The club was crowded, the flashing lights made it hard to see the people's faces. It was just the way they liked it: The chances of being recognized here were low, everyone was too caught up in whatever they were doing to take a second look at some guys with baseball caps. Exactly how a night out should be.

Joey sat at a table, a drink in front of him and watching the dancing crowd with enormous interest. He could see Chris talking to Lance, both were swaying with the rhythm, but not really dancing. Joey shook his head. They were actually trying to have a conversation here? What a waste of time when there were such a lot of hot bodies around. Oh well, to each his own.

JC... It wasn't difficult to discover JC. All you had to do was look where the most girls were and you could be sure that you had found either JC or Justin, and as Justin was making his way to Joey at the moment, the one in the middle of the group of girls had to be JC.

"Hey Joe!" A beat of sweat was running down Justin's forehead as he collapsed in the chair opposite his band member, immediately reaching for one of the drinks on the table. "Wouldn't have expected to see you here, shouldn't you be trying to chat up some hot chick for the night?"

"I'm getting to it. I'm just watching the people, trying to decide who's good in bed."

Justin swallowed the liquid, wiping his forehead dry with the back of his hand. "And you decide that by just looking at them?"

"Yeah. It's not difficult, all you have to do is observe them for a little while. If they know how to move and seem to have enough energy, then the odds of them being good in bed are 85%."

"Know that from experience?"

Joey grinned. "Of course. - Look at that girl over there, for example, the one in the black tank top. I bet she's fantastic."

"Does that work for guys, too?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"Okay, then... How's Lance in bed?"

"Do I really have to judge the sex skills of someone I think of as a brother?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Lance is... timid at first, it always takes him some time getting comfortable on the dance floor. In bed, it would be the same, but give him the time he needs to get comfortable with the situation, and it'll fun. Good lover."

"Is Chris good?"

"Kinky. Have you ever seen him dance in a club? He's always trying something new, making up moves and stuff. Bursting with energy. I'd say he's everything but boring in bed."

"What about JC?"

"A definite yes: Gorgeous, pretty muscular, knows how to move his body just right and has a lot of energy; that body practically screams sex. - Not that you'd ever be able to find out."

"Why not?"

"What kind of question is that, Justin? You of all people should know it. JC's bi, all right, but he follows certain rules. And one of them is: No sex with close friends. Which, as his best friend, definitely includes you."

"So what? Some rules are meant to be broken."

"I'd like to see you try. If JC is determined not to do something, then he won't. Simple as that."

"Oh, come on, Joey. I'm Justin Timberlake, and if I want to fuck my best friend, then I get to fuck my best friend. I can get every man I want as long as he's not straight. Just as simple, isn't it?"

"That might work with every other man, but it's JC we're talking about. And we both know that in every encyclopedia, JC's picture should be printed under 'stubbornness'.

"Okay, so he's stubborn. That just makes it more interesting to get him."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Wanna bet?"

"Excuse me?" Joey choked, spitting some of his drink over the both of them.

"You heard me." Justin grinned.

"Yeah, I did. I just thought I misunderstood you or something."

"So, how about it? A million says I get to fuck Josh during the next two weeks."

"A million? Are you out of your mind?"

"The higher the stakes, the more interesting the bets."

"I don't think so, Justin."

"Come on, Joey, it'll be fun. It isn't mentioned in our schedule."

"Of course not. Our schedule is boring as hell and always the same."

"My point exactly."

"So you want to do someting similar to what they do in that movie The Game? With that guy who has everything, and because his life is so boring, his brother offers him a game which totally screws up his life?"

"If you leave out the part with "totally screws up his life": Yes."

"Well..."

"Think about it, Joe: Whenever we're bored, there's something to do: I'll try to get JC while you'll try to talk him out of sleeping with me. It's the end of every soporific bus ride."

"True."

"So you're in?"

"I guess so. Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?"

"I'll definitely remember that."

***

TV sucked. Sleeping sucked, too. And Playstation more than sucked. To make up for it, the minibar began to look more appealing with each passing second.

Joey was bored. Not bored enough to drink himself into a delirium, but he would be soon if he didn't find something else to occupy his mind. And he was slowly running out of options. Why was the hour before they had to leave for some appearance or photo shoot or interview or whatever it was this time always so uneventful? Groaning, Joey flopped down on the couch of the hotel room, legs dangling over the backrest, the eleventh position he had tried for the last eighty seconds.

"Boring." he exclaimed wistfully, staring into space for a moment before jumping up again, starting to pace the room, all the while quietly chanting "Boringboringboring." to himself. When Justin breezed into the room full-speed, not bothering to knock knowing that Joey rarely locked his rooms, it was a welcome distraction.

"What are you on? Ecstasy?"

Justin shook his head, glaring at the older man. "That wasn't my fault. Someone slipped it into my drink, I already told you."

"Whoa!" Joe raised both of his hands, taking a step back. "What's wrong with you? I was just kidding."

The glare vanished immediately, being replaced by the hint of an apologetic look. "I'm just a little irritated. Bored. Guess I took it out on you."

"'s okay. Should we be bored together, then? 'cause I am, too. Nothing interesting on TV, it's raining, I can't sleep, and I'm not yet desperate enough to turn to the minibar for comfort."

"Sounds good. - Oh, here's the deal, you said we should talk about it today. I wrote it all down."

"Deal?"

"Remember our bet or were you already too plastered yesterday?"

"I did hardly drink anything, so yeah, I remember." Joey grabbed the piece of paper from his friend's hand and scanned over the words, then slowly raised his head. "You're really determined to do this?"

"Of course, why bother asking? It'll be fun, but be prepared to lose. - You can keep the paper, I'll keep the check the loser has to sign in the end."

"Lemme see."

The blonde took a nearly blank check out of his wallet, only the sum and the purpose had been written down. Joey nodded and Justin put it back, waiting for the Italian, who was rereading the rules, to say something.

Joey made a thoughtful face. "So all we have to do is sign it?"

"Yeah."

"And you're sure about this? I mean, if it turns out bad, then you could end up hurting Josh, and..."

"Joey, C will never hear about this bet. And then, we're talking about sex here, just a one-night stand, and that's it. Not love or anything, it's just sex. JC had heaps of one-night stands, so why should this be any different?"

"Because you're friends. Best friends."

"Yeah, but this isn't going to change our friendship."

"I'm just saying that you might be risking it with this bet."

"No. Josh and I have known each other since forever, and I know that casual sex won't change anything between us."

"I know Josh longer than you do."

"Yeah, but I'm closer to him. Trust me on that one, Joe."

Joey still looked a little unsure, but figuring that it was Justin's decision, he shrugged, a grin of anticipation slowly spreading. "Okay then. Let the games begin!"

****************