A small smile grew on his lips as he walked home from school. The week was over, the term was over, the holidays were just two days away and nothing could dampen his spirits. Nothing.

"Hey, Artie, wait up!"

Ok, so maybe he lied. Only one thing could get him down, and that was the Prussian currently running towards him. He smiled as the boy caught up, bent over to catch his breath and smiled up at him happily.

"School's over! I can't wait for the holidays!"

He chuckled to his friend and shook his head at his eagerness. Really, how did this boy end up in the top sets of nearly every class he took? He never worked hard and always interrupted the lessons. Maybe it was his charms? Yes, that must have been it, because those charms had also taken him by storm too.

"Yes, it is nice to have a break from the tedious work our teachers throw at us. Although I'm sure the French teacher wanted to keep some of us behind for the holidays just to see us squirm at having to learn the horrid language while we should be out and about."

At this the boy laughed, walking starting up again as both pairs of feet went onto auto pilot to go to the place they knew the route to so well.

"Yea, I'd hate to see that! Hey, Artie, I'd be able to stay 'round yours, right?"

This was the same question he always asked on Friday and, by luck, charm or simple routine, the answer was the same as always.

"Sure, I don't see why not"

The problem was that he saw exactly why not. He saw why he shouldn't always allow his friend to stay at his house, why he should say no and walk away. But he couldn't, and never would, all because the damned charm that man has that stops him from doing so.

He was taken, happily in love with a man who loved him and he knew that nothing could tear them apart, yet he was still affected by the man's charms. Like a bee to honey, he was addicted and trapped, and had not been able to get out of the sticky goo once he had been drawn in too close. He told his love lies, told him that he only had place in his heart for him, told him that he loved him and only him, told him so many white lies, just so he could end up with his friend. It was wrong, he knew, but why, then, did he just keep on coming back?

He was back to this again. Back to being pushed up against the wall, a leg between his knees, a hand holding his wrists above his head and a tongue shoved deep into his mouth. He moaned, eyes closing shut for a while, like they always did, as his friend touched him in places his even boyfriend hadn't the privilege to touch, like always.

He couldn't help it; he rubbed against the leg to try and get some friction between the two, desperately trying to get something good out of the task. His friend smirked through the kiss before pulling back, leaning forwards so that their foreheads and noses touched, looking him straight in the eyes. A soft smile played on his lips and he sighed.

"Artie… Ich liebe dich"

'Te amo, Arthur'

It wasn't right. He wasn't supposed to say that. Oh god, what happened? Something changed, something big. But wha-

"Arturo?"

Oh god. Not now, not like this. His friend looked behind himself and cursed under his breath. Looking over the elder's shoulder he could see sun-kissed skin, perfect brown hair, a beautifully sculpted body and amazing olive green eyes. Full of unshed tears.

"A-Arturo? W-what are you…?"

His friend released him and backed away, trying to avoid the same green eyes that his were fixated to. He took a deep, shaky breath and stoop up, warily walking towards his boyfriend. When the man was in his reach he backed up, closing his eyes in an attempt to stop his tears. It only made them crawl through his closed eyes.

"A-Antonio, please, just listen-"

"NO! A-Arturo… w-why? H-how…"

He tried to get closer to him, tried to wipe away his tears and pull him close, but his usually comforting hand was slapped away and the shaking body ran off out of the door, and, most likely, out of his life.

He stared at the door for a few seconds before collapsing to the floor in a heap and crying. Crying harder then he had when his brother left him, when his mother died, when his father left them, when his brothers abused him and called them names. Even harder then when he first found out that he love two men at the same time.

Two warm arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him close to a well-toned chest and to a calming voice that whispered sweetly in his ear.

He couldn't find it in himself to push the man away, to run after the one he should love, the one whose heart he just so horribly broke. But the arms were too inviting, the chest too comfortable and the voice too loving for him to move. He hated himself, but he just couldn't hate the one who started it all, the one who, if he had ignored, would have gone away and stayed away so he could have a happy life with Antonio, so he could still be with him, so he could still hold his hand and not feel guilt and regret.

But he did not move. He knew, deep inside his heart, that it was his fault all along, that he should have told him 'no', that he should have told Antonio long ago, that he could have avoided it all if he had wanted to. But he hadn't, because he had wanted what the lies and secrets brought.

This newfound information brought on a new set of tears and even more whispers in his ear. He looked up at his friend and blinked, his face contorting into one of half frustration and half sadness.

"Gilbert…"

Said man just smiled and held him closer before repeating the same three words he had before.

"Ich liebe dich"

'Te amo'

And he soon found that, this time, the words made him feel whole and loved, and that he had almost forgotten the meaning of the words the echoed around in his head.