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@just_a_jonas has updated their story
Multiple actually, I realized after clicking on the notification. Nothing was visible besides the black screen and Justus' profile picture in the top left hand corner. A picture of him with the other members of his band. I have a 4k version of it on my computer. Peter was standing in the middle of it with his arms around his friends' shoulders. It was particularly cute how close Bob and him were standing together on it. When Justus had made this his profile picture four days ago, everyone had said how he basically outed himself as a Shawndrews shipper.
My attention shifted back to the Instagram story. Justus rarely did any stories. Usually Peter was the one providing information with his stories. He was barely able to shut his mouth.
The black screen faded barely but there were now two silhouettes a bit in the background. The focus was on something hidden in the dark. I had to squint my eyes to recognize anything. If I guessed correctly those were the silhouettes of Peter and Justus. Recognizable by Justus' fluffy curls and Peter's jaw line. I felt a bit of pride in myself because I had recognized them by shadows only. Of course I didn't know if it was correct but who cared anyways? I could later text my friend about it.
The two silhouettes were sideways to the camera. Not a word was said even though I was sure my volume was all the way up.
It changed to the next slide of the story, although nothing changed about it. Justus' silhouette then raised his hand and caressed Peter's cheek. That was a bit weird. Why would he do that? Justus had always been the most mysterious member of the ??? but this was something entirely new.
My breath almost stopped as I saw Justus' face going forwards and melting into the shadow of Peters. Were they kissing? Controlled by something that wasn't me I held the screen to look at it longer. Now that it was still I could easily see that they were in fact kissing. It must've been a prank, didn't it? There never had been any tension in between Peter and Justus. Peter and Bob were the ones with the secret gay relationship. Everyone knew. It was obvious. One just had to look at them and the way they interacted. I blinked again and watched the sequence again. Then it jumped to the next story. There they were. In the same position but not a video. They picture was more lit up so I could easily see their features blant and clear. Justus and Peter were kissing on the mouth.
I stared at my screen in confusion, unable to move. How? Why? Why them? How?
Their songs, their interviews, their performances. Shawndrews was all with them. I myself had countless of fanart and edits on my phone. Never, ever had Justus and Peter given something away that indicated that they were together. It all was just Peter and Bob who had the flirty and romantical tension.
The ??? had an entire fanbase just for this ship.
I barely noticed how the story jumped to another sequence. It was another picture. Justus and Peter were standing by the sea in the sand, holding hands and looking at eachother. Not into the beautiful sunset above the californian coast. No, it was them looking at each other.
Similar pictures followed.
Without actively initiating I screenshoted them all. A picture of the boys being quite young, probably around 16, kissing while Peter wore a basketball kit with Shaw and the number 02 written on it, sweaty, Justus was wearing the same kit. A picture of the three of them, a selfie, Justus and Peter kissing while Bob took the picture, rolling his eyes. Then there was one of them in their performance outfits. It was visibly split. One side was showing a part of the stage, I recognized it being from their last tour, the other showed part of the backstage, which wasn't seen by the fans. Also here they kissed. Intensely, only focused on another. Justus and Peter pressed against the wall. Another picture of them in suits, the last award show they've been on, they held hands and smiled proudly into the camera, holding their newest award between them.
I had never seen any of those pictures.
And I was like the biggest, biggest ??? fan out there. Was it all a big joke? It wasn't something Justus would do, wasn't it? Bob would do something like that for sure, convince Peter into participating. But Justus? It was again the picture of their silhouettes making out. This time there was text written under it.
For y'alls Peter x Justus edits. I know there aren't any but here you go.
The story ran out. I stared at my screen. It showed my usual page. The profile pictures of Peter and Bob with already seen stories three hours ago. The newest post of their management, about a possible new album coming out next year and a post by my favourite artist in the entire fandom. A new fanart of Peter and Bob. It looked incredible.
But holy, what was that.
Without a second thought I looked at the stories again. And again. Everytime being shocked. I never had considered the possibility.
After I felt like I processed the info enough I changed to Twitter. Took the screenshot with the sunset on it and uploaded it with the comment "I think my brain isn't working properly, what just happened? @just_a_jonas @secondone514 @bobdersaumeister"
It didn't take long for retweets and answers, sharing my confusion. I scrolled through my feed and saw those same pictures over and over again. But nowhere a statement of any of those. Not that Bob would have to make one but a little more explanation would be very nice. I scrolled mindlessly through everything. Liked and retweeted. It was so bizzare. So fucking bizzare. I changed apps again to go to YouTube. Hesitating before putting in Justus x Peter. A few videos showed up. I clicked on the first one. It was named 7 minutes and 48 seconds of Juster being total boyfriends.
It was weird cause I didn't even know they had a ship name nor did I know they had so much of shared screen time together.
It started with a moment from an interview. I had actually seen this interview two weeks ago. Couldn't remember a single thing indicating Juster though.
I rolled over on my stomach and held my phone horizontally to watch it. The ??? were sitting on their chairs, in correct order. Justus, Peter and Bob. The interwiever wasn't in sight. The video became slower and it slowly zoomed in between the space in between Justus and Peter. One of Justus' legs was angled sideways towards Peter. His knee almsot touched Peters thigh.
We can see that Justus, a rainbow colored text had appeared dancing around the screen. Then the audio was turned louder.
"So how would you guys describe eachother in one word?", the interviewer asked. It zoomed out. From one face to another.
"Blackmailer", Peter replied and pointed towards Bob. Bob raised his brows slowly and smirked. He exchanged a look with Justus. "Victim", he called Peter. "Also for Justus I'd say." Originally the interpretation had been Bob "blackmailing" Peter with pictures of them and making fun of Peter with Justus. In this context it shifted. What if Bob had taken all those pictures Justus had uploaded in his story. That would make a lot of sense.
I leaned forwards as I would be able to better understand what Justus and Peter replied. "Blackmailer suits it for Bob", Justus said and smiled. I had the urge to stop and look at Justus face. Was he hiding it? Was he seriously hiding a long term relationship with the guy next to him? Or rather, had he been hiding it? Bizarre. Absolutely bizarre.
"But I would rather call Peter an athlete." He smiled and then winked into Bob direction. Peter turned red. It was utterly bizzare. That exact scene, I had seen it yesterday in a Shawndrews edit. I swallowed. In this context it made sense. It made sense for Bob to call them victims and for them to call Bob a blackmailer. Peter cleared his throat to get Bob and Justus out of that weird gaze.
"I'd say Justus is a genius. A real genius."
That sequence hadn't been in the edit. Peter glanced at Justus. This was repeated a few times, with a more intense zoom on Peter’s face. If one wanted to see it they could. It could be seen as a loving gaze, couldn't it?
A divider. Another scene.
A part of a live performance from their last tour.
They were performing the song "Heart Riders" and while Bob stood at the front of the stage, hyping up the audience with clapping to the beat, Justus and Peter were more in the back, almost dancing together, and laughing, while singing their part in a duet.
"When you walk across my path, don't stop for me but take me on a ride on your heart."
The eye contact was intense.
Another sequence. It was from one of Bob's insta stories. It was backstage. They were all sitting in the make up and Bob walked around bothering everyone while fixing his nail polish. He drew half of hearts on Peter and Justus arm with lipsticks. Both complained. But now that I thought about it, it could be seen as fake.
What the hell? What was that band?
They couldn't keep a thing like this from their fans didn't they? If the picture with the basketball kits was from when they were in High School then their relationship must've going at least 9 years. If not more cause who knew when they really started dating? If they did. And it just wasn't all a big prank by Bob Andrews to mess with everyone.
I switched over to the comments, sorted them by old to new. Only a few people had commented on it. It was all them pointing out cute gazes, smiles and interactions, quoting song lyrics, especially from "The Fast and the Smart", which in their opinion was a song entirely about Juster.
I got distracted by a notification.
@bobdersaumeister tweeted something
I had never clicked on anything that fast in life.
Congrats my dearest colleagues. Now at least it wasn't me. @just_a_jonas @secondone514 🏳️🌈🫶
I audibly gasped. It was like a confirmation, wasn't if? The flag? I smashed the retweet button and then turned my phone of. A deep breath, really, really, just a deep breath. I needed the realization to hit.
I opened my eyes again. Really, really. Why didn't I get this idea before? I opened the chat with my best friend. They were probably sound asleep. Unlucky them being born in the wrong timezone to accomplish such an event on time.
*Dude?!
Dudeee
Look:*
I added the screenshots I took from Justus' story.
They wouldn't reply for another few hours. Pure souls, not blessed with being in California.
"Dinner is ready!", my mum yelled from downstairs. I put my blanket aside and walked downstairs like a robot. My legs weren't working properly because of that guy. What did come into Justus mind?
It was lasagna for dinner.
"Are you alright?", my mum asked. Probably because of my state of consciousness.
I just nodded. My brother and sister were already sitting.
"Have you guys seen Justus' newest Insta story?", I blurted out as soon as I looked up from my phone.
"No? Should I have?", my brother asked.
"Maybe. If you're interested to find out about Justus and Peters newest revealed relationship."
"Oh they got girlfriends? I thought Peter had something going on with Bob."
I took a deep breath. "Right?! But no, they're dating eachother. Apparently. Yes, Leo, eachother."
My brother sat back. He looked at me like I had spoken chinese to him. "Wait, Peter and Justus?", my sister looked up from her phone. She wasn't interest in the ???. Never had been, probably never would. She wasn't as influencable as my brother. She just wasn't that much into music groups concluding of a bunch of hot boys.
"That's odd", she said.
"Odd", I mocked. "That's life changing? Like? Them? Just them?"
"Let them be", she muttered.
I rolled my eyes. Of course I would let them be. But I was still allowed to be fucking shocked.
Apparently Leo had finished watching Justus' Insta story. "Oh my god", he breathed.
"Right?!"
"What's up with the ??? again? Can't tell me they did something new to shock you?"
"Mom, Justus and Peter are dating."
"Really?", she looked surprised.
"Yes", I sighed. "They are. Here, look."
I showed them the picture of them behind the stage.
"That's odd", she muttered.
I rolled my eyes. "Esther said the same thing."
My mum just smiled.
"As the daughter, as the mother." She high-fived Esther.
But I didn't listen. I was back to investigating, now with Leo, who was usually more of a fan of their music and not too interested in their personal life's but even he had known about Shawndrews. Who hadn't? Even our dad knew about it and sometimes made a joke when they were on TV together. Was there anyone besides maybe five people that made up the name Juster that shipped them? Absurd.
My friend answered before I went to bed. They were absolutely furious about sleeping through such a thing. During my waiting I kept watching different compilations and realized that it had been true. But my friend was still in denial about it, thinking Justus pulled the biggest prank in existence. They texted me, sent me a bunch of audio messages. But there was nothing to deny, wasn't there? So I went to sleep. Thinking about them. Dreaming of them.
¿~?
Two weeks passed like that. Without a single thing said by any of the boys. Some bland posts from their practice, songwriting. Nothing personally, nothing again like that. Justus' story had been put in a new highlight named "Peter <3" which was the closest thing they had gotten. Peter still hadn't said a thing about it. He had been quiet. But in ten minutes would start the livestream. The Livestream.
The Livestream the whole fandom had waited for. The only news that had come out. The whole fandom had been waiting for this livestream.
The fanfictions the Justus Jonas/Peter Shaw tag had on Ao3 had tenfolded. I had read a bunch of fanfictions. To see and understand.
It had worked so much better than expected. Shawndrews had been still widely popular. But never without Juster. It seemed that every Shawndrews moment didn't work without Juster.
It was mad.
The countdown run.
It was a private stream. Bob had revealed it two days ago. The three of them would make a stream. Nothing more, nothing less.
I looked at the countdown. On my other monitor was my friend in a discord video call. In the background of the stream was the song on repeat: Heart riders.
Said to be now the official Juster anthem.
So they knew. Of course they knew.
"Hey hey hellooo", Bob said. The countdown had gone down to zero. It changed quickly and gave a stabilized live view of Bob sitting on a sofa. He grinned into the camera.
"I know, guys'n non guys, I am not the one you want to see right now. Even though I am the best looking. But our… uhm." Bob made a pause and grinned again. "Main characters are busy right now. Still under the shower if you understand what I mean."
He winked. I smiled. Bob had the ability to make grown men fold and question everything. Sure that silly little me couldn't just stop looking at him. Although I agreed with him, wanting to see the others. Bob was great. Handsome. Pretty. Godly.
His grown out hair was behind his ears. One stripe having beans in it. He smiled widely that his teeths blinked through it. He even wore his glasses which he rarely did. Bob was undoubtedly the hot one.
The chat was full of one word: Juster. If not even Bob posing for them could distract them, nothing could.
"Helloo", a voice called. Undoubtedly Justus. The starter of the whole Revolution. He went into the picture. His hair dark as always, fluffy voloumnous hair. Big nose, dark eyes, the light wasn't enough to see the iris. He was hot too. Just something else. Words weren't enough to describe this man. His skin quite dark, with barely visible freckles. A bright hawaiian button down shirt with palm trees.
"Look Justus, they've all waited for you", Bob smiled and let his teeth shine again.
It was a bit distracting seeing them both like this. It was like they had dressed up only for this livestream.
"Told them y’all needed to finish your shower." Bob winked.
Justus rolled his eyes. "Sure."
"So where's our sunny boy?" Two weeks ago this sentence would've been clipped, screen recorded, saved and shared all over the Internet. Probably trending for a few days till something else got their attention. But everyone knew that the huge thing was still to come.
"Bob", Justus pressed out between his lips. "Please."
"Okay guys, hear me out for a second." Bob slid closer to the mic. "Just is desperate for letting those things out. He cannot stand it. Really, really, this man is a jealous one." He winked once again.
Justus just sat back on the sofa. They were streaming from something called "Head Office". Whatever that was. No one knew where it was or what it was. People had guessed it being a caravane but that sounded stupid also. Half of their social media posts were from this place.
"Peter! Finally, Bob is threatening me again and revealing everything already."
"Rude."
Justus looked somewhere the camera couldn't film and Peter joined. His hair was actually wet but that wasn't the point. The point was that he climbed onto Justus' lab, gave him a kiss on the neck and only then looked at the camera to joyfully wink at it.
"Hi", he said and smiled.
Peter was the precious one, the cute one. Sometimes scared one. Until he was performing anything. Then he immediately became the hottest. Sometimes I could understand why people not attracted to guys like my sister or mother prefered not to be fans of them.
But right now I was feeling very attracted to them. And confused.
"Look at their fingers-", my friend breathed and I looked away for a second only to look at their hands. Half hidden behind Peters upper body. Justus hand laid in Peters, Peter holding his, obviously giving him strength.
"Goooosh", I muttered just as quiet.
"So– uhm, things had been said, or posted, and now y'all want answers."
"But you don't need them-", Justus interrupted Peter. "Just don't make any Shawndrews edits with the sound I wanna be yours and we can still coexist." He smiled. Yes, Justus was the scary one. I couldn't tell if that was meant serious. Only thing I could tell, was that this sound was quite popular among Shawndrews editers, simply because when they looked at eachother there had been, something. Something people had called love. Apparently that wasn't true. At least not that kind of love.
Peter slid off Justus lap and remained smiling. Also their fingers stayed crossed.
"Sorry for Justus. He really needed to say those things out loud. You know, I was never angry about it. I thought of it as amusing. Bob-"
"I supported it. I was the one indicating it. Guys, if y'all knew how Justus ranted of to us about those edits and fanfictions." Bob grinned again. Distracting.
"You would've stopped immediately, I assure you. Sometimes it was terrifying."
"And it wasn't because he was uhm angry? I think it was just too much."
Justus in between of his friends rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything towards that. "How about we tell them firstly the things happened first and then about what happens in the present or future?"
"Okay simple", Bob clapped his hands, "y'know in high school. They were deeeep into it. Always made out in the corridor when no one was there. I have tons of photos." He smiled again, brightly.
"What the hell", Justus muttered.
"Anyways", Peter interrupted them both. "We started dating in high school. The ??? weren't even a thing at that time. But in the last year we started writing songs together. Until we had 16. An album. Our first. We liked it so much, that we thought we could sell it and maybe, you know, make it a bigger thing. Justus and mines uhm relationship remained. But we weren't really comfortable starting as 18 year olds into a music career while being a same sex couple. Just weren't ready. So we lived and lived, wrote music. It was great, I can assure you."
"Why is Peter the one talking so much?", Justus said and Peter stopped. He looked at him confused.
"Right? Usually he only talks gibberish or somehow gets to his guitar or surfing."
"I personally think he next sentence would've been about his guitar. You remember? He got a new one at that time."
Assholes, was what Peter mouthed into the camera.
"Anyways", Justus continued, "You're doing great, dear, continue."
Peter rolled his eyes. "We didn't even tell our managememt. Only Bob, our families and friends knew. But those shifted so barely anyone knew. We weren't much into PDA anyways. Well– uaaah" Justus pulled Peter by the collar to him, into a kiss.
"Does this count?", he muttered, his voice rough.
"Just, there are children present here", Bob pointed at what I assumed was the chat.
The chat was full, lagging so many people wrote something. I didn't understand how anyone could possible have the time during this to write a message in the chat.
"Sorry, sorry. Can't keep long from his lips."
Peter blushed slightly, his face matching his hair and freckles. "Yeah uhm." He licked himself over the lips. As he looked back to the camera I could see how he realized that probably hadn't been the perfect thing to do.
"But what is still unanswered, the hell. We dated, made the band and we're now comfortable to come out. Here we are."
"Well said", Justus replied and grinned. A rare grin. A proud grin. It was beautiful to look at, my heart couldn't take it.
"Any more questions?", Justus asked. Bob smiled and pulled his phone out. "I have some, from my tweet and replies Justus got on his story. Didn't want to make a whole Q&A on this."
"You did. I stopped you", Justus corrected.
Bob bared his teeths. "Possibly. But let's start. When did you start dating?"
"We became boyfriends on the 14th of may 2012. So we've been together for 10 years and a bit." Peter smiled.
"Quite long", Bob commented, "Leading to our next question. I quote: On the picture with the basketball kits y'all look quite young. How can you date for so long at such a young age?"
"Pick the right person", Justus simply said. His gaze went focused on a random point somewhere behind the camera. "Then it's easy. And Peter is objectively perfect so what does one need more?"
I took a deep breath. Justus never called anything perfect. He was way too analytical or logical for it. Why the fuck did he do it now? And why objectively perfect. He was calling Peter something flawless. I exhaled again, heavily. This was too much for my little fan heart.
Not that shipped them. But hearing Justus, the Justus Jonas talk about someone like that? Too much. Far too much.
"Perfect. Uuuhm I see", Bob grinned. He was grinning the whole time, was something wrong with him? On the other hand, who didn't? "Next question: Did you ever have threesome with Bob."
"You're jumping very fast, thematic wise."
"I am, am I?"
"No." Justus declared and the topic was over.
Peter looked a little bit distressed between them. "Y'all are mad", he commented.
"Look, this one is cute. What is the thing you love the most about on another?"
"You're turning this into a Q&A, what the fuck Bob?"
"Don't swear, darling", Bob patted Justus' shoulder.
"Its definitely his brain. I could listen to him for hours. It's active input. He is so fucking intelligent."
Justus barely blushed. I could already envision about TikToks about analysis of his cheeks’ colour.
"Well, I already kinda mentioned it. It's him. Just him. He is perfect. Really, but if I have to pick, which I assume you want me to, it's his enthusiasm about things he's passionate about. His guitar, surfing, soccer, Sport in general, music in general-"
"You-", Bob added with the constant grin on his lips.
"Stop."
"Sorry, next question. Favourite physical detail?"
"Are you really reading those from your phone or just making up?"
"I make them up."
"Guessed that."
"Anyways", Peter said again. "You know usually they aren't like this. It's really weird to see them arguing like this."
"Usually Peter and Justus argue. About everything. Literally everything, you guys should see that sometime." Bob spread his arms. "But then they usually make out and it's all fine again." He formed his hands to triangles and let the thumbs kiss. He grinned.
"To answer your question Bob. I admire Justus' shoulders more than toddlers their favourite plushie."
"Weird metaphor", Justus muttered.
"So what about you, huh?", Peter asked, turning again to Justus.
There was fire in Justus eyes. Fire that was surpressed for too long so it know burned, ready to consume everything in it's way. Justus tongue stuck out for a second.
They really had been hiding this for too long. A secret relationship for ten years probably wasn't fun. I was mad for them in only minutes. They made me crazy with their teasing and touching, holy fuck how had they ever been able to probably stand next to eachother if after 10 years they were still so down for eachother?
Justus gently put a strand of hair behind Peter’s ear. He smiled at him, and locked their eyes. Then he leaned forwards and whispered something inaudible for us in his ear. Peter turned bright red. "Stop Justus. Please."
"I know it", Bob whispered in between to not stop the flow of the moment.
"The answer I will give now is him but sweaty. Hot as fuck, I recommend. Or his wrists, if you want a body part." Justus picked up Peters wrist and kissed it on its vein. "Very nice wrists you have there Peter." He smiled.
"Dear god", I sighed. My friend agreed. They were messing with us, weren't they?
"They always are like this. Just the arguing part is missing somehow right now. But the rest? Don't even think I am ever included in conversations. Fool, cause there aren't even any conversations to possible participate in if you get what I mean." Bob winked.
"Don't make yourself the victim", Justus ordered and sat himself upright again.
"You always interrupt us."
"Sometimes I haven't even got the chance to close my eyes", Bob whispered.
"As if we were fucking all the time", Peter groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Last question then. I know y'all at home want more but the sexual tension in here is getting very, very thick and I need to get outta here asap."
"What is it?", Justus asked.
"Well", Bob grinned once again, "it is… Who is the more jealous one?"
"Justus", Peter said without thinking. Justus nodded. "We don't have time to talk about the future now, but please cut those Shawndrews edits about down, would you?"
I suddenly realized that I haven't thought about Shawndrews for quite a long time.
"That being said. I wish you a happy time now. And get me please a new person to ship with, I need to flirt with people on screen or else I'll go mad." Bob giggled and turned off the stream, without another comment.
My friend and I weren't really capable of talking. This had been a bit overwhelming.
"Wow", they said. I agreed.
¿~?
The last new thing was a music video, uploaded the next day. It's quality was bad. It was a music video to the song Heart Riders. The new Juster anthem and their first ever song in the charts. It was a video of Justus on the piano.
He performed it solo, his eyes fixated on that one spot. In the end the camera zoomed out. Peter sat there. They were young in this one. Probably around 17 or 18.
But the message was clear. Justus had written that song about him. All those years ago. And now it finally belonged to them.