| Chapter 9 |
| JC sat back in his chair, chewing on his thumbnail and watching Justin with wide eyes as he read the lyrics in front of him. He had spent all of last night perfecting the songs, and he was nervous about what others would think of them. Watching Justin sigh after reading the last few lines, JC scooted out to the edge of his seat. "Well?" he whispered quietly. Justin nodded. "Well, indeed." JC paled, and Justin rearranged the songs back in order before glancing up at JC and laughing. "JC, calm down. These songs are incredible." JC let out the breath he had been holding, and Justin shook his head as he watched JC's face go from white to red from lack of oxygen. "Really?" he asked. "Are you sure? They don't completely suck?" "JC, they don't suck at all," said Justin with a smile. Standing up and cracking his back, he leaned over the desk in the room and pressed the talk button on the intercom. "Ron, come in here please. We're going to do a little recording." Justin watched JC's eyes grow large on his face, and he grinned. "Yes, they're good enough JC," he said. "I read them and they're good. Now I want you to sing them and make them great." JC nodded, a shaky grin spreading across his face. He got up and headed back inside the small recording booth, sitting down on the bench of the grand piano Justin had brought in there. When Ron came in, he and Justin took a few minutes to explain everything to JC and then set up the basics. "Which one am I playing?" asked JC. Justin handed him the music. "I want to hear this one." JC looked down at the sheet of paper and froze. He read the words of "Your Song" that were staring back at him, the words he had written about Lance, and sighed. "Oh, this one," he said. He looked up at Justin. "Are you sure?" Justin nodded. "It's my favorite one so far. I don't know, there's just something about it... I like it a lot. It might even have a good shot at making the album." He smiled at JC and patted him on the back before leaving the booth. JC took a deep breath as he spread the music and lyrics out in front of him. When everything was ready, he mentally crossed his fingers and began playing. ~*~ Lance pulled the dark blue shirt down over his head, smoothing out the wrinkles and smiling at the way it fit perfectly. Turning around and spotting Justin in front of the mirror getting dressed, he padded across the room barefoot and wrapped his arms around the younger man's waist. He kissed Justin's neck and rested his chin on his shoulder. "Won't you please tell me where we're going?" he asked, sticking his lower lip out in a pout. "I want to know." Justin grinned, meeting Lance's puppy dog eyes in the mirror and winking. "Sorry babe, can't tell ya," he said. "It's a surprise. Trust me, you'll like it though." Lance's eyes lit up and he grinned boyishly. "Yeah?" Justin laughed. "Yeah. Now let me get dressed. We can't be late." Lance poked Justin in the ribs and sighed happily, shaking his head. "Of course not," he said, walking off towards the bathroom. "I wouldn't want to be late for a surprise on our 'special day'." He grinned and winked at Justin, disappearing into the bathroom. Justin nodded, confused, and went back to getting dressed. By the time he was completely ready to go, Lance's words were still bugging him. "Special day?" he mumbled to himself. "What?" Grabbing his jacket and wallet, he turned off the lights in their bedroom and headed downstairs and into the kitchen where Lance was getting a drink of water. Lance looked up at him, the same goofy smile still on his face, and winked. 'Why is he acting so strange?' wondered Justin. 'He seems a little ... giddy. More like VERY giddy.' "Lance?" "Yes, baby?" Justin shook his head. "Why are you so happy?" Lance grinned. "Because Justin, today is the day." When Justin still looked confused, Lance laughed. "You are a much better actor than I give you credit for babe. I can't believe you haven't said a word about it all day! I could barely keep my mouth shut. But since you all ready have your surprise planned," he grinned, "I guess it's my turn." Justin watched as Lance turned around and rummaged through a kitchen drawer. Grabbing something and holding it behind his back, Lance turned to Justin and grinned. He pulled his arm out front and opened his hand, holding out a gorgeous Rolex watch with gold trimming and a small diamond in the middle. Justin's mouth fell open and Lance beamed. "Happy anniversary baby," he nearly squeaked, and Justin's eyes widened. Lance didn't notice, and put the watch in Justin's limp hand. "I knew you always wanted a watch like this one," he explained. Justin was still speechless, and growing paler by the second. Still, Lance didn't notice. "I figured it would be a nice way to celebrate the first time we said I love you to each other by giving you something you would love. Read the inscription!" With a small whimper, Justin flipped the watch over and read the words carved on the back. 'To Justin, with love, Lance.' He closed his eyes and felt like crawling into a hole and dying. Feeling himself start to sweat, he opened his eyes and grinned shakily at Lance. "It's... beautiful, Lance," he said slowly. "Thank you." Lance blushed and shrugged. "It's nothing." Looking up at Justin, he smiled. "So. Are we ready to go yet?" Justin sighed. 'How the hell am I going to get out of this one?' he thought. His and Lance's relationship was still a little shaky, and if Lance ever found out he forgot the anniversary of the day they both admitted they loved each other he would be dead. 'I will not lose him like this,' he thought. 'I have to think of something ... but what?' "Justin, yoo-hoo," Lance laughed. "What's wrong?" Justin shook his head to clear his thoughts, and gave Lance a charming smile. "Nothing," he lied. "Lets go." ~*~ Justin tapped his spoon nervously on the table as he stared at the stage. An unknown jazz band was finishing up their set and he was pretending to watch them as they played, just so he wouldn't have to look at Lance. He couldn't stand watching his face grow sadder and more disappointed by the minute. They had been at the coffee shop for three hours all ready, and whenever Lance hinted at his surprise or their anniversary, Justin changed the subject. He looked at his watch and groaned. JC would be the last performer of the night, and he was scheduled to go on right after the current band finished playing. When they held the last note, Justin clapped halfheartedly and turned to look at Lance. His heart broke at the way Lance was hunched over slightly, one hand in his lap and the other stirring his cup of coffee slowly. "You forgot, didn't you?" Justin began to panic. 'Please Lance, not now!' "Excuse me?" Lance sighed shakily, looking up at Justin with sad green eyes. "You forgot this anniversary, didn't you?" he whispered. "Again." Justin winced. He was hoping that wouldn't be brought up this time. "Lance, you know I'm sorry about that. My mom was having her surgery that week and I was so worried that I just forgot." Lance nodded. He knew Justin was telling the truth, but it still hurt having him forget one of the most important days in their lives as a couple. And now, he had forgotten again. "So what happened this time, huh?" he asked. "I thought we were doing good Justin. I thought you really loved me and were trying to make an effort. I guess I'm stupid." Justin shook his head vehemently, putting his hand on top of Lance's. "No, Lance, I-" "Ladies and gentlemen." Lance drew his hand back and scooted a few inches away from Justin as the lights dimmed again and the announcer returned to the microphone. "We have one of our favorite performers paying us a visit tonight. He's getting ready to hit it big, and he's being kind enough to give us a little sneak peek of what to expect out of him. Give it up for JC Chasez!" Justin smiled when Lance's mouth dropped open, and wished the younger man would turn to look at him. When he didn't, he sighed and returned his attention to the stage as JC walked out. Lance watched JC as he took his place behind a piano. He was wearing a black turtle neck sweater and tan, leather pants that fit snugly in all the right places. 'Wow. He looks good tonight.' Lance sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, prepared to relax and listen to music. "Lance," whispered Justin , "can we just-" "Shh," Lance snapped. "I want to hear this." Justin sighed and slouched in his seat. 'I am so fucked.' ~*~ JC smiled at the crowd as he made his way across the stage. He scanned the audience, looking for Lance and Justin, but since their booth was off in a dim corner of the shop, he didn't see either of them. Sitting down at the piano and arranging his music, he sighed. 'Maybe they couldn't come,' he thought. 'Oh well. Maybe that'll make this a little easier.' Clearing his throat slightly, he looked at the audience as he spoke into his microphone. "This first song I'm going to sing is a very special one, for a very special person, and I like it a lot. Hope you all enjoy it. It's called 'Your Song'." Lance leaned forward slightly. This would be the first time he got to hear JC sing, and he was happy that something good had come of the day. He heard the first chords of the song as JC played them on the piano, and closed his eyes as JC began to sing. "It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside. I'm not one of those who can easily hide. I don't have much money but, boy if I did; I'd buy a big house where we both could live." JC sang quietly to begin with, but grew louder and more passionate with each verse. "If I was a sculptor, but then again, no. Or a man who makes potions in a traveling show. I know it's not much, but it's the best I can do. My gift is my song and, this one's for you." Lance opened his eyes and watched JC sing the chorus like it would be the last thing he ever sang. "And you can tell everybody, this is your song. It may be quite simple but, now that it's done... I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind, that I put down in words. How wonderful life is while you're in the world." Justin heard a soft sniffle come from beside him, and turned to look just as Lance was wiping away a tear that had managed to escape his eyes. 'Damn. I knew the song was good, but I didn't know it was *that* good.' Suddenly, he got an idea. An awfully, terribly wonderful idea. Looking at Lance and how hard he was trying not to cry from just listening to a song, Justin bit his lip. Looking back up at the stage at JC, he crossed his fingers and scooted right next to Lance. Bending down to speak into his ear, he whispered, "Happy anniversary, baby." Lance jumped at the sudden voice in his ear and turned to look up at Justin, confused. "What are you talking about?" he asked. Justin smiled, placing a warm hand on top of Lance's and nodding towards the stage. "The song," he lied, "is for you. It's my anniversary gift to you. I wrote it a while ago and I knew JC needed the exposure, so I asked him to sing it. For you. Tonight." Justin was amazed at how easily the lies were flowing out, but he kept his fingers tightly crossed. He smiled at Lance's baffled face, and looked around the club to make sure nobody was watching before kissing his wet cheek. "Happy anniversary baby." This time, Lance didn't care that he was crying. He was shocked beyond belief, and no matter how hard he tried to speak nothing was coming out. Giving up, he launched himself into Justin's arms, sniffling softly and whispering "I love you" until the song ended. On stage, as Lance and Justin held each other tightly, JC was singing the last verse, a picture of Lance in his head the entire time. "...how wonderful life is while you're in the world." |