Many many thanks to Ang and Emmy for beta, and to Kyla for the beautiful reworkings of Ang's photo manipulations and Goth!Britney.

*****

Justin heaved himself off the dance floor, panting. In the last ten minutes he had danced to Sarah McLachlan, Run DMC, and Slipknot - which was why he loved Chris's spinning, but was also why he was sweating like a pig.

As he started to gallop up the stairs to the DJ booth, he felt a fine-boned hand close on his shoulder. "Justin!" a soft voice keened. "I thought you were gonna dance with me tonight." He rolled his eyes and turned to face Britney.

"Later, okay, Brit? I've got to talk to Chris right now." He didn't wait for her bottom lip to complete its transformation into a pout before he was off again, intent on reaching Chris's side. When he hit the top of the stairs at full speed, he had to grab the door frame to keep himself from tumbling into the booth. Chris laughed at him.

"Hey there, young'un! You might need to go back down stairs, work off some of that energy."

"No, Chris, no, I really don't. What I do need to do is go outside with you, keep out of Britney's sight for a little while."

Chris sighed. "She bugging you again?" At Justin's nod, he reached out a hand to cup his cheek, rubbing where Justin's eyeliner was smeared on the delicate skin beneath his eyes. He started to speak, but his eyes wandered down the expanse of Justin's filmy shirt, sheer with sweat, and his breath caught. "Let's go outside, have a smoke," he croaked. Justin nodded, giving silent thanks for assistants who knew how to run the board.

Hand in hand, they threaded their way downstairs and through the press of bodies, outdoors to the porch. Chris flirted with everyone he saw, as always - "It's good to be the DJ," he murmured - but once he and Justin found a deserted corner of the porch he seemed to forget anyone but the boy standing in front of him.

A cool breeze caught Justin and made his nipples pucker beneath his shirt, made him shiver as it breathed across his neck. It was immediately followed by Chris's fingers, playing over skin sensitized by evaporating sweat. He leaned into Chris's touch, closed his eyes and arched his neck as he hummed encouragement beneath his breath, and was turning to capture Chris's lips with his own when he heard Britney's voice again.

"Ha, found you! C'mon, Chris is playing our so-" she stuttered to a halt as she saw Chris behind Justin, one hand still on his neck. "Oh. Or maybe not."

Justin tried to think of words to say to her, tried to figure out how to convey what he was thinking, but gave it up and simply turned his back on her. He quailed at her huff of frustration, but then he met Chris's eye and could barely contain his laughter.

He kept a straight face until he heard her heels tapping away from them, but chortled as soon as the sounds of the crowd around them had swallowed her. Chris joined him, but sobered a little to ask, "Dude, you do know what you're passing up there, right? I mean, her skin is, like, milky white. She is the standard to which all Goth girls aspire. She's so pale she glows."

Justin snickered. "Well, your skin is milky white, too, so I guess that means all the Goth girls are aspiring to be you." He used Chris's amusement as an opportunity to slide in closer and wrap an arm around him. "Besides, you can make music with your hands." He stroked Chris's fingers where they lay on his shoulder. "With those fake nails, the only thing Britney can make up is her face."

When Chris convulsed with laughter, Justin held tighter to him, and when he straightened and gasped for air Justin leaned down and kissed him. Hard and clumsy at first, almost missing his mouth entirely, then gently when Chris kissed him back - then back to hard and energetic when Chris clutched his shirt and pulled him closer.

After a few minutes, Chris reluctantly pulled himself away from Justin's teeth, which were nibbling on Chris's lower lip. "I have to get back to the booth." He ran his gaze over Justin's flushed cheeks and bright eyes, and added, "Come up with me a while. I'll let you watch me run the board."

Justin grinn