Dance Party
Shoot part three
by Pet

Nick had no idea what had gotten Justin all flushed and bright-eyed and furtive, but he wasn't really going to question it. Not when it had Justin grabbing his hand and shaking it hard, like they'd never met before, and whispering loudly for Nick to meet him in the bathroom later. Then he'd run off in a flurry of long legs and arms and too-big hands and hair, and Nick had been left smiling and clueless.

Justin had that effect on him a lot, he'd realized.

He couldn't go right away, he just couldn't. It was a thing, a charity thing, and Howie was all excited about it. Nick figured that most of the money was going to go to accountants and managers, but Howie had some interesting ideas about what celebrity was good for, and Nick didn't want to disappoint him. Howie was one of the few really nice people he knew. So he circulated, shaking hands and kissing cheeks and looking just as cute as he knew how to. His face hurt from smiling.

His eye was caught for a minute by Kevin talking fiercely at someone much shorter than he was, someone with dark weird hair. Chris, maybe? He didn't really know any of them that well, since they'd only just started getting famous. Kevin looked pretty pissed off, though, and the short guy wasn't backing down an inch, and Nick was a little worried, until Brian came up and dragged Kevin off. Chris mouthed a very clear "fuck you" at Kevin's back, and then drifted back into the crowd.

Where was Justin? He leaned against a wall and scanned the room. Where-there was a presence at his elbow, but he knew it wasn't Justin. AJ. He grinned a little, sideways.

"Nicky." AJ *knew* he hated that.

"Alexander." He tried to sneer it, but really, what was wrong with Alexander?

"What were you talking to the brat about earlier?" AJ was always direct.

"Which...oh, Justin? Dude, we've known each other since we were kids. Just saying hi." He didn't really want anyone to know that he and Justin were phone buddies. It seemed wierd. He clenched his hands and thought distracting thoughts at AJ.

AJ lit up a cigarrette, and Nick watched with jaded eyes. AJ would catch hell for it later, from somebody or other. Nick didn't care. Apparently, neither did AJ.

"So you got an inside track into the wannabes? Dish the dish, Nicky. Are they all really descended from retarded rednecks?" AJ's drawl was amused. His slouch against the wall was casual and sexy, his eyes flicking over the crowd appraisingly. AJ was young, only just nineteen, but Nick thought he probably already had his role figured out. Nick did too, but AJ's seemed like it was going to be a lot more fun.

"Nah, they're just guys. Howie knows Chris, you know. Go bug the shit out of him, not me." He looked away from AJ, and his tattoos, and his smirk. He tried to copy the slouch, but straightened up immediately, feeling too-tall and awkward and stupid. He scowled, and a woman, girl really, paused and stared at him, and licked her lips. He stared straight at her, feeling dark and a little mean, and she ran her eyes over him once before moving on. With clear intent.

Well. Maybe his role wasn't so defined after all. He moved away from the wall and AJ, waving absently, in search of another test subject. He let himself fall into a pout, the one that made Kevin shout at him, and AJ coo and tickle him under the chin sarcastically. A tall redhead did a little double-take when she saw him, and then asked him his name and who was he with and was he having a good time? He smirked, taking care to keep it kind of mean. He looked her up and down, and shook his head.

"You're old enough to be my mother." He smiled at her, and walked on, feeling strangely satisfied by the look of shock on her face. It felt good. She'd noticed him, all right. Nick would bet she wouldn't forget him, either. He bared his teeth at Howie's worried smile, and turned away. This was cool. He wasn't smiling that fake smile, he wasn't opening his eyes all big the way his mom always told him to, he wasn't being good. He liked it.

Even through the darkness in the big ballroom, he could see Justin's arm waving at him, the big sparkling smile with all the teeth. Justin had grown a lot, and everyone in the ROOM could probably see him. Christ, he was the least subtle thing ever. Nick rolled his eyes and moved towards the bathroom. Might as well get it over with. He ignored the sudden shakiness of his stomach, the way his hands suddenly seem to want to fidget with his hair. It was just Justin, after all. The kid was a dork of the highest order.

Justin's head still just came up to Nick's nose, so when he jumped out from behind the corner Nick was coming around and said "Boo!", Nick almost flattened him with his startled jump. He pulled himself upright and glowered. The expression had already started feeling familiar.

Justin's happy grin died, and he cocked his head like a curious puppy. His hands came up--huge hands, Justin was gonna be BIG, Nick had heard his mother say--and long fingers patted at Nick's face, pushing and pulling until Nick's mouth was turned up at the corners. Involuntarily, Nick felt his eyes crinkle, his lips twitch up in response, and Justin beamed at him. Still without a word being spoken, he grabbed Nick's hand and dragged him down the plushly carpeted hallway. His fingers were warm and dry, and Nick almost pulled away to wipe his own palms on his pants. Justin probably thought he was a big sweaty freak.

They went by the men's room without a pause, and Nick let his protest die in his throat, kind of liking the secret spy feeling to all the silence and the sneaking. He trailed along behind Hurricane Justin, wondering where on earth they were going.

His question when Justin paused outside a door, looked around dramatically, then pulled him in. It was another bathroom, only two stalls and a counter and less plush, and Nick wondered,

"Justin, how on EARTH-"

"Shhh!" Justin put a finger to his own lips, looking conspiratorial. "I found this place earlier. It's perfect!" His eyes were shining.

Nick obediently lowered his voice, still pretending he wasn't excited and happy and almost tingling to be singled out. "Perfect for what?" Direct questions usually worked best with Justin.

"Well, y'know, when we were talking last week- HEY! You never called me back!" Derailed, Justin looked wounded and stared at Nick. His mouth was very pretty. Not that Nick noticed or anything.

"Justin, we had concerts every night! I couldn't call you, I never got a minute alone. I didn't..." He hoped Justin wasn't too mad.

Justin looked at him for another second, then seemed to re-energize. "It's ok, I know how it gets. Anyway, when we were talkin'? And you were saying how AJ did ecstasy and like danced around and sang for a couple of hours and said he could see music? You said it looked like fun, I mean, before he got in trouble and everything. I thought it would be cool." He stuffed a hand into his pocket, and proudly produced two slightly linty white pills. "Look!"

Nick stared. Wow. Justin had really gotten drugs? Real drugs. Wow.

"Where'd you get those?"

Justin looked proud. "One of our roadies. I swore I wouldn't take 'em alone, and I gave him my tickets for the Heat game."

Nick was impressed. But-

"So...they're pills, right? Do we just...swallow them? I mean." He had no idea what to do.

Justin chewed his lip. He stared at the pills.

"You didn't see AJ when he took it?"

"Nah. They're all real careful about that with me." Nick snorted. "Like I don't know."

"Yeah, me too. I mean, I guess we could swallow them. But don't you usually...I mean, don't you usually SNIFF drugs?"

Nick looked doubtfully at the pills. He didn't think he could get one up his nose. Though he did remember AJ wiping at his nose when he'd seen him before. Like, a lot.

"No, no..." Justin interpreted his look. "Like, smash 'em up. I think you're really only supposed to take one, so they put 'em in doses so you know. Then you smash 'em up and sniff 'em." He looked like he was trying to sound wise. Nick transferred his doubtful glance to Justin. Justin stuck out his lower lip. "I'm serious. We should smash 'em."

"I guess so." AJ HAD been wiping his nose. He took a pill from Justin, careful not to let his fingers linger, looked around the bathroom for something to smash with. And something to smash on. He settled on the counter and the back of his watch. Justin was using the counter and what looked like his hotel key.

When they had two little piles of white powder on the counter, they stared at them, then at each other, then back at the piles.

"What now?" Justin broke the silence. "I shoulda brought a straw."

"No, no." Nick had seen this in a movie. "Give me a dollar. No, a twenty. Here, I'll show you." He took the proffered bill, and carefully rolled it into a little tube. "Ta da!" Justin grinned at him. Then there was more silence.

"Um, you wanna go first?"

"They're your pills."

"I got 'em for YOU!"

"Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah. Totally. Dude, we could like sing together and see music and stuff." Justin beamed at him. How could he resist that smile?

"Oh. Cool. OK, I'll go first." He took a deep breath, let it out and bent to the counter. He tried to inhale it all, he did, but halfway through he started choking and he felt the rest hit the back of his throat and he swallowed. He hoped it was ok. He felt lightheaded and his nose burned like CRAZY and he stood up and Justin was looking at him with huge admiring eyes. Nick smiled. He felt about ten feet tall.

He handed the rolled-up bill to Justin, who took it gingerly and wrinkled his nose.

"This has been up-" he broke off, and sighed, and leaned over. He made kind of a sniffling noise, and swallowed a lot...Nick could see his throat working, and his eyes were pinched shut, as he inhaled the little mound of white. He was going really slowly, Nick thought, and wondered again if they were doing it right, and-

The door swinging open caught him in the shoulder, and sent him SLAM into Justin, who staggered back and said "what the FUCK?" and then they both saw AJ. Who looked at them, then at the counter, and Nick could almost see him go from zero to furious. It took him less than a second. Nick shrank back into Justin.

"What EXACTLY," AJ's voice was very very calm, "are you doing in here, Nickolas?" He waited, tense, by the door, for his answer. Justin was shaking behind Nick, he could feel the tremble.

"Um." He wasn't sure what to say that would make this better, and it came out a squeak anyway.

"Is that...were you snorting. Nick. Is that coke?" AJ was keeping a firm grip on himself. Nick was impressed; he could tell AJ really wanted to be screaming at him. "And is that that fucking Timberlake kid hiding behind you? Did he give you COKE, Nick?"

"No!" That was clear enough. "It's not coke! It's not, it's ecstasy, I wouldn't..." He trailed off. AJ looked confused.

"Why the fuck were you snorting-" and he broke off too, as the door swung in again. Nick felt Justin's head drop to his shoulder, and a groan behind him. Joey Fatone--Nick thought that was his name--was taking in the scene, one eyebrow raised.

"My my. Quite the little boyband gathering we have here." AJ spun and glared at him. Nick thought absently that it was a little like watching a terrier take on a big dog. AJ was little and skinny, and Joey wasn't very heavy, but he was taller even than Nick, and had a lot of muscle on him.

"Wanna explain why your boy's pushing hard drugs on Nick, Fatone?" AJ spat, and Joey went dark, heavy brows lowering.

"What the fuck are you talking about, McLean? My boy-" he broke off, looked carefully at Nick and and at Justin, who was still behind him, still with the bill in his hand. Nick rubbed at his nose self-consciously, hoping there was no evidence.

"Justin." Joey sounded just as deliberately calm as AJ. "Justin, did Nick give you cocaine? Did you take it?"

"Nick didn't-" AJ shouted

"No, it's not-" Justin said

"What-?" Nick asked

"ONE AT A TIME!" Joey roared, and they all fell silent.

"It's not coke, Joey." Justin was shuffling his feet, Nick could hear it. He was starting to feel a little odd, and he hoped this would be over soon.

"Your BOY," AJ sneered, "gave him ecstasy, and they snorted it."

"But why on earth-" Joey broke off, and rounded on AJ. "Knock that shit off, AJ, I'll bet anything it was Nick, y'all fuckers are like that-"

"Oh, what? What are you saying, you asshole?" AJ moved right up into Joey's space. Nick leaned even further back into Justin, who put a hand on the small of his back. It felt hot to his skin, and really nice.

"Yeah, you heard me." Joey didn't give an inch, and in fact just kind of loomed down over AJ. "You know what I'm saying, freakboy. I'm saying you and yours should stay away from Justin, he's a good kid, he don't need your shit."

"My shit?" AJ was hissing now, nose-to-nose with Joey. "MY shit? That little fuckin' boytoy drags Nick in here--you think I didn't see that? Does fuck knows what to him, gives him DRUGS-"

"Boytoy?" Justin whispered behind Nick. Nick shrugged. He didn't know.

Joey gave AJ a little shove back against the counter, and growled, and Nick felt his eyes go wide, and Justin's hand clutching at his shirt. Oh, shit...he had to do something...

"Guys?" His voice was barely a whisper, and he cleared his throat. "Guys?"

Their heads both turned, and he was caught by identical glares.

"Guys, I'm feeling a little strange. Can we maybe get out of the bathroom?" It wasn't entirely a lie. He was feeling a bit...fuzzy.

Joey looked back at AJ, but most of the anger was gone.

"They snorted E? SNORTED it?"

AJ's lips twitched, just a little. "Yeah."

Joey shook his head. Ran his hands through his hair, and stepped away from AJ. Nick breathed again, and felt Justin do the same. Justin was long and warm against his back. He concentrated on the feeling for a minute. It was like Justin was giving him goosebumps, only nicer...

"Oh for God's- What are we going to do with them?" Joey looked at AJ. AJ looked back.

"We could tell the guys-"

"NO!" Shouts from both Justin and Nick.

"-or not, I guess. Shit. You ever done E before, Fatone?"

Joey nodded, with a glance at Justin. "Yeah, coupla times."

"You think we can handle them?"

"With you? I don't wanna do SHIT with you, McLean. Much less babysit these two."

"Fuck you. Like it's MY dream evening. It'll be easier on them if we let 'em ride it out together, though, you KNOW that, you prick."

"I'll take 'em myself."

"Like hell you will. I'm not letting Nick out of my sight."

They glared at each other, then Joey sighed.

"Fine. FINE. Justin, I am beating your ass tomorrow, and trust me, you won't be in any shape for it. Stupid little shit." He slammed open the door again, and gestured out into the hallway. "What, you waitin' for an engraved invite? Let's go, everybody back to the hotel before the wonder twins here start seeing pretty swirlys. I hope that E was clean, too."

Justin finally moved out from behind Nick, hesitant as he approached AJ, who was waiting for them and still frowning. Justin's chin was tucked down. Nick was absolutely transfixed...the light was catching in his curls and making them sparkle! Nick wanted to touch, and see if the sparkles would come off on his fingers. He raised a hand as Justin moved away, and-

"None of that." AJ's voice was firm, and he took Nick's arm in his hand, pulled him out of the little bathroom. Nick stumbled a little, unsure of where his feet really were. The hallway was awfully nice, he hadn't noticed that before. Ahead of them, Joey had Justin firmly in hand. He didn't want to be walking with AJ, he wanted to walk with Justin. He pulled away and ran ahead, and was greeted with a glowing smile. Justin took his hand. Joey groaned. So did AJ.

The limousine ride was kind of a blur, because he and Justin kept talking over each other, pointing out the pretty things they could see. AJ's rings, so shiny. There was a beautiful tree. The pattern on Joey's shirt was just so cool. Nick wanted to make sure that Justin didn't miss any of it. He felt so good! And happy, and Justin was all pressed up against his side, keeping him warm and safe and making little happy bubbles form in his mind. At least that's what it felt like. Occasionally one of the bubbles would pop, and he'd get a whole shiver of new good feelings.

Joey spent the last five minutes of the ride with his head in his hands, as Justin hung on every word Nick spoke. It was just amazing, the way he did that. Like Nick had important things to say. AJ was on his cell phone to Howie, telling him that they'd had to leave because Nick didn't feel well.

"OK, guys." AJ spoke for the first time in a while, while they were waiting for the elevator. His voice was all rich and dark, and Nick let it run through his spine, feeling the tingle. Oh, nice. Justin was giggling. "No looking in the mirrors in there, ok? Justin? Nick? NICK. Look at me." He looked away from Justin's mouth. "Do not look in the mirrors. Look at me, look at Justin, look at JOEY, though God knows why you'd want to-" Joey's light shove bounced him off the wall and back, and he ignored it, "-but do not look at the mirrors."

"OK, AJ." Nick nodded obediently. Justin did too. No mirrors. That wouldn't be a problem. Why would Nick want to look at himself, when Justin's eyes were that unbelievable shade of blue?

"They are fucking GONE, man." AJ muttered to Joey, on the long ride to the penthouse. Nick didn't pay attention, since Justin seemed just as interested in HIS eyes, and was still holding his hand. "That must have been good stuff."

"Yeah." Joey sounded tired and a little envious, all at once. "Think we can keep 'em from jumping each other?" Justin's eyes smiled at Nick, at that. He smiled back. He'd never thought, never considered...but he felt like anything was possible right now, and Justin...maybe Justin was possible.

"Hope so. Since as far as I know, Nick's straight, and all." AJ was still pissy. "Tomorrow's gonna be bad enough as it is."

"Justin too, I guess. Yeah. Jesus. I need a beer."

"Oh yeah."

They fell silent, and shepherded Nick and Justin into a big room. AJ's, Nick thought.

"Here." Joey sat them down on the couch, at opposite ends, tugging at Justin until he let go of Nick's hand. He turned on the TV. "Look at the pretty moving pictures. Listen to the pretty music. NO-" He caught Justin as he tried to slide back over to Nick, "-stay on your side. Here." He clicked to MTV, and Justin was instantly captivated by a Janet video. "Good boy." Joey sighed, and joined AJ at the honor bar. They saluted each other with shots, downed them, and then moved back and sat between Justin and Nick.

Nick was not happy. He'd been happy a minute ago. Justin was all the way over there. AJ was just not as much fun to sit with. His hands felt kind of numb, and his skin ached to be touched. He leaned into AJ and sighed.

"You ok, kiddo?" AJ moved a hand up and stroked his hair. It felt wonderful. He almost purred, and pushed into the touch. Little tingles, all through his body. "You feelin' good?"

"Yeah, I'm good." Even his own voice felt gorgeous, coming out of his mouth. His head swiveled when the music changed to a Prince song. Was that "Get Off?" Whoa. And Justin was dancing in his seat, all liquid and beautiful and smiling. That wasn't right. Nick leapt to his feet, and grabbed Justin, and they were dancing. THAT was right, and Justin's delighted laugh was in his ear, and he had his hands on Justin's narrow waist as he twisted against Nick's body. Nick felt light like air, like the music was lifting him up and moving him where it wanted him to go. He'd never felt so graceful, and he moved and kicked up and spun, letting go of Justin and pulling him back in, feeling him lithe and strong in his hands. Justin was shining. Nick could feel himself smiling so wide he thought his face might break. He dipped his mouth to Justin's shoulder, and tasted salt and sweet where Justin's collar had slipped open. Justin laughed and pressed closer.

"Oh my God." AJ's voice was low enough that Nick could hear him, even after the TV changed to "I Would Die 4 U" and the volume kicked up a notch.

"They had to have the Prince block now?" Joey sounded a little hoarse too.

"The Artist, Joey, The Artist."

"I think you're missing my point, AJ."

Nick pulled Justin's hips flush with his and shivered with the feeling and heard Joey clear his throat. He couldn't be bothered to stop, though, not when Justin's touch was sending little darts of light straight to his brain and his groin and he'd never felt anything like this, not EVER.

Justin laughed low, and spun away, sliding into a quick breakdancing ripple, all through his body, and looked at the couch. "Come on, Joey! Dance!" Nick stared at Justin's hips. Did Justin have bones? He got caught in the thought for a moment and stopped dancing, only to have Justin wrap all around him and drag him back into the groove.

"Jesus God. Look at them!"

"They dance, Joey, it's what they do. Though I hope they never dance like that in public."

"We could probably charge admission for this and make a killing."

"Don't be an asshole, Fatone."

"Seriously, though."

"Oh, I know."

"Another shot? They look ok, for now."

"OK? You call that ok? They're practially--fuck yeah, give me that." Nick heard the clink of glasses. He could hear everything now. The music, Joey and AJ's low voices, Justin humming along to the song in his ear. He was singing too. Justin's heartbeat was thudding into him where they were pressed together.

"Nick." Justin pulled back and looked at him, all huge dark pupils and smile. "Can you feel the music?"

"Yeah." It was too much to handle. He had to...he bent his head to Justin, angled just the littlest bit, and kissed that smile. Justin made a little eager sound and wrapped his arms around Nick's neck, and Nick slid his tongue into welcoming wet warmth. It was kind of like kissing girls, only not, because it was Justin, and he tasted sweet and male and hot, and he was kissing back, and he was strong, and Nick felt his head swim and he staggered.

"FUCK." Joey's voice broke the spell, and he pulled back, but Justin was still smiling at him, not mad at all, and still dancing.

"No more of that." AJ's voice sounded a little shaky. "Dance all you want, I can't stop you, but keep your tongue in your mouth, Nick."

"You too, Jup, or I'm taking you to JC." Justin frowned a little at that, and nodded.

"Joey?" Justin turned in the circle of his arms, hips still moving to the beat, and Nick could feel every single swivel. He caught his breath.

"Yeah, Justin?"

"You won't tell, right? Not JC, not anyone?" Justin sounded very young.

Nick looked at Joey, who groaned, and dropped his head to AJ's shoulder. AJ patted it sympathetically. United by adversity, some semi-coherent part of Nick's brain giggled, and he whispered it to Justin, who laughed out loud.

"No, Justin. I won't tell." Joey sounded like the world's biggest martyr.

"You too, AJ?" He stared at AJ, who was watching them with dark eyes.

"Your drug binge secret's safe with me, kid. 'Least till I need a favor. You WILL be making this up to me." Nick wondered if AJ realized he was still petting Joey's hair.

"He's just a kid, McLean. Like you don't do dumb shit?"

"Not as dumb as this, Fatone."

"Not yet."

AJ seemed to consider that, and sighed. "Fine. I'll never tell. It'll be like tonight never happened. Scout's honor."

Later, though, when he was lying in the bed with Justin, whispering secrets and holding hands, pretty much sober and headachey and a little groggy, and AJ and Joey were almost asleep on the couch, still trading the occasional and increasingly unconvincing insult, Nick hoped it wouldn't be like tonight never happened. From the look in Justin's eyes, he didn't think he'd have anything to worry about.

[end]

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