Lance tried to ignore his friends, putting the sandwich meat into his refrigerator. Why did he invite them over here again? He couldn’t remember why. It was a bad idea.

Justin’s hand stopped Lance from leaving the kitchen altogether. “Okay, you fed us lunch so we’ll give you a little slack on this.”

“Thanks.” Lance raised an eyebrow suspiciously at his four friends, who had suddenly surrounded him on all sides. He couldn’t move a step without running into one band member or another. Help, a little part of his mind thought. “A little?” he repeated.

“You said he was cute,” JC accused.

“So? I’m not blind.” Lance tried to edge his way in between Justin and JC, but that was just about impossible. He was trapped in his own kitchen. This was so unfair. “Do you guys have a point with all this?”

“You can’t be serious,” Chris said again, shaking his head.

Joey simply smiled. Oh, that was a dangerous smile. Lance knew that smile. “What if we told you we invited him to our concert in Tampa?”

“What?” Lance choked and he wasn’t even drinking anything. Chris patted him on the back while Lance repeated, “What?”

Justin hurriedly added, “Well, not just him. Their whole group.”

Slumping back onto the kitchen counter, Lance put a hand over his eyes. “Well, that just makes it so much better.”

“He won’t suspect a thing,” JC said. When did JC become a schemer? Joey and Chris were bad influences on him.

Patting Lance on the back again, Joey said, “Just trust us. Besides, what could be better than inviting O-town to a Florida concert? It just makes sense.”

“Help,” said Lance.

* * *

“Who was that?” Jacob walked into the living room, stretching and rubbing his eyes.

Erik tried not to snicker at the way Ashley’s head tilted ever so slightly to watch the curve of Jacob’s bare back.

Shaking himself, Ashley put down the phone and said, “It was Chris.”

The dread-locked singer went to the kitchen and poured himself some cereal. He turned and gave a questioning grin to his friend. “From ‘N Sync?”

“Yeah.” Ashley breathed out slowly. Erik turned his head away to hide his smile.

Jacob sat down on the couch, eating the dry cereal puffs. “Why so early?”

“They invited us to go to their concert on Friday. In Tampa.”

Erik and Jacob both sat up suddenly. Jacob raised an eyebrow. “Why?” he asked.

Ashley shrugged. “To be nice? I said we’ll be there.”

“Oooh,” Jacob grinned abruptly. “I’m gonna go tell Dan!” he called over his shoulder as he ran upstairs.

Erik and Ashley ran up behind him. “Hey, wait up!”

Trevor, coming out of his own bedroom, stared at the commotion running by. “What’s up?” he asked, still blinking sleepily.

“We’re gonna go tell Dan that ‘N Sync invited us to their concert on Friday.” Erik paused only to rub his hands together evilly before going to catch up with the other two band mates.

Trevor was now following close behind his friends. “This oughta be good.”

“Dan!” Jacob said upon entering the bedroom.

Ashley jumped on the still form buried beneath the covers. “Wake up!”

“Nggh…” a muffled voice replied.

Trevor cupped his hands and spoke through them. “Daaan…”

“Wake up, little Susie,” Erik sang.

The covers moved a little. Then a lot, shoving Ashley off the bed. “I ain’t no little Susie,” said the voice thickly. Out peeked a spiky brown-haired head, which was presumably Dan. The rest of the last member of O-town crawled up from under the covers. “What do y’all want?” Good-natured, big blue eyes peered sleepily at them.

“Guess whose concert we’re invited to?” Jacob sat on the edge of the bed.

Dan looked confused. He blinked. “Britney’s?” The rest of the guys couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not. They were the opening act for Britney’s tour.

“Hahaha…” Trevor shook his friend. “No, dumbass. ‘N Sync.”

There was a pause.

Then Erik laughed. “Oooh… is someone blushing?”

“No!” Dan looked away.

Ashley grabbed Dan’s chin and tilted his friend’s head up, pretending to examine it. Imitating radio static, he said, “Ground base, I want to confirm that we have a blush. Repeat, we have a blush.”

“Shut up,” Dan tried to go back under the covers but his friends stopped him.

“What are you doing?” Trevor demanded, only half kidding.

Jacob began pulling his friend out of the bed. “We only have three days to get you ready for the big night.”

Erik put his hand on his hip. “Do you think that will be enough time?” he wondered.

“To be safe, we’d better start now.” Ashley was holding back a laugh.

“Help,” said Dan.

* * *

“What are we doing?” JC asked.

“We wanna make sure Lance looks good for his big debut,” Justin said.

Joey added, “Sexified.” Justin nodded vigorously.

“It’s a concert! I have to wear what I always wear!” Lance tried to get a word in but it was hard to do when he was trying to duck away from the make-up brushes and cologne bottles the others were pointing at him.

“It’s a special concert,” Chris said. “Come here, I want you to put on this thong.”

Lance tried to escape from his friends’ hands. “Guys, the concert starts in a few minutes,” he protested. He dodged his way out of the ring of ‘N Syncers and out of the dressing room.

Of course, his friends followed him. They had to, because it was their concert too. Unfortunately. At least Chris was kidding about the thong. Wasn’t he?

Chris and Joey had gone out before the show to greet O-town. They came back, seeking out Lance and trying to get him to go out and say hello as well. Lance had hid in the toy room.

The crowds started screaming and clapping even louder as they waited for the performance to start. Lance paced backstage for a moment and let himself breathe. It was a concert like any other. Exactly like any other. He wished he didn’t feel like throwing up.

* * *

“They. Are. Good,” said Jacob. His voice was barely audible over the music and the crowd of screaming girls behind them.

Trevor could not believe what he was looking at. He stared. The lights of the multicolored lasers reflected in his eyes. “Damn,” he said.

“I feel inferior. We need to pay homage to them. Sacrifice a small goat or something.” Ashley ran a hand through his hair, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the performers either.

“Or maybe a teeny-bopper or two,” Trevor said.

“They are good,” continued Jacob. “Did you see that?”

Erik swallowed. “Man, I want to have a concert like this someday.”

“It’s not just the concert. It’s the music. It’s the energy. We need to be like that.”

“We need to be ourselves, Ashley,” Jacob said. He paused. “But I know what you mean.” He paused again. Elbowed Dan, who was standing beside him, silent.

Ashley, noting the gesture, asked pointedly, “What do you think, Dan?”

The dark-haired singer didn’t respond. His eyes watched the concert, wide-eyed and shining.

Erik suddenly grabbed Ashley’s arm. “Oh my God.”

“What?” Jacob asked.

“Listen.”

“We want to thank our friends for seeing us tonight. They know who they are,” Justin was saying. His voice echoed and boomed in the stadium’s sound system. The crowd screamed and cheered in response.

Trevor looked thunderstruck. “They’re talking about us!”

“How do you know that?” Jacob asked. “They could be talking about everyone.”

Ashley laughed. “We’re acting like a bunch of teenies.”

“We really appreciate you coming out tonight,” Lance was saying. “This song is for you.” It was no coincidence when the entire group of ‘N Sync looked, just for a moment, in the direction of where O-town was standing.

The band onstage started singing “Something Like You,” while the band in the VIP section of the audience stared at the stage in shock.

“He dedicated a song to you!” Trevor was shaking Dan.

Dan blushed and ignored the taunting of his friends. He watched the deep-voiced man with bright green eyes.

* * *

Right before the concert ended, big men in yellow jackets ushered O-town out of the audience and into the parking lot. Before the band knew what was happening, they were joined by ‘N Sync.

It was one crowded ride, but they managed to squeeze two boy bands onto Justin’s tour bus. How it happened, they’ll never know.

“You guys… you were awesome,” Ashley said.

“Amazing.”

“Unbelievable.”

Even Jacob -- unflappable, skeptic Jacob -- said in a slightly awed voice, “Where do you get all that energy?”

“Sugar. Lots and lots of it,” Chris grinned and raised his cup of Kool-aid to O-town.

JC nodded from where he was lying down on the small sofa. “And sleep.”

“Pent-up sexual tension,” added Justin.

The O-town members stared for a moment.

“Kidding.”

Everyone laughed, so they didn’t hear Justin add in a low voice, “Kinda.”

“So where are we going?” Trevor asked, peering out the tinted window of the bus.

Joey stretched. He wiped the sweat that was still on his face. “To a club.”

Erik couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “After jumping around for two hours, you’re not tired yet?”

“Nah.” Justin waved away the question with his towel. “We’re just gettin’ started.”

“You guys want to come, right?” asked Joey.

Ashley looked at Dan, who was carefully avoiding his friends’ gazes. “Definitely.”

“Good.” JC glanced at Lance, who was pretending to be asleep.

* * *

The dark, smoky dance club had the privilege of containing two boy bands at once. A pop music anomaly, if there ever was one.

They got the VIP table, which was currently occupied by Jacob, Dan, Chris and Trevor. Justin and JC had disappeared into the crowd while Erik, Ashley, Joey and Lance were seriously working up a sweat with several girls on the dance floor.

“You should go dance,” Chris said at the table. He swirled the drink in his cup but his eyes watched the O-town band mates. “Enjoy your youth.”

Jacob shrugged and tugged his bandanna lower on his head. “I’m not into dancing.”

“Don’t feel like it right now.” Trevor sipped at his own drink.

“I hope I wasn’t this much fun when I was your age,” Chris said. “I could’ve pulled a muscle or something.”

Despite themselves, the other three men laughed.

“Man, I didn’t know you were that old, Grandpa,” Joey said, coming up to the table. He sounded a little breathless and his eyes were shining.

“You listen here, sonny,” Chris started to say, but Joey interrupted him.

“Come on and dance, guys.” He leaned on the table, smiling winningly at them. “You know there are some lovelies out there just begging for you to come and join them.”

Jacob coughed none-too-discreetly. “Blonde ones.”

Trevor held back a grin. “Blonde, green-eyed ones.”

“Well?” Joey avoided looking directly at a certain O-town member.

Dan, looking at the group of dancers, saw a blonde glance at their table and smile shyly at him. At him. “I’ll go,” he said. He began to get up, amid cheers and claps from the men surrounding him.

Joey followed Dan back out and called, “See ya guys. You too, Grandpa.”

“Children,” Chris said. He shook his head. “No respect for their elders these days.”

* * *

An hour or so later, Lance found himself wanting to either sit down or take a nap. Otherwise, he would probably have fallen asleep right where he stood. Believe it or not, dancing and singing for two hours straight did take a lot out of you. He edged his way out of the crowd of dancers and sat down at their table, which was amazingly empty.

“Hey,” said a soft voice.

Suddenly, Lance wasn’t tired anymore. “Hi,” he replied.

Dan sat down in the chair next to Lance’s. “I never got to tell you, your concert tonight… it was awesome.”

Lance forgot how to exhale as those big blue eyes looked at him. “Thanks.” He paused and was aware of how awkward everything felt. Forcing himself to say something, he added, “I’ve been to Britney’s concert. You guys are good, too.”

“Oh.” Dan had the most gorgeous grin on the face of the earth. “Wow. I didn’t know you’ve seen us. That’s… wow, thanks.”

“Yeah, that song… ‘We Fit Together?’ I liked that, it was a great performance.”

“It’s really fun to do.”

Abruptly, Lance had the crawling feeling of someone watching him. Them, actually.

“What’s wrong?” With that husky bedroom voice of his, Dan could make those two words sound like… like something either very bad or very good, Lance couldn’t decide. The worst part was, Dan wasn’t even aware of it.

Shaking himself, Lance said, “I think we’re being watched.” The creepy feeling grew, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

“You got that feeling too?” Dan pursed his lips, glancing around.

That was one damn kissable mouth. Lance made himself breathe. “Sorry, it’s probably the guys. They’ve got this idea that I…” Lance trailed off, correcting himself. “They’re just idiots,” he said.

Dan laughed. “Man, I know what you mean. My group’s the same way.”

Lance decided to take the plunge. “If you want to talk, do you… you wanna go back to our hotel?” He added hurriedly, “I mean… you don’t have to. It’s just a suggestion.” Not like I’m hitting on you or anything, Lance thought. Lord, why am I making a fool of myself?

The dark-haired singer blinked. “Sure. I’m pretty much done with dancing for tonight.” He smiled and that was even more gorgeous than his grin for some reason.

“Oh… okay.” Lance felt his heart fluttering.

* * *

“Oh my God.” Chris couldn’t believe his ears. He peeked over the dense shrubbery of the potted plants behind their table, watching Lance and Dan getting up to leave. “He did not just ask what I think he asked.”

“Damn, Lance works fast.” Jacob edged his way around the plants to get a better look. He didn’t know whether to laugh or to go and beat up Lance. That was his band mate and best friend over there, after all.

Ashley, who had escaped from the dance floor to join in on the espionage, saw Jacob’s tense shoulders and slight frown. He patted Jacob’s head, saying, “Don’t worry, Dan’s a big boy.”

Jacob’s frown deepened. “That’s not the boy I’m worried about,” he muttered. His concern was really cute, actually. Ashley didn’t say that though.

“Don’t go dissing my Lance,” Chris said. He poked Jacob’s shoulder. “He’s a gentleman.”

Trevor laughed. “So is Dan.”

“That’s what they all say.” Ashley shrugged but that didn’t hide his grin.

* * *

Dan stopped in the parking lot. He blinked a couple of times. “What happened to Justin’s tour bus?” he asked. He didn’t want to sound stupid, but it still came out that way.

“Parked in a lot for the night,” Lance said. He nodded his head and Dan followed him around the corner of the building. A black limousine waited for them there. “We get to ride in style. And we can make faces at people without them seeing.”

The O-town member laughed, but stopped when Lance knocked lightly on the darkly tinted window of the limo. “What are you doing?” Dan asked.

After a moment, the window rolled down. “Lance!” Justin poked his head out partially. “You heading back, too?”

“Yeah, we’re about done for tonight,” said Lance.

A voice behind Justin asked, “We? Who’s ‘we?’” JC shoved his fellow band mate aside and looked out of the window. “Oh! Hey, Dan.”

Lance pretended to ignore JC grinning at him. “You gonna let us in or what?” he asked.

“Sure, sure. Don’t get your whities in a knot.” Justin popped the door open and gestured. “Your chariot awaits.”

Dan and Lance climbed inside, sitting opposite Justin and JC. The driver started the limo and the engine hummed as they left the parking lot.

Without any warning, Justin whapped JC lightly on the head.

“Ow!” JC protested, holding up his arm in defense. “What was that for?”

“For pushing me before,” Justin said. He grinned at his friend and then turned to Lance and Dan as if nothing had happened. “So… how was your night?” he asked Dan.

Dan couldn’t help grinning at their strange behavior. “It was good. I had fun. You?”

“I had the time of my life,” Justin said. “I always do.”

“That he does,” said JC.

“So!” Justin said suddenly, leaning forward. “Why are you coming back with us? Did Lance kidnap you from O-town? No! Let me guess, he traded you for Joey. I knew it.”

Dan flushed red and hoped the dimly lit limousine hid it. “To talk.” He didn’t dare look over beside him at Lance.

Just then, the limo pulled to a stop. “We’re here, guys,” the driver said.

“Thanks, Mike,” Justin called back.

Before anyone could say any more, both Lance and Dan had left the car, heading for the hotel entrance. JC and Justin exited more slowly, watching the other pair go inside.

JC raised an eyebrow, but he was grinning. “To ‘talk’…” he repeated.

“That’s a new name for it,” Justin murmured, with a similar grin.

* * *

“Wow.”

Lance laughed. He watched those big blue eyes and that pretty mouth. Dan had nice hair, too. Hell, he had nice everything. “It’s just a suite.”

“I know, but you’ve got like… the whole floor. Wow.”

There was a time in life when Lance had the same kind of reaction to this sort of thing. It was so… endearing to see Dan acting like this. To see someone who was where Lance was not so long ago. To see someone with that innocence still, without any jaded opinions or desensitization to the world. Someone to make Lance appreciate what he had.

“Hey… so… are we gonna stand in the hall all night?” Dan asked softly. A flush bloomed on his cheeks. That was such a turn-on for some reason.

Lance realized he was staring. “Um… yeah. Here. JC’s room. Justin’s room. My room.”

“Nice.” Dan entered the room and spun around, wide eyes taking in everything. A good-natured smile dazzled Lance as Dan turned back to him. “If we can get rooms like this, next time, we’re gonna do the opening act for ‘N Sync.”

The blonde bass laughed. “Next time, you’ll probably be headlining your own tour.” He gestured at one of the armchairs, inviting Dan to sit down.

“You think?” Dan asked, genuinely unsure.

God, how could someone so innocent be so hot? Lance sat down in the other armchair. “Hell, yeah. I’ll bet you money on it.”

Dan shrugged, smiling humbly. “I hope so.”

Lance fidgeted with the hem of his shirt. “Look…” he said. “I have to tell you something.” At Dan’s look of surprise, Lance shook his head and continued on hurriedly. “It’s not anything that bad. It’s just that… when you all started out, I really didn’t have much respect for you as a band. I mean.. you were put together by a group of music industry specialists. You were specifically designed to be a pop boy band.”

The dark-haired man looked at him silently, waiting for Lance to continue.

“And I really didn’t like that. Because then, people come up to us asking, ‘So is that how ‘N Sync started?’ Your formation took away from our own respect level -- which wasn't that high anyway.” Dan opened his mouth, but Lance stopped him. “No, just listen. But I… I realize how hard you work now. I’ve seen it. You work probably twice as hard as anyone else because you have more to prove. And I respect that. I respect you,” he concluded.

Dan blinked. He smiled ruefully. “You… You started talking and I thought, man, he’s an arrogant jerk,” he said. Then his smile became genuine. “But then you finished and now I just like you more.”

Lance flushed pink. He avoided looking at that pretty smile.

“If it makes you feel better,” Dan murmured, leaning forward. “I respect you, too.”

That made Lance laugh. So he was caught totally unaware when Dan kissed him.

Okay, if Lance ever thought that Dan was innocent, he seriously took those words back now. Those big blue eyes were a clever disguise. Because if the way the man kissed was any indication, he was far from innocent. Far from innocent. Dan’s mouth was sweet and soft, and Lance never dreamed of a better kiss. Oh, and he dreamed. He would be the first to admit, now, that he’d dreamed about Dan for a long time. Dan’s hands ran down Lance’s body. Lance gasped and Dan took the opportunity to slip his tongue in, sliding along wet and hot and damn, but Dan was not innocent. Not at all.

* * *

Some time later, (how long, Dan was unsure, but it was pretty late into the night), Lance sat at the foot of the bed, while Dan sat on the floor and leaned against Lance’s legs, watching television. The fact that neither of them were clothed didn’t seem to be a problem.

“So,” Dan said, not really watching the television but too lazy to turn his head. “When did it start for you?”

For some reason, Lance didn’t need any explanation of what “it” was. “When I saw you on that TV show you guys have,” he laughed. “That episode, where you had that guy come to spend a few days with the band? You were talking to him in a restaurant and you just looked adorable. I don’t know why.”

Dan laughed too. “That’s random.”

“No kidding,” Lance said. “Your turn.”

The dark-haired singer shook his head, suddenly shy.

“No!” Lance protested, kicking Dan feebly. “No fair, I told.”

“I saw you guys in concert one time,” Dan said. “Before tonight. And you introduced that song. ‘God Must Have Spent?’ You… there was something about you. And I couldn’t stop watching you after that. I read articles about ‘N Sync, I watched your TV specials. I was a teeny-bopper.” Dan laughed. “Man, that’s sad.”

“No.” Lance shifted so his head lay at the foot of the bed. His bright green eyes watched Dan with a look that made Dan want to blush. Lance’s voice was soft. “No, that’s sweet.”

“So… what now?” Dan asked.

Lance raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t you think it would be strange trying to date, considering the fact that the world thinks we’re straight?” Dan turned and climbed on the bed, lying down next to Lance.

“It can be done.”

“How do you know?” Something in Lance’s voice made Dan look at him closely.

Lance smiled. “I just do.”

Dan narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean…?”

“I haven’t been dating anyone else, Dan. I just know.” The bass singer wrapped an arm around him. “Can we figure that out tomorrow? It’s too late to think.”

“Okay. Is it too late for a kiss?” Dan batted his eyelashes.

Lance blinked. “No.” He tried to breathe normally.

Suddenly, someone pounded on the other side of the wall. “Go to sleep already!” JC yelled.

“Sorry!” Lance called back.

“I guess it is late.” Dan grinned. Then he frowned, blinking. “Wait. Isn’t that Justin’s room?”

“Just kiss me,” said Lance.