WHO: Alejo & Joaco WHEN: January 3 WHERE: Bravo Mansion SUMMARY: The brothers feel each other out in the wake of Christmas drama. CW: N/A
PapĂĄ and Diana were in the sitting room. Family dinner was an hour away, and he was avoiding the lovebirds. His sister was watching something in her bedroom with the door shut, and Alejo was bored. He had seen Joaco get up and excuse himself a short while ago, but it would have been weird to follow him to the bathroom. So Alejo was waiting in the hallway in between sitting room and the guest bath, flipping through TikTok and not exactly waiting for his brother to emerge, but also waiting. He looked up at the sound of an unfamiliar tread on the carpet.
âHi.â
It was strange to have his life flipped over like this, forever changed by someone elseâs design, but in reality, wasnât that everything about life? Where you were born, who your parents were, you didnât decide anything about it. Joaco patted his face dry with a paper towel, staring at himself on the reflection for a few seconds before stepping outside the bathroom and walking back towards where the others were. He stopped, wondering if he should go clean his room again, but ultimately deciding he couldnât escape the awkwardness.
His gaze met his brotherâs, and he made a face at him. âKeeping tabs on me? Are you worried Iâm going to steal your shirts?â Joaco laughed, and shrugged his shoulders.
Alejo studied Joaco as he approached. In the past they were a mirror image of each other. Different hairstyles at times. Still the same. He thought he could see Gaius there, but it was still weird to see it in a strangerâs smile.
He shrugged back, almost automatically, and laughed. âI hadnât thought of that, but I do have perfect fashion senseâŠâ he replied. âI donât feel like watching them make lovey faces. Itâs gross.â
Joaco rested his hands on his hips, looking at Alejandro, looking at his old face. It never quite felt like his own, not even back then. He was Titusâ doppleganger, and while people were very kind to him despite old superstitions, Gaius felt the need to hide away and let Titus take the stage and the spotlight. In ways, it was still the same now.
âYour clothes are much more expensive, too,â he laughed some more. âYeah⊠itâs a lot. Iâm sorry you have to deal with that. With me intruding into your life like this.â
Alejo found it hard not to smile when Joaco laughed. It wasnât the right voice, but it felt familiar.
Still, the two people he had always loved most were so adamant about not being those people. It was frustrating. So âJoacoâ had been an intrusion at first. It seemed like everyone loved him better too. That hadnât helped.
But he shrugged again. âSorry about attacking you,â he replied. He crossed his arms over his chest. âI missed you. Did you,â there was the smallest catch in his voice, âever miss me?â
âItâs fine, I am pretty sturdy, too, sturdier now.â There was no point beating around the bush when he already told Eli, and also because there was no way he could hide it from Alejandro with ease.
Joaco had to sigh, looking away from him and pinching the bridge of his nose. âOf course I did, I grew up feeling incomplete.â He paused, licking his lips and looking at Alejandro again. âBut it was better this way, there wasnât meant to be two of us back then either.â
Alejoâs face immediately brightened with relief. âMe too.â But before he could ask why Joaco didnât reveal himself, Joaco gave him an answer, and his brow twisted in confusion. âWhat do you mean? Of course there was always supposed to be two of us! You just said that you also felt incompleteâŠâ
Joaco couldnât help but feel like the image he built for himself chipping away whenever he interacted with Alejandro. With a quiet sigh, his shoulders sagged. âI know we grew up used to be that, but IâŠâ What was he supposed to say? âI could tell that some people would have preferred it wasnât that way. Twins were a bad omen, and look where we are now.â He let out a playful chuckle as he reached back to scratch his head. âI would just have ruined your life earlier if I let you know I existed.â
Alejo stared in disbelief. He suddenly stood straight and grabbed for the wrist that was scratching Joacoâs head. âWho cares what they think? You are my brother! If anyone has a problem with that, they can answer directy to me. Including you!â He softened. âMy life is not ruined, Gaiâ Joaco.â
Blinking, Joaco looked from his hand then back at Alejandro. âYou are just the same now as you were before,â he said, chuckling and gently pulling his hand away. âUnflinchingly stubborn⊠and supernaturally kind. Thatâs why youâre a real hero.â Joaco patted and squeezed Alejandroâs shoulder. âIt should stay this way, Alejandro, thereâs no need to say Iâm around.â
Alejo shrugged, lowering his gaze and scratching his temple. âIâm not that special. No more than you or Faihan.â After a moment, he returned his gaze to Joaco. âI want to be your brother still. I am still your brother. Did I do something wrongâŠ?â
Joaco shook his head, smiling softly. âEveryone knows Iâm your half-brother already. Thatâs more than enough, Alejo.â He took a step closer to give him a hug and a pat on his back. âItâs fine to leave it at that.â
âYou donât want me to say you are Gaius?â Alejo asked, confused, but he hugged Joaco back. It was good. It was a feeling he had missed. âYou will still be Gaius to me. You are both.â He shrugged, but he trusted Gaius. If he had a reason for this, it had to be good. âI wonât then. But Gaius was the best man I ever knew. Donât forget that.â He stepped back. âAre you going back in there?â
âSomehow Iâm not surprised you feel that way, but Iâm Joaco now.â Joaco rubbed Alejandroâs back before he let go. âWhich, by the way, never call me JoaquĂn. I assume you like Alejo better, too?â He folded his arms over his chest as he stepped back, glancing over towards their dad. âI probably should, but at the same time, they are too embarrassingâŠâ
âUgh, yeah, donât call me Alejandro,â Alejo replied, pulling a face and shaking his head. Faihan and Joaco. He wondered when theyâd accept that they were both. But he sighed. If thatâs what Joaco wanted for now, heâd go along with it. For now. âThey are really embarrassing,â he agreed. âThereâs probably some rooms you havenât explored yet. Do you want to see?â he asked, gesturing away from the sitting room. âWe have a home theater. Just donât bring Eliberto.â He started walking, with his usual confidence. âAnd a weight room, too. Come on.â
Instinctively, Joaco chuckled against his hand, looking from where their father was then back at Alejo. âYeah, I suppose thatâs a better way to spend my time before we have to eat. Whatâs wrong with Eli, anyway? I already invited him.â With a nod, he walked after his brother, still feeling out of place just like the first day he arrived.
Alejo was still making his âEww, Elibertoâ face when he looked back at Joaco. âHow can you stand him?â he asked. âHeâs so annoying.â He stopped for a moment to ask, âAre you dating him or what?â He was hoping Joaco would ask how he had figured it out, so that he could impress him with his detective skills.
Joaco reached into his pocket when he heard the question, lips pressed into a thin line. âHeâs my friend,â and that was it, that was all he was going to say. âWhere did you get these ideas? Was it Fee Fee? He sure wants to pawn me off.â
Alejo frowned. âNo! I figured it out myself.â He turned to fully face Joaco, ticking off fingers. âYou kissed in that play.â Which now he was glad he hadnât gotten that role, because that would have ended up really weird. âAnd I saw the keychain that says âE.â Plus, he was trying to protect you or whatever that night. Too bad he sucks at it,â he said, thinking about how Kyo had let Gaius get kidnapped in the past. âSee? Elementary, my dear Joaco.â
âItâs just a good luck charm,â Joaco said, pulling out the charm to wiggle it in his hand for a moment before putting it away again. âIt was a play, Alejoâanyway,â he had to laugh because the whole display was cute. âYou have rooms to show me, so letâs get back to that.â
Alejo scratched his chin, but nodded. Then, squaring up his shoulders, he turned again in the previous direction. âItâs just up ahead. Iâll show you the games, too. Have you ever played games on a big screen? Youâll love it.â And having decided that, and eager to show Joaco just what he meant, Alejo began to walk even faster.
He grinned to himself and led the way away from their lovey-dovey parents, towards the game room, intent on showing Joaco all his favorite titles and maybe talking him into playing something before dinner started.
Joaco was going to love it here. Heâd make sure of it.