The Scarebird (A Big Time Rush fanfic)
Rated: T
Pairing: Kames
Summary: AU. Sequel to "The Whipping Boy". King James and Kendall have been happily married for a year. And everyone is bugging them to adopt an heir, but they're having some disagreements on the subject. Can their marriage survive? Slash.
A/N: Um... so most of you voted for a sequel! So here it is! I really hope you all like it at least a little bit :D There were also a couple people who said they didn't want a sequel. I would suggest that those people not read this and I'd like to apologize to them for writing it anyway. This story (probably) isn't going to be as long as the other one though.
Chapter 1 - The Truth (Posted 8 June 2011)
"James?" Kendall asked as he walked into the throne room. "These new robes are... purple..."
"Yes, isn't it fantastic!" James shouted and ran over to him, tugging at the robes to admire them. "It's a new dye and it's gorgeous..."
"And expensive..." Kendall observed.
"You don't like it."
"No, I do like it, it's comfortable and it's not too heavy and..."
"And it's tight in all the right places." James wrapped his arms around Kendall's waist and kissed his neck softly.
Kendall laughed a little before playfully pushing James away. "Really, I like it, but..."
James ignored him and continued to eye him up and down. "Purple really is your color, too. But I think next time I'll commission it a few shades darker to accent your pale skin."
"James." Kendall distracted him with a kiss. "I like the robes. But how many times do I have to tell you that I don't need you to buy me all these expensive things?"
"I know that..." James said a little sadly. "I just can't help it. I love you so much, Kendall. When I see something I think you'll like, I have to buy it."
"Why?"
"Because I want you to know that I'm always thinking about you when I'm out. And I want to see you smile..."
"Oh, James." Kendall sighed. "You don't have to do that. I know how you feel but... you really shouldn't be so frivolous with your money."
"Are you mad?"
"No!" Kendall insisted apologetically, placing a hand on James's face. "I'm not mad, I promise. I just don't want you to think that my happiness comes from you buying me things. I'm happy that you think about it but that's all I need, to know you're always thinking about me, ok?"
"Ok..."
"James..." Kendall leaned in and breathed into James's ear. "You returned last night from a two week journey. But you didn't come to bed at all... and um... I meant to make this sound like I was worried about your sleep but to be honest I'm more worried about your..."
"Kendall!" James felt his face heat up. "Don't say things like that out in the open!"
Kendall laughed cutely and patted James's chest. "You're sheepishness about that subject is so cute. But really, we've been married for over a year now. At this point, whether we talk about it or not, people are going to assume we..."
"But that doesn't mean I want anyone to overhear." James pleaded, the redness in his face not fading. "That's... private. Something I only want to share with you..."
"Ok, I'm not going to complain about that." Kendall hugged him. "I wish you'd be a little less... prudish... about it... but I understand if you feel that talking about it makes it less sacred. I won't do it anymore, alright?"
"Thank you." James smiled.
"But... is something wrong?" Kendall asked seriously.
"Wrong?"
"You've been... kind of distant the last few weeks. I mean, you didn't come to bed last night. I know how you get when you can't sleep. And you know if there's anything bothering you, you know I'll do whatever I can to make you feel better."
"I know. But there's nothing bothering me." James looked deep into Kendall's eyes.
"James, you should know better than to lie to me. I can always tell." Kendall said worriedly. "Is it nightmares again?"
James relented and hung his head. "The whole time I was gone."
"I knew it." Kendall rubbed his back. "The same ones?"
"Of course. Kendall, I know they're stupid..."
"They're not stupid." Kendall disagreed. "Please come to bed? I want to talk about this and then you need to get some sleep."
"But I have work to do..."
"You can't work, James, you're tired. Please? Don't make me worry about you any more than I already am..."
James looked up at his husband and saw genuine concern on his face. He hated making Kendall worry, but it made him happy to know that he cared about him so much. "I don't know..."
"Come on. We'll even skip your lesson tomorrow so you can make up any work you were supposed to do today. Please?"
"But I like my lessons with you..."
"James." Kendall said sternly.
"Ok." James said with a small smile.
Relieved, Kendall grabbed James's hands and pulled him toward their bedroom. He sat James down on their bed and began to untie and unwrap his robes. He put his sleeping robe on over his head and then dressed himself as well before sitting next to him and capturing his lips in a passionate kiss.
"About those nightmares..." Kendall prompted once they were laying next to each other all tucked up under the covers.
"They're always exactly the same. In one I'm back at the day you showed up to fight that other swordsman. And when you run up to me, flashing your sword... I can still feel it, that moment when I realized it was you... and I'm so happy I feel like I'm going to float away. But then you take your mask off and it isn't you anymore, it's someone else and they take their sword and aim it right at me and..." James cut himself off and snuggled closer to Kendall.
Kendall held him tight and rubbed his head comfortingly. "And the other one?"
"In the other one... we're married... I can tell because we have our rings on. But one day I come inside the castle from somewhere I don't know and everyone is saying you ran away again..."
Kendall sighed and just held his husband as he calmed down. "James... I'm so sorry this keeps happening."
"It's not your fault. It doesn't happen when I'm sleeping with you."
"You still worry about it." Kendall guessed. "Even after all this time, you're still afraid I'm going to leave you."
"I'm sorry, I just can't control it. I know you love me and you don't want to leave again but... you were gone for so long, Kendall. I can't deny that there's a part of me that thinks that this can only last so long until you decide you're not happy again."
"Don't be sorry, James. I'm not upset with you, ok?" Kendall hushed him. "Why would I be upset about you being concerned for my happiness? James, I love you. And having you worry about me feels... kind of good. I know you really care about me. But I just wish it didn't hurt you so much."
"Kendall I just keep thinking that there's nothing I can do to make you happy. When you were Pienn Régis you had your shoppe and you had fame and you did it all on your own. Here you're just all cooped up..."
"Oh, come on now." Kendall said. "For one thing, I still am Pienn Régis, we told everyone at our engagement announcement. And I am still famous. I'm married to the King, after all. But I don't need all of that to be happy. That made me happy when I thought I couldn't have you. But now I have you, so what do I need with fame an overrated alias?"
"You mean that?"
"Of course I mean it." Kendall hugged him closer. "I love you. And loving you and being loved by you makes me as happy as I could possibly be."
"You're just saying that because it's cute." James pouted.
"I am not. It's the truth. You've said similar things to me. Were you just saying it to be cute?"
"Of course not." James huffed at the preposterous idea.
"Exactly. I wouldn't just say that to shut you up. I mean it. And I'm not upset with you about anything. I just wish there was more I could do for you."
"You don't have to worry about it, Kendall." James said.
"Yes I do. I worry about you all the time. You have nightmares. You go out on these journeys all alone..."
"I'm not alone. I have my guards with me. Guards that you trained. I'm perfectly safe with them." James insisted.
"I know you are. But that doesn't ease my worrying. You should understand that."
James sighed against Kendall. "I suppose I do."
"I just wish I could..." Kendall gasped a little as an idea occurred to him. "I could go with you."
"With me?"
"Yeah. When you journey out to see your people or visit other nobles. I could go with you, couldn't I?"
James shook his head. "No."
"No?" Kendall frowned. "But... then you wouldn't have nightmares because I'd be there to sleep with you. And we wouldn't have to be worried about each other..."
"I'd still be worried about you." James interrupted him.
"You would?"
"Of course! Kendall you're my husband. Anyone who would be after me would come after you as well."
"But..." Kendall protested. "But your mother always used to travel with your father. She still does!"
"We're not having this discussion." James rolled over onto his side and faced away from Kendall.
"Yes we are!" Kendall jumped on top of him and laid him flat on his back. "Why can't I come with you?"
"Leave it alone, Kendall."
"No. I won't leave it alone. I want to come with you. I'm the best swordsman in the world. I can protect us from anything better than your entire guard! In fact it would probably be safer for me to go with you."
"I know that..."
"Then what's the problem?"
James mumbled something. It was almost cute enough to make Kendall laugh, but he was insistent.
"What?" Kendall asked.
"I'm afraid you're going to run! Ok? While you're here in the castle, I can at least try to keep you here and I can feel a little better knowing you're here, waiting for me. But if you're out there with me... we're out in the open. With no one to stop you if you would decide to run away or... if you would just see someone... more appealing... like a woman..."
"A woman...?" Kendall was incredulous. "James I would never leave you for someone else... So that's what this is about? All this time... it wasn't just that you were afraid I'd run away, you were afraid I'd find someone else I love more than I love you?"
James nodded shyly.
"James." Kendall bent down and kissed him so hard he pushed him back into the bed. "I'm hurt. You really think so little of me?"
"What?" James asked sadly.
"You really think I would desert you for someone else? You think I'm not being completely honest when I tell you that you have complete control over my heart?" He licked James's neck, making him shiver.
"No. That's not... what I meant..." James was struggling to form coherent thoughts as Kendal kissed him all over.
"Oh? Then please, do explain."
"Kendall... it's just that... you're a man. And men... like women. So I can't help but worry... that you're going to realize... that this isn't really what you want."
"James. My dear, sweet husband." Kendall flicked his tongue over James's ear, reveling in the tiny moan that escaped his mouth. "Have you forgotten that you are also a man?"
"Wha..."
"James, if you think that I would lust after women, would it not be fair that I would fear the same thing from you?"
"I don't... want anyone else... Kendall." James sighed.
"Exactly. I know that. So why can't you seem to understand that I belong to you?"
"People aren't... property." James said, remembering one of Kendall's lessons.
"Ah, but that changes with marriage. I'm yours. And you're just as much mine. I'd never let anyone take you away from me. And I'd never give you up. Ever. You hear me?"
"Uh huh." James grunted as Kendall slid against him.
"So... no more thinking I'll leave you for a woman?" Kendall asked against James's chest, making James's flesh vibrate.
"Mmm. No more."
"Good." Kendall kissed his jaw. "And no more journeying without me?"
"I promise." James wrapped his arms around Kendall and forced his weight on top of him.
"Oomf!" Kendall was winded for a moment. "I thought you were tired." he said playfully.
James breathed against Kendall. "I need you more than I need sleep."
"I was hoping you'd say that."
A/N: Well. Hmm... I don't like this very much... but I do have a pretty interesting story line in mind. So if you managed to read that without barfing/falling asleep, I think you'll like what I've got in store for you! Reviews are much appreciated :D