For the next three weeks, the boys scoured for any info about Roftkal. For if they couldn't learn about Linx, at least they can understand Roftkal.

They found basic info through the Rooster website about his wins and loses, when he joined, and who he's training under. From there they went online and searched for his matches that were recorded and posted online from other people. For that, Orion and Trev were the biggest help. With Orion being close buddies with security hackers and Trev having his connections. But most of the videos were from five years ago, barely any recent ones.

But beggars can't be choosers, and they started to piece together Roftkal's life.

Joining six years ago, under Rosette's guidance, he managed to hone his skills quite quickly. Winning most of the matches for multiple seasons in a row, he managed to get rookie of the year and a large fan base. People bet on him every time he fought, for they knew he would win.

But then something changed about two years ago, and his winning streak soon turned sour.

It started out slow at first, with a few loses here and there, and nobody really cared about these small hiccups. Then, those small loses began to be appear more and more. Unlike before where he would win out of his hard work, now he was winning out of pure luck. And though most of the audience weren't exactly educated in Gerco Roman wrestling, they could tell something was out of place. Soon, from the favorite, Roftkal became the underdog of each match. That's when the online videos of his started to drop, for who wants to see a known loser being beaten?

He's been going like this for months now, wins being scarce while he was drowning in loses. He never quit though, though he barely rose up in the leader board, he was fighting in each season.

As the boys pieced everything together, they slowly started to realize his behavior change at home. Despite the fact that he was rarely home, he couldn't exactly ghost the people who he was living with.

When he first arrived at Ma's and Mom's home, he didn't talk until two months in. Remi still chuckles when he thinks of why he even responded.

Linx was in the kitchen, making his lunch for school. He then walked in, and peered over Linx's shoulder to see what he was making. And somehow, the cut up sausages mixed in with the crimson sauce looked like Linx had cut up a finger of his. Even his hand was covered in the red sauce. And Remi, being the caring idiot, spun Linx around and grabbed his hand. Linx was so surprised, that he dropped his knife, it barely missing Remi's toes.

Linx, noticing the danger Remi just caused, looked straight into his eyes and asked, "Were you trying to scare me or cut off your toes instead?"

Yes, the memory was boring, but it was the first time he had spoken. After that, he offered little sarcastic remarks here and there. Each time he did, he made everyone crack up.

Time flew by, and Linx was already in a community college. His time in the house decreased as he got older, but when college hit, he seemed to completely disappear from their lives. His need always made, clothes stacked neatly in his drawers, bathroom clean as Finn's jaws. His bedroom looked more like a guest room, not an 18 year olds room.

On the occasional times he did come home, it was only arguing or pleading that revolved around him. Mom arguing of how irresponsible he was and Ma pleading for him to have dinner with them. No one was content or happy.

The boys, already dating everyone for the past year and a half, decided they should move out and take Linx with them. They've already been deciding to move out for months, but Linx going with them was quite new to them.

At first, they only wanted to take him in to take some stress off of Ma's and Mom's shoulders. But as they chewed on the idea more, it slowly went from taking off the burden to trying to fix the burden. To try to move Linx in a new environment and allow their affections to soften him up enough that he'll trust them.

Obviously, they've been failing to do that for the past two years. Do they know what to do after they've gathered all the info about Roftkal? No, no they do not.

Perhaps they're waiting for fate to help them out, for none of them have figured out how to get him to open up without breaking his trust.

Sure, they've thought of therapy. Ma already has tried it though, and everyone soon learned therapy wasn't for him. If staying silent for a whole month of therapy, plus him ghosting them, didn't send a message, refusing to eat any food for a week sure did.

Since if they've learned anything about Linx, you can never force him into something that he doesn't like without major consequences.

But oh boy, do they sometimes wish to not care about those consequences and just try to shove their help down his throat.

In Roftkal's last match, he stated to have a heavy nosebleed. Remi, Finn, and Trev were there during his last match but none of them could see why he started to bleed. His face was hidden behind his opponent's shoulder blade, so maybe he got hit when he was getting out of the hold? They don't know, but they do know that his bleeding was of concern.

His crimson blood dripped onto the mat, the bright lights reflecting each drop. They stopped fighting for a complete two minutes, but the match was still going on. Some of the audience members were booing, some going on their phones, but the three of them stared at Linx, gauging each emotion on his face.

That was the first they saw Rosette in real life, her hot pink hair and broad shoulders confirmed all the pictures they've saw of her. Linx took out some rag from his singlet, or skinny leotard as Finn calls them, and stuffed it up his nose. The match eventually continued, but they could still see his blood on his hands and blood slowly dripping onto the mat. In the end, he lost the match.

After that, it took a lot of reasoning and soothing activities for none of the boys to jump on Linx and come clean of everything they know, and just to ask if he's okay.

Course, it's not like they see him more often outside of his matches. At best, they'll see him during the day time having breakfast. Or hear his quiet shuffling during the night. Or maybe, if they're truly lucky, see him sleep in the living room with the TV turned on.

Though, whenever they do see him, he doesn't act out anymore. Where before if someone saw him have breakfast or just notice him, he would shrivel up and get out of the room as quick as possible or bark some rude remark to make them be quiet. But now? He just takes it, doesn't even try to deter the boys, and his eye bags. They look darker then Kade's dark brown hair.

So the boys are making more meals rich in protein and carbohydrates, for as Google says it, makes people more sleepy.

For now, they'll just watch from a far and wait for the moment to catch Linx. For the right moment to help him out.

_______

"Linx, go to fucking sleep or I'll knock you out myself." Rose looked down at Linx as he was picking up Ivy's toys. With Ivy currently in the bathroom, Rose took the opportunity to scold him. Because for Christ sake, Linx was behaving more like a child then her own child.

Linx continued to pick up the stuffed animals and ignoring, or maybe not caring, at Rose's comment. Rose sighed, and looked at Linx's exposed neck. Ivy soon walked in, and a new plan formed in Rose's mind.

"Ivy! Isn't it twelve already? Let's get you in bed, and don't give me that face because Linx is going to join you! Wouldn't you like that?" Rose scooped up Ivy, and by the way she was giggling and not huffing in annoyance, Rose knew she liked the idea.

For Rose knew, Linx would never intentionally hurt Ivy. And unfortunately, Rose had to take advantage of that to force him to be a little more stable.

Rose walked into Ivy's jungle room and plopped her onto the moss-colored bed. She started to undress Ivy and put on her monkey pjs. Rose didn't hear Linx come in, but by the way Ivy peered over her shoulder and waved, she knew he followed.

"Alright, you're all ready to get your awesome nap with Linx! Let's just get the two of you tucked in now..." Rose turned around and slightly frowned at Linx's blank expression.

"Linx? You ready?" Linx flinched, snapped out of his thoughts. He nodded, taking off his socks, and climbing into bed with Ivy.

Rose's frown grew, for she expected at the very least some kind of eye roll or acknowledgement that he knew she was tricking him into sleeping. But nothing. He just got in and hugged the giggling Ivy.

"Moooom, tuck ush in!" Rose smiled and did just that, kissing them both on their foreheads before closing the lights and shutting the door.

Ivy giggled some more for no reason and only stopped when she saw Linx's face. His eyes closed, no smile, and a peaceful look on his face.

Or was that anguish?

She hugged him and she grinned some more when she felt him hugging her back. She quite liked this, being cocooned in his hug. She really liked.

Actually, she liked it sooooo much that she kissed him on his forehead like Mom does.

Linx hugged her a little tighter as she did that, and an unsteady breath followed by. But for Ivy, she thought he was already asleep. For after all, he breathed out like a sleeping person would.

So, she closed her eyes too and went to sleep, her tight hold on Linx being indestructible.

_______

Rose kissed both their foreheads and gently shut the door behind her. She went to the living room, cleaning up all the toys, chuckling at Ivy's drawings of what seems to be the playground. But what caught her eyes, is how Ivy drew Linx. Instead of having a shaky smile drawn in, he had a wobbly line and closed eyes. While everything in the drawings was drawn in warm red and orange colors, he was drawn in cold blues and purples.

Even Ivy notices it...

Rose took the paper and put it in a nearby folder, with similar shaky drawings filling the folder.

She took out her phone and dialed a recent friend of hers.

"Hey Trev, mind doing a quick favor for me? It's about..."

_______