GameDay2

Chris was confused. "Imgay?" he asked, saying the letters as one word. "What does that mean?"

JC shrugged and stared at his nails, refusing to look at anybody. Justin was the first one to come to a full understanding. His eyes grew wide and he swung his head around slowly, staring at the side of JC's face.

"You're gay?" he asked, sounding surprisingly sober, though they all knew better.

JC swallowed and nodded, slowly meeting his friend's gaze. "Yeah, I am," he whispered.

"Wow," said Joey from JC's left, "I had no clue."

JC sighed and sat up straight, trying not to show how nervous and scared he was of his best friends' reactions. "Guys," he said slowly, "I'm gay. Does anyone, have a problem with that?" The last part was said very quietly, so that the guys had to strain to hear him.

Justin cleared his throat and hugged JC the best he could in his drunken
state.

"'S okay, Josh," he said, patting his friend's back. "You're still the"
*hiccup* "the same guy. To me."

JC smiled and ruffled Justin's curls. "Thanks buddy. I knew I could count on you." He turned to Joey.

"Joe? Man, what do you think?" asked JC.

Joey shrugged and after a second, gave JC a thumbs-up and a big grin. "It's cool man," he said, giving JC a crushing bear hug. "Whatever floats your raft ... no wait, whatever floats your, um, your fairy? No, damn, what-"

"Boat!" said Chris loudly. "B-O-A-T. Boat. Whatever floats your boat!" He smacked his forehead and shook his head. "Some people's kids, I swear." He turned to JC and raised the bottle of wine to him. "Congrats man! I'd hug ya, but in your drunken state you might be tempted to have at my fine ass, and we can't have that."

JC laughed and shook his head. "You caught me Chris. I've been lusting after your ass for years. And those braids? Ooh damn, they made me hot." JC ducked his head in fake shame, and tried to keep from laughing. "I'll try and restrain myself."

Chris sighed and patted JC's back. "Ah, yes. The truth comes out." He
snickered. "Get it? Like you!" When everyone looked confused Chris sighed. "Ya know? Cause he just came out?" Still nothing. Chris glared at them and slumped in his seat. "You people suck." He laughed again, but just shot JC a look instead of repeating himself.

JC rolled his eyes and grinned, turning nervously to Lance, who had been silent. He was staring at his letters and not moving. JC started to worry.

"Lance?" he asked quietly. Not liking how his voice squeaked, he cleared his throat and started over. "Lance? Are you okay? With me?"

Lance looked up slowly, and could see the fear in his friend's eyes. He
sighed and got up from the table, his voice soft as he spoke.

"Come on Jace, I wanna talk to you."

He said nothing more, and walked away and into the kitchen. JC swallowed thickly and got up, following Lance into the kitchen and shutting the door behind him. Chris, Joey and Justin looked at each other before launching out of their chairs and piling against the door in an attempt to hear what was going on.

~*~
JC leaned against the counter awkwardly, staring at Lance's back as the
younger man rummaged through the fridge for something. He returned with a carrot and JC had to smile. He watched for a few seconds as Lance nibbled on the end, before clearing his throat. Lance looked up at him and stopped eating.

"So," said JC, staring at a point below Lance's nose rather than into his
expressive eyes, "do you have a problem with me?"

JC's eyes dropped to Lance's lips as he began to speak, and he found himself fascinated with them. They were thin when he spoke, and thinner when he smiled. JC had a flash of Lance when he was nervous, and how he always worried his bottom lip between his teeth. Afterwards, his lips were always cherry red and puffy. Alluring, you might say. JC shook his head and willed away the blush he knew was forming on his cheeks.

'Stop it,' he thought silently, 'no use in getting all heated up over
something that's not gonna happen. Ever. At all.'

JC nodded to himself and looked back at Lance. He had a smirk on his face, and one perfect eyebrow raised slightly. JC noticed that he wasn't talking anymore, and suddenly he felt really stupid.

"Um, what?" he asked, blushing slightly. "I didn't hear you."

"That's cause you were staring at my lips instead of at me."

JC's head snapped up and his mouth fell open. Now he was *sure* he was blushing. Lance, however, looked perfectly composed as he nibbled on his carrot. He looked over at him, and JC could have sworn he saw him wink. Lance was beside JC in three strides, leaning against the counter and resting the side of his head on JC's shoulders.

"I said, I don't have a problem with you," he repeated, "but you still should have told me sooner. Then, maybe, I could have told *you* something, too."

JC was curious, but he tried not to show it. "Oh?" he asked, forgetting
everything they had said when his hand accidentally brushed Lance's. He felt flashes of heat flow through his body, mostly around his face and groin area, but he didn't move.

Lance nodded, taking a big crunch of his snack. "Yup," he said. "But now I can't tell you."

JC looked hurt. "Why not?"

Lance walked over to the door, opening it only an inch or two quickly and then slamming it shut again. Three cries of pain, and several curses filled the air.

"Ow, fuck! Lance! You fucker!"

"Chris, stop saying fuck ... fuck, that hurt."

"Owwwwww! I think I broke my ass!"

Lance laughed and opened the door. "Justin, you can't break your ass," he said with a shake of his head.

Justin pouted where he sat on the floor, leaning on his right hip and rubbing his sore bottom. "Fine," he said, " then I broke my ass bone."

Lance laughed loudly, not seeing JC's soft smile directed at him. "It's
called your-"

"Lance I don't care!" laughed Justin, then wincing in pain. "The point is
that my ass is all black and blue because of you!"

"Yeah!" said Chris. "Fucker."

Lance rolled his eyes. "Stop saying fuck."

Chris sighed and flopped down on the ground. "I think I'm dead." He opened one eye and watched Lance head back into the kitchen. He smiled and quietly mumbled, "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

"I heard that Christopher!"

Sigh. "Fuck."