Okay, honestly, I wasn't planning to update this story quite yet but I decided "hey, it's the holidays and Christmas is just around the corner" so I suppose this update will be like a present! Hopefully a good one, that doesn't suck. Maybe;;;

Anyhow, thanks to TheClaire24 and Leah for your reviews! Really, every time I see a message in my email inbox, no matter what it is, alerts, faves, etc. it gives me a little more strength to continue this project and not drop it. So, thanks. A lot. :')

Gah, I should really put these notes at the end of my updated chapters… but I'll say it here anyway. SPOILERS FOR THIS CHAP., or maybe not so much because it feels expected, but enter James and Carlos! They're a challenge to write, especially since in this universe I feel they are a bit more mature, y'know, more like big brothers to Kendall, but they are fun too :). I had trouble during the scene of their introduction and I ended up rewriting it about four times before I ended up with a version I liked which is this.

Also, speaking of, I'm currently writing a Jarlos show-verse multi-chapter fic on the side of FILT. The summary is on my page, it's kind of vague?, but I'm having tons of fun with it and I absolutely love writing about the close dynamic of their relationship, so maybe you could check it out when it's posted? I don't know when that will be, but it's called Take it Slow, so if you can keep your eyes peeled for it next year that would make me tons of happy!

The Kogan Trilogy:: Falling is Like This

PART I- Falling is Like This

CHAPTER FIVE:: Falling Is Like This

PART TWO: Gravity

Friday arrived.

It came rather quickly but, of course, that was a given due to the fact that most of the week was contributed to exams. Test days always went by fast. Really, all you had to do was show up, take the assessment, and then leave. The rest of the days' time was yours.

For Logan, during those spare hours of the day, he'd use them to hit the books to study for the next class. If he completed reviewing material early, he'd use the rest of the time to continue on his personal projects such as his leisure reading for astronomy, or watching that new medical documentary that he'd left recorded on the DVR. Boring for some it may be, but Logan was enthralled by the world's endless amount of information and the knowledge it had to offer him.

However, come Friday afternoon when all mid-term exams were wrapped up, he'd run out of things to do. Logan had always found that without homework or a certain assignment to keep busy, it was hard to keep his mind entertained. Lucky for him, Kendall had told him he'd had something planned for Friday. Thank the blonde for saving him from boredom, though he hadn't a clue what they were doing.

The mystery of it all had bugged him for most of the week.

'Could Kendall be taking me out on an official date?' Logan couldn't help wondering as he sat by the dorm's windowsill in his green chair, leisure reading open his lap. He couldn't imagine what would happen if that were the case.

Dates were usually all lovey-dovey though. They were romantic, intimate, all those things Logan wasn't sure about going through with Kendall right at the moment, what with the thought of losing him because of it eating at his mind - but that didn't mean that his stomach wasn't doing flips, or that he didn't want to go. And, right now, the anxiety and butterfly-in-his-stomach nerves feeling trumped over all his awful doubts of his current predicament.

He was going on a date with Kendall for crying out loud! They were meeting up, possibly off campus, on a Friday to do something that did not involve college curriculum!

'And what am I doing...?' Logan looked down at himself, the genius dressed in dark sweat pants and an over-sized grey t-shirt. He was pretty sure that he wasn't exactly date ready and he didn't need to be a genius to figure that one out.

'Here's to hoping Kendall does not contact me in the next 30 minutes.' Logan snapped his book shut and jumped out of his seat then, mind intent on racing into the shower and actually picking out nice clothes to be presentable for the day, or rather, to be presentable for Kendall. He wouldn't exactly admit to that though, not yet anyway.

Right when he ran past his desk though, a loud buzzing caught his ear. He skidded backwards to pick it up. A simple unlocking of the screen revealed his newly received text message from Kendall: 'Meet me at the parking lot behind your building. I'll be waiting by my car. :)'

"So much for 30 minutes…" Logan muttered under his breath as he text back a quick reply before making a break for the bathroom, snatching up a towel he'd left hanging behind the door as he stumbled out of his room.


"So, Kendall, is this guy of yours planning to come down anytime soon, you know, like today?"

Kendall turned around to come face to face with the caramel haired boy who was currently leaning over the top of his car, arms folded below him with an eyebrow arched upwards as if to prompt an answer. His god-like good looks would render many speechless, for he had the clear face and full lips of a model. However, Kendall had no problem snapping at him every now and then.

"My god James, would it kill you to learn patience? Especially since, you take about ten times longer than any of us just to put clothes on in the morning."

"You can't rush beauty Kendall." He said this with a small knowing smirk spreading across his face. "Although, I highly doubt this friend of yours is any better looking than me, else you wouldn't have had a chance -"

"Hey, would you like a punch in the face along with that comment?"

"I don't think that's something friends would say to each other."

"Well I'm saying it to you, and I also may act it so you better watch that vain tongue of yours."

"Ouch, I decide to pay a visit to you and all I get is you coming at with me lectures like my mother?" James fired him a dramatic hurt look, clutching his chest and feigning pain. "I don't know if I can even call you my friend anymore."

Kendall simply shook his head at the notion, trying hard not to break a smile at his actions. He was quickly failing when James began immersing into singing a song, loud clear and unashamed with hand gestures as if he was parading around on stage. What the song was called Kendall wouldn't know for the life of him, but it sounded like it could be about betrayal and hurt, especially with the exaggeration of James' dramatics. He couldn't help chuckling at the strange looks that passerby students gave because of it.

Yes, James could be a real nuisance at times but he certainly made up for it with his antics. After all, Kendall had taken an immediate liking to James for just being himself, singing and strutting without a care in the world about what people thought of him—even if he was talked about by half the hockey team behind his back. That was what had initially bought the blonde to talk to him, when they were younger, and through it Kendall found out some other amazing things about James that others quite didn't see at first glance, like his intense loyalty to his friends and crazy devotion, he'd come running to a loved ones' aid the instant he was called.

"Hey, did Kendall's date show up yet?" A voice broke in through James singing, prompting the two boys to turn to their left. They were greeted by the sight of their other best-friend of their little group, Carlos, a short raven-haired Latino who was blessed with the cute smile of an angel. He was jogging towards them down the sidewalk where they were waiting at the curb, arms holding about threes bags of snacks he'd gone to get from the nearby vending machine.

"Not yet, Carlitos." James replied simply, putting his arm around the shoulders of the paused form of the boy beside him. "And it's been another eight minutes!"

The notion wasn't even bothersome to the Latino who shoved two of the bags into his coat pocket and set on opening up a packet of chips as he spoke, "Maybe his date's too scared of him to show up today or something."

"Carlos, not you too!"

The raven-haired boy was taken aback by Kendall's sudden outburst, turning to James as if to silently inquire, 'what's up with him?' James replied to this in a loud whisper, "Be careful, Kendall's not taking any negative about his guy. He already threatened to hurt you as my punishment."

"I did not!"

"Don't worry, Carlos. I won't let him do anything to ya." The taller brunet gave him a good and hard friendly slap on the back, but apparently the Latino was so distracted he hadn't expected the contact, causing him to jump, dropping the bag of chips he'd pulled half-open to fall to the ground.

"Dude!" Carlos immediately snapped upon sight of the spilled snack at his feet because, if there was one thing the Latino couldn't stand, it was the fact that something edible he'd paid for had gone to waste, and James had just gone and done it.

The brunet then began apologizing in a frantic manner, picking up what was left of the spilled chips inside the bag from the ground, while promising to buy him desserts in return as he peppered light kisses on the other's cheeks. Kendall just had to roll his eyes at the sight. They were so all over each other like this all the time it was near sickening.

Sometimes he wondered how'd they even come together in the first place, what with James being completely enamored with himself as Carlos was with food, Kendall certainly thought it unlikely they'd notice anything else but their obsessions. Apparently, he was proven wrong because somehow James and Carlos fit strangely well together, the pair taking note of their hidden chemistry after an unexpected mishap one afternoon alone in the locker rooms after hockey practice during sophomore year. Some would call it a mistake, but they liked to call it a heavenly revelation, in which they saw that their childhood friendship definitely had much more to it than they thought. So they hit off, much to Kendall's surprise, or anyone else's for that matter, and they've been together for a little over three years now ever since.

Unlikely, yes. Eccentric, clearly. Honestly, if there was any couple in the world that would come off as completely incompatible it'd have to be James and Carlos. They were opposites: James caring about his outer-appearance more than he should while Carlos didn't spare a glance at a mirror all day. Carlos was always one to have a simpler view of things whereas James overanalyzed situations to drama.

However, it was because James and Carlos had made a relationship workable despite their differences, which made them the perfect physical example to persuade Logan that they could be happy together too. Because Kendall was sure Logan was hesitating, he was sure he doubted them—it was why he wouldn't say that he loved him right? In this way he would see, if his best-friends were able to work it out, they could certainly do it too.

It's why he thought James and Carlos couldn't have had any better timing that past Saturday when they'd texted him in announcing a visit on Friday during their university's "fall break".

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, Kendall caught sight of a familiar thin figure. He didn't know how exactly his eyes immediately recognized the boyish figure in black skinnies and a gray coat from a distance as Logan, but he did. Watching as he came around from the side-exit of the North Palmetto Hall, prompted him to turn around and call the attention of his two friends from across the other side of the car.

"Psst, guys he's heading over here!" At this James and Carlos looked up from the bag of Baked Lays they were sharing to meet Kendall's intense eyes, "Do you remember what I told you both to do?"

"Yeah. Act weird, scar the kid's mind with backstories of your embarrassing childhood and all the likes-"

"Carlos," Kendall hissed, obviously not in the mood for his jokes. He knew he was the youngest of all three of them and both of his friends liked to team up in teasing him at his most nerve-wracking moments but now was not the time.

"We got it, man." James cut in, trying hard not to crack a smile at Carlos' teasing, "Just be ourselves and you'll take care of the rest. Chill out, dude."

Kendall nodded and took a deep breath as he closed his eyes and spun around on his heels. James was right, he was way too wound over this little "date", which wasn't even exactly a date if you counted his friends being there, but he couldn't help it. The thought of taking Logan out unnerved him. It was affected him more than he knew it should. Less he calm down, he was going to make a fool of himself in front of Logan, or worse.

Upon opening his eyes, the blonde flooded positive visions in his mind as he brought a grin to his face that was hopefully more relaxed than he felt. He walked towards the seemingly lost figure that was Logan, the smaller brunet trotting down the sidewalk.

"Hey," Kendall called out with a wave, instantly drawing his attention. A fluttering sensation erupted in his belly when he noticed the way Logan's entire being appearing to light up at his sight. The way his eyes gleamed, the way his frown became a flashed beam, the way his hunched shoulders became straight—he was ecstatic. Kendall couldn't be happier that he was mirroring his own crazed emotions.

Logan slightly picked up his walking pace until he came to a stop before Kendall and, although the blonde was eager, it still didn't ease the nervousness that was quickly building up inside. He was coming to see that this was really happening. He was really face-to-face with Logan, here, in front of the parking lot, about to take him out off campus, on a Friday afternoon, in his car, out, off campus.

Wow, those thoughts weren't certainly helping the tension.

"So… how're you doing today?" The blonde managed to force the words out of his throat, wiping sweaty palms on the side of his jeans. He was hoping that some small talk would distract his pressuring mind.

"Good actually," Logan replied simply, running a hand through his hair before settling into his jacket pocket. "Sorry about the wait though. I didn't mean to take so long in choosing clothes."

Almost as soon as he said that Logan felt like kicking himself. 'Oh way to go genius, you weren't supposed to let him know that! Now he knows you actually put thought into your looks for him! Stupid!'

Kendall felt rather flattered by his comment and, suddenly, everything from Logan's red sweater to his brown loafers took on a new meaning to him that made his lips stretch impossibly wider than they already were.

"Well, I think what you're wearing looks great." Kendall couldn't help but offer a small pat on the other's shoulders as he said this. He couldn't deny that he hadn't done it purposefully, just to feel some type of contact of Logan.

The shorter boy didn't even seem to mind. He was smiling back up at him, this ridiculously dorky smile, and Kendall found himself entranced in the pool of his dark brown eyes.

For a split moment it was just them. Just connecting to one another in that silence without a care in the world, happiness radiating off their bodies and encasing them in gracious warmth that only they could only feel— until Kendall was hit on the back of his head.

"Ow…!" He'd exclaimed, even though it hadn't even hurt, turning on his heels just to see a crumpled bag of chips at his feet. His eyes darted upwards immediately to see the pair of his friends doubled over in laughter as they stood against his car.

Oh, he should've figured.

"Guys," He hollered at them, not even bothering to seem any less upset than he was as he kicked the bag out of the way. "What the hell?"

"Well, you did tell us to be ourselves!" Carlos called back cheekily.

"And that's all we're doing!" James added.

"You both are such assholes!" Kendall couldn't stop the profanity that left his mouth, only regretting it when he remembered his classy date was standing behind him. The blonde was practically blushing in embarrassment, apologizing in a small voice to the boy behind him. "I—uh, sorry, they get out of hand."

He could barely manage to keep eye-contact with Logan, too ashamed at cussing in front of him. He'd always heard that foul mouthed words were for those of unintelligence and really, right now, that was the last thing he wanted to look like in front of Logan, a boy he knew was set on earning a doctorate.

The brunet, however, was too preoccupied in staring at the couple of strangers behind Kendall to care, watching as the Latino and tall boy high-fived one another. Apparently Kendall knew them, but he didn't exactly recall ever running into them on campus before.

"Are those your friends?" Logan's straightforward question brought the blonde out of his thoughts, nodding in the direction of the two who were now chattering away behind them.

"Huh, oh, yeah, they are." Kendall glanced back over at them with Logan before drawing his eyes back to the face of the shorter boy. "They're my high school friends. We used to be on the hockey team together, but I don't think that's ever going to happen again because they obviously don't go to school here. They're on fall break right now, and they wanted to pay me a visit."

"Oh." Kendall wasn't entirely sure, but he felt like he'd heard some kind of disappointment in that remark in reaction to finding out that they weren't going out alone.

"You don't mind if they tag along with us, do you?"

Logan turned his head to look at the young man beside him, forcing a smile and hoping his voice came out sincere enough as he said, "No, no, not at all. It was just a little bit of surprise."

"Cool, then come on, I want to introduce ya." Kendall grabbed his wrist and led him over to his friends, the blonde calling attention to the boys that joked with each other. Upon coming face to face with them, Logan offered a small wave, listening as Kendall swapped names to get them all acquainted.

It wasn't bad. Logan did not feel an intimidating atmosphere standing before James and Carlos. They were two equally friendly guys who greeted him with open arms. Yet, as he shook hands with the other boys, polite and welcoming as they were, he could not settle the heavy feeling in his chest. He felt guilty about it, about not wanting Kendall's friends here, about not wanting to go out to spend an afternoon with Kendall's friends.

This was certainly not how it was supposed to be. This Friday afternoon was supposed to be for him and Kendall, solely the both of them, together, right?

Realizing the content of his thoughts he quickly shook them away as he slipped into the passenger seat of Kendall's car. He tried to clear that hazy daydream of his that he'd been having not too long before, of sitting at a table with the blonde in the front of a dainty little shop while they swapped cheesy jokes, as he pulled on the seatbelt and strapped it securely around him.

Once the metal clicked into place he looked up to meet eyes with Kendall who sat across from him, his hands resting gently on the wheel. The blonde offered a smile before tearing his eyes away to look in the rear-view mirror and shifting the car into reverse as he pulled out.

'Come on Logan, this is what you wanted.' The brunet attempted to persuade himself as he looked down at his clenched palms in his lap.

Just earlier this week he'd intended to not go further in this relationship with Kendall didn't he? He wanted to keep from crashing and burning and, in this way, by not going on some stupid couples date, he'd be helping himself.

Maybe it was a sign. A sign from some higher force that he shouldn't take this relationship with Kendall any further, that bad would only come from it. Just like he'd thought it would.

Maybe he should end it. Here. Now.

Then they could be friends, peacefully, for years to come.

He squeezed his eyes shut, jaw clenching. 'This is what you wanted…'