Joey/JC snippet #2
by Shine

Joey's flight from New York got in more than an hour late, and it was even later by the time Joey'd liberated his car from long-term parking. Joey banged his head on the steering wheel and sighed at the line forming at the toll booth, and switched on the radio resignedly.

Country. Perfect. He was in the mood to listen to steel strings and broken hearts. No way was he going to make dinner, at this rate.

By the time he reached the gate of his community, and was waved through by the guard, Joey had given up on dinner, and wondered ironically if he should be aiming for breakfast instead. He was almost three hours late, and on top of the flight and the performance schedule, he felt wrung out.

He pulled into his driveway, and parked behind a battered jeep sitting in one of the bays. Dragging himself out, he grabbed his bag and headed for the house. The air was soft and lightly breezy, still warm from the day but cooling quickly. A sky full of stars shone down on the hyacinths by the house.

The door was unlocked.

Joey let himself in, and dropped his bag by the stairs. He could hear singing, and followed it.

JC was in the kitchen washing dishes, Brianna hooked on his hip. She looked heavy and limp and sleepy, snugged flat against his chest with her eyes half-open. She was drooling on his shirt, and her feet were bare. JC shifted her a little higher as he turned, dropping the dishcloth in the sink and leaning against the counter. He smiled at Joey, big and happy.

"Welcome home," he whispered, and Brianna mumbled something and shut her eyes. "Dinner's in the oven. I fed Brianna already."

Joey crossed the kitchen with easy steps, feeling like something had lightened in his heart. He leaned in, and JC leaned forward, and they kissed briefly.

"Love you," Joey murmured against JC's mouth, and felt it curve into a smile.

"Love you too," JC said back, and licked at his lower lip. Brianna stirred between them, her body warm and solid, and Joey touched her head, stroked her soft skin. She smelled like baby powder and carrots. She made a contented noise in her sleep, and drooled more.

"Love you too, bit," he whispered into her hair, and heard JC's quiet happy laughter.

Fin