He’d been told that Timberlake Electrics were the best in the business: discreet, fast and clean. Looking at the old guy wandering round with him taking notes about what he wanted where, he was sure that his friends had been pulling his leg; this guy didn’t look as if he could wire a plug, never mind a whole house. JC Chasez, the biggest pop solo star in America at the present time, had taken the fact that a tree crashed through half his house as a sign that it was time to rewire, so he was doing it in style. Wireless internet throughout, speakers wired up from the main system, remote control lighting, the works. So here he was, showing Gene around his house, talking through his plans and visions and awaiting the damage report as to how much this was all going to cost.
In the end, the quote hadn’t been too bad, the infrastructure was still there and because the house needed totally redecorating anyway, the actual fitting in of the new equipment could be done quicker as they wouldn’t have to worry about wrecking the existing décor. Work would start on Monday.
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JC was still asleep when the gate buzzer went at 7am, Monday morning. Bemoaning the lack of a buzzer answering thingy in his bedroom, he pulled on a t-shirt and made his way downstairs. Pressing the ‘speak’ button, he gave a tentative ‘hello’, knowing from experience, giving his surname out could cause eardrum-bursting squeals.
“Justin Timberlake, here to see Mr Chase-ez.” A soft southern accent spoke through the intercom.
“Chasez, and come in.” JC replied, the correction of his surname coming all too naturally. He buzzed Justin into his driveway before quickly running upstairs to get some pants on his legs and some water on his hair to calm down the curls.
Barely making it down before the doorbell of his actual house rang, he opened the door and promptly thanked the Hurricane Gods for bringing him this marvel of electrician gorgeousness. Slightly taller than himself, with arms to die for and just a hint of curl coming through in his short, light brown hair. It was just- wow.
Before JC could find his voice again, Justin had laughed slightly, obviously used to the shock of people expecting his grandpa to do the work.
“So, Mr Chasez,” Justin started, getting the pronunciation right this time. “I’m Justin. Grandpa Gene’s given me the 411 and I’ve signed all the relevant papers. If you’ve got a moment I’ll tell you what I’m going to do and when, and then I can get started. If at anytime you feel like you need a room I’m working in or that you’ve changed your mind about being anywhere, please tell me. I’m totally at your service until this job is finished, Grandpa’s orders!” Justin smiled, waiting for JC to invite him in so he could get started. He was used to doing the big houses, his firm made themselves a reputation because of their discreet and fast service. One man doing the work so as to not impose on the privacy of clients, doing bespoke wiring, quickly and cleanly. His Grandpa had started up the business years before, working for people such as Ole Blue Eyes and Elvis Presley. They didn’t advertise; their business came purely by word of mouth.
JC found his manners and stepped back from the door to allow Justin to enter. He made motion for him to follow him through to the kitchen, not trusting Justin’s work clothing on his white leather couch, and invited him to sit down at the breakfast bar. He offered coffee, and put the percolator on whilst Justin went into his bag and started sorting through papers, putting JC’s disclosure forms to one side before getting the wiring plans out.
They spent the next hour double-checking the locations of everything that JC had asked for. Justin had a full inventory of rooms, showing JC the order he was going to do things and making sure that everything fit in with his plans. He was going to start downstairs and work his way up, finishing in the master bedroom, as he explained, he found clients needed some place to keep their own when work was going on, so they always tried to keep the bedroom till last.
JC had taken several weeks off from doing PA to sort his house out after Hurricane Charley had thrown a tree through his bedroom. Although now structurally sound, the house had taken a battering from the wind and he wanted to get it back to normal. He’d liked Gene when he’d come round and Justin seemed like a chip off the old block. He understood that the quickest way to get the work done was to let Justin come and go as he needed, Gene had assured JC that doing this was his own decision but Justin seemed trustworthy and the whole company had come highly recommended, so he was going to do whatever it took to get the job done. He passed Justin a key, giving him the security codes for the gates and decided to leave him to his own devices. He was going to occupy himself with choosing new furniture, wall coverings and art whilst this young electrician did his part in the restoration of his once beautiful home.
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A week later and JC was going mad. He couldn’t find anything he liked in any of the shops he was going into; everything was either over priced or over embellished. He wanted natural woods, soft fabrics and simple, clean lines. What he was finding was over extravagant hard woods that the environmentalist in him couldn’t bring himself to buy, gold leaf, rich velvets and dark leathers. It was after another visit to a store where they wouldn’t leave him alone to actually LOOK at the furniture, as they were too busy kowtowing to his celebrity, that he stormed back into the house. Swearing to himself, kicking the one table that had survived the storm, and stubbing his toe.
He fell back on the sofa, still cursing when he saw Justin standing over him, coffee cups in his hands.
“You look like you need this.” He said, passing one of the cups to JC, who took it gratefully. A week spent with Justin practically living in his house had familiarised both of them with how they took their coffee, Justin saying that he needed regular fixes to ensure correct wiring and JC just being a self confessed caffeine addict. JC had quickly worked out just why Timberlake Electric came so well recommended. The absolute hotness of Justin withstanding; he was there anytime from seven a.m. in the morning till nine p.m. at night, keeping the noisy work to the times that JC was out of the house, and keeping himself out of the way of whatever was going on with JC. It was strange how Justin seemed to know when JC needed space, or when he was looking to talk- well, vent more than talk. Just like now.
“It’s just, Ughhh. I know what I want, but I just can’t find it anywhere. All the fuckin’ assistants are all over me and, man, I just wanna buy a new bed. I don’t want to tell you about who I’m going to be fuckin’ on the fuckin’ bed.” JC blushed slightly at that, having had several dreams about fucking the man right in front of him over the last few days. It was like, Justin would be bending down and his pants would just slip that little bit, or he’d stretch and you’d see a little bit of stomach or back. The day he’d come home to find Justin doing the garden wiring, wearing only shorts, well, he’d not had much sleep that night!
“Have you been down to Chris K’s workshop?” Justin asked, knowing the answer would be no, as Chris was as exclusive as the Timberlake’s. If JC knew about him, he’d have been.
“Chris K’s?” JC asked, puzzled.
“He’s a friend of mine, runs a small shop just out of town. Makes furniture to order, I think you’ll like him. He’s got some basic designs, but he’ll work those into what you want. Really simple stuff, but well made and none of that mahogany you’ve been swearing about for the last two days.” Justin grinned, and jotted down the directions to Chris’ place, laughing as JC snatched up the bit of paper and ran out of the door.
Justin picked up his cell and pressed speed dial 2, the grin still on his face. The phone rang a couple of times before being picked up.
“Justin, this better be important, I was in the middle of lathing.” Chris answered, sounding annoyed, but Justin knew him well enough to know that if he had been lathing, he wouldn’t have picked up the phone.
“Chris, lathing as a euphemism for messing around with Lance in the office does not work with me. You know that.” Justin replied, laughing more as he heard Chris mutter to Lance that they’d been rumbled. “Anyway, Kirkpatrick, I’m sending JC down to you, be nice.”
“JC?” Chris replied, “JC Chasez.”
“Yeah, I’m rewiring his bed… ummm, his house, and yeah, he wants a new bed.”
”JC Chasez who you’ve had a total teenage girl crush on for like, the last three years, JC Chasez.” Chris replied enjoying the fact he had a chance to wind Justin up for once. “That JC Chasez. You’re working for him. Man, Justin, your hormones must be on overtime.”
“I’m being professional, honest, well, other than totally fucking up his surname the first time I met him. Man, that was embarrassing! But yeah, working for him, rewiring his house, wearing my lowest cut jeans to work every day and I’m sure he’s checking out my ass, but you know, could be wishful thinking. He did disappear pretty quickly the day I was wearing shorts and no shirt though.”
“So, you’re sending the object of your affections to me, to make him a new love bed that you’re hoping to christen. Yes? Man, I’m gonna have fun with this one. You know, asking questions about what he gets up to on it, see where the strength needs to be.”
“Chris, No!” Justin yelled, “Come on, I promised him you were discreet.”
“J, When I have ever been discreet, but for you I’ll be good. Okay?” Chris laughed, Justin was so easy to wind up sometimes. The two men chatted for a few minutes longer, before saying their respective goodbyes, Justin to get back to wiring and Chris back to lathing Lance.
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It was four hours before JC returned from Chris’ studio. Justin was still hard at work, wanting to get the studio wired up and working again before JC returned; he knew the lack of music making equipment had been stressing him out, as he’d been asking ‘how long’ for the last two days. Justin had explained that other rooms needed to be done first, to get the necessary wiring into the room, and JC had understood that, but still he’d known that the sooner it was finished the better.
It was difficult to work when an over enthusiastic pop star had you in a bear hug thanking you for the recommendation of a furniture shop, though. JC had come back, run into the house, followed the sound of Justin’s portable stereo and hugged him before Justin had even managed to wipe the dust off his hands.
“Oh my goodness, Chris is brilliant. His stuff, man. Just, Wow! He’s gonna make me a whole bedroom suite, and he reckons he’ll have the bed done in time for it to go in next week when you finish as he said something about me wanting it for a celebration, which I didn’t get, but man, Justin. Thanks.” JC looked at his watch, and noting it was seven p.m. insisted that Justin have a drink and Chinese take out, on him.
Justin was hungry, and not one to turn down free Chinese, so he followed JC into the kitchen. A take out menu was placed in front of him, followed by a wine glass.
“I can’t drink and drive, man, and it’s a long way back to my place.” Justin objected, holding his hand over the wine glass.
“One glass?” JC asked, waving the bottle in front of Justin.
“No. One glass is a glass too many when I’ve got an hour’s drive back over the city.”
“You drive an hour home?” JC asked “You’re here at what, seven, and you don’t leave till ten some nights, so you’re getting what, five, six hours sleep a night? That’s not fair, Justin.”
“It’s what you pay me for, JC.” Justin replied. This was all part of the service. They didn’t do it for everyone, but to be honest, Justin wanted to stay at JC’s house. It was nice just watching him sometimes, fussing around, holding up colour cards in rooms and talking to himself as he wandered round the house. It was nice to see a celebrity doing his own interiors. Justin had seen too many interior decorators gone mad in his time, and wouldn’t trust one as far as he could throw them on his own small condo.
“Come on Justin, it’s what, Saturday night, you’re ahead of schedule, even I know that, and I’m paying you a fixed rate, so I don’t get a discount if you finish early, and I don’t like paying people for not being here, so relax, have a drink and crash in one of the guest rooms tonight.” JC couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth, this was an employee for goodness sake, well, a kind of employee, and either way he was an electrician and electricians drank beer and ate pizza. They didn’t drink red wine and Chinese; still something about Justin made JC’s mouth work without a brain input. “Anyway, didn’t you say you were totally at my service till the job was finished?”
“That’s using my own words against me there, JC. I’m at your service purely in an electrical sense. Although, I am tired and I’m not one to turn down a free meal, so wine and Chinese sounds good.” Justin took his hand from his wine glass thinking that he’d never get another chance to have a ‘date’ with JC, so he might as well take it.
“You’re lucky I’m in overalls today though, I’m clean underneath.” Justin grinned, and proceeded to demonstrate by unzipping the front of his overalls, revealing a tight white vest and black shorts. He folded the overalls up roughly and took a sip of his wine, smirking to himself as he saw JC checking him out, no mistaking it this time.
The two men sat watching tv till the early hours of the morning, talking about life, the universe and everything. Justin was pleased to find out that JC wasn’t caught up in being a celebrity and was actually a pretty funny guy, funny and hot. JC was just having fun with someone who didn’t treat him like an idol, just because he made records. For both of them it was a good night.
It was only as the second bottle of wine was finished and Justin started yawning that they realised the time, and the fact that they’d managed to get their legs entangled in each others whilst curling up on opposite sides of the sofa. Neither had realised until Justin had gone to stretch. JC had pulled his legs to the floor quickly, and there was an awkward moment when neither wanted to speak, until JC regained his composure and suggested it was time they both got some sleep.
Justin walked upstairs behind JC, appreciating the view even in his tired state, he was curious as to where he was going to be sleeping. He knew from JC talking that the master bedroom had been pretty much trashed and he was in the main guest room right now, not wanting to go back in until everything was right again, the décor, the furniture, the wiring. Justin had changed his plans earlier to do this room first, so to allow the decorators in as soon as possible. The upstairs part of the house led off from one main corridor, JC showed Justin the room he’d be working in on Monday, a large room, taking up the whole of one side of the house, a balcony looking over the lake, and the large hole where the tree had been. Further along the corridor JC opened a door to a blue room, sparsely decorated but with a large double bed in the middle of the carpeted floor.
“You’ll be in here. There’s a bathroom through that door, but make sure you lock all the doors, as it connects through to the room that I’m using. Okay. Is there anything you need? There’s towels in the closet and extra blankets if you get cold.” JC stood, leaning slightly due to the consumption of liquor and a bit giddy about having Justin sleeping so close. He’d have to jack off quietly that night.
“I’m fine, this is great, thanks.” Justin had got sleepier since setting eyes on a bed, and he took a step into the room, brushing past JC as he did so. He turned and smiled, and said goodnight, his professionalism not allowing him to move on his instincts and still not knowing if what he’d thought was JC checking him out was actually wishful thinking on his part.
JC left the room, shutting the door behind him, feeling slightly idiotic. He’d totally got hard when Justin brushed past him, and he was sure that Justin had noticed. He didn’t know what he was thinking, Justin was an electrician, and electricians weren’t gay.
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The next week flew by, the two men finding excuses to be in each other’s company. JC had dragged Justin out to look at light fittings with him one day, working on the basis that Justin could get a tradesman discount, of course. Justin was more and more certain that JC was checking him out, but didn’t feel as if he could do anything about it as long as he was under contract. A mistake could bring down the whole business. So he was keeping his distance, being cool and calm and trying not to flirt. JC in return was trying his hardest to get over his Justin crush, being sure that Justin was straight.
Soon enough it was Friday, and Justin was wiring up the last room. Chris and Lance were in JC’s bedroom, putting the bed together and JC had been banished from the house for fussing and wanting to help. Chris had sent him on a mission for doughnuts, telling him that was the best way for him to be useful, not trusting pop stars with screwdrivers of the non-alcoholic variety.
Justin finished fitting the last plug and wandered into JC’s room to talk to Chris and Lance. The bed was masterful, based on classic shaker style; it was clean lines and simple embellishment in the infrastructure, rather than being added on. Its beauty was in the simplicity but it was huge, as long as it was wide, and made of a beautiful oak, stained to a rich honey shade. It had storage underneath, built in flush to the bed, no handles to ruin the line in a Chris K bed. Chris and Lance had spent every waking hour on this over the past week, putting aside other work at the insistence of Justin.
JC arrived back just as Lance was putting the last pillow onto the bed, nearly dropping the doughnuts as he took in the scene. His room, no longer a memory of once was, rebuilt and redesigned. Still missing closets, but the walls freshly plastered and painted, an intercom just by his bed, light controls and music controls within easy reach. Justin had phoned Chris to get the measurements so he could fit everything in just right.
“Guys, really, I don’t know what to say. Umm, thanks?” JC was mostly speechless.
“No problem, man. Justin called in a favour on this one, so you’ve got me and Lance here off the hook at last, I was sure he was going to use it to get sexual favours one day.” Chris replied, wincing as Lance smacked him across the arm.
“Chris, the day I need sexual favours from you is a long time coming.” Justin retorted.
“You just want some of this.” Chris replied, patting his backside.
“Chris, I had that, remember. Five years ago.” Justin replied, leaving Chris with his mouth hanging open as Lance started asking him why he’d never told him about Justin and him.
“Timberlake, that was never to be mentioned again, remember. Your dad would kill me if he knew I corrupted his dear son.” Chris finally got his words out.
“Chris, my dad’s known for years. Why do you think he sent me to work for you? Electricians don’t need to know how to sand doors, it isn’t on the test paper.” Justin laughed, loving the look on Chris’ face. They’d had a short fling years ago when Justin was only 18 and Chris had felt guilty for corrupting Justin ever since, hence Justin could get beds made within a week.
Lance was laughing by now, having put two and two together, and the three men had forgotten about the presence of JC still standing there, holding doughnuts. He coughed softly, trying to make himself part of the conversation again. Had he heard right, was Justin actually gay, or was it a one off thing, an experiment when he was younger. JC didn’t know if he was more or less confused now.
Chris grabbed Lance with one hand, and a doughnut with the other, shouted bye to Justin and made a lewd comment about having to reaffirm his love to Lance now that Justin had corrupted his mind with thoughts of Timberlake lovin’. He told JC that the bill would be in the post and quickly left, dragging a not protesting Lance behind him.
“So, want the guided tour then?” Justin asked, turning to JC.
“Okay” was all JC could reply, still having every possible scenario run through his head as Justin led him downstairs and through all the rooms down there, showing him the gadgets, the lighting set ups, the hidden sockets and the lights they’d picked out together. He took JC upstairs, showing him the spare bedrooms, the guest bathrooms, telling him what he’d done and where. Most of the rooms were in need of redecorating now, Justin having to have put holes into the dry wall to feed cables, as well as the storm damage. Finally they went into JC’s bedroom. Justin had put a full range of pre-programmed lighting set ups into JC’s room, and he showed him them all, running through the natural light settings, to help JC wake up on winter mornings, and the lights around the dressing area, the wiring ready to go into the closets once Chris had them made. The two men were standing close, leaning in towards the setting panel as Justin ran through which buttons to press. He clicked two more buttons, making the lights go low, the colour changing from white to a softer glow. Justin turned to JC, his eyes on him rather than the control panel.
“And this, this is the romantic setting, for when, you know?” Justin said, softly, not taking his eyes from JC’s.
“You still at my service, Justin, seeing how the job isn’t quite finished?” JC’s eyes flicked towards the tied up wires where the closets were going to be.
“Depends on what you mean by service, Mr Chasez.” Justin replied, going into employee mode, knowing that this moment was make or break. This was JC taking the initiative now; he could go with that. JC took a breath, he was sure now, sure that Justin was feeling the same way that he was, he knew that he could fill that space between them without being rejected. One more second and he was going to do it, he took one more breath and softly said “Full service” before moving to fill that last bit of space and softly touched his lips to Justin’s. Extending the kiss as he realised for certain he wasn’t being rejected, putting his arms around Justin and laughing slightly as Justin pulled away and whispered in his ear that Chris made his beds strong.
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