This story contains a male x male friendship that turns into a romantic relationship. If that does not interest you, then I suggest that you turn back now. If that is what you are looking for, then please journey on.

I do not own Generator Rex or it characters. They belong to Cartoon Network and Man of Action.

This story will contain Noah/Cesar sex, one sided Cesar/Noah love and Noah/Rex slash.

As with most of my stories this is unbeta'd so all mistakes or mine. Now that all of that is out of the way I hope you enjoy this five part story.

Oh, wait I lied: this takes place before the time jump. Now, that's all!

Detour

"I didn't know you were coming today." Rex said cheerfully and greeted his friend with a hearty pat on the shoulder. He knew he had been too rough when Noah winced and sucked his teeth.

Rex pulled his arm away as the blond clutched his shoulder as he worked thru the pain.

"Sorry."

"It's cool," Noah repiled, turning his grimace into a wide smile.

Rex mirrored his friend's painful grin and quickly brought his hand to his side in apology.

As an EVO Rex was able to withstand more punishment than a normal human, so it took more force for him to feel anything, which made him behave less gentle with his human counterparts sometimes. It usually wasn't a problem, but lately it seemed he couldn't look at Noah without causing him pain. He wondered if Noah was just more sensitive than the other non-EVOs he usually dealt with. He started to ask, but was cut off by the beeping of his earpiece. "You've reached The Amazing Rex, how can I make your day better?" Rex answered, winking at Noah.

He watched Noah cover his mouth to stifle his laughter before looking away to focus on the call. "Right. Have you sent me the coordinates?" Rex pulled out his phone and checked for new messages. "Got it. I'll be there in five. Rex out." He closed his phone and looked backed to Noah. "Wanna go play hero?"

"Oh god, yes!" Noah replied.

Rex smiled and picked the spare bike helmet off the floor.

"Race ya to the hangar," the EVO challenged, tossing the headgear to Noah.

"You're on!" The blond accepted, easily catching the helmet.

Rex whooped in delight and then promptly cheated by building the Rex Ride and driving his hover bike to the hangar.

"Is it just me or are EVOs getting more violent?" Noah huffed in annoyance. Pulling off his ripped jacket Noah thrust it angrily into the large plastic bag the medics had provided.

Rex snorted in agreement and unscrewed the top of a water bottle. He drank half the contents from the large bottle and watched from the relative comfort of the medic truck as a team of Providence agents herded three bear-sized EVOs into a secured transport ship.

"Providence better reimburse me for this. This is the third time my jacket has been destroyed in the last two months," Noah said frowning as he lifted the bag with the ruined garment.

"Perhaps you should buy a better jacket and not ones that tear apart so easily." Rex suggested with a smirk.

"Oh you mean I should get something like the one you wear? No thanks I rather go broke buying cool jackets than wear your fashionably challenged clothes." Noah joked.

"Hey, take that back. You know my style is hot," Rex retaliated and stuck out his tongue.

"Flaming even," Noah teased and prodding Rex lightly in the ribs.

"Oh, you got jokes huh?" Rex eyed his friend. The teen's jab hadn't hurt him, but it had left a pressure where Noah had touched him that made Rex rub his side.

"Only when I get inspired," Noah stated with a grin. "Oh, man this has a hole too." The blond complained and took off his shirt.

"I'm so pleased to be your muse," Rex replied. His stomach gurlged in hunger and Rex looked out of the trailer window. He could see Six and another agent, looks like Davies, talking as field agents scoured over the scene. Not far beyond the primeter Rex saw a small resturant with painted sign he could read posted in the windows. Perfect, Rex thought and turned back to his friend.

"Hey Noah, what do you say we go out for Chinese? I could really go for a-" Rex stopped short as he caught a view of Noah's back. They were covered in bruises, each of them in various states in of healing.

Noticing Rex's silence Noah turned and caught Rex staring. He raised an eyebrow. "Problem?"

"Noe," Rex started. "What happened to your-"

"Nothing," Noah cut in and quickly turned around, pulled on a black t-shirt provided by the medics. "I'm fine. Okay? Just drop it."

"But they look painful. If you were injured in the fight you ought to have the medics take a look at you."

"I said I'm fine, Rex. Drop it." He repeated.

"But- "

"I didn't get them today," Noah blurted out. His eyes widened in surprise as if he couldn't believe what he had said only to narrow in anger as he stuffed the ruined tee shirt in the plastic bag.

"Just leave it."

Rex stared at his friend as the room drained of the friendly banter and was replaced with an unpleasant defensiveness that pit the teens against each other. Rex narrowed his eyes in defiance, matching his stubbornness against Noah's as he waited for the blond to break down and tell him what had happened to him. That explains why he flinched when I touched him earlier Rex thought and then wondered where else Noah had bruises. Rex scanned Noah's body taking in his red face and neck as he held his ground.

Noah shifted self-consciously under Rex's gaze as though the blond knew exactly what Rex was doing.

Eventually Rex sighed and gave in. He knew Noah was prone to clam up when he didn't want to talk about something poking at him wasn't going to Rex the answers he wanted.

"Yeah, okay, fine. I'm dropping it," Rex answered, raising his hands in surrender.

"Good." Noah gave him a sharp nod. "I'm heading home. I have homework to do."

"Do you want me to give you a ride?" Rex offered, stepping closer to Noah.

Noah shook his blond head and moved away from Rex. "No, you have work to do. I'll bum one from one of the guys."

"But I-"

"I'll see you around Rex."

"Yeah, later Noah," Rex whispered lamely, holding his hand up in farewell. He watched as his friend jumped out of the medic's trailer and approached the nearest Providence agent. Feeling confused and rejected Rex slammed the bottle down on the countertop so hard the plastic bottle folded on itself and sprayed his arm with water. With a frustrated grunt Rex shook the water off his arm and left the trailer and went in the opposite direction of Noah, his stomach twisting in urgency, not from hunger, but from the knowledge that Noah was once again keeping secrets from him.

Why? Rex thought desperately, why is he doing this again? What could Noah be holding back from me now? Honesty was Rex's policy even if he had trouble maintaining that policy himself. What good ever came from lying? True Noah hadn't actually lied about the bruises, but he sure as Hell hadn't offered any answers. In place of those answers Rex's brain supplied him with ideas of its own as it tried to figure out where the bruises had come from. They ranged from something as innocent as tripping on the basketball court to more sordid thoughts of Noah being bullied by some of Cain's goons, or worse, being kidnapped and tortured by Van Kleiss. Rex dismissed those thoughts almost as soon as he thought them. There was no way Noah wouldn't report Cain or Van if that was the case. Besides Noah's reaction to Rex seeing him was personal, almost as though he were embarrassed by them. The thought made Rex stop in his tracks. Could it be that Noah did that to himself? Rex blinked and looked around he has allowed his feet to control his direction and had ended standing in front of the Chinese restaurant he'd spied from the Medic trailer. His stomach gurgled in anticipation. Well, there's no use worrying on an empty stomach, Rex thought out loud and pushed the door open and entered the restaurant.