Broken Mates
Chapter 24

"You came alone?" Chris asked as he and Ivan stood outside the entrance with Rex facing them, looking scared and guilty.

Lvan had his hands folded on his chest, glaring at Rex who couldn't meet his brother's eyes. He knew why they were still outside and of course, he was to blame.

They were still outside because Lvan wasn't going to let him in. He just wanted to know what happened with Roy and Corey and then they will leave and he (Lvan) will personally shut the door on his face. He wasn't going to complain because he deserved it. He left without telling anyone, worrying and scaring lvan who wasn't aware of his wellbeing. It will be a miracle if he went on without any punishment.

"Yes. Roy and Corey left to the location. I took a cab back" Rex explained, earning nods from both Lvan and Chris. "They really found nothing, uh" Chris said with a sad look but then, that sad look immediately disappeared before Rex and Ivan could see.

He still didn't understand these feelings he had for both Jake and Colten and he didn't think he was ready to share it with Ivan or anyone else. But one thing was clear, he was in love with Colten. How it happened, when it started, he didn't know, but he knew he was in love with him and he wasn't going to let him go. Only if Colten didn't want him.

And the thought if Colten not wanting him crushed him. He wanted Colten to accept him, to allow him to love him, take care of him, protect him.

And he also hope Colten will end up loving him as much as he loved him, someday.

"They left today right?" Ivan asked, sternly.

He was still angry with his brother and he wanted to show him and that was why that frown, that angry frown on his face wasn't going anywhere.

"I think you guys got it all wrong. Corey and Roy left before me. They left two days ago, which means......." Rex didn't get to finish his statement when Lvan interrupted.

"They called saying they were on their way now" Ivan said with a frown. Why didn't Roy and Corey just tell them about the clue? Why did they leave alone? And most importantly, why did he have to hear it from this annoying ungrateful brother of his.

"And what were you doing in those two days after they left?" Lvan glared at his brother. This brat left without leaving a message or anything! and when he left with Roy and Corey, not once did this brother of his call to let him know he was okay.

He was so worried out of his mind. Although he got news about him (Rex) from Roy, it still wasn't the same as hearing from the mouth of the main subject.

"I......" Now what can he say? He was just so scared of coming back that he decided to postpone his journey and that was why he spent the two days at the hotel they were in before Corey and Roy went out on the mission.

Of course, that was the excuse he wanted himself to accept. The real reason why he stayed back at the hotel was because he needed some space which he wouldn't get in this hug house with so many people. And so, because he needed sometime to nurse his broken heart, he stayed for the two days alone.

"It doesn't matter, you're a grown up? You can do whatever you want" Lvan said, still glaring at Rex before turning to head for the entrance door,

"Come on man" he said, referring to Chris who snapped out of his thoughts and followed Lvan.

Lvan stopped in his tracks when he realised his brother wasn't following while Chris walked past him and entered the house.

Without turning to look at Rex, he asked, "What are you waiting?"

A smile crept on Rex's face when he realised his brother was going to let him into the house. Did it mean he wasn't going to get punished? Rex happily walked to enter the house.

Lvan might have let him into the house, but Rex had no idea, that his punishment has already started.

*****

All day, whenever they crossed paths, Ivan did speak with Rex, but, something was different.

His brother wasn't treating him like he used to.

Example, when he went to work to take care of the mountain of documents left behind, he asked Ivan about where to placed the documents he (Rex) was already done with, and this was his reply "Why would big boy Rex ask me that? I'm sure he know where to place them"

Right then, Rex realised his punishment. His brother was treating him like a grown up which he was but coming from Ivan, he didn't like it.

He loved it when his brother treated him like a kid. When his brother was overprotective, denoting, overbearing and caring towards him.

But, his brother was no longer treating him that way. He made his decision like a grown up when he decided to join Roy and Corey on their mission and his brother was using that as his punishment.

Rex asked Tristan and even Alan to help him convince his brother to forgive him but it didn't work.

This was his punishment and he hated it.

"Ivan, what do you want to eat for dinner?" Rex asked Ivan who was busy working on the remaining documents. Not even sparing him a glance, his brother answered, "Why would you ask me? You're a grown up, you should know"

Rex felt like kneeling and begging his brother to forgive him right then. He used to hate how his brother used to treat him. Okay he didn't necessarily hate it, but sometimes, it was too much and he found himself disliking it. But now, he wanted his brother to treat him like a kid again.

"I'm sorry lvan please forgive me" it has only been a day since his brother started treating him like a grown up and he was already falling apart.

What will happen to him if his brother kept this on for two days? He will surely die.

His beloved brother, although sometimes it was unbearable with the way he treated him like a kid, a baby,...... that was Ivan's way of proving he loved him. His way of saying he loved him (Rex), his brother.

"I'll take any punishment apart from treating me like this" Rex sounded desperate, he knew, but he couldn't help it. His brother treating him like this felt like they were strangers and he didn't want to feel this way, he hated it.

"I don't have time Rex" Ivan said coldly and got up, leaving the office, once again, without sparing him a glance.

Rex sat on the couch, running his hand through his hair. He was just about to run after Ivan when he got a call. He took his phone which was beside him and looked on it. The call ID stated it was Roy. He immediately picked up. "Hello?"

"We're here, we need your help"

*********************

Lvan entered Colten room and witnessed his best friend affectionately stroking Colten's cheek. He didn't necessarily have to come as he has been here not too long ago but Tristan was still at work and Alan has fallen asleep early. He also didn't want to bother or worry Debby and the others and he sure as hell didn't want to be in the same room as Rex and that was why he was here.

Treating his brother like a grown up, a stranger, was proving to be so hard. Maybe he should change his punishment.

He came out of his thoughts and stared at his friend. Chris was affectionately stroking Colten's cheek, saying nothing but a kind of smile lvan has never seen before on his face.

His eyes had softened, filled with love. Lvan has never seen Chris like this. He seemed to be floating with love. Deity, was Chris in love with........Colten?

Chris was so busy, lost in his bubble of love that he didn't hear Ivan come. He was now gently brushing his hand through Colten's hair and Lvan didn't want to interrupt but he knew he had to. Deities, Chris will be so embarrassed when he saw him.

And true to his thoughts, Chris was. Immediately redrawing his hand from Colten's hair, his face flaming up and looking away from Lvan's gaze when Lvan cleared his throat, blasting Chris's bubble of love.

Chris got up, facing Lvan who walked up to him, standing before him as the two stared at each other. One, a smirk playing on his lips and the other feeling so embarrassed that he wished the ground would swallow him up.

He didn't notice when Ivan entered because he was lost in his thoughts, thinking about what to do next after Colten regain consciousness. He knew he didn't want to gone on with what they had. He didn't want to be just friends with Colten and he wondered what the man would say about that.

The thought of rejection was breaking him into pieces.

"Hey" Ivan said, still with that smirk. That stupid smirk. Chris wanted nothing more at the moment but to punch lvan in the face. He knew the man has figured it out. He could sense it, but he didn't want to tell anyone that he loved Colten until he told the man himself first.

"What? What is it?" Chris asked, rolling his eyes. "Are you in love with Colten?" Colten stiffened as he lied down but none of them noticed as they were engrossed in their conversation. The wound has just closed, healed and he just regained consciousness. He regained consciousness a second before Lvan asked Chris that question.

Actually, he regained consciousness now and then but at that time, he couldn't open his eyes or move, he could only hear. And sure enough, Chris needed to learn the Japanese language before he try to sing a song in Japanese again.

Right, he couldn't only hear but he could also feel touches and one particular touch always sent him over to the moon.

This touch was Chris's. He loved it when Chris was stroking his hair a moment ago. It felt nice, it felt right and he also wanted nothing more but to touch Chris too. He missed the guy so much and wanted to get up, to see him, touch him, feel him, but, not now, because he wanted to know the answer to the question Ivan asked so bad.

He didn't show any sign of his awaken.

In fact, he was also scared of the answer Chris would give.

What if it was negative? What was he going to do? But, what if it was positive? Sigh, he wanted to know so bad at the same time he also didn't want to know. What was this situation anyway?

"Tell me? I saw how you were looking at him" Ivan said still with that smirk. And how was Chris looking at him? Oh, damn! He would give everything to see or know how Chris was looking at him. What was the emotions playing on his face? In his eyes. Chris sighed and Colten knew the answer was coming. Chris who has already made his decision not to tell anyone he loved Colten until he told the man first rudely refused Lvan's implications. "Is not like that" was all he said, turning to look at Colten. And these four words broke Colten, broke his world and shameless destroyed his being. He was rejected. He was rejected. He couldn't breathe.

Chris was surprised when Colten suddenly got up, tears streaming down from his eyes like they own his Colten's face. His heart broke at the sight and wanted nothing more but to comfort him and that was what he was about to do until Colten's words and action, froze him on his toes, "Don't touch me!!" Colten yelled, smacking his stretched hand away.

Slowly, he dropped his hand, his mind flooded with confusion. What was going on? Why was Colten crying? And why was he rejecting him yet again. What wrong did he do this time?

"Co......

"Not another word from you!" Colten knew he was being unreasonable but he couldn't help it. Chris just rejected him. He rejected him and he felt like crap. He wanted something, he needed something. He needed someone. And the next thing Colten knew, he was smelling the most amazing scent he has ever scent. It was amazing, comforting, intoxicating just like Chris's scent but this was more calming. He wanted it. He needed it.

Colten threw the quilt off of him, sending it god knows where and rushing out, no one stopped him as they followed behind him, both concern and curious about this new scent. Chris knew why Colten was rushing out. He also smelled. That amazing scent. It sent him over the mood and he wanted to know who it was coming from so bad.

********************

Following the amazing addicting scent which led them to the living room, both Colten and Chris stopped in their tracks when they saw a small man hugging Rex so tight. The man was gorgeous, captivating.

He was dressed in dirty T-shirt, jeans and dirty white jeans. He had beautiful black hair which looked smooth to touch and light yellow eyes.

Right then, both Colten and Chris were trapped in fascination. However, he looked scared and was even more scared as he looked at Roy, Corey, Lvan and even Chris.

Chris felt a sharp pain in his heart when the gorgeous man watched him with so much hatred and fear. But, there was something else, something Chris couldn't put his finger on it.

And then his gaze fell on Colten. His eyes widened in shock as realisation hit him. The same realisation that hit both Colten and Chris. This gorgeous man was their mate.