Hey!

Conflict! That's what's in this chapter. But, ya know, I can't help but feel sorry for them... so, yeah, it could have been worse.

Anyway, enjoy!

*Last chapter's lines*

Alvin's eyes glossed, but he was determined not to show anything. He couldn't believe this; another emotion fake. Another love.

*Chapter 11 *

Simon was having a relatively peaceful day. This morning he'd finally got back into reading, he got to work in the basement in peace after lunch, he'd only just now gotten dressed after his shower, and planned on reading his book until dinner was called. In short, his day was almost perfect.

Sighing in content, Simon propped himself on his bed and pulled out the book, slowly opening it to his bookmarked chapter.

He saw Alvin walk past the room's door out of the corner of his eye, looking a little strange. Then Alvin came back again; seemingly missing the room, and entered it, closing the door, sliding down it and pulling his knees up to his chest, a blank look on his face, like he was trying to work something out but he was fighting with himself.

Simon looked at Alvin completely, sliding his bookmark back in absently. 'Are you okay, Alvin?' He asked. Alvin looked up at him with a dark look that Simon hadn't seen in a while. It wasn't so much a glare. It was a dangerous "back off" look.

Alvin continued to look at Simon that way until the younger turned back to his book.

Though, try as he might, Simon couldn't focus. Something in Alvin's eyes was different.

He looked back at Alvin with his old stubborn curiosity which he hardly needed to use around Alvin lately. The red-clad boy was staring at the ground, still hugging his knees to his chest. Simon didn't have to read his eyes, he knew Alvin was angry with something.

Deciding that their relationship was a plus when it came to this, Simon closed his book and slid off the bed, making his way to Alvin. He sat down across from him, on his knees. He waited patiently for Alvin to look up at him.

'Get away from me.' Alvin said sharply, still looking at the ground.

Simon felt a stab at his heart; but he knew Alvin didn't mean it. He shuffled a bit. 'Alvin, what's wrong?' Simon said anyway. He saw Alvin's eyes narrow into a proper glare.

'Will you leave me alone?' Alvin demanded. 'I don't want to talk to you.' He looked to the side.

Simon pulled Alvin back with a finger under his chin, to look at him properly. 'Come on, Alvin.' Simon gave a small attempt at a smile, but Alvin looked so intimidating. 'Why are you angry?'

Alvin pulled his chin away from Simon and mumbled something.

'What was that?' Simon asked, cupping Alvin's cheek with one hand, the other on his knee.

'How... can you... touch me?' Alvin asked. The tremor in his voice was shocking. Simon moved closer to Alvin despite his fear. He leaned in slowly, earnestly hoping Alvin would calm down enough to tell him what was wrong, and kissed Alvin.

Immediately, Alvin pushed Simon away and stood.

'How dare you kiss me!' He shouted. 'Stay away from me, Simon!' He shook his head, hands balled in fists, anger in his blue eyes, yet they were glassy from a build up of tears. 'I hate you.' He wrenched the door open; Simon only had a second to move out of the way before it slammed against the wall and Alvin stormed out of the room.

Completely shocked and emotionally hurt, Simon pushed himself up and stared where Alvin had left, his own eyes glossing.

He collapsed against the wall next to the door frame and ran a hand through his hair. 'What was that..?' He murmured. 'It's like he has no idea we're in a relationship...' he felt a tear run down his cheek. 'What's wrong with my boyfriend..?' he whispered.

""""""""""""""""""

Alvin had no idea what he was doing. He must have walked around the house three times before he had to collapse on the sofa in the living room, shaking with anger, hurt and regret. He didn't know what to do.

This didn't count as heartbreak, because it was all an illusion, but it didn't matter: Simon had betrayed him. Tricked him into love. Love! Real, amazing, perfect love that turned out to be forced, fake and all selfish. How could anyone do that to another person?

How could Simon do that to me? Alvin's tears finally got the better of him. He'd never felt so devastated in his life. He imagined Simon with him, wrapping him in a warm, safe embrace like Alvin had always knew he would, if he was ever hurt, scared or angry. But right now, it was Simon that Alvin was hurt by, scared of and angry at.

'Alvin..?'

Alvin screwed his eyes shut; hoping that wasn't who he thought it was.

But Simon was one of those people who wouldn't drop it, until all matters were solved and he knew everything. Alvin couldn't believe he was attracted to Simon. Then again, he probably wasn't.

Simon made himself comfortable sitting on the coffee table in front of Alvin, not wanting to get too close, but close enough to study him. He waited again for Alvin to look up or say something, and when he didn't, Simon started to get impatient.

Alvin thought over everything in his mind, refusing to look up and give Simon the attention he didn't deserve. He really couldn't argue with the fact he still found Simon, as a whole, attractive, but, he didn't know if it was real. Again.

Giving in to temptation, Alvin looked up at Simon, and was surprised to see him almost glaring. He frowned at the younger brother's expression and scoffed.

'What's your problem?' He asked sharply, the curiosity in his mind sustained from his voice. Simon raised a brow and stood. Alvin folded his arms and leaned back on the couch, unable to show up Simon since he was taller.

'Alvin,' Simon started darkly, 'I don't know why you've decided to ignore me, or hurt me, or be angry at me.' He looked Alvin straight in the eye now that Alvin, for once, had looked up. 'So I have to tell you that what your doing is unfair. You can't simply push me around just because you're angry, then refuse to tell me why. That's not how it works.'

'How what works?' Alvin retorted. 'I don't want to talk to you ever again, why does that need explaining?'

'That's not how a relationship works.' Simon replied.

'Don't you get it, Simon, I'm through with you!' Alvin countered angrily. 'We are no longer a couple!'

'Alvin, why?' Simon raised his voice. 'And I meant any relationship –'

'Why?' Alvin stood. 'Why? Because you've been forcing me to love you!' Alvin exclaimed. Simon's look turned to offence, and Alvin flared up even more. 'Don't act like you have no idea what I'm talking about! I saw it, Simon, I saw the proof!' Alvin poked Simon's chest, glaring at him. 'How can you do that to someone? Create a false love!' Alvin folded his arms. 'A false hope.'

Simon shook his head. 'Alvin, I mean it, if you don't tell me what you're ranting about –'

'You'll what?' Alvin yelled. 'What could you possibly do to make me feel any worse!'

'Damnit, Alvin, what in the world is it that I've done to you!' Simon demanded in bewilderment.

Alvin shook his head, his mixed emotions sent out his tears again. 'You stole my heart, Simon. Took it. It should be a crime.' He looked to the floor. 'All with your stupid invention downstairs. I saw how many empty vials there were. You've been giving them to me, and I hadn't even noticed.' He felt himself shaking. 'So I want to know if this stupid feeling will ever wear off, or if I'll be stuck thinking that I belong with you.'

To Alvin's shock and utter disbelief, Simon was chuckling.

The younger of the two sat down on the sofa, still trying to control his laughter. Alvin glared at him from the corner of his eye.

'I really want to punch you right now.' Alvin stated. Simon let out a few more chuckles. 'Why the heck are you happy?'

Simon stood and quickly pulled Alvin into a tender kiss. Alvin responded for two seconds, but pushed Simon away quickly. Simon held Alvin by his wrist in case he felt like running again.

'Alvin, this is all a huge mistake.' Simon explained, still smiling and ignoring Alvin's look of betrayal in the form of laughter. 'You saw my blueprints?' He asked.

'Yeah, for those "love potions" or whatever.' Alvin folded his arms. 'And I told you never to touch me again.'

Simon kissed Alvin again quickly. 'You know what? You saw a project that I have been working on, with no success, for months now.' He smirked. 'I haven't even finished one that I thought was safe to drink.'

Alvin blinked, his shock evident. Simon continued to smile pleasantly. He'd already predicted Alvin would freak out about this experiment, but the fact that Alvin thought it was that much worse than it really was, Simon was certain that Alvin would take it better.

'B-but, I saw a whole lot of used vials, a-and they were everywhere –'

Simon hushed Alvin with a finger to his lips. 'I had an accident yesterday regarding one of the apparent "finished products" and it spilt all through my clean vials, making them look used.' Simon shrugged. 'I put the stuff into two empty ones and I realised they weren't going to work, so I threw them in the bin.'

'So... so...' Alvin regrouped this new information. Nothing Simon explained had even crossed his mind when he saw those vials. But, now, it seemed so obvious. 'So... there's no love potions?' He gathered.

Simon shook his head, smiling contentedly. 'No, Alvin, and if there was, I wouldn't have tested them on you.' He chuckled a bit. 'I wanted to give it to Brittany.'

Alvin slowly smiled, processing all that he'd thought, and all that really was. 'I'm so sorry, Simon.' He insisted.

Simon waved away the apology. 'It's fine; you've learned that even if you're mad at me, you still need to talk to me about it.' He sat down again. 'I would have washed the vials, but, like you said, they're everywhere. I think I'll bring them up two at a time.' He looked mischievously at Alvin. 'Dave doesn't know I bought them.'

It hit Alvin that this may be the first untruthful thing Simon had ever done, and he had to smirk.

'Dirty little secret.' He said mockingly.

'Well, they're all dirty now.' Simon replied. Alvin frowned at the pun, but then looked down in regret. No amount of joking could make up for what he'd said to Simon.

'Simon... I...' Alvin sat beside his brother slowly. 'I am really sorry, I mean, for everything... a-and I... I'll take back what I said a-about us breaking up... i-if... you still want to be... with... me.'

'You are a jerk, Alvin.' Simon agreed blandly. 'And you've proven how hot-headed you are. And you're the world's biggest douche.' He smiled at how Alvin admitted the defeat. 'But...' he half sang. Alvin's head snapped up to look at Simon, hope filling his eyes. 'You're also a great guy. When you want to be. And, even after today... you're good to me. So far.' He loved the change in emotions on Alvin's face every time he added something. 'And you are... really good at making me feel... well, great. And I love how noisy you are, you know that, right?'

'I'm not noisy!' Alvin defended desperately.

'Point being,' Simon interrupted, 'that I accepted how strange it is to like you before this spring started. And I still accept it.' He smiled, holding a twinkle in his eye that Alvin loved. 'Even though you get on my nerves, and you are seriously not patient, and that you can't seem to think logically during a crisis... and you're adorably noisy.' He waited for the protest to come, and as soon as Alvin opened his mouth, Simon pressed his lips against Alvin's, smiling and holding Alvin at the waist.

Alvin cupped Simon's cheek for a moment, then dropped the hand to Simon's shoulder. He moaned in content and pleasure and Simon pulled back.

'See, you are noisy.' He teased. Alvin bit his lip, too guilty to respond.

'How in the world did I deserve what you just did?' He asked.

Simon shrugged. 'You didn't. Not really. But, you did apologise, and that counts for something.'

Alvin inhaled deeply. 'I love you, Simon.' He promised.

Simon only smiled. 'I love you, too.' He replied. 'Gee, am I lucky!' He stated sarcastically. 'I get to date the hottest guy in school!' He held Alvin close. 'And he gets to date the biggest nerd in the school.'

'You're not a nerd.' Alvin defended. 'And I'll be competing with Cruise, now!' He smirked. 'But, yeah, I'm pretty hot.'

'What do you say to something like that?' Simon shook his head, smiling.

'You don't speak.' Alvin explained. Simon nodded.

'No problem.' He brought their lips together passionately.

I love Simon in this chapter :D

Hope it was good, a little short, but good; and I am getting really into it again, so, I'm sure updates will be quicker, and certainly won't take a week.

The whole love potion was kind of a one-shot thing I wanted to strengthen the boys' relationships. I'm not sure if I'll bring it up later, but I hope to, and therefore, maybe another twist.

Thanks for all the positive reviews!