* ** *** ** * * ** *** ** *

“Hey Brian,” Justin greeted jogging up to the older man.

“Justin,” Brian said sounding surprised. “Hey, wha… what’s up?”

Justin shrugged with a smile. “Nothing much. I just wanted to catch you guys before you left and congratulate you, you know… on your win tonight.”

Brian chuckled. “Yeah, we were a bit surprised,” he said.

“Where are the rest of the guys?” Justin questioned looking around for the rest of Backstreet but mainly for one in particular.

“Um, around,” Brian said as he raised an eyebrow. Just then AJ and Nick walked over.

“Hey,” Nick said as he took a sip from his drink and stood directly behind Brian, and discreetly placed his free hand on Brian’s waist. “Justin, dwag, what’s up?”

Justin’s smile brightly at Nick. “Nick, hey. Um, nothing much, really. Just came over to… uh, to congratulate ya’ll.”

Nick nodded his head. “Thanks,” he said.

“Where’s the rest of ‘Sync?” AJ questioned as he opened his bottle of expensive water and took a sip.

“Oh, umm,” Justin said looking around. He then shrugged. “They’re ‘round here, somewhere or something.”

“That’s nice,” AJ said. “Well, guys, I’m out. It’s been one long ass day with a long boring ass award show… I need my sleep!”

Nick snorted and bit his lower lip when AJ shot him a look.

Justin said bye to AJ and watched him make his way over to wherever Kevin and Howie were to tell them that he was leaving. “Oh Nick, I was wondering if you wanted to shoot some hoops with me?” He questioned.

Nick looked surprised. “Now?” He paused as he looked at Brian and then back at Justin. “Dwag, it’s like 12:45 A.M.”

Justin laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d heard in his entire life.

Brian and Nick exchanged looks.

“Not now, silly,” Justin said, adding a bit of flirt to his tone. “Unless you want to, I don’t mind. But I was actually thinking tomorrow or something. I heard ya’ll were in town for the whole week and well, so are we and I’m kinda getting sick of beating JC on the court and the other guys are too boring,” he paused as he watched Nick exchange looks with Brian, again. He wondered what that was all about. “So…?”

“Nick has plans tonight,” Brian piped up. “You know, it’s been a long day and well, like, Nick here, he needs his rest. Complaining about back aches and things like that.”

Justin wrinkled his forehead as he looked between Nick and Brian. Oh. He was beginning to wonder that there was definitely something going on between those two. “Um, alright, tonight is out. How about tomorrow?” He looked at Nick, hopefully.

Nick sighed. “I don’t know J,” he said with an apologetic smile.

“We’re booked all week, photo shoots, interviews, and signings,” Brian added. Nick smiled at him, thanking him for finishing his thoughts.

Justin’s heart was breaking.

“You know how it is,” Nick finished.

“Yeah, I do,” Justin said with a smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Well, um, I guess I’ll see you guys around. And congrats, again.”

“No problem,” Nick said.

“Bye,” Brian called out.

* ** *** ** * * ** *** ** *

“So?” JC questioned, looking at Justin expectedly.

“So, what?” Justin replied as he sat at the bar and ordered himself a coke and rum on ice.

“Not good, huh?”

“I think he’s with Brian.”

“Brian?” JC paused. “Really?”

“Yeah, he looked just about ready to chop my dick off.”

“I guess it makes sense that they are together.”

“What?”

“Nick and Brian. I mean, it makes sense. They’re always together. They even got nick names and shit. In the whole group those two are supposedly the closest and the best of friends.”

“Is this supposed to make me feel better?”

“What? Oh, sorry.”

“I’m never gonna have a chance with him, am I?”

JC sighed. “Justin, I don’t know what to say to you. You’re the only one I know that believes in ‘love at first sight.’ That believes in ‘soul mates’ and the ‘happily ever after’s’ and the ‘forever’s.’”

“So, I’m wasting my time?”

“No, I’m just saying that maybe if you give it some more time…”

“I hope you’re right C, ’cause I don’t think I could take watching him with all the wrong people anymore.”

“You want my opinion?”

Justin shrugged as he nursed his drink.

“They’re not gonna last!”

Justin’s head snapped up and his attention was on JC. Hope in his eyes. “What makes you say that?”

“Brian’s a southern boy,” JC said. “You of all people should know how southern boys are especially when it comes to family. But the one thing that separates you and him is that he’s more religious than you are. He’s a God’s child.”

“What are you getting at?”

“Nick’s not what Brian’s family would consider to be right or proper.”

“I think Nick knows that already,” Justin said.

“You think Brian’s going to go back on tradition and family values to be with Nick?”

“They love each other. Can’t you tell by the way they look at the other?”

“Maybe but do you think it’s a forever love?”

* ** *** ** * * ** *** ** *

“Hey Nick,” Justin greeted.

“Hey Timberlake,” Nick responded as he dribbled the basket ball before letting it sail right through the hoop.

“Great shot, mind if I join you?”

Nick shrugged his shoulders and tossed the ball to Justin. “First to twenty one?”

Justin smirked. “You already beat me to it,” he said.

Nick looked confused for a moment. Justin thought that it was the cutest look on Nick. “Oh,” Nick said chuckling. “That was kinda corny but whatever. We playing?”

“Yeah,” Justin said as he checked the ball to Nick before making a mad dash to block him. Nick made the shot anyways. “So, where’s Brian?” Justin watched as Nick froze and swallow hard as he fought to keep his emotions in check.

“He’s around,” Nick calmly responded turning away from Justin. He began dribbling the ball around the court.

“Okay,” Justin said feeling bad for asking about Brian but he wanted to know. “Is everything alright?”

Again Nick stopped. This time, however, he turned around and stared at Justin long and hard.

Justin stared right back, shifting from foot to foot, letting Nick see the genuine concern in his eyes.

“Why do you care?” Nick questioned, curious.

“I just do.”

“Why?”

Justin shrugged as he looked away.

“Why do you care?” Nick repeated.

Justin’s heart beat increased at how close Nick was all of a sudden. Before he could even think of a response Nick’s lips were pressed against his own.

The basket ball was dropped and it could vaguely be heard bouncing away from them. Justin’s arms were now wrapped around Nick’s neck, Nick’s hands wrapped around Justin’s waist.

Justin felt it. He felt how right he and Nick were. They were destined to be together. The simple touch, the embrace, the kiss. Everything. Justin’s life was complete.

* ** *** ** * * ** *** ** *

Nick never made any promises. Nick never whispered ‘I love You’ in his ear in the throws of ecstasy. Besides that kiss at the basket ball court, Nick hadn’t even kissed him.

But Nick was gentle though. Nick was caring and sweet. His touches so soft yet fleeting.

Justin had fallen in deeper love.

The morning after, however, he woke up alone in bed. No note. No sign that Nick was there with him or had even been there. But the only thing that assured Justin that he wasn’t insane was the faint lingering scent of Nick’s cologne still on the pillow and sheets.

So, when later on that day he had spotted Nick and Brian shopping and goofing off he wasn’t totally crushed or hurt. Devastated, maybe. Jealous, indefinitely.

The only thing keeping him from having a breakdown was the way Nick looked at him the night before. The way he touched him. The way Nick made sure to cater his every need. Stopping to make sure Justin wasn’t hurting.

Justin absorbed and cherished every single detail. He would need that to survive the next ‘however long’ days, months, years, eternities till he would have Nick.

* ** *** ** * * ** *** ** *

Justin felt his heart breaking for the blonde he loved dearly. Adjusting his tie he made his way down the isle and sat in the chair next to him. Without saying a word he reached his hand over and squeezed Nick’s hand.

Nick looked down at their hands before looking over at Justin.

After a long moment and right before Justin decided to get up on leave he felt Nick squeeze his hand back. Justin smiled inwardly.

‘I love you,’ he mouthed out to Nick.

Nick gave a nod before turning his attention back to the alter where the ceremony was beginning.

Justin continued to watch Nick. Watched him as he heard Brian and Leighanne begin to exchange their vows and ’I do’s’ but nothing could have surprised him more when Nick turned to him during Brian’s vows and adjusted their hands so that they were linked in a tight grasp.

“Give me some time,” Nick whispered.

“Definitely,” Justin said and scooted closer to Nick. He let go of Nick’s hand and put his arm around his shoulder, holding him close, and never planning on letting go.

Brian is an idiot.

Justin is not.

Brian let Nick go.

Justin couldn’t have been anymore happier. He leaned over and placed a kiss to Nick’s temple.

Nick smiled and turned his face towards Justin.

They kissed.

Neither noticed Brian and Leighanne walk down the isle.

Neither noticed Brian’s smile faltering nor the color drain from his face at the sight of the two sharing a sweet kiss.

“I love you,” Justin repeated.

“I know,” Nick said looking directly into Justin’s eyes. He’s known for six years that Justin was in love with him. Every time they’d talked, he knew. When they bumped into each other, he knew. The way Justin would look at him, watch him, Nick knew. Nick knows.

But Brian was there, always with him. He could keep an eye on him. He though that Brian wouldn’t cheat on him. Brian wouldn’t be with anyone else because they were best friends and Brian would never hurt him.

Yeah right.

But Justin. Justin was always honest. He always let Nick see into his eyes, see into his soul. And even though he was in another group, doing different things, Nick knew Justin would never hurt him like Brian had. Never.

Nick wouldn’t have to worry. Justin would return his love, no doubt about that. Justin could handle his love.

Neither of them noticed the tears running down Brian’s face as he passed them by.

“I know,” Nick repeated.