"Where's Ivan today, aru?" Yao asked when he walked into the teacher's cafeteria to find only Gilbert trying to cook.

"Huh? Oh, Alfred finally agreed to go on a date with Ivan. So he's not here today. He wants to get ready for tomorrow or something." Gilbert said as he continued to stir the contents of the bowl. He still wanted to try and make cake.

"Tomorrow... Well, Friday's a good choice, aru. Wouldn't get in the way of doing homework?" When Gilbert gave him a look that asked 'why are you thinking of homework?', Yao shrugged. "I like to do my homework on Sundays, aru. Even if I play the good kid, I can't help but hang out with friends on Fridays and Saturdays. So it would be nice to have fun on Friday..."

"Eh, well. Whatever. At least that's over and done with." Gilbert said as he finished turning the flour into a more liquid like substance.

"You sound like you're upset about this, aru." Yao asked as he put his bags on a chair and went to get a cake mold for when Gilbert was done mixing the batter.

"Unhappy? I'm not unhappy. I'm super happy that I don't have to deal with this anymore."

"You don't sound like it, aru. You're not happy for Ivan." Statement, not a question. "Why?" Now that was a question.

Gilbert let out an annoyed sigh. "You're persistent, you know that? I'm surprised that Ivan was able to stand it for so long." The cake mold was filled to the top now and he quickly put it in the oven. Yao turned it on and set the timer.

"Meeeh, I'm also a good listener too, aru." Sort of. He knew to keep his mouth shut when someone was ready to spill the beans. He just didn't know how to keep his mouth shut when being in a fight. He had some good verbal insults and kong fu skills waiting to be used.

Gilbert rolled his eyes, giving up as he took the cake mold that Yao had found in the upper cabinet and poured the batter into it. "I don't know..." He mumbled. "I mean, I know I hate Ivan. But, well, I guess he's not that bad a person. I sort of found out after hanging out with him these past few days. Now that he's suddenly gone, it feels... "

"Like a bit of a lost, aru? That things will be awkward, aru? That he'll have no time for you, aru?"

"...Ja." It was a bit scary that Yao seemed to know exactly what he was thinking to the exact words. "Are you worried about this too or something?"

"Or something, aru." Yao answered. "I've had this happen to me before. The circumstances were a bit different, I suppose, but not by much, aru."

"Really? Who?"

"...My younger brother and sister, aru. They used to depend on me a lot when we were younger. ...And the suddenly, they just don't need me anymore, aru. It doesn't sound the same to you, does it, aru?" Yao said with a chuckle at Gilbert's skeptical look.

"Nope. My brother would never suddenly up and leave me." But thinking about it, Ludwig did stop asking him to do stuff with him every now and then and it did bring about the same type of loneliness as he was currently feeling. "Aaaah! Why am I thinking about this? I hate Ivan anyways! And I'm supposed to hate you too!"

"Hate...? Oh! ...You mean about the time at the school trip where you cried like a baby just because Ivan..."

"What do you mean 'just because'? It was a life threatening situation and I did not cry like a baby!"

"Ok, aru." Yao said with a shrug. "But why are you still hanging on to that, aru? It's been so long."

Gilbert frowned. He didn't like being told that he was doing something wrong even if he was. "Because. ...Either way, I don't like him, then I don't like him!"

"...You're being impractical, aru."

"How does this look?" Ivan asked as he stepped out of the bathroom. He was wearing a white shirt and black dress pants.

Toris sat on the bed folding some clothes while Eduard was searching up the internet for good outfits for first dates. He was actually secretly playing a game on the side each time Ivan went into the bathroom to change into yet another outfit. This left poor Raivis by himself to comment on Ivan's outfit.

"I...It's g-good..." Raivis stuttered out. He was too scared to make much of an opinion each time and just awkwardly stated that each outfit was 'good'.

"Hmmm... It feels a bit plain, though... Da?" Ivan said as he turned around in the mirror.

"Y-Y-Y-Yes, sir!" The little freshman couldn't take it for much longer. He didn't think that agreeing to tell Ivan schedule would lead to this. He was just trying to make some cash. And now, he's ended up in Ivan's mini-cluster.

"...? But you just said it was good, da?"

"I-I-I..." The Latvian started making unintelligible sounds before he started crying.

"Er, Ivan!" Eduard spook up. "W-Why don't you try this outfit next?" He said as he pulled out an article of clothing from the closet.

"...I'm sure that belongs to my sister, da..."

"O-Oh. What's it doing in your closet?"

"I want to know too, da."

It had taken a while (a long while), but after the prospect of even a lolita dress, Toris finally decided that he'd better help picking out the clothing. "Here." Toris said as he went through Ivan's closet, drawer, shelves to give him the right outfit. "Now hurry up and try changing into it." He said, ushering the Russian into the bathroom.

"But-"

"Just go change into it! You don't want to be in a giant rush tomorrow, do you?"

Although a bit reluctant, Ivan nodded and closed the door to change. Stepping out, Ivan had a skeptical look on his face. "Is this really alright? It's so... plain." He was wearing a T-shirt with more design on it than necessary and a black hoodie on top. Just simple jeans that were somewhat baggy and his usual scarf hanging around his neck.

Toris nodded. "You didn't need to be extravagant. Sure you're having dinner together, but it's just a date. Do you want to go there in a suit?" Besides that, he knew Alfred well enough to know that the American would probably go there in a T-shirt and jeans anyways.

Ivan was still a bit unconvinced, but nodded, deciding to agree upon it. "Ok. I'll take your word for it." He said as he walked back into the bathroom to change back to his normal indoor clothes. "You guys can leave now." That statement earned the relief of all other occupants of the house.

Even before Alfred walked up the stairs to the school entrance, kids hanging out by Deli's outside the train station were giving him looks. "Did you hear, did you hear? He finally agreed to go out with him!" "Maybe Ivan threatened him?" "It's Alfred. Who can threaten him?" As the hero (and somewhat attention whore), he wouldn't mind people talking with him. But this was annoying. Really annoying. And it didn't help that the moment he set foot into the school, Ivan was in his face already.

"Ivan, let me go to my locker in peace, would you?" Alfred said as he twisted his lock to get it to open. Clang! Alfred opened up his locker and started searching for the right books to bring to class.

"Eh, why? Since we're a couple now, we should be together all the time, da?"

"Where on earth did you get that idea from?" Alfred asked with furrowed brows as he found a paper bag with Dunkin Donuts printed on it hidden between folders. Hmm, need to throw this out later... He thought as he stuck it back into the back of the locker.

"Shouldn't you throw that out, da?" Ivan asked as he watched Alfred put it back in.

"I would, but I'm feeding the locker." Seeing that Ivan was confused, he explained, "Just like how the changing room lockers eat up one item each time you use it, normal lockers would too."

"...That sounds... Highly improbable. There's more room in the hallways..."

"I'm not going to take the chance." Alfred slammed the locker closed and turned to walk to his first period class. "Why don't you go now? First period's about to start. I'm not going to see you 'till fourth."

"Oh, but I want to spend more time with you, da!" Ivan said with a grin. "I can walk you to your class too! That's what couples do, da?"

Alfred let out a groan of agony as he doubled over to pull on his hair. "Don't follow me around, Braginsky! It's weird to have a guy following another guy around!"

Gilbert was at his own locker when he heard Alfred's outburst. Sad, but true. He agreed mentally as he watched Ivan fluster about trying to please Alfred. "He's trying too hard..." He mumbled to himself as he locked up his locker and walked in the direction of the cafeteria. It would be nice to learn (sleep) on a full stomach.

He turned the corner and- "Oof!" He just ran into someone. "Gee, watch where you're going! What if the awesome me got hurt?"

"Bruder!" Oh, that voice was familiar. Looking up, Gilbert saw his brother's blue eyes staring down at him. He was sweating a bit and he didn't look happy.

"Oh, 'sup West?"

"I've been looking everywhere for you! You said you were going to be at the cafeteria! Why weren't you?"

"Um, I'm going there right now. So what do you need me for? As much as I love you, West, awesome's gotta be where he's gotta be." He said with a cocky grin as he glanced at his wrist as if he was looking at his watch.

"Bruder, don't play games now! Here!" Ludwig reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "Your Chemistry teacher told me to give that to you!" He said before turning around to walk back to where he was sitting, by the door of his first period class.

Gilbert raised an eyebrow as he watched a cute Italian boy run up to hug his brother. "Maybe I should get buff too. Would cute guys run over to me then?" He wondered outloud as he continued to go to the cafeteria, opening up the note and reading what it's about.

"You are failing. I'm in charge of some heavy lifting afterschool today. If you want to get some extra credit, come help out." Antonio read out loud from the note. "Are you going to go?"

"Do I have a choice?" Gilbert groaned as he leaned back, effectively almost falling off the bench. "I got a freakin' 64 on the last test."

"64?" Francis questioned. "You just missed the mark. Malchanceux."

"I don't need you to tell me." Gilbert mumbled as he tossed a scrunched up napkin at him. Francis easily dodged, but did not anticipate the second one being thrown and it hit him on the cheek.

"Oh, but Gilbert, we haven't gone home together in so long! And you said today you can!" Antonio pouted. "You're always cooking with Ivan!"

"...That was what you were doing?" Francis asked in surprise. "You'd rather cook with him than me? I'm hurt, Gilbert!" Francis faked a pout as well. "You've made me very sad! So you better come home with us!" He said as he pulled Gilbert into a hug with Antonio following suit, effectively keeping Gilbert in the middle of them.

"Hey! Hey-! Gnk-!" Gilbert tried to get himself out of their grip with no avail. "Let go, you idiots!"

"Not until you agree to come home with us!" Antonio said as the two of them tightened their grip around him.

"What? No! I just told you I can't! I'm going to fail!" But apparently, the message wasn't getting through to them. He would cry for help from the nearest person, but his pride wouldn't let him to that.

"Oi! Let go of him, you gits!" Arthur said as he smacked both France and Antonio on the head with his binder. The moment they loosened their grip slightly, Gilbert jumped off the bench to beside Arthur. "Have your threesome elsewhere. I don't need to see it."

"Yea! You heard the man!" Gilbert said, sticking his tongue out to the two of them before picking up his bag and leaving the cafeteria. Deciding to sit outside his classroom, he passed the time by playing on his cell phone. He was playing for a good ten minutes when a flash of lightning, followed by thunder startled him. "Woah, it's coming down hard..." He noted as he walked over to the window to look outside. He didn't have his umbrella today and was only wearing a thin hoodie so he hoped that it would let down before the end of the day.

"Gilbert! Help us move this desk!" A voice called from the other end of the storage room.

"Yea, I'm coming!" He yelled back as he wiped some sweat off his forehead. "Ok, I know I'm the strongest seeing how they're all wimps, but is it necessary to get me to do everything?" He mumbled to himself as he shoved his current desk the corner of the room before heading to the other end of the room. Passing by the clock, he glanced at it, six already, he hadn't even noticed it had gotten that late... "I guess Ivan must be having fun at his date now..." He whispered before hearing one of his classmates call from the other end of the room again.

After having moved everything that needed to be moved (including multiple desks, textbooks, and shelves), Gilbert heard thunder from outside the window. "It's still raining?" He whined.

"Yea, sorry, I don't got any spare umbrellas!" One of the boys that were helping out. And as much as Gilbert wished that he could call one of them a 'friend', all of them quickly grabbed their bags and ran out of the room.

"Oh, gee! Thanks!" Gilbert screamed after them. "Guess I can't help you on the next Chemistry test!" Flipping the bird at them, he return to the room to grab his hoodie again as well as his bookbag which the freshmen had thrown somewhere.

"-anks for the help, Kiku!"

Oh, that voice was familiar... Gilbert paused in his searching as he strained to hear the conversation, but whatever the Japanese boy was saying as a repy was far too quiet for him to hear.

"Date? Nah, I'm not actually going..."

Gilbert's eyes widened and he placed a hand over his mouth to stop himself from making a noise. He could hear them clearly now since they were standing close to the door to chat.

"But, Alfred... What about Ivan's feelings...?"

"I think he really needs to know. I'm just not interested."

"But...Isn't this a bit cruel-"

"Are you an idiot!" Gilbert yelled, throwing the door open and startling both Alfred and Kiku. "I can't believe this!" He looked back in the room, spying his bag behind a chair, he grabbed it and stomped out of the room.

Gilbert didn't bother with how wet he was getting. He didn't even mind stepping into the giant puddles that tend to gather around the corners of the sidewalk because kids like to throw garbage to clog up the sewers. "Pick up already, dammit!" He mumbled as Ivan's voice mail came on again.

He was annoyed by how far away Ivan had picked the restaurant to be. Edge of the city, thanks so much, Ivan! When the restaurant was finally in sight, Gilbert could make out someone sitting outside the door.

Stopping in front of him, Gilbert let out a sigh and bit his lip, wondering what to say. "...Loitering is a crime, you know."

"Not loitering." Ivan mumbled back. "Waiting for someone, da."

"You've been here for two...three hours, why do you think he's going to come?"

Ivan didn't answer and instead covered his face with his hands.

"Come on. You're going to catch a cold." Gilbert said as he reached a hand out to the Russian to pull him up. It took Ivan a moment, but he accepted Gilbert's hand and stood up. "Where's your house? I can take you home." When Ivan mumbled where his house was, Gilbert quickly changed his mind. "Never mind, my house is closer, you can stay there for tonight?"

"...Dad'll get upset."

"What sort of dad would want their son to get sick? Come on." He said as he pulled Ivan down the block. "The longer we stay out here, the colder it'll be."

"...My heart's felt frozen for quite a while."

"That's stupid! Anything that's frozen can be melted!" Gilbert said loudly as he picked up the pace.

The rain's freezing his hands as he stumbled to get the keys to open the door. When he finally did, he had expected Ivan to follow him in. When he didn't, Gilbert pulled him in by the hand. "Sheesh, you really want to freeze or something?"

Ivan scanned the room. The doorway had led him into a large living room with the kitchen behind it. He could already imagine Gilbert eating on the couch laughing at the TV. The windows were on both sides of the house and there was a hallway that led to the back where he presumed rooms were. There were also a staircase, but he couldn't see beyond and into that.

"What, the size of the house astounds you?" Gilbert said with a smirk as he pulled his hoodie off and threw it on the couch. It was wet and staining the cushions, but he wasn't the one to care. That was Ludwig's job. "There's a lot of us living here. Me, my dad, my brother, and my two cousins."

He waited for the Russian to say something. When he didn't, he sighed. "Fine! Silent treatment, huh? Alright, two can play that game!" He pulled Ivan up the stairs with him and to a corridor full of closed doors. "Here's the bathroom. Go take a bath and I'll go find some clothes for you. Maybe we still have some old clothes that we pulled too much."

Just as Gilbert was about to leave, Ivan reached out and caught his arm. "Why are you being so nice to me? I know, da. I know that you still hate me."

Gilbert frowned and stared up at him, unable to answer. There wasn't a clear reason that he was helping the Russian. It was just that he couldn't have just left Ivan by himself after being crushed. He could still remember how it felt that... I'll wait for you, right here! Don't worry, I'll come, I promise! The words rung in his head as he bit his lip. She never did come... "Tch, because I'm nice and awesome, duh!" He finally answered.

"...Huh?"

"Now get in there and take a shower before I have to go and strip you myself!" With that, Gilbert shook his arm loose from Ivan's grip and shoved the Russian in, slamming the door shut himself.

"...Huh..." Ivan repeated as he stared at the bathtub. "...I hope this bathtub works the same way as the one I have home..."

Ludwig was rather annoyed as he stepped through the door of his house. Both Roderich and Vash had asked him to wait for them afterschool since for some reason he could not understand, they had both been absentminded enough to forget their keys. Neither one of them were irresponsible people, he could only wonder what had caused them to forget their keys. And still afterwards, they decided to inform him three hours after school ended that they would be late. He supposed, it was time to use that internet phrase that Korean kid and Romano often used, "Fuck my life."

Unlocking the door, he scowled when he saw that Gilbert had thrown wet clothing on the couch. Sighing, he picked up the wet hoodie and hung it on the coat rack, careful to keep it a distance from the dry clothing and slipped some newspaper underneath to not let the wooden floors get damaged.

Dropping off his bag in his room upstairs, he waited a short while in the hallways for the bathroom door to open. When fifteen minutes had passed, Ludwig was getting annoyed and knocked on the door. "Gilbert! Get out, you don't own the bathroom!" He continued to pound the door a couple more times when the door opened and he stared at a shirtless Russian. Ludwig can only stare for a moment before yelling, "GILBEEEEEERT!"

"Was?" The door to the bedroom at the end opened and Gilbert poked his head out.

"This!" Ludwig said as he pointed at Ivan.

"That would be Ivan."

"Why's he in our house?"

"Don't worry about that." Gilbert said, walking out of his room with some neatly folded clothing- ones probably folded by Ludwig or anyone in the household, but him. "Here, found some stuff that might fit you!" He said as he shoved the clothing into Ivan's chest. "Now go take your shower!"

The door was shut again as Ludwig stared at his older brother with an expression that was beyond annoyance. "Why's he in our house?" He repeated his question.

"I told you, don't worry about it!"

Ludwig rolled his eyes and rubbed his temples. "I don't like that man and neither do you, tell me why he's here! Or did you forget what happened on that school trip?"

The older German narrowed his eyes and looked away. "Of course I remember, but it's just for tonight!" When Ludwig didn't look convinced, he added, "He'll sleep in my room, ok?"

"...Huh?"

"No problem now, right?" Gilbert gave him a cocky grin for winning before running back into his room.

"Wait, Gil- Ugh..." The headache was approaching and he ran down the stairs to use the bathroom in the basement instead.

Aha, isn't it funny? The story's still taking place in October. Gott, this is behind Dx

It was rather hard to write this part too ;w;'' Not only did I have to make Alfred quite the jerk, each time Gilbert was nice to Ivan, I felt like he was getting OOC. OTL

&& Alfred is being a jerk to Ivan for a reason- He really, really hates him. A lot of the friendships and hatred stems from the past when they were all kids! ...This fic is getting nowhere fast, isn't it? *rolls eyes* Add that with my busy schedule. I'm getting no sleep next week! Three tests in one day right before vacation! ;-;

Let's end my rant now... About my other fics, I don't know when I can update them ._.'' Probably not soon. Sorry! ;;;

Russian:

Da - Yes

French:

Malchanceux - Bad luck