Alvin woke up with a groan, rubbing at his eye as he rose up in bed. He could have sworn he heard the door slam… "Theodore? Simon…?" He glanced around, letting out a little yawn before he started scratching at his belly. He shrugged his shoulders, leaning over to open his drawer, rummaging through for some underwear. He chose a pair of white briefs with a blue trim. Alvin hopped out of bed to pull them on, realizing that the phone had somehow gotten on the floor.

"What the…" He crawled over, taking up the phone. "Coulda sworn I had it on my bed… ah well." He shrugged, setting it back as he went right back to getting dressed, tossing off his pajama top to trade for his usual red sweater.

Dave wasn't back, and they didn't have a babysitter for once. A little grin came to his face as he glanced back at the phone. He didn't have to go downstairs just yet.

*...*

"Really, Simon, if you aren't feeling well you should go lay down in bed! Your face has been like that ever since you came downstairs." Theodore huffed at his big brother. He was sat up on the kitchen counter, holding the house phone up to his ear.

Simon was sitting at the table, lazily prodding his fork into the pancakes. He had a bowl of cereal as well, though that was only made as a distraction for himself. He just grunted at Theodore in response, trying to think. It was obvious what Alvin had been doing. But for how long? Why were most of those… stories... about him? And more importantly, why was Alvin so interested?

"Hmph. I'm fine, Theodore. Really, I am. You don't have to worry." Simon insisted, though he did tense up when he heard footsteps on the stairs. Oh no…

"Gooood morning." Alvin crooned as he walked into the kitchen, fully dressed with both hands in his pockets. "You trying to get in touch with Dave?" he asked as he looked up at Theodore."

"Yeah… but it's not going through." Theodore muttered as he set the phone back. "I'm only getting his voicemail. Did he leave a message for us? Simon went up to look for the phone but he said he couldn't find it."

Simon cleared his throat, trying to signal Theodore to be quiet.

"Really? I dunno why. I woke up and it was right there on the floor and…" Alvin's voice trailed off as Simon did his best to ignore it, closing his eyes tight.

Next time he opened them, though, his nose was nearly touching Alvin's as he approached. "Simon! Hello, Earth to nerd, can you hear me?"

"Hgaugh!" Simon quickly scooted from his seat, holding a hand out. "What, Alvin?"

"Relax will you? Sheesh! I was gonna ask why your face looks like my shirt, but now it's getting worse!" Alvin said as he crossed his arms. "I show I care about you guys and you act all weird about it!"

"You just stay back, Alvin! Far back!" Simon said firmly.

Alvin, however, was unfazed. He leaned on the table, looking Simon right in the eyes. "Well someone clearly woke up on the wrong side of the basement lab. What's with you today? Lose another beaker or something?"

Simon's gaze went down for a moment, noticing the rectangular shape in Alvin's pocket. "What's wr- What's wrong with me!? You wanna know what's wrong with me?" He lunged towards Alvin, taking his brother by surprise as he immediately dug into his pocket, yanking out the phone and holding it up. "This!"

"...your problem is my phone?"

"It's our phone, Alvin! Dave got it for us all to use! And that doesn't matter, the problem is-!" Simon paused. Theodore was looking in between the two of them, concern filling his eyes. He never did like it when they fought. "I… I mean… uhg, whatever. Just forget it." Simon muttered as he put the phone down on the table. "I'm going upstairs. You're lucky Theodore is here."

With that, Simon got up from the table, brushing down his shirt before heading out of the kitchen.

Alvin blinked a few times, looking back at Theodore. "What the heck was that about?" He asked, only to get a shrug in response. Sighing, Alvin gave chase after Simon. "Hey! Simon! Simon, wait!"

"I told you to stay away Alvin! I specifically told you to stay away!" Simon shouted, hurrying up the stairs as he was followed.

While his brothers ran off, Theodore was left alone in the kitchen. For the most part, he was stunned. What was wrong with Simon? Why was he so jumpy? He whined to himself a little, climbing off of the counter. He had said something about the phone… Was there something wrong with it? Maybe he could get in touch with Dave with it and find out.

Theodore picked it up off the table, turning it around over and over. It certainly wasn't cracked. He was able to turn it on just fine, and the lock screen still had that picture of them. He sat himself down in the seat, swiping his thumb over the phone's screen to unlock it.

When all he saw come up was a page full of words, though, he raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What's this…?"

"Simon! Come on, man, you're freaking me out! I'm trying to be a good big brother for once so at least tell me what's up!" Alvin shouted through the door. Simon had locked himself in their room. "It's our room, Simon, you can't keep me out!"

Inside, Simon was pacing around his bed, taking deep breaths as he tried to relax himself. "Okay Simon. Calm down. There's a reason behind this. Alvin's just… playing another one of his pranks. Yeah… Yeah, that makes sense. He's always playing pranks, that's who he is! Alvin the Prankster! A regular jokester!" He said out loud.

Though as much as he denied it… Simon groaned, collapsing face first on his bed. "Oh what's the point, Simon? You know how he is when it actually is a prank." He sighed, pulling at his hair a little. Did Alvin really have those sorts of feelings for him? Or was it just a phase?

Simon rolled over onto his back right as the door swung open. Alvin managed to pick the lock.

"I said it enough times and I'm not repeating myself. Simon Seville, what the HECK is wrong?" Alvin shouted, pushing the door closed behind him. "I wake up, the phone's on the floor, Theo says you were in here, and ever since I barely put my toe on the floor downstairs you act like I've stepped on the tail you don't have yet! What's going on?"

"..."

Alvin stomped his way over, sitting down on his own bed as he stared down his little brother, crossing his arms. "Simon, do I have to use the P word? Cuz I really don't want to. That's not my thing."

"..."

He sighed. "Is it about the phone? Look, if it means that much, I'll just leave it downstairs from now on."

"..."

"Okay, seriously!" Alvin grunted as he leapt over on Simon's bed, making him bounce up. "This is your last chance! If you don't answer me, I'm gonna hug you."

"...Alvin, what exactly were you reading last night? Don't say it was nothing, I already saw it."

Now it was Alvin's turn to go quiet. His cheeks started darkening like crazy as he tried thinking. "Well, uh… you know. Just some cool comics online, is all. You know! With superheroes and ninjas and pirates and uh, rockstars and, and, and…"

Simon had finally looked at him, and his gaze was far too knowing. Alvin sighed, pulling his cap down so it would be covering most of his face. "Fine. There's no way I'm getting out of this without you getting mad. But please don't tell Theodore or Dave! They wouldn't understand!"

"They wouldn't? I don't understand! How did you find it? Do you have any clue how it feels to find all sorts of slanderous tales about yourself, especially of that kind of nature?" Simon asked, sitting up to confront Alvin. "Or so many different pictures of yourself in compromising positions? And to know that your own brother is advocating it and even deriving some sort of pleasure from it?"

"Hey! I'm not the one making it! It's all our fans! They do this kind of stuff!" Alvin blurted out. "I wasn't looking for it, I got sent a link from someone at school! I didn't even know what it was at first!"

"That doesn't explain why you have so much of it. One link is one thing, but over twenty? How am I supposed to respond to that?" Simon asked, doing his best to remain calm. He was starting to shake all over. "I know fans do these things. I just didn't think either of us would ever be so enthralled by it!"

Alvin's tone had softened. "Because I…" he paused, peeking over at Simon. "You don't have to say anything about it. But I just… I know I don't show it as much as I should, but I really do love you. And Theodore. You guys are pretty much my best friends, and we do everything together! It just felt normal that I loved you! And when I saw all of that…" He sniffed, claws sliding out and digging into the edge of his cap. "I… Simon I saw what could have been… how close everyone thinks we are. How everyone thinks we can really show how much we care. I was jealous that we couldn't, but it… it sorta let me have that… I was able to love you guys how I wanted, without worrying about anything else..."

Simon was taken aback. He saw how much Alvin was trembling. He hadn't expected to hurt him this way. "Alvin…" He moved to try hugging Alvin, but he just pushed him away.

"NO! Don't… don't touch me. You think I'm gross. Don't give me something I want when you don't." Alvin insisted in his shaking voice. "I'm gonna just go."

"Alvin, look, I see how you feel." Simon started. He just sat down at Alvin's side, leaning away so they wouldn't touch. "I hate to see you like this, Alvin… really, I do."

"Y-You see how I feel. But you don't feel how I feel." Alvin sniffed, wiping his face on his sleeve. "I can't even begin to try explaining this to… to…"

Simon finally managed to pat Alvin's back, though he only did it twice. "Look Alvin. I love you too, but as my brother. It's… flattering that you'd want to see me that way, but I don't think I could properly reciprocate your feelings now. I'm… not the best with these things. And I certainly don't look the way they think I do in those pictures."

"But… I want the real you, not what some pictures show. And I want the real Theod-" Alvin's eyes went wide, and he quickly wiped his tears away again. "The phone! I-I left it downstairs!" He got ready to run, but Simon grabbed him by the arm. "Let me go! I can't let him see it!"

"Alvin! It's okay!" Simon shouted as he pulled Alvin back to the bed. "Look, I have no clue what'll happen if we even try anything like what you fantasize, but maybe if we don't panic, Theodore will think they're only stories." He sighed, closing his eyes as he removed his glasses. "I… don't know what I could do to make you feel better. This is all a shock to me."

"...we could give it a shot?"

Simon glared at him for a moment, but Alvin's voice held no malice. "Alvin, please."

"N-No, really! I know it sounds like I'm just being a pervert, but it'd get all the awkward stuff out the way!" Alvin insisted. "We don't have to worry! Dave isn't here, a-and Theodore might not come upstairs, and the girls are- hmpff!"

Simon had covered up Alvin's mouth. "Let's not even begin bringing them up. I can't believe I'm saying this in this lifetime… but… We'll do something. But only this one time! You can get it out of your system and we'll see where we go from there." Alvin was nodding his head the moment the words were out of Simon's mouth, and he rolled his eyes.

"Just tell me what… hrf, what gets you going." Simon said. It was harder to get the words out than expected.