im so tired of my ideas for shit only existing in my head bro. IM TRYING TO WRITE BUT I CANT FOR THE LIFE OF ME LOCK IN AND FOCUS. i have sm ideas sm inspo and almost none of the energy to put my thoughts to paper this fucking SUCKS. i wanna continue tws, i wanna write abt kames' parenthood, i wanna write abt lyn and nathan but im so fucking EXHAUSTED!!!! im sick of blankly staring at my drafts all damn day.
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.
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.
i was thinking more abt the nalyn headcanon i posted the other day of what happens when they're in high school and i thought i'd draw short comic of a conversation they had once reuniting in the 11th grade
after a long summer vacation of not seeing or speaking to each other (but probably the summer before their junior year of hs) they meet at school having gone thru changes that manifest in their new haircuts/appearances. lyn grows tired of james treating her as his personal barbie doll and obsessing over her looks. because he prides himself in raising a beautiful daughter, he's unaware that he's perpetuating certain behaviors that he's learned from his mother during his youth. lyn cuts her hair short and explores more masculine aesthetics to achieve her own means of beauty. meanwhile nathan's parents ground him for the summer because they believe lyn is a bad influence on him and has caused the slipping of his grades when in reality she had nothing to do with that. they go almost the entire summer without seeing or speaking to each other because nathan is so preoccupied with his studies. he's so busy that he hadn't noticed his hair growing out as long as it did. he arrived to school exhausted and unkempt, so lyn offers to style his hair rather than cut it because she believes he can embrace this new look.
this is just what i've been thinking abt. i think their story might be some kind spinoff of the window sill or smth cuz i really enjoy thinking abt these characters and i believe they have the potential to develop into a story of their own! :)
bro its songs like this that make me wish i could animate or do literally any digital art bc this song is literally telling the story of how nathan perceives lyn im SOBBING
I WANNA MAKE A NALYN ANIMATIC SO BAD BUT IDK HOWWWW
