(AN: Okay, this story is totally dedicated to Gretchen. I was inspired 
when I recently re-read One Thing I Learned Today. Everybody should go 
out and read it. You can find a link to her site on my links page. 
Also, I tried to give a bit of credit to some of the great writers at 
fanfic.net. A lot of slash writers don’t respect them and I really 
think they need to be praised. And yes, I wanted praise too. After all, 
ff.net is where I got my start, professionally speaking. Some of the 
info in the story was just made up. It’s been a really long time since 
I’ve been able to go to fanfiction.net and I just plain forgot. Oh 
well. Enjoy!!...I should start saying enjoey. I always thought that was 
a cute saying. P.S- I don‘t remember my first slash story)




"This legend has affected me more than I thought it would. When I sat 
down and read the diaries of JC Chasez, I was taken back a year in 
time. I became JC, I could feel his emotions, his love, his affection 
for Lance. I cried when I read of his death, and I have never met the 
man. Many people along the way have been touched by either JC or Lance, 
and those people swear they see JC on the beach at night. Next time, 
believe them. Don’t ridicule their belief that JC is walking, searching 
for Lance. Because I believe he is.



And I believe that he will find him. Because they are meant to be 
together.



Joey set the paper aside. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, 
his head in his hands. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, 
forcing the tears to stop. Standing, he moved to the railing of the 
deck, looking out into the vast ocean, watching the moonlight dance 
across the waves.



And down by the water, two men, one blond, the other dark, walked hand 
in hand. Together. " (-One Thing I Learned Today by Gretchen)



I clicked the x in the right hand corner of the screen, after swiping 
at my eyes. The story effected me more then any story ever had, and 
probably ever could. Usually, I stayed away from the sad ones. After 
all, it was my friends and sometimes myself that died, or lost love, or 
whatever. Something about the story made me read it. And something 
about the story made me cry. It touched really close to home.



I first started reading fanfiction when I came across a website titled 
fanfiction.net. I started to read through some "Mary Sue" stories, 
completely losing my faith in the style of writing. Then I came across 
something I didn’t even know existed. Slash. I didn’t have the 
slightest idea what slash meant. I looked it up at dictionary.com, and 
didn’t find the answer I wanted. Then I clicked on a story and 
instantly discovered what I had been missing.



I think you always remember your first slash story. And if not, I guess 
I’m a big ‘ole loser. My first was Love Letters by Cele and Marguerite. 
It was a good story, and got me interested in slash. Even though I 
didn’t care much for the pairing. Justin and Lance seemed so unnatural 
to me. Then I came across some Lance and me stuff, and was hooked. I 
don’t read any other pairings now.



As I got more involved in my readings, as time passed by, I started to 
have a couple of favorite authors. Authors like Cele, Marguerite, 
bellehdancer, Mariah, Snow C, Sally B, Lancina (*smile*), etc, etc, 
etc. I started to feel like Don Quixote, inventing my own little slash 
world, in which I lived happily. And with Lance, of course. I think I 
realized my feelings for him while I was reading slash. Through other 
people’s perspectives of what our relationship would be like, I found 
that I wished it existed.



There was a loud knock on my door. "Come in", I shouted. Joey bounded 
into the room.



"Hey there, JC. Can I use your computer?".



"No!", I yelled.



"Geez. What’s up your ass? I’ll just use Lance’s". I sighed, less 
because I was sorry and more because he mentioned Lance. "Are you 
okay?".



"Yeah, I’m fine. Why?".



"Oh, you used the word fine. What’s going on? You’ve been acting 
really...different, lately. You’re always on the internet, instead of 
being with us. Like you used to. It’s almost like you’ve created a new 
reality for yourself, and we aren’t involved". Sigh. What am I supposed 
to do now?




"Joey, I...".



"I don’t want a half assed excuse, man, so you better tell me the 
truth". The truth? Yep, I’ll just say, ‘Hey Joe, I like to read stories 
about me being gay and with Lance. By the way, I’m in love with him. 
Cool, huh?’. Sure.



"I just...".



"Don’t you dare finish that sentence with a lie, JC". Damnit, Joey!



"Okay, the truth. You want to know the truth".



"That’s pretty much what I’m looking for".



"I’ve been reading fanfic".



"Fanfic? You mean fanfiction? The sex stories little girls write about 
us?".



"It’s not at all about that. Joey, I read slash". I blurted the last 
part and Joey raised an eyebrow.



"What the hell is slash?".



"It’s stories that involve guys with guys. Actually, I read intra-sync. 
Which is stories that... uh...involve two members of...um...*N SYNC 
together".



"You read gay porn stories about us?". Joey broke into a smile. "I 
never ever expected that as your answer. Never. Never, ever, ever". 
Joey’s grin turned mischievous. "Who do you read about? Is it Justin? I 
always wondered what Justin and Chris would be like together". I 
giggled.



"No, I don’t read about Justin and Chris. I read about Lance and I".




"Whoa. You read about yourself?".



"That’s what I said, right?".



"Uh huh...why?".



"I’m in love with Lance".



"Um...okay. This is a strange conversation, huh?".



"I would say so".



"Ya love Lance, then?".



"Yes, I do".



"Does he know?".



"Don’t think so".



"Maybe you should tell him". I watched Joey’s back as he exited my 
room. I couldn’t tell Lance, could I? He’d hate me, wouldn’t he? He’s 
not gay, is he? Why isn’t anybody answering my questions? Oh, that’s 
right. I’m sitting in my hotel room by myself and I’m not even speaking 
out loud.



I can’t believe I never thought to tell him before. Isn’t that weird? I 
think I’ll go talk to him. What’s the worst thing that could happen? 
Wait, I don’t want to think about that.



I got up from the desk and headed out of the room, grabbing my key card 
as I exited.



I reached Lance’s door and timidly knocked.



"It’s open", Lance called from inside the room. I opened the door, and 
Lance smiled at me. "Hey Josh, what’s up?". I shrugged. "Sounds 
important", Lance said with a grin. I couldn’t help but grin back. He 
was just so...inviting. I walked closer to Lance.



"You’re like my bestest friend. Did you know that?".



"I didn’t know I was your bestest friend".



"You are. I love you". It came out more friendly and less intense then 
I wanted it to.



"I love you, too". I knew he didn’t mean it the way that I did.



"You misunderstand me. I mean that I love you".



"Yes, and I love you, too". Lance shook his head at me and went back to 
shuffling through the papers he had been holding. I assume he was doing 
that before I got there. Suddenly I was angry. How could he just 
dismiss this like that? I sat down on the bed next to him.



"Lance?".



"Yeah?". Lance looked up at me and I pressed my lips to his. He kissed 
me back for the slightest of seconds and my mind was reeling. Then he 
pulled away and said, "What the hell?".



"I just want to be with you".



"That’s one of our song titles".



"I know, but it applies".



"You want to be with me?".



"I told you I loved you, did I not?".



"Yes, but I wasn’t...I didn’t...I mean...you were serious?".



"Yep".



"Hmmm, I don’t know what to say".



"Then don’t speak. We could just make out".



"Make out?", Lance screeched.



"Don’t be so shocked...and tense".



"But you want to make out with me".



"I know. I also wanna be with you, and I love you. I don’t think you’re 
picking up on the message here, Lance".



"Me neither". He sighed. And I sighed. Then I tried to kiss him again, 
and this time he didn’t pull away.


THE END