Dreams

JC was always the kind of person who had to analyze everything.

Whenever he had a particularly bad day at the studio, or just couldn't seem to get that certain dance move perfect, he took it as a sign. A sign that meant he was slipping, losing his touch, or just really tired. The guys just rolled their eyes, trying to convince him that it was nothing, but he ignored them. He grabbed his Walkman from his duffel bag, slipped on the headphones, and left the room. Lance, who had volunteered to go after him, found him sitting under a large willow tree outside, meditating.

Lance walked up to him, but his steps slowed to a complete stop about a foot away from his band mate. He looks, different, thought Lance. Peaceful and almost, beautiful. It was early afternoon, and a light breeze was blowing the weeping branches of the willow tree from Lance's right to his left. Lance watched as the wind touched JC's long locks, making them look like they were waving to him. A few soft strands fell into his face, but JC was too deep in his trance to notice. Lance found he had a strange urge to tuck them behind JC's ear and kiss his forehead.

Lance shook his head violently. No, that would not be a good idea. Without waking JC, he turned around and headed back to the rehearsal room. Justin, who was previously practicing the moves to "Up Against The Wall" in front of the mirror, made eye contact with him through the mirror.

"Well? Is he coming?"

Lance shrugged and grabbed a bottle of water, sitting down next to Joey's sleeping form with a sigh. Justin shrugged back, but said nothing. Ten minutes later, JC walked back into the room looking very refreshed.

"Lets do this," he said cheerfully.

Lance found himself watching JC throughout the rest of rehearsal. As always, he didn't make a single mistake.

~*~
When Lance and JC got together, Lance figured that JC would cool it with analyzing everything. After all, what was there to analyze? They were two best friends who fell in love. It was exciting for them, but not exactly Reader's Digest material.

Just the opposite happened. JC went nuts, trying to analyze everything single thing they did together, and it annoyed Lance to no end. However, he knew JC had had a lot of bad relationships in the past, and didn't want to mess this one up. So, although he sometimes felt an incredible urge to strangle JC with his headphone cords, he kept quiet and always offered a reassuring kiss. This usually calmed JC down. He would blush and grin at Lance, scooping the younger man up into his arms and carrying him off towards the back of the tour bus. Lance sighed happily, kissing JC's neck and sucking on an earlobe until they reached the bed. If this was the kind of thing that convinced JC that their love was real, he sure as hell wasn't about to argue.

~*~
JC always had weird dreams. Ever since the group had formed six years ago, he always had very animated dreams when he slept. Considering the fact that he slept every chance he got, he always had something to share with the guys over a bowl of cereal of cup of coffee in the morning. Lance thought it was strange that JC could always remember his dreams. Every time *he* had one, he would remember it for a fleeting second right after he woke up, and then forget it before he could tell anyone.

When Lance and JC became a couple, JC's dreams started becoming stranger and more complicated. Lance just shrugged it off, but he could tell that it really bothered JC. So, for his 25th birthday, Lance bought him a book called "Remembering and Understanding Your Dreams." JC was thrilled, and showed him just how happy the gift had made him all night long and well into the morning. Lance thought that perhaps he should buy JC books more often.

The other guys, however, weren't so sure a book that analyzed dreams would be such a good idea.

"You know how JC is about analyzing stuff," said Joey. "As soon as he has dream, he's going to be rushing for that book to find out what it means. And if it's a bad thing, he's going to freak."

"Yeah," agreed Chris, "he's going to become one of the obsessive compulsive freaks that spaz about everything!" He paused and smacked his forehead. "Whoops, he all ready is."

Lance disagreed. "Come on guys, he's not *that* bad."

They all shared a disbelieving look, but said nothing.

~*~
As it turns out, the guys were right on target about JC's dream obsession. The first time it happened, Lance had been sitting in bed, the desk lamp beside him turned on so that he could read his book. JC had thrown the door open, startling Lance, and tackled him in bed. Lance was about to yell at him when JC looked up, his blue eyes dark and smoldering with desire. Lance swallowed his words, wondering when he had lost the ability to speak. JC pushed him back onto the bed, crawling up his body at an agonizingly slow pace.

"I had a dream," he whispered, pushing Lance's shirt up and licking up and down his naked chest. "I dreamt that you and I were having mind blowing sex."

Lance swallowed. "Oh?" he asked huskily.

JC nodded, pausing in his thought and sucking on an erect nipple. Lance cried out, his fingers tangling in JC's hair. JC pulled back and smiled sexily.

"I looked it up in that book you got me, and it says that dreaming about sex is a straightforward expression of sexual desire." He grinned. "So, I
figured, what better way to release my 'sexual tension' than to recreate my dream?"

Lance nodded quickly, making him feel dizzier. "What happened in your dream?" he asked.

JC grinned, reaching down beside the bed, and coming back up with a bowl of sliced peaches. Lance tried not to look too disappointed, even as he felt his erection softening.

"Fruit?" he asked. "You had a sex dream about us eating fruit? The hell?"

JC grinned, feeding Lance a peach slice as he discarded their clothes.

"I looked it up, and the book says that fruit symbolizes sensuality and
lasciviousness."

Lance nodded, staring at JC's naked form and growing hard again. The fruit wasn't doing much for him, but if it got JC excited, as it very apparently was, he could deal.

~*~
Unfortunately, other dreams JC had weren't as enjoyable as the sex ones. One day, Lance had arrived to rehearsal a bit late, only to find Justin, Joey and Chris there looking pissed.

"Where's JC?" he asked.

Chris rolled his eyes. "He dropped by about ten minutes ago, spouting out some shit about needing to be alone. Whatever."

Lance was confused, and also a little hurt. So, he called JC's cell phone.
After three rings, he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey baby, it's me," said Lance. "Where are you?"

"Hey Lance!" said JC. "How are you?"

Lance sighed. "I'm fine Josh, but where are you?"

"What do you mean?"

Lance rubbed his temples slowly. "You are not here, so *where* are you?"

JC sighed. "Look Lance, I can't tell you where I am."

"What?" yelled Lance. "Why the hell not?"

"I had dream," said JC, and Lance sighed, beginning to hate that phrase. "I dreamt I was alone on a desert island. I looked it up in my book, and it said that I have a craving for solitude. Yeah, and that I'm too crowded and I need to have some time alone. Don't worry though, I'll be back in a week. Love you!"

Lance sighed when he heard the dial tone, his face twisted into a mask of annoyance and anger. He looked up and into Joey, Chris and Justin's bored expressions. When Justin opened his mouth to speak, Lance cut him off.

"If you say so much as one fucking word, I will not hesitate to kill you."

Justin shrugged and turned away, leaving Lance to sulk in private.

~*~
Lance missed JC like crazy while he was gone. He sulked around the tour bus and hotel room, and wouldn't even try to learn the dances during rehearsal. Not even Chris's jokes, Joey's hugs, or Justin's beatboxing to get him to smile. On top of it all, he wasn't getting very much sleep.

'Stupid ass dreams,' he thought bitterly. 'I hate you.'

On the night of the fourth day JC was gone, Lance returned to his hotel room after turning down Joey's offer to go clubbing with him. He entered the dark room at a sluggish pace, and turned on the light. There, on his bed, was JC.

Lance's mouth fell open in shock. JC smiled, standing up quickly and giving Lance a hug and kiss.

"I missed you so much baby," he whispered.

Lance nodded, too tired to be angry. JC pulled back, his smile turning into a frown as he rubbed his thumb over the bags under Lance's eyes.

"Have you not been sleeping?" he asked. Lance shook his head, and JC's face softened. "Oh Lance, I'm so sorry," he said.

Lance shrugged. "Why'd you come back so soon?" he asked.

JC kissed Lance's forehead. "I had a dream..."

Lance sighed, pushing JC away from him. "Enough with the fucking dreams," he said sourly. "I don't care."

JC took Lance in his arms again, and continued as if the younger man hadn't spoken.

"I missed you so much while I was gone, and last night I had a dream. I dreamt that I was caught in this big thunderstorm. It was dark outside, and I was running in the rain. There was lightening and thunder all around me, and I was soaking wet," he explained. "I woke up with a start, and of course I was curious about what it meant. So, I looked it up. And do you know what it meant?"

Lance sighed. "That you're a freak?"

JC laughed, a sound that caused Lance to smile despite himself.

"No," said JC. "The book said that a storm represents my separation from something that I desire." He lifted Lance's chin up and smiled. "That's you."

Lance bit his bottom lip, wanting to believe JC more than anything. "What about the book?"

JC smiled. "Gone." When Lance looked shocked, he explained. "I don't need some silly dream book to know that *you* are what I desire."

Lance smiled, finally falling into JC's embrace and kissing him softly.

"No more of this?" he asked.

JC shook his head, his arms tightening around Lance's waist.

"No more analyzing love."

THE END