Another quiet summer day Xiang found himself babysitting Ulrich again. Now that it was summer break, Ulrich needed to be babysat more. Of course Xiang never minded; he had been doing this for years. Only thing different is that his stepsiblings would come over occasionally. Though, that day they weren't, but it wasn't a big deal. Xiang was doing what he usually does while babysitting: mess with the piano. Roderich's piano sounded nicer than the one at home.

While tapping his fingers along the keys, Xiang glanced at the clock on the wall. "Ulrich," he called despite still playing. It was around the time the younger boy usually asked for a snack. "You hungry?"

"I'll eat a little later," Ulrich called back from his art room. He was cleaning up the room since he had just finished his newest piece. "I'm almost done."

"'kay," Xiang responded, still getting up to at least see what there was for Ulrich to eat. Sometimes Roderich already prepared snacks and food, sometimes Xiang had to make it. As the teen was looking through the refrigerator, a knock on the front door sounded through the house.

Xiang closed the refrigerator door to get the front door. He only took one step before hearing haste footsteps beating him to the door.

"I got it!" Ulrich excitedly called.

Xiang quickened his pace. "You're not supposed to open the door," he scolded, though the 8-year-old already had his hand on the knob.

"But I know who it is," Ulrich whined before turning the knob. "I saw through the window upstairs."

Upon the door opening, familiar faces were met.

"Lili!" Ulrich cheered, giving his aunt a hug. He was oblivious to Xiang and Lili staring speechlessly at each other.

"L-Leon?" Lili hesitantly called.

Xiang just as unsurely responded, "Hey…"

Ulrich turned to Xiang. "Leon?" he repeated as he pulled his aunt inside, closing the door behind them. Unlike the others, Ulrich did know of Xiang's English name. "You know Xiang?" Didn't mean he used it though.

"Xiang?" Lili questioned this time.

Ulrich pointed at Xiang.

Cutting in, Xiang asked Lili, "What are you doing here? I wasn't told anyone was gonna come over." He turned to Ulrich. "I thought your dad was an only child."

"I'm Roderich's cousin," Lili explained. "I was told Ulrich needed to be looked after today. What are you doing here?"

"I babysit Ulrich," Xiang answered.

An awkward silence filled the air as both teens wondered what the heck was going on. Ulrich didn't seem to notice as he trotted back to Xiang. "Xiang, I'm hungry now."

Xiang turned his attention to Ulrich, leading him to the kitchen. "Yeah, I'll make you something in a sec. Let me just call your dad real fast, 'kay?"

Lili hastily followed behind. "I could make Ulrich something while you call Roderich." Seemed Xiang wasn't the only one curious about what was going on.

"You alright with that?" Xiang asked Lili first, then checking with Ulrich. They both were fine. "Alright, then."

Lili watched Xiang excuse himself to the other room before Ulrich caught her attention.

"How do you two know each other?" Ulrich asked.

"We, uh, go to the same school," Lili answered, beginning to quickly make Ulrich something to eat. "I didn't know he was the Xiang you always talk about, and I knew him as Leon."

"I guess that makes sense," Ulrich reasoned. "Are you two friends?"

"Not exactly," Lili sheepishly answered honestly.

"Oh, well Leon doesn't talk much," Ulrich explained, thinking Lili needed one. "But he's super nice," he added, already starting the snacks Lili finished up making. "So I'm sure you two will be really good friends."

"I hope so," Lili agreed with a small laugh.

Right then, Xiang came back into the kitchen.

"Yeah, there was just a small mix-up," Xiang began explaining.

Roderich had apparently forgotten to let Lili know that she didn't need to look after Ulrich that day. He apologized about the confusion and said they could both stay or one could go. Either was fine.

"Well, if you're here for him, I guess I could go," Xiang said, already going to grab his things.

"Nooo!" Ulrich whined, instantly latching onto Xiang. "You said you'd play outside with me if I finished cleaning my art room."

"But Lili's here now," Xiang said. "You can play with her."

Ulrich only whined more, hiding his face in Xiang's shirt. "You promised…"

Xiang sighed. He needed to stop making promises to little kids.

Lili came to Xiang's aid. She walked over to the two, crouching down to Ulrich's height as she spoke softly, "Ulrich, Leon was here since the morning, right? Can't I take over? Then he can play with his siblings today as well."

Curiously, she turned up to Xiang. "Where are your siblings?"

"Ulrich wasn't feeling that great this morning, so his dad asked if I could come alone today," Xiang explained, rubbing Ulrich's back as the kid held him tighter. "He's doing alright now though. My siblings are with my stepdad at home."

Xiang let out another sigh before making Ulrich let go of him. He kneeled down to Ulrich's height as well. "Come on; don't make that face," he playfully teased. "Alright, I'll stay."

Ulrich brightened up, happy his babysitter was staying.

Xiang stood back up to talk to Lili. "If you want, you can go then—"

"No!" Ulrich denied once again. "We'll all play!"

Xiang gave Ulrich a look while Lili only giggled.

"I mean, I cleared my day so I could come and play," Lili said, Ulrich cheering once more.

Ulrich wasted no time pulling both Lili and Xiang to the backyard.

"Xiang! Xiang!" Ulrich called once sprinting for a soccer ball laying on the grass. The ball belonged to Dylan and the others, who left it to play with Ulrich when they came over. "I've been practicing."

"Like how Dylan showed you?" Xiang asked, carrying the conversation. He sat down on the soft grass to watch his neighbor.

Ulrich nodded his head, beginning to try and juggle the soccer ball. He only managed to kick it up once before catching it again, but it was better than before when he'd kick the ball and send it flying.

"You weren't very into sports before, Ulrich," Lili commented, taking a seat beside Xiang. Sort of. She still kept her distance. "Usually you stay inside."

"Dylan's been influencing him more," Xiang explained. "But apparently it's been driving his dad crazy."

Lili let out another laugh. "Roderich was never an outdoorsy person. But I guess he can't say no if Ulrich asks him to play with him outside, too."

"I swear whenever Ulrich wants to play outside with him, he calls me to come and bring my siblings," Xiang said, making Lili laugh more.

"Does it happen a lot?"

"Yeah, but never for long."

Proving Xiang's point, Ulrich noticeably began getting tired. He wasn't an active boy either.

"Ulrich, it's been like 5 minutes," Xiang halfhearted complained.

"It's tiring!" Ulrich defended himself with a huff. "You try it."

Xiang cracked a small smile, standing. "Alright, let's see if I got this."

Ulrich handed Xiang the ball. Xiang spun it in his hands for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Just tap the knee and…" he mumbled what Dylan said when explaining to Ulrich. Sadly, when Xiang released the ball and it landed on his knee, the hit was nothing like a tap. The soccer ball sprang back up, colliding directly with Xiang's face.

"Xiang!" Ulrich yelped, ignoring the ball as it flew off some place. His hands were worriedly outreached for Xiang as the teen was hunched over with his hands on his face. He could hear him hissing at the pain.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Lili asked, trotting over to Xiang and Ulrich after having caught the ball.

"And this is why I hate soccer," Xiang grumbled, opting to plop back down on the ground. He made a face at Ulrich, who only starting laughing. The younger boy plopped down beside Xiang as well, wrapping his arms around the teen.

Lili watched Ulrich be affectionate with Xiang, remembering how the other kids were with Xiang during P.E. class. She then remembered their soccer unit when Xiang would only kick the soccer balls once and make them fly across the field. So this was why he never had the ball for more than a second. At the thought, Lili began giggling as well.

Xiang sighed. "Great, now you're making fun of me?"

"I'm sorry," Lili apologized through her laughter. Once she calmed down, she asked, "Do you need ice?"

"I bet you do," Ulrich answered for Xiang. "You can kick stuff really hard; I bet that really hurt."

Xiang shrugged off the pain. "I'm fine. It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Are you sure?" Lili asked.

Xiang nodded his head. "I didn't hit it that hard." He turned to Ulrich. "You still wanna play soccer."

Ulrich made a face, shaking his head. "My legs are tired now."

"From just that?" Xiang poked fun, making Ulrich laugh again. "What, too tired that you're gonna walk on your hands?"

Ulrich's eyes widened at the idea. "Yes."

The boy then got up to try and stand on his hands. He placed both hands on grass before sticking one leg up. The tried to get the other up, but he couldn't bring it up.

"I got you," Xiang said, standing as well.

Xiang first straightened the leg Ulrich already had up. When they were both ready, Ulrich tried to bring his other leg up again. Xiang caught it as it went up, carefully holding and balancing Ulrich.

"Got it?" Xiang asked.

"Mmhmm!" Ulrich hummed. He then began trying to walk on his hands. He only managed two steps before he lost his balance and fell forward.

"Ulrich!" Lili yelled, started.

Luckily, Xiang was there to catch him before Ulrich landed on the ground.

"Oh thank goodness," Lili breathed.

"Woah," Ulrich said as well, looking up at the blue sky in Xiang's arms. He picked up his head, wrapping his arms around Xiang's neck. "Did you see that?" he excitedly asked. "I did a flip! I did a flip!"

"Yeah, I saw the whole thing," Xiang said as Ulrich grew even more excited.

Ulrich's smile grew. He turned to his aunt. "Did you see that, Lili?"

Lili was less excited. "That was very dangerous what you two did."

Ulrich's smile now dropped. "Nothing was going to happen…" he mumbled.

"You almost fell on the ground," Lili scolded.

"But Leon caught me." Ulrich turned to Xiang. "Right, Xiang?"

"What if he didn't?" Lili asked.

"Hey, it's not like I'd let him do anything I thought was dangerous or let him fall," Xiang defended Ulrich and himself as well. He'd never let Ulrich get hurt.

"You already know he's not an athletic kid," Lili said, now turning on Xiang.

"Alright, fine, I admit maybe trying to walk while doing a handstand wasn't a good idea, but he's fine and knows not to do that again without proper practice."

"Proper practice? Are you crazy!? He shouldn't be doing it at all."

"We'll he's not going to be doing it alone."

Lili and Xiang went back and forth. Ulrich shrunk while still in Xiang's hold. He felt he was to blame for the arguing.

"I'm sorry," Ulrich sadly apologized, gaining Xiang and Lili's attention. "I won't do it anymore."

The teens gave Ulrich their own sad looks as well, upset that the boy was upset.

"No one was hurt."

"Don't worry about it."

Lili and Xiang said at the same time. They didn't stop talking over each other there.

"I can ask Michelle if she can teach you."

"You can learn when I come over."

Lili and Xiang froze once again, eying each other unsurely.

"It's not safe for him if his teacher doesn't know what he's doing," Lili said sternly, though through her still soft tone. "Michelle's on the school gymnastic team."

"You don't think I know what I'm doing?" Xiang asked, irked. Before Lili could answer, Xiang put Ulrich down and took a few steps away.

Lili and Ulrich watched as Xiang stretched his arms a bit. He then took a step forward before quickly bringing his hands to the grass. He pulled himself up into a strong handstand, even effortlessly walking on his hands. But that wasn't all. After Xiang back right side up, he showed that he could do flips as well, doing a front handspring. It wasn't like martial arts practice with his dad were doing nothing.

After landing and safely on his feet, Xiang turned and gave Lili his narrowed eyes. "You know, I'm offended that you think I don't know what I'm doing with Ulrich. You might've been there right when he was born or whatever, but I've still been with him since he was only a few months old, alright?"

"I didn't mean to offend you," Lili apologized, legitimately feeling bad.

"Whatever," Xiang grumbled, brushing any dirt off his hands on his pants. "I think I should go. Since you can take care of Ulrich fine on your own."

All Lili could do was timidly move aside as Xiang headed back inside.

Ulrich continued looking sadly at both teens, turning back and forth between Lili and Xiang. "He really is nice," Ulrich said to Lili. "Honestly."

Ulrich left Lili to follow behind Xiang. Lili felt even more guilty for scolding Xiang. She was rather judgmental on the boy. She had to apologize.

"Leon, wait," Lili called, dashing inside. Once she was inside, she saw Xiang by her cousin's piano. He was packing up some music notes.

"Yeah?" Xiang asked still rather tensely, turning to Lili.

Lili paused, growing timid. "You play?" she asked, inwardly yelling at herself.

"You think I'm that nice to babysit for free?" Xiang rhetorically asked, back to putting his binder of music sheets in his bag. "I help take care of Ulrich, Mr. Edelstein teaches me piano." He does get paid nowadays as well, but that was beside the point.

Lili was taken aback. "Really? But he doesn't take students."

"He teaches Leon," Ulrich chirped from beside Xiang. "He's super good, too."

"I'm sure he is," Lili kindly said, making her way to the piano as well. "My cousin is a good teacher."

"He teaches you?" Xiang asked curiously.

"Taught," Lili corrected. "When I was a kid."

"But you still know how?" Xiang asked again. He stepped aside for Lili to take a seat on the piano bench.

"But I haven't played in forever," Lili nervously said, but she was a jerk to Xiang earlier… With a sigh, she sat on the bench.

Lili racked her brain, trying to remember something—anything—Roderich taught her. Her nervousness grew when she placed her fingers on the keys. The only thing that came to mind that was simple yet acceptable enough in her head was Heart and Soul.

A few keys in, Lili was glad for her muscle memory and her nervously melted away. It was replaced with shock when Xiang began tapping a bit away at the other end, playing the single-handed duet part.

Duet.

The two of them were doing a piano duet.

Lili felt her cheeks heat up, ignoring how close they were. Xiang didn't seem to notice, which the Germanic girl thanked the heavens for.

The last note resonated through the air before dying down to silence. Ulrich was instantly clapping his hands. Oh how he loved how art like music could create peace.

"Not bad," Xiang complimented.

"Thank you," Lili bashfully said. She then remembered she still had yet to apologize. "I'm sorry about before. I tend to be paranoid about safety, especially with Ulrich."

"Don't worry about it," Xiang forgave. "I mean, I can be really hotheaded, so I'm sorry for being mad at you, too."

Lili smiled, forgiving Xiang as well.

"Does that mean you'll stay?" Ulrich asked Xiang, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes.

Xiang looked blankly down at Ulrich, but the boy didn't let up.

"Yeah, yeah, okay," Xiang sighed. He really needed to learn how to say no to kids…

Ulrich let out a cheer.

"So, what else can you play?" Lili asked Xiang as Ulrich celebrated. She moved out of the way for Xiang to take a seat on the piano bench.

"Uh, I don't know, a lot of things," Xiang answered, still taking a seat.

"Play what you were playing earlier!" Ulrich suggested. He turned to Lili. "You have to hear this."

Lili laughed at how serious Ulrich was. She turned to Xiang. "If you don't mind."

"Nah," Xiang answered, shaking his fingers a bit to prepare. "I'm glad there was a suggestion."

Xiang's fingers began bouncing around the piano. He started playing something he had been practicing lately: ragtime. All because he had been in a certain mood because of some certain news.

Lili's eyes widened as she watched and listened. She knew the song, but never heard a ragtime rendition. And her cousin's type was music was classical, so she wasn't expecting anything but that.

"Your dad taught him this?" Lili whispered to Ulrich, still shocked.

Ulrich unsurely waved his hand. "Sorta." He knew that his dad more supervised Xiang nowadays after years of playing. Xiang more or less brought his own music and Roderich guided him with tips and such. Ulrich's dad may not be an expert in other genres, but that didn't mean he couldn't teach well. "Amazing, huh?"

Lili went back to watching Xiang's fingers, nodding her head. Her eyes went up to his. That's when she noticed how lit up they were and couldn't stop staring.

Xiang caught Lili's eyes on his, though didn't think anything of it. Even when she instantly turned away. He only continued playing until the end. After such a performance of upbeat music, silence fell throughout the house.

"Well," Xiang breathed, "I've never played this while it's this quiet. My siblings would've jumped in in the middle."

"What?" Lili asked, eyes wide.

Xiang only laughed. "Yeah, babysitting Ulrich doubles up as great practice time."

"It helps with inspiration, too," Ulrich added, wrapping his arms around Xiang from behind.

Xiang easily shifted to pull Ulrich onto his lap, tickling him. "Yeah, because nothing like looping the same song for three hours straight," he said with false anger, Ulrich bursting into laughter.

"How long have you been playing?" Lili asked.

"Well over 8 years," someone else answered for Xiang.

The three turned, seeing Roderich just entering the house.

"Dad!" Ulrich called, running over to give his dad a hug, which he gladly returned.

"Hello, my little Van Gogh," Roderich greeted before walking towards the piano. "Xiang, you went too fast at the end again."

"Yes, sir," Xiang muttered. And this was why he still needed a teacher.

Roderich laughed, ruffling Xiang's hair. "I'm glad to see that you two get along," he said. "Sorry again about all the confusion."

"It was nothing," Lili reassured. "No need to worry."

"I thought you weren't going to be back until later," Ulrich said up to his father.

Roderich gave a sheepish smile. "Yeah, I came back sooner than I said, huh? And on a day there were two people watching you."

"That's okay. You said you were going to help me pack today anyway, so we can start now," Ulrich said.

"Seems like you'll be busy," Xiang cut in, standing from the Piano bench. "I'll leave you to that then."

Ulrich whined. "But, Xiang!"

Xiang ruffled Ulrich's hair. "Hey, I stayed longer twice for you already."

"Okay…" Ulrich huffed. "I'll see you soon then?"

Xiang nodded his head. "Yep." He then turned to Lili. "I guess I'll probably see you once school starts."

"I-I guess so," Lili agreed with a sheepish smile. "I'll see you then, Leo—Xia—Le—" Her head began to spin a bit, unsure which name to use.

"You can still use Leon if you want," Xiang said, throwing his backpack over his shoulder. "Whichever's easier for you. I really don't care."

"A-alright. See you later… Xiang," Lili tested.

Xiang offered a smile before taking his leave.

Once Xiang had walked out the door, closing it behind him, Lili's face instantly heated up once more. Perhaps she should've stuck with calling him Leon… She could just hear Michelle's teasing now…

"So you two are classmates?" Roderich asked Lili.

Lili nodded her head.

"Small world…" Roderich mumbled to himself. "And speaking of small world, I'm glad you and Xiang are acquainted actually. Because, uh, there's something I need to ask of you."

Lili looked perplexed at Roderich, listening to what her cousin had to say. And…

Oh she could just hear Michelle's teasing now…

okay guys, remember how i started writing Ulrich before Kugelmugel's big anime debut? so he's gonna be ooc compared to that. not as crazy hehehe~ i'll try to tweak it a bit in the future... yeah, i'm not super following the anime much anymore sorry hehe... but it's nice feeling up to writing this again! also, i've been listening to ragtime haha