Lance sat on the couch, staring once again at his hands. They seemed to be the most fascinating thing, and required no thought to look at. He and his four friends had been sitting in silence since the two detectives had left only moments before. He knew his friends were staring at him. He knew that without a doubt. He also knew that he owed them an explanation. And, again, he knew that the only explanation he had to give them, the truth, wouldn't be enough for them.
Growing more nervous as the silence grew longer and longer, Lance chanced a look up at his friends. He immediately regretted it as his eyes locked with Justin's. His blue depths were full of fear, confusion, and an enormous amount of Love. It was almost too much for Lance to bear.
"Lance, why didn't you tell us? We could have done something to prevent what happened yesterday. Security could have done something." Chris said, his voice strained with emotion.
Lance looked up at him, his friend, his brother, and every reason he had for not telling any of them was reinforced. "I couldn't tell you, Chris. I couldn't tell anyone. What I said to the detectives was true. If I had said something, then I would be allowed to be alone. I would be joined at the hip with one or all of you. That would have put you in danger. If anything happened to any of you, I couldn't handle that." Lance explained, standing up to pace the room.
"Do you honestly think we could handle it if something happened to you either? If you weren't here, I have no idea what I would do, Lance." Justin voiced, tears muffling the sound.
Lance stopped at the sound of Justin's tearful voice and turned to stare at the younger man. Lance knew the love he held for him shone in his eyes as he looked at Justin. "But at least you would still be alive, and that is all that I was worried about. I truthfully don't give a damn about myself, as long as you're safe." Lance said, his gaze never wavering from Justin's.
As the two continued to stare at each other, JC slowly stood up and exited the room, motioning for Joey and Chris to do the same. "They have some stuff they need to talk about, I think." JC said, by way of an explanation, when the three had entered the kitchen. Joey and Chris nodded in agreement.
Back in the living room, Lance and Justin continued to look at each other. Justin was now beginning to understand what it was that he noticed the previous day when Lance left the studio. From what Lance had told them thus far, Justin knew why Lance had lied to him, and it made his heart swell.
"Why didn't you ever tell me? And don't play dumb." Justin said, moving to stand in front of Lance, who diverted his eyes elsewhere. "No, Lance. Look at me." Justin said, placing his hands on either side of Lance's face, turning his head so that he had no choice but to look at Justin. "Why?"
"Justin, I love you so much. I didn't want you to get hurt if they really did try something. And yesterday. Oh God, Justin I was so scared for you. If I had told you, and we had been together, there's no telling what could have happened if you were there when they came after me. I just wanted you to be safe, but I couldn't even do that right." Lance said with a snort, reveling in the feel of Justin's hands on his skin.
Lance closed his eyes to steady his racing heart and his threatening tears. He quickly reopened them when he felt Justin's warm breath fanning across his face. Justin's face was only inches from Lance's now. "I don't give a damn what happens to me, as long as I can have you." Justin whispered, then closed his mouth over Lance's.
Lance moaned into Justin's kiss, raising his hands to intertwine his fingers in the unruly curls that he had fallen head over heels for. Lance readily opened his mouth at Justin's silent request, awed by the knowledge that he was actually kissing the one person he had loved in his entire life. The one person he loved with the whole of his heart. His Adonis. His angel. This kiss, to both parties involved, was like heaven on earth.
The kiss grew more passionate as the seconds ticked by, the emotions on both sides, flowing from one to the other in the physical symbol of the bond shared by the two hearts. The bond forged of a love so strong, it surpassed anything either male had experienced in their life. It created serenity in mind, body and soul. A serenity that was shattered all too soon.
Justin and Lance were jarred from their kiss by the loud sound of a gun being fired, repeatedly. Lance let out a short yelp, throwing himself over Justin's body as the glass nearby shattered under the barrage of bullets flowing through the window. Lance could hear the guns being fired, the shattering of many glass objects around the room, the splintering of wood as the bullets lodged themselves in the walls.
From what seemed like a great distance away, Lance could hear the shouts of the others, calling to them, asking if they were ok. "Stay down!" Lance shouted over the noise, although he doubted his words had reached his friends.
After what seemed like hours, but in reality was only minutes, the noise stopped, the bullets stop, it seemed as if time stopped. There was an eerie silence that followed in the wake of chaos. A silence only broken by the rapid breaths of the two men plastered to the floor of the once beautifully decorated living room.
"Lance! Justin! Are you guys ok?" Joey called rushing into the living room, crouched out of site of the windows.
Lance slowly sat up, inspecting Justin's prone body as he did so. He took in every inch of his love's form. From the top of his blonde and curly head to the tips of his shoe clad feet. Aside from fear written plainly across his face and minor cuts from the glass, Justin was unscathed by the attack. Lance released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"Justin, you ok?" Joey asked, kneeling beside the younger man. Justin sat up slowly, nodding his head.
JC entered the room quickly, staying out of site of the windows, Chris right behind him. "We called the police. They should be here in a few minutes." JC informed them as he and Chris made their way towards the windows to chance a peak outside. There were a few neighbors peaking out of their windows as well, fearful of anymore gun fire, but nosey enough to chance it. Aside from that, the quiet neighborhood street was empty. No cars, no people milling around the streets and yards. Nothing.
"Everyone ok?" JC asked turning back to look at his friends, who were now helping the shaken Justin off the floor. JC looked his younger friend over once, and seeing no damage, turned his attention to his other friends. JC's sharp, audible intake of breath caught everyone's attention. "Jesus, Lance." JC sighed, his eyes trained to a spot on the other man's body. Everyone's attention then turned there.
There were gasps all around the room as they all noticed what JC had already seen. There was a dark circle of liquid staining Lance's T-shirt. Justin pulled away from Lance and Joey's grasp on him to move Lance's shirt and inspect the damage.
"Oh my God. Lance." Justin gasped, looking at the small hole piercing Lance's side, pouring blood.
Lance looked down at Justin's exclamation, surveying his injury. "Shit." Lance said, sharply as the numbness that had caused the wound to go unnoticed fled, leaving in it's wake a burning pain. A pain so excruciating, it left the wounded, unconscious on the living room floor.