#kames oneshot

[jirachipasta]

i doodled lyn at work <3

she's got her papa's bushy eyebrows lol

[jirachipasta]

Guard Dog (A Kames Oneshot)

Pairing(s): Vampire James x Werewolf Kendall, Vampire James x Buffy the Vampire Slayer (sorta)

Characters: (Vampire) James Diamond, (Werewolf) Kendall Knight, (Zombie) Logan Hortense Mitchell, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Content Warnings: Fluff, BL, SFW, Mild Depictions of Violence

Word Count: 2,127

**In my headcanon, Werewolf Kendall looks like an actual werewolf. Not the matted hairball with fangs kind of look inspired by The Wolf Man (c. 1941). I mean the anthropomorphic wolf kind of werewolf with the ears, tail, maw—everything!

divider by @cafekitsune

James sprinted through hallways and hurdled over bystanders, his cape fluttering behind him and giving away his presence. The young vampire huffed with each frantic step as he ran for his life. "James!" A familiarly belligerent voice roared from the distance. James shrieked in response and glued his back to the wall once he turned around the corner.

The labyrinth of the Palm Woods' hallways played tricks on James' psyche, fooling him into perceiving his surroundings as far narrower and lengthy than they appeared. His chest rose and fell as he panted away the remnants of fear that kept him stationary. The door to apartment 2J was just out of arm's reach. Its signage of identification crested upon the white maple wood beckoned the trembling vampire with the promise of safety and security.

Just as James took his first step away from the wall, the weight of his assailant's footstep caught him by the end of his cape and caused him to stumble backward. His body hit the floor with a clamorous thud. The poor vampire groaned and writhed in pain as he desperately kneaded the aching pain out of his head. His eyes fluttered open only for him to be greeted by the harrowing sight of Buffy kneeling against his cape and towering over him with a wooden stake firmly in her grasp.

"Buffy, hey!" James swallowed thickly. "Long time no see!"

"For your sake, it should've stayed that way," Buffy grumbled as she tightened her grip.

"Hey, you're the one chasing after me!" James retorted with a sharp tongue. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were obsessed with me."

Buffy narrowed her eyes to slits and struck the floor right beside James' head in a flash. She broke through the floorboard with her stake, creating a snapping crash that pierced the vampire's ears. James yelped in response to Buffy's preliminary attack, letting his body tighten and tense like a shriveled raisin. "How's that for obsessed?" she teased, a mocking grin stretching across her face.

"Man, do I stand corrected! Speaking of standing..." James nervously chuckled as he fiddled with the clasp of his cape and removed it from his neck, thus freeing himself and rising to his feet. "See ya!" he squeaked as he scurried toward the door of apartment 2J and slammed it shut once he was safely inside. James sighed a breath of relief, letting his body sink and diffuse.

"Jeez, what have you been up to?" Kendall inquired from the living room floor as he scratched the back of his head with his hind leg.

"Oh, just running for my life is all. Nothing too crazy!" James remarked sarcastically.

The plunge of Buffy's wooden stake through the door caught both boys by surprise and caused them to snap their heads in her direction. James cowered in fear, and Kendall stood on all fours as his ear twitched in anticipation of Buffy's presence.

"James!" The vampire slayer cried as she kicked the door down and crossed the threshold into his home.

"Gyahh!" James shrieked as his fear kept him frozen in place.

Kendall's fur stood on end as a vigilant growl rippled past his lips. His maw created a downward curve in which his fangs bore out and glistened at their sharp edges. Buffy quirked a brow, mildly surprised by James' newfound line of defense but no less determined. She wielded the additional wooden stake from its leather sheath and widened her stance as she faced the defensive werewolf.

"Pathetic," Buffy uttered lowly. "Couldn't face me on your own anymore, so you needed your little mutt to come to the rescue?"

"Okay, rude," Kendall scoffed.

"Sorry."

"And for your information, I am not James' mutt. I'm his friend," Kendall explained.

"Mutt or not, you're not getting in my way," Buffy snapped.

"Oh, we'll see about that."

Buffy beckoned Kendall to step forward if he dared with the gesture of her hand. He snarled and lunged at her without a second to waste. The wolf boy bore his fangs in an attempt to subdue his opponent with a hazardous bite, but his maw was met with the block of Buffy's stake. She held him back by pushing the stake against Kendall's teeth, but there wasn't much force to give with only one hand.

Kendall snatched the stake out of Buffy's grasp, rattling it with a fervent shake as if it were a chew toy until he bit down hard enough to snap it in half. He sat before the vampire slayer, patiently awaiting her next move after realizing how much fun it was to have her weapon in his possession. Bewildered by Kendall's sudden drop in aggression, Buffy studied him with a puzzled look. She glanced down at her remaining stake and back at him. His round, wide puppy-dog eyes followed the stake as she slowly and painstakingly waved it around to steal his focus.

Buffy chuckled with amusement, waving her stake from side to side and in circles. Kendall's happily wagging tail swatted the air with an audible woosh. "This is actually kinda cute," Buffy grinned as she tossed her stake to the other side of the room for Kendall to fetch. He quickly scampered in its direction, his claws scraping against the hardwood floor as he scooped it up in his mouth.

After successfully retrieving Buffy's weapon, he returned to her and lowered it to the floor. However, she was hesitant to reclaim it, as Kendall's drool was dampening the wood. "Eugh... that's a little less cute," she remarked.

"Kendall!" James barked out of frustration, urging his protector to focus on the task at hand.

"Right, sorry!" Kendall squeaked apologetically, swiping the stake back from the floor and tossing it over to James to catch.

"Haha, yes!" The vampire cried triumphantly with the stake in his hand, mere moments before his face drooped with disgust. "Oh... nasty." James carelessly tossed the weapon out the window and draped his hand against his shirt to wipe away the excess drool.

"Hey!" Logan squawked out of annoyance, his severed arm pinned to the ground by James' projectile.

James snapped his head in Logan's direction and grimaced remorsefully at his zombie buddy's subdued appendage. "Sorry!" he cried apologetically through the window.

Kendall and Buffy stared awkwardly at James without the slightest idea of what to do next. Awkward silence held the room in a chokehold and swallowed each individual voice whole. The sounds of a ticking clock, the clearing of one's throat, and the occasional bated breath were all that was audible in that brief moment.

"So... what now?" Kendall uttered.

"Get her!" James snapped as he pointed a stern finger at Buffy.

As instructed, Kendall zeroed in on the vampire slayer. He narrowed his wolfish eyes as they gleamed dimly in the cascading glow of moonlight, and pounced on her with a hellish roar. Buffy's back hit the floor with a heavy blow, and she was caged in by Kendall's bestial hands digging into the floorboards by his claws.

She'd sooner break through the floor to evade Kendall's clutches if there was any space left to run. Buffy held her breath and grimaced as she averted her gaze from the wolf boy above her baring his teeth. She clenched her fists until her knuckles whitened with distress.

A string of saliva trickled down Kendall's maw from his lower fangs and petrified the vampire slayer with disgust. She wriggled and writhed to no avail until the thought of Kendall's doggish saliva getting anywhere near her broke her composure.

"Okay, alright, you win!" Buffy cried defeatedly. "Just get him off me before he drools on me!"

A smug grin proudly graced James' lips. The odds were finally in his favor despite it not necessarily being out of his volition. Still, the shift in their power dynamic was oddly refreshing.

"Leave now, and you can get outta here drool-free." James bargained.

"Yes, fine, okay! Just please get him off!" Buffy replied hurriedly.

"You got it," James grinned as he outstretched a firm hand to command his protector. "Kendall, heel!"

With the upward perk of his ears and tail, Kendall crawled off Buffy and scuttled to James' side, where he sat quietly. Buffy rose to her feet like a space shuttle rising to the sky and shuddered from the sheer repulsion of her prior circumstances. Her skin crawled in doing so, and her face contorted with sharp edges and asymmetrical lines.

"This isn't over," Buffy grumbled as she stomped over the severed door and stormed out of the apartment.

Kendall and James shared a kindred sigh of relief, allowing themselves to diffuse any bodily tension accumulated from the rush of Buffy's attempted assassination. As James turned his head to face his baby-doll-eyed protector, he held his breath at the sight of Kendall's wolfish gaze softening at him. A faint glimmer of the moon twinkled in his pools of emerald green.

"I didn't know you had that in you," James uttered as he outstretched his hand, hesitant in his decision to pet Kendall's head. His fingers grazed Kendall's fur, paving the way for his palm to rest between the ears. The vampire's hand swiveled slowly atop Kendall's head with meticulous strokes.

Kendall joyously wagged his tail and wore a toothy grin that eased James into the sensation of petting him. "Aww, good boy," James cooed as he knelt before the wolf boy, allowing his fingertips to trail across the terrain of fur until he reached behind the left ear and scratched accordingly. Ensnared in a particularly blissful trance, Kendall thumped his foot against the hardwood floor and doubled the speed at which his tail wagged. He gazed at James throughhalf-lidded eyes until they slowly fluttered shut so that he may fully relish in his touch.

"Wow, you really like this. Don't you?" James grinned with a warm chuckle. "Wait a minute..."

James' grin widened as he realized how effectively Kendall could defend him and follow commands. Inspiration struck in the corners of his devilish mind, and suddenly, having a drooling, aggressive canine companion seemed like a great idea.

"Say, Kendall," James began as he withdrew his hand from Kendall's head. "How would you feel about staying by my side today?"

Kendall leaned forward to savor every last second of contact before the feeling of the vampire's touch evaded him. He snapped his eyes open in a daze, not completely registering James' words until after he'd spoken them.

"Huh? What...?" Kendall murmured halfheartedly. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I need protection. You can provide protection. Buffy will surely be back, and I won't be able to avoid her forever, so that's where I need your help!" The vampire implored. "I can't keep looking over my shoulder and running for my life everywhere I go. I've got places to be, things to do, girls to talk to—this is no way for a gorgeous young vampire to live!"

"So you want me to be your guard dog?"

"No, you've got it all wrong. You're only protecting me from the teeny, tiny, ever-so-small threat to my life and safety. But you coincidentally just happen to be a canine predator."

"Okay, so a guard dog?"

"No, you're still not getting it. Think of it this way," James explained alternatively. "This is an exchange of goods and services. We are exchanging things that the other person is in dire need of. You're providing me with the service of protecting me from certain death."

"And what do I get in exchange?" Kendall inquired skeptically.

"You're in need of a good, right? So why don't I exchange your service for this good?" James offered as he returned his hand to its rightful throne behind Kendall's ear where he scratched until he watched Kendall's face droop like syrup spilling from the bottle. The wolf boy hummed contentedly, becoming putty in James' cold, undead hand. He melted like butter from the return of this pleasant sensation and nearly drooled from the fuzzy tingle fluttering in his chest.

"And if you're really good, I may even throw in a belly rub," James bargained as he trailed his hand down the side of Kendall's maw and cupped where his chin became his muzzle. "How does that sound?"

"Mhmmm..." Kendall muttered in a daze.

"That's my good boy."

Kendall clung to the remnants of his trance before it slipped through his fingers like sand. In snapping back to reality, he fully registered the words James used to lull him into disorientation. The wolf boy shook his head and narrowed his eyes at the vampire kneeling before him with an entirely new understanding of what he agreed to.

"Don't you mean a good boy?"

"That's what I said... isn't it?"

[jirachipasta]

anyone else get distracted from writing by daydreaming abt what you're currently writing??

[jirachipasta]

Date Night (A Kames Oneshot)

Pairings: James Diamond x Kendall Diamond, Lyn Diamond x Nathan Moon

Characters: James Diamond, Kendall Diamond, Amelia Evelyn Diamond, Nathan Moon, (The Mention Of) Jennifer Knight

Content Warnings: Fluff, BL, SFW, Teen Romance, Adult Romance, Marital Issues

Word Count: 4,792

Timeline: TWS Future

Thanks again for the inspo, @naquey! You're a peach!

James darted from wall to wall in a frenzy, nervously stroking the stubble on his chin as he shuffled toward every corner of the living room. He'd nearly sweated through his favorite crimson cashmere sweater from all his constant worrying. His lips caved in to create a straight line, and a few strands of his slicked-back hair broke free from the confines of hair gel as they fluttered before his forehead like tree leaves in the wind.

James' unfazed and unsympathetic husband reclined on their English-rolled arm sofa with his knees facing apart and his left arm limp atop one of the cushions. He scrolled aimlessly on his phone in his vacant hand, occasionally snorting to himself. Kendall saw James scurrying about from his peripheral vision, his right hand firmly kept behind him as he barely lifted his feet from the floor in his steps.

"Almost done, honey?" Kendall jested, his eyes never leaving the screen of his phone. The beginnings of a chuckle tugged at the right corner of Kendall's lips in a faint smirk. However, he received no answer. Instead, James narrowed his eyes to slits as he shot daggers at Kendall with whatever control in his glance he had left. He stood firmly in place as his lips curved into a rounded pout.

"C'mon, she'll be fine."

"You don't know that!" James retorted as he pointed a stern finger at his husband and his blasé demeanor. He wore a familiar sharpened look in his eye. One that connoted an underlying sense of worry beneath the surface of astringence, "For all we know, our little girl could be going out with an ill-mannered, foul-mouthed, hardened criminal."

Kendall hung his head low, gazing at James from the angled tilt of his face and cocking his brow in disbelief. He often wondered how he married a man who could jump to conclusions for sport.

"Really? You think some thirteen-year-old boy could be a criminal?" Kendall scoffed, "Don't you think you're worrying too much?"

"Don't you think you aren't worrying enough?!"

"Dad! Can you come help me with my makeup?" A shrill, just barely teenage voice called from upstairs.

"Be right there, princess!" James replied heartily, feigning innocence with a brave smile and a higher tone of voice.

"Princess...?" Kendall muttered.

"I get extra affectionate when I'm worried!" James cried, gesturing with theatric hand movements as he hurried to the staircase.

"Wait, so where are my pet names?" Kendall queried, raising his arms to chest level as he shook his head in disbelief.

"Goodbye, Kendall." James sneered, his grip firm on the ivory-white banister to his left. His penny loafers clicked with every step he took, alerting Lyn of his incoming presence. The farther James climbed the stairs, the more his heart began to simultaneously throb and race. He feared that after reaching the last step and turning the corner to Lyn's bedroom, he'd see a version of his daughter he could no longer protect. It terrified James to think she'd been growing up faster than he could catch up with.

As James peered into Lyn's bedroom from the corner of the doorframe, his eyes widened as he watched her struggle to apply winged eyeliner. Her hand shook too much to hold the pen still and draw a straight enough line. James melted into a sentimental goo of a man, his gaze softening as he leaned against the doorpost. His fingers teetered toward the hinges as his head tilted onto the wall.

Lyn leaned forward in her desk chair, her hickory brown waves draping over her shoulders like curtains before a window. She squinted her eyes and raised her brows before her vanity mirror, hoping to keep her eyes simultaneously closed and open enough to draw sharp lines. Lyn's eyes wandered from her mirror to James gushing in her doorway.

"What are you looking at, Dad?" Lyn chuckled nervously, her grip on the eyeliner pen loosening.

"Nothing, pumpkin." James sighed, crossing the barrier of Lyn's bedroom that kept him on the outside looking in. He knelt beside her, one knee sinking into her lavender nylon carpet and the other facing up.

"Close your eyes for me," James advised as he took Lyn's eyeliner pen and gently stroked the ink onto her skin in short, sharp lines.

"So what were you and Papa arguing about?"

Taken aback by Lyn's blunt questioning, James jumped slightly and dragged the pen a little too far up on her face. He groaned, swiping a makeup wipe from her desk and dabbing it next to her eye to not smear the ink.

"W-We were not arguing!"

"Really?" Lyn sighed, deflating in her chair and curving her spine as she hunched over, "Because I heard you yelling. You're not exactly a quiet talker."

"We weren't arguing, Lyn," James assured as he retraced the line of ink on Lyn's face for a sharper edge and a cleaner cut, "We were just discussing adult things. It's nothing you need to worry about."

"Well, were you discussing me?" Lyn inquired, curling her fingers in air quotes.

James silently repeated these same motions on the other eye, briefly contemplating the question in his head. He didn't want to lie to his daughter, but additionally, he didn't want to admit he was scared. After the final stroke of ink, James popped the cap back onto the pen and lowered it to the desk. He shot out a reluctant sigh, his lips curving downwards and his shoulders rising and falling as the breath left his lungs.

"Open your eyes, Amelia."

Lyn swallowed hard, her eyes flying open at the sound of James addressing her by her first name. Surely, she'd be in for a lecture or a long and drawn-out sentimental monologue. Why else would James be looking at her with that concerned tilt of his brow? Lyn winced, glancing at James from the corner of her eyes as she shifted her head away.

"You probably won't understand this until you grow up and have a child of your own," James began as he struggled to choke back the word vomit balling in his throat. It'd been a while since he and Lyn had a heart-to-heart conversation, and he'd been avoiding having them to prevent bringing about any awkward feelings. He didn't want to add to the myriad of sensitive feelings becoming a teenager provided.

"But you're growing up a little faster than I care to admit, and sometimes it's hard to catch up."

Lyn tucked her lips inward and darted her eyes back and forth in confusion. She didn't quite understand James' point of view, but she acknowledged the fact that he was worried. Still, in her experience, it felt like she couldn't possibly grow up any slower.

"I just get worried sometimes," James admitted hesitantly, "I only want what's best for you."

"If you're so worried about me, why are you helping me?"

"You honestly think I'm going to let my daughter walk out of this house looking any less fabulous than I know she can be?" James assured as he reached Lyn's hand and squeezed it gently, "C'mon, let's go show your father how beautiful you look."

"Thanks, Dad," Lyn grinned as she squeezed James' hand back and left her bedroom with him at her side.

They strutted down the staircase, their grips on each other's hands firm yet gentle as they took each step together. Kendall looked up from his phone and watched as the two most important people in his life strode downstairs, almost in slow motion. Lyn stood by the end of the banister, wearing a violet flannel that was a tad long at the sleeves. She wore an ivory white tank top underneath accompanied by skinny black jeans and matching violent Converse sneakers. His heart swelled with emotion that he wasn't yet equipped to express. All he could do was offer a warm smile and hurry to them with open arms.

"My beautiful girl," Kendall purred as he wrapped his arms around Lyn's torso and gently kissed her right temple. He lifted Lyn from the floor and spun her around in a quick circle as he held her closely in a tight embrace. It was moments like this when Kendall felt overjoyed to be a father. To see Lyn glowing the way she is was a blessing, a gift.

"Papa, put me down!" Lyn giggled as she kept her arms hooked around Kendall's neck. Her feet grazed the floor quicker than she knew it, and she pulled away with her hands still on Kendall's shoulders for one more fleeting moment.

"How do I look?"

"I think you look just right," Kendall assured as he noticed the waves in Lyn's hair billowing over the collar of her flannel. In between the ends revealed a black stringed choker from Hot Topic circling her neck. He thought it looked cute and loved that Lyn was learning to accessorize, but wasn't sure if this would eventually lead to a grandeur phase of an edgy wardrobe and a bad attitude. Still, he stifled that thought and focused solely on the moment.

Lyn smiled warmly, thankful to be gifted with an abundance of love. She clasped her hands together, a prepared breath of acceptance leaving her lungs as she reached for the front door.

"Well, I'll see you guys later."

"Wait, we don't even get to meet this boy?!" James barked as he raised his hands to either side of his body. He leaned forward, wanting to stop Lyn from leaving until a proper explanation was given. Kendall outstretched his hand in front of James to prevent any further movement.

"He's a boy from school, right?" Kendall questioned.

"Yeah, his name's Nathan, and he's in my English class."

"And you two are staying local?" Kendall continued.

"Yes. We're gonna hit the arcade, maybe get some ice cream, then catch a movie."

"And you'll text if you need anything, won't you?" Kendall finished.

"Of course I will."

"Well, have a great time then, kiddo. We'll see you when you get home. Right, honey?" Kendall insisted, keeping his hand firmly atop James' shoulder and shooting him a demanding look.

James awkwardly cleared his throat and curled his lips into a conflicted pout. His eyes fell to the floor as he begrudgingly stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Right," He obliged, not wanting to disappoint.

"Thanks, bye!" Lyn replied as she was now off to her first-ever date. She closed the door behind her, clutching her bag and taking a breath before scurrying down the driveway and around the corner.

James and Kendall stood behind the door, deflated and defeated. They'd gone through far too many emotions than they were prepared to handle. They stood awkwardly still for a moment, unsure if Lyn's absence meant they could relax or continue worrying. Suddenly, Kendall cocked his brow at the spark of an idea. It'd been a while since he and James were left alone. He'd grown fairly lonely since raising a child, and although they spent most of their time together, they hadn't spent it alone. It'd be nice to just be for a while.

"Looks like we've got some free time on our hands," Kendall began, the suggestion of going on a date of their own lingering on the tip of his tongue, "What d'ya say we go do something together?"

James snapped his head in Kendall's direction, his face riddled with determination and excitement. Kendall couldn't remember the last time he saw James' face beaming the way it is now. It was refreshing to know he could still trigger the handsome grin he fell in love with.

"Kendall, you're a genius!" James cried as frantically cupped Kendall's cheeks and pulled him in for a quick kiss. His voice dragged with a joyous hum as they kissed. Kendall squealed behind the wall of his teeth from the surprise of being kissed so abruptly. He raised his hands to grip James' wrists in that fleeting moment but kept his eyes open wide.

"Get in the car, I'll grab the keys!" James raced to the kitchen counter where he swiped the car keys and raced to the front door, "C'mon, what are you waiting for?"

Kendall stood still, still in disbelief of James's childlike excitement. It'd been quite some time since he last felt the rush of a sudden kiss or the excitement of going out. He was stunned but quickly followed suit and leaped into the car alongside him.

Kendall and James drove away with hearty giggles and smiling faces. They hadn't gone very far, but the promise of a fun day out was plenty of fuel for the road. Though, at one point, the landmarks began to seem strikingly familiar. Kendall's brows furrowed as he thought of where he'd seen these buildings before. They passed the Dairy Queen, the local shopping mall, and even the nearest pizzeria before Kendall pieced everything together.

"James, what are we doing here?" Kendall questioned as James pulled over near the ice cream parlor.

"Shhh, I'm watching."

"Watching what?" Kendall grumbled, hoping this wouldn't turn out to be a convoluted scheme that he'd spent this whole time misunderstanding.

James poked his head through the car window, squinting his eyes in an attempt to get a closer look. He saw Lyn jogging down the sidewalk, clutching her bag as the ends of her waves bounced atop her shoulders. "Oh, no..." Kendall mumbled as he caught a glimpse of Lyn from behind James. An unfamiliar boy waved in the distance, calling for Lyn's attention. That must've been Nathan. She spotted him at the arcade's entrance and hugged him the moment they met.

Kendall pulled James back into the car by his forearm, saying, "James, tell me you did not just drive me to this arcade to spy on our daughter and her date."

"Okay, I won't tell you."

"What the hell are we doing here? I thought we were going on a date!" Kendall barked, feeling the multitude of additional gray hairs growing as he spoke.

"This is a date. We can watch Lyn together and make sure that boy doesn't try anything."

James flees the car and sprints toward the arcade's entrance. Kendall follows quickly behind him, shouting, "James, get back here!" He rushed in James' direction, furious, annoyed, and slightly bummed from how he let things turn out. By the time James found himself in the center of the arcade, he'd lost track of where Lyn and Nathan went. He darted his head in every direction, frantically scanning his surroundings for his beloved daughter and her horrid date.

Kendall followed closely behind, grabbing James by the wrist and gritting his teeth as his gruff voice said, "Have you lost your mind?? We need to leave right now!"

"I think I lost her."

"Oh, for God's sake, James. She's thirteen, she's fine." Kendall grumbled as he began pulling James in the opposite direction, "Let's go before she sees us and we embarrass her."

James kept scouring the arcade for Lyn and Nathan as he was dragged away. He caught a quick glimpse of them by the claw machine. Nathan placed his hand atop Lyn's shoulder, causing something in James to snap. "Keep your hands off my—!!" He cried as Kendall swatted his mouth and pulled him behind the skeeball machine to avoid being noticed.

Lyn turned her head back, her eyes avidly searching the distance for the familiar voice she heard. "Did you hear something?" Lyn muttered as her eyes narrowed.

"Hear what?" Nathan responded as he slinked a token into the coin slot of the claw machine. Lyn's focus returned to Nathan, shrugging off the distraction as she watched Nathan finesse the game.

"You're gonna get us caught!" Kendall warned in a guttural whisper.

"Where have I heard those words before?"

"Let's just leave while we're out of sight," Kendall advised, hoping the theatrics were through, "I will not let you ruin their date."

"You mean save it!"

"James, I guarantee that if we look at them again, they'll be having a great time." Kendall declared as he and James poked their heads from behind the skeeball machine. They watched as Nathan effortlessly won a Snorlax plush from the claw machine.

"Wait, people can actually win those things?" James queried in disbelief.

"James, shush."

Nathan slinked his hand into the prize chute of the machine, pulling Snorlax out and gifting it to Lyn. She squealed and threw her arms around his neck for a tight hug. The lift in her voice made her laughter sound so pure and angelic. What ill-doing could possibly come of this?

"See? She's happy." Kendall remarked.

"For now..."

"You can't possibly still be dissatisfied." Kendall groaned as he pulled himself back behind the skeeball machine. He ran his palm down his face, pulling on his skin as frustration consumed him. James gasped at the sight of Lyn and Nathan leaving the premises hand in hand.

"Quick, they're getting away!" James cried as he fled the scene without checking if Kendall was following behind him.

"Christ..." Kendall grumbled as he forced himself to run after James and keep up with his outlandish shenanigans.

Lyn had left the arcade, squeezing her new Snorlax plush in her left arm and using her vacant hand to hold Nathan's. They strolled down the sidewalk as the sun beamed in their eyes to nurture their glances of young love and blossoming romance. It was almost picturesque to see them enjoying each other's company. They entered the local ice cream parlor, the bell above the door chiming with a high-pitched ring to alert the employees of another customer's presence.

"They're headed for the ice cream parlor!" James hollered as he scampered down the sidewalk.

"James, slow down!" Kendall called out from behind, not having the stamina to keep up. By the time he and James entered the ice cream parlor, Lyn and Nathan were already sitting at the furthermost table eating ice cream cones. Lyn had French vanilla, an objective classic, and superior flavor among the rest, while Nathan had cookie dough.

Kendall panted at James' side, his palms firmly planted atop his thighs as he bent over. "You've gotta stop doing that..." Kendall breathed, his baseball cap shielding his huffing face from the angle of his tilted head.

"They're back there!"

"Would you lower your voice?" Kendall groaned as he pulled James into a vacant booth and sat him down, "I swear, it feels like you're trying to get us caught."

"And I swear I've heard those words somewhere before," James retorted, "But I just can't put my finger on it."

Kendall rolled his eyes and hung his head low, not wanting to listen to James' nonsense or even look at the determined glint in his eyes mocking his efforts to reason with him. James turns his head back to watch as Lyn and Nathan converse with one another at the end of the parlor. He leans away from Kendall's voice, not even registering the words being spoken to him.

"Now that you mention it, I think I'm getting deja vu," Kendall remarks, his voice low and reminiscent of the past, "It's been a while since we were young and went out on dates like this."

"Uh-huh..."

"Y'know, I think it'd be nice to spend some quality time with each other," Kendall admitted, nervously massaging the back of his neck, "We don't spend much time with each other outside of looking after Lyn. It'd be great for us to reconnect and let loose for once."

"Yeah..."

Kendall looked up from the table, his eyes narrowing from the realization James' focus had been elsewhere the entire time he spoke. "James, are you even listening?" Kendall cried.

"What? Yes." James replied as if the answer wasn't painfully obvious, "You see me looking at them, don't you?"

"Okay, that's it!" Kendall shouted, rising to his feet and slamming his palms onto the table, "I have had enough of this ridiculous behavior. We are going home right now, and that is final!"

"W-Wait, we can't go yet!"

"Too late!" Kendall barked as he grabbed James by the forearm and stormed out of the ice cream parlor. They walked around the corner to avoid the chance of Lyn or Nathan spotting them through the front windows. Kendall loosened his grip on James and released him from his clutches.

"C'mon, Kendall, what if they leave?" James pouted.

"Good!" Kendall snarled, "They'd be having a wonderful time unbothered and uninterrupted like they should've been this entire time!"

James stood still, the bridled anger and frustration in Kendall's voice petrifying him. For a moment, he had no response. He tried to speak, but only the sounds of his trembling breath could slip past his lips. Kendall sighed, raising his palms to his face and letting them slide down his skin like a waterfall down a cliff.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you," Kendall began, "But you've gotta stop this. Lyn isn't a little kid anymore. She's growing up and becoming her own person. That means she needs more space to experience and figure things out herself."

"But... I'm worried about her."

"I know you are, James. I'm worried, too." Kendall sympathized, "But we can't hold her hand forever."

A pair of kindred giggling voices emerged from the ice cream parlor. Lyn and Nathan were spotted chatting by the entrance before rushing to the nearby movie theater. They seemed to be in a hurry. Perhaps their assigned movie was only minutes away from starting. Maybe they were just thrilled to continue spending time together. James looked back at them scurrying away side by side. The smiles on their faces and the echoes of their voices plucked at his heartstrings like the hands of a harpist.

"James, don't do it," Kendall warned as he outstretched his hand.

"I just need a little more time."

James was off, dashing toward the horizon as if he'd been running from something. The more the wind struck his face to combat the speed of his movements, the harder his feet trampled on the asphalt and dug into the ground like roots. Kendall swore under his breath as he struggled to stay close behind. He wasn't sure how much energy he could afford to spend on chasing James, but he'd be damned if he didn't keep trying.

In chasing James, Kendall felt as though he was losing James to something that wasn't quite tangible. Every word, glance, and gesture were telltale signs that he was slipping through Kendall's fingers like sand. At times, Kendall found it pointless to continue the chase. He wasn't sure if getting through to James was a plausible task, let alone catching up to him. With every weary step he took, James had only gotten farther and farther away.

Kendall's movements gradually slowed until they ceased altogether. His chest heaved with desperate breaths, the air crashing in and out of his lungs like a hurricane. His hands fell to his thighs once more and his back curved as he hunched over. Kendall wondered if he was finally down for the count. He definitely felt this endeavor weighing on his back and restricting any efforts he had to get things under control. The poor man had half a mind to turn back around and wait for James in the car until he'd made a complete fool of himself. He couldn't do that, though. Kendall recognized that James needed him now more than ever.

After a quick and heavy breath, Kendall pushed his feet against the sidewalk and continued running as fast as his legs could carry him. His arms flailed from side to side as he hit the ground running. Kendall charged through the cinema doors in search of James with his arms spread far out from his torso. He nearly lost balance from how brash his movements were in entering the building. But he kept one foot forward and planted it firmly on the ground to keep himself afloat.

"James!" Kendall cried as he frantically inspected every crevice of the theater. His eyes fell upon James standing idly in the distance. A breath of relief flew past Kendall, carrying him to James' side as he took him by the shoulder.

"James, there you are! I was so worried you—" Kendall began, noticing the sharp edges in James' eyes and the self-reflective downward curve in his lips. James had clenched his fists to stifle the urge to take one more step, and had Kendall arrived a second later, he just might've taken that step.

"James, what's wrong?"

"I heard him call her Lyn..." James muttered breathlessly. Something about hearing someone else call his precious little girl the name he'd been calling her since infancy stung. It felt oddly personal. James was scared that might mean he'd no longer have the strongest bond with Lyn.

"Honey, we call her Lyn."

"We're her parents. It's different," James retorted, continuing to keep his eyes on Lyn as she watched her and Nathan laugh together. The way their hair bounced as they threw their heads back and whispered to one another, sharing things only they could hear, struck a chord with him.

"But we're not the only people in her life."

James turned his head to meet Kendall's empathetic gaze. He couldn't deny the validity of that statement. There was a time when it was just him, Kendall, and Lyn against the world, but times have changed, and people have aged.

"You're right. I seem to forget that sometimes," James admitted, "I can't deny now that Lyn is definitely happy."

"Of course she is. She knows to surround herself with the right people," Kendall assured, taking James' hands in his and giving them gentle squeezes of reassurance as he once did for him many years ago, "We taught her that."

"I guess we did."

"She's a lot better off than when we were teenagers, y'know," Kendall chuckled, reminiscing on the trouble they caused and the hardships they endured as a result of a blossoming romance in an unsafe and unaccepting environment. "Remember how scary that all was?"

"Yeah, I remember," James replied, grinning faintly as his eyes swam down to his hands securely held in Kendall's. "But it was still so much fun."

"So much fun!" Kendall cheered, his eyes beaming with joy as the memories of their youth fueled the lift in his words, "But that was a long time ago. We haven't been on a date in forever."

"And you... you really wanted to go on a proper date today," James sighed, realizing he'd spent the day making his husband chase him around like mad, "I'm so sorry, Kendall. I didn't realize how selfish I'd been."

"Hey, you're not selfish. You're just scared and it's okay to be scared," Kendall assured, bringing his left palm to James' cheek and caressing his skin with the stroke of his thumb, "But Lyn isn't us. She's not going to go through what we went through."

James' breaths slowed, his heartbeat matching the tempo of Kendall's caress as if their lines were parallel. Kendall's gaze on James softened, his brows lowering and eyes rounding as he focused on the fading glimmer in James' pupils.

"But I was really looking forward to going on a date today because...," Kendall continued, his words of admission on the tip of his tongue, "James, I miss you. I miss us. We used to have so much fun together, I don't know what happened."

"Well, we had Lyn... and she changed our lives. She was the best thing that ever happened to us," James began, "But that doesn't mean we can't still have fun."

"So... we can go on a real date now?" Kendall queried with puppy-dog eyes, hoping his dreams would finally come true.

"Of course we can."

"Great!" Kendall cheered, pulling James in for a quick kiss of gratitude. He'd missed kissing him, he'd missed feeling surprised and excited. There wasn't another man alive who could enthrall him the way James does. James kissed him back, his lips curving into the kiss to shape the beginnings of a beaming smile.

"Wait, promise me one thing, though," Kendall muttered as he swiftly drew himself back.

"Yeah?"

"Please don't fly off the handle this much when Lyn goes to prom," Kendall sighed.

"I'll try not to."

Kendall squealed and hooked his arms around James' neck to hug him like he'd never hugged him before. James followed suit, wrapping his arms around Kendall's waist and spinning him in circles as they giggled together from the excitement of feeling young and in love once more. It was as though they fell in love all over again.

BONUS

Word Count: 1,202

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After a pleasant evening of laughter and long conversations over a candle-lit dinner, Kendall and James arrived home incredibly giggly and slightly tipsy. James hurried to the other side of the car to open the door for Kendall and take him by the hand as he stepped out. They could barely keep their hands off one another as they strode to the porch with such avidly smiling faces. By the time they reached the front door, James' hands had already found purchase on Kendall's hips and pulled him as closely as humanly possible.

"James, we haven't even walked through the door yet!" Kendall giggled as James peppered his jawline in kisses, "Can't you take me inside first?"

"That can be arranged," James purred as the front door flew open with the push of his hand. He scooped Kendall up in his arms and carried him inside, his eyes never leaving his husband's. Kendall laughed and covered his face in embarrassment as this gesture was eerily reminiscent of their wedding night.

"James!" Kendall squealed as James lowered him to their English-rolled arm couch. James' palms pressed into the small of Kendall's back as he tenderly kissed his left dimple.

Kendall snaked his hands behind James' head, combing his fingers through his hair as he lost himself in the sight of the man he married towering over him and gazing at him like he would a work of art.

"You're staring again," Kendall whispered, the corners of his lips curving into a nervous grin.

"I can't help it, you're gorgeous."

"Oh, you don't mean that," Kendall breathed as he slid himself up on the couch and sat with his lower back pressed against the arm.

"But I do!" James protested, turning Kendall's face toward his to avoid any averted glances, "Kendall, I can't get enough of you."

"Are you sure?" Kendall muttered in disbelief, his posture shrinking and gaze stiffening, "I mean, we're getting older, James. I'm not exactly the athlete I used to be."

"Look at me, Songbird."

Kendall's eyes widened and his lips parted, leaving his mouth ajar with any trembling breath that dared to linger through. How long had it been since James called him that? He couldn't recall. Hearing that name after so many years triggered so many blissful memories to resurface and caused Kendall's heart to do backflips.

"You... haven't called me that in years," Kendall trembled.

"I know. I'm sorry if you'd forgotten what that sounded like. I promise I'll never let that happen again."

Stunned and speechless, Kendall's chest heaved with the breathlessness James instilled in him. He was reduced simply to staring and listening. Such a state of being was reminiscent of their teenage years. When had Kendall last felt this way?

"I need you to know that I am still madly in love with you. In fact, I never stopped," James confessed, reaching for Kendall's hand and holding it atop his beating heart, "You're just as stunning as the day I first kissed you. Do you remember that?"

"Y-Yeah. You kissed me through my bedroom window, scaled down the roof, and fled on your bike." Kendall recalled, "If it weren't for my mom, I would've been stunned all evening."

"I'll never forget that look on your face," James crooned as he brought their foreheads together and relished in their togetherness. They chuckled with one another, thinking about how awkward and reckless they once were. It seemed as though the more things change the more they stay the same.

"Hey, I have an idea," James began, kicking his loafers off and letting them drop to the floor with muffled thuds atop the rug.

"Oh?"

"Take your shoes off," James advised as he shuffled toward the dial at the end of the wall and dimmed the lights.

Kendall silently obliged and sunk his fingers into his plain white Vans, letting them drop beside James' loafers. James reached for a Lightning-to-USB cable and plugged his phone into their stereo. The somber strum of the acoustic guitar in All Time Low's Remembering Sunday echoed through the room, reminding the married couple of what used to be.

"James, this song..."

"I know. You used to play it on your guitar with the pick I gave you. Hopefully, you'll play it again for me sometime," James remarked, holding out his hand for Kendall to take, "But for now would you... care to dance?"

Kendall stared at James' open hand, thinking back to when he last saw a gesture of this nature. This moment reminded him of a gesture James made during their high school years. He'd decorated the school's hockey rink and had his best friends carry Kendall to the scene where they spent only a few fleeting moments together. It was short but memorable. With the way they skated with one another, they might as well have been dancing.

"I'd love to," Kendall purred, his heart swelling with the emotion of having recalled a myriad of romantic and blissful memories.

As James and Kendall spent their time dancing slowly to the tunes of their own accord, Lyn and Nathan were walking home not too far behind. Lyn climbed the porch to the front door, still squeezing her new Snorlax plush in her left arm. Nathan stood at her side, nervously plunging his fists into his pockets.

"Thanks for today, I had a lot of fun," Lyn confessed, her lips curving to the side in half a grin.

"Yeah, me too."

"And I'm sorry for not letting you meet my parents earlier," Lyn continued, "I know you wanted to, but I was just really embarrassed because my dad was freaking out earlier about us."

"Don't worry, I get it. It's cool."

"If you still want to, I'm sure they'd be happy to meet you now," Lyn suggested as she reached for the door with her vacant hand.

"Really?" Nathan beamed, "Yeah, that sounds great!

"Awesome," Lyn chimed as he unlocked the door and swung it open to reveal her parents slow dancing in the living room.

Kendall laid his head atop James' shoulder, listening as he mouthed the lyrics to the song in one ear and his heart beating slowly in the other. "Forgive me, I'm trying to find my calling. I'm calling at night," James lilted in a hushed tone, rubbing circles onto Kendall's back, "I don't mean to be a bother, but have you seen this girl?"

They swayed from side to side, spinning in slow, small, meticulous circles. Kendall danced atop James' toes, only moving his legs to James' accord. James held one of Kendall's hands away from his chest and used the other to hold him closely by the waist as he continued to serenade him through purrs and whispers.

Lyn and Nathan stood at the foot of the door, sharing an awkward glance as Kendall and James seemed too preoccupied to notice their presence. Lyn gestured with the tilt of her head for them to walk back out the door and wait for her parents to finish up.

"Your parents must really love each other," Nathan remarked as Lyn shut the door behind them, almost in disbelief at what they saw.

"Oh, you have no idea."

[jirachipasta]

Meet Me At The Altar (A Kames Oneshot)

Pairing: James Diamond x Kendall Diamond

Characters: James Diamond, Kendall Diamond, Logan Hortense Mitchell, Carlos Garcia, Jennifer Knight, Katie Knight, (The Mention Of) Brooke Diamond

Content Warnings: Fluff/Angst, BL, SFW, Adult Romance, Implied/Suggested Homophobia, Gay Marriage

Word Count: 4,408

Timeline: TWS Future

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Kendall looked at himself in the arched full-length mirror, adjusting his Aegean blue tuxedo in his reflection. Something about his appearance didn't feel right. He felt incomplete, as though a puzzle piece had been scattered somewhere out of sight. Kendall focused on the folds and creases enveloping his joints until he'd forgotten about the loose bow tie atop the loveseat behind him. He grimaced at his reflection, desperately searching for something on his person to fix or adjust.

"Honey, are you all right in there?" Jennifer asked, accompanying her query with a gentle knock.

"Yeah, Mom, I'm fine."

"Can I come in?" Jennifer pleaded. "You've been in there for quite some time."

Kendall glances at the dressing room door through his peripherals, his fingers still tracing the lapels of his suit jacket in search of an error to correct. His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, contemplating whether or not to grant his mother entry. It'd been stressful enough fixating on his appearance for as long as he had and holding up the ceremony. Though, Kendall had nothing to lose at this point.

"Sure," Kendall sighed.

The door slowly creaked open with Jennifer's gentle shove. She was hesitant to see how Kendall looked but couldn't help gushing as her eyes betrayed her. Jennifer was misty-eyed as she took in the sight of her beloved son having grown up. She placed her open palm just below her collarbone, her breath balling up in the back of her throat like mildew in a gutter.

"Sweetheart..." Jennifer trembled, gazing at Kendall with wide, tear-stricken eyes.

"Mom, are you all right?" Kendall muttered, awkwardly lifting his shoulders. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jennifer took a moment to compose herself, clearing her throat and bringing her fingertip to the corners of her eyes to wipe any tears that dared to betray her conscience. She combed her hair out of her face, a voluminous mixture of greys and reds draping her cheekbones.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me," Jennifer assured, sniffling through her words. "Is it stuffy in here? It feels a little stuffy."

Kendall's chest fell with a heavy sigh as his gaze softened with a more empathetic look to round out his eyes. "C'mere," he breathed as he strode toward his mother with open arms. Kendall curved his upper spine to lean his head on Jennifer's shoulder while his forearms pressed into her back for the beginnings of a tight embrace. Jennifer was initially reluctant but was powerless to protest her son's gesture. With hands twice as shaky as her breath, Jennifer clung to Kendall's shoulders and hugged him back.

"Honey, I'm fine. Really," Jennifer mumbled with false confidence.

"No offense, Mom, but you are a terrible liar," Kendall chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood.

Jennifer pulled back with a sour expression and a gentle smack from the back of her hand awaiting Kendall's shoulder. "Hey!" she cried, withdrawing herself completely.

"I'm just saying. I know I got it from somewhere," Kendall chuckled, "But seriously, are you okay?"

Before Jennifer could respond, the dressing room door swiftly opened halfway through the frame. She and Kendall turned their heads to face their unexpected visitor. Katie poked her head through the door, saying, "Hey, Mom, how much longer is—?"

"Katie, go back to the aisle!!" Jennifer barked, her muscles tense and her face wide-eyed.

"Alright, jeez. But don't you think I'm a little old for this?" Katie groaned, gesturing at the basket of flower petals in her hand.

"Katie. Now."

"Alright, I'm going!"

Before Katie shuts the door, her gaze falls upon Kendall. She looks him up and down, taking in the sight of his appearance entirely. From an outside perspective, her gaze looks judgmental, but truthfully, she's quite impressed.

"Looking good, big brother," Katie remarked on her way out.

Kendall nodded silently with an awkward grin. Jennifer composed herself at the sound of the door shutting behind her. She inhaled with downward-facing eyes and said, "I'm okay."

"Alright then," Kendall replied, silencing his disbelief. "I guess it's about time we head out."

As prepared as Jennifer was to begin the ceremony, she noticed something was missing. She quickly scanned Kendall's person for any hint of incompletion until she saw how barren his collar was without a tie.

"Kendall, where's your tie?"

"I knew I was forgetting something..."

While Kendall awkwardly plunged his fists into his pockets, Jennifer frantically searched the room for his tie. She saw it limp atop the loveseat, untied and unraveled. Jennifer snatched it from the loveseat cushion and hurriedly hooked it around Kendall's collar. Her rapid movements surprised Kendall and caused him to fidget and wriggle before her.

"Mom, stop! I can do this myself!" Kendall protested.

"If you could tie your own tie, we wouldn't be thirty minutes behind schedule," Jennifer refuted as she pulled the ends through one final loop and tightened the bow tie indefinitely. "Now, let's get out there."

As Jennifer reaches for the door, Kendall's feet stay planted before the full-length mirror as he continues studying himself. Dissatisfied and uncertain, he cries, "Mom, wait!" Jennifer turns her head and stares at Kendall blankly.

"I still feel like something's missing..." Kendall confesses, twisting and turning in his reflection.

Jennifer's brows sank as she realized the source behind Kendall's unease. He was indecisive and restless—two of many telltale signs of his nervousness. She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorpost, asking, "Kendall, is it possible you're stalling for time?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Kendall scoffs as he rolls his eyes. "Why on Earth would I do that?"

"Because you're nervous."

Kendall tensed up at Jennifer's response, awkwardly stammering as he desperately tried to string together a confident rebuttal. He tucked his head between his rising shoulders, his voice lifted uncomfortably, and a crooked grin swept over his face as Kendall said, "Pshh! What? No, I'm not nervous. I'm just... dehydrated?"

"Who's the terrible liar now?" Jennifer teased, cocking her brow with a victorious smirk.

"Okay, fine!" Kendall barked defeatedly.

Jennifer strode back into the room and studied Kendall's form to aid him in his pursuit. Even if Kendall was intentionally putting off the ceremony, the least Jennifer could do was play along to calm his nerves. She perked up at the spark of a realization. Kendall had not yet taken his wedding bouquet.

"I think I might know what you're missing," Jennifer remarks as she takes Kendall's bouquet from the table in the corner. She sighed, noticing how a few petals had wilted and fallen off from lack of space, air, or sunlight. You'd think Kendall would know better than to keep a bouquet of fresh lilacs limp on a table.

"Oh, honestly, Kendall!" Jennifer cried, fluffing out the ends of the bouquet in hopes the stems hadn't bent. "With how you keep these flowers, they're set to wilt before you even say your vows!"

"Mom!"

"Right, sorry!"

Jennifer's eyes bounced back and forth between Kendall and his bouquet. She picked a budding flower from the bunch and fastened it into Kendall's breast pocket. After bringing her thumb and index finger to her chin, she said, "I think this is it. What do you think?"

Kendall spun around to face the mirror, his eyes drifting down his suit jacket as his face expressed newfound satisfaction. The lilac in his breast pocket complimented the colors of his suit and tied his whole look together.

"I think it's just right," Kendall breathed confidently, his smile beaming in his reflection.

"Great!" Jennifer replied hurriedly. "Let's get going!"

Kendall rolled his eyes and fled the dressing room with his lilac bouquet in one hand and Jennifer's hand in the other. They rushed to the beginning of the aisle, where Katie waited patiently for them. She had an uncertain look on her face, the left corner of her lips curving downward in a crooked frown.

"Hey, Kendall..." Katie croaked awkwardly.

Kendall's eyes narrowed in concern. Katie's tone of voice alerted him of incoming ill tidings. He nervously gripped the base of his bouquet while attempting to wear a brave face.

"What happened?" Kendall queried as he looked forward and found that his husband-to-be was not waiting for him at the altar. "Where is James?"

"Well..."

The sound of trampling feet alerts Kendall from behind. As the sound draws nearer, a familiar, panting voice calls out for him. He turns back and sees Logan racing toward him.

"Kendall!" Logan cries. "You've gotta come quick! I think something's wrong with James!"

Struggling to make a move, Kendall awkwardly hands his bouquet to Jennifer and sprints for the exit. He leaves his loved ones waiting in suspense and impatience as he hurries away with Logan following closely behind him. His feet drum against the floor with each step, the hallways tunneling behind him as he charges through the double doors.

"Don't worry, man. It's gonna be okay!" Carlos assured weakly, rubbing circles on the groom's back in his fruitless efforts to console him.

"What happened to him?" Kendall asked, his voice demanding in its query and his fists clenching in defense.

"I don't know," Logan replied. "He was on the phone with someone and just started freaking out."

James pulled away from Carlos, his spine curved as he hunched over the hand that frustratingly crammed his cell phone. Not wanting to give up, Carlos outstretched his hand again. He took caution in approaching James as he was evidently uneasy. It killed Carlos to see his best bud crumbling under so much pressure.

"We can still figure something out. It'll be fine!" Carlos continued, the corners in his face sharpening from wariness.

"No, you don't get it!" James snapped as he slapped Carlos' hand away. "There's nothing to figure out!"

Heartbroken and stunned, Carlos steps back as he massages the sting in his hand. Though it couldn't possibly measure up to the stab wound James' sharp words and barking voice left in the deepest crevice of Carlos' heart.

"Woah, take it easy!" Kendall cried as he rushed to James' side. James was immediately pulled from his fraught haze. Kendall took him by the shoulders, ensuring he'd stay put and compose himself. Carlos and Logan stood awkwardly behind them, exchanging worried glances and concerned murmurs.

"What happened? Tell me what's going on." Kendall began, his voice as stern as his grip was firm.

James shook in Kendall's grasp. His body trembled with an uneasy rhythm of buzzing vibrations. He hyperventilated under Kendall's gaze, his chest tightening with each staggered breath. Realizing he was only worsening James' distress, Kendall loosened his grip and softened his voice.

"What happened, James?" Kendall voiced as he slinked his hands down his groom's forearms.

"She's... not coming."

"Who's not coming?"

The words dangled on the tip of James' tongue. They stole his voice and plagued his mind like a curse. His eyes continuously darted back and forth between Kendall and the pair of concerned bystanders they knew as their best friends. His words poisoned him, robbing him of his breath and coherence. James swallowed hard and pinched his eyes shut, blurting out, "M-My mom! My mom, okay?! She's not coming! There, I said it!"

A silent gasp slipped past Kendall's lips as he relinquished his grasp on James. He looked back at his friends with a stoic, hardened gaze, saying, "Could you two give us a moment?"

After sharing pensive glances, they nodded in unison at Kendall and turned back to reenter the wedding venue. They continued waiting for the almost newlyweds among the rest of the guests. Kendall's focus returned to James. His gaze softened at the sight of his groom's eyes rounding in the beginnings of a sob. They were glassy with hot tears of disappointment and betrayal. The contours of James' face deepened as he began to silently weep.

"I-I'm sorry, I can't do this," James croaked. "Not without her."

"What?!" Kendall choked, his jaw sinking and eyes snapping open. "What does that mean, James?"

"My mom... she told me she loved me," James began, turning away to avoid Kendall's gaze. "But she couldn't stand to watch me throw away my life like this."

James rubbed his palm against his eyes, hastily wiping his tears as he turned his back on Kendall. He shook his head with a heavy sigh that rattled through his lungs like loose change in a jar. His words tore at Kendall's heart, tearing it apart like fabric. Kendall watched on the precipice of heartbreak as James curled his fingers in defense.

"I've spent my whole life trying to please her, Kendall. I used to be good enough for her," James continued. "Which is why I thought what was good enough for me was good enough for her, too. I thought she'd finally come around."

James sniffled as he turned back to face Kendall. His eyes reddened from a teary aftermath that left his face dewy and sullen. He swallowed the anguish drying up his throat and manifesting in word vomit by saying, "I gave everything I got to make her happy... and it was all a big waste of time."

"And I gave everything I got not to lose you," Kendall refuted, bringing his palms to the space on his chest just below his collarbone. "But that wasn't a waste of time, was it?"

"No, of course not."

"Then why do you keep letting your mom control you the way she does?" Kendall queried. "The James Diamond I know would never let anyone stand in the way of what makes him happy, not even her."

Kendall strode toward James, his hands gently roaming over the lapels of his smokey violet tuxedo. Their eyes met in a mutually teary gaze. Kendall's eyes traveled down the line of buttons on James' milky white collared shirt, a pensive trail of green swimming down a waterfall of clothing.

"If that were the case, we wouldn't be here today," Kendall added, chuckling through the shakiness in his voice. "You wouldn't have snuck through my bedroom window so often."

James' eyes followed every movement of Kendall's hands. They grounded him somehow, giving him something else to feel and focus on. His chest rose and fell with lighter, slower breaths, allowing Kendall's hands to sail across calmer waters. Their eyes rose to greet each other in a bittersweet gaze of understanding. Kendall could sense James' inner turmoil diminishing, but it had still yet to cease its reign of anguish.

"Why are you here?" James whispered hesitantly, placing his hand atop Kendall's so its impression on his chest would linger.

"What do you mean?"

"Isn't it bad luck to see you before the wedding or something?" James replied with a forced chuckle.

"James, that only applies to brides, and last I checked, I'm not a woman."

"Yeah, but you're not the one who proposed."

"Are you calling me a woman?"

"Not necessarily..."

James and Kendall shared kindred smiles and giggles with one another. Gone were their distressed tears, frowning faces, and hearts teetering on heartbreak. Their gazes had mutually softened, and their previously tear-soaked skin was nearly dry.

"Seriously, though," James began. "Why are you here?"

"You think I wouldn't show up when you needed me?"

"Well, I'm a mess right now," James continued. "You don't think I'm ever too much?"

Kendall stopped to ponder the groom's query. He hummed pensively, his lips curving and his voice vibrating to the tune of his exhale. Kendall thought about the times when their roles were reversed. There were times during their adolescence when James had been Kendall's shoulder to cry on when he'd broken down and faced his most difficult struggles. Why would this be any different?

"Have you ever thought I was too much?" Kendall responded. "I wasn't always the best boyfriend growing up. I was a jerk sometimes. I lied sometimes. I drove you crazy a lot of the time. Sometimes, I even drove you away."

Kendall raised his vacant hand to James' cheek, granting his groom the opportunity to lean into his touch as he gently stroked his face. Though no words had been spoken in that brief moment, it was evident that both men had silently recalled their teenage years and the struggles that came with them.

"You still showed up. You came back every time," Kendall remarked painstakingly. "So, was I ever too much?"

"Of course not."

Though Kendall was relieved to hear James' response, he couldn't help noticing a lingering hint of apprehension. "Then why do you look like you still don't understand?" he asked, ceasing his gentle strokes.

"Because I don't. Why are you still here?"

"Let me ask you this," Kendall began. "Do you wanna marry me?"

"Absolutely."

"Then why don't you meet me at the altar and find out?" Kendall suggested with a cock of his head and the turn of a smirk. "Can you do that for me?"

A small part of James wanted to wait for his mother in case she'd magically show up at the last minute and rescind her earlier disapproval. However, he recognized that'd be a fruitless endeavor and would only lead to additional heartbreak. James thought about what Kendall said about continuing to entertain his mother's emotional dictatorship over him. He'd suffered under her parental tyranny for so long that he'd lost sight of his happiness. But it was time to redirect his focus and start advocating for himself, even if that meant leaving his mother behind.

"Yeah, I can do that," James breathed.

"Good," Kendall whispered, pulling James in for a long overdue hug. He clung to James' upper torso and slowly swayed back and forth to simulate cradling motions. His embrace was grounding, relaxing, and emotionally stimulating. James surrendered to Kendall, clutching his back as he buried his face in his husband-to-be's shoulder. He felt he could finally breathe once again after struggling to tread water in the depths of his inner turmoil for so long.

After giving James' torso a gentle squeeze, Kendall pulled away and let his hands drift down the length of James' arms until they reached his fingers. "C'mon, let's get back in there," he said, intertwining their fingers and leading James back into the venue.

The two soon-to-be-married men hurried back to the beginning of the aisle, where Jennifer and Katie happily awaited their return. Jennifer hurriedly gestured for Katie to begin spreading the flower petals. Katie obliged, beginning her stroll down the aisle as she scattered a mixture of cornflower and lavender petals with each step.

"Change of plans, Mom," Kendall warned as he retrieved his bouquet of lilacs and handed it to James. "You'll be walking James down the aisle instead."

"I will?" Jennifer uttered.

"She will?" James added.

"Just trust me on this," Kendall implored.

James and Jennifer exchanged glances, their brows rising as they contemplated this minor yet unexpected change. "Is that okay with you, James?" she asked, not wanting to anticipate anything.

James turned to Kendall and was met with a confident, assured gaze. The blonde wore a beautifully dimpled smile that put James' worries to rest, assuring him that he was certain about making this gesture. He nodded at James, granting him permission to walk down the aisle in his stead.

"Yeah, I'm fine with that," James replied.

Kendall fled the aisle with two hearty thumbs-ups and stood at the altar in James' place, where Logan, Carlos, and the officiant awaited his presence. Jennifer took James by the arm and looked up at him, saying, "Are you ready?"

James nervously clutched Kendall's bouquet, clinging to it like a lifeline. He kept his eyes forward as he replied, saying, "Ready as I'll ever be."

The two began their silent stroll down the aisle. Kendall stood proudly at the altar, his hands folded firmly before him and his smile beaming with joy so palpable it weighed on the skin of his face. Carlos stood behind him, fighting back the tears that expressed the happiness he felt for two of his best buds. Logan slowly turned his head to Carlos, his eyes wrinkling in an impartial stare.

"Why are you crying? He hasn't even made it down the aisle yet," Logan asked in a hushed whisper.

"Weddings just make me cry, man!" Carlos whispered back. Logan rolled his eyes and consoled Carlos with a couple pats on the back and a quick rub on his shoulder. Carlos frantically wiped his tears to avoid drawing attention from the almost-married couple but his tears kept flooding like a leaky faucet. Logan sighed as he retrieved the handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to his weeping friend. As Carlos' nose honked into the handkerchief, Logan pulled him onto his shoulder and rubbed circles into his back to relinquish Carlos' tears indefinitely.

"Thank you for doing this, Mrs. Knight," James mumbled as he and Jennifer continued their stroll.

"You've known me for years, honey," Jennifer replied. "Call me Jennifer."

"Right... thank you, Jennifer."

"You're welcome," Jennifer grinned. "So, are you okay now?"

"No," James confessed with a heavy sigh. "But I will be."

As their stroll down the aisle came to a reluctant end, Jennifer joined Katie in the audience, and James stood across from Kendall at the altar. James' eyes locked with Kendall's, a mixture of hope and contentment swimming in his emerald gaze. His heart swelled to see so much love flickering in Kendall's eyes. They took each other's hands and grinned at one another as if it were almost a competition.

"Oh, here," James utters as he returns the lilac bouquet to Kendall. "You should have this back."

"Thanks for keeping it warm for me," Kendall chuckled, eliciting a kindred reaction from James.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the union of James Diamond and Kendall Knight in matrimony," The wedding officiant began.

The ceremony continued with an overdrawn script from the officiant, a heartfelt exchange of vows, and many shed tears. The nearly married couple cracked a few jokes in their vows, shared a couple laughs, and referred to their two closest friends standing closely behind them. A myriad of reactions emerged from the audience—coos, tears, blank stares, and nodding heads.

"James and Kendall will now exchange rings as a symbol of their love and lifelong commitment." The officiant remarked, allowing Carlos and Logan to present a pair of silver wedding bands. James took Kendall's hand, gently inserting his finger into his assigned ring. Kendall returned the gesture, the excitement on their faces radiant and infectious. Their pair of best buds stepped back and watched as the final moments of the ceremony unfolded.

"Kendall, do you take James Diamond to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The officiant began once more. "Do you promise to love and cherish him, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, for so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Kendall grinned.

"And James, do you take Kendall Knight to be—" The officiant trailed off.

"Yes, absolutely!" James beamed. "You had me at Kendall."

Cheers and giggles emerged from the audience at James' display of eagerness and excitement. Kendall's cheeks flushed with color, highlighting the contours of his dimpled smile. James looked into the audience, his gaze falling upon the reserved seat meant for his mother. It stung to see her chair empty, barren, and cold. But he couldn't afford to focus on a loss that couldn't possibly measure up to the greatest victory awaiting him in real-time. He returned his gaze to Kendall, squeezing his hands the way he'd grown accustomed to feeling.

"If there are no objections, then by the power vested in me by the state of Minnesota, I now pronounce you husband and husband," The officiant concluded. "You may now kiss the—"

James' arms immediately enveloped Kendall's waist in his abrupt kiss. Pleasantly surprised and powerless to resist, Kendall throws his arms around James' neck, their bodies flush against one another as they share their first-ever kiss as a married couple. James lifted his husband from the ground, eliciting a surprised yelp as he spun him in circles. His abrupt movements kept Kendall squealing and clinging to him for dear life.

While James fled the altar with his husband securely cradled in his arms, Kendall tossed his bouquet behind him without a second thought. Logan and Carlos simultaneously dove to catch it, crying, "I got it!" in unison. They charged for the bouquet in mid-air and crashed on the ground as they both grabbed different heights of the stems.

The two bouquet-fetching men rose to their feet, realizing they'd both caught the bouquet. They narrowed their eyes at each other in competitive gazes as the tension began poisoning their better judgment.

"I believe I grabbed the bouquet first, so you can let go now," Logan sneered as he snatched the lilacs away from Carlos.

"I don't think so. You see, I'm the one who caught the bouquet first," Carlos refuted, pulling the bouquet back toward him.

"Oh, you wish," Logan hissed as he seized the bouquet yet again.

"Yeah, I do wish. So, gimme!" Carlos barked in his attempt to regain ownership of the lilacs.

"Keep dreaming, pal!" Logan retaliated.

The two flower-fueled competitors repeated their back-and-forth motions of snatching the bouquet. They rocked back and forth with each fruitless tug and tussle. It wasn't long before their motions had become more aggressive and combative in their efforts to keep the bouquet of lilacs indefinitely.

As they fought each other to no avail, continuing to pull the bouquet away from each other, it eventually flew out of their hands and back into the air. "No!" they cried in unison as they watched their supposed prize evade them.

"Sorry, boys," Katie smirked as she caught the bouquet without needing to rise from her seat. "This one's mine."

Carlos and Logan's faces fell, their jaws dropping and heads hanging low in defeat. They had no choice but to forfeit the bouquet to the one guest they had no chance of defeating or bargaining with. As the two dispirited men stayed at the altar to wallow in their combined failure, the guests began filing out of the venue to attend the reception.

"Hey, everyone's leaving," Carlos observed, sharing a pensive glance with Logan. They nodded at each other in understanding, their smirks wide and energetic in nature.

"Race you to the reception?" Logan suggested.

"You're on!" Carlos roared.

[jirachipasta]

nathan really likes lyn's laugh :)

[jirachipasta]

MINECRAFT KAMES

[jirachipasta]

just woke up and just remembered how hard i cooked on my kames edit yesterday i literally couldn't be happier with how it turned out (even tho tumblr uploaded it with poorer video quality) and i still struggle to stop watching it

that being said....... OMW TO WORK ON A KAMES WEDDING ONESHOT CUZ YA BOY IS FEELING INSPIRED