A/N: *sing-song voice* I'm baaaaacckkk! Wow, now that exams, applications, and Christmas celebrating is finally done, I have time and energy to write again! Yay! I hope all of you had wonderful holidays and are looking forward to the New Year. I have many exciting stories planned, so I hope you'll stick around! Enjoy the Chapter, and feel free to drop a review and tell me what you thought!
Logan looked up as a loud slam and the sound of angry footsteps met his ears, just in time to see Kendall rush past him, a frustrated look on his face and a tear making its way down his cheek.
Taken aback, Logan quickly hopped off the chair he'd been occupying in the kitchen and raced around the table, nearly killing himself, but stopping Kendall before he could reach the front door.
"Kendall, stop. What on Earth happened?" he asked calmly, concerned at the guilt in his friend's eyes.
Kendall didn't say anything, and with a swift shove of his arm, he pushed Logan put of his way, and ran out the door, a soft sob escaping his lips before it swung shut behind him.
For the second time that day, Logan was speechless. What's going on?
"L-Logan?" He heard Carlos' soft voice coming from Kendall's room, full of worry.
Without a second thought, Logan reached the partially closed door, pushed it open.
Carlos sat on the carpeted floor, his arms wrapped protectively around James, who was sobbing uncontrollably, one hand cupping his cheek and mouth, and the other grasping Carlos' arm, which was wrapped around his chest. Carlos' eyes were watery as well, as the compassionate Latino tried desperately to console his distressed friend.
"Sh, sh, James, you're okay, it's going to be fine. Calm down, buddy, you're alright." Carlos whispered into James' ear, lightly rubbing his shoulder.
Carlos' frantic attempts to soothe the trembling brunette fell on deaf ears. James didn't respond to Carlos's soft, caring words at all, as, if it were even possible, he cried even harder, his eyes squeezed shut so tightly it looked like it hurt. Logan dropped to his knees beside them, feeling lost.
"Carlos, what happened?" he whispered.
"H-he won't tell me... He mentioned something about Kendall, but I couldn't make it out..." he responded just as quietly, worry in is chocolaty eyes.
"James?" Logan whispered, looking at his friend straight in the wide hazel eyes, which opened at the sound of Logan's anxious voice.
"Y-yes?" he whispered. His lower lip trembled as more tears snaked down his reddened cheeks.
"Could you tell me what happened, buddy? Please, we want to help."
James let out another sob, allowing more tears to escape his crying eyes, before nodding brokenly.
"I w-walked in to w-wake Kendall up, and h-he just started y-yelling at m-me." James choked out, before letting out another sob and hugging Carlos even tighter.
Logan nodded slowly, accepting James' explanation for now, knowing that if he pressed further, it wasn't going to end well. He leaned forward, and gently lifted the hand James was using to cover his cheek, gasping when it revealed a large, angry red mark on the side of his friend's face. Logan swallowed, as James swatted his hand away, and resumed grasping the stinging red spot. If the argument had gotten this bad, how on Earth had he or Carlos not heard it earlier?
"Did Kendall do that, James?" he whispered, tears pricking at the corners of his own eyes. It almost physically hurt him to ask such a question, yet he had a feeling he already knew the answer.
His guess was confirmed when James nodded again, the tears not stopping, but finally slowing down.
Logan and Carlos looked at each other sadly, their eyes meeting as they shared a pained, sympathetic glance. Logan saw that the emotional Latino's eyes were pooling with tears as he once again began stroking James' hair along with rubbing rhythmically between the tall brunette's shoulder blades.
Logan sighed.
"Carlos, why don't you go get some ice for James, okay?"
The little Latino looked startled for a second, "But I- Okay," he responded after seeing the serious look on his friend's face.
"I'll be back buddy, I promise." He told James softly, before detaching the tall boy from himself, hugging him gently before he quietly left the room.
Logan looked to James, who seemed to close to being able to function again.
"James, look at me."
He hastily obeyed, their eyes meeting in seconds.
"Tell me the full story, James. I know Kendall gets angry sometimes, but something like this wouldn't just happen out of the blue, right?"
James nodded, and cast his eyes down again. Right.
"W-well…" he began, "I c-came in to wake Kendall up, like you asked. He seemed…Out of it, I-I guess, but I tried to cheer him up. I was a little overbearing, I a-admit…And I pushed him too far…. There was an argument, and he said some things, and I said… a thing. It got out of control, and t-then this…" his eyes glistened again as he gestured somewhat dramatically to his scarlet cheek.
"Hmm." Logan replied thoughtfully. "I understand…"
His eyes narrowed as he stared blankly for a moment, in deep thought. He definitely knew where James was coming from, and while he was taking some of the blame, he just couldn't see Kendall getting so angry or violent over a stupid argument. Yet, James could be pretty annoying sometimes, he had to admit. Something just wasn't adding up. He didn't have every piece of the puzzle yet.
"Are you sure that's all that happened?" he asked.
James hesitated before nodding again.
Logan let out the breath he'd been holding. "Alright, James, come on. We'd better go make sure Carlos hasn't killed himself trying to get the ice."
James smiled a tiny bit, and Logan did, too, as he stood up slowly, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down.
They walked to the door and pushed it open, glancing around the kitchen.
"Carlos?"
"'Litos, where are you?"
Logan frowned, stepping out of the doorway, his eyes combing the room for their little friend. A cup of ice water sat on the counter, condensation dripping down the glass, and next to it was a half-thawed ice pack, sitting on what looked like a napkin. James and Logan looked at each other as they approached the counter. Logan handed James the water and cold pack, as he looked down at what he'd thought was a napkin.
It was a note, scrawled in Carlos' scribbly-yet-neat handwriting.
'Dear Logie and James,
I decided to do something useful and go look for Kendall. Don't worry, I'll be fine, just look after James. I left an ice pack and water, 'cause his cheek probably stings, and I know crying makes him thirsty. I took my bike, so if you don't see it, don't think that somebody stole it or something. I'll probably be back before you can say 'Carlos to the rescue!', but if I'm not, just call me. I think that's everything…. Oh, yeah! Tell Jamie I love him, and I hope he feels better! Haha, I love you, too, Logie! I'll bring Kendall back in two shakes. (Heehee, I've always wanted to say that).
Love,
Carlos'
Logan just had to laugh. The whole note was just so Carlos, everything from the laughter to inserting things that didn't have to be there.
"Hey, James."
"What?"
"Carlos loves you."
James' brow furrowed.
"Huh?" he asked, in between sips of water. Logan waved the note around, and James grabbed it, scanning it quickly. His eyes lit up as he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he tried to hold back laughter.
It didn't work.
He doubled over giggling, tears running down his face for a completely different reason than they had been a few minutes ago. His sides hurt as he struggled desperately for air through the hysterical laughter that was bubbling up in his chest.
"I-" he paused, gasping for breath, "I love him, too…Hahaha-" he was laughing so hard that he couldn't make a sound.
Logan smiled, finally able to push past his swirling thoughts and relax a little. Oh, Carlos.
Somehow, he managed to make anything bad a whole lot better, just by being himself.
A/N: Yay! I love Carlos and his adorable happiness! Carlos and Kendall next Chapter, so stay tuned, my lovely Rushers!
Much Love,
Candie ^_^