turps | Part 9 of Homeless AU

Short part tonight with it being the weekend. I'm sure you all know this but remember, it's a WIP and will have mistakes. Any questions just ask, I don't bite and really do like discussing the story, it helps me map it in my mind.

As usual links to earlier parts are behind the cut.

Part 1 is here
Part 2 is here
Part 3 is here
Part 4 is here
Part 5 is here
Part 6 is here
Part 7 is here
Part 8 is here

~*~*~*~

“Come on, you look like you need to lie down.” JC says, and he starts to help Chris toward their shelter.

“Hold on.” Lance says, holding piles of blankets in his arms. “Wait until I put these in there.”

JC stops and pulls Chris close to him as Lance ducks into their shelter and JC holds Chris’ hand, tracing lines on his palm with his fingers as they wait.

“JC.” Justin shouts, and he barrels out of Joey’s shelter, tripping over his own feet in his haste to stand up straight and reach JC. “You’re okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, I thought.”

JC holds up his hand, stopping Justin getting close and Justin’s face crumples until JC says. “It’s okay, it’s just. Take it slow, okay.”

”Sorry, I didn’t think.” Justin says, and he approaches slowly. He looks scared, looking from Chris to JC and stops when he’s within reach of them, but comes no further. “Sorry, I’m so sorry.”

“Justin, come here.” Says Chris, and he reaches for Justin, pulling him close. Justin hesitates for a moment, and Chris thinks he’s going to run, but he moves at last. Justin’s arms go round Chris and JC and he buries his face against Chris’ shoulder, murmuring I’m sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. and Chris feels hot tears soak through Joey’s sweater.

“It’s okay, we’re good.” Chris whispers, comforted by the feel of JC’s hand against his back.

“Hey, come here.” Chris looks up and sees JC is beckoning to Lance who’s standing watching them. Lance doesn’t even hesitate a moment, almost running before putting his arms round Justin and JC. They stand in a loose circle and no one speaks, Chris can’t, no words could ever convey what he feels.

“Where’s Joey?” JC questions at last and the group breaks up with lingering touches and smiles.

“Looking for you.” Lance replies. Chris doesn’t miss the worried look on JC’s face and opens his mouth, about to ask questions when Lance cuts him off. “You need to go lie down Chris, and we’d better do something about JC’s hands.”

“No, they’re fine.” JC says, but Chris finally sees what Lance has, bloody scrapes on JC’s knuckles.

“No they’re not.” Chris gently holds JC’s hands up, holding then up and looking at them carefully. “We need to go wash those. Then you tell me where the hell you’ve been.”

“Close.” Lance says as he looks at Chris. “I’ll go with JC as he gets washed up, you’ll go and lie down before you fall down. Justin will stay with you.”

Chris wants to protest, the thought of being apart from for JC even a minute something that causes him physical pain. The problem is he doesn’t think he could walk another step, he needs to lie down and ride out the pain that’s beginning to get overwhelming. JC seems to sense that, and turns to Lance.

“They’re fine.” But Lance looks determined and Chris knows he’s right.

“No, you go. Me and Justin will wait here.” Chris gently kisses JC’s hand, careful not to touch any of the scrapes. “Get washed while you’re there.”

“You saying I stink?” JC questions, before smiling, a huge wide grin that Chris can’t help responding to. “I’m going, I just want to get you tucked in first.”

Chris thinks about protesting he’s not a child, but gives in to JC’s fussing as he gets him settled on a pile of blankets. JC looks quizzically at one of the new hospital blankets but shrugs and carefully drapes it over Chris, tucking it under his chin.

“I won’t be long.” JC says then bends and kisses Chris. JC tastes like blood mixed with mud and Chris almost pulls back, but as the kiss deepens the taste disappears as Chris looses himself in JC. I love you says JC, words mouthed against Chris’ lips.

“Love you too, now go.” Chris doesn’t think JC’s going to go at first, then he touches Chris’ face, palm warm on Chris’ cheek then walks out of the shelter. Justin comes in as soon as he’s gone, expression serious as he looks at Chris.

If you say you’re sorry one more time I’m gonna kick your ass.” Chris wants to laugh at how fast Justin snaps his mouth shut, but he doesn’t, just watches as Justin stays at the shelter door. “I thought we got past this, but I guess not. Come and sit down, keep me company.”

“Okay.” Justin says slowly and he sits next to Chris. Justin’s silent and Chris is almost asleep when he speaks again. “I won’t do it again. Promise.”

“I know.” Chris believes him. “You’re a good kid.”

“I’m not a kid.” The response is automatic now and they both smile as Justin lies down, feet crossed as he stares at the ceiling of the shelter, probably looking at the clouds and sun JC has drawn there. Chris feels himself drifting, all he can hear is Justin’s breathing and the soft chime of the CDs JC hung up as they clink together outside. Within minutes he’s asleep.

~*~*~*~

“Don’t they look cute?”

Chris hears Joey’s voice and opens his eyes, he blinks when he sees Justin’s face an inch from his own, so close Chris can see every freckle and feel every breathe. Justin’s arm is thrown across Chris’ body, heavy against his side and Chris squirms a little, trying to see Joey. The movement wakes Justin, who stares at Chris with half open eyes before rolling away from him.

“Sorry,” Justin says with a blush then sits up, looking at Joey. “Hey, you’re back.”

“Observant little thing aren’t you?” Joey smiles then winks at Justin. Yeah, I bumped into Lance and JC and we went for supplies. We come bearing gifts.”

Joey holds up a bag and Chris squints at it, trying to see where it’s from. “You got food?” He asks then grins when Joey nods.

“That and other stuff,” Joey puts the bag down then ducks into the shelter, “here, lets get you sitting up a bit then we can all get in.”

Joey helps Chris sit so he’s resting against a pile of clothes then pushes stacks of scrap paper aside so they can all fit in the shelter. They don’t do this often, despite Chris and JC modifications it’s still only a huge packing box and as such doesn’t have much space. But sometimes they need to be together, like today. It takes some rearranging but soon Lance is sitting with Justin next to him while JC climbs over them all so he can sit close to Chris. Joey is near the door, legs tucked under Chris’ blankets, JC’s feet in his lap.

“Where were you, JC?” asks Justin, but JC shakes his head.

“I’ll tell you in a minute. Let’s get this sorted first.” JC looks better, his hair is damp, curling at the nape of his neck and he’s wearing a t-shirt from Lance’s case. Each one of JC’s knuckles is covered in a brightly coloured band-aid printed with pictures of penguins, and he shows them to Chris -- fingers splayed -- as he gets himself comfortable.

Joey empties the bag onto his lap and Chris sees medical supplies and a lot of snack food. Joey rummages through it and throws a box of painkillers at JC, who catches it and pops out enough tablets for him and Chris. They swallow them dry, then Chris sits back and watches as Joey passes out food. There’s chips, candy and drinks, and Chris’ stomach rumbles as Joey passes him a large packet of chips and a bottle of soda.

“I got you the kind of chips that melt in your mouth, I figured it’d be easier on your jaw.” Chris smiles his thanks and pulls open the packet then lets the chips dissolve on his tongue. JC is eating chips too, sucking at his fingers after each one, while Joey, Lance and Justin eat m&ms from large packets.

“Did you have money from your magazines sales?” Chris asks, then stares at Joey when he looks away.

“No. We…well. It’s just…”says Joey, then Lances answers Chris’ question.

“What he’s trying to say is we stole them. Joey distracted the assistant and I took what we needed.” Lance sounds as if it’s something that they do everyday, but it’s not, and Chris looks from Lance to Joey, objection forming in his mind. “Don’t even Chris. We need this stuff and I’d do it again in an instant.”

Lance’s expression is obstinate, Chris wants to challenge him, but he knows Lance is right. But that doesn’t make it feel right, and Chris eyes his chips, debating pushing them to one side before his practical side takes over.

“Just don’t do it again, okay.” Chris says, and keeps on eating chips, trying to push away the feelings of hypocrisy but Lance doesn’t answer, just keeps on eating m&ms.

“So you gonna tell us now?” Justin says, he’s looking at JC and JC looks back at him before eating the last chip and emptying the crumbs into his mouth.

“I guess.” JC says and carefully folds the packet up, pushing it toward the back of the shelter. “It’s not that big a deal, I was just about to put the flames on my picture, did you see it? My theme was innocence consumed by fire, I didn’t even finish it.”

“And?” Lance prompts, when it looks like JC is going to dwell on the unfinished nature of his picture.”

“I was bending over, thinking about how nicely the red was contrasting with the darkness of the sidewalk when someone grabbed me by the arm.” JC rubs at his arm as he speaks, and Chris tenses, thinking about Elroy’s fat fingers on JC’s skin. “I thought I was being mugged again but when I looked it was that bastard, Elroy. He pulled me up and said we were going for a walk. Then he stepped on my chalks, he ground them into the sidewalk on purpose.”

There’s a painful silence in the shelter as JC stops talking and Chris’ fingers clench into fists as JC searches for the right words. “There was this other guy with him, big and stupid looking, so I had to go with them.”

“Did they hurt you?” Asks, Joey, and Chris prepares himself for the answer, knowing if JC says yes he’ll hunt Elroy down and kill him.

“No.” replies JC, and he turns to Chris, staring at him. “They made me walk to our park. He said he’d killed you and I didn’t believe him, then he showed me this knife and it had blood on and I was so mad. No one touches you, no one! I don’t think he expected me to punch him, but I did. I imagined him sticking that knife in you and lashed out. You should have seen me, Chris. You would have been proud.”

“I’m always proud.” Says Chris, and it’s true.

JC smiles and kisses Chris quickly on his cheek. “I know. Anyway, he fell and I ran, his friend chased me for a long time, I had to jump in the stream at the park to get away in the end. I wanted to come home hours ago but I didn’t want to lead him here if they were hanging around. So I sat on a park bench and waited.

“You did good, man.” Says, Joey but JC shakes his head.

“No. Really, it was instinct more than anything. He sounded so happy about hurting Chris, I lashed out.” Reaching for Chris JC links hands as he finishes his story. “I knew you weren’t dead, that the only thing that gave me the strength to wait.”

“You knew?” Chris questions, and JC nods, looking only at him. “I told you I marked you a long time ago. You’re mine Chris, I’d know if something happened. I would have known in the park if I hadn’t panicked. Nothing will separate us, ever.”

JC sounds convinced and Chris believes him, he’ll be the first person in Chris’ life not to leave him. He’s convinced of it.