mickeym

Title: Under My Tree
Pairing: Chris/JC
Rating: NC17
Warnings: None I can think of (unless schmoop and shameless abuse of lyrics-as-a-title need a warning?).
Disclaimers: I don't know them and sadly this isn't true.
Notes: When in a funk, post fic, right? Right. Another piece that's part of a bigger whole (and has been languishing on my hard drive--I'm hoping that posting bits of it may spur me to finish it), but stands alone nicely. It's Christmas Eve, 1995 :) This is for all my TrickC girls, but for

turps33 in particular. *hugs* Happy Christmas, honey.

Orlando, Florida
December 24, 1995

"You really didn't have to stay here, dude. I know you wanna be at your folks'." Chris laid back, blinking up at the tree. JC shook his head and laid back beside him. The lights were pretty, especially from this angle. He remembered him, and Tyler and Heather doing this, and was glad they'd decided to put a tree up, even if it was kind of puny and small.

"I'm not gonna leave you alone for Christmas, man." JC rolled his head, the need to be sure no one was around deeply ingrained in him by now, even knowing they were alone, then reached out to take Chris' hand. "That'd be totally uncool."

"Yeah, well. You should be with your family." There was a pitch of - something in his voice, and it made JC ache all over. He squeezed Chris' hand, smiled when small, blunt fingers twined around his and squeezed back.

"I am."

"Mmm." It was a non-committal noise, but JC saw the small smile playing at the edges of Chris' mouth. It made him smile, and it took the edge off the pang he was feeling, not flying home. The soft strokes of Chris' thumb across the backs of his fingers made his belly tighten pleasantly.

"Anyway, it's not like there won't be other Christmases to go home for." It was important that Chris understand, agree, because he'd been horrified when JC announced he wasn't going home. JC's parents weren't altogether thrilled, either, but they seemed to understand he didn't want to leave one of his own alone. His mom made him promise that he and Chris would accept Phyllis Fatone's invitation to have Christmas dinner with them. Chris, especially, for some reason, and he knew she picked up on Chris' reluctance to be anything but completely, absolutely self-sufficient and independent. "That boy needs a good meal and some mothering, Joshua. I expect you to make sure he goes with you."

And really, what could he say to that, other than, "yes, ma'am"?

Chris rolled his head again and blinked at JC. In the dim light of the room, the tree lights sparkled within Chris' eyes. It looked like a slice of rainbow had dropped into their depths. "Why's it so important that you be here?" He rolled onto his side and reached to stroke JC's cheek. "It's Christmas, dude. You should be there, not here."

"So?" JC shrugged, kissed Chris' thumb when it trailed across his mouth. "Even if you weren't my. Um. Boyfriend," he tripped over the word, since he didn't get to use it very often, and it felt – odd - on his tongue, "you're still my friend, Chris. And I…I wanna stay here. With you. It's. Y'know. Supposed to be a special day. One we spend with family, friends…loved ones." He scooted closer to Chris.

A gentle smile chased across Chris' face, so quickly JC wondered if he'd really seen it, and then he was leaning close to JC, breath warm on his face, against his lips. "So which one am I?"

"All of them," he whispered, breathing the words into Chris' mouth. They disappeared, swallowed into the kiss that teased across his mouth, stroked into him with silky wet heat that made his head spin and his chest tight and hot. He rolled a little, slid one hand down the length of Chris' arm to cup his hip, fingers splayed out over the prominent jut of hipbone, not hidden at all since they'd stripped down to their shorts, earlier. "Just…let it go, okay? And come with me to Joey's tomorrow," he said, softly, when Chris pulled back to nuzzle his neck. He breathed deeply, pulled the scent of Chris and musk and something fresh and bright into his lungs. "Please."

"You play dirty," Chris sighed, licking at his neck. "Using that awful word," he bit gently, then licked over it, laughing very softly when JC shivered. "Okay, dude. I'll go. Just-yeah. I'll go."

"You won't regret it," JC promised, pulling Chris closer, fingers digging into his hip, into the bone there. "And next year," he smiled, "you can go home with me."

"Meet the in-laws, huh?" Chris whispered, nuzzling up the side of JC's throat. He bit gently at the underside of JC's jaw, licked at the tiny sting. JC tightened his hands on Chris and sighed, arched his head back.

"We can tell 'em someday, right?" He heard the quiet plea in his words and hated it. Sometimes he was content to keep this secret between just the two of them, but sometimes, he wanted to shout it to the world. Or at least to their friends, to his family.

Chris drew back enough that JC could see his eyes again, could see the sparkles there. "I don't plan to stay in the closet for the rest of our lives, dude." He leaned down and rubbed his nose against JC's, smiling crookedly. "I don't want to hide us now. I certainly don't want to hide us forever." A soft kiss ghosted over JC's mouth, leaving him aching for more. "But-yeah. You get it, right?"

Of course he did. He'd agreed to it. That didn't make it any more pleasant, though. But he could suck it up. At least until the group was established, or else they crashed and burned.

"Yeah, I do. C'mere." He tugged, pulled Chris down over him. Bare chest to bare chest, legs tangled, fingers tangled. Chris pressed JC's hands above his head and he arched his head back in response.

"You're just so-" Chris muttered thickly before breaking off, trailing a line of kisses up and down JC's throat. The emotion in those three words made JC's chest ache, made that swirl in his belly wind tighter. He moved his head, pushed against Chris' arms until his were free and he could hold Chris tight against him while they kissed, soft, wet kisses that deepened slowly, spreading liquid fire into his veins.

Long, hot, drugging kisses made JC's head whirl, made everything inside him ache. He wanted to hold Chris tight against him and neither of them ever move again; he wanted to shove him over and rub hard against him until they both came. It'd been so long since they'd had the chance for more than stolen kisses, and a few hasty handjobs in the backseat of Chris' car, and one memorable - JC's neck burned at the thought - blowjob Chris gave him, in the utility closet at the warehouse, during a break in practice.

When Chris pulled back, his eyes were hot; hotter than JC'd seen them before. He touched JC's mouth, stroked warm fingers over skin that felt tight, swollen, hypersensitive. JC opened his mouth to lick his lips, to taste Chris against them, and shivered when one finger slipped inside. He licked at the tip, then suckled gently, the ache in his chest increasing when Chris' eyes darkened, sparkled at him. He held his breath as the finger was replaced with Chris' mouth, warm, so warm and wet, lips moving on his, tongue easing in to lick and taste, sliding over his.

Silky hair brushed his fingertips and JC sank his hands wrist deep in Chris' hair, held on when they moved together, bodies finding a rhythm and settling into it. He whimpered into Chris' mouth, shifted so he could hook one leg around, could bring them closer together. Heat shivered through him, prickles of bright, and white, and colorful all whirling around inside him. "Chris-"

"Mmm. Yeah…god, please, yes-"

"Mmhmm, please," JC wasn't even sure they were actually asking anything coherent. Passion coming out vocally, syllables that sort of formed words. Even if the words didn't fit together quite right. He growled softly, deep in his throat; he wanted closer, needed so much more than this, knew that as good as this felt, more would feel even better. "Please, I-"

"Yeah, god, C," and Chris licked his mouth once, then rolled off him, knelt beside him, eyes luminous in the dim, sparkling with Christmas tree lights. He'd never looked more beautiful, mouth swollen and wet, skin glowing softly. He stroked one finger over JC's mouth - the same thing that started this, JC thought distractedly - and then down over his throat, pausing at the pulse hammering at the base of JC's throat. Down further, teasing around JC's chest, then down his belly, running lightly over the soft cotton straining over his erection. "You sure?"

JC nodded, arched slowly toward the teasing touch. "Absolutely."

"'Kay." Chris squeezed him once through the cloth, then shifted effortlessly to his feet and disappeared down the hall.

He was nude when he came back, something white clutched in his hand. JC sat up to shove his shorts off, then stared up at Chris, at dark eyes and swollen, pink lips; short, slender body bordering on too thin; at the fine, pale skin dotted with dark hair - thicker at his groin, a dark tangle his cock rose from. Chris stared back, eyes almost black, but not cold black; instead, a warm, deep color that called to him, made him feel safe. Protected. Like he could do anything, be anybody, when Chris looked at him like that. He reached out and stroked Chris gently, fingers skating over his erection, teasing over the tip, a barely-there touch. Chris groaned and sank down to kneel beside him, straddled one leg so they could kiss again.

Wet, wet heat devoured him, slid over his throat, and JC shivered when Chris traced his pulse with his tongue, then dipped further, licking and sucking. Warm fingers traced his erection, and JC bucked into the touch, growled and whimpered at the sound of paper tearing. At the sensation of cool latex rolling down over him. "Chris-"

"Me first, C," the words were whispered against his neck, soft puffs of breath that heated him, branded him; JC was sure the letters C-H-R-I-S were seared into his skin now. He nodded, his chest tight and hot again, hotter than the rest of his body.

"Want you," he sighed, turning his head to taste Chris again. Salt dotted his upper lip and JC licked at it, sucked the tiny droplets up before delving in. He reached blindly for, and found, the tube beside them; opened it while Chris wriggled against him. Cool slickness spread over his fingers, and then there was the sound of Chris' groan in his ear, and tight, scorching heat surrounding his finger. Fingers. Chris gripped his shoulders and shifted, moved in time with his gentle movements, whimpering and mewling when JC stroked too slowly.

"More, please, ohgod," Chris tightened his grip on him, and JC shuddered at the wanton need in Chris' voice. I made him sound like that. And then it was more cool and slick on him, and Chris threw his other leg over JC's lap, straddling him, their mouths swallowing Chris' low cries as he sank downward and JC slid inside slowly. Then scorching, tight heat enveloped him, and he could feel every single throb of his heart centered in his cock.

Nothing ever felt that good before. Ever. Nothing prepared him for the tense grip of Chris' thighs against his hips, of the swivel and shift when Chris moved over him. For the way Chris' body squeezed him, sending shards of pleasure streaking throughout his body. "Feels so good," he grunted, mouth moving over Chris' throat. "Oh, my god, it feels good-"

"Y-yeah-" Shaky voice, but JC saw the pleasure in Chris' eyes, too, could see how the warmth of earlier was heat now; pure heat and hunger. He kissed Chris again, deep, wet, tongue slicking inside, probing. Chris groaned and shoved at him, pushed him backward, sinking deeper onto him as JC laid back. Then he was lost in the swirls of color pulsing through him, around him, surrounding them both. He could feel Chris, could taste him, could smell him, and he was lost. It was like nothing he'd ever felt, and he didn't want it to stop, never wanted it to end.

Above him Chris stroked himself in time to their rocking, fingers gliding slickly back and forth, breath coming in fast, hot pants. JC reached for him, and Chris twined their fingers together around his cock, their palms slippery with lube and sweat, and they stroked him together, eyes locked on one another.

JC saw it coming, saw the flicker in Chris' eyes a split second before he came, and then he couldn't do anything but hang on, literally, his hands sliding to Chris' hips, gripping hard, fingers digging in as he thrust wildly upward. Heat and light poured through him, brilliant whitehot need slamming up from the base of his spine and spreading through him. He felt warm wetness on his belly, his chest, and then nothing but warmth all around him as he shuddered through his own orgasm.

"Jesus," Chris whispered against his forehead, lips moving slowly, softly, like a prayer. JC shivered and nodded, still breathing raggedly, harshly, his lungs trying to compensate. He didn't want this to end, ever. God, he'd never felt like this. Like he could conquer the world. He stroked the side of Chris' face gently, kissed him lightly, then deeper, his shiver echoing into Chris and back again. "Jesus, C," Chris said again, lips working against his.

"Yeah." He wanted to say something meaningful, something about how wonderful it was, but the words wouldn't come. Instead he giggled, low, shaking against Chris almost silently. He felt the tremor reverberate back into him, heard Chris' soft chuckle. "Oh, my god, Chris."

"I know. Pretty good stuff, huh?" Chris kissed him once more, then rolled away. JC made a quiet noise of protest, then sat up. Condom. Had to get rid of that. He reached down and bumped fingers with Chris.

"Let me." The smile was still there, but it was so much more, eyes glittering darkly with a promise that seared into him, stole his breath away. JC nodded and licked his lips, leaned in to kiss Chris softly, tongue teasing and tasting while gentle fingers stripped the latex away. Soft cotton stroked over him, cleaning him, and when Chris broke the kiss, his eyes shone at JC. "You," he quietly. "I have something. For you."

JC's stomach flipped over, the heat of emotion in his chest tightening, intensifying, making it hard to breathe. "Chris, we said-"

"Shh. I wanted to." Another soft kiss to his mouth, and JC ran his tongue over lips that were swollen and raw, and felt so good. Chris leaned across him and groped under the tree, and JC wondered how he'd never noticed there was a present under there; it wasn't a big tree at all. "Here. It's-I wanted to," he said again, handing JC a tiny box.

Which was probably why he hadn't noticed it. He glanced up at Chris, then scooted closer, wondering why he wasn't embarrassed to be sitting here, naked, beside a Christmas tree. Right after sex.

They'd agreed, all five of them, not to exchange gifts this year. No one had extra money, especially Chris, and they figured there would be other Christmases, other years. Plenty of time to spoil each other. But here was a tiny box, wrapped in something that looked suspiciously like leftover birthday paper - from Chris' birthday two months ago. JC ran his finger over it, feeling for the seam, throat tight and thick.

"Open it, huh? The suspense is killing me." There was a breath of teasing in the words, but Chris' voice was high, tight, and JC shivered at what he thought he heard in the words Chris didn't say.

The paper tore easily, and the box parted, no tape holding it closed. Inside, nestled on a piece of cotton, was a small pale disk, with a cord attached. He lifted it out and held it close; it was a Leo pendant, carved out of something that looked like-silver? Pewter? Something muted and glittering, that caught the light and pulled it in, made it appear to shimmer. The lion looked back at him, smiling fiercely, mutely promising luck and protection. Like Chris. It was beautiful. Like Chris.

"It's not-"

"It's wonderful. It-it's you." He held it closer, turned it over to peer at it; etched into the back of the pendant, barely visible, was the date: 12/95. His eyes burned, so JC looked away. Looked up at Chris watching him. "Thank you," he said softly, the words barely leaking out past the tightness in his throat.

"Wanted to get…something." JC suspected if the lights were on, he'd see pink staining Chris' cheeks; that sounded like a blush in his voice. He untied the knot in the leather cord, fingers fumbling and shaking.

"We promised-" Chris batted his fingers away, untied the knot. "We said-" He swallowed hard and bent his head so Chris could tie it on him. "I love it," he finished in a whisper. "It makes me think of you." The disc felt cool against his skin, but it would warm as he wore it. Warm and protect him. "Now…I always have you."

"You always have me anyway." Chris leaned his head in and kissed the pendant where it rested at the base of JC's throat. "Always."

The touch of Chris' lips stole JC's breath away again, and he forgot he wanted to say anything else.

~fin~