Together Again for the First Time (Logan&Wes)

[blueeyeddevil]

OOC: Yay for bromance!!! ^_^

Wes Harlow

It had been a little over three years since Wes had last seen his best friend. Really he had no one to blame for that but himself. It had been his stupid decision to do drugs which had lead to his overdose which had led to his decision to quit the band and move to Paris. For a long while he'd worried that Logan would be mad at him for having up and quit like he did to move away to a foreign city, but they had kept in close contact with one another through phone calls and text messages. Really technology was a God-send for keeping long distance friendships going, but it still wasn't quite the same as just hanging out together; talking face to face.

When Logan had called a couple weeks ago saying that the band was done and he was planning to go to school here near Paris, Wes couldn't have been more thrilled. His best friend was finally going to be in the same place as him again. After all the time they'd spent on tour buses or hotel rooms in foreign places, it had definitely been strange not having Logan , or any of the other guys around. But now that Logan had come to town, Wes was just ready to have some time with his best friend again.

Logan had gotten in the day before and was currently staying in a hotel while he was looking for a place to live. Wes had decided to take the day off to spend time with Logan, show him the sights and possibly take him out to lunch to celebrate the move. He walked through the elegant halls, searching for his friend's door. A smile found it's way to his lips when he found the sequence of numbers he was looking for. He raised a hand on knocked on the door.

[The Exodus]

Logan Bell

Paris didn’t look like Logan expected. He’d been here before for a show, but it had been nighttime and the middle of winter. Then, the city had glowed with soft, yellow lights and was nothing but a blur. In the daylight, the city still glowed. Sun reflected off of cream colored buildings and the shiny water in the Seine and in the fountains. But it was like London in some ways; a little cleaner, but splashed with graffiti and colored by angry drivers. There were still garbage trucks that rumbled down the streets at ungodly hours and drunken partiers staggering about in the night. It wasn’t the magical Disneyland promised in Wes’ postcards and in travel brochures, but there was something nice about it. Logan could sit on the balcony of his hotel room and look down at people passing by without fear that anyone was secretly working for the tabloids. It was relaxing.

He stood on the balcony of his hotel room, drinking coffee and looking out at the garden across the way. The Jardin des Tulieries. It was one of the few French phrases he knew right now. He was enrolled in an intensive summer course in the local language. On the table was a newspaper, unfolded and turned to the real estate section. As great as the hotel was, Logan couldn’t live here forever. It was tempting.

The sound of someone knocking at the door pulled Logan from the moment and a smile grew on his face.

Wes.

The city was great and all, but it was nothing compared to seeing your best friend after three, long years. They’d talked – of course – but technology wasn’t a substitute. Logan set his coffee mug down and went to the front door. He grinned and pulled Wes into a back-slapping hug.

“Get in here,” he said, releasing him and swinging the door wide.
Logan walked into the room. The hotel had put him up in a suite – which was basically a high-class studio apartment .

“Room service just brought coffee,” he said, walking towards the balcony. Then, stopping shy of the door, he looked back at Wes. Logan didn’t say it, but Wes looked good. Clean, sober – whichever was the phrase – and healthy. He still worried sometimes – all the time, really – but he wasn’t about to baby his best friend. There was nothing more uncool. “God, it’s good to see you. “

[blueeyeddevil]

Wes Harlow

When Logan opened the door, the first thing that struck Wes was that his friend had grown-up a lot in the three years since he'd left the band. Logan had cut his hair, bulked up a bit. He looked more like a college student than a bandbander. But that smile hadn't changed a bit and Wes couldn't help but smile himself, returning the brotherly hug. It was a little longer than usual 'slap on the back' type hug but made perfect sense as they hadn't seen each other in three years.

“Get in here,” Logan told him, stepping aside to let him in. Wes followed him in, looking around the luxurious hotel room with awe. It made his tiny little apartment look like a mouse hole by comparison. “Room service just brought coffee,”Logan told him.

"Thank God!" Wes declared, following him out towards the balcony. A teasing grin pulled at his lips. "Room service, luxury suite, great view...you sure you still want move somewhere else?"

Logan looked at him for a moment. “God, it’s good to see you.“ he said warmly.

Wes smiled at him, clapping him on the shoulder. "You too, man. Its been way too long," he said. It certainly had. Logan was the first person since Ian that Wes had actually felt gave a d*mn about him. It was really good to have him back. "I'm really glad you're here."

He went over and began to pour himself some coffee glancing over to see the real estate page open on the table. "Finding any good places?" he asked.

[The Exodus]

Logan Bell

Wes’ hand collided with Logan’s shoulder, turning any sappy smile on Logan’s face to a goofy kind of grin.

"You too, man. Its been way too long," Wes said. he said. "I'm really glad you're here."

Logan knew instantly that Wes meant what he said. They didn’t put up pretenses for each other. Of the guys in Radio Remedy, Wes was probably the most real. Liam and Jake and Eliot could fake it with the best of ‘em. Glassy eyed smiles and pre-approved words and phrases. Not Wes. It was nice to actually be wanted around.

The two men walked out to the balcony. Wes helped himself to the coffee; Logan picked his own mug back up and went over to the railing to look at the garden across the avenue. The carousel had started up and under the sound of traffic, there was a vaguely familiar melody in the air. Logan smiled. Wes had asked – jokingly – why he wanted to move out of the hotel and it was a good question. The place was good enough for other pop stars to call it “home” when in Paris. And it was tempting. But Logan didn’t want to live in a hotel forever. He’d just come off of doing exactly that.

"Finding any good places?" Wes asked.

“Lots,” Logan said. Then, wryly, “I think Napoleon Bonaparte’s old place is up for sale.”

He walked back to the table and sat down. He really wanted something low-key. A place to relax and retire from being a pop sensation. He wanted any friends he made here in Paris to think of him as a student and musician, a chill guy. Nothing special and nothing different.

“I’ve never bought an apartment before,” Logan said. “Living in the real world is real different than life in the tour bus.”

[blueeyeddevil]

Wes Harlow

Even after three years apart, it felt like nothing had changed between him and Logan. They were still laughing and joking like they hadn't spent a day apart. Wes truly couldn't have been more grateful for that too. He needed that sense of normalcy and was glad not to have that usual lull that came with most reunions. With Logan, he actually felt comfortable enough to pour himself a cup of coffee and make himself at home in one of the chairs at the table. Logan was very laid-back about everything and had often reminded Wes of Ian that way.

He asked Logan if he'd been finding any good places in his apartment search. “Lots,” he said. “I think Napoleon Bonaparte’s old place is up for sale.”

Wes gave a small snort and chuckled, shaking his head. "That's no good, brother," he told Logan with that same wry voice. "That place just screams bad luck. Keep looking."

Logan joined him at the table, both of drinking coffee and enjoying the view of the city.

"I’ve never bought an apartment before,” Logan mused aloud. “Living in the real world is real different than life in the tour bus.”

Wes felt a corner of his mouth tug up in a half grin. "True. Very true," he admitted. "But at least the food is better." He sighed and sipped his coffee. "It definitely takes some getting use to again, but trust me, you'll be fine," he assured him. "So what are you planning to study, anyway?"

[The Exodus]

Logan Bell

Wes shot Logan a half smile that Logan couldn’t help but return.

"True. Very true," said Wes. "But at least the food is better." He sighed and sipped his coffee. "It definitely takes some getting used to again, but trust me, you'll be fine," he assured him. "So what are you planning to study, anyway?"

It was Logan’s turn to sigh.

“Right now? French,” he confessed. “I barely passed French in school. I’m signed up for some summer courses at the Sorbonne right now and once I take a placement test…”

Logan shook his head. He’d picked France largely because Wes was there and the paparazzi weren’t. He hadn’t really put a lot of thought into things like language barriers and culture shock. Most of the signs in Paris were written in multiple languages. In the airport, there had been something like seven languages – some he didn’t even recognize – written on the billboards hanging overhead.

“But once I’ve brushed up on the local language, I’m thinking something serious, like business or philosophy or engineering,” Logan said. The last one was a joke; he’d never wanted to build bridges or do math for a living. He did want to take something that sounded impressive, so that anyone who still saw him as nothing more than a boy-bander would be forced to take him seriously and treat him accordingly. “I don’t know. I didn’t plan on doing the whole university degree thing before the band. And now that I’ve got the time and the resources… Why not?”

He paused and took a sip of his coffee then, remembering what Wes was doing for a living without the band, he asked, “How is the life of an opera star? You still liking it okay?”

[blueeyeddevil]

Wes Harlow

Logan sighed as he asked about what his friend was planning to study, making Wes frown a tad.

“Right now? French,” he said as though admitting to something. “I barely passed French in school. I’m signed up for some summer courses at the Sorbonne right now and once I take a placement test…”

Wes smiled and nodded in agreement. "You'll get the hang of it, man," he told him. Logan was smart guy. Wes had no doubt he'd be able to pick up French in no time. "You know what they say about immersion..you just have to get out there and try." He shook his head. "Honestly it took a little while for me to learn too. But it's second nature now. Having a French girlfriend certainly helps."

“But once I've brushed up on the local language, I’m thinking something serious, like business or philosophy or engineering,” Logan told him. “I don’t know. I didn't plan on doing the whole university degree thing before the band. And now that I've got the time and the resources… Why not?”

Wes nodded again. Honestly, he'd never understood the desire to go to school. Music was what he wanted to do and he was still involved with it. He didn't need a formal education to do what he loved. But he was going to be more than supportive of his best friend if he wanted to go. Lord knew that Logan had been unbelievably supportive of him after the overdose, helping him through it.

"You're here in France; that's all that matters if you ask me," he said with a grin. "Whatever you decide to do, I know you're going to kick as*. Liam, Jake, and Eliot don't have the guts you do. I don't have the guts you do."

“How is the life of an opera star? You still liking it okay?” his friend asked.

Wes laughed and shrugged. "Its sort of weird but I actually kind of love it," he admitted. "Its a major change from catch pop choruses, I'll give you that, but honestly I needed that."

[The Exodus]

Logan Bell

Logan didn’t know much about opera. He’d heard some of the crossover stuff as a kid – the perks of being in school choir – but had never seen a full opera. It always seemed like something you instantly liked after age fifty-five. But now that Wes was doing the whole opera singing thing, Logan would learn to love it. He’d at least make a show of support sometime. That was, if Wes was cool with it. For all Logan knew, the opera singing career had been a mistake.

"It’s sort of weird but I actually kind of love it," Wes confessed. "Its a major change from catch pop choruses, I'll give you that, but honestly I needed that."

“No kidding,” said Logan with a nod.

Different was good lately. Different was therapeutic. Exciting, too. Logan shut his eyes and smiled. Wes sounded so happy. Maybe France would do him the same kind of good. He hoped so. When he opened his eyes, he looked at Wes.

“I’m happy for you, man,” he said. “I’ve got to see one of your shows sometime. When’s the next one?”

[blueeyeddevil]

Wes Harlow

Wes had never imagined himself as an opera singer. Back when he had been learning to play guitar and sing from Ian he'd mainly done pop and rock. That had transferred over to a career in a boy band. He stil couldn't say why but the major leap from pop music to opera had seemed like a much needed change after his overdose scare. Even Logan had thought he was at least a little crazy when he'd told him what he was going to do in Paris.

He explained that the change had been needed. “No kidding,” his friend said with a nod.

Wes knew he was thinking about that night three years when he'd walked in to the dressing room after the show and found him hald dead with a needle in his arm. Wes had never really forgiven himself for hurting his friend that way.

“I’m happy for you, man,” Logan said. “I’ve got to see one of your shows sometime. When’s the next one?”

Wes laughed softly and shook his head. "I love you, bro, but you really don't have to do that. I'm just chorus in this next one anyway. I promise I'll invite you next time I've got a solo part."

He smiled at Logan and took a drink of coffee. "Don't worry. There are a ton of other things to see in this city besides me butchering opera," he joked. "How about we have dinner tonight? I've got show you around this place."

[The Exodus]

Logan Bell

Wes laughed and shook his head. Logan said nothing.

"I love you, bro, but you really don't have to do that. I'm just chorus in this next one anyway,” Wes told him. “I promise I'll invite you next time I've got a solo part."

Secretly, Logan was glad Wes saved him the trouble of sitting through a four hour opera, trying to catch a glimpse of Wes on the stage. It must have been very different – very hard – to go from sharing the spotlight with four guys to being one of dozens in a show. Maybe a little liberating, if you weren’t into the whole fangirls-screaming-your-name thing.

“Sounds fair,” Logan said with a grin. “I don’t want to waste my time playing ‘Where’s Wes Harlow’ for four hours.”

"Don't worry. There are a ton of other things to see in this city besides me butchering opera," Wes joked. "How about we have dinner tonight? I've got show you around this place."

“That’s right,” he teased. “You’ve got some pretty cool things here. The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre and all that travel brochure stuff. You up for a round of sightseeing right now?”