GSF

Family is more valuable than money.

Chris dropped his duffle bag just inside the door and took a deep breath. It had been a while since he and the guys had been here, but he still could smell their joint scent intermingled with the fresh air of the forest. It was like coming home after a long and exhausting business trip.

The cabin was tiny, just one big room with a separate bathroom and kitchen. There was nothing more than a fire place in one corner and a huge mattress in the middle of the room. This wasn't about luxury and it was all they would need anyway.

He left the door open behind him; it was a nice enough day, warm and sunny, and he opened all the windows in the cabin. He could hear the birds sing and for the first time in months Chris felt calm and relaxed.

Wandering into the bathroom first and then the kitchen, Chris made sure that they had running water and electricity. The fridge was stocked with more food than five people could possibly eat within a week. Mr. and Mrs. Rosen, the neighbors who lived a few miles down the main road, always made sure everything was in order before they arrived.

He got himself an apple and then settled on the mattress, stretched, and opened the book he had taken out of his bag. He was always the first to arrive and despite being not the most patient person in the world, somewhere along the way, he got used to the waiting.

He was half way through the sixth chapter when an enthusiastic "Hey." startled him. Looking up from his book, he saw a widely grinning and messy JC in the doorway. JC had what looked like leaves and twigs all over his body, stuck in his clothes and hair. It looked as if he had crawled through the thickest part of the forest to get here. Knowing JC, he probably had.

"Hey," he answered, smiling, but didn't stand up. He was too comfortable and JC didn't seem to mind at all. JC just placed his bags next to Chris' and sat down with a delighted expression on his face.

"It's so good to be here," he said, sitting there, eyes closed, he was the perfect picture of contentment.

Chris nodded, even though JC couldn't see him, and nudged JC with his foot until JC got the hint and lifted Chris' legs into his lap. JC started massaging Chris' feet, slow strokes up and down the soles of his feet. A warm and slightly tingling sensation spread through his body and Chris put his book away. There were better things to concentrate on.

They didn't talk, there was no need for it, no uncomfortable silence they had to break, just being in each others presence was enough. Chris felt drowsy--he had a couple of exhausting days behind him and the times where he could go for days with only a few hours of sleep were long gone. Slowly he drifted off, the sounds of JC's regular breathing and the massage lulling him to sleep.

***

When Chris woke up, the door and windows were closed and a warm blanket was wrapped around him. He yawned, stretching and rubbing at his eyes. Someone laughed, someone with a deeper voice than JC, and he glanced up, confused.

He couldn't have slept through Lance's arrival, and yet there Lance was, sitting on the rug right in front of the fire place with JC and Joey. Apparently, he had missed Joey's arrival as well.

With the blanket around his shoulders, he went over and sat down between Joey and Lance, leaning his head on Lance's shoulder.

"When did you get here?" he asked, looking at Joey with half closed eyes.

"About an hour ago. You were out cold, you didn't even notice Joey dropping a wet one on your cheek." JC giggled and Chris felt Lance's laughter vibrate through his body.

He turned an accusing look at Joey. "You were molesting me in my sleep? You big perv."

"Oh, come on," Joey grinned, "you know you loved it."

"If I'd been awake... I probably would have."

Joey raised an eyebrow. "See?"

Chris snuggled closer to Lance, draping his arm around Lance's waist. He was still sleepy. "Anyone know when J will get here?"

"In an hour or two, his plane was delayed," Lance replied, running his hands over Chris' arm.

Chris' arm prickled at the light touch of Lance's fingers. "Okay, wake me up when he's here."

"Sure thing," Joey said, clapping him on the shoulder. Chris closed his eyes and settled down, head in Lance's lap.

***

Chris blinked and blinked some more until the face in front of him came into focus. Justin's clear blue eyes stared back at him and he smiled. "Hey, kiddo," he mumbled.

"Hey," Justin answered with his wide, toothy grin, "how are you?"

"You're here that means I'm good." He was still lying with his head in Lance's lap, Lance's fingers buried in his hair.

"Yeah, all together again."

***

When Chris woke up the next morning, he magically found himself on the mattress, wrapped around Joey and with Justin snuggled up behind him. This is heaven, he thought, as he listened to JC and Lance talking quietly. He couldn't hear what they were talking about, but the sounds of their voices were enough to make him smile.

It had been too long since they were all together like this. Of course they had visited each other several times since they last were here. They never were able to go without seeing each other for longer than a couple months, but there were always people around them, talking to them and about them, taking pictures and there was never enough time to just connect with each other.

That had been the hardest part after they decided to break up the group. So much had changed as they pursued their own solo projects and they never seemed to have enough time to see each other. Meeting each other during public appearances or having long talks on the phone wasn't enough. Not for Chris and certainly not for the others, so when Justin came up with the idea of going on vacation, just them, everyone agreed without hesitation.

It was the natural progress of things that this vacation started to be a regular thing, not that anyone minded, and not long after their second vacation they had decided to buy this cabin.

Lance had found it when he got lost on the way to some important meeting. He never made it to the meeting, but the cabin was theirs just a few days later after everyone had a chance to look at the pictures Lance had taken with his cell phone.

Just a couple weeks later, they'd christened the cabin with their first retreat. That was 13 years ago and still they came here at least once a year, sometimes more often, just to be with each other.

Chris kissed Joey on his exposed neck right in front of him and smiled when he felt Joey stir beneath him. He licked over the warm skin, trailing his hand over Joey's arm. Justin's arm came around his waist, squeezing him tightly, and he hummed softly in Chris' ear.

Chris sighed happily, eyes closed, and let his hands wander over Joey's body, so different from the first time he had touched it, but still the same. It was softer and the belly bigger, but the skin still tasted the same, a bit like cinnamon and gingerbread and a lot like happiness, when he licked over it. For his part Justin licked the outer shell of Chris' ear, making him shiver. All their bodies had changed over the years, even Justin's, getting a bit heavier and softer.

"Hey, what's up? Starting without us?"

Chris grinned up at JC, who on the other hand, hadn't changed so much. He was still as skinny as ever and Chris always wondered how he did it. "We didn't have a choice," Justin said, as he blew warm air over Chris' ear, "you weren't here."

"Uh-huh," Lance replied with his no-nonsense voice. Chris couldn't really see Lance's face behind JC. He had his arms wrapped around JC's waist, but Chris knew Lance well enough to know that he was rolling his eyes. "Whatever. And now move over."

Justin sighed dramatically, but moved away from Chris, leaving a cold space between them which was immediately replaced with Lance's warm body. JC lay down in front of Joey, pressing close and putting his hand over Chris' on Joey's arm.

Chris' heart jumped with joy in his chest and excitement sang through his body. They were skin to skin, connected again. There were hands and mouths all over his skin, moving with the rhythm of the music they created in the way they touched and moved against each other. Chris felt the guys inside him, Lance's calm, Justin's youthfulness, JC's enthusiasm, and Joey's contentment, they were all part of him as he was part of them.

This wasn't about sex, it never was, not back when they were at the height of their success as a group and not now. It was almost like a spiritual experience and the pleasure of the body was just an amazing byproduct. In the grand scheme of things, physical pleasure wasn't most important.

Chris' whole being shook with the emotions and touches and when he reached his climax, it was as if he could feel the earth shift beneath him. Chris heard the gasps and moans intermingled with his own and he felt light and heavy at the same time.

This was what they were about. Family, friends, lovers. The most important people in each other's lives.