Summary: Logan is in the hospital on the fourth of July. Carlos made plans though. Cargan with hint of Kames. K+ rating for fluff
I planned to post this tomorrow but after I returned from watching fireworks at Coney Island , NY with friends, I wanted to post this for having an incredible night watching an incredible war of lights in the sky on the beach. I hope you like this.
Under the Fireworks
Beep, beep. Tick, tock. Tap, tap. Thump, thump.
Four sounds echoes the empty pristine white building. Only a single room of the many dozens on the floors is occupied. It's a stroke of luck that this place is empty as it is this afternoon on the Fourth of July or a misfortune for the only three boys waiting for good new.
The heart monitor beeps in regular intervals. Every two seconds, another beep rings and another two seconds, the pale boy stays asleep.
The clock moves in a constant interval. Each second records another second two boys, holding hands, wait outside the room for any new. They should be happy holding each others' hands right? Finding true love is hard, so even in tough times, being with the one you love should help right? Not in this case because even undying love can't mask the bond of best friends.
The sound of a single shoe lifts up and drops down on the floor in a consistent rhythm. The taller lover outside the room taps his beat to distract himself from thinking about the lifeless body on the bed.
Thump is the sound of the sleeping boy's heartbeat; the only sound that vibrates in the room. It's soft but loud enough to cause the listening boy sitting next to the bed to break down in tears. The boys sniffles as his body heaves from the over powering feeling of remorse and sorrow. His head resting on his hands on the side of the bed trembles thinking that the sleeping boy will never wake up. Never again, is something he fears.
"Carlos." A voice soothes as a hand gently pats his shoulder. Carlos raises his head to James' voice and stares with his tear stained, happiness depleted face. "Please. You can't be here. Not like this."
He's right. Carlos has been sulking for hours since the accident to now. He hasn't even gone home to change into clean, unbloodied clothes or even outside the room to grab a quick bite. Logan is the only thing on his troubled mind.
"Come on Carlos. It's better if you get some fresh air too." Kendall adds placing his hand on the other shoulder. "James and I can watch Logan for a while."
Carlos turns his head to his leader staring at his pained expression.
"Please Carlos. For us if not for yourself." James pleads bending down to Carlos' eye level pouting his own.
"Ok." Carlos replies weakly taking one more look at the emotionless face on the bed before gazing at his blond friend again. "But can I get one more minute with him?" He asks cupping his hand over Logan's cold one. "I need to say something."
Kendall looks at James eying him the question. "Ok, Carlos but ten minutes ok?" He replies after James gives him a reassuring nod.
"Thank you." Carlos says, exhausted of energy. His head drops listening to the taps of his friends' shoes waiting for the gently click of the sliding door's lock.
"I'm sorry Logan." He whispers after he safely knows they are alone. His hands trembles over the boy's stoned one as Carlos tries to find his voice. "This is all my fault. I should have not done that last night. I should not have made you run away. I'm so stupid." He cries remembering the horrible night.
Flashback
Today is one of those nights the boys finally get time off from their crazy hectic schedule. They decide to go to a teen club/dance party hosted in the Plamwoods. The place is over crowded with people they know and music blasts through the cramp room. To most people, this is a room waiting for danger to happen but to the four energetic boys, this is their haven.
Logan walks to the bar and grabs a ginger ale to sip on for his dying thirst. Typically he would bring a book with him to read and to distract him from the incessant screams of "Get on the dance floor" or the sight of the ever so often fights but today, he rather watch the crowd dances. He is not a club person but he does sometime enjoy seeing people lose themselves to the music. He enjoys watching people jumping up and down, smiles plaster to their faces.
Kendall and James are example of those people. They are dancing and partying up on the dance floor. Saying they love to dance is an understatement as they move their hips to the beat of every song no matter how fast or slow, crazy or tame. They dance it all. But the one type they love is the ballads where they can instead of losing themselves on the dance floor they lose themselves in each others' eyes.
Carlos loves watching Kendall and James dance. What used to disgust him, watching James and Kendall break the three feet apart dance rule, now paints a smile on him. He used to think dancing that close is illegal let alone dangerous if your partner steps on you but now he thinks it's endearing to share your personal space with someone.
"So, are you going to find someone?" Stephanie asks snapping Carlos out of his deep thought. "Maybe ask that guy you like." She taunts nodding her head at a lonely boy at the bar.
"Shhh!" Carlos sounds nervously grabbing her arm. "I can't do that. Logan is too nice to even want to date me. We are opposites."
"But in science class we learned positive and negative attract." She adds smiling at Carlos' blank expression.
"Explain that. What does science class got to do with my crush on him?" He asks dumbfounded.
"Opposite attracts. You and Logan belong together if not because of love but because of science." She chuckles.
"But I don't want science. I want what Kendall and James have." He steals a glance at the couple grinding up a storm. Kendall's arms are wrapped around James' torso and James' are wrapped around Kendall's neck. Kendall smiles a devious smile at the pursed lips brunette. "I want love to be the reason why Logan wants me."
"See Carlos. You are so cute and innocent. Any one would want you." She says as the DJ changes song. "Oh! I love this song." She says dancing to melody. "Do you ever feel? Like a plastic bag floating through the wind, wanting to start again?"
Carlos laughs smiling at her sweet voice. "Do you ever feel already buried deep? Six feet under screamin' and no one seems to hear a thing." He continues getting a chuckle from the girl.
"See. Who can resist you, Carlos?" She stops swaying her hips. "You're perfect."
Carlos blushes rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks Steph but I lose everything to this song. This is Logan and mine song."
"What do you mean?"
"This is the song we hear together after he broke up with Camille and I helped him get better. This song helped me makes Logan feel better.
"See you can't tell me this isn't love."
"It might, I don't…" Carlos stops speaking seeing Logan stepping in front of him.
Logan looks straight into Carlos' eyes, lips quivering with nerves waiting for the right moment to move.
Just own the night like the fourth of July.
That's it. In one quick movement, Logan tilts his head and suddenly presses his lips to Carlos'. He closes his eyes and lingers there for a second waiting for Carlos to respond.
Cause baby you're a firework. Come on let you're colors burst.
Two lines past and no respond. Logan pulls back and opens his eyes to the shock expression on the Latino's face. He eyes start tearing as his mouth trembles trying to form sounds. "I-I'm s-sorry." He whispers before turning around and running out the door.
Astonished, Carlos turns to face Stephanie seeing a confused look on her face. "What did you do?" She practically shouts punching his arm. Carlos tries to speak but same as Logan no understandable words escape his lips. "Go after him!" She commands pointing to the door.
Shocked and disoriented, Carlos somehow manages to wobble to conscience and runs out of the club. He looks around trying to find the one pure white skinned boy in the dark dim lit streets. Nothing remotely pale flashes his eyes. He continues running down the block and finds himself standing behind a cluster of people gasping and crying. Red and blue lights flash ahead and Carlos' stomach starts to churn.
"Please don't." He whispers shaking his head. He runs and pushes through the crowd of hand-covered-mouth adults as he tries to reach the middle. And in one look, everything breaks. His legs turns into mush, his arms becomes strings and his eyes lose control as cascading tears fall to the floor. "Logie!" He screams falling to the ground coddling the pale bleeding head.
"Carlos?" He sounds weakly. "Please don't hate me."
"No Logan." He responds brushing the normally spiked up hair out of Logan's eyes. "Please don't leave me."
"I'm sorry that I love you." Logan ends coughing blood on Carlos' shirt.
"Logie? Logie?" He shouts shaking the body in his hands. "Someone call 911!" He shouts eying everyone in the crowd. "Someone call 911!" He shrieks feeling hopeless in the dark night.
A woman walks up to Carlos and places a hand on his shoulder. "Sir we just called."
"Try again!" He cries shrugging the hand off of him. "I can't lose him.
"I won't lose him."
Flashback
"This is my fault Logan." Carlos repeats caressing the cold cheek. "If I just told you how I felt when you kissed me, maybe you would be in my arms. Maybe if I stopped you in time, maybe we can cuddle and I can share my heat so you won't be this cold." He cries more shutting his eyes close, feeling the guilt rise to his head. "Maybe if I wasn't a stupid horrible person, maybe you can still love me!" He shouts loudly causing his friends to return.
"Carlos, you need to go." James gently tells him, prying Carlos' fingers off Logan's.
"No! I love you!" He screams at Logan as Kendall wraps his arms around Carlos' torso. "I won't leave you Logie, not like what I did last night." He cries.
"Carlos, you need to go." Kendall commands as they carry Carlos out the room.
"No! Please don't do this?" Carlos begs as Logan becomes smaller and smaller disappearing from his vision from the two of them forcefully dragging him out the room.
"Sorry Carlos. This is for your own good." James adds as they literally throw him out the hospital front door.
Carlos rolls onto the grass of the front lawn crying his eyes out in a rocking fetal position. "It's my fault." He repeats over and over; his mind breaking down.
"Carlos, saying that won't get Logan back." Kendall says as he picks the small boy in his arms. He gently rocks him back and fore before resting him up right on the bench. "You need some fresh air, ok? Please just sit here for us for five minutes." Kendall pleads waiting for an answer.
"Fine Kendall." He reluctantly mumbles as a smile creeps on Kendall's face.
"We'll be back." Kendall ends kissing his forehead. James and he leave hands joined walking backing the hospital.
The evening is actually beautiful contrasting the situation. The cloudless sky is royal blue with streak of oranges, reds and purples. It is going to be a perfect night for fireworks. Well it was suppose to be a perfect night for Carlos.
He fishes out a tiny box in his pocket and observes it at every angle as if the box changed over time.
"You know you were supposed to be on the most beautiful slender finger I've touched." He talks to the animated object. He gives an audible huff and looks at the sky. "And you were supposed to be the amazing firework filled sky I wanted but no! Nothing is going the way I wanted. The way I planned." He cries caressing the velvet blue box. "I was supposed to ask him to be my boyfriend tonight, under the firework.
"And he was supposed say yes and we would kiss and be happy but no. YOU DON'T WANT ME TO BE HAPPY!" He screams to the sky watching it loses the streaks of color. "Stupid box." He mumbles stuffing it back in his pocket.
"Is that what you planned to do?" Carlos sharply turns his head around, looking at James' worried look. "I mean, were you going to ask Logan tonight?" He continues sitting next to him. Carlos nods his head feeling tears slipping out of his eyes. James pulls him into chest embracing the shaking boy.
"I-It's my fault."
"This isn't your fault Carlos." Kendall reassures sitting on his other side. "You wanted tonight to be perfect. He just caught you off guard."
"Then whose fault is it?" Carlos asks coldly looking at Kendall's pity filled eyes. "You can't say it's your fault. You can't say it's the James' fault either because he was with you. I rather die than let Logan take the blame. I'm the only one left."
"Why does it have to be anyone's fault?" Kendall asks wrapping an arm around Carlos' shoulder. "This is just an accident, an unavoidable accident."
"But it can be avoided. If I just kissed him back maybe, maybe I might…" He stops letting his sobs replace his words.
"Logan isn't going to die you know." James says a matter-of-factly. "Logan is just sleeping."
"Maybe but I planned the night out for us."
"Then tell us." James says hoping his smile might cheer up the hurt Latino. "I would love to hear how you triumph how Kendall asked me out."
Kendall laughs and winks. "Tell us Carlos." He adds. "Your way is probably better than writing on James' favorite mirror 'please go out with me?'"
Carlos laughs. "I wanted to wait for the first firework to hit the sky and pull Logan into a kiss. Maybe a long kiss or a short one but I didn't plan it. I want it to be spontaneous without being too crazy for Logan" He laughs. "And then I wait for the second firework and hold his hands, both of them. And the moment I see the second explosion, I'll give Logie a ring and ask him to go out with me." He adds pull the box out of his pocket to show them.
"And what about the third firework?" James asks playfully. "Are you going to make lo OW!" He screams as Kendall stomps on his foot giving him a death glance.
"He means are you going to ask him to marry you." He awkwardly chuckles.
"I know he didn't mean that Kendall." Carlos laughs, finally giving a genuine smile. "Thanks guy I feel much better."
"No problem." James says as they pull Carlos into a group hug.
"Sir you can't walk outside. The hospital has liability over you." A nurse states following a patient out the door. "Sir please, you're not well."
"No I have to find him." The patient retorts, continuing to walk out using the IV stand for support.
"Logan?" Carlos screams watching him trying to walk to him. The other taller members share a look and nod.
"Hey Carlos, I got to check out my aching foot than Kendall broken so, we'll be back." James says as they run to the nurse whispering something in her ear.
Once the three of them leave, Carlos runs to Logan and support him to the bench. Logan falls down in relief holding a hand over his heavily beating heart and closing his eyes. "How are you feeling?" Carlos asks laying a hand on Logan's thigh. "I mean you must be dead, I MEAN umm"
"Carlos, I'm fine." Logan interrupts raspily. "How are you? You look pale."
"Yea. I haven't eaten or slept since yesterday." Carlos answers. Logan cups the hand on his thigh.
"I guess I'm better than you are." Logan jokes causing Carlos to laugh. "But don't kill yourself. I like your tan skin." He gently rubs Carlos' hand staring intently at how Carlos' skin tone matches his. "I love your bronze glow."
"Thanks Logie." He says wrapping an arm around him and pulling Logan's head to his shoulder. "Hey Logie?"
"Yea Carlos?" Logan closes his eyes and nuzzles his head on the broad shoulder.
"I'm sorry. I never planned for you to get hurt or to run away. I wanted to say I love you." Carlos explains looking at the dark blue night. "I never meant to hurt you."
"I'm sorry."
"Wait what?" Carlos interjects surprised. "You got into a car crash because of me. Why are you sorry?"
"Because I heard our song. Because I thought I should risk our friendship. Because I wanted more than just Carlos or Logan. I want there to be a Carlos and Logan." He answers sitting up and stares at the deep starry sky. "You know, today is the Fourth of July. There should be fireworks. I heard if you wish on the first firework, your wish comes true." Logan tells, attentively waiting for the light show as Carlos stares at Logan's excitement filled face.
Suddenly a long trailing flare shoots in the sky. "Make a wish." Logan says watching the line becomes an outward exploding ball. "What did you wish for?" He asks feeling Carlos' hand cupping his cheek. And in one quick motion, Carlos turns Logan's face and presses his lips on Logan's giving him the long overdue kiss. This time, Carlos makes sure to show Logan how he feels.
SWOOSH! The second firework sounds through the air. Carlos pulls away and looks at the happy filled eyes of his kisser. "Logie, will you go out with me?" He asks opening the box revealing a simple silver band. "I know it isn't much but this is all I can afford after I broke my helmet, your med books and couple of stuff and"
"Carlos." Logan stops his rant. "I love to." He says giving Carlos a chaste peck. "Did your wish come true?"
"It just did." He smiles.
"Mine too." Logan adds as they stare at each others' smile.
"Awww!" James exclaims jumping Carlos in a nudge while Kendall walks around patting Logan. "So Carlos. You miss like ten fireworks while staring at Logan." He winks. "What did you plan to do to him on the hundredth one?"
"James!" Kendall shouts. "Give them some time. They aren't there yet." He whispers.
"I don't get it James." Carlos says confused. Logan laughs grabbing Carlos' hand.
"Typical. I pick the naïve, innocent one to fall in love with." He states kissing Carlos' knuckles.
"And I pick the best one to love." Carlos counters making the other couple to go "Aw."
They end the rest of the night sitting outside enjoying the show in front of them. James and Kendall sit on the floor leaning against each others' shoulder holding hand while Carlos and Logan share the bench watching the reflection of the exploding lights in each others' eyes.
"Your eyes are better than the show." Carlos says leaning in giving him a long kiss. "Cause, baby you're a firework."
Logan giggles as Carlos quotes their song and moves in giving Carlos another kiss. "And you're my teenage dream."
Please Review =] and Happy fourth of July weekend. And I hope to have my Kames smut up tomorrow.