Boys20

JC yawned, having woken up from a soft snoring noise. He opened his eyes, smiling up at Joey. He was fast asleep, hand stilled in JC's hair and head thrown back against the kitchen booth, soft snores falling from his mouth. JC smiled and turned his head, kissing Joey's hand before getting up.

He yawned and headed for the back room, stopping at Chris's bunk to make sure he was still asleep. JC pulled the curtain back and smiled, reaching over to pull Chris's blanket up to his chin. He shut the curtain quietly and headed for the back room. He stopped at the door and took a deep breath before knocking.

"Come in."

JC opened the door and peeked inside, smiling at Justin.

"Hey," he whispered, not wanting to wake up Lance, who was asleep with his head in Justin's lap. "Can we talk?"

Justin smiled and nodded. "Of course."

JC tiptoed into the room, shutting the door quietly behind him and sitting down beside Justin. He took a deep breath and sighed. "It's about your letter," he said.

Justin nodded and gave JC his full attention. Ever since he and Lance figured out where his letter had gone, he had been waiting for JC to approach him. JC took Justin's hand and squeezed it slightly, looking him in the eye.

"You know I love you, J," he began. "You're my best friend and my little brother, and I'd do anything for you. I'm really flattered by your letter ... but I just don't feel the same way." He looked down at their hands and continued. "I-I'm in love with someone else." JC looked up nervously and was surprised to see a soft smile on Justin's face.

"Is it Joey?" he asked. "That you're in love with?"

JC smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it is. I'm sorry J, it's just..."

Justin put his finger over JC's lips to silence him. "It's okay Jace, you
don't have to apologize to me. Really. I'm happy for you and Joey. You two are good for each other." Justin removed his finger, and smiled down at Lance. "You know, this whole ... letter business has made me realize just how much I love Lance."

JC was surprised, but in a pleasant way. "Yeah, I've kind of been noticing the way you two act around each other. You'll be good together." He looked at Justin. "You are together, right?"

Justin nodded. "Yep. You and Joey?"

JC nodded, and Justin smiled. "Good." He yawned and closed his eyes. JC did the same, snuggling up to Justin's side and falling asleep.

~*~
Joey's eyes fluttered open and he yawned, reaching out for JC. When he didn't feel a body next to him in the booth, he opened his eyes.

'Oh, that's right, JC was going to talk to Justin,' he thought. 'I wonder how that went...'

He stretched and got up, padding across the bus and to the back room. He opened the door and poked his head in. He smiled as he saw his boyfriend asleep with Justin and Lance.

'I guess everything went okay,' he thought, slipping into the room and
shutting the door carefully behind him.

Joey sat down beside JC, cuddling up next to him and falling asleep.

~*~
Chris stood in the doorway of the back room, smiling as he watched his four best friends sleep.

'Boys will be boys,' he thought with a smile, before closing the door.