Lee (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
randomling) wrote2008-09-03 12:35 am
randomling) wrote2008-09-03 12:35 am
(I'm Not) Home For Christmas 2/2
The second half of my pinch-hit for JuC Swap 2008.
Summary: A bad night turns good when Justin is stranded with a stranger on the road.
Warnings: Boybands, RPF, sex.
Part One
(I'm Not) Home For Christmas
Two: Thirteen Hours To Pittsburgh
The alarm was a harsh, high noise, jolting Justin awake. For one disorienting moment he had no idea where he was, and the unfamiliar bed and the stranger's skin sticking wetly to his own was enough to make him feel sick with terror. Then he remembered last night, and his panic faded back to warm contentment as he turned to switch the alarm off.
JC stirred against him, waking, and Justin smiled as JC's eyes flickered open.
"Oh, hey," JC said hoarsely, "that's nice to wake up to." He shifted slightly and kissed Justin's mouth briefly, and Justin was smiling even harder when JC pulled back. "G'morning," JC said.
"Morning," Justin said. Something must have been wrong with him, because he couldn't stop smiling. Didn't want to, in fact.
"What time is it?"
"Six-thirty," Justin said. JC made a disapproving noise. Justin was usually a morning person, but right now he agreed - he could have done with several more hours of sleep. Carefully, he peeled himself off of JC. "We better get up. And... wow, we're kind of gross."
JC smiled wickedly. "Sure was fun getting this way."
"Mm, it was." Justin surrendered to the impulse to kiss JC, and JC pulled him close. It was so nice and warm and comfortable being this near to JC, and Justin could really get behind the idea of morning sex right now, but they really, really had to get up. Bus to catch.
JC felt so damn perfect in his arms.
Eventually it was JC who pulled back from the embrace. "You're right," he said, "we have to shower." He was smiling again, tickling under Justin's chin with one finger. "C'mon."
Oh. Good idea.
The bathroom was fucking freezing, so obviously they had to hold each other and make out until the water heated up, and Justin's morning hard-on never had the chance to get soft, caressed as it was in JC's talented hand. Justin didn't care that they were both sticky with old sweat and jizz from last night, just that JC was here in his arms right now. They could get clean in a minute.
After a couple of minutes, steam started to rise from the shower. JC disentangled himself, stepped in, and held out his hand for Justin to join him.
There wasn't a whole lot of space in the shower - just enough for two people if they got real close, which was absolutely fine with Justin. They made out some more under the water, and the heady mix of JC's touch and the hot water running over his skin... yeah, this was heaven, just about.
It got even more heavenly right about the time that JC sank to his knees.
Justin hadn't thought that would be possible in a space this cramped, but JC seemed to fit, just about, ass pressed up against the tiled wall as he kissed and licked over Justin's hip and thigh, teasing. Then he swallowed Justin down in one slick movement and Justin couldn't breathe. JC's mouth was amazing.
JC made him come in a couple of minutes, flicking his tongue deliciously, keeping Justin deep in his throat even through orgasm, swallowing it all down. After that, of course, Justin had to return the favour, and it was wonderful to finally get a full dose of JC's cock instead of the little taste he'd had the night before. He was really glad of all the practice he'd had at this with Curtis. More glad, though, of JC's musky smell and the noises he was making as Justin worked his mouth and tongue. JC came rapidly and hard, clutching helplessly at Justin's head, and Justin smiled as he swallowed.
Afterwards, they washed each other clean, laughing and kissing and touching. Justin wasn't going to get hard again, not yet, but that didn't matter at all; just the closeness was nice. When they were clean, they dried off together, and watched each other, smiling, as they dressed.
By the time they were showered and dressed, it was already seven, and they really had to think about getting out of there if they were going to make their bus. Justin was really, really tempted to say screw it and stay here until they were kicked out - catch some later bus - but, among other things, Chris would kill him. Anyway, JC was getting the same bus, so they had a little more time together.
They needed caffeine badly, so Justin washed out the cups while JC made coffee, and they drank it as quick as they could, standing up and gulping it down. When he was done - Justin was still drinking - JC turned and suddenly started digging in his bag.
"Forget something?" Justin asked.
"No," JC said, "just wanted to..." He pulled some dark piece of cloth from his holdall and stuffed it into the top of his backpack. Justin frowned.
JC smiled and stood up, leaned forward and murmured into Justin's ear, "Bring a change of underwear on the bus."
Justin grinned, and suddenly his cheeks were burning. "Okay."
"You're blushing," JC said softly. "That's so cute."
"Shut up, you." Justin finished his coffee, set his mug down by JC's and set about finding a clean pair of boxers.
***
After the cab fare back to the Greyhound terminal, they had a little over twenty-five bucks left - enough that they'd actually be able to eat lunch and dinner on the way to Pittsburgh. They bought a healthful breakfast of candy and soda from the terminal's vending machines and then made for their bus.
They found seats together near the back of the bus and worked their way slowly through the candy as the bus started to move. When they were done eating, and Justin had called Chris and confirmed that, yes, they made the bus, JC rested his head on Justin's shoulder. "Wow, I didn't get enough sleep."
"Hmm," Justin said, "no, me neither."
He picked the candy wrappers off of their laps, stuffed them into his coat pocket - he'd find a trash can at the first rest stop - and slipped his arm around JC's waist. He wouldn't usually do that in public, but it was the day before Christmas Eve, and no one was looking their way. Anyway, he and JC had just this one bus trip together, thirteen hours, and after that they'd probably never see each other again. He was fucked if he was going to waste it.
JC returned the gesture, and Justin's eyes drifted shut as they snuggled up. He slept through most of Indiana, and when he woke up they were stopped and JC was gently shaking his shoulder. "Hey, Justin, wake up, it's lunchtime."
"Oh." Justin blinked. "What time is it?"
"Uh, almost twelve-thirty. We're on schedule, I think."
Justin stirred himself and followed JC off the bus, shaking his head to get the fog out of it. They debated between Burger King and McDonald's, until JC just grabbed Justin's wrist and dragged him inside the McDonald's. JC ordered them each a Happy Meal and waved Justin to find a seat, leaning over the counter to talk with the teenage girl who'd been serving them.
Justin found a seat near the door and watched as the girl stepped away from the counter, talked briefly to a co-worker, disappeared. After a minute she came back and put something into JC's hand. JC grinned enormously and came over to the table with the food.
Justin cracked open his Happy Meal and pulled out his burger, but there was no toy inside. "Oh, hey," he said, "I don't get like, a polar bear or something?"
JC smiled and pushed something across the table to Justin. "I kind of got you something else."
Justin frowned. It was something small and pink and plastic in a cellophane wrapper. He picked it up and examined it more closely: a little toy animal, like a... "Oh my God," Justin said, beginning to laugh.
"Do you like it?" JC asked.
"You got me a My Little Pony," Justin said in disbelief. "I. God, you asshole. I love it."
JC grinned. "You're welcome," he said, and took a big bite out of his burger.
***
Justin put the pony in his pocket and had to be really careful not to throw it out with the candy wrappers on their way back to the bus. It was tiny, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, and he put his hand back in his pocket when the wrappers were gone, closing his fingers around the toy until the plastic was warm with his body heat. He kept glancing at JC as they walked back to the bus, and smiling every time he did. Impossible not to.
Back on the bus, Justin didn't even care any more that people might see them. He kissed JC's soft cheek almost as soon as they were on the move, and JC's smile was so beautiful that Justin kissed him again.
There was no one in the seats across the aisle, and no one in front of them had any reason to be looking back, so Justin kept kissing JC, sliding his hand onto JC's leg, until JC kissed back and their fingers intertwined on JC's thigh. They weren't due to make another stop for a long time - and even then, it would only be ten minutes - so it didn't even matter that pretty soon Justin's cock was straining against the fly of his jeans or that JC had turned in his seat and thrown one leg across Justin's thighs. For now, this would have to do.
JC's touch was intoxicating, and Justin's hand kept rubbing up and down JC's thigh as JC's erection pressed into the top of Justin's hip. As long as no one actually peered over the seats or something, their coats made a pretty good disguise for what they were doing. As long as no one looked right at them and they didn't make any noise.
Still, they weren't going to go any further than this, not on the bus. No further than kissing and touching and squirming around a little, JC's hand grazing against his stomach, working slowly lower, closer and closer to Justin's aching groin.
Justin kept kissing JC, harder and hotter, on the basis that if his mouth was busy with that, he couldn't beg JC to fucking touch him now. God - they had to wait, they couldn't do this on the bus, they had to wait; fuck, fuck, they couldn't wait, no way. JC's hand slipped down that final inch and Justin gasped loudly.
JC said, "Sh-sh-sh."
Justin bit his lip as JC's hand started to shuffle against his desperately frustrated cock, gently at first, then picking up the pressure and pace. He couldn't move even if he wanted, JC's leg holding him firmly in place, and he really, really didn't want to move. JC's hand was whipping him up into a frenzy, and it was hard, so hard to keep quiet when JC was touching him just right, over and over, like - hell, was JC psychic or something? How did he know?
How did he know that moving his hand just-so made Justin want to scream?
Justin ended up burying his face in the collar of JC's coat, pressing his lips against the scratchy fabric, and JC's other hand came around to the back of his head, holding him there. The pressure was enormous and building, and JC kept going until it was too much, too much, and his body was twisting helplessly as his hips shuddered and jerked, coming-coming-coming. Justin's mouth fell open against JC's shoulder, but somehow he managed to hold the cry that wanted to explode out of him when he came. He couldn't get his breath for a full minute after, taking gulp after gulp of air as JC's hand stroked his hair.
"Oh, God," Justin whispered, and JC carefully patted the soggy front of Justin's jeans. The change of underwear had been a really good idea, but he should have packed some clean pants, too.
JC grinned as Justin kissed him, then shuddered, because Justin was trailing one hand down to the fork of JC's crotch. Their foreheads pressed together as Justin jerked JC off, and Justin put one hand over JC's back so he could feel the way JC's whole body started to shake as he approached orgasm. The moment itself was great, JC's hot breath all over his face, and under his hands, rigid tension followed by the sudden spike of release.
Justin had a tendency to get kind of sleepy after sex, but he didn't feel tired at all now. He was totally wide-awake and excited, and he didn't even care about the sticky mess in his underwear, although he'd probably be glad to get cleaned up a little later. Right now, he didn't want to leave JC's side.
JC dropped his leg, but they stayed turned towards each other for as long as was comfortable, kissing occasionally, brushing hands, like they were checking in. They didn't talk much for a while. Maybe they didn't need to.
After a while, Justin's back was complaining enough at the awkward position that he sat up and turned. JC shifted too, resting his head on Justin's shoulder again, and put his hand over Justin's. Justin liked the feel of the warm skin against his. Sharing body heat.
He turned to look out the window at Indiana, or maybe Ohio now, rushing past. Then he checked his watch. One fifty-five, Eastern time.
Eight hours to Pittsburgh.
***
In Toledo, they didn't have time to do much except run to the bathroom and clean up. The public bathroom in the rest stop was... well, marginally better than the bus bathroom. Marginally.
After that, it was two hours to Cleveland and a long break for dinner. JC got Justin to tell more stories about Chris, and it kept bringing him up short that JC and Chris might actually meet tonight, if the bus wasn't leaving again right away. That seemed weird - introducing Chris to his one-night stand - but he guessed it was no weirder than Chris threatening to kill Curtis. Or taking Justin in for the holidays. Chris would likely take it all in his stride.
JC liked to laugh a lot. Justin liked that; JC was kind of adorable when he laughed. The best part was getting to hold JC through a couple of giggle fits, pulling him close and feeling his body quiver. Maybe that was because they'd been laughing right before they kissed the first time, but Justin thought he'd like it anyway. JC was so... he was sweet.
They had dinner at Taco Bell in Cleveland, then went to Starbucks and spent the very last of their cash on hot chocolate and muffins for dessert. The topic of conversation had wandered off Chris and gotten through work, music, crappy college jobs, ex-boyfriends, sports teams, before Justin even really thought to ask JC about his family. JC was adopted, it turned out.
After that, JC started to talk about Maryland and home. Justin felt torn between missing his own family, and thinking about Pittsburgh and having to let JC go. Neither of those was particularly nice.
JC stopped in mid-sentence. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah," Justin said. "I just. It's been good, today. You know?"
"It has," JC said. "It really has." He put a hand on Justin's shoulder, and Justin leaned into the touch a little dejectedly. "Justin, c'mon, today's not done yet."
"No, it's not." Justin turned his head to kiss JC's hand, and JC smiled. "Come to the bathroom with me?"
***
The public bathroom was pretty gross, but Justin decided it would do. He pushed JC into the stall ahead of him and locked the door behind them. Then he leaned forward and grabbed JC, pulled him close, kissed him violently hard. JC kissed him back, equally passionate, his hands gripping Justin's ass hard for a second before he pulled back and said, "Justin, Justin, hey, what's up?"
Justin looked at him. "Huh?"
"Not that I don't approve of this. And not that I know your whole repertoire, or whatever, but this seems a little... out of character. For you."
"Oh," Justin said. "Um."
"So," JC said, "what's up?"
"I just," Justin began. He wasn't sure quite how to put it, because it made him sound so clingy and needy, and JC was the kind of guy who just did casual sex and moved on. Justin had really thought he'd be able to do this.
He took a deep breath and tried anyway. "I just, I'm gonna miss you when you go. And I don't wanna, like. Waste this."
JC hugged him.
Justin hugged back, passion forgotten for a little bit while JC held him. Then JC said, "I'll miss you too. You're so..." There was a long pause while JC fumbled for the word. Justin didn't want to ask what he was going to say, and he was surprised when JC finally finished with, "I don't know, we just fit."
"Yeah," Justin said.
JC kissed him then, and it wasn't the grasping, hungry sex that they'd started, but something much slower and more delicate. JC kept touching Justin very softly, like he was handling something precious and fragile. Justin closed his eyes, wanting to do nothing but touch, touch JC while he could, feel it all, because there just wasn't enough time. He'd miss this so much, when it was gone.
When they were done, Justin checked his watch, and they suddenly had to tuck themselves into their pants and run - Justin laughing, because after everything, what would Chris have said if the bus had left while he was blowing his one-night stand in a bathroom in Cleveland?
They collapsed back into their seats, panting. Justin automatically reached out to put an arm around JC, and JC leaned into him happily, nuzzling his shoulder. Justin rested his head on JC's, squeezed JC's waist, closed his eyes. The bus moved off, and a few minutes later they were back on the freeway, passing through Ohio at a steady fifty-five.
"Hey," Justin said when they'd been moving a while. It was almost seven now, just three more hours on the road. Outside, it was dark, and heavy snow was falling, but Justin felt warm because JC was right there.
"Hey," JC said sleepily. Justin thought he might be dropping off again.
Justin said, "Can I see you again?"
"Mmm," JC said, shifting slightly against Justin's shoulder. "Sure."
"Cool," Justin said.
Five minutes later, JC was dead to the world.
***
JC slept through the short layover at Akron and only woke up once they'd been back on the highway for ten minutes. Justin had been staring out of the window, lost in thought, and turned his head when JC stirred against him.
"Hi," Justin said softly.
JC didn't say anything, just adjusted his head on Justin's shoulder. Justin smiled. "Going back to sleep?"
"No," JC said. "You're just comfortable."
"Oh, okay."
If JC wanted to snuggle up, Justin wasn't going to complain. JC stayed quiet for a few more minutes, while Justin looked out the window again, watching scenery go by. It had been such a weird day, wonderful and confusing, so out of his normal experience that he wasn't even sure how to feel. The little plastic horse was still in his pocket, and Justin disturbed JC digging for it.
"Mmph," JC said, sitting up. "I'm not asleep."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Justin said.
"What are you doing?" JC asked, rubbing his face.
"I, um." Justin produced the My Little Pony, smiling, a little embarrassed. "I dunno, I just wanted it."
JC laughed, shook his head, and plucked the toy from Justin's fingers. "You are so cute," he said.
Justin looked down at his lap. His cheeks were hot again and he just knew he was blushing, which was even more embarrassing. It was stupid; that whimsical little gift had meant so much to him, like it was a sign, or something. A symbol of what had happened between them. Yeah; it was stupid.
How did you fall for someone in just one day?
"So damn cute," JC said happily, and he put the pony back into Justin's hand. Justin closed his fist around it, unable to stop smiling, still blushing furiously, and didn't look up. There was a little pause, and then JC said, "So when do I get to see you again?"
That did make Justin look up. "Huh?"
"You did want to see me, right?" JC was frowning a little. "I mean, I didn't dream that part?"
"No!" There was a moment when Justin felt a bit panicked that JC had thought it wasn't real. "I - totally, I. I'd love to see you again. That'd be, that'd be so great."
"Cool," JC said, and his face relaxed into a grin. "Uh, you're in St. Paul, right?"
"Yeah."
Justin's diary was in his backpack under his seat, and JC's was either in his holdall or back in Madison - JC wasn't totally sure. So they didn't manage to fix up anything more concrete than a phone call. Justin saved JC's cell number in his phone, and when they got to Youngstown, he pulled out his diary and wrote the number in there too, just in case.
JC snatched the diary and pen out of Justin's hands when he was done, and scrawled a spidery list underneath Justin's careful penmanship. Home number, two different work numbers - school was written by one, store by the other - his parents' place, an email address. "There," JC said, grinning.
"Awesome," Justin said.
There wasn't really a page of his diary he could tear out easily, but there was a notepad in his backpack somewhere, and he managed to grab it just as the bus pulled out of Youngstown. His handwriting was a little messier than normal, because it was hard to write neatly on a moving bus, but he managed to get down the essential numbers in a list and hand them over to JC. JC glanced at the list, kissed Justin once, and spent the next five minutes programming the numbers into his phone.
When he was done, JC shoved the list in his coat pocket with his phone, then started to talk about what they'd do after the holidays.
They were going to see each other in January. Early January, if they could possibly swing it, because Justin didn't want to think about waiting weeks to do this again. Not the bus thing - he could live without travelling by bus for a very, very long time - but the being with JC, the talking and the laughter and, not incidentally, the really good sex.
Justin put his arm around JC and held him as they kept talking, on from their airy plans, about the holidays and what they thought they'd get for Christmas. Justin decided that this, right here, was the definition of Christmas coming early, but he didn't say that, because despite everything he'd felt and said today, he wasn't actually a girl.
Chris was pretty much going to call him one for the entire holiday, though, no doubt.
They talked and talked. Suddenly it was nine-fifteen, then nine-thirty, then nine forty-five, and ten minutes after that, the bus was pulling into the terminal in Pittsburgh and Justin absolutely didn't want to get off. JC took his hand and hauled him up, though, and kept holding his hand while Justin waited to get his bag. The bus was laying over in Pittsburgh for about ninety minutes.
Chris was sitting on one of the plastic seats in the waiting area, jigging his foot up and down, twirling his car keys over and over on his finger, staring at nothing. Justin called, "Hey!" across the terminal and Chris started and turned and got up.
Justin dropped his bag, went over and swept Chris up in a hug. God, but it was good to see him. Chris hugged back for a moment, then did the usual Chris thing and shoved Justin playfully away. "Hey," Justin said again, and he glanced behind him to where JC was standing with their bags.
"JC," he said, "this is my buddy Chris. Chris, JC."
JC gave Chris a friendly smile. Chris didn't return it. Instead he looked JC all the way up and down, appraisingly, before turning back to Justin. "This is the motel guy?"
"Yeah."
"It went okay? Well, I guess he didn't murder you."
Justin grinned. "No, not exactly."
"Oh, hell, kid, you didn't." Chris covered his face, but Justin could see the grin underneath Chris's hand. Justin glanced at JC, to reassure him that it was all right, and JC seemed on board with that. He met Justin's eyes, smiling, and didn't say anything. Didn't need to, right this second.
"I... yeah," Justin said.
Chris folded his arms across his stomach and started to laugh.
***
Justin left JC and Chris with the bags while he took a piss - it was about another hour and a half out to Chris's place from Pittsburgh. When he got back, JC was sitting next to Chris on the plastic seating, and the two of them were laughing uproariously. Chris looked up and held out his hand as Justin approached them.
"All right," Chris said, "hand it over."
"What?"
"You know what." Chris snapped his fingers impatiently.
Justin smiled, sighed, and reached into his pocket to pull out the My Little Pony. Chris snatched it, turned to JC, and said, "That? Is genius. You can stick around."
JC grinned. "Thank McDonald's, man, they came through for me on that one."
"McDonald's, huh?" Chris turned the pony over in his fingers thoughtfully, and Justin folded his arms and stared at Chris. Predictably, that had no effect, so Justin sighed theatrically and grabbed the toy from Chris.
"Hey!" Chris said. "I was contemplating that."
"Mine," Justin said petulantly, pocketing it.
Chris let out another bark of laughter and got up, checking his watch. "Okay, we better get going. My mom said she's locking the doors at midnight."
Justin nodded and glanced at JC. JC got up and reached out to shake Chris's hand first, saying, "It was good meeting you. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," Chris said. "I'll be at the car, Justin."
Justin nodded and turned to JC. "Well," he said.
"Well," said JC. "This was." He grinned, and Justin's return grin was automatic, even though he felt... it was hard to define what he felt. Churned up inside, sad and happy all at once, missing JC while he was still here and already wondering how soon they could be in contact again.
"This was amazing, baby," JC said. "I'll see you real soon, okay?"
"Sure." Justin stepped forward, hugged JC, kissed him, hugged him again, and it was the same feeling he'd had that morning, that JC was perfect in his arms. Perfect. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," JC said. He rubbed Justin's back and pulled back, his hands on Justin's shoulders. "I guess you better go."
"I guess," Justin said, glancing behind him. He couldn't see any sign of Chris, and he figured Chris really had gone back to the car. He bent down to get his backpack and then his holdall, and quickly grabbed JC's hand. "I. Call me when you're home?"
"That's gonna be, like, six tomorrow," JC said.
"I'll be awake," Justin said. "Call my cell."
"Okay." JC squeezed Justin's hand. "Get out of here."
Justin held onto JC's hand right up until the last possible moment, then raised the hand in a wave as he backed away. JC waved back, and finally Justin turned for the parking lot, his luggage suddenly seeming very heavy. He glanced over his shoulder again at the door, and JC was sitting again, watching him go, raising one hand to him. Justin smiled and walked out of the terminal.
Chris was waiting by the door, jigging impatiently, and grabbed Justin's bag as they walked over to the car. "Jesus," he said, "what the hell did you pack, bricks?"
Justin just smiled.
Chris shifted the bag to the other hand and patted Justin's shoulder gently. "You'll be fine."
They'd been on the highway about five minutes when Justin's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and smiled at the display before answering. "No way are you home already," he said, by way of a greeting.
"Dude," said JC's voice, "I'm not even back on the bus yet."
Epilogue
Chris insisted that Justin call his mother on Christmas Day, which, really, he would have done anyway. He wasn't a total asshole.
The small house was packed with people, so after breakfast Justin retreated up the stairs and sat on the top step while he flipped through the numbers in his cell to find his mom's. It was a little bit of privacy, at least, and Justin thought that Chris had maybe asked his sisters to leave Justin alone for a little bit.
The phone rang twice before it was answered. "Hello?"
"Hi, momma, it's Justin."
She sounded pleased to hear from him, and they wished each other a merry Christmas and managed to talk for a while without really talking about stuff. Everybody had liked the gifts Justin had sent, and he'd already opened the gifts his mom had sent to Chris's place for him. There was something back at home, she said, that she hadn't wanted to send in the mail, and Justin wondered what it was.
After a while, she said, "Oh, baby, I wish you'd come home."
"I will," he said. "I will. In January, maybe. Just let me pay some off my credit card bill."
"You know we'd get you here," his mom said. He did, but that wasn't the point: there came a time when you had to start paying for shit yourself. "Bring Curtis," she said, carefully, "if you'd like."
"Uh, we broke up a while back." He'd forgotten that he hadn't mentioned that.
"Oh." There was a little pause. "Well, is there somebody new?"
"Actually, there is," Justin said, and he put his hand into the pocket of his jeans. Somehow, the My Little Pony had ended up in there. He guessed he'd reflexively picked it up from the coffee table, where he was keeping it while he slept.
He'd done the same thing yesterday.
"What's his name?" his mom asked.
Justin pulled the pony out of his pocket, turned it around between his fingers; and, taking a deep breath, started to tell his mother about JC.
Summary: A bad night turns good when Justin is stranded with a stranger on the road.
Warnings: Boybands, RPF, sex.
Part One
(I'm Not) Home For Christmas
Two: Thirteen Hours To Pittsburgh
The alarm was a harsh, high noise, jolting Justin awake. For one disorienting moment he had no idea where he was, and the unfamiliar bed and the stranger's skin sticking wetly to his own was enough to make him feel sick with terror. Then he remembered last night, and his panic faded back to warm contentment as he turned to switch the alarm off.
JC stirred against him, waking, and Justin smiled as JC's eyes flickered open.
"Oh, hey," JC said hoarsely, "that's nice to wake up to." He shifted slightly and kissed Justin's mouth briefly, and Justin was smiling even harder when JC pulled back. "G'morning," JC said.
"Morning," Justin said. Something must have been wrong with him, because he couldn't stop smiling. Didn't want to, in fact.
"What time is it?"
"Six-thirty," Justin said. JC made a disapproving noise. Justin was usually a morning person, but right now he agreed - he could have done with several more hours of sleep. Carefully, he peeled himself off of JC. "We better get up. And... wow, we're kind of gross."
JC smiled wickedly. "Sure was fun getting this way."
"Mm, it was." Justin surrendered to the impulse to kiss JC, and JC pulled him close. It was so nice and warm and comfortable being this near to JC, and Justin could really get behind the idea of morning sex right now, but they really, really had to get up. Bus to catch.
JC felt so damn perfect in his arms.
Eventually it was JC who pulled back from the embrace. "You're right," he said, "we have to shower." He was smiling again, tickling under Justin's chin with one finger. "C'mon."
Oh. Good idea.
The bathroom was fucking freezing, so obviously they had to hold each other and make out until the water heated up, and Justin's morning hard-on never had the chance to get soft, caressed as it was in JC's talented hand. Justin didn't care that they were both sticky with old sweat and jizz from last night, just that JC was here in his arms right now. They could get clean in a minute.
After a couple of minutes, steam started to rise from the shower. JC disentangled himself, stepped in, and held out his hand for Justin to join him.
There wasn't a whole lot of space in the shower - just enough for two people if they got real close, which was absolutely fine with Justin. They made out some more under the water, and the heady mix of JC's touch and the hot water running over his skin... yeah, this was heaven, just about.
It got even more heavenly right about the time that JC sank to his knees.
Justin hadn't thought that would be possible in a space this cramped, but JC seemed to fit, just about, ass pressed up against the tiled wall as he kissed and licked over Justin's hip and thigh, teasing. Then he swallowed Justin down in one slick movement and Justin couldn't breathe. JC's mouth was amazing.
JC made him come in a couple of minutes, flicking his tongue deliciously, keeping Justin deep in his throat even through orgasm, swallowing it all down. After that, of course, Justin had to return the favour, and it was wonderful to finally get a full dose of JC's cock instead of the little taste he'd had the night before. He was really glad of all the practice he'd had at this with Curtis. More glad, though, of JC's musky smell and the noises he was making as Justin worked his mouth and tongue. JC came rapidly and hard, clutching helplessly at Justin's head, and Justin smiled as he swallowed.
Afterwards, they washed each other clean, laughing and kissing and touching. Justin wasn't going to get hard again, not yet, but that didn't matter at all; just the closeness was nice. When they were clean, they dried off together, and watched each other, smiling, as they dressed.
By the time they were showered and dressed, it was already seven, and they really had to think about getting out of there if they were going to make their bus. Justin was really, really tempted to say screw it and stay here until they were kicked out - catch some later bus - but, among other things, Chris would kill him. Anyway, JC was getting the same bus, so they had a little more time together.
They needed caffeine badly, so Justin washed out the cups while JC made coffee, and they drank it as quick as they could, standing up and gulping it down. When he was done - Justin was still drinking - JC turned and suddenly started digging in his bag.
"Forget something?" Justin asked.
"No," JC said, "just wanted to..." He pulled some dark piece of cloth from his holdall and stuffed it into the top of his backpack. Justin frowned.
JC smiled and stood up, leaned forward and murmured into Justin's ear, "Bring a change of underwear on the bus."
Justin grinned, and suddenly his cheeks were burning. "Okay."
"You're blushing," JC said softly. "That's so cute."
"Shut up, you." Justin finished his coffee, set his mug down by JC's and set about finding a clean pair of boxers.
***
After the cab fare back to the Greyhound terminal, they had a little over twenty-five bucks left - enough that they'd actually be able to eat lunch and dinner on the way to Pittsburgh. They bought a healthful breakfast of candy and soda from the terminal's vending machines and then made for their bus.
They found seats together near the back of the bus and worked their way slowly through the candy as the bus started to move. When they were done eating, and Justin had called Chris and confirmed that, yes, they made the bus, JC rested his head on Justin's shoulder. "Wow, I didn't get enough sleep."
"Hmm," Justin said, "no, me neither."
He picked the candy wrappers off of their laps, stuffed them into his coat pocket - he'd find a trash can at the first rest stop - and slipped his arm around JC's waist. He wouldn't usually do that in public, but it was the day before Christmas Eve, and no one was looking their way. Anyway, he and JC had just this one bus trip together, thirteen hours, and after that they'd probably never see each other again. He was fucked if he was going to waste it.
JC returned the gesture, and Justin's eyes drifted shut as they snuggled up. He slept through most of Indiana, and when he woke up they were stopped and JC was gently shaking his shoulder. "Hey, Justin, wake up, it's lunchtime."
"Oh." Justin blinked. "What time is it?"
"Uh, almost twelve-thirty. We're on schedule, I think."
Justin stirred himself and followed JC off the bus, shaking his head to get the fog out of it. They debated between Burger King and McDonald's, until JC just grabbed Justin's wrist and dragged him inside the McDonald's. JC ordered them each a Happy Meal and waved Justin to find a seat, leaning over the counter to talk with the teenage girl who'd been serving them.
Justin found a seat near the door and watched as the girl stepped away from the counter, talked briefly to a co-worker, disappeared. After a minute she came back and put something into JC's hand. JC grinned enormously and came over to the table with the food.
Justin cracked open his Happy Meal and pulled out his burger, but there was no toy inside. "Oh, hey," he said, "I don't get like, a polar bear or something?"
JC smiled and pushed something across the table to Justin. "I kind of got you something else."
Justin frowned. It was something small and pink and plastic in a cellophane wrapper. He picked it up and examined it more closely: a little toy animal, like a... "Oh my God," Justin said, beginning to laugh.
"Do you like it?" JC asked.
"You got me a My Little Pony," Justin said in disbelief. "I. God, you asshole. I love it."
JC grinned. "You're welcome," he said, and took a big bite out of his burger.
***
Justin put the pony in his pocket and had to be really careful not to throw it out with the candy wrappers on their way back to the bus. It was tiny, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, and he put his hand back in his pocket when the wrappers were gone, closing his fingers around the toy until the plastic was warm with his body heat. He kept glancing at JC as they walked back to the bus, and smiling every time he did. Impossible not to.
Back on the bus, Justin didn't even care any more that people might see them. He kissed JC's soft cheek almost as soon as they were on the move, and JC's smile was so beautiful that Justin kissed him again.
There was no one in the seats across the aisle, and no one in front of them had any reason to be looking back, so Justin kept kissing JC, sliding his hand onto JC's leg, until JC kissed back and their fingers intertwined on JC's thigh. They weren't due to make another stop for a long time - and even then, it would only be ten minutes - so it didn't even matter that pretty soon Justin's cock was straining against the fly of his jeans or that JC had turned in his seat and thrown one leg across Justin's thighs. For now, this would have to do.
JC's touch was intoxicating, and Justin's hand kept rubbing up and down JC's thigh as JC's erection pressed into the top of Justin's hip. As long as no one actually peered over the seats or something, their coats made a pretty good disguise for what they were doing. As long as no one looked right at them and they didn't make any noise.
Still, they weren't going to go any further than this, not on the bus. No further than kissing and touching and squirming around a little, JC's hand grazing against his stomach, working slowly lower, closer and closer to Justin's aching groin.
Justin kept kissing JC, harder and hotter, on the basis that if his mouth was busy with that, he couldn't beg JC to fucking touch him now. God - they had to wait, they couldn't do this on the bus, they had to wait; fuck, fuck, they couldn't wait, no way. JC's hand slipped down that final inch and Justin gasped loudly.
JC said, "Sh-sh-sh."
Justin bit his lip as JC's hand started to shuffle against his desperately frustrated cock, gently at first, then picking up the pressure and pace. He couldn't move even if he wanted, JC's leg holding him firmly in place, and he really, really didn't want to move. JC's hand was whipping him up into a frenzy, and it was hard, so hard to keep quiet when JC was touching him just right, over and over, like - hell, was JC psychic or something? How did he know?
How did he know that moving his hand just-so made Justin want to scream?
Justin ended up burying his face in the collar of JC's coat, pressing his lips against the scratchy fabric, and JC's other hand came around to the back of his head, holding him there. The pressure was enormous and building, and JC kept going until it was too much, too much, and his body was twisting helplessly as his hips shuddered and jerked, coming-coming-coming. Justin's mouth fell open against JC's shoulder, but somehow he managed to hold the cry that wanted to explode out of him when he came. He couldn't get his breath for a full minute after, taking gulp after gulp of air as JC's hand stroked his hair.
"Oh, God," Justin whispered, and JC carefully patted the soggy front of Justin's jeans. The change of underwear had been a really good idea, but he should have packed some clean pants, too.
JC grinned as Justin kissed him, then shuddered, because Justin was trailing one hand down to the fork of JC's crotch. Their foreheads pressed together as Justin jerked JC off, and Justin put one hand over JC's back so he could feel the way JC's whole body started to shake as he approached orgasm. The moment itself was great, JC's hot breath all over his face, and under his hands, rigid tension followed by the sudden spike of release.
Justin had a tendency to get kind of sleepy after sex, but he didn't feel tired at all now. He was totally wide-awake and excited, and he didn't even care about the sticky mess in his underwear, although he'd probably be glad to get cleaned up a little later. Right now, he didn't want to leave JC's side.
JC dropped his leg, but they stayed turned towards each other for as long as was comfortable, kissing occasionally, brushing hands, like they were checking in. They didn't talk much for a while. Maybe they didn't need to.
After a while, Justin's back was complaining enough at the awkward position that he sat up and turned. JC shifted too, resting his head on Justin's shoulder again, and put his hand over Justin's. Justin liked the feel of the warm skin against his. Sharing body heat.
He turned to look out the window at Indiana, or maybe Ohio now, rushing past. Then he checked his watch. One fifty-five, Eastern time.
Eight hours to Pittsburgh.
***
In Toledo, they didn't have time to do much except run to the bathroom and clean up. The public bathroom in the rest stop was... well, marginally better than the bus bathroom. Marginally.
After that, it was two hours to Cleveland and a long break for dinner. JC got Justin to tell more stories about Chris, and it kept bringing him up short that JC and Chris might actually meet tonight, if the bus wasn't leaving again right away. That seemed weird - introducing Chris to his one-night stand - but he guessed it was no weirder than Chris threatening to kill Curtis. Or taking Justin in for the holidays. Chris would likely take it all in his stride.
JC liked to laugh a lot. Justin liked that; JC was kind of adorable when he laughed. The best part was getting to hold JC through a couple of giggle fits, pulling him close and feeling his body quiver. Maybe that was because they'd been laughing right before they kissed the first time, but Justin thought he'd like it anyway. JC was so... he was sweet.
They had dinner at Taco Bell in Cleveland, then went to Starbucks and spent the very last of their cash on hot chocolate and muffins for dessert. The topic of conversation had wandered off Chris and gotten through work, music, crappy college jobs, ex-boyfriends, sports teams, before Justin even really thought to ask JC about his family. JC was adopted, it turned out.
After that, JC started to talk about Maryland and home. Justin felt torn between missing his own family, and thinking about Pittsburgh and having to let JC go. Neither of those was particularly nice.
JC stopped in mid-sentence. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah," Justin said. "I just. It's been good, today. You know?"
"It has," JC said. "It really has." He put a hand on Justin's shoulder, and Justin leaned into the touch a little dejectedly. "Justin, c'mon, today's not done yet."
"No, it's not." Justin turned his head to kiss JC's hand, and JC smiled. "Come to the bathroom with me?"
***
The public bathroom was pretty gross, but Justin decided it would do. He pushed JC into the stall ahead of him and locked the door behind them. Then he leaned forward and grabbed JC, pulled him close, kissed him violently hard. JC kissed him back, equally passionate, his hands gripping Justin's ass hard for a second before he pulled back and said, "Justin, Justin, hey, what's up?"
Justin looked at him. "Huh?"
"Not that I don't approve of this. And not that I know your whole repertoire, or whatever, but this seems a little... out of character. For you."
"Oh," Justin said. "Um."
"So," JC said, "what's up?"
"I just," Justin began. He wasn't sure quite how to put it, because it made him sound so clingy and needy, and JC was the kind of guy who just did casual sex and moved on. Justin had really thought he'd be able to do this.
He took a deep breath and tried anyway. "I just, I'm gonna miss you when you go. And I don't wanna, like. Waste this."
JC hugged him.
Justin hugged back, passion forgotten for a little bit while JC held him. Then JC said, "I'll miss you too. You're so..." There was a long pause while JC fumbled for the word. Justin didn't want to ask what he was going to say, and he was surprised when JC finally finished with, "I don't know, we just fit."
"Yeah," Justin said.
JC kissed him then, and it wasn't the grasping, hungry sex that they'd started, but something much slower and more delicate. JC kept touching Justin very softly, like he was handling something precious and fragile. Justin closed his eyes, wanting to do nothing but touch, touch JC while he could, feel it all, because there just wasn't enough time. He'd miss this so much, when it was gone.
When they were done, Justin checked his watch, and they suddenly had to tuck themselves into their pants and run - Justin laughing, because after everything, what would Chris have said if the bus had left while he was blowing his one-night stand in a bathroom in Cleveland?
They collapsed back into their seats, panting. Justin automatically reached out to put an arm around JC, and JC leaned into him happily, nuzzling his shoulder. Justin rested his head on JC's, squeezed JC's waist, closed his eyes. The bus moved off, and a few minutes later they were back on the freeway, passing through Ohio at a steady fifty-five.
"Hey," Justin said when they'd been moving a while. It was almost seven now, just three more hours on the road. Outside, it was dark, and heavy snow was falling, but Justin felt warm because JC was right there.
"Hey," JC said sleepily. Justin thought he might be dropping off again.
Justin said, "Can I see you again?"
"Mmm," JC said, shifting slightly against Justin's shoulder. "Sure."
"Cool," Justin said.
Five minutes later, JC was dead to the world.
***
JC slept through the short layover at Akron and only woke up once they'd been back on the highway for ten minutes. Justin had been staring out of the window, lost in thought, and turned his head when JC stirred against him.
"Hi," Justin said softly.
JC didn't say anything, just adjusted his head on Justin's shoulder. Justin smiled. "Going back to sleep?"
"No," JC said. "You're just comfortable."
"Oh, okay."
If JC wanted to snuggle up, Justin wasn't going to complain. JC stayed quiet for a few more minutes, while Justin looked out the window again, watching scenery go by. It had been such a weird day, wonderful and confusing, so out of his normal experience that he wasn't even sure how to feel. The little plastic horse was still in his pocket, and Justin disturbed JC digging for it.
"Mmph," JC said, sitting up. "I'm not asleep."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Justin said.
"What are you doing?" JC asked, rubbing his face.
"I, um." Justin produced the My Little Pony, smiling, a little embarrassed. "I dunno, I just wanted it."
JC laughed, shook his head, and plucked the toy from Justin's fingers. "You are so cute," he said.
Justin looked down at his lap. His cheeks were hot again and he just knew he was blushing, which was even more embarrassing. It was stupid; that whimsical little gift had meant so much to him, like it was a sign, or something. A symbol of what had happened between them. Yeah; it was stupid.
How did you fall for someone in just one day?
"So damn cute," JC said happily, and he put the pony back into Justin's hand. Justin closed his fist around it, unable to stop smiling, still blushing furiously, and didn't look up. There was a little pause, and then JC said, "So when do I get to see you again?"
That did make Justin look up. "Huh?"
"You did want to see me, right?" JC was frowning a little. "I mean, I didn't dream that part?"
"No!" There was a moment when Justin felt a bit panicked that JC had thought it wasn't real. "I - totally, I. I'd love to see you again. That'd be, that'd be so great."
"Cool," JC said, and his face relaxed into a grin. "Uh, you're in St. Paul, right?"
"Yeah."
Justin's diary was in his backpack under his seat, and JC's was either in his holdall or back in Madison - JC wasn't totally sure. So they didn't manage to fix up anything more concrete than a phone call. Justin saved JC's cell number in his phone, and when they got to Youngstown, he pulled out his diary and wrote the number in there too, just in case.
JC snatched the diary and pen out of Justin's hands when he was done, and scrawled a spidery list underneath Justin's careful penmanship. Home number, two different work numbers - school was written by one, store by the other - his parents' place, an email address. "There," JC said, grinning.
"Awesome," Justin said.
There wasn't really a page of his diary he could tear out easily, but there was a notepad in his backpack somewhere, and he managed to grab it just as the bus pulled out of Youngstown. His handwriting was a little messier than normal, because it was hard to write neatly on a moving bus, but he managed to get down the essential numbers in a list and hand them over to JC. JC glanced at the list, kissed Justin once, and spent the next five minutes programming the numbers into his phone.
When he was done, JC shoved the list in his coat pocket with his phone, then started to talk about what they'd do after the holidays.
They were going to see each other in January. Early January, if they could possibly swing it, because Justin didn't want to think about waiting weeks to do this again. Not the bus thing - he could live without travelling by bus for a very, very long time - but the being with JC, the talking and the laughter and, not incidentally, the really good sex.
Justin put his arm around JC and held him as they kept talking, on from their airy plans, about the holidays and what they thought they'd get for Christmas. Justin decided that this, right here, was the definition of Christmas coming early, but he didn't say that, because despite everything he'd felt and said today, he wasn't actually a girl.
Chris was pretty much going to call him one for the entire holiday, though, no doubt.
They talked and talked. Suddenly it was nine-fifteen, then nine-thirty, then nine forty-five, and ten minutes after that, the bus was pulling into the terminal in Pittsburgh and Justin absolutely didn't want to get off. JC took his hand and hauled him up, though, and kept holding his hand while Justin waited to get his bag. The bus was laying over in Pittsburgh for about ninety minutes.
Chris was sitting on one of the plastic seats in the waiting area, jigging his foot up and down, twirling his car keys over and over on his finger, staring at nothing. Justin called, "Hey!" across the terminal and Chris started and turned and got up.
Justin dropped his bag, went over and swept Chris up in a hug. God, but it was good to see him. Chris hugged back for a moment, then did the usual Chris thing and shoved Justin playfully away. "Hey," Justin said again, and he glanced behind him to where JC was standing with their bags.
"JC," he said, "this is my buddy Chris. Chris, JC."
JC gave Chris a friendly smile. Chris didn't return it. Instead he looked JC all the way up and down, appraisingly, before turning back to Justin. "This is the motel guy?"
"Yeah."
"It went okay? Well, I guess he didn't murder you."
Justin grinned. "No, not exactly."
"Oh, hell, kid, you didn't." Chris covered his face, but Justin could see the grin underneath Chris's hand. Justin glanced at JC, to reassure him that it was all right, and JC seemed on board with that. He met Justin's eyes, smiling, and didn't say anything. Didn't need to, right this second.
"I... yeah," Justin said.
Chris folded his arms across his stomach and started to laugh.
***
Justin left JC and Chris with the bags while he took a piss - it was about another hour and a half out to Chris's place from Pittsburgh. When he got back, JC was sitting next to Chris on the plastic seating, and the two of them were laughing uproariously. Chris looked up and held out his hand as Justin approached them.
"All right," Chris said, "hand it over."
"What?"
"You know what." Chris snapped his fingers impatiently.
Justin smiled, sighed, and reached into his pocket to pull out the My Little Pony. Chris snatched it, turned to JC, and said, "That? Is genius. You can stick around."
JC grinned. "Thank McDonald's, man, they came through for me on that one."
"McDonald's, huh?" Chris turned the pony over in his fingers thoughtfully, and Justin folded his arms and stared at Chris. Predictably, that had no effect, so Justin sighed theatrically and grabbed the toy from Chris.
"Hey!" Chris said. "I was contemplating that."
"Mine," Justin said petulantly, pocketing it.
Chris let out another bark of laughter and got up, checking his watch. "Okay, we better get going. My mom said she's locking the doors at midnight."
Justin nodded and glanced at JC. JC got up and reached out to shake Chris's hand first, saying, "It was good meeting you. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," Chris said. "I'll be at the car, Justin."
Justin nodded and turned to JC. "Well," he said.
"Well," said JC. "This was." He grinned, and Justin's return grin was automatic, even though he felt... it was hard to define what he felt. Churned up inside, sad and happy all at once, missing JC while he was still here and already wondering how soon they could be in contact again.
"This was amazing, baby," JC said. "I'll see you real soon, okay?"
"Sure." Justin stepped forward, hugged JC, kissed him, hugged him again, and it was the same feeling he'd had that morning, that JC was perfect in his arms. Perfect. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," JC said. He rubbed Justin's back and pulled back, his hands on Justin's shoulders. "I guess you better go."
"I guess," Justin said, glancing behind him. He couldn't see any sign of Chris, and he figured Chris really had gone back to the car. He bent down to get his backpack and then his holdall, and quickly grabbed JC's hand. "I. Call me when you're home?"
"That's gonna be, like, six tomorrow," JC said.
"I'll be awake," Justin said. "Call my cell."
"Okay." JC squeezed Justin's hand. "Get out of here."
Justin held onto JC's hand right up until the last possible moment, then raised the hand in a wave as he backed away. JC waved back, and finally Justin turned for the parking lot, his luggage suddenly seeming very heavy. He glanced over his shoulder again at the door, and JC was sitting again, watching him go, raising one hand to him. Justin smiled and walked out of the terminal.
Chris was waiting by the door, jigging impatiently, and grabbed Justin's bag as they walked over to the car. "Jesus," he said, "what the hell did you pack, bricks?"
Justin just smiled.
Chris shifted the bag to the other hand and patted Justin's shoulder gently. "You'll be fine."
They'd been on the highway about five minutes when Justin's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and smiled at the display before answering. "No way are you home already," he said, by way of a greeting.
"Dude," said JC's voice, "I'm not even back on the bus yet."
Epilogue
Chris insisted that Justin call his mother on Christmas Day, which, really, he would have done anyway. He wasn't a total asshole.
The small house was packed with people, so after breakfast Justin retreated up the stairs and sat on the top step while he flipped through the numbers in his cell to find his mom's. It was a little bit of privacy, at least, and Justin thought that Chris had maybe asked his sisters to leave Justin alone for a little bit.
The phone rang twice before it was answered. "Hello?"
"Hi, momma, it's Justin."
She sounded pleased to hear from him, and they wished each other a merry Christmas and managed to talk for a while without really talking about stuff. Everybody had liked the gifts Justin had sent, and he'd already opened the gifts his mom had sent to Chris's place for him. There was something back at home, she said, that she hadn't wanted to send in the mail, and Justin wondered what it was.
After a while, she said, "Oh, baby, I wish you'd come home."
"I will," he said. "I will. In January, maybe. Just let me pay some off my credit card bill."
"You know we'd get you here," his mom said. He did, but that wasn't the point: there came a time when you had to start paying for shit yourself. "Bring Curtis," she said, carefully, "if you'd like."
"Uh, we broke up a while back." He'd forgotten that he hadn't mentioned that.
"Oh." There was a little pause. "Well, is there somebody new?"
"Actually, there is," Justin said, and he put his hand into the pocket of his jeans. Somehow, the My Little Pony had ended up in there. He guessed he'd reflexively picked it up from the coffee table, where he was keeping it while he slept.
He'd done the same thing yesterday.
"What's his name?" his mom asked.
Justin pulled the pony out of his pocket, turned it around between his fingers; and, taking a deep breath, started to tell his mother about JC.
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