Notes: Just a little follow-up to the main fic, taking place sometime later. Oh, and this one's James/Logan-y :D

"Hey Carlos, we haven't played our favorite game in a while."

Carlos laughs, as on one side of him Logan says "No" at the same time Kendall is on the other side saying "What game?"

"Oh right Kendall," James says, and even though the place is noisy he's talking loud enough to hear the lingering anger in his tone, "you don't know our favorite club game because, well, we invented it when you weren't around."

Kendall's arm around Carlos's shoulders tightens a bit and everything is still for a second, until James yelps out an "Ow!" followed by "What was that for, Logan?"

"Just answer his question, James," Logan says, in that familiar put-upon tone. "Unless you don't want him to play 'cause he might win?"

"Thought you didn't want to play, Logan?" Carlos says, teasing, glad that Logan broke the tension. They're still adjusting to Kendall being back with them, and while Carlos is almost stupidly happy about it most of the time even he still has some deep-seated hurt that hasn't fully healed yet. So he gets where James is coming from, but...can't they just have fun together tonight?

"Yeah well," Logan says, "you're going to play it whether I want you to or not, right?"

"Yep," Carlos agrees.

"Guys, what is the game?" Kendall asks again.

"The game," Carlos answers, because he's pretty sure James isn't going to, "is called 'pick who Logan's gonna dance with.' The objective is simple: find the person in the club you think Logan would most like to dance with. We tell Logan our choices, and he picks the winner."

"And then doesn't dance with them because he's Logan," James adds.

"What they're not telling you," Logan cuts in, "is that after they pick someone they both try to guilt-trip me into choosing their person. So it's not exactly a fair game."

"It is totally fair," James argues. "It shows us exactly which of us has the most influence on you."

"That doesn't even come close to the definition of 'fair,' James."

"So can I play?" Kendall asks, stopping James from replying.

"Sure!" Carlos says immediately. "Okay, who's going first?"

"You can," James says. "Kendall goes last."

"Okay, cool." Carlos looks around, wondering if he should go for a guy or a girl. He tends to have better luck in this game when he picks a girl; he can't figure out Logan's taste in guys for the life of him. And with Kendall right there next to him, Carlos has trouble looking at other guys in that way anyway.

It takes him a good two minutes to find someone, during which time he hears Logan shushing James more than once. Finally he points. "Um, okay...her? In the, uh, green skirt?"

"Not bad, Carlos," James says appreciatively. "But not good enough. The winner is—"

"Don't get ahead of yourself, James," Logan cuts in.

"—him," James continues like he hadn't heard the interruption, pointing towards a table off to their right. "Grey shirt, brown hair, earrings. Ooh, earrings..."

Carlos laughs. "Are you picking someone for yourself or for Logan, James?"

"Well it's not like Logan's actually gonna go up to him," James scoffs, "so there's no harm in doing both, right?"

"Whatever," Logan says. "Kendall, your turn."

Carlos turns to look up at Kendall, but Kendall isn't looking out at the crowd at all. He has that fake-thinking look on his face that turns into a smirk as he says "James."

There's a sound from Carlos's other side like Logan's just nearly choked on his drink, so he glances over to make sure his friend's alright as James asks, "What? You need some tips? I guess you would, after all you were gone—"

"No," Kendall interrupts. "That's who I pick. James."

Now Carlos is laughing, because that is at once ridiculous and brilliant. "Dude, why didn't I ever think of that? I mean, James does think he's the hottest thing here. So even when Logan doesn't pick him it'd be a huge blow to his ego and I'd still win!"

"Yeah that's hilarious, Carlos," James says. "Is that really what you're going with, Kendall? Because if—wait, no, forget that. You made your choice, you have to live with it."

Kendall still has a smug smile on his face as he says, "Well Logan, those are your choices. Who wins?"

Carlos and James both turn to look at Logan. His face is a little red, probably from that whole nearly-choking thing. He bites his lip for a second, glancing up at James, then back to the drink in his hand, then over at Carlos and Kendall.

Then Carlos realizes they didn't even try to argue their cases. "Remember, Logan—"

"No," Logan says, cutting him off. "Um, I already know."

"Really?" Carlos says, surprised. They always have to cajole Logan into picking someone. Maybe Carlos just did really well in his choice tonight?

"Yeah..." Logan says, a little slowly. "Um...yeah. Kendall wins."

Kendall laughs and pulls Carlos a little closer to him, while Carlos is looking in shock at Logan, then up at James whose expression of wide-eyed disbelief is quickly changing to one of confusion, followed by a sort of flattered surprise and then finally a familiar smug grin.

"Well then," James says, taking Logan's drink and setting it on the bar behind them, "I think tonight you will definitely be dancing with the winner of the game."

"I won the game," Kendall points out.

"Yeah see, I know what losing feels like, Kendall—well, a little, anyway," James says, barely glancing over at Kendall before refocusing on Logan, "and this isn't it."

Logan smiles at that, his face still tinted red, and takes the hand James is offering him. A second later and they've all but disappeared in the crowd.

"God I'm glad I wasn't reading that wrong," Kendall sighs out, moving his arm to wrap it around Carlos's waist.

Carlos looks up at him, but since Kendall's holding him close all he really has a good view of is Kendall's chin. "How'd you know?"

"Well I didn't know. But I mean, those two have been bicker-flirting for years, and..." He trails off, and his voice drops a little for the rest. "Just because I wasn't around doesn't mean I don't still know my boys."

"I think James is going to be nicer to you after this," Carlos says, trying to fight the hurt—hurt for himself, and for Kendall—back down again. He squeezes Kendall's arm.

"I hope so. Not that I don't deserve it," Kendall says, and then there are lips brushing against Carlos's neck, making him gasp, before Kendall is talking in his ear. "Hey, you wanna go dance too?"

"Sure," Carlos says, grinning, pulling away from Kendall and tugging him out towards the dance floor.