Author's note: this is my first multi-chap story for btr (or that is the plan) is part of my and halfjillhalfjack fanfic tennis game, this story actually comes from several small drabbles I wrote for her (and then deemed them to short to actually post) so I have taken them to create a much larger story. Based around Carlos and Logan's friendship because I had a lot of fun doing it in villainous activity. So ah… here.

It started in fourth grade; their teacher had assigned a project on the animal of their choosing. To be done in pairs. Fourth grade was the year the teacher caught on and split Kendall from the rest of his friends in classroom 4A instead of 4B meaning he couldn't be anyone's partner. It would have come down to who wanted to partner with James more but he was out for the week visiting his sick aunt.

So it was just Hortense and Carlos.

"This is lame" Kendall said for the millionth time, he kicked the empty swing with all his pent up ten-year-old aggression. His teacher (Mrs Frances) hadn't let his class choose partners and he was stuck working with Rupert 'paste eater' Harris. "I want to work with you Hortense," he whined and grabbed the swing, which was spinning out of control so the smaller boy could sit down on it.

Hortense sat down on the swing tentatively, "that would be difficult seeing we're not in the same class Kendall." He prepared his legs to kick off but Kendall grabbed at the seat, pulling back hard which propelled the swing forward. "That is also lame, next year if we get separated I'm quitting school" Carlos jumped into the empty swing next to the one in motion, "dad says were not aloud to quit school until were eighteen."

Kendall made a face, "not true" Hortense huffed, trying to slow the swing down but Kendall just push harder. "I think you can quit when you turn sixteen," Kendall grinned, stepping away from his swing and began pushing Carlos' instead. "I'll do that then, move to California with James when he becomes famous… that'll happen by the time we're sixteen right?" the boys shrugged, "probably not" Carlos sniggered, "besides" Hortense jumped off the swing mid-swing, "you have to finish school to become a hockey player, I think."

Kendall scowled, "aw- hockey pucks" the blaring sound of beeping broke them out of their concentration. A police car pulled up outside of the school, Carlos zipped off and the other two trailed behind.

"Hey boys" Mr Garcia called cheerfully, Carlos waved cheerful before screaming "shotgun!" and racing for the front, Kendall laughed and pulled Hortense along. "Thank you for the ride Mr Garcia," they chorused, Kendall opening the door for Hortense and they shuffled into the back. "Ha, ha" Carlos sang, "you guys are criminals" Mr Garcia shot Carlos a look and he quieted down, but stuck his tongue out at them through the grate when he wasn't looking.

"Your mum not picking you up Kendall?" Mr Garcia laughed at his son's antics, "no sir she has work, so does Hortense's mum- so we're gonna hang out at his house." Mr Garcia frowned, "your dad at work too?" Kendall flushed and Hortense grabbed his hand, "Kendall's dad's real busy at the moment, his job's keeping him tied up."

Mr Garcia smiled lightly at the boys, "well you know our open door policy Hortense, why don't you and Kendall spend the afternoon with Carlos." Kendall crossed his arms bitterly and turned to Hortense, "maybe you should go without me you and Carlos have to work on your project." Mr Garcia's ears perked up, "you and Hortense have a project together?" Carlos grinned widely and nodded, "score!" he told his son enthusiastically and they high fived, Kendall just sunk further into his seat.

"We're going to work on the project Sunday" Hortense told Mr Garcia on impulse, he hadn't actually discussed it with Carlos but Sunday seemed perfect. Sunday was Mrs Knight's day off, Kendall never hung out with Hortense on Sundays. "Sunday?" Carlos whined, "God says we have to rest that day Hortie, everyone knows that" Mr Garcia rolled his eyes, "I'm sure God would understand if it was for the good of your homework, Carlos" Carlos pouted and kicked the dashboard. "You'll be sorry when he sends a plague, God wouldn't want me to do homework on a Sunday."

"Luckily God isn't doing this project, we are, so we're doing it on Sunday." The car pulled up at the Garcia household, "you coming in?" Carlos asked the other boys, "nah" Kendall spoke up, "I need some help in math, and you get bored when we do homework." He followed up quickly, grasping Carlos' shoulder, he shrugged and walked off "see you tomorrow then" he called over his shoulder.

Hortense led them up the street, "you need help with math?" he asked curiously, not necessarily untrue just not something Kendall would worry about/admit to. "Nah" he stretched out his arms and slung them over his friend's shoulder, "but I needed to talk to you." Hortense stopped in a jolt, "about your dad?" Kendall studiously looked away, grabbing Hortense's sleeve and pulling at it to keep them moving. "It's weird," he admitted, "I don't think he's coming back…"

Hortense moved his arm around his shoulder into a half hug, "you've- you've said that before" he told him quietly. "And I meant it- after the divorce I thought he'd never come back- but then, one day he showed up to take me and Katie out." Hortense nodded, "and then you didn't see him for a month, how do you know it's not one of those times…"

Kendall didn't say anything, just laid his head on his friends shoulder as they walked, "mum's been angry, angrier than when she kicked him out- I think he's done. Done with us." Hortense pulled away from his friend and pulled out his key, unlocking the door. "I- I don't know what to say Kendall…" Kendall pushed past him opening the door and pulling the slighter boy inside.

"Don't- you don't have to say anything… I just need…" Kendall mumbled, "This is stupid- I never get to see you!" he kicked his shoes off and laid down dramatically face first on the couch. "You see me all the time" Hortense grinned, Kendall raised his head to glare, "no- you're with James or Carlos!" Hortense rolled his eyes, kicking Kendall's legs to sit down, "so are you- they're our best friends."

Kendall made an annoyed sound into the pillow, "I know but I- I wanted to talk to you, but you're never alone." Hortense smiled at him softly, putting his hand on his blond friends head, "we're alone now." Kendall shot up into sitting position and then twisted so his feet were resting in Hortense's lap, "I don't wanna talk now!" he said defiantly.

"Okay" Hortense replied awkwardly, "… do you wanna play smash brothers then?" Kendall looked at the TV then back at Hortense, "you know yeah! I really do!"

**********-_BTR_-*************

Carlos woke Hortense up at 11.30 at night by throwing his stuffed bear at his window. Usually if he wanted to talk to Hortense late at night, he'd throw rocks- but he almost shattered a window last time he had a nightmare (he felt extremely lucky that's Hortense's mum took sleeping pills and his dad was away at that point.) He wasn't going to risk it though, so his old Mr Hugs-a-lot bear would have to do.

Hortense sleepily stuck his head out the window, "nightmare?" he asked softly, Carlos shook his head violently, "couldn't sleep- I thought you'd come over after Kendall left and then you didn't." Hortense rubbed his eyes sleepily, "you needed to talk about something?" Carlos shook his head more hesitantly this time, "no- I mean, yes I guess?"

"I'll open the door for you" Hortense replied more awake, Carlos raced to the back door, waiting impatiently for the other boy to come. Hortense's hair was sticking up and he was wearing lightning bolt pyjama pants and one of Kendall's old shirts (Kendall's mother had given them to Hortense and promised he would grow into them- he hadn't.) "Come in then," Hortense said, eyeing Carlos' superman pyjamas, bare feet and holding his hugs-a-lot bear close. He must look like a real kid, Carlos thought miserably.

"Right" he said softly, Hortense pulled back and lay down on his couch. Carlos liked the Mitchell's couch, like most of the furniture it seemed to be exclusively picked out by Hortense or his mum- so everything was comfortable (his mum's doing) and colour co-ordinated (Hortense's doing.) Carlos sat with his back firm to the couch's back, lifting his knees so he didn't sit on his friend's legs.

"Do you think Kendall hates me?" Carlos blurts out; it had been eating at him all day- Kendall had been pulling away from him. Glaring at him at lunch and not wanting to hang out after school even though he lives right down the street from Hortense. "What!" Hortense shot up, then winced lowering his voice, "what?" he repeated in a hushed voice (unnecessary really, his mother was out cold) Carlos shrugged helplessly "I- I dunno, he just hates me!"

Hortense crawls up the couch to embrace his shaking friend "Oh Carlitos- Kendall doesn't hate you" he pets his hair awkwardly- this was turning out to be one of those days. "He keeps glaring at me- a-a-a-uh and-" Hortense gripped him tighter, "oh Carlos, it's not you, I promise it's not you!" Carlos cried silently into Hortense's shoulder, and Hortense was struck how much easier it was for Carlos to open up to him than Kendall even though he and Kendall were closer. He'd never seen Kendall cry (except for when his dad left, which didn't count because anyone would cry over that.)

Hortense pulled himself out of that train of thought, "do you want to talk about it?" he asked and Carlos nodded, "what do you think upset him?" Hortense's fingers flexed and then pulled Carlos back from his chest, "he's just got a lot going on, he doesn't mean to take it out on you…" Carlos nodded, not completely satisfied but he let Hortense wiped away his tears with his sleeve and gave Hortense a watery grin.

"sooo-" Hortense began leaning back, far to alert now that it was close to midnight, "I was thinking whales." Carlos scratched his head, "whales?" Hortense grinned "for the project." Carlos gaped dramatically and then laughed, shoving Hortense off the couch, "No way! We're doing chimpanzees," he informed him, "they're majestic."

"Majestic?" Hortense asked, looking somewhere between amused and impressed, Carlos nodded a superior look on his face. "That's what the discovery channel says," Hortense laughed. "You watch the discovery channel?" Carlos nodded, "I was looking for the thing on the explosions- all I got was monkeys" he made a face. Hortense pulled himself up from the ground, "okay chimpanzees it is then!"

They shared a grin and Hortense yawned, "do you want me to walk you back?" Carlos shook his head, "Nah go back to bed Hortie, we'll work it out on Sunday," Hortense grinned, "okay!"

**********-_BTR_-*************

That Sunday Carlos hovered outside of Hotense's house, not sure whether to go in. they had planned to meet at Hortense's before Carlos thought through what that meant- that meant being inside Mitchell household. In the daytime.

Carlos had never really been to the Mitchell house when it was light out, he usually saved visits for when he was in his pyjamas and needed a flashlight. It was the single weird quirk to a fairly standard relationship, Carlos got scared he came to Hortense. The same for when he wanted to talk about nothing and everything he'd talk to James or if he wanted to sort out his head he'd talk to Kendall.

This was messing with the natural order of things, he grumbled to himself (yes this was all about the natural order of things and had nothing to with his complete lack of desire to work on homework on the weekend.) He rang the doorbell, Mrs Mitchell opened the door sleepily, "oh hello Carlos" she said tiredly.

He winced at her appearance, "sorry Mrs Mitchell I didn't mean to wake you" she smiled at him ruffling his hair.

"No problem kiddo, I just stayed up late drawing some papers up for work." She let him in, the hallway look surprisingly similar in the light than the dark and Carlos breathed easier. "Hortense is in his room, he's been colour coding his highlighters and has checked out every book on chimpanzees from the library" she gave him a sympathetic smile. "You can blame his dad for that particular trait, I was never very organised- that's probably why I was a terrible student."

Carlos tried to imagine Hortense's giant, scary military dad in a sweater vest organising highlighters and he bit back a bubble of laughter. "Thanks Mrs Mitchell" he told her politely, she patted him on the head and then shuffled over to the counter picking up her sleeping pills smiling at him. "Good thing it's Sunday- day of rest you know."

"That's what I said!" Carlos exclaimed and she grinned wider and moved off to her bedroom, Carlos jumped up the stairs two at a time. "Hooorrrtttttenssssse" he yelled, sliding his hand up the banister, feeling the eagre to slide down it. Hortense's head poked out of his room, "Carlos!" He radiated happiness- just from seeing Carlos, (that always felt pretty cool!)

Carlos followed Hortense back into the room, it was… messier than he expected. Papers strewn on the floor, books on every surface stacked in a precarious manner. Everything was clean- impeccably so, but not tidy. Hortense followed Carlos' gaze and chuckled awkwardly "yeah- my mum's a neat freak, I think it's like compensation for her long hours" he waved his hands, Carlos was aware Hortense practically lived alone a lot of the time. "My rooms like a safe haven, she doesn't clean in here."

Carlos scrunched his nose; his mother still cleaned his room (and totally went through his stuff) "why?" Hortense shrugged "dad says every man needs a space that is completely his own."

"So" he clapped his hands, "what do you know about chimpanzees?" Carlos struggled, trying to think of what the British narrator-man had said in the documentary. "They're… endangered?" he said unsurely, Hortense smiled one of his blinding smiles he favoured when Carlos or the other boys did something particularly intelligent. "That's right!" Carlos beamed; he couldn't help but be a little enthusiastic about the project in the face of Hortense's excitement.

Hortense had spent all week leading up to this Sunday brainstorm ideas to make doing the assignment more fun for Carlos. He grabbed at interesting facts to help move the subject along and peppering everything with his unique brand of humour, which left Carlos in stiches. Carlos repaid him by trying to keep attentive as possible and help Hortense work out the computer (Hortense coming from a fairly Computer illiterate family, and Carlos' mum being a computer wiz.)

**********-_BTR_-*************

Carlos dragged Hortense up the street to his house for lunch, where an adult would make them lunch (most likely his mum since his dad was working.) "MUM, I'M HOME!"

Mrs Garcia smiled at them widely when they entered the house, Hortense hopped up on one of the stools for the breakfast nook. They were the swivel kind and he pushed himself round and round until he felt nauseous, Carlos grinned at his friend's antics and turned to his mother. "Could we have lunch?" he asked, "please?" Hortense asked still spinning, "yes- please can we have lunch."

The Garcia household was a lot different to the Mitchell's; for starters Carlos had four older siblings. The traces of teenager lingered everywhere throughout the house and pictures hung off every wall cataloguing their journey to adulthood with painstaking documentation. Hortense's house didn't really have photos, just two- because sometimes him mum used their house as a show house when she threw parties for work.

His dad kept a photo of him on his person at all times and Hortense thought that's what really mattered- but the photos in this house showed clearly what Hortense's house didn't have. This was a house that was loved; this was a home.

Mrs Garcia was bright and warm, she and his mum had always been girlfriends since long before Carlos and Hortense ever spoke. They were both highly driven, though while Mrs Mitchell always gave a sense of high powered carer women, Mrs Garcia was a little more homemaker with another job. When she was home she did a million things, always cleaning and cooking (sometimes at the same time) and wore a welcoming smile.

She stacked two large lunchboxes on the bench and slid them over to Carlos, "How's the project going boys?" Carlos beamed at her; "I've gotten loads done" he threw up his hands in excitement. Her eyes slid over to Hortense for confirmation, "he's been really brilliant Mrs Garcia, we're probably going to be done a week early!"

She sent Carlos a look of absolute pride, and then a softer fond one to Hortense, who flushed in response. "You can eat these in the tree house if you like" she offered, Carlos' eyes went wide, "really?" She nodded, "don't tell your brothers and sisters though okay?" he nodded solemnly, putting the lunch boxes under his arm and grabbing Hortense's arm with the other.

"THANKS MUM" he yelled dragging Hortense down the corridor which led to the backyard, "mum never lets us eat up there" he told Hortense quietly, looking around wildly for any of his siblings, who were playing some loud videogame in a very involved manner. "She's afraid of racoons and rats- I don't get it though, there are no racoons in the kitchen and that's where all the real food is."

**********-_BTR_-*************

Hortense surveyed the backyard- Hortense didn't have much of a backyard, just a little garden mostly forgotten by everyone. Carlos' backyard was made for kids! A swing set sat in one corner with a large slide, on the other side was a trampoline and the middle of the yard was a large tree, and a rope ladder dropping from one of it's branches.

"Cool!" Carlos nodded smugly and Hortense's reaction "the others don't really come out here much anymore so it's practically mine." Hortense's eyes widened, and Carlos dragged him until they were right close to the tree, "the tree house is mine though," he told him. He let go of his arm and handed him the boxes, climbing up the rope ladder with practiced ease, about halfway up he let go of one hand and lent down. He snatched up the boxes and throwing them into the now visible tree house.

"Come on!" he called down; as Hortense hesitantly touched the rope, "maybe I'll just wait until you get off it" he called back. "Come on you big baby" he yelled, "It can hold our weight, dad climbs up here sometime and he's worth at least three of us." Hortense rolled his eyes and jumped onto the bottom rung, the rope held in place and his climbed a little higher, "this isn't bad" he sighed with relief.

Of course this was when Carlos decided to swing the rope, "stop it!" Hortense shrieked clutching tightly until his knuckles went white. "Nah" Carlos sung, "nah," and then thinking of the Beetles song "nah, nah, na, na, na, naaaaaa" Hortense pulled himself down and then jumped off the rope. It took Carlos a couple of seconds to understand what happened, "what! No fair Hortense, get up here so we can eat."

"Nah uh," Hortense called stubbornly, not looking up in case Carlos was doing that thing he liked to do with his eyes. "Come on Hooorrrrrtttttiiie," Hortense chanced to look up and yep he was doing that thing with his eyes, "will you swing the rope?" Carlos laughed "probably." Hortense took to steps away from the tree, crossing his arms grumpily, "let's just eat on the trampoline."

"What! No way- I won't do it again Hortense I promise" Carlos called waving wildly Hortense shook his head firmly. "Come on we need to cure your fear of heights" Carlos tried, "no we don't" Hortense said stubbornly. "Yes we do, what if we need to crawl in a air vent one day- you can't do that if you're afraid of heights!"

"Why would I need to crawl into a air vent?" Hortense asked curiously, "to get away from the bad guys!" Carlos exclaimed like it was obvious, "and in what universe would I be chased by bad guys?" Carlos shrugged "it could happen." Hortense sighed, "fine" he muttered, jumping up to the bottom rung and climbing quickly. True to his word, Carlos didn't swing the rope this time and even stretched out his hand to help him up from the final rung onto the solid wooden floor.

"Hooray!" Carlos cheered moving back to let Hortense breath, "this" he gestured proudly, "is the tree house." It was bigger than Hortense expected, with beanbag chairs and a small table. Carlos had obviously at one point painted the room in nauseatingly bright colours in a very slap dash manner, it defiantly seemed like it belonged to Carlos.

"It's… nice." Carlos grinned at him and flopped down on the beanbag chair, "we should do the assignment up here next time." Carlos sighed, hands behind his head and eyes closed. "How do you expect me to drag my computer up here? I hope you have several extension cords handy" Hortense joked, Carlos hand waved him "details- just details."

"Important details, Carlos" Hortense reminded him lightly, and picked up the lunchbox on the top and threw it at Carlos. It smacked Carlos in the face, "ahh!" he rubbed his face angrily, "keep your eyes on the game" Hortense teased, Carlos continued to rub his face but looked less angry, more annoyed. "You know, nobody believes me when I say you're a hockey player, if they only knew how violent you are."

Hortense flexed his muscles, "I was born to be an enforcer baby" he shot Carlos a smirk and Carlos laughed. "Yeah and you'd be eating ice in three minuets flat, Hort your so light you bounce off people!" Hortense scowled and Carlos just laughed harder, Carlos opened his lunchbox and stuffed food blindly into his mouth.

Hortense opened his lunch box a little more reverently and then gapes at the content. "Carlos…" he said unsurely, "yuhuh" he looks up half a fruit rollup sticking out of his mouth and in the process of trying to cram an entire cupcake in as well. "This is a lot of food" Carlos never brought this amount to school as far as he knew, but then again Carlos had usually eaten most of his food before lunch and then scabbed food from his friends.

"You think?" Hortense was notorious among his friends for his lack of appetite, but Carlos had always assumed he ate more when he got home or simply didn't like to eat in front of people like his sister did. Carlos looked into his lunchbox; three wrapped sandwiches were piled neatly next to two cupcakes, cubed cheese and crackers, two containers (one with jelly, the other pudding) and an apple. Was that a lot?

Hortense picked up a sandwich from his container (which seemed even fuller than Carlos) and unwrapped it, placing it on the table. He sat in front of the table cross legged and started to pulled the crusts away in what Carlos would once have classified a prissy manner and now knew was just Hortense wanting his food to be neat (it still seemed sort of prissy.) He pulled himself up off the beanbag and sat at the table across from Hortense, mimicking his actions and siting cross-legged.

He tipped the contents of his lunchbox on the table, spreading his food out and staring at it. "This is a lot of food isn't it?" Hortense shrugged "it sort of reminds me of a bento box except without the dividers- does your mum always pack this much?" Carlos nods, "what's a bento box?"

"A Japanese lunchbox consisting of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container." He rattled off and then flushed, "okay not exactly like a bento box- just how it was set out, your mum put little designs of the cupcakes and carved hearts out of cheese cubes." Carlos looked down and realised that he was right, everything had been set out in a very pretty and formulated manner… before Carlos had wrecked it.

"Don't be such a smarty pants" he mumbled seething in jealousy, he was used to feeling jealous of Hortense in school, that was normal, and everything Hortense knew about a bento box that was cool but in the end, useless. Noticing how much effort his mum had put into their lunches wasn't though, it was the kind of thing that would make her beam at him and probably cook his favourite meal for dinner. It was something that Carlos just wouldn't have noticed, and Hortense just did. And that made him jealous.

Carlos' words stung a little, he and James would sometimes mutter that kind of thing at him whenever his intelligence was working against them and not for them. It's why he ended up gravitating towards Kendall, who was smart in an understated way and always appreciated his comments even when not particularly useful.

"Sorry Hortense" Carlos said quickly, "I didn't mean-" Hortense finished his sandwich and stacked the love heart cheese between his crackers and held them in one hand. "It's fine Carlos," he told him, and it was mostly. Fine, that is, "we're done for today, so I'm just going to head home." Carlos lunged for his hand and Hortense started to stand, they knocked into each other sending them backwards. Hortense was stretched out, head and shoulders hanging out of the tree house all together, Carlos half on top of him clutching him tightly.

"Don't go" Carlos pleaded, Hortense breathed heavily trying not to look down, "who's going anywhere" he squeaked, "if I don't fall I might never leave." Carlos got off him pulling him up into a sitting position. "Do you mean it?" Hortense trying to catch his breath, "no Carlos, I was using sarcasm" Carlos' eyebrows furrowed "sarcasm?"

"As in a form of wit that is cutting, often ironic remark intended to wound, basically you say one thing in a certain way when you mean another" Hortense explained. Carlos nodded hesitantly, "so like when mum says she's fine but really she's mad?" he asked curiously, "no that's not it," Hortense responded smiling slightly, "okay" Carlos said determinedly "what about when Alexis says she's going out with a friend and really she's seeing her boyfriend?" Hortense laughed, "does your sister really do that?" Carlos nods, "well that's not it, that's just lying."

Carlos gasped, "Alexis is lying?" Hortense pulls himself up off the ground, "that's generally what they call it when someone says something other than the truth" Carlos looks genuinely shocked. "I didn't know girls could lie!" Hortense laughs loudly now, "Carlos girls are just as capable of-" Carlos cuts him off, "does that mean my mum? *gasp* or Miss Cutner was lying when she said I did a good job at school on Friday… or was that… sarcasm."

"Did you do a good job?" Hortense asked curiously, "yes!" Carlos cried defensively, "and did she smile at you when she said it?" Carlos wracked his brain "yes?" Hortense smiled, "then she was probably telling the truth- just because you can lie doesn't mean you do it all the time." Carlos let out a sigh of relief, "okay but now I'm even more confused."

"That's okay, not everyone uses sarcasm and half the people that do don't use it correctly." Carlos felt relief wash over him; it was just another useless fact then, "why do you use it then?" Hortense shrugged, "force of habit?"

Carlos grabbed Hortense's hands, "come and get ice cream with me?" he asked sincerely, "err" Hortense murmured, he wasn't ever going to be used to the amount of physical affection his friends enjoyed. "Don't walk away mad" Hortense smiled at him and leaned in to hug him "I'm not mad at you Carlos, we are actually done" Carlos grinned into his shoulder. "So you can come?"

"Fine." Hortense looked at the little wooden room, the crackers and cheese scattered and smeared on the floor, "we should pick this up, before the raccoons come."

"But there's a perfectly good kitchen for them to eat-" Carlos whined.

**********-_BTR_-*************

Carlos and Logan skated the several blocks to Hal's ice creamery, the Carlos' most favourite street in the whole town. It not only had an ice cream place, but and arcade and was right by the hockey rink and the library (but nobody cared about that one but Hortense.)

They were trying out some new skating tricks, Hortense was the better skater of the two (taught by the very enthusiastic Kendall) but Carlos was more daring. Carlos was skating backwards and trying to jump from the curb to the road and Hortense was doing the infinitely less dangerous weaving. Carlos pulled out in front of Hortense, still skating backwards "get out of the way Carlos" Hortense told him crossly, "no" Carlos replied defiantly.

"Why not" Hortense asked, Carlos shrugged grabbing Hortense's hands and spinning them around so they were skating in circles as well as being propelled forward. "Carrrllloosss-" Hortense yelled fearfully and Carlos just cackled and span them faster, "we're going to crassshhhh!"

They spun for a few minuets until Carlos let go of one hand until they were merely skating hand in hand instead of the more dangerous stunt they had been doing. "So why are we getting ice cream?" Hortense asked curiously, "aw poor deprived Hortie, one doesn't need a reason for ice cream you just have to want ice cream" Carlos told him sagely. "Deep man, very deep" Hortense snorted, and Carlos just nodded smugly.

Carlos skidded to a stop, he still had Hortense's hand so he stopped as well, smacking hard into Carlos' side. "Ow" Hortense moaned, Carlos rubbed Hortense's arm gently until the pain ebbed away, "we're here." He looked up, 'Hal's' had a giant window that took up most of the front wall and looked a little like a 50s diner (and at one point might have been a 50s diner.) The counter ran longways, with stools on one side and staff on the other, the rest of the area was scattered with tables.

"mmmmm," Carlos hummed skating in and over to the counter, looking at the ice cream option from behind the glass. "Hello there" a pretty teenaged worker told him, he blushed and looked to where Hortense was taking off his skates and putting on his street shoes. "What do you want Hortie?" he yelled, trying to not look at the girl again, in fear of blushing when Hortense could see and make fun of him.

"Um…" Hortense came over, looking at the options carefully nose scrunching up, "there are so many options- how would you decide?" he asked the girl behind the counter (her name tag read Dorothy; like the dinosaur or the girl who refused to take off the red shoes) she smiled widely. "Oh I've worked here for a while, so I know what I like" Hortense's face scrunches up even further, that wasn't very helpful, "but…" she leant down and pulled up a tray and pulled out a bunch of samples. "We can try a few, the place is dead so I don't think my boss would mind."

Hortense's eyes went wide, "so what do you normally like sweetie?" Hortense shrugged, "mum says ice cream is bad for you, so I only get any when dad's around and she's not looking." Carlos gasped in horror, "That must be almost never" Hortense grinned at his horrified expression, "next to never."

Dorothy started filling the taste testers with enthusiasm, "that's just wrong my tiny friend" she filled ten and handed Hortense the first one. "This is a ice cream staple, vanilla," Hortense scooped out some and handed the rest to Carlos and they both tried- it was sweet. "It's… nice" he said, Carlos rolled his eyes "nobody likes vanilla- it's BORING!"

"Vanilla is not boring" Dorothy winked at Hortense, "Vanilla goes with everything… just like chocolate!" she handed him the next little cup, Hortense grinned, he knew what chocolate tasted like "mmm" he said appreciatively and Carlos snatched it out of his hands "don't hog!"

After a few more flavours Hortense found the flavour for him, "this is it!" He said excitedly- bubble-gum had been sickeningly sweet and coffee had tasted to weird but this… was perfect. Carlos took the cup, "cool dude! This is my favourite too!" he grinned widely, "We'll take two, two scoops of rainbow please," he said excitedly. Dorothy complied and pushed the other samples to the side- customers were starting to trail in now, so they wouldn't go to waste.

They sat at one of the tables after Carlos paid and Hortense thanked Dorothy repeatedly and elbowed Carlos to do the same. They sat opposite, legs swinging and licking at their ice creams. "Yours is dripping" Carlos said pointing to the side of his ice cream, where a rainbow trail was stark against the brown of his waffle cone. Hortense lifted it and licked it clean, "you didn't have to pay," he told Carlos, but look pleased about it anyway.

"Sit's sokayy" he muffled between great bites "mum gave me the money- so it was more like she paid for it." Hortense's smile didn't fade, "it was still nice though."

"Carlos" he said quietly, and Carlos looked up, his face was a smear of rainbow, "I- I had a lot of fun hanging out with you" he gave him a shy smile. Carlos beamed at him, "me too!"

**********-_BTR_-*************

James was back from his aunts on Monday and was thoroughly annoyed he missed out on choosing assignment partners with either Carlos (the fun option) or Hortense (the smart option.) Instead he got Jill Werder who had been out sick that week (who was super cute so it wasn't a total waste.)

He was working up a good sulk though, and he didn't want it to go to waste, so he sat moodily on the playground at lunch and brooded (okay pouted- he wouldn't perfect the brood until he was fourteen.) Kendall ran up to him, he had several of the best balls under his arm after a fierce battle with Andrew Ricter, a known ball hog. "Hey James your back!" he said enthusiastically punting one of the balls into James lap.

"Hey Kenny," James said morosely, Kendall's nose scrunched up at the use of his least favourite nickname. "What's up your butt James?" He shot at him, James crossed his arms angrily, "God Kendall your so insensitive, can you see I'm upset, what are you blind?" he taunted back, and then when back to sulking, because cool guys brooded, they didn't get into stupid fights with one of their best friend.

Kendall sighed in a put upon manner, he loved James but it was always all about him- Carlos was much better at handling him; he just sort of riled him up. He sat down next to him at the base of the monkey bars, "why don't you tell me about it" he offered in what he thought must be a generous manner. "It's Carlos and Hortense" James cried, "oh?" Kendall responded eyebrows raised, "their partners for our project!" Kendall's face darkened, remembering that little fact "oh."

"I'm gonna fail" James wailed, "you would fail if you had Carlos anyway" Kendall offered helpfully. "Dude!" James said outraged, feeling the need to defend Carlos' honour in his absence (not that Carlos would have minded or understood the comment) Kendall shrugged. "It's true, I bet Hortense had to do everything- they worked on it all Sunday" James eyes widened "all Sunday? I bet Carlos was so bored!"

"Nuh uh, Hortense said he and Carlos did a really good job and they're gonna work on it this Sunday" Kendall told him informatively, if not a little annoyed. "WHAT!" James responded dramatically, "Carlos and I were gonna have a sleepover" Kendall's eyes widened, "I'm sure Hortense didn't know! When do you make plans?" James shrugged, "I didn't I just thought of it then" Kendall sighed, "but if they weren't doing the assignment then me and Carlos could be hanging out then."

"Then hang with him on Saturday, you can do your assignment on Sunday- you are a week behind" James hand waved, "this is more important than Saturday Kendall, Hortense and Carlos are like friends now- I saw them!" Kendall rolled his eyes "James they've always been-" James grabbed Kendall so they were almost nose to nose, "no Kendall, they're like real friends now and that means-"

"Less time for best friends" Kendall finished with horror, "Hortense wouldn't do that!" James flopped off the bar and onto the sand, "it's too late, it's already started," Kendall shook his head furiously, "but- but the assignments over soon, so everything should go back to normal." James just shrugged unsurely, frowning.

Hortense caught Kendall's eye from across the playground waving wildly, Kendall smiled weakly and waved back, Hortense pulled Carlos along who was holding a skipping rope.

"Hey guys wanna play jump rope?" Hortense asked excitedly as Carlos brandished the rope proudly, "we had to steal it off vicious Vicky but it was worth it!" Kendall nodded unsurely, but smiled when Hortense hugged Kendall when he got close enough- nothing had changed really.

"Jump rope is for girls" James complained and looked at Carlos expectantly to agree, Carlos just cross his arms. "We don't need you then, Hortense does gymnastics and I wanna see what he can do with a rope" he threw one end to Kendall. James looked up in surprise, "o-okay fine then" he backed down. Hortense flung and arm over Carlos' shoulder, "me and Carlos were practicing this morning with a tree, and Carlos kept falling."

Carlos went beetroot red and they both laughed, Carlos shoved him fondly, "it's not my fault you're like a jump rope ninja." He ruffled Hortense's hair and Kendall glared (nobody ruffled his hair but him and Hortense was just letting him!) Hortense pushed Carlos away so Carlos could stand the appropriate distance, "in the honour of our primate friends" Hortense called, Carlos giggled, "I will attempt to do the monkey while jumping rope!"

"Chimpanzees are apes not monkeys Hortie" Carlos called giggling madly, and Hortense beamed at him, "that right Carlos- never the less…" he began jumping as Carlos and Kendall swung the rope.

Kendall and James shared a look. James was right, something clearly needed to be done, and this was already clearly out of control.

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