MajorityRule

"You can't keep doing this," Johnny exclaimed throwing the trashy tabloid
down on the table in front of the group.

    "We apologized already," JC whispered lightly looking down. Johnny looked down in disbelief, shaking his head.

    "Oh, well far be it for me to be angry still, you apologized, so it
disappeared. Sorry, I thought you'd know by now that the business doesn't
work that way. People see a picture and it's permanently indented in their
head," he said his voice growing in anger.

    "Johnny, come on," Chris said trying to intervene.

    "I don't know why you don't care more about this, Justin, Joey and you
too, Chris, this could jeopardize your careers and it doesn't even involve
you. Look at the picture: two boys, two popstars, two LOVERS," he spat,
"sitting together, inches apart at a candlelight dinner, on Valentine's Day.
With the caption, and I quote, 'more than friends.' I mean it doesn't get
anymore picturesque than that."

    Lance's face crumbled, he could feel the tears coming up fast. The night
had been perfect, everything had been perfect. Josh had been so amazing. He had planned the whole thing without Lance finding out. But then the picture came out. The looks on the other's faces were far from perfect.

    JC caught his lover's gaze from across the room. They were only feet
apart but it felt like so much more with Johnny in the room. He always had a way of doing that to them. He had never disapproved of their relationship so much as warned them of what it could do to their careers. They had taken note of the warning but pretty much cast it aside when emotions came into play.

    "I mean, it does look bad, guys," Justin finally spoke up breaking the
silence. JC's eyes flew from Lance to the other man on the couch that had
just spoke.

    "It looks bad?" JC practically screamed. It's not bad, it's not wrong,
not when you love someone that much.

    "Yes, it does look bad. What were you even thinking? Ok this isn't gonna work, you two can't do this to your group. You can't control three other people's lives with a relationship," Johnny interrupted.

    "Well, what are you gonna do about it?" JC asked putting his hands on his hips and as he stepped closer.

    "I'm not going to do anything," Johnny said stepping back, "You five are
all going to take a vote. You decide if you want to take the chance and ruin
your career this way," he added as he moved to a folder that sat on a counter on the other side of the room. He took out a pile of blank paper and handed them each one.

    "You're psycho, what do you think you're doing? It doesn't matter about
the vote, it's not anyone's choice but ours," JC exclaimed as he snatched the paper from Johnny's hand.

    "Josh," Lance finally spoke from across the room. His cheeks were flushed beyond repair and a lone tear fell down his cheek from his clear green eyes.

He turned and walked outside to the hall of the arena they were playing in
that night. JC practically sprinted to join him.

    Lance was leaning against the far wall of the hallway as JC entered. He
heaved deeply trying to catch his breath. "Babe," JC whispered rushing to himand pulled him into this embrace.

    "Josh, this is so unfair," Lance whispered into his ear, he slowly ran
his hand up and through the long dark waves of hair.

    "I know, this sucks, they can't do this," JC said growing angry as he ran
his hand down the other's chest.

    "No, they can do this. I mean, we can't stop them and they have every
right in the world to do this. It's their life too. When we signed the
contract, we might as well vowed to live life as one unit," Lance shrugged,
"We just have to pray they feel the same as we do."

    "You're way too logical for your own good," he breathed as he placed a
light kiss on his lover's forehead.

    "Someone has to be, I mean you kinda let all your emotions out on the
table in there," Lance said frowning. That was one of the things he loved and hated the most about the love of his life. JC couldn't hide a thing he was feeling.

    "I had to stand up for this, for us, for you," he whispered leaning in
closer feeling the warmth of Lance's breath hit his cheek.

    "Thanks, as soon as Johnny started, I just went blank. That night was
perfect, I didn't even notice the photographer, I was in such awe of you," he whispered.

    "Babe, we're gonna make it through this, Johnny can screw himself," JC
added as he placed a final kiss on the other's lips. They savored for a
minute before pulling apart and going towards the door.

    They entered the room where the other men sat waiting for their return.
"Are we ready to vote?" Johnny asked impatiently, "Let's settle this once and for all."

    "Yeah we are," Lance choked taking JC's hand in his own and squeezing it tightly.

    "Ok, so there's five of you. I guess we'll do majority rule, three out of
five gets it," he said, "Put the votes in my briefcase and I'll be back in an
hour to settle it," Johnny explained before leaving the five men alone.

    Joey leaned forward resting his head in his hands looking at the white
paper that sat in front of his. Justin tapped his pen nervously as Chris
exhaled sitting back and closing his eyes.

    Lance led JC to the counter of the room where they had each left their
paper. He took each paper and grabbed a pen from his bag. He held JC's hand tight as he wrote: Screw yourself, Johnny, you can't ruin this. He moved it over slightly allowing JC to see it. He grinned at him in approval as he took the pen in his hand and leaned over the paper: No matter what happens, it won't change this. Lance looked at his lover pleased as they went to the far corner of the room and sat down together.

    "Guys, one final plea on our behalf," Lance spoke, "just think about it
first."

---------------------------------------------------------
Justin

    Think about it first? What's that mean? Just look at them, they're all
cuddled up next to each other, trying to get the sympathy vote. I mean it's
wrong, isn't it? Two men together like that. It has to be wrong, that's what
I've always been told.

    They look perfect together. I couldn't imagine either of them with anyone else. It just doesn't seem right. They've never been happier. All the time JC spent fighting with Bobbie and all the awkwardness with Danielle and Lance. It just didn't work from the start but somehow, the two of them have always seemed right.
    Last week they were late for breakfast and I was sent to go get them, I
didn't think anything of it, thought one of them had gotten up late or
something. I walked right into the room without knocking and I'm still
shocked by what I saw. I mean they were lying in bed together. They were
clearly, well, not clothed. They were covered, just not well. Lance was
resting his head on JC's chest and JC had his leg thrown over Lance's hips.
They were both so peaceful that I couldn't imagine waking them up or the
embarrassment they'd feel seeing me there. So I left and called from my cell phone down the hall. I never told them I saw them, it was picture perfect, oddly enough. It was like with each other they were complete. I would never expect the guys to tell me that I should break up with Brit so the group won't be ruined, why should I do that to the guys? It can't ruin our career. Sure, we could lose fans, but any fans that really cared about us wouldn't think twice. God who am I kidding, I don't even know what I'm talking about.

---------------------------------------------------------
Joey

    What's to think about? I mean it's okay, right? The fans won't care; they
don't care about girlfriends. Well most of them don't. Well ok, most of them do. So yeah they'd care about this but that doesn't matter, they'd get over it. When they first told us they were together, we were all a little freaked. We knew something was going on but not that when we weren't looking they had fallen in love. That was a little much. But we all got over it and moved on. The fans would get it.

    I helped JC plan it all. The whole Valentine's Day fiasco. I knew it all
before Lance did. JC planned that for like a year. He wanted everything down to the last detail to be exactly right. He bought Lance a bouquet of red roses. There was only eleven, with a note saying he'd give him the other with the rest of the gift back at the hotel. I didn't even have to ask what the rest of the gift was, I had a feeling. I saw them the next morning in the elevator on the way down to breakfast. I've never seen either of them look better than that morning. JC's arm was hung lightly over Lance's waist and Lance had his head tucked neatly in the nook of JC's neck. Their eyes just glittered as they watched each other. They didn't even look at me, didn't say a word. If you see them together, you can't hate it. People will see that. You can feel the love when you're with them and it makes you so jealous.

---------------------------------------------------------
Chris

    What's there to even vote about? Lance and JC obviously voted for their
own relationship and they've got me. That's three, Johnny, the moron. It
scares me that this man is in charge of our business. He can't figure out the
solution to a simple scenario. The only one I'm worried about is Justin. He's never lost love. Him and Brit, him and his stupid little girlfriend. Neither of them have ever had anyone else. He probably thinks they're the idea of a perfect relationship. Two inexperienced kids clinging to the only
relationship they've ever known. They'll never break up so he doesn't have
the faintest inkling of how it might feel. I'm still bitter over the whole
Dani thing. It was over a year ago. I mean she was the love of my life. And
she left but that doesn't matter. What matters is losing someone you love
more than anything else in the world. Lance and JC don't have to do that;
they don't HAVE TO lose something.

    They don't have to lose the fact that when I see them together I wish I
had something like that. Or the way Lance blushes when JC looks at him during our shows. Or the way JC sneaks up on Lance and wraps his arms around his waist. And the way Lance giggles when he does. It's feminine, but JC loves that about him. They always think of the other. If one of them gets something from the fridge they always ask the other if they want anything. They never fight over the remote and if they can't agree on a show, they agree to go asleep. I spent a summer on a bus with them and I don't need anymore evidence that they are perfect for each other. I heard them whispering one night when they thought I was asleep. They were talking about their future after the group and what the kids they could never have would look like. If that's not love....

---------------------------------------------------------

    "Ok, I'm worried," JC whispered leaning against Lance's shoulder as he
typed away on his laptop.

    "Why? Josh, we don't have anything to worry about, and if they are stupid dumbasses and say we can't be together, I have a solution," he grinned.

    "And what is it?" JC beamed looking at him wide eyed.

    "We leave the group," Lance mumbled.

    "Hmm, not too logical is it?" JC said face falling.

    "No, not entirely but there is a good part," he whispered letting his
voice go low.

    "Yeah..."

    "We can move into that lovely house you have in LA and use that nice new bed we bought the last time we were in town and start the rest of our lives together," he smiled leaning in to kiss him.

    "That sounds all too appealing right now," JC moaned, "You know, we have a lot to do back at the hotel tonight. I mean all this talk of keeping us
apart has sure made me want to get really close with you."

    "Josh......the guys are in here," he mumbled shifting uncomfortably in
his spot.

    "Sooooo," he hinted, "Bathroom break?"

    "Yeah, sounds good," Lance replied as he hopped up grabbing JC's hand as he did so. They walked quickly across the room and into the hall.

    "A little frisky today aren't we?" JC laughed as he followed his boyfriend.

    "Mhmm, yeah," he smiled hurrying up as he pushed against the bathroom door, "Come here," he whispered as they went in further. He pulled the brunette to him and smashed their lips together. He quickly pulled JC's shirt out of the waist of his jeans and ran his hand up the smooth chest.

    "Lance," he moaned into this lover's mouth. He ran his hands through the smooth blonde hair and held him close. He ran his hand down his chest and grabbed hold of the belt buckle that lay there. He quickly undid it and began to unbutton the pants. Lance pressed his mouth to JC's ear.

    "Josh," he murmured, "We're in a public bathroom. This isn't good,
there's press lurking around."

    "I...don't.... care," he moaned frantically pushing him up against the
wall. He began to unzip his pants but Lance's hand stopped him.

    "Not here, not now," Lance breathed, "This isn't right, okay? Later we
will, I promise, okay?"

    "Yeah, you're right," he agreed letting their lips meet one more time.

    "Well that was a close call," a voice said from behind them. They both
turned quickly to see Johnny standing in front of them.

    "Oh, god," Lance moaned resting his head between JC's shoulder blades
trying to hide his fear and embarrassment.

    "Let's go get that vote taken care of," he said leaving the bathroom
letting the two lovers follow.

    The room was silent as Johnny went through the briefcase. "Well, Lance and JC, you're both quite mature. I don't need to screw myself, my wife does quite fine, thank you," he chuckled lightly, which was faced by straight faces across the room. "I hope you all know what you just did, you just put a lot on fate."

    "What do you mean?" Lance asked clinging to JC's hand.

    "Why don't you ask your friends?" Johnny said shaking his head in
disbelief as he left the room. The others followed suit leaving JC and Lance
alone.

    "Hmm, ok, that doesn't make sense," Lance said.

    "It doesn't have to," JC murmured kissing him.

---------------------------------------------------------

    After the show that night, they all loaded their buses; Joey and Justin
to one and Chris, Lance and JC to the other. Chris went to bed almost
immediately, allowing the other two some alone time. When they finally went to bed they found something lying in the bunk they shared.

    Lying on the pillow was a small picture frame with the picture from the
tabloid. JC turned it over to a note on the back that read:

    We'll support you no matter what you do.
                Love your brothers, Justin, Chris and Joey.

THE END