His phone buzzed again and JC didn't pick it up. It was Justin, he knew that without even looking. Justin had been calling for three days now, ever since JC's record dropped, calling and not leaving messages, and JC thought that maybe if Justin had left a message he would have called him back. A message would be better, JC thought. Justin could say whatever he thought he had to say to JC's phone, and JC could listen to it and hang up quickly when Justin said something he didn't want to hear.

It wasn't like Justin would say something on purpose, JC knew that. But there were some things Justin just couldn't understand, would never understand. He just wasn't made that way. JC didn't blame him, not even a little, but that didn't mean he wanted to hear whatever sad little euphemisms Justin could piece together. No one knew what to say to JC right now, and Justin certainly wasn't going to be the one to figure it out. JC didn't blame him, but he still didn't want to hear Justin lie to him.

His phone buzzed again and JC swore. If it rang one more time he was going to answer it. Everyone had been tiptoeing around him for three days, and there was nothing more annoying than being treated carefully when you didn't need any care at all. No one knew what to say to him, but that was because there was nothing JC needed to hear. He'd said it all on the record, and that was all he needed.

His phone buzzed again and JC picked it up. He was in the mood for a good fight.

"What?" he said, and Justin said, "JC," and JC had never known how he could do it but there was so much in Justin's voice, relief and pride and admiration and simply, finally, love, and all of it was exactly what JC needed to hear.