A/N: Hello again everyone! Yes, I'm here with another story! But this is one is pretty short. It's also a story that I started about a year ago. It's closely based off a book that I read, and it's practically finished so I figured since I've been so busy lately, I could post this to hold everyone over until I can update my other stories more regularly :)
I'm also trying another writing style in this story. I've been trying different styles lately just to see what works best for me. This is also a little different because even though it's a Kames story, I kinda switched Kendall and James' roles. Usually, James is kind of the player in most stories so... well you'll see ;)
I've already given quite a bit away, so I hope you all enjoy!
Kendall stiffened as he caught sight of a tall brunet coming through the door of the bar. The guy looked around expectantly and Kendall stared in disbelief. It couldn't be… Oh hell, it was.
"Hey, James! Over here!" Kendall's friend Carlos waved at the newcomer who grinned widely as he approached.
Carlos stood to greet James, pulling him into a hug. "Welcome back to Minnesota."
"Thanks!" James replied. "It's nice to be home."
"This is my boyfriend, Logan." Carlos gestured to the guy beside him.
"Hi. It's good to meet you, James." Logan said, giving James a slight wave.
"Thanks, you too." James replied with a bright smile.
"And you remember Kendall?"
Carlos' words snapped Kendall out of his shocked state, reminding him to pay attention to the conversation and attempt to smile instead of gaping like a dead fish.
Kendall reached over the table, narrowly avoiding a pint glass with his elbow, and offered his hand for James to shake.
"Of course." James said as his hazel eyes met Kendall's green ones, and there was a spark of something in James's eyes. Maybe interest or amusement? His grip was strong, and Kendall missed the warm clasp of it when James released his hand.
"Good to see you again." Kendall said. "Are you back visiting for the weekend?"
"Nope. I'm here for good." James smiled. "It's kind of a long story. Anyway… I need to get a drink. Anyone want anything while I'm up?"
Kendall looked at the couple of inches left in his pint glass and decided he definitely needed more alcohol to deal with James being back.
"Yeah, a pint of beer, please."
As soon as James had left to go to the bar, Kendall leaned across the table and fixed Carlos with a heated glare.
"Why the fuck didn't you tell me?" He snapped.
"What?" Carlos tried, and failed, to look innocent. "I guess I forgot. You didn't know him that well, did you? I didn't think you'd be interested."
Logan was frowning between the two of them, obviously trying to figure out what was going on.
"Yeah, right. I've only had a crush on him for pretty much forever. Of course I'd be interested to know he was back in town." Kendall said before picking up his glass and gulping down the little bit of beer that was left.
"Yeah." Carlos chuckled. "Okay, I knew. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to see your face when he walked through the door." He said before turning to Logan. "It was an unrequited crush. James was totally straight when we were students."
"Wait, what?" Kendall asked , snapping his head back up to meet Carlos' amused gaze. "You said 'was.' Was totally straight?"
"Oh, did I forget to mention that part too? Yeah. He came out last year while he was in California. Changed his 'interested in' on Facebook." Carlos said, using his fingers to illustrate the quotes.
"Fuck." Kendall's brain wasn't ready to accommodate this new information. "Shit, he's coming back. You're such an ass for not telling me this before."
Carlos was busy trying to stifle his giggles as James walked back toward them with a tray of drinks, so Kendall addressed Logan instead. "Your boyfriend is an evil little shit."
Logan shrugged and put an arm around Carlos' shoulder, drawing him close. "Yeah. But he's my evil little shit, aren't you babe?"
Kendall rolled his eyes as Carlos turned to kiss Logan briefly on the lips and they gazed adoringly at each other.
"Save me from their nauseating sweetness." Kendall pleaded to James as he took a seat beside Kendall. "I have to live with this at home, and now I can't even escape it in the bar."
"Here." James said with a soft chuckle, passing Kendall his new drink. "So you live with these guys?"
"Yep. Me and Carlos carried on sharing a place after we graduated, and Logan moved in a few months ago."
Kendall had lived with Carlos ever since their first year of college when they ended up as roommates. They'd hit it off right from the start and had been best friends since.
James had always been part of their wider circle of friends. He'd been taking the same courses as Carlos, so they occasionally ended up at the same parties. James wasn't much of a party boy though, and on the rare occasions he'd been out drinking with them, he'd been pretty quiet. Not the center of attention like Kendall and Carlos often were.
But Kendall had noticed him all the same and had indulged himself in his straight-boy-crush, entertaining what he'd presumed were wild fantasies of turning James, showing him how great it could be to be with a guy. Apparently some else had beaten him to it.
Of course Kendall had never tried anything because he thought it would be a waste of time. So he's kept himself busy, sleeping his way through a string of different guys, experimenting, having fun, but never really falling for anyone.
Kendall's gaze dropped to James' large hand where it curled loosely around his glass. His fingers were long so long and they had a slight glowing effect thanks to the overhead light. Kendall realized he was staring when Logan broke the silence.
"So, James. Where are you living?"
"I've moved into a shared flat with Lucy. You'd know her, I think, Kendall? She had Biology with you."
"Oh, yeah." Kendall nodded, pictured the rocker girl with red streaked hair. "Yeah, I remember her."
"Her old flatmate just left to start a PhD in California, so she had a spare room."
"Nice." Carlos replied. "We're still in the same place we were living during our third year of college."
The conversation carried on for a while, moving on to discuss other mutual friends and acquaintances and what they were doing now. Many of them had initially stayed in Minnesota after graduation but were starting to drift away as better jobs and opportunities came up in other cities.
Kendall was unusually quiet, still struggling to digest the news that James was gay. Gay and out. Thinking back, Kendall never remembered him having a girlfriend while they were students. He wondered whether James had been celibate or just discreet about any same-sex experimentation.
As the evening progressed, their group got bigger. Other people arrived, more than could fit around their table, and the group split up a little. Some people stood in twos and threes chatting, and a few drifted off to the dance floor at the back of the room.
Kendall went to dance for a while, needing to burn off some of the nervous energy that was fizzing through him at seeing Kendall again. When he came back, he found Carlos standing at the bar waiting to be served, and their places at the table now taken by a couple of girls chatting with James and Logan.
"Hey." Kendall squeezed in beside Carlos. "Can you get me another beer if you're being served?"
"Sure."
Once they had their drinks, they stayed near the bar, leaning against the wall.
"Is that Lucy?" Kendall asked, looking more closely at the girls talking to James and Logan. "Wow. I almost didn't recognize her without her red streaks." He added jokingly.
Kendall's gaze then drifted to James and stuck there. James looked as good as ever. His brunet hair was cut in the same short style he'd had at college, except now, it looked like he may have used gel to keep it up. Kendall stared longingly at James' tall frame and strong shoulders and imagined what he'd look like with less clothes on. All that deliciously tanned skin that flushed so easily. Kendall bet it would be really easy to suck marks onto him, and he'd love to find out if he was right.
"Eye fuck him a little harder, and he won't be able to walk without wincing tomorrow. You're practically drooling. Why don't you go and talk to him?" Carlos said, giving Kendall a gentle nudge.
"I'm going to." Kendall turned his attention back to Carlos. "I'm biding my time."
"You gonna see if he wants to hook up, or go out sometime, or what?"
"I guess." Kendall said, taking a sip of his beer. "I might as well be upfront about it."
Kendall's usual strategy with picking up guys was the unsubtle approach. He'd never bothered with dating, preferring to be frank about his attraction and making it clear it was sex he was after. It rarely failed him. His green eyes and leanly muscled body appealed to lots of guys, and when he'd set his sights on someone, he didn't often get turned down.
Done! So yeah, I've kinda made Kendall a bit of a player in this story :P
Again, this story won't be too long, probably around fifteen chapters. But it'll have a little bit of everything. Comedy, romance, and of course some drama!
I'd really love to hear your thoughts on the chapter as well as how you think James will respond to Kendall's advances!
I'll be updating my story Haunted tomorrow! As for this story, like I said, I have a good portion of it already typed, so I'll be posting the next chapter within the next couple of days!
Until next time!
-Epically Obsessed