AN: [Insert Excuse Here]
Logan ended up alone as he walked to the pool, gear in hand, and wearing surf shorts for the inevitable swimming session. Like Mrs. Knight had asked, he invited Katie to accompany him to the pool. Unfortunately, it wasn't just him and Kendall who had problems with the room adjustments and area division. Unwilling to stay and be dragged into another unnecessary confrontation about wardrobe space, he swiftly exited the room and made a beeline for the elevators but not before inviting them to join him later. This left him with about 20 minutes all to himself before all the crazy joins him yet again.
No words could describe the vastness of the pool. The sheer size of it could compete with an Olympic pool. Diving boards of different elevations littered the deep end while water slide of various degrees of thrill, trailed the edge from the shallow end to the deep end. A separate, yet smaller infinity pool lay paralleled to the other for more intimate unwinding swimming.
But who want's intimacy when there's killer slides all over the pool, thought Logan as he strutted at the edge of the pool, a spring of delight with every step, eyeing the numerous slide with a gleam of excitement and a child-like grin.
Too mesmerized by the scene, Logan wasn't paying attention to where he was going. One minute, he was all giggly and bubbly about the prospect of soon to be dipping into that amazing pool and then one minute, he was sprawled on the ground, his ass in pain from the impact to the tile and the collision with a stranger.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," apologized the stranger, already on his feet having no additional weight to anchor him to the ground.
"It's okay," reassured Logan, still on the ground, desperately shuffling to hoist himself up from the ground not even bothering to look up.
"Logan?" asked the stranger who wasn't apparently a stranger.
Looking up, Logan couldn't help but smile a sheepish grin at the not total stranger.
"Uh, hi," he replied, slightly embarrassed.
-Page Break-
After a 10 minute lecture about sex, mutualism, trust, control, and hormones, Kendall was finally free to go. With a permanent scowl on his face, he joined the three who were also on the verge of solving their wardrobe situation.
"Where's Logan?" he scowled.
"There's the horny blonde we all know and love," teased James.
Kendall grunted a response.
"Are you looking for him to resume your little escapade?" added Camille in mockery, quirking her eyebrows.
"No," replied Kendall, mimicking Camille's tone of mockery. "I want to find him so I can torture his little white ass," he grunted.
"Ohh," cooed Camille. "A little punishment role-playing, kinky." she added. "Are you gonna spank till he cries and begs you to stop?"
"Okay, I really don't need to hear this," complained Katie, making a grab for her swimsuit. "I'll be down at the pool with Logan," she said, exiting the room.
"So what happened?" interrogated James.
"Nothing," said Kendall, following Katie out the door, avoiding the question entirely.
"Awww, someone's just pissed that his own boyfriend cockblocked him," yelled out Camille before her and James burst into laughter.
"Just grab your swimsuits," yelled back Kendall as he followed his own command.
-Page Break-
Three made their way to the pool. Kendall desperately wanted to just ditch his two best friends, regretting ever inviting them as they continued to pester him for details for what happened between him and Logan and the talk with his mom.
"What did your mom talk to you about?" asked James for the 5th time.
"Nothing," he repeated.
"I bet it was the sex talk," said Camille.
"Gay sex talk," corrected James, smirking as Kendall cringed at the recollection.
Kendall turned around to face them, glaring at the two from sheer annoyance and embarrassment.
"Can you guys just drop it," snapped Kendall. "I swear, he drives me insane majority of the time, more than you two. Sometimes I wonder why I'm even with him in the first place."
"I don't think you'll have to worry about that soon," said James, pointing at something from across the pool.
"What now?" cried Kendall, turning around to the general direction James was pointing to. "What is it?" he asked not entirely seeing what it was that James wanted him to see.
"There," pointed James again.
Squinting, Camille finally saw what James was pointing at. "Is that a cute boy rubbing sunscreen on Logan's back?"
Kendall finally spots the brunette in question and winced in disbelief at what he saw. There, sitting in a lounge chair was Logan, back turned on this boy as said boy rubbed sunscreen all of Logan's back. Logan seemed to be enjoying the massage, a satisfied smile in his face. He could almost hear Logan humming as delicate hands pressed a comfortable pressure over his back.
What's more, he watched in horror as the boy abandoned his position behind Logan and walk around to face the boy, offering a hand doing a dorky impersonation of an old Englishman. Logan chuckled, smiled, and accepted the offered hand and allowed the other to escort him to the nearest water slide. Another sickeningly gentleman gesture as the boy allowed Logan to go first.
"I think you got some competition there," teased James.
"That boy looks fine," said Camille, dramatically fanning herself. "Seriously, where have these cute boys been all my life? First Logan, now him? Camille likeky."
Kendall ignored them and stomped his way to the nearest pool ladder where Logan and the boy was getting out of. As he got closer, their laughter got louder and his irritation got higher. First, the incident in the bedroom and now an affair in the pool? Logan was in for a whole lot of pain.
He vaguely heard Camille say "Ohh, a confrontation. This is gonna be good," and James replying "Let's go."
Kendall cleared his throat with an obnoxious cough to get the two's attention. The two stopped and turned around to face him.
"Kendall, how was your talk with your mom?" smirked Logan.
Kendall ignored the question all together. Instead, he grabbed Logan's wrist a little too roughly, Logan wincing in pain a bit before being dragged away from the shocked boy.
Once out of ear shot, Kendall sneered "What are you doing?"
"Uh, going down the water slide, having fun," answered Logan, ending the statement more like a question, slightly confused by the question.
"What are you doing with him?" he clarified through gritted teeth.
"Uh, going down the water slide, having fun?" repeated Logan, still confused by the angry attitude of the blonde.
Kendall groaned. "Are you seriously not seeing what's happening here?" he questioned.
"No?" replied Logan. "What exactly is happening here?"
"How dumb can you be?" insulted Kendall.
"Dumb? I'm not dumb," retorted Logan, clearly insulted by that remark.
"You clearly are since you're absolutely clueless about what's going on here," Kendall argued back.
Before Logan could argue back, Kendall felt a finger jabbing him in the shoulder quite sharply. With a scowl, he turned around before spatting, "What?"
"Dude, why did you drag Logan away?" asked the guy, arms crossed and clearly unhappy by the rude treatment.
"Listen here DUDE," sneered Kendall, "Logan is mine and if you think you can just waltz in here and sweep him away well, good luck there buddy cause it ain't happening."
"Oh, are you jealous?" began Logan, "me and him are-" but before he could finish the guy interrupted.
"Logan," he sighed. "I think you should just tell him the truth."
"The truth?" Logan echoed.
"And what exactly is the truth," questioned Kendall, impatience growing.
"The truth that me and Logan here," the guy began, pushing pass Kendall to stand in front of Logan, "had a history over the summer," he continued caressing Logan's cheek. "Logan, I know what we had was special. I meant what I said and even now I still feel the same. Seeing you here again, all those feelings just came back and I don't think I can stand being away from you anymore."
The guy slid his hand down, smoothing it over Logan's arm, taking the brunette's hand in his. He brought it up to his lips, placing an innocent kiss to the back of his hand. "Would you give me another chance?"
"I-I don't know," stuttered Logan. "Last summer was amazing, one of the best times in my life. You made it special but I don't know if I can do it. Saying goodbye to you was the hardest thing I've ever done and I don't know if I can go through another one of those."
The guy knelt, Logan's hand still clasp. "Please, I can give you way more than this chum. I will love you every single day, tell you that you're beautiful every minute, and be there for you every second. All I ask is for you to give me another chance. What do you say?" he asked.
"What do I say? I say-" he began, glancing at Kendall with a look of guilt.
"Logan, what about us?" said Kendall, taking a step forward.
"Stay out of this," interjected the still unknown guy. "What do you say Logan, will you give me another chance?"
Logan spared another glance at Kendall and by this expression, it seemed like he's made a decision.
"I say," he began staring back at the kneeling guy. "BEST PERFORMANCE YET!" he exclaimed, hoisting the kneeling guy up for a hug, while they laughed together.
A three chorus of "What!" echoed around the pool.
Once they regained themselves from the laughter, the two faced the other three who were waiting for an explanation. Kendall looked enraged while the other two, who until this point in time didn't know were listening look slightly amused but slightly angry all the same.
"Guys, this is Carlos, a friend of mines from high school," introduced Logan.
"Hi," waved Carlos. "And I'm not a friend from high school, I'm your best friend in the whole world," cried Carlos, tracing an exaggerated circled with his arms.
"I'm sorry," sarcastically apologized Logan. "This is my BEST FRIEND, Carlos," he restated. "Are you happy?"
"Very," replied Carlos.
"Carlos, there are the three that I was telling you about. This is James, Camille, and my boyfriend Kendall who was kind enough to give you a pleasant greeting," continued Logan, motioning to each of them as he said their names.
"Hi James," he greeted, shaking the boys hand.
"Nice acting," commented James with a smile.
"Thanks," replied Carlos, cheeks tinted red.
"Camille," he said, offering a hand.
Camille took the hand but instead of shaking the other boy's hand, she yanked the Latino boy for a hug or in this case, a session of caresses and orgasmic moaning from Camille.
"Okay, that was…uh, interesting," he said, flustered by the hug.
"And Kendall right?" he asked moving towards the blonde. "I hope you're treating Logan well," he said, offering a hand.
Kendall merely grunted, still pissed about the deceit.
"Oh, come one dude, lighten up. I'm not gonna steal Logan," reassured Carlos. "Besides, I already took his virginity," he joked but apparently, it didn't go well with Kendall.
The blonde just pivoted and scurried away from the group.
"And that would be my cue," said Logan before following Kendall's trail. "Carlos, we gotta hang out while I'm here," he called out.
"Sure buddy, I'm just surprised that you took a break. You're always busy with work. I'm kinda hurt that you didn't call me first to hang out," he yelled back.
"Sorry man, I'll make it up to you," Logan yelled back.
"You better Logiebear," said Carlos.
"Don't call me that!" scream Logan in irritation.
Carlos turned back to the other two. "Do you guys want to swim?"
-Page Break-
"Kendall!" yelled Logan, jogging after the retreating blonde. "Wait!"
"What?" snapped Kendall.
"Are you mad?" asked Logan.
"No," he replied sarcastically. "Why would I be mad at you?"
"Come on Kendall it was only a joke," defended Logan. "And why are you making a big deal out of it? It's not like we're really going out."
Kendall was taken back why that question. Why was he affected by that? Logan's right. It's not like they're in a real relationship. If Logan screws up, he'll just get his money back because of the contract. The only down side is that his mom might reinstate the whole blind dating thing yet again.
"Well, I don't appreciate you making all these risky moves. What if my mom or dad saw you huh? What would they say?" he asked.
"I would've told them the truth," reasoned Logan.
"I'm just saying, if you keep acting like that they'll start to get suspicious and it doesn't help that all we've been doing is fighting," argued Kendall.
"Okay, I'll stop but you have to too. I'm only doing this because of what you're doing. Can I remind you what happened in the van? That was horrible and don't even deny that you didn't do that on purpose," pointed out Logan.
"Okay fine, let's call it a truce. I'll stop, you'll stop," proposed Kendall.
"Deal," agreed Logan. "But I still get to sleep on the bed," he smirked.
"We'll see," said Kendall.
"I thought we agreed to stop?" complained Logan.
"Fine, fine. I need to apologize to Carlos," said Kendall.
"That would be great," said Logan, itching to get back to the pool.
"So, let's go back. You look like you're about to explode if you don't get back into the pool," teased Kendall.
"No I don't," retorted Logan, fighting the urge to sprint back to the pool and prove the smug blonde right.
"Sure, keep telling yourself that," smirked Kendall. "Race you," he said, feigning to run.
In seconds, Logan was sprinting only to stop when he heard Kendall laughing behind him.
"Yeah, you're definitely not excited," mocked Kendall.
"I hate you," said Logan.
"Love you too," replied Kendall.
-Page Break-
Dinner with Kendall's family went by without anything exciting happening. Mr. and Mrs. Knight introduced him to several of their family members, politely shaking his hand and throwing in compliments here and there. As polite as they may be, Logan couldn't quite believe their commendations to be genuine. He felt quite the opposite really. But he just shrugged it off, claiming it was the nerves that were giving him hallucinations.
Not only that, he also found Kendall's quiet demeanor bizarre. He witnessed how Kendall interacted with his parents and sister. He was expecting, excitement, delight, and a loving persona but during the dinner, he was the complete opposite. Given he was still courteous towards his family but none of those traits shined through his words. He sounded distant, cold, and hateful even. From that he began to be suspicious.
Following through to his word, Logan evaded any conflicts during the night. Instead he acted sweet and caring like anyone in a relationship. He replaced the teasing with kind gestures like holding Kendall's hand, pressing his body to the blonde's while they stood, or resting his head to his shoulders while they waited to be served. Each time he would do so, he noticed that Kendall's stature would tense, like the act was giving him discomfort. Something was definitely wrong and he was determined to find out.
-Page Break-
The seven of them returned to their rooms bidding each other good night. Logan tried to confront Kendall about the dinner but he found him already tucked in on the floor with the extra blankets and pillows.
Logan sighed. "You can sleep on the bed with me you know," he offered. "Just stay on your side and try not to molest me in my sleep," joked Logan but that didn't get a response from him. Not wanting to push it, Logan merely changed into his sleeping garment, checked the doors and made sure they were locked, turned off the lights, slid into bed and shut off the lamp before drifting into sleep.
-Page Break-
His sleep was cut short, woken up by the sound of someone shuffling around the room. He blindly reached for the lamp switch and cringed when the light flickered on. Rubbing the sleep off his eyes, he glanced around the room and found Kendall changing into his swim trunks.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Going for a swim," Kendall informed him and resumed changing into his bathing suit.
"At 2:30 in the morning?" asked Logan, glancing at the wall clock.
"Sure," shrugged Kendall. "Wanna join?" he offered.
"Are we even allowed?" questioned Logan.
"I don't know," he admitted. "You coming?" invited Kendall again.
"I don't know," hesitated Logan.
"Prude," said Kendall.
"I'm no prude," whined Logan.
"Then why aren't you coming? You scared?" mocked Kendall.
"I'll show you," challenged Logan, getting out of bed and began changing into his own swimsuit.
Logan was against the whole idea but he thought this could be the chance he was looking for to know what made Kendall act like he did at dinner. And who was he to pass another opportunity to swim in that amazing pool?
-Page Break-
The two sneaked into the pool area. It was dark. The only sources of light were the illuminated hotel rooms and the faint moon light casting an eerie glow. Logan was expecting them to swim in the bigger pool until Kendall led him to the infinity pool instead. Once there, Kendall took no time at all jumping into the pool. Logan was sprayed with a bit of water, shivering at the freezing temperature.
"You coming?" asked Kendall was he resurfaced from the dive.
"Nah, I think I'll just sit on the edge," declined Logan.
"Suit yourself," said Kendall before swimming away.
Logan just watched letting Kendall enjoy the swim. At some point, Logan asked the question he was dying to ask.
"What happened at dinner?" he asked.
Kendall stopped upon hearing the question. "What do you mean?"
"I'm not stupid Kendall. I know something was bothering you at dinner," said Logan. "But if you don't want to talk about it, that's cool too. It's not my business to pry," he added.
Silence settled in as Logan waited for an answer. After a minute or so, Kendall finally swam towards where he sat and rested both arms on the edge of the pool.
"My family is not as accepting as you think," revealed Kendall. "My mom and dad are but the rest of my family…" he trailed off but Logan knew what he meant.
Being gay was certainly not easy. You are bound to meet people who do not approve of your sexuality and might even consider it a sin. When it's random strangers, it's not too bad but when it's family, the pain is much greater.
"All of them?" asked Logan.
"No, but majority of them do," explained Kendall.
"Must be hard," sympathized Logan.
"Yeah but it doesn't really matter. Those that really matter are my mom, dad, and Katie," said Kendall.
"But I know it still hurts. Why else would you be here at 2:30 in the morning?" observed Logan.
"Sometimes it's just too much you know. Knowing that you'll never be accepted by your family," admitted Kendall.
"At least you have a family," Logan said sadly. "Parents who love you and a sister to annoy you."
Silence befallen the two yet again, not knowing exactly what to say next.
Finally Kendall broke the silence. "What happened to your family?"
"A nasty divorce," disclosed Logan. "My father left me with mom but he could've just left me on the streets instead. She was never home, always going away for her business. She would leave without saying goodbye. Finally I had enough. Being in that place just brought up bad unhappy memories, so I left. I saved up a few from my part-time job but it still wasn't enough. Carlos' family offered to take me in and I agreed. I looked for a job and after a month, I moved out, found a place for my own and been living by myself ever since."
"Do you ever regret leaving?" inquired Kendall.
"Honestly, yeah, sometimes but leaving was the best choice I could make and I never really regretted it," said Logan.
"Are you happy?" asked Kendall.
"In a way, I really am," sighed Logan with a small smile.
"That's all that really matters," said Kendall.
Another silent moment happened between the two but neither felt uncomfortable. They were just glad to have someone to talk to.
It was Kendall who broke the silence once again. "Are you gonna join me or what?"
"Nah, it's too cold. I don't know how you can stand it," replied Logan.
"It's because I'm hot," said Kendall smugly.
Logan laughed. "Yeah you totally are," he chuckled dripping with obvious sarcasm. And just like that, the earlier tension and serious atmosphere dissipated.
Still preoccupied with laughter, Logan didn't notice the hand that wrapped around his submerged ankle until he was yanked into the freezing cold water.
"Je-Je-jerk," he stuttered, hugging his shivering figure.
"Aww, is Logiebear cold?" teased Kendall.
"Carlos," exclaimed Logan. "I'm gonna kill him," he declared.
"It's okay Logiebear, come here, I'll warm you right up," offered Kendall, arms outstretched, as he approached Logan at a snail's pace.
"Oh no you don't loverboy. Get away from me," warned Logan, splashing the blonde with water.
"Come on Logie, let daddy give you a good old big hug to warm you right up," smirked Kendall, increasing his pace in his approach.
"Kendall get away," warned Logan yet again, swimming away.
"I guess daddy will just have to come get you," said Kendall before going after Logan in full pursuit.
The brunette screamed as he swam away, splashing water at the approaching and giggling blonde. The chase went on for a minute until finally Kendall had him at the corner of the pool.
"Gotcha," exclaimed Kendall in victory.
Exhausted and amused, Logan surrendered as he rested a hand on Kendall shoulder. Kendall smiled as he stared at the panting brunette, brushing away a stray hair just barely covering his eye. Logan lifted his gaze at the gesture to meet those piercing emerald eyes. Before they knew it, the two leaned in as they sealed their lips into a heated kiss.
Suddenly realizing what was going on, Logan suddenly broke the kiss pushing Kendall away, turning his back at the blonde.
"I-I'm gonna go," he stammered before swimming away to the pool ladder, stepping out of the pool and heading back into the room without even sparing a single glance back.
Kendall just stayed where they were, his gaze following the retreating brunette. He traced a hand through his wet locks and sighed, "What just happened?"
-Page Break-
Kendall stayed for a couple more minutes before he too returned to the room. By the time he got back, Logan was already tucked in bed sound asleep. He quickly changed back into his pajamas. He slid in bed at the other end and before he let sleep take over he whispered, "Good night Logan."
He cracked a smile when he heard a reply.
"Good night Kendall."
AN: I'm sorry but the updates are going to be like this now because of school. It's only going to get worse as the semester progresses so early apologies for that. I do hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Please continue your support even though the updates will take long but don't worry I will never abandon my stories. Expect another update in a week. This is dedicated to those who wanted to see Carlos and yes this was planned from the beginning. This is also for those to wanted to see the relationship develop. Please review as always. And like I always say, stay nerdy.
