Gina (Caprice Squire) wanted some cute platonic Kendall and Carlos playing checkers where Kendall keeps cheating, so this happened. It was actually a while ago I kind of forgot to post it here lol

1.

"I don't like this game," Carlos huffs for the eighth time, crossing his arms and leaning back into the wall behind him; the bed shakes a little at the movement.

"'Cause you're losing," Kendall grins, eyes flashing as he considers the board between them, trying to predict Carlos' next move.

"'Cause you're cheating!" Carlos accuses, glaring at the other. Kendall places his hand on his chest, trying to look offended and innocent at the same time.

"I would never. How do you cheat at checkers? I can't believe you would even suggest-"

"What's the point of checkers, anyway?" Carlos interrupts loudly, uncrossing his arms and gesturing to the board, obviously unimpressed. "It's an old people game."

Kendall scoffs at this. "It is not an old people game! It can be fun for the young and lively, too." Or at least that's what Logan told him a few days ago when he introduced the game to Kendall in the first place. He's never really considered checkers before, mainly because he too previously associated it with the elderly, but after losing multiple times to Logan, he vowed to become the master of the game, and, along the way, grew to actually enjoy it. It is, of course, something that Logan would more likely be into, being that it takes some level of strategy and thinking ahead, which basically defines Logan, but there's something about outsmarting an opponent that makes Kendall feel powerful in this nerdy kind of way, because, Logan or not, checkers is kind of a nerdy game when it comes right down to it.

"Fun if you're boring," Carlos mumbles, sighing. "Why don't the pieces explode whenever you jump over them? That would be fun and lively." Kendall snorts.

"Then how would you play again?"

"That's the best part- since the pieces are all blown to smithereens, you never have to play again!" Kendall rolls his eyes and shakes his head, trying not to be offended (because he has gotten a little attached to his lucky checker board) and gestures with one hand back to the game.

"Your move, c'mon."

"Fine," Carlos huffs, glancing over his options- which, Kendall decides, he really has none; Kendall's got him cornered. Anywhere he tries to move any of his five pieces, Kendall's got at least one of his own lurking, ready to pounce. Carlos seems to realize this, as his eyebrows furrow while he stares hard at the board as if the arrangement of the pieces will magically shift according to his needs. After a few more moments he looks up at Kendall with a lost look on his face; what am I supposed to do?

Kendall bites his lip and says with a straight face, "Here- move this one," while pointing at one of Carlos' players. Carlos glares at him suspiciously.

"No way- if I move that one, you'll move this one, and then boom- this guy's out. Not fooling me, Knight. Not one bit."

"No, no, I won't do that," Kendall assures him innocently, grinning on the inside and trying not to let it show. "Really, c'mon, just move it."

"No, you've been playing tricks like that on me this whole time- it's how you're cheating!"

"I'm not cheating," Kendall asserts. "I'm suggesting."

"Yeah, suggesting ways to beat me! I'm not falling for it, I already told you!"

"Oh come on, it's just a game," Kendall sighs, beginning to get impatient. Logan never argues with him about these matters.

"But I wanna win!" Carlos pouts, and Kendall tries not to snort, because that would be mean, but really; Carlos is down to five pieces, and Kendall still has almost all of his. He's absolutely crushing the other- there's just about no hope for Carlos now. Which is why it doesn't matter which piece Carlos moves. Or, that's Kendall's justification for his making "suggestions." He is not manipulating.

"Carlos. Just make your move. Specifically this one."

"No."

"Carlos."

"You can't make me!"

"Wh- you're making this more difficult than it needs to be!"

"No I'm not! You're gonna take out my guy the second I move him- don't even lie!"

"I won't!"

"Promise!"

"No!"

"See?"

"Carlos-"

"Fine!" With a loud, angry huff, Carlos grabs up the piece they're debating over and slaps it down onto the next square. Kendall whoops in victory and proceeds to take out three of Carlos' pieces in one move. The noise Carlos makes is pure indignation and rage, his arms gesturing wildly from the board to Kendall and back again.

"I- You just- I told you!" he shrieks.

"No, you said that I was gonna only take out that piece, but I got those other two guys, too."

"Cheater!" Carlos exclaims hearing none of it. "Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater!"

"I'm not-"

The door to the apartment closes downstairs as someone enters, and the voices of James and Logan reach Kendall's and Carlos' ears. Carlos jumps up from the bed and runs out of the room, yelling, "Jaaames, Kendall's cheating at checkers!"

Kendall rolls his eyes and sighs, but grins, because he knows the truth- he won fair and square, without cheating, because Kendall is not a cheater.

Ever.

Logan enters the room, grinning knowingly. "You're really getting into that game, aren't you?"

"Hey. Checkers is a game for all ages, not just the elderly." Logan chuckles and joins him on the bed, sitting in the spot Carlos previously occupied.

"Think you've gotten good enough to beat the master?" Kendall grins mischievously, an eyebrow raised as a rise to the challenge.

"Oh, you know it."