~~~
Part One
~~~

"Fuck off," JC moaned, mouth pressed against the pillow. "I'm naked, man. Cut it out."

Joey shook his head and continued to pull the jeans up JC's skinny little legs, having possessed the foresight to flip JC onto his stomach. "Not my fault," Joey grunted, his right leg braced against the floor for leverage, "that you're sleeping buck."

"That's just my point," JC whispered, his words muffled. "I was sleeping."

"And now you're not, Jayce." JC was unusually pliant for all his protesting, but Joey figured it was because JC just didn't know the plan yet. A sleepy JC agreed to just about anything. Joey took a moment to stroke his hair, lulling him unconscious. JC's eyes drifted shut, and he started snoring.

"Jesus," Joey murmured. He hadn't thought dressing a sleeping man would be this difficult, especially not JC, who was thinner than usual and a good seventy-five pounds lighter than Joey at his current weight, which was -- according to everyone -- very fat.

JC woke up again when Joey had his hands on JC's waist, flipping him over and doing up the button fly of his jeans. Obviously dazed, JC watched for a couple seconds before drifting off again, exhausted. Joey thought about getting him tested for narcolepsy.

Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. Joey did up the fly while watching JC's fingers and how they tapped out melodies in his sleep. Kind of weird, but kind of cool, and it was better than violating JC while he slept. It was bad enough JC was naked when Joey found him.

JC opened his eyes a third time when Joey was bending him into a white shirt, which took so long to button that Joey gave up halfway through. It was why he preferred tee-shirts. His fingers were too large for dainty little buttons.

"What're you doing?" JC mumbled, rubbing his face. "I don't get it."

"Go back to sleep."

JC nodded. And went back to sleep.

~~~

JC seemed to stay conscious the fourth time he became aware of the world as Joey buckled his sandals to his feet. Odd, JC thought, blinking in the bright morning light, he was sitting on a motorcycle. Funky dream. Really weird. JC was confused.

"Um," JC said, "is this, like. Real?"

"No," Joey replied, "stop talking. You'll wake up soon enough."

JC smiled. "All right."

When Joey sat in front of him and urged JC to put his feet on the two little bars, JC did it. When Joey said -- "put on the fucking helmet" -- JC didn't question either, just complied. When Joey grunted and grabbed his arms, twisting them around a slightly chubby stomach, JC held on and pressed his fingers into soft flesh.

"Where are we going?" JC asked, realising a microphone was brushing his lips, and he got a loud feedback squeal in response. Joey swore and pressed buttons then JC heard him whisper in his ear. "Louder, Joey."

"Is that better?"

JC nodded. "Mmm-hmm. So. Where?"

"Montana," Joey replied, "and just don't fall off, all right?"

"No problem," JC said, grinning. Montana. Wow. "I don't usually lucid dream."

Joey laughed and started the bike, the structure lurching sharply before rolling out of Joey's driveway. Odd, JC thought, looking around, everything looked suspiciously normal. Usually, he dreamed in sparkles, with everything shiny and bright.

It was when they were on the freeway that JC suspected he really was awake. Joey didn't tell him at first but eventually admitted, yes, JC was awake, and yes, this was really happening, and no, he wasn't getting an explanation. Joey played the friend angle. JC didn't question.

JC relaxed and enjoyed the rumble of the engine under his legs.

Oddly, JC still wasn't entirely convinced this was real.

~~~

Joey found a diner for supper, one with tacky lights and a waitress named Barb manning the empty restaurant. JC was smiling nonstop, looking kind of crazy, and Joey felt a twinge of remorse in his belly. JC was probably the last person built for road-tripping, but his presence was important.

Joey was a man with a plan.

"Bathroom," JC mumbled, putting his hand on Joey's shoulder, and Joey nodded. Barb showed Joey to a table and slapped down two menus, staring at him, and Joey stared back, scratching his chin.

"You're that guy," Barb said, and Joey nodded. Joey couldn't remember the last time he was served by a waitress in a yellow jumpsuit with a smoking cigarette clenched between her teeth. "From that group. What's it called? Aerosmith?"

"You caught me," Joey said, smiling.

"At least you're not one of those boyband types. They're all fags."

Joey smiled harder. "So I've heard."

Barb tapped the ash from her smoke onto the floor. "So what can I get you? Wouldn't recommend anything, really, it's all shit, except for the smoked meat sandwich. It's not bad. Earl'll cook it up real good for you, on account of you being a celebrity."

"Thanks."

JC returned shortly after Barb left, looking tired. "So," he said slowly, shaking salt onto the table. "Can I ask, like, what exactly we're doing here? I mean, I'm cool," JC stressed, and Joey knew he really wasn't, "but um. Montana. It's pretty far away, Joe."

"I know," Joey said, "I just. I can't say anything yet, all right?"

JC nodded and looked at the menu. "Do you think they just sell toast?"

"I got you a smoked meat sandwich," Joey said, and JC frowned. "Jayce, man, let me worry about getting fat. You," Joey gestured to him, "disappear when you stand behind a tree. Don't worry about it. You look great."

JC sighed and twirled his fingers through the small puddle of salt, drawing strange, tribal patterns Joey was sure announced some great truth about JC's soul. "I just hate eating so much."

"I know," Joey said sympathetically, "but you have to. You need to."

JC nodded. "I guess. I just. If I get fat, you'll tell me, right?"

Joey tried to smile. "Promise."

~~~

The sandwich was good, sloppy and full of meat, and JC ate heartily because Joey seemed so happy to watch him pig out. It wasn't like JC was anorexic or anything, or like, bulimic; he just ate toast and salad all the time, and it was more a reaction to shit in his own life than an actual eating disorder. Plus, his metabolism was very fast.

"Your new album's good," Barb said when she was delivering the pie.

"Thanks," Joey said, and Barb wandered off. JC looked at him, smiling, and Joey made a big show of leaning forward and whispering out of the corner of his mouth, "she seems to think we're Aerosmith."

"What?" JC laughed, shaking his head. "That's, like, neat but kind of insulting."

"I'm not going to enlighten her," Joey said, digging his fork into the pie and waiting patiently for JC to do the same. "Methinks they burn boybands at the stake ‘round these parts, Jayce. As far as she's concerned, we're gracefully aged rockers."

JC smiled and chewed his pie, liking the sugar. "This isn't so bad," JC said suddenly, his fork between his lips and his teeth banging against the metal. "Being here with you. Like, I'm confused as fuck, but it's kind of nice. Thank you."

Joey smiled. "No problem."

And it really wasn't.

~~~

When Joey started having horrific visions of JC falling off the bike, he pulled into the first motel he found. JC was loose against his back, his fingers not quite digging as deep. When Joey stopped, he wasn't entirely surprised to notice JC was sleeping, just very grateful JC clung even when unconscious. This was such a bad idea.

Positioning JC so he hung over the motorcycle, balanced and still sleeping, Joey grabbed his wad of cash and got the cheapest room he could with two single beds, a hat drawn low over his eyes. Grabbing JC into his arms, Joey walked into the dingy motel room and put JC down on the bed.

"I'm awake," JC muttered as Joey dragged the white shirt off his shoulders, but JC didn't really move, just closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Joey kneeled over the thin body, untangling JC's wrists when they got stuck. "Where are we?"

"Tennessee, about to head into Kentucky," Joey mumbled, tugging at JC's shirt. "Hey, Jayce, you wanna do this, if you're so awake?"

JC blinked. "Oh, yeah, sorry." And started to undress, looking through the bag Joey packed for him.

Joey nodded and went into the bathroom, "I'm taking a shower."

"‘Kay."

Joey turned on the water, running his fingers under the tap. Shrugging off his dirty clothes, he stepped under the stream. Scrubbing his skin with the washcloth, he nearly jumped out of his skin when JC poked his head into the shower.

"I'm heading to the snack machine outside. Want anything?" JC asked, smiling helpfully. "They have those cake things you like so much. The ones with the filling? They looked good. I was going to get some."

"Um, whatever, Jayce. Your pick," Joey said, the washcloth paused on his arm, and JC nodded, sliding the curtain shut again. Joey closed his eyes and took a deep breath, counting to ten very slowly.

Then, shakily, Joey grabbed his dick and jerked off quickly, biting back the groan as he came, splattering the wall of the small shower.

~~~

"Not tired?" Joey asked as he came into the main room after his shower, towel drying his hair, and JC shook his head, a finger between his teeth while he sucked off the icing. JC knew he shouldn't be eating snacks, but he liked the taste of sugar.

JC licked his lips. "I slept on the bike. That was probably kinda dumb," JC admitted, "but there's not much to look at, besides your legs and, like, the lines on the road. I've never been on a road trip before," JC added, offering Joey a snack cake, and Joey stuffed it into his mouth.

"You aren't really made for it, Jayce," Joey said, sitting down next to him on the bed.

JC shrugged. "Doesn't mean I shouldn't try it. Like, I'm all right so far. I'm not some sort of sissy who can't, like, ride a motorcycle." JC nibbled at the cakey mess between his fingers, leaning forward. "Well, I can't drive one, but, like, I sat there, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," Joey said, white cream on his lips. "And I didn't mean that. Jayce, we're gonna get gross really quickly, and you bathe at least twice a day. Have you ever even been camping?" JC shook his head. "We still have a couple days ride until we get to Helena."

"I don't get it," JC confessed, "I mean. Montana, Joe. No one goes to Montana."

"Which is why we're going." Joey laid back on the bed, and JC continued snacking though his stomach hurt and his tongue tingled. "Just humour me, all right? That's why you're here. You're the only one I can do this with."

"Even though I suck at road trips?"

"Even though," Joey agreed. "And you don't really suck. You're just. Fragile."

JC frowned and shrugged and ate some more. "I'm, like, really okay."

"You're getting there," Joey muttered, getting up and collapsing into the other bed, and JC watched him as he folded under the covers, wearing boxers and a thin, green tee-shirt. "I'm gonna get some sleep."

"Is it all right if I watch teevee?"

Joey nodded, half-asleep. "Yeah."

~~~

JC was asleep by the time Joey woke up, still in his jeans and lying on the floor, and Joey regarded him quietly, thinking again that it might not have been the best of ideas to do this now, to drag JC with him on his quest for fulfilment.

"Hey, Jayce," Joey whispered in his ear, blowing lightly, and JC lifted a hand, trying to bat him away, but Joey kept a steady stream of air into his ear. "Joshua! Joshua, get up!" Joey shook him, and JC started giggling sleepily, especially when Joey straddled him. "Up and at ‘em, cowboy. Our trek continues this fine Tuesday morning!"

JC was wheezing. "All right! All right! Can I take a shower? Please?"

"Sure, Stinky," Joey said, dragging JC to his feet, and JC body slammed him onto the bed, all gangly limbs and narrow hips. Joey went flying and was laughing as JC ran into the bathroom. "Be quick, Jayce!"

Joey changed while JC showered, picking up the phone and quickly dialling a number, collect, and counting the rings. One, two, three, four -- "what's up, old man?"

"Where the fuck are you?" Chris demanded. "Asshole. Me and Justin showed up last night, and there's no one home. Did you forget about poker night? Did you forget that it was my turn to take all your money?"

"I'm in Tennessee," Joey said, "with JC."

Chris was silent on the other end until, "shit, you mean, you're actually doing it?"

"I guess so," Joey said, his stomach wobbling, "like, I hope so. He's pretty cool about, you know, being abducted and stuff, and it's good for him, you know. After everything," Joey added, keeping his voice low and quiet. "I think the time is right."

Chris hummed. "Has he said anything yet?"

"Nope," Joey replied, hearing the shower turn off, "but he's eating, and that's good, right? We're going to Montana, so, hopefully, you know, all the things that need to be said will get said, and we'll both come back better than before."

"You're crazy, Joe," Chris said, and Joey could hear the smile in his voice. "Just, be careful, you know?"

"I will be. I'll try to call again," Joey said, "bye Chris."

"Bye, stud."

JC came out of the shower, smiling, and Joey smiled back, packing his bag.

It was just beginning.

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