Part 11 of homeless AU
Mar. 10th, 2004 10:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
turpsSmall part tonight because I'm moving onto a big scene and it seemed the logical stopping point.
Sorry for everyone that didn't want this, but you'll understand when you read the rest.
People that offered to beta, I'm sending the file now, so watch out.
ETA: Or maybe I won't send the file because my freakin mail's down. Phoned tech support and there's a problem with something or other :( Oh well, at least I'll have a bunch of stuff to send in the morning.
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
Part 9 is here
Part 10 is here
“Hey, do you like this?” Justin says, and twirls into a complicated dance move that spins him across the sidewalk, hips moving like liquid. A group of people burst into applause and throw coins into Chris’ hat as Justin beams.
“Not bad.” Chris replies and bites back a grin when Justin turns to him, expression outraged.
“Not bad?!” Justin glares at Chris a little then hits him on the shoulder when Chris grins. “You’re an ass.”
“But you love me anyway.”
Justin doesn’t reply and looks away. Chris shrugs and is about to start singing again when Justin looks at him. “I do. Love you I mean. Not like, you know, I love Lance. But I do love you.”
Chris looks at Justin, words failing him. He doesn’t let many people past his walls, it’s easier that way. He still remembers crying himself to sleep for months after his mom left with his step father and sisters. Chris decided then you don’t get hurt if you don’t care in the first place. But first JC, then Joey breached those rules, pushing their way into his affections. Now as Justin stands looking at Chris, little more than a baby, forehead creased in worry, Chris knows those walls have been breached again.
“It goes both ways, kid.” Chris says. Justin doesn’t move at first, but Chris hears him let out a deep breath before he springs at Chris, long arms and legs locking round Chris’ body. He clings on, and Chris hugs back, uncaring of the crowd who watch.
“Erm, I’ll get the money, okay?” Justin says at last, cheeks tinged with red and lets go dropping to his knees and sorting through the coins in the hat. Chris sighs, then looks across the street to where JC is working. They work in a team now, united against the threat of Elroy. It cuts into the money they make -- people don’t want to throw money in every hat they see -- but at least Chris knows JC’s safe.
JC is lying on his belly, drawing as fast as he can. His hair keeps falling in his face so he pushes it back with impatient movements and Chris knows he’ll soon tie it back with a piece of yellow ribbon he keeps in his sunflower bag. The bag they washed so carefully, sponging blood stains from the fabric. Chris doesn’t know what JC’s drawing, it’s a blur of reds and gold from where he’s standing but he’s knows JC will jump to his feet soon and drag him across the road to see the masterpiece. He does it every day, hand warm in Chris’ -- explaining colours and themes as Chris stares. Every night Chris has hands stained with colour, passed from JC’s hands to his own, he doesn’t remember what it’s like to walk home with clean palms, instead they’re pink and blue or some other colour and Chris loves it that way.
“Chris!” Turning, Chris sees Joey running up the sidewalk, two bags slung over his shoulder. Joey looks frantic and he drops the bags to the floor when he reaches Chris, bending over and gasping for breath. Chris feels his stomach drop, he knows Joey doesn’t get flustered like this for no reason.
“Lance…he’s, they’ve…in a police car.” Joey manages to force the words out and Chris feels his whole body go cold as he deciphers their meaning.
“What about Lance.” Justin demands, and he’s staring at Joey, utter fear on his face. “What about him? Come on, Joey!”
“Justin.” Chris says, and he reaches for Justin’s arm, feeling the tremors that run through it. “Let Joey speak.”
Joey looks at Chris when he talks, ignoring Justin who looks like he wants to shake the words out of him. “We were coming to meet you all, and he said he wanted some candy, and was going to get some from a shop in Bannister Street. I told him not to go, Chris. You have to believe that, but he went anyway.” Joey stops talking, and rubs a hand across his eyes. “You know what he’s like, won’t take no for an answer, he gave me his bag and ran off. He was coming out of the shop when I got there, then this guard got hold of him outside the door and hauled him back in. The fucker was built, there was no way Lance could get away.”
“So you should have went in and got him.” Justin jerks his arm away from Chris and rounds on Joey. “You should have gone in and helped him get away.”
“And done what, Justin? When I looked in the store he was already cuffed to the guard. There was nothing I could do.”
“So you left him!” Justin shouts, and Chris gets ready to grab him if he starts swinging at Joey. “How could you do that? How!”
“Do you think I wanted to?” Joey yells, then his shoulders slump and he looks at Chris. “There wasn’t anything I could do. He saw me when they took him to the car, and he looked so scared. But I couldn’t do anything. There was nothing I could do, Chris.”
“I know. It’s okay.” Chris says, even though he knows it’s not okay at all. He’s desperately trying to think what to do, how to get to see Lance, but he can’t think of a thing.
“JC… Lance.” Justin says, and Chris looks and sees JC standing close to Justin.
“I know. I heard.” Says JC and he hugs Justin. “We’ll get him back.”
Chris wants to ask how. How can they get Lance back when they could be arrested for vagrancy as soon as they set foot in the police station? Going there is a huge risk, but as Chris looks at Justin, he knows it’s a risk he has to take.
“This is what we’re going to do. Joey, Justin, JC you can all wait at that park near the station. That way they can’t arrest you for loitering. I’ll go in and see if I can find out what’s happening.”
“What? No you can’t.” JC stops hugging Justin and looks at Chris. “What happens if you go in there and get arrested too? You stay with Justin and Joey and I’ll go.”
“No way, JC.” Chris says and means it. JC locked up is something Chris won’t even think about. “You need to stay here. I’ll go in, ask what’s going on and be out of there in minutes.”
“Do you think they’ll tell you anything?” Asks Justin, he looks painfully young, pressed tight against JC and Chris wants to lie and say things will be fine. But he can’t promise anything and Justin needs to know that.
“I don’t know. I wish I did.” Chris moves to JC and Justin, hugging them both, then pulls back and motions to Joey to join them. Joey shakes his head, but Chris won’t take no for an answer, and stares until Joey shrugs and walks over, joining the huddle.
“I can’t promise that I’ll bring Lance back with me, but I can promise I’ll do the best I can.” Says Chris.
Justin nods. “I know you will. I trust you.”
With those words Chris feels the weight on his shoulders double.
Sorry for everyone that didn't want this, but you'll understand when you read the rest.
People that offered to beta, I'm sending the file now, so watch out.
ETA: Or maybe I won't send the file because my freakin mail's down. Phoned tech support and there's a problem with something or other :( Oh well, at least I'll have a bunch of stuff to send in the morning.
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
Part 9 is here
Part 10 is here
“Hey, do you like this?” Justin says, and twirls into a complicated dance move that spins him across the sidewalk, hips moving like liquid. A group of people burst into applause and throw coins into Chris’ hat as Justin beams.
“Not bad.” Chris replies and bites back a grin when Justin turns to him, expression outraged.
“Not bad?!” Justin glares at Chris a little then hits him on the shoulder when Chris grins. “You’re an ass.”
“But you love me anyway.”
Justin doesn’t reply and looks away. Chris shrugs and is about to start singing again when Justin looks at him. “I do. Love you I mean. Not like, you know, I love Lance. But I do love you.”
Chris looks at Justin, words failing him. He doesn’t let many people past his walls, it’s easier that way. He still remembers crying himself to sleep for months after his mom left with his step father and sisters. Chris decided then you don’t get hurt if you don’t care in the first place. But first JC, then Joey breached those rules, pushing their way into his affections. Now as Justin stands looking at Chris, little more than a baby, forehead creased in worry, Chris knows those walls have been breached again.
“It goes both ways, kid.” Chris says. Justin doesn’t move at first, but Chris hears him let out a deep breath before he springs at Chris, long arms and legs locking round Chris’ body. He clings on, and Chris hugs back, uncaring of the crowd who watch.
“Erm, I’ll get the money, okay?” Justin says at last, cheeks tinged with red and lets go dropping to his knees and sorting through the coins in the hat. Chris sighs, then looks across the street to where JC is working. They work in a team now, united against the threat of Elroy. It cuts into the money they make -- people don’t want to throw money in every hat they see -- but at least Chris knows JC’s safe.
JC is lying on his belly, drawing as fast as he can. His hair keeps falling in his face so he pushes it back with impatient movements and Chris knows he’ll soon tie it back with a piece of yellow ribbon he keeps in his sunflower bag. The bag they washed so carefully, sponging blood stains from the fabric. Chris doesn’t know what JC’s drawing, it’s a blur of reds and gold from where he’s standing but he’s knows JC will jump to his feet soon and drag him across the road to see the masterpiece. He does it every day, hand warm in Chris’ -- explaining colours and themes as Chris stares. Every night Chris has hands stained with colour, passed from JC’s hands to his own, he doesn’t remember what it’s like to walk home with clean palms, instead they’re pink and blue or some other colour and Chris loves it that way.
“Chris!” Turning, Chris sees Joey running up the sidewalk, two bags slung over his shoulder. Joey looks frantic and he drops the bags to the floor when he reaches Chris, bending over and gasping for breath. Chris feels his stomach drop, he knows Joey doesn’t get flustered like this for no reason.
“Lance…he’s, they’ve…in a police car.” Joey manages to force the words out and Chris feels his whole body go cold as he deciphers their meaning.
“What about Lance.” Justin demands, and he’s staring at Joey, utter fear on his face. “What about him? Come on, Joey!”
“Justin.” Chris says, and he reaches for Justin’s arm, feeling the tremors that run through it. “Let Joey speak.”
Joey looks at Chris when he talks, ignoring Justin who looks like he wants to shake the words out of him. “We were coming to meet you all, and he said he wanted some candy, and was going to get some from a shop in Bannister Street. I told him not to go, Chris. You have to believe that, but he went anyway.” Joey stops talking, and rubs a hand across his eyes. “You know what he’s like, won’t take no for an answer, he gave me his bag and ran off. He was coming out of the shop when I got there, then this guard got hold of him outside the door and hauled him back in. The fucker was built, there was no way Lance could get away.”
“So you should have went in and got him.” Justin jerks his arm away from Chris and rounds on Joey. “You should have gone in and helped him get away.”
“And done what, Justin? When I looked in the store he was already cuffed to the guard. There was nothing I could do.”
“So you left him!” Justin shouts, and Chris gets ready to grab him if he starts swinging at Joey. “How could you do that? How!”
“Do you think I wanted to?” Joey yells, then his shoulders slump and he looks at Chris. “There wasn’t anything I could do. He saw me when they took him to the car, and he looked so scared. But I couldn’t do anything. There was nothing I could do, Chris.”
“I know. It’s okay.” Chris says, even though he knows it’s not okay at all. He’s desperately trying to think what to do, how to get to see Lance, but he can’t think of a thing.
“JC… Lance.” Justin says, and Chris looks and sees JC standing close to Justin.
“I know. I heard.” Says JC and he hugs Justin. “We’ll get him back.”
Chris wants to ask how. How can they get Lance back when they could be arrested for vagrancy as soon as they set foot in the police station? Going there is a huge risk, but as Chris looks at Justin, he knows it’s a risk he has to take.
“This is what we’re going to do. Joey, Justin, JC you can all wait at that park near the station. That way they can’t arrest you for loitering. I’ll go in and see if I can find out what’s happening.”
“What? No you can’t.” JC stops hugging Justin and looks at Chris. “What happens if you go in there and get arrested too? You stay with Justin and Joey and I’ll go.”
“No way, JC.” Chris says and means it. JC locked up is something Chris won’t even think about. “You need to stay here. I’ll go in, ask what’s going on and be out of there in minutes.”
“Do you think they’ll tell you anything?” Asks Justin, he looks painfully young, pressed tight against JC and Chris wants to lie and say things will be fine. But he can’t promise anything and Justin needs to know that.
“I don’t know. I wish I did.” Chris moves to JC and Justin, hugging them both, then pulls back and motions to Joey to join them. Joey shakes his head, but Chris won’t take no for an answer, and stares until Joey shrugs and walks over, joining the huddle.
“I can’t promise that I’ll bring Lance back with me, but I can promise I’ll do the best I can.” Says Chris.
Justin nods. “I know you will. I trust you.”
With those words Chris feels the weight on his shoulders double.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-03-10 02:35 pm (UTC)G
no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 12:29 pm (UTC)He needs to learn it's wrong to steal.
Thanks, hon.
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Date: 2004-03-10 04:04 pm (UTC)That's one 'oh!' for the happy Justin/Chris hug and one 'oh!' for Lance.
Oh! (that 'oh!' is a waiting on the edge of her seat for what happens next)
no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 12:31 pm (UTC)Yes, the hug was nice. I'm all about the TrickC and lambs in this, but Justin and Chris are friends wherever they go. And yes, Lance needs an Oh too, silly boy.
Thanks, hon!
no subject
Date: 2004-03-10 04:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 12:32 pm (UTC)But it's for the best, really.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-10 08:54 pm (UTC)Loved the JC/Chris art part.
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Date: 2004-03-11 12:42 pm (UTC)Next part is up but I have reservations...sigh.
Loved the JC/Chris art part
Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2004-03-10 09:07 pm (UTC)But maybe this'll teach Lance that you just can't take anything you want to!
Great job!
no subject
Date: 2004-03-28 10:49 am (UTC)I'm going through all the AU posts and saw this comment and now I feel bad :(
But yes, Lance has to learn you can't just take what you want. Something he learns later as you know.
Thanks, hon.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 12:18 am (UTC)I can't wait for the next part!
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Date: 2004-03-11 05:47 am (UTC)Writing now *g*
Thanks as usual for the comment :)
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Date: 2004-03-11 02:24 am (UTC)*crosses fingers Chris isn't arrested and manages to get Lance free*
no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 05:47 am (UTC)I hope he gets him free too, but it may not be that easy :(
Thanks for the comment!
And may I say, your icon is gorgeous!
no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 03:33 am (UTC)With those words Chris feels the weight on his shoulders double.
Ouch.
Question : Why doesn't Joey make more of a case that it should be him that goes to the police station - in a lot of ways he's got the least to fear from authority. Counter argument that he [maybe] wouldn't get the job / flat if he ends up in the cells for assisting a theft, I guess, but - would he think of that first off?
[thinking out loud : can imagine him tearing up to tell them and wanting to head straight back to the police station to ask questions himself and having to be argued out of it, but the more I think about it, especially after reading #10 the more I wonder about how much Joey doesn;t trust himself, and how often he defers to Chris, and the more I think that he wouln't]
no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 05:11 am (UTC)I don't know if this has come through enough, but in this universe Joey had a serious drinking problem that made him act like an ass at home and eventually end up where he is. Chris found him ( like he did Justin ) and helped him when he was going cold turkey through lack of money to buy drink.
Now Joey looks to Chris for every decision, because he doesn't trust himself. Which is a shame as out of them all he's the one that has the most prospects at the moment.
I love your comments, you always make me think, thank you.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-11 09:27 am (UTC)*sniffles* Lance is too pretty to be in jail!
love the story though hon.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-13 01:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-14 03:49 am (UTC)LOL, that's another AU ;)
I never thought that it could look like he's been kidnapped, that's a really interesting take on this part.
His family miss him a whole lot. He misses them too :(