Celerity: Chapter 6 – No Matter What

Author: Malachite

Disclaimer: BTR is not mine. This story is. Please review.

As the boys walked into the pizza parlor a pretty young blonde hostess smiled brightly at them. "Hey there, welcome to Mario's. Two of you?"

James nodded as Carlos inhaled deeply, basking in the delicious smell of real, fresh Italian deliciousness.

"Alright," chirped the blonde girl as she pulled out a couple of menus from her little podium. She motioned them to follow her into the dining area. "Booth or table?"

"Booth!" both boys exclaimed, before turning to each other and grinning. It was great to be with someone who understood you.

"Sure, here ya are. Your server will be by in just a bit." She placed the menus at a nice roomy booth, rushing off to go seat more customers.

Carlos started to sit down, but James caught his hand, entwining their fingers. The pretty boy had a strange glint in his eye that Carlos couldn't place. Carlos looked at James quizzically. "Huh?"

James smiled that heartthrob smile of his, pulling Carlos after him as he slid into the booth. "Sit next to me."

"Oh, uh…okay?" Carlos wrinkled his nose at the somewhat strange request, but shrugged the weirdness off, sliding in next to James. James grinned even brighter, wrapping an arm around Carlos' shoulders and pulling him close. Carlos had to admit, it did feel really nice to be curled up next to James…the boy's solid, warm body made him feel so relaxed. He secretly loved how touchy-feely he could be with the other boy, typical personal boundaries not existing, or at least not mattering. It was normal for them to always be hanging all over each other. Usually James wasn't this close to him in such an obvious way in public though. Carlos bit his lip as he glanced around. Was anyone from his church here? Many people did go out to lunch afterwards.

His worries were derailed as an insanely delicious smell hit his nostrils. He gasped and let out a rather unmanly squeal of pure happiness as a large, steaming basket was slid in front of him. "CHEESE BREADSTICKS! YES!" He grabbed one immediately, dunking it in the convenient marinara sauce and moaning orgasmically, while doing the "Hot, hot!" mouth-open hand-wave. He was starving.

James chuckled and smiled at the perky waitress who had delivered the food. "We'll have a large pepperoni and two cokes."

She glanced from Carlos (now finishing up his second breadstick) to James, eyes narrowing slightly as they traced across James arm still slung over Carlos' shoulders, lips pursing thoughtfully. James simply turned up his smile, combining it with a devastating wink and slight head toss to get his bangs to oh-so-perfectly fall over his forehead. She swooned, giggled, and skipped off to place their order.

"You know, it's almost too easy how you do that." Carlos wiped his saucy fingers with a napkin, giving James a knowing look.

"It's easier that way." James managed to snatch a breadstick for himself, thoughtfully dipping it into the marinara sauce cup as his gaze flickered in the direction that the waitress had gone. "I didn't like how she was looking at you."

"Whatever." Carlos couldn't bother to worry about anything else when there were still two more chewy, garlic-buttery breadsticks dripping with gooey cheese waiting to be inhaled.

James delicately wiped his hands with a napkin, then gently laid a hand on Carlos thigh, squeezing a little. "You're okay sitting this close to me?" he murmured, "People might think we're on some kind of gay date…"

Carlos finished up the last breadstick, then turned to James and smiled brightly. "I know, but…when I'm with you, it's okay. I don't care. I like sitting next to you."

And really, it was that simple. Being with James made him happy. Carlos always did things that made him happy, and wasn't one to think of the consequences of doing so. Sitting next to James in a cozy booth in the dimly-lit rear corner of the restaurant felt natural. When their legs touched, he felt warm and relaxed, like everything was right in the world.

James grinned and ruffled Carlos hair, freeing it from the gel that was slicking it down. "I like sitting next to you too. I'd try sit you in my lap…but there's not a lot of room…and I'd never get any food!"

"Mmm, a whole large pizza just for me." Carlos snickered as James pouted. "Just kidding, I'd never let my best friend starve."

"Aww, thanks man. I'd never let you starve either. I'd share my last dinosaur chicken nugget with you." James paused and looked thoughtful.

Carlos blinked at the other boy going quiet all of a sudden. "You okay man?"

"Yeah, I just…" He shook his head, then blew his bangs out of his eyes. "I just feel like I have to tell you…"

"Tell me what?"

"Carlos…" James placed his hand over the other boys' smaller one. "I'm going to love you no matter what. Kendall and Logan too." He took a deep breath, voice low and rough. "I saw how you looked this morning and…I just feel like you have to know."

Carlos stared up at James as he turned the words over in his head. "No…matter…what?" he whispered, squinting his eyes and looking at the other boy quizzically, as if he couldn't quite grasp the thought.

"No matter what. You'll always have us behind you. You can always rely on me to be there." James nodded firmly.

"No matter what…" Carlos closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. "No one's said that to me before…" There had always been requirements for his belonging, for people loving him. He knew his parents would definitely act differently towards him if they knew the real him. They would have to.

James took a quick glance around the restaurant, then discretely took Carlos' hand in his and pressed a kiss to it. "I'm really happy you're gay too."

"Huh?" Carlos gawked at James' strange choice of words. "Why?"

"Cause I can be with you like this, and neither of us have to worry about not being straight enough." James grinned as he ruffled Carlos' hair to finish changing it from slicked-down church boy to cute faux-hawked pop star.

Carlos closed his eyes, leaning against James' shoulder and into his touch. "I…like it too."

Author's Note: I tried/started continuing this chapter to make it longer, but it just seems best like this. All that was written in one night/sitting too…Probably will bring up some angst in the next chapter though.