Back! Went on a short holiday up to Sydney, but I'm back! Okay, well there's a lot in this chapter to be happy about, and I'm satisfied with how it turned out... so!

Enjoy!

Simon dragged Cruise to the front door to greet Brittany, beating Dave to it.

Their father-figure stopped heading for the door and instead wandered curiously to where Alvin was. He found him slumped on the couch, looking troubled.

'Hey, Alvin. What's gong on?'

Alvin looked up at his father-figure. 'Oh, hi...' he replied. 'I don't know, I just feel like I don't have anyone to talk to.' He angrily blamed Cruise, but remembered what Simon said and held his tongue.

'Cruise seems like a nice boy.' Dave put in. Alvin nodded. Am I the only one who doesn't really like him?

'Yeah, he and Simon are really close. They keep going off and leaving me.' Alvin chuckled, inwardly depressed about it. No matter what Simon said, he was still leaving him, and he couldn't stand not talking to Simon.

Dave nodded. 'Give it time; I'm sure Cruise is just trying to warm up to one person at a time.' Dave made to leave. 'It's strange, isn't it? When he came over I thought he was you, at first.' Dave laughed lightly and left. Alvin groaned.

Really, Dave?

"""""""

The first thing Brittany saw when the door was opened was Simon and Cruise. She smiled brightly at both of them, but a little more so to her savour from the other day. She couldn't forget how thankful she was to him.

'Hi, Brittany.' Cruise spoke first. He seemed to then forget what he was going to say, and Brittany giggled a bit.

'How are you?' Simon asked her, knowing it was what Cruise wanted to say. Cruise nodded in agreement.

'I'm doing fine, thanks.' Brittany nodded. 'Of course, I probably wouldn't be if Cruise didn't rescue me.' She batted her eyes at him and Cruise smiled, getting nervous. Simon put a hand on Cruise's shoulder, and surprisingly, Cruise calmed down.

'It wasn't a problem, Brittany, I couldn't just let you drown.' Cruise insisted. Brittany moved in the house and Cruise followed her, leaving Simon at the door.

'It was very brave.' She told Cruise, smiling.

'Eleanor,' Simon motioned his eyes to the kitchen, 'Theodore's eagerly waiting for you.'

Eleanor nodded. 'I'm there,' she smiled and took off.

This left he and Jeanette. The brunette blushed slightly and Simon smiled at her. 'Hey, Jen.' He said, slightly awkward. From what Eleanor had told him, he'd been dreading seeing her today. Love? Jeanettewas in love withhim?

'Hi, Simon.' She replied. 'H-how have you been?' She avoided his gaze, determined not to find any reason to still love him, and his eyes always weakened her defences.

'Pretty good.' He nodded and motioned her to come in, she did so with little hesitation. 'And you?' They walked together slowly towards the kitchen and everyone else.

'Alright, I suppose...' Jeanette still didn't look at him. If anything, this was the worst part of learning he was different: usually, she could tell him she wasn't alright, she could tell him everything. Now he wasn't even asking. Not that he didn't want to, but Simon felt like he no longer held that type of relationship with Jeanette. He hadn't spoken to her since before this spring, and he didn't think she would call him a friend anymore. So he remained silent.

Jeanette moved off when they entered the kitchen and made her way to Theodore and Eleanor. Brittany stopped talking to Cruise at her sister's entrance and made her way over to her, smiling at Cruise as she did so.

Simon realised with a frown that Alvin was still not in here. He made his way through to the living room and shook his head, smiling slightly at the sight of his brother on the sofa, folding his arms and deep in thought. He wondered if it would do to talk to him again, but something told him that Alvin would never quite get over Cruise wanting to be around Simon all the time.

'Hey,' he said softly, careful not to scare him again.

Alvin's blue eyes flashed up and he smiled when he saw it was Simon interrupting him.

'Hey.' The eldest replied. Simon sat beside him and gave him a small amused smile.

'Everyone's in the kitchen.' He told his brother with playful sternness. 'And I was just wondering why you weren't.' Simon raised hi eyebrows. 'Shall we go join the others and actually be social?'

Alvin rolled his eyes, smiled and stood. 'If I'm going with you...' he waited for Simon to stand and when he did so they made their way to the kitchen.

Alvin put on his usual mischievous character and greeted everyone like he had absolutely no worries. What he secretly feared, though, was how each of his friends judged him since they knew about Simon and himself. Jeanette was definitely different, Eleanor acted out an uncaring persona, and Brittany was openly mad at them. Theodore wouldn't approve. Cruise might not approve, either. And Dave? He'd be so mad, Alvin didn't know what he'd do.

But, for his own sake and for Simon's, Alvin acted like all of this was unclear to him and he was still living without being involved with Simon.

Dave set up a table in the backyard for the four boys and three girls and they all made themselves comfortable around it (save for Theodore, who was still in the kitchen), chatting lightly until Theodore and Dave brought out lunch. Brittany insisted on sitting next to Cruise, Alvin sat at the head of the rectangle-shaped white table, beside Simon and where Theodore would be.

Not like he predicted, Brittany was speaking with Alvin as if nothing had ever happened between them. She was being perfectly normal, and it was a huge relief for Alvin.

The lunch was perfectly cooked – Theodore wouldn't have it any other way – and having everyone together again was so satisfying: as if nothing had changed and they did this as often as they used to. The addition of Cruise certainly lightened any tension that was ever built up and by the end of the meal the idea of this sleepover was starting to look like a great one.

The four boys cleaned up the dishes and whatnot while the Chipettes made themselves comfortable and claimed where they would be sleeping in the living room.

Alvin carried four plates to the sink, topped with two cups and multiple knifes and forks; hoping he wouldn't have to make extra trips back to the deserted table. The night looked like it would be promising and he wanted to get on with it.

Simon was situated at the sink, washing all the dishes that piled into the water. Alvin put his plates in one by one, enjoying Simon's company even if they weren't exactly talking.

'Alvin,' Simon smirked as Alvin started putting the cutlery in one by one as well. Alvin looked up at his brother innocently.

'Yes?' He mused.

Simon chuckled. 'It doesn't take that long to put some cutlery in.' He shook his head and continued washing a near-clean plate. Despite his chiding, Alvin dropped each item in one at a time anyway.

'You should know that I like being around you.' Alvin said, dipping the last cup in the soapy water and swirling it around. Simon took the cup from him gently and washed it swiftly.

'You're making a cue.' Simon indicated Cruise standing behind Alvin. Alvin blushed a little and backed off, allowing Cruise to dunk his burden in the water. He hoped Cruise didn't think anything weird about his statement, but he knew the new boy had heard it.

'Simon, she keeps wanting to be with me,' Cruise told Simon excitedly. Alvin rolled his eyes and leaned against the doorframe, folding his arms.

Simon spoke softer, 'Cruise, she could hear you from here.' He tilted his head towards the gap in the wall allowing them to see the living room. 'But, congratulations.' He smiled and finished off the last dish with a flick of his wrist. Alvin eyed the action, then contented himself with staring at Simon's lips while he talked, and his gorgeous grey eyes, and his body shifting and just everything.

'Alvin.' Simon smiled and shook his head. 'Drifting off a little?'

Alvin bit his lip. 'Sorry, I just spaced out.' He replied.

'I asked you if you knew when your... um... "pain", would hit.' Simon raised a brow. Cruise looked back and forth from each brother.

'O-oh, sometime... soon.' Alvin shrugged. 'We never really know.'

'Does this happen a lot?' Cruise spoke up curiously. 'Because if you're getting stomach pains, then there's either something missing from your diet or you're doing things that your body doesn't agree with, like alcohol or drugs.'

'It's not quite stomach pains.' Simon intervened as Alvin went to reply. 'He says it feels like he's being stabbed in the gut.'

'Oh, so it's like period pains?' Brittany walked in and smiled innocently. 'I didn't know you got that, Alvin.'

'It's not period pains.' Alvin told her with an unamused look. 'Let's not go there.'

Brittany chuckled a little and turned to Cruise. 'You seem to know what you're talking about.' She noticed.

Cruise nodded shyly. 'I... I really liked biology in my old school, and I think I want to be a doctor, when I'm older.' He admitted. 'I guess I'm just fascinated in things like this. Even if it is stomach pains.'

Alvin groaned. 'It's not stomach pains! I'm i–'

Simon shot him a warning look and Alvin stopped talking, folding his arms and remaining quiet with a small pout.

'So,' Simon smiled, 'let's go pick a movie or something.' The three followed Simon into the living room.

Simon explained the mattress dilemma and Cruise seemed fine with the sleeping arrangements. Brittany looked at Alvin knowingly when Simon said they were sleeping beside each other.

Alvin really liked how well Brittany was taking everything. She seemed more down-to-earth than he'd ever seen her and they hadn't had one argument that involved yelling, mind, they still did argue a little.

So, the movie was picked, they were settled down on their respective air mattresses, save for Eleanor and Theodore who were on the couch together right now, and everyone seemed to at least look like they were having a good time being here.

About fifteen minutes into the movie, while Alvin was getting bored and tempted to lean on Simon's shoulder, the eldest Seville stood up abruptly.

'Okay, Alvin, please move.' Eleanor chided from behind him.

Alvin swiftly moved out of the way. 'Sorry. Simon,' he motioned his brother over, 'I... it's happening –'

Simon made his way over to Alvin and they walked out of the living room quickly.

Cruise gazed curiously after them. Brittany sensed this curiosity and she bumped his shoulder with hers. 'You don't want to know. Trust me.' She promised him in a whisper. 'Alvin and Simon have some secrets that you really can live without.' She smiled in amusement and she took the small moment to rest her head on Cruise's shoulder. Cruise blushed a little and tried hard not to just kiss her right then; focusing on the movie.

""""

'My gosh, Si, can't we just claim each other now?' Alvin groaned, clutching his gut as Simon kissed him, not feeling any difference or drop in pain.

Simon reached under Alvin's red jersey and he let his hand grind against his brother's member, quickly accepting the fact Alvin needed to go further. Alvin moaned as relief started to hit him and he felt all the strange and pleasurable feelings like last spring when Simon did this.

'Alvin, not when it's rushed.' Simon chided.

Not wasting time, he pushed up the fabric and pulled down Alvin's boxers, swiftly gripping the hard item and sliding his hand fast along the shaft. Alvin tried gripping the floor, but all that he felt were the cool tiles of their bathroom while Simon straddled him and went a little faster.

Alvin moaned over and over, trying with all his might not to be too loud in case Dave or their guests heard them.

He felt himself contracting; close to breaking – his pain was gone but his moans were coming out so frequently, he couldn't find the spare breath to tell Simon, and Simon didn't stop to ask him, as though he was enjoying this too much.

As though remembering, Simon went back to determination and concentration and he slowed a little and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

Alvin writhed in the struggle not to yell in pleasure, although he couldn't stop the inevitable and yelled out, 'Simon, I–!' as he came.

Both boys breathed heavily, staring at each other. Simon smiled a little and kissed Alvin deeply, over and over while he slowly pulled up his brother's boxers again.

'It's so different, isn't it?' Simon noticed, catching his breath still. 'We actually want to do this. Last spring it was forced. I almost forgot about your pain, but I knew you were close...' he bit his lip, 'I thought I'd let you finish.'

Alvin sat up and pulled down his jersey to it's usual position. He looked at Simon in amusement. 'You got a bit carried away, didn't you?' He mused. Simon blushed.

'Just a little.' He agreed. 'I snapped back into it when I realised you were getting too loud.' He smirked and stood. 'You're still a very noisy lover, Alvin.' He offered him his hand and Alvin took it, standing with his crimson blush showing.

'I'm not that loud.' He retorted, folding his arms and watching as Simon washed his hands. 'If anything it's your fault for being so... well –'

'Good at it?' Simon guessed, moving to the hand towel and drying his hands off. He smirked at Alvin's deepened blush.

'Well, yeah.' Alvin admitted reluctantly.

Simon turned and kissed Alvin again, enjoying the vibration of another moan escaping Alvin's lips. They parted and Simon smirked. 'I try.' He nodded, backing away from Alvin and opening the bathroom door.

Outside they found Brittany, smiling smugly. 'Hey.' She greeted in amusement. 'Had fun?'

Alvin's blush returned and Simon felt himself heat up.

'W-what are you doing here?' Alvin asked casually. Brittany raised a brow.

'Is the bathroom off-limits, at all?' She retorted. 'And is it polite to question why I might need the bathroom?' She smirked. 'I certainly don't need to ask why you two boys had the urge to be in there at the same time.'

'Brit,' Alvin tried to respond, but he didn't know exactly how.

Brittany ignored his attempt at replying and walked past the boys. 'By the way, Simon,' she scanned him for a moment then smirked again. 'Good job,' she hid a chuckle and walked into the bathroom, closing the door softly and locking it.

'No, we are not careful.' Alvin admitted. Simon nodded, his blush much more evident after Brittany's statement.

Short-ish but a lot of fun :D and a lot of stuff happens in the next chapter that I couldn't fit into this one, so I really hope it'll be up soon!

Thanks for the reviews! They helped me hurry up and finish this one :)