So I'm back with a new fic. This one's actually not a one shot or a two shot. It's all planned out already and already written so expect pretty regular updates. Not much to say about this chapter, except that it is a pain in the butt to write Hortense all the time instead of Logan.

Enjoy!

Eight-year-old Kendall Knight is not particularly happy. He is standing in his front yard, his two best friends in the whole world standing there with him, and Kendall can feel himself starting to tear up, which he hates because he's a big boy now (he's had to be a big boy ever since he's dad went to Heaven) and he knows big boys don't cry. But it's not fair! James and Carlos are off to spend their summer at Camp Wonky Donkey and Kendall can't go with them.

"Bye Kendall." Carlos hugs his best friend quickly. "We'll miss you."

From beside the smaller Latino boy, James nods. "We wish you could come too!" He also hugs his blonde friend.

"It's not fair." Kendall pouts, crossing his arms over his chest. "Now I'm going to be stuck all by myself."

"What about Hortense?" Carlos asks, mentioning the newest addition to their group.

Kendall sighs. "I guess. But it won't be the same." It's not that Kendall doesn't like Hortense, the boy's a little quiet, but otherwise Kendall likes him just fine. But he hasn't known Hortense very long and Kendall doesn't think he's going to be much of a replacement for his two best friends.

A horn beeps behind the two boys and James and Carlos both turn to see James' mother waving at them from the driver's seat of her car. She'd volunteered to take both James and Carlos to camp. All three friends turn back to face each other, knowing, even at eight, that saying no and keeping James' mom waiting were two things you just didn't do. Kendall waves good-bye to his two friends as they climb back into the car. He races after the car, still waving, as it drives away. From the backseat both James and Carlos turn around so they can wave to their blonde friend from the window.

Finally, the car is too far away for Kendall to even see his friends' faces and he stops running. He sighs because he's only eight years old and he honestly cannot figure out what he's going to do for a whole summer without his two best friends.

-0-

Kendall is sitting on his couch, watching TV, well actually he's moping but the TV is on so he supposes that kind of counts, when the doorbell rings. His mom is busy with Katie in the kitchen so even though he really doesn't want to move (he's always been prone to lying on the couch when he's upset), when his mom yells to him to answer the door he knows he's going to have to actually get up and do it.

He shuffles to the door, sighing exasperatedly, pulling it open and coming face to face with Hortense Mitchell.

"Hi!" The smaller boys waves at him and Kendall blinks in shock, wondering how he got there. It takes him a minute to remember that Hortense only lives down the street from him.

"Hi." Kendall sounds far less enthusiastic than the boy in front of him.

"Um," Hortense seems to pick up on Kendall's attitude because he suddenly looks embarrassed. "Would you, maybe, wanna come over and play?"

No. "Uh," Kendall would really like to stay inside and mope thank you very much. "No thanks." He doesn't offer any explanation. Just waits for the smaller boy to leave.

"Oh." Hortense's shoulders slump. "Okay."

He turns to go, but Kendall can hear him sniffling and he immediately feels guilty. He can still remember how nervous and shy Hortense had been when he'd first moved to Minnesota. Not much has changed in the month or so he's been there, but Kendall can still recall the bright smile on his face when Carlos had called the boy their friend and he and James had agreed. Kendall's first thought had been how much he liked that smile and how much he wanted to see it again and again.

"Hortense wait!"

The small brunette turned back to face the blonde, something like hope flitting across his face. "Yeah?"

"Sure I'll come over." Kendall does his best to smile, trying to get rid of his misery at not being able to hang out with his two best friends. Hortense really was his friend and his mom would probably rather him go play with the smaller boy than sit and mope on the couch all day. "Let me just ask my mom. MOM!"

There is silence for a moment before the older woman walks into the hallway. "You don't have to yell, Kendall." She admonishes gently, switching Katie from one hip to the other. "What did you need, sweetie?"

"Can I go over to Hortense's house and play?"

Jennifer Knight seems to take notice of the other boy for the first time. "Hello Hortense." She smiles warmly at him. She's only met him once or twice when picking Kendall up from school, but he'd always seemed so shy that she's genuinely glad to see him making an effort to make friends. "And sure. Just be home before it gets dark."

Kendall smiles again. "Thanks Mom." He hugs her quickly before moving to the porch and following Hortense onto the sidewalk and towards his house.

-0-

Hortense's house is one of the nicest on the block and Kendall takes a moment to admire it when they first enter. The smaller boy notices Kendall's wide eyes and shrugs. "My house is lame." He offers, as if that's what Kendall is thinking.

"No way." Kendall argues, looking at all the interesting artwork and knick-knacks that must belong to his parents. "Where did you even get all this stuff?"

Hortense shrugs again; kicking off his shoes while Kendall does the same. "Mom and dad used to travel a lot, before they had me." He makes his way into the living room. "Want to watch a movie?"

Kendall nods, but promises himself that he won't sit on the couch. Otherwise he might start moping again. Hortense shuffles through a rather impressive selection of tapes before pulling on out and holding it up. "How 'bout this one. It's my favorite." He flushes a bit with embarrassment as he says this, but Kendall's eyes light up as soon as he reads the title.

Muppet Treasure Island is his favorite movie. And he's suddenly very excited to be sitting in the Mitchell's ridiculously clean living room. It's been ages since he's gotten a chance to watch the movie because Katie had accidentally (well it might have been accidental, even at two she shows a cunning that Kendall can hardly believe) broke his after he'd accidentally broken one of her dolls. "That's my favorite movie too!" He cries, ecstatic that he and his new friend have something in common.

Hortense beams at him, that same smile that he'd given them after they'd called him their friend and Kendall feels warm all over. He puts the tape in and then joins Kendall on the floor, both boys laying on their stomachs and smiling as the movie starts to play.

"Shiver my timbers

Shiver my bones…"

-0-

The movie ends and Kendall laughs as Hortense does a pretty spot on imitation of Miss Piggy. Mrs. Mitchell calls them to lunch and Kendall is greeted by the smell of mac-n-cheese and chicken nuggets. "Whoa!" His eyes grow wide as he sits down next to Hortense. "They're shaped like dinosaurs!"

Mrs. Mitchell laughs at the young boy's enthusiasm. "You've never had dinosaur chicken nuggets before, Kendall?"

The blonde shakes his head. "No!" He grabs one and bites into it. "They taste even better than regular chicken nuggets!"

Mrs. Mitchell laughs again and Kendall decides he likes the sound. It's the same nice sound his mom's laugh is and it makes him feel at home. Hortense hasn't stopped smiling since they'd put in the movie and Kendall decides he likes that too.

-0-

They spend the rest of the day playing in Hortense's room and his back yard. Kendall spends most of the day either talking animatedly with the boy about all the things they actually have in common (more than Kendall had originally thought) or breathless from either running or laughing. He's actually extremely disappointed when Mrs. Mitchell points out that it's getting dark and that he should probably head back to his house before his mother starts to worry.

"This has been the best day ever!" Kendall cries, pulling the smaller brunette towards him for a quick hug. "Thanks Hortense!"

Hortense blushes, but grins happily at his new friend. "You're welcome."

Kendall throws open the door and is about to step out when he turns back to face the smaller boy and his mother. "You'll come over tomorrow, right? I can show you all my Spiderman stuff!"

Hortense looks at his mother who nods in approval. "Yeah." He says as he turns back to face the blonde. "Sure I will."

"Yay!" Kendall runs to him and pulls him into another hug. He lets go quickly and rushes back to the open door. "Bye Hortense! Bye Mrs. Mitchell!"

And then he's gone, sprinting back to his house as fast as his legs can carry him, eager to tell his mother all about his day with his new friend.

-0-

"What's wrong, Kendall? Carlos and James should be over any minute, aren't you excited to see them?" Jennifer asks. She had expected to see her son moping on the couch the first week or so after the other two had left for camp and was pleasantly surprised when he spent hardly an entire day there before going and playing with Hortense.

And she is even more surprised to find him moping on the couch now, with summer nearly over and James and Carlos finally back from camp and coming over to play.

"Yeah…" He doesn't exactly sound excited about it though.

"Kendall?"

He sighs. "I don't want to share Hortense!" He exclaims suddenly. "He's my best friend! They can't have him!"

Jennifer chuckles at her son. Two months ago he was sure the world was ending because the only person he'd had to play with was the new boy down the street. Now here he was, ready to lock said boy in a closet just so he could keep him all to himself.

"Something tells me that, no matter how much Hortense might like James and Carlos, you're always going to be his best friend."

Kendall looks up at her, hazel eyes wide and hopeful. "Really?"

Mrs. Knight nods. She's watched the two boys all summer and can tell already that Kendall has found a special friend with Hortense and vice versa. Adding James and Carlos to the mix can only make it better. "Something tells me you're all going to be really good friends for a very long time."

"Yeah," Kendall grins up at his mother. "You're right." His face becomes possessive again. "But Hortense is still my best friend."

She laughs again and ruffles her son's hair as the doorbell rings. "He will be." She stands to go answer the door, knowing it's either James and Carlos or the boy they were just discussing on the other side.

"Hortense!" Kendall immediately brightens up as the smaller boy walks into the living room.

"Hiya, Kendall!" He greets back, just as enthusiastically.

Jennifer watches them from the doorway and smiles.

It's funny how much can change in just two months. As much as she knows her son loves James and Carlos, it's clear that he's friendship with Hortense is going to be different. She has a sneaking suspicion that Hortense is going to be a part of her son's life for good, one way or another.

And, like all mother's, she hopes that all of her son's summers will be as good to him as this one was.

There's chapter one! Sorry if the dialogue seems a bit old for eight. I am really terrible at writing little kids.

Well leave a review and let me know what you think!