Care Package
Justin bouced a bit in the doorway, ducking his head out to look down the street once again.
"Justin," Chris lazily called from the couch, tossing a nerf ball up, trying to time his tosses so as to avoid hitting the ceiling fan, "you ever hear of the whole watched pot thing."
Justin leaned back, scowling at Chris. "Shut up." He peeked at his watch again, rocking back on his heels. She'd said she'd be here around 3 and it was all ready ten after and she had to be here any minute. Any second now.
"Justin's head exploded yet?" JC dropped down on the couch next to Chris, swiping the ball out of the air.
"Not yet." Chris made a half-hearted attempt to grab the ball back.
"Damn," JC frowned. "That means I'm not going to win the pool."
"Fuck you both," Justin muttered under his breath, breaking into a huge grin when he saw his mother's car round the corner. He tore out of the house, skidding to a stop next to the driver's side door, yanking it open the second the car was at a stop.
"Justin," Lynn laughed as Justin grabbed on to her. "I was only gone a few days. Hi guys." She waved at Joey and Lance who were leaning in the doorframe, grinning as Justin started babbling away.
"He knew you were bringing food." Joey loped over, pulling open the back door and grabbing the bags from the back seat, handing them back to Lance.
"At least that's the rumor." Lance stepped back, smiling over the roof of the care. "Hey, Mrs. Harless."
"It's Lynn, Lance." She untangled Justin's arms from her waist, leaning back into the car to grab her purse and a box from the passenger's seat. "Well, I see you managed not to burn the house down while I was gone."
"Not through lack of Chris's trying." JC wandered over, taking the box from her hands. Chris wrinkled his nose behind JC.
"That is cruel and vicious slander which wounds me deeply." Lynn tipped her head, looking at Chris, who sighed. "Let's just say there was an incident involving a new gas tank for the grill and a loose coupling."
"I see." Justin tugged at her hand and she let him drag her into the kitchen, JC following after them, setting the box on the kitchen table while Joey and Lance set off to the spare bedroom she used while visiting.
Justin pawed through the box, grinning widely when he found the box of moon pies. "You are the best mom ever." He leaned up, kissing her cheek as she laughed.
"I told you if you did well on your algebra test that you'd get something special." She reached in, pulling out a book and handing it to Chris. "And I finally remembered that copy of To Kill A Mockingbird for you."
Chris took it, fingers running down the cover. "Excellent, I promise to take good care of it."
"You always do." Lynn smiled as JC blinked at her, a hopeful look on his face.
"And I didn't forget you." She handed him a box and shook her head as JC tore it open. "How you can eat fried oreos is beyond me." JC muttered something as he headed into the living room, mouth already full.
"So what'd we get, huh, huh?" Joey called out as he followed Lance into the kitchen, Lance sighing loudly.
"You'll have to forgive him, we think he was actually raised by wolves and the Fatones only recently took him in." Lance smoothly ducked out of the way of Joey's swat.
"Now, now, I've met them and," Lynn paused. "I think you're right."
Justin and Lance laughed while Joey just rolled his eyes. "In there somewhere I think you'll find a few interesting things."
Joey barely managed to grab the box away from Lance, pawing through the remaining items. "Score!" He danced away from the table, the bag of gummi worms held victoriously over his head.
Lance shook his head, moving a few things out of the way, then smiling broadly when he held up the cds. "I can't believe you found these."
"You can find anything in Memphis if you try. Even obscure bluegrass." Lynn ruffled Lance's hair. "I should have picked up some more conditioner."
Lance managed not to wince, going a bit crosseyed as he tried to see his bangs. "Don't remind me." He turned back to the table, watching as Joey rifled through the rest of the box. "What are you looking for?"
Joey held up a videotape, tipping his head sideways as he tried to read the label on the spine. "JRT's First Pageant. What the," Lance coughed and Joey caught himself "What's this Mrs. Harless, um Lynn?"
Joey blinked as Justin suddenly lunged across the table at him. "Nothing! Nothing, it's. Give it back, Joey. Come on, give it back!"
Joey tossed it over to Lance, laughing as Justin nearly fell when he tried to spin around. "Whatever it is, it must be good."
Lance tossed it back as Lynn held up her hands. "Boys, boys! Calm down." She grabbed Justin by the back of the neck as he tried to clamber up Joey, panting and redfaced. "It's something I found while organizing tapes and I thought Justin might want it."
"Mom," Justin whined out, trying to wiggle out of her grasp. "There's no way that I'd want that."
"Oh ho," Joey tossed the tape to Lance who turned on his heel and made a beeline for the living room. "This we have to see."
"No, no, no, please, Joey, c'mon, it's stupid." Justin tugged on Joey's arm, digging in his heels and trying to stop him. Joey just dragged Justin along with him.
"Hey, Lynn brought a tape of Justin's," Joey called out gleefully as Lance popped the tape in. "Justin says it's stupid."
Chris slammed his book shut, the clap echoing in the room. "This should be good then." JC nodded, drawing his knees up to his chest as he scooted over to make room for Joey.
"God, no, please." Justin turned pleading eyes on Lance who stared right back.
"Justin, do you remember those pictures my mother sent me a few weeks ago?" Lance drummed his fingers on his knee as Justin slowly nodded. "Remember when I said vengence would be mine for tacking them to the bathroom mirror?" Justin swallowed, then nodded again. Lance dropped his voice. "Payback's a bitch, baby."
Justin swallowed hard, closing his eyes as the screen flickered to life. "He was what, eight in this, honey?" Justin slipped behind his mother as she pointed at the screen. "Isn't he precious?"
"He's something all right," Chris said absently, eyes fixed on the screen. "Please, please, tell me this is what I think it is."
"Yup." Lance said smugly as the camera panned back, the words Beauty Pageant clear in the side of the frame. Justin took a few careful steps back, checking to make sure no one noticed.
"Um. But," JC sounded puzzled. "Those are all girls, where are the rest of the boys?"
"Oh no, sugar, Justin was the only boy," Lynn said proudly. Justin glanced around, then darted for the door. Only a few more steps and he'd be . . .
"Oh no you don't." Joey wrapped a thick arm around his waist, yanking him down. "You aren't getting away that easily." Justin dropped to the floor in front of Joey, burying his face in his hands.
"He wanted to do this so badly and he wouldn't let them take no for an answer, you should have heard him pointing out to the pageant officials that the rules didn't say anything about having to be a girl." The pride in Lynn's voice was unmistakeable and Justin groaned, hoping against hope that a sinkhole would open and swallow him down.
"He is very bright." Justin could hear the barely restrained edge of hysteria in Chris's voice and he dared a glance over, seeing the way Chris was biting at his lower lip, trying not to howl with laughter. The battle was lost however, when Justin strolled past on screen, stopping and turning and showing off his tuxedo.
"I'm too sexy," Joey and JC started in perfect harmony as Chris lost it, his laughter mingling with Lance's. Justin shoved to his feet, unable to take anymore. He ran down the hall way, slamming the door to the bedroom shut behind him, falling face first on to the bed, face burning.
Justin stared down at the bedspread, listening as he heard them moving around outside the door. He'd ignored them all, ignored his mother's voice, first apologetic then angry, ignored Chris lovingly calling him idiot and offering to dig out his yearbooks, ignored JC's quiet promise of McDonald's and choice of movies at Blockbuster, ignored Lance's low rumble of empathy. He didn't want to come out, he didn't want to see them. He already felt like enough of a baby.
He didn't even turn his head when he heard the door quietly open and close. And he didn't look back when he felt the bed dip as someone sat down behind him. He kept staring down, fingers nervously picking at the fur of the stuffed dog that his grandmother had given him when he first came to Florida for MMC.
"J," Joey said softly. "We're sorry, we were just picking on you."
Justin nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He started a bit when Joey hooked his chin over his shoulder. "You know we would have done it to anyone else too. It's nothing personal."
"No, I know." Justin sniffed a bit. "I don't blame you. I mean. It's stupid." Joey's arms slipped around his waist and Justin had to fight not to lean back.
"It's not stupid to be upset. We were kind of mean." Joey squeezed and Justin let out a long sigh.
"No, no, I mean, it's stupid that I did it. It's humiliating. And, and. Stupid." Justin tucked his chin to his chest. "I was stupid."
"No. You were amazing. J, you were what eight? And you decided you wanted something and you went out and took it. You didn't let anyone stop you and you didn't let anyone tell you no. You made them see you. You, Justin. That's cool. Not stupid." Joey squeezed again and Justin let himself relax against Joey's broad chest."
"You really think so?" He didn't mean to sound so eager but he couldn't help it.
"Yeah. I really do. Besides, trust me, I've got much more embarrassing footage of the rest of them." Justin could feel Joey's grin against his neck. "Why the hell do you think I always have that camera with me?"
Justin laughed and laughed, listening as their voices blended together.