietly.

Nick wasn’t exactly sure what that meant for him so he just smiled. “That will help you get your mind off things probably.”

Justin shrugged. "We'll see. But if I'm gonna make it, I'm gonna need to try to get a few hours of sleep."

Nick stood up. “Enough said...I’ll go head back to my room for the day...you have fun.” he said, not wanting to crowd Justin anymore then he needed to that day...feeling he was already walking on thin ice.

"Wait," Justin said...getting up. "You're gonna come to the show...right?"

“I wasn’t sure if I was invited.” Nick answered softly.

"Of course you are...I mean...if you wana come."

Nick smiled big and nodded. “Of course...who would pass up a free Justin Timberlake concert...I mean come on!” he joked,

Justin laughed. "I mean really," he said in a mock excited voice. "But seriously...I'll call you when we're about ready to get on the bus. I mean...that is...if you wanna come early for the soundcheck and stuff."

That made Nick’s eyes go even wider and he nodded his head in real excitement this time. “Hell yeah...that would be really cool to see.”

Justin chuckled. "OK, then. I'll call you in a few hours."

Nick smiled. “Okay...I’ll go down and like call my brother and do some stuff. I’ll see you in a few hours.” He said, opening the door.

"See you later," Justin said...retreating to the bedroom as Nick left. Now all he had to do was get the fact that Nick wanted him to 'experiment' with him out of his head so he could get some sleep.

Nick decided to take the stairs down to his room to think some. He couldn’t believe half the stuff he admitted that morning, but in a way he was happy. Justin had reacted better then he would of expected. Smiling he walked into his room and went to the phone to call Aaron.

After a few hours of restless sleep...and a conversation with his tour manager...Justin lay back on the bed in his suite and dialed the number to Nick's room.

Nick was startled from whatever he was watching on TV and reached for the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Nick...it's me," Justin said into the phone.

Nick smiled when he heard Justin's voice. "Hey...did you get any sleep?"

Justin sighed quietly. "Nah...not really. But whatever...I'll be fine."

Nick sighed back. "I hope you don't get yourself sick." he said sadly, feeling like all of this was somewhat his fault. If Justin got sick it would all be worse.

"I'll be OK...I take plenty of vitamins," Justin said so Nick would feel better. "But listen...we have a bit of a snag in plans."

Nick felt his stomach start to turn, Justin didn't want him to come...he could just feel it. "What's that?"

"Well...since the weather is so bad, we're actually going to head out to the next city right after the show tonight," Justin explained. "Now...I know it's only Sunday...and you're not supposed to be heading back to Indiana until tomorrow night...but...if you stay here, it's going to be without me."

"So what you're saying is I'm going back tonight?" Nick asked sadly. He felt like he was being cut short from something and it was making him sick to his stomach. He didn't want to leave Justin a day early. Hell he didn't really want to leave Justin at all.

"No...no...of course not," Justin said quickly. "Actually...you have a choice. You can hang out here at the hotel until your flight leaves tomorrow night..." He paused...and took a second to swallow and get his bearings. "...or...if you can take some more time off from work and your brother's OK...you can extend your vacation a little and come to the next city with us." Justin wasn't so sure THAT was a good idea...with the way he'd been feeling, and all...but he certainly didn't want to cheat Nick out of his vacation.

Nick's heart leapt up into his throat, he couldn't believe what Justin had just said. He was practically jumping as he sat on the bed, but he kept his cool at least on the outside. "I'm sure I can get the time off and I'm sure Aaron is fine...but are YOU sure you want me to come?" he asked.

Justin thought about it quickly. "Sure...if you wanna come...then come," he said...suddenly thinking that it wasn't such a bad idea. Company on the road was always nice. "Besides..." he continued in a more quiet tone. "...I don't want to end things where we are right now. I think we still have more to talk about."

Nick smiled, he was glad Justin could feel that too. That they still had stuff they needed to work through. "Okay then...I just have to make some phone calls and It should be all set."

"OK. Bus leaves in an hour. Just have all your stuff packed and ready to go."

"I can do that...do you want me to come up there when I'm ready or you come down here and get me on our way out?" Nick asked as he sat up in bed and clicked off the TV.

"Actually...a driver will call for you and take you to the club. I'll be on my bus with my security."

Nick nodded even though Justin couldn't see him. "Gotcha...well then I guess I'll see you when I get there?"

"Yeah...OK."

"Okay, bye Justin...see you in a little bit." Nick said as he hung up the phone and then picked it back up to start making his phone calls.

Justin hung up...then went about collecting all of his belongings and packing up. It was about an hour later that two of his body guards came to escort him to his bus...where four other members of his security were waiting. Once he was on his bus and on the way to the club, Justin called his travel manager, and made sure plans were arranged for Nick. He was satisfied when he was told Nick would be picked up any minute.

Nick had this things packed up and his phone calls made. Aaron had been happy for his brother...saying that he really needed the vacation. It had taken Nick almost the whole conversation though to make his brother understand he wasn't gone away with his new boyfriend, fucking his brains out. The thought almost made Nick start busting up laughing. Calling work didn't turn out exactly like he would of planned but he tried not to think about that too much as he finished packing up his things and making sure the room wasn't a total disaster.

When Justin's massive bus arrived outside the club, he looked out one of the tinted front windows at the throngs of screaming fans, and couldn't help but groan. He loved his fans, but he was just so tired. So...he forced his "Happy Justin" smile onto his face, and once his team had swept the area, he was escorted off the bus, and signed a few autographs on his way into the club.

Nick sat on the bed, waiting for the person Justin was supposed to have come get him. He still couldn't believe this was all happening. He was going to be with Justin longer then he had planned and was really happy about that. The idea of leaving Justin made his stomach turn because he had just gotten to know him and he would of missed his now good friend.

When Justin finally got into his dressing room in the club, he drank down a bottle of water, then spent some time playing on the Star Wars pinball machine that was set up for him. His soundcheck was in about an hour, and he found himself hoping that Nick would be there in time to see it.

After what seemed like forever there was finally a knock on his door and Nick got up in a flash to answer it. Seeing that it was the person that was supposed to take him to the club he grabbed all his stuff and they made their way down to a car. Once in the car Nick let out a deep breath he hadn't even known he had been holding. It felt weird to know he was actually going to this concert as the act's friend. Once they got to the club Nick could see all the fans out front and was glad when the driver took the car to the back of the club before it stopped. Once he got out the guy said something about taking his stuff to the bus or something and that he was supposed to go ahead inside. Throwing a backstage type pass thing on him Nick headed into the building. The club wasn't huge but he still had no idea where he was.

Once Justin finished winding down a bit, it was time for him to take the stage for sound check. He made his way to the front of the club and onto the stage. where he had some fun joking and laughing with his band and backup singers while the sound technicians got their microphones and in-ear monitors wired up.

Nick heard the music start and followed the sound through the mess of backstage junk. Finally coming out into the main dance floor he turned towards the stage to see Justin having fun with all his people. He smiled big as he shoved his hands in his pockets and looked up at them to watch.

Justin suddenly somehow got involved in a mini dance-off with his bass player, and was doing a couple of old-school break dance moves on the small amount of space on the stage...much to the amusement of everyone else on the stage.

Nick bused up laughing from where he was watching. His smile getting even bigger as he watched Justin having a good time. It was so great to see him happy and not depressed like he had been.

When his sound mixer came over the loudspeaker and said that they were ready, the entire group...including Justin...immediately calmed down and focused. The first thing Justin did after slipping his monitors into his ears was take a seat at the piano, and start dancing his fingers over the keys.

Nick watched and listened to Justin in awe. That had to be one of the most awesome things he had ever seen. This was already turning out to be a cool night.

Justin caught his lower lip between his teeth as he went about playing some random tune. Then...after a few minutes...he eventually when in into playing 'Senorita.' His voice came in exactly when it was supposed to as he started singing along.

Nick went and found a chair to sit at. He looked up and watched Justin, loving the look of concentration on his face as he sang. Then again he loved everything about Justin. Leaning back in his chair he got comfortable.

When Justin finished the song, he got up and went to his main mic at the front of the stage as the band got ready to play the next song. As he adjusted the mic stand to his liking, he glanced out into the club, and he could have sworn his heart skipped a beat when he saw Nick sitting out there.

Nick saw Justin look at him and smiled his 100 watt 'Carter' smile and waved a little, but he didn’t want to throw Justin off any.

Justin smiled back...giving a little wave. He was definitely happy to see Nick there. 'Hopefully not happier than you normally SHOULD be,' he told himself just before going into 'Rock Your Body.'

Nick busted up laughing, he couldn't help it. Every time he heard that song he couldn't help but think of his e-mail address. Biting his bottom lip to keep from laughing anymore he watched Justin closely as he sang.

Justin got through that song, and then a couple more...then soundcheck was over. He then headed backstage toward his dressing room. A few minutes later...as the crew was setting up the stage for the show...a young, cute, petit brunette carrying a clipboard approached Nick. "Excuse me, Mr. Carter," she said politely.

Nick turned to the woman and smiled nervously. "Yes?" he asked just as politely.

She smiled brightly and extended her right hand toward Nick. "Hi...I'm Tina...Justin's personal assistant."

Nick returned the smile and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Tina...I would say my name but I think you already know that." he rambled, still nervous.

The girl chuckled a bubbly laugh. "Well, then...come with me, Sir...and I'll take you to Justin's dressing room."

Nick swallowed hard, just hearing those words were making his stomach turn. "Alrighty.." he answered getting up to follow Tina to the dressing room.

"Right this way," Tina said...then led Nick backstage. Pointing down a short hall, she said, "Go ahead, Mr. Carter...second door on the right."

"Thank you." Nick said smiling as he walked down the hall and to the door Tina had told him. Taking a deep breath he knocked on the door.

"Come in," Justin called in a bit of a strained voice...from where he was working out on a bench press on the other side of the small room.

Nick opened the door and his breath caught in his throat as he saw Justin lying on the bench press lifting weights. "H...hi." he stuttered and then cleared his throat when he noticed it didn’t sound right.

"Hey..." Justin greeted quickly between rhythmic breaths. After pressing the bar up from his chest three more times, he carefully set it on the rack, then sat up on the bench.

Nick bit his bottom lip as he tried not to look at Justin too much, instead glancing around the room. "You're good a break dancing." he said having to clear his throat again.

Justin laughed as he stretched each arm up over his shoulder to relax them a bit...his slightly sweaty t-shirt tugging up a bit. "Thanks...it's fun."

Nick saw a couch on one side of the room and quickly made his way over to it. His legs were threatening to give out on him. Practically falling onto the couch, Nick took a deep breath. "Looks like it...did it some when I was younger." he said as he tried to calm himself down. What the hell was getting into him.

"That's cool," Justin said...getting up, then dropping to the floor to do some sit-ups.

"Oh god." Nick mumbled as he shifted in his seat and crossed his legs at the ankles.

Justin stopped after a few sit-ups. "What's the matter?"

Nick looked down at Justin and shook his head. "N...nothing." he said in a husky voice.

Justin suddenly got the hint...and decided he probably shouldn't be doing sit-ups right then. Getting up, he said, "Umm...I think I'm gonna take my shower, now."

Nick took a deep breath and cleared his throat. He knew Justin understood now, and for once he wasn't really embarrassed about that. "I can go...I mean if you still want to finish...and I can come back...if you want me to that is." he said, really wishing his voice would actually sound normal again.

Justin shook his head as he walked to the bathroom door and flipped on the light. "Don't worry about it, he said," before going in and turning the shower on.

Nick groaned and leaned back against the couch and took a few deep breaths. He had been doing great at not getting turned on by Justin...but seeing him like that, god it just hit him like a ton of bricks.

Justin stripped off his clothes and climbed into the small bathroom's shower. He sang to himself quietly as he washed up.

Finally getting himself to calm down a little bit, Nick picked up a magazine he saw sitting on a table and started to read through it. Nothing was too interesting but if it go this mind off of Justin in the shower only a matter of feet away then it was good.

Justin finally finished his shower and turned off the water. He pulled open the curtain, and cursed under his breath when he realized he didn't have a towel. "Nick..." he called...hoping his friend was still in the dressing room. "...could you...umm...bring me a towel...please?" he asked...knowing that he'd seen a pile of folded towels on one of the counters in the dressing room. While he waited, he pulled the shower curtain closed enough to make sure he was covered from the waist down.

Nick was jerked from an actually pretty good article on hair styles when he heard Justin calling. "Yeah, sure." he answered back, getting up and grabbing a towel off of the counter. Before, opening the door he took a deep breath and yelled at himself to make sure he stayed calm as he opened the door and smiled at Justin. "Here ya go." he said handing it to him, trying not to think about a very naked Justin on the other side of the curtain.

Justin smiled back. "Thanks," he said...taking the towel, and then disappearing behind the curtain with it.

"No problem." Nick said before escaping out of the bathroom. Once out in the main room again he let out a breath and flopped back on the couch. Well, all that reading had done him nothing because whatever problems he was having before were back and worse.

Justin dried off, then tied his towel around his waist before coming out of the bathroom. He chuckled...glancing at Nick as he passed by him on his way to change. "You look bored," he said...stepping behind a dressing screen, and draping his towel over the top.

Nick tried to laugh. "I'm not bored...really. My mind is full of enough stuff to keep me from not being bored" he said, looking right at the dressing screen, giving up on trying to calm himself down because it was pointless.

Justin laughed as he started dressing in the jeans and designer vintage t-shirt his stylist had selected for his show. "Stuff like what?" he asked...taking yet another stab at getting Nick to talk.

"Right...now I'm trying to put picture of my grandpa in a speedo into my head." Nick laughed, which in reality that was what he was doing. He needed to get the hard on he was sporting down some how.

Justin laughed out loud. "Nick! That's disgusting."

"Exactly...that is the point." Nick laughed, smiling. He was happy, and enjoying himself even though he was in pain.

Justin laughed again...suddenly gaining back that level of comfortable joking he'd had with Nick. "Oh come on, Nicky...you KNOW you'd rather picture me nekkid behind this thing."

Nick groaned, some for show, some just because that was what he felt like. "Of course I would...even though my grandpa is pretty hot for a 90 year old." he said, lounging back on the couch, uncrossing his legs, not really caring to hide things anymore and this was much more comfortable.

"That's fucked up, Nick," Justin stated...tugging his t-shirt on over the long-sleeved thermal shirt he'd already put on.

Nick made a face. "Yeah it is...and It's not working anyway...so yes time to think of something else."

Justin laughed. He put his socks on, then carried his shoes with him as he emerged from behind the screen and took a seat on a chair across from Nick.

"Aww...why did you have to get dressed for. I liked the towel." Nick joked, smiling at Justin, shifting in his seat a bit.

Justin smirked as he leaned down to put his shoes on. "Can't go on stage like that. I'd get eaten alive."

"Sure you wont get eaten alive in here?" Nick continued to joke, even though it was half true.

Justin looked up at Nick for a second...then looked back down to the shoe he was tying.

Nick closed his eyes and sighed. "Justin...I'm sorry." he said, feeling that he had gone too far with that last comment.

Justin shrugged it off. "Don't be sorry. I was actually thinking about how that would go," Justin finally managed to play back.

Nick giggled. "You don't even wana know...could be scary." he said smirking.

"I'll leave it to my imagination, then," Justin said with a smile as he finished tying his shoes. He then got up to go get his belt, and started feeding it through the hoops on his jeans.

"What happens now?" Nick asked, wondering what Justin did next.

Justin shrugged...looking down as he buckled his belt. "Well...show's only a half hour away cuz they moved the start time up. So by this point...I usually start pacing around the room...and warming up my vocal chords and stuff."

Nick giggled. "That will be interesting to see." he said leaning back on the couch more, and wiggling around to get comfortable.

Justin chuckled as he started habitually roaming around the room...swinging his arms to stretch them out...cracking his knuckles...and cracking his neck from side to side.

Nick raised an eyebrow, listening to all of Justin's bones cracking. IT was interesting to see Justin like this, and in the current mood he was in, it wasn't helping things. Justin just looked sexy getting ready for concerts and man was it turning him on.

There was a quick knock at the door, and Tina let herself in with one of the sound technicians. As the technician got Justin wired with his battery pack and ear monitors, Tina approached Nick. "Mr. Carter...I'll take you to your seat, now."

Nick closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath before he stood up. "Okay." he said to Tina quietly, hoping his voice stayed normal.

Justin looked at Nick...the tech still working on him. "Enjoy the show."

Nick smiled big and nodded. "You have fun...and enjoy yourself too." he said before walking out with Tina and to his seat.

"Thanks," Justin said with a wave. Tina led Nick through the backstage area, and up a flight of stairs...to a balcony in the back of the club that had plush chairs and sofas, and a great view of the stage. It was the VIP section...occupied by thirty or so people…Justin's dancers and personal staff...and a few local pro athletes and radio personalities.

Nick looked around the room in awe. "Whoa, this place is nice." he blurted out, blushing when he did so.

Tina laughed quietly. "Enjoy the show," she said to Nick...placing a friendly hand on his arm before leaving him in the VIP section's entrance and heading backstage.

Nick walked into the room and found himself a place to sit where he could see the stage the best. Taking a deep breath he got comfortable.

Justin continued to prepare himself backstage...his assistant having whisked Nick away a little early because she knew that Justin needed alone time before his show Meanwhile, a few minutes before the show started, Justin's dancer, Kelly, went over to take a seat beside Nick. "Hey...I remember you."

Recognizing the voice, Nick turned to look at Kelly and smiled. "Hey...yeah Kelly right?"

Kelly smiled brightly as she nodded. "Yeah...that's right. Justin said you came to town to visit."

Nick nodded, smiling back. "Yeah, it's been nice...even though I go from one freezing cold place to another."

Kelly laughed. "You get used to it after a while."

That made Nick think of something. "Where is Justin off to next?"

Kelly smiled. "Charlotte. Should be warmer down there."

Nick smiled. "That sounds nice, since I'm going with him."

Kelly widened her eyes. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, he asked me if I wanted to come...so I said sure."

"That's cool. You're lucky. The only person he ever brings out on the road with him besides his family is his best friend, Trace."

It was Nick's turn to widen his eyes. "Really?"

Kelly nodded. "Yeah. Which is understandable. I mean...he likes time alone...and he's a very private person."

Nick nodded. "Yeah...that's true...wonder why he's giving that up for me to come?" he asked, even though he somewhat knew the answer...but wanted to hear hers.

Kelly shrugged as she sat back on the couch and crossed her legs...getting comfortable as the house lights went out and someone came on stage to introduce Justin. "He gets bored sometimes...and lonely, I'm sure. I don’t know, though. He must consider you a pretty good friend."

Nick smiled at that and too turned to face the stage and got comfortable. "Yeah...I'm

beginning to think of him as a pretty good friend too."

Kelly looked over at Nick and smiled as Justin's music started to come up. Not only was he nice...but he was hot, too.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

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Justin was just about to begin his second-to-last song when Tina made her way to the front of the VIP section to see Nick. "Mr. Carter..." she called over the music. "...I'll need you to come with me, now."

Nick nodded and got up, smiling down at Kelly before he followed Tina. "Where are we going?" he asked her over the loud music.

Kelly smiled and waved as Nick was whisked away. "To the bus, Sir. Justin requested that you ride on his. That was the plan, wasn't it?" Tina asked...quickly leading Nick through the backstage area.

Nick nodded again. "Yeah, that was the plan...I just didn't know what that was going to happen." he explained as he walked with Tina.

Tina smiled. "Sorry. We have to have you on the bus by the time the show ends...because as soon as Justin finishes his last song, his team rushes him out to the bus before they start letting people out of the show...and they take off as soon as he gets on."

Nick made a face at the sound of that. "Poor guy...but it's safer I'm sure."

Tina nodded. "Definitely. That's how it goes for the big shows, too. They just get him out of here ASAP...then the rest of the crew leaves...whenever."

"Guess I get to learn what it's like from this side...rather then the side of the fan." Nick said smiling. He was really enjoying himself with this.

Tina chuckled. "Guess so," she said...and finally stopped walking when she came to a back door...where one of Justin's massive bodyguards stood. "He's all yours, Mike," Tina said...then patted Nick on the shoulder. "Have a good night, Mr. Carter."

"You too Tina." Nick said smiling, Tina was really nice. Then he turned to look at the Mike guy and smiled shly. "Hello."

Mike nodded his greeting, then pushed the door open and held it for Nick. "Right this way."

Nick didn't say anything else, just walked out the door like the big huge guy wanted him to do.

Mike followed Nick out the door...and quickly led him across the street to Justin's bus...which was running and ready to go so that it would be nice and warm and cozy in the freezing weather. Mike signaled the driver to open the door, and he did. "Go head and board," Mike told Nick...standing off to the side of the door.

"Thanks." Nick said before quickly getting onto the bus. He was only outside for a second but he was already freezing. Once inside the bus he looked around in aw. This was definitely better then in the pictures.

A couple minutes went by, and another guard joined Mike outside the bus door. The stood on either side of the door like guards watching over a room filled with gold.

Nick walked around for a minute before he stopped thinking he didn't want to snoop around. Instead he opted to sit down on the couch and just wait.

About ten minutes after Nick had gotten on the bus, it was like a master plan went into action. James, the driver, jumped into his seat and buckled up...Mike and his partner were busy listen to info on their headphones...and suddenly...four more body guards came running across the street...Justin tucked safely between them. The bus door opened, and one of the guards practically pushed Justin through the door. The bus door closed as Justin climbed on, and one of the body guards smacked the side of the bus with his hand...letting James know it was time for him to take off...which he did right away. The guards then rushed to their own bus right behind Justin's.

Nick laughed as he looked at Justin. "I see that operation 'get Justin on the bus' has ended."

Justin stopped in the middle of the small living area, and took several deep breaths...his face read, and his shirt nearly soaked through with sweat.

Nick took a good look at Justin and his eyes went wide. "Whoa...you look beat...want me to get you anything?"

Justin shook his head. "Just...shower...now..." he got out between breaths...then started down the bus's narrow hall...past the kitchen area and the section with the bunks and tanning bed...and into the small bathroom back by his bedroom.

Nick followed after Justin to make sure the guy didn't pass out. He was sure Justin was like this all the time after concerts but still he was worried.

Still on his post-show high, and unaware of the fact that Nick had followed him, Justin turned on the shower, and pulled off his shirts...beginning to undress without having closed the bathroom door. He was used to being alone on his bus.

Nick froze in place, he knew he should leave. His whole body was screaming at him to, but he couldn't. He was right in front of the bathroom door that wasn't closed and Justin was undressing.

Once he got his shirt off, Justin went for his belt buckle. When he had his belt undone and his fly open, he turned to use the toilet...pushing the door closed in the process...as the toilet was behind the door.

Having the door closed in his face shook Nick out of his daze and he took a deep breath. "Shit." he said out loud, angry at himself that he was so far gone that he hadn't even moved from the freaking bathroom door. Mad beyond belief at himself and his hormones Nick walked back into the main area of the bus and flopped down on the couch, once again trying to think of something nasty to get his mind off of other things, such as Justin sweaty...or Justin wet from his shower.

Justin showered quickly, wrapped in a towel, and went into the bunk hall to get some clothes from where he kept his things in one of the spare bunks. He grabbed some baggy sweats and a wifebeater, and headed back to the bathroom to dress.

Nick continued to sit and try to breath normally. Mentally cursing himself with every word he knew. He was sure his face was bright red from more then being embarrassed, and his jeans were uncomfortable now. Closing his eyes he tried once again to calm down.

Justin got back to the bathroom and dried off, then started dressing. He sighed when he realized he'd forgotten underwear. 'Fuck it,' he said in his head. 'Too tired.' He lazily slipped on the sweats and the wifebeater...his extreme exhaustion finally catching up to him.

Groaning, when nothing was helping, Nick jumped up off of the couch and over to the kitchen. He needed something to drink and fast. He hoped that Justin wouldn't mind that he was going through the fridge but he was beyond caring at the moment. Finding a bottle of water he opened it and gulped down almost the whole thing.

When Justin finished getting dressed, he made his way back to the front of the bus. "Hey," he said...opening the fridge himself and examining it's contents; all of his favorite necessities: water, Corona, Heineken, Gatorade, a few sodas, and milk for his cereal. He chose a seven-dollar bottle of lemon-flavored sparkling water, then went to drop onto the couch. "Sorry I ditched you...but...

it's kinda routine for me, I guess." He opened the bottle with a hiss, and took a long swig.

Nick quickly turned around so Justin couldn't see the front of him and drank more of his water. All of a sudden wishing he had chose something stronger. "It's okay...I don't want to get...in the way of routine." he said, huskily. He rolled his eyes at his own voice and once again started to curse himself.

Justin arched an eyebrow...certainly noting that Nick was acting odd.

When his bottle was done he threw it in the trash and got into the fridge again, this time grabbing out a Heineken. Opening it he drank down a few gulps and shivered as the alcohol went through out his body. So, maybe getting drunk wasn't really a good idea in this situation, but he didn't have another option.

Justin watched Nick make his way to the fridge and back to the couch...and sighed. He wanted to ask Nick what was bothering him, but he knew he wouldn't get a straight answer...so he didn't even bother. "Did you like the show?"

Nick finally turned around to face Justin and walked to sit down on the couch. He came to the conclusion he couldn't hide for the rest of his life so he needed to face the music. Sitting down he slumped on the couch, trying to get comfortable. "Yeah...it was great, and I talked to Kelly through a lot of it...she's a nice girl."

Justin nodded his agreement as he slouched down low on the couch. "Yeah...she's very nice," he said...deciding it was probably best for him to let Nick control the conversation.

"Do you feel better now that you are showered and stuff?" Nick asked, still seeing images of Justin sweaty and panting in his head.

Justin nodded again. "Yeah...I always do. I'm a mess after a show," he said. He sipped his water...then started absently peeling at the label.

"If that’s how you like to look at it." Nick mumbled, thinking Justin had looked damn hot like that.

Justin shrugged...looking at the bottle label as he continued to peel it away. "That's how it feels, anyway."

"Have we once again gone to awkward silences?" Nick asked, turning his head to look at Justin. No longer caring how he sounded or looked.

Justin dropped his head to the side lazily to look at Nick. "I didn't realize we were being silent."

Nick sighed. "Okay, maybe not...but awkward...or maybe that's just me." he said shifting in his seat. Yeah, he sure did feel awkward.

"Why do you feel awkward?"

Nick took a deep breath, he was going to be honest. "When you came in...all sweaty and breathing hard and tired after the show...that had to be the most sexy thing I had ever seen in my life. Lets just say things are a little uncomfortable at the moment." he said, not bothering to clear his throat this time, wanting the huskiness there to help make his point.

"Oh," Justin replied simply...and turned his attention back to peeling the label off his bottle.

Nick took another big sip of his beer and continued to look at Justin. That was when he figured he really needed to get a life if watching Justin's fingers peeling a label off a bottle was turning him on.

Justin was quiet for a moment...then spoke without looking up from his water bottle. "I'm sorry if you decided that coming with me was maybe a bad idea. Or...I don't know...maybe you'd have been more comfortable if I gave you the option of staying on another bus."

Nick smiled a true smile and shook his head. "I don't regret coming...and I don't want another bus...I just really need to work on self control or something." he laughed.

Justin chuckled...reaching up to scratch over the cross that was tattooed on his left shoulder. "We all have problems with that sometimes."

"I'm normally pretty good at it...but I don't think anybody could watch you doing sit ups...and then walk around in a towel...and then sing like you do...and then see you all sweaty...and then see you undressing...and then watching you with that bottle....could help from getting a hard on the size of Texas." Nick rambled, not even noticing what he really said. "Humanly impossible."

Justin quickly turned his head to look at Nick. "See me...undressing...?"

'Nick bit his bottom lip and giggled nervously. "Uhh...I didn't say that...did I?" he said as innocently as he could manage.

"Yes...you did," Justin said seriously...wondering what Nick was talking about.

"I followed you...after you came in...when you went back to the shower...you like you said were just doing a routine and didn't thinking about me being there. You just started to undress and I couldn't move from where I was. I was stuck in my spot. Then you closed the door when you had to use the toilet...So I finally left." Nick said before he lost the nerve.

"Why'd you follow me? You knew I was going to take a shower."

"I had never seen you breathing like that before...you looked like you were going to pass out. So I wanted to make sure you go there okay." Nick said, now looking down at his lap.

Justin set his bottle down on the couch beside him...then stretched his arms high above his head. "And...if I hadn't closed the door...you would have stood there and watched me get naked."

Nick shrugged, feeling like shit. "I...I don't know what I would of done...but maybe." he whispered, not looking up.

Justin sighed quietly...resting his arms over his head on the back of the couch to maintain the stretching position. He had no idea what to think of this...but he had to admit he WAS flattered...in a way. "Thanks for being honest."

Nick looked up at Justin, tears pooling at the bottom of his eyes. "I didn't mean to invade your privecy Justin...I was honestly trying to make sure you were okay...I would never normally follow you."

Justin nodded. "I understand. Do I look mad?"

Nick looked at Justin and noticed that he wasn't. "No...I guess not...I just felt like I should say that. I guess I just feel guilty."

"Apology accepted," Justin said through a yawn. He was tired as hell...and the comforting, relaxing motion of the bus was slowly lulling him to sleep.

"Why don't you go get some sleep. Maybe after the concert and all that stuff you will be able to get some sleep tonight?" Nick suggested as he saw Justin getting sleep. Now the question was, was he going to be able to sleep.

Justin shrugged. "I'll go to bed in a while...when I'm about to pass out. I sleep best on this bus."

Nick nodded. "Okay...what should we do until you pass out?" he asked, taking another sip of his beer.

"Sitting...is good," Justin said with a chuckle...stretching his arms up high again.

Nick laughed and rolled his eyes. "I wasn't thinking we should get up and do back flips." he said as he adjusted himself in his jeans, without thinking about it.

Justin chuckled again...watching Nick closely. "How do you not act on all theses feelings you have for me?" he asked suddenly.

Nick looked at Justin a little confused. "What do you mean?"

"Like...you keep telling me how hot and sexy you think I am...and well...you just flat out said I make you hard. How can you be around me so much without acting on it?"

"Knowing you would kick me out or beat my ass if I did." Nick said laughing...but then turned serious. "And it's really hard sometimes." he admitted, looking at Justin.

Justin nodded. "I can imagine."

"But I would rather walk around with a permanent hard on for the rest of my life then do something that would mess up our friendship."

Justin laughed at that. "Interesting way to put it," he said...reaching for the remote on the shelf along the window...and turning on the television.

Nick giggled. "Yeah, I think I may have exaggerated just a tad...but not much."

Justin laughed and shook his head as he flipped through the channels.

Nick giggled and turned to look at the TV. "Wonder what kind of interesting stuff is on at this time of night."

Justin squinted to see the clock in the kitchen. "It's only just about one o'clock. It's not late yet."

Nick turned to look at the clock too and squinted. "I'm glad you can see that...cuz I can't" he laughed. "And yeah you're right it isn't that late."

Justin automatically stopped when he got to VH1, and saw the exterior of his house on the television screen. He sighed quietly when he realized that the show was about his own 'Fabulous Life.'

Nick turned back to the TV when he heard Justin sigh. He didn't recognize the house on the screen, so he didn't get why Justin sighed. "Justin...what's wrong?"

Justin let out a quick, bitter laugh. "Aren't you listening to this?" he asked...gesturing toward the TV with the remote.

He hadn't been until Justin had said it like that, so Nick opened his eyes just in time to hear Justin's name mentioned. "Ohhh...now I get it."

Justin shook his head slowly with another sigh as he watched the television. "No..." he started quietly. "...you DON'T get it. No one gets it."

Nick turned to look at Justin and sighed. "I meant I understood what you were watching...You're right I DON'T know what it would be like to watch my life on a TV screen."

Justin dropped the remote down onto the couch and got up. He tossed his water bottle into the trash, then went to the fridge for a beer. He got the cap off and threw it away, then took a long swig as he sat back down.

Nick watched Justin closely. "Why don't you turn it off if it's bugging you?"

Justin picked the remote back up, and changed the channel as soon as various cars he owned started flashing on the screen.

"It would of gotten strange if they started showing your bus." Nick giggled, trying to lighten the mood.

"They will, I'm sure," Justin mumbled...and continued changing the channels as he drank down more of his beer.

Nick watched Justin again for a second before getting up and walking to the fridge. Pulling out another beer he opened it and walked back to the couch. Looking at Justin again he sat down and took a big gulp again. He rarely ever drank beer since he served so much of it at the bar, so he knew his body wasn't going to like this much, but he didn't care. "Well... I don't have to watch it on TV...I'm sitting in it."

"Yeah...and I don't have to watch any of it on TV...cuz I'm living it," Justin said a bit bitterly...stopping on 'The Golden Girls' and putting the remote on the shelf.

Nick busted up laughing. "Oh my gosh I love this show. I used to watch it all the time with my mom when I was a kid."

Justin slouched down and settled himself on the couch again...leisurely sipping his beer as he watched television.

When Justin didn't say anything, Nick thought it would be best to be quiet. Slouching down himself, his beer in hand he watched the TV.

Justin was quiet for a while. It wasn't until the first commercial break that he finally spoke out randomly. 'It sucks, ya know. Nothing's private. Nothing."

Nick turned his head in Justin's direction. " I can only imagine." That made Nick think of something that Kelly had said. "Kelly seemed really shocked that I was coming with you to the next city."

"I'm not surprised," Justin said...not taking his eyes off the TV. He sipped his beer before going on. "I almost always travel alone...except for my family and best friend sometimes."

"Then why do you want me to be here...You didn't have to invite me, Justin. I would of been fine on my own for a day." Nick answered. It was true he would of been fine, but he's glad Justin had invited him. But that is only if Justin really wanted him there of he was there because he felt obligated.

Justin turned his head to look at Nick. "I know I didn't have to. Why don't you think I actually WANTED to?"

Nick shrugged. "It's not that I thought you wouldn't want me to...it's just from what Kelly says, and what you just said...you like to be alone."

Justin shrugged. "I usually do," he said...then drank down the last of his beer.

Nick smiled at Justin. "Well...I'm glad you invited me...I'm having a great time."

"Why? What we're doing right now isn't all that exciting." Justin got up to throw out his bottle, then stretched his arms high above his head before sitting back down...and sort of curling up against the side of the couch.

Nick shrugged. "I don't know...I guess I'm just having fun enjoying your company. I don't normally get much time to enjoy the company of other people much."

"Me neither. At least...not people I'm comfortable with, anyway."

"The only person I ever really talked to was Aaron...and there are just some things I couldn't tell him."

Justin turned slightly onto his back in his curled-up position so that he could look at Nick. "He knows you're gay, though..."

Nick nodded. "Yeah he knows that...he just doesn't know what happened from 1999 though 2001...and I don't ever plan on telling him."

"You mean...all the club sex, and stuff?" Justin asked...resting his head back on the arm of the over-stuffed leather sofa.

"Yeah...I don't think he could handle that. I mean I don't want him to look at me like a freaky person ya know. I mean my parents are already putting so much shit in his head about how fags are all about sex, and drugs. That they are disgusting. And of course he defends me and says that isn't true. I don't want to know what he would do If he found out it is." Nick said, sadly.

"Did you do a lot of drugs?" Justin asked...seriously interested in what Nick had to say.

"I did drugs more then I did drink...because you know how terrible I do with alcohol. I've probably tried everything at least once." Nick admitted...not feeling uncomfortable at all talking about this.

"Even hard shit...like heroin?" Justin questioned...letting his left arm hang down off the edge of the couch, and resting his right hand on his stomach.

Nick nodded. "A few times...but I've never been too big on needles...I mostly stuck to club drugs like E and coke...a little bit of crystal...but that shit messes with you. I didn't like the side effects from that."

"Damn," Justin said quietly. As he looked at Nick, he couldn't believe that that that promiscuous druggy from a few years back was the same guy he now knew.

"It was really easy to get it...I mean I never really paid. The guys I would sleep with would just offer it and I would take it. As a dumb teenager I thought I was the king of the world." Nick said laughing and shaking his head. "I soon figured out that wasn't the case."

"At least you figured it out before it was too late."

"It took all the shit with William for me to figure it out. I made like this pact with God that if he let me get out of that alive I would clean up my act. The next day William got arrested for illegal drug smuggling or something and I was set free. Haven't done any of that shit since."

"Wow..." Justin said...in awe. He absently slid his hand under his wifebeater and rested it on his bare stomach.

The movement didn't go unnoticed by Nick, but he shook it off. "Yup, but things are cool now...I mean I may have had crappy jobs and lived in a shit hole, but it's a lot better then what I was in before."

"Yeah...I'd say so," Justin agreed as he started slowly rubbing his hand over his stomach. It was something his mother used to do when he was little and had stomach aches, and it had been a comforting feeling to him ever since.

"Does you're stomach hurt?" Nick asked, watching Justin's hand moving on his stomach.

Justin chuckled...but didn't stop the motion of his hand. He hadn't even been aware he'd been doing it. "No...just a habit."

Nick smiled. "Okay...as long as you don't feel sick." He then got up. "I'm going to go put on something more comfortable...these jeans are getting annoying."

Justin nodded, and turned his head to look at the television. "I'm sure your bag's in one of the bunks...where I keep all my shit."

Nick laughed. "Okay, I'm sure I can find it." he said walking back to the bunks. After looking for a second he finally found his bag. Stripping out of his jeans and boxers. He never put underwear on under his sweats for some reason, it had become a habit. He then put on his favorite pair of very warn out sweats. They were probably the most comfortable thing he owned so that’s why wore them all the time. Throwing on an equally warn out t-shirt he put all his stuff back into his bag. Not even thinking that he probably shouldn't be walking around in the warn out clothing since it didn't leave much for the imagination. He was used to just wearing them around his house without anybody else. Walking out into the main room he stopped to turn to see what was on the TV.

Justin, meanwhile, had gotten more comfy on the couch...leaning back against the arm of the couch with his knees bent up, his head dropped to the side, and his eyes closed.

Nick turned to look at Justin and smiled. Justin looked way too cute lying like that. "Are you sleeping?" He asked quietly as he walked to sit back down on the couch.

Justin opened his eyes and shook his head...peeking out from where his face was almost burrowed into the back of the couch.

Nick giggled. "Do you want to go to sleep? You look like you are on the edge of reality and dream land."

Justin chuckled. "Nah...I'm fine," he said...closing his eyes again and restarting the rubbing of his stomach.

Nick just watched Justin in awe as he lied there. He looked so peaceful and perfect. He was trying to stop himself, but it was getting harder and harder every day he was with Justin to not fall in love with the other man.

"Do you feel better now that you changed?" Justin asked quietly...not moving or opening his eyes.

"Yeah...I'm more comfy now." Nick said softly as he continued to just watch Justin from where he was sitting on the other side of the couch.

"Good," Justin replied through a yawn.

"How long are we gunna be on here for?" Nick asked, just figuring out he really didn't know much about what was going to happen.

Justin just shrugged. He really didn't have any idea. "Ask James," he said sleepily.

"Nah...I'll just play it by ear with you." Nick answered through a yawn. Watching Justin was making him sleepy.

Justin finally moved after a while...groaning tiredly as he stretched on the couch. He laughed when he accidentally kicked Nick's thigh with his bare foot. "Sorry."

Nick playfully pouted. "Hey...you big meany...you kicked me." he joked.

"It was an accident," Justin said...reaching up to rub his tired eyes as he sat up.

"You are adorable when you are sleepy." Nick said out of the blue, before he thought about what he was saying.

Justin smiled a lazy smile. "Thanks," he said...for the first time taking one of Nick's comfortably.

Nick smiled. "You're welcome." he said reaching over to grab Justin's foot that had kicked him and started to rub it. He knew Justin had to have been tired and sore from the concert. He also knew he was probably stepping some bounds but he was through with being scared...if it was innocent enough he was just going to go with what he thought was right.

Justin was surprised when Nick reached for his foot...and his automatic reaction was to jerk it back a bit. But the reaction was quick...and his brain immediately told him that it was OK. So...he let Nick take his foot and rub it.

Nick smiled down at Justin as he continued to rub his foot. He was happy that Justin didn't seem to mind...that meant that Justin was getting comfortable with him and he was happy about that.

Justin sighed quietly as he relaxed back against the arm of the couch again. Nick's foot rub felt good...maybe even just what he needed.

Nick put Justin's foot down and then reached for the other one. He started to rub that one the same way he had the other. Moving around a bit on the couch he got more comfortable and at the right angle. "You don't mind that I'm doing this right?" he asked, just in case.

Justin looked at Nick and shook his head. "If I did, I could have easily kicked you by now," he joked with a quiet laugh.

Nick laughed and continued to rub Justin's foot. "Well...you haven't done that so I guess I'm safe."

"For now," Justin said...then dropped his head to the left to look at the TV.

"What's on now?" Nick asked, he hadn't been paying much attention to the TV. Why would you if you could watch Justin Timberlake instead.

"Another 'Golden Girls,'" Justin replied. "This must be 'Lifetime.'"

"Ahh yes...Lifetime...Television for woman." Nick said giggling.

Justin laughed. "I don't know why they call it that. I happen to like this show...AND 'The Nanny,'" he said...seeing the commercial that said that show was next.

"The movie's aren't half bad either...even though It is kind of annoying to see movie after movie of a woman getting abused by her husband or boyfriend." Nick said making a face. "But they are still good."

Justin nodded his agreement. "True...but I HAVE seen movies on here where the GIRL beats the GUY and shit."

Nick giggled, all of a sudden thinking of one of his favorite movies. "Yeah...I'm glad they show stuff like that...Not because I like to see the girl getting in trouble or the guy finally showing he's the victim...but just seems only real to do it like that. Kinda like the movie 'When a Man Loves a Woman.' it's the wife who has the drinking problem and the guy has to hold the family together." He giggled again. "I love that movie."

Justin nodded again. "Yeah...exactly. It's real life...cuz that DOES happen."

Nick nodded. "Yup, it sure does." He turned to look to the TV and groaned. "They have too many of these teen pregnancy movies though."

"Yeah," Justin said as he watched the preview. "That...and eating disorders."

"I've even seen one where both of those were combined...actually all three. The girl was abused by her boyfriend...she got pregnant and then was so depressed she got an eating disorder. I think it was a little over kill if you ask me." Nick mentioned as the show came back on. "But this...this is good entertainment." he giggled.

Justin laughed. "Definitely. I remember being real young and watching this with my mother and stepdad on Saturday nights. I didn't even get most of the jokes back then."

Nick laughed. "I know...I remember telling my mom that I wanted my grandma to be like them because they were fisty." he laughed harder. "Even though I had no idea what the word feisty meant."

Justin had to laugh again. "My gramma IS like them. She's awesome."

"My dads mom is like that too but I don't get to see her much because her and my dad never got along." Nick said without much emotion.

"That sucks," Justin said. After a second, he couldn't help but let out a quiet groan at how good Nick's foot rub was feeling.

Nick turned his head to face Justin when he heard him groan. "Was that a good groan or a 'that hurt stop that' kind of groan?"

Justin smiled a bit. "Feels great," he said...closing his eyes and trying to relax.

Nick laughed as he started to rub Justin's ankles too. "Good...I'm glad."

Justin yawned and folded his hands on his stomach. Nick's hands felt great...even on the tattooed skin of his ankles.

Nick paid close attention to Justin's tattoos on his ankles as he rubbed them. He had always had a thing for Justin's ankle tattoos. Something about them was extremely sexy. Shifting in his seat slightly he continued to rub them, trying to not think about all of Justin's other tattoos that he would love to see in more detail.

Justin took a deep breath as he really started to relax. This was the most relax he'd felt in days. Since he met Nick, perhaps?

Nick was happy that Justin seemed so relax. Even though he was having issues at the moment, or have been the last few hours Nick had to admit he was feeling pretty good too. He wasn't uncomfortable around Justin at all.

"You're good at this," Justin mumbled sleepily without moving.

Nick laughed. "I have no idea why...I've never really done it before."

"Never?" Justin questioned...opening one eye.

Nick nodded. "Never."

Justin closed his eye again. "Wow...you'd never know."

"Thanks...maybe I will become a message person...whatever you call them." Nick laughed. "But you probably need a high school diploma for something like that."

"It's called a masseuse...and I don’t know what you need for it. Although...personal experience tells me that the majority of them are Swedish.

Nick giggled. "I can be Swedish." He said in his best Swedish accent.

Justin laughed...his eyes still closed. "No ya can't. That sucked."

Nick pouted playfully. "Geez...first you kick me...and now you're making fun of me."

"First of all...I did NOT kick you...and second of all...so what?"

Nick laughed. "You so did kick me....and maybe I don't like to be made fun of." he said, continuing to joke around.

"My bus...I make the rules."

"Okay...fine Mr. Bossy...I will stop rubbing you now." Nick said, removing his hands and crossing them across his chest. "Meany bucket."

Justin opened his eyes and turned his head a bit to look at Nick. "Don't stop," he said with a pout.

Nick looked up and groaned seeing Justin pouting. "That pout is evil...Mr. Timberlake." he said wiggling in his seat again, his sweats even starting to get uncomfortable. He moved his hands back down and started to rub his ankles again. He liked that he got to touch Justin, even this much.

Justin laughed and closed his eyes again...satisfied with himself. "Something told me that would work."

"So, so evil." Nick grumbled as he moved his hands up to rub Justin's lower legs.

Justin chuckled quietly. His hard calf muscles automatically flexed a bit under Nick's hands as they moved up a bit.

Nick rubbed Justin's calves for a second before getting an idea. Giggling a little he started to tickle the back of Justin's knees.

Justin quickly opened his eyes and jerked his legs away from Nick. "Hey."

Nick laughed and pulled Justin's leg back to him as he started to rub them again. "Pay back...for the evil pouty face."

Justin shrugged...resting back against the arm of the couch and getting comfortable again. "I'm gifted...I can't help it."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Sorry, hon but other people can pout too...but you are pretty damn good at it." he said, his hands movie up farther on Justin's legs without really noticing what he was doing.

Justin chuckled...not even aware of the fact that Nick's hands...and his own pant legs...had moved up to his knees. "I know I am. I told you...I'm gifted. God blessed me with that pout...among other things."

"Yeah, I'm sure God was making you and thinking...'Oh yes Justin Timberlake...he should have this sexy pout that he can tempt poor helpless souls with.' Nick said laughing.

"I know," Justin teased. "He had to throw it in when he saw how damn cute I turned out."

Nick rolled his eyes. "God must of spent a little more time on you." he sang, smirking.

Justin opened his eyes for the sole purpose of rolling them. "That was lame. Have you any idea how many times I've gotten that line?"

"No idea." Nick said shrugging. "But I'm sure it's a lot...but I bet it hasn't been while the person was rubbing you're legs."

With that comment, Justin suddenly became very aware of Nick's hands on and around his knees. His cheeks heated up and he swallowed hard. "Umm...yeah...you're right about that."

Nick didn't notice Justin's reaction because his eyes were on Justin's legs. "So at least I did something a little different." he said as he continued to rub and need the muscles in Justin's legs up to his knees.

'Harmless,' Justin told himself...and closed his eyes to relax again. "Yeah...you did."

After he flet like he had massaged Justin's legs as much as they could be, Nick got an idea. "Hey...do you want back rub? I don't know if I'm any good at it but we wont know until we try." he suggested, knowing it would help Justin relax even more and hopefully sleep well that night.

Justin thought about it for a split second before opening his eyes. The leg massage was nice...but a back massage...? THAT he wasn't ready for. "Actually..." he started...sitting up and bringing his feet down to the floor. "...I'm beat...I think I'ma go crash."

Slightly disappointed, Nick tried not to show it as he nodded. "Sure...I can understand that." he said moving around on the couch so his feet were on the ground too.

Justin stood up, stretched, and cracked his back to both sides.

Nick watched Justin, hearing his bones cracking and sighed. He knew Justin would of liked the back rub but he also wasn't stupid and knew Justin wasn't ready for it. "Well...goodnight."

Justin turned to look at Nick. "You can stay up long as you want...but you want me to like...show you where to sleep, or anything?"

Nick giggled and nodded. "That would be nice...and I think I'm going to turn in too...I'm getting sleepy."

Justin smiled. "Aight...c'mon," Justin said...then led Nick to the narrow hall where the bunks and tanning bed were. He stopped in the middle of the hallway. "OK...I guess only these two are free," he said...pointing to the top two bunks on one side of the bus. The other bunks were filled with his belongings. "You can pick whichever one you want. They both have lights and TVs and shit."

Nick looked at the bunks in awe. "Dang...why ever leave bed...if you have all that." he giggled jumping up into the middle bunk.

Justin smiled. "And they're comfortable, too," he said...taking the two steps to his bedroom door. "Well...get some sleep...and I'll talk to you later."

Nick lied down on his back and waved. "Night ...Night see ya in the morning."

Justin went into his tiny room and closed the door...shutting out the light from the rest of the bus and plunging him into darkness. He was exhausted...and couldn't wait to get into bed. He immediately took off his wifebeater and his sweats...knowing that being naked in the top-dollar cotton sheets would make him the most comfortable...and crawled under the fresh sheets and down comforter of his bed. He sighed contentedly...finding immediate comfort in his favorite sleeping spot.

Crawling under the covers, Nick groaned when he figured out he really had to pee. Closing his eyes he tried to forget his protesting bladder, but It wasn't working. Sighing he got up and out of bed. Going into the bathroom he brushed his teeth and did his business. Then turning off the lights he climbed into his bunk and snuggled into the warm covers. Sighing contently he closed his eyes and fell almost right to sleep.

Justin fell into a deep sleep almost immediately. He didn't move...he didn't dream. He just breathed deeply...his body getting the rest it craved.

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About six hours later...at around eight in the morning...Justin was still passed out cold on his stomach. His face was berried in a pillow, and his covers were bunched low on his hips...leaving his bare back exposed. The bright morning sun was shining through the slits in the blinds...giving the room a dim glow.

For some reason Nick was already awake and lying in his bunk listening to his diskman. Right now he had Justin's CD playing and he was not so quietly singing along to it. Since the volume was up so high he didn't know how loud he was being.

With Justin still sound asleep in the back, the bus slowed...and pulled off the highway into a large service station. Just minutes after the bus stopped at a gas pump, the door opened, and two of Justin's body guards boarded...sitting down in the front of the bus.

Nick felt the bus stop and then the door open. Hopping out of the bunk he walked out into the main room to investigate. Seeing two of the body guards sitting there he got a little nervous. "Good, morning." he said, hoping he wasn't doing something wrong in talking to them.

Both guards nodded at Nick, and one replied with a deep, "Good morning." Meanwhile...they watched the doorway closely as James left the bus...and a relief driver boarded to take over.

Nick looked around, a little confused by what was happening. "Where are we?" Nick asked as he walked over to grab a bottle of water.

"Gas station," the same deep voice replied. "Somewhere in West Virginia."

"Oh cool." Nick said back as he walked to sit at the table to drink his water. He felt weird sitting around with the very stiff, not talkative guys...he wondered if that was how they always were even with Justin...or if it was just because he was still a stranger.

After fifteen minutes or so, the guards left the bus, and the new driver almost immediately pulled out of the station and back onto the highway. Justin remained fast asleep through the whole thing.

Nick shook his head as the guys left. "Too weird." he said out loud to himself as he took his water back to his bunk. Putting his headphones back on he started to sing to the CD again.

Without fully waking up, Justin shifted in his bed just a bit...completely oblivious to his surroundings.

"I just want to enjoy my life...and show this world how to care. But nothing brings more joy to my life...then knowing my girl would be there." Nick sang at the top of his lungs in his voice that was far from bad. Totally unaware how loud he was being once again. He was getting too into the song.

Justin woke up a bit more. He heard singing, but didn't know if it was in his head or actually there. All he knew was that he wanted it to go away. So...he reached for the remote to turn on the fans...which were loud enough to drown all other sounds out of the room...and then put a pillow over his head to go back to sleep.

Something other then the music came into Nick's ears and he took off the head phones. Hearing the humming of fans he scrunched up his face in confusion. Picking up his diskman he carried it into Justin's room. Once he stepped inside and saw Justin lying on his stomach, barley covered by the sheet. His whole back visible and if the sheet would move downwards much more he would of had a very nice view. Freaking out, Nick dropped his diskman causing a loud noise and he stood there frozen much like the night before by the bathroom.

Justin...who usually wasn't a light sleeper...pulled the pillow off his head with a start when he heard the noise. He lifted his head a bit to look around...and his face heated up when he saw Nick standing in the doorway...about three feet away from his bed.

Seeing Justin turn to him, caused Nick to shake out of his daze. "Fuck....sorry." he exclaimed turning around, but not leaving the room.

Justin groaned a sleepy groan once he'd gotten over the shock of seeing Nick...and dropped his head down onto the pillow. "S'OK," he said...closing his eyes again.

"I just came to ask you why the fans were on" Nick asked, still facing away from Justin, trying once again with out success to get his body to calm down.

"Noise," Justin mumbled...trying to fall back to sleep. He was totally unaware of just how much of his freckled, tattooed back was in plain view.

"Oh....right...noise." Nick mumbled, turning back around slowly against his better judgment. He had to see again. His breathing quickened as he saw those tattoos and freckles he loved so much...wanted to touch so badly.

Justin's breathing deepened as he started to relax again...not quite asleep, but not quite awake. It didn't even dawn on him to ask Nick was he was still in his room.

Nick felt his body start to painfully react to the sight before him and he turned around and quickly left the room. Climbing back into his bunk he remembered his diskman was still on the floor in Justin's room. "Fuck it." he mumbled to himself as he turned to face the wall and tried as hard as he could to forget what he had just saw and his body’s reaction to it.

:

Justin semi-slept for another half hour or so before he finally got up. He reached for his sweats and slipped them on. Then...still in a sleepy state...he headed for the door...and cursed out loud when he stepped on something with his bare left foot. "Mother fucker!"

Nick who was still lying in bed trying to figure out a way to lesson his pain without physically doing anything, heard Justin. Totally forgetting about himself and his current state of arousal, jumped out of bed and over to Justin's room. "Are you okay?"

Justin had Nick's CD player in his hand by the time Nick got to his door. "Just fine," he said...handing the disckman to Nick. "Excuse me," he then said as he rubbed his eyes...wanting to get out so he could go to the bathroom.

Nick moved to the side of the door, so Justin could get by. Looking at his poor broken diskman in his hand...not to mention broken CD inside.

Justin made his way to the tiny bathroom and shut himself inside. After he peed, he sat down on the toilet seat cover to look at the bottom of his foot...sore from stepping on the CD player. He saw a few scrapes...but nothing major...so he washed his hands, brushed his teeth, and splashed some water on his face to wake himself up before he came out of the bathroom. He stopped just outside the door to tie the string on his low-hanging sweats.

Nick was in the main room, trying to figure out if he could fix the CD player. The broken CD was lying on the table. Groaning he walked over to grab the trash can.

Without saying anything...or really even noticing anything...Justin padded over to the small kitchenette to get himself some cereal. When his bowl of Cap'n Crunch was all set, he leaned back against the counter and started eating it. He felt better after just a few bites. One thing about Justin...when he slept that hard, he was NOT a morning person...and wasn't alive till he had his cereal. "Did I break it?" he asked between bites...finally seeing Nick with the diskcman.

"I think we both broke it." Nick answered back as he threw the broken pieces. "You owe me a new CD now." he joked, smiling at Justin a little.

Justin nodded. "And a CD player," he said before spooning more cereal into his mouth.

Nick shrugged again. "I don't care about the CD player...and I'm sure you have the power to get the CD." He said as he looked sadly at the broken pieces of the CD.

"Mine?" Justin asked before another bite.

"Yup...you broke yourself." Nick giggled at his stupid joke as he threw the CD away and sat down at the table.

"I'm sorry," Justin said seriously...shifting his hips against the counter. "It was a total accident."

"Which wouldn't have happened if I hadn't dropped the stupid thing in the middle of the floor. "Nick pointed out.

"Yeah...why'd that happen, anyway?" Justin asked...then drank the milk out of his bowl before putting it in the sink.

Nick blushed when he remembered what happened. "I was listening to the CD...having a good time singing when I heard something weird. I figured it was the fans in your room and wanted to know why you turned them on. So I got up to go into your room...and that’s when I dropped the CD player."

"Oh," was all Justin said. It sounded OK to him. With that, he went over to the couch and dropped into a slouching position...his much-too-big sweats slipping a bit lower down his narrow hips. "Been up long?" he asked...absently reaching up to scratch a spot on his bare chest.

Nick felt himself twitch in his sweats and groaned. "Too long." he answered, not totally answering what Justin had asked...but it worked.

"Sleep well?"

"Yeah I did...you were right the bunks are comfortable." Nick answered, shifting in his seat. Justin looked WAY too sexy sitting like that, with his pants down like that. It was taking so much of Nick's self control not to get up and pounce.

Justin nodded. "Yeah...I sleep in one every once in a while for a nap or sumthin...or a short ride. But other than that I love my bed."

"You sure have more room...that bed his huge." Nick said smirking, trying so hard to joke around.

Justin chuckled. "Not as big as my bed at home...but it'll do."

The conversation of Justin and Beds was not a good choice of conversation. Taking a deep breath he got up and walked to the small kitchen. "Can I have some?" he in a too deep voice, pointing at the Cap’n Crunch.

"Of course," Justin said...grabbing the remote and putting the TV on. "You can have whatever you want."

"Thanks." Nick whispered, the only way he could sound somewhat normal. Getting a bowl he poured himself some cereal and poured milk into it. Taking it back to the table he began to eat it silently.

Justin glanced to his right to Nick at the table. "What's got you all hot and bothered this morning, Nickolas?" he asked...trying to be both serious and sarcastic.

Nick looked up from his bowl and turned his head to look at Justin. "What?" he asked, he hadn't really heard Justin...and what he did hear he wasn't sure he heard him right.

"What's wrong, man?"

Nick glanced down at his lap and then back up at Justin. "Nothing new." he said, which was true.

Justin nodded...then turned back to the TV. He knew exactly what Nick meant. But again...speaking about these things was going to be on Nick's terms.

"You've got to stop being so sexy." Nick said giggling. He was totally joking, he didn't want Justin to change anything about himself

Justin chuckled...almost nervously. "Hey...I can't help it. I told you last night...I'm blessed."

That caused Nick to bust up laughing. "Yes...I really need to have a talk with God about that...because he's torturing me with all this blessing you with a perfect body stuff."

Justin blushed at that. "Nobody said anything about perfect."

"Perfect to me." Nick whispered, looking away.

Justin cleared his throat and looked down at his lap. He hadn't missed Nick's comment. In fact...it kind of made him feel awful. Nick had made several comments like that the night before...and then that morning. Justin really felt for him...because he still couldn't come up with a comfortable way to show Nick his appreciation. He knew that had to suck for Nick.

"I...I'm going to get dressed." Nick said softly as he got up, not feeling comfortable wearing his most comfortable clothes anymore. He felt too exposed in the thin normally soft material.

"OK."

Nick walked back to the bunks and then stood in Justin's room to change into his jeans. He didn't bother with boxers because he only had briefs that were already too small for him left. He didn't even want to think about stuffing himself into those Zipping himself, making a face he took a deep breath and walked back into the main room. "So what we gunna do to pass time?" he asked, trying to act normal

Justin shrugged...still in the same position he'd been in when Nick left. "I usually do a lot of this. Or...I read...or play video games...or sleep..."

Nick sat down next to Justin, slouching on the couch. "Last time you were on the bus you talked to me online." he pointed out, just remembering that.

Justin smiled at Nick. "Yeah...I did."

"Is it just me or does that seem like a lifetime ago?" Nick asked, turning to smile back at Justin.

Justin laughed quietly. "It really does. I feel like I've known you forever."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" Nick asked.

"I don't see it as bad."

Nick nodded. "Me neither...even though we have gone through a lot of junk the last few days."

Justin shrugged. He shifted on the couch just a bit...not realizing that his right thigh was lightly touching Nick's left by the time he was done. "I don't really look at it as junk, though. I mean...something good's bound to come out of it...whatever that may be."

Nick could feel their thighs touching, but wasn't going to say anything about it. He liked it there too much to bring Justin to notice it. "Yeah...I'm sure...if anything it helped you understand things about yourself."

"I'd say more like REALIZE things about myself...because I STILL don't understand them."

Nick giggled slightly. "I'm not sure I understand myself yet...so I'm not sure when that happens."

"Well...I'll probably need to...what'd you call it...? Experiment...before I can understand anything."

Hearing Justin say this caused Nick to almost start choking on his own spit...but he managed to keep his cool some how. "That's how it worked for me at least."

Justin shrugged. "I don't know...I guess it'll happen when it's meant to happen."

Nick nodded. "Yeah...I'm sure it will." he said, feeling a little awkward again, thinking about their conversation at the cafe yesterday morning.

"I wish I had as much confidence about it as you do."

Nick looked at Justin with wide eyes. "What do I have confidence in?"

"OK...maybe that's the wrong word. I mean more like...you're so SURE about being gay. Like...you have no doubts that you wanna be with guys." Justin stopped to think for a moment, then added in a quieter voice, "And...no doubts about HOW to be with guys."

"I've had years to deal with it, Justin. I was in your place before too. Having no idea what I was feeling...having no idea what to DO about what I was feeling. It scared the shit out of me. But I just had to be brave and see what was going to happen. I knew I had to go out and try stuff because how else was I supposed to know if that was what I wanted right?" Nick said softly and calmly, " I lost my virginity with a girl when I was 16...sure I thought it was great...but I was 16 and could probably hump a tree and get off. It wasn't until I kissed that one guy I told you about before that I was like...Whoa now that was awesome." He shook his head. "I'm probably making no sense."

Justin looked at Nick. "No...you make perfect sense. But...like...isn't it too soon for me to go out and...try stuff?"

Nick blushed a little. "Kissing that guy...and well fooling around with him...that was like two days after I saw the Disney show and knew for sure that something was up."

Justin shook his head slowly. "I don't know...sometimes I still think this might be a phase...or I'm imagining it."

Nick shrugged his shoulders. "Could be...but how are you gunna know that?"

Justin smirked. "I'll know when I experiment, I guess."

Nick looked at Justin weird. "Okay....scary face...what is the scary smirking face for?"

Justin shrugged. "Nuthin...it wasn't supposed to be scary."

Nick giggled. "I was kidding."

"Oh...alright," Justin said with a smile...his left hand habitually going to his stomach to rub it lightly.

Nick smiled as he watched Justin's hand. "You look so innocent when you do that."

Justin raised an eyebrow. "Do what?"

Nick pointed to Justin's hand on his stomach. "Doing that...I love when you do that." he said smiling, not caring what he said anymore.

When Justin realized what he was doing, he smiled shyly and took his hand off his stomach. He felt as though it was a childish habit he should have broken a long time ago. "I don't even notice..."

Nick put on his best pout. "Hey...don't stop. I love that habit of yours."

Justin wrinkled his nose...resting both his hands on his thighs. "I don't."

"Why not?" Nick asked curiously.

Justin shrugged. "Makes me feel like a little kid when I notice I'm doing it."

Nick shrugged back. "You may feel that way...but I think it gives you character."

Justin smiled. "Well...thanks...I think."

"It was meant to be a compliment."

"Well thank you, then," Justin said...then stretched his arms high over his head...his body still tired.

"I'm sorry I woke you up." Nick said, seeing Justin was still tried.

"It's OK...I slept well."

"Without clothes on." Nick pointed out, giggling. "I think that thought alone is enough to fuel my imagination for years."

Justin looked at Nick...a slight flush in his cheeks. "What?" How did Nick know he slept naked?

"When I came into your room earlier....When I dropped the CD player. I saw the sheets pulled down far enough to Know you weren't wearing anything underneath." Nick pointed out as he shifted uncomfortably, just thinking about that again was messing with him.

Justin chuckled a bit uneasily. "Well...how far are we talkin? Was my ass hangin out or some shit?"

Nick shook his head and laughed a little. "No...some how the sheet must of known I was going to come in because that is exactly where it started...right at the top of your ass." he said pouting playfully. "Dumb sheet."

Justin laughed again. "Oh yeah...sorry it killed your innermost fantasy."

Nick blushed a tad but smirked. "Ohh...my fantasies got MUCH deeper then that."

Justin chuckled and shook his head. "I'm not sure I even WANNA know."

Nick laughed. "I don't think you want to know...just remember what I was doing on your couch a few days ago...and you might understand how deep they go." he said stretching his arms over his head, making a little growling sound as he did.

Justin glanced at Nick again...a smile on his face. "Yeah...and you made a few noises just like THAT, too."

Nick smiled from where his arms were still in the air and put them down. "Was I really making noises?"

Justin laughed. "I don't remember...it just seemed fitting to say it."

Nick laughed and shook his head. "I'm sure I was....still can't believe I did that. I promised myself I wasn't going to jerk off in the shower thinking about you...when you were just upstairs...and then I do that on your room." he said, forgetting he was probably saying a little too much.

"Why...you jerk off to thoughts of me often?" Justin asked...amazing himself with how comfortable he was getting talking about all this 'gay' stuff.

Nick looked at Justin for a second before answering. "Most of the time." he admitted, surprised that he didn't really feel weird talking about this.

Justin raised an eyebrow. "For real?"

Nick raised an eyebrow back and nodded. "Uh huh...for real."

"Damn...I don't know what to think about that," Justin said...going back to rubbing his stomach.

Smiling, Nick watched Justin start rubbing his stomach again. "I don't expect you to think about it at all...that is probably one of the weirdest things you've heard."

Justin let out a quick laugh. "Honestly...after some of the things you've revealed over the last few days...it doesn't seem all that weird to me."

Nick made a mock scared face. "That is a little scary."

"What? That this stuff doesn't seem so weird to me anymore?"

Nick shook his head. "No...the fact that me jerking off to thoughts of you doesn't seem weird because I've admitted even weirder things." he paused to think of how to say the next part. "I'm glad this stuff isn't weird to you anymore."

Justin shrugged a bit. "Well...I don't know if I'd say I'm GLAD...but...I guess it's a good thing if these feelings creeping up on me are real."

It was Nick's turn to be slightly confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean...like...if I was GLAD that this stuff isn't weird to me anymore...it would be like...accepting it...know what I mean?”

Nick smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I know what you mean." Once again he paused to think of how to say the rest of what he was thinking about. "I've definitely seen a change in how you've reacted to things over the last few days."

Justin nodded. "Yeah...so have I."

"Does that bother you?"

Justin laughed a bit. "I don't think so...and that's kinda scary."

Nick giggled. "Yeah...I can see how that would be a little scary...but I think it's really a good thing. Nobody should be scared of their own feelings."

Justin sighed and slouched a bit lower on the couch...his thigh rubbing along Nick's a bit as he did. "So...then...I guess maybe these feelings I've been having ARE real...and not just my imagination."

Nick bit his bottom lip to keep from reacting out loud to Justin's thigh rubbing against his. Even the little bit that it was, was still enough to make him shiver. "They probably aren't your imagination...you're right."

Justin sighed again. "Now I just have to figure out what to do with all of it."

"That's always the hardest part." Nick answered truthfully. He wasn't sure what else to say, he wanted to hear what Justin was thinking, so he was going to leave the flow of the conversation up to him.

"Thanks...for kinda helping me figure out shit."

Nick smiled. "You're welcome...but you don't need to thank me. I'm sure you would of done fine without me."

Justin shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe not."

"Yeah you probably wouldn't have even noticed if I hadn't come alone and started putting all this junk in your head." Nick mumbled, looking down at his lap. He still couldn't help but blame himself. Sure, deep down he kinda like the idea that he might of had something to do with turning Justin Timberlake towards guys...but in a way he didn't like the idea at all.

"I don't think it was just the stuff you said, though."

Nick looked up with a raised eyebrow. "No?"

Justin shook his head. "No. I think it has to do with just...you...yourself...too," he said quietly...looking down at his lap.

Nick blinked a few times, looking at Justin not knowing what to say. "W...what do you mean?" he asked.

"I think you know what I mean," Justin said...still not looking up.

Nick nodded, trying to think of something good to say and for the life of him he couldn't figure it out. "Yeah...I think I do." he said, still looking at Justin, even though Justin wasn't looking at him.

"I've admired you...as a person...since I met you. I mean...because of what God's dealt you in life...and how you've managed to handle it all..." Justin started.

Nick smiled, but didn’t say anything. He wanted Justin to be able to finish what he needed to say.

"...and then...talking to you about all the gay stuff...and realizing that I, myself, am bisexual..." Justin paused...as if he was finally truly admitting it to himself. "...I don't know...I think maybe somewhere along the line I started becoming...attracted...to you."

Nick's eyes went wide. Sure, he had wanted Justin to say that to him...but he never in a million years expected it. "Y...You're attracted to....me?" he asked, all the shock showing in his voice. His insecurities coming into play. He didn't understand how anybody...let alone Justin could be attracted to him.

Justin nodded. "Yeah...but...I mean...don't get me wrong. It's not a physical thing." He paused...and smiled a small, shy smile. "Although...yeah...I guess I AM saying you're pretty good-looking."

Nick smile and blushed bright red. "Thank you." he didn't really know what else to say, his brain was too busy grasping the fact that Justin Timberlake had just said that to HIM.

"You're welcome. But honestly...I think I'm more attracted to you as a person...who you are."

"And honestly...that means more to me then you telling me you find me attractive." Nick admitted with a even bigger smile.

Justin looked up at Nick curiously. "Why?"

"Normally people only like other people for the way they look...it's not often that somebody admits that they are attracted to somebody for the person they are." Nick explained.

Justin nodded...his eyes wide. "Tell me about it."

Nick giggled, knowing what Justin was talking about. "I for a fact like YOU for both reasons. You've got a package deal going on."

Justin smiled. "That's nice to hear. Cuz people always love Justin cuz he's SO hot..." he said...mocking a teenie-bopper voice. "...or a HUGE star."

This caused Nick to bust up laughing. He was laughing so hard his stomach was starting to hurt. "Oh...god...that was good." he said between giggles. "And you're right...but that's not how I see it."

"Thanks," Justin said through a small laugh of his own.

"I always thought I would jump up and down and scream if you ever said something like that to me...but I actually feel really calm." Nick said giggling. "I think you have taken the freaky fan out of me, Justin."

Justin chuckled...dropping his head to the right a bit to look at Nick. "Well...I hope I haven't taken ALL of the fan out of you."

Nick giggled more. "You still owe me a CD." he said as he response.

"And you'll get it."

"Cool" Was all Nick said as he slouched down on the couch even more and looked up at the ceiling. His mind was still reeling over all that had happened in the last half an hour.

Justin took a long, deep breath. "Damn...we still go like...six hours on this bus."

Nick turned his head to the side to look at Justin. "At least you got company this time?" he said it as a question because he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

Justin smiled. "Yeah...it's nice."

"I'm getting used to this not, having to do much of anything stuff." Nick giggled. "I think I'm getting lazy."

Justin chuckled. "It's probably gonna be hard for you to go back to the coffee shop, huh?"

Nick tensed up a little bit. "Yeah...it will be."

Justin noticed Nick's tension right away, and wrinkled his forehead. "What?"

Nick shook his head, he didn't want to tell Justin that his boss said if he was going to be gone any longer he was going to be replaced. So, pretty much he lost both of his jobs in a matter of days. "Nothing."

Justin sighed. "Damn, Nick...I know something's wrong...so why don't you just tell me?"

"I kinda got fired." Nick said softly and quickly.

Justin's jaw dropped. "You...what?"

Nick bit his bottom lip and turned his head to look at Justin. "They had to let me go."

"Why? Because of the time you're taking off?"

"Yeah...they said if I took anymore time they were going to have to replace me in order to fill the shifts...so they replaced me." Nick answered simply.

"Nick...then why didn't you go home?" Justin asked...feeling horribly guilty.

"I didn't want to go home." Nick answered softly. What he really wanted to say was that he didn't want to leave Justin.

"Well...what are you gonna do?" Justin asked quietly...knowing Nick had no money.

Nick shrugged. "I'm trying not to think about it...I'm enjoying my very long vacation." he said, really trying not to think about what would happen when he did finally have to go home.

Justin sighed. "Nick...we need to figure this out..."

"I...I'll just find another crappy coffee shop when I get home. Or another bar...or Wal-Mart or something. I'm sure I can find some min wage job." Nick said, showing for the first time how much his current life style made him angry.

Justin took a deep breath...and got to thinking. He knew Nick couldn't take care of himself...never-mind his brother, too...on a minimum wage job. "That won't work..." he mumbled distractedly...rubbing his stomach and staring straight ahead as he was deep in thought.

"No shit Sherlock." Nick mumbled back, looking up at the ceiling. He didn't mean to get into a pissy mood...or direct it at Justin...but he couldn't help it.

"How do you feel about moving?" Justin asked suddenly. "Like...out of Indiana?"

Nick turned to look at Justin with a confused expression on his face. "Where am I moving to?"

Justin looked at Nick and rolled his eyes. "Answer the question."

Nick giggled a little. "As long as I'm not going to Alaska or the Yukon...I'm good." he answered in a really weird way.

"How about L.A.?"

"L.A. as in California?" Nick asked with wide eyes.

Justin chuckled. "Yes...L.A. as in California."

Nick looked at Justin skeptically. "What exactly am I going to be doing in LA?"

"Well...I have what I think might be a brilliant idea."

Nick giggled. "A brilliant idea, huh."

Justin nodded. "Yeah...check this out. I just opened a restaurant in L.A...and I could always use a really good...not to mention easy on the eyes...bartender."

"You trying to get strange women to flirt with me?" Nick asked, giggling...for some reason the only part that really sunk in was Justin saying he was easy on the eyes.

Justin laughed. "No, you dumbass...I'm trying to give you a good, respectable, well-paying job. The fact that you're hot will just up the tips for you."

Nick thought about this for a second. “A respectable job with good times...In LA.”

Justin chuckled. "Well...I can't guarantee the good times...but I can guarantee a respectable job...and a place to live."

“I love the idea, Justin...it’s just that LA is really far away...” Nick trailed off and then shrugged. “I guess it doesn’t matter I can go from one city with no friends to another.”

"Well...it's just a suggestion. I'd never expect you to do it if you don't wanna leave home. I mean...I know you could find a good job where you are if you tried."

Nick smiled and nodded. “I’ll give it some thought...I’ve got you’re ten thousand dollars to mooch off of for a while.”

Justin just nodded and looked at the television. "OK."

Turning his head to look at Justin, Nick smiled even more. “You are a really great person...you know that?”

Justin just shrugged. "I don't know...but thank you."

“You are...and a really great friend. Not all friends would do the things you’ve done for me.” Nick said as he moved even closer to Justin, without knowing it.

Justin shrugged again. "I'm lucky enough to be able to do it...so I do it."

Nick yawned and stretched his arms over his head, his arm going to rest on the back of the couch behind Justin's head. He hadn't done it on purpose even though it might have looked like it.

Justin sighed quietly and slouched a little lower on the leather couch...leaning into Nick a bit in the process. "I'm sorry about all this. I know you're gonna object, but I DO feel like it's kinda my fault you lost your job. Well...both of them," he said...his eyes on the TV.

"Okay, I won't object then...it is YOUR fault." Nick laughed jokingly, turning his head to look at Justin. That was when he noticed how much closer they had been before. Feeling his face heat up he tried to ignore the fact so he wouldn't alarm Justin and cause him to move.

"Well...it IS. You took the time off to hang out with ME...so..."

Nick nodded. "True...but I'm really enjoying hanging out with you. I didn't want the weekend to end. So, when you said I could come with you...I jumped at the chance and didn't care what happened."

"Why, though? I mean...we're not doing anything exciting," Justin said...gesturing around the bus.

"Actually having a friend to do absolutely nothing with is probably the best thing I've done in a long, long time." Nick admitted.

Justin turned his head and tilted it up a bit to look at Nick. "Well...I'm glad for that...glad to have become your friend."

Being this close to Justin, and seeing him look up at him like that almost caused Nick to snap and lean down and kiss him. The reality of it scared the shit out of him. But he continued to look at Justin with scared eyes.

Justin narrowed his eyes at the look on Nick's face. "What's the matter?" he asked in a near whisper.

Nick bit his bottom lip. His heart pounding so hard in his chest he could hear it in his ears. "I...I...shit." he whispered turning his head away, closing his eyes.

Justin swallowed hard...suddenly very aware of how close he and Nick were to each other. "Oh," he said quietly...sitting up and moving over a bit. "I'm sorry."

Nick took a few deep breaths and turned back around to face Justin. "Don’t be sorry...you didn't do anything wrong." he licked his lips that were sore from biting them. "I...I just almost did something really stupid there."

Justin nodded...nervously running a hand over his buzz cut. "I can understand why."

"Y...you can?" Nick asked, really wanting to be back in the position they were before.

"Yeah. I didn't realize how...close...I'd gotten to you."

"I didn't mind." Nick said smiling slightly

Justin smiled. "Apparently I didn't either...cuz I really didn't even notice." He paused and took a deep breath. "But...it obviously made you uncomfortable."

"I'm not sure if uncomfortable is the right word...I just really had the erg to kiss you." Nick admitted, looking right at Justin.

"What stopped you?" Justin asked...studying Nick's face.

"Because I didn't think you would want me to." Nick said softly.

Justin looked into Nick's bright eyes. "Well...you didn't ask me.”

Nick swallowed hard and looked back into Justin's eyes. "Can I?" he asked in a near whisper. Really taking a chance of humiliation but he was going to take that chance.

Justin opened his mouth to say something...his eyes never leaving Nick's...but nothing came out. His voice was stuck in his throat.

"I'm not going to do anything until you give me some sign its okay." Nick whispered as he moved a little closer to Justin again.

Justin's eyes moved away from Nick's and took a quick look around the bus...reacquainting him with where he was and what was going on. "I...umm...I'm gonna go...get dressed," he said quietly...then got up from the couch and went to the bunk hall to get some clothes.

Nick watched Justin walk away with tears in his eyes. "Fuck!" he exclaimed and hit his head on the back of the couch a few times. Why had he gone to do something so stupid like that?

"Fuckin pussy," Justin said to himself as he took his clothes back into his room and slammed the door. How could he have been stupid enough to stop Nick from kissing him?

Nick wasn't mad at Justin....he was mad at himself. Sighing he whipped his cheeks where a few tears and fallen and got up. Taking a deep breath he walked down to Justin's room and knocked on the door. "Justin?"

"What?" Justin asked as he pulled his jeans up over his hips and zipped and buttoned them.

"I...I'm sorry." Nick said to the closed bedroom door.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for, Nick..." Justin said...pulling his blue t-shirt on. "...so stop apologizing."

Nick looked down at his bare feet, and rested his head against the door. "I know you don't feel like that for me...So I shouldn't even have tried."

Justin sighed...dropping onto his back on the unmade bed. "Just stop, Nick...I just told you I'm interested."

Nick looked up at the door again. "Can I come in? I feel funny talking to a door."

"Sure," Justin said...staring up at the ceiling as he folded his hands on his stomach.

Opening the door, Nick walked into the room and without thinking twice he walked over to the bed and sat down next to Justin. "What are we going to do?"

Justin let out a frustrated sigh. "I wanted to let you kiss me, Nick...I really did."

"Then what's wrong?" Nick asked softly, really wanting to know what Justin had to say. He hated to see Justin so frustrated and upset.

"I just couldn't do it right there...like that."

Nick nodded. "Okay." he said, not sure what to say. He thought he understood what Justin meant, but he wasn't sure.

"Steve...the driver. He's not my regular driver. I don't trust him like I trust James...and who knows what he mighta seen?"

Nick's eyes went wide when he finally understood. "Ohh...now that totally makes sense."

Justin sighed quietly. "Welcome to the glamorous world of Justin Timberlake."

Nick took all the balls he had and lied down on the bed next to Justin. His head touching the other man's as they looked up at the ceiling. "Does he come back into your room?"

Justin let out a quick laugh. "He's driving, jackass."

Nick rolled his eyes and propped his head on his hand and looked down at Justin with a raised eyebrow. He wondered if Justin knew what he was thinking.

Justin shifted his eyes from the ceiling to Nick when he felt the older man's eyes on him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Getting way too brave for his own good, Nick got up off the bed and walked over to the door. Closing it he smirked at Justin before walking back to the bed. Lying back down he tried 'the look' again. He was having fun trying to see if Justin would get it.

Justin swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He didn't think he could move. He felt like his back was glued to the bed. 'What the hell is he doing?'

When it seemed that Justin wasn’t getting it Nick groaned and laughed a little. "You said you stopped before because you thought the bus driver would see you...well now he can't."

"What are you saying?" Justin asked quietly...looking up at Nick from where he lay on his back.

Nick took a deep breath and once again tried. "May I kiss you?" He kept his eyes on Justin's even though he felt like running from the room, afraid of rejection again.

His body still, and his hands still folded on his stomach...Justin nodded slowly...even though he was terrified.

Nick's heart was pounding in his chest...he was scared beyond belief but he tried not to show that. He needed to look confident so at least one of them was. Smiling softly he leaned down and lightly touched his lips to Justin's...wanting to take it slow, so not to scare Justin away.

Justin's stomach filled with very active butterflies as soon as he felt Nick's lips on his. He closed his eyes and remained still...having no idea what he was doing...or what was going to happen next.

When Justin didn't jump away screaming, Nick took that as a good sign and pressed his lips to Justin's more firmly.

Justin tried his best to relax...although somewhat unsuccessfully...and enjoy the feel of Nick's slightly chapped lips on his own lips.

Nick wiggled around some and moved so one of his arms was on the other side of Justin. That hand going into Justin's buzzed hair. He needed to try and relax the other man. As he did this he licked Justin's bottom lip slightly, wondering what reaction he would get.

When Justin felt Nick's tongue touch his bottom lip, he opened his eyes and jerked his head to the side a little to stop the kiss...since the mattress under his head didn't allow him to pull back. He didn't try to move away from Nick, though. He just looked up into his eyes with a bit of confusion and unintentional innocence.

Nick didn't feel weird about Justin stopping. He just pulled his head back up and smiled down at Nick. "I'm not going to hurt you." he said softly as he continued to run his fingers over Justin's head.

Justin smiled nervously. "I know...I just...this is too weird."

"Do you want me to stop...and move?" Nick asked, as he really thought about what he was doing. How his hands were on Justin's head...how his body was pressed up against Justin's. But the really funny thing was his body was being nice to him. He was calm and collected, just as if it knew it wasn't supposed to scare Justin.

Justin just shook his head.

Nick smiled and leaned back down for another kiss, this time making it a little deeper from the start.

Justin let out a very quiet, unintentional groan when Nick kissed with a bit more force. He tried to loosen up a bit...and just let what was going to happen, happen. He closed his eyes again, and kept his hands folded on his stomach...since he really didn't know what to do with them.

Nick pulled back again and looked down at Justin. "Justin do what you would do...if you were kissing a girl...it's not really THAT much different." he said, when he knew that Justin didn't know what he was supposed to do.

Justin looked up at Nick and sighed quietly. "Yes...it is." He actually couldn't believe he was laying on his bed kissing a guy.

"How so? Talk to me." Nick said, really wanting Justin comfortable. He still didn't move though, and continued with what his hands were doing.

Justin widened his eyes. "How so? You're a fuckin guy...that's how so."

Nick giggled a little. "Really...I didn't know that...all this time I thought I was a girl." he joked but then got serious again. "Just try not to think about it...and just feel."

Justin let out a shaky breath. "I AM feeling...and that scares the living shit out of me."

"That is the point...I would be scared if I was kissing you and you weren't feeling anything." Nick said, shifting a bit when his arm was starting to fall asleep. His body rubbing against Justin's side a bit as he did so."

Justin caught his lower lip between his teeth when he felt Nick's body against his side. He felt like his brain was going to explode. He was so overwhelmed.

Nick saw Justin's facial expression change and he wasn't sure if it was a good reaction or not. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, His right hand going to brush against Justin's cheek, still trying to work on relaxing him.

Justin nodded. "Just scared," he whispered.

"I know you are." Nick whispered as he leaned down to start placing soft kisses all over Justin's face. "Just...try to...relax." he said between kisses.

Justin closed his eyes and tried to do what Nick said. It felt good...that much he knew...so why was he still trying to tell himself it was wrong?

Nick's lips stopped on Justin's mouth and started a soft kiss there again. This time trying to lick Justin's lips again, just wanting to know what he would do now.

'Fuck it,' Justin finally told himself. If it felt good, why shouldn't he go with it? For the first time, he actually kissed back...moving his lips just slightly against Nick's.

Nick smiled against the kiss and deepened it even more. This time he tried to see if Justin would open his mouth to him.

Justin opened his mouth just slightly...still a bit tentative about the whole thing. At the same time, he finally moved his left hand off his stomach, brought it out to his side by slipping it between his body and Nick's...which was pressed against his left side...and brought his hand up to the top of Nick's spiky head.

Nick whimpered slightly when Justin's hand came against him. When Justin's hand got to his head, Nick couldn't help but stick his tongue into Justin's slightly opened mouth and kiss him even deeper. He prayed to God he wasn't doing too much and scaring Justin because it was getting hard for him to go slow.

Justin couldn't help but groan quietly when he felt Nick's tongue make its way into his mouth. He felt something inside him explode right at that second. He gently raked his fingers through Nick's hair as he started fully kissing him back...suddenly feeling like he was doing the right thing.

Feeling Justin kissing him back, made Nick's body feel like it was on fire. Moaning softly his tongue started to explore Justin's mouth as he kissed him passionately.

Justin groaned a bit louder when he felt Nick turn up the passion on his kiss. 'Holy shit...this is amazing,' he said to himself as he returned Nick's kiss with equal passion. He'd never, ever been kissed they way Nick was kissing him.

Nick moved closer to Justin as they continued to kiss passionately. His hands went to the back of Justin's neck to bring him closer. He had no idea that kissing somebody could be this good. Nothing to date could compare to what he was feeling right then.

Justin bent his right knee up to rest his bare foot on the bed as he deepened the kiss a bit by easing his tongue out to press it against Nick's. At the same time, he brought his right hand up to join his left in Nick's hair.

Nick moaned deeply when he felt Justin's tongue on his own. No matter how much he tried to stop it he could feel himself starting to react to he kiss while his body was closely pressed against Justin's. Closing his eyes tightly he prayed that Justin wouldn't freak...because that was one thing he was sure didn't happen when he was kissing a girl.

Justin felt Nick getting hard against his left hip, and wanted to freak out. He didn't, though. Instead, he broke the kiss, and opened his eyes to look at Nick. After clearing his throat, he quietly said, "I think we should stop."

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Nick looked down at Justin, trying to catch his breath. He knew Justin was right, things were moving too quickly. "Yeah...we should." he said, not moving from where he was.

Justin gave a slow nod...not moving either.

"What...did you think of that?" Nick asked, giggling slightly.

Justin had to laugh as well. He was thankful that Nick was making him comfortable with the whole thing. "It was...umm..."

Nick had to move because his arm was seriously falling asleep. Moving off of Justin a little he lied next to him on his side and used his hand to rub Justin's stomach, without really paying attention to what he was doing. "Is that a good um...or a bad umm?" he asked, encouraging Justin to talk about how he felt.

Justin dropped his right arm to the bed at his side, and rested his left hand on his chest as he took a deep breath. "Well...I definitely wouldn't say bad..." He focused his eyes on the ceiling, and spoke as if he was thinking out loud.

"Weird?" Nick suggested, his hand still moving against Justin's stomach. He felt so comfortable lying with Justin like that. He hoped the younger man wasn't the total opposite.

Justin took another deep breath...a bit of a shaky one. He just that moment became aware of Nick's hand rubbing his stomach...and he liked it...maybe too much. "No...not weird. I...it was...nice."

Nick smiled softly. "I'm glad...I would of hated you're first...well experience to suck....cuz then I would probably blame myself."

Justin smiled back at Nick. "It didn't suck. Not at all." He paused and swallowed hard...then went on in a softer voice. "In fact...I kinda feel like it's the first time I've been kissed."

Nick felt his stomach flip flop at Justin's words and he smiled bigger. It wasn't because Justin said those things about him...but the fact that Justin had felt what he had. "I...I actually felt the same way. I thought I had been kissed before...but boy was I wrong." he giggled softly.

Justin laughed quietly. "Come on, Nick...it took me forever to even start kissing you back."

"But when you did..." Nick paused to wiggle his eyebrows and then laughed, trying to keep the mood light.

Justin chuckled. He could feel his face blushing a bit. "That's crazy."

"So...was kissing a guy really that terrible?" Nick asked, once again getting back to what Justin was feeling.

"I just told you it wasn't terrible."

Nick thought for a second and then blushed. "Oh yeah you did say something like that didn't you." Stopping to think for a second he tried something else. "Does that help you...with well knowing if you are or not?"

"If I am what...bi?"

"Yeah." Nick stated as he started to play with Justin's t-shirt between his fingers.

Justin looked back up at the ceiling as he took another deep breath in thought. "Yeah...it definitely helps."

"Are you glad you did it...or does it make things worse?" Nick asked, wondering if Justin regretted anything about what had happened.

Justin shook his head. "No...It doesn't make anything worse. It just...helps me realize that the feelings I've been having are a reality."

Nick let out a deep breath he hadn't even known he had been holding. "Okay...good." he said resting his head back down on the bed, his head touching Justin's.

"So...what should we do now?" Justin asked. "Wanna go watch a movie...or play some X-Box, or something?"

"Which ever you would like to do, sounds fine to me." Nick said smiling. He still couldn't believe any of this had happened, but he was trying to get his brain to understand that just because they kissed once doesn't mean it was going to happen again.

Justin looked at Nick and smiled. "It's still YOUR vacation. Technically...I'm working."

That caused Nick to laugh..."Yes and right now this is such HARD work....so umm let's play X-Box so you can beat my ass...sense I suck at video games." He said sitting up and finally letting go of Justin's shirt. Once he was standing up he held his hand out to help Justin up.

Justin laughed as he took Nick's hand to let him help him up. "Well...I'm a video game God...so you're going down."

Nick rolled his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. "Sheesh...is there anything you DIDN'T make him good at?" he said as if he was talking to God.

Justin gave Nick a playful shove...then opened the bedroom door and headed out to the front of the bus.

Nick giggled and followed Justin out of the bedroom. "What game are we going to play...so you can beat my ass?" he asked and then giggled as he sat down on the couch. "You know this ass beating thing doesn't sound too bad." he joked.

Justin rolled his eyes as he went over to the small entertainment system and loaded up the X-Box. He grabbed both controllers, and then took a seat on the floor. "Come sit down here, the couch too far away."

Nick got up and went to sit down next to Justin on the floor. Indian style his knee against Justin's. Ever since their kiss, little things like that didn't even register in Nick's brain. Maybe the kiss was a really good thing after all. "So what are we playing?"

"Madden NFL 2004," Justin answered as he used his controller to set up the game.

"Football...the game I know absolutely nothing about." Nick said laughing as he held onto his controller and watched Justin setting up the game.

Justin's eyes remained intently focused on the television as he spoke to Nick. "Are you serious? Football is the bomb. I LOVE football."

"I never was very big on sports...and when my dad finally did get me to play a sport it was basketball." Nick said shrugging. "The only besides that, that I did as like an extra thing outside of school was I took voice lessons until I was like 10...then my dad didn't want to pay for them anymore."

Justin got it to the team selection screen, then looked at Nick with a raised eyebrow. "Voice lessons?"

Nick nodded. "Yeah...you know lessons you take for singing." he said smiling.

Justin sucked his teeth. "No shit, Nick. I KNOW what voice lessons are," he said...then looked back at the TV as he selected the Tennessee Titans as his team. "You sing?"

Nick laughed as he watched Justin pick his team. Then he noticed it was his turn to pick. Biting his bottom lip he looked at the selection of teams. "Who should I be?"

Justin laughed. "I take it you don't have a favorite team."

"I don't watch football remember...I don't go for the big guys in pads." Nick joked.

Justin laughed again. "OK. Just pick the Indianapolis Colts, then. They're your home team...and they're good."

Nick laughed. "Sounds like a good idea to me." he said as he scrolled to the team and chose it as his team. "Now comes the hard part." Looking down at the controller he tried to figure out where everything was, since he wasn't used to X-Box's.

"Here," Justin said...going to a screen that had a diagram of the controller, and pointed out the function of each button.

Nick looked back to the diagram and down to his controller for a few minutes, trying to put to memory what he was supposed to do. "Okay, I think I get it well enough." he said, already knowing he was going to make a fool of himself with this...but he didn't care.

Justin chuckled and pressed a few buttons to get the game started. He listened to the 'commentators' talk about the game and the players, and then it got underway...with Justin's team on offense, and Nick's on defense.

Nick tried to remember everything he was told to do and pushed a few buttons to get his little players to something...he really had no idea what. "This is going to be pathetic." he giggled.

Justin laughed. His tongue slipped slightly out of his mouth as he made a play...and one of his men ran all the way down the field for a touchdown against Nick's team.

Nick watched Justin's guy get a touch down and pouted. "Hey now...that isn't fair."

Justin shrugged. "Not my fault you can't play for shit."

Nick elbowed Justin in the side for that comment as he waited for the next thing they were supposed to do. "I can't help it either...I know nothing about football and video games...so you got two things on me." he said still pouting, even though he really wasn't upset he was having a lot of fun.

Justin's team kicked off the ball, giving Nick's team a chance to score. "Maybe we should play something more classic,...like Pac Man or Tetris. I had no idea you had NO experience."

"I have played before...but not football...and that was like on super Nintendo." Nick giggled...and we can still do this if you want to...I'm having fun."

Justin exited the game, then got up to change the CD. "OK...let's see..." he said...his back to Nick as he searched through his games. "...how bout Tetris?"

"That I do know how to play." Nick said, leaning back onto his hands as he stretched his back.

Justin laughed. "Then that it is," he said...putting the game into the console.

Nick sat back into his original position and got ready. "I'm still probably not as good as you are...but at least I don't think I will make a total fool of myself."

Justin took his seat on the floor while the game loaded. "I don't know...you just might beat me. I don’t play these easy games too often," he teased.

Nick turned and stuck his tongue out at Justin before looking back at the TV screen. "This is war."

Justin laughed as he handed Nick the Player 1 controller. "Here...you go first."

Nick took the controller and followed the instructions to start the game.

Justin leaned back on his hands, and stretched out his legs and crossed them at the ankles as he watched Nick start the game. His eyes may have been on the TV, but his mind was elsewhere. It was still analyzing what had just happened in the back of the bus.

Nick moved his fingers quickly to make the little bricks go in the right directions so they fit together. His tongue sticking out as he worked hard to make sure he did it right. He used to love to play this game on his computer...but hadn't in a long time so this was fun.

Leaning back gave Justin a view of Nick from behind...and he took in the older man's broad back and shoulders, and shiny blonde hair as he continued to think. Had kissing Nick really felt as good as he thought it did...or was he just hopeful and looking for answers?

"See...now this game I can play." Nick stated as he kept clearing rows even on a fairly high level.

Justin smiled. "Nice job," he said before going back to his thoughts. No...Nick's kiss HAD to have felt that good. After all...Justin really liked him as a person...and was definitely starting to become physically attracted to him.

"Why thank you." Nick said in his best polite sounding voice as he continued to clear rows. It was beginning to get harder though since he was on the 7th level.

Justin smiled as he returned to an Indian-style sitting position. He leaned forward...resting his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands, and looking to the right a bit to study Nick's face while he played.

When the game switched to the 8th level the look of concentration got stronger on Nick's face as he gripped the controller harder. He still managed to clear quite a few rows but he wasn't doing as well as he had before. He was so into the game he didn't even notice Justin was watching him.

Justin let his eyes travel down Nick's upper body, and then brought them back up to his face. 'He isn't just attractive...' Justin thought as he took in Nick's gorgeous eyes. '...he's beautiful.'

Finally Nick couldn't keep up with the falling bricks anymore and on the 9th level he lost. Getting a seriously sad look on his face, Nick pouted. "And I was just getting the hang of it again."

Justin chuckled...still watching Nick's face. "It's OK...you did great. Why don't you play again?"

Nick turned to look at Justin. "You don't wana play?"

Justin shook his head. "I'm fine. You play."

"Okay then." Nick said as he started the game again and continued to play. The look of concentration came back as he bit his lower lip.

"You should try to stop doing that," Justin said...seeing Nick chew on his lower lip. "You do it a lot...and you're gonna ruin your lip."

Nick let go of his bottom lip but continued to play the game. He hadn't even thought about why Justin was looking at him enough to know he had been biting his lip.

Justin smiled...then looked up at the TV to actually watch some of Nick's game.

Nick played for a few more minutes until his fingers started to hurt and his stomach growled loudly. Blushing, he giggled a little as the game ended because he couldn't keep up with it.

Justin chuckled...turning to Nick. "Hungry?"

Nick turned to Justin and giggled again. "What would have given you that idea?"

Justin laughed again as he stood up and went to turn off the X-Box. "I can make you grilled cheese, or sumthin...if you want."

"Ohh...he's cute and he cooks too...and sure whatever you want to make." Nick said standing up to stretch. His t-shirt riding up to shows the bottom half of his slightly pudgy tummy. As he did so his baggy jeans fall down on his hips a little.

Justin quickly glanced down at Nick's belly...then back up at his face. "Well...I'm not sure how much food we have on board. Plus...I don't make too many things...so grilled cheese it is." He walked the few steps to the small kitchen area, and pulled out the "drawer" which was actually a two-burner stove.

Nick laughed as he watched Justin pull out the 'drawer'. "It is definitely interesting where they hide things in this place...any other secret hiding places I should know about?"

Justin smiled as he went to the fridge and pulled out some bread, butter and cheese. "Nope...not yet, anyway. You have to be extra special to find that stuff out."

Nick pouted. "Awe...I'm not special...now I'm hurt." he said leaning against the counter to watch Justin. He loved to watch Justin's hands...he had long fingers and watching them at work was causing thing inside of him to stir to life again.

Justin smirked as he put the stuff on the small counter, and started putting some sandwiches together. "Not THAT special. I'm the ONLY one who knows all the bus secrets."

Crossing his legs at the ankles Nick smiled softly. "Maybe I'll stick around long enough to find them out some day."

Justin shrugged...dropping some butter into a frying pan and turning the stove on. "Maybe."

Nick thought of something but he wasn't sure how to ask Justin what he was thinking. So he jus stayed quiet and watched Justin make the sandwiches.

Justin glanced at as he flipped the sandwiches over with a spatula. "You're awfully quiet," he pointed out.

Nick smiled slightly. "Just thinkin."

"About what?" Justin questioned...looking down at the pan as he focused on his cooking.

After thinking for another few seconds, he thought he might as well spit it out. "What happened in the bedroom...was that a one time thing?"

Justin was quiet as he turned off the stove, got a plate out of the cabinet, and out the sandwiches on the plate. After he put the pan and the spatula in the sink, he turned to Nick. "I don't know..."

Nick nodded his head. "Okay...just do whatever you feel comfortable with." he said walking over to sit down at the table.

Justin brought the plate of sandwiches and some napkins over to the table, then went to get some chips and sodas. He brought everything back to the table, then took the seat across from Nick.

Nick took one of the sandwiches and started to nibble on it. "This is good." he said, smiling as he chewed.

Justin smiled as he took one for himself. "They're my specialty. They're all I eat on tour. Well...these...and cereal."

"Yup...I know about the cereal thing." Nick giggled as he put some of the chips on a napkin.

Justin rolled his eyes with a laugh. "Of course you do."

"Hey...can't help it...that is like common knowledge." Nick smirked as he put a few chips in his mouth.

Justin took a long swig of his Diet Coke before he responded. "Yeah...I know. I suppose you can tell me what kind of underwear I wear...and what kind of shampoo I use, too." He chuckled as he took a bit of his sandwich.

Nick laughed and shook his head. "Actually...nope...I could go check the shower and your bag right now if you really want me to know?"

Justin smirked and looked at Nick across the table. "Or...you could wait...and hope that you might eventually find out for yourself someday," he teased...then winked as he shoved a few chips into his mouth.

Nick rolled his eyes. "You are such a tease, Mr. Timberlake...and who knows...it might really happen."

Justin swallowed his chips then sipped his soda again. "You really think so?" he questioned somewhat seriously.

Nick thought of a way to answer that question without getting himself in trouble. "Would I be saying too much if I said that if things go from where what we had this morning...that yes I can honestly see that happening?"

Justin shook his head. "No...you're not saying too much. I wanna know what you think...how you feel."

"I really liked kissing you...I would like to see where things could go...but I understand if you don’t." Nick continued before taking a long sip of his own soda.

Justin shook his head again. "No...its not that I don't. I'm just still kinda unsure about things. I mean...I definitely liked kissing you, too...but I'm not ready for anything more than that right now."

Nick's eyes went wide and he nodded his head like crazy. "I didn't mean anything else, Justin...I'm not ready for any of that either...It's been years since I've done any of this...I'm a little rusty." he giggled slightly.

Justin chuckled. "Well...at least you've done it before."

"I can't say it was ever really good. I mean a quick fuck in the back of a club...or at some nasty hotel isn’t what I like to call a good experience." Nick pointed out. "So, I'm kinda new at all of this too."

Justin shrugged. "I guess that's true. But you DID have that one relationship."

Nick nodded. "That is true...but still...my point is that you shouldn't feel intimidated because you think I know something better...cuz I have done it before...because its been YEARS." He said laughing. "Do I even remember what the hell sex is...or how to do it?"

Justin swallowed his sip of soda slowly...then looked at Nick as he set the can down on the table. "Wh-...who said anything about...sex?"

Nick smiled. "Nobody did...I was just using an example....don't freak out. That isn't even anywhere in the near future." he said trying to reassure Justin, seeing he had freaked a little.

Justin took a deep breath. "Nick...just so you know...I don't know WHAT'S in the future..."

Nick closed his eyes for a second and groaned. "I know that too...I'm just not saying things right." he said looking down at his plate.

Justin nodded. "OK. I'm sorry. I'm just freaking out."

Nick looked up and shook his head. "No...You’re acting normal...I'm not thinking before I speak."

Justin smiled at Nick. "Well...don't worry about it. Cuz...I like hearing what's on your mind, and stuff."

When he heard Justin say that, Nick had to smile. "I like hearing what's on your mind too."

Justin laughed as he got up to take the empty plate to the sink. "I know...cuz you're always asking questions."

Nick rolled his eyes and got up to help clear the table. "That's because I knew you were having a hard time...I didn't want you keeping that shit inside...cuz I knew how you felt."

Justin smiled as he turned and leaned back against the counter...watching Nick clear the trash from the table. "I know...and like I said...thanks for helping me figure things out."

"You're welcome...I'm glad I could help. Good to know I was good for something." Nick laughed as he threw the trash away and brought the bag of chips over to the counter.

Justin took the chips from Nick. "You're good for a lot more than that," he said as he reached up to put them in the cabinet.

Nick smiled slightly. "Thank you....nice to hear somebody say that." He said running his hand through his crazy hair.

Justin smiled back. "You're welcome. Now...if you don't mind...I think I'm gonna go to my room for a bit. I have something I wanna work on," he said...taking in Nick's face. "Is that OK? I mean...will you be able to keep busy? I'm not doing it to ditch you. It's just...I do my best writing on the bus."

Nick nodded and smiled. "I'll be fine...go ahead and do what you gota do." He said giving Justin a small shove.

Justin chuckled as he made his way to the bunk hall. "OK...see you in a while," he said...stopping to get his notebook out of one of his bags. He then went into his room...leaving the door open...and dropped onto the bed. He opened his notebook and immediately began jotting things down.

Nick got out his cell phone and walked to his bunk. Climbing in he dialed Aaron's number and waited for him to pick up. Once he did he smiled. "Hey bro...how are you....yeah I'm fine....right now I'm lying down talking to you. My friend....oh he's working on a project....I told you already...no fucking is going on....no I don't have a boyfriend." Nick rolled his eyes and busted up laughing. "I will pretend you didn’t say that. No I'm not going to tell you."

As he wrote, Justin could hear Nick's voice coming from the bunks, and assumed that he was on the phone. He couldn't hear what he was saying...just the sound of his voice...and his laughter...which made Justin smile.

"Stop....Aaron that is disgusting!" Nick exclaimed and laughed louder. "I'm going to hang this phone up now I don't wana hear about your sex life...or the fact that it's better then mine....Yes I know I haven't gotten laid in years...oh shut up...good bye Aaron." Nick hung up the phone and lied on his back laughing.

Justin wrote for a short while, and when he'd finished what he wanted to, he closed his notebook and set it aside. Letting out a semi-tired sigh, he hugged his favorite pillow under his head, closed his eyes, and soon fell into a relaxing sleep.

After a little while of lying in his bunk, Nick got up and walked into the other room to see what was on TV. When nothing seemed interesting he looked at the clock and noticed it had been a while since Justin had went into his room. Thinking he would go say ‘Hi’ he walked down the short hall way and looked in the bedroom. He smiled big when he saw Justin asleep on the bed. Without really thinking he walked to the bed and lied down next to him. He didn’t really cuddle up to him. Instead he just lied close and closed his own eyes and started to drift off to sleep.

End of Chapters Eleven - Fifteen