JC blows on his coffee for the seventh time in ten minutes without taking a sip. Although the coffee is sufficiently cooled at this point to be considered tepid, he continues to alternate between blowing on the coffee and staring at his hand. Well not really his hand, but the thick stack of paper sitting underneath it on the kitchen island. Slowly his index finger runs over the typed title on the front page, “One Shot”.
He sighs and runs a hand over his face just as he hears a mix of human and canine pattering enter the kitchen. “Morning.” Ari says quietly before he feels the gentle pressure of her lips on his cheek. “Morning.” He replies as he wraps an arm around her waist from his perch on the stool then pats her behind affectionately. “Sleep well?”
She nods and pulls away from him and he watches as she walks around the kitchen island, steps over Maestro and heads over to the coffee maker on the counter where she pours out less than a third of a cup of coffee and then fills the rest up with the milk. He smirks as he watches her put in a few teaspoons of sugar and then turn to lean back against the counter. “You realize you’re not truly drinking coffee but coffee flavored sugar milk right?”
She shrugs with a smile and then takes a sip. “I’m slowly working myself up to liking coffee.”
He chuckles softly and shakes his head before looking down at the stack again.
“What’s that?” she asks, looking at him over the rim of her cup.
He bites his lip and scratches the back of his neck uncomfortably. “A script,” he answers before clearing his throat. “My agent had it couriered over this morning. He wants me to take a look at it.”
Ari walks over and sets her cup on the island before leaning down to rest her forearms against the cool marble and face him. “Is it any good?”
“Ah…” He squirms in his seat and taps his fingers on the counter absently. “I don’t know. I haven’t opened it yet.”
She takes another sip from her cup. “Because…”
He shrugs and swipes the edge of his nose with his finger. “I just…I’m scared I’ll like it.” He admits as he gets up and walks to the fridge. He pulls open the door and just stares at random things inside until he shuts it again. He turns to see Ari still watching him from her place at the island.
“So what if you like it? Then you do it.”
He shakes his head and leans back against the fridge, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t know, babe…” He groans and then leans forward, resting his palms on the counter. “It also shoots in Mexico for a couple weeks in December.”
“So? Mexico sounds fun…”
“But then you’d be here, alone you know and-"
“Do not put this on me. You know very well I’d be more than fine here alone for a couple of weeks. I’m going to be crazy busy with Christmas photo shoots all of December so believe me, I won’t be moping around for two weeks around the house by myself.”
“But…” He starts again but seems to run out of things to say.
Ari reaches over and presses her hand down onto one of his on the kitchen island. “But what, honey? Sounds like a lot of excuses to me,” she squeezes his hand gently, “Talk it out, let me in.”
JC sighs and leans forward to slide his forearms over the counter, mirroring her own position. “I just…You realize I’m like the king of straight to DVD movies right?”
Ari chuckles and then shrugs, “So what. Plenty of actual actors that have no other talent but their acting go straight to DVD sometimes. Plus, you always seem to do these small indie films that aren’t meant to be blockbusters anyway right?”
His eyes lower to the grain of the marble on the counter and he licks his lips.
'Cause I don’t get offered the blockbusters.
Why get the second in line when you can get Timberlake?
When he glances back up, he finds Ari looking at him seriously. “Don’t you dare.”
He shrugs self consciously. “What?”
“You know,” she says with a pointed look. “Yes, he has been blessed with many abilities but you both have your strengths. He cannot match you in any way in producing, songwriting and actual vocal ability, which I think as primarily a musical artist you should be proud of. You can sing circles around that guy and that’s saying something.”
He says nothing for a few moments and then shakes his head. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of him for everything he’s accomplished. He’s crazy talented and super driven. I’ve known the kid since he was ten…It…it just gets to me sometimes, you know?”
She nods. “I know, but then you put on your big boy pants, you stop being bitter and live your life right?”
He sighs and nods. “Right.” He straightens his back and continues. “And then I remember that I have something he doesn’t have and that he’ll never have.”
She smiles and straightens as well to take a sip from her cup, “What’s that? Incredible good looks and a massive-“
“You.” He cuts in with a chuckle as he walks around the island and wraps his arms around her waist. “My girl who doesn’t let me mope around and have a pity party…” He kisses the tip of her nose gently.
She smirks and slips her arms around his neck. “Suuppper corny, but the sentiment is appreciated.” Her face becomes serious again and she continues. “I just think you’re your biggest hurdle most of the time. You just feel things so intensely. When you’re in that zone you sort of don’t realize that it’s not automatically what the people around you are feeling as well. I get that you’re really anxious about taking on a new project; the last little while hasn’t been easy for you. I know that. But if there is someone I know that can pull up their boot straps, face things head on and hope for the best, it’s you.”
“I know…I just-"
“You’ve been burned a few times, badly, yes. A lot of people have. I know you got a shitty deal when you went solo and even shittier luck for other projects after. Life happens, honey. It’s put hurdles in your path but you always plow through them. Maybe you’re not singing to sold out arenas or acting in the latest blockbusters but you’re still absolutely loved by your fans. They freak the hell out at the mere mention of you being involved in anything.” He smiles shyly as she seems to absently use the tip of her fingers to trace his jawline. “Now speaking as probably your biggest fan, I’d give anything for you to share your beautiful voice with the world again. I realize that’s not where your head’s at now and that movies are a new challenge for you. So I say go, face them head on. If it tanks, it tanks. You’ll have something else to add to your resume and when the next thing comes along maybe someone will think, ‘Hey, what about JC Chasez…’”
He licks his lips and nods quietly, watching her beautiful eyes gaze at him with complete honesty and openness. He at times forgets how completely good she is for him. He’s never had someone, especially a girlfriend, put in so much time at trying to get him to come out of his head. Most people usually give up after a few attempts. She seems to have no idea how much that means to him and what place it puts her in his life.
“I love you,” he states simply and presses his lips to hers gently.
Somehow the words don’t feel like enough at the moment when he sees her smile at him in answer and repeat his words back to him. It reminds him of the way her smile grows and her eyes sparkle the moment a musical note comes out of his mouth. It’s always as if it’s the thing that makes her the happiest at all times. Although he’d promised to sing to her more often when they’d returned from her brother’s wedding, he realizes that he still doesn’t do it near enough. It’s such a small gesture on his part that seems to bring so much happiness to her.
They pull apart and he runs a hand through his hair as he watches her take a seat on his vacated stool.
“So, what’s it about? Did your agent tell you about it a little?” she asks as she pulls the script closer eyeing the title and raises and brow. “And you’re sure it’s not a porno? Cause with a title like that…”
He laughs loudly and shakes his head, back to his regular self again as he joins her at the stool next to hers. “I’m pretty sure it’s not a porno… No one really wants to see that.”
It’s her turn to laugh and she looks at him with astonishment. “Excuse me? That is probably the dumbest thing you’ve ever said…” She grins and winks at him, “Especially ever since Lance let it out of the bag on his radio show that you are positively packing.”
He what?!
He must have had the dumbest stupefied look on his face because she laughs again and blushes slightly. “You didn’t know?”
He shakes his head, speechless.
“Yeah, someone called into his show for the whole Fuck, Marry, Kill thing. He said he’d marry Joey, kill Justin and fuck you because out of all the guys you’re packing.”
Jesus Christ.
“It’s not like it was a great surprise to anyone though…” She continues ignoring the look on his face, “We all could see the trouser snake when you were performing in tight pants. We didn’t know if you were just…all there or if it’s ‘cause you were really excited about performing…”
He groans and grabs the script back from in front of her and flips open the first page. “Moving on…” he says as his eyes start to scan the first page.
He starts to explain that his agent had let him into the general idea of the movie. The basic premise is about a failed Broadway performer turned stage manager that has to wrangle his cast and crew in order to save their show’s opening night. He himself would be the star of the actual musical within the movie, a guy that is super into himself and his celebrity and that had slept with the stage manager’s ex-girlfriend.
“That so cool though, you would be playing the total opposite of yourself. You’ve always been so humble about your talents and accomplishments. It would be different for you to play a nemesis, someone other than the good guy.”
He nods and smiles while he flips absently through a few pages. “Yeah, that’s why it’s intriguing to me. I’d get to have some fun with it.”
She smiles and stands up from her stool then reaches over to a bowl of fruit to grab a green apple from it. “I think you should at least read the script and then make your decision. Give it a chance.” She kisses his cheek again and pats his shoulder. “I’ve got to get dressed. I have a meeting and then a shoot later. Will you be around for dinner tonight?”
He’s already started reading the script and nods. “Yeah, I’ll be around. Let’s order in and watch a movie or something?”
He hears her agree and make her way back upstairs. He watches as Maestro seems to suddenly realize that she isn’t there anymore and quickly makes his way back upstairs. He shakes his head and smiles; you’d think he’d been her dog from the start. With a sigh he goes to the sink and pours out his rancid cup of coffee and then refills his mug with some freshly steaming brew.
Give it a chance.
Nodding to himself he walks back over to the island, grabs the script and heads downstairs.
****************************************************
“My mouth is on fire,” Ari says as she places her take-out container of pad thai on the coffee table and sets her chopsticks on top. “But it’s soooo worth it.”
She grins and shifts from her seat on the couch to pull her legs up and lie back against it. “I don’t know how I survived in my small town without Thai food. I may just have to move back there to open up a little shop and bring happiness to my people…” She giggles then looks across to JC who is still picking at his food with his chopsticks. He seems to be somewhere else and not paying attention.
Not this again.
“Josh?” She prods his thigh with the tip of her toes and watches as he blinks a few times as if he’s coming out of a trance.
He turns to look at her. “Sorry, what were you saying?” he asks quietly as he sets his food on the coffee table next to hers.
“Nothing, I was just being stupid. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, think so,” he answers and reaches down to tug her feet into his lap, “I read the script.”
Oh.
“And…” She shifts to that her calves rest comfortably across his lap and the soles of her feet press against the arm of the couch.
“And well…I like it. I think I’m going to do it.”
“Good for you!” She smiles as she reaches for a nearby throw pillow and pulls it behind her head and rests back against it. “You’re still hesitant though?”
He nods and absently runs his fingertips along the fabric of her jeans. “A little. I meant it when I said that it bothered me to leave you alone here to run off to Mexico for a few weeks.”
She shrugs. “I mean, it’s not going to be fun. We’ve never been apart for that long since I moved in. It’ll be weird to be alone in bed every night, but this is bound to not be the only time this happens either. It’s to be expected when you date a super hot super star.” He rolls his eyes and she continues. “Like I said, I’ll be busy with work and I won’t totally be alone. Maestro is here; he’ll keep me company. I’m sure Pat will drag me out to do something with them at some point too.”
He’s watching her quietly and she starts to wonder if he’d been expecting a different reaction from her.
Did he expect her to scream and cry at him? Plead with him not to go?
“What?” she asks, raising an eyebrow questioningly.
“You’re just so…different,” he admits quietly.
Is that bad?
The look on her face must have conveyed her thoughts because he continues. “It’s not bad. It’s just, you’re not…freaking out.” He chuckles. “And you haven’t made me feel bad about not taking you on a free trip to Mexico…”
She laughs softly and shakes her head. “Maybe someday we can go to Mexico, but this is a work trip for you. I will insist on some type of souvenir when you return though…and that you don’t return wanting to trade me in for a newer, more latin model,” she teases.
He grins. “Honey, I still drive my ’97 Jeep. I don’t think I’m into trading in for newer models…” He reaches over and grabs one of her big toes. “On the other hand though, I’m not sure if I can be with someone that uses a five year old to do her pedicures. I mean, what the fuck is that?”
She laughs loudly and sits up. “I was trying to be whimsical!” She wiggles her toes which have a few different colors covering the nails.
“Yeah, well, you let me know if you need money, honey. Your man can afford to get you some new nail polish so you don’t have to use up the leftovers of several bottles…” He laughs as he gets cut off by a throw pillow sailing past his head.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you to my beta once again, elle-miranda.
Chapter End Notes:
Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know in a review, I'll love you forever! ;)
Story Tags: phonesex boyfriendjc showersex jc producerjc
