*****
"JC, wake up!" Joey said. "Get your skinny little butt over here!"
"I'm up," he heard JC grunt
"JC!" he said impatiently. "Come on. We're gonna go see Lou in like, five minutes, remember?"
"Lou?" JC mumbled.
"Yes, for the last time," Joey said, rolling his eyes. He looked at Chris, who had come up behind him. "Honestly," he said. "That boy is such an airhead..."
Chris shrugged. "I'll get him up," he said. He backed up and ran to where JC was muttering to himself on the couch. "BONZAI!"
"Oof," JC said, curling up when Chris landed on him. "What the-- Chris? What are you-- Ugh--"
"Get up get up get up get up get up--" Chris began chanting.
"How about shut up shut up shut up?" JC asked. "I think that sounds much better."
"Nah," Chris disagreed, straddling JC's chest. "I like mine better. But right now we have to get you looking presentable so we can go visit Tubbo."
"Mmmhmmm," JC muttered. "Sure."
Chris rolled his eyes. "Wake up or I'll make it so Lance--"
"All right, I'm getting up!" JC said, shoving Chris off of him onto the floor.
"Ow," Chris complained. He turned to Joey. "See, it wasn't that hard."
*****
"Hey, Merry Christmas, right?" Chris said, shoving Joey. "We're finally out of Tubbo's chunky paws."
"Yep," Justin said. "Hey, JC," he called back.
JC looked away from Lance and turned to Justin ahead of them. "Yeah?"
"Lance is hanging out with you this Christmas, right?"
"Yeah," JC told him. He turned back to Lance, who had his eyes on the floor. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah," Lance said. "I don't want to be a bur--"
"You know you aren't," JC said, grinning. "My mom loves you and she's only met you three times."
"More than that," Lance grumbled.
"You know what I mean. And things will be back to normal now, right? We just signed the papers. Ken's not in the group, you are." When he mentioned Ken, his grip on Lance's hand tightened.
"What?" Lance asked.
"Nothing," JC grumbled. "I just didn't like the way they were looking at you, that's all."
"Josh?"
"What?"
"You worry too much."
*****
"C'mon, Josh, just one," Lance begged. "One? Please?"
"Now you know how I feel," Justin huffed.
Chris handed him the rest of his beer. "Here kid. Lance can drive."
"Thanks," Lance said sarcastically. "Josh, come on," he whined.
"Nope," JC laughed. "Sorry babe. And it doesn't sound very nice when you whine."
"Jerk," Lance grumbled.
"Brat," JC said, sipping his drink. "Besides, Nikolas will know if I give you anything, and that's one guy I don't want coming after my ass."
"It's a very nice ass," Lance offered.
"Nice try."
Lance groaned. "Come onnnn, just one. One?"
"You're driving."
"I can call Dre! Or Lonnie! Or--"
"Nope."
"Give it up," Justin said, drinking what was left of Chris' beer. "C's not gonna back down."
"Shut up, Baby," Lance said, crossing his arms. He felt something hit the back of his head and JC furrowed his brow when the blond head jerked forward. Lance rolled his eyes and turned around. "Hey, did I mention that I didn't want to talk to you ever again?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I'm going to leave you alone," Nikolas' voice said.
Lance rolled his eyes again. "My bad. Why would you want to do that?"
"I don't know," Nikolas said, choosing to ignore the sarcasm. "It would make my day just so boring, I don't think I'd be able to handle it." Lance rolled his eyes again. "They'll freeze there if you keep doing that," Nikolas told him.
"Sure," Lance said. "I don't see why I can't drink. They knew I was quote unquote underaged before, and they bought me stuff."
"That was before we knew you were being watched by Sir Angel over there," Chris said. "Now, nope. Sorry."
Lance grumbled. "You guys suck. And I can't even leave to go because you guys can't get back by yourself."
"Aww, you poor thing."
"Shut up, Nikolas. Don't you have some other poor angel to harass? Please?"
"Nope. You're stuck with me."
"Oh joy."