Maybe it was because he spent so much time sleeping, but when JC was the one awake, he liked to watch the others sleeping. Lance and Justin both curled into tiny balls, hands clenched into fists and tucked under their chins. Joey slept sprawled out, usually snoring and flinging his arms around like he was looking for a teddybear to clutch.

Chris didn't sleep much, usually too busy with other things, but he was the sweetest thing when he did drift off. JC would look at him and wonder how he could look so peaceful when they all knew how crazy he really was. He usually tucked a blanket around Chris, careful not to wake him.

He'd make cups of tea and sip them slowly, waiting for Chris to re-energize, dreaming about things he thought were stupid, like kissing the tiny little wrinkles that formed when Chris squashed his head into his pillow or what it might feel like to tuck Chris under his arm and feel the softwarmth of Chris's body snuggled up against him.

Justin caught him once, bouncing into the room, intent on making Chris play some new game. He'd grinned at JC. "He's quiet, yo. Not often you see that." JC shifted restlessly and hushed him, afraid of losing the moment, hating it when Justin's eyes widened and he'd said, "Oh. Oh." and he looked sympathetic.

JC knew that Justin had wanted Chris years ago and it just didn't work. He told himself that he didn't want Chris, though, not like that. When he said as much Justin just patted him and looked sad, like he was remembering. "It's okay, C." Justin spoke too loudly, and Chris shifted, suddenly awake.

When Chris looked at the blanket in confusion, and then at JC like maybe there was something more that he wanted to say, JC just shrugged. "You looked cold."

Chris smiled, and JC told himself that he looked more enticing when he was asleep. It was easy to lie to himself after enough practice, but he decided next time he wouldn't worry about whether Chris was warm enough. He didn't feel like walking in Justin's footsteps.

~end~