Words: shenanigans, nirvana, preposterous, feisty, center stage, destiny

The short version:

"Chris, quit those preposterous shenanigans and get over here to center stage. It's time you start living out your destiny as a bringer of nirvana to feisty teenage girls everywhere."

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

******

It was preposterous, really. Think about it. What were the odds that a brown-haired sprite of a man could make Joey consider acting on things he'd never even felt for a man before? Especially when Joey's normal type was tall, blonde, and reserved - three things Chris had never been and would never be, not to mention the fourth thing - female.

But Joey looked up from his sandwich one day to see Chris going over a combination by himself, intent on his reflection in the mirror, and felt his heart twist in ways he knew. Felt his breath catch in his throat the same way it always did when he was falling in love. And he thought, Well, damn, that's a surprise. Then he finished his sandwich, because it was free food and no actor has ever turned down free food.

******

"Chris! Chris, will you please cut that out? Put him - put him down! Chris! Damn it..."

Joey tried to keep the smile off his face as Wade stormed on stage. He knew he shouldn't be as amused as he was by the little man's ire, but the look on his face was priceless.

"Chris!" Wade's voice cracked. Joey coughed back a laugh. "Chris. Christopher Alan Kirkpatrick!"

Chris turned a casual eye in Wade's direction. "Yeah?" He immediately had to duck as Justin's foot flung forward, shin almost connecting with Chris' jaw.

Wade clenched his teeth. "Put. Him. Down."

"Who? Oh, Justin? Sure, no problem." Chris dropped Justin's legs like he hardly even knew he was holding them, and thus holding Justin face-down several inches above the stage. Predictably, Justin collapsed in a heap at Chris' feet. Wade was not amused.

"God damn it, Chris, if you could stop with your fucking shenanigans for one fucking minute - "

"Shenanigans? What, did you dig that out of your Irish-Puerto Rican Dictionary specially for me?" Chris rolled his eyes and turned to Joey. "I'll have none of those shenanigans, young man!" he shrilled, waving an accusing finger at the innocent man.

JC, Lance, Joey, and even Justin lying on the floor broke into peals of laughter. JC leaned back and held his stomach, while Lance doubled over and guffawed. Justin twitched with helpless glee. Joey laughed more quietly, though. He wasn't sure Chris should be so blatantly flippant with Wade. And not just for purely selfless reasons, either - he had no desire to spend an extra hour in rehearsal just because Chris had to get a laugh.

But, for once, Wade seemed willing to get the joke. He threw up his hands in exasperation and sighed, "I asked for a nice, quiet bunch of well-behaved boys, they give me four regular dorks and one feisty dork. Well, whatever. It must be my destiny to suffer." After one last exaggerated sigh, he grinned at Chris. "I'll let you off easy THIS time, Kirkpatrick. But so help me, one more...shenanigan," the grin widened, "and you'll be wishing I really WAS an old woman yelling at you."

Chris smiled, nodded, and turned away abruptly. "Come on, guys, let's go. Break's over." He moved towards center stage, making herding motions at the other singers, who groaned and dragged themselves to their feet reluctantly.

"But Chris, lunch isn't over yet! I haven't even finished my Peaches Cherry Nirvana." Joey's hand itched to smack the back of JC's head for whining, but he resisted the urge. Barely.

Chris rounded on JC, plucked the unfinished drink from his hand, and flung it over his shoulder off the stage. "There ya go, all done now." He dusted his hands and made a show of ignoring JC's protests. "Well, gentlemen. Shall we?" Lance, Joey, and Justin nodded in unison. JC sulked, but no one paid any attention. Chris shaded his eyes and looked up to the booth. "Dave? Are we ready to go?"

"Sure thing," Dave's voice filtered through the PA.

"Okay, then. Let's kick this motha!"

The playback started, and they automatically moved in time, even JC, who was still craning his neck to see if his Peaches Cherry Nirvana had somehow survived its unexpected flight. Joey danced, and counted under his breath; and when they reached the combination Chris had worked so hard to learn two weeks ago, he smiled to himself and danced, and counted, and watched Chris.