Title: Stop Pretending Author:Jules - mailto:slash_me_baby@yahoo.com Parts:1/1 Pairing: TimberNick (Justin/Nick) Rating:PG for language Warning:Slash warning Disclaimer:I don't know them. Not saying anything. This is fiction. For entertainment purposes only Dedication:To Andrea who at Starbucks in the rain challenged that I could not write a smut free story. Well it was a slash and smut free story but please.. Work with me here LOL. Here you go! And oh yeah, that Brad story is still in the works. Sitting at Second Cup stalking him last night did wonders for the muses. Hey Andrea! You wanna see a pic of my boyfriend and his best friend' My boyfriend is the blonde one!! LMAO Thanks:To Kris (curlysbabyblu) for sending the wallpaper of the pic that inspired this story. As soon as I saw the shirt, I knew that there had to be a story behind it. I don't have the pic to share (sorry... :(but it's basically justin just standing there in a tee shirt that on the front says Stop Pretending and the back says You Don't Want Me) Thanks girl. And thanks to Rhonda, Missy and Kristen who keep me sane and keep my ego comfortably inflated. Thanks. Stop Pretending by Jules Nick thought back to the phone call he'd received earlier today and frowned, unable to figure out exactly what Justin had meant. First off, he had no clue how the younger man had gotten his phone number. The cell was relatively new and only a select few people were given the number. Rubbing his eyes, he figured that Justin had gotten it from JC who'd managed to squeeze it out of Kevin. And Nick remembered now why those NSYNC boys were trouble. They turned his seemingly sane best friends into snitches, giving up privileged information in return for sex. All right, according to Kevin it was 'fucking orgasmic unbelievably out of this world sex', but still. Just sex. He knew that no sex would ever be worth selling out his 'brothers' and decidedly told Kevin that 10 seconds after hitting the CALL END button and storming into Kevin's hotel room unannounced. "Hell yes sex can be worth it Nicky. You just haven't had it yet. But when you do..." Kevin had replied, smirking at Nick giving him the indication that he'd lost the older man in memories of sex that apparently was THAT GOOD. He then rolled his eyes and sulked out of the room, making his way to the comforts of his own room to plot ways to make both Kevin, JC and Justin pay for this torture. "And later, I'll have a special shirt on ....just for you Nicky." Justin had said before hanging up, making Nick cringe. He hated how his name sounded coming from Justin, drawn out, so whiny and breathy. It made him want to throw up, a tingly feeling taking up space in his stomach. And there he was, left to wonder what Justin had meant. "Oh yeah, Kevin is definitely going to pay for this." Nick vowed out loud, throwing himself on his bed to relax himself, knowing that this afternoon was definitely going to be a long one. Nick knew that later meant at the benefit concert they were both performing at. It was a benefit for NYC - 1 Year Later, and everyone that had performed at the United We Stand concert was invited back to perform in celebration. And just as Nick's luck would have it, they were doing their sound check at 3:30, the slot following directly after NSYNC's. Meaning that Nick would have to see Justin. Something he hated doing. About six months earlier Justin had found out through the grapevine that Nick was gay. The grapevine meaning either Kevin told JC who told Lance who told Justin, because Justin admitted hearing it from Lance, OR that AJ had told Joey one night they'd gone partying together who told Lance who told Justin. Ultimately, someone had told someone else who had told Lance who gave the information to Justin. And Justin figured that since he himself was bi and Nick was gay, Nick must want him. So for the past 6 months, Justin had been hounding him, refusing to believe that Nick found him utterly and completely repulsive. Sorta. Nick ignored the way his pulse raced when JC visited, hoping that maybe Justin had come along as well. And he definitely didn't watch him with keen interest whenever they were in the same room together. And late at night, there was no way that it was Justin's lean frame and sexy smirk that got him off as his hand pumped his erection to orgasm.

		It wasn't true. None of it. Because Justin annoyed the fuck out of him. And he made sure to tell the younger man that as loudly and frequently as possible. Something he'd obviously need to remind Justin of later that afternoon. Because apparently, he'd forgotten. ********* As Nick entered the stadium by the side gates, he heard the familiar notes to Pop and felt his breath catch. "Damn fucking song." He muttered, rolling his eyes. Continuing further he remembered Justin's call. The special shirt. And as if Justin could feel Nick's presence, he approached the front of the stage and smiled broadly down at him. He couldn't help but blush slightly at Justin's obvious excitement in seeing him, flashing him a smile back. Remembering he couldn't stand him, Nick frowned and read Justin's shirt. STOP PRETENDING Nick gave a sarcastic laugh. So? What was that supposed to mean'?Stop pretending? He wasn't fucking pretending anything. What was his problem anyways? It was then that Justin winked and turned around, giving Nick a quick wiggle of his hips. YOU DON'T WANT ME Nick's jaw dropped immediately, instantly understanding what it meant. "Not so curly is quite blunt ain't he?" AJ said, chuckling as he clapped his hand on Nick's shoulder. "Shut up Age." "Got a point though. I mean. You're just prolonging the inevitable. Wasting time junior. We know you want him. HE knows you want him. What are you fighting it for?" "Fuck off Age." Nick shot back, punching the smaller man's shoulder. "What are you so afraid of Nick? It's not like everyone doesn't already know you're gay...." "You forgot one important detail asshole." Nick said, turning to walk away. "I don't want him. I'm not interested." As he heard AJ snort behind him, he wondered just who it was he was trying to convince. Between their rehearsal sets, Nick cornered Justin down an empty hallway. "What the fuck is this supposed to mean Skinny?" He'd backed Justin up against the wall, their faces only inches apart. Justin only smiled, further frustrating Nick. "I don't know gorgeous. You pulled ME down here." He made certain not to touch Nick, wanting the older man to make the first move. He knew he had to play this cool, but couldn't help being a little cocky at Nick's obvious reaction to him. "What's your angle?" "No angle." "Then why?" "Why what?" "Why won't you just leave me alone'" "Why do you pretend that you don't want me? That you aren't interested in me as I am in you?" Nick laughed sarcastically as he pulled away slightly. "You're so fucking clueless Timberlake. Not everyone automatically wants you ya know. You're not that fucking wonderful." Something flashed through Justin's eyes causing Nick to stop everything. They just stared at one another for a few minutes until Nick spoke again. His voice softer this time. "Why?" Justin took a deep breath before continuing. "Because you're beautiful. And not superstar, made for the press, manufactured beautiful. But simply beautiful. I mean, you're not cut ...." Nick winced and looked down at Justin's chest, knowing the toned muscles that lay beneath the tee shirt. "You're not rail thin..." Nick's arms wrapped around his stomach uncomfortably, his face flush with embarrassment.

		"And you still fucking shine. At whatever you do. Your eyes are so alive and your smile is heart stopping. You're everything they want you to be but you don't care. You do what you want and tell them they can go fuck themselves. I mean shit yo... You got fucking arrested man. Arrested. You came out before it was publicly accepted. You're real." Nick was stunned silent, his mind gone completely blank at the raw emotion in Justin's voice. "You're everything that I want to be but never will be. And somewhere along the way I realized I want you." Justin's lips curled into that smirk that Nick wasn't so sure he hated, and his eyes raked over Nick's body in a way that he figured he liked. It made him feel giddy, aroused, beautiful. Justin Timberlake was checking him out. That nauseous feeling was there and Nick was shocked to finally understand that it wasn't disgust. It was excitement. For Justin. Timberlake. It was amazing how clear things became when you opened your mind to it. Snapping back to reality, Nick jumped when he realized that Justin was only inches away, their bodies dangerously close. He could feel the warmth of the younger man's body on his own his scent filling Nick's nose. "...so ...just one kiss. All I want is just one kiss and if you still don't want me or anything to do with me ...I'll leave you alone." Nick hadn't realized that Justin had still been talking to him. Smiling, his eyes moved down to Justin's mouth, watching him bite his lower lip nervously, uncertainty in his eyes. Closing his own eyes, Nick nodded slightly, his whole body trembling with anticipation. "Thank you." Justin whispered against Nick's cheek before gently covering his mouth with his own. Both men sighed into the kiss and Justin took Nick's lip into his mouth, sucking on it firmly. That elicited a moan from Nick as their chests pressed tightly to one another. It was then that they both allowed themselves to believe that the kiss was actually happening, and thus, they both fully participated, sucking hungrily on one another. Justin carefully opened his mouth and jerked in surprise as he felt Nick's tongue enter, pressing against his own. "Nicky..." He moaned, pulling back to catch his breath. Opening his eyes, he took in Nick's disheveled appearance, his cheeks pink, eyes glassy and again leaned in, kissing him again. With an even greater passion. As Nick felt Justin's tongue learn every inch of his mouth, he realized that Justin moaning his name in that whiny breathy voice was the sexiest thing he had ever heard and instantly wanted to hear more. Do more. They broke apart breathless, neither expecting the strong sexual attraction to be so overwhelming. When Justin could speak, he too Nick's face in his hands and looking him directly in the eye. "Why?" Nick was stunned. That kiss had blown him away and he didn't understand the question. "Why what?" "6 months Nick. 6 months I've been calling ....sending gifts ...flowers ...nothing. You treated me like shit. Why?" Nick blushed and looked away. The hurt in Justin's voice, sadness in his eyes was breaking his heart. "I thought I was a game for you. That you were doing it to fuck with me. Couldn't let myself believe it." "Believe what'" "That you actually wanted me. That you ..the sexiest pop star. Sexiest everything, wanted Nick Carter. Overweight, arrested, pimply faced me. I thought it was a joke." Nick's voice was soft, a tremble present. Justin's face softened and he smiled, bringing Nick's face closer for a sweet kiss. He ran the fingers of one hand through Nick's blonde short hair while the other stroked his cheek softly. "Does this feel like a joke." He whispered as they pulled apart. Nick's eyes were still closed, his lips tingling. "It feels like a dream." "So what now?" Justin was nervous about Nick's answer, unsure of what this all meant. His hands had dropped down to his sides again, his fingers playing with the hem of his tee shirt. His new favourite lucky tee shirt.

		"Well I think that I'm going to take your advice." Nick grinned, placing his hand over the print on the front of Justin's tee shirt. "And we're going to see where this takes us. What do you think?" Justin nodded, placing his hand over Nick's and squeezing. Just as he was about to speak, Kevin's voice boomed from nearby. "So help me god NICKOLAS GENE CARTER!" Nick groaned, resting his head forward on the brick wall next to Justin's. The younger man giggled at the look of frustration on Nick's face. The laughter was short lived. "You too JUSTIN RANDALL TIMBERLAKE!" Justin groaned hearing JC. "God. They're worse than my mother." "If either of you have done anything to the other..." Kevin yelled, his voice getting nearer. "...20 fucking minutes late waiting for your punk ass..." "God Justin. Kiss me now. It's possibly the last time you're ever gonna see me alive." Nick warned, anticipating Kevin's wrath. And with a smirk, both men leaned together, their mouths meeting in a frantic erotic kiss of lips sucking and tongues tangling. They were so wrapped up in each other to realize that they were no longer alone, being found out by their 'mothers'. "HOLY FUCK." Kevin gasped, not anticipating finding them like this. He'd expected ripped clothing, black eyes and fat lips. But not Nick and Justin in a grasping, clutching, passionate embrace. "Holy fuck." JC agreed, happy that the blonde boy wonder had finally realized that he and Justin were meant for each other. "Holy fuck." Nick and Justin both said breathlessly as they pulled apart, eyes steadily fixed on one another. Nick rased his fingers to his lips, still feeling the wetness from Justin's tongue and smiled. Kevin had been right. If Justin's kisses made him feel like this, he could only imagine what it would be like to have fucking orgasmic unbelievably out of this world sex with him. And some how, Nick knew that's how it would be when they had sex. Made love. He was already willing to sell out anyone on anything right now, and Justin had only fucking kissed him. Damn he hated it when Kevin was right. "Although I'd hate to break this up." Kevin said regretfully, obviously elated about what he'd just found. "Kaos, we've gotta go. We've put them behind a half an hour already." Nodding, Nick turned to Justin and kissed his lips softly. "We'll discuss this more later." It was Justin's turn to nod mutely as he watched the two men walk back down the hall to the stadium. It wasn't until he felt JC's hand on his shoulder that he snapped to attention. "I told you the shirt would work." JC smirked, happy to see the look of pure bliss on his best friends' face. "Thanks man. How did you know?" "How do you think Kevin and I got together." JC laughed as Justin stared at him. "He sent me package after package and one had that shirt in it. I looked at it and read the sappy card that came along with it and ....well you know the rest." Arm in arm, Justin and JC followed the hall to lead them to where they could hear Nick's voice singing beautifully, a smile mirroring that of Justin's own. Finis