Only one

A new beginning

The late August heat still hung in the air as Kendall made his way down a quiet street in Los Angeles. The city was alive with its usual buzz, but tonight, he felt oddly detached from it all, his thoughts consumed by the upcoming reunion. It had been a few weeks since he'd last seen Logan, and the space between them had only intensified the confusing feelings that had been stirring inside him for months now.

Kendall reached the small, tucked-away bar they had chosen for their meet-up. It was one of those places you had to know about to find—a cozy, dimly lit spot with a few booths and a bar that looked like it hadn't changed since the 80s. Perfect for a private conversation.

As he pushed open the door, the cool air inside was a welcome relief from the heat. His eyes quickly adjusted to the dim lighting, and he spotted Logan sitting in a booth at the back, nursing a drink. Kendall's heart gave a little lurch as he walked over, his footsteps muffled by the worn carpet.

Logan looked up and smiled as Kendall approached. "Hey, stranger," he greeted, sliding over to make room for him.

"Hey yourself," Kendall replied, sliding into the booth across from Logan. He felt a rush of warmth at the sight of his friend, the familiarity of Logan's easy smile and the way his eyes crinkled at the corners when he was genuinely happy.

They ordered drinks, the conversation flowing easily as they caught up on their solo projects. Logan talked about the songs he'd been working on, his voice animated as he described the different directions he was exploring. Kendall shared stories from his own time in the studio, recounting the highs and lows of creating music on his own. They laughed over shared frustrations with producers, swapped advice, and relived the best moments of their recent work.

"I gotta say," Logan remarked, taking a sip of his drink, "as much as I've enjoyed doing my own thing, I've missed working with you guys. Especially you."

Kendall felt a warmth spread through him at Logan's words. "Same here. There's just something about the way we click when we're writing together. It's like... I don't know, like we're always on the same wavelength."

"Yeah," Logan agreed, his gaze meeting Kendall's. "It's always been like that, hasn't it? Even back in the day, we just... got each other."

Kendall nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. The truth of Logan's words hung between them, heavy with unspoken meaning. He took a deep breath, deciding it was now or never. "You ever wonder why that is? Why we've always been so in sync?"

Logan looked at him for a long moment, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah, I have," he admitted, his voice quieter now, more serious. "I've been thinking about it a lot, actually. Especially recently."

Kendall's breath caught in his throat. This was it—the moment he'd been both dreading and hoping for. "Me too," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I mean, I've always cared about you, Logan. But lately... it's felt like more than that. Like maybe there's something here that we didn't see before."

Logan's eyes softened, and he leaned in a little closer, lowering his voice. "I've been feeling the same way, Kendall. I don't know when it started, but... it's there. And I think it's always been there, we were just too young to see it."

Kendall's heart was racing now, a mix of excitement and fear. "Yeah, maybe. Back then, we were just kids, trying to figure out who we were. But now... now we're adults. We know who we are, what we want."

Logan nodded slowly, a small smile playing on his lips. "And maybe what we want is each other. I mean, it's 2024."

Kendall felt a surge of emotion at Logan's words. It was true—they weren't those uncertain teenagers anymore, trying to navigate fame and growing up all at once. They were adults now, with the freedom to make their own choices, to live their lives the way they wanted to.

"So, what do you think?" Logan asked, his voice soft but steady. "You think we should take a shot at this? See where it goes?"

Kendall didn't hesitate this time. "Yeah," he said, a smile spreading across his face. "I think we should. I want to."

A relieved smile broke out on Logan's face, and he reached across the table, taking Kendall's hand in his. The touch was electric, sending a jolt of warmth through Kendall's entire body. It felt right, in a way that nothing else ever had.

"Then let's do it," Logan said, his eyes shining with excitement and a hint of nervousness. "Let's see where this takes us."

Kendall squeezed Logan's hand, his heart swelling with a mixture of happiness and anticipation. They had no idea what the future held, but for the first time, they were ready to face it together.

As they sat there, hands clasped across the table in that dimly lit bar, they knew they were on the brink of something new, something that had the potential to change everything. But it didn't feel scary or overwhelming—instead, it felt like the beginning of something beautiful, something they were both ready to embrace.

They talked for hours after that, making plans and passing times. The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear—they were in this together, ready to take on whatever came their way.

When they finally stepped out into the warm night air, they walked side by side, their hands brushing together every so often, both of them smiling like they had just discovered something incredible. And maybe they had.

At Logan's car, they paused, the moment stretching out between them. "So, I guess this is the start of something, huh?" Kendall said, a teasing smile on his lips.

"Yeah," Logan replied, his eyes locked on Kendall's. "The start of something really good."

They stood there for a moment longer, savoring the quiet night, the warmth of each other's presence. Then, with one last smile, they said their goodbyes, knowing that this was only the beginning of their story.

And as Kendall watched Logan drive away, he couldn't help but feel that, for the first time in a long while, everything was exactly as it should be.