Antonio smiled in the mirror, examining his braces. He ran his tongue over them, feeling the grooves. Needless to say, really hated them. Even though they were his favorite color of red, they proved to be really annoying. He couldn't have popcorn, or anything too hard, and if he wanted a freaking stick of gum he had to gently clean them afterwards.

"Metal mouth, come on you're gonna be late!" His brother Dimas called from downstairs. Antonio sighed heavily. First day of a sophomore year and now he had braces. He was going to be made fun of. Mostly by his friends, but he could imagine the torment that other nastier kids might give him. He left the bathroom and slumped down the stairs, his brother catching the long look on his face. "Toni, you know no one really cares right?"

"Everyone cares." Antonio said with a sigh. "It's different for Seniors. You're almost done. All you guys care about is getting the year overwith."

"True. But I promise, no one, aside from Gil and Francis. They'll tear you apart, but they're your friends. Oh and me of course but I'm not just laughing at your cyborg teeth I'm also laughing at you fat ass, acne, stupid hair cut and taste in music." Dimas said with a laugh. "But seriously, if anyone who doesn't love tries to say jack shit about your braces... Punch them so hard in the mouth they'll need them too."

Antonio smiled, before hiding his teeth behind his lips.

"And stop that. It makes you look pathetic. Just act like you don't care, and no one else will. Now move."

They both got in the car and Dimas drove them to school. They arrived in plenty of time, despite morning delays. Antonio walked in and headed to his locker opening it. Nothing was in it yet, but he started to fill it with notebooks for later in the year. A boy opened the locker next to him. Antonio was curious trying to get a peak without staring. He had never met the person who had the locker next to him. He couldn't be a freshmen because they hadn't gotten their locker combinations yet.

"Could you not stare at me? Thanks." the boy said, moving the door to glare up at Antonio. "Jesus, why is it that everyone but me seems to have grown a foot over the summer, or are you just a freak who was always tall? Like my fucking brother. Kid just started 8th grade. he little shit is taller than me."

Antonio couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe you are just short?"

"Don't call me short metal mouth." Antonio suddenly stopped smiling. "Oh hey wait... I um... I didn't mean..."

"No it's ok. Their lame I know. I'm a freak."

"No." The kid said before showing his teeth. They were just the same except his braces with green. "I get it."

"It's fine. I'm Antonio."

"Lovino." He said softly. "Look I gotta get to class. Maybe I'll see you around. And if I don't and I really need you... I could get a metal detector. I would say giant magnet but that might backfire pretty quick." Antonio laughed as the boy left. He leaned on his locker to watch him go, but had forgotten it was open, and fell into it.

After dusting himself and hoping no one saw Antonio had departed for class, of which his two very best friends in the world shared with him.

"Let me see." Gilbert said before Antonio could even sit down. Antonio flashed him a smile. "Niiiice. We could call you Iron Jaw, they guy who will bite the dicks off our enemies."

"Why bite when you can suck?" Francis asked. "Speaking of which I wouldn't do any of for a while. It hurts to be on the receiving end. Trust me."

"I don't think I'll be sucking any dicks in the upcoming years but noted."

"You never know. Besides I heard you were flirting with a one, Lovino Vargas today."

"Is that his last name? And we weren't flirting. I mean he was cute but we just met. And how do you know that?" Antonio asked.

"I know everything."

"Yeah it's kinda creepy. He has all kinds of spies and maybe even psychic powers. But it only applies to love and sex. You happen to glance at a nice butt, Fran knows."

The bell rang and class began before they could discuss further. The day was a breeze mostly consisting of introductions to the course, and 'get to know you' games. It was until his last class that anything interesting happened. In his art class a certain boy happened to sit right next to him.

"Yo." Lovino said. "Today was shit."

"I kind of like the first day. It's easy, no home work and you get to meet new people."

"Yeah but I hate new people." Lovino said with a sigh.

"Even me?"

"Especially you with your stupid braces and your dumb hair that falls in your pretty eyes and your butt that I definitely don't like looking at and...' Lovino stopped a blush falling over his cheeks. "Shut up."

Antonio didn't laugh. He smiled, not caring who say his braces, before quickly writing down his number and passing it to Lovino. And Lovino smiled.

A few weeks passed. Antonio and Lovino grew closer. Turned out Lovino was an artist, not so much the painting kind but was more interested in graphic work.

"Why take a drawing class then?'

"So I can use original art in my graphics. Besides, no one likes a one trick pony. Art is varied, so your skill must be too."

Lovino learned Antonio was a musician, or at least tried to be.

"You play guitar?" Lovino had asked. "Don't tell me you're the guy who will pull it out at parties and play it."

"Yeah... Why?"

"No... Don't be the douche bag with the guitar. Everyone hates that guy... to think I had a crush on you..."

"Had?" Antonio teased.

And so on. They were friends, sometimes more but never less. They hadn't quite gone on dates or kissed and held hands but they were certainly passed the point of just friends. Until at least, Lovino came over after school one day. Dimas had driven them home before departing to do something on his own.

"It'll just be us. My parents are away for the night. And Dimas won't be home for a while. If he comes home at all. You could stay the night. it'll be fun."

"Don't you get shady with me Mr. I know this is just a ploy to see me naked. Maybe get a bj."

"Actually, from what I hear a blow job from someone with braces is not fun." Antonio said sitting down.

"And how do you know? Cheating on me?" Lovino asked sitting next to him.

"Yes. I've been seeing someone behind your back." Antonio said with a grin, before receiving a pillow to the face. "Hey!" He said grabbing it and hitting Lovino back. The two got into a small pillow fight, before the pillows were abandoned altogether, the two ending up on the floor. Lovino lay on his back with Antonio hovering above him. "Surrender?"

"Never." Lovino said trying to get away, but found he was unable too.

"Give it up."

"No. I still have a secret weapon!" Lovino smirked.

"What?" Antonio asked, but his answer was given. Lovino leaned up kissing him. "Oh. That yeah..." He mumbled kissing him back. It was Antonio's first kiss, but it was the first kiss that he really enjoyed. Lovino tasted like something sweet, and it made Antonio want more. He cupped Lovino's face kissing deeper and harder...

Snag.

Antonio tried to pull back... Something was wrong. But he couldn't.

"You fucker." Lovino said against his mouth.

Their braces had gotten caught. They were stuck together.

"It could be worse." Antonio said, pulling out his phone sending a distress text to gilbert asking him to bring some wire cutters. "I mean, our parents are going to kill us for wrecking our braces, but hey, if there's anyone I wouldn't mind being stuck at the mouth with, it's definitely you."

"Suppose you're right..."

"Wanna keep making out until help arrives?" Antonio mumbled. And Lovino kissed him.

Maybe braces aren't so bad after all...

"Ow... This hurts." Lovino mumbled.

Never mind they're terrible.