"It's been almost a month since we started analyzing the watch in the college lab. And I've actually made very little progress in understanding how it works." Seth sighed. "Now I got your frustration. But we must not give up."

Seth was looking through a magnifying glass at the pieces of the clock that he had painstakingly managed to disassemble.

Seth looked up at Roman. The Samoan was asleep, his head resting on his arms on the lab bench.

Seth sighed, Roman was always tired. He worked nights, he worked from dawn until midnight, and had worked a morning shift helping with a move. He had only slept three hours.

Christmas was approaching and the college would close for holidays. The lab would no longer be available.

Seth had every little piece of the watch on the board. But he had only been able to remove the casing from it, now he was drawing a diagram on his tablet, of the parts of the watch that he had been able to decipher and those that he had not, to devise how to build the necessary tools to continue dismantling it and find out what was malfunctioning.

If I could figure this out, I would win a Nobel Prize. This watch is the most remarkable object in existence today. Seth thought. If it falls into the wrong hands, not only would the future be in chaos, but also the present. I must protect this device and protect Roman. Make sure he fulfills his mission.

And watch him leaving my life when he does.

And that caused him a deep panic.

Seth put the clock on the dash and for the first time stopped to think about how he was feeling about this man.

Roman had been a ray of light in the darkness Seth had decided to wrap himself in when he fell in love with Drew. The Samoan had become his friend, his confidant, his protector. And even though their relationship was fake, a way to help Seth, the youngest was enjoying the attention he received from Roman, holding his hand, hugging him, sleeping together.

The looks they shared, the way Roman protected him to the point of looking possessive and even jealous. The relationship might be fake, but everything they did felt so real.

And the way Roman trusted him. No one had ever trusted Seth so much. Not even his own flesh and blood.

Roman was asleep, totally trustful of Seth. To the point of having given him the most valuable object he possessed, something that could destroy his mission, his life and the only chance to get back the person Roman loved.

And this was the reason of such deep panic.

Roman was here because of a miscalculation, something that had gone wrong with this watch. One year, that was how long Dean, a guy he didn't even know, was lending Roman to him.

Because Roman wasn't his. He would never be. Just like Drew never wanted to be.

Life had a cruel way of denying him the things he wanted.

The sound of the lab door brought him out of his musings. Someone was trying to get in. Seth reassembled the watch case as fast as he could. This was something that he had already mastered and at least this was already drawn on his tablet.

The door opened. And Seth rolled his eyes, Dolph was there accompanied by Mr. Rodríguez, the professor in charge of the laboratory.

"Did you lock the door?" The professor asked.

"Surely it was by mistake." Seth justified himself.

"Dolph was asking for you and I was trying to let him know where you are." The teacher continued.

"Being one of the most outstanding alumni has its privileges. It is always a pleasure to return to my alma mater." Dolph gave the professor a sly smile. "As well as visiting one of the brightest students whom I had to mentor."

Seth had to smile at the professor. Mr. Rodríguez decided to leave them alone and continue with his activities. When the teacher got out, Seth glared at Dolph.

"We are not friends we have no reason to talk." Seth was adamant about this.

It was then that he behind several books. Dolph saw Roman sleeping.

"Drew doesn't think you and that guy really have a relationship. And yet you both seem to be everywhere together." Dolph sneered at Roman. "But that's not the weirdest thing here. The weirdest thing is the ammount of time, resources and work it took me to research about this man."

Seth clenched his fists. He must have suspected this would happen sooner or later.

"It has taken me weeks, because Roman doesn't have a formal job." Dolph started walking toward Roman. "So I decided to find out if he had problems with the law, but no. He doesn't have them because he doesn't even exist. Roman Reigns doesn't exist, he's never existed. At least not in this country. So I thought that surely he's illegal in this country. An illegal who speaks the language and has the local accent as if he was born here, that makes no sense."

Dolph started shaking Roman to wake him up. "But seems like there could be no other reason for his status in this country. So since he's here. Why doesn't he explain it to us? Or I'll call immigration, since whatever the reason he's not an American citizen is, he's still illegal and they're going to arrest him."

Roman woke up, somewhat confused. He did not recognize the blond man who was shaking him, he stood up and pushed him.

"Who the hell are you?" Roman said angrily.

"I'm Dolph, cousin of your boyfriend's other boyfriend." Dolph smirked.

Roman noticed Seth's anger and also noticed fear in those doe eyes. "What did you do to Seth?"

"Such a protective boyfriend." Dolph sneered. "But it's you actually, the one I need to speak with. Who the hell are you and why don't you exist in this country?"

Roman grunted, he was sure as hell he wouldn't utter a word about . And he gave a fuck about this blond guy anyways. But before Roman could answer to Dolph, the watch began to spin and glow the same way as the day he and Seth met. Dolph saw astounded what was happening. Roman pushed him aside and walked over to Seth.

The clock stopped and Dolph tried to get closer, but Roman immediately pushed him away, this time throwing him on the floor. The Samoan immediately put on his watch.

"You hide more secrets than just your origin and identity, uh." Dolph stood up angrily. "That's why Drew has left you alone. Finding out everything he needs to have you guys in the palm of his hand takes time. But if he loses his patience, you might not get to spend Christmas together."

Dolph stormed out of the lab.

"Things are going to get complicated and I'm still far from where I was supposed to arrive." Roman put his hands in his hair, visibly concerned.

And seeing Roman so worried, Seth wanted to punch Dolph, he wanted to make him disappear. He had never cared about someone as much as he cared for Roman. He had never had negative feelings against another, not even for people that had hurt him. But when was about people hurting Roman, he had them.

Seth put his hands to his face. "If they really do that, immigration is going to hold you until they find out where you came from."

"There is no way they will find out." Roman sighed.

"Then you will be in jail for a long time. And if you hide..." Seth continued.

"We would have to separate." Roman closed his eyes, concerned. "And that is their main objective, to get us apart."

"Besides, he already saw the watch." Seth clenched his fists. "Dolph is a mechanical engineer, he must be having a thousand suspicions."

"None of his suspicions will come close to reality." Roman said thoughtfully. "But I must protect this watch more than ever if it has already piqued his curiosity."

Seth looked at Roman sadly. "It seems my destiny is to lose you."

"No Seth. Please don't be like that." Roman took the boy's hands. "I'm not going to let Drew tear us apart. He's not going to win."

But even if he didn't win. When Roman accomplished his goal, it wouldn't be Drew who would tear them apart.

It would be Roman himself...

No, it wouldn't be Roman. It would be Dean, Roman's true love.

Was he feeling jealous?

Seth shook his head, horrified at his own selfish thoughts. And he felt deeply guilty.

Roman seemed to sense his discomfort and tightened his grip on his hands, drawing his attention.

"Roman I… I…" Seth took a deep breath and this time it was himself who turned around interrupting the moment. "We should go now."

Seth started walking without further explanation.

After the incident in the lab, Seth had left Roman at another of his jobs. The younger boy had not spoken to him.

After midnight, Roman had finished his work. He had stacked all the boxes with the various liquors that were in the cellar of that bar.

"Here's your money, boy." Bill, one of Roman's bosses, had grown fond of him. "I know you have several jobs, all underpay. And I've been thinking of a way to help you. I want to offer you a stable job."

Roman made the same excuse that he used with all of his other jobs. "I am undocumented."

Bill laughed. "Seriously?"

"Yes, I can't have a formal job. That's why I work this way. But I thank you, anyways." Roman nodded.

"I don't know how you can be illegal… it's very weird." Bill didn't want to judge him. "But you're a good boy, a very hard worker one and I like you. I'll give you the job anyway. Come early tomorrow and I'll find a way that your undocumented status don't be a problem."

"Wow." Roman smiled in relief. "Thank you."

"I'll pay you the same as any American worker is paid. Don't worry boy." Bill nodded.

"See you tomorrow then."

Roman got out of the bar that Bill owned.

Seth was always waiting for him after alll his shifts, but this time he wasn't there. Roman sighed. All this that had happened after that incident with Dolph in the laboratory. All these things had distressed Seth. To the point that the boy had barely spoken to him.

Perhaps, Seth had realized that, instead of helping him, Roman had only complicated his life more.

Roman started walking toward E's house. Christmas was approaching and the shops were open past midnight.

In a shop window he saw a Parkway Drive CD. He knew Seth loved that band. Roman sighed and decided what he would do.

"Will all of you leave?" Seth frowned.

"We always leave. We must go to spend Christmas with our families." E indicated. "My uncle and aunt are waiting for me."

"Same." Kofi interjected.

"We were worried about you. Because we didn't want to leave you alone at the mercy of that Drew moron." Xavier indicated. "But now you have Roman and the two of you are alone in this city. So you can keep each other company."

"And you can also finish explaining Roman what Christmas is all about. I still remember his astonished face when he saw us decorating the house and the tree." E smiled

"I remember the first time he saw the streets and the shops decorated. He was so in awe." Seth said with some sadness. "The future will be horrible."

"It won't be anymore. Our favorite time hero is going to fight the future." Kofi said optimistically. "And he is going to save the present too. But for now, his most important mission will be spend Christmas keepind our captain company."

The boys went to sleep and Seth stayed awake staring out the window.

The snow was a little thicker now, but there was no storm forecast, it was manageable. Roman was walking a little hunched over.

And Seth felt guilty. He hadn't go to pick up Roman, because he was hiding from him, as if that were possible. And thanks to that, the Samoan would now be more tired and also cold.

And for the first time since they started sharing the bedroom. Roman knocked on the bedroom door.

"Sorry." Seth opened it immediately. He looked so sad. "I, I should have gone to pick you up."

Seth stepped aside and Roman walked into the bedroom. He began to remove his wet coats.

"Thanks to me, you lost your family..." Roman didn't know how to say this. "I've done you more harm than good so if someone has to say I'm sorry: it's me. I understand that you need space and I'm willing to give it to you. Just tell me what I can do."

And this broke Seth's heart. Roman had done nothing wrong. Seth had a panic attack due to his own negative thoughts. Roman was very special to him. So much that he was being selfish and possessive towards him, and it scared him.

But he couldn't admit that.

"Dolph made me nervous. Actually, his threats aren't empty." Seth decided to tell a part of the truth. "I really don't want to lose you."

"You would have to do something very, very bad to get that. And still, I probably wouldn't care. I would find a way to justify your actions." Roman said this with such sincerity. Roman's trust in Seth was blind. "But we both know, you would never do a bad thing. You are like an angel."

Roman pulled out a paper bag from inside one of the coats he had hung on the rack. "I saw it and I thought of you."

Seth pulled the cd out of the bag.

"It's my favorite band. It's a beautiful detail." Seth thought he would cry.

He had abandoned Roman and the Samoan had bought him a gift.

Once again, Seth threw himself into Roman's arms, who seemed to be in sync, because he hugged him back.

"I'm glad you liked it." Roman said sincerely.

"You could give me a stone and I would love it." Seth couldn't stop the words from coming out of his mouth.

"I never had the opportunity to buy a gift for someone important to me." Roman said still holding Seth. "I was too poor, and being an outkast, I couldn't make transactions. I really like being able to give something to someone I care."

Seth smiled and felt so, so special. This was something Roman hadn't done even for Dean. Finally, his mind settled down, fused in that embrace, Seth felt that no matter how many obstacles they had, how impossible their story would be. They would be victorious.

At the end, someway, somehow, things will be fine.

Next chapter: Rolleigns Christmas