Kendall watched James intently the entire ride home. What Gustavo had just done was completely uncalled for, not to mention fucked up. The brunette with glazed hazel eyes hung his head the whole time, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. Kendall growled. His little scene earlier was nothing compared to what he was going to do if James really took what Gustavo said to heart.

When the boys arrived at the Palmwoods and James climbed out of the car, Kendall was right on his heels. He ran a comforting hand down his crush's back on the elevator ride up to their floor in hopes of soothing him a bit.

"James?" Kendall called when he door to 2J was open and the brunette bolted for their bedroom. Kendall made it to the door just as it was being slammed in his face. He opened it immediately.

"James?" he said quietly, inching toward the bed where a figure was sitting and slumped over.

"Yes?" James answered.

"You okay, buddy?"

"Yes." There was a lump in James' throat that he was futilely trying to swallow as tears stung the corners of his eyes. Kendall noticed right away and swooped in to do everything in his power to make it better. He knelt in front of the slumped-over boy and took both shaky hands in his own.

"Hey, hey... talk to me, baby," Kendall murmured, not even thinking about how that sounded.

"He thinks I just don't try or something," James whispered as a few hot tears slipped down his flushed cheeks. "Like I don't work my ass off and have drive, and... and want this. I do want it, Kendall. You know how committed I am to this."

Kendall nodded and cupped one of his friend's cheeks in his palm. "I know," he said softly. "I-I can't even express in works how pissed off I was when that fatass Gustavo did that. Because you are so talented, James... I could listen to you sing forever. And you're more committed than any of us. He's just jealous because you're drop-dead gorgeous and his face looks like a legitimate ass."

James burst into a fit of giggled and covered his tomato-red face with his hands. Kendall grinned and grabbed James' wrists in an attempt to pull his hands away from his blushing cheeks.

"Let me see your beautiful face!" Kendall laughed. James submitted, trying to control his giggling.

"Do you really mean that?"

"100 percent," the blond nodded.

"I mean, what you said about my... face, and me being gorgeous or something..."

"Yes, I meant everything I said," Kendall answered. There was a silence between the two for a few moments. "And James?" The blond asked while fidgeting slightly, obviously nervous about what he was about to say.

"Yeah?" James asked, his guard automatically going up. Kendall took a deep breath.

"I meant what I said yesterday too, a-about liking you. I mean, I like you."

"Why do you like me?" James was genuinely perplexed.

"Well, I don't know if you realize this, but you're really fucking beautiful. And not just your looks. All of you. I mean sure, you don't show your appreciation and love for people in the typical way, but that's what's so awesome about you. I'll never forget the time when I was all bummed out about Jo and you screamed at me, saying that I "wouldn't let you in" or something. It was so fucking adorable," Kendall said as an absolutely mesmerized James sat staring at him.

When James finally found his voice, he smiled shyly at Kendall and said, "I like you too."

Kendall grinned and jumped up to hug James, pushing them both onto the bed and climbing on top of the other. He attacked James' face with kisses, his chin, nose, forehead, and finally his lips. The brunette eagerly kissed back and grabbed a fistful of Kendall's hair, tugging hard and earning a groan in response. The kiss quickly heated up from there as Kendall rolled them over so James was on top. Large and calloused hands found their way to the brunette's ass and pulled the two boys' hips even closer together. James may have been on top, but he was giving the other total control.

Kendall couldn't get enough. He couldn't take his hands off of James' ass and his now tiny arms. But James was beautiful, always was, and Kendall knew that the brunette always would be. James let out this little whimper and every little sound that he made went straight to Kendall's groin.

"Mmph, need more," Kendall mumbled against the perfect pair of kiss-swollen lips. James moaned, high-pitched and feminine, and Kendall began fingering the hem of James' shirt. He felt the brunette tense up but didn't give it much thought, and pulled the shirt up and over his pecs, running eager hands all over the flawless tanned chest. James tensed up even more.

In an attempt to relax him, Kendall rubbed soothingly at his lower back and stroked his chestnut hair gently. James was whimpering now, but it wasn't a pleasured sound this time. It sounded more scared. The confused blond brought his hands to James' ribs and began running his hands up and down the boy's sides and near his belly.

That was when James snapped. He leaped off of Kendall and tugged his shirt back down hastily to cover his belly and chest.

"What's wrong?" Kendall asked, alarmed.

"Don't touch me like that." James' voice was shaking fiercely. Kendall's heart sank and his stomach suddenly felt upset.

"I-I'm sorry, James, I-" he began, but the other just shook his head and stood up, tripping over his feet to get to the door.

Kendall watched his crush leave, absolutely dumbstruck. What had just happened? And how was Kendall going to fix it? Don't touch me like that. The words rang through his head over and over and he swallowed back the lump in his throat. Did James not want Kendall as much as he had thought? Maybe the fragile boy was just really confused and mistook the comfortable feeling of being fawned over for a crush or something.

In the living room, James had mostly composed himself and had settled on the couch between Logan and Carlos, who were completely absorbed in Bio Hazard: Battle Blast IV.

Carlos glanced at James and did a double-take when he saw the look on his friend's face. "James, what's wrong!" Carlos exclaimed, throwing his controller down and putting an arm around James. The trembling boy flinched at the touch but eventually relaxed into Carlos. Meanwhile Logan started scolding Carlos for stopping in the middle of the game, but was soon distracted by James' current state.

Kendall had wandered into the living rom and was watching the scene in front of him from the doorway. If it was possible for him to get any more discouraged than he was before, he did.

"What are you doing?" Katie's voice jolted Kendall out of his dazed state.

"What?" he replied dumbly, making a pained face at how idiotic he sounded.

"What are you doing?" his little sister replied forcefully.

"I'm..." Kendall tried, searching for words and finally giving up with a defeated shrug.

"You're watching ruefully as Carlos comforts James about something that clearly has to do with you?"

"I really underestimate you sometimes, Katie," Kendall replied, eyes wide in shock at his little sister's insight.

"Don't change the subject," she said. "What's going on between you two?" Kendall sighed deeply.

"I don't even know."

"Need me to do some digging for you?" Katie smiled mischievously while rubbing her palms together. Kendall laughed softly.

"It's okay. Thanks, though."

"Just let me know." With a shrug, Katie headed toward the kitchen and left Kendall standing in the doorway. Watching James again. He growled in frustration and rubbed at his forehead.

James felt so humiliated. He and Kendall had had the most beautiful moment together, exactly what James had wanted for as long as he could remember. And he had to go and ruin it because he was so fucking insecure about his weight. All of Kendall's touches had felt right. James trusted the blond with his life- which was why he didn't want him touching anywhere near the belly until James was at his goal weight.

He watched out of the corner of his eye as Kendall slinked into the living room, going unnoticed by Logan and Carlos, and continued into the kitchen. What if Kendall wouldn't want James anymore, after that episode? The thought made the brunette nauseous. He slumped into Carlos even more at that, willing Kendall to emerge from the kitchen so he could at least read the blond's facial expression. So James could get a feel of just how done Kendall was with him at that point.

James shook his head in an attempt to shake those thoughts. Carlos reached a hand p to hold the brunette's head against his chest comfortingly. Hearing the smaller boy's heartbeat, James began to relax and his eyes started feeling heavy. Carlos' warm hands were massaging the taller boy's scalp and before he knew it he was fast asleep.

James looked around the pitch-black room and gently stirred. How long had he been asleep for? Where was he? And... who was holding him?

James ran his hands up the arms that were wrapped tightly around him, much longer than Carlos' arms, although the brunette vaguely remembered falling asleep on the shorter teen. James squirmed around a bit to look at the person who was currently spooning him, but the room was pitch-black and James was out of luck.

He reached a hand up to shake the person awake and his hand collided with their face: a face with a very distinct nose that could only belong to Kendall. James' heartbeat instantly sped up and the events from the night before came flooding back.

James couldn't seem to suppress the extreme relief and excitement he felt at that moment. He hadn't ruined everything. Kendall still cared, and enough to sleep cuddled up next to him.

"Kendall?" James whispered. Silence. He repeated the action and started shaking the blond lightly.

"Mmm?" Kendall answered sleepily, pulling James a bit closer and tucking his face into the boy's shoulder.

"Hey, listen," James giggled, still in a hushed tone.

"What," Kendall groaned. He didn't move, kept his face tucked into James' shoulder and soft hair, so James turned around to face him.

"Kendall," he whispered. Kendall rubbed his eyes. "I have to tell you something."

"Okay."

"I'm so sorry about last night. I was completely out of line and I should have just told you straight-up-"

"Oh my God, you don't want to be with me. You didn't have to act like you liked me," Kendall interrupted, withdrawing a bit.

"That's not what I was going to say," James urged. "Just listen to me, okay?"

"But you didn't want me touching you. We can go slow, James. You want to go slow? We don't have to do anything. I just want to be with you."

"No, that's not it. I wanted it, so bad. You have no idea. I just... I can't... my body," James said in a small voice. Kendall's eyes widened and he pulled the boy closer.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I was so insensitive."

"No, no. It's okay." James leaned up ad nuzzled their noses together. "I just need some time."

"You're more than worth it," Kendall breathed. Their mouths were millimeters apart and Kendall wanted so badly to close the distance and kiss those perfect lips, but he knew that it would be best to let James make the first move.