Cobwebs

Cobwebs, Mistletoe, and Pumpkin Goop, a "Slice of Life" set in an alternate universe during "Together"

Rating: NC-17

Pairings: JC/Justin, Brian/Nick/Drew, Nick/Jeff, Lance/AJ, AJ/Kevin, Lance/Joey, Howie/Chris

Disclaimer: The young men who comprise 98 Degrees, the Backstreet Boys, and *NSYNC are their own people. The author has not met anyone here described, nor does the author mean to suggest that these people act this way in real life. This writing is a work of fiction. I make no money from this venture.

Dedication: This slashfic is for Ewan McGregor and the Savage Garden slashwriters. Happy birthday to Miss L., whose birthday falls on Halloween.

Wherein they dress up, dress down, and barely dress at all.

Notice: Let's pretend that the events of "Together" take place not in a hotel in Kendig, but in the guys's homes around Orlando. Then let's pretend that it's Halloween.
        My November 2001 calendars are seriously with the wow. You should see Jeff's body. Drew is being extra-sexy modern Drew. And Howie needs to stop distracting me with the flirty eyes. Lance looks good, yes, but he doesn't stand a chance now that I've noticed how long Jeff's neck is. Oh, Jeff's collarbone. Chest hair! Am I seeing things? Did Nick forget to shave Jeff this morning? You can see Jeff's kanji right through his shirt. Does Jeff have really long arms, or does Nick have short arms? Maybe Jeff is standing crooked. I think that I need a new hobby.
        Oh, I had the best dream last night, about going to college with the Backstreet Boys. The Backstreet Boys and Diamond, maybe. There was some friendly female person there with me. I had lunch with Nick, and then Kevin came up, and... Hey, some guy from my high school homeroom was there, too. Why?
        Gizy, before I forget, the movie is called Best of Show.

Erica

Nick opened his dresser drawer. "You have choices. We can go with black, with white, or..." He turned around, holding up three scarves. One golden, one purple, one blue. They shimmered.

Drew turned red. He hadn't expected... That was the trouble with these people. They were always springing something on him.

"Black," Brian said. He touched the gold scarf. "These aren't for public use."

Drew went from relieved to stricken at Brian's words. Not for public use. That suggested that they were, instead, for private use. That was another problem he kept having. He kept assuming that Brian would be on his side, and then Brian would go and end up being worse than Nick. If only Brian would stop seeming...seeming...seeming like a normal, friendly, dependable, well-reared country boy. At least with Nick, there was no mistaking intentions.

Nick kissed Brian. "Black it is." He traded the colored scarves for the black ones. "Who's first? Me last. Drew first."

"Me?" Drew asked.

"You," Nick said.

Drew had resigned himself to this fate earlier. He tucked cotton into his ears and waited.

"Would you care to do the honors?" Nick asked Brian, offering a length of black cloth.

"Thank you," Brian said. He stepped behind Drew. The scarf, folded into a trim rectangle, went over the top of Drew's head and over Drew's ears to be tied at the nape.

"Can you hear me?" Nick asked.

Not really, no. He heard Brian's voice, behind him, but he couldn't make out any words. He was startled by a kiss on the side of his neck, and then Brian was in front of him again.

"Your turn," Nick told Brian. "One last kiss for the road?"

Brian bussed Nick's cheek.

"Want to blow me one last time?" Nick asked.

Brian, not deigning to answer, kissed Drew. Then he stood before Nick, expectant.

Drew couldn't have heard Brian, anyway, at the moment. But he was sorry to see Brian's mouth covered.

Nick tied the scarf at the back of Brian's head and asked, "Okay?" Brian nodded. Nick looked over his handiwork. "Look, Drew," and Nick's fingers grazed Brian's face. "You can see the monster jaw down here, and the steel blade cheekbones up here. I like it."

Brian pinched Nick.

"Time for the party," Nick announced, and headed for the bedroom door.

Brian reached out and grabbed Nick, and Drew helped. "Get back here," Drew said. He couldn't hear himself clearly, which he couldn't imagine getting used to.

Drew couldn't hear Nick; Brian could, but couldn't say anything. As a consequence, Nick probably won the verbal debate. They decided to make their point, and pushed him down to sit on the foot of the bed. Brian sat on him to hold him still, and Drew went around behind him.

Nick was looking into Brian's sparkly blue eyes on moment, and the next, black cloth slipped over his eyes. He wasn't tensing up, he wasn't. He wasn't scared, he wasn't. There were fingers on his cheeks; Brian, touching him, being nice, gentle and loving. Drew tied the scarf at the back of his head, and Brian tugged it more exactly into place.

"We should dress up like the three little pigs instead," Nick said. "Or the three bears. Or the king's fiddlers three. Or-" Brian touched his lips, and he fell silent. Brian got up and left his lap, but before he could move, Drew was taking Brian's place.

Drew kissed him. He couldn't see, but he sure knew Drew's mouth. This was familiar, and loving, and hell-damned erotic, kissing Drew, not being able to see, letting Drew lick his tongue. Nick's cock was interested in this experiment. Bondage. Kinky.

Drew was leaving him. He felt Brian trying to pry Drew's clutch free. He heard Drew's gasp for air, then a noise of impatience as Drew tried to get Brian to let go. Brian insisted, and Drew made an irritated sound and gave in, climbing off of Nick.

"Let's have our own private party," Nick suggested.

"What?" Drew asked.

"Let's-" Nick began, but Brian swatted him. "Hey," Nick objected.

"Oh," Drew said. "Nick, we invited everybody. They're on their way over right now."

"We can party with Jeff," Nick conceded. "How did you know what I said?"

"What? Oh. Brian's trying to explain it to me, and I'm trying to lip-read. Talk slower."

Hunh. "I don't talk fast. Last time Brian lost his voice, he couldn't say anything, and I had fun conversations talking to myself. He's the strong, silent type. He's good that way. I like to look at him, and he's even better quiet. Brian should be seen and not heard. You'd think that with his mouth covered, that would be just as good, but now he can't give me any blowjobs, so it kind of defeats the purpose of having him around. We might as well get rid of him. What do you think, Drew?"

"Are you finished?" Drew asked.

"For now," Nick said.

"You just said way too much way too fast on purpose. And I think you were insulting Brian. Be nice or we're keeping that blindfold on you even after the party."

"Why?"

"Why? Maybe to make love. Maybe to play darts."

Nick was shocked.

"Be nice to my Brian," Drew ordered.

Nick heard the doorbell. Drew couldn't have heard it, and Brian couldn't greet guests, so it was up to Nick. Although how he was going to greet guests, if he couldn't see who was there - - and how could he enjoy anyone's costume? What if Jeff came as The Incredible Naked Man, and he had to miss it because Brian and Drew were sucky at Halloween costumes?

They were dressed all in black, though. The costume idea in general was Brian's. Nick had chosen the specific outfits. All black. Long-sleeved, ribbed, cotton shirts. The kind that accentuated Drew's shoulders. Black leather pants, black boots. Nick couldn't see, but he didn't need to see to enjoy groping Brian's thighs in leather.

He'd tried to talk Drew into buying girly-type boots, with heels, but Drew wouldn't go for it. Neither would Brian. Maybe they liked being short. But he wanted to kiss them face-to-face, or at least without leaning over a few feet.

Brian had heard the doorbell, and gestured to Drew. Drew got the hint and offered to help Nick down the stairs if Brian went ahead to open the door.

Drew guided Nick to the top of the staircase. With one hand on the railing, Nick walked down with a false show of confidence. He heard Brian open the front door.

"Hey," a voice said. Justin Jeffre. "Let me guess. You're making a statement on censorship. You're against the First Amendment?"

"He's speak no evil," Nick said.

Drew was laughing.

"Am I pushing it?" Justin asked.

"What?" Nick asked. "What?"

"I can't wait for Nick and Jeff to see you," Drew said.

"I'm the poster boy for gay pride," Justin explained.

"Why?" Drew had to ask, still amused.

"I wanted to see how the other half lives, even if only for an evening," Justin said.

"If you want the full experience, we can ask AJ to put the moves on you," Nick offered.

"No, thank you," Justin said.

AJ might have his hands full with Lance and Kevin, anyway. Of course, with AJ, one never knew.

Nick couldn't see the decor at the moment, but he, Brian, and Drew had made their home festivish for the occasion. At Brian's insistence, each had carved a pumpkin, and the candle-lit faces oversaw the party from their corners. Drew had tried to hang and drape cobwebs, until Nick had grabbed him from the ladder and swung him around the room. Nick had tried to hang mistletoe; Drew protested; Brian got them to compromise. In the doorway to the kitchen hung a little skeleton; anyone caught under there was fair game.

The pumpkin-carving had been fun. At least, it had been fun until Brian and Nick had a food fight of sorts with pumpkin goop, and Drew got caught in the middle and held Brian's pumpkin hostage with a carving knife. Of course something had to be done, to save the day, so Nick had picked up his own knife and wiped it clean on Brian's shirt and then licked it, nice and slow, and Drew dropped Brian's pumpkin, which sort of exploded across the kitchen floor. But Brian didn't care too much, and Drew bought Brian another pumpkin anyway, and Drew kept getting a gleam in the eyes whenever those knives were around.

Brian's Jack-o-lantern looked very silly. Drew's looked wicked evil. Nick's was either deranged or flirtatious; it was hard to say for certain. Drew said that its eyes were crooked and misshapen; Nick said that it was winking. After some discussion, they decided to name it Howard.

After the mess of having pumpkin innards flung around the kitchen, the three of them decided not to risk cooking. Now that the party had begun, Brian took Justin to the tables set with catered food while Drew and Nick tried to start the stereo.

When the doorbell rang again, Brian excused himself from Justin's side and went to greet new guests. Opening the door, he stared.

Kevin looked at Brian over the top of his sunglasses. "This is the right house."

Brian scrutinized Kevin and AJ. Kevin's hair was gelled, spiked, and dyed; for the most part, it was black and red. Kevin had sunglasses. Black nail polish. Jewelry. A sleeveless T-shirt. Ink down his arms. His normally trim goatee had been reshaped into...

"AJ!" Drew exclaimed, behind Brian, staring.

Kevin half-shrugged, half-twitched, in gracious acknowledgement.

The more genetically sound version of AJ was costumed as well. He was dressed in black, including supple gloves. Perched on the top of his head was a pair of cat's ears; in his right hand, he held the end of his long tail. A casual observer would have been distracted from those details by the sight of AJ's body in what seemed to be a full-body stocking.

Brian touched AJ's side.

AJ let out a low, warning hiss and drew back against Kevin, glaring at Brian.

AJ's tattoos were visible through the sheer black fabric, as were his nipples; his costume clung to his skin and outlined his musculature. It also did nothing to hide the natural bulge of his genitals.

The only accessory that this black cat wore was a simple, elegant collar. AJ looked beautiful, dangerous, and sexual.

AJ gave a slight stretch and went off to prowl.

Brian clapped his hand over Drew's eyes. Recovering from the shock, he hit Kevin.

Drew pushed away Brian's hand and looked around the room for - - oh! Oh. Oh. Drew looked to Kevin for an explanation.

"He's wearing a G-string," Kevin said.

Which explained why AJ's tight ass was available for viewing through tight, soft black.

"I drove carefully the whole way over here," Kevin said. "I don't want the police or the press to notice him."

Brian touched Kevin's arm.

"A tattoo artist drew them," Kevin said. "AJ picked them."

Had AJ picked Kevin's entire costume? Had Kevin's chosen AJ's? Most likely not. Brian thought that AJ and Kevin would bear watching nonetheless. The two of them were asking for trouble at this party. Brian hoped that *NSYNC would be in a very good mood.

AJ flipped through jewel cases. "Are you supposed to be one of the monkeys?" he asked Nick.

"The Monkees?" Nick repeated. "AJ, it's me, Nick. I'm a Backstreet Boy."

"What?"

"Speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil," Justin Jeffre said, helping along their communication. "They're usually depicted as monkeys," he told Nick.

"Oh!" Nick said. "What is AJ? He won't tell me."

"A black cat," Justin said. He looked at AJ. "Don't cross his path."

Nick reached out, testing. He touched something solid, warm, soft. Alive? AJ's arm. He found AJ's chest. Felt nice. He stroked down AJ's back. "Are you naked under there?"

"Why, aren't you?" AJ asked.

That was when Lance arrived.

Lance had been having a trying day, thanks to Joey. His dear friends JC and Justin were just as guilty, but Joey was the only one on hand at the moment. Joey had wanted to be Superman. Surprise, surprise. Hadn't Joey gotten over that yet? Joey wanted Lance to be a sidekick.

Fine. Lance could be Jimmy Olsen.

Joey said, no.

Lance said, why not?

Joey said, no.

Lance said, fine. He'd be the editor of The Daily Planet.

Joey said, no.

Lance offered to be Lex Luthor, someone Superman was rescuing, or Clark Kent's father.

Joey said, no.

Lance was irritated.

Joey wanted Lance to be Lois Lane.

The conversation, and Lance's entire week, deteriorated from there. Thanks to Joey, JC, Justin, and an ex-girlfriend or two of Joey's, Lance was Lois Lance.

They hadn't gone all out to force Lance into drag. For instance, he did not have the right curves for a woman. He also didn't have a wig. He wore a simple red dress, slim and well-tailored, with pantyhose (against his wishes) and low heels. A few pieces of jewelry, a bit of make-up, and the sort of hat that daring, mysterious women wear, and Lance was Lois.

Lance did not want to be Lois.

He wished that he had spiked heels so that he could take off a shoe and ram it through Joey's skull.

Letting Joey take care of the greetings, Lance viewed the room from beneath the brim of his hat. Right away he spotted AJ, in the far corner, being fondled by Nick Carter.

Not only that, but AJ was sleek, exotic, and ridiculously daring.

AJ raised his head and looked across the room to Lance. His eyes were dark; they gave away nothing.

There was a shriek. Everyone jumped.

Chris had arrived, and had seen Lance in a dress. Superman made a move to protect Lois; Chris fled; Brian ignored them and greeted Howie.

Chris ran into AJ and screamed in horror.

Howie went to rescue Chris from AJ and Joey. Chris was a stereotypical Backstreet Boys fan, complete with skin-baring concert clothes, glitter, and facepaint. Each fingernail bore a letter; together, they read, "BACKSTREET." He was carrying around a poster celebrating Howie.

Howie was in white tie. When Chris came seeking an autograph, Brian appealed to Chris for help.

"He wanted to be the greatest lover of all time," Chris said. "He was going to be Romeo, as in Juliet, but I told him to come as himself."

Kevin started to laugh, but Brian trod on his toes and smiled at Chris.

Nick couldn't see a thing. He was trying to follow conversations, but he was getting annoyed with having to filter out what he wanted to hear through five loud conversations and the music. He broke away and called, "Brian!"

Brian was at his side a moment later, touching his arm.

"You know I'm wandering around blind. Take better care of me," Nick said, and sulked.

Brian squeezed his hand, apologizing and reassuring. He found Brian's arm, felt his way up to Brian's shoulder, and kissed Brian's cheek. Then Brian's finger wrote on his chest.

"What?"

Brian did it again.

Drew. Drew? Drew! "Where is he?"

Brian led Nick to Drew, then pulled the two of them into the bathroom. He touched Nick's chest, then Drew's, then his own.

"The three of us," Drew translated for Nick.

Brian drew a circle in the air.

"Circle," Drew said. "Complete, together...united..."

Brian was nodding. He touched Nick's scarf, then Drew's, then his own.

"Nick can't see, I can't hear, you can't speak."

Brian touched Nick's ear, Nick's mouth.

"Nick can't see, but he can hear and talk."

Brian gestured to Drew.

"I can't hear, but I can see and speak. You can't say anything, but you see and hear."

Brian touched his mouth again, then Nick's and Drew's.

"You can't speak, but we can. I'm speaking for you and seeing for Nick."

Brian nodded and kept going.

Drew watched Brian's gestures with care. "If we stay together, we can work together."

"Teamwork," Nick said. "One for all and all for one. We should've been the Three Musketeers!"

The doorbell rang. Since he had heard the doorbell and could see the way, Brian went first. He led Nick, who told Drew where they were going.

Brian opened the door.

"It's JC and Justin," Drew told Nick.

"Bondage gone wrong," Justin said, looking over the three of them.

"Come in," Nick said. "What are you wearing?"

"Not a thing," Justin said. "Too bad you can't see it."

"Brian, hit him for me," Nick said. "Sorry, I don't need to ask what you guys are wearing. For JC, every day is Halloween."

"Ain't that the truth," Justin agreed, pleasantly ignoring JC's reaction. "What is Chris... Oh my god, no."

"What is Kevin supposed to be?" JC asked.

"AJ," Nick said.

"What is AJ supposed to be?" JC asked.

"Naked," Drew guessed.

"Nobody told me this was an X-rated party," Justin said.

"You knew AJ would be here," Nick said. "That speaks for itself." He put out a hand. "Where's JC?"

"Here," JC said, stepping closer.

"What are you wearing?" Nick touched JC's arm. Naked. He tried for the chest.

"I picked his costume and mine," Justin said. "Stop groping." He smacked at Nick's hand.

"Call for Justin," Drew said, poking Nick. "Jeffre."

"Justin!" Nick shouted. "Justin Jeffre!"

"What?" Justin asked, joining them. Justin Timberlake Chasez started laughing.

"Gay pride poster boy," Drew said, "these are some friends of ours. Adam and Steve."

Nick started laughing. They had to go show Kevin. And Brian! Brian had to be throwing a fit. Maybe not. Still, he wished he could see Brian's face. He heard the doorbell. In his head, he went through the guest list. "Jeff!" he shouted, and pushed past JC to get to the door.

Nick yanked open the door. "Jeff? Quiet, nobody tell me who he is, I want to feel for myself. Come in, come in."

"I'm not Jeff, and you're not touching me."

Oh, damn it. Nick was going to start sulking again. "Don't tell me. You dressed up like a Neanderthal."

"How did you guess?" Nick Timmons-Lachey asked.

"Get in here before you freeze," Drew said. "Where's Jeff?"

Freeze? Nick stepped towards Drew's voice until he collided with Drew. "Is this you? What's he wearing?"

"Not much," Drew said. "AJ's still winning the contest for raciest costume, but it's close."

"What's AJ - - whoa." Nick Timmons-Lachey stopped talking.

"Where's Jeff?" Nick asked.

"In the driveway, doing finishing touches. I was cold, so I came in awhile."

Drew hadn't caught that; he tugged at Brian. Brian gestured to the windows and outside. Drew got it this time. "What's taking so long?"

"He's powdering his cleavage," Nick said. He saw Justin Jeffre.

"Hey, Fred," Justin said, taking in his costume. "Where's Barney?"

"Shouldn't Jeff be Wilma?" Justin Timberlake Chasez asked.

"Tell him that," Justin said.

Nick pulled Justin Jeffre's sleeve. "What's he wearing?"

"Who? Nick?"

"Yeah."

"Looks like fake leopard skin. Like a short toga, draped over one shoulder. And a big wooden club."

"Closest thing to a Neanderthal I could get," Nick said.

"Was this your idea?" Drew asked.

"Yes," Nick said. "It was my idea to be a caveman. It was Jeff's idea to make me wear this."

"What else were you going to wear?" Nick asked him.

Justin Jeffre coughed. "It's a little revealing."

"Risque," JC said.

Before Nick had time to process this information, he heard the doorbell ring. Jeff! He hurried forward and opened the door. "Jeff?"

"Somebody help me get this thing through the door," Jeff said. "Laugh, and I will hurt you," he warned. They tried to laugh more quietly.

"What?" Nick demanded, wondering about Jeff's costume.

"Give a lady a hand," Jeff said, and gripped Nick's wrist. The door closed.

"Lance is going to be glad to see you," Drew said. "He's Lois Lane."

"Lois Lance," Justin corrected.

Something kept bumping into Nick. He slid his foot over and there it was, against his leg again. He put out a hand.

Jeff hit Nick's hand with something. It stung, and Nick let go. What was Jeff wearing?

"Adam and Steve, their descendant from Stonewall, Superman and Lois Lance, AJ, a Backstreet Boys fan, Howie's ego, three blind mice, and a cat," JC said. "And George of the Jungle."

"I am not George of the Jungle," Nick said.

"We are not three blind mice," Nick said. "What are you, Jeff?"

"Are you allowed to use first names without proper introduction?" Drew asked.

"Quite right, quite right," and AJ was in their midst. "How are you this evening, Mrs. Lachey?" He took Jeff's hand with a gracious bow.

"Curtsy," Justin Jeffre told Jeff.

Jeff rapped Justin's forehead with his fan, as he had done to Nick's knuckles, and stalked across the room as best he could in his heels and hoop skirt.

"He's not in a very good mood," Nick explained. "He's wearing a corset."

"A corset?" Drew asked.

"A real corset?" Howie asked.

"Does he need one?" AJ asked.

"He's not pregnant, so it shouldn't hurt him for one night," Nick said. "Carter-"

"Littrell Lachey," Drew added automatically.

"I like your costume. Maybe it'll keep you out of trouble."

"Yeah, right," AJ said, and moved off again.

Nick sighed. He wanted to see costumes! This costume sucked. He overheard Howie asking Jeff to dance. Could he dance? Give him music, put him against Brian's body, and he didn't need to see to have a good time. If Brian and Drew danced together, he wanted to be able to watch and enjoy. But he could dance with them himself. "Here, dance with me." He found Drew's hand, then said, "Brian, where did you go?"

A hand closed around his, warm and familiar.

"Let's dance. Stay close to me so I know where you are."

Nick had very little experience in dancing with Brian and Drew at once. It was fun. He liked it. He wanted to be able to see. As requested, they stayed close to him, and he danced with them through touch. The music was loud enough for Drew to capture the beat; Drew kept shimmying and twisting against Brian. Nick could feel it. It was turning him on. He got a good handful of Brian's ass and made Brian stay put so he could enjoy himself.

Drew danced with Justin Jeffre. Nick and Brian went to the kitchen. "I'm going to stand in the doorway," Nick said, finding it with his hands. "I'll stay here until Drew - - until Jeff comes by. Go get him for me."

"What's with the doorway?" AJ asked, having overheard, moving past Nick and into the kitchen.

"The skeleton is mistletoe," Nick said. "Halloween mistletoe."

"So you have to kiss whoever's under there with you?" AJ asked.

"Yeah," Nick said.

Right behind Nick, in his ear, soft, Kevin said, "Boo."

Nick was going to kick Kevin's ass.

Kevin kissed his cheek. "Happy Halloween."

"Hi, Kevin." Nick found Kevin and kissed him. "Get out. I'm waiting for Drew, and you don't count."

"Both of you, out of the doorway," AJ said. "I'm coming through."

Nick stepped out of the way.

"Kevin, move," AJ said.

Kevin lounged in the doorway, cool attitude, AJ-style.

AJ waited.

Kevin was casual calm.

Nick wondered what he was missing. He heard AJ walk across the kitchen floor, past him. Then he heard sort of a slight oof or grunt. Then he heard kissing. He'd heard kissing in the past, and he recognized the sound.

He wondered what it looked like, AJ and Kevin kissing. Didn't sound bad.

Then Nick heard a sort of weak moaning sound, like a girl on the verge of giving over her virginity. AJ! AJ? AJ was letting Kevin go for it! Holy shit.

"Holy shit."

"Fuck off," AJ said to Joey.

It struck Nick that if AJ were dressed the way he imagined, and AJ had just been kissing Kevin, AJ might have a bit of a hard-on, and a visible one at that. Nick had seen AJ with a hard-on before, but had Joey? Probably not.

Nick smirked.

Joey was yelling at AJ about common decency, respecting others, Backstreet Boys sucked, etc. AJ said that Joey should have the common decency to respect him and let him suck a Backstreet Boy, then. Joey yelled some more. Lance came in. Kevin was trying to get everyone to calm down and leave AJ alone; Joey was suggesting that they castrate AJ; AJ was suggesting that Joey could do something very foul, dangerous, and probably illegal; Lance was trying to figure out what was happening.

Nick hesitated to jump into the fray, since he couldn't see, and they might start throwing punches any minute.

Then it got really quiet in the kitchen doorway.

Joey had grabbed for AJ's collar; AJ had made Joey regret it. Lance's attention had been drawn to the collar's tag in a flash of silver, and reached for it.

On one side was "Alexander James." On the other side was Kevin's name and address.

AJ jerked away and stormed off. Kevin followed him.

Nick hadn't seen what had happened, and Brian couldn't explain it. Lance had gone. Joey was swearing.

"Mistletoe?" Justin Timberlake Chasez asked, walking into the kitchen with Drew. Drew smiled and nodded. Justin paused in the doorway and looked overhead. "Halloween mistletoe. Hey, JC!"

Nick groaned and dragged Brian and Drew out of there.

Joey tracked down Lance, who was slumped on the sofa in the den. He decided not to comment on Lance's unladylike posture. "Are you a damsel in distress?"

"I'd like to put AJ in distress," Lance said.

An admirable goal, in Joey's eyes. "You don't feel like partying?"

"Not now, Joey."

"A private party? With *NSYNC, 98 Degrees, and Superman? You're turning that down?"

Lance looked up at Joey. "Yes."

Joey gently removed Lance's hat and straightened Lance's hair. "You look good. I'd skip the make-up."

"You love girls in make-up."

"You're not a girl," he reminded Lance. He liked kissing girls with lipstick. He wondered what it would be like to kiss Lance in lipstick. Maybe it would be just like kissing a girl. Maybe it would be totally different.

Lance sighed and stood. He was used to the low heels now, and didn't totter. He looked over Joey's costume. "Nice tights."

"Same to you," Joey said. "Want to dance?" He danced with Justin, he danced with JC, why not with Lance?

"Here?"

"There's room." If they rejoined the party just now, they might run into AJ. Or Kevin. Or Howie. Joey shuddered at the thought. Slow dance. "I get to lead."

"Why you?"

"I'm Superman." He stood closer to Lance. The heels were working; Lance was a wee bit taller now. He put a hand on Lance's back and started steering a little. Dancing. Lance did look good. He liked Lance a hell of a lot better in Lance's own clothes, but Lance had nice legs, so the skirt wasn't wasted. Lance smelled good, too. Smelled like Lance, Lance's soap and Lance's cologne, because Lance refused to smell like girly flower petals. Joey stepped one inch closer. Lance looked good. Smelled good. Felt good. "Backstreet Boys suck." He ran his hand down Lance's back. "Let them suck each other. They deserve it." Lance deserved better.

Lance coughed.

Joey danced on automatic, hating Backstreet Boys, wishing Lance would find someone decent to hook up with. Someone really good and really special who'd treat Lance right. His hand slipped lower.

Lance coughed.

Not a self-serving bastard. No one who would cheat, or who would hurt Lance. He'd slid his hand down over Lance's ass, and now was working his way up beneath Lance's skirt. He wasn't really thinking about what he was doing. He was dancing, his partner was sexy, he hadn't met with any resistance.

"Joe, get your hand off my ass," Lance said.

"Sorry." Joey returned his hand to Lance's back.

In the front room, leaving the temporary dance floor, Nick turned and bumped into something solid. His fingers brushed something soft. He hesitated. Nick? He stroked the soft part. Fake fur. It had to be Nick. He didn't feel like talking about it. Nick wasn't going anywhere, so he kept touching. Kept stroking. Then he found skin. Skin? Skin. Nick's naked skin. One bare shoulder. One mostly bare pec. Oh, a nipple, oops. Hadn't meant to go there. He stroked down the front, down the side. Skin again. Nick's thigh. Naked, muscular thigh. No wonder Nick had been cold outside. He wondered what Nick had on under this costume. It was kind of short. Briefs? Maybe, maybe nothing.

"Go take a cold shower," Drew said, pushing his brother out of the way, getting Nick's attention. "You, stop groping him."

"I wasn't groping."

"You were feeling him up," Drew said.

He'd liked Nick's costume. It was soft. And now he was hard. "Where's Jeff?"

"If you feel up Jeff, Nick will club you over the head," Drew said. "Stay here."

Nick, obedient, stayed. Soon Jeff's hoop skirt was brushing his legs. "Hi," Jeff said.

"Are you really wearing a corset?"

"I took it off," Jeff said. "I lost my hourglass figure, but I regained my sanity."

Nick wanted to see what Jeff was wearing. A dress, that much was obvious. With a hoop skirt. He wondered what the top half looked like. He reached out and touched. It felt frilly and girly. Whoa, skin. Back up. Were Jeff and Nick committed to baring their all tonight?

"The neckline's low," Jeff said.

Nick rubbed his fingers over Jeff's chest. "You really did powder your cleavage."

"I drew the line at wearing a wig," Jeff said.

Nick traced the edge of the neckline. It was low. Plunging, that was the word, maybe? No nipples, though. That was too bad.

"Nick."

"I'm busy," Nick said.

"Have you seen AJ or Kevin?" Howie asked.

"I haven't seen anybody," Nick said.

"Never mind." Howie left.

AJ had stormed with ferocious feline dignity up to a guest room. Kevin had followed. AJ yelled. Kevin refused to yell back. AJ became angrier. Kevin drew the line. AJ tested. Kevin didn't budge. AJ backed down. Kevin calmed him. AJ fumed. Kevin kissed him.

While Nick was feeling up the guests and Drew was making sure that Nick didn't go too far, Brian sought AJ and Kevin. He wanted to make sure that they were all right.

Brian found them. AJ was rubbing, clawing, humping, moaning. Kevin was, despite AJ's every best intention to get fucked like a cat in heat, making love to AJ.

Brian maintained his silence and returned downstairs.

Nick was rubbing his fingers together, remembering the feel of Jeff's skin, smooth, naked beneath the soft film of powder. He wandered towards the kitchen. Just as Nick's mind flashed on the idea of Nick Timmons-Lachey, the muscular half-naked caveman, having his way with Jeff in lace and powder, Nick walked smack into somebody. Or somebodies.

A very determined Backstreet Boys fan had attached himself to Howie, The Greatest Lover on Earth. As a result, Howie's tuxedo jacket was unbuttoned, and Howie's hair was down around his shoulders. Nick, of course, couldn't see this disarray, but judged by the surprised voice that he'd bumped into Howie. And if anyone was kissing Howie under the mistletoe (or skeleton), it had better be Chris. Or AJ, but AJ would have made an AJ-esque comment by now.

"Sorry," Nick said.

"It's your house," Chris said.

Nick pushed Chris aside and stepped into the doorway. He pursed his lips and waited.

Howie kissed Nick.

"Hi, Brian," Chris said.

Oh, ha, ha, like Nick was going to fall for-

"Brian," Howie said.

Oh, shit.

"You can keep him," Howie said. "I can't stand on a stepladder every time I want a kiss."

"Hey," Nick said, injured, as Howie and Chris exited the kitchen.

Brian patted Nick's chest.

"Howie's just afraid to play with the big boys," Nick said. "He's afraid of being with a real man, so he hangs out with short old guys. And you know Chris has nothing. Howie's afraid of, oh, shit."

Brian pinched him.

"Sorry! You know I didn't mean, I mean, you know I like short old guys. Short old guys are sexy, and they have big dicks."

"Thanks," Jeff's voice said.

"Where did you come from?" These people had to stop popping up unannounced. Were they trying to give him a heart attack?

There was silence.

"What?" Nick asked.

"I could do anything I wanted to Brian right now," Jeff said. "You can't see. You'd never know."

"Hey!" Nick reached for Brian.

Brian wasn't there.

"Where did you go?" Nick asked, taking a few steps.

"Mmm." Jeff sounded pleased by something.

"What are you doing?" Nick Timmons-Lachey's voice asked.

"What are they doing?" Nick asked.

"I am a lady," Jeff said. "I behave like a lady."

"A lady of the night, maybe," Nick said. "Do you want me to go get that corset?"

"Don't come near me with that thing," Jeff said.

"Then stop assaulting our hosts."

"I wasn't assaulting him!"

"What was he doing?" Nick asked, curious. He wished that he could see. Jeff had been putting the moves on Brian, right in front of him!

"Did AJ and Kevin leave?" Drew asked, walking into the kitchen.

"Drew, Jeff's trying to do Brian," Nick said. "He only stopped when the big man with the club came in."

"Jeff wouldn't do that," Drew said.

"Thank you," Jeff said, gratified.

"Jeff's afraid of Brian," Drew continued.

"The - - I am not!" Jeff said. His husband was laughing. He smacked Nick with his fan and left the room.

"Did AJ and Kevin go home?" Drew asked.

"They're not here?" Nick asked. He hadn't seem them go, obviously. They would have said good-bye first, anyway. They had to be around here some-

"In our house?!" Drew demanded.

Nick Timmons-Lachey made a quick exit.

"What?" Nick asked.

"Brian says that AJ and Kevin are upstairs," Drew said.

"Screwing around?" Nick asked. "They're not in our room, are they?"

"No," Drew said for Brian.

"Good. Are they messing around or are they-"

"You didn't stop them?" Drew asked Brian.

Nick was guessing that AJ and Kevin were keeping the Backstreet pride alive. If it were something more tame, like kissing or something, Drew wouldn't be upset. Apparently Drew had an aversion to non-residents fucking in his house.

"Go up there," Drew said, apparently to Brian. "Yes, now. Yes, you. They're your friends, they're your guests."

"It's just Kevin and AJ," Nick said. "If Nick and Jeff can screw in our house, why can't AJ and Kevin?"

"I didn't know that Nick and Jeff were-"

"You did know that one time," Nick pointed out, to be fair. Drew had been sitting on the bed, watching them.

"Nick-"

"At least AJ and Kevin are using the guest room," Nick said.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Drew asked.

"I'm just saying," Nick said.

"Nick and Jeff never did it in our room."

"Jeff, no. But Nick did."

"He..." Drew fell silent.

Nick wished that he could see Drew's face, so that he could gauge Drew's embarrassment versus Drew's anger.

Brian was rapping on the wall for attention.

"What?" Nick asked.

Brian guided Drew into Nick's personal space, then left the room.

Drew held onto the front of Nick's shirt with one hand, stepping back into the doorway. Then he pulled Nick down to his mouth.

"What's that for?" Nick asked, once he had been released from Drew's hot, slow kiss.

Drew nuzzled his ear and licked his chin.

"You're not Drew, you're an imposter," Nick accused.

"Thank you," Drew said.

"For the kiss? Was I good?"

"Yes, but not for that. For what you said. No, for the way you said it. You weren't angry, you weren't using it, you weren't judging me. It was a fact, and you said it as naturally as you would say that the sky is blue."

"The sky is blue."

"My brother made love to me in our bed," Drew said softly.

"He was pretty fucking hot, too."

Drew laughed and kissed him. "Happy Halloween, Nick."

Upstairs, Brian knocked on the guest room door. He heard voices, but not the sounds of a major sex act in progress. He waited and knocked again.

Kevin opened the door. "Brian."

Brian waved hello.

"I'm sorry."

Brian nodded.

"We're going to go."

Brian shook his head.

"We can't stay up here, and if we go downstairs, we'll fight with Joey."

"And Lance," AJ said.

"And Lance," Kevin repeated after a pause. "Thank you for the party."

"We had a great time," AJ said, and he sounded as though he meant it. Kevin blushed.

Brian smiled, waved good-bye, and went downstairs.

Lance and JC were talking. Howie and Chris were slow-dancing extra slowly, sharing body parts. Everyone else was gathered around the food, talking and eating.

Kevin and AJ snuck out the front door. AJ shivered in the cool night air. In the cover of darkness, in the privacy of the front porch, Kevin ran his hands over AJ's body through AJ's costume.

"If you were AJ McLean," AJ asked, "what would you do right now?"

"You tell me."

"You would take me home and put me in your bed," AJ said.

"Why is that?" Kevin asked.

"You've always wanted what you can't have."

Kevin looked at AJ. It was true. He'd always wanted AJ. He'd never been able to have AJ. He didn't even have AJ now, not really. He rubbed his hands down AJ's back for warmth. "I'll drop you off at your place."

"No, you won't," AJ said, and kissed Kevin.

Chris, the ultimate Backstreet Boys groupie, talked Howie into taking him home for the night. Justin, the gay pride poster boy, expressed how honored he had been to meet Adam and Steve. Superman scooped up Lois Lance and carried him out to the car, choosing not to fly off into the night this time. It was Halloween, after all, and Superman was leaving the skies to witches and bats.

Nick wondered where Jeff and Nick were. He asked.

"They found the mistletoe," Drew said. "You open the door; I'll throw them out."

Once all of the guests were gone, the three hosts stood together in the foyer. Brian untied Drew's blindfold; Drew unplugged his ears. He scratched the back of his neck, where the scarf had been knotted. "Oh, thank you." That was much better. He untied Brian's gag.

Brian licked his lips. "I need a drink."

"Brian can talk!" Nick said.

Drew stepped behind Nick and untied his blindfold. The first thing Nick saw again was Brian, Brian's smiling blue eyes.

Brian hit the wall with an oof and a thud. Nick kissed him deep and fast, drawing on his tongue. He slid his fingers through Nick's hair and let Nick take possession of his mouth.

Drew watched, surprised, very interested.

"Later," Nick said. "You have to blindfold me for sex. I want it." He was breathing hard, kissing hard.

"Okay," Brian said, allowing Nick to steal another rough kiss.

matthew@matthewtime.com
Related story: "Black Cat"
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