Author: Elizabeth
Category: JC/Lance, Joey/Justin but totally later in the story.
Summary: This is AU but they become a band later. Lance�s home caught on fire when he was 12 and his family died. He packed up what little he had left and ran away before social services could get him. On the streets, he meets 10 year old Justin, then 20 year old Chris, 14 year old Joey and 15 year old JC. Soon, these five guys depend on each other and later discover love and a bond that will last forever.
AN: For the person who askedJ Yes, Lance and Justin are Preteens. Justin is 10 and Lance is 12. Joey and JC are teens and Chris is an adult. And it�ll be slash when Lance is 19 and Justin is 17 because they�ll be wondering about their sexuality.
~*~
Justin sat down on the hot ground and watched as Lance hopped over the state line.
�What are you doing?� He asked.
�Showing off to my sister.� He sighed. �I believe she�s looking down on me and she always told me that she�d go to New York but if I made it before her, to show me. And that is what I am doing.�
Justin nodded and looked over at Joey. Joey looked up from his camera and grinned. Justin smiled back. Joey went back to taking pictures of Chris standing there waiting and then Lance and Justin. Justin sat right next to the state line while Lance hopped back and forth. Joey just smiled. �Chris move into the picture!�
Chris looked at Joey, smiled, and walked over so he could be photographed watching Lance hop side to side and Justin clap for him. Joey shook his head.
�Hey, Joe, your turn.� Chris walked over and took the camera, shoving Joey away.
Joey smirked and did a cartwheel while Lance stood with one foot each over the line and he twisted his body around to smile at Joey. Justin jumped up and bowed to Joey dramatically. As Joey came back up and the boys stayed in their positions, Chris snapped the picture. The first of many taken of them together.
~*~
Lance looked down at the city below and Chris pulled him back.
�I don�t want finally call the police to say there is a body at the bottom of the Trade Center, be careful.�
�What? Chris, this is so BIG! This is going to be here forever!�
Chris smiled. �We�ll come up again someday. But now, we need to go before someone sees Joey and Justin. They�ve been being watched for a while.�
�Yeah? Why not us?�
�You used the brown dye well and my mom picked a bad photo.�
Lance giggled. Justin and Joey walked over.
�Hey guys. Let�s all take a picture up here.�
�Okay.�
They looked around and Justin spotted an eight-year old.
�Hey, kid. Could you take a picture of us?�
�Sure!� He smiled and held the camera up. Joey and Chris stood next to each other with Lance and Justin in front. The kid snapped a picture. Justin took the camera back and gave it to Joey.
�Thank you.�
�Your welcome.�
�Smart move.� Joey said later and Justin smiled proudly. They got to the lobby and they all walked out, with Lance looking at the tall buildings for the whole way.
Next, they went to the Empire State Building. Justin was so excited. He read about this and he always wanted to go up.
They got to the very top and looked out.
�Hey let�s take a picture of each other.�
Joey grabbed the camera and took a picture of Chris. Chris grinned and held out his hands in front. Lance was next. He spread his arms and grinned widely. Justin came after and made a fish face with his hands on his cheeks. Joey had to laugh as Lance did his best to control it. Then Joey held his chin in a contemplative gesture and rested his elbow on his left hand as Chris took the picture. Then they all smashed together and made sad faces as Joey took the picture. They rubbed their eyes when the flash blinded them for a few seconds. They made their way back down to the street below and walked to Central Park. Joey lowered Justin�s hat and had Lance put his hood up. Chris put a bandanna over his hair and wore sunglasses. The only thing Joey had were sunglasses.
They sat down at a bench and ate graham crackers and sandwiches that Joey bought with the money taken from his father. They only drank water. A little while later, Chris noticed Justin was starting to get tired.
�We better find a place to sleep.� He said.
They nodded and stood up to begin looking. Chris carried Justin on his back while Joey got their bags. He was strong for being fourteen. Lance walked ahead of them.
Not noticing they had stopped to look inside one alley way, Lance kept on going. He looked inside a few and could see that they were really bad and too many people were there. He sighed and kept on walking further. He turned a corner and put his hands in his pocket. He stopped at a wall and peaked in. There didn�t seem to be anybody there and it looked okay. Except, there was someone bundled against the wall, just wearing a thin t-shirt and jeans. He had socks on his feet and his shoes were next to him. His hair hung low around the tip of his ears and he was shivering madly. Lance lowered his hood and gulped. He walked a little bit towards the person and saw that he was crying silent tears and he rubbed his stomach from time to time. He must have been hungry. There was a fading bruise on his cheek. Lance walked further and then he stepped on a twig and it cracked. He stopped.
The boy froze and whipped his head to see Lance. He backed away quickly and wrapped his arms around his body, staring at Lance in fear. Lance bit his lip and continued to walk to him. By the time he reached the guy, he was against the back wall Lance bent down so he was eye level to big blue ones like Justin�s.
�It�s okay.� He started softly. �I won�t hurt you. I promise.� Lance placed a hand on his arm and the boy jerked away. Lance put his hand back. �It�s okay. I promise, I won�t hurt you. You�re cold. Here.� He took off his sweater. �You can wear this.�
The boy looked at it then Lance. His eyes were trusting. He slowly reached out and took the warm cloth. He pulled it over his frail body.
�Are you hungry?� He nodded. �Here.� Lance pulled out half his sandwich from before. �It�s good.�
He took the sandwich and unwrapped it with shaking hands. He put it to his lips and took a bite. His teeth sunk into it easily and he ripped it off, chewing slowly. Lance smiled.
�I�m Lance. What�s your name?�
It was a little bit before he spoke. He had a soft, scared voice. �Joshua Chasez.� He flinched as if his name burned.
Lance nodded. �Josh. Do you mind if I call you JC?�
JC shook his head. �No. Just don�t hurt me if I�m bad.�
�I won�t hurt you. My mama always told me not to hit people.� He shut his eyes at the memory then sighed and opened his eyes again. �My mom and dad died. Have you read the paper?� JC shook his head. Lance pulled out the newspaper and showed him the article.
�I�m sorry.�
�It�s okay. I didn�t go to their funeral. But I can�t go back.�
�Neither can I.�
Lance nodded. He slowly reached out and touched the spot where the bruise was. JC shut his eyes tightly at the touch. Lance took his hand back. �How did you get that?�
�My dad. I was defending my sister and he hit me.�
Lance sighed. He heard his name being called and turned. �There�s Chris.�
�Lance! Where are you?� Joey called.
JC shivered. �Oh no.� He backed up against the wall closer.
�JC, it�s okay, they won�t hurt you.� Lance jumped up and ran to Joey and Chris. �Guys, sh, be quiet! I found somebody! They�re hurt. He�s cold and hungry and very scared, don�t talk too loudly, I don�t want to scare him.�
�How hurt Lance?� Joey asked.
�He has a bruise. He said it�s from his dad.�
�Oh no.� Chris sighed. �He must be scared. Is it okay to sleep there?�
�Uh-huh. Come on Justin, let�s tell him it�s okay.�
He took Justin from Chris and they went back to JC.
�JC, this is my friend Justin. He ran away also. My friends Joey and Chris are coming also. Their a bit older but they aren�t mean. How old are you?�
�Fifteen.�
�Oh, you�re older than Joey. It�s okay, JC, we won�t hurt you. Just stick with us and you will be fine.�
JC nodded, seeming to believe him. Lance went to get Joey and Chris.
JC gulped and stood behind Justin, even though Justin was short and couldn�t do anything.
�Chris, Joey, this is JC. JC, this is Chris and Joey.�
�Hey JC. Are you hungry? We have more food if you want some.� Joey said.
JC looked at him and nodded. �Yes, please.�
Joey smiled warmly and went to his duffel. JC looked at them all one by one then looked at Chris.
�You won�t make me go back to my parents will you?�
�What did they do to you?� Chris asked.
JC sighed. �They hit my two siblings and me. I don�t think they really cared about us. They just wanted someone to blame their problems on.�
�Don�t worry, JC, we�re going to protect you.� Chris smiled.
JC looked up into Chris�s warm brown eyes. He smiled but the smile didn�t reach his eyes.
�Thank you.�
Chris nodded and Joey walked back with graham crackers and some chips. �Here you go. That�s all we have for now.�
�Thank you.� JC took the food timidly and ate. Lance stayed close to him. He felt drawn to the older boy and wanted to help him, even though he had no idea how.
Later that night, JC was sitting there eating a smores. He sighed.
�I know you guys barely know me but I think I should tell you this now. I�m�I�m gay.�
Joey and Chris looked at him. Justin looked confused while Lance just stared at him.
�What�s gay?� Justin asked.
�Come here, Justin, I�ll tell you.� Justin walked over to Chris. �You know how people have a mommy and daddy? Well some people like the person of the same gender, like women like women and men like men and I cannot believe I am explaining this to a ten-year-old.�
JC smiled nervously.
�Oh. I think I get it.� Justin said. �Is it a bad thing?�
�Some people are small minded and think it is but it�s not. Gay people are the same on the inside as they are on the outside.�
�Are you gay?�
Chris laughed. �No, I�m not. But JC is.�
Justin nodded and looked at JC. �You�re cool.�
JC smiled and looked at Lance. �You okay?�
�Yeah. It�s just, the Bible tells us it�s wrong but I don�t think it is. I actually haven�t thought about it.�
JC nodded. Joey was quiet the whole time.
Later, when they were in a makeshift tent, Joey was still up and thinking. He looked over the sleeping figures. Justin was huddled up next to Chris and Lance was to the left of them. JC was next to him, asleep. Joey sighed and looked back up. What JC said had hit home. He had been wondering about his life for a while now, which is why he never told anyone. If his parents knew, they�d fight over it. He just couldn�t take it. He sighed.
�Some people are trying to sleep.� JC mumbled.
Joey smiled and looked at the older boy. JC was staring at him. �Why are you up?�
�Thinking.�
�Careful.�
Joey rolled his eyes and bit his lip. He looked back up then at JC�s closed eyes. �I think I�m gay.�
JC opened his eyes. �Either you are or you aren�t.�
Joey shrugged.
JC sighed and sat up. �Joey, you�re still young and it�s a confusing time. You�ll figure out what you want.�
Joey looked up at JC. �I was just, I don�t want to tell the kids and Chris. I don�t want to scare Justin and Lance.�
�Neither did I. But I got beaten for it. I needed to take a chance and I did.�
�JC.�
�I�m okay, now.�
�When did you come out?�
�Six months ago.� JC answered with a sigh. �It was really tough.�
Joey rubbed his arm. JC looked down at him. �Joe? I�m going to do something right now and it does not mean anything. I�m just helping a friend out.�
Joey nodded. JC sighed heavily before leaning down and pushing his lips gently against Joey�s. They shared a short, sweet, and soft kiss. There was no connection just two knew friends who were helping the other out. Their kiss lasted for a full thirty seconds before JC pulled away. Joey panted a bit for air. JC smirked.
�Oh yeah, I am gay.�
JC laughed softly before laying back down. �Good night, Joe.�
�Night.� Joey turned on his side and fell asleep.
From across from him, Lance opened up his eyes. He had heard and seen everything. He felt a weird feeling in his stomach but ignored it. He turned around and went back to sleep.