"I'd love to add Naomi's "punishment" into the contract, but no technical-" Jordan faltered by Bennett's stare. "Too soon? Yeah, I figured...."

"I'll go get you an icepack," I told him, eyeing the increasingly-visible bruise forming on his cheek.

"No, it's ok. I'll get it," Jordan told me. "I'm my own errand boy, remember?"

He then went to the kitchen by himself.

"Even if he does deserves it," Declan told Bennett. "It's still really bad timing he gets this punishment when he still needs to work on background checks and suspect surveillance."

"I know. But it'll all be waiting for him once the month ends, and we can keep an eye on the surveillance."

Declan sighed. "Now we're being punished too."

"One for all, all for one," I said.

"Alright, you got me there."

"Yeah, mom, I'm just hanging out with the others," Jordan said as he walked back into the living room with an ice pack on one hand and phone on the other.

Trying to lighten the mood, I called out to Jordan, "Hey Jordan! Have you hacked into Will Smith's Facebook account yet?"

Jordan looked at me with a shocked look before meeting with what seemed to be his mother yelling at him at the other side of the phone.

"No, wait- Can you just- It was Naomi, she was kidding!" He shot me a look, before telling her quietly. "I promised you that you would be the first person I'd go to if I were to do that, remember?"

"Yeah, so why did you call? Not like it was a bad thing-" Jordan stopped. "Y-You're cooking?"

Bennett looked up at the sound of that.

Jordan looked at him with a serious look. "And you're cooking for a lot of people? And why will you- Yeah, I don't want to be an accomplice for a serial killer, alright mom? And it probably isn't the best time..."

After more yelling through the phone, he turned to us and in a deadpanned tone, "She wants you guys to come over. Do you want to willingly poison yourselves? I have a liability form you all have to sign." He then told his mother through the phone, "No, I didn't really mean-" Jordan's shoulders sagged in compliance. "Yes, I actually made one."

I looked at Bennett. "What do you think?"

Bennett rubbed the back of his neck. "I can help her if anything goes wrong..."

"This is going to be really awkward..." Declan muttered.

"For the both of us," Bennett agreed.

"But not for me," I said cheerfully, being met with their looks that unappreciated my sense of humor.

Jordan told his mother that we all said yes and to not do anything else until we get there. When the call ended, Jordan went up to us.

"Hey," he told Declan and Bennett. He cleared his throat, attempting to shake off his embarrassment. "I deserved that, alright?"

Declan looked away, having seen enough of the damaged he put on Jordan's face. "Maybe I did take it too-"

"No, if you haven't beaten me up, I would have done it myself. It's just... Something's come up and I'm trying to figure things out. And I didn't handle the situation well because of that."

Declan frowned. "Did something bad happen?"

Jordan shook his head. "I can't... don't want to tell you guys right now. But I will, and hopefully, you guys will understand."

"I respect your privacy, Jordan," Bennett said, "Although I can't say anything for you- I know your background checks, Jordan. We'll need to talk about that."

"Bent, I-"

"But you will have to tell us eventually what happened, sooner than later. You still jeopardized this team by having something personal affect your actions."

"I know," Jordan said. "And if I ever mess up again, I know Declan is there to kick my ass." With a smile, he playfully punched Declan on the shoulder.

Declan rolled his eye but still smiled. "You can count on that. Glad to have you back, man."

"I just felt we might as well settle things before we go up to see my mom," Jordan said. "Especially since she'll see this battle scar on my pretty little face."

"You get bruised too easily," Declan said held up Jordan's head by the chin to get a better look at his cheek. "I can always beat you up some more to take care of that."

They suddenly stopped and looked at me and Bennett. Jordan pushed Declan away before Declan was able to.

Bennett told us, "C'mon, we should head there before the fire department beat us to it."

"That's my line," Jordan said.

We all began heading towards the garage when Jordan stopped me. I waved off the others to go ahead. Their hesitation made me give them a look for them to go.

Jordan leaned against the wall, tired and defeated. "I'm sorry, Naomi."

"It's alright-"

"No, it isn't," Jordan said. "I was stupid, irrational... and other synonyms."

I chuckled at that.

Jordan smiled. "I... I never want you to see you without a smile. I never want to be the reason that you're not smiling." He looked away, slowly turning red. "You deserve to smile."

"We all do," I said. "I just... I just didn't want to see you guys like that."

"Don't be mad at them. Especially Declan. We all agreed that if one of us messes up, we'd whip them back to shape."

Jordan paused. "I specifically asked Declan to do just that."

"You guys have a really weird relationship. One minute you're brothers, the next you're enemies."

He chuckled. "I'd be scared what Bennett would do if I were on the receiving end. At least Declan is predictable. And honestly, he understands me more... So, just don't be mad at them. I would've done the same, which probably won't happen since I'm so stupid."

"You're not stupid, Jordan," I reassured him. "Especially after this. You learned from it. Therefore you are now less stupid."

He laughed and began walking towards the garage with me. "That's like saying that compared to myself yesterday, I'm older, therefore wiser."

"That is a philosophy I live every day," I told him.

Jordan opened the door for me to allow me to walk first. "And don't think I didn't catch that 'you are now less stupid'. You basically admitted that I am indeed stupid."

"Darn, you caught me there." Looking at the impatient looks from the others, I told Jordan, "Let's go before they extend our punishments to more than a month."

-

Jordan was freaking out.

"I'm freaking out!" Jordan cried.

See?

"You see this bruise on my face?" Jordan demanded. "It might get bigger once my mom sees it!"

The car was silent, trying to process what that actually meant. Jordan realized this and quickly corrected himself.

"Well, no of course not like that. But like, she'd still kick my ass. That makes sense, right?"

The silence answered. Huh, oxymoron.

"Bennett, stop driving. The closer we get to my house, the more I can witness my end."

"I can't just stop in the middle of the road," Bennett told him.

Jordan looked at me. "Make-up! Give me make-up!"

"Why do you think I have make-up? And even if I do, we don't exactly have the same tone color."

Declan turned to us from the front seat. "You look a bit of a light almond, Naomi."

"Huh, I always believed I was more of a beige. But I like that. Thanks, Declan."

I almost forgot how Declan hides his tattoo under some make-up before he began hiding it under a bandaid like Jordan. He probably spent more time than necessary trying to match his own skin tone which made him a surprising expert on it- not that it's an actual problem.

"Stop talking about that!" Jordan cried. "Focus on me."

"You stop whining," I told him.

"Bennett," Jordan begged. "Take me to some makeup store. Naomi, please buy me something."

"What do you think, Declan? More of a fair vanilla or pale rose?"

Declan deeply considered it. "Let me get back to you on that."

"Jordan," Bennett said. "Naomi is not going to buy you any make-up."

"Yeah, I won't," I told him. "Why do I have to buy it for you? I am a strong, independent woman who- Oh right, lap dog."

"But, I don't want to get it..." Jordan said.

"Because guys shouldn't be in a makeup store?" I asked.

"Just because they don't usually go in there, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with those who do." Jordan and I high fived. "It's just that..."

Declan took the bait. "Just... what?"

"I'm so lazy."

"Bennett, drive faster," I told him.

Jordan's complaining served as our radio station the rest of the ride to his place.

Even after all of us having to practically tear Jordan out of Bennett's car, he still wouldn't budge.

"Guys, I don't know what made me so confident before. But I can't do it. Bennett, just help me out, man. Give me a fake identity, ship me off to another state and I can make it on my own from there."

As Jordan and Bennett argued about the actual seriousness and difficulty for Jordan to start a new life, I took Declan aside.

He gave me a boyish smile. "What? Wanna talk more about make-up?"

"I talked to Jordan about what happened and-"

Declan's face instantly fell.

"You hate me... " He said quietly.

I froze. "Declan, I don't hate you. How can you even think that? This has been the only-"

I suddenly realized that this incident alone couldn't have made him come to such a conclusion. He has been harboring this belief for a while.

"I can't blame you," he said, looking back at the others. "I figured out of the three of us, I was the one you-"

"You need to stop," I said, seeing him not looking at me. "Look at me, Declan." Reluctantly, he did. "Why would I hate you?"

"Because of when we first met. I wasn't able to protect you. And now what I did to Jordan... You think I'm a monster now."

"I don't, Declan," I told him. "You're just difficult to understand sometimes especially when you don't tell me, when you don't talk to me. Declan look at me, please." He had slowly looked back at the ground again, trying to hide the pained look in his face. But he did once more. "You mean a lot to me."

"Yeah. You mean a lot to me too, Naomi." But when he said it, he still wore the same grim expression.

"And Jordan told me the deal the three of you made. That if he messed up, he wanted you to straighten him out. I don't approve of how you guys decide to handle that, but I understand it and I understand you. I realize now you tried to explain it to me before, but please believe that it's not going to affect our relationship."

Declan seemed a bit more hopeful. "Thank you..."

"I think I finally got Jordan to calm down," Bennett called out to us. "Let's go. I'm really worried about the food."

Declan and I shared one last look before reuniting with the others. Jordan had agreed to go with us if we at least initially hide him when we enter his house. I don't really think he planned out what will happen after that since he lives with his mom, but I think that he will figure it out once the time came. We went into his apartment, battle against a flight of stairs, and finally knocked on his unit door.

Mrs. Wallace opened the door with a cheerful smile. "It's been a while since I've seen you three. Now, where's-"

She suddenly lunged her arm between me and Declan and grabbed Jordan. We then watched as she yanked Jordan forward, into their apartment, then slammed the door shut. She suddenly opened the door, and with a pleasant smile, told us to wait for a moment. When the door closed once more, we heard muted yelling from inside their apartment.

"Okay, I am not the only one to believe that was like some horror film," Declan said.

Bennett and I nodded in agreement.

Mrs. Wallace opened the door with a smile. "I apologize for that. Please, come in. Make yourselves at home. Jordan is just cleaning his room right now."

The three of us quietly went inside. I made a note never to do anything to see Mrs. Wallace's bad side.

"Oh, and Declan dear?" She asked.

Declan stiffened. "Y-Yes ma'm?"

"I know about you and Jordan's... spat. Now do you remember what I said last time? While I appreciate your good intentions, try not to give him a visible reminder of it. A mental one is fine, that's how I usually run things."

"Is this one of your mental reminders... ma'm?"

"Why yes, yes it is," she paused for a moment, waiting.

"May I go help Jordan clean his room?"

"That is absolutely thoughtful of you, Declan. Thank you."

"Of course," Declan said before heading to Jordan's room.

Bennett and I awkwardly stayed in place. 

"Sorry that you had to see that," she said with a sigh. She then told me it wasn't the first time this happened nor would it be the last. "Best to straighten them out and make them be in the same room to connect again, while Bennett tries to save the culinary practice."

"Should we do that right now?" Bennett offered.

Mrs. Wallace grimaced. "Best not to look in there, sweetie. Don't worry, I'll have Jordan help me clean up the mess. I've decided to just order something instead. How does some Indian food sound?"

"That would be great," I told her.

"Wonderful. They'll be here in..." She checked the clock on the wall. "In a few more minutes, or else my order is free. Why don't you two sit down? Let me get you some drinks."

Before we were able to protest, she had already left back into the kitchen.

"You had to deal with this a lot too?" I asked Bennett as I plopped down on the couch.

"Yeah," Bennett said. "It was much worse before we met you."

I felt my cheeks turn warm. "What Declan said back then..."

Bennett was silent. "It's the first time I heard about it, actually. They must have agreed about it amongst themselves." He looked at me. "Even though you may have not done much to us as a gang, you did more than you can possibly imagine to us as a family." He gave me a small smile.

I smiled back. "Thank you, Bennett. I really needed that."

"Boys, you can take a break now!" Mrs. Wallace called out to them before setting a case of soda down. Bennett grabbed one, popped it open and handed it to me. I took a sip, it's cold fizziness felt good.

"Can you clean up your room more?" I heard Declan mutter to Jordan.

Jordan scoffed. "If I checked your room, is it still as clean as the last time we both cleaned it?"

Declan snickered. "Fine, no. Maybe we should clean our rooms more so this won't be a punishment."

He grimaced. "Then what do you think our punishment will be instead?"

There was a long pause. "Nevermind."

They both took seats at the armchairs opposite of us.

"It's an agreement I made with Janet, Declan's mom," she told me. "It seems our boys have two things in common: messy rooms and fighting each other. So we decided to do something about it."

"You all have a weird relationship," I told her before asking, "Have you ever questioned why they fight?"

Bennett coughed.

"The first few times," she said. "But they were always so small and meaningless. Like they just jump at the chance to start a fight. Despite that though, they still hang out with each other, still want to be friends. So Janet and I both just decided to figure out how to at least take advantage of it."

She shrugged. "Anyway, we make do. Sadly, Bennett often has to become the mediator between them."

Bennett took a sip of his soda.

"Or the mom," Jordan coughed before Declan smacked him on the shoulder.

Declan winced then started nursing Jordan's shoulder, rubbing it to make the pain go away. "Sorry, reflex."

Mrs. Wallace laughed. "That's quite alright. You two can help clean the kitchen later."

Jordan smacked Declan now, but they both snickered afterwards.

The doorbell rang.

"That should be the food," Mrs. Wallace said.

Jordan stood up, stretching.

"Don't worry, I'll get it," Jordan said. "As Declan will wash the dishes afterwards."

Declan moved to grab Jordan to stop him, but Jordan ran away before he could. Laughing at the defeated Declan who looked sick as he stared towards the kitchen, Jordan went to the door.

"Mom, wallet," he said, before adding, "please."

She chucked to him her wallet which he caught flawlessly.

The rest of us clapped. I only wished I had a sign to hold up a "10".

Jordan opened the door, looking down at the wallet to find the cash. "How much do I owe you, man?"

"Do you remember me?"

I looked at him and recognized the person. He was the same guy Jordan and I bumped into yesterday. But, Jordan wouldn't have recognized him, not with his prosopagnosia.

"Er... no." He eyed the man warily. "What's it to you?"

Mrs. Wallace stood up from her seat. "Jacob? What are you doing here?"

Jordan froze. "No... Are you..."

The man smiled softly. It was there I saw it. Jordan looked more like his mother with her blonde hair and green eyes. The man, however, had brown hair with streaks of grey and brown eyes. But that smile... that smile was what Jordan inherited.

He chuckled. "Never thought I'd be able to say it like this but... Jordan, I am your-"

Jordan slammed the door shut.

Well then... 

See you in the next chapter!

Rubix