"I love you," Justin gasped, and JC said, "Oh shit."

Justin froze, then pushed JC away with both hands. It took them a moment to get untangled from each other, and JC got kicked in the head but he figured he probably deserved it. Justin rolled over onto his side, pulling his knees up to his chest, then rolled over onto his back and looked at JC.

"I'm sorry," Justin said.

"No, J, come on, I'm sorry," JC said, and Justin's smile twisted.

"I know, you only meant to say it inside your head," and JC winced and said, "Look -"

"No," Justin said. He rubbed his hands up the sides of his face and then into his hair. "I really am sorry, not that I feel it, but I know I shouldn't have - look, I really wish I hadn't said it, or, or that I could say I only meant it the way I always used to, before, or else - well, it's not like I know how to lie to you." He sighed and looked up at JC. "I just - I'm sorry and I kinda feel like maybe I just fucked everything up."

"Come on," JC said. He ran a hand over Justin's stomach and Justin covered it with his own hand. "Come on, J, it's all right, I just wasn't expecting -" He laughed a little and Justin sighed again. "It's just - maybe it's a good idea for us to take it a little slow, you know, just take it nice and easy?"

Justin nodded and JC bent down to kiss him. Even as he did it he knew what a liar he was. Justin had never been able to take anything about JC slow or easy, and JC had always loved that in him. He loved being the one thing that made Justin reckless.