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Checkmate

Carrying three bags of grocery, Carlos enters his home to the sounds of his mattress springs compressing. He smiles, leaning on the door frame of his room, watching his previously sulking friend jumping on the old bed with a cheerful expression on his dimpled face and no clothes on his skinny body.

"Carlos!" Logan greets, jumping higher and more forceful, making Carlos nervous that the bed might collapse. "Jump with me. It's fun," he sings, with a hand extended in the Latino's direction.

Carlos shakes his smiling face, slipping the bags off of his arms and taking a seat to the edge of his bed. Logan takes one last bounce, falling to Carlos' side in a wave that shocks the whole full size mattress. "You're going to break my bed if you keep jumping like that. Then I won't have a place to sleep."

"Then you can sleep with me… in a closet." Logan proposes, resting his head on Carlos' shoulder, wrapping his arms around his bicep. "Sleeping in a closet is not so bad if you're with me."

"I don't think we will both fit in a small closet," he chuckles, patting Logan's hair with his free hand. "And if we sleep in a closet, where am I going to hang all of my clothes?"

"That's easy." Logan brightens; his idea dances in his naïve brain. "You can sleep in the closet first and I'll sleep on top of you. And we don't need clothes. We can sleep naked." Carlos blushes, tensing at the thought of having both of them in a cramp space, bare of clothes with Logan on top of him, legs between his. "I don't like clothes," he restates the obvious fact.

"I can see that." Carlos coughs, looking up and down Logan's currently bare body, shaking the pink tint from his cheeks. "But still, you're going to have to learn to wear clothes, Logie, sooner or later. You can't be naked all the time, especially when you're on top of me." He says, the image of them in a closet coming back to his head and the blush returning to his face. "I mean, you can't be on top of me too. That is wrong."

"Why? Is it because my thingie is broken when I think about bouncing on top of you in a closet?" Logan asks innocently, stealing glances down at his exposed genital.

"Yes! I mean no… Yes! No wait," Carlos yells, flustered and confused; his cheeks intensify to a burning red. "That is not the reason but you can't talk about not wearing clothes. End of discussion!" Carlos concludes weakly, the closet thought wrapping his mind and making his own thingie broken. "No! You have to learn to wear clothes."

"Can I start tomorrow?" Logan begs, slides his arms from between Carlos' arm to around his body. He shifts in front, sitting on Carlos' open lap and rests his head on Carlos' shoulder. "Or next week? I don't like having clothes between us."

His shoulders tense again, but the silent purrs emitting from Logan's closed mouth and the warmth from Logan rubbing his soft cheeks onto Carlos' clothed chest relaxes him. This is something he's been missing from the old days where Logan would be with him, no adult matters or anything. He misses when Logan would innocently sit with (or on) him and just make him smile like all the world's problems didn't matter. He doesn't feel like he has to care about relationship problems or anything. As long as Logan is with him, he knows even if the world is in disasters on the outside, at least his world with Logan on the inside is a wonderland.

"We can talk about this later," Carlos answers, giving Logan's matted bed of hair a simple kiss before he stands up and stretches his tired limps. Groaning, Carlos dazedly walks to the door, grabbing the forgotten bags to start making their brunch, if they can call eating at three a brunch. "I'm going to make you some pancakes, ok Logan?"

"Ok but I want to help," Logan offers, walking to tan Latino.

"No yet, Logie," Carlos taunts, swinging the lightest bag in front of the brunette. Logan pouts and crosses his arms. "You have to at least put on some pant first. It's bad enough if you don't wear a shirt while cooking but if you don't wear pant and oil flies, you're going to get burn."

"I don't want pant!" Logan huffs, puffing his cheeks.

"Ok then. You don't get to help me. I'll make the pancakes all, by, my-"

"Fine! I'll wear a pant. Carlos is a meanie," Logan complains, walking to Carlos' small closet. He picks through it, trying to find something to wear.

"I'm fine with that as long as you're safe," Carlos states, walking to the kitchen with the groceries in his arms.

Throwing pants over his shoulders, Logan couldn't find a pair that perks his interest or even remotely catches his eyes. All of them look the same, another short or long pant that looks great on Carlos, not on Logan. Looking through, Logan gets frustrated that Carlos has too many pants and gives up searching through the pile. Why does Carlos need this many, Logan wonders. He doesn't understand why Carlos doesn't walk around naked. He has the legs for it. He has a body meant to be shown so why doesn't he?

He groans, pulling his hair from thinking of reasons of why Carlos would wear pant and how to get Carlos to not wear pant. It baffles him but he knows in the end, Carlos won't let him cook if he doesn't find a pair of pant to wear but none of the current loose pairs on the floor are interesting. They are all long and smell like flowers, not like Carlos. And then, it hits him, a smile growing on his face. Dashing to the black mesh hamper next to the bathroom door, Logan grabs the first short in the bin, a pair of purple boxer.

"Carlos wore this," Logan says, hugging the underwear to his chest. "It's his favorite color." Slipping on the shorts, Logan skips to the kitchen, lingering at the door, observing what his host is doing.

"Do you notice something different?" He asks, bouncing around the Latino preparing a fresh batch of pancake.

Carlos briefly peeks over his shoulder once before he stops his whisking and faces Logan with his widen, surprised eyes. "What are, why are you wearing my boxer?" Carlos yells, cheeks blushing red.

"Because you told me to," Logan sings, swaying his hips, stepping closing to Carlos. "Do you like it? It's your favorite."

"I know it's my favorite! I wore it yesterday. Go change!" Carlos points to the bedroom. Logan giggles and shakes his head, no. "Logan. I am going to say this once. You can't wear my dirty underwear. Do you know how creepy this is?"

"Nope," he shakes his head again. He pulls on the waistband in front of the underwear, swinging his hips. "It's not creepy. It smells good."

"No, it smells like my sweat, me and dirty stuff mixed together. Now, go change." Carlos pushes Logan, nudging him to the hall.

"That's why it smells good. It's like I am wear you, like I am on top of you... just like we are in the closet together without clothes." Logan taunts with a childish grin on his face. It's creepy that Logan can stare at Carlos innocently, making Carlos think about the not so innocent idea of Logan's body making friction against Carlos' body.

"Ok, no. I am not let you wear me, I mean my dirty clothes. We are not on top of each other and we are definitely not grinding." Carlos continues pushing Logan down the hallway.

"I didn't say grinding. What's grinding?" Logan asks, digging his toes into the carpet.

"And you should never find out. Now, go change. Please don't make this harder than it already is," he begs but Logan stomps down his foot and turns to face Carlos.

"No! I did what you wanted. I am wearing pant. You didn't say I can't wear your favorite purple pant. I like them too. You are being selfish. I want them!" Logan argues loudly, purging his lips and glaring angrily.

"Them you can have them. Just let me wash them first." Carlos compromises.

"No!" Logan grabs the waistband of the boxer, jumping back. "I don't want them to smell like flowers. I want underwear that smells like you."

"Ok Logan, if you just listened to what you said, you'll know how creepy you sounded and if you don't understand, please believe me when I say that people will think you're weird. You can't wear my dirty underwear. Didn't your parents teach you that?"

The question resonates in Logan's mind and his eyes swirl with on coming tears. Shoot, Carlos curses at himself, realizing what he just did. "No, no. I didn't mean it Logie. Don't cry." He softly whispers, pulling the boy into his arms, embracing tightly.

"No one taught me. No one loves me. I don't have anyone!" Logan cries, tears wetting Carlos' shoulders.

Biting his lip, Carlos yells at himself, wishing he didn't ask Logan that. It was wrong for him to mention about Logan's parents and he hates himself for making that mistake. "No, no Logan. You have me, remember? I will never leave you. I'll teach you everything, starting tomorrow, ok? Today, I'll let you wear my underwear, heck after I shower, I'll let you wear the one I have on now, ok? Would that make you happy? Please be happy," he pleads, swinging their bodies.

"Well ... ok." Logan instantly becomes happy like nothing happened. A smile sweeps from dimple to dimple as he skips to the kitchen. "But it better smell like you or I won't like it."

Carlos, confused, watches Logan entering the kitchen. His right eyebrow jumps up and his mouth drops to the floor as he wonders if Logan just played him. Did Logan manipulate him to get what he wants?

After the brunch is prepared, they sit at the kitchen table, feasting on their plates of pancakes. Logan did it again, "cried" to get what he wants, and this time it was to sit on Carlos' lap.

"Logan, were you really crying or pretending?" Carlos asks, feeding Logan a bite after Logan accidently dropped a messy, syrup covered pancake on Carlos' hand, which Carlos thinks was on purpose too.

"Yes. Keep feeding me, boyfriend, I mean, Carlos." He opens his mouth wide, waiting for Carlos to feed him the next forkful.

"Logan. That didn't answer the question. Are you faking it? And remember, I hate people that lie to me."

A gulp is heard from Logan's throat as he wonders what to say, which answers Carlos' question precisely.

"Logan, why did you do that?" The Latino asks softly, gently placing his fork on the plate and cleans his hands with the white cloth napkin. Logan bites his lips, shaking his head. He wants to lie but to have Carlos hate him, that wasn't what he wanted. "Ok, Logan, come on." Carlos slides the body off of him and leads him into the bedroom. He pats the edge of the mattress after taking his seat. "We have to talk."

"Can I finish my pancake first?" He asks, sitting down on the planned spot. Carlos shakes his head somberly and Logan knows that means this talk is no going to be pleasant.

"Logan..." Carlos beginnings but he chokes on his words. He doesn't know how to start. He could begin with Logan's lying but that wasn't the main reason for the talk. "Logan, why did you drop the pancake on my hand?" Wrong question. Carlos knows he was supposed to ask Logan about his triangle relationship with James but he couldn't; asking Logan an adult question feels wrong but asking about pancake is perfectly fine ... That wasn't how Carlos wanted to start "the talk."

"Because..." Logan sways in his seat. He seems as uncomfortable as Carlos is. "Because you don't like being messy and I knew you would feed me and let me sit on you and ..." Logan mumbles the last part, covering his muffled mouth with his closed hand.

"What?" He asks, hearing parts of the last reason.

"Sorry, Carlos. I promise to not lie again. I want you to love me." Logan states but Carlos isn't confirmed that that was his answer.

"No Logan. What did you say before you covered your mouth?" Carlos pries.

"And be my boyfriend." He mumbles again, but this time Carlos hears him. A sigh slips from Carlos' lips as he wipes the imaginary sweat on his forehead. There a lot of thing passing through his mind; so many things that Carlos needs to tell Logan but it's hard to tell a kid how to act. And it's even harder when he's fallen for Logan too.

"Logan... I can't be your boyfriend." Carlos frankly states. He tries to be serious but his tone vibrates and it comes off as unsure to Logan.

"Yes, you can!" Logan shifts his whole body towards him, big puppy eyes beaming affectionately at Carlos. Who can say no to that? Not Carlos. That's why Carlos turns his head, facing the wall but Logan clamps a hand under Carlos' chin and forces him to stare into Logan's persuasive eyes. "I wear your clothes. We sleep on the same bed. You feed me pancakes and I love you. That's what boyfriends do."

"Logan," he sighs, gingerly pushing Logan's hands down. "There is more to being a boyfriend than eating and sleeping. You're too young to understand this."

"No! I get it! Boyfriends love each other. I love you." Logan confesses. But like always, Carlos blushes, turning away rather than confronting Logan with his feelings. "Don't you love me?"

The question resonates. With Carlos, it's hard to answer. He can say yes but he knows deep down, it is wrong for Logan to have a boyfriend. What parents would let their five year old kid have a boyfriend? But he can't say no. That would be a lie or a tiny white lie but Carlos can't lie, not after telling Logan that he hates liars.

"You don't love me, do you?" Logan cracks, voice sounding delicate and broken.

"You can't have a boyfriend, Logan." Carlos continues facing the door, playing with his fingers. He breathes deeply. "Logan, when you grow up and have a baby girl, would you let her have a boyfriend?"

"Yes." Logan answers with a hundred percent confident. "Yes, I would!"

"You say that because you want a boyfriend but you know deep down you won't let her."

"No, I would." Logan firmly believes. Carlos shakes his head and closes his eyes. "Carlos?" He calls, grabbing his attention. "I won't let her have James but if she asks for you, I would let her have you as her boyfriend." He explains sweetly. Carlos turns back, facing Logan after that heart warming answer. "You're the only person I trust. I know you are a perfect boyfriend. That's why I want you. You are my hero."

He breathes for a minutes. Carlos tries to avoid Logan's gaze by looking down, but with an answer like that, how can't Carlos not blush and feel overwhelm with embarrassment?

"Logan, about James..." Carlos returns back to the topic after Logan said the name. "He says it's ok not to be his boyfriend anymore you don't want to."

They sit in silence, a breeze sweeping between them. The room gets quieter.

"What do you want me to do?" Logan asks, covering Carlos' hands with his.

"Why are you asking me that?" Carlos looks stun, the question feeling out of character. To Carlos' experience, Logan isn't the type to ask if he can get and Carlos knows what Logan's been trying to get.

"Because if you're sad then I'm not happy. I want Carlos to be happy. So, what do you want me to do?" Logan pokes up Carlos' arm, pressing ticklishly (and a bit flirtiously) into Carlos skin.

"I don't know. Just do what makes you happy." He says. And as if on queue, Logan grabs Carlos' chin and turns his face in his direction. "Lo-" He starts, but Logan interrupts him, crashing his lips onto Carlos'. He holds them in place, not letting Carlos leave him or say something.

After lingering for a second, the moment catches up to Carlos' mind and he retracts, shaking his profusely blushing cheeks. "What was that for?" He yells.

"I did what makes me happy," he answers again in his confident tone, licking his lips, trying to relive the short kiss.

"I didn't mean it that way! You just broke up with James. Doesn't that mean something?" Logan shakes his head.

"I was never in love with James. I only did it because I wanted to make you happy. But now, you let me. So I kissed you."

"Logan... you can't just kiss like that. You got out of a messy relationship with your friend. You can't just jump to another boyfriend like that."

"Boyfriend?" His face lights up and Carlos smacks his forehead. He didn't mean to say that word.

"Logan. I told you. I can't be your boyfriend."

Even though he hears the words from Carlos, Logan doesn't care. He feels that that kiss made Carlos happy and it made him happy. Carlos did kiss back before he realized what was happening. So it's perfectly logical. He dives in, pressing his lips on Carlos, pinning his body over Carlos. The bed jumps to their weigh, the recoil forcing Logan's tongue to bounce into Carlos' mouth.

"Logan!" Carlos shrieks, rolling the boy off of him. "What was that for!"

"James kissed me when he asked me to be his boyfriend. So now I am asking you." Quickly, he sweeps in for another kiss, this time, pinning Carlos' wrists to the bed, forcing his body as weigh onto of Carlos.

"Logan!" Carlos shrieks again, flipping Logan off. "Stop kissing me!"

"No!" Logan whines. "You have to say yes! When I kiss you, you have to say yes!"

"Logan! I am not going-"

He presses his lips on Carlos again, determined to change his mind. "James kissed me and I said yes. You have to. It's the rule."

"That is not a rule!"

He thrusts again, peppering Carlos' supple lips with his forceful pecks. "What can I do to make you mine?"

"Nothing!" Carlos holds Logan's shoulders just before Logan lunges. Logan purses his lips out, closing his eyes, hoping that Carlos would kiss him but Carlos doesn't. "Stop it, Logan. I told you, I can't be your boyfriend. I can't let you get hurt."

"You won't hurt me. You never hurt me."

"No but..." Carlos sighs and shakes his head. "Logan. You went through a lot of hardships and I can't do this to you. If we are together then things will happen."

"What bad would happen?"

"You won't be you anymore." Carlos flat out states, confusing Logan. He knows Logan wouldn't understand but that doesn't make it right for them to date. "Logan, we can't date. First of all, you're too young. And second, if we are dating, you won't be the pure and innocent boy I love. You'll become like every other miserable person in the dating world and I'm not going to do that to you. I was in a relationship and after it ended, I was broken to pieces. I can't let that happen to you." Carlos confesses. This was the reason from the start. He didn't want to hurt Logan or strip him of his childish innocence. These are qualities that disappear in life and never return. He doesn't want Logan to lose his innocence.

"So..." Logan watches Carlos breathing, thinking hard about what Carlos said. "So you love?"

Carlos groans. He can't believe from the whole speech, the only part Logan remembered is Carlos saying love. "Logan," he seriously yells.

"No, I understand, I think but you love me?" Logan has to ask. Hearing Carlos say the L word for the first time fills him with extreme glee.

"Yes. I love you, ok? But that is the reason why, we can't date. I love you too much to get you hurt and change you into something mature. You are perfect the way you are, Logie. I don't want you to change because of me. I was scared when you dated James. Now, I'll feel guilty if I'm the one that changes you."

"Then I promise I'll be who I am now." Logan offers, rolling his body on top of Carlos', cuddling into the Latino's frame.

"It's not that easy, Logan. You say that but ... you'll lose who you are."

"No, I promise, Carlos." Logan argues. He turns around, pressing his back into Carlos, wrapping Carlos' arms around him. "My mom and dad-"

"Don't Logan. You don't have to talk about them if-"

"I want you to hear it." Logan interrupts, breathing deeply. He thumbs the back of Carlos' hands resting on his chest. "My daddy and mommy aren't the best parents. I think they hated me but they said 'I love you' every single time they tied me to the wall or pole. They laughed and had fun with markers and swords-"

"Logan, stop!" Carlos fists Logan's chest, imagining Logan in those situations makes him mad with fury. "You don't have to say what they did to you."

"But they were evil." Logan sighs. Surprisingly, he's not crying. "And I want you to know, they changed me. I became a boring, scared toy to them. I didn't like it, but I can't fight them."

"And that is why I won't change you." Carlos jumps again. He doesn't like the story and with every second of Logan's recall, he becomes more enrage. Seemingly, Carlos is more hurt with Logan's past than Logan is. "I will never change you."

"But you did," Logan whispers happily. Carlos' forceful embrace loosens and he tries to figure out what Logan meant. "You changed me into a good boy. I used to be afraid of a lot of stuff because of them but not anymore. I am not afraid of people anymore. I'm not afraid of sleeping in the dark. I'm not afraid of my mommy and daddy anymore ... And I'm not afraid of falling in love because of you." Logan confesses, a smile brimming on his face. "I promise I won't change. Because of you, I am who I am. I'm your good boy."

Carlos silently smiles, trying to hide his emotions from the radiant boy in his arms. He hates to admit it but a part of him, a huge part of him, wants Logan to be his boyfriend. "I'm happy for you."

"Then you'll be my boyfriend?" Logan asks again, turning face to face. His brown doe eyes swirl with hope that melts Carlos' doubts and walls but he can't.

"Logan, I-"

Logan cuts him off again, using the same tactics he's been employing. He knows it's the tenth or so time he kissed Carlos in the last few minutes but that's not stopping him.

"Logan." Carlos uses his serious, adult voice.

"What can I do to change your mind?" Logan compromises. He's really determined to sway him. "I promise to wear clothes if you're my boyfriend."

"Logan. That won't change my mind."

"Then… I promise to never wear clothes." Logan brightens up at this.

"NO!" Carlos shrieks, his voice jumping an octavo. "You have to wear clothes even if we are not boyfriends."

"If? You mean you thought about it?" Logan inquires. Carlos doesn't understand him and how he digs into his words, trying to manipulate Carlos. Logan is smarter than he seems.

"Logan-"

"Do you love me?" He jumps the question. His hands fist Carlos' shirt, playing with the contour of Carlos' pecs. "Please just answer it." He whispers mousy and delicately, as softly as a blowing wind.

"Yes." Carlos answers with a cough, clearing his throat of his answer. "I do but-"

"And did you think about being my boyfriend?"

He coughs. "Yes." Carlos gulps the air caught in his throat. He wants to lie but Logan's warmth pressed on him and the soft hands gliding on his chest warn him not to lie. It's a great feeling having Logan in his arms, but at the same time, it's not right.

"Then, please be my boyfriend. I promise not to change and be your good boy if you be my boyfriend." Logan sighs, laying his head on Carlos. There he goes again. Carlos doesn't know if Logan is doing this on purpose, knowing how and what to do to made Carlos sympathize with him, or if this is what "love" really is but he's getting tired of arguing. Fighting with Logan is fruitless because in the end, they both know who will win.

"Only if you're my good boy and no one else's." He whispers into Logan's open ear and the brunette shoots up, beaming a smile wider than ever.

"You mean it?" He yelps and Carlos nods his head.

"But Logan, I'm not going to be a 'real' typical boyfriend. We won't do things adults do as boyfriends."

"Do we get to hug?" Logan asks. Carlos nods. "Do we get to kiss?" He nods his head again. "And I can call you my boyfriend."

"Yes, all of that but there are my rules to being boyfriends, ok?" Logan nods his head.

"And I have rules too." Logan cheerfully asserts.

"If I say 'that is mature' that means we can't do it."

"And we sleep naked." Logan sings his condition.

"Logan." He yells in his serious voice again, trying to get Logan to understand him. "This is not how it goes."

"What? You give one rule and I give one rule. My turn! We take bubble baths together."

"LOGAN! NO!" Carlos yells again and shakes his hopeless head. There is no getting through to him. You give him an inch and he takes a mile but in this case, Carlos gives Logan a boyfriend and Logan takes his life. "That is mature."

"What does that mean?"

Carlos slaps his forehead. "That means we can't do it."

Logan laughs it off. He returns his head to Carlos' chest, and breathes warm, comforting air. "I promise to do what you say because I know you won't ever hurt me. I love you." He yawns, the excitement and his finally successful attempt tiring him. Carlos notices and pats his matted hair.

"Take a nap, Logan. I'll wake you up later."

"Wait." Logan grips his hands, locking fingers before Carlos can get off. "You forgot the first rule. Boyfriend sleeps with boyfriend."

Carlos rolls his eyes but that was the first thing Carlos told him. "Yes but if my boyfriend wants dinner, I can't sleep."

"Ok, fine. I'll let you break the rule this time." Logan yawns, eyes watering at his sleepiness. "But you have to kiss me." Carlos shrugs his shoulders at the simple request. He lows down his head and gently presses his lips to Logan's.

"OW!" Carlos suddenly yelps, jerking back and holds his bottom lip. He stares at Logan licking the smirk on his lips. His eyes twitch as he thinks if Logan just did what he thinks he did. "Did you bite me?"

"Yep." Logan gleefully answers. Carlos shutters. He can't believe it. In the span of ten minutes he promised that he won't change Logan but look at him. He's biting in a kiss. Even Carlos never did that and he dated before. Now he feels guilty that Logan changed into a pervert because of him although technically, even James would agree, Logan was always a sexual, little fox from the beginning. "Can I bite your-"

"THAT IS TOO MATURE!" Carlos yells the secret code before Logan can say the body part, swinging his arms in the air.

"What does that mean again?" Carlos groans, feeling defeated against Logan. The little brunette has too much energy for Carlos to handle. "I'm joking, Car." He chuckles, resting his head back on the pillow.

Carlos shakes his head, staring at the boy he made. He knows that he committed the biggest crime in the world, robbing Logan of his purity but the smile on Logan's sleeping dimples says otherwise. He really does look like the most innocent person in the world when he's asleep (and not talking or biting). He doesn't look like anyone that's ever gone through hardships or problems. He looks like a boy, a normal boy that's finally getting a life he deserves.

"Move over, Logan." Carlos taps his shoulders and crawls under the fast asleep brunette. Throwing his shirt to the edge of the bed, he covers the blanket over them and drapes his arms around Logan. The brunette reciprocates, wrapping his arms around Carlos' warm skin.

"Thanks Carlos." Logan whispers into Carlos' pecs, another yawn escaping his lips.

Carlos smiles, yawning too. He tightens his hug, pulling Logan up so that his head is resting into the crook of Carlos' neck. The ticklish air from Logan's nose warms his skins and makes him content. He's happy, truly happy. Carlos hasn't said that in a while. He had his moments of happiness but never has he felt this constant bliss. It's not like the instant pleasure of a pancake dipped in syrup. It's like living with the guy you love forever. Having Logan in his arms is a great feeling. He finally found someone perfect for him. Even after all the drama of Logan's past and with James, napping with Logan makes everything worth it.

Even if they miss dinner.


I know it sounds like the story is going to end but there is more. I was planning to have this chapter half cargan and half with James coping with his feelings but the cargan part became too long and I don't want to add the James part and make the chapter bulky. Hopefully I'll update that chapter soon... (don't yell at me if I can't =[) And again, with James, there has to be someone to help him cope. I wonder who? ;]

Please review =]