A/N—Hey all, time for the next chapter of this one. Hope everyone's doing well. Thank you for reading!

There was a breakfast bar in the apartment, but James' habit was to eat settled back into the sofa with his feet up on the coffee table, usually while engrossed in the latest celebrity news on television. Kendall's presence in the adjacent chair didn't change that, and James was able to ignore Kendall's steady gaze on him as he chowed down on a bowl of chicken and rice.

Mostly. By the time he was three-fourths of the way through lunch, the green eyes staring at him were almost impossible to avoid. "Stop it," he finally ordered, mouth full of chewed-up mush.

Kendall's stare didn't waver. "Stop what? I'm simply sitting."

"You're staring at me and it's annoying. Can't you look at something else?"

"You are my mission. There is nothing else to pay attention to."

James rolled his eyes. "Try watching TV. You might learn something about how humans behave."

Kendall's eyes flicked toward the screen. "You seem extremely interested in the lives of others."

"I have to be. These aren't just people, they're important people. I'm going to be like them one day."

Referring to the current story on the screen, Kendall said, "You're going to be on television for walking a dog? What makes that important?"

"It's not what she's doing, it's who she is. She's a celebrity."

"Ah yes. That is your goal in the short life you will have."

James' head whipped over sharply. "I thought you were here to save my life. Prolong it."

"Yes, but even if you were to live to be one hundred years old, that is a short life to my kind."

"Your kind," James spat. As he lifted the last bite of rice to his mouth, he mumbled, "God save us from your kind."

"Yes, that is exactly the point. God is saving you by sending us to keep you safe."

"Not at all what I was trying to say."

Kendall sat back in the chair, regarding James with curiosity. "I've noticed that you often say things that you don't seem to mean. Why is that?"

"It's called sarcasm, Kendall. Humans use it to make a point."

"What point would that be?"

"Uh, usually that we're annoyed. And disagree with what's being said."

"So...you were trying to say that you don't want to be saved?"

"Forget it," James sighed. "You kind of ruin the point of sarcasm when I have to explain it to you." He stood up, taking his trash to the kitchen and dropping it in the wastebasket. "I'm wondering if I should take a nap. I probably won't get much sleep tonight."

Kendall's gaze followed his every move. "I do not intend for you to remain at the party long, James."

"Your intentions don't concern me."

"On the contrary, they are all about you."

After inhaling a deep breath to keep from exploding, James returned to the living room but then kept going, not at all surprised when Kendall beat him to the bedroom. It should bother him that the popping in and out like that no longer surprised him, right?

He checked the time, then nodded to himself. "I can nap for two hours. Please go find something to occupy yourself."

"You are the only thing that ever occupies me. It is my—"

"Your mission, right." James reclined on the bed after kicking off his shoes. Kendall stood nearby, hands again clasped behind his back. James closed his eyes, needing to escape the constant stare; it made his skin crawl to be watched so steadily.

Two minutes later, he peeked through a half-open lid to find Kendall hadn't moved. "Please stop watching me."

"I cannot."

"Yes, you can. I'm perfectly safe here in my bed. Alone. Nobody here to fall in love with, right?"

"I...suppose."

"Then you don't need to watch me sleep."

"I would prefer to. Otherwise I would be nervous that you might be in danger."

"Oh my god, Kendall. From what?! I'm literally just laying here on the bed! Nothing is going to happen!"

"And I'm here to ensure that."

James let out a long groan of frustration before turning onto his left side, away from Kendall. Maybe with his back to the angel, he'd be able to relax.

It helped a little, at least enough to take his mind off the fact that he was being studied like a textbook. Sleep didn't come, though; instead his mind turned to the thing he'd been trying not to think about since leaving Rocque Records.

Logan, the guy who detested lies and was so bad at them because of that, had lied to Carlos' face without even flinching. There was none of the awkwardness that usually happened when he tried, no stuttering, no stumbling over his words. And he'd done it while talking about James, as if it was a lie he was used to telling.

Was this what ignoring them had led to? Logan was right that Carlos had texted and called too much; James had been extremely busy with Gustavo in the early days, exhausting himself between school (which he hadn't realized he'd have to continue) and working hard on songs that would become an album. James hadn't been annoyed with the communication from Carlos, but he'd definitely had to make his replies a low priority. After the first month, his end of the texts and calls had dropped off to nothing and eventually Carlos stopped trying. Now James understood why—Logan had taken over communication for both of them, or at least told Carlos that he would. In reality, Logan called no more than once a week, texted on the weekends, and hadn't even done any of that in...how long had it been?

James rolled over onto his right side to reach for his phone. The last call from Logan had been two weeks before. The last text? Over a month. James' last reply to either of those?

It shamed him to note that he hadn't answered in almost two months. No wonder Logan gave up. Especially when James made a point to post on his social media every day, because that's what you did to increase your relevancy and fame, yet he couldn't be bothered to even send a "hello" to his best friends. Logan's last text had been asking about his birthday. More than a month in advance, Logan had sent, "What do you want for your birthday? We wish we could visit, but our moms already said no because of school. Maybe we can at least do a phone call and send you something? We miss you, James. Hope you're doing okay."

After that, there had been nothing because James had never written back. Carlos would've been hurt to know that. Of course Logan lied to him.

"I thought you wished to sleep."

Kendall's voice startled him; he'd actually managed to forget that he was being watched. James set down his phone and turned onto his back, closing his eyes. "How am I supposed to do that with you breathing down my neck every second?"

"I was not aware you could feel my breath from this distance. I can hold it, if you'd like. This is a human body, but I can withstand conditions that most humans—"

"Will you stop taking everything so literally?" James snapped. His eyes flew open. "It's a fucking figure of speech, Kendall! It's impossible to even talk to you, fuck!"

Kendall didn't move a muscle, but something in his eyes shifted. It was enough to shame James further; for someone who wasn't used to emotion, it said a lot that his hurt showed. "Forgive me. I'm still learning your ways."

James laid an arm over his forehead, feeling like a monster. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I know you're trying. I'm just...I don't know."

"May I approach, James?"

Wary now, James hesitated. He stared up at Kendall. "Approach?"

"You. The bed. May I sit?"

"Oh." Licking his lips, James considered that. He supposed it couldn't hurt. Kendall was here to protect him, not endanger him. He scooted toward the middle of the bed, leaving Kendall enough room to sit on the edge. "Go for it."

Kendall accepted the offer. He perched on the bed, upper body twisted to face James. "One of my colleagues once told me that humans have a habit of misdirecting anger and hurt. Is it possible that you are angry about something not related to me, but are expressing that anger toward me?"

James really didn't want to admit that. It pissed him off that Kendall was able to see through him so easily in this case. "It's...possible," he hedged.

"Perhaps it would help for you to discuss whatever it is that has made you so angry. If it is something I did, please tell me."

"No," James sighed. "I mean, it is annoying to have you watching me every second."

"I thought you enjoyed attention. Isn't that what you want? To be like those celebrities on the television? Watched and admired by thousands?"

James blinked, then blinked again. And one more time. Because Kendall...was right. That's exactly what he'd always wanted. Now it occurred to him to wonder what it might actually be like to have strangers stare at him constantly. To have fans attempting to break into his home. He'd experienced that to a degree with Kendall (at least he'd thought it was that at the time), and it had terrified him. Kendall raised a good point. If he couldn't stand being watched by one person (James used that term loosely), how would he handle millions doing it?

"James? Are you well? Can you speak?"

"I'm fine," James assured him. "Sorry, I just...forget that. It's nothing you did that upset me."

Kendall nodded. "I figured that was the case. Would it help to discuss the real issue?"

"I don't know. Probably not. I'm um...I'm thinking about Logan and Carlos."

"You're angry that Logan lied to Carlos about you?"

"No. I mean...not now that I get why. I think I'm angry at...me."

"At you?"

"Yeah. Because I've been a shitty friend. It's my fault Logan had to lie in the first place. Carlos wouldn't understand that I'm just busy. Too busy for him, apparently."

"You value his friendship greatly. That was in your file."

"It's true," James agreed. "I just maybe need to make sure they know that."

"I'm still confused as to why you cannot call them."

"It's not that I can't, it just feels pathetic on my birthday. Like I'm begging for attention."

"And if that was the case?"

James' brows drew together. "What?"

"I am asking you, if that was the case, would it be a bad thing?"

"Um, yeah. I'm above that."

"Would Logan or Carlos judge you for it even if they believed it to be true?"

"I...well...I mean, I don't want them to know that I'm lonely out here."

Kendall cocked his head to the side. "Are you lonely?"

James squirmed, the direct gaze feeling like an x-ray into his skull. "I just...I..."

"If you are, it's nothing to be ashamed of. They might even enjoy hearing that you miss them."

"Logan would worry about me. I don't want that."

"So is it better to lie to your friends then? Is that not what you were upset at Logan for?"

"Ugh, stop making sense, Kendall. I shouldn't have to think so hard on my birthday."

"I did not mean to upset you further."

James reached out to lay his hand over Kendall's. "You didn't. I'm just mad at myself. Mad that you're right."

Kendall's gaze finally moved away from James' face. It settled on their joined hands.

"Okay, okay, I'll call them. They should be home by now, unless Logan's running a marathon study session for Carlos. But even so, the library closes, so...yeah, they're probably at Logan's house." He sat up suddenly, gently pushing Kendall off the bed to swing his legs over the side.

"I believe that's a wise idea." Kendall moved away to give James space.

James picked up his phone, biting his lip as nerves fluttered to the surface. What if Logan wasn't happy to hear from him? Logan had every right to be angry. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"James? Have you changed your mind?"

"I'm just...what if Logan hates me?"

"I don't believe he does."

"You don't know him. He's gotta be pissed at me by now."

"Then perhaps you should apologize."

Kendall made it sound so simple. He didn't understand that Logan might hold this against him for the rest of his life. He'd be hurt that James ignored him, but furious that James ignored Carlos. "I don't know if that's enough."

"It's a place to start."

Kendall was right. Again. He was really starting to get on James' nerves with that. James decided on a Facetime call; he could gauge Logan's feelings better that way. He called up the number of Logan's cell, then hesitated before pressing the button to connect.

"James? Are you well?"

There it was again. Are you well? He was going to get really tired of that question over the next year, wasn't he? But at least Kendall cared. He swallowed and asked, "Would you um...would you mind...?"

"Oh, of course. You wish for privacy. I don't like leaving you, but I understand that—"

"No. That's actually not..." Why was this so hard to get out? "I was wondering if you'd um...sit with me."

Kendall's brows rose in surprise. "Sit with you? Now?"

"Y-yeah. You can occlude yourself, right? So they just see me?"

"They can see you through the phone?"

"I'm doing a video call, so yeah. And I'm scared that Logan's gonna hate me, and..." His courage failed him. "It's fine. You don't have to. I'm just being dumb."

"James, if I did not allow Gustavo to say that about you, why would I allow you to do it?"

James looked up slowly.

"You are not dumb. It is not a measure of intelligence to need help. If you need me, I'm here." Kendall rounded the bed to sit on it, getting comfortable against the headboard. He waited for James to join him, then disappeared.

"Kendall?"

His answer was a hand clasping his, though he couldn't see that happening. He felt the warmth of Kendall's skin against his own and he breathed out a relieved sigh. "I'm here," Kendall said softly. "Go on then."

With a press of his thumb to the screen, James sent the call through. He clutched Kendall's hand tighter as it rang, glad that Kendall responded in kind; Kendall might be annoying, but the fact that he genuinely cared meant a lot.

And that peaceful feeling he radiated into James' body didn't hurt, either.

Logan's face suddenly appeared on the screen and James' heart jumped in his chest. He hadn't realized just how much he'd missed that smile. "Is it really you?" Logan grinned.

"Hey!" All of the fear and pressure faded away. "Dude! It's so good to see your face!"

"Likewise. You look good. I'm surprised to hear from you, though. It's uh...it's been a while."

Now there was a bit of recrimination seeping into Logan's brown eyes. James deserved that. "Yeah, I um...is Carlos around?"

"He's downstairs taking a quiz I made up for him. Big test in science tomorrow. I just ran up to grab a book, and you called, and..."

"Listen, Logan...I'm sorry. I'm just so sorry that I never called or texted or..."

"Is everything okay? I know you're really busy out there, but I started to wonder if there was more to it. You're not like...doing drugs or anything, right? I've heard it's easy to fall into that sort of thing in Hollywood and—"

"Dude no, I swear, it's nothing like that. I really was just super busy, and then the more time that passed I felt guilty for ignoring you guys, and then I got to a point where I figured you were both just mad at me for not calling, and..."

Logan shook his head. "Don't you know by now that even if we're mad at you, we still want to hear from you? I had to lie to Carlos, James. I didn't want him to know you weren't talking to us. It would kill him if he thought—"

"I know. Thanks for doing that. I hate that you had to, and I'm sorry I put you in that position. Things here have been crazy. I'm an asshole for letting this place get into my head so much that I was afraid to call you guys. I..."

"You what?" Logan waited patiently, needing to hear it.

"I miss you," James admitted softly. "Sometimes...sometimes talking to you guys makes me wish I was home. It's easier to just...not."

"At least that sounds more like the truth."

"All of it is true, Logan. I really do feel guilty. I hate myself for pushing you away."

"Then stop doing it. We're your friends, James. We're always here for you."

A squeeze to his hand reminded James that Kendall was, too. "Okay, enough of this shit. Don't make me emotional."

"Right, can't have you crying on your birthday, can we?" Logan smirked.

"You remembered!"

"Of course I remembered. Carlos really wanted to call you, but I talked him out of it. How about we go surprise him right now?"

James grinned, feeling lighter than he had in months. "I can't wait to see his face."

"Yeah? It's good to see yours, too. I'm serious, James. Call me anytime. And if you even try to ignore a call from us on Carlos' birthday, I'll—"

"I swear. I'll put a reminder in my phone to call him the second I wake up that day."

"You'd better. Now let's go make his day, and then you can tell us all about your awesome birthday as a rock star."

His awesome birthday as a rock star. It had started out shaky, but was improving hour by hour. He couldn't wait for the party to make it even better.

A conversation with Carlos turned out to be the thing James needed most on his birthday. He laughed more in the space of five minutes than he had the entire time he'd lived in California, because Carlos was just that kind of person—fun, hilarious, and a little bit crazy. After hanging up the phone and setting it on his nightstand, James settled onto his back and let out a content sigh, feeling much more relaxed.

"Are you well now?" Kendall asked softly.

James had almost forgotten he wasn't alone. He felt Kendall's leg against his shoulder, but still couldn't see the...yeah, Kendall had to be an angel. There was no use fighting the idea anymore. It didn't make any sense, but what did these days? "I do," James admitted. "I still miss them like crazy, but...yeah. I'm glad I called. Thanks uh...thanks for making me do it."

"I did not force you. It was merely a suggestion."

"Still. I wouldn't have done it on my own, so...thanks."

"You are welcome." After a pause, he added, "Your eyes have changed."

James frowned, not sure what that was supposed to mean, and looked up at Kendall—which was pointless because there was nothing to see. "Can you like...show yourself? It's weird talking to someone I can't see."

"Of course." Before the words were out, Kendall had reappeared.

"Better. Now what you do mean, my eyes have changed? Changed how?"

Kendall studied his face. "I am not sure how to explain it with words. Something has changed, though."

"Is it...a good change?"

"I believe so. There seems to be more of a spark in them than there was. More life."

James' lips curved up. "So that's what talking to my buddies does? Puts life into my eyes?"

Kendall shrugged.

"I should do it more often, then."

"I think that would be a good idea."

"Yeah." James hummed, mind at peace. "I still have time for a nap. Can you wake me around 5:30?"

"Yes, I can do that."

"Thanks. My phone's over here if you need to check the time."

"I have no need of a device for that. My internal clock tracks the time for the entire globe."

"Of course it does." He closed his eyes, wondering if Kendall would move away while he slept. He could ask Kendall to, but that suddenly felt like too much effort. His earlier euphoria was fading quickly as exhaustion set in. Thirty seconds later, James was out like a light.

Kendall remained at his side.