Chapter Text
Navy blue sneakers trudge down the busy hall. On a few occasions a shoulder bumped into him or someone cuts directly in front of his path forcing him to stop. There’s the constant incomprehensible chatter of students in conversations, loud laughter from a few girls and the hooting and hollering the jocks do for unknown reasons that caused his ears to twitch at the sensitivity. A strong awful stench of cannabis reached his nostrils when he passed the boys restroom and the heat hitting him from the windows were unbearable since the ventilation system in the area had been blown out.
It’s all normal typical activities for a school day, but today he woke up to a bad start. He’d stayed up late in the basement working through his blueprint ideas for a science project. He must’ve lost track of time down there since he’d woken up at his study desk to the sound of Dave calling them down for breakfast. At a look at his watch, he rushed up to hurry and get ready before he became late, in his urgency he hadn’t had time to eat breakfast. And perhaps it was the way he slept uncomfortably positioned or maybe it was the little amount of hours he got in total, but he had a headache first thing since he’d woken up.
He tried his best to tune out the drama that a group of friends were having and instead focused on his flash cards, muttering answers underneath his breath. If his memory served him well, he was pretty sure there was a pop quiz in history class today, not his favorite subject therefore he had to put in more effort to get the grade he desired.
He’d probably been too laser focused on his studying because next thing he knew, he was crashing into another body. His cards flew out of his hands upon impact fluttering on the floor by his feet. The rough movement sent his head reeling in discomfort, his hand came up to placate the tension.
“Hey! Watch where you’re going. That seriously hurt.” A female voice snapped at him.
Grey eyes peeled open to take sight of a furious face. Black short hair framing a fair skinned face and an upset frown taking form. She looked a bit familiar but he didn’t currently have the energy to figure out from where.
“Sorry.” He half heartedly replied, a tired sigh following after. It seemed he also didn’t have the energy to be polite right now either. Bending down he began stacking up his flash cards, deliberately ignoring the annoyed scoff the girl made.
“Simon?” A boyish voice spoke over his head. The slight rasp in it sent the hair at the back of his neck standing up.
Simon looked up just in time to see Alvin kneel down and immediately begin helping him finish picking up the last remaining scattered cards. His brown hair caught in the light that filtered through the windows giving them a soft golden hue and his tail curled around his messy jeans to avoid getting trampled on.
Blue eyes met his, a questioning smile raised on one corner of his lips before he reached out to hand him the stack.
“A bit air-headed today? It’s not like you to be this clumsy.” Alvin teased, there was a playful gleam in his eyes despite his tone.
Simon took his cards from him with an amused look, their hands briefly grazed against each other. “I wouldn’t use that word for tired. Airhead is when someone believes for years that their neighbor is a werewolf.” He responded.
Alvin’s jaw dropped and thick eyebrows narrowed down. “That’s low. Mr. Talbot was suspicious as fuck dude and you know it too. I mean, who goes around telling people about vague family curses? And then his walking cane? A silver wolf head, that not raising any red flags? I’m honestly not a hundred percent sure he’s off the hook for that.” He trailed off. His arms crossed against his iconic red sweater in thought, now more faded and worn out yet it added to his charm.
Simon stared at him unimpressed but not the least bit surprised, when Alvin caught his eyes he simply gave him a knowing look.
“Oh, whatever.” Alvin rolled his eyes.
An impatient cough sounded from behind Alvin, the two brothers looked at the source. It was the same dark haired girl, she looked even more irked but now her sharp eyes were directed at Alvin.
A sheepish smile tugged at Alvin’s lips, his hand extending to pull her close from her waist. “Sorry babe.” He whispered before putting on a show by kissing her cheek in apology.
Oh. That was why she looked familiar.
She giggled in response, her arms wrapped around his neck, one hand coming up to run her fingers through his hair. She puckered her lips and Alvin swooped down to claim them without hesitation.
It didn’t mean anything. Alvin went through relationships as if they were current trends. Still Simon adverted his eyes at their public affection, keeping himself busy by adjusting his glasses on his face.
The warning bell sounded, Simon internally cringed at how short his studying time was cut into. The annoyance of this whole morning was starting to stress him out, his head pain resurfaced with the bell softly echoing in his head. He could never really get accustomed to how loud and shrill the bell sounded, not like his brothers and the chipettes did.
Simon closed his eyes temporarily to block out the light and hopefully quell the discomfort. He brought a hand to his temple and massaged it lightly. “Alright, I got to get going now. I’ll see you later, Al.” He suddenly spoke. Opening his eyes he was greeted to the sight of Alvin already looking his way. There was an analyzing expression on his face, a quiet unsaid question in the tiny furrow of his brows. Simon waved him off.
“Okay, yeah.” Alvin agreed after a small pause. His girlfriend looped her arm through his and began to lead him away, he followed without resistance. “Don’t overwork that brain of yours though, I need its help at lunch.” He called back towards him, throwing a final glance back with a smirk.
Simon had to bite his tongue last second to prevent himself from calling him out on his phrasing. A smile threatened to break out on his face, Alvin really was daft sometimes, unintentionally saying questionable things without noticing. “Just do your own homework for once!” He yelled to his retreating form. All he got was a thumbs down in response.
Shaking his head he turned to make his way to class.
He was late to his first class of course. It’s only thanks to his perfect attendance record that he was let off with nothing but a stern look.
Throughout the day his headache had begun to slowly ease up and by the time the lunch bell rung, he was already in a far better mood.
He spotted Jeanette and Eleanor at the table first. Eleanor was scribbling away at her notebook while she took bites out of her meal and Jeanette was nose deep in another romance novel. Brittany was sat at her boyfriend’s table as usual, it seemed everyone else hadn’t arrived yet.
Simon approached and sat near Eleanor, setting the cafeteria lunch tray down on the table. Eleanor paused mid bite to politely move some of her belongings out the way, fork held between her lips she waved a quick hello with her free hand. Her freckled nose scrunched up with the effort and her blonde hair was pulled back into two spiky pigtails.
“Hey Simon.” Jeanette also greeted.
Her voice was soft and airy, and her smiled reached up to her eyes like they always did around him. Always so sincere and kind, like she wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable. Simon wondered, not for the first time, how she went about her life wearing her heart on her sleeve.
Simon nodded back at her with a curt smile. He looked over at Eleanor. “Where’s Theodore?” He asked her. His brother and Eleanor were basically attached at the hips since they’d begun dating 3 years ago. It was an odd sight to see the empty space next to her, usually Theodore was leaning on her or just casually existing in her space. They were at the point where they were so comfortable with each other that PDA was so normalized in their presence. You could really see how deeply committed they were to their relationship.
He did feel a bit of bitter jealousy towards his youngest brother’s love life but he never let it linger long enough to care to matter.
Eleanor’s eyes sharpened. The fork clanged against her teeth as she pulled it out. “That cave brained idiot got caught carrying an edible in his pocket! He got his phone confiscated, but I bet he’s trying to talk them down into getting detention instead.” She angrily answered. Her small tail-shaven eyebrows furrowed down into her brown eyes. Simon would never admit it to her face but they had the opposite effect when she tried to look intimidating.
“Of course he got caught. You’d think he’d learn after the first time.” Simon exasperatedly said.
“Well, he had it coming. Why would he leave that in his pocket in the first place! That’s just asking for trouble.” She huffed out, her tail swayed in anger behind her seat.
“I keep telling you to not bring it to school.” Jeanette added in from across the table. Her eyes peered over her glasses briefly before they returned back to her book.
Eleanor’s eyes rolled so far back up her skull at that, Simon was honestly impressed at her ability to convey so much with that simple action. It seemed like a resourceful way to save your breath. She picked up her pen as she slumped over her notebook once again with a defeated look. At the quick glance he took, Simon was amused to see a poorly drawn attempt of a dumb looking Theodore with his eyes going in opposite directions. “Yeah well, he’s stupid.” She pouted as she wrote the insult down over his portrait.
“That better not be about me, I literally just got here.” Alvin’s voice sounded from behind.
Simon turned his head to see him and his girlfriend take a seat across the table, next to Jeanette. “Who else could we possibly be talking about in our free time? As you know, the world revolves around you and your every move.” Simon evenly spoke with a flat expression.
Alvin raised a brow at the sarcasm. “Not the world- although it should be, but for some it does and it sounds like you’re one of them.” He quipped back confidently, gaze steady and challenging.
Simon busied himself with eating to avoid responding.
The conversation picked back up at their table, Simon tried to stay present but his brain kept dozing off. It had been quite a while since he’d last stayed up so late, Dave had looked upset to see him come up from the basement instead of down the stairs from his room. A sudden increase in volume had Simon’s ears perked back up in attention, his face raised towards the noise.
It was from Alvin, of course.
Brown messy hair thrown back in laughter while he swung his arms around animatedly throughout his speech. He appeared to be trying to get a story across but couldn’t get more than a few words out before breaking into laughs.
Simon’s gaze lingered on him for a moment.
Alvin was always so unforgivingly himself, in a way that others couldn’t help but migrate to. He made popularity look effortless with how he presented himself, skin tanned from how often he stayed outdoors and striking blue eyes that demanded attention against his warm tones. He threw on baggy clothes like they were wearing him, yet he still managed to make it work. Never one to put too much pressure on how he was perceived. Simon saw underneath it though.
A small movement of black hair comes into his peripheral sight. Grey eyes focus on the body next to his brothers. This was new. Alvin’s girlfriend hadn’t sat with them ever since she was first introduced to the group. Or perhaps Simon was getting her confused with one of Alvin’s past exes. She definitely didn’t look pleased to be sitting with them right now but she sat silently on her phone regardless. Her manicured hand was interlaced with Alvin’s, sitting on the table between them.
Simon took another bite of his food, it went down dry. Cafeteria food was the worst, though it couldn’t be helped since he had forgotten to grab his packed lunch in his rush to leave the house this morning. No longer having an appetite, Simon pushed his tray aside to begin working on his brother’s work. It was mostly completed already but Simon skimmed through it to check for errors.
A foot nudged his underneath the table, warmth coursing through his skin at the action. Simon kept his face devoid of any emotions, never faltering in looking busy with the paper sheet.
The foot nudged him again, a bit more persistent than before.
Simon rested his head on his hand, cleverly hiding his smile behind his digits, then he lightly pushed his foot against theirs in return. He didn’t look up though, didn’t stray his eyes from the numbers on the sheet in front of him. He didn’t indulge in the chance to admire whatever reaction came from the light teasing, whether or not blood rushed up to soft cheeks like he could feel simmering beneath his own.
Instead he pushed his foot between the wedge of two calves and trapped it there, perfectly encased within the warmth.
After school Simon and Alvin walked home together by themselves, joking and lightly bickering the whole way home about unimportant matters. It seemed Theodore was successful in his pleading since he was stuck behind in detention.
The house was empty when they had arrived. Alvin immediately swung his backpack down onto the ground, letting it thump heavily upon impact. He stretched his body out, loudly humming in satisfaction as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
Simon’s brow twitched at the discarded bag by his feet. He pushed it aside near the wall, out of the way so it would no longer be a tripping hazard should someone return home before Alvin remembered of its existence. Then he placed his own bag beside it before he made his way to the living room where he could spot his brother already sprawled out on the couch, monopolizing the controller and its channels.
Alvin’s left brow rose up in confusion at seeing his younger brother sit on the other empty sofa. “Not gonna get started on your nerd fap session?” He asked.
Simon closed his eyes in a grimace at the thought. “Don’t be gross, It’s called studying. Besides, I’m not the one in this room with a fapping session for nerds.” He teased. He didn’t bother opening his eyes now that he’d realize how much relief he got in keeping them closed. Instead he melted further into the cushions, a small smile on his face and ear twitching at the affronted sounds that escaped his brother.
“Simon!” Alvin finally managed to sputter out. “That’s disgusting! Seriously don’t ever say something like that again. I almost gagged in real life.” He lectured.
“Oh no, did I just lose vibe points or whatever?” Simon groaned out in an act of disappointment.
“Aura points. And yeah. You did.” He responded back flatly. “Like a whole lot of them too.” He continued with a lighter tone, a few chuckles followed before they transitioned into laughs.
Simon joined in on his laughter, taking the chance to peek a glance at his embarrassed brother. Alvin’s attention was back on the tv, amused grin on his face while the hot flush reached up to the tips of his ears. He grumbled quietly under his breath about ‘the nerve to tell me to not be gross’ all while he flipped through streaming platforms.
The silence that followed was comfortable, only the occasional click of the remote was heard, the volume on the tv being low enough to sound like background noise. Simon’s eyes felt heavier with each passing second. His body finally crashing down in this moment of peace.
There’s a touch to his forehead.
Simon’s eyes open.
Alvin’s face was the first thing he spotted, a soft look on his face that he doesn’t normally express.
“Oops. Didn’t mean to wake you, you’ve just been pretty quiet today.” Alvin half whispered with a slight edge underneath his tone that sounded like concern. Though from this current angle, Simon’s entire focus was captured by the small slit running through his left eyebrow. Hardly noticeable from afar but at this distance he could easily spot the thin scar that lived there.
When had he fallen asleep?
Grey eyes glanced at the television, noticing it was now on some gameplay of a youtuber Alvin occasionally watched. Now that the drowsiness was leaving his system he was also becoming aware of the unnatural warmth the right side of his body carried. Upon looking he only caught sight of Alvin sat beside him, no longer laid out on the main couch.
Alvin’s eyes jump across his face in a searching manner, patiently awaiting his response.
The house suddenly felt hot. “ I guess I was way more drained today than I thought. I’m not feeling sick though, just tired.” Simon responded, voice heavy with sleep.
Alvin nodded his head, he leaned back into the cushions, his shoulder pressing onto Simon’s side. He idly picked at his own tail, pulling loose fur out and combing his fingers through any knots they encountered.
Pale nimble fingers found place on his lap to suppress the growing urge he got to put an end to the rough grooming method. His oldest brother was never one to care about keeping his tail well kept, so Simon resisted from saying anything about it. Some rough treatment was at least better than nothing.
“Are you feeling okay, though?” Alvin asked.
Simon looked down at him in question, waiting for him to continue.
“If it’s about Veronica, you can tell me.”
Veronica was his girlfriend, Simon assumed. He didn’t immediately answer, left unsure on how to respond to that. His lips parted hesitatingly, there was so much to say and yet no words escaped.
“You want me to break up with her?” Alvin casually asked.
Simon tried to wrap his mind around what he heard. “What?” He uttered, thin sleek eyebrows gently furrowing.
Alvin didn’t look away. He was leaning into the cushions, relaxed in appearance, but the way the fiddling on his tail picked up said otherwise. “I mean… if she’s bugging you or making things complicated. I don’t mind.”
There was a beat of silence.
Simon’s chest tightened. Something warm rose in his throat, unfamiliar and too delicate to name. He leaned his weight closer to Alvin’s, close enough to where thighs touched, and he was convinced Alvin could hear his heartbeat racing.
“You don’t have to do that.” Simon finally said. He angled his head down to where it lightly pressed on Alvin’s shoulder, almost entirely now supported by him. There was a growing sensation blooming in him, it caused a small vibration to build up in his chest, picking up frequency until it escaped in small chirps.
Alvin let out an audible intake of air near where his head rested, fingers now frozen in their poor attempt of a comb. Simon bit his cheek to stop himself from smiling. He wondered if the strong pulsing he felt was coming from him or Alvin.
A tanned hand untangled itself from the nest of fur, it landed near Simon’s own pale fingers. “I know.” His voice cracked. “But she was being pretty annoying today anyways, especially towards you.” He finished his sentence with a poke at his hand.
He couldn’t help the increase in chirps that left him.
“Besides, you remember that girl I ran into at Hugo’s last week?” Alvin started. “Well she found my snap and she’s been trying to start something with me for a while now, so I guess nows as good a time as any.”
It took a longer time than he’d like to admit to register what he heard. Chirps faltering and losing their intensity until they fully ended.
Alvin body tensed up.
“I mean- I could wait a while, if you wanted me to. Give it a week or so of being single, I don’t have to jump right into another one so soon.” Alvin rambled.
Whatever soft thing had opened in Simon’s chest promptly snapped shut. He repositioned himself, lifting his head up to look over at the television screen with an empty stare.
“Right. Just do whatever you want, Alvin.” He said flatly.
A hand grazed his with enough force behind it to be known it was intentional.
“Si.” Alvin whined quietly, hand pressing against his own again.
There’s a sharp ache in his chest at the call.
His head obeys before he can think about it, turning to gaze into ocean blue eyes that were swimming with guilt.
Without any hesitation he placed his hand over Alvin’s, lips curling up into a smile that said everything and nothing all at once.
Rigid shoulders unwind into something more relaxed. Alvin looked relieved as he smiled back.
Grey eyes linger for another beat before they focus back on the tv. A new video has begun playing, already a quarter through.
He’ll enjoy this private moment for the rest of the duration of the video, then he’ll have to detach himself, both physically and mentally. Working on his homework until Dave or Theodore come home first. Slipping back into his brotherly role while he eats dinner with his family. When he gets ready for bed and the house becomes still, he’ll quietly wish to hear soft footsteps tip toe to his door.
He’ll continue being hopeful until the night lulls him to sleep, where maybe he can dream of having more time alone.
But for now he tightened his hold on Alvin’s hand and leaned closer- not enough to cross a line, but enough to remember exactly where it was.