Yay! Back! I can't help but notice that I've made Brittany my little comic-relief for a while, and it continues down here.
Pretty important chapter regarding twists and events, but that's all for you to read XD I made it slightly longer for a treat,
Enjoy!
Brittany was still laughing to herself as she exited the bathroom. She'd actually caught them? She was relieved to know that it wasn't quite as shocking as Jeanette had seemed to think it was, and it was kind of amusing to hear them still quarrel, even over sexual things.
She winked at them when she got back in the living room and made herself comfortable on the mattress beside Cruise, and she loved their immediate blushes and the way Simon avoided her eyes completely. She was in for a good amount of fun with those two.
By now the movie was over half over, as Brittany had also taken the time to reapply makeup for Cruise's sake. She was starting to get a little clingy towards him, and she knew it, but Cruse didn't seem to mind at all. This only proved Brittany's theory that he liked her.
Alvin watched the screen absently, not really paying attention. He was faced with another problem: when it came to claiming, he wasn't sure if he could do it.
Of course, he wanted to – more than anything – but he realised that he had never even tried to match Simon and be the dominant one. What if he couldn't? Would that matter?
He looked down at his hands. Apparently. He spoked in thought. Simon said that if it's the eldest, the bond is stronger. What if I can't do that? Simon might be disappointed, or something, if I'm not good at this... he spaced out completely and worried, what if I'm really bad at mating? I've heard how that can turn people off... maybe I can convince him to do it, instead of me. But then he'd be disappointed, too. And ask me why. I don't know if I could ever tell him that... he's so amazing. He'd probably be better at it than me... and whenever I think about it, it's always him on top of me, never the other way around... maybe I'm just not meant to be with him like that...
At the last thought, Alvin chided himself. There was no way he would sit back and let Simon go just because of a small worry! No, he'd talk to Simon about it. That always worked.
Dave watched his boys and his guests from the doorway. He was glad they were doing this sleepover: he'd been worried if there was some big thing happening between the Miller's and his boys, but this evening had proven that wrong. And Cruise? He seemed like a really nice boy; down to earth, clever, yet he reminded Dave of Alvin. He decided that Cruise was halfway between Alvin and Simon's personalities.
Sighing, Dave turned and prepared a light snack for the kids, during which he needed Theodore again to come in and prepare dinner.
He smiled as he heard the laughs and other open responses to the movie they were watching and he was sure everything was back to normal.
The movie finally ended, and Alvin had no more private time to worry. Lights were turned on, everyone sat up and stretched, ate some more of the snacks Dave brought in and relaxed again.
'So. What now?' Brittany asked in a bubbly tone.
'We patiently wait for dinner?' Jeanette suggested. 'What else is there to do?'
Alvin rolled his eyes. 'Well, are we having a sleepover or not? We haven't done any games, yet!' He insisted. 'Come on! Getting bored is not on the agenda. We could do Spotlight, Truth or Dare, 44 Home –'
'Not while Theo's out of the room.' Simon chided. 'We can't leave out anyone.'
Alvin groaned loudly. 'Then I guess waiting patiently for dinner is the only thing left to do.' He stated. His eyes lit up. 'Karaoke!' He exclaimed. 'Theo doesn't like it anyway! Come on!' He reached over and turned the T.V back on before anyone could stop him, grabbed out two mic's and the remote from Brittany, and sat back down on his and Simon's mattress.
'So, Cruise, you sing?' Brittany asked playfully.
Cruise shook his head. 'Not really. I mean, I can, but it's not anything special.' He smiled a little. Brittany raised her eyebrows.
'Are you being modest or are we in for hell here?' She mused. Cruise chuckled.
'I'm not bad. But I'm not good.' He insisted.
Brittany shrugged. 'Fair enough.' She stood and wedged a mic out of Alvin's hand. 'Alvin Seville, are you ready to get beaten?'
Alvin smirked at the challenge, selected "battle" on screen and he and Brittany selected a song they both knew well enough (When You're Gone by Avril Lavigne) and off they went, singing like it was a concert.
They didn't focus on the points – they never did – instead they improvised and sang it differently; trying to one-up each other at every opportunity.
Cruise had doubted that his neighbours were in fact famous, but this put any of those doubts to rest. He was amazed at how well they sang. But he did notice that Alvin sang with all feeling and emotion of the song to Brittany, while she sung at him. It was as if Alvin truly loved her, and was telling her he would miss her if she ever left.
Cruise frowned an leaned to whisper in Simon's ear. 'What's going on between Alvin and Brittany?' He asked unsurely. Simon, who had been busy staring at his boyfriend, replied with "mm?" to start with.
'O-oh, yeah, they went through a rough patch, but it looks like they're back to their normal relationship.' Simon assured. Cruise bit his lip.
'So Alvin doesn't have any feelings for Brittany?' He urged. Simon chuckled a little.
'No, Cruise.' He promised. 'Alvin is completely uninterested in Brittany like that. He used to be, but he's not any more.'
'But he looks like he's serenading her.' Cruise motioned to the singing duo.
Simon nodded. 'If you've ever been to our concerts, you'd know that it's habit for him to do that. Alvin and Brittany are lead singers of our two groups, and always duet together. So, for a publicity stunt, Alvin acts like he really likes Brittany. And he's done it ever since.' Simon smiled in amusement at Cruise's worry. 'Look,' he assured, pointing. 'Alvin's not doing it to "serenade" her, if anything, it gets Brittany annoyed. And he knows it.'
The song ended and Alvin and Brittany surveyed their low point scores. Alvin held his hand up in triumph.
'Lowest score! Yes!' He smirked and turned. 'Who's versing the winner?'
'Wait, lowest score is the winner?' Cruise asked, interested.
Brittany nodded, folding her arms. 'Well, the way we do it is to improvise as much as we can, and make the song sound good but completely different.' She held her hand out for Cruise to take it. 'You should give it a try, Cruise.' She smirked. 'It's really fun.'
Alvin tried not to show is uncomfort with singing with the new boy, but he caught a glimpse of Simon's encouraging smile and he knew he had to try and get along with Cruise.
'I don't know if I... can.' Cruise shrugged. Brittany took the mic off of Alvin.
'Come on. I'll sing with you.' She stated. Alvin gave her a small glare, but walked off regardless of his pride. He didn't mind the excuse not to sing with Cruise.
'I'll verse Alvin next, then.' Simon announced as the red-clad boy sat beside him.
'Naw, how sweet.' Brittany cooed. Alvin blushed a little, but Simon just smiled in content.
'Yes, well Alvin and I can hardly get a spare minute together with you running around, Brit.' He referred to the bathroom. Brittany caught on, but covered it up for Cruise, Eleanor and Jeanette.
'Well, I'll try to stop losing at SingStar, then.' She smiled and she and Cruise picked a song. Brittany changed it to "duet" instead of battle, so she could help him along with how they used the game. She chose "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift, which got a loud groan from Alvin since he couldn't stand Taylor Swift let alone this song, and also it was really cheesy, and kind of mean, of her to do that when Alvin knew she knew that Cruise liked her.
So the song started up and Brittany lead them both into the verses, putting more talk into her singing and swinging her voice into staccato. Cruise joined in shyly and Alvin smiled kindly. That was what Simon did when they first initiated this game, and what Theodore still did.
But he gained more confidence as the song progressed and Alvin's smile turned into an incredulous stare. Cruise wasn't a great singer, that was true; but the basis of his voice sounded like Alvin's. And Alvin was starting to get very disbelieving at this new similarity.
He sent his look straight at Simon in a way that clearly said "see?" Simon smiled and shook his head. He leant closer to Alvin.
'Yeah, his voice is a lot like yours.' Simon began in a soft whisper, 'Hey, who knows. Maybe I'll ask him out; it sure attracts me.' He flinched at the light slap on the arm that was felt a moment later.
'Simon, it's unbelievable!' Alvin protested quietly. 'That's my voice! The one thing that makes me, me!'
Simon shook his head. 'Try and bare it for a few minutes, Alvin,' he assured. Alvin sighed in irritation but nodded and didn't say anything else about it.
The song ended and everyone applauded. Brittany smiled at Cruise.
'You've got potential.' She insisted. Cruise shook his head.
'I don't think I could ever do what you guys do.' He said, indicating the roomful of famous singers. 'Karaoke was hard enough.'
Alvin stood up and dragged Simon with him. 'Okay, make way,' he said, grabbing Brittany's mic and going to choose a song. Cruise handed Simon his mic and he smiled excitedly.
'I'm looking forward to hearing this. After you told me you were famous, I got a few of your songs.' Cruise admitted, 'But, I didn't think you sang this well... anyway, I really love how you harmonise.' He looked at Brittany and her sisters. 'All of you.'
'In that case...' Alvin smiled, selected "Living On a Prayer". 'Let's stun this kid,' he started up the song just as Theodore came in the room, announcing that Dave was setting the table and dinner would be ready in a few minutes. Alvin motioned for Theodore to join them singing. 'Come on, we're playing it properly, I promise!' Alvin insisted. Theodore gave in and joined in, sharing Simon's mic.
Cruise listened, amazed at how the three boys were working together right in front of his eyes. He never imagined anyone that was like himself being so talented. His "family" had always said he'd never make it anywhere because of the fact he was a chipmunk. Cruise shook his head. If they knew about his six famous friends, what would they say?
Probably "Don't get any ideas..." He thought with a frown.
Cruise watched as Dave came in the room to listen, a fond smile on their father-figure's features. Cruise was happy that his friends had such good families. He wished he had someone like Dave or the Chipette's carer, Miss Miller, who Brittany told him was a great person.
Brittany titled her head and watched Cruise's thoughtful face. She found it cute that he was thoughtful. She wondered if he'd ever get the courage to ask her out or something, and said to herself that if he didn't by tomorrow afternoon, she'd do it for him.
When the song ended, Theodore left (not before a quick kiss on the cheek from Eleanor) and Alvin bowed, basking in his "awesomeness". Brittany motioned for Jeanette to come sing with her, and the shy brunette did so slowly.
Simon noticed Cruise staring at Brittany and he whispered to him, 'How'd you like singing with her?'
Cruise turned to Simon. 'It was great...' he admitted, 'but I don't know what's going on... every time I'm with her, I get this split-second feeling just to kiss her...'
Simon nodded, keeping this information to ponder later. 'Brittany knows you like her, Cruise.' He nodded, 'and she likes you, too. You really should just ask her out.' He added thoughtfully. 'Actually, that might help your impulse to kiss her.'
'Come on! Dinner!' Dave called out.
Alvin stood up with a glare in his eyes and hurried to the kitchen. Simon noticed this with curiosity and followed his brother quickly. He took the seat beside Alvin and he locked a gaze with him.
'Alvin... what's wrong..?' He asked softly. Alvin rolled his eyes.
'Are you kidding!' He yell-whispered. 'You and Cruise leaning into each other and whispering like... like...'
Simon frowned. 'Like we like each other?' He finished. Alvin glared at him.
'Don't blame me, Simon, I just can't help but get... protective.' He folded his arms and turned away from Simon, trying to shake off his jealousy.
Cruise came in a moment later, holding Brittany's hand. He smiled at Simon excitedly and Alvin huffed.
Simon waited for Alvin to unfold his arms, and he took his brother's hand, lacing their fingers together. Alvin almost yanked his hand free, but he couldn't deny something that he knew he enjoyed. All he did was not return any firmness showing that he wanted Simon to do it in the first place.
Dinner passed much the same as lunch, but this time Alvin couldn't enjoy much. Although, he did warm back up to Simon again. Dave sent them all back into the living room while he made them desert. This time, Theodore wasn't helping him and he joined his brothers and friends.
Simon and Brittany joined up all the mattresses in a big square and everyone took a seat in a circle, Eleanor turned the lights down a little and joined in her place. They'd decided at dinner that they should play Truth or Dare because it was fun, and it gave Cruise a good chance to get to know his new friends.
'Okay, who's –'
'Shotgun going first!' Alvin exclaimed, hand raised high in the air, eager. Brittany rolled her eyes.
'Fine.' She said with a frown.
Immediately, Alvin wanted to pick Simon first off, but he knew everyone would be expecting it, so he turned his gaze to the boy next to Simon.
'Cruise.' He smiled casually. 'Truth or Dare?'
Brittany laughed. 'Whatever you do, don't pick dare!' She warned playfully. 'Alvin can be very cruel.'
Alvin smiled innocently. 'Whatever do you mean, Brittany?' He mused.
'Like the time you dared Brittany to run off stage looking like she was going to vomit, in the middle of our song "We'll Be Alright".' Eleanor reminded Alvin. Brittany frowned, remembering that.
'Or making me wear an "I love Alvin and the Chipmunks!" badge.' Brittany added in a bored tone. 'I swear, the badge ruined my reputation more than the vomiting escapade.' She shook her head. 'So lesson learned. No dares from Alvin.' She smiled at Cruise.
He nodded. 'I guess that only leaves truth, Alvin.' He guessed. Alvin nodded and pondered what he could ask.
The power of being able to get the truth out of people was something Alvin wanted to savour, especially with Cruise. He decided to use a question that had always left a sympathy spot for Cruise.
'Don't answer if you can't, but, what's with your family?' He asked. Brittany frowned and nodded in agreement, along with other signs of interest from everyone. Cruise blushed, knowing he had to respond.
'I don't know my real family.' He admitted. 'I don't even know how old I am, and I don't know where I was born or what happened to me...' he looked down, 'a man, Arthur Williams, took me in and the that's as far as I remember. And... he died, two years after. I never took the chance to ask him about my real family.' Cruise shook his head, eyes on his hands resting in his lap. 'He was a really great man, and I would have been happy to call him my father...'
'Oh my gosh...' Brittany murmured sympathetically.
'And then I was stuck with the wife he married and her two kids.' Cruise began to end his story. 'Hailey never wanted me in the first place, imagine her terror to find out she was stuck with me. She means well, she's just blinded by favouritism of Chris and Thalia. My two surrogate siblings.' He chuckled. 'Whatever they tell her about me, she'll believe it in a heartbeat, and right now she thinks I'm a rebel who goes out all the time and... I dunno, vandalises things.'
'Huh.' Eleanor commented.
'Wow, I hope you don't get that after coming to this sleepover...' Jeanette said empathetically, 'that would be terrible for you...'
Cruise shook his head, smiling amusedly. 'No, if anything I'd love to do this more often. The comments don't hurt me, so it's easy to just ignore her. Or Chris. Thalia doesn't say much about me, so I suspect she's okay with me; but because Chris is her "big brother" she does whatever he does.'
'So you'll never know if you have other siblings, or even how old you are?' Theodore asked with disbelief. 'That must be sad...'
Cruise shrugged. 'I've been like that for eight years, so I'm used to it.'
Alvin was silent. He was really empathising with Cruise; remembering when he didn't know his mother. Alvin bit his lip and just nodded thoughtfully. All his problems with Simon, in his own little world – thinking that Cruise was some manipulating boy who was trying to steal Simon from him – Alvin felt guilty for all he'd accused him of.
'Thanks, Cruise.' Alvin spoke softly. 'I know it must be hard to... say that.'
For once, Cruise smiled at Alvin and Alvin didn't feel any irritation. Maybe Dave was right: Cruise just needed to warm up to one person at a time. After having no one in his life to talk to, having the six of them must be something he needed to ease into.
Cruise took a deep breath. 'Okay, Simon, Truth or Dare?'
Simon chuckled. 'I'm curious to see how your dares play out, but I don't feel like doing anything embarrassing tonight, so truth.' He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, waiting.
Cruise took a while to decide on anything. He wasn't really sure what he wanted to ask, and he knew Simon pretty well already.
'Oooh, ask him about he and Alvin.' Brittany interjected. 'I'm sure everyone would just love to hear about that.' She smirked evilly. Alvin and Simon both sent her a glare, and Alvin noticed Jeanette started fidgeting in unrest.
Cruise looked confused, but he'd caught the twins' glares and he decided to ask later. 'Well, I heard this question on a T.V programme once, and it gave everyone a good laugh...' he smiled brightly, 'and we all need to lift the mood after what was obviously something shocking to all of you.' So he turned to Simon and asked, 'who would you turn gay for?'
Brittany covered her mouth in a fit of giggles, but everyone else was silent. Theodore cracked smile, Eleanor looked somewhere between amused and worried, Jeanette became thoroughly interested in the sleeves of her jumper, Alvin's mouth hung open in shock and Simon was blushing crimson, but he managed a innocently amused smile.
Cruise, for once, didn't focus on anyone else's reactions. He had an amused smile over his lips and he was waiting eagerly for Simon's answer.
Oh god... Simon kept thinking, despite his smile and shy demeanour. He shifted his gaze to Brittany's laughing figure and he closed his eyes.
'I... I am...' he took a deep breath, 'I am gay.' He admitted, opening his eyes. Brittany subsided her laughter.
'So,' she began through small fits of laughter, 'who did you turn gay for?'
'Brittany!' Eleanor chided. Simon's blush deepened.
'Wow.' Alvin commented. He wasn't acting: he was shocked. He didn't expect Simon to outright admit that.
Cruise was also blushing. He hadn't meant to uncover such a thing, and he wasn't expecting... he'd never picture Simon as... was he really gay?
'Y-you don't have to answer the question.' Cruise hurried quickly.
'What about: who would you turn straight for?' Brittany mused, still laughing.
'Brittany!' Eleanor exclaimed. 'You're so rude!'
Simon shook his head, and remained quiet. Alvin touched a hand to his knee and Simon looked at him. Alvin expressed through his eyes a sympathetic and honest "thank you", and Simon let himself smile, knowing he was supported by his older brother. Theodore, however, was staring at Simon with a look of utter disbelief.
So, with awkwardness on his side, and hesitation, Simon spoke up, 'Well, Brittany, Truth or Dare?'
Wow, I still can't believe I was game enough to put that in :D so, there you have it! Simon admitted it. I wanted the 20th chapter to have something special in it...
Tell me what you think! Thanks for all your reviews!